CN116705644A - Wafer processing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a wafer processing apparatus and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The wafer processing apparatus includes: a wafer support device configured to support the wafer; and a light source array positioned in a support side direction of the wafer and adapted to perform optical radiation heating of the wafer; wherein the array of light sources is configured to project a plurality of light spots for the optical radiation heating towards a surface of the wafer on the support side such that all the plurality of light spots at least in a radial direction of the wafer are adjacent to each other and do not overlap each other. It will be appreciated that in this way, the indexing of the heating zone of the wafer in at least the radial direction may be made clearer, thereby facilitating an increase in the temperature-controlled spatial resolution in a drying process such as a wafer.

Description

Wafer processing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more particularly to a wafer processing apparatus and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

Background

Wet cleaning and drying processes are important links in the semiconductor manufacturing process, and have a critical effect on improving the chip performance and yield. A wafer processing apparatus for a conventional wet cleaning and drying process is shown in fig. 1. The wafer 20' is fixed to the rotatable chuck 10' and rotates with the chuck 10 '. A drying nozzle 21', a nitrogen nozzle 22', and a chemical liquid nozzle 23 'are disposed above the chuck 10'. The chemical solution flows out from the solution nozzle 23 'and is uniformly distributed on the surface of the wafer 20' by the centrifugal action of the spin chuck 10', thereby realizing wet cleaning or etching of the wafer 20'. The drying liquid flows out of the drying nozzle 21' and washes the chemical clean. The nitrogen nozzle 22 'ejects nitrogen gas to evaporate the drying liquid, thereby drying the wafer 20'.

Under the drive of moore's law, the chip integration level is continuously improved, the feature size of a single transistor is continuously reduced, the depth-to-width ratio of a device structure is continuously increased, and challenges are brought to wet cleaning and drying processes in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved wafer processing apparatus that may at least increase the temperature controlled spatial resolution of a wafer.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a wafer processing apparatus is provided. The wafer processing apparatus includes: a wafer support device configured to support the wafer; and a light source array positioned in a support side direction of the wafer and adapted to perform optical radiation heating of the wafer; wherein the array of light sources is configured to project a plurality of light spots for the optical radiation heating towards a surface of the wafer on the support side such that all the plurality of light spots at least in a radial direction of the wafer are adjacent to each other and do not overlap each other.

It will be appreciated that in this way, the indexing of the heating zone of the wafer in at least the radial direction may be made clearer, thereby facilitating an increase in the temperature-controlled spatial resolution in a drying process such as a wafer.

In some embodiments, the plurality of light spots on the surface of the wafer form a plurality of concentric ring regions adjacent to each other and non-overlapping with each other, a common center of the plurality of concentric ring regions being at a center of the wafer. In this way, it is possible to allow temperature control of the wafer area to be achieved in concentric rings of wafers.

In some embodiments, any two adjacent concentric ring regions have a shared boundary line that is tangent to the spots within the any two adjacent concentric ring regions, respectively. It will be appreciated that the shared boundary lines described above may form a boundary line with temperature control in concentric ring areas.

In some embodiments, the spots within each concentric ring region are arranged in a non-overlapping manner. In these embodiments, the temperature control resolution of the wafer in the circumferential direction may also be improved.

In some embodiments, the number of spots corresponding to the concentric ring region increases as the concentric ring region is further from the center of the wafer. In this way, the number of spots can be adapted to the circumferential dimension of the wafer gradually away from the center of the circle.

In some embodiments, the plurality of light spots are identical in shape and size to one another. In this way, the arrangement of the spots can be made easier. By way of example, the spot may be, for example, circular, elliptical, square, etc.

In some embodiments, the number of concentric ring regions n=r0/D0, where R0 is the radius of the wafer and D0 is the size of the spot in the radial direction of the wafer. In this way, the number of spots arranged in the radial direction of the wafer can be easily planned.

In some embodiments, the number of spots on each concentric ring region m=2pi/α, where α is the central angle corresponding to the distance of the respective centers of adjacent spots on the circumference of the corresponding concentric ring region. In this way, the number of spots arranged in the circumferential direction of the crystal can be easily planned.

In some embodiments, the light sources in the array of light sources are a combination of laser diodes and plano-convex lenses, wherein each laser diode corresponds to a plano-convex lens for converting light emitted from the laser diode into parallel light beams that are then projected onto the surface of the wafer. In these embodiments, the combination of the laser diode and the plano-convex lens may provide an example implementation of achieving a desired spot, and the laser diode may be more focused than a general LED, and thus may more easily generate the parallel light beams, while making the structure of the light source array more compact.

In some embodiments, the light sources in the array of light sources are a combination of LEDs or halogen lamps and a parabolic reflector, each LED or halogen lamp corresponding to one parabolic reflector for converting light from the LED or halogen lamp into a parallel beam of light that is then projected onto the surface of the wafer. In these embodiments, a combination of an LED or halogen lamp and a parabolic mirror that helps produce a spot projected as a parallel beam may provide yet another example implementation of achieving the desired spot.

In some embodiments, the light sources in the array of light sources are a combination of LEDs or halogen lamps and highly reflective sleeves, each LED or halogen lamp corresponding to one highly reflective sleeve, light from the LED or halogen lamp being projected onto the surface of the wafer via multiple reflections within the highly reflective sleeve. In these embodiments, a combination of an LED or halogen lamp and a highly reflective sleeve may provide yet another example implementation of achieving a desired light spot, where the highly reflective sleeve also helps to produce a light spot that is reduced in size.

In some embodiments, the operating wavelength of the light sources in the array of light sources is in the range of 600nm to 1000 nm. This wavelength range may facilitate heat absorption by the wafer during drying. It can improve heat absorption efficiency compared to cool white light.

In some embodiments, the wafer support device is a rotatable chuck and is configured to allow the wafer to rotate with rotation of the rotatable chuck, the array of light sources is configured to remain stationary during rotation of the rotatable chuck and to project the plurality of light spots toward the surface of the rotating wafer. In these embodiments, the projection of the plurality of light spots may be achieved during rotation of the wafer and facilitate uniform distribution of heat in the circumferential direction of the wafer.

In some embodiments, the wafer processing apparatus further comprises a controller electrically connected to the array of light sources and adapted to control the light intensities of the plurality of light spots in groups, thereby controlling the temperature of the wafer in regions. In this way, zoned temperature control over the wafer may be achieved in a manner that groups the light sources in the array of light sources.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes the wafer processing apparatus according to the first aspect.

It should also be appreciated that the descriptions in this summary are not intended to limit key or critical features of embodiments of the disclosure, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Other features of embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description.

Drawings

The above and other features, advantages and aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals denote like or similar elements, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a wafer processing apparatus used in a conventional wet cleaning and drying process;

fig. 2 shows a mechanism of pattern collapse in a drying process;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of three different temperature zones that require different temperature control on a wafer during a drying process;

FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional array of light sources for cool white LEDs used in a wafer drying process;

fig. 5 shows a schematic structural view of a wafer processing apparatus according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 6 shows a schematic view of a spot distribution in a radial direction of a wafer according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic distribution of all spots projected on a wafer according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of spot placement in the circumferential direction of a wafer according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 9 shows a schematic structural view of a first example of a light source in a light source array according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 10 shows a schematic structural view of a second example of a light source in a light source array according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; and

fig. 11 shows a schematic structural view of a third example of a light source in a light source array according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While certain embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

As described above, with the increasing chip integration, the feature size of the individual transistors is continuously shrinking and the aspect ratio of the device structures is continuously increasing, which presents challenges for wet cleaning and drying processes in semiconductor manufacturing flows.

In particular, the biggest challenge faced by current drying processes is how to prevent pattern collapse of the device structure. The mechanism of pattern collapse is shown in fig. 2 (a) - (c). During the drying process, when the surface of the drying liquid 30' is lower than the device structure, a meniscus is formed due to capillary action (as shown in fig. 2 (b)), and the difference in surface tension of the liquid on both sides of the device structure will cause a pressure differenceWherein gamma is the surface tension coefficient of the liquid, theta is the included angle between the meniscus and the device structure, and S is the distance between adjacent structures. The pressure difference on both sides of the device causes it to deform +.>Eventually leading to pattern collapse, wherein->E is the elastic modulus of the device structure, which is the aspect ratio of the device. In particular, in the advanced process below the 7nm process node, the pitch S of the device structure is continuously reduced, and the depth-to-width ratio is +.>The increasing number of the drying processes is more likely to cause pattern collapse phenomenon, which seriously affects the chip yield, so preventing the pattern collapse of the device structure is a common challenge for various semiconductor manufacturers.

The key to solving the above technical problem is to reduce the pressure difference caused by the surface tension of the drying liquid 30'. According to the equation of Δp, two aspects can be considered. First, new dry liquids are developed, lowering the tension coefficient γ of the liquid surface. Second, the evaporation of the drying liquid is accelerated, the meniscus is prevented from forming, and θ is made to approach 90 °. A great deal of technical research has been conducted by each semiconductor device manufacturer along this line.

For example, isopropyl alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol or IPA) has been developed to replace conventional Deionized Water or DIW for new dry liquid aspects. The IPA drying liquid significantly reduces the liquid surface tension compared to conventional deionized water; in accelerating volatilization of the drying liquid, a concept of controlling the temperature of the wafer in regions by using light radiation emitted from the light source array of the cool white LED during the process that the drying nozzle + the nitrogen nozzle moves from the center (e.g., center) of the wafer to the edge and the drying nozzle ejects the drying liquid has been proposed. In particular, as shown in fig. 3, the wafer 20' may be fixed on a (rotatable) chuck (not depicted), and during the movement of the drying nozzle 21' + nitrogen nozzle (not depicted) from the center of the wafer (e.g., center 0 of the wafer) to the edge and the ejection of the drying liquid 30', the entire surface area of the wafer 20' may be dynamically divided into three temperature zones, namely, zone a, zone B, and zone C, wherein zone a corresponds to an area that has not yet been dried, such as an area from the location on the wafer 20' where the drying nozzle 21' + nitrogen nozzle is being ejected to the circumference of the wafer 20 '; zone B corresponds to the area on the wafer 20 'being sprayed and rapidly dried, for example, the area directly below the drying nozzle 21' + nitrogen nozzle; while zone C corresponds to the area of the wafer 20 'that has been dried, for example, from center 0 to the location where the drying nozzle 21' + nitrogen nozzle is ejected. It should be noted that 1. As the wafer dries, zones a, B and C are all dynamically changing zones. In addition, in the drying process performed during the rotation of the wafer 20' by the rotatable chuck, zones a, B and C may all be considered as annularly distributed areas; 2. due to the rotation of the wafer 20', the chemical solution previously distributed on the C and B regions and the partially dried liquid 30' may move toward the a region by the centrifugal force; 3. since region a corresponds to an area that has not yet been dried, the thickness of the drying liquid distributed thereon may cause the device structure of region a to be submerged by the drying liquid 30'.

For the three temperature zones described above, different temperature control strategies are required. For example, for region a, which is an area that has not yet been dried, the light radiation of the array of light sources may be controlled such that region a is maintained at a lower temperature to keep the liquid at the device structure that has been covered by liquid from evaporating as much as possible, thereby maintaining the state where the drying liquid 30' floods the device structure to prevent meniscus formation. For zone B, the light radiation of the light source array may be controlled such that zone B is heated to a higher temperature to promote rapid evaporation of the drying liquid, thereby also avoiding meniscus formation. For zone C, it is desirable to control the light radiation of the array of light sources so that zone C is maintained at a temperature that prevents condensation of the drying liquid to avoid condensation of vapor of the drying liquid in the environment on zone C of the wafer. Therefore, accurate control of temperature distribution in different temperature zones is critical to prevent pattern collapse during wafer drying.

In order to achieve different temperature control strategies for the above three temperature zones, the above mentioned light source arrays of cool white LEDs have been proposed to be simply arranged in concentric circular arrays, for example as shown in fig. 4. However, the inventors noted that: the arrangement of the LED light source array as shown in fig. 4 may be disadvantageous in that: the LED radiation has no directivity, energy loss is generated in the transmission process of light, and the heating efficiency is reduced, so that the LED array is required to be close enough to the wafer, and the placement position of the LED array is limited; 2, the LED radiates to the whole space, which possibly heats other parts and affects the service life of the other parts; the LED radiation is not directional, a large number of LEDs (1300) are needed to be densely arranged, so that the radiation areas of adjacent LEDs are overlapped with each other, and the mixed heating of partial areas of a wafer is caused; 4. the radiation range of a single light source on a wafer determines the spatial resolution of regional temperature control, and the LED radiation area is large, so that the temperature control resolution is not high, and the boundary between A, B, C areas is fuzzy; 5. the cool white LED radiation contains more blue light components, resulting in a spectral range that is not within the optimal absorption interval of the silicon wafer; 6. the broadening of the spectrum of a cold white LED can reach 50nm, and the absorption rate of a wafer can be greatly attenuated at the broadening of the wave crest.

The idea of the present disclosure is to provide an improved wafer processing apparatus for wafer temperature control, which can achieve improved temperature control by projecting a plurality of light spots onto a surface of a support side on a wafer and causing all the plurality of light spots at least in a radial direction of the wafer to be adjacent to each other and not overlap each other. In particular, the plurality of light spots may form a plurality of concentric ring regions adjacent to each other and not overlapping each other, and a common center of the concentric ring regions may be at a center of the wafer; any two adjacent concentric ring areas may have a shared boundary line, which may be tangential to the spots in the any two adjacent concentric ring areas, respectively; and the spots within each concentric ring region may be arranged tangentially to each other and in a non-overlapping manner. In the mode, the temperature control spatial resolution of the wafer can be effectively improved, and particularly the temperature control spatial resolution of three temperature areas of the area A, the area B and the area C is improved. In addition, in the mode, the light radiation can be prevented from overflowing to other parts except the wafer, so that the thermal damage to the other parts is avoided. In particular, the generation and arrangement of the spots described above can be achieved by selecting a suitable combination of light emitting devices and light guiding elements, for example, which helps to improve the directionality of the light beam and to conveniently produce the desired spot shape and spot arrangement.

In order to better understand the above concepts of the present disclosure, fig. 5 shows a schematic structural view of a wafer processing apparatus according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 5, the wafer processing apparatus 100 may mainly include a wafer support device 10 and a light source array 40.

The wafer support device 10 may be, for example, a chuck, which may be used to support a wafer 20. By way of example only, the chuck may include, but is not limited to, a mechanical chuck, an electrostatic chuck, or a vacuum chuck. In particular, the chuck may be a rotatable chuck that may allow the wafer 20 to rotate as the rotatable chuck rotates.

The array of light sources 40 may be positioned in a support side direction of the wafer 20 and adapted to optically radiate heat the wafer. In particular, the light source array 40 may project a plurality of spots for the optical radiation heating toward the surface of the wafer 20 on the above-described support side, and the area heating of the wafer 20 may be achieved by the plurality of spots. In order to drive the light source array 40, the wafer processing apparatus 100 may further include a driving circuit board 60 for driving the light source array, and the driving circuit board 60 may be disposed at a side of the light source array 40 opposite to the emission side thereof.

Further, to enable thermal management of the light source array 40, in some embodiments, the wafer processing apparatus 100 may further include a heat sink 50, which heat sink 50 may be attached to a side of the light source array 40 opposite the emitting side thereof to enable cooling of the light source array 40. In particular, the heat sink 50 may be positioned between the light source array 40 and the drive circuit board 60, thereby enabling cooling of both the light source array 40 and the drive circuit board 60.

Further, to achieve thermal control of the light source array 40, in some embodiments, the wafer processing apparatus 100 may further include a controller (not shown) that may be electrically connected to the light source array 40 and adapted to control the light intensities of the plurality of light spots projected by the plurality of light sources on the light source array 40 in groups, thereby achieving zoned control of the temperature of the wafer 20, which is advantageous for improving the temperature control resolution of different temperature zones on the wafer. In still other embodiments, each light source on the array of light sources 40 may be individually controllable or group controllable. In this way, a greater degree of freedom of control of the light source array 40 may be achieved.

The wafer processing apparatus 100 of the present disclosure may be particularly useful in semiconductor manufacturing processes such as drying processes. To this end, the wafer processing apparatus 100 may further include a drying nozzle 21 and a nitrogen nozzle 22, among others. In some embodiments, the nitrogen nozzle 22 may be in communication with the drying nozzle 21 (i.e., both remain relatively stationary in motion) and emit hot nitrogen gas to facilitate volatilization of the drying liquid while the drying nozzle 21 dispenses, for example, high temperature IPA as the drying liquid. In some embodiments, the drying process may be performed while the wafer is rotating with the chuck, and during the movement of the drying nozzle from the center of the wafer to the edge of the wafer. It will be readily appreciated that drying during rotation of the wafer may result in more uniform drying of the wafer in the circumferential direction of the wafer, and that movement of the drying nozzle from the center of the wafer to the edge of the wafer may allow drying liquid to move away from the dried area as far as possible under centrifugal force.

It will also be readily appreciated that as the drying process proceeds, the entire surface area of wafer 20 may be dynamically divided into three temperature zones, namely zone a, zone B and zone C, similar to that depicted in fig. 3, wherein zone a corresponds to an area that has not yet been dried, for example, from the location on wafer 20 where drying nozzle 21+ nitrogen nozzle 22 is being ejected to the circumference of wafer 20; zone B corresponds to the area on the wafer 20 being sprayed and rapidly dried, for example, the area directly below the drying nozzle 21+ nitrogen nozzle 22; and zone C corresponds to the area of the wafer 20 that has been dried, for example, from the center O to the location where the drying nozzle 21+ nitrogen nozzle 22 is ejected. It should also be noted that although the temperature control of the wafer is described herein primarily in terms of the three temperature zones defined above, it should be understood that the entire surface area of the wafer 20 may be divided into fewer or more temperature zones, and that the definition of these temperature zones may also differ from the definition of the temperature zones above. In particular, in the case of temperature control for more temperature zones, finer temperature control of the wafer can be achieved.

According to the design of the present disclosure, the plurality of light spots projected onto the surface of the wafer 20 by the above-described light source array 40 may be designed such that all of the plurality of light spots in at least the radial direction of the wafer 20 are adjacent to each other and do not overlap each other. As an example, fig. 6 shows a schematic view of a spot distribution in a radial direction of a wafer, wherein multiple spots are tangential to each other but do not overlap each other in the radial direction of the wafer 20, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Since the plurality of spots are adjacent to each other (e.g., tangential) but do not overlap each other in the radial direction of the wafer 20, this results in an improved spatial resolution of the temperature control in the radial direction of the wafer.

In some embodiments, the plurality of spots are identical in shape and size to each other. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments it is possible that the shape and size of the plurality of spots are different from each other. In particular, the shape and size of the spot may be designed according to the size of the wafer and the spatial resolution of the temperature control. By way of example only, the shape of the spot may be circular, elliptical, square, or other regular or irregular shape; and the spot size (e.g. diameter) may be, for example, 10mm.

In a further embodiment, as shown in fig. 6, the plurality of light spots projected on the surface of the wafer 20 may form a plurality of concentric ring areas C1, C2, … …, cn adjacent to each other and non-overlapping with each other, the common center of the plurality of concentric ring areas C1, C2, … …, cn being at the center of the wafer. Here, the boundary lines of the concentric ring areas C1, C2, … …, cn may be defined by the outline of the light spot, and in particular, the boundary lines of the concentric ring areas C1, C2, … …, cn may be defined by the outline of the rotation of the light spot in case the wafer 20 rotates relative to the light source array 40. In some embodiments, any two adjacent concentric ring regions may have shared boundary lines X1, X2, … …, xn-1, which may be tangential to all spots within the any two adjacent concentric ring regions, respectively. As an example, the shared boundary line may be a circular line (e.g., a circle, an oval-shaped circle). More particularly, the widths of the plurality of concentric ring regions in the radial direction may be the same as each other.

By way of example only, fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram of all spot distributions projected on a wafer, wherein only one spot is included in the radial direction within each concentric ring region, and all multiple spots are identical in shape and size to one another, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 7, assume R ₀ Is the radius, D, of the wafer 20 ₀ For the size of the spot in the radial direction of the wafer 20, there is a number of concentric ring areas n=r ₀ /D ₀ 。

It will be readily appreciated that in the manner described above, temperature-controlled spatial resolution with concentric ring widths as granularity can be readily achieved in the radial direction of the wafer, as each concentric ring region can be readily designed to be independently controllable and the heat radiation ranges between them do not interfere with each other. This is advantageous for achieving zonal fine control of the three dynamically variable temperature zones described above. In addition, the boundary control of the three dynamically variable temperature zones described above may become clearer than the overlapping spots projected by the array of light sources shown in fig. 4, which improves the control accuracy of the temperature zones.

In a further embodiment, as shown in fig. 7, the spots within each concentric ring region may be arranged in a non-overlapping (e.g., circumferentially) manner. For example, the spots within each concentric ring region may be uniformly spaced (e.g., in the circumferential direction). For another example, the spots within each concentric ring region may be arranged tangentially to each other (e.g., in the circumferential direction) and not overlapping. By way of example only, the plurality of spots may be arranged tangentially on the circumference of concentric ring areas of different radii using the rules shown in fig. 8. With radius r ₀ For example, the circular light spot passes through the center of the wafer, and is taken as two tangent lines of the circular light spot on the concentric ring area with the radius of R, the included angle or central angle between the two tangent linesIn this case, at least m=2pi/α circular spots can be arranged on the circumference. Note that: although the above circular spots are exemplified to calculate the number of spots that can be arranged on the circumference, it should be understood that the above formula m=2pi/α can also be applied to spots of other shapes, where α is the central angle corresponding to the maximum size of each spot in the circumferential direction of the corresponding concentric ring area. Furthermore, the above formula m=2pi/α can also be applied to a plurality of light spots arranged in a circumferentially spaced manner, where α is a central angle corresponding to a distance of respective centers of adjacent light spots on circumferences of concentric ring areas of different radii.

In some embodiments, as the concentric ring region is farther from the center of the wafer 20, the corresponding number of spots on the concentric ring region is greater, which also means that the concentric ring region C1 nearest the center of the wafer has the smallest number of spots. By way of example only, in the example of fig. 7, the number of spots within the concentric ring region C1 nearest the center of the wafer is 2, and the two spots are adjacent to each other (e.g., tangential). It will be readily appreciated that the concentric ring region C1 at this time may be considered as a special concentric ring around the center of the circle, the inner side of which converges to the center of the wafer. Furthermore, it is also easily understood that it is also possible to design the number of spots in the concentric ring area C1 to be other than 2, for example 4.

It is also readily understood that it is also possible that adjacent spots within each concentric ring region overlap each other and are distributed in such a way that they do not adversely affect the temperature controlled spatial resolution at the wafer. This is because during rotation of the wafer, the concentric ring areas in the same circumferential direction will be heated substantially identically due to the rotation of the wafer. However, the tangential arrangement of adjacent spots within each concentric ring region is significantly more efficient in terms of the number of light sources used than in terms of the overlapping of adjacent spots within each concentric ring region.

Furthermore, it will be readily appreciated that although a tangential arrangement of spots (e.g. circular spots) may result in gaps between adjacent spots within the same concentric ring region, the spot gaps may be filled with radiation during rotation of the wafer relative to the array of light sources, and thus each concentric ring region will be uniformly illuminated and heated. In addition, according to the spot arrangement of the present disclosure, the amount of light sources used can be greatly reduced compared to the light source array arrangement shown in fig. 4 (where adjacent spots overlap). For example, assuming a circular spot radius of 5mm as shown in fig. 7, a total of 677 light sources would be used for a 12 inch wafer divided into 15 concentric ring areas, which would reduce the light source usage by about 50% as compared to the light source array arrangement shown in fig. 4.

The light spots and arrangements required for the light source array of the present disclosure are described in detail above, and the light source may be implemented by a combination of a light emitting device and a light guiding device according to the design of the present disclosure.

Structural schematic diagrams of light sources in a light source array according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to fig. 9 to 11.

Fig. 9 shows a first example of light sources in a light source array according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 9, the light sources in the light source array 40 may be a combination of laser diodes LD 41 and plano-convex lenses 42, where each laser diode may correspond to one plano-convex lens 42 that may convert light emitted from the laser diode LD 41 into a parallel beam and then projected onto the surface of the wafer. In particular, in some embodiments, the operating wavelength of the laser diode LD 41 may be in the range of 600 to 1000 nm. It should be appreciated that the spectral range of 600nm to 1000nm is the optimal absorption window for a silicon wafer, and that the laser has a very narrow spectral spread, at about 5-10 nm, which can increase the heating efficiency of the wafer by 10% compared to cold white or blue LEDs. In addition, the LD is small in size and easy to integrate into an array.

It will also be readily appreciated that the laser diode LD 41 emits stimulated radiation with good directivity, but still has a divergence angle of 10-30 deg., and energy losses occur during propagation. When the light outlet of the laser diode LD 41 is placed at the focal position of the plano-convex lens 42 having a specific shape and size, the laser light can be changed from scattered light of a small angle into a parallel beam by refraction of the plano-convex lens, and no longer diverges, so that a spot of a specific shape and size can be projected on the wafer.

In the example of the light source arrangement shown in fig. 9 described above, the light sources shown in fig. 9 can be easily arranged in the light source array 40 (e.g., forming a concentric circular array of light sources), and a spot arrangement as shown in fig. 7 can be produced. As described above, the light spots in this arrangement do not overlap each other, so that each region can be independently heated, which is advantageous for precisely controlling the temperature distribution of different regions, and making the boundary of the A, B, C region clear.

Fig. 10 shows a second example of light sources in a light source array according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 10, the light sources in the array of light sources 40 are a combination of LEDs or halogen lamps 43 (e.g., halogen lamps) and a parabolic reflector 44, each corresponding to one of the parabolic reflectors for converting light from the LEDs or halogen lamps into a parallel beam of light that is then projected onto the surface of the wafer 20. In particular, the light emitting point of the LED or tungsten halogen lamp 43 may be positioned at the focal position of the parabolic reflector 44; the exit of the parabolic mirror 43 has a particular shape and size. Although the light emitted from the LED and the halogen tungsten lamp is not directional and irradiates the whole space, the radiation light rays are emitted from the focus of the parabolic reflector 43, and after being reflected, the scattered light rays can become parallel beams, so that the scattered light rays are not further scattered, and a light spot with a specific shape and size can be formed on a wafer in a projection mode.

Similarly, the light sources shown in fig. 10 can be easily arranged in an array of light sources 40 (e.g., forming a concentric circular array of light sources), and the spot arrangement shown in fig. 7 can likewise be produced. As described above, the light spots in the arrangement mode can be mutually non-overlapped, and each region can realize independent control of heating, so that the temperature distribution of different regions can be accurately controlled, and the boundary of the A, B, C region is clear.

Fig. 11 shows a third example of light sources in a light source array according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 11, the light sources in the light source array 40 may be a combination of LEDs or halogen lamps 43 (e.g., tungsten halogen lamps) and highly reflective sleeves 45, each LED or halogen lamp 43 may correspond to one highly reflective sleeve 45. Specifically, although the LED and the halogen lamp 43 are not directional, the emitted radiation may be confined in the highly reflective sleeve 45, and after undergoing multiple reflections within the highly reflective sleeve 45, a spot having a specific shape and size may be projected on the wafer.

Similarly, the light sources shown in fig. 11 can be easily arranged in a light source array 40 (e.g., forming a concentric circular array of light sources), and the spot arrangement shown in fig. 7 can be similarly produced. The light spots in the arrangement mode can be mutually non-overlapped, and each region can realize independent control heating, so that the temperature distribution of different regions can be accurately controlled, and the boundary of the A, B, C region is clear.

The schematic structure of the light sources in the light source array is described above by way of example. It is readily appreciated that the exemplary light source arrangement of the present disclosure may convert scattered light into a directional beam of light and project onto a wafer to form a radiation spot of a particular shape, size, and may avoid the disadvantages of divergent light sources. It is also readily understood that the light source arrangement of the present disclosure may have the following advantages or benefits: 1. the directional light beam can reduce the energy loss of light in the transmission process, improve the heating efficiency of the wafer, ensure that the distance between the light source and the wafer is not limited, and improve the flexibility of hardware design. 2. The directional radiation to the wafer avoids thermal damage to other components. 3. Through the arrangement of reasonable design light sources, the uniform irradiation to the wafer can be realized, the light sources are not mutually interfered, the temperature of a radiation area is independently controlled, and the consumption of the light sources can be reduced by 50 percent. 4. The radiation light spots with limited size improve the resolution of regional temperature control, so that the boundaries between A, B, C regions are clearer and controllable; 5. the laser diode LD with the wavelength of 600-1000 nm can be selected as a light source, and the spectrum broadening of laser is very narrow (5-10 nm), so that the laser diode LD can be positioned in the optimal absorption interval of a silicon wafer, and the efficiency of heating the wafer is further improved by 10%.

While the application has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the application is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments, or other applications, can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed application, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. For example, the array of light sources of the present disclosure may be used in addition to a drying process for a wafer, and possibly in an annealing process for a wafer, for example, by adjusting the operating current/voltage of the light source to bring the wafer to a temperature required for the annealing process. In particular, high energy focused lasers are particularly suitable for use in rapid annealing of wafers. Further, the wafer processing apparatus of the present disclosure may be part of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain features are recited in mutually different embodiments or in dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be used to advantage. The scope of the application encompasses any possible combination of the features recited in the various embodiments or the dependent claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application.

Furthermore, any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the application.

Claims (15)

1. A wafer processing apparatus (100), characterized by comprising:

a wafer support device (10) configured to support the wafer (20); and

-an array of light sources (40) positioned in the direction of the support side of the wafer (20) and adapted to optically radiate heat the wafer (20);

wherein the light source array (40) is configured to project a plurality of light spots for the optical radiation heating towards a surface of the wafer (20) located on the support side such that all the plurality of light spots at least in a radial direction of the wafer (20) are adjacent to each other and do not overlap each other.

2. The wafer processing apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light spots on the surface of the wafer (20) form a plurality of concentric ring areas (C1-Cn) adjacent to each other and non-overlapping each other, a common center of the plurality of concentric ring areas being at a center of the wafer.

3. The wafer processing apparatus (100) of claim 2, wherein any two adjacent concentric ring regions have a shared boundary line that is tangential to the spots in the any two adjacent concentric ring regions, respectively.

4. A wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any of claims 2-3, wherein the spots in each concentric ring area are arranged in a non-overlapping manner.

5. The wafer processing apparatus (100) of any of claims 2-4, wherein the number of spots on the concentric ring region is greater as the concentric ring region is further from the center of the wafer (20).

6. The wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 2-5, wherein the plurality of light spots are identical in shape and size to each other.

7. The wafer processing apparatus (100) of claim 6, wherein the number N = R of the plurality of concentric ring regions (C1-Cn) ₀ /D ₀ Wherein R is ₀ For the radius, D, of the wafer (20) ₀ Is the dimension of the spot in the radial direction of the wafer (20).

8. The wafer processing apparatus (100) of claim 6, wherein the number of spots on each concentric ring region M = 2 pi/a, where a is the central angle corresponding to the distance of the respective centers of adjacent spots on the circumference of the corresponding concentric ring region.

9. The wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the light sources in the array of light sources (40) are a combination of laser diodes (41) and plano-convex lenses (42), wherein each laser diode corresponds to a plano-convex lens for converting light emitted from the laser diodes into parallel light beams before being projected onto the surface of the wafer (20).

10. The wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the light sources in the array of light sources (40) are LEDs or halogen lamps (43) in combination with a parabolic mirror (44), each LED or halogen lamp corresponding to a parabolic mirror for converting light from the LED or halogen lamp into a parallel beam of light before being projected onto the surface of the wafer (20).

11. The wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the light sources in the array of light sources (40) are LEDs or halogen lamps (43) in combination with highly reflective sleeves (45), each LED or halogen lamp corresponding to one highly reflective sleeve, light from the LED or halogen lamp being projected onto the surface of the wafer (20) via multiple reflections within the highly reflective sleeve.

12. The wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein the operating wavelength of the light sources in the array of light sources (40) is in the range of 600nm to 1000 nm.

13. The wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the wafer support device (10) is a rotatable chuck and is configured to allow the wafer (20) to rotate with rotation of the rotatable chuck, the light source array (40) being configured to remain stationary during rotation of the rotatable chuck and to project the plurality of light spots towards the surface of the rotating wafer.

14. The wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1-13, further comprising a controller electrically connected to the array of light sources (40) and adapted to control the light intensities of the plurality of light spots in groups, thereby controlling the temperature of the wafer (20) in regions.

15. Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, characterized by comprising a wafer processing apparatus (100) according to any of claims 1-14.