A novel vertical seal conductive mechanism

Abstract

The application provides a novel vertical sealing conductive mechanism, belonging to the technical field of wafer electroplating, and comprising a wafer carrier, two open ring grooves are arranged on the outer periphery of the central through hole, a wafer rear end sealing ring located on the back side of the wafer is arranged in the first open ring groove, a lower fixed plate, a wafer rear end conductive ring and an upper fixed plate are arranged in the first open ring groove, the wafer rear end conductive ring is provided with a conductive contact point towards the wafer side, and the wafer rear end sealing ring seals the back side of the wafer at one end; an air bag, an air bag pressing ring and a connecting ring located on the front side of the wafer are arranged in the second open ring groove; further comprising a limiting ring and a wafer front end conductive sealing ring assembly, the limiting ring is fixedly connected with the connecting ring and the upper fixed plate at both ends, the connecting ring is further connected with the wafer front end conductive sealing ring assembly, the wafer front end conductive sealing ring assembly comprises at least two split structures, the split structures are provided with a conductive contact point and a sealing structure. The sealing reliability of the scheme is significantly improved, the risk of adhesion is eliminated, and the operation and maintenance cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wafer electroplating technology, and in particular to a novel vertical sealing conductive mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] In the vertical electroplating process for semiconductor wafers, the wafer needs to be fixed by a fixture to achieve conductivity and sealing. Existing vertical electroplating fixtures have the following two technical drawbacks: Firstly, in existing vertical electroplating fixtures, the conductive and sealing structures are mostly designed as a single unit. Because this single-unit structure makes it difficult to form uniform sealing pressure in local areas, gaps exist at the joint surface, causing the electroplating solution to leak from weak points, resulting in process contamination or even damage to the wafer.

[0003] Secondly, existing vertical electroplating fixtures mostly employ surface contact structures for their conductive and sealing features, resulting in a large contact area between the sealing surface and the wafer end face. During the electroplating process, the material of the sealing surface is pressed against the wafer for an extended period, making it prone to adhesion under the corrosive effects of the electroplating solution. This can damage the wafer during unloading, affecting product yield.

[0004] In addition, existing integrated sealing components need to be replaced entirely if any area fails, resulting in long replacement cycles, prolonged equipment downtime, and high maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a novel vertical sealing conductive mechanism that can optimize the design of the sealing conductive structure, improve sealing reliability, reduce the risk of wafer unloading damage, and reduce equipment maintenance costs.

[0006] This application provides a novel vertical sealing conductive mechanism, including a plate-shaped wafer carrier. The wafer carrier has a central through-hole for placing the wafer. A first and second annular grooves, opening towards the front end of the wafer and concentrically arranged, are provided along the outer periphery of the central through-hole. The first annular groove is close to the central through-hole. A wafer rear-end sealing ring, a lower fixing plate, a wafer rear-end conductive ring, and an upper fixing plate are stacked on the back side of the wafer. First conductive contacts are densely distributed on the side of the wafer rear-end conductive ring facing the wafer. The conductive ring is fixed to the wafer carrier by the upper fixing plate and the lower fixing plate. The wafer rear end sealing ring is located at the bottom of the first open ring groove. One end of the wafer rear end sealing ring seals the back side of the wafer to prevent the electroplating solution from leaking into the wafer carrier and the first conductive contact. The second open ring groove is provided with an airbag, an airbag pressure ring and a connecting ring stacked on the front side of the wafer. The airbag is located at the bottom of the second open ring groove. After the airbag is filled with process gas, it expands to apply a clamping force to the front side of the wafer. The airbag pressure ring is used to limit the movement range of the airbag. It also includes a limiting ring and a wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly. One end of the limiting ring limits and fixes the connecting ring, and the other end of the limiting ring is fixed to the upper fixing plate. The side of the connecting ring away from the airbag pressure ring is connected to the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly. The wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly includes at least two independent split structures. The split structures are provided with a second conductive contact and a sealing structure that seals the front side of the wafer. Each segment of the structure includes a separate conductive ring and a fluororubber sealing covering structure covering the outer surface of the separate conductive ring. A second conductive contact is disposed on the separate conductive ring and faces the wafer. The fluororubber sealing covering structure has an opening that exposes the second conductive contact. The second conductive contact passes through the opening and protrudes from the surface of the fluororubber sealing covering structure. The sealing structure is disposed on the side of the fluororubber sealing covering structure facing the wafer.

[0007] According to a specific implementation of the embodiments of this application, the sealing structure of the fluororubber sealing cover structure is configured as a double arc-shaped protrusion sealing structure. The double arc-shaped protrusion sealing structure includes a first arc-shaped protrusion and a second arc-shaped protrusion. The first arc-shaped protrusion is close to the outer edge of the fluororubber sealing cover structure, and the distance between the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion and the outer edge of the fluororubber sealing cover structure is 0.5~0.9mm. The distance between the center of the second arc-shaped protrusion and the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion is 3~5mm, and the protrusion height of the second arc-shaped protrusion is lower than the protrusion height of the first arc-shaped protrusion.

[0008] According to a specific implementation of this application, a conductive ring fixing pin is fixedly connected to the side of the split conductive ring facing the connecting ring, and a fixing slot is provided on the connecting ring. The locking connection between the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly and the connecting ring is achieved by the cooperation of the conductive ring fixing pin and the fixing slot.

[0009] According to one specific implementation of this application, the height of the second conductive contact protruding from the surface of the fluororubber sealing structure is 0.1~0.5mm.

[0010] According to a specific implementation of the present application, the process gas fullness detection sensor and the process gas leakage detection sensor are further included; the process gas fullness detection sensor is disposed near the inflation port of the airbag and is used to detect whether the process gas in the airbag is full; the process gas leakage detection sensor is disposed inside the wafer carrier and is used to detect whether the process gas in the airbag has leaked.

[0011] According to one specific implementation of the embodiments of this application, both the upper fixing plate and the lower fixing plate are made of insulating material.

[0012] According to one specific implementation of this application, the airbag is a polymer material airbag, and the process gas filled in the airbag is process nitrogen.

[0013] According to one specific implementation of an embodiment of this application, the wafer carrier is compatible with wafers with diameters of 6 inches and 8 inches.

[0014] According to one specific implementation of the present application, the opening on the fluororubber sealing and covering structure is a square opening, and the second conductive contact protrudes from the surface of the fluororubber sealing and covering structure through the square opening.

[0015] Beneficial effects: The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism in this application embodiment has the following beneficial effects: 1. Fundamentally solves the problem of localized side leakage, significantly improving sealing reliability. The wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly adopts a split design, allowing for targeted reinforcement of seals in areas prone to side leakage, eliminating the risk of side leakage caused by local gaps in the integrated structure. Simultaneously, the fluororubber sealing encapsulation structure features a double-arc raised sealing structure. After the airbag is inflated, the first arc-shaped protrusion contacts the wafer front side to form the first seal, and the second arc-shaped protrusion subsequently adheres to form the second seal. This double-layer seal is redundant, effectively preventing electroplating solution from leaking from the wafer front side into the conductive contacts and the carrier interior.

[0016] 2. Reduce the contact area between the sealing surface and the wafer, eliminating the risk of adhesion. The conductive contacts protrude 0.1~0.5mm from the square opening on the surface of the fluororubber sealing structure, making the wafer and the conductive contacts point-contact. This significantly reduces the actual contact area between the sealing surface and the wafer end face, fundamentally eliminating the hidden danger of adhesion between the sealing surface and the wafer end face during long-term electroplating, and improving the safety and product yield when removing the wafer.

[0017] 3. Split-type components allow for on-demand partial replacement, significantly reducing operation and maintenance costs. The sealed conductive component consists of multiple independent components. When a component fails and becomes unusable, only the failed component needs to be replaced, eliminating the need for overall replacement. This reduces equipment downtime, improves maintenance convenience, and significantly lowers replacement and maintenance costs.

[0018] 4. The rotary locking structure enables fast and precise loading. The wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly is equipped with a conductive ring retaining pin. During installation, rotating it at a certain angle allows it to lock into the retaining slot on the connecting ring, eliminating the need for fastening bolts and improving loading speed and accuracy.

[0019] 5. Compatible with multiple wafer sizes, offering excellent applicability. This design is compatible with both 6-inch and 8-inch wafers, making it widely applicable and highly valuable for engineering applications. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 An exploded view of a novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a novel vertical sealing conductive mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of a portion of area C; Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the left and right conductive rings of the present invention mating with a wafer; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the left-side split structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the right-side split structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the left-side fluororubber sealing and covering structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of region F; Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of a conductive ring fixing pin according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Wafer carrier; 2. Airbag; 3. Airbag pressure ring; 4. Connecting ring; 5. Limiting ring; 6. Wafer; 7. Wafer rear end sealing ring; 8. Wafer rear end conductive ring; 9. Upper fixing plate; 10. Wafer front end conductive sealing ring assembly; 11. Lower fixing plate; 101. Right side conductive ring; 102. Conductive ring fixing pin; 103. Left side conductive ring; 104. Left side fluororubber sealing and covering structure; 105. Right side fluororubber sealing and covering structure; 106. Square opening. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0025] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number of aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0026] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The illustrations only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of the components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0027] Furthermore, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the described aspects can be practiced without these specific details.

[0028] This application provides a novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism, as described below. Figures 1 to 9 Provide a detailed description.

[0029] In one embodiment, a novel vertical sealing conductive mechanism is provided, with reference to... Figures 1 to 3The system includes a plate-shaped wafer carrier 1. The wafer carrier 1 has a central through-hole for placing a wafer 6. A first annular groove and a second annular groove are concentrically arranged along the outer periphery of the central through-hole, with the opening facing the front end of the wafer 6. The first annular groove is close to the central through-hole. The first annular groove contains a wafer rear-end sealing ring 7, a lower fixing plate 11, a wafer rear-end conductive ring 8, and an upper fixing plate 9, all stacked on the back side of the wafer 6. The wafer rear-end conductive ring 8 has densely distributed first conductive contacts on the side facing the wafer 6. The wafer rear-end conductive ring 8 is connected to the upper fixing plate 9 and the lower... The square fixing plate 11 is fixed on the wafer carrier 1. The wafer rear end sealing ring 7 is located at the bottom of the first open annular groove. One end of the wafer rear end sealing ring 7 seals the back side of the wafer 6 to prevent the electroplating solution from leaking into the wafer carrier 1 and the first conductive contact. The second open annular groove is provided with an airbag 2, an airbag pressure ring 3 and a connecting ring 4 stacked on the front side of the wafer 6. The airbag 2 is located at the bottom of the second open annular groove. After the airbag 2 is filled with process gas, it expands to apply a clamping force to the front side of the wafer 6. The airbag pressure ring 3 is used to limit the movement range of the airbag 2. It also includes a limiting ring 5 and a wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10. One end of the limiting ring 5 limits and fixes the connecting ring 4, and the other end of the limiting ring 5 is fixed to the upper fixing plate 9. The side of the connecting ring 4 away from the airbag pressure ring 3 is connected to the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10. The wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10 includes at least two independent split structures. The split structures are provided with a second conductive contact and a sealing structure for sealing the front side of the wafer 6.

[0030] In this embodiment, the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10 adopts a split structure design. When a certain segment of the split structure experiences wear or conductive failure, only the corresponding faulty segment needs to be replaced to continue use, further reducing the maintenance cost and spare parts reserve requirements of the mechanism. The first conductive contact and the second conductive contact achieve conductive connection from the back side and the front side of the wafer 6, respectively. This ensures that the electroplating current is evenly distributed on the surface of the wafer 6, avoiding uneven plating thickness caused by excessive local current, effectively improving the yield of wafer 6 electroplating. The point contact with the wafer 6 surface significantly reduces the contact area between the sealing structure and the wafer 6 end face compared to the traditional overall surface contact form. This effectively reduces the adhesion between the sealing material and the wafer 6 end face caused by electroplating solution erosion during long-term electroplating, preventing damage such as edge chipping and microcracks caused by adhesion when the wafer 6 is unloaded, thus improving the yield of wafer 6 electroplating production from the source. After the airbag 2 is inflated, it can apply a uniform clamping force to the wafer 6. Combined with the sealing structure, it can buffer the assembly stress on the wafer 6 while ensuring the sealing effect, further reducing the risk of microcracks during the assembly and electroplating process of the wafer 6. The overall stability and reliability of the mechanism are significantly improved.

[0031] Furthermore, each segment of the split structure includes a split conductive ring and a fluororubber sealing covering structure covering the outer surface of the split conductive ring. The second conductive contact is disposed on the split conductive ring and faces the wafer 6. The fluororubber sealing covering structure has an opening that exposes the second conductive contact. The second conductive contact passes through the opening and protrudes from the surface of the fluororubber sealing covering structure. The sealing structure is disposed on the side of the fluororubber sealing covering structure facing the wafer 6.

[0032] In specific implementation, refer to Figures 4 to 7 The wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10 can be configured with two separate structures, namely a left-side separate structure and a right-side separate structure. The left-side separate structure includes a left-side conductive ring 103 and a left-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 104, and the right-side separate structure includes a right-side conductive ring 101 and a right-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 105. The front ends of the left-side conductive ring 103 and the right-side conductive ring 101 have second conductive contacts. The second conductive contacts on the left-side conductive ring 103 protrude from the left-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 104, and the second conductive contacts on the right-side conductive ring 101 protrude from the right-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 105. The function of the left-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 104 and the right-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 105 is to enclose the left-side conductive ring 103 and the right-side conductive ring 101 inside. The left-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 104 and the right-side fluororubber sealing covering structure 105 are respectively provided with sealing structures. The fluororubber sealing covering structures have insulation and anti-corrosion functions, and their sealing structures can prevent the liquid from leaking from the front side of the wafer 6 into the carrier.

[0033] In one embodiment, the sealing structure of the fluororubber sealing cover is configured as a double arc-shaped protrusion sealing structure, which includes a first arc-shaped protrusion and a second arc-shaped protrusion. The first arc-shaped protrusion is close to the outer edge of the fluororubber sealing cover, and the distance between the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion and the outer edge of the fluororubber sealing cover is 0.5~0.9mm. The distance between the center of the second arc-shaped protrusion and the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion is 3~5mm, and the protrusion height of the second arc-shaped protrusion is lower than the protrusion height of the first arc-shaped protrusion.

[0034] In practice, after the airbag 2 is filled with process nitrogen (PN2), the thickness of the airbag 2 increases. First, the wafer 6 can be fully contacted with the conductive contacts (the conductive contacts at the front and rear ends). Second, the wafer 6 can be tightly contacted with the fluororubber sealing and covering structure to achieve a leak-proof state. The first arc-shaped protrusion contacts the wafer 6 first, and the second arc-shaped protrusion contacts it again, achieving double-layer leak-proof protection.

[0035] In one embodiment, a conductive ring fixing pin 102 is fixedly connected to the side of the split conductive ring facing the connecting ring 4. The connecting ring 4 has a fixing slot. The locking connection between the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10 and the connecting ring 4 is achieved through the cooperation of the conductive ring fixing pin 102 and the fixing slot. Figure 9 As shown, the conductive ring fixing pin 102 has upper and lower limit steps, and the fixing slot on the connecting ring 4 can be set as a gourd hole. The end of the conductive ring fixing pin 102 facing the fixing slot is inserted into the gourd hole, and locking is achieved after rotation.

[0036] In this embodiment, the positioning pin serves to lock the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10 into the fixing slot on the connecting ring 4 by rotating it at a certain angle. This embodiment does not use fixing bolts, thus improving loading speed and accuracy.

[0037] In one embodiment, the height of the second conductive contact protruding from the surface of the fluororubber-sealed structure is 0.1~0.5mm.

[0038] In one embodiment, the system further includes a process gas fullness detection sensor and a process gas leakage detection sensor; the process gas fullness detection sensor is located near the inflation port of the airbag 2 and is used to detect whether the process gas inside the airbag 2 is full; the process gas leakage detection sensor is located inside the wafer carrier 1 and is used to detect whether the process gas inside the airbag 2 has leaked.

[0039] In one embodiment, both the upper fixing plate 9 and the lower fixing plate 11 are made of insulating material. The upper fixing plate 9 fixes the wafer rear conductive ring 8 to the carrier frame and insulates the wafer rear conductive ring 8 from the upper fixing component. The lower fixing plate 11 is used to fix the wafer rear conductive ring 8 to the carrier frame and works in conjunction with the upper fixing plate 9. The lower fixing plate 11 also serves as insulation. Both the upper fixing plate 9 and the lower fixing plate 11 are made of high-performance insulating material.

[0040] In one embodiment, the airbag 2 is a polymer material airbag, and the process gas filled inside the airbag 2 is process nitrogen. When the wafer 6 is loaded, the airbag 2 is inflated to press the wafer 6 and the conductive contacts together (ensuring contact between the contacts and the wafer 6). When the wafer 6 is unloaded, the airbag 2 is deflated to separate the wafer 6 from the conductive contacts. The function of the airbag pressure ring 3 is to limit the movement of the airbag 2 within a certain range.

[0041] In one embodiment, wafer carrier 1 is compatible with wafers 6 with diameters of 6 inches and 8 inches.

[0042] In one embodiment, refer to Figure 8 The opening on the fluororubber sealing structure is a square opening 106, and the second conductive contact protrudes from the surface of the fluororubber sealing structure through the square opening 106.

[0043] The working principle is as follows: When loading wafer 6, airbag 2, airbag pressure ring 3, connecting ring 4, and wafer rear end sealing ring 7 are installed in wafer carrier 1 using bolts or clips. Wafer rear end conductive ring 8, upper fixing plate 9, and lower fixing plate 11 are pressed together by limiting ring 5 and then fixed in wafer carrier 1. Wafer 6 is placed above wafer rear end conductive ring 8 by a robot or manually, and then wafer front end conductive sealing ring assembly 10 is installed. By rotating wafer front end conductive sealing ring assembly 10, it is clamped to connecting ring 4. Then, the air port connector above airbag 2 is connected to fill airbag 2 with nitrogen, so that wafer 6 and conductive rings (including wafer rear end conductive ring 8 and separate conductive rings in the separate structure) are conductively and tightly sealed, ensuring that the liquid does not leak to the first and second conductive contacts. After the process is completed, the unloading process of wafer 6 is the reverse of the loading process.

[0044] The principle of sealing and pressing the wafer 6 with the conductive ring by inflating the airbag 2 is as follows: After the airbag 2 is inflated, the airbag pressure ring 3 (with a top pin) increases in volume, pushing the airbag pressure ring 3 towards the connecting ring 4. This causes the top pin on the airbag pressure ring 3 to contact the inner surface of the connecting ring 4, and the ring moves towards the front (front end) of the wafer 6. The conductive ring fixing pin 102 has upper and lower limit steps. The connecting ring 4 moves up and down within these steps, and these steps act as limiters. The lower surface of the connecting ring 4 contacts the limiting ring 5. When the connecting ring 4 rises, the tail of the limiting ring 5 moves towards the front of the wafer 6. When the outer ring of the connecting ring 4 contacts the limiting step surface on the wafer carrier 1, the connecting ring 4 and the limiting ring 5 are in a horizontal state. At this time, the airbag 2 inflates again, and the outer ring (tail) of the limiting ring 5 moves towards the front of the wafer, while the inner ring moves towards the back of the wafer. This creates pressure on the upper fixing plate 9, the wafer rear conductive ring 8, the wafer rear sealing ring 7, and the lower fixing plate 11, all directed towards the back of the wafer 6. Since the upper fixing plate 9 is made of insulating material, it has a certain degree of plastic deformation. When the inner ring of the limiting ring 5 is subjected to force on the upper fixing plate 9, a uniform force area is formed at the contact surface between the upper fixing plate 9 and the limiting ring 5. This pressure direction is towards the back of the wafer 6. At this time, the rear end of the wafer rear conductive ring 8 is subjected to force (outer ring). Because the contact point of the front end (inner ring) of the wafer rear conductive ring 8 forms a certain angle with the rear end (outer ring) of the wafer rear conductive ring 8, and this angle is tilted towards the wafer 6 surface, this pressure tightly presses the wafer rear conductive ring 8, the wafer rear sealing ring 7, and the wafer 6 together. Furthermore, this presses and seals the wafer 6 with the double-arc protruding sealing structure in the wafer front conductive sealing ring assembly 10.

[0045] Compared to existing integrated sealed conductive structures, the embodiments provided by this invention fundamentally solve the problem of local side leakage and significantly improve sealing reliability through a split design combined with a double-arc protruding sealing structure. The design of the second conductive contact protruding from the fluororubber sealing coating structure changes the traditional surface contact to point contact, reducing the actual contact area between the sealing surface and the wafer 6, eliminating the risk of unloading damage caused by wafer 6 adhesion, and effectively improving product yield. The multi-segment independent split structure enables local replacement of faulty components, shortening equipment maintenance time, reducing equipment downtime probability, and decreasing equipment operation and maintenance costs. The rotational engagement of the conductive ring fixing pin 102 and the fixing slot of the connecting ring 4 enables rapid and precise loading of the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly 10 without the need for additional fastening bolts, improving assembly efficiency and accuracy. Simultaneously, it is compatible with both 6-inch and 8-inch mainstream wafer 6 processing, has a wide range of applications, and has high practical application and promotion value in the field of wafer 6 electroplating processing.

[0046] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism, characterized in that, The wafer carrier (1) includes a plate-shaped structure. The wafer carrier (1) has a central through hole for placing a wafer (6). A first opening annular groove and a second opening annular groove are provided concentrically along the outer periphery of the central through hole, with the opening facing the front end of the wafer (6). The first opening annular groove is close to the central through hole. The first opening annular groove is provided with a wafer rear end sealing ring (7), a lower fixing plate (11), a wafer rear end conductive ring (8), and an upper fixing plate (9) stacked on the back side of the wafer (6). The wafer rear end conductive ring (8) has a dense array of first conductive contacts on the side facing the wafer (6). The wafer rear end conductive ring (8) is connected to the upper fixing plate (9) and the lower fixing plate (11). The fixed plate (11) is fixed on the wafer carrier (1). The wafer rear end sealing ring (7) is located at the bottom of the first open ring groove. One end of the wafer rear end sealing ring (7) seals the back side of the wafer (6) to prevent the electroplating solution from leaking into the wafer carrier (1) and the first conductive contact. The second open ring groove is provided with an airbag (2), an airbag pressure ring (3) and a connecting ring (4) stacked on the front side of the wafer (6). The airbag (2) is located at the bottom of the second open ring groove. After the airbag (2) is filled with process gas, it expands to apply a pressing force to the front side of the wafer (6). The airbag pressure ring (3) is used to limit the range of motion of the airbag (2). It also includes a limiting ring (5) and a wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly (10). One end of the limiting ring (5) limits and fixes the connecting ring (4), and the other end of the limiting ring (5) is fixed to the upper fixing plate (9). The side of the connecting ring (4) away from the airbag pressure ring (3) is connected to the wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly (10). The wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly (10) includes at least two independent split structures. The split structures are provided with a second conductive contact and a sealing structure for sealing the front side of the wafer (6). Each segment of the split structure includes a split conductive ring and a fluororubber sealing covering structure covering the outer surface of the split conductive ring. The second conductive contact is set on the split conductive ring and faces the wafer (6). The fluororubber sealing covering structure has an opening that exposes the second conductive contact. The second conductive contact passes through the opening and protrudes from the surface of the fluororubber sealing covering structure. The sealing structure is located on the side of the fluororubber sealing cover structure facing the wafer (6).

2. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing structure of the fluororubber sealing cover is set as a double arc-shaped protrusion sealing structure, which includes a first arc-shaped protrusion and a second arc-shaped protrusion. The first arc-shaped protrusion is close to the outer edge of the fluororubber sealing cover, and the distance between the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion and the outer edge of the fluororubber sealing cover is 0.5~0.9mm. The distance between the center of the second arc-shaped protrusion and the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion is 3~5mm, and the protrusion height of the second arc-shaped protrusion is lower than that of the first arc-shaped protrusion.

3. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, A conductive ring fixing pin (102) is fixedly connected to the side of the split conductive ring facing the connecting ring (4). The connecting ring (4) is provided with a fixing slot. The wafer front-end conductive sealing ring assembly (10) and the connecting ring (4) are locked together by the cooperation of the conductive ring fixing pin (102) and the fixing slot.

4. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height of the second conductive contact protruding from the surface of the fluororubber-sealed structure is 0.1~0.5mm.

5. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a process gas full detection sensor and a process gas leak detection sensor; the process gas full detection sensor is located near the inflation port of the airbag (2) and is used to detect whether the process gas in the airbag (2) is full; the process gas leak detection sensor is located inside the wafer carrier (1) and is used to detect whether the process gas in the airbag (2) has leaked.

6. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the upper fixing plate (9) and the lower fixing plate (11) are made of insulating material.

7. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airbag (2) is a polymer material airbag, and the process gas filled in the airbag (2) is process nitrogen.

8. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer carrier (1) is compatible with wafers (6) with diameters of 6 inches and 8 inches.

9. The novel vertical sealing and conductive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The opening on the fluororubber sealing and covering structure is a square opening (106), and the second conductive contact protrudes from the surface of the fluororubber sealing and covering structure through the square opening (106).

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