Tray and semiconductor processing equipment

Abstract

The present invention discloses a tray and semiconductor processing equipment, the tray including a tray body and a supporting member, a storage space for accommodating wafers is provided in the tray body, at least three supporting portions that are not on the same straight line extend along the inner circumference of the tray body to the storage space; the supporting member and the supporting portion are connected in a split manner, and the supporting member is used to support the wafer. The present invention uses a tray body made of a highly transmittance material to reduce the absorption of infrared heat radiation, the interior of the tray body is hollowed out as much as possible, leaving only the supporting portion, thereby avoiding blocking of heat radiation; the supporting member and the supporting portion are designed to be connected in a split manner, so that the supporting member can be made of a high heat radiation absorption material, thereby ensuring that a minimum temperature difference can be formed between the supporting member and the wafer; the supporting member and the wafer are in point contact, thereby minimizing the area of ​​heat transfer and reducing heat loss of the wafer at the support contact position; thus achieving high-speed temperature rise and fall of the wafer and ensuring temperature uniformity of the entire wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, and in particular to a tray and semiconductor processing equipment. Background Art

[0002] When heat treating wafers, different wafer support methods are used depending on the wafer's condition and process requirements. For wafers with poor thermal radiation absorption, a wafer-enclosing carrier is required. The wafer is secured within the carrier and heated to achieve uniform heating. For wafers with good thermal radiation absorption, a carrier is not required. Instead, infrared radiation is directed directly onto the wafer to achieve faster temperature increases and decreases.

[0003] To ensure that wafers, which are directly exposed to heat radiation without the need for a carrier, are effectively supported within the process chamber, a support structure must be designed. However, existing wafer support structures, either top-and-bottom covering or bottom-supporting, block the heat radiation reaching the wafer, affecting the wafer's absorption of heat radiation. This makes it impossible to achieve high-speed wafer heating and cooling, and it's difficult to ensure temperature uniformity across the wafer.

[0004] With respect to the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, no effective solution has been proposed yet. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tray and semiconductor processing equipment. The present invention can provide effective support for the wafers in the process chamber without affecting the robot's operation of taking and placing the wafers, can minimize the impact on the wafer's absorption of infrared radiation, can achieve high-speed heating and cooling of the wafers, and ensure the overall temperature uniformity of the wafers.

[0006] In one aspect, the present invention provides a pallet, comprising:

[0007] a tray body, the tray body being provided with a receiving space for receiving wafers, at least three supporting portions extending from an inner circumference of the tray body toward the receiving space and not being on the same straight line; and

[0008] A supporting member, the supporting member is separately connected to the supporting portion, and the supporting member is used to support the wafer;

[0009] Wherein, the tray body is made of a transmissive material, and the supporting member is made of a heat radiation absorbing material.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the supporting member and the wafer are in point contact.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tray body is provided with an escape space communicating with the accommodating space therein.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the avoidance space is formed in two adjacent support portions.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tray body is provided with at least three support holes that are not on the same straight line, and the support holes are used for external support structures to pass through to support the tray and / or the wafer.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the support portion is provided with a mounting hole, and the supporting member is detachably mounted in the mounting hole.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the supporting member includes a head portion in contact with the wafer and a rod portion fixedly connected to the head portion, and when the supporting member is detachably mounted in the mounting hole, the rod portion is located in the mounting hole.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the head has a bottom end and a top end, and the cross-sectional areas of the bottom end, the cross-sectional areas of the rod portion, and the cross-sectional areas of the top end of the head decrease successively; the top end of the head is a spherical surface or a conical surface.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, a mounting portion is provided at the end of the supporting portion, the mounting hole is provided in the mounting portion, the height of the mounting portion is smaller than the height of the supporting portion, an inclined limiting portion is formed between the mounting portion and the supporting portion, and when the supporting member supports the wafer, the top end of the limiting portion is flush with the top surface of the wafer or higher than the top surface of the wafer.

[0018] In another aspect, the present invention provides a semiconductor processing device comprising the tray.

[0019] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0020] The tray and semiconductor processing equipment provided by the present invention, on the one hand, use a tray body made of a highly transmittance material to reduce the absorption of infrared heat radiation, so that the heat radiation on the wafer is more sufficient and more uniform; on the other hand, the interior of the tray body is hollowed out as much as possible to form a accommodating space, leaving only part of the structure of the supporting part, thereby avoiding the obstruction of heat radiation; on the other hand, the supporting member and the supporting part for supporting the wafer are designed to be a split-type connection structure, so that the supporting member can be made of a highly heat radiation absorbing material, ensuring that a minimum temperature difference can be formed between the supporting member and the wafer, thereby avoiding the increase in heat transfer caused by a large temperature difference; and, by reducing the contact area between the supporting member and the wafer, the supporting member can be made of a highly transmittance material to reduce the temperature difference between the supporting member and the wafer, thereby avoiding the increase in heat transfer caused by a large temperature difference. There is point contact between the support and the wafer, which can minimize the area of ​​heat transfer and reduce the heat loss of the wafer at the support contact position as much as possible; by reducing the size of the support, the size of the support is designed to be as small as possible, thereby reducing its heat capacity, enabling it to quickly heat up and down, and improving its thermal responsiveness, so that the temperature of the support can be synchronized with the wafer very quickly; at the same time, the tiny design of the support can also reduce the amount of infrared radiation radiated to the wafer, so that the heat radiation is radiated to the wafer as much as possible, increasing the heating and cooling rate of the wafer, and finally achieving high-speed heating and cooling of the wafer, ensuring the overall temperature uniformity of the wafer and ensuring the final product quality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a tray provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 A top view of a tray provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2 AA section view in.

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Magnified view of B in .

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a supporting member provided in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of a supporting member provided in yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of a supporting member provided in yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the support member in FIG.

[0029] In the figure: 1. Tray body; 2. Support part; 21. Mounting part; 211. Mounting hole; 22. Limiting part; 3. Accommodating space; 4. Support hole; 5. Avoidance space; 6. Supporting member; 61. Head; 611. Bottom end of the head; 612. Top end of the head; 613. Head step; 614. Head rod body; 62. Rod; 100. Tray; 200. Wafer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "up," "down," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inside," and "outside" and the like, indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended only to facilitate the description of the present invention and simplify the description. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms "first position" and "second position" refer to two different positions.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed or detachable connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and connections within two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention.

[0033] The embodiments of the present application provide a tray and semiconductor processing equipment, which are intended to at least to some extent solve the problem in the prior art that the upper and lower covering or lower supporting structures of the wafers will block the heat radiation radiated onto the wafers, affecting the wafers' absorption of heat radiation, making it impossible to achieve high-speed heating and cooling of the wafers and unable to ensure the overall temperature uniformity of the wafers.

[0034] Please refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 An embodiment of the present application provides a tray, wherein the tray 100 includes a tray body 1 , and a wafer 200 is carried on the tray body 1 .

[0035] In some embodiments, a accommodating space 3 for accommodating wafers 200 is provided in the tray body 1, and at least three support parts 2 that are not on the same straight line extend along the inner circumference of the tray body 1 to the accommodating space 3, and the support parts 2 are detachably connected to a supporting part 6 for carrying the wafers 200.

[0036] Furthermore, the tray body 1 is provided with at least three support holes 4 that are not on the same straight line. The support holes 4 are used for external support structures to pass through to support the tray 100 and / or the wafer 200 .

[0037] In this embodiment, in order to ensure the stability of the support, the tray body 1 is designed as an integral structure, on which at least three support holes 4 that are not on the same straight line are opened. The support holes 4 correspond to the external support structure. The external support structure, such as a support rod, has its bottom supported on the bottom surface of the process chamber, and the top is penetrated by the support hole 4 to support the entire tray 100 and / or wafer 200 in the process chamber. Through the above-mentioned three-point and one-plane support structure, a stable support is formed for the entire tray 100 and wafer 200.

[0038] Furthermore, the tray body 1 is provided with an escape space 5 communicating with the internal accommodation space 3 thereof.

[0039] In this embodiment, in order to ensure the operation of the robot to take and place the wafer 200, an avoidance space 5 is opened on one side of the tray body 1, so that the robot can extend into the accommodating space 3 from the position of the avoidance space 5 and move up and down, so that the wafer 200 can be smoothly placed on the tray 100 and taken out from the tray 100.

[0040] Furthermore, an escape space 5 is formed in two adjacent support portions 2 .

[0041] In this embodiment, the avoidance space 5 is formed in two adjacent support parts 2. On the premise of ensuring that the three support parts 2 provide three-point stable support for the wafer 200, the avoidance space 5 is made as large as possible to facilitate the robot to take and place the wafer 200, while allowing as much heat radiation as possible to be radiated to the wafer 200, thereby improving the heating and cooling rate of the wafer 200.

[0042] Optionally, the tray body 1 is a disc-shaped structure with a notch on one side. In order not to block the radiant heat, the tray body 1 is designed in two aspects: on the one hand, structurally, the interior of the tray body 1 is hollowed out as much as possible to form a receiving space 3, leaving only a partial structure of the support portion 2, wherein the size of the receiving space 3 is controlled so that the heat radiation emitted by the farthest heating element can directly reach the wafer 200 without being blocked. For example, the heating element can be a heating lamp, etc.; on the other hand, in terms of material, the tray body 1 is made of a highly transmittance material, preferably a high-purity quartz material. The highly transmittance material has a low absorption rate for light, which reduces the loss of heat radiation and allows most of the heat radiation to pass through the tray body 1 and irradiate the wafer 200.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 6 、 Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the support member 6 and the wafer 200 are in point contact.

[0044] Optionally, the top of the supporting member 6 is a spherical or conical structure, so that it forms a point contact with the wafer 200, thereby minimizing the area of ​​heat transfer.

[0045] In some embodiments, the supporting member 6 and the supporting portion 2 are connected in a separate manner.

[0046] Furthermore, the support portion 2 is provided with a mounting hole 211 , and the supporting member 6 is detachably mounted in the mounting hole 211 .

[0047] In this embodiment, the support member 6 and the support portion 2 are designed to be connected in a split-type structure, that is, the support member 6 and the support portion 2 are two independent parts that can be combined into a whole when connected. If a quartz tray structure is used, there will be a large temperature difference between it and the wafer 200 due to the low heat absorption of the quartz material. At the same time, the quartz tray as a whole has a large heat capacity and responds to thermal changes very slowly. At the support position, the wafer 200 will have a low temperature point, which will ultimately affect the process uniformity of the product, affect the product quality, and cause the product quality to be unqualified.

[0048] Furthermore, the supporting member 6 is made of a high thermal radiation absorbing material, wherein the high thermal radiation absorbing material refers to a material that can efficiently absorb thermal radiation. Such a material is resistant to high temperatures, and the closer the color is to pure black, the better, such as silicon, silicon carbide, black quartz, etc.

[0049] In this embodiment, in order to ensure the temperature uniformity of the entire wafer 200, the support member 6 is made of a high heat radiation absorption material, thereby ensuring that a minimum temperature difference can be formed between the support member 6 and the wafer 200, thereby avoiding the increase in heat transfer caused by a large temperature difference. The size of the support member 6 is designed to be as small as possible, thereby reducing its heat capacity, enabling it to quickly increase and decrease temperature, and improving its thermal responsiveness, so that its temperature can be synchronized very quickly with the wafer 200. At the same time, the small design of the support member 6 can also reduce the amount of infrared radiation radiated to the wafer 200, allowing the thermal radiation to radiate as much as possible to the wafer 200, thereby improving the temperature increase and decrease rate of the wafer 200.

[0050] Furthermore, the supporting member 6 includes a head portion 61 connected to the wafer 200 and a rod portion 62 fixedly connected to the head portion 61 . When the supporting member 6 is detachably mounted in the mounting hole 211 provided in the support portion 2 , the rod portion 62 is located in the mounting hole 211 .

[0051] In this embodiment, the support portion 2 is provided with a mounting hole 211. When the supporting member 6 is installed in the mounting hole 211, the rod portion 62 is located in the mounting hole 211. At this time, the head portion 61 of the supporting member 6 abuts against the support portion 2, and through the action of gravity, a stable assembly between the support portion 2 and the supporting member 6 is achieved.

[0052] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the top of the supporting member 6 is a spherical surface; Figure 6 As shown, in another embodiment, the top of the supporting member 6 is a conical structure.

[0053] Furthermore, the head 61 has a bottom end 611 and a top end 612, wherein the cross-sectional areas of the bottom end 611, the cross-sectional areas of the stem 62, and the cross-sectional areas of the top end 612 decrease in sequence; the surface of the head 61 that contacts the wafer 200 is a spherical or conical surface, i.e., the top end 612 is a spherical or conical surface, wherein the conical surface is preferably a conical surface. This design allows the support member 6 to have a mushroom head or conical head structure, which can achieve stable assembly between the support portion 2 and the support member 6, a split connection between the support portion 2 and the support member 6, and point contact between the support member 6 and the wafer 200.

[0054] like Figure 7 and 8As shown, in yet another embodiment, the top of the support member 6 also has a conical structure. In this embodiment, the head 61 not only has a head bottom end 611 and a head top end 612, but also has a head rod body 614 and a head step 613. The two ends of the head step 613 are respectively fixedly connected to the head rod body 614 and the rod portion 62. The head top end 612 is located at the top of the head rod body 614, and the head bottom end 611 is located at the bottom of the head step 613. The support member 6 with this structure can also simultaneously achieve stable assembly between the support portion 2 and the support member 6, a split connection between the support portion 2 and the support member 6, and point contact between the support member 6 and the wafer 200.

[0055] Preferably, the head rod 614 and the rod portion 62 are symmetrical about the head step 613. Both the bottom of the rod portion 62 and the top of the head rod 614 are provided with a conical head top 612. This arrangement makes the support member 6 symmetrical in structure, allowing either end to be inserted into the mounting hole 211 while the other end can support the wafer 200. This facilitates the installation of the support member 6 in the mounting hole 211 and facilitates its use. Furthermore, this symmetrical structure of the support member 6 is also easy to process and manufacture.

[0056] In some embodiments, a mounting portion 21 is provided at the end of the support portion 2, the height of the mounting portion 21 is smaller than the height of the support portion 2, and an inclined limiting portion 22 is formed between the mounting portion 21 and the support portion 2. When the supporting member 6 supports the wafer 200, the top of the limiting portion 22 is flush with the top surface of the wafer 200 or higher than the top surface of the wafer 200, and the limiting portion 22 can limit the wafer 200.

[0057] Since the wafer 200 is prone to shifting and sliding off one of the supporting members 6, if the wafer 200 shifts, the robot arm is likely to collide with the wafer 200 when entering the process chamber, and may even break the wafer 200. Therefore, the structure of the support portion 2 provided in this embodiment uses at least three limiting portions 22 to limit the wafer 200, forming a limiting effect on the wafer 200 in at least three directions along the circumference, which can effectively prevent the wafer 200 from shifting or colliding, and can effectively protect the wafer 200.

[0058] Furthermore, a mounting hole 211 is provided in the mounting portion 21 . When the rod portion 62 of the supporting member 6 is installed in the mounting hole 211 , the bottom end 611 of the head portion 61 of the supporting member 6 abuts against the upper end surface of the mounting portion 21 .

[0059] Therefore, the tray 100 provided in this embodiment can provide effective support for the wafer 200 in the process chamber without affecting the robot's operation of taking and placing the wafer, can minimize the impact on the wafer 200's absorption of infrared radiation, can achieve high-speed heating and cooling of the wafer 200, and ensure the overall temperature uniformity of the wafer 200.

[0060] In addition, an embodiment of the present application further provides a semiconductor processing device, which includes the above-mentioned tray 100.

[0061] The semiconductor processing equipment provided in this embodiment uses the tray 100 provided in this embodiment to carry the wafer 200, thereby avoiding blocking the heat radiation radiated to the wafer 200 during the process, avoiding affecting the absorption of heat radiation by the wafer 200, and achieving high-speed heating and cooling of the wafer 200 to ensure the overall temperature uniformity of the wafer 200.

[0062] In summary, the tray 100 and semiconductor processing equipment provided in this embodiment, on the one hand, use a tray body 1 made of a highly transmittance material to reduce the absorption of infrared heat radiation, so that the heat radiation on the wafer 200 is more sufficient and more uniform; on the other hand, the interior of the tray body 1 is hollowed out as much as possible to form a accommodating space 3, leaving only a partial structure of the support part 2, thereby avoiding blocking of heat radiation; on the other hand, the supporting member 6 for supporting the wafer 200 and the supporting part 2 are designed to be a split-type connection structure, so that the supporting member 6 can be made of a high heat radiation absorption material, ensuring that a minimum temperature difference can be formed between the supporting member 6 and the wafer 200, thereby avoiding the increase in heat transfer caused by a large temperature difference; and, by reducing the contact area between the supporting member 6 and the wafer 200, the supporting member 6 can be made There is point contact between the support member 6 and the wafer 200, which can minimize the area of ​​heat transfer and reduce the heat loss of the wafer 200 at the supporting contact position as much as possible; by reducing the size of the support member 6, the size of the support member 6 is designed to be as small as possible, thereby reducing its heat capacity, enabling it to quickly heat up and down, and improving its thermal responsiveness, so that the temperature of the support member 6 can be synchronized with the wafer 200 very quickly; at the same time, the tiny design of the support member 6 can also reduce the amount of infrared radiation radiated to the wafer 200, so that the heat radiation is radiated to the wafer 200 as much as possible, and the heating and cooling rate of the wafer 200 is improved, and finally the high-speed heating and cooling of the wafer 200 is achieved, ensuring the overall temperature uniformity of the wafer 200 and ensuring the final product quality.

[0063] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present application, and should all be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A pallet, characterized in that: The tray (100) comprises: A tray body (1), the tray body (1) being provided with a receiving space (3) for receiving a wafer (200), at least three support portions (2) extending from the inner circumference of the tray body (1) toward the receiving space (3) and not on the same straight line; and A supporting member (6), the supporting member (6) and the supporting portion (2) are connected in a split manner, and the supporting member (6) is used to support the wafer (200); Wherein, the tray body (1) is made of a transmissive material, and the supporting member (6) is made of a heat radiation absorbing material; The supporting member (6) and the wafer (200) are in point contact; The tray body (1) is provided with an escape space (5) communicating with the accommodating space (3) inside the tray body.

2. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein: The avoidance space (5) is formed in two adjacent support parts (2).

3. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein: The tray body (1) is provided with at least three support holes (4) that are not on the same straight line, and the support holes (4) are used for allowing an external support structure to pass through to support the tray (100) and / or the wafer (200).

4. The pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The support portion (2) is provided with a mounting hole (211), and the supporting member (6) is detachably mounted in the mounting hole (211).

5. The pallet according to claim 4, characterized in that The supporting member (6) comprises a head portion (61) in contact with the wafer (200) and a rod portion (62) fixedly connected to the head portion (61); when the supporting member (6) is detachably mounted in the mounting hole (211), the rod portion (62) is located in the mounting hole (211).

6. The pallet according to claim 5, characterized in that The head (61) has a head bottom (611) and a head top (612), wherein the cross-sectional areas of the head bottom (611), the cross-sectional areas of the rod (62), and the cross-sectional areas of the head top (612) decrease in sequence; and the head top (612) is a spherical surface or a conical surface.

7. The pallet according to claim 4, wherein: The end of the support portion (2) is provided with a mounting portion (21), the mounting hole (211) is provided in the mounting portion (21), the height of the mounting portion (21) is smaller than the height of the support portion (2), an inclined limiting portion (22) is formed between the mounting portion (21) and the support portion (2), and when the supporting member (6) supports the wafer (200), the top end of the limiting portion (22) is flush with the top surface of the wafer (200) or higher than the top surface of the wafer (200).

8. A semiconductor processing equipment, characterized in that: The present invention comprises a pallet (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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