Patent Publication Number: US-2003221782-A1

Title: Structural improvement for wafer supporting apparatus

Description:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The invention relates to a structural improvement for wafer supporting apparatus, which is applied in a machine for supporting wafer in conjunction with the manufacturing process of semiconductor, especially to a protecting mask of antenna apparatus, which keeps the impurities and particles from being deposited thereon.  
       2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] The technology of the industry of semiconductor is changing with each passing day, while the complication of the manufacturing process of semiconductor is also known to everybody, wherein the techniques and facilities relative to the deposition of membrane are further crucial to the entire manufacturing process. For example, the manufacturing process of membrane of the metallic deposition on the Endura operative platform has integrated several reactive partitions, in which a reactive partition for pre-cleaning is included, and a supporting platform in conjunction with the wafer is further designed in the reactive partition for pre-cleaning.  
       [0003] Please refer to FIG. 1, which is an illustration for the supporting apparatus of wafer according to the prior arts. As shown in FIG. 1, a supporting apparatus of wafer includes: a separating seat  10 , a metallic seat  11 , an upper cover  12 , and several antennas  13 . Wherein, the separating seat  10  may be available to the metallic seat  11  to be placed in, and the upper cover  12  is then covered on the separating seat  10  and accommodates the metallic seat  11  therein, and the wafer  3  is thus placed on the upper cover  12 . The several antennas  13  are inserted toward the central portion from the side of the separating seat  10 . By the radio frequency (RF) passing through the metallic seat  11 , the antennas  13  will form a transmission path to produce an influence on the entire manufacturing process as well as the wafer  3 .  
       [0004] Through the connecting relationship between the antennas  13  and the metallic seat  11 , a value of impedance may be formed, and another value of impedance may also be formed between the metallic seat  11  and the wafer  3 . Such design may have a lower etching rate and the antennas may have a higher value of DC voltage.  
       [0005] However, during the process of depositing membrane onto the wafer  3 , the process acting on the wafer  3  by applying the radio frequency of extremely high voltage will produce a lot of overflowing particles to be accumulated. These particles will be deposited or attached onto the antennas and will be accumulated partially on one outside end thereof. Such kind of phenomenon will produce bad influence on the antennas  13 . For a long time, it will influence the quality and the function of the entire manufacturing process. Under this condition, if several protecting designs may be made on the antennas to keep the particles from being deposited or attached thereon in the manufacturing process, then the using life of the antennas will be prolonged and the yield of the entire manufacturing process will be further ensured.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The present invention is thus designed for solving the shortcomings generated from the prior arts as described above. The present invention is a structural improvement for wafer supporting apparatus, which is applied in the procedure of membrane deposition in the manufacturing process of semiconductor. The main object of the present invention is thus to solve the shortcomings of the prior arts; namely, the antenna is vulnerable to the deposition and attachment of the particles of impurity in the manufacturing process of semiconductor, and the using life is reduced, so an appropriate apparatus for masking the antenna is designed on the purpose of protection.  
       [0007] Another object of the present invention is to propose a design aimed to simply and facilitate the usage of the apparatus for masking the antenna, and an improvement is further made on the original supporting machine without influencing its function, such that any unnecessary, tedious procedure and flow path may be further reduced during the progress of manufacturing process. That is, the cost may not be increased substantially, while its original function can be kept and its effectiveness can be developed extremely. In the meantime, the time and cost in the manufacturing process is further reduced and the using life of the antenna is thus prolonged for raising the yield of the production of the wafer.  
       [0008] The wafer supporting apparatus disclosed in the present invention includes: a separating seat, a metallic seat, an upper cover, several antennas, several antenna masks and several fixing apparatus. Wherein, the separating seat may provide a support to the structure of the wafer supporting apparatus, and the upper cover may accommodate the metallic seat therein and is then covered over the separating seat, and the wafer may be put on the upper cover. The several antennas are placed in the several side recessing holes preset in the side of the separating seat and are inserted in the central portion of the separating seat. Wherein, the metallic seat is made of titanium metal, and the separating seat and the upper cover are composed of quartz material. The antenna masks cover the antennas for protection and isolates them from outside.  
       [0009] Preferably, the antenna masks are structured as an “L” shape, which may cover the antennas from the top and the back thereof to isolate them from outside to further prevent them from touching particles of impurity in the manufacturing process.  
       [0010] Preferably, several apertures arranged in the upper portion of the antenna masks are provided for the fixing apparatus to fix the antenna masks on the separating seat, and the fixing apparatus may be composed of quartz material.  
       [0011] Preferably, the antenna masks may cover the antennas from the back thereof to isolate them from outside, and several fixing apparatuses are applied for fixation.  
       [0012] Preferably, the antenna masks are structured as a “ ” shape and cover the antennas from the top, bottom, and back thereof to isolate them from outside, and the antenna masks have threads that may screwed the antenna masks in the apertures preset in the separating seat.  
       [0013] For your esteemed members of reviewing committee to further understand and recognize the objects, the characteristics, and the functions of the present invention, a detailed description matched with corresponding drawings are presented as follows. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is an illustration for a wafer supporting apparatus according to the prior arts.  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is an illustration for the assembly of the first preferred embodiment according to the present invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is an illustration for the assembly of the second preferred embodiment according to the present invention.  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is an illustration for the assembly of the third preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0018] Please refer to FIG. 2, which is an illustration for the assembly of the first preferred embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the wafer supporting apparatus  2  includes: a separating seat  20 , a metallic seat  21 , an upper cover  22 , several antennas  23 , several antenna masks  24  and several fixing apparatus  25 . Wherein, the separating seat  20  may provide a support to the structure of the wafer supporting apparatus, and the metallic seat  21  may be placed thereon, and the upper cover  22  is then covered over the separating seat  20  and may accommodate the metallic seat  11  therein, and the wafer  3  may be put on the upper cover  22 . The several antennas  23  are placed in the several side recessing holes  200  preset in the side of the separating seat  20  and are inserted in the central portion of the separating seat  20 . Wherein, the metallic seat  21  is composed of titanium metal, and the separating seat  20  and the upper cover  22  are composed of quartz material.  
     [0019] Wherein, the antenna masks are structured as an “L” shape. When the antennas  23  are placed in the side recessing holes  200  of the outside of the separating seat  20 , the antenna masks  24  then cover the antennas  23  from the top and back thereof to mask the several antennas  23  and isolate them from outside to further prevent them from touching particles in the manufacturing process. The upper portions  241  of the antennas  24  are arranged with apertures  242 , and the fixing apparatus  25 , through the upper cover  22 , penetrating through the upper portions  241  of the antenna masks, and the apertures  242 , are fixed on the separating seat  20 , and the fixing apparatus  25  may be constructed of quartz material. Since the antennas  23  are masked by the side portions  240  of the antenna masks  24 , so the particles are blocked from dispersing and depositing in the manufacturing process and, of course, the antennas  23  are also prevented from being etched and damaged by the chemical material. Preferably the antenna masks  24  and the fixing apparatus  25  can be made to a single structure.  
     [0020] Please refer to FIG. 3, which is an illustration for the assembly of the second preferred embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, wherein the separating seat  40 , the metallic seat  41 , and the upper cover  42  are all same as those of FIG. 2 described previously. However, in this preferred embodiment, there is another kind of preferable design for the structures of the several antennas  43 , the several antenna masks  44 , and the several fixing apparatus  45 . In this preferable embodiment, after the antennas  43  being placed into the side recessing holes  405  of the outside of the separating seat  40 , the antennas  43  are then covered by the antenna masks  44  from the back thereof. Matched with the design of the separating seat  40 , the antenna masks  44  may be inset on the separating seat  40 , or the antenna masks  44  may be screwed from the back toward the front by the fixing apparatus  45 .  
     [0021] Please refer to FIG. 4, which is an illustration for the assembly of the third preferred embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, wherein the separating seat  40 , the metallic seat  41 , and the upper cover  42  are all same as those of FIG. 2 described previously. In this preferable embodiment, the antenna masks are structured as a “ ” shape, and there are threads  541  arranged at the appropriate positions of the upper arm and the lower arm thereof. Furthermore, there are threads  401  designed in the appropriate positions of the side recessing holes  405  of the outside of the separating seat  40  for placing the antennas  43  in corresponding to the threads  541  arranged at the upper arm and the lower arm of the antenna masks  54 . When the antennas  43  are placed in the side recessing holes  405  of the outside of the separating seat  40 , the antennas  43  are screwed by the antenna masks  54  from the top, bottom, and back thereof, namely, the antenna masks are thus similar to a “ ”-shaped antenna masks having the functional principle of a nut to mask the antennas  43  and isolate them from outside.  
     [0022] Wherein the arranging position and the number of round of the thread are dependent and considered on the real size, length of the antenna and the design of the entire separating seat, and it can be that the antennas are covered to isolate themselves from outside, as long as the antenna are placed appropriately. Of course, the manufacturing materials of the antenna masks should be appropriately considered as the materials resistant to the erosive particles or chemicals produced from the manufacturing process of semiconductor, such as the usage of quartz material.  
     [0023] From the preferred embodiments described above, it is known that the spirit of the present invention is to provide a mask of protection for the antenna to avoid the antenna from being damaged, shortening life, and even the influence on the yield of the production of the entire wafer due to the deposition of the particles in the manufacturing process of semiconductor. Therefore, for all the several masking executions designed for the apparatus of the antennas, such as the similar structures of the several masking apparatus or protecting apparatus, they should be considered as the designs foreseen by the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is of course not limited in the manufacturing process of the deposition of the membrane, and it can also be applied in the all relative processes of semiconductor, such as etching, cleaning, and depositing, etc., where the wafer supporting machine or the operative platform are utilized.  
     [0024] From above description, the technique disclosed in the present invention has been productive and innovative and also has extremely applying value for the industry. Any variation and modification within the spirit of the present invention or made from the appendant claims are all covered by the scope of the present invention. Sincerely, your esteemed members of reviewing committee could examine the present application favorably and permit it as a formal patent wishfully.