A novel wafer chuck

Abstract

The utility model provides a novel wafer chuck relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology. This novel wafer chuck, include: including chuck, support column, dog, drive shaft, the chuck includes chuck main part and edge chuck, the chuck main part is used to install wafer, the edge chuck is located the radial outside of chuck main part, and is provided with liquid medicine groove between with the chuck main part, the upper surface of edge chuck is higher than wafer, the upper rim of liquid medicine groove sets up air hole and air flue, and air hole is connected to the vacuum pumping unit through air flue. The wafer chuck of the application can reduce the accumulation of wafer edge chemical liquid, and the chemical liquid can be smoothly discharged, avoiding edge etching or excessive cleaning, and reducing the occurrence of back splash, improving the uniformity of wafer surface processing, increasing the corrosion resistance of wafer processing device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and in particular to a novel wafer chuck. Background Technology

[0002] A wafer is made from pure silicon crystal rods, becoming the quartz semiconductor material used to manufacture integrated circuits. It undergoes multiple processing steps, including dicing, grinding, slicing, chamfering, polishing, and etching. Wet etching is a crucial process in wafer fabrication, significantly impacting product quality. During wet etching, the wafer is fixed in a wafer chuck and rotated by the chuck. Various chemically resistant reagents are sprayed onto the wafer surface for processing. Furthermore, the wafer comes into contact with numerous particles, organic matter, and metallic impurities during thin film deposition, etching, and polishing processes, affecting product quality. Therefore, the wafer surface needs to be cleaned after each process. During cleaning, the wafer is placed on a rotating clamp and rotated at a specific speed while a certain flow rate of chemical solution is sprayed onto the substrate.

[0003] In the aforementioned wet etching and cleaning processes, the clamping device can obstruct the edge areas of the wafer, causing chemical solutions to accumulate at these edges, resulting in over-etching or over-cleaning. If the chemical solutions cannot be drained in time, they may flow back to the center of the wafer, causing uneven etching, or flow along the pins and other components onto the chuck, exacerbating chuck corrosion and wear, and affecting wafer processing accuracy. Furthermore, the chemical solutions in the wet etching and cleaning processes can be splashed out due to the centrifugal force generated by the high-speed rotation of the wafer. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this utility model provides a novel wafer chuck that can reduce the accumulation of chemical liquid at the wafer edge, allow the chemical liquid to drain smoothly, avoid excessive edge etching or cleaning, reduce backsplattering, improve the uniformity of wafer surface processing, and enhance the corrosion resistance of the wafer processing equipment.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0006] A novel wafer chuck includes: a chuck, support posts, jaws, and a drive shaft;

[0007] The chuck includes a chuck body and an edge chuck. The chuck body is used to mount the wafer. The edge chuck is located radially outside the chuck body and has a liquid tank between it and the chuck body. The upper surface of the edge chuck is higher than the wafer.

[0008] The upper edge of the medicine tank is provided with air holes and air channels, and the air holes are connected to a vacuum pumping device through the air channels.

[0009] During wet etching or cleaning, wafers undergo high-speed rotation, requiring stability. This necessitates significant force from the chucks to prevent wafer displacement. However, the presence of the chucks can create chemical residue zones, hindering timely removal and causing uneven edge etching. This application addresses this issue by incorporating vents and channels on the sidewalls of the chemical bath, and using a vacuum device to create negative pressure suction, thereby reducing chemical buildup at wafer edges and preventing over-etching.

[0010] Furthermore, the spinning of the wafer causes chemicals to be ejected, which can easily lead to splashing or contamination of other components such as seals. These chemicals are generally corrosive and can reduce the lifespan of the device. This application addresses this issue by designing the wafer chuck as a two-part system: a main chuck body and an edge chuck, both integrally formed. A chemical reservoir is positioned between the main chuck body and the edge chuck, with the edge chuck higher than the wafer mounting position. This design allows the chemical ejected during wafer spinning to be blocked by the edge chuck and fall into the chemical reservoir, preventing haphazard splashing. The chemical reservoir can also be connected to a recycling or circulation system to collect and reuse the collected chemicals, reducing resource waste. Specific details are not provided here.

[0011] Optionally, the air holes along the upper edge of the medicine tank are inclined upward at 10-15° and a filter screen is installed to prevent the medicine from being sucked into the air holes.

[0012] Optionally, the sidewall of the medicine tank is inclined at a certain angle, preferably 10-30°, meaning the medicine tank is trapezoidal with a narrow bottom and a wide top; the bottom of the tank is provided with a 15-20° inclined surface to guide the medicine to flow towards the edge; multiple guide grooves are also provided on the sidewall of the medicine tank. This design can reduce the possibility of the medicine splashing onto the sidewall after entering the medicine tank, causing backflow.

[0013] Optionally, the support pillar is disposed at the edge of the chuck body to support the wafer.

[0014] Optionally, at least two support columns are provided and spaced apart.

[0015] Optionally, the support columns are also located at a distance of 1 / 2 to 1 / 3 of the radius from the center of the chuck body, and are distributed circumferentially around the center of the chuck body, with at least 3 support columns located in the middle of the chuck body.

[0016] Optionally, all the support columns are at the same height.

[0017] The wafer is secured by jaws fixed to the edge of the chuck. To reduce wobbling and tilting during high-speed rotation, the jaws require significant force to maintain stability, resulting in high stress concentration at the wafer edge and potential damage. This application addresses this issue by incorporating support pillars on the inner circumference of the wafer chuck. These support pillars are arranged in a ring shape and positioned near the center. This arrangement, while ensuring stability during high-speed rotation, disperses the clamping force on the wafer, reducing the possibility of deformation and minimizing wear on the wafer surface during high-speed rotation, thus ensuring consistent wafer surface processing.

[0018] Optionally, the jaw includes a base connected to and fixed to the edge of the chuck body; the jaw also includes a rotating shaft and a rotation limiting member disposed on the rotating shaft, the rotation limiting member being rotatable along the rotating shaft; the initial position of the rotation limiting member is located away from the chuck body, and after rotation, it can cooperate with the base to clamp the wafer.

[0019] Optionally, the base height of the chuck is consistent with the horizontal height of the support column, so that the wafer can be stably fixed and clamped.

[0020] Optionally, two claws are provided and arranged symmetrically.

[0021] Optionally, the base and the rotation limiting component are both configured as elliptical arc surfaces, that is, the width gradually increases from near the center of the chuck body to away from the center, reducing the obstruction to the liquid medicine and allowing the liquid medicine to flow smoothly over the surface of the chuck claws, thus reducing the accumulation of liquid medicine.

[0022] Optionally, a corrosion-resistant elastic element is fitted onto the base. The surface of the elastic element is also provided with smooth grooves to increase contact friction, improve the clamping firmness of the wafer, and also serve to guide the flow of the chemical solution, reducing the accumulation of chemical solution at the wafer edge. The corrosion-resistant elastic element can be replaced after it wears or corrodes to a certain extent.

[0023] Optionally, the rotation limiting component is detachably connected to the rotation shaft, and can be easily replaced when it is corroded or worn to a certain extent.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model include at least one of the following:

[0025] 1. The novel wafer chuck provided in this application, through the cooperation of the chuck, jaws and support pillars, avoids the problem of edge chemical accumulation and failure to drain in time during the existing wafer etching or cleaning process, avoids over-etching or cleaning of the edges, and improves the uniformity of wafer surface processing.

[0026] 2. The novel wafer chuck provided in this application is configured as a split chuck and has a liquid tank on it. By designing the air holes, side wall angles, and bottom angles of the liquid tank, a negative pressure environment is formed, which helps to discharge the liquid in a timely manner and can collect the liquid thrown out by the high-speed rotation of the wafer, avoiding backsplatter and random splashing, reducing corrosion to the device, and improving the uniformity of wafer surface processing.

[0027] 3. The novel wafer chuck provided in this application reduces the obstruction of the liquid by setting the base of the chuck claws and the rotation limiting member into an elliptical arc shape and a groove structure, which helps the liquid to be discharged. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the novel wafer chuck of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the chuck in this application.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0032] 1-Chuck, 2-Support column, 3-Claw, 4-Drive shaft, 5-Wafer, 101-Chuck body, 102-Edge chuck, 103-Medicine tank, 104-Vent, 301-Base, 302-Rotating shaft, 303-Rotating limiter. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of this utility model, a detailed description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0035] Furthermore, it should be understood in the description of this utility model that the terms "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0036] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," 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, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0037] In this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the first feature "on" or "below" the second feature may be in direct contact with the first and second features, or indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0038] like Figure 1-2 This application provides a novel wafer chuck, including a chuck 1, a support post 2, a jaw 3, and a drive shaft 4; the chuck 1 includes a chuck body 101 and an edge chuck 102, the chuck body is used to mount a wafer 5; the edge chuck 102 is located radially outside the chuck body 101, and a liquid tank 103 is provided between the edge chuck 102 and the chuck body 101, the upper surface of the edge chuck 102 is higher than the wafer 5;

[0039] The upper edge of the liquid tank 103 is provided with an air hole 104 and an air passage, and the air hole 104 is connected to a vacuum device through the air passage.

[0040] During wet etching or cleaning, wafers undergo high-speed rotation, requiring stability. This necessitates significant force from the chucks to prevent wafer displacement. However, the presence of the chucks can create chemical residue zones, hindering timely removal and leading to uneven edge etching. This application addresses this issue by incorporating vents and channels on the sidewalls of the chemical bath, and using a vacuum device to create negative pressure suction, thereby reducing chemical buildup at wafer edges and preventing over-etching.

[0041] Furthermore, the spinning of the wafer causes chemicals to be ejected, which can easily lead to splashing or contamination of other components such as seals. These chemicals are generally corrosive and can reduce the lifespan of the device. This application addresses this issue by designing the wafer chuck as a two-part system: a main chuck body and an edge chuck, both integrally formed. A chemical reservoir is positioned between the main chuck body and the edge chuck, with the edge chuck higher than the wafer mounting position. This design allows the chemical ejected during wafer spinning to be blocked by the edge chuck and fall into the chemical reservoir, preventing haphazard splashing. The chemical reservoir can also be connected to a recycling or circulation system to collect and reuse the collected chemicals, reducing resource waste. Specific details are not provided here.

[0042] In one implementation, the air holes 104 provided along the upper edge of the medicine tank 103 are tilted upward at 10-15° and a filter screen is installed to prevent the medicine from being sucked into the air holes, thus causing the air holes to become blocked.

[0043] In one embodiment, the sidewall of the medicine tank 103 is inclined at a certain angle, preferably 10-30°, meaning the medicine tank is trapezoidal with a narrow bottom and a wide top; the bottom of the tank is provided with a 15-20° inclined surface to guide the medicine to flow towards the edge; multiple guide grooves are also provided on the sidewall of the medicine tank. This arrangement can reduce the possibility of the medicine splashing onto the sidewall after entering the medicine tank, causing backflow.

[0044] In one implementation, the support post 2 is disposed at the edge of the chuck body 101 to support the wafer 5.

[0045] In one implementation, at least two support columns 2 are provided and spaced apart.

[0046] In another embodiment, the support column 2 is also set at a distance of 1 / 2 to 1 / 3 of the radius from the center of the chuck body, and is distributed circumferentially around the center of the chuck body, with at least 3 support columns set in the middle of the chuck body.

[0047] In one implementation method, all support columns are at the same height.

[0048] The wafer is secured by jaws fixed to the edge of the chuck. To reduce wobbling and tilting during high-speed rotation, the jaws require significant force to maintain stability, resulting in high stress concentration at the wafer edge and potential damage. This application addresses this issue by incorporating support pillars on the inner circumference of the wafer chuck. These support pillars are arranged in a ring shape and positioned near the center. This arrangement, while ensuring stability during high-speed rotation, disperses the clamping force on the wafer, reducing the possibility of deformation and minimizing wear on the wafer surface during high-speed rotation, thus ensuring consistent wafer surface processing.

[0049] In one embodiment, the jaw 3 includes a base 301, which is connected to and fixed to the edge of the chuck body 101; the jaw 3 also includes a rotating shaft 302 and a rotation limiting member 303 disposed on the rotating shaft 302, the rotation limiting member 303 can rotate along the rotating shaft 302; the initial position of the rotation limiting member 303 is located away from the chuck body 101, and after rotation, it can cooperate with the base 301 to clamp the wafer.

[0050] In one implementation, the base height of the chuck 3 is the same as the horizontal height of the support column 2, so that the wafer can be stably fixed and clamped.

[0051] In one implementation, two claws 3 are provided and arranged symmetrically.

[0052] As one implementation method, the base 301 and the rotation limiting member 303 are both configured as elliptical arc surfaces, that is, the width gradually increases from near the center of the chuck body to away from the center, reducing the obstruction of the liquid medicine, allowing the liquid medicine to flow smoothly over the surface of the chuck claws, and reducing the accumulation of liquid medicine.

[0053] In another implementation, a corrosion-resistant elastic element is fitted onto the base 301. The surface of the elastic element is also provided with smooth grooves to increase contact friction, improve the clamping firmness of the wafer, and also serve to guide the flow of chemical solutions, reducing the accumulation of chemical solutions at the wafer edges. The corrosion-resistant elastic element can be replaced after it wears or corrodes to a certain extent.

[0054] As another implementation, the rotation limiter 303 is detachably connected to the rotation shaft, and can be easily replaced when it is corroded or worn to a certain extent.

[0055] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and use the utility model. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be easily made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without inventive effort. Therefore, the present utility model is not limited to the above embodiments, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of the present utility model without departing from its scope should be within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A novel wafer chuck, characterized in that, include: Includes chuck, support column, chuck jaws, and drive shaft; The chuck includes a chuck body and an edge chuck. The chuck body is used to mount the wafer. The edge chuck is located radially outside the chuck body and has a liquid tank between it and the chuck body. The upper surface of the edge chuck is higher than the wafer. The upper edge of the medicine tank is provided with air holes and air channels, and the air holes are connected to a vacuum pumping device through the air channels.

2. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air holes along the upper edge of the medicine tank are inclined upward at 10-15° and a filter screen is installed.

3. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewall of the medicine tank is inclined at a certain angle, which is 10-30°, and the bottom of the tank is provided with an inclined surface of 15-20°.

4. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 3, characterized in that, Multiple guide channels are opened on the side wall of the medicine tank.

5. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support pillars are located at the edge of the chuck body to support the wafer.

6. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support columns are also located at a distance of 1 / 2 to 1 / 3 of the radius from the center of the chuck body, and are distributed circumferentially around the center of the chuck body.

7. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chuck includes: a base, which is connected to and fixed to the edge of the chuck body; A rotating shaft and a rotation limiting member disposed on the rotating shaft; the rotation limiting member can rotate along the rotating shaft.

8. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 7, characterized in that, The base height of the claw is the same as the horizontal height of the support column.

9. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The chucks are provided in two symmetrical configurations.

10. The novel wafer chuck according to claim 7, characterized in that, The base and the rotation limiting component are both designed as elliptical arc surfaces.

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