Material surface treatment device, material surface treatment method, and silicon carbide material surface treatment method

Abstract

To provide a material surface processor which is applied to a material substrate.SOLUTION: The material surface processor includes a surface processor and at least one wave guide device. The surface processor executes a surface processing step by equipping a material substrate. Each wave guide device supports execution of the surface processing step by being used to introduce an electromagnetic wave to the material substrate. Introducing an electromagnetic wave makes it easier to perform the step of processing the surface of the material substrate and achieve an intensity effect.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a material surface treatment technology, and more particularly to a material surface treatment method and apparatus that apply electromagnetic waves, and a silicon carbide material surface treatment method. [Background technology]

[0002] The material substrate is mainly a basic structural member of an electronic component or product, and generally speaking, in the manufacturing process of the electronic component or product, the material substrate must first undergo a surface treatment, such as polishing, etching, or thinning, to facilitate the subsequent implementation or application of other manufacturing processes.

[0003] Taking silicon carbide substrates commonly used in the semiconductor industry as an example, their hardness is lower than that of diamond, making surface polishing of silicon carbide substrates extremely difficult. Therefore, current abrasive materials require the use of nano-level diamond particles, which are expected to achieve ideal polishing results. However, the diamond particles are difficult to manufacture and require considerable cost. Meanwhile, adding strong alkaline or strong oxidizing chemicals to the abrasive material creates an agglomerated state on the surface of the silicon carbide substrate, further promoting chemical reactions and improving surface polishing. However, the wastewater generated after the abrasive manufacturing process contains these chemicals and has strong acidic or alkaline properties, making it not only environmentally unfriendly to use but also posing a risk to the environment if subsequent treatment is inappropriate.

[0004] Therefore, how to design a material surface treatment device that can improve the above problems is a topic that is truly worth studying. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a material surface treatment device that improves the effect of material surface treatment by introducing electromagnetic waves into a material substrate during the surface treatment process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above object, the material surface treatment device of the present invention is applied to a material substrate. The material surface treatment device includes a surface treatment device and at least one wave guide device. The surface treatment device carries out a surface treatment process by mounting a material substrate. Each wave guide device is used to introduce electromagnetic waves into the material substrate, thereby assisting in the execution of the surface treatment process.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electromagnetic waves are microwaves, and the microwave frequencies range from 900 MHz to 2.45 GHz.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electromagnetic wave is ultraviolet light, and the ultraviolet light has a frequency range of 8×10 14 Hz to 2.4 x 10 16 Hz.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the surface treatment apparatus further includes a treatment agent adding unit for adding a treatment agent that absorbs electromagnetic waves to the material substrate.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the treatment agent comprises an oxide, hydroxide or halide of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the treatment agent comprises an oxide or halide of a transition metal.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the treatment agent is a liquid or a solid.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material surface treatment apparatus further includes a gas introduction device, which is used to introduce at least one inert gas or at least one active gas when performing the surface treatment process.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material substrate is a silicon substrate, a germanium substrate, a silicon carbide substrate, a silicon nitride substrate, a gallium nitride substrate, an aluminum nitride substrate, a silicon oxide substrate, a zirconium oxide substrate or an aluminum oxide substrate.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material substrate is a substrate having a surface thin film.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the surface thin film is a silicon oxide thin film, a silicon carbide thin film, a silicon nitride thin film, a gallium nitride thin film, an aluminum nitride thin film, a zirconium oxide thin film, or an aluminum oxide thin film.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material substrate is made of a Group 4 element semiconductor, a Group 4 complex compound semiconductor, a Group 3-5 complex compound semiconductor, a Group 2-6 complex compound semiconductor, or an oxide or nitride of a metal or semiconductor.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the surface treatment process is an etching process, a thinning process or a polishing process.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide a material surface treatment method, which includes providing a surface treatment device to mount the material substrate, performing a surface treatment process on the material substrate, and assisting the performance of the surface treatment process by introducing electromagnetic waves into the material substrate.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for surface treating a silicon carbide material, which includes providing a surface treatment device to mount a silicon carbide substrate, performing a surface treatment process on the silicon carbide substrate, and assisting the surface treatment process by introducing microwaves or ultraviolet light to the silicon carbide substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] Therefore, the present invention uses a wave guide device to introduce ultraviolet, microwave or electromagnetic waves into the material surface process, and uses microwave chemistry to enhance the ultraviolet or other electromagnetic waves and promote the surface chemical reaction of the material substrate, thereby achieving the effect of strengthening the material surface process. In addition, the present invention can reduce the use of chemical treatment agents, which is not only more environmentally friendly but also effectively reduces manufacturing costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a material surface treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] 1 is a schematic diagram showing that the surface of the material is softened and flattened after undergoing microwave treatment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a microwave-accelerated redox reaction. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a material surface treatment apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart of a material surface treatment method of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a flowchart of a method for treating the surface of a silicon carbide material according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The various aspects and embodiments are illustrative and non-limiting, and after reading this specification, a person skilled in the art may have other aspects and embodiments within the scope of the present invention. The features and advantages of the above-mentioned embodiments will be further emphasized based on the following detailed description and claims.

[0024] In this specification, the terms "one" or "an" are used to describe the parts, units, and assemblies described in this specification. This is for convenience of description and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention only. Accordingly, unless it is clear that a different meaning is intended, such descriptions should be understood to include one, at least one, and the singular also includes the plural.

[0025] As used herein, the terms "comprise," "have," or any other similar terminology are intended to include a non-exclusive inclusion, e.g., a unit or structure comprising multiple elements is not limited to those elements listed in the text, but may include other elements not specifically listed but normally inherent in the unit or structure. [Example]

[0026] Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a material surface treatment device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the material surface treatment device 1 of the present invention is mainly applied to the surface treatment of a material substrate 5. The material substrate 5 is a basic structural member of an electronic component or product. The material substrate 5 may have a single-layer structure made of a single material or a multi-layer structure made of different materials, and the structure and / or constituent materials of the material substrate 5 can be changed according to different needs.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material substrate 5 has the single-layer structure as an example, and the material substrate 5 may be a silicon substrate, a germanium substrate, a silicon carbide substrate, a silicon nitride substrate, a gallium nitride substrate, an aluminum nitride substrate, a silicon oxide substrate, a zirconium oxide substrate, or an aluminum oxide substrate, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material substrate 5 is exemplified by the multi-layer structure, and the material substrate 5 can also be a substrate with a surface thin film, that is, the material substrate 5 can form a base layer based on the single-layer structure, and then form a surface thin film layer on the base layer. The thin film may be a silicon oxide thin film, a silicon carbide thin film, a silicon nitride thin film, a gallium nitride thin film, an aluminum nitride thin film, a zirconium oxide thin film, or an aluminum oxide thin film, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0029] Additionally, in one embodiment of the present invention, the material substrate 5 may be made of a semiconductor material. For example, the material substrate 5 may be made of a Group 4 element semiconductor, a Group 4 complex compound semiconductor, a Group 3-5 complex compound semiconductor, a Group 2-6 complex compound semiconductor, or an oxide or nitride of a metal or semiconductor, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0030] The material surface treatment device 1 of the present invention mainly includes a surface treatment device 10 and at least one waveguide device 20. The surface treatment device 10 carries a material substrate 5 and performs a surface treatment process. In one embodiment of the present invention, the surface treatment process may be an etching process, a thinning process, a polishing process, a chemical mechanical polishing process, or other surface treatment-related process. In the present invention, the surface treatment device 10 includes a surface treatment unit 11 and a driving unit 12, and the driving unit 12 is connected to the surface treatment unit 11. The surface treatment unit 11 is used to directly contact the material substrate 5 to perform the corresponding surface treatment on the material substrate 5, and the driving unit 12 is used to drive the surface treatment unit 11 to move relative to the material substrate 5. Take the surface treatment process as an example, a polishing process. In the present invention, the surface treatment unit 11 may be a polishing disc, and the driving unit 12 may be a servo motor connected to the polishing disc. Therefore, the servo motor can drive the polishing disc to rotate relative to the material substrate 5, thereby performing the polishing process on the surface of the material substrate 5 using the polishing disc. The surface treatment unit 11 and the driving unit 12 can change their structure and / or movement mode depending on the surface treatment process to be performed.

[0031] In the present invention, the surface treatment unit 11 may include a plurality of openings 111. Each opening 111 penetrates from one side of the surface treatment unit 11 to the opposite side.

[0032] The at least one wave-guiding device 20 is used to introduce electromagnetic waves (including ultraviolet light and microwaves) to the material substrate 5, thereby assisting in the performance of the surface treatment process. More specifically, the at least one wave-guiding device 20 introduces electromagnetic waves to a predetermined area of ​​the material substrate 5, particularly to the surface of the material substrate 5 to be treated, thereby assisting in the performance of the surface treatment process by electromagnetic waves. The number and / or location of the at least one wave-guiding device 20 can be changed according to design requirements. In one embodiment of the present invention, the electromagnetic waves are microwaves, and the microwave frequency range is from 900 MHz to 2.45 GHz. In another embodiment of the present invention, the electromagnetic waves are ultraviolet light, and the ultraviolet frequency range is from 8×10 14 Hz to 2.4 x 10 16 Hz, but the type and frequency range of the electromagnetic waves can be changed depending on the material substrate 5. For example, the electromagnetic waves may be radio waves, high frequency waves, or electromagnetic waves in other frequency bands.

[0033] The material surface treatment device 1 of the present invention may further include a control system 30. The control system 30 electrically connects the surface treatment device 10 and the at least one wave-guiding device 20. The control system 30 can control the operation of the surface treatment device 10 and the at least one wave-guiding device 20, respectively, thereby advantageously performing the surface treatment process. In one embodiment of the present invention, the control system 30 may be a computer system or a remote control device.

[0034] In actual operation, the material surface treatment device 1 of the present invention first places a material substrate 5 to be treated inside the surface treatment device 10, and then mounts and fixes the material substrate 5 in the surface treatment unit 11. Then, a treatment agent required for the surface treatment process is added to the area where the material substrate 5 is located, and at least one waveguide device 20 is used to introduce electromagnetic waves toward the material substrate 5. The electromagnetic waves pass through a plurality of openings 111 in the surface treatment unit 11 and reach the surface of the material substrate 5 to be treated, causing a chemical reaction on the surface of the material substrate 5 to be treated or activating the treatment agent, thereby achieving the purpose of enhancing the surface treatment process. Finally, the drive unit 12 drives the surface treatment unit 11 to move relative to the material substrate 5, and the surface treatment unit 11 is used to perform the appropriate surface treatment on the surface of the material substrate 5 to be treated.

[0035] For example, assume that the material substrate 5 is a silicon carbide substrate and the surface treatment process is a polishing process. When the surface of the silicon carbide substrate to be treated is irradiated with microwaves (2.45 GHz, 900 W), the microwaves excite electrons in the surface layer of the silicon carbide substrate, particularly unpaired electrons of dangling bonds. These electrons are converted to hot electrons through free carrier absorption, which means they are able to break through the energy barrier to the carbon-silicon bonds of the surface blocks. Therefore, when carbon atoms absorb microwaves and undergo violent vibrations, the hot electrons enter the bonds, creating an unstable state. This breaks the carbon-silicon chemical bond, and carbon and silicon bond with oxygen, respectively, to form CO2. This accelerates oxidation of the substrate, forming a SiO2 or Si(OH)4 layer, softening the substrate surface (i.e., reducing surface hardness), achieving the effect of substrate surface modification. As a result, the silicon carbide substrate exhibits polishing properties due to the surface oxidation after microwave irradiation.

[0036] Furthermore, before a silicon carbide substrate is polished, its surface generally exhibits a rough surface. Most of the rough areas formed on the surface are tips, and according to the principle of microwave chemical polishing, the protruding atomic surfaces at these tips are more likely to collect the excited hot electrons due to the charge concentration effect, and thus more likely to undergo oxidation-reduction reactions with the processing agent, making the reaction between these protruding atoms and the processing agent faster than other relatively flat areas, and then dissolving into the processing agent and disappearing, resulting in a smooth surface.

[0037] The principles of applying the present invention to enhance surface treatment processes will be described below with reference to the drawings. Please refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B. FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a material surface softened and planarized after microwave treatment, and FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of a redox reaction promoted by microwaves. Taking the polishing process of a silicon carbide material as an example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the material surface is oxidized after microwave irradiation to form a SiO2 layer (or Si(OH)4). The more protruding the material surface, the more oxidized areas there are. Therefore, a relatively large amount of material can be removed after touch polishing or CMP polishing, resulting in a more planar and flat material surface. The Mohs hardness of the oxide layer (approximately 6-7) is much lower than that of silicon carbide (approximately 9). Therefore, when using pellets with a relatively low hardness to remove the oxide layer, the newly exposed silicon carbide surface is not damaged again. The dashed line in Figure 2A indicates the boundary between the oxide layer formed on the silicon carbide surface and the silicon carbide material. After the oxide layer formed initially is removed and planarized by CMP polishing, the process of re-oxidation and re-polishing is repeated to finally achieve a smoother surface.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2B, after microwave irradiation excites electrons, the electrons enter the conduction band and undergo a reduction reaction with the polishing agent, and the resulting electrons undergo a surface oxidation reaction, breaking down the carbon-silicon bond. Therefore, the treatment agent does not need to be a strong acid or alkali, and the surface treatment process of silicon carbide materials can be enhanced.

[0039] Returning to FIG. 1 , in one embodiment of the present invention, the surface treatment apparatus 10 further includes a treatment agent application unit 13 for applying a treatment agent that absorbs electromagnetic waves to the material substrate 5. The treatment agent application unit 13 may be installed around the surface treatment unit 11, thereby applying the treatment agent to a specific location on the material substrate 5. The treatment agent is activated after absorbing the electromagnetic waves, enhancing the chemical reaction between the treatment agent and the surface of the material substrate 5 and making it easier to produce an oxide layer, which is advantageous for carrying out the surface treatment process. Depending on different requirements, the treatment agent may be liquid or solid (e.g., using a powdered or granular treatment agent), or a mixture of both. In one embodiment of the present invention, the treatment agent may include an oxide, hydroxide, or halide of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. The treatment agent may also include an oxide or halide of a transition metal, although the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0040] In addition, the treatment agent may contain a plurality of solid particles, which are selected from at least one of the following group: silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, boron nitride, boron carbide, and diamond. Thus, even when the surface treatment of the silicon carbide substrate is performed by introducing electromagnetic waves in the present invention, particles with a hardness lower than that of diamond can be selected as the main component of the treatment agent, and the expected surface treatment effect can be achieved.

[0041] The material surface treatment device 1 of the present invention further includes a gas introduction device 40, which is used to introduce at least one inert gas (e.g., neon gas) or at least one active gas (e.g., oxygen) during the surface treatment process. The inert gas or active gas can fill the periphery of the surface treatment device 10 or the internal space of the surface treatment device 10, and the surface treatment process is performed in an environment filled with the inert gas or active gas. The inert gas is used to mitigate the chemical reaction, thereby preventing damage to the material due to excessive reaction. The active gas is used to assist the chemical reaction, making the reaction between the treatment agent and the material substrate 5 more intense. [Example]

[0042] Please refer to FIG. 3, which is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the material surface treatment apparatus of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the material surface treatment apparatus 1a of the present invention includes a surface treatment unit 11, a driving unit 12, and a carrier 14. The surface treatment unit 11 may be fixed to the carrier 14, and the carrier 14 is connected to the driving unit 12. The driving unit 12 simultaneously drives the surface treatment unit 11 and the carrier 14 to move relative to the material substrate 5. A chamber A may be formed within the carrier 14, and the carrier 14 has a plurality of through-holes 141 on one side contacting the surface treatment unit 11. Each through-hole 141 communicates with the chamber A from the outer surface of the carrier 14. At least one waveguide device 20a is coupled to the carrier 14 and introduces electromagnetic waves toward the chamber A. The electromagnetic waves pass through the plurality of through-holes 141 in the carrier 14 and the plurality of openings 111 in the surface treatment unit 11 to reach the surface of the material substrate 5 to be treated, thereby achieving the purpose of enhancing the surface treatment process. By providing the chamber A, the electromagnetic waves can be introduced more concentratedly onto the surface of the material substrate 5 waiting to be processed.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flow chart of the material surface treatment method of the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the present invention further provides a material surface treatment method. The material surface treatment method of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0044] Step S11: Provide a surface treatment device to mount a material substrate.

[0045] First, the surface treatment device 10 of the surface treatment device 1 of the present invention and the material substrate 5 waiting to be treated are provided. The material substrate 5 can be mounted on the surface treatment device 10.

[0046] Step S12: A surface treatment step is carried out on the material substrate.

[0047] After step S11, the material substrate 5 is subsequently subjected to a corresponding surface treatment process, such as polishing, etching or thinning.

[0048] Step S13: Electromagnetic waves are introduced into the material substrate to assist in the surface treatment step.

[0049] After step S12, electromagnetic waves may be introduced to the material substrate 5 during the surface treatment step to enhance the chemical reaction with the surface of the material substrate 5 and / or the activation treatment agent, which is advantageous for carrying out the surface treatment step.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a flowchart of the silicon carbide material surface treatment method of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, the present invention further provides a silicon carbide material surface treatment method. The silicon carbide material surface treatment method of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0051] Step S21: Provide a surface treatment device to mount a silicon carbide substrate.

[0052] First, the surface treatment device 10 of the present invention and a silicon carbide substrate waiting to be treated are provided. The silicon carbide substrate can be mounted on the surface treatment device 10.

[0053] Step S22: A surface treatment step is performed on the silicon carbide substrate.

[0054] After step S21, the silicon carbide substrate is subsequently subjected to a corresponding surface treatment process, such as polishing, etching or thinning.

[0055] Step S23: Microwave or ultraviolet light is introduced to the silicon carbide substrate to assist in carrying out the surface treatment step.

[0056] After step S22, it is advantageous to perform the surface treatment process by introducing microwaves or ultraviolet light to the silicon carbide substrate during the surface treatment process to enhance the chemical reaction and / or activation treatment agent with the surface of the silicon carbide substrate.

[0057] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative in nature and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the claimed subject matter or the application or uses of such embodiments. Furthermore, while at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the above-described embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is susceptible to numerous variations. It should also be understood that the described embodiments are not intended to limit in any way the scope, use, or configuration of the claimed subject matter. Instead, the above-described embodiments provide those skilled in the art with a simple guide for implementing one or more of the embodiments. Furthermore, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope defined by the claims, which include known equivalents and all foreseeable equivalents at the time of filing this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1, 1a Material surface treatment equipment 10, 10a Surface treatment device 11 Surface Treatment Unit 111 Aperture 12 Drive unit 13 Treatment agent addition unit 14 Carrier 141 Through hole 20, 20a Waveguide device 30 Gas introduction device 40 Control System 5 Material Substrate A Chamber S11~S13 process S21~S23 process

Claims

1. A material surface treatment device for application to a material substrate, the material surface treatment device including a surface treatment device and at least one wave-guiding device; the surface treatment device carries out a surface treatment process by mounting a material substrate; a material surface treatment device, characterized in that each of the wave-guiding devices is used to introduce electromagnetic waves to the surface of the material substrate to be treated, the electromagnetic waves excite electrons in the surface layer of the material substrate to achieve the effect of surface modification of the material substrate, and assist in the execution of the surface treatment process, the electromagnetic waves being microwaves, and the frequency range of the microwaves is from 900 MHz to 2.45 GHz.

2. 2. The material surface treatment device according to claim 1, further comprising a treatment agent adding unit for adding a treatment agent that absorbs the electromagnetic waves to the material substrate.

3. 3. The material surface treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the treatment agent contains an oxide, hydroxide or halide of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal.

4. 3. The material surface treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the treatment agent contains an oxide or halide of a transition metal.

5. 3. The material surface treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the treatment agent is a liquid or a solid.

6. 2. The material surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a gas introduction device, which is used to introduce at least one inert gas or at least one active gas when performing the surface treatment process.

7. 2. The material surface treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the material substrate is a silicon substrate, a germanium substrate, a silicon carbide substrate, a silicon nitride substrate, a gallium nitride substrate, an aluminum nitride substrate, a silicon oxide substrate, a zirconium oxide substrate, or an aluminum oxide substrate.

8. 2. The material surface treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the material substrate has a surface thin film.

9. 9. The material surface treatment device according to claim 8, wherein the surface thin film is a silicon oxide thin film, a silicon carbide thin film, a silicon nitride thin film, a gallium nitride thin film, an aluminum nitride thin film, a zirconium oxide thin film, or an aluminum oxide thin film.

10. 2. The material surface treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the material substrate is made of a Group 4 element semiconductor, a Group 4 complex compound semiconductor, a Group 3 to 5 complex compound semiconductor, a Group 2 to 6 complex compound semiconductor, or an oxide or nitride of a metal or semiconductor.

11. 2. The material surface treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the surface treatment process is an etching process, a thinning process, or a polishing process.

12. A material surface treatment method applied to a material substrate, the material surface treatment method comprising: providing a surface treatment device to mount the material substrate; performing a surface treatment process on the material substrate; and and introducing electromagnetic waves to the surface of the material substrate awaiting treatment, thereby exciting electrons in a surface layer of the material substrate with the electromagnetic waves, thereby achieving the effect of surface modification of the material substrate and assisting in the execution of the surface treatment process, wherein the electromagnetic waves are microwaves, and the frequency range of the microwaves is from 900 MHz to 2.45 GHz.

13. A method for treating a surface of a silicon carbide material, the method comprising: providing a surface treatment device to mount a silicon carbide substrate; performing a surface treatment process on the silicon carbide substrate; and and introducing microwaves to the surface of the silicon carbide substrate to be treated, thereby exciting electrons in the surface layer of the silicon carbide substrate with the microwaves, thereby achieving the effect of surface modification of the silicon carbide substrate and assisting in the execution of the surface treatment step, wherein the microwave frequency is in the range of 900 MHz to 2.45 GHz.

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