A thin film deposition apparatus and process chamber
By machining a height-limiting flange on the ejector pin, the problem of inconsistent ejector pin height was solved, which improved the stability of wafer transfer and the yield of semiconductor devices, simplified the operation and reduced the cost.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PIOTECH (SHENYANG) SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
In the prior art, the height of the ejector pin is strongly coupled with the heating plate or external mechanical structure, resulting in inconsistent ejector pin height. This causes non-uniform force during wafer transfer, reduces position repeatability and abnormal temperature field distribution, and affects the yield of thin film deposition and etching processes.
A height-limiting flange is machined on the ejector pin so that the heating plate moves synchronously with the flange during the horizontal calibration process, keeping the extension height from the top of the ejector pin to the flange consistent. The maximum length of the ejector pin extending above the heating plate is limited by the height-limiting flange, avoiding the need for an additional adjustment mechanism.
It improves wafer transfer stability and semiconductor device yield, reduces operational complexity and equipment costs, and enhances wafer processing consistency and semiconductor device performance.
Smart Images
Figure CN224329866U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a thin film deposition apparatus and a process chamber. Background Technology
[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, wafers need to be precisely transferred to the surface of a heating plate via a pusher system to complete the processing. Existing technologies generally employ a fixed pusher structure, whose height adjustment mechanism has inherent limitations: one approach passively lifts the pusher by forcing it to contact the aluminum disc with a counterweight as the heating plate rises; another approach indirectly controls the pusher position by adjusting the height of an external pusher support plate. Both methods create a strong coupling between the pusher height and the heating plate or external mechanical structure.
[0003] When the heating plate is horizontally calibrated, the vertical coordinates of the ejector pins will inevitably change because their height is directly related to the heating plate's position. This is especially true in multi-point support structures, where ejector pins at different positions may exhibit inconsistent heights due to mechanical linkage deviations. This height mismatch causes uneven stress on the wafer-pick contact surface during wafer transfer, leading to wafer planar offset. This not only reduces the positional repeatability of the wafer transfer process but also causes abnormal temperature field distribution due to poor wafer-heating plate adhesion, ultimately affecting the yield of critical processes such as thin film deposition and etching.
[0004] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for a thin film deposition technology to correct the height inconsistency caused by multiple ejector pins, thereby improving the stability of wafer transfer and the product yield of semiconductor devices. Utility Model Content
[0005] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.
[0006] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art, the present invention provides a thin film deposition method and a process chamber for correcting the height inconsistency of multiple ejector pins, thereby improving the stability of wafer transfer and the product yield of semiconductor devices.
[0007] Specifically, the thin film deposition apparatus provided according to the first aspect of the present invention includes: a heating plate having a plurality of pin through holes; a plurality of pin bodies having their tops passing through the corresponding pin through holes to support the wafer on the heating plate; and a plurality of height limiting flanges, each disposed on a corresponding pin body and maintaining the same distance from its top to limit the maximum length of each pin body extending above the heating plate.
[0008] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the height limiting flange is a disc structure, and the diameter of the disc is larger than the diameter of the ejector pin body.
[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the height limiting flange and the ejector pin body are integrally formed.
[0010] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, a bolt is provided at the top end of the ejector pin body, and the thin film deposition equipment further includes: a support head, which has a nut at its bottom end and is rotatably connected to the bolt at the top end of the ejector pin body, and has a support surface at its top end for supporting the wafer on the heating plate.
[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the heating plate is located between the support head and the height limiting flange, and the back of the heating plate abuts against the height limiting flange to limit the maximum length of the ejector pin body extending above the heating plate.
[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the thin film deposition apparatus further includes: a plurality of weights mechanically connected to the bottom end of the ejector pin body, for providing a downward pulling force to the ejector pin body.
[0013] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the number of the ejector pin body, the height limiting flange, and the counterweight are all three.
[0014] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the interior of the counterweight has a cavity structure and a slot, and the ejector pin body further includes a locking flange disposed at the bottom end of the ejector pin body, wherein the ejector pin body is disposed in the cavity structure of the counterweight, and the locking flange is locked to the slot, so that the counterweight and the bottom end of the ejector pin body are connected.
[0015] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the thin film deposition apparatus further includes: a spring disposed below the slot for providing a buffer for the downward displacement of the ejector pin body in the vertical direction; and a fixing pin disposed at the bottom end of the ejector pin body and extending into the hollow area of the spring to limit the ejector pin body.
[0016] Furthermore, the process chamber provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a thin film deposition apparatus as described in any one of the first aspects of the present invention. Attached Figure Description
[0017] The above-described features and advantages of this invention can be better understood after reading the following detailed description of the embodiments of this disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.
[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a support head provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0020] Figure 3A A front structural schematic diagram of a locking flange provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0021] Figure 3B A side view of the locking flange provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0022] Figures 4A-4B A schematic diagram of the combined structure of the counterweight and the ejector body according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0023] Figure label:
[0024] 10 Heating Plates
[0025] 20 Ejector pin body
[0026] 21 Height Limiting Flange
[0027] 22 Locking flange
[0028] 23 Support Head
[0029] 24 Fixing pins
[0030] 30 Heavy Hammers
[0031] 31 Card Slots
[0032] 32 Springs
[0033] 33. Cavity structure Detailed Implementation
[0034] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of this utility model will be presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this utility model are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the utility model in conjunction with the embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of this utility model. To provide a deep understanding of this utility model, many specific details will be included in the following description. This utility model may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of this utility model, some specific details will be omitted in the description.
[0035] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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; and they can refer to the internal connection of 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.
[0036] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described device must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention.
[0037] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first component, region, layer, and / or part discussed below may be referred to as the second component, region, layer, and / or part without departing from some embodiments of this utility model.
[0038] As mentioned above, in semiconductor manufacturing processes, wafers need to be precisely transferred to the surface of a heating plate via a pusher system to complete the processing. Existing technologies generally employ fixed pusher structures, whose height adjustment mechanisms have inherent limitations: one approach passively lifts the pusher by forcing it to contact the aluminum disc with a counterweight as the heating plate rises; another approach indirectly controls the pusher position by adjusting the height of an external pusher support plate. Both methods create a strong coupling between the pusher height and the heating plate or external mechanical structure.
[0039] When the heating plate is horizontally calibrated, the vertical coordinates of the ejector pins will inevitably change because their height is directly related to the heating plate's position. This is especially true in multi-point support structures, where ejector pins at different positions may exhibit inconsistent heights due to mechanical linkage deviations. This height mismatch causes uneven stress on the wafer-pick contact surface during wafer transfer, leading to wafer planar offset. This not only reduces the positional repeatability of the wafer transfer process but also causes abnormal temperature field distribution due to poor wafer-heating plate adhesion, ultimately affecting the yield of critical processes such as thin film deposition and etching.
[0040] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art, the present invention provides a thin film deposition method and a process chamber for correcting the height inconsistency of multiple ejector pins, thereby improving the stability of wafer transfer and the product yield of semiconductor devices.
[0041] In some non-limiting embodiments, the thin film deposition apparatus provided in the first aspect of the present invention can be configured in the process chamber provided in the second aspect of the present invention.
[0042] Please refer to the details. Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the thin film deposition apparatus includes a heating plate 10, a plurality of ejector pin bodies 20, and a plurality of height-limiting flanges 21. The heating plate 10 has a plurality of ejector pin through-holes. The tops of the plurality of ejector pin bodies 20 pass through the corresponding ejector pin through-holes to support the wafer on the heating plate 10. The plurality of height-limiting flanges 21 are respectively disposed on the corresponding ejector pin bodies 20 and maintain the same distance from their tops to limit the maximum length of each ejector pin body 20 extending above the heating plate 10.
[0044] Here, by machining a height-limiting flange 21 on the ejector pin, the heating plate 10 drives the flange to move synchronously during the horizontal calibration process, thereby always maintaining a consistent extension height from the ejector pin tip to the flange. This design can correct for height discrepancies caused by multiple ejector pins without the need for additional adjustment mechanisms. It not only reduces the complexity and difficulty of operation and shortens the equipment preparation time, but also improves the consistency of wafer processing, thus contributing to the improvement of semiconductor device performance and quality.
[0045] Furthermore, this thin film deposition apparatus reduces the manufacturing cost of the equipment, as well as the manpower and material costs required for subsequent maintenance and calibration, thereby saving significant costs and improving economic efficiency.
[0046] In some embodiments, the height limiting flange 21 is a disc structure, and the diameter of the disc is larger than the diameter of the ejector pin body 20.
[0047] In some embodiments, the height limiting flange 21 is integrally formed with the ejector pin body 20.
[0048] Those skilled in the art will understand that the specific structure and connection method of the height limiting flange 21 are only some non-limiting embodiments provided by this utility model, which are intended to clearly demonstrate the main concept of this utility model and provide some specific solutions that are easy for the public to implement, rather than to limit all the structures or connection methods of the height limiting flange 21.
[0049] Optionally, the height limiting flange 21 can also be a rectangular or elliptical structure, with the diameter of the rectangular or elliptical structure being larger than the diameter of the ejector pin body 20.
[0050] Optionally, the height limiting flange 21 can be detachably connected to the ejector body 20, thereby adapting the ejector body 20 to height limiting flanges 21 of different sizes and shapes.
[0051] Furthermore, the ejector body 20 is provided with multiple height-limiting flange 21 mounting structures at different heights, thereby adjusting the mounting height of the height-limiting flange 21 accordingly to meet the adjustment requirements of the ejector extending out of the heating plate 10.
[0052] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a support head provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0053] like Figures 1-2 As shown, a bolt is provided at the top of the ejector pin body 20, and the thin film deposition equipment also includes a support head 23. The support head 23 has a nut at its bottom end, which is rotatably connected to the bolt at the top of the ejector pin body 20, and a support surface at its top end for supporting the wafer on the heating plate 10.
[0054] Furthermore, the heating plate 10 is located between the support head 23 and the height limiting flange 21, and the back of the heating plate 10 abuts against the height limiting flange 21 to limit the maximum length of the ejector pin body 20 extending above the heating plate 10.
[0055] Please refer to Figures 3A-3B and Figures 4A-4B , Figure 3A A front structural schematic diagram of a locking flange provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 3B A side view of the locking flange provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figures 4A-4B A schematic diagram of the combined structure of the counterweight and the ejector body according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.
[0056] like Figures 3A-3B and Figures 4A-4BAs shown, the thin film deposition apparatus also includes multiple counterweights 30, which are mechanically connected to the bottom end of the ejector pin body 20 to provide downward pulling force to the ejector pin body 20.
[0057] In some embodiments, the number of ejector pin body 20, height limiting flange 21 and counterweight 30 are all three.
[0058] The counterweight 30 has a hollow structure 33 and a slot 31 inside, and the ejector body 20 also includes a locking flange 22. The locking flange 22 is located at the bottom end of the ejector body 20. The ejector body 20 is disposed in the hollow structure 33 of the counterweight 30, and the locking flange 22 is locked to the slot 31, so that the counterweight 30 and the bottom end of the ejector body 20 are connected.
[0059] Here, as Figures 4A-4B As shown, the locking flange 22 can extend into the slot 31 through the cavity structure 33 of the counterweight 30. After the locking flange 22 rotates 90 degrees, it falls into the slot 31, thereby connecting the counterweight 30 and the locking flange 22. The counterweight 30 can be hung on the ejector pin body 20.
[0060] Therefore, mechanical interlocking can be achieved by rotating the locking flange 22 90 degrees, without the need for bolt tightening or special tools, which effectively improves installation efficiency. In addition, since the flange rotation angle matches the contour of the slot 31, it ensures that the flange can only be put into place when it is fully in position, avoiding accidental detachment due to incomplete locking.
[0061] In some embodiments, the thin film deposition apparatus further includes a spring 32 and a retaining pin 24. The spring 32 is located below the slot 31 and provides cushioning for the downward displacement of the ejector pin body 20 in the vertical direction. The retaining pin 24 is located at the bottom end of the ejector pin body 20 and extends into the hollow region of the spring 32 to limit the ejector pin body 20.
[0062] Therefore, when the wafer is lowered to the ejector pin or the heating plate 10 rises to contact the ejector pin, the spring 32 absorbs the instantaneous impact force through elastic deformation, preventing rigid collisions that could cause chipping at the wafer edge or damage to the ejector pin surface. Simultaneously, during wafer transfer, mechanical vibrations of the equipment (e.g., robotic arm movement or vacuum pump start / stop) can be attenuated by the damping characteristics of the spring 32, preventing vibration from being transmitted to the ejector pin-wafer contact interface, thereby maintaining the stability of the wafer's horizontal orientation.
[0063] In summary, this invention provides a thin film deposition process and a process chamber. By machining a height-limiting flange on the ejector pin, the heating plate drives the flange to move synchronously during horizontal calibration, thereby maintaining a consistent protrusion height from the ejector pin tip to the flange. This design eliminates the need for additional adjustment mechanisms, correcting height discrepancies between multiple ejector pins, thus improving wafer transfer stability and semiconductor device yield.
[0064] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.
[0065] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: The heating plate has multiple pin holes. Multiple ejector pin bodies, the tops of which pass through corresponding ejector pin through holes, to support the wafer on the heating plate; as well as Multiple height-limiting flanges are respectively installed on the corresponding ejector pin body and are kept at the same distance from their tops to limit the maximum length of each ejector pin body extending above the heating plate.
2. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The height limiting flange is a disc structure, and the diameter of the disc is larger than the diameter of the ejector pin body.
3. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The height limiting flange is integrally formed with the ejector pin body.
4. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The top end of the ejector pin body is provided with a bolt, and the thin film deposition apparatus further includes: The support head has a nut at its bottom end, which is rotatably connected to the bolt at the top end of the ejector pin body, and a support surface at its top end for supporting the wafer on the heating plate.
5. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The heating plate is located between the support head and the height limiting flange, and the back of the heating plate abuts against the height limiting flange to limit the maximum length of the ejector pin body extending above the heating plate.
6. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Multiple weights are mechanically connected to the bottom end of the ejector pin body to provide a downward pulling force to the ejector pin body.
7. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The number of the ejector pin body, the height limiting flange, and the counterweight are all three.
8. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, The hammer has an internal cavity structure and a slot, and the ejector pin body also includes: A locking flange is provided at the bottom end of the ejector pin body, wherein the ejector pin body is disposed in the cavity structure of the counterweight, and the locking flange is locked to the slot, so that the counterweight and the bottom end of the ejector pin body are connected.
9. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: A spring, located below the slot, is used to buffer the downward displacement of the ejector pin body in the vertical direction; as well as A fixing pin is located at the bottom end of the ejector pin body and extends into the hollow area of the spring to limit the ejector pin body.
10. A process chamber, characterized in that, Includes the thin film deposition apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.