Support components and their mounting and disassembly methods, and semiconductor processing equipment

Abstract

This invention provides a support assembly, its installation and disassembly methods, and a semiconductor processing apparatus. The support assembly includes a support shaft and a support cover. The support shaft is configured to be driven by a drive component and to support and rotate a tray. The support shaft includes a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a main body extending between the first and second ends, wherein the outer diameter of the second end is larger than the outer diameter of the main body. The support cover includes a first support portion and a second support portion fixedly connected to the first support portion, wherein the first support portion is sleeved on the main body and close to the second end, and the second support portion has a receiving groove, with the second end placed within the receiving groove. The minimum inner diameter of the first support portion is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end. The support assembly based on the above structure is easier to disassemble and / or install.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates primarily to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and more particularly to a support component and its installation and disassembly methods, as well as a semiconductor processing device. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor processing equipment is an indispensable part of the semiconductor manufacturing process. It is mainly used for operations such as material deposition and etching. It is one of the most important components of the semiconductor industry and plays a vital role in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices.

[0003] Support shafts are crucial components of semiconductor processing equipment. They not only support the trays but also drive the trays to rotate during semiconductor fabrication to meet process requirements. Because quartz possesses excellent chemical stability and light transmittance, support shafts in semiconductor processing equipment are often made of quartz (i.e., quartz shafts). However, quartz is a brittle material and easily breaks under mechanical impact; therefore, the installation and removal of quartz shafts require special care.

[0004] First, in related technologies, fluororubber O-rings are often used to support and fix the support shaft. The friction between the support shaft and the surface of the O-ring is relatively large, which makes the installation and disassembly of the support shaft difficult. Second, the surface of the support shaft is smooth, which is not conducive to gripping and applying force, further increasing the difficulty of installation and disassembly. Third, if the direction of the applied force deviates significantly from the axial direction, the support shaft is prone to breakage. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a support component and its installation method, disassembly method and semiconductor processing equipment, so as to solve or at least partially solve at least one of the multiple technical problems described in the background art, making the installation and / or disassembly of the support shaft easier or safer.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a support assembly for a semiconductor processing apparatus, the semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a reaction chamber, a driving component, and a tray, the tray being located within the reaction chamber and used to support a substrate, the driving component including a gear, the support assembly comprising: a support shaft configured to be driven by the driving component, the support shaft being used to support and rotate the tray; the support shaft including a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a main body extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the outer diameter of the second end is larger than the outer diameter of the main body; a support cover including a first support portion and a second support portion fixedly connected to the first support portion, wherein the first support portion is sleeved on the main body and close to the second end; the second support portion having an accommodating groove, the second end being placed within the accommodating groove; the minimum inner diameter of the first support portion being smaller than the outer diameter of the second end.

[0007] Optionally, the first support portion has a flange on the side away from the second end, the flange having a through hole and an auxiliary disassembly threaded hole; wherein a first bolt passes through the through hole, and the first bolt passes through the through hole and is screwed into the threaded hole on the gear, so that the flange abuts against the gear; the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole is configured such that: by screwing a second bolt into the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole and after the second bolt abuts against the gear, the second bolt is further rotated to move the flange away from the gear.

[0008] Optionally, the through holes are evenly distributed around the flange, the auxiliary disassembly threaded holes are evenly distributed around the flange, and the through holes and the auxiliary disassembly threaded holes are spaced apart.

[0009] Optionally, the main body of the support shaft includes a first main body segment and a second main body segment adjacent to the first main body segment, wherein the first main body segment is close to the first end, the second main body segment is close to the second end, and the outer diameter of the first main body segment is smaller than the outer diameter of the second main body segment; the semiconductor processing device further includes a magnetic fluid assembly, the second main body segment is placed in the receiving through hole of the magnetic fluid assembly, and a first sealing member and a second sealing member are respectively sleeved at both ends of the second main body segment; the first sealing member is close to the first main body segment, and the distance from the first sealing member to the junction of the first main body segment and the second main body segment is 0mm-10mm.

[0010] Optionally, the magnetohydrodynamic assembly has an extended protrusion at one end near the first support portion, and the gear is sleeved on the extended protrusion; the second seal includes an annular sealing block, a first sealing ring, and a second sealing ring; wherein the annular sealing block, the first sealing ring, and the second sealing ring are all sleeved on the second main body segment and located between the second main body segment and the first support portion; the first sealing ring is also located between the upper end of the annular sealing block and the extended protrusion, and the second sealing ring is also located between the lower end of the annular sealing block and the lower end of the first support portion.

[0011] Optionally, the second main body segment is fitted with an annular gasket; along the axial direction of the support shaft, one side of the annular gasket abuts against or is close to the second end, and the other side of the annular gasket abuts against or is close to the first support portion.

[0012] Optionally, the bottom of the receiving groove is provided with a limiting protrusion ring; the support assembly is also provided with a third sealing element, which is located in the inner space of the limiting protrusion ring.

[0013] Optionally, the minimum inner diameter of the first support portion being smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion includes: the inner diameter of the side of the first support portion closer to the second end portion being smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a semiconductor processing apparatus, including a reaction chamber, a driving component, a tray, and a support assembly, wherein the tray is located within the reaction chamber and is used to support a substrate, the driving component includes gears, and wherein the support assembly is a support assembly as described in the first aspect, and a first end of the support shaft in the support assembly is used to support the tray.

[0015] Thirdly, the present invention provides a method for installing a support assembly, applied to the aforementioned support assembly, comprising: assembling various components to form an assembly to be installed, wherein each component includes a first support portion, a second support portion, and a support shaft; inserting the support shaft in the assembly to be installed from the first end into a receiving through hole of the magnetofluid assembly, so that the flange of the first support portion is close to the gear; using a first bolt to pass through the through hole, screwing the first bolt into a threaded hole on the gear until the flange abuts against the gear; or using a third bolt to pass through the through hole, screwing the third bolt into a threaded hole on the gear, rotating the third bolt to bring the flange close to the gear, replacing the third bolt with the first bolt, and continuing to screw the first bolt in until the flange abuts against the gear.

[0016] Fourthly, the present invention provides a method for disassembling a support assembly, applicable to the support assembly as described above, comprising: unscrewing each of the first bolts to disconnect the connection between the flange of the first support portion and the gear; screwing the second bolt into the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole until the second bolt abuts against the gear; continuing to rotate the second bolt to move the flange of the first support portion away from the gear; and after the second main body section disengages from the first seal, applying a force to the support cover to move the support cover together with the support shaft until the support shaft moves out of the receiving through hole.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: Since the outer diameter of the second end of the support shaft is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the first support part, the disassembly force can be transmitted to the support shaft through the support cover when disassembling the support shaft, making the disassembly process of the support shaft easier and more controllable. Because the support shaft is placed in the receiving groove of the support cover, the installation force can also be transmitted to the support shaft through the support cover when installing the support shaft, making the support shaft easier to install. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of this application; they are incorporated into and constitute a part of this application. The drawings illustrate embodiments of this application and, together with this specification, serve to explain the principles of this application. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor processing device;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support component in one embodiment of the present invention (the magnetic fluid component and gear are also shown).

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support shaft structure in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the flange structure in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the diagram;

[0024] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point B in the diagram;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a support assembly with a force-bearing part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a structural illustration of the installation process in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 9 This is a structural illustration of the disassembly process in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] in Figure 5-Figure 9 The thick dashed lines in the diagram indicate where a component is broken in a partial structural illustration.

[0029] In the picture:

[0030] 10-Reaction chamber;

[0031] 20 - Drive components; 21 - Gears;

[0032] 30-pallets;

[0033] 40-Support assembly, 41-Support shaft, 42-Support cover, 43-Magnetofluid assembly;

[0034] 411-First end, 412-Second end, 413-Main body, 4131-First main body segment, 4132-Second main body segment;

[0035] 421-First support part, 4211-Flange, 4212-Through hole, 4213-Auxiliary disassembly threaded hole, 4214-First bolt, 4215-Second bolt, 4216-First force-bearing part;

[0036] 422-Second support part, 4221-Accommodation groove, 4222-Limiting protrusion, 4223-Second force-bearing part, 4224-Allowing groove;

[0037] 431 - Accommodating through hole, 432 - Extending protrusion, 433 - Magnetofluid main body;

[0038] 51-First seal, 52-Second seal, 53-Third seal, 54-Fourth seal, 55-Annular gasket;

[0039] 521 - Annular sealing block, 522 - First sealing ring, 523 - Second sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, these drawings can be applied to other similar scenarios without creative effort. Unless obvious from the context or otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same structures or operations.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0042] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. In addition, although the terminology used in this application is selected from commonly known and used terms, some terms mentioned in this application's specification may have been chosen by the applicant according to his or her judgment, and their detailed meanings are explained in the relevant sections of this description. Moreover, this application should be understood not only through the actual terms used, but also through the meaning implied by each term.

[0043] Several factors contribute to the difficulty of installing and disassembling the support shaft: First, the lower side of the support shaft lacks a good point of force application, and the shaft surface is smooth, while the O-ring used to fix the support shaft exerts a strong clamping force, making assembly and disassembly difficult. Second, the support shaft is generally made of quartz, a brittle material that is easily broken if the direction of force is not carefully controlled. Third, as will be described below, the support shaft needs to be installed or removed from the lower side of the reaction chamber, limiting the operating space. Therefore, this invention discloses the following technical solution to at least partially solve or alleviate the difficulties in assembling and disassembling the support shaft in the prior art.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor processing device. For more details... Figure 1 The image shows an epitaxial device (a type of thin film deposition equipment). The present invention will be described below using this epitaxial device as an example. However, the technical solutions disclosed in this invention are not limited to epitaxial devices; they can also be adapted to other semiconductor devices, such as atomic layer deposition equipment and etching equipment. Reference Figure 1 As shown, the semiconductor processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber 10, a drive component 20, and a tray 30. The tray 30 is located within the reaction chamber 10 and serves to support a substrate. A support assembly 40 includes a support shaft configured to be driven by the drive component 20. During the epitaxial process, the support shaft supports and rotates the tray 30.

[0045] Still referencing Figure 1 As shown, the reaction chamber 10 includes a main body and flanges located at both ends of the main body. The main body is either a one-piece cavity structure or a cavity structure formed by sequentially fixing multiple (e.g., four) cavity walls together. The flanges are fixed (e.g., welded) to both ends of the main body. Because the reaction chamber 10 is a fixedly connected structure, and the internal height of the reaction chamber 10 is not high along the axial direction of the support shaft (in the working state), the support shaft needs to be inserted into the reaction chamber 10 from bottom to top during installation; during disassembly, the support shaft is pulled out from the lower side of the reaction chamber 10.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a support component in one embodiment of the present invention, for reference. Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a support assembly 40 for a semiconductor processing device. The support assembly 40 mainly includes a support shaft 41 and a support cover 42. The support shaft 41 is configured to be driven by a drive component 20 (more specifically, a motor, etc., not shown, and a gear 21 shown in the drive component 20 provide the force to rotate the support shaft 41. In some embodiments, the drive component 20 may also include components for moving the support shaft 41 up and down). The support shaft 41 supports and rotates a tray 30. The support shaft 41 includes a first end 411, a second end 412 opposite to the first end 411, and a main body portion 413 extending between the first end 411 and the second end 412, wherein the outer diameter of the second end 412 is larger than the outer diameter of the main body portion 413. The support cover 42 includes a first support portion 421 and a second support portion 422 fixedly connected to the first support portion 421. The first support portion 421 is sleeved on the main body portion 413 and close to the second end portion 412. The second support portion 422 has a receiving groove 4221. The second end portion 412 is placed in the receiving groove 4221. The minimum inner diameter of the first support portion 421 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion 412.

[0047] It should be noted that the support shaft 41 and support cover 42 are generally cylindrical. Therefore, the minimum inner diameter of the first support portion 421 is designed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion 412, resulting in partial overlap between the first support portion 421 and the second end portion 412 in the axial direction of the support shaft 41. For other shapes of support shaft 41 and support cover 42, the inner and outer diameters can be understood as the inner cavity width and component width, respectively. For example, the minimum inner diameter of the first support portion 421 is the minimum width of the inner cavity of the first support portion 421, and the outer diameter of the second end portion 412 is the width of the second end portion 412, as long as the vertical direction (i.e., the axial direction of the support shaft 41, i.e., the...) is satisfied. Figure 6 The requirement is that the first support part 421 and the second end part 412 partially overlap in the vertical direction.

[0048] The minimum inner diameter of the first support portion 421 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion 412, meaning that along the axial direction of the installed support shaft 41, the first support portion 421 and the second end portion 412 partially overlap. This allows the force acting on the first support portion 421 or the second support portion 422 (the first support portion 421 and the second support portion 422 are fixedly connected, therefore, the force acting on the second support portion 422 can be transmitted to the first support portion 421) to the support shaft 41 when disassembling the support shaft 41. In other words, disassembling the support shaft 41 can be accomplished by applying force to the support cover 42. Furthermore, the structural dimensions of the first support portion 421 and the second support portion 422 are larger than the support shaft 41, thus facilitating the clamping of external tools or manual handling during disassembly, making the disassembly of the support shaft 41 more convenient. Similarly, and further, during the installation of the support shaft 41, the first support portion 421 and the second support portion 422, which are fixedly connected to each other, accommodate the second end 412 in the receiving groove 4221. Therefore, the installation of the support shaft 41 can be achieved by applying force to the support cover 42. Similar to disassembly, this makes the installation of the support shaft 41 more convenient.

[0049] Additionally, the first end 411 is located within the reaction chamber 10 and is used to support the tray 30 directly or via the support arm. The second end 412 is located outside the reaction chamber 10 and is housed within the second support portion 422. A portion of the main body 413 is held and positioned within the first support portion 421 and the magnetofluid assembly 43, both of which are fixedly connected to the gear 21. In this sense, it can be said that a portion of the main body 413 is fixed to the output end of the drive component 20; more specifically, a portion of the main body 413 is fixed to the gear 21.

[0050] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the second end 412 is larger than the outer diameter of the main body 413, causing the entire support shaft 41 to form an approximately inverted "T" shape. This approximately inverted "T" shaped structural design can achieve the purpose of lowering the center of gravity of the support shaft 41.

[0051] In some embodiments, under other conditions required for the structure of the support assembly 40, such as a reasonable outer diameter of the second end 412 to prevent breakage of the support shaft 41 during disassembly, or the interior of the first support portion 421 not being too close to the support shaft 41 to prevent the support shaft 41 from contacting the first support portion 421 and breaking when it is tilted, the outer diameter of the second end 412 can be made as large as possible larger than that of the main body 413, while the minimum inner diameter of the first support portion 421 is also as close as possible to the outer diameter of the main body 413. (See reference...) Figure 2As shown, if the outer diameter of the second end 412 is d1, the outer diameter of the main body 413 is d2, and the minimum inner diameter of the first support 421 is d3, then d1-d2 needs to be as large as possible, and d3-d2 needs to be as small as possible. This increases the overlap between the first support 421 and the second end 412, resulting in a larger force-bearing area on the upper surface of the second end 412 and a larger force-applying area on the first support 421 during disassembly, thus facilitating the disassembly process of the support shaft 41.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first support portion 421 has a flange 4211 on the side away from the second end 412. The flange 4211 is provided with a through hole 4212 and an auxiliary disassembly threaded hole 4213. A first bolt 4214 passes through the through hole 4212 and is screwed into the threaded hole on the gear 21, so that the flange 4211 abuts against the gear 21. The auxiliary disassembly threaded hole 4213 is configured such that by screwing a second bolt 4215 into the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole 4213 and after the second bolt 4215 abuts against the gear 21, the second bolt 4215 is further rotated to move the flange 4211 away from the gear 21.

[0053] In some embodiments, through holes 4212 are evenly distributed around the flange 4211, and auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213 are evenly distributed around the flange 4211, with through holes 4212 and auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213 spaced apart.

[0054] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the flange structure in one embodiment of the present invention, for reference. Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the distribution of the through holes 4212 and the auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213 on the flange 4211 is illustrated by four through holes 4212 and four auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213.

[0055] Four through holes 4212 are evenly distributed on the flange 4211. When installing the support shaft 41, four first bolts 4214 are used simultaneously (it should be understood that during installation, the method described below, which involves first using a third bolt to pull the shaft closer and then using the first bolts 4214 to tighten it, can also be used. The focus here is on describing the structure on the flange 4211, so the method of using the third bolt and the first bolts 4214 to install the support cover 42 will not be elaborated here): the aforementioned four first bolts 4214 pass through the four through holes 4212 respectively, and are then screwed into the threaded holes on the gear 21 respectively. Since the through holes 4212 are evenly distributed on the flange 4211, when the four first bolts 4214 are tightened simultaneously or when the four first bolts 4214 are tightened diagonally and in small increments, the resultant force exerted by the four first bolts 4214 on the flange 4211 is basically along the axial direction of the support shaft 41 (even if the direction of the resultant force has a certain angle with the axial direction of the support shaft 41, it is a relatively small acute angle), which reduces the possibility of the support shaft 41 breaking.

[0056] It should be understood that during the installation of the support shaft 41, the screwing speed and distance of each first bolt 4214 need to be carefully controlled so that the flange 4211 can smoothly approach the gear 21 and eventually abut against it. More specifically, for example, when the four first bolts 4214 are screwed diagonally first and in small increments, the distance changed by each screwing should be within the elastic deformation range of the O-ring used for positioning, so as not to allow the quartz shaft to touch the metal parts, thereby avoiding or reducing the possibility of breakage.

[0057] Four auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213 are evenly distributed on the flange 4211. When disassembling the support shaft 41, four second bolts 4215 are used simultaneously: the aforementioned four second bolts 4215 are screwed into the four auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213 respectively. When the top of the second bolt 4215 abuts against the end face of the gear 21, the second bolt 4215 is continued to be screwed on. The gear 21 will apply a downward force to the second bolt 4215. This downward force will be transmitted to the support shaft 41, thereby driving the support shaft 41 to move downward.

[0058] Because the auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213 are evenly distributed on the flange 4211, when simultaneously tightening the four second bolts 4215 or tightening them diagonally and in small increments, the force exerted on the flange 4211 by the four second bolts 4215 is uniform. That is, the force exerted by each second bolt 4215 on the flange 4211 (the outward disassembly force) is the same or essentially the same. In other words, the resultant force exerted by the four second bolts 4215 on the flange 4211 is essentially along the axial direction of the support shaft 41 (even if the direction of the resultant force has a certain angle with the axial direction of the support shaft 41, it is a relatively small acute angle), which reduces the possibility of breakage of the support shaft 41.

[0059] It should be understood that during the disassembly of the support shaft 41, the screwing speed and distance of each second bolt 4215 need to be controlled to ensure that the flange 4211 can be smoothly moved away from the gear 21, thereby allowing the support shaft 41 to be disassembled smoothly. More specifically, for example, when the four second bolts 4215 are screwed diagonally first and in small increments, the distance changed by each screwing should be within the elastic deformation range of the O-ring used for positioning, so as not to allow the quartz shaft to come into contact with the metal parts, thus avoiding or reducing the possibility of breakage.

[0060] Preferably, the through hole 4212 and the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole 4213 are spaced apart. The spaced through hole 4212 and the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole 4213 can balance the mechanical stress on the flange 4211, avoid local stress concentration, reduce the deformation of the flange 4211 and the first support part 421, and thus reduce the possibility of breakage caused by accidental collision between the support shaft 41 and the first support part 421.

[0061] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 As shown, the main body 413 of the support shaft 41 includes a first main body segment 4131 and a second main body segment 4132 adjacent to the first main body segment 4131. The first main body segment 4131 is located near the first end 411, and the second main body segment 4132 is located near the second end 412. The outer diameter of the first main body segment 4131 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second main body segment 4132. The semiconductor processing apparatus of this embodiment also includes a magnetic fluid assembly 43. The magnetic fluid assembly 43 has an inner ring and an outer ring (not shown), and the inner ring has a receiving through-hole 431.

[0062] Combination Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the second main body segment 4132 is fitted with a first sealing element 51 and a second sealing element 52 at both ends, and the second main body segment 4132 is placed within the receiving through hole 431 of the magnetic fluid assembly 43, wherein the receiving through hole 431 extends axially along the inner ring of the magnetic fluid assembly 43. The first sealing element 51 is close to the upper end of the magnetic fluid assembly 43, and the position of the first sealing element 51 is a certain distance from the junction of the first main body segment 4131 and the second main body segment 4132. Thus, when the support shaft 41 is disassembled, as the support shaft 41 moves downward relative to the magnetic fluid assembly 43, that is, moves downward relative to the first sealing element 51, when this relative movement distance is greater than the aforementioned certain distance, the first sealing element 51 is no longer fitted onto the second main body segment 4132, but rather fitted onto the first main body segment 4131. Since the outer diameter of the first main body section 4131 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second main body section 4132, the clamping force of the first seal 51 on the support shaft 41 is reduced, which makes it easier for the support shaft 41 to move out of the receiving through hole 431.

[0063] In one embodiment, the junction of the first main body segment 4131 and the second main body segment 4132 is a shaft. The outer diameter of this shaft gradually decreases from one side of the second main body segment 4132 to the other side of the first main body segment 4131. Therefore, the junction of the first main body segment 4131 and the second main body segment 4132 can be understood as the side where the shaft connects to the second main body segment 4132. Depending on actual needs, considering that the distance between the first seal 51 and the junction should not be too short or too long, in some embodiments, the first seal 51 is close to the first main body segment 4131, and the distance from the first seal 51 to the junction of the first main body segment 4131 and the second main body segment 4132 is 0mm-10mm. In some implementations, it can also be 1mm-4mm, 2mm-5mm, 3mm-6mm, 4mm-7mm, 5mm-9mm, etc. The first seal 51 can be an O-ring or a support ring made of plastic.

[0064] In some embodiments, the inner ring of the magnetofluid assembly 43 has an extended protrusion 432 near the second end 412, and the gear 21 is fitted onto the extended protrusion 432. The second seal 52 includes an annular sealing block 521, a first sealing ring 522, and a second sealing ring 523. After the support assembly is installed, the annular sealing block 521, the first sealing ring 522, and the second sealing ring 523 are all fitted onto the second main body section 4132 and located between the second main body section 4132 and the first support portion 421. The first sealing ring 522 is also located between the upper end of the annular sealing block 521 and the extended protrusion 432, and the second sealing ring 523 is also located between the lower end of the annular sealing block 521 and the lower end of the first support portion 421.

[0065] refer to Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the inner side of the extending protrusion 432 is a support shaft 41, and the outer side is fitted with a gear 21 and a first support portion 421. The gear 21 and the first support portion 421 are located at the upper and lower positions on the outer side of the extending protrusion 432, respectively. More specifically, the gear 21 has a first side (upper side) and a second side (lower side) opposite to each other. The magnetofluid assembly 43 includes a magnetofluid body portion 433, and the extending protrusion 432 extends downward from the bottom end face of the magnetofluid body portion 433 by a certain distance. The gear 21 is fitted onto the outer side of the extending protrusion 432 of the magnetofluid assembly 43, and its first side is close to the magnetofluid body portion 433 of the magnetofluid assembly 43. In some embodiments, the gear 21 can be bolted to the magnetofluid body portion 433 of the magnetofluid assembly 43. On the second side of the gear 21, the flange 4211 of the first support portion 421 is connected to the gear 21 by a first bolt 4214. This layered structure makes the components of the support assembly 40 more tightly connected, and the overall structure of the support assembly 40 is more stable. The first sealing ring 522 is squeezed by the annular sealing block 521, the support shaft 41 and the extended protrusion 432 to hold the support shaft 41 tightly. The second sealing ring 523 is squeezed by the annular sealing block 521, the support shaft 41 and the first support part 421 to hold the support shaft 41 tightly, thereby achieving sealing and positioning of the support shaft 41.

[0066] For example, the annular sealing block 521 can be a T-shaped annular sealing block. The inner surface of the annular sealing block 521 is fitted onto the second main body segment 4132, and the outer surface of the annular sealing block 521 is fitted onto the first support portion 421. An annular gap space is formed between the annular sealing block 521, the support shaft 41, and the extending protrusion 432, and the first sealing ring 522 is located within this gap space. The annular sealing block 521, the support shaft 41, and the first support portion 421 form another annular gap space, and the second sealing ring 523 is located within this other gap space. The first sealing ring 522 and the second sealing ring 523 are compressed within the gap space and thus grip the support shaft 41.

[0067] As mentioned above, the second seal 52 is located at the bottom of the magnetofluid assembly 43, and the first seal 51 is located at the top of the magnetofluid assembly 43. This makes the distance between the first seal 51 and the second seal 52 as long as possible, so that the positioning of the support shaft 41 is more accurate and the movement is more stable.

[0068] In some embodiments, the second main body segment 4132 is fitted with an annular gasket 55. Along the axial direction of the support shaft 41, one side of the annular gasket 55 abuts against or is close to the second end 412, and the other side of the annular gasket 55 abuts against or is close to the first support portion 421.

[0069] In some embodiments, the support cover 42 is a metal part and the support shaft 41 is a quartz part.

[0070] If the support shaft 41 is in direct contact with the metal part, it is prone to breakage under force transmission. Therefore, refer to... Figure 5 As shown, the support assembly 40 also includes an annular gasket 55. This annular gasket 55 is sleeved on the support shaft 41, with its upper end face abutting against or near the lower end face of the first support portion 421, and its lower end face abutting against or near the upper surface of the second end portion 412. Exemplarily, the annular gasket 55 may be one or more of the following types: flat gasket, O-ring, spiral gasket, and toothed gasket. A flat gasket is preferred. The material of the annular gasket 55 is preferably a material of moderate hardness, such as plastic, silicone, or PTFE.

[0071] In addition, refer to Figure 6 As shown, the support assembly 40 also includes a third seal 53. This third seal 53 is located between the bottom end face (i.e., lower end face) of the support shaft 41 and the bottom of the receiving groove 4221. That is, the support shaft 41 is supported within the receiving groove 4221 by the third seal 53. It should be understood that, to avoid contact between the bottom end face of the support shaft 41 and the bottom of the receiving groove 4221, a gap remains between the support shaft 41 and the bottom of the receiving groove 4221 even after the third seal 53 is compressed.

[0072] Furthermore, a limiting ring 4222 is provided at the bottom of the receiving groove 4221. Under the limiting action of the limiting ring 4222, the third seal 53 is only located within the inner space of the limiting ring 4222, preventing the third seal 53 from moving at the bottom of the receiving groove 4221 and affecting the support stability and sealing performance of the third seal 53. The sealing performance of the third seal 53 here refers to the fact that the middle part of the support shaft 41 is provided with a through hole, which can, for example, accommodate a temperature sensing element. The upper side of the through hole is connected to the reaction chamber 10, so the third seal 53 provided at this location can also seal to prevent the reaction chamber 10 from communicating with the outside gas at this location. In order to ensure that there is still a gap between the support shaft 41 and the bottom of the receiving groove 4221 after the third seal 53 is compressed, in one embodiment, the height of the limiting ring 4222 is approximately equal to half the diameter of the third seal 53.

[0073] In some embodiments, the bottom of the receiving groove 4221 has a clearance groove 4224. This clearance groove 4224 is located on the outer periphery of the aforementioned limiting protrusion 4222. (See reference...) Figure 6 As shown, due to the presence of the clearance groove 4224, when the support shaft 41 tilts, the possibility of the support shaft 41 contacting the second support part 422 can be reduced, thus reducing the risk of the support shaft 41 breaking.

[0074] In some embodiments, a fourth sealing element 54 may also be provided between the contact surfaces of the first support portion 421 and the second support portion 422. The first support portion 421 and the second support portion 422 are two independent components that are combined and connected together to form the support cover 42. Therefore, in order to improve the sealing effect between the first support portion 421 and the second support portion 422, a fourth sealing element 54 may also be provided between the contact surfaces of the first support portion 421 and the second support portion 422. For example, the fourth sealing element may be an O-ring.

[0075] In some embodiments, the minimum inner diameter of the first support portion 421 being smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion 412 includes: the inner diameter of the first support portion 421 on the side closer to the second end portion 412 being smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion 412. (See reference...) Figure 6 As shown, the inner diameter of the bottom surface of the first support portion 421 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion 412. Compared with the case where the inner diameter of the first support portion 421 at other locations is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion 412, the arrangement in the illustrated embodiment makes the structure of the first support portion 421 simpler.

[0076] In some embodiments, see Figure 7 As shown, in the radial direction of the first support portion 421, the outer surface of the first support portion 421 has an outwardly extending first force-bearing portion 4216; and / or in the radial direction and / or axial direction of the second support portion 422, the outer surface of the second support portion 422 has an outwardly extending second force-bearing portion 4223.

[0077] refer to Figure 7 As shown, since the overall structure of the support cover 42 is generally cylindrical, during the installation and removal of the support shaft 41 (in a scheme not using auxiliary removal bolts), if the force is directly applied to the first support portion 421 and / or the second support portion 422, its cylindrical outer surface will be unfavorable for force transmission. Therefore, in order to better apply force to the first support portion 421 and / or the second support portion 422, corresponding force-receiving portions can be provided. For example, in the radial direction of the first support portion 421, the outer surface of the first support portion 421 has an outwardly extending first force-receiving portion 4216, which is beneficial for applying force to the first support portion 421. In the radial and / or axial direction of the second support portion 422, the outer surface of the second support portion 422 has an outwardly extending second force-receiving portion 4223, which is beneficial for applying force to the second support portion 422.

[0078] In some embodiments, the support shaft 41 has a first through hole along its axial direction, and the second support portion 422 has a second through hole. The first and second through holes are configured to accommodate a temperature sensor. Specifically, the sensing end of the temperature sensor extends from the first end 411, and the transmission line of the temperature sensor passes sequentially through the first and second through holes and extends out of the second support portion 422. In one embodiment, both the first and second through holes are axially symmetrical about the axis of the support shaft 41.

[0079] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a semiconductor processing apparatus, which may be referred to Figure 1 As shown, it mainly includes a reaction chamber 10, a driving component 20, a tray 30, and a support assembly 40. The tray 30 is located inside the reaction chamber 10 and is used to support the substrate. The driving component 20 includes a gear 21. The support assembly 40 adopts the support assembly 40 as described in the previous embodiment. The first end of the support shaft 41 in the support assembly 40 is used to support the tray 30.

[0080] For details regarding the support component 40 in this embodiment, please refer to the embodiments described above. Based on the functions and advantages of the support component 40 in the previous embodiments, the semiconductor processing device in this embodiment also has the corresponding functions and advantages, which will not be repeated here.

[0081] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for installing a support component, which can be applied to the support component 40 as described in the foregoing embodiments, see reference. Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, the main steps include: Step 1, assembling the components to form the assembly to be installed, wherein each component includes a first support 421, a second support 422, and a support shaft 41 (it should be understood that the assembly to be installed may also include a third seal 53 and an annular gasket 55, etc., located between the aforementioned three components); Step 2, inserting the support shaft 41 of the assembly to be installed into the receiving through hole 431 of the magnetofluid assembly 43 from the first end, so that the flange 4211 of the first support 421 is close to the gear 21; Step 3, using a first bolt 4214 to pass through the through hole 4212, screwing the first bolt 4214 into the threaded hole on the gear 21 until the flange 4211 abuts against the gear 21; or using a third bolt to pass through the through hole 4212, screwing the third bolt into the threaded hole on the gear 21, rotating the third bolt to bring the flange close to the gear, replacing the third bolt with the first bolt, and continuing to screw in the first bolt 4214 until the flange 4211 abuts against the gear 21. The length of the third bolt is greater than that of the first bolt 4214. The main function of the third bolt is to use the third bolt to bring the distance between the flange 4211 and the gear 21 closer when the length of the first bolt 4214 is insufficient, so as to provide conditions for the subsequent use of the first bolt 4214 to install the support assembly 40.

[0082] In this embodiment, step 3 employs two methods to bring the flange 4211 abutting against the gear 21. For ease of description, these two methods are referred to as Method 1 and Method 2, respectively. Two methods are described here because in actual design, the height of the through hole on the flange 4211, the height of the threaded hole on the gear 21 corresponding to the through hole on the flange 4211, the length of the bolts (first bolt 4214, third bolt), and the distance between the first sealing element 51 and the junction of the first main body section 4131 and the second main body section 4132 can be designed in various ways. When the first bolt 4214 is long enough, Method 1 can be used; when the first bolt 4214 is not long enough, Method 2 can be used. That is, the third bolt is first used to bring the distance between the flange 4211 and the gear 21 closer, and then the first bolt 4214 is used to fix the flange 4211 and the gear 21. If the third bolt is long enough to be able to screw into the gear 21 after passing through the through hole on the flange 4211 and moving past the initial gap between the flange 4211 and the gear 21, and is also short enough that the upper end of the third bolt does not screw out of the upper side of the gear 21 when the flange 4211 abuts against the gear 21, the entire installation process of the support assembly 40 can be completed directly using the third bolt.

[0083] Similar to what was described earlier, when installing the support assembly 40, a structure with four through holes 4212 can be used. When simultaneously tightening the four first bolts 4214 (or third bolts), or by prioritizing diagonal tightening and gradually tightening the four first bolts 4214 (or third bolts) in small increments, the resultant force exerted by the four first bolts 4214 on the flange 4211 is essentially along the axial direction of the support shaft 41, reducing the possibility of the support shaft 41 breaking. When disassembling the support assembly 40, a structure with four auxiliary disassembly threaded holes 4213 can be used. When simultaneously tightening the four second bolts 4215, or by prioritizing diagonal tightening and gradually tightening the four second bolts 4215, the force exerted by the four second bolts 4215 on the flange 4211 is uniform. That is, the force exerted by each second bolt 4215 on the flange 4211 (the outward disassembly force) is the same or essentially the same, reducing the possibility of the support shaft 41 breaking.

[0084] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for disassembling a support component, applied to the support component 40 mentioned in the foregoing embodiment, with reference to... Figure 2 and Figure 9 As shown, the main steps include: Step 1, unscrewing each of the first bolts 4214 to disconnect the flange 4211 of the first support part 421 from the gear 21; Step 2, screwing the second bolt 4215 into the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole 4213 until the second bolt 4215 abuts against the gear 21; Step 3, continuing to rotate the second bolt 4215 to move the flange 4211 of the first support part 421 away from the gear 21; Step 4, after the second main body section 4132 disengages from the first seal 51, applying a force to the support cover 42 (it should be understood that the force here is not generated by the aforementioned second bolt 4215), for example, by holding the support cover 42 by hand or using a tool to clamp the support cover 42 and pulling the support cover 42 outward, so that the support cover 42 moves together with the support shaft 41 until the support shaft 41 moves out of the receiving through hole 431.

[0085] As can be seen, when disassembling the support shaft 41, since the outer diameter of the second end 412 of the support shaft 41 is greater than the minimum inner diameter of the first support part 421, the disassembly force can be transmitted to the support shaft 41 through the support cover 42, making the disassembly process of the support shaft 41 easier and more controllable.

[0086] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the above disclosure is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this application. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this application, and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0087] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of the application requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0088] Although this application has been described with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate this application, and various equivalent changes or substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, any changes or modifications to the above embodiments within the essential spirit of this application will fall within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A support assembly for a semiconductor processing apparatus, the semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a reaction chamber, a driving component, and a tray, the tray being located within the reaction chamber and used to support a substrate, the driving component comprising gears, characterized in that, The support components include: A support shaft, configured to be driven by the drive component, is used to support and rotate the tray. The support shaft includes a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a main body extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the outer diameter of the second end is larger than the outer diameter of the main body. The main body of the support shaft includes a first main segment and a second main segment adjacent to the first main segment, wherein the first main segment is close to the first end, the second main segment is close to the second end, and the outer diameter of the first main segment is smaller than the outer diameter of the second main segment. The semiconductor processing device further includes a magnetic fluid assembly, the second main segment being disposed within a receiving through-hole of the magnetic fluid assembly. A first seal and a second seal are respectively fitted at both ends of the second main segment. The first seal is close to the first main segment, and the distance from the first seal to the junction of the first main segment and the second main segment is 0mm-10mm. The support cover includes a first support portion and a second support portion fixedly connected to the first support portion, wherein the first support portion is sleeved on the main body portion and close to the second end portion; the second support portion has an accommodating groove, and the second end portion is placed in the accommodating groove; the minimum inner diameter of the first support portion is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end portion.

2. The support component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first support portion has a flange on the side away from the second end, and the flange is provided with a through hole and an auxiliary disassembly threaded hole; A first bolt is inserted through the through hole, and after passing through the through hole, the first bolt is screwed into the threaded hole on the gear, so that the flange abuts against the gear; The auxiliary disassembly threaded hole is configured such that by screwing a second bolt into the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole and, after the second bolt abuts against the gear, the flange is moved away from the gear by continuing to rotate the second bolt.

3. The support component as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The through holes are evenly distributed around the flange, and the auxiliary disassembly threaded holes are evenly distributed around the flange, with the through holes and the auxiliary disassembly threaded holes spaced apart.

4. The support component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetofluid assembly has an extended protrusion at one end near the first support portion, and the gear is sleeved on the extended protrusion. The second sealing element includes an annular sealing block, a first sealing ring, and a second sealing ring; wherein the annular sealing block, the first sealing ring, and the second sealing ring are all sleeved on the second main body segment and located between the second main body segment and the first support portion; the first sealing ring is also located between the upper end of the annular sealing block and the extended protrusion, and the second sealing ring is also located between the lower end of the annular sealing block and the lower end of the first support portion.

5. The support component as described in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The second main body segment is fitted with an annular gasket; along the axial direction of the support shaft, one side of the annular gasket abuts against or is close to the second end, and the other side of the annular gasket abuts against or is close to the first support portion.

6. The support component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the accommodating groove is provided with a limiting protrusion ring; the support assembly is also provided with a third sealing element, which is located in the inner space of the limiting protrusion ring.

7. The support component as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The minimum inner diameter of the first support portion being smaller than the outer diameter of the second end includes: the inner diameter of the side of the first support portion closer to the second end being smaller than the outer diameter of the second end.

8. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a reaction chamber, a drive component, a tray, and a support assembly. The tray is located within the reaction chamber and is used to support a substrate. The drive component includes gears. The support assembly is a support assembly as described in any one of claims 1-7, and the first end of the support shaft in the support assembly is used to support the tray.

9. A method for installing a support component, characterized in that, Applied to the support component as described in any one of claims 1-7, comprising: Assemble the components to form an assembly to be installed, wherein each component includes the first support part, the second support part, and the support shaft; Insert the support shaft of the assembly to be installed into the receiving through hole of the magnetofluid assembly starting from the first end, so that the flange of the first support is close to the gear; The first bolt is passed through the through hole and screwed into the threaded hole on the gear until the flange abuts against the gear; or the third bolt is passed through the through hole and screwed into the threaded hole on the gear, the third bolt is rotated to bring the flange closer to the gear, the first bolt is replaced with the third bolt, and the first bolt is continued to be screwed in until the flange abuts against the gear.

10. A method for disassembling a support component, characterized in that, Applied to the support component as described in any one of claims 1-7, comprising: Unscrew each of the first bolts to disconnect the connection between the flange of the first support and the gear. Screw the second bolt into the auxiliary disassembly threaded hole until the second bolt abuts against the gear; Continue rotating the second bolt to move the flange of the first support away from the gear; After the second main body section disengages from the first seal, a force is applied to the support cover, causing the support cover to move together with the support shaft until the support shaft moves out of the receiving through hole.

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