Wafer ejector pin

Abstract

The utility model provides a wafer ejector pin, which comprises an ejector pin body, the ejector pin body comprises a supporting rod and a supporting part located on the supporting rod, the supporting rod is used for connecting wafer processing equipment, the supporting part is used for supporting a wafer, and the top end of the supporting part is provided with a positioning structure for stably bearing the wafer. The positioning structure is specially designed at the top end of the supporting part of the wafer ejector pin, so that accurate positioning of the wafer in the machining process is ensured, and the bearing capacity is remarkably enhanced. By reducing the displacement of the wafer in the supporting process and preventing the sliding phenomenon, the device fault or shutdown caused by improper movement of the wafer is effectively avoided, the risk of wafer damage is reduced, and the production efficiency and the processing quality are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and particularly relates to a wafer pusher. Background Art

[0002] Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is a key manufacturing technology in semiconductor manufacturing. It combines the processes of chemical oxidation and mechanical grinding to remove the material surface and achieve a very high level of flatness. This technology is not limited to the semiconductor industry and is also widely used in other fields that require high-precision surface treatment.

[0003] During the CMP process, after the wafer is planarized, it usually needs to be cleaned to remove the residual polishing liquid and abrasive. After cleaning, the wafer enters the dryer. In the dryer, the wafer is placed in a specifically designed base groove, usually crescent-shaped, and a pusher will push the wafer to perform the drying process. However, the initial design of the pusher is a flat-head type, as Figure 1 shown, which causes the wafer to be affected by the water flow in the drying tank and may slide during the drying process. This sliding may cause the wafer to drop during the chuck operation, which is a serious equipment failure. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] In order to solve all or part of the above prior art problems, the utility model provides a wafer pusher, which redesigned the shape of the upper part of the pusher to enhance its bearing capacity for the wafer and reduce the displacement of the wafer during the drying process.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the utility model provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] A wafer pusher includes a pusher body. The pusher body includes a support rod and a support part located on the support rod. The support rod is used to connect to the wafer processing equipment, and the support part is used to support the wafer. A positioning structure for stably carrying the wafer is provided at the top of the support part. The top of the support part of the wafer pusher is specially designed with a positioning structure. This innovation not only ensures the precise positioning of the wafer during the processing, but also significantly enhances the bearing capacity. By reducing the displacement of the wafer during the support process and preventing sliding, the utility model effectively avoids equipment failures or shutdowns caused by improper movement of the wafer, reduces the risk of wafer damage, and improves production efficiency and processing quality.

[0007] The positioning structure is a concave groove provided at the top of the support part. The concave groove can closely fit the edge of the wafer, effectively reducing the sliding or rotation of the wafer during the support process, thereby enhancing the stability of the wafer during the processing.

[0008] The concave groove is one of a V-shaped groove or a U-shaped groove, providing an accurate positioning method for the wafer. The inner cutting surface of the V-shaped groove or the U-shaped groove helps to achieve uniform distribution of the supporting force, thereby effectively reducing the local stress that may occur during the wafer processing.

[0009] The vertical distance between the lowest point and the highest point of the concave groove is 2 - 3 mm; the horizontal length of the concave groove is 6 - 10 mm. By precisely controlling the size of the concave groove, the possibility of displacement or rotation of the wafer during support can be reduced.

[0010] The supporting part further includes two first cutting surfaces and second cutting surfaces that extend downward and are symmetrically arranged, and the positioning structure is arranged at the junction of the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface. This design enhances the structural stability and symmetry of the supporting part, providing a uniformly distributed supporting force.

[0011] The included angle range between the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface is 30 - 90°. The design of this included angle not only optimizes the structural strength of the supporting part to ensure the stability of the supporting part when supporting heavier or larger-sized wafers, but also allows precise adjustment of the vertical depth of the positioning structure to adapt to wafers of different thicknesses.

[0012] Both the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface are formed with an inscribed V-shaped surface in the vertical axis direction. This design effectively reduces local stress concentration by more evenly distributing the pressure of the wafer on the supporting part, thereby significantly reducing the risk of material fatigue.

[0013] The total length of the support rod and the supporting part is 28 - 32 mm. Users can set the lengths of the support rod and the supporting part according to the precise requirements of specific equipment to ensure perfect fit and optimal performance with the equipment.

[0014] Symmetric mounting grooves are provided on the support rod, and the mounting grooves are matched with the interfaces of the wafer processing equipment for stable connection. The mounting grooves that are precisely matched with the equipment interfaces help to stably connect the support rod and the wafer processing equipment, reducing vibration and displacement during the processing.

[0015] The wafer thimble is applicable to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, especially applicable to wafer drying equipment.

[0016] The utility model has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1) The top of the support part of the wafer thimble is specially designed with a concave groove as a positioning structure. This design ensures the precise positioning of the wafer during the processing and significantly enhances the load-bearing capacity. The tight fitting effect of the concave groove effectively reduces the sliding or rotation of the wafer during the support process, thereby improving the stability and processing quality of the wafer processing, and at the same time reducing the risk of equipment failure or downtime caused by improper movement.

[0018] 2) The design of the support part includes two symmetric first cutting surfaces and second cutting surfaces, as well as an inscribed V-shaped surface. These features together enhance the structural stability and symmetry, providing a uniformly distributed support force. The precise design of the included angle and the inscribed V-shaped structure of the cutting surface help to more evenly distribute the pressure of the wafer on the support part, reduce local stress concentration, significantly reduce the risk of material fatigue, and extend the service life of the thimble.

[0019] 3) By setting an appropriate total length for the support rod and the support part, and precisely matching the symmetric installation grooves with the interface of the wafer processing equipment, the wafer thimble can be adjusted according to the precise requirements of a specific device, ensuring a perfect fit with the device. This design not only improves the versatility and flexibility of the wafer thimble, but also simplifies the installation process, reduces the operation complexity, reduces the vibration and displacement during the processing, and improves the production efficiency and the reliability of the equipment. Description of the Drawings

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of the present utility model, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the following described drawings are only some embodiments of the present utility model. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a flat-head wafer thimble in the prior art.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer thimble according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0023] Figure 3 It is for the Figure 2 cross-sectional view of the wafer thimble A-A in the embodiment of the present utility model.

[0024] Reference numerals: 1 - support rod; 101 - installation groove; 2 - support part; 201 - first cutting surface; 202 - second cutting surface. Detailed Embodiments

[0025] The technical solutions in the specific embodiments of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present utility model, rather than all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0026] The implementation of the present utility model will be described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0027] In the embodiments of the present utility model, with reference to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 as shown, a wafer thimble designed specifically for the wafer drying stage in the semiconductor manufacturing process is provided. This wafer thimble aims to improve the efficiency and stability of the wafer drying equipment in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The wafer thimble of the present utility model mainly consists of a thimble body, and the thimble body includes a support rod 1 and a support portion 2 located on the support rod 1. The main function of the support rod 1 is to mechanically connect the thimble to the wafer processing equipment to ensure the fixation and reliability of the thimble during operation. The support portion 2 is specifically designed to stably carry the wafer, and a precise positioning structure is specially provided at its top. This structure not only ensures the stability of the wafer during processing but also improves the positioning accuracy.

[0028] The positioning structure at the top of the support portion 2 adopts a concave groove design, which can specifically be a V-shaped groove or a U-shaped groove, or other customized concave structures to achieve precise positioning and support of the wafer. The vertical distance between the lowest point and the highest point of the concave groove is controlled within the range of 2 - 3 mm. This design not only ensures the stability of the wafer during drying but also takes into account the thickness differences of different wafers. In this embodiment, the vertical distance is specifically set to 2 mm to adapt to the thickness of standard wafers. The horizontal length of the concave groove is controlled within the range of 6 - 10 mm to improve the positioning accuracy of the wafer and reduce the offset during drying. In this embodiment, the horizontal length is set to 8.1 mm, and this dimension is the optimal value obtained based on compatibility tests of various wafer sizes. In addition, the concave groove can be subjected to surface smoothing treatment to reduce the friction when the wafer contacts the groove and prevent scratches or damage to the wafer surface during the support process.

[0029] The support portion 2 further includes two symmetrically arranged first cutting surfaces 201 and second cutting surfaces 202, which extend downward and form the main structure of the support portion 2. The positioning structure is arranged at the junction of the first cutting surface 201 and the second cutting surface 202. The included angle range between the first cutting surface 201 and the second cutting surface 202 is designed to be 30 - 90°, and this specific included angle range not only allows the positioning structure to adjust the vertical depth according to the thickness of the wafer as needed to achieve adaptability to wafers of different specifications, but also enhances the structural strength of the support portion 2 by optimizing the included angle, thereby improving the overall durability and reliability of the device. In this embodiment, the included angle between the first cutting surface 201 and the second cutting surface 202 is specifically 45°. Further, both the first cutting surface 201 and the second cutting surface 202 are designed with an inscribed V-shaped surface in the vertical axis direction. This unique design not only enhances the structural strength of the support portion 2 but also significantly improves its bending resistance. The inscribed V-shaped surface reduces the bending risk of the support portion 2 when bearing the weight of the wafer, ensuring stability under various operating conditions.

[0030] The total length of the support rod 1 and the support portion 2 is designed to be 28 - 32 mm to meet the requirements of different wafer drying equipment. In this embodiment, the total length is specifically 30.5 mm, and this dimension is designed according to the specific requirements of the wafer drying equipment to ensure the compatibility and stability between the ejector pin and the equipment. Two symmetrically arranged mounting grooves 101 are provided on the support rod 1, and these mounting grooves 101 are precisely matched with the interfaces of the wafer processing equipment, ensuring a firm connection between the ejector pin and the equipment. To adapt to various environmental conditions that may be encountered in the semiconductor manufacturing process, the support rod 1 and the support portion 2 are made of high-strength and corrosion-resistant materials, such as stainless steel or special alloys designed for extreme conditions. In addition, the surfaces of the support rod 1 and the support portion 2 have undergone special treatments, such as coating or polishing, which not only reduce the friction and wear of the wafer during the processing but also improve the surface corrosion resistance and cleanliness, thereby contributing to improving the quality and efficiency of wafer processing.

[0031] The top end of the support part 2 of the wafer ejector pin of the present utility model adopts a concave groove design, specifically a V-shaped groove or a U-shaped groove. This structure can accurately position the wafer and ensure its stability during the drying process. The size of the concave groove is precisely calculated, and the reasonable setting of the vertical distance and horizontal length adapts to wafers of different thicknesses and sizes. At the same time, the introduction of a micro-adjustment mechanism further improves the versatility and adaptability of the ejector pin, meeting the requirements of high-precision processing. The design of the two symmetric cutting surfaces and the inscribed V-shaped surface of the support part 2 not only optimizes the structural strength but also significantly enhances the bending resistance. The precise design of the included angle enables the support part 2 to adapt to wafers of different specifications, while enhancing the overall durability and reliability. This structural design reduces the bending risk when supporting heavier or larger-sized wafers, ensuring stability under various operating conditions. The total length of the support rod 1 and the support part 2 is designed to meet the requirements of different wafer drying equipment. The specific length in this embodiment ensures the compatibility and stability with the equipment. The precise matching of the symmetric mounting groove 101 with the interface of the wafer processing equipment guarantees a firm connection between the ejector pin and the equipment. The selected high-strength and corrosion-resistant materials and special surface treatments, such as coating or polishing, not only reduce friction and wear but also improve corrosion resistance and cleanliness, thus simplifying maintenance work and improving the quality and efficiency of wafer processing.

[0032] In summary, through a series of innovative designs, the wafer ejector pin of the present utility model provides a high-efficiency and high-stability support solution for the wafer drying stage in the semiconductor manufacturing process, meeting the strict requirements of modern semiconductor manufacturing for precision and reliability.

[0033] It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art of this technology, without departing from the principle of the present utility model, several improvements and modifications can be made to the present utility model, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A wafer ejector pin, characterized in that: The ejector pin comprises a ejector body, the ejector body comprising a support rod (1) and a support portion (2) located on the support rod (1), the support rod (1) being used to connect to a wafer processing device, the support portion (2) being used to support a wafer, and a positioning structure for stably supporting the wafer being arranged at the top end of the support portion (2).

2. The ejector pin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning structure is a concave groove arranged at the top end of the support portion (2).

3. The ejector pin according to claim 2, characterized in that: The concave groove is a V-shaped groove or a U-shaped groove.

4. The ejector pin according to claim 2, characterized in that: The vertical distance between the lowest point and the highest point of the concave groove is 2-3 mm; the horizontal length of the concave groove is 6-10 mm.

5. The ejector pin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support portion (2) further comprises two first cutting surfaces (201) and second cutting surfaces (202) extending downward and arranged symmetrically, and the positioning structure is arranged at the intersection of the first cutting surface (201) and the second cutting surface (202).

6. The ejector pin according to claim 5, characterized in that: The included angle between the first cutting surface (201) and the second cutting surface (202) is in the range of 30-90°.

7. The ejector pin according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first cutting surface (201) and the second cutting surface (202) both form an inscribed V-shaped surface in a direction perpendicular to the axis.

8. The ejector pin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The total length of the support rod (1) and the support portion (2) is 28-32 mm.

9. The ejector pin according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support rod (1) is provided with symmetrical mounting grooves (101), and the mounting grooves (101) match the interfaces of wafer processing equipment for stable connection.

10. The ejector pin according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The wafer ejector pin is suitable for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, in particular for wafer drying equipment.

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