TW202012103A - Flexible module for polishing, loading and unloading component - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible module for polishing, loading and unloading a component, comprising a loading and unloading module and two polishing modules. The loading and unloading module is in the middle, and the two polishing modules are located on two sides of the loading and unloading module. The loading and unloading module is provided with two loading and unloading platform modules in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the loading and unloading module and the two polishing modules are arranged, and two loading and unloading positions of the two loading and unloading platform modules correspond to the two polishing modules respectively. The loading and unloading module comprises a fixing frame, a water groove, a first loading and unloading platform module, a second loading and unloading platform module, a first loading and unloading platform fixing block, a second loading and unloading platform fixing block, a first isolation cover and a second isolation cover. Thus, a loading and unloading part and polishing parts are modularized and then spliced into an integrated module for polishing, loading and unloading, which simplifies the layout of equipment structure, improves the efficiency of producing the equipment, and reduces the space occupied by the equipment. Two polishing heads transport wafers in correspondence to the two loading and unloading platform modules, which reduces wafer transport time and improves the efficiency of mechanical planarization.

Description

Flexible polishing assembly module

The invention belongs to the technical field of grinding or polishing devices, and in particular relates to a flexible polishing assembly module of a chemical mechanical planarization device used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor integrated circuit wafers.

At present, the integrated circuit industry, as the cornerstone of the modern information society, is playing an increasingly important role in all walks of life. With the rapid development of semiconductor technology, the feature size of integrated circuits has continued to become finer. The semiconductor manufacturing process is a complex manufacturing process. Advanced ICs require more than one thousand steps. Therefore, the high flatness of the semiconductor film surface has an important impact on the high performance, low cost, and high yield of the device. .

Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) equipment is one of the seven key equipment in the field of integrated circuit manufacturing. The principle is to use the comprehensive balance of chemical etching of the polishing liquid and mechanical friction of the polishing pad to finely remove the material on the wafer surface. In integrated circuit manufacturing, CMP is first used for planarization, device isolation, and device structure in the wafer manufacturing pre-process, and secondly, metal interconnection in the post-wafer manufacturing process is also used. At the same time, CMP is also a key process means in the integrated circuit 3D packaging TSV process. Because of its relatively diverse and critical applications, CMP has become the standard process and core equipment in integrated circuit manufacturing.

At present, the chemical mechanical polishing technology has developed into a combination of online measurement, online end point detection, cleaning and other technologies. The chemical mechanical polishing technology is the product of the development of integrated circuits to the process of miniaturization, multilayering, thinning and flattening. At the same time, it is also a necessary process technology for the transition of wafers from 200mm to 300mm or even larger diameters, improving productivity, reducing manufacturing costs, and flattening the entire substrate.

A typical chemical mechanical planarization device usually includes multiple polishing units and auxiliary devices such as cleaning, wafer transportation, and drying. The polishing unit usually includes a worktable, a polishing disk, a polishing head, a polishing arm, a dresser, a polishing liquid arm, etc. The polishing disk, polishing head, polishing arm, dresser, and polishing liquid arm are arranged on the worktable according to the processing position of the process. In the actual wafer processing process, it was found that the spatial arrangement of the polishing unit and cleaning, wafer transportation and other modules has a great impact on the overall polishing output of the chemical mechanical planarization equipment. The transfer of wafers between the polishing unit and the outside and between the polishing units usually depends on the loading and unloading table or similar devices. Regarding the spatial layout of the loading and unloading table and polishing unit, some adopt the form of a square layout of the loading and unloading table and three polishing units. Since one loading and unloading station needs to provide loading and unloading services to three polishing units, the disadvantage of this technical layout is the complicated process. In addition, the four polishing units are arranged side by side. The wafer transfer is completed by the loading and unloading area at the end of the flattening device and the two linear transport mechanisms arranged along the direction of the polishing unit arrangement. The other side of the linear transport mechanism is the cleaning area. Each of the above linear transport mechanisms provides services for two polishing units, and two transfer stations are provided for each polishing unit, and the polishing head of the polishing unit can load and unload wafers from one of the transfer stations. However, the disadvantage of this layout is that although each polishing unit is provided with two transfer stations, the polishing unit only directly loads and unloads wafers from one of the polishing processes, so there is room for improvement from the perspective of wafer transfer efficiency.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a flexible polishing assembly module for chemical mechanical planarization equipment in view of the problems of low wafer transfer efficiency and complicated transmission mechanism structure in the existing chemical mechanical planarization equipment, which can simplify the equipment structure To improve the manufacturing efficiency of equipment and reduce the space occupied by equipment.

In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is a flexible polishing loading and unloading component module, including a loading and unloading module and two polishing modules, the loading and unloading module is centered, and the two polishing modules are located on both sides thereof. The loading and unloading module has two loading and unloading table modules in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the loading and unloading module and the two polishing modules, and the two loading and unloading positions of the two loading and unloading table modules respectively correspond to the two polishing molds group.

The polishing module includes a fixed platform, a polishing pad, a polishing head, a polishing rotating shaft, and the polishing rotating shaft can drive the polishing head to rotate to a loading and unloading position corresponding to the loading and unloading module.

The loading and unloading module includes a fixing frame, a water tank, a first loading and unloading platform module, a second loading and unloading platform module, a first loading and unloading platform fixing block, a second loading and unloading platform fixing block, a first isolation cover, a second isolation cover, the first A loading and unloading platform module corresponds to the first loading and unloading position, a second loading and unloading platform module corresponds to the second loading and unloading position, the sink and the first loading and unloading table fixing block, and the second loading and unloading table fixing block are fixedly installed on the fixing frame, and the two isolation covers are respectively It is fixed on the fixed platform of the respective loading and unloading platform to isolate the lower part of the loading and unloading platform module from the liquid. The first loading and unloading platform module and the second loading and unloading platform module are respectively fixed on the first loading and unloading platform fixing block and the second loading and unloading platform fixing block , Corresponding to the first loading and unloading position and the second loading and unloading position.

The two nozzle positions of the loading and unloading module are respectively provided with a first nozzle module and a second nozzle module, both of which are fixed on a fixing frame.

Preferably, the first nozzle module and the second nozzle module are respectively disposed at the edges of the first loading and unloading position and the second loading and unloading position.

The loading and unloading table module can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction to complete the wafer transfer with the polishing head.

The present invention further provides a method for wafer transfer using the above-mentioned polishing assembly module, which includes the following steps:

S1: The first loading and unloading platform module waits for the first polishing head to rotate the wafer that has been polished in the first stage from the rotating shaft of the first polishing head to the first loading and unloading position at the first loading and unloading position;

S2: When the polished wafer rotates from the first polishing head rotating shaft to the first loading and unloading position, the first loading and unloading table module rises, and the wafers that have completed the first stage of polishing are loaded;

S3: Then the first polishing head is turned back above the first polishing pad, and the manipulator starts to remove the wafers on the first loading and unloading station module that have been polished in the first stage and put them on the second loading and unloading station in the second loading and unloading position Module, the first polishing head turns back to the first loading and unloading position to start cleaning the first polishing head;

S4: After cleaning, the first polishing head is turned back to the first polishing pad. The second polishing head returns to the second loading and unloading position, the second loading and unloading table module rises, the second polishing head removes the wafer that has been polished in the first stage, and the second polishing head returns to the second polishing pad for polishing, at the same time , The manipulator places the unpolished wafer on the first loading and unloading station module in the first loading and unloading position;

S5: The first polishing head rotates to the first loading and unloading position to remove the wafer to be polished and then starts to polish. After the second polishing head is polished, the second polishing head rotates to the second loading and unloading position to complete the second stage of polishing The circle is placed on the module of the second loading and unloading table, the second polishing head rotates back to the second polishing pad, and the robot removes the polished wafer;

S6: The second polishing head rotates back to the second loading and unloading position to start cleaning the second polishing head, the cleaned second polishing head is turned back to the second polishing pad, and the first loading and unloading station module waits for the first polishing head to be in the first loading and unloading position The wafer completed the first stage of polishing is rotated to the first loading and unloading position by the first polishing head rotating shaft;

S7: Repeat steps 2 to 6 until all wafers are polished.

Compared with the existing chemical mechanical planarization equipment technology, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects:

1. The present invention assembles the loading and unloading part and the polishing part into a polishing and loading and unloading integral module. This layout simplifies the structure of the equipment, improves the manufacturing efficiency of the equipment, and reduces the space occupied by the equipment.

2. The wafer transfer time by two polishing heads corresponding to two loading and unloading station modules saves wafer transfer time and significantly improves the overall efficiency of mechanical planarization.

3. The overall module for polishing, loading and unloading can be freely expanded as needed, and three or more of the modules can be spliced to further improve the flexibility of wafer manufacturing, improve the manufacturing efficiency, and reduce the space of the equipment. Increased the output of the entire equipment.

The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The structure of the polishing assembly module of the present invention is mainly composed of one assembly module and two polishing modules. The layout of the overall polishing assembly module of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The overall polishing assembly module includes a first loading and unloading position 1, a first polishing head rotating shaft 2, a first polishing head 3, a first polishing pad 4, a first The fixed platform 5, the second loading and unloading position 6, the second polishing head rotating shaft 7, the second polishing head 8, the second polishing pad 9, and the second fixed platform 10 are formed. The polishing pad, polishing shaft and other components are fixed on a fixed platform, and the polishing head is fixed on the polishing shaft. The polishing shaft drives the polishing head to rotate to the loading and unloading position. After the action is completed, it rotates to the top of the polishing pad for polishing. The first loading and unloading position 1 corresponds to the first polishing head 3, and the second loading and unloading position 6 corresponds to the second polishing head 8.

First loading and unloading position 1, second loading and unloading position 6, water tank 11, first isolation cover 12, first nozzle module 13, second loading and unloading table fixing block 14, second loading and unloading table module 15, second nozzle module 16 , The second isolation cover 17, the first loading and unloading platform module 18, the first loading and unloading platform fixing block 19, the fixing frame 20 is composed. The first loading and unloading station module 18 corresponds to the first loading and unloading position 1, and the second loading and unloading station module 15 corresponds to the second loading and unloading position 6. The water tank 11 and the first loading and unloading table fixing block 19 and the second loading and unloading table fixing block 14 are fixed on the fixing frame 20. The isolation cover is fixed on the loading and unloading fixed platform to isolate the lower part of the loading and unloading platform from the liquid. The loading and unloading table module is fixed on the fixing block of the loading and unloading table, and the nozzle module is corresponding to the edge of the loading and unloading position. The nozzle modules are all fixed on the fixing frame 20.

The process of wafer transfer using the present invention is now described in detail:

At the beginning, the first loading and unloading station module 18 waits at the first loading and unloading position 1 for the first polishing head 3 to rotate the wafer that has completed the first stage of polishing from the first polishing head rotating shaft 2 to the first loading and unloading position 1.

Subsequently, when the polished wafer rotates from the first polishing head rotating shaft 2 to the first loading and unloading position 1, the first loading and unloading table module 18 rises, and the polished wafer is loaded.

Then, the first polishing head 3 is turned back above the first polishing pad 4, and the robot starts to take away the wafers on the first loading and unloading stage module 18 that have been polished in the first stage and put them in the second loading and unloading position 6 In the second loading and unloading station module 15, the first polishing head 3 is turned back to the first loading and unloading position 1 to start cleaning the first polishing head 3.

After cleaning, the first polishing head 3 is turned back onto the first polishing pad 4. The second polishing head 8 turns back to the second loading and unloading position 6, the second loading and unloading stage module 15 rises, the second polishing head 8 takes away the wafers that have been polished in the first stage, and at the same time, the robot removes the unpolished crystals The circle is placed on the first loading and unloading station module 18 in the first loading and unloading position 1. The wafer transfer time is saved by two polishing heads corresponding to the two loading and unloading station modules, which saves wafer transfer time and improves efficiency.

Subsequently, the second polishing head 8 turns back above the second polishing pad 9 to start polishing, and the first polishing head 3 rotates to the first loading and unloading position 1 to take off the unpolished wafer and then start polishing. After the second polishing head 8 finishes polishing, it rotates to the second loading and unloading position 6, and the wafer that has been polished in the second stage is placed on the second loading and unloading stage module 15, and the second polishing head 8 rotates back to the second polishing pad 9 . The robot removes the polished wafer, the second polishing head 8 rotates back to the second loading and unloading position 6 to start cleaning the second polishing head 8, and the cleaned second polishing head 8 turns back to the second polishing pad 9. The first loading and unloading stage module 18 waits for the wafer on the first polishing head 3 to start circulating at the first loading and unloading position 1.

The advantages of the wafer loading component module of the present invention: by modularizing the loading and unloading part and the polishing part, the layout shown in FIG. 1 can be spliced. This layout simplifies the device structure, improves the manufacturing efficiency of the device, and reduces the footprint of the device. And it can be freely expanded as needed, and can be spliced by three or more modules as shown in Figure 1, which further improves the flexibility of wafer manufacturing, improves the manufacturing efficiency of the equipment, reduces the space of the equipment, and increases Yield.

The description of the above specific embodiments is not intended to limit the present invention, and any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

1: First loading and unloading position 2: First polishing head rotating shaft 3: First polishing head 4: First polishing pad 5: First fixed platform 6: Second loading and unloading position 7: Second polishing head rotating shaft 8: Second polishing head 9: Second polishing pad 10: Second fixed platform 11: Water tank 12: First isolation cover 13: First nozzle module 14: Second loading and unloading table fixing block 15: Second loading and unloading table module 16: Second nozzle mold Group 17: Second isolation cover 18: First loading and unloading table module 19: First loading and unloading table fixing block 20: Fixing frame

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the overall module of the present invention for polishing, loading and unloading;

Figure 2 is a schematic structural view of the loading and unloading module in the module shown in Figure 1;

1: The first loading and unloading position

6: Second loading and unloading position

11: sink

12: The first isolation cover

13: The first nozzle module

14: fixed block of the second loading and unloading platform

15: Second loading and unloading platform module

16: Second nozzle module

17: Second isolator

18: The first loading and unloading platform module

19: Fixing block of the first loading and unloading platform

20: fixed frame

Claims (7)

A flexible polishing loading and unloading component module includes a loading and unloading module and two polishing modules. The loading and unloading module is centered. The two polishing modules are located on both sides of the polishing module. There are two loading and unloading table modules in the direction in which the polishing modules are arranged in a direction perpendicular to each other, and the two loading and unloading positions of the two loading and unloading table modules respectively correspond to the two polishing modules. The polishing loading and unloading component module as described in item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the polishing module includes a fixed platform, a polishing pad, a polishing head, a polishing rotating shaft, the polishing pad is located on the fixed platform, and the polishing rotating shaft can drive the polishing head to rotate for loading and unloading The loading and unloading position corresponding to the module. The polishing loading and unloading component module as described in item 2 of the patent application scope, wherein the loading and unloading module includes a fixing frame (20), a water tank (11), a first loading and unloading platform module (18), and a second loading and unloading platform module ( 15). The first loading and unloading platform fixing block (19), the second loading and unloading platform fixing block (14), the first isolating cover (12), the first isolating cover (17), the first loading and unloading platform module (18) corresponds to The first loading and unloading position (1), the second loading and unloading table module (15) corresponds to the second loading and unloading position (6), the water tank (11) and the first loading and unloading table fixing block (19), the second loading and unloading table fixing block (14) It is fixedly installed on the fixing frame (20), and the two isolation covers are respectively fixed on the corresponding loading and unloading table fixing tables to isolate the lower part of the loading and unloading table module from the liquid. The first loading and unloading table module (18) and the second loading and unloading table mold The group (15) is fixed on the first loading and unloading platform fixing block (19) and the second loading and unloading platform fixing block (14) respectively, corresponding to the first loading and unloading position (1) and the second loading and unloading position (6). The polishing loading and unloading component module as described in Item 3 of the patent application scope, wherein the loading and unloading module is provided with a first nozzle module (13) and a second nozzle module (16) at two loading and unloading positions, respectively. The nozzle module (13) and the second nozzle module (16) are fixed on the fixing frame (20). The polishing loading and unloading component module as described in item 4 of the patent application scope, wherein the first nozzle module (13) and the second nozzle module (16) are respectively disposed at the first loading and unloading position (1) and the second loading and unloading position (6) The edge. The polishing loading and unloading component module as described in Item 3 of the patent application scope, wherein the loading and unloading table module can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction to complete the wafer transfer with the polishing head. A method for wafer transfer of a polishing loading and unloading component module as described in item 6 of the patent application scope includes the following steps: S1: the first loading and unloading station module (18) waits for the first at the first loading and unloading position (1) The polishing head (3) rotates the first-stage polished wafer from the first polishing head rotating shaft to the first loading and unloading position (1); S2: the polished wafer rotates from the first polishing head rotating shaft (2) to the first At the loading and unloading position (1), the first loading and unloading table module (18) rises and loads the wafers that have completed the first stage of polishing; the S3 first polishing head (3) turns back above the first polishing pad and the robot starts Remove the wafers from the first loading and unloading station module that have been polished in the first stage and put them in the second loading and unloading station module (15) at the second loading and unloading position, and the first polishing head (3) is transferred back to the first loading and unloading Position (1) starts cleaning the first polishing head (3); S4: After cleaning, the first polishing head (3) turns back to the first polishing pad, and the second polishing head (8) turns back to the second loading and unloading position (6 ), the second loading and unloading station module (15) rises, the second polishing head (8) removes the wafers that have completed the first stage of polishing, and the second polishing head (8) is turned back to the second polishing pad for polishing, at the same time The manipulator places the unpolished wafer on the first loading and unloading table module (18) in the first loading and unloading position; S5: the first polishing head (3) rotates to the first loading and unloading position (1) to take away the crystal to be polished The circle then starts polishing. When the second polishing head (8) finishes polishing, the second polishing head rotates to the second loading and unloading position (6) and places the wafer that has completed the second stage polishing on the second loading and unloading table module (15) On the top, the second polishing head (8) rotates back to the second polishing pad (9), the robot removes the polished wafer; S6: The second polishing head (8) rotates back to the second loading and unloading position (6) to start cleaning The second polishing head (8), the cleaned second polishing head (8) is returned to the second polishing pad 9, and the first loading and unloading table module (18) waits for the first polishing head to complete the first stage at the first loading and unloading position The polished wafer rotates from the first polishing head rotating shaft to the first loading and unloading position; S7: Repeat steps 2 to 6 until all wafers are polished.

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