Wafer processing equipment

Abstract

To provide a wafer processing apparatus having a furnace tube, the apparatus reducing the possibility that by-products contaminate a boat and wafers on the boat.SOLUTION: The wafer processor includes: a furnace tube (100); a boat loading / unloading region (200) and a wafer loading / unloading region (300) connected via a communication region; and a partition door device including a first partition door assembly (400). The boat loading / unloading region (200) is in communication with the furnace tube (100) and includes at least a first boat loader (210) for loading and unloading a boat (901) into and from the furnace tube (100). The wafer loading / unloading region (300) includes at least a wafer loader (310) for loading and unloading wafers into and from the boat (901). The partition door device is set in the communication region and is operable for partitioning the boat loading / unloading region and the wafer loading / unloading region, and for allowing the boat (901) to circulate between the boat loading / unloading region and the wafer loading / unloading region through the communication region, while blocking by-products generated by a reaction in the furnace tube (100) from passing through the communication region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Detailed description of the invention

[0001] [Technical Field] This application belongs to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and more specifically, relates to wafer processing equipment.

[0002] [Background technology] The wafer processing apparatus may include connected furnace tubes and loading / unloading areas. When wafers on a first boat in the loading / unloading area are loaded into the furnace tubes by a boat elevator for heat treatment, the second boat in the loading / unloading area may perform wafer loading at a temporary storage position to improve production efficiency.

[0003] Once the wafer processing in the first boat is complete, the boat elevator removes the first boat from the furnace tube, the boat transporter places the first boat in a temporary position, the boat transporter then transports the second boat to the boat elevator, and the boat elevator loads the second boat into the furnace tube for heat treatment.

[0004] When the first boat is removed from the furnace tube, the air pressure inside the furnace tube is higher than the air pressure in the loading / unloading area, causing reaction byproducts from inside the furnace tube to be ejected and contaminate the wafers on the second boat. Also, before the second boat is loaded from its temporary storage position into the furnace tube and during the loading process, reaction byproducts from the first boat diffuse into the second boat, contaminating the wafers on the second boat.

[0005] [Summary of the Invention] The present invention aims to provide a wafer processing apparatus that reduces the risk of contamination to wafers and improves product yield.

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present application provides a wafer processing apparatus, the wafer processing apparatus comprising a furnace tube, an loading / unloading area, and a partition door device, The loading / unloading area includes a boat loading / unloading area and a wafer loading / unloading area connected via a communication area, the boat loading / unloading area is in communication with the furnace tube, the boat loading / unloading area includes at least a first boat loader for loading / unloading boats into and out of the furnace tube, and the wafer loading / unloading area includes at least a wafer loader for loading / unloading wafers into and out of boats. The partition door device is installed in the communication area, and the partition door device is capable of separating the boat loading / unloading area from the wafer loading / unloading area, and the partition door device is operable to allow the boat to move between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area via the communication area.

[0007] Selectively, the partition door device can be driven to move the boat so that the boat can be moved between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area via the communication area.

[0008] Selectively, the partition door device includes a first partition door assembly having a first partition door and a plurality of boat transfer mechanisms, each of the boat transfer mechanisms configured to place and move at least one boat, the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms including a first boat transfer mechanism and a second boat transfer mechanism, the first boat transfer mechanism and the second boat transfer mechanism provided distributed on opposing first and second sides of the first partition door, and at least the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms rotatably form a first state and a second state, in the first state the first boat transfer mechanism is located in the boat loading / unloading area and the second boat transfer mechanism is located in the wafer loading / unloading area, and in the second state the second boat transfer mechanism is located in the boat loading / unloading area and the first boat transfer mechanism is located in the wafer loading / unloading area.

[0009] Selectively, the boat transfer mechanism includes a support for placing a boat and moving the placed boat as it rotates around the center of rotation, the support of the first boat transfer mechanism and the support of the second boat transfer mechanism are connected by a connector, the connector is connected to the first partition door, the connector and the support are provided on the same side of the first partition door, the support, the connector and the first partition door are rotatable synchronously around the center of rotation to switch the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms between the first state and the second state, and / or The boat transfer mechanism includes a boat holder and a holder rotation shaft, the boat holder being mounted on the holder rotation shaft, the holder rotation shaft being connected to the first partition door, the boat holder being rotatable around the holder rotation shaft until it holds a boat for placing a boat on it, the boat holder being rotatable around the holder rotation shaft to release the held boat, and the boat holder, the holder rotation shaft and the first partition door being rotatable synchronously around the rotation center to move the held boat and to switch the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms between the first state and the second state.

[0010] Selectively, the boat holder includes a plurality of boat sub-holders, the holder rotation axis includes a plurality of holder sub-rotation axes, the boat sub-holders are mounted on the holder sub-rotation axes, the holder sub-rotation axes are connected to the first partition door, and the boat sub-holders are rotatable around the holder sub-rotation axes. The boat holder is rotatable around its pivot axis until it holds a boat in order to place a boat on it, and the plurality of boat sub-holders of the boat holder are rotatable until they gather and clamp a boat in order to place a boat on it. The boat holder is rotatable around the holder axis to release the boat it holds, and the plurality of boat sub-holders of the boat holder are rotatable until they are separated to release the clamped boat.

[0011] Selectively, the boat transfer mechanism includes the boat holder and the holder rotation axis, and the boat transfer mechanism is Before the boat holder, the holder pivot axis, and the first partition door rotate around the pivot axis to move the boat they are holding, the boat holder is rotatable around the holder pivot axis until it holds the boat in order to place the boat on it, and the boat holder is able to rise to lift the boat it is holding. The boat holder, the holder rotation axis, and the first partition door are configured such that, after rotating around the rotation axis to move the boat they hold, the boat holder can be lowered to lift the boat it holds, and the boat holder can rotate around the holder rotation axis to release the boat it holds.

[0012] Selectively, the first partition door and the boat transfer mechanism are rotatable in synchronous manner, and the first partition door assembly further includes a sealing material, which forms a gap between the sealing material and the first partition door when the first partition door and the boat transfer mechanism rotate, and which seals the gap between the loading / unloading area and the first partition door when the rotation of the first partition door and the boat transfer mechanism stops.

[0013] Selectively, the first partition door is a multi-wing revolving door, the multi-wing revolving door includes at least three door flaps, the at least three door flaps include two main door flaps and at least one secondary door flap, the two main door flaps are connected to demarcate a first side and a second side of the first partition door, and the at least one secondary door flap is located on the first side and / or the second side of the first partition door. The included angle between the adjacent door flaps is equal, and the boat transfer mechanism is installed in one-to-one correspondence between the adjacent door flaps. The boat transfer mechanism and the multi-wing rotating door are rotatable around the rotation center, and drive the boat to rotate between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area through the communication area.

[0014] Optionally, the boat loading / unloading area includes a plurality of functional sub-areas, and / or the wafer loading / unloading area includes a plurality of functional sub-areas. A partition is formed between the adjacent door flaps. When the multi-wing rotating door and the boat transfer mechanism rotate around the rotation center, each partition communicates with the functional sub-areas in sequence.

[0015] Optionally, the wafer processing apparatus includes a plurality of the loading / unloading areas and a plurality of the furnace tubes, and the boat loading / unloading area communicates with the furnace tubes in one-to-one correspondence.

[0016] Optionally, the partition door device can open when the boat passes through and close after the boat has passed through.

[0017] Optionally, the partition door device includes a second partition door assembly. The second partition door assembly includes a second partition door. The second partition door assembly includes a third state and a fourth state. In the third state, the second partition door closes the communication area. In the fourth state, the second partition door opens the communication area, and / or The second partition door assembly includes a second boat loader provided in the boat loading / unloading area. The second boat loader is configured to load the boat into the wafer loading / unloading area to close the communication area, and the second boat loader is configured to unload the boat from the wafer loading / unloading area.

[0018] Optionally, the second partition door assembly includes the second partition door, the furnace tube and the wafer loading / unloading area are installed on the same side of the boat loading / unloading area, the second partition door assembly includes a fifth state, and in the fifth state, the second partition door closes the connection end between the furnace tube and the boat loading / unloading area.

[0019] Optionally, the second partition door assembly includes the second partition door and a door driving mechanism, the door driving mechanism includes a door shaft and a cross member, the door shaft is rotatably installed between the furnace tube and the wafer loading / unloading area, and the cross member connects the second partition door and the door shaft.

[0020] Optionally, the furnace tube and the boat loading / unloading area are provided along the vertical direction, the furnace tube and the wafer loading / unloading area are provided on the same side of the boat loading / unloading area, and when loading and unloading the boat, the first boat loader and the second boat loader drive the boat to move along the vertical direction.

[0021] Optionally, the wafer processing apparatus further includes a transfer area and at least one transfer port, the transfer area is provided on one side of the wafer loading / unloading area, the transfer area is configured to place a pod, the transfer port is provided on a partition wall between the wafer loading / unloading area and the transfer area, the partition wall partially surrounds the wafer loader, the axial direction of the partition wall is parallel to the vertical direction, the transfer port is configured to allow at least the wafers in the pod to pass through, the wafer loader is configured to load the wafers in the pod into the boat in the wafer loading / unloading area, the wafer loader is configured to load the wafers on the boat into the pod in the transfer area, a holder assembly is provided on the side of the partition wall away from the wafer loader, the holder assembly includes at least one pod holder, and the pod holder is configured to place the pod in the transfer area. The holder assembly includes n columns of the pod holders provided along the circumferential direction of the partition wall, and the at least one transfer port is provided in n columns along the circumferential direction of the partition wall, where n ≧ 1. The column positions of the pod holders in each column are provided corresponding to the column positions of the transfer ports in each column.

[0022] Optionally, the partition wall partially surrounds the wafer loader at equal intervals, and n ≧ 2.

[0023] Optionally, in the n columns of pod holders, the m-th column of pod holders includes a plurality of the pod holders. The m-th column of pod holders is partitioned into i m pod holder units, where 1 ≦ m ≦ n and i m ≧ 2. The pod holder unit includes j m pod holders, where j m ≧ 1. The i m pod holder units are distributed along the vertical direction. In the n columns of transfer ports, the m-th column of transfer ports includes j m transfer ports. The m-th column of transfer ports corresponds to the column position of the m-th column of pod holders. The j m transfer ports in the m-th column of transfer ports have the same position distribution as the j m pod holders in any of the pod holder units of the m-th column of pod holders. The m-th column of pod holders is movable along the vertical direction so as to align any of the pod holder units of the m-th column of pod holders with the m-th column of transfer ports.

[0024] Optionally, j m ≧ 2. In the m-th column of pod holders, the pod holders in any two adjacent pod holder units are alternately installed in the vertical direction.

[0025] The wafer processing apparatus disclosed in the present application has the following beneficial effects.

[0026] The wafer processing apparatus in this application includes a furnace tube, an loading / unloading area, and a partition door device, wherein the loading / unloading area includes a boat loading / unloading area and a wafer loading / unloading area connected via a communication area, the boat loading / unloading area is in communication with the furnace tube, the boat loading / unloading area includes at least a first boat loader for loading and unloading boats into and out of the furnace tube, the wafer loading / unloading area includes at least a wafer loader for loading and unloading wafers into and out of boats, the partition door device is installed in the communication area, the partition door device can partition the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area, and the partition door device is operable to allow boats to flow between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area via the communication area. The partition door device is temporarily opened only when a boat is passing, allowing the boat to flow between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area via the communication area. When no boat is passing, the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area are separated by the partition door device, preventing by-products generated by the reaction in the furnace tube from passing through the communication area, thereby reducing the risk of by-products contaminating the boat and the wafers in the boat, and improving product yield.

[0027] Other features and advantages of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description or will be acquired in part through the practice of this application.

[0028] Please note that the above general and detailed descriptions are merely explanatory or illustrative and not limiting. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] The drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute part of this specification, are compatible with the embodiments of the present application and are used together with the specification to interpret the principles of the present application. As will be apparent, the drawings in the following description are only a few embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these without any creative effort. [Figure 1] This is a schematic front view of the wafer processing apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present application. [Figure 2] This is a schematic plan view of the wafer processing apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how by-products from inside the furnace tube are ejected and contaminate the wafer. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how by-products diffuse and contaminate the wafer. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a contaminated wafer. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how the boat holder in Embodiment 1 of the present invention holds a boat. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing how the boat holder in Embodiment 1 of the present invention releases the boat. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the support base in Embodiment 1 of the present invention on which the boat is placed. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the first partition door in Embodiment 1 of the present application in a closed state. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing the first partition door in Embodiment 1 of the present application in an open state. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing that the first partition door assembly in Embodiment 1 of the present application forms a plurality of partition sections. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram of a wafer processing apparatus having a plurality of furnace tubes according to Embodiment 1 of the present application. [Figure 13] This is a schematic diagram showing how the first pod holder unit in Embodiment 1 of the present application loads and unloads wafers. [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how the second pod holder unit in Embodiment 1 of the present application loads and unloads wafers. [Figure 15] This is a schematic front view of the wafer processing apparatus in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 16] This is a schematic plan view of the wafer processing apparatus in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0030] Drawing description: 100 furnace tubes, 200 Boat loading / unloading area, 201 Temporary storage position, 210 First boat loader, 300 wafer loading / unloading area, 310 wafer loaders, 400 First partition door assembly, 410 First partition door, 411 Door flap, 421 Boat sub-holder, 422 Holder sub-rotating shaft, 431 Support base, 432 Connector, 4 40 Sealing material, 500 transfer area, 510 transport port, 520 partition wall, 600 Holder Assembly, 610 Pod Holder Unit, 611 Pod Holder, 700 Second partition door assembly, 710 Second partition door, 720 Door drive mechanism, 721 Door shaft, 722 Cross member, 730 Second boat loader, 800 boat transfer device, 901 First boat, 902 Second boat, 903 Pod.

[0031] [Modes for carrying out the invention] The exemplary embodiments will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the exemplary embodiments can be implemented in various forms and are not limited to the examples described herein. Providing these embodiments will make the present application more comprehensive and complete, and will comprehensively convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0032] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Many specific details are provided in the following description to fully illustrate the embodiments of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions of the present application can be implemented without one or more of the specific details, or that other methods, components, apparatus, steps, etc., can be employed. In other cases, known methods, apparatus, implementations, or operations are not illustrated or described in detail to avoid obscuring each aspect of the present application.

[0033] The present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments. The technical features of the embodiments of the present application described below can be combined with each other, provided they do not contradict each other. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are illustrative and intended to interpret the present application, and should not be understood as limitations thereon.

[0034] Example 1 As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wafer processing apparatus in this embodiment includes a furnace tube 100, an loading / unloading area, and a partition door device. The loading / unloading area includes a boat loading / unloading area 200 and a wafer loading / unloading area 300 connected via a communication area, and the boat loading / unloading area 200 is in communication with the furnace tube 100. The boat loading / unloading area 200 includes at least a first boat loader 210 for loading and unloading boats into and out of the furnace tube 100. The wafer loading / unloading area 300 includes at least a wafer loader 310 for loading and unloading wafers into and out of boats. The wafer loader 310 is for loading and unloading wafers into and out of pods 903.

[0035] The partition door device is installed in the communication area and, in a stationary state, can partition the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300. Furthermore, the partition door device is operable to allow the boat to move between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 via the communication area. In other words, the partition door device can be temporarily opened only when a boat is passing through, allowing the boat to move between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 via the communication area. When no boat is passing through, the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are blocked off by the partition door device.

[0036] In a conventional wafer processing apparatus, when wafers on a first boat in the loading / unloading area are loaded into a furnace tube by a boat elevator for heat treatment, the second boat in the loading / unloading area can be used to load wafers at a temporary storage position to improve production efficiency. Once the wafer processing in the first boat is complete, the boat elevator removes the first boat from the furnace tube, a boat transport device places the first boat at the temporary storage position, a boat transfer device transfers the second boat to the boat elevator, and the boat elevator loads the second boat into the furnace tube for heat treatment.

[0037] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, when the first boat 901 is removed from the furnace tube, the air pressure inside the furnace tube is higher than the air pressure in the loading / unloading area. Therefore, reaction by-products inside the furnace tube are discharged from the furnace tube and contaminate the wafer on the second boat 902. Even if a purge gas is installed in the loading / unloading area, the discharge rate of the by-products is much greater than the rate of the purge gas, so the purge gas inevitably contaminates the wafer on the second boat 902. Furthermore, before the second boat 902 is loaded into the furnace tube from its temporary position and during the loading process, reaction by-products from the first boat 901 also diffuse into the second boat 902, contaminating the wafer on the second boat 902. Even if a gas purge is installed in the loading / unloading area, the purge gas can only purge and remove partially diffused by-products, and the problem of wafer contamination cannot be fundamentally solved. The problem of contamination on the side of the wafer on the second boat 902 closest to the furnace tube becomes more pronounced.

[0038] In this embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus includes a furnace tube 100, a loading / unloading area, and a partition door device. The loading / unloading area includes a boat loading / unloading area 200 and a wafer loading / unloading area 300, which are connected via a communication area. The boat loading / unloading area 200 is in communication with the furnace tube 100 and includes at least a first boat loader 210 for loading and unloading boats into and out of the furnace tube 100. The wafer loading / unloading area 300 includes a wafer loader 310 for loading and unloading wafers into and out of boats. The partition door device is provided in the communication area and can partition the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300. The partition door device is operable to allow boats to move between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 via the communication area. The partition door device is temporarily opened only when a boat is passing, allowing the boat to move between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 via the communication area. When no boat is passing, the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are blocked by the partition door device, preventing by-products generated by the reaction in the furnace tube 100 from passing through the communication area, thereby reducing the risk of by-products contaminating the boat and the wafers in the boat, and improving product yield.

[0039] Furthermore, when the boat is removed from the furnace tube 100, the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are separated by a partition door device. In addition, a gas purging process can be installed in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300. Once the reaction by-products on the boat are purged in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 to the required extent, the partition door device is activated, meaning that the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are temporarily connected, allowing the boat to move between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300. This further reduces the risk of by-products contaminating the boat and the wafers on the boat, thereby improving product yield.

[0040] In some embodiments, the partition door device can be driven to move the boat, thereby allowing the boat to flow between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 via the communication area. That is, when the partition door device is stationary, it partitions the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300, and when the partition door device is activated, it drives the first boat 901 of the boat loading / unloading area 200 to move to the wafer loading / unloading area 300, and drives the second boat 902 of the wafer loading / unloading area 300 to move to the boat loading / unloading area 200. Once the loading process into the furnace tube 100 by the second boat 902 is complete, and the loading and unloading of wafers by the first boat 901 in the wafer loading / unloading area 300 is complete and wafers have been loaded again, the partition door device again swaps the areas where the two boats are located, causing the two boats to circulate between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300, continuing the process of loading unprocessed wafers from the wafer loading / unloading area 300 into the furnace tube 100, and after wafer processing is complete, sending them back to the wafer loading / unloading area 300 to proceed to the next process.

[0041] The partition door device separates the boat loading / unloading area 200 from the wafer loading / unloading area 300. When the partition door device is opened, the areas where the two boats are located are swapped, thereby shortening the time that the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are in communication, which is advantageous in reducing the risk of by-products contaminating the boats and wafers in the boats.

[0042] Exemplary, the partition door device includes a first partition door assembly 400, which includes a first partition door 410 and a plurality of boat transfer mechanisms. Each boat transfer mechanism is for loading and moving at least one boat, and the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms include a first boat transfer mechanism and a second boat transfer mechanism, which are provided distributed on the opposing first and second sides of the first partition door 410.

[0043] At least several boat transfer mechanisms are rotatable around a center of rotation to form a first state and a second state, in which the first boat transfer mechanism is located in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the second boat transfer mechanism is located in the wafer loading / unloading area 300, and in which state the second boat transfer mechanism is located in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the first boat transfer mechanism is located in the wafer loading / unloading area 300, that is, by exchanging the areas in which the boat transfer mechanisms are located, the areas in which the first boat 901 and the second boat 902 are located are exchanged.

[0044] At least the boat transfer mechanism can rotate around a center of rotation, meaning the first partition door 410 can be raised, lowered, or slipped, thereby connecting the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300. The areas where the two boats are located can be exchanged simply by rotating the boat transfer mechanism. The boat transfer mechanism can also be connected to the first partition door 410, and the connection can be direct or indirect, movable or fixed. The boat transfer mechanism and the first partition door 410 can be rotated synchronously to exchange the areas where the two boats are located. In some embodiments, the two boat transfer mechanisms are arranged symmetrically around a center, and the center of symmetry, which is a common center point between the two boat transfer mechanisms, can be the center of rotation of the boat transfer mechanism. In other embodiments, the center of rotation is set according to the actual situation.

[0045] The first and second boat transfer mechanisms are provided on the opposing first and second sides of the first partition door 410, and the areas where the two boats are located are exchanged by rotating the boat transfer mechanisms 180° around the rotation center.

[0046] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the boat transfer mechanism includes a boat holder and a holder rotation axis, the boat holder being rotatably mounted on the first partition door 410 via the holder rotation axis. The holder rotation axis may be directly or indirectly connected to the first partition door 410, and the connection may be movable or fixed, as long as the holder rotation axis becomes the rotation axis of the boat holder and the boat transfer mechanism rotates synchronously with the first partition door 410. The boat holder can rotate around the support rotation axis until it holds a boat in order to place a boat on it, the boat holder can rotate around the holder rotation axis to release the held boat, and the boat holder, holder rotation axis and the first partition door 410 can rotate synchronously around a rotation center in order to move the held boat and to switch the multiple boat transfer mechanisms between a first state and a second state.

[0047] The boat transfer mechanism includes a boat holder and a holder rotation axis, and the boat holder is rotatable around the holder rotation axis to hold or release the boat, but is not limited to this. The boat transfer mechanism may also employ a telescopic structure, and the boat transfer mechanism holds or releases the boat by telescopic movement, and the specifics may be determined on a case-by-case basis.

[0048] The boat transfer mechanism includes a boat holder and a holder rotation axis. The boat holder rotates around the holder axis to hold or release the boat. Compared to a system where the boat transfer mechanism holds or releases the boat by extension or retraction, this design makes it easier to achieve boat holding or release, reducing the manufacturing cost of the wafer processing equipment and improving the robustness of the boat transfer mechanism.

[0049] The boat transfer mechanism includes a boat holder and a holder rotation axis, the boat holder rotating around the holder rotation axis to hold or release the boat.

[0050] In some embodiments, the boat holder is a single-arm holder, meaning the boat transfer mechanism holds or releases the boat by rotating the boat holder. Preferably, when the boat holder is a single-arm holder, there is a cooperative structure between the boat holder and the boat so that the boat holder can firmly hold the boat. The cooperative structure is, for example, a hooking mechanism or a gripping mechanism, which enables the boat to be held or released.

[0051] In some embodiments, the boat holder is a multi-arm clamping holder, i.e., the boat holder includes a plurality of boat sub-holders 421, and the boat mounting mechanism holds or releases the boat by moving the plurality of boat sub-holders 421 closer to or further apart from each other, and is simple in structure and convenient to operate.

[0052] Specifically, the boat holder includes a plurality of boat sub-holders 421, the holder rotation axis includes a plurality of holder sub-rotation axes 422, the holder sub-rotation axes 422 are connected to the first partition door 410, and the connection may be direct or indirect, movable or fixed, as long as the holder sub-rotation axes 422 become the rotation axis of the boat sub-holders 421 and enable synchronous rotation between the boat transfer mechanism and the first partition door 410. Each boat sub-holder 421 is rotatably connected to the first partition door 410 via each holder sub-rotation axis 422, and the boat sub-holders 421 are rotatable around the holder sub-rotation axis 422. As shown in the embodiment in Figures 6 and 7, the boat holder includes two boat sub-holders 421, the holder rotation axis includes two holder sub-rotation axes 422, and the holder sub-rotation axes 422 are fixedly installed on the first partition door 410 at least in a horizontal position. The boat holder is rotatable around the holder axis until it holds a boat in order to place a boat on it, and the multiple boat sub-holders 421 of the boat holder are rotatable until they gather and clamp a boat in order to place a boat on it, and the boat holder is rotatable around the holder axis until it releases a boat it is holding, and the multiple boat sub-holders 421 of the boat holder are rotatable until they separate to release the clamped boat.

[0053] Preferably, the boat holder includes two boat sub-holders 421, and the holder rotation axis includes two holder sub-rotation axes 422, as shown in Figure 6, resulting in a simple structural design, easy operation, and the ability to hold the boat relatively firmly. By providing one boat holder on each side of the first partition door 410, the boat can be held or released. In other embodiments, two and more boat holders may be provided on the same side of the first partition door 410, and the multiple boat holders may be installed vertically spaced apart to clamp the boat at multiple points and improve the stability of holding the boat.

[0054] In some embodiments, the boat transfer mechanism is configured such that at least the boat holder is reciprocally movable in the vertical direction. Before the boat holder, holder pivot axis and first partition door 410 rotate around the pivot axis to move the boat being held, the boat holder is rotatable around the holder pivot axis until it holds the boat to place the boat on it, and the boat holder can rise to lift the boat being held; after the boat holder, holder pivot axis and first partition door 410 rotate around the pivot axis to move the boat being held, the boat holder is rotatable around the holder pivot axis to lift the boat being held, and the boat holder is rotatable around the holder pivot axis to release the boat being held. For example, after the first boat loader 210 unloads the first boat 901 from the furnace tube 100, the boat holder can rotate around its pivot axis to hold the boat in order to place it on top of the boat, and then the boat holder can rise to lift the placed boat away from the first boat loader 210, thereby facilitating the boat holder to rotate around its pivot axis and enabling a switch between a first and second state to exchange the areas in which the first boat 901 and the second boat 902 are located. Before the first boat loader 210 loads the second boat 902 into the furnace tube 100, the boat holder can lower to place the second boat 902 onto the first boat loader 210, and then the boat holder can rotate around its pivot axis to release the boat it is holding.

[0055] In some embodiments, the boat holder achieves vertical reciprocating motion by driving a holder rotation shaft, and the holder rotation shaft is movably connected to the first partition door 410 so as to be able to reciprocate along the vertical direction. In some embodiments, the holder rotation shaft is fixedly and directly connected to the first partition door 410, and the boat holder achieves vertical reciprocating motion by driving the holder rotation shaft and the first partition door 410.

[0056] The boat holder can reciprocate vertically, allowing it to lift the boat from the first boat loader 210 when removing it, and to rotate the boat holder to a predetermined position before lowering it to release the boat, thus avoiding collisions during the boat's movement that could affect product yield. Furthermore, the boat holder's ability to reciprocate vertically to hold or release the boat allows for smooth transfer of the boat to and from the first boat loader 210, eliminating the need for a boat transfer device 800 in the boat loading / unloading area 200 to transfer the boat from the first boat loader 210 to the boat transfer mechanism, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the wafer processing equipment.

[0057] As shown in Figure 8, in some embodiments, the boat transfer mechanism includes support bases 431, two of which are installed on the first and second sides of the first partition door 410, respectively, and the support bases 431 are configured to support a boat and move the supported boat when they rotate around a center of rotation. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the two support bases 431 are installed symmetrically, and the center of rotation may be a common center point of the two support bases 431, while in other embodiments, the center of rotation of the support bases 431 is set according to the actual requirements. If the boat transfer mechanism includes support bases 431, a boat transfer device 800 may be provided in the boat loading / unloading area 200 for transferring a boat from the first boat loader 210 onto the support bases 431 or transferring a boat from the support bases 431 to the first boat loader 210. Furthermore, the support base 431 may be provided with structures such as suction cups or card slots to secure the boat so that it does not tilt or displace when the support base 431 rotates around its center of rotation.

[0058] The boat transfer mechanism includes a support base 431, and by placing and moving the boat on the support base 431, it becomes easier to exchange the areas in which the two boats are located.

[0059] In some embodiments, the support base 431 of the first boat transfer mechanism and the support base 431 of the second boat transfer mechanism are connected by a connector 432, the connector 432 is connected to the first partition door 410, and the connector 432 and the support base 431 are installed on the same side of the first partition door 410. The connector 432 and the support base 431 may be connected integrally, and a rotary drive device such as a motor may be provided on the side of the connector 432 and the support base 431 away from the first partition door 410. The support base 431, the connector 432 and the first partition door 410 can rotate synchronously, thereby exchanging the areas in which the first boat transfer mechanism and the second boat transfer mechanism are located, and thus exchanging the areas in which the two boats are located.

[0060] The support base 431 is used to rotate the boat as a boat transfer mechanism and also functions as a base for rotating the first partition door 410, thereby simplifying the structure of the first partition door assembly 400.

[0061] The boat transfer mechanism includes a support base 431, or includes a boat holder and a holder rotation shaft, but is not limited to this. The boat transfer mechanism may include the support base 431, the boat holder, and the holder rotation shaft simultaneously, and the specific configuration may be determined on a case-by-case basis. The boat transfer mechanism includes the support base 431, the boat holder, and the holder rotation shaft simultaneously, and the boat held by the boat holder and the holder rotation shaft is placed on the support base 431. This makes it less likely for the boat to tilt or sway during the rotation of the boat transfer mechanism and the first partition door 410. At the same time, the support base 431 can be used as a support to reduce the number of boat sub-holders 421 of the boat holder, and can be reduced to two, for example.

[0062] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the first partition door 410 and the boat transfer mechanism can rotate synchronously. The first partition door assembly 400 further includes a sealant 440, which may be installed between the first partition door 410 and the inner wall of the loading / unloading area. Before the first partition door 410 and the boat transfer mechanism rotate, the sealant 440 moves away from the first partition door 410, and as the first partition door 410 and the boat transfer mechanism rotate, a gap is formed between the sealant 440 and the first partition door 410. When the rotation of the first partition door 410 and the boat transfer mechanism stops, the sealant 440 moves towards the first partition door 410, sealing the gap between the loading / unloading area and the first partition door 410.

[0063] By installing a sealing material 440 between the first partition door 410 and the loading / unloading area, the sealing effect of the first partition door 410 can be enhanced, further reducing the risk of by-products contaminating the boat and the wafers in the boat.

[0064] As shown in Figure 11, the first partition door 410 is a multi-wing revolving door, which includes at least three door flaps 411, of which at least three door flaps 411 include two main door flaps and at least one secondary door flap, the two main door flaps being connected to demarcate the first and second sides of the first partition door 410, and at least one secondary door flap being located on the first side and / or the second side of the first partition door 410. All door flaps 411 are mounted in a ring array and have a common axis of rotation, i.e., center of rotation. The angle between each pair of adjacent door flaps 411 is equal, a partition is formed between adjacent door flaps 411, and the angle between the door flaps 411 corresponding to each partition is the same.

[0065] The first partition door assembly 400 includes a plurality of boat transfer mechanisms, which include a first boat transfer mechanism, a second boat transfer mechanism, ..., a p boat transfer mechanism, where p is the number of partition sections. The boat transfer mechanisms are provided in one-to-one correspondence between adjacent door flaps 411, i.e., the boat transfer mechanisms are provided in one-to-one correspondence between partition sections. The boat transfer mechanisms are rotatable about a center of rotation to drive boats to flow between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 via a communication area.

[0066] Each boat transfer mechanism can place and move at least one boat, the first partition door 410 is a multi-blade rotating door, the door flaps 411 of the multi-blade rotating door are provided in a ring array to form multiple partition sections, the boat transfer mechanisms are installed in one-to-one correspondence between adjacent door flaps 411, the boat transfer mechanisms and the first partition door 410 in the first partition door assembly 400 are synchronously rotatable, the first partition door assembly 400 can place and move more boats simultaneously, thereby improving the operational efficiency of the wafer processing apparatus in processing wafers.

[0067] As shown in Figure 11, the boat loading / unloading area 200 includes at least one functional sub-area, and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 includes at least one functional sub-area. The number of functional sub-areas included in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the number of functional sub-areas included in the wafer loading / unloading area 300 may be the same or different. For example, some functional sub-areas in the boat loading / unloading area 200 are configured to connect furnace tubes 100, some functional sub-areas in the boat loading / unloading area 200 are configured to pre-process, cool, or temporarily store boats, some functional sub-areas in the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are configured to load and unload wafers into and out of boats, and some functional sub-areas in the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are configured to pre-process, cool, or temporarily store boats, as determined on a case-by-case basis. The first partition door 410 and the boat transfer mechanism rotate around a rotation center, sequentially connecting each partition section to a functional sub-area, and further sequentially moving each boat between different functional sub-areas. To make it easier to understand, when the first partition door 410 rotates, the functional sub-regions communicate with each other, and after the rotation of the first partition door 410 is completed and each partition section communicates with a functional sub-region in a one-to-one correspondence, the first partition door 410 is closed, and the spaces between the functional sub-regions are separated.

[0068] Depending on the actual needs, the number of functional sub-regions included in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the number of functional sub-regions included in the wafer loading / unloading area 300 can be set. It can be understood that the sum of the number of functional sub-regions included in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the number of functional sub-regions included in the wafer loading / unloading area 300 is the same as the number of partition sections partitioned by the first partition door 410, i.e., the multi-wing rotating door. In some embodiments, when there is an even number of partition sections, the two main door flaps connected in the first partition door 410 form an angle of 180 degrees, and when there is an odd number of partition sections, the angle between the two main door flaps connected in the first partition door 410 is less than 180 degrees, but is not limited to this, and when there is an even number of partition sections, the angle between the two main door flaps connected in the first partition door 410 may be greater than 180 degrees.

[0069] The boat loading / unloading area 200 includes a plurality of functional sub-areas, and / or the wafer loading / unloading area 300 includes a plurality of functional sub-areas, and the plurality of door flaps 411 provided on the ring array form a plurality of partition sections, and the boat transfer mechanism is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the partition sections, sequentially connecting each partition section to a functional sub-area, and further, by sequentially moving each boat between different functional sub-areas and providing more functional sub-areas for pre-processing, cooling or temporarily storing the boats, the processing efficiency of wafers by the wafer processing apparatus can be further improved, and the first partition door assembly 400 includes a first partition door 410, i.e., a multi-blade rotating door, thereby achieving separation between the plurality of functional sub-areas and further reducing contamination.

[0070] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 12, the wafer processing apparatus includes a plurality of loading / unloading areas and a plurality of furnace tubes 100, each loading / unloading area including a boat loading / unloading area 200 and a wafer loading / unloading area 300 connected via a communication area, the first partition door assembly 400 is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the communication area, and the boat loading / unloading area 200 communicates with the furnace tubes 100 in one-to-one correspondence.

[0071] The wafer processing apparatus includes multiple furnace tubes 100, and the multiple furnace tubes 100 can process multiple boats simultaneously, thereby improving the wafer processing efficiency of the wafer processing apparatus. In the wafer processing apparatus, multiple wafer loading / unloading areas 300 can share a wafer transfer machine, and accordingly, the transfer area 500 and the transport port 510 can be shared, thereby reducing the cost of the wafer processing apparatus and minimizing the space occupied by the wafer processing apparatus.

[0072] As shown in Figures 2, 13, and 14 (Figures 13 and 14 show cross-section AA in Figure 2), the wafer processing apparatus further includes a transfer area 500 and a transport port 510, the transport port 510 being at least one, the transfer area 500 being located on the wafer loading / unloading area 300 side, and the transfer area 500 being configured to place a pod 903. The transport port 510 is located in a partition wall 520 between the wafer loading / unloading area 300 and the transfer area 500, the partition wall 520 partially enclosing the wafer loader 310, the axial direction of the partition wall 520 being parallel to the vertical direction, and the transport port 510 being configured to allow at least wafers in the pod 903 to pass through. Preferably, the transport port 510 is a FIMS (Front-Opening Interface Mechanical Standard) device, and the transport port 510 is further configured to open or close the pod 903. The wafer loader 310 is configured to load wafers from pod 903 into a boat in wafer loading / unloading area 300, and the wafer loader 310 is configured to load wafers from the boat into pod 903 in transfer area 500.

[0073] A holder assembly 600 is installed on the side of the partition wall 520 away from the wafer loader 310, and the holder assembly 600 includes at least one pod holder 611, which is configured to hold some of the pods 903 of the transfer area 500. The holder assembly 600 includes n rows of pod holders 611 provided along the circumferential direction of the partition wall 520, and at least one transport port 510 is provided in n rows along the circumferential direction of the partition wall 520, where n is 1 or more, and the row position of the pod holders 611 in each row corresponds to the row position of the transport port 510 in each row.

[0074] When n is equal to 1, the single row of transport ports 510 may include multiple transport ports 510, and when n is greater than 1, the multiple rows of transport ports 510 are arranged surrounding the wafer loader 310, so that the wafer loader 310 can access wafers in different pods 903 via the multiple transport ports 510 as needed, or once access to a wafer in one pod 903 is complete, the wafer loader 310 can access a wafer in another pod 903 in a timely manner, improving the operational flexibility and work efficiency of the internal structure of the wafer processing apparatus.

[0075] The holder assembly 600 is installed on the partition wall 520, and the pod 903 is placed on the holder assembly 600. This reduces the distance between the pod 903 and the boat, thereby reducing the time required for loading and unloading wafers and improving the operational efficiency of the wafer processing equipment.

[0076] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 2, the partition walls 520 partially surround the wafer loader 310 at equal intervals, where n is 2 or more. Partially surrounding the wafer loader 310 with the partition walls 520 at equal intervals may also mean that at least multiple rows of transport ports 510 in the partition walls 520 surround the wafer loader 310 at equal intervals.

[0077] Multiple rows of pod holders 611 are installed along the circumferential direction of the partition wall 520, and multiple rows of transport ports 510 are provided along the circumferential direction of the partition wall 520. The positions of the pod holders 611 in each row correspond to the positions of the transport ports 510 in each row. The wafer loader 310 can load and unload wafers from multiple rows of pod holders 611. Furthermore, by arranging the partition wall 520, the wafer loader 310 can be partially surrounded at equal intervals. This makes the distance from the wafer loader 310 to each row of pod holders 611 equal or approximately equal, reducing the difficulty of loading and unloading wafers, improving the work efficiency of the wafer processing device, and simplifying the structural design of the wafer loader 310.

[0078] In some embodiments, in a pod holder 611 with n columns, the m-th column pod holder 611 contains multiple pod holders 611, and the m-th column pod holder 611 is i m The pod holder unit 610 is partitioned into individual pod holder units, where 1 ≤ m ≤ n, i m It is 2 or more. The pod holder unit 610 is j m Includes individual pod holders 611, j m is 1 or greater, i m n pod holder units 610 are distributed along the vertical direction. In n rows of transport ports 510, the transport port 510 in the mth row contains j m It includes several transport ports 510, where the transport port 510 in the mth column corresponds to the column position of the pod holder 611 in the mth column, and j in the transport port 510 in the mth column. m Each transport port 510 is located in the j of any of the pod holder units 610 of the m-th row pod holder 611. m The positional distribution of the m-th pod holder 611 is the same, and the m-th pod holder 611 can move vertically, so that one of the pod holder units 610 in the m-th pod holder 611 is aligned with the m-th transport port 510. In the embodiments shown in Figures 2, 13 and 14, n=4, m=1, 2, 3 or 4, and i m =2, j m = 2. To make it understandable, if the pod holder 611 in different columns in n columns, i.e., the m value changes, i m and j m The value of may change depending on m, or for each pod holder 611 in each column, i m and j m The value of does not necessarily have to change with m, and can be determined according to the specific situation.

[0079] The m-th column pod holder 611 contains multiple pod holders 611, and the m-th column pod holder 611 is i mIt may be understood that, although the pod holder units 610 are partitioned and multiple pod holders 611 included in the m-th row pod holder 611 may have other pod holders 611 installed both above and below them, these other pod holders 611 do not belong to the multiple pod holders 611 included in the m-th row pod holder 611.

[0080] The n-row pod holder 611 can move vertically synchronously or asynchronously. Synchronous vertical movement of the n-row pod holder 611 simplifies the design of the holder assembly 600, while asynchronous vertical movement of the n-row pod holder 611 improves the efficiency of wafer access operations.

[0081] This allows the holder assembly 600 to move vertically, resulting in at least one row of transport ports 510 having fewer transport ports than the corresponding row of pod holders 611. Multiple pod holders 611 in the corresponding row share the transport port 510, thereby reducing the number of transport ports 510, lowering the manufacturing cost of the wafer processing apparatus, ensuring sufficient space for transport ports 510, and simplifying the installation of the transport ports 510.

[0082] j m The number of pod holders is 2 or more, and in the m-th row of the pod holder 611, the pod holders 611 in any two adjacent pod holder units 610 are arranged alternately in the vertical direction. Exemplarily, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, each row of pod holders 611 includes four pod holders 611, the four pod holders 611 are divided into two pod holder units 610, each pod holder unit 610 includes two pod holders 611, and the pod holders 611 in any two adjacent pod holder units 610 are arranged alternately in the vertical direction. Each row of transport ports 510 includes two transport ports 510.

[0083] When two pod holder units 610 are arranged alternately adjacent to each other in the vertical direction and differ only in the position of one pod holder 611, when moving the holder assembly 600 vertically, alignment between the pod holder 611 and the transport port 510 in the other adjacent pod holder unit 610 can be achieved by moving only the height of one pod holder 611. This reduces the vertical movement stroke of the holder assembly 600, reduces collisions and contamination during the movement process, and improves wafer processing efficiency.

[0084] In another embodiment, if two pod holder units 610 arranged alternately adjacent to each other in the vertical direction differ by the positions of x pod holders 611, then when moving the holder assembly 600 in the vertical direction, alignment between the pod holders 611 and the transport port 510 in the adjacent pod holder unit 610 can be achieved by moving only the height of x pod holders 611. Clearly, x <j m That is the case.

[0085] Preferably, i m =2, j m = 2. That is, each pod holder 611 in a column contains two pod holder units 610, and each pod holder unit 610 contains two pod holders 611.

[0086] Each row of pod holder 611 includes two pod holder units 610, and each pod holder unit 610 includes two pod holders 611, thereby enabling the wafer loader 310 to quickly access wafers, avoiding the wafer access speed becoming a bottleneck in improving the operational efficiency of the wafer processing equipment, and at the same time avoiding increasing the manufacturing cost of the wafer processing equipment due to having too many pod holders 611.

[0087] In some embodiments, the wafer processing apparatus further includes a sealing device, which may be located in the boat loading / unloading area 200 and on the furnace tube 100 side. The sealing device is configured to seal the connection end between the furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200. When the furnace tube 100 processes a boat, the connection end between the furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200 is sealed by a first boat loader 210, and after the first boat loader 210 has descended, the connection end between the furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200 is sealed by the sealing device. This prevents contaminants in the boat loading / unloading area 200 from spreading to the furnace tube 100, prevents contamination of wafers processed by the furnace tube 100, and reduces the frequency of cleaning maintenance of the furnace tube 100.

[0088] The wafer processing apparatus further includes a purge intake for introducing an inert gas to purge the boat loading / unloading area 200 and / or wafer loading / unloading area 300, and an exhaust port for exhausting the introduced gas. In some embodiments, once the boat loading / unloading area 200 has been purged to a degree of contamination that meets the requirements, a partition door device is operated to allow the boat to flow between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300, thereby further reducing contamination caused by reaction by-products in the furnace tube 100. The furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200 are installed vertically, and the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are installed horizontally, with the purge intake and exhaust ports installed horizontally. Preferably, the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction are perpendicular to each other, in order to avoid causing contamination of the wafer by allowing airflow from the purge gas between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300.

[0089] Example 2 The main difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is the type of partition door device used.

[0090] In Embodiment 1, the partition door device can be driven to move the boat, thereby allowing the boat to move between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 via the communication area. In Embodiment 2, the partition door device can open when the boat passes through and close after the boat has passed. When the partition door device is open, the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are in communication, and when the partition door device is closed, the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are separated by the partition door device.

[0091] The partition door device can be opened when a boat passes through and closed after the boat has passed, allowing boats to be moved without going through the partition door device, and simplifying the structure of the partition door device.

[0092] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the partition door device in this embodiment includes a second partition door assembly 700. The second partition door assembly 700 includes a second partition door 710. The second partition door assembly 700 includes a third state and a fourth state, in which the second partition door 710 closes the communication area, and in which the second partition door 710 opens the communication area. The second partition door 710 can open and close the communication area by sliding or rotating.

[0093] The second partition door assembly 700 includes a second partition door 710, which can slide or rotate to open and close the communication area, enabling communication or separation between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300, and has a simple structure.

[0094] In some embodiments, the furnace tube 100 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are located on the same side of the boat loading / unloading area 200. That is, the furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200 are installed vertically, both the furnace tube 100 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are installed above the boat loading / unloading area 200, and the furnace tube 100 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are installed horizontally. The second partition door assembly 700 includes a fifth state, in which the second partition door 710 closes the connection end between the furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200.

[0095] The second partition door 710 may be configured to separate the boat loading / unloading area 200 from the wafer loading / unloading area 300, or it may be configured to close the connection end between the furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200. In other words, the second partition door 710 may be redundant with the sealing device in the first embodiment. This prevents contaminants in the boat loading / unloading area 200 from spreading to the furnace tube 100, prevents contamination of wafers for subsequent processing by the furnace tube 100, reduces the number of cleaning maintenance cycles for the furnace tube 100, and simplifies the structure of the wafer processing apparatus.

[0096] Exemplary, the second partition door assembly 700 includes a second partition door 710 and a door drive mechanism 720, the door drive mechanism 720 including a door shaft 721 and a cross member 722, the door shaft 721 being rotatably installed between the furnace tube 100 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300, and the cross member 722 connecting the second partition door 710 and the door shaft 721. The second partition door 710 can rotate around the door shaft 721 to close the lower end of the furnace tube 100 (i.e., a fifth state, which is the connection end between the furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200) or the communication area (i.e., a third state), or to be positioned between the lower end of the furnace tube 100 and the communication area (i.e., a fourth state). As shown in Figure 16, the second partition door 710 may be located in the illustrated position, that is, Figure 16 shows the second partition door assembly 700 in the fourth state, and the second partition door 710 may be located in the position indicated by the dotted line in Figure 16, when the second partition door 710 is located in the position indicated by the left dotted line, the second partition door assembly 700 is in the fifth state, and when the second partition door 710 is located in the position indicated by the right dotted line, the second partition door assembly 700 is in the third state.

[0097] The second partition door 710 can be positioned at one of three locations: the lower end of the furnace tube 100, the communication area, or between the lower end of the furnace tube 100 and the communication area. By rotating the second partition door 710 using the door drive mechanism 720, the second partition door 710 can be moved between these three locations: the lower end of the furnace tube 100, the communication area, or between the lower end of the furnace tube 100 and the communication area, thereby enabling a change in position and simplifying the structure of the second partition door assembly 700.

[0098] In some embodiments, the second partition door assembly 700 includes a second boat loader 730, which is installed in the boat loading / unloading area 200. The second boat loader 730 is configured to load a boat into the wafer loading / unloading area 300 and close the communication area, and to unload a boat from the wafer loading / unloading area 300.

[0099] The second partition door assembly 700 includes a second boat loader 730, which is configured to load and unload boats into and out of the wafer loading / unloading area 300, and to block the communication area between the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300. By multiplexing the second boat loader 730, the structure of the wafer processing apparatus can be simplified.

[0100] In some embodiments, the furnace tubes 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200 are arranged vertically, and the furnace tubes 100 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are located on the same side as the boat loading / unloading area 200. When loading or unloading a boat, the first boat loader 210 and the second boat loader 730 are driven to move the boat vertically.

[0101] The furnace tube 100 and the boat loading / unloading area 200 are installed along the vertical direction, that is, the wafer processing apparatus includes a vertical furnace, and the furnace tube 100 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are located on the same side of the boat loading / unloading area 200, and when loading or unloading a boat, the first boat loader 210 and the second boat loader 730 are driven to move the boat along the vertical direction, and the configuration of the first boat loader 210 and the second boat loader 730 is the same, which is advantageous in reducing the manufacturing cost of the wafer processing apparatus.

[0102] Preferably, the second partition door assembly 700 includes a second partition door 710 and a second boat loader 730. When the wafer processing apparatus is in operation, the first boat 901 is processed in the furnace tube 100, and during the processing, the first boat loader 210 can seal the lower end of the furnace tube 100, the second boat 902 loads the wafer into the wafer loading / unloading area 300, at which time the second boat loader 730 can block the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300, when processing of the first boat 901 is completed, the first boat loader 210 descends, and the first boat 901 placed on the first boat loader 210 can be moved by the boat transfer device 800 to a temporary storage position 201 in the boat loading / unloading area 200, the temporary storage position 201 is used to temporarily store the boat, the boat waits in that position for the next processing, pre-processing or cooling, and the second partition door 710 can rotate to the lower end of the furnace tube 100 until the furnace tube 100 is closed, wafer After the second boat 902 has completed loading the wafers in the loading / unloading area 300, it is moved to the boat loading / unloading area 200 by the second boat loader 730, the boat transfer device 800 transfers the second boat 902 to the first boat loader 210, the first boat loader 210 loads the second boat 902 into the furnace tube 100 for processing, and after the second boat 902 has descended, the second partition door 710 separates the boat loading / unloading area 200 from the wafer loading area To block the output area 300, the boat transfer device 800 is rotatable to the communication area, and after the first boat 901 has cooled, the boat transfer device 800 transfers the first boat 901 to the second boat loader 730, the second partition door 710 rotates to a position between the lower end of the furnace tube 100 and the communication area, and the second boat loader 730 transfers the first boat 901 to the wafer loading / unloading area 300, thereby blocking the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300.

[0103] The second partition door assembly 700 includes a second partition door 710 and a second boat loader 730, which allows for the rapid exchange of the positions of the two boats, reduces the time the boat loading / unloading area 200 and the wafer loading / unloading area 300 are in contact, and is advantageous in reducing the risk of by-products contaminating the boats and wafers on the boats.

[0104] The main difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is the partition door device. Since the structure other than the partition door device in Example 1, namely the transport port 510, holder assembly 600, and transport area 500, is also applied to Example 2, a detailed explanation of these components is omitted in Example 2.

[0105] The terms "first," "second," etc., are merely descriptive and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of technical features being referred to. Therefore, features such as "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "plural" means two or more unless otherwise specified.

[0106] In this application, unless otherwise specifically defined or limited, terms such as "assembly" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, as fixed connections, removable connections, or integral connections. Connections may be mechanical, electrical, direct, indirectly via an intermediate medium, or as internal communication between two elements or as an interaction relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0107] In this specification, any description referring to terms such as “several examples” or “exemplary” means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in such examples or in conjunction with them are included in at least one example of this application. In this specification, a schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily mean the same example or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more examples. Also, a person skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described herein, provided that they do not conflict with each other.

[0108] Although embodiments of the present application have been described above, these embodiments are illustrative and should not be understood as limitations on the present application. A person skilled in the art may make changes, modifications, substitutions, and alterations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present application, but any changes or modifications made by the claims and specification of the present application shall all fall within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A wafer processing apparatus including a furnace tube, an loading / unloading area, and a partition door device, The loading / unloading area includes a boat loading / unloading area and a wafer loading / unloading area connected via a communication area, the boat loading / unloading area is in communication with the furnace tube, the boat loading / unloading area includes at least a first boat loader for loading / unloading boats into and out of the furnace tube, and the wafer loading / unloading area includes at least a wafer loader for loading / unloading wafers into and out of boats. The partition door device is installed in the communication area, and the partition door device is capable of separating the boat loading / unloading area from the wafer loading / unloading area, and the partition door device is operable to allow the boat to move between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area via the communication area. The partition door device can be driven to move the boat so that the boat can be moved between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area via the communication area. The partition door device includes a first partition door assembly having a first partition door and a plurality of boat transfer mechanisms, each of the boat transfer mechanisms configured to place and move at least one boat, the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms includes a first boat transfer mechanism and a second boat transfer mechanism, the first boat transfer mechanism and the second boat transfer mechanism are provided distributed on opposing first and second sides of the first partition door, and at least the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms are rotatable around a center of rotation to form a first state and a second state, in the first state the first boat transfer mechanism is located in the boat loading / unloading area and the second boat transfer mechanism is located in the wafer loading / unloading area, in the second state the second boat transfer mechanism is located in the boat loading / unloading area and the first boat transfer mechanism is located in the wafer loading / unloading area, The boat transfer mechanism includes a boat holder and a holder rotation shaft, the boat holder is mounted on the holder rotation shaft, the holder rotation shaft is connected to the first partition door, the boat holder is rotatable around the holder rotation shaft until it holds a boat for placing a boat on it, the boat holder is rotatable around the holder rotation shaft to release the held boat, and the boat holder, the holder rotation shaft and the first partition door are rotatable synchronously around the rotation center to move the held boat and to switch the plurality of boat transfer mechanisms between the first state and the second state. The boat holder includes a plurality of boat sub-holders, the holder rotation axis includes a plurality of holder sub-rotation axes, the boat sub-holders are mounted on the holder sub-rotation axes, the holder sub-rotation axes are connected to the first partition door, and the boat sub-holders are rotatable around the holder sub-rotation axes. The boat holder is rotatable around its pivot axis until it holds a boat in order to place a boat on it, and the plurality of boat sub-holders of the boat holder are rotatable until they gather and clamp a boat in order to place a boat on it. The boat holder is rotatable around the holder's pivot axis to release the boat it holds, and the plurality of boat sub-holders of the boat holder are rotatable until they are separated to release the clamped boats. A wafer processing apparatus characterized by the following:

2. The boat transfer mechanism includes the boat holder and the holder rotation shaft, and the boat transfer mechanism is Before the boat holder, the holder pivot axis, and the first partition door rotate around the pivot axis to move the boat they are holding, the boat holder is rotatable around the holder pivot axis until it holds the boat in order to place the boat on it, and the boat holder is able to rise to lift the boat it is holding. The boat holder, the holder pivot axis, and the first partition door are configured such that, after rotating around the pivot axis to move the boat they hold, the boat holder can be lowered to lift the boat it holds, and the boat holder can rotate around the holder pivot axis to release the boat it holds. The wafer processing apparatus according to feature 1.

3. The first partition door and the boat transfer mechanism are rotatable in synchronous manner, and the first partition door assembly further includes a sealing material, which forms a gap between the sealing material and the first partition door when the first partition door and the boat transfer mechanism rotate, and which seals the gap between the loading / unloading area and the first partition door when the rotation of the first partition door and the boat transfer mechanism stops. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first partition door is a multi-wing revolving door, the multi-wing revolving door includes at least three door flaps, the at least three door flaps include two main door flaps and at least one sub-door flap, the two main door flaps are connected to separate a first side and a second side of the first partition door, and the at least one sub-door flap is located on the first side and / or the second side of the first partition door. The angle between adjacent door flaps is equal, the boat transfer mechanism is installed in a one-to-one correspondence between adjacent door flaps, the boat transfer mechanism and the multi-blade rotating door are rotatable about the rotation center, and drive the boat to rotate between the boat loading / unloading area and the wafer loading / unloading area via the communication area. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The boat loading / unloading area includes a plurality of functional sub-regions, and / or the wafer loading / unloading area includes a plurality of functional sub-regions, with partition divisions formed between adjacent door flaps, and the multi-blade rotating door and the boat transfer mechanism rotate around the rotation center so that each partition division sequentially communicates with the functional sub-region. The wafer processing apparatus according to feature 4.

6. The wafer processing apparatus includes a plurality of loading / unloading areas and a plurality of furnace tubes, and the boat loading / unloading areas are in one-to-one correspondence with the furnace tubes. The wafer processing apparatus according to feature 1.

7. The aforementioned partition door device can be opened when a boat passes through and closed after the boat has passed. The wafer processing apparatus according to feature 1.

8. The partition door device includes a second partition door assembly, The second partition door assembly includes a second partition door, the second partition door assembly includes a third state and a fourth state, in the third state, the second partition door closes the communication area, in the fourth state, the second partition door opens the communication area, and / or The second partition door assembly includes a second boat loader, which is provided in the boat loading / unloading area, and is configured to load a boat into the wafer loading / unloading area and close the communication area, and is configured to unload a boat from the wafer loading / unloading area. The wafer processing apparatus according to feature 7.

9. The second partition door assembly includes the second partition door, the furnace tube and the wafer loading / unloading area are located on the same side of the boat loading / unloading area, and the second partition door assembly includes a fifth state, in which the second partition door closes the connection end between the furnace tube and the boat loading / unloading area. The wafer processing apparatus according to the feature described in 8.

10. The second partition door assembly includes the second partition door and a door drive mechanism, the door drive mechanism includes a door shaft and a cross member, the door shaft is rotatably installed between the furnace tube and the wafer loading / unloading area, and the cross member connects the second partition door and the door shaft. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it is as described above.

11. The furnace tube and the boat loading / unloading area are provided along the vertical direction, the furnace tube and the wafer loading / unloading area are provided on the same side as the boat loading / unloading area, and when loading or unloading a boat, the first boat loader and the second boat loader are driven to move the boat along the vertical direction. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it is as described above.

12. The wafer processing apparatus further includes a transfer area and at least one transport port, wherein the transfer area is provided on one side of the wafer loading / unloading area and is configured to place pods, the transport port is provided in a partition wall between the wafer loading / unloading area and the transfer area, the partition wall partially surrounds the wafer loader, the axial direction of the partition wall is parallel to the vertical direction, the transport port is configured to allow at least wafers in pods to pass through, the wafer loader is configured to load wafers in pods into a boat in the wafer loading / unloading area, the wafer loader is configured to load wafers on the boat into pods in the transfer area, a holder assembly is provided on the side of the partition wall away from the wafer loader, the holder assembly includes at least one pod holder, the pod holder is configured to place pods in the transfer area. The holder assembly includes n rows of the pod holders arranged along the circumferential direction of the partition wall, the at least one transport port is arranged in n rows along the circumferential direction of the partition wall, n ≥ 1, and the row position of the pod holders in each row corresponds to the row position of the transport port in each row. The wafer processing apparatus according to feature 1.

13. The partition walls partially surround the wafer loader at equal intervals, and n ≥ 2. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 12.

14. In the n-th row of pod holders, the m-th row of pod holders includes a plurality of pod holders, and the m-th row of pod holders is i ｍ It is divided into individual pod holder units, where 1 ≤ m ≤ n, i ｍ ≥ 2, and the pod holder unit is j ｍ The pod holder includes the number of the aforementioned pod holders, j ｍ ≥ 1, and the i ｍ The individual pod holder units are distributed along the vertical direction. In the n-th column of transport ports, the transport port in the mth column has j ｍ The transport ports include the m-th transport port, the m-th transport port corresponds to the column position of the m-th pod holder, and the j in the m-th transport port ｍ Each transport port is located in the pod holder unit of any of the m-th row pod holders, the j ｍ The positional distribution of each pod holder is the same, The m-th row of pod holders is movable along the vertical direction so as to align any of the pod holder units of the m-th row of pod holders with the transport port of the m-th row. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it is as described above.

15. j ｍ is ≧ 2, and in the pod holders in the m-th column, the pod holders in any two adjacent pod holder units are alternately installed in the vertical direction. The wafer processing apparatus according to feature 14.

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