Wafer processing device and wafer processing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a wafer processing device and a wafer processing method. The wafer processing device comprises an air curtain device. The air curtain device comprises an air inlet structure arranged on the valve side of the vacuum chamber, an air exhaust structure arranged on the air exhaust side of the vacuum chamber, a first pipeline and a second pipeline which are communicated with the air exhaust structure and extend to the valve side along the two sides of the air exhaust structure respectively, and a control device connected with the air inlet structure, the air exhaust structure, the first pipeline and the second pipeline respectively. The control device is configured to control the air inlet structure to form a first air curtain with air flow flowing in the first direction in an opening and closing area of a valve before the valve of the vacuum cavity is opened, and control the exhaust structure to exhaust based on the first pipeline. After the valve of the vacuum cavity is closed, the air inlet structure is controlled to close the first air curtain, a second air curtain for air flow to flow in the second direction is formed in the opening and closing area of the valve, and the exhaust structure is controlled to exhaust based on the first pipeline and the second pipeline. The wafer can be prevented from being oxidized and polluted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of storage technology, and in particular to a wafer processing device and a wafer processing method. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, wafers need to be transferred between the wafer transfer device and the vacuum chamber, and process technologies such as normal pressure and high temperature heat treatment are performed in the vacuum chamber. At present, process technologies such as normal pressure and high temperature heat treatment have very high requirements on the oxygen concentration in the vacuum chamber. Once the oxygen concentration in the vacuum chamber does not meet the standard, an oxidized interface is easily formed on the surface of the wafer, resulting in poor product performance.

[0003] However, in order to meet the process requirements for oxygen concentration, it is usually necessary to introduce a large amount of nitrogen to remove the oxygen in the vacuum chamber before performing the high-temperature process. However, before the process recipe is started, the heating lamp in the vacuum chamber has been providing heat. During the wafer transfer process between the wafer transfer device and the vacuum chamber, the oxygen brought in from the outside has already reacted with the wafer surface before being removed by nitrogen to meet the requirements, and will form an oxidized interface on the wafer surface.

[0004] Therefore, how to effectively prevent the wafer from being oxidized and contaminated during the wafer transfer process between the wafer transfer device and the vacuum chamber has become a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0005] Based on this, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wafer processing device and a wafer processing method, which can effectively prevent the wafer from being oxidized and contaminated during the wafer transfer process between the wafer transfer device and the vacuum chamber.

[0006] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wafer processing device, including: a vacuum chamber, and an air curtain device arranged on the wall of the vacuum chamber. The air curtain device includes: an air intake structure, an exhaust structure, a first pipeline, a second pipeline, and a control device. The air intake structure is arranged on the valve side of the vacuum chamber. The exhaust structure is arranged on the exhaust side of the vacuum chamber, and the exhaust side is the opposite side of the valve side. The first pipeline and the second pipeline are connected to the exhaust structure and extend to the valve side along both sides of the exhaust structure. The control device is connected to the air intake structure, the exhaust structure, the first pipeline, and the second pipeline respectively, and is configured to: before the valve of the vacuum chamber is opened, the air intake structure is controlled to form a first air curtain in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve with airflow flowing along a first direction, and the exhaust structure is controlled to exhaust based on the first pipeline; after the valve of the vacuum chamber is closed, the air intake structure is controlled to shut down the first air curtain and form a second air curtain in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve with airflow flowing along a second direction, and the exhaust structure is controlled to exhaust based on the first pipeline and the second pipeline; wherein the second direction intersects with the first direction.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the air flow rate of the first air curtain is greater than the air flow rate of the second air curtain.

[0008] According to some embodiments, the air flow rate of the first air curtain ranges from 10 L / min to 100 L / min.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the formation gas of the first gas curtain and the second gas curtain is nitrogen or an inert gas.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the air intake structure includes: an annular pipeline and an air inlet. The annular pipeline is arranged in the circumference of the valve. The air inlet includes a first air inlet and a second air inlet. The first air inlet is arranged on the side of the annular pipeline in the second direction and faces the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, and is used to form a first air curtain. The second air inlet is arranged on the side of the annular pipeline in the first direction and faces the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, and is used to form a second air curtain. Among them, the pipeline connected to the annular pipeline and the first air inlet and the pipeline connected to the annular pipeline and the second air inlet are connected or separated.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the first air inlet is connected to the pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the second air inlet; wherein the air intake structure further comprises: a first control valve and a second control valve. The first control valve is arranged on the pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the first air inlet, and is connected to the control device to open or close in response to a control instruction of the control device. The second control valve is arranged on the pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the second air inlet, and is connected to the control device to open or close in response to a control instruction of the control device.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the number of second air inlets located on the first direction side of the annular pipeline or the number of first air inlets located on the second direction side of the annular pipeline is multiple, and the multiple air inlets are arranged in a honeycomb shape on the corresponding sides.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the valve is a slit valve. The length direction of the slit valve is the first direction, the width direction of the slit valve is the second direction, and the thickness direction of the slit valve is the third direction; wherein the first pipeline and the second pipeline extend along the third direction and are located on two opposite sides of the slit valve in the second direction. A gas collecting port is also provided on the side opposite to the side where each gas inlet is provided in the annular pipeline. The first pipeline and the second pipeline are respectively connected to the gas collecting ports.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the dimensions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline along the second direction are greater than the dimension of the inner side of the annular pipeline in the second direction, and less than or equal to the dimension of the outer side of the annular pipeline in the second direction.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the air inlet and the pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the air collecting port are separated.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the air curtain device further comprises a purge structure. The purge structure is disposed on the top of the valve and is connected to the control device. The control device is further configured to: before or while controlling the air intake structure to form the second air curtain, control the purge structure to purge nitrogen or an inert gas into the vacuum chamber.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the purge structure and the air intake structure are connected to the same air source.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the wafer processing device further comprises a carrier, which is located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber and is used to carry the wafer, wherein the first direction is parallel to the wafer and the second direction is perpendicular to the wafer.

[0019] On the other hand, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wafer processing method, which is applied to the wafer processing devices in some of the above embodiments. The wafer processing method includes the following steps.

[0020] Before opening the valve of the vacuum chamber, a first air curtain is formed in the valve opening and closing area of ​​the vacuum chamber, where air flows along a first direction, and a first pipeline is opened for exhaust; the first direction is parallel to the wafer to be transferred or replaced.

[0021] The valve of the vacuum chamber is opened to transfer or replace the wafer, and the valve of the vacuum chamber is closed after the wafer is transferred or replaced.

[0022] After closing the valve of the vacuum chamber, the first air curtain is turned off, and a second air curtain with airflow flowing along a second direction is formed in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, and the second pipeline is opened to exhaust the second pipeline and the first pipeline together; wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the wafer; the first pipeline and the second pipeline are connected to the exhaust structure and extend along both sides of the exhaust structure to the valve side of the vacuum chamber respectively.

[0023] After the second air curtain is formed, a process is performed on the wafer in the vacuum chamber.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the wafer processing method further includes: before or simultaneously with forming the second gas curtain, purging nitrogen or an inert gas into the vacuum chamber, and exhausting the nitrogen or the inert gas through an exhaust structure.

[0025] The embodiments of the present disclosure may or at least have the following advantages:

[0026] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, based on the structure of the vacuum chamber of the machine, an air curtain device can be set on the wall of the vacuum chamber, so as to use the air intake structure in the air curtain device to form a first air curtain with airflow flowing in a first direction in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve before the valve is opened and during the wafer exchange process, and to form a second air curtain with airflow flowing in a second direction after the valve is closed. Thus, the embodiment of the present disclosure can effectively improve the situation of external oxygen entering the vacuum chamber by using air curtains with different airflow directions during the process of wafer transfer between the wafer transfer device and the vacuum chamber, and can effectively prevent the wafer from contacting with external oxygen and being oxidized and contaminated when the valve sealing ring is aged or the valve sealing ring is poorly installed. Furthermore, the embodiment of the present disclosure is conducive to improving product yield.

[0027] The details of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure or the conventional technology, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the conventional technology descriptions will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer processing device provided in some embodiments;

[0030] Figure 2 is a structural block diagram of a wafer processing device provided in some embodiments;

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing device provided in some embodiments when the valve is open;

[0032] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing device provided in some embodiments when the valve is closed;

[0033] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a valve side of a wafer processing device provided in some embodiments;

[0034] Figure 6 A schematic flow chart of a wafer processing method provided in some embodiments.

[0035] Description of reference numerals:

[0036] 1-vacuum chamber, 2-air curtain device, 3-carrier, 4-wafer, 5-wafer transfer device;

[0037] 11-valve side, 12-exhaust side, 10-valve;

[0038] 21 - air intake structure, 22 - exhaust structure, 23 - first pipeline, 24 - second pipeline, 25 - control device, 26 - purge structure; 211 - annular pipeline, 212 - air inlet, 212A - first air inlet, 212B - second air inlet; 221 - air collecting port; P1 - first air curtain, P2 - second air curtain. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] In order to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure, the present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the relevant drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of the present disclosure more thorough and comprehensive.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0041] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "adjacent to," or "connected to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, adjacent to, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be an intervening element or layer. It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, doping types, and / or portions, these elements, components, regions, layers, doping types, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, doping type, or portion from another element, component, region, layer, doping type, or portion. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure, the first element, component, region, layer, doping type, or portion discussed below may be represented as a second element, component, region, layer, or portion.

[0042] When used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "said / the" may also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms "consisting of" and / or "comprising" are used in this specification, the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts can be determined, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups is not excluded. At the same time, when used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

[0043] Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to cross-sectional views that are schematic representations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the present disclosure, such that variations in the shapes shown due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are anticipated. Embodiments of the present disclosure should not be limited to the specific shapes of the regions shown herein, but rather include deviations in shapes due to, for example, manufacturing techniques. Therefore, the regions shown in the figures are schematic in nature, their shapes do not represent the actual shapes of the regions of the device, and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] See also Figure 1 In the semiconductor manufacturing process, the wafer 4 needs to be transferred between the wafer transfer device 5 and the vacuum chamber 1 to perform a process such as a normal pressure high temperature heat treatment process in the vacuum chamber 1. At present, the process such as the normal pressure high temperature heat treatment process has very high requirements on the oxygen concentration in the vacuum chamber 1. Once the oxygen concentration in the vacuum chamber 1 does not meet the standard, an oxidized interface is easily formed on the surface of the wafer 4, resulting in poor product performance.

[0045] Figure 1 The vacuum chamber 1 and the wafer transfer device 5 are simplified diagrams, which are only used to illustrate the relative working relationship between the two, and are not intended to be a specific limitation on their structures. That is, the structures of the vacuum chamber 1 and the wafer transfer device 5 can be implemented in a variety of ways to meet the needs. The wafer transfer device 5 can be, for example, a robot.

[0046] Please continue reading Figure 1 The vacuum chamber 1 has a valve side 11 and an exhaust side 12 that are arranged opposite to each other. The valve side 11 of the vacuum chamber 1 is provided with a valve 10, and the wafer transfer device 5 can transfer the wafer 4 into the vacuum chamber 1 after the valve 10 is opened. The exhaust side 12 of the vacuum chamber 1 is provided with an exhaust structure 22, which can be used for exhaust processing to create a vacuum environment in the vacuum chamber 1.

[0047] Please combine Figure 1 and Figure 2 It is understood that some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wafer processing device, including: a vacuum chamber 1, and an air curtain device 2 arranged on the wall of the vacuum chamber 1. Among them, the air curtain device 2 includes: an air intake structure 21, an exhaust structure 22, a first pipeline 23 and a second pipeline 24, and a control device 25. The air intake structure 21 is arranged on the valve side 11 of the vacuum chamber 1. The exhaust structure 22 is arranged on the exhaust side 12 of the vacuum chamber 1, and the exhaust side 12 is the opposite side of the valve side 11. The first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 are respectively connected to the exhaust structure 22 and extend to the valve side 11 along both sides of the exhaust structure 22.

[0048] The control device 25 is connected to the air intake structure 21, the exhaust structure 22, the first pipeline 23, and the second pipeline 24, respectively, and is configured to: before the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1 is opened, control the air intake structure 21 to form a first air curtain in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10, in which the airflow flows along the first direction, and control the exhaust structure 22 to exhaust based on the first pipeline 23; after the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1 is closed, control the air intake structure 21 to shut down the first air curtain and form a second air curtain in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 in which the airflow flows along the second direction, and control the exhaust structure 22 to exhaust based on the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24; wherein the second direction intersects with the first direction, for example, is orthogonal.

[0049] In some examples, the first direction is parallel to the wafer 4 , and the first direction is, for example, an X direction. The second direction is perpendicular to the wafer 4 , and the second direction is, for example, a Z direction.

[0050] Here and in other related descriptions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, parallel to the wafer 4 or perpendicular to the wafer 4 refers to the relative position of the pointer to the surface of the wafer 4, rather than involving the side wall of the wafer 4.

[0051] When using the wafer processing device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, please refer to Figure 3 Before opening the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1, a first air curtain P1 is formed in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1, where the airflow flows in a first direction (e.g., the X direction), and the first pipeline 23 is opened for exhaust; then, the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1 is opened to replace the wafer 4, and after replacing the wafer 4, the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1 is closed. Here, during the process of opening the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1 to replace the wafer 4, the first air curtain P1 always keeps flowing. Please refer to Figure 4 After closing the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1, the first air curtain P1 is closed, and a second air curtain P2 is formed in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 so that the airflow flows along the second direction (for example, the Z direction), and the second pipeline 24 is opened so that the second pipeline 24 and the first pipeline 23 are exhausted together.

[0052] In some embodiments, the air inlet structure 21 is disposed on the inner side of the valve 10 , that is, on the side of the valve 10 close to the wafer processing space inside the vacuum chamber 1 .

[0053] In some embodiments, the air intake structure 21 may be an air intake pipeline and connected to an air source to provide airflow in different directions at different stages in response to the control of the control device 25, thereby forming the aforementioned first air curtain P1 and second air curtain P2.

[0054] In some embodiments, exhaust structure 22 includes, but is not limited to, a vacuum pump.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 may be independent pipelines and installed in the cavity wall of the vacuum chamber 1. In other embodiments, the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 may be integrally formed with the cavity wall of the vacuum chamber 1; that is, the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 may be formed by reserving the internal space of the cavity wall of the vacuum chamber 1.

[0056] In addition, the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 are both connected to the control device 25 to keep on or off in response to the control command of the control device 25. Based on this, the ends of the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 connected to the intake structure 21, and the ends of the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 connected to the exhaust structure 22 can be respectively provided with control valves, and the control valves are connected to the control device 25.

[0057] In some embodiments, the control device 25 may be an electronic device having data storage and processing functions, such as a single chip microcomputer, a microprocessor or a central processing unit.

[0058] In some embodiments, the wafer processing device or the semiconductor production machine in which it is located has a control terminal, such as a computer device. The control device 25 in the above-mentioned air curtain device 2 can be integrated into the control terminal of the wafer processing device or the semiconductor production machine in which it is located, such as the aforementioned computer device. In addition, the operation of the control device 25 in the air curtain device 2 needs to match the production process of the control terminal of the wafer processing device or the semiconductor production machine in which it is located.

[0059] It can be understood that in some of the above embodiments, the first air curtain P1 is formed before the valve 10 is opened. The formation time of the first air curtain P1 can be, for example, 3s to 30s earlier than the opening time of the valve 10. In some examples, the formation time of the first air curtain P1 is 3s, 5s, 10s, 15s, 20s, 25s or 30s earlier than the opening time of the valve 10. But it is not limited to this. In addition, during the wafer 4 exchange time after the valve 10 is opened, the first air curtain P1 keeps flowing to prevent outside air (especially outside oxygen) from entering the interior of the vacuum chamber 1 due to the opening of the valve 10.

[0060] In some of the above embodiments, the first air curtain P1 is closed after the valve 10 is closed. The closing time of the first air curtain P1 may be, for example, 3s to 30s later than the closing time of the valve 10. In some examples, the closing time of the first air curtain P1 is 3s, 5s, 10s, 15s, 20s, 25s or 30s later than the closing time of the valve 10. However, this is not limited thereto.

[0061] In some of the above embodiments, the second air curtain P2 is formed after the valve 10 is closed. In addition, the second air curtain P2 can be formed at the same time when the first air curtain P1 is closed; or, the second air curtain P2 can be formed a very short time earlier or later than the closing time of the first air curtain P1, and the very short time is, for example, 0.1s to 1s.

[0062] In some embodiments, the second air curtain P2 is formed when the first air curtain P1 is closed, so that the air curtain is always present inside the valve 10 to continuously seal the valve side 11 of the vacuum chamber 1 using the airflow of the air curtain.

[0063] It should be noted that, in some of the above embodiments, the first direction (e.g., the X direction) is parallel to the wafer 4; that is, the airflow direction of the first air curtain P1 is parallel to the wafer 4. In this way, the first air curtain P1 can not only effectively avoid the resistance to the transfer of the wafer 4 caused by the airflow during the transfer of the wafer 4 between the wafer transfer device 5 and the vacuum chamber 1, but also effectively avoid the airflow directly blowing on the surface of the wafer 4 to cause unnecessary surface damage to the wafer 4, while sealing the valve side 11 of the vacuum chamber 1 with the airflow.

[0064] Furthermore, the second direction (for example, the Z direction) is perpendicular to the wafer 4; that is, the airflow direction of the second air curtain P2 is perpendicular to the wafer 4. Since the wafer 4 is already in the exchange completed state when the second air curtain P2 is formed, the flow direction of the second air curtain P2 can be set to match the sealing effect requirement of the valve side 11 of the vacuum chamber 1 to maximize the sealing of the valve side 11 of the vacuum chamber 1. Therefore, the flow direction of the second air curtain P2 is perpendicular to the wafer 4, which can more effectively isolate the outside air (especially the outside oxygen) from entering the vacuum chamber 1, and ensure that the surface of the wafer 4 does not come into contact with the outside oxygen.

[0065] In summary, the wafer processing device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, based on the structure of the machine vacuum chamber 1, can be provided with an air curtain device 2 on the cavity wall of the vacuum chamber 1, so as to utilize the air intake structure 21 in the air curtain device 2 to form a first air curtain P1 with airflow flowing in a first direction in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 before the valve is opened and during the exchange process of the wafer 4, and to form a second air curtain P2 with airflow flowing in a second direction after the valve 10 is closed. Thus, the embodiment of the present disclosure can effectively improve the situation of external oxygen entering the vacuum chamber 1 by utilizing air curtains with different airflow directions during the process of transferring the wafer 4 between the wafer transfer device 5 and the vacuum chamber 1, and can effectively prevent the wafer 4 from contacting with external oxygen and being oxidized and contaminated when the sealing ring of the valve 10 is aged or the sealing ring of the valve 10 is poorly installed. Furthermore, the embodiment of the present disclosure is conducive to improving the product yield.

[0066] It is worth mentioning that, in some embodiments, the air flow rate of the first air curtain P1 is greater than the air flow rate of the second air curtain P2.

[0067] It can be understood that the airflow direction of the first air curtain P1 is parallel to the wafer 4, and the first air curtain P1 is formed before the valve 10 is opened. In addition, during the wafer 4 exchange time after the valve 10 is opened, the first air curtain P1 keeps flowing to prevent the outside air (especially the outside oxygen) from entering the inside of the vacuum chamber 1 due to the opening of the valve 10. The airflow direction of the second air curtain P2 is perpendicular to the wafer 4, and the second air curtain P2 is formed after the valve 10 is closed and the first air curtain P1 is shut down. The disclosed embodiment controls the airflow flow of the first air curtain P1 to be greater than the airflow flow of the second air curtain P2, which can not only produce a better sealing effect by using the first air curtain P1 in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 after the valve 10 is opened, but also can produce a better sealing effect by using the mutual cooperation of the second air curtain P2 and the valve 10 in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 after the valve 10 is closed, and ensure that there is no excess waste in the formation of the second air curtain P2. Thus, the embodiment of the present disclosure utilizes the air curtain device 2 to produce a better sealing effect on the valve side 11 of the vacuum chamber 1 and effectively reduce the waste of production costs.

[0068] In some embodiments, the air flow rate of the first air curtain P1 ranges from, but is not limited to, 10 L / min to 100 L / min.

[0069] For example, the air flow rate of the first air curtain P1 may be 10 L / min, 15 L / min, 20 L / min, 30 L / min, 50 L / min, 60 L / min, 70 L / min, 80 L / min, 90 L / min or 100 L / min.

[0070] In some embodiments, the range of the air flow rate of the second air curtain P1 includes but is not limited to: 1 L / min to 10 L / min.

[0071] For example, the air flow rate of the second air curtain P1 may be 1 L / min, 2 L / min, 3 L / min, 5 L / min, 6 L / min, 8 L / min, 9 L / min, or 100 L / min.

[0072] It should be noted that the above-mentioned values ​​of air flow are all values ​​that can be obtained after measurement under standard conditions. The standard conditions here refer to the conditions under 1 atmosphere and 25°C room temperature. In addition, the unit of each value of the above-mentioned air flow, L / min, can also be represented by slm (Standard Litre per Minute, liters per minute under standard conditions).

[0073] In some embodiments, the forming gas of the first air curtain P1 and the second air curtain P2 is nitrogen or an inert gas.

[0074] Illustratively, the inert gas includes, but is not limited to, argon or helium.

[0075] For example, the gas used to form the first air curtain P1 and the second air curtain P2 is the same. In this way, the air intake structure 21 only needs to be connected to one air source. However, this is not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the gases used to form the first air curtain P1 and the second air curtain P2 are different, which is also allowed. Accordingly, the pipelines in the air intake structure 21 that match the first air curtain P1 and the second air curtain P2 need to be independently set and connected to the corresponding air sources respectively.

[0076] As described above, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the composition structure of the air intake structure 21 can be implemented differently to match the formation requirements of the first air curtain P1 and the second air curtain P2.

[0077] In some embodiments, please combine Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 It is understood that the air intake structure 21 includes: an annular pipeline 211 and an air intake port 212. The annular pipeline 211 is arranged in the circumference of the valve 10. The air intake port 212 is used to form the first air curtain P1 or the second air curtain P2. Therefore, according to the different air curtains formed, the air intake port 212 can be correspondingly divided into a first air intake port 212A and a second air intake port 212B, that is, the air intake port 212 includes a first air intake port 212A and a second air intake port 212B.

[0078] Furthermore, to match the airflow direction of the first air curtain P1 or the second air curtain P2, the first air inlet 212A for forming the first air curtain P1 can be arranged on the side of the annular pipeline 211 extending along the second direction, and facing the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10, so as to form the first air curtain P1 with airflow flowing along the first direction; the second air inlet 212B for forming the second air curtain P2 can be arranged on the side of the annular pipeline 211 extending along the first direction, and facing the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10, so as to form the second air curtain P2 with airflow flowing along the second direction.

[0079] From the above, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A and the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B are connected or separated to connect to corresponding air sources.

[0080] In some embodiments, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A is connected to the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B. The air inlet structure 21 further includes: a first control valve and a second control valve ( Figure 3 to Figure 5The first control valve is disposed on the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A, and is connected to the control device 25, so as to be opened or closed in response to the control instruction of the control device 25. The second control valve is disposed on the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B, and is connected to the control device 25, so as to be opened or closed in response to the control instruction of the control device 25.

[0081] Here, when the first control valve is opened, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A can be a passage. When the first control valve is closed, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A can be disconnected. Similarly, when the second control valve is opened, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B can be a passage. When the second control valve is closed, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B can be disconnected. Based on this, when the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A and the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B are connected, by selectively opening or closing the first control valve and the second control valve, the flow direction of the airflow in the annular pipeline 211 can be controlled accordingly, thereby forming a corresponding air curtain from the first air inlet 212A or the second air inlet 212B.

[0082] In other embodiments, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A is separated from the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B; that is, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the first air inlet 212A and the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the second air inlet 212B can be connected to corresponding gas sources respectively to achieve independent supply of gas flow. In this way, the wafer processing device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve the air intake control of the first air inlet 212A and the second air inlet 212B by controlling the gas source.

[0083] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the number of first air inlets 212A located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 in the second direction (for example, the Z direction) and the number of second air inlets 212B located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 in the first direction (for example, the X direction) can be one or more.

[0084] In some possible implementations, the number of the first air inlet 212A located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 in the second direction (e.g., Z direction) and / or the number of the second air inlet 212B located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 in the first direction (e.g., X direction) is one. Accordingly, the first air inlet 212A and / or the second air inlet 212B may be an open opening, such as a strip-shaped open opening.

[0085] By way of further example, a dimension of the first air inlet 212A in the second direction (eg, Z direction) is smaller than or equal to a dimension of the inner side of the annular pipeline 211 in the second direction (eg, Z direction).

[0086] By way of further example, a dimension of the second air inlet 212B in the first direction (eg, X direction) is smaller than or equal to a dimension of the inner side of the annular pipeline 211 in the first direction (eg, X direction).

[0087] The inner side of the annular pipeline 211 refers to the side of the annular pipeline 211 close to the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 .

[0088] In some other possible implementations, the number of the first air inlets 212A located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 in the second direction (e.g., the Z direction) and / or the number of the second air inlets 212B located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 in the first direction (e.g., the X direction) is plural. Accordingly, the plurality of first air inlets 212A and / or the plurality of second air inlets 212B are respectively arranged in a honeycomb shape on the corresponding sides.

[0089] By way of further example, the first air inlet 212A and / or the second air inlet 212B are hole-shaped air inlets.

[0090] It should be added that, in some embodiments, the valve 10 is a slit valve. The length direction of the slit valve is a first direction (e.g., X direction), the width direction of the slit valve is a second direction (e.g., Z direction), and the thickness direction of the slit valve is a third direction (e.g., Y direction). Here, the thickness direction of the slit valve is the same as the thickness direction of the wall of the vacuum chamber 1 where the slit valve is located.

[0091] Accordingly, please continue to refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 extend along the third direction (for example, the Y direction) and are located on opposite sides of the slit valve in the second direction (for example, the Z direction). A gas collecting port 221 is also provided on the side of the annular pipeline 211 opposite to the side where each gas inlet 212 is provided. The first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 are respectively connected to the gas collecting ports 221.

[0092] It can be understood that in some embodiments, the annular pipeline 211 is connected to the air inlet 212 and the air collecting port 221, but the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the air inlet 212 and the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the air collecting port 221 are separated, that is, the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the air inlet 212 and the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline 211 and the air collecting port 221 are two parts that are not connected to each other.

[0093] For example, please combine Figure 5 It is understood that the annular pipeline 211 can be a rectangular ring structure, and corresponding one-way valves can be respectively arranged at the four corners of the annular pipeline 211 to control the flow direction of the airflow. And, optionally, the one-way valves arranged at the corresponding corners of the annular pipeline 211 can act as the first control valve and / or the second control valve in some of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0094] In some embodiments, corresponding to the aforementioned air inlet 212, the air collecting port 221 includes at least one first air collecting port disposed opposite to the first air inlet 212A, and at least one second air collecting port disposed opposite to the second air inlet 212B. In addition, the first pipeline 23 is connected to both the first air collecting port and the second air collecting port, and the second pipeline 24 is connected to the second air collecting port.

[0095] In some possible embodiments, the number of the first air collecting port is one, and it is located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 opposite to the first air inlet 212A in the second direction (for example, the Z direction). The number of the second air collecting port is one, and it is located on the side of the annular pipeline 211 opposite to the second air inlet 212B in the first direction (for example, the X direction). Accordingly, the first air collecting port and / or the second air collecting port may be an open opening, for example, a strip-shaped open opening.

[0096] By way of further example, the dimension of the first gas collecting port in the second direction (eg, Z direction) is smaller than or equal to the dimension of the inner side of the annular pipeline 211 in the second direction (eg, Z direction).

[0097] By way of further example, the size of the second gas collecting port in the first direction (eg, X direction) is smaller than or equal to the size of the inner side of the annular pipeline 211 in the first direction (eg, X direction).

[0098] Here, the inner side of the annular pipeline 211 refers to the side of the annular pipeline 211 close to the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 .

[0099] In some other possible embodiments, there are multiple first air collecting ports, which are arranged in a honeycomb shape on the side of the annular pipeline 211 opposite to the first air inlet 212A in the second direction (e.g., the Z direction). There are multiple second air collecting ports, which are arranged in a honeycomb shape on the side of the annular pipeline 211 opposite to the second air inlet 212B in the first direction (e.g., the X direction).

[0100] As a further example, the first gas collecting port and / or the second gas collecting port are hole-shaped gas collecting ports.

[0101] In some embodiments, the annular pipeline 211 may be a rectangular ring structure. Accordingly, the size of the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 along the second direction (e.g., Z direction) is greater than the size of the inner side of the annular pipeline 211 in the second direction (e.g., Z direction), and is less than or equal to the size of the outer side of the annular pipeline 211 in the second direction (e.g., Z direction).

[0102] Here, the inner side of the annular pipe 211 refers to the side of the annular pipe 211 close to the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 , and the outer side of the annular pipe 211 refers to the side of the annular pipe 211 away from the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 .

[0103] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 The air curtain device 2 further includes a purge structure 26. The purge structure 26 is disposed on the top of the valve 10 and is connected to the control device 25. The control device 25 is further configured to: before or while controlling the air intake structure 21 to form the second air curtain P2, control the purge structure 26 to purge nitrogen or inert gas into the vacuum chamber 1.

[0104] By way of example, the inert gas purged by the purging structure 26 includes, but is not limited to, argon or helium.

[0105] In the disclosed embodiment, the nitrogen or inert gas purged into the vacuum chamber 1 by the purge structure 26 can create a nitrogen or inert gas gas environment in the vacuum chamber 1 to facilitate controlling the process environment of the wafer 4, thereby effectively preventing the surface of the wafer 4 from being unnecessarily oxidized.

[0106] In some embodiments, the purge structure 26 and the air intake structure 21 are connected to the same air source. That is, the air source connected to the air intake structure 21 and the air source connected to the purge structure 26 may be the same.

[0107] In addition, it can be understood that the exhaust structure 22 is also connected to the interior of the vacuum chamber 1 , and the nitrogen or inert gas purged into the interior of the vacuum chamber 1 by the purge structure 26 can be discharged through the exhaust structure 22 .

[0108] In some embodiments, the wafer processing apparatus further includes a carrier ( Figure 3 and Figure 4 The carrier is located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 1 and is used to carry the wafer 4. The first direction is parallel to the wafer 4, and the second direction is perpendicular to the wafer 4.

[0109] Some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a wafer processing method, which can be applied to the wafer processing device in some of the above embodiments. Figure 6 , the wafer processing method includes the following steps.

[0110] S100, before opening the valve of the vacuum chamber, forming a first air curtain in which air flows along a first direction in the valve opening and closing area of ​​the vacuum chamber, and opening a first pipeline for exhaust; the first direction is parallel to the wafer to be transferred or replaced.

[0111] S200, opening the valve of the vacuum chamber, transferring or replacing the wafer, and closing the valve of the vacuum chamber after transferring or replacing the wafer.

[0112] S300, after closing the valve of the vacuum chamber, shut down the first air curtain, and form a second air curtain with airflow flowing along a second direction in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, and open the second pipeline to exhaust the second pipeline and the first pipeline together; wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the wafer; the first pipeline and the second pipeline are connected to the exhaust structure and extend along both sides of the exhaust structure to the valve side of the vacuum chamber respectively.

[0113] S400 , after forming the second air curtain, performing a process on the wafer in the vacuum chamber.

[0114] In some embodiments, the wafer processing method further includes: before or simultaneously with forming the second gas curtain, purging nitrogen or an inert gas into the vacuum chamber, and exhausting the nitrogen or the inert gas through an exhaust structure.

[0115] The wafer processing methods provided in some of the above embodiments, matched with the wafer processing devices in some of the above embodiments, can be specifically implemented as follows.

[0116] In step S100, please combine Figure 1 and Figure 3 It is understood that before the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1 is opened, a first air curtain P1 is formed in the valve opening and closing area of ​​the vacuum chamber 1, where the airflow flows along a first direction (e.g., X direction), and the first pipeline 23 is opened for exhaust. The first direction (e.g., X direction) is parallel to the wafer 4 to be transferred or replaced.

[0117] Here, if there is already a wafer 4 in the vacuum chamber 1, the wafer 4 is replaced accordingly, so as to facilitate subsequent processing of the replaced wafer 4. If there is no wafer 4 transferred into the vacuum chamber 1, the wafer 4 is transferred accordingly. However, it can be understood that no matter whether the wafer 4 is replaced or transferred, the first air curtain P1 is formed before the valve 10 is opened.

[0118] In step S200, refer to Figure 3 , open the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1, transfer or replace the wafer 4, and after transferring or replacing the wafer 4, close the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1.

[0119] It can be understood that during the execution of step S200, the first air curtain P1 maintains airflow along the first direction (for example, the X direction), which can prevent external air (especially external oxygen) from entering the interior of the vacuum chamber 1 due to the opening of the valve 10, and does not cause excessive resistance to the transfer or replacement of the wafer 4.

[0120] It should be added that, in the above steps S100 and S200, the first pipeline 23 can be connected to the first gas collecting port mentioned in some of the above embodiments, and is in an open state to exhaust the airflow formed by the first air curtain P1; specifically, the gas collected by the first gas collecting port is transported to the exhaust structure 23 through the first pipeline 23 for exhaust. In addition, in the steps S100 and S200, the second pipeline 24 is in a closed state.

[0121] In step S300, refer to Figure 4 After closing the valve 10 of the vacuum chamber 1, the first air curtain P1 is closed, and a second air curtain P2 is formed in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10 so that the airflow flows along the second direction (for example, the Z direction), and the second pipeline 24 is opened so that the second pipeline 24 and the first pipeline 23 are exhausted together; wherein the second direction (for example, the Z direction) is perpendicular to the wafer 4.

[0122] It should be added that in the above step S300, the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 can be connected to the second gas collecting port mentioned in some of the above embodiments and are in an open state. Thus, in the step S300, the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 are both in an open state to exhaust the airflow formed by the second air curtain P2; specifically, the gas collected by the second gas collecting port is transported to the exhaust structure 23 through the first pipeline 23 and the second pipeline 24 respectively for exhaust.

[0123] In step S400, please continue to refer to Figure 4 After the second air curtain P2 is formed, the wafer 4 in the vacuum chamber 1 is processed.

[0124] Here, during the execution of step S400, the second air curtain P2 maintains airflow along the second direction (eg, Z direction), and after the valve 10 is closed, the second air curtain P2 and the valve 10 cooperate with each other to produce a better sealing effect in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve 10.

[0125] In some embodiments, the air flow rate of the first air curtain P1 is greater than the air flow rate of the second air curtain P2.

[0126] In some embodiments, after the wafer 4 is processed, that is, after the process of the wafer 4 is completed, the difference between the pressure in the vacuum chamber 1 and the external pressure may be greater than or equal to 20 Torr.

[0127] In addition, it can be understood that the step of the purge structure 26 purging nitrogen or inert gas into the vacuum chamber 1 can be performed only during the execution of step S300, or can also be performed all the time or selectively during the entire wafer processing process of executing steps S100 to S400.

[0128] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "some embodiments", "other embodiments", "ideal embodiments", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0129] The technical features of the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0130] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present disclosure, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present disclosure, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A wafer processing device, characterized in that: include: A vacuum chamber, and an air curtain device arranged on the wall of the vacuum chamber; wherein the air curtain device comprises: An air intake structure, disposed on the valve side of the vacuum chamber; An exhaust structure, disposed on an exhaust side of the vacuum chamber, the exhaust side being an opposite side to the valve side; A first pipeline and a second pipeline are connected to the exhaust structure and extend along two sides of the exhaust structure to the valve side respectively; A control device is connected to the air intake structure, the exhaust structure, the first pipeline, and the second pipeline respectively, and is configured to: before the valve of the vacuum chamber is opened, control the air intake structure to form a first air curtain in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, in which the airflow flows along a first direction, and control the exhaust structure to exhaust based on the first pipeline; after the valve of the vacuum chamber is closed, control the air intake structure to shut down the first air curtain and form a second air curtain in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, in which the airflow flows along a second direction, and control the exhaust structure to exhaust based on the first pipeline and the second pipeline; wherein the second direction intersects with the first direction.

2. The wafer processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air flow rate of the first air curtain is greater than the air flow rate of the second air curtain.

3. The wafer processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air flow rate of the first air curtain has a value range of 10 L / min to 100 L / min.

4. The wafer processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first gas curtain and the second gas curtain are formed by nitrogen gas or an inert gas.

5. The wafer processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The air intake structure comprises: An annular pipeline is arranged in the circumference of the valve; Air Inlet, including: a first air inlet, arranged at a side of the annular pipeline in the second direction and facing an opening and closing area of ​​the valve, for forming the first air curtain; A second air inlet is arranged on the side of the annular pipeline in the first direction and faces the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, and is used to form the second air curtain; The pipeline connected to the first air inlet and the pipeline connected to the second air inlet are connected or separated.

6. The wafer processing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pipeline connected to the first air inlet and the pipeline connected to the second air inlet are connected; wherein the air intake structure further includes: A first control valve, disposed on a pipeline connecting the annular pipeline and the first air inlet, and connected to the control device, so as to be opened or closed in response to a control instruction of the control device; The second control valve is arranged on the pipeline connecting the annular pipeline and the second air inlet, and is connected to the control device to open or close in response to a control instruction of the control device.

7. The wafer processing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The number of the second air inlets located on the side of the annular pipeline in the first direction or the number of the first air inlets located on the side of the annular pipeline in the second direction is multiple, and the multiple air inlets are arranged in a honeycomb shape on the corresponding sides.

8. The wafer processing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The valve is a slit valve; the length direction of the slit valve is the first direction, the width direction of the slit valve is the second direction, and the thickness direction of the slit valve is the third direction; wherein, The first pipeline and the second pipeline respectively extend along the third direction and are located on two opposite sides of the slit valve in the second direction; A gas collecting port is also provided on the side of the annular pipeline opposite to the side where each gas inlet is provided; the first pipeline and the second pipeline are respectively connected to the corresponding gas collecting ports.

9. The wafer processing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The dimensions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline along the second direction are greater than the dimension of the inner side of the annular pipeline in the second direction, and are less than or equal to the dimension of the outer side of the annular pipeline in the second direction.

10. The wafer processing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the air inlet and the pipeline in which the annular pipeline is connected to the air collecting port are separated.

11. The wafer processing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The air curtain device also includes: A purge structure, disposed on the top of the valve and connected to the control device; Wherein, the control device is further configured to: before or simultaneously controlling the air intake structure to form the second air curtain, control the purge structure to purge nitrogen or an inert gas into the vacuum chamber.

12. The wafer processing device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The purge structure and the air intake structure are connected to the same air source.

13. The wafer processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A carrier, located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber, for carrying a wafer; The first direction is parallel to the wafer, and the second direction is perpendicular to the wafer.

14. A wafer processing method, characterized in that: include: Before opening the valve of the vacuum chamber, a first air curtain is formed in the valve opening and closing area of ​​the vacuum chamber, where air flows along a first direction, and a first pipeline is opened for exhaust; the first direction is parallel to the wafer to be transferred or replaced; Opening the valve of the vacuum chamber to transfer or replace the wafer, and closing the valve of the vacuum chamber after transferring or replacing the wafer; After closing the valve of the vacuum chamber, the first air curtain is stopped, and a second air curtain with airflow flowing in a second direction is formed in the opening and closing area of ​​the valve, and the second pipeline is opened to exhaust the second pipeline and the first pipeline together; wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the wafer; the first pipeline and the second pipeline are connected to the exhaust structure and extend along both sides of the exhaust structure to the valve side of the vacuum chamber respectively; After forming the second air curtain, the wafer in the vacuum chamber is subjected to a process.

15. The wafer processing method according to claim 14, characterized in that: Also includes: Before or simultaneously with forming the second gas curtain, nitrogen or an inert gas is purged into the interior of the vacuum chamber, and the nitrogen or the inert gas is exhausted through the exhaust structure.

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