CN219873480U

CN219873480U - Edge ring, wafer supporting device and heat treatment equipment

Info

Publication number: CN219873480U
Application number: CN202320953158.5U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 苏文华; 齐玉
Original assignee: Hangzhou Fuxin Semiconductor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hangzhou Fuxin Semiconductor Co Ltd
Priority date: 2023-04-25
Filing date: 2023-04-25
Publication date: 2023-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-25

Abstract

The utility model relates to an edge ring, which comprises a groove. The groove is used for supporting the wafer and comprises a bottom plate and annular side walls. The annular side wall extends obliquely upwards from the upper surface of the bottom plate, the annular side wall forms an inner circle, and the diameter of the inner circle gradually increases from the upper surface of the bottom plate to the upper surface of the annular side wall, wherein the distance between the upper surface of the annular side wall and the upper surface of the bottom plate is larger than the thickness of the wafer. With the above arrangement, the wafer can be still positioned at the center of the edge ring during rotation, and no positional deviation is generated during rotation.

Description

Edge ring, wafer supporting device and heat treatment equipment

Technical Field

The utility model relates to the technical field of heat treatment, in particular to an edge ring for a wafer, a wafer supporting device and heat treatment equipment.

Background

Rapid thermal processing (Rapid Thermal Process, RTP) is an important technique in semiconductor manufacturing and is used to eliminate lattice damage of wafers after ion implantation, and to repair the lattice damage of wafers through RTP to improve the electrical conductivity of the wafers.

When performing rapid thermal processing on a wafer, the wafer is placed on a wafer support device having an edge ring (edge-ring), and then the wafer is heated by using a heating lamp array above or below the wafer, and at this time, the wafer support device is usually rotated with a rotating element to rotate the wafer on the edge ring, so as to achieve the purpose of uniformly heating the wafer. However, when the wafer rotates on the edge ring, since the width of the inner groove of the edge ring (edge-ring) is small and the height thereof is low, if the position of the wafer placed on the edge ring deviates, the movement position of the wafer in the rotating process deflects and leaves the predetermined track, so that the wafer and the heating lamp array are misplaced, and the temperature uniformity and consistency of the wafer are affected.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the foregoing, an object of the present utility model is to provide an edge ring, a wafer supporting device and a heat treatment apparatus, which can solve the problem of positional deviation of a wafer during rotation.

Based on the above object, the present utility model provides an edge ring comprising a groove. The groove is used for supporting the wafer and comprises a bottom plate and annular side walls. The annular side wall extends obliquely upwards from the upper surface of the bottom plate, the annular side wall forms an inner circle, and the diameter of the inner circle gradually increases from the upper surface of the bottom plate to the upper surface of the annular side wall, wherein the distance between the upper surface of the annular side wall and the upper surface of the bottom plate is larger than the thickness of the wafer.

In an embodiment of the present utility model, the edge ring further includes a protrusion extending radially inward from the annular sidewall, and the wafer is located on the protrusion.

In an embodiment of the utility model, the protrusion and the base plate define an auxiliary space, the auxiliary space being located between the wafer and the base plate.

In an embodiment of the present utility model, the edge ring further includes a coating layer disposed on the annular sidewall, the bottom plate, or the protruding portion.

In view of the above, the present utility model provides a wafer supporting device, which includes a supporting element and an edge ring. The edge ring is arranged on the supporting element and comprises a bottom plate and an annular side wall. The annular side wall extends obliquely upwards from the upper surface of the bottom plate, the annular side wall forms an inner circle, and the diameter of the inner circle gradually increases from the upper surface of the bottom plate to the upper surface of the annular side wall, wherein the distance between the upper surface of the annular side wall and the upper surface of the bottom plate is larger than the thickness of the wafer.

In view of the above, the present utility model provides a thermal processing apparatus comprising a chamber, the aforementioned wafer support device, a heating source, a gas supply element, and an exhaust element. The chamber has an interior space for performing a heat treatment process. The wafer supporting device is arranged in the inner space. The heating source is arranged above the wafer supporting device and provides heat energy to the wafer. The gas supply element is arranged at one side of the chamber to provide the first gas to the inner space. The exhaust element is arranged at the other side of the chamber to exhaust the second gas in the inner space.

The heat treatment equipment further comprises a rotating element, wherein the supporting element is arranged on the rotating element, and the rotating element drives the supporting element to rotate.

In summary, the edge ring of the present utility model can enable the wafer to be still at the center of the edge ring during rotation, and the wafer will not generate positional deviation during rotation. The heat treatment equipment and the wafer supporting device are provided with the edge ring, so that the wafer can be uniformly heated in rapid heat treatment, and the subsequent processing of the wafer (such as the formation of an insulating layer and a grid electrode) is facilitated.

The foregoing description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present utility model, and in order to make the technical means of the present utility model more clearly understood, the present utility model can be implemented according to the content of the specification, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present utility model will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a heat treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a wafer support device according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an edge ring according to one embodiment of the utility model.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an edge ring according to one embodiment of the utility model.

Reference numerals illustrate:

1 wafer supporting device

2 Chamber

3 heating source

4 gas supply element

5 exhaust element

6 pyrometer

7 controller

10 edge ring

11 floor board

12 annular side wall

13 projecting part

20 supporting element

30 rotating element

40 moving mechanism

AS1 auxiliary space

CL1 coating

IS1 internal space

W1 wafer

Detailed Description

Further advantages and effects of the present utility model will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure of the present utility model, which is described in the following specific examples.

It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments of the present utility model and features of the embodiments may be combined with each other. The utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings in connection with embodiments. In order that those skilled in the art will better understand the present utility model, a technical solution in the embodiments of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is apparent that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the utility model without making any inventive effort, shall fall within the scope of the utility model.

It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the description and the claims of the present utility model and the above figures are used for distinguishing between similar objects and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. Furthermore, the terms "comprises," "comprising," and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of steps or elements is not necessarily limited to those steps or elements expressly listed but may include other steps or elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

Referring to fig. 1, a schematic diagram of a heat treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the utility model is shown. As shown in fig. 1, the heat treatment apparatus of the present utility model includes a wafer support device 1, a chamber 2, a heating source 3, a gas supply element 4, and an exhaust element 5. The chamber 2 has an inner space IS1 for performing a heat treatment process. The wafer support device 1 IS disposed in the internal space IS1 and IS used for placing the wafer W1, and the configuration of the wafer support device 1 will be described in detail in the paragraphs corresponding to fig. 2. The heating source 3 is disposed above the wafer support device 1 and provides heat energy to the wafer W1. The gas supply member 4 IS disposed at one side of the chamber 2 to supply a first gas into the internal space IS1. The exhaust member 5 IS disposed at the other side of the chamber 2 to exhaust the second gas of the internal space IS1.

The interior of the chamber 2 forms an internal space IS1, a heat treatment process IS performed in the internal space IS1, and a gas can flow through the internal space IS 1; wherein the heat treatment process may be RTP or rapid thermal annealing (Rapid thermal annealing, RTA). The three-dimensional shape of the chamber 2 may be a cylinder or a polyhedron. For example, a quartz window may be disposed above the chamber 2, and a valve may be disposed at a sidewall of the chamber 2; the heating source 3 may be disposed on the quartz window, and the wafer W1 may be introduced into the internal space IS1 through the valve, and the wafer W1 may be placed on the wafer support device 1.

The heating source 3 and the wafer supporting device 1 are correspondingly arranged; for example, the heating source 3 is located on an upper sidewall of the chamber 2, the wafer support device 1 is located on a lower sidewall of the chamber 2, and the heating source 3 is located directly above the wafer support device 1. The heating source 3 supplies heat energy to the internal space IS1 by radiation (e.g., infrared radiation) to heat the wafer W1 in the internal space IS1, so that the surface temperature of the wafer W1 can be rapidly heated from an initial temperature (e.g., 25 ℃) to a set temperature (e.g., 800 ℃ or 1000 ℃). Specifically, the heating source 3 is composed of a plurality of heating lamps, which are distributed in a ring shape, and each heating lamp may be a halogen lamp or a mercury vapor lamp. However, the above-described configuration of the plurality of heating lamps is merely an example, and the heating source 3 may be composed of other radiant heating elements.

The gas supply device 4 IS disposed corresponding to the exhaust device 5, and IS connected to a gas input port located at a side wall of the chamber 2 through a gas input line to supply a first gas (such as oxygen, nitrogen or helium) into the internal space IS1. Specifically, the gas supply device 4 inputs the first gas into the gas input line, and the first gas flows in the gas input line and flows into the internal space IS1 through the gas input port, so as to cool the chamber 2 and the wafer W1. When the surface of the wafer W1 has an oxide film thereon, the first gas can repair defects of the oxide film. After the first gas reaches the internal space IS1, the gas remaining above the wafer W1 (i.e., the second gas) IS exhausted through the exhaust member 5.

The exhaust element 5 IS connected to a gas discharge port of the other side wall of the chamber 2 through a gas discharge line, the gas discharge port and the gas input port are provided in correspondence, and the exhaust element 5 discharges the second gas from the internal space IS1. For example, the gas inlet is disposed on the left side wall of the chamber 2, the gas outlet is disposed on the right side wall of the chamber 2, the gas supply element 4 is connected to the gas inlet, and the gas outlet is connected to the gas exhaust element 5. In addition, the exhaust element 5 may be a vacuum pump and have an exhaust hole. Specifically, the exhaust element 5 applies suction to the second gas in the internal space IS1, the second gas flows from the internal space to the gas discharge port and flows into the gas discharge line through the gas discharge port, then the second gas flows out from the gas discharge line to the exhaust element 5, and the exhaust element 5 discharges the second gas from the exhaust hole.

In the embodiment of the present utility model, the heat treatment apparatus of the present utility model further comprises a pyrometer 6 and a controller 7. The pyrometer 6 is connected to the controller 7 and generates a temperature value based on the temperature around the wafer W1. The controller 7 IS connected to the heating source 3 and generates and transmits a control voltage to the heating source 3 according to the temperature value, and a plurality of heating lamps of the heating source 3 generate infrared radiation to transfer heat energy to the internal space IS1. The controller 7 may be a processor or a microcontroller, and the foregoing description of the controller 7 is merely illustrative, and the present utility model is not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, a plurality of temperature probes are disposed around the wafer support device 1 and connected to the pyrometer 6, the pyrometer 6 senses the temperature around the wafer W1 through the plurality of temperature probes to generate a temperature value, and the controller 7 obtains the temperature value from the pyrometer 6. In another embodiment, a plurality of light pipes (e.g. quartz fibers) are disposed around the wafer support device 1 and connected to the pyrometer 6, the pyrometer 6 senses the light intensity around the wafer W1 through the plurality of light pipes, and the controller 7 converts the light intensity into a corresponding temperature value through Planck's law.

In an embodiment of the present utility model, the heat treatment apparatus further includes a rotating element 30 (as shown in fig. 2), where the rotating element 30 is located below the wafer supporting device 1 and drives the wafer supporting device 1 to rotate. Further, the rotating element 30 rotates during the heat treatment process of the wafer W1 to drive the wafer supporting device 1 to rotate, so that the wafer W1 can be heated uniformly.

Referring to fig. 2, a layout of a wafer support device is shown according to an embodiment of the utility model. As shown in fig. 2, the wafer support device 1 includes an edge ring 10 and a support member 20. The edge ring 10 is disposed on the support member 20, and the configuration of the edge ring 10 will be described in detail in the paragraphs corresponding to fig. 3 and 4. The support member 20 is of annular configuration and is adapted to support the edge ring 10.

The support member 20 is provided on the rotary member 30; in other words, the support element 20 is located between the rotating element 30 and the edge ring 10. The rotation element 30 rotates the support element 20, so that the edge ring 10 rotates accordingly. In the present embodiment, the rotary member 30 is in the shape of a disk, and the diameter of the rotary member 30 is smaller than or equal to the inner diameter of the support member 20. The driver (e.g. motor) is connected to the rotating element 30 through the arrangement of the gear structure and the rotation shaft to drive the rotating element 30 to rotate, thereby driving the support element 20 and the edge ring 10 to rotate.

The wafer support device 1 of the present utility model further comprises a moving mechanism 40. The moving mechanism 40 is connected to the controller 7 shown in fig. 1 and located under the rotating member 30 to move the position of the edge ring 10; in other words, the rotating element 30 is located between the supporting element 20 and the moving mechanism 40 and on the lower side wall of the chamber 2, the moving mechanism 40 moving the supporting element 20 and the rotating element 30. The moving mechanism 40 may be an elevator consisting of a link structure or a gear structure.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, a top view of an edge ring according to an embodiment of the present utility model and a cross-sectional view of an edge ring according to an embodiment of the present utility model are shown. As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the edge ring 10 of the present utility model includes a groove. The recess is for supporting the wafer W1 and includes a bottom plate 11 and annular side walls 12. The annular sidewall 12 extends obliquely upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 11, the annular sidewall 12 forms an inner circle having a diameter gradually increasing from the upper surface of the bottom plate 11 to the upper surface of the annular sidewall 12, wherein a distance between the upper surface of the annular sidewall 12 and the upper surface of the bottom plate 11 is greater than a thickness of the wafer W1.

Specifically, the annular side wall 12 surrounds the bottom plate 11 and has an annular structure with an inclined surface, and the bottom plate 11 and the annular side wall 12 may be integrally formed, or the bottom plate 11 and the annular side wall 12 may be joined to each other by welding. The diameter of the inner circle at the bottom plate 11 is equal to the diameter of the bottom plate 11, and the diameter of the inner circle at the upper surface of the annular side wall 12 is larger than the diameter of the inner circle at the upper surface of the bottom plate 11. Since the inclined annular side wall 12 has a guiding function, the wafer W1 is still inside the edge ring 10 when the edge ring 10 rotates, the center of the wafer W1 automatically coincides with the center position of the edge ring 10 under the rotation of the edge ring 10, and the wafer W1 can be heated uniformly.

For example, the distance between the upper surface of the annular sidewall 12 and the upper surface of the bottom plate 11 is 5cm, the width of the bottom plate 11 is 12.05 inches, the included angle between the inclined surface of the annular sidewall 12 and the normal vector of the bottom plate 11 is 15 degrees, the inner wall of the annular sidewall 12 is made of silicon dioxide, and the silicon dioxide has the characteristics of high temperature resistance, no deformation and smooth surface layer.

The material of the bottom plate 11 and the annular sidewall 12 may be silicon nitride, silicon carbide (SiC), quartz, sapphire, graphite, ceramic or silicon dioxide, and the material of the bottom plate 11 and the annular sidewall 12 may also be composed of other materials having heat resistance, which is not limited to the scope of the present utility model.

In this embodiment, the edge ring 10 of the present utility model further includes a protrusion 13. The projection 13 extends radially inward from the annular sidewall 12, and the wafer W1 is located on the projection 13. In other words, the structure of the protruding portion 13 is an annular structure, and the protruding portion 13 is mutually engaged with the annular side wall 12 by welding; the back surface of the wafer W1 is not in contact with the bottom plate 11 due to the provision of the protruding portion 13. For example, the height of the projection 13 is 1mm.

In one embodiment, the protruding portion 13 contacts the bottom plate 11, and the protruding portion 13 and the bottom plate 11 together define an auxiliary space AS1 AS shown in fig. 4, and the auxiliary space AS1 is located between the wafer W1 and the bottom plate 11. In another embodiment, the protruding portion 13 is spaced apart from the bottom plate 11, the protruding portion 13 is separated from the bottom plate 11, and the protruding portion 13 and the bottom plate 11 also define an auxiliary space AS1 together, wherein the auxiliary space AS1 is located between the wafer W1 and the bottom plate 11.

Even if the wafer W1 is placed on the edge ring 10 with a positional deviation, the wafer W1 naturally slides down along the annular sidewall 12, and the protrusion 13 supports the edge of the edge ring 10, and the center of the wafer W1 is still located at the center of the edge ring 10. When the defective wafer W1 is released during the heat treatment process, the edge of the wafer W1 naturally slides down the annular sidewall 12 after a small jump, the protrusion 13 supports the edge of the edge ring 10, and the center of the wafer W1 is still located at the center of the edge ring 10.

In an embodiment of the present utility model, the edge ring 10 of the present utility model further includes a coating CL1. The coating CL1 may be disposed on the slanted surface of the annular sidewall 12, on the bottom plate 11, or on the protrusion 13; alternatively, the coating CL1 may be disposed on the slanted surface of the annular sidewall 12, on the bottom plate 11, and on the protrusions 13 to reduce the radiation absorption difference between the wafer W1 and the edge ring 10. The material of the coating CL1 includes a monocrystalline silicon film, a polycrystalline silicon film, an amorphous silicon film, a ceramic film, a silicon oxide film, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. An edge ring, comprising:

recess for support wafer (W1) and including bottom plate (11) and cyclic annular lateral wall (12), cyclic annular lateral wall (12) follow the upper surface slant of bottom plate (11) upwards extends, cyclic annular lateral wall (12) form the interior circle, the diameter of interior circle is from the upper surface of bottom plate (11) to the upper surface of cyclic annular lateral wall (12) increases gradually, wherein the distance between the upper surface of cyclic annular lateral wall (12) and the upper surface of bottom plate (11) is greater than the thickness of wafer (W1).

2. The edge ring of claim 1, further comprising a protrusion (13), the protrusion (13) extending radially inward from the annular sidewall (12), the wafer (W1) being located on the protrusion (13).

3. Edge ring according to claim 2, wherein the bulge (13) and the bottom plate (11) delimit an auxiliary space (AS 1), the auxiliary space (AS 1) being located between the wafer (W1) and the bottom plate (11).

4. The edge ring according to claim 2, further comprising a coating (CL 1), the coating (CL 1) being provided to the annular side wall (12), the bottom plate (11) or the projection (13).

5. A wafer support device, comprising:

a support element (20);

an edge ring (10) arranged on the support element (20) and comprising:

6. The wafer support device of claim 5, further comprising a protrusion (13), the protrusion (13) extending radially inward from the annular sidewall (12), the wafer (W1) being located on the protrusion (13).

7. Wafer support device according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion (13) and the bottom plate (11) define an auxiliary space, the auxiliary space (AS 1) being located between the wafer (W1) and the bottom plate (11).

8. The wafer support device of claim 6, further comprising a coating (CL 1), the coating (CL 1) being disposed on the annular sidewall (12), the bottom plate (11), or the projection (13).

9. A heat treatment apparatus, characterized by comprising:

a chamber (2) having an internal space (IS 1) for performing a heat treatment process;

wafer support device (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, the wafer support device (1) being arranged in the inner space (IS 1);

a heating source (3) disposed above the wafer support device (1) and providing heat energy to the wafer (W1);

a gas supply member (4) provided at one side of the chamber (2) to supply a first gas to the internal space (IS 1); and

and an exhaust element (5) provided on the other side of the chamber (2) to exhaust the second gas in the internal space (IS 1).

10. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a rotating member, the supporting member (20) being provided on the rotating member (30), the rotating member (30) rotating the supporting member (20).