Silicon carbide etching device

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a silicon carbide etching device, and relates to the technical field of silicon carbide etching equipment. The silicon carbide etching device comprises an etching furnace and a transportation piece. A heating area is arranged in the etching furnace, the heating area is sequentially divided into a preheating area, an etching area and a cooling area, the temperature from the preheating area to the etching area is gradually increased, the temperature from the etching area to the cooling area is gradually reduced, the etching area is a constant-temperature area, and the transportation part is arranged in the etching furnace and sequentially passes through the preheating area, the etching area and the cooling area. In the etching process of the silicon carbide wafer, under the action of the transportation piece, the etching furnace can take out the etching box filled with the silicon carbide wafer after etching without cooling the whole etching furnace, and in the etching process of the silicon carbide wafer each time, the etching furnace does not need to be repeatedly heated and cooled, so that the etching efficiency is improved. And the silicon carbide wafer can pass through the hot area, the etching area and the cooling area in sequence under the action of the transportation piece, so that the etching efficiency of the silicon carbide wafer can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of silicon carbide etching equipment, in particular to a silicon carbide etching device. Background Art

[0002] As an emerging third-generation semiconductor core material, silicon carbide (SiC) has excellent properties such as wide bandgap, high critical breakdown electric field strength, high electron mobility, good radiation resistance and chemical stability, which makes it an important substrate wafer material with wide applications, showing good application prospects in the fields of aviation devices, new energy vehicles, rail transportation and household appliances. Silicon carbide wafer etching device is a device dedicated to fine processing of silicon carbide (SiC) wafers, mainly used to form specific patterns on the wafer surface or remove specific materials.

[0003] The inventors have found through research that some existing silicon carbide wafers have low efficiency during the etching process. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model aims to provide a silicon carbide etching device, which can improve the etching efficiency of silicon carbide wafers.

[0005] The embodiment of the utility model is achieved as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, the utility model provides a silicon carbide etching device, comprising:

[0007] The etching furnace has a heating zone, which is divided into a preheating zone, an etching zone and a cooling zone in sequence. The temperature from the preheating zone to the etching zone gradually increases, and the temperature from the etching zone to the cooling zone gradually decreases. The etching zone is a constant temperature zone;

[0008] The transport piece is arranged in the etching furnace, and the transport piece passes through the preheating zone, the etching zone and the cooling zone in sequence.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the etching device also includes a corrosion box, which contains etching parts and silicon carbide wafers. The corrosion box is used to be placed on a transport piece, and the corrosion box can pass through a preheating zone, an etching zone and a cooling zone in sequence under the drive of the transport piece.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the etching piece is an etching sheet, and the etching sheet is bonded to the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the etching member is an etching film, and the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer is coated with the etching film.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, a first temperature sensor is provided in the preheating zone, a second temperature sensor is provided in the etching zone, and a third temperature sensor is provided in the cooling zone.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, there are multiple first temperature sensors, and the multiple first temperature sensors are arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the preheating zone.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, there are multiple second temperature sensors, and the multiple second temperature sensors are arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the etching area.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, there are multiple third temperature sensors, and the multiple third temperature sensors are arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the cooling zone.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the transport member includes a first sub-transport member, a second sub-transport member and a third sub-transport member arranged in sequence, and the first sub-transport member, the second sub-transport member and the third sub-transport member are respectively located in the preheating zone, the etching zone and the cooling zone.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the etching furnace has an inlet and an outlet, the preheating zone is close to the inlet at one end away from the etching zone, the cooling zone is close to the outlet at one end away from the etching zone, and at least one of the inlet and the outlet is provided with a sealed door.

[0018] The beneficial effect of the embodiment of the utility model is as follows: the embodiment of the utility model provides a silicon carbide etching device including an etching furnace and a transport part. The etching furnace has a heating zone, which is divided into a preheating zone, an etching zone and a cooling zone in sequence. The temperature from the preheating zone to the etching zone gradually increases, and the temperature from the etching zone to the cooling zone gradually decreases. The etching zone is a constant temperature zone. The transport part is arranged in the etching furnace, and the transport part passes through the preheating zone, the etching zone and the cooling zone in sequence. During the etching of silicon carbide wafers, due to the action of the transport part, the etching furnace does not need to be completely cooled down before the etching box containing the silicon carbide wafer can be taken out. During each etching process of the silicon carbide wafer, the etching furnace does not need to be repeatedly heated and cooled down. It only needs to pass through the hot zone, the etching zone and the cooling zone in sequence under the action of the transport part, which can improve the etching efficiency of the silicon carbide wafer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the utility model, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the utility model and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0020] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of a silicon carbide etching device provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an etching box containing silicon carbide wafers provided in an embodiment of the utility model.

[0022] Icons: 1-silicon carbide etching device; 100-etching furnace; 110-preheating zone; 120-etching zone; 130-cooling zone; 140-entrance; 150-exit; 160-first temperature sensor; 170-second temperature sensor; 180-third temperature sensor; 200-transport member; 210-first sub-transport member; 220-second sub-transport member; 230-third sub-transport member; 300-corrosion box; 310-silicon carbide wafer; 320-etching member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the embodiments of the utility model clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the utility model will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the utility model described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0024] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to be protected, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0026] In the description of the present utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or position relationship in which the utility model product is usually placed when in use, which is only for the convenience of describing the utility model and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present utility model. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] In addition, the terms "horizontal", "vertical" and the like do not mean that the components are required to be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0029] In some existing etching furnaces, during the process of etching silicon carbide wafers, each time the etching of a silicon carbide wafer is completed before the next etching of the silicon carbide wafer is performed, the temperature of the etching furnace needs to be lowered so that the user can take out the silicon carbide wafer that has been etched in the etching furnace, and then put the next etching box containing the silicon carbide wafer into the etching furnace, and then heat it up, and repeat this process, which is inefficient.

[0030] The specific structure of a silicon carbide etching device provided by an embodiment of the utility model and the corresponding technical effects it brings are described in detail below in conjunction with the patent drawings.

[0031] Please refer to Figure 1-Figure 2 A silicon carbide etching device 1 provided in an embodiment of the utility model includes an etching furnace 100 and a transport component 200 .

[0032] Among them, the etching furnace 100 has a heating zone, which is divided into a preheating zone 110, an etching zone 120 and a cooling zone 130 in sequence. The temperature from the preheating zone 110 to the etching zone 120 gradually increases, and the temperature from the etching zone 120 to the cooling zone 130 gradually decreases. The etching zone 120 is a constant temperature zone. The transport part 200 is arranged in the etching furnace 100, and the transport part 200 passes through the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 in sequence.

[0033] It can be understood that the temperatures of the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 in the heating zone can be controlled separately, which is convenient for the operator to control the etching process. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the constant temperature zone can be understood as the temperature in the etching zone 120 is relatively at a constant temperature, and should not be understood as being strictly at a constant temperature.

[0034] The device is designed with a preheating zone 110, an etching zone 120 and a cooling zone 130. Such a partition layout can accurately control the conditions of each stage, ensuring that the wafer reaches the optimal temperature before entering the etching zone 120, thereby optimizing the etching reaction rate. Compared with traditional devices that may lack such precise control of temperature gradients, the partition design helps to improve the efficiency and consistency of the etching process. In addition, the transport unit 200 drives the etching box 300 to pass through different areas in sequence, realizing a continuous processing flow, reducing the manual transfer time of the wafer between different processes, and improving the overall processing speed.

[0035] Therefore, during the etching process of the silicon carbide wafer 310, under the action of the transport member 200, the etching furnace 100 does not need to be completely cooled down before the etching box 300 containing the silicon carbide wafer 310 can be taken out. During each etching process of the silicon carbide wafer 310, the etching furnace 100 does not need to be repeatedly heated up and cooled down. It only needs to pass through the hot zone, etching zone 120 and cooling zone 130 in sequence under the action of the transport member 200, which can improve the etching efficiency of the silicon carbide wafer 310.

[0036] It can be understood that, since the transport member 200 is provided and the transport member 200 passes through the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 in sequence, the etching box 300 containing the silicon carbide wafer 310 can enter the preheating zone 110 under the transportation of the transport member 200, and the silicon carbide wafer 310 can be slowly and evenly heated to the starting temperature required for etching in the preheating zone 110. The preheating process can reduce the internal stress of the wafer caused by the sudden change in temperature and avoid the occurrence of cracks or deformation. By accurately controlling the preheating rate and temperature, preparations can be made for the subsequent etching process.

[0037] Then, when entering the etching zone 120, the temperature in the etching zone 120 is at the etching temperature, and the silicon carbide wafer 310 in the etching zone 120 can complete the etching in the etching box 300, and the transport member 200 gradually transports the etching box 300 in the etching zone 120 toward the cooling zone 130 at a preset speed until it enters the cooling zone 130. It can be understood that when the etching box 300 containing the silicon carbide wafer 310 leaves the etching zone 120, the etching of the silicon carbide wafer 310 in the etching box 300 is completed.

[0038] After entering the cooling zone 130, which means that the etching is completed, the wafer needs to be slowly cooled to room temperature or the temperature required for subsequent processing. Rapid cooling may cause thermal stress concentration and damage the wafer, so the cooling zone 130 reduces this risk by slowly lowering the temperature. Accurately controlling the cooling rate helps maintain the physical and electrical properties of the wafer unchanged.

[0039] Optionally, the etching device further comprises an etching box 300, wherein the etching piece 320 and the silicon carbide wafer 310 are contained in the etching box 300, and the etching box 300 is used to be placed on the transport member 200, that is, when etching of silicon carbide is required, the etching box 300 containing the silicon carbide wafer 310 and the etching piece 320 is placed on the transport member 200, and driven by the transport member 200, the etching piece 320 passes through the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 in sequence, and the preheating, etching and cooling processes can be completed. It can be understood that the etching piece 320 can be melted into a liquid state in the etching zone 120, thereby etching the silicon carbide wafer 310.

[0040] The above-mentioned etching box 300 can be made of graphite or quartz material.

[0041] It should be noted that, in the existing silicon carbide etching device 1, during the etching process, the etching box 300 is generally filled with a silicon carbide wafer 310 and a large amount of solid etchant. Under high temperature conditions, the large amount of solid etchant in the etching box 300 is dissolved into liquid, and the silicon carbide wafer 310 is etched. During the etching process, chipping may occur, that is, the wafer is broken during the etching process. If the wafer is chipped, the fragments may float in the hot etching solution, increasing the risk for the operator when changing the solution. Therefore, the operator usually waits for the solution to cool before processing, which affects the etching efficiency of the silicon carbide wafer 310.

[0042] Optionally, in some embodiments, the etching piece 320 is an etching sheet, and the etching sheet is attached to the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer 310. It can be understood that the user can quantitatively attach the etching sheet to the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer 310, so that during the etching process, the etching sheet will be quickly corroded, and there is no problem of replacing the etching solution after the chip is split. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the etching sheet is a potassium hydroxide sheet.

[0043] Optionally, in some other embodiments, the etching piece 320 is an etching film, and the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer 310 is coated with the etching film. Similarly, the user can quantitatively fit the etching film on the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer 310. Therefore, during the etching process, the etching film will be quickly corroded, and there is no problem of replacing the etching liquid after splitting. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the etching film is a potassium hydroxide film.

[0044] Optionally, in some embodiments, the preheating zone 110 is provided with a first temperature sensor 160, the etching zone 120 is provided with a second temperature sensor 170, and the cooling zone 130 is provided with a third temperature sensor 180. It can be understood that the provision of the first temperature sensor 160, the second temperature sensor 170 and the third temperature sensor 180 can facilitate the operator to detect the temperatures of the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130.

[0045] It should be noted that the first temperature sensor 160 , the second temperature sensor 170 and the third temperature sensor 180 are all disposed in the etching furnace 100 and connected to the etching furnace 100 .

[0046] It can be understood that in order to facilitate observation by operators, in some embodiments, the etching device can also include a display device that is communicatively connected to the first temperature sensor 160, the second temperature sensor 170 and the third temperature sensor 180, and the display device can display the temperature data detected by the first temperature sensor 160, the second temperature sensor 170 and the third temperature sensor 180.

[0047] In order to more accurately detect the temperature data of the preheating zone 110, there are multiple first temperature sensors 160. In the extension direction of the preheating zone 110, multiple first temperature sensors 160 are arranged at intervals. It can be understood that the temperature of the preheating zone 110 gradually increases as it approaches the etching zone 120. Therefore, in the extension direction of the preheating zone 110, multiple first temperature sensors 160 are arranged at intervals, which can facilitate operators to detect the temperatures of multiple parts in the preheating zone 110, thereby facilitating better control of the temperature of the preheating zone 110, thereby better preheating for etching.

[0048] Optionally, there are multiple second temperature sensors 170, and the multiple second temperature sensors 170 are arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the etching area 120. It can be understood that since the etching area 120 is a constant temperature area, setting up multiple second temperature sensors 170 can facilitate operators to monitor the temperatures of multiple parts of the etching area 120, thereby facilitating operators to control the temperature in the etching area 120 to be in a constant temperature state.

[0049] Optionally, there are multiple third temperature sensors 180, and multiple third temperature sensors 180 are arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the cooling zone 130. It can be understood that the temperature of the cooling zone 130 gradually decreases away from the etching zone 120. Therefore, multiple third temperature sensors 180 are arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the cooling zone 130, which can facilitate operators to detect the temperatures of multiple parts in the cooling zone 130, and then facilitate better control of the temperature of the cooling zone 130, thereby better cooling the silicon carbide wafer 310.

[0050] Optionally, the transport member 200 includes a first sub-transport member 210, a second sub-transport member 220, and a third sub-transport member 230 arranged in sequence, and the first sub-transport member 210, the second sub-transport member 220, and the third sub-transport member 230 are respectively located in the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120, and the cooling zone 130. It can be understood that the first sub-transport member 210 is used to transport the etching box 300 to the second sub-transport member 220, and the second sub-transport member 220 is used to transport the etching box 300 to the third sub-transport member 230.

[0051] Since the transport member 200 is composed of the first sub-transport member 210, the second sub-transport member 220 and the third sub-transport member 230, it is convenient for the operator to individually control the transport speed of the sub-transport member 200 in each area.

[0052] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the etching zone 120 is connected to the preheating zone 110, and the etching zone 120 is isolated from the cooling zone 130. For example, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 can be isolated by an insulating door. When the second sub-transport member 220 in the etching zone 120 transports the corrosion box 300 to the third sub-transport member 230, the insulating door is opened, and the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 are connected at this time, which facilitates the second sub-transport member 220 to transport the corrosion box 300 to the third sub-transport member 230.

[0053] Of course, the airflow isolation between the etching area 120 and the cooling area 130 can also be achieved by setting up an independent air duct design and a fan system, and controlling the hot air circulation of the etching area 120 and the cold air circulation of the cooling area 130 respectively. This can effectively isolate the airflow in the two areas and prevent the hot air reflux from affecting the cooling efficiency of the cooling area 130.

[0054] It should be noted that the above isolation is not thermal isolation in a complete sense, and it can be understood that the etching area 120 and the cooling area 130 are roughly in a thermal isolation state.

[0055] Of course, in some other embodiments, the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 are all connected, and the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 respectively have separate temperature control modules, and the temperatures of the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 can be individually controlled by a single temperature control module.

[0056] Optionally, the etching furnace 100 has an inlet 140 and an outlet 150, the end of the preheating zone 110 away from the etching zone 120 is close to the inlet 140, and the end of the cooling zone 130 away from the etching zone 120 is close to the outlet 150, and at least one of the inlet 140 and the outlet 150 is provided with a sealed door. It can be understood that when etching is not required, by providing sealed doors at the inlet 140 and the outlet 150, external impurities can be prevented from entering the etching furnace 100.

[0057] In summary, a silicon carbide etching device 1 provided by an embodiment of the utility model includes an etching furnace 100 and a transport member 200. The etching furnace 100 has a heating zone, which is divided into a preheating zone 110, an etching zone 120 and a cooling zone 130 in sequence. The temperature from the preheating zone 110 to the etching zone 120 gradually increases, and the temperature from the etching zone 120 to the cooling zone 130 gradually decreases. The etching zone 120 is a constant temperature zone. The transport member 200 is arranged in the etching furnace 100, and the transport member 200 passes through the preheating zone 110, the etching zone 120 and the cooling zone 130 in sequence. During the etching process of the silicon carbide wafer 310, due to the action of the transport member 200, the etching furnace 100 does not need to be completely cooled down before the etching box 300 containing the silicon carbide wafer 310 can be taken out. During each etching process of the silicon carbide wafer 310, the etching furnace 100 does not need to be repeatedly heated up and cooled down. It only needs to pass through the hot zone, etching zone 120 and cooling zone 130 in sequence under the action of the transport member 200, which can improve the etching efficiency of the silicon carbide wafer 310.

[0058] The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the utility model, and is not intended to limit the utility model. For those skilled in the art, the utility model can have various modifications and changes. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the utility model shall be included in the protection scope of the utility model.

Claims

1. A silicon carbide etching device, characterized in that: include: An etching furnace (100), wherein a heating zone is provided in the etching furnace (100), wherein the heating zone is sequentially divided into a preheating zone (110), an etching zone (120) and a cooling zone (130), wherein the temperature from the preheating zone (110) to the etching zone (120) gradually increases, and the temperature from the etching zone (120) to the cooling zone (130) gradually decreases, and the etching zone (120) is a constant temperature zone; A transport member (200), wherein the transport member (200) is disposed in the etching furnace (100), and the transport member (200) passes through the preheating zone (110), the etching zone (120), and the cooling zone (130) in sequence.

2. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The etching device further comprises an etching box (300), wherein the etching part (320) and the silicon carbide wafer (310) are housed in the etching box (300), and the etching box (300) is used to be placed on the transport part (200). Driven by the transport part (200), the etching box (300) can sequentially pass through the preheating zone (110), the etching zone (120) and the cooling zone (130).

3. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The etching piece (320) is an etching sheet, and the etching sheet is bonded to the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer (310).

4. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The etching piece (320) is an etching film, and the surface to be etched of the silicon carbide wafer (310) is coated with the etching film.

5. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first temperature sensor (160) is arranged in the preheating zone (110), a second temperature sensor (170) is arranged in the etching zone (120), and a third temperature sensor (180) is arranged in the cooling zone (130).

6. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 5, characterized in that: There are a plurality of the first temperature sensors (160), and in the extension direction of the preheating zone (110), the plurality of the first temperature sensors (160) are arranged at intervals.

7. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 5, characterized in that: There are a plurality of second temperature sensors (170), and in the extension direction of the etching area (120), the plurality of second temperature sensors (170) are arranged at intervals.

8. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 5, characterized in that: There are a plurality of the third temperature sensors (180), and in the extension direction of the temperature reduction zone (130), the plurality of the third temperature sensors (180) are arranged at intervals.

9. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transport member (200) comprises a first sub-transport member (210), a second sub-transport member (220) and a third sub-transport member (230) which are arranged in sequence, and the first sub-transport member (210), the second sub-transport member (220) and the third sub-transport member (230) are respectively located in a preheating zone (110), an etching zone (120) and the cooling zone (130).

10. The silicon carbide etching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The etching furnace (100) has an inlet (140) and an outlet (150); one end of the preheating zone (110) away from the etching zone (120) is close to the inlet (140); one end of the cooling zone (130) away from the etching zone (120) is close to the outlet (150); and at least one of the inlet (140) and the outlet (150) is provided with a sealed door.

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