Wafer pick-and-place apparatus and etching apparatus, wafer pick-up method

Abstract

The present application relates to a wafer pick-and-place device, an etching apparatus and a wafer picking method. The wafer pick-and-place device comprises a mechanical arm and a debris splash-proof structure. The mechanical arm is used to pick a wafer from a machine table. The machine table comprises a pin, which is used to lift the wafer before the mechanical arm picks the wafer. The debris splash-proof structure is rotatably connected to the mechanical arm. The debris splash-proof structure is used to rotate to a first position to cover the wafer and block the debris splashing when the wafer is broken before the pin lifts the wafer. The debris splash-proof structure is also used to rotate to a second position to allow the mechanical arm to pick the wafer after the wafer is normally lifted. The orthographic projection of the second position on the machine table is outside the orthographic projection of the wafer on the machine table. The wafer pick-and-place device can block the debris splashing when the wafer is broken and avoid the debris from polluting or damaging the etching apparatus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a wafer pick-and-place device, etching equipment, and wafer picking method. Background Technology

[0002] In the fabrication process of a light-emitting diode (LED) chip, an epitaxial layer is first formed on a wafer. The wafer with the epitaxial layer formed is then placed in an etching apparatus to etch the epitaxial layer. After etching, a lifting pin is used to lift the wafer for easy pickup.

[0003] However, during the process of using ejector pins to lift the wafer, the wafer may be broken by the pins, resulting in fragments that can scatter everywhere. This can contaminate the etching equipment and even damage it.

[0004] Therefore, how to avoid debris contamination or damage to etching equipment is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide a wafer pick-and-place device, an etching equipment, and a wafer picking method, which aims to solve the problem of how to avoid debris contamination or damage to the etching equipment.

[0006] A wafer pick-and-place device includes a robotic arm and a fragmentation prevention structure. The robotic arm is used to pick up a wafer from a machine. The machine includes a ejector pin for lifting the wafer before the robotic arm picks it up. The fragmentation prevention structure is rotatably connected to the robotic arm. Specifically, the fragmentation prevention structure is used to rotate to a first position before the ejector pin lifts the wafer to cover the wafer and prevent fragmentation from splashing in the event of wafer breakage. The fragmentation prevention structure is also used to rotate to a second position after the wafer has been properly lifted, for the robotic arm to pick up the wafer. The orthographic projection of the second position on the machine is outside the orthographic projection of the wafer on the machine.

[0007] The aforementioned wafer pick-and-place device includes a robotic arm and a fragmentation prevention structure. The robotic arm can pick up wafers from the workbench. The workbench includes ejector pins that can lift the wafer before the robotic arm picks it up. The fragmentation prevention structure is rotatably connected to the robotic arm. Before the ejector pins lift the wafer, the fragmentation prevention structure can rotate to a first position and cover the wafer. If the wafer breaks when the ejector pins lift it, the fragmentation prevention structure can prevent fragments from flying everywhere, thus avoiding contamination or damage to the etching equipment. If the wafer does not break when the ejector pins lift it, that is, the wafer can be lifted normally, the fragmentation prevention structure will rotate to a second position, allowing the robotic arm to pick up the wafer for subsequent processes.

[0008] In some embodiments, the fragment splash prevention structure includes a shield and a wafer monitor. The shield is located on the side of the robotic arm near the machine platform and is rotatably connected to the robotic arm to prevent fragments from splashing when the wafer breaks. The wafer monitor is located inside the shield and is used to monitor the status information of the wafer when it is lifted by the ejector pin.

[0009] In the aforementioned wafer handling device, the fragmentation prevention structure includes a shield and a wafer monitor housed within the shield. The shield blocks fragments from flying when the wafer breaks, while the wafer monitor monitors the wafer's status when it is lifted by the ejector pin. This allows the shield to prevent fragmentation when the wafer breaks, and the wafer monitor to alert the operator, enabling a rapid response. Even when the wafer is intact, the operator can use the wafer monitor to confirm its normal condition and continue subsequent operations.

[0010] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-and-place device further includes a drive motor disposed within a robotic arm. The output end of the drive motor extends out of the robotic arm and is connected to a shield, for driving the shield to rotate relative to the robotic arm to a first position and a second position.

[0011] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-and-place device further includes a controller connected to a robotic arm, a drive motor, and a wafer monitor, respectively. The controller is configured to receive status information monitored by the wafer monitor and to send control commands to the robotic arm and the drive motor, respectively; wherein the control command for the drive motor to rotate the shield to a second position and the control command for the robotic arm to pick up the wafer are generated in response to the status information.

[0012] The aforementioned wafer pick-and-place device also includes a drive motor and a controller. The drive motor is located inside the robotic arm and connected to a shield, used to drive the shield to rotate relative to the robotic arm to a first position and a second position. The controller receives status information monitored by the wafer monitor and sends control commands to the robotic arm and drive motor respectively. This allows the controller to control the movement of the robotic arm, and the controller and drive motor to coordinate the movement of the shield, achieving automated movement of the shield. Furthermore, the control commands for the drive motor to rotate the shield to the second position and for the robotic arm to pick up the wafer are generated in response to the corresponding status information. In other words, the controller can automatically generate control commands based on the status information fed back by the wafer monitor, thus facilitating automated control and simplifying the operator's process.

[0013] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-and-place device further includes an alarm device connected to a controller. The controller is also configured to control the alarm device to issue an alarm when status information indicates that the wafer is in a damaged state.

[0014] The aforementioned wafer handling device also includes an alarm system connected to the controller. The controller is further configured to activate the alarm when the status information indicates the wafer is damaged. This alerts the operator when the wafer is damaged, allowing them to perform appropriate actions promptly and reducing downtime and the risk of damage to the etching equipment.

[0015] In some embodiments, the direction of rotation of the shield is parallel to the surface of the machine that carries the wafer.

[0016] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides an etching apparatus, including: a machine base, and the wafer pick-and-place device from some of the foregoing embodiments. The machine base includes a chuck and ejector pins. The surface of the chuck carries a wafer. Ejector pins are disposed within the chuck; the ejector pins are used to lift the wafer from the surface of the chuck before the robotic arm picks it up.

[0017] The etching equipment can also achieve the same technical effects as the wafer pick-and-place device in some of the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0018] In some embodiments, the debris splash prevention structure includes: a shield located on the side of the robotic arm near the machine platform and rotatably connected to the robotic arm, and a wafer monitor disposed within the shield. The wafer pick-and-place device further includes a controller connected to the wafer monitor, the controller being configured to receive status information monitored by the wafer monitor when the wafer is lifted by a pin. The controller is also connected to the machine platform and is further configured to: control the machine platform to stop when the status information indicates that the wafer is in a damaged state.

[0019] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a wafer pickup method, applied to the etching equipment in some of the foregoing embodiments. The wafer pickup method includes the following steps: A robotic arm carrying a debris-preventing structure is moved above the machine platform; the machine platform includes a suction cup and a pin disposed within the suction cup; a wafer is supported on the surface of the suction cup. The debris-preventing structure is rotated relative to the robotic arm to a first position to cover the wafer. The pin is controlled to extend from the suction cup and lift the wafer. The wafer is monitored to see if it breaks when lifted. If so, the debris-preventing structure prevents debris from splashing when the wafer breaks. If not, the debris-preventing structure is controlled to rotate to a second position, the projection of the second position onto the machine platform being outside the projection of the wafer onto the machine platform; and the robotic arm is controlled to pick up the wafer.

[0020] In the aforementioned wafer pickup method, after the etching process is completed, the robotic arm carrying the sputter protection structure can be moved to above the machine platform, and the sputter protection structure can be rotated relative to the robotic arm to a first position to cover the wafer. Next, the ejector pin can be controlled to extend from the suction cup to lift the wafer. Then, it can be monitored whether the wafer breaks during lifting. If the wafer breaks, the sputter protection structure can be used to block the splashing of fragments. If the wafer is not broken, the sputter protection structure can be rotated to a second position, and the robotic arm can be controlled to pick up the wafer. The second position's projection onto the machine platform is outside the wafer's projection onto the machine platform. The wafer pickup method in this application can first use the sputter protection structure to cover the wafer, and then use the ejector pin to lift the wafer, instead of directly using the ejector pin to lift the wafer. This allows the sputter protection structure to block the splashing of fragments when the wafer breaks, ensuring that the fragments fall onto the suction cup, preventing fragments from splashing everywhere and contaminating the etching equipment, and also facilitating cleaning.

[0021] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-up method further includes: if the wafer breaks during lifting, controlling the machine to stop and / or controlling an alarm device to issue a warning. This can improve the safety of the etching equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a top view of a wafer pick-and-place device when the debris splash prevention structure is rotated to the first position according to one embodiment.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a top view of a wafer pick-and-place device when the debris splash prevention structure is rotated to the second position according to one embodiment.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the location of each structure when a fragmentation prevention structure covers a wafer, as provided in one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the positions of various structures when a wafer pick-up and drop-off device picks up a wafer, according to one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A view of the debris splash prevention structure along the Z-direction;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of a wafer picking method provided in one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the location of each structure in steps S10 to S40 of a wafer picking method provided in one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 8This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the location of each structure in steps S10 to S40 of another wafer picking method provided in an embodiment.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 1-Robotic arm; 11-Robotic arm body; 12-Toothed fork; 2-Splash protection structure; 3-Drive motor;

[0032] 4-Machine platform; 41-Ejector pin; 42-Suction cup; 43-Base; 5-Wafer; 51-Fragment. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application.

[0035] In the LED chip fabrication process, an epitaxial layer is first formed on a wafer. The wafer, after epitaxial layer formation, is then placed in an etching apparatus to etch the epitaxial layer. For example, the wafer can be placed inside the process chamber (PC) of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching machine. After etching, a pick-up pin is used to lift the wafer for easy pickup.

[0036] However, during the wafer-lifting process using ejector pins, the wafer may be broken by the pins, resulting in fragments that can scatter and contaminate the process chamber or damage its mechanical structure. Furthermore, because the process chamber is a vacuum chamber, it cannot be fitted with openings and scanning sensors like the transfer chamber (LC) or cassette chamber (CC) in inductively coupled plasma etching (ICP) machines to intercept fragments. Therefore, fragments can be carried into the transfer chamber or cassette chamber during subsequent processes, contaminating them and potentially damaging the etching equipment.

[0037] Therefore, this application aims to provide a solution that can solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the details of which will be described in subsequent embodiments.

[0038] This application provides a wafer pick-and-place device. This device can be used to pick up and place wafers commonly used in the semiconductor industry, such as silicon wafers, gallium arsenide wafers, or gallium nitride wafers. Furthermore, this device can also be used to pick up and place glass substrates or substrates of other materials; no limitation is made herein.

[0039] Please see Figures 1-4 The wafer handling device includes: a robotic arm 1 and a debris spill prevention structure 2.

[0040] Robotic arm 1 is used to pick up wafer 5 from machine 4. Machine 4 includes ejector pin 41, which is used to lift wafer 5 before robotic arm 1 picks up wafer 5.

[0041] The debris splash prevention structure 2 is rotatably connected to the robotic arm 1. Specifically, the debris splash prevention structure 2 is used to rotate to a first position (e.g., before the ejector pin 41 lifts the wafer 5) before the ejector pin 41 does so. Figure 1 and Figure 3 The fragment splash guard 2 is positioned to cover the wafer 5 and prevent fragments from flying out when the wafer 5 breaks. The fragment splash guard 2 is also used to rotate to a second position after the wafer 5 has been properly lifted (e.g., ...). Figure 2 and Figure 4 The location of the debris-prevention structure 2 is such that the robotic arm 1 can pick up the wafer 5. The orthogonal projection of the second position on the machine 4 is outside the orthogonal projection of the wafer 5 on the machine 4.

[0042] For example, the robotic arm 1 includes a robotic arm body 11 and a toothed fork 12 located at one end of the robotic arm body 11. The toothed fork 12 is used to pick up the wafer 5. The debris splash prevention structure 2 rotates to a first position, that is, rotates to be below the toothed fork 12, and rotates to a second position, that is, rotates to be below the robotic arm body 11.

[0043] In this embodiment, the shape and size of the robotic arm body 11 and the toothed fork 12 can be selected and set according to actual needs.

[0044] In some examples, the robotic arm 1 includes two toothed forks 12, and the ratio of the distance between the two toothed forks 12 to the diameter of the wafer 5 ranges from 0.6 to 0.8, for example, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, or 0.8. Thus, when using the toothed forks 12 to pick up and place the wafer 5, the wafer 5 can be kept balanced on the toothed forks 12, resulting in greater stability.

[0045] In some examples, the toothed fork 12 extends along its direction of extension ( Figure 3 The length of the wafer 5 in the X direction is greater than the diameter of the wafer 5. In this way, when using the toothed fork 12 to pick up and place the wafer 5, the wafer 5 can be made more stable on the toothed fork 12.

[0046] In some examples, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The thickness of the robotic arm body 11 is greater than the thickness of the toothed fork 12, and the bottom surface of the toothed fork 12 and the bottom surface of the robotic arm body 11 are located in the same plane. In this way, the end face of the robotic arm body 11 near the toothed fork can be used to hold the wafer 5 against it, preventing the wafer 5 from sliding to one side of the robotic arm body 1 after it is picked up.

[0047] The aforementioned wafer pick-and-place device includes a robotic arm 1 and a fragmentation prevention structure 2. The robotic arm 1 can pick up wafers 5 from the machine base 4. The machine base 4 includes ejector pins 41, which can lift the wafer 5 before the robotic arm 1 picks it up. The fragmentation prevention structure 2 is rotatably connected to the robotic arm 1. Before the ejector pins 41 lift the wafer 5, the fragmentation prevention structure 2 can rotate to a first position and cover the wafer 5. If the wafer 5 is damaged when the ejector pins 41 lift it, the fragmentation prevention structure 2 can block the fragments from splashing out, preventing fragments from flying everywhere and contaminating or damaging the etching equipment. If the wafer 5 is not damaged when the ejector pins 41 lift it, that is, the wafer 5 can be lifted normally, the fragmentation prevention structure 2 will rotate to a second position, so that the robotic arm 1 can pick up the wafer to complete subsequent processes.

[0048] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 The fragment splash prevention structure 2 includes a shield 21 and a wafer monitor 22. The shield 21 is located on the side of the robotic arm 1 near the machine table 4 and is rotatably connected to the robotic arm 1 to prevent fragments from splashing when the wafer 5 is damaged. The wafer monitor 22 is located inside the shield 21 and is used to monitor the status information of the wafer 5 when it is lifted by the ejector pin 41.

[0049] For example, the orthographic shape of the shield 21 on the machine tool 4 includes a circle, a rectangle, or a square. The orthographic projection of the wafer 5 on the machine tool 4 is located within the orthographic projection range of the shield 21 on the machine tool when it is in the first position.

[0050] For example, the wafer monitor 22 includes a monitoring camera. The monitoring camera can be positioned at any location on the bottom wall of the shield 21, for example, at the center of the bottom wall of the shield 21.

[0051] In the aforementioned wafer handling device, the fragment splash prevention structure 2 includes a shield 21 and a wafer monitor 22 disposed within the shield 21. The shield 21 blocks fragments from flying when the wafer breaks, while the wafer monitor 22 monitors the status of the wafer 5 when it is lifted by the ejector pin 41. This allows the shield 21 to block fragments from flying when the wafer breaks, and the wafer monitor 22 to inform the operator that wafer breakage has occurred, enabling a rapid response. Even when the wafer is intact, the operator can use the wafer monitor 22 to confirm that the wafer 5 is in a normal state and can continue subsequent operations.

[0052] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-and-place device further includes a drive motor 3 disposed within the robotic arm 1. The output end of the drive motor 3 extends out of the robotic arm 1 and is connected to a shield 21, for driving the shield 21 to rotate relative to the robotic arm 1 to a first position and a second position.

[0053] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-and-place device further includes a controller connected to the robotic arm 1, the drive motor 3, and the wafer monitor 22, respectively. The controller is configured to receive status information monitored by the wafer monitor 22 and send control commands to the robotic arm 1 and the drive motor 3, respectively; wherein the control command for the drive motor 3 to drive the shield 21 to rotate to a second position and the control command for the robotic arm 1 to pick up the wafer 5 are generated in response to the status information.

[0054] It should be added that the above controller can be a separate controller for the wafer pick-and-place device, or it can be a master controller for the etching equipment that includes the wafer pick-and-place device.

[0055] The aforementioned wafer pick-and-place device also includes a drive motor 3 and a controller. The drive motor 3 is located inside the robotic arm 1 and connected to a shield 21, used to drive the shield 21 to rotate relative to the robotic arm 1 to a first position and a second position. The controller can receive status information monitored by the wafer monitor 22 and send control commands to the robotic arm 1 and the drive motor 3 respectively. This allows the controller to control the movement of the robotic arm 1, and the controller 1 and drive motor 3 to control the movement of the shield 21, thus achieving automated movement of the shield 21. Furthermore, the control command for the drive motor 3 to rotate the shield 21 to the second position and the control command for the robotic arm 1 to pick up the wafer 5 can be generated in response to the corresponding status information. That is to say, the controller can automatically generate control commands based on the status information fed back by the wafer monitor 22, which facilitates automated control and simplifies the operator's process.

[0056] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-and-place device further includes an alarm device connected to a controller. The controller is also configured to control the alarm device to issue an alarm when status information indicates that the wafer is in a damaged state.

[0057] In this embodiment, after the monitoring camera captures the status information of wafer 5, the captured image can be transmitted to the controller. The controller can compare the image captured by the monitoring camera with an image of an undamaged wafer to determine whether wafer 5 is damaged. If wafer 5 is undamaged, the controller will output a control command to the drive motor 3, causing the drive motor 3 to drive the shield 21 to rotate to the second position. Then, the controller will output a control command to the robotic arm 1 to control the robotic arm 1 to pick up wafer 5. If wafer 5 is damaged, the controller will control the alarm device to sound an alarm to remind the operator. In some examples, the controller can also stop the machine when it determines that wafer 5 is damaged to prevent fragments from being transported into the process cavity or cassette cavity and to ensure a high level of safety for the etching equipment.

[0058] The aforementioned wafer handling device also includes an alarm system connected to the controller. The controller is further configured to activate the alarm when the status information indicates a damaged wafer. This alerts the operator when a wafer is damaged, allowing for timely intervention and reducing downtime and the risk of damage to the etching equipment. This can improve machine uptime by at least 5%.

[0059] In some embodiments, the direction of rotation of the shield 21 is parallel to the surface of the machine 4 that carries the wafer 5.

[0060] For example, the shield 21 can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around the axis of the drive motor 3 to a first position or a second position. The rotation speed of the shield 21 can be selected and set according to actual needs, and is not limited here.

[0061] In some embodiments, the height of the shield 21 is greater than the sum of the thickness of the wafer 5 and the height of the ejector pin 41. In this way, the wafer 5 and the ejector pin 4 can be completely contained within the shield 21, thereby further reducing debris splashing.

[0062] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The equipment 4 also includes a suction cup 42 and a base 43. The suction cup 42 is disposed on one side of the base 43, and the ejector pin 41 is disposed inside the suction cup 42. The shape and size of the shield 21 can be matched with the size of the suction cup 42. For example, the orthographic projection of the suction cup 42 on the base 43 is circular, and the orthographic projection of the shield 21 on the base 43 is also circular. The two circles have the same diameter. This arrangement ensures that when the wafer breaks, all the fragments fall onto the suction cup 42, preventing fragments from scattering and contaminating the etching equipment.

[0063] It is important to note that when the shield 21 covers the wafer 5, the descent height of the robotic arm 21 needs to be controlled to prevent the shield 21 from continuing to descend after touching the suction cup 42, which could damage the suction cup 42. In some examples, a certain distance can be maintained between the shield 21 and the suction cup 42. However, this distance should not be too large to ensure that debris does not splash from the gap between the shield 21 and the suction cup 42 into areas outside the suction cup 42.

[0064] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides an etching apparatus. This etching apparatus may be, for example, an inductively coupled plasma etching machine or other etching machines, and is not limited thereto.

[0065] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The etching equipment includes a machine base 4 and a wafer pick-and-place device as described in some of the foregoing embodiments. The machine base 4 includes a chuck 42 and a push pin 41. The surface of the chuck 42 carries a wafer 5. The push pin 41 is disposed within the chuck 42 and is used to lift the wafer 5 from the surface of the chuck 42 before the robotic arm 1 picks up the wafer 5.

[0066] The etching equipment can also achieve the same technical effects as the wafer pick-and-place device in some of the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0067] In some embodiments, the robotic arm 1 includes a robotic arm body 11 and a toothed fork 12 located at one end of the robotic arm body 11, the toothed fork 12 being used to pick up the wafer 5.

[0068] In some embodiments, the suction cup 42 is provided with a pin hole, and a pin 41 is located within the pin hole. When picking up the wafer, the pin 41 can extend through the pin hole to lift the wafer 5 from the surface of the suction cup 42. When placing the wafer 5, the pin 41 first extends through the pin hole, and then the wafer pick-and-place device places the wafer 5 onto the pin. Next, the pin 41 falls to allow the wafer 5 to be attracted by the suction cup 42. Optionally, the machine 4 also includes a lifting cylinder, which can be used to raise and lower the pin 41. Optionally, the pin 41 may be a plastic pin.

[0069] For example, the chuck 42 can be an electrostatic chuck (also called a lower electrode). The upper edge of the chuck 42 is protected with ceramic, and the sides are protected with anodized aluminum plates. The anodized aluminum plates are removable for maintenance. The chuck 42 has integrated cooling pipes inside, through which coolant can circulate to cool the chuck 42. Since the chuck 42 is in direct contact with the wafer 5, it can also cool the wafer 5.

[0070] As is understandable, both the chuck and the ejector pin are located within the process chamber of the etching equipment, which is a high-vacuum environment. After the etching gas is introduced and the RF power is turned on, a large amount of plasma is generated within the process chamber to perform dry etching on the wafer / forming and epitaxial layers on the wafer. The sidewalls of the process chamber are made of aluminum, and an anodized aluminum plate is installed inside the process chamber; the aluminum plate is removable and temperature-controlled. After the etching process is completed, the wafer pick-and-place device enters the process chamber to pick up the wafer.

[0071] In some examples, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the machine base 4 also includes a base 43, and the suction cup 42 is located on one side of the base 43.

[0072] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 The debris splash prevention structure 2 includes: a shield 21 located on the side of the robotic arm 1 near the machine base 4 and rotatably connected to the robotic arm 1, and a wafer monitor 22 disposed within the shield 21. The wafer pick-and-place device also includes a controller connected to the wafer monitor 22, the controller being configured to receive status information monitored by the wafer monitor 22 when the wafer 5 is lifted by the ejector pin 21. The controller is also connected to the machine base 4 and is further configured to: control the machine base to stop when the status information indicates that the wafer 5 is in a damaged state.

[0073] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a wafer picking method, which is applied to the etching equipment in some of the foregoing embodiments.

[0074] Please see Figure 6 The wafer picking method includes steps S10 to S40.

[0075] S10, control the robotic arm to move the debris-preventing structure to the top of the machine; the machine includes a suction cup and a pin set in the suction cup; the surface of the suction cup carries a wafer.

[0076] S20, control the debris splash prevention structure to rotate relative to the robotic arm to a first position to cover the wafer.

[0077] S30 controls the ejector pins to extend from the suction cup and lift the wafer.

[0078] S40, monitor whether the wafer is damaged when it is lifted. If so, the fragmentation prevention structure prevents fragments from flying out when the wafer is damaged. If not, control the fragmentation prevention structure to rotate to a second position, the projection of the second position on the machine tool is outside the projection of the wafer on the machine tool; and control the robotic arm to pick up the wafer.

[0079] It is understood that wafer picking is performed after the etching process is completed. That is to say, the wafer picking method in this application embodiment can be applied after the etching process is completed. Thus, before executing step S10, the following steps can also be performed to etch the wafer / the epitaxial layer formed on the wafer: controlling the ejector pin to lift; controlling the robotic arm to place the wafer on the ejector pin; controlling the ejector pin to fall so that the chuck can pick up the wafer; etching the wafer / the epitaxial layer formed on the wafer.

[0080] In the aforementioned wafer pickup method, after the etching process is completed, the robotic arm carrying the sputter protection structure can be moved to above the machine platform, and the sputter protection structure can be rotated relative to the robotic arm to a first position to cover the wafer. Next, the ejector pin can be controlled to extend from the suction cup to lift the wafer. Then, it can be monitored whether the wafer breaks during lifting. If the wafer breaks, the sputter protection structure can be used to block the splashing of fragments. If the wafer is not broken, the sputter protection structure can be rotated to a second position, and the robotic arm can be controlled to pick up the wafer. The second position's projection onto the machine platform is outside the wafer's projection onto the machine platform. The wafer pickup method in this application can first use the sputter protection structure to cover the wafer, and then use the ejector pin to lift the wafer, instead of directly using the ejector pin to lift the wafer. This allows the sputter protection structure to block the splashing of fragments when the wafer breaks, ensuring that the fragments fall onto the suction cup, preventing fragments from splashing everywhere and contaminating the etching equipment, and also facilitating cleaning.

[0081] The following combination Figure 7 and Figure 8 The above wafer picking method will be explained.

[0082] In step S10, the robotic arm 1 is controlled to move the debris splash prevention structure 2 to the top of the machine platform 4; the machine platform 4 includes a suction cup 42 and a pin disposed in the suction cup 42; the surface of the suction cup 42 carries a wafer 5.

[0083] For example, the robotic arm 1 includes a robotic arm body 11 and a toothed fork 12 located at one end of the robotic arm body 11, the toothed fork 12 being used to pick up the wafer 5.

[0084] In step S20, the debris splash prevention structure 2 is controlled to rotate relative to the robotic arm 1 to a first position to cover the wafer 5.

[0085] In step S30, the ejector pin 41 is controlled to extend out of the suction cup 42 to lift the wafer 5.

[0086] For example, before the control pin 41 extends the chuck 42 to lift the wafer 5, the wafer picking method further includes: controlling the chuck 42 to de-adhere the wafer 5.

[0087] In step S40, it is monitored whether wafer 5 is damaged during the lifting process. If so, ... Figure 7As shown, the debris shielding structure 2 prevents debris 51 from splashing out when the wafer breaks. Otherwise, as... Figure 8 As shown, the fragment splash prevention structure 2 is controlled to rotate to the second position, and the orthographic projection of the second position on the machine tool 4 is outside the orthographic projection of the wafer 5 on the machine tool 4; and the robotic arm 1 is controlled to pick up the wafer 5.

[0088] In some embodiments, before controlling the fragmentation prevention structure 2 to rotate to the second position, the robotic arm 1 can be controlled to move the fragmentation prevention structure 2 in a direction away from the wafer 5. After controlling the fragmentation prevention structure 2 to rotate to the second position, the robotic arm 1 is then controlled to pick up the wafer 5.

[0089] In some embodiments, after controlling the robotic arm 1 to pick up the wafer 5, the wafer picking method further includes: controlling the pin to fall and moving the robotic arm 1 in a direction away from the suction cup 42.

[0090] In some embodiments, the wafer pick-up method further includes: if the wafer 5 is damaged during lifting, controlling the machine 4 to stop and / or controlling the alarm device to issue an alarm. This can improve the safety of the etching equipment.

[0091] It should be understood that the application of the present invention is not limited to the examples above. Those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

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