Wafer lofting device and wafer epitaxial growth equipment
By designing a wafer staging device, the wafer cassette is unpacked and transferred in a vacuum environment, which solves the problem of the wafer being affected by the external environment during the staging process and improves the yield of epitaxial growth.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-06
AI Technical Summary
During the process of placing wafers from the wafer cassette into the wafer sample chamber, they are easily affected by dust and moisture in the external environment, which can lead to a decrease in the yield of subsequent epitaxial growth.
A wafer sorting device was designed, including a robotic arm compartment, a wafer sorting stage, an isolation hood, and a vacuum pump. The wafer cassette is placed into the sorting space in a vacuum environment through the isolation hood. The vacuum pump is used to evacuate the vacuum, and the wafer cassette is unsealed using operating gloves. The wafer is then placed into the wafer sorting chamber using a pick-up device. The entire process is carried out in a vacuum environment to avoid the influence of the external environment.
Performing wafer layout operations in a vacuum environment avoids contamination from dust and moisture, thus improving the yield of wafer epitaxial growth.
Smart Images
Figure CN223979063U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of wafer staging technology, and in particular to a wafer staging apparatus and wafer epitaxial growth equipment. Background Technology
[0002] Silicon carbide semiconductors possess excellent properties such as a large bandgap, superior stability, high thermal conductivity, high critical breakdown field strength, and high saturated electron drift velocity, making them ideal semiconductor materials for fabricating high-temperature, high-frequency, high-power, and high-radiation power electronic devices. The silicon carbide material used to fabricate silicon carbide devices is typically grown on silicon carbide epitaxial wafers on silicon carbide substrates; these wafers are also called silicon carbide epitaxial wafers.
[0003] Currently, before the epitaxial growth process, wafers are often stored in wafer cassettes. When placing the wafer from the wafer cassette into the sample tray, the wafer is exposed to the external environment and is easily affected by dust, moisture, and other external factors, which can affect the subsequent epitaxial growth and lead to a decrease in yield. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a wafer staging apparatus and a wafer epitaxial growth device to solve the problem that wafers are easily affected by the external environment during the process of placing them from the wafer cassette into the wafer staging chamber. The specific technical solution is as follows:
[0005] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a wafer lofting apparatus, applied to a wafer epitaxial growth device, comprising: a robotic arm compartment, a wafer lofting stage, an isolation hood, and a first vacuum pump; the wafer lofting stage is disposed on one side of the robotic arm compartment, and a wafer lofting chamber is provided on the top of the wafer lofting stage for placing wafers; the isolation hood is disposed on the top of the wafer lofting stage; the robotic arm compartment, the wafer lofting stage, and the isolation hood form a lofting space, and the wafer lofting chamber is located in the lofting space; the isolation hood has a placement entrance on its first side wall, and the interior... The device is equipped with a suction device and an operating glove on the second side wall. The placement inlet can be opened or closed. When the placement inlet is open, a wafer cassette containing a wafer can be placed into the placement space. After the wafer cassette is placed into the placement space, the placement inlet is closed. After the first vacuum pump evacuates the placement space, the wafer cassette is opened using the operating glove. The suction device is used to pick up the wafer from the wafer cassette and place it into the wafer placement chamber. The robotic arm in the robotic arm compartment is used to transfer the wafer from the wafer placement chamber to the growth chamber in the wafer epitaxial growth equipment.
[0006] In some embodiments, the wafer placement apparatus further includes a wafer transfer chamber and a second vacuum pump. The wafer transfer chamber is covered by the first side wall to prevent the placement entrance from being exposed to the external environment. An internal isolation door is provided at the placement entrance, and an external isolation door is provided on the outside of the wafer transfer chamber. The wafer cassette can be placed into the wafer transfer chamber through the external isolation door. When the second vacuum pump evacuates the wafer transfer chamber to make the vacuum environment pressure in the wafer transfer chamber the same as that in the placement space, the internal isolation door opens, and the wafer cassette in the wafer transfer chamber is placed into the placement space using an operating glove.
[0007] In some embodiments, the side of the wafer transfer chamber closest to the isolation shield has the same area as the placement entrance.
[0008] In some embodiments, the second vacuum pump is located at the bottom of the wafer transfer chamber.
[0009] In some embodiments, the lofting space is provided with a wafer cassette temporary platform, where the wafer cassette is transferred from the wafer transfer chamber to the wafer cassette temporary platform in the lofting space, and the wafer cassette is unsealed on the wafer cassette temporary platform.
[0010] In some embodiments, the height of the wafer cassette stage is lower than the height of the position where the operating gloves are installed.
[0011] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette stage is located on the inner sidewall of the isolation cover near the placement entrance, and the height of the wafer cassette stage is lower than the height of the placement entrance.
[0012] In some embodiments, the first sidewall where the placement entrance is located and the third sidewall opposite to the first sidewall are coplanar with the sidewall of the robotic arm compartment, the top surface of the isolation cover is coplanar with the top surface of the robotic arm compartment, and the second sidewall in the isolation cover where the operating gloves are installed is an inclined surface.
[0013] In some embodiments, the suction device is a suction pen, which is hung inside the isolation cover.
[0014] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a wafer epitaxial growth apparatus, including the wafer lofting device described above.
[0015] The wafer staging apparatus provided in this application first places the wafer cassette containing the wafer into the staging space through the placement inlet of the isolation cover during wafer staging. After closing the placement inlet, the staging space is evacuated by a first vacuum pump. The wafer cassette is unsealed using operating gloves, and the wafer is placed into the wafer staging chamber using a suction device. The process of unsealing the wafer cassette and placing the wafer into the wafer staging chamber is carried out in the vacuum environment of the staging space, and is not affected by moisture and dust in the external environment, thus not affecting the subsequent epitaxial growth, thereby improving the yield.
[0016] Of course, any product implementing this application does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer staging apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the robotic arm compartment and wafer placement stage in the wafer placement device shown.
[0020] Figure 3a for Figure 1 A perspective view of the lofting space in the wafer lofting apparatus shown.
[0021] Figure 3b for Figure 1 A perspective view of the lofting space and wafer transfer chamber in the wafer lofting device shown.
[0022] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a wafer epitaxial growth apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application (the isolation shroud and the first vacuum pump are not shown);
[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a wafer epitaxial growth apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application (showing an isolation shield and a first vacuum pump).
[0024] Figure label:
[0025] Robotic arm compartment 10; wafer placement stage 20; wafer placement chamber 21; top cover 211; base 212; sampling channel 213; isolation cover 30; first vacuum pump 301; placement inlet 31; suction device 32; operating gloves 33; internal isolation door 34; first side wall 35a; third side wall 35b; second side wall 36; wafer cassette temporary placement stage 37; wafer transfer chamber 40; external isolation door 41; second vacuum pump 50; controller 60; process chamber cabinet 71; control cabinet 72; gas inlet cabinet 73; gas mixing cabinet 74. Detailed Implementation
[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on this application are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0027] To address the issue of wafers being susceptible to external environmental influences during the placement of wafers from the wafer cassette into the wafer staging chamber, an embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a wafer staging apparatus applied to wafer epitaxial growth equipment, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 Figure 3a and Figure 3b As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer staging apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the robotic arm compartment and wafer placement stage in the wafer placement device shown. Figure 3a for Figure 1 A perspective view of the lofting space in the wafer lofting apparatus shown. Figure 3b for Figure 1This is a perspective view of the isolation hood and wafer transfer chamber in the wafer staging apparatus shown. The wafer staging apparatus includes: a robotic arm chamber 10, a wafer staging stage 20, an isolation hood 30, and a first vacuum pump 301; the wafer staging stage 20 is located on one side of the robotic arm chamber 10, and a wafer staging chamber is provided on the top of the wafer staging stage 20 for placing wafers; the isolation hood 30 is located on top of the wafer staging stage 20; the robotic arm chamber 10, the wafer staging stage 20, and the isolation hood 30 form a staging space, and the wafer staging chamber is located in the staging space; the isolation hood 30 has a placement inlet 31 on its first sidewall 35a, and a suction element 32 is provided inside. An operating glove 33 is provided on the second side wall; the placement inlet 31 can be opened or closed. When the placement inlet 31 is open, a wafer cassette containing a wafer can be placed into the sample placement space; after the wafer cassette is placed into the sample placement space, the placement inlet 31 is closed. After the first vacuum pump 301 evacuates the sample placement space, the wafer cassette is opened by the operating glove 33, and the wafer in the wafer cassette is picked up by the suction member 32 and placed into the wafer sample placement chamber; the robotic arm in the robotic arm chamber 10 is used to transfer the wafer in the wafer sample placement chamber to the growth chamber in the wafer epitaxial growth equipment.
[0028] In this embodiment, when laying out the wafer, the wafer cassette containing the wafer is first placed into the laying-out space through the placement entrance of the isolation cover 30. After closing the placement entrance, the laying-out space is evacuated by the first vacuum pump 301. The wafer cassette is unsealed using operating gloves, and the wafer is placed into the wafer laying-out chamber using a suction device. The process of unsealing the wafer cassette and placing the wafer into the wafer laying-out chamber is carried out in the vacuum environment of the laying-out space, which is not affected by moisture and dust in the external environment, and thus does not affect the subsequent epitaxial growth, thereby improving the yield.
[0029] It should be noted that the operating gloves 33 can be similar to those in a vacuum glove box. Specifically, the cuffs of the operating gloves are installed on the isolation cover 30, allowing the operator to put their hands into the sampling space to handle the device in the sampling space by wearing the operating gloves 33.
[0030] It should be noted that the sides of the isolation cover 30 can be fixedly connected to the robotic arm compartment 10 and the wafer lofting stage 20 by bonding, welding or using fasteners. At the connection between the isolation cover 30 and the robotic arm compartment 10 and the wafer lofting stage 20, a sealing element such as a rubber strip (not shown) can be provided to improve the sealing of the lofting space and prevent external air, dust and other impurities from entering the lofting space, thereby protecting the wafer from contamination.
[0031] Specifically, the wafer placement device also includes a controller 60, which can control the placement entrance to open or close. The controller 60 can be electrically connected to the first vacuum pump 301 and control the first vacuum pump 301 to evacuate the placement space.
[0032] Specifically, on the inner wall of the isolation shield 30 of the suction component 32.
[0033] More specifically, the wafer placement chamber 21 is a square box with a top cover 211 and a base 212. The wafer placement device also has a placement chamber control terminal. The top cover 211 of the wafer placement chamber 21 can be opened by controlling the placement chamber control terminal. The placement chamber control terminal can be located on the upper part of the wafer placement chamber 21. This application does not limit the position of the placement chamber control terminal. A graphite disk (not shown) is provided inside the base, and the wafer is placed on the graphite disk. A sampling channel 213 is provided on the side of the base near the robotic arm compartment. The sampling channel 213 can be a through hole on the side wall of the base. The robotic arm of the robotic arm compartment takes out the graphite disk and wafer fork through the sampling channel and transfers them to the growth chamber for growth.
[0034] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3b As shown, the wafer placement apparatus also includes a wafer transfer chamber 40 and a second vacuum pump 50. The wafer transfer chamber 40 is covered by the first side wall 35a so that the placement entrance 31 is not exposed to the external environment. An internal isolation door 34 is provided at the placement entrance 31, and an external isolation door 41 is provided on the outside of the wafer transfer chamber 40. The wafer cassette can be placed into the wafer transfer chamber 40 through the external isolation door 41. When the second vacuum pump 50 evacuates the wafer transfer chamber 40 so that the vacuum environment pressure of the wafer transfer chamber 40 is the same as that in the placement space, the internal isolation door 34 is opened, and the operator puts the wafer cassette in the wafer transfer chamber 40 into the placement space through the operating gloves 33.
[0035] In this embodiment, the unopened wafer cassette is first placed into the wafer transfer chamber 40 through the external isolation door 41. The external isolation door 41 of the wafer chamber is then closed, and the wafer transfer chamber 40 is evacuated by the second vacuum pump 50 until the pressure of the wafer transfer chamber 40 is the same as the pressure of the isolation cover 30. The internal isolation door 34 at the placement entrance 31 is then opened, and the wafer cassette of the wafer transfer chamber 40 is placed into the isolation cover 30 through the operating gloves 33. Through the above settings, the vacuum environment inside the isolation cover 30 is kept stable, and it is not necessary to evacuate the isolation cover 30 multiple times. Compared with the isolation cover 30, the space inside the wafer chamber is smaller, so the vacuuming power can be smaller, which can save energy.
[0036] In some embodiments of this application, the side of the wafer transfer chamber 40 near the isolation cover 30 has the same area as the placement inlet 31. It should be noted that the area of the side of the wafer transfer chamber 40 near the isolation cover 30 may also be larger than the area of the placement inlet 31. An internal isolation door may also be located on the side of the wafer transfer chamber 40 near the isolation cover. When the internal isolation door is open, the placement inlet is open, and the inner cavity of the isolation cover communicates with the inner cavity of the wafer transfer chamber 40. When the internal isolation door is closed, the placement inlet is closed.
[0037] In some embodiments of this application, the second vacuum pump 50 is located at the bottom of the wafer transfer chamber 40.
[0038] In some embodiments of this application, a wafer cassette temporary stage 37 is provided in the lofting space. The wafer cassette is transferred from the wafer transfer chamber 40 to the wafer cassette temporary stage 37 in the lofting space, and the wafer cassette is unsealed on the wafer cassette temporary stage 37.
[0039] In some embodiments of this application, the height of the wafer cassette stage 37 is lower than the height of the position where the operating glove 33 is installed.
[0040] In this embodiment, the height of the wafer cassette temporary stage 37 is lower than the height of the operating glove 33, which makes it more comfortable for the operator to unpack the wafer cassette placed on the wafer cassette temporary stage 37, which is ergonomic.
[0041] In some embodiments of this application, the wafer cassette temporary stage 37 is disposed on the inner side wall of the isolation cover 30 near the placement entrance 31, and the height of the wafer cassette temporary stage 37 is lower than the height of the placement entrance 31.
[0042] In this embodiment, since the wafer cassette temporary stage 37 is located on the side wall of the isolation cover 30 near the placement entrance 31, the wafer cassette temporary stage 37 is close to the wafer transfer chamber 40, and the operator can quickly transfer the wafer cassette in the wafer transfer chamber 40 to the wafer cassette temporary stage 37.
[0043] In some embodiments of this application, the first sidewall 35a where the placement entrance 31 of the isolation cover 30 is located and the third sidewall 35b opposite to the first sidewall 35a are coplanar with the side of the robotic arm compartment 10, the top surface of the isolation cover 30 is coplanar with the top surface of the robotic arm compartment 10, and the second sidewall 36 in which the operating gloves 33 are installed in the isolation cover 30 is an inclined surface.
[0044] In this embodiment, the mounting surface of the operating glove 33 in the isolation cover 30 is an inclined surface, which is more ergonomic and makes the operation more comfortable for the operator. The opposing first sidewall 35a and third sidewall 35b of the isolation cover 30 are coplanar with the two sides of the robotic arm compartment 10, and the top surface of the isolation cover 30 is coplanar with the top surface of the robotic arm compartment 10, making the appearance of the wafer sorting device flatter and more aesthetically pleasing.
[0045] In some embodiments of this application, the suction device 32 is a suction pen, which is hung inside the isolation cover 30. In this embodiment, the suction pen is relatively lightweight, making it more convenient for operators to use it to pick up wafers.
[0046] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a wafer epitaxial growth apparatus, such as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a wafer epitaxial growth apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application (the isolation shroud and the first vacuum pump are not shown); Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the wafer epitaxial growth equipment provided in the embodiments of this application (showing the isolation hood and the first vacuum pump) shows that the wafer epitaxial growth equipment includes the above-mentioned wafer staging device.
[0047] In this embodiment, when laying out the wafer, the wafer cassette containing the wafer is first placed into the laying-out space through the placement entrance of the isolation cover 30. After the placement entrance is closed, the laying-out space is evacuated by the first vacuum pump. The wafer cassette is unsealed using operating gloves, and the wafer is placed into the wafer laying-out chamber using a suction device. The process of unsealing the wafer cassette and placing the wafer into the wafer laying-out chamber is carried out in the vacuum environment of the laying-out space, which is not affected by moisture and dust in the external environment, and therefore does not affect the subsequent epitaxial growth, thereby improving the yield.
[0048] Specifically, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the wafer epitaxial growth equipment also includes a process chamber cabinet 71, a control cabinet 72, an inlet cabinet 73, and a mixing cabinet 74. The wafer is epitaxially grown in the process chamber cabinet 71, and the control cabinet 72 is used to control the inlet and mixing of the growth gas.
[0049] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application are included within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A wafer lofting device, comprising: The application is applied to a wafer epitaxial growth device, which comprises a mechanical hand warehouse (10), a wafer lofting platform (20), an isolation cover (30) and a first vacuum pump (301). The wafer lofting platform (20) is arranged on one side of the mechanical hand warehouse (10), and a wafer lofting warehouse (21) is arranged on the top of the wafer lofting platform (20) and used for placing a wafer; the isolation cover (30) is arranged on the top of the wafer lofting platform (20); the mechanical hand warehouse (10), the wafer lofting platform (20) and the isolation cover (30) form a lofting space, and the wafer lofting warehouse (21) is located in the lofting space. The isolation cover (30) is provided with a placing entrance (31) on a first side wall (35a), is internally provided with a suction member (32), and is provided with an operation glove (33) on a second side wall; the placing entrance (31) can be opened or closed; when the placing entrance (31) is opened, a wafer box loaded with a wafer can be placed into the lofting space; after the wafer box is placed into the lofting space, the placing entrance (31) is closed; after the first vacuum pump (301) evacuates the lofting space, the wafer box is opened through the operation glove (33), the wafer in the wafer box is sucked and placed into the wafer lofting warehouse (21) by using the suction member (32). The mechanical hand in the mechanical hand warehouse (10) is used for transferring the wafer in the wafer lofting warehouse (21) to a growth cavity in the wafer epitaxial growth device.
2. The wafer lofting device of claim 1, wherein, The wafer lofting device further comprises a wafer transfer warehouse (40) and a second vacuum pump (50), and the wafer transfer warehouse (40) is arranged on the first side wall (35a) so that the placing entrance (31) is not exposed to the external environment. An internal isolation door (34) is arranged at the placing entrance (31), an external isolation door (41) is arranged on the outside of the wafer transfer warehouse (40), and the wafer box can be placed into the wafer transfer warehouse (40) through the external isolation door (41). When the second vacuum pump (50) evacuates the wafer transfer warehouse (40) so that the wafer transfer warehouse (40) has the same vacuum environment pressure as the lofting space, the internal isolation door (34) is opened, and the wafer box in the wafer transfer warehouse (40) is placed into the lofting space through the operation glove (33).
3. The wafer lofting device of claim 2, wherein, The side surface of the wafer transfer warehouse (40) close to the isolation cover (30) has the same area as the placing entrance (31).
4. The wafer lofting device of claim 2, wherein, The second vacuum pump (50) is arranged at the bottom of the wafer transfer warehouse (40).
5. The wafer lofting device of claim 2, wherein, A wafer box temporary placement table (37) is arranged in the lofting space, the wafer box is transferred from the wafer transfer warehouse (40) to the wafer box temporary placement table (37) in the lofting space, and the wafer box is unpacked on the wafer box temporary placement table (37).
6. The wafer lofting device of claim 5, wherein, The height of the wafer box temporary placement table (37) is lower than the height of the installation position of the operation glove (33).
7. The wafer lofting device of claim 6, wherein, The wafer box temporary placement platform (37) is arranged on the inner side wall of the isolation cover (30) close to the placement entrance (31), and the height of the wafer box temporary placement platform (37) is lower than the height of the placement entrance (31).
8. The wafer lofting device of claim 1, wherein, The first side wall (35a) where the placement entrance (31) is located and the third side wall (35b) opposite to the first side wall (35a) are coplanar with the side walls of the mechanical hand bin (10), the top surface of the isolation cover (30) is coplanar with the top surface of the mechanical hand bin (10), and the second side wall (36) where the operation glove (33) is installed in the isolation cover (30) is an inclined surface.
9. The wafer unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein The suction member (32) is a suction pen, and the suction pen is hung in the inside of the isolation cover (30).
10. A wafer epitaxial growth apparatus characterized by comprising: The wafer lofting device comprises the wafer lofting device according to any one of claims 1-9.