Ion implanter and method of use thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an ion implanter and a method thereof, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, which comprises a wafer carrier, a mechanical arm, an alignment table, a gas lock table, a V-shaped arm, clamping points arranged on the two sides of a target plate, groove structures arranged on the left and right sides of the target plate, alignment marks arranged on the surface of the target plate, vacuum adsorption points for ensuring that a wafer is closely attached to the surface of the target plate during rotation, displacement caused by centrifugal force during rotation is avoided, the groove structures arranged on the two sides of the target plate provide a stable operation path for wafer transmission of the V-shaped arm, the transmission process is ensured to be smooth and accurate, the clamping points further fix the edges of the wafer, wafer shaking during wafer movement is prevented, the alignment marks ensure accurate positioning of the wafer, the problem that wafer shaking occurs during production of a 6-inch wafer by an existing ion implanter, position offset is caused, the ion implanter can prevent wafer shaking during production of the 6-inch wafer, and position displacement is avoided.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, in particular to an ion implanter and a method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the continuous development of semiconductor manufacturing technology, ion implanters play a crucial role in wafer manufacturing process. Ion implantation technology can accurately control the concentration and distribution of dopants, which is a key step in manufacturing high-performance semiconductor devices. However, existing ion implantation equipment has certain limitations in supporting different sizes of wafers, especially the support ability for 6-inch wafers is weak.

[0003] The mainstream ion implantation equipment in the current market, such as Nissin ion implanter model 2300AH, mainly supports the process processing of 8-inch and 12-inch silicon wafers. These devices are optimized for large-size wafers at the beginning of design and are widely used in large-scale, high-precision semiconductor manufacturing processes. However, due to design and process limitations, Nissin ion implanter model 2300AH has not considered the processing needs of 6-inch wafers. When manufacturing 6-inch wafers, the wafers are prone to shaking during rotation, resulting in position deviation.

[0004] Therefore, we need an ion implanter and a method thereof to solve the problem that the existing ion implanter causes the wafer to shake when producing 6-inch wafers, resulting in position deviation. The ion implanter can prevent the wafer from shaking when producing 6-inch wafers and avoid position displacement. SUMMARY

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to solve the problem that the existing ion implanter causes the wafer to shake when producing 6-inch wafers, resulting in position deviation. In order to solve the above problem, the present application provides an ion implanter and a method thereof, which can prevent the wafer from shaking when producing 6-inch wafers and avoid position displacement.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions: a wafer carrier, the wafer carrier is located at the starting point of the conveying system; a mechanical arm, the mechanical arm is movably connected with the wafer carrier, and the mechanical arm is used in cooperation with the wafer carrier; an alignment table, the alignment table is connected to one end of the mechanical arm; an airlock table, the airlock table is connected to the other end of the mechanical arm; a V-shaped arm, the V-shaped arm is connected with the airlock table, and the V-shaped arm is used to convey the wafer to the target disc; the target disc is connected to a rotary drive system, a central region of the target disc is provided with a plurality of vacuum suction points, the vacuum suction points are used to fix the wafer, and a surface of the target disc is provided with alignment marks corresponding to the wafer; left and right sides of the target disc are provided with groove structures for providing a path for the V-shaped arm, and both sides of the V-shaped arm are provided with clamping points for fixing the edges of the wafer.

[0007] In the above technical solution, the embodiments of the present application achieve the problem of unstable position of the wafer when the existing ion implanter produces 6-inch wafers by arranging a plurality of vacuum suction points suitable for 6-inch wafers and clamping points and alignment marks on both sides of the central region of the target disc, so that the ion implanter can prevent the wafer from being displaced when producing 6-inch wafers.

[0008] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the cooling device is arranged in the middle of the target disc.

[0009] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the diameter of the target disc is smaller than the diameter of the wafer.

[0010] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the groove structure is located on both sides of the target disc and matches the grabbing structure of the V-shaped arm.

[0011] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the target disc is connected to the rotary drive system by a mechanical fixing mode, and the mechanical fixing mode includes a plurality of uniformly distributed fixing points.

[0012] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the alignment marks are arranged in the central and edge regions of the target disc.

[0013] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the target disc vacuum suction points, clamping points, alignment marks and groove structure are all made of anti-static materials.

[0014] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the rotary drive system is controlled by a high-precision servo motor.

[0015] Further, according to the embodiments of the present application, the V-shaped arm is used for transferring the wafer between the target disc and the airlock table.

[0016] To achieve the above purpose, the embodiments of the present application also adopt the following technical solutions: placing the wafer to be processed on the wafer stage, and the conveying system will automatically sense the presence of the wafer;

[0017] The wafer is transferred from the wafer stage to the alignment table by the mechanical arm;

[0018] The wafer alignment is performed on the alignment table, and after the alignment is completed, the mechanical arm will transfer the wafer from the alignment table to the airlock table;

[0019] The air pressure conversion is performed on the airlock table to switch the atmospheric environment to a vacuum environment to meet the process requirements of ion implantation;

[0020] After the air pressure conversion is completed, the V-shaped arm will transfer the wafer from the airlock table to the target disc;

[0021] The wafer is placed on the target plate and fixed in the center of the target plate by the vacuum suction point of the target plate to ensure the stability of the wafer during the entire ion implantation process;

[0022] The target plate starts to rotate to ensure that the ion beam uniformly covers the surface of the wafer and realizes accurate ion implantation.

[0023] After the implantation is completed, the V-shaped arm will take the wafer from the target plate and place it back on the airlock table, and the airlock table will restore the air pressure to convert the vacuum environment back to the atmospheric environment.

[0024] The mechanical arm will transfer the processed wafer from the airlock table back to the wafer loading platform to complete the entire ion implantation process.

[0025] After each wafer completes ion implantation, the entire process will repeat the above steps until all wafers are processed.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects: the vacuum suction point ensures that the wafer closely adheres to the surface of the target plate during rotation, avoiding displacement caused by centrifugal force during rotation; the groove structure on both sides of the target plate provides a stable operation path for the wafer transfer of the V-shaped arm, ensuring smooth and error-free transfer; the clamping point further fixes the edge of the wafer to prevent the wafer from shaking during movement; and the alignment mark ensures accurate positioning of the wafer, thereby solving the problem of wafer shaking and position displacement during production of 6-inch wafers by existing ion implanters, and enabling the ion implanter to prevent wafer shaking and avoid position displacement during production of 6-inch wafers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings and examples.

[0028] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an ion implanter.

[0029] Figure 2 is a front view of an ion implanter.

[0030] Figure 3 is a top view of an ion implanter.

[0031] Figure 4 is an isometric view of a target plate.

[0032] Figure 5 is a top view of a target plate.

[0033] Figure 6 is a top view of a clamping point.

[0034] Figure 7 is Figure 6 the "A-A" sectional view of

[0035] Figure 8 is Figure 6 an improved clamping point of the "A-A" sectional view.

[0036] in the drawings

[0037] 1, wafer stage 2, mechanical arm 3, alignment stage

[0038] 4, airlock stage 5, V-shaped arm 51, clamping point

[0039] 511, clamping arm 512, clamping head 513, elastic adjusting mechanism

[0040] 6, target plate 61, vacuum suction point 62, cooling device

[0041] 63, groove structure 64, alignment mark 7, wafer DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme of the present application clear, complete and the advantages more clear and obvious, the embodiments of the present application are further described in detail below in combination with the drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all embodiments, and are only used to explain the embodiments of the present application, and do not limit the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0043] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "middle", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", "top", "bottom", "side", "vertical", "horizontal" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "one", "first", "second", "third", "fourth", "fifth", "sixth" are only for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0044] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connection" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the communication inside two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0045] For the purposes of simplicity and illustration, the principles of the embodiments are primarily described by way of reference example. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one ordinarily skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without the specific details and that numerous implementation choices are possible. In some instances, well-known methods and apparatuses have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments. Also, all embodiments can be used in combination with each other.

[0046] Embodiment One: As shown in the figure, an ion implanter comprises: Figures 1-5

[0047] The wafer carrier 1 is located at the starting point of the transfer system, used to store the 6-inch wafer 7 to be processed, and to transfer the wafer 7 to the next processing stage through the transfer system;

[0048] The mechanical arm 2 is used in cooperation with the wafer carrier 1, and transfers the wafer 7 from the wafer carrier 1 to the alignment table 3 through the control system, for subsequent wafer 7 transfer operation;

[0049] The alignment table 3 is connected with the mechanical arm 2, used to accurately position the wafer 7 before it is transferred to the target plate 6, to ensure that the wafer 7 is consistent with the ion implantation direction, and to improve the implantation accuracy;

[0050] The airlock table 4 is connected with the mechanical arm 2, and converts between atmospheric environment and vacuum environment through air pressure conversion function, to ensure that the wafer 7 completes air pressure balance before being transferred to the target plate 6, to prevent pollution and damage;

[0051] The V-shaped arm 5 is connected with the airlock table 4, used to transfer the wafer 7 from the airlock table 4 to the target plate 6, and the design of the V-shaped arm 5 ensures the stability and accurate positioning of the wafer 7 during the transfer process;

[0052] The target plate 6 is connected to a rotary drive system, used to fix and rotate the 6-inch wafer 7 during ion implantation. The vacuum suction points 61 of the target plate 6 are arranged in the central region of the target plate 6, and a plurality of suction points are uniformly distributed, to firmly fix the wafer 7 on the surface of the target plate 6 through vacuum suction, to ensure that the wafer 7 does not shift during rotation.

[0053] The V-shaped arm 5 is provided with clamping points 51 on both sides, which cooperate with the edges of the wafer 7 to provide further fixing effect, to prevent the wafer 7 from deviating due to shaking during movement.

[0054] The cooling device 62 is arranged in the middle of the target plate 6, used to cool the target plate 6 during ion implantation. The cooling device 62 comprises a cooling liquid channel, through which the cooling liquid circulates to reduce the temperature of the target plate 6, to prevent the wafer 7 from deforming or thermal stress due to excessive temperature.

[0055] ​The left and right sides of the target disk 6 are provided with groove structures 63 for providing an operating path for the V-shaped arm 5, ensuring smooth movement of the V-shaped arm 5 when conveying and retrieving the wafer 7, and avoiding collision or scratching of the wafer 7 during the conveying process.

[0056] The alignment marks 64 of the target disk 6 are arranged at the central and edge regions of the target disk 6 to ensure accurate alignment of the wafer 7 on the target disk 6 and guarantee accurate positioning during the ion implantation process.

[0057] The target disk 6 is connected to the rotary drive system by a mechanical fixing mode, which includes a plurality of uniformly distributed fixing points, ensuring that the target disk 6 remains stable during high-speed rotation and does not produce any mechanical deviation. The rotary drive system is controlled by a high-precision servo motor and can adjust the rotation speed according to the requirements, thereby ensuring that the ion beam uniformly covers the surface of the wafer 7.

[0058] The vacuum adsorption points 61, the clamping points 51, the alignment marks 64, and the groove structures 63 of the target disk 6 are all made of anti-static materials to prevent damage caused by static accumulation during the conveying and fixing of the wafer 7.

[0059] Specifically, the alignment marks 64 are arranged within a radius of 70-55 mm of the target disk 6, which is suitable for the implantation of 6-inch wafers 7.

[0060] The wafer 7 is fixed by the vacuum adsorption points 61, and the conveying is combined with the fixation of the clamping points 51 of the V-shaped arm 5, so that the wafer 7 remains stable during rotation and avoids displacement, solving the problem of unstable position of the wafer 7 in the existing ion implanter when producing 6-inch wafers 7. This can prevent the wafer 7 from shifting during the production of 6-inch wafers 7 in the ion implanter.

[0061] Embodiment Two: As shown in the following table, on the basis of Embodiment One, this embodiment further improves the clamping points 51, including: Figures 6-8

[0062] The clamping arm 511 is fixed at one end to the V-shaped arm 5 and is provided at the other end with a clamping head 512 that can gently contact the wafer 7;

[0063] Between the clamping arm 511 and the clamping head 512, an elastic adjusting mechanism 513 is arranged to enable the clamping points 51 to adapt to changes in the edge of the wafer 7 and adjust the contact pressure;

[0064] Through the angle adjustment of the clamping points 51, different thicknesses and edge shapes of 6-inch wafers 7 can be adapted to, ensuring that the clamping points 51 always maintain the optimal contact angle with the edge of the wafer 7 during movement, avoiding displacement of the wafer 7 caused by uneven pressure or looseness.

[0065] Embodiment Three: As shown in the following table, on the basis of Embodiment One, this embodiment further improves the clamping points 51, including: Figures 1-8 ​As shown, on the basis of Embodiment 1-2, the present embodiment also provides a method for using an ion implanter, comprising: placing the wafer 7 to be processed on the wafer carrier 1, and the conveying system automatically senses the presence of the wafer 7;

[0066] The wafer 7 is conveyed from the wafer carrier 1 to the alignment table 3 by the mechanical arm 2;

[0067] The wafer 7 is aligned on the alignment table 3, and after the alignment is completed, the mechanical arm 2 conveys the wafer 7 from the alignment table 3 to the airlock table 4;

[0068] The air pressure is converted on the airlock table 4 to switch the atmospheric environment to a vacuum environment to meet the process requirements of ion implantation;

[0069] After the air pressure conversion is completed, the V-shaped arm transfers the wafer 7 from the airlock table 4 to the target disc 6;

[0070] The wafer 7 is placed on the target disc 6, and the wafer 7 is fixed at the center of the target disc 6 by the vacuum suction point 61 of the target disc 6, so as to ensure that the wafer 7 is stable during the entire ion implantation process;

[0071] The target disc 6 starts to rotate to ensure that the ion beam uniformly covers the surface of the wafer 7, and precise ion implantation is realized;

[0072] After the implantation is completed, the V-shaped arm takes out the wafer 7 from the target disc 6 and places it back on the airlock table 4, and the airlock table 4 restores the air pressure to convert the vacuum environment back to the atmospheric environment;

[0073] The mechanical arm 2 conveys the processed wafer 7 from the airlock table 4 back to the wafer carrier 1 to complete the entire ion implantation process;

[0074] After each wafer 7 completes ion implantation, the entire process repeats the above steps until all the wafers 7 are processed.

[0075] Although the above describes the specific embodiments of the present application in a manner of illustration so as to enable those skilled in the art to understand the present application, the present application is not limited to the scope of the specific embodiments, and for those skilled in the art, all applications created by utilizing the concept of the present application are within the protection scope of the present application as long as various changes are within the spirit and scope of the present application defined and determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ion implanter comprising: a wafer carrier located at the start of a transfer system; a robot arm movably connected to the wafer carrier, the robot arm being used in cooperation with the wafer carrier; an alignment station connected to one end of the robot arm; a gas lock station connected to the other end of the robot arm; a V-shaped arm connected to the gas lock station, the V-shaped arm being used to transfer a wafer to a target disk; characterized in that the target disk is connected to a rotary drive system, a central region of the target disk is provided with a plurality of vacuum suction points for fixing the wafer, and the surface of the target disk is provided with alignment marks corresponding to the wafer; both sides of the target disk are provided with a groove structure for providing a path for the V-shaped arm, both sides of the V-shaped arm are provided with clamping points for fixing the edge of the wafer; the groove structure is located on both sides of the target disk and matches the grabbing structure of the V-shaped arm; the target disk is connected to the rotary drive system by a mechanical fixing method, and the mechanical fixing method includes a plurality of uniformly distributed fixing points.

2. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein: The cooling device is arranged in the middle of the target disk.

3. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein: The diameter of the target disk is smaller than the diameter of the wafer.

4. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein: The alignment marks are arranged in the central and edge regions of the target disk.

5. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein: The vacuum suction points, clamping points, alignment marks and groove structures of the target disk are made of antistatic materials.

6. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein: The rotary drive system is controlled by a servo motor.

7. The ion implanter of claim 1, wherein: The V-shaped arm is used to transfer the wafer between the target disk and the gas lock station.

8. A method of using an ion implanter, comprising: An ion implanter according to any one of claims 1-7, comprising the following steps: placing the wafer to be processed on the wafer carrier, the transfer system automatically sensing the presence of the wafer; transferring the wafer from the wafer carrier to the alignment station by the robot arm; aligning the wafer on the alignment station, and after alignment is completed, the robot arm transfers the wafer from the alignment station to the gas lock station; performing gas pressure conversion in the gas lock station to switch the atmospheric environment to a vacuum environment to meet the process requirements of ion implantation; after the gas pressure conversion is completed, the V-shaped arm transfers the wafer from the gas lock station to the target disk; the wafer is placed on the target disk, and the wafer is fixed in the center of the target disk by the vacuum suction points of the target disk to ensure that the wafer is stable during the entire ion implantation process; the target disk starts to rotate to ensure that the ion beam uniformly covers the surface of the wafer, achieving precise ion implantation; after implantation is completed, the V-shaped arm takes the wafer from the target disk and places it back on the gas lock station, and the gas lock station performs gas pressure recovery to convert the vacuum environment back to the atmospheric environment; the robot arm transfers the processed wafer from the gas lock station back to the wafer carrier, completing the entire ion implantation process; after each wafer completes ion implantation, the entire process repeats the above steps until all the wafers are processed.

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