Wafer supporting structure and semiconductor processing equipment
By setting grooves and support parts in the wafer support structure, the problems of wafer thermal deformation and film uniformity are solved, and uniform heating and high-quality film formation on the wafer surface are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520556954.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-17
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-03-27
AI Technical Summary
Existing wafer support pad designs lead to wafer thermal deformation and film inhomogeneity, affecting the effectiveness of the chemical vapor deposition process.
A wafer support structure is designed by setting grooves and support parts on the support disk to form a gap between the wafer and the bottom wall of the groove, thereby reducing heat conduction, increasing heat radiation propagation, and ensuring uniform heating of the wafer surface.
It improves the film uniformity on the wafer surface, avoids film deposition on the lower surface of the wafer, and enhances the quality of chemical vapor deposition.
Smart Images
Figure CN223921547U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The utility model relates to semiconductor processing equipment technical field, more specifically, the utility model relates to a wafer support structure and semiconductor processing equipment. BACKGROUND
[0002] Chemical vapor deposition is a kind of or several gas-phase compounds or elements containing thin film elements, on the substrate surface chemical reaction thin film method. The existing chemical vapor deposition equipment generally includes vacuum cavity, heating device, wafer support tray, rotating mechanism and gas shower head. Heating device, wafer support tray, gas shower head is placed in the vacuum cavity, wafer is placed above the support tray, rotating mechanism drives the support tray to rotate, heating device is heated to the support tray, and the shower head is uniformly delivered to the chamber, and a layer of epitaxial film is grown on the wafer surface.
[0003] Common wafer support tray mainly has the following two kinds:
[0004] 1, as shown in the drawing, the support tray 1' center is equipped with circular groove, the groove diameter is slightly larger than the wafer diameter, wafer 2' is placed above the groove bottom surface, wafer 2' bottom surface and support tray 1' groove upper surface are combined, and wafer 2' center and support tray 1' center coincide. Figure 1
[0005] Wafer 2' bottom surface and support tray 1' groove bottom surface are combined: when chemical vapor deposition, heating device is heated to support tray 1', wafer 2' is deformed after heating, and the deformed state is as shown in the drawing (wafer 2' center as support point, wafer 2' outer circle will have warping), so that the lower surface of wafer 2' contacts with the reaction gas, which causes the lower surface of wafer 2' to be plated, which is not allowed. Figure 2
[0006] 2, as shown in the drawing, the support tray 1' center has circular groove, the groove outer circle has a certain height step 11', the step 11' is annular, the upper surface of step 11' is annular plane, wafer 2' is placed above the annular plane, wafer 2' lower surface and groove bottom surface have gap, wafer 2' center and support tray center coincide. Figure 3
[0007] Wafer 2' is placed above the stepped annular plane: This method avoids the possibility of wafer 2' warping due to heat, which could affect the coating on the lower surface. However, in this method, the side of wafer 2' contacts the side of the groove, the outer ring of the bottom surface of wafer 2' contacts the annular plane, while the inner ring of the bottom surface of wafer 2' has a gap with the bottom surface of the support disk 1' groove. This results in different heat transfer methods for the inner and outer rings of the bottom surface of wafer 2' and the side of wafer 2'. The gapped areas transfer heat through radiation, while the contacted areas transfer heat through conduction. Since heat conduction is more efficient than heat radiation, this leads to poor surface temperature uniformity of wafer 2', thus affecting the uniformity of film deposition on wafer 2'. Utility Model Content
[0008] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, this utility model innovatively provides a wafer support structure and semiconductor processing equipment, which can solve the above-mentioned technical problems in the prior art.
[0009] To achieve the aforementioned technical objectives, the first aspect of this utility model discloses a wafer support structure, including a support disk with a groove formed thereon. The groove is circular, and its inner diameter is larger than the diameter of the wafer.
[0010] A support portion is formed within the groove, and the support portion is located on the bottom wall of the groove. The support portion is used to support the wafer.
[0011] The area where the support part contacts the bottom wall of the groove is greater than the area where the support part contacts the wafer.
[0012] Furthermore, a tip is formed at the top of the support portion, the tip being used to contact the wafer.
[0013] Furthermore, the longitudinal section of the support is triangular, one of the base sides of the triangle is connected to the bottom wall of the groove, and the angle between the triangle and the base side forms the apex.
[0014] Furthermore, the support portion is formed on a circular track on the bottom wall of the groove, and the diameter of the circular track is smaller than the diameter of the wafer.
[0015] Furthermore, the height of the support portion is less than the depth of the groove.
[0016] Furthermore, the depth of the groove is less than or equal to 10 mm, and the height of the support is less than or equal to 5 mm.
[0017] Furthermore, the support portion has a ring-shaped structure.
[0018] Furthermore, the diameter of the support portion is smaller than the diameter of the wafer, and the difference between the diameter of the support portion and the diameter of the wafer is less than 10 mm.
[0019] Furthermore, the difference between the inner diameter of the groove and the diameter of the wafer is less than 10 mm.
[0020] The second aspect of this utility model discloses a semiconductor processing equipment, including a vacuum chamber, wherein a heating device, a gas spray head and the aforementioned wafer support structure are disposed within the vacuum chamber.
[0021] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0022] The wafer support structure provided by this utility model supports the wafer through the support part, so that a gap is formed between the wafer and the bottom wall of the groove. By reducing the contact area between the support part and the wafer, the heat transferred by heat conduction is reduced. The wafer heat is mainly transferred by heat radiation. By controlling the distance between the bottom and side surfaces of the groove and the wafer, the wafer surface can be heated evenly, thereby improving the uniformity of film formation. Attached Figure Description
[0023] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the structure of a support disk in the related art.
[0024] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the state of a wafer after thermal deformation;
[0025] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the structure of another support disk in the related technology;
[0026] Figure 4 This diagram shows a structural schematic of the support disk according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] Figure 5 Show Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the state of a wafer after thermal deformation;
[0028] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the structure of a semiconductor processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] In the picture,
[0030] 1', Support plate; 11', Step; 2', Wafer;
[0031] 1. Support plate; 11. Groove; 12. Support section; 2. Wafer; 3. Vacuum chamber; 4. Rotation mechanism; 5. Heating device; 6. Gas spray head. Detailed Implementation
[0032] The wafer support structure and semiconductor processing equipment provided by this utility model will be explained and described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0033] The wafer support structure provided by this utility model supports the wafer through a support portion, creating a gap between the wafer and the bottom wall of the groove. By reducing the contact area between the support portion and the wafer, the heat transfer through heat conduction is reduced. Wafer heat is primarily transferred through thermal radiation. By controlling the distance between the bottom and side surfaces of the groove and the wafer, uniform heating of the wafer surface can be achieved, thereby improving the uniformity of film formation. The following detailed description of this utility model is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments:
[0034] In some embodiments, the present invention provides a wafer support structure, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the device includes a support disk 1, which is a circular disk. Optionally, the diameter-to-height ratio of the support disk 1 is 6-40. A groove 11 is formed on the support disk 1. The groove 11 is a circular groove, and its center is coaxial with the center of the support disk 1. The wafer 2 is partially or entirely located in the groove 11. The inner diameter of the groove 11 is larger than the diameter of the wafer 2, creating a gap between the edge of the wafer 2 and the sidewall of the groove 11. A support portion 12 is formed in the groove 11 and is located on the bottom wall of the groove 11. The support portion 12 is used to support the wafer 2, creating a gap between the bottom wall of the wafer 2 and the bottom wall of the groove 11. The area where the support portion 12 contacts the bottom wall of the groove 11 is larger than the area where the support portion 12 contacts the wafer 2, thereby reducing the contact area between the support portion 12 and the wafer 2. Since there are gaps between the wafer 2 and the bottom wall and sidewall of the support disk 1, the heat transfer between the wafer 2 and the support disk 1 is reduced, and the heat is mainly transferred through thermal radiation.
[0035] Optionally, the support portion 12 and the support disk 1 are integrally formed, and the support disk 1 and the support portion 12 are made of the same material. Further, the support disk 1 is made of graphite with silicon carbide coated on the surface, or the support disk 1 is made of silicon carbide.
[0036] In some embodiments, the top of the support portion 12 forms a pointed tip for contacting the wafer 2. Optionally, the longitudinal section of the support portion 12 is triangular, with one base side of the triangle connected to the bottom wall of the groove 11, and the angle opposite the base side forming the pointed tip. Optionally, the length of the base side of the triangle is less than 5 mm, and the height of the triangle is less than 5 mm. The contact between the pointed tip and the wafer 2 makes the support position of the support portion 12 on the wafer 2 a line contact, significantly reducing the contact area and thus reducing heat conduction. It is readily apparent that in other embodiments, the top of the support portion 12 can also be configured as an arc surface, etc., to reduce the contact area with the wafer 2.
[0037] In some embodiments, the support portion 12 is formed on a circular track on the bottom wall of the groove 11, and the diameter of the circular track is smaller than the diameter of the wafer 2. Optionally, the support portion 12 has an annular structure, with the center of the annulus coaxial with the center of the groove 11 and the center of the support disk 1. The diameter of the support portion 12 is smaller than the diameter of the wafer 2. The annular structure forms a closed ring at the contact portion between the support portion 12 and the wafer 2, creating a relatively sealed space between the inner side of the support portion 12 and the wafer 2. This prevents external reactive gases from entering the support portion 12 or reduces the amount of external reactive gases entering the inner side of the support portion 12, thereby preventing the bottom surface of the wafer 2 from being coated. Optionally, the difference between the diameter of the support portion 12 and the diameter of the wafer 2 is less than 10 mm. Minimizing the size difference between the support portion 12 and the wafer 2 allows the sealed space between the support portion 12 and the wafer 2 to cover a larger area of the bottom wall of the wafer 2.
[0038] In some embodiments, the height of the support portion 12 is less than the depth of the groove 11, allowing the wafer 2 to be at least partially located within the groove 11. Optionally, the depth of the groove 11 is less than or equal to 10 mm, and the height of the support portion 12 is less than or equal to 5 mm. Optionally, the difference between the inner diameter of the groove 11 and the diameter of the wafer 2 is less than 10 mm, ensuring a gap between the wafer 2 and the sidewall of the groove 11 to prevent heat conduction while avoiding an excessively large gap. By appropriately setting the gap between the wafer 2 and the bottom and sidewalls of the groove 11, the heat received by the wafer 2 in contact with the support portion 12 can be balanced, resulting in more uniform heating of the wafer 2 surface.
[0039] In some embodiments, the present invention also provides a semiconductor processing apparatus for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of wafers, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the device includes a vacuum chamber 3, within which the aforementioned wafer support structure is installed. A support disk 1 is connected to a rotating mechanism 4, which drives the support disk 1 to rotate. A heating device 5 is also installed within the vacuum chamber 3; optionally, the heating device 5 is located below the support disk 1 to heat it. A gas spray head 6 is also installed above the support disk 1, which uniformly delivers the reaction gas into the chamber, allowing the reaction gas to grow an epitaxial thin film on the surface of the wafer 2.
[0040] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", 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, and are not intended to 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.
[0041] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.
[0042] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "this embodiment," "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. 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 a suitable manner in any at least one embodiment or example. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.
[0043] 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, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0044] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and simple improvements made on the substantive content of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.
Claims
1. A wafer support structure, characterized in that, It includes a support disk on which a groove is formed. The groove is circular and its inner diameter is larger than the diameter of the wafer. A support portion is formed within the groove, and the support portion is located on the bottom wall of the groove. The support portion is used to support the wafer. The area where the support part contacts the bottom wall of the groove is greater than the area where the support part contacts the wafer.
2. The wafer support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the support portion forms a tip, which is used to contact the wafer.
3. The wafer support structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The longitudinal section of the support is triangular, and the face containing one base of the triangle is connected to the bottom wall of the groove. The angle between the triangle and the base forms the apex.
4. The wafer support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support portion is formed on a circular track on the bottom wall of the groove, and the diameter of the circular track is smaller than the diameter of the wafer.
5. The wafer support structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The height of the support is less than the depth of the groove.
6. The wafer support structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The depth of the groove is less than or equal to 10 mm, and the height of the support is less than or equal to 5 mm.
7. The wafer support structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support part has a ring-shaped structure.
8. The wafer support structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The diameter of the support portion is smaller than the diameter of the wafer, and the difference between the diameter of the support portion and the diameter of the wafer is less than 10 mm.
9. The wafer support structure according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The difference between the inner diameter of the groove and the diameter of the wafer is less than 10 mm.
10. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a vacuum chamber, wherein a heating device, a gas spray head and a wafer support structure as described in any one of claims 1-9 are provided inside the vacuum chamber.