Furnace body cooling system for wafer production

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of wafer production, and provides a furnace body cooling system for wafer production, which comprises a furnace body, and the side wall of the furnace body is provided with a main air inlet; the telescopic gas guide assembly is radially and movably arranged on the furnace body and is used for blocking and opening the main gas inlet; the gas supply assembly is used for supplying cooling gas into the furnace body through the main gas inlet; wherein the multiple main air inlets are evenly formed in the circumferential direction at intervals, the telescopic air guide assembly is provided with a flow guide groove for cooling air to pass through, and the tail end of the flow guide groove is provided with an outlet opened in the circumferential direction of the furnace body; the telescopic gas guide assembly can move towards the interior of the furnace body in the radial direction of the furnace body so as to open the main gas inlet, supply cooling gas into the furnace body through the flow guide groove and enable the cooling gas to flow in the circumferential direction of the furnace body in a one-way mode. By means of the technical scheme, the technical problem that in the prior art, when cooling is needed after the process steps in the furnace body are finished, the temperature consistency in the furnace body in the initial cooling stage is poor is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the technical field of wafer production. Specifically, it relates to a furnace body cooling system for wafer production. Background Art

[0002] During the wafer production process, the furnace body operates at a relatively high temperature state. For example, in heat treatment processes such as diffusion and annealing, the temperature inside the furnace may reach one thousand degrees Celsius or even higher. A cooling system is provided inside the furnace body. The main function of the cooling system is to quickly cool down the furnace body after processing the wafer, so as to take out the boat (including the wafer) from the furnace body. At the same time, when processing the wafer, the cooling system can assist in adjusting the temperature inside the furnace body and control the temperature inside the furnace body within a suitable range to ensure the quality of wafer production and the normal operation of the equipment. The most common cooling methods are water cooling and air cooling. Among them, air cooling has a faster cooling rate and can make the temperature consistency better in different temperature ranges.

[0003] In the current air cooling design at the present stage, air ducts surrounding the furnace body are mostly used. When cooling is required, the air ducts are opened and a blower is used to accelerate the air flow in the air ducts and take away heat. However, the above method will cause inconsistent cooling rates in each temperature zone of the furnace body. Currently, the air ducts are mostly partitioned and separate intake valves are set separately for control. Each intake valve can adjust the opening degree separately according to the actual temperature of the temperature zone. However, in actual applications, especially in the initial stage of cooling, when the cooling gas diffuses from the intake port into the furnace body, there are still differences in the contact time between different temperature zones and the cooling gas. Therefore, it is still difficult to meet the temperature consistency requirements inside the furnace body. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the above defects, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a furnace body cooling system for wafer production, which solves the technical problem of poor temperature consistency inside the furnace body in the initial stage of cooling.

[0005] According to one aspect, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a furnace body cooling system for wafer production, including: a furnace body, on the side wall of which a main intake port is provided; a telescopic air guiding assembly, radially movably arranged on the furnace body for blocking and opening the main intake port; a gas supply assembly for supplying cooling gas into the furnace body through the main intake port; wherein, a plurality of main intake ports are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction, the telescopic air guiding assembly is provided with a diversion groove for the cooling gas to pass through, and the end of the diversion groove has an outlet opening along the circumferential direction of the furnace body; the telescopic air guiding assembly can move radially into the furnace body to open the main intake port and supply the cooling gas into the furnace body through the diversion groove, and make the cooling gas flow unidirectionally along the circumferential direction of the furnace body.

[0006] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the main shaft of the telescopic air guiding assembly extends along the radial direction of the furnace body, and the guiding groove extends along the axial direction of the telescopic air guiding assembly.

[0007] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the telescopic air guiding assembly includes a sliding cylinder and a reset member. The sliding cylinder is slidably matched with the main air inlet, and the inner cavity of the sliding cylinder forms the guiding groove communicating with the outlet. One end of the sliding cylinder close to the axis of the furnace body has an inner end plate, and the sliding cylinder can move away from the axis side of the furnace body under the drive of the reset member to block the main air inlet by means of the inner end plate.

[0008] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it further includes: An installation cylinder, which is arranged on the side wall of the furnace body and communicates with the main air inlet, and the sliding cylinder is slidably arranged on the installation cylinder.

[0009] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, one end of the sliding cylinder away from the axis of the furnace body has a limit protrusion, and the limit protrusion is used to abut against the installation cylinder to limit the sliding amplitude of the sliding cylinder.

[0010] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, there are at least two process zones in the furnace body that are axially spaced apart and communicate with each other. Each process zone is provided with the telescopic air guiding assembly, and a plurality of the telescopic air guiding assemblies are axially spaced apart along the furnace body.

[0011] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it further includes an air inlet guiding member, which is arranged on the furnace body and communicates with the air supply assembly, and is used to guide the cooling gas supplied by the air supply assembly to the main air inlet located in the process zone.

[0012] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the air inlet guiding member includes: A housing, which is arranged on the furnace body and has an inlet for communicating with the air supply assembly; A guiding plate, and there is at least one guiding plate. The guiding plate is arranged in the housing, and the guiding plate divides the inner cavity of the housing into a plurality of air distribution cavities. One end of each air distribution cavity communicates with the inlet, and the other end of each air distribution cavity communicates with the main air inlet in the same axial direction.

[0013] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the furnace body includes: An inner cylinder, the process area is located inside the inner cylinder, and the main air inlet is opened on the side wall of the inner cylinder; An outer cylinder, the outer cylinder covers the outside of the inner cylinder, and a heat preservation area is formed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder; A heat preservation block, the heat preservation block is arranged in the heat preservation area, an installation groove is opened on the side wall of the heat preservation block adjacent to the inner cylinder, and the air inlet guiding member is embedded in the installation groove.

[0014] For example, in a furnace body cooling system for wafer production provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, an auxiliary air inlet is further opened on the side wall of the furnace body. There are multiple groups of the auxiliary air inlets along the axial direction of the furnace body. Each group of the auxiliary air inlets is located between two adjacent main air inlets. Each group of the auxiliary air inlets includes several auxiliary air inlets arranged at circumferential intervals. In the flowing direction of the cooling gas, the distribution density of the several auxiliary air inlets in each group of the auxiliary air inlets gradually increases.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows: In the present disclosure, through the telescopic air guiding assembly combined with the main air inlet to guide the cooling gas to flow unidirectionally in multiple areas inside the furnace body, the problem of the difference in the contact time between different temperature zones and the cooling gas in the initial stage of cooling is greatly improved. This enables the temperature changes in each temperature zone of the furnace body to be more synchronous during the entire cooling process, significantly improves the temperature consistency inside the furnace body, and further ensures the stability of the temperature conditions during the wafer production process, which helps to improve the quality and yield rate of the wafer products. Description of the Drawings

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the sectional structure in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 For Figure 2 the enlarged schematic diagram of part A; Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the auxiliary air inlet in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the telescopic air guiding assembly and the installation cylinder in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 Schematic diagram of an intake guide in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] In the figure: 100, furnace body; 110, inner cylinder; 111, main intake port; 112, process area; 120, outer cylinder; 130, heat preservation block; 131, installation groove; 140, heat preservation area; 200, telescopic air guiding assembly; 210, sliding cylinder; 211, guiding groove; 212, outlet; 213, inner end plate; 214, limiting projection; 240, resetting member; 300, installation cylinder; 400, intake guide; 410, housing; 411, inlet; 420, guiding plate; 421, gas distribution cavity; 500, auxiliary intake port. Detailed implementation manners

[0019] The present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It can be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present disclosure, rather than limiting the present disclosure.

[0020] For the sake of simplicity of the drawings, only the parts related to the disclosure are schematically shown in each figure, and they do not represent the actual structure of the product. In addition, for the sake of simplicity and easy understanding of the drawings, in some figures, components with the same structure or function are only schematically shown for one of them, or only one of them is marked. In this article, "one" not only means "only this one", but also means "more than one" situation, and "several" includes "two" and "more than two".

[0021] In this article, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "connection" 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 directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific situations.

[0022] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature may include the direct contact between the first and second features, or may include the situation where the first and second features are not in direct contact but in contact through additional features therebetween. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0023] In the description of this embodiment, the orientation or positional relationships such as "upper", "lower", "left" and "right" are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplifying the operations, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation to the present disclosure.

[0024] In addition, in the description of this application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for distinguishing descriptions, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0025] As Figure 1 shown, it shows a furnace body cooling system for wafer production in an embodiment of the present disclosure. This cooling system mainly includes a furnace body 100 and a telescopic air guiding assembly 200 arranged on the furnace body 100. From the overall structure of the furnace body 100, its internal space should have a relatively regular and symmetrical shape, such as a cylindrical shape or a cuboid shape, so as to facilitate the uniform distribution and directional flow of the cooling gas inside. Taking the cylindrical furnace body as an example, a cover body, such as a quartz cover, is provided inside the furnace body 100 to form an independent process area 112. The wafer is processed in the process area 112. The telescopic air guiding assembly 200 is movably arranged on the furnace body 100. After moving towards the side away from the axis of the furnace body 100, the telescopic air guiding assembly 200 can block the main air inlet 111. After moving towards the side close to the axis of the furnace body 100, it can extend into the furnace body 100, so that the main air inlet 111 is communicated with the inside of the furnace body 100 through the diversion groove 211, and the cooling gas generated by the air supply assembly is sent into the furnace body 100. The air supply assembly (not shown in the figure) is an existing device that can provide cooling gas and send the cooling gas into the telescopic air guiding assembly 200, and will not be elaborated here. At the same time, there is a gap between the end of the telescopic air guiding assembly 200 close to the cover body and the side wall of the cover body after the telescopic air guiding assembly 200 extends into the furnace body 100, so as to avoid bumping the cover body.

[0026] A main air inlet 111 is provided on the side wall of the furnace body 100. The main air inlet 111 serves as a channel for the cooling gas to enter the furnace body 100. The number of main air inlets 111 corresponds to the number of telescopic air guiding components 200, ensuring that each telescopic air guiding component 200 has an independent air inlet channel. The shape of the main air inlet 111 can be designed as a rectangle, a circle, or other polygons, but the shape and size of each main air inlet 111 need to be consistent to facilitate the control of the intake flow rate of the cooling gas and improve the uniformity of cooling.

[0027] The telescopic air guiding component 200 plays a role in separating and guiding the air flow in the entire cooling system. The telescopic air guiding component 200 can be made of materials with high temperature resistance and good thermal conductivity, such as ceramic fiber composite materials or alloy materials. These materials can not only withstand the high-temperature environment in the furnace but also assist in heat conduction to a certain extent and accelerate the cooling speed. The telescopic air guiding component 200 is at least divided into one group, each group contains at least two, and the telescopic air guiding components 200 in each group are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the furnace body 100. After one end of the telescopic air guiding component 200 extends into the furnace body 100, the internal space of the furnace body 100 is divided into multiple relatively independent and interrelated regions, so that the cooling process of each region can be carried out simultaneously. When the telescopic air guiding component 200 is distributed along the circumferential direction of the furnace body 100, the distance between adjacent telescopic air guiding components 200 also needs to be optimized according to factors such as the size of the furnace body 100 and the flow rate of the cooling gas. Generally, it is advisable to be symmetrically distributed in the furnace body 100, and the number is selected according to the diameter of the furnace body 100 to ensure that the distance between two adjacent telescopic air guiding components 200 formed is of appropriate size and improve the uniformity during cooling. One end of each flow guiding groove 211 close to the axis side of the furnace body 100 has a unilateral outlet 212, and the outlet 212 faces the adjacent telescopic air guiding component 200. Thus, when the cooling gas enters the furnace body 100 from the outlet 212, it is blocked by the side wall of the telescopic air guiding component 200 and diffuses directionally towards the adjacent telescopic air guiding component 200, realizing the orderly flow of the cooling gas. In this way, the cooling gas located in the furnace body 100 can simultaneously achieve unidirectional flow. This orderly flow of the cooling gas solves the problem of uneven diffusion of the cooling gas in different regions, enabling each region to come into contact with the cooling gas more evenly, thereby laying a foundation for improving the temperature consistency in the furnace body.

[0028] To facilitate the opening of the main air inlet hole 111 on the side wall of the furnace body 100 to accommodate the telescopic air guiding component 200, the shape of the main air inlet 111 can be cylindrical, and its main axis extends along the radial direction of the furnace body 100. At the same time, the flow guiding groove 211 extends along the axial direction of the telescopic air guiding component 200, facilitating the flow guiding while reducing the processing difficulty.

[0029] Furthermore, each outlet 212 can be opened towards the adjacent telescopic air guiding assembly 200 along the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and each group of main air inlets 111 is arranged in a circumferential array along the circumference of the furnace body 100, so that when the cooling gas is blocked by the side wall of the telescopic air guiding assembly 200 and can flow towards the adjacent telescopic air guiding assembly 200 in a predetermined direction, the cooling gas can flow in a closed loop along the inner circumference of the furnace body 100. When the cooling gas flows in the same direction in each area, a relatively stable and consistent cooling air flow field can be formed in the furnace body 100. This helps to avoid the problem of excessive local temperature differences caused by the chaotic flow direction of the cooling gas.

[0030] Specifically, the flow of the cooling gas in the same direction makes the heat exchange process in each area have similarity and synchronism. During the flow of the cooling gas, the heat in the internal cavity of the furnace body is carried away. If the flow direction of the cooling gas in each area is the same, then within the same time, the heat exchange intensity and process experienced by each area are basically the same, thus ensuring the temperature uniformity in the furnace body.

[0031] In addition, from the perspective of fluid mechanics, the cooling gas flowing in the same direction forms a relatively regular flow field inside the furnace body, reducing the mutual interference and turbulence phenomena between the airflows. Turbulence may cause the flow rate of the cooling gas to be too fast or too slow in local areas, resulting in local overheating or overcooling, which affects the quality of wafer production. And the regular same-direction flow field can make the cooling gas flow more orderly inside the furnace body, improving the heat exchange efficiency while ensuring the stability of the temperature field. This is crucial for wafer production because during the heat treatment process of the wafer, the temperature uniformity directly affects the consistency of its physical and electrical properties. For example, in the annealing process of the wafer, improving the temperature uniformity can effectively reduce the uneven stress distribution inside the wafer and reduce the probability of defects such as warping and cracking of the wafer, thereby improving the yield of the product.

[0032] Secondly, the regular flow direction of the cooling gas makes the cooling process easier to predict and control. The operator can more accurately adjust the cooling parameters, such as the flow rate and temperature of the cooling gas, according to the flow characteristics of the cooling gas and the heat exchange law to meet the temperature control requirements of different wafer production processes. At the same time, the stable cooling air flow field reduces the impact and wear on the internal components of the furnace body caused by the airflow disorder, and prolongs the service life of the furnace body and related equipment.

[0033] Taking a group of telescopic air guiding assemblies 200 having two as an example, refer to Figure 1, two telescopic air guiding components 200 are symmetrically arranged along the circumferential direction of the furnace body 100. The two telescopic air guiding components 200 correspondingly form two relatively independent and interrelated regions. After the cooling gas enters the furnace body 100 through the diversion groove 211, it is blocked by the side wall of one of the telescopic air guiding components 200, and then flows to the adjacent other telescopic air guiding component 200. The cooling in the other region proceeds synchronously, and the cooling gas flows orderly under the blocking action of the telescopic air guiding component 200, so that the cooling in the furnace body 100 can be carried out evenly. When the diameter of the furnace body 100 increases, the number of each group of telescopic air guiding components 100 can be further increased to avoid the influence of the too long flow path of the cooling gas on the cooling uniformity. Through the cooperation of the main air inlet 111 of the telescopic air guiding component 200, the problem of the difference in the contact time between different temperature zones and the cooling gas during cooling, especially in the initial stage of cooling, is improved. This makes the temperature changes in each temperature zone more synchronous during the entire cooling process of the furnace body 100, improves the temperature consistency in the furnace body, and further ensures the stability of the temperature conditions during the wafer production process, which helps to improve the quality and yield of the wafer products.

[0034] In some examples, such as Figure 2 , Figure 4 shown, the furnace body 100 is divided into at least two process zones 112 in the height direction. A quartz cover is usually provided inside the furnace body 100 to provide a reaction space for the crystallization of the wafer. There is a cavity that is connected as a whole between the outside of the quartz cover and the inner wall of the furnace body 100. In order to facilitate the control of the gas flow rate and flow volume during cooling, this cavity is divided into multiple process zones 112. These process zones 112 are interconnected, and the number of divided process zones 112 needs to be determined according to the specific requirements of the wafer production process and the actual size of the furnace body. For example, for some complex multi-step heat treatment processes, the furnace body may need to be divided into three or more process zones 112, and the gas flow rate and flow volume in each process zone 112 are controlled separately to improve the cooling uniformity. For example, the cavity can be divided into three process zones: the upper temperature zone, the middle temperature zone, and the lower temperature zone from top to bottom, and the cooling parameters of each process zone 112 are controlled separately, which helps to achieve refined control and facilitates the control of the cooling speed and uniformity in different process zones 112 according to the actual situation during cooling.

[0035] In some examples, such as Figure 2As shown, in each process zone 112, at least one set of telescopic gas guiding components 200 is provided. When multiple sets of telescopic gas guiding components 200 are provided in the same process zone 112, the multiple sets of telescopic gas guiding components 200 in this process zone are spaced apart along the axial direction (i.e., the height direction) of the furnace body 100. The spacing distance between two adjacent sets of telescopic gas guiding components 200 in the same process zone 112 is determined according to the height of the process zone 112 and the requirements for cooling uniformity. For example, when a higher requirement for cooling uniformity is needed, multiple sets of telescopic gas guiding components 200 can be provided in one process zone. Since the exhaust ports during cooling are usually located at the top of the furnace body 100, the spacing between each adjacent set of telescopic gas guiding components 200 in the process zone 112 close to the top of the furnace body can be set to be smaller than the spacing between each set of telescopic gas guiding components 112 in the process zone 112 far from the top of the furnace body.

[0036] The telescopic gas guiding components 200 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the furnace body 100 in each process zone 112 to further refine the control of the cooling gas in the height direction, thereby improving the uniformity of the temperature inside the furnace body. Since there may be a temperature gradient in the furnace body 100 in the height direction, for example, the temperatures at the top and bottom may vary due to different heat dissipation conditions. By spacing the telescopic gas guiding components 200 along the axial direction, multiple relatively independent temperature control regions can be formed at different heights, enabling the cooling gas to flow in a predetermined direction at different heights, cooling each height region separately, effectively reducing the temperature gradient, and ensuring that the temperature inside the entire furnace body is more uniform. This is particularly important for the cooling process after the heat treatment of wafers because the temperature consistency of the wafers in the entire height direction directly affects the uniformity of their electrical and physical properties. For example, in the manufacture of large-scale integrated circuits, improving the wafer temperature uniformity can ensure the consistency of process parameters in each region during chip manufacturing, reduce the discreteness of chip performance, and improve the yield and overall performance of the chips.

[0037] Such as Figures 1 to 3 、 Figure 5As shown, it shows a furnace body cooling system for wafer production in another embodiment of the present disclosure. One end of the telescopic air guiding assembly 200 can be slidably arranged in the main air inlet 111. Specifically, the telescopic air guiding assembly 200 is composed of a sliding cylinder 210 and a reset member 240. The sliding cylinder 210, as a key component of the telescopic air guiding assembly 200, can slide smoothly in the main air inlet 111. The inner cavity of the sliding cylinder 210 is a diversion groove 211, which penetrates through the sliding cylinder 210 and is usually circular or rectangular in shape to facilitate the flow of cooling gas. An outlet 222 is provided on one side of the side wall of one end of the diversion groove 211 close to the axis of the furnace body 100. That is, the outlet 222 faces the side of the adjacent sliding cylinder 210 without an outlet 222, so as to realize the unidirectional and orderly flow of cooling gas. The shape of the outlet 222 can be designed as circular, square, oval, etc. according to the flow rate and distribution requirements of the cooling gas.

[0038] The other end of the sliding cylinder 210 is used to introduce cooling gas. During installation, in order to ensure the sealing and stability of the connection, a high-temperature resistant sealing ring, such as a ceramic fiber sealing ring, can be set at the connection between the sliding cylinder 210 and the main air inlet 111 to ensure that the cooling gas does not leak from the connection. A guiding and adapting structure can be provided at the end of the sliding cylinder 210. For example, protruding guiding rods are provided on both sides of the end of the sliding cylinder 210, and corresponding sliding grooves are provided on the side wall of the furnace body 100 to match the guiding rods. Such a structural design can ensure that the sliding cylinder 210 slides smoothly in the main air inlet 111. At the same time, it ensures that the outlet 222 can face the adjacent sliding cylinder 210 in the same group, thereby ensuring the orderly flow of the cooling gas in the furnace body 100. The material of the guiding rod needs to be selected as a high-temperature resistant and wear-resistant material, such as a superalloy, to adapt to the high-temperature environment inside the furnace body and the long-term sliding friction. An inner end plate 213 is provided at one end of the sliding cylinder 210 close to the axis of the furnace body 100. The size of the inner end plate 213 is slightly larger than the port size of the sliding cylinder 210 to achieve a sliding and sealing connection with the main air inlet 111. When the inner end plate 213 is located in the main air inlet 111, its edge is closely attached to the inner wall of the main air inlet 111. The material of the inner end plate 213 needs to have good high-temperature resistance and a certain strength. For example, a superalloy material can be selected. Its surface can be specially treated, such as coated with a wear-resistant coating, to reduce wear during the sliding process.

[0039] The reset member 240 is usually selected from high-temperature resistant spring or elastic rubber materials. Taking the spring as an example, one end of the spring is connected to the inner wall of the furnace body 100. The other end is connected to the outer wall of the sliding cylinder 210. For example, a hook or a connection seat is provided on the outer wall of the sliding cylinder 210 to facilitate the connection of the spring.

[0040] The elastic coefficient of the spring needs to be selected according to actual requirements. If it is desired that the sliding cylinder 210 can quickly reset after the cooling gas supply stops, a spring with a larger elastic coefficient can be selected; if the requirement for the reset speed is not high, a spring with a relatively smaller elastic coefficient can be selected. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate for the elastic coefficient of the spring to be between 5 - 20 N / mm, which can not only ensure that the sliding cylinder 210 can move smoothly under the action of the cooling gas pressure, but also enable the sliding cylinder 210 to reliably reset after the gas pressure disappears.

[0041] The pressure of the cooling gas provided by the gas supply assembly is the power source for pushing the inner end plate 213 to move. When the cooling gas enters the diversion groove 211 of the sliding cylinder 210, as the gas pressure increases, the inner end plate 213 receives a thrust towards the inside of the furnace body 100. When the thrust reaches a certain level, sufficient to overcome the friction between the inner end plate 213 and the main air inlet 111 and the pulling force of the reset member 240, the inner end plate 213 begins to move, driving the sliding cylinder 210 to slide together, so that the outlet 222 gradually enters the furnace body 100, thereby sending the cooling gas into the furnace body 100.

[0042] The design of the sliding cylinder 210 aims to achieve the directional delivery of the cooling gas, and plays a role in sealing and controlling the timing of the cooling gas entry through cooperation with the inner end plate 213. When the cooling gas does not reach a certain pressure, the inner end plate 213 is located within the main air inlet 111, and the inside of the furnace body is a relatively sealed space, and its heat preservation and sealing performance can be guaranteed during the wafer process. When the cooling gas pressure is sufficient to push the inner end plate 213, the inner end plate 213 drives the sliding cylinder 210 to move, exposing the outlet 222 within the furnace body 100, realizing the release of the cooling gas. This design makes the entry of the cooling gas more controllable, avoids unnecessary leakage of the cooling gas when cooling is not required, and improves the energy utilization efficiency of the cooling system. The reset of the sliding cylinder 210 is achieved by the pulling of the reset member 240. After the cooling gas supply stops or the pressure decreases, the sliding cylinder 210 and the inner end plate 213 are restored to the initial position. This ensures the repeatability and stability of the cooling system, and prepares for the next cooling operation. Through the action of the reset member 240, the cooling system can automatically return to the initial state without manual adjustment, improving the automation level and efficiency of the production process. It significantly enhances the cooling system in terms of controllability, stability, reliability, and energy utilization efficiency, effectively guaranteeing the high quality and high efficiency of wafer production.

[0043] In some examples, such as Figure 3 、 Figure 5As shown, the cooling system further includes an installation cylinder 300, which is arranged on the side wall of the main air inlet 111. The material of the installation cylinder 300 is usually selected as a material with a high-temperature resistance performance equivalent to that of the furnace body 100, such as a superalloy, to adapt to the high-temperature environment inside the furnace body. Its shape is generally cylindrical, and the inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the sliding cylinder 210, providing a smooth sliding space for the sliding cylinder 210 and avoiding damage to the furnace body 100 during the sliding process of the sliding cylinder 210. Extend the service life of the equipment and ensure the long-term stable operation of the cooling system. The connection method between the installation cylinder 300 and the main air inlet 111 can be welding or integrally preformed connection. The welding method can ensure the sealing and firmness of the connection. Or during the production of the furnace body, the installation cylinder 300 is prefabricated as the skeleton of the furnace body and integrally formed with the furnace body 100. The inner cavity of the installation cylinder 300 is used as the main air inlet 111.

[0044] A limiting protrusion 214 is provided at one end of the sliding cylinder 210 away from the inside of the furnace body 100. The limiting protrusion 214 can be formed by locally increasing the radial dimension at the end of the sliding cylinder 210 or welding an additional limiting block. The shape of the limiting protrusion 214 can be annular, square or other suitable shapes, and its size should be designed according to the inner diameter of the installation cylinder 300 and the actual limiting requirements. So that it can be in close contact with the end of the installation cylinder 300 when sliding close to the furnace body 100, effectively limiting the position of the sliding cylinder 210 and avoiding the sliding cylinder 210 hitting the quartz cover after extending into the furnace body 100. The material of the limiting protrusion 214 is the same as or similar to that of the sliding cylinder 210 to ensure the performance consistency in a high-temperature environment. In order to reduce the wear when the limiting protrusion 214 contacts the installation cylinder 300, wear-resistant treatment can be carried out on the surface where the limiting protrusion 214 contacts the installation cylinder 300, such as hard chromium plating treatment.

[0045] In some examples, such as Figures 2 to 3 、 Figure 6 As shown, the cooling system further includes an air inlet guiding member 400, and the material of the air inlet guiding member 400 is selected as a high-temperature resistant material, such as stainless steel or ceramic composite material. Such a material selection can ensure long-term stable operation in the high-temperature environment of the furnace body and ensure the smooth flow of the cooling gas at the same time.

[0046] One end of the intake air guide 400 is designed as an interface for connecting to an external air source. The shape and size of this interface need to match the output end of the air source. Common connection methods include flange connection, threaded connection, or quick connector connection, etc., to achieve reliable and sealed gas transmission. For example, if the output end of the air source is a flange structure, the connection end of the intake air guide 400 is also provided with a corresponding flange plate and equipped with a sealing gasket, and is fastened by bolts to prevent gas leakage. The other end is distributed with multiple branch channels, and each branch channel corresponds to a main intake port 111 respectively, for evenly introducing the cooling gas into each main intake port 111. The number of branch channels is the same as the number of main intake ports 111. The core design purpose of the intake air guide 400 is to evenly distribute the cooling gas from the air supply component into multiple main intake ports 111, so that each main intake port 111 can obtain cooling gas with approximately the same flow rate and pressure. In this way, the amount of cooling gas entering different areas is relatively balanced, which helps to improve the uniformity of the temperature inside the furnace body. At the same time, it provides an optimized transmission path for the cooling gas, reducing the resistance and turbulence phenomenon of the gas during the transmission process. Its smooth inner wall and reasonable pipeline layout enable the cooling gas to enter the main intake port 111 at a relatively stable flow rate and flow direction, avoiding energy loss and temperature fluctuations caused by sudden changes in the air flow. This helps to improve the overall efficiency of the cooling system and ensure that the cooling gas can more effectively take away the heat of the furnace body. It has better scalability when facing furnaces of different scales or layouts. By adjusting the number and layout of the branch channels of the intake air guide 400, it can be easily adapted to different numbers and positions of the main intake ports 111 to meet diverse production requirements. For example, when it is necessary to upgrade or transform the furnace body and increase the number of main intake ports 111, only the structure of the intake air guide 400 needs to be adjusted accordingly, without the need to make large-scale changes to the entire cooling system, improving the flexibility and adaptability of the system.

[0047] To facilitate the control of the temperature in different process zones 112, the intake air guide 400 is installed on the furnace body 100, and one end close to the axis of the furnace body 100 leads to a main intake port 111 in a process zone 112. Specifically, it is independently set for each process zone 112 and closely cooperates with the position of the process zone 112 and the layout of the main intake ports 111. During the installation process, it is necessary to ensure that each branch pipe of the intake air guide 400 is aligned and tightly connected with the main intake port 111 in the corresponding process zone 112 to ensure that the cooling gas can smoothly and evenly enter the main intake port 111. The aim is to achieve precise distribution of the cooling gas within a single process zone 112. By separately setting the intake air guide 400 for each process zone 112 and connecting its branch pipes to the main intake ports 111 in the corresponding process zone, the flow rate and pressure of the cooling gas can be more finely adjusted and controlled according to the specific cooling requirements of this process zone 112. Improve the pertinence and effectiveness of the cooling of the entire furnace body.

[0048] Since the intake air guide 400 is independently provided for each process zone 112, compared with adopting a unified intake air guiding structure for the entire furnace body, although it seemingly increases some complexity, in fact, it simplifies the control and regulation of the cooling of each process zone 112. In terms of maintenance, when a fault occurs in the intake air guide 400 of a certain process zone 112, it can be repaired or replaced separately without affecting the normal operation of other process zones 112. This reduces the maintenance cost and downtime of the entire cooling system, improves the reliability and availability of the equipment, and strongly supports the high-quality and high-efficiency wafer production process.

[0049] Specifically, the housing 410, as the main structure of the intake air guide 400, is made of materials with high temperature resistance and high strength, such as stainless steel or superalloy. Its shape is customized according to the outer shape of the furnace body 100 and the distribution of the main intake ports 111, so as to facilitate installation and adaptation to the furnace body 100. An inlet 411 is provided on the housing 410, and the size and connection method of the inlet 411 match the gas source output end. Common connection methods include flange connection, threaded connection, etc. For example, if the gas source output end is a flange interface, the inlet 411 is equipped with a flange plate of the same specification, and high-temperature resistant sealing gaskets and bolts are used for fastening connection to ensure that there is no leakage of the cooling gas during transportation. The number of the guide plates 420 is determined according to the number of the main intake ports 111 in the process zone 112 and the requirement of the uniform distribution of the cooling gas. The guide plates 420 are usually made of thin plate materials with high temperature resistance and wear resistance, such as ceramic fiber plates or alloy thin plates. The guide plates 420 partition the interior of the housing 410, dividing the interior of the housing 410 into multiple gas distribution chambers 421. One end of each gas distribution chamber 421 is communicated with the inlet 411, and the other end leads to the corresponding main intake port 111. The shape and size of the gas distribution chambers 421 are optimized through the design of the guide plates 420 to ensure that the cooling gas can be evenly distributed in each gas distribution chamber 421.

[0050] When the cooling gas enters the housing 410 from the inlet 411, the guide plates 420 guide the gas to flow in each gas distribution chamber 421, so that the pressure and flow distribution of the cooling gas in each gas distribution chamber 421 are uniform. In this way, the cooling gas entering the main intake port 111 is basically the same in terms of flow rate and pressure, thereby ensuring that different regions within the same process zone 112 can obtain an equal amount and stable supply of cooling gas, and improving the temperature uniformity within the process zone 112. This enables different regions within the process zone 112 to obtain the same cooling effect, effectively reducing the temperature difference within the process zone. Uniform cooling can ensure the consistency of the film thickness and improve the yield rate of the wafers.

[0051] In some examples, such as Figures 1 to 2As shown in the figure, the structure of the furnace body 100 will be described. The inner cylinder 110 is a key component inside the furnace body 100 that directly bears the wafer production process. It is usually made of materials with high temperature resistance, high strength, and good thermal stability, such as quartz, high-purity alumina ceramics, or special alloys. Its shape is generally cylindrical to accommodate the placement and process operations of the wafer inside. The diameter and height of the inner cylinder 110 are determined according to the specific requirements of wafer production. The process area 112 is set inside the inner cylinder 110 and is distributed along the axial direction of the inner cylinder 110. The main air inlet 111 is evenly opened on the side wall of the inner cylinder 110, and its quantity, size, and distribution pitch are determined according to the division of the process area 112 and the cooling requirements. The outer cylinder 120 covers the outside of the inner cylinder 110 and is coaxially arranged with the inner cylinder 110 to form an annular heat insulation area 140. The outer cylinder 120 is also made of high-temperature-resistant materials, but it pays more attention to the heat insulation performance of the materials. For example, ceramic fiber composite materials or multi-layer heat insulation metal plates can be selected. The heat insulation area 140 plays a role in preventing the heat inside the inner cylinder 110 from dissipating outward, reducing heat loss, and improving energy utilization efficiency. The heat insulation blocks 130 are arranged in the heat insulation area 140 and are distributed around the circumference of the inner cylinder 110. The heat insulation blocks 130 are made of high-efficiency heat insulation materials, such as ceramic fiber heat insulation bricks or polyurethane heat insulation boards, and have good heat insulation performance and certain mechanical strength. Installation grooves 131 are opened on the heat insulation blocks 130, and the shape and size of the installation grooves 131 match the housing 410 of the air inlet guide 400 to ensure that the air inlet guide 400 can be tightly embedded therein.

[0052] During installation, first place the heat insulation blocks 130 at the predetermined positions in the heat insulation area 140, and then align the housing 410 of the air inlet guide 400 with the installation grooves 131 and slowly embed it so that the air inlet guide 400 is firmly fixed on the heat insulation blocks 130. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the air distribution ports 422 of the air inlet guide 400 are accurately aligned with the main air inlets 111 on the inner cylinder 110 to ensure the smooth delivery of the cooling gas. To further enhance the stability and sealing performance of the connection, high-temperature-resistant sealant or sealing gaskets can be applied to the contact parts between the installation grooves 131 and the housing 410. Embedding the air inlet guide 400 into the installation grooves 131 of the heat insulation blocks 130 can utilize the supporting effect of the heat insulation blocks 130 to firmly install the air inlet guide 400 on the furnace body 100 and prevent displacement or loosening under the action of high temperature and gas pressure. At the same time, this installation method facilitates the installation, disassembly, and maintenance of the air inlet guide 400 and improves the maintainability of the furnace body cooling system. When the air inlet guide 400 fails or needs to be adjusted according to the changes in the production process, it can be relatively easily removed from the installation grooves 131 of the heat insulation blocks 130 for repair or replacement without large-scale disassembly of the entire furnace body structure. This greatly shortens the maintenance time, reduces the maintenance cost, and improves the production efficiency.

[0053] To further improve the cooling uniformity, with reference to Figure 2 , Figure 4 , a plurality of auxiliary air inlets 500 are formed in the side wall of the inner cylinder 110. The shape of the auxiliary air inlets 500 can be designed as circular, square, oval, etc. For the convenience of processing and gas flow, the circular shape is more commonly used. A plurality of auxiliary air inlets 500 distributed in the same horizontal direction form a group, and each group of auxiliary air inlets 500 is located between two adjacent main air inlets 111 to ensure that their positions can supplement the cooling process between the two main air inlets 111. In terms of layout, from the starting end to the end of the cooling gas inlet, the distribution density of the auxiliary air inlets 500 gradually increases. The auxiliary air inlets 500 need to be connected to the cooling gas supply source. For convenient control, independent pipelines can be set to connect the auxiliary air inlets 500 to the gas source, and each group of auxiliary air inlets 500 can be gathered together and connected to the same gas source. As the cooling gas flows, the temperature of the gas will gradually increase and the cooling capacity will decrease. By increasing the density of the auxiliary air inlets 500 along the flow direction of the cooling gas, more low-temperature cooling gas can be supplemented in the area where the cooling capacity of the cooling gas weakens, so as to balance the cooling intensity at different positions in the furnace body 100 and ensure that the temperature in the entire process area 112 is more uniform.

[0054] Since there may be uneven cooling in the area between two adjacent sets of telescopic gas guiding components 200 during the cooling process, each group of auxiliary air inlets 500 can be located in the middle of two sets of telescopic gas guiding components 200 along the axial direction of the furnace body 100, and the auxiliary air inlets 500 can perform targeted cooling for these areas. The auxiliary air inlets 500 can directly transport cooling gas to the area between two adjacent sets of telescopic gas guiding components 200, enhancing the cooling effect in this area and further improving the uniformity of the temperature inside the furnace body.

[0055] By increasing the density of the auxiliary air inlets 500 along the flow direction of the cooling gas, the problem of uneven distribution of the cooling gas is further improved, making the temperature in the entire process area 112 more uniform. In the process of wafer production, this is crucial for improving the wafer quality. A more uniform temperature distribution can reduce the internal stress of the wafer, reduce the probability of wafer deformation and crack generation, and improve the yield.

[0056] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit them. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present disclosure can be modified or equivalently replaced without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A furnace cooling system for wafer production, characterized in that: include: A furnace body (100), wherein a main air inlet (111) is provided on a side wall of the furnace body (100); A telescopic air guide assembly (200) is radially movably disposed on the furnace body (100) and is used to block and open the main air inlet (111); an air supply component, used for supplying cooling gas into the furnace body (100) through the main air inlet (111); A plurality of main air inlets (111) are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction, the telescopic air guide assembly (200) is provided with a guide groove (211) for the cooling gas to pass through, and the end of the guide groove (211) has an outlet (212) open along the circumferential direction of the furnace body (100); the telescopic air guide assembly (200) is capable of moving radially into the furnace body (100) to open the main air inlet (111) and supply the cooling gas into the furnace body (100) through the guide groove (211), and allowing the cooling gas to flow unidirectionally along the circumferential direction of the furnace body (100).

2. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main axis of the telescopic air guide component (200) extends radially along the furnace body (100), and the guide groove (211) extends axially along the telescopic air guide component (200).

3. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 2, characterized in that: The telescopic air guide assembly (200) comprises a sliding cylinder (210) and a reset member (240), wherein the sliding cylinder (210) is slidably matched with the main air inlet (111), and the inner cavity of the sliding cylinder (210) forms the guide groove (211) connected to the outlet (212), and the end of the sliding cylinder (210) close to the axis of the furnace body (100) has an inner end plate (213), and the sliding cylinder (210) can move along the radial direction of the furnace body (100) toward the axis side away from the furnace body (100) driven by the reset member (240) to block the main air inlet (111) with the help of the inner end plate (213).

4. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: A mounting cylinder (300) is disposed on a side wall of the furnace body (100) and is in communication with the main air inlet (111); and the sliding cylinder (210) is slidably disposed on the mounting cylinder (300).

5. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 4, characterized in that: One end of the sliding cylinder (210) away from the axis of the furnace body (100) is provided with a limiting protrusion (214), and the limiting protrusion (214) is used to abut against the mounting cylinder (300) to limit the sliding amplitude of the sliding cylinder (210).

6. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The furnace body (100) has at least two process areas (112) spaced apart in the axial direction and connected to each other, each process area (112) is provided with the telescopic air guide assembly (200), and a plurality of the telescopic air guide assemblies (200) are spaced apart and distributed in the axial direction of the furnace body (100).

7. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes an air intake guide (400), which is arranged on the furnace body (100) and is connected to the air supply component, and is used to guide the cooling gas supplied by the air supply component to the main air intake (111) located in the process area (112).

8. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 7, characterized in that: The air intake guide (400) comprises: A shell (410), the shell (410) being arranged on the furnace body (100), the shell (410) having an inlet (411), the inlet (411) being used to communicate with the gas supply assembly; A guide plate (420), wherein at least one guide plate (420) is disposed in the shell (410), and the guide plate (420) divides the inner cavity of the shell (410) into a plurality of sub-cavities (421), wherein one end of each sub-cavity (421) is connected to the inlet (411), and the other end of each sub-cavity (421) is connected to the main air inlet (111) on the same axial direction.

9. A furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 8, characterized in that: The furnace body (100) comprises: An inner cylinder (110), the process zone (112) being located in the inner cylinder (110), and the main air inlet (111) being provided on a side wall of the inner cylinder (110); An outer cylinder (120), the outer cylinder (120) being arranged outside the inner cylinder (110), and a heat preservation area (140) being formed between the outer cylinder (120) and the inner cylinder (110); A heat preservation block (130), the heat preservation block (130) being arranged in the heat preservation area (140), a mounting groove (131) being provided on a side wall of the heat preservation block (130) adjacent to the inner cylinder (110), and the air intake guide member (400) being embedded in the mounting groove (131).

10. The furnace cooling system for wafer production according to claim 1, characterized in that: Auxiliary air inlets (500) are also provided on the side wall of the furnace body (100), and the auxiliary air inlets (500) are provided in a plurality of groups along the axial direction of the furnace body (100), each group of the auxiliary air inlets (500) is located between two adjacent main air inlets (111), and each group of the auxiliary air inlets (500) includes a plurality of auxiliary air inlets (500) arranged at circumferential intervals, and in the flow direction of the cooling gas, the distribution density of the plurality of auxiliary air inlets (500) in each group of the auxiliary air inlets (500) gradually increases.

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