A silicon wafer drying device and drying method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of silicon wafer drying, and provides a silicon wafer drying device and a drying method. The silicon wafer drying device comprises a drying machine box with a drying groove. A heating cavity and a blowing cavity are arranged in the drying machine box. A nitrogen pipe is arranged in the drying groove. A dehumidification pipe is arranged on the drying machine box. The gas outlet position of the nitrogen pipe, the placement position of the silicon wafer to be dried, and the gas inlet position of the dehumidification pipe show an increasing trend, so that the nitrogen gas flows through the silicon wafer to be dried from bottom to top to form a directional dehumidification air flow. A heating assembly is arranged in the heating cavity, and a blowing assembly is arranged in the blowing cavity. Part of the air flow circulates between the drying groove, the heating cavity and the blowing cavity to form a circulating hot air flow. The circulating hot air flow and the directional dehumidification air flow synergistically act on the silicon wafer to be dried to efficiently dry the silicon wafer. The present disclosure can timely discharge the moisture generated in the drying process, reduce the humidity of the circulating air flow, improve the moisture evaporation efficiency and the heat energy utilization rate, shorten the drying time and reduce the energy consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of silicon wafer drying technology, and more specifically, to a silicon wafer drying apparatus and drying method. Background Technology

[0002] Silicon wafers are a crucial basic material in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, solar cells, and related electronic products. After processes such as cleaning, texturing, etching, polishing, or wet processing, a significant amount of moisture typically remains on the surface of the silicon wafer. If this moisture is not removed promptly and sufficiently from the surface and microstructure, it can easily lead to water stains, watermarks, and contaminant residues on the wafer surface, thus affecting the processing quality and product yield of subsequent processes. Therefore, in the silicon wafer production process, it is usually necessary to dry the silicon wafers after wet processing.

[0003] In existing technologies, most silicon wafer drying methods employ hot air drying. Hot air drying involves heating air and circulating it over the surface of the silicon wafer to remove moisture, thus meeting the drying requirements. However, when using this method, the hot air carries a large amount of water vapor upon contact with the silicon wafer, causing the humidity in the circulating airflow to gradually increase. As the humidity increases, the hot air's ability to absorb more moisture decreases, affecting the evaporation efficiency. Simultaneously, some heat is lost with the airflow, leading to reduced thermal energy utilization. To ensure drying effectiveness, it is often necessary to extend the drying time or increase the heating power, thereby increasing equipment energy consumption.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the drying efficiency of silicon wafers while avoiding a continuous increase in airflow humidity during the drying process has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a silicon wafer drying apparatus and drying method, which solves the technical problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a silicon wafer drying apparatus, including a drying chamber with a drying trough, the drying trough being used to accommodate a plurality of vertically placed silicon wafers to be dried, the drying chamber being provided with a heating chamber and a blowing chamber, the heating chamber being connected to the drying trough through a first ventilation port, and the blowing chamber being connected to the drying trough through a second ventilation port. The drying tank is equipped with a nitrogen pipe for supplying nitrogen gas into the drying tank, and a dehumidification pipe is installed on the drying chamber. The outlet position of the nitrogen pipe, the placement position of the silicon wafer to be dried, and the suction position of the dehumidification pipe are in an increasing trend. The nitrogen gas flows from bottom to top through the silicon wafer to be dried and drives some of the moisture formed by evaporation on the surface of the silicon wafer to migrate to the dehumidification pipe, so as to form a directional dehumidification airflow in the drying tank. The heating chamber is equipped with a heating component, and the blowing chamber is equipped with a blowing component. The blowing component is used to blow hot air onto the silicon wafer to be dried. Part of the airflow in the drying chamber circulates between the drying tank, the heating chamber, and the blowing chamber, and works in conjunction with the directional dehumidification airflow to dry the silicon wafer to be dried.

[0007] Optionally, the blower assembly includes a blower fan located within the blower cavity, the opening area of ​​the second vent is larger than the projected area of ​​the blower fan along a direction perpendicular to the second vent, and a blower motor for driving the blower fan to rotate is installed on the dryer housing.

[0008] Optionally, the blower cavity is provided with a first air guide plate and a second air guide plate. The height of the first air guide plate is higher than that of the second air guide plate. The first air guide plate is set in an inclined state. One end of the first air guide plate is close to the heating cavity, and the other end of the first air guide plate is close to the second vent.

[0009] Optionally, the second vent is circular, and the second air guide plate includes a connected straight segment and an arc segment. One end of the straight segment is close to the heating chamber, and the centers of the arc segment, the second vent, and the blower are the same.

[0010] Optionally, the blower cavity is provided with an air regulating plate that is rotatably connected to the dryer box, and the air regulating plate is located between the first air guide plate and the second air guide plate; The blower cavity is also provided with a first limiting post and a second limiting post. The air regulating plate is used to abut against the first limiting post in the first air regulating state and against the second limiting post in the second air regulating state.

[0011] Optionally, the heating assembly includes a heating element whose length direction is the same as the gap direction between two adjacent silicon wafers to be dried, and a filter is provided in the drying tank at the first vent, with at least a portion of the first vent overlapping the filter.

[0012] Optionally, the number of heating tubes is set to multiple, and the multiple heating tubes are arranged in two columns. The heating tubes in each column are distributed at intervals along the vertical direction, and the height of each heating tube is different.

[0013] Optionally, the open end of the nitrogen pipe extends out of the drying tank, the end of the nitrogen pipe located inside the drying tank is a closed end, and a release hole is provided on the side wall of the nitrogen pipe.

[0014] Optionally, the number of the release vents is set to multiple, and the multiple release vents are arranged at intervals along a straight line and opened on the side wall of the nitrogen pipe facing away from the silicon wafer to be dried.

[0015] Optionally, the drying chamber is provided with a feed inlet communicating with the drying tank. A sealing component is installed at the feed inlet. The sealing component is used to open the feed inlet when the silicon wafer to be dried is fed in, and to close the feed inlet when the silicon wafer to be dried is dried.

[0016] Optionally, the sealing assembly includes a sealing cover and a sealing cylinder. One side of the sealing cover is hinged to the dryer housing. The sealing cover and the telescopic rod of the sealing cylinder are connected by a connecting rod. The dryer housing is provided with a clearance groove for avoiding the connecting rod. The bottom of the sealing cylinder is hinged to the dryer housing.

[0017] Optionally, the sealing cover includes a cover shell, a cotton sealing plate is installed on the inner side of the cover shell, each side of the cover shell is provided with a slot, a sealing strip is embedded in the slot, and the cotton sealing plate is located inside the four sealing strips.

[0018] According to the second aspect, the present disclosure provides a silicon wafer drying method, applied to the silicon wafer drying apparatus as described in the first aspect, comprising: Step S1: Place multiple silicon wafers to be dried vertically in the drying tank, so that a gap is formed between two adjacent silicon wafers to be dried to allow airflow. Step S2: Start the heating assembly and the blower assembly to form a hot airflow in the heating chamber, and let the hot airflow enter the drying tank through the blower chamber and the second vent, and flow along the gap between the silicon wafers to be dried to heat and dry the silicon wafers. Step S3: Nitrogen gas is introduced into the drying tank through a nitrogen pipe, so that the nitrogen gas flows from bottom to top over the silicon wafer to be dried and drives some of the moisture formed by evaporation on the surface of the silicon wafer to be dried to migrate upward, forming a directional dehumidification airflow. Step S4: Extract some moisture through the dehumidification pipe and form a circulating hot airflow between the drying tank, the heating chamber, and the blower chamber. The silicon wafer to be dried is dried in a coordinated manner through the circulating hot airflow and the directional dehumidification airflow.

[0019] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the silicon wafer drying apparatus and drying method in the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have at least the following advantages and positive effects: The silicon wafer drying apparatus disclosed herein includes a drying chamber, a heating assembly, a blower assembly, a nitrogen pipe, and a dehumidification pipe. The heating assembly and the blower assembly form a circulating hot airflow to heat and dry the silicon wafers. Simultaneously, nitrogen gas is introduced into the drying chamber through the nitrogen pipe. The nitrogen flows upwards across the silicon wafers and pushes the evaporated moisture towards the dehumidification pipe, thus forming a directional dehumidification airflow within the drying chamber. Through the synergistic effect of the circulating hot airflow and the directional dehumidification airflow, the moisture evaporated from the silicon wafer surface can be promptly discharged, preventing the airflow from accumulating and increasing humidity, maintaining a strong moisture absorption capacity, and improving moisture evaporation efficiency. Furthermore, some of the hot airflow is recycled between the drying chamber, the heating chamber, and the blower chamber, reducing heat loss and improving thermal energy utilization. Therefore, this disclosure can improve silicon wafer drying efficiency, shorten drying time, and reduce equipment energy consumption while ensuring drying quality.

[0020] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. In the drawings: Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 A schematic front view of a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the AA cross-sectional structure; Figure 4 A partial structural schematic diagram of a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a half-section structure of a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 6 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 7 It shows Figure 6 A magnified structural diagram at point B; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the connection structure between a cleaning fixture and a silicon wafer to be dried, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, is shown. Figure 9A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a blower assembly in a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 10 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a sealing component in a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 11 An exploded view of the sealed cover in a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the structure of a nitrogen pipe in a silicon wafer drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 13 A flowchart of a silicon wafer drying method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Illustration: 001. Silicon wafers to be dried; 002. Clean the fixture; 100. Drying chamber; 110. Drying trough; 120. Heating chamber; 130. Blower chamber; 131. First air guide plate; 132. Second air guide plate; 1321. Straight section; 1322. Curved section; 133. Air regulating plate; 1331. Abutting part; 1332. Abutting groove; 134. First limiting post; 135. Second limiting post; 140. First vent; 150. Second vent; 160. Dehumidification pipe; 170. Feed inlet; 180. Clearance groove; 190. Bracket; 200. Nitrogen gas tube; 210. Gas release port; 300. Heating components; 310. Heating element; 320. Protective cover; 400. Blower assembly; 410. Blower fan; 420. Blower motor; 500, Filter; 600. Enclosure component; 610. Enclosure cover; 611. Cover shell; 612. Cotton sealing plate; 613. Slot; 614. Sealing strip; 620. Enclosure cylinder; 621. Telescopic rod; 630. Connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be more thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0024] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0025] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0026] Please see Figures 1 to 12 This disclosure provides a silicon wafer drying apparatus, which includes a drying chamber 100. The drying chamber 100 has a drying tank 110 inside, which is used to accommodate multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried. The multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried are placed vertically, and a gap is formed between adjacent silicon wafers 001 to allow airflow, so that the airflow can fully contact the surface of the silicon wafers 001 to be dried.

[0027] The drying chamber 100 is equipped with a heating chamber 120 and a blowing chamber 130. The heating chamber 120 is connected to the drying tank 110 through a first vent 140, and the blowing chamber 130 is connected to the drying tank 110 through a second vent 150. The heating chamber 120 is equipped with a heating component 300, and the blowing chamber 130 is equipped with a blowing component 400. The heating component 300 heats the airflow, and the blowing component 400 drives the airflow, causing the hot airflow to enter the drying tank 110 through the second vent 150 and flow through the gaps between the silicon wafers 001 to be dried, thereby heating and drying the silicon wafers 001.

[0028] Furthermore, a nitrogen pipe 200 is provided inside the drying tank 110, and a dehumidification pipe 160 is installed on the drying chamber 100. The nitrogen pipe 200 is used to supply nitrogen into the drying tank 110. The outlet of the nitrogen pipe 200 is located in the area below the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, and the suction position of the dehumidification pipe 160 is located in the area above the silicon wafer 001 to be dried. That is, the outlet position of the nitrogen pipe 200, the placement position of the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, and the suction position of the dehumidification pipe 160 are distributed in an increasing trend along the vertical direction.

[0029] When nitrogen gas enters the drying tank 110 through the nitrogen pipe 200, it flows upwards over multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried. As the surface moisture of the silicon wafers 001 continues to evaporate under the action of the hot airflow, some of the evaporated moisture migrates upwards under the influence of the nitrogen gas and is eventually extracted by the dehumidification pipe 160, thus forming a directional dehumidification airflow within the drying tank 110. This directional dehumidification airflow can promptly remove some of the moisture generated during the drying process, reducing the accumulation of moisture within the drying tank 110.

[0030] Meanwhile, part of the airflow driven by the blower assembly 400 circulates between the drying chamber 110, the heating chamber 120, and the blower chamber 130. Specifically, the airflow enters the drying chamber 110 after being heated by the heating assembly 300 to heat the silicon wafer 001 to be dried; subsequently, part of the airflow returns to the heating chamber 120 and the blower chamber 130, and is heated and transported again, thereby forming a circulating hot airflow.

[0031] In actual operation, the circulating hot airflow is mainly used to continuously provide heat to the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, increasing the evaporation rate of moisture on the surface of the silicon wafer 001; the directional dehumidifying airflow is mainly used to promptly remove the moisture formed by evaporation. Through the synergistic effect of the circulating hot airflow and the directional dehumidifying airflow, on the one hand, a low humidity environment can be maintained in the drying area, improving the airflow's ability to absorb moisture; on the other hand, the heat in the circulating hot airflow can be fully utilized, improving the thermal energy utilization rate, thereby achieving efficient drying of the silicon wafer 001.

[0032] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a return air passage is formed between the drying tank 110 and the heating chamber 120. After entering the drying tank 110 through the second vent 150, the hot airflow passes through the gaps between multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried, and returns to the heating chamber 120 through the first vent 140. Subsequently, the airflow is reheated by the heating assembly 300 and enters the blower chamber 130, then re-enters the drying tank 110, forming a closed-loop circulating hot airflow system.

[0033] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please refer to Figure 12 The open end of the nitrogen pipe 200 extends out of the drying tank 110 for connection to an external nitrogen supply device. One end of the nitrogen pipe 200 inside the drying tank 110 is closed, preventing externally supplied nitrogen from being directly discharged from this end. Instead, nitrogen flows along the inside of the nitrogen pipe 200 before being released outwards. A release vent 210 is provided on the side wall of the nitrogen pipe 200, through which nitrogen enters the drying tank 110.

[0034] Because one end of the nitrogen pipe 200 is closed, the nitrogen gas can form a certain pressure during its flow inside the nitrogen pipe 200, causing the nitrogen gas to be released outward through the release vent 210, thereby improving the uniformity of nitrogen gas distribution within the drying tank 110. The released nitrogen gas flows upward through the gaps between the silicon wafers 001 to be dried, and pushes the moisture evaporated from the surface of the silicon wafers 001 to migrate towards the dehumidification pipe 160, thereby forming a stable directional dehumidification airflow.

[0035] For further information, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 12 Multiple release vents 210 are provided, arranged in a straight line at intervals along the length of the nitrogen pipe 200. These vents are located on the sidewall of the nitrogen pipe 200 opposite to the silicon wafer 001 to be dried. This arrangement ensures that when nitrogen gas is ejected from the release vents 210, it first rushes towards the area away from the silicon wafer 001, then diffuses and flows upwards within the drying tank 110, thereby reducing the possibility of nitrogen gas directly impacting the silicon wafer 001.

[0036] Meanwhile, multiple release vents 210 are spaced apart along the length, allowing nitrogen to be released at multiple horizontal positions. This increases the coverage of nitrogen within the drying tank 110 and reduces the possibility of excessively strong or weak airflow in localized areas. Consequently, nitrogen can flow more evenly through the gaps between the multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried, further improving the stability and uniformity of upward moisture migration. This helps to form a continuous and stable directional dehumidification airflow within the drying tank 110, thereby enhancing the overall drying effect of the silicon wafers 001.

[0037] In some embodiments of this disclosure, nitrogen pipe 200 uses nitrogen as the dehumidification medium. Compared to air, nitrogen does not contain additional moisture, which can reduce the oxygen concentration and water vapor partial pressure in the drying area, thereby improving the evaporation efficiency of moisture on the silicon wafer surface. Simultaneously, nitrogen is chemically stable and does not readily react with the silicon wafer surface, which helps maintain the cleanliness of the silicon wafer surface. Therefore, using nitrogen to form a directional dehumidification airflow can further improve drying quality and process stability.

[0038] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please refer to Figure 9 The blower assembly 400 includes a blower fan 410 disposed within the blower chamber 130 and a blower motor 420 for driving the blower fan 410 to rotate. The blower motor 420 is mounted on the dryer housing 100, and its output shaft is connected to the blower fan 410 to drive the blower fan 410 to rotate. A second vent 150 is disposed between the blower chamber 130 and the drying tank 110. When the blower fan 410 rotates, it can drive the airflow in the blower chamber 130 to flow towards the second vent 150 and enter the interior of the drying tank 110 through the second vent 150.

[0039] Furthermore, the opening area of ​​the second vent 150 is larger than the projected area of ​​the blower fan 410 along the direction perpendicular to the second vent 150. This configuration allows the airflow driven by the blower fan 410 to have a larger flow space when passing through the second vent 150, thereby reducing the flow resistance generated when the airflow passes through the second vent 150. This avoids airflow accumulation, pressure loss, or localized turbulence due to an excessively small flow cross-section, and improves the efficiency of hot airflow entering the drying tank 110.

[0040] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the nitrogen supply device is capable of providing a continuous and stable flow of nitrogen to the nitrogen pipe 200. Preferably, the nitrogen flow rate is 10 L / min to 200 L / min; more preferably, the nitrogen flow rate is 30 L / min to 100 L / min. In some embodiments, the nitrogen flow rate can be set to 50 L / min. When the nitrogen flow rate is below 10 L / min, the upward migration ability of moisture is insufficient; when the nitrogen flow rate is above 200 L / min, it easily disturbs the circulating hot air flow and increases nitrogen consumption. Therefore, by controlling the nitrogen flow rate within the above range, both dehumidification efficiency and hot air flow stability can be balanced.

[0041] In this disclosure, nitrogen gas enters from the area below the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, while moisture exits from the area above the silicon wafer 001, thereby forming a vertically distributed humidity gradient inside the drying tank 110. Under the action of this humidity gradient, the water vapor formed by evaporation can continuously migrate to areas with lower humidity, preventing localized moisture accumulation. Compared to traditional closed-loop hot air systems, this disclosure can maintain a larger humidity difference between the silicon wafer surface and the surrounding airflow, improving the driving force for moisture evaporation.

[0042] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please continue to refer to Figure 9 The blower cavity 130 is provided with a first air guide plate 131 and a second air guide plate 132. The first air guide plate 131 and the second air guide plate 132 are respectively disposed on both sides of the blower fan 410 to guide the airflow generated by the blower fan 410. The height of the first air guide plate 131 is higher than the height of the second air guide plate 132, and the first air guide plate 131 is disposed at an angle. One end of the first air guide plate 131 is close to the heating cavity 120, and the other end is close to the second vent 150. In this embodiment, there are two heating cavities 120, with two first air guide plates 131 and two second air guide plates 132 disposed diagonally, and the first air guide plates 131 and the second air guide plates 132 are connected one-to-one.

[0043] When the hot airflow in the heating chamber 120 enters the blower chamber 130, part of the airflow gradually converges towards the second vent 150 under the guidance of the first guide plate 131. Since the first guide plate 131 is inclined, it reduces abrupt changes in airflow and improves the continuity of airflow. Simultaneously, a guiding area is formed between the first guide plate 131 and the second guide plate 132, allowing the hot airflow to enter the area where the blower fan 410 is located more concentratedly, thus improving the efficiency of the blower assembly 400 in delivering hot airflow.

[0044] Furthermore, the second vent 150 is circular. The second air guide plate 132 includes a connected straight segment 1321 and an arc segment 1322. One end of the straight segment 1321 is located near the heating chamber 120, and the arc segment 1322 is located near the blower fan 410. The centers of the arc segment 1322, the second vent 150, and the blower fan 410 are all the same.

[0045] With this configuration, the annular airflow generated when the blower fan 410 rotates can flow along the contour of the arc segment 1322. The arc segment 1322 can guide the airflow closely, reducing collisions and energy loss between the airflow and the air guide structure. At the same time, since the arc segment 1322 is concentrically arranged with the blower fan 410 and the second vent 150, the airflow generated by the blower fan 410 can be delivered more evenly towards the second vent 150, reducing local eddies and airflow deviation, and improving the utilization rate of hot airflow.

[0046] In actual operation, the hot airflow from the heating chamber 120 is guided by the first air guide plate 131 and the second air guide plate 132 before entering the area of ​​the blower fan 410. The blower fan 410 then delivers the hot airflow through the second vent 150 into the drying tank 110. Through the coordinated arrangement of the first air guide plate 131, the second air guide plate 132, and the second vent 150, the hot airflow can form a relatively smooth flow path within the blower chamber 130, improving the efficiency of hot airflow delivery and the uniformity of airflow distribution, thereby improving the drying efficiency of the silicon wafer 001 to be dried.

[0047] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 9 An air regulating plate 133 is provided inside the blower chamber 130. The air regulating plate 133 is rotatably connected to the dryer box 100 and is located between the first air guide plate 131 and the second air guide plate 132. The air regulating plate 133 can rotate around its rotation axis, thereby changing the effective flow area of ​​the guide area between the first air guide plate 131 and the second air guide plate 132.

[0048] Furthermore, the blower cavity 130 is provided with a first limiting post 134 and a second limiting post 135. The air regulating plate 133 is used to abut against the first limiting post 134 in the first air regulating state and against the second limiting post 135 in the second air regulating state. The first limiting post 134 and the second limiting post 135 are respectively used to limit the rotation position of the air regulating plate 133, so that the air regulating plate 133 can be stably maintained in different air regulating states.

[0049] In this embodiment, the air regulating plate 133 is provided with an abutment portion 1331 and an abutment groove 1332. The abutment portion 1331 is used to abut against the first limiting post 134, and the abutment groove 1332 is used to cooperate with the second limiting post 135. With this configuration, when the air regulating plate 133 rotates to the first air regulating state, the abutment portion 1331 abuts against the first limiting post 134 to restrict the air regulating plate 133 from continuing to rotate; when the air regulating plate 133 rotates to the second air regulating state, the second limiting post 135 enters the abutment groove 1332 to position the air regulating plate 133.

[0050] When the air regulating plate 133 is in the first air regulating state, a large air guiding channel is formed between the first air guide plate 131 and the second air guide plate 132, allowing the hot airflow from the heating chamber 120 to enter the area where the blower fan 410 is located at a large flow rate. At this time, the blower assembly 400 can deliver a large flow rate of hot air to the drying tank 110 to increase the airflow speed and moisture evaporation rate on the surface of the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, which is suitable for situations where there are a large number of silicon wafers 001 to be dried or where the humidity is high in the initial stage of drying.

[0051] When the air regulating plate 133 is in the second air regulating state, it blocks part of the airflow guiding area, reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the hot airflow and thus reducing the airflow entering the area of ​​the blower fan 410. At this time, the hot airflow delivered by the blower assembly 400 to the drying tank 110 is more stable, which helps to reduce heat loss caused by excessive wind speed in local areas, improves the residence time of the hot airflow in the drying tank 110 and the heat utilization rate, and is suitable for situations where the number of silicon wafers 001 to be dried is small or the humidity is low in the later stage of drying.

[0052] Therefore, through the cooperation between the air regulating plate 133, the first limiting post 134 and the second limiting post 135, different air regulating states can be quickly switched according to the actual drying requirements, thereby realizing the adjustment of the airflow in the blower cavity 130, improving the utilization rate of hot airflow and drying adaptability, and further improving the drying effect of the silicon wafer 001 to be dried.

[0053] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the height of the first limiting post 134 is higher than the height of the second limiting post 135, and the air regulating plate 133 is a wind pressure adaptive air regulating structure. After the air regulating plate 133 is rotatably connected to the dryer box 100, there is an offset distance between its own gravity line and the rotation axis, so that the air regulating plate 133 has a tendency to rotate towards the first air regulating state when no external force is applied. At this time, the air regulating plate 133 abuts against the first limiting post 134 through the abutment part 1331 and maintains the first air regulating state.

[0054] When the speed of the blower fan 410 increases or the airflow in the blower cavity 130 increases, the force of the airflow flowing over the surface of the air regulating plate 133 increases accordingly. When the rotational torque generated by the airflow force is greater than the restoring torque formed by the weight of the air regulating plate 133 itself, the air regulating plate 133 rotates around the rotation axis and gradually moves away from the first limit post 134.

[0055] As the airflow continues to increase, the air regulating plate 133 rotates further until the second limiting post 135 enters the abutment groove 1332, thereby switching the air regulating plate 133 to the second air regulating state. At this time, the air regulating plate 133 blocks part of the airflow guiding area, reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the airflow, thereby limiting the airflow entering the second vent 150 and realizing automatic adjustment of the air volume.

[0056] When the airflow in the blower cavity 130 decreases, the aerodynamic force acting on the surface of the air regulating plate 133 decreases. Under its own gravity, the air regulating plate 133 rotates back towards the first limiting post 134 and eventually returns to the first air regulating state. Thus, the air regulating plate 133 can automatically switch between the first air regulating state and the second air regulating state according to the airflow intensity in the blower cavity 130.

[0057] With the above settings, no additional drive motor, cylinder, or control system is required; the airflow itself can be used as the driving force to achieve automatic airflow adjustment. On the one hand, this avoids excessive airflow in the blower chamber 130, which could cause local airflow turbulence and heat loss; on the other hand, it improves the uniformity of hot airflow distribution and heat utilization rate in the drying tank 110, thereby enhancing the drying effect of the silicon wafer 001 to be dried.

[0058] In some embodiments of this disclosure, there is an offset distance between the center of gravity of the air regulating plate 133 and the rotation axis. Preferably, the center of gravity of the air regulating plate 133 is located below the rotation axis. When the airflow in the blower cavity 130 is small, the air regulating plate 133 maintains a first air regulating state under its own gravity; when the airflow velocity increases to a preset value, the aerodynamic torque acting on the surface of the air regulating plate 133 is greater than the gravitational restoring torque, thereby driving the air regulating plate 133 to rotate to a second air regulating state. With the above structural configuration, automatic air regulation can be achieved without an additional power source.

[0059] For example, the mass of the air regulating plate 133 is 50g~500g, and the offset distance between the center of gravity of the air regulating plate 133 and the rotating shaft is 5mm~50mm; when the wind speed in the blower cavity 130 reaches 3m / s~8m / s, the air regulating plate 133 switches from the first air regulating state to the second air regulating state.

[0060] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The heating assembly 300 includes a heating element 310 and a protective cap 320 for covering the end of the heating element 310 away from the heating chamber 120. The heating element 310 is disposed inside the heating chamber 120 and is used to heat the airflow flowing through the heating chamber 120. The length direction of the heating element 310 is the same as the extension direction of the gap between two adjacent silicon wafers 001 to be dried. In this embodiment, the silicon wafers 001 to be dried are arranged vertically, and the length direction of the heating element 310 extends horizontally.

[0061] With this configuration, the airflow can fully exchange heat with the heating element 310 as it flows through the heating chamber 120, forming a hot airflow. After entering the drying tank 110 through the first vent 140 and the second vent 150, the main flow direction of the hot airflow matches the gap direction between the silicon wafers 001 to be dried, thus allowing it to enter the spaces between the multiple silicon wafers 001 more smoothly and heat their surfaces. Compared to the method of directly impacting the silicon wafer surface with hot airflow, this configuration improves the flow efficiency of the hot airflow within the gaps between the silicon wafers, resulting in more uniform heat distribution across the silicon wafers 001.

[0062] Furthermore, a filter 500 is provided inside the drying chamber 110. The filter 500 is located at the first vent 140, and at least a portion of the first vent 140 overlaps with the filter 500. The filter 500 is a structure known in the art, and its specific structure will not be described in detail. The hot airflow in the heating chamber 120 passes through the filter 500 before entering the drying chamber 110. This arrangement can filter out particulate matter, dust, or impurities that may be carried in the hot airflow, reducing the possibility of impurities entering the drying chamber 110 and adhering to the surface of the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, thereby helping to ensure the cleanliness and product quality of the silicon wafer 001 to be dried.

[0063] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the heating component 300 heats the circulating airflow to 40°C to 120°C. Preferably, the heating temperature is 60°C to 90°C. In some embodiments, the heating temperature may be set to around 80°C.

[0064] This temperature range ensures rapid evaporation of moisture from the silicon wafer surface while avoiding adverse effects of excessively high temperatures on the silicon wafer surface structure.

[0065] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the drying time is 3 to 30 minutes, preferably 5 to 15 minutes. The specific drying time can be adjusted according to the silicon wafer thickness, the amount of residual moisture on the surface, and the quantity loaded.

[0066] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please continue to refer to Figure 6 The number of heating elements 310 is set to multiple. The multiple heating elements 310 are arranged in two rows, and the two rows of heating elements 310 are located in different areas within the heating chamber 120. Each row of heating elements 310 is distributed at intervals along the vertical direction, and the height of each heating element 310 is different.

[0067] With this configuration, multiple heating elements 310 can form heating zones covering different height areas within the heating chamber 120. When airflow passes through the heating chamber 120, airflow at different heights can exchange heat with the corresponding heating elements 310, thereby reducing the possibility of excessively high or low temperatures in local areas within the heating chamber 120.

[0068] Furthermore, the two rows of heating tubes 310 are preferably arranged in a staggered manner. The heating tubes 310 in one row are vertically staggered from those in the other row at corresponding heights. This arrangement allows the airflow to pass sequentially through multiple heating tubes 310 at different heights within the heating chamber 120, resulting in more thorough heating. Simultaneously, the staggered arrangement avoids excessive airflow obstruction caused by a concentrated arrangement of multiple heating tubes 310, thus balancing heat exchange efficiency and airflow capacity.

[0069] In actual operation, the airflow, driven by the blower assembly 400, passes through multiple heating elements 310 to form a hot airflow, which is then filtered by the filter 500 before entering the drying tank 110. Because the multiple heating elements 310 form a layered heating structure along their height, the hot airflow entering the drying tank 110 has good temperature uniformity. The hot airflow then flows through the gaps between the multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried, uniformly heating different height positions of the silicon wafers 001, thereby improving the overall drying consistency and efficiency of the silicon wafers 001.

[0070] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 10The drying chamber 100 is provided with a feed inlet 170 communicating with the drying tank 110. The feed inlet 170 is used to allow the silicon wafers 001 to be dried to enter the drying tank 110. A sealing component 600 is installed at the feed inlet 170, which is used to open the feed inlet 170 when the silicon wafers 001 are fed in and to close the feed inlet 170 when the silicon wafers 001 are drying. In this embodiment, a bracket 190 is horizontally arranged inside the drying tank 110, and a cleaning fixture 002 is attached to the bracket 190. Multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried are placed at intervals inside the cleaning fixture 002.

[0071] Specifically, when the silicon wafer 001 to be dried is loaded into the drying tank 110, the sealing component 600 is in the open state to allow the silicon wafer 001 to enter the drying tank 110 smoothly. After the silicon wafer 001 enters the drying tank 110, the sealing component 600 closes the feed inlet 170, thereby forming a relatively enclosed drying space in the drying tank 110. This configuration reduces the leakage of hot air from the feed inlet 170 during the drying process and reduces the possibility of external cold air entering the drying tank 110, thereby improving the heat retention capacity and drying efficiency within the drying tank 110.

[0072] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please continue to refer to Figure 10 The sealing assembly 600 includes a sealing cover 610 and a sealing cylinder 620. One side of the sealing cover 610 is hinged to the dryer housing 100, and the bottom of the sealing cylinder 620 is hinged to the dryer housing 100. The sealing cover 610 and the telescopic rod 621 of the sealing cylinder 620 are connected by a connecting rod 630.

[0073] The dryer housing 100 is provided with a clearance groove 180, which is used to allow the connecting rod 630 to pass. When the telescopic rod 621 of the sealing cylinder 620 extends, the telescopic rod 621 pushes the connecting rod 630 to move, and drives the sealing cover 610 to rotate around the hinge axis, thereby opening the feed inlet 170; when the telescopic rod 621 retracts, the connecting rod 630 drives the sealing cover 610 to rotate towards the feed inlet 170, and finally closes the feed inlet 170.

[0074] Since both the sealing cylinder 620 and the sealing cover 610 are hinged, the connecting rod 630 can generate a smooth swinging motion during the opening and closing of the sealing cover 610, avoiding interference between the mechanisms. At the same time, the clearance groove 180 provides room for the connecting rod 630 to move, thereby ensuring smooth operation of the sealing assembly 600 and improving the reliability and service life of the sealing assembly 600.

[0075] Please see Figure 11The sealing cover 610 includes a cover shell 611. A cotton sealing plate 612 is installed on the inner side of the cover shell 611. Each side of the cover shell 611 is provided with a groove 613, and a sealing strip 614 is embedded in the groove 613. The cotton sealing plate 612 is located inside the area enclosed by the four sealing strips 614.

[0076] When the sealing cover 610 closes the inlet 170, the sealing strip 614 first contacts the periphery of the inlet 170, thereby forming a circumferential sealing structure to reduce the leakage of hot air and moisture from the inlet 170. The cotton sealing plate 612 is used to insulate the sealing cover 610 and reduce the heat exchange between the sealing cover 610 and the external environment.

[0077] This configuration allows the sealing strip 614 to improve the sealing performance at the feed inlet 170, while the cotton sealing plate 612 reduces heat loss. Together, they further enhance the heat preservation and sealing performance inside the drying tank 110. Simultaneously, the improved sealing performance helps maintain the stability of the circulating hot airflow and directional dehumidifying airflow within the drying tank 110, thereby increasing the drying efficiency of the silicon wafers 001 and reducing equipment energy consumption.

[0078] In one embodiment of this disclosure, please refer to Figure 13 This disclosure also provides a silicon wafer drying method, which is applied to the silicon wafer drying apparatus described in any of the above embodiments.

[0079] First, step S1 is performed, in which multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried are placed vertically in the drying tank 110. In this embodiment, the multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried are mounted on a cleaning fixture 002 and are kept in a spaced-apart arrangement by the cleaning fixture 002. A gap is formed between two adjacent silicon wafers 001 to be dried to allow airflow, so that subsequent hot air and nitrogen gas can flow over the surface of the silicon wafers 001 to be dried.

[0080] After loading is complete, step S2 is executed to start the heating assembly 300 and the blower assembly 400. The heating element 310 in the heating assembly 300 heats the airflow in the heating chamber 120, forming a hot airflow within the heating chamber 120. The blower assembly 400 drives the hot airflow, which enters the drying tank 110 through the blower chamber 130 and the second vent 150, and flows along the gaps between the multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried, thereby heating the silicon wafers 001 to be dried. After being heated, the residual moisture on the surface of the silicon wafers 001 gradually evaporates, forming moisture.

[0081] Then, step S3 is executed, in which nitrogen gas is continuously introduced into the drying tank 110 through the nitrogen gas pipe 200. The nitrogen gas enters the drying tank 110 from the area below the silicon wafer 001 to be dried and flows vertically upward. As the nitrogen gas flows through the gaps between the multiple silicon wafers 001 to be dried, it comes into contact with the moisture evaporated from the surface of the silicon wafers 001 to be dried and pushes the moisture upward. As the nitrogen gas continues to flow, a directional dehumidification airflow gradually forms from bottom to top within the drying tank 110.

[0082] Next, step S4 is executed, in which the upper area of ​​the drying tank 110 is evacuated through the dehumidification pipe 160. The dehumidification pipe 160 discharges some of the moisture from the drying tank 110, maintaining the humidity inside the drying tank 110 at a low level. At the same time, some of the hot air circulates between the drying tank 110, the heating chamber 120, and the blower chamber 130, and re-enters the heating chamber 120 for heating, thereby forming a circulating hot air flow.

[0083] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the dehumidification pipe 160 is connected to a dehumidification fan or a negative pressure generating device. Preferably, the dehumidification air volume is 5m³ / s. 3 / h~50m 3 / h; more preferably 10m 3 / h~30m 3 / h. The dehumidification air volume is coordinated with the nitrogen flow rate to create a stable bottom-up dehumidification airflow inside the drying tank 110. When the dehumidification air volume is too small, the moisture removal efficiency decreases; when the dehumidification air volume is too large, it is easy to remove too much heat.

[0084] Furthermore, the airflow extracted by the dehumidification pipe 160 accounts for only a portion of the total circulating hot airflow. Preferably, the dehumidification amount accounts for 5% to 30% of the total circulating hot airflow. The extracted moisture is replenished by nitrogen gas, thereby maintaining the airflow balance inside the drying tank 110. The remaining airflow continues to circulate between the drying tank 110, the heating chamber 120, and the blower chamber 130.

[0085] Throughout the drying process, the circulating hot airflow continuously provides heat to the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, thereby increasing the rate of moisture evaporation. The directional dehumidification airflow continuously transports and discharges the evaporated moisture to the dehumidification pipe 160, thereby reducing the humidity in the drying area. Through the synergistic effect of the circulating hot airflow and the directional dehumidification airflow, the continuous accumulation of moisture in the circulating airflow is prevented, improving the moisture absorption capacity and heat energy utilization rate of the hot airflow, thus achieving efficient drying of the silicon wafer 001.

[0086] Once the silicon wafer 001 to be dried is detected to have reached the preset drying requirements, the operation of the heating component 300, the blower component 400 and the nitrogen supply equipment is stopped, and the sealing component 600 is controlled to open the feed port 170. Then, the dried silicon wafer 001 is taken out, thus completing the entire silicon wafer drying process.

[0087] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the drying process can be determined in any of the following ways: (1) The preset drying time is reached; (2) The humidity of the airflow discharged from the dehumidification pipe is lower than the preset threshold; (3) The relative humidity inside the drying tank is lower than the preset threshold; (4) The residual moisture content on the silicon wafer surface is lower than the preset value.

[0088] The drying process can be stopped when one of the above conditions is met.

[0089] The core of this disclosure is not simply adding a nitrogen purging structure, but rather constructing a dual airflow system that works in conjunction with each other within the drying tank 110.

[0090] Among them, the circulating hot airflow mainly undertakes the function of heat transfer, and continuously provides the heat required for evaporation to the silicon wafer 001 to be dried by circulating between the drying tank 110, the heating chamber 120 and the blowing chamber 130; the directional dehumidification airflow mainly undertakes the function of moisture migration, and forms an airflow channel from bottom to top through the cooperation of the nitrogen pipe 200 and the dehumidification pipe 160, continuously expelling the moisture formed by evaporation from the drying area.

[0091] Because the heat transfer path and the moisture discharge path are separated, moisture can be prevented from remaining in the circulating hot airflow for a long time, thereby reducing the humidity of the circulating airflow and maintaining its moisture absorption capacity, thus achieving synergistic optimization of heat supply and moisture discharge.

[0092] This disclosure does not dehumidify the entire equipment space, but rather uses directional exhaust airflow to preferentially act on the area where the silicon wafer 001 to be dried is located, which can create a low-humidity local environment around the silicon wafer 001 to be dried, thereby improving the evaporation efficiency of moisture on the silicon wafer surface.

[0093] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0094] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A silicon wafer drying apparatus, characterized in that, The equipment includes a drying chamber with a drying trough for accommodating multiple vertically placed silicon wafers to be dried. The drying chamber is provided with a heating chamber and a blowing chamber. The heating chamber is connected to the drying trough through a first ventilation opening, and the blowing chamber is connected to the drying trough through a second ventilation opening. The drying tank is equipped with a nitrogen pipe for supplying nitrogen gas into the drying tank, and a dehumidification pipe is installed on the drying chamber. The outlet position of the nitrogen pipe, the placement position of the silicon wafer to be dried, and the suction position of the dehumidification pipe are in an increasing trend. The nitrogen gas flows from bottom to top through the silicon wafer to be dried and drives some of the moisture formed by evaporation on the surface of the silicon wafer to migrate to the dehumidification pipe, so as to form a directional dehumidification airflow in the drying tank. The heating chamber is equipped with a heating component, and the blowing chamber is equipped with a blowing component. The blowing component is used to blow hot air onto the silicon wafer to be dried. Part of the airflow in the drying chamber circulates between the drying tank, the heating chamber, and the blowing chamber, and works in conjunction with the directional dehumidification airflow to dry the silicon wafer to be dried.

2. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The blower assembly includes a blower fan located inside the blower cavity, the opening area of ​​the second vent is larger than the projected area of ​​the blower fan in a direction perpendicular to the second vent, and a blower motor for driving the blower fan to rotate is installed on the dryer housing.

3. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The blower cavity is provided with a first air guide plate and a second air guide plate. The height of the first air guide plate is higher than that of the second air guide plate. The first air guide plate is set in an inclined state. One end of the first air guide plate is close to the heating cavity, and the other end of the first air guide plate is close to the second vent.

4. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second vent is circular, and the second air guide plate includes a straight segment and an arc segment connected together. One end of the straight segment is close to the heating chamber, and the centers of the arc segment, the second vent, and the blower are the same.

5. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The blower cavity is provided with an air regulating plate that is rotatably connected to the dryer box, and the air regulating plate is located between the first air guide plate and the second air guide plate; The blower cavity is also provided with a first limiting post and a second limiting post. The air regulating plate is used to abut against the first limiting post in the first air regulating state and against the second limiting post in the second air regulating state.

6. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating assembly includes a heating element whose length direction is the same as the direction of the gap between two adjacent silicon wafers to be dried. The drying tank is provided with a filter located at the first vent, and at least a portion of the first vent overlaps with the filter.

7. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of heating tubes is set to multiple, and the multiple heating tubes are arranged in two columns. The heating tubes in each column are distributed at intervals along the vertical direction, and the height of each heating tube is different.

8. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The open end of the nitrogen pipe extends out of the drying tank, and the end of the nitrogen pipe located inside the drying tank is a closed end. The side wall of the nitrogen pipe is provided with a release hole.

9. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The number of the release vents is set to multiple, and the multiple release vents are arranged at intervals along a straight line and opened on the side wall of the nitrogen pipe facing away from the silicon wafer to be dried.

10. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drying chamber is provided with a feed inlet communicating with the drying tank. A sealing component is installed at the feed inlet. The sealing component is used to open the feed inlet when the silicon wafer to be dried is fed in, and to close the feed inlet when the silicon wafer to be dried is dried.

11. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that, The sealing assembly includes a sealing cover and a sealing cylinder. One side of the sealing cover is hinged to the dryer housing. The sealing cover and the telescopic rod of the sealing cylinder are connected by a connecting rod. The dryer housing is provided with a clearance groove for avoiding the connecting rod. The bottom of the sealing cylinder is hinged to the dryer housing.

12. The silicon wafer drying apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The sealing cover includes a cover shell, a cotton sealing plate is installed on the inner side of the cover shell, each side of the cover shell is provided with a slot, a sealing strip is embedded in the slot, and the cotton sealing plate is located inside the four sealing strips.

13. A silicon wafer drying method, applied to the silicon wafer drying apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, include: Step S1: Place multiple silicon wafers to be dried vertically in the drying tank, so that a gap is formed between two adjacent silicon wafers to be dried to allow airflow. Step S2: Start the heating assembly and the blower assembly to form a hot airflow in the heating chamber, and let the hot airflow enter the drying tank through the blower chamber and the second vent, and flow along the gap between the silicon wafers to be dried to heat and dry the silicon wafers. Step S3: Nitrogen gas is introduced into the drying tank through a nitrogen pipe, so that the nitrogen gas flows from bottom to top over the silicon wafer to be dried and drives some of the moisture formed by evaporation on the surface of the silicon wafer to be dried to migrate upward, forming a directional dehumidification airflow. Step S4: Extract some moisture through the dehumidification pipe and form a circulating hot airflow between the drying tank, the heating chamber, and the blower chamber. The silicon wafer to be dried is dried in a coordinated manner through the circulating hot airflow and the directional dehumidification airflow.

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