Wafer handling equipment and chemical mechanical polishing system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a wafer loading and unloading device and a chemical mechanical polishing system, wherein the wafer loading and unloading device comprises: a bracket, used for loading and / or unloading wafers; a bracket seat, connected to the bottom of the bracket and used for supporting the bracket; a support, located below the bracket seat and hinged with the bracket seat; a driving mechanism, connected to the bottom of the support and used for driving the support to move vertically; wherein an elastic structure is arranged between the bracket seat and the support, and the elastic structure surrounds the central axis of the bracket seat and is arranged at the same distance in the radial direction, so that the bracket seat is parallel to the support through the elastic force uniformly distributed by the elastic structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of chemical mechanical polishing, and in particular relates to a wafer loading and unloading device and a chemical mechanical polishing system. Background Art

[0002] Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is an ultra-precision surface processing technology for global flattening, which is completed in a chemical mechanical polishing system. Specifically, the carrier head sucks the wafer and abuts against the upper surface of the polishing pad. The carrier head rotates in the same direction as the polishing pad under the actuation of the drive assembly and applies a downward load to the wafer; the polishing liquid is supplied to the upper surface of the polishing pad and distributed between the wafer and the polishing pad, so that the wafer completes the chemical mechanical polishing of the wafer under the combined action of chemistry and mechanics.

[0003] The chemical mechanical polishing system is also equipped with a wafer loading and unloading device (load cup) to achieve wafer interaction. For example, the robot places the wafer on the wafer loading and unloading device, and the carrier head then sucks the wafer on the wafer loading and unloading device and transfers the wafer to the polishing plate. In order to achieve fast and accurate interaction of wafers, the wafer loading and unloading device must be accurate so that it can interact accurately with the robot; it must also have a certain degree of flexibility so that it can interact efficiently with the carrier head, so as to reduce process waiting time and improve the production efficiency of the chemical mechanical polishing system.

[0004] The wafer handling device is equipped with springs and other components. When the robot interacts with the wafer handling device, the bracket used to place the wafer may tilt, which will affect the stable interaction between the robot and the wafer handling device to a certain extent, and there is even a risk of fragmentation. In addition, when the carrier head interacts with the wafer handling device, due to the lack of flexibility of the wafer handling device, the wafer attracted by the carrier head is easily broken by external force. Summary of the invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention provide a wafer handling device and a chemical mechanical polishing system, which are intended to solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art to at least a certain extent.

[0006] To this end, a first aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a wafer handling device, comprising:

[0007] a carriage for loading and / or unloading wafers;

[0008] A bracket seat, connected to the bottom of the bracket, used to support the bracket;

[0009] A support, located below the bracket seat and hinged to the bracket seat;

[0010] A driving mechanism is connected to the bottom of the support and is used to drive the support to move vertically;

[0011] Wherein, an elastic structure is arranged between the bracket seat and the support, and the elastic structure is arranged around the central axis of the bracket seat and at the same distance in the radial direction, so that the bracket seat is parallel to the support through the elastic force evenly distributed by the elastic structure.

[0012] In some embodiments, the bracket seat is connected to the support via a hinge mechanism, the hinge mechanism is coaxial with the bracket seat, and the elastic structure is arranged around the hinge mechanism.

[0013] In some embodiments, the elastic structure is a sac-like structure, and an annular chamber is arranged inside the sac-like structure for introducing fluid to achieve expansion to provide the elastic force.

[0014] In some embodiments, the elastic structure is a circular ring structure, the upper surface of the support or the lower surface of the bracket seat is provided with a groove, and the elastic structure is concentrically arranged in the groove.

[0015] In some embodiments, the elastic structure is fixed to the groove by a pressure ring; at least one fluid port is arranged below the pressure ring, and the fluid port is connected to the annular chamber.

[0016] In some embodiments, the hinge mechanism includes a connecting shaft and a ball bearing.

[0017] In some embodiments, the center of the support is provided with a through hole for accommodating the hinge mechanism, the connecting shaft is disposed in the through hole and connected to the support via a ball bearing, and the end of the connecting shaft is fixed to the bracket seat.

[0018] In some embodiments, the connecting shaft is configured with at least one pair of protrusions extending in the radial direction, and the peripheral wall of the through hole is provided with a limiting groove, and the protrusions are snap-fitted into the limiting groove.

[0019] In some embodiments, the bracket is connected to the bracket seat via a sliding connection assembly, and the number of the sliding connection assemblies is multiple and evenly distributed between the bracket seat and the bracket.

[0020] In some embodiments, the sliding connection assembly includes a shaft member, one end of which is fixed to the bracket, and the other end of which is spherically hinged to the upper end of the bracket seat.

[0021] In some embodiments, the sliding connection assembly further includes a telescopic member, which is sleeved on the outside of the shaft member, and the telescopic member abuts between the bracket and the bracket seat.

[0022] In some embodiments, the lower surface of the bracket seat is configured with a plurality of evenly distributed limiting members.

[0023] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a chemical mechanical polishing system, which includes a polishing plate, a carrier head, a trimming device and a liquid supply device, and also includes the wafer handling device as described above.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the present invention include:

[0025] a. An elastic structure disposed between the support and the bracket seat is inflated and pressurized to expand, thereby giving the bracket seat a uniform elastic force; the bracket seat is adaptively swung around the hinge mechanism so that the bracket seat is parallel to the support, and the bracket connected to the bracket seat is in a horizontal state, so that the robot and the wafer handling device can interact smoothly;

[0026] b. The elastic structure is a capsule structure, which is not affected by mechanical wear and fatigue and has the advantage of good stability, so that the bracket seat can repeatedly maintain a horizontal state, which is conducive to ensuring the reliability of wafer interaction;

[0027] c. The hinge mechanism provided between the support and the bracket seat can improve the adaptability of the bracket so that the carrier head and the bracket can be concentrically aligned, thereby improving the stability of the interaction between the carrier head and the wafer handling device;

[0028] d. The sliding connection assembly disposed between the bracket and the bracket seat can not only provide a certain buffer force to the carrier head, but also facilitate the carrier head and the bracket to be in a fitted state, which is conducive to the carrier head to smoothly load or unload the wafer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The advantages of the present invention will become clearer and easier to understand through the detailed description made in conjunction with the following drawings, which are only schematic and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention, wherein:

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a wafer handling device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a wafer handling device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an elastic structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 The enlarged part in the dotted box;

[0035] Figure 6 is a partial enlarged view of a wafer handling device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a connecting shaft provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of a support provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a support provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of the connection between a bracket and a bracket seat provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Fig.11 It is a partial schematic diagram of a wafer handling device provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The technical scheme of the present invention is described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments and their accompanying drawings. The embodiments recorded herein are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are used to illustrate the concept of the present invention; these descriptions are explanatory and exemplary and should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention and the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition to the embodiments recorded herein, those skilled in the art can also adopt other obvious technical solutions based on the contents disclosed in the claims of this application and its specification, including technical solutions that adopt any obvious replacements and modifications to the embodiments recorded herein.

[0042] The drawings of this specification are schematic diagrams, which assist in explaining the concept of the present invention and schematically show the shapes of various parts and their mutual relationships. It should be understood that in order to clearly show the structures of various components of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not drawn according to the same scale, and the same reference numerals are used to represent the same parts in the drawings.

[0043] In the present invention, "Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP)" is also called "Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP)", and the wafer (Wafer, W) is also called substrate (Substrate), and their meanings and actual functions are equivalent.

[0044] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems used in the semiconductor device manufacturing industry. During chemical mechanical polishing, a polishing liquid composed of submicron or nano abrasive particles and a chemical solution flows between a wafer and a polishing pad. The polishing liquid is evenly distributed under the transmission of the polishing pad and the centrifugal force of rotation to form a liquid film between the wafer and the polishing pad; the chemical components in the liquid react with the wafer to convert insoluble substances into soluble substances; then these chemical reactants are removed from the wafer surface by micromechanical friction of the abrasive particles and dissolved into the flowing liquid and taken away. That is, in the alternating process of chemical film formation and mechanical film removal, the surface material is removed to achieve surface flattening treatment, thereby achieving the purpose of global flattening.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a chemical mechanical polishing system, which includes a wafer handling device 100, a polishing disc 200, a polishing pad, a carrier head 300, a liquid supply device 400 and a trimming device 500. The polishing pad is arranged on the upper surface of the polishing disc 200, and the polishing pad rotates together with the polishing disc 200; the horizontally movable carrier head 300 is arranged above the polishing pad, and the bottom of the carrier head 300 attracts the wafer to be polished; the liquid supply device 400 is arranged above the polishing pad to spread the polishing liquid on the surface of the polishing pad; the trimming device 500 swings around a fixed point, and the trimming head arranged thereon rotates itself and applies a downward load to trim the surface of the polishing pad.

[0046] The wafer handling device 100 is horizontally adjacent to one side of the polishing plate 200, and the carrier head 300 can transfer the wafer in the wafer handling device 100 to the polishing pad, or the carrier head 300 places the polished wafer in the wafer handling device 100 to wait for the polishing pad to be removed. Figure 1 The robot 600 or carrier head 300 is shown transferring the wafer to the next station.

[0047] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a wafer handling device 100 provided in one embodiment of the present invention. The wafer handling device 100 comprises:

[0048] The bracket 10 is used for loading and / or unloading wafers. The bracket 10 is provided with limiting posts to limit the position of the wafer placed on the upper surface of the bracket 10;

[0049] A bracket seat 20, connected to the bottom of the bracket 10, used to support the bracket 10;

[0050] The support 30 is located below the bracket seat 20 and is hinged to the bracket seat 20, so that the bracket 10 disposed above the bracket seat 20 can adaptively adjust its position and posture to facilitate the interaction of the wafers;

[0051] The driving mechanism 40 is connected to the bottom of the support 30 and is used to drive the support 30 to move vertically to change the vertical position of the bracket 10 and realize the interaction between the wafer handling device 100 and the robot or the carrier head.

[0052] Figure 2 In the figure, the bracket 10 is an annular structure, and its upper surface is also configured with a conical column for limiting the carrier head. The conical column can abut the outer peripheral wall of the retaining ring located at the bottom of the carrier head, thereby accurately limiting the position of the carrier head to facilitate the carrier head and the wafer loading and unloading device 100 to interact with the wafer.

[0053] Furthermore, a connecting seat 21 is disposed on the upper portion of the bracket seat 20, and the number of the connecting seats 21 is three, and they are evenly distributed along the central axis of the bracket seat 20, and the connecting seats 21 are connected to the bracket 10. It can be understood that the connecting seats 21 can also be other numbers, as long as they are evenly distributed between the bracket 10 and the bracket seat 20, which is conducive to ensuring the overall stability of the bracket 10.

[0054] Furthermore, the support 30 is a plate-like structure with a certain thickness, and is hinged to the bracket seat 20 at the center.

[0055] Further, the driving structure 40 may be a cylinder so as to enable the bracket 10 connected to the driving structure 40 to move to a predetermined position along a straight line. It is understandable that the driving structure 40 may also be a linear module such as an electric cylinder so as to enable the bracket 10 to move to a predetermined position along a straight line.

[0056] Figure 3 2 is a cross-sectional view of a wafer handling device 100 provided by an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the bracket seat 20 is connected to the support 30 via a hinge mechanism 60, the hinge mechanism 60 is coaxial with the bracket seat 20, and the elastic structure 50 is arranged around the hinge mechanism 60. In the process of the elastic structure 50 changing from an initial state (unpressurized state) to an expanded state, the bracket seat 20 connected to the support 30 can swing adaptively around the hinge mechanism 60, so that under the action of the elastic force provided by the elastic structure 50, the bracket seat 20 can be quickly adjusted to be parallel to the support 30.

[0057] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic structure 50 is disposed between the bracket seat 20 and the support 30. The elastic structure 50 can expand or contract to adjust the relative position and posture of the bracket seat 20 and the support 30. When the elastic structure 50 expands, the bracket seat 20 can be stably in a horizontal state, thereby ensuring the position and posture of the bracket 10 connected to the bracket seat 20.

[0058] When the robot interacts with the wafer handling device 100, the bracket 10 in a horizontal state can reliably interact with the robot, so that the robot can place the wafer on the bracket 10 of the wafer handling device 100, or the robot can transfer the wafer on the bracket 10 of the wafer handling device 100 to other workstations.

[0059] Furthermore, the elastic structure 50 is arranged around the central axis of the bracket seat 20, and the radial distance between the elastic structure 50 and the central axis of the bracket seat 20 is equal, so as to ensure that the elastic structure 50 acts evenly on the bracket seat 20, so that the bracket seat 20 is parallel to the support 30. Specifically, the elastic structure 50, in the expanded state, can give the bracket seat 20 an evenly distributed elastic force, so as to adjust the slightly tilted bracket seat 20 to a horizontal state, and then the bracket 10 connected to the bracket seat 20 is also in a horizontal state, ensuring the reliable interaction between the robot and the wafer handling device 100.

[0060] Figure 4 2 is a cross-sectional view of an elastic structure 50 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The elastic structure 50 is a sac-like structure, and an annular chamber 50a is provided inside the elastic structure 50 for introducing fluid to achieve expansion to provide elastic force to the bracket seat 20. To ensure that the elastic structure 50 provides a stable elastic force without causing excessive vertical deformation, the elastic structure 50 is made of a rubber material such as silicone rubber, fluororubber, etc. The elastic structure 50 is pressurized and expanded to produce uniform deformation, so that the elastic structure 50 provides the bracket seat 20 with uniform elastic force.

[0061] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 The partially enlarged view in the dotted frame shows that in this embodiment, the elastic structure 50 is a circular ring structure, the upper surface of the support 30 is provided with a groove 31 , and the elastic structure 50 is concentrically disposed in the groove 31 of the support 30 .

[0062] As Figure 5 In a variation of the embodiment, a groove may also be configured on the lower surface of the bracket seat 20, and the elastic structure 50 is disposed in the groove on the lower surface of the bracket seat 20. The elastic structure 50 expands under pressure, and the elastic structure 50 provides an elastic force for the support 30 to move. Correspondingly, the support 30 provides a corresponding reaction force to the bracket seat 20 to adjust the bracket seat 20 to a horizontal state.

[0063] Figure 5 The depth of the groove 31 is less than the vertical height of the elastic structure 50. In the initial state, at least part of the vertical height of the elastic structure 50 installed in the groove 31 is located on the upper surface of the support 30 to avoid the bracket seat 20 and the support 30 from being damaged by hard contact, thereby ensuring the stability of the wafer handling device 100.

[0064] Figure 5In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic structure 50 is fixed in the groove 31 by a pressure ring 70. Specifically, the pressure ring 70 is an annular structure, which is arranged in the annular chamber 50a of the elastic structure 50, and the elastic structure 50 with the pressure ring 70 installed is entirely arranged in the groove 31. The longitudinal section of the elastic structure 50 is a U-shaped structure with a connecting wing at the bottom end, and the pressure ring 70 abuts against the connecting wing and is connected to the support 30 by bolts to achieve a sealed connection of the elastic structure 50.

[0065] Figure 6 1 is a partial enlarged view of a cross-sectional view of a wafer handling device 100 provided in one embodiment of the present invention. A fluid port 71 is disposed below the pressure ring 70 so as to connect to an external gas source through the fluid port 71. The fluid port 71 is communicated with the annular chamber 50a of the elastic structure 50, and the fluid enters the annular chamber 50a through the fluid port 71 to control the expansion and contraction of the elastic structure 50.

[0066] Figure 6 In the embodiment, the number of the fluid ports 71 is a pair, which are arranged along the diameter direction of the pressure ring 70 to quickly and evenly inflate or deflate the elastic structure 50. It is understandable that the number of the fluid ports 71 can also be one, three, five, or other numbers. The fluid ports 71 are roughly evenly distributed, so that the elastic structure 50 forms a uniform elastic force acting on the bracket seat 20.

[0067] Figure 5 In the embodiment, the hinge mechanism 60 includes a connecting shaft 61 and a ball bearing 62. The ball bearing 62 is an outer spherical ball bearing, which is arranged in the support 30. Specifically, the support 30 is provided with a through hole 32 along the vertical direction, the ball bushing of the ball bearing 62 is fixed in the through hole 32, the ball head of the ball bearing 62 is a spherical structure with a mounting hole arranged inside, the connecting shaft 61 is fixed to the mounting hole of the ball head, and the spherical surface of the ball head of the ball bearing 62 is hinged to the ball bushing, so that the connecting shaft 61 can swing freely relative to the support 30. The bracket seat 20 is fixed to the end of the connecting shaft 61, so that the bracket seat 20 can swing adaptively through the hinge mechanism 60 to adjust the posture of the bracket 10 arranged above the bracket seat 20.

[0068] Figure 7 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a connecting shaft 61 provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the connecting shaft 61 is provided with a protrusion 61a. The protrusion 61a extends from the outer peripheral side of the connecting shaft 61 toward the outside, and the protrusion 61a is located below the ball head fixing position of the ball bearing 62. Figure 7 In the embodiment, the number of the protrusions 61a is a pair, which are evenly arranged along the outer peripheral wall of the connecting shaft 61. It can be understood that the number of the protrusions 61a can also be other numbers.

[0069] Figure 8 and Fig. 93 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support 30 provided in one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the inner peripheral wall of the through hole 32 is provided with a limiting groove 33, and the protrusion 61a of the connecting shaft 61 is engaged in the limiting groove 33 of the support 30. Further, the shape and size of the limiting groove 33 match the shape and size of the protrusion 61a, and a slight gap is provided between the two, so as to prevent the connecting shaft 61 from driving the bracket 10 thereon to rotate along the central axis while ensuring the adaptive swing of the connecting shaft 61 relative to the support 30, thereby ensuring the stability of the wafer interaction.

[0070] Figure 7 In the embodiment, the width of the protrusion 61a gradually decreases from the inside to the outside to form a triangular structure. Accordingly, the limiting groove 33 is matched with a corresponding shape and size. A gap is provided between the outer side of the protrusion 61a and the inner side of the limiting groove 33. Except that the connecting shaft 61 cannot rotate around the central axis and move in the vertical direction, the connecting shaft 61 has other degrees of freedom to ensure the adaptive adjustment of the bracket seat 20.

[0071] Furthermore, the number of the limiting grooves 33 of the support 30 is greater than or equal to the number of the protrusions 61a of the connecting shaft 61, and the limiting grooves 33 are evenly distributed along the central axis of the through hole 32 to facilitate the installation of the connecting shaft 61 on the support 30 from the bottom through the through hole 32.

[0072] Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, in order to prevent the bracket seat 20 from swinging significantly and causing the bracket seat 20 to come into hard contact with other components, a limiter 80 is disposed on the lower surface of the bracket seat 20, and the limiter 80 is disposed between the hinge mechanism 60 and the elastic structure 50. The number of the limiters 80 is two, three or other numbers, and the limiters 80 are evenly distributed on the lower surface of the bracket seat 20 to ensure the stable operation of the hinge mechanism 60 and prevent the bracket seat 20 from interfering with other components.

[0073] Figure 5 In the embodiment, a freely rolling spherical structure is provided at the bottom of the stopper 80, and a gap is provided between the bottom surface of the spherical structure and the upper surface of the support 30, and the gap is 1-2 mm. Preferably, the stopper 80 is a universal spherical bearing, and its spherical surface is arranged toward the upper surface of the support 30. If the swing amplitude of the bracket seat 20 is too large, the bottom surface of the stopper 80 abuts against the upper surface of the support 30 to avoid the bracket seat 20 and the elastic structure 50 from rigidly abutting against each other and affecting the stability of the wafer handling device 100.

[0074] Fig.10 1 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the bracket 10 and the bracket seat 20, and the bracket 10 is connected to the bracket seat 20 through a sliding connection assembly 90. Specifically, a plurality of evenly distributed connection seats 21 are arranged on the upper part of the bracket seat 20, and the number of the sliding connection assemblies 90 matches that of the connection seats 21, which are evenly distributed between the bracket seat 20 and the bracket 10.

[0075] Fig.10 In the embodiment, the sliding connection assembly 90 includes a shaft 91, which is vertically arranged between the bracket 10 and the connection seat 21. Specifically, a connection cover 94 is arranged at the bottom of the bracket 10, the shaft 91 is threadedly connected to the connection cover 94, and the other end of the shaft 91 is spherically hinged with the connection seat 21. At the same time, in order to prevent the threaded connection between the shaft 91 and the connection cover 94 from loosening, a locking bolt 92 is also arranged on the shaft 91. The locking bolt 92 is connected to the top of the shaft 91 through the threaded hole on the bracket 10 to lock the position of the shaft 91 relative to the bracket 10.

[0076] Furthermore, the cross-section of the connecting seat 21 is an S-shaped structure, and the connecting seat 21 is configured with a fixing hole. An outer spherical ball bearing is arranged inside the fixing hole. The outer spherical ball bearing includes a ball head and a ball bushing. The ball head is fixed to the shaft 91, the ball head is hinged to the ball bushing, and the ball bushing is clamped to the fixing hole.

[0077] Fig.10 In the embodiment shown, the connection seat 21 is fixed to the bracket seat 20, and the ball bearing of the outer spherical ball bearing is arranged on the connection seat 21; and the shaft member 91 is fixed to the bracket 10 through the connection cover 94, and the spherical surface of the ball head on the shaft member 91 is hinged to the ball bearing. In this way, the shaft member 91 connected to the bracket 10 can be slightly deflected relative to the bracket seat 20, so as to facilitate the position adjustment of the bracket 20. In addition, the shaft member 91 fixed to the connection seat 21 by the outer spherical ball bearing can swing freely, so as to facilitate the alignment of the shaft member 91 with the hole on the bracket 10, so as to facilitate the installation of the sliding connection assembly 90.

[0078] Fig.10 In the embodiment, the sliding connection assembly 90 further includes a telescopic member 93, which is sleeved on the outer side of the shaft member 91, and the telescopic member 93 abuts between the bracket 10 and the bracket seat 20. The telescopic member 93 is in a compressed state so as to give the bracket 10 an elastic force toward the upper side. With such a configuration, the wafer handling device 100 can not only play a good buffering role, but also ensure that the carrier head and the bracket 10 are well fitted, so that the carrier head can smoothly load or unload the wafer.

[0079] In addition, when it is necessary to fine-tune the posture of the bracket 10, the locking bolt 92 can be loosened and then the shaft 91 can be rotated. Under the elastic force of the telescopic member 93, the position of the bracket 10 relative to the shaft 91 changes. After the position adjustment is completed, the locking bolt 92 is tightened to prevent the position of the bracket 10 from shifting.

[0080] Fig.10In the illustrated embodiment, the telescopic member 93 is a spring, which is sleeved on the outer peripheral side of the shaft member 91. It is understandable that the telescopic member 93 can also be an inflatable airbag, or an elastic member of other structural forms, as long as it can give a certain elastic force to the bracket seat 20 and the bracket 10.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present invention, when the robot for wafer handling interacts with the wafer handling device 100, the elastic structure 50 is inflated and pressurized, and the elastic structure 50 expands and bulges. Since the air pressure at each point of the elastic structure 50 is the same, the elastic force provided by the elastic structure 50 is evenly abutted against the bottom of the bracket seat 20. Under the combined action of the hinge mechanism 60 and the elastic structure 50, the position of the bracket seat 20 is finely adjusted, so that the bracket seat 20 is parallel to the support 30. That is, the bracket seat 20 and the bracket 10 connected thereto are in a horizontal state, so that the robot can take and place the wafer.

[0082] In the present invention, the elastic structure 50 changes from flexible to "rigid" after inflation and pressurization, and is not affected by mechanical wear and fatigue, so that the elastic structure 50 can give the bracket seat 20 a consistent elastic force to ensure the stability of the interaction between the robot and the wafer handling device 100.

[0083] When the carrier head interacts with the wafer loading and unloading device 100, the driving mechanism 40 moves the bracket 10 to a predetermined height, the elastic structure 50 exhausts and reduces pressure, and the elastic structure 50 separates from the bracket seat 20. Under the action of the hinge mechanism 60, the bracket seat 20 can swing adaptively so that the carrier head and the bracket 10 are concentrically aligned.

[0084] When the pressed down carrier head fits with the bracket 10, in order to ensure that the carrier head fits tightly, the lifting height of the bracket 10 will be higher than the descending stroke of the carrier head air film. At this time, when the pressure of the carrier head exceeds a certain value, the telescopic member 93 in the sliding connection assembly 90 is in a compressed state. The setting of the sliding connection assembly 90 can not only play a good buffering role, but also ensure a good fit between the carrier head and the bracket 10, and ensure that the carrier head can load or unload wafers smoothly.

[0085] In addition, since the hinge mechanism 60 is a precision component, if polishing abrasive particles or other mixtures splash onto it, it will affect the stable operation of the wafer handling device 100 . Fig.111 is a partial schematic diagram of a wafer handling device 100 provided by an embodiment of the present invention. A bellows 95 is provided between the bracket 10 and the bracket seat 20. The bellows 95 integrally covers the elastic structure 50 and the hinge mechanism 60 located at the center to ensure the reliable operation of the wafer handling device 100. In order to prevent the formation of particle crystals on the outer peripheral wall of the bellows 95, a protective cover 96 is further provided on the outer periphery of the bellows 95. The protective cover 96 is clamped on the bottom surface of the bracket seat 20. The gap between the protective cover 96 and the bellows 95 is at least 5 mm to ensure the reliable operation of the wafer handling device 100.

[0086] In summary, the wafer handling device 100, through the combined action of the elastic structure 50 and the hinge mechanism 60, enables the bracket 10 to be accurately stabilized in a horizontal state, so as to match the pre-set pick-up and placement action of the robot. At the same time, the configured hinge mechanism 60 can achieve the effect of centering guidance to improve the adaptability of the wafer handling device 100. In addition, the configured sliding connection assembly 90 can ensure the flexible fit between the carrier head and the bracket 10, and ensure the stability of the interaction between the carrier head and the wafer handling device 100.

[0087] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0088] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A flexible and adjustable wafer handling device, characterized in that: include: a carriage for loading and / or unloading wafers; A bracket seat, connected to the bottom of the bracket, used to support the bracket; A support, located below the bracket seat and connected to the bracket seat via a hinge mechanism, wherein the hinge mechanism is coaxial with the bracket seat; A driving mechanism is connected to the bottom of the support and is used to drive the support to move vertically; Wherein, an elastic structure surrounding the hinge mechanism is arranged between the bracket seat and the support, and the elastic structure surrounds the central axis of the bracket seat and is arranged at the same distance in the radial direction; The elastic structure is used to allow the bracket seat to swing through the hinge mechanism by not providing elastic force when the wafer is interacting with the carrier head, and is also used to allow the bracket seat to be parallel to the support by providing evenly distributed elastic force when the wafer is interacting with the robot.

2. The wafer handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic structure is a sac-like structure, and an annular chamber is arranged inside the structure for introducing fluid to achieve expansion to provide the elastic force.

3. The wafer handling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The elastic structure is a circular ring structure, the upper surface of the support or the lower surface of the bracket seat is provided with a groove, and the elastic structure is concentrically arranged in the groove.

4. The wafer handling device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The elastic structure is fixed to the groove through a pressure ring; at least one fluid port is arranged below the pressure ring, and the fluid port is communicated with the annular chamber.

5. The wafer handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge mechanism comprises a connecting shaft and a ball bearing.

6. The wafer handling device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The support is provided with a through hole at the center thereof for accommodating the hinge mechanism. The connecting shaft is arranged in the through hole and connected to the support via a ball bearing. The end of the connecting shaft is fixed to the bracket seat.

7. The wafer handling device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The connecting shaft is provided with at least one pair of protrusions extending in the radial direction, and the peripheral wall of the through hole is provided with a limiting groove, and the protrusions are clamped in the limiting groove.

8. The wafer handling device according to claim 1, wherein: The bracket is connected to the bracket seat via a sliding connection assembly, and the number of the sliding connection assemblies is multiple and evenly distributed between the bracket seat and the bracket.

9. The wafer handling device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The sliding connection assembly comprises a shaft, one end of which is fixed to the bracket, and the other end of which is spherically hinged to the upper end of the bracket seat.

10. The wafer handling device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The sliding connection assembly also includes a telescopic member, which is sleeved on the outer side of the shaft member, and the telescopic member abuts between the bracket and the bracket seat.

11. The wafer handling device according to claim 1, wherein: The lower surface of the bracket seat is provided with a plurality of evenly distributed limiting members.

12. A chemical mechanical polishing system, characterized in that: It comprises a polishing disc, a carrier head, a dressing device and a liquid supply device, and also comprises a wafer handling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11.

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