A pneumatic assembly, wafer carrier device and chemical mechanical polishing apparatus

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a kind of pneumatic assembly, wafer bearing device and chemical mechanical polishing equipment, pneumatic assembly includes: manifold valve plate, it is the U-shaped plate including base plate and two side plates, assembly area is defined between the base plate and the two side plates, the inside of the manifold valve plate has positive pressure channel and negative pressure channel, the positive pressure channel has one positive pressure inlet and multiple positive pressure outlets, the negative pressure channel has one negative pressure inlet and multiple negative pressure outlets;Multiple container valve seats, multiple the container valve seat is located in the assembly area, and is set to the manifold valve plate, multiple the container valve seat is parallel to each other, the first inlet of the container valve seat is directly connected with the positive pressure outlet, the second inlet of the container valve seat is directly connected with the negative pressure outlet.According to the pneumatic assembly, wafer bearing device and chemical mechanical polishing equipment of the embodiment of the present application, the integration of pneumatic assembly is improved, the structure is simplified, and the space occupation is reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The embodiment of the present application relates to the technical field of chemical mechanical polishing equipment, in particular to a pneumatic assembly, a wafer bearing device and a chemical mechanical polishing equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] In a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) equipment, the air pressure of different chambers in a polishing head needs to be accurately adjusted, including positive air pressure and negative air pressure, which is controlled by an upper pneumatic assembly (UPA). The air pressure adjustment system of the polishing head includes: the upper pneumatic assembly, a rotary joint and the polishing head. The upper pneumatic assembly adjusts and switches the input positive and negative pressure gas, and accurately discharges the pressure gas. The rotary joint, as an intermediate channel, connects the stationary upper pneumatic assembly and the rotating polishing head, and conducts gas transmission. The polishing head presses the wafer downward, and realizes ultra-precise controllable pressurization on multiple annular regions in the wafer diameter range, so that the wafer after polishing has an ultra-high flatness and an ultra-low surface roughness.

[0003] The upper pneumatic assembly includes a manifold valve plate assembly and a valve seat assembly. The manifold valve plate assembly splits the single inlet positive and negative pressure gas into gas of several channels, and supplies each valve seat assembly. The valve seat assembly can accurately adjust the positive pressure, realize positive and negative pressure switching, realize pressure retention, atmospheric switching (0 air pressure output), and output pressure detection. It includes a pressure regulating valve, a positive and negative pressure switching valve, a pressure retention valve, an atmospheric switching valve and a pressure sensor. The pressure regulating valve controls and adjusts the input pressure to a set value and outputs; the positive and negative pressure switching valve switches the output pressure to positive pressure or negative pressure; the pressure retention valve closes the pressure control valve air path and isolates the output pressure chamber; the atmospheric switching valve rapidly depressurizes the output air path chamber; the pressure sensor detects the output pressure value, which is used to detect the deviation between the set value and the actual output value.

[0004] The existing upper pneumatic assembly has the following problems: the piping mode has a long path, and the pressure loss on the path is large, which cannot meet the increasingly urgent requirements of high precision and multi-zone adjustment. SUMMARY

[0005] Therefore, the embodiment of the present application provides a pneumatic assembly, a wafer bearing device and a chemical mechanical polishing equipment, which improves the integration of the pneumatic assembly, simplifies the structure and reduces the space occupation.

[0006] According to the first aspect of the present application, a pneumatic assembly is provided, comprising: a manifold valve plate, which is a U-shaped plate comprising a base plate and two side plates, an assembly area being defined between the base plate and the two side plates, the manifold valve plate having a positive pressure channel and a negative pressure channel inside, the positive pressure channel having one positive pressure inlet and a plurality of positive pressure outlets, the negative pressure channel having one negative pressure inlet and a plurality of negative pressure outlets; and a plurality of assembly valve seats, each of the plurality of assembly valve seats being located in the assembly area and being arranged to the manifold valve plate, the plurality of assembly valve seats being parallel to each other, a first inlet of the assembly valve seat being directly connected to the positive pressure outlet, and a second inlet of the assembly valve seat being directly connected to the negative pressure outlet.

[0007] Optionally, the manifold valve plate further has a detection gas channel and a power gas channel inside, a first outlet of the assembly valve seat being directly connected to an inlet of the detection gas channel, and a second outlet of the assembly valve seat being directly connected to an inlet of the power gas channel, for conveying the gas adjusted by the assembly valve seat to the power gas channel and the detection gas channel, respectively.

[0008] Optionally, the assembly valve seat comprises an assembly valve plate and a pressure regulating valve, a positive-negative pressure switching valve, a pressure maintaining valve and an atmospheric switching valve arranged to the assembly valve plate, the assembly valve plate being connected to the manifold valve plate, the first inlet, the first outlet, the second inlet and the second outlet being arranged to a side wall of the assembly valve plate.

[0009] Optionally, the plurality of positive pressure outlets and the plurality of negative pressure outlets are arranged to inner walls of the two side plates facing the assembly area, when the assembly valve seat is connected to the manifold valve plate, the assembly valve plate corresponds to the manifold valve plate, an extension direction of the assembly valve seat is perpendicular to a plane in which the manifold valve plate lies, and a thickness of the assembly valve plate is the same as a thickness of the side plate.

[0010] Optionally, the first inlet and the positive pressure outlet, the second inlet and the negative pressure outlet, the first outlet and the inlet of the detection gas channel, and the second outlet and the inlet of the power gas channel are all sealed by a sealing ring.

[0011] Optionally, the pressure regulating valve is arranged to one side end surface of the assembly valve plate, and the positive-negative pressure switching valve, the pressure maintaining valve and the atmospheric switching valve are all arranged to the other side end surface of the assembly valve plate.

[0012] Optionally, the pneumatic assembly comprises eight assembly valve seats, the eight assembly valve seats all being perpendicular to the plane in which the manifold valve plate lies and being arranged in two rows to be connected to the two side plates, respectively.

[0013] Optionally, the pneumatic assembly further comprises: an outlet joint in communication with the outlet of the power gas circuit; and a pressure sensor in communication with the outlet of the detection gas circuit.

[0014] Optionally, the pneumatic assembly further comprises: a positive pressure joint in communication with the positive pressure inlet; and a negative pressure joint in communication with the negative pressure inlet.

[0015] According to the second aspect of the present application, a wafer carrying device is provided, comprising: a carrying head capable of adsorbing a wafer; a pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application; and a rotary joint arranged between the carrying head and the pneumatic assembly, the rotary joint being in communication with the power gas circuit of the pneumatic assembly to rotate the carrying head to polish the wafer.

[0016] Optionally, the carrying head comprises a balance frame, a base, an elastic membrane and a retaining ring, the balance frame being capable of moving the base up and down, the elastic membrane being arranged on the bottom surface of the base, and the retaining ring being arranged on the outer circumferential side of the elastic membrane and connected to the bottom surface of the base.

[0017] Optionally, the elastic membrane is internally provided with a preset number of concentric pressure chambers, and the concentric pressure chambers are connected to the power gas circuit of the pneumatic assembly one by one.

[0018] According to the third aspect of the present application, a chemical mechanical polishing device is provided, comprising: a wafer carrying device according to the second aspect of the present application, a polishing disc, a dresser and a polishing liquid supply device; the polishing disc is covered with a polishing pad for polishing the wafer; the dresser is used for dressing the surface topography of the polishing pad; and the polishing liquid supply device is used for spreading the polishing liquid on the surface of the polishing pad.

[0019] The pneumatic assembly provided by the embodiments of the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] The two side plates and the base plate of the U-shaped converging valve plate define an assembly area, which can simultaneously connect multiple container valve seats, so as to ensure that the positive pressure gas or the negative pressure gas is simultaneously distributed and delivered to the multiple container valve seats. The multiple container valve seats are simultaneously arranged in the assembly area, which can reduce the overall space occupation of the pneumatic assembly.

[0021] The container valve seat and the converging valve plate are in communication with the positive pressure outlet through the first inlet and in communication with the negative pressure outlet through the second inlet. Compared with the mode that the container valve seat and the converging valve plate are in communication through the air pipe, the direct connection mode between the two saves cost, eliminates more air pipes, is conducive to reducing space occupation, and is conducive to simplifying the structure.

[0022] The trachea connection mode is saved, the trachea is prevented from being frequently plugged and unplugged during inspection or replacement of components of the pneumatic assembly, and the risk of gas leakage is avoided.

[0023] The second inlet of the assembly valve seat is directly connected with a negative pressure outlet of the manifold valve plate, and can also directly form a gas conveying path, so that the gas conveyed by the pneumatic assembly to the carrier head is omitted from the trachea structure, the structure is more compact, and the overall integration of the pneumatic assembly is higher. Moreover, the path length of the gas to the elastic membrane on the carrier head is shortened, which can ensure the sealing of the gas conveying process, and the trachea structure does not need to be disassembled during subsequent regular maintenance of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, so that the length of the gas conveying path before and after maintenance is uniform, which is more conducive to improving the precision control of the carrier head during adsorption of the wafer W. Therefore, by improving the precision control of the carrier head, the polishing effect of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment on the wafer W can be effectively improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments described in the embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art according to these drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application;

[0027] Figure 3 is a front view of the manifold valve plate of the pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the manifold valve plate of the pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application;

[0029] Figure 5 is a sectional view of the manifold valve plate of the pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application, showing the internal negative pressure channel;

[0030] Figure 6 is a sectional view of the manifold valve plate of the pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application, showing the internal positive pressure channel;

[0031] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the assembly valve seat of the pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application;

[0032] Figure 8Front view of a manifold valve plate of a pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application;

[0033] Figure 9 Cross-sectional view of a manifold valve plate of a pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application, showing internal detection gas paths and power gas paths;

[0034] Figure 10 Cross-sectional view of a manifold valve plate of a pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application, showing internal positive pressure channels in communication with manifold valve seats;

[0035] Figure 11 Cross-sectional view of a manifold valve plate of a pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application, showing internal negative pressure channels in communication with manifold valve seats;

[0036] Figure 12 Cross-sectional view of a manifold valve plate of a pneumatic assembly according to the first aspect of the present application, showing internal detection gas paths and power gas paths in communication with manifold valve seats;

[0037] Figure 13 Structural schematic diagram of a wafer carrying device according to the second aspect of the present application;

[0038] Figure 14 Structural schematic diagram of a carrying head of a wafer carrying device according to the second aspect of the present application;

[0039] Figure 15 Structural schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present application.

[0040] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

[0041] Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus 10000;

[0042] Wafer carrying device 1000;

[0043] Pneumatic assembly 100;

[0044] Manifold valve plate 10; base plate 101; side plate 102; assembly area 103;

[0045] Positive pressure channel 104; positive pressure inlet 1041; positive pressure outlet 1042;

[0046] Negative pressure channel 105; negative pressure inlet 1051; negative pressure outlet 1052;

[0047] Detection gas path 106; power gas path 107;

[0048] Manifold valve seat 20; manifold valve plate 201; first inlet 2011; second inlet 2012; first outlet 2013; second outlet 2014;

[0049] Pressure regulating valve 202; positive-negative pressure switching valve 203; pressure holding valve 204; atmospheric pressure switching valve 205;

[0050] Sealing ring 40; gas outlet joint 50; pressure sensor 60; positive pressure joint 70; negative pressure joint 80;

[0051] Rotary joint 200;

[0052] Carrying head 300;

[0053] Upper structure 310;

[0054] Lower structure 320; gimbal 321; base 322; elastic membrane 323; retaining ring 324;

[0055] Flexible connection 330;

[0056] Main pressure chamber Z0; first pressure chamber Z1; second pressure chamber Z2; third pressure chamber Z3;

[0057] Polishing disc 2000; polishing pad 2100;

[0058] Trimmer 3000; trimming arm 3100; trimming head 3200;

[0059] Polishing liquid supply device 5000;

[0060] Mounting and demounting portion 6000;

[0061] Wafer W. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] In order to make personnel in the art better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in combination with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art should belong to the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present application.

[0063] As mentioned earlier, in CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) equipment, the gas pressure in different chambers within the bearing head needs to be precisely regulated, including positive and negative pressure, which is controlled by the Upper Pneumatics Assembly (UPA). The bearing head's gas pressure regulation system includes the Upper Pneumatics Assembly, a rotary joint, and the bearing head. The Upper Pneumatics Assembly regulates and switches the input positive and negative pressure gases and precisely discharges the pressurized gas. The rotary joint serves as an intermediate channel connecting the stationary Upper Pneumatics Assembly and the rotating bearing head for gas delivery. The bearing head presses down on the wafer W, achieving ultra-precise and controllable pressurization across multiple annular regions within the diameter of the wafer W, resulting in ultra-high flatness and ultra-low surface roughness on the polished surface of the wafer W.

[0064] The upper pneumatic assembly includes a manifold valve plate assembly and a manifold valve seat assembly. The manifold valve plate assembly splits the positive and negative pressure gas from a single inlet into several channels, supplying gas to each manifold valve seat assembly. The manifold valve seat assembly can precisely regulate the positive pressure, achieve positive and negative pressure switching, maintain pressure, switch to atmospheric pressure (0 pressure output), and detect output pressure. It includes a pressure regulating valve, a positive and negative pressure switching valve, a pressure holding valve, an atmospheric pressure switching valve, and a pressure sensor. The pressure regulating valve controls and adjusts the input pressure to the set value and outputs it; the positive and negative pressure switching valve switches the output pressure to positive or negative pressure; the pressure holding valve closes the air path of the pressure control valve, isolating the output pressure chamber; the atmospheric pressure switching valve rapidly depressurizes the output air path chamber; and the pressure sensor detects the output pressure value to detect the deviation between the set value and the actual output value.

[0065] The existing upper pneumatic assembly has the following problems: the more partitions the bearing head has, the more pneumatic units are needed, which takes up a lot of space; each pneumatic unit and the main air circuit need to be piped, the replacement of components is cumbersome, and the replacement of components requires plugging and unplugging air pipes, which poses a risk of leakage; the piping method has a long path, and the pressure loss along the path is large.

[0066] Therefore, an embodiment of the present invention provides a pneumatic component 100, a wafer carrier device 1000, and a chemical mechanical polishing device 10000. The following description, in conjunction with the appended specification, details the following: Figures 1-12 The pneumatic component 100 of the present application embodiment is described in detail.

[0067] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a pneumatic assembly 100 includes a manifold valve plate 10 and a plurality of manifold valve seats 20. Figures 3-4As shown, the manifold valve plate 10 is a U-shaped plate comprising a base plate 101 and two side plates 102, the base plate 101 is a shorter side, and the two side plates 102 are longer sides, and the base plate 101 and the two side plates 102 form a U-shaped plate. The base plate 101 and the two side plates 102 define an assembly area 103 therebetween, and the assembly area 103 can be used to assemble a plurality of group valve seats 20.

[0068] As shown, Figure 5 and Figure 6 the manifold valve plate 10 has a positive pressure channel 104 and a negative pressure channel 105 inside, and the positive pressure channel 104 can be used to transport positive pressure gas, and the negative pressure channel 105 can be used to transport negative pressure gas. As shown, Figure 6 the positive pressure channel 104 has one positive pressure inlet 1041 and a plurality of positive pressure outlets 1042. As shown, Figure 5 the negative pressure channel 105 has one negative pressure inlet 1051 and a plurality of negative pressure outlets 1052. In this way, when a plurality of group valve seats 20 are installed, positive pressure gas or negative pressure gas can be simultaneously distributed to the plurality of group valve seats 20.

[0069] The positive pressure channel 104 comprises a positive pressure main pipe in communication with one positive pressure inlet 1041 and a plurality of positive pressure branch pipes in communication with a plurality of positive pressure outlets 1042, respectively. If the number of positive pressure outlets 1042 is 8, the pipe diameter of the positive pressure main pipe can be 2-3 times the pipe diameter of the positive pressure branch pipe.

[0070] The negative pressure channel 105 comprises a negative pressure main pipe in communication with one negative pressure inlet 1051 and a plurality of negative pressure branch pipes in communication with a plurality of negative pressure outlets 1052, respectively. If the number of negative pressure outlets 1052 is 8, the pipe diameter of the negative pressure main pipe can be 2-3 times the pipe diameter of the negative pressure branch pipe.

[0071] The number of positive pressure outlets 1042 and the number of negative pressure outlets 1052 are the same.

[0072] As shown, Figure 1 and Figure 2 a plurality of group valve seats 20 are located in the assembly area 103 and are arranged to the manifold valve plate 10. At the same time, the plurality of group valve seats 20 are parallel to each other. Therefore, the plurality of group valve seats 20 can be arranged side by side in the assembly area 103, saving space for the overall pneumatic assembly 100.

[0073] Further, as shown, Figure 7 and Figure 8 the group valve seat 20 is provided with a first inlet 2011 and a second inlet 2012. The first inlet 2011 of the group valve seat 20 is directly connected to the positive pressure outlet 1042, and the second inlet 2012 of the group valve seat 20 is directly connected to the negative pressure outlet 1052. That is, as shown, Figure 10As shown, after the set valve seat 20 is arranged to the manifold valve plate 10, the first inlet 2011 on the set valve seat 20 is directly connected to one positive pressure outlet 1042 of the manifold valve plate 10 to form a gas conveying path. Correspondingly, as shown in Figure 11 As shown, the second inlet 2012 on the set valve seat 20 is directly connected to one negative pressure outlet 1052 of the manifold valve plate 10 to form a gas conveying path. Therefore, no other structure is needed between the set valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10 for gas conveying. Therefore, the overall structure is more compact.

[0074] At the same time, compared with the structure in which the gas pipe is connected between the set valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10, the space occupied by the gas pipe structure is saved, and the gas pipe plugging process for regular maintenance of the pneumatic assembly 100 is also avoided. The risk of gas leakage is avoided. Similarly, when the gas is conveyed from the pneumatic assembly 100 to the carrier head 300, the structure is more compact because the gas pipe structure is omitted, and the overall integration of the pneumatic assembly 100 is higher. Moreover, the path length of the gas to the elastic membrane on the carrier head 300 is shortened, which can ensure the sealing of the gas conveying process, and the gas pipe structure does not need to be disassembled during the subsequent regular maintenance of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment 10000, which ensures that the length of the gas conveying path is uniform before and after maintenance, and is more conducive to improving the pressure precision control of the carrier head 300, which can effectively improve the polishing effect of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment 10000 on the wafer W.

[0075] According to the pneumatic assembly 100 provided by the embodiment of the present application, the two side plates 102 and the base plate 101 between the U-shaped manifold valve plate 10 define an assembly area 103, which can simultaneously connect multiple set valve seats 20, thereby ensuring that the positive pressure gas or the negative pressure gas is simultaneously distributed and conveyed to the multiple set valve seats 20. The multiple set valve seats 20 are simultaneously arranged in the assembly area 103, which can reduce the overall space occupation of the pneumatic assembly 100. In addition, the set valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10 are connected through the first inlet 2011 and the positive pressure outlet 1042, and the second inlet 2012 and the negative pressure outlet 1052. Compared with the way in which the set valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10 are connected through the gas pipe, the direct connection between the two saves costs and eliminates the need for a large number of gas pipes, which is conducive to reducing space occupation and simplifying the structure. Moreover, the gas pipe connection is saved, which avoids frequent plugging of the gas pipe when checking or replacing components of the pneumatic assembly 100, and avoids the risk of gas leakage.

[0076] As shown Figure 6 and Figure 9As shown, the inside of the manifold valve plate 10 also has a detection gas path 106 capable of detecting the gas pressure of the gas delivered to the outside by the cluster valve seat 20, and a power gas path 107 capable of enabling the cluster valve seat 20 to deliver gas to the rotary joint 200 of the wafer carrying device 1000 and providing power for the rotary joint 200.

[0077] Specifically, as shown in the figure, Figure 12 the first outlet 2013 of the cluster valve seat 20 directly interfaces with the inlet of the detection gas path 106, and the second outlet 2014 of the cluster valve seat 20 directly interfaces with the inlet of the power gas path 107, both the first outlet 2013 and the second outlet 2014 are in communication with the first inlet 2011 and the second inlet 2012 inside the cluster valve seat 20, for delivering the gas adjusted by the cluster valve seat 20 to the detection gas path 106 and the power gas path 107 respectively.

[0078] As shown in the figure, Figure 8 the cluster valve seat 20 is provided with the first outlet 2013 and the second outlet 2014, and the positions of the first outlet 2013 and the second outlet 2014 are arranged such that, after the cluster valve seat 20 is connected to the manifold valve plate 10, the first outlet 2013 corresponds to the inlet of the detection gas path 106 on the manifold valve plate 10, and the second outlet 2014 corresponds to the inlet of the power gas path 107.

[0079] As shown in the figure, Figure 7 the cluster valve seat 20 includes a cluster valve plate 201 and a pressure regulating valve 202, a positive and negative pressure switching valve 203, a pressure maintaining valve 204 and an atmospheric switching valve 205 arranged to the cluster valve plate 201, and the cluster valve plate 201 is connected to the manifold valve plate 10. Specifically, the connection between the cluster valve plate 201 and the manifold valve plate 10 can adopt the form of bolt connection, facilitating the disassembly and assembly between the cluster valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10. Moreover, the connection between the cluster valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10 through the cluster valve plate 201 can facilitate the stabilization of the position of the cluster valve seat 20. At the same time, the first inlet 2011, the first outlet 2013, the second inlet 2012 and the second outlet 2014 are all arranged to the side wall of the cluster valve plate 201, so that, after the cluster valve seat 20 is connected to the manifold valve plate 10, the outlet and the inlet of the gas passage can be directly interfaced, without the need for connecting the gas passage between the cluster valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10 through a gas pipe, thereby reducing the overall space occupation of the pneumatic assembly 100. Moreover, the overall structural layout of the pneumatic assembly 100 is more compact.

[0080] Further, as shown in the figure, Figure 7 the pressure regulating valve 202 is arranged to one side end face of the cluster valve plate 201, and the positive and negative pressure switching valve 203, the pressure maintaining valve 204 and the atmospheric switching valve 205 are all arranged to the other side end face of the cluster valve plate 201.

[0081] Specifically, through this kind of structure, the valve seat 20 can be formed as a whole structure perpendicular to the plane of the valve plate 10. The valve seat 20 is based on the valve plate 201, and is connected between the valve plate 201 and the side plate 102 of the valve plate 10, so as to realize the combination between the valve seat 20 and the valve plate 10. The structure layout between the two is more compact, the structure is more stable, and the space occupation is smaller.

[0082] The pressure regulating valve 202 can adjust the pressure value of the gas delivered by the valve seat 20 to the power gas path 107 through the second outlet 2014. The positive and negative pressure switching valve 203 can adjust the opening and closing of the positive pressure passage or the negative pressure passage in the valve seat 20. The pressure maintaining valve 204 can stabilize the pressure of the gas delivered by the valve seat 20 to the outside. The atmospheric switching valve 205 can adjust whether the gas passage in the valve seat 20 is connected with the outside atmosphere.

[0083] As shown in Figures 4-6 , the plurality of positive pressure outlets 1042 and the plurality of negative pressure outlets 1052 are arranged to the inner walls of the two side plates 102 facing the assembly area 103. When the valve seat 20 is connected with the valve plate 10, the valve plate 201 corresponds to the valve plate 10. The extension direction of the valve seat 20 is perpendicular to the plane where the valve plate 10 is located, and the thickness of the valve plate 201 can be the same as the thickness of the side plate 102.

[0084] Therefore, the structure of the valve plate 10 is a base plate 101 and two side plates 102, thereby forming a U-shaped frame structure. The plane where the valve plate 10 is located is the plane where the frame is located. The placement direction of the whole valve seat 20 is perpendicular to the plane. As known from the foregoing, the valve plate 201 of the valve seat 20 is connected with the side plate 102 of the valve plate 10, and the thickness of the valve plate 201 is the same as the thickness of the side plate 102. Therefore, a plurality of valve seats 20 are parallel to each other, and are connected with the valve plate 10 perpendicular to the plane where the valve plate 10 is located. The overall structure of the pneumatic assembly 100 is compact, and the structure occupies less space.

[0085] As shown in Figures 10-12 , the abutment between the first inlet 2011 and the positive pressure outlet 1042, the abutment between the second inlet 2012 and the negative pressure outlet 1052, the abutment between the first outlet 2013 and the inlet of the detection gas path 106, and the abutment between the second outlet 2014 and the inlet of the power gas path 107 are all sealed by the sealing ring 40. By using the sealing ring 40, the abutment between the inlet and the outlet of the gas passage can be sealed to avoid gas leakage. At the same time, the sealing effect is good, and the adjustment of the gas pressure can be facilitated.

[0086] In some embodiments of the present application, as Figure 1As shown, the pneumatic assembly 100 comprises eight container valve seats 20, and each of the eight container valve seats 20 is perpendicular to the plane where the manifold valve plate 10 is located and is arranged in two rows and connected with two side plates 102 respectively.

[0087] Specifically, the eight container valve seats 20 are divided into two rows, and each is arranged perpendicular to the plane where the manifold valve plate 10 is located, and as known from the foregoing, the plurality of container valve seats 20 are parallel to each other. Therefore, it can be understood that the eight container valve seats 20 are divided into two rows, and each row comprises four container valve seats 20, and the two rows of container valve seats 20 are connected with the two side plates 102 respectively. In this way, the manifold valve plate 10 can not only distribute the positive pressure gas or negative pressure gas to the eight container valve seats 20, but also make the overall structure of the pneumatic assembly 100 more integrated and more compact, thereby saving space.

[0088] The present application is not limited thereto, and the number of container valve seats 20 of the pneumatic assembly 100 can be set according to actual needs. Specifically, the container valve seat 20 is in communication with the pressure chamber in the bearing head 300 through the rotary joint 200, and therefore, the number of container valve seats 20 can be the same as the number of pressure chambers in the bearing head 300, so that the container valve seat 20 is in one-to-one communication with the pressure chamber in the bearing head 300.

[0089] The present application is not limited thereto, and as shown, Figure 3 The pneumatic assembly 100 further comprises a gas outlet joint 50 and a pressure sensor 60, and the gas outlet joint 50 is in communication with the outlet of the power gas circuit 107. Therefore, the gas output by the container valve seat 20 can be delivered to the rotary joint 200 of the wafer bearing device 1000. The gas outlet joint 50 can facilitate the connection of the gas pipe between the pneumatic assembly 100 and the rotary joint 200. The pressure sensor 60 is in communication with the outlet of the detection gas circuit 106. Therefore, the gas output by the container valve seat 20 can be pressure detected, so as to detect whether the gas pressure output by the container valve seat 20 meets the operation requirements.

[0090] As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 The pneumatic assembly 100 further comprises a positive pressure joint 70 and a negative pressure joint 80. The positive pressure joint 70 is in communication with the positive pressure inlet 1041. The negative pressure joint 80 is in communication with the negative pressure inlet 1051. The positive pressure joint 70 and the negative pressure joint 80 can be in communication with an external gas source, so as to stably deliver the positive pressure gas and the negative pressure gas in the container valve seat 20.

[0091] According to the wafer bearing device 1000 of the second embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 13As shown, the wafer polishing device 1000 includes a carrier head 300, a pneumatic assembly 100, and a rotary joint 200. The carrier head 300 is capable of adsorbing a wafer W. The pneumatic assembly 100 is the pneumatic assembly 100 of the first aspect embodiment. The rotary joint 200 is arranged between the carrier head 300 and the pneumatic assembly 100, and the rotary joint 200 is in communication with the power gas path 107 of the pneumatic assembly 100, so as to rotate the carrier head 300 to polish the wafer W.

[0092] According to the wafer carrier device 1000 of the second aspect embodiment, the wafer carrier device 1000 has the same beneficial effects as the pneumatic assembly 100 of the first aspect embodiment. The two side plates 102 and the base plate 101 define an assembly area 103, and the plurality of valve seats 20 can be connected to the assembly area 103 at the same time, so that the positive pressure gas or the negative pressure gas can be simultaneously distributed to the plurality of valve seats 20. The plurality of valve seats 20 are arranged in the assembly area 103 at the same time, so that the space occupation of the pneumatic assembly 100 can be reduced. In addition, the valve seats 20 and the valve plate 10 are in communication with the first inlet 2011 and the positive pressure outlet 1042, and the second inlet 2012 and the negative pressure outlet 1052. Compared with the communication mode between the valve seats 20 and the valve plate 10 through the air pipe, the direct connection mode between the valve seats 20 and the valve plate 10 can save costs, and the air pipe is not needed, which is beneficial to reduce the space occupation and simplify the structure. In addition, the air pipe connection mode is saved, so that the air pipe can be frequently plugged in and unplugged during the inspection or replacement of the components of the pneumatic assembly 100, and the risk of gas leakage is avoided.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figure 14 The carrier head 300 includes an upper structure 310 and a lower structure 320, and the upper structure 310 and the lower structure 320 are connected by a flexible connecting piece 330. The upper structure 310, the lower structure 320, and the flexible connecting piece 330 form a main pressure chamber Z0, so as to control the pressure in the main pressure chamber Z0, and the flexible connecting piece 330 can be stretched and contracted, so that the lower structure 320 can move up and down relative to the upper structure 310.

[0094] Specifically, as shown in Figure 14 The structure of the carrier head 300 is shown. The carrier head 300 includes an upper structure 310 and a lower structure 320, and the upper structure 310 and the lower structure 320 are connected by a flexible connecting piece 330. The upper structure 310 is connected with the rotary joint 200. The upper structure 310 and the lower structure 320 are connected by the flexible connecting piece 330 to form a main pressure chamber Z0, so that the lower structure 320 can move up and down when adsorbing the wafer W.

[0095] As shown in Figure 14As shown, the lower structure 330 of the bearing head 300 includes a balance frame 321, a base 322, an elastic membrane 323, and a retaining ring 324. The balance frame 321 is slidably disposed in the central through hole of the upper structure 310 and can drive the base 322 to move up and down. The elastic membrane 323 is disposed on the bottom surface of the base 322, and a retaining ring 324 connected to the bottom surface of the base 322 is disposed on the outer periphery of the elastic membrane 323.

[0096] Specifically, the lower structure 320 of the support head 300 includes a balance frame 321, a base 322, an elastic membrane 323, and a retaining ring 324. The balance frame 321 is slidably disposed within the central through hole of the upper structure 310 and can drive the base 322 to move up and down. The elastic membrane 323 is disposed on the bottom surface of the base 322, and a retaining ring 324 connected to the bottom surface of the base 322 is disposed on the outer periphery of the elastic membrane 323. The elastic membrane 323 is used to adsorb the wafer W and apply downward pressure to the wafer W. The elastic membrane 323 can be made of an elastic material, such as chloroprene or silicone rubber. The annular retaining ring 324 is located on the outer periphery of the elastic membrane 323 and is disposed around the elastic membrane 323 to fix it to the lower surface of the base 322. The retaining ring 324 is used to hold the wafer W below the elastic membrane 323 to prevent the wafer W from slipping out.

[0097] Furthermore, such as Figure 14 As shown, the elastic membrane has a preset number of concentric pressure chambers inside, and the concentric pressure chambers can be connected one-to-one with the power air passages of the pneumatic components.

[0098] Specifically, with Figure 14 Taking an elastic membrane 323 with three pressure chambers as an example, the pressure chambers are a first pressure chamber Z1, a second pressure chamber Z2, and a third pressure chamber Z3, arranged concentrically from the center outwards. The first pressure chamber Z1, located at the center, is circular, while the second and third pressure chambers Z2 and Z3 are concentric rings. It can be understood that... Figure 14 The number of pressure chambers shown is only one example; in practice, there can be other numbers, such as four, five, six, or seven pressure chambers.

[0099] exist Figure 14 In the illustrated embodiment, the upper pneumatic assembly 100 includes multiple power air passages 107, which are the power air passages included on the manifold valve plate 10 in the above embodiment. The first pressure chamber Z1, the second pressure chamber Z2, and the third pressure chamber Z3 are respectively connected to an external air source through one of the multiple power air passages 107, so as to independently control the pressure in different pressure chambers. Each pressure chamber can apply different pressures to the corresponding wafer W partitions.

[0100] A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus 10000 according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present application, as shown in Figure 15 FIG. 1, comprises a wafer carrier 1000 according to the second aspect of the present application, a polishing disc 2000, a conditioner 3000, and a polishing liquid supply 5000. The polishing disc 2000 is covered with a polishing pad 2100 for polishing a wafer W. The conditioner 3000 is used to condition the surface topography of the polishing pad 2100. The polishing liquid supply 5000 is used to distribute a polishing liquid on the surface of the polishing pad 2100.

[0101] The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus 10000 further comprises a loading and unloading section 6000, which is arranged adjacent to the wafer carrier 1000 to facilitate the transport of the wafer W.

[0102] In particular, as shown in Figure 15 FIG. 2, the polishing pad 2100 is arranged on the upper surface of the polishing disc 2000 and rotates with the polishing disc 2000 along the axis Ax1. The horizontally movable carrier head 300 is arranged above the polishing pad 2100, and the lower surface of the carrier head 300 is attracted to the wafer W to be polished. The conditioner 3000 comprises a conditioning arm 3100 and a conditioning head 3200. The conditioning arm 3100 swings the rotating conditioning head 3200 to condition the surface of the polishing pad 2100 to a state suitable for polishing. The polishing liquid supply 5000 distributes the polishing liquid on the surface of the polishing pad 2100. During the polishing operation, the carrier head 300 presses the surface of the wafer W to be polished against the surface of the polishing pad 2100, and the polishing liquid is distributed between the polishing pad 2100 and the wafer W. The material on the surface of the wafer W is removed under the action of chemical mechanical polishing.

[0103] The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus 10000 according to the third aspect of the present application has the same beneficial effects as the wafer carrier 1000 according to the second aspect of the present application. The U-shaped manifold valve plate 10 has two side plates 102 and a base plate 101, and the assembly area 103 is defined between the two side plates 102 and the base plate 101. The plurality of manifold valve seats 20 can be connected to the assembly area 103 at the same time, so that the positive pressure gas or the negative pressure gas can be simultaneously distributed to the plurality of manifold valve seats 20. The plurality of manifold valve seats 20 are arranged in the assembly area 103 at the same time, so that the space occupation of the pneumatic assembly 100 as a whole can be reduced. In addition, the first inlet 2011 and the positive pressure outlet 1042 are in communication, and the second inlet 2012 and the negative pressure outlet 1052 are in communication between the manifold valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10. Compared with the communication mode between the manifold valve seat 20 and the manifold valve plate 10 through the air pipe, the direct connection mode between the two saves cost, eliminates the air pipe, reduces the space occupation, and simplifies the structure. In addition, the connection mode of the air pipe is saved, which avoids the frequent plugging and unplugging of the air pipe during the inspection or replacement of components of the pneumatic assembly 100, and avoids the risk of gas leakage.

[0104] The above embodiments are only used for illustrating the present application, but not for limiting the present application. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, all equivalent technical solutions belong to the scope of the present application, and the patent protection scope of the present application should be defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A pneumatic assembly, characterized in that, The application relates to a manifold valve plate and a pneumatic assembly. The manifold valve plate is a U-shaped plate comprising a base plate and two side plates, an assembly area being defined between the base plate and the two side plates, the manifold valve plate having a positive pressure channel and a negative pressure channel in the interior, the positive pressure channel having one positive pressure inlet and a plurality of positive pressure outlets, the negative pressure channel having one negative pressure inlet and a plurality of negative pressure outlets, the positive pressure outlets and the negative pressure outlets being arranged to the inner walls of the two side plates towards the assembly area; a plurality of assembly valve seats, each of which is arranged to the manifold valve plate and located in the assembly area, the plurality of assembly valve seats being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plane in which the manifold valve plate is located, the assembly valve seat comprising an assembly valve plate and a pressure regulating valve, a positive and negative pressure switching valve, a pressure maintaining valve and an atmospheric switching valve arranged to the assembly valve plate, the thickness of the assembly valve plate being the same as that of the side plate, the assembly valve plate being connected to the manifold valve plate, the first inlet and the second inlet of the assembly valve seat being arranged to the side wall of the assembly valve plate, the first inlet being directly connected to the positive pressure outlet, and the second inlet being directly connected to the negative pressure outlet; The assembly valve seat is directly connected to the manifold valve plate to form a pipe-free connection structure, so that the gas pressure loss and the leakage risk are reduced.

2. The pneumatic assembly of claim 1, wherein, The interior of the manifold valve plate further has a detection gas channel and a power gas channel, the first outlet of the assembly valve seat being directly connected to the inlet of the detection gas channel, and the second outlet of the assembly valve seat being directly connected to the inlet of the power gas channel, so as to respectively convey the gas regulated by the assembly valve seat to the detection gas channel and the power gas channel, the first outlet and the second outlet being arranged to the side wall of the assembly valve plate.

3. The pneumatic assembly of claim 2, wherein, When the assembly valve seat is connected to the manifold valve plate, the assembly valve plate corresponds to the manifold valve plate, and the extension direction of the assembly valve seat is perpendicular to the plane in which the manifold valve plate is located.

4. The pneumatic assembly of claim 3, wherein, The first inlet and the positive pressure outlet, the second inlet and the negative pressure outlet, the first outlet and the inlet of the detection gas channel, and the second outlet and the inlet of the power gas channel are all sealed by sealing rings.

5. The pneumatic assembly of claim 2, wherein, The pressure regulating valve is arranged to one side end surface of the assembly valve plate, and the positive and negative pressure switching valve, the pressure maintaining valve and the atmospheric switching valve are arranged to the other side end surface of the assembly valve plate.

6. The pneumatic assembly of claim 3, wherein, The pneumatic assembly comprises eight assembly valve seats and is connected to the two side plates in two rows.

7. The pneumatic assembly of claim 2, wherein, The pneumatic assembly further comprises: an outlet joint in communication with the outlet of the power gas channel; a pressure sensor in communication with the outlet of the detection gas channel.

8. The pneumatic assembly of claim 1, wherein, The pneumatic assembly further comprises: a positive pressure joint in communication with the positive pressure inlet; a negative pressure joint in communication with the negative pressure inlet.

9. A wafer carrier apparatus, comprising: The application relates to a manifold valve plate and a pneumatic assembly. The application relates to a manifold valve plate and a pneumatic assembly. The application relates to a manifold valve plate and a pneumatic assembly. ​ 10. The wafer carrier apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The bearing head comprises a balance frame, a base, an elastic film and a retaining ring; the balance frame can drive the base to move up and down, the elastic film is arranged on the bottom surface of the base, and the outer circumferential side of the elastic film is provided with the retaining ring connected with the bottom surface of the base.

11. The wafer carrier apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The elastic film is internally provided with a preset number of concentric pressure chambers, which can be connected one by one with the power gas paths of the pneumatic assembly.

12. A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus characterized by comprising: Comprising: A wafer bearing device as claimed in any one of claims 9-11; A polishing disc covered with a polishing pad for polishing a wafer; A trimmer for trimming the surface topography of the polishing pad; And A polishing liquid supply device for spreading polishing liquid on the surface of the polishing pad.

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