Protection mechanism and method for protecting a wafer and pins

Abstract

The present application provides a protection mechanism and a method for protecting a wafer and a pin. The protection mechanism includes: a driver; a linear unit connected to the driver to eject the pin out of the wafer under the action of the driver; a torque meter for measuring the torque of the protection mechanism during the process of the pin ejecting the wafer; and a control module for receiving the torque measured by the torque meter and comparing the torque with a predetermined value. The torque meter is disposed between the driver and the linear unit. The protection mechanism can measure the torque generated during the process of ejecting the wafer in real time and effectively, and can judge whether an abnormality occurs during the ejection process based on this, so as to effectively prevent accidents such as wafer breakage or pin breakage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor wafers and substrate processing, and particularly to a protection mechanism and method for protecting wafers and pins for ejecting wafers in a semiconductor processing chamber. Background Art

[0002] A wafer or substrate is a base for fabricating semiconductor devices. To fabricate semiconductor devices (such as integrated circuits, semiconductor light-emitting devices, etc.), the wafer or substrate needs to be placed in a semiconductor processing chamber for heating and deposition processes (such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), etc.). During the processing, the wafer is placed on a wafer carrier device (such as a heater or an electrostatic chuck), and is adsorbed and fixed by electrostatic force or vacuum suction, etc. After the wafer is processed, it needs to be ejected by means of pins.

[0003] However, during the process of ejecting the wafer, due to the still existing electrostatic force, vacuum suction, or other reasons including the influence of RF or external force, etc., it may not be possible to smoothly eject the wafer. And if not stopped in time when encountering resistance during the ejection process, it will lead to accidents such as wafer fragmentation or pin breakage. This not only affects the qualification rate of wafer products, but also may cause the entire equipment to stop production (such as to replace the broken pin), thus reducing the production efficiency.

[0004] In the prior art, there are no devices and methods that can measure in real time and effectively the degree of release of electrostatic force or vacuum force during the process of the pin ejecting the wafer, so it is impossible to understand and judge the force condition of the pin and the state of the wafer (such as whether it has been deformed or broken, etc.).

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the prior art to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application aims to solve at least one of the above problems in the prior art.

[0007] One object of the present application is to provide a protection mechanism for protecting wafers and pins, which can measure in real time and effectively the torque generated during the process of ejecting the wafer, and can judge whether there is an abnormality in the ejection process based on this.

[0008] Another object of the present application is to provide a method for protecting wafers and pins, according to which the torque generated during the process of ejecting the wafer can be measured in real time and effectively, and whether there is an abnormality in the ejection process can be judged based on this.

[0009] The protection mechanism provided by the present application includes: a driver; a linear unit connected to the driver to eject a wafer by means of the pin under the action of the driver; a torque meter for measuring the torque of the protection mechanism during the process of the pin ejecting the wafer; and a control module that receives the torque measured by the torque meter and compares the torque with a predetermined value.

[0010] Preferably, the torque meter is disposed between the driver and the linear unit.

[0011] Preferably, the protection mechanism further includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector is disposed between the driver and the torque meter, and the second connector is disposed between the torque meter and the linear unit.

[0012] Preferably, if the torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, the control module issues an alarm signal and / or stops driving the driver.

[0013] Preferably, the predetermined value is a reference torque measured in advance by the torque meter when the wafer is normally ejected, and it linearly decreases as the distance of the pin from the original position increases.

[0014] Preferably, the allowable range of the predetermined value is 0.7 - 1.3 times the reference torque.

[0015] As an implementation manner of the present application, the protection mechanism further includes a pin support plate for abutting against the pin. The linear unit is connected between the driver and the pin support plate to abut against the pin by means of the pin support plate, so that the pin moves upward to eject the wafer.

[0016] In the above embodiment, preferably, the pin support plate is sleeved on the central axis of the wafer carrying device, and the linear unit is disposed parallel to the central axis of the wafer carrying device and is spaced apart from the central axis.

[0017] As another implementation manner of the present application, the linear unit is connected between the driver and the wafer carrying device to move the wafer carrying device downward, so that the pin ejects the wafer.

[0018] In the above embodiment, preferably, there are a plurality of pins, and they are arranged in parallel in the wafer carrying device. One end of each pin is fixed to the bottom of the cavity, and the other end can extend out of the wafer carrying device.

[0019] In the above embodiment, preferably, the linear unit is connected to the central axis of the wafer carrying device.

[0020] The method for protecting a wafer and a pin provided by the present application includes: driving a linear unit by a driver to eject the wafer with the pin; measuring the torque from the linear unit using a torque meter; and receiving the torque from the torque meter using a control module and comparing the torque with a predetermined value.

[0021] Preferably, if the torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, the control module is used to issue an alarm signal and / or stop the driver 1 from driving.

[0022] Preferably, the predetermined value is a reference torque measured in advance by the torque meter when the wafer is normally ejected, and it linearly decreases with the distance of the pin from the original position.

[0023] Preferably, the allowable range of the predetermined value is 0.7 - 1.3 times the reference torque.

[0024] As an implementation manner of the present application, the linear unit is used to abut against a pin support plate, and the pin support plate further abuts against the pin to move it upward, thereby ejecting the wafer.

[0025] Preferably, the pin support plate is sleeved on the central axis of the wafer carrying device, and the linear unit is arranged parallel to the central axis of the wafer carrying device and spaced apart from the central axis.

[0026] As another implementation manner of the present application, the linear unit is used to pull down the wafer carrying device to move the wafer carrying device downward, thereby ejecting the wafer with the pin.

[0027] Among them, preferably, there are multiple pins, and they are arranged parallel to each other in the wafer carrying device, one end of which is fixed to the bottom of the cavity, and the other end can extend out of the wafer carrying device.

[0028] Preferably, the linear unit is connected to the central axis of the wafer carrying device.

[0029] According to the protection mechanism and protection method provided by the present application, the following excellent technical effects can be achieved compared with the prior art:

[0030] Since a torsion meter is used to measure the torque of the protection mechanism during the process of the pin ejecting the wafer, and the measured torque signal is transmitted to the control module, and further the control module compares the measured torque with a predetermined value to determine whether an abnormality occurs during the process of ejecting the wafer. For example, if the measured torque is too large or too small and exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, it indicates that an abnormality has occurred. At this time, the control module can stop driving and / or issue an alarm signal. Therefore, accidents such as wafer breakage or pin fracture can be effectively prevented. Moreover, the operator can timely discover the abnormal situation and intervene, which not only helps to improve the qualified rate of products but also improves the operation efficiency. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation manners of the present application and the technical effects generated thereby, the specific embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For the sake of clear expression and convenient layout of the drawings, these drawings are not drawn to scale. For example, some figures are enlarged to show local details, while some are reduced to show the overall structure. Among them:

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a semiconductor processing apparatus adopting the protection mechanism of an embodiment of the present application, in which a processing chamber is shown in a sectional view;

[0033] Figure 2A is a sectional view schematic diagram of the protection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application (the control module is not shown), and the state of normally ejecting the wafer is shown in the figure;

[0034] Figure 2B also shows Figure 2A a sectional view schematic diagram of the protection mechanism shown, different from Figure 2A is that Figure 2B the state of an abnormality occurring when ejecting the wafer is shown;

[0035] Figure 3A is a sectional view schematic diagram of the protection mechanism according to another embodiment of the present application (the control module is not shown), and the state of normally ejecting the wafer is shown in the figure;

[0036] Figure 3B also shows Figure 3A a sectional view schematic diagram of the protection mechanism shown, different from Figure 3A is that Figure 3B the state of an abnormality occurring when ejecting the wafer is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 is a coordinate schematic diagram of the relationship between the position of the pin and the torque, in which the predetermined value of the torque (i.e., the reference torque) and its allowable range (i.e., within the upper and lower limits of the torque alarm) are schematically shown. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0038] The embodiments of the present application will be specifically described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. By referring to the accompanying drawings to read the description of the following specific embodiments, it is easier to understand various aspects of the present application. It should be noted that these embodiments are merely exemplary, which are only used to explain and illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than limiting the present application. Based on these embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and transformations, and all technical solutions obtained by equivalent transformation belong to the protection scope of the present application. The names of various components used in this specification are only for the purpose of illustration and do not have a limiting effect. Different manufacturers may use different names to refer to components with the same function.

[0039] See Figure 1 , according to the protection mechanism 100 provided by the present application, it is used to protect the wafer 10 and the pin 20 for ejecting the wafer 10, so as to prevent breakage during the process of the pin 20 ejecting the wafer 10 or the wafer 10 from undergoing unexpected deformation or rupture. The protection mechanism 100 is a part of the semiconductor processing equipment 1000, and part of it is arranged inside the cavity 80 and part is located outside it.

[0040] As an embodiment of the present application, the protection mechanism 100 generally includes: a driver 1; a linear unit 2, which is connected between the driver 1 and the pin 20 to make the pin 20 move upward to eject the wafer 10 under the action of the driver 1; a torque meter 3, which is used to measure the torque of the protection mechanism during the process of the pin 20 ejecting the wafer 10; a control module 4, which receives the torque measured by the torque meter 3 and compares the torque with a predetermined value.

[0041] As Figure 1 shown, the semiconductor processing equipment 1000 further includes an industrial control computer 90. The control module 4 and the industrial control computer 90 are connected by a signal line, and the torque meter 3 and the control module 4 are also connected by a signal line, so that signals can be transmitted between them. The operator can operate on the industrial control computer 90, so as to control through the control module 4. Of course, it is also possible to operate directly on the control module 4.

[0042] Further, please see Figure 2A , which shows the structure according to the above embodiment of the present application except for the control module 4.

[0043] Specifically, looking down from top to bottom, the protection mechanism includes: a plurality of pins 20, a pin support plate 5, a linear unit 2, a second connector 7, a torque meter 3, a first connector 6, and a driver 1.

[0044] A plurality of pins 20 are arranged in parallel within the wafer carrier 30 and are in clearance fit with corresponding holes within the wafer carrier 30. The wafer carrier 30 can be a heater with electrostatic adsorption function. The pins 20 can move up and down to eject the wafer 10 and reset, wherein the upward movement is due to the push of the pin support plate 5, and the downward movement is due to its own gravity.

[0045] The pin support plate 5 is located below the plurality of pins 20 and is used to abut against the plurality of pins 20. The pin support plate 5 is fixed to the upper end of the linear unit 2, so that it can rise or fall together with the linear unit 2.

[0046] The linear unit 2 is used to convert rotational motion into linear motion, and it can be, for example, a lead screw mechanism. The upper end of the linear unit 2 is located below the pin support plate 5 and is fixedly connected thereto, so as to drive the pin support plate 5 to rise and fall. Its lower end is connected to the second connector 7 (which can be, for example, a coupling) and is connected to the torque meter 3 through the second connector 7. As shown in the figure, the pin support plate 5 is sleeved on the central axis 301 of the wafer carrier 30, while the linear unit 2 is arranged parallel to the central axis 301 of the wafer carrier 30 and is spaced apart from it.

[0047] The torque meter 3 is arranged between the driver 1 and the linear unit 2. Its upper end is connected to the linear unit 2 through the second connector 7, and its lower end is connected to the driver 1 through the first connector 6 (which can be, for example, a coupling).

[0048] The driver 1 is used to generate power, and it can be, for example, an electric motor.

[0049] The working process and principle of the above protection mechanism are described as follows:

[0050] When it is necessary to eject the wafer 10, first turn on the driver 1 to make it generate power (i.e., rotational motion). This rotational motion is transmitted to the linear unit 2 through the first connector 6, the torque meter 3, and the second connector 7. The linear unit 2 converts this rotational motion into linear motion, so that the pin support plate 5 moves upward, abuts against the plurality of pins 20, and thus the plurality of pins 20 move upward simultaneously. Then the upper ends of the plurality of pins 20 extend out of the wafer carrier 30 and abut against the wafer 10 on its surface upward.

[0051] During this period, the torque meter 3 continuously measures the torque of this protection mechanism and transmits the torque signal to the control module 4. If the measured torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, that is, an abnormal situation occurs, the control module 4 issues an alarm signal to remind the operator to intervene; or the control module 4 stops driving the driver 1 to prevent the pins 20 from breaking or the wafer 10 from being damaged due to continuous driving; or the control module 4 issues both an alarm signal and stops driving the driver 1.

[0052] For example, if the process of ejecting the wafer 10 is as Figure 2A shown, that is, the wafer 10 is ejected normally without any abnormal state, the control module 4 controls the driver 1 to work normally and will not issue an alarm signal or stop driving the driver 1.

[0053] However, if the process of ejecting the wafer 10 is as Figure 2B shown and the wafer 10 is bent beyond the reasonable range, then the torque meter 3 will measure that the torque of the protection mechanism exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value and transmit the torque signal to the control module 4. At this time, the control module 4 immediately issues an alarm signal to remind the operator to intervene, or stops driving the driver 1, or both issues an alarm signal and stops driving the driver 1, so as to prevent the danger of the pin 20 breaking or the wafer 10 being damaged due to continuous driving.

[0054] Obviously, compared with the prior art devices that cannot measure the force condition of the pin and the state of the wafer in real time and effectively during the process of the pin ejecting the wafer, the protection mechanism of the present application is very helpful for improving the qualified rate of wafer products, and effectively prevents the pin 20 from breaking, thereby improving the production efficiency.

[0055] See Figure 3A 、 3B , which shows the protection mechanism of another embodiment of the present application. Different from the above embodiment, in this embodiment, the pin 20 remains stationary, and the wafer carrier 30 is driven by the driver 1 to move up and down. When the wafer carrier 30 descends, the wafer 10 is ejected by means of the protrusion of the pin 20.

[0056] Specifically, the protection mechanism includes: a driver 1; a linear unit 2 connected between the driver 1 and the wafer carrier 30 to make the wafer carrier 30 move up and down under the action of the driver 1 for ejecting the wafer by means of the pin 20; a torque meter 3 for measuring the torque of the protection mechanism during the process of the pin 20 ejecting the wafer 10; and a control module 4 that receives the torque measured by the torque meter 3 and compares the torque with a predetermined value.

[0057] More specifically, see Figure 3A 、 3B . Looking down from top to bottom, the protection mechanism includes: a plurality of pins 20, a linear unit 2, a second connector 7, a torque meter 3, a first connector 6, and a driver 1.

[0058] The plurality of pins 20 are arranged in parallel in the wafer carrier 30, one end of which is fixed to the bottom of the cavity 80 and the other end can protrude from the wafer carrier 30.

[0059] The upper end of the linear unit 2 is connected to the central axis 301 of the wafer carrier device 30, and the lower end is connected to the torque meter 3 through the second connector 7. The lower end of the torque meter 3 is connected to the driver 1 through the first connector 6.

[0060] Among them, the driver 1, the linear unit 2, the first connector 6, and the second connector 7 can all adopt structures similar to those in the above embodiments.

[0061] The working process and principle of the protection mechanism in this embodiment are similar to those in the above embodiments, and are briefly described as follows:

[0062] When it is necessary to eject the wafer 10, first turn on the driver 1 to generate power (i.e., rotational motion). This rotational motion is transmitted to the linear unit 2 through the first connector 6, the torque meter 3, and the second connector 7. The linear unit 2 converts this rotational motion into a linear motion, causing the wafer carrier device 30 to descend, so that the pin 20 protrudes from the top of the wafer carrier device 30, and the wafer 10 located on the surface of the wafer carrier device 30 is ejected by means of this.

[0063] During this period, the torque meter 3 continuously measures the torque of this protection mechanism and transmits the torque signal to the control module 4. If the torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, that is, an abnormal situation occurs, the control module 4 issues an alarm signal to remind the operator to intervene; or the control module 4 stops driving the driver 1 to prevent the pin 20 from breaking or the wafer 10 from being damaged due to continued driving; or the control module 4 both issues an alarm signal and stops driving the driver 1.

[0064] For example, if the process of ejecting the wafer 10 is as Figure 3A shown, that is, the wafer 10 is ejected normally without any abnormal state, the control module 4 controls the driver to work normally and will not issue an alarm signal or stop driving the driver 1.

[0065] However, if the process of ejecting the wafer 10 is as Figure 3B shown and the wafer 10 is bent beyond the reasonable range, then the torque meter 3 will measure that the torque of this protection mechanism exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value and transmit the torque signal to the control module 4. At this time, the control module 4 immediately issues an alarm signal to remind the operator to intervene, or stops driving the driver 1, or both issues an alarm signal and stops driving the driver 1, so as to prevent the danger of the pin 20 breaking or the wafer 10 being damaged due to continued driving.

[0066] Correspondingly, the present application also provides methods for protecting the wafer 10 and the pin 20 corresponding to the above two embodiments respectively.

[0067] Specifically, the method for protecting the wafer 10 and the pin 20 provided by this application includes: driving the linear unit 2 by the driver 1 to eject the wafer 10 with the pin 20; using the torque meter 3 to measure the torque from the linear unit 2; and using the control module 4 to receive the torque from the torque meter 3 and compare the torque with a predetermined value.

[0068] In the above method, if the measured torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, the control module 4 is used to issue an alarm signal and / or stop the driver 1 from driving.

[0069] As an embodiment of the above method, the linear unit 2 is used to abut against the pin support plate 5, and the pin support plate 5 further abuts against the pin 20 to make it move upward, thereby ejecting the wafer 10.

[0070] In the protection mechanism for implementing this method, as Figure 2A 、 2B shown, the pin support plate 5 is sleeved on the central axis 301 of the wafer carrier device 30, and the linear unit 2 is arranged parallel to the central axis 301 of the wafer carrier device 30 and spaced apart from it. Among them, the pin 20 penetrates the wafer carrier device 30 and can move up and down to eject the wafer 10 and reset.

[0071] When manufacturing this protection mechanism, the following steps can be followed: providing the driver 1, the torque meter 3 and the linear unit 2 and connecting them in sequence; among them, one end of the linear unit 2 is connected to the torque meter 3, and the other end can abut against the pin 20; and providing the control module 4 and making it communicate with the torque meter 3 (for example, through a signal line).

[0072] During the process of the pin 20 ejecting the wafer 10, the torque meter 3 is used to measure the torque from the linear unit 2; the control module 4 is used to receive the torque from the torque meter 3 and compare the measured torque with a predetermined value. If the measured torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, the control module 4 is used to issue an alarm signal and / or stop the driver 1 from driving.

[0073] For example, if the process of ejecting the wafer 10 is as Figure 2B shown, and the wafer 10 is bent beyond a reasonable range, then the torque meter 3 will measure that the torque of this protection mechanism exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value and transmit the torque signal to the control module 4. At this time, the control module 4 immediately issues an alarm signal to remind the operator to intervene, or stops the driver 1 from driving, or both issues an alarm signal and stops the driver 1 from driving, so as to prevent the pin 20 from breaking or the wafer 10 from being damaged due to continued driving.

[0074] In this embodiment, there are multiple pins 20, which are arranged in parallel in the wafer carrier device 30. The method further includes providing a pin support plate 5 for abutting against the multiple pins 20, and making the other end of the linear unit 2 located below the pin support plate 5 and fixedly connected thereto, so as to drive the pin support plate 5 to move up and down.

[0075] Preferably, the method further includes providing a first connector 6 and a second connector 7, and arranging the first connector 6 between the driver 1 and the torque meter 3, and the second connector 7 between the torque meter 3 and the linear unit 2.

[0076] As another embodiment of the above method, the linear unit 2 is used to pull down the wafer carrier device 30, so that the wafer carrier device 30 moves downward, thereby causing the pins 20 to eject the wafer 10.

[0077] Preferably, there are multiple pins 20, which are arranged in parallel in the wafer carrier device 30, one end of which is fixed to the bottom of the cavity 80, and the other end can extend out of the wafer carrier device 30. The linear unit 2 is connected to the central axis 301 of the wafer carrier device 30.

[0078] When manufacturing the protection mechanism, the following steps can be followed: providing a driver 1, a torque meter 3 and a linear unit 2, and connecting them in sequence; wherein, one end of the linear unit 2 is connected to the torque meter 3, and the other end is connected to the wafer carrier device 30, so that the wafer carrier device 30 makes a lifting movement under the action of the driver 1; and providing a control module 4. Preferably, the other end of the linear unit 2 is connected to the central axis 301 of the wafer carrier device 30, as Figure 3A 、 3B shown.

[0079] Wherein, during the process of the wafer carrier device 20 ejecting the wafer 10, the torque meter 3 is used to measure the torque from the linear unit 2; the control module 4 is used to receive the torque measured by the torque meter 3 and compare the torque with a predetermined value. If the torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, the control module 4 is used to issue an alarm signal and / or stop the driver 1 from driving.

[0080] For example, if the process of ejecting the wafer 10 is as Figure 3B shown, and the wafer 10 is bent beyond a reasonable range, then the torque meter 3 will measure that the torque of the protection mechanism exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value and transmit the torque signal to the control module 4. At this time, the control module 4 immediately issues an alarm signal to remind the operator to intervene, or stops the driver 1 from driving, or both issues an alarm signal and stops the driver 1 from driving, so as to prevent the pins 20 from breaking or the wafer 10 from being damaged due to continued driving.

[0081] Preferably, the method further includes providing a first connector 6 and a second connector 7, and disposing the first connector 6 between the driver 1 and the torque meter 3, and the second connector 7 between the torque meter 3 and the linear unit 2.

[0082] See Figure 4 , in the embodiments of the above protection mechanisms and protection methods, the predetermined value is the reference torque measured in advance by the torque meter 3 when the wafer 10 is normally detached from the wafer carrier device 30. As shown in the figure, this reference torque decreases linearly with the distance of the pin 20 from the original position, which can be measured through experiments, and then this data is stored in the control module 4.

[0083] Preferably, the allowable range of the predetermined value is 0.7 - 1.3 times the reference torque, which can be set in the control module 4. That is, if the measured torque is less than 0.7 times the reference torque or greater than 1.3 times the reference torque, it indicates that an abnormality has occurred during the ejection process. At this time, the control module 4 immediately issues an alarm signal to remind the operator to intervene, or stops the driver 1 from driving, or performs both actions simultaneously, so as to prevent the pin 20 from breaking or the wafer 10 from being damaged due to continued driving.

[0084] Certainly, more preferably, the allowable range of the predetermined value can be set to 0.8 - 1.2 times the reference torque, or 0.9 - 1.1 times the reference torque, so as to achieve more accurate real-time monitoring and protection.

[0085] The technical content and features of this application have been described by the above related embodiments. However, the above embodiments are only examples for implementing this application. Those skilled in the art may still make various substitutions and modifications that do not deviate from the spirit of this application based on the teachings and disclosures of this application. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments of this application do not limit the scope of this application. On the contrary, modifications and equivalent arrangements included in the spirit and scope of the claims are included in the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A protection mechanism, comprising: a driver (1); a linear unit (2) connected to the driver (1) to eject a wafer (10) with a pin (20) under the action of the driver (1); a torque meter (3) for measuring the torque of the linear unit (2) during the process of the pin (20) ejecting the wafer (10); a control module (4) that receives the torque measured by the torque meter (3) and compares the torque with a predetermined value, where the predetermined value is a reference torque measured in advance by the torque meter (3) when the wafer (10) is normally ejected, and it linearly decreases with the distance of the pin (20) from the original position, where: if the torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, the control module (4) issues an alarm signal and / or stops driving the driver (1).

2. The protection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, the torque meter (3) is arranged between the driver (1) and the linear unit (2).

3. The protection mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising a first connector (6) and a second connector (7), the first connector (6) is arranged between the driver (1) and the torque meter (3), and the second connector (7) is arranged between the torque meter (3) and the linear unit (2).

4. The protection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: the allowable range of the predetermined value is 0.7 - 1.3 times the reference torque.

5. The protection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 - 4, further comprising a pin support plate (5) for abutting against the pin (20), and the linear unit (2) is connected between the driver (1) and the pin support plate (5) to abut against the pin (20) by means of the pin support plate (5) and make it move upward to eject the wafer (10).

6. The protection mechanism according to claim 5, wherein, the pin support plate (5) is sleeved on the central axis (301) of the wafer carrier device (30), and the linear unit (2) is arranged parallel to the central axis (301) of the wafer carrier device (30) and spaced apart from it.

7. The protection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 - 4, wherein, the linear unit (2) is connected between the driver (1) and the wafer carrier device (30) to move the wafer carrier device (30) downward, so that the pin (20) ejects the wafer.

8. The protection mechanism according to claim 7, wherein, there are a plurality of pins (20), and they are arranged in parallel in the wafer carrier device (30), one end of which is fixed to the bottom of the cavity (80), and the other end can extend out of the wafer carrier device (30).

9. The protection mechanism according to claim 7, wherein, the linear unit (2) is connected to the central axis (301) of the wafer carrier device (30).

10. A method for protecting a wafer (10) and a pin (20), comprising: Drive the linear unit (2) by the driver (1) to eject the wafer (10) with the pin (20): Measure the torque from the linear unit (2) using a torque meter (3); And Use the control module (4) to receive the torque from the torque meter (3) and compare the torque with a predetermined value, where the predetermined value is a reference torque measured in advance by the torque meter (3) when the wafer (10) is normally ejected, and it linearly decreases with the distance of the pin (20) from the original position, where: if the torque exceeds the allowable range of the predetermined value, use the control module (4) to issue an alarm signal and / or stop the driver (1) from driving.

11. The method according to claim 10, Where: The allowable range of the predetermined value is 0.7 - 1.3 times the reference torque.

12. The method according to any one of claims 10 - 11, Wherein, Use the linear unit (2) to abut against the pin support plate (5), and the pin support plate (5) further abuts against the pin (20) to move it upward, thereby ejecting the wafer (10).

13. The method according to claim 12, Where: The pin support plate (5) is sleeved on the central axis (301) of the wafer carrier device (30), and the linear unit (2) is arranged parallel to the central axis (301) of the wafer carrier device (30) and spaced apart from it.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 - 11, Wherein, Use the linear unit (2) to pull down the wafer carrier device (30) to move the wafer carrier device (30) downward, thereby causing the pin (20) to eject the wafer (10).

15. The method according to claim 14, Where: There are multiple pins (20), and they are arranged parallel to each other in the wafer carrier device (30), one end of which is fixed to the bottom of the cavity (80), and the other end can extend out of the wafer carrier device (30).

16. The method according to claim 14, Where: The linear unit (2) is connected to the central axis (301) of the wafer carrier device (30).

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