Silicon wafer carrier, cooling chamber and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a silicon wafer carrier, a cooling chamber and semiconductor process equipment, the carrier comprises a metal bearing platform with a supporting surface, and a ceramic protruding piece which extends upwards out of the supporting surface and is used for supporting a silicon wafer is fixedly embedded in the metal bearing platform. When the silicon wafer subjected to rapid heat treatment is transmitted to the ceramic convex piece, the heat conduction coefficient of the ceramic convex piece is greatly reduced relative to the heat conduction coefficient of the metal bearing table, so that the heat conduction efficiency between the silicon wafer and the ceramic convex piece is reduced, and the problem of silicon wafer cracking caused by sudden drop of the single-point temperature of the silicon wafer is further avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductors, in particular to a silicon wafer carrier, a cooling chamber and a semiconductor process equipment. Background Art

[0002] The rapid thermal processing (RTP) process is a method of rapidly heating a silicon wafer to a set temperature for short-time rapid heat treatment. It can usually heat the silicon wafer to a temperature exceeding 1000°C within no more than a few seconds. After the process ends, it is cooled to 600 - 800°C, and then transferred to a cooling chamber for secondary cooling, thereby reducing the occupation time of the silicon wafer in the RTP chamber.

[0003] In the cooling chamber, if a high-temperature silicon wafer is directly placed on the support surface of a metal carrier, the silicon wafer may crack due to too fast heat conduction. In this regard, the existing solutions include: making the support surface of the metal carrier extend upward to form a metal boss to support the silicon wafer at points, thereby reducing the contact area between the carrier and the silicon wafer and preventing too fast heat transfer. However, although the metal boss is small, there is still a certain area in contact with the silicon wafer, and relatively efficient heat transfer is likely to occur at the contact position during the cooling process, and it may still cause the problem of too large single-point temperature difference resulting in silicon wafer cracking. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] Aiming at the deficiencies of the above-mentioned prior art, the purpose of the utility model is to provide a silicon wafer carrier, a cooling chamber and a semiconductor process equipment to solve the problem that the carrier in the prior art contacts the silicon wafer through a metal boss, which is likely to cause too large single-point temperature difference resulting in silicon wafer cracking.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] The first aspect of the utility model provides a silicon wafer carrier, which includes a metal bearing platform with a support surface, and a ceramic protrusion is fixedly embedded in the metal bearing platform and protrudes upward from the support surface for supporting the silicon wafer.

[0007] Further, the ceramic protrusion is a silicon nitride ceramic protrusion.

[0008] Further, the ceramic protrusion is spherical.

[0009] Further, a groove with a diameter smaller than that of the ceramic protrusion is reserved on the metal bearing platform, and the lower half of the ceramic protrusion is fixedly pressed into the groove.

[0010] Further, the metal carrier includes two arc-shaped carrier plates symmetrically arranged, and each carrier plate has the support surface and is fixedly embedded with the ceramic projection.

[0011] Further, each carrier plate is fixedly embedded with two ceramic projections, and the ceramic projections on the two carrier plates are symmetrically arranged.

[0012] Further, the metal carrier further includes two mounting plates, and the two mounting plates are respectively supported below the two carrier plates in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0013] Further, the carrier includes at least two metal carriers stacked at intervals. A second aspect of the present utility model provides a cooling chamber, and the chamber is provided with the wafer carrier as described above.

[0014] A third aspect of the present utility model provides a semiconductor process equipment, and the equipment includes the cooling chamber as described above.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solutions, the present utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] In the present utility model, the ceramic projections are fixedly embedded on the support surface of the metal carrier to support the wafer as a fulcrum. Since the heat conduction coefficient of the ceramic projection is greatly reduced compared with that of the metal carrier, the heat conduction efficiency between the wafer and the ceramic projection is reduced, thereby avoiding the problem that the wafer cracks due to the sudden drop in the single-point temperature of the wafer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic structural view of the wafer carrier of the present utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic structural view of the carrier plate in the present utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0019] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present utility model and are not used to limit the present utility model. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work shall fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0020] The terms used in this utility model are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The singular forms "a", "the", and "said" used in the present disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0021] In view of the problem that in the prior art, the silicon wafer carrier contacts the silicon wafer through metal bosses, which easily causes too large a single-point temperature difference and leads to the cracking of the silicon wafer, the present utility model provides a silicon wafer carrier, a rapid thermal processing chamber, and a device.

[0022] Embodiment 1

[0023] This embodiment provides a silicon wafer carrier for carrying a silicon wafer in a cooling chamber, as Figure 1-2 shown. It includes a metal carrier table 1 with a support surface (preferably made of aluminum), and a ceramic protrusion 2 is fixedly embedded on the metal carrier table 1. The ceramic protrusion 2 protrudes upward from the support surface for supporting the silicon wafer (not shown). When the silicon wafer is placed on the ceramic protrusion 2, since the thermal conductivity coefficient of the ceramic protrusion 2 is greatly reduced relative to that of the metal carrier table 1, the heat conduction efficiency between the silicon wafer and the ceramic protrusion 2 is reduced, thereby avoiding the problem of the silicon wafer cracking caused by a sudden drop in the single-point temperature of the silicon wafer.

[0024] In this embodiment, the ceramic protrusion 2 preferably adopts a silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramic protrusion, which can adapt to a temperature range of -115°C to 800°C, the hardness can reach 75 HRC, the durability is very high, and its material characteristics are similar to those of the silicon wafer, and it will not damage the surface of the wafer.

[0025] In this embodiment, the ceramic protrusion 2 is preferably designed to be spherical to reduce its contact area with the silicon wafer. The diameter of the spherical ceramic protrusion 2 is preferably about 2.38 mm. Correspondingly, a groove (not shown) is provided on the metal carrier table 1 that opens downward from the support surface and matches the shape of the ceramic protrusion 2. In this embodiment, the ceramic protrusion 2 is fixedly embedded in the metal carrier table 1 by an interference fit between the metal carrier table 1 and the groove.

[0026] Specifically, in the case of not using an adhesive and considering thermal expansion and contraction, the diameter of the groove for embedding the ceramic projection 2 must be smaller than the diameter of the ceramic projection 2 in order to effectively prevent the ceramic projection 2 from becoming loose. In order to press the ceramic projection 2 into a metal groove with a smaller diameter without causing damage, in this embodiment, a vacuum hydraulic adsorption device is used to adsorb the ceramic projection 2 and then liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the ceramic projection 2 to cool it. At the same time, the metal carrier 1 is heated to soften, and then the cooled ceramic projection 2 is pressed into the groove. It should be understood that in addition to spherical shape, the ceramic projection 2 can also be designed into other suitable shapes such as ellipsoidal shape.

[0027] Referring again to FIG. 1, the carrier of this embodiment further includes a metal base 3, which has a circular hole with a diameter approximately the same as that of the silicon wafer. The metal carrier 1 is fixedly installed on the base 3 and arranged circumferentially along the circular hole.

[0028] In Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the metal carrier includes two symmetrically arranged arc-shaped carrier plates 11, 12 (axisymmetric with respect to the silicon wafer), and each carrier plate 11, 12 has a support surface and is fixedly embedded with a ceramic projection 2. Among them, ceramic projections 2 are respectively embedded at both ends of the support surface of each carrier plate 11, 12, and the ceramic projections 2 on the two carrier plates 11, 12 are also symmetrically arranged.

[0029] In this embodiment, the metal carrier 1 further includes two arc-shaped mounting plates 13, 14, and the two mounting plates 13, 14 respectively support below the two carrier plates 11, 12 in a one-to-one correspondence. Each carrier plate 11, 12 is also provided with mounting holes through which fasteners can pass, so that the carrier plates 11, 12 can be mounted on the top of the corresponding mounting plates 13, 14 through the fasteners.

[0030] In this embodiment, the silicon wafer carrier may include at least two layers ( Figure 1 shown as two layers in

[0031] Example 2

[0032] This embodiment provides a cooling chamber, in which a silicon wafer carrier as provided in Example 1 is arranged inside the chamber. After the silicon wafer is placed on the carrier, nitrogen is introduced through the air inlet as a cooling gas to achieve the cooling effect. Since it is no longer easy to have high-efficiency heat transfer between the silicon wafer and the ceramic projection 2 of the carrier, the problem of the silicon wafer cracking due to excessive single-point temperature difference is avoided.

[0033] Example 3

[0034] This embodiment provides a semiconductor processing apparatus. Among them, the apparatus includes a cooling chamber provided as in Embodiment 2. Since a wafer carrier provided as in Embodiment 1 is used in the chamber, when the wafer is placed on the carrier, it is no longer easy to have high-efficiency heat transfer with the ceramic protrusion 2, thereby avoiding the problem of wafer cracking caused by excessive single-point temperature difference.

[0035] Although the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art should understand that this is only for illustration purposes. The protection scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to these embodiments, but these changes and modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A silicon wafer carrier, characterized in that, It includes a metal carrier table with a support surface, and a ceramic projection member that is fixedly embedded in the metal carrier table and protrudes upward from the support surface to support a silicon wafer; The metal carrier table includes two arc-shaped carrier plates arranged symmetrically, and each carrier plate has the support surface and is fixedly embedded with the ceramic projection member respectively; The metal carrier table further includes two mounting plates, and the two mounting plates are respectively supported below the two carrier plates in a one-to-one correspondence.

2. The silicon wafer carrier according to claim 1, wherein The ceramic projection member is a silicon nitride ceramic projection member.

3. The silicon wafer carrier according to claim 1, wherein, The ceramic projection member is spherical.

4. The silicon wafer carrier according to claim 3, wherein A groove with a diameter smaller than that of the ceramic projection member is reserved on the metal carrier table, and the lower half of the ceramic projection member is fixedly pressed into the groove.

5. The silicon wafer carrier according to claim 1, wherein Each carrier plate is fixedly embedded with two ceramic projection members respectively, and the ceramic projection members on the two carrier plates are symmetrically arranged.

6. The silicon wafer carrier according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The carrier includes at least two metal carrier tables stacked at intervals.

7. A cooling chamber, characterized in that, A silicon wafer carrier as described in any one of the preceding claims 1-6 is provided in the chamber.

8. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a cooling chamber as described in claim 7.

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