Wafer annealing method and device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor wafer production equipment, and discloses a wafer annealing method and equipment, the wafer annealing equipment comprises an annealing furnace body for rapidly annealing a semiconductor wafer, and the top of the annealing furnace body is in threaded connection with a radiation heating device for providing heat; the feeding and discharging bins are distributed on the outer side of the annealing furnace body in an annular array mode, one ends of the feeding and discharging bins communicate with the annealing furnace body, the other ends of the feeding and discharging bins are rotationally connected with sealing doors, and annular supporting plates are arranged in the feeding and discharging bins; under the action of the designed synchronous feeding and discharging unit, the feeding and discharging bin and the positioning unit, a plurality of semiconductor wafers can be synchronously moved for operation in the annealing furnace, the plurality of semiconductor wafers can be clamped at a time, the clamping action can be kept synchronous, and compared with a rotating and positioning mode of an existing wafer clamping assembly, the clamping efficiency is greatly improved. And the overall feeding and discharging operation speed of the semiconductor wafer is relatively high, so that the overall annealing efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor wafer manufacturing equipment technology, specifically to a wafer annealing method and equipment. Background Technology

[0002] During semiconductor manufacturing, after a series of process steps, wafers may develop problems such as lattice defects, stress accumulation, or impurities. Annealing can effectively repair these problems and improve the quality and performance of the wafer. Annealing of semiconductor wafers is an important heat treatment process used to improve the crystal quality, electrical properties, and stability of the wafer.

[0003] Existing Chinese patent document CN202310435533.1 discloses a rapid annealing device for semiconductor wafers and its usage method, including: an annealing furnace unit comprising a furnace bottom, a furnace core, a furnace cover, and heating components. The top outer periphery of the furnace bottom is fixedly connected to the bottom of a circular furnace body via an outer fixing edge. A furnace opening is provided in the center of the front side of the circular furnace body. A furnace opening plug sealing unit corresponding to the furnace opening is installed on the outer side of the circular furnace body. A heat insulation sleeve is fitted inside the circular furnace body, and a heat storage iron sleeve is fitted inside the heat insulation sleeve. The top center of the furnace bottom is fixedly connected to the bottom of the furnace core via an inner fixing edge. The bottom of the furnace cover is fixedly connected to the top of the circular furnace body, and an arc-shaped groove is provided at the bottom of the furnace cover. This method can quickly complete the preheating stage before annealing, ensure uniform heating of the semiconductor wafer, and rapidly complete the annealing process. The entire annealing process is highly efficient and the annealing is thorough. In the aforementioned scheme, although the equipment can rapidly anneal multiple wafers at once, the wafer positioning components require multiple angle adjustments via rotating rings during operation. Specifically, the wafer positioning components must be rotated group by group to the furnace opening position to successfully engage the semiconductor wafers on all rotating rings before the furnace opening can be closed for annealing. Although this method improves annealing efficiency to some extent, the overall efficiency is still unsatisfactory when performing large-scale wafer annealing operations. This is because the rotation and positioning of the wafer positioning components takes time, limiting the overall operation speed and thus affecting overall work efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer annealing method and equipment to solve the problem mentioned in the background art that the rotation and positioning of the wafer positioning components require a certain amount of time, which limits the overall operation speed and thus affects the overall work efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a wafer annealing method, comprising the following steps: S1: Clean and dry the wafers that need to be annealed to remove surface impurities and contaminants; S2: Select rapid thermal annealing equipment suitable for wafer size and process requirements, and ensure that the equipment's temperature control system, heating elements and gas supply system are working properly; S3: Place the wafer into the heating chamber of the rapid thermal annealing equipment, paying attention to the placement and orientation of the wafer to ensure uniform heating; S4: Start the rapid thermal annealing equipment, set the annealing temperature and time according to the process requirements. During the annealing process, the heating element will quickly heat the wafer to the set temperature and then hold it for a period of time to allow the wafer to be fully annealed. S5: After annealing, the wafer needs to be cooled to room temperature quickly to prevent the wafer from being kept at high temperature for a long time, which would lead to performance degradation. Cooling methods can include natural cooling, forced air cooling, or water cooling. S6: Remove the cooled wafer from the rapid thermal annealing equipment and perform subsequent processing or testing.

[0006] A wafer annealing apparatus, applied to the aforementioned wafer annealing method, includes: an annealing furnace body for rapidly annealing semiconductor wafers, the top of the annealing furnace body being threadedly connected to a radiant heating device for providing heat; further including: multiple feed hoppers arranged in a ring array outside the annealing furnace body, one end of each feed hopper communicating with the annealing furnace body, and the other end rotatably connected to a sealing door, the interior of each feed hopper having a ring support plate, the bottom of each ring support plate being fixedly connected to a rack via a fixing plate, a synchronous feed and discharge unit installed at the bottom of the annealing furnace body for pushing the multiple ring support plates to move together between the feed hoppers and the annealing furnace body; a positioning unit installed on the ring support plate for clamping and positioning the semiconductor wafer, a triggering component being provided between the sealing door and the ring support plate; and a coolant tank fixed at the center of the bottom of the annealing furnace body, with supply units installed on both sides of the coolant tank for lubricating and cooling the synchronous feed and discharge unit.

[0007] Preferably, the synchronous feeding and unloading unit includes a first slewing bearing coaxially arranged with the annealing furnace body. A first large gear ring is rotatably connected to the outer side of the first slewing bearing, and the first slewing bearing is fixed to the inner bottom of the annealing furnace body. Multiple first gears mesh on the outer side of the first large gear ring. A first drive shaft is fixedly sleeved in the central hole of the first gear. A first pulley is fixedly sleeved at the top of the first drive shaft. A second pulley is connected to the first pulley via a belt drive. A second drive shaft is fixedly sleeved in the central hole of the second pulley. The bottom of the second drive shaft is rotatably connected to the feed and discharge bins via bearings. A second drive shaft is also fixedly sleeved on the outer side of the second drive shaft. A second gear meshes with the first rack. Two sliders are fixedly connected to the bottom of the annular support plate via a fixing plate. A slide rail adapted to the slider is fixed to the inner bottom of the inlet / outlet hopper. The bottom ends of the two first drive shafts extend to the outer bottom of the annealing furnace body and are fixed with a third drive shaft. The first drive shaft is rotatably connected to the annealing furnace body via a bearing. A drive unit is installed on the outer bottom of the annealing furnace body. The drive unit drives the synchronous feeding and unloading unit to work. The synchronous feeding and unloading unit can drive multiple semiconductor wafers to move together between the inlet / outlet hopper and the annealing furnace body, thereby reducing the positioning time of the semiconductor wafers.

[0008] Preferably, the driving component includes a drive motor, a motor mounting plate, a drive gear, and a transmission gear. The drive motor is fixedly connected to the outer bottom of the annealing furnace body through the motor mounting plate. The drive gear is fixed to the output end of the drive motor. The transmission gear meshes with the drive gear and is fixedly sleeved with one of the third transmission shafts. A transmission component is provided between the liquid supply unit and the third transmission shaft. The drive component can provide power for the rotation of the first large gear ring.

[0009] Preferably, the positioning unit includes a column fixed at the center of the top of the annular support plate, a cross-shaped plate fixed at the top of the column, and pressure claws at the four outer ends of the cross-shaped plate. A second slewing bearing is fixedly connected to the top of the annular support plate, and the second slewing bearing is coaxially distributed with the annular support plate. A second large gear ring is rotatably connected to the outer side of the second slewing bearing. Four sets of third gears are evenly meshed on the outer side of the second large gear ring. A fourth transmission shaft is fixed in the central hole of the third gear, and the fourth transmission shaft is rotatably connected to the outer end of the annular support plate via bearings. Next, a lifting stud is fixed to the top of the fourth drive shaft, a threaded cylinder is threaded to the outside of the lifting stud, a lifting plate is fixedly sleeved to the outside of the threaded cylinder, a rotating component is installed on the top of the lifting plate, a sliding pin is fixed to one side of the lifting plate, a limit rod is slidably sleeved to the outside of the sliding pin, the bottom of the limit rod is fixedly connected to the annular support plate through a fixing plate, a second rack is fixedly connected to the inner wall of one side of the inlet / outlet hopper through a fixing plate, the second rack meshes with one set of the third gear, and the designed positioning unit can automatically clamp and fix the semiconductor wafer.

[0010] Preferably, the rotating component includes a fourth gear, a rotating shaft, and a U-shaped block. The U-shaped block is fixed to the lifting plate, the rotating shaft is fixedly sleeved in the central hole of the fourth gear, the U-shaped block is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft through a bearing, a rotating block is provided on the inner side of the U-shaped block, the rotating block is fixedly sleeved on the outer side of the rotating shaft, the bottom of the pressure claw is fixedly connected to the top of the rotating block, and multiple teeth are evenly distributed on one side of the limiting rod. The fourth gear meshes with the teeth. The designed rotating component can control the pressure claw to rotate within a certain angle.

[0011] Preferably, the liquid supply unit includes a sealed piston box fixed to the outside of the coolant tank by a fixing plate. Sealed bearings are fitted inside the upper and lower ends of the sealed piston box. A reciprocating screw passes through the inside of the sealed bearing. A slide is sleeved on the outside of the reciprocating screw. A piston plate is fixedly installed on the outer ring of the slide. The piston plate is slidably connected to the sealed piston box. An inlet check valve and an outlet check valve are respectively fitted into the bottom of the sealed piston box. An inlet pipe is connected to the bottom of the inlet check valve, and one end of the inlet pipe is fixedly inserted into the bottom of the coolant tank. The bottom end of the liquid outlet check valve is connected to a liquid outlet pipe. The end of the liquid outlet pipe away from the sealed piston box extends into the interior of the annealing furnace body and is fixedly inserted with an annular pipe. The annular pipe and the annealing furnace body are coaxially distributed, and multiple liquid spraying thin tubes are inserted into the bottom of the annular pipe. The liquid spraying thin tubes are located directly above the first large gear ring. The transmission component is located between the reciprocating screw and the third transmission shaft. The designed liquid supply unit can cool and lubricate the first large gear ring and the first gear, ensuring that the first large gear ring and the first gear can continuously and efficiently perform transmission work.

[0012] Preferably, the transmission component includes a No. 5 transmission shaft fixed to the top of the reciprocating lead screw, a No. 3 pulley fixedly sleeved on the top of the No. 5 transmission shaft, a No. 4 pulley connected to the No. 3 pulley via a belt drive, and the No. 4 pulley fixedly sleeved on the No. 3 transmission shaft. The diameter ratio of the No. 3 pulley to the No. 4 pulley is 1:2. The designed transmission component facilitates the linkage between the drive component and the reciprocating lead screw.

[0013] Preferably, the triggering component includes an L-shaped plate, one end of which is fixedly connected to the annular support plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to a rack of number three. A gear of number five meshes with the upper side of the rack of number three. A transmission shaft of number six is ​​fixed in the central hole of the gear of number five. The transmission shaft of number six is ​​rotatably connected to the inlet / outlet hopper via a bearing. A pulley of number five is fixed at the end of the transmission shaft of number six located outside the inlet / outlet hopper. The pulley of number five is connected to the pulley of number six via a belt drive. A rotating rod is fixedly sleeved in the central hole of the pulley of number six. One end of the rotating rod is fixedly connected to one end of the sealing door. The tooth ratio of the rack of number three and the gear of number five is 1:1, and the diameter ratio of the pulley of number five and the pulley of number six is ​​1:4. The triggering component is designed so that the sealing door can automatically open or close while the material feeding and unloading operation is being performed.

[0014] Preferably, a cooling fan is installed on the top of the inlet / outlet hopper, with the air outlet of the cooling fan facing the inside of the inlet / outlet hopper. The cooling fan is designed to cool down the annealed semiconductor wafers and prevent them from getting too hot when handled by personnel.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This invention improves existing annealing equipment by using a designed synchronous feeding and unloading unit, feeding and unloading bins, and positioning unit to achieve synchronous movement of multiple semiconductor wafers for operation within the annealing furnace. It can also clamp multiple semiconductor wafers at once, and the clamping action can be kept synchronous. Compared with the rotation and positioning method of existing wafer clamping components, the overall feeding and unloading speed of semiconductor wafers is faster, thereby improving the overall annealing efficiency.

[0016] 2. In the process of feeding and unloading materials, the liquid supply unit can discharge the coolant in the coolant tank and guide it to the key components of the synchronous feeding and unloading unit, so that the No. 1 large gear ring and the No. 1 gear can be cooled and lubricated, thereby ensuring that the No. 1 large gear ring and the No. 1 gear can continuously and efficiently carry out transmission work, and avoiding lubrication failure and excessive temperature of the No. 1 large gear ring and the No. 1 gear after continuous operation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process flow for the wafer annealing method of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the wafer annealing equipment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention from another perspective; Figure 4 This is a front view schematic diagram of the sealed door when it is partially open in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the synchronous feeding and unloading unit of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the driving component of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the annular support plate of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning unit of the present invention; Figure 9 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure from a rear view; Figure 10 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure from a top-down perspective; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating component structure of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid supply unit and transmission component of the present invention; Figure 13 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the liquid supply unit of the present invention; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the trigger unit of the present invention.

[0018] In the diagram: 1. Annealing furnace body; 2. Feed and discharge hoppers; 3. Sealing door; 4. Annular support plate; 5. Rack No. 1; 6. Synchronous feeding and discharging unit; 7. Positioning unit; 8. Trigger assembly; 9. Coolant tank; 10. Coolant supply unit; 11. Slewing bearing No. 1; 12. Large gear ring No. 1; 13. Gear No. 1; 14. Drive shaft No. 1; 15. Pulley No. 1; 16. Pulley No. 2; 17. Drive shaft No. 2; 18. Gear No. 2; 19. Slider; 20. Slide rail; 21. Drive shaft No. 3; 22. Drive component; 23. Drive motor; 24. Motor mounting plate; 25. Drive gear; 26. Transmission gear; 27. Transmission component; 28. Column; 29. ​​Cross-shaped plate; 30. Pressure claw; 31. Slewing bearing No. 2; 32. Large gear ring No. 2 33. Gear No. 3; 34. Drive shaft No. 4; 35. Lifting stud; 36. Threaded cylinder; 37. Rotating component; 38. Sliding pin; 39. Limiting rod; 40. Rack No. 2; 41. Gear No. 4; 42. Rotating shaft; 43. U-shaped block; 44. Rotating block; 45. Gear teeth; 46. Sealed piston box; 47. Reciprocating screw; 48. Slide seat; 49. Piston plate; 50. Inlet pipe; 51. Outlet pipe; 52. Annular pipe; 53. Spray nozzle; 54. Drive shaft No. 5; 55. Pulley No. 3; 56. Pulley No. 4; 57. L-shaped plate; 58. Rack No. 3; 59. Gear No. 5; 60. Drive shaft No. 6; 61. Pulley No. 5; 62. Pulley No. 6; 63. Rotating rod; 64. Cooling fan; 65. Lifting plate. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] Example 1: Please refer to Figure 1 The wafer annealing method shown in the figure includes the following steps: S1: Clean and dry the wafers that need to be annealed to remove surface impurities and contaminants; S2: Select rapid thermal annealing equipment suitable for wafer size and process requirements, and ensure that the equipment's temperature control system, heating elements and gas supply system are working properly; S3: Place the wafer into the heating chamber of the rapid thermal annealing equipment, paying attention to the placement and orientation of the wafer to ensure uniform heating; S4: Start the rapid thermal annealing equipment, set the annealing temperature and time according to the process requirements. During the annealing process, the heating element will quickly heat the wafer to the set temperature and then hold it for a period of time to allow the wafer to be fully annealed. S5: After annealing, the wafer needs to be cooled to room temperature quickly to prevent the wafer from being kept at high temperature for a long time, which would lead to performance degradation. Cooling methods can include natural cooling, forced air cooling, or water cooling. S6: Remove the cooled wafer from the rapid thermal annealing equipment and perform subsequent processing or testing.

[0021] Please see Figures 2-14 The diagram shows a wafer annealing apparatus used in the aforementioned wafer annealing method, comprising: The annealing furnace body 1 is used for rapid annealing of semiconductor wafers. The top of the annealing furnace body 1 is threadedly connected to a radiant heating device for providing heat. The radiant heating device typically includes equipment such as infrared furnaces, infrared lamps, and radiation tubes. These devices can generate radiant energy suitable for absorption by objects and directly transfer heat energy to objects without the need for an intermediate conduction medium, thereby improving heating efficiency and response speed. It also includes: multiple feeding and discharging bins 2 arranged in a ring array on the outside of the annealing furnace body 1. One end of the feeding and discharging bin 2 is connected to the annealing furnace body 1, and the other end is rotatably connected to a sealing door 3. The inside of the feeding and discharging bin 2 is provided with a ring support plate 4. The bottom of the ring support plate 4 is fixedly connected to a rack 5 through a fixing plate. The bottom of the annealing furnace body 1 is equipped with a synchronous feeding and discharging unit 6. The designed synchronous feeding and discharging unit can drive multiple racks 5 to move, thereby driving multiple sets of ring support plates 4 to move together between the feeding and discharging bins 2 and the annealing furnace body 1, realizing the synchronous movement of multiple semiconductor wafers for operation in the annealing furnace. Compared with the rotation and positioning method of the existing wafer positioning components, the overall feeding and discharging operation speed of semiconductor wafers is faster, thereby improving the overall annealing efficiency. The positioning unit 7, installed on the annular support plate 4, is used to clamp and position the semiconductor wafers. A trigger component 8 is provided between the sealing door 3 and the annular support plate 4. The positioning unit 7 is designed to clamp multiple semiconductor wafers at once when the synchronous feeding and unloading unit 6 is working, and the clamping action can also be kept synchronous. At the same time, the trigger component 8 also works in conjunction, automatically opening and closing the sealing door 3 when the semiconductor wafer is about to be removed from the compartment and moved into the compartment, further ensuring the synchronicity of the action. A coolant tank 9 is fixed at the center of the bottom of the annealing furnace body 1. Both sides of the coolant tank 9 are equipped with a liquid supply unit 10 for lubricating and cooling the synchronous feeding and unloading unit 6. During the feeding and unloading process, the liquid supply unit 10 can discharge the coolant in the coolant tank 9 and guide it to the key components of the synchronous feeding and unloading unit 6, so that the first large gear ring 12 and the first gear 13 can be cooled and lubricated, thereby ensuring that the first large gear ring 12 and the first gear 13 can continuously and efficiently carry out transmission work, and avoiding lubrication failure and overheating of the first large gear ring 12 and the first gear 13 after continuous operation.

[0022] It should be noted that multiple reflux holes are evenly provided at the bottom of the annealing furnace body 1. These reflux holes are connected to the coolant tank 9, which facilitates the automatic return of the cooled coolant to the coolant tank 9, allowing the coolant to be continuously circulated for use.

[0023] For further details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 5-7 and Figure 12 The synchronous feeding and unloading unit 6 includes a first slewing bearing 11 coaxially arranged with the annealing furnace body 1. A first large gear ring 12 is rotatably connected to the outer side of the first slewing bearing 11, and the first slewing bearing 11 is fixed to the inner bottom of the annealing furnace body 1. Multiple first gears 13 are meshed on the outer side of the first large gear ring 12. A first drive shaft 14 is fixedly sleeved in the middle hole of the first gear 13. A first pulley 15 is fixedly sleeved at the top of the first drive shaft 14. The first pulley 15 is connected to a second pulley 16 via a belt drive. A second drive shaft 17 is fixedly installed in the middle hole of the second pulley 16. The bottom of the drive shaft 17 is rotatably connected to the feed hopper 2 via a bearing. The outer side of the second drive shaft 17 is also fixedly sleeved with a second gear 18 that meshes with the first rack 5. The bottom of the annular support plate 4 is fixedly connected to two sliders 19 via fixed plates. The inner bottom of the feed hopper 2 is fixed with a slide rail 20 that matches the sliders 19. The bottom ends of the two first drive shafts 14 extend to the outer bottom of the annealing furnace body 1 and are fixed with a third drive shaft 21. The first drive shaft 14 is rotatably connected to the annealing furnace body 1 via a bearing. The outer bottom of the annealing furnace body 1 is equipped with a drive component 22. Among them, see Figure 4 and Figure 6 The driving component 22 includes a driving motor 23, a motor mounting plate 24, a driving gear 25, and a transmission gear 26. The driving motor 23 is fixedly connected to the outer bottom of the annealing furnace body 1 through the motor mounting plate 24. The driving gear 25 is fixed at the output end of the driving motor 23. The transmission gear 26 is meshed with the driving gear 25, and the transmission gear 26 is fixedly sleeved with one of the No. 3 transmission shafts 21. A transmission component 27 is provided between the liquid supply unit 10 and the No. 3 transmission shaft 21.

[0024] The principle of the synchronous feeding and unfeeding unit 6 driving the annular support plate 4 to move is as follows: By starting the drive motor 23, the drive motor 23 drives the drive gear 25 to rotate, the drive gear 25 drives the transmission gear 26 to rotate, the transmission gear 26 drives one of the third transmission shafts 21 to rotate, the third transmission shaft 21 drives the first transmission shaft 14 to rotate, the first transmission shaft 14 drives the first gear 13 to rotate, the first gear 13 drives the first large gear ring 12 to rotate, the first large gear ring 12 drives multiple sets of first gears 13 and first pulleys 15 to rotate synchronously, the first pulley 15 drives the second pulley 16 to rotate, the second pulley 16 drives the second transmission shaft 17 to rotate, the second transmission shaft 17 drives the second gear 18 to rotate, which in turn drives multiple sets of first racks 5 to move synchronously, so that the annular support plate 4 connected to the first rack 5 can maintain synchronous movement.

[0025] For further details, please refer to Figures 8-11 The positioning unit 7 shown in the figure includes a column 28 fixed at the center of the top of the annular support plate 4. A cross-shaped plate 29 is fixed at the top of the column 28. Each of the four outer ends of the cross-shaped plate 29 is provided with a pressure claw 30. A second slewing bearing 31 is fixedly connected to the top of the annular support plate 4. The second slewing bearing 31 is coaxially distributed with the annular support plate 4. A second large gear ring 32 is rotatably connected to the outer side of the second slewing bearing 31. Four sets of third gears 33 are evenly meshed on the outer side of the second large gear ring 32. A fourth drive shaft 34 is fixed in the middle hole of the third gear 33. The fourth drive shaft 34 is connected to the annular support plate. The outer end of 4 is rotatably connected by a bearing. The top end of the fourth drive shaft 34 is fixed with a lifting stud 35. The outer side of the lifting stud 35 is threadedly connected with a threaded cylinder 36. The outer side of the threaded cylinder 36 is fixedly sleeved with a lifting plate 65. The top of the lifting plate 65 is equipped with a rotating part 37. The side of the lifting plate 65 is fixed with a sliding pin 38. The outer side of the sliding pin 38 is slidably sleeved with a limit rod 39. The bottom of the limit rod 39 is fixedly connected to the annular support plate 4 through a fixed plate. The inner wall of one side of the inlet / outlet hopper 2 is fixedly connected with a second rack 40 through a fixed plate. The second rack 40 is meshed with one of the sets of third gears 33. Please refer to Figure 11 The rotating component 37 includes a fourth gear 41, a rotating shaft 42, and a U-shaped block 43. The U-shaped block 43 is fixed on the lifting plate 65. The rotating shaft 42 is fixedly sleeved in the middle hole of the fourth gear 41. The U-shaped block 43 is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 42 through a bearing. A rotating block 44 is provided on the inner side of the U-shaped block 43. The rotating block 44 is fixedly sleeved on the outer side of the rotating shaft 42. The bottom of the pressure claw 30 is fixedly connected to the top of the rotating block 44. Multiple teeth 45 are evenly distributed on one side of the limiting rod 39. The fourth gear 41 is meshed with the teeth 45.

[0026] The principle of positioning semiconductor wafers: such as Figure 11As shown, before the semiconductor wafer is placed on the cross-shaped plate 29, the clamping claw 30 tilts upwards to a position away from the cross-shaped plate 29, facilitating the smooth placement of the semiconductor wafer on the cross-shaped plate 29. Then, the semiconductor wafer is placed on the cross-shaped plate 29, and the synchronous feeding / unloading unit 6 drives the annular support plate 4 to move within the feeding / unloading hopper 2. During this movement, the second rack 40 and one set of third gears 33 mesh and drive each other. The third gear 33 here drives the second large gear ring 32 to rotate, which in turn drives the remaining third gears 33 to rotate synchronously, causing the four fourth drive shafts 34 to rotate together, driving the four lifting studs 35 to rotate. The four threaded cylinders 36 move downwards, which in turn moves the lifting plate 65 downwards. The lifting plate 65 then moves the pressure claw 30 downwards. At this time, the fourth gear 41 rolls on the teeth 45 and rotates clockwise, causing the rotating shaft 42 to rotate. The rotating shaft 42 then rotates the U-shaped block 43 and the pressure claw 30 synchronously. The pressure claw 30 rotates 90 degrees clockwise until it is completely pressed against the edge of the semiconductor wafer on the cross-shaped plate 29. At this time, the last tooth 45 below continues to mesh with the fourth gear 41, which plays a clamping role. After the lifting plate 65 continues to move downwards, the pressure claw 30 will no longer be lifted up, ensuring the stability of the clamping between the pressure claw 30 and the semiconductor wafer.

[0027] For further details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 A cooling fan 64 is installed on the top of the inlet / outlet hopper 2. The air outlet of the cooling fan 64 faces the inside of the inlet / outlet hopper 2. After annealing, during the process of removing the semiconductor wafer from the annealing furnace body 1, the cooling fan 64 is turned on and blows cold air downwards to cool down the annealed semiconductor wafer and prevent the temperature from being too high so that personnel will be burned when taking it out.

[0028] The process for batch annealing of wafers in this solution; First, multiple sets of annular support plates 4 are initially positioned at the opening of the inlet / outlet hopper 2. The sealing door 3 is opened, and a semiconductor wafer is placed on each positioning unit 7. After multiple semiconductor wafers are placed, the synchronous feeding / unloading unit 6 is driven by the drive unit 22. The synchronous feeding / unloading unit 6 will then drive multiple semiconductor wafers to move together into the annealing furnace body 1 within the inlet / outlet hopper 2 until they reach the appropriate position within the annealing furnace body 1. At this point, the drive unit 22 stops working. During this process, the sealing door 3 automatically closes, and the positioning unit 7 automatically clamps the semiconductor wafer at the corresponding position. Afterwards, the radiant heating device in the annealing furnace body 1 operates to heat the semiconductor wafer. After the radiant heating device stores heat, it radiates heat downwards to continuously heat the semiconductor wafer. After heating for a period of time, the annealing process is carried out. The radiant heating device stops operating and the wafer is left to stand for a period of time until the temperature inside the furnace gradually decreases, thus completing the annealing process. Finally, after annealing, the drive unit 22 is used to drive the synchronous feeding and unloading unit 6 to work. The synchronous feeding and unloading unit 6 will move multiple semiconductor wafers out of the feeding and unloading bin 2 together until they move to the bin opening position of the feeding and unloading bin 2. At this time, the drive unit 22 stops working. During this process, the sealing door 3 automatically opens and the positioning unit 7 automatically releases the semiconductor wafers at the corresponding positions. The cooling fan 64 on the top of the feeding and unloading bin 2 works to cool down the semiconductor wafers when they are moved out. After the annealing, multiple semiconductor wafers are removed and new semiconductor wafers are put in. The above steps are repeated to anneal the next batch of semiconductor wafers.

[0029] Example 2: Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 This embodiment further explains the first embodiment, the difference being that the first large gear ring 12 and the first gear 13 are optimized.

[0030] Specifically, the liquid supply unit 10 includes a sealed piston box 46 fixed to the outside of the coolant tank 9 by a fixing plate. Sealed bearings are fitted inside the upper and lower ends of the sealed piston box 46. A reciprocating screw 47 passes through the inside of the sealed bearing. A slide 48 is sleeved on the outside of the reciprocating screw 47. A piston plate 49 is fixedly installed on the outer ring of the slide 48. The piston plate 49 is slidably connected to the sealed piston box 46. An inlet check valve and an outlet check valve are respectively fitted into the bottom end of the sealed piston box 46. The bottom end of the inlet check valve is connected to... A liquid inlet pipe 50 is connected, one end of which is fixedly inserted into the bottom of the coolant tank 9. The bottom end of the liquid outlet check valve is connected to a liquid outlet pipe 51. The end of the liquid outlet pipe 51 away from the sealed piston box 46 extends into the interior of the annealing furnace body 1 and is fixedly inserted with an annular pipe 52. The annular pipe 52 and the annealing furnace body 1 are coaxially distributed, and multiple liquid spraying capillary tubes 53 are inserted into the bottom of the annular pipe 52. The liquid spraying capillary tubes 53 are located directly above the first large gear ring 12. The transmission component 27 is located between the reciprocating lead screw 47 and the third transmission shaft 21. Meanwhile, the transmission component 27 includes a No. 5 transmission shaft 54 ​​fixed to the top of the reciprocating lead screw 47. A No. 3 pulley 55 is fixedly sleeved on the top of the No. 5 transmission shaft 54. The No. 3 pulley 55 is connected to a No. 4 pulley 56 via a belt drive. The No. 4 pulley 56 is fixedly sleeved with the No. 3 transmission shaft 21. The diameter ratio of the No. 3 pulley 55 and the No. 4 pulley 56 is 1:2.

[0031] The principle of cooling and lubricating the No. 1 large gear ring 12 by the liquid supply unit 10 is as follows: the No. 3 pulley 55 and the No. 4 pulley 56 drive the rotation, which in turn drives the reciprocating screw 47 to rotate inside the sealed piston box 46 through the sealed bearing. Then, the slide block 48 and the piston plate 49 reciprocate up and down and cooperate with the sealed piston box 46 to perform piston movement. This helps to generate negative pressure inside the sealed piston box 46 when it rises, and the liquid inlet check valve and liquid inlet pipe 50 are used to quantitatively extract the coolant from the coolant tank 9. When it falls, the quantitatively extracted coolant is delivered to the annular pipe 52 through the liquid outlet check valve and liquid outlet pipe 51, so that multiple liquid spraying tubes 53 can spray the coolant evenly and cool and lubricate the No. 1 large gear ring 12 and the No. 1 gear 13. This ensures that the No. 1 large gear ring 12 and the No. 1 gear 13 can carry out transmission work continuously and efficiently, and avoids lubrication failure and overheating of the No. 1 large gear ring 12 and the No. 1 gear 13 after continuous operation.

[0032] Example 3: Please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 10 and Figure 14 This embodiment further illustrates other embodiments, with the difference being the optimization of the connecting components between the sealing door 3 and the annular support plate 4.

[0033] Specifically, the trigger assembly 8 includes an L-shaped plate 57, one end of which is fixedly connected to an annular support plate 4, and the other end is fixedly connected to a rack 58. A gear 59 meshes with the upper side of the rack 58. A drive shaft 60 is fixed in the middle hole of the gear 59. The drive shaft 60 is rotatably connected to the feed hopper 2 via a bearing. A pulley 61 is fixed at the end of the drive shaft 60 located outside the feed hopper 2. The pulley 61 is connected to a pulley 62 via a belt drive. A rotating rod 63 is fixedly sleeved in the middle hole of the pulley 62. One end of the rotating rod 63 is fixedly connected to one end of the sealing door 3. The ratio of the number of teeth of the rack 58 and the gear 59 is 1:1, and the ratio of the diameters of the pulleys 61 and 62 is 1:4. The principle of opening and closing of the sealing door 3: When the annular support plate 4 moves outward to engage with the third rack 58 and the fifth gear 59, the movement of the third rack 58 will drive the fifth gear 59 to rotate. The number of teeth of the fifth gear 59 and the third rack 58 are equal, and the fifth gear 59 rotates exactly one revolution before disengaging from the third rack 58. At this time, the sixth drive shaft 60 rotates one revolution, and the fifth pulley 61 rotates one revolution. Since the diameter ratio of the fifth pulley 61 and the sixth pulley 62 is 1:4, the sixth pulley 62 rotates one-quarter revolution during the rotation of the fifth pulley 61. That is, before the third rack 58 and the fifth gear 59 disengage, the sixth pulley 62 drives the sealing door 3 to rotate exactly 90 degrees. Before the semiconductor wafer moves to the hopper, the sealing door 3 opens, which facilitates the loading and unloading of the semiconductor wafer.

[0034] It should be noted that magnetic strips are fixed on the inside of the sealing door 3 and the openings of the inlet and outlet hoppers 2, similar to the magnetic structure on a refrigerator door, which makes the sealing door 3 more tightly closed and improves the sealing performance.

[0035] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0036] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A wafer annealing method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Clean and dry the wafers that need to be annealed to remove surface impurities and contaminants; S2: Select rapid thermal annealing equipment suitable for wafer size and process requirements, and ensure that the equipment's temperature control system, heating elements and gas supply system are working properly; S3: Place the wafer into the heating chamber of the rapid thermal annealing equipment, paying attention to the placement and orientation of the wafer to ensure uniform heating; S4: Start the rapid thermal annealing equipment, set the annealing temperature and time according to the process requirements. During the annealing process, the heating element will quickly heat the wafer to the set temperature and then hold it for a period of time to allow the wafer to be fully annealed. S5: After annealing, the wafer needs to be cooled to room temperature quickly to prevent the wafer from being kept at high temperature for a long time, which would lead to performance degradation. Cooling methods can include natural cooling, forced air cooling, or water cooling. S6: Remove the cooled wafer from the rapid thermal annealing equipment and perform subsequent processing or testing.

2. A wafer annealing apparatus, applied to the wafer annealing method described in claim 1, characterized in that, include: An annealing furnace body (1) for rapid annealing of semiconductor wafers, the top of the annealing furnace body (1) is threaded with a radiant heating device for providing heat, and multiple feed hoppers (2) are distributed in a ring array on the outer side of the annealing furnace body (1). One end of each feed hopper (2) is connected to the annealing furnace body (1), and the other end is rotatably connected to a sealing door (3). An annular support plate (4) is provided inside the feed hopper (2), and a rack (5) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the annular support plate (4) through a fixing plate. A synchronous feed and unfeed unit is installed at the bottom of the annealing furnace body (1). (6), which is used to push multiple annular support plates (4) to move together between the feed hopper (2) and the annealing furnace body (1). A positioning unit (7) is installed on the annular support plate (4). The positioning unit (7) is used to clamp and position the semiconductor wafer. A triggering component (8) is provided between the sealing door (3) and the annular support plate (4). A coolant tank (9) is fixed at the bottom center of the annealing furnace body (1). A liquid supply unit (10) for lubricating and cooling the synchronous feed and discharge unit (6) is installed on both sides of the coolant tank (9).

3. The wafer annealing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The synchronous feeding and unloading unit (6) includes a first slewing bearing (11) coaxially arranged with the annealing furnace body (1). A first large gear ring (12) is rotatably connected to the outer side of the first slewing bearing (11), and the first slewing bearing (11) is fixed to the inner bottom of the annealing furnace body (1). Multiple first gears (13) are meshed on the outer side of the first large gear ring (12). A first transmission shaft (14) is fixedly sleeved in the middle hole of the first gear (13). A first pulley (15) is fixedly sleeved at the top end of the first transmission shaft (14). A second pulley (16) is connected to the first pulley (15) via a belt drive. A second transmission shaft (17) is fixed in the middle hole of the second pulley (16). The bottom of the drive shaft (17) is rotatably connected to the feed hopper (2) via a bearing. The outer side of the second drive shaft (17) is also fixedly sleeved with a second gear (18) that meshes with the first rack (5). The bottom of the annular support plate (4) is fixedly connected to two sliders (19) via a fixing plate. The inner bottom of the feed hopper (2) is fixed with a slide rail (20) that matches the slider (19). The bottom ends of the two first drive shafts (14) extend to the outer side of the bottom of the annealing furnace body (1) and are fixed with a third drive shaft (21). The first drive shaft (14) is rotatably connected to the annealing furnace body (1) via a bearing. The outer bottom of the annealing furnace body (1) is equipped with a drive component (22).

4. The wafer annealing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The driving component (22) includes a driving motor (23), a motor mounting plate (24), a driving gear (25), and a transmission gear (26). The driving motor (23) is fixedly connected to the outer bottom of the annealing furnace body (1) through the motor mounting plate (24). The driving gear (25) is fixed to the output end of the driving motor (23). The transmission gear (26) meshes with the driving gear (25), and the transmission gear (26) is fixedly sleeved with one of the No. 3 transmission shafts (21). A transmission component (27) is provided between the liquid supply unit (10) and the No. 3 transmission shaft (21).

5. A wafer annealing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: The positioning unit (7) includes a column (28) fixed at the center of the top of the annular support plate (4). A cross-shaped plate (29) is fixed at the top of the column (28). A pressure claw (30) is provided at each of the four outer ends of the cross-shaped plate (29). A second slewing bearing (31) is fixedly connected to the top of the annular support plate (4). The second slewing bearing (31) is coaxially distributed with the annular support plate (4). A second large gear ring (32) is rotatably connected to the outer side of the second slewing bearing (31). Four sets of third gears (33) are evenly meshed on the outer side of the second large gear ring (32). A fourth transmission shaft (34) is fixed in the middle hole of the third gear (33). The fourth transmission shaft (34) is connected to the annular support plate (4). The outer end is rotatably connected by a bearing. The top end of the fourth drive shaft (34) is fixed with a lifting stud (35). The outer side of the lifting stud (35) is threaded with a threaded cylinder (36). The outer side of the threaded cylinder (36) is fixedly sleeved with a lifting plate (65). The top of the lifting plate (65) is equipped with a rotating part (37). A sliding pin (38) is fixed on one side of the lifting plate (65). A limit rod (39) is slidably sleeved on the outer side of the sliding pin (38). The bottom of the limit rod (39) is fixedly connected to the annular support plate (4) through a fixing plate. A second rack (40) is fixedly connected to one side of the inner wall of the inlet / outlet hopper (2) through a fixing plate. The second rack (40) meshes with one of the sets of third gears (33).

6. The wafer annealing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The rotating component (37) includes a fourth gear (41), a rotating shaft (42), and a U-shaped block (43). The U-shaped block (43) is fixed on the lifting plate (65). The rotating shaft (42) is fixedly sleeved in the middle hole of the fourth gear (41). The U-shaped block (43) is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft (42) through a bearing. A rotating block (44) is provided on the inner side of the U-shaped block (43). The rotating block (44) is fixedly sleeved on the outer side of the rotating shaft (42). The bottom of the pressure claw (30) is fixedly connected to the top of the rotating block (44). Multiple teeth (45) are evenly distributed on one side of the limiting rod (39). The fourth gear (41) meshes with the teeth (45).

7. The wafer annealing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The liquid supply unit (10) includes a sealed piston box (46) fixed to the outside of the coolant tank (9) by a fixing plate. Sealed bearings are fitted inside the upper and lower ends of the sealed piston box (46). A reciprocating screw (47) passes through the inside of the sealed bearing. A slide (48) is sleeved on the outside of the reciprocating screw (47). A piston plate (49) is fixedly installed on the outer ring of the slide (48). The piston plate (49) is slidably connected to the sealed piston box (46). An inlet check valve and an outlet check valve are fitted into the bottom of the sealed piston box (46). An inlet pipe (50) is connected to the bottom of the inlet check valve. One end of the liquid inlet pipe (50) is fixedly inserted into the bottom of the coolant tank (9). The bottom end of the liquid outlet check valve is connected to the liquid outlet pipe (51). The end of the liquid outlet pipe (51) away from the sealed piston box (46) extends into the interior of the annealing furnace body (1) and is fixedly inserted with an annular pipe (52). The annular pipe (52) and the annealing furnace body (1) are coaxially distributed. Multiple liquid spraying tubes (53) are inserted into the bottom of the annular pipe (52). The liquid spraying tubes (53) are located directly above the first large gear ring (12). The transmission component (27) is located between the reciprocating screw (47) and the third transmission shaft (21).

8. A wafer annealing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that: The transmission component (27) includes a No. 5 transmission shaft (54) fixed at the top of the reciprocating lead screw (47). A No. 3 pulley (55) is fixedly sleeved on the top of the No. 5 transmission shaft (54). A No. 4 pulley (56) is connected to the No. 3 pulley (55) via a belt drive. The No. 4 pulley (56) is fixedly sleeved with the No. 3 transmission shaft (21). The diameter ratio of the No. 3 pulley (55) and the No. 4 pulley (56) is 1:

2.

9. A wafer annealing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: The triggering component (8) includes an L-shaped plate (57), one end of which is fixedly connected to the annular support plate (4), and the other end is fixedly connected to a rack (58). A gear (59) meshes with the upper side of the rack (58). A drive shaft (60) is fixed in the middle hole of the gear (59). The drive shaft (60) is rotatably connected to the feed hopper (2) through a bearing. The drive shaft (60) is located at the feed hopper. A No. 5 pulley (61) is fixed at one end of the outer side of the compartment (2). The No. 5 pulley (61) is connected to a No. 6 pulley (62) via a belt drive. A rotating rod (63) is fixedly sleeved in the middle hole of the No. 6 pulley (62). One end of the rotating rod (63) is fixedly connected to one end of the sealing door (3). The tooth ratio of the No. 3 rack (58) and the No. 5 gear (59) is 1:

1. The diameter ratio of the No. 5 pulley (61) and the No. 6 pulley (62) is 1:

4.

10. A wafer annealing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: A cooling fan (64) is installed on the top of the inlet / outlet hopper (2), and the outlet of the cooling fan (64) faces the interior of the inlet / outlet hopper (2).

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