Semiconductor wafer fixture and semiconductor equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and discloses a semiconductor wafer clamp and semiconductor equipment. The semiconductor wafer clamp includes a clamp body and a refrigeration structure. The clamp body includes a base, a sealing ring and a pressure plate. The sealing ring is installed on the base. The sealing ring is configured to contact the part of the wafer so that the part of the sealing ring in contact with the wafer is sealed under the action of external pressure. The pressure plate can be covered on the base to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer and press the wafer against the sealing ring; the refrigeration structure is arranged on the clamp body, and can cool down the wafer in contact with the sealing ring after the clamp body carries the wafer out of the preset medium, so that the part of the wafer in contact with the sealing ring is transformed from a sticking state to a non-sticking state. The above-mentioned semiconductor wafer clamp can cool down the wafer after deposition, avoid adhesion of the photoresist and the sealing ring, and thus avoid the situation where fragments appear when the wafer is taken out of the clamp or the sealing ring is pulled off the base.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a semiconductor wafer clamp and a semiconductor device. Background Art

[0002] Advanced packaging technology involves deposition on wafers. Before deposition, photoresist needs to be coated on one side of the wafer, and then the characteristic shape to be deposited is etched on the photoresist through exposure, development and other processes. The characteristic shape will be filled after deposition, but during the deposition process, only the side of the wafer with the characteristic shape can contact the deposition liquid, otherwise the wafer will be corroded by the deposition liquid and damaged.

[0003] In order to prevent the deposition liquid from corroding the side of the wafer that is not coated with photoresist, a fixture is often used to clamp the wafer during the deposition process. The fixture includes a base and a pressure plate. The base is annular and has a sealing ring on the upper side. The side of the wafer with photoresist is set downward and the edge overlaps the sealing ring. The pressure plate presses the wafer on the sealing ring from top to bottom.

[0004] However, when the wafer is deposited and removed from the base by a robot, problems such as wafer fragments and the sealing ring being pulled off the base often occur, which affects production capacity and manufacturing costs and also increases the maintenance cost of the fixture. Summary of the invention

[0005] One purpose of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor wafer clamp, wherein the cooling structure can cool the wafer after deposition, thereby preventing the photoresist from sticking to the sealing ring, and further preventing the wafer from being broken into pieces or the sealing ring from being pulled off the base when being removed from the base.

[0006] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] Semiconductor wafer chuck, including:

[0008] The fixture body comprises a base, a sealing ring and a pressure plate, wherein the sealing ring is mounted on the base, the sealing ring is configured to contact a portion of the wafer so that a portion of the sealing ring in contact with the wafer is sealed under the action of external pressure, and the pressure plate can be covered on the base to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer and press the wafer against the sealing ring;

[0009] A refrigeration structure is arranged on the clamp body, and the part in contact with the sealing ring and the wafer is arranged correspondingly in spatial position. After the clamp body carries the wafer out of the preset medium, the wafer in contact with the sealing ring can be cooled down, so that the part in contact with the sealing ring of the wafer is transformed from a sticky state to a non-sticky state.

[0010] As an optional solution, when the refrigeration structure is working, the refrigeration structure can cool the wafer to a target temperature within a preset time, the preset time is no more than 10 seconds, and the target temperature is a temperature that can solidify the photoresist.

[0011] As an optional scheme, the time point when the clamp body carries the wafer out of the preset medium is taken as the first time point, and the time when the clamp body opens to allow the robot to take away the wafer is taken as the second time point. The refrigeration structure works between the first time point and the second time point, and the working time length of the refrigeration structure is less than or equal to the time length between the first time point and the second time point.

[0012] As an optional solution, the refrigeration structure includes a refrigeration element, the refrigeration element is made of thermoelectric material, and the refrigeration element is connected to the clamp body.

[0013] As an optional solution, the sealing ring includes a sealing ring, the upper surface of the sealing ring is flat, and under the action of an external force, the upper surface of the sealing ring contacts a corresponding portion of the lower surface of the wafer to perform sealing;

[0014] The refrigeration component is installed at the edge of the pressure plate, the refrigeration component and the upper surface of the sealing ring correspond to each other in the upper and lower spatial positions, and the projection of the refrigeration component in the vertical direction is greater than or equal to the projection of the upper surface of the sealing ring in the vertical direction;

[0015] The width of the upper surface of the sealing ring is less than 2 cm.

[0016] As an optional solution, when the pressure plate cover is arranged on the base to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer and press the wafer against the sealing ring, the distance between the cooling element and the surface of the wafer is 0.5 mm, 1 mm or 2 mm.

[0017] As an optional solution, the refrigeration component is annular and is sleeved on one end of the pressure plate close to the base, and the refrigeration component and the sealing ring are arranged opposite to each other in the upper and lower directions.

[0018] As an optional solution, the refrigeration component is installed on the base.

[0019] As an optional solution, the refrigeration structure includes a cooling channel, the cooling channel is opened in the fixture body, and the cooling channel is configured to allow a cooling medium to pass through.

[0020] As an optional solution, the cooling channel is opened in the pressure plate, and the cooling channel includes an annular portion, and the annular portion and the sealing ring are arranged opposite to each other in the upper and lower directions.

[0021] As an optional solution, the semiconductor wafer clamp further includes a temperature detection element, and the temperature detection element is configured to detect the temperature of a portion of the wafer in contact with the sealing ring or to detect the temperature of the back side and / or the front side of the wafer.

[0022] As an optional solution, the temperature detection element and the refrigeration structure are respectively connected to a controller for communication, and the controller is configured to stop the refrigeration structure from working when the temperature detected by the temperature detection element is less than or equal to a target temperature.

[0023] As an optional solution, the semiconductor wafer clamp further includes a guide post, which is connected to one of the base and the pressure plate and slidably cooperates with the other of the base and the pressure plate.

[0024] As an optional solution, the refrigeration structure can also cool the edge of the wafer when the fixture body carries the wafer for deposition in a preset medium, so as to reduce the temperature of the edge of the wafer and control the thickness of the film layer deposited on the edge of the wafer, thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity.

[0025] As an optional solution, the semiconductor wafer clamp further includes:

[0026] The heating structure is arranged on the clamp body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring and the wafer are arranged correspondingly in the upper and lower spatial positions. When the clamp body carries the wafer for deposition in a preset medium, the edge of the wafer can be heated to increase the temperature of the edge of the wafer, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer deposited on the edge of the wafer, thereby realizing process control of wafer uniformity.

[0027] A semiconductor wafer clamp, comprising:

[0028] The fixture body comprises a base, a sealing ring and a pressure plate, wherein the sealing ring is mounted on the base, the sealing ring is configured to contact a portion of the wafer so that a portion of the sealing ring in contact with the wafer is sealed under the action of external pressure, and the pressure plate can be covered on the base to apply a sealing external pressure to the wafer and press the wafer against the sealing ring;

[0029] The temperature control structure is arranged on the clamp body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring and the wafer are arranged correspondingly in the upper and lower spatial positions. After the clamp body carries the wafer out of the preset medium, the wafer in contact with the sealing ring can be cooled down to change the part in contact with the sealing ring from a sticky state to a non-sticky state.

[0030] As an optional solution, the temperature control structure can also heat the edge of the wafer when the fixture body carries the wafer for deposition in a preset medium, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer increases, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer deposited on the edge of the wafer, thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity.

[0031] As an optional solution, the temperature control structure can also cool the edge of the wafer when the fixture body carries the wafer for deposition in a preset medium, so as to reduce the temperature of the edge of the wafer and control the thickness of the film layer deposited on the edge of the wafer, thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity.

[0032] Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device, which, by adopting the above-mentioned semiconductor wafer clamp, can prevent the robot from generating fragments or pulling the sealing ring off the base when removing the wafer from the base.

[0033] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0034] A semiconductor device at least comprises the semiconductor wafer clamp.

[0035] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0036] The semiconductor wafer clamp of the present invention places the wafer on the sealing ring before deposition, and sets the pressure plate cover on the base. The pressure plate applies a sealed external pressure to the wafer and presses the wafer against the sealing ring, so that the base and the pressure plate are sealed to prevent the preset medium from contacting the upper surface of the wafer (i.e., the side of the wafer without photoresist). The lower surface of the wafer (i.e., the side with photoresist) is partially exposed from the lower side of the annular base to facilitate contact with the preset medium. During the deposition process, based on the deposition process, the temperature of the photoresist rises and generates Softening, the softened photoresist and the sealing ring are bonded, thereby improving the sealing of the semiconductor wafer fixture to the wafer; after the deposition is completed and before the robot grabs the wafer for unloading, the wafer is cooled by the refrigeration structure, so that the photoresist can be quickly cooled and solidified, so that the wafer and the sealing ring are in a non-adhesive state. Therefore, when the external robot grabs the wafer, it is ensured that the wafer is smoothly separated from the sealing ring, thereby avoiding wafer fragments, improving production capacity and reducing manufacturing costs; it can also prevent the sealing ring from being pulled off the base, reducing the maintenance cost of the semiconductor wafer fixture;

[0037] In addition, after the semiconductor wafer clamp takes the wafer out of the preset medium, it needs to go through processes such as preset medium recovery and cleaning before the semiconductor wafer clamp releases the wafer so that the robot can take the wafer away. From the time the wafer leaves the preset medium to the time the robot takes the wafer away from the semiconductor wafer clamp, the refrigeration structure is controlled to cool down the part of the wafer that contacts the sealing ring during this process. Compared with the natural cooling of the wafer, the speed is greatly improved, which can avoid waiting for the wafer to cool down for a long time, thereby improving the deposition efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a semiconductor wafer clamp provided by a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor wafer clamp provided by a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an electric wafer clamp provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure plate and a refrigeration component provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a semiconductor wafer clamp provided by a specific embodiment of the present invention when clamping a wafer;

[0043] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of a pressure plate with cooling channels provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] In the figure:

[0045] 100, base; 110, supporting member; 120, pressing member;

[0046] 200, pressure plate; 210, main body; 220, plug-in portion; 230, pressure plate main body; 240, buckle; 250, guide groove;

[0047] 300, guide column;

[0048] 400, wafer;

[0049] 500. Refrigeration parts;

[0050] 600, cooling channel;

[0051] 700, sealing ring; 710, annular groove; 720, sealing ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts related to the present invention, rather than all structures, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0053] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0054] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0055] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", etc., directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish in the description and have no special meaning.

[0056] The present embodiment provides a semiconductor wafer fixture and a semiconductor device, and the semiconductor device includes a semiconductor wafer fixture and a manipulator. Below, the semiconductor device is used to electroplate the wafer as an example for introduction, wherein the deposition involved in the present embodiment is electrochemical deposition, also known as electroplating, which all represent the same meaning. The present embodiment uses deposition or electroplating to represent the technical solution of the present embodiment, which are all the same. The semiconductor wafer fixture is used to seal and clamp the wafer during the wafer electroplating process, and to carry the wafer in a preset medium to complete the electroplating, and to carry the wafer that has been electroplated out of the preset medium as an example for introduction. In the present embodiment, the preset medium is an electroplating solution, and the electroplating solution can be an electroplating solution containing different metal ions, such as copper ions, etc., which are not listed one by one. The manipulator is configured to remove the wafer that has been electroplated from the semiconductor wafer fixture. It can be understood that the manipulator can be an existing manipulator with a suction cup, which will not be repeated here.

[0057] In addition to the above, semiconductor equipment also includes electroplating tanks, electroplating chambers, etc. The electroplating tank can contain electroplating liquid, and the electroplating liquid in the electroplating tank can be transported to the electroplating pool in the electroplating chamber. The semiconductor wafer fixture can carry the wafer and immerse it in the plating liquid in the electroplating pool and complete the electroplating process under process condition control. The robot can take the wafer out of the semiconductor wafer fixture or place the wafer into the electroplating wafer fixture.

[0058] For the wafer to be electroplated, the lower surface is coated with photoresist, while the upper surface is not coated with photoresist. The photoresist is formed into a characteristic shape through processes such as exposure and development, and the area of ​​the wafer corresponding to the characteristic shape is in a bare state, so that it can contact the plating solution for electroplating, and the other areas of the lower surface of the wafer are covered by photoresist and thus do not contact the plating solution. During the process of electroplating the wafer, the upper surface of the wafer cannot contact the plating solution either, so a semiconductor wafer clamp is required to clamp and seal the wafer.

[0059] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, the semiconductor wafer clamp includes a clamp body, and the clamp body includes a base 100, a sealing ring 700 and a pressure plate 200. The base 100 is preferably annular in structure, and the sealing ring 700 is installed on the base 100. The sealing ring 700 is configured to contact the portion of the wafer 400 so that the portion where the sealing ring 700 contacts the wafer 400 is sealed under the action of external pressure, and the pressure plate 200 can be covered on the base 100 to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer 400 and press the wafer 400 against the sealing ring 700. In this embodiment, the edge area of ​​the lower surface of the wafer 400 overlaps the sealing ring 700, and the upper surface of the wafer 400 faces the pressure plate 200. Correspondingly, the shape of the sealing ring 700 is set to be annular corresponding to the shape of the base 100.

[0060] Before electroplating, the wafer 400 is placed on the sealing ring 700 and the pressure plate 200 is covered on the base 100. The pressure plate 200 applies a sealed external pressure to the wafer 400 and presses the wafer 400 against the sealing ring 700. This can seal the base and the pressure plate 200 to prevent the plating solution from contacting the upper surface of the wafer 400 (i.e., the side of the wafer 400 where the photoresist is not set). The lower surface of the wafer 400 (i.e., the side where the photoresist is set) is partially exposed from the lower side of the annular base 100 to facilitate contact with the plating solution.

[0061] The size of the wafer 400 can be different sizes of wafers, such as 6-inch and 8-inch wafers. Correspondingly, the design of the fixture body itself corresponds to the wafer 400, the size of the annular base 100 matches the size of the wafer 400, the size of the sealing ring 700 corresponds to the edge area of ​​the wafer 400, and the size of the pressure plate 200 must ensure that pressure can be applied to the entire surface of the wafer 400, especially to the edge area of ​​the wafer 400. It can be understood that the specific application of this embodiment is not limited to the size of the wafer 400, as long as the semiconductor wafer fixture matches the wafer 400.

[0062] In this embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the semiconductor wafer clamp also includes a guide post 300, which is connected to one of the base 100 and the pressure plate 200, and slides with the other of the base 100 and the pressure plate 200. By setting the guide post 300, the base 100 and the pressure plate 200 can be accurately docked, thereby ensuring the sealing reliability of the wafer 400. In this embodiment, the guide post 300 is fixedly connected to the base 100, and the pressure plate 200 is provided with a guide groove 250, and the guide post 300 is inserted into the guide groove 250 and slides with the guide groove 250. In other embodiments, the guide post 300 can also be fixedly connected to the pressure plate 200, and the base 100 is provided with a guide groove 250 that slides with the guide post 300. Optionally, one, two, three or more guide posts 300 can be provided, which is not specifically limited here.

[0063] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the base 100 includes a supporting member 110 and a pressing member 120, wherein the supporting member 110 is generally a disc-shaped ring, the sealing ring 700 is supported on the bottom surface of the supporting member 110, and the pressing member 120 is also annular, the pressing member 120 presses against the outer ring portion of the sealing ring 700 and is connected to the supporting member 110 through a fastener, so that the sealing ring 700 is installed on the base 100, and the edge of the wafer overlaps the inner ring of the sealing ring 700. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the method of fixing the sealing ring 700 to the base 100 is not limited to this.

[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, the inner ring area of ​​the sealing ring 700 includes a sealing ring 720. Preferably, the sealing ring 720 is annular corresponding to the base 100, the upper surface of the sealing ring 720 is flat, and the outer ring edge area of ​​the wafer 400 overlaps the upper surface of the sealing ring 720. Under the action of external force (i.e., the action of the pressure plate 200), the upper surface of the sealing ring 720 contacts the corresponding part of the lower surface of the wafer 400 for sealing. In this embodiment, an annular groove 710 is provided on the side of the inner ring area of ​​the sealing ring 700 facing the pressure plate 200, and the side wall of the annular groove 710 radially close to the center of the sealing ring 700 is the sealing ring 720.

[0065] During actual use, after the pressure plate 200 is separated from the base, an elastic component can be arranged in the annular groove 710. When the pressure plate 200 is covered on the base 100, the pressure plate 200 applies a force to the elastic component to elastically deform the elastic component. When the pressure plate 200 moves upward away from the base 100, the elastic component restores the deformation and applies an upward force to the part of the wafer 400 suspended above the annular groove 710, so that the wafer 400 can be more easily separated from the sealing ring 700.

[0066] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the pressure plate 200 includes a main body 210 and a plug-in portion 220 along the axial direction, and the plug-in portion 220 and the main body 210 are arranged along the axial direction. The plug-in portion 220 is arranged on the side of the main body 210 facing the base 100, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug-in portion 220 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body 210. The plug-in portion 220 is plugged into the base 100, so that the wafer 400 is pressed on the sealing ring 700. The main body 210 can be connected and locked with the base 100 through a connecting structure. In this embodiment, the guide groove 250 is arranged on the main body 210.

[0067] In the actual production process, after the wafer 400 is electroplated, the pressure plate 200 slides away from the base 100 along the guide column 300, and a space for the robot to enter is formed between the base 100 and the pressure plate 200. The robot extends between the pressure plate 200 and the base 100 and removes the wafer 400 from the base 100. However, when the robot removes the wafer, the wafer 400 often breaks into pieces and the sealing ring 700 is pulled off the base 100, which affects the production capacity and manufacturing cost, and also increases the maintenance cost of the semiconductor wafer fixture.

[0068] The electroplating process needs to be completed at a certain temperature. For example, the copper electroplating process is generally carried out in an electroplating solution at 25°C-35°C, the SnAg electroplating process is generally carried out in an electroplating solution at 25°C, and the Ni electroplating process is generally carried out in an electroplating solution at 55°C-60°C. The applicant has found that during the electroplating process, the photoresist will soften after the temperature reaches a certain temperature. For example, some photoresists will soften when the temperature is greater than 45°C. The softened photoresist will be over-adhesive to the sealing ring 700 (that is, the part where the wafer 400 contacts the sealing ring 700 is in a state of adhesion). During the electroplating process, the adhesion state can improve the sealing of the semiconductor wafer fixture to the wafer 400; however, after the electroplating is completed, the adhesion state will make it difficult to separate the wafer 400 from the sealing ring 700, and then when the robot removes the wafer 400 from the semiconductor wafer fixture, there will be problems such as wafer 400 fragments and the sealing ring 700 being pulled off the base 100.

[0069] In this regard, in this embodiment, the semiconductor wafer clamp also includes a refrigeration structure, which is arranged on the clamp body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring 700 and the wafer 400 are arranged correspondingly in the upper and lower spatial positions. The refrigeration structure can cool the wafer 400 in contact with the sealing ring 700 after the clamp body carries the wafer 400 out of the plating solution, so as to transform the part of the wafer 400 in contact with the sealing ring 700 from a sticky state to a non-sticky state.

[0070] In this embodiment, when the refrigeration structure is working, it is not necessary to perform comprehensive and balanced cooling of the entire wafer. It is sufficient to cool the portion of the wafer 400 that contacts the sealing ring 700 so that the portion of the wafer 400 that contacts the sealing ring 700 does not adhere to the sealing ring 700. Therefore, when designing the refrigeration structure, the position of the refrigeration structure needs to be set in a spatial position corresponding to the portion of the wafer 400 that contacts the sealing ring 700, that is, the setting that satisfies the upper and lower corresponding relationship can directly enable the refrigeration structure to directly cool the portion of the wafer 400 that contacts the sealing ring 700, so that the portion of the wafer 400 that contacts the sealing ring 700 quickly cools down, and the portion of the wafer that contacts the sealing ring 700 changes from an adhered state to a non-adhesive state at the fastest speed.

[0071] After the electroplating is completed and before the robot grabs the wafer 400, the wafer 400 is cooled by the refrigeration structure, so that the photoresist can be quickly cooled and solidified, and the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 are in a non-adhesive state. Therefore, when the external robot grabs the wafer 400, it is ensured that the wafer 400 is smoothly separated from the sealing ring 700, thereby avoiding wafer 400 fragments, improving production capacity and reducing manufacturing costs; it can also prevent the sealing ring 700 from being pulled off the base 100, reducing the maintenance cost of the semiconductor wafer clamp.

[0072] In addition, after the semiconductor wafer clamp takes the wafer 400 out of the electroplating solution, it needs to go through processes such as electroplating solution recovery and cleaning, after which the semiconductor wafer clamp will release the wafer 400 and the robot will take the wafer 400 away. This embodiment controls the refrigeration structure to cool down the part of the wafer 400 that contacts the sealing ring 700 from the time when the wafer 400 leaves the electroplating solution to the time when the robot takes the wafer 400 away from the semiconductor wafer clamp. Compared with the natural cooling of the wafer 400, the speed is greatly improved, which can avoid waiting for the wafer to cool down for a long time, thereby improving the electroplating efficiency.

[0073] In this embodiment, when the refrigeration structure is working, the refrigeration structure can cool the wafer 400 to the target temperature within a preset time.

[0074] Regarding the target temperature: the target temperature is a temperature at which the photoresist can be cured, that is, a temperature at which the photoresist is not in an adhering state with the sealing ring 700. Optionally, the target temperature may be 40° C. or a lower temperature value.

[0075] Among them, regarding the preset time: the time point when the clamp body carries the wafer 400 out of the plating solution is taken as the first time point, the time when the clamp body opens to allow the robot to take away the wafer 400 is taken as the second time point, the refrigeration structure works between the first time point and the second time point, and the working time length of the refrigeration structure (ie, the preset time) is less than or equal to the time length between the first time point and the second time point. During this time period, it can be ensured that the temperature of the wafer is reduced to a state where it does not stick to the photoresist. Among them, the first time point can be the time point when the wafer 400 is completely separated from the electroplating solution, or it can be the time point after the wafer 400 is separated from the electroplating solution, but this time point must be a sufficiently short time point after the wafer 400 is separated from the electroplating solution. Specifically, after the semiconductor wafer fixture takes the wafer 400 out of the electroplating solution, the next process is usually to recover the electroplating solution. The first time point can be the time point when the electroplating solution is recovered. Of course, the setting of the first time point in this embodiment is only for the convenience of the implementation of this embodiment and the result of improving the electroplating efficiency. As long as this effect is not affected, the implementation scheme of this embodiment can be adjusted to a certain extent. The second time point can be the time point after the semiconductor wafer fixture is opened so that the robot can take out the wafer 400, or it can be a time point in other process steps, but it must be a time point before the time point after the semiconductor wafer fixture is opened so that the robot can take out the wafer 400, and it cannot affect the normal execution of the robot to take out the wafer from the semiconductor wafer fixture, that is, it cannot affect the subsequent processing efficiency of the wafer 400. The setting of the above two time points can be understood as the maximum length of working time before the manipulator takes out the wafer 400 from the semiconductor wafer fixture after the wafer is separated from the plating solution. In this way, the cooling of the wafer by the semiconductor wafer fixture will not increase the time required for the original electroplating at all, ensuring the efficiency of the electroplating. In some embodiments, the preset time is not greater than 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, etc. The time listed in this embodiment is not a time limit for this embodiment, but it shows that the scheme in this embodiment can complete the corresponding cooling process within the above time. The specific time can be set according to actual requirements, especially according to the time length between the above two time points, such as less than or equal to the time length between the above two time points. The refrigeration process of this embodiment ensures that the temperature of the wafer can be reduced to a non-sticky state within a time length less than or equal to the time length between the two time points, so that the manipulator can normally take out the wafer from the semiconductor wafer fixture.

[0076] It is further explained that this embodiment can achieve the above-mentioned preset time, that is, how the technical solution of this embodiment can reduce the temperature within the preset time so as not to delay the subsequent process. Specifically, on the one hand, in this embodiment, after the pressure plate seals the wafer and the sealing ring, the distance between the refrigeration structure and the wafer is close enough, and this close enough can be expressed as 0.5mm, 1mm or 2mm, and the details can be referred to the content in this embodiment; on the other hand, the width of the refrigeration structure is enough to correspond to the sealing ring, and can reach 2cm. The above two aspects realize the rapid cooling of the refrigeration structure and thus achieve cooling within the preset time. For details, please refer to the contents in this embodiment.

[0077] In some embodiments, such as electroplating Ni, the temperature of the plating solution is 55°C-60°C. This electroplating process will cause adhesion problems between the sealing ring and the photoresist on the wafer. If you wait for the wafer to cool down from 55°C to 40°C by itself, you will need to wait for about ten minutes, an hour or even longer. Actively cooling the wafer through a refrigeration structure can avoid the above waiting time. Therefore, in the case where the sealing ring 700 and the wafer 400 are caused to adhere, the use of the technical solution in this embodiment can greatly improve the efficiency of electroplating, and has a significant time efficiency improvement in practical applications. In some embodiments, for example, the copper electroplating process and the SnAg electroplating process, the temperature of the plating solution does not exceed 40°C. At the above temperature, the photoresist will not soften and excessively adhere to the sealing ring 700, so there is no need for a refrigeration structure to cool down.

[0078] Preferably, the semiconductor wafer clamp also includes a temperature detection member, which is configured to detect the temperature of the contact portion of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 or detect the temperature of the back side or / and the front side of the wafer. By detecting the temperature of the contact portion of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 or detecting the temperature of the back side or / and the front side of the wafer through the temperature detection member, intelligent control of the operation of the refrigeration structure can be achieved. Specifically, the temperature detection member and the cooling structure are both communicatively connected to the controller, and the controller controls the refrigeration structure to start or stop working according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection member. Optionally, the controller can be a controller of the semiconductor device itself, or a controller independently configured to control the wafer temperature, which is not specifically limited here.

[0079] In order to detect the temperature more accurately, it is usually most accurate to detect the temperature of the contact part between the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 or the temperature of the front side of the wafer. However, in actual operation, it is usually difficult to detect the temperature of this part, while it is relatively easy to detect the temperature of the back side of the wafer. Therefore, in actual operation, the temperature of the back side of the wafer can be detected as a basis, which will not affect the implementation of this solution in practice.

[0080] Specifically, when the semiconductor wafer fixture carrying the wafer 400 is taken out of the plating solution after the electroplating is completed, if the temperature detection component detects that the temperature of the contact portion of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 is greater than the target temperature, it means that the photoresist and the sealing ring 700 are in an adhesion state, and the refrigeration structure starts to work to cool down the wafer 400. When the temperature of the contact portion of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 detected by the temperature detection component is less than or equal to the target temperature, it means that the photoresist and the sealing ring 700 are in a non-adhesion state at this time, and the refrigeration structure is controlled to stop working at this time, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy loss. When the semiconductor wafer fixture carrying the wafer 400 is taken out of the plating solution after the electroplating is completed, the temperature detection component detects that the temperature of the contact portion of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 is less than or equal to the target temperature, indicating that the wafer does not need to be cooled, and the refrigeration structure does not work, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy loss.

[0081] Optionally, the refrigeration structure includes a refrigeration element 500, which is made of a thermoelectric material. The thermoelectric material can absorb heat and produce a refrigeration effect by voltage or current control, thereby cooling the wafer. The refrigeration element 500 is connected to the fixture body. When the refrigeration element 500 made of the thermoelectric material is not powered on, the refrigeration element 500 does not refrigerate, so it will not affect the electroplating process. When the refrigeration element 500 is powered on, its temperature drops rapidly and heat exchanges with the wafer 400, so that the temperature of the photoresist on the wafer 400 can drop rapidly to below the target temperature, avoiding excessive adhesion of the photoresist to the sealing ring 700. The cooling response of the refrigeration element 500 made of the thermoelectric material is fast, easy to control and noiseless, and the type of thermoelectric material used by the specific refrigeration element 500 can be selected from existing thermoelectric materials. Optionally, in this embodiment, a temperature detection element can be installed on the refrigeration element 500.

[0082] Optionally, the refrigeration element 500 is mounted on the base 100. In some embodiments, Figure 3 As shown, the refrigeration element 500 is embedded in the base 100. In some embodiments (not shown), the refrigeration element 500 can also be fixed between the base 100 and the sealing ring 700, which is not specifically limited here.

[0083] Alternatively, if Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the cooling element 500 is installed at the edge of the pressure plate 200. In a preferred embodiment, the cooling element 500 and the base 100 are arranged in a circular distribution, and the upper surface of the sealing ring 720 is the contact part between the sealing ring 700 and the wafer. The surface of the circularly distributed cooling element 500 corresponds to the upper surface of the sealing ring 720 in the upper and lower spatial positions, and the projection of the circularly distributed cooling element 500 in the vertical direction is greater than or equal to the projection of the upper surface of the sealing ring 720 in the vertical direction. In this way, the cooling range of the cooling element 500 completely covers the upper surface of the sealing ring 720, which can not only make the contact part of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 cool down more quickly, but also ensure that the contact part cools down evenly, avoiding the situation where the contact part of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 is partially adhered and partially non-adhered.

[0084] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the shape of the base 100 can be different shapes such as ring, rectangle, etc. Correspondingly, the sealing ring, refrigeration parts and other components can be constructed to correspond to the shape of the base 100. This method can realize the technical solution of this embodiment.

[0085] Preferably, the annular cooling element 500 can be continuously arranged in the radial direction, so as to achieve better cooling efficiency. Of course, in other embodiments, the cooling element 500 can also be arranged discontinuously in the radial direction, such as at intervals, etc. The cooling effect of the interval arrangement is slightly worse than that of the continuous arrangement, but it can also achieve the effect of avoiding adhesion of the contact part of the wafer 400 and the sealing ring 700 for a longer period of time (still between the first time point and the second time point).

[0086] Optionally, the width of the upper surface of the sealing ring 720 (i.e., the dimension in the radial direction) can be 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm or 4 mm, etc. Normally, the width of the upper surface of the sealing ring 720 is not greater than 2 cm. Of course, the surface of the sealing ring 720 can also be greater than 2 cm, such as for a 12-inch wafer, etc. Generally, the larger the size of the wafer, the larger the size of the sealing ring. In order to ensure the cooling effect, it is generally necessary to ensure that the width of the cooling element 500 is greater than the width of the sealing ring 720, and the projection of the cooling element 500 in the vertical direction covers the projection of the sealing ring 720 in the vertical direction. However, in special circumstances, the width of the cooling element can also be made smaller than the width of the sealing ring, as long as the cooling effect can be guaranteed. It can be understood that this embodiment provides the optimal solution for realizing this embodiment.

[0087] In this embodiment, when the pressure plate 200 is covered on the base 100 to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer 400 and press the wafer 400 against the sealing ring 700, the distance between the refrigeration element 500 and the surface of the wafer 400 is 0.5mm, 1mm or 2mm. In this embodiment, the distance between the refrigeration element and the wafer should be as close as possible from the actual application, so as to improve the refrigeration effect and cool the wafer faster. However, since the pressure plate needs to seal the wafer, the pressure plate will apply external pressure to the wafer. If the refrigeration element is in direct contact with the wafer, it may be damaged under the action of external pressure. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the refrigeration element is not damaged under the action of external pressure while ensuring that the refrigeration element is relatively close to the wafer. Therefore, the above distances are not limited to the above numbers, which only represent the actual numbers that may be generated in actual applications, and any other real distances are within the scope of implementation of this embodiment. The distances listed in this embodiment are not to limit the size of this embodiment, but to illustrate that the scheme in this embodiment can avoid wafer damage at the above size.

[0088] The above describes in detail the two aspects of cooling within the preset time. It can be understood that there are other factors that may affect the cooling within the preset time in this embodiment, but the above are two main factors. On the premise of achieving the above two factors, the solution of this embodiment can be implemented.

[0089] Optionally, the refrigeration structure includes a cooling channel 600, which is provided in the fixture body, and the cooling channel 600 is communicated with an external cooling medium supply device, and the external cooling medium supply device is used to pass cooling medium into the cooling channel 600. When it is necessary to cool the photoresist on the wafer 400, the cooling medium supply device circulates the cooling medium into the cooling channel 600, and when it is not necessary to cool the photoresist on the wafer 400, the cooling medium supply device stops the circulation of the cooling medium, or extracts the cooling medium from the cooling channel 600. Optionally, the cooling medium can be liquid nitrogen, water, oil, etc. In this embodiment, the temperature detection member can be installed on the base 100 or on the pressure plate 200.

[0090] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the cooling channel 600 is provided in the platen 200. The cooling channel 600 includes an annular portion, which is arranged opposite to the sealing ring 700 in the upper and lower directions. With such arrangement, the cooling channel 600 is arranged in the platen 200, which facilitates the connection between the cooling channel 600 and the external pipeline. The annular portion of the cooling channel 600 is arranged opposite to the sealing ring 700, and the photoresist in contact with the sealing ring 700 can be accurately cooled, thereby improving the cooling efficiency. Specifically, as Figure 6As shown, the pressure plate 200 includes a pressure plate body 230 and a buckle 240, the buckle 240 is connected to the lower side of the pressure plate body 230, a half groove is provided on the lower side of the pressure plate body 230, a half groove is provided on the upper side of the buckle 240, and the half groove on the pressure plate body 230 and the half groove on the buckle 240 are spliced ​​to form an annular portion. Optionally, a seal can be provided between the pressure plate body 230 and the buckle 240 to ensure the sealing of the cooling channel 600.

[0091] In other embodiments (not shown), the cooling channel 600 may also be provided in the base 100 , which is not specifically limited herein.

[0092] Due to the diversity and complexity of chip design, various characteristic patterns are etched on the wafer. During the electroplating process, the thickness uniformity of the film layer electroplated on the wafer will be affected by the characteristic pattern. Under the same electroplating hardware conditions, due to the difference in characteristic patterns, the edge thickness of the coating (i.e., the electroplated film layer) may be greater than or less than the center thickness, seriously affecting the yield of the wafer. In the prior art, the above-mentioned uneven thickness problem is improved by setting a shielding ring on the lower side of the wafer. However, when producing wafers with different characteristic patterns, the shielding ring must be stopped to replace, which seriously affects production efficiency and increases the risk of downtime.

[0093] In this regard, in this embodiment, the refrigeration structure can also cool the edge of the wafer 400 when the fixture body carries the wafer 400 in the plating solution for electroplating, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer 400 is reduced, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer electroplated on the edge of the wafer 400, thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity. In addition, the semiconductor wafer fixture also includes a heating structure, which is arranged on the fixture body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring 700 and the wafer 400 are correspondingly arranged in the upper and lower spatial positions, and can heat the edge of the wafer 400 when the fixture body carries the wafer 400 in the plating solution for electroplating, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer 400 is increased, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer electroplated on the edge of the wafer 400.

[0094] The process control of wafer uniformity is mainly to ensure that the coating plated on the front side of the wafer during the electroplating process can be evenly distributed on the front side of the wafer, thereby achieving a uniform electroplating effect.

[0095] Based on the basic principle that the electroplating rate and wafer temperature are in an Arrhenius positive correlation, the edge of the wafer can be heated or cooled during the electroplating process according to the actual needs of the wafer to achieve local temperature control of the wafer, thereby achieving control of the uniformity of the coating thickness on the wafer. Since temperature control can be performed in the form of software, there is no need to switch hardware, thereby reducing the risk of downtime and improving production efficiency.

[0096] In some embodiments, the heating structure may be an electric heating wire, etc. In other words, the cooling structure and the heating structure are different components.

[0097] In some embodiments, the cooling and heating of the wafer can be controlled by one component. Specifically, the semiconductor wafer clamp does not have the above-mentioned cooling mechanism and heating structure, but is provided with a temperature control structure, wherein the temperature control structure is arranged on the clamp body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring 700 and the wafer 400 are arranged correspondingly in the upper and lower spatial positions.

[0098] On the one hand, the temperature control structure can cool down the wafer 400 in contact with the sealing ring 700 after the fixture body carries the wafer 400 out of the plating solution, so that the part of the wafer 400 in contact with the sealing ring 700 changes from a sticking state to a non-sticking state. This prevents the photoresist from sticking to the sealing ring when the robot takes out the wafer, thereby preventing the wafer from being broken into pieces or the sealing ring from being pulled off the base when the wafer is removed from the base.

[0099] On the other hand, the temperature control structure can also heat the edge of the wafer when the fixture body carries the wafer 400 in the plating solution for electroplating, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer increases, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer electroplated on the edge of the wafer; or when the fixture body carries the wafer 400 in the plating solution for electroplating, the edge of the wafer is cooled down, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer is reduced, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer electroplated on the edge of the wafer. Therefore, based on the basic principle that the electroplating rate and the wafer temperature are in an Arrhenius positive correlation, according to the actual needs of the wafer, the edge of the wafer can be heated or cooled during the electroplating process to achieve local temperature control of the wafer, thereby achieving control of the uniformity of the coating thickness on the wafer. Since temperature control can be performed in the form of software, there is no need to switch hardware, thereby reducing the risk of downtime and improving production efficiency.

[0100] Optionally, the temperature control structure may be a temperature control component made of bismuth telluride, etc. Of course, without violating the inventive concept of the present application, the temperature control structure may be any existing structure capable of both cooling and heating, which will not be described in detail here.

[0101] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are only examples for clearly explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, according to the idea of ​​the present invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation and application scope, and the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor wafer clamp, characterized in that: include: A clamp body comprises a base (100), a sealing ring (700) and a pressure plate (200), wherein the sealing ring (700) is mounted on the base (100), the sealing ring (700) is configured to contact a portion of a wafer (400) so that a portion of the sealing ring (700) in contact with the wafer (400) is sealed under the action of external pressure, and the pressure plate (200) can be covered on the base (100) to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer (400) and press the wafer (400) against the sealing ring (700); A refrigeration structure is arranged on the clamp body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring (700) and the wafer (400) are arranged correspondingly in upper and lower spatial positions. After the clamp body carries the wafer (400) and takes it out from the preset medium, the wafer (400) in contact with the sealing ring (700) can be cooled. When the refrigeration structure is working, the refrigeration structure can cool the wafer (400) to a target temperature within a preset time, and the preset time is no more than 10 seconds. The target temperature is a temperature that can solidify the photoresist, so that the part of the wafer (400) in contact with the sealing ring (700) is transformed from a sticky state to a non-sticky state.

2. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that: The time point when the clamp body carries the wafer (400) out of the preset medium is taken as the first time point, and the time when the clamp body opens to allow the robot to take away the wafer (400) is taken as the second time point. The refrigeration structure works between the first time point and the second time point, and the working time length of the refrigeration structure is less than or equal to the time length between the first time point and the second time point.

3. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration structure comprises a refrigeration element (500), the refrigeration element (500) is made of a thermoelectric material, and the refrigeration element (500) is connected to the clamp body.

4. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 3, characterized in that: The sealing ring (700) comprises a sealing ring (720), the upper surface of the sealing ring (720) is flat, and under the action of an external force, the upper surface of the sealing ring (720) contacts a corresponding portion of the lower surface of the wafer (400) to perform sealing; The refrigeration component (500) is installed at an edge position on the pressure plate (200), the refrigeration component (500) and the upper surface of the sealing ring (720) correspond to each other in upper and lower spatial positions, and the projection of the refrigeration component (500) in the vertical direction is greater than or equal to the projection of the upper surface of the sealing ring (720) in the vertical direction; The width of the upper surface of the sealing ring (720) is less than 2 cm.

5. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the pressure plate (200) is covered on the base (100) to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer (400) and press the wafer (400) against the sealing ring (700), the distance between the cooling element (500) and the surface of the wafer (400) is 0.5 mm, 1 mm or 2 mm.

6. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 5, characterized in that: The refrigeration component (500) is annular and is sleeved on one end of the pressure plate (200) close to the base (100). The refrigeration component (500) and the sealing ring (700) are arranged opposite to each other in the upper and lower directions.

7. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 5, characterized in that: The refrigeration element (500) is installed on the base (100).

8. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 1, wherein: The refrigeration structure comprises a cooling channel (600), the cooling channel (600) is opened in the fixture body, and the cooling channel (600) is configured to allow a cooling medium to pass through.

9. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 8, characterized in that: The cooling channel (600) is opened in the pressure plate (200), and the cooling channel (600) comprises an annular portion, and the annular portion and the sealing ring (700) are arranged opposite to each other in the upper and lower directions.

10. The semiconductor wafer clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The semiconductor wafer clamp further comprises a temperature detection element, wherein the temperature detection element is configured to detect the temperature of a portion of the wafer (400) in contact with the sealing ring (700) or to detect the temperature of the back side and / or the front side of the wafer.

11. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 10, wherein: The temperature detection element and the refrigeration structure are respectively connected to a controller for communication, and the controller is configured to stop the refrigeration structure from working when the temperature detected by the temperature detection element is less than or equal to a target temperature.

12. The semiconductor wafer clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The semiconductor wafer clamp further comprises a guide post (300), wherein the guide post (300) is connected to one of the base (100) and the pressure plate (200), and is slidably matched with the other of the base (100) and the pressure plate (200).

13. The semiconductor wafer clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The refrigeration structure can also cool the edge of the wafer (400) when the fixture body carries the wafer (400) for deposition in a preset medium, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer (400) is reduced, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer deposited on the edge of the wafer (400), thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity.

14. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 13, wherein: The semiconductor wafer fixture further comprises: A heating structure is arranged on the fixture body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring (700) and the wafer (400) are arranged correspondingly in upper and lower spatial positions. When the fixture body carries the wafer (400) for deposition in a preset medium, the edge of the wafer (400) can be heated to increase the temperature of the edge of the wafer (400) so as to control the thickness of the film layer deposited on the edge of the wafer (400), thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity.

15. A semiconductor wafer clamp, characterized in that: include: A clamp body comprises a base (100), a sealing ring (700) and a pressure plate (200), wherein the sealing ring (700) is mounted on the base (100), the sealing ring (700) is configured to contact a portion of a wafer (400) so that a portion of the sealing ring (700) in contact with the wafer (400) is sealed under the action of external pressure, and the pressure plate (200) can be covered on the base (100) to apply a sealed external pressure to the wafer (400) and press the wafer (400) against the sealing ring (700); The temperature control structure is arranged on the clamp body, and the parts in contact with the sealing ring (700) and the wafer (400) are arranged correspondingly in the upper and lower spatial positions. After the clamp body carries the wafer (400) out of the preset medium, the wafer (400) in contact with the sealing ring (700) can be cooled down, so that the part of the wafer (400) in contact with the sealing ring (700) is transformed from a sticking state to a non-sticking state.

16. The semiconductor wafer chuck according to claim 15, wherein: The temperature control structure can also heat the edge of the wafer when the fixture body carries the wafer (400) in a preset medium for deposition, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer increases, thereby controlling the thickness of the film layer deposited at the edge of the wafer, thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity; or / and; The temperature control structure can also cool the edge of the wafer when the fixture body carries the wafer (400) for deposition in a preset medium, so that the temperature of the edge of the wafer is reduced to control the thickness of the film layer deposited on the edge of the wafer, thereby achieving process control of wafer uniformity.

17. A semiconductor device, characterized in that: At least comprising the semiconductor wafer clamp as described in any one of claims 1-16.

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