IP Library Granted Patent US 12701966
Granted Patent B2
US 12701966 · App. 18/696,247 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Semiconductor process device and wafer support structure thereof

Inventors: Shoulin Huang (Beijing, CN); Jun Zhang (Beijing, CN); Jingfeng Wei (Beijing, CN); Qing She (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
H10P72/7624H10P72/7612
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12701966
App. No.
18/696,247
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wafer support structure disposed in a loading chamber of a semiconductor process device to support a wafer and drive the wafer to ascend or descend includes: a lifting component, a supporting component, a compressing component, and an adjusting component. The lifting component includes a lifting shaft. A mounting section is provided on the top surface of the lifting shaft. A first end of the supporting component is sleeved in a mounting hole of the mounting section. An inner peripheral wall of the mounting hole and an outer peripheral wall of the mounting section are separated by an adjustment space. A second end of the supporting component is arranged to extend along a radial direction of the lifting shaft. The compressing component is sleeved on an outer periphery of the mounting section and located in the adjustment space. The adjusting component is connected with the support component.

Claims (63)

1 . A wafer support structure disposed in a loading chamber of a semiconductor process device to support a wafer and drive the wafer to ascend or descend, comprising:

a lifting component;

a supporting component;

a compressing component; and

an adjusting component;

wherein:

the lifting component includes a lifting shaft, a mounting section is provided on a top surface of the lifting shaft; a first end of the supporting component is sleeved in a mounting hole of the mounting section; an inner peripheral wall of the mounting hole and an outer peripheral wall of the mounting section are separated by an adjustment space, a second end of the supporting component is arranged to extend along a radial direction of the lifting shaft;

the compressing component is sleeved on an outer periphery of the mounting section and located in the adjustment space; and

the adjusting component is connected with the supporting component, a portion of the adjusting component is located in the adjustment space and is configured to squeeze the compressing component to deform to lock the mounting section and the supporting component; the adjusting component is configured to adjust a degree of compression of the compressing component at different positions in a circumferential direction of the mounting hole to adjust levelness and/or a centerline angle of the supporting component.

2 . The wafer support structure according to claim 1 , wherein:

the compressing component includes an inner expansion sleeve and an outer expansion sleeve that are nested with each other, the adjusting component is configured to squeeze the inner expansion sleeve to compress the inner expansion sleeve and the outer expansion sleeve against each other to deform, the inner expansion sleeve is configured to swing relative to the outer expansion sleeve when being squeezed, and when the adjustment component is pressed against the inner expansion sleeve, the inner expansion sleeve and the outer expansion sleeve are pressed against each other to cause deformation.

3 . The wafer support structure according to claim 2 , wherein:

an outer peripheral wall of the inner expansion sleeve includes a first bevel surrounding in a circumferential direction, and a distance between the bevel and an axis of the inner expansion sleeve decreases from top to bottom; an inner peripheral wall of the outer expansion sleeve includes a second bevel surrounding in the circumferential direction, and the second bevel and the first bevel are cooperated such that the inner expansion sleeve swings relative to the outer expansion sleeve when being squeezed.

4 . The wafer support structure according to claim 3 , wherein:

the second bevel and the first bevel are in line contact.

5 . The wafer support structure according to claim 4 , wherein:

the second bevel is an arc convex surface; and the first bevel is a flat surface.

6 . The wafer support structure according to claim 5 , wherein:

the inner peripheral wall of the outer expansion sleeve further includes a third bevel surrounding in the circumferential direction, the third bevel is located above the second bevel and is connected with the second bevel to form a continuous surface; and

a distance between the third bevel and the axis of the outer expansion sleeve decreases from top to bottom, and when the inner expansion sleeve and the outer expansion sleeve are in an original state, the third bevel and the first bevel do not contact.

7 . The wafer support structure according to claim 2 , wherein:

the adjusting component includes a pressing sleeve and an adjustment member, the pressing sleeve is sleeved on the mounting section, and a bottom of the pressing sleeve extends into the adjustment space for squeezing the inner expansion sleeve;

a top periphery of the pressing sleeve is an annular boss, and the annular boss is located above the supporting component; and

a plurality of the adjustment members are distributed around the mounting section along a circumference of the mounting section, a bottom of each of the adjustment members passes through the annular boss from top to bottom and is connected with the supporting component, a relative position of each of the adjustment members and the supporting component in a vertical direction is selectively adjusted to adjust the compression degree of the compressing component at different positions in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole.

8 . The wafer support structure according to claim 7 , wherein:

each of the adjustment members include a threaded connection rod and a pressing block, the pressing block is pressed against the annular boss; one end of the threaded connection rod is integrated with the pressing block, and the other end of the threaded connection rod passes through the annular boss from top to bottom and is threadedly connected with the supporting component.

9 . The wafer support structure according to claim 7 , wherein:

among the plurality of adjustment members, at least one adjustment member is arranged in an extension direction of the supporting component, and at least one adjustment member is disposed on each of both sides of the extension direction of the supporting component.

10 . The wafer support structure according to claim 1 , wherein:

the supporting component includes an adapter block, a cross beam, and a bracket, the adapter block is provided with the mounting hole; one end of the cross beam is used as the first end of the supporting component and is fixedly connected with the adapter block, and an other end of the cross beam is arranged to extend along the radial direction of the lifting shaft; the bracket is disposed on the cross beam for supporting the wafer.

11 . A semiconductor process device, comprising:

a vacuum transfer chamber;

a front-end chamber; and

a loading chamber;

wherein the loading chamber is disposed between the vacuum transfer chamber and the front-end chamber, and a wafer support structure disposed in the loading chamber includes:

a lifting component;

a supporting component;

a compressing component; and

an adjusting component;

wherein:

the lifting component includes a lifting shaft, a mounting section is provided on a top surface of the lifting shaft; a first end of the supporting component is sleeved in a mounting hole of the mounting section; an inner peripheral wall of the mounting hole and an outer peripheral wall of the mounting section are separated by an adjustment space, a second end of the supporting component is arranged to extend along a radial direction of the lifting shaft;

the compressing component is sleeved on an outer periphery of the mounting section and located in the adjustment space; and

the adjusting component is connected with the supporting component, a portion of the adjusting component is located in the adjustment space and is configured to squeeze the compressing component to deform to lock the mounting section and the supporting component; the adjusting component is configured to adjust a degree of compression of the compressing component at different positions in a circumferential direction of the mounting hole to adjust levelness and/or a centerline angle of the supporting component.

12 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 11 , wherein:

the compressing component includes an inner expansion sleeve and an outer expansion sleeve that are nested with each other, the adjusting component is configured to squeeze the inner expansion sleeve to compress the inner expansion sleeve and the outer expansion sleeve against each other to deform, the inner expansion sleeve is configured to swing relative to the outer expansion sleeve when being squeezed, and when the adjustment component is pressed against the inner expansion sleeve, the inner expansion sleeve and the outer expansion sleeve are pressed against each other to cause deformation.

13 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 12 , wherein:

an outer peripheral wall of the inner expansion sleeve includes a first bevel surrounding in a circumferential direction, and a distance between the bevel and an axis of the inner expansion sleeve decreases from top to bottom; an inner peripheral wall of the outer expansion sleeve includes a second bevel surrounding in the circumferential direction, and the second bevel and the first bevel are cooperated such that the inner expansion sleeve swings relative to the outer expansion sleeve when being squeezed.

14 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 13 , wherein:

the second bevel and the first bevel are in line contact.

15 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 14 , wherein:

the second bevel is an arc convex surface; and the first bevel is a flat surface.

16 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 15 , wherein:

the inner peripheral wall of the outer expansion sleeve further includes a third bevel surrounding in the circumferential direction, the third bevel is located above the second bevel and is connected with the second bevel to form a continuous surface; and

a distance between the third bevel and the axis of the outer expansion sleeve decreases from top to bottom, and when the inner expansion sleeve and the outer expansion sleeve are in an original state, the third bevel and the first bevel do not contact.

17 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 12 , wherein:

the adjusting component includes a pressing sleeve and an adjustment member, the pressing sleeve is sleeved on the mounting section, and a bottom of the pressing sleeve extends into the adjustment space for squeezing the inner expansion sleeve; a top periphery of the pressing sleeve is an annular boss, and the annular boss is located above the supporting component; and

a plurality of the adjustment members are distributed around the mounting section along a circumference of the mounting section, a bottom of each of the adjustment members passes through the annular boss from top to bottom and is connected with the supporting component, a relative position of each of the adjustment members and the supporting component in a vertical direction is selectively adjusted to adjust the compression degree of the compressing component at different positions in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole.

18 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 17 , wherein:

each of the adjustment members include a threaded connection rod and a pressing block, the pressing block is pressed against the annular boss; one end of the threaded connection rod is integrated with the pressing block, and the other end of the threaded connection rod passes through the annular boss from top to bottom and is threadedly connected with the supporting component.

19 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 17 , wherein:

among the plurality of adjustment members, at least one adjustment member is arranged in an extension direction of the supporting component, and at least one adjustment member is disposed on each of both sides of the extension direction of the supporting component.

20 . The semiconductor process device according to claim 11 , wherein:

the supporting component includes an adapter block, a cross beam, and a bracket, the adapter block is provided with the mounting hole; one end of the cross beam is used as the first end of the supporting component and is fixedly connected with the adapter block, and an other end of the cross beam is arranged to extend along the radial direction of the lifting shaft; the bracket is disposed on the cross beam for supporting the wafer.