Transfer structure and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a transfer structure and semiconductor process equipment. The transfer structure comprises a transfer arm, at least two support arms which are stacked at intervals along a first direction, and a telescopic structure, the transfer arm is telescopically connected with at least one first supporting arm through a telescopic structure, and the second supporting arm which is not telescopically connected with the transfer arm through a telescopic structure is fixedly connected with the transfer arm. According to the utility model, through the first support arm which is telescopically connected with the transfer arm, different support arms are used for entering the chambers with different process temperatures, so that poor uniformity of processed wafers caused by influence on the process of the low-temperature chamber when the support arm entering the high-temperature chamber transfers the wafers into the low-temperature chamber is avoided; meanwhile, heat insulation structures are arranged between adjacent supporting arms, so that the mutual influence of the temperature of the supporting arms is reduced; in addition, the telescopic structure is connected with the supporting arm through a detachable clamping structure, so that the supporting arm is convenient to replace and maintain; and finally, a contraction cavity is formed, so that the first supporting arm is insulated when contracted, and the temperature influence of other supporting arms is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the field of semiconductor equipment, and particularly relates to a transfer structure and a semiconductor process equipment. Background Art

[0002] The EPI (Epitaxial) process is an indispensable process in the field of advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes. By depositing on the source and drain electrodes of MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors), electrons or holes can be generated inside the source and drain electrodes, and the semiconductor device operates through the migration of these carriers in the channel. During the EPI process, after the wafer enters the EPI machine, it needs to first enter the SiCoNi chamber (physical vapor deposition pre-cleaning process chamber) to etch the oxide on the wafer surface, and then enter the EPI chamber (epitaxial process chamber) to grow an epitaxial layer such as silicon phosphorus or silicon germanium boron. When growing the epitaxial layer, various gases such as DCS (dichlorosilane), HCL, PH 3 、H 2 and so on are introduced, and then the epitaxial layer is grown at high temperature.

[0003] However, in a single-buffer EPI chamber, when taking and delivering wafers from the EPI chamber through a blade (support arm), the temperature of the blade will be relatively high. As a result, when using the same blade to take a new wafer into the SiCoNi chamber later, the blade will transfer the high temperature to the wafer newly entering the SICONI chamber. The position where the wafer contacts the blade and the temperature rises makes it difficult for the gas (fluoride) for etching the oxide to adsorb on the wafer surface, resulting in a low etching amount of the oxide on the wafer surface. The residue of the oxide on the wafer surface will affect the growth of the epitaxial layer in the EPI chamber later, resulting in poor uniformity of the epitaxial layer on the final obtained wafer surface.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device or method that can improve the uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer.

[0005] It should be noted that the above introduction of the technical background is only for the convenience of clearly and completely explaining the technical solutions of the present application and facilitating the understanding of those skilled in the art. It cannot be considered that the above technical solutions are well-known to those skilled in the art just because these solutions are described in the background art part of the present application. Summary of the Utility Model

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, the purpose of the present utility model is to provide a transfer structure and a semiconductor process equipment, which are used to solve the problem of poor uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above purpose and other related purposes, the present utility model provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] In a first aspect, the present utility model provides a transfer structure, which includes: a transfer arm, at least two support arms, and a telescopic structure; all the support arms are stacked at intervals in a first direction, and the support arms are used to place the object to be transferred; a second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, the transfer arm and the support arms are both connected in the second direction, and the transfer arm and at least one of the support arms are telescopically connected through the telescopic structure; when there is a support arm that is not telescopically connected to the transfer arm through the telescopic structure, the support arm that is not telescopically connected to the transfer arm is fixedly connected to the transfer arm; the support arm that is telescopically connected to the transfer arm is the first support arm, and the support arm that is fixedly connected to the transfer arm is the second support arm.

[0009] Optionally, the distance between two adjacent support arms in the first direction is greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred in the first direction.

[0010] Optionally, a heat insulation structure is provided between the first support arm and its adjacent support arm.

[0011] Optionally, the transfer arm is provided with a first guide rail extending in the second direction, the telescopic structure is a pull rod that is slidably connected to the guide rail, one end of the pull rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the corresponding first support arm, and the other end of the pull rod in the second direction can be controlled to slide along the first guide rail to drive the corresponding first support arm to move relative to the second support arm until the projections of the first support arm and the second support arm in the first direction do not overlap.

[0012] Optionally, the telescopic structure is a telescopic rod that is telescopic in the second direction, one end of the telescopic rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the corresponding first support arm, and the other end of the telescopic rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the transfer arm, and the telescopic rod can be controlled to expand and contract to drive the corresponding first support arm to move relative to the second support arm until the projections of the first support arm and the second support arm in the first direction do not overlap.

[0013] Optionally, an extension rod is fixed at one end of the transfer arm close to the support arm, and the telescopic structure includes a driving motor, a transmission shaft, a second guide rail, a limit slider, and a rack and a gear that are meshed with each other;

[0014] The rack and the second guide rail are fixed on the extension rod. The second guide rail extends in a second direction. The first support arm is fixed to the limit slider, and the limit slider is slidably connected to the second guide rail. The transmission shaft penetrates through one end of the first support arm close to the extension rod in a first direction, and the transmission shaft also penetrates through the rotation center shaft of the gear. The transmission shaft is fixedly connected to the gear.

[0015] When the transmission shaft is driven by the driving motor to rotate about the rotation center shaft, the gear can be driven to rotate on the rack. The rotation of the gear causes the transmission shaft to drive the first support arm to move in the second direction under the guidance of the limit slider on the second guide rail, and the first support arm can move to a position where its projection along the first direction does not coincide with that of the second support arm.

[0016] Optionally, a contraction cavity is further provided at one end of the transfer arm connected to the support arm. The first support arm can be controlled by the telescopic structure to contract into the contraction cavity, and the material of the contraction cavity is a heat-insulating material.

[0017] Optionally, the telescopic structure and the first support arm to which it is telescopically connected are fixedly connected through a detachable clamping structure.

[0018] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a semiconductor process equipment, which includes a buffer chamber and more than two process chambers. The temperatures of the processes carried out in each of the process chambers are not all the same. The semiconductor process equipment further includes any one of the above transfer structures. One end of the transfer arm of the transfer structure that is not connected to the support arm is rotatably connected to a rotating shaft fixed in the buffer chamber. The transfer arm can rotate and / or expand and contract about the rotating shaft and enable the support arm to enter each of the process chambers from the buffer chamber to pick up and transfer the wafers to be transferred.

[0019] Optionally, the semiconductor process equipment is an epitaxial process machine.

[0020] As described above, the transfer structure and the semiconductor process equipment of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0021] The utility model ensures that different support arms can be used to pick and place wafers when entering process chambers with different process temperatures by setting a first support arm in the support arm (blade) that is telescopically connected to the transfer arm, so as to ensure that the wafer meets the corresponding process temperature requirements in the corresponding process chamber. When entering a high-temperature process chamber, the telescopic first support arm can be retracted so that the first support arm will not enter the high-temperature chamber and increase its temperature. When entering a low-temperature chamber, the first support arm is used to pick and place wafers. This can avoid the problem that the temperature of the position where the wafer contacts the blade increases when the support arm that has entered a too-high-temperature chamber transfers the wafer into a low-temperature chamber, thereby avoiding the problem of poor uniformity of the wafer after subsequent etching and growth processes and improving the final product yield.

[0022] The utility model ensures the uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer after the process by setting the distance between adjacent support arms to be greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred, avoiding the possibility that the object to be transferred contacts the upper support arm while being supported by the lower support arm for picking and placing, and further reducing the temperature influence of the support arms entering different-temperature chambers on the wafer.

[0023] The utility model can further prevent the temperature of other support arms that have entered a too-high-temperature chamber from significantly transferring heat to the retracted first support arm by setting a heat insulation structure between the first support arm and the adjacent support arm, thereby further ensuring that the wafer can meet the process temperature requirements of the corresponding chamber when entering different-temperature chambers for the process, and ensuring the uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer after the process.

[0024] The utility model improves the product quality of the wafer by setting the distance between the heat insulation structure and the adjacent support arm to be greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred, avoiding the possibility of the heat insulation structure rubbing against the wafer.

[0025] The utility model avoids the influence of the heat insulation structure on the telescopic and moving of the support arm by setting a distance between the heat insulation structure and the support arm, so as to improve the working state stability of the transfer structure.

[0026] The telescopic movement of the first support arm is realized by a pull rod that is slidably connected to the guide rail in the utility model, with a simple structure and convenient control.

[0027] The utility model sets the telescopic structure as a self-telescopic telescopic rod, making the modification convenient, which is beneficial to the modification on the basis of existing equipment and is convenient for application in actual production.

[0028] The telescopic movement of the first support arm is realized by the cooperation of a rack, a gear, a transmission shaft, a second guide rail and a limit slider to guide the telescopic direction of the first support arm in the utility model. At the same time, the control of the telescopic trajectory of the first support arm can be improved, ensuring that the first support arm does not affect the normal operation of other components during the telescopic process, so as to improve the reliability of the transfer structure.

[0029] By providing a contraction cavity, when the first support arm contracts, it can enter the contraction cavity, which can further prevent the temperature of other support arms that have entered the high-temperature chamber from significantly transferring heat to the contracting first support arm, thereby further ensuring that the wafer can meet the process temperature requirements of the corresponding chamber when entering different temperature chambers for processing, so as to ensure the uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer after the process;

[0030] By providing that the telescopic structure is connected to the first support arm through a detachable clamping structure, it is convenient to replace and repair the first support arm, which can improve the maintenance efficiency and service life of the transfer structure;

[0031] By providing an adsorption structure to adsorb the object to be transferred, it can facilitate the process of taking and delivering the wafer from the support arm, improve the taking and delivering efficiency, reduce the influence of the temperature of the process chamber on the support arm, and further improve the product yield;

[0032] By using the transfer structure in the semiconductor process equipment, the influence of the semiconductor process equipment on the process effect when taking and delivering wafers between different temperature chambers can be reduced, the uniformity of the epitaxial layer obtained after the wafer passes through the process can be improved, which is beneficial to improving the product yield. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 It shows a top perspective view schematic diagram of the transfer structure of the present invention when the first support arm is not contracted.

[0034] Figure 2 It shows a side perspective view schematic diagram of the transfer structure of the present invention when the first support arm is not contracted.

[0035] Figure 3 It shows a top perspective view schematic diagram of the transfer structure of the present invention after the first support arm is contracted.

[0036] Figure 4 It shows a side perspective view schematic diagram of the transfer structure of the present invention after the first support arm is contracted.

[0037] Figure 5 It shows a top perspective view schematic diagram of the transfer structure of the present invention when the first support arm is not contracted.

[0038] Figure 6 It shows a top perspective view schematic diagram of the transfer structure of the present invention after the first support arm is contracted.

[0039] Figure 7 It shows a top perspective view schematic diagram of the transfer structure in the prior art when transferring a wafer.

[0040] Figure 8 Shown is a schematic top perspective view of a support arm in the prior art.

[0041] Figure 9 Shown is a schematic top view of the support arm in the prior art when transferring a wafer.

[0042] Figure 10 Shown is a schematic side perspective view of the telescopic structure in the transfer structure of the present invention when the first support arm is not retracted.

[0043] Figure 11 Shown is a schematic side perspective view of the telescopic structure in the transfer structure of the present invention during the process of retracting the first support arm.

[0044] Figure 12 Shown is a schematic side perspective view of the telescopic structure in the transfer structure of the present invention after the first support arm is retracted.

[0045] Figure 13 Shown is an enlarged schematic view of the structure of the side perspective view of the telescopic structure in the transfer structure of the present invention.

[0046] Element number description

[0047] 10. Transfer arm; 11. Rotating shaft; 21. First support arm; 22. Second support arm; 23. Telescopic structure; 24. Engaging structure; 31. Buffer chamber; 32. SiCoNi chamber; 33. EPI chamber; 34. Blade; 40. Wafer; 51. First guide rail; 52. Pull rod; 53. Retraction chamber. Detailed implementation manners

[0048] The following illustrates the implementation manners of the present invention through specific specific examples. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through different specific implementation manners. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0049] When detailing the embodiments of the present invention, for the convenience of description, the schematic diagrams showing the device structure will be enlarged locally not in accordance with the general scale, and the schematic diagrams are only examples, which should not limit the protection scope of the present invention here. In addition, in actual production, three-dimensional spatial dimensions including length, width and depth should be included.

[0050] For ease of description, spatial relationship terms such as "below", "beneath", "lower", "under", "above", "on" may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature shown in the drawings to other elements or features. It will be understood that these spatial relationship terms are intended to encompass other orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings.

[0051] In the context of the present application, the structure in which the first feature is "above" the second feature as described may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features are formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.

[0052] It should be noted that the diagrams provided in this embodiment only illustrate the basic concept of the present utility model in a schematic manner. Therefore, only the components related to the present utility model are shown in the diagrams, rather than being drawn according to the number, shape, and size of the components in actual implementation. The type, quantity, and ratio of each component in actual implementation can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout type may also be more complex.

[0053] The present utility model provides a transfer structure, as Figures 1-6 shown, wherein Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the first support arm 21 of the transfer structure not contracted, Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the first support arm 21 of the transfer structure not contracted, Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the first support arm 21 of the transfer structure after contraction, Figure 4 is a side perspective view of the first support arm 21 of the transfer structure after contraction, Figure 5 is a side perspective view of the transfer structure with the first support arm 21 not contracted, Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the transfer structure with the first support arm 21 contracted. The transfer structure includes: a transfer arm 10, at least two support arms, and a telescopic structure 23; all the support arms are stacked at intervals in a first direction, and the support arms are used for placing objects to be transferred; a second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, the transfer arm 10 and the support arms are all connected in the second direction, and the transfer arm 10 and at least one of the support arms are telescopically connected through the telescopic structure 23; when there is a support arm that is not telescopically connected to the transfer arm 10 through the telescopic structure 23, the support arm that is not telescopically connected to the transfer arm 10 through the telescopic structure 23 is fixedly connected to the transfer arm 10; the support arm telescopically connected to the transfer arm 10 is the first support arm 21, and the support arm fixedly connected to the transfer arm 10 is the second support arm 22.

[0054] In the prior art during the EPI process, after the wafer 40 enters the EPI machine, it needs to first enter the SiCoNi chamber 32 (physical vapor deposition pre-cleaning process chamber) to etch the oxide on the surface of the wafer 40, and then enter the EPI chamber 33 (epitaxial process chamber) to grow an epitaxial layer such as silicon phosphorus or silicon germanium boron. When growing the epitaxial layer, DCS (dichlorosilane), HCL, PH 3 , H 2 and other gases need to be introduced, and then the epitaxial layer is grown at a high temperature. However, as Figures 7-9 shown, in the EPI chamber 33 with a single buffer (buffer chamber 31), when picking and placing the wafer 40 from the EPI chamber 33 through the blade 34 (support arm), the temperature of the blade 34 will be relatively high, resulting in the blade 34 transferring the high temperature to the wafer 40 newly entering the SiCoNi chamber 32 when using the same blade 34 to pick a new wafer 40. The position where the wafer 40 contacts the blade 34 and causes the temperature to rise makes it difficult for the gas (fluoride) for etching the oxide to adsorb on the surface of the wafer 40, resulting in a low etching amount of the oxide on the surface of the wafer 40. The residue of the oxide on the surface of the wafer 40 will affect the growth of the epitaxial layer in the subsequent EPI chamber 33, resulting in poor uniformity of the epitaxial layer on the surface of the finally obtained wafer 40. In the thickness distribution hot spot map of the epitaxial layer on the surface of the wafer 40 obtained by the epitaxial process affected by the temperature rise of the blade 34, the standard deviation of the surface height of the epitaxial layer is 7.297% of the average thickness.

[0055] The utility model sets the support arm (blade) to include a first support arm 21 that is telescopically connected to the transfer arm 10, so that different support arms can be used to pick and place the wafer 40 when entering process chambers with different process temperatures, ensuring that the wafer 40 meets the corresponding process temperature requirements in the corresponding process chambers. When entering a high-temperature process chamber, the telescopic first support arm 21 can be retracted so that the first support arm 21 will not enter the high-temperature chamber and increase its temperature. When entering a low-temperature chamber, the first support arm 21 is used to pick and place the wafer 40, thereby avoiding the temperature rise at the position where the wafer 40 contacts the second support arm 22 when the second support arm 22 that has entered a high-temperature chamber transfers the wafer 40 into a low-temperature chamber, thus avoiding the problem of poor uniformity of the wafer 40 after subsequent etching and growth processes and improving the final product yield; in the thickness distribution hot spot map of the epitaxial layer on the surface of the wafer 40 obtained by the epitaxial process using the transfer structure of the utility model without being affected by the temperature rise of the second support arm 22, the standard deviation of the surface height of the epitaxial layer is 4.262% of the average thickness, and the uniformity of its surface epitaxial layer is significantly better than that of the epitaxial layer obtained by the prior art.

[0056] Specifically, although the transfer structure of the present utility model is mainly used to solve the problem of the uniformity of the epitaxial layer on the surface of the wafer 40 caused by the repeated use of the support arms between process chambers at different temperatures in the epitaxial working machine, it can also be used in any other process steps involving the transfer of the wafer 40 between chambers at different temperatures, so as to reduce the influence of the support arms at different temperatures on the process effect of the wafer 40 being processed in the process chambers at different temperatures, which are all within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0057] In one embodiment, the transfer arm 10 can be a retractable and rotatable transfer arm 10 composed of two robotic arms as shown in Figures 5-6 or a retractable and rotatable transfer arm 10 composed of one or more robotic arms. The specific structure and number of the transfer arm 10 can be adjusted according to requirements, which are all within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0058] In one embodiment, the object to be transferred is the wafer 40 to be processed, or other suitable objects to be transferred, which are all within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0059] In one embodiment, the distance between two adjacent support arms in the first direction is greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred in the first direction.

[0060] By setting the distance between adjacent support arms to be greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred, the present utility model avoids the possibility that the object to be transferred contacts the upper support arm while being supported by the lower support arm during picking and placing, further reducing the temperature influence of the support arms entering different temperature chambers on the wafer 40, so as to ensure the uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer 40 after the process.

[0061] In one embodiment, a heat insulation structure is provided between the first support arm 21 and its adjacent support arm.

[0062] By providing a heat insulation structure between the first support arm 21 and its adjacent support arm, the present utility model can further prevent the temperature of other support arms that have entered the high-temperature chamber from significantly transferring heat to the contracted first support arm 21, thereby further ensuring that the wafer 40 can meet the requirements of the corresponding chamber for the process temperature when entering different temperature chambers for the process, so as to ensure the uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer 40 after the process.

[0063] In one embodiment, the preset distance between the heat insulation structure and its adjacent support arm in the first direction is greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred in the first direction.

[0064] The utility model sets the distance between the heat insulation structure and the adjacent support arm to be greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred, avoiding the possibility of abrasion between the heat insulation structure and the wafer 40, and improving the product quality of the wafer 40.

[0065] In one embodiment, the heat insulation structure can be at the bottom of the support arm, and there is a preset distance between the heat insulation structure at the bottom of the support arm and the support arm below the heat insulation structure.

[0066] In one embodiment, the heat insulation structure is not in contact with the support arm and is directly fixedly connected to the transfer arm 10; when the heat insulation structure is not in contact with the support arm, there is a distance between the heat insulation structure and the upper and lower adjacent support arms.

[0067] The utility model sets a distance between the heat insulation structure and the support arm, avoiding the influence of the heat insulation structure on the expansion and contraction and movement of the support arm, so as to improve the working state stability of the transfer structure.

[0068] In one embodiment, as Figures 10-13 shown, where Figures 10-12 is a side perspective view during the contraction of the first support arm 21 by the telescopic structure 23, Figure 13 is Figure 11 a structural enlarged view of the M part of the telescopic structure 23 in . The transfer arm 10 is provided with a first guide rail 51 extending along the second direction. The telescopic structure 23 is a pull rod 52 slidably connected to the guide rail. One end of the pull rod 52 in the second direction is fixedly connected to the corresponding first support arm 21, and the other end of the pull rod 52 in the second direction can be controlled to slide along the first guide rail 51 to drive the corresponding first support arm 21 to move relative to the second support arm 22 until the projections of the first support arm 21 and the second support arm 22 along the first direction do not coincide.

[0069] The utility model realizes the expansion and contraction of the first support arm 21 through the pull rod 52 slidably connected to the guide rail, with a simple structure and convenient control.

[0070] In one embodiment, the telescopic structure 23 is a telescopic rod that can be telescoped along the second direction. One end of the telescopic rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the corresponding first support arm 21, and the other end of the telescopic rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the transfer arm 10. The telescopic rod can be controlled to expand and contract to drive the corresponding first support arm 21 to move relative to the second support arm 22 until the projections of the first support arm 21 and the second support arm 22 along the first direction do not coincide.

[0071] The utility model facilitates modification by providing a telescopic structure 23 which is a telescopic rod that can expand and contract by itself, is conducive to modification based on existing equipment, and is convenient for application in actual production.

[0072] In one embodiment, an extension rod is fixed to one end of the transfer arm 10 close to the support arm. The telescopic structure 23 includes a driving motor, a transmission shaft, a second guide rail, a limit slider, and a rack and a gear that are meshed;

[0073] The rack and the second guide rail are fixed to the extension rod. The second guide rail extends in the second direction. The first support arm 21 is fixed to the limit slider, and the limit slider is slidably connected to the second guide rail; the transmission shaft penetrates through one end of the first support arm 21 close to the extension rod in the first direction, and the transmission shaft also penetrates through the rotation center shaft of the gear. The transmission shaft is fixedly connected to the gear;

[0074] When the transmission shaft is driven by the driving motor to rotate about the rotation center shaft, it can drive the gear to rotate on the rack; the rotation of the gear causes the transmission shaft to drive the first support arm 21 to move in the second direction guided by the limit slider on the second guide rail, and the first support arm 21 can move to a position where its projection along the first direction does not coincide with that of the second support arm 22.

[0075] The utility model realizes the telescoping of the first support arm 21 by the cooperation of the rack, the gear, the transmission shaft, the second guide rail and the limit slider to guide the telescoping direction of the first support arm 21. At the same time, it can improve the control of the telescoping trajectory of the first support arm 21, ensure that the first support arm 21 does not affect the normal operation of other components during the telescoping process, and improve the reliability of the transfer structure.

[0076] Specifically, the telescopic structure 23 can also adopt other suitable structures to realize the telescopic connection between the first support arm 21 and the transfer arm 10, which are all within the protection scope of the utility model.

[0077] In one embodiment, the telescoping of the telescopic structure 23 can be controlled automatically by a program.

[0078] In one embodiment, a contraction cavity 53 is further provided at one end of the transfer arm 10 connected to the support arm. The first support arm 21 can be controlled by the telescopic structure 23 to contract into the contraction cavity 53, and the material of the contraction cavity 53 is a heat-insulating material.

[0079] The utility model further prevents the temperature of other support arms that have entered a high-temperature chamber from significantly transferring heat to the contracted first support arm 21 when the first support arm 21 contracts by providing a contraction cavity 53, thereby further ensuring that the wafer 40 can meet the process temperature requirements of the corresponding chamber when entering different temperature chambers for processes, so as to ensure the uniformity of the epitaxial layer grown on the wafer 40 after the process.

[0080] In one embodiment, the telescopic structure 23 and the first support arm 21 that is telescopically connected thereto are fixedly connected by a detachable clamping structure 24.

[0081] The utility model connects the telescopic structure 23 and the first support arm 21 by a detachable clamping structure 24, which facilitates the replacement and maintenance of the first support arm 21 and can improve the maintenance efficiency and service life of the transfer structure.

[0082] In one embodiment, the support arm is provided with an adsorption structure for adsorbing the object to be transferred.

[0083] The utility model adsorbs the object to be transferred by providing an adsorption structure, which can facilitate the process of taking and delivering the wafer 40 from the support arm, improve the taking and delivering efficiency, reduce the influence of the temperature of the process chamber on the support arm, and further improve the product yield.

[0084] The utility model also provides a semiconductor process equipment, which includes a buffer chamber 31 and more than two process chambers. The temperatures of the processes carried out in each process chamber are not all the same. The semiconductor process equipment also includes any one of the above transfer structures. One end of the transfer arm 10 of the transfer structure that is not connected to the support arm is rotatably connected to a rotating shaft 11 fixed in the buffer chamber 31. The transfer arm 10 can rotate and / or expand and contract with the rotating shaft 11 as the axis and make the support arm enter each process chamber from the buffer chamber 31 to take and deliver the wafer 40 to be transferred.

[0085] By using the above transfer structure in the semiconductor process equipment, the utility model can reduce the influence on the process effect when the semiconductor process equipment takes and delivers the wafer 40 between different temperature chambers, improve the uniformity of the epitaxial layer obtained after the wafer 40 undergoes the process, and is beneficial to improving the product yield.

[0086] In one embodiment, the semiconductor process equipment is an epitaxial process machine platform.

[0087] In one embodiment, the process chamber includes a physical vapor deposition pre-cleaning process chamber and an epitaxial process chamber.

[0088] Specifically, although the semiconductor process equipment of the present utility model is mainly used to solve the problem of the uniformity of the epitaxial layer on the surface of the wafer 40 caused by the repeated use of the support arm between process chambers at different temperatures in the epitaxial working station, it can also be used for any other process steps involving the transfer of the wafer 40 between chambers at different temperatures, so as to reduce the influence of the support arm at different temperatures on the process effect of the wafer 40 undergoing the process in the process chambers at different temperatures, and all are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0089] In summary, for the transfer structure and semiconductor process equipment of the present utility model, by setting a support arm telescopically connected to the transfer arm, different support arms can be used when entering chambers at different process temperatures, avoiding the influence of the support arm that has entered a chamber with too high temperature on the process effect of the low-temperature chamber when transferring the wafer into the low-temperature chamber, resulting in poor uniformity of the wafer after the process, realizing the isolation between the support arms used in different-temperature processes, and improving the product yield; at the same time, by setting a heat insulation structure between adjacent support arms, the possibility of the temperature between the support arms having an impact is further reduced; in addition, the telescopic structure and the support arm are connected through a detachable clamping structure, facilitating the replacement and repair of the support arm and improving the use efficiency; finally, through the contraction cavity provided in the transfer arm, the first support arm can be further insulated when it is contracted, reducing the influence of other support arms entering the high-temperature chamber.

[0090] Therefore, the present utility model effectively overcomes various shortcomings in the prior art and has high industrial utilization value.

[0091] The above embodiments are only illustrative of the principles and effects of the present utility model, and are not used to limit the present utility model. Any person familiar with this technology can modify or change the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present utility model. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or changes made by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field without departing from the spirit and technical idea disclosed by the present utility model should still be covered by the claims of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A transfer structure, characterized in that: The transfer structure includes: a transfer arm, at least two support arms and a telescopic structure; all the support arms are stacked at intervals along a first direction, and the support arms are used to place objects to be transferred; a second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the transfer arm and the support arms are connected along the second direction, and the transfer arm is telescopically connected to at least one of the support arms through the telescopic structure; when there is a support arm that is not telescopically connected to the transfer arm through the telescopic structure, the support arm that is not telescopically connected to the transfer arm through the telescopic structure is fixedly connected to the transfer arm; the support arm telescopically connected to the transfer arm is the first support arm, and the support arm fixedly connected to the transfer arm is the second support arm.

2. The transfer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The distance between two adjacent support arms in the first direction is greater than the thickness of the object to be transferred in the first direction.

3. The transfer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A heat insulation structure is arranged between the first supporting arm and the adjacent supporting arm.

4. The transfer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transfer arm is provided with a first guide rail extending along the second direction, and the telescopic structure is a pull rod slidably connected to the guide rail. One end of the pull rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the corresponding first support arm, and the other end of the pull rod in the second direction can be controlled to slide along the first guide rail to drive the corresponding first support arm to move relative to the second support arm until the projections of the first support arm and the second support arm along the first direction do not overlap.

5. The transfer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic structure is a telescopic rod that can be extended or retracted along the second direction, one end of the telescopic rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the corresponding first support arm, and the other end of the telescopic rod in the second direction is fixedly connected to the transfer arm, and the telescopic rod can be controlled to extend or retract to drive the corresponding first support arm to move relative to the second support arm until the projections of the first support arm and the second support arm along the first direction do not overlap.

6. The transfer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transfer arm is fixed with an extension rod at one end close to the support arm, and the telescopic structure includes a drive motor, a transmission shaft, a second guide rail, a limit slider, and a meshing rack and a gear; The rack and the second guide rail are fixed on the extension rod, the second guide rail extends along the second direction, the first support arm is fixed to the limit slider, and the limit slider is slidably connected to the second guide rail; the transmission shaft passes through the first support arm along the first direction, one end of the extension rod is close to the transmission shaft, and the transmission shaft also passes through the rotation center axis of the gear, and the transmission shaft is fixedly connected to the gear; When the transmission shaft is driven by the driving motor to rotate around the rotation center axis, it can drive the gear to rotate on the rack; the rotation of the gear causes the transmission shaft to drive the first support arm to move along the second direction on the second guide rail under the guidance of the limiting slider, and the first support arm can be moved until it does not overlap with the projection of the second support arm along the first direction.

7. The transfer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A contraction cavity is further provided at one end of the transfer arm connected to the support arm. The first support arm can be controlled by the telescopic structure to contract into the contraction cavity. The material of the contraction cavity is a heat insulating material.

8. The transfer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic structure and the first supporting arm to which it is telescopically connected are fixedly connected via a detachable clamping structure.

9. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: The semiconductor process equipment includes a buffer chamber and more than two process chambers, and the temperatures of the processes in the various process chambers are not all the same. The semiconductor process equipment also includes a transfer structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the end of the transfer arm of the transfer structure that is not connected to the support arm is rotatably connected to a rotating shaft fixed in the buffer chamber, and the transfer arm can be rotated and / or extended with the rotating shaft as the axis and the support arm can enter each of the process chambers from the buffer chamber to pick up and deliver the wafers to be transferred.

10. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that: The semiconductor process equipment is an epitaxial process machine.

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