WO2020056817A1

WO2020056817A1 - Flexible module for polishing, loading and unloading component

Info

Publication number: WO2020056817A1
Application number: PCT/CN2018/110038
Authority: WO
Inventors: 顾海洋; 张志军; 古枫; 王东辉
Original assignee: 杭州众硅电子科技有限公司
Priority date: 2018-09-20
Filing date: 2018-10-12
Publication date: 2020-03-26
Also published as: TW202012103A; CN109304670A; TWI739048B

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 (20), a water groove (11), a first loading and unloading platform module (18), a second loading and unloading platform module (15), a first loading and unloading platform fixing block (19), a second loading and unloading platform fixing block (14), a first isolation cover (12) and a second isolation cover (17). 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 loading and unloading component module

Technical field

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

Background technique

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 is constantly becoming smaller. The semiconductor manufacturing process is a complex manufacturing process. The advanced IC requires more than a thousand steps in the manufacturing process. Therefore, the high planarity of the surface of the semiconductor thin film 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 devices in the field of integrated circuit manufacturing. The principle is to use a 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 construction in the front-end process of chip manufacturing, and secondly, metal interconnections in the back-end process of chip manufacturing are also used. At the same time, CMP is also a key process in the integrated circuit 3D packaging TSV process. Because of its relatively diverse and critical applications, CMP has become a standard process and core equipment in integrated circuit manufacturing.

At present, chemical mechanical polishing technology has been developed into a combination of on-line measurement, online endpoint detection, cleaning and other technologies of chemical mechanical polishing technology is the integrated circuit to the miniaturization, multilayering, thinning, flattening process development products. At the same time, it is also a process technology necessary for the wafer to transition from 200mm to 300mm or even larger diameters, improve productivity, reduce manufacturing costs, and globally planarize the substrate.

A typical chemical mechanical planarization equipment usually includes multiple polishing units and auxiliary devices such as cleaning, wafer transport, and drying. The polishing unit usually includes a table, a polishing disk, a polishing head, a polishing arm, a dresser, a polishing liquid arm, etc. The polishing disk, a polishing head, a polishing arm, a dresser, and a polishing liquid arm are arranged on the table according to the processing position. During the actual wafer processing process, it was found that the spatial arrangement of the polishing unit and modules such as cleaning and wafer transportation 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 is usually achieved by loading and unloading tables or similar devices. Regarding the space layout of the loading and unloading table and the polishing unit, some adopt 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 for three polishing units, the disadvantage of this technical layout is that the process is complicated. 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 equipment and two linear transport mechanisms arranged along the polishing unit arrangement direction. The other side of the linear transport mechanism is a cleaning area. Each of the above-mentioned linear transport mechanisms provides services for two polishing units, and two transfer stations are provided for each polishing unit. The polishing head of the polishing unit can load and unload wafers from one of the transfer stations. However, this layout has the disadvantage that although each polishing unit is provided with two transfer stations, the polishing unit directly loads and unloads wafers from only one of them during the polishing process, so there is still room for improvement from the perspective of wafer transfer efficiency.

Summary of the Invention

The purpose of the present invention is to propose a flexible polishing loading and unloading component module for a chemical mechanical planarization device to solve the problems of low wafer transfer efficiency and complicated transfer mechanism structure in the existing chemical mechanical planarization equipment. Improve equipment manufacturing efficiency and reduce equipment footprint.

In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is a flexible polishing loading and unloading component module, which includes one 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 of the loading and unloading module. The loading and unloading module and the two polishing modules have two loading and unloading station modules in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction, and the two loading and unloading positions of the two loading and unloading station modules respectively correspond to the two polishing modules.

The polishing module includes a fixed platform, a polishing pad, a polishing head, and a polishing shaft. The polishing shaft can drive the polishing head to rotate to the loading and unloading position corresponding to the loading 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 and a second isolation cover, and the first loading and unloading platform. The module corresponds to the first loading and unloading position, and the second loading and unloading module corresponds to the second loading and unloading position. The water tank, the first loading and unloading platform fixing block, and the second loading and unloading platform fixing block are fixedly installed on the fixing frame. The two isolation covers are respectively fixed at their respective loading and unloading positions. 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 first loading and unloading platform module. Two loading and unloading positions.

A first nozzle module and a second nozzle module are respectively provided at two loading and unloading positions of the loading and unloading module, and both of them are fixed on a fixing frame.

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

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

The present invention further proposes a method for wafer transfer using the above-mentioned polishing loading and unloading component module, including the following steps:

S1: The first loading and unloading station module waits at the first loading and unloading position for the first polishing head to rotate the wafer that has completed the first stage polishing from the first polishing head rotation axis to the first loading and unloading position;

S2: When the polished wafer is rotated from the rotation axis of the first polishing head to the first loading and unloading position, the first loading and unloading table module rises and loads the wafer that has completed the first stage polishing;

S3: Then the first polishing head is turned back over the first polishing pad, and the robot starts to remove the wafer that has completed the first stage polishing on the first loading and unloading module and puts the second loading and unloading module on the second loading and unloading position. The first polishing head is turned 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 is turned back to the second loading and unloading position, the second loading and unloading station module is raised, the second polishing head removes the wafer that has completed the first stage polishing, and the second polishing head is turned back to the second polishing pad for polishing. , The robot arm places the unpolished wafer on the first loading and unloading station module of the first loading and unloading position;

S5: The first polishing head is rotated to the first loading and unloading position to remove the wafer to be polished and then starts polishing. When the second polishing head is polished, the second polishing head is rotated to the second loading and unloading position to complete the second stage polishing. Placed on the second loading and unloading platform module, the second polishing head is rotated back to the second polishing pad, and the polished wafer is removed by the robot;

S6: The second polishing head is rotated 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. The first loading and unloading station module is in the first loading and unloading position and waits for the first polishing head to be completed. The wafer polished in the first stage is rotated from the rotation axis of the first polishing head to the first loading and unloading position;

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 modulates the loading and unloading part and the polishing part into one polishing loading and unloading integrated module. This layout simplifies the equipment structure, improves the manufacturing efficiency of the equipment, and reduces the space occupied by the equipment.

2. The wafer transfer through 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 polishing module can be freely expanded as required. Three or more modules can be spliced to further increase the flexibility of wafer manufacturing, improve manufacturing efficiency, reduce equipment space, and increase the entire equipment. Yield.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the entire module for polishing, loading and unloading of the present invention;

2 is a schematic structural diagram of a loading module in the module shown in FIG. 1;

Meaning of reference signs used in the figure:

1: the first loading and unloading position, 2: the first polishing head rotating shaft, 3: the first polishing head, 4: the first polishing pad, 5: the first fixed platform, 6: the second loading and unloading position, 7: the 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 table fixing block, 15 : Second loading dock module, 16: second nozzle module, 17: second isolation cover, 18: first loading dock module, 19: first loading dock fixing block, 20: fixing frame.

detailed description

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

The structure of the polishing loading and unloading integrated module of the present invention is mainly composed of a loading and unloading module and two polishing modules. The layout of the polishing loading and unloading integrated module of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The polishing loading and unloading integrated 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, and a first 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. The polishing pad, the 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 operation is completed, the polishing head is rotated to the top of the polishing pad for polishing. The first loading / unloading position 1 corresponds to the first polishing head 3, and the second loading / 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 station fixing block 14, second loading and unloading station module 15, second nozzle module 16, and second The isolation cover 17, the first loading and unloading station module 18, the first loading and unloading station fixing block 19, and the fixing frame 20 are 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 / unloading platform fixing block 19 and the second loading / unloading platform fixing block 14 are fixed on the fixing frame 20. The isolation cover is fixed on the loading and unloading fixing platform to isolate the lower part of the loading and unloading platform from liquid. The loading and unloading station module is fixed on the loading and unloading station fixing block, 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 detailed description of the wafer transfer process using the present invention is given below:

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 polishing from the first polishing head rotating shaft 2 to the first loading and unloading position 1.

Subsequently, when the polished wafer is rotated 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 remove the wafers that have completed the first stage polishing on the first loading and unloading table module 18, and put them into the second loading and unloading at the second loading and unloading position 6. The table 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 on the first polishing pad 4. The second polishing head 8 is turned back to the second loading and unloading position 6, the second loading and unloading station module 15 is raised, and the second polishing head 8 removes the wafers that have been polished in the first stage. At the same time, the robot arm places the unpolished wafers. On the first loading and unloading station module 18 in the first loading and unloading position 1, wafer transfer through two polishing heads corresponding to the two loading and unloading station modules saves wafer transfer time and improves efficiency.

Subsequently, the second polishing head 8 is turned back over the second polishing pad 9 to start polishing, and the first polishing head 3 is rotated to the first loading and unloading position 1 to remove the unpolished wafer and then start polishing. After the second polishing head 8 is polished, it is rotated to the second loading and unloading position 6 to place the wafer that has completed the second stage polishing on the second loading and unloading station module 15, and the second polishing head 8 is rotated back to the second polishing pad 9. The robot removes the polished wafer, the second polishing head 8 is rotated back to the second loading and unloading position 6 to clean the second polishing head 8, and the cleaned second polishing head 8 is turned back to the second polishing pad 9. The first loading and unloading station module 18 waits for the wafer on the first polishing head 3 to start cycling in the first loading and unloading position 1.

The wafer loading component module of the present invention has the advantage that by modularizing the loading and unloading part and the polishing part, it can be spliced into the layout shown in FIG. 1. This layout simplifies the equipment structure, improves the manufacturing efficiency of the equipment, and reduces the space occupied by the equipment. And it can be expanded freely according to needs, and it can be spliced by 3 or more modules with the layout shown in FIG. 1 to further improve the flexibility of wafer manufacturing, improve the manufacturing efficiency of the equipment, reduce the space of the equipment, and increase the output.

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

Claims

A flexible polishing loading and unloading component module, comprising 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 module, and the loading and unloading module is aligned with the loading and unloading module and the two polishing modules. There are two loading and unloading station modules in a perpendicular direction, and the two loading and unloading positions of the two loading and unloading station modules correspond to the two polishing modules, respectively.
The polishing loading and unloading component module according to claim 1, wherein the polishing module comprises a fixed platform, a polishing pad, a polishing head, and a polishing shaft. The polishing pad is located on the fixed platform, and the polishing shaft can drive the polishing head to rotate to the corresponding loading and unloading module. Loading position.
The polishing loading and unloading component module according to claim 2, characterized in that the loading and unloading module comprises a fixing frame (20), a water tank (11), a first loading and unloading platform module (18), a second loading and unloading platform module (15), and a first loading and unloading module. A loading and unloading platform fixing block (19), a second loading and unloading platform fixing block (14), a first isolating cover (12), a first isolating cover (17), the first loading and unloading platform module (18) corresponding to the first loading and unloading position (1), the second loading and unloading platform module (15) corresponds to the second loading and unloading position (6), the water tank (11), the first loading and unloading platform fixing block (19), and the second loading and unloading platform fixing block (14) are fixedly installed on the fixing frame (20), the two isolation covers are respectively fixed on the corresponding loading and unloading platform fixing platforms to isolate the lower part of the loading and unloading module from the liquid, and the first loading and unloading module (18) and the second loading and unloading module (15) are respectively fixed to the first A first loading / unloading station fixing block (19) and a second loading / unloading station fixing block (14) correspond to the first loading / unloading position (1) and the second loading / unloading position (6).
The polishing loading and unloading component module according to claim 3, characterized in that a first nozzle module (13) and a second nozzle module (16) are respectively provided at two loading and unloading positions of the loading module, and the first nozzle module (13) ) And the second nozzle module (16) are fixed on the fixed frame (20).
The polishing attachment and removal component module according to claim 4, characterized in that the first nozzle module (13) and the second nozzle module (16) are respectively disposed at a first attachment position (1) and a second attachment position (6). the edge of.
The polishing loading / unloading component module according to claim 3, wherein the loading / unloading module can be raised and lowered in a vertical direction to complete wafer transfer with the polishing head.
The method of claim 6, further comprising the following steps:

S1: 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 polishing from the first polishing head rotation axis to the first loading and unloading position (1) ;

S2: When the polished wafer is rotated from the first polishing head rotating shaft (2) to the first loading and unloading position (1), the first loading and unloading station module (18) rises and loads the wafer that has completed the first stage polishing;

S3 The first polishing head (3) is turned back above the first polishing pad, and the robot starts to remove the wafer that has completed the first stage polishing on the first loading and unloading module and puts the second loading and unloading module on the second loading and unloading position. (15), the first polishing head (3) is turned back to the first loading and unloading position (1) and cleaning of the first polishing head (3) is started;

S4: After cleaning, the first polishing head (3) is returned to the first polishing pad, the second polishing head (8) is returned to the second loading and unloading position (6), the second loading and unloading station module (15) is raised, and the second The polishing head (8) removes the wafer that has been polished in the first stage, and the second polishing head (8) returns to the second polishing pad for polishing. At the same time, the robot arm places the unpolished wafer in the first loading and unloading position. A loading platform module (18);

S5: The first polishing head (3) is rotated to the first loading and unloading position (1) to remove the wafer to be polished and then starts polishing. When the second polishing head (8) is polished, the second polishing head is rotated to the second loading and unloading. At the position (6), the wafer that has completed the second stage polishing is placed on the second loading and unloading table module (15), the second polishing head (8) is rotated back to the second polishing pad (9), and the polished wafer is removed by the robot ;

S6: The second polishing head (8) is rotated back to the second loading and unloading position (6) to start cleaning the second polishing head (8). The cleaned second polishing head (8) is turned back to the second polishing pad 9, and the first loading and unloading is performed. The table module (18) waits at the first loading and unloading position for the first polishing head to rotate the wafer that has completed the first stage polishing from the first polishing head rotation axis to the first loading and unloading position;

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