Wafer lifting assembly, wafer bearing device and wafer manufacturing machine table

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model discloses a wafer lifting assembly, a wafer bearing device and a wafer manufacturing machine table. The wafer lifting assembly comprises a supporting plate, a wafer lifting mechanism and a wafer lifting mechanism, the lead screw penetrates through the supporting plate in the first direction; the first end, in the first direction, of the lead screw is used for being connected with a driving assembly, and the lead screw is driven by the driving assembly to rotate; the sliding block is located on the side, away from the first end, of the supporting plate in the first direction. The lead screw penetrates through the sliding block and is in threaded connection with the sliding block, and the lead screw rotates to drive the sliding block to move in the first direction; at least one part of the polished rod is located on the side, away from the first end, of the supporting plate in the first direction; the polished rod penetrates through the sliding block and is connected with the sliding block in a sliding mode. One end of the ejector rod in the first direction is fixedly connected with the sliding block, and the other end of the ejector rod is used for contacting a wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular, to a wafer lifting assembly, a wafer carrying device, and a wafer manufacturing machine. Background Art

[0002] In some semiconductor manufacturing machines, such as etching machines or chemical vapor deposition machines, a wafer carrying device is generally integrated or assembled in these semiconductor manufacturing machines to fix and carry wafers for performing different processes on the wafers. During the process of wafer process transfer or conveyance, the wafer carrying device can also be used to fix the wafers. As semiconductor manufacturing processes become more refined and stringent, the process requirements for wafer carrying devices are also getting higher and higher, and there is still room for improvement in current wafer carrying devices. Summary of the Utility Model

[0003] In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wafer lifting assembly, a wafer carrying device, and a wafer manufacturing machine.

[0004] According to some aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure, a wafer lifting assembly is provided, including:

[0005] A pallet;

[0006] A lead screw that penetrates the pallet in a first direction; a first end of the lead screw in the first direction is used to connect to a driving component, and the lead screw is driven to rotate by the driving component;

[0007] A slider located on a side of the pallet away from the first end in the first direction; the lead screw penetrates the slider and is threadedly connected to the slider, and the rotation of the lead screw drives the slider to displace in the first direction;

[0008] A smooth rod, at least a part of which is located on a side of the pallet away from the first end in the first direction; the smooth rod penetrates the slider and is slidably connected to the slider;

[0009] A push rod, one end of which in the first direction is fixedly connected to the slider, and the other end is used to contact the wafer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the slider extends in a second direction parallel to the surface of the pallet, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; the slider includes:

[0011] A first side and a second side oppositely arranged in the second direction; the first side surrounds the lead screw, and the second side surrounds the smooth rod.

[0012] In some embodiments, the smooth rod is fixedly connected to the pallet.

[0013] In some embodiments, the driving assembly includes:

[0014] A motor, the output shaft of the motor is connected to the first end of the lead screw.

[0015] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly further includes:

[0016] A control unit, connected to the motor; the control unit is configured to: control the motor to rotate so as to drive the lead screw to rotate.

[0017] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly further includes:

[0018] A position sensor, located on the slider and connected to the control unit; the position sensor is configured to: follow the displacement of the slider in the first direction and collect position information;

[0019] The control unit is configured to:

[0020] According to the position information, control the motor to rotate or stop.

[0021] In some embodiments, the slider includes:

[0022] A mounting hole, one end of the ejector rod in the first direction is fixed in the mounting hole.

[0023] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly further includes:

[0024] A protective cover, located on the side of the pallet away from the first end in the first direction; the protective cover has an opening on the surface in the first direction;

[0025] Wherein, the slider is located inside the protective cover, a part of the lead screw and at least part of the optical rod are located inside the protective cover; the ejector rod extends out through the opening.

[0026] According to some aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a wafer carrier device is provided, including the wafer lifting assembly;

[0027] And including a wafer carrier table, the wafer carrier table has a carrying surface for carrying wafers;

[0028] The wafer lifting assembly is located on the side of the wafer carrier table away from the carrying surface, and the ejector rod displaces in the through hole penetrating the wafer carrier table in the first direction.

[0029] According to some aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a wafer manufacturing machine platform is provided, including the wafer carrier device, and the wafer carrier device is located in the process chamber of the wafer manufacturing machine platform.

[0030] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wafer lifting assembly, including a pallet, a lead screw penetrating the pallet in a first direction, where the first direction is the wafer thickness direction, and a first end of the lead screw in the first direction is used to connect to a driving assembly, and the lead screw is driven by the driving assembly to rotate; a slider located on a side of the pallet away from the first end in the first direction; the lead screw and a smooth rod penetrate the slider, the slider is threadedly connected to the side surface of the lead screw, and the slider is slidably connected to the side surface of the smooth rod; the rotation of the lead screw drives the slider to displace in the first direction; a ejector rod, with one end in the first direction fixedly connected to the slider and the other end used to contact the wafer; by adjusting the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw, the slider can be driven to move up and down in the first direction, the slider drives the ejector rod to move up and down in the first direction, when the ejector rod rises, it can lift the wafer to raise the position of the wafer, and when the ejector rod descends, it can lower the position of the wafer; therefore, by controlling the number of turns of the lead screw rotation, the fine control of the lifting and lowering height of the ejector rod can be achieved. Description of the Drawings

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wafer carrier device shown according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0032] Figure 2 and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wafer lifting assembly shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 4 and Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary slider shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary pallet shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wafer carrier device shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] In the above drawings (which are not necessarily drawn to scale), similar reference numerals may describe similar components in different views. Similar reference numerals with different letter suffixes may represent different examples of similar components. The drawings generally illustrate, by way of example and not limitation, the various embodiments discussed herein. Detailed Embodiments

[0037] The following will describe in more detail the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. Although the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the specific embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure can be more thoroughly understood and the scope of the present disclosure can be completely conveyed to those skilled in the art.

[0038] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure; that is, not all features of actual embodiments are described here, and well-known functions and structures are not described in detail.

[0039] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on", "adjacent to", "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on, adjacent to, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on", "directly adjacent to", "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or portions, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or portion from another element, component, region, layer or portion. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or portion discussed below may be denoted as a second element, component, region, layer or portion without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. And when discussing a second element, component, region, layer or portion, it does not imply that a first element, component, region, layer or portion necessarily exists in the present disclosure.

[0040] Spatial relationship terms such as "under", "below", "lower", "beneath", "above", "upper", etc. are used herein for convenience in describing the relationship of one element or feature shown in the figures to other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, spatial relationship terms are intended to also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, then an element or feature described as "under" or "beneath" or "below" other elements or features will be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary terms "under" and "below" can include both an upper and a lower orientation. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or other orientations) and the spatial descriptors used herein are to be interpreted accordingly.

[0041] The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not a limitation of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising" and / or "including", when used in this specification, specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the related listed items.

[0042] It should be understood that "some embodiments" or "an embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic related to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of "in some embodiments" or "in an embodiment" throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It should be understood that in various embodiments of the present disclosure, the order numbers of the above processes do not imply the order of execution, and the order of execution of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation to the implementation process of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0043] The wafer carrier device can be used to fix the wafer, and the fixing methods can include electrostatic adsorption, vacuum adsorption, or mechanical claw fixing, etc. The wafer carrier device can include a wafer carrier table for contacting and carrying the wafer. The wafer carrier table can include a contact surface for electrostatic adsorption or vacuum adsorption, and the wafer carrier table can include mechanical claws for providing mechanical clamping force. The wafer carrier table adopting the principle of electrostatic adsorption can also be called an electrostatic chuck (ESC Pad), and the wafer carrier table adopting the principle of vacuum adsorption can also be called a vacuum chuck.

[0044] In some embodiments, with reference to Figure 1In the illustrated wafer carrier device 10, the surface of the wafer carrier stage 200 in contact with the wafer can be defined as the wafer carrying surface, and the wafer carrying surface is the upper surface in the z direction. When the wafer is adsorbed and fixed, one side surface of the wafer will closely adhere to the wafer carrying surface. After the wafer manufacturing process is completed, the electrostatic adsorption surface or vacuum adsorption surface of the wafer carrier stage 200 releases the adsorption, and the ejector pin 105 (or ejector needle) of the wafer carrier stage 200 rises from the surface of the wafer carrier stage 200, lifting the wafer from the surface of the wafer carrier stage 200, so that there is a certain distance between the wafer and the surface of the wafer carrier stage 200, facilitating the grasping by the robotic arm of the machine tool. The ejector pin 105 can be arranged inside the wafer carrier stage 200, and drive components such as motors or motors can be arranged inside the wafer carrier stage 200 to control the ejector pin 105 to move upward and away from the wafer carrying surface inside the wafer carrier stage 200 by a certain distance to lift the wafer. The motor can include, but is not limited to, a servo motor, a stepper motor or other motors. When the contact end of the ejector pin 105 with the wafer does not lift the wafer, it can be flush with the wafer carrying surface.

[0045] In some other embodiments, for the wafer carrier stage 200 that adopts the electrostatic adsorption principle, during the wafer manufacturing process, the ejector pin 105 of the wafer carrier stage 200 can protrude from the wafer carrying surface by a certain height, facilitating heat dissipation or heating of the wafer to maintain a stable temperature during the wafer manufacturing process. After the wafer manufacturing process is completed, the contact end of the ejector pin 105 with the wafer surface can be flush with the surface of the wafer carrier stage 200.

[0046] In order to maintain the stability and levelness of the wafer when the ejector pin 105 lifts the wafer, multiple ejector pins 105 can be arranged, for example, greater than or equal to 3 ejector pins 105. When each ejector pin 105 moves perpendicular to the wafer carrying surface, the height protruding from the wafer carrying surface should be equal or equal within a certain error range to reduce the risk of wafer breakage caused by the wafer being non-horizontal or having too large an inclination angle.

[0047] In some wafer manufacturing machine tools, the wafer carrier device 10 can be arranged in the process chamber of the machine tool. The process chamber can include reaction chambers for performing processes such as etching, deposition coating, photoresist coating or measurement, and can also include wafer transfer and transportation chambers such as a vacuum wafer transfer chamber and an atmospheric pressure wafer transfer chamber. The wafer manufacturing machine tool can include, but is not limited to: a dry etching machine tool, a wet etching machine tool, a cleaning machine tool, a deposition coating machine tool or other measurement machine tools. Exemplarily, the measurement machine tool can include, but is not limited to: an optical film thickness measurement machine tool, a surface topography scanning machine tool, a surface particle detection machine tool.

[0048] In some etching machines, the ejector pins 105 of the wafer carrier device 10 protrude from the wafer carrier surface by different heights, resulting in the wafer being non-horizontal or having an excessive tilt angle, which causes non-uniform etching rates in different parts of the wafer and poor dimensional uniformity of the etched structure of the wafer. In some deposition coating machines, the ejector pins 105 of the wafer carrier device 10 protrude from the wafer carrier surface by different heights, resulting in poor thickness uniformity in different parts of the wafer. Adjusting the levels of multiple ejector pins 105 is beneficial for reducing wafer breakage and improving the process yield. However, for some wafer carrier devices 10, the ejector pins 105 are fixedly connected to the fixing parts by threads or the like, and manual leveling is required during leveling, resulting in poor adjustment accuracy. In view of this, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wafer lifting assembly 100 including ejector pins 105, which is used to individually and precisely control the lifting height of each ejector pin 105. While realizing the automatic lifting movement of the ejector pins 105, the levels of multiple ejector pins 105 can be maintained, and the wafer manufacturing yield can be improved.

[0049] According to some aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 as shown, a wafer lifting assembly 100 is provided, including:

[0050] A tray 101;

[0051] A lead screw 102, penetrating the tray 101 along a first direction (z direction); the first end (bottom) of the lead screw 102 in the first direction is used to connect to a driving component (such as a motor 106), and the lead screw 102 is driven by the driving component to rotate;

[0052] A slider 103, located on the side of the tray 101 away from the first end in the first direction; the lead screw 102 penetrates the slider 103 and is threadedly connected to the slider 103, and the rotation of the lead screw 102 drives the slider 103 to displace along the first direction;

[0053] A smooth rod 104, at least a part of which is located on the side of the tray 101 away from the first end in the first direction; the smooth rod 104 penetrates the slider 103 and is slidably connected to the slider 103;

[0054] An ejector pin 105, fixedly connected to the slider 103 at one end in the first direction, and the other end is used to contact the wafer.

[0055] Referring to Figure 2As shown, the side or side wall of the lead screw 102 extending in the z direction has threads, while the side or side wall of the smooth rod 104 extending in the z direction does not have threads. The shape of the lead screw 102 may include, but is not limited to, a cylindrical shape. The slider 103 can be sleeved on the lead screw 102 and the smooth rod 104, and the lead screw 102 and the smooth rod 104 pass through the slider 103 in the z direction; among them, the slider 103 is meshed and connected with the threads on the side of the lead screw 102, and the rotation of the lead screw 102 causes the slider 103 to move up and down in the z direction; the smooth rod 104 has no threads, and the smooth rod 104 is in smooth contact with the slider 103 for sliding connection. The smooth rod 104 is used for limiting the slider 103 to prevent the slider 103 from spinning horizontally when the lead screw 102 rotates. The penetration positions of the lead screw 102 and the smooth rod 104 relative to the slider 103 are different, and there is no specific limitation on the shape and penetration position of the slider 103.

[0056] The shapes of the smooth rod 104 and the ejector rod 105 may include, but are not limited to, a cylindrical shape or other columnar shapes; the cross-sectional shapes of the smooth rod 104 and the ejector rod 105 in the xoy horizontal plane perpendicular to the z direction may include, but are not limited to: circular, elliptical, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal or other polygonal shapes, etc. Exemplarily, the lead screw 102, the smooth rod 104, and the ejector rod 105 are all cylindrical to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0057] Refer to Figure 2 As shown, a lead screw 102, a smooth rod 104, a slider 103, and an ejector rod 105 can form a lifting unit. The lifting unit is arranged on the upper surface of the pallet 101 along the positive z direction. The surface of the pallet 101 along the negative z direction is the lower surface, and the upper and lower surfaces are oppositely arranged in the z direction; among them, the lead screw 102 penetrates the pallet 101 in the z direction. Multiple lifting units can be arranged on the upper surface of the pallet 101, and there is no specific setting for the planar layout of the lifting units on the pallet 101. Figure 3 As exemplified in the figure, the lifting assembly may include 3 lifting units, and 3 ejector rods 105 are used to lift the wafer to maintain good balance and stability of the wafer. Adapted to the circular wafer carrier 200, the pallet 101 can be circular or an annular shape with a hollowed-out middle area. The distance from the bottom of each ejector rod 105 (or the slider 103) to the center of the pallet 101 can be equal, and the 3 ejector rods 105 are symmetrically distributed on the pallet 101. The three connecting lines from the bottoms of the 3 ejector rods 105 to the center of the pallet 101 divide the pallet 101 evenly.

[0058] The side wall or side surface of the lead screw 102 extending in the z direction has threads, and one side, or one end, or a part of the slider 103 has threads that mesh with the threads on the side surface of the lead screw 102 to achieve a threaded connection. When the lead screw 102 rotates, the slider 103 can move up and down in the z direction. The first end (bottom end) of the lead screw 102 penetrates through the lower surface of the support plate 101 and protrudes from the lower surface of the support plate 101. The part of the lead screw 102 away from the first end and located on the upper surface of the support plate 101 is threadedly connected to one side of the slider 103. The first end of the lead screw 102 can be drivingly connected or power-connected to a driving component, and the driving component provides rotational power for the lead screw 102 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. The driving component can include, but is not limited to, the motor 106, and the motor 106 can be a servo motor, a stepper motor, or other motors. The first end of the lead screw 102 can be directly connected to the output shaft of the motor 106 or connected through transmission components. The transmission components include, but are not limited to, drive shafts, bushings, universal joints, etc. As Figure 2 shown by way of example, the power output shaft of the motor 106 is directly fixedly connected to the first end of the lead screw 102. The rotational speed of the lead screw 102 can be equal to the rotational speed of the motor 106, and the lead screw 102 rotates synchronously with the output shaft of the motor 106, which is convenient for directly adjusting the rotational speed of the lead screw 102 by adjusting the rotational speed of the motor 106.

[0059] In some specific embodiments, the support plate 101 has through holes or mounting holes for mounting the lead screw 102. Bearings can be installed in the through holes, and the bearings are sleeved on the lead screw 102. The lead screw 102 can penetrate through the slider 103 in the z direction. The part of the lead screw 102 located on the upper surface of the support plate 101 is provided with threads and meshes with the threads on the left side (first side) of the slider 103 in the x direction. The part of the lead screw 102 that does not contact the slider 103 may not be provided with threads. For example, the side surface of the part of the lead screw 102 located inside the support plate 101 is a smooth surface, which is convenient for the installation of the lead screw 102; the first end of the lead screw 102 located below the support plate 101 may not be provided with threads, and the side surface of this part of the lead screw 102 is a smooth surface, which is convenient for connection with the motor 106.

[0060] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2As shown, the polished rod 104 can be located on the upper surface of the pallet 101. The polished rod 104 can penetrate through the slider 103 in the z direction. The polished rod 104 is slidably connected to the second side of the slider 103, and the polished rod 104 is used for limiting the slider 103. The first side and the second side are only used to distinguish the different contact positions of the lead screw 102 and the polished rod 104. The first side and the second side are different sides or different ends of the slider 103. The first side and the second side can be symmetrically arranged in the x direction or the y direction, or the first side and the second side can be asymmetrically arranged in the x direction or the y direction. When the lead screw 102 rotates, the slider 103 will lift and spin due to the meshing of the threads. The polished rod 104 abuts against the slider 103 to prevent the slider 103 from spinning in the horizontal direction, and causes the slider 103 to move up and down in the z direction. The rotation of the lead screw 102 causes the slider 103 to move up and down in the z direction, and the slider 103 slides on the side surface of the polished rod 104. The ejector rod 105 is fixedly connected to the slider 103, and the connection method can include but is not limited to welding, threaded connection or other connection and fastening methods. When the slider 103 moves up and down in the z direction, it drives the ejector rod 105 to move up and down in the z direction. When the ejector rod 105 rises, it can lift the wafer to raise the position of the wafer, which is convenient for the robotic arm to grab the wafer for wafer transfer. When the ejector rod 105 descends, it can lower the position of the wafer, which is convenient for the adsorption and fixation of the wafer.

[0061] In some embodiments, the rising or falling height of the slider 103 is related to the number of turns of rotation of the lead screw 102 and the thread diameter. When the thread diameter of the lead screw 102 or the diameter of the lead screw 102 is fixed, the number of turns of rotation and the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw 102 can be controlled by the motor 106 to control the rising or falling height of the slider 103, and the rotation speed of the motor 106 can be controlled to control the rotation speed of the lead screw 102 to control the rising or falling speed of the slider 103. The specific values of the rotation speed, number of turns, etc. of each motor 106 can be calibrated through testing. The thread diameter of each lead screw 102 or the diameter of the lead screw 102 can be calibrated through measurement or querying the factory parameters. Fine control of the rising or falling of each slider 103 can be achieved, thereby achieving fine control and automatic control of the rising or falling of each ejector rod 105, and it is also beneficial to separately control the rising or falling of each ejector rod 105, keep the heights of multiple ejector rods 105 consistent, keep the flatness of the wafer good, and improve the production yield.

[0062] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2 As shown, the slider 103 extends in a second direction (x direction) parallel to the surface of the pallet 101, and the x direction can be perpendicular to the z direction; the slider 103 includes:

[0063] A first side and a second side that are oppositely arranged in the x direction; the first side surrounds the lead screw 102, and the second side surrounds the polished rod 104.

[0064] Figure 2 Taking the x - direction as an example, the shape of the slider 103 can be a bar extending in the x - direction or other shapes. The first side and the second side of the slider 103 are two opposite side portions in the x - direction. For example, the first side can be Figure 2 the left - hand region where the slider 103 is arranged along the negative x - direction. The left - hand region is provided with threads and is threadedly connected to the side surface of the lead screw 102. The second side can be the right - hand region where the slider 103 is arranged along the positive x - direction. The right - hand region is a smooth surface without threads and is slidably connected to the side surface of the optical rod 104.

[0065] In some specific embodiments, referring to Figure 4 as shown, a first opening 1031 penetrating through the slider 103 is provided on the first side (left - hand region or left end) of the slider 103. The first opening 1031 is a closed circle. Threads are provided on the inner wall of the first opening 1031 and are threadedly connected to the lead screw 102. A second opening 1032 penetrating through the slider 103 is provided on the second side (right - hand region or right end) of the slider 103. The second opening 1032 can be a closed circle, rectangle, polygon, etc. Threads may not be provided on the inner wall of the second opening 1032 and it is a smooth plane for slidably connecting to the optical rod 104. The lead screw 102 is sleeved in the first opening 1031 to penetrate through the slider 103, and the first opening 1031 surrounds the lead screw 102. The optical rod 104 is sleeved in the second opening 1032 to penetrate through the slider 103, and the second opening 1032 surrounds the optical rod 104.

[0066] In some other specific embodiments, referring to Figure 5 as shown, the first opening 1031 and the second opening 1032 can be non - closed arcs. At this time, the openings can be non - closed openings, such as the first opening 1031 and the second opening 1032. The lead screw 102 is sleeved in the first opening 1031, and the side surface of the lead screw 102 is exposed in the negative x - direction in the first opening 1031. The optical rod 104 is sleeved in the second opening 1032, and the side surface of the optical rod 104 is exposed in the positive x - direction in the second opening 1032.

[0067] It can be understood that, for example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 as shown, the first opening 1031 surrounding the lead screw 102 can provide a larger thread contact area, improve the thread transmission efficiency, and reduce the slipping phenomenon. The second opening 1032 surrounding the optical rod 104 increases the contact area and enables the optical rod 104 to better restrict the self - rotation of the slider 103 on the horizontal plane.

[0068] In some embodiments, the polished rod 104 is fixedly connected to the pallet 101. The polished rod 104 defines the horizontal rotation of the slider 103. The polished rod 104 can be non-fixedly connected to the pallet 101. For example, the polished rod 104 can be directly inserted into the positioning hole or mounting hole of the pallet 101, or even can be arranged in the mounting hole by its own gravity. The polished rod 104 can be fixedly connected to the pallet 101, and the fixed connection methods can include but are not limited to welding, threaded connection or other connection and fastening methods. Exemplarily, referring to Figure 6 as shown, the pallet 101 further includes a first mounting hole 1011 for sleeving and mounting the lead screw 102. A bearing can be arranged in the first mounting hole 1011, and the lead screw 102 penetrates through the middle area of the bearing. A second mounting hole 1012 is arranged on the pallet 101 for the installation position of the polished rod 104. One end of the polished rod 104 is inserted into the second mounting hole 1012 and exposes the second mounting hole 1012. A thread is arranged at the end of the polished rod 104 protruding from the second mounting hole 1012 and is fastened to the pallet 101 with a nut; or threads are arranged on the side wall of the second mounting hole 1012 of the pallet 101, and the polished rod 104 is threadedly connected and fastened to the side wall of the second mounting hole 1012. In the z direction, Figure 6 the first mounting hole 1011 in Figure 4 can correspond to Figure 5 the first opening 1031 in

[0069] In some embodiments, the slider 103 includes: a mounting hole, and one end of the ejector rod 105 in the z direction is fixed in the mounting hole. The mounting hole can be the third mounting hole 1033 as shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 . One end of the ejector rod 105 is inserted into the third mounting hole 1033 and exposes the third mounting hole 1033. A thread is arranged at the end of the ejector rod 105 protruding from the third mounting hole 1033 and is fastened to the slider 103 with a nut; or threads are arranged on the side wall of the third mounting hole 1033 of the slider 103, and the ejector rod 105 is threadedly connected and fastened to the side wall of the third mounting hole 1033. Thus, it is convenient to disassemble and install the ejector rod 105, and it is convenient to replace and maintain the ejector rod 105. The third mounting hole 1033 is located between the first opening 1031 and the second opening 1032. The diameter of the third mounting hole 1033 can be smaller than the diameter of the first opening 1031, the diameter of the third mounting hole 1033 can be smaller than the diameter of the second opening 1032, and the diameter of the first opening 1031 can be equal to the diameter of the second opening 1032.

[0070] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2 as shown, the wafer lifting assembly 100 further includes:

[0071] a protective cover 107, located on the side of the pallet 101 away from the first end in the z direction; the surface of the protective cover 107 in the z direction has an opening;

[0072] Among them, the slider 103 is located inside the protective cover 107, and a part of the lead screw 102 and at least part of the optical rod 104 are located inside the protective cover 107; the ejector rod 105 extends out through the opening. The ejector rod 105 extends along the z direction, and the top surface of the protective cover in the z direction has an opening, which is located on the top surface of the protective cover 107 that is far from the pallet 101 and far from the first end of the lead screw 102 in the z direction. The ejector rod 105 is exposed from the opening and extends through the opening.

[0073] The protective cover 107 is located on the upper surface of the pallet 101. The part of the lead screw 102 located on the upper surface of the pallet 101, the part of the optical rod 104 located on the upper surface of the pallet 101, and the slider 103 are located inside the protective cover 107 and covered by the protective cover 107; the protective cover 107 is used to protect the lead screw 102, the slider 103, and the optical rod 104 from being damaged, prevent damage to the threads of the lead screw 102 by external components or tools, and prevent external components or tools from blocking the lifting of the slider 103. The ejector rod 105 extends out from the opening on the upper surface of the protective cover 107 to contact the wafer. The side walls of the protective cover 107 that can extend along the z direction enclose a closed figure. For example, it can have 4 side walls extending along the z direction, and the 4 side walls enclose a rectangle. Or, the innermost side wall of the protective cover 107 close to and pointing to the center of the pallet 101 can be in a windowed form to facilitate observing the movement of the slider 103.

[0074] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2 as shown, the drive assembly includes:

[0075] A motor 106, and the output shaft of the motor 106 is connected to the first end of the lead screw 102.

[0076] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly 100 further includes:

[0077] A control unit, connected to the motor 106; the control unit is configured to: control the rotation of the motor 106 to drive the rotation of the lead screw 102.

[0078] The motor 106 is arranged on one side of the lower surface of the pallet 101. The control unit is used to control the operating parameters such as the start, stop, rotation direction, rotation speed, and number of turns of the motor 106 to control the lifting height of the ejector rod 105. One control unit can control multiple motors 106, and one motor 106 controls the lifting of one ejector rod 105 so that each ejector rod 105 is in the target position. While realizing the automatic lifting of the ejector rod 105, the levelness of the ejector rod 105 can also be improved, and the yield of wafer manufacturing can be improved.

[0079] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly 100 further includes:

[0080] A position sensor is located on the slider 103 and is connected to the control unit; the position sensor is configured to: follow the displacement of the slider 103 in the z direction and collect position information;

[0081] The control unit is configured to:

[0082] Control the rotation or stop of the motor 106 according to the position information.

[0083] Calibrate a reference position. The position sensor monitors the distance of the slider 103 relative to the reference position, that is, the position information of the slider 103, and feeds back the information of the slider 103 to the control unit. The control unit determines whether the slider 103 (or the ejector rod 105) is at the target position according to the position information. If it is at the target position, the rotation of the motor 106 will be stopped. If it is not at the target position, the control unit will control the forward or reverse rotation of the motor 106 to control the lifting of the ejector rod 105.

[0084] Exemplarily, the position sensor may include, but is not limited to, an optical sensor. The position sensor on the slider 103 can emit an optical signal; on the pallet 101 below the slider 103, or at other positions of the machine table provided below the slider 103, a reflection module is provided. The position of the reflection module is the reference position. The position sensor calculates the height of the slider 103 relative to the reference position according to the time difference between the emitted signal and the received reflected signal, and generates position information to be fed back to the control unit. Alternatively, the position sensor on the slider 103 can receive the optical signal emitted by the laser generator at the reference position, and calculate the position information of the slider 103 according to the time difference between the emission of the optical signal and the reception of the optical signal by the position sensor.

[0085] In some embodiments, limit blocks are provided on the lead screw 10 and / or the optical rod 104. Taking the lead screw 102 as an example, limit blocks are provided at its upper and lower ends, and the position area between the limit blocks is used as the lifting area of the slider 103 to prevent the slider 103 from rising too much and damaging the wafer. The limit blocks can also be provided on the optical rod 104 to limit the lifting area of the slider 103.

[0086] According to some aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 7 A wafer carrying device 10 is provided, including Figure 2 and Figure 3 The wafer lifting assembly 100 as exemplified;

[0087] And a wafer carrying table 200, the wafer carrying table 200 having a carrying surface for carrying the wafer;

[0088] The wafer lifting assembly 100 is located on the side of the wafer carrying table 200 away from the carrying surface, and the ejector rod 105 is displaced in the through hole penetrating the wafer carrying table 200 along the first direction.

[0089] Components such as the pallet 101, lead screw 102, slider 103, optical rod 104, and motor 106 of the wafer lifting device can be installed under the wafer carrier 200. The ejector rod 105 can be sleeved in the through hole of the wafer carrier 200. The through hole penetrates the wafer carrier 200. The ejector rod 105 can move up and down along the z direction in the through hole as the motor 106 rotates. When the ejector rod 105 descends, it can be flush with or lower than the wafer bearing surface (upper surface) of the wafer carrier 200, so that the wafer contacts the wafer bearing surface to complete wafer adsorption; when the ejector rod 105 ascends, it can lift the wafer away from the wafer bearing surface to facilitate wafer transfer. The adsorption method can include but is not limited to vacuum adsorption and electrostatic adsorption. Figure 7 Due to the cross-sectional angle, only the ejector rod 105 is shown schematically.

[0090] Electrodes can be provided inside the wafer carrier 200 below the wafer bearing surface to generate an electrostatic adsorption force, and a heating device can also be provided to provide a process temperature for the wafer. The heating device can use heated inert gas as a medium to flow on the back of the wafer and contact the wafer to heat the wafer. The cooling device can use a circulating refrigerant in a cooling pipe to reduce the temperature of the wafer carrier 200.

[0091] The embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the wafer size. Exemplarily, the wafer size generally refers to the diameter of the wafer. The wafer size can include but is not limited to the commonly used 6 inches (150 mm), 8 inches (200 mm), and 12 inches (300 mm). 6-inch and 8-inch wafers can be mainly used for mid- to low-end chip manufacturing, and 12-inch wafers can be mainly used for chip manufacturing of 14 nm and below. The size of the wafer lifting assembly 100 in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be adapted according to the size of the wafer carrier 200, and the size of the wafer carrier 200 can be adapted according to the wafer size. The size can be increased to adapt to larger-sized wafers, such as 14 inches, 15 inches, 16 inches, 20 inches and other large-sized wafers, to adapt to more advanced wafer manufacturing processes and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0092] According to some aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a wafer manufacturing machine platform is provided, including the wafer carrier device 10 as described above, and the wafer carrier device 10 is located in the process chamber of the wafer manufacturing machine platform.

[0093] The wafer carrier device 10 can be arranged in the process chamber of the machine platform. The process chamber can include reaction chambers for performing processes such as etching, deposition coating, photoresist coating, or measurement, and can also include wafer transfer and transportation chambers such as a vacuum transfer chamber and an atmospheric pressure transfer chamber. The wafer manufacturing machine platform can include but is not limited to: a dry etching machine platform, a wet etching machine platform, a cleaning machine platform, a deposition coating machine platform, or other measurement machine platforms. Exemplarily, the measurement machine platform can include but is not limited to: an optical film thickness measurement machine platform, a surface topography scanning machine platform, and a surface particle detection machine platform.

[0094] As described above, it is only the specific implementation manner of the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present disclosure can easily think of changes or substitutions, which should all be covered within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A wafer lifting assembly, characterized in that, Comprising: A pallet; A lead screw that penetrates the pallet in a first direction; A first end of the lead screw in the first direction is used to connect to a driving component, and the lead screw is driven to rotate by the driving component; A slider located on a side of the pallet away from the first end in the first direction; the lead screw penetrates the slider and is threadedly connected to the slider, and the rotation of the lead screw drives the slider to displace in the first direction; A smooth rod, at least a part of which is located on a side of the pallet away from the first end in the first direction; the smooth rod penetrates the slider and is slidably connected to the slider; A push rod, one end of which in the first direction is fixedly connected to the slider, and the other end is used to contact the wafer.

2. The wafer lifting assembly according to claim 1, wherein The slider extends in a second direction parallel to the surface of the pallet, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; the slider includes: A first side and a second side oppositely arranged in the second direction; the first side surrounds the lead screw, and the second side surrounds the smooth rod.

3. The wafer lifting assembly according to claim 1, wherein The smooth rod is fixedly connected to the pallet.

4. The wafer lifting assembly according to claim 1, wherein The driving component includes: A motor, and an output shaft of the motor is connected to the first end of the lead screw.

5. The wafer lifting assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The wafer lifting component further includes: A control unit connected to the motor; the control unit is configured to: control the motor to rotate to drive the lead screw to rotate.

6. The wafer lifting assembly according to claim 5, wherein, The wafer lifting component further includes: A position sensor located on the slider and connected to the control unit; the position sensor is configured to: follow the displacement of the slider in the first direction and collect position information; The control unit is configured to: Control the rotation or stop of the motor according to the position information.

7. The wafer lifting assembly according to claim 1, wherein The slider includes: A mounting hole, and one end of the push rod in the first direction is fixed in the mounting hole.

8. The wafer lifting assembly according to claim 1, wherein The wafer lifting component further includes: A protective cover located on a side of the pallet away from the first end in the first direction; the protective cover has an opening on the surface in the first direction; Wherein, the slider is located inside the protective cover, a part of the lead screw and at least part of the smooth rod are located inside the protective cover; the push rod extends out through the opening.

9. A wafer carrier device, characterized in that, Including the wafer lifting component according to any one of claims 1 to 8; And including a wafer carrier having a carrying surface for carrying a wafer; The wafer lifting component is located on a side of the wafer carrier away from the carrying surface, and the push rod displaces in a first direction in a through hole penetrating the wafer carrier.

10. A wafer manufacturing machine, characterized in that, Including the wafer carrying device according to claim 9, and the wafer carrying device is located in a process chamber of a wafer manufacturing machine platform.

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