Furnace tube equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides furnace tube equipment, which comprises a furnace tube body, a furnace tube, a heat exchanger and a heat exchanger, the furnace tube body comprises a quartz process tube, and the interior of the quartz process tube comprises a wafer bearing structure; the rotatable heater is positioned on the periphery of the quartz process pipe; wherein when the furnace tube equipment works, the wafer bearing structure is kept in a static state, and the rotatable heater rotates around the periphery of the quartz process tube so as to uniformly heat a wafer borne by the wafer bearing structure. According to the technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the utility model, the wafer breaking risk can be reduced on the basis of uniformly heating the wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, specifically to a furnace tube device. Background Technology

[0002] Furnace tube equipment is a crucial component in industrial heating equipment (such as various industrial furnaces and boilers) used for transferring and heating fluid media. It typically consists of a series of furnace tubes, furnace bodies, fittings (such as elbows and tees), and supporting structures. The furnace tubes and furnace bodies are the core components, serving as the key structure for heating wafers. However, during the heating process of wafers using furnace tubes and furnace bodies, wafer breakage is easily caused.

[0003] Therefore, in this context, how to provide a technical solution to reduce the risk of wafer breakage while achieving uniform heating of the wafer has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, this utility model provides a furnace tube device to reduce the risk of wafer breakage while achieving uniform heating of the wafer.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a furnace tube device, comprising a furnace tube and a furnace body; the furnace tube and furnace body include:

[0007] A quartz process tube, wherein the interior of the quartz process tube includes a wafer support structure;

[0008] A rotatable heater is located on the outer periphery of the quartz process tube;

[0009] When the furnace tube equipment is working, the wafer support structure remains stationary, and the rotatable heater rotates around the outer periphery of the quartz process tube to uniformly heat the wafer supported by the wafer support structure.

[0010] This utility model provides a furnace tube device, comprising: a furnace tube body; the furnace tube body includes: a quartz process tube, the interior of which includes a wafer support structure; and a rotatable heater located on the outer periphery of the quartz process tube; wherein, when the furnace tube device is in operation, the wafer support structure remains stationary, and the rotatable heater rotates around the outer periphery of the quartz process tube to uniformly heat the wafer supported by the wafer support structure.

[0011] As can be seen, the technical solution provided by this utility model embodiment, since the rotatable heater is located on the outer periphery of the quartz process tube and can rotate around the quartz process tube, can uniformly heat the wafer supported by the stationary wafer support structure inside the quartz process tube during the furnace tube equipment's operation. This avoids the need to rotate the wafer support structure to drive it to rotate for uniform heating. Since rotating the wafer support structure to heat the wafer carries the risk of uneven stress and wafer breakage, the technical solution provided by this utility model embodiment can effectively avoid the probability of wafer breakage, reducing the risk of wafer breakage while achieving uniform heating. Attached Figure Description

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model 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 embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the furnace tube equipment provided in an embodiment of the present utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0015] As mentioned in the background, furnace tube equipment is an important component of industrial heating equipment (such as various industrial furnaces, boilers, etc.) used for the transmission and heating of fluid media. It typically consists of a series of furnace tubes, furnace body, fittings (such as elbows, tees, etc.), support structures, and related valves, instruments, etc.

[0016] Among them, the furnace tube and furnace body are the core components. They are generally made of high-temperature and corrosion-resistant alloy steel pipes. According to different process requirements and the structure of heating equipment, the furnace tube and furnace body are installed in a specific arrangement to form a complete pipeline system, so that the fluid medium can flow in it and be uniformly heated to the required temperature to meet the needs of various industrial production processes.

[0017] Depending on the different process requirements, furnace tube equipment has evolved into various forms such as horizontal, spiral, and vertical. Among them, vertical furnace tube equipment, characterized by "vertical structure + rotating load-bearing", shows unique advantages in scenarios requiring high precision and uniformity (such as wafer manufacturing).

[0018] For example, in semiconductor manufacturing processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), oxidation, or diffusion, vertical furnace tube equipment is used to heat the wafers. By providing a uniform high-temperature environment, it ensures the stability and repeatability of these processes, thereby improving the efficiency and quality of semiconductor manufacturing.

[0019] However, during the heating process of wafers in furnace tube equipment, a rotating wafer support structure (wafer support structure), such as a boat, is usually used. When the rotation speed of the wafer support structure is too fast, uneven stress on the wafer can lead to breakage, greatly increasing the risk of wafer breakage.

[0020] Based on this, this utility model provides a furnace tube device to reduce the risk of wafer breakage while achieving uniform heating of the wafer.

[0021] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the furnace tube equipment provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0022] like Figure 1 The furnace tube equipment includes: furnace tube and furnace body 1;

[0023] The furnace tube and furnace body 1 include:

[0024] Quartz process tube 11, wherein the interior of the quartz process tube 11 includes a wafer support structure 2;

[0025] The rotatable heater 12 is located on the outer periphery of the quartz process tube 11;

[0026] When the furnace tube equipment is working, the wafer support structure 2 remains stationary, and the rotatable heater 12 rotates around the outer periphery of the quartz process tube 11 to uniformly heat the wafer supported by the wafer support structure 2.

[0027] The Quartz Process Tube 11 can be located at the center of the furnace tube body 1, serving as the core component of the furnace tube body 1. It can be made of high-purity quartz, capable of withstanding high temperatures and maintaining chemical inertness. The Quartz Process Tube is the area where the wafer undergoes high-temperature heating processes.

[0028] The wafer holder 2 is used to support the wafer and ensure its stability during the process. The wafer is placed in the specially designed wafer holder 2 to ensure uniform heating during oxidation.

[0029] When heating the wafer, the rotatable heater 12 can be rotated, which can make the wafer heat up evenly. During the rotation, the wafer support structure 2 is in a fixed and stationary state, which can reduce the impact of the vibration of the wafer support structure 2 on the wafer.

[0030] As can be seen, the technical solution provided by this embodiment of the present invention, since the rotatable heater 12 is located on the outer periphery of the quartz process tube 11 and can rotate around the quartz process tube 11, allows for uniform heating of the wafer supported by the stationary wafer support structure 2 inside the quartz process tube 11 during the furnace tube equipment operation. This avoids the need to rotate the wafer support structure for uniform heating. Since rotating the wafer support structure to heat the wafer carries the risk of uneven stress and wafer breakage, the technical solution provided by this embodiment of the present invention effectively avoids the risk of wafer breakage, reducing the risk of wafer breakage while achieving uniform heating of the wafer.

[0031] In order to enable rotational heating by the rotatable heater 12, in one embodiment, the furnace tube body further includes:

[0032] The base includes a first region and a second region; the first region is used to fix the wafer carrier structure; the second region is used to movably connect the rotatable heater.

[0033] The base supports the wafer carrier structure 2 and connects to the rotatable heater 12. To ensure that the rotation of the rotatable heater 12 does not affect the fixation of the wafer carrier structure 2, allowing the wafer carrier structure 2 to remain stationary, different areas can be divided on the base. These areas are used to fix the wafer carrier structure 2 and movably connect the rotatable heater 12, respectively. This ensures that there is no interference between the two areas, and that the wafer supported by the wafer carrier structure 2 is uniformly heated by the rotatable heater 12.

[0034] In one embodiment, the second region is provided with a rotating track, and the rotatable heater is located within the rotating track; the furnace tube device further includes:

[0035] A drive module, connected to the rotatable heater, is used to provide power to the rotatable heater, causing it to rotate along the rotating track;

[0036] A control module is used to control the drive module to control the rotatable heater to rotate according to a predetermined pattern.

[0037] The rotating track can be a component mounted on a base; it can be circular or elliptical so that the rotatable heater can rotate on it.

[0038] The rotatable heater is mounted on a rotating track and can rotate freely within the track. The rotatable heater can be a resistance wire, an electric heating tube, or other types of heating elements.

[0039] A drive module (such as a motor) is connected to the rotatable heater and provides power to rotate the heater along a rotating track. The drive module can precisely control the rotational speed and direction of the rotatable heater.

[0040] The control module controls the drive module to ensure that the rotatable heater rotates according to a predetermined pattern. The control module can be a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), a microcontroller, or other types of automation control modules.

[0041] In other implementations, safe operation and maintenance of the rotatable heater and rotating track can be considered, thereby adding overheat protection modules, emergency stop buttons, periodic lubrication equipment, etc.

[0042] Of course, in other embodiments, the rotatable heater can also be implemented by installing a rotation sensor on the heater to obtain the rotatable heater, and the rotation sensor is used to detect the rotation angle and position. Simultaneously, a rotary cylinder or motor is added to the furnace tube equipment as an actuator to drive the rotatable heater to rotate. When the actuator drives the rotatable heater to rotate, the control logic can be:

[0043] The PLC receives signals from the rotation sensor and sends control commands to the actuator according to the preset control program (such as rotation speed, angle, etc.).

[0044] For example, when the sensor detects that the heater has reached a set angle, the PLC can control the actuator to stop rotating.

[0045] Optionally, the furnace tube and furnace body further include:

[0046] A silicon carbide inner liner tube, located inside the quartz process tube, is used to protect the wafer supported by the wafer carrier structure.

[0047] The silicon carbide (SiC) liner tube is located inside the quartz process tube. The SiC liner tube has a SiC CVD coating to provide additional protection, preventing high-temperature and corrosive gases from directly contacting the quartz tube, while reducing contamination during the process.

[0048] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 The furnace tube and furnace body 1 further include:

[0049] Gas transmission channel 13 is used to transmit gas flow into the quartz process tube 11;

[0050] The exhaust channel 14 is connected to the quartz process tube 11 and is used to discharge the waste gas inside the quartz process tube 11 to the outside of the furnace tube and furnace body 1.

[0051] An exhaust port can be opened on one side of the bottom of the quartz process tube 11 to discharge industrial waste gas. The exhaust port can be connected to the exhaust channel 14 to discharge the industrial waste gas inside the quartz process tube 11 to the outside of the furnace tube and furnace body 1, ensuring the safety and environmental protection of the process environment.

[0052] The gas transmission channel 13 can transmit gas flow into the quartz process tube 11 for process treatment.

[0053] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 The furnace tube equipment also includes:

[0054] The mass flow controller 3 is connected to one end port of the gas transmission channel 13 and is used to control the gas flow rate transmitted to the inside of the quartz process tube 11.

[0055] Mass flow controller 3 (PYRO, Pyrolytic Mass Flow Controller) is located at the upper end or side of furnace tube body 1. Figure 1 (Taking the mass flow controller 3 located on the side of the furnace tube 1 as an example, it is a device used to control the gas flow inside the quartz process tube 11 in order to precisely adjust the required amount of gas.)

[0056] For example, Dilute N2 flows out from mass flow controller 3 and then into the interior of quartz process tube 11. Dilute N2 is used to dilute other process gases, such as oxygen and hydrogen.

[0057] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 The furnace tube equipment also includes:

[0058] The transmission coil 4, located below the mass flow controller 3, is connected to the gas supply line and is used to control the flow direction of the gas flow.

[0059] The transfer coil 4 (Trans-LC) is located below the mass flow controller 3 and is connected to the gas supply line. It can be used to control the direction of gas flow or as part of gas mixing.

[0060] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 The furnace tube equipment also includes:

[0061] The nitrogen bubble boiler 5, located below the transmission coil 4 and connected to the gas supply line, is used to generate nitrogen bubbles.

[0062] The nitrogen bubble boiler 5 (Bubbler N2) is located below the transmission coil 4 and connected to the gas supply line. It can be used to generate nitrogen bubbles and may be used for gas mixing or flow control.

[0063] Optionally, the furnace tube assembly further includes:

[0064] A lifting module is located below the wafer support structure, which is mounted on a base via the lifting module.

[0065] Lifting modules (e.g., lift mechanisms) can be used to raise the wafer carrier structure 2 (e.g., a boat or carrier) to a suitable height in the quartz process tube 11 for heating, or to lower it to remove the wafer.

[0066] The lifting module, which may be located on the base and can be part of the furnace tube equipment, is designed to achieve precise positioning and movement of the wafer carrier structure 2. The lifting module may be driven by a mechanical, electric, or pneumatic system to achieve smooth and precise vertical movement.

[0067] The foregoing describes multiple embodiments of the present invention. The optional methods described in each embodiment can be combined and cross-referenced without conflict, thereby extending to a variety of possible embodiments. These can all be considered as embodiments disclosed or made public by the present invention.

[0068] While the embodiments of this utility model have been disclosed above, this utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model; therefore, the scope of protection of this utility model should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A furnace tube device, characterized in that, include: Furnace tubes and furnace body; The furnace tube and furnace body include: A quartz process tube, wherein the interior of the quartz process tube includes a wafer support structure; A rotatable heater is located on the outer periphery of the quartz process tube; When the furnace tube equipment is working, the wafer support structure remains stationary, and the rotatable heater rotates around the outer periphery of the quartz process tube to uniformly heat the wafer supported by the wafer support structure.

2. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The furnace tube and furnace body also include: The base includes a first region and a second region; the first region is used to fix the wafer carrier structure; the second region is used to movably connect the rotatable heater.

3. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The second area is provided with a rotating track, and the rotatable heater is located within the rotating track; the furnace tube equipment further includes: A drive module, connected to the rotatable heater, is used to provide power to the rotatable heater, causing it to rotate along the rotating track; A control module is used to control the drive module to control the rotatable heater to rotate according to a predetermined pattern.

4. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotatable heater is equipped with a rotation sensor, which is used to detect the rotation angle and position; the furnace tube device further includes: An actuator is used to receive control commands to drive the rotatable heater to rotate; the control commands are generated based on signals from the rotation sensor.

5. The furnace tube equipment as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The furnace tube and furnace body also include: A silicon carbide inner liner tube, located inside the quartz process tube, is used to protect the wafer supported by the wafer carrier structure.

6. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The furnace tube and furnace body also include: A gas transmission channel is used to transmit gas flow into the quartz process tube. The exhaust channel is connected to the quartz process tube and is used to discharge the waste gas inside the quartz process tube to the outside of the furnace tube and furnace body.

7. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A mass flow controller, connected to one end port of the gas transmission channel, is used to control the gas flow rate transmitted to the inside of the quartz process tube.

8. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A transmission coil, located below the mass flow controller and connected to the gas supply line, is used to control the flow direction of the gas flow. A nitrogen bubble boiler, located below the transmission coil and connected to the gas supply line, is used to generate nitrogen bubbles.

9. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: A lifting module is located below the wafer support structure, which is mounted on a base via the lifting module.

10. The furnace tube equipment as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The furnace tube equipment is a vertical furnace tube equipment, and the wafer support structure is a crystal boat.

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