Wafer carrier for a cooling chamber and plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and more particularly to a wafer stage for a cooling chamber and a plasma processing device, comprising a stage body, a supporting rod, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion; the stage body includes two sub-stages symmetrically arranged in the cooling chamber along a preset radial line, each sub-stage having a first protrusion on its top; the supporting rod is located on the side of the sub-stage facing the operating space and extends into the operating space, the second protrusion is located on the top of the supporting rod, and the top of the second protrusion is on the same supporting surface as the top of the first protrusion. When supporting the wafer, the first protrusion and the second protrusion respectively support the edge region and the center region of the wafer from the bottom; this invention, through a multi-point contact design, supports the edge region and the center region of the wafer from the bottom respectively, achieving consistency and uniformity of the heat conduction path between the edge region and the center region of the wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and more particularly to a wafer stage for a cooling chamber and a plasma processing device. Background Technology

[0002] Gallium nitride (GaN), as a third-generation semiconductor material, is widely used in high-temperature, high-frequency, high-power electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, there is a significant lattice mismatch and difference in thermal expansion coefficients between GaN and common substrates (such as silicon, sapphire, and silicon carbide). This leads to enormous thermal stress during cooling after high-temperature processing, causing problems such as wafer bending, cracking, and even breakage. While existing technologies offer cooling solutions for semiconductor wafers, most have limitations. For example, some solutions use forced cooling to improve efficiency but do not fully consider the characteristics of GaN and the control of thermal stress during cooling. In particular, in current processes, the stage that contacts the wafer in the cooling chamber typically uses surface contact. This results in excessively rapid cooling at the wafer edges, while the central area cools more slowly, leading to uneven cooling and exacerbating thermal stress, thus affecting product yield. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to a wafer stage for a cooling cavity and a plasma processing device, with the aim of achieving consistency and uniformity of the heat conduction path between the edge region and the center region of the wafer, thereby effectively balancing the cooling rate of each region of the wafer during the wafer cooling process.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a wafer stage for a cooling cavity, comprising a stage body, a support rod, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion; The stage body includes two sub-stages symmetrically arranged in the cooling chamber along a preset radial line. There is an operating space between the two sub-stages for an external robotic arm to access and retrieve wafers. The top of each sub-stage is provided with the first protrusion. The supporting rod is located on the side of the sub-stage facing the operating space and extends into the operating space. The second protrusion is located on the top of the supporting rod, and the top of the second protrusion is on the same supporting surface as the top of the first protrusion. When supporting the wafer, the first protrusion and the second protrusion respectively support the edge area and the center area of ​​the wafer from the bottom, so that the edge area and the center area of ​​the wafer have consistent multi-point contact heat conduction, thereby achieving uniform cooling of the edge area and the center area during the cooling process.

[0005] Optionally, each of the sub-stages is provided with 2n or 3n first protrusions spaced circumferentially, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; Each of the sub-platforms is provided with 2m or 3m of the supporting rods, and each supporting rod is provided with P second protrusions spaced apart along its length, where m and P are both positive integers greater than or equal to 1. The number of the first protrusions on each of the sub-platforms is the same as the number of all the second protrusions corresponding to the supporting rods on each of the sub-platforms.

[0006] Optionally, the supporting rod has a first recessed groove from top to bottom, a sliding member is slidably disposed in the first recessed groove, the sliding member is connected to the second protrusion, a first driving member is fixedly connected to the side wall of the first recessed groove, the driving end of the first driving member extends along the length direction of the supporting rod and is connected to the sliding member, so as to drive the sliding member to move along the length direction of the supporting rod with the second protrusion thereon.

[0007] Optionally, a second driving member is provided between the slider and the second protrusion. The second driving member is connected to the slider, and the driving end of the second driving member is connected to the bottom of the second protrusion to drive the second protrusion to move along the axial direction of the wafer.

[0008] Optionally, the wafer stage for the cooling cavity further includes a limiting member, which includes an L-shaped limiting part and a lateral limiting part. A second recessed groove is provided on the side wall of the second protrusion. The L-shaped limiting part is connected to the second driving member. The lateral limiting part is connected to the top of the L-shaped limiting part and extends radially along the wafer into the second recessed groove, so as to limit the lower and upper limits of the axial movement of the second protrusion by abutting against the top and bottom of the second recessed groove.

[0009] Optionally, a buffer sleeve is provided on the outer side of the lateral limiting portion, one end of the buffer sleeve covers the end of the lateral limiting portion located in the second recessed groove, and the other end of the buffer sleeve extends radially along the wafer to the outside of the second recessed groove.

[0010] Optionally, the slider has a third recessed groove extending circumferentially along the wafer from top to bottom. The second drive member is movably disposed in the third recessed groove. The third drive member is fixedly connected to the side wall of the third recessed groove. The drive end of the third drive member is connected to the second drive member to drive the second drive member to move along the circumferential direction of the wafer with the support rod thereon.

[0011] Optionally, the wafer stage for the cooling cavity further includes a temperature sensor and a control module. The temperature sensor, the first driving element, the second driving element, and the third driving element are all connected to the control module. The control module controls the on / off state of the first driving element, the second driving element, and the third driving element according to the temperature information on the wafer collected by the temperature sensor, so as to drive the second protrusion to perform axial, radial, and circumferential movements.

[0012] Optionally, the temperature sensor includes a first sub-sensor and a second sub-sensor, both of which are located within the cooling chamber. The first sub-sensor is used to collect temperature information of the central region of the wafer, and the second sub-sensor is used to collect temperature information of the edge region of the wafer.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a plasma processing apparatus, including a cooling chamber, a process chamber, a robotic arm, and a wafer stage for the cooling chamber disposed within the cooling chamber, wherein the robotic arm is used to transfer wafers between the process chamber and the cooling chamber.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention utilizes a platform assembly structure comprising a platform body, supporting rods, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. By employing a multi-point contact design with the tops of the first and second protrusions coplanar, the platform supports the edge and center regions of the wafer from the bottom, achieving consistency and uniformity in the heat conduction paths between the edge and center regions. This effectively balances the cooling rate of different areas of the wafer during the cooling process, significantly reducing thermal stress caused by uneven cooling, preventing wafer bending, cracking, or breakage, and improving product yield. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling chamber structure in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 For the present invention Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure at position A in the embodiment; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the supporting rod and the sliding member in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1. Substage; 2. Cooling chamber; 3. First protrusion; 4. Support rod; 41. First recessed groove; 5. Second protrusion; 6. Wafer; 7. Sliding member; 8. First driving member; 9. Second driving member; 10. Limiting member; 11. Second recessed groove; 12. Third recessed groove; 13. Third driving member. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0018] This invention relates to a wafer stage for a cooling cavity and a plasma processing device, with the aim of achieving consistency and uniformity of the heat conduction path between the edge region and the center region of the wafer, thereby effectively balancing the cooling rate of each region of the wafer during the wafer cooling process.

[0019] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a wafer stage for a cooling cavity, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the wafer stage for the cooling cavity includes a stage body, a support rod 4, a first protrusion 3, and a second protrusion 5.

[0020] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the stage body includes two sub-stages 1 symmetrically arranged in the cooling chamber 2 along a preset radial line. There is an operating space between the two sub-stages 1 for an external robot arm to access the wafer 6. By symmetrically arranging the two sub-stages 1 along the preset radial line, an operating space for the external robot arm to access the wafer 6 is naturally formed in the cooling chamber 2, avoiding the space occupation caused by adding an additional robot arm avoidance mechanism. At the same time, the symmetrical layout helps to ensure the balance of force and heat environment of the wafer 6 during support and subsequent cooling, providing a basic structural guarantee for improving the cooling uniformity and process stability of the wafer 6.

[0021] In some embodiments, the preset radial line can be understood as a virtual reference straight line that passes through the center of the wafer 6 and extends along the radial direction of the wafer 6. This straight line defines the symmetrical distribution axis of the two sub-stages 1 in the cooling chamber 2, so that the sub-stages 1 can be arranged in the vertical or relative direction of the straight line, thereby forming a left-right or front-back symmetrical support structure under the wafer 6, and reserving operating space for the robot to enter and exit radially on both sides to access the wafer 6.

[0022] In some embodiments, the operating space can be understood as a specific physical gap area reserved between the two sub-stages 1 along the circumference or radial direction of the wafer 6. Structurally, this space constitutes an obstacle avoidance channel and working window for the peripheral robot to perform wafer 6 picking and placing actions. This ensures that the robot can complete the wafer 6 transfer operation without moving the stage body, and avoids motion interference between the stage assembly structure and the robot by defining the symmetrical boundary of the sub-stages 1. Thus, while ensuring a smooth wafer 6 transfer path, the compactness and process stability of the stage assembly structure are maintained.

[0023] In some embodiments, several stage bodies are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the cooling chamber 2. This makes the stage body not a single integral structure, but rather a multi-layered, parallel sub-stage 1 unit arranged in the vertical direction (i.e., the axial direction of the wafer 6) according to process requirements. This stacked layout design not only enables the simultaneous bearing and parallel cooling of multiple wafers 6 within the limited height space of the cooling chamber 2, improving the process throughput per unit volume, but also allows for precise thermal management of the microenvironment of wafers 6 at different levels through independent temperature control of each layer, thereby avoiding the problem of reduced heat dissipation efficiency caused by concentrated heat load in a single-layer stage body.

[0024] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, each of the sub-stages 1 has a first protrusion 3 on its top; the supporting rod 4 is located on the side of the sub-stage 1 facing the operating space and extends into the operating space; the second protrusion 5 is located on the top of the supporting rod 4, and the top of the second protrusion 5 is on the same supporting surface as the top of the first protrusion 3. When supporting the wafer 6, the first protrusion 3 and the second protrusion 5 respectively support the edge region and the center region of the wafer 6 from the bottom, so that the edge region and the center region of the wafer 6 have consistent multi-point contact heat conduction, thereby achieving uniform cooling of the edge region and the center region during the cooling process.

[0025] By setting a first protrusion 3 on the top of the sub-stage 1 and a second protrusion 5 on the top of the support rod 4 extending into the operating space, and making the tops of both form the same support surface, when the wafer 6 is placed, the first protrusion 3 and the second protrusion 5 can provide multi-point contact support and heat conduction for the edge and center regions of the wafer 6 from the bottom. This structure breaks the limitations of the traditional method where only the edge region of the wafer 6 contacts the sub-stage 1 and the wafer 6 and the sub-stage 1 adopt a surface contact heat conduction mode, which leads to a large temperature difference between the edge and center regions. It ensures that different regions of the wafer 6 have a consistent heat conduction path and contact state, thereby effectively achieving uniform and synchronous cooling of the edge and center regions of the wafer 6 during the cooling process. This significantly reduces the risk of wafer 6 bending, cracking or breaking due to uneven thermal stress distribution, and ultimately improves the product yield.

[0026] In some embodiments, the structures of the first protrusion 3 and the second protrusion 5 can both be hemispherical or truncated conical protrusion structures with a small radius of curvature at the top. This structural design aims to achieve a point contact heat conduction mode by reducing the actual contact area with the bottom surface of the wafer 6. That is, on the one hand, its geometric shape can effectively resist manufacturing and assembly errors, ensuring that it maintains a stable single-point support force under thermal expansion and contraction, and avoiding local heat accumulation due to poor contact. On the other hand, compared with traditional surface contact, this protrusion structure significantly reduces the frictional resistance between the wafer 6 and the stage. When the wafer 6 warps slightly or expands due to temperature changes, it allows for a small amount of slippage in the horizontal direction, releasing thermal stress and preventing the wafer 6 from cracking due to excessive rigidity. At the same time, the smooth transition at the contact edge avoids sharp edges from scratching the back of the wafer 6 (the surface in contact with the first protrusion 3 and the second protrusion 5), thus achieving a dual optimization of physical protection and thermal management of the wafer 6.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first protrusion 3 and the second protrusion 5 are both made of metal materials with high thermal conductivity, such as oxygen-free copper, aluminum, or silver alloys. These materials can quickly conduct heat from the surface of the wafer 6 from the contact point due to their excellent thermal conductivity. Compared with traditional low thermal conductivity inert materials, the application of such high thermal conductivity materials not only significantly reduces the thermal resistance at the contact interface, enabling the edge and center regions of the wafer 6 to achieve rapid heat diffusion and dissipation through multi-point contact, but also quickly flattens the temperature gradient on the surface of the wafer 6 in the early stage of cooling. This further enhances the effect of multi-point contact heat conduction on the basis of support, ensuring that the wafer 6 obtains a uniform cooling rate throughout the cooling process.

[0028] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, each of the sub-platforms 1 is provided with 2n or 3n first protrusions 3 spaced apart circumferentially, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; each of the sub-platforms 1 is provided with 2m or 3m supporting rods 4, and each supporting rod 4 is provided with P second protrusions 5 spaced apart along its length, where m and P are both positive integers greater than or equal to 1. The number of the first protrusions 3 on each of the sub-platforms 1 is the same as the number of all the second protrusions 5 corresponding to the supporting rods 4 on each of the sub-platforms 1.

[0029] This embodiment sets up a matching mathematical configuration of 2n or 3n first protrusions 3 and 2m or 3m supporting rods 4, and combines this with P second protrusions 5 spaced apart on each supporting rod 4, so that the total number of first protrusions 3 on the sub-stage 1 is consistent with the total number of second protrusions 5 corresponding to all supporting rods 4, thereby constructing a multi-point support array with a highly matched distribution density at the bottom of the wafer 6. This contact point layout with equal numbers and regular geometric distribution not only ensures the balance of force and consistency of heat conduction flux between the edge and center regions of the wafer 6 during contact heat conduction, effectively avoiding overheating or overcooling in the edge and center regions of the wafer 6, but also enables the stage body to flexibly adapt to wafers 6 of different sizes or different process requirements through modular parameter design, ultimately achieving uniform cooling of the wafer 6 throughout the entire cooling range.

[0030] For example, when the diameter of wafer 6 is 300mm and n=3, m=1, and P=3 are set, each sub-stage 1 can have 6 first protrusions 3 evenly distributed around its circumference to stably support the edge area of ​​wafer 6. At the same time, 2 support rods 4 are configured, and 3 second protrusions 5 are set at intervals on each support rod 4, thereby forming 6 contact points below the central area of ​​wafer 6. At this time, the total number of first protrusions 3 on the sub-stage 1 (6) and the total number of second protrusions 5 corresponding to all support rods 4 (2×3=6) maintain the consistency of quantity logic and the complementarity of distribution density in the design. This design not only intuitively verifies the aforementioned modular configuration principle of "consistent quantity" through specific parameter combinations, but also ensures that no matter how the size of wafer 6 is scaled (e.g. by increasing or decreasing the values ​​of n, m, and P), the dynamic balance of contact points between the edge area and the central area can be maintained, thereby ensuring that wafers of different specifications can obtain a uniform cooling effect throughout the cooling process in a highly adaptable manner.

[0031] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, the supporting rod 4 has a first recessed groove 41 recessed from top to bottom. A sliding member 7 is slidably disposed within the first recessed groove 41. The sliding member 7 is connected to the second protrusion 5. A first driving member 8 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the first recessed groove 41. The driving end of the first driving member 8 extends along the length direction of the supporting rod 4 and is connected to the sliding member 7, so as to drive the sliding member 7 to move the second protrusion 5 thereon along the length direction of the supporting rod 4. By integrating the first recessed groove 41 with the first driving member 8 and the sliding member 7 inside the supporting rod 4, a displacement mechanism for the second protrusion 5 to move along the length direction of the supporting rod 4 is constructed, so that the position of the second protrusion 5 can be controllably adjusted according to the temperature difference at various positions along the length direction of the supporting rod 4 in the central region of the wafer 6.

[0032] This built-in structure effectively utilizes the space of the supporting rod 4 to achieve device miniaturization. At the same time, it can dynamically adjust the support position of the second protrusion 5 under the wafer 6 according to the actual size of the wafer 6 or the temperature difference of various positions in the central area of ​​the wafer 6, ensuring that the contact point in the central area is always aligned with the center of gravity or high-temperature area of ​​the wafer 6. Thus, while ensuring the transmission stability and support reliability of the wafer 6, it realizes the dynamic adjustment and precise control of the heat transfer path during the cooling process.

[0033] In some embodiments, the structure of the slider 7 and the first recessed groove 41 can be a dovetail groove slide rail structure that cooperates with each other or a rectangular slide rail structure with a guide key, wherein the slider 7 is embedded in the first recessed groove 41 as a slider and can move freely back and forth along its axial direction.

[0034] Preferably, the sidewall of the slider 7 is slidably connected to both the inner sidewall and the inner bottom wall of the first recessed groove 41. This means that the slider 7 is not suspended in the first recessed groove 41, but rather forms a tight sliding pair with the groove wall through its outer peripheral wall. This allows the groove wall to provide additional radial support and lateral constraint for the slider 7, effectively resisting the torque generated by the gravity and motion inertia of the wafer 6, preventing the slider 7 from deflecting, tilting, or jamming during long-stroke movement. This improves the running stability of the second protrusion 5 when it moves along the length of the supporting rod 4, ensuring that the support point in the central region of the wafer 6 can always maintain a predetermined linear trajectory, providing a reliable mechanical structural basis for dynamic temperature control.

[0035] In some embodiments, the shape of the supporting rod 4 can be a slender rod, a flat sheet, or an arc-shaped cantilever beam structure, preferably a long rod extending radially along the wafer 6. The above-mentioned shape configuration not only extends to the maximum extent below the central region of the wafer 6 within a limited operating space to support the second protrusion 5 corresponding to the central region, ensuring effective support and heat conduction of the central region of the wafer 6, but also significantly reduces the unnecessary contact area with the bottom surface of the wafer 6 through its narrow cross-sectional characteristics. Thus, while ensuring structural rigidity and support stability, it further weakens the problem of uneven thermal resistance caused by traditional surface contact and reduces the risk of collision and interference between the robot arm and the stage when accessing the wafer 6.

[0036] In some embodiments, the structure of the first drive member 8 can be a micro linear motor, a piezoelectric ceramic actuator, or a ball screw transmission mechanism. This structural design not only ensures that the drive end can output linear displacement along the length direction of the supporting rod 4 to control the radial position of the sliding member 7 and the second protrusion 5 along the wafer 6, but also avoids the encroachment of external cables or transmission components on the operating space of the robot arm through the built-in layout. Thus, while ensuring the cleanliness and unobstructed access of the wafer 6 transmission area, it achieves dynamic and adjustable precision drive control of the support point position in the central area of ​​the wafer 6.

[0037] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, a second driving member 9 is provided between the sliding member 7 and the second protrusion 5. The second driving member 9 is connected to the sliding member 7, and the driving end of the second driving member 9 is connected to the bottom of the second protrusion 5 to drive the second protrusion 5 to move along the axial direction of the wafer 6. This design allows the second protrusion 5 to move independently along the axial direction (i.e., vertical direction) of the wafer 6. On the one hand, when the size of the wafer 6 changes or the process requirements are adjusted, the second drive 9 can precisely drive the second protrusion 5 to move up and down along the axial direction, so that its top height is dynamically matched with the top height of the first protrusion 3, ensuring that the two are always on the same supporting surface. This enables multi-point contact heat conduction between the edge area and the center area after the wafer 6 is placed, ensuring uniform cooling. On the other hand, when adjusting the position of the second protrusion 5 along the length direction of the support rod 4 (radial direction of the wafer 6), in order to avoid frictional interference with the back of the wafer 6, the second drive 9 can first control the second protrusion 5 to descend axially to detach from contact with the wafer 6. After the first drive 8 drives the sliding member 7 to complete the radial position adjustment of the second protrusion 5, the second drive 9 drives it to rise axially again to re-contact the back of the wafer 6. This "descend first, then rise" adjustment logic protects the wafer 6 from mechanical scratches and ensures stable support and heat conduction at different radial positions of the wafer 6.

[0038] In some embodiments, the structure of the second drive member 9 can be a miniature ball screw module, a linear stepper motor, or a piezoelectric ceramic stacked actuator. This structural design not only gives the second protrusion 5 the ability to displace along the axial (vertical) direction of the wafer 6, enabling it to precisely control the contact pressure with the back of the wafer 6 and the height difference between each of the second protrusions 5 and between each of the second protrusions 5 and the first protrusion 3, but also has sufficient output stiffness to support the weight of the wafer 6 and resist thermal deformation disturbances during the cooling process.

[0039] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the wafer stage for the cooling cavity also includes a limiting member 10, which includes an L-shaped limiting part and a lateral limiting part. A second recessed groove 11 is provided on the side wall of the second protrusion 5. The L-shaped limiting part is connected to the second driving member 9. The lateral limiting part is connected to the top of the L-shaped limiting part and extends radially along the wafer 6 into the second recessed groove 11, so as to limit the lower and upper limits of the axial movement of the second protrusion 5 when it abuts against the top and bottom of the second recessed groove 11.

[0040] This embodiment uses an L-shaped limiting part and a lateral limiting part to form a limiting structure, which, together with the second recessed groove 11 on the side wall of the second protrusion 5, forms an axial displacement constraint mechanism. This ensures that the second protrusion 5 is clearly defined in terms of upper and lower limit positions when it moves along the axial direction of the wafer 6. When the lateral limiting part abuts against the top of the second recessed groove 11, it limits the maximum upward displacement of the second protrusion 5 to prevent excessive lifting and damage to the wafer 6. When it abuts against the bottom of the groove, it limits the lowest downward position to ensure the normal realization of the support function. This limiting design not only provides a final safety guarantee in the event of electrical control system failure or overload, preventing the second drive component 9 from being damaged due to overtravel, but also effectively absorbs the impact load generated during the placement or cooling of the wafer 6, ensuring that the second protrusion 5 always operates stably within the preset safe travel range.

[0041] In some embodiments, a buffer sleeve is provided on the outer side of the lateral limiting portion. One end of the buffer sleeve covers the end of the lateral limiting portion located within the second recessed groove 11, and the other end of the buffer sleeve extends radially along the wafer 6 to the outside of the second recessed groove 11. By providing a buffer sleeve extending to the outside of the second recessed groove 11 on the outer side of the lateral limiting portion, the impact energy and vibration between the second protrusion 5 and the bottom or top of the second recessed groove 11 can be effectively absorbed by utilizing the elastic deformation characteristics of the buffer sleeve during the process where the second protrusion 5 contacts the bottom or top of the second recessed groove 11 due to axial movement, thus playing a role in flexible buffering and shock absorption; avoiding a rigid collision between the lateral limiting portion and the groove wall of the second recessed groove 11, reducing mechanical wear and noise.

[0042] In some embodiments, the structure and material of the buffer kit can be an annular elastomer structure sleeved on the outside of the lateral limiting part. The material is preferably high-temperature resistant and anti-aging fluororubber, polyimide or metal corrugated tube. This structural design allows the buffer kit to completely cover the end of the lateral limiting part and extend to the outside of the second recessed groove 11. By utilizing its own elastic deformation characteristics, a flexible medium is formed at the moment of contact between the lateral limiting part and the top or bottom of the second recessed groove 11. This effectively absorbs and buffers the impact energy generated by thermal expansion and contraction or mechanical vibration during the placement or cooling of the wafer 6 at the physical level, preventing mechanical wear or microcracks in the wafer 6 caused by rigid collision.

[0043] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sliding member 7 has a third recessed groove 12 extending circumferentially along the wafer 6 from top to bottom. The second driving member 9 is movably disposed in the third recessed groove 12. The side wall of the third recessed groove 12 is fixedly connected to a third driving member 13. The driving end of the third driving member 13 is connected to the second driving member 9 to drive the second driving member 9 to move along the circumferential direction of the wafer 6 with the supporting rod 4 thereon.

[0044] This embodiment constructs a circumferential rotation drive mechanism for the second drive component 9 by setting a third recessed groove 12 on the slider 7 and integrating a linkage structure between the third drive component 13 and the second drive component 9 on the side wall of the third recessed groove 12. This allows the second drive component 9 and the second protrusion 5 on it to be controllably adjusted in a circumferential angle relative to their initial position. This design not only ensures that the second protrusion 5 can be adjusted radially along the wafer 6, but also circumferentially along the wafer 6, thereby achieving two-dimensional planar dynamic adjustment of the thermal contact point below the central region of the wafer 6. When the wafer 6 experiences irregular warping or local hot spot shifting due to material inhomogeneity or thermal stress during cooling, the third drive component 13 can drive the second protrusion 5 to make fine adjustments around the circumference of the wafer 6, ensuring that it is always aligned with the high-temperature accumulation area, thereby achieving full-domain adaptive matching in terms of both physical support and thermal conduction.

[0045] Preferably, the circumferential sidewall of the second driving member 9 is slidably contacted with the sidewall and bottom wall of the third recessed groove 12. This provides continuous radial support and lateral constraint for the second driving member 9 during its circumferential movement along the wafer 6, preventing the second driving member 9 from deflecting, getting stuck, or derailing during circumferential displacement. This significantly improves the smoothness of the operation of the second driving member 9 and the second protrusion 5 above it during circumferential adjustment, ensuring that the circumferential fine adjustment of the second protrusion 5 below the central region of the wafer 6 always remains on the preset trajectory.

[0046] In some embodiments, the structure of the third drive member 13 can be an arc-shaped rack and pinion meshing transmission mechanism, a built-in hollow cup motor with a harmonic reducer, a piezoelectric ceramic motor driven by a flexible hinge, or a cylinder arranged along the circumference of the wafer 6. When a cylinder structure is used, its drive end also provides driving force along the circumference of the wafer 6. By pushing or pulling the sidewall of the second drive member 9, the pneumatic torque is converted into circumferential motion, thereby driving the second drive member 9 together with the support rod 4 and the second protrusion 5 to adjust the circumferential angle.

[0047] In some embodiments, the wafer stage for the cooling cavity further includes a temperature sensor and a control module. The temperature sensor, the first driving member 8, the second driving member 9, and the third driving member 13 are all connected to the control module. The control module controls the on / off state of the first driving member 8, the second driving member 9, and the third driving member 13 based on the temperature information on the wafer 6 collected by the temperature sensor, so as to drive the second protrusion 5 to perform axial, radial, and circumferential movements.

[0048] This embodiment utilizes a closed-loop feedback control system composed of a temperature sensor and a control module. This transforms the first drive unit 8, the second drive unit 9, and the third drive unit 13 from simple open-loop actuators into intelligent adjustment units capable of intelligent linkage based on real-time temperature distribution data of the central and edge regions of the wafer 6. This structure enables the second protrusion 5 to automatically adjust its support height, radial position, and circumferential angle, thereby achieving adaptive matching in both physical support and heat conduction. This effectively eliminates localized poor contact or thermal hysteresis caused by wafer 6 deformation or uneven thermal stress. Ultimately, while ensuring unobstructed access for the robotic arm, it significantly improves the cooling uniformity and process stability of the wafer 6 under different operating conditions.

[0049] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor may be a non-contact infrared temperature measurement array or a contact thin-film thermocouple sensor, which are preferably integrated in an embedded manner into the inner wall of the cooling chamber 2 or the non-contact area of ​​the stage body.

[0050] In some embodiments, the control module can be an embedded control unit based on a programmable logic controller or an industrial PC architecture, which has an internally built-in adaptive algorithm for the thermal deformation characteristics and cooling dynamics model of wafer 6. The module receives temperature distribution data of the center and edge regions of wafer 6 from temperature sensors in real time through a high-speed communication interface, and after processing, outputs pulse width modulation signals or current commands to the first drive unit 8, the second drive unit 9 and the third drive unit 13, thereby realizing closed-loop feedback control of the second protrusion 5 in the three degrees of freedom of axial, radial and circumferential directions, ensuring that the support point position and contact pressure can be automatically adjusted according to the real-time thermal stress distribution during the cooling process of wafer 6.

[0051] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor includes a first sub-sensor and a second sub-sensor, both of which are located within the cooling chamber 2. The first sub-sensor is used to collect temperature information of the central region of the wafer 6, and the second sub-sensor is used to collect temperature information of the edge region of the wafer 6. This embodiment, by dividing the temperature sensor into a first sub-sensor specifically for collecting temperature information of the central region of the wafer 6 and a second sub-sensor specifically for collecting temperature information of the edge region, achieves differentiated and precise monitoring of the temperature field in key areas of the wafer 6, avoiding the problem that a single sensor cannot fully reflect the radial temperature gradient of the wafer 6 due to its location limitations.

[0052] It is worth noting that, for application scenarios with different wafer sizes, when the position of the second protrusion 5 is adjusted, in order to adapt to the uniformity of cooling in the central and edge regions of the wafer 6, the first protrusion 3 needs to be pre-planned in its circumferential distribution structure and quantity density (such as the aforementioned 2n or 3n configuration) based on the maximum and minimum diameter range of the target wafer 6 during the initial design. This ensures that no matter how the second protrusion 5 expands and contracts radially to adapt to the central region of wafers of different sizes, the support ring formed by the first protrusion 3 in the edge region of the wafer 6 can always maintain geometric symmetry and thermal resistance matching with the second protrusion 5 in the central region in the heat conduction path. This allows for the construction of a globally uniform heat conduction infrastructure compatible with multiple wafer sizes at the source of the platform body.

[0053] Of course, during the design process, the first protrusion 3 can also be configured to have mobility. For example, a fourth driving component and transmission mechanism can be integrated inside or on the side wall of each sub-stage 1, so that the first protrusion 3 can be finely adjusted in the radial or circumferential direction along the wafer 6. This controllable movement design breaks the limitations of traditional static support, allowing the first protrusion 3 and the second protrusion 5 to be combined into a dynamic support system. That is, when the second protrusion 5 adjusts its position according to the temperature of the central region of the wafer 6, the first protrusion 3 can also adapt to the deformation or size change of the edge region of the wafer 6 in a synchronous manner, thereby achieving a real-time dynamic balance between the contact point distribution density and heat conduction flux between the edge region and the central region of the wafer 6, further eliminating local contact defects caused by the warping or thermal expansion of the wafer 6, and ensuring the consistency of global cooling and process stability under different operating conditions.

[0054] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention also provide a plasma processing apparatus, including a cooling chamber 2, a process chamber, a robotic arm, and a wafer stage for the cooling chamber disposed within the cooling chamber 2, wherein the robotic arm is used to transfer wafers 6 between the process chamber and the cooling chamber 2.

[0055] In some embodiments, the plasma processing equipment can be various process equipment in the semiconductor manufacturing field that uses plasma for material modification or film treatment, including but not limited to plasma etching equipment (such as dry etching machines), plasma resist removal equipment (ashing furnaces), and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment; in these devices, the wafer stage for the cooling chamber is usually used as the core base component of the process chamber, and is used to quickly remove heat through the aforementioned multi-point dynamic temperature regulation mechanism during the process of high-energy ion bombardment or chemical reaction that generates a large amount of Joule heat on wafer 6, so as to maintain the uniformity of the surface temperature of wafer 6 and the stability of the process window.

[0056] The radial, circumferential, and axial directions described in this invention are all parallel to and coincide with the radial, circumferential, and axial directions of the wafer 6, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0057] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A wafer stage for a cooling chamber, characterized by, It includes the platform body, supporting rods, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion; The stage body includes two sub-stages symmetrically arranged in the cooling chamber along a preset radial line. There is an operating space between the two sub-stages for an external robotic arm to access and retrieve wafers. The top of each sub-stage is provided with the first protrusion. The supporting rod is located on the side of the sub-stage facing the operating space and extends into the operating space. The second protrusion is located on the top of the supporting rod, and the top of the second protrusion is on the same supporting surface as the top of the first protrusion. When supporting the wafer, the first protrusion and the second protrusion respectively support the edge area and the center area of ​​the wafer from the bottom, so that the edge area and the center area of ​​the wafer have consistent multi-point contact heat conduction, thereby achieving uniform cooling of the edge area and the center area during the cooling process.

2. The wafer boat for a cooling chamber according to claim 1, wherein Each of the sub-platforms is provided with 2n or 3n first protrusions spaced circumferentially, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; Each of the sub-platforms is provided with 2m or 3m of the supporting rods, and each supporting rod is provided with P second protrusions spaced apart along its length, where m and P are both positive integers greater than or equal to 1. The number of the first protrusions on each of the sub-platforms is the same as the number of all the second protrusions corresponding to the supporting rods on each of the sub-platforms.

3. The wafer boat for a cooling chamber according to claim 1, wherein The supporting rod has a first recessed groove from top to bottom. A sliding member is slidably disposed in the first recessed groove. The sliding member is connected to the second protrusion. A first driving member is fixedly connected to the side wall of the first recessed groove. The driving end of the first driving member extends along the length direction of the supporting rod and is connected to the sliding member, so as to drive the sliding member and the second protrusion thereon to move along the length direction of the supporting rod.

4. The wafer boat for a cooling chamber according to claim 3, wherein A second driving member is provided between the sliding member and the second protrusion. The second driving member is connected to the sliding member, and the driving end of the second driving member is connected to the bottom of the second protrusion to drive the second protrusion to move along the axial direction of the wafer.

5. The wafer boat for a cooling chamber according to claim 4, wherein It also includes a limiting member, which includes an L-shaped limiting part and a lateral limiting part. A second recessed groove is provided on the side wall of the second protrusion. The L-shaped limiting part is connected to the second driving member. The lateral limiting part is connected to the top of the L-shaped limiting part and extends radially along the wafer into the second recessed groove, so as to limit the lower and upper limits of the axial movement of the second protrusion by abutting against the top and bottom of the second recessed groove.

6. The wafer stage for a cooling cavity according to claim 5, characterized in that, A buffer sleeve is provided on the outer side of the lateral limiting part. One end of the buffer sleeve covers the end of the lateral limiting part located in the second recessed groove, and the other end of the buffer sleeve extends radially along the wafer to the outside of the second recessed groove.

7. The wafer stage for a cooling cavity according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sliding member has a third recessed groove extending circumferentially along the wafer from top to bottom. The second driving member is movably disposed in the third recessed groove. The third driving member is fixedly connected to the side wall of the third recessed groove. The driving end of the third driving member is connected to the second driving member to drive the second driving member to move along the circumferential direction of the wafer with the supporting rod thereon.

8. The wafer stage for a cooling cavity according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a temperature sensor and a control module. The temperature sensor, the first driving element, the second driving element, and the third driving element are all connected to the control module. The control module controls the on / off state of the first driving element, the second driving element, and the third driving element according to the temperature information on the wafer collected by the temperature sensor, so as to drive the second protrusion to perform axial, radial, and circumferential movements.

9. The wafer stage for a cooling cavity according to claim 8, characterized in that, The temperature sensor includes a first sub-sensor and a second sub-sensor, both of which are located within the cooling chamber. The first sub-sensor is used to collect temperature information of the central region of the wafer, and the second sub-sensor is used to collect temperature information of the edge region of the wafer.

10. A plasma processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a cooling chamber, a process chamber, a robotic arm, and a wafer stage for the cooling chamber as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 disposed within the cooling chamber, wherein the robotic arm is used to transfer wafers between the process chamber and the cooling chamber.

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