Wafer frame type carrier

Abstract

An example semiconductor substrate carrying frame may include a frame body defining a central opening. The frame may include a plurality of fingers coupled with the frame body. Each finger of the plurality of fingers may extend into the central opening. Each finger of the plurality of fingers may include a substrate receiving interface. At least one finger of the plurality of fingers may include an actuator that operates a respective one of the at least one finger of the plurality of fingers between a substrate holding position and an open position.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patent application No. 17 / 735,623, filed on May 3, 2022, entitled “WAFER FILM FRAME CARRIER,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to cleaning operations in semiconductor processing and more particularly to systems and methods for performing in-situ cleaning of wafers prior to packaging. Background Art

[0004] Integrated circuits are manufactured by processes that create complex patterned layers of material on the surface of a substrate. After the integrated circuits are formed on the substrate, the substrate is typically cut into individual dies, which are then cleaned before being picked up for packaging. Typically, the cut substrates and carrier substrates can be cleaned immediately before the packaging operation, and the dies can be placed on the carrier substrate for packaging. However, the dimensions of the carrier substrate and the cut substrate are usually different, which requires the use of different chambers to complete the cleaning operation. Using different chambers doubles the space required and slows down the cleaning and packaging operations because only one of each type of substrate can be cleaned at a time.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods that can be used to produce high quality devices and structures while increasing production throughput and / or reducing space requirements. The present technology can address these and other needs. Summary of the invention

[0006] An exemplary semiconductor substrate carrier frame may include a frame body defining a central opening. The frame may include a plurality of fingers coupled to the frame body. Each of the plurality of fingers may extend into the central opening. Each of the plurality of fingers may include a substrate receiving interface. At least one of the plurality of fingers may include an actuator that operates a corresponding one of the at least one of the plurality of fingers between a substrate holding position and an open position.

[0007] In some embodiments, the plurality of fingers may include three fingers. The position of two of the fingers may be fixed. One of the fingers may include an actuator. Each of the plurality of fingers may include a dedicated actuator. Movement of the actuator between the substrate holding position and the open position may be controlled by a robotic arm. The actuator may include one or both of a rotary actuator and a linear actuator. The frame may include four straight edges, which are interconnected by fillets therebetween. The thickness of the frame at each straight edge may be between approximately 0.025 inches and 0.1 inches. When in the substrate holding position, the distance between the substrate receiving interfaces of the plurality of fingers may substantially match the size of the substrate fixed in the substrate carrying frame.

[0008] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a semiconductor substrate carrier frame. The frame may include a frame body defining a central opening. The frame may include at least two fixed fingers coupled to the frame body. Each fixed finger may extend a fixed distance into the central opening. The frame may include at least one adjustable finger. Each adjustable finger may include an actuator that operates the corresponding adjustable finger between a substrate holding position and an open position. Each fixed finger and each adjustable finger may include a substrate receiving interface.

[0009] In some embodiments, each actuator may include one or more actuators selected from the group consisting of a spring pin, a screw actuator, a pneumatic piston system, a hydraulic piston system, and a solenoid. The actuation distance of each actuator may be limited so that when the actuator is fully extended, the substrate receiving interface of the corresponding adjustable finger does not extend beyond the substrate holding position. The frame body may include one or more clamping areas. Each fixed finger and each adjustable finger may be offset from the one or more clamping areas. When each of the at least one adjustable finger is in the substrate holding position, the substrate receiving interface of each fixed finger and each adjustable finger may be at the same radial distance from the center of the frame body. At least two fixed fingers and at least one adjustable finger may be arranged at equal spacing around the central opening. Each substrate receiving interface may include a roller. Each substrate receiving interface may include a cylinder defining a groove. The width of the groove may correspond to the thickness of the substrate held by the substrate receiving interface. The groove may include a wall that tapers inwardly toward the center of the cylinder.

[0010] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a method of loading a semiconductor substrate into a substrate carrier frame. The method may include positioning the substrate within a central opening defined by a frame body of the substrate carrier frame. The method may include operating at least one actuator coupled to one of a plurality of fingers coupled to the frame body to move the one finger from an open position to a substrate receiving position. The method may include engaging an edge of the substrate with a plurality of substrate receiving interfaces. Each of the plurality of substrate receiving interfaces may be disposed on a corresponding one of the plurality of fingers.

[0011] In some embodiments, operating at least one actuator coupled to one of the plurality of fingers may include moving the at least one actuator between an open position and a substrate receiving position using a robot arm. Positioning the substrate in the central opening may include adsorbing the substrate to an adsorption surface, and positioning the frame body around the adsorbed substrate so that the adsorbed substrate is disposed in the central opening.

[0012] These techniques can provide many benefits over conventional techniques. For example, the present techniques can provide substrate carrier frames that allow smaller substrates to be used in chambers designed for cleaning and / or processing larger substrates and / or substrates mounted on film frames. Accordingly, substrate carrier frames of the present techniques can allow a single chamber design to be used on substrates of various sizes without modifying or adjusting the chamber or its components. These and other embodiments and their numerous advantages and features are described in more detail in conjunction with the description below and the accompanying figures.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the disclosed embodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 Depicted is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary wet cleaning tool according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0016] Figure 2A A schematic perspective view of an exemplary load-bearing frame according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0017] Figure 2B Draw Figure 2A Schematic perspective view of a carrier frame in substrate holding position.

[0018] Figure 2C Draw Figure 2A An enlarged schematic perspective view of the load-bearing frame.

[0019] Figure 2D Draw Figure 2A An enlarged schematic perspective view of a carrier frame in a substrate holding position.

[0020] Figure 3 Depicted is a schematic top plan view of an exemplary load-bearing frame according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0021] Figure 4 A schematic front elevation view of a buffer station according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0022] Figure 5 Operations of an exemplary method of loading a semiconductor substrate into a substrate carrier frame are depicted in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0023] Several drawings are included for illustration purposes. It will be understood that these drawings are for illustrative purposes and should not be considered to be to scale unless specifically noted that the drawings are to scale. In addition, as schematic diagrams, these drawings are provided to aid understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to actual representations and may include exaggerated material for illustrative purposes.

[0024] In the drawings, similar elements and / or features may have the same numerical reference symbols. In addition, elements of the same kind may be distinguished by adding a letter that distinguishes the similar elements and / or features after the reference symbol. If only the leading numerical reference symbols are used in the specification, the description applies to any of the similar elements and / or features having the same leading numerical reference symbols, regardless of the following letters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Various operations are performed in semiconductor manufacturing and processing to produce a large array of features on a substrate. As the semiconductor layers are formed, through holes, trenches, and other paths are made into the structure. These features can then be filled with conductive or metallic materials to allow electricity to be conducted through the device layer by layer. Once formed, these features can form a number of integrated circuits on a semiconductor substrate. These integrated circuits are then obtained by cutting the substrate into individual integrated circuits, which can then be positioned on a carrier wafer or other substrate for assembly and packaging into one or more electronic components.

[0026] Typically, after cutting the substrate, one or more cleaning operations may be performed on the substrate to remove any residues, debris and / or other defects from the cutting and / or other processing operations. Similarly, the carrier wafer may be cleaned before any individual die is placed thereon. However, the carrier wafer and the cut substrate may be of different sizes and / or shapes. For example, before being cut, the cut substrate may be placed on an adhesive film frame, which may help to fix the position of the individual die after the individual die is separated by the cutting process. During the cleaning operation, the cut substrate may remain on the film frame. In some embodiments, the carrier wafer may be larger or smaller than the cut substrate. Although similar or identical cleaning chemicals are used to clean each substrate, different wet cleaning chambers are usually required to clean the cut substrate and the carrier wafer due to the different sizes and / or shapes of the cut substrate and the carrier wafer. Using different chambers results in the need for more space to accommodate different chamber designs and limits the throughput of the system. Due to the complexity of processing substrates of different sizes and / or shapes, it is usually not feasible to design a single chamber that can handle cut wafers and carrier wafers of different geometries. Additionally, the number of cut substrates and carrier wafers required for packaging is typically different (e.g., more cut substrates than carrier wafers may be required, such as when multiple dies are stacked on a carrier wafer), which can lead to throughput issues because cleaning or otherwise processing all substrates in a batch of the same type of substrates may take longer than cleaning or otherwise processing other types of substrates.

[0027] The present technology overcomes these problems by providing a substrate carrier frame that enables cleaning or otherwise processing substrates of different sizes in a single chamber. For example, in some embodiments, the carrier frame enables two substrates of different sizes (such as 200mm and 300mm substrates) to be processed in a given chamber. In some embodiments, the carrier frame can enable the carrier wafer to be processed in the same chamber as the cut substrate, wherein the cut substrate can be fixed on the adhesive film frame. For example, the size and shape of the carrier frame can be designed to match the size of the film frame, which can enable the carrier wafer fixed by the carrier frame to be processed using the same equipment as the cut wafer in the film frame. For example, the same robot tool and chamber support can be used to support the carrier frame and the film frame without any adjustment to the chamber or robot tool equipment. Such a carrier frame provides flexibility in the use of the chamber. For example, a single chamber can be used to clean and / or otherwise process multiple types of substrates, which can save space in a manufacturing facility. In embodiments including multiple chambers, the chambers may be operated in parallel, with each chamber processing either type of substrate, which may help increase throughput because both chambers may be active even after a batch of one type of substrate has been completely processed.

[0028] Although the remainder of the disclosure will routinely explicitly utilize specific carrier frames and wet cleaning operations of the disclosed technology, it will be readily appreciated that the systems and methods are equally applicable to a variety of other semiconductor processing operations and systems. In particular, the carrier frames described herein may be used in any chamber or other processing equipment, particularly chambers or other processing equipment in which multiple substrates and / or frame sizes are processed. Accordingly, the present technology should not be considered solely limited to use in the described cleaning systems or processes. Prior to describing the operation of systems and methods or exemplary processing sequences according to some embodiments of the present technology, the present disclosure will discuss one possible system in which the present technology may be employed. It will be understood that the present technology is not limited to the described equipment, and the processes discussed may be implemented in any number of processing chambers and systems, with any number of modifications, some of which will be mentioned below.

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic isometric view of a wet cleaning tool 100 is shown, which can be specifically configured to implement aspects or operations according to some embodiments of the present technology. The wet cleaning tool 100 can be configured to perform one or more cleaning processes on individual substrates, such as any number of semiconductor substrates, for forming semiconductor devices. The wet cleaning tool 100 can include components that can be maintained at atmospheric pressure, which can be any pressure within a processing facility, such as including positive or negative pressure environments. The system can also include components maintained under vacuum conditions and can be separated from atmospheric pressure components, such as by a load lock system.

[0030] The wet cleaning tool 100 may include a chamber body 102, which may include one or more sidewalls 104 that define a cleaning region 106 within the chamber body 102. As shown, the sidewall 104 may include an annular sidewall that defines a generally cylindrical cleaning region 106. The cleaning region 106 may provide space for one or more substrates to be supported during cleaning operations. As shown, the wet cleaning tool 100 provides space for a single substrate mounted on a frame, such as a film frame or a carrier frame (discussed in more detail below), so that the substrate is supported within the cleaning region 106. The wet cleaning tool 100 may include one or more substrate supports 108, which may include a plurality of frame clamping members 110 that protrude outwardly from a top surface of the substrate support 108. The frame clamping members 110 and the substrate support 108 may be recessed relative to the top surface of the sidewall 104 so that an open space is provided above the frame clamping members 110. Each frame clamping member 110 may be designed to clamp or otherwise secure an edge of a frame (which may carry a substrate) atop the substrate support 108. Three or more frame clamping members 110 may be provided so that a frame held by the frame clamping members 110 may be firmly supported in a horizontal manner relative to the substrate support 108 without the frame tilting. In some embodiments, four frame clamping members 110 may be provided at 90 degree intervals so that each frame clamping member 110 may clamp a corresponding one of the four straight sides of the frame, although other numbers and / or arrangements of frame clamping members 110 may be used in various embodiments.

[0031] The substrate support 108 and the frame clamping member 110 may be coupled to a rotary actuator (not shown) that may be used to selectively rotate the substrate support 108 and the frame clamping member 110 (and the frame and substrate secured by the frame clamping member 110) during a cleaning operation. Each wet cleaning tool 100 may be fluidly coupled to one or more chemical delivery systems (not shown) that may include pumps, tubing, and other materials for delivering one or more process chemicals to the wet cleaning tool 100. For example, one or more delivery arms 112 may be used to deliver chemicals to the cleaning region 106, and the one or more delivery arms 112 may each be rotatable between a substrate loading position and a delivery position. For example, as shown, each delivery arm 112 is in a substrate loading position, wherein the corresponding delivery arm 112 is positioned radially outward of the cleaning region 106, which allows space for the substrate and frame to be inserted into or removed from the cleaning region 106. During a cleaning operation, one or both of the transfer arms 112 may be rotated inwardly so that the corresponding transfer arm 112 is positioned above the cleaning area 106 and a substrate disposed in the cleaning area 106. Through the dispensing ports of the transfer arms 112, one or more process chemicals may be delivered to the substrate within the cleaning area 106. For example, the chemicals may be delivered to the top surface of the substrate. Before, during, and / or after the delivery of the one or more chemicals, the substrate support 108 and the frame clamping member 110 may be rotated to rotate the substrate and frame. The rotational action may help to spread the one or more chemicals across the surface of the substrate and / or may help to remove excess chemicals from the surface of the substrate after cleaning is completed.

[0032] According to aspects of the present technology, any number of wet cleaning processes may be implemented, and in some embodiments, wet cleaning may include multiple cleaning processes and chemicals. For example, in some embodiments, the chemical combination for the wet cleaning operation may include a first chemical comprising hydrofluoric acid, a second chemical comprising ammonium hydroxide, and / or a third chemical comprising hydrochloric acid. It will be understood that the chemicals may come from one or more liquid sources and be delivered to one or more wet cleaning tools 100. In addition, it will be understood that the wet cleaning tool 100 may include a fluid delivery system. Once the cleaning operation is implemented, the delivery arm 112 may return to the substrate loading position to enable the substrate and frame to be removed from the wet cleaning tool 100. The insertion and removal of the substrate and frame may be implemented via a transfer robot in some embodiments. In some embodiments, for example, a single substrate wet cleaning tool 100 may be provided side by side and / or stacked in some embodiments, which may allow separate treatments to be implemented in each tool, or may allow multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously.

[0033] Figure 2AA schematic isometric view of an exemplary substrate carrier frame 200 is depicted in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. The carrier frame 200 may show a partial view of the components discussed and may be used with one or more processing chambers, such as the wet cleaning tool 100. The carrier frame 200 may be used to hold a substrate, such as, but not limited to, a carrier substrate, prior to being inserted into a particular processing chamber. For example, the carrier frame 200 may serve as an adapter to enable a single transfer robot, chamber, and / or other processing element to accommodate substrates and / or frames of different sizes without requiring modification of the tooling of the transfer robot, chamber, and / or other processing element.

[0034] The carrier frame 200 may include a frame body 202, which may be generally annular in shape. For example, as shown, the carrier frame 200 may include four straight sides 204 having generally linear outer edges and arranged in a plurality of pairs relative to each other, wherein the pairs are generally perpendicular to each other to form a generally rectangular shape. In some embodiments, the frame body 202 may include rounded corners 206 between adjacent straight sides 204. In this manner, the frame body 202 may form a generally rectangular (e.g., square) shape with rounded corners. In a particular embodiment, the frame body 202 may be formed from an annular shape having four semicircular sections removed at equal intervals (e.g., 90 degrees) to form a generally rectangular shape. In such an embodiment, the width of the frame body 202 at the rounded corners 206 may be thicker than all or a portion of each straight side 204 along which material has been removed. In some embodiments, the frame body 202 may define a plurality of locating slots 208, which may be configured to receive guide pins that may be used to align the carrier frame 200 in a processing tool and / or chamber. In some embodiments, the frame body 202 may define a generally circular central opening 210. The diameter of the central opening 210 may be selected to be larger than the diameter of the substrate that the carrier frame 200 is designed to hold. The frame body 202 may include a plurality of clamping areas 212 that provide locations for a transfer robot, chamber components, and / or other processing equipment to clamp and / or otherwise support the carrier frame 200. The clamping areas 212 may be provided on two or more straight edges 204, such as the straight edges 204 on either side of the positioning slot 208.

[0035] The size and shape of the frame body 202 can be designed to generally match the size and shape of the film frame for fixing the above-mentioned cut substrate. For example, in some embodiments, the lateral size of the frame body 202 can be selected to match the length and / or width of the existing film frame. The size of the central opening 210 can be designed to be larger than the substrate to be received in the central opening 210. For example, the diameter of the central opening 210 can be at least or about 1% larger than the diameter of the substrate, at least or about 2%, at least or about 3%, at least or about 4%, at least or about 5%, at least or about 10%, at least or about 15%, at least or about 20% or more. In other words, the diameter of the central opening 210 can be at least or about 5mm larger than the diameter of the substrate, at least or about 10mm larger, at least or about 20mm larger, at least or about 30mm larger, at least or about 40mm larger, at least or about 50mm larger, at least or about 60mm larger or more.

[0036] The thickness of the frame body 202 can be substantially uniform. In certain embodiments, the thickness of the frame body 202 can be between or about 0.025 inches and 0.1 inches, between or about 0.03 inches and 0.09 inches, between or about 0.035 inches and 0.08 inches, between or about 0.04 inches and 0.07 inches, between or about 0.045 inches and 0.065 inches, or between or about 0.05 inches and 0.06 inches, for example, as measured along one of the straight edges 204 and / or the clamping areas 212. In some embodiments, the thickness of the frame body 202 can be substantially equal to or less than the thickness of the substrate. The frame body 202 can be sized to accommodate substrates of a particular size, and a plurality of frame bodies 202 sized to accommodate corresponding substrate sizes (e.g., 100 mm, 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, etc.) can be provided.

[0037] The carrier frame 200 may include a plurality of fingers 214 coupled to the frame body 202, each finger 214 extending radially inwardly into the central opening 210. Figure 2CAs best shown, each finger 214 can include a substrate receiving interface 216 that can be secured to an end (e.g., innermost end) of the corresponding finger 214. Each substrate receiving interface 216 can be sized and shaped to receive and secure an edge of a substrate. For example, each substrate receiving interface 216 can include a cylinder 218 that defines a horizontal groove 220. The width of the groove 220 can correspond to the thickness of the substrate so that an edge of the substrate can be received within the groove 220. In some embodiments, to facilitate insertion and alignment of the substrate within the groove 220, the walls of the groove 220 can taper inwardly in the direction of the center of the cylinder 218. This can provide a wider opening through which the edge of the substrate can be inserted, and the tapered walls guide the substrate toward the center of the groove 220, which in some embodiments can be self-aligned with the center of the frame body 202. Typically, the substrate receiving interface 216 can be a static element, however, in some embodiments, the substrate receiving interface 216 can include rollers and / or other dynamic elements that enable the substrate to be rotated or otherwise turned within the carrier frame 200. This can be particularly beneficial in some cleaning operations because the edges of the substrate covered by the substrate receiving interface 216 can be exposed during the cleaning operation. For example, the rotation rate of the substrate support and / or frame clamping member can be reduced (or stopped), which can enable the substrate to rotate relative to the carrier frame 200 via the rolling components of the substrate receiving interface 216, which can cause previously covered areas to become uncovered, allowing the cleaning solution to access these areas of the substrate. It will be understood that other substrate receiving interface designs are possible in various embodiments.

[0038] Each substrate receiving interface 216 can be formed of a material that is non-reactive or otherwise chemically resistant to cleaning and / or other processing chemicals. The material can also be sufficiently soft so as not to scratch or otherwise damage the substrate. In certain embodiments, each substrate receiving interface 216 can be formed of a polymeric material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and / or polyetheretherketone (PEEK), although other suitable polymers can be used in various embodiments.

[0039] The carrier frame 200 may include at least or about three fingers, at least or about four fingers, at least or about five fingers, at least or about six fingers, or more. The fingers 214 may be spaced around the central opening 210 at regular and / or irregular angular spacings. As shown, the carrier frame 200 includes four fingers 214 spaced at 90 degree spacings. The fingers 214 may be located anywhere around the frame body 202 (e.g., on the straight edges 204 and / or the rounded corners 206). In some embodiments, the fingers 214 may be located on the wider rounded corners 206, which may provide more frame body material to mount the fingers 214 on, and may also ensure that the fingers 214 are angularly offset from the clamping area 212, so that the presence of the fingers 214 does not interfere with the clamping of the transfer device and / or chamber and / or the ability of the support element to clamp or otherwise support the clamping area 212 of the frame body 202.

[0040] In some embodiments, some of the fingers 214 may be fixed in position so that the substrate receiving interface 216 of the fixed finger 214 always maintains a fixed distance relative to the center of the central opening 210. One or more (and possibly all) of the fingers 214 may include an actuator 222 that enables the finger 214 to be adjusted. For example, each adjustable finger 214 may include an actuator 222 that manipulates the corresponding adjustable finger between a substrate holding position and an open position. In the open position (e.g., Figure 2A and Figure 2C As best shown in FIG. 2 , the substrate receiving interface 216 of the finger 214 can be positioned closer to the frame body 202 and further away from the center of the central opening 210. In the substrate holding position, the substrate receiving interface 216 can be positioned further away from the frame body 202 and closer to the center of the central opening 210 (as best shown in FIG. 2 ). Figure 2B and Figure 2D 2, or a plurality of fingers 214 are provided. In other words, in the substrate holding position, the substrate receiving interface 216 of each finger 214 can be positioned at a radial distance from the center of the central opening 210 that substantially matches the radius of the substrate being secured (e.g., within 2% or about 2%, within 1% or about 1%, within 0.5% or about 0.5%, or less) such that the substrate receiving interface 216 can engage an edge of the substrate when in the substrate holding position. In other words, when in the substrate holding position, the distance between the substrate receiving interfaces 216 of each finger (fixed and adjustable) substantially matches the size of the substrate being secured within the substrate carrier frame such that the substrate can be securely retained by the carrier frame 200, as shown. Figure 2BAs best shown. In some embodiments, each actuator 222 can be designed so that all actuation distances are limited, such that when the actuator 222 is fully extended, the substrate receiving interface 216 of the corresponding adjustable finger 214 does not extend beyond the substrate holding position. This ensures that the actuator 222 does not apply excessive compressive forces between the fingers 214 that could damage the substrate. When each adjustable finger 214 is in the substrate holding position, the substrate receiving interface 216 of each adjustable finger 214 and each fixed finger 214 (if present) can be the same radial distance from the center of the frame body 202 and / or the center of the central opening 210, so that the substrate can be centered relative to the frame body 202 and / or the central opening 210.

[0041] In some embodiments, only a single finger 214 or a small set of fingers 214 may include an actuator 222, while the remaining fingers 214 are fixed. In other embodiments, all fingers 214 include their own dedicated actuator 222, and they are movable between the open position and the substrate holding position. The actuator 222 may take a variety of forms. For example, in some embodiments, the actuator 222 may include a rotary actuator and / or a linear actuator. When in the open position, the rotary actuator may pivot so that the finger 214 is pointed away from the center of the central opening 210 and may be closer to the wall of the frame body 202. In the substrate holding position, the rotary actuator may pivot so that the finger 214 is pointed closer to the center of the central opening 210 (and may be directly through the center), and the substrate receiving interface 216 is disposed at a radially inward position relative to the center of the central opening 210. When in the open position, the linear actuator retracts the fingers 214 away from the center of the central opening 210, causing the substrate receiving interface 216 to be pulled closer to the wall of the frame body 202 (eg, Figure 2A and Figure 2C In the substrate holding position, the linear actuator can extend the finger 214 inwardly toward the center of the central opening 210, and the substrate receiving interface 216 is disposed at the radially innermost position relative to the center of the central opening 210 (e.g., Figure 2B and Figure 2D Best shown). Suitable linear actuators may include spring pins, screw actuators, pneumatic piston systems, hydraulic piston systems, solenoids, and / or other linear actuators.

[0042] Typically, the actuator 222 may be selected so that the actuator 222 can remain in the substrate holding position without any external force (e.g., hydraulic pressure, electrical signal, pneumatic pressure, etc.). This may enable the carrier frame 200 to securely hold the substrate while the substrate is positioned within various tools and chambers of the processing system (e.g., when the actuator 222 is in a neutral state without any external force applied). For example, the actuator 222 may be biased toward the substrate holding position and / or the actuator 222 may otherwise use the substrate holding position as a default / neutral position. In embodiments where an external force (e.g., hydraulic pressure, electrical signal, pneumatic pressure, etc.) is required to move the actuator 222, the external force may be used to move the actuator 222 from the substrate holding position to the open position, and when the external force is removed, the actuator 222 may return to the substrate holding position. For example, in the case of a solenoid actuator, applying an electrical current may cause the actuator 222 to retract the fingers 214 from the substrate receiving interface 216. Similarly, with a spring-loaded pin or other spring force actuator, an external force may be used to retract the substrate receiving interface 216, and when the external force is removed, the spring force (e.g., from a compression spring) may bias the substrate receiving interface 216 toward the substrate holding position. In some embodiments, the actuator 222 may include a mechanical engagement mechanism. For example, the actuator 222 may have a drive groove (e.g., a screw head), a cam, or other features that can be rotated to move the actuator 222 between the substrate holding position and the open position. As just one example, rotating the drive groove and / or cam may rotate a lead screw and / or other screw actuator to retract and extend the fingers 214. In some embodiments, the movement of the actuator 222 between the substrate holding position and the open position may be controlled by a robot, such as from a transfer robot and / or other robotic device. For example, the robot may include a tool that can be inserted, gripped, and / or otherwise engaged with a corresponding feature of the actuator 222 to operate the actuator 222 between the substrate holding position and the open position. In embodiments where hydraulic pressure, electrical signals, pneumatic pressure, etc. are required to operate the actuator 222 , the robotic arm may include tools (eg, a hydraulic source, a pneumatic pressure source, an electric current source, etc.) that can apply the necessary external force to the actuator 222 .

[0043] The presence of the fingers 214 and / or the actuators 222 may increase the thickness of the carrier frame 200. For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the fingers 214 and / or the actuators 222 may be between or about 0.1 inches and 0.5 inches, between or about 0.15 inches and 0.45 inches, between or about 0.2 inches and 0.4 inches, between or about 0.25 inches and 0.35 inches, or about 0.35 inches. This thickness may provide sufficient material to rigidly hold the substrate within the central opening 210 while ensuring that the carrier frame 200 does not cause significant interruptions (e.g., interruptions to the flow path during cleaning and / or other processing operations).

[0044] Figure 3 A schematic isometric view of an exemplary substrate carrier frame 300 is depicted in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. The carrier frame 300 may show a partial view of the components discussed and may be used with one or more processing chambers, such as the wet cleaning tool 100. The carrier frame 300 may be similar to the carrier frame 200 and may include any of the features described with respect to the carrier frame 200. The carrier frame 300 may be used to hold a substrate, such as, but not limited to, a carrier substrate, prior to being inserted into a particular processing chamber. For example, the carrier frame 300 may serve as an adapter to adapt a single transfer robot, chamber, and / or other processing element to substrates of different sizes without requiring modification of the tooling of the transfer robot, chamber, and / or other processing element.

[0045] As shown, the carrier frame 300 includes a frame body 302 defining a central opening 310. The carrier frame 300 includes two fixed fingers 314a that extend a fixed distance into the central opening and an adjustable finger 314b that can be extended and retracted relative to the central opening 310. Each finger 314 can include a substrate receiving interface 316 that can be sized and shaped to receive and hold an edge of a substrate. The adjustable finger 314b can include an actuator 322 that operates a corresponding adjustable finger between a substrate holding position and an open position, wherein each fixed finger and each adjustable finger include a substrate receiving interface. As shown, the fixed fingers 314a and the adjustable fingers 314b are arranged at equal intervals (e.g., every 120 degrees) around the central opening 310. In operation, a substrate can be positioned in the central opening 310. The actuator 322 can extend the adjustable finger 314b to the substrate receiving position, which can cause the substrate receiving interface 316 of the adjustable finger 314b to press the substrate into engagement with the substrate receiving interface 316 of the fixed finger 314a. In some embodiments, the actuation of the adjustable finger 314b can enable the substrate positioned in the central opening 310 to be misaligned with the center of the central opening 310, and the actuation of the adjustable finger 314b (combined with the fixed position of the fixed finger 314a) is used to center the substrate in the carrier frame 300.

[0046] Figure 4A schematic front elevation view of an exemplary buffer station 400 according to some embodiments of the present technology is depicted. The buffer station 400 may show a partial view of the components discussed and may be used with one or more processing chambers, such as the wet cleaning tool 100. The buffer station 400 may be used to load a substrate 440 into a carrier frame 450, such as the carrier frame 200 and the carrier frame 300. The buffer station 400 may include a suction mechanism 402, which may include a substrate support surface 404. In various embodiments, the suction mechanism 402 may operate as a vacuum chuck, an electrostatic chuck, and / or other types of chucks. The buffer station 400 may include one or more robotic transfer mechanisms 406, which may each include one or more arms 408, and the one or more arms 408 are designed to engage the substrate 440 and / or the carrier frame 450. The buffer station 400 may include one or more slots 410, which are sized and shaped to hold the substrate 440, the carrier frame 450, and / or the carrier frame holding the substrate. The slots 410 can be arranged (such as vertically stacked) to enable a plurality of substrates 440 and / or frames 450 to be prepared for cleaning and / or other processing operations. In some embodiments, the buffer station 400 can be positioned adjacent to one or more processing tools and / or chambers, such as adjacent to the wet cleaning tool 100 described herein.

[0047] In operation, the transfer mechanism 406 may position a substrate on the substrate support surface 404. In some embodiments, the substrate may be retrieved from one of the slots 410. A suction force may be applied to the substrate 440 to secure the substrate 440 in place. Before or after the substrate 440 has been positioned atop the substrate support surface 404, the carrier frame 450 may be positioned about the substrate 440 using the arm 408 of the transfer mechanism 406. In some embodiments, the carrier frame 450 may be retrieved from one of the slots 410. The arm 408 of the transfer mechanism 406 may operate one or more actuators of the carrier frame 450 to a substrate holding position in which the edge of the substrate 440 is secured by a substrate receiving interface provided on the fingers of the carrier frame 450. During and / or after securing the substrate 440 within the carrier frame 450, the suction force may be removed and the transfer mechanism 406 may move the carrier frame and substrate assembly to the slot 410 and / or into an adjacent chamber or other processing tool.

[0048] Figure 5Example operations of a method 500 for loading a semiconductor substrate into a substrate carrier frame are illustrated in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. The method 500 may be implemented using a carrier frame (e.g., carrier frames 200 and 300) and / or a buffer station (e.g., buffer station 400) described herein. In some embodiments, the method 500 may include operations prior to frame loading. The method 500 may include a variety of operations that may be automatically performed within the system to limit manual interaction and provide greater efficiency and accuracy than manual operations. In some embodiments, the method 500 may be performed as part of or in conjunction with a conventional cleaning process.

[0049] The method 500 may include, at operation 505, positioning a substrate within a central opening defined by a frame body of a substrate carrier frame. Positioning the substrate within the central opening may include using a robot to move the substrate from a load lock mechanism, a buffer station slot, and / or other position to a substrate support surface of a suction mechanism. The substrate may be suctioned to the suction surface, and the frame body may be positioned around the suctioned substrate on the substrate support surface such that the suctioned substrate is disposed within the central opening. In some embodiments, the carrier frame may be placed on the suction mechanism before the substrate, while in other embodiments, the carrier frame may be placed on the suction mechanism after the substrate. A robot (which may be the same or different than the arm used to move the substrate) may be used to move the carrier frame from the buffer station slot to the substrate support surface. Once the substrate is positioned within the central opening, the method 500 may include, at operation 510, manipulating one or more actuators (which may be similar to actuators 222 and 318) to move corresponding adjustable fingers of the carrier frame from an open position to a substrate receiving position. For example, cams, drive grooves, and / or other (mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, etc.) devices may be rotated, pressed, and / or otherwise manipulated to operate an actuator that enables a substrate-receiving interface of each finger (which may include only adjustable fingers or a combination of fixed and adjustable fingers) to engage an edge of a substrate to secure the substrate in the carrier frame in operation 515. In some embodiments, manipulation of the actuator may be performed using an arm of a robotic device.

[0050] Once the substrate has been loaded into the carrier frame, the suction force can be removed and the carrier frame (and substrate) can be transferred to a buffer station slot to await transfer to a processing chamber or tool. In other embodiments, the loaded carrier frame can be directly transferred to a processing chamber or tool. The transfer can be performed by a robot. In certain embodiments, the loaded carrier frame can be transferred to a wet cleaning tool, such as wet cleaning tool 100. In such embodiments, the loaded carrier frame can be secured to the top of a substrate support (e.g., substrate support 108), such as using a plurality of frame clamping members (e.g., frame clamping members 110) provided within a cleaning region of the wet cleaning tool. The substrate support can be rotated, and one or more cleaning chemicals can be applied to the substrate.

[0051] In the foregoing description, for purposes of illustration, many details have been set forth in order to facilitate understanding of several embodiments of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments may be practiced without some of these details or with additional details. For example, other processing operations that may benefit from the carrier frame may also be used with the present technology.

[0052] While several embodiments have been disclosed, those skilled in the art will appreciate that several modifications, alternative configurations, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. In addition, many well-known processes and components are not described to avoid unnecessary confusion of the present technology. Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present technology.

[0053] It will be understood that, unless the context clearly specifies otherwise, where a numerical range is provided, the smallest fraction of each intermediate value to the lower limit unit between the upper and lower limits of the range is also explicitly disclosed. Any narrower range between any stated value or unstated intermediate value in the stated range, and any other stated or intermediate value in the stated range are included. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges can be independently included or excluded in the range, and each range that includes any one restriction, both restrictions are absent, or both restrictions are also included in this technology, but is still subject to any explicitly excluded restrictions in the described range. Where the stated range includes one or two restrictions, the range that does not include any one or both of these restrictions is also included. Where multiple values ​​are provided in a list, any range of any value including or based on these values ​​is similarly specifically disclosed.

[0054] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a material" includes a plurality of such materials and reference to "the channel" includes one or more channels and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

[0055] Furthermore, when used in this specification and in the claims that follow, the words “comprises” and “including” are intended to imply the presence of stated features, integers, elements, or operations, but they do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, elements, operations, acts, or groups.

Claims

1. A semiconductor substrate carrying frame, the semiconductor substrate carrying frame comprising: a frame body defining a central opening; a plurality of fingers coupled to the frame body, each of the plurality of fingers extending into the central opening, wherein: Each of the plurality of fingers comprises a substrate receiving interface; and At least one finger of the plurality of fingers includes an actuator that operates a corresponding one of the at least one finger of the plurality of fingers between a substrate holding position and an open position.

2. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of fingers comprises three fingers; The positions of two fingers of the finger are fixed; and One of the fingers comprises the actuator.

3. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of fingers includes a dedicated actuator.

4. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 1, wherein: The movement of the actuator between the substrate holding position and the open position is controlled by a robot arm.

5. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 1, wherein: The actuator includes one or both of a rotary actuator and a linear actuator.

6. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 1, wherein: The frame includes four straight sides connected to each other via rounded corners therebetween.

7. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 6, wherein: The thickness of the frame at each of the straight sides is between approximately 0.025 inches and 0.1 inches.

8. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 1, wherein: When in the substrate holding position, the distance between the substrate receiving interfaces of the plurality of fingers substantially matches the size of the substrate fixed in the substrate holding frame.

9. A semiconductor substrate carrying frame, the semiconductor substrate carrying frame comprising: a frame body defining a central opening; at least two fixing fingers coupled to the frame body, each fixing finger of the fixing fingers extending a fixed distance into the central opening; as well as At least one adjustable finger, each adjustable finger includes an actuator that operates the corresponding adjustable finger between a substrate holding position and an open position, wherein each fixed finger and each adjustable finger includes a substrate receiving interface.

10. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 9, wherein: Each actuator includes one or more actuators selected from the group consisting of a spring pin, a screw actuator, a pneumatic piston system, a hydraulic piston system, and a solenoid.

11. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 9, wherein: The actuation distance of each actuator is limited such that when the actuator is fully extended, the substrate engaging interface of the corresponding adjustable finger does not extend beyond the substrate retaining position.

12. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 9, wherein: The frame body includes one or more clamping areas; and Each fixed finger and each adjustable finger is offset from the one or more clamping regions.

13. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 9, wherein: When each of the at least one adjustable finger is located at the substrate holding position, the substrate receiving interface of each fixed finger and each adjustable finger is at the same radial distance from the center of the frame body.

14. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 9, wherein: The at least two fixed fingers and the at least one adjustable finger are arranged at equal intervals around the central opening.

15. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame according to claim 9, wherein: Each substrate receiving interface includes a roller.

16. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame of claim 9, wherein: Each substrate receiving interface comprises a cylinder defining a groove; and The width of the groove corresponds to the thickness of the substrate fixed by the substrate receiving interface.

17. The semiconductor substrate carrying frame of claim 16, wherein: The groove includes walls that taper inwardly toward the center of the cylinder.

18. A method for loading a semiconductor substrate into a substrate carrying frame, the method comprising: positioning a substrate within a central opening defined by a frame body of the substrate-carrying frame; operating at least one actuator coupled to one of a plurality of fingers coupled to the frame body to move the one finger from an open position to a substrate receiving position; as well as The edge of the substrate is joined with a plurality of substrate receiving interfaces, wherein each substrate receiving interface of the plurality of substrate receiving interfaces is disposed on a corresponding one of the plurality of fingers.

19. The method of loading a semiconductor substrate into a substrate carrying frame according to claim 18, wherein: Operating at least one actuator coupled to one of the plurality of fingers includes using a robot to move the at least one actuator between the open position and the substrate receiving position.

20. The method of loading a semiconductor substrate into a substrate carrier frame according to claim 18, wherein: Positioning the substrate within the central opening comprises: adsorbing the substrate to an adsorption surface; and The frame body is positioned around the adsorbed substrate so that the adsorbed substrate is disposed in the central opening.

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