Wafer tray and coating equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, and discloses a wafer tray and coating equipment. Wherein the wafer tray is used for bearing a wafer, the wafer tray is provided with a bearing groove, and the wafer can be embedded in the bearing groove; the shape of the bearing groove is matched with the shape of the wafer, it is ensured that the wafer can be completely attached to the bearing groove, and the depth of the bearing groove is the same as the thickness of the wafer, so that when the wafer is embedded in the bearing groove, the upper surface of the wafer is flush with the end face of the bearing groove. When the wafer needs to be subjected to film coating processing, the wafer is embedded in the bearing groove of the wafer, the shape of the bearing groove is matched with that of the wafer, and the depth of the bearing groove is the same as that of the wafer, so that the upper surface of the wafer is flush with the end surface of the bearing groove, the problem of uneven thickness caused by a step effect in the film coating process is solved, and the yield of the wafer is improved. And the film layer uniformity is improved. And the bearing groove provides positioning for the wafer, so that the wafer is convenient to install, and the stability of the wafer and the uniformity of film coating in the film coating process are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and in particular to a wafer tray and coating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, wafer coating is a crucial step. However, during the coating process, the wafer edges often suffer from uneven film thickness due to the step effect. This unevenness not only affects the electrical properties of the wafer edge region but can also negatively impact subsequent processes such as photolithography and etching, leading to circuit pattern distortion and reduced yield, thus significantly affecting the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a wafer tray and coating equipment to solve the aforementioned problems. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on the above, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a wafer tray and coating equipment that eliminates the problem of uneven thickness caused by the step effect during the coating process, thereby improving the uniformity of the film layer. Furthermore, the carrier groove provides positioning for the wafer, facilitating wafer installation and ensuring wafer stability and coating uniformity during the coating process.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] On the one hand, a wafer tray is provided for carrying wafers, the wafer tray being provided with a carrying groove, the wafer being able to be embedded in the carrying groove;

[0007] The shape of the carrier groove matches the shape of the wafer, and the depth of the carrier groove is the same as the thickness of the wafer, so that when the wafer is embedded in the carrier groove, the upper surface of the wafer is flush with the end face of the carrier groove.

[0008] As a preferred technical solution for a wafer tray, the carrier groove is square or circular.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution for a wafer tray, the bottom of the support groove is provided with a plurality of annular vacuum suction holes, the plurality of annular vacuum suction holes are coaxial and spaced apart, a vacuum flow channel is provided inside the wafer tray, the vacuum flow channel is connected to the plurality of vacuum suction holes, and the vacuum flow channel is connected to a vacuum device.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution for a wafer tray, the wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes, which are used for positioning posts on the heating plate to pass through.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution for a wafer tray, the bottom of the support groove is provided with a lifting hole for the ejector pin to pass through.

[0012] Secondly, a coating apparatus is provided, comprising a body, a nozzle, a heating plate, and a wafer tray as described in any of the above embodiments. The body is provided with a processing cavity, the heating plate and the wafer tray are located in the processing cavity, the wafer tray is mounted on the heating plate, the heating plate is used to heat the wafer tray, and the nozzle is located above the wafer tray.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution for coating equipment, the top of the processing chamber is provided with an air inlet, which is connected to an inert gas supply source, and the bottom of the processing chamber is provided with an air outlet.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution for coating equipment, the air outlet is equipped with an adjustable speed fan, which is used to discharge the inert gas in the processing chamber.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution for coating equipment, the coating equipment further includes a conveying device for driving the wafer tray to reciprocate below the nozzle.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution for coating equipment, the coating equipment further includes a lifting mechanism, which is installed at the bottom of the heating plate. The lifting mechanism is provided with a pin, which can pass through the lifting hole of the wafer tray and lift the wafer.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0018] This invention provides a wafer tray and coating equipment. When a wafer needs to be coated, the wafer is embedded in a wafer carrier groove. Because the shape of the carrier groove matches the shape of the wafer, and the depth of the carrier groove is the same as the thickness of the wafer, the upper surface of the wafer is flush with the end face of the carrier groove. This eliminates the problem of uneven thickness caused by the step effect during the coating process, improving the uniformity of the film layer. Moreover, the carrier groove provides positioning for the wafer, facilitating wafer installation and ensuring the stability of the wafer and the uniformity of the coating during the coating process. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of this utility model and these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer tray provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the body provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 This is the second structural schematic diagram of the body provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the coating equipment provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model.

[0024] The markings in the image are as follows:

[0025] 1. Wafer tray; 11. Carrying groove; 12. Vacuum suction hole; 13. Positioning hole; 14. Lifting hole;

[0026] 2. Body; 21. Air inlet; 22. Air outlet; 3. Nozzle; 4. Heating plate; 5. Conveying device. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, not the entire structure.

[0028] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0030] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0031] In semiconductor manufacturing, wafer coating is a crucial step. However, during the coating process, the wafer edges often suffer from uneven film thickness due to the step effect. This unevenness not only affects the electrical properties of the wafer edge region but can also negatively impact subsequent processes such as photolithography and etching, leading to circuit pattern distortion and reduced yield, thus significantly affecting the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices.

[0032] To solve the above problems, such as Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a wafer tray 1 for supporting wafers. The wafer tray 1 is provided with a support groove 11, within which the wafer can be embedded. The shape of the support groove 11 matches the shape of the wafer, ensuring a complete fit between the wafer and the support groove 11. The depth of the support groove 11 is the same as the thickness of the wafer, so that when the wafer is embedded in the support groove 11, its upper surface is flush with the end face of the support groove 11. When the wafer needs to be coated, it is embedded in the support groove 11. Because the shape of the support groove 11 matches the shape of the wafer, and the depth of the support groove 11 is the same as the thickness of the wafer, the upper surface of the wafer is flush with the end face of the support groove 11, eliminating the uneven thickness problem caused by the step effect during the coating process and improving the uniformity of the coating layer. Moreover, the support groove 11 provides positioning for the wafer, facilitating wafer installation and ensuring the stability of the wafer and the uniformity of the coating during the coating process.

[0033] In this embodiment, the wafer tray 1 is mainly used to load and fix wafers or glass substrates, and the carrier groove 11 is square or circular. The shape of the carrier groove 11 can be adapted to the shape of the wafer or glass substrate.

[0034] Preferably, the bottom of the support groove 11 is provided with a plurality of annular vacuum suction holes 12, which are coaxial and spaced apart. A vacuum channel is provided inside the wafer tray 1, which connects to the plurality of vacuum suction holes 12 and to a vacuum device. After the wafer is embedded in the support groove 11, the vacuum device evacuates the vacuum to allow the plurality of vacuum suction holes 12 to adsorb the wafer, improving the wafer's stability and preventing it from shaking or shifting during the coating process due to airflow. This improves coating uniformity, ensures consistent film thickness across all areas, and is suitable for fixing wafers of different sizes, offering greater compatibility.

[0035] More preferably, the wafer tray 1 is provided with at least two positioning holes 13, which are used for the positioning posts on the heating plate 4 to pass through. In this embodiment, the wafer tray 1 is square, and the two positioning holes 13 are located at opposite corners of the wafer tray 1. The two positioning holes 13 are used to align with the heating plate 4 to ensure that the wafer tray 1 will not shift. When the wafer tray 1 is installed above the heating plate 4, the positioning posts of the heating plate 4 pass through the positioning holes 13, realizing the positioning and assembly of the heating plate and the wafer tray 1. The heating plate and the wafer tray 1 are accurately aligned, reducing installation errors; and effectively improving the stability of the wafer tray 1 in high-temperature environments, preventing misalignment caused by thermal expansion.

[0036] In this embodiment, the bottom of the support groove 11 is provided with a lifting hole 14 for the ejector pin to pass through. When the robot handes over the wafer to the wafer tray 1, the ejector pin moves up and down, and the ejector pin can pass through the lifting hole 14 to lift the wafer or carry the wafer into the support groove 11.

[0037] like Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment also provides a coating apparatus, including a body 2, a nozzle 3, a heating plate 4, and the aforementioned wafer tray 1. The body 2 is provided with a processing chamber, and the heating plate 4 and wafer tray 1 are located within the processing chamber. The wafer tray 1 is mounted on the heating plate 4, which is used to heat the wafer tray 1. The nozzle 3 is located above the wafer tray 1. During wafer coating, the heating plate 4 heats the wafer tray 1, thereby heating the wafer to ensure that the wafer meets the temperature requirements for coating. The nozzle 3 sprays the precursor onto the wafer, forming a film layer on the wafer. In this embodiment, the processing chamber is located within the body 2.

[0038] Preferably, an air inlet 21 is provided at the top of the processing chamber, which is connected to an inert gas supply source, and an air outlet 22 is provided at the bottom of the processing chamber. Firstly, the inert gas supply source can deliver inert gas into the processing chamber through the air inlet 21. A processing chamber filled with inert gas effectively prevents air from entering, avoiding direct reaction between the precursor and oxygen, preventing premature decomposition of the precursor, improving coating quality, and thus reducing unnecessary powder during the coating process. In this embodiment, nitrogen can be used as the inert gas. Secondly, the inert gas enters the processing chamber through the air inlet 21 and exits through the air outlet 22, maintaining a circulating flow. This optimizes the airflow environment within the processing chamber, ensuring the stability of the inert gas environment during processing, reducing powder generation, and simultaneously carrying away heat from the processing chamber after flowing through it, thus cooling the chamber, preventing localized overheating, and improving process stability. Thirdly, the flow direction of the inert gas in the processing chamber is roughly the same as the flow direction of the precursor ejected from the nozzle 3. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation verification shows that this design can effectively suppress the generation of eddies, ensure the stability of the airflow in the processing chamber, and prevent local airflow stagnation.

[0039] Preferably, the exhaust port 22 is equipped with an adjustable-speed fan (not shown in the figure), which is used to exhaust the inert gas in the processing chamber. The adjustable-speed fan regulates the flow rate and controls the exhaust, ensuring a stable supply of nitrogen. Furthermore, the adjustable-speed fan can create a micro-negative pressure environment inside the processing chamber, ensuring that no reactive gas leaks into the external environment, preventing harmful gas leakage, and improving operational safety. This coating equipment combines airflow control, CFD simulation verification, and a micro-negative pressure environment to meet the requirements of high-precision coating.

[0040] In this embodiment, there are four air inlets 21 and four air outlets 22. The positions of the air inlets 21 and air outlets 22 can be optimized through CFD simulation to avoid dead zones and improve airflow uniformity.

[0041] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, the coating equipment also includes a conveying device 5, which drives the wafer tray 1 to reciprocate below the nozzle 3. When the wafer passes below the nozzle 3, the precursor and oxidant sprayed from the nozzle 3 merge on the wafer surface to achieve coating on the wafer.

[0042] In this embodiment, the coating equipment also includes a lifting mechanism, which is installed at the bottom of the heating plate 4. The lifting mechanism is provided with a pin, which can pass through the lifting hole 14 of the wafer tray 1 and lift the wafer.

[0043] It should be noted that the conveying device 5 is driven and connected to the heating plate 4, and the lifting mechanism is installed at the bottom of the heating plate 4. The adjustable speed fan, the conveying device 5 and the lifting mechanism are all existing technologies, and their specific structures and working principles will not be described in detail here.

[0044] Note that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wafer tray for carrying wafers, characterized by, The wafer tray is provided with a bearing groove (11) in which the wafer can be embedded. The bearing groove (11) is shaped to match the wafer, and the depth of the bearing groove (11) is the same as the thickness of the wafer, so that the upper surface of the wafer is flush with the end surface of the bearing groove (11) when the wafer is embedded in the bearing groove (11).

2. The wafer tray of claim 1, wherein, The bearing groove (11) is square or circular.

3. The wafer tray of claim 1, wherein, The bottom of the bearing groove (11) is provided with a plurality of annular vacuum suction holes (12) arranged coaxially and spaced apart, and the wafer tray is provided with a vacuum flow channel connected to the plurality of vacuum suction holes (12) and connected to a vacuum device.

4. The wafer tray of claim 1, wherein, The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4).

5. The wafer tray of claim 1, wherein, The bottom of the bearing groove (11) is provided with a lifting hole (14) for a lifting pin.

6. A coating apparatus, characterized by, The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4).

7. The coating apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4).

8. The coating apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4).

9. The coating apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4).

10. The coating apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). The wafer tray is provided with at least two positioning holes (13) for positioning columns on the heating disc (4). 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