Wafer cooling apparatus, equipment front-end module, process device, and wafer transfer method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure CN2026075340_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Wafer cooling apparatus, front-end modules, process equipment and wafer transfer methods Technical Field
[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor processing technology, specifically relating to a wafer cooling device, a front-end module of the equipment, semiconductor process equipment, and a wafer transfer method. Background Technology
[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, wafers are typically processed in process chambers within semiconductor process equipment. Specifically, the wafer to be processed is first transferred into the process chamber, where it begins processing. Once processing is complete, the wafer is transferred back out of the process chamber and then cooled.
[0003] During the wafer return process, the first robotic arm first transports the wafer from the process chamber to the loadlock chamber, and then the wafer is transported to the Equipment Front-End Module (EFEM). Specifically, a second robotic arm located in the EFEM places the wafer on a temporary storage device within the EFEM. Then, a fan filter located in the EFEM cools the wafer, with the fan filter always providing downward airflow to naturally cool the wafer. Finally, the second robotic arm transports the cooled wafer to a wafer carrier located outside the equipment front-end module, so that the wafer carrier can carry the processed wafer into the next processing step.
[0004] In the above process of cooling wafers, the use of natural air cooling can lead to a slower cooling speed and a longer cooling time, which can affect wafer production capacity.
[0005] In summary, the wafer cooling methods involved in the relevant technologies suffer from slow cooling speeds. Summary of the Invention
[0006] This application discloses a wafer cooling device, a front-end module, a semiconductor process equipment, and a wafer transfer method to solve the problem of slow cooling speed in related technologies for cooling wafers.
[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application adopts the following technical solution:
[0008] A wafer cooling device includes at least one support member.
[0009] The support member includes a connected main body and a support portion. The support portion is used to support the wafer. The main body surrounds at least a portion of the support portion. The main body has a first water inlet, a first water outlet, and a first cooling channel surrounding the support portion. The first water inlet and the first water outlet are connected through the first cooling channel.
[0010] A device front-end module includes a housing and the wafer cooling device described above, wherein the wafer cooling device is detachably mounted on the housing.
[0011] A semiconductor process apparatus includes a process chamber, a load-locking cavity, and the aforementioned equipment front-end module. The load-locking cavity is located between the process chamber and the equipment front-end module, and the equipment front-end module is in / out communication with the load-locking cavity.
[0012] A wafer transfer method is applied to the semiconductor process equipment described above, wherein the number of the support members is at least two, and each of the support members is arranged sequentially along the height direction of the wafer cooling device.
[0013] The film transfer method includes:
[0014] At least one first wafer is placed on one of the at least one support located at the top layer and at least one support located at the bottom layer;
[0015] At least one second wafer is placed on the other of the at least one support located at the top layer and the at least one support located at the bottom layer;
[0016] At least one third wafer is placed on at least one of the supports adjacent to one of the first wafer and the second wafer.
[0017] The technical solution adopted in this application can achieve the following beneficial effects:
[0018] In this application, since the support portion of the support member can support the wafer, and the main body of the support member has a first cooling channel surrounding the support portion, and the first cooling channel is filled with cooling water, the cooling water can quickly cool the environment in which the support member is located, thereby quickly cooling the wafer supported on it. Simultaneously, since the first cooling channel is connected to both the first water inlet and the first water outlet, the first cooling channel is always filled with cooling water at a lower temperature, which can more quickly achieve the effect of reducing the wafer temperature. Therefore, the wafer cooling device disclosed in this application can solve the problem of slow cooling speed in related technologies for cooling wafers. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the wafer cooling device and temperature detection device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0020] Figure 2 is a half-section schematic diagram of the wafer cooling device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application;
[0022] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application;
[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member supporting the wafer disclosed in the embodiment of this application;
[0024] Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cooling channel connecting the first mounting plate and the first support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application;
[0025] Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cooling channels of the first support member and the second support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application.
[0026] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application at the first water outlet;
[0027] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application at the first water inlet;
[0028] Figure 10 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the device front-end module disclosed in an embodiment of this application;
[0029] Figure 11 is a side view of the structure of the device front-end module disclosed in an embodiment of this application;
[0030] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0031] Figure 13 is a sequence diagram of placing a first wafer on a first support member of a wafer cooling apparatus as disclosed in an embodiment of this application;
[0032] Figure 14 is a sequence diagram of placing a second wafer on the fourth support of the wafer cooling apparatus as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0033] Figure 15 is a sequence diagram of placing a third wafer on the second support of the wafer cooling device as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0034] Figure 16 is a sequence diagram of placing a fourth wafer on the third support of the wafer cooling apparatus as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0035] Figure 17 is a sequence diagram of the first wafer being removed from the first support of the wafer cooling apparatus as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0036] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram of the second wafer being removed from the fourth support of the wafer cooling apparatus as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0037] Figure 19 is a sequence diagram of the process of taking the third wafer off the second support of the wafer cooling device as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0038] Figure 20 is a sequence diagram of the fourth wafer being removed from the third support of the wafer cooling apparatus as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;
[0039] Figure 21 is a schematic flowchart of a slice transfer method disclosed in an embodiment of this application;
[0040] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of another slice transfer method disclosed in the embodiments of this application.
[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100-Support member, 110-Main body, 111-First water inlet, 112-First water outlet, 113-First cooling channel, 114-Heat sink, 115-First top surface, 116-Limiting side, 120-Support part, 121-Support protrusion, 122-First support part, 123-Second support part, 124-Second top surface, 130-First support member, 140-Second support member, 150-Third support member, 160-Fourth support member; 200-Wafer, 210-First wafer, 220-Second wafer, 230-Third wafer, 240-Fourth wafer; 310-First mounting plate, 311-Second water inlet, 312-Second water outlet, 313-Second cooling channel, 320-Second mounting plate, 321-Third water outlet, 322-Third cooling channel, 330-Mounting rod; 400-Housing, 410-Robot arm, 420-Fan filter; 500-Temperature detection element, 510-First temperature detection element, 520-Second temperature detection element; 610-Process chamber, 620-Load locking chamber, 630-Wafer carrier box; 710-First plug, 720-Second plug, 730-Third plug, 740-Fourth plug, 750-Fifth plug. Detailed Implementation
[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0043] The wafer cooling device disclosed in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, through specific embodiments and application scenarios.
[0044] Referring to Figure 12, this application discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a process chamber 610, a load-locking cavity 620, and an equipment front-end module. The load-locking cavity 620 is located between the process chamber 610 and the equipment front-end module, and the equipment front-end module is intermittently connected to the load-locking cavity 620. The process chamber 610 can be used to process wafers 200, and the equipment front-end module can be used to transport wafers 200.
[0045] During the transfer of wafer 200, the first opening of the equipment front-end module can communicate with the load locking cavity 620, and the second opening of the equipment front-end module is used to communicate with the wafer carrier 630. This allows the wafer 200 to be processed to be taken out of the wafer carrier 630 and enter the housing 400 of the equipment front-end module through the second opening, then enter the load locking cavity 620 through the first opening, and finally enter the process chamber 610 for processing. Conversely, after the processed wafer 200 is taken out of the process chamber 610, it can enter the housing 400 through the load locking cavity 620 and be cooled by the wafer cooling device installed on the housing 400 before being transferred to the wafer carrier 630.
[0046] Please refer to Figures 10 and 11. This application also discloses a device front-end module, which includes a housing 400 and a wafer cooling device, the wafer cooling device being detachably mounted on the housing 400.
[0047] Please refer to Figures 1-9. This application discloses a wafer cooling device, which includes at least one support member 100.
[0048] The wafer cooling device disclosed in this application can be used to cool wafer 200, and the wafer cooling device disclosed in this application can be applied to the front-end module of the equipment. That is, the wafer cooling device disclosed in this application can be installed on the front-end module of the equipment. Of course, the embodiments of this application do not impose specific limitations on this. In other words, the wafer cooling device can also be installed in other locations.
[0049] The support member 100 may include a connected main body 110 and a support portion 120. The support portion 120 supports the wafer 200. The main body 110 surrounds at least a portion of the support portion 120, such that the main body 110 surrounds at least a portion of the wafer 200. The main body 110 has a first water inlet 111, a first water outlet 112, and a first cooling channel 113 surrounding the support portion 120. Referring specifically to Figure 4, the first water inlet 111 and the first water outlet 112 are connected through the first cooling channel 113, allowing cooling water entering through the first water inlet 111 to exit through the first water outlet 112 after passing through the first cooling channel 113. Those skilled in the art should understand that the positions of the first water inlet 111 and the first water outlet 112 in Figure 4 can be interchanged.
[0050] Since the first cooling channel 113 surrounds the support 120 and, consequently, the wafer 200, when cooling water passes through the first cooling channel 113, the cooling water can lower the temperature of the environment surrounding the support 100, thereby rapidly reducing the temperature of the wafer 200. Therefore, by using the wafer cooling device disclosed in this application to cool the wafer 200, the time spent cooling the wafer 200 can be reduced. For example, this application can cool the wafer 200 from 200°C to 40°C in less than 60 seconds, which greatly improves the wafer 200's production capacity.
[0051] In some embodiments, the main body 110 may be generally U-shaped, that is, there is a wafer transfer port between the two ends of the main body 110. This facilitates the wafer 200 to approach and be placed on the support 120 through the wafer transfer port, or facilitates the wafer transfer port to move away from the support 120.
[0052] Since the main body 110 is generally U-shaped, the first cooling channel 113 can also be generally U-shaped. To facilitate the processing of the first cooling channel 113, as shown in Figure 4, multiple strip-shaped channels, specifically straight channels, are processed at different parts of the main body 110. These straight channels intersect and connect sequentially, forming the first cooling channel 113. During the processing of each straight channel, different openings are created. These openings can be located on different sides of the main body 110, and to prevent leakage from the first cooling channel 113, each opening can be sealed using a different third plug 730.
[0053] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the first cooling channel 113 can be circular, square, etc. Taking the cross-sectional shape of the first cooling channel 113 as circular, since the thickness of the main body 110 is usually 10mm, in order to avoid the cooling water with a certain water pressure from breaking through the first cooling channel 113, the radial dimension (e.g., diameter) of the first cooling channel 113 needs to be between 4mm and 6mm.
[0054] In this application, since the support portion 120 of the support member 100 can support the wafer 200, and the main body portion 110 of the support member 100 has a first cooling channel 113 surrounding the support portion 120, and the first cooling channel 113 is filled with cooling water, the cooling water can quickly cool the environment where the support member 100 is located, thereby quickly cooling the wafer 200 supported on it. At the same time, since the first cooling channel 113 is connected to both the first water inlet 111 and the first water outlet 112, the cooling water can be continuously circulated and renewed, keeping the channel at a low temperature. Therefore, the first cooling channel 113 is always filled with cooling water at a low temperature, which can more quickly achieve the effect of reducing the temperature of the wafer 200. Therefore, the wafer cooling device disclosed in this application can solve the problem of slow cooling speed in the related technologies for cooling the wafer 200.
[0055] In some embodiments, the number of support members 100 may be one.
[0056] In another embodiment, referring to Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, the number of support members 100 can be at least two, including at least one first support member 130 and at least one second support member 140 arranged alternately. In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the second support member 140 can be stacked on the first support member 130. Since both the first support member 130 and the second support member 140 are provided with first cooling channels 113, the wafer cooling device disclosed in this application can cool multiple wafers 200 at the same time, which can further improve the production capacity of the wafers 200.
[0057] In a further embodiment, in the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the first outlet 112 of the first support member 130 and the first inlet 111 of the second support member 140 are opposite to each other and connected. The first inlet 111 of the first support member 130 and the first outlet 112 of the second support member 140 are opposite to each other. Thus, the first cooling channel 113 of the first support member 130 and the first cooling channel 113 of the second support member 140 are connected. This arrangement allows cooling water to circulate between different supports 100 to cool multiple wafers 200. This saves cooling water and reduces the need for inlet and outlet pipes; that is, the first support member 130 and the second support member 140 do not need to have excessive inlet and outlet pipes, thereby simplifying the structure of the entire wafer cooling device to a certain extent. Of course, the first cooling channel 113 of the first support member 130 may not be connected to the first cooling channel 113 of the second support member 140.
[0058] In some embodiments, in the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the orthographic projection outline of the second support 140 coincides with the orthographic projection outline of the first support 130, that is, the second support 140 just overlaps with the first support 130. This makes the space occupied by the entire support 100 smaller, thereby reducing the space occupied by the entire wafer cooling device. Of course, in the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the orthographic projection outline of the second support 140 and the orthographic projection outline of the first support 130 may not coincide, that is, the first support 130 and the second support 140 may be staggered and stacked.
[0059] In the above embodiment, the flow direction of the cooling water in the first cooling channel 113 of the first support member 130 can be a first direction, and the flow direction of the cooling water in the first cooling channel 113 of the second support member 140 can be a second direction. Since the second support member 140 just overlaps with the first support member 130, and the first outlet 112 of the first support member 130 and the first inlet 111 of the second support member 140 are arranged opposite to each other, the first direction and the second direction are opposite.
[0060] Correspondingly, when there are multiple support members 100, the position of the first support member 130 can be defined as an odd-numbered layer, the position of the second support member 140 can be defined as an even-numbered layer, and other support members 100 can be stacked on the second support member 140 in sequence. This makes the flow direction of the cooling water in the corresponding support members 100 in each odd-numbered layer the same, the flow direction of the cooling water in the corresponding support members 100 in each even-numbered layer the same, and the flow direction of the cooling water in the corresponding support members 100 in the odd-numbered layer and the even-numbered layer is opposite. In this way, multiple first cooling channels 113 of multiple support members 100 can be connected in series.
[0061] In some embodiments, to facilitate the fabrication of a first inlet 111 and a first outlet 112 on the main body 110, a first through hole and a second through hole are spaced apart on the main body 110. One end of the first through hole can serve as the first inlet 111, and one end of the second through hole can serve as the first outlet 112. To ensure that all the cooling water entering through the first inlet 111 can flow smoothly to the first outlet 112 through the first cooling channel 113, please refer to Figures 3 and 9. The wafer cooling device may also include a first plug 710 and a second plug 720. One end of the first through hole may be provided with the first plug 710, that is, the first plug 710 blocks one end of the first through hole. In this case, the other end of the first through hole can serve as the first inlet 111. One end of the second through hole may be provided with the second plug 720, that is, the second plug 720 blocks one end of the second through hole. In this case, the other end of the second through hole can serve as the first outlet 112. Of course, the wafer cooling device may also exclude the first plug 710 and the second plug 720.
[0062] In some embodiments, the wafer cooling apparatus may further include a seal surrounding the first outlet 112 of the first support 130 and the first inlet 111 of the second support 140. Specifically, the seal is positioned near the other end of the second through-hole of the first support 130 and the other end of the first through-hole of the second support 140, and the seal is in a sealing fit with both the first support 130 and the second support 140. This ensures the sealing of the first cooling channel 113 between adjacent supports 100, thereby ensuring the stability of the cooling water circulation. Alternatively, the wafer cooling apparatus may not include a seal.
[0063] In some embodiments, to ensure the stability of the seal's installation, both the first support member 130 and the second support member 140 are provided with limiting grooves, and the seal is confined within the limiting grooves, so that the first support member 130 and the second support member 140 can jointly limit the seal, thereby improving the stability of the seal's installation. Of course, the first support member 130 and the second support member 140 may not have limiting grooves.
[0064] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2, 6, and 7, the wafer cooling device may further include a first mounting plate 310 and a second mounting plate 320, with a support member 100 disposed between the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320. That is, the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320 can protect the support member 100 and the wafer 200 thereon. Simultaneously, the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320 facilitate the mounting of the entire wafer cooling device onto the device front-end module. In some embodiments, the second mounting plate 320 may be provided with a mounting rod 330, which is detachably mounted to the device front-end module via a first connector. Of course, the wafer cooling device may also exclude the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320.
[0065] In some embodiments, the support member 100 is detachably disposed between the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320. Specifically, the wafer cooling device may further include a second connector and a third connector. The support member 100 can be detachably disposed on the first mounting plate 310 via the second connector, and on the second mounting plate 320 via the third connector. This facilitates maintenance or replacement of the support member 100 by operators. Of course, the support member 100 may also be non-detachably disposed between the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320.
[0066] Furthermore, the aforementioned first, second, and third connectors can be fasteners such as screws and bolts, achieving a detachable connection by screwing them into threaded holes. Those skilled in the art will understand that other equivalent detachable connection methods can also be used.
[0067] In some embodiments, the first mounting plate 310 has a second water inlet 311, a second water outlet 312, and a second cooling channel 313. The second water inlet 311 and the second water outlet 312 are connected through the second cooling channel 313. The second mounting plate 320 has a third water inlet, a third water outlet 321, and a third cooling channel 322. The third water inlet and the third water outlet 321 are connected through the third cooling channel 322.
[0068] In this embodiment, the second outlet 312 is opposite to and connected to the first inlet 111, and the third inlet is opposite to and connected to the first outlet 112. Referring to Figure 1, the second inlet 311 can serve as the main inlet for the entire wafer cooling device, and the third outlet 321 can serve as the main outlet for the entire wafer cooling device. Furthermore, the support member 100 can hold cooling water, as can the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320. The second cooling channel 313 is connected to the third cooling channel 322 via the first cooling channel 113. Cooling water flows not only through the first cooling channel 113 of the support member 100, but also through the second cooling channel 313 of the first mounting plate 310 and the third cooling channel 322 of the second mounting plate 320. This allows the entire wafer cooling device to hold and circulate more cooling water, thereby further reducing the temperature of the environment in which the wafer cooling device is located, and thus further rapidly reducing the temperature of the wafer 200. Of course, the first mounting plate 310 may not have the second water inlet 311, the second water outlet 312, and the second cooling channel 313, and the second mounting plate 320 may not have the third water inlet 321, the third water outlet 322, and the third cooling channel 322.
[0069] In some embodiments, the second inlet 311 and the second outlet 312 may both be located away from the end of the second cooling channel 313. Similarly, the third inlet and the third outlet 321 may both be located away from the end of the third cooling channel 322.
[0070] In another embodiment, the second inlet 311 and the second outlet 312 can be located near different ends of the second cooling channel 313, and similarly, the third inlet and the third outlet 321 can also be located near different ends of the third cooling channel 322. That is, in this case, the second inlet 311 is farther from the second outlet 312, and the third inlet is farther from the third outlet 321. This allows the cooling water entering through the second inlet 311 to flow through the entire second cooling channel 313, and the cooling water entering through the third inlet to flow through the entire third cooling channel 322. In other words, the cooling water has a larger flow range within the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320, which results in a better cooling effect on the environment where the wafer cooling device is located. This is more conducive to rapidly reducing the temperature of the wafer 200.
[0071] To facilitate the installation of a main water inlet pipe and a main water outlet pipe on the wafer cooling device, this application can place the second water inlet 311 on the side of the first mounting plate 310 and the third water outlet 321 on the side of the second mounting plate 320, thereby facilitating connection to the main water inlet pipe and the main water outlet pipe, respectively. In some embodiments, in the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the height of the third water outlet 321 can be lower than the height of the second water inlet 311, that is, in this case, the cooling water in the wafer cooling device flows entirely in a vertically downward direction.
[0072] In another embodiment, the height of the third outlet 321 in the height direction of the wafer cooling device can be greater than the height of the second inlet 311. That is, at this time, the cooling water in the wafer cooling device flows slowly in the vertical upward direction. This makes the cooling water stay in the second cooling channel 313, the first cooling channel 113 and the third cooling channel 322 for a longer time, thereby improving the cooling effect on the wafer 200 and saving cooling water.
[0073] In some embodiments, the second cooling channel 313 and the third cooling channel 322 can both be generally U-shaped, that is, the first cooling channel 113, the second cooling channel 313, and the third cooling channel 322 can have the same shape. In this case, the processing method of the second cooling channel 313 and the third cooling channel 322 is basically the same as the processing method of the first cooling channel 113. Specifically, please refer to Figures 1, 2, 6, and 7. When processing the second cooling channel 313, the multiple processing openings can be sealed by multiple fourth plugs 740. When processing the third cooling channel 322, the multiple processing openings can be sealed by multiple fifth plugs 750. Of course, the shapes of the second cooling channel 313 and the third cooling channel 322 can both be different from the shape of the first cooling channel 113.
[0074] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3 to 5, at least two support protrusions 121 may be provided on the support portion 120 at intervals. The at least two support protrusions 121 are used to support the wafer 200, and the material of the support portion 120 is different from the material of the support protrusions 121, so that the thermal conductivity of the material of the support protrusions 121 is less than that of the material of the support portion 120. That is, at this time, the support protrusions 121 are not easy to conduct heat.
[0075] In some embodiments, the support portion 120 can be made of aluminum, and the support protrusion 121 can be made of alumina, which can be formed by hard anodizing aluminum. This makes the thermal conductivity of the support protrusion 121 lower than that of the support portion 120. In this embodiment, since the support protrusion 121 is not a good conductor of heat, the wafer 200 is less prone to localized temperature drops, i.e., less prone to fragmentation. Simultaneously, since the support portion 120 contacts the wafer 200 through the support protrusion 121, the contact area between the support portion 120 and the wafer 200 is smaller, resulting in a more uniform temperature across the wafer 200, further reducing the likelihood of fragmentation. Alternatively, the support portion 120 may not have at least two support protrusions 121, meaning the support portion 120 can directly contact the wafer 200.
[0076] In some embodiments, since the main body 110 is generally U-shaped and since the main body 110 surrounds the support portion 120, a U-shaped support portion 120 may be formed inside the main body 110.
[0077] In another embodiment, referring to FIG3, the number of support portions 120 is at least two, including at least one first support portion 122 and at least one second support portion 123. The first support portion 122 and the second support portion 123 are alternately disposed on the main body portion 110. This allows the wafer 200 to be balanced under force and receive a sufficiently large supporting force while reducing the material of the support portion 120, thereby reducing the overall weight and production cost.
[0078] In some embodiments, a heat sink 114 protrudes from the main body 110. The heat sink 114 is located between adjacent first support portions 122 and second support portions 123, and is disposed opposite to the wafer 200, i.e., the heat sink 114 does not contact the wafer 200. The heat sink 114 can be used to increase the heat transfer area, thereby further and rapidly reducing the temperature of the wafer 200. Of course, the heat sink 114 may not protrude from the main body 110.
[0079] In some embodiments, the main body 110 has a first top surface 115 and the support 120 has a second top surface 124. In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the height of the first top surface 115 may be equal to the height of the second top surface 124.
[0080] In another embodiment, in the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the height of the first top surface 115 is greater than the height of the second top surface 124. In this case, the main body 110 forms a limiting side surface 116 between the first top surface 115 and the second top surface 124 (see Figure 3 for details). The limiting side surface 116 faces the wafer 200 and can limit the wafer 200 to ensure that the support member 100 can stably support the wafer 200.
[0081] In some embodiments, the first inlet 111 and the first outlet 112 may both be located away from the end of the first cooling channel 113, that is, the first inlet 111 and the first outlet 112 are relatively close to each other.
[0082] In another embodiment, the first inlet 111 is located near one end of the first cooling channel 113, and the first outlet 112 is located near the other end of the first cooling channel 113. That is, the first inlet 111 and the first outlet 112 are located near different ends of the first cooling channel 113, so that the distance between the first inlet 111 and the first outlet 112 is relatively large. This allows the cooling water entering through the first inlet 111 to flow through the entire first cooling channel 113. In other words, the cooling water has a larger flow range within the support member 100, which results in a better cooling effect on the environment where the wafer cooling device is located. This is more conducive to rapidly reducing the temperature of the wafer 200.
[0083] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 1, the device front-end module may further include a temperature detection element 500. The temperature detection element 500 is disposed on the housing 400 and is used to detect the temperature of the wafer 200 placed on the support 100. The temperature detection element 500 allows for more accurate real-time detection of the wafer 200's temperature. When the temperature of the wafer 200 drops to a preset temperature value, the wafer 200 can be removed. Therefore, the temperature detection element 500 can reduce detection errors while simultaneously determining whether the wafer 200 has completed cooling based on temperature. Alternatively, the device front-end module may not include the temperature detection element 500. In this case, the cooling time for the wafer 200 to reach the preset temperature value can be determined experimentally. Once this cooling time is met, the wafer 200 can be removed.
[0084] In some embodiments, the number of temperature sensing elements 500 may be one.
[0085] In another embodiment, the number of temperature detection elements 500 can be at least two, including a first temperature detection element 510 and a second temperature detection element 520. In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the first temperature detection element 510 and the second temperature detection element 520 are located on opposite sides of the wafer cooling device. This allows the first temperature detection element 510 and the second temperature detection element 520 to simultaneously detect the temperature of multiple wafers 200, thereby determining in real time whether multiple wafers 200 have been cooled, which can further improve the production capacity of wafers 200.
[0086] In some embodiments, since the wafer 200 is placed on the support member 100 and the support member 100 is sandwiched between the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320, in order to facilitate the first temperature detection member 510 and the second temperature detection member 520 to directly detect the temperature of different wafers 200, the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320 may both be provided with detection through holes. The first temperature detection member 510 can detect the temperature of the wafer 200 on the support member 100 near the second mounting plate 320 through the detection through holes on the second mounting plate 320, and the second temperature detection member 520 can detect the temperature of the wafer 200 on the support member 100 near the first mounting plate 310 through the detection through holes on the first mounting plate 310.
[0087] In some embodiments, the device front-end module may further include a fan filter 420, which is disposed within the housing 400 and located above the wafer cooling device. The fan filter 420 can always provide downward airflow and utilize air to naturally cool the wafer 200. Furthermore, the combined action of the fan filter 420 and the wafer cooling device can further rapidly reduce the temperature of the wafer 200. In some embodiments, the device front-end module may further include a robotic arm 410, which is disposed within the housing 400 and is used to pick up and place the wafer 200.
[0088] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 13 to 22. This application also discloses a wafer transfer method applied to the semiconductor process equipment described above. The number of support members 100 is at least two. Each support member 100 can be arranged sequentially along the height direction of the wafer cooling device. Each support member 100 may include the first support member 130, the second support member 140, the third support member 150, and the fourth support member 160.
[0089] The video transfer method includes:
[0090] S100, at least one first wafer 210 is placed on one of at least one support 100 located at the uppermost layer and at least one support 100 located at the lowermost layer.
[0091] Specifically, the robotic arm 410 described above can be used to place the first wafer 210 onto one of the uppermost support member 100 or the lowermost support member 100, that is, onto the support member 100 located near one of the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320. In some embodiments, the first wafer 210 can be placed on the lowermost support member 100, as shown in Figure 13. The lowermost support member 100 can be the first support member 130. In this case, the wafer cooling device begins to cool the first wafer 210, and the second temperature detection element 520 detects the temperature of the first wafer 210. In the example of Figure 13, there are three first wafers 210, which are placed on the three lowermost support members 130.
[0092] S200, at least one second wafer 220 is placed on the other of at least one support 100 located at the uppermost layer and at least one support 100 located at the lowermost layer.
[0093] Specifically, the robotic arm 410 described above can be used again to place the second wafer 220 onto the other of the uppermost and lowermost support members 100, that is, onto the support member 100 located near the other of the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320. In some embodiments, the second wafer 220 can be placed on the uppermost support member 100, as shown in FIG. 14. The uppermost support member 100 can be the fourth support member 160. In this case, the wafer cooling device begins to cool the second wafer 220, and the first temperature detection member 510 detects the temperature of the second wafer 220. In the example of FIG. 14, there are three second wafers 220, which are placed on the three uppermost support members 160.
[0094] S300, at least one third wafer 230 is placed on at least one support 100 adjacent to one of the first wafer 210 and the second wafer 220.
[0095] Specifically, the robotic arm 410 described above can be used again to place the third wafer 230 onto another support 100 near the uppermost support 100 (i.e., the fourth support 160), or onto another support 100 near the lowermost support 100 (i.e., the first support 130), that is, onto another support 100 near the two supports 100 between the first mounting plate 310 and the second mounting plate 320. In some embodiments, referring to FIG15, the other support 100 may specifically be the second support 140 near the lowermost support 100. At this time, the wafer cooling device begins to cool the third wafer 230. In the example of FIG15, there are 3 third wafers 230, which are placed on 3 supports 140 adjacent to the first wafer 210. If all supports 100 are occupied by wafers at this time, the wafer placement process ends. If there are still free supports 100, step S400 is continued.
[0096] S400, at least one fourth wafer 240 is placed on at least one support 100 of the other of the first wafer 210 and the second wafer 220.
[0097] Specifically, the aforementioned robotic arm 410 can be used again to place the fourth wafer 240 on the other support 100 adjacent to the uppermost support 100 and the lowermost support 100. That is, when the third wafer 230 is placed on the other support 100 near the uppermost support 100, the fourth wafer 240 can be placed on the other support 100 near the lowermost support 100. When the third wafer 230 is placed on the other support 100 near the lowermost support 100, the fourth wafer 240 can be placed on the other support 100 near the uppermost support 100. In some embodiments, referring to Figures 15 and 16, since the third wafer 230 is placed on the second support 140 near the bottom support 100, the present application can use the robotic arm 410 to place the fourth wafer 240 on the third support 150 near the top support 100. At this time, the wafer cooling device begins to cool the fourth wafer 240. In the example of Figure 16, there are three fourth wafers 240, which are placed on the three supports 150 adjacent to the second wafer 220. If all supports 100 are occupied by wafers, the wafer placement process ends. If there are still free supports 100, the wafer placement operation continues in this manner until all supports 100 are occupied by wafers.
[0098] In some embodiments, the present application may simultaneously remove the first wafer 210, the second wafer 220, the third wafer 230, and the fourth wafer 240 when the temperatures of the first wafer 210, the second wafer 220, the third wafer 230, and the fourth wafer 240 are all less than or equal to a preset temperature.
[0099] In another embodiment, referring to Figures 17 to 20, the wafer 200 that is preferentially cooled can be removed. That is, it can be removed once the temperature of the preferentially cooled wafer 200 drops to a preset temperature, thus eliminating the need to wait for a fixed period of time. This arrangement can reduce the fixed waiting time to some extent. In this embodiment, since the wafer cooling device first cools the first wafer 210, then the second wafer 220, then the third wafer 230, and finally the fourth wafer 240, the wafer transfer method further includes:
[0100] S500: When the temperature of the first wafer 210 is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the first wafer 210 is removed.
[0101] Specifically, the second temperature detection device 520 will first detect that the temperature of the first wafer 210 has dropped to the preset temperature value. At this time, the first wafer 210 can be taken out again by the robotic arm 410. After the first wafer 210 is taken out, as shown in Figure 17, the second temperature detection device 520 can start detecting the temperature of the third wafer 230.
[0102] S600: When the temperature of the second wafer 220 is less than or equal to the preset temperature, remove the second wafer 220.
[0103] Specifically, the first temperature detection device 510 will detect that the temperature of the second wafer 220 has dropped to a preset temperature value. At this time, the robotic arm 410 can be used again to remove the second wafer 220. After the second wafer 220 is removed, please refer to Figure 18. At this time, the first temperature detection device 510 can start to detect the temperature of the fourth wafer 240.
[0104] S700: When the temperature of the third wafer 230 is less than or equal to the preset temperature, remove the third wafer 230.
[0105] Specifically, the second temperature detection unit 520 will detect that the temperature of the third wafer 230 has dropped to the preset temperature value. At this time, please refer to Figures 18 and 19 for details. The robot arm 410 described above can be used again to take out the third wafer 230.
[0106] S800: When the temperature of the fourth wafer 240 is less than or equal to the preset temperature, remove the fourth wafer 240.
[0107] Specifically, the first temperature detection unit 510 will detect that the temperature of the fourth wafer 240 has dropped to the preset temperature value. At this time, please refer to Figures 19 and 20 for details. The robot arm 410 described above can be used again to take out the fourth wafer 240.
[0108] Therefore, the wafer transfer method disclosed in this application involves alternately placing wafers 200 vertically and, correspondingly, alternately removing wafers 200 vertically. This allows the temperature detection element 500 to prioritize detecting the temperature of the first placed wafer 200 and determine whether cooling is complete based on the temperature, enabling a temperature-visualized wafer transfer process. Specifically, by using a first temperature detection element 510 and a second temperature detection element 520 arranged on opposite sides of the wafer cooling device, the temperatures of different wafers 200 on different supports 100 are detected. This ensures that the first placed wafer 200 cools down first, and can be removed once its temperature drops to a preset temperature, eliminating the need for a fixed waiting time. This setup can reduce the fixed waiting time to a certain extent.
[0109] In some embodiments, the number of first wafers 210, second wafers 220, third wafers 230, and fourth wafers 240 can all be at least two, and the number of these four is the same. Correspondingly, the number of first support members 130, second support members 140, third support members 150, and fourth support members 160 can also all be at least two, and the number of these four is the same, so that each first support member 130 can have a first wafer 210 placed on it, each second support member 140 can have a third wafer 230 placed on it, each third support member 150 can have a fourth wafer 240 placed on it, and each fourth support member 160 can have a second wafer 220 placed on it.
[0110] In this embodiment, each of the first support members 130, the second support members 140, the third support members 150, and the fourth support members 160 can be stacked sequentially along the height direction of the wafer cooling device, so that the wafer cooling device can simultaneously cool multiple first wafers 210, multiple second wafers 220, multiple third wafers 230, and multiple fourth wafers 240, thereby improving cooling efficiency. Of course, the number of first wafers 210, second wafers 220, third wafers 230, and fourth wafers 240 can all be one.
[0111] Furthermore, each first wafer 210 can be simultaneously placed on each first support 130, each second wafer 220 can be simultaneously placed on each fourth support 160, each third wafer 230 can be simultaneously placed on each second support 140, and each fourth wafer 240 can be simultaneously placed on each third support 150. When removing each wafer 200, since each first wafer 210 is simultaneously placed on each first support 130, each first wafer 210 can be simultaneously cooled by the wafer cooling device, meaning that the temperatures of each first wafer 210 will be basically the same. Therefore, each first wafer 210 can be removed simultaneously. Similarly, this application can simultaneously remove each second wafer 220, each third wafer 230, and each fourth wafer 240.
[0112] The above embodiments of this application focus on describing the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different optimization features between the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form a better embodiment. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.
[0113] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.
Claims
1. A wafer cooling device, characterized in that, Includes at least one support member (100), The support member (100) includes a connected main body (110) and a support (120). The support (120) is used to support the wafer (200). The main body (110) surrounds at least a portion of the support (120). The main body (110) has a first water inlet (111), a first water outlet (112), and a first cooling channel (113) surrounding the support (120). The first water inlet (111) and the first water outlet (112) are connected through the first cooling channel (113).
2. The wafer cooling apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the support members (100) is at least two, including at least one first support member (130) and at least one second support member (140) arranged alternately. In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the second support member (140) is stacked on the first support member (130), and the first outlet (112) of the first support member (130) is opposite to and connected to the first inlet (111) of the second support member (140). The first inlet (111) of the first support member (130) is arranged opposite to the first outlet (112) of the second support member (140).
3. The wafer cooling apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the orthographic projection outline of the second support member (140) coincides with the orthographic projection outline of the first support member (130), and the flow direction of the cooling water in the first cooling channel (113) of the first support member (130) is a first direction, and the flow direction of the cooling water in the first cooling channel (113) of the second support member (140) is a second direction, with the first direction being opposite to the second direction.
4. The wafer cooling apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wafer cooling device further includes a first plug (710) and a second plug (720). The main body (110) is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole spaced apart. One end of the first through hole is provided with the first plug (710), and the other end of the first through hole is the first water inlet (111). One end of the second through hole is provided with the second plug (720), and the other end of the second through hole is the first water outlet (112). The wafer cooling device further includes a sealing element, which is arranged around the first outlet (112) of the first support (130) and the first inlet (111) of the second support (140), and is sealed to both the first support (130) and the second support (140).
5. The wafer cooling apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cooling device further includes a first mounting plate (310) and a second mounting plate (320), and the support member (100) is detachably disposed between the first mounting plate (310) and the second mounting plate (320); The first mounting plate (310) has a second water inlet (311), a second water outlet (312) and a second cooling channel (313). The second water inlet (311) and the second water outlet (312) are connected through the second cooling channel (313). The second mounting plate (320) has a third water inlet, a third water outlet (321) and a third cooling channel (322). The third water inlet and the third water outlet (321) are connected through the third cooling channel (322). The second outlet (312) is opposite to and connected to the first inlet (111), and the third inlet is opposite to and connected to the first outlet (112).
6. The wafer cooling apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second water inlet (311) is located on the side of the first mounting plate (310), and the third water outlet (321) is located on the side of the second mounting plate (320). In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the height of the third water outlet (321) is greater than the height of the second water inlet (311).
7. The wafer cooling apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support portion (120) has at least two support protrusions (121) spaced apart, and the at least two support protrusions (121) are used to support the wafer (200), and the thermal conductivity of the material of the support protrusions (121) is less than that of the material of the support portion (120).
8. The wafer cooling apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of support portions (120) is at least two, including at least one first support portion (122) and at least one second support portion (123). The first support portion (122) and the second support portion (123) are alternately disposed on the main body portion (110). A heat sink (114) protrudes from the main body portion (110). The heat sink (114) is located between the first support portion (122) and the second support portion (123), and the heat sink (114) is configured to be disposed opposite to the wafer (200); and / or, The main body (110) has a first top surface (115), and the support (120) has a second top surface (124). In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the height of the first top surface (115) is greater than the height of the second top surface (124); and / or, The first water inlet (111) is located at one end of the first cooling channel (113), and the first water outlet (112) is located at the other end of the first cooling channel (113).
9. A device front-end module, characterized in that, The device includes a housing (400) and a wafer cooling device according to any one of claims 1-8, the wafer cooling device being detachably mounted on the housing (400).
10. The device front-end module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The device front-end module also includes a temperature detection element (500), which is disposed on the housing (400) and is used to detect the temperature of the wafer (200) on the support (100).
11. The device front-end module according to claim 10, characterized in that, The number of temperature detection elements (500) is at least two, including a first temperature detection element (510) and a second temperature detection element (520). In the height direction of the wafer cooling device, the first temperature detection element (510) and the second temperature detection element (520) are located on opposite sides of the wafer cooling device.
12. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a process chamber (610), a load locking chamber (620), and a device front-end module according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the load locking chamber (620) is located between the process chamber (610) and the device front-end module, and the device front-end module is in on / off communication with the load locking chamber (620).
13. A wafer transfer method, applied to the semiconductor process equipment of claim 12, characterized in that, The number of the support members (100) is at least two, and each of the support members (100) is arranged sequentially along the height direction of the wafer cooling device; The film transfer method includes: At least one first wafer (210) is placed on one of the uppermost support (100) and the lowermost support (100); At least one second wafer (220) is placed on the other of at least one of the uppermost supports (100) and at least one of the lowermost supports (100); At least one third wafer (230) is placed on at least one of the supports (100) adjacent to one of the first wafer (210) and the second wafer (220).
14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the temperature of the first wafer (210) is less than or equal to a preset temperature, the first wafer (210) is removed; When the temperature of the second wafer (220) is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the second wafer (220) is removed; When the temperature of the third wafer (230) is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the third wafer (230) is removed.