Wafer clamping device and wafer transfer system

Abstract

The present invention provides a wafer clamping device and a wafer transfer system, wherein the wafer clamping device comprises a pair of first clamping members, a pair of second clamping members and an opening and closing driving mechanism, the opening and closing driving mechanism selectively drives at least one of the pair of first clamping members and the pair of second clamping members to close or open, the first clamping portion of each first clamping member has a first clamping groove and a first avoidance groove arranged alternately, the second clamping portion of each second clamping member has a second clamping groove and a second avoidance groove arranged alternately, the first clamping groove and the second clamping groove are used to clamp the wafer, the two first clamping portions and the two second clamping portions are respectively arranged correspondingly, in the corresponding first clamping portion and the second clamping portion, each first avoidance groove corresponds to a second clamping groove for avoiding the wafer clamped by the second clamping groove, and each second avoidance groove corresponds to a first clamping groove for avoiding the wafer clamped by the first clamping groove. The above device can clamp two groups of wafers at a time to shorten the work cycle and improve work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and in particular to a wafer clamping device and a wafer transfer system. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of the electronic information technology industry, the demand for chips, as the foundation of the entire industry, is increasing day by day. Therefore, how to actively and effectively improve the production efficiency of chips while meeting the quality requirements of chips has become an important issue that needs to be solved urgently.

[0003] At present, the processing of wafers is an important part of the chip production process. During certain processes of the wafer, it is often necessary to transfer the wafer from one station to another. For example, when the wafer is undergoing an oxidation process, the wafer needs to be taken out of the wafer cassette for normal storage and transferred and stored in a canoe made of high-temperature resistant materials such as quartz to perform oxidation treatment on the outer layer of the wafer.

[0004] When performing the above operation, the wafer is generally clamped by a wafer clamping device first, and then the wafer clamping device is controlled to move as a whole between the station where the wafer box is located and the station where the wafer boat is located. However, the number of wafers that can be clamped at one time by the existing wafer clamping device is limited, and usually only one group of wafers can be clamped at one time (for example, 25 wafers carried in a single wafer box). After this group of wafers is transferred, the wafer clamping device returns from the station where the wafer boat is located to the station where the wafer box is located to perform the transfer operation of the next group of wafers. The working cycle is long, the working efficiency is low, and it is difficult to achieve efficient operation, thereby affecting the production efficiency of the wafer. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a wafer clamping device and a wafer transfer system.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a wafer clamping device, comprising a substrate and a pair of first clamping members, a pair of second clamping members and an opening and closing driving mechanism arranged on the substrate, wherein the pair of first clamping members and the pair of second clamping members are respectively used to clamp two groups of wafers, and the opening and closing driving mechanism can selectively drive at least one of the pair of first clamping members and the pair of second clamping members to close or open along a first direction, wherein each first clamping member includes a first clamping portion extending along a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the first clamping portion has a plurality of first clamping grooves and a plurality of first avoidance grooves alternately arranged along the second direction, and when the pair of first clamping members are closed, the two first clamping portions are The relative first clamping grooves are used together to clamp the edges of the corresponding wafers, and each second clamping member includes a second clamping portion extending along the second direction, and the second clamping portion has a plurality of second clamping grooves and a plurality of second avoidance grooves alternately arranged along the second direction. When a pair of second clamping members are closed, the relative second clamping grooves on the two second clamping portions are used together to clamp the edges of the corresponding wafers, and the two first clamping portions and the two second clamping portions are respectively arranged correspondingly. In the corresponding first clamping portions and second clamping portions, each first avoidance groove corresponds to a second clamping groove for avoiding the wafer clamped by the second clamping groove, and each second avoidance groove corresponds to a first clamping groove for avoiding the wafer clamped by the first clamping groove.

[0007] Furthermore, the corresponding first clamping parts and second clamping parts are arranged in sequence along a third direction, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, and when a pair of first clamping members and a pair of second clamping members are closed, the wafer clamped by the two first clamping parts and the wafer clamped by the two second clamping parts overlap in the second direction.

[0008] Furthermore, each first clamping member also includes a first supporting portion, one end of which is drivingly connected to the opening and closing drive mechanism, and the other end is connected to the first clamping portion at an angle, and each second clamping member also includes a second supporting portion, one end of which is drivingly connected to the opening and closing drive mechanism, and the other end is connected to the second clamping portion at an angle, wherein in the first direction, the first supporting portion is located on the outside of the second supporting portion, and in the third direction, the second clamping portion is located on the side of the first clamping portion away from the first supporting portion.

[0009] Further, the first clamping groove and the second clamping groove both include a clamping groove portion and a guiding groove portion, the guiding groove portion is connected to the clamping groove portion, and the guiding groove portion has an opening on the side away from the clamping groove portion, wherein the clamping groove portion includes two clamping groove walls inclined toward each other, and the guiding groove portion includes two guiding groove walls inclined toward each other, and the angle formed between the two clamping groove walls is smaller than the angle formed between the two guiding groove walls, so that the wafer entering from the opening can enter and be clamped in the clamping groove portion after being guided by the guiding groove portion; and / or the cross-section of the first avoidance groove and the cross-section of the second avoidance groove are one of rectangular, trapezoidal, and triangular.

[0010] Furthermore, the opening and closing drive mechanism includes a first opening and closing drive mechanism and a second opening and closing drive mechanism, wherein the first opening and closing drive mechanism includes a first rotating motor and a first transmission structure, the first transmission structure is connected between the first rotating motor and the first clamping member, and can convert the rotational motion output by the first rotating motor into a linear movement of the first clamping member along a first direction; the second opening and closing drive mechanism includes a second rotating motor and a second transmission structure, the second transmission structure is connected between the second rotating motor and the second clamping member, and can convert the rotational motion output by the second rotating motor into a linear movement of the second clamping member along the first direction.

[0011] Furthermore, the first opening and closing driving mechanism can drive a pair of first clamping members to move toward or away from each other synchronously; and the second opening and closing driving mechanism can drive a pair of second clamping members to move toward or away from each other synchronously.

[0012] Furthermore, the first transmission structure includes two first lead screws and two first nuts respectively mounted on the two first lead screws, the two first lead screws are connected to each other and are driven by the first rotating motor, the two first nuts are respectively connected to a pair of first clamping members, and the threads on the two first lead screws are in opposite directions, so that when the first rotating motor drives the two first lead screws to rotate, the two first nuts and their corresponding first clamping members can be driven to move toward or away from each other synchronously; the second transmission structure includes two second lead screws and two second nuts respectively mounted on the two second lead screws, the two second lead screws are connected to each other and are driven by the second rotating motor, the two second nuts are respectively connected to a pair of second clamping members, and the threads on the two second lead screws are in opposite directions, so that when the second rotating motor drives the two second lead screws to rotate, the two second nuts and their corresponding second clamping members can be driven to move toward or away from each other synchronously.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a movement assisting mechanism, which includes a guide portion and two pairs of sliding portions, the guide portion extends along a first direction and is fixed on a substrate, the two pairs of sliding portions can be slidably arranged on the guide portion, one pair of the two pairs of sliding portions are respectively fixedly connected to a pair of first clamping members, and the other pair of the two pairs of sliding portions are respectively fixedly connected to a pair of second clamping members.

[0014] Furthermore, there are a plurality of movement assisting mechanisms, and the plurality of movement assisting mechanisms are arranged at intervals along a direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein at least two of the plurality of movement assisting mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the opening and closing driving mechanism.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides a wafer transfer system, including a wafer clamping device and a transfer drive mechanism, wherein the wafer clamping device is the above-mentioned wafer clamping device, and the transfer drive mechanism is used to drive the wafer clamping device to move between a first station and a second station.

[0016] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] The above-mentioned opening and closing driving mechanism provided by the present invention can independently drive a pair of first clamping members and a pair of second clamping members to close or open, which provides favorable conditions for a pair of first clamping members and a pair of second clamping members to clamp two groups of wafers respectively. Based on this, when a pair of first clamping members are driven to close, the first group of wafers are clamped together by the first clamping grooves on the two first clamping parts; when a pair of second clamping members are driven to close, the second group of wafers are clamped together by the second clamping grooves on the two second clamping parts. In addition, in order to reduce the overall space occupied by the two groups of wafers after being clamped, the arrangement of the two groups of wafers after being clamped is designed to be alternating, that is, each wafer in the second group of wafers is interspersed between adjacent wafers in the first group of wafers. In order to achieve this arrangement, a first avoidance groove and a second avoidance groove are respectively provided on the first clamping part and the second clamping part. The first avoidance groove is used to avoid the wafer clamped by the corresponding second clamping groove so that the wafer can pass through the first avoidance groove; the second avoidance groove is used to avoid the wafer clamped by the corresponding first clamping groove so that the wafer can pass through the second avoidance groove.

[0018] Therefore, the above-mentioned wafer clamping device can clamp two groups of wafers at a time, effectively increase the number of wafers clamped at a time, and simultaneously complete the transfer of two groups of wafers (for example, from a wafer box to a wafer boat), thereby effectively shortening the work cycle, improving work efficiency, and facilitating efficient operation, thereby improving wafer production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a conventional wafer clamping device when the first clamping rod and the second clamping rod are in an open state;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer clamping device when the first clamping rod and the second clamping rod are in a closed state;

[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer clamping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic side view of a wafer clamping device;

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A schematic top view of a wafer clamping device;

[0024] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first clamping part and the second clamping part of the wafer clamping device;

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion of a wafer clamping device;

[0026] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a first clamping groove and a first avoidance groove of a first clamping portion and a second clamping groove and a second avoidance groove of a second clamping portion;

[0027] Fig. 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the first clamping groove, the first avoidance groove, the second clamping groove and the second avoidance groove;

[0028] Fig.10 for Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a first clamping member and a second clamping member of a wafer clamping device;

[0029] Fig.11 for Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a first opening and closing driving mechanism of a wafer clamping device;

[0030] Fig.12 for Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a moving auxiliary mechanism of a wafer clamping device;

[0031] Fig.13 for Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer clamping device when a pair of first clamping members and a pair of second clamping members are closed;

[0032] Fig.14 for Fig.13 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a first clamping part, a second clamping part and a wafer of a wafer clamping device;

[0033] Fig.15 for Fig.14 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion of a wafer clamping device;

[0034] Fig.16 for Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer clamping device when a pair of first clamping members are closed and a pair of second clamping members are opened;

[0035] Fig.17 for Fig.16 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a first clamping part, a second clamping part and a wafer of a wafer clamping device;

[0036] Fig.18 for Fig.17 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion of a wafer clamping device;

[0037] Fig.19 for Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a wafer clamping device when a pair of first clamping members are opened and a pair of second clamping members are closed;

[0038] Fig. 20 for Fig.19 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a first clamping part, a second clamping part and a wafer of a wafer clamping device;

[0039] Fig.21 for Fig. 20 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion of a wafer clamping device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the existing wafer clamping device and the wafer clamping device and wafer transfer system provided by the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the existing wafer clamping device includes a base plate 1, a first clamping rod 2-1, a second clamping rod 2-2, a first connecting rod 3-1, a second connecting rod 3-2, a driving cylinder 4 and a cylinder connector 5. The driving cylinder 4 is fixedly connected to the base plate 1 through a mounting plate 7, and the protruding end of the driving cylinder 4 is fixedly connected to the cylinder connector 5.

[0042] The first clamping rod 2-1 is connected to the base plate 1 at point A, and the first clamping rod 2-1 can rotate relative to the base plate 1 with point A as the center. The first toothed plate 6-1 is installed at the top of the first clamping rod 2-1, and the bottom end of the first clamping rod 2-1 is rotatably connected to one end of the first connecting rod 3-1 at point C, that is, the first connecting rod 3-1 can rotate relative to the first clamping rod 2-1 with point C as the center. The other end of the first connecting rod 3-1 is matched with the long slot hole on the cylinder connecting head 5. Specifically, the above-mentioned end of the first connecting rod 3-1 has a protrusion, which is inserted into the long slot hole and can slide along the extension direction of the long slot hole.

[0043] The second clamping rod 2-2 is connected to the base plate 1 at point B, and the second clamping rod 2-2 can rotate relative to the base plate 1 with point B as the center. A second toothed plate 6-2 is installed at the top of the second clamping rod 2-2, and the bottom end of the second clamping rod 2-2 is rotatably connected to one end of the second connecting rod 3-2 at point E, that is, the second connecting rod 3-2 can rotate relative to the second clamping rod 2-2 with point E as the center. The other end of the second connecting rod 3-2 is matched with the long slot hole on the cylinder connecting head 5. Specifically, the above-mentioned end of the second connecting rod 3-2 has a protrusion, which is inserted into the long slot hole and can slide along the extension direction of the long slot hole.

[0044] exist Figure 1 In the wafer clamping device shown, the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 are in an open state in which they are relatively open. At this time, the extended end of the driving cylinder 4 can be controlled to extend to drive the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 to close. Specifically, Figure 2 As shown, the extended end of the driving cylinder 4 extends out, thereby driving the cylinder connector 5 to move in the direction of arrow ①. During this process, the cylinder connector 5 cooperates with the first connecting rod 3-1 and the second connecting rod 3-2 through the long slot hole to drive the two to move separately. Subsequently, the first connecting rod 3-1 pushes the bottom end of the first clamping rod 2-1 to move in the direction of arrow ② at point C, and based on the principle of lever, the first clamping rod 2-1 moves with point A as the fulcrum, so that the first toothed plate 6-1 at the top of the first clamping rod 2-1 moves in the direction of arrow ④; the second connecting rod 3-2 pushes the bottom end of the second clamping rod 2-2 to move in the direction of arrow ③ at point E, and based on the principle of lever, the second clamping rod 2-2 moves with point B as the fulcrum, so that the second toothed plate 6-2 at the top of the second clamping rod 2-2 moves in the direction of arrow ⑤. At this time, the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 are closed (i.e., in a closed state), so as to achieve common support for the wafer, and finally achieve clamping of the wafer. The wafer clamping device should release the wafer after driving the wafer to the desired workstation (eg, the workstation where the wafer boat is located). The process of releasing the wafer is the reverse process of clamping the wafer, which will not be described in detail here.

[0045] The above-mentioned existing wafer clamping device has only one set of clamping rods (i.e., the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2), and the number of wafers clamped at one time is limited. Usually, only one group of wafers can be clamped at one time (for example, 25 wafers carried in a single wafer box). After this group of wafers is transferred, the wafer clamping device returns to the original workstation (for example, a group of wafers are taken out of the wafer box, transferred and stored in the wafer boat, and then the wafer clamping device returns from the workstation where the wafer boat is located to the workstation where the wafer box is located) to perform the transfer operation of the next group of wafers. The working cycle is long, the working efficiency is low, and it is difficult to achieve efficient operation, thereby affecting the production efficiency of the wafers.

[0046] In addition, the above-mentioned existing wafer clamping device has the following disadvantages:

[0047] The first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 are driven by the driving cylinder 4. When the driving cylinder 4 is in motion, vibrations are likely to occur, which may cause the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 to vibrate when the wafer is clamped or released, thereby causing the clamped wafer to be unstable.

[0048] The first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 are relatively long in size, but the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 are directly connected to the substrate 1 only at point A and point B, respectively, which may easily cause the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 to shake when moving, thereby causing the wafer to be clamped unsteadily;

[0049] The cylinder connector 5 constrains the first connecting rod 3-1 and the second connecting rod 3-2 through the long slot hole. The first connecting rod 3-1 and the second connecting rod 3-2 are not locked in the matching position with the long slot hole, and both have a certain amount of shaking. Therefore, after clamping the wafer, the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2 are easy to separate at a certain angle under the gravity of the wafer 200, causing the wafer to move downward, and the clamping position of the wafer is inaccurate, which is not conducive to the subsequent wafer storage operation and will bring the risk of the wafer falling.

[0050] Whether the wafer is clamped unsteadily or the wafer is clamped in an inaccurate position, it is easy to cause damage to the wafer surface such as bumps and scratches. There is a risk of the wafer falling and even causing serious damage to the wafer. These cannot guarantee the wafer yield.

[0051] In addition, the transmission form using connecting rods (i.e., the first connecting rod 3-1 and the second connecting rod 3-2) and levers (i.e., the first clamping rod 2-1 and the second clamping rod 2-2) occupies a large space, has many transmission parts with large gaps between them, and has low transmission efficiency.

[0052] In order to solve at least one of the above problems existing in the existing wafer clamping device, the present invention provides a wafer clamping device, which is used to clamp the wafer, and its application scenario is not limited, and can be any scenario where the wafer needs to be clamped. For example, when the wafer is subjected to an oxidation process, the wafer is taken out of the wafer box used for normal storage by the above-mentioned wafer clamping device, and is transferred and stored in a wafer boat made of high-temperature resistant materials such as quartz, so as to perform oxidation treatment on the outer layer of the wafer.

[0053] like Figures 3 to 9 as well as Figures 13 to 21As shown, in some embodiments, the wafer clamping device includes a substrate 10 and a pair of first clamping members 20, a pair of second clamping members 30, and an opening and closing driving mechanism arranged on the substrate 10. The pair of first clamping members 20 and the pair of second clamping members 30 are respectively used to clamp two groups of wafers 200 (for example, a pair of first clamping members 20 are used to clamp the first group of wafers 200a, and a pair of second clamping members 30 are used to clamp the second group of wafers 200b). In order to facilitate the clamping operation of the wafers 200 and the flexibility of use of the device, the opening and closing driving mechanism is designed to be able to selectively drive at least one of the pair of first clamping members 20 and the pair of second clamping members 30 to close or open along a first direction, thereby achieving clamping or loosening of the two groups of wafers 200. Among them, the "first direction" can be regarded as the radial direction of the wafer 200 to be clamped, that is, Figure 6 The X-axis extends in the rectangular coordinate system shown in FIG.

[0054] exist Figures 3 to 7 In the wafer clamping device shown, a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 are both opened along the first direction. In the figure, the wafer 200 is not in contact with the first clamping member 20 and the second clamping member 30, and the positional relationship between the wafer 200 to be clamped and the first clamping member 20 and the second clamping member 30 is only shown. Figures 13 to 15 In the wafer clamping device shown, a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 are both closed along a first direction and clamped on the edge of the corresponding wafer 200. Figures 16 to 18 In the wafer clamping device shown, a pair of first clamping members 20 are closed along a first direction and clamped on the edge of the corresponding wafer 200, and a pair of second clamping members 30 are opened along the first direction. Figures 19 to 21 In the wafer clamping device shown, a pair of first clamping members 20 are opened along a first direction, and a pair of second clamping members 30 are closed along the first direction and clamped on the edges of the corresponding wafers 200 .

[0055] Furthermore, each first clamping member 20 includes a first clamping portion 21 extending along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The "second direction" can be regarded as the arrangement direction of each group of wafers 200 to be clamped, that is, Figure 6 The Y-axis extends in the rectangular coordinate system shown in FIG. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the first clamping portion 21 has a plurality of first clamping grooves 211 and a plurality of first avoidance grooves 212 alternately arranged along its extension direction (i.e., the second direction). "Alternately arranged" means that the plurality of first clamping grooves 211 and the plurality of first avoidance grooves 212 are arranged at intervals along the same direction, and a first avoidance groove 212 is arranged between each adjacent first clamping groove 211, and a first clamping groove 211 is arranged between each adjacent first avoidance groove 212.

[0056] The first clamping groove 211 is used to contact and cooperate with the edge of the wafer 200 to be clamped when the pair of first clamping members 20 are closed. That is, when the pair of first clamping members 20 are closed, the first clamping grooves 211 on the two first clamping parts 21 that are opposite to each other are used to clamp the edge of the corresponding wafer 200. Among the plurality of first clamping grooves 211, the spacing L1 between adjacent first clamping grooves 211 should be the same as the spacing between adjacent wafers 200a in the first group of wafers 200a to be clamped.

[0057] Each second clamping member 30 includes a second clamping portion 31 extending along the second direction. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the second clamping portion 31 has a plurality of second clamping grooves 311 and a plurality of second avoidance grooves 312 alternately arranged along its extension direction (i.e., the second direction). "Alternate arrangement" means that the plurality of second clamping grooves 311 and the plurality of second avoidance grooves 312 are arranged at intervals along the same direction, and a second avoidance groove 312 is arranged between each adjacent second clamping groove 311, and a second clamping groove 311 is arranged between each adjacent second avoidance groove 312.

[0058] The second clamping grooves 311 are used to contact and cooperate with the edge of the wafer 200 to be clamped when the pair of second clamping members 30 are closed. That is, when the pair of second clamping members 30 are closed, the second clamping grooves 311 on the two second clamping parts 31 are used to clamp the edge of the corresponding wafer 200. Among the plurality of second clamping grooves 311, the spacing L2 between adjacent second clamping grooves 311 should be the same as the spacing between adjacent wafers 200b in the second group of wafers 200b to be clamped.

[0059] The two first clamping parts 21 and the two second clamping parts 31 are respectively arranged correspondingly. If a central reference line is set between the two first clamping parts 21, one first clamping part 21 and one second clamping part 31 are located on one side of the central reference line, and the other first clamping part 21 and the other second clamping part 31 are located on the other side of the central reference line. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, in the corresponding first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 (i.e., the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 located on the same side), each first avoidance groove 212 corresponds to a second clamping groove 311 for avoiding the wafer 200b clamped by the second clamping groove 311, so that the wafer 200b can pass through the first avoidance groove 212; each second avoidance groove 312 corresponds to a first clamping groove 211 for avoiding the wafer 200a clamped by the first clamping groove 211, so that the wafer 200a can pass through the second avoidance groove 312.

[0060] The above-mentioned opening and closing driving mechanism can independently drive a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 to close or open, which provides favorable conditions for a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 to clamp two groups of wafers 200 respectively. Based on this, when a pair of first clamping members 20 are driven to close, the first group of wafers 200a are clamped together by the first clamping grooves 211 on the two first clamping parts 21; when a pair of second clamping members 30 are driven to close, the second group of wafers 200b are clamped together by the second clamping grooves 311 on the two second clamping parts 31. In addition, in order to reduce the overall space occupied by the two groups of wafers 200 after being clamped, the arrangement of the two groups of wafers 200 after being clamped is designed to be alternately arranged, that is, each wafer 200b in the second group of wafers 200b is interspersed between adjacent wafers 200a in the first group of wafers 200a. In order to achieve this arrangement, a first avoidance groove 212 and a second avoidance groove 312 are respectively provided on the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31. The first avoidance groove 212 is used to avoid the wafer 200b clamped by the corresponding second clamping groove 311, so that the wafer 200b can pass through the first avoidance groove 212; the second avoidance groove 312 is used to avoid the wafer 200a clamped by the corresponding first clamping groove 211, so that the wafer 200a can pass through the second avoidance groove 312.

[0061] Therefore, the above-mentioned wafer clamping device can clamp two groups of wafers 200 at a time, effectively increase the number of wafers 200 clamped at a time, and realize the simultaneous transfer of two groups of wafers 200 (for example, from a wafer box to a wafer boat), thereby effectively shortening the work cycle, improving work efficiency, and facilitating efficient operation, thereby improving wafer production efficiency.

[0062] It should be noted that, generally, before being clamped, the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b do not interfere with each other, for example, the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b are stored in different wafer boxes, respectively. At this time, the above-mentioned wafer clamping device clamps the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b in steps. For example, the wafer clamping device first moves to the station where the wafer box storing the first group of wafers 200a is located, and the opening and closing drive mechanism drives a pair of first clamping members 20 to close to clamp the first group of wafers 200a. Thereafter, the wafer clamping device moves to the station where the wafer box storing the second group of wafers 200b is located, and the opening and closing drive mechanism drives a pair of second clamping members 30 to close to clamp the second group of wafers 200b. Finally, the wafer clamping device holding both the first group of wafers 200 a and the second group of wafers 200 b is moved to the workstation where the wafer boat is located for storage.

[0063] In the process of storing the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b in the wafer boat, similarly, if the areas in the wafer boat carrying the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b do not interfere with each other, for example, in the most common case: the wafer boat can carry 50 wafers, each wafer box stores 25 wafers, and the two groups of 25 wafers in the two wafer boxes are stored in the same wafer boat, then the above-mentioned wafer clamping device also releases the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b in steps. For example, the wafer clamping device first moves to the area on the wafer boat where the first group of wafers 200a are stored, and the opening and closing driving mechanism drives a pair of first clamping members 20 to open to release the first group of wafers 200a. Thereafter, the wafer clamping device moves to the area on the wafer boat where the second group of wafers 200b are stored, and the opening and closing driving mechanism drives a pair of second clamping members 30 to open to release the second group of wafers 200b.

[0064] Of course, some special cases are still not excluded. For example, before being clamped, the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b are arranged alternately, that is, each wafer 200b in the second group of wafers 200b is interspersed between adjacent wafers 200a in the first group of wafers 200a. At this time, the above-mentioned wafer clamping device can clamp the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b synchronously, that is, the opening and closing driving mechanism simultaneously drives a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 to close to synchronously clamp the corresponding wafers. Similarly, if the carrying slots of each wafer carrying the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b in the wafer boat are also alternated, the above-mentioned wafer clamping device can also release the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b synchronously, that is, the opening and closing driving mechanism simultaneously drives a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 to open to synchronously release the corresponding wafers.

[0065] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figures 6 to 10 as well as Figures 13 to 21 As shown, in some embodiments, the corresponding first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 are arranged in sequence along a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the plane where the first direction and the second direction are located. Figure 6 At this time, the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 will not interfere with each other, each first avoidance groove 212 on the first clamping portion 21 is aligned with a second clamping groove 311 in the third direction, and each second avoidance groove 312 on the second clamping portion 31 is aligned with a first clamping groove 211 in the third direction (see Figure 8 and Fig. 9 ). In addition, if Figures 13 to 15As shown, when the pair of first clamping members 20 and the pair of second clamping members 30 are closed, the wafer 200a clamped by the two first clamping parts 21 and the wafer 200b clamped by the two second clamping parts 31 overlap in the second direction. Specifically, the size of the wafer 200a is the same as that of the wafer 200b, the first clamping groove 211 and the edge contact position of the wafer 200a are relatively lower positions of the edge of the wafer 200a, and the second clamping groove 311 and the edge contact position of the wafer 200b are relatively higher positions of the edge of the wafer 200b. Through the reasonable design of the above contact positions, it is possible to achieve that when the pair of first clamping members 20 and the pair of second clamping members 30 clamp the first group of wafers 200a and the second group of wafers 200b at the same time, the arrangement consistency of all wafers is ensured, for example, the consistency of the height of all wafers is ensured, so as to facilitate subsequent storage and other operations, and can prevent the wafer whose arrangement is inconsistent with other wafers (for example, the wafer protrudes radially from other wafers) from being bumped and damaged.

[0066] It should be noted that the arrangement of the corresponding first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 is not limited to this. In other embodiments not shown in the figure, the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 can also be located in the same plane. In this case, the edge contact position of the first clamping groove 211 and the wafer 200a is substantially the same as the edge contact position of the second clamping groove 311 and the wafer 200b. Although the arrangement of the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 described above can be realized in theory, since the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 are in the same plane, in order to prevent interference between the two when moving, the structures of the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 need to be specially designed. For example, the teeth formed at the portion of the first clamping portion 21 where the first clamping groove 211 is provided are inserted into the second avoidance groove 312 of the second clamping portion 31, and the teeth formed at the portion of the second clamping portion 31 where the second clamping groove 311 is provided are inserted into the first avoidance groove 212 of the first clamping portion 21; it can also be regarded as Figure 8 The second clamping groove 311 and the teeth formed around it are moved downward to penetrate into the first avoidance groove 212. Obviously, this structure is relatively complicated.

[0067] In comparison, in the embodiment shown in the figure, the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 are arranged in sequence along the third direction. At this time, the first clamping portion 21 and the second clamping portion 31 are closed or opened in different planes, which can effectively avoid interference between the two and has a simpler structure.

[0068] like Figures 3 to 7 , Fig.10 as well as Figures 13 to 21As shown, in some embodiments, each first clamping member 20 further includes a first support portion 22, one end of which is driven and connected to the opening and closing driving mechanism, and the other end is connected to the first clamping portion 21 at an angle. Each second clamping member 30 further includes a second support portion 32, one end of which is driven and connected to the opening and closing driving mechanism, and the other end is connected to the second clamping portion 31 at an angle. Preferably, the first support portion 22 and the first clamping portion 21 are perpendicular to each other, and the second support portion 32 and the second clamping portion 31 are perpendicular to each other, and the first support portion 22, the second support portion 32, the first clamping portion 21, and the second clamping portion 31 are all rod-shaped. The space enclosed by the two first clamping portions 21 is used to accommodate the wafer 200a, and the space enclosed by the two second clamping portions 31 is used to accommodate the wafer 200b, and the two spaces overlap each other.

[0069] Further, for the corresponding first clamping portion 21 and second clamping portion 31, in the first direction, the first support portion 22 is located outside the second support portion 32, and in the third direction, the second clamping portion 31 is located on the side of the first clamping portion 21 away from the first support portion 22. Of course, it can be understood that the positional relationship between the first support portion 22 and the second support portion 32 in the first direction and the positional relationship between the second clamping portion 31 and the first clamping portion 21 in the third direction are not limited to this. In other embodiments not shown in the figure, in the first direction, the first support portion 22 can also be located on the inner side of the second support portion 32; in the third direction, the second clamping portion 31 can also be located on the side of the first clamping portion 21 facing the first support portion 22. It should be noted that no matter how the first clamping portion 21, the second clamping portion 31, the first support portion 22, and the second support portion 32 are arranged, as long as it can be ensured that there is no interference between each other during movement and the clamping and releasing functions of the wafer can be finally achieved.

[0070] like Figure 8 and Fig. 9As shown, in some embodiments, the first clamping groove 211 and the second clamping groove 311 both include a clamping groove portion and a guide groove portion, the guide groove portion is connected to the clamping groove portion, and the guide groove portion has an opening on the side away from the clamping groove portion. Taking the first clamping groove 211 as an example, the clamping groove portion includes two clamping groove walls 2111 inclined toward each other, and the guide groove portion includes two guide groove walls 2112 inclined toward each other, and the angle formed between the two clamping groove walls 2111 is smaller than the angle formed between the two guide groove walls 2112, so that the wafer 200a entering from the opening can smoothly enter and be clamped in the clamping groove portion after being guided by the guide groove portion, thereby facilitating the clamping operation of the wafer 200a. Preferably, there is a line contact between the two clamping groove walls 2111 and the edge of the wafer 200a, so that the clamping of the wafer 200a is more stable. The specific structure of the clamping groove portion and the guide groove portion in the second clamping groove 311 is the same as that of the first clamping groove 211, and will not be repeated here. In addition, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the first avoidance groove 212 and the cross-section of the second avoidance groove 312 may be a rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, or other shape that is convenient for processing and manufacturing. Preferably, the cross-section of the first avoidance groove 212 and the cross-section of the second avoidance groove 312 are rectangular.

[0071] like Figure 3 , Fig.11 , Fig.13 , Fig.16 as well as Fig.19 As shown, in some embodiments, the opening and closing drive mechanism includes a first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and a second opening and closing drive mechanism 42, and the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42 respectively drive a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 to move to achieve closing or opening.

[0072] The first opening and closing driving mechanism 41 includes a first rotating motor 411 and a first transmission structure, the first transmission structure is connected between the first rotating motor 411 and the first clamping member 20, and can convert the rotational motion output by the first rotating motor 411 into a linear movement of the first clamping member 20 along the first direction. The second opening and closing driving mechanism 42 includes a second rotating motor 421 and a second transmission structure, the second transmission structure is connected between the second rotating motor 421 and the second clamping member 30, and can convert the rotational motion output by the second rotating motor 421 into a linear movement of the second clamping member 30 along the first direction.

[0073] Compared with the existing wafer clamping device that uses a cylinder-driven driving method, the use of the first rotating motor 411 and the second rotating motor 421 as the driving source is more stable and reliable, and can effectively avoid vibration when clamping or releasing the wafer 200a and the wafer 200b, thereby improving the clamping stability, and further avoiding damage such as bumps and scratches on the wafer surface, thereby ensuring the yield rate of the wafer.

[0074] Further, in some embodiments, the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41 can drive a pair of first clamping members 20 to move synchronously toward or away from each other; the second opening and closing driving mechanism 42 can drive a pair of second clamping members 30 to move synchronously toward or away from each other. The above-mentioned method of driving a pair of first clamping members 20 to move synchronously to achieve closing or opening, and driving a pair of second clamping members 30 to move synchronously to achieve closing or opening can ensure that a pair of first clamping members 20 / a pair of second clamping members 30 can contact or separate with the edge of the wafer at the same time, which is more convenient for clamping or releasing operations. In addition, the final stop position of a pair of first clamping members 20 / a pair of second clamping members 30 when closing is easier to determine, thereby facilitating the accuracy of clamping the wafer. Of course, it can be understood that in other embodiments not shown in the figure, a pair of first clamping members 20 and / or a pair of second clamping members 30 can also move asynchronously. At this time, the final stop position when closing can be determined according to actual needs (such as the specific position of the wafer to be clamped), which is more flexible to use.

[0075] It should be noted that the specific forms of the first transmission structure and the second transmission structure are not limited and may be any transmission structure that can convert rotation into linear movement.

[0076] Specifically, Figure 3 , Fig.11 , Fig.13 , Fig.16 as well as Fig.19 As shown, in some embodiments, the first transmission structure includes two first lead screws 412 and two first screw nuts 413 respectively sleeved on the two first lead screws 412. The two first lead screws 412 are connected to each other and are driven by the first rotating motor 411. The two first screw nuts 413 are respectively connected to a pair of first clamping members 20. The thread directions on the two first lead screws 412 are opposite, so that when the first rotating motor 411 drives the two first lead screws 412 to rotate, the two first screw nuts 413 and their corresponding first clamping members 20 can be driven to move toward or away from each other synchronously. The second transmission structure includes two second lead screws 422 and two second screw nuts 423 respectively sleeved on the two second lead screws 422. The two second lead screws 422 are connected to each other and are driven by the second rotating motor 421, and the two second screw nuts 423 are respectively connected to a pair of second clamping members 30. The threads on the two second lead screws 422 are in opposite directions, so that when the second rotary motor 421 drives the two second lead screws 422 to rotate, it can drive the two second screw nuts 423 and their corresponding second clamping members 30 to move toward or away from each other synchronously. Preferably, the first lead screw 412 and the first screw nut 413 as well as the second lead screw 422 and the second screw nut 423 all adopt a ball screw structure.

[0077] Compared with the existing wafer clamping device using the connecting rod and lever transmission form, the use of the lead screw and nut transmission mode can effectively reduce friction, maintain high-precision transmission, and have higher transmission efficiency, which is conducive to further shortening the work cycle. In addition, compared with the transmission form of connecting rods and levers, the use of the lead screw and nut to drive the movement of the two pairs of clamping parts saves more space.

[0078] It should be noted that in other embodiments not shown in the figures, the first transmission structure and the second transmission structure may also adopt other structures capable of realizing the conversion of rotation into linear movement, such as using gears and racks to cooperate, in which case two drive motors may be used to cooperate with two sets of gears and racks respectively to realize driving a pair of clamps to move synchronously. In addition, in other embodiments, a linear motor may be directly used to drive the first clamp 20 and the second clamp 30 to move, in which case there is no need to set an intermediate transmission structure, and the specific number of linear motors may be reasonably designed according to the driving needs of the first clamp 20 and the second clamp 30.

[0079] The specific structure will be described in detail below by taking the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41 as an example.

[0080] like Figure 3 , Fig.10 as well as Fig.11 As shown, the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41 further includes two fixed end support seats 414 and two floating end support seats 415, and the two ends of each first lead screw 412 are rotatably arranged on one of the fixed end support seats 414 and one of the floating end support seats 415, respectively. A pair of angular contact bearings are arranged in the fixed end support seat 414 as a rotation support for the end of the first lead screw 412, and the pair of angular contact bearings are fixed by an axial limiter (such as a hole stopper collar and a pressure ring), so that the inner rings of the angular contact bearings are fixedly connected to the end of the first lead screw 412 and prevent the angular contact bearings from axially moving relative to the fixed end support seat 414. A deep groove ball bearing is arranged in the floating end support seat 415 as a rotation support for the end of the first lead screw 412, and the end of the first lead screw 412 is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing, and no axial limit is performed on both sides of the deep groove ball bearing, so that the deep groove ball bearing can be adjusted in axial position relative to the floating end support seat 415, thereby facilitating the end of the first lead screw 412 to float in the axial direction.

[0081] One of the two first lead screws 412 ( Fig.11The first lead screw 412 located on the left side is a special left-handed lead screw. A thread is left at one end of the left-handed lead screw, which is used to lock the left-handed lead screw on the inner ring of the angular contact bearing in the fixed end support seat 414. A section of optical axis is left at the other end of the left-handed lead screw, and an axis stop groove is machined on the optical axis to press the inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing in the floating end support seat 415, so that the left-handed lead screw and the inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing are fixed, and a certain length is left behind the axis stop groove for installing the inter-axial connecting block. The first nut 413 sleeved on the left-handed lead screw is a left-handed nut, which is used in conjunction with the left-handed lead screw.

[0082] The other of the two first lead screws 412 ( Fig.11 The first lead screw 412 located on the right side is a special right-hand lead screw. A thread is left at one end of the right-hand lead screw, which is used to lock the right-hand lead screw on the inner ring of the angular contact bearing in the fixed end support seat 414. A section of optical axis is left at the other end of the right-hand lead screw, and an axis stop groove is machined on the optical axis to press the inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing in the floating end support seat 415, so that the right-hand lead screw and the inner ring of the deep groove ball bearing are fixed, and a certain length is left behind the axis stop groove for installing the inter-axial connecting block. The first nut 413 sleeved on the right-hand lead screw is a right-hand nut, which is used in conjunction with the right-hand lead screw.

[0083] The left-hand screw and the right-hand screw are connected and locked with screws by the interaxial connecting block, thereby ensuring that there is no relative rotation between the left-hand screw and the right-hand screw when rotating at high speed, and the two can keep efficient consistency, thereby better transmitting torque. In addition, the right-hand screw is connected and locked with screws by the driving connecting block with the output shaft of the first rotary motor 411, thereby ensuring that the right-hand screw and the left-hand screw can be effectively driven to rotate synchronously when the first rotary motor 411 rotates. Because the spiral rotation directions of the left-hand screw and the right-hand screw are opposite, so that when the first rotary motor 411 rotates, the left-hand screw nut and the right-hand screw nut move towards each other or move away from each other at the same time.

[0084] like Figure 3 , Fig.12 , Fig.13 , Fig.16 as well as Fig.19 As shown, in some embodiments, the wafer clamping device further includes a movement assisting mechanism 50. The movement assisting mechanism 50 includes a guide portion 51 and two pairs of sliding portions 52, wherein the guide portion 51 extends along a first direction and is fixed on the substrate 10, and the two pairs of sliding portions 52 are slidably disposed on the guide portion 51. One pair of the two pairs of sliding portions 52 is respectively fixedly connected to a pair of first clamping members 20, and the other pair of the two pairs of sliding portions 52 is respectively fixedly connected to a pair of second clamping members 30.

[0085] When a pair of first clamping members 20 and / or a pair of second clamping members 30 are driven to move along the first direction by the opening and closing driving mechanism, the above-mentioned sliding parts 52 will move together with the corresponding first clamping member 20 or the second clamping member 30, and each sliding part 52 will slide along its own guide part 51 when moving. Therefore, each sliding part 52 can play an auxiliary support and limiting role and a certain movement guiding role for the corresponding first clamping member 20 or the second clamping member 30 during the movement process, thereby preventing the first clamping member 20 and the second clamping member 30 from shaking during movement, improving the movement stability of the first clamping member 20 and the second clamping member 30, and then helping to improve the clamping stability of the wafer, avoid damage such as bumps and scratches on the wafer surface, and ensure the yield rate of the wafer.

[0086] It should be noted that the specific forms of the guide portion 51 and the sliding portion 52 are not limited and may be any structure that can achieve relative sliding. For example, the guide portion 51 may be a linear guide rail fixedly disposed on the substrate 10, and the sliding portion 52 may be a slider slidably disposed on the linear guide rail; or, the guide portion 51 may be a linear slideway formed on the substrate 10, and the sliding portion 52 may include a fixed plate and a pulley disposed on the side of the fixed plate facing the substrate 10, the pulley being embedded in the slideway and being able to slide along the slideway, and the fixed plate being fixedly connected to the first clamping member 20 or the second clamping member 30.

[0087] In particular, in some embodiments, there are multiple movement auxiliary mechanisms 50, and on the substrate 10, multiple movement auxiliary mechanisms 50 are arranged at intervals along a direction perpendicular to the first direction. Each first clamping member 20 and each second clamping member 30 are fixedly connected to the corresponding sliding portion 52 in the multiple movement auxiliary mechanisms 50. Through the multiple movement auxiliary mechanisms 50, each first clamping member 20 and each second clamping member 30 are auxiliary supported and limited during the movement process, thereby further improving the movement stability of the first clamping member 20 and the second clamping member 30. In addition, each first clamping member 20 is fixedly connected with the corresponding sliding parts 52 in the plurality of moving auxiliary mechanisms 50 and the first nut 413 in the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41, and each second clamping member 30 is fixedly connected with the corresponding sliding parts 52 in the plurality of moving auxiliary mechanisms 50 and the second nut 423 in the second opening and closing driving mechanism 42. That is to say, each first clamping member 20 and each second clamping member 30 are closely matched with the plurality of moving auxiliary mechanisms 50 and the corresponding opening and closing driving mechanism, which can further ensure that the first clamping member 2 0. The second clamping member 30 will not shake when moving, thereby improving the movement stability of the first clamping member 20 and the second clamping member 30; in addition, when a pair of first clamping members 20 and a pair of second clamping members 30 clamp the corresponding wafer, the positions between the pair of first clamping members 20 and the pair of second clamping members 30 will not change due to the influence of the gravity of the wafer, thereby effectively avoiding the downward movement of the wafer, and the clamping position of the wafer is more accurate, which is conducive to the subsequent wafer storage operation, and there is no risk of the wafer falling, thereby ensuring the yield rate of the wafer.

[0088] Preferably, among the multiple movement auxiliary mechanisms 50, there are at least two that are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the opening and closing drive mechanism. For example, at least two movement auxiliary mechanisms 50 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42 as a whole. In this way, the auxiliary support force provided by the movement auxiliary mechanism 50 to the pair of first clamping members 20 and the pair of second clamping members 30 can be more uniform and symmetrical, thereby ensuring stable support and further improving the movement stability of the pair of first clamping members 20 and the pair of second clamping members 30. Figure 3 , Fig.13 , Fig.16 as well as Fig.19 In the specific embodiment shown, there are two movement auxiliary mechanisms 50, and the two movement auxiliary mechanisms 50 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing driving mechanism 42. This can provide uniform auxiliary support force while saving space.

[0089] Of course, the number of the moving auxiliary mechanisms 50 is not limited thereto. In other embodiments not shown in the figure, the moving auxiliary mechanisms 50 may also be designed to be three, four, etc. When there are three moving auxiliary mechanisms 50, two of them are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42, and another moving auxiliary mechanism 50 may be arranged at the center position between the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42. When there are four moving auxiliary mechanisms 50, two of them are arranged on one side of the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42, and the other two moving auxiliary mechanisms 50 are symmetrically arranged on the other side of the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42; or, two of them are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42, and the other two moving auxiliary mechanisms 50 may be arranged between the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 and the second opening and closing drive mechanism 42.

[0090] exist Figure 3 , Fig.10 , Fig.13 , Fig.16 as well as Fig.19 In the specific embodiment shown, in a pair of first clamping members 20, a first nut connector 221 and two first slider connectors 222 located on both sides of the first nut connector 221 are installed on the first support portion 22 of each first clamping member 20, and each first clamping member 20 is fastened to the corresponding first nut 413 of the first opening and closing drive mechanism 41 through the first nut connector 221; at the same time, each first clamping member 20 is fastened to the corresponding sliding portions 52 of the two movement auxiliary mechanisms 50 through the two first slider connectors 222.

[0091] In a pair of second clamping members 30, a second nut connector 321 and two second slider connectors 322 located on both sides of the second nut connector 321 are installed on the second supporting portion 32 of each second clamping member 30. Each second clamping member 30 is fastened to the corresponding second nut 423 of the second opening and closing driving mechanism 42 through the second nut connector 321; at the same time, each second clamping member 30 is fastened to the corresponding sliding portions 52 of the two movement auxiliary mechanisms 50 through the two second slider connectors 322.

[0092] It should be noted that when it is necessary to improve the wafer production efficiency as much as possible, the above-mentioned wafer clamping device can be used to clamp two groups of wafers at a time, thereby effectively increasing the number of wafers 200 clamped at a time. However, in the case of limited production capacity, the pair of first clamping members 20 or the pair of second clamping members 30 of the above-mentioned wafer clamping device can also be used alone to clamp a group of wafers at a time, so that the wafer clamping device can be fully utilized to meet the needs of multiple clamping methods. The following will be described in detail using the specific implementation shown in the figure as an example.

[0093] like Figures 13 to 15 As shown, the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41 drives a pair of first clamping members 20 to move toward each other in the first direction at the same time, that is, drives the pair of first clamping members 20 to close, and finally makes the two first clamping parts 21 of the pair of first clamping members 20 clamp the edge of the first group of wafers 200a; and the second opening and closing driving mechanism 42 drives a pair of second clamping members 30 to move toward each other in the first direction at the same time, that is, drives the pair of second clamping members 30 to close, and finally makes the two second clamping parts 31 of the pair of second clamping members 30 clamp the edge of the second group of wafers 200b. At this time, two groups of wafers can be clamped at one time, and the clamping state is as shown in the attached figure. Fig.15 shown.

[0094] like Figures 16 to 18 As shown, it is only necessary to drive the pair of first clamping members 20 to move toward each other in the first direction at the same time through the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41, that is, to drive the pair of first clamping members 20 to close, and finally make the two first clamping parts 21 of the pair of first clamping members 20 clamp the edge of the first group of wafers 200a; while the second opening and closing driving mechanism 42 does not move, so that the pair of second clamping members 30 is kept in the open state. At this time, the first group of wafers 200a can be clamped separately, and the clamping state is as shown in the attached figure. Fig.18 shown.

[0095] like Figures 19 to 21 As shown, it is only necessary to drive the pair of second clamping members 30 to move toward each other along the first direction at the same time through the second opening and closing driving mechanism 42, that is, to drive the pair of second clamping members 30 to close, and finally make the two second clamping parts 31 of the pair of second clamping members 30 clamp the edge of the second group of wafers 200b; while the first opening and closing driving mechanism 41 does not move, so that the pair of first clamping members 20 are kept in the open state. At this time, the second group of wafers 200b can be clamped separately, and the clamping state is as shown in the attached figure. Fig.21 shown.

[0096] The present invention also provides a wafer transfer system, which includes a wafer clamping device and a transfer drive mechanism, wherein the wafer clamping device is the wafer clamping device of the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention, and the transfer drive mechanism is used to drive the wafer clamping device to move between a first station and a second station. The first station is the station where the wafer is located before being clamped, and the second station is the specific station to which the wafer needs to be transferred after being clamped.

[0097] For example, when the wafer is undergoing an oxidation process, the wafer is taken out of the wafer box for normal storage by the wafer clamping device, and transferred and stored in a wafer boat made of high temperature resistant materials such as quartz, so as to perform an oxidation treatment on the outer layer of the wafer. At this time, the first station is the station where the wafer box is located, and the second station is the station where the wafer boat is located.

[0098] In addition, the movement of the wafer clamping device driven by the transfer drive mechanism may include but is not limited to lifting, translation, rotation, etc., which needs to be reasonably planned according to the path between the first station and the second station.

[0099] It is to be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For those of ordinary skill 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.

Claims

1. A wafer clamping device, It is characterized in that The invention comprises a substrate and a pair of first clamping members, a pair of second clamping members and an opening and closing driving mechanism arranged on the substrate, wherein the pair of first clamping members and the pair of second clamping members are respectively used to clamp two groups of wafers, and the opening and closing driving mechanism can selectively drive at least one of the pair of first clamping members and the pair of second clamping members to close or open along a first direction, wherein: Each of the first clamping members includes a first clamping portion extending along a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, the first clamping portion has a plurality of first clamping grooves and a plurality of first avoidance grooves alternately arranged along the second direction, when a pair of the first clamping members are closed, the first clamping grooves on the two first clamping portions that are opposite to each other are used to clamp the edge of the corresponding wafer together, Each of the second clamping members includes a second clamping portion extending along the second direction, the second clamping portion having a plurality of second clamping grooves and a plurality of second avoidance grooves alternately arranged along the second direction, and when a pair of the second clamping members are closed, the second clamping grooves opposite to each other on the two second clamping portions are used to clamp the edge of the corresponding wafer together. The two first clamping parts and the two second clamping parts are respectively arranged correspondingly, and in the corresponding first clamping parts and the second clamping parts, each first avoidance groove corresponds to one second clamping groove for avoiding the wafer clamped by the second clamping groove, and each second avoidance groove corresponds to one first clamping groove for avoiding the wafer clamped by the first clamping groove; The opening and closing drive mechanism includes a first opening and closing drive mechanism and a second opening and closing drive mechanism, wherein: The first opening and closing driving mechanism includes a first rotating motor and a first transmission structure, wherein the first transmission structure is connected between the first rotating motor and the first clamping member and is capable of converting the rotational motion output by the first rotating motor into a linear movement of the first clamping member along the first direction; The second opening and closing driving mechanism includes a second rotating motor and a second transmission structure, wherein the second transmission structure is connected between the second rotating motor and the second clamping member and is capable of converting the rotational motion output by the second rotating motor into a linear movement of the second clamping member along the first direction; The wafer clamping device also includes a movement assisting mechanism, which includes a guide portion and two pairs of sliding portions. The guide portion extends along the first direction and is fixed on the substrate. The two pairs of sliding portions can be slidably arranged on the guide portion. One pair of the two pairs of sliding portions is respectively fixedly connected to a pair of the first clamping members, and the other pair of the two pairs of sliding portions is respectively fixedly connected to a pair of the second clamping members.

2. The wafer holding device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The corresponding first clamping parts and the second clamping parts are arranged in sequence along a third direction, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, and when a pair of first clamping members and a pair of second clamping members are closed, the wafer clamped by the two first clamping parts and the wafer clamped by the two second clamping parts overlap in the second direction.

3. The wafer holding device according to claim 2, It is characterized in that Each of the first clamping members further comprises a first supporting portion, one end of which is drivingly connected to the opening and closing driving mechanism, and the other end is connected to the first clamping portion at an angle, and each of the second clamping members further comprises a second supporting portion, one end of which is drivingly connected to the opening and closing driving mechanism, and the other end is connected to the second clamping portion at an angle, wherein: In the first direction, the first supporting portion is located outside the second supporting portion, and in the third direction, the second clamping portion is located on a side of the first clamping portion away from the first supporting portion.

4. The wafer holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It is characterized in that The first clamping groove and the second clamping groove each include a clamping groove portion and a guiding groove portion, the guiding groove portion is connected to the clamping groove portion, and the guiding groove portion has an opening on a side away from the clamping groove portion, wherein the clamping groove portion includes two clamping groove walls inclined toward each other, the guiding groove portion includes two guiding groove walls inclined toward each other, and an angle formed between the two clamping groove walls is smaller than an angle formed between the two guiding groove walls, so that the wafer entering through the opening can enter and be clamped in the clamping groove portion after being guided by the guiding groove portion; and / or, The cross-section of the first avoidance groove and the cross-section of the second avoidance groove are one of rectangular, trapezoidal and triangular.

5. The wafer holding device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The first opening and closing driving mechanism can drive a pair of the first clamping members to move toward or away from each other synchronously; The second opening and closing driving mechanism can drive a pair of the second clamping members to move toward or away from each other synchronously.

6. The wafer holding device according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The first transmission structure includes two first lead screws and two first screw nuts respectively sleeved on the two first lead screws, the two first lead screws are connected to each other and are drivingly connected to the first rotating motor, the two first screw nuts are respectively connected to a pair of the first clamping members, and the threads on the two first lead screws are in opposite directions, so that when the first rotating motor drives the two first lead screws to rotate, the two first screw nuts and their corresponding first clamping members can be driven to move toward or away from each other synchronously; The second transmission structure includes two second lead screws and two second nuts respectively mounted on the two second lead screws, the two second lead screws are connected to each other and are driven by the second rotating motor, the two second nuts are respectively connected to a pair of second clamping members, and the threads on the two second lead screws are in opposite directions, so that when the second rotating motor drives the two second lead screws to rotate, it can drive the two second nuts and their corresponding second clamping members to move toward or away from each other synchronously.

7. The wafer holding device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that There are multiple movement assisting mechanisms, and the multiple movement assisting mechanisms are arranged at intervals along a direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein at least two of the multiple movement assisting mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the opening and closing driving mechanism.

8. A wafer transfer system, It is characterized in that It comprises a wafer clamping device and a transfer drive mechanism, wherein the wafer clamping device is the wafer clamping device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and the transfer drive mechanism is used to drive the wafer clamping device to move between a first station and a second station.

Images