Ejector pin mechanism, jacking device and process chamber

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an ejector pin mechanism, a jacking device and a process chamber, and the ejector pin mechanism comprises a supporting plate which is provided with a plurality of installation groove positions located in the same plane; the multiple ejector pins are arranged in the first direction perpendicular to the plane where the supporting plate is located, the first ends of the multiple ejector pins are arranged in the corresponding installation groove positions through connecting assemblies, and the second ends of the multiple ejector pins are used for supporting workpieces; the connecting assembly comprises a fastening part, an adjusting part and a clamping part which are sequentially surrounded by the ejector pin in the circumferential direction, the fastening part is connected with the first end of the ejector pin, the fastening part is limited in a containing space formed by the adjusting part, the adjusting part can ascend and descend in the clamping part in the first direction, and the clamping part is clamped into the mounting groove position. According to the technical scheme, the fracture risk of the ejector pin can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and in particular to an ejector mechanism, an ejection device and a process chamber. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor chip manufacturing process, the wafer needs to enter one or more process chambers for processing and be taken out of the process chamber after the processing is completed. Usually, the robot and the lifting device in the process chamber are required to cooperate to take and place the wafer. The process of the wafer being transferred into the process chamber by the robot is as follows: the robot moves the wafer to the top of the lifting device, the ejector of the lifting device lifts the wafer, the wafer is separated from the robot, the robot moves away, and then the ejector lowers the wafer and places the wafer on the base. The process of the wafer being transferred out of the process chamber is exactly the opposite: the ejector lifts the wafer, the robot enters the chamber and reaches under the wafer, the ejector lowers the wafer, the wafer falls on the robot, and the robot transfers the wafer out of the chamber. Summary of the invention

[0003] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide an ejector pin mechanism, an ejection device, and a process chamber to solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art.

[0004] As one aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an ejector pin mechanism, which is applied to a process chamber of a semiconductor process equipment, including:

[0005] A support plate, the support plate is provided with a plurality of mounting slots in the same plane;

[0006] A plurality of ejectors, wherein the plurality of ejectors are arranged along a first direction perpendicular to the plane where the support plate is located, the first ends of the plurality of ejectors are respectively arranged in corresponding installation slots through connecting components, and the second ends of the plurality of ejectors are used to support the workpiece;

[0007] The connecting assembly includes a fastening component, an adjusting component and a clamping component which are surrounded by the latter in sequence in the circumferential direction. The fastening component is connected to the first end of the ejector pin. The fastening component is confined in a receiving space formed by the adjusting component. The adjusting component can be raised and lowered in the clamping component along a first direction. The clamping component is clamped into the installation slot.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the clamping component includes a cylindrical cover body, the top end surface of the cylindrical cover body has an opening, and a limiting ring is provided on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical cover body;

[0009] The installation slot has an opening facing the second direction, the width of the opening is greater than the diameter of the cylindrical cover body, and the side wall of the installation slot has a first groove matched with the limiting ring; when the clamping component is clamped into the installation slot from the opening, the limiting ring slides into the first groove;

[0010] The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the thickness of the limiting ring matches the width of the first groove.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the clamping component includes a pair of clamping springs, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the circumferential surface of the cylindrical cover body, and the clamping springs include a first end, a second end and a middle section, the first end of the clamping spring is connected to the cylindrical cover body, the middle section extends in a direction parallel to the cylindrical cover body, and the second end extends in a direction away from the cylindrical cover body to form a gripping portion;

[0012] When the clamping component is clamped into the installation slot from the opening, the clamping spring is pressed by the installation slot.

[0013] In a possible implementation, there is a first distance between the clamping spring and the limiting ring;

[0014] The installation slot has a second groove matched with the clamping spring sheet, and a convex ridge matching the first distance is provided between the second groove and the first groove.

[0015] In a possible implementation, an outer surface of the adjusting component is provided with an external thread, an inner wall of the clamping component has an internal thread, the adjusting component and the clamping component are connected via threads, and the height of the adjusting component in the first direction is adjusted via the threads.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the adjusting component includes a tubular body and a plug-shaped body, the first end of the tubular body is an annular structure with a circular hole, the plug-shaped body is adjustably inserted into the tubular body from the second end of the tubular body, and the annular structure, the inner wall of the tubular body, and the plug-shaped body jointly define an accommodation space; when the fastening component is defined in the accommodation space, it has a first gap in the first direction and a second gap in the second direction;

[0017] The diameter of the circular hole is smaller than the diameter of the fastening component, and the first gap is smaller than the second gap.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the tubular body and the plug-shaped body are connected via threads, and the plug-shaped body adjusts the depth of insertion into the tubular body by rotating itself to control the size of the first gap.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the fastening component includes a needle seat, an aligning ball and an aligning seat, the aligning seat includes a base with a spherical groove and an upper cover, the aligning ball is arranged in the aligning seat, one end of the needle seat has a multi-petal claw structure for clamping the ejector pin, and the other end of the needle seat passes through the upper cover and is connected to the aligning ball.

[0020] In a possible implementation manner, the second end of the tubular body and the plug-shaped body are provided with matching threaded flanges, and the tubular body and the plug-shaped body are fixed by screws passing through the threaded flanges.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the bottom of the installation slot is closed.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the top end surface of the cylindrical cover body has a plurality of screw holes, and the top end surface of the adjusting component has a plurality of fixing holes. The axial distances from the screw holes and the fixing holes to the connecting component are the same, and the cylindrical cover body and the adjusting component are fixed by screws passing through the screw holes and the fixing holes.

[0023] In a possible implementation manner, a side wall of the opening and / or the circular hole has an inclined surface facing outward.

[0024] In a possible implementation, a first installation slot, a second installation slot, and a third installation slot are provided on the support plate, and the first installation slot is connected to the second installation slot, and the second installation slot is connected to the third installation slot via an arc arm.

[0025] As a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lifting device, including:

[0026] A base is used to carry a semiconductor workpiece, and the base has a plurality of pinholes;

[0027] The first aspect of the present disclosure provides an ejector mechanism, wherein a plurality of ejector pins of the ejector mechanism are inserted into a plurality of pinholes; and

[0028] The lifting drive mechanism is connected to the support plate of the ejector mechanism and is used to drive the support plate to move along the axial direction of the base so that the semiconductor workpiece can be lifted or lowered.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the base is an electrostatic chuck.

[0030] In one possible implementation, a connecting plate is provided on the first arc-shaped arm between the first mounting slot and the second mounting slot of the support plate, the connecting plate is connected to the lifting rod of the lifting drive mechanism, and the connecting plate and the third mounting slot are arranged on both sides of the line connecting the first mounting slot and the second mounting slot.

[0031] As a third aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a process chamber, including:

[0032] chamber body;

[0033] The second aspect of the present disclosure provides a lifting device, in which the base and the ejector mechanism of the lifting device are arranged in the chamber body; the lifting rod of the lifting drive mechanism passes through the chamber body and is connected to the support plate of the ejector mechanism, and the part of the lifting rod outside the chamber body is surrounded by a bellows.

[0034] The embodiment of the present disclosure adopts the above technical solution to reduce the risk of breakage of the ejector pin.

[0035] The above summary is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments and features described above, further aspects, embodiments and features of the present disclosure will be readily apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the multiple drawings represent the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments provided according to the present disclosure and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a support plate of an ejector mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0038] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram showing a connecting assembly of an ejector mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 3 A cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a connection assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a process chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0041] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1. plasma source; 2. chamber body; 3. workpiece; 4. base; 5. connecting assembly; 6. support plate; 7. bellows; 8. lifting drive mechanism; 9. ejector pin; 510. clamping component; 511. cover body; 512. opening; 513. limiting ring; 514. clamping spring; 515. screw hole; 520. adjusting component; 521. tubular body; 522. plug-shaped body; 530. fastening component; 531. needle seat; 532. self-aligning ball; 533. self-aligning seat; 54. locking screw; 61. mounting slot; 62. connecting plate; 611. first groove; 612. second groove; 613. convex ridge. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In the following, only some exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and descriptions are considered to be exemplary and non-restrictive in nature.

[0043] In the related art, each ejector pin is installed vertically downward from the base, passes through the pinhole on the base, and is installed in the corresponding ejector pin fastener. The fastener can grasp the ejector pin and restrict the ejector pin and the fastener from sliding freely in the vertical direction. The fastener is usually connected to the pallet through a connector. The vertical axis of the connector is perpendicular to the pallet, but due to processing or assembly errors, each ejector pin and the corresponding pinhole on the base will have different degrees of eccentricity in position. In addition, if the ejector pallet is not horizontal, the ejector pin will tilt, and the spherical hinge structure of the fastener at the bottom of the ejector pin will automatically rotate and adjust after being stressed. However, when the pallet with the ejector pin structure rises or falls, since the lifting rod is at the edge of the pallet, when the ejector pin is stressed, the pallet will inevitably tilt, and sliding may occur between the connector and the pallet. In addition, since the structure composed of the connector and the like is relatively heavy and has large inertia, there is a risk of ejector pin breakage.

[0044] In order to at least partially solve one or more of the above problems and other potential problems, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an ejector pin mechanism. By using the technical solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the risk of ejector pin breakage can be reduced.

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a support plate of an ejector mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the structure of the connection assembly of the ejector mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ejector mechanism comprises:

[0046] The support plate 6 is provided with a plurality of mounting slots 61 on the same plane;

[0047] A plurality of ejector pins 9, wherein the plurality of ejector pins 9 are arranged along a first direction perpendicular to the plane where the support plate 6 is located, wherein the first ends of the plurality of ejector pins are respectively arranged in corresponding mounting slots 61 through the connecting components 5, and the second ends of the plurality of ejector pins 9 are used to support the workpiece 3;

[0048] The connecting assembly 5 includes a fastening component 530, an adjusting component 520 and a clamping component 510 which are sequentially surrounded by the latter in the circumferential direction. The fastening component 530 is connected to the first end of the ejector pin 9. The fastening component 530 is confined in the accommodating space formed by the adjusting component 520. The adjusting component 520 can be raised and lowered in the clamping component 510 along the first direction. The clamping component 510 is clamped into the mounting slot 61.

[0049] In the disclosed embodiment, the support plate 6 is usually arranged horizontally, and a plurality of mounting slots 61 are provided on the support plate 6, the number of the mounting slots 61 is not less than 3, and the plurality of mounting slots 61 can be arranged equidistantly at the same center point. For example, the three mounting slots 61 can be arranged in a regular triangle distribution. A connecting component 5 is provided in each mounting slot 61, and the first end of the ejector pin 9 is inserted downwardly from the top of the corresponding connecting component 5 along the first direction into the connecting component 5 to complete the assembly. The second end of the ejector pin 9 is used to support the workpiece, and the workpiece 3 can be a semiconductor workpiece such as a wafer, a silicon chip, or a substrate. The first direction is a vertical direction, and the second direction can be said to be a horizontal direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0050] The connecting assembly 5 includes a fastening component 530, an adjusting component 520 and a clamping component 510. Figure 3 As shown, the fastening component 530 is surrounded by the adjusting component 520, and at least part of the adjusting component 520 in the circumferential direction is surrounded by the clamping component 510. The fastening component 530 is used to fix the ejector pin. The fastening component 530 is confined in the accommodating space formed by the adjusting component 520, and the size of the accommodating space is slightly larger than the width or diameter of the fastening component 530, so that the fastening component 530 can move within the range of the accommodating space to change the horizontal position of the fastening component 530 according to the position of the ejector pin 9, thereby facilitating assembly with the ejector pin. The clamping component 510 is used to connect with the mounting slot 61 and fix the entire connecting assembly 5 in the mounting slot 61. The adjusting component 520 is used to adjust the position of the ejector pin, including active adjustment and passive adjustment. Active adjustment can be understood as the adjusting component 520 can change its own height in the first direction in the clamping component 510, thereby adjusting the height of the ejector pin and ensuring that the second ends of multiple ejector pins are in the same horizontal plane. Passive adjustment can be understood as the adjusting component 520 also providing horizontal movement space for the fastening component 530, so that once the horizontality of the support plate 6 changes or horizontal movement occurs due to other reasons, the ejector pin and the fastening component 530 can remain in place in the horizontal direction to prevent the ejector pin from being subjected to horizontal force.

[0051] According to the solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the ejector pin 9 and the fastening component 530 can move in the accommodation space of the adjustment component 520. Even if the horizontality of the support plate 6 changes, the ejector pin 9 and the fastening component 530 are always only subjected to the force in the first direction, thereby reducing the risk of the ejector pin 9 breaking. On the other hand, the ejector pin 9 is only directly connected to the fastening component 530, and the fastening component 530 is movably arranged in the adjustment component 520, thereby reducing the structural mass of the components directly connected to the ejector pin 9, reducing the inertia of the ejector pin 9 when it moves, and helping to further avoid the force on the ejector pin 9 and reducing the risk of breaking.

[0052] In a possible implementation, the clamping component 510 includes a cylindrical cover 511, the top end surface of the cover 511 has an opening 512, and a limiting ring 513 is provided on the circumference of the cover 511;

[0053] The installation slot 61 has an opening facing the second direction, the width of the opening is greater than the diameter of the cover 511, and the side wall of the installation slot 61 has a first groove 611 that matches with the limiting ring 513; when the clamping component 510 is clamped into the installation slot 61 from the opening, the limiting ring 513 slides into the first groove 611;

[0054] The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the thickness of the limiting ring 513 matches the width of the first groove 611 .

[0055] In the disclosed embodiment, the installation slot 61 may be a U-shaped slot, the opening of the U-shaped slot faces the second direction, and the width of the opening is slightly smaller than the width of the inside of the U-shaped slot. The connecting component 5 is inserted into the installation slot 61 from the opening along the direction of the opening, and the limiting ring 513 slides into the first groove 611 together.

[0056] According to the solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the limiting ring 513 cooperates with the first groove 611 to make the connecting component 5 more firmly fixed in the installation slot 61, thereby ensuring the axial stability of the connecting component 5 and preventing the connecting component 5 from deflecting or sliding.

[0057] In a possible implementation, the clamping component 510 includes a pair of clamping springs 514, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the circumferential surface of the cover body 511, and the clamping springs 514 include a first end, a second end and a middle section. The first end of the clamping spring 514 is connected to the cover body 511, the middle section extends in a direction parallel to the cover body 511, and the second end extends in a direction away from the cover body 511 to form a gripping portion.

[0058] When the clamping component 510 is clamped into the installation slot 61 from the opening, the clamping spring 514 is pressed by the installation slot 61 .

[0059] In the disclosed embodiment, a pair of clamping springs 514 surround the cover body 511. When the clamping component 510 is inserted into the installation slot 61, the clamping springs 514 are pressed toward the cover body 511 by the opening and side walls of the installation slot 61. The reaction force of the clamping springs 514 makes the connection between the connecting component 5 and the installation slot 61 more stable.

[0060] According to the solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the clamping spring piece 514 can make the connection component 5 be fixed in the installation slot 61 more firmly, and prevent the connection component 5 from sliding or easily falling out of the installation slot.

[0061] In a possible implementation, there is a first distance between the clamping spring piece 514 and the limiting ring 513;

[0062] The installation slot 61 has a second groove 612 matched with the clamping spring piece 514 , and a ridge 613 matching the first distance is provided between the second groove 612 and the first groove 611 .

[0063] In the disclosed embodiment, when the connecting component 5 is fixed in the installation slot 61 , the space between the clamping spring 514 and the limiting ring 513 is filled with the ridge 613 , so that the connecting component 5 is restricted and clamped at multiple positions, further ensuring the stability of the connecting component 5 .

[0064] In a possible implementation, the outer surface of the adjusting component 520 is provided with an external thread, the inner wall of the clamping component 510 has an internal thread, the adjusting component 520 is connected to the clamping component 510 through threads, and the height of the adjusting component 520 in the first direction is adjusted through the threads.

[0065] In the disclosed embodiment, an external thread is provided on the circumferential surface of the upper portion of the adjusting component 520 , so that the adjusting component 520 can adjust its height within the clamping component 510 at will.

[0066] In another example, the adjusting component 520 can be directly slidably disposed in the clamping component 510, and the position can be adjusted by a combination of bolts or screws and washers passing through the two.

[0067] According to the solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the height of the adjusting component 520 can be conveniently adjusted, thereby changing the height of the ejector pin.

[0068] In a possible implementation, the adjustment component 520 includes a tubular body 521 and a plug-shaped body 522. The first end of the tubular body 521 is an annular structure with a circular hole. The plug-shaped body 522 is adjustably inserted into the tubular body 521 from the second end of the tubular body 521. The annular structure, the inner wall of the tubular body 521, and the plug-shaped body 522 jointly define an accommodation space. When the fastening component 530 is defined in the accommodation space, it has a first gap in the first direction and a second gap in the second direction.

[0069] The diameter of the circular hole is smaller than the diameter of the fastening component 530 , and the first gap is smaller than the second gap.

[0070] In the disclosed embodiment, the inner diameter of the tubular body 521 is greater than the diameter of the fastening component 530. The inside of the tubular body 521 may be circular or any other shape. The fastening component 530 may be cylindrical, square or other shapes, and the top and bottom of the fastening component 530 have flat surfaces. The circular hole is used for the ejector pin and part of the fastening component 530 to pass through. The accommodating space formed by the adjusting component 520 enables the fastening component 530 to have a small amount of freedom of movement in the horizontal direction, and the second gap may be between 0.5 and 3 mm, but the first gap in the vertical direction is very small, and the first gap may be less than 0.3 mm. The function of the first gap is to prevent the upper and lower ends of the fastening component 530 from being clamped and to allow the fastening component 530 to move in the horizontal direction.

[0071] According to the solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the adjustment component 520 provides a horizontally movable accommodation space for the fastening component 530, which is convenient for making the fastening component 530 coaxial with the ejector when the ejector is assembled, and also for facilitating the proper displacement of the ejector after the ejector is assembled to avoid breakage.

[0072] In a possible implementation, the tubular body 521 and the plug-shaped body 522 are connected via threads, and the plug-shaped body 522 adjusts the depth of insertion into the tubular body 521 by rotating itself to control the size of the first gap.

[0073] In the disclosed embodiment, the tubular body 521 and the plug-shaped body 522 are connected by threads, so that the size of the first gap can be more conveniently adjusted and controlled.

[0074] In another example, the plug-shaped body 522 can be directly slidably set in the tubular body 521, and the position can be adjusted by a combination of a bolt or a screw and a gasket passing through the two. For example, a countersunk hole perpendicular to the axis is set on the tubular body 521, and a screw is inserted into the countersunk hole. After the screw passes through the tubular body 521, it abuts against the plug-shaped body 522 and compresses the tubular body 521 on the other side of the plug-shaped body 522. The head of the screw is buried in the tubular body 521, and the end can be inserted into the plug-shaped body 522.

[0075] In one possible implementation, the fastening component 530 includes a needle seat 531, an aligning ball 532 and an aligning seat 533, the aligning seat 533 includes a base with a spherical groove and an upper cover, the aligning ball 532 is arranged in the aligning seat 533, one end of the needle seat 531 has a multi-petal claw structure for clamping the ejector pin, and the other end of the needle seat 531 passes through the upper cover and is connected to the aligning ball 532.

[0076] In the disclosed embodiment, the needle seat 531 is inserted into the self-aligning ball 532, and the self-aligning ball 532 and the self-aligning seat 533 form a spherical hinge structure, so that the ejector pin can rotate after being subjected to force. For example, when the horizontality of the support plate 6 changes, the ejector pin is ensured to always remain in the first direction.

[0077] In a possible implementation, the second end of the tubular body 521 and the plug-shaped body 522 are provided with matching threaded flanges, and the tubular body 521 and the plug-shaped body 522 are fixed by screws passing through the threaded flanges.

[0078] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, after the relative positions of the tubular body 521 and the plug-shaped body 522 are determined, the two can be fixed by a threaded flange to prevent the tubular body 521 and the plug-shaped body 522 from rotating and causing a change in relative position.

[0079] In a possible implementation, the bottom of the installation slot 61 is closed.

[0080] In the disclosed embodiment, the bottom of the installation slot 61 is closed to prevent the screws of the threaded flange from falling off.

[0081] In one possible implementation, the top end surface of the cylindrical cover body 511 has a plurality of screw holes 515, and the top end surface of the adjusting component 520 has a plurality of fixing holes, the axial distances between the screw holes and the fixing holes and the connecting component 5 are the same, and the cylindrical cover body 511 and the adjusting component 520 are fixed by locking screws 54 passing through the screw holes and the fixing holes.

[0082] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, after the relative positions of the clamping component 510 and the adjusting component 520 are determined, the clamping component 510 and the adjusting component 520 can be fixed through the fixing holes and screw holes using screws or bolts to prevent the adjusting component 520 from rotating and causing the relative positions to change.

[0083] In a possible implementation, the sidewall of the opening 512 and / or the circular hole has an inclined surface facing outward.

[0084] In a possible implementation, a first mounting slot, a second mounting slot and a third mounting slot are provided on the support plate 6, and the first mounting slot is connected to the second mounting slot and the second mounting slot is connected to the third mounting slot via an arc arm.

[0085] In the disclosed embodiment, the support plate 6 is C-shaped, and the first mounting slot and the third mounting slot are respectively located at two ends of the C-shape. The first mounting slot and the third mounting slot are not connected by an arc arm to reduce the mass of the support plate 6.

[0086] As a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lifting device, including:

[0087] A base 4 is used to carry the semiconductor workpiece 3, and the base 4 has a plurality of pinholes;

[0088] The first aspect of the present disclosure provides an ejector mechanism, wherein a plurality of ejector pins 9 of the ejector mechanism are inserted into a plurality of pinholes; and

[0089] The lifting drive mechanism 8 is connected to the support plate 6 of the ejector mechanism and is used to drive the support plate 6 to move along the axial direction of the base 4 so that the semiconductor workpiece 3 can be lifted or lowered.

[0090] In the disclosed embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism 8 includes a lifting rod, which is connected to the support plate 6. Usually, the lifting rod is arranged at the edge of one side of the support plate 6. When the lifting drive mechanism 8 drives the support plate 6 to move up and down, the end of the support plate 6 away from the lifting rod will shake, thereby changing the horizontality of the support plate 6. The ejector mechanism can basically eliminate the horizontal force of the ejector through the connecting component 5, thereby reducing the risk of the ejector 9 breaking.

[0091] In a possible implementation, the base 4 is an electrostatic chuck.

[0092] In one possible implementation, a connecting plate 62 is provided on the first arc-shaped arm between the first mounting slot 61 and the second mounting slot 61 of the support plate 6, the connecting plate 62 is connected to the lifting rod of the lifting drive mechanism 8, and the connecting plate 62 and the third mounting slot 61 are arranged on both sides of the line connecting the first mounting slot 61 and the second mounting slot 61.

[0093] Figure 4 FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a process chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 As shown, the process chamber comprises:

[0094] Chamber body 2;

[0095] The lifting device provided by any embodiment of the present disclosure has a base 4 and a pin mechanism arranged in the chamber body 2; the lifting rod of the lifting drive mechanism 8 passes through the chamber body 2 and is connected to the support plate 6 of the pin mechanism, and the part of the lifting rod outside the chamber body 2 is surrounded by a bellows 7.

[0096] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the process chamber also includes components for performing process treatment on the semiconductor. For example, in the process chamber of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) plasma etching device, the process chamber also includes a plasma source 1, which is disposed on a chamber body 2.

[0097] The embodiment of the present disclosure adopts the above technical solution to reduce the risk of breakage of the ejector pin.

[0098] Other structures of the process chamber of the above embodiment may adopt various technical solutions known to ordinary technicians in this field now and in the future, and will not be described in detail here.

[0099] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure.

[0100] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0101] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like 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, an electrical connection, or a communication; 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 disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0102] In the present disclosure, 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 above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0103] The disclosure above provides many different embodiments or examples to realize different structures of the present disclosure. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present disclosure, the components and settings of specific examples are described above. Of course, they are only examples, and the purpose is not to limit the present disclosure. In addition, the present disclosure can repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples, and this repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and does not itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed.

[0104] The above is only a specific implementation of the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure, which should be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A ejector pin mechanism, applied to a process chamber of a semiconductor process equipment, comprising: A support plate (6), wherein the support plate (6) is provided with a plurality of mounting slots (61) located in the same plane; A plurality of ejector pins (9), the plurality of ejector pins (9) being arranged along a first direction perpendicular to the plane where the support plate (6) is located, the first ends of the plurality of ejector pins (9) being respectively arranged in the corresponding mounting slots (61) through connecting components (5), and the second ends of the plurality of ejector pins (9) being used to support the workpiece (3); The connecting assembly (5) comprises a fastening component (530), an adjusting component (520) and a snap-on component (510) which are sequentially surrounded by the latter in the circumferential direction; the fastening component (530) is connected to the first end of the ejector pin (9); the fastening component (530) is confined in a receiving space formed by the adjusting component (520); the adjusting component (520) can be raised and lowered in the snap-on component (510) along the first direction; and the snap-on component (510) is snapped into the mounting slot (61).

2. The ejector mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The clamping component (510) comprises a cylindrical cover body (511), the top end surface of the cover body (511) has an opening (512), and a limiting ring (513) is provided on the circumferential surface of the cover body (511); The installation slot (61) has an opening facing the second direction, the width of the opening is greater than the diameter of the cover body (511), and the side wall of the installation slot (61) has a first groove (611) that matches the limiting ring (513); when the clamping component (510) is clamped into the installation slot (61) from the opening, the limiting ring (513) slides into the first groove (611); The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the thickness of the limiting ring (513) matches the width of the first groove (611).

3. The ejector mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: The clamping component (510) comprises a pair of clamping springs (514), the pair of clamping springs (514) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the circumferential surface of the cover body (511), the clamping springs (514) comprise a first end, a second end and a middle section, the first end of the clamping spring (514) is connected to the cover body (511), the middle section extends in a direction parallel to the cover body (511), and the second end extends in a direction away from the cover body (511) to form a gripping portion; When the clamping component (510) is clamped into the installation slot (61) from the opening, the clamping spring (514) is pressed by the installation slot (61).

4. The ejector mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: There is a first distance between the clamping spring (514) and the limiting ring (513); The installation slot (61) has a second groove (612) that matches the clamping spring (514), and a convex ridge (613) that matches the first spacing is provided between the second groove (612) and the first groove (611).

5. The ejector mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The outer surface of the adjusting component (520) is provided with an external thread, the inner wall of the clamping component (510) is provided with an internal thread, the adjusting component (520) is connected to the clamping component (510) via threads, and the height of the adjusting component (520) in the first direction is adjusted via threads.

6. The ejector mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The adjusting component (520) comprises a tubular body (521) and a plug-shaped body (522); the first end of the tubular body (521) is an annular structure with a circular hole; the plug-shaped body (522) is adjustably inserted into the tubular body (521) from the second end of the tubular body (521); the annular structure, the inner wall of the tubular body (521) and the plug-shaped body (522) jointly define a receiving space; when the fastening component (530) is defined in the receiving space, it has a first gap in the first direction and a second gap in the second direction; Wherein, the diameter of the circular hole is smaller than the diameter of the fastening component (530), and the first gap is smaller than the second gap.

7. The ejector mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The tubular body (521) and the plug-shaped body (522) are connected via threads, and the plug-shaped body (522) adjusts the depth of insertion into the tubular body (521) by rotating itself, so as to control the size of the first gap.

8. The ejector mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The fastening component (530) comprises a needle seat (531), an aligning ball (532) and an aligning seat (533); the aligning seat (533) comprises a base having a spherical groove and an upper cover; the aligning ball (532) is arranged inside the aligning seat (533); one end of the needle seat (531) has a multi-petal claw structure for clamping the ejector pin; the other end of the needle seat (531) passes through the upper cover and is connected to the aligning ball (532).

9. The ejector mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: The second end of the tubular body (521) and the plug-shaped body (522) are provided with matching threaded flanges, and the tubular body (521) and the plug-shaped body (522) are fixed by screws passing through the threaded flanges.

10. The ejector mechanism according to claim 9, wherein: The bottom of the installation slot (61) is closed.

11. The ejector mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: The top end surface of the cover body (511) has a plurality of screw holes (515), and the top end surface of the adjustment component (520) has a plurality of fixing holes. The axial distances between the screw holes (515) and the fixing holes and the connecting assembly (5) are the same. The cover body (511) and the adjustment component (520) are fixed by locking screws (54) passing through the screw holes (515) and the fixing holes.

12. The ejector mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The side wall of the opening (512) and / or the circular hole has an inclined surface facing outward.

13. The ejector mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The support plate (6) is provided with a first installation slot, a second installation slot and a third installation slot, and the first installation slot and the second installation slot are connected to each other through an arc-shaped arm.

14. A lifting device, comprising: A base (4) is used to carry a semiconductor workpiece (3), and the base (4) has a plurality of pinholes; The ejector mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein a plurality of ejector pins (9) of the ejector mechanism are inserted into the plurality of pinholes; as well as A lifting drive mechanism (8), the lifting drive mechanism (8) is connected to the support plate (6) of the ejector mechanism and is used to drive the support plate (6) to move along the axial direction of the base (4) so ​​as to enable the workpiece (3) to perform a lifting action.

15. The lifting device according to claim 14, wherein: The base (4) is an electrostatic chuck.

16. The lifting device according to claim 14, wherein: A connecting plate (62) is provided on the first arc-shaped arm between the first mounting slot and the second mounting slot of the support plate (6), the connecting plate (62) is connected to the lifting rod of the lifting drive mechanism (8), and the connecting plate (62) and the third mounting slot are arranged on both sides of the line connecting the first mounting slot and the second mounting slot.

17. A process chamber comprising: Chamber body(2); The lifting device described in any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the base (4) and the ejector mechanism of the lifting device are arranged in the chamber body (2); the lifting rod of the lifting drive mechanism (8) passes through the chamber body (2) and is connected to the support plate (6) of the ejector mechanism, and the part of the lifting rod outside the chamber body (2) is surrounded by a bellows (7).

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