Microwave annealing device, microwave annealing method and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a microwave annealing device, a microwave annealing method and semiconductor process equipment. The microwave annealing device comprises a bearing table, a microwave generator, a waveguide tube and a driving assembly. Specifically, the bearing table is used for bearing a part to be annealed. The microwave generator is used for generating microwaves. The waveguide tube comprises an inlet and an outlet, the inlet is connected with the microwave generator, and the outlet faces the bearing table. And microwaves enter the waveguide tube from the inlet of the waveguide tube and are emitted from the outlet of the waveguide tube. The microwaves emitted from the outlet of the waveguide tube can be aligned with the to-be-annealed part and form an irradiation area on the to-be-treated surface, and the area of the irradiation area is smaller than that of the to-be-treated surface. As the energy of the microwaves is intensively incident to the local range of the surface to be treated, the energy of the microwaves emitted to the surrounding environment is reduced, and the utilization rate of the microwaves is improved. The driving assembly can drive the waveguide tube and the bearing table to move relatively so that the irradiation area of the microwaves can sweep the whole to-be-treated surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a microwave annealing device, a microwave annealing method and semiconductor process equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, annealing process is usually required to release stress, activate elements, etc. Microwave annealing process is a widely used annealing process, which mainly achieves the heating effect through the oscillation and friction of microscopic particles under the action of microwave electric field. In the prior art, the parts to be annealed are placed in the annealing chamber, and microwaves are transmitted to the annealing chamber through waveguides and distributed throughout the annealing chamber. Due to the dispersed distribution of microwaves, the utilization rate of microwaves is low. Summary of the invention

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide a microwave annealing device, a microwave annealing method and a semiconductor process equipment, which are used to improve the utilization rate of microwaves during the microwave annealing process of the annealing component.

[0004] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a microwave annealing device, which includes a carrier, a microwave generator and a waveguide. Specifically, the carrier is used to carry the part to be annealed. The microwave generator is used to generate microwaves, and the microwaves can be single-band microwaves or multi-band microwaves. The waveguide includes an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is connected to the microwave generator, and the outlet is arranged toward the carrier. The microwave enters the waveguide from the inlet of the waveguide and is emitted from the outlet of the waveguide. The microwave emitted from the outlet of the waveguide can be aimed at the part to be annealed, and irradiated on the surface to be processed of the part to be annealed, and an irradiation area is formed within a local range of the surface to be processed. Since the distribution range of the microwaves irradiated to the surface to be processed is small, the energy of the microwaves is relatively concentrated, thereby reducing the microwave energy emitted to the surrounding environment and improving the utilization rate of the microwaves.

[0005] In the above-mentioned microwave annealing device, the area of ​​the irradiation area formed by the microwave on the surface to be processed is smaller than the area of ​​the surface to be processed. In order to make the entire surface to be processed be irradiated by the microwave, the above-mentioned microwave annealing device also includes a driving component, which can drive the waveguide and the carrier to move relative to each other, so that the irradiation area of ​​the microwave sweeps across the entire surface to be processed. In other words, during the relative movement of the carrier and the waveguide, the entire surface to be processed can be irradiated by the concentrated microwave, so that the surface of the part to be annealed is heated more evenly, which is beneficial to improve the processing effect of the part to be annealed. In addition, since the energy of the microwave incident on the surface to be processed is relatively high, the processing time of the part to be annealed can be saved and the processing efficiency can be improved.

[0006] When the waveguide is specifically arranged, the outlet of the waveguide can be arranged as a strip outlet. Furthermore, by making the strip outlet extend along the first direction and making the length of the strip outlet along the first direction greater than or equal to the length of the surface to be processed along the first direction, during the relative movement of the carrier platform and the waveguide, when any area of ​​the surface to be processed is located directly below the strip outlet, any position within this area can be irradiated by microwaves.

[0007] The outlet of the waveguide can be an outlet that is connected as a whole along the first direction, or can include a plurality of sub-outlets. When the plurality of sub-outlets are specifically arranged, the plurality of sub-outlets can be arranged at intervals along the first direction, and a first partition can be arranged between two adjacent sub-outlets. By arranging the outlet of the waveguide as a plurality of sub-outlets separated by the first partition, the uniformity of microwave distribution in the entire irradiation area can be improved.

[0008] The structure of the waveguide is not limited. In one possible structure, the waveguide includes an outlet portion, and the outlet portion has a flat channel. The outlet is located at an end of the flat channel away from the microwave generator. Since the width of the flat channel along the second direction is narrow, when the power of the microwave generator is constant, the energy of the microwave emitted from the outlet of the flat channel is high, thereby improving the treatment effect of the surface to be treated. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0009] Specifically, along the direction away from the microwave generator, the length of the flat channel along the first direction can gradually increase, so that after the microwaves enter the flat channel of the outlet portion, the distribution range of the microwaves can gradually expand until the microwaves are emitted from the outlet and cover the area of ​​the part to be annealed directly below the outlet.

[0010] In the above-mentioned microwave annealing device, the carrier platform has a first central axis, and the waveguide tube has a second central axis. Under the drive of the driving component, there are multiple possible forms of relative movement between the carrier platform and the waveguide tube. In one possible form of movement, the driving component is used to drive the carrier platform to translate relative to the waveguide tube in a plane perpendicular to the first central axis. In another possible form of movement, the driving component is used to drive the waveguide tube to translate relative to the carrier platform in a plane perpendicular to the second central axis. In yet another possible form of movement, the driving component is used to drive the carrier platform to rotate relative to the waveguide tube around the first central axis. In other possible forms of movement, the driving component is used to drive the waveguide tube to rotate relative to the carrier platform around the second central axis. In any of the above forms of movement, by controlling the motion trajectory of the carrier platform or the motion trajectory of the waveguide tube, the microwave can be swept across the entire surface to be processed in the irradiation area of ​​the surface to be processed.

[0011] In the specific setting, the carrier is provided with a receiving tank, and the receiving tank contains non-polar coolant. In the annealing process, the non-polar coolant is used to immerse the parts to be annealed. The non-polar coolant plays a role in temperature uniformity, which can improve the heat treatment effect of the parts to be annealed, and can also alleviate the overheating phenomenon of the surface layer / later metal materials of the parts to be annealed due to eddy currents in the microwave environment.

[0012] In order to recover the non-polar coolant that is vaporized due to heat, the microwave annealing device may further include a recovery component and a cooling component. The recovery component and the cooling component are connected through a first pipeline, and the cooling component and the receiving tank are connected through a second pipeline. The openings of the recovery component and the receiving tank are opposite, and the recovery component can recover the gaseous non-polar coolant that escapes from the receiving tank. The gaseous non-polar coolant then enters the cooling component through the first pipeline. In the cooling component, the cooling component can cool the gaseous non-polar coolant into a liquid state. The liquid non-polar coolant finally flows back to the receiving tank through the second pipeline.

[0013] The microwave annealing device may further include a cover plate, which is disposed at one end of the waveguide tube facing the carrier platform. The cover plate may cover the carrier platform and form a chamber for accommodating the part to be annealed together with a receiving groove disposed on the surface of the carrier platform. In addition, in order to allow the microwave emitted from the waveguide tube to enter the chamber, the cover plate is provided with a microwave introduction port, and the microwave introduction port is connected to the outlet. The microwave introduction port allows the microwave emitted from the outlet of the waveguide tube to pass through, so that the microwave is irradiated to the surface to be processed.

[0014] In addition to the microwave inlet, the cover plate is also provided with air holes, which are connected to the chamber and are used to discharge gaseous non-polar coolant. The vaporization of the non-polar coolant can take away the heat on the surface of the part to be annealed, thereby further alleviating the overheating of the surface layer of the part to be annealed / the subsequent metal material due to eddy current in the microwave environment.

[0015] In the process of annealing the part to be annealed, in order to reasonably control the opening and closing of the microwave generator, the microwave annealing device also includes a first position sensor, a second position sensor and a controller. The first position sensor and the second position sensor are used to detect the relative position of the carrier platform and the waveguide tube, and the first position sensor and the second position sensor are respectively connected to the controller. When the carrier platform and the waveguide tube have a first position relationship, the first position sensor is triggered. After the first position sensor is triggered, a first trigger signal can be sent to the controller. When the carrier platform and the waveguide tube have a second position relationship, the second position sensor is triggered. After the second position sensor is triggered, a second trigger signal can be sent to the controller. When the relative position of the waveguide tube and the carrier platform is converted from the first position relationship to the second position relationship, the irradiation area sweeps over the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed.

[0016] The controller is connected to the microwave generator. The controller can control the microwave generator to turn on when receiving a first trigger signal, and can control the microwave generator to turn off when receiving a second trigger signal, thereby reasonably controlling the on and off of the microwave generator. On the one hand, it ensures that during the relative movement of the waveguide and the carrier platform, the irradiation area can sweep across the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed, and on the other hand, it saves electricity and reduces costs.

[0017] During the annealing process, in order to ensure that the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed is heated more evenly, the above-mentioned microwave annealing device may also include a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor is connected to the controller, and the temperature sensor can detect the temperature of the microwave irradiation area on the surface to be processed, and transmit the measured temperature to the controller. The controller can monitor the heating condition of the irradiation area according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and can make the heating of the entire surface to be processed more evenly through a variety of adjustment methods. In a possible adjustment method, the controller can be connected to the microwave generator, so as to adjust the power of the microwave generator according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. By adjusting the power of the microwave generator, the microwave energy incident on the surface of the part to be annealed can be adjusted, and then in the process of relative movement between the carrier and the waveguide, the temperature of the area irradiated by the microwave is continuously adjusted, so that the temperature of the irradiation area can maintain dynamic balance. In the process of the irradiation area sweeping across the entire surface to be processed, when the temperature of the irradiation area can maintain dynamic balance, the heating of the entire surface to be processed is also more uniform.

[0018] In another possible adjustment method, the controller can also be connected to the driving component, so as to control the driving component to adjust the relative movement speed of the carrier and the waveguide according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. By adjusting the relative movement speed of the carrier and the waveguide, the time for the surface to be processed to be irradiated by microwaves can be adjusted, so that the microwave energy received by the surface to be processed changes, and the temperature of the surface to be processed can be kept in dynamic balance. In the process of the irradiation area sweeping across the entire surface to be processed, when the temperature of the irradiation area can maintain dynamic balance, the entire surface to be processed is also heated more evenly.

[0019] The above two adjustment methods can be used separately or simultaneously, and this application does not limit them.

[0020] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a microwave processing method, which is a method performed by any one of the microwave annealing devices described in the first aspect during the annealing process of the component to be processed. During the annealing process of the component to be processed, the component to be annealed is placed on a carrier. The microwave annealing method includes:

[0021] Control the driving assembly to drive the waveguide and the carrier to move relative to each other;

[0022] The microwave generator is controlled to be turned on so that the microwave generated by the microwave generator irradiates the surface to be processed of the part to be annealed and forms an irradiation area on the surface to be processed; with the relative movement of the waveguide and the carrier, the irradiation area sweeps across the entire surface to be processed;

[0023] After the irradiation area sweeps over the entire surface to be processed, the microwave generator is controlled to be turned off.

[0024] In the above microwave annealing method, since the waveguide emits microwaves to the local area of ​​the part to be annealed, the microwave energy is relatively concentrated, reducing the microwave energy emitted to the surrounding environment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the microwaves. In addition, during the relative movement of the waveguide and the carrier, the entire surface to be processed can be irradiated with concentrated microwaves, so that the surface of the part to be annealed is heated more evenly, thereby improving the processing effect of the part to be annealed.

[0025] In some embodiments, the microwave annealing device includes a first position sensor and a second position sensor, and the first position sensor and the second position sensor are used to detect the relative position of the carrier platform and the waveguide. When the carrier platform and the waveguide have a first position relationship, the first position sensor is triggered, and the first position sensor sends a first trigger signal. When the carrier platform and the waveguide have a second position relationship, the second position sensor is triggered, and the second position sensor sends a second trigger signal.

[0026] Driven by the driving component, when the relative position of the waveguide and the carrier is converted from the first position relationship to the second position relationship, the first position sensor and the second position sensor will be triggered successively, and in the above process, the irradiation area can sweep the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed. Therefore, when the first trigger signal sent by the first position sensor is received, the microwave generator can be controlled to turn on. When the second trigger signal sent by the second position sensor is received, the microwave generator can be controlled to turn off. By reasonably controlling the opening and closing of the microwave generator, on the one hand, it is ensured that the irradiation area can sweep the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed during the relative movement of the waveguide and the carrier, and on the other hand, it saves electricity and reduces costs.

[0027] In some other embodiments, in order to ensure that the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed is heated more evenly, a temperature sensor may be provided to detect the temperature of the irradiation area formed by the microwave on the surface to be processed, thereby adjusting the parameters affecting the above temperature in the microwave annealing process so that the temperature of the irradiation area can maintain a dynamic balance. When the temperature of the irradiation area can maintain a dynamic balance during the process of the irradiation area sweeping over the entire surface to be processed, the entire surface to be processed is also heated more evenly.

[0028] In the microwave annealing process, there are many parameters that affect the temperature of the irradiation area, such as the power of the microwave generator and the speed at which the carrier and the waveguide perform relative movement. As for the power of the microwave generator, when the power of the microwave generator is increased, the microwave energy incident on the irradiation area increases, and the temperature of the irradiation area rises. Conversely, when the power of the microwave generator is reduced, the microwave energy incident on the irradiation area decreases, and the temperature of the irradiation area decreases. As for the speed at which the carrier and the waveguide perform relative movement, when the above speed is increased, the time for the surface to be treated to be irradiated with microwaves can be extended, so that the microwave energy received by the surface to be treated can be increased accordingly, and the temperature of the irradiation area can be increased. When the above speed is reduced, the time for the surface to be treated to be irradiated with microwaves can be shortened, so that the microwave energy received by the surface to be treated can be reduced accordingly, and the temperature of the irradiation area can be reduced.

[0029] Therefore, in the process of the irradiation area sweeping over the entire surface to be processed, in order to ensure that the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed is heated more evenly, in one possible adjustment method, the power of the microwave generator can be adjusted according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and in another possible adjustment method, the speed of the relative movement of the carrier and the waveguide can be adjusted by controlling the drive component according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The above two adjustment methods can be used separately or simultaneously, and this application does not limit them.

[0030] In specific implementation, the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold can be set according to the process requirements of the part to be annealed, and the second temperature threshold is less than or equal to the first temperature threshold. In the process of the irradiation area sweeping over the entire surface to be processed, when the temperature of the irradiation area is greater than the first temperature threshold, the power of the microwave generator is controlled to decrease, and / or the driving component is controlled to increase the speed of relative movement of the carrier platform and the waveguide. When the temperature of the irradiation area is less than the second temperature threshold, the power of the microwave generator is controlled to increase, and / or the driving component is controlled to reduce the speed of relative movement of the carrier platform and the waveguide.

[0031] In a third aspect, the present application also provides a semiconductor process equipment, which includes a rack, a transmission device and a microwave annealing device as described in any of the above embodiments. The microwave annealing device is arranged on the rack, and the transmission device is used to transport the parts to be annealed to the microwave annealing device.

[0032] In the semiconductor process equipment, a microwave annealing device is used to perform annealing treatment on the part to be annealed. During the annealing process, since the waveguide emits microwaves at a local area of ​​the part to be annealed, the energy of the microwaves is relatively concentrated, which reduces the microwave energy emitted to the surrounding environment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the microwaves. In addition, during the relative movement of the waveguide and the carrier, the entire surface to be processed can be irradiated with concentrated microwaves, so that the surface of the part to be annealed is heated more evenly, thereby improving the processing effect of the part to be annealed.

[0033] The transmission device can transport the parts to be annealed to the microwave annealing device, and the parts to be annealed can be placed on the carrier table by a robot, thereby improving automation and production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a microwave annealing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the microwave annealing apparatus shown;

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a carrier platform provided in an embodiment of the present application, in which an irradiation area formed by microwaves on a surface to be processed sweeps across the surface to be processed during translation;

[0037] Figure 4 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the microwave annealing device provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An exploded view of the microwave annealing apparatus shown;

[0039] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a process in which the carrier provided in an embodiment of the present application rotates and the irradiation area formed by microwaves on the surface to be processed sweeps across the surface to be processed;

[0040] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a structure of an outlet of a waveguide provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 8 A flow chart of a microwave annealing method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Fig. 9 Another flow chart of the microwave annealing method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0043] Reference numerals:

[0044] 10-microwave generator; 20-waveguide tube; 21-inlet; 22-outlet; 220-sub-outlet; 221-first partition; 23-exit; 30-carrying platform; 31-accommodating tank; 40-driving assembly; 50-part to be annealed; 60-irradiation area; 70-recovery assembly; 80-cooling assembly; 90-first pipeline; 100-second pipeline; 110-cover plate; 111-microwave inlet; 112-air hole; 120-first position sensor; 130-second position sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0046] The terms used in the following embodiments are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to be used as limitations on the present application. As used in the specification and appended claims of the present application, the singular expressions "a", "an", "said", "above", "the" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more", unless there is a clear contrary indication in the context.

[0047] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" etc. described in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in some other embodiments", "in some other embodiments", etc. that appear at different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and their variations all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways.

[0048] In order to facilitate understanding of the microwave annealing device provided in the embodiment of the present application, its application scenario is first introduced below. The microwave annealing device is used in the microwave annealing process. The microwave used in the microwave annealing process is a high-frequency, short-wavelength electromagnetic wave. The principle of the microwave annealing process is to convert electromagnetic energy into thermal energy through microwave absorption and conversion, thereby heating and processing the material.

[0049] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a microwave annealing device provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 2 is an exploded diagram of the microwave annealing device, as shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the microwave annealing device includes a microwave generator 10, a waveguide tube 20 and a carrier platform 30. Specifically, the microwave generator 10 is used to generate microwaves. Among them, the microwaves can be single-band microwaves or multi-band microwaves. The waveguide tube 20 is used to transmit microwaves, and can transmit microwaves to the surface of the part to be annealed 50 with less loss. Specifically, the waveguide tube 20 includes an inlet 21 and an outlet 22, the inlet 21 of the waveguide tube 20 is connected to the microwave generator 10, and the outlet 22 of the waveguide tube 20 is arranged toward the carrier platform 30. Microwaves enter the waveguide tube 20 from the above-mentioned inlet 21, and are emitted from the above-mentioned outlet 22 through the transmission of the waveguide tube 20. The structure of the waveguide tube 20 is not limited, and can be specifically a rectangular waveguide tube 20, a circular waveguide tube 20 or a waveguide tube 20 of other shapes, and can be specifically arranged as needed.

[0050] The carrier 30 is used to carry the part to be annealed 50. The structure of the carrier 30 is not limited. In a specific embodiment, the carrier 30 is provided with a receiving groove 31, and the receiving groove 31 can accommodate the part to be annealed 50. In addition to providing a space for accommodating the part to be annealed 50, the receiving groove 31 can also limit the part to be annealed 50, so that when processing different parts to be annealed 50, each part to be annealed 50 can be placed in a fixed position on the carrier 30. In addition, a support frame can be provided in the receiving groove 31 to support the part to be annealed 50.

[0051] The microwaves emitted from the waveguide 20 can be concentratedly irradiated on the surface to be processed of the part to be annealed 50, and form an irradiation area 60 on the surface to be processed. The area of ​​the irradiation area 60 is smaller than the area of ​​the surface to be processed, that is, the irradiation area 60 is a local area of ​​the surface to be processed. Since the waveguide 20 emits microwaves to the local area of ​​the part to be annealed 50, the energy of the microwaves is relatively concentrated, which reduces the microwave energy emitted to the surrounding environment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the microwaves.

[0052] Continue to refer Figure 1 , Figure 2 The microwave annealing device further includes a driving assembly 40, which is used to drive the waveguide 20 and the carrier 30 to move relative to each other, and to make the microwave sweep across the entire surface to be processed in the irradiation area 60 of the surface to be processed. In some embodiments, the waveguide 20 can be fixed, and the driving assembly 40 drives the carrier 30 to move relative to the waveguide 20, and the carrier 30 drives the part to be annealed 50 to move synchronously. During the movement of the part to be annealed 50, different positions of the surface to be processed can fall into the irradiation area 60 of the microwave, thereby receiving concentrated irradiation of the microwave.

[0053] In some other embodiments, the carrier 30 can be fixed, and the part to be annealed 50 is fixed together with the carrier 30, and the driving assembly 40 drives the waveguide 20 to move relative to the carrier 30 and the part to be annealed 50. During the movement of the waveguide 20, the position of the irradiation area 60 formed by the microwave emitted by the waveguide 20 on the surface to be processed changes continuously, so that the microwave can irradiate different areas of the surface to be processed, and then the surface to be processed can be irradiated by the concentrated microwave.

[0054] In the above two types of embodiments, by controlling the motion trajectory of the carrier 30 and the motion trajectory of the waveguide 20, the microwave can be made to sweep across the entire surface to be processed in the irradiation area 60 of the surface to be processed. That is to say, when the carrier 30 or the waveguide 20 is made to move according to the corresponding motion trajectory, the entire surface to be processed can be irradiated with concentrated microwaves, so that the surface of the part to be annealed 50 is heated more evenly, thereby improving the treatment effect of the part to be annealed 50. In addition, since the energy of the microwave incident on the surface to be processed is relatively high, the processing time of the part to be annealed 50 can be saved and the processing efficiency can be improved.

[0055] In a specific configuration, under the drive of the drive assembly 40, the waveguide 20 and the support platform 30 can undergo relative translation or relative rotation. Figure 1 , Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the waveguide 20 is fixed, and the support platform 30 can perform translational motion relative to the waveguide 20 under the drive of the drive assembly 40 . Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a carrier platform provided in an embodiment of the present application, in which the microwaves form an irradiation area on the surface to be processed and sweep across the surface to be processed during the translation process, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier 30 has a first central axis OP. With the first central axis OP as a reference, the carrier 30 can perform translational motion relative to the waveguide 20 in a plane perpendicular to the first central axis OP under the drive of the driving assembly 40. The motion trajectory of the carrier 30 can be a straight line or a broken line. When the carrier 30 translates along the preset motion trajectory, the part 50 to be annealed moves accordingly, so that different positions of the surface to be processed can fall into the microwave irradiation area 60, thereby receiving concentrated microwave irradiation.

[0056] The above-mentioned driving assembly 40 includes a variety of structural forms, all of which can realize driving the carrier 30 to perform translational motion relative to the waveguide tube 20 in a plane perpendicular to the first central axis OP. In one possible structural form, the driving assembly 40 includes a conveyor belt and a motor for driving the conveyor belt transmission. The carrier 30 can be placed on the surface of the conveyor belt and move along with the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt can not only drive the carrier 30 to perform translational motion relative to the waveguide tube 20, but also play the role of transmitting the parts to be annealed 50, so that different parts to be annealed 50 can pass through the waveguide tube 20 in sequence with the transmission of the transmission belt, thereby performing microwave annealing treatment, thereby improving production efficiency. In specific implementation, a manipulator can be used to place the parts to be annealed 50 on the carrier 30, and when the carrier 30 moves to the first position, the microwave generator 10 can be started so that the microwave can irradiate the surface to be treated of the parts to be annealed 50 after passing through the waveguide tube 20. As the transmission belt drives, the carrier 30 and the part to be annealed 50 move with the transmission belt, so that different positions of the surface to be processed can fall into the microwave irradiation area 60 and receive concentrated microwave irradiation. When the carrier 30 moves to the second position, the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed is irradiated by the microwave, and at this time, the microwave generator 10 can be turned off.

[0057] In other structural forms, the driving assembly 40 can also use a screw to drive the support platform 30 to perform translational motion, or use a linear motor to drive the support platform 30 to perform translational motion, which are not listed one by one in this application.

[0058] Figure 4 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the microwave annealing device provided in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. Figure 5 is an exploded diagram of the microwave annealing device, as shown in Figure 4 , Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the waveguide 20 is fixed, and the support platform 30 can rotate relative to the waveguide 20 around the first central axis OP under the drive of the driving assembly 40 . Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a process in which the carrier provided in the embodiment of the present application rotates and the microwaves are formed on the surface to be processed and sweep the irradiated area of ​​the surface to be processed, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, when the carrier 30 rotates, the component 50 to be annealed rotates accordingly, so that different positions of the surface to be processed can fall into the microwave irradiation area 60, thereby receiving concentrated microwave irradiation.

[0059] The driving assembly 40 includes a variety of structural forms, all of which can realize driving the supporting platform 30 to rotate around the first central axis OP relative to the waveguide 20. In one possible structural form, the driving assembly 40 includes a motor and a transmission unit, wherein one end of the transmission unit is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the other end is connected to the supporting platform 30, so that the supporting platform 30 can rotate with the rotation of the motor.

[0060] It should be understood that when the waveguide 20 is fixed, the support platform 30 can also have two forms of movement: translation and rotation, so that the microwave irradiation area 60 of the surface to be processed can scan the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed.

[0061] In some other embodiments, the support platform 30 is fixed, and the waveguide tube 20 can perform translational motion relative to the support platform 30 under the drive of the driving component 40. Specifically, the waveguide tube 20 has a second central axis, and the second central axis can be parallel to the above-mentioned first central axis OP. Driven by the driving component 40, the waveguide tube 20 can perform translational motion relative to the support platform 30 in a plane perpendicular to the second central axis. During the movement of the waveguide tube 20, the position of the irradiation area 60 formed by the microwave emitted by the waveguide tube 20 on the surface to be treated constantly changes, and gradually sweeps across the entire area of ​​the surface to be treated. Similar to the case where the support platform 30 performs translational motion relative to the waveguide tube 20, the motion trajectory of the waveguide tube 20 can also be a straight line, or a broken line.

[0062] The driving assembly 40 for driving the waveguide 20 to perform translational motion includes a variety of structural forms. For example, in one possible structural form, the driving assembly 40 can use a lead screw to drive the waveguide 20 to perform translational motion. In another possible structural form, the driving assembly 40 can also use a linear motor to drive the waveguide 20 to perform translational motion. Of course, the driving assembly 40 can also drive the waveguide 20 to perform translational motion through other structural forms, which are not listed one by one in this application.

[0063] In addition to being able to perform translational motion relative to the carrier 30, the waveguide 20 can also perform rotational motion relative to the carrier 30 around the second central axis under the drive of other drive components 40. The above-mentioned drive component 40 may include a motor and a transmission unit, wherein one end of the transmission unit is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the other end is connected to the waveguide 20, so that the waveguide 20 can rotate with the rotation of the motor. Of course, other drive components 40 can also be used to drive the waveguide 20 to perform rotational motion, and this application does not list them one by one.

[0064] When the waveguide 20 is specifically set, Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 may be a strip-shaped outlet 22. The strip-shaped outlet 22 specifically extends along the first direction X, and the length of the strip-shaped outlet 22 along the first direction X may be greater than or equal to the length of the surface to be processed along the first direction X. It should be understood that during the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20, when any area of ​​the surface to be processed is located directly below the strip-shaped outlet 22, the length of the strip-shaped outlet 22 along the first direction X is greater than or equal to the length of this area along the first direction X, so that the microwaves emitted from the strip-shaped outlet 22 can cover the area of ​​the surface to be processed located directly below the strip-shaped outlet 22.

[0065] In the case where the waveguide 20 and the carrier 30 can perform relative rotational motion, the width of the strip outlet 22 along the second direction Y can be uniform, or the width of the strip outlet 22 along the second direction Y can gradually narrow from both ends to the middle, or the width of the strip outlet 22 along the second direction Y can also gradually widen from both ends to the middle, which is not limited in the present application. The second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0066] In the case where the length of the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 along the first direction X is greater than or equal to the length of the surface to be processed along the first direction X, when the carrier 30 is translated relative to the waveguide 20, the motion trajectory of the carrier 30 can be a straight line, and the extension direction of the above motion trajectory can be perpendicular to the first direction X, or the angle formed with the first direction X is an acute angle. When the carrier 30 moves along the above motion trajectory, the microwave can sweep the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed in the irradiation area 60 of the surface to be processed. When the carrier 30 rotates relative to the waveguide 20, the carrier 30 can rotate half a circle around the first central axis OP, so that the microwave can sweep the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed in the irradiation area 60 of the surface to be processed.

[0067] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the outlet of the waveguide provided in the embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment, the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 may include a plurality of sub-outlets 220, which are arranged at intervals along the first direction X, and a first partition 221 is provided between two adjacent sub-outlets 220. When the microwave is transmitted to the end of the waveguide 20, it can be emitted through the plurality of sub-outlets 220, and the amount of microwaves distributed in each sub-outlet 220 is relatively uniform, so that the microwaves emitted to the two ends of the irradiation area 60 and the microwaves in the middle area are relatively consistent. In addition, the area of ​​the surface to be processed covered by the orthographic projection of each first partition 221 can be affected by the microwaves in the two sub-outlets 220 adjacent to the first partition 221, and irradiated by the microwaves, so that the microwaves emitted from the plurality of sub-outlets 220 can form a strip-shaped irradiation area 60 on the surface to be processed. By setting the size and spacing of the sub-outlets 220, the microwave energy directly irradiated to the surface to be processed through the sub-outlets 220 and the microwave energy received by the area covered by the orthographic projection of the first partition 221 can be relatively consistent, thereby improving the uniformity of microwave distribution in the entire irradiation area 60.

[0068] The outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 may be configured as a plurality of sub-outlets 220 spaced apart along the first direction X, or may be configured as an outlet that is integrally connected along the first direction X, and the microwaves emitted from the outlet 22 may also form a strip-shaped irradiation area on the surface to be processed.

[0069] like Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the waveguide 20 may include a lead-out portion 23 having a flat channel, and the outlet 22 is located at an end of the flat channel away from the microwave generator 10. From the appearance point of view, the lead-out portion 23 may also be flat. Since the width of the flat channel along the second direction Y is narrow, the width of the outlet 22 along the second direction Y is also narrow. By reducing the width of the flat channel along the second direction Y, a slit-type outlet 22 can be formed. When the power of the microwave generator 10 is constant, the energy of the microwave emitted from the outlet 22 of the flat channel is high, thereby improving the treatment effect of the surface to be treated.

[0070] Continue to refer Figure 3 , the length of the flat channel along the first direction X gradually increases in the direction away from the microwave generator 10. Accordingly, from the appearance point of view, the outlet portion 23 having the flat channel can be a trapezoidal structure. After the microwave enters the flat channel of the outlet portion 23, it is reflected by the wall surface, and the distribution range of the microwave can gradually expand to the entire area of ​​the outlet 22, and finally the microwave emitted from the outlet 22 can cover the area of ​​the part 50 to be annealed located directly below the outlet 22.

[0071] In some other embodiments, the length of the flat channel along the first direction X may also be a fixed value in the direction away from the microwave generator 10. Accordingly, from the appearance point of view, the lead-out portion 23 having the flat channel may be a rectangular structure.

[0072] In some embodiments, the carrier 30 is provided with a receiving tank 31, and the receiving tank 31 contains a non-polar coolant, and the non-polar coolant is used to immerse the part to be annealed 50. The non-polar coolant plays a role in temperature uniformity, which can improve the heat treatment effect of the part to be annealed 50, and can also alleviate the overheating phenomenon of the surface layer / back-end metal material of the part to be annealed 50 due to eddy current in the microwave environment.

[0073] The non-polar coolant contains a non-polar substance, and the resultant force of the chemical bonds of the atoms in the molecules of the non-polar substance is zero. The non-polar substance includes, but is not limited to, n-hexane, cyclohexane, and carbon tetrachloride. In a microwave environment, the non-polar coolant can be protected from the influence of microwaves, and the non-polar coolant transfers heat by contacting with the part 50 to be annealed.

[0074] During the heat treatment process, the non-polar coolant may undergo a phase change after absorbing heat, that is, from liquid to gas, and the gaseous non-polar coolant will be released from the receiving tank 31. During the vaporization process, the non-polar coolant can take away the temperature of the surface of the annealed part 50, thereby playing a role in cooling. In order to recover the vaporized non-polar coolant and make it available for continued use, Figure 1 , Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the microwave annealing device may further include a recovery component 70 and a cooling component 80. The recovery component 70 is opposite to the opening of the receiving tank 31, and the recovery component 70 is used to recover the gaseous non-polar coolant released from the receiving tank 31. The recovery component 70 and the cooling component 80 are connected through a first pipeline 90, and the gaseous non-polar coolant recovered by the recovery component 70 can enter the cooling component 80 through the first pipeline 90. In the cooling component 80, the gaseous non-polar coolant releases heat and changes from gas to liquid. The cooling component 80 is connected to the receiving tank 31 in the carrier 30 through a second pipeline 100, so that the liquid non-polar coolant flows back into the receiving tank 31. By internally circulating the non-polar cooling liquid, the replenishment cycle of the non-polar cooling liquid is shortened, and the pollution of the external environment caused by the non-polar cooling liquid is avoided.

[0075] When the above-mentioned recovery component 70 is specifically set, the recovery component 70 may include a cover body, which is arranged toward the opening of the receiving tank 31, and the cover body is connected to the first pipeline 90. The cover body is a trumpet-shaped structure, the opening of the cover body toward the receiving tank 31 is larger, and the opening connected to the first pipeline 90 is smaller, so that the gas can be collected. In addition, the recovery component 70 may also include an air pump, which is arranged in the first pipeline 90 to extract the gas.

[0076] When the cooling assembly 80 is specifically set, the cooling assembly 80 may include a spiral tube. When the gaseous non-polar coolant flows through the spiral tube, it can exchange heat with the air through the tube wall, thereby releasing heat and liquefying into a liquid. The spiral tube has a large surface area, which can improve the cooling effect of the non-polar coolant. In addition, the spiral tube is vertically arranged, and the liquid non-polar coolant can flow downward under the action of gravity, and automatically flow back to the receiving tank 31 through the second pipeline 100, thereby saving the setting of the pump body.

[0077] The above-mentioned spiral tube cools the non-polar coolant in the form of air cooling. In addition to air cooling, the non-polar coolant can also be cooled in other forms, such as water cooling, which will not be described in detail in this application.

[0078] Continue to refer Figure 1 , Figure 2 The microwave annealing device may further include a cover plate 110, which is disposed at one end of the waveguide 20 facing the carrier 30. The cover plate 110 is used to cover the carrier 30, and can form a chamber for accommodating the component 50 to be annealed together with the receiving groove 31 disposed on the carrier 30. In order to allow the microwave emitted from the waveguide 20 to enter the above-mentioned chamber, the cover plate 110 is provided with a microwave introduction port 111, and the microwave introduction port 111 is connected to the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20. The microwave introduction port 111 allows the microwave emitted from the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 to pass through, so that the microwave is irradiated to the surface to be processed. The above-mentioned setting of the cover plate 110 can narrow the distribution range of the microwave to the chamber formed by the cover plate 110 and the receiving groove 31, reduce the influence of the microwave on the components located outside the chamber, and improve safety.

[0079] In the specific configuration, the orthographic projection of the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 on the surface of the cover plate 110 is located in the microwave introduction port 111. The shape of the microwave introduction port 111 can be consistent with the shape of the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20, for example, both can be strip structures. The microwave introduction port 111 can be an overall coherent inlet 21, or it can include a plurality of sub-inlets 21, and two adjacent sub-inlets 21 are separated by a second partition. For example, in the case where the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 is an overall coherent outlet 22 along the first direction X, the microwave introduction port 111 can include a plurality of sub-inlets 21, and two adjacent sub-inlets 21 are separated by a second partition, so that the microwave incident from the microwave introduction port 111 into the chamber can be divided into a plurality of sub-parts, so that the microwave can be evenly distributed on the surface to be treated, thereby improving the uniformity of heating of the surface to be treated.

[0080] The cover plate 110 is fixedly connected to the waveguide 20. During the relative movement between the carrier platform 30 and the waveguide 20, the cover plate 110 is fixed relative to the waveguide 20, that is, the outlet 22 of the waveguide 20 and the microwave introduction port 111 of the cover plate 110 are always connected. In addition, the cover plate 110 has a large area, so that during the relative translation between the carrier platform 30 and the waveguide 20, the cover plate 110 can always cover the top of the carrier platform 30, thereby forming the above-mentioned chamber.

[0081] In addition to the microwave introduction port 111, the cover plate 110 is also provided with air holes 112, which are connected to the chamber, and the air holes 112 can discharge the non-polar coolant that is heated and vaporized in the chamber. The number of air holes 112 is not limited, and the air holes 112 can be distributed on both sides of the microwave introduction port 111. The vaporization of the non-polar coolant can take away the heat on the surface of the part to be annealed 50, thereby further alleviating the overheating phenomenon caused by eddy currents on the surface layer / back-end metal material of the part to be annealed 50 in the microwave environment. The vaporized non-polar coolant can be recovered by the recovery component 70, and, when specifically set, the cover body in the recovery component 70 can abut against the surface of the cover plate 110 and cover the air holes 112. When the air holes 112 are distributed on both sides of the microwave introduction port 111, the number of the cover bodies is also two, each cover body covers a group of air holes 112, and each cover body is connected to the cooling component 80 through a first pipeline 90.

[0082] In the process of annealing the component 50 to be annealed, in order to reasonably control the opening and closing of the microwave generator 10, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the microwave annealing device also includes a first position sensor 120, a second position sensor 130 and a controller (not shown), and the first position sensor 120 and the second position sensor 130 are connected to the controller respectively. Among them, the first position sensor 120 and the second position sensor 130 can detect the relative position of the carrier 30 and the waveguide tube 20. Specifically, during the movement of the carrier 30 or the waveguide tube 20 according to the preset motion trajectory, the positional relationship between the carrier 30 and the waveguide tube 20 also changes at all times. During the movement process, the carrier 30 and the waveguide tube 20 have a first positional relationship and a second positional relationship in sequence. When the carrier 30 and the waveguide tube 20 have a first positional relationship, the first position sensor 120 is triggered. After the first position sensor 120 is triggered, a first trigger signal can be sent to the controller. When the carrier 30 and the waveguide tube 20 have a second positional relationship, the second position sensor 130 is triggered. After the second position sensor 130 is triggered, a second trigger signal can be sent to the controller.

[0083] The controller can receive the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal, and the controller is also connected to the microwave generator 10. The controller can control the microwave generator 10 to turn on and off according to the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal. Specifically, when the controller receives the first trigger signal, it can control the microwave generator 10 to turn on, so that the microwave can be transmitted through the waveguide 20 and can just irradiate the surface to be processed, or can irradiate the surface to be processed at the upcoming moment. When the controller receives the second trigger signal, the microwave has already swept the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed in the irradiation area 60 of the surface to be processed. In order to save electricity, the controller can control the microwave generator 10 to turn off.

[0084] The types of the first position sensor 120 and the second position sensor 130 are not limited. The first position sensor 120 and the second position sensor 130 may be contact sensors, such as pressure sensors, or non-contact sensors, such as optical sensors.

[0085] The following is an example in which the waveguide 20 is fixed and the carrier 30 is translated relative to the waveguide 20 under the drive of the driving component 40, and the process of annealing the component 50 to be annealed using the above-mentioned microwave annealing device is briefly described. Under the drive of the driving component 40, when the carrier 30 moves to the first position, the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 have a first position relationship, and the first position sensor 120 is triggered. After the first position sensor 120 is triggered, it sends a first trigger signal to the controller. After receiving the first trigger signal, the controller controls the microwave generator 10 to turn on, and the microwave is emitted after being transmitted by the waveguide 20. The microwave emitted from the waveguide 20 can just irradiate the surface to be treated, or can irradiate the surface to be treated at the upcoming moment. Under the drive of the driving component 40, the carrier 30 continues to move, and as the carrier 30 moves, different positions of the surface to be treated can fall into the irradiation area 60 of the microwave, thereby receiving concentrated irradiation of the microwave. When the carrier 30 moves to the second position, the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 have a second positional relationship, and the second position sensor 130 is triggered. After being triggered, the second position sensor 130 sends a second trigger signal to the controller. After receiving the second trigger signal, the controller controls the microwave generator 10 to turn off. At this time, the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed is irradiated with microwaves.

[0086] After the microwave generator 10 is turned off, the part to be annealed 50 can be allowed to cool naturally, or the cover plate 110 can be opened to discharge the non-polar coolant, and the part to be annealed 50 can be taken out and cooled in the air.

[0087] During the annealing process, in order to ensure that the surface to be treated is heated more evenly, the microwave annealing device may also include a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor is connected to the controller, and the temperature sensor can detect the temperature of the microwave in the irradiation area 60 of the surface to be treated, and transmit the measured temperature to the controller, and the controller can adjust the power of the microwave generator 10 according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. By adjusting the power of the microwave generator 10, the microwave energy incident to the irradiation area 60 can be adjusted, and then the temperature of the irradiation area 60 can be continuously adjusted during the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20. In this way, the temperature control can form a closed loop, which effectively improves the heating uniformity and process stability of the surface to be treated.

[0088] Specifically, when the power of the microwave generator 10 is increased, the microwave energy incident on the irradiation area 60 increases, and the temperature of the irradiation area 60 increases. Conversely, when the power of the microwave generator 10 is decreased, the microwave energy incident on the irradiation area 60 decreases, and the temperature of the irradiation area 60 decreases.

[0089] In specific implementation, the temperature threshold can be set according to the process requirements of the part 50 to be annealed, and the power of the microwave generator 10 can be adjusted according to the relationship between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the temperature threshold, so that the temperature of the surface to be processed can maintain a dynamic balance within a certain temperature range. For example, a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold can be set, and the second temperature threshold can be less than or equal to the first temperature threshold. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than the first temperature threshold, the output power of the microwave generator 10 can be lowered by the controller. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than the second temperature threshold, the output power of the microwave generator 10 can be increased by the controller. Finally, the temperature of the irradiation area 60 can be maintained between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold.

[0090] During the annealing process, the controller can not only adjust the power of the microwave generator 10 so that the temperature of the irradiation area 60 maintains a dynamic balance, thereby making the surface to be treated more evenly heated, but also control the driving component 40 to adjust the relative movement speed of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and achieve the above-mentioned effect. Specifically, when the relative movement speed of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 is increased, the time for the surface to be treated to be irradiated with microwaves can be extended, so that the microwave energy received by the irradiation area 60 can be increased accordingly, and the temperature of the irradiation area 60 can be increased. When the relative movement speed of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 is reduced, the time for the surface to be treated to be irradiated with microwaves can be shortened, so that the microwave energy received by the surface to be treated can be reduced accordingly, and the temperature of the irradiation area 60 can be reduced.

[0091] In specific implementation, the temperature threshold can be set according to the process requirements of the part 50 to be annealed, and the driving component 40 can be controlled to adjust the speed of the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 according to the relationship between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the temperature threshold, so that the temperature of the surface to be processed can maintain a dynamic balance within a certain temperature range. For example, a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold can be set, and the second temperature threshold can be less than or equal to the first temperature threshold. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than the preset temperature threshold, the driving component 40 can be controlled by the controller to increase the speed of the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than the temperature threshold, the driving component 40 can be controlled by the controller to reduce the speed of the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20. Finally, the temperature of the irradiation area 60 can be maintained between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold.

[0092] It is understandable that when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than the first temperature threshold, the output power of the microwave generator 10 can be reduced by the controller, or the speed of the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 can be increased by the controller controlling the driving assembly 40, or the above two methods can be used simultaneously. Similarly, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than the second temperature threshold, the output power of the microwave generator 10 can be increased by the controller, or the speed of the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 can be reduced by the controller controlling the driving assembly 40, or the above two methods can be used simultaneously.

[0093] The type of the temperature sensor is not limited. Specifically, the temperature sensor may be an infrared temperature sensor. When installing the temperature sensor, the temperature sensor may be installed on the side of the cover plate 110 facing the carrier 30. Since the cover plate 110 and the waveguide 20 are relatively stationary, the temperature sensor and the waveguide 20 are also relatively stationary. During the relative movement of the waveguide 20 and the carrier 30, the temperature sensor may detect the temperature in the irradiation area 60.

[0094] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a microwave annealing method, which is a method performed by the microwave annealing device described in any of the above embodiments during the annealing process of the component to be processed 50. In the process of microwave treatment of the component to be processed 50, the component to be processed 50 is placed on the carrier 30. Specifically, the component to be annealed 50 can be placed on the carrier 30 manually or by a robot.

[0095] Figure 8 A flow chart of the microwave annealing method provided in the embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 8 As shown, the microwave annealing method includes:

[0096] Step S101: Control the driving assembly 40 to drive the waveguide 20 and the supporting platform 30 to move relative to each other.

[0097] Specifically, under the drive of the driving component 40, the waveguide 20 and the carrier 30 can be relatively translated or relatively rotated. In addition, in one possible implementation, the waveguide 20 can be fixed, and the driving component 40 drives the carrier 30 to move relative to the waveguide 20. In another possible implementation, the carrier 30 can be fixed, and the driving component 40 drives the waveguide 20 to move relative to the carrier 30.

[0098] Step S102: Control the microwave generator 10 to turn on, so that the microwave generated by the microwave generator 10 irradiates the surface to be processed of the component to be annealed 50, and forms an irradiation area 60 on the surface to be processed; with the relative movement of the waveguide 20 and the carrier 30, the irradiation area 60 sweeps across the entire surface to be processed;

[0099] The area of ​​the irradiation area 60 is smaller than the area of ​​the surface to be processed, that is, the irradiation area 60 is a local area of ​​the surface to be processed. Since the waveguide 20 emits microwaves to the local area of ​​the part to be annealed 50, the energy of the microwaves is relatively concentrated, which reduces the microwave energy emitted to the surrounding environment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the microwaves.

[0100] In specific settings, by controlling the motion trajectory of the carrier 30 and the motion trajectory of the waveguide 20, the microwave can be made to sweep across the entire surface to be processed in the irradiation area 60 of the surface to be processed. In other words, when the carrier 30 or the waveguide 20 moves according to the corresponding motion trajectory, the entire surface to be processed can be irradiated with concentrated microwaves, so that the surface of the part to be annealed 50 is heated more evenly, thereby improving the treatment effect of the part to be annealed 50. In addition, since the energy of the microwave incident on the surface to be processed is relatively high, the processing time of the part to be annealed 50 can be saved and the processing efficiency can be improved.

[0101] Step S103: After the irradiation area 60 sweeps over the entire surface to be processed, the microwave generator 10 is controlled to be turned off.

[0102] In the process of annealing the component to be annealed 50, in order to reasonably control the opening and closing of the microwave generator 10, in some embodiments, the microwave annealing device further includes a first position sensor 120 and a second position sensor 130, and the first position sensor 120 and the second position sensor 130 are used to detect the relative position of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20. Specifically, when the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 have a first position relationship, the first position sensor 120 is triggered, and the first position sensor 120 sends a first trigger signal. When the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 have a second position relationship, the second position sensor 130 is triggered, and the second position sensor 130 sends a second trigger signal.

[0103] In the above step S101, controlling the microwave generator 10 to start specifically includes:

[0104] When the first trigger signal sent by the first position sensor 120 is received, the microwave generator 10 is controlled to start.

[0105] In the above step S103, controlling the microwave generator 10 to turn off specifically includes:

[0106] When the second trigger signal sent by the second position sensor 130 is received, the microwave generator 10 is controlled to be turned off.

[0107] When the relative positions of the waveguide 20 and the carrier 30 are converted from the first position relationship to the second position relationship under the driving of the driving assembly 40, the irradiation area 60 sweeps across the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed. Therefore, by setting the first position sensor 120 and the second position sensor 130 to detect the relative positions of the waveguide and the carrier, the opening and closing of the microwave generator 10 can be reasonably controlled, so that on the one hand, it can be ensured that during the relative movement of the waveguide 20 and the carrier 30, the irradiation area 60 can sweep across the entire area of ​​the surface to be processed, and on the other hand, it can save electricity and reduce production costs.

[0108] Fig. 9 Another flow chart of the microwave treatment method provided in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: Fig. 9 As shown, the microwave annealing method further comprises:

[0109] Step S104: When the irradiation area 60 is sweeping across the entire surface to be processed, the power of the microwave generator 10 is adjusted according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and / or the driving assembly 40 is controlled to adjust the speed of relative movement between the support platform 30 and the waveguide 20 according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0110] Specifically, in the above microwave annealing method, by adjusting the power of the microwave generator 10, the microwave energy incident on the surface of the part to be annealed 50 can be adjusted, and then in the process of relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20, the temperature of the irradiation area 60 is continuously adjusted, so that the temperature of the surface to be treated can maintain a dynamic balance within a certain temperature range. By adjusting the speed of relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20, the time for the surface to be treated to be irradiated by microwaves can be adjusted, so that the microwave energy received by the surface to be treated changes, and then the temperature of the irradiation area 60 can be affected, so that the temperature of the surface to be treated can maintain a dynamic balance within a certain temperature range. The above two adjustment methods can be used separately or simultaneously, and this application does not limit them.

[0111] In the process of the irradiation area 60 sweeping across the entire surface to be processed, when the temperature of the irradiation area 60 can maintain a dynamic balance, the entire surface to be processed is heated more evenly.

[0112] In some embodiments, the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold may be set according to the process requirements of the part to be annealed 50, and the second temperature threshold is less than the first temperature threshold. During the annealing process of the part to be annealed 50, the temperature may be adjusted according to the relationship between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the above temperature threshold, so that the temperature of the surface to be processed can maintain a dynamic balance between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold.

[0113] In specific implementation, when the temperature of the irradiation area 60 is higher than the first temperature threshold, two possible adjustment methods are included. In one possible adjustment method, the power of the microwave generator 10 can be controlled to decrease, so that the microwave energy incident on the irradiation area 60 is reduced, and the temperature of the irradiation area 60 is reduced. In another possible adjustment method, the driving assembly 40 can be controlled to increase the speed of the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 to shorten the time for the surface to be processed to be irradiated by microwaves, so that the microwave energy received by the surface to be processed is correspondingly reduced, and the temperature of the irradiation area 60 is reduced.

[0114] The above two adjustment methods can be used separately or simultaneously, and this application does not limit them.

[0115] When the temperature of the irradiation area 60 is lower than the second temperature threshold, two possible adjustment methods are also included. In one possible adjustment method, the power of the microwave generator 10 can be controlled to increase, so that the microwave energy incident on the irradiation area 60 increases, thereby increasing the temperature of the irradiation area 60. In another possible adjustment method, the driving assembly 40 can be controlled to reduce the speed of the relative movement of the carrier 30 and the waveguide 20 to extend the time for the surface to be processed to be irradiated by microwaves, so that the microwave energy received by the surface to be processed increases accordingly, thereby increasing the temperature of the irradiation area 60.

[0116] The above two adjustment methods can be used separately or simultaneously, and this application does not limit them.

[0117] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a semiconductor process equipment, which includes a rack, a transmission device and a microwave annealing device as described in any of the above embodiments. The microwave annealing device is arranged on the rack, and the transmission device is used to transport the parts to be annealed to the microwave annealing device.

[0118] In the semiconductor process equipment, a microwave annealing device is used to perform annealing treatment on the part to be annealed. During the annealing process, since the waveguide emits microwaves at a local area of ​​the part to be annealed, the energy of the microwaves is relatively concentrated, which reduces the microwave energy emitted to the surrounding environment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the microwaves. In addition, during the relative movement of the waveguide and the carrier, the entire surface to be processed can be irradiated with concentrated microwaves, so that the surface of the part to be annealed is heated more evenly, thereby improving the processing effect of the part to be annealed.

[0119] The transmission device can transport the parts to be annealed to the microwave annealing device, and the parts to be annealed can be placed on the carrier table by a robot, thereby improving automation and production efficiency.

[0120] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A microwave annealing device, characterized in that: It includes a carrier platform, a microwave generator, a waveguide and a driving component; The carrying platform is used to carry the parts to be annealed; The microwave generator is used to generate microwaves; The waveguide comprises an inlet and an outlet, the inlet is connected to the microwave generator, and the outlet is arranged toward the supporting platform; the microwave enters the waveguide from the inlet and is emitted from the outlet; The microwave emitted from the outlet irradiates the surface to be processed of the part to be annealed and forms an irradiation area on the surface to be processed, wherein the area of ​​the irradiation area is smaller than the area of ​​the surface to be processed; The driving assembly is used to drive the waveguide and the supporting platform to move relative to each other, and to make the irradiation area sweep across the entire surface to be processed.

2. The microwave annealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outlet is a strip-shaped outlet, the strip-shaped outlet extends along a first direction, and a length of the strip-shaped outlet along the first direction is greater than or equal to a length of the surface to be processed along the first direction.

3. The microwave annealing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The outlet includes a plurality of sub-outlets, the plurality of sub-outlets are arranged at intervals along a first direction, and a spacing portion is arranged between two adjacent sub-outlets.

4. The microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The waveguide comprises a lead-out portion, wherein the lead-out portion has a flat channel; The outlet is located at an end of the flat channel away from the microwave generator.

5. The microwave annealing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outlet extends along a first direction; Along the direction away from the microwave generator, the length of the flat channel along the first direction gradually increases.

6. The microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The carrier platform has a first central axis; the waveguide has a second central axis; The driving assembly is used to drive the supporting platform to translate relative to the waveguide in a plane perpendicular to the first central axis; Alternatively, the driving assembly is used to drive the waveguide to translate relative to the supporting platform in a plane perpendicular to the second central axis; Alternatively, the driving assembly is used to drive the supporting platform to rotate relative to the waveguide around the first central axis; Alternatively, the driving assembly is used to drive the waveguide to rotate around the second central axis relative to the supporting platform.

7. The microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The carrying platform is provided with a containing tank, and the containing tank contains non-polar coolant, and the non-polar coolant is used to immerse the part to be annealed.

8. The microwave annealing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The microwave annealing device also includes a recovery component and a cooling component; The recovery component is connected to the cooling component through a first pipeline, and the cooling component is connected to the containing tank through a second pipeline; The recovery component is opposite to the opening of the containing tank, and the recovery component is used to recover the gaseous non-polar coolant released from the containing tank; the gaseous non-polar coolant enters the cooling component through the first pipeline; The cooling component is used to cool the gaseous non-polar coolant into a liquid state; the liquid non-polar coolant flows back into the containing tank through the second pipeline.

9. The microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The carrier is provided with a receiving groove; the microwave annealing device further comprises a cover plate, the cover plate is provided at one end of the waveguide tube facing the carrier, the cover plate is used to cover the carrier and form a chamber for receiving the part to be annealed together with the receiving groove; The cover plate is provided with a microwave introduction port, and the microwave introduction port is communicated with the outlet.

10. The microwave annealing device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The containing tank contains a non-polar coolant, and the non-polar coolant is used to immerse the part to be annealed; The cover plate is also provided with an air hole, the air hole is communicated with the chamber, and the air hole is used to discharge the non-polar coolant in gaseous state.

11. The microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The microwave annealing device also includes a first position sensor, a second position sensor and a controller; The first position sensor and the second position sensor are used to detect the relative position of the support platform and the waveguide, and the first position sensor and the second position sensor are connected to the controller respectively; When the support platform and the waveguide have a first position relationship, the first position sensor is triggered, and the first position sensor sends a first trigger signal to the controller; When the supporting platform and the waveguide have a second position relationship, the second position sensor is triggered, and the second position sensor sends a second trigger signal to the controller; The controller is connected to the microwave generator, and is used to control the microwave generator to turn on when the first trigger signal is received, and to control the microwave generator to turn off when the second trigger signal is received.

12. The microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The microwave annealing device also includes a temperature sensor and a controller; The temperature sensor is connected to the controller, and is used to detect the temperature of the irradiation area of ​​the microwave on the surface to be processed, and transmit it to the controller; The controller is connected to the microwave generator, and the controller is used to adjust the power of the microwave generator according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and / or the controller is connected to the driving component, and the controller is used to control the driving component to adjust the speed of relative movement between the support platform and the waveguide according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

13. A microwave annealing method, characterized in that: The microwave annealing method is a method performed by the microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 during annealing of the component to be processed, and the component to be annealed is placed on the carrier; the microwave annealing method comprises: Controlling the driving assembly to drive the waveguide and the supporting platform to move relative to each other; Controlling the microwave generator to turn on, so that the microwave generated by the microwave generator irradiates the surface to be processed of the part to be annealed, and forms an irradiation area on the surface to be processed; with the relative movement of the waveguide and the carrier, the irradiation area sweeps across the entire surface to be processed; After the irradiation area sweeps over the entire surface to be processed, the microwave generator is controlled to be turned off.

14. The microwave annealing method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The controlling the microwave generator to start specifically includes: When receiving a first trigger signal sent by a first position sensor, controlling the microwave generator to turn on; The controlling the microwave generator to shut down specifically includes: When receiving a second trigger signal sent by a second position sensor, controlling the microwave generator to be turned off; The microwave annealing device includes the first position sensor and the second position sensor, which are used to detect the relative position of the carrier platform and the waveguide tube; when the carrier platform and the waveguide tube have a first position relationship, the first position sensor is triggered and the first position sensor sends the first trigger signal; when the carrier platform and the waveguide tube have a second position relationship, the second position sensor is triggered and the second position sensor sends the second trigger signal.

15. The microwave annealing method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that: The microwave annealing method further comprises: In the process of the irradiation area sweeping across the entire surface to be processed, the power of the microwave generator is adjusted according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and / or the driving component is controlled to adjust the speed of the relative movement of the carrier platform and the waveguide according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor; The microwave annealing device includes the temperature sensor, which is used to detect the temperature of the irradiation area of ​​the microwave on the surface to be processed.

16. The microwave annealing method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The step of adjusting the power of the microwave generator according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and / or the step of controlling the driving component to adjust the speed of the relative movement between the carrier platform and the waveguide according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor specifically includes: When the temperature of the irradiation area is greater than a first temperature threshold, controlling the power of the microwave generator to decrease, and / or controlling the driving component to increase the speed at which the carrier platform and the waveguide tube perform relative movement; When the temperature of the irradiation area is lower than a second temperature threshold, controlling the power of the microwave generator to increase, and / or controlling the driving component to reduce the speed at which the carrier platform and the waveguide perform relative movement; The second temperature threshold is less than or equal to the first temperature threshold.

17. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: It comprises a frame, a transmission device and the microwave annealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the microwave annealing device is arranged on the frame, and the transmission device is used for conveying the parts to be annealed to the microwave annealing device.

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