Bearing device and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a bearing device and semiconductor process equipment, the device comprises a reference main board and at least one annular supporting part, and the reference main board is provided with at least one hollow part; the annular supporting parts are arranged in the hollow-out parts in a one-to-one correspondence mode and are in lap joint with the reference main board. Each annular supporting component is provided with a bearing structure and a rolling structure, the bearing structure is used for supporting the bottom surface edge of the wafer, and the rolling structure is used for rolling contact with the wafer edge on the outer side of the wafer. The problems that in the prior art, a ceramic wafer fork is broken and collapsed due to a long and thin cantilever structure, and the ceramic wafer fork is not suitable for large-size wafers can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically, to a carrier device and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] As semiconductor manufacturing processes continue to advance towards more advanced 5nm and 3nm nodes, the requirements for materials, equipment precision, and environmental cleanliness in wafer manufacturing have become unprecedentedly stringent. Against this backdrop, as the fundamental carrier of semiconductor chips, every step in the wafer's production process has a decisive impact on the performance and yield of the final chip.

[0003] In the wafer deposition process of wafer manufacturing, a front-opening standard wafer pod (FOUP) is used in conjunction with a semiconductor equipment front-end module (EFEM) to achieve precise wafer transfer between different processing steps. Specifically, the EFEM uses an internal transfer robot to remove the wafer from the FOUP and transfer it to a plate within the process chamber. This plate typically needs to support multiple wafers simultaneously (e.g., four) and uniformly heat the wafers at high temperatures to meet the requirements of processes such as thin film deposition.

[0004] However, existing technologies commonly use ceramic forks as support structures for wafer support devices. These ceramic forks are thin and relatively long. During high-temperature heating, they are highly susceptible to breakage or collapse due to thermal stress or mechanical vibration, leading to decreased wafer support accuracy and even wafer breakage or process deviations. Furthermore, the size limitations of ceramic forks make them unsuitable for supporting large wafers (such as 12-inch wafers), further exacerbating stability issues. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a carrier device and semiconductor process equipment, which can solve the problems of fracture and collapse risk caused by the "slender cantilever" structure of ceramic plate forks in the prior art, as well as the inability to be used on large-size wafers.

[0006] To achieve the purpose of this application, a carrier device is provided for carrying a wafer, including a reference motherboard and at least one annular support member, wherein the reference motherboard is provided with at least one cutout portion; each of the annular support members is correspondingly disposed in each of the cutout portions and overlaps with the reference motherboard;

[0007] Each of the aforementioned annular support components is provided with a load-bearing structure and a rolling structure. The load-bearing structure is used to support the edge of the bottom surface of the wafer, and the rolling structure is used to roll and contact the edge of the wafer on the outside of the wafer.

[0008] In some embodiments, the reference motherboard is disc-shaped, and there are multiple cutouts that are evenly distributed along the circumference of the reference motherboard; each cutout is a circular hole or part of a circular hole formed on the reference motherboard.

[0009] In some embodiments, each of the annular support members is provided with a plurality of hanging ears on its outer periphery, and these ears are evenly distributed along the circumference of the annular support member; the upper surface of the reference main board is provided with a plurality of limiting grooves at the edges of each of the hollow portions.

[0010] Each of the annular support components is located in the corresponding hollow portion, and each of the hanging ears overlaps the bottom surface of each of the limiting grooves.

[0011] In some embodiments, one of the two overlapping surfaces of the reference motherboard and the annular support member is provided with a first positioning part, and the other is provided with a second positioning part. The first positioning part and the second positioning part are engaged in a circumferential upper limit cooperation with the annular support member and can move relative to each other in the radial direction of the annular support member.

[0012] In some embodiments, the lap surface of the reference motherboard is a first lap surface, and the lap surface of the annular support member is a second lap surface; one of the first lap surface and the second lap surface is provided with a mounting component, which serves as the first positioning part; the other of the first lap surface and the second lap surface is formed with a positioning recess, which serves as the second positioning part.

[0013] The mounting component includes a first mounting groove and a positioning protrusion disposed in the first mounting groove. A portion of the positioning protrusion is disposed in the first mounting groove, and another portion protrudes from the groove opening of the first mounting groove, with the protruding surface being an arc-shaped convex surface.

[0014] The positioning recess is strip-shaped, and the concave surface of the positioning recess is an arc-shaped concave surface; the long axis of the positioning recess is arranged radially along the annular support member; the arc-shaped concave surface and the arc-shaped convex surface are in upper limit engagement in the short axis direction of the positioning recess, and can move relative to each other in the long axis direction of the positioning recess.

[0015] In some embodiments, one of the first overlapping surfaces and the second overlapping surface having the first mounting groove is further provided with a fixing component. The fixing component has a limiting inclined surface, which cooperates with the positioning protrusion to limit the positioning protrusion in the first mounting groove.

[0016] In some embodiments, there are multiple load-bearing structures, which are evenly distributed circumferentially in the annular support portion;

[0017] Each of the aforementioned support structures includes a support component, which is fixedly connected to the annular support component, and the support component is provided with a support portion located inside the annular support component for supporting the edge of the wafer bottom surface;

[0018] The rolling structure is multiple, and each rolling structure is disposed one-to-one with each of the bearing components. The multiple rolling structures are used to simultaneously roll and contact the wafer edge on the outer side of the wafer.

[0019] In some embodiments, the rolling structure includes a roller, a rotating shaft, and a limiting member, wherein the roller is rotatably connected to the bearing member via the rotating shaft; the limiting member is disposed on the bearing member and is configured to clamp and fix both ends of the rotating shaft.

[0020] In some embodiments, the bearing member is provided with a through opening, the limiting member is U-shaped and passes through the through opening, and the two ends of the limiting member are clamped and fixed to the two ends of the rotating shaft.

[0021] In some embodiments, the support portion is provided with spherical protrusions for supporting the edge of the wafer bottom surface.

[0022] In some embodiments, the carrier device further includes a cooling component disposed on the reference motherboard for cooling the reference motherboard.

[0023] In some embodiments, the cooling component includes cooling pipes evenly distributed at the bottom of the base motherboard; or,

[0024] The cooling component is a cooling channel uniformly formed in the reference motherboard.

[0025] In some embodiments, the system further includes an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and a spindle, wherein the spindle is vertically disposed at the bottom of the base motherboard; the spindle is provided with an outlet channel, one end of the inlet pipe is connected to the inlet end of the cooling pipe or the cooling channel, one end of the outlet pipe is connected to the outlet end of the cooling pipe or the cooling channel, and the other ends of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe extend to the bottom of the spindle through the outlet channel for connection to a cooling medium supply source.

[0026] In some embodiments, the system further includes a spindle and a flange connecting plate, wherein the spindle is vertically disposed below the reference main board; the flange connecting plate is located between the spindle and the reference main board, and is fixedly connected to both of them.

[0027] In some embodiments, a rotary drive component is further included, which is connected to the spindle and is used to drive the spindle to rotate.

[0028] As another technical solution, this application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including a process chamber and a carrier device disposed in the process chamber, wherein the carrier device adopts the carrier device provided in this application.

[0029] This application has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] The support device provided in this application uses a reference motherboard as the main support component, whose rigidity is far superior to that of the ceramic forks in existing technologies. By placing a ring-shaped support component within the cutout of the reference motherboard and overlapping it, the wafer load can be evenly distributed across the entire reference motherboard, rather than concentrated at local support points (as in the ceramic forks of existing technologies). This eliminates the risk of breakage and collapse of the ceramic forks due to their "slender cantilever" structure, thereby extending the device's lifespan and adapting to the support requirements of large-size wafers (such as 12-inch wafers). Furthermore, the overlap between the ring-shaped support component and the reference motherboard allows for quick installation and easier maintenance. In addition, the rolling structure, which rolls against the wafer edge on the outer side, radially limits the wafer's rolling movement, preventing collisions and fragmentation during wafer handling and eliminating sliding friction with the wafer edge. This eliminates particles generated by sliding friction and improves wafer cleanliness. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a semiconductor process equipment;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a top view of a load-bearing device used in existing technology;

[0033] Figure 3 A perspective structural diagram of the support device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the reference motherboard and cooling components used in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 5 An assembly diagram of some components of the support device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the local reference motherboard and load-bearing structure used in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the annular support component used in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of region I in the middle;

[0039] Figure 9 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the reference motherboard used in the embodiments of this application at the first lap surface;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the load-bearing structure and rolling structure used in the embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 11 This is an exploded structural diagram of the load-bearing structure and rolling structure used in the embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of the cooling component used in the embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 13 The embodiments of this application use partial sectional views of the reference motherboard, spindle, and flange connecting plate. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this application, the carrier device and semiconductor process equipment provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] In the wafer manufacturing process, such as Figure 1 As shown, a FOUP (Front-Up Unit) is used in conjunction with the EFEM (Extended-Edge Embedded Frame) of the semiconductor process equipment to achieve precise wafer transfer between different processing steps. Specifically, the FOUP is used to store the wafers to be processed. After the FOUP reaches the interface position (i.e., the Load Port, which is the interface device used to load the FOUP into the equipment), it undergoes a series of operations including positioning, clamping, opening, detection, and identification. Subsequently, the wafer transfer robot inside the EFEM precisely removes the wafer from the FOUP and transfers it to the fan-shaped robot inside the process chamber. The upper part of the fan-shaped robot is equipped with a support device that can simultaneously accommodate multiple wafers (e.g., 4 wafers). Then, the wafers are uniformly heated in a high-temperature environment to meet the requirements of processes such as thin-film deposition.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, existing support devices are located inside the cavity and generally use ceramic forks as the support structure. These ceramic forks support a ceramic ring, which in turn supports the wafer. The ceramic forks are slender and relatively long. During high-temperature heating, the ceramic forks are highly susceptible to breakage or collapse due to thermal stress or mechanical vibration, leading to decreased wafer support accuracy and even wafer breakage or process deviations. Furthermore, the size limitations of the ceramic forks make them unsuitable for supporting large wafers (such as 12-inch wafers), further exacerbating stability issues.

[0047] To resolve the aforementioned technical issues, please refer to the following: Figures 3 to 13This application provides a carrier device 100 for carrying wafers, which can be applied to semiconductor process equipment, such as... Figure 1 The carrier device 100 is shown. The carrier device 100 includes a reference motherboard 10 and at least one annular support member 20. The reference motherboard 10 has at least one cutout portion 101. Each annular support member 20 is correspondingly disposed in each cutout portion 101 and overlaps with the reference motherboard 10. Each annular support member 20 is provided with a carrier structure 30 and a rolling structure 40. The carrier structure 30 supports the bottom edge of the wafer S, and the rolling structure 40 rolls and contacts the edge of the wafer S on the outside of the wafer S. It should be noted that the wafer S has two opposing surfaces, one of which is supported by the carrier structure 30. The circumferential side surface of the wafer S is the aforementioned edge of the wafer S, and the rolling structure 40 is located on the outside of the wafer S and rolls and contacts this circumferential side surface.

[0048] The aforementioned reference motherboard 10 serves as the primary load-bearing component. Its material includes aluminum or other materials with rigidity far exceeding that of existing ceramic forks. By placing the annular support component 20 within the cutout 101 of the reference motherboard 10 and overlapping it, the wafer load can be evenly distributed across the entire reference motherboard 10, rather than concentrating at local support points (such as the ceramic forks in the prior art). This eliminates the risk of breakage and collapse of the ceramic forks due to their "slender cantilever" structure, thereby extending the equipment's lifespan and accommodating the support requirements of large-size wafers (such as 12-inch wafers). Furthermore, the overlap between the annular support component 20 and the reference motherboard 10 allows for quick installation and easier maintenance. Additionally, the rolling structure 40, which rolls against the edge of the wafer S on its outer side, radially limits the rolling movement of the wafer S, preventing collisions and fragmentation during handling and eliminating sliding friction with the wafer S's edge. This eliminates particles generated by sliding friction, improving the cleanliness of the wafer S.

[0049] In some embodiments, in order to ensure wafer cleanliness, the materials of the annular support member 20 and the rolling structure 40 include, for example, wear-resistant and insulating materials such as ceramics.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the reference motherboard 10 is disk-shaped with multiple cutouts 101 evenly distributed along its circumference. Each annular support member 20 is correspondingly disposed in each cutout 101, thereby enabling the support of multiple wafers S. Each cutout 101 is a circular hole or part of a circular hole formed in the reference motherboard 10, for example... Figure 4The hollow portions 101 are all part of each circular hole; that is, each circular hole has a notch formed at the edge of the base motherboard 10. In practical applications, whether it is a circular hole or part of a circular hole depends on the size of the base motherboard 10, the number of circular holes, and their size. By evenly distributing multiple hollow portions 101 along the circumference of the base motherboard 10, the wafer load can be evenly distributed across the entire base motherboard 10, avoiding stress concentration problems caused by load concentration in local areas, thereby improving overall stability and reliability. In practical applications, the base motherboard 10 can also adopt other plate-like structures, such as a square disk shape.

[0051] The term "overlapping" refers to the mutual contact and overlap of the overlapping surfaces of the annular support component 20 and the base motherboard 10, with the base motherboard 10 supporting the annular support component 20 through the supporting relationship between the overlapping surfaces. There are various ways in which the annular support component 20 and the base motherboard 10 can overlap; in some embodiments, such as... Figures 5 to 8 As shown, each annular support component 20 has multiple hanging ears 201 on its outer periphery, and the multiple hanging ears 201 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the annular support component 20; the upper surface of the reference main board 10 has multiple limiting grooves 102 at the edges of each hollow portion 101, for example... Figure 5 The diagram shows three limiting grooves 102 at the edge of each cutout portion 101. Each annular support member 20 is located in the corresponding cutout portion 101, and each lug 201 overlaps the bottom surface of the corresponding limiting groove 102. By having each lug 201 overlap the bottom surface of the corresponding limiting groove 102, the annular support member 20 can be stably supported in the cutout portion 101 of the base motherboard 10, preventing displacement due to mechanical vibration. Furthermore, during installation, the annular support member 20 can be installed simply by placing each lug 201 into its corresponding limiting groove 102, making the installation of the annular support member 20 more convenient and quick, reducing assembly time and cost.

[0052] In some embodiments, one of the two overlapping surfaces of the reference motherboard 10 and the annular support member 20 is provided with a first positioning part, and the other is provided with a second positioning part. The first positioning part and the second positioning part are engaged in a circumferential upper limit cooperation of the annular support member 20, and can move relative to each other in the radial direction. With the cooperation of the first positioning part and the second positioning part, the position of the annular support member 20 in the circumferential direction can be effectively restricted, preventing its rotational deviation. At the same time, allowing the annular support member 20 to move a certain distance in the radial direction is mainly to allow for a certain deviation during installation, ensuring that the annular support member 20 can be smoothly installed in place, reducing assembly difficulty and time. The annular support member 20 can automatically adjust its position during installation to accommodate minor installation deviations.

[0053] To achieve the above effects, furthermore, in some embodiments, such as Figures 6 to 9 As shown, the lap surface of the reference motherboard 10 is the first lap surface 104, and the lap surface of the annular support member 20 is the second lap surface 202. One of the first lap surface 104 and the second lap surface 202 is provided with a mounting component, serving as a first positioning part; the other of the first lap surface 104 and the second lap surface 202 has a positioning recess 203, serving as a second positioning part. For example, the first lap surface 104 is provided with a mounting component, and the second lap surface 202 is provided with a positioning recess 203, serving as a second positioning part. Of course, in practical applications, the first lap surface 104 can also have a positioning recess 203, and the second lap surface 202 can have a mounting component.

[0054] like Figure 9 As shown, the mounting assembly includes a first mounting groove 105 and a positioning protrusion 103 disposed in the first mounting groove 105. A portion of the positioning protrusion 103 is disposed in the first mounting groove 105, and another portion protrudes from the opening of the first mounting groove 105. The protruding surface is an arc-shaped convex surface, that is, the distance between the protruding surface and the first overlapping surface 104 decreases from the center to different positions from the edge. The positioning recess 203 is strip-shaped, and the concave surface of the positioning recess 203 is an arc-shaped concave surface, that is, in the short axis direction of the positioning recess 203, the distance between the concave surface and the second overlapping surface 202 decreases from the center to different positions from the edge. The long axis of the positioning recess 203 is arranged radially along the annular support member 20; the arc-shaped concave surface and the arc-shaped convex surface are engaged in the upper limit fit in the short axis direction of the positioning recess 203, and can move relative to each other in the long axis direction of the positioning recess 203.

[0055] By positioning the recess 203 and the protruding portion of the protrusion 103 in the minor axis direction, the position of the annular support member 20 in the circumferential direction can be limited. Simultaneously, by moving the protrusion 103 and the recess 203 relative to each other along the major axis of the recess 203, the radial position of the annular support member 20 can be finely adjusted, allowing the position of the annular support member 20 to be adjusted within a certain range during installation. Furthermore, during equipment operation, the annular support member 20 may experience slight displacement due to thermal expansion or mechanical vibration. The aforementioned relative movement fit allows for such displacement.

[0056] In some embodiments, in order to ensure wafer cleanliness, the material of the positioning protrusion 103 includes, for example, a wear-resistant and insulating material such as sapphire.

[0057] In some embodiments, one of the first mounting grooves 105 provided in the first lap surface 104 and the second lap surface 202 is further provided with a fixing member 106. The fixing member 106 has a limiting slope that engages with the positioning protrusion 103 to limit the positioning protrusion 103 within the first mounting groove 105. The limiting slope of the fixing member 106 can securely limit the positioning protrusion 103 within the first mounting groove 105, preventing it from dislodging from the first mounting groove 105, thereby improving structural reliability. The fixing member 106 is, for example, a countersunk screw, which can be installed in a countersunk screw hole on one side of the first mounting groove 105. The bevel of the screw head of the countersunk screw serves as the aforementioned limiting slope.

[0058] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, there are multiple support structures 30, which are evenly distributed circumferentially around the annular support member 20 to jointly support the wafer S. Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, each load-bearing structure 30 includes a load-bearing component 301, which is fixedly connected to the annular support component 20. Specifically, at least one first connecting hole 204 can be provided on the lug 201, and correspondingly, at least one second connecting hole 305 can be provided on the load-bearing component 301. By passing fasteners 304 (e.g., fastening screws) sequentially through the first connecting hole 204 and the corresponding second connecting hole 305, the load-bearing component 301 and the lug 201 can be fixedly connected.

[0059] Furthermore, the supporting component 301 is provided with a support portion 302, which is located inside the annular support component 20 and is used to support the bottom edge of the wafer S. Multiple rolling structures 40 are provided, each corresponding to one of the supporting components 301. These multiple rolling structures 40 are used to simultaneously roll and contact the edge of the wafer S on its outer side. The multiple supporting components 301 can uniformly support the bottom edge of the wafer S, improving the stability of the support. The multiple rolling structures 40 can simultaneously roll and contact the edge of the wafer S, reducing the risk of collision during wafer S handling. Rolling contact reduces particulate contamination caused by sliding friction, improving the cleanliness of the equipment.

[0060] In some embodiments, the rolling structure 40 includes a roller 401, a rotating shaft 402, and a limiting member 403, wherein the roller 401 is rollably connected to the bearing member 301 via the rotating shaft 402. The outer peripheral surface of the roller 401 is used for rolling contact with the wafer S. The limiting member 403 is disposed on the bearing member 301 and is configured to clamp and fix both ends of the rotating shaft 402 so that the rotating shaft 402 does not move axially while rotating. Specifically, the bearing component 301 includes a connecting block 3012 and a support block 3011. The connecting block 3012 is disposed at the bottom of the hanging ear 201 and is used to fix it to the hanging ear 201. One end of the support block 3011 is integrally formed or welded to the connecting block 3012. The other end of the support block 3011 away from the connecting block 3012 is provided with the aforementioned support portion 302. Furthermore, a receiving groove 3013 for accommodating the roller 401 is provided at a position of the support block 3011 near the support portion 302. Both ends of the rotating shaft 402 are disposed through the sidewall of the receiving groove 3013 and are clamped and fixed by the limiting component 403.

[0061] The roller 401 is rotatably connected to the bearing component 301 via the pivot 402, enabling stable rolling contact with the edge of the wafer S and reducing the risk of wafer S fragmentation. The limiting component 403 securely fixes the pivot 402, reducing the wobbling of the roller 401 and extending the service life of the rolling structure 40. Furthermore, in some embodiments, to ensure wafer cleanliness, the roller 401 is made of wear-resistant and insulating materials such as ceramics.

[0062] In some embodiments, the supporting member 301 is provided with a through opening 306, the limiting member 403 is U-shaped and passes through the through opening 306, and the two ends of the limiting member 403 are clamped and fixed to the two ends of the rotating shaft 402.

[0063] In some embodiments, the support portion 302 is provided with a spherical protrusion 303 for supporting the bottom edge of the wafer S. The design of the spherical protrusion 303 reduces the contact area with the wafer S, thereby reducing wear. Furthermore, in some embodiments, in order to ensure wafer cleanliness, the material of the spherical protrusion 303 includes, for example, a wear-resistant and insulating material such as sapphire.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the support device 100 also includes a cooling component 50 disposed on the reference motherboard 10 for cooling the reference motherboard 10. The cooling component 50 can effectively cool the reference motherboard 10, preventing it from deforming or being damaged due to high temperature. By cooling the reference motherboard 10, the impact of thermal expansion on the accuracy and lifespan of the equipment is reduced.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 12As shown, the cooling component 50 includes cooling pipes 501 uniformly distributed at the bottom of the reference motherboard 10; or, the cooling component 50 is a cooling channel uniformly formed in the reference motherboard 10. The uniform distribution of cooling pipes 501 or cooling channels at the bottom of the reference motherboard 10 enables uniform cooling and avoids localized overheating. Specifically, the cooling pipes 501 can be embedded in a recess at the bottom of the reference motherboard 10, independent of the reference motherboard 10, and fixedly connected to the reference motherboard 10 by means of bonding or other methods. For example, the cooling pipes 501 are copper pipes, bonded to the reference motherboard 10 with an aluminum repair compound. In this way, heat from the reference motherboard 10 is transferred to the cooling pipes 501, and then the cooling medium (e.g., coolant) in the cooling pipes 501 carries away the heat.

[0066] In some embodiments, to facilitate the introduction and exit of the cooling medium, an inlet pipe 502, an outlet pipe 503, and a main shaft 61 are also included, wherein, as shown... Figure 13 As shown, the spindle 61 is vertically mounted on the bottom of the reference motherboard 10. The spindle 61 is provided with an outlet channel 611. One end of the inlet pipe 502 is connected to the inlet end of the cooling pipe 501 or the cooling channel, and one end of the outlet pipe 503 is connected to the outlet end of the cooling pipe 501 or the cooling channel. The other ends of the inlet pipe 502 and the outlet pipe 503 extend to the bottom of the spindle 61 through the outlet channel 611 for connection with the cooling medium supply source, thereby realizing the circulation of the cooling medium and efficiently cooling the reference motherboard 10.

[0067] In some embodiments, the system further includes a spindle 61 and a flange connecting plate 62, wherein the spindle 61 is vertically disposed below the reference main plate 10; the flange connecting plate 62 is located between the spindle 61 and the reference main plate 10 and is fixedly connected to both. The flange connecting plate 62 is fixedly connected to the spindle 61, for example, by a plurality of fastening screws 63. Similarly, the flange connecting plate 62 is fixedly connected to the reference main plate 10, for example, by a plurality of fastening screws. The flange connecting plate 62 can provide support with a larger contact area, firmly connecting the spindle 61 and the reference main plate 10, while improving the flatness and perpendicularity of the reference main plate 10, and ensuring the coaxiality of the spindle 61 and the reference main plate 10. Further, in some embodiments, the material of the spindle 61 includes, for example, a material with advantages such as high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and low deformation, such as nickel-based alloys, so that it can provide stable support while being suitable for scenarios with corrosive special process gases in the working environment.

[0068] In addition, in some embodiments, a center cover plate 64 is provided at the top center of the base motherboard 10 to cover and protect the parts below it. During maintenance, the center cover plate 64 is removed first, and then the spindle 61 is maintained.

[0069] In some embodiments, a rotary drive component (not shown) is further included, connected to the spindle 61, for driving the spindle 61 to rotate. When the carrier 100 is used to carry multiple wafers S, during the wafer placement operation, the first wafer is first placed on one of the annular support members 20 of the carrier 100. Then, the rotary drive component drives the spindle 61 to rotate, rotating the next annular support member 20 to the wafer placement position, waiting for the second wafer to be placed. This process is repeated until all annular support members 20 have been placed with wafers. In practical applications, a lifting drive component may also be included to drive the spindle 61 to move up and down. The rotary drive component and the lifting drive component can be configured according to specific needs.

[0070] As another technical solution, this application embodiment also provides a semiconductor process equipment, including a process chamber and a carrier device 100 disposed in the process chamber, the carrier device 100 being the carrier device 100 described above in this application embodiment.

[0071] The aforementioned semiconductor process equipment, for example, employs Figure 1 The equipment shown is used to uniformly heat wafers to meet the requirements of processes such as thin film deposition.

[0072] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of this application, and this application is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of this application, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A carrier device for carrying a wafer, characterized in that, It includes a reference motherboard and at least one annular support component, wherein the reference motherboard is provided with at least one hollow portion; each of the annular support components is correspondingly disposed in each of the hollow portions and overlaps with the reference motherboard; Each of the aforementioned annular support components is provided with a load-bearing structure and a rolling structure. The load-bearing structure is used to support the edge of the bottom surface of the wafer, and the rolling structure is used to roll and contact the edge of the wafer on the outside of the wafer.

2. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reference motherboard is disc-shaped, and there are multiple hollowed-out portions that are evenly distributed along the circumference of the reference motherboard; each hollowed-out portion is a circular hole or part of a circular hole formed on the reference motherboard.

3. The bearing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the annular support components is provided with multiple hanging ears on its outer periphery, and these ears are evenly distributed along the circumference of the annular support component; the upper surface of the reference main board is provided with multiple limiting grooves at the edges of each of the hollowed-out portions. Each of the annular support components is located in the corresponding hollow portion, and each of the hanging ears overlaps the bottom surface of each of the limiting grooves.

4. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the two overlapping surfaces of the reference motherboard and the annular support component is provided with a first positioning part, and the other is provided with a second positioning part. The first positioning part and the second positioning part are engaged in the circumferential upper limit of the annular support component and can move relative to each other in the radial direction of the annular support component.

5. The bearing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lap surface of the reference motherboard is the first lap surface, and the lap surface of the annular support component is the second lap surface; one of the first lap surface and the second lap surface is provided with an installation component, which serves as the first positioning part; the other of the first lap surface and the second lap surface is formed with a positioning recess, which serves as the second positioning part. The mounting component includes a first mounting groove and a positioning protrusion disposed in the first mounting groove. A portion of the positioning protrusion is disposed in the first mounting groove, and another portion protrudes from the groove opening of the first mounting groove, with the protruding surface being an arc-shaped convex surface. The positioning recess is strip-shaped, and the concave surface of the positioning recess is an arc-shaped concave surface; the long axis of the positioning recess is arranged radially along the annular support member; the arc-shaped concave surface and the arc-shaped convex surface are in upper limit engagement in the short axis direction of the positioning recess, and can move relative to each other in the long axis direction of the positioning recess.

6. The bearing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first overlapping surface and the second overlapping surface, which are provided with the first mounting groove, are further provided with a fixing component. The fixing component is engaged with the positioning protrusion to limit the positioning protrusion in the first mounting groove.

7. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The load-bearing structure comprises multiple structures, which are evenly distributed circumferentially in the annular support portion. Each of the aforementioned support structures includes a support component, which is fixedly connected to the annular support component, and the support component is provided with a support portion located inside the annular support component for supporting the edge of the wafer bottom surface; The rolling structure is multiple, and each rolling structure is disposed in a corresponding manner on each of the bearing components. The multiple rolling structures make rolling contact with the edge of the wafer.

8. The bearing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The rolling structure includes a roller, a rotating shaft, and a limiting component. The roller is rotatably connected to the bearing component via the rotating shaft. The limiting component is disposed on the bearing component and is configured to clamp and fix both ends of the rotating shaft.

9. The bearing device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bearing component is provided with a through opening, the limiting component is U-shaped and passes through the through opening, and the two ends of the limiting component are clamped and fixed to the two ends of the rotating shaft.

10. The bearing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The support portion is provided with spherical protrusions to support the edge of the wafer bottom surface.

11. The bearing device according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The support device also includes a cooling component disposed on the reference motherboard for cooling the reference motherboard.

12. The bearing device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The cooling component includes cooling pipes evenly distributed at the bottom of the base motherboard; or, The cooling component is a cooling channel uniformly formed in the reference motherboard.

13. The bearing device according to claim 12, characterized in that, It also includes an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and a spindle, wherein the spindle is vertically disposed at the bottom of the reference motherboard; the spindle is provided with an outlet channel, one end of the inlet pipe is connected to the inlet end of the cooling pipe or the cooling channel, one end of the outlet pipe is connected to the outlet end of the cooling pipe or the cooling channel, and the other ends of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe extend to the bottom of the spindle through the outlet channel for connection to a cooling medium supply source.

14. The bearing device according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, It also includes a spindle and a flange connecting plate, wherein the spindle is vertically disposed below the reference main board; the flange connecting plate is located between the spindle and the reference main board, and is fixedly connected to both of them respectively.

15. A semiconductor process apparatus, comprising a process chamber, characterized in that, It also includes a support device disposed in the process chamber, wherein the support device is the support device as described in any one of claims 1-14.

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