Wafer double-side washing, edge etching and drying integrated machine
By designing an integrated machine for double-sided wafer washing, edge etching, and drying, wafer suspension clamping and rotation processing were achieved, solving the problems of low efficiency and high cost in existing multi-station processes, improving the stability and flexibility of the etching environment, and reducing the wear rate.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SEMICON WET ADVANCED TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, wafer rinsing, etching, and drying processes are carried out in multiple stations, resulting in frequent movement and flipping, making it difficult to ensure the stability of the etching environment, leading to low efficiency and high cost, and the fixed position of the etching solution spray cannot be adjusted.
Design a wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine. It adopts a suspended clamping and rotating wafer processing method, combined with an adjustable etching solution spray pipeline, integrating rinsing, etching and drying functions into one unit.
It improves the stability and processing efficiency of the etching environment, reduces production costs, enhances the flexibility of the etching solution spray position, reduces wafer wear, and improves product yield.
Smart Images
Figure CN224319843U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of semiconductor processing, specifically relating to an integrated machine for double-sided washing, edge etching, and drying of wafers. Background Technology
[0002] Washing, edge etching, and drying are core steps in semiconductor manufacturing, directly affecting device performance and yield. Washing aims to remove contaminants (such as particles, metal ions, and organic matter) from the wafer surface, providing a clean substrate for subsequent processes. Etching selectively removes materials to form circuit patterns. Finally, drying processes keep the wafer surface dry.
[0003] Currently, existing technologies typically employ multiple stations to sequentially rinse, etch, and dry both sides of the wafer. However, in actual production, not only is it necessary to use a transfer device to frequently move and flip the wafer between stations, making it difficult to ensure the stability of the etching environment, but it is also inefficient and costly. Furthermore, the pipelines used to spray the etching solution generally have a fixed structure when they extend into the cavity, meaning that the position of the etching solution spray cannot be adjusted according to the actual product requirements, which presents limitations. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a brand-new integrated machine for double-sided wafer washing, edge etching and drying.
[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:
[0006] A wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine includes a housing with a processing cavity, a positioning unit, an etching unit, and a rinsing and drying unit. The positioning unit is disposed within the processing cavity and includes a support component, a clamping component, and a rotary actuator forming a wafer placement area. The clamping component can clamp and drive the wafer located in the placement area to be suspended in the air with its centerline aligned with the rotation centerline formed by the rotary actuator. The etching unit includes an etching liquid spray pipe disposed within the processing cavity and having spray nozzles located above and below the placement area, an etching liquid supply pipeline connected to the spray pipe, and a power unit that drives the spray nozzles located above the wafer to move horizontally closer to or away from the wafer center. The rinsing and drying unit includes a rinsing pipeline and a drying pipeline connected to the processing cavity and used for rinsing and drying the wafer surface, respectively.
[0007] According to a specific embodiment and preferred aspect of the present invention, the support component includes multiple connecting rods connected to the rotary driver and spaced apart around the rotation center line, and support blocks correspondingly disposed at the ends of each connecting rod, wherein the multiple support blocks form a placement area.
[0008] Preferably, each support block forms a spherical surface from the top, and the wafer is supported on multiple spherical surfaces from the bottom. This reduces the contact area, lowers the wear rate during wafer handling, and improves product yield.
[0009] Specifically, the clamping component includes centrifugal modules rotatably connected to the ends of each connecting rod. Each centrifugal module has a clamping part formed on it. As the rotary driver drives multiple connecting rods to rotate, each centrifugal module flips under centrifugal force, causing the clamping parts to converge towards each other to form a clamping force that clamps the wafer. Here, centrifugal force is used to achieve automatic centering and clamping during rotation, and the clamping becomes more stable as the rotational speed increases.
[0010] Furthermore, each clamping part has a first contact surface and a second contact surface that intersect in a V-shape. During clamping, the wafer abuts between the first and second contact surfaces from its edge. Here, the clamping is stable and the contact area is small.
[0011] According to a specific embodiment and preferred aspect of this utility model, the power unit includes a first power component that drives the spray pipe to reciprocate along the radial direction of the wafer, and a second power component that drives the spray pipe to rotate around the vertical center. This allows for highly flexible adjustment of the spray position and angle at the wafer edge.
[0012] Preferably, the first power component includes a guide rail extending radially along the wafer, a slider slidably connected to the guide rail, and a power gear meshing with the slider. The second power component is mounted on the slider and connected to the spray pipe via a connecting module. Specifically, a rack structure is formed on one side of the slider, and the meshing of the slider with the power gear facilitates precise control of the spray pipe's displacement. The power unit also includes a fine-tuning screw that drives the spray pipe to reciprocate radially along the wafer.
[0013] Preferably, the power unit also includes a third power component for driving the spray pipe to move up and down. Here, the spray height of the spray pipe can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs.
[0014] Preferably, the spray pipe includes a first pipe extending vertically within the processing chamber, a second pipe extending horizontally from the upper end of the first pipe towards the wafer center, an upper nozzle extending obliquely downward and outward from one end of the second pipe, a third pipe communicating with the bottom of the processing chamber, and a lower nozzle disposed within the processing chamber and communicating with the third pipe. The upper and lower nozzles spray etching solution onto the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer, respectively. Here, the spray solution formed during rinsing flows away from the wafer center to ensure that impurities are removed from the wafer surface.
[0015] In addition, the housing includes a housing body forming an inlet and outlet from the top, an upper cover disposed at the inlet and outlet, and the positioning unit also includes a lifting actuator that drives the support component to move up and down to extend or retract into the processing chamber; and / or, the flushing pipeline includes an upper flushing pipe and a lower flushing pipe located above and below the placement area; and / or, the drying pipeline is a nitrogen supply pipeline connected to the processing chamber.
[0016] Due to the implementation of the above technical solution, this utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art:
[0017] Existing technologies typically employ multiple stations to sequentially perform wafer rinsing, etching, and drying. However, in actual production, this requires frequent wafer movement between stations using transfer devices, making it difficult to ensure the stability of the etching environment. Furthermore, this process is inefficient and costly. Additionally, the piping used for spraying the etching solution generally has a fixed structure when extending into the cavity, meaning the spray position cannot be adjusted according to actual product needs, thus presenting limitations. This application, however, proposes a comprehensive design for an integrated wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying machine, cleverly addressing the shortcomings and defects of existing technologies. By adopting this integrated rinsing, etching, and drying machine… First, the wafer is fed into the processing chamber and placed in the placement area. The wafer is held by a clamping component and driven to suspend itself in the placement area with its center line aligned with the rotation center line formed by the rotary driver. The wafer is then rotated under the drive of the rotary driver. Next, the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer are wetted through the rinsing pipeline. Then, the spray position on the wafer surface is adjusted by adjusting the spray pipe located in the processing chamber, and etching solution is sprayed onto the edges of the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer through the spray nozzles of the spray pipe to perform etching. Finally, the wafer surface is rinsed through the rinsing pipeline, and then dry gas is blown through the drying pipeline to keep the wafer surface dry. Therefore, compared with the prior art, this utility model has two advantages. First, it is based on the wafer being suspended and rotated in the processing cavity to perform rinsing, edge etching and drying of the upper and lower surfaces, effectively ensuring the stability of the wafer edge etching environment. Second, it has high integration, reduces the frequency of wafer movement and flipping, effectively improves processing efficiency and reduces production costs. Third, it is based on the etching liquid spray pipe being built into the processing cavity and being able to move and adjust, flexibly adapting to the processing needs of any product, and has high flexibility. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the integrated wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying machine of this utility model.
[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of a local part of the structure;
[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of the etching unit;
[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A structural decomposition diagram;
[0022] Wherein: 1. Casing; 10. Casing body; k. Inlet / outlet; q0. Processing chamber; g. Drainage pipe;
[0023] 2. Positioning unit; 20. Support component; q1. Placement area; 200. Connecting rod; 201. Support block; 21. Clamping component; 210. Centrifugal module; b. Clamping part; b1. First contact surface; b2. Second contact surface; 22. Rotary driver;
[0024] 3. Etching unit; 30. Spray pipe; 301. First pipeline; 302. Second pipeline; 303. Upper nozzle; 304. Third pipeline; 305. Lower nozzle; 31. Supply pipeline; 310. Interface; 32. Power unit; 320. Housing; 321. First power component; d. Guide rail; h. Slider; c. Power gear; 322. Second power component; m. Connecting module; 323. Third power component;
[0025] 4. Flushing and drying unit; 40. Flushing pipeline; 400. Upper flushing pipe; 401. Lower flushing pipe. Detailed Implementation
[0026] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0027] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "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 based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
[0028] 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 technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0029] In this application, unless otherwise expressly 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 expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0030] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0031] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.
[0032] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine of this embodiment includes a housing 1, a positioning unit 2, an etching unit 3, and a rinsing and drying unit 4.
[0033] Specifically, the housing 1 includes a cylindrical housing body 10 with an inlet / outlet k formed from the top, and a top cover (not shown in the figure, but easily understood) that is sealed at the inlet / outlet k and can be opened and closed, wherein a processing cavity q0 is formed between the housing body 10 and the top cover. The bottom of the housing body 10 is connected to a drain pipe g.
[0034] In this example, the positioning unit 2 is disposed in the processing cavity q0 and includes a support member 20 forming a wafer placement area q1, a clamping member 21, a rotary driver 22, and a lifting driver (not shown in the figure, but easy to imagine). The clamping member 21 can clamp and drive the wafer located in the placement area q1 to be suspended in the air and the center line is aligned with the rotation center line formed by the rotary driver 22.
[0035] In some specific embodiments, the rotary driver 22 employs any existing rotary drive device. The support component 20 includes multiple connecting rods 200 connected to the rotary driver 22 and spaced apart around the rotation center line, and support blocks 201 correspondingly disposed at the ends of each connecting rod 200. Each connecting rod 200 extends vertically at an incline, and the multiple support blocks 201 form a placement area q1. Each support block 201 forms a spherical surface from its top, and the wafer is supported from its bottom surface on the multiple spherical surfaces. This reduces the contact area, lowers the wear rate during wafer handling, and improves product yield.
[0036] The lifting driver drives the rotary driver 22 to move up and down, and drives the support component 20 to move up and down to extend or retract into the processing cavity q0, thereby facilitating the robotic arm to pick up and place wafers.
[0037] The clamping component 21 in this embodiment includes centrifugal modules 210 rotatably connected to the ends of each connecting rod 200. Each centrifugal module 210 has a clamping portion b. As the rotary driver 22 drives the multiple connecting rods 200 to rotate, each centrifugal module 210 flips under centrifugal force and causes the clamping portions b to converge towards each other to form a clamping force for clamping the wafer. Here, centrifugal force is used to achieve automatic centering and clamping during rotation, and the clamping becomes more stable as the rotational speed increases.
[0038] Furthermore, each clamping part b has a first contact surface b1 and a second contact surface b2 that intersect in a V-shape. During clamping, the wafer abuts between the first contact surface b1 and the second contact surface b2 from its edge. Here, the clamping is stable and the contact area is small.
[0039] In this example, the etching unit 3 includes an etching liquid spray pipe 30 disposed in the processing cavity q0 and having spray nozzles located above and below the placement area, an etching liquid supply pipe 31 connected to the spray pipe 30, and a power unit 32 that drives the spray nozzles of the spray pipe 30 located above the wafer to move closer to or further away from the center of the wafer in the horizontal direction.
[0040] In some specific embodiments, the spray pipe 30 includes a first pipe 301 extending vertically within the processing chamber, a second pipe 302 extending horizontally from the upper end of the first pipe 301 towards the wafer center, an upper nozzle 303 extending obliquely downward and outward from one end of the second pipe 302, a third pipe 304 communicating with the bottom of the processing chamber q0, and a lower nozzle 305 disposed within the processing chamber q0 and communicating with the third pipe, wherein the jet direction formed by the lower nozzle 305 is from bottom to top and from inside to outside. Here, the spray liquid formed during rinsing can flow away from the wafer center to ensure that impurities are removed from the wafer surface.
[0041] The supply pipeline 31 includes an interface 310 located at the bottom of the housing 1, and a pipeline body (not shown in the figure, but easy to imagine) that is connected to the spray pipe 30 through the interface 310 and can extend and retract synchronously with the movement of the spray pipe 30. Etching fluid is supplied to the spray pipe from the external pipeline through the interface 310 and the pipeline body.
[0042] The power unit 32 includes a housing 320, a first power component 321 that drives the spray pipe 30 to reciprocate along the wafer radial direction, and a second power component 322 that drives the spray pipe 30 to rotate around the vertical center. This allows for adjustment of the spray position and angle at the wafer edge, providing high flexibility.
[0043] In some specific embodiments, the first power component 321 includes a guide rail d built into the housing 320 and extending radially along the wafer, a slider h slidably connected to the guide rail d, and a power gear c meshing with the slider h and driven by an external motor. The second power component 322 is disposed on the slider h and connected to the spray pipe 30 through a connecting module m. That is, a rack structure is formed on one side of the slider, and based on the meshing of the slider with the power gear, it is convenient to precisely control the displacement of the spray pipe. The power unit also includes a fine-tuning screw that drives the spray pipe to reciprocate along the wafer radially.
[0044] For ease of implementation, the power unit 32 also includes a third power component 323 for driving the spray pipe 30 to move up and down. The third power component 323 is a telescopic cylinder. Here, the spray height of the spray pipe can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs.
[0045] In this example, the rinsing and drying unit 4 includes a rinsing pipeline 40 and a drying pipeline (not shown in the figure, but easy to imagine) that are connected to the processing chamber q0 and used for rinsing and drying the wafer surface, respectively.
[0046] In some specific embodiments, the rinsing pipeline 40 includes an upper rinsing pipe 400 and a lower rinsing pipe 401 located above and below the placement area q1, respectively. The upper rinsing pipe 400 is located outside the housing 1 and rinses the upper surface of the wafer from top to bottom through the inlet and outlet k. The lower rinsing pipe 401 rinses the lower surface of the wafer from bottom to top through the bottom interface of the housing 1. The lower nozzle 305 is arranged side by side with the lower rinsing pipe 401. The drying pipeline is a nitrogen supply pipeline located on the upper cover and connected to the processing chamber q0. During drying, the wafer is rotated based on the blowing of the drying gas and the rotation driver 22 to generate centrifugal force, thereby achieving wafer surface drying.
[0047] In summary, after adopting this integrated washing, etching, and drying machine, the wafer is first fed into the processing chamber and placed in the placement area. The clamping component holds and drives the wafer in the placement area to be suspended, with its center line aligned with the rotation center line formed by the rotary driver. The wafer is kept rotating under the drive of the rotary driver. Then, the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer are wetted through the washing pipeline. Next, the spray position on the wafer surface is adjusted by adjusting the spray pipe located in the processing chamber, and etching solution is sprayed onto the upper and lower surface edges of the wafer through the spray nozzles of the spray pipe to perform etching. Finally, the wafer surface is washed through the washing pipeline, and then drying gas is blown through the drying pipeline to keep the wafer surface dry. Therefore, compared with the prior art, this utility model has several advantages. First, it is based on the suspended clamping and rotation of the wafer within the processing cavity to perform rinsing, edge etching, and drying of the upper and lower surfaces, effectively ensuring the stability of the wafer edge etching environment. Furthermore, its high integration reduces the frequency of wafer movement and flipping, effectively improving processing efficiency and reducing production costs. Second, the etching solution spray pipe is built into the processing cavity and can be moved and adjusted, flexibly adapting to the processing needs of any product, offering high flexibility. Third, during clamping, it reduces the contact area, lowering the wear rate during wafer handling and improving product yield. Fourth, it utilizes centrifugal force to achieve automatic centering and clamping during rotation, with more stable clamping as the rotation speed increases. Fifth, based on rotation and radial movement, it allows for adjustment of the wafer edge spray position and angle, offering high flexibility. Sixth, the meshing of the slider and the power gear facilitates precise control of the spray pipe's displacement. Seventh, the spray liquid flow formed during rinsing can be directed away from the wafer center, ensuring that impurities are removed from the wafer surface.
[0048] The present utility model has been described in detail above, with the aim of enabling those skilled in the art to understand its contents and implement it. However, this description should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present utility model. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present utility model should be included within the scope of protection of the present utility model.
Claims
1. A wafer double-sided washing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine, characterized in that, It includes a housing with a processing cavity, a positioning unit, an etching unit, and a rinsing and drying unit. The positioning unit is disposed within the processing cavity and includes a support component, a clamping component, and a rotary actuator forming a wafer placement area. The clamping component can clamp and drive the wafer located in the placement area to be suspended in the air with its centerline aligned with the rotation centerline formed by the rotary actuator. The etching unit includes an etching solution spray pipe disposed within the processing cavity and having spray nozzles located above and below the placement area, an etching solution supply pipeline connected to the spray pipe, and a power unit that drives the spray nozzles located above the wafer to move horizontally closer to or away from the wafer center. The rinsing and drying unit includes a rinsing pipeline and a drying pipeline connected to the processing cavity and used for rinsing and drying the wafer surface, respectively.
2. The integrated wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support component includes multiple connecting rods connected to the rotary driver and spaced apart around the rotation center line, and support blocks corresponding to the ends of each connecting rod, wherein the multiple support blocks together form the placement area.
3. The integrated wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the support blocks forms a spherical surface from the top, and the wafer is supported on the plurality of spherical surfaces from the bottom.
4. The wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The clamping component includes centrifugal modules rotatably connected to the ends of each connecting rod, wherein each centrifugal module has a clamping part formed thereon, and as the rotary driver drives the multiple connecting rods to rotate, each centrifugal module flips under centrifugal force and drives the clamping parts to converge towards each other to form a clamping force to clamp the wafer.
5. The wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each of the clamping portions has a first contact surface and a second contact surface that intersect in a V-shape. When clamped, the wafer abuts between the first contact surface and the second contact surface from the edge.
6. The integrated wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power unit includes a first power component that drives the spray pipe to reciprocate along the radial direction of the wafer, and a second power component that drives the spray pipe to rotate around the vertical center.
7. The integrated wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first power unit includes a guide rail extending radially along the wafer, a slider slidably connected to the guide rail, and a power gear meshing with the slider; the second power unit is disposed on the slider and connected to the spray pipe through a connecting module; and / or, the power unit further includes a fine-tuning screw that drives the spray pipe to reciprocate radially along the wafer.
8. The wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The power unit also includes a third power component that drives the spray pipe to move up and down.
9. The wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The spray pipe includes a first pipe extending vertically within the processing chamber, a second pipe extending horizontally from the upper end of the first pipe toward the center of the wafer, an upper nozzle extending obliquely downward and outward from one end of the second pipe, a third pipe communicating with the bottom of the processing chamber, and a lower nozzle disposed within the processing chamber and communicating with the third pipe, wherein the upper nozzle and the lower nozzle spray etching solution onto the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer, respectively.
10. The wafer double-sided rinsing, edge etching, and drying integrated machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a housing body forming an inlet and outlet from the top, an upper cover disposed at the inlet and outlet, and the positioning unit further includes a lifting driver for driving the support component to rise and fall to extend or retract into the processing cavity. And / or, the flushing pipeline includes an upper flushing pipe and a lower flushing pipe located above and below the placement area; and / or, the drying pipeline is a nitrogen supply pipeline connected to the processing chamber.