A fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wafer fabrication technology, and in particular to a fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers. This fully automated rapid annealing equipment includes a wafer boat platform; wafers are placed on the wafer boat platform; a wafer transfer robot is positioned beside the wafer boat platform; a wafer cooling station is positioned beside the robot; the positioning frame of the wafer cooling station can hold multiple wafers; a loading mechanism is positioned beside the robot, and the loading mechanism includes a carrier plate and ejector pins; the robot loads the wafers from the wafer boat platform onto the ejector pins; a process furnace is positioned beside the loading mechanism; the process furnace includes a furnace body, a furnace door, heating elements, and a tray assembly; the ejector pins load the wafers onto the tray assembly. The positioning frame can accommodate a large number of wafers, which helps improve cooling and loading efficiency. The ejector pins descend to load the wafers onto the tray assembly, ensuring the accuracy of wafer loading. The tray assembly can hold multiple wafers, and the process furnace can heat multiple wafers, further improving processing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer processing technology, and in particular to a fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers. Background Technology

[0002] The main purpose of wafer annealing is to relieve stress, repair lattice defects, activate dopant atoms, and improve the electrical and mechanical properties of the material. Specifically, annealing involves heating the wafer and holding it at a certain temperature, followed by slow cooling, to alter the physical and chemical properties of the material. This process is typically carried out in a specialized furnace.

[0003] For example, Chinese patent application number CN202320081217.4 discloses a semiconductor rapid annealing furnace structure. This design has at least the following problems: 1. The robotic arm grasps the wafer in the wafer container, places it in the locator for positioning, and then places it in the heater for heating. This invention has two sets of heaters on the left and right sides of the robotic arm, sharing one locator. With only one locator, positioning and cooling require a long waiting time, affecting production efficiency. 2. The robotic arm grasps the wafer in the wafer container, places it in the locator for positioning, and then places it in the heater for heating. The wafer needs to be slowly placed into the wafer tray. During this process, the wafer is very thin, and the robotic arm may not accurately place the wafer into the wafer tray. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention addresses the deficiencies of the prior art, and its main objective is to provide a fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers, whose positioning frame can position and cool multiple wafers, improving processing efficiency; at the same time, the ejector pins accurately load the wafers onto the carrier assembly; thereby overcoming the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] This application provides a fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers, including a wafer boat platform; wafers are placed on the wafer boat platform; a robot is positioned beside the wafer boat platform and can transfer wafers; a wafer cooling station is positioned beside the robot; the wafer cooling station includes a positioning frame that can hold one or more wafers; a loading mechanism is positioned beside the robot, the loading mechanism including a support plate and ejector pins positioned on the support plate; the robot can load wafers from the wafer boat platform onto the ejector pins; a process furnace is positioned beside the loading mechanism; the process furnace includes a furnace body, an openable furnace door positioned in the furnace body, a heating element positioned in the furnace body, and a tray assembly positioned in the furnace door; the ejector pins can load wafers onto the tray assembly.

[0007] Preferably, the crystal boat platform includes a first base plate, a crystal boat box, and a first sensor; the first base plate is provided with a first positioning post and a second positioning post; the crystal boat box is provided with a plurality of first wafer slots, and the wafers are inserted into the first wafer slots; the crystal boat box is provided with a flange; the crystal boat box is embedded between the first positioning post and the second positioning post, and the first positioning post blocks the flange; the first sensor faces the wafers in the crystal boat box.

[0008] Preferably, the robot includes a liftable second base, a first robotic arm mounted on the second base, and a second robotic arm; the first robotic arm is provided with a first tray, and the second robotic arm is provided with a second tray; the first tray and the second tray can lift the wafer.

[0009] Preferably, the positioning frame is provided with a plurality of shelves, and a third positioning post is provided on the shelf. The wafer is placed on the shelf; the third positioning post blocks the outer periphery of the wafer and positions the wafer.

[0010] Preferably, a gas nozzle is provided on the side of the positioning frame, and nitrogen gas is sprayed from the gas nozzle to cool the wafer on the positioning frame; the positioning frame is provided with several rows of gas holes to cool the wafer.

[0011] Preferably, the feeding mechanism further includes a first linear module; a support plate is disposed on the first linear module, and at least three ejector pins are disposed on the support plate, the ejector pins being able to pass through the carrier plate assembly.

[0012] Preferably, the process furnace further includes a door lock device, which includes a first locking rod disposed on the furnace body, a second locking rod and a latch disposed on the furnace door, and a sliding rod connected to the furnace door. The latch is fastened to the first locking rod; the first locking rod and the second locking rod are pressed together; and the sliding rod drives the furnace door to open or close.

[0013] Preferably, the carrier assembly includes a quartz support, a silicon carbide carrier, and a first thermometer; the first thermometer is mounted on the quartz support; the quartz support is mounted on the furnace door; the quartz support is provided with a support lug that supports the silicon carbide carrier; the silicon carbide carrier is provided with a second wafer groove, in which a wafer is placed, and the ejector pin can pass through the second wafer groove to lift the wafer.

[0014] Preferably, the inner wall of the furnace body is coated with a metal reflective layer; a heating element is provided on the inner wall of the furnace body; a second thermometer is provided inside the furnace body; and a vacuum port, a cooling exhaust port, and a protective gas injection port are provided on the furnace body and communicate with the internal chamber of the furnace body.

[0015] Preferably, there is one crystal boat platform, one wafer cooling station, and one robot. A process furnace and a feeding mechanism are provided on both sides of the robot. The crystal boat platform, the wafer cooling station, and the robot are arranged between the process furnace and the feeding mechanism.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has significant advantages and beneficial effects. Specifically, as shown in the above technical solution, the positioning frame can accommodate a large number of wafers without waiting, which helps improve cooling and loading efficiency. The ejector pin loads the wafers onto the carrier assembly by descending, which helps ensure the accuracy of wafer loading. In addition, the carrier assembly can hold multiple wafers at a time and heat multiple wafers at a time, further improving processing efficiency.

[0017] During operation: 1. A large number of wafers are placed on the wafer boat platform; the robot places multiple wafers from the wafer boat platform into the positioning rack for positioning. 2. The robot places the positioned wafers onto the ejector pins of the loading mechanism. The ejector pins descend smoothly and accurately, allowing the wafers to land on the carrier assembly. 3. The furnace door closes, and the heating elements inside the furnace heat the wafers. 4. After heating is complete, the furnace door opens, the ejector pins lift the wafers, and the robot places the wafers from the ejector pins onto the positioning rack for cooling. 5. After cooling, the robot places the cooled wafers back onto the wafer boat platform. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 Partial structural diagram.

[0020] Figure 3 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 Top view diagram.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a crystal boat platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a process furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the positioning frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a heating plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the furnace door structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a cooling pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a front view schematic diagram of the process furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the process furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0031] 10. Crystal boat platform; 11. First base plate; 12. First positioning post; 13. Second positioning post; 14. First sensor; 15. Wafer; 16. Crystal boat box; 17. First wafer slot; 18. Flange; 20. Wafer cooling station; 21. Positioning frame; 22. Air hole; 23. Sheet; 24. Third positioning post; 25. Air nozzle; 30. Robot; 31. Second base; 32. First robotic arm; 33. Second robotic arm; 34. First pallet; 35. Second pallet; 36. Vacuum suction hole; 310. Heating plate; 311. Metal plate; 312. Metal frame; 40. Loading mechanism; 41. 42. Linear module; 43. Third sensor; 44. Support plate; 45. Ejector pin; 410. Carrier plate assembly; 411. Quartz bracket; 412. Support ear; 413. Silicon carbide carrier plate; 414. Second wafer groove; 415. First thermometer; 50. Process furnace; 510. Furnace door; 511. Door lock device; 512. First locking rod; 513. Second locking rod; 514. First cylinder; 515. Lock; 516. Push rod; 520. Furnace body; 521. Furnace main body; 522. Upper furnace plate; 523. Lower furnace plate; 524. Chamber; 525. Cooling pipe; 526. Evacuation port; 527. Second thermometer; 528. Heating element. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the following detailed description of the specific implementation methods, structures, features, and effects of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, is provided below.

[0033] Please refer to Figures 1 to 12 As shown, it illustrates the specific structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is a fully automated rapid annealing device for wafers.

[0034] The positioning frame 21 can hold multiple wafers 15, which can be used for positioning and cooling of the wafers 15, thus helping to improve production efficiency. The ejector pin 44 descends, allowing the wafers 15 to fall precisely onto the carrier assembly 410, ensuring the accuracy of wafer loading.

[0035] This application provides a fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers, including a wafer boat platform 10; a wafer 15 is placed on the wafer boat platform 10; a robot 30 is disposed beside the wafer boat platform 10, and the robot 30 can transfer the wafer 15; a wafer cooling station 20 is disposed beside the robot 30; the wafer cooling station 20 includes a positioning frame 21, which can hold one or more wafers 15; a loading mechanism 40 is disposed beside the robot 30, and the loading mechanism 40 includes a support plate 43 and ejector pins 44 disposed on the support plate 43; the robot 30 can load the wafer 15 on the wafer boat platform 10 onto the ejector pins 44; a process furnace 50 is disposed beside the loading mechanism 40; the process furnace 50 includes a furnace body 520, an openable furnace door 510 disposed on the furnace body 520, a heating element 528 disposed inside the furnace body 520, and a tray assembly 410 disposed on the furnace door 510; the ejector pins 44 can load the wafer 15 onto the tray assembly 410. The crystal boat platform 10 is equipped with several crystal boat boxes 16, each capable of holding multiple wafers 15. After the wafers 15 are loaded into the crystal boat box 16, it is placed on the crystal boat platform 10. The robot 30 is used to transfer the wafers 15 between the crystal boat platform 10, the wafer cooling station 20, and the loading mechanism 40. The positioning frame 21 has multiple layers of shelves 23, and can hold multiple wafers 15. The robot 30's first tray 34 and second tray 35 extend into the positioning frame 21 to place or remove wafers 15 from it. Ejector pins 44 extend from the support plate 43 and can pass through the tray assembly 410, facilitating the robot 30 to place wafers 15 onto the ejector pins 44. When the ejector pin 44 descends, the wafer 15 will fall onto the silicon carbide carrier 413. This design allows the wafer 15 to fall precisely onto the silicon carbide carrier 413, preventing its displacement.

[0036] Preferred working steps: 1. Workers or robots place a large number of wafers in layers within the wafer carrier box 16 of the wafer carrier platform 10, facilitating the robot 30 to pick up the wafers 15. 2. The robot 30 places multiple wafers 15 from the wafer carrier box 16 into the positioning rack 21, positioning the wafers 15. 3. The furnace door 510 opens, and the ejector pins 44 on the carrier plate 43 pass through the silicon carbide carrier tray 413 of the carrier tray assembly 410. Then, the robot 30 places the positioned wafers 15 onto the ejector pins 44, which descend smoothly, ensuring the wafers 15 land smoothly and accurately on the carrier tray assembly 410. 4. The furnace door 510 closes, and the heating element 528 inside the furnace body 520 heats the wafers 15. 5. After the wafers 15 are heated, the furnace door 510 opens, the ejector pins 44 lift the wafers, and the robot 30 places the wafers 15 on the ejector pins 44 into the positioning rack 21 for cooling. 5. After cooling is complete, robot 30 will place the cooled wafer 15 back onto the crystal boat platform 10.

[0037] Preferably, the crystal boat platform 10 includes a first base plate 11, a crystal boat box 16, and a first sensor 14; the first base plate 11 is provided with a first positioning post 12 and a second positioning post 13; the crystal boat box 16 is provided with a plurality of first wafer slots 17, and wafers 15 are inserted into the first wafer slots 17; the crystal boat box 16 is provided with a flange 18; the crystal boat box 16 is embedded between the first positioning post 12 and the second positioning post 13, and the first positioning post 12 blocks the flange 18; the first sensor 14 faces the wafers 15 inside the crystal boat box 16. Preferably, the first positioning post 12 and the second positioning post 13 are arranged in an isosceles trapezoidal shape. The structure of the crystal boat box 16 is adapted to the shape of the arrangement of the first positioning post 12 and the second positioning post 13. The first wafer tray 17 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape. The left and right first wafer trays 17 cooperate to allow the wafer 15 to be layered in the wafer carrier 16. A certain gap is left between the wafer 15 and the inner wall of the first wafer tray 17. This design facilitates the robot 30 in lifting and retrieving the wafer 15. When the wafer carrier 16 is loaded, it is embedded between the first positioning post 12 and the second positioning post 13. The first positioning post 12 blocks the flange 18, thus completing the positioning and fixing of the wafer carrier 16. This structure is very simple. The first sensor 14 is preferably a photoelectric sensor, which can sense the wafer 15 inside the wafer carrier 16, facilitating collaborative work between systems. In this embodiment, the wafer carrier 16 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape. This design ensures that the wafer 15 can only be removed from one direction, preventing it from falling. The structure is very ingenious. The wafer carriers 16 are arranged in an arc shape on the first base plate 11, a design that can accommodate more wafer carriers 16.

[0038] Preferably, the robot 30 includes a liftable second base 31, a first robotic arm 32 and a second robotic arm 33 mounted on the second base 31; a first pallet 34 is mounted on the first robotic arm 32, and a second pallet 35 is mounted on the second robotic arm 33; the first pallet 34 and the second pallet 35 can lift the wafer 15. The second base 31 is liftable and rotatable, with the second base 31 being lifted by a lead screw and rotated by a servo motor. The first robotic arm 32 and the second robotic arm 33 can move on the second base 31. The first pallet 34 and the second pallet 35 can lift the wafer 15 and then remove it. Preferably, both the first pallet 34 and the second pallet 35 are provided with vacuum suction holes 36, which are connected to a vacuum pump through a first pipe. After the first pallet 34 and the second pallet 35 lift the wafer 15, the vacuum suction holes 36 hold the wafer 15 in place, preventing it from falling and shifting during movement. Preferably, the vacuum suction port 36 can suck in or blow air, and the air pressure for sucking in and blowing in can be set as needed. Please refer to... Figure 9As shown, the first support plate 34 and the second support plate 35 are heating plates 310, which include a metal plate 311 and a U-shaped metal heating frame 315 sandwiched between the metal plates 311. A vacuum suction hole 36 is located on the metal plate 311, and a first conduit is located inside the metal plate 311. The metal heating frame 315 can be energized and heats up; the U-shaped structure facilitates the connection of wires. The metal plate 311 is polished, resulting in a very smooth surface. This design avoids scratching the wafer 15 and further prevents the wafer 15 from sliding on the metal plate 311. Both the wafer 15 and the metal plate 311 are very smooth, and through negative pressure, intermolecular forces, and adhesion, the wafer 15 is prevented from sliding on the first support plate 34 and the second support plate 35. The metal heating frame 315 heats up when energized, thereby heating the metal plate 311 as well. This design allows the temperature of the metal plate 311 to be close to or the same as the temperature of the heated wafer 15. This reduces the impact of the temperature of the first tray 34 and the second tray 35 on the wafer 15. After the wafer 15 is removed, it is cooled uniformly in the positioning frame 21, which better ensures the quality of annealing.

[0039] Preferably, the positioning frame 21 is provided with several layers 23, and each layer 23 is provided with a third positioning post 24. The wafer 15 is placed on the layer 23; the third positioning post 24 blocks the outer periphery of the wafer 15 and positions the wafer 15. The layer 23 is set in the positioning frame 21 by screws or snap-fit. The layer 23 has multiple layers, so multiple layers of wafers 15 can be placed in the positioning frame 21. The body of the third positioning post 24 is cylindrical, and the top of the third positioning post 24 is hemispherical or arc-shaped. This design facilitates the limiting of the wafer 15 by the third positioning post 24. In this embodiment, two third positioning posts 24 are provided on the layer 23. The four third positioning posts 24 limit the periphery of the wafer 15, thus positioning the wafer 15 for accurate loading in the subsequent process. The wafer cooling station 20 is also provided with a CCD camera, which faces the wafer to detect it.

[0040] Preferably, a nozzle 25 is provided on the side of the positioning frame 21, which sprays nitrogen gas to cool the wafer 15 on the positioning frame 21; the positioning frame 21 is provided with several rows of air holes 22 to cool the wafer. A shelf 23 separates the upper and lower rows of air holes 22, which are connected to a second conduit. The air holes 22 spray cooling gas to cool the wafer 15 in each layer. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer 15 in each layer can be cooled by the gas sprayed from the air holes 22. This design allows the wafer 15 to be cooled quickly and uniformly, ensuring the quality of cooling. The air holes 22 can spray nitrogen gas to cool the wafer 15. The second conduit and the nozzles 25 are connected to a gas cabinet, which provides nitrogen and / or air. In this embodiment, the gas cabinet provides nitrogen, which provides better cooling quality and faster cooling. There are several rows of nozzles 25, with at least two rows of nozzles 25 corresponding to each positioning frame 21. Each row of nozzles 25 has at least three. Nitrogen gas is ejected from nozzle 25 to cool wafer 15. Each row of nozzles 25 and vents 22 can be individually controlled by a solenoid valve.

[0041] Preferably, the loading mechanism 40 further includes a first linear module 41; a support plate 43 is disposed on the first linear module 41, and at least three ejector pins 44 are disposed on the support plate 43, the ejector pins 44 being able to pass through the carrier assembly 410. The first linear module 41 is a module driven by a lead screw servo motor. In this embodiment, the three ejector pins 44 are arranged in a group, forming an equilateral triangle, that is, the three ejector pins 44 lift one wafer 15, this structure helps to ensure the stability of the wafer 15. A third sensor 42 is disposed on the track of the first linear module 41, which can be used to determine the position of the support plate 43, and thus control the lifting amplitude of the ejector pins 44. The robot 30 supports the wafer and then gently places it on the ejector pins 44, this design can prevent the wafer 15 from shifting and has good precision.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 10As shown, preferably, the process furnace 50 further includes a door lock device 511. This door lock device 511 includes a first locking rod 512 disposed on the furnace body 520, a second locking rod 513 disposed on the furnace door 510, a latch 515, and a push rod 516 connected to the furnace door 510. The latch 515 engages with the first locking rod 512, pressing the first locking rod 512 and the second locking rod 513 together. The push rod 516 drives the furnace door 510 to open or close. In this embodiment, at least one of the first locking rod 512 and the second locking rod 513 is provided with an elastic rubber shell, which enhances the closure's firmness. A sealing groove is provided at the opening of the furnace body 520, and a high-temperature resistant sealing ring is disposed within the sealing groove. A sealing block is provided on the inner side of the furnace door 510. When the furnace door 510 is closed, the sealing block presses against the sealing ring, thus ensuring the sealing performance of the process furnace 50. The inner wall of the process furnace 50 can be evacuated. When the wafer 15 is heated, the process furnace 50 is evacuated and nitrogen is injected for protection. The latch 515 is driven by the first cylinder 514. When the furnace door 510 is closed, the first locking rod 512 and the second locking rod 513 are pressed together, and the latch 515 hooks onto the first locking rod 512, which ensures the tightness of the furnace door 510 and prevents air leakage. The push rod 516 is driven by the second cylinder, and the push rod 516 drives the furnace door 510 to open or close.

[0043] Preferably, the carrier assembly 410 includes a quartz support 411, a silicon carbide carrier 413, and a first thermometer 415; the first thermometer 415 is mounted on the quartz support 411; the quartz support 411 is mounted on the furnace door 510; the quartz support 411 is provided with a support lug 412, which supports the silicon carbide carrier 413; the silicon carbide carrier 413 is provided with a second wafer groove 414, in which a wafer 15 is placed, and a push pin 44 can pass through the second wafer groove 414 to lift the wafer 15. Quartz has good heat resistance and is not easily cracked due to temperature changes. Preferably, the quartz support 411 is artificially manufactured. The quartz support 411 has an internal metal frame made of high-temperature alloy material, a design that prevents the quartz support from breaking. Quartz glass has a wide heat resistance range, with commonly used temperatures ranging from 1100℃ to 1200℃, and short-term operating temperatures even reaching 1400℃. Silicon carbide is a material with excellent thermal conductivity. Its high thermal conductivity, approximately 150 W / mK, makes it perform well in high-temperature environments, effectively conducting heat. A first thermometer 415 is used to detect the temperature inside the furnace and on the quartz support 411. A ceramic mounting bracket is provided on the inner side of the furnace door 510. The main body of the quartz support 411 has a frame-like structure, with at least two mounting feet extending from it. These feet are inserted into the ceramic mounting bracket on the inner side of the furnace door 510, and bolts or pins lock the mounting feet and the ceramic mounting bracket 418 together. The ceramic mounting bracket has excellent heat resistance, facilitates installation, and reduces the impact of temperature on the furnace door 510. A fourth positioning post 416 is provided on the support lug 412 on the quartz support 411. The support lug 412 supports the silicon carbide carrier 413, and the fourth positioning post is inserted into the silicon carbide carrier 413 to prevent it from moving. The support lug 412 is integrally formed from the quartz support 411, which provides excellent temperature stability and prevents it from loosening. The first wafer groove 17 has clearance holes 417 on its wall, through which the ejector pin 44 can pass. When the silicon carbide carrier 413 needs to be replaced, it is only necessary to lift it up; this assembly structure is very simple and easy to disassemble and assemble.

[0044] Preferably, the inner wall of the furnace body 520 is coated with a metallic reflective layer; heating elements 528 are provided on the upper and lower inner walls of the furnace body 520; a second thermometer 527 is provided inside the furnace body 520; and a vacuum port, a cooling vent, and a protective gas injection port are provided on the furnace body 520, communicating with the internal chamber 524 of the furnace body 520. The reflective layer is a gold-plated layer, which has a good heat-reflecting effect. The vacuum port and the protective gas injection port can be controlled by electromagnetic valves to control the vacuuming or injection of protective gas; that is, a single hole in the furnace body is sufficient to complete the vacuuming and gas injection. Preferably, a heat insulation layer is also provided between the reflective layer and the furnace wall. The heat insulation layer is made of ceramic fiber or aluminum silicate fiber, which improves the heat insulation performance, prevents the furnace body 520 from overheating, and is more energy-efficient. Therefore, the combination of the gold plating layer and the heat insulation layer can achieve energy saving and temperature control. The gold is plated onto the ceramic using chemical plating or vacuum plating. The furnace body 520 includes a furnace body 521, an upper furnace plate 522, and a lower furnace plate 523, which are fastened to the furnace body 521. Liquid cooling pipes 529 are installed inside the furnace body 521, upper furnace plate 522, and lower furnace plate 523 to cool the process furnace 50. The heating element 528 is a halogen infrared lamp, which has an extremely fast heating rate and a process range covering 25-1250℃. In this embodiment, the heating element 528 is installed on the upper and lower inner walls of the furnace body 520; however, heating elements can also be installed on the inner sidewalls of the furnace body 520. A second thermometer 527 is installed at the bottom of the furnace body 520 to measure the temperature inside the furnace body 520. The second thermometer 527 is inserted into the furnace body 520 from the bottom to ensure temperature measurement accuracy. The first thermometer 415 and the second thermometer 527 work together to measure the temperature inside the furnace more accurately. The furnace body 520 also includes a cooling pipe 525, which spans the upper and lower sides of the quartz support 411. The cooling pipe 525 has several extraction holes 526. Hot gas inside the furnace is extracted through these extraction holes 526 by an air pump, thus effectively controlling the furnace temperature. Because the cooling pipe 525 spans the upper and lower sides of the quartz support 411, hot gas can be directly extracted during extraction, allowing for rapid temperature control. In particular, this design allows the cooling pipe 525 to very sensitively control the temperature of the wafer 15, helping to ensure the temperature of the wafer 15 and the quality of its heating. The cooling pipe 525 can be used for extraction from one end or both ends. The diameter of the extraction holes 526 gradually decreases along the airflow direction. For example, when using extraction from both ends, the diameter of the extraction hole 526 in the middle of the cooling pipe 525 is the largest, gradually decreasing towards both ends. For example, when using one-end extraction, the diameter of the farthest end of the cooling tube 525 is the largest, gradually decreasing along the airflow direction.The diameter of the exhaust port 526 gradually decreases along the airflow direction. This structure can regulate the airflow, which helps to make the exhaust temperature more uniform throughout the furnace body 520, resulting in a more stable overall temperature, better cooling effect, and more sensitive temperature control.

[0045] The vacuum port is connected to a vacuum pump via a pipe. The vacuum pump evacuates the interior of the process furnace 50. After evacuation, the gas cabinet injects protective gas (nitrogen or inert gas) through the protective gas injection port. When the protective gas concentration reaches the required level, the heating element 528 heats the wafer 15.

[0046] Preferably, there is one each of the crystal boat platform 10, wafer cooling station 20, and robot 30. A process furnace 50 and a loading mechanism 40 are arranged on both sides of the robot 30. The crystal boat platform 10, wafer cooling station 20, and robot 30 are positioned between the process furnace 50 and the loading mechanism 40. This design, with two process furnaces 50 and loading mechanisms 40 working in conjunction with the crystal boat platform 10, wafer cooling station 20, and robot 30, improves the utilization rate of each mechanism and saves equipment costs.

[0047] In summary, the key design feature of this invention is that its positioning frame 21 can hold multiple layers of wafers 15, allowing for simultaneous positioning and cooling of numerous wafers 15. This design helps improve cooling and loading efficiency. Simultaneously, the ejector pin 44 loads the wafers 15 onto the carrier assembly 410 via a descending motion, ensuring precise wafer loading and preventing displacement during the loading process. Furthermore, the single silicon carbide carrier disk 413 of the carrier assembly 410 can hold multiple wafers 15, allowing for the heating of multiple wafers 15 at a time, further enhancing processing efficiency.

[0048] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers, characterized in that: Includes a crystal boat platform; wafers are placed on the crystal boat platform; The robot is positioned to the side of the crystal boat platform and is capable of transferring wafers; The wafer cooling station is located beside the robot; the wafer cooling station includes a positioning rack that can hold one or more wafers; The feeding mechanism is located on the side of the robot; the feeding mechanism includes a first linear module, a support plate, and ejector pins disposed on the support plate; the support plate is disposed on the first linear module, and at least three ejector pins are disposed on the support plate; The process furnace is located beside the loading mechanism; the process furnace includes a furnace body, an openable furnace door located in the furnace body, a heating element located in the furnace body, and a tray assembly located in the furnace door; a ejector pin passes through the tray assembly, and the robot loads the wafers from the crystal boat platform onto the ejector pin; the ejector pin descends, and the ejector pin loads the wafers onto the tray assembly; The carrier assembly includes a quartz support, a silicon carbide carrier, and a first thermometer; the first thermometer is mounted on the quartz support; the quartz support is mounted on the furnace door; the quartz support is provided with a support lug that supports the silicon carbide carrier; the silicon carbide carrier is provided with a second wafer groove, in which a wafer is placed, and a push pin can pass through the second wafer groove to lift the wafer; The silicon carbide carrier disk can hold multiple wafers, and these wafers can be heated simultaneously.

2. The fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crystal boat platform includes a first base plate, a crystal boat box, and a first sensor; the first base plate is provided with a first positioning post and a second positioning post; the crystal boat box is provided with a plurality of first wafer slots, and the wafers are inserted into the first wafer slots; the crystal boat box is provided with a flange; the crystal boat box is embedded between the first positioning post and the second positioning post, and the first positioning post blocks the flange; the first sensor faces the wafers in the crystal boat box.

3. The fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robot includes a liftable second base, a first robotic arm mounted on the second base, and a second robotic arm; the first robotic arm is equipped with a first tray, and the second robotic arm is equipped with a second tray; the first tray and the second tray can lift the wafer.

4. The fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning frame is provided with several shelves, and a third positioning post is provided on the shelf. The wafer is placed on the shelf; the third positioning post blocks the outer periphery of the wafer and positions the wafer.

5. The fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers according to claim 4, characterized in that: The positioning frame has air nozzles on its side that spray nitrogen gas to cool the wafers on the positioning frame; the positioning frame also has several rows of air holes to cool the wafers.

6. The fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The process furnace also includes a door lock device, which includes a first locking rod disposed on the furnace body, a second locking rod and a latch disposed on the furnace door, and a sliding rod connected to the furnace door. The latch is fastened to the first locking rod; the first locking rod and the second locking rod are pressed together; and the sliding rod drives the furnace door to open or close.

7. The fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the furnace body is coated with a metallic reflective layer; the inner wall of the furnace body is provided with a heating element; a second thermometer is provided inside the furnace body; and the furnace body is provided with a vacuum port, a cooling exhaust port, and a protective gas injection port that communicate with the internal chamber of the furnace body.

8. A fully automated rapid annealing equipment for wafers according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The system includes one crystal boat platform, one wafer cooling station, and one robot. Each of the robot has a process furnace and a loading mechanism on both sides. The crystal boat platform, wafer cooling station, and robot are positioned between the process furnace and the loading mechanism.

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