Wafer boat structure of furnace tube equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wafer boat structure of furnace tube equipment, which is of a cylindrical frame structure and comprises a plurality of axial support columns, one end of each axial support column is fixed on a base, the other end of each axial support column is fixedly connected with a top plate, and the axial support columns are fixed between the base and the top plate through a plurality of parallel arc-shaped rods. A plurality of parallel plates are arranged on the side face of each axial supporting column in a protruding mode, grooves formed between the adjacent plates are used for containing wafers, steps used for supporting the edges of the wafers are arranged on the faces, making contact with the wafers, of the plates, and the area of the steps is smaller than that of the plates. On the basis that the strength of the plate is not affected, the contact area of the wafer and the plate is greatly reduced, the shielding area of the outer edge is smaller, the wafer utilization rate is improved, and the production efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, in particular to a crystal boat structure of furnace tube equipment. Background Art

[0002] A wafer boat is a crucial tool for carrying and transporting wafers during semiconductor manufacturing. It stabilizes wafers, preventing them from sliding or tipping over. It also allows them to be fully exposed during high-temperature processes like cleaning, etching, diffusion, and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), allowing thin films to be deposited on their surfaces. A wafer boat is typically designed to hold multiple wafers, with multiple slots inside, each for a single wafer. These slots are evenly distributed throughout the boat to facilitate batch processing in automated equipment.

[0003] The existing crystal boat structure is as follows Figure 3 、 4 As shown, it is a cylindrical frame structure, including a number of axial pillars 1. One end of the pillar 1 is fixed to the base 2, and the other end is fixedly connected to the annular top plate 5. A number of parallel arc rods 3 are used to fix the axial pillars 1 between the base 2 and the annular top plate 5 to keep the cylindrical frame structure stable. A plurality of plates 11 that are parallel to each other and have the same spacing are protruding from the side of each axial pillar 1. The grooves formed between adjacent plates 11 are used to place wafers 6. The placement surface of the plate 11 is flat. After the wafer is placed, the bottom edge of the wafer 6 is completely in contact with the plate 11. When the chemical vapor deposition process is carried out, the contact part 12 will be blocked and no reaction will occur. Affected by this, the utilization rate of the outer edge of the wafer is low during processing, resulting in reduced production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above problems, the utility model proposes a crystal boat structure for furnace tube equipment.

[0005] The technical solutions adopted in this utility model are as follows:

[0006] A wafer boat structure of a furnace tube equipment is a cylindrical frame structure, comprising a plurality of axial pillars, one end of each axial pillar being fixed to a base and the other end being fixedly connected to a top plate. The plurality of axial pillars are fixed between the base and the top plate via a plurality of parallel arc-shaped rods. A plurality of mutually parallel plates are protruding from the side of each axial pillar. Grooves formed between adjacent plates are used to place wafers. A side of the plate in contact with the wafer is provided with a step for supporting the edge of the wafer, and the area of ​​the step is smaller than the area of ​​the plate.

[0007] Preferably, the step is arranged on a side close to the pillar.

[0008] Preferably, the area of ​​the step is substantially half the area of ​​the plate.

[0009] Preferably, the thickness of the step is 0.5-2 mm.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0011] The utility model provides a wafer boat structure for a furnace tube device, which adds a step structure on the plate. On the basis of not affecting the strength of the plate, the contact area between the wafer and the plate is greatly reduced, the area blocked by the outer edge is reduced, the wafer utilization rate is improved, and thus the production efficiency is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a partial enlarged view of the crystal boat structure of the furnace tube equipment of the preferred embodiment of the present utility model.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of wafer placement in the wafer boat structure of the furnace tube equipment of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 (a) is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing crystal boat; Figure 3 (b) is an enlarged view of the local structure of the existing wafer boat.

[0016] Figure 4 Side view of wafer placement for an existing wafer boat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0018] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on specific circumstances.

[0019] The following will illustrate the implementation methods of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings in the specification. It should be noted that the implementation methods involved in this specification are not exhaustive and do not represent the only implementation methods of the present invention. The following corresponding embodiments are only for the purpose of clearly illustrating the utility model content of the utility model patent and are not intended to limit its implementation methods. For ordinary technicians in this field, different forms of changes and modifications can be made on the basis of the description of these embodiments. All obvious changes or modifications that belong to the technical concept and utility model content of the present invention are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 1 、 2 The figure shows a crystal boat structure of a furnace tube device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is a cylindrical frame structure and includes a plurality of axial pillars 1. Preferably, the number of the axial pillars is 4. One end of the axial pillar 1 is fixed to the base 2, and the other end is fixedly connected to the top plate 5. The axial pillar 1 is fixed between the base 2 and the top plate 5 by a plurality of parallel arc rods 3. Preferably, the number of the arc rods 3 is 5. A plurality of plates 11 parallel to each other are protruding from the side of each axial pillar 1, and the grooves formed between adjacent plates 11 are used to place wafers 6. One side 12 of the plate 11 in contact with the wafer is provided with a step 13 for supporting the edge of the wafer, and the area of ​​the step 13 is smaller than the area of ​​the plate 11. In a preferred embodiment, the area of ​​the step 13 is 1 / 4-1 / 2 of the area of ​​the plate 11.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the step 13 is disposed on a side close to the pillar 1. Since the wafer generally has a certain gap from the pillar 1 when in the wafer slot, the step 13 is disposed on the side close to the pillar 1. This further reduces the contact area between the edge of the wafer 6 and the wafer boat (step 13). In other words, the area of ​​the wafer blocked during chemical vapor deposition processing is further reduced, thereby increasing the usable area of ​​the wafer.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the step 13 is 0.5-2 mm.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the step 13 is substantially the same as that of the plate 11, and the area may be proportionally reduced.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of wafer placement in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the wafer 6 is placed in the groove formed by the adjacent plate 11. At this time, the bottom edge of the wafer 6 contacts the step 13, and the contact area is much smaller than the contact area between the bottom surface of the wafer and the plate 11 before the improvement.

[0025] An alternative solution, similar to the wafer boat structure of the furnace tube equipment of the present invention, is to reduce the length of plate 11 to achieve the same effect of reducing the area of ​​wafer obstruction. However, this solution has drawbacks. Reducing the volume of plate 11 significantly reduces its strength, increases the risk of damage to plate 11, and affects the overall service life of the wafer boat. The solution of the present invention, on the other hand, reduces the obstructed area of ​​the wafer, improving utilization, while also ensuring that the structural strength of plate 11 and the service life of the wafer boat are not affected, thereby improving overall production efficiency.

[0026] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and non-restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, not the foregoing description, and all variations within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be encompassed within the present invention. Any reference sign in a claim should not be construed as limiting the claim to which it relates.

[0027] In addition, it should be understood that although this specification is described in terms of implementation methods, not every implementation method contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative method of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A wafer boat structure of a furnace tube equipment, which is a cylindrical frame structure, including a plurality of axial pillars, one end of each axial pillar is fixed to a base, and the other end is fixedly connected to a top plate. The plurality of axial pillars are fixed between the base and the top plate by a plurality of parallel arc-shaped rods. Each axial pillar has a plurality of parallel plates protruding from the side thereof, and the grooves formed between adjacent plates are used to place wafers. The characteristics are as follows: A side of the plate in contact with the wafer is provided with a step for supporting an edge of the wafer, and an area of ​​the step is smaller than an area of ​​the plate.

2. The wafer boat structure of the furnace tube equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step is arranged on a side close to the pillar.

3. The wafer boat structure of the furnace tube equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The area of ​​the step is substantially half the area of ​​the plate.

4. The wafer boat structure of the furnace tube equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the step is 0.5-2 mm.

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