A new type of quartz boat

Abstract

The application provides a novel quartz boat, which comprises a boat body and a boat tooth, a mounting groove is formed on a connecting rod of the boat body, the boat tooth is detachably mounted in the mounting groove, and a clamping groove for placing a silicon wafer is arranged on the boat tooth. The application can realize modular replacement of the boat tooth, effectively avoid the problem that the whole quartz boat is discarded due to local damage, significantly reduce maintenance cost and improve equipment utilization; and the overall structure is simple, stable and reliable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of silicon wafer processing auxiliary devices, and in particular relates to a novel quartz boat. Background Technology

[0002] Quartz boats are critical tooling for carrying and transporting silicon wafers during high-temperature processes. Currently, most quartz boats are integral structures, with the boat teeth and body typically manufactured as a single piece. In actual production, due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures and frequent wafer handling, some boat teeth are prone to wear or deformation. This not only affects the stability of wafer placement but can also disrupt process airflow due to increased contact area, ultimately impacting the yield of semiconductor products. Faced with damaged boat teeth, current practices often involve simply not placing a wafer in the corresponding location, leading to a decrease in the actual load capacity of the quartz boat; or replacing the entire quartz boat, wasting still-usable components. Therefore, existing technologies suffer from high maintenance costs, low resource utilization, and negative impacts on process quality. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a novel quartz boat that solves the technical problem that the existing boat teeth are prone to wear or deformation due to the integral molding design of the boat teeth and connecting rod, which affects the overall product qualification rate and process quality.

[0004] To solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted in this application is:

[0005] A novel quartz boat includes a hull and a tooth. The connecting rod of the hull has an installation groove, and the tooth is detachably installed in the installation groove. The tooth has a slot for placing a silicon wafer.

[0006] Furthermore, the detachable connection method is a snap-fit ​​method.

[0007] Furthermore, the spur includes a body and a limiting strip. Along the central axis of the silicon wafer, the limiting strip is distributed on one side of the body and connected to the body. The mounting groove includes a first mounting groove and a second mounting groove that are interconnected. The second mounting groove is located on the side away from the silicon wafer. The body is adapted to be accommodated in the first mounting groove, and the limiting strip is adapted to be embedded in the second mounting groove.

[0008] Furthermore, there are two limiting strips, which are distributed on both sides of the body along the central axis of the silicon wafer and connected to the body.

[0009] Furthermore, along the length of the second mounting groove, one end of the second mounting groove is open, and the other end of the second mounting groove is closed.

[0010] Furthermore, a first limiting block is disposed opposite to the inner side of the first mounting groove, and the body is adapted to match the first limiting block.

[0011] Furthermore, the boat tooth also includes a fixing part, which is connected to the body and is disposed on the side facing the silicon wafer. The fixing part has a slot, and one end of the slot forms an opening facing the side of the silicon wafer.

[0012] Furthermore, along the central axis of the silicon wafer, a first protrusion is provided at the bottom of the inner side of the fixing part, and the first protrusion is adapted to support the silicon wafer.

[0013] Furthermore, along the axial direction of the silicon wafer, a second protrusion is provided on the top of the inner side of the fixing part, and the second protrusion makes point contact with the surface of the silicon wafer.

[0014] Furthermore, along the direction away from the silicon wafer, a second limiting block is provided on the outer side of the body, and a limiting groove is formed in the second mounting groove, the second limiting block being adapted to match the limiting groove.

[0015] The present application discloses a novel quartz boat, particularly a detachable quartz boat, which enables modular replacement of the boat teeth, effectively avoiding the problem of discarding the entire quartz boat due to partial damage, significantly reducing maintenance costs and improving equipment utilization. At the same time, the point contact method can reduce the contact area between the silicon wafer and the boat teeth, which helps to improve the silicon wafer processing quality and semiconductor production yield. The overall structure is simple, stable and reliable, supports multiple placement methods, and is highly practical. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a novel quartz boat according to this application;

[0017] Figure 2 This is an enlarged view of the fit between the shovel tooth and the mounting groove in this application;

[0018] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the fit between the shovel tooth and the mounting groove in this application;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a top view of the alignment of the first and second protrusions in this application;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a top view of the misaligned first and second protrusions in this application;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the scaphoid tooth in this application.

[0022] In the picture:

[0023] 100. Quartz boat 10. Boat body 11. End plate 12. Connecting rod 13. Support plate 14. Reinforcing bar 15. First mounting slot 16. Second mounting slot 17. Limiting groove 18. First limit block 20. navicular tooth 21. Fixing part 22. Card slot 23. First protrusion 24. Limiting strip 25. Second limit block 26. Anti-slip grooves 27. Second protrusion 30. Silicon wafers Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0025] This embodiment proposes a novel quartz boat 100, such as Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a boat body 10 and independently designed boat teeth 20, which are detachably connected to the boat body 10. Several evenly spaced mounting slots are formed along the length of the connecting rod 12 of the boat body 10, and the boat teeth 20 are detachably mounted in these slots. Each boat tooth 20 has a slot 22 for placing a silicon wafer 30. In this embodiment, the silicon wafer 30 is a wafer.

[0026] The quartz boat 100 is a detachable structure. Its core is that the boat tooth 20 is designed to be independently detachable and detachable. The boat tooth 20 is installed in the mounting slot by snap-fit. At the same time, the structure of the slot 22 is optimized to reduce the contact area with the silicon wafer 30, improve the clamping effect, reduce friction damage and contamination caused by contact, and improve the uniformity of process airflow.

[0027] Furthermore, the boat body 10 includes several connecting rods 12 for supporting the silicon wafer 30, end plates 11 located at both ends of the connecting rods 12, and support plates 13 for fixing the end plates 11. The outer end face of the end plate 11 is flat, which facilitates the vertical placement of the quartz boat 100; and the end plate 11 is constructed as a ring structure, and the annular through hole can increase the airflow; several reinforcing rods 14 are also provided between the connecting rods 12 on the same side to improve the strength of the upper and lower connecting rods.

[0028] like Figure 2-3 , Figure 6 As shown, the swivel gear 20 includes a body and a retaining strip 24. Along the central axis of the silicon wafer, the retaining strip 24 is distributed on one side of the body and connected to it. The mounting groove includes a first mounting groove 15 and a second mounting groove 16 that are interconnected. The second mounting groove 16 is located on the side opposite to the silicon wafer. The body is adapted to be accommodated in the first mounting groove 15, and the retaining strip 24 is adapted to be embedded in the second mounting groove 16. There can be one or two retaining strips 24. When two retaining strips 24 are provided, along the central axis of the silicon wafer 30, the two retaining strips 24 are distributed on both sides of the body and integrally connected to it. Then, the body and retaining strip 24 of the swivel gear 20 are adapted to be installed in the first mounting groove 15 and the second mounting groove 16 respectively by a snap-fit ​​mechanism.

[0029] like Figure 4-6As shown, the stern 20 also includes a fixing part 21, which is integrally connected to the body and is disposed on the side facing the silicon wafer 30. A slot 22 is disposed on the fixing part 21, and one end of the slot 22 forms an opening facing the side of the silicon wafer.

[0030] Along the central axis of the silicon wafer 30, a first protrusion 23 is provided at the bottom of the inner side of the fixing part 21, which is adapted to support the silicon wafer 30. Along the axial direction of the silicon wafer 30, a second protrusion 27 is provided at the top of the inner side of the fixing part 21, which contacts the surface of the silicon wafer 30 to prevent surface defects from occurring during the placement of the silicon wafer.

[0031] The spur teeth 20 make point contact with the silicon wafer 30 through the first protrusion 23 and the second protrusion 27, reducing the actual contact area between the spur teeth 20 and the high-cleanliness silicon wafer 30. This fundamentally reduces the risk of friction, adhesion, or particulate contamination that may occur during high-temperature processes, thus protecting the surface quality of the silicon wafer 30. Furthermore, the point contact structure reduces obstruction to the airflow around the silicon wafer 30, allowing process gases, such as doping or oxidizing gases, to flow more uniformly around the silicon wafer 30. This improves the uniformity and consistency of processes such as thin film deposition and diffusion, thereby increasing product yield.

[0032] The first protrusion 23 and the second protrusion 27 are aligned and disposed on the bottom and top of the inner side of the slot 22, respectively, and the first protrusion 23 and the second protrusion 27 are located at the front section of the slot 22 near the center of the silicon wafer 30. Figure 4 As shown. Alternatively, the two sets of first protrusions 23 and second protrusions 27 are offset and arranged at the bottom and top of the inner side of the slot 22, as shown. Figure 5 As shown.

[0033] The first protrusion 23 and the second protrusion 27 can be a set or two sets, depending on the actual situation. During high-temperature processes, both the silicon wafer 30 and the quartz boat will undergo thermal expansion. The point contact provides a small deformation compensation space, which helps to release local stress caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficients and reduces the risk of warping or microcracks in the silicon wafer 30. Even if the boat teeth 20 undergo slight deformation due to long-term use, the point contact structure can maintain a stable support state better than the surface contact, making it less likely for the silicon wafer 30 to jam or tilt, thus extending the effective service life of the quartz boat 100.

[0034] like Figure 3As shown, a first limiting block 18 is disposed opposite to the inner side of the first mounting groove 15, and the main body is adapted to match the first limiting block 18. Furthermore, a second limiting block 25 is disposed on the outer side of the main body along a direction away from the silicon wafer; a limiting groove 17 is formed in the second mounting groove 16, and the second limiting block 25 is adapted to match the limiting groove 17. Through the precise engagement of the limiting strip 24 with the second mounting groove 16, the limiting groove 17 with the second limiting block 25, and the first limiting block 18 with the fixing part 21, the boat tooth 20 is firmly locked from the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, preventing it from loosening, sliding, or tilting when carrying the silicon wafer 30 or subjected to vibration, thus ensuring the overall structural stability and safety of the quartz boat during high-temperature processing.

[0035] like Figure 3 As shown, along the length of the second mounting groove 16, one end of the second mounting groove 16 forms an open opening, while the other end is closed. The second mounting groove 16 is vertically constructed on the inner wall surface away from the radial direction of the silicon wafer within the mounting groove. The length L1 of the second mounting groove 16 is greater than the width L2 of the mounting groove, providing vertical movement space for the boat tooth 20 and laying the foundation for the boat tooth 20 to be smoothly inserted into the mounting groove before subsequent locking operations. Furthermore, the depth h1 of the second mounting groove 16 is less than the depth h2 of the mounting groove, forming a solid support surface at the bottom of the closed end of the second mounting groove 16. When the limiting strip 24 slides into this second mounting groove 16, the second mounting groove 16 restricts its movement from multiple directions (up, down, left, right), thereby firmly locking the boat tooth 20 and effectively preventing it from loosening or dislodging during operation. While ensuring ease of installation, this greatly improves the reliability and stability of the connection between the boat tooth 20 and the connecting rod 12.

[0036] The limiting strips 24 are disposed on two sides of the spur tooth 20 adjacent to the surface where the fixing part 21 is located. The limiting strips 24 of the spur tooth 20 are inserted into the second mounting groove 16. The limiting strips 24 in the spur tooth 20 cooperate with the second mounting groove 16. At the same time, the body of the spur tooth 20 is embedded in the first mounting groove 15, so that the spur tooth 20 can be detachably installed in the mounting groove. The cooperation between the limiting strips 24 and the second mounting groove 16 plays a guiding and positioning role, ensuring that each spur tooth 20 can be quickly and accurately installed into the predetermined position, thereby ensuring that all silicon wafers 30 are at a consistent level and spacing, which is beneficial to improving the uniformity of the process.

[0037] like Figure 6As shown, along the axial direction of the silicon wafer, the outer side of the main body of the swivel tooth 20 is also provided with an extension. Near the radial side of the silicon wafer, the extension is provided with an anti-slip groove 26, which is intended to facilitate the installation and removal of the swivel tooth 20. The anti-slip groove 26 provides a clear point of force for the operator's fingers, greatly increasing the friction and making the insertion and removal of the swivel tooth 20 easier and more accurate, greatly improving the efficiency of replacement and maintenance, and reducing the difficulty of operation.

[0038] The present application discloses a novel quartz boat, particularly a detachable quartz boat, which enables modular replacement of the boat teeth, effectively avoiding the problem of discarding the entire quartz boat due to partial damage, significantly reducing maintenance costs and improving equipment utilization. At the same time, the point contact method can reduce the contact area between the silicon wafer and the boat teeth, which helps to improve the silicon wafer processing quality and semiconductor production yield. The overall structure is simple, stable and reliable, supports multiple placement methods, and is highly practical.

[0039] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. These descriptions are merely preferred embodiments 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.

Claims

1. A novel quartz boat, characterized in that, It includes a hull and a tooth. The connecting rod of the hull has a mounting groove, and the tooth is detachably installed in the mounting groove. The tooth has a slot for placing a silicon wafer.

2. The novel quartz boat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detachable connection method is a snap-fit ​​method.

3. A novel quartz boat according to claim 2, characterized in that, The spur includes a body and a limiting strip. Along the central axis of the silicon wafer, the limiting strip is distributed on one side of the body and connected to the body. The mounting groove includes a first mounting groove and a second mounting groove that are interconnected. The second mounting groove is located on the side away from the silicon wafer. The body is adapted to be accommodated in the first mounting groove, and the limiting strip is adapted to be embedded in the second mounting groove.

4. A novel quartz boat according to claim 3, characterized in that, There are two limiting strips, which are distributed on both sides of the body along the central axis of the silicon wafer and connected to the body.

5. A novel quartz boat according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along the length of the second mounting groove, one end of the second mounting groove is open, and the other end of the second mounting groove is closed.

6. A novel quartz boat according to claim 3, characterized in that, A first limiting block is disposed opposite to the inner side of the first mounting groove, and the body is adapted to match the first limiting block.

7. A novel quartz boat according to claim 3, characterized in that, The stern also includes a fixing part, which is connected to the body and is disposed on the side facing the silicon wafer. The fixing part has a slot, and one end of the slot forms an opening facing the side of the silicon wafer.

8. A novel quartz boat according to claim 7, characterized in that, Along the central axis of the silicon wafer, a first protrusion is provided at the bottom of the inner side of the fixing part, and the first protrusion is adapted to support the silicon wafer.

9. A novel quartz boat according to claim 8, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the silicon wafer, a second protrusion is provided on the top of the inner side of the fixing part, and the second protrusion makes point contact with the surface of the silicon wafer.

10. A novel quartz boat according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along a direction away from the silicon wafer, a second limiting block is provided on the outer side of the body, and a limiting groove is formed in the second mounting groove. The second limiting block is adapted to match the limiting groove.

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