Split single chamber rapid annealing apparatus

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of split single cavity rapid annealing device, for semiconductor process technology, including front end mechanism and furnace body mechanism, front end mechanism is used to carry out feeding and discharging work to wafer, and front end mechanism includes first rack and the wafer support, wafer calibrator, wafer cooling station and mechanical operating arm of being set on first rack;Wafer support is used to place several wafers in laminated manner, wafer cooling station is used to cool wafer removed from furnace body mechanism, and mechanical operating arm is used to move wafer in each working position circulation;Furnace body mechanism includes second rack and furnace body being set on second rack;First rack and second rack are detachably connected.The utility model above-mentioned annealing device, allow front end mechanism and furnace body mechanism to be physically separated, so that it can be split packing when transporting, convenient transportation, when installing, according to workshop layout flexible arrangement module, reduce floor area, also can effectively improve maintenance efficiency and overall production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor process technology, and in particular to a split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device for semiconductor processes. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, rapid thermal annealing is a key process in wafer fabrication, used to repair ion implantation damage, activate doped atoms, and optimize the electrical properties of materials. Traditional annealing equipment typically employs an integrated design, combining wafer processing, heating, and cooling functions into a single cavity structure. However, such integrated equipment is bulky, requiring complete disassembly for transportation, and necessitates ample space for installation in the workshop. It is difficult to flexibly adjust to actual workshop needs, and maintenance requires shutdown, severely impacting production line flexibility. Furthermore, the need for complete shutdown during malfunctions or maintenance disrupts production line continuity. For example, the fixed connection between the furnace body and the wafer transport mechanism makes localized repairs difficult. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device that combines convenient transportation and installation with flexible expansion and maintenance in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device for semiconductor manufacturing processes, including a front-end mechanism and a furnace body mechanism. The front-end mechanism is used for loading and unloading wafers, and the furnace body mechanism is used for heat treatment of the wafers. The front-end mechanism includes a first frame and a wafer support, a wafer calibrator, a wafer cooling station, and a mechanical operating arm mounted on the first frame. The wafer support is used to place several wafers in a stacked manner, the wafer calibrator is used to calibrate the wafers to be entered into the furnace body, the wafer cooling station is used to cool the wafers removed from the furnace body mechanism, and the mechanical operating arm is used to move the wafers to various working positions. The furnace body mechanism includes a second frame and a furnace body mounted on the second frame. The first frame and the second frame are detachably connected.

[0005] Preferably, a connecting post is embedded in the side wall of the first frame, and an open groove is provided on the outer side of the connecting post. The frame of the second frame abuts against the groove, and the frame of the second frame is also connected to the inner wall of the groove by fastening bolts.

[0006] Preferably, the connecting post is L-shaped, so that the groove is a right-angled groove.

[0007] Preferably, the wafer support includes a base and support plates disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the base. Each of the two support plates has a plurality of slots on opposite sides, and the two opposite slots of each layer are used to engage with the two sides of the wafer.

[0008] Preferably, the front-end mechanism further includes a pre-running platform disposed on the first rack, the pre-running platform being used to perform testing on the wafer located thereon.

[0009] Preferably, the wafer cooling station includes a support frame, in which several layers of placement platforms are vertically arranged. Each layer of placement platform can hold a wafer carrier. The wafer carrier is used to load a wafer. The wafer carrier includes a bottom box and a top cover that are snapped together. The wafer is located between the bottom box and the top cover. The bottom box is provided with several first through holes and second through holes.

[0010] Each of the placement platforms includes a supporting base plate and a plurality of positioning pins and a pin disposed on the supporting base plate. The positioning pins include a first section and a second section. The diameter of the first section is larger than the diameter of the second section. The bottom end of the first section is connected to the supporting base plate. The second section can pass through the bottom box through the first through hole to lift the top cover.

[0011] The ejector pin can pass through the bottom box via the second through hole to lift the wafer to a certain height, so that the wafer is located between the bottom box and the top cover.

[0012] Preferably, the support frame is further provided with a plurality of detection sensors corresponding to each of the placement stages, the detection sensors being used to detect the positioning status of the wafer carrier.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom of the support frame is also provided with an upward-blowing fan.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, the annealing device provided by the present invention features a detachable connection between the first and second frames, allowing for physical separation of the front-end mechanism and the furnace body. This enables separate packaging for easy transport and allows for flexible module arrangement according to workshop layout during installation, reducing floor space requirements. Secondly, the wafer calibrator, cooling station, and robotic arm are independently integrated into the first frame, while the furnace body is separately integrated into the second frame. This means that in case of malfunction, only the corresponding module needs to be disassembled for maintenance (e.g., replacing the robotic arm does not require stopping the machine and disassembling the furnace body), effectively improving maintenance efficiency and overall production efficiency. Furthermore, the wafer cooling station is independently located in the front-end mechanism and physically isolated from the furnace body, thus avoiding interference from radiant heat from the heat treatment chamber on the cooling process. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the annealing device in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of part A in the middle.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a plan view of the annealing device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the wafer calibrator in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the robotic arm in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the wafer support in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a planar structural diagram of wafer cooling in an embodiment of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To explain in detail the technical content, structural features, objectives and effects of this utility model, the following description is provided in conjunction with the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0023] This embodiment discloses a split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device for semiconductor manufacturing processes. The annealing device heats semiconductor materials to a certain temperature and then rapidly cools them to eliminate internal stress, improve material properties and structure.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 6 The annealing apparatus includes a front-end mechanism 1 and a furnace body 2. The front-end mechanism 1 is used to perform loading and unloading operations on the wafer, and the furnace body 2 is used to perform heat treatment operations on the wafer.

[0025] The front-end mechanism 1 includes a first frame 10 and a wafer holder 11, a wafer calibrator 12, a wafer cooling station 13, and a mechanical manipulator 14 disposed on the first frame 10.

[0026] The wafer support 11 is used to place several wafers in a stacked manner. When loading or unloading, the wafers are first placed on the wafer support 11.

[0027] The wafer calibrator 12 is used to calibrate the wafers to be introduced into the furnace 21. Since the wafer calibrator 12 is a standard device in the wafer fabrication field, its specific structure and principle will not be explained in detail.

[0028] The wafer cooling station 13 is used to cool the wafers removed from the furnace body 2.

[0029] The mechanical manipulator 14 is used to move the wafer to various work positions.

[0030] The furnace body 2 includes a second frame 20 and a furnace body 21 disposed on the second frame 20.

[0031] The first frame 10 and the second frame 20 are detachably connected.

[0032] The working principle of the above-mentioned annealing device is as follows:

[0033] First, place the wafer to be heat-treated on the wafer support 11.

[0034] Then, the robotic arm 14 is activated to move the wafer on the wafer holder 11 to the wafer calibrator 12 for calibration, ensuring that the patterns on each layer of the wafer are accurately aligned.

[0035] Next, the mechanical arm 14 moves the wafer from the wafer calibrator 12 to the furnace body 21 for heating.

[0036] Then, after the furnace body 21 is heated, the door of the furnace body 21 is opened, and the mechanical operating arm 14 then moves the wafer in the furnace body 21 to the wafer cooling station 13 of the front-end mechanism 1 for cooling.

[0037] Then, after cooling is complete, the mechanical arm 14 moves the wafer from the wafer cooling station 13 to the wafer holder 11.

[0038] Finally, the wafers on the wafer holder 11 are unloaded onto the conveyor belt or the corresponding receiving equipment.

[0039] The detachable connection between the first frame 10 and the second frame 20 of the aforementioned annealing apparatus allows for the physical separation of the front-end mechanism 1 from the furnace body 2. This facilitates transport by packaging the components separately and allows for flexible module arrangement according to the workshop layout during installation, reducing the floor space required. Secondly, the wafer calibrator 12, wafer cooling station 13, and robotic arm 14 are independently integrated into the first frame 10, while the furnace body 21 is independently integrated into the second frame 20. This means that in case of malfunction, only the corresponding module needs to be disassembled for maintenance (e.g., replacing the robotic arm does not require stopping the machine to disassemble the furnace body 21), effectively improving maintenance efficiency and overall production efficiency. Furthermore, the wafer cooling station 13 is independently located in the front-end mechanism 1 and physically isolated from the furnace body 2, thus avoiding interference from radiant heat from the heat treatment chamber on the cooling process.

[0040] On the other hand, a connecting post 15 is embedded in the side wall of the first frame 10, and an open groove 150 is provided on the outer side of the connecting post 15. The frame of the second frame 20 abuts against the groove 150, and the frame of the second frame 20 is also connected to the inner wall of the groove 150 by fastening bolts 16.

[0041] Specifically, the connecting post 15 is L-shaped, so that the groove 150 is a right-angled groove.

[0042] In this embodiment, the open groove 150 guides the frame of the second frame 20 to move in a fixed direction, ensuring docking accuracy and avoiding time-consuming manual adjustments. Compared with traditional welding or integral frame structures, disassembly time is reduced from several hours to several minutes. In addition, the contact surface between the inner wall of the groove 150 and the frame bears vertical loads (such as the gravity of the furnace body 21), and the bolts 16 provide lateral constraints to prevent displacement between modules.

[0043] On the other hand, such as Figure 6 The wafer support 11 includes a base 110 and support plates 111 disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the base 110. Each of the two support plates 111 has a plurality of slots 112 on its opposite side. Each layer of two opposite slots 112 is used to engage with the two sides of the wafer.

[0044] The wafer support 11 described above can be used to stack multiple wafers, thereby improving space utilization.

[0045] On the other hand, the front-end mechanism 1 also includes a pre-running platform 17 disposed on the first rack 10, which is used to perform testing on the wafers located thereon. The presence of the pre-running platform 17 ensures that the wafers entering the furnace 21 are in a functional state.

[0046] On the other hand, such as Figure 7 The wafer cooling station 13 includes a support frame 130, in which several layers of placement platforms 131 are vertically arranged, each platform 131 capable of holding a wafer carrier tray. The wafer carrier tray is used to load wafers (such as...) Figure 7 In the P), the wafer carrier includes a bottom box 132 and a top cover 133 that are fastened together, the wafer is located between the bottom box 132 and the top cover 133, and the bottom box 132 is provided with a plurality of first through holes 1320 and second through holes 1321.

[0047] Each of the placement platforms 131 includes a support base plate 134 and a plurality of positioning pins 135 and ejector pins 136 disposed on the support base plate 134.

[0048] The positioning pin 135 includes a first segment 135a and a second segment 135b. The diameter of the first segment 135a is larger than the diameter of the second segment 135b. The bottom end of the first segment 135a is connected to the supporting base plate 134. The second segment 135b can pass through the bottom box 132 via the first through hole 1320 to lift the top cover 133.

[0049] The ejector pin 136 can pass through the bottom box 132 via the second through hole 1321 to lift the wafer to a certain height, so that the wafer is located between the bottom box 132 and the top cover 133.

[0050] When the wafer carrier is placed on a placement stage 131 by the mechanical manipulator 14, the first through hole 1320 on the base box 132 of the wafer carrier aligns with the second segment 135b of the positioning pin 135. As the wafer carrier falls, the second segment 135b of the positioning pin 135 passes through the base box 132 and lifts the top cover 133, thereby achieving the function of stably placing the wafer carrier while automatically opening the cover. At the same time, the ejector pin 136 passes through the second through hole 1321 through the base box 132 of the wafer carrier and lifts the wafer, separating the wafer from the base box 132 and the top cover 133, thereby ensuring the natural cooling efficiency of the wafer.

[0051] It should be noted that the first through hole 1320 is located at the edge of the bottom box 132, and the second through hole 1321 is located in the middle of the bottom box 132.

[0052] On the other hand, the support frame 130 is also provided with a plurality of detection sensors 137 corresponding to each of the placement stages 131, and the detection sensors 137 are used to detect the positioning status of the wafer carrier. Specifically, the detection sensors 137 can be laser sensors, photoelectric switches, or other sensors.

[0053] Furthermore, the bottom of the support frame 130 is also provided with an upward-blowing fan 138, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency of the wafer.

[0054] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present utility model and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present utility model. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the scope of the present utility model application shall still fall within the scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A split-type single-cavity rapid annealing apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing processes, characterized in that, The system includes a front-end mechanism and a furnace body mechanism. The front-end mechanism is used for loading and unloading wafers, and the furnace body mechanism is used for heat treatment of the wafers. The front-end mechanism includes a first frame and a wafer support, a wafer calibrator, a wafer cooling station, and a mechanical manipulator mounted on the first frame. The wafer support is used to place several wafers in a stacked manner. The wafer calibrator is used to calibrate the wafers to be entered into the furnace body. The wafer cooling station is used to cool the wafers removed from the furnace body mechanism. The mechanical manipulator is used to move the wafers to various working positions. The furnace body mechanism includes a second frame and a furnace body mounted on the second frame. The first frame and the second frame are detachably connected.

2. The split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting column is embedded in the side wall of the first frame, and an open groove is provided on the outside of the connecting column. The frame of the second frame abuts against the groove, and the frame of the second frame is also connected to the inner wall of the groove by fastening bolts.

3. The split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting post is L-shaped so that the groove is a right-angled groove.

4. The split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer support includes a base and support plates disposed opposite each other on both sides of the base. Each of the two support plates has a plurality of slots on opposite sides, and each of the two opposite slots in each layer is used to engage with the two sides of the wafer.

5. The split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front-end mechanism also includes a pre-running platform mounted on the first rack, which is used to perform testing on the wafer located thereon.

6. The split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cooling station includes a support frame, in which several layers of placement platforms are vertically arranged. Each layer of placement platform can hold a wafer carrier. The wafer carrier is used to load wafers. The wafer carrier includes a bottom box and a top cover that are snapped together. The wafer is located between the bottom box and the top cover. The bottom box is provided with several first through holes and second through holes. Each of the placement platforms includes a supporting base plate and a plurality of positioning pins and a pin disposed on the supporting base plate. The positioning pins include a first section and a second section. The diameter of the first section is larger than the diameter of the second section. The bottom end of the first section is connected to the supporting base plate. The second section can pass through the bottom box through the first through hole to lift the top cover. The ejector pin can pass through the bottom box via the second through hole to lift the wafer to a certain height, so that the wafer is located between the bottom box and the top cover.

7. The split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support frame is also equipped with several detection sensors corresponding to each of the placement stages, and the detection sensors are used to detect the positioning status of the wafer carrier.

8. The split-type single-cavity rapid annealing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bottom of the support frame is also equipped with an upward-blowing fan.

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