Wafer cutting methods and wafer storage

Abstract

This application provides a wafer unloading method and a wafer storage container, relating to the field of semiconductor technology. The wafer unloading method provided by this application can be implemented by the wafer storage container without the need for additional wafer transport equipment, thus improving the integration of the wafer processing system. Furthermore, the wafer storage container provided by this application is equipped with a carrier platform for placing recycling wafer cassettes, allowing wafers requiring recycling to be placed in these recycling cassettes during unloading. Therefore, defective wafers appearing in the wafer processing system can be directly transported to the wafer storage container via wafer carrier equipment during recycling, and the recycling wafer cassettes within the aforementioned wafer storage container achieve unified storage and management of the recycled wafers, eliminating the need to store defective wafers at the process equipment. The aforementioned setup improves the integration of the wafer processing system and reduces the difficulty of recycling defective wafers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, specifically to wafer cutting methods and wafer storage facilities. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor technology, wafers are typically made of single-crystal silicon or other semiconductor materials and have the shape of a circular thin sheet. The wafer manufacturing process includes several key steps, and these thin sheets are processed through processes such as polishing, doping, photolithography, and etching to form the desired circuit structure.

[0003] Given that wafer fabrication processes in semiconductor manufacturing often require highly clean environments, and that cleanrooms are costly to build, optimizing wafer fabrication processes and reducing the space occupied by process equipment is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a wafer cutting method and a wafer storage library. The wafer cutting method provided by this application can be implemented in the wafer storage library without the need for additional wafer transfer equipment, thereby improving the integration of the wafer processing system.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a wafer unloading method applied to a wafer storage warehouse. The wafer storage warehouse is equipped with a wafer moving mechanism, a wafer cassette moving mechanism, and multiple carrier platforms for the wafer cassettes. The multiple carrier platforms include a recycling carrier platform, and recycling wafer cassettes on the recycling carrier platform are used to recycle wafers. The wafer unloading method includes: responding to a wafer unloading request, driving the wafer moving mechanism to securely engage with a target wafer in a wafer carrier device outside the wafer storage warehouse; determining whether the target wafer is a recycling wafer; if so, driving the wafer moving mechanism to move the target wafer and place it in the recycling wafer cassette; if not, determining the target wafer cassette corresponding to the target wafer and driving the wafer moving mechanism to move the target wafer and place it in the target wafer cassette.

[0006] Optionally, the wafer moving mechanism carries the target wafer and places it into a wafer cassette on the recycling platform, including: determining the target slot of the target wafer based on the loading status of the recycling wafer cassette; aligning the target wafer with the target slot and placing the target wafer in the target slot.

[0007] Optionally, the method further includes: in response to a fully loaded recycling wafer cassette, driving a wafer cassette moving mechanism to remove the recycling wafer cassette and place it in the wafer cassette exchange area of ​​the wafer storage repository. The method also includes re-identifying the recycling wafer cassette from among wafer cassettes on multiple carriers and driving the wafer cassette moving mechanism to place the re-identified recycling wafer cassette on a recycling carrier.

[0008] Optionally, the method further includes: updating the loading status of the recycling wafer cassette in response to the wafer being placed in the recycling wafer cassette. In response to the target wafer being determined to be a recycling wafer and / or the wafer unloading request being completed and the wafer unloading request including a recycling wafer, determining whether the recycling wafer cassette has empty slots based on the updated loading status of the recycling wafer cassette. If not, determining that the recycling wafer cassette is fully loaded with wafers.

[0009] Optionally, the wafer storage repository is provided with a wafer exchange window, and the wafer carrier device is parked outside the wafer exchange window. A vertically moving platform is provided inside the wafer storage repository. A wafer cassette moving mechanism and a wafer moving mechanism are disposed on the moving platform and are connected to the moving platform via a lifting mechanism. In response to a wafer unloading request, the wafer moving mechanism is driven to securely engage with a target wafer in the wafer carrier device outside the wafer storage repository, including: in response to the wafer unloading request, driving the moving platform to move the wafer moving mechanism to the engagement height of the wafer carrier device; driving the wafer moving mechanism to move towards the wafer carrier device and extend beyond the wafer exchange window to securely engage with the target wafer inside the wafer carrier device.

[0010] Optionally, the recycling platform is positioned above the movement range of the mobile platform and close to the wafer exchange window; driving the wafer moving mechanism to move the target wafer and place it into the recycling wafer cassette includes: driving the wafer moving mechanism to move the target wafer away from the wafer carrying device; driving a lifting mechanism to move the wafer moving mechanism to a suitable height for the recycling wafer cassette; and driving the wafer moving mechanism to move into the recycling wafer cassette to place the target wafer into the recycling wafer cassette.

[0011] Optionally, a movable carrier stage among the multiple carrier stages is set on a movable platform. Determining the target wafer cassette corresponding to the target wafer includes: determining whether a wafer cassette exists on the movable carrier stage. If yes, the wafer cassette on the movable carrier stage is configured as the target wafer cassette. If not, the target wafer cassette is determined from the multiple carrier stages, and a wafer cassette moving mechanism is driven to carry the target wafer cassette to the movable carrier stage.

[0012] Optionally, determining the target wafer cell from multiple carrier stages includes: determining candidate wafer cells from wafer cells on the multiple carrier stages, wherein the candidate wafer cells have wafer cell identifiers reflecting the completion of the current process. The target wafer cell is then determined from the candidate wafer cells.

[0013] Optionally, determining whether the target wafer is a recycled wafer includes: in response to a wafer unloading request that includes a recycled wafer, determining the recycling slot of the recycled wafer in the wafer unloading request. It also involves determining whether the slot of the target wafer in the wafer carrier equipment matches a recycling slot. If so, the target wafer is determined to be a recycled wafer.

[0014] Secondly, this application provides a wafer storage repository, which includes a controller, a wafer moving mechanism, a wafer cassette moving mechanism, and multiple wafer cassette support platforms. The multiple support platforms include a recycling support platform, and recycling wafer cassettes on the recycling support platform are used to recycle wafers. The controller is communicatively connected to the wafer moving mechanism and the wafer cassette moving mechanism, and is used to execute the wafer unloading method described in any of the foregoing descriptions.

[0015] This application provides a wafer unloading method and a wafer storage repository. The wafer unloading method provided by this application can be implemented by the wafer storage repository without the need for additional wafer transport equipment, thus improving the integration of the wafer processing system. Furthermore, the wafer storage repository provided by this application is equipped with a carrier platform for placing recycling wafer cassettes, allowing wafers requiring recycling to be placed in these recycling cassettes during wafer unloading. Therefore, defective wafers appearing in the wafer processing system can be directly transported to the wafer storage repository via wafer carrier equipment during recycling, and the recycling wafer cassettes within the wafer storage repository enable unified storage and management of recycled wafers, eliminating the need to store defective wafers at the process equipment. The aforementioned setup improves the integration of the wafer processing system and reduces the difficulty of recycling defective wafers. Attached Figure Description

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer fabrication process provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer storage device provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a top view of the interior of a wafer storage repository provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a wafer unloading method in a wafer storage warehouse, provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a wafer placement process provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a conventional wafer placement process provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0023] Among them, 100 is a wafer processing system; 110 is a processing unit; 120 is a wafer handling system; 200 is a wafer storage warehouse; 210 is a wafer moving mechanism; 220 is a wafer box moving mechanism; 230 is a carrier platform; 231 is a recycled wafer box; 240 is a wafer exchange window; and 300 is a wafer carrying device. Detailed Implementation

[0024] 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, and 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.

[0025] Application Overview:

[0026] With the development of wafer fabrication technology, Automatic Material Handling Systems (AMHS) are generally used for wafer transfer in wafer fabrication. Based on AMHS, wafer fabrication equipment can be integrated into multiple processing units 110 during the wafer fabrication process, thereby enabling the transfer of wafers between different units and within processing units 110 through AMHS.

[0027] To further illustrate the AMHS-based wafer fabrication process, this application provides a schematic diagram of a wafer fabrication system 100. Figure 1 The wafer processing system 100 can be understood as a collection of process equipment used in wafer processing.

[0028] like Figure 1As shown, the wafer processing system 100 may include multiple processing units 110. A processing unit 110 may refer to a cluster of related equipment for one or more processes in the wafer processing technology; that is, a wafer can complete a corresponding processing technology after passing through a corresponding processing unit 110.

[0029] After wafers are assembled, they generally undergo processes such as surface polishing, cleaning, oxidation, photolithography, etching, ion implantation, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, chemical mechanical polishing, interconnection, testing, dicing, packaging, and final testing to form semiconductor devices.

[0030] In practical applications, the overall wafer processing can be divided into multiple continuous processing steps according to the actual semiconductor manufacturing requirements. The process equipment of each processing step can form the aforementioned processing unit 110, so that after the wafer enters the processing unit 110, it is automatically / semi-automatically processed by each process equipment to complete the corresponding processing task.

[0031] To enable automatic / semi-automatic material handling in the aforementioned processing unit 110, a wafer handling system can also be integrated into the aforementioned wafer processing system 100. This wafer handling system is an AMHS (Ambidextrous Metal Handling System) applied to wafer processing. In the aforementioned wafer processing system 100, it is mainly used to transfer wafers between processing units 110 and to load and unload wafers for each processing unit 110.

[0032] In practical applications, one or more wafers are typically directly transferred within processing unit 110 for processing using corresponding equipment. Wafers can also be transferred between processing units 110 via wafer cassettes.

[0033] A wafer cassette is a container used in semiconductor manufacturing to hold and transport wafers. Wafer cassettes are primarily used for handling and storing wafers to simplify transportation and reduce the risk of contamination. The interior of a wafer cassette has symmetrical grooves of strictly uniform size to support the two sides of the wafer; typically, one wafer cassette can hold 25 wafers.

[0034] In the wafer processing system 100, the wafer pod can be configured as a front-opening unified pod (FOUP). That is, the wafer pod is open at the front to allow for the retrieval or storage of wafers. Furthermore, in the wafer processing system 100, the wafer pods of different processing units 110 are presented in different styles (mainly distinguished by pod color) to differentiate the different processing stages of the wafers.

[0035] Based on the aforementioned wafer cassette, in the wafer handling system, the wafer cassette can be transferred between processing units 110 and wafers can be extracted from the wafer cassette within the processing unit 110. Therefore, the aforementioned wafer handling system may include a wafer cassette carrier and a wafer carrier.

[0036] Wafer cassette transport equipment refers to equipment that transports wafer cassettes between processing units 110. Specifically, wafer cassette transport equipment typically achieves automated or semi-automated wafer cassette transport between processing units 110 through devices capable of handling wafer cassettes. For example, wafer cassette transport equipment can be implemented using overhead hoist transport (OHT), automated material robot (AMR), conveyor, or other transport equipment.

[0037] Similar to the aforementioned wafer carrier equipment, the wafer carrier equipment can refer to equipment that transports wafers within the processing unit 110, or it can be implemented using the aforementioned handling equipment. Furthermore, it should be noted that the specific form of the wafer carrier equipment can be matched to the requirements of the corresponding processing unit 110, so that the process equipment within the processing unit 110 can process the wafers carried on it. Generally, the wafer carrier equipment can also be called a wafer boat.

[0038] Considering the different processing rates at different stages, a buffer structure can be incorporated into the wafer handling system to coordinate the processing at each stage. This buffer structure in the wafer handling system typically takes the form of a wafer stocker.

[0039] A wafer storage warehouse is a device used in semiconductor manufacturing to store and automate the management of wafer casks. Each processing unit 110 can be equipped with one or more wafer storage warehouses to buffer wafer casks awaiting or completed processing. Typically, a wafer storage warehouse contains multiple wafer cask bays to facilitate the storage and dispatch of wafer casks, thus balancing the capacity differences between various production process equipment as material storage space.

[0040] Based on the aforementioned wafer handling system, wafer cassettes between processing units 110 can be transferred between wafer storage units in each processing unit 110 via wafer cassette carrier equipment. The wafer storage unit can distribute wafer cassettes as needed, thereby transferring the wafers in the wafer cassettes between various process equipment in the processing unit 110 via wafer carrier equipment to complete the corresponding processing of the wafers.

[0041] Therefore, based on the aforementioned wafer processing system 100, the material handling and processing of wafers can be realized throughout the entire processing process, thereby effectively organizing the relevant process equipment and transportation equipment for wafers, and realizing a high degree of system integration and automation.

[0042] In practical applications, the wafer storage repository in the aforementioned wafer processing system 100 can only handle the storage and retrieval of wafer cassettes. That is, the wafer storage repository typically has two windows. One window interacts with the wafer cassette carrier device, enabling wafer cassette interaction between processing units 110; the other window interacts with the processing unit 110, providing the processing unit 110 with suitable wafer cassettes.

[0043] Considering that the processing unit 110 needs to process wafers, the wafer processing system 100 is often also equipped with a wafer pick-up device, which places the wafers in the wafer cassettes provided by the wafer cassette storage device onto the wafer carrier device, and then performs the corresponding processing on the wafers on the wafer carrier device through the production equipment.

[0044] As a result, in the aforementioned process, the wafer pick-up equipment occupies additional space, reduces the integration of the wafer processing system 100, and increases the production cost of wafers.

[0045] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a wafer cutting method executed by a wafer storage repository. That is, the wafer cutting method provided in this application can be implemented by the wafer storage repository without the need for additional wafer transfer equipment, thereby improving the integration of the wafer processing system.

[0046] Furthermore, after the wafers are processed by the processing unit, they are typically placed in a wafer cassette along with the aforementioned wafer retrieval equipment, and then stored in a wafer storage warehouse. However, during the wafer processing, to ensure the accurate execution of subsequent processes, the wafers can be inspected after the process is completed. Wafers with processing defects can be recycled to prevent subsequent processes from being performed on defective wafers.

[0047] In related technologies, the aforementioned abnormal wafers are generally detected and managed by process equipment within the processing unit. That is, after the process equipment determines that a wafer is abnormal, it is directly cached in a wafer cassette at the process equipment for centralized management. However, this process requires manual wafer retrieval or the establishment of additional retrieval mechanisms, resulting in wasted space and human resources.

[0048] To further address the aforementioned technical issues, the wafer storage facility provided in this application includes a carrier platform for placing recycled wafer boxes. During wafer unloading, wafers requiring recycling can be placed within these recycled wafer boxes. Consequently, defective wafers encountered in the wafer processing system can be directly transported to the outside of the wafer storage facility via wafer carrier equipment, and the recycled wafer boxes within the wafer storage facility enable unified storage and management of the recycled wafers. This eliminates the need to store defective wafers at the process equipment. This arrangement improves the integration of the wafer processing system and reduces the difficulty of recycling and processing defective wafers.

[0049] Various non-limiting embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] Exemplary wafer repository:

[0051] The wafer storage library provided in this application can be applied to wafer processing systems (such as the aforementioned wafer processing system 100) and optimize existing wafer storage libraries so that they can directly act on the wafer cutting process.

[0052] Wafer unloading refers to the process of transferring wafers to a wafer cassette storage unit after processing is completed in the processing unit. The wafer storage unit provided in this application can be integrated with a wafer moving mechanism and a wafer cassette moving mechanism, so that the wafer storage unit provided in this application can directly remove wafers from the wafer carrier equipment without the need for additional wafer removal equipment, thereby improving the integration of the entire processing system.

[0053] To further describe the wafer storage repository provided in this application, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a wafer storage device 200 is provided. Figure 2 The structure of the wafer storage repository 200 on the side that interacts with the wafer carrier device (not shown) is shown.

[0054] exist Figure 2 It can include three reference directions: X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. XOY forms a horizontal plane, Z-axis is the vertical direction of the horizontal plane, and X-axis and Y-axis are two mutually perpendicular directions in the horizontal plane.

[0055] Wafer storage repositories are typically set up based on the aforementioned horizontal and vertical directions. The vertical direction is generally the extension direction of the wafer storage repository, meaning that wafer cells can be stacked vertically within the repository.

[0056] like Figure 2As shown, the wafer storage container 200 may be equipped with a wafer exchange window 240. During the wafer unloading process, the wafer carrier of the wafer processing system 100 can carry the wafers to be unloaded and place them in the wafer exchange window 240. The wafer moving mechanism within the wafer storage container 200 can extend from the wafer exchange window 240 to securely engage with the wafers carried in the wafer carrier and place them in a designated wafer cassette within the wafer storage container 200. Specifically, when the wafer cassette is full of processed wafers, the wafer storage container 200 can send the wafer cassette out, and then move it to the next processing unit via the wafer cassette carrier of the wafer processing system for the next stage of processing.

[0057] It should be noted that the wafer storage repository provided in this application can be used in the wafer unloading process. Considering the similarity between the unloading and loading processes, it can also be applied to the loading process or directly integrated with unloading and loading functions. The specific application does not impose any restrictions based on actual conditions.

[0058] To further illustrate the execution process within the wafer storage repository 200 during the unloading process, this application also provides a top view of the interior of the wafer storage repository 200. Figure 3 ).

[0059] Figure 3 This can be understood as removing the top view of the wafer storage 200 / the cross-sectional top view at the aforementioned wafer exchange window 240.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown, the wafer storage warehouse 200 is also equipped with a wafer moving mechanism 210, a wafer cassette moving mechanism 220, and multiple carrier stages 230.

[0061] The wafer moving mechanism 210 can refer to an actuator disposed inside the wafer storage container 200 for fixing and transporting wafers. That is, the aforementioned wafer moving mechanism 210 can be a combination of a wafer clamp and its moving mechanism. Among them, a wafer chuck (such as...) Figure 3 The adsorption tray in the middle can be fixedly engaged with the wafer (such as supporting the bottom surface of the wafer and adsorbing the wafer), and the moving mechanism can drive the wafer fixture to move the wafer box.

[0062] The wafer cassette moving mechanism 220 can refer to an actuator disposed inside the wafer storage container 200 for fixing and transporting wafer cassettes. That is, the aforementioned wafer cassette moving mechanism 220 can be a combination of a wafer cassette clamp and its moving mechanism. The wafer cassette clamp (as shown in the figure, the gripper) can be fixedly engaged with the wafer cassette (e.g., clamping the edge of the wafer cassette), and the moving mechanism can drive the wafer cassette clamp to move the wafer cassette.

[0063] This application does not limit the implementation of the wafer moving mechanism 210 and the wafer cassette moving mechanism 220. The actual fixtures of the two actuators can be modified as needed, as long as they can be fixed to the corresponding wafers / cassettes. For example, the specific actuator of the wafer moving mechanism 210, in addition to a Bernoulliu chuck, can be implemented using electrostatic chucks, wafer tweezers, or other devices. Similarly, the specific actuator of the wafer cassette moving mechanism 220, in addition to electric / pneumatic grippers, can also be implemented using self-locking mechanisms, lifting devices, or other devices.

[0064] Furthermore, the moving mechanisms of the two actuators can also be configured according to actual needs. Among these, in the aforementioned... Figure 3 In this approach, two actuators can be integrated onto a single robotic arm, meaning the same robotic arm can be selected as the moving mechanism for both actuators, while the different actuators are directly positioned at the end of the robotic arm. Alternatively, the two actuators can be mounted on the same truss, or implemented using two separate robotic arms.

[0065] The support platform 230 can refer to the mechanical structure within the wafer storage container 200 used to support and fix wafer cassettes. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the carrier stages 230 can be centrally arranged on the side wall of the wafer storage repository 200 away from the wafer exchange window 240, and multiple stages can be arranged on the horizontal plane. In addition, multiple rows of carrier plates of carrier stages 230 can also be arranged in the vertical direction so that the carrier stages 230 are arranged in an array on the side wall.

[0066] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette exchange window of the wafer storage repository 200 may also be located on the side wall of the integrated multiple carrier platforms 230, so that the wafer cassette can be moved between two carrier platforms 230 by the wafer cassette moving mechanism 220 to exchange wafer cassettes with the outside world (such as wafer cassette carrying equipment).

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, during the wafer unloading process, the wafer carrier device 300 outside the wafer storage warehouse 200 can be parked outside the wafer exchange window 240, so that the wafer moving mechanism 210 can take out the processed wafer from the wafer carrier device 300 through the wafer exchange window 240 and place it in a suitable wafer cassette.

[0068] In some embodiments, considering the aforementioned abnormal wafer situation, the wafer in such a case can be recycled separately, thereby placing such wafer (denoted as recycled wafer) in a specific location. Therefore, a separate recycling support platform can be provided in the aforementioned support platform 230, thereby using the wafer cassette placed on this support platform as the location for recycling the aforementioned recycled wafer (denoted as recycled wafer cassette 231).

[0069] That is, when the wafer being unloaded during the aforementioned wafer unloading process is a recycled wafer, the recycled wafer can be moved to the wafer box on the recycling carrier platform.

[0070] In some embodiments, the aforementioned recycling platform may be a specific platform among conventional platforms 230, thereby designating the wafer cassette on that platform as the recycling wafer cassette 231. For example, one of a plurality of platforms 230 arrayed on the sidewalls may be designated as the aforementioned recycling platform by instruction. In some embodiments, the aforementioned recycling platform may be provided individually. For example, Figure 3 If the carrier platform 230 where the wafer cassette marked 231 is located can be used as a recycling carrier platform, then the aforementioned wafer cassette can be a recycling wafer cassette 231, and its carrier platform is denoted as the recycling carrier platform (which is obscured by the recycling wafer cassette 231 and is not shown).

[0071] In some embodiments, the aforementioned wafer storage 200 may further include a controller that can communicate with other devices / systems in the wafer processing system to control various electric devices within the wafer storage 200 to execute the wafer unloading method provided in this application.

[0072] The controller of a wafer storage repository can be understood as a collection of computing devices within the wafer storage repository. For example, the controller can be characterized as a combination of a processor and a readable storage medium. The readable storage medium can store the program product / program instructions of the wafer cutting method provided in this application. The processor can be connected to the readable storage medium and other electronically controlled devices in the wafer storage repository, thereby specifying the program product in the readable storage medium to control the other electronically controlled devices in the wafer storage repository to execute the wafer cutting method provided in this application.

[0073] The following combination Figures 4-6 The wafer cutting method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail.

[0074] Exemplary wafer cutting method:

[0075] To further illustrate the processing procedure of the aforementioned wafer storage warehouse during the wafer unloading process, this application also provides a flowchart illustrating the wafer unloading method in the wafer storage warehouse. Figure 4 ).in, Figure 4 The process P400 described above can be applied to the aforementioned wafer memory and executed by the wafer memory controller.

[0076] like Figure 4 As shown, P400 may include the following steps:

[0077] S410, in response to a wafer unloading request, drives the wafer moving mechanism to engage securely with the target wafer in the wafer carrier device outside the wafer storage warehouse.

[0078] S420. Determine whether the target wafer is a recycled wafer.

[0079] S430, the drive wafer moving mechanism carries the target wafer and places it in the recycling wafer box.

[0080] S440: Determine the target wafer box corresponding to the target wafer and drive the wafer moving mechanism to move the target wafer and place the target wafer in the target wafer box.

[0081] In the aforementioned process P400, S430 and S440 are the subsequent execution steps for different judgment results of S420. Specifically, S430 reflects the case where the judgment result in S420 is "yes," that is, when the target wafer is determined to be a recycled wafer, S430 is executed. S440 reflects the case where the judgment result in S420 is "no," that is, when the target wafer is determined to be a non-recycled wafer, S440 is executed.

[0082] In the aforementioned S410, the wafer unloading request may refer to an instruction received by the wafer storage warehouse to retrieve a wafer from an external wafer carrier device.

[0083] As mentioned above, in the aforementioned wafer processing system, after the process equipment completes the wafer processing, the wafer carrier can transport the processed wafer and move it to the wafer exchange area of ​​the wafer storage device (such as the wafer exchange window 240). At this time, the control device of the wafer processing system (also referred to as the host computer) can issue the aforementioned wafer unloading request to the wafer storage device to drive the wafer storage device to retrieve the processed wafer from the wafer carrier.

[0084] In some embodiments, the aforementioned wafer unloading request serves as a trigger condition for the aforementioned process P400. That is, when the wafer storage warehouse receives the wafer unloading request sent by the host computer, it executes the method shown in P400. Specifically, after receiving the wafer unloading request, the wafer storage warehouse 200 can parse the wafer unloading request to determine the wafer that needs to be unloaded, and then move the wafer from the wafer carrier device outside the wafer storage warehouse to a suitable wafer cassette inside the wafer storage warehouse.

[0085] In some embodiments, the aforementioned wafer unloading request generally corresponds to the wafer loading status in the wafer carrier device. Specifically, when the wafer carrier device can store multiple wafers, the aforementioned wafer unloading request can be an overall unloading request for multiple wafers. When the wafer carrier device stores a single wafer, the aforementioned wafer unloading request can be a specific unloading request for that single wafer. Furthermore, when the wafer carrier device can store multiple wafers, the aforementioned wafer unloading request can also be characterized as multiple specific unloading requests, to control the wafer storage repository to perform wafer unloading operations one by one.

[0086] When the aforementioned wafer loading request is a combined loading request for multiple wafers, the wafer repository can determine the wafers that need to be loaded based on its built-in wafer retrieval logic (such as retrieving wafers one by one from top to bottom) and process them. After completing the loading of the current wafer, the wafer repository then determines the next wafer to be loaded, thus completing the overall loading request. For a specific loading request for a single wafer, the wafer repository can directly parse the request to determine the corresponding wafer and process it.

[0087] During the wafer loading process, the wafer currently being loaded into the wafer repository is designated as the target wafer. That is, the target wafer can be the wafer recorded in the wafer loading request or the wafer currently selected for loading into the wafer repository.

[0088] In some embodiments, after the target wafer is determined, the wafer moving mechanism can be driven into the wafer carrying device to fasten with the wafer at the storage location of the target wafer in the wafer carrying device, thereby realizing the aforementioned S410.

[0089] A tight fit can refer to the fit between the wafer moving mechanism and the wafer when they are fixedly fitted. That is, when the wafer moving mechanism moves the wafer, it can first tightly fit the actuator with the wafer, so that when the moving mechanism drives the actuator to move, it can drive the wafer to move.

[0090] Considering practical applications, the wafer storage unit extends vertically, and the wafer carrying equipment can be presented as an overhead crane moving along rails. Therefore, the actuators within the aforementioned wafer storage unit should have longitudinal movement capability so that they can move vertically to the wafer exchange window during wafer unloading operations. Consequently, the aforementioned wafer storage unit may also include a vertically moving platform, with a wafer cassette moving mechanism and a wafer moving mechanism mounted on the moving platform. Furthermore, to achieve lifting and lowering relative to the platform, the wafer cassette moving mechanism and the wafer moving mechanism can be connected to the moving platform via a lifting mechanism. That is, the aforementioned lifting mechanism can drive the wafer cassette moving mechanism and the wafer moving mechanism to rise and fall relative to the moving platform.

[0091] A mobile platform can refer to a mechanical device that moves vertically. For example, a mobile platform can be a combination of a frame structure and a lifting device. The frame structure serves as the platform for mounting various devices, while the lifting device provides the mobile platform with the ability to move vertically. Generally, the lifting device of a mobile platform can be implemented through a lifting shaft.

[0092] Similar to the aforementioned mobile platform, the lifting mechanism can also be a lifting axis. Considering that the aforementioned wafer moving mechanism and wafer box moving mechanism are combinations of robotic arms and actuators, the aforementioned lifting structure can be characterized as a longitudinal moving axis set on the robotic arm (such as a lifting axis set at the connection between the robotic arm and the mobile platform).

[0093] Based on the aforementioned mobile platform, when executing S410: in response to a wafer unloading request, the mobile platform is first driven to move the wafer moving mechanism to the engagement height of the wafer carrier device. Then, the wafer moving mechanism is driven to move towards the wafer carrier device and extend out of the wafer exchange window to securely engage with the target wafer inside the wafer carrier device.

[0094] Considering the space configuration within the wafer storage facility, to facilitate obstacle avoidance settings, the movement of the two actuators in the plane can be broken down into two processes: orientation adjustment and extension along the orientation, thereby reducing motion complexity and spatial obstacle avoidance requirements.

[0095] Therefore, to achieve the coordination between the moving mechanism and the moving object, the entire coordination process can be broken down into three steps: height alignment, orientation alignment, and orientation extension. The aforementioned coordination height refers to the position of the moving mechanism after orientation alignment. That is, at the coordination height, the moving mechanism's orientation is aligned with the moving object, and its height is aligned with the moving object. Thus, subsequent extension and retraction can directly contact the corresponding moving object.

[0096] The aforementioned wafer carrier height can reflect the height of the target wafer in the wafer moving mechanism. That is, when the wafer moving mechanism moves to the matching height, the telescopic robotic arm along the direction of the wafer moving mechanism can contact the target wafer in the wafer moving mechanism, thereby securing the fit.

[0097] In some embodiments, considering that the mating positions of the wafer carrier and the wafer storage device are generally pre-defined, the mating height of the aforementioned wafer carrier can be determined based on the target wafer. If the wafer carrier carries only one wafer, the mating height can be pre-defined. If the wafer carrier carries multiple wafers, the mating positions can be determined according to the specific slots of the target device.

[0098] In some embodiments, the alignment height of the aforementioned wafer carrier can be achieved through the combined action of a moving platform and a lifting structure. Typically, the moving platform moves the wafer moving mechanism to a pre-calibrated reference position, and then the lifting mechanism adjusts the height of the wafer moving mechanism relative to the moving platform according to the slot position of the target wafer to achieve the alignment height of the aforementioned wafer carrier. Therefore, when the wafer carrier carries multiple wafers, wafers in different slots can be aligned using a lifting mechanism with high precision and minimal external impact, without needing to adjust the moving platform, thus improving the stability of the entire movement process.

[0099] Based on the above-described mating process, after reaching the mating height, the wafer moving mechanism can be directly driven to move towards the wafer carrying device along its orientation to achieve contact with the target wafer, thereby achieving fastening with the target wafer.

[0100] In the aforementioned S420, "recycled wafers" can refer to wafers that have not completed the corresponding processing steps and need to be recycled. For example, recycled wafers can be non-compliant wafers detected on the wafer fabrication line, i.e., defective wafers. As another example, recycled wafers can be test wafers that do not require further processing.

[0101] In some embodiments, the aforementioned S420 can be executed based on the identification information of the target wafer. For example, the identification information reflecting a recycled wafer can be a visual identifier. Therefore, when executing S420, it can be determined whether the wafer is a recycled wafer by detecting whether a corresponding visual identifier exists on the wafer. As another example, the aforementioned identification information can represent a state data of the wafer. That is, by parsing the aforementioned instructions, the state data of the corresponding wafer can be determined, and thus, based on its state data, it can be determined whether it is a recycled wafer.

[0102] In some embodiments, the characterization information of the aforementioned recycled wafers can also be parsed and determined during the wafer unloading process. That is, in response to a wafer unloading request including a recycled wafer, the recycling slot of the recycled wafer in the wafer unloading request can be determined. Thus, the aforementioned S420 is achieved by determining whether the slot of the target wafer in the wafer carrier equipment matches a recycling slot. Specifically, if the slot of the target wafer in the wafer carrier equipment matches a recycling slot, the target wafer is determined to be a recycled wafer.

[0103] Similar to wafer cassettes, wafer carriers can also have multiple slots to hold wafers. During unloading, the slot of the wafer in the wafer carrier can be used to identify whether the wafer is a recycled wafer. That is, the host computer can determine the slot in the wafer carrier (denoted as the recycling slot) for recycled wafers based on the actual detection results and send it as part of the wafer unloading request to the wafer storage warehouse. When the wafer storage warehouse retrieves wafers from the wafer carrier, it can determine whether the target wafer is a recycled wafer based on its slot in the wafer carrier.

[0104] Therefore, for wafer carrier devices with multiple wafers built-in, the wafers that need to be recycled can be directly reflected through the slots, without having to split into individual specific unloading requests and inform the wafer storage warehouse one by one whether each wafer is a recycled wafer, thus simplifying the communication logic between the wafer storage warehouse and the host computer.

[0105] The recycling of wafers can generally be determined by industrial equipment or related inspection equipment during the manufacturing process. For example, optical inspection equipment can be used to illuminate the wafer and collect information on reflected and scattered light to identify defects and determine whether it is abnormal. If a wafer is abnormal, it is designated as a recycled wafer. Alternatively, recycled wafers can be determined based on preset rules. For example, one or more specific test wafers in a wafer cassette can be directly marked as recycled wafers without further processing.

[0106] For the recycled wafers identified after the aforementioned testing, subsequent processing can be carried out according to the actual marking method. For example, process equipment or related equipment can directly affix visual markings (such as stickers, etching symbols, etc.). Alternatively, a host computer can record the anomaly and associate it with the wafer. Thus, when the wafer is placed in the wafer carrier, the computer can identify the wafer's need for recycling based on its placement position (i.e., slot) within the wafer carrier, thereby generating a wafer unloading request for the wafer carrier and its associated recycling slot.

[0107] In the aforementioned S430, if the system determines that the current target wafer is a recycled wafer, the wafer moving mechanism will carry the recycled wafer and place it in the recycled wafer box in the wafer storage warehouse.

[0108] In some embodiments, considering that the wafer exchange window is small, when performing the aforementioned S430, the wafer moving mechanism carrying the target wafer can be retracted along the orientation of the wafer moving mechanism first, thereby separating the target wafer from the wafer carrying device and extending the wafer moving mechanism into the wafer storage container, and then shifting it in the wafer storage container to place the target wafer in the recycling wafer box.

[0109] In some embodiments, for convenient placement of recycled wafers, the aforementioned recycling platform can be positioned close to the wafer exchange window (e.g., Figure 3 (As shown). Furthermore, considering that the amount of recycled wafers in actual processes is relatively small, the high recycling platform can be positioned above the moving platform's travel range to avoid interfering with its movement. Specifically, the aforementioned recycling platform can be positioned on the upper portion of the wafer exchange window or above the wafer exchange window.

[0110] Considering that the recycling platform is located above the moving platform's range, it is difficult to use the moving platform to direct the wafer moving mechanism to the wafer cassette for recycling. Therefore, the placement process S420 can be implemented by a lifting mechanism. Specifically, when executing S420, the wafer moving mechanism can first be driven to carry the target wafer away from the wafer carrying device. Then, the lifting mechanism can be driven to move the wafer moving mechanism to the appropriate height for the recycling wafer cassette. Finally, the wafer moving mechanism can be driven to move into the recycling wafer cassette to place the target wafer inside.

[0111] The engagement height of the wafer cassette is similar to that of the aforementioned wafer carrier equipment. The engagement height of the wafer cassette reflects the slot where the target wafer should be placed. That is, when the wafer cassette is at the engagement height, the wafer moving mechanism aligns vertically with the target slot of the wafer cassette and horizontally with the wafer cassette, so that the target wafer can be placed in the target slot through telescopic movement.

[0112] Similarly, considering the position of the target wafer cassette, the moving platform is typically moved to a preset height, and then the lifting mechanism is used to align the height to improve the stability of the system.

[0113] Furthermore, considering that wafer cassettes have multiple slots and wafer recycling is often a spontaneous activity, it's advisable to ensure sufficient slots in the recycling cassette for each target wafer placement. Therefore, it's necessary to first determine the slots where the recycled wafers should be placed. More information on slots in recycling cassettes can be found here. Figure 5 And its related descriptions.

[0114] In the aforementioned S440, when the target wafer is not a recycled wafer, it can be directly placed in the corresponding wafer cassette. The cassette used to hold the processed wafer can be referred to as the target wafer cassette.

[0115] Similar to the aforementioned recycled wafer cassette, the target wafer cassette can refer to a wafer cassette on a specific carrier platform among multiple carrier platforms, or it can be a wafer cassette on a specially configured carrier platform. Considering the high interaction frequency of the target wafer cassette, the carrier platform of the target wafer cassette can be set on the mobile platform and close to the aforementioned wafer exchange window to facilitate wafer placement. In this case, the target wafer cassette can be a wafer cassette on the carrier platform of the mobile platform.

[0116] The execution process of S440 is similar to that of S430, both requiring the target wafer to be moved into the wafer storage repository and then into the target wafer box.

[0117] In some embodiments, considering that the target wafer cassette can be set on a moving platform, when moving the target wafer, the lifting mechanism can be driven to move the wafer moving mechanism to the matching position of the target wafer cassette, and then the wafer moving mechanism can be driven to place the target wafer in the target wafer cassette to place the target wafer.

[0118] In some embodiments, considering the high frequency of use of the target wafer cassette, the process of placing the target wafer can first determine whether a wafer cassette exists on the moving stage (i.e., the stage on the moving platform), and then proceed with subsequent steps. For details, please refer to [link to documentation]. Figure 6 And its related descriptions.

[0119] Therefore, based on the aforementioned experience memory and wafer unloading method, the wafer storage system can be implemented without the need for additional wafer transport equipment, thus improving the integration of the wafer processing system. Furthermore, the wafer storage system provided in this application includes a carrier platform for placing recycling wafer cassettes, allowing wafers requiring recycling to be placed within these cassettes during wafer unloading. Consequently, defective wafers appearing in the wafer processing system can be directly transported to the wafer storage system via the wafer carrier equipment during recycling, and the recycling wafer cassettes within the storage system enable unified storage and management of the recycled wafers, eliminating the need to store defective wafers at the process equipment. This configuration improves the integration of the wafer processing system and reduces the difficulty of recycling defective wafers.

[0120] Exemplary placement process for recycled wafers

[0121] To further illustrate the specific process of placing the aforementioned recycled wafers into the recycling wafer cassette, this application also provides a flowchart illustrating the specific process of placing the recycled wafers into the recycling wafer cassette. Figure 5 ).

[0122] like Figure 5 As shown, process P500 may include the following steps:

[0123] S510. Determine the target slot of the target wafer based on the loading status of the recycled wafer cassette.

[0124] S520, the drive wafer moving mechanism carries the target wafer, aligns it with the target slot, and places the target wafer on the target slot.

[0125] In the aforementioned S510, the loading status can refer to the situation where wafers are already stored in the recycling wafer cassette. In S510, based on the aforementioned loading status, vacant slots in the recycling wafer cassette that are not currently occupied by wafers can be determined, thereby identifying a target slot from the available slots. The target slot can refer to the location in the recycling wafer cassette where the recycled wafer should be placed. That is, after determining the target slot, the wafer placement can be completed by placing the target wafer in that slot.

[0126] In some embodiments, the target slot can be specified by a host computer, thereby determining the target operation by parsing relevant instructions. In some embodiments, the target slot can also be determined according to preset rules, that is, the target slot can be selected from the slots in the wafer recycling cassette that do not contain wafers based on preset rules. For example, the target slot can be selected in a bottom-up order.

[0127] In some embodiments, considering that the wafers in each slot of the recycling wafer cassette are all placed in wafer memory, their loading status is also determined based on historical operations, thus representing data updated based on placement behavior. In some embodiments, the loading status can also be determined in conjunction with sensors. For example, when the aforementioned recycled wafers are placed in the recycling wafer cassette from bottom to top, a distance sensor can be installed on the upper surface of the target wafer cassette to determine the number of idle slots by detecting the distance.

[0128] In some embodiments, after determining the target slot, the matching height of the target slot (i.e., the height of the recycling wafer box + the relative height of the target slot within the recycling wafer box) can be determined based on the position of the target slot in the recycling wafer box, thereby driving the wafer moving mechanism and the lifting mechanism to align with the target slot and place the recycled wafer, so as to achieve the aforementioned S520.

[0129] In some embodiments, considering that the aforementioned wafer recycling is a low-frequency, sudden event, it can be determined whether the empty cassette needs to be replaced before recycling (i.e., before fastening with the target wafer). That is, as... Figure 5 As shown, prior to S510, process P500 may also include the following steps:

[0130] S501, In response to the recycling wafer cassette being fully loaded with wafers, drive the wafer cassette moving mechanism to remove the recycling wafer cassette and place the recycling wafer cassette in the wafer cassette exchange area of ​​the wafer storage warehouse.

[0131] S503. Re-identify the recycling wafer cassette from the multiple wafer cassettes on the carrier platform, and drive the wafer cassette moving mechanism to place the re-identified recycling wafer cassette on the recycling carrier platform.

[0132] In the aforementioned S501, "a fully loaded wafer cassette" can refer to a state where the wafer cassette is already or is considered to be full of wafers with no available slots. Therefore, to ensure the aforementioned wafer placement is performed, the wafer cassette needs to be removed and replaced with an empty cassette in this situation.

[0133] In the aforementioned S501, a fully loaded wafer cassette can be a trigger condition for this step. Furthermore, considering that wafer cassette recycling itself is a low-probability, unexpected event, to avoid continuously monitoring this event and consuming computing resources, the determination of the aforementioned fully loaded wafer cassette state can be performed under specific circumstances.

[0134] Considering the changing loading conditions of the recycling wafer cassette, which typically change after a recycled wafer is placed inside, the loading conditions of the aforementioned recycling wafer cassette can be updated as wafers are placed inside. That is, the loading conditions of the recycling wafer cassette can be updated in response to the placement of wafers inside.

[0135] Furthermore, considering that there are two convenient times to replace the recycling wafer cassette (without disrupting other processes), the full load determination can be performed when the target wafer is identified as a recycling wafer (i.e., before a wafer needs to be placed into the recycling wafer cassette) and after the wafer unloading request is completed and includes a recycling wafer (after the wafer for this unloading task has been placed and the task includes a recycling wafer). In other words, in response to the target wafer being identified as a recycling wafer and / or the wafer unloading request being completed and including a recycling wafer, the system can determine whether the recycling wafer cassette has empty slots based on its updated loading status. If not, the recycling wafer cassette is determined to be fully loaded with wafers.

[0136] For example, before the wafer moving mechanism places the recycled wafers into the target slot of the recycling wafer cassette, the current control program first checks the number of wafers A in the recycling wafer cassette. The standard storage capacity of the recycling wafer cassette is typically 25 wafers. The two values ​​are compared. If A is less than 25, it is determined that the recycling wafer cassette has an empty slot, and the recycled wafer is placed into the target slot. When the wafer unloading process is complete, including the placement of the recycled wafers, the current control system checks the number of wafers A+1 in the recycling wafer cassette again, and the two values ​​are compared once more. If A equals 25, it is determined that the recycling wafer cassette is full of wafers, and the wafer moving mechanism removes the recycling wafer cassette and replaces it with a new one. This method is more efficient than real-time monitoring of the number of wafers in the recycling wafer cassette. This application monitors the number of wafers in the recycling wafer box only under specific necessary circumstances (before and after placing the recycled wafers), which greatly simplifies the full load judgment procedure of the recycling wafer box and improves the running speed and environmental adaptability of the control program.

[0137] In the aforementioned S503, when it is detected that the current recycling wafer cassette is already full of wafers, the wafer cassette moving mechanism is driven to remove the recycling wafer cassette and place it in the wafer cassette exchange area, waiting for the equipment outside the wafer storage warehouse to remove the fully loaded recycling wafer cassette; a new recycling wafer cassette is identified among the wafer cassettes on multiple carrier platforms in the wafer storage warehouse, and the wafer cassette moving mechanism is driven to carry the new recycling wafer cassette and place it on the recycling carrier platform.

[0138] Exemplary Placement Process for Conventional Wafers

[0139] As mentioned above, when placing a wafer into the target wafer cassette, it can be determined first whether a wafer cassette exists on the moving carrier stage, so as to place the wafer that has completed the corresponding process (referred to as a conventional wafer).

[0140] To further illustrate this process, this application also provides an exemplary flowchart of placing a conventional wafer. Figure 6 ).

[0141] like Figure 6 As shown, process P600 may include the following steps:

[0142] S610. Determine whether a wafer cell exists on the mobile support stage.

[0143] S620. Configure the wafer cassette on the moving carrier as the target wafer cassette.

[0144] S630: Determine the target wafer cassette from multiple carrier platforms and drive the wafer cassette moving mechanism to move the target wafer cassette to the moving carrier platform.

[0145] S640, the drive wafer moving mechanism carries the target wafer and places it in the target wafer box.

[0146] S650, in response to the wafer being placed in the target wafer cassette, update the loading status of the target wafer cassette.

[0147] S660, in response to the target wafer cassette being fully loaded with wafers, drives the wafer cassette moving mechanism to remove the target wafer cassette and place the target wafer cassette in the wafer cassette exchange area of ​​the wafer storage warehouse.

[0148] In the aforementioned process P600, S610 can be a determination step, and S620 can be the follow-up processing when the determination result is yes, that is, when there is a wafer cassette on the moving carrier, the target wafer can be directly placed in the wafer cassette. S630 can be the follow-up processing when the determination result is no, that is, when there is no wafer cassette on the moving carrier, a suitable wafer cassette can be taken and placed on the moving carrier for follow-up processing.

[0149] After completing the replacement process of S610 to S630, the wafers can be placed. Similar to the aforementioned wafer recycling cassette, its loading status can be updated to promptly remove the fully loaded target wafer cassette. For details, please refer to the aforementioned content, which will not be repeated here.

[0150] In some embodiments, the aforementioned S610 can generally be executed by a processor on the carrier platform, that is, when the moving carrier platform places a wafer cassette, it will automatically generate a corresponding status signal to indicate its placement status.

[0151] In the aforementioned S630, considering that there are multiple processing units in the wafer fabrication system, to reasonably distinguish the operation status of different processing units, the aforementioned wafer cassette can be equipped with an identifier reflecting each stage (generally represented by the color of the wafer cassette). Therefore, when placing the target wafer cassette, a wafer cassette with an identifier reflecting the completion of the current process can be placed. Thus, when executing the aforementioned S630, candidate wafer cassettes can first be determined from the wafer cassettes on multiple carrier stages. These candidate wafer cassettes have an identifier reflecting the completion of the current process. Then, the target wafer cassette is determined from the candidate wafer cassettes. This step of determining the target wafer cassette from the candidate wafer cassettes can be optimized based on various parameters such as the number of wafers that can be placed and the travel distance.

[0152] It should be understood that although terms such as "first" or "second" may be used in this application to describe various elements, these elements are not defined by these terms, which are only used to distinguish one element from another.

[0153] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the application to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details. The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for cutting wafers, characterized in that, The wafer unloading method is applied to a wafer storage repository. The wafer processing system includes multiple processing units, each a cluster of equipment related to one or more processes in the wafer processing technology. Each processing unit includes a wafer carrier device for transferring wafers between various process equipment within the unit. Each processing unit is equipped with one or more wafer storage repositories to buffer wafer cassettes awaiting / completed processing. The wafer storage repository includes a wafer moving mechanism, a wafer cassette moving mechanism, and multiple wafer cassette support platforms. The wafer moving mechanism is used to fix and transport wafers, securely engaging with wafers carried by the wafer carrier device of the processing unit outside the wafer storage repository, and placing them in designated wafer cassettes within the wafer storage repository. The multiple support platforms include a recycling support platform, and recycling wafer cassettes on the recycling support platform are used to recycle wafers. The wafer unloading method includes: In response to a wafer unloading request, the wafer moving mechanism is driven to engage with the target wafer in the wafer carrier device outside the wafer storage warehouse. Determine whether the target wafer is a recycled wafer, wherein the recycled wafer includes at least wafers that have exhibited abnormalities in the processing unit outside the wafer storage warehouse; If so, the wafer moving mechanism is driven to carry the target wafer and place it in the recycling wafer box, so as to transport the wafer that has malfunctioned in the processing unit outside the wafer storage warehouse to the recycling wafer box inside the wafer storage warehouse. If not, then determine the target wafer cassette corresponding to the target wafer and drive the wafer moving mechanism to move the target wafer and place the target wafer in the target wafer cassette.

2. The wafer blanking method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method of driving the wafer moving mechanism to carry the target wafer and place it in the wafer cassette on the recycling platform includes: The target slot of the target wafer is determined based on the loading status of the recycled wafer cassette; The wafer moving mechanism is driven to carry the target wafer, align it with the target slot, and place the target wafer on the target slot.

3. The wafer blanking method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: In response to the recycling wafer cassette being fully loaded with wafers, the wafer cassette moving mechanism is driven to remove the recycling wafer cassette and place it in the wafer cassette exchange area of ​​the wafer storage warehouse; The recycling wafer cassette is re-identified from the wafer cassettes on the plurality of carrier platforms, and the wafer cassette moving mechanism is driven to place the re-identified recycling wafer cassette on the recycling carrier platform.

4. The wafer blanking method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: In response to a wafer being placed in the recycling wafer cassette, the loading status of the recycling wafer cassette is updated; In response to the target wafer being determined to be the recycled wafer and / or the wafer unloading request being completed and the wafer unloading request including the recycled wafer, it is determined whether there are empty slots in the recycled wafer box based on the updated loading status of the recycled wafer box; If not, then the recycled wafer cassette is determined to be fully loaded with wafers.

5. The wafer blanking method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer storage unit is provided with a wafer exchange window, and the wafer carrying device is parked outside the wafer exchange window; the wafer storage unit is provided with a vertically moving platform, and the wafer cassette moving mechanism and the wafer moving mechanism are disposed on the moving platform, and the wafer cassette moving mechanism and the wafer moving mechanism are connected to the moving platform through a lifting mechanism; The step of responding to a wafer unloading request by driving the wafer moving mechanism to securely engage with a target wafer in a wafer carrier device outside the wafer storage warehouse includes: In response to a wafer unloading request, the mobile platform is driven to move the wafer moving mechanism to the appropriate height of the wafer carrying device; The wafer moving mechanism is driven to move toward the wafer carrier and extend out of the wafer exchange window to securely engage with the target wafer within the wafer carrier.

6. The wafer blanking method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The recycling platform is positioned above the movement range of the mobile platform and close to the wafer exchange window; the method of driving the wafer moving mechanism to carry the target wafer and place it into the recycling wafer cassette includes: The wafer moving mechanism is driven to carry the target wafer away from the wafer carrying device; The lifting mechanism is driven to move the wafer moving mechanism to the appropriate height of the recycling wafer box; The wafer moving mechanism is driven to move into the recycling wafer cassette to place the target wafer inside the recycling wafer cassette.

7. The wafer blanking method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The movable carrier stage among the plurality of carrier stages is disposed on the movable platform, and the step of determining the target wafer cassette corresponding to the target wafer includes: Determine whether the movable support platform contains a wafer cassette; If so, the wafer cassette on the mobile carrier platform is configured as the target wafer cassette; If not, then the target wafer cassette is determined from the plurality of carrier platforms and the wafer cassette moving mechanism is driven to carry the target wafer cassette to the moving carrier platform.

8. The wafer blanking method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of determining the target wafer cell from the plurality of carrier stages includes: Candidate wafer cassettes are determined from the wafer cassettes on the plurality of carrier stages, wherein the candidate wafer cassettes have wafer cassette identifiers that reflect the completion of the current process; The target wafer cell is determined from the candidate wafer cells.

9. The wafer blanking method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the target wafer is a recycled wafer includes: In response to the wafer unloading request including recycled wafers, the recycling slot of the recycled wafer in the wafer unloading request is determined; Determine whether the slot of the target wafer in the wafer carrier equipment is consistent with the recycling slot; If so, the target wafer is determined to be the recycled wafer.

10. A wafer storage repository, characterized in that, The wafer storage warehouse is equipped with a controller, a wafer moving mechanism, a wafer cassette moving mechanism, and multiple wafer cassette carriers, including a recycling carrier, and the recycling wafer cassettes on the recycling carrier are used to recycle wafers. The controller is communicatively connected to the wafer moving mechanism and the wafer cassette moving mechanism, and is used to execute the wafer unloading method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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