Sealing device and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a sealing device and semiconductor process equipment, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment. The sealing device comprises a bearing body, a bearing table, a driving assembly, a bearing seat assembly and a plurality of sealing pieces, a hollow cavity is formed in the bearing body, and the bearing table is arranged at the top of the bearing body and used for bearing wafers. The driving assembly comprises a driving part and a rotating shaft which are in driving connection, and the rotating shaft penetrates through the hollow cavity to be connected with the bearing table so as to drive the bearing table to rotate. The bearing seat assembly comprises a bearing seat and a bearing installed in the bearing seat, the bearing seat is arranged in the hollow cavity, and the rotating shaft is arranged in the bearing in a penetrating mode. The multiple sealing pieces are arranged between the bearing table and the rotating shaft, between the rotating shaft and the bearing seat and between the bearing seat and the inner wall of the hollow cavity and used for maintaining the sealing performance of the hollow cavity when the driving assembly drives the bearing table to rotate. According to the sealing device, the leakage risk is reduced, and the sealing reliability and stability of the sealing device in long-term operation are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and more particularly to a sealing device and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, many critical wafer fabrication processes, such as plasma cleaning, etching, physical vapor deposition, and atomic layer deposition, require highly clean and controllable vacuum or specific atmosphere environments. To improve process uniformity, these processes typically involve continuously or intermittently rotating the wafer support stage. This necessitates an internal mechanism capable of transmitting rotational power from a drive source located in an atmospheric or low-pressure environment, through the cavity walls, to the support stage situated in a high-vacuum or specific process environment.

[0003] Existing sealing devices are prone to wear at the sealing interface under long-term high-speed or intermittent rotation of the rotating shaft, leading to decreased sealing performance and causing vacuum leakage or process gas leakage. This not only damages the process environment but may also pose safety hazards. Secondly, the particles generated by the wear of the sealing components become an uncontrollable source of contamination. If they fall onto the wafer, they will directly cause device defects and seriously affect product yield. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a sealing device and semiconductor process equipment that can achieve long-term reliable vacuum sealing under continuous rotation of the support stage; at the same time, it avoids the entry of contaminants such as particles generated by the wear of the sealing components into the process environment and affecting product yield.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A sealing device, comprising:

[0007] The carrier has a hollow cavity inside;

[0008] A support platform, located on top of the support body, is used to support the wafer;

[0009] A drive assembly includes a drive element and a rotating shaft, wherein the drive element is driven to the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft passes through the hollow cavity and is connected to the support platform to drive the support platform to rotate;

[0010] A bearing housing assembly includes a bearing housing and a bearing installed in the bearing housing, the bearing housing being disposed within the hollow cavity, and the rotating shaft passing through the bearing;

[0011] Multiple seals are disposed between the support platform and the rotating shaft, between the rotating shaft and the bearing seat, and between the bearing seat and the inner wall of the hollow cavity, for maintaining the sealing of the hollow cavity when the drive assembly drives the support platform to rotate.

[0012] As an optional embodiment of the sealing device, the shaft end of the rotating shaft is provided with a limiting platform with a diameter larger than that of the rotating shaft, and the bearing platform is connected to the limiting platform by a first fastener;

[0013] The bearing housing has an annular protrusion at the top and an annular groove at the bottom of the limiting platform. The annular protrusion and the annular groove cooperate to allow the rotating shaft to rotate relative to the bearing housing.

[0014] As an optional embodiment of the sealing device, the sealing element includes a first static sealing element, which is disposed between the bottom surface of the support platform and the top surface of the limiting platform, and surrounds the outer periphery of the first fastener.

[0015] As an alternative to the sealing device, the sealing element includes a rotary dynamic seal, which is disposed within the bearing housing and located above the bearing, for sealing the gap between the rotating shaft and the bearing housing.

[0016] As an alternative to the sealing device, the sealing element includes a second static seal, which is disposed between the outer peripheral wall of the bearing housing and the inner wall of the hollow cavity.

[0017] A semiconductor process apparatus, comprising:

[0018] The upper cover has an opening facing downwards, and a working component is provided below the upper cover;

[0019] The lower cavity is correspondingly located below the upper cover and can be connected and sealed with or detached from the upper cover.

[0020] A carrier component, disposed within the lower cavity and located above the sealing device as described in any of the above embodiments, is used to carry the wafer;

[0021] The annular bottom of the sealing device is sealed to the bottom of the lower cavity, and the upper part of the support component is fixedly disposed relative to the upper cover and maintains a target distance. The target distance constitutes the working space between the working component and the wafer supported by the support component.

[0022] When the lower cavity is sealed and connected with the upper cover, the lower cavity, the upper cover, and the sealing device together form a sealed space containing the working space, thereby providing a sealed environment for the working space.

[0023] As an optional embodiment of the semiconductor process equipment, the carrier assembly is provided with at least three components for jointly carrying the wafer;

[0024] The support assembly includes a support block and a guide limiting unit and an adsorption unit disposed on the support block. The guide limiting unit is used to provide guidance when placing the wafer and to restrict the wafer from moving radially after positioning. The adsorption unit is disposed inside the guide limiting unit and is used to cooperate with the guide limiting unit to position and fix the wafer.

[0025] As an optional embodiment of the semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further includes a telescopic tube assembly disposed around the periphery of the carrier body, wherein the upper and lower ends of the telescopic tube assembly are respectively sealed and connected to the upper part of the carrier body and the bottom of the lower cavity.

[0026] As an alternative to the semiconductor process equipment, the telescopic tube assembly includes a bellows and a first cover plate and a second cover plate respectively connected to the upper and lower ends of the bellows. The first cover plate is sealed to the upper part of the carrier, and the second cover plate is sealed to the bottom of the lower cavity.

[0027] As an alternative to the semiconductor process equipment, a third static seal is provided between the first cover plate and the upper part of the carrier.

[0028] As an alternative to the semiconductor process equipment, a fourth static seal is provided between the second cover plate and the bottom of the lower cavity.

[0029] As an optional solution for the semiconductor process equipment, the carrier is provided with an air extraction channel communicating with the workspace. The air extraction channel is connected to a vacuum pump for evacuating the workspace.

[0030] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0031] The sealing device provided by this invention, by setting a hollow cavity within the carrier body as the mounting cavity for the rotating shaft and bearing housing assembly, ensures the sealing performance of the hollow cavity of the carrier body. First, a sealing element is installed between the rotating shaft and the bearing housing to achieve dynamic sealing between the rotating and stationary components, ensuring airtightness during power transmission. Second, sealing elements are installed between the carrier platform and the rotating shaft, and between the outer wall of the bearing housing and the inner wall of the hollow cavity, respectively blocking the static leakage path of gas along the axial or radial assembly gap from both the top and bottom ends, forming an auxiliary seal for the dynamic seal. This sealing device forms a multi-layer seal inside and outside the hollow cavity where the rotating shaft and bearing housing assembly are installed, reducing the risk of leakage and ensuring the sealing reliability and stability of the sealing device during long-term operation. Integrating the sealing elements between the bearing housing assembly, the rotating shaft and the bearing housing, and the bearing housing and the inner wall of the hollow cavity within the hollow cavity of the carrier body confines wear particles that may be generated by the rotating friction pair within the hollow cavity, preventing the diffusion of contaminants into the wafer working space, ensuring ultra-high cleanliness of the process environment, and improving product yield.

[0032] The semiconductor process equipment provided by this invention allows the lower cavity to dock and seal with or detach from the upper cover, thereby enabling wafer loading and unloading and providing the necessary sealed environment for wafer processing. The upper cover, housing the support assembly and working components above the sealing device, serves as a fixed unit. When wafer loading or unloading is required, the lower cavity detaches from the upper cover, exposing the support assembly for easier robotic arm operation; during processing, the lower cavity and upper cover quickly dock through the sealing device to form a sealed space. The sealing device solves the dynamic sealing problem introduced by the rotating shaft driving wafer rotation, isolating potential particles and leakage risks within the hollow cavity of the support. The working space enclosed by the upper part of the sealing device, the upper cover, and the lower cavity is a relatively static clean area, effectively preventing direct interference from vibrations, particles, or leaks generated by the wafer rotation drive assembly to the wafer processing above; thus providing a more stable, clean, and easily controllable sealed environment for wafer processing, improving the uniformity and repeatability of the wafer process. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the sealing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the lower cavity and upper cover of the semiconductor process equipment provided in this embodiment of the invention after sealing and docking.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the semiconductor process equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4This is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor process equipment provided in this embodiment of the invention after the upper cover and lower cavity are hidden.

[0037] In the picture:

[0038] 1. Support body; 11. Hollow cavity; 12. Air extraction channel; 13. Support platform;

[0039] 2. Drive assembly; 21. Motor; 22. Motor mount; 23. Rotary shaft; 231. Limiting stage; 24. Coupling;

[0040] 3. Bearing housing assembly; 31. Bearing housing; 32. Bearing;

[0041] 41. First static seal; 42. Rotary dynamic seal; 43. Second static seal; 44. Third static seal; 45. Fourth static seal; 46. Fifth static seal;

[0042] 5. Top cover; 51. Working components;

[0043] 6. Lower cavity; 61. Fixing ring;

[0044] 7. Load-bearing component; 71. Support block; 72. Guide and limiting unit; 721. Limiting post; 722. Guide part; 73. Adsorption unit;

[0045] 8. Telescopic pipe assembly; 81. Corrugated pipe; 82. First cover plate; 83. Second cover plate;

[0046] 9. Isolation tray;

[0047] 10. Lifting assembly; 101. Lifting cylinder; 102. Connecting parts. Detailed Implementation

[0048] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0049] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms "first position" and "second position" refer to two different positions.

[0050] Unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections or detachable connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and connections within two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0051] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" a second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of a second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" of a second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0052] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0053] like Figure 1As shown, this embodiment provides a sealing device, including a carrier 1, a support platform 13, a drive assembly 2, a bearing housing assembly 3, and multiple sealing elements. The carrier 1 has a hollow cavity 11. The support platform 13 is located on top of the carrier 1 and is used to support a wafer. The drive assembly 2 includes a drive element and a rotating shaft 23. The drive element is driven to the rotating shaft 23, which passes through the hollow cavity 11 and is connected to the support platform 13 to drive the support platform 13 to rotate. The bearing housing assembly 3 includes a bearing housing 31 and a bearing 32 installed in the bearing housing 31. The bearing housing 31 is located in the hollow cavity 11, and the rotating shaft 23 passes through the bearing 32. Multiple sealing elements are disposed between the support platform 13 and the rotating shaft 23, between the rotating shaft 23 and the bearing housing 31, and between the bearing housing 31 and the inner wall of the hollow cavity 11, to maintain the sealing of the hollow cavity 11 when the drive assembly 2 drives the support platform 13 to rotate.

[0054] It is understandable that when the support platform 13 rotates, maintaining the airtightness of the hollow cavity 11 can ensure that air in the lower part of the hollow cavity 11 will not pass through the hollow cavity 11.

[0055] This sealing device, by setting a hollow cavity 11 within the carrier 1 as the mounting cavity for the rotating shaft 23 and the bearing housing assembly 3, ensures the sealing performance of the hollow cavity 11 of the carrier 1. First, a sealing element is installed between the rotating shaft 23 and the bearing housing 31, achieving dynamic sealing between the rotating and stationary components and ensuring airtightness during power transmission. Second, by installing sealing elements between the carrier platform 13 and the rotating shaft 23, and between the outer wall of the bearing housing 31 and the inner wall of the hollow cavity 11, static leakage paths of gas along the axial or radial assembly gap are blocked from the upper and lower ends, respectively, forming an auxiliary seal for the dynamic seal. This sealing device forms a multi-layered seal inside and outside the hollow cavity 11 where the rotating shaft 23 and bearing housing assembly 3 are installed, reducing the risk of leakage and ensuring the sealing reliability and stability of the sealing device during long-term operation. The seals between the bearing housing assembly 3, the rotating shaft 23 and the bearing housing 31, and the seals between the bearing housing 31 and the inner wall of the hollow cavity 11 are integrated into the hollow cavity 11 of the carrier body 1, which restricts the wear particles that may be generated by the rotating friction pair within the hollow cavity 11, prevents the diffusion of contaminants into the wafer working space, ensures the ultra-high cleanliness of the process environment, and improves product yield.

[0056] In some possible implementations, the driving element is a motor 21, and the driving assembly 2 also includes a motor base 22. The motor 21 is fixed below the motor base 22, and the output shaft of the motor 21 extends into the motor base 22 and is connected to the rotating shaft 23 through a coupling 24. The upper part of the motor base 22 is fixedly connected to the bearing housing 31 by screws.

[0057] A hollow cavity 11 extends through both ends of the support body 1, and the inner diameter of the hollow cavity 11 gradually decreases from the direction away from the support platform 13 to the direction closer to the support platform 13, forming a motor cavity, a motor seat cavity, and a bearing seat cavity in sequence. Among them, the inner diameter of the motor cavity is the largest, and it is connected to the external environment to accommodate the motor 21. The inner diameter of the motor seat cavity is smaller than that of the motor cavity and is used to accommodate the motor seat 22. The inner diameter of the bearing seat cavity is the smallest and is used to accommodate the bearing seat assembly 3. The bearing 32 is an angular contact ball bearing, and there are two angular contact ball bearings. The two angular contact ball bearings are coaxially installed in the bearing seat 31 and are isolated and positioned by inner and outer bushings with a height difference to achieve a specific preload or fit relationship.

[0058] Integrating the motor 21, motor base 22, bearing housing 31, and internal rotating shaft 23 into a rigid power transmission unit effectively reduces the connection links and potential gaps in the transmission chain. It can suppress the vibration and sway generated when the motor 21 starts, stops, or changes speed, ensuring that the rotational movement of the rotating shaft 23 and the upper support platform 13 is more stable and the coaxial accuracy is higher, providing a basic guarantee for the uniformity of the wafer process.

[0059] Angular contact ball bearings can withstand both radial and axial loads simultaneously, making them suitable for the combined radial and axial forces that may be experienced by the bearing platform 13 and the rotating shaft 23. By designing matching bushings with a specific height difference, the axial distance and relative position between the two angular contact ball bearings can be precisely controlled. This not only enables precise positioning of the bearing 32 but also allows for axial preload through assembly, eliminating internal clearance in the bearing 32. This improves the radial and axial stiffness of the rotating shaft 23, suppresses minor runout under high-speed rotation, and ensures the runout accuracy of the bearing platform 13 end face.

[0060] In one embodiment, the end of the rotating shaft 23 is provided with a limiting platform 231 with a diameter larger than that of the rotating shaft 23, and the bearing platform 13 is connected to the limiting platform 231 by a first fastener. The top of the bearing seat 31 is provided with an annular protrusion, and the bottom of the limiting platform 231 is provided with an annular groove. The annular protrusion and the annular groove cooperate to allow the rotating shaft 23 to rotate relative to the bearing seat 31. As an axial bearing and positioning platform, the large-diameter design of the limiting platform 231 provides a larger connection surface and a better force distribution. This allows the weight from the bearing platform 13 and the wafer on it, as well as the axial force that may be generated during the process, to be uniformly and stably transmitted to the rotating shaft 23, avoiding stress concentration. At the same time, the limiting platform 231 itself constitutes a reliable axial stop, which can effectively prevent the rotating shaft 23 from moving upward relative to the bearing platform 13, ensuring the fixation of the axial position. The annular protrusion and the annular groove cooperate to form a radially guiding rotary pair, which can better restrain the small radial oscillation of the rotating shaft 23 and ensure that the rotation axis is highly coincident with the center line of the bearing seat 31. The relative sliding friction between the rotating shaft 23 and the top of the bearing housing 31 is limited to an annular region. With proper material selection and lubrication, the frictional resistance and wear at this point can be significantly reduced, ensuring long-term stable rotation.

[0061] Specifically, the top end face of the bearing housing 31 is provided with two annular protrusions spaced apart, and correspondingly, the bottom of the limiting platform 231 is provided with two annular grooves. The dynamic cooperation of the two annular protrusions and the two annular grooves provides the bearing platform 13 with a high rigidity and high centering support for rotational movement.

[0062] In one embodiment, the seal includes a first static seal 41, which is disposed between the bottom surface of the support platform 13 and the top surface of the limiting platform 231, and surrounds the outer periphery of the first fastener. During long-term operation, moving parts such as the rotating shaft 23 and bearing 32 may generate trace particles or volatile substances due to friction. The first static seal 41 effectively prevents these potential contaminants from the transmission side from migrating upwards and entering the surface of the support platform 13 and the working space where the wafer is located, thereby ensuring the ultra-high cleanliness requirements of the process. Simultaneously, during cleaning or electroplating processes, if cleaning agents or reactive gases leak downwards from the joint gap, they may corrode the fasteners, limiting platform 231, or bearing housing 31 below. The first static seal 41 also prevents the upper medium from leaking downwards, protecting the precision transmission components below.

[0063] Furthermore, an isolation disc 9 with an outer diameter larger than that of the support component is provided below the support platform 13. The isolation disc 9 is fitted around the outer periphery of the limiting platform 231, and its upper surface is in contact with the lower surface of the support platform 13. A fifth static seal 46 is provided between the isolation disc 9 and the support platform 13. The isolation disc 9 can completely prevent the cleaning agent flowing down from the support platform 13 from directly flowing into the hollow cavity 11, and at the same time prevent the cleaning agent from leaking into the hollow cavity 11 through the assembly gap between the isolation disc 9 and the limiting platform 231. This avoids the cleaning agent from intruding into the hollow cavity 11, where precision components such as the bearing 32 and the motor 21 are installed below, thereby preventing corrosion, short circuits, or lubrication failure caused by this.

[0064] In one embodiment, the seal includes a rotational dynamic seal 42, which is disposed within the bearing housing 31 and located above the bearing 32, for sealing the gap between the rotating shaft 23 and the bearing housing 31. The rotational dynamic seal 42 directly prevents large-scale leakage of process gas or vacuum through the rotating interface, and effectively prevents particles or lubricant particles generated by wear of the lower bearing 32 during long-term operation from moving upward and entering the support stage 13 and the working space where the wafer is located.

[0065] For example, the rotary dynamic seal 42 is a magnetohydrodynamic seal.

[0066] In one embodiment, the seal includes a second static seal 43, which is disposed between the outer peripheral wall of the bearing housing 31 and the inner wall of the hollow cavity 11. The second static seal 43 serves as a peripheral seal for the hollow cavity 11, effectively blocking most particulate contaminants generated by the wear of the bearing 32 and the friction of the rotating dynamic seal 42 within the space where the bearing housing assembly 3 is located, preventing them from diffusing into other spaces of the hollow cavity 11 and from contaminating the working space of the wafer.

[0067] Specifically, along the axial direction of the hollow cavity 11, two second static seals 43 are provided at intervals on the outer peripheral wall of the bearing housing 31.

[0068] In this embodiment, the sealing device is assembled by first precisely pressing or installing two angular contact ball bearings, along with inner and outer bushings with a height difference, into the bearing housing 31 according to a predetermined axial preload requirement, forming the bearing housing assembly 3. Then, the rotary dynamic seal 42 is installed above the bearing 32 within the bearing housing 31. The rotating shaft 23 is inserted from the upper end of the bearing housing assembly 3, passing through the inner hole of the bearing 32. The annular groove at the bottom of the limiting platform 231 precisely aligns with the annular protrusion at the top of the bearing housing 31, forming a rotary guide pair. Next, the motor 21 is fixed below the motor housing 22, and the output shaft of the motor 21 is connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft 23 via a coupling 24. Subsequently, the upper part of the motor housing 22 and the lower part of the bearing housing 31 are connected and fixed with screws. The outer peripheral wall of the bearing housing 31 has a second sealing groove for accommodating the second static seal 43. The second static seal 43 is installed into the second sealing groove, and then the above assembly is installed from below the hollow cavity 11 of the carrier body 1. Next, the isolation plate 9 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the limiting platform 231 and fixedly connected to it. The top of the limiting platform 231 has a first sealing groove for accommodating the first static seal 41. The first static seal 41 is inserted into the first sealing groove. The bottom of the support platform 13 has a fifth sealing groove for accommodating the fifth static seal 46. The fifth static seal 46 is inserted into the fifth sealing groove. The support platform 13 is then lowered so that its lower surface simultaneously aligns with both the first static seal 41 and the fifth static seal 46 on the isolation plate 9. Then, the support platform 13 is fastened to the limiting platform 231 below using the first fastener. During the fastening process, force must be applied evenly to ensure that the two static seals are uniformly compressed, forming a reliable seal.

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including an upper cover 5, a lower cavity 6, and a support assembly 7. The opening of the upper cover 5 faces downward, and a working assembly 51 is disposed below the upper cover 5. The lower cavity 6 is correspondingly disposed below the upper cover 5 and can be docked and sealed with the upper cover 5 or detached. The support assembly 7 is disposed inside the lower cavity 6 and located above the aforementioned sealing device. The annular bottom of the sealing device is sealed to the bottom of the lower cavity 6, and the upper part of the support assembly 7 is fixedly disposed relative to the upper cover 5, maintaining a target distance. This target distance constitutes the working space between the working assembly 51 and the wafer supported by the support assembly 7. After the lower cavity 6 is sealed and docked with the upper cover 5, the lower cavity 6, the upper cover 5, and the sealing device together form a sealed space containing the working space, providing a sealed environment for the working space.

[0070] The bottom of the sealing device is an annular wall, and the bottom wall of the lower cavity 6 is provided with an annular opening that matches the annular wall at the bottom of the sealing device, so that the annular wall at the bottom of the sealing device and the bottom wall of the lower cavity 6 form a seal.

[0071] During the process operation, a certain distance is generally required between the wafer and the working component 51. The upper part of the supporting component 7 and the upper cover 5 are fixed relative to each other and the target distance is maintained to meet the process operation requirements.

[0072] This semiconductor process equipment can be designed with either a liftable lower cavity 6 or a liftable upper cover 5, allowing for docking and sealing or detachment of the lower cavity 6 and upper cover 5. This enables wafer loading and unloading and provides the necessary sealed environment for the wafer process. The upper cover 5, containing the support component 7 and the working component 51 above the sealing device, serves as a fixed unit. When wafers need to be picked up or placed, the lower cavity 6 descends, detaching from the upper cover 5 and exposing the support component 7. A robotic arm can then enter the space created by the detachment of the lower cavity 6 and upper cover 5 to pick up or place the wafers. During processing, the lower cavity 6 rises, quickly docking with the upper cover 5 and the sealing device to form a sealed space. The sealing device solves the dynamic sealing problem introduced by the rotating shaft 23 that drives the wafer rotation, isolating potential particles and leakage risks within the hollow cavity 11 of the support body 1. The working space enclosed by the upper part of the sealing device, the upper cover 5 and the lower cavity 6 is a relatively static clean area, which effectively avoids the direct interference of vibration, particles or leakage that may be generated by the wafer rotation drive component 2 on the wafer process above; it provides a more stable, clean and easy-to-control sealed environment for the wafer process, and improves the uniformity and repeatability of the wafer process.

[0073] This embodiment uses the design of the lower cavity 6 as a liftable structure as an example for illustration. The design of the upper cover 5 as a liftable structure is similar to the design of the lower cavity 6 as a liftable structure, and will not be described again here.

[0074] like Figure 3 As shown, the semiconductor process equipment also includes a lifting assembly 10, which is located on one side of the lower cavity 6. The outer wall of the lower cavity 6 is provided with a fixing ring 61. The driving end of the lifting assembly 10 is connected to the fixing ring 61 to drive the lower cavity 6 to move.

[0075] The fixing ring 61 surrounding the outer wall of the lower cavity 6 forms a rigid and circumferentially uniform force transmission structure. The driving end of the lifting assembly 10 acts on the fixing ring 61, which can evenly distribute the pushing or pulling force to the entire lower cavity 6, preventing the lower cavity 6 from tilting or shaking during movement and causing sluggish movement. The lower cavity 6 adopts lateral driving force, freeing up the space directly below the semiconductor process equipment, which provides ample installation and operation space for connecting the carrier 1 and the telescopic tube assembly 8 from the bottom of the lower cavity 6.

[0076] Furthermore, two semiconductor processing devices are arranged side by side, with two sets of upper cover 5 and lower cavity 6 respectively. The fixing rings 61 of the two lower cavities 6 are connected by connectors 102, and the driving end of the lifting assembly 10 is connected to the connectors 102 to drive the two lower cavities 6 to move simultaneously.

[0077] One lifting assembly 10 can simultaneously drive the lifting of two lower cavities 6, which simplifies the structure of the drive system while ensuring that semiconductor process equipment can process two wafers at the same time to improve production efficiency. This not only reduces manufacturing costs and control complexity, but also ensures the synchronization and consistency of the lifting movements of the two lower cavities 6 through a rigid mechanical connection, which is conducive to maintaining a stable production cycle.

[0078] For example, the lifting assembly 10 includes a lifting cylinder 101 vertically fixed to the base, and a connecting member 102 consisting of a fixed platform and two connecting arms disposed thereon. The fixed platform is mounted on the top of the drive rod of the lifting cylinder 101, and the two connecting arms are respectively connected to the fixing ring 61 of a lower cavity 6. By effectively distributing power to the two lower cavities 6 through a lifting assembly 10, a compact and reliable synchronous drive is achieved.

[0079] In one embodiment, at least three carrier components 7 are provided for jointly supporting the wafer. Each carrier component 7 includes a support block 71 and a guide and limiting unit 72 and an adsorption unit 73 disposed on the support block 71. The guide and limiting unit 72 provides guidance during wafer placement and restricts radial movement of the wafer after positioning. The adsorption unit 73 is disposed inside the guide and limiting unit 72 and cooperates with the guide and limiting unit 72 to position and fix the wafer. By using at least three carrier components 7 to jointly support the wafer and minimizing the contact area between the carrier components 7 and the wafer, the uniformity of the wafer processing can be avoided.

[0080] Specifically, there are three carrier components 7. Each carrier component 7 has a guide limiting unit 72 including two limiting posts 721. The two limiting posts 721 are arranged side by side on the support platform. The top of the limiting post 721 is provided with a triangular pyramid-shaped guide part 722, which is used to provide guidance when placing the wafer.

[0081] The adsorption unit 73 is a vacuum adsorption unit. Each carrier component 7 has two vacuum adsorption units. The two vacuum adsorption units and the guide limiting unit 72 are arranged in a triangle to form a stable triangular positioning area.

[0082] In one embodiment, the semiconductor process equipment further includes a telescopic tube assembly 8 surrounding the outer periphery of the carrier 1. The upper and lower ends of the telescopic tube assembly 8 are respectively sealed to the upper part of the carrier 1 and the bottom of the lower cavity 6. The telescopic tube assembly 8 extends and retracts as the lower cavity 6 rises and falls. The design of the telescopic tube assembly 8 forms a continuous, dynamic sealing channel that can follow the displacement changes between the rising and falling lower cavity 6 and the fixed sealing device. This ensures that no matter what position the lower cavity 6 is in, the space enclosed by the upper cover 5, the lower cavity 6, and the sealing device is a sealed space, always isolated from the external environment, preventing the entry of external air or the leakage of internal gas.

[0083] In one embodiment, the telescopic tube assembly 8 includes a bellows 81 and a first cover plate 82 and a second cover plate 83 respectively connected to the upper and lower ends of the bellows 81. The first cover plate 82 is sealed to the upper part of the support body 1, and the second cover plate 83 is sealed to the bottom of the lower cavity 6. The bellows 81 is made of plastic or stainless steel, etc., and its elastic telescopic characteristics adapt to the lifting stroke of the lower cavity 6. The connection between the first cover plate 82 and the support body 1, and the connection between the second cover plate 83 and the bottom of the lower cavity 6, are flange bolt connections, which facilitates the independent installation, adjustment, or replacement of the sealing device.

[0084] Specifically, when the lower cavity 6 rises and seals with the upper cover 5, the lifting cylinder 101 drives the lower cavity 6 to rise via the fixing ring 61. The telescopic tube assembly 8 retracts as the lower cavity 6 rises, and the maximum retracted length of the telescopic tube assembly 8 is greater than the upward movement distance of the lower cavity 6 when it moves upward from its lowest point to seal with the upper cover 5. When the wafer is removed after the process is completed, the lifting cylinder 101 drives the lower cavity 6 to descend via the fixing ring 61 to disengage from the upper cover 5. The telescopic tube assembly 8 extends as the lower cavity 6 descends, and the maximum extended length of the telescopic tube assembly 8 is greater than the downward movement distance of the telescopic tube assembly 8 from its sealing position with the upper cover 5 to its lowest point. The telescopic tube assembly 8 retains a telescopic allowance at the travel limit of the lower cavity 6 to prevent plastic deformation or fatigue damage caused by excessive compression or stretching of the telescopic tube, thus extending its service life and providing a safety buffer.

[0085] In one embodiment, a third static seal 44 is provided between the first cover plate 82 and the upper part of the carrier 1. A fourth static seal 45 is provided between the second cover plate 83 and the bottom of the lower cavity 6. The provision of the third static seal 44 and the fourth static seal 45 ensures the airtightness of the sealing space enclosed by the upper cover 5, the lower cavity 6 and the sealing device.

[0086] Specifically, the upper outer periphery of the carrier 1 is provided with a connecting ring, and the upper surface of the connecting ring is provided with a third sealing groove for accommodating the third static seal 44. The upper cover 5 is fixedly connected to the connecting ring by a second fastener. Multiple second fasteners are provided at intervals along the circumference of the connecting ring. The third static seal 44 is located outside the second fastener, thereby preventing process gas or vacuum in the sealed space from leaking from the tiny gap between adjacent second fasteners.

[0087] The bottom of the lower cavity 6 is provided with an annular base plate. The second cover plate 83 is fixed to the annular base plate by a plurality of third fasteners. A fourth static seal 45 is provided between the annular base plate and the second cover plate 83, and the fourth static seal 45 is located inside the area surrounded by the third fasteners, thereby preventing leakage of the tiny gaps between adjacent third fasteners.

[0088] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener are all fastening screws. The first static seal 41, the second static seal 43, the third static seal 44, the fourth static seal 45, and the fifth static seal 46 are all O-rings.

[0089] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the carrier 1 has an internal evacuation channel 12 that communicates with the workspace. The evacuation channel 12 is connected to a vacuum pump for evacuating the workspace. The evacuation channel 12 within the carrier 1 is directly connected to the workspace. When the lower cavity 6 rises and completes sealing, and begins evacuation, the vacuum pump simultaneously extracts gas from both the workspace and the back of the wafer through the evacuation channel 12. Under the pressure difference, the wafer is stably and uniformly adsorbed onto the support platforms of the three carrier components 7, eliminating localized stress concentration and the risk of wafer warping.

[0090] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation and application scope based on the ideas of the present invention. The content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealing device, characterized in that, include: The carrier (1) has a hollow cavity (11) inside; A support platform (13) is located on top of the support body (1) and is used to support the wafer; The drive assembly (2) includes a drive member and a rotating shaft (23). The drive member is driven to the rotating shaft (23). The rotating shaft (23) passes through the hollow cavity (11) and is connected to the support platform (13) to drive the support platform (13) to rotate. The bearing housing assembly (3) includes a bearing housing (31) and a bearing (32) installed in the bearing housing (31). The bearing housing (31) is located in the hollow cavity (11), and the rotating shaft (23) passes through the bearing (32). Multiple seals are disposed between the support platform (13) and the rotating shaft (23), between the rotating shaft (23) and the bearing seat (31), and between the bearing seat (31) and the inner wall of the hollow cavity (11), for maintaining the sealing of the hollow cavity (11) when the drive assembly (2) drives the support platform (13) to rotate.

2. The sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating shaft (23) has a limiting platform (231) with a diameter larger than that of the rotating shaft (23) at its shaft end, and the bearing platform (13) is connected to the limiting platform (231) by a first fastener; The bearing housing (31) has an annular protrusion at the top and an annular groove at the bottom of the limiting platform (231). The annular protrusion and the annular groove cooperate to allow the rotating shaft (23) to rotate relative to the bearing housing (31).

3. The sealing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sealing element includes a first static seal (41), which is disposed between the bottom surface of the support platform (13) and the top surface of the limiting platform (231) and surrounds the outer periphery of the first fastener.

4. The sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing element includes a rotary dynamic seal (42), which is disposed inside the bearing housing (31) and located above the bearing (32) to seal the gap between the rotating shaft (23) and the bearing housing (31).

5. The sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing element includes a second static seal (43), which is disposed between the outer peripheral wall of the bearing seat (31) and the inner wall of the hollow cavity (11).

6. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, include: The upper cover (5) has an opening facing downwards, and a working component (51) is provided below the upper cover (5); The lower cavity (6) is correspondingly disposed below the upper cover (5) and can be connected and sealed or detached from the upper cover (5); A support component (7) is disposed within the lower cavity (6) and located above the sealing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, for supporting the wafer; The annular bottom of the sealing device is sealed to the bottom of the lower cavity (6), and the upper part of the bearing assembly (7) is fixedly set relative to the upper cover (5) and maintains the target distance. The target distance constitutes the working space between the working assembly (51) and the wafer carried by the bearing assembly (7). When the lower cavity (6) is sealed and connected with the upper cover (5), the lower cavity (6), the upper cover (5) and the sealing device together form a sealed space containing the working space, so as to provide a sealed environment for the working space.

7. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The carrier component (7) is provided in at least three parts for jointly carrying the wafer; The carrier component (7) includes a support block (71) and a guide limiting unit (72) and an adsorption unit (73) disposed on the support block (71). The guide limiting unit (72) is used to provide guidance when placing the wafer and to restrict the wafer from moving radially after positioning. The adsorption unit (73) is disposed inside the guide limiting unit (72) and is used to cooperate with the guide limiting unit (72) to position and fix the wafer.

8. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment also includes a telescopic tube assembly (8) arranged around the outer periphery of the carrier (1), with the upper and lower ends of the telescopic tube assembly (8) respectively sealed to the upper part of the carrier (1) and the bottom of the lower cavity (6).

9. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The telescopic tube assembly (8) includes a corrugated tube (81) and a first cover plate (82) and a second cover plate (83) respectively connected to the upper and lower ends of the corrugated tube (81). The first cover plate (82) is sealed to the upper part of the carrier (1), and the second cover plate (83) is sealed to the bottom of the lower cavity (6).

10. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, A third static seal (44) is provided between the first cover plate (82) and the upper part of the carrier (1).

11. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, A fourth static seal (45) is provided between the second cover plate (83) and the bottom of the lower cavity (6).

12. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The carrier (1) has an air extraction channel (12) inside that communicates with the working space. The air extraction channel (12) is connected to a vacuum pump and is used to evacuate the working space.

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