Wafer conveying device and semiconductor equipment
By designing horizontal toothing with the first and second parts, the support shaft deformation and particle defects caused by horizontal toothing in existing semiconductor equipment are solved, and higher equipment production capacity and yield are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202420324946.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-21
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-11
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-02-21
AI Technical Summary
Because of the uniform width and large weight of the horizontal tooth in existing semiconductor equipment, the support shaft may easily deform and the horizontal tooth may sag and the horizontal tooth may easily rub against the heater, causing particle defects or slippage, and resulting in wafer scrapping.
A wafer conveying device is designed, wherein the horizontal toothing includes a first and a second part integrated, with the width of the second part being smaller than the width of the first part, so that the horizontal toothing has a smaller width and a lighter weight, avoiding support shaft deformation and horizontal toothing sagging.
By reducing the weight and width of horizontal insertion teeth, the support shaft deformation and horizontal insertion teeth sag are avoided, particle defects and slip phenomena are reduced, wafer scrapping is avoided, and the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment are improved.
Smart Images
Figure CN222600940U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, in particular to a wafer conveying device and semiconductor equipment. Background Art
[0002] In the process chamber of some semiconductor equipment (for example, SEQUEL machine), there are multiple process positions (for example, multiple heating areas of the heater), and the wafers that need to be processed are transferred between different process positions through the horizontal fork installed on the support shaft (Spindle). However, the existing horizontal fork is a structure with uniform width, which is wide and heavy. After long-term use, the support shaft will deform, causing the horizontal fork to sag; at this time, when the support shaft drives the horizontal fork to move up and down or rotate, it is easy to rub against the heater, resulting in particle defects (Particle) or slippage, which in turn causes the wafer to be scrapped. Utility Model Content
[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a wafer conveying device and a semiconductor equipment to address the problems in the above-mentioned background technology. In the wafer conveying device, since the horizontal tooth includes a first part and a second part that are integrally connected, and the width of the second part is smaller than the width of the first part, the width of the horizontal tooth can be smaller and the weight is lighter. Even after long-term use, the support shaft is not easy to deform, and the horizontal tooth will not sag. When the support shaft drives the horizontal tooth to move up and down or rotate, it will not easily rub against the heater, thereby reducing or even avoiding the generation of particle defects or the occurrence of sliding phenomenon, avoiding the scrapping of wafers, and improving the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment.
[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems and other problems, in the first aspect, the utility model provides a wafer conveying device, which includes: a support shaft and a plurality of pairs of horizontal gears; the plurality of pairs of horizontal gears are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the support shaft; each horizontal gear includes a first part and a second part that are integrally connected; one end of the first part away from the second part is connected to the support shaft; and the width of the second part is smaller than the width of the first part.
[0005] In the wafer transfer device of the above-mentioned embodiment, by setting the horizontal tooth to include a first part and a second part which are integrally connected, and the width of the second part is smaller than the width of the first part, the width of the horizontal tooth can be smaller and the weight can be lighter. Even after long-term use, the support shaft is not easy to deform, and the horizontal tooth will not sag. When the support shaft drives the horizontal tooth to move up and down or rotate, it will not easily rub against the heater, thereby reducing or even avoiding the generation of particle defects or the occurrence of sliding phenomenon, avoiding the scrapping of wafers, and improving the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment.
[0006] In some embodiments, the thickness of the second portion is less than the thickness of the first portion.
[0007] In the above embodiment, by setting the thickness of the second part to be smaller than the thickness of the first part, the weight of the horizontal toothing can be further reduced, deformation of the support shaft due to long-term use can be further avoided, and the sagging of the horizontal toothing can be avoided, thereby further reducing or even avoiding the generation of particle defects or the occurrence of sliding phenomena, avoiding the scrapping of wafers, and improving the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment.
[0008] In some embodiments, the central axis of the first portion and the central axis of the second portion are located on the same straight line.
[0009] In some embodiments, the upper surfaces of the horizontal insert teeth are located in the same plane.
[0010] In some embodiments, a plurality of pairs of horizontal insert teeth are evenly spaced apart along the circumference of the support shaft.
[0011] In some embodiments, the number of pairs of horizontal insert teeth is six.
[0012] In some embodiments, the wafer conveying device also includes: a first driver and a second driver; the first driver is connected to the support shaft, used to drive the support shaft to drive the horizontal gear to rotate; the second driver is connected to the support shaft, used to drive the support shaft to drive the horizontal gear to move up and down.
[0013] In a second aspect, the utility model further provides a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising the wafer conveying device as described in the first aspect.
[0014] In the semiconductor equipment of the above-mentioned embodiment, since the horizontal tooth in the wafer conveying device is configured to include a first part and a second part which are integrally connected, and the width of the second part is smaller than the width of the first part, the width of the horizontal tooth can be smaller and the weight can be lighter. Even after long-term use, the support shaft is not easy to deform, and the horizontal tooth will not sag. When the support shaft drives the horizontal tooth to move up and down or rotate, it will not easily rub against the heater, thereby reducing or even avoiding the generation of particle defects or the occurrence of sliding phenomenon, avoiding the scrapping of wafers, and improving the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment.
[0015] In some embodiments, the semiconductor device further includes: a heater located on the periphery of the support shaft; the heater includes a plurality of heating areas arranged circumferentially along the support shaft; each heating area is provided with a pair of receiving grooves, and the receiving grooves are arranged one-to-one with the horizontal teeth; the length of the receiving grooves is greater than the length of the horizontal teeth, and the width of the receiving grooves is greater than the width of the first part; wherein, when the support shaft is raised to the highest position, the lower surface of the horizontal teeth is higher than the upper surface of the heating area; when the support shaft is reset, the horizontal teeth are located in the receiving grooves, and the upper surface of the horizontal teeth is not higher than the upper surface of the heating area.
[0016] In some embodiments, the semiconductor equipment further includes: a process chamber; and the wafer conveying device and the heater are both located in the process chamber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the utility model, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, drawings of other embodiments can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.
[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the top structure of a wafer conveying device provided in one embodiment of the utility model.
[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic top view of the structure of a horizontal inserting gear in a wafer conveying device provided in one embodiment of the utility model.
[0020] Figure 3 It is a side view of a horizontal inserting gear in a wafer conveying device provided in an embodiment of the utility model.
[0021] Figure 4 It is a schematic top view of the structure of a wafer conveying device and a heater in a semiconductor device provided in another embodiment of the utility model.
[0022] Figure 5 When the support shaft rises to the highest position, Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure in the AA direction.
[0023] Description of reference numerals:
[0024] 10. Wafer transfer device; 101. Support shaft; 102. Horizontal gear inserting; 1021. First part; 1022. Second part; 20. Heater; 201. Heating area; 202. Accommodating tank. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more comprehensively with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings provide preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive.
[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the technical field of the present invention. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.
[0027] In the case of using “including”, “having”, and “comprising” described herein, another component may be added unless a clear limiting term such as “only”, “consisting of”, etc. is used. Unless mentioned otherwise, a term in the singular form may include a plural form and should not be understood as being one in number.
[0028] It should be understood that although the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.
[0029] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connection" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.
[0030] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment only illustrate the basic concept of the present disclosure in a schematic manner. Although the illustrations only show components related to the present disclosure and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of components in actual implementation, the type, quantity and proportion of each component in actual implementation may be changed arbitrarily, and the component layout type may also be more complicated.
[0031] In the process chamber of some semiconductor equipment (for example, SEQUEL machine), there are multiple process positions (for example, multiple heating areas of the heater), and the wafers that need to be processed are transferred between different process positions through the horizontal fork installed on the support shaft (Spindle). However, the common horizontal fork is a structure with uniform width, and is generally made of ceramic material, with thick thickness and overall width, and heavy weight. After long-term use, the support shaft will deform, causing the horizontal fork to sag; at this time, when the support shaft drives the horizontal fork to move up and down or rotate, it is easy to rub against the heater, resulting in particle defects (Particle) or slip phenomenon, which in turn causes the wafer to be scrapped.
[0032] See also Figures 1 to 3 The utility model provides a wafer conveying device 10, which may include: a support shaft 101 and a plurality of pairs of horizontal slotting teeth 102; wherein the plurality of pairs of horizontal slotting teeth 102 may be arranged at intervals along the circumference of the support shaft 101; each horizontal slotting tooth 102 may include a first portion 1021 and a second portion 1022 which are integrally connected; an end of the first portion 1021 away from the second portion 1022 is connected to the support shaft 101; and a width of the second portion 1022 is smaller than a width of the first portion 1021.
[0033] In the wafer conveying device 10 of the above embodiment, by setting the horizontal toothing 102 to include an integrally connected first part 1021 and a second part 1022, and the width of the second part 1022 is smaller than the width of the first part 1021, the width of the horizontal toothing 102 can be smaller and the weight can be lighter. Even after long-term use, the support shaft 101 is not easy to deform, and the horizontal toothing 102 will not sag. When the support shaft 101 drives the horizontal toothing 102 to move up and down or rotate, it will not easily rub against the heater, thereby reducing or even avoiding the generation of particle defects or the occurrence of sliding phenomenon, avoiding the scrapping of wafers, and improving the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment. In the wafer conveying device 10 of the utility model, the support shaft 101 is more stable, the probability of the horizontal toothing 102 being damaged is lower, the replacement frequency of the horizontal toothing 102 is reduced, the production capacity of semiconductor equipment is improved, and the production cost is saved.
[0034] As an example, the horizontal insert 102 can be connected to the support shaft 101 by, but not limited to, welding, riveting, plugging or threading. The horizontal insert 102 can be connected to the side wall of the support shaft 101 or to the top of the support shaft 101.
[0035] As an example, the horizontal insert 102 may include, but is not limited to, ceramic inserts.
[0036] As an example, the thickness of the second portion 1022 may be less than the thickness of the first portion 1021. Figure 3 shown.
[0037] In the above embodiment, by setting the thickness of the second part 1022 to be smaller than the thickness of the first part 1021, the weight of the horizontal tooth 102 can be further reduced, the deformation of the support shaft 101 due to long-term use can be further avoided, and the horizontal tooth 102 can be prevented from sagging, thereby further reducing or even avoiding the generation of particle defects or the occurrence of sliding phenomena, avoiding the scrapping of wafers, and improving the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment.
[0038] Specifically, the thickness difference between the second part 1022 and the first part 1021 can be set according to actual needs. For example, the thickness of the second part 1022 can be 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the thickness of the first part 1021; specifically, the thickness of the second part 1022 can be 1 / 3 of the thickness of the first part 1021, the thickness of the second part 1022 can also be 1 / 2 of the thickness of the first part 1021, and the thickness of the second part 1022 can also be 2 / 3 of the thickness of the first part 1021.
[0039] As an example, the central axis of the first portion 1021 and the central axis of the second portion 1022 may be located on the same straight line. Specifically, the central axis of the first portion 1021 extending along the extension direction of the horizontal insert 102 and the central axis of the second portion 1022 extending along the extension direction of the horizontal insert 102 may be located on the same straight line.
[0040] As an example, the length of the second portion 1022 may be, but is not limited to, greater than the length of the first portion 1021. Of course, in other examples, the length of the second portion 1022 may also be less than or equal to the length of the first portion 1021.
[0041] As an example, the upper surfaces of the horizontal inserts 102 can all be located in the same plane. Specifically, the installation heights of the horizontal inserts 102 on the support shaft 101 are the same to ensure that the upper surfaces of the horizontal inserts 102 can all be located in the same horizontal plane. By making the upper surfaces of the horizontal inserts 102 all be located in the same plane, when the support shaft 101 moves up and down, all the horizontal inserts 102 can be driven to reach the same height at the same time, and when the multiple horizontal inserts 102 in the wafer conveying device 10 are used to convey multiple wafers respectively, the loss of the wafers can be avoided.
[0042] As an example, the arrangement of the multiple pairs of horizontal prongs 102 along the axial direction of the support shaft 101 can be set according to actual needs. The multiple pairs of horizontal prongs 102 can be arranged at uniform intervals along the axial direction of the support shaft 101; of course, in other examples, the multiple pairs of horizontal prongs 102 can also be arranged at non-uniform intervals along the axial direction of the support shaft 101. In this embodiment, the multiple pairs of horizontal prongs 102 are arranged at uniform intervals along the axial direction of the support shaft 101.
[0043] As an example, the number of pairs of horizontal slotting teeth 102 in the wafer transfer device 10 can be set according to actual needs; Figure 1 In the example, the number of pairs of horizontal slotting teeth 102 in the wafer conveying device 10 is six pairs; in other examples, the number of pairs of horizontal slotting teeth 102 in the wafer conveying device 10 is not six pairs. Figure 1 The six pairs shown in the figure are limited; that is, in other examples, the number of pairs of horizontal slotting teeth 102 in the wafer conveying device 10 can also be one pair, two pairs, three pairs, four pairs, five pairs, eight pairs or ten pairs, etc.
[0044] As an example, the wafer conveying device 10 may also include: a first drive (not shown) and a second drive (not shown); the first drive is connected to the support shaft 101, and the first drive can be used to drive the support shaft 101 to drive the horizontal gear 102 to rotate; the second drive is connected to the support shaft 101, and the second drive is used to drive the support shaft 101 to drive the horizontal gear 102 to move up and down.
[0045] As an example, the first driver may include a drive motor, such as a servo motor, etc.; the second driver may include a drive motor, such as a servo motor or a stepper motor, etc.
[0046] In another embodiment, please combine Figures 1 to 3 See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 The utility model also provides a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device includes Figures 1 to 3 The wafer conveying device 10 described in.
[0047] In the semiconductor device of the above embodiment, since the horizontal tooth 102 in the wafer conveying device 10 is configured to include an integrally connected first part 1021 and a second part 1022, and the width of the second part 1022 is smaller than the width of the first part 1021, the width of the horizontal tooth 102 can be smaller and the weight can be lighter. Even after long-term use, the support shaft 101 is not easy to deform, and the horizontal tooth 102 will not sag. When the support shaft 101 drives the horizontal tooth 102 to move up and down or rotate, it will not easily rub against the heater, thereby reducing or even avoiding the generation of particle defects or the occurrence of the sliding phenomenon, avoiding the scrapping of wafers, and improving the production capacity and yield of semiconductor equipment. In the wafer conveying device 10 of the utility model, the support shaft 101 is more stable, the probability of the horizontal tooth 102 being damaged is lower, the replacement frequency of the horizontal tooth 102 is reduced, the production capacity of the semiconductor equipment is improved, and the production cost is saved.
[0048] As an example, see Figure 4 and Figure 5 The semiconductor device also includes: a heater 20, which is located on the periphery of the support shaft 101; the heater 20 may include a plurality of heating areas 201 arranged along the circumference of the support shaft 101; each heating area 201 is provided with a pair of receiving grooves 202, and the receiving grooves 202 are arranged one-to-one with the horizontal toothing 102; the length of the receiving grooves 202 is greater than the length of the horizontal toothing 102, and the width of the receiving grooves 202 is greater than the width of the first part 1021; wherein, when the support shaft 101 rises to the highest position, the lower surface of the horizontal toothing 102 is higher than the upper surface of the heating area 201; when the support shaft 101 is reset, the horizontal toothing 102 is located in the receiving grooves 202, and the upper surface of the horizontal toothing 102 is not higher than the upper surface of the heating area 201.
[0049] As an example, the plurality of heating regions 201 may be arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the support shaft 101 (eg, Figure 4 As shown), that is, along the axial direction of the support shaft 101, there may be a distance between adjacent heating regions 201; in other examples, along the axial direction of the support shaft 101, adjacent heating regions 201 may also be adjacent.
[0050] As an example, the center point of each heater area 201 is located between two horizontal teeth 102 in a pair of horizontal teeth 102, and the vertical distances from the center point of the heater area 201 to the two horizontal teeth 102 are the same, so as to ensure that when the horizontal teeth 102 move upward driven by the support shaft 101, after receiving the wafer located on the surface of the heating area 201, the wafer will not overturn or slide from the horizontal teeth 102, thereby avoiding damage to the wafer.
[0051] As an example, the shape of the heating area 201 can be set according to actual needs, for example, it can be circular, elliptical or rectangular, etc.; in this embodiment, the shape of the heating area 201 is circular.
[0052] As an example, the semiconductor device may further include a process chamber (not shown); the wafer transfer device 10 and the heater 20 may both be located in the process chamber. Specifically, the support shaft 101, the horizontal insert 102 and the heater 20 may both be located in the process chamber.
[0053] As an example, the process chamber may include a vacuum chamber.
[0054] As an example, the semiconductor equipment may include but is not limited to film forming equipment, such as chemical vapor deposition equipment, etc.
[0055] Please note that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to limit the present disclosure.
[0056] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.
[0057] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0058] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the utility model, and the description is relatively specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the utility model, which all belong to the protection scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model patent shall be based on the attached claims.
Claims
1. A wafer conveying device, characterized in that: include: Support shaft; A plurality of pairs of horizontal slotted teeth are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the support shaft; Each of the horizontal insert teeth comprises a first part and a second part which are integrally connected; one end of the first part away from the second part is connected to the support shaft; and the width of the second part is smaller than the width of the first part.
2. The wafer conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the second portion is smaller than the thickness of the first portion.
3. The wafer conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central axis of the first portion and the central axis of the second portion are located on the same straight line.
4. The wafer conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surfaces of the horizontal inserts are all located in the same plane.
5. The wafer conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of pairs of the horizontal insert teeth are evenly spaced and arranged along the circumference of the support shaft.
6. The wafer conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of pairs of the horizontal gear inserts is six.
7. The wafer conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Also includes: A first driver, connected to the support shaft, for driving the support shaft to drive the horizontal gear shaping to rotate; The second driver is connected to the support shaft and is used for driving the support shaft to drive the horizontal gear inserting device to move up and down.
8. A semiconductor device, characterized in that: include: The wafer conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, characterized in that The semiconductor equipment comprises the wafer transfer device as claimed in claim 7; The semiconductor device further comprises: A heater is located at the periphery of the support shaft; the heater includes a plurality of heating areas arranged along the circumference of the support shaft; each of the heating areas is provided with a pair of receiving grooves, and the receiving grooves are arranged one-to-one with the horizontal inserting teeth; the length of the receiving groove is greater than the length of the horizontal inserting teeth, and the width of the receiving groove is greater than the width of the first part; wherein, When the support shaft rises to the highest position, the lower surface of the horizontal tooth is higher than the upper surface of the heating area; when the support shaft is reset, the horizontal tooth is located in the accommodating groove, and the upper surface of the horizontal tooth is not higher than the upper surface of the heating area.
10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, characterized in that Also includes: Process chamber; The wafer conveying device and the heater are both located in the process chamber.