Wafer in-place judgment mechanism, judgment method and end effector

Abstract

The invention discloses a wafer in-place judgment mechanism, a judgment method and an end effector, the wafer in-place judgment mechanism comprises at least one driving device, the driving device is provided with a telescopic end, the driving device forms a moving path, and the moving path is provided with a first position, a second position and a third position; each moving part is synchronously connected with each telescopic end, and each moving part is provided with at least one shielding plate; the detection assembly is provided with at least two induction spaces; when the telescopic end of the driving device advances to the first position or the second position, one of the at least one shielding plate advances to one of the at least two induction spaces, and the detection assembly sends a wafer retraction signal or an in-place signal; and when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the third position, the shielding plate moves away from the induction space, and the detection assembly does not send out a signal. By adopting the scheme, the wafer in-place judgment step can be simplified, and the wafer in-place judgment efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor wafer transmission equipment, and in particular to a wafer presence determination mechanism, a determination method and an end effector. Background Art

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing equipment, wafer in-place judgment is extremely important. Wafer in-place judgment involves the specific position of the wafer in the processing flow, such as in mask alignment, photolithography, etching, etc. The above steps require extremely precise wafer position to ensure the accuracy of the circuit pattern and the quality of the final product. In addition, during the wafer transmission process, wafer in-place judgment is also essential because it involves whether the wafer is successfully clamped.

[0003] The prior art discloses a wafer clamping mechanism and its transmission equipment, which are mainly composed of a clamping unit and a detection unit. The clamping unit includes a jig block, on which the wafer is placed. The jig block is connected to a lifting structure and can move up and down according to the pressure. The clamping unit is also provided with a clamping claw for fixing the wafer. The clamping claw is composed of two clamping blocks with the same structure and left-right symmetry. The clamping block is movably connected to the jig block and connected to a fixed column through a first pin shaft. When the jig block is lifted and lowered, the clamping block rotates around the first pin shaft. The detection unit includes a distance sensor and a pressure sensor. The detection unit can measure the moving distance of the jig block and the size of the wafer through the distance sensor, and measure the gravity of the wafer through the pressure sensor, so as to obtain the clamping force of the clamping claw, and then judge whether there is any abnormality in the clamping through the clamping force, and finally indirectly feedback whether the wafer is in place through the clamping state. Although the relevant equipment can realize the in-place judgment of the wafer status by analyzing the clamping force of the clamp, it is extremely troublesome to indirectly judge whether the wafer is in place by the clamping force. Data analysis of the clamping force is required to determine whether the wafer is in place, and the judgment steps are relatively redundant.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a wafer presence determination mechanism, determination method and end effector to solve the above problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a wafer presence determination mechanism, determination method and end effector, so as to simplify the wafer presence determination steps and improve the wafer presence determination efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a wafer presence determination mechanism, comprising: At least one driving device, each driving device having a telescopic end, the driving device being capable of driving the telescopic end to move and form a moving path, the moving path having a first position, a second position and a third position, the first position and the second position being distributed in the order in which the telescopic end arrives; At least one moving member, each of the moving members is synchronously connected to each of the telescopic ends, and each of the moving members is provided with at least one shielding plate; A detection component having at least two sensing spaces, which are respectively arranged on a motion track formed by the shielding plate of the moving member following the movement of the telescopic end; Among them, when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the first position or the second position, one of the at least one baffle plate moves to one of the at least two sensing spaces, and the detection component sends a wafer retraction signal or an in-place signal; when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the third position, the baffle plate moves away from the sensing space, and the detection component does not send a signal.

[0007] The beneficial effect of a wafer in-situ judgment mechanism provided by the present invention is that by introducing a combination of a driving device, a moving part and a detection component, the process of wafer in-situ judgment is optimized. Specifically, the wafer clamping process must have a driving device that can drive the clamping device to move, and the telescopic end of the driving device can be accurately moved to three preset positions, and cooperate with at least one shielding plate to realize direct sensing of the wafer position. When the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the first position or the second position, one of the at least one shielding plate moves to one of the at least two sensing spaces, so that the detection component immediately sends a wafer retraction signal or a wafer in-situ signal; when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the third position, the shielding plate moves away from the sensing space, and the detection component does not send a signal at this time. This direct signal feedback mechanism greatly reduces the dependence on clamping force and data analysis, simplifies the judgment steps, improves the reaction speed, and reduces the risk of misjudgment caused by environmental factors.

[0008] Furthermore, the moving member is provided with a first shielding plate and a second shielding plate; The detection component has a first sensing space and a second sensing space; Among them, when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the second position, the first baffle plate moves to the first sensing space, and the detection component sends a wafer in-place signal; when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the first position, the second baffle plate moves to the second sensing space, and the detection component sends a retraction signal.

[0009] Furthermore, the detection component includes a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor and the second sensor both have a transmitting end and a receiving end, the first sensing space is formed between the transmitting end and the receiving end of the first sensor, and the second sensing space is formed between the transmitting end and the receiving end of the second sensor.

[0010] Furthermore, the moving member also includes a moving seat and a moving plate, the moving seat is arranged on the telescopic end of the driving device, the moving plate is arranged on the moving seat, and the first shielding plate and the second shielding plate are respectively arranged on both sides of the moving plate away from the moving seat.

[0011] Furthermore, the driving device includes a driving source and a push rod connected to the driving source, the movable seat is mounted on the push rod, the driving source is used to drive the push rod to move in a linear direction, and the telescopic end is located on the push rod.

[0012] Further, the number of the driving devices is three; The number of the moving parts is three, two of which are provided with first shielding plates, and the other one is provided with the first shielding plate and the second shielding plate. The detection assembly includes three of the first sensors and one of the second sensors; The three first shielding plates cooperate with the three first sensors respectively, and when the telescopic end of the driving device retracts to the first position, the second shielding plate moves to the second sensing space, and the second sensor sends a synchronous reset signal.

[0013] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides an end effector, comprising the above-mentioned wafer presence determination mechanism, and also comprising a wafer clamping device for clamping or detaching the wafer.

[0014] The beneficial effect of an end effector provided by the present invention is that by integrating a wafer in-place judgment mechanism, the end effector can quickly judge the position of the wafer, reduce the delay in the traditional steps, and thus improve the overall work efficiency. In conjunction with the wafer clamping device, the movement of the clamping device can be accurately controlled, making the wafer in-place judgment and transmission more reliable and reducing the possibility of misjudgment.

[0015] Furthermore, the wafer clamping device includes two relatively arranged clamping wheels, a clamping seat and a clamping finger body, the two clamping wheels together form a clamping space for accommodating the wafer, the two clamping wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the telescopic end, and are tangent to the wafer in the clamping state, the clamping wheels are connected to the clamping seat, and the clamping seat is arranged on the clamping finger body.

[0016] Furthermore, the clamping wheel comprises a fixed column and a rotating sleeve, and the rotating sleeve is rotatably mounted on the fixed column.

[0017] Furthermore, it also includes a power source, and there are multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms, and the multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms are arranged in parallel and driven by one power source, and the power source is used to drive the telescopic ends of the multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms to move synchronously.

[0018] In a third aspect, the present invention further provides a wafer presence determination method, using the above-mentioned wafer presence determination mechanism, the method comprising: Controlling the telescopic end of the driving device to be in a first position; During the process of driving the telescopic end to move from the initial first position to the second position, monitoring whether the shielding plate stays in the first sensing space; When the shielding plate stays in the first sensing space, the detection component sends a wafer-in-place signal; When the shielding plate does not stop but moves through the first sensing space to the third position, the telescopic end is located at the end of the travel of the driving device, and the detection component does not send a signal, indicating that the wafer is not in place; The telescopic end is driven to reset to the first position, the shielding plate is monitored to enter the second sensing space, and a retraction signal is received from the detection component to confirm that the telescopic end of the driving device is retracted into place.

[0019] The beneficial effect of the wafer in-place judgment method provided by the present invention is that the state of the shielding plate is monitored in real time when the driving device moves, so that the wafer in-place status can be confirmed in time and responded quickly. The retraction signal is monitored during the reset stage to ensure that the driving device is completely returned to the safe position, effectively avoiding the reset failure affecting the subsequent process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an end effector in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of the wafer in-place judgment mechanism at point A; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a wafer being clamped in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of three driving devices in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of the wafer in-place judgment mechanism at point B; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of one of the three wafer clamping devices of the present invention without a wafer; Figure 7 Schematic diagram of two of the three wafer clamping devices of the present invention without wafers; Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of three wafer clamping devices of the present invention without wafers; Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the telescopic ends of the three driving devices in the embodiment of the present invention being retracted; Fig.10 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of three driving devices in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure numerals: 1. driving device; 11. first position; 12. second position; 13. third position; 14. push rod; 141. telescopic end; 2. moving part; 21. first baffle plate; 22. second baffle plate; 23. moving seat; 24. moving plate; 241. avoidance part; 242. extension part; 3. detection component; 31. first sensor; 32. second sensor; 33. transmitting end; 34. receiving end; 4. wafer clamping device; 41. clamping wheel; 411. fixed column; 412. rotating sleeve; 42. clamping seat; 43. clamping finger body; 5. wafer to be picked up and placed; 51. front baffle plate; 52. rear baffle plate; 6. slider; 61. slide rail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used herein should be understood by people with general skills in the field to which the present invention belongs. "Including" and similar words used in this article mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0023] The present invention is applicable to the semiconductor wafer transmission equipment industry. For example, a wafer in-position judgment mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention can quickly and accurately judge whether the wafer is in the correct position during the wafer transmission process, thereby improving production efficiency, reducing processing errors and losses caused by position deviations, and ensuring high-quality semiconductor manufacturing.

[0024] The specific implementation modes of the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The wafer in-situ determination mechanism of the present invention includes a driving device 1, a moving part 2 and a detection component 3.

[0026] The driving device 1 has a telescopic end 141 that can move in a straight line, and the driving device 1 can drive the telescopic end 141 to move to a first position 11, a second position 12, and a third position 13 on the moving path. Specifically, the driving device 1 also includes a driving source and a push rod 14 connected to the driving source, the telescopic end 141 is located on the push rod 14, and the driving source is used to drive the push rod 14 to move in a straight line direction.

[0027] When the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 moves to the starting point of the stroke, it is located at the first position 11; when it moves to the position for clamping the wafer, it is at the second position 12; when it moves to the end of the stroke, it is at the third position 13. The first position 11, the second position 12 and the third position 13 are sequentially distributed in the direction close to the wafer.

[0028] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments of the present invention, the driving device 1 adopts a pneumatic actuator, which is a device that uses compressed air as a power source and is widely used in semiconductor and other automation control systems. When the pneumatic actuator is controlled by an external air source, the telescopic end 141 in the pneumatic actuator can move in a straight line and pass through the first position 11, the second position 12 and the third position 13 in sequence; or move in the opposite direction and pass through the third position 13, the second position 12 and the first position 11 in sequence. That is, the driving device 1 has three states, retracted, clamped and extended. In the absence of human interference or foreign objects, it will not stop at any position. There will only be three positions: the starting position of the stroke when it is retracted, the clamping position of the wafer when there is a wafer, and the end position of the stroke when there is no wafer.

[0029] In other embodiments of the present invention, the driving device 1 is an electric push rod or a hydraulic drive, and the telescopic end 141 on the push rod 14 is driven by a power source such as an electric motor drive or a hydraulic drive to achieve precise linear motion, thereby achieving the placement and transmission of wafers.

[0030] The moving member 2 is connected to the telescopic end 141 on the push rod 14, and the first baffle plate 21 and the second baffle plate 22 are arranged on the left and right sides of the moving member 2. Specifically, the moving member 2 includes a moving seat 23 and a moving plate 24, and the moving seat 23 is arranged on the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1. Specifically, the moving seat 23 is sleeved on the pushing rod 14. The moving plate 24 is arranged on the moving seat 23, and the first baffle plate 21 and the second baffle plate 22 are respectively arranged on both sides of the moving plate 24 away from the moving seat 23. The detection component 3 has a first sensing space and a second sensing space, and the detection component 3 is arranged on the driving device 1. The first sensing space is located between the second sensing space and the wafer to be clamped.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, the detection component 3 includes a first sensor 31 and a second sensor 32, each of which has a transmitting end 33 and a receiving end 34. The transmitting end 33 and the receiving end 34 of the first sensor 31 are arranged opposite to each other and form a first sensing space. Similarly, the transmitting end 33 and the receiving end 34 of the second sensor 32 form a second sensing space.

[0032] Specifically, the wafer to be taken and placed is located in a fixed area surrounded by two front baffles 51 and two rear baffles 52. The moving seat 23 on the push rod 14 is driven to move in the direction close to the wafer by driving the push rod 14. Among them, when the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 moves to the second position 12 for clamping the wafer, the first baffle plate 21 moves to the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, and the detection component 3 sends a wafer in place signal. At this time, the baffle plate on the moving plate 24 does not pass through the second sensing space; when the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 moves to the first position 11 located at the starting point of the stroke, at this time, the second baffle plate 22 moves to the second sensing space, the first baffle plate 21 does not pass through the first sensing space, and the detection component 3 sends a retraction signal; when the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 moves to the third position 13, the detection component 3 does not send a signal.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, the movable plate 24 includes a avoiding portion 241 and a protruding portion 242. The avoiding portion 241 is arranged near the edge of the first sensor 31 or the second sensor 32, and the protruding portion 242 is close to the avoiding portion 241 and away from the push rod 14. The avoiding portion 241 can avoid touching the first sensor 31 or the second sensor 32 when the movable seat 23 moves, thereby avoiding interference. The protruding portion 242 is located above the first sensor 31, and the first shielding plate 21 and the second shielding plate 22 are respectively arranged on the protruding portions 242 on both sides, and the first shielding plate 21 and the second shielding plate 22 are located on different horizontal planes from the movable plate 24. In one embodiment, the first shielding plate 21 and the second shielding plate 22 are arranged vertically to the movable plate 24. The transmitting end 33 and the receiving end 34 are located on both sides of the moving direction of the first shielding plate 21 or the second shielding plate 22. Then, when the first shielding plate 21 moves to between the transmitting end 33 and the receiving end 34 of the first sensor 31, the first sensor 31 sends a wafer in place signal. At the same time, the second shielding plate 22 does not pass through the second sensing space, that is, the second shielding plate 22 does not pass between the transmitting end 33 and the receiving end 34 of the second sensor 32, and therefore does not send out a retraction signal.

[0034] By introducing the combination of the driving device 1, the moving part 2 and the detection component 3, the process of wafer in-situ judgment is optimized. Specifically, the wafer clamping process must have a driving device 1 that can drive the clamping device to move, and the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 can be accurately moved to three preset positions, and the first and second shielding plates 22 are used to realize direct sensing of the wafer position. When the telescopic end 141 reaches the second position 12, the first shielding plate 21 enters the first sensing space and immediately sends a wafer in-situ signal, indicating that the wafer is in the correct position; and when the telescopic end 141 returns to the first position 11, the second shielding plate 22 enters the second sensing space and sends a retraction signal. Through the movement of the driving device 1, not only can the wafer be clamped and placed, but also the mobile mechanism can be used to realize the wafer in-situ judgment. By directly using the movement of the driving device 1 to feedback whether the wafer is in place or whether the driving device 1 is reset, this signal feedback mechanism greatly reduces the reliance on clamping force and data analysis in the prior art, simplifies the judgment steps, improves the reaction speed, and reduces the risk of misjudgment caused by environmental factors. In addition, it is avoided to set up multiple sensors. Only the first sensor 31 and the second sensor 32 can be used to determine whether the wafer is in place and whether the driving device 1 is reset, thereby saving detection costs and detection time.

[0035] In some other embodiments of the present invention, there are three driving devices 1 and moving parts 2, the detection component 3 includes three first sensors 31 and one second sensor 32, two moving parts 2 are provided with first baffles 21, one moving part 2 is provided with a first baffle 21 and a second baffle 22, the three first baffles 21 cooperate with the three first sensors 31 respectively, when the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 retracts to the first position 11, the second baffle 22 moves to the second sensing space, and the second sensor 32 sends a synchronous reset signal.

[0036] Specifically, when the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 is retracted to the first position 11, the second shielding plate 22 moves to between the transmitting end 33 and the receiving end 34 of the second sensor 32 for detecting the retracted state of the moving part 2, and the second sensor 32 sends a retracted signal of the moving part 2. Because it is retracted synchronously, it represents that the three drive devices 1 and the moving part 2 are all retracted to the starting position of the stroke, thereby achieving the effect of detecting the retracted state of the three moving parts 2 by a second sensor 32, saving the detection cost. However, if there is a wafer in the forward direction of one drive device 1 and no wafer in the forward direction of another drive device 1, they cannot actually move forward and backward together. The drive devices 1 will start to move forward at the same time, but will not stop at the same position.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 4 The present invention also provides an end effector, including the above-mentioned wafer in-place judgment mechanism, and also including a wafer clamping device 4 for clamping or detaching a wafer. The wafer clamping device 4 includes two clamping wheels 41 arranged opposite to each other, a clamping seat 42 and a clamping finger body 43, the two clamping wheels 41 together form a clamping space for accommodating a wafer, the two clamping wheels 41 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the telescopic end 141, the clamping wheels 41 are connected to the clamping seat 42, and the clamping seat 42 is arranged on the clamping finger body 43.

[0038] Specifically, through the designed clamping wheel 41 and clamping seat 42, the end effector can quickly clamp or release the wafer on the basis of precise positioning, ensuring high efficiency during wafer transmission. The clamping wheel 41 includes a fixed column 411 and a rotating sleeve 412, and the rotating sleeve 412 is arranged on the fixed column 411. When the clamping wheel 41 clamps the wafer, it is tangent to the wafer. The clamping device adopts two symmetrically arranged clamping wheels 41, so that the clamping and releasing actions can be completed quickly, greatly shortening the residence time of the wafer during the transmission process. The clamping wheel 41 can evenly distribute the force during the clamping process, avoid damage or slipping of the wafer caused by uneven force, and ensure the reliability of the clamping process. The design of the rotating sleeve 412 can effectively disperse the friction during clamping, reduce the direct contact area between the clamping wheel 41 and the wafer, and thus reduce wear.

[0039] In other embodiments of the present invention, the end effector further includes a power source, and there are multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms, and the multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms are arranged horizontally in parallel and superimposed and driven by a power source, and the power source is used to drive the telescopic ends 141 of the multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms to move synchronously. When the driving device 1 is a pneumatic actuator, the multiple pneumatic actuators share a total air intake and exhaust, and one air source is responsible for supplying air to multiple cylinders. The three cylinders move forward and backward together, which significantly improves the utilization efficiency of the air source. In addition, since multiple pneumatic actuators are supplied with air through the same air source, the delay in the gas flow process is reduced, so that the end effector can complete the clamping and releasing actions more quickly, thereby improving the overall production efficiency. By arranging multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms horizontally in parallel and superimposed, the overall structure of the end effector is more compact, saving the installation space of the equipment. This design is particularly suitable for semiconductor manufacturing environments with limited space, and helps to improve the integration of equipment.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, there are three driving devices 1 and wafer clamping devices 4. That is, three-finger working scenario: Reference Figure 5 In some embodiments, the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 on the far left is located at the second position 12, i.e., the position for clamping the wafer, and the first shielding plate 21 on the far left is located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer is in place on the leftmost wafer in-place judgment mechanism, and then judging that the wafer clamping mechanism has successfully clamped the wafer; the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 in the middle is also located at the second position 12, i.e., the position for clamping the wafer, and the first shielding plate 21 in the middle is located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer is in place on the wafer in-place judgment mechanism in the middle; the moving part 2 on the far right has two shielding plates, i.e., the first shielding plate 21 and the second shielding plate 22. The first shielding plate 21 and the second shielding plate 22 can be located on the same side or on both sides of the push rod 14, which is not limited here. Among them, the telescopic end 141 of the rightmost driving device 1 is located at the second position 12, that is, the position of clamping the wafer, and the first shielding plate 21 on the upper rightmost side is located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer is in place on the rightmost wafer in-place judgment mechanism. The first shielding plate 21 on the lower rightmost side is not located in the second sensing space, proving that the wafer is not reset at this time. Therefore, in the above implementation, all three wafers are in place.

[0041] Reference Figure 6In some embodiments, the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 on the far left is located at the second position 12, that is, the position for clamping the wafer, and the first baffle plate 21 on the far left is located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer on the leftmost wafer in-place judgment mechanism is in place, and then it is determined that the wafer clamping mechanism has successfully clamped the wafer; the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 in the middle is located at the third position 13, that is, the position of the end of the stroke, and the first baffle plate 21 in the middle is not located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer on the middle wafer in-place judgment mechanism is not in place, that is, there is no wafer on the middle wafer clamping device 4; the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 on the far right is located at the second position 12, that is, the position for clamping the wafer, and the upper first baffle plate 21 on the far right is located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer on the rightmost wafer in-place judgment mechanism is in place.

[0042] Reference Figure 7 In some embodiments, the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 located on the far left is located at the third position 13, which is the end of the stroke, indicating that the wafer on the leftmost wafer in-place judgment mechanism is not in place, and further determining that there is no wafer on the wafer clamping mechanism; the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 located in the middle is located at the third position 13, which is the end of the stroke, and the first baffle plate 21 in the middle is not located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer on the middle wafer in-place judgment mechanism is also not in place, that is, there is no wafer on the middle wafer clamping device 4; the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 on the far right is located at the second position 12, which is the position for clamping the wafer, and the upper first baffle plate 21 on the far right is located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer on the rightmost wafer in-place judgment mechanism is in place.

[0043] Reference Figure 8 In some embodiments, the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 on the far left is located at the third position 13, which is the end of the stroke, indicating that the wafer on the leftmost wafer in-place judgment mechanism is not in place, and further determining that there is no wafer on the wafer clamping mechanism; the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 in the middle is located at the third position 13, which is the end of the stroke, and the first baffle plate 21 in the middle is not located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, indicating that the wafer on the middle wafer in-place judgment mechanism is also not in place, that is, there is no wafer on the middle wafer clamping device 4; the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 on the far right is located at the third position 13, which is the end of the stroke, and the first baffle plate 21 on the far right is not located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, and the second baffle plate 22 on the far right is not located in the second sensing space of the second sensor 32, indicating that at this time all three drive devices 1 are located at the end of the stroke and there are no wafers.

[0044] Reference Fig. 9In some embodiments, the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 on the far left is located at the first position 11, which is the starting point of the stroke; the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 in the middle is also located at the first position 11; the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 on the far right is located at the third position 13, and the upper first baffle plate 21 on the far right is not located in the first sensing space of the first sensor 31, and the lower second baffle plate 22 is located in the second sensing space of the second sensor 32, which means that at this time, the telescopic ends 141 of the three driving devices 1 are all located at the end of the stroke, that is, the three moving parts 2 are successfully retracted and safely reset.

[0045] Reference Fig.10 In some other embodiments of the present invention, the driving device 1 is further provided with a slider 6 and a slide rail 61, which are arranged between the push rod 14 and the body of the end effector to limit the sliding track and improve stability.

[0046] In a third aspect, the present invention further provides a wafer presence determination method, using the above-mentioned wafer presence determination mechanism, the method comprising: Controlling the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 to be in the first position 11; The telescopic end 141 of the pneumatic actuator is driven to move from the starting first position 11 to the second position 12 where the wafer is placed, and the baffle is monitored to see whether it enters the first sensing space. When the baffle stays in the first sensing space, the detection component 3 sends a wafer-in-place signal to confirm that the wafer is in place. Through real-time monitoring, it is possible to immediately confirm whether the wafer is in place, thereby reducing judgment time and improving efficiency.

[0047] When the shielding plate does not stop but moves through the first sensing space to the third position 13, the telescopic end 141 is located at the end of the travel of the driving device 1, and the detection component 3 does not send a signal, indicating that the wafer is not in place, which means that there is no wafer on the current wafer clamping device 4; The telescopic end 141 is driven to reset to the first position 11, the shielding plate is monitored to enter the second sensing space, the detection component 3 is received to determine whether the retraction signal is sent, the telescopic end 141 of the driving device 1 is confirmed to be retracted, and the driving device 1 is confirmed to be safely reset. The reset signal feedback of the moving part 2 is ensured, which helps to confirm the system reset.

[0048] In summary, the first aspect of the present invention can quickly confirm the in-situ state of the wafer and reduce the risk caused by positioning errors by controlling and utilizing the movement of the telescopic end 141 of the drive device 1 between three positions, combined with the instant feedback of the detection component 3. In addition, by reducing the reliance on multiple sensors, the system structure is simplified and the response speed is improved. The second aspect solves the problems of uneven force distribution and long clamping time during wafer clamping and release by introducing an optimized layout of the clamping device and the clamping wheel 41. By adopting a symmetrically arranged clamping wheel 41, the clamping force can be distributed more evenly, thereby reducing the risk of wafer damage and improving the reliability of clamping. The second aspect controls the movement of the telescopic end 141 in a preset position, and cooperates with the design of the baffle plate and the sensing space to not only realize the judgment of the in-situ state of the wafer, but also realize the judgment of whether the drive device 1 is safely reset.

[0049] Although the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. Moreover, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and may be implemented or realized in a variety of ways.

Claims

1. A wafer in-place judgment mechanism, characterized in that: include: At least one driving device, each driving device having a telescopic end, the driving device being capable of driving the telescopic end to move and form a moving path, the moving path having a first position, a second position and a third position, the first position and the second position being distributed in the order in which the telescopic end arrives; At least one moving member, each of the moving members is synchronously connected to each of the telescopic ends, and each of the moving members is provided with at least one shielding plate; A detection component having at least two sensing spaces, which are respectively arranged on a motion track formed by the shielding plate of the moving member following the movement of the telescopic end; Among them, when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the first position or the second position, one of the at least one baffle moves to one of the at least two sensing spaces, and the detection component sends a wafer retraction signal or an in-place signal; when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the third position, the baffle moves away from the sensing space, and the detection component does not send a signal.

2. The wafer in-place determination mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving member is provided with a first shielding plate and a second shielding plate; The detection component has a first sensing space and a second sensing space; Among them, when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the second position, the first baffle plate moves to the first sensing space, and the detection component sends a wafer in-place signal; when the telescopic end of the driving device moves to the first position, the second baffle plate moves to the second sensing space, and the detection component sends a retraction signal.

3. The wafer in-place determination mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection component includes a first sensor and a second sensor, each of the first sensor and the second sensor has a transmitting end and a receiving end, the first sensing space is formed between the transmitting end and the receiving end of the first sensor, and the second sensing space is formed between the transmitting end and the receiving end of the second sensor.

4. The wafer in-place determination mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving member further comprises a moving seat and a moving plate, wherein the moving seat is arranged on the telescopic end of the driving device, the moving plate is arranged on the moving seat, and the first shielding plate and the second shielding plate are respectively arranged on two sides of the moving plate away from the moving seat.

5. The wafer in-place determination mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The driving device comprises a driving source and a push rod connected to the driving source, the movable seat is sleeved on the push rod, the driving source is used to drive the push rod to move in a straight line direction, and the telescopic end is located on the push rod.

6. The wafer presence determination mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The number of the driving devices is three; The number of the moving parts is three, two of which are provided with first shielding plates, and the other one is provided with the first shielding plate and the second shielding plate. The detection assembly includes three of the first sensors and one of the second sensors; The three first shielding plates cooperate with the three first sensors respectively, and when the telescopic end of the driving device retracts to the first position, the second shielding plate moves to the second sensing space, and the second sensor sends a synchronous reset signal.

7. An end effector, characterized in that: It comprises the wafer in-situ determination mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and also comprises a wafer clamping device for clamping or detaching the wafer.

8. The end effector according to claim 7, characterized in that: The wafer clamping device includes two relatively arranged clamping wheels, a clamping seat and a clamping finger body. The two clamping wheels together form a clamping space for accommodating the wafer. The two clamping wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the telescopic end and are tangent to the wafer in the clamping state. The clamping wheels are connected to the clamping seat, and the clamping seat is arranged on the clamping finger body.

9. The end effector according to claim 8, characterized in that: The clamping wheel comprises a fixed column and a rotating sleeve, and the rotating sleeve is rotatably mounted on the fixed column.

10. The end effector according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes a power source, and there are multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms. The multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms are arranged in parallel and driven by one power source. The power source is used to drive the telescopic ends of the multiple wafer in-place judgment mechanisms to move synchronously.

11. A wafer presence determination method, using the wafer presence determination mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The method comprises: Controlling the telescopic end of the driving device to be in a first position; During the process of driving the telescopic end to move from the initial first position to the second position, monitoring whether the shielding plate stays in the first sensing space; When the shielding plate stays in the first sensing space, the detection component sends a wafer-in-place signal; When the shielding plate does not stop but moves through the first sensing space to the third position, the telescopic end is located at the end of the travel of the driving device, and the detection component does not send a signal, indicating that the wafer is not in place; The telescopic end is driven to reset to the first position, the shielding plate is monitored to enter the second sensing space, and a retraction signal is received from the detection component to confirm that the telescopic end of the driving device is retracted into place.

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