Transport device, semiconductor process apparatus, and wafer transport method

Abstract

The application discloses a transmission device, a semiconductor process equipment and a wafer transmission method, and relates to the semiconductor field. The transmission device comprises an adsorption finger, a heating element, a first temperature measuring element, a second temperature measuring element and a control element. The adsorption finger has an adsorption part, the heating element and the first temperature measuring element are arranged on the adsorption part, and the second temperature measuring element is arranged on the adsorption finger and is arranged in a spaced mode with the adsorption part. The control element is electrically connected with the heating element, the first temperature measuring element and the second temperature measuring element respectively, and is used for controlling the heating temperature of the adsorption part by the heating element according to the difference between the temperatures measured by the first temperature measuring element and the second temperature measuring element when the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element is greater than a preset temperature, so that the temperature difference is within a preset temperature difference range. The application can solve the problem that the wafer warps due to the large temperature difference between the suction cup of the mechanical hand and the wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, specifically relating to a transmission device, semiconductor process equipment, and wafer transmission method. Background Technology

[0002] In the front-end transfer module of the equipment, the main wafer transfer component is the robotic arm, whose primary task is to accurately transfer the wafers to the process module. Common robotic arm wafer handling methods include adsorption, mechanical clamping, and friction. The appropriate wafer handling method is selected based on the size and material of the transferred wafers, the transfer environment (vacuum or atmospheric), and considerations for transfer efficiency.

[0003] Semiconductor wafer materials are mostly silicon and related compounds. To protect the wafer surface from scratches or damage, and to improve transmission efficiency in atmospheric transmission environments, adsorption-type wafer picking methods are often used, and adsorption-type robotic arms are selected.

[0004] However, in some cases, the wafer is at a high temperature. When the suction cup of the robotic arm comes into contact with the wafer, the large temperature difference between the robotic arm and the wafer can cause uneven temperature distribution in different parts of the wafer, resulting in local warping of the wafer and seriously affecting product quality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a transmission device, semiconductor process equipment, and wafer transmission method that can solve problems such as wafer warping caused by a large temperature difference between the suction cup of the robotic arm and the wafer.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0007] This application provides a transfer device for adsorbing and transferring wafers. The transfer device includes an adsorbing finger, a heating element, a first temperature measuring element, a second temperature measuring element, and a control element.

[0008] The adsorption finger has an adsorption portion for adsorbing the wafer. The heating element and the first temperature measuring element are both disposed on the adsorption portion. The second temperature measuring element is disposed on the adsorption finger and spaced apart from the adsorption portion. The second temperature measuring element is used to measure the temperature above the adsorption finger.

[0009] The control element is electrically connected to the heating element, the first temperature measuring element, and the second temperature measuring element, respectively. The control element is used to control the heating element to heat the adsorption part according to the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element when the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element is greater than the preset temperature, so that the difference between the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element is within the preset temperature difference range.

[0010] This application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including the aforementioned transmission device.

[0011] This application also provides a wafer transport method applied to the above-mentioned transport device, the wafer transport method comprising:

[0012] The adsorption portion of the adsorption finger is positioned below the wafer;

[0013] The temperature of the adsorption section is measured by the first temperature measuring element, and the temperature of the wafer is measured by the second temperature measuring element.

[0014] When the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element is greater than the preset temperature, the heating element is controlled to heat the adsorption part according to the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element, so that the difference between the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element is within the preset temperature difference range.

[0015] The adsorption unit is controlled to adsorb the wafer, and the adsorption fingers are controlled to move to transfer the wafer.

[0016] In this embodiment, the temperature of the adsorption section can be measured by a first temperature measuring element, and the temperature of the wafer can be measured by a second temperature measuring element. The first and second temperature measuring elements respectively send their measured temperature information to a control element. After analysis and comparison by the control element, the heating element is controlled to work accordingly so that the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer is within a preset temperature difference range. This effectively alleviates the problem of uneven temperature on the wafer caused by a large temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer, which leads to wafer warping. Therefore, this embodiment improves the uniformity of wafer temperature by reducing the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer, thereby ensuring wafer quality. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a first schematic diagram of the transmission device and wafer disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the transmission device and wafer disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure for adsorbing fingers disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a first partial schematic diagram of the boss structure disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 5This is a second partial schematic diagram of the boss structure disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a partial schematic diagram of the contact between the wafer and the boss structure disclosed in the embodiments of this application, wherein a) is a method of opening negative pressure air holes around the finger part, and b) is a method of combining the central hole part and the annular groove part;

[0023] Figure 7 The graph shows a comparison of the adsorption effects of the method of opening negative pressure air holes around the finger area disclosed in the embodiments of this application with the method of combining the central hole and the annular groove, where a) is the method of opening negative pressure air holes around the finger area, and b) is the method of combining the central hole and the annular groove.

[0024] Figure 8 The graph shows the adsorption effect of the negative pressure pores around the finger area disclosed in the embodiments of this application before and after heating, where a) is the state before heating and b) is the state after heating.

[0025] Figure 9 The graph shows a comparison of the adsorption effects after heating between the method of opening negative pressure vents around the finger area disclosed in the embodiments of this application and the method of combining the central hole and the annular groove. In the graph, a) is the method of opening negative pressure vents around the finger area, and b) is the method of combining the central hole and the annular groove.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature control circuit for adsorbing fingers disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature control principle disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the temperature control process in one embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission device, mounting base, and robotic arm disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission process of a wafer transfer method disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram showing the adsorbed finger in a low position during the wafer transfer process disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0032] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram illustrating how a finger is used to lift a wafer during wafer transport, as disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 17This is a schematic diagram of a finger adsorbing a wafer during wafer transfer, as disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0035] 100 - Transmission device; 110 - Adsorbing finger; 111 - Boss structure; 112 - Adsorption hole; 1121 - Central hole; 1122 - Annular groove; 113 - Score; 114 - Recessed structure; 115 - Air passage; 120 - Heating element; 130 - First temperature sensing element; 140 - Second temperature sensing element; 150 - Control element;

[0036] 200 - Mounting base;

[0037] 300-robotic arm;

[0038] 400 - Wafer; 410 - Warp. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0041] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples and application scenarios.

[0042] refer to Figures 1 to 17 This application discloses a transmission device 100 for adsorbing and transmitting a wafer 400 so that the wafer 400 does not move randomly during the transmission process.

[0043] In this embodiment, the transmission device 100 includes an adsorption finger 110, a heating element 120, a first temperature measuring element 130, a second temperature measuring element 140, and a control element 150. The adsorption finger 110 has an adsorption portion for adsorbing the wafer 400. The adsorption portion contacts the surface of the wafer 400, and under the adsorption force, keeps the wafer 400 tightly attached to the adsorption portion, thereby achieving adsorption of the wafer 400 and preventing the wafer 400 from moving freely.

[0044] For example, the wafer 400 can be located on the upper surface of the adsorption portion. In this case, the adsorption portion can both adsorb the wafer 400 and support it. Thus, under the combined action of support and adsorption, the wafer 400 can be firmly attached to the adsorption portion, thereby preventing the wafer 400 from detaching from the adsorption portion or moving relative to it, which would affect the normal transport of the wafer 400 or reduce its positional accuracy. Furthermore, the aforementioned adsorption finger 110 can be a type I ceramic finger; of course, other types are also possible, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0045] In order to know the temperature of the adsorption section, in this embodiment of the application, a first temperature measuring element 130 is disposed on the adsorption section. In this way, the temperature of the adsorption section can be detected in real time by the first temperature measuring element 130, so as to lay the foundation for subsequent adjustment of the temperature of the adsorption section.

[0046] Considering that the wafer 400 is carried and transported by the adsorption part of the adsorption finger 110, in order to measure the temperature of the wafer 400, in this embodiment of the application, a second temperature measuring element 140 is disposed on the adsorption finger 110, and the second temperature measuring element 140 is spaced apart from the adsorption part. The second temperature measuring element 140 is used to measure the temperature above the adsorption finger 110. For example, when the wafer 400 is adsorbed on the adsorption part, the second temperature measuring element 140 can be opposite to the surface of the wafer 400. At this time, the temperature of the wafer 400 adsorbed by the adsorption part can be measured by the second temperature measuring element 140, so as to lay the foundation for subsequent adjustment of the temperature of the adsorption part. When there is no wafer 400 on the adsorption part, the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element 140 is the ambient temperature above the adsorption finger 110.

[0047] Furthermore, the control element 150 is electrically connected to the first temperature measuring element 130 and the second temperature measuring element 140 respectively, so that the first temperature measuring element 130 and the second temperature measuring element 140 respectively transmit the detected temperature information to the control element 150, and the control element 150 compares, analyzes and processes the temperature information, thereby obtaining the temperature of the adsorption section and the temperature of the wafer 400.

[0048] For example, the control element 150 may be a combination of control components such as a thermostat and a solid-state relay to form a control circuit, wherein the thermostat and solid-state relay may be installed inside the adsorption finger 110 or the robotic arm 300 so as not to affect the transmission of the transfer device.

[0049] Considering that when the temperature of wafer 400 is too high or too low, resulting in a large temperature difference between wafer 400 and the adsorption part, when wafer 400 comes into contact with the adsorption part, heat exchange will occur between wafer 400 and the adsorption part. This will cause changes in the local temperature of the wafer 400 in contact with the adsorption part, resulting in a large temperature difference across wafer 400. According to the principle of thermal expansion and contraction, under uneven temperature conditions, wafer 400 is prone to different deformations, ultimately leading to significant warping deformation of wafer 400, which in turn affects the quality of wafer 400.

[0050] To alleviate the warpage problem of wafer 400, in this embodiment, a heating element 120 is disposed on the adsorption section. During the heating process of the heating element 120, the temperature of the adsorption section increases. If the wafer 400 is at a high temperature, the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer 400 after being heated by the heating element 120 is reduced, thus helping to reduce the warpage of the wafer 400. Conversely, when the heating element 120 stops working, the temperature of the adsorption section decreases. If the wafer 400 is at a low temperature or room temperature, stopping the heating element 120 reduces the heat transferred to the adsorption section, thereby reducing the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer 400, which also helps to reduce the warpage of the wafer 400. Furthermore, the heating element 120 is electrically connected to a control element 150 and is controlled by the control element 150.

[0051] In this embodiment, when the temperature measured by the second temperature sensing element 140 is greater than a preset temperature, the control element 150 can control the heating element 120 to heat the adsorption section based on the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensing element 130 and the second temperature sensing element 140, so that the temperature difference between the first temperature sensing element 130 and the second temperature sensing element 140 is within a preset temperature difference range, that is, so that the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer 400 is within a preset temperature difference range. For example, the preset temperature can be 60°C; of course, the preset temperature can also be other degrees, which is not specifically limited here.

[0052] In this embodiment, the temperature of the adsorption section can be measured by the first temperature measuring element 130, and the temperature of the wafer 400 can be measured by the second temperature measuring element 140. The first temperature measuring element 130 and the second temperature measuring element 140 respectively send the measured temperature information to the control element 150. After analysis and comparison, the control element 150 controls the heating element 120 to work accordingly, so that the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer 400 is within a preset temperature difference range. This can effectively alleviate the problem of uneven temperature on the wafer 400 after the adsorption section comes into contact with the wafer 400 due to a large temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer 400, which can lead to warping of the wafer 400. Therefore, this embodiment ensures the temperature uniformity of the wafer 400 by reducing the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer 400, thereby improving the quality of the wafer 400.

[0053] In this embodiment, the control element 150 can also be used to control the heating element 120 to heat the adsorption portion when the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element 140 is less than or equal to a preset temperature, so that the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element 130 is maintained within the preset temperature range. For example, the preset temperature range can be around 60°C, such as 59.5°C, 59.7°C, 59.9°C, 60.2°C, 60.5°C, etc. Of course, it can also be other degrees, and is not specifically limited here.

[0054] It should be noted that when there is no wafer 400 adsorbed at the adsorption section or the temperature of the adsorbed wafer 400 is at room temperature, the temperature detected by the second temperature measuring element 140 is the ambient temperature or room temperature, which will be less than or equal to the preset temperature. At this time, the control element 150 will control the heating element 120 to heat the adsorption section so that the temperature of the adsorption section is kept within the preset temperature range, thereby ensuring that the adsorption section is in a constant temperature state.

[0055] refer to Figures 2 to 5 In some embodiments, an adsorption finger 110 is disposed at one end of the adsorption finger 110. This adsorption part may include a boss structure 111. The boss structure 111 serves as the adsorption part, and can support and adsorb the wafer 400 to ensure the stability of the wafer 400 during the transport process. In addition, the end face of the boss structure 111 that contacts the wafer 400 is provided with an adsorption hole 112. Air can be drawn through the adsorption hole 112 to form a negative pressure area near the end face of the boss structure 111. In this way, when the wafer 400 is placed on the end face of the boss structure 111, the wafer 400 can be adsorbed. It should be noted that the end of the adsorption finger 110 with the boss structure 111 is generally the end away from the robotic arm 300.

[0056] To achieve air extraction, the adsorption finger 110 can also be provided with an air channel 115. One end of the air channel 115 is connected to the adsorption hole 112, and the other end of the air channel 115 can be used to connect to an air extraction device (not shown in the figure). In this way, when the air extraction device is in operation, the gas around the end face of the boss structure 111 can be continuously extracted by the air extraction device through the adsorption hole 112 and the air channel 115, thereby forming a negative pressure area near the end face of the boss structure 111 to facilitate the adsorption of the wafer 400.

[0057] For example, along the protruding direction of the boss structure 111, the air passage 115 faces away from the boss structure 111 and toward the surface of the wafer 400. This arrangement allows the air passage 115 to communicate with the end of the adsorption hole 112 away from the wafer 400. Alternatively, the air passage 115 can extend from the end of the adsorption finger 110 near the robotic arm 300 to the end away from the robotic arm 300, ultimately extending to the center position of the adsorption hole 112. This arrangement increases the communication area between the air passage 115 and the adsorption hole 112, thereby improving the vacuuming effect of the adsorption hole 112.

[0058] In addition, both the heating element 120 and the first temperature measuring element 130 are disposed inside the boss structure 111, so that the boss structure 111 can be directly heated by the heating element 120, thereby raising the temperature of the boss structure 111. Furthermore, the first temperature measuring element 130 can directly measure the temperature of the boss structure 111 in real time, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the temperature rise and measurement of the boss structure 111. At the same time, the boss structure 111 can also provide a certain degree of protection for the heating element 120 and the first temperature measuring element 130, so as to prevent the external environment from interfering with or damaging the heating element 120 and the first temperature measuring element 130.

[0059] For example, the heating element 120 can be an electric heating wire, which can be arranged around the inside of the boss structure 111. This arrangement can increase the heating area to a certain extent, thereby increasing the heating rate of the boss structure 111 and improving the uniformity of the heating. Of course, the heating element 120 can also be a heating plate, heating tube, or other structures, and its specific structure is not limited. Specifically, the electric heating wire can be arranged around the adsorption hole 112 to heat the local area of ​​the adsorption part near the adsorption hole 112, thereby ensuring that the temperature difference between the adsorption part and the wafer 400 is small when they contact each other.

[0060] In addition, the air passage 115 can be connected to both the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122, so that air can be drawn from the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 at the same time, thereby forming a negative pressure zone around the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 respectively, so as to improve the adsorption effect on the wafer 400.

[0061] The first temperature sensing element 130 can be a thermocouple, temperature sensor, temperature transmitter, etc., as long as it can accurately measure the temperature of the boss structure 111, and the specific type is not limited.

[0062] The second temperature sensing element 140 can be a non-contact temperature sensing device, as long as it can accurately measure the temperature of the wafer 400, and the specific type is not limited. In a more specific embodiment, an infrared temperature sensor can be used to measure the temperature of the wafer 400 to ensure the accuracy of the temperature measurement.

[0063] It should be noted that a good adsorption effect on the wafer 400 can only be achieved when the wafer 400 is in close contact with the end face of the boss structure 111. However, due to the temperature difference of the wafer 400 in the radial direction, there may be slight warping portions 410 at different positions of the wafer 400 in the radial direction. In this case, the larger the area covered by the adsorption hole 112, the larger the area that needs to be in close contact with the wafer 400. This increases the probability that the warping portion 410 and the area covered by the adsorption hole 112 will overlap. When the warping portion 410 and the area covered by the adsorption hole 112 overlap, a wedge-shaped space will be formed between the surface of the wafer 400 and the end face of the boss structure 111. The existence of this wedge-shaped space will allow external gas to enter the adsorption hole 112, resulting in poor adsorption effect on the wafer 400. This makes the wafer 400 easy to detach from the boss structure 111 or move relative to the boss structure 111, affecting the normal transport of the wafer 400.

[0064] Based on the above, the adsorption hole 112 is located in the middle region of the end face of the boss structure 111 that contacts the wafer 400. This arrangement allows the negative pressure area formed on the end face of the boss structure 111 to be closer to the center region of the wafer 400. For example, the size of the boss structure 111 is generally set to be less than or equal to 42 mm, and the distance between the edge of the adsorption hole 112 and the edge of the boss structure 111 can be greater than or equal to 10 mm to ensure that a wedge-shaped space is not formed after the warped portion 410 of the wafer 400 contacts the end face of the boss structure 111, thereby improving the adsorption effect.

[0065] Furthermore, such as Figures 4 to 6As shown, the adsorption hole 112 may include a central hole 1121 and an annular groove 1122. The central hole 1121 is located at the center of the end face of the boss structure 111 that contacts the wafer 400, and the annular groove 1122 surrounds the central hole 1121. The central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 can respectively draw in gas near the end face of the boss structure 111, thereby creating a negative pressure area around the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 on the end face of the boss structure 111. When the wafer 400 is placed on the end face of the boss structure 111, it can be adsorbed by the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122, ensuring that the wafer 400 does not detach from or move relative to the boss structure 111.

[0066] Compared to the method of opening negative pressure air holes around the finger portion of the adsorbed finger 110, in this embodiment, the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 are both opened in the middle region of the boss structure 111, and the area covered by the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 is small. Even if the warped portion 410 of the wafer 400 contacts the end face of the boss structure 111, a wedge-shaped space will not be formed. That is, the annular groove 1122 will not fail to adsorb the wafer 400. Instead, the end face of the boss and the wafer 400 form a closed space, thereby ensuring that the single ring hole can adsorb the surface of the wafer 400. Therefore, the adsorbed finger 110 using the combination of the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 has a good adsorption effect and a high warp compatibility.

[0067] In addition, the air passage 115 eventually extends to the central hole 1121 and communicates with the central hole 1121. At the same time, during the extension process, the air passage 115 also communicates with the annular groove 1122 provided around the central hole 1121. Thus, gas can be drawn from the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 through the air passage 115, so that negative pressure areas are formed around the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122, so as to facilitate the adsorption of the wafer 400.

[0068] refer to Figure 7 A comparison of the adsorption effects of the method of opening negative pressure vents around the finger area and the method of combining the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 shows that when the adsorption pressure value is less than 40 kPa, the method of opening negative pressure vents around the finger area fails to adsorb the wafer 400, while the method of combining the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 in this application has a good adsorption effect.

[0069] refer to Figure 8The adsorption effect of opening negative pressure vents around the fingers before and after heating was compared. The finger temperature was required to be greater than 60℃ before taking the tablet. The negative pressure value of the fingers was always greater than 40KPa. It can be seen that the adsorption effect is better when the finger temperature is high than when the finger temperature is normal.

[0070] refer to Figure 9 A comparison of the adsorption effects after heating between the method of opening negative pressure air holes around the finger area and the method of combining the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 shows that the method of combining the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 has a better adsorption effect after heating, and the negative pressure value basically does not drop.

[0071] The data comparison above shows that when the protrusion structure 111 of the adsorbed finger 110 adopts a combination of central hole 1121 and annular groove 1122, temperature control of the protrusion structure 111 of the adsorbed finger 110 can reduce the temperature difference between the wafer 400 and the protrusion structure 111, and the adsorption effect is better at this time.

[0072] In some embodiments, the distance between the edge of the annular groove 1122 and the outer edge of the boss structure 111 is greater than or equal to 10 mm, specifically including 10 mm, 12 mm, 12.5 mm, 15 mm, etc. Of course, other distance values ​​are also possible, as long as they meet the actual working conditions. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this. In a more specific embodiment, the distance between the outer edge of the annular groove 1122 and the outer edge of the boss structure 111 can be 12.5 mm. With this setting, it can be effectively ensured that after the warped portion 410 of the wafer 400 contacts the end face of the boss structure 111, a wedge-shaped space will not be formed, thereby ensuring a good adsorption effect.

[0073] For example, the cross-section of the central hole 1121 can be circular, and the diameter of the central hole 1121 can be in the range of 6mm to 8mm, specifically including 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, 7.5mm, 8mm, etc. Of course, other values ​​are also possible, and the specific value is not limited here, as long as sufficient adsorption force is ensured for the wafer 400. Based on this configuration, a good adsorption effect on the central part of the wafer 400 can be achieved through the central hole 1121.

[0074] The cross-section of the annular groove 1122 can be circular, and the width of the annular groove 1122 can range from 2mm to 4mm, that is, the ring width ranges from 2mm to 4mm, for example, including 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5mm, 4mm, etc. Of course, other values ​​are also possible, and specific values ​​are not limited here, as long as sufficient adsorption force is ensured for the wafer 400. Optionally, the inner diameter of the annular groove 1122 can be 13mm, and the outer diameter can be 15mm, etc. Based on this configuration, a good adsorption effect on the wafer 400 can be ensured without forming a wedge-shaped space that would lead to adsorption failure.

[0075] Furthermore, the width distance between the inner wall of the central hole 1121 and the inner edge of the annular groove 1122 can range from 2.5mm to 4.5mm, for example, it can include 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, etc. This design effectively prevents the wafer 400 from being easily damaged due to a small contact area between the central hole 1121 and the annular groove 1122 and the wafer 400, thus ensuring stable support for the wafer 400 and guaranteeing its integrity.

[0076] The cross-section of the boss structure 111 can be circular, and the diameter of the boss structure 111 can range from 38mm to 42mm, specifically including 38mm, 39mm, 40mm, 41mm, 42mm, etc. Of course, other values ​​are also possible; no specific value is limited here, as long as it can meet the requirements for supporting and adsorbing the wafer 400. By designing the boss structure 111 to ensure a certain contact area with the wafer 400, the support and adsorption effect on the wafer 400 can be improved.

[0077] In addition, the thickness of the boss structure 111 along the bearing direction is greater than or equal to 1.5mm, specifically including 1.5mm, 1.6mm, 1.7mm, 1.8mm, 2.0mm, etc., and of course, other values ​​are also possible; no specific value is limited here. It should be noted that the main reason for limiting the thickness of the boss structure 111 is that the wafer 400 may have a certain degree of warpage. When the wafer 400 is placed on the end face of the boss structure 111, since the boss structure 111 has a certain height, it can effectively prevent the wafer 400 from failing to fully fit with the end face of the boss structure 111 due to excessive warpage, thereby affecting the adsorption effect of the adsorption finger 110 on the wafer 400.

[0078] In one more specific embodiment, the thickness of the boss can be 1.7 mm, in which case the maximum allowable warpage of the wafer 400 is 1.7 mm.

[0079] In addition, to ensure good contact between the wafer 400 and the end face of the boss structure 111 and to ensure good adsorption effect, the surface roughness of the end face of the boss structure 111 that contacts the wafer 400 can be in the range of 0.2 to 0.4, specifically including 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, etc., or other values, as long as it can ensure good contact between the wafer 400 and the end face of the boss structure 111 without forming gaps and causing air leakage.

[0080] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the surface of the adsorbing finger 110 is provided with grooves 113, which are configured to correspond to the edge of the wafer 400. By providing grooves 113, the wafer 400 can be positioned to improve the positional accuracy of the wafer 400.

[0081] For example, the groove 113 can be an 8-inch groove, that is, a groove corresponding to the edge of an 8-inch wafer 400, so that the adsorbing finger 110 can be compatible with wafers 400 of 8 inches and below, or it can be a 12-inch groove, that is, a groove corresponding to the edge of a 12-inch wafer 400, so that the adsorbing finger 110 can be compatible with wafers 400 of 12 inches and below, or of course it can be a groove 113 of other sizes.

[0082] In one more specific embodiment, the surface of the adsorbing finger 110 is provided with both 8-inch and 12-inch grooves, thereby enabling simultaneous compatibility with both 8-inch and 12-inch wafer 400.

[0083] Furthermore, the surface of the adsorbing finger 110 is also provided with a recessed structure 114. The distance between the side of the recessed structure 114 and the groove 113 is greater than or equal to 5mm, such as 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, etc. Of course, other sizes are also possible, as long as the side of the recessed structure 114 does not interfere with the outer edge of the wafer 400. With this setting, interference with the wafer 400 can be prevented, and the position of the wafer 400 can be kept within the error range, thereby ensuring the positional accuracy of the wafer 400.

[0084] In some embodiments, the adsorption finger 110 may include a first finger segment and a second finger segment. A boss structure 111 is disposed at the end of the second finger segment away from the first finger segment. The first finger segment has a larger thickness to ensure that the adsorption finger 110 has sufficient strength and rigidity. The second finger segment has a smaller thickness; that is, in the bearing direction of the boss structure 111, the thickness of the second finger segment is less than the thickness of the first finger segment. Furthermore, the surface of the first finger segment facing the wafer 400 is lower than the surface of the second finger segment facing the wafer 400, thereby forming a recessed structure 114 at the connection between the first and second finger segments. This ensures that the wafer 400 adsorbed by the adsorption part does not touch the first finger segment and provides space for the warping of the wafer 400. Further, the recessed structure 114 needs to be located outside the largest wafer 400 that the adsorption finger 110 can accommodate to avoid interference with the wafer 400.

[0085] In a more specific embodiment, when the adsorption finger 110 is compatible with both 8-inch wafer 400 and 12-inch wafer 400, a certain distance can be formed between the side of the sink structure 114 and the 12-inch groove. In this way, interference with the 12-inch wafer 400 can be prevented, and the position of the 12-inch wafer 400 can be kept within the error range, thereby ensuring the positional accuracy of the 12-inch wafer 400.

[0086] The transmission device in this embodiment may further include a mounting base 200 and a robotic arm 300. The mounting base 200 is movably connected to the robotic arm 300, and the transmission device 100 is connected to the mounting base 200. Based on this, the robotic arm 300 can drive the mounting base 200 and the transmission device 100 to move, and the transmission device 100 can drive the wafer 400 to move, thereby realizing the transmission of the wafer 400.

[0087] refer to Figures 1 to 17 Based on the aforementioned transmission device 100, this application also discloses a wafer transport method applied to the aforementioned transmission device 100 to facilitate the adsorption and transport of the wafer 400. The disclosed wafer transport method includes:

[0088] The adsorption part of the control adsorption finger 110 is located below the wafer 400;

[0089] The temperature of the adsorption section is measured by the first temperature measuring element 130, and the temperature of the wafer 400 is measured by the second temperature measuring element 140.

[0090] When the temperature measured by the second temperature sensing element 140 is greater than the preset temperature, the heating element 120 is controlled to heat the adsorption part according to the temperature measured by the first temperature sensing element 130 and the second temperature sensing element 140, so that the difference between the temperature measured by the first temperature sensing element 130 and the second temperature sensing element 140 is within the preset temperature difference range; for example, the preset temperature can be 60°C, but of course, it can also be other degrees, which is not specifically limited here;

[0091] The adsorption unit is controlled to adsorb the wafer, and the adsorption finger 110 is controlled to move to transfer the wafer 400.

[0092] In specific implementation, during the process of adsorbing and transferring the wafer in the adsorption section, the heating element 120 can heat the adsorption section in real time according to the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element 130 and the second temperature measuring element 140. Of course, the heating element 120 can also adjust the temperature of the adsorption section once at intervals according to the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element 130 and the second temperature measuring element 140. This is not limited here.

[0093] In one embodiment, the wafer transfer method of this application includes the following steps:

[0094] like Figures 14 to 17 As shown, during operation, the three pins in the process chamber rise and lift the wafer 400. The transfer device 100 receives a reach command and determines whether the reach conditions are met, i.e., whether the three pins have risen and the valve has opened. When the reach conditions are met, the robotic arm 300 moves the adsorption finger 110 to the lower position of the wafer 400. If the reach conditions are not met, an alarm is triggered. Once the adsorption finger 110 reaches the wafer 400, the temperature of the adsorption section is measured by the first temperature sensing element 130, and the temperature of the wafer 400 is measured by the second temperature sensing element 140. The heating element 120 is then controlled to heat the adsorption section, ensuring that the temperature difference between the adsorption section and the wafer 400 is within a preset temperature difference range to prevent excessive temperature difference from causing wafer 400 warping.

[0095] When the temperature of the adsorption section rises to a level close to that of the wafer 400, the adsorption finger 110 moves upward, bringing the adsorption section into contact with the lower surface of the wafer 400. As the adsorption finger 110 continues to move upward, it lifts the wafer 400, causing it to detach from the three pins. Then, the vacuum system is activated, creating a vacuum adsorption force on the adsorption section of the adsorption finger 110, forming a negative pressure area around the adsorption section. This vacuum adsorption of the lower surface of the wafer 400 ensures that the wafer 400 does not move relative to the adsorption section. Afterward, the robotic arm 300 retracts at its high position, moving the adsorption finger 110 and the wafer 400 to transfer the wafer 400 to the next workstation. This completes the process of removing the wafer from the process chamber. It should be noted that when the temperature difference between the wafer 400 and the adsorption finger 110 is relatively small, the adsorption finger 110 can be moved upwards when it reaches below the wafer 400, so that the adsorption part contacts the lower surface of the wafer 400. The temperature of the adsorption part is measured by the first temperature measuring element 130, and the temperature of the wafer 400 is measured by the second temperature measuring element 140. The heating element 120 is controlled to heat the adsorption part, so that the temperature difference between the adsorption part and the wafer 400 is within a preset temperature difference range, to prevent the wafer 400 from warping due to excessive temperature difference. Then, a vacuum is drawn to adsorb the lower surface of the wafer 400 through the adsorption part, ensuring that the wafer 400 does not move relative to the adsorption part. Then, the robotic arm 300 retracts at the high position and moves the adsorption finger 110 and the wafer 400 to transfer the wafer 400 to the next station. Thus, the process of picking up the wafer from the process chamber is completed.

[0096] Based on the above steps, the problem of uneven temperature at various parts of the wafer 400 caused by the large temperature difference between the adsorption part and the wafer 400 after the adsorption part comes into contact with the wafer 400 can be effectively alleviated, which leads to the warping of the wafer 400. Therefore, the embodiments of this application reduce the temperature difference between the adsorption part and the wafer 400 to ensure the temperature uniformity of the wafer 400, thereby improving the quality of the wafer 400.

[0097] Optionally, when the temperature of the adsorption section is lower than the temperature of the wafer 400, the adsorption section is heated to raise its temperature to the same level as the temperature of the wafer 400.

[0098] When the temperature of the adsorption section is higher than the temperature of the wafer 400, the heating of the adsorption section is stopped, and the temperature of the adsorption section is reduced to the same as that of the wafer 400.

[0099] Specifically, a heating element 120 can be installed inside the adsorption section. When the temperature of the adsorption section is lower than the temperature of the wafer 400, the heating element 120 works and transfers heat to the adsorption section, causing the adsorption section to heat up. This makes the temperature of the adsorption section equal to or close to the temperature of the wafer 400, thereby alleviating the temperature difference between the wafer 400 and the adsorption section, which causes uneven temperature distribution on the wafer 400 and leads to warping of the wafer 400.

[0100] Conversely, during the heating process, when the temperature of the adsorption section is higher than that of the wafer 400, the heating element 120 is controlled to stop or reduce the heating power, thereby reducing the heat transferred to the adsorption section and cooling it down. Eventually, the temperature of the adsorption section is made equal to or close to that of the wafer 400, so as to alleviate the temperature difference between the wafer 400 and the adsorption section, which would otherwise cause uneven temperature distribution on the wafer 400 and lead to wafer 400 warping.

[0101] When the adsorption section does not adsorb wafer 400, or when the adsorbed wafer 400 is at room temperature, the temperature control method includes:

[0102] The temperature of the adsorption section is adjusted to reach a first preset temperature and maintained at a constant temperature. For example, the first preset temperature can be 60°C.

[0103] Specifically, when the adsorption finger 110 is not adsorbed with the wafer 400, the temperature detected by the second temperature sensing element 140 is the ambient temperature. At this time, the temperature of the boss structure 111 is controlled by the control element 150 at or close to the first preset temperature, and the boss structure 111 is kept at a constant temperature.

[0104] When the temperature of the wafer 400 adsorbed by the adsorbing finger 110 is at room temperature, the temperature detected by the second temperature measuring element 140 is also at room temperature. At this time, the temperature of the boss structure 111 is controlled by the control element 150 at or close to the first preset temperature, and the boss structure 111 is kept at a constant temperature.

[0105] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A transport device for adsorbing and transporting a wafer (400), characterized in that, The transmission device (100) includes a finger-adsorbing device (110), a heating element (120), a first temperature measuring element (130), a second temperature measuring element (140), and a control element (150). The adsorption finger (110) has an adsorption portion for adsorbing the wafer (400). The heating element (120) and the first temperature measuring element (130) are both disposed on the adsorption portion. The first temperature measuring element (130) is used to measure the temperature of the adsorption portion before the adsorption portion contacts the wafer (400). The second temperature measuring element (140) is disposed on the adsorption finger (110) and spaced apart from the adsorption portion. The second temperature measuring element (140) is used to measure the temperature of the wafer above the adsorption finger (110) before the adsorption portion contacts the wafer (400). The control element (150) is electrically connected to the heating element (120), the first temperature measuring element (130), and the second temperature measuring element (140), respectively. The control element (150) is used to control the heating element (120) to heat the adsorption part according to the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element (130) and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140) when the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140) is greater than the preset temperature, so that the difference between the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element (130) and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140) is within the preset temperature difference range.

2. The transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control element (150) is also used to control the heating element (120) to heat the adsorption part when the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140) is less than or equal to the preset temperature, so that the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element (130) is kept within the preset temperature range.

3. The transmission device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The adsorption part is disposed at one end of the adsorption finger (110), and the adsorption part includes a boss structure (111). The end face of the boss structure (111) for contacting the wafer (400) is provided with an adsorption hole (112). The heating element (120) and the first temperature measuring element (130) are both disposed inside the boss structure (111); The transmission device also includes an air passage (115) communicating with the adsorption hole (112).

4. The transmission device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The adsorption hole (112) is located in the middle region of the end face of the boss structure (111) for contacting the wafer (400); the distance between the edge of the adsorption hole (112) and the edge of the boss structure (111) is greater than or equal to 10 mm.

5. The transmission device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adsorption pore (112) includes a central hole (1121) and an annular groove (1122). The central hole (1121) is located at the center of the end face, and the annular groove (1122) is arranged around the central hole (1121). The air passage (115) is connected to both the central hole (1121) and the annular groove (1122).

6. The transmission device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The distance between the outer edge of the annular groove (1122) and the outer edge of the boss structure (111) is greater than or equal to 10 mm, and the size of the boss structure (111) is less than or equal to 42 mm.

7. The transmission device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cross-section of the central hole (1121) is circular, and the diameter of the central hole (1121) ranges from 6mm to 8mm. And / or, the cross-section of the annular groove (1122) is circular, and the width of the annular groove (1122) is in the range of 2mm to 4mm; And / or, the cross-section of the boss structure (111) is circular, and the diameter of the boss structure (111) is in the range of 38mm to 42mm.

8. The transmission device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The thickness of the boss structure (111) in the bearing direction is greater than or equal to 1.5 mm; And / or, the surface roughness of the end face of the boss structure (111) that contacts the wafer (400) is in the range of 0.2 to 0.

4.

9. The transmission device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The surface of the adsorption finger (110) facing the wafer (400) has a groove (113) that is set to correspond to the edge of the wafer (400).

10. The transmission device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The adsorption finger (110) includes a first finger segment and a second finger segment, and the boss structure (111) is disposed at the end of the second finger segment away from the first finger segment; In the bearing direction of the boss structure (111), the thickness of the second finger segment is less than the thickness of the first finger segment, and a recessed structure (114) is formed at the connection between the first finger segment and the second finger segment. The distance between the side of the recessed structure (114) and the groove (113) is greater than or equal to 5 mm. The surface of the first finger segment facing the wafer (400) is lower than the surface of the second finger segment facing the wafer (400).

11. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the transmission device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A wafer transfer method, characterized in that, The wafer transfer method, applied to the transmission apparatus (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, comprises: The adsorption portion of the adsorption finger (110) is positioned below the wafer (400); The temperature of the adsorption section is measured by the first temperature measuring element (130), and the temperature of the wafer (400) is measured by the second temperature measuring element (140). When the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140) is greater than the preset temperature, the heating element (120) is controlled to heat the adsorption part according to the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element (130) and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140), so that the difference between the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element (130) and the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140) is within the preset temperature difference range. The adsorption unit is controlled to adsorb the wafer (400), and the adsorption finger (110) is controlled to move to transfer the wafer (400).

13. The wafer transfer method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Also includes: When the temperature measured by the second temperature measuring element (140) is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the heating element (120) is controlled to heat the adsorption part so that the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring element (130) is kept within the preset temperature range.

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