Carrier device and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The application discloses a bearing device and a semiconductor process equipment, and relates to the field of semiconductor equipment. The bearing device comprises a bearing part, a first air duct and a limiting component. The bearing part is provided with a containing groove for containing a wafer, and the groove bottom surface of the containing groove is a bearing surface. The air outlet of the first air duct is located on the bearing surface and is used for ventilation to make the wafer float. Multiple sliding channels are arranged at the edge of the containing groove and surround the circumferential direction of the containing groove. Multiple second air ducts are arranged in the bearing part and are communicated with the multiple sliding channels respectively. The limiting component comprises multiple limiting parts used for abutting against the outer circumferential surface of the wafer. The multiple limiting parts are one-to-one slidingly connected to the multiple sliding channels. By ventilating into the second air duct, the limiting parts can be moved towards or away from the center of the containing groove. The semiconductor process equipment comprises the above bearing device. The application can solve the problem that the gap between the tray and the wafer is not repeated, resulting in uneven wafer circumferential film thickness and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, specifically relating to a carrier device and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] CVD silicon epitaxy equipment is a device that uses CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) technology to grow silicon thin films on the surface of silicon-based wafers. Silicon epitaxy is achieved by controlling the flow of reactive gases through a heated wafer, where reactants undergo a chemical reaction on the wafer surface to generate elemental silicon, thus forming a thin film of elemental silicon on the wafer surface. During this process, the temperature of the wafer surface and the flow rate of the reactive gases both affect the epitaxial growth rate. In CVD epitaxy, the wafer needs to be placed on a tray, and the surface of the wafer and the tray are heated to reach the required reaction temperature.

[0003] However, some process equipment in related technologies are affected by factors such as wafer placement accuracy, tray position movement, and wafer sliding during the wafer placement process. In particular, the change in the gap between the wafer and the tray due to tray movement leads to non-repetitive gaps between the tray and the wafer, which in turn affects the uniformity of the circumferential film thickness and ultimately affects the geometric parameters of the wafer. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a carrier device and semiconductor process equipment that can solve problems such as uneven circumferential film thickness of the wafer caused by non-repeating gaps between the tray and the wafer.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] This application provides a support device for semiconductor process equipment. The support device is disposed in the reaction chamber of the semiconductor process equipment. The support device includes: a support member, a first gas channel, and a limiting component.

[0007] The support member is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating the wafer, and the bottom surface of the receiving groove is the support surface;

[0008] The outlet of the first air passage is located on the bearing surface and is used to introduce gas into the receiving groove so that the wafer is suspended above the bearing surface;

[0009] The edge of the receiving groove is provided with multiple slides, which are arranged circumferentially around the receiving groove. The bearing member is provided with multiple second air passages, which are connected to the multiple slides respectively.

[0010] The limiting assembly includes a plurality of limiting members for abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer. The plurality of limiting members are slidably connected to the plurality of slides in a one-to-one correspondence. By introducing gas into the second air channel, the limiting members can be moved toward or away from the center of the receiving groove to adjust the position of the wafer in the receiving groove.

[0011] This application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including a reaction chamber and a support device disposed within the reaction chamber, wherein the support device is the aforementioned support device.

[0012] In this embodiment, two gas paths are provided. One path is used as a purge gas, which allows the wafer to be suspended in the receiving groove of the carrier, thus suspending the wafer above the carrier surface. The other path is a pneumatic gas, which can drive multiple limiting members to move toward the wafer and make the multiple limiting members abut against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer. Since multiple slides are connected to multiple second air channels, the movement of the multiple limiting members can be the same, so as to adjust the wafer to the center position of the receiving groove and limit the deviation of the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the wafer and the wall of the receiving groove, thereby optimizing the uniformity of the circumferential film thickness and geometric parameters of the wafer. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of wafers placed in a tray in related technologies;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the edge film thickness adjustment of a wafer in related technologies;

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a process chamber provided in related technologies;

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the carrier device and the wafer disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram of a wafer suspended in a receiving tank as disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member, limiting member, and rotating shaft disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the carrier disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 8 This is a partial schematic diagram of the carrier component at the slide rail disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the limiting member disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between the limiting component and the wafer before and after lifting and lowering, as disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0023] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the limiting member in its first state as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the limiting member in the second state as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] 100 - Bearing component; 110 - Receiving groove; 111 - Bearing surface; 112 - Groove; 120 - First air passage; 130 - Second air passage; 140 - Slide rail; 141 - First support surface; 142 - Second support surface; 151 - First limiting surface; 152 - Second limiting surface;

[0028] 200 - Limiting component; 210 - Limiting element; 211 - Sliding part; 2111 - First sliding surface; 2112 - Second sliding surface; 212 - Limiting part;

[0029] 300 - Thruster; 310 - Third airway;

[0030] 400 - Fixed shaft; 410 - Fixed main shaft; 411 - First main air passage; 420 - First support arm; 421 - First branch air passage;

[0031] 500 - Rotary shaft; 510 - Rotary main shaft; 511 - Second main air passage; 520 - Second support arm; 521 - Second branch air passage; 522 - Through hole;

[0032] 600-Wafer;

[0033] 700-Cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0035] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0036] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples and application scenarios.

[0037] In CVD epitaxy, wafers are placed on a tray. Heating the wafer's surface and the tray raises the wafer's surface temperature to the required reaction temperature. To prevent turbulence as the gas flows through the wafer, the tray's surface is typically a groove with a diameter slightly larger than the wafer's diameter and a depth close to the wafer's thickness. The wafer is placed within this groove. Figure 1 As shown, when gas flows across the tray and wafer surface, the vertical airflow disturbance is minimal, and turbulence is less likely to occur. In this structure, a certain gap exists between the wafer and the tray. Since the temperatures of the wafer and the substrate are not the same, the width of this gap directly affects the temperature and local airflow at the wafer edge, altering the epitaxial rate at that location and thus affecting the local epitaxial layer thickness. A typical wafer diameter is 300 mm, the groove diameter is 302 mm, and the gap width is 1 mm when the wafer is centered.

[0038] Wafer geometry parameters are a class of parameters describing the morphology of a wafer. The shape of the wafer affects photolithography focusing. Therefore, for 12-inch silicon epitaxial wafers, especially those used in advanced processes, the requirements for geometric parameters are very strict. A typical example is the SFQR (Site flatness front least-squares range) requirement of less than 25mm. SFQR describes the flatness of a local area of ​​the wafer. Specifically, it first measures the thickness of all points on the wafer, and then divides the wafer into multiple rectangular blocks starting from the center. A typical block size is 26*8mm. 2 and 25*25mm 2 Within each square, the thickness values ​​of all points are fitted to obtain a reference plane, which is the plane with the smallest intercept from all points within that square. Then, points with the largest intercepts from the reference plane are determined on both sides of the reference plane. The sum of these two intercepts is the SFQR of that region. SFQR is commonly used. maxDescribe the SFQR of the entire silicon wafer. Even when the SFQR of the wafer is acceptable, localized undulations in the epitaxial layer will become the main factor affecting the SFQR.

[0039] For silicon epitaxy, the film thickness variation in the inner region of the wafer is relatively gradual, resulting in a relatively small SFQR. However, the edge region, due to its different environment (surrounded by a tray rather than the wafer), typically exhibits a larger film thickness variation over a shorter distance, making it usually the area with the largest SFQR. The overall thickness variation at the edge can be adjusted individually using certain process parameters. However, circumferential film thickness asymmetry limits this adjustment (e.g., one side is thicker, the other thinner, or the thickness variations are equal). The thickness variation within this limit roughly corresponds to the optimal SFQR value for the process. Figure 2 As shown, before adjustment, the edge film thickness was asymmetrical, with a height difference of 50nm between the two edges. The highest point bulged sharply by 75nm within a short distance, and its SFQR was expected to be around 75nm. After adjusting the edge film thickness, the height difference between the two edges remained at 50nm, but the bulge at the highest point and the drop at the lowest point were both 25nm, and its SFQR was expected to be around 25nm. If the edge film thickness is further adjusted, whether increased or decreased, its SFQR will be greater than 25nm.

[0040] After adjusting SFQR to its limit by optimizing edge film thickness, further optimization of SFQR requires addressing the issue of symmetry. According to experimental data, the gap between the wafer and the tray is a key factor in the circumferential film thickness symmetry of the image. For every 0.1 mm offset of the wafer from the tray center, the difference between the maximum and minimum circumferential film thickness increases by approximately 20 nm, resulting in an optimal SFQR increase of approximately 10 nm. Currently, SFQR typically requires <30 nm, meaning the wafer's offset from the center should be controlled within 0.3 mm.

[0041] A process chamber in related technologies, such as Figure 3As shown, within the process chamber, a tray is supported by a three-branched rotating shaft. Each branch has a perforation. The upper surface of the tray has a groove for holding wafers, containing three through-holes into which three T-shaped pins are inserted, passing downwards through the perforations on the rotating shaft. Two motors are connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft, controlling its lifting and rotation. Below the rotating shaft is a fixed shaft, also with three branches. Each branch has a small platform at its tip. As the rotating shaft descends, the three T-shaped pins first contact the platform on the fixed shaft, then protrude from the tray surface as the shaft descends further, lifting any wafers on the tray. Based on actual use, the different height positions are: process position (i.e., the rotating shaft is raised to a certain height, so that the long needle is separated from the horizontal platform of the fixed shaft, and the rotating shaft can rotate freely to perform the process), placement position (i.e., the long needle just touches / removes from the horizontal platform of the fixed shaft, and it is also the position where the wafer and the tray are about to touch / remove), and exchange position (i.e., the long needle is separated from the base and stands on the horizontal platform of the fixed shaft. At this time, there is a sufficiently wide gap between the base and the tip of the long needle, which allows the robot arm to reach in).

[0042] Infrared lamps for heating the tray and wafer are located on the upper and lower sides of the outside of the process chamber. There is a gate valve on one side of the process chamber, and a robotic arm is located outside the gate valve. The robotic arm can put the wafer into the process chamber from the wafer source through the gate valve.

[0043] During normal processing, the rotating shaft first descends to the wafer exchange position, causing the long pins to protrude onto the tray due to the resistance of the horizontal platform. At this point, the valve in the process chamber opens, and the robotic arm, carrying the wafer, reaches the wafer placement position. It then moves downwards to place the wafer onto the protruding long pins and retracts the robotic arm. The lifting motor controls the lifting shaft to rise, which in turn lifts the tray. Upon reaching the placement position, the wafer is screwed into the groove on the tray. The tray then continues to rise to the process position to begin the process.

[0044] During the wafer placement process, the gap between the wafer and the tray will change due to factors such as placement accuracy, tray position movement, and wafer sliding. According to experience, the film thickness becomes thinner near the edge of the tray and thicker further away from the tray, thus affecting the uniformity of the circumferential film thickness and consequently affecting the geometric parameters.

[0045] The main factors influencing pallet movement are as follows:

[0046] First, when adjusting the position of the robotic arm for placing the film, the chamber is at room temperature. However, when the equipment is working normally and transferring the film, the chamber is heated (around 700°C). Under heating conditions, the rotating shaft undergoes thermal deformation, causing the position of the tray to differ from the position adjusted by the robotic arm.

[0047] Secondly, since epitaxy is usually a high-temperature process, the process temperature can reach above 1100℃. The tray itself is usually made of graphite, and the rotating shaft is usually made of quartz. The coefficient of thermal expansion of graphite is much greater than that of quartz. This causes the graphite tray to expand relatively at high temperatures. When cooling and transferring the wafer, the graphite tray first contracts. During this process, the graphite tray may not necessarily contract to its initial position, causing the relative position of the graphite tray and the quartz rotating shaft to change during wafer transfer. After repeating this process multiple times, the relative position of the graphite tray and the quartz rotating shaft will produce a macroscopically visible change.

[0048] Finally, the rotary lifting system, including the rotating shaft, consists of many components. The interaction between these components, as well as their own dimensions and shapes, change during thermal cycling. The rotating shaft, which forms the pallet, is directly affected by these changes, leading to a shift in its position and consequently, the position of the pallet. Measurements show that after multiple temperature changes, the graphite pallet's position can fluctuate by more than 0.5 mm, which is insufficient to meet the process requirements (<0.3 mm).

[0049] To address the issue of non-repetitive gaps between the tray and wafer caused by tray position movement, resulting in uneven circumferential film thickness and consequently poor circumferential geometric parameters, embodiments of this application improve the tray structure and rotation system to overcome the problem of non-repetitive gaps between the tray and wafer, thereby improving the uniformity of circumferential film thickness and optimizing the circumferential geometric parameters of the wafer.

[0050] refer to Figures 4 to 13 This application discloses a carrier device applied to semiconductor process equipment. The carrier device can be disposed within the reaction chamber of the semiconductor process equipment. The disclosed carrier device includes a carrier 100, a first gas channel 120, and a limiting component 200. The carrier 100 is the basic component of the carrier device, providing a mounting base for the limiting component 200, and also used to support and move a wafer 600. The limiting component 200 is used to limit and position the wafer 600 placed in the carrier 100, ensuring a relatively accurate position of the wafer 600 within the carrier 100, thus facilitating the adjustment of the gap between the wafer 600 and the carrier 100.

[0051] The carrier 100 is provided with a receiving groove 110, through which a wafer 600 can be received, so as to carry the wafer 600 to the process position for process processing. Exemplarily, the shape of the receiving groove 110 can be the same as the shape of the wafer 600, that is, the receiving groove 110 is a circular groove, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the receiving groove 110 is slightly larger than the area of ​​the wafer 600, so that there is a certain gap between the edge of the wafer 600 and the wall of the receiving groove 110.

[0052] The bottom surface of the receiving groove 110 is a bearing surface 111, which can support the wafer 600. For example, the bearing surface 111 can be a concave curved surface, so that a certain space can be formed between the back side of the wafer 600 and the bearing surface 111, which can be used to introduce gas.

[0053] In this embodiment, the outlet of the first air passage 120 is located on the bearing surface 111 and is used to introduce gas into the receiving groove 110 so that the wafer 600 is suspended above the bearing surface 111. Specifically, the first air passage 120 can be connected to the receiving groove 110. Gas can be delivered through the first air passage 120 to the space between the wafer 600 and the supporting surface 111, increasing the air pressure in the space. This lifts the wafer 600, suspending it in the receiving groove 110. In other words, the back side of the wafer 600 is completely detached from the supporting surface 111 under the support of the gas. The gas in the space flows out through the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600 and the wall of the receiving groove 110. In this state, the position of the wafer 600 in the receiving groove 110 can be easily moved to adjust the gap between the edge of the wafer 600 and the wall of the receiving groove 110, without the back side of the wafer 600 contacting or rubbing against the supporting surface 111. This prevents the wafer 600 from being damaged during movement.

[0054] The carrier 100 is provided with a plurality of second air passages 130. In addition, a plurality of slides 140 are provided at the edge of the receiving groove 110, and the plurality of slides 140 are arranged around the axial direction of the receiving groove 110 and are respectively connected to the plurality of second air passages 130. In this way, gas can be introduced into the plurality of slides 140 through the plurality of second air passages 130. Exemplarily, the slides 140 can be formed in the connection area between the wall of the receiving groove 110 and the bearing surface 111. Of course, they can also be set separately on the wall of the receiving groove 110 or separately on the bearing surface 111, as long as the slides 140 are located on the periphery of the wafer 600, so as to facilitate blowing air towards the edge of the wafer 600.

[0055] The positioning assembly 200 includes multiple positioning members 210 for abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600. These positioning members 210 are slidably connected to multiple slide rails 140 in a one-to-one correspondence. By introducing gas into the second air passage 130, the multiple positioning members 210 can move towards or away from the center of the receiving groove 110, thereby adjusting the position of the wafer 600 within the receiving groove 110 by abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to adjust the position of the wafer 600, the multiple positioning members 210 can be released from their abutment against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600. For example, the number of positioning members 210 is not less than three to ensure a good positioning effect.

[0056] Since the second air passage 130 is connected to multiple slides 140 respectively, and each slide 140 is slidably connected to a limiting member 210, the limiting member 210 will block the air passage of the slide 140, so that the air pressure generated by the gas from the second air passage 130 into the slide 140 directly acts on the limiting member 210, thereby pushing the limiting member 210 so that it can move towards the center of the receiving groove 110, so as to push the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600, thereby adjusting the position of the wafer 600 in the receiving groove 110, that is, adjusting the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600 and the wall of the receiving groove 110, making the gap more uniform.

[0057] It should be noted that, to improve the sealing between the limiting member 210 and the slide rail 140, the sliding contact surfaces of the limiting member 210 and the slide rail 140 can be increased. This reduces the coefficient of friction and increases the gap between the sliding contact surfaces, thereby improving the sealing performance. Furthermore, when there is no need to adjust the position of the wafer 600, the second air passage 130 can be stopped supplying gas. At this time, the air pressure in the slide rail 140 decreases. Under the action of gravity or external forces (such as elasticity, tension, thrust, etc.), the limiting member 210 can release its contact with the wafer 600 and gradually move away from the outer periphery of the wafer 600. Under the action of gravity, the wafer 600 falls onto the bearing surface 111 and is supported by the bearing surface 111.

[0058] For example, both the first air passage 120 and the second air passage 130 can be connected to an external air supply device. The gas supplied into the first air passage 120 and the second air passage 130 can be hydrogen, or other gases. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0059] Based on the above configuration, this embodiment of the application sets up two gas paths. One gas path is used as a purge gas, which allows the wafer 600 to be suspended in the receiving groove 110 of the support member 100, thereby suspending the wafer 600 above the support surface 111. The other gas path is a pneumatic gas, which can drive multiple limiting members 210 to move toward the wafer 600 and make the multiple limiting members 210 abut against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600. Since multiple slides 140 are connected to multiple second air channels 130, the multiple limiting members 210 can move in the same way to adjust the wafer 600 to the central position of the receiving groove 110 and limit the deviation between the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600 and the wall of the receiving groove 110. This can optimize the uniformity of the circumferential film thickness and geometric parameters of the wafer 600.

[0060] refer to Figures 4 to 6In some embodiments, the support member 100 has multiple through holes extending through the receiving groove 110 along the circumferential direction. Each through hole contains a ejector pin 300, which has a third air channel 310 extending circumferentially, forming a first air channel 120. Exemplarily, the multiple through holes can be evenly distributed on the support surface 111. Specifically, the multiple through holes can be centrally symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the support member 100. This arrangement ensures that the back side of the wafer 600 is subjected to a more uniform gas force, preventing the wafer 600 from tilting and becoming non-perpendicular to the axis of the support member 100. In a more specific embodiment, the support member 100 can have three through holes, and these three through holes are centrally symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the support member 100. This arrangement ensures stable support for the wafer 600. Simultaneously, by opening three through holes, the support member 100 can minimize material removal, ensuring the overall strength of the support member 100 and reducing processing difficulty.

[0061] Since each through-hole is equipped with a ejector pin 300, when the ejector pin 300 extends (i.e. moves upward) relative to the carrier 100, it can lift the wafer 600 in the receiving groove 110, so that the back side of the wafer 600 is separated from the carrier surface 111, thereby providing space for the robot to place or remove the wafer 600 without interfering with the carrier 100. After the robot has placed the wafer 600, the ejector pin 300 can retract (i.e. move downward) relative to the carrier 100, so that the wafer 600 can be placed on the carrier surface 111, thereby the carrier 100 can carry the wafer 600 to the process position for process processing.

[0062] Based on the above configuration, gas can be introduced into the receiving groove 110 through the third air channel 310 of the ejector pin 300, so that the wafer 600 can be suspended above the bearing surface 111 under the action of the gas, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the position of the wafer 600 in the receiving groove 110.

[0063] In other embodiments, the first air passage 120 can also be set separately to facilitate the introduction of gas into the receiving groove 110, and the ejector pin 300 is a solid rod, so that the ejector pin 300 can play the role of lifting the wafer 600.

[0064] In some embodiments, the bearing surface 111 is an arc surface that is recessed in the direction away from the opening of the receiving groove 110. A plurality of through holes are opened on the arc surface, and each through hole is provided with a recessed groove coaxially arranged with the through hole. The ejector pin 300 includes an ejector pin body and a limiting protrusion disposed at one end of the ejector pin body, so that the end of the ejector pin 300 is T-shaped. The ejector pin body passes through the through hole, the limiting protrusion is located in the recessed groove, and the third air passage 310 is disposed in the ejector pin body.

[0065] Based on the above settings, when the ejector pin 300 is not supported by the fixed shaft 400, under the action of gravity, the ejector pin 300 is located in a low position. At this time, the limiting protrusion is completely located in the groove, which can ensure that the upper end of the ejector pin 300 will not affect the arc structure of the bearing surface 111.

[0066] For example, the upper end face of the ejector pin 300 can also be an arc surface, which is adapted to the bearing surface 111. In this way, it can be further ensured that the upper end of the ejector pin 300 is adapted to the bearing surface 111 without affecting the bearing surface 111.

[0067] refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, the support device may further include a fixed shaft 400 fixed to the bottom of the reaction chamber. The fixed shaft 400 may include a fixed main shaft 410 and a plurality of first arms 420 connected to the fixed main shaft 410. The plurality of first arms 420 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of ejector pins 300.

[0068] In actual operation, the fixed spindle 410 extends vertically, while multiple first arms 420 extend outwards towards the carrier 100 for a certain length, with the end of each first arm 420 away from the fixed spindle 410 positioned opposite the ejector pin 300. Based on this, when the carrier 100 descends as a whole, the lower end of the ejector pin 300 can contact the top end of the first arm 420. Under the pushing action of the first arm 420, the ejector pin 300 stops descending. As the carrier 100 continues to descend, the ejector pin 300 protrudes relative to the carrier surface 111, thereby lifting the wafer 600 from the carrier surface 111, creating a certain distance between the back side of the wafer 600 and the carrier surface 111, facilitating the robot arm to place or remove the wafer 600. Conversely, when the carrier 100 rises as a whole, initially, the ejector pin 300 is not driven by the carrier 100. During this stage, the ejector pin 300 gradually retracts relative to the carrier surface 111. At the same time, the back side of the wafer 600 gradually approaches the carrier surface 111. As the carrier 100 continues to rise, the ejector pin 300 eventually retracts completely below the carrier surface 111, and the wafer 600 is placed on the carrier surface 111. As the carrier 100 continues to rise, it drives the ejector pin 300 to rise synchronously, causing the bottom end of the ejector pin 300 to detach from the corresponding first support arm 420.

[0069] Continue to refer to Figure 4In order to deliver gas through the third air passage 310 of the ejector pin 300, the fixed spindle 410 may be provided with a first main air passage 411, and the multiple first arms 420 are each provided with a first branch air passage 421, and the first branch air passage 421 of each of the multiple first arms 420 is connected to the first main air passage 411. The first main air passage 411 is used to connect with the air outlet of the gas supply device. Based on this, during the gas supply process, the gas can be transported along the first main air passage 411 and then distributed to the multiple first branch air passages 421.

[0070] Considering that the wafer 600 is placed by a robot arm when the carrier device is at its lowest position (i.e., the wafer transfer position), in this state, the ejector pins 300 are in contact with the corresponding first support arms 420. Thus, with multiple ejector pins 300 and multiple first support arms 420 in a one-to-one correspondence, multiple first gas distribution channels 421 and multiple third gas channels 310 are connected in a one-to-one correspondence. Based on this, during the gas supply process, gas can be transported along the first main gas channel 411 and then distributed to multiple first gas distribution channels 421. The gas then flows into the third gas channels 310 through the first gas distribution channels 421 and is finally transported to the space between the back side of the wafer 600 and the carrier surface 111 through the third gas channels 310, so as to achieve the suspended state of the wafer 600 in the receiving tank 110, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the position of the wafer 600.

[0071] In some embodiments, a preset flow rate of gas is introduced into the first air passage 120 to make the levitation height of the wafer 600 range from 5 μm to 30 μm.

[0072] In addition, the gas introduced into the first airway 120 and the second airway 130 can be hydrogen.

[0073] For example, the density ρ of wafer 600 is 2.33 g / cm³. 3 With a diameter D of 300 mm and a thickness T of 775 μm, supporting wafer 600 only requires the air pressure difference between the front and back sides of wafer 600 to overcome its gravity. Therefore, the required gas pressure difference to support wafer 600 can be calculated as follows:

[0074]

[0075] Taking hydrogen as the purge gas as an example, its density ρ1 is 0.0899 g / L, the height to which wafer 600 is supported is h, the required gas flow rate is F, and the state diagram of the gas on the back side of wafer 600 is as follows. Figure 5 As shown.

[0076] When gas flows in from the third gas channel 310 of the ejector pin 300, the horizontal flow velocity v1 is 0. When gas flows out from the back edge of the wafer 600, the gas pressure P2 is the same as that on the upper surface of the wafer 600, and lower than the pressure P1 on the back of the wafer 600. Therefore, the pressure difference between the upper surface and the back of the wafer 600 is ΔP = P1 - P2 = 17.7 Pa. The surface through which the gas flows out from the back of the wafer 600 is the gap between the back edge of the wafer 600 and the support 100 after the wafer 600 is lifted. The area of ​​this gap is πDh. Then the gas flow velocity through this cross section is v2 = F / (πDh). The height of the gas when it flows out is the same as the height when it flows in, that is, h1 = h2.

[0077] According to Bernoulli's equation

[0078]

[0079] Substituting ΔP=P1-P2, v1=0, v2=F / (πDh), and h1=h2 into Bernoulli's equation and simplifying, we get:

[0080]

[0081] The levitation height of wafer 600 can be changed by adjusting the gas flow rate. For example, taking a levitation height of 10 μm for wafer 600, F = 0.000187 m can be obtained. 3 / s = 11.22slm.

[0082] It should be noted that the wafer 600 only needs to be suspended so that the side limiting member 210 can adjust the position of the wafer 600. Its suspension height does not need to be very high. For example, the suspension height can be controlled between 5μm and 30μm, and further, it can be controlled between 10μm and 20μm. Correspondingly, the gas flow rate is controlled between 10slm and 20slm. Of course, it can also be selected according to the actual working conditions.

[0083] refer to Figure 6 In some embodiments, the supporting device may further include a rotating shaft 500, which includes a rotating main shaft 510 and a plurality of second arms 520 connected to the rotating main shaft 510. The rotating main shaft 510 is movably and rotatably mounted on the fixed main shaft 410, and the ends of the plurality of second arms 520 opposite to the rotating main shaft 510 are respectively connected to the supporting member 100. In this way, the rotating shaft 500 can support the supporting member 100 and drive the supporting member 100 to rotate and lift to meet process requirements.

[0084] Furthermore, each second arm 520 may be provided with a through hole 522 through which the ejector pin 300 can be movably passed. Thus, during the rotation of the rotating shaft 500 driving the carrier 100 to rotate, the multiple ejector pins 300 also rotate together. Moreover, each ejector pin 300 can move up and down relative to the corresponding second arm 520 without interference.

[0085] Considering that the multiple second arms 520 of the rotating shaft 500 are connected to the carrier 100, in order to more conveniently supply air to the second air passage 130, the rotating main shaft 510 may be provided with a second main air passage 511, which is used to communicate with the air supply device. The multiple second arms 520 are respectively provided with a second branch air passage 521 that communicates with the second main air passage 511. Correspondingly, the carrier 100 may be provided with multiple second air passages 130, and the multiple second air passages 130 and the multiple second branch air passages 521 are connected one-to-one. With this configuration, during the gas supply process, the gas can flow along the second main gas channel 511 and be distributed to multiple second branch gas channels 521. Then, it flows through multiple second gas channels 130 into multiple slides 140, thereby pushing multiple limiting members 210 so that the multiple limiting members 210 abut against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600 from multiple directions, realizing the adjustment of the position of the wafer 600. Therefore, the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600 and the wall of the receiving groove 110 can be made more uniform, ensuring the repeatability of the gap.

[0086] refer to Figure 8 In order to enable the limiting member 210 to slide smoothly relative to the slide rail 140, in some embodiments, the slide rail 140 may include a first support surface 141 and a second support surface 142 arranged parallel to each other, and both the first support surface 141 and the second support surface 142 are inclined surfaces. Specifically, the first support surface 141 and the second support surface 142 are each inclined in a direction away from the center of the receiving groove 110 along the axial direction of the carrier 100 towards the direction away from the support surface 111. Under actual working conditions, the opening of the receiving groove 110 faces upward and is located on the upper end surface of the carrier 100. The first support surface 141 and the second support surface 142 are each inclined downward in a direction away from the center of the receiving groove 110, so that the limiting member 210 can descend while moving away from the outer periphery of the wafer 600.

[0087] Accordingly, such as Figure 9As shown, the limiting member 210 may include a sliding part 211, which is slidably connected to the slide rail 140 and sealed together, ensuring smooth movement of the limiting member 210 while preventing gas leakage from the slide rail 140. The sliding part 211 may have a first sliding surface 2111 and a second sliding surface 2112 arranged opposite to each other. The first sliding surface 2111 slides in contact with the first support surface 141, and the second sliding surface 2112 slides in contact with the second support surface 142. This arrangement limits the direction of movement of the limiting member 210, allows the sliding part 211 to slide smoothly within the slide rail 140, and enables the limiting member 210 to rise or fall synchronously as it moves closer to or away from the wafer 600, facilitating the limiting and positioning of the wafer 600, as well as the release of the limiting and positioning of the wafer 600.

[0088] It should be noted that the first sliding surface 2111 and the first support surface 141, as well as the second sliding surface 2112 and the second support surface 142, maintain good contact, and the gap at the contact points is small enough to prevent gas leakage from affecting the limiting and positioning effect of the limiting member 210 on the wafer 600.

[0089] refer to Figure 8 To enable the limiting member 210 to automatically return to its original position (i.e., detach from the outer periphery of the wafer 600) when the gas supply is stopped, in this embodiment, the angle between the first support surface 141 and the second support surface 142 and the first plane is θ, and the coefficient of friction of the first support surface 141 and the second support surface 142 is μ, where θ and μ satisfy the formula μ < tanθ. This design ensures that when the gas supply is stopped, the limiting member 210 is no longer propelled by the gas. Under its own gravity, the limiting member 210 can move along the slide 140, detaching from the outer periphery of the wafer 600 and automatically returning to its original position. This eliminates the need for an additional return mechanism, thus reducing the complexity of the support device.

[0090] refer to Figure 9The limiting member 210 may further include a limiting portion 212, which is used to contact the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600 to compress the wafer 600 and adjust its position. To avoid interference between the limiting member 210 and the wafer 600, in this embodiment, the sidewall of the receiving groove 110 is provided with multiple grooves 112 arranged circumferentially along the receiving groove 110. Correspondingly, the limiting portion 212 of each of the multiple limiting members 210 is movably disposed in the corresponding groove 112. Therefore, when the limiting member 210 disengages from the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600, the limiting portion 212 can retract into the corresponding groove 112 and its contact end face with the wafer 600 is flush with the sidewall of the receiving groove 110. This prevents the limiting portion 212 from protruding from the sidewall of the receiving groove 110 and interfering with the wafer 600 falling into the receiving groove 110. Conversely, when the gas supply device supplies gas, the gas enters the multiple slides 140 along the second main gas channel 511, multiple second branch gas channels 521 and multiple second gas channels 130 respectively, thereby pushing multiple limiting members 210 toward the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600. During this process, the limiting part 212 will gradually extend out of the groove 112 and contact the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600 through its end face, so as to limit the wafer 600 and adjust the position of the wafer 600 in the receiving groove 110, thereby improving the uniformity of the gap between the wafer 600 and the carrier 100.

[0091] refer to Figure 8 To limit the movement range of the limiting member 210, in this embodiment, the bottom of the groove 112 away from the side wall of the receiving groove 110 is a first limiting surface 151, which is connected to the end of the first support surface 141 near the center of the receiving groove 110. With this arrangement, when the limiting member 210 is in a position away from the wafer 600, the limiting part 212 abuts against the first limiting surface 151, and the first limiting surface 151 can limit the limiting member 210 from moving further away from the wafer 600.

[0092] The second support surface 142 is connected to a second limiting surface 152 at one end near the center of the receiving groove 110, and the second limiting surface 152 is disposed opposite to the first limiting surface 151. Thus, the second limiting surface 152 can restrict the limiting member 210 from continuing to move toward the center of the receiving groove 110.

[0093] By setting the first limiting surface 151 and the second limiting surface 152, the position of the limiting member 210 when it extends under pneumatic action and the position when it retracts without pneumatic action can be restricted respectively.

[0094] Furthermore, such as Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the width distance between the connecting areas of the sliding part 211 and the limiting part 212 in the radial direction of the receiving groove 110 is a first distance d1, and the distance between the first limiting surface 151 and the second limiting surface 152 is a second distance d2, and the first distance d1 is less than the second distance d2. With this design, the limiting member 210 can move within the space defined by the first limiting surface 151 and the second limiting surface 152, so as to abut or disengage from the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600.

[0095] It should be noted here that the difference between the second distance d2 and the first distance d1 is the distance that the limiting member 210 can move radially in the receiving groove 110, that is, the distance that the limiting member 210 extends.

[0096] Furthermore, the difference between the second distance d2 and the first distance d1 is the first difference value; the difference between the radius of the receiving groove 110 and the radius of the wafer 600 is the second difference value; and the difference between the second difference value and the maximum offset of the wafer 600 from the center of the receiving groove 110 is the third difference value. The first difference value is greater than or equal to the third difference value. Based on this, the wafer 600 can be limited to a deviation from the center that is less than or equal to a preset error range, thereby ensuring the positional accuracy of the wafer 600 in the receiving groove 110.

[0097] For example, the diameter of the receiving groove 110 can be 302 mm, and the diameter of the wafer 600 can be 300 mm. In order to limit the wafer 600 to a range of less than 0.3 mm off the center of the receiving groove 110, the difference between the first distance and the second distance needs to satisfy d3 > (302-300) / 2-0.3. Thus, d3 > 0.7 mm. Of course, this difference will vary for wafers 600 of different sizes.

[0098] To facilitate the installation of the limiting member 210, in some embodiments, the radial width of the sliding portion 211 in the receiving groove 110 is less than the second distance d2. Specifically, the radial width of the sliding portion 211 in the receiving groove 110 is a fourth distance d4, such as... Figure 9 As shown, by making the fourth distance d4 smaller than the second distance d2, the sliding part 211 can smoothly enter the slide rail 140, thus facilitating installation.

[0099] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12In some embodiments, in a first state, the limiting member 210 contacts the first limiting surface 151, and the end face of the limiting member 210 for contacting the wafer 600 is flush with the sidewall of the receiving groove 110. In a second state, the limiting member 210 is used to contact the outer peripheral surface of the wafer 600, and the end face of the limiting member 210 for contacting the wafer 600 protrudes from the edge of the bearing surface 111. From the first state to the second state, the distance by which the limiting member 210 moves along the axial direction of the bearing member 100 is less than or equal to the thickness of the wafer 600.

[0100] The first state mentioned above is the state where gas supply is stopped, such as... Figure 11 As shown, in this state, the limiting member 210 remains in its original position under its own gravity. Its end face away from the center of the receiving groove 110 (i.e., the end face opposite to the end face used to contact the wafer 600) is in contact with the first limiting surface 151, and the end face of the limiting member 210 near the center of the receiving groove 110 (i.e., the end face used to contact the wafer 600) is flush with the side wall of the receiving groove 110. At the same time, the upper surface of the limiting member 210 is flush with the upper surface of the carrier member 100.

[0101] The second state mentioned above is the ventilation state, such as... Figure 12 As shown, in this state, the limiting member 210 extends its groove 112 toward the center of the receiving groove 110 under the action of air pressure, and pushes the wafer 600 toward the center of the receiving groove 110 to ensure the positional accuracy of the wafer 600. After the position of the wafer 600 is adjusted, the limiting member 210 returns to its original position under its own gravity after the air supply is stopped.

[0102] It should be noted that, because the sliding portion 211 of the limiting member 210 moves along the inclined first support surface 141 and second support surface 142, the height of the limiting member 210 also increases when it extends relative to the groove 112 (i.e., approaches the wafer 600). If the height of the limiting member 210 exceeds the thickness of the wafer 600, the end face of the limiting member 210 facing the wafer 600 cannot contact the wafer 600, thus failing to limit and position the wafer 600. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the height of the limiting member 210 does not exceed the thickness of the wafer 600.

[0103] For example, the thickness of wafer 600 can be 775 μm. Calculated based on the upper limit of the rising height being 80% of the thickness of wafer 600, when the distance the limiting member 210 moves toward wafer 600 is d3, the rising height h ≤ 775 * 0.8 = 620 μm, that is, tanθ ≤ 620 / 700. From this, it can be concluded that the tilt angle θ of the first support surface 141 and the second support surface 142 is ≤ 41.5°. Furthermore, the friction coefficient μ of the first support surface 141 and the second support surface 142 is calculated to be 0.89.

[0104] Based on the aforementioned support device, this application also discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes the aforementioned support device. Exemplarily, the semiconductor process apparatus can be a CVD (Continuous Chemical Deposition) device. In this case, in addition to the process chamber, the semiconductor process apparatus may also include structures such as heating lamps. Figure 13 As shown, the process chamber may further include a cavity 700, with a support device disposed within the cavity 700 to facilitate process processing of the wafer supported on the support device within the cavity 700. Additionally, heating lamps, such as infrared lamps, may be provided at the upper and lower parts of the cavity 700 to uniformly heat the support device and the wafer. Of course, semiconductor process equipment can also be other types of equipment, and this embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0105] In this embodiment of the application, the step of adjusting the position of wafer 600 to achieve positioning of wafer 600 is as follows:

[0106] When the wafer 600 is placed into the receiving tank 110, the device first introduces purge gas into the space between the back surface of the wafer 600 and the supporting surface 111 through the first air channel 120, so that the wafer 600 can be suspended in the receiving tank 110; then, pneumatic gas is introduced into multiple slides 140 through the second air channel 130. Under the pushing action of the pneumatic gas, multiple limiting members 210 extend towards the center of the supporting member 100 (i.e., the center of the receiving tank 110), and the wafer 600 is suspended in the multiple limiting members. Under the pushing action of 210, the wafer 600 is suspended and moved to within 0.3mm of the center of the support 100. Then, the first air channel 120 stops supplying air, and the wafer 600 falls onto the support surface 111 under its own gravity. The center of the wafer 600 remains within 0.3mm of the center of the support 100. Finally, the second air channel 130 stops supplying air, and the multiple limiting components 210 return to their original positions under their own gravity. Thus, the purpose of centering the wafer 600 during the epitaxial process is achieved.

[0107] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A support device for semiconductor process equipment, the support device being disposed within a reaction chamber of the semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that, The bearing device includes: a bearing member (100), a first air passage (120), and a limiting component (200); The carrier (100) is provided with a receiving groove (110) for accommodating a wafer (600), and the bottom surface of the receiving groove (110) is a bearing surface (111). The outlet of the first air passage (120) is located on the bearing surface (111) and is used to introduce gas into the receiving groove (110) so that the wafer (600) is suspended above the bearing surface (111); The receiving groove (110) is provided with a plurality of slides (140) at its edge, and the plurality of slides (140) are arranged circumferentially around the receiving groove (110). The bearing member (100) is provided with a plurality of second air passages (130), and the plurality of second air passages (130) and the plurality of slides (140) are respectively connected. The limiting component (200) includes a plurality of limiting members (210) for abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the wafer (600). The plurality of limiting members (210) are slidably connected to the plurality of slides (140) in a one-to-one correspondence. By introducing gas into the second air passage (130), the limiting members (210) are moved toward the center of the receiving groove (110) to adjust the position of the wafer (600) in the receiving groove (110).

2. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support member (100) is provided with a plurality of through holes penetrating the receiving groove (110) along the axial direction. A ejector pin (300) is movably inserted in each of the plurality of through holes. The ejector pin (300) is provided with a third air passage (310) that is axially penetrating. The third air passage (310) forms the first air passage (120).

3. The bearing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The supporting device also includes a fixed shaft (400) fixed to the bottom of the reaction chamber. The fixed shaft (400) includes a fixed main shaft (410) and a plurality of first arms (420) connected to the fixed main shaft (410). The plurality of first arms (420) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of ejector pins (300). The fixed spindle (410) is provided with a first main air passage (411), and the plurality of first arms (420) are respectively provided with a first branch air passage (421) connected to the first main air passage (411). The first main air passage (411) is used to connect to the air outlet of the air supply device. When the ejector pin (300) is connected to the first support arm (420), the plurality of first air channels (421) are connected to the plurality of third air channels (310) in a one-to-one correspondence.

4. The bearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first air passage (120) is used to introduce gas at a preset flow rate so that the suspension height of the wafer (600) is in the range of 5μm-30μm.

5. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas introduced into the first airway (120) and the second airway (130) is hydrogen.

6. The bearing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bearing device further includes a rotating shaft (500), which includes a rotating main shaft (510) and a plurality of second arms (520) connected to the rotating main shaft (510). The rotating main shaft (510) is movably and rotatably inserted through the fixed main shaft (410). Each of the plurality of second arms (520) has one end opposite to the rotating main shaft (510) connected to the bearing member (100), and each second arm (520) is provided with a through hole (522). The rotating spindle (510) is provided with a second main air passage (511), which is used to communicate with the air outlet of the air supply device. The multiple second arms (520) are respectively provided with second branch air passages (521) that communicate with the second main air passage (511). The carrier (100) is provided with a plurality of second air passages (130), and the plurality of second air passages (130) are connected to the plurality of second branch air passages (521) in a one-to-one correspondence.

7. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slide (140) includes a first support surface (141) and a second support surface (142) arranged parallel to each other, and the first support surface (141) and the second support surface (142) are each inclined in a direction away from the center of the receiving groove (110) along the axial direction of the bearing member (100) towards the direction away from the bearing surface (111). The limiting member (210) includes a sliding part (211), which has a first sliding surface (2111) and a second sliding surface (2112) disposed opposite to each other. The first sliding surface (2111) slides in contact with the first support surface (141), and the second sliding surface (2112) slides in contact with the second support surface (142).

8. The bearing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sidewall of the receiving groove (110) is provided with a plurality of grooves (112) arranged circumferentially along the receiving groove (110); The limiting member (210) further includes a limiting part (212), which is movably disposed in the groove (112); When the limiting member (210) disengages from the outer peripheral surface of the wafer (600), the end face of the limiting part (212) for contacting the wafer (600) is flush with the side wall of the receiving groove (110).

9. The bearing device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The wall surface of the groove (112) away from the center of the receiving groove (110) is a first limiting surface (151). The first limiting surface (151) is connected to the end of the first support surface (141) near the center of the receiving groove (110). The end of the second support surface (142) near the center of the receiving groove (110) is connected to a second limiting surface (152). The first limiting surface (151) and the second limiting surface (152) are arranged opposite to each other. The width distance between the connection area of ​​the sliding part (211) and the limiting part (212) in the radial direction of the receiving groove (110) is the first distance, and the distance between the first limiting surface (151) and the second limiting surface (152) is the second distance. The first distance is less than the second distance.

10. The bearing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The difference between the second distance and the first distance is the first difference value; the difference between the radius of the receiving groove (110) and the radius of the wafer (600) is the second difference value; and the difference between the second difference value and the maximum offset of the wafer (600) from the center of the receiving groove (110) is the third difference value. The first difference is greater than or equal to the third difference.

11. The bearing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the first state, the limiting member (210) is in contact with the first limiting surface (151), and the end face of the limiting member (210) for contacting the wafer (600) is flush with the side wall of the receiving groove (110). In the second state, the limiting member (210) is used to contact the outer peripheral surface of the wafer (600), and the end face of the limiting member (210) for contacting the wafer (600) protrudes from the edge of the bearing surface (111). From the first state to the second state, the distance by which the limiting member (210) moves along the axial direction of the carrier member (100) is less than or equal to the thickness of the wafer (600).

12. The bearing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The width of the sliding part (211) in the radial direction of the receiving groove (110) is less than the second distance.

13. The bearing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The angle between the first support surface (141) and the second support surface (142) and the first plane is θ, the coefficient of friction of the first support surface (141) and the second support surface (142) is μ, and the first plane is perpendicular to the axis of the bearing member (100); wherein, θ and μ satisfy the formula μ<tanθ.

14. The bearing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bearing surface (111) is an arc surface that is recessed in the direction away from the groove opening of the receiving groove (110). A plurality of through holes are opened on the arc surface, and each through hole is provided with a recessed groove coaxially arranged with the through hole. The ejector pin (300) includes an ejector pin body and a limiting protrusion disposed on the side of one end of the ejector pin body, so that the end of the ejector pin (300) has a T-shaped structure. The ejector pin body passes through the through hole, the limiting protrusion is located in the groove, and the third air passage (310) is disposed in the ejector pin body.

15. A semiconductor process apparatus, comprising a reaction chamber and a support device disposed within the reaction chamber, characterized in that, The supporting device is the supporting device according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

Images