Protection equipment and laser annealing system

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor discrete device and integrated circuit manufacturing, and especially relates to a protection device and a laser annealing system. The protection equipment comprises an air injection component, a plurality of air injection holes are formed in the air injection component, and the air injection component is arranged on a moving carrying table; the air suction component is provided with a plurality of air suction holes and is arranged on the moving carrying table, and the air suction component and the air injection component are oppositely arranged in the first direction and define an isolation cavity used for placing wafers; inert gas can be jetted into the isolation cavity from the gas jetting hole in the first direction by the gas jetting component and is sucked out by the gas suction component through the gas suction hole, a gas curtain capable of covering the wafer is formed in the isolation cavity, and the first direction is parallel to the object carrying face of the moving carrying table. According to the protection equipment provided by the utility model, the air curtain for covering the wafer can be formed in the isolation cavity, so that the wafer is prevented from being oxidized by oxygen during annealing, heat on the wafer can be continuously taken away, local heat accumulation of the wafer is prevented, and the processing quality of the wafer is ensured.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor discrete device and integrated circuit manufacturing, especially to a protection device and laser annealing system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In recent years, with the continuous development of semiconductor technology, the feature size of wafer has entered the nanometer era, which poses new challenges for semiconductor manufacturing technology. To meet the process needs, laser annealing technology is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing technology. Laser annealing uses a laser pulse device to provide a laser light source, which is processed into a long and narrow beam through an optical processing system (i.e. a series of lenses), and then irradiated onto the film layer on the wafer. The purpose of laser annealing is to activate ions, repair defects, crystallize, convert amorphous materials into polycrystalline or single-crystal state, and bond metal silicide, thereby improving the electrical properties of wafer chip unit materials. When the wafer is annealed, impurities such as high-resistance silicon dioxide and nickel oxide are formed in the presence of oxygen. Therefore, laser annealing must be performed under the protection of inert gases such as nitrogen to improve the performance of laser annealing.

[0003] In the prior art, airtight chambers are obtained by using hardware such as glass covers. In the laser annealing process, infrared or near-infrared band lasers are needed for ions with deep injection depth. The heat-affected depth of this band laser on the wafer is deep. In the laser annealing process, the airtight chamber is not conducive to the heat dissipation of the wafer. If the wafer and the wafer carrier dissipate heat slowly or unevenly, local heat accumulation on the wafer may occur, thereby damaging the front-side devices of the wafer. SUMMARY

[0004] The utility model aims at least solve the problem that airtight chamber is not conducive to wafer heat dissipation. The purpose is realized by the following way:

[0005] The first aspect of the utility model provides a protection device, the protection device includes: air injection component, the air injection component is equipped with a plurality of air injection holes, and is arranged on the moving carrier; air suction component, the air suction component is equipped with a plurality of air suction holes, and is arranged on the moving carrier, the air suction component and the air injection component are oppositely arranged along the first direction, and enclose the isolation chamber for placing the wafer;The air injection component and the air suction component are configured so that the inert gas can be injected by the air injection component from the air injection hole along the first direction into the isolation chamber, and sucked out by the air suction component through the air suction hole, and an air curtain covering the wafer is formed in the isolation chamber, and the first direction is parallel to the carrier surface of the moving carrier.

[0006] According to the protective device, when the air injection component and the air suction component are installed on the moving platform, an isolation cavity with an open top can be defined between the air injection component and the air suction component, inert gas is injected into the isolation cavity by the air injection component, and the inert gas in the isolation cavity is sucked by the air suction component, so that an air curtain for covering the wafer can be formed in the isolation cavity, on the one hand, oxygen is isolated by the air curtain, and the wafer is prevented from being oxidized by oxygen during annealing, and on the other hand, the air curtain of the inert gas continuously flowing in the isolation cavity can continuously take away heat on the wafer, so that the wafer can be rapidly cooled, local heat accumulation of the wafer is prevented, and the processing quality of the wafer is ensured.

[0007] In addition, the protective device according to the utility model also has the following additional technical features.

[0008] In some embodiments of the utility model, the air injection component is defined with an air inlet cavity, the air injection component includes an air injection wall surface arranged towards the air suction component, the air injection wall surface is arranged as a concave surface recessed towards the air suction component, the air injection hole is arranged on the air injection wall surface and communicates with the air inlet cavity, the air suction component is defined with an air outlet cavity, the air suction component includes an air suction wall surface arranged towards the air injection component, the air suction wall surface is arranged as a concave surface recessed towards the air injection component, the air suction hole is arranged on the air suction wall surface and communicates with the air outlet cavity, and the air suction wall surface and the air injection wall surface jointly enclose the isolation cavity.

[0009] In some embodiments of the utility model, the air injection wall surface is arranged as an arc surface, and the air suction wall surface is arranged as an arc surface, or the air injection wall surface and the air suction wall surface are both arranged as U-shaped surfaces.

[0010] In some embodiments of the utility model, the protective device further includes a gas supply device and an air inlet pipeline, the gas supply device communicates with the air inlet cavity through the air inlet pipeline, an air suction device and an air outlet pipeline, and the air suction device communicates with the air outlet cavity through the air outlet pipeline.

[0011] In some embodiments of the utility model, the protective device further includes a cooling device, and the cooling device includes a heat dissipation component, and the heat dissipation component is in heat conduction connection with the air inlet pipeline.

[0012] In some embodiments of the utility model, the protective device further includes an air flow control device, the air flow control device is electrically connected with the gas supply device and the air suction device respectively, and controls opening and closing of the gas supply device and the air suction device.

[0013] In some embodiments of the utility model, the protection device further includes wafer carrier arranged on the motion carrier, the wafer carrier has the bearing surface for bearing wafer, the protection device further includes lifting device, the lifting device is arranged on the motion carrier, the lifting device includes the moving part that can move relative to the motion carrier, the moving part is connected with the air injection component and the air suction component respectively, the moving part can drive the air injection component and the air suction component switch between the first position and the second position, in the first position, the bearing surface is located in the isolation chamber, in the second position, the bearing surface is located outside the isolation chamber.

[0014] In some embodiments of the utility model, along the first direction, the air injection hole and the air suction hole are arranged in one-to-one correspondence.

[0015] The second aspect of the utility model further proposes a laser annealing system, the laser annealing system includes: motion carrier, the motion carrier has the object bearing surface, the protection device in any one of the first aspect technical solutions, the air injection component and the air suction component in the protection device are arranged on the motion carrier.

[0016] In some embodiments of the utility model, the laser annealing system further includes laser emission device, the laser emission device has the laser head for emitting laser, the laser head is arranged above the isolation chamber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a description of the preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the application. Moreover, the same reference numerals are used throughout the same figures. Among them:

[0018] Figure 1 It is the structure schematic diagram of laser annealing system of an embodiment of the utility model;

[0019] Figure 2 It is the structure schematic diagram of air injection component, air suction component, wafer carrier and motion carrier in the perspective view of an embodiment of the utility model;

[0020] Figure 3 It is the structure schematic diagram of air injection component, air suction component and wafer in another view of an embodiment of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 4 It is the structure schematic diagram of air injection component and air suction component in the perspective view of another embodiment of the utility model.

[0022] The various signs in the drawings represent as follows:

[0023] 100, protection device; 101, isolation chamber; 102, air curtain;

[0024] 10, air jet component; 11, air jet hole; 12, air inlet cavity; 13, air jet wall surface; 131, first surface; 132, second surface; 133, third surface;

[0025] 20, air suction component; 21, air suction hole; 22, air exhaust cavity; 23, air suction wall surface; 231, fourth surface; 232, fifth surface; 233, sixth surface;

[0026] 31, air supply device; 32, air inlet pipeline;

[0027] 41, air suction device; 42, air outlet pipeline;

[0028] 60, air flow control device;

[0029] 70, wafer carrier; 71, carrier surface;

[0030] 200, laser annealing system;

[0031] 201, moving carrier; 2011, carrier surface; 202, laser emitting device; 2012, moving carrier control system; 2022, laser control system;

[0032] 300, wafer;

[0033] X - first direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings, it is understood that the present application can be embodied in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the application to those skilled in the art.

[0035] It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including" and "has" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order

[0036] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms can be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first", "second", and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

[0037] In this application, unless expressly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connecting", "joint", and the like are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connection, connecting, and joint, etc. Such connecting or joint can be mechanical or electrical, and can be permanent or instant, or can be detachable, or can be integrally formed. Such connection, joint or connecting can be direct or through an intermediate medium. Unless expressly specified and limited otherwise, such connection, joint or connecting can be between internal parts of two elements, or can be an interaction between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances by those skilled in the art.

[0038] For ease of description, spatial relative terms can be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as shown in the figures, such as "inner", "outer", "inside", "outside", "lower", "below", "upper", "above", etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, then the element described as "below" or "under" the other element or feature would then be oriented "above" or "over" the other element or feature. Thus, the example term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. Embodiments of the present application can include various steps, or techniques, as will be described in the following written description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be appreciated that the steps or techniques can be performed in different orders or parallel orders. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that some steps or techniques can be left out or not performed, and other steps or techniques can be added or performed.

[0039] According to the embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figure 1 A protection device is provided, which is installed on a wafer loading surface 2011 of a motion platform 201 to generate a gas curtain 102 of inert gas for protecting a wafer 300 and other devices in a laser annealing process of the wafer 300. The wafer 300 is covered by the gas curtain 102 to isolate the wafer 300 from external air, thereby preventing the wafer 300 from being oxidized by contacting with oxygen in the laser annealing process.

[0040] Specifically, the protection device comprises a gas injection component 10 and a gas suction component 20, the gas injection component 10 is provided with a plurality of gas injection holes 11, the gas suction component 20 is provided with a plurality of gas suction holes 21, the gas injection component 10 and the gas suction component 20 are both installed on a loading surface 2011 of a moving platform 201, the loading surface 2011 is also used for installing a wafer platform 70, the wafer platform 70 is provided with a loading surface 71 used for carrying a wafer 300. The gas injection component 10 and the gas suction component 20 are oppositely arranged along a first direction, so that an isolation cavity 101 is enclosed between the gas injection component 10 and the gas suction component 20. When the gas injection component 10 and the gas suction component 20 are installed on the moving platform 201, the loading surface 2011 is located at the bottom of the isolation cavity 101 and closes the bottom of the isolation cavity 101, the top of the isolation cavity 101 (i.e. the side of the isolation cavity 101 away from the wafer platform 70) is in an open state, that is, the isolation cavity 101 is in an open state. The gas injection component 10 can inject inert gas along the first direction towards the isolation cavity 101 through the gas injection holes 11, so that a high-pressure area is formed around the gas injection holes 11, the gas suction component 20 can suck the gas in the isolation cavity 101 through the gas suction holes 21, so that a low-pressure area is formed around the gas suction holes 21, under the pressure difference between the gas injection holes 11 and the gas suction holes 21, the inert gas in the isolation cavity 101 rapidly flows in the direction (i.e. the first direction) from the gas injection holes 11 to the gas suction holes 21, and then an air curtain 102 flowing along the first direction is formed in the isolation cavity 101, the first direction is parallel to the loading surface 2011 and the loading surface 71. On the one hand, the oxygen is isolated by the air curtain 102, so as to prevent the wafer 300 from being oxidized by the oxygen during the laser annealing process, on the other hand, the air curtain 102 of the inert gas continuously flowing in the isolation cavity 101 can continuously take away the heat on the wafer 300, so that the wafer 300 can be rapidly cooled, the local heat accumulation of the wafer 300 is prevented, and the processing quality of the wafer 300 is ensured.

[0041] In the embodiment, the inert gas can be normal temperature nitrogen or low temperature nitrogen cooled after being cooled. For example, the temperature of the normal temperature nitrogen is in the range of 10℃-25℃, and the temperature of the low temperature nitrogen is in the range of 0℃-10℃.

[0042] In the first embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the jet component 10 defines an air inlet cavity 12, and includes a jet wall 13 arranged towards the suction component 20, the jet wall 13 is arranged as a concave surface concaved towards the suction component 20, and the jet hole 11 is arranged on the jet wall 13 and communicates with the air inlet cavity 12; the suction component 20 defines an air outlet cavity 22, and includes a suction wall 23 arranged towards the jet component 10, the suction wall 23 is arranged as a concave surface concaved towards the jet component 10, and the suction hole 21 is arranged on the suction wall 23 and communicates with the air outlet cavity 22, and the suction wall 23 and the jet wall 13 jointly enclose the isolation cavity 101.

[0043] In this embodiment, by arranging the concave jet wall 13 and the concave suction wall 23 on the jet component 10 and the suction component 20 respectively, on the one hand, the isolation cavity 101 for accommodating the wafer 300 is enclosed between the jet wall 13 and the suction wall 23, and on the other hand, the distance between the edge of the jet wall 13 and the edge of the suction wall 23 along the first direction is reduced, the gap between the jet component 10 and the suction component 20 along the first direction is minimized as much as possible, so that the possibility of external gas entering the isolation cavity 101 through the gap between the jet component 10 and the suction component 20 is greatly reduced, thereby making the air curtain 102 formed between the jet wall 13 and the suction wall 23 more stable, improving the isolation effect of the air curtain 102, and effectively preventing the wafer 300 from being oxidized by oxygen during the laser annealing process.

[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 the jet wall 13 is arranged as an arc surface, and the suction wall 23 is arranged as an arc surface. Specifically, the jet wall 13 and the suction wall 23 can be spliced to form a cylindrical structure, and the cross section of the jet wall 13 and the suction wall 23 along the first direction is a circular arc structure. The shape profile of the jet wall 13 and the suction wall 23 matches the edge profile of the wafer 300. In this way, the inert gas sprayed out of the jet hole 11 can diffuse to the isolation cavity 101 in a more smooth manner under the guidance of the arc-shaped jet wall 13, forming a more uniform high-pressure area. Similarly, the arc-shaped suction wall 23 around the suction hole 21 can also make the suction flow more uniform, forming a stable low-pressure area, which helps to reduce the turbulence and fluctuation of the airflow, making the air curtain 102 flow more stably in the isolation cavity 101, and improving the isolation effect of the air curtain 102 on oxygen, thereby better preventing the wafer 300 from being oxidized during the laser annealing process.

[0045] Furthermore, the curved wall surface can further reduce the gap between the jet component 10 and the intake component 20 along the first direction. Compared with a flat wall surface, the transition at the edge of the curved wall surface is smoother, which can better fit the other component, reduce the possibility of external gas entering the isolation chamber 101, and make the air curtain 102 more stable and less susceptible to interference from external airflow, thereby improving the reliability of the protection device.

[0046] It should also be noted that the curved wall design can better adapt to wafers 300 of different sizes. Regardless of the size of the wafer 300, the curved wall can enclose a suitable isolation cavity 101 to a certain extent, ensuring that the air curtain 102 can effectively cover the wafer 300, providing good oxygen isolation and heat dissipation, so that the protection device has greater flexibility and applicability when facing the processing needs of wafers 300 of different specifications.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, both the jet wall 13 and the intake wall 23 are configured as U-shaped surfaces. Specifically, the jet wall 13 includes a first surface 131, a second surface 132, and a third surface 133 connected in sequence. The first surface 131 is parallel to the third surface 133, and the second surface 132 is perpendicular to both the first surface 131 and the third surface 133. The intake wall 23 includes a fourth surface 231, a fifth surface 232, and a sixth surface 233 connected in sequence. The fourth surface 231 is parallel to the sixth surface 233, and the fifth surface 232 is perpendicular to both the fourth surface 231 and the sixth surface 233. The second surface 132 and the fifth surface 232 are parallel to each other and are arranged opposite each other along a first direction. In this embodiment, the jet wall 13 and the intake wall 23 together enclose a rectangular cylindrical structure. That is, the first surface 131, the second surface 132 and the third surface 133 in the jet wall 13 are three planes connected in sequence in the rectangular cylindrical structure. The fourth surface 231, the fifth surface 232 and the sixth surface 233 in the intake wall 23 are three planes connected in sequence in another part of the rectangular cylindrical structure. The first surface 131 and the fourth surface 231 are coplanar, and the third surface 133 and the sixth surface 233 are coplanar.

[0048] In this embodiment, the rectangular cylindrical structure has a rectangular cross-section, which is beneficial for airflow control. The jet nozzles 11 and suction nozzles 21 can be reasonably distributed on each surface, so that the inert gas can be evenly injected into the isolation chamber 101 and effectively drawn out by the suction component 20. This helps to improve the oxygen isolation effect of the air curtain 102 on the wafer 300, avoid local oxygen infiltration or unstable airflow, and thus ensure the quality of the wafer 300 in the laser annealing process.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the protection device 100 also includes a gas supply device 31, an air inlet pipe 32, a gas intake device 41, and an air outlet pipe 42. Specifically, the gas supply device 31 is connected to the air inlet chamber 12 through the air inlet pipe 32. In the laser annealing process of the wafer 300, the gas supply device 31 delivers inert gas (such as room temperature nitrogen or cooled low temperature nitrogen) to the air inlet pipe 32, and then enters the air inlet chamber 12 of the jet component 10. Under pressure, the inert gas is ejected towards the isolation chamber 101 along a first direction through multiple jet holes 11 on the jet component 10. At this time, a high-pressure area is formed around the jet holes 11. The gas intake device 41 is connected to the exhaust chamber 22 through the air outlet pipe 42. The suction device 41 draws gas from the exhaust chamber 22 of the suction component 20 through the exhaust pipe 42 to maintain airflow within the isolation chamber 101. Simultaneously with the activation of the gas supply equipment, the suction device 41 is started, drawing gas from the exhaust chamber 22 of the suction component 20 into the isolation chamber 101 through the exhaust pipe 42. A low-pressure area is formed around the suction port 21. Under the pressure difference between the jet port 11 and the suction port 21, the inert gas in the isolation chamber 101 flows rapidly from the jet port 11 towards the suction port 21 (i.e., the first direction, parallel to the carrying surface 2011 and the bearing surface 71), thereby forming an air curtain 102 flowing in the first direction within the isolation chamber 101. The air curtain 102 covers the wafer 300, isolating it from the outside air and preventing oxidation of the wafer 300 during laser annealing. Meanwhile, the continuously flowing inert gas curtain 102 can also remove heat from the wafer 300, prevent local heat accumulation on the wafer 300, and ensure the processing quality of the wafer 300.

[0050] In this embodiment, the gas supply device 31 and the air intake device 41 are connected to the jet component 10 and the air intake component 20 respectively through the air intake pipe 32 and the air outlet pipe 42, providing a stable gas source and discharge channel for the formation of the air curtain 102. The gas supply device 31 can continuously supply inert gas to the air intake chamber 12 to ensure that there is always enough gas ejected from the jet hole 11 to form a high-pressure area. The air intake device 41 can effectively draw gas from the isolation chamber 101 to maintain the low-pressure area at the air intake hole 21, thereby ensuring that the air curtain 102 flows stably under the action of pressure difference.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the protection device 100 also includes a cooling device (not shown in the figure), which includes a heat dissipation component (not shown in the figure) and is thermally connected to the air inlet pipe 32. In this embodiment, the cooling device plays a role in reducing the temperature of the inert gas in the protection device 100. In the laser annealing process of the wafer 300, the lower temperature of the inert gas can better remove the heat from the wafer 300, prevent local heat accumulation on the wafer 300, and ensure the processing quality of the wafer 300.

[0052] The heat dissipation component can be made of metal materials such as copper, aluminum, etc., which have good heat conduction performance. The shape of the heat dissipation component can be designed according to actual needs, for example, it can be in the form of a sheet, a pipe or other shapes to adapt to different installation spaces and heat dissipation requirements. The heat dissipation component is in heat conduction connection with the gas inlet pipe 32, and conducts the heat of the inert gas in the gas inlet pipe 32 out. The heat dissipation component can use natural heat dissipation (such as heat dissipation by air convection) or forced heat dissipation (such as air cooling using a fan, water cooling using a cooling liquid, etc.) to improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0053] For example, in some embodiments, a cooling water channel is arranged in the heat dissipation component, and the heat of the heat dissipation component is taken away by the circulating cooling liquid. The cooling liquid can be water, oil or other cooling medium.

[0054] In some embodiments, the cooling device can also be a separate refrigeration system, for example, the cooling device includes a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, a refrigerant circulation pipeline, an electronic expansion valve, etc., and the heat dissipation component is the evaporator. The refrigerant circulation process of the cooling device: the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas in the compressor, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas enters the condenser, and the heat is dissipated by heat exchange with the surrounding environment, and the refrigerant changes from gas to liquid. The liquid refrigerant passes through the electronic expansion valve, the pressure is reduced, enters the evaporator, and the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs the heat of the inert gas in the gas inlet pipe 32 in the evaporator, and evaporates into gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant returns to the compressor again to start the next cycle. Through the refrigeration cycle process of the cooling device, the cooling device continuously takes away the heat of the inert gas, realizes the cooling of the inert gas, provides low-temperature inert gas protection for the laser annealing process of the wafer 300, prevents the wafer 300 from being oxidized, and improves the heat dissipation performance of the wafer 300.

[0055] In this embodiment, by adjusting the heat dissipation capacity of the cooling device, the temperature of the inert gas entering the isolation chamber 101 can be flexibly controlled. For different wafer 300 materials and laser annealing process requirements, appropriate cooling methods and heat dissipation parameters can be selected to meet different temperature control requirements. For example, for wafers 300 sensitive to temperature, stronger cooling measures can be adopted to ensure that the temperature of the wafer 300 during processing is stable within a suitable range.

[0056] In some embodiments, as Figure 1As shown, the protection device 100 also includes an airflow control device 60, which is electrically connected to the gas supply device 31 and the air intake device 41, and controls the opening and closing of the gas supply device 31 and the air intake device 41. In this embodiment, the airflow control device 60 can communicate with the gas supply device 31 and the air intake device 41 to transmit control signals to and control the gas supply device and the air intake device 41. The airflow control device 60 can precisely control the opening and closing of the gas supply device 31 and the air intake device 41 according to different stages of the laser annealing process of the wafer 300. For example, before the laser annealing process begins, the airflow control device 60 can first open the gas supply device 31 to fill the inert gas in the air intake pipe 32 and the air intake chamber 12 of the jet component 10, preparing for the formation of the air curtain 102. When the process reaches the stage where the air curtain 102 is needed to protect the wafer 300, the air intake device 41 is then opened to allow the air curtain 102 to flow stably within the isolation chamber 101. After the process is completed, the intake device 41 and the supply device 31 can be turned off to avoid wasting nitrogen.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the protection device 100 also includes a wafer stage 70 disposed on the motion stage 201, the wafer stage 70 having a bearing surface 71 for bearing the wafer 300. The protection device 100 also includes a lifting device disposed on the motion stage 201, the lifting device including a driving component and a moving component, the moving component being convexly connected to the driving component, and under the drive of the driving component, the moving component can move relative to the motion stage 201, the moving component being connected to the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 respectively. The moving component can drive the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 to switch between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the bearing surface 71 is located in the isolation cavity 101, at which time the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 surround the bearing surface 71 of the wafer stage 70 to form the isolation cavity 101, and the air curtain 102 can protect the wafer 300. In the second position, the bearing surface 71 is located outside the isolation cavity 101. At this time, the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 are far away from the wafer stage 70, which facilitates the placement and removal of the wafer 300.

[0058] In this embodiment, when it is necessary to pick up or place the wafer 300, the lifting device moves the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 to a second position, so that the bearing surface 71 is outside the isolation cavity 101. Operators can easily place the wafer 300 on the wafer stage 70 or remove the wafer 300 from the wafer stage 70 without having to operate within the narrow isolation cavity 101, thus improving the convenience and safety of the operation. Furthermore, moving the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 to the second position during the wafer 300 picking-up and placing process avoids collisions between the wafer 300 and the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20, reducing the risk of damage to the wafer 300.

[0059] It should be noted that the moving component can be linearly moved relative to the wafer table 70 to enable the moving component to switch the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 between the first position and the second position; or the moving component can be reciprocally swung relative to the wafer table 70 to enable the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 to be opened and closed to switch the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 between the first position and the second position.

[0060] In the embodiment, the moving component is used to mount the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20. In some embodiments, the moving component can be an integral plate, and the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 are connected to the moving component by bolts or other connecting members. In other embodiments, the moving component includes a first moving component and a second moving component, the jetting component 10 is connected to the first moving component by bolts or other connecting members, and the suction component 20 is connected to the second moving component by bolts or other connecting members.

[0061] In detail, the driving component has various feasible embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the driving component is a hydraulic lifting mechanism, which includes a hydraulic cylinder, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic valve and other components. The piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the moving component, and the extension and retraction of the piston rod are driven by the pressure oil provided by the hydraulic pump to realize the lifting movement of the moving component. The hydraulic system has large output force and stability, and can bear heavy load. The lifting speed can be controlled by adjusting the hydraulic valve, and the speed regulation performance is good.

[0062] In other embodiments, the driving component is a nut and screw mechanism, which further includes a motor, a screw and a nut. The motor drives the screw to rotate, the nut is connected to the moving component, the linear motion of the nut is converted from the rotary motion of the screw, and the lifting of the moving component is realized. The lifting device of the embodiment can realize bidirectional control of the lifting movement by forward and reverse rotation of the motor, and has stable operation and low noise.

[0063] In other embodiments, the driving component is a crank slider mechanism, which specifically includes a crank, a connecting rod and a slider. The crank is used as a power input part, and can be driven to rotate by a motor. The connecting rod connects the crank and the slider to convert the rotary motion of the crank into the linear motion of the slider. The slider is connected to the moving component to switch the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 between the first position and the second position. The slider moves in a guide rail or a guide groove to ensure the stability and linearity of the motion.

[0064] In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the driving component is a crank slider mechanism, which includes a crank 61, a connecting rod 62 and a slider 63. The crank 61 is connected to the motor 60, and the motor 60 drives the crank 61 to rotate. The connecting rod 62 connects the crank 61 and the slider 63 to convert the rotary motion of the crank 61 into the linear motion of the slider 63. The slider 63 is connected to the moving component 50 to switch the jetting component 10 and the suction component 20 between the first position and the second position. Figure 3As shown, the plurality of gas injection holes 11 are uniformly distributed on the gas injection wall 13, and the plurality of gas suction holes 21 are uniformly distributed on the gas suction wall 23, so that the inert gas can be uniformly injected into the isolation cavity 101 from various directions and uniformly sucked out. Uniform gas flow distribution helps to form a stable air curtain 102, avoids local uneven or turbulent flow, improves the isolation effect of the air curtain 102 on oxygen, and better protects the wafer 300 from oxidation during the laser annealing process.

[0065] The gas injection holes 11 and the gas suction holes 21 are correspondingly arranged along the first direction, further enhancing the stability and uniformity of the gas flow. This correspondence allows the inert gas to flow directly to the corresponding gas suction hole 21 after being injected from the gas injection hole 11, reducing turbulence and diffusion of the gas flow, and improving the efficiency and effect of the air curtain 102.

[0066] When the gas injection component 10 and the gas suction component 20 are in the first position, the gas injection holes 11 and the gas suction holes 21 are slightly higher than the upper surface of the wafer 300 or the annealing surface for annealing, so that the inert gas can more directly contact the surface of the wafer 300, improving the heat dissipation effect. Since the flow direction of the inert gas is nearly parallel to the surface of the wafer 300, it can more effectively carry away the heat on the wafer 300, prevent local heat accumulation on the wafer 300, and ensure the processing quality of the wafer 300.

[0067] The uniform distribution of the gas injection holes 11 and the gas suction holes 21 and the slight height above the surface of the wafer 300 make the heat dissipation more uniform. The entire surface of the wafer 300 can be fully cooled, avoiding local overheating, improving the temperature uniformity of the wafer 300, and reducing deformation or performance degradation of the wafer 300 due to uneven temperature.

[0068] According to the embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figure 1 As shown, a laser annealing system 200 is also proposed, which includes a moving stage 201 and a protection device 100. The moving stage 201 has a material loading surface 2011. The gas injection component 10 and the gas suction component 20 in the protection device 100 are arranged on the moving stage 201.

[0069] The laser annealing system 200 proposed by the present application can generate an inert gas air curtain 102 for protecting the wafer 300 and other devices during the laser annealing process of the wafer 300. The air curtain 102 formed by the gas injection component 10 and the gas suction component 20 isolates the wafer 300 from the external air, effectively preventing the wafer 300 from being oxidized by contacting with oxygen during the laser annealing process. This ensures that the wafer 300 is annealed in a pure environment, improving the electrical performance and reliability of the wafer 300.

[0070] The inert gas curtain 102 in continuous flow can also continuously take away the heat on the wafer 300, preventing local heat accumulation of the wafer 300. The wafer 300 temperature is kept uniform, avoiding local overheating to cause wafer 300 deformation, damage or performance degradation, thereby improving the processing quality of the wafer 300.

[0071] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 1 The laser annealing system 200 further comprises a laser emitting device 202, which has a laser head (not shown in the figure) for emitting laser, and the laser head is arranged above the isolation chamber 101. Arranging the laser head above the isolation chamber 101 can make the laser more accurately focused on the surface of the wafer 300. Since the gas curtain 102 isolates the wafer 300 from the external environment, it reduces the influence of air disturbance on the laser light path, ensuring that the laser can stably irradiate on the wafer 300, improving the precision and uniformity of laser annealing. The presence of the gas curtain 102 can prevent impurities or vapors generated during the annealing process of the wafer 300 from rising near the laser head, thereby protecting the laser head from pollution and damage. Prolong the service life of the laser emitting device 202, reduce equipment maintenance cost.

[0072] The design of the laser head above the isolation chamber 101 makes the laser annealing system 200 can take and replace the wafer 300 without interrupting the production. When a wafer 300 completes annealing, the gas injection part 10 and the gas suction part 20 are moved to the second position through the lifting device, the replacement of the wafer 300 can be quickly completed, and after the gas injection part 10 and the gas suction part 20 are moved to the first position through the lifting device, the laser head can continue to work, improving the production efficiency.

[0073] The laser annealing system 200 further comprises a laser control system 2022 and a motion stage control system 2012. The laser control system 2022 is electrically connected with the laser emitting device 202 to control the operation of the laser emitting device 202. The motion stage control system 2012 is electrically connected with the motion stage 201 to control the action of the motion stage 201. The laser control system 2022, the motion stage control system 2012 and the airflow control device 60 are electrically connected with each other.

[0074] The working process of the laser annealing system is as follows:

[0075] Step 1: Place a silicon wafer (i.e. wafer) on the wafer stage;

[0076] Step 2: Turn on the lifting device to lift the gas injection part and the gas suction part from the second position to the first position, so that the gas injection hole and the gas suction hole are raised from below the upper surface of the wafer to above the upper surface of the wafer;

[0077] Step 3: the air flow control device controls the air supply device and the air suction device to start, the air jet hole sprays nitrogen, the air suction hole absorbs nitrogen, so as to form an air curtain in the isolation chamber;

[0078] Step 4: after the nitrogen environment in the isolation chamber is detected to be stable, the laser emission device starts, and laser is emitted by the laser head, so that the annealing process is started;

[0079] Step 5: after the wafer annealing process is completed, the air flow control device controls the air supply device and the air suction device to be closed;

[0080] Step 6: the lifting device lifts the air jet component and the air suction component from the first position to the second position, and the air jet component and the air suction component are recycled.

[0081] The above is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited to this. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical range disclosed by the present application, which should be covered in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A protection device, characterized in that The protection device comprises: a jet component provided with a plurality of jet holes and arranged on the moving platform; an air suction component provided with a plurality of air suction holes and arranged on the moving platform, the air suction component and the jet component are oppositely arranged along a first direction and enclose an isolation cavity for placing a wafer; the jet component and the air suction component are configured to enable inert gas to be jetted by the jet component from the jet holes into the isolation cavity along the first direction, and be sucked out by the air suction component through the air suction holes, and form an air curtain capable of covering the wafer in the isolation cavity, the first direction being parallel to a wafer-carrying surface of the moving platform.

2. The protection device according to claim 1, wherein: the jet component defines an air inlet cavity, the jet component comprises a jet wall surface arranged towards the air suction component, the jet wall surface is arranged as a concave surface recessed away from the air suction component, the jet holes are arranged on the jet wall surface and communicate with the air inlet cavity; the air suction component defines an air outlet cavity, the air suction component comprises an air suction wall surface arranged towards the jet component, the air suction wall surface is arranged as a concave surface recessed away from the jet component, the air suction holes are arranged on the air suction wall surface and communicate with the air outlet cavity, and the air suction wall surface and the jet wall surface jointly enclose the isolation cavity.

3. The protection device according to claim 2, wherein: the jet wall surface is arranged as an arc surface, and the air suction wall surface is arranged as an arc surface; or, the jet wall surface and the air suction wall surface are both arranged as U-shaped surfaces.

4. The protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that The protection device further comprises: a gas supply device and an air inlet pipeline, the gas supply device communicates with the air inlet cavity through the air inlet pipeline; an air suction device and an air outlet pipeline, the air suction device communicates with the air outlet cavity through the air outlet pipeline.

5. The protection device according to claim 4, characterized in that The protection device further comprises: a cooling device, the cooling device comprises a heat dissipation component, the heat dissipation component is in heat conduction connection with the air inlet pipeline.

6. The protection device according to claim 4, characterized in that The protection device further comprises: a gas flow control device, the gas flow control device is electrically connected with the gas supply device and the air suction device respectively and controls the opening and closing of the gas supply device and the air suction device.

7. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The protection device further comprises a wafer platform arranged on the moving platform, the wafer platform has a wafer-carrying surface for carrying a wafer; The protection device further comprises a lifting device arranged on the moving platform, the lifting device comprises a moving component capable of moving relative to the moving platform, the moving component is connected with the jet component and the air suction component respectively; the moving component can drive the jet component and the air suction component to switch between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the wafer-carrying surface is located in the isolation cavity, and in the second position, the wafer-carrying surface is located outside the isolation cavity.

8. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: in the first direction, the jet holes and the air suction holes are arranged in one-to-one correspondence.

9. A laser anneal system, comprising: The laser annealing system comprises: a moving platform having a wafer-carrying surface; The protection device of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the gas injection component and the gas suction component in the protection device are provided on the moving platform.

10. The laser anneal system of claim 9, wherein, The laser annealing system further comprises a laser emitting device having a laser head for emitting laser, the laser head being provided above the isolation cavity.

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