Semiconductor processing apparatus and gripping device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor process equipment and a grabbing device thereof. The grabbing device is connected with a driving device of the semiconductor process equipment, and is used for grabbing and transmitting a wafer. The grabbing device comprises a shell, a driving mechanism and a plurality of clamping members. The shell is used for being connected with the driving device in the semiconductor process equipment, and is used for moving under the driving of the driving device. The plurality of clamping members are connected with the shell, and are distributed along the circumference of the shell. The driving mechanism is used for selectively driving each clamping member to rotate at the same time, so as to clamp or release the edge of the wafer. In the process of actually grabbing the wafer, the wafer is concentrically arranged between the plurality of clamping members and the shell, so that the wafer is prevented from deviating from the grabbing device, and the wafer grabbing failure is avoided. After the wafer is successfully grabbed, the wafer is prevented from falling off and being broken due to the deviation of the wafer, so that the stability and success rate of wafer grabbing are ensured, and the wafer transmission efficiency and the yield of the wafer are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and more specifically, to a semiconductor process equipment and gripping device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the transfer system plays a crucial role in wet cleaning equipment in the integrated circuit field. The wafer pick-up method and pick-up position affect the final process effect of the wafer, especially the stability during the pick-up process.

[0003] In existing technology, the front end of the gripping device is fixedly equipped with a front limit block, and the rear end is slidably equipped with a rear limit block, the movement of which is controlled by a cylinder. During the gripping process, the two front limit blocks limit the movement, and the cylinder pushes the rear limit block to hold the wafer in place. However, because the carrier device and the lower surface of the wafer are protected by Bernoulli gas, the wafer will wobble within the multiple pins of the carrier device, causing slight misalignment and resulting in the gripping device failing to pick up the wafer. Furthermore, even if the wafer is successfully picked up, there may be cases where the front or rear limit blocks are not clamped tightly, causing the wafer to fall off and fragment during transport. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application addresses the shortcomings of existing methods by proposing a semiconductor process equipment and gripping device to solve the technical problems of wafer misalignment leading to wafer picking failure and fragmentation in the prior art.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a gripping device for a semiconductor process apparatus, connected to a drive device of the semiconductor process apparatus, for gripping and transferring wafers, comprising: a housing, a drive mechanism, and a plurality of engaging members; the housing is connected to the drive device in the semiconductor process apparatus and is used to move under the drive of the drive device; the plurality of engaging members are connected to the housing and are distributed circumferentially at intervals along the housing, and the drive mechanism is used to selectively drive each engaging member to rotate simultaneously to clamp or release the edge of the wafer.

[0006] In one embodiment of this application, the housing has a circular cutout at its center, the cutout being used to expose the upper surface of the wafer, and the support portions of the plurality of engaging members are located at the bottom of the housing and are arranged around the cutout.

[0007] In one embodiment of this application, the engaging component includes a rotating shaft and an eccentric shaft. The rotating shaft is rotatably disposed on the housing, and the eccentric shaft is fixed on the rotating shaft. The eccentric shaft forms the bearing portion. After the rotating shaft rotates around its central axis, the eccentric shaft is engaged or released from the edge of the wafer.

[0008] In one embodiment of this application, the eccentric shaft includes a clamping column and a bearing plate; one end of the clamping column is connected to the rotating shaft, and a portion of the peripheral wall of the clamping column is aligned with a portion of the peripheral wall of the rotating shaft, and the other end is connected to the bearing plate; the outer diameter of the bearing plate is larger than the outer diameter of the clamping column, and a portion of the peripheral edge of the bearing plate is aligned with a portion of the peripheral wall of the clamping column.

[0009] In one embodiment of this application, the driving mechanism includes an annular driving member disposed within the housing and concentrically arranged. The annular driving member is connected to the rotating shaft of a plurality of engaging members and is used to drive the plurality of engaging members to rotate so that the engaging members clamp or release the wafer.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the outer peripheral surface of the annular drive member is provided with a toothed structure, and the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft of the engaging member is provided with a first tooth that meshes with the toothed structure.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the driving mechanism further includes a transmission member and a driver. The transmission member is disposed within the housing, and the outer periphery of the transmission member has a second tooth that meshes with the toothed structure. The driver is connected to the transmission member to drive the annular drive member to rotate.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the housing includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate, both of which have circular notches to form the hollow portion; the first cover plate covers the second cover plate, and an installation space is formed between them, the installation space being used to accommodate the first tooth, the annular drive member, and the transmission member.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the gripping device further includes a connecting structure, the bottom end of which is connected to the housing, and the top end of which is higher than the top surface of the housing, the top end being used to connect to the driving device.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a semiconductor process apparatus, including: a process chamber, a driving device, and a gripping device as provided in the first aspect. The process chamber is provided with a liftable support device, and the gripping device is connected to the driving device for moving above the support device under the drive of the driving device to grip or release the wafer.

[0015] The beneficial technical effects of the technical solutions provided in this application are:

[0016] This embodiment of the application utilizes a housing with multiple circumferentially distributed engaging members. These engaging members engage with the edge of the wafer to clamp it, and a driving device then transfers the wafer. Because the engaging members are circumferentially arranged, the resulting ring is concentric with the housing. During wafer gripping, this ensures concentricity between the wafer, the engaging members, and the housing, preventing wafer gripping failure due to misalignment, or wafer detachment and fragmentation after successful gripping. This ensures stable wafer retrieval and a high success rate, thereby improving wafer transfer efficiency and wafer yield.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019] Figure 1A This is a front view schematic diagram of a gripping device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 1B This is a top view schematic diagram of a gripping device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 2A This is a front view schematic diagram of a card fitting provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 2B A bottom view of a snap-fit ​​component provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 3 A bottom view of an omitted portion of a gripping device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 4A This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gripping device and a carrying device cooperating, provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gripping device and a carrier device engaging pins, as provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0026] This application is described in detail below. Examples of embodiments of this application are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components or components having the same or similar functions throughout. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of known technologies that are unnecessary for the features of this application are omitted. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0027] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined as herein.

[0028] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments.

[0029] This application provides a gripping device for semiconductor process equipment, connected to the driving device of the semiconductor process equipment, for gripping and transferring wafer 100. A schematic diagram of the gripping device is shown below. Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 3 As shown, it includes: a housing 1, a drive mechanism 3, and multiple engaging members 2; the housing 1 is used to connect to a drive device in a semiconductor process equipment and to move under the drive of the drive device; the multiple engaging members 2 are connected to the housing 1 and are distributed circumferentially along the housing 1; the drive mechanism 3 is used to selectively drive each engaging member 2 to rotate simultaneously to clamp or release the edge of the wafer 100.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 1BAs shown, the semiconductor process equipment can be used to perform a single-wafer wet etching process. The gripping device can grip the wafer 100 from the process chamber and transfer it under the drive of the driving device. However, the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific type of semiconductor process equipment, and those skilled in the art can adjust it according to the actual situation. The housing 1 can be a disk structure made of metal, and the engaging member 2 can be a columnar structure made of metal. Multiple engaging members 2 can be arranged circumferentially at the bottom of the housing 1, and the tops of the multiple engaging members 2 are connected to the housing 1. The bottoms of the multiple engaging members 2 cooperate with each other to contact the edge of the wafer 100, so as to grip the wafer 100 from the carrier device (not shown in the figure) in the process chamber. Since the housing 1 is connected to the driving device of the semiconductor process equipment, the housing 1 and the engaging members 2 can transfer the wafer 100 under the drive of the driving device. The driving mechanism 3 can be drivenly connected to the multiple engaging members 2 to selectively drive each engaging member 2 to rotate simultaneously, so that the multiple engaging members 2 rotate simultaneously to clamp or release the edge of the wafer. Furthermore, since the multiple engaging components 2 are arranged circumferentially along the housing 1, the ring formed by the multiple engaging components 2 can be concentrically arranged with the housing 1. In the actual process of gripping the wafer 100, the wafer 100, the multiple engaging components 2, and the housing 1 can all be concentrically arranged, thereby avoiding the wafer 100 from being misaligned with the gripping device, which would cause the wafer 100 to fail to be gripped, or the wafer 100 to fall off and break after successful gripping due to misalignment, thereby greatly improving the yield of the wafer 100.

[0031] This embodiment of the application utilizes a housing with multiple circumferentially distributed engaging members. These engaging members engage with the edge of the wafer to clamp it, and a driving device then transfers the wafer. Because the engaging members are circumferentially arranged, the resulting ring is concentric with the housing. During wafer gripping, this ensures concentricity between the wafer, the engaging members, and the housing, preventing wafer gripping failure due to misalignment, or wafer detachment and fragmentation after successful gripping. This ensures stable wafer retrieval and a high success rate, thereby improving wafer transfer efficiency and wafer yield.

[0032] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the placement of the multiple latching components 2. For example, the multiple latching components 2 can also be placed on the top of the housing 1, thereby enabling gripping from the bottom of the wafer 100. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the placement according to the actual situation.

[0033] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 1BAs shown, the housing 1 has a circular cutout 11 at its center, which exposes the upper surface of the wafer 100. The supporting portions of the multiple engaging members 2 are located at the bottom of the housing 1 and surround the cutout 11. Specifically, the housing 1 can be a ring-shaped structure made of metal, so that a circular cutout 11 is formed at the center of the housing 1. The diameter of the cutout 11 can be slightly smaller than the size of the wafer 100. Since the multiple engaging members 2 are arranged circumferentially on the housing 1, the diameter of the cutout 11 is also smaller than the diameter of the circle formed by the multiple engaging members 2, allowing for the arrangement of multiple engaging members 2 on the housing 1, thus making the structure of this application simple and rationally designed. Furthermore, since the multiple engaging members 2 are located at the bottom of the housing 1, the supporting portions of the engaging members 2 are also located at the bottom of the housing 1, facilitating the gripping of the wafer 100 from above by the supporting device. With the above design, the presence of the cutout 11 ensures that the upper surface of the wafer 100 is always exposed to the electrostatic generator and fan assembly at the top of the process chamber during actual wafer removal. This ensures the electrostatic balance and cleanliness of the upper surface of the wafer 100, reduces particulate contamination of the wafer 100 as a whole, and improves the efficiency of the process.

[0034] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific diameter of the cutout portion 11. The diameter of the cutout portion 11 can be set to correspond to the diameter of the wafer 100, as long as the diameter of the cutout portion 11 is smaller than the diameter of the wafer 100. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0035] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, each engaging member 2 is rotatably mounted on the housing 1, and the multiple engaging members 2 can clamp or release the edge of the wafer 100 by rotation. Specifically, each of the multiple engaging members 2 can rotate around its own central axis. By driving the multiple engaging members 2 to rotate simultaneously, when the multiple engaging members 2 rotate to the largest enclosed ring size, the multiple engaging members 2 can release the wafer 100; when the multiple engaging members 2 rotate to the smallest enclosed ring size, the multiple engaging members 2 can clamp the edge of the wafer 100. With the above design, the clamping and releasing of the wafer 100 can be achieved by rotating the multiple engaging members 2. This is not only convenient to adjust and occupies less space, but also the engagement of the engaging members 2 with the edge of the wafer 100 results in a smaller contact area with the wafer 100 in this embodiment, thereby effectively reducing the contact area with the wafer 100 and avoiding contamination during the gripping of the wafer 100.

[0036] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific implementation of the locking member 2. For example, the locking member 2 can also rotate around other central axes, or multiple locking members 2 can all move linearly along the radial direction of the housing 1, as long as they can clamp the edge of the wafer 100 after movement. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0037] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1A to 2B As shown, the engaging component 2 includes a rotating shaft 21 and an eccentric shaft 22. The rotating shaft 21 is rotatably mounted on the housing 1, and the eccentric shaft 22 is fixed on the rotating shaft 21. The eccentric shaft 22 forms a bearing portion. After the rotating shaft 21 rotates around its central axis, the eccentric shaft 22 is engaged or released from the edge of the wafer 100.

[0038] like Figures 1A to 2B As shown, the engaging component 2 may include an integrally formed rotating shaft 21 and an eccentric shaft 22, and the overall shape may be a rod-shaped structure. The top of the rotating shaft 21 may be disposed inside the housing 1, and the eccentric shaft 22 may be located at the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21, with the eccentric shaft 22 offset to one side of the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21. However, the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific structure of the engaging component 2. For example, the eccentric shaft 22 may be welded to the rotating shaft 21, or the eccentric shaft 22 may be fastened to the bottom of the rotating shaft 21, as long as the eccentric shaft 22 can engage with the edge of the wafer 100 after the rotating shaft 21 rotates around its central axis, that is, the eccentric shaft 22 forms the bearing part in the above embodiments. In practical applications, the rotating shaft 21 can be rotated clockwise by a preset angle to simultaneously move the eccentric shafts 22 of the multiple engaging components 2 towards the center of the housing 1, thereby reducing the size of the ring formed by the multiple engaging components 2 and thus clamping the edge of the wafer 100; and the rotating shaft 21 can be rotated counterclockwise by a preset angle to simultaneously move the eccentric shafts 22 of the multiple engaging components 2 towards the edge of the housing 1, thereby increasing the size of the ring formed by the multiple engaging components 2 and thus releasing the wafer 100. Using the above design, the structure of this embodiment is simple and easy to control, thereby significantly improving gripping efficiency and reducing the failure rate.

[0039] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1A to 2B As shown, the eccentric shaft 22 includes a clamping column 23 and a bearing plate 24; one end of the clamping column 23 is connected to the rotating shaft 21, and a portion of the peripheral wall of the clamping column 23 is aligned with a portion of the peripheral wall of the rotating shaft 21, and the other end is connected to the bearing plate 24; the outer diameter of the bearing plate 24 is larger than the outer diameter of the clamping column 23, and a portion of the periphery of the bearing plate 24 is aligned with a portion of the peripheral wall of the clamping column 23.

[0040] like Figures 1A to 2BAs shown, the clamping post 23 and the support plate 24 can be integrally formed, or they can be separate structures and fixedly connected by fasteners. The clamping post 23 is, for example, a cylindrical structure. The top end of the clamping post 23 is connected to the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21, and the bottom end of the clamping post 23 is connected to the support plate 24. The left peripheral wall of the clamping post 23 can be aligned with the left peripheral wall of the rotating shaft 21. The support plate 24 is, for example, a circular plate structure. The support plate 24 is located at the bottom end of the clamping post 23. The diameter of the support plate 24 can be larger than that of the clamping post 23 but smaller than the diameter of the rotating shaft 21. The left peripheral edge of the support plate 24 is aligned with the left peripheral wall of the clamping post 23, so that a locking position is formed between the support plate 24 and the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21 to lock the edge of the wafer 100 within this locking position, thereby preventing the wafer 100 from falling off the locking member 2. With the above design, since the carrier plate 24 can be located at the bottom of the wafer 100 during use, even if the clamping force of the clamping post 23 on the wafer 100 is insufficient, the wafer 100 cannot be detached from the locking member 2, thereby greatly improving the safety and stability of the embodiments of this application.

[0041] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific implementation of the clamping post 23 and the bearing plate 24. For example, both can be aligned with the right peripheral wall of the rotating shaft 21, as long as they can form an engagement position with the clamping post 23. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0042] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1A to 3 As shown, the drive mechanism 3 includes an annular drive member 31 disposed within the housing 1 and concentrically arranged. The annular drive member 31 is connected to the rotating shaft 21 of a plurality of engaging members 2 and is used to drive the plurality of engaging members 2 to rotate so that the engaging members 2 clamp or release the wafer 100.

[0043] like Figures 1A to 3 As shown, the annular drive component 31 can be a circular structure made of metal, disposed within the housing 1 and located inside the multiple engaging components 2. The outer periphery of the annular drive component 31 contacts the multiple engaging components 2 to drive all the engaging components 2 to rotate. Furthermore, the specific number of engaging components 2 can be six, with three components forming a group. The two groups of engaging components 2 are symmetrically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the annular drive component 31 to effectively reduce the number of engaging components 2, thereby reducing application and maintenance costs. Thus, by using one annular drive component 31 to drive the rotation of multiple engaging components 2, it is easier to control the engaging components 2 and also easier to set up the annular drive component 31. Using the above design, only one annular drive component 31 can simultaneously drive the rotation of multiple engaging components 2, which not only significantly reduces application and maintenance costs but also improves stability and reduces the failure rate.

[0044] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific implementation of the annular drive member 31. For example, multiple engaging members 2 can be disposed on the inner periphery of the annular drive member 31, or each engaging member 2 can be separately provided with an annular drive member 31. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0045] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1A to 3 As shown, the outer peripheral surface of the annular drive member 31 is provided with a toothed structure, and the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 21 of the engaging member 2 is provided with a first tooth that meshes with the toothed structure. Specifically, the outer peripheral wall of the annular drive member 31 is provided with a toothed structure, that is, the overall structure of the annular drive member 31 is in the shape of a hollow gear. The top of the rotating shaft 21 of the engaging member 2 may be provided with a first tooth, which is, for example, a gear sleeved on the top of the rotating shaft 21. The first tooth of the engaging member 2 meshes with the toothed structure of the annular drive member 31. Through the meshing of the toothed structure of the annular drive member 31 with the first tooth of the engaging member 2, power is transmitted from the annular drive member 31 to the engaging member 2. The power transmission is relatively stable and precise, and it is easy to control the rotation angle of the engaging member 2 by the number of meshing teeth, avoiding the engaging member 2 from exerting a large engaging force on the wafer 100, which could cause the wafer 100 to break, thereby improving the safety and stability of the embodiments of this application.

[0046] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific transmission method of the annular drive member 31 and the engaging member 2. For example, the two can also achieve transmission through contact friction, thereby reducing processing costs. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0047] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1A to 3As shown, the drive mechanism 3 also includes a transmission component 32 and a driver (not shown in the figure). The transmission component 32 is disposed within the housing 1, and its outer periphery has a second tooth that meshes with a toothed structure. The driver is connected to the transmission component 32 to drive the annular drive component 31 to rotate. Specifically, the transmission component 32 can be a gear structure, that is, the outer periphery of the transmission component 32 has a second tooth that meshes with a toothed structure. The transmission component 32 can be disposed entirely within the housing 1, and the second tooth is meshed with the toothed structure of the annular drive component 31. The driver is connected to the transmission component 32, and the driver is, for example, a motor. The transmission component is used to transmit the power of the driver to the annular drive component 31, and then the power is transmitted from the annular drive component 31 to the engaging component 2 through the meshing of the toothed structure of the annular drive component 31 with the first tooth of the engaging component 2. Since the transmission component 32, the ring drive component 31, and the engaging component 2 all use gear transmission, the power transmission is relatively stable and precise. It is also convenient to control the rotation angle of the transmission component 32 by the number of meshing teeth, so as to avoid the large engaging force of the transmission component 32 on the wafer 100, which could cause the wafer 100 to break. This further improves the safety and stability of the embodiments of this application.

[0048] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific number of transmission components 32. For example, there can be multiple transmission components 32, distributed around the outer periphery of the annular drive component 31, thereby improving the stability of power transmission. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0049] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1A to 3 As shown, the housing 1 includes a first cover plate 12 and a second cover plate 13. Both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 have circular notches to form a hollow portion 11. The first cover plate 12 covers the second cover plate 13, and an installation space is formed between the two. The installation space is used to accommodate the first tooth, the annular drive member 31, and the transmission member 32.

[0050] like Figures 1A to 3As shown, both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 adopt an annular structure, that is, both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 have circular notches. When the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 are closed, the circular notches cooperate to form the hollow part 11 in the above embodiment. Both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 are formed with annular grooves extending along their own circumference. When the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 are closed, the two cover plates can form an installation space to accommodate the first tooth of the rotating shaft 21, the annular drive member 31 and the transmission member 32. Further, the first tooth of the engaging member 2 is located in the installation space, the top end of the engaging member 2 can be connected to the first cover plate 12, and part of the rotating shaft 21 and the eccentric shaft 22 of the engaging member 2 pass through the second cover plate 13 and are located at the bottom of the second cover plate 13; and the annular drive member 31 and the transmission member 32 are both disposed on the first cover plate 12. In practical applications, only the second cover plate 13 needs to be removed to disassemble and maintain each component, thereby greatly improving the disassembly and maintenance efficiency of the embodiments of this application.

[0051] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the cooperation method between the engaging member 2, the transmission member 32, and the driving member and the housing 1. For example, the engaging member 2, the transmission member 32, and the annular driving member 31 can all be disposed on the second housing 1. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0052] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1A to 3As shown, the gripping device also includes a connecting structure 5. The bottom end of the connecting structure 5 is connected to the housing 1, and the top end of the connecting structure 5 is higher than the top surface of the housing 1. The top end is used to connect to the driving device. Specifically, the connecting structure 5 and the housing 1 can be integrally formed, but this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, they can also be separate structures. Further, the connecting structure 5 can specifically adopt an inverted "L" shape, wherein the vertical rod of the connecting structure 5 can be set on one side of the housing 1. The bottom end of the vertical rod can be integrally formed with the outer peripheral wall of the housing 1, and the top end is higher than the top surface of the housing 1, that is, the height of the vertical rod is greater than the axial height of the housing 1. One end of the horizontal rod of the connecting structure 5 can be connected to the top end of the vertical rod, and the other end is used to connect to the driving device. In practical applications, the driving device can directly drive the housing 1 into the process chamber for wafer retrieval. Specifically, when the process chamber is used for a cleaning process, a pot is provided inside the process chamber, and the carrier device is vertically mounted inside the pot. The design of the connecting structure 5 allows the carrier device to lift the wafer to a certain distance from the pot opening. At this point, the housing 5 can extend into the pot to retrieve and place the wafer. This avoids the problem of particle contamination that occurs in the prior art, where the carrier device needs to be raised to the same level as the pot opening before the gripping device can retrieve and place the wafer. Therefore, this embodiment not only avoids particle contamination on the upper surface of the wafer 100 to a certain extent but also improves transmission efficiency. Furthermore, since the carrier device does not need to be raised to a high position, mechanical interference between the housing 1 and the carrier device can be avoided, thereby further improving the safety and stability of this embodiment.

[0053] To further illustrate the technical effects of the embodiments of this application, a specific embodiment of this application is described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0054] As shown in Figure 1 to Figure 4B As shown, when the process chamber completes the process, since the supporting device 201 and the engaging component do not rotate relative to each other, the angle between them can be adjusted by preset to achieve [the desired effect].

[0055] The positions of the six pins 202 of the carrier device 201 are offset from the positions of the six engaging parts 2. For example, the angle between any two adjacent pins 202 and engaging parts 2 and the axis of the housing 1 is 15 degrees. At this time, the drive device moves the housing 1 into the process chamber, and when the axis of the gripping device coincides with the axis of the process chamber, the housing 1 and the engaging parts 2 descend simultaneously. When the upper surface of the carrier plate 24 of the engaging parts 2 descends to 1 mm away from the lower surface of the wafer 100, it stops descending. Because there is a protective gas between the carrier device and the lower surface of the wafer 100, the wafer 100 swings within the range of the six pins 202. At this time, the housing 1 is controlled to rise so that the upper surface of the carrier plate 24 contacts the lower surface of the wafer 100, and the wafer 100 stops swinging. The engaging parts 2 rotate by a preset angle under the drive of the annular drive 31 to gather the wafer 100 to the center of the housing 1. After clamping the wafer 100, the housing 1 rises and removes the wafer 100. During wafer placement, the gripping device grips the wafer 100 and enters the process chamber, placing it on the carrier device 201. The six locking pieces 2 open to release the wafer 100, and then the gripping device rises and leaves the process chamber.

[0056] Based on the same inventive concept, this application provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including: a process chamber, a driving device, and a gripping device as provided in the above embodiments. The process chamber is provided with a liftable support device, and the gripping device is connected to the driving device for moving above the support device under the drive of the driving device to grip or release the wafer.

[0057] By applying the embodiments of this application, at least the following beneficial effects can be achieved:

[0058] This embodiment of the application utilizes a housing with multiple circumferentially distributed engaging members. These engaging members engage with the edge of the wafer to clamp it, and a driving device then transfers the wafer. Because the engaging members are circumferentially arranged, the resulting ring is concentric with the housing. During wafer gripping, this ensures concentricity between the wafer, the engaging members, and the housing, preventing wafer gripping failure due to misalignment, or wafer detachment and fragmentation after successful gripping. This ensures stable wafer retrieval and a high success rate, thereby improving wafer transfer efficiency and wafer yield.

[0059] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0061] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0062] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0063] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0064] The above description is only a partial embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A gripping device for semiconductor process equipment, connected to a drive device of the semiconductor process equipment, for gripping and transporting wafers, characterized in that, include: Housing, drive mechanism, and multiple engaging components; The housing is used to connect to a drive device in the semiconductor process equipment and to move under the drive of the drive device; Multiple engagement members are connected to the housing and are spaced apart circumferentially along the housing. The drive mechanism is used to selectively drive each engagement member to rotate simultaneously to clamp or release the edge of the wafer. The engaging component includes a rotating shaft and an eccentric shaft. The rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the housing, and the eccentric shaft is fixed on the rotating shaft. The eccentric shaft includes a clamping column and a bearing plate; one end of the clamping column is connected to the rotating shaft, and a portion of the peripheral wall of the clamping column is aligned with a portion of the peripheral wall of the rotating shaft, and the other end is connected to the bearing plate; the outer diameter of the bearing plate is larger than the outer diameter of the clamping column, and a portion of the peripheral edge of the bearing plate is aligned with a portion of the peripheral wall of the clamping column. The clamping column is a cylindrical structure, and the bearing plate is a circular plate structure.

2. The gripping device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The housing has a circular cutout at its center, which exposes the upper surface of the wafer. The support portions of the plurality of engaging components are located at the bottom of the housing and are arranged around the cutout.

3. The gripping device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The eccentric shaft forms the bearing portion, and the rotating shaft rotates around its central axis to lock or release the eccentric shaft from the edge of the wafer.

4. The gripping device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The driving mechanism includes an annular driving member disposed within the housing and concentrically arranged. The annular driving member is connected to the rotating shaft of a plurality of engaging members and is used to drive the plurality of engaging members to rotate so that the engaging members clamp or release the wafer.

5. The gripping device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The outer circumferential surface of the annular drive component is provided with a toothed structure, and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft of the engaging component is provided with a first tooth that meshes with the toothed structure.

6. The gripping device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The driving mechanism further includes a transmission component and a driver. The transmission component is disposed inside the housing, and the outer periphery of the transmission component has a second tooth that meshes with the toothed structure. The driver is connected to the transmission component to drive the annular drive component to rotate.

7. The gripping device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The housing includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate, both of which have circular notches to form the hollow portion; the first cover plate covers the second cover plate, and an installation space is formed between them, the installation space being used to accommodate the first tooth, the annular drive member, and the transmission member.

8. The gripping device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The gripping device further includes a connecting structure, the bottom end of which is connected to the housing, and the top end of which is higher than the top surface of the housing, and the top end is used to connect to the driving device.

9. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, include: The process chamber, the drive unit, and the gripping device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the process chamber is provided with a liftable support device, and the gripping device is connected to the drive unit for moving above the support device under the drive of the drive unit to grip or release the wafer.

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