Wafer carrying mechanism and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

This invention discloses a wafer carrier mechanism and semiconductor process equipment, relating to the field of semiconductor equipment technology. The wafer carrier mechanism includes multiple support components for jointly supporting the wafer. Each support component includes a fixed base, an elastic support member, and an adjusting member. The fixed base has an inner cavity, and its top has a connection port communicating with the inner cavity. The elastic support member is fixed to the upper part of the fixed base through the connection port. The upper part of the elastic support member has a support surface for horizontally supporting the wafer, and the lower part of the elastic support member has a bottom surface for elastically moving the entire elastic support member upward under an external upward force. The adjusting member is axially movable within the inner cavity and applies an upward force to the bottom surface of the elastic support member, causing elastic deformation of the elastic support member and changing the horizontal height of the support surface to adjust the distance between the support surface and the wafer, thereby reducing or eliminating the support gap between them.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a wafer carrier mechanism and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the process chambers of semiconductor processing equipment, a support structure is installed to support the wafer. For example, in the pre-wetting chamber of electroplating equipment, the wafer pre-treatment process typically involves placing the wafer on a support structure consisting of six plastic support pads, with the support surfaces of each pad working together to support the wafer. The support structure then rotates the wafer at high speed, spraying pre-treatment liquid onto the wafer surface through an overhead nozzle, completing pre-cleaning and pre-wetting. To ensure the stability and uniformity of the wafer under high-speed rotation, ideally, all support surfaces should be completely in contact with the back of the wafer, providing uniform and synchronized support.

[0003] However, in actual manufacturing and assembly, component tolerances and cumulative assembly errors often result in slight differences in the height of each support surface. After the wafer is placed, a gap will form between some support surfaces and the back of the wafer. This gap is usually only about 0.1 mm, but it is enough to disrupt the balance of the support. During high-speed rotation, this misalignment of the support will cause uneven force on the wafer, resulting in wobbling, which can easily cause wafer breakage. In severe cases, it can even cause the wafer to be thrown out, seriously affecting process safety and product yield.

[0004] Besides electroplating equipment, similar support mechanisms all have the technical problem of gaps between the support surface and the wafer when supporting the wafer. Using shims for adjustment is cumbersome to operate and has poor adjustment accuracy, making it difficult to meet the micron-level coplanar control requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer support mechanism and semiconductor process equipment that enables simple, precise, and independent adjustment of the height of each support surface, ensuring that all support surfaces can be adjusted to the same horizontal plane, fundamentally eliminating minute gaps and improving the stability of the dynamic support of the wafer.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A wafer support mechanism includes multiple support components for jointly supporting a wafer. Each support component includes a fixed base, an elastic support member, and an adjusting member. The fixed base has an inner cavity, and its top has a connection port communicating with the inner cavity. The elastic support member is fixed to the upper part of the fixed base through the connection port. The upper part of the elastic support member has a support surface for horizontally supporting the wafer, and the lower part of the elastic support member has a bottom surface for elastically moving the entire elastic support member upward under an external upward force. The adjusting member is axially movable within the inner cavity and applies an upward force to the bottom surface of the elastic support member, causing the elastic support member to elastically deform and change the horizontal height of the support surface, thereby adjusting the distance between the support surface and the wafer, reducing or eliminating the support gap between the support surface and the wafer.

[0008] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the elastic support has a support portion and a fixing portion. The support portion has a support surface for supporting the wafer, and the fixing portion has a bottom surface for receiving external forces. The fixing portion passes through the connection port into the inner cavity and is axially limited and connected to the fixing seat.

[0009] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the adjusting member has a pushing surface at one end facing the fixing part, the pushing surface abutting against the bottom surface. The adjusting member moves axially to apply an upward axial force to the elastic support member, thereby forcing the elastic support member to undergo elastic deformation, and thus adjusting the height of the support surface so that the support surfaces of the multiple support components are at the same horizontal height.

[0010] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the adjusting member is rotatably engaged with the inner cavity wall, and the rotation of the adjusting member can be converted into axial movement of the adjusting member.

[0011] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the cavity wall of the inner cavity is provided with an internal thread, and the outer peripheral wall of the adjusting member is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread, so that the adjusting member is threadedly connected to the inner cavity.

[0012] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the adjusting member includes a connecting post and a pushing part located at one end of the connecting post. The external thread is located on the outer peripheral wall of the connecting post, and the end face of the pushing part away from the connecting post constitutes the pushing surface.

[0013] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the pushing surface of the pushing part is set as a plane, and the area of ​​the cross-section of the pushing part gradually decreases from the end connected to the connecting post to the direction away from the connecting post.

[0014] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the area of ​​the pushing surface is smaller than the area of ​​the bottom surface of the fixing part, and the axis of the pushing surface and the axis of the elastic support are on the same straight line.

[0015] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the end of the connecting post away from the pushing part is provided with an adjustment structure, which is used to cooperate with an adjustment tool to rotate the adjustment member.

[0016] As an optional embodiment of the wafer carrier mechanism, the elastic support further includes a connecting portion, which connects the support portion and the fixing portion. The outer diameters of both the support portion and the fixing portion are larger than the outer diameter of the connecting portion. After the fixing portion passes through the connecting port into the inner cavity, the connecting portion is located inside the connecting port, and the end face of the fixing portion near the connecting portion abuts against the inner top surface of the fixing seat to achieve the axial limiting connection. The elastic support undergoes elastic deformation through the connecting portion.

[0017] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the outer part of the fixing part is tapered, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the fixing part gradually decreases from the end connected to the connecting part toward the direction away from the connecting part.

[0018] As an alternative to the wafer carrier mechanism, the horizontal radial dimension of the bottom opening of the fixing seat is smaller than the maximum horizontal radial dimension of the bottom of the connecting post, so that the adjusting member is limited to axial movement within the inner cavity.

[0019] A semiconductor process apparatus includes a process cavity and a wafer carrier mechanism as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the wafer carrier mechanism is disposed within the process cavity.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0021] The wafer carrier mechanism and semiconductor process equipment provided by this invention include an elastic support member fixed to the upper part of a fixed base via a connection port, and an adjusting member that can move axially within the inner cavity of the fixed base. The adjusting member applies an upward force to the bottom surface of the elastic support member, forcing it to undergo elastic deformation, thereby changing the horizontal height of the support surface and adjusting the distance between the support surface and the wafer, reducing or eliminating the support gap. Since the deformation occurs within the elastic support member itself, the adjustment only needs to overcome the material's elastic force, ensuring that each support surface is completely in contact with the back of the wafer, eliminating support gaps at the 0.1mm level. The adjustment action of this wafer carrier mechanism does not directly contact the wafer, allowing for online fine-tuning while the wafer is in place, making operation convenient. After the wafer receives uniform support from the support surface, its stress state under high-speed rotation is improved, avoiding the risk of shaking, breakage, and ejection due to unstable support, significantly improving the stability and safety of the dynamic wafer support. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer carrier mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the support component provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the elastic support and the adjusting member provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elastic support member provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a first-view schematic diagram of the adjustment component provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a second-view schematic diagram of the adjustment component provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] In the figure: 1. Support base; 2. Support platform; 3. Support component; 31. Fixing seat; 311. Connection port; 312. Inner cavity; 32. Elastic support member; 321. Support part; 3211. Support surface; 3212. First groove; 3213. Second groove; 322. Fixing part; 323. Connection part; 33. Adjusting member; 331. Connecting column; 3311. Adjusting structure; 332. Pushing part; 3321. Pushing surface. Detailed Implementation

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0034] This embodiment provides a semiconductor process equipment, including a process cavity, a wafer carrier mechanism, and a rotation mechanism. The wafer carrier mechanism and the rotation mechanism are disposed in the process cavity. The wafer carrier mechanism is used to carry the wafer, and the rotation mechanism is connected to the wafer carrier mechanism to drive the wafer carrier mechanism to rotate, thereby driving the wafer to rotate. This allows the wafer to undergo cleaning or pre-wetting processes during high-speed rotation, laying the foundation for subsequent processes such as electroplating.

[0035] Existing wafer support mechanisms all suffer from the technical problem of gaps between the support surface and the wafer when supporting the wafer. Using shims for adjustment is cumbersome and has poor adjustment accuracy, making it difficult to meet the micron-level coplanar control requirements.

[0036] To solve the above technical problems, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, this embodiment also provides a wafer carrier mechanism, including a carrier base 1 and multiple carrier platforms 2 spaced circumferentially along the carrier base 1. The multiple carrier platforms 2 are spaced circumferentially along the carrier base 1 to provide multi-point support for the wafer. Specifically, each carrier platform 2 is provided with a support component 3. The wafer carrier mechanism includes multiple support components 3, which are used to jointly support the wafer. The support component 3 includes a fixed base 31, an elastic support member 32, and an adjusting member 33. The fixed base 31 has an inner cavity 312, and the top of the fixed base 31 has a connection port 311 communicating with the inner cavity 312. The elastic support member 32 is fixed to the upper part of the fixed base 31 through the connection port 311. The upper part of the elastic support member 32 has a support surface 3211, which is used to horizontally support the wafer. The lower part of the elastic support member 32 has a bottom surface, which is used to elastically move the elastic support member 32 as a whole under an external upward force. The adjusting member 33 is axially movable in the inner cavity 312 and is used to apply an upward force to the bottom surface of the elastic support member 32, so that the elastic support member 32 undergoes elastic deformation, changes the horizontal height of the support surface 3211 of the elastic support member 32, and adjusts the distance between the support surface 3211 and the wafer, so that the support spacing between the support surface 3211 and the wafer is reduced or eliminated.

[0037] The elastic support 32 is fixed to the upper part of the fixed base 31 via the connection port 311, and an adjusting member 33 is provided that can move axially within the inner cavity 312 of the fixed base 31. The adjusting member 33 applies an upward force to the bottom surface of the elastic support 32, forcing the elastic support 32 to undergo elastic deformation. This changes the horizontal height of the support surface 3211 of the elastic support 32, thereby adjusting the distance between the support surface 3211 and the wafer, reducing or eliminating the support gap between the support surface 3211 and the wafer. Since the deformation occurs within the elastic support 32 itself, the adjustment only needs to overcome the elastic force of the material, ensuring that each support surface 3211 is completely in contact with the back of the wafer, eliminating support gaps at the 0.1mm level. The adjustment action of this wafer support mechanism does not directly contact the wafer, allowing for online fine-tuning while the wafer is in place, making operation convenient. After the wafer receives uniform support from the support surface 3211, its stress state under high-speed rotation is improved, avoiding the risk of shaking, breakage, and ejection due to unstable support, significantly improving the stability and safety of the wafer dynamic support.

[0038] In one embodiment, the elastic support 32 has a support portion 321 and a fixing portion 322. The support portion 321 has a support surface 3211 for supporting the wafer, and the fixing portion 322 has a bottom surface for receiving external forces. The fixing portion 322 passes through the connection port 311 into the inner cavity 312 and is axially limited and connected to the fixing seat 31. During adjustment, the adjusting member 33 moves from bottom to top, applying a pushing force to the bottom surface of the elastic support 32. Since the upper end surface of the fixing portion 322 is axially limited by the fixing seat 31, the pushing force forces the elastic support 32 to undergo tensile elastic deformation, and the support portion 321 moves upward accordingly, increasing the height of the support surface 3211. When the adjusting member 33 retracts downward, the elastic support 32 contracts and resets itself by its own elastic restoring force, and the height of the support surface 3211 decreases accordingly. The displacement of the support surface 3211 can be precisely controlled by the axial feed of the adjusting member 33, achieving micron-level continuous adjustment.

[0039] Specifically, the elastic support 32 is made of a corrosion-resistant and highly elastic polymer material, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The support portion 321, located at the top of the elastic support 32, is cylindrical, and its top surface is machined into a smooth, flat support surface 3211 for direct contact with and support of the wafer back side. The fixing portion 322 is located at the bottom of the elastic support 32, and its lower end surface forms a bottom surface, which serves as a force-bearing surface to receive the pushing force from the adjusting member 33.

[0040] In this embodiment, a radially extending groove is formed on the support surface 3211. During wafer pretreatment, the pretreatment liquid sprayed onto the wafer surface flows down along the wafer edge and seeps into the contact area between the support surface 3211 and the back of the wafer. The radial groove provides a directional drainage channel for these liquids, allowing them to be rapidly discharged radially under the action of centrifugal force and gravity. This prevents liquid from accumulating between the support surface 3211 and the wafer to form a liquid film, thereby preventing difficulties in wafer removal or positional displacement due to the liquid film adsorption effect. The radial extension design ensures that the drainage path is consistent with the direction of centrifugal force, and the liquid is thrown away accordingly, preventing it from remaining in the groove and causing cross-contamination or residual water marks after drying, ensuring the uniformity and consistency of each pretreatment.

[0041] Furthermore, the groove includes a first groove 3212 and a second groove 3213 that are perpendicular to each other. The first groove 3212 and the second groove 3213, which are perpendicular to each other, form a cross-shaped groove. The cross-shaped groove also penetrates the central area of ​​the support surface 3211. Even if a small amount of liquid enters near the center of the support surface 3211, it can be quickly diverted and thrown away in four directions through the intersection point, preventing the liquid from accumulating in the center and forming an adsorption point, thus ensuring the smoothness of wafer picking and the accuracy of wafer positioning. At the same time, the cross-shaped groove evenly divides the support surface 3211 into four symmetrical fan-shaped contact areas. This highly symmetrical contact layout makes the adsorption force and friction force of the wafer on the support surface 3211 tend to be balanced in all directions, avoiding the anisotropy of the support surface 3211 caused by unidirectional grooves, effectively suppressing the micro-vibrations that may be caused by asymmetric surface tension during rotation, and further enhancing the stability of high-speed rotation.

[0042] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the elastic support 32 also includes a connecting portion 323, which connects the support portion 321 and the fixing portion 322. The outer diameters of both the support portion 321 and the fixing portion 322 are larger than the outer diameter of the connecting portion 323. After the fixing portion 322 passes through the connecting port 311 and enters the inner cavity 312, the connecting portion 323 is located inside the connecting port 311, and the end face of the fixing portion 322 near the connecting portion 323 abuts against the inner top surface of the fixing seat 31 to achieve axial limiting connection. The elastic support 32 undergoes elastic deformation through the connecting portion 323.

[0043] A connecting portion 323 is provided between the support portion 321 and the fixing portion 322. The outer diameter of the connecting portion 323 is significantly smaller than the outer diameters of the support portion 321 and the fixing portion 322, forming a reduced-diameter section, thus constituting an elastic deformation section. The diameter of the connecting port 311 at the top of the inner cavity 312 of the fixing seat 31 is larger than the outer diameter of the connecting portion 323 but smaller than the outer diameter of the fixing portion 322. During assembly, after the fixing portion 322 passes through the connecting port 311 into the inner cavity 312, it is locked and limited by the upper end face of the fixing portion 322 near the connecting portion 323 and the inner top surface of the fixing seat 31. This allows the elastic support member 32 to form a fixed constraint with the fixing seat 31 in the axial tensile direction, while the connecting portion 323 is located within the area of ​​the connecting port 311, providing space for elastic deformation.

[0044] Furthermore, the outer surface of the fixing part 322 is tapered, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the fixing part 322 gradually decreases from the end connected to the connecting part 323 towards the direction away from the connecting part 323. During assembly, the tapered outer contour can be automatically guided and centered along the connecting port 311, ensuring that the elastic support 32 and the fixing seat 31 remain coaxial, thereby ensuring that the adjusting part 33 can push against the center of the bottom surface of the fixing part 322, avoiding the tilting of the supporting surface 3211 due to eccentric force. At the same time, the gradually changing cross-section structure effectively reduces the stress concentration of the fixing part 322 when it is subjected to the central pushing force, so that the force is evenly transmitted to the axial limiting point of the upper end surface of the fixing part 322 and the inner top surface of the fixing seat 31, improving the fatigue strength and adjustment stability of the elastic support 32.

[0045] Of course, in other embodiments, the elastic support 32 may not have a connecting part 323, and the fixing part 322 may be directly press-fitted with the connecting port 311.

[0046] In one embodiment, the horizontal radial dimension of the bottom opening of the fixing base 31 is smaller than the maximum horizontal radial dimension of the bottom of the connecting post 331, so that the adjusting member 33 is limited to axial movement within the inner cavity 312. This prevents the adjusting member 33 from being thrown out of the bottom opening of the fixing base 31 due to centrifugal force during the rotation of the wafer carrier mechanism.

[0047] Specifically, the inner cavity 312 is configured as a stepped hole, comprising a larger diameter hole section and a smaller diameter hole section connected sequentially along the axial direction. The larger diameter hole section is close to the connection port 311 and is used to accommodate the fixing part 322 of the elastic support member 32. The smaller diameter hole section is located at the end of the larger diameter hole section away from the connection port 311. The diameter of the smaller diameter hole section gradually narrows from the connection point with the larger diameter hole section towards the direction away from the larger diameter hole section, forming a tapered constriction structure. The minimum inner diameter of this constriction structure constitutes the bottom opening of the fixing seat 31, that is, the horizontal radial dimension M of the bottom opening of the fixing seat 31 is smaller than the maximum horizontal radial dimension N of the bottom of the connecting column 331. Figure 2As shown, M < N, so when the adjusting member 33 moves axially to the lowest end in the inner cavity 312, it is blocked by the inner wall surface of the tapered opening, thus the adjusting member 33 is confined inside the inner cavity 312 and cannot be dislodged downwards.

[0048] In one embodiment, the adjusting member 33 has a pushing surface 3321 at one end facing the fixed part 322. The pushing surface 3321 abuts against the bottom surface. The adjusting member 33 moves axially to apply an upward axial force to the elastic support member 32 through the pushing surface 3321, thereby forcing the elastic support member 32 to undergo elastic deformation and adjusting the height of the support surface 3211 so that the support surfaces 3211 of the multiple support components 3 are at the same horizontal height. The pushing surface 3321 and the bottom surface adopt a center point contact force application method. The axial force is transmitted along the axis of the elastic support member 32. The force transmission path is single and symmetrical, and no deflection torque is generated on the support part 321. This ensures that the support surface 3211 always maintains its original horizontal posture during the lifting and lowering process, avoiding the secondary coplanar error introduced by the tilting under force.

[0049] In one embodiment, the adjusting member 33 rotates with the cavity wall of the inner cavity 312, and the rotation of the adjusting member 33 can be converted into axial movement of the adjusting member 33. Converting the rotational motion of the adjusting member 33 into linear feed achieves stepless and continuous adjustment of the height of the support surface 3211. Compared with adjustment methods such as sliding push or adding / removing shims, rotational adjustment has an inherent self-locking advantage. The adjusted position can be stably maintained solely by the friction of the transmission pair itself, without the need for additional locking components, resulting in a simpler structure. Simultaneously, the circumferential angle of the rotational operation has a definite proportional relationship with the linear displacement, allowing the operator to precisely control the micro-displacement of the elastic support member 32 by controlling the rotation angle. This is particularly suitable for compensating for minute gaps of 0.1 mm between the wafer and the support surface 3211, ensuring high precision in the final coplanarity of all support surfaces 3211.

[0050] Specifically, the inner cavity 312 has an internal thread on its wall, and the outer peripheral wall of the adjusting member 33 has an external thread that mates with the internal thread, so that the adjusting member 33 is threadedly connected to the inner cavity 312. The threaded connection has a self-locking characteristic. After adjustment, the frictional torque of the threaded pair can effectively prevent the adjusting member 33 from spontaneously retracting under axial load, so that the elastic restoring force of the elastic support member 32 will not cause the set height of the support surface 3211 to drift. This self-locking function eliminates the need for additional locking screws or anti-loosening washers to adjust the height of the support surface 3211, simplifying the structure while ensuring long-term stability of the height. The vibration and centrifugal force generated by the high-speed rotation of the wafer also cannot change the axial position of the adjusting member 33, ensuring the long-term reliability of the coplanar accuracy of the support surface 3211 under dynamic conditions.

[0051] In other alternative embodiments, a cam groove may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the adjusting member 33, and a protrusion that slides with the cam groove may be provided on the cavity wall of the inner cavity 312 of the fixed seat 31. When the adjusting member 33 is rotated, the protrusion slides relative to the curved contour of the cam groove, forcing the adjusting member 33 to produce axial displacement, thereby driving the adjusting member 33 to lift the elastic support member 32.

[0052] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the adjusting member 33 includes a connecting post 331 and a pushing part 332 located at one end of the connecting post 331. An external thread is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the connecting post 331, and the end face of the pushing part 332 away from the connecting post 331 forms a pushing surface 3321. The connecting post 331 moves along the axial direction of the inner cavity 312, causing the pushing part 332 to abut against the fixed part 322 and drive the elastic support member 32 to move up and down. The connecting post 331, as a driving component located in the inner cavity 312, is responsible for receiving external operations and generating precise linear displacement. The pushing part 332, as an actuating component that directly contacts the elastic support member 32, is responsible for converting the displacement into a pushing force on the elastic support member 32. This functional division allows the adjusting force to act stably and directly on the elastic support member 32, achieving independent fine-tuning and compensating for height differences at various points while ensuring a single and clear force transmission path and overall structural compactness.

[0053] As an optional implementation, the connecting column 331 and the pushing part 332 are designed as a single-piece structure, which avoids adjustment errors caused by assembly gaps, loose connections, or relative displacement due to long-term use, and ensures the real-time performance and rigidity of force transmission. At the same time, the single-piece molding reduces the number of parts, simplifies the manufacturing and assembly process, and reduces production costs.

[0054] As another alternative implementation, the connecting column 331 and the pushing part 332 are designed as separate structures. The connecting column 331 can be made of high-strength metal material to ensure a smooth adjustment process and continuous and controllable displacement. The pushing part 332 can be made of a material with matching hardness and friction coefficient according to the material characteristics of the elastic support 32, so as to avoid local indentation or scratches when pushing the elastic support 32 upward, thereby extending the service life of the elastic support 32.

[0055] In one embodiment, the pushing surface 3321 of the pushing part 332 is set as a plane. The planar contact method increases the effective contact area between the pushing part 332 and the bottom surface of the elastic support 32, so that the force applied by the adjusting member 33 when pushing upward can be evenly distributed on the bottom surface of the elastic support 32 in the form of a surface load. This avoids stress concentration caused by point contact or line contact, extends the service life of the elastic support 32, and ensures the long-term stability of the adjustment accuracy.

[0056] Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the pushing part 332 gradually decreases from the end connected to the connecting column 331 towards the direction away from the connecting column 331. The pushing part 332 is frustoconical, with the smallest cross-sectional area at the end closest to the elastic support member 32. While ensuring sufficient structural strength at the end of the connecting column 331 to transmit torque and withstand axial loads, the radial dimension of the end of the pushing part 332 that abuts against the elastic support member 32 is reduced to a smaller range, allowing the pushing surface 3321 to concentrate the pushing force on the central area of ​​the bottom surface of the elastic support member 32. This central force application method helps the elastic support member 32 maintain axial alignment within the connection port 311, avoiding skewness or jamming due to eccentric force, and ensuring that the elastic support member 32 moves smoothly only in the vertical direction, thereby ensuring the accuracy and repeatability of the height adjustment of the support surface 3211.

[0057] Furthermore, the area of ​​the pushing surface 3321 is smaller than the area of ​​the bottom surface of the fixing part 322, and the axis of the pushing surface 3321 and the axis of the elastic support 32 are on the same straight line. This limits the contact surface between the pushing surface 3321 and the fixing part 322 to a local area of ​​the bottom surface of the elastic support 32, further enhancing the effect of central force application. This allows the pushing force to be transmitted along the axial direction of the elastic support 32, and the outer peripheral edge area of ​​the bottom surface of the elastic support 32 does not participate in the force, avoiding local warping or deformation of the edges due to stress concentration or uneven material. On the other hand, even if the bottom surface of the elastic support 32 has slight overall unevenness due to the molding shrinkage of the plastic material or long-term pressure, as long as the central contact area remains flat, the pushing surface 3321 can still form a stable and reliable fit with the bottom surface of the elastic support 32, and the contact quality will not be affected by the undulations of the surrounding area, thus ensuring the continuous effectiveness of the adjustment force transmission.

[0058] In one embodiment, the end of the connecting column 331 away from the pushing part 332 is provided with an adjustment structure 3311. The adjustment structure 3311 is used to cooperate with the adjustment tool to rotate the adjustment member 33. Using the adjustment tool to apply force to the adjustment member 33 improves the convenience of operation. Especially when the support platform 2 is installed inside the process cavity and the operating space is limited, the operator only needs to insert the adjustment tool and cooperate with the adjustment structure 3311 to apply force, reducing the difficulty of adjustment and the operation time.

[0059] Specifically, the adjustment structure 3311 is an internal hexagonal hole or a hexagonal prism.

[0060] In this embodiment, a recessed hexagonal hole is provided at the center of the end face of the connecting post 331 away from the pushing part 332. The adjustment tool is an Allen wrench. The hexagonal hole is a standard hexagonal blind hole, and its size is compatible with a common Allen wrench. During adjustment, the operator inserts the short arm of the Allen wrench into the hexagonal hole and applies torque by rotating the long arm of the Allen wrench, driving the connecting post 331 to rotate synchronously. Because the six-sided contact fit between the hexagonal hole and the Allen wrench has excellent torque transmission performance, slippage or damage to the hole wall is not likely to occur during rotation. Even if there is a certain rotational resistance between the connecting post 331 and the cavity wall of the inner cavity 312, the adjustment operation can still be completed stably.

[0061] Continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the horizontal radial dimension D of the internal hexagonal hole is smaller than the horizontal radial dimension M of the bottom opening of the fixing seat 31, so that the short arm end of the internal hexagonal wrench can be inserted into the internal hexagonal hole of the connecting post 331 through the bottom opening of the fixing seat 31, without affecting the torque applied by the long arm end of the rotating internal hexagonal wrench to drive the connecting post 331 to rotate.

[0062] In another embodiment, the end of the connecting post 331 furthest from the pushing part 332 extends outward to form a convex hexagonal prism. The adjustment tool is a socket wrench or an open-end wrench. The cross-section of the hexagonal prism is a regular hexagon, and its facets are adapted to the opening size of a standard socket wrench or open-end wrench. During adjustment, the operator inserts the socket wrench into the outer circumference of the hexagonal prism, or uses an open-end wrench to clamp the two pairs of parallel facets of the hexagonal prism, and directly rotates the connecting post 331 by rotating the socket wrench or open-end wrench. Due to the exposed design of the hexagonal prism, the operator can clamp and rotate it from multiple angles, and the insertion angle requirement for the adjustment tool is lower, making it particularly suitable for situations where operating space is limited. The operator can visually judge the amount of displacement by observing the angle of rotation of the hexagonal prism, which is conducive to quick and accurate on-site correction.

[0063] The wafer carrier mechanism provided in this embodiment is used as follows:

[0064] During assembly, the fixing part 322 of the elastic support 32 is inserted into the inner cavity 312 through the connecting port 311 at the top of the fixing seat 31, so that the upper end face of the fixing part 322 forms an axial limiting fit with the inner top surface of the fixing seat 31. At this time, the supporting surface 3211 of the support part 321 is at the initial height. The adjusting part 33 is screwed into the inner cavity 312 through the threaded pair, and its pushing surface 3321 faces the bottom surface of the fixing part 322.

[0065] When it is necessary to raise the height of the support surface 3211, the operator uses an Allen wrench to insert into the corresponding Allen hole at the bottom of the adjusting member 33 through the bottom opening of the fixed base 31. Rotating the Allen wrench causes the connecting column 331 to rotate within the inner cavity 312 of the fixed base 31. Through threaded transmission, the rotational motion of the connecting column 331 is converted into the axial upward motion of the pushing part 332. The pushing surface 3321 at the top of the pushing part 332 smoothly pushes upward against the center of the bottom surface of the fixed part 322, applying an upward axial pushing force. Since the upper end surface of the fixed part 322 is axially limited by the fixed base 31, this pushing force forces the connecting part 323 of the elastic support member 32 to undergo elastic deformation, and the support part 321 moves upward accordingly, thus raising the height of the support surface 3211. The displacement of the support surface 3211 corresponds to the axial feed of the adjusting member 33, and the height adjustment can be precisely controlled by controlling the rotation angle of the adjusting member 33.

[0066] When it is necessary to lower the height of the support surface 3211, the adjusting member 33 is rotated in the opposite direction to move it away from the fixed part 322, the pushing force is reduced or removed, the elastic support member 32 contracts and resets by relying on the elastic restoring force of the material itself, the tensile deformation of the connecting part 323 is reduced, and the support surface 3211 falls back to the target height.

[0067] The above adjustment operation is performed on each of the multiple support components 3 to ensure that the support surface 3211 of each support component 3 reaches the same horizontal height, thereby eliminating the coplanar deviation of the support surface 3211 caused by processing and assembly tolerances, and ensuring that each support surface 3211 is completely in contact with the back of the wafer after the wafer is placed, without any tiny gaps.

[0068] This adjustment method can be performed online from below the mounting base 31 while the wafer is loaded, without unloading the wafer or disassembling the support assembly 3. After adjustment, the set height is maintained by the self-locking characteristics of the threaded pair, without the need for additional locking steps.

[0069] 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 wafer support mechanism, comprising a plurality of support components (3), wherein the plurality of support components (3) are used to jointly support a wafer; characterized in that, The support component (3) includes: A fixing seat (31) has an inner cavity (312), and the top of the fixing seat (31) is provided with a connection port (311) communicating with the inner cavity (312); The elastic support (32) is fixed to the upper part of the fixed base (31) through the connection port (311). The upper part of the elastic support (32) has a support surface (3211) for horizontally supporting the wafer. The lower part of the elastic support (32) has a bottom surface for elastically moving the elastic support (32) as a whole under an external upward force. An adjusting member (33) is axially movable in the inner cavity (312) and is used to apply an upward force to the bottom surface of the elastic support member (32), causing the elastic support member (32) to undergo elastic deformation and change the horizontal height of the support surface (3211) of the elastic support member (32), so as to adjust the distance between the support surface (3211) and the wafer, thereby reducing or eliminating the support spacing between the support surface (3211) and the wafer.

2. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic support (32) has a support portion (321) and a fixing portion (322). The support portion (321) has a support surface (3211) for supporting the wafer. The fixing portion (322) has a bottom surface for receiving external forces. The fixing portion (322) passes through the connection port (311) into the inner cavity (312) and is axially limited and connected to the fixing seat (31).

3. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adjusting member (33) has a pushing surface (3321) at one end facing the fixing part (322). The pushing surface (3321) abuts against the bottom surface. The adjusting member (33) moves axially to make the pushing surface (3321) apply an upward axial force to the elastic support member (32), so as to force the elastic support member (32) to undergo elastic deformation, thereby adjusting the height of the support surface (3211) so that the support surfaces (3211) of the multiple support components (3) are at the same horizontal height.

4. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The adjusting member (33) rotates with the cavity wall of the inner cavity (312), and the rotation of the adjusting member (33) can be converted into axial movement of the adjusting member (33).

5. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner cavity (312) has an internal thread on its cavity wall, and the outer peripheral wall of the adjusting member (33) has an external thread that mates with the internal thread, so that the adjusting member (33) is threadedly connected to the inner cavity (312).

6. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The adjusting member (33) includes a connecting post (331) and a pushing part (332) provided at one end of the connecting post (331). The external thread is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the connecting post (331), and the end face of the pushing part (332) away from the connecting post (331) constitutes the pushing surface (3321).

7. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pushing surface (3321) of the pushing part (332) is set as a plane, and the area of ​​the cross-section of the pushing part (332) gradually decreases from the end connected to the connecting post (331) toward the direction away from the connecting post (331).

8. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The area of ​​the pushing surface (3321) is smaller than the area of ​​the bottom surface of the fixing part (322), and the axis of the pushing surface (3321) and the axis of the elastic support (32) are on the same straight line.

9. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The connecting column (331) is provided with an adjustment structure (3311) at the end away from the pushing part (332). The adjustment structure (3311) is used to cooperate with the adjustment tool to rotate the adjustment member (33).

10. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic support (32) further includes a connecting part (323), which is connected between the support part (321) and the fixing part (322). The outer diameters of the support part (321) and the fixing part (322) are both larger than the outer diameter of the connecting part (323). After the fixing part (322) passes through the connecting port (311) and enters the inner cavity (312), the connecting part (323) is located inside the connecting port (311), and the end face of the fixing part (322) near the connecting part (323) abuts against the inner top surface of the fixing seat (31) to achieve the axial limiting connection. The elastic support (32) undergoes elastic deformation through the connecting part (323).

11. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that, The outside of the fixing part (322) is conical, and the area of ​​the cross-section of the fixing part (322) gradually decreases from the end connected to the connecting part (323) toward the direction away from the connecting part (323).

12. The wafer carrier mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The horizontal radial dimension of the bottom opening of the fixed seat (31) is smaller than the maximum horizontal radial dimension of the bottom of the connecting column (331), so that the adjusting member (33) is limited to axial movement within the inner cavity (312).

13. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a process cavity and a wafer carrier mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-12, wherein the wafer carrier mechanism is disposed within the process cavity.

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