Carrier mechanism and semiconductor process apparatus

Abstract

This application discloses a support mechanism and semiconductor process equipment, relating to the semiconductor field. A support mechanism for supporting a wafer includes: a support component, a lifting component, and a driving component; the support component has a first groove, and the lifting component has a second groove; the driving component is disposed on the support component, and its driving end is connected to the lifting component for driving the lifting component to move up and down; in a first state, the second groove retracts relative to the first groove, so that the first groove supports the wafer; in a second state, the second groove extends relative to the first groove, so that the second groove supports the wafer. A semiconductor process equipment includes the above-described support mechanism. This application can solve problems such as the easy retention of contaminants at the contact point between the wafer and the support structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, specifically relating to a carrier mechanism and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In wafer tank wet cleaning equipment in the semiconductor industry, the transmission robot arm moves back and forth in a cycle, which can transfer the wafer to other robotic arm lifting mechanisms. The robotic arm lifting mechanisms can move or manipulate the wafer, immersing it in the cleaning solution to remove contaminants.

[0003] During the process of the robotic arm lifting mechanism moving up and down to immerse the wafer in the cleaning solution and then remove it, the wafer is supported and fixed by the support structure on the robotic arm, and the contact position remains unchanged during the cleaning process. Therefore, the position where the wafer contacts the support structure is difficult to come into contact with the cleaning solution, which can easily cause contaminant residue at that position. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a support mechanism and semiconductor process equipment that can solve problems such as the easy retention of contaminants at the contact position between the wafer and the support structure.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] This application provides a carrier mechanism for carrying wafers, the carrier mechanism including: a carrier component, a lifting component, and a driving component;

[0007] The bearing component has a first groove, and the lifting component has a second groove;

[0008] The drive component is disposed on the support component, and the drive end of the drive component is connected to the lifting component for driving the lifting component to move up and down;

[0009] In the first state, the second groove retracts relative to the first groove so that the first groove carries the wafer;

[0010] In the second state, the second groove extends relative to the first groove so that the second groove carries the wafer.

[0011] This application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including a transfer mechanism and the aforementioned support mechanism;

[0012] The transfer end of the transfer mechanism is connected to the bearing mechanism.

[0013] In this embodiment, the carrier component carries and limits the wafer via the first groove, facilitating its entry into the cleaning tank. This allows the wafer to contact the cleaning solution in the tank, removing dirt from its surface. The drive component moves the lifting component vertically, enabling it to carry and limit the wafer via the second groove. Simultaneously, the drive component, through the lifting component, moves the wafer vertically, disengaging it from the first groove. This allows the area where the wafer contacted the first groove to come into contact with the cleaning solution, removing dirt from that area. This ensures that the entire wafer is in contact with the cleaning solution, guaranteeing that the entire wafer surface is cleaned and effectively preventing dirt residue on the wafer surface, thus ensuring wafer cleanliness. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a first structural schematic diagram of the support mechanism, lifting mechanism, and wafer disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of the support mechanism, lifting mechanism, and wafer disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the carrier component and the drive component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drive component and support component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single-acting cylinder disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the carrier or support member disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the control circuit of the driving component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer supported by the carrier as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the contact state between the support member and the wafer as disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the support member supports the wafer, as disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0025] 100 - Load-bearing mechanism;

[0026] 110 - Load-bearing component; 111 - Base component; 1111 - First plate; 1112 - Second plate; 112 - Load-bearing component; 1121 - First groove; 113 - Fixing frame; 1131 - First half-frame unit; 1132 - Second half-frame unit; 114 - First fastener; 115 - Second fastener;

[0027] 120 - Lifting assembly; 121 - Support component; 1211 - Second groove;

[0028] 130-Drive assembly; 131-Drive unit; 1311-Cylinder block; 1312-Piston rod; 1313-Spring; 1314-Baffle plate; 1315-Exhaust port; 1316-Intake port; 132-Air passage; 133-Solenoid valve; 134-PLC; 135-Cable; 136-Multi-port connector;

[0029] 200 - Lifting mechanism;

[0030] 300-Wafer. Detailed Implementation

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples and application scenarios.

[0034] refer to Figures 1 to 10This application discloses a support mechanism 100 for supporting a wafer 300. Under certain operating conditions, the support mechanism 100 can be moved by other mechanisms, and the support mechanism 100 can then move the wafer 300. For example, the wafer 300 can be moved to a cleaning tank for cleaning surface contaminants; of course, it can also meet other operating conditions. The disclosed support mechanism 100 includes a support component 110, a lifting component 120, and a drive component 130.

[0035] The support component 110 is a basic component that not only supports the wafer 300 but also provides a mounting base for the lifting component 120, drive component 130, etc. In some embodiments, the drive component 130 is disposed on the support component 110, and the drive end of the drive component 130 is connected to the lifting component 120 to drive the lifting component 120 to move up and down. Exemplarily, the drive component 130 can be installed on the support component 110 to ensure the stability of the drive component 130. The installation method can be a fixed connection, such as welding, riveting, or bonding, or a detachable connection, such as snap-fit ​​or screw-fit.

[0036] In addition, the driving end of the driving component 130 can move along the lifting direction to drive the lifting component 120 to move in the lifting direction, and the lifting component 120 drives the wafer 300 to move synchronously in the lifting direction. The lifting direction can be vertical, or it can be at a certain angle to the vertical direction, as long as it meets the actual working conditions.

[0037] To support the wafer 300, the support assembly 110 may have a first groove 1121. The first groove 1121 supports the wafer 300 and also limits its movement to prevent it from moving freely. In some embodiments, the support assembly 110 may have multiple first grooves 1121 to support multiple wafers 300 simultaneously, thereby improving the wafer 300 support efficiency.

[0038] The first groove 1121 can accommodate and limit the edge of the wafer 300. For example, the first groove 1121 can be an arc-shaped groove, the diameter of which can be slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer 300, so that the edge of the wafer 300 can be placed into the arc-shaped groove. In addition, the width of the first groove 1121 can be slightly wider than the thickness of the wafer 300, which facilitates the placement of the edge of the wafer 300 into the first groove 1121 and also limits the wafer 300 through the side walls on both sides to prevent the wafer 300 from tilting.

[0039] The lifting assembly 120 may have a second groove 1211, which can also support the wafer 300 and limit its movement to prevent it from moving arbitrarily. Simultaneously, the lifting assembly 120 can also move the wafer 300 up and down via the second groove 1211, ensuring that the wafer 300 does not move arbitrarily during the process. In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 120 may have multiple second grooves 1211 to simultaneously support and move multiple wafers 300, thereby improving the efficiency of wafer support and lifting.

[0040] The second groove 1211 can accommodate and limit the edge of the wafer 300. For example, the second groove 1211 can be an arc-shaped groove, the diameter of which can be slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer 300, so that the edge of the wafer 300 can be placed into the arc-shaped groove. In addition, the width of the second groove 1211 can be slightly wider than the thickness of the wafer 300, which facilitates the placement of the edge of the wafer 300 into the second groove 1211 and also limits the wafer 300 through the side walls on both sides to prevent the wafer 300 from tilting.

[0041] In some embodiments, the first groove 1121 and the second groove 1211 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the wafer 300 and aligned with each other, so that the edge of the wafer 300 can be placed into the first groove 1121 and the second groove 1211 respectively. In addition, in the lifting direction, the second groove 1211 may be higher than the first groove 1121, so that the wafer 300 can be carried by the second groove 1211 and then disengaged from the first groove 1121; or, the second groove 1211 may be lower than the first groove 1121, so that the wafer 300 can be carried by the first groove 1121 and then disengaged from the second groove 1211.

[0042] Since the driving component 130 can drive the lifting component 120 to move up and down, in the first state, the second groove 1211 retracts relative to the first groove 1121 so that the first groove 1121 carries the wafer 300; in the second state, the second groove 1211 extends relative to the first groove 1121 so that the second groove 1211 carries the wafer 300. It should be noted that in the first state, the second groove 1211 is in a retracted state (or a lowered state), at which time the wafer 300 is supported and limited by the first groove 1121; in the second state, the second groove 1211 is in an extended state (or a raised state), and lifts the wafer 300. At this time, the wafer 300 is supported and limited by the second groove 1211 and disengages from the first groove 1121.

[0043] In this embodiment, the carrier component 110 can carry and limit the wafer 300 through the first groove 1121, so as to carry the wafer 300 into the cleaning tank, allowing the wafer 300 to contact the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank, thereby cleaning away dirt on the surface of the wafer 300. The drive component 130 can drive the lifting component 120 to move up and down, so that the lifting component 120 carries and limits the wafer 300 through the second groove 1211. At the same time, the drive component 130 drives the wafer 300 to move up and down through the lifting component 120, so that the wafer 300 is disengaged from the first groove 1121, so that the position of the wafer 300 in contact with the first groove 1121 can contact the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank to clean away dirt in that area. Based on this, the entire wafer 300 can be in contact with the cleaning solution, ensuring that the entire surface of the wafer 300 can be cleaned by the cleaning solution, thereby effectively avoiding the presence of dirt on the surface of the wafer 300 and ensuring the cleanliness of the wafer 300.

[0044] refer to Figure 1 In some embodiments, the support component 110 may include a base component 111 and multiple support components 112. The multiple support components 112 are respectively disposed on the base component 111 and arranged at intervals in a first direction. Each support component 112 may have a first groove 1121. With this arrangement, the wafer 300 can be supported and positioned by the first grooves 1121 of each of the multiple support components 112, thereby ensuring the stability of the wafer 300. In actual working conditions, the edge of the wafer 300 can be placed into the corresponding first grooves 1121 of the multiple support components 112. On the one hand, the multiple support components 112 jointly support the wafer 300; on the other hand, the first grooves 1121 of each of the multiple support components 112 achieve the support and positioning of the wafer 300.

[0045] Each carrier 112 extends along a second direction, wherein the second direction forms a preset angle with the first direction. The angle of the preset angle can be selected according to the actual working conditions, such as 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 150°, 180°, etc. In some embodiments, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0046] For example, the support member 112 can be a long strip structure, such as a long plate, a long rod, a long block, etc., and the specific form is not limited.

[0047] Each carrier 112 is provided with a plurality of first grooves 1121, which are spaced apart along a second direction to facilitate the support and positioning of a plurality of wafers 300.

[0048] To enable multiple carriers 112 to simultaneously support and limit the same wafer 300, in this embodiment, multiple first grooves 1121 of any two adjacent carriers 112 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, the first grooves 1121 of multiple carriers 112 at the same position in the second direction are aligned sequentially along the first direction to form a groove channel. In this way, the edge of the wafer 300 can be simultaneously placed into the first grooves 1121 of multiple carriers 112 at the same position in the second direction. Thus, the wafer 300 can be supported and limited by multiple first grooves 1121, thereby further improving the stability of the wafer 300.

[0049] Since each carrier 112 has multiple first grooves 1121 in the second direction, multiple groove channels can be formed in the second direction, thereby enabling multiple wafers 300 to be supported and positioned together.

[0050] In other embodiments, the support component 110 may also include a base component 111, and the first groove 1121 is directly formed in the base component 111. In this form, the support and containment of the wafer 300 can also be achieved, and the number of components can be reduced, which can reduce the complexity of the structure to a certain extent.

[0051] To accommodate the curved edge of the wafer 300, the base component 111 can be a concave plate with an inner concave surface. Multiple support components 112 are respectively connected to the inner concave surface. Since the inner concave surface is not a plane, the bottom of the first groove 1121 of each of the multiple support components 112 is not located in the same plane, but is a concave surface. In this way, the multiple support components 112 can provide a certain surrounding effect on the curved edge of the wafer 300, thereby effectively preventing the wafer 300 from rolling relative to the support component 112 or even detaching from the support component 112, ensuring the circumferential stability of the wafer 300.

[0052] For example, the number of carriers 112 can be two, three, or even more. Of course, the more carriers 112 there are, the more obvious the circumferential limiting effect on the wafer 300, and correspondingly, the better the stability of the wafer 300.

[0053] In addition, when the first groove 1121 of the carrier 112 is an arc-shaped groove, the carrier 112 can also be set as one. In this form, the arc-shaped groove can also adapt to the arc-shaped edge of the wafer 300 and play a better limiting effect on the wafer 300.

[0054] The aforementioned concave surface can include various forms: concave arc surface, concave bent surface, etc., and the specific form can be selected according to the actual working conditions.

[0055] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments, the base component 111 may include a first plate 1111 and a second plate 1112. The first plate 1111 and the second plate 1112 are connected and set at an obtuse angle, and the surface of the first plate 1111 and the surface of the second plate 1112 form the aforementioned concave surface. For example, the obtuse angle between the first plate 1111 and the second plate 1112 may range from 100° to 170°, including, for example, 100°, 120°, 135°, 150°, 170°, etc. When the diameter of the wafer 300 is small, a smaller obtuse angle can be selected; when the diameter of the wafer 300 is large, a larger obtuse angle can be selected. Of course, the base component 111 may also be a single plate, or include three plates, four plates, etc., and the specific method is not limited.

[0056] Furthermore, a support member 112 is connected to the end of the first plate 1111 facing away from the second plate 1112, and a support member 112 is also connected to the end of the second plate 1112 facing away from the first plate 1111. A support member 112 is also connected at the junction of the first plate 1111 and the second plate 1112. Based on this arrangement, the wafer 300 can be supported in three places by the support members 112 at these three locations, thereby improving the stability of the wafer 300.

[0057] In addition to the three support devices mentioned above, at least one support member 112 can also be provided between the two ends of the first plate 1111 along the first direction, and at least one support member 112 can also be provided between the two ends of the second plate 1112 along the first direction. In this way, more support can be provided for the wafer 300, thereby further improving the stability of the wafer 300.

[0058] refer to Figure 1 To facilitate the installation of the drive assembly 130, the carrier assembly 110 may further include a fixing bracket 113, which is connected to the base 111 on the side opposite to the carrier assembly 112. In actual operation, when the lifting direction is vertical, the carrier assembly 112 can be located on the upper part of the base 111, while the fixing bracket can be connected to the lower part of the base 111. This arrangement allows for the installation of the fixing bracket 113 while preventing the fixing bracket 113 from interfering with the carrier assembly 112's support and positioning of the wafer 300.

[0059] In addition, the fixing bracket 113 can be fixedly connected to the base component 111, such as by welding, bonding, riveting, etc., or it can be detachably connected to the base component 111, such as by screwing, snapping, plugging, etc.

[0060] The drive assembly 130 is connected to the mounting bracket 113, and the drive end of the drive assembly 130 passes through the base 111 and is connected to the lifting assembly 120, which is located on the same side of the base 111 as the support member 112. This arrangement enables the installation of the drive assembly 130, ensuring its stability, and also allows for the connection between the drive assembly 130 and the lifting assembly 120, facilitating the lifting of the lifting assembly 120. Furthermore, the drive assembly 130 and the lifting assembly 120 are located on opposite sides of the base 111 to prevent the drive assembly 130 from interfering with the lifting assembly 120's support and positioning of the wafer 300.

[0061] For example, the base component 111 may be provided with clearance space, such as through holes, through slots, etc., so that the drive end of the drive assembly 130 can pass through the base frame.

[0062] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the fixing frame 113 may include a first half-frame unit 1131 and a second half-frame unit 1132. The first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132 are symmetrically arranged in a second direction and are connected in the second direction to form a receiving space between them. At least a portion of the driving assembly 130 is disposed within the receiving space. It should be noted that the first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132 have substantially the same shape; that is, the fixing frame 113 is split in two to form the first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132.

[0063] The space between the first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132 provides installation space for the drive assembly 130. Furthermore, the drive assembly 130 can be connected to at least one of the first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132, thus ensuring the stability of the drive assembly 130's installation and preventing the fixing frame 113 from interfering with the connection between the drive assembly 130 and the lifting assembly 120. Alternatively, the drive assembly 130 can also be connected to the base component 111 to ensure its installation stability.

[0064] To connect the fixing frame 113 to the load-bearing assembly 110, in this application, the first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132 may each be provided with a first mounting hole. Correspondingly, the base component 111 and / or the load-bearing component 112 may be provided with a second mounting hole. Thus, by passing a first fastener 114 through the first mounting hole and the corresponding second mounting hole, the fixing frame 113 is connected to the load-bearing assembly 110, ensuring the stability of the fixing frame 113. Figure 3 As shown. For example, the first mounting hole can be a normal through hole, the second mounting hole can be a threaded hole, and the first fastener 114 can be a screw or stud for easy assembly and disassembly.

[0065] To connect the first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132, thereby improving the strength and stability of the fixing frame 113, the first half-frame unit 1131 may be provided with a third mounting hole, and the second half-frame unit 1132 may be provided with a fourth mounting hole. A second fastener 115 passes through the third and fourth mounting holes to connect the first half-frame unit 1131 and the second half-frame unit 1132. Figure 3 As shown. Exemplarily, at least one of the third and fourth mounting holes is a threaded hole, and correspondingly, the second fastener 115 is a screw or stud to facilitate assembly and disassembly.

[0066] In other embodiments, the first half-frame unit 1131 and the support component 110 (specifically, the base component 111 and / or the support component 112) can also be fixedly connected to ensure the strength of the connection; of course, the second half-frame unit 1132 and the support component 110 (specifically, the base component 111 and / or the support component 112) can also be fixedly connected to ensure the strength of the connection.

[0067] In some embodiments, the drive assembly 130 may include a drive unit 131 connected to the support assembly 110. The drive unit 131 is connected to the support member 121 to drive the support member 121 to move up and down. In this embodiment, the drive unit 131 may include a telescopic drive member, a rotary drive member, or a translational drive member.

[0068] When the drive unit 131 includes a telescopic drive component, the telescopic movement of the drive component drives the support component 121 to move in the lifting direction, so that the support component 121 can drive the wafer 300 to detach from or place on the carrier component 112. For example, the telescopic drive component can be a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, electric cylinder, etc.

[0069] When the drive unit 131 includes a rotary drive component, the rotational motion of the rotary drive component is converted into the lifting motion of the support component 121, so as to drive the wafer 300 to detach from or place on the carrier component 112 via the support component 121. For example, the rotary drive component can be a motor, in which case a cam structure is connected to the motor shaft, and the lifting of the support component 121 is achieved by the cam structure contacting the support component 121 through its contour.

[0070] When the drive unit 131 includes a translation drive, the translational motion of the translation drive is converted into the lifting motion of the support 121, so as to drive the wafer 300 to detach from or place on the carrier 112 via the support 121. For example, the translation drive can be a rack, which is driven by a gear to translate, and a cam structure is connected to the rack. As the rack moves, the contour of the cam structure contacts the support 121, thereby achieving the lifting of the support 121.

[0071] In addition to the above methods, the drive unit 131 may also take other forms, which are not specifically limited here.

[0072] In some embodiments, the drive unit 131 can be a cylinder, which includes a cylinder body 1311 and a piston rod 1312 that are connected to each other. Correspondingly, the drive assembly 130 also includes an air passage 132 connected to the cylinder body 1311, and the lifting assembly 120 connected to the piston rod 1312. This arrangement allows pressurized gas to be supplied to the cylinder through the air passage 132. Under the action of the pressurized gas, the piston rod 1312 can extend and retract, thereby driving the support member 121 of the lifting assembly 120 to move up and down. Exemplarily, the cylinder can be a double-acting cylinder or a single-acting cylinder.

[0073] When the drive assembly 130 includes one drive unit 131, the air passage 132 can be directly connected to the drive unit 131; when the drive assembly 130 includes multiple drive units 131, air needs to be supplied to each of the multiple drive units 131 through the air passage 132. In this case, the air passage 132 can be connected to a multi-port terminal 136, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the pressurized gas is divided into multiple streams through the multi-port end 136, so that each stream of pressurized gas is delivered to the cylinder 1311 of the corresponding drive unit 131. For example, the multi-port end 136 can be a three-way or four-way valve, etc., and the specific type can be selected according to the actual working conditions.

[0074] To control the pneumatic passage 132, a solenoid valve 133 may also be provided, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the solenoid valve 133 is used to switch the on / off state of the gas path 132, or to adjust the flow rate of the pressurized gas in the gas path 132, so as to meet the supply requirements of pressurized gas under actual working conditions.

[0075] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the solenoid valve 133 can be electrically connected to the PLC 134 via cable 135. In this way, the PLC 134 can send control signals to the solenoid valve 133 via cable 135 to control the state of the solenoid valve 133, thereby realizing the control of the air circuit 132.

[0076] In a more specific embodiment, the cylinder can be a single-acting cylinder. When pressurized gas is supplied to the cylinder body 1311 via the air passage 132, the piston rod 1312 extends; and when pressurized gas supply to the cylinder body 1311 stops via the air passage 132, the piston rod 1312 retracts. Therefore, only one air passage 132 is needed to control the cylinder's movement.

[0077] It should be noted that, under actual working conditions, the lifting assembly 120 can move vertically up and down. Correspondingly, the single-acting cylinder extends vertically. In this case, when the air passage 132 introduces pressurized gas into the cylinder 1311, the pressurized gas overcomes the gravity of the support member 121 and the piston rod 1312, causing the piston rod 1312 to drive the support member 121 to rise, so as to support the wafer 300 through the support member 121, thereby detaching the wafer 300 from the carrier member 112. When the air passage 132 stops introducing pressurized gas into the cylinder 1311, under the gravity of the support member 121 and the piston rod 1312, the piston rod 1312 retracts, causing the support member 121 to descend, so as to place the wafer 300 on the carrier member 112.

[0078] refer to Figure 5 In this embodiment of the application, the cylinder may further include a partition 1314, wherein the cylinder body 1311 is provided with an inner cavity, an air inlet 1316 and an exhaust port 1315, the partition 1314 is movably disposed in the inner cavity and divides the inner cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber, the air inlet 1316 communicates with the first chamber, the exhaust port 1315 communicates with the second chamber, and one end of the piston rod 1312 extends to the second chamber and is connected to the partition 1314.

[0079] With this configuration, when pressurized gas is introduced into the air inlet 1316, the baffle 1314 moves from the first chamber to the second chamber. Correspondingly, the gas in the second chamber is discharged outwards through the exhaust port 1315. Thus, the baffle 1314 can drive the piston rod 1312 to extend, and the piston rod 1312 can lift the support member 121. When pressurized gas is introduced into the exhaust port 1315, the baffle 1314 moves from the second chamber to the first chamber. Correspondingly, the gas in the first chamber is discharged outwards through the air inlet 1316. Thus, the baffle 1314 can drive the piston rod 1312 to retract, and the piston rod 1312 can drive the support member 121 to descend. It should be noted that this type of cylinder is a double-acting cylinder.

[0080] When the cylinder is a double-acting cylinder, when pressurized gas is introduced into the air inlet 1316, the partition 1314 moves from the first chamber to the second chamber. Correspondingly, the gas in the second chamber is discharged outward through the exhaust port 1315. In this way, the piston rod 1312 can be extended by the partition 1314, and the support member 121 can be lifted by the piston rod 1312. When the pressurized gas is stopped being introduced into the first chamber, the partition 1314 moves from the second chamber to the first chamber under the action of gravity. Correspondingly, the gas in the first chamber is discharged outward through the air inlet 1316. In this way, the piston rod 1312 can be retracted by the partition 1314, and the support member 121 can be lowered by the piston rod 1312.

[0081] In the case of a single-acting cylinder, to facilitate the return of the piston rod 1312, the cylinder may also include a spring 1313, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the spring 1313 is sleeved on the outside of the piston rod 1312, with one end of the spring 1313 connected to the side wall of the second chamber away from the first chamber, and the other end connected to the partition plate 1314. Based on this arrangement, under the elastic force of the spring 1313, the partition plate 1314 can be used to move the piston from the second chamber towards the first chamber, thus making it easier for the piston rod 1312 to return to its original position. It should be noted that the spring 1313 here is a compression spring.

[0082] Of course, spring 1313 can also be a tension spring. In this case, one end of spring 1313 is connected to the side wall of the first chamber away from the second chamber, while the other end of spring 1313 is connected to the partition 1314. In this case, the piston rod 1312 can also be pushed back down by the elastic force of spring 1313.

[0083] To improve the stability of the wafer 300 during lifting, the lifting assembly 120 may include multiple support members 121, which are spaced apart in a first direction. Each support member 121 has a second groove 1211. This arrangement allows the wafer 300 to be supported and positioned using the respective second grooves 1211 of the multiple support members 121, thus ensuring the stability of the wafer 300. In actual operation, the edge of the wafer 300 can be placed into the corresponding second grooves 1211 of the multiple support members 121. On the one hand, the multiple support members 121 collectively support the wafer 300; on the other hand, the respective second grooves 1211 of the multiple support members 121 provide support and positioning for the wafer 300.

[0084] Each support member 121 extends along a second direction, wherein the second direction forms a preset angle with the first direction. The angle of the preset angle can be selected according to the actual working conditions, such as 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 150°, 180°, etc. In some embodiments, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0085] For example, the support member 121 can be a long strip structure, such as a long plate, a long rod, a long block, etc., and the specific form is not limited.

[0086] Each support member 121 is provided with a plurality of second grooves 1211, which are spaced apart along a second direction to facilitate the support and positioning of a plurality of wafers 300.

[0087] To enable multiple supports 121 to simultaneously support and limit the same wafer 300, in this embodiment, multiple second grooves 1211 of any two adjacent supports 121 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, in the second direction, the second grooves 1211 of the multiple supports 121 at the same position are aligned sequentially along the first direction to form a groove channel. In this way, the edge of the wafer 300 can be simultaneously placed into the second grooves 1211 of the multiple supports 121 at the same position in the second direction. Thus, the wafer 300 can be supported and limited by multiple second grooves 1211, thereby further improving the stability of the wafer 300.

[0088] Furthermore, the multiple second grooves 1211 of the support member 121 are arranged one-to-one with the first grooves 1121 of the carrier member 112, so that each second groove 1211 of the support member 121 and the corresponding first groove 1121 of the carrier member 112 can jointly support the same wafer 300, so that the same wafer 300 can be supported by the second grooves 1211 of the multiple support members 121 and detached from the corresponding first groove 1121.

[0089] Since each support member 121 has multiple second grooves 1211 in the second direction, multiple groove channels can be formed in the second direction, thereby jointly supporting and limiting multiple wafers 300.

[0090] In some embodiments, the bottom of the second groove 1211 of each of the multiple support members 121 is not located in the same plane, but is a concave surface. In this way, the multiple support members 121 can play a certain role in surrounding the arc edge of the wafer 300, thereby effectively preventing the wafer 300 from rolling relative to the support member 121 or even detaching from the support member 121, thus ensuring the circumferential stability of the wafer 300.

[0091] For example, the number of support members 121 can be two, three, or even more. Of course, the more support members 121 there are, the more obvious the circumferential limiting effect on the wafer 300, and correspondingly, the better the stability of the wafer 300.

[0092] In addition, when the second groove 1211 of the support member 121 is an arc-shaped groove, the support member 121 can also be set as one. In this form, the arc-shaped groove can also adapt to the arc-shaped edge of the wafer 300 and play a better limiting effect on the wafer 300.

[0093] To improve the stability of supporting the wafer 300, at least one support member 121 is provided between every two adjacent support members 112. In this way, the wafer 300 can be stably and smoothly supported by the multiple support members 112, and the contact area with the wafer 300 can be increased by the at least one support member 121 between every two adjacent support members 112, thereby ensuring the stability of supporting the wafer 300.

[0094] In this embodiment, when the lifting assembly 120 includes multiple support members 121, all support members 121 can be connected to the same drive unit 131 to share the same drive unit 131 for driving. Of course, the multiple support members 121 can also be connected to multiple drive units 131 respectively, so that each drive unit 131 can drive the corresponding support member 121 to move.

[0095] In this embodiment, under normal circumstances, the wafer 300 can be supported by the carrier 112 of the carrier component 110, and the edge of the wafer is accommodated and limited by the first groove 1121 to ensure the stability of the wafer 300. During the wafer cleaning process, the wafer 300 can be lifted off the carrier 112 by the support member 121, so that the edge of the wafer 300 disengages from the first groove 1121 and enters the second groove 1211, so that the edge of the wafer 300 is accommodated and limited by the second groove 1211 to ensure the stability of the wafer 300. Compared with the carrier 112 supporting the wafer 300, the support member 121 supports the wafer 300, changing the position of the carrier 112 supporting the wafer 300, so as to facilitate cleaning of the position supported by the carrier 112, thereby achieving comprehensive cleaning of the wafer 300 and ensuring the cleanliness of the wafer 300.

[0096] refer to Figures 1 to 10Based on the aforementioned carrier mechanism 100, this application embodiment also discloses a semiconductor process equipment, including a transfer mechanism and the aforementioned carrier mechanism 100, wherein the transfer end of the transfer mechanism is connected to the carrier mechanism 100. Thus, the transfer mechanism can drive the entire carrier mechanism 100 to move, so as to realize the transfer of the wafer 300 located on the carrier mechanism 100.

[0097] The transfer mechanism can be a lifting mechanism 200, which can drive the bearing mechanism 100 to move up and down. Alternatively, the transfer mechanism can be a translation mechanism, which can drive the bearing mechanism 100 to move horizontally. Furthermore, the transfer mechanism can be any other component capable of driving the bearing mechanism to move; no specific limitations are made here.

[0098] Under certain operating conditions, the lifting mechanism 200 can drive the carrier mechanism 100 and the wafer 300 into the cleaning tank to clean the dirt on the surface of the wafer 300. The driving component 130 drives the lifting component 120 to rise and fall, and the lifting component 120 can drive the wafer 300 to detach from the carrier component 110, so that the area of ​​the wafer 300 covered by the carrier component 110 can come into contact with the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank, thereby achieving cleaning of the entire surface of the wafer 300, preventing dirt residue and ensuring the cleanliness of the wafer 300.

[0099] In summary, in the embodiments of this application, during the cleaning process of wafer 300, the bearing position of wafer 300 can be changed, thereby exposing the contact position between wafer 300 and bearing 112 to the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank, thereby achieving all-round cleaning of wafer 300 and ensuring the cleanliness of wafer 300.

[0100] 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 carrier mechanism for carrying a wafer (300), characterized in that, The bearing mechanism (100) includes: a bearing component (110), a lifting component (120), and a drive component (130); The bearing component (110) has a first groove (1121), and the lifting component (120) has a second groove (1211); The drive component (130) is disposed on the support component (110), and the drive end of the drive component (130) is connected to the lifting component (120) for driving the lifting component (120) to rise and fall; In the first state, the second groove (1211) retracts relative to the first groove (1121) so that the first groove (1121) carries the wafer (300); In the second state, the second groove (1211) extends relative to the first groove (1121) so that the second groove (1211) carries the wafer (300).

2. The bearing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support component (110) includes a base component (111) and a plurality of support components (112) respectively disposed on the base component (111), wherein the plurality of support components (112) are arranged at intervals in a first direction; Each of the carrier members (112) extends along the second direction and is provided with a plurality of first grooves (1121) spaced apart along the second direction, and the plurality of first grooves (1121) of any two adjacent carrier members (112) are provided in a one-to-one correspondence.

3. The bearing mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base component (111) is a concave plate with an inner concave surface, and the plurality of bearing components (112) are respectively connected to the inner concave surface.

4. The bearing mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base component (111) includes a first plate (1111) and a second plate (1112) connected together. The first plate (1111) and the second plate (1112) are set at an obtuse angle, and the plate surface of the first plate (1111) and the plate surface of the second plate (1112) form the concave surface. The first plate (1111) is connected to the support member (112) at one end away from the second plate (1112), the second plate (1112) is connected to the support member (112) at one end away from the first plate (1111), and the support member (112) is connected at the connection between the first plate (1111) and the second plate (1112).

5. The bearing mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The support assembly (110) further includes a fixing frame (113), which is connected to the side of the base (111) away from the support assembly (112); The drive assembly (130) is connected to the fixed frame (113), and the drive end of the drive assembly (130) passes through the base (111) and is connected to the lifting assembly (120) which is located on the same side of the base (111) as the support member (112).

6. The bearing mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fixing frame (113) includes a first half-frame unit (1131) and a second half-frame unit (1132) that are symmetrical to each other in the second direction; The first half-frame unit (1131) and the second half-frame unit (1132) are connected in the second direction and form a receiving space between them, and at least a portion of the drive assembly (130) is disposed in the receiving space.

7. The bearing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly (130) includes a drive unit (131) connected to the support assembly (110), and the drive unit (131) includes a telescopic drive, a rotation drive, or a translation drive.

8. The bearing mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The drive unit (131) is a cylinder, which includes a cylinder body (1311) and a piston rod (1312) that are connected in a mating manner; The drive assembly (130) further includes an air passage (132) connected to the cylinder (1311), and the lifting assembly (120) connected to the piston rod (1312).

9. The bearing mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cylinder also includes a spring (1313) and a partition (1314); The cylinder body (1311) is provided with an inner cavity, an air inlet (1316) and an exhaust port (1315). The partition (1314) is movably disposed in the inner cavity and divides the inner cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber. The air inlet (1316) communicates with the first chamber and the exhaust port (1315) communicates with the second chamber. One end of the piston rod (1312) extends into the second chamber and is connected to the partition (1314); The spring (1313) is sleeved on the outside of the piston rod (1312), and one end of the spring (1313) is connected to the side wall of the second chamber away from the first chamber, and the other end of the spring (1313) is connected to the partition (1314).

10. The bearing mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting assembly (120) includes a plurality of support members (121), which are spaced apart in a first direction; Each of the support members (121) extends along a second direction and is provided with a plurality of second grooves (1211) spaced apart along the second direction, and the plurality of second grooves (1211) of the support member (121) are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the first grooves (1121) of the carrier member (112).

11. The bearing mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that, At least one support member (121) is provided between each two adjacent carrier members (112).

12. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, Includes a transfer mechanism and a load-bearing mechanism (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; The transfer end of the transfer mechanism is connected to the bearing mechanism (100).

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