Wafer boat and furnace tube equipment
By incorporating pneumatic units and Bernoulli suction cups into the crystal boat, the problems of substrate warping and adhesion in high-temperature furnace tube equipment were solved, thereby improving substrate stability and product quality.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-13
AI Technical Summary
In the semiconductor manufacturing process, the substrate in the high-temperature furnace tube equipment suffers from thermal stress and its own weight, which causes the center to sink and warp, affecting the accuracy of subsequent processes and the product yield.
A pneumatic unit and a Bernoulli chuck are installed in the crystal boat. The pneumatic unit sprays gas below the substrate to provide buoyancy, and the Bernoulli chuck forms suction above the substrate. They counteract the weight of the substrate individually or together, reducing warping and die sticking.
It effectively reduces the central depression and warping of the substrate caused by thermal stress and its own weight at high temperatures, reduces the adhesion phenomenon, and improves product quality.
Smart Images
Figure CN121665989A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and more specifically to a crystal boat and furnace tube device. Background Technology
[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, high-temperature furnace tubes are an important piece of equipment used to perform various processes in a high-temperature environment, such as diffusion, oxidation, and annealing.
[0003] In existing furnace tubes, the support portion of the crystal boat supports the substrate by contacting its edge region. During high-temperature processing, the substrate is subjected to thermal stress and its own weight, which may cause the central region of the substrate to deform downwards. This deformation typically manifests as a central depression of the substrate, resulting in overall substrate warping. This warping adversely affects the accuracy of subsequent processes and the yield rate of the product. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This invention provides a crystal boat and furnace tube equipment to overcome the problem of substrate warping during high-temperature processing in existing furnace tube equipment.
[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems through the following technical solution:
[0006] A crystal boat, comprising:
[0007] The supporting body is used to support multilayer substrates that are spaced apart along the vertical direction;
[0008] Pneumatic units are spaced apart along the vertical direction and are respectively disposed below the corresponding substrate. The pneumatic units are configured to spray air toward the central region of the corresponding substrate so that the gravity of the substrate can be partially or completely offset.
[0009] An air supply line is connected to the pneumatic unit and is used to supply gas to the pneumatic unit.
[0010] A crystal boat, comprising:
[0011] The supporting body is used to support multilayer substrates that are spaced apart along the vertical direction;
[0012] Bernoulli suction cups are spaced apart along the vertical direction and are respectively disposed above the central region of the corresponding substrate, so that the weight of the substrate can be partially or completely offset.
[0013] An air supply line is connected to the Bernoulli suction cup and is used to supply gas to the Bernoulli suction cup.
[0014] A crystal boat, comprising:
[0015] The supporting body includes multiple layers of supporting positions distributed in a vertical direction, and each layer of supporting position includes at least one supporting part for supporting the substrate;
[0016] Pneumatic units, spaced apart along the vertical direction and respectively disposed below the corresponding substrate, are configured to spray air toward the bottom of the corresponding substrate to detach the substrate from at least one of the supporting portions or a portion thereof, and / or,
[0017] Bernoulli suction cups are spaced apart along the vertical direction and are respectively disposed above the corresponding substrates, for detaching the substrates from at least one support portion or a portion of the support portion;
[0018] An air supply line, connected to the pneumatic unit, is used to supply gas to the pneumatic unit and / or the Bernoulli suction cup.
[0019] The positive and progressive effects of this application are as follows:
[0020] 1. The crystal boat proposed in this application significantly improves the deformation problem of the substrate during high-temperature processing by incorporating pneumatic units within the supporting body. Specifically, multiple pneumatic units are distributed vertically at intervals and are respectively located below each substrate layer. When the pneumatic units operate, they inject gas into the central region of the corresponding substrate. The pneumatic units provide upward buoyancy to the central region of the substrate through gas injection, thereby partially or completely offsetting the weight of the substrate. This design effectively reduces the central sinking phenomenon of the substrate due to thermal stress and its own weight at high temperatures, and reduces the degree of substrate warping.
[0021] 2. The crystal boat proposed in this application places a Bernoulli chuck above the central region of the substrate, and supplies gas to the Bernoulli chuck through a gas supply line. The Bernoulli chuck utilizes the Bernoulli effect to generate negative pressure when airflow passes through, forming suction. This suction can partially or completely counteract the weight of the substrate, thereby reducing warping caused by thermal stress and its own weight.
[0022] 3. The crystal boat proposed in this application uses a pneumatic unit to spray air onto the bottom of the substrate or places a Bernoulli suction cup above the substrate, so that the substrate is at least detached from a support part or a part of the support part. This helps to partially offset the weight of the substrate, thereby preventing physical adhesion between the substrate and the support part under high temperature conditions, thus reducing the occurrence of die sticking and improving the product quality of the substrate. Attached Figure Description
[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the crystal boat structure in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the crystal boat structure in Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the crystal boat structure in Embodiment 3 of the present invention;
[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the crystal boat structure in Embodiment 4 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0027] The present invention will be further illustrated by way of embodiments below, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of the embodiments.
[0028] Example 1
[0029] Substrate warping is a common problem in high-temperature furnace tubes. Existing furnace tube equipment typically addresses this by increasing the contact area between the carrier portion of the crystal boat and the substrate, thus supporting the substrate as a whole and preventing deformation and warping. This application offers a unique and innovative solution to the substrate warping problem.
[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a crystal boat, including: a support body 100, pneumatic units 300, and an air supply pipe 200. The support body 100 is used to support multilayer substrates W spaced apart along the vertical direction L. The pneumatic units 300 are spaced apart along the vertical direction L and are respectively disposed below the corresponding substrates W. The pneumatic units 300 are configured to spray air towards the central region of the corresponding substrate W so that the weight of the substrate W can be partially or completely offset. The air supply pipe 200 is connected to the pneumatic units 300 and is used to supply gas to the pneumatic units 300.
[0031] The crystal boat proposed in this application significantly improves the warping problem of the substrate W during high-temperature processing by incorporating pneumatic units 300 within the support body 100. Specifically, the pneumatic units 300 are spaced apart along the vertical direction L and are respectively disposed below each substrate W. The pneumatic units 300 provide upward buoyancy to the central region of the substrate W by spraying air, thereby partially or completely offsetting the weight of the substrate W. This design effectively reduces the central sinking phenomenon of the substrate W due to thermal stress and its own weight at high temperatures, thus reducing the degree of warping of the substrate W. To save gas consumption and improve the stability of the substrate W, the pneumatic units 300 can start working when the temperature of the crystal boat exceeds a critical value (in this embodiment, the critical value is 710°C), spraying gas into the central region of the corresponding substrate W. The critical value is the temperature at which the substrate undergoes plastic deformation, which is related to the specifications and material of the substrate.
[0032] In this embodiment, the pneumatic unit 300, the air supply pipe 200, and the supporting body 100 are integrated and can move synchronously. Specifically, the pneumatic unit 300 can be connected to the supporting body 100 via a support plate or connecting column, etc., and the fixing method of the pneumatic unit 300 is not limited here. In one embodiment, the air supply pipe 200 is fixed together with the supporting body 100. In another embodiment, the crystal boat also includes a rotating platform (not shown in the figure), which is connected to the supporting body 100, and the air supply pipe 200 is connected to the rotating platform by rotating air supply. In yet another embodiment, the supporting column 120 of the supporting body 100 is hollow inside, and the air supply pipe 200 can be integrated into the hollow structure inside the supporting column 120, resulting in a more compact structure that does not occupy additional space.
[0033] The air supply line 200 includes a main line 210 and multiple branch lines 220. One end of each branch line 220 is connected to the main line 210, and the other end is connected to the pneumatic unit 300. Each branch line 220 is equipped with a regulating valve (not shown in the figure). The regulating valve can precisely control the air jet volume of the pneumatic unit 300. On the one hand, it can flexibly adjust the buoyancy of the substrate W, thus adapting to substrates W of different weights; on the other hand, it can control the air jet volume of different layers of the pneumatic unit 300 to be the same, ensuring that the buoyancy force on different layers of substrates is the same.
[0034] In this embodiment, the gas supply line 200 supplies non-reactive gases, such as nitrogen or inert gases. In some embodiments, the gas supply line 200 can also supply reactive gases. The gas supply line 200 can replace the original gas inlet line to provide reactive gases or work in conjunction with the original gas inlet line. Using the gas supply line 200 to provide reactive gases helps to maintain the process atmosphere without interference.
[0035] In this embodiment, the crystal boat also includes a gas supply pipeline heating device (not shown in the figure), such as a heating jacket, for heating the gas supply pipeline to heat the gas inside it, thereby ensuring that the reaction temperature is not affected.
[0036] In some embodiments, a gas supply pipeline heating device may not be provided, and the heating can be provided by the heating components of the furnace tube equipment itself.
[0037] Specifically, the supporting body 100 includes a supporting column 120 and multiple supporting positions distributed along the vertical direction L. Each supporting position includes multiple supporting parts 110, which are connected to the supporting column 120. Each substrate W is supported by the multiple supporting parts 110 of the corresponding layer. The pneumatic unit 300 ensures that the substrate W contacts at least one of the supporting parts 110. By ensuring that the substrate W contacts at least one of the supporting parts 110, the substrate W will not completely detach from the supporting part 110 and lose support, thus preventing instability of the substrate W. While ensuring that the substrate W is supported, the pneumatic unit 300 can effectively reduce the central sinking phenomenon of the substrate W due to thermal stress and its own weight during high-temperature processing, thereby reducing the degree of warping of the substrate W. Figure 1 In the diagram, only two support portions 110 are shown in each support position, but the number of support portions 110 in each support position can also be three or more. Preferably, while ensuring that the substrate W is in contact with at least one support portion 110, the pneumatic unit 300 also causes the substrate W to detach from at least one support portion 110. The weight of the substrate W and the buoyancy force on the substrate W are in a critical equilibrium state. This can reduce the warping of the substrate W, prevent the substrate from sticking together, and prevent the substrate W from completely detaching from the support portion 110 and losing support, which would cause the substrate W to become unstable.
[0038] In some embodiments, when each layer of the support body 100 has only one support portion, such as an annular support portion, when the pneumatic unit 300 sprays air toward the central region of the corresponding substrate W, the substrate W is at least detached from a portion of the support portion.
[0039] In some embodiments, the pneumatic unit 300 can also completely detach the substrate W from the support portion 110, which can not only solve the warping problem of the substrate W, but also solve the problem of the substrate W sticking together.
[0040] In this embodiment, the pneumatic unit 300 adopts a shower-type structure. Specifically, the pneumatic unit 300 includes a hollow cavity 310, which is connected to the air supply pipeline 200. The hollow cavity 310 is provided with an air inlet, which is connected to a corresponding branch pipeline 220 in the air supply pipeline 200. Multiple air jet holes 320 are provided on the side of the hollow cavity 310 opposite to the substrate W. Because multiple air jet holes 320 are provided on the side of the hollow cavity 310 opposite to the substrate W, the gas can be evenly distributed below the central region of the substrate W, providing uniform upward buoyancy. This uniform airflow support can more effectively reduce the central depression phenomenon of the substrate W and reduce the warping of the substrate W. The design of multiple air jet holes 320 ensures the uniformity of force on the substrate W, avoiding local deformation or damage caused by excessive force at a single point leading to localized force concentration.
[0041] In other embodiments, the structure of the pneumatic unit 300 is not limited to this and can be flexibly adjusted as needed while ensuring that uniform buoyancy can be provided.
[0042] Example 2
[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, the structure of this embodiment is basically the same as that of Embodiment 1, except that the pneumatic unit 300 in Embodiment 1 is replaced with a Bernoulli suction cup 400 disposed above the substrate W. Specifically, it includes a support body 100, a Bernoulli suction cup 400, and an air supply pipe 200. The support body 100 is used to support the multilayer substrates W that are spaced apart along the vertical direction L. The Bernoulli suction cups 400 are spaced apart along the vertical direction L and are respectively disposed above the middle region of the corresponding substrate W, so that the weight of the substrate W can be partially or completely offset. The air supply pipe 200 is connected to the Bernoulli suction cups 400 and is used to supply gas to the Bernoulli suction cups 400.
[0044] A Bernoulli suction cup 400 is positioned above the central region of the substrate W, and gas is supplied to the Bernoulli suction cup 400 via a gas supply line 200. The Bernoulli suction cup 400 utilizes the Bernoulli effect to generate negative pressure and suction when airflow passes through it. This suction can partially or completely counteract the weight of the substrate W, thereby reducing warping caused by thermal stress and its own weight. The Bernoulli suction cup 400 interacts with the substrate W through suction generated by airflow, rather than direct physical contact, thus preventing damage to the upper surface of the substrate W. In this embodiment, the gas supply line 200 preferably supplies a reactive gas.
[0045] In this embodiment, the support body 100 includes multiple support positions distributed along the vertical direction L. Each support position includes multiple support parts 110. Each substrate W is supported by the multiple support parts 110 of the corresponding layer. The Bernoulli suction cup 400 ensures that the substrate W contacts at least one of the support parts 110. The substrate W will not completely detach from the support part 110 and lose support, thus preventing the substrate W from becoming unstable.
[0046] In some embodiments, the Bernoulli suction cup 400 may also be disposed above the substrate W, specifically in the central or edge region above the substrate, to detach the substrate W from at least one support portion 110, thereby reducing the occurrence of substrate sticking.
[0047] When each layer of the support body 100 has only one support portion, such as an annular support portion, the Bernoulli chuck 400 causes the substrate W to detach from at least a portion of the support portion. In this embodiment, the Bernoulli chuck 400, the air supply line 200, and the support body 100 are also able to move synchronously as a whole.
[0048] In some embodiments, the crystal boat further includes a moving device (not shown), which is connected to the Bernoulli chuck 400 and used to move the Bernoulli chuck 400 along the vertical direction L. When picking up or placing the substrate W, the moving device moves the Bernoulli chuck 400 upward, thereby creating space for picking up or placing the substrate W. When the Bernoulli chuck 400 needs to pick up the substrate W, the moving device moves the Bernoulli chuck 400 downward, thereby reducing the contact distance with the substrate W.
[0049] Example 3
[0050] In existing furnace tube equipment, the support portion of the crystal boat typically contacts the substrate, providing support. However, during high-temperature processing, the contact surface between the substrate and the support portion is prone to adhesion due to high temperatures. Adhesion refers to the problem of the substrate and the support portion sticking together due to material adhesion under high-temperature conditions.
[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, to solve the problem of substrate adhesion, this embodiment provides a wafer boat, which includes: a support body 100, a pneumatic unit 500, and an air supply pipe 200. The support body 100 includes multiple support positions distributed along the vertical direction L, and each support position includes multiple support portions 110 for supporting substrate W. The pneumatic unit 500 is disposed inside the support portion 110 and is configured to spray air towards the area where the bottom of the substrate W contacts the support portion 110, so that the substrate W detaches from at least one support portion 110. The air supply pipe 200 is connected to the pneumatic unit 500 and is used to supply gas to the pneumatic unit 500. When the pneumatic unit 500 sprays air towards the area where the bottom of the substrate W contacts the support portion 110, the airflow obstruction helps to prevent physical adhesion between the substrate W and the support portion 110 under high temperature conditions, fundamentally preventing the occurrence of substrate adhesion and thus improving the product quality of the substrate W. When the substrate W is not completely detached from the support portion 110, the buoyancy generated by the pneumatic unit 500 on the substrate partially offsets the weight of the substrate W, which helps to reduce the occurrence of substrate sticking. In some embodiments, the pneumatic unit 500 starts to operate when the temperature exceeds a critical value.
[0052] In some embodiments, the pneumatic unit 500 may spray air into other areas of the bottom of the substrate W, rather than being limited to that area. As long as the substrate is detached from at least one support portion, the occurrence of sticking can be reduced.
[0053] In this embodiment, the support portion 110 is hollow inside, and the top of the support portion 110 is provided with an air jet hole 320 similar to that in Embodiment 1. The pneumatic unit 500 includes the hollow structure inside the support portion 110 and the air jet hole 320. Integrating the pneumatic unit 500 with the support portion 110 results in a more compact structure and avoids occupying additional space. In some embodiments, the pneumatic unit 500 can also be disposed on the upper part of the support portion 110, with the substrate W placed on the pneumatic unit 500, and the support portion 110 indirectly supporting the substrate W. Furthermore, the pneumatic unit 500 can also be connected and fixed to the support column 120, and the pneumatic unit 500 can also spray air into other areas of the bottom of the substrate W.
[0054] In this embodiment, the supporting body 100 also includes a supporting column 120, the supporting part 110 is connected to the supporting column 120, the number of air supply pipes 200 is the same as the number of supporting columns 120, the air supply pipes 200 are disposed outside the supporting column 120 and fixed together with the supporting body 100.
[0055] In some embodiments, the support column 120 is hollow inside, and the air supply pipe 200 is disposed inside the support column 120, integrated with the support column 120. By integrating the air supply pipe 200 into the hollow structure inside the support column 120, the structure is more compact and does not occupy additional space.
[0056] Example 4
[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, the structure of this embodiment is basically the same as that of Embodiment 1, except that in this embodiment, the crystal boat further includes an auxiliary pneumatic unit 550, which is disposed on the support portion 110 of the support body 100. The auxiliary pneumatic unit 550 is configured to spray air towards the area where the bottom of the corresponding substrate W contacts the support portion 110. The air supply pipe 200 is also connected to the auxiliary pneumatic unit 550 for supplying gas to the auxiliary pneumatic unit 550. In this embodiment, the pneumatic unit 300 can reduce the warping of the substrate W, and the auxiliary pneumatic unit 550 can reduce the occurrence of die sticking, thereby further improving the product quality of the substrate W.
[0058] In other embodiments, the auxiliary pneumatic unit 550 may not be provided on the support portion 110, or it may be connected to the support column 120. The auxiliary pneumatic unit 550 may also be configured to spray air toward the area near the bottom of the corresponding substrate W that contacts the support portion 110.
[0059] Example 5
[0060] This embodiment provides a furnace tube device, including the crystal boat as described above.
[0061] Specifically, the furnace tube equipment also includes a process tube, a liner, and a heating assembly. The crystal boat is disposed inside the process tube. The liner is fitted over the outside of the process tube. The heating assembly, disposed outside the liner, is used to heat the liner.
[0062] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art should understand that these are merely illustrative examples, and the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, but all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Furthermore, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this application can be appropriately combined.
Claims
1. A crystal boat, characterized in that, include: The supporting body is used to support multilayer substrates that are spaced apart along the vertical direction; Pneumatic units are spaced apart along the vertical direction and are respectively disposed below the corresponding substrate. The pneumatic units are configured to spray air toward the central region of the corresponding substrate so that the gravity of the substrate can be partially or completely offset. An air supply line is connected to the pneumatic unit and is used to supply gas to the pneumatic unit.
2. The crystal boat as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting body includes multiple layers of supporting positions distributed in a vertical direction. Each supporting position includes at least one supporting part. Each substrate is supported by the supporting part of the corresponding layer. When the pneumatic unit sprays air toward the central region of the corresponding substrate, the substrate contacts at least one of the supporting parts or at least a portion of the supporting part.
3. The crystal boat as described in claim 2, characterized in that, When the pneumatic unit sprays air toward the central region of the corresponding substrate, the substrate detaches from at least one of the support portions or at least a portion of the support portion.
4. The crystal boat as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pneumatic unit includes a hollow cavity that is connected to the air supply pipeline. The side of the hollow cavity opposite to the substrate has a plurality of air jet holes.
5. The crystal boat as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas supply pipeline includes a main pipeline and multiple branch pipelines. One end of each branch pipeline is connected to the main pipeline, and the other end is connected to the corresponding pneumatic unit. Each branch pipeline is equipped with a regulating valve.
6. The crystal boat as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting body includes multiple layers of supporting positions distributed in a vertical direction, and each layer of supporting positions includes at least one supporting part for supporting the substrate; The crystal boat also includes an auxiliary pneumatic unit, which is configured to spray air toward or near the contact area between the bottom of the substrate and the support portion. The gas supply line is also connected to the auxiliary pneumatic unit for supplying gas to the auxiliary pneumatic unit.
7. The crystal boat as described in claim 1 or 6, characterized in that, The crystal boat also includes a gas supply pipeline heating device for heating the gas supply pipeline.
8. A crystal boat, characterized in that, include: The supporting body is used to support multilayer substrates that are spaced apart along the vertical direction; Bernoulli suction cups are spaced apart along the vertical direction and are respectively disposed above the central region of the corresponding substrate, so that the weight of the substrate can be partially or completely offset. An air supply line is connected to the Bernoulli suction cup and is used to supply gas to the Bernoulli suction cup.
9. The crystal boat as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The supporting body includes multiple layers of supporting positions distributed in a vertical direction. Each supporting position includes at least one supporting part. Each substrate is supported by the supporting part of the corresponding layer. The Bernoulli suction cup causes the substrate to contact at least one of the supporting parts or at least a portion of the supporting part.
10. The crystal boat as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The gas supply pipeline includes a main pipeline and multiple branch pipelines. One end of each branch pipeline is connected to the main pipeline, and the other end is connected to the corresponding Bernoulli suction cup. Each branch pipeline is equipped with a regulating valve.
11. The crystal boat as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, The crystal boat also includes a moving device connected to the Bernoulli suction cup, which is used to drive the Bernoulli suction cup to move along the vertical direction.
12. A crystal boat, characterized in that, include: The supporting body, the air supply pipeline, and either or both of the pneumatic unit and the Bernoulli suction cup, wherein, The supporting body includes multiple layers of supporting positions distributed in a vertical direction, and each layer of supporting positions includes at least one supporting part for supporting the substrate; The air supply line is connected to the pneumatic unit and / or the Bernoulli suction cup, and is used to supply gas to the pneumatic unit and / or the Bernoulli suction cup; The pneumatic units are spaced apart along the vertical direction and are respectively disposed below the corresponding substrate. The pneumatic units are configured to spray air toward the bottom of the corresponding substrate to cause the substrate to detach from at least one of the support portions or a portion of the support portion. The Bernoulli suction cups are spaced apart along the vertical direction and are respectively disposed above the corresponding substrates, for the purpose of detaching the substrates from at least one of the support portions or a portion of the support portion.
13. The crystal boat as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The pneumatic unit and the bearing part are integrated, and / or the bearing body also includes a bearing column, the bearing part is connected to the bearing column, the bearing column is hollow inside, and the air supply pipeline is integrated with the bearing column.
14. A furnace tube device, characterized in that, Including the crystal boat as described in any one of claims 1-13; A process tube, wherein the crystal boat is disposed inside the process tube; A liner is fitted over the outside of the process pipe; A heating element is disposed on the outside of the liner tube and is used to heat the liner tube.