A device for extracting acid-base contaminants from the surface of a semiconductor substrate material

Abstract

The application discloses a device for extracting acid-base contaminants on the surface of a semiconductor substrate material, which comprises a six-degree-of-freedom base and a container arranged on the base. A sealed space is arranged in the container and used for containing a substrate material and an extracting solution. The base is used for driving the container to perform a shaking motion, so that the extracting solution can fully contact the surface of the substrate material. Through the embodiment of the application, the problem of incomplete extraction during manual operation can be avoided, the influence of human contamination factors on the detection result can be reduced, and the efficiency during the detection of the substrate material can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, specifically to a device for extracting acid and alkali contaminants from the surface of semiconductor substrate materials. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor substrate materials serve as the "foundation" of chip manufacturing, making quality control crucial. Among mainstream substrate materials, silicon substrates commonly use 8-inch (200mm) and 12-inch (300mm) sizes, while third-generation semiconductor substrates such as silicon carbide are primarily 6-inch (150mm) sizes. As semiconductor processes advance to the nanoscale, substrate surface cleanliness directly impacts device performance, and acid and alkali contaminants (such as sulfur dioxide) are highly susceptible to damage. - Cl - NO3 - NH4 + (e.g., contaminants) can lead to crystal defects, performance degradation, substrate corrosion, and increased losses during chip production. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately detect contaminants at the ppt to ppb level.

[0003] Ion chromatography, due to its advantages such as speed and sensitivity, is used by ASTM and SEM I for the detection of anions and NH4+. + However, there are currently no national standards or unified specifications for the extraction and detection of acid and alkali contaminants on substrate surfaces, nor are there any commercially available professional devices. Most companies use manual handheld extraction: the substrate is held in place by a vacuum pen, covered with ultrapure water, and then manually shaken to extract the solution. The extract is then transferred to a sample vial for ion chromatography analysis using a pipette.

[0004] This method has obvious drawbacks: First, manual shaking is difficult to balance, easily leads to liquid spillage and uneven extraction, resulting in low efficiency, poor repeatability, and high labor costs when conducting large-scale testing; Second, the substrate is easily contaminated by environmental ions when exposed for a long time, and the ammonia exhaled by personnel when in close contact can also cause substrate contamination. There is an urgent need to improve the technical solution to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application aims to solve at least one technical problem existing in the prior art. Specifically, the embodiments of this application provide an extraction device for acid and alkali contaminants on the surface of semiconductor substrate materials to solve at least one of the problems of uneven extraction, low detection efficiency, and contamination of the extraction liquid and substrate material during the extraction process in the prior art.

[0006] The objective of this application can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] This application provides an apparatus for extracting acid and alkali contaminants from the surface of a semiconductor substrate material, including a six-degree-of-freedom base and a container disposed thereon; the container has a sealed space inside for containing the substrate material and the extraction liquid, and the base is used to drive the container to make a shaking motion so that the extraction liquid is in full contact with the surface of the substrate material.

[0008] Optionally, the container includes:

[0009] The base has a flat groove in its middle for placing substrate material.

[0010] The top cover has a ring-shaped structure and is movably connected to the base;

[0011] A pressure ring is installed on the upper cover;

[0012] A sealing ring, embedded in the bottom of the pressure ring, is used to press the edge of the sealing substrate material tightly when the container is closed.

[0013] The cover is detachably mounted on top of the upper cover for environmental isolation.

[0014] Optionally, the base and the top cover are movably connected by at least two hinges that can stop at any position, so that the top cover can be opened and closed relative to the base.

[0015] Optionally, the container may further include buckles symmetrically disposed on both sides of the base or the top cover for fastening and fixing the top cover and the base.

[0016] Optionally, the base, the top cover, or the cover may be made of polypropylene.

[0017] Optionally, the pressure ring is embedded in the inner ring of the upper cover.

[0018] Optionally, the top inner ring edge of the cover is provided with a positioning step that matches the opening of the cover body, and the cover body is detachably fitted into the positioning step.

[0019] Optionally, the cover is a transparent structure.

[0020] Optionally, the cover is provided with an inert gas inlet connector for introducing protective gas.

[0021] Optionally, the cover is also provided with a liquid inlet connector and a liquid outlet connector, which are used to introduce the extract into the sealed space of the container and to export the extracted liquid, respectively.

[0022] The above-described one or more embodiments of this application have at least one or more of the following beneficial effects:

[0023] 1. Compared to traditional manual hand-held shaking extraction, the six-degree-of-freedom base can realize automated and standardized shaking motion, avoiding problems such as drop of extraction liquid and incomplete extraction caused by hand tremors and uneven force during manual operation. It reduces the contact between personnel and extraction liquid and substrate materials, reduces the impact of human contamination on test results, and can run continuously without interruption, which greatly improves the efficiency of large-scale substrate material testing and reduces labor costs.

[0024] 2. Through the fit between the base and the top cover, the sealing of the substrate edge by the pressure ring and the sealing ring, and the closure of the top of the container by the cover, a multi-layered sealing protection structure is formed, which effectively isolates external environmental pollutants, avoids contamination of the extraction liquid and substrate material during the extraction process, provides a pure sample for subsequent testing, and improves the accuracy of the test results. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the extraction device in one embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the container in one embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the container in one embodiment of this application.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 1. Base; 2. Container; 21. Base; 22. Top cover; 23. Pressure ring; 24. Sealing ring; 25. Cover; 26. Hinge; 27. Buckle; 3. Inert gas inlet connector; 4. Liquid inlet connector; 5. Liquid outlet connector. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] Please see Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, this application provides an apparatus for extracting acid and alkali contaminants from the surface of a semiconductor substrate material, including a six-degree-of-freedom base 1 and a container 2 disposed thereon.

[0033] The six-degree-of-freedom base 1 is an existing technology device. As the basic support structure of the device, it has the degrees of freedom of movement along the three translation axes of X, Y, and Z, and the degrees of freedom of rotation around the three rotation axes of X, Y, and Z. It can realize precise motion control in multiple dimensions and angles. Its motion parameters (such as shaking frequency, amplitude, angle, etc.) can be adjusted according to the extraction requirements to adapt to extraction scenarios of substrate materials of different sizes and materials. Its structure will not be described in detail here.

[0034] Container 2 is mounted on the worktable of the six-degree-of-freedom base 1. Stable assembly is achieved between the container and base 1 via a detachable or fixed connection (such as bolt fixing or snap-fit ​​positioning), ensuring synchronous movement of container 2 when base 1 is driven. After installation, the central axis of container 2 is aligned as closely as possible with the center of motion of base 1. This ensures uniform and stable contact between the extractant and the substrate material within container 2 when base 1 drives container 2 to shake, preventing poor extraction results or unstable device operation due to center of gravity shift. An independent sealed space is formed inside container 2. The volume of this space is designed according to the substrate material size, allowing it to accommodate the substrate material while also being filled with inert protective gas to isolate the extraction process from ambient air contamination.

[0035] In use, the semiconductor substrate material to be tested (such as silicon wafers or silicon carbide substrates) is placed stably in the sealed space of container 2, and a quantitative extraction solution (usually ultrapure water) is injected to completely cover the surface of the substrate material. The six-degree-of-freedom base 1 is then activated, driving container 2 to shake according to a preset motion program. During shaking, the extraction solution flows and washes across the substrate surface, removing acid and alkali contaminants (such as F-, Cl-, NO3-, NH4-) adhering to the substrate surface. + (etc.) are fully dissolved and separated into the extractant to complete the pollutant extraction process.

[0036] Compared to traditional manual hand-held shaking extraction, the six-degree-of-freedom base 1 can realize automated and standardized shaking motion, avoiding problems such as drop of extraction liquid and incomplete extraction caused by hand tremors and uneven force during manual operation. It reduces the contact between personnel and extraction liquid and substrate materials, reduces the impact of human contamination on test results, and can run continuously without interruption, which greatly improves the efficiency of large-scale substrate material testing and reduces labor costs.

[0037] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, container 2 includes a base 21, a top cover 22, a pressure ring 23, a sealing ring 24, and a cover 25.

[0038] The base 21 is made of polypropylene (PP), a material with extremely low ionic leaching, preventing the base 21 itself from releasing ions that contaminate the extraction solution and substrate material, thus meeting the high cleanliness requirements of semiconductor testing. The base 21 has a circular flat plate structure with sufficient structural strength to support the weight of the substrate material, extraction solution, and other components. A flat groove for placing the substrate material is formed in the center of the base 21. The shape of the groove matches the shape of the substrate material (e.g., a circular groove for a circular substrate). The diameter of the groove is 1mm-2mm larger than the diameter of a 12-inch substrate, and the depth is approximately 0.5mm-5mm, ensuring that the substrate material can be placed stably without significant displacement. The flatness error of the bottom surface of the groove is ≤0.01mm, preventing unevenness from causing insufficient contact between the substrate material and the extraction solution, which could affect the extraction efficiency.

[0039] The top cover 22 has a ring-shaped structure. The diameter of the inner ring matches the diameter of the flat groove on the base 21, and the diameter of the outer ring matches the outer dimensions of the base 21. The top cover 22 and the base 21 are assembled by a movable connection (such as a hinge 26), which allows for vertical opening and closing relative to the base 21, facilitating the placement and removal of the substrate material.

[0040] The retaining ring 23 is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material. The retaining ring 23 is annular in shape, and its outer diameter is either interference-fitted or transition-fitted with the inner ring diameter of the upper cover 22. It is fixed to the inner ring of the upper cover 22 by an insert method. The bottom of the retaining ring 23 can be flush with the bottom of the upper cover 22, or the bottom of the retaining ring 23 can partially extend out of the inner ring of the upper cover 22. The inner diameter of the retaining ring 23 is designed according to the substrate material size. For 8-inch (200mm), 12-inch (300mm) silicon substrates, and 6-inch (150mm) silicon carbide substrates, retaining rings 23 with inner diameters of 190mm, 290mm, and 140mm are designed respectively, ensuring that the retaining ring 23 can accurately cover the edge area of ​​the substrate material.

[0041] The sealing ring 24 is made of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), which has excellent chemical corrosion resistance, sealing performance, and high temperature resistance, and extremely low ion leaching. The sealing ring 24 has a circular or rectangular cross-sectional shape and is fixed in the annular groove at the bottom of the pressure ring 23 by an embedded installation method, so that the sealing ring 24 and the pressure ring 23 form an integral structure. The lower end face of the sealing ring 24 protrudes slightly from the bottom plane of the pressure ring 23 (e.g., the protrusion height is about 0.1mm-0.5mm). When the container 2 is closed, the top cover 22 is pressed down, and the sealing ring 24 at the bottom of the pressure ring 23 comes into close contact with the edge surface of the substrate material on the base 21, generating a certain amount of compression, thereby forming a sealing structure at the edge of the substrate material. This prevents the extract in the container 2 from leaking from the gap between the substrate material and the base 21 and the top cover 22, while also preventing external air and contaminants from entering the sealed space and contaminating the extract and the substrate material.

[0042] The cover 25 is made of transparent polypropylene (PP). Its transparent structure allows operators to easily observe the placement of the substrate material inside container 2 and the state of the extract, such as whether there are leaks or whether the shaking is even. The cover 25 has a semi-circular shape, and the inner diameter of the cover opening matches the positioning structure (such as a positioning step) on the top of the upper cover 22. It is installed on the top of the upper cover 22 using a detachable, fitted method. After installation, the cover 25 completely covers the upper cover 22 and the upper area of ​​container 2, forming a closed space together with the base 21 and the upper cover 22. This isolates the sealed space inside container 2 from the external environment, preventing contaminants such as outside air and ammonia exhaled by personnel from entering the interior of container 2, ensuring that the extraction process is conducted in a clean environment.

[0043] The fit between the base 21 and the top cover 22, the sealing of the substrate edge by the pressure ring 23 and the sealing ring 24, and the sealing of the upper part of the container 2 by the cover 25 form a multi-layer sealing protection structure, which effectively isolates external environmental pollutants, prevents the extraction liquid and substrate material from being contaminated during the extraction process, provides a real sample for subsequent testing, and improves the accuracy of the test results.

[0044] Please see Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the base 21 and the top cover 22 are movably connected by at least two hinges 26 that can stop at any position. Preferably, the hinges 26 are typically symmetrically installed on the outer edges of the base 21 and the top cover 22 (e.g., one hinge 26 is installed at each end of the diameter of the circular base 21 and the top cover 22, or one hinge 26 is installed at the middle of each adjacent side of the square base 21 and the top cover 22), ensuring that the top cover 22 is subjected to uniform force and moves smoothly during opening and closing. The hinges 26 adopt existing damping or friction-type stop-at-any-position structures. One end of the hinge 26 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the base 21 by bolts, and the other end is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the top cover 22 by bolts, allowing the top cover 22 to stop arbitrarily within a certain height range above the base 21, facilitating the quick handling of substrate materials and improving work efficiency.

[0045] Please see Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the container 2 also includes buckles 27 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the base 21 or the top cover 22. The buckles 27 are existing structures and will not be described in detail here. The number of buckles 27 usually matches the number of hinges 26 (e.g., two hinges 26 correspond to two buckles 27), and the buckles 27 and hinges 26 are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction (e.g., hinges 26 are installed at both ends of a diameter, and buckles 27 are installed at the other end of a diameter, forming a symmetrical structure). This ensures that after the top cover 22 is closed, the buckles 27 can apply a fastening force evenly from both sides, so that the top cover 22 and the base 21 fit tightly together.

[0046] The buckle 27 has a simple structural design. The buckling and unlocking operations can be completed by simply rotating the movable end. The operation is convenient and quick. Compared with bolt fastening and other methods, it greatly shortens the opening and closing time of container 2 and improves the convenience of substrate material handling and device operation.

[0047] Please see Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the top inner ring edge of the top cover 22 is provided with an annular positioning step. The cross-section of the positioning step is L-shaped, and its inner diameter matches the outer diameter of the cover opening of the cover 25, ensuring that the cover opening of the cover 25 can be accurately embedded in the positioning step. The inner sidewall of the positioning step is provided with a guide slope, which facilitates the quick alignment of the cover opening of the cover 25 with the positioning step during installation, reducing the assembly difficulty. The outer sidewall of the cover opening of the cover 25 and the inner sidewall of the positioning step on the top of the top cover 22 are detachably fitted through a transition fit. During assembly, align the cover opening of the cover 25 with the guide slope of the positioning step and apply slight downward pressure to insert the cover 25 into the positioning step. During disassembly, hold the upper part of the cover 25 by hand and apply upward pulling force to remove the cover 25 from the positioning step.

[0048] Please see Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the cover 25 is provided with an inert gas inlet connector 3, which is installed on the upper part of the side wall of the cover 25 (near the top). The connector is an existing quick connector, which is convenient for connection with an external inert gas pipeline (such as a nitrogen pipeline). The connector is fixed to the cover 25 by a threaded connection, and the connection part is provided with an ETFE sealing ring 24 to ensure a seal and prevent inert gas leakage. External inert gas (such as nitrogen) enters the closed space formed by the cover 25, the top cover 22, and the base 21 through the gas pipeline and the inlet connector. The inert gas diffuses in the closed space and gradually discharges the air in the space (including oxygen, carbon dioxide, moisture, and other pollutants in the air), ensuring that the air in the closed space is fully replaced and forming an inert gas protective atmosphere.

[0049] Please see Figure 3As shown, in some embodiments, the housing 25 is further provided with an inlet connector 4 and an outlet connector 5. The inlet connector 4 is installed on the upper part of the side wall of the housing 25, and the outlet connector 5 is installed on the lower part of the side wall of the housing 25 (near the top cover 22). After extraction, the six-degree-of-freedom base 1 deflects to one end of the outlet connector 5, collecting the extract at one end of the outlet connector 5 to facilitate complete discharge of the extract during discharge. The inlet connector 4 and the outlet connector 5 are standard Luer connectors or pagoda connectors, which facilitate connection with external inlet pipelines (such as ultrapure water pipelines) and outlet pipelines (such as sample injection pipelines connected to ion chromatographs). The design of the inlet connector 4 and the outlet connector 5 allows the extract to directly enter the container 2 and exit to the detection equipment (ion chromatograph) through the pipeline, eliminating the need for manual transfer of the extract with a pipette, completely avoiding contamination that may be introduced during manual transfer, ensuring the purity of the extract, and significantly improving the accuracy of the detection results. Meanwhile, the online liquid inlet and outlet can be linked with the shaking motion of the six-degree-of-freedom base 1 and the detection process of the ion chromatograph to form an automated extraction-detection process. This eliminates the need for manual intervention, significantly shortens the time for extract transfer and detection, and improves overall detection efficiency.

[0050] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of one embodiment of this application, but the description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. All equivalent variations and modifications made within the scope of this application should still fall within the patent coverage of this application.

[0051] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Descriptions in this application regarding directions such as "left," "right," "left side," "right side," "upper part," "lower part," "top," and "bottom" are defined based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, not to indicate or imply that the described structure must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting this application. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0052] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" 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 direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

Claims

1. A device for extracting acid and alkali contaminants from the surface of a semiconductor substrate material, characterized in that, It includes a six-degree-of-freedom base and a container mounted thereon; the container has a sealed space inside for holding substrate material and extractant, and the base is used to drive the container to make a shaking motion so that the extractant can fully contact the surface of the substrate material.

2. The extraction device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The container includes: The base has a flat groove in its middle for placing substrate material. The top cover has a ring-shaped structure and is movably connected to the base; A pressure ring is installed on the upper cover; A sealing ring, embedded in the bottom of the pressure ring, is used to press the edge of the sealing substrate material tightly when the container is closed. The cover is detachably mounted on top of the upper cover for environmental isolation.

3. The extraction device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base and the top cover are movably connected by at least two hinges that can stop at any position, so that the top cover can be opened and closed relative to the base.

4. The extraction device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The container also includes buckles symmetrically arranged on both sides of the base or the top cover for fastening and fixing the top cover and the base.

5. The extraction device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base, the top cover, or the cover is made of polypropylene.

6. The extraction device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressure ring is embedded in the inner ring of the upper cover.

7. The extraction device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The top inner ring edge of the cover is provided with a positioning step that matches the opening of the cover body, and the cover body is detachably fitted into the positioning step.

8. The extraction device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cover is a transparent structure.

9. The extraction apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cover is equipped with an inert gas inlet connector for introducing protective gas.

10. The extraction apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cover is also equipped with an inlet connector and an outlet connector, which are used to introduce the extract into the sealed space of the container and to export the extracted liquid, respectively.

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