Wafer carrier and method of using same

Abstract

The present application provides a wafer carrier and its using method, wherein the wafer carrier is arranged on a carrier, and includes a carrier main body, a fastening assembly, a clamping jaw assembly, a support guide assembly and a suction cup assembly. The carrier main body includes a carrier upper cover and a carrier lower seat. The fastening assembly is arranged on the carrier, and includes a fastening member and a fastening power source. The clamping jaw assembly is arranged on the carrier, and includes a clamping jaw, a clamping jaw horizontal power source and a clamping jaw vertical power source. The support guide assembly includes a support unit and a guide unit. The suction cup assembly includes a driving arm and a suction cup. Thus, the wafer carrier of the present application can be operated automatically, and high production efficiency can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a wafer carrier and its method of use, and more particularly to a wafer carrier suitable for semiconductor processes and its method of use. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, wafers undergo multiple processing steps. Before these steps, the wafers must be secured to a carrier to facilitate subsequent processing. However, the common method relies on manual operation to secure the wafers to the carrier for automated operations. This leads to operational errors, inefficiencies, and ultimately, business losses or high production costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide a wafer carrier and its usage method, thereby enabling automated operation, significantly reducing human error and the risk of mistakes, and achieving high production efficiency.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the wafer carrier of the present invention includes a carrier body, a fastening assembly, a gripper assembly, a support and guide assembly, and a suction cup assembly. The wafer carrier is disposed on a stage. The carrier body includes a carrier upper cover and a carrier lower base, which can correspondingly clamp or release the wafer; in other words, the wafer can be clamped between the carrier upper cover and the carrier lower base. The fastening assembly is disposed on the stage and includes a fastening element and a fastening power source; the fastening element can correspondingly fasten or release the carrier lower base.

[0005] In addition, the gripper assembly is mounted on the carrier stage and includes grippers, a horizontal power source for the grippers, and a vertical power source for the grippers. The grippers can grip or release the carrier cover. The horizontal power source drives the grippers to grip or release the carrier cover, while the vertical power source moves the carrier cover gripped by the grippers closer to or further away from the carrier base, facilitating the placement of the wafer between the carrier cover and the carrier base. The support and guide assembly includes a support unit and a guide unit. The support unit includes a support base and a support power source. The support base can support or move away from the wafer to support or release it. The guide unit includes a guide base and a guide power source. The guide base can guide or move away from the wafer to guide and position it on the carrier base. The suction cup assembly includes a drive arm and a suction cup. The suction cup can pick up or not pick up the wafer. When the suction cup picks up the wafer, it positions the wafer along the guide base and places it on the carrier base.

[0006] The suction cup described above can be a Bernoulli suction cup.

[0007] The aforementioned power source for engagement can be a rotary cylinder.

[0008] The aforementioned horizontal power source, vertical power source, support power source, and guide power source for the gripper can all be pneumatic cylinders.

[0009] In addition to the aforementioned wafer carrier, this invention also provides a method of using the wafer carrier, wherein the wafer carrier, as described above, includes the carrier body, the fastening assembly, the gripper assembly, the support and guide assembly, and the suction cup assembly, and therefore will not be described again here. The method of using the wafer carrier of this invention includes the following steps:

[0010] (A) Position the main body of the support on the platform and proceed to step (B);

[0011] (B) The power source drives the fastening component to engage with the load-bearing lower seat to fix the load-bearing lower seat, and then proceeds to step (C).

[0012] (C) The horizontal power source of the gripper extends the gripper forward, so that the gripper clamps the upper cover and performs step (D);

[0013] (D) The vertical power source lifts the gripper upwards, moving the upper cover away from the lower support, and then proceeds to step (E);

[0014] (E) The support power source extends forward to the support seat, the guide power source extends forward to the guide seat, and step (F) is performed;

[0015] (F) Place the wafer on the support and perform step (G);

[0016] (G) The drive arm drives the chuck to descend and pick up the wafer, and performs step (H);

[0017] (H) The power source retracts to the support seat, the guide seat remains extended forward, and step (I) is executed;

[0018] (I) The drive arm drives the chuck to lower the wafer along the guide seat and place it on the carrier base, thereby positioning the wafer on the carrier base and performing step (J);

[0019] (J) The chuck does not pick up the wafer. The drive arm drives the chuck to rise away from the wafer, guides the power source to retract back to the guide seat, and executes step (K).

[0020] (K) The vertical power source lowers the gripper downwards, so that the upper support cover closes the lower support base, and the upper support cover and the lower support base clamp the wafer accordingly, and step (L) is executed.

[0021] (L) The horizontal power source of the gripper retracts the gripper, causing it to loosen from the load-bearing cover, and step (M) is executed; and

[0022] (M) The power source drives the fastening component to release the corresponding bearing seat, so that the bearing seat body clamps the wafer.

[0023] The above-described method of using the wafer carrier involves placing the wafer on the carrier body. If the steps of the above method are reversed, the wafer clamped on the carrier body can be released.

[0024] By using the wafer carrier and its usage method described above, the operation of fixing the wafer to the carrier can be automated, which greatly reduces the risk of human operation and error, helps to reduce production costs and achieve high production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a side view of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a side view of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective;

[0029] Figures 4 to 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main body of the support base according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figures 6 to 8 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of a support and guidance component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figures 9 to 21 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0033] 1-Wafer carrier; 2-Carrier body; 21-Carrier upper cover; 22-Carrier lower base; 3-Snap-on assembly; 31-Snap-on component; 32-Snap-on power source; 4-Gripper assembly; 41-Gripper; 42-Gripper horizontal power source; 43-Gripper vertical power source; 5-Support and guide assembly; 51-Support unit; 511-Support base; 512-Support power source; 52-Guide unit; 521-Guide base; 522-Guide power source; 6-Suction cup assembly; 61-Drive arm; 62-Suction cup; 7-Wafer; 8-Positioning component; 10-Stage. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Please see Figures 1 to 3The figures show a schematic diagram, a side view, and a side view from another perspective of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figures show a wafer carrier 1 disposed on a stage 10. The wafer carrier 1 includes a carrier body 2, two fastening components 3, two gripper components 4, two support and guide components 5, a suction cup component 6, a wafer 7, and three positioning components 8. The carrier body 2 includes a carrier upper cover 21 and a carrier lower base 22. The carrier upper cover 21 and the carrier lower base 22 can correspondingly clamp or release the wafer 7; in other words, the wafer 7 can be clamped between the carrier upper cover 21 and the carrier lower base 22. The fastening components 3 are disposed on the stage 10 and include a fastening element 31 and a fastening power source 32. The fastening element 31 can correspondingly fasten or release the carrier lower base 22. The gripper assembly 4 is disposed on the stage 10 and includes a gripper 41, a gripper horizontal power source 42 and a gripper vertical power source 43. The gripper 41 can grip or release the support cover 21. The gripper horizontal power source 42 can drive the gripper 41 to grip or release the support cover 21, while the gripper vertical power source 43 can make the support cover 21 gripped by the gripper 41 move closer to or away from the support base 22, so as to facilitate the placement of the wafer 7 between the support cover 21 and the support base 22. The support and guidance assembly 5 includes a support unit 51 and a guidance unit 52. The support unit 51 includes a support base 511 and a support power source 512. The support base 511 can support or move away from the wafer 7, thereby supporting or releasing the wafer 7. The guidance unit 52 includes a guide base 521 and a guidance power source 522. The guide base 521 can guide or move away from the wafer 7, thereby guiding and positioning the wafer 7 and placing it on the support base 22. The suction cup assembly 6 includes a drive arm 61 and a suction cup 62. The suction cup 62 can pick up or not pick up the wafer 7. When the suction cup 62 picks up the wafer 7, it positions the wafer 7 along the guide base 521 and places it on the support base 22.

[0035] In this embodiment, the suction cup 62 is a Bernoulli suction cup, the engaging power source 32 is a rotary cylinder, and the horizontal power source 42, the vertical power source 43, the supporting power source 512, and the guiding power source 522 are all pneumatic cylinders.

[0036] Please see Figures 9 to 21 These are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention. Please also refer to... Figures 4 to 5 as well as Figures 6 to 8These are schematic diagrams of the carrier body according to an embodiment of the present invention and the operation schematic diagram of the support and guide assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively. In the method of using the wafer carrier of the present invention, the wafer carrier 1, as described above, includes the carrier body 2, the fastening assembly 3, the gripper assembly 4, the support and guide assembly 5, the suction cup assembly 6, the wafer 7, and the positioning member 8, and therefore will not be described again here. The method of using the wafer carrier of the present invention includes the following steps (A) to (M).

[0037] Please see Figure 9 Step (A) positions the carrier body 2 on the platform 10. More specifically, the carrier body 2 is positioned on three positioning members 8 located on the platform 10, and step (B) is performed.

[0038] Please see Figure 10 Step (B) engages the power source 32 to drive the fastening member 31, so that the fastening member 31 engages the bearing lower seat 22 to fix the bearing lower seat 22, and then proceeds to step (C).

[0039] Please see Figure 11 In step (C), the horizontal power source 42 of the gripper extends the gripper 41 forward, so that the gripper 41 clamps the upper cover 21, and then step (D) is executed.

[0040] Please see Figure 12 Step (D) The vertical power source 43 of the gripper lifts the gripper 41 upwards and the horizontal power source 42 of the gripper, so that the upper cover 21 of the bearing is away from the lower support 22 of the bearing (e.g., Figure 4 (as shown), and perform step (E);

[0041] Please see Figure 13 See also Figures 6 to 8 In step (E), the support power source 512 extends forward to the support seat 511, and the guide power source 522 extends forward to the guide seat 521, so that the support seat 511 and the guide seat 521 simultaneously retract from their retracted state (e.g., Figure 6 As shown) becomes an extended state (as shown) Figure 7 (as shown), and perform step (F);

[0042] Please see Figure 14 In step (F), the wafer 7 is placed on the support 511. At this time, the wafer 7 is positioned between the upper support cover 21 and the lower support 22, and step (G) is executed.

[0043] Please see Figure 15 In step (G), the drive arm 61 drives the chuck 62 to descend and pick up the wafer 7 (not shown), and then performs step (H).

[0044] Please see Figure 16In step (H), the power source 512 retracts to the support base 511, while the guide base 521 remains extended forward. At this time, the states of the support base 511 and the guide base 521 are as follows: Figure 8 As shown, and perform step (I);

[0045] Please see Figure 17 In step (I), the drive arm 61 drives the chuck 62 to lower the wafer 7 (not shown) along the guide seat 521 and place it on the carrier 22, thereby positioning the wafer 7 (not shown) on the carrier 22 and performing step (J).

[0046] Please see Figure 18 In step (J), the chuck 62 (not shown) does not pick up the wafer 7, and the drive arm 61 (not shown) drives the chuck 62 (not shown) to rise away from the wafer 7. The guide power source 522 retracts the guide seat 521, so that the support seat 511 and the guide seat 521 are simultaneously in the retracted state (e.g., Figure 6 (as shown), and perform step (K);

[0047] Please see Figure 19 In step (K), the vertical power source 43 lowers the gripper 41 downwards, causing the upper bearing cover 21 to close onto the lower bearing seat 22 (as shown in the image). Figure 5 As shown), the wafer 7 is clamped between the upper support cover 21 and the lower support base 22, and step (L) is executed.

[0048] Please see Figure 20 In step (L), the horizontal power source 42 of the gripper retracts the gripper 41, causing the gripper 41 to loosen from the supporting cover 21, and step (M) is executed; and

[0049] Please see Figure 21 Step (M) The power source 32 drives the fastening component 31, causing the fastening component 31 to loosen from the bearing lower seat 22, so that the bearing seat body 2 clamps the wafer 7.

[0050] Steps (A) to (M) above describe the method of placing the wafer on the carrier body 2. Reversing these steps can release the wafer 7 clamped on the carrier body 2.

[0051] Therefore, the wafer carrier in the above embodiments can be automated, greatly reducing the risk of human error and helping to reduce production costs and achieve high production efficiency.

[0052] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer carrier, disposed on a platform, characterized in that, include: The carrier body includes a carrier upper cover and a carrier lower base, and the carrier upper cover and the carrier lower base can correspondingly clamp or release the wafer; The fastening assembly is disposed on the platform and includes a fastening element and a fastening power source. The fastening element can fasten or release the supporting lower seat accordingly. The gripper assembly is disposed on the platform and includes a gripper, a gripper horizontal power source and a gripper vertical power source. The gripper can grip or release the support cover accordingly. A support and guide assembly includes a support unit and a guide unit. The support unit includes a support base and a support power source. The support base can support or move away from the wafer. The guide unit includes a guide base and a guide power source. The guide base can guide or move away from the wafer. as well as The suction cup assembly includes a drive arm and a suction cup, which can pick up or not pick up the wafer.

2. The wafer boat of claim 1, wherein, This suction cup is a Bernoulli suction cup.

3. The wafer carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power source for the engagement is a rotary cylinder.

4. The wafer carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal power source, the vertical power source, the support power source, and the guide power source of the gripper are all pneumatic cylinders.

5. A method of using a wafer carrier, the wafer carrier being disposed on a platform, comprising a carrier body, a fastening assembly, a gripper assembly, and a support and guide assembly; the carrier body comprising a support upper cover and a support lower base, the support upper cover and the support lower base being capable of correspondingly clamping or releasing a wafer; the fastening assembly being disposed on the platform, comprising a fastening element and a fastening power source, the fastening element being capable of correspondingly fastening or releasing the support lower base; the gripper assembly being disposed on the platform, comprising a gripper, a gripper horizontal power source, and a gripper vertical power source, the gripper being capable of correspondingly clamping or releasing the support upper cover; the support and guide assembly comprising a support unit and a guide unit, the support unit comprising a support base and a support power source, the support base being capable of correspondingly supporting or moving away from the wafer, the guide unit comprising a guide base and a guide power source, the guide base being capable of correspondingly guiding or moving away from the wafer; the suction cup assembly comprising a drive arm and a suction cup, the suction cup being capable of correspondingly picking up or not picking up the wafer; characterized in that... The method of using this wafer carrier includes the following steps: (A) Position the main body of the support on the platform and proceed to step (B); (B) The fastening power source drives the fastening component, causing the fastening component to fasten the bearing lower seat accordingly, and executes step (C); (C) The horizontal power source of the gripper extends the gripper forward, so that the gripper clamps the bearing cover accordingly, and performs step (D); (D) The vertical power source lifts the gripper upward, moving the upper cover away from the lower support, and step (E) is performed; (E) The supporting power source extends forward from the supporting seat, the guiding power source extends forward from the guiding seat, and step (F) is performed; (F) Place the wafer on the support and perform step (G); (G) The drive arm drives the chuck to descend and pick up the wafer, and performs step (H); (H) The supporting power source retracts the supporting seat, the guide seat remains extended forward, and step (I) is performed; (I) The drive arm drives the chuck to lower the wafer along the guide seat and place it on the support seat, and performs step (J); (J) The chuck does not pick up the wafer, the drive arm drives the chuck to rise away from the wafer, the guide power source retracts the guide seat, and step (K) is executed. (K) The vertical power source lowers the gripper downwards, so that the upper support cover covers the lower support base, and the upper support cover and the lower support base clamp the wafer accordingly, and step (L) is executed. (L) The horizontal power source of the gripper retracts the gripper, causing the gripper to disengage from the load-bearing cover, and step (M) is executed; and (M) The fastening power source drives the fastening member, causing the fastening member to loosen from the bearing seat.

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