Vertical semiconductor heat treatment equipment and process door thereof

Abstract

The utility model provides vertical semiconductor heat treatment equipment and a process door thereof. The process door is configured to be positioned below a process chamber of the vertical semiconductor heat treatment equipment. The craft door comprises a door body, a lifting mechanism and an adjusting mechanism. The door body is used for transmitting the wafer bearing device into the process chamber and sealing a bottom opening of the process chamber, and the door body comprises a supporting surface used for supporting the wafer bearing device; the lifting mechanism is connected to the door body through the adjusting mechanism, and the lifting mechanism is used for driving the door body to lift so as to transmit the wafer bearing device; and the adjusting mechanism is arranged between the door body and the lifting mechanism and is used for adjusting the levelness of the supporting surface when the door body supports the wafer bearing device. According to the utility model, the adjusting mechanism is configured to perform levelness adjustment when the door body bears and supports the wafer bearing device, so that the door body is kept horizontal in a loading state, and the uniformity of the thickness of a surface film in a wafer processing process is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein relate to, but are not limited to, the field of semiconductor technology, and specifically to a vertical semiconductor thermal processing apparatus and its process gate. Background Technology

[0002] Vertical furnaces are essential equipment in the semiconductor industry, widely used in processes such as oxidation, annealing, and low-pressure chemical deposition. The process door is a crucial component of a vertical furnace; its main function is to carry wafers into the process area and seal the opening at the bottom of the furnace, thereby ensuring the smooth progress of semiconductor processes.

[0003] Because process gates are typically cantilevered structures, they tend to tilt horizontally under load due to gravity. This tilt causes the wafer boat on the process gate to tilt as well, affecting the wafer's levelness. This deviation in levelness negatively impacts the uniformity of the surface film thickness during wafer processing, directly affecting wafer quality and process stability.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a process gate structure that can effectively guarantee the horizontality of the wafer, thereby ensuring that the wafer maintains a good horizontality during the process, has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a vertical semiconductor heat treatment equipment and its process gate. The process gate ensures that the wafers carried on it maintain a good levelness during the carrying process, thus ensuring the uniformity of the semiconductor process.

[0006] To achieve the purpose of this utility model, a process door is provided. The process door is configured to be located below the process chamber of a vertical semiconductor thermal processing equipment. The process door includes a door body, a lifting mechanism, and an adjusting mechanism. The door body is used to transfer a wafer carrier into the process chamber and to close the bottom opening of the process chamber. The door body includes a support surface for supporting the wafer carrier. The lifting mechanism is connected to the door body through the adjusting mechanism and is used to drive the door body to lift and lower to transfer the wafer carrier. The adjusting mechanism is disposed between the door body and the lifting mechanism and is used to adjust the levelness of the support surface when the door body supports the wafer carrier.

[0007] In some embodiments, the adjustment mechanism includes a mounting plate, a support member, and an adjustment assembly; the mounting plate is fixedly connected to the door body and disposed between the door body and the connection surface of the lifting mechanism; one end of the support member is connected to one of the connection surfaces of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism, and the other end of the support member is rotatably connected to the other connection surface of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism via a ball joint; the adjustment assembly is connected to the connection surface of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism, and the adjustment assembly is used to adjust the distance between the connection surfaces of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism.

[0008] In some embodiments, the adjusting assembly includes a drive member and a threaded rod; the drive member is connected to the lifting mechanism and the threaded rod, and the drive member is used to drive the threaded rod to rotate; a mounting hole is provided on the connecting surface, and a threaded hole is provided on the mounting plate through the mounting plate along its thickness direction; the smooth part of the threaded rod is disposed in the mounting hole through a bearing, and the threaded part of the threaded rod mates with the threaded hole.

[0009] In some embodiments, the driving component includes a motor and a gear pair, the gear pair including an externally meshing driving wheel and a driven wheel; the motor is fixedly connected to the lifting mechanism, and the output shaft of the motor is connected to the driving wheel; the center of the driven wheel is provided with a transmission hole that penetrates the driven wheel along its thickness direction, and the smooth part of the threaded rod is fixedly provided in the transmission hole.

[0010] In some embodiments, the number of teeth on the driving wheel is less than the number of teeth on the driven wheel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the threaded portion of the threaded rod is configured to rise or fall by one pitch when the driven wheel rotates one revolution.

[0012] In some embodiments, the adjustment assembly further includes a measuring element and a control element; the measuring element is disposed on the support surface and is used to measure the levelness of the support surface; the control element is connected to the measuring element and the drive element and is used to control the drive element to drive the threaded rod to rotate according to the levelness of the support surface measured by the measuring element.

[0013] In some embodiments, the measuring element includes a level sensor.

[0014] In some embodiments, the mounting plate is fixedly connected to the door body via connectors.

[0015] This utility model also provides a vertical semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, including a process chamber and the aforementioned process door, the process door being used to selectively close the bottom opening of the process chamber.

[0016] This utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] The process door of this invention can adjust the levelness of the support surface when the door supports the wafer carrier. Compared with related technologies that only adjust the levelness of the support surface when the door is unloaded, this invention fully considers the impact of the load above the door on the levelness of the support surface. The adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the levelness when the door supports the wafer carrier, thereby ensuring that the door remains level under load. This invention effectively improves the uniformity of surface film thickness during wafer processing.

[0018] Other objects and features of this utility model will become clear from reading the specification, claims and drawings of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the bottom opening of a process chamber sealed by a process door in related technologies.

[0021] Figure 2 It is an exploded view of a process gate in the relevant technology.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the bottom opening of the process door sealing process chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the process gate of an embodiment of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the adjustment component and the lifting mechanism in accordance with the embodiments of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the process door according to an embodiment of this utility model. And...

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connection of the process door according to an embodiment of this utility model.

[0027] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0028] 1. Door body; 2. Support column; 3. Fitting parts; 4. Mounting plate; 5. Leveling screws;

[0029] 6. Fixing screws; 7. Support arm;

[0030] 10. Process gate; 20. Vertical semiconductor thermal processing equipment; 21. Process chamber; 30. Wafer carrier;

[0031] 100. Door body; 110. Supporting surface;

[0032] 200. Lifting mechanism;

[0033] 310. Mounting plate; 320. Support component; 330. Adjustment assembly;

[0034] 3311, Motor; 3312, Gear pair; 3312a, Driving gear; 3312b, Driven gear;

[0035] 3313, Bearings;

[0036] 332. Threaded rod; 333. Measuring component; 334. Control component;

[0037] 400. Connector; 410. Connecting post; 420. Connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0039] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0040] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0041] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0042] The process gate is a crucial component in vertical semiconductor thermal processing equipment (such as vertical furnaces), primarily used to support the process chamber, wafer carrier, and other related parts. Because the support arm 7 driving the process gate's lifting and lowering employs a cantilever structure, it may tilt to some extent when the process gate is carrying a heavy load, causing the process gate to tilt accordingly. Since the process gate typically houses the wafer carrier, which in turn supports the wafer, this tilt directly causes a deviation in the horizontal angle of the wafer as it enters the process chamber. This tilt not only affects the wafer's levelness but also leads to uneven film thickness during processing, ultimately impacting the product quality.

[0043] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, a process gate is provided, which can adjust the level of the gate body 1 when the gate body 1 is unloaded, so as to avoid affecting the uniformity of the surface film thickness of the wafer during the process.

[0044] To better explain the structure of the process gate in the relevant technology, the following description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the bottom opening of a process chamber sealed by a process door in related technologies. Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a process gate in the related technology. See also... Figure 1 and Figure 2The related technology's process door includes a door body 1, a mounting plate 4, a support arm 7, fixing screws 6, and leveling screws 5. The door body 1 has a support surface for support. The mounting plate 4 is located between the door body 1 and the support arm 7 and is fixedly connected to the door body 1. The mounting plate 4 is connected to the support arm 7 by multiple fixing screws 6, which are spaced apart along the same circumference. Each fixing screw 6 has threads at both ends; one end screws into a threaded hole in the mounting plate 4, and the other end screws into a threaded hole in the support arm 7. Near each fixing screw 6, a leveling screw 5 is provided. One end of each leveling screw 5 is threaded and screwed into a threaded hole in the mounting plate 4; the other end rests against the surface of the support arm 7 facing the mounting plate 4. The leveling screws 5 are used to adjust the angle between the mounting plate 4 and the support arm 7, thereby adjusting the levelness of the support surface.

[0045] Since the wafer carrier is placed on the support surface of gate 1, the levelness of the support surface directly determines the levelness of the wafer surface, thus affecting the uniformity of the surface film thickness during the wafer processing. Related technologies include the following steps for adjusting the levelness of the process gate:

[0046] a) Obtain the levelness of the support surface: First, it is necessary to measure the levelness of the support surface.

[0047] b) Record the tilt angle: When the support surface tilts, record its tilt angle.

[0048] c) Loosen the fixing screws 6: Loosen the fixing screws 6 near the tilt position to make the angle between the mounting plate 4 and the support arm 7 adjustable.

[0049] d) Adjusting the leveling screw 5: Adjust the leveling screw 5 near the tilt position. By rotating the leveling screw 5, the angle between the mounting plate 4 and the support arm 7 is changed, thereby adjusting the mounting plate 4 to a horizontal state.

[0050] e) Tighten fixing screw 6: Tighten fixing screw 6 to fix the angle between mounting plate 4 and support arm 7.

[0051] It is understandable that since the door body 1 is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 4, the horizontal adjustment of the door body 1 and its supporting surface can be achieved by adjusting the horizontality of the mounting plate 4 until the supporting surface reaches the ideal horizontal state.

[0052] However, the aforementioned process gates in the related technologies have the following problems:

[0053] 1) The level of door 1 needs to be manually adjusted, and the adjustment process depends entirely on manual operation and cannot be automated;

[0054] 2) It requires multiple adjustments to the fixing screw 6 and leveling screw 5, as well as repeated measurements, to make the support surface level, resulting in long adjustment time and low efficiency.

[0055] 3) During the adjustment process, gate 1 is unloaded, and no wafer support device or other heavy object is placed on the support surface. Therefore, it cannot be guaranteed that gate 1 will remain horizontal after the wafer support device is actually supported. This situation may lead to uneven surface film thickness on the wafer during the processing.

[0056] In order to solve at least one technical problem existing in the related art, this utility model proposes a process gate 10. Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the process door 10 sealing the bottom opening of the process chamber 21 according to an embodiment of this utility model. See also Figure 3 The process door 10 is configured to be located below the process chamber 21 of the vertical semiconductor thermal processing equipment 20. The process door 10 includes a door body 100, a lifting mechanism 200, and an adjustment mechanism.

[0057] The door 100 is used to transfer the wafer carrier 30 into the process chamber 21 and seal the bottom opening of the process chamber 21, thereby sealing the process chamber 21 and ensuring that the environment inside the process chamber 21 is maintained at the required process environment. The wafer carrier 30 can be a wafer boat or other structures. It is understood that this embodiment does not limit the load-bearing capacity of the door 100 to the wafer carrier 30; it can also support other devices, such as the process chamber 21 itself.

[0058] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of process gate 10 of this utility model embodiment. Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the adjustment component 330 and the lifting mechanism 200 in accordance with an embodiment of this utility model. (See also...) Figure 4 and Figure 5 The lifting mechanism 200 is connected to the door 100 via an adjustment mechanism. The lifting mechanism 200 drives the door 100 to rise and fall to transfer the wafer carrier 30. Before processing, the lifting mechanism 200 can lift the door 100 to send the wafer carrier 30 onto the door 100 into the process chamber 21 until the sealing surface of the door 100 contacts the bottom of the process chamber 21. After processing, the lifting mechanism 200 drives the door 100 to fall until the wafer carrier 30 leaves the process chamber 21, allowing the completed wafer to be removed. The lifting mechanism 200 may include a cantilever structure and a robotic arm. The cantilever structure is connected to the adjustment mechanism, and the robotic arm is connected to the cantilever structure, used to drive the cantilever structure to rise and fall.

[0059] The door body 100 includes a support surface 110 for supporting the wafer carrier 30. An adjustment mechanism is disposed between the door body 100 and the lifting mechanism 200. The adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the level of the support surface 110 when the door body 100 supports the wafer carrier 30. It should be noted that the adjustment mechanism can adjust the level of the support surface 110 in real time.

[0060] The process gate 10 of this invention can adjust the level of the support surface 110 when the gate body 100 supports the wafer carrier 30. Compared with related technologies that only adjust the level of the support surface when the gate body is unloaded, this invention fully considers the influence of the load above the gate body 100 on the level of the support surface 110. The adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the level when the gate body 100 supports the wafer carrier 30, thereby ensuring that the gate body 100 remains level under load. This invention effectively improves the uniformity of surface film thickness during wafer processing.

[0061] As an optional embodiment of this utility model, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The adjustment mechanism includes a mounting plate 310, a support member 320, and an adjustment assembly 330. The lifting mechanism 200 has a connecting surface facing the door body 100, and the mounting plate 310 is disposed between the connecting surface of the door body 100 and the lifting mechanism 200. (See also...) Figure 4 The adjusting component 330 is connected to both the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200, and is used to adjust the distance between the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200. The mounting plate 310 is fixedly connected to the door body 100, and the door body 100 can move synchronously with the mounting plate 310 during the adjustment of the distance between the mounting plate 310 and the connecting surface by the adjusting component 330. One end of the support member 320 is connected to one of the connecting surfaces of the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200, and the other end of the support member 320 is rotatably connected to the other connecting surface of the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200 via a ball joint.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first end of the support member 320 is connected to the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200, and the second end of the support member 320 is rotatably connected to the mounting plate 310 via a ball joint. Specifically, the second end of the support member 320 is provided with a spherical structure, which is rotatably installed in a spherical hole on the mounting plate 310. When the adjusting assembly 330 adjusts the distance between the connecting surface of the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200, the spherical structure can rotate within the spherical hole. Meanwhile, to facilitate the assembly of the process door 10, the first end of the support member 320 is provided with a threaded portion, and the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200 is provided with a threaded hole for installing the threaded portion of the first end of the support member 320.

[0063] In other embodiments, the first end of the support member 320 is connected to the mounting plate 310, and the second end of the support member 320 is rotatably connected to the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200 via a ball joint. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 Specifically, the second end of the support member 320 is provided with a spherical structure, which is rotatably installed in a spherical hole on the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200. When the adjusting assembly 330 adjusts the distance between the mounting plate 310 and the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200, the spherical structure can rotate within the spherical hole. Meanwhile, to facilitate the assembly of the process door 10, the first end of the support member 320 is provided with a threaded portion, and the mounting plate 310 is provided with a threaded hole for installing the threaded portion of the first end of the support member 320.

[0064] In the adjustment mechanism of this embodiment, the support member 320 and the adjustment component 330 work together. While the two ends of the support member 320 are respectively connected to the connecting surfaces of the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200, the adjustment component 330 adjusts the distance between the mounting plate 310 and the connecting surfaces of the lifting mechanism 200. This causes one distance between the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200 to remain constant, while the other distance increases or decreases, ultimately resulting in a change in the included angle between the connecting surfaces of the mounting plate 310 and the lifting mechanism 200. In this embodiment, the support member 320 and the adjustment component 330 can change the position of the mounting plate 310 relative to the lifting mechanism 200, thereby adjusting the levelness of the door body 100 support surface 110.

[0065] Optionally, the mounting plate 310 can be fixedly connected to the door body 100 via a connector 400. Specifically, the connector 400 includes a connecting post 410 and a connecting rod 420. The connecting post 410 has a slot with an opening facing the connecting rod 420, and the connecting rod 420 can be inserted into the slot. Whether the connecting post 410 and the connecting rod 420 are located on the mounting plate 310 or the door body 100 is not specifically limited here. For example, see... Figure 4 The connecting rod 420 is fixedly installed on the door body 100, and the connecting post 410 is fixedly installed on the mounting plate 310. When the connecting rod 420 is inserted into the slot, the mounting plate 310 is fixedly connected to the door body 100.

[0066] To improve the reliability of the fixed connection between the mounting plate 310 and the door 100, the process door 10 may include multiple connectors 400, meaning that multiple connectors 400 can be provided between the mounting plate 310 and the door 100. The multiple connectors 400 provided between the mounting plate 310 and the door 100 are evenly distributed on the same circumference to further improve the stability of the fixed connection between the mounting plate 310 and the door 100.

[0067] To achieve the function of adjustment component 330, see [link / reference]. Figure 4 and Figure 5The adjusting assembly 330 may include a driving member and a threaded rod 332. The threaded rod 332 includes a smooth rod portion and a threaded portion. The smooth rod portion of the threaded rod 332 is disposed within a mounting hole on the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200 via a bearing 3313. The depth of the mounting hole is equal to the thickness of the bearing 3313, thus restricting the bearing 3313's degree of freedom in the depth direction of the mounting hole. This ensures that when the threaded rod 332 rotates, its smooth rod portion remains fixed in the depth direction of the mounting hole, allowing the threaded rod 332 to rotate only around the hole's axis and not move along it. The mounting plate 310 has a threaded hole extending through it along its thickness direction. The threaded portion of the threaded rod 332 engages with the threaded hole, allowing it to be screwed in or out of the threaded hole. The driving member is connected to the threaded rod 332 and drives the threaded rod 332 to rotate around its own axis. Simultaneously, the threaded rod 332 can drive the mounting plate 310 to move up and down along its axial direction. The drive component can be connected to the lifting mechanism 200.

[0068] In the process gate 10 of this embodiment, the threaded rod 332 can be driven by a driving member to rotate in different directions to adjust the distance between the mounting plate 310 and the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200 at that position, increasing or decreasing the distance until the supporting surface 110 is adjusted to be horizontal (for example, the reading of the level connected to the supporting surface 110 is 0), so as to ensure the levelness of the wafer carried on it. For example, the driving member drives the threaded rod 332 to rotate in a first direction, increasing the length of the threaded rod 332 extending out of the threaded hole, thereby decreasing the distance between the mounting plate 310 and the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200 at that position; or, the driving member drives the threaded rod 332 to rotate in a second direction, decreasing the length of the threaded rod 332 extending out of the threaded hole, thereby increasing the distance between the mounting plate 310 and the connecting surface of the lifting mechanism 200 at that position. The first direction and the second direction are opposite, and one of them can be clockwise and the other counterclockwise.

[0069] In an alternative embodiment, see Figure 4 and Figure 5 The driving components include a motor 3311 and a gear pair 3312. The gear pair 3312 includes two externally meshing gears: a driving gear 3312a and a driven gear 3312b. The motor 3311 is fixedly connected to the lifting mechanism 200. The output shaft of the motor 3311 is connected to the driving gear 3312a to drive the driving gear 3312a to rotate, which in turn drives the driven gear 3312b to rotate. The driven gear 3312b has a transmission hole at its center, extending through its thickness. The smooth portion of the threaded rod 332 is fixedly disposed in the transmission hole, and the threaded rod 332 rotates around its axis under the drive of the driven gear 3312b.

[0070] For details, see Figure 5When the output shaft of motor 3311 rotates clockwise, the driving wheel 3312a of the gear pair rotates clockwise along with the output shaft of motor 3311, and the driven wheel 3312b of the gear pair rotates counterclockwise under the drive of the driving wheel 3312a. The threaded rod 332 rotates counterclockwise along with the driven wheel 3312b. Since the bearing 3313 restricts the axial movement of the threaded rod 332, the mounting plate 310 moves upward along the axial direction of the threaded rod 332, thereby moving the door body 100 upward along the axial direction of the threaded rod 332 to adjust the levelness of the support surface 110. Similarly, when the output shaft of motor 3311 rotates counterclockwise, the driving wheel 3312a of the gear pair rotates counterclockwise along with the output shaft of motor 3311, and the driven wheel 3312b of the gear pair rotates clockwise under the drive of the driving wheel 3312a. The threaded rod 332 rotates clockwise along with the driven wheel 3312b. Since the bearing 3313 restricts the axial movement of the threaded rod 332, the mounting plate 310 moves downward along the axial direction of the threaded rod 332, thereby moving the door body 100 downward along the axial direction of the threaded rod 332 to adjust the levelness of the support surface 110.

[0071] To improve the precision of adjusting the level of the support surface 110, the number of teeth on the driving gear 3312a is less than the number of teeth on the driven gear 3312b; that is, the driving gear 3312a is a pinion, and the driven gear 3312b is a gear. (See [reference]). Figure 5 .

[0072] In some embodiments, the threaded portion of the threaded rod 332 is configured to rise or fall by one pitch when the driven wheel 3312b rotates one revolution, so as to control the movement of the mounting plate 310 with high precision within the micrometer motion range, further improving the fineness of adjusting the level of the support surface 110.

[0073] This embodiment achieves high-precision adjustment of the adjustment component 330 by controlling the motor 3311, combining the low transmission ratio of the gear pair 3312 and the thread structure of the threaded rod 332. Compared with the manual adjustment fixing screw and leveling screw in related technologies, this embodiment shortens the adjustment time and improves the adjustment efficiency.

[0074] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the process gate 10 according to an embodiment of this utility model. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connections of process gate 10 according to an embodiment of this utility model. See also... Figure 6 and Figure 7The adjustment assembly 330 also includes a measuring element 333 and a control element 334. The measuring element 333 is disposed on the support surface 110 and is used to measure the levelness of the support surface 110. The control element 334 is connected to the measuring element 333 and the drive element, and is used to control the drive element to drive the threaded rod 332 to rotate according to the levelness of the support surface 110 measured by the measuring element 333, so as to improve the automation level of the process gate 10.

[0075] In this embodiment, signal transmission is achieved through a measuring element 333, a control element 334, and a motor 3311. The measuring element 333 obtains the levelness of the support surface 110 and transmits the levelness of the support surface 110 to the control element 334. The control element 334 receives the levelness obtained by the measuring element 333 and, through internal logic analysis, outputs a control signal to the motor 3311. After receiving the control signal, the motor 3311 controls the gear pair 3312 to rotate according to the control signal, thereby driving the mounting plate 310 to move up and down along the axial direction of the threaded rod 332, realizing the automatic adjustment of the process gate 10 and reducing labor costs.

[0076] Optionally, the measuring element 333 includes a level sensor. Specifically, the level sensor can be a level.

[0077] As a second aspect of this invention, a vertical semiconductor heat treatment apparatus 20 is provided. The vertical semiconductor heat treatment apparatus 20 includes a process chamber and a process door 10 as described in the above embodiment, the process door 10 being used to selectively close the bottom opening of the process chamber.

[0078] In the vertical semiconductor heat treatment equipment 20 provided by this utility model, an adjustment mechanism is disposed between the door 100 and the lifting mechanism 200. The adjustment mechanism adjusts the level of the support surface 110 when the door 100 supports the wafer carrier 30. It should be noted that the adjustment mechanism can adjust the level of the support surface 110 in real time. Compared with related technologies that only adjust the level of the support surface when the door is unloaded, this utility model fully considers the influence of the load above the door 100 on the level of the support surface 110. The adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the level while the door 100 is carrying the wafer carrier 30, thereby ensuring that the door 100 remains level under load, effectively improving the uniformity of the surface film thickness during wafer processing.

[0079] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of this utility model, and the utility model is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of this utility model, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A process gate, the process gate being configured to be located below the process chamber of a vertical semiconductor thermal processing apparatus, characterized in that, The process door includes a door body, a lifting mechanism, and an adjustment mechanism; The door is used to transfer the wafer carrier device into the process chamber and to close the bottom opening of the process chamber. The door includes a support surface for supporting the wafer carrier device. The lifting mechanism is connected to the door body through the adjustment mechanism, and the lifting mechanism is used to drive the door body to lift and lower to transport the wafer carrier device; The adjustment mechanism is disposed between the door and the lifting mechanism, and the adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the levelness of the support surface when the door supports the wafer carrier.

2. The process gate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment mechanism includes a mounting plate, a support member, and an adjustment assembly; The mounting plate is fixedly connected to the door body, and the mounting plate is disposed between the connection surface of the door body and the lifting mechanism; One end of the support member is connected to one of the connecting surfaces of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism, and the other end of the support member is rotatably connected to the other connecting surface of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism via a ball joint. The adjustment component is connected to the connection surface of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism, and the adjustment component is used to adjust the distance between the connection surface of the mounting plate and the lifting mechanism.

3. The process gate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adjustment assembly includes a drive component and a threaded rod; The driving component is connected to the lifting mechanism and the threaded rod, and the driving component is used to drive the threaded rod to rotate. The connecting surface is provided with mounting holes, the mounting plate is provided with threaded holes that penetrate the mounting plate along its thickness direction, the smooth part of the threaded rod is provided in the mounting holes through bearings, and the threaded part of the threaded rod mates with the threaded holes.

4. The process gate according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving component includes a motor and a gear pair, wherein the gear pair includes an externally meshing driving gear and a driven gear; The motor is fixedly connected to the lifting mechanism, and the output shaft of the motor is connected to the drive wheel; The driven wheel has a transmission hole at its center that extends through the driven wheel along its thickness direction, and the smooth part of the threaded rod is fixedly disposed in the transmission hole.

5. The process gate according to claim 4, characterized in that, The number of teeth on the driving wheel is less than the number of teeth on the driven wheel.

6. The process gate according to claim 4, characterized in that, The threaded portion of the threaded rod is configured to rise or fall by one pitch when the driven wheel rotates one revolution.

7. The process gate according to claim 3, characterized in that, The adjustment assembly also includes measuring and control components; The measuring element is disposed on the support surface, and the measuring element is used to measure the levelness of the support surface; The control component is connected to the measuring component and the driving component. The control component is used to control the driving component to drive the threaded rod to rotate based on the levelness of the support surface measured by the measuring component.

8. The process gate according to claim 7, characterized in that, The measuring device includes a level sensor.

9. The process gate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mounting plate is fixedly connected to the door body via connectors.

10. A vertical semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a process chamber and a process door according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the process door being used to selectively close the bottom opening of the process chamber.

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