Wafer jacking device for electrostatic chuck and semiconductor equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to a wafer jacking device for an electrostatic chuck and semiconductor equipment, the wafer jacking device for the electrostatic chuck comprises a lifting unit, a driving unit and a pressure switch, the lifting unit comprises a connecting frame and a plurality of lifting columns extending along a first direction, the plurality of lifting columns are fixedly connected to the connecting frame, each lifting column comprises a first end surface, and the first end surface is provided with a second end surface; the driving unit comprises a driving part connected to the lifting unit, and the pressure switch is installed on at least one of the lifting unit and the driving part so as to detect force in the first direction at the corresponding position. According to the embodiment of the invention, whether the electrostatic chuck completely releases the wafer can be judged, the wafer transfer safety is improved, the risk of wafer fragmentation is reduced, and meanwhile, the stability of the whole equipment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck and semiconductor equipment. Background Art

[0002] An electrostatic chuck (ESC), also known as an electrostatic chuck, is a fixture that uses the principle of electrostatic attraction to hold an object. This means it uses the electrostatic interaction of Coulomb's law to hold the object's surface. Suitable for both vacuum and plasma environments, electrostatic chucks are primarily used to hold ultra-clean thin wafers (such as wafers) and are widely used in the semiconductor industry.

[0003] In the semiconductor field, a high voltage is applied to an electrostatic chuck, imparting an electrostatic charge to the surface of the chuck, generating a charged electric field. When this charged chuck approaches the wafer surface, the electrostatic force creates an opposite charge on the wafer surface, generating an attractive force that securely holds the wafer to the chuck for subsequent measurement and other processes. When the measurement is complete, the high voltage applied to the chuck disappears, and the Coulomb force dissipates, releasing the wafer. A lifting pin then lifts the wafer off the chuck, allowing the robot to remove it.

[0004] However, after the high voltage on the electrostatic chuck disappears, some residual charge may remain on the wafer surface. This residual charge also generates an attractive force. If this force is too strong, the lifting columns will create a strong interaction force between the wafer and the lifting column as they lift the wafer, potentially causing wafer breakage and other adverse consequences. Utility Model Content

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a wafer lifting device and semiconductor equipment for an electrostatic chuck, which can determine whether the electrostatic chuck has completely released the wafer, improve the safety of wafer transfer, reduce the risk of wafer breakage, and improve the stability of the overall equipment.

[0006] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic suction cup, which includes: a lifting unit, including a connecting frame and a plurality of lifting columns extending along a first direction, the plurality of lifting columns are all fixed to the connecting frame, the lifting columns include a first end face, and the corresponding first end faces of the plurality of lifting columns are used to synchronously support the wafer; a driving unit, for providing a driving force along the first direction to the lifting unit, the driving unit including a driving component connected to the lifting unit; a pressure switch, installed on at least one of the lifting unit and the driving component to detect the force along the first direction at the corresponding position, and the pressure switch is connected to the driving component signal.

[0007] In some embodiments, the connecting frame includes: a connecting rod, through which the plurality of lifting columns are fixedly connected; and a first guide portion fixed to the connecting rod, configured to be slidably connected to the electrostatic chuck along a first direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the driving unit also includes a force-guiding member connected to the driving component, and the driving component is used to drive the force-guiding member to move in a first direction. In a first state, the force-guiding member is against the lifting unit to transmit the driving force of the driving component to the lifting unit; in a second state, the force-guiding member is away from the lifting unit so that there is a gap between the force-guiding member and the lifting unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the force guiding member includes a first rod and a second rod arranged in sequence along a first direction, one of the first rod and the second rod is connected to a driving component, and the other is abutted against a lifting unit in a first state, and a pressure switch is installed between the first rod and the second rod to detect the force transmitted between the first rod and the second rod along the first direction.

[0010] In some embodiments, the driving component includes: a first base body, provided with a first guide hole extending along a first direction, and the cross-section of the first guide hole is a non-rotating structure; a guide rod, slidably connected to the first guide hole along the first direction, the cross-section of the guide rod is adapted to the cross-section of the first guide hole, one end of the guide rod is connected to the lifting unit, and the other end of the guide rod is provided with a threaded hole extending along the first direction; a motor, the motor housing is fixedly connected to the first base body, and the output shaft of the motor is provided with an external thread adapted to the threaded hole, and the external thread is threadedly connected to the threaded hole.

[0011] In some embodiments, at least one position sensor is arranged on the peripheral side of the guide rod, and lugs corresponding to the position sensors are convexly provided on the peripheral side of the guide rod, and each position sensor is used to detect the position status of the corresponding lug.

[0012] In some embodiments, the motor housing is fixedly connected to multiple support columns, and the multiple support columns are spaced apart around the circumference of the guide rod. The position sensors are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with at least some of the support columns. The position sensors are installed on the corresponding support columns. Along the first direction, the installation position of the position sensor relative to the support column can be adjusted.

[0013] In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a semiconductor device, including the above-mentioned wafer lifting device, and also including: an electrostatic suction cup, having a second end face for supporting the wafer, and a lifting column connected to the electrostatic suction cup in a liftable manner along a first direction to provide a lifting force to the wafer located at the second end face.

[0014] In some embodiments, the semiconductor device also includes an isolation cover, the interior of the isolation cover is a vacuum environment or a plasma environment, and the electrostatic suction cup, lifting unit and pressure switch are all located inside the isolation cover; the outside of the isolation cover is an atmospheric environment, and the driving components are located outside the isolation cover.

[0015] In some embodiments, the semiconductor device also includes a second base body, which includes: a fixed part, which is fixedly connected to the isolation cover and sealed at the connection position between the fixed part and the isolation cover, and the fixed part has a first through hole connected to the atmospheric environment; a movable part, one end of the movable part along the first direction is connected to the driving component, and the other end of the movable part along the first direction is connected to the lifting unit; a bellows, one end of the bellows is sealed connected to the peripheral side of the first through hole, and the other end of the bellows is sealed connected to the peripheral side of the movable part.

[0016] The embodiments of the present application provide a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck and a semiconductor device, wherein the wafer lifting device for the electrostatic chuck includes a lifting unit, a driving unit and a pressure switch, the lifting unit includes a connecting frame and a plurality of lifting columns extending along a first direction, the plurality of lifting columns are all fixed to the connecting frame, the lifting columns include a first end face, the driving unit includes a driving component connected to the lifting unit, and the pressure switch is installed on at least one of the lifting unit and the driving component to detect the force along the first direction at the corresponding position. By setting a pressure switch, it is possible to determine whether the electrostatic suction cup has completely released the wafer, thereby improving the safety of wafer transfer, reducing the risk of wafer breakage, and improving the stability of the entire equipment; by setting multiple lifting columns, the lifting force of the lifting unit on the wafer can be dispersed; if the lifting columns move asynchronously, only some of the lifting columns will contact the wafer during the process of lifting the wafer, thereby causing stress concentration, which can easily lead to wafer breakage. This technical solution can improve the synchronization of the movement of multiple lifting columns by setting a connecting frame, so that the first end face of each lifting column can contact the wafer synchronously, which can further reduce the risk of wafer breakage; compared with the method of measuring the capacitance between the electrodes of the electrostatic suction cup to determine whether the wafer is completely released, this technical solution is compatible with wafers of more materials. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck provided in some embodiments of the present application when the guide rod is in a first position;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a lifting unit provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a top view of a connecting frame provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 1Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the middle line AA;

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck provided in some embodiments of the present application when the guide rod is in the second position;

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck provided in some embodiments of the present application when the guide rod is in the third position;

[0024] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of a semiconductor device provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0025] In the picture:

[0026] 1. Wafer;

[0027] 2. Electrostatic chuck; 21. Chuck body; 211. Second end surface; 22. Auxiliary housing; 221. Second guide portion;

[0028] 3. Lifting unit; 31. Lifting column; 311. First end surface; 32. Connecting frame; 321. First guide portion; 3211. Second guide hole; 322. Mounting hole; 323. Connecting rod;

[0029] 4. Pressure switch;

[0030] 5. Driving unit; 51. Force guide; 511. First rod; 512. Second rod; 52. Driving component; 521. Guide rod; 5211. Auxiliary rod; 5212. Lug; 522. First seat; 523. Motor;

[0031] 61. First position sensor; 611. Sliding seat; 612. Sensor body; 62. Second position sensor; 63. Third position sensor; 64. Support column;

[0032] 7. Second seat; 71. Movable portion; 72. Bellows; 73. Fixed portion; 731. First through hole;

[0033] 8. Isolation cover; X, first direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present application will be described in detail below. In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain the present application, rather than to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application can be implemented without the need for some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to provide a better understanding of the present application by illustrating the examples of the present application.

[0035] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. In the absence of further limitations, the elements defined by the phrase "comprising..." do not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device comprising the elements.

[0036] Electrostatic chucks are suitable for vacuum and plasma environments, primarily used to hold ultra-clean wafers (such as wafers). They are widely used in the semiconductor industry. A high voltage is applied to the chuck, imparting an electrostatic charge to the surface of the chuck, generating a charged electric field. When this charged chuck is brought close to the wafer surface, the electrostatic force creates an opposite charge on the wafer surface, generating an attractive force that firmly secures the wafer to the chuck for subsequent processes such as measurement. After the measurement is completed, the high voltage applied to the chuck is removed, dissipating the Coulomb force and releasing the wafer. Lifter pins then lift the wafer off the chuck, allowing it to be removed by a robotic arm. Research has found that after the high voltage on the chuck is removed, some residual charge may remain on the wafer surface, generating a suction force. If this suction force is too strong, significant interaction forces between the lifter pin and the wafer can occur during the wafer lift, potentially leading to wafer breakage and other undesirable consequences.

[0037] In addition, since the dual-electrode electrostatic chuck has a higher adsorption force and a more uniform electric field strength, it can make the wafer tightly and evenly adsorbed, so the dual-electrode electrostatic chuck is widely used. At present, for the dual-electrode electrostatic chuck, the capacitance between the electrodes is generally measured to determine whether the electrostatic chuck releases the wafer. However, the capacitance between the electrodes of the electrostatic chuck is closely related to the material of the wafer. For single-crystal silicon wafers made of traditional materials, the capacitance changes greatly when the electrostatic chuck is adsorbed and released, and the release of the wafer can be judged based on the capacitance value. However, for compound wafers, such as second- and third-generation semiconductors such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), and silicon carbide (SiC), the capacitance value of the electrostatic chuck hardly changes when it is adsorbed and released, so it is impossible to judge whether such wafers are released by the capacitance value.

[0038] To solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck and a semiconductor device, which are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck provided in some embodiments of the present application when the guide rod is in a first position; Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a lifting unit provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0040] See Figure 1 An embodiment of the present application provides a wafer 1 lifting device for an electrostatic chuck 2, comprising a lifting unit 3, a drive unit 5, and a pressure switch 4. The lifting unit 3 comprises a connecting frame 32 and a plurality of lifting columns 31 extending along a first direction X. The lifting columns 31 are configured to be escalably mounted to the electrostatic chuck 2 to lift the wafer 1 supported on the electrostatic chuck 2. The plurality of lifting columns 31 are each fixedly connected to the connecting frame 32. The lifting columns 31 include a first end surface 311. The corresponding first end surfaces 311 of the plurality of lifting columns 31 are configured to synchronously support the wafer 1. The drive unit 5 is configured to provide a driving force along the first direction X to the lifting unit 3, so that the lifting columns 31 can lift the wafer 1 along the first direction X. The drive unit 5 comprises a drive component 52 connected to the lifting unit 3. It will be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the driving component 52 may be directly connected to the lifting unit 3 to directly provide the lifting unit 3 with a driving force in the first direction X. In other embodiments, the driving component 52 may be indirectly connected to the lifting unit 3 via other components to indirectly provide the lifting unit 3 with a driving force in the first direction X. The pressure switch 4 is mounted on at least one of the lifting unit 3 and the driving component 52 to detect a force in the first direction X at a corresponding position. The pressure switch 4 is signal-connected to the driving component 52.

[0041] Because the gravity of the components between pressure switch 4 and first end surface 311 does not change, the force value detected by pressure switch 4 and the change in force value per unit time during the process of driving component 52 driving lifting unit 3 to lift wafer 1 can both reflect the suction force of electrostatic chuck 2 on wafer 1. In other words, if the force value detected by pressure switch 4 is greater than the first preset value, or the change in force value detected by pressure switch 4 per unit time is greater than the second preset value, it indicates that electrostatic chuck 2 has not completely released wafer 1.

[0042] During the process of the driving component 52 driving the lifting unit 3 to lift the wafer 1, the pressure switch 4 can transmit the detected force value signal to the driving component 52 through electrical connection or wireless connection. If the force value detected by the pressure switch 4 is greater than the first preset value, or the change in the force value detected by the pressure switch 4 per unit time is greater than the second preset value, the driving component 52 stops providing driving force to the lifting unit 3, thereby reducing the risk of the wafer 1 being broken. After a preset time interval, the driving component 52 is restarted to provide driving force to the lifting unit 3. At the same time, the electrostatic chuck 2 is re-determined to have completely released the wafer 1 based on the force value detected by the pressure switch 4 or the change in the force value per unit time. If the electrostatic chuck 2 has not completely released the wafer 1, the above steps are repeated after a preset time interval. If the force value detected by the pressure switch 4 is always no greater than the first preset value, or the change in the force value detected by the pressure switch 4 per unit time is always no greater than the second preset value, it indicates that the electrostatic chuck 2 has completely released the wafer 1. The driving component 52 can continue to provide driving force to the lifting unit 3, so that the lifting column 31 can lift the wafer 1 from the electrostatic chuck 2 to the predetermined position. It is understood that the specific values ​​of the first preset value and the second preset value can be set based on factors such as the gravity of the components between the pressure switch 4 and the first end surface 311 and the friction force experienced by the components between the pressure switch 4 and the first end surface 311 during movement.

[0043] By setting a pressure switch 4, it is possible to determine whether the electrostatic suction cup 2 has completely released the wafer 1, thereby improving the safety of wafer transfer, reducing the risk of wafer 1 breakage, and improving the stability of the entire equipment; by setting multiple lifting columns 31, the lifting force of the lifting unit 3 on the wafer 1 can be dispersed; if the lifting columns 31 move asynchronously, only part of the lifting columns 31 will abut against the wafer 1 during the process of lifting the wafer 1, thereby causing stress concentration, which can easily cause the wafer 1 to break. The present technical solution can improve the synchronization of the movement of multiple lifting columns 31 by setting a connecting frame 32, so that the first end face 311 of each lifting column 31 can synchronously contact the wafer 1, which can further reduce the risk of wafer 1 breakage; compared with the method of measuring the capacitance between the electrodes of the electrostatic suction cup 2 to determine whether the wafer 1 is completely released, the present technical solution is compatible with wafers 1 of more materials.

[0044] In some embodiments, the plurality of lifting columns 31 are evenly distributed around a first axis, where the first axis is a virtual axis parallel to the first direction X. By defining the distribution of the plurality of lifting columns 31 , the lifting force applied to each portion of the wafer 1 during the lifting process is relatively uniform, further reducing the risk of wafer 1 breakage.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic top view of the connecting frame 32 provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0046] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the connecting frame 32 includes a connecting rod 323 and a first guide portion 321. Multiple lifting columns 31 are connected via the connecting rod 323. This structure is simple, and the bending shape of the connecting rod 323 can be designed as needed to avoid surrounding components. Specifically, the connecting rod 323 is provided with mounting holes 322 corresponding to each lifting column 31, and the lifting columns 31 are fixed to the corresponding mounting holes 322 via bolts. The first guide portion 321 is fixed to the connecting rod 323 and is configured to be slidably connected to the electrostatic chuck 2 along the first direction X. It will be appreciated that after the electrostatic chuck 2 is placed on the second guide portion 221 that matches the first guide portion 321, the movement accuracy of the lifting unit 3 relative to the electrostatic chuck 2 can be improved, reducing the risk of the lifting unit 3 deflecting during sliding relative to the electrostatic chuck 2 along the first direction X. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first guide portion 321 is provided with a second guide hole 3211 extending along the first direction X. The second guide portion 221 can be configured as a cylindrical member that matches the second guide hole 3211.

[0047] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer 1 lifting device for an electrostatic chuck 2 provided in some embodiments of the present application when the guide rod 521 is in the second position; Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of the wafer 1 lifting device for the electrostatic chuck 2 provided in some embodiments of the present application when the guide rod 521 is in the third position.

[0048] In some embodiments, the driving unit 5 further includes a force guide 51 connected to the driving component 52, and the driving component 52 is used to drive the force guide 51 to move along the first direction X. That is, the driving component 52 is indirectly connected to the lifting unit 3 through the force guide 51. By adjusting the size of the force guide rod, the specific position of the driving component 52 can be flexibly arranged. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in the first state, the force guide 51 abuts against the lifting unit 3 to transmit the driving force of the driving component 52 to the lifting unit 3, that is, in this state, the driving component 52 can provide a lifting force to the wafer 1 through the force guide 51 and the lifting unit 3; Figure 1As shown, in the second state, the force guide 51 is spaced apart from the lifting unit 3 so that there is a gap between the force guide 51 and the lifting unit 3. That is, the lifting unit 3 can be moved away from the wafer 1 under the action of its own gravity, so that there is also a gap between the first end surface 311 and the wafer 1. In this state, the wafer 1 can be stably adsorbed on the electrostatic chuck 2. The lifting unit 3 and the drive unit 5 are designed to be separate, which facilitates the flexible arrangement of the drive unit 5 and reduces the design difficulty. In addition, in the second state, the electrostatic chuck 2, the lifting unit 3 and the wafer 1 can be moved as a whole as needed to complete different wafer 1 measurement tasks at different stations. Before the wafer 1 needs to be removed from the electrostatic chuck 2, the electrostatic chuck 2, the lifting unit 3 and the wafer 1 are moved as a whole to a position close to the drive unit 5, and the drive unit 5 provides a driving force along the first direction X to the lifting unit 3. Since the drive unit 5 does not need to be moved during the measurement process, the overall movement flexibility of the moving electrostatic chuck 2, the lifting unit 3 and the wafer 1 can be improved, and energy saving can be achieved.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the force-guiding member 51 includes a first rod 511 and a second rod 512 arranged sequentially along a first direction X. One of the first rod 511 and the second rod 512 is connected to the driving component 52, and the other abuts against the lifting unit 3 in a first state. The pressure switch 4 is installed between the first rod 511 and the second rod 512 to detect the force transmitted between the first rod 511 and the second rod 512 along the first direction X. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first rod 511 is connected to the driving component 52, and the second rod 512 is used to connect to the lifting unit 3. Both ends of the pressure switch 4 are provided with external threads. One end of the pressure switch 4 is locked to the first rod 511 by means of a threaded connection, and the other end of the pressure switch 4 is locked to the second rod 512 by means of a threaded connection. Because the first rod 511 is arranged along the first direction X, the pressure switch 4 can more accurately detect the driving force provided to the lifting unit 3 by the driving component 52 along the first direction X, thereby calculating the lifting force applied to the wafer 1.

[0050] like Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, the driving component 52 includes a first base 522, a guide rod 521, and a motor 523. The first base 522 is provided with a first guide hole extending along the first direction X, and the cross section of the first guide hole is a non-rotating structure; the guide rod 521 is slidably connected to the first guide hole along the first direction X, and the cross section of the guide rod 521 is adapted to the cross section of the first guide hole. One end of the guide rod 521 is connected to the lifting unit 3, and the other end of the guide rod 521 is provided with a threaded hole extending along the first direction X; the housing of the motor 523 is fixed to the first base 522, and the output shaft of the motor 523 is provided with an external thread adapted to the threaded hole, and the external thread is threadedly connected to the threaded hole. It is understandable that the guide rod 521 can be directly connected to the lifting unit 3, or the guide rod 521 can be indirectly connected to the lifting unit 3 through components such as a force guide rod. After the motor 523 is started, the output shaft of the motor 523 rotates. Due to the limiting effect of the first guide hole, the guide rod 521 can only move linearly along the first direction X. In other words, the above-described mechanical structure can convert the rotational motion of the output shaft of the motor 523 into linear motion of the guide rod 521. This structure is simple, easy to implement, and can achieve relatively high control accuracy. In other embodiments, a linear motion component such as a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder can also be directly used as the drive component 52.

[0051] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, at least one position sensor is disposed around the guide rod 521. Lugs 5212 are provided around the guide rod 521, one corresponding to each position sensor. Each lug 5212 extends toward a corresponding position sensor, and each position sensor is configured to detect the position of the corresponding lug 5212. On the one hand, by detecting the position of the lugs 5212, the specific position of the first end surface 311 can be determined more accurately, facilitating monitoring of the position of the first end surface 311. On the other hand, since position sensors are relatively large, arranging the position sensors around the housing can reduce the overall height of the wafer 1 lifting device along the first direction X.

[0052] Specifically, in this embodiment, three position sensors are provided, namely a first position sensor 61, a second position sensor 62 and a third position sensor 63. Figure 1 As shown, when the first position sensor 61 detects that the corresponding lug 5212 is in place, there is a gap between the first end surface 311 and the wafer 1, and the wafer 1 can be stably adsorbed to the electrostatic chuck 2; Figure 5As shown, when the second position sensor 62 detects that the corresponding lug 5212 is in place, the first end surface 311 is against the wafer 1, and at least the wafer 1 in the vicinity of the first end surface 311 can be lifted to a first preset height. In this state, it can be determined whether the electrostatic chuck 2 has completely released the wafer 1 based on the force value detected by the pressure switch 4. The first preset height refers to the distance between the corresponding position of the wafer 1 and the electrostatic chuck 2 along the first direction X. The specific value of the first preset height can be determined based on the material, size and thickness of the wafer 1 to ensure that the local area of ​​the wafer 1 will not be broken or damaged after being lifted to the first preset height. For example, the first preset height can be 0.45 mm to 0.5 mm. Figure 6 As shown, when the third position sensor 63 detects that the corresponding lug 5212 is in place, the first end surface 311 is pressed against the wafer 1, and the wafer 1 is lifted to a position away from the electrostatic chuck 2 as a whole, and the wafer 1 can be transferred by a robot.

[0053] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the housing of the motor 523 is fixedly connected to a plurality of support columns 64, and the plurality of support columns 64 are spaced apart around the circumference of the guide rod 521. Position sensors are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with at least some of the support columns 64. The position sensors are installed on the corresponding support columns 64, and the installation position of the position sensors relative to the support columns 64 can be adjusted along the first direction X. On the one hand, the housing of the motor 523 can be fixedly connected to the corresponding component through the support columns 64; on the other hand, due to factors such as assembly errors or work requirements, the specific position of the position sensor can be adjusted along the first direction X according to actual needs, thereby reducing the difficulty of assembling the position sensor. Specifically, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, multiple position sensors all include a slide 611 and a sensor body 612 fixed to the slide 611, the sensor body 612 is used to detect the position of the corresponding lug 5212, the slide 611 is sleeved on the corresponding support column 64, and the slide 611 includes a locking screw. When the slide 611 slides to a predetermined position relative to the support column 64 along the first direction X, the locking screw is adjusted to a locked state, and the slide 611 can hold the support column 64 and be stably in the predetermined position. Since the slide 611 with the locking screw is a relatively commonly used mechanical component in this field, its specific structure will not be described in detail here.

[0054] like Figure 7As shown, an embodiment of the present application further provides a semiconductor device, comprising the wafer 1 lifting device for an electrostatic chuck 2 of the above-described embodiment, and further comprising an electrostatic chuck 2 having a second end surface 211 for supporting the wafer 1. Lifting posts 31 are escalably connected to the electrostatic chuck 2 along a first direction X to provide a lifting force to the wafer 1 located at the second end surface 211. Specifically, the electrostatic chuck 2 comprises an auxiliary housing 22 and a chuck body 21 mounted on one side of the auxiliary housing 22. The second end surface 211 is located on a side of the chuck body 21 facing away from the auxiliary housing 22. A second guide portion 221 is fixedly attached to the interior of the auxiliary housing 22. A first guide portion 321 is slidably connected to the second guide portion 221 along the first direction X. A portion of a connecting rod 323 extends outside the auxiliary housing 22 to allow the drive unit 5 to abut against the connecting rod 323. It is understood that the chuck body 21 is provided with a plurality of second through holes that correspond one-to-one with the lifting posts 31 to enable the lifting posts 31 to move upward and downward relative to the chuck body 21. Since the semiconductor device includes the wafer 1 lifting device for the electrostatic chuck 2 in the above embodiment, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the above embodiment, which will not be described one by one here.

[0055] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the semiconductor device further includes an isolation cover 8, the interior of the isolation cover 8 is a vacuum environment or a plasma environment, the electrostatic suction cup 2, the lifting unit 3 and the pressure switch 4 are all located in the isolation cover 8, that is, the actions of the electrostatic suction cup 2 supporting the wafer 1 and the lifting unit 3 supporting the wafer 1 are all performed in the isolation cover 8, which can prevent impurity particles in the external atmosphere from damaging the wafer 1; the outside of the isolation cover 8 is an atmospheric environment, and the driving component 52 is located outside the isolation cover 8, which is convenient for the components such as the motor 523 in the driving component 52 to dissipate heat through the atmosphere, which can relatively improve the working life of the motor 523.

[0056] like Figure 1 and Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, the semiconductor device also includes a second base body 7, which includes: a fixed portion 73, fixedly connected to the isolation cover 8, and the fixed portion 73 is sealed at the connection position with the isolation cover 8, and the fixed portion 73 has a first through hole 731 connected to the atmospheric environment; a movable portion 71, one end of the movable portion 71 along the first direction X is connected to the driving component 52, and the other end of the movable portion 71 along the first direction X is connected to the lifting unit 3, that is, the driving component 52 is indirectly connected to the lifting unit 3 through the movable portion 71. Specifically, in this embodiment, the movable portion 71 is connected to the lifting unit 3 through a force guide rod; a bellows 72, one end of the bellows 72 is sealedly connected to the peripheral side of the first through hole 731, and the other end of the bellows 72 is sealedly connected to the peripheral side of the movable portion 71. By setting the bellows 72, the driving force of the driving component 52 can be transmitted to the lifting unit 3 while ensuring the sealing effect. The structure is simple and easy to implement. In addition, the pressure switch 4 is set in the isolation cover 8, which can also prevent the bellows 72 from affecting the force value detected by the pressure switch 4.

[0057] like Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the portion of the guide rod 521 away from the motor 523 is connected to an auxiliary rod 5211. One end of the auxiliary rod 5211 is provided with a sleeve hole, into which the auxiliary rod 5211 is inserted. The other end of the auxiliary rod 5211 is fixedly connected to the movable portion 71, and the lug 5212 is fixedly connected to the auxiliary rod 5211. Because the guide rod 521 serves a guiding function, it requires high machining precision and high machining costs. By providing the auxiliary rod 5211, the length of the guide rod 521 can be relatively shortened, thereby reducing the overall production cost of the semiconductor device.

[0058] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present application. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, modules and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be understood that the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, and these modifications or replacements should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck, characterized in that: include: A lifting unit, comprising a connecting frame and a plurality of lifting columns extending along a first direction, wherein the plurality of lifting columns are fixedly connected to the connecting frame, the lifting columns including first end surfaces, and the corresponding first end surfaces of the plurality of lifting columns are used to synchronously support wafers; a driving unit, configured to provide a driving force to the lifting unit along the first direction, the driving unit comprising a driving component connected to the lifting unit; A pressure switch is installed on at least one of the lifting unit and the driving component to detect the force along the first direction at a corresponding position, and the pressure switch is connected to the driving component by signal.

2. The wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting frame comprises: A connecting rod, through which the plurality of lifting columns are fixedly connected; The first guide portion is fixed to the connecting rod and is used for slidingly connecting to the electrostatic chuck along the first direction.

3. The wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, wherein: The driving unit further includes a force guiding member connected to the driving component, and the driving component is used to drive the force guiding member to move along the first direction. In the first state, the force guiding member abuts against the lifting unit to transmit the driving force of the driving component to the lifting unit; In the second state, the force guiding member is away from the lifting unit, so that there is a gap between the force guiding member and the lifting unit.

4. The wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck according to claim 3, wherein: The force-guiding member includes a first rod and a second rod arranged in sequence along a first direction, one of the first rod and the second rod is connected to the driving component, and the other is abutted against the lifting unit in the first state, and the pressure switch is installed between the first rod and the second rod to detect the force transmitted between the first rod and the second rod along the first direction.

5. The wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, wherein: The driving component includes: The first base is provided with a first guide hole extending along the first direction, and the cross section of the first guide hole is a non-rotating structure; a guide rod slidably connected to the first guide hole along the first direction, the cross section of the guide rod being adapted to the cross section of the first guide hole, one end of the guide rod being connected to the lifting unit, and the other end of the guide rod being provided with a threaded hole extending along the first direction; The motor has a housing fixed to the first seat, an output shaft of the motor is provided with an external thread adapted to the threaded hole, and the external thread is threadedly connected to the threaded hole.

6. The wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck according to claim 5, characterized in that: At least one position sensor is arranged on the peripheral side of the guide rod. The peripheral side of the guide rod is provided with lugs corresponding to the position sensors one by one. Each position sensor is used to detect the position status of the corresponding lug.

7. The wafer lifting device for an electrostatic chuck according to claim 6, characterized in that: The motor housing is fixedly connected to a plurality of support columns, and the plurality of support columns are spaced apart around the circumference of the guide rod. The position sensor is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with at least some of the support columns. The position sensor is installed on the corresponding support column. Along the first direction, the installation position of the position sensor relative to the support column can be adjusted.

8. A semiconductor device, characterized in that: The device comprises the wafer lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: The electrostatic chuck has a second end surface for supporting the wafer, and the lifting column is connected to the electrostatic chuck in a liftable manner along the first direction to provide a lifting force to the wafer located on the second end surface.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein It also includes an isolation cover, the interior of the isolation cover is a vacuum environment or a plasma environment, and the electrostatic suction cup, lifting unit and pressure switch are all located inside the isolation cover; the outside of the isolation cover is an atmospheric environment, and the driving component is located outside the isolation cover.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein Also included is a second base, the second base comprising: a fixing portion fixedly connected to the isolation cover, wherein the fixing portion and the isolation cover are sealed at a joint position, and the fixing portion has a first through hole connected to the atmospheric environment; a movable portion, wherein one end of the movable portion along the first direction is connected to the driving component, and the other end of the movable portion along the first direction is connected to the lifting unit; A bellows, one end of which is sealed and connected to the peripheral side of the first through hole, and the other end of which is sealed and connected to the peripheral side of the movable part.

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