Integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit and wafer processing device

Abstract

The present application discloses an integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit and a wafer processing device. The integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit includes a first lifting platform, an adjustment mechanism, a detector and a barcode scanner. The adjustment mechanism includes a hook, a turntable, a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly. The first drive assembly cooperates with the hook to move the wafer at the preparation station to the adjustment station, thereby realizing the positioning of the wafer. The second drive assembly cooperates with the turntable to rotate the wafer so that the detector and the barcode scanner can confirm the notch position and coding information of the wafer, thereby realizing edge finding and barcode scanning of the wafer. The left and right sides of the wafer returned to the preparation station are restricted by the slot, and the front and rear positions are restricted by the output stroke of the first drive assembly, thereby realizing the centering of the wafer. The wafer is quickly pre-adjusted by the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit, so that each wafer in the wafer processing device can have a unified and accurate position and posture before processing, providing accurate data and positioning basis for subsequent wafer processing procedures.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of wafer manufacturing technology, and in particular to an integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit and a wafer processing device. Background Art

[0002] In the wafer manufacturing process, a series of pre-adjustment operations (such as edge finding, code scanning, and alignment) are essential to ensure that the wafer can be accurately and efficiently subjected to various complex treatments in the working chamber. Among them, the edge finding operation is to accurately determine the edge position of the wafer and provide an accurate spatial positioning reference for subsequent processing; the code scanning operation is used to quickly obtain key information such as the wafer's identity and production batch, so as to achieve accurate traceability and management of the production process; the alignment operation ensures that the wafer is in the ideal center position during the processing process, avoiding processing accuracy problems caused by position deviation.

[0003] Only when the wafer has undergone these operations and is in an accurate and uniform state can it be sent into the working chamber for key process processing such as etching, photolithography, and deposition.

[0004] In traditional wafer manufacturing equipment, in order to meet the above-mentioned pre-adjustment operations, independent pre-adjustment chambers are often configured for operation according to different pre-adjustment projects. For example, a special edge-finding chamber is set up, which is equipped with specific optical or mechanical sensing devices to focus on edge-finding operations on wafers. After edge-finding is completed, the wafer is sent to the scanning chamber with the help of an automated transmission mechanism; the scanning chamber is usually equipped with high-precision scanning equipment to facilitate comprehensive and accurate scanning operations on the wafer.

[0005] This multi-chamber design not only increases the equipment layout cost, but also takes up a lot of space. In addition, the wafer is debugged in multiple chambers in sequence, which inevitably increases the transmission links and waiting time, prolongs the cycle of the entire wafer pre-adjustment process, and is not conducive to overall work efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of the present application is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and to provide an integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit and a wafer processing device.

[0007] The present application provides an integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit, comprising: a first lifting platform for placing a wafer box, wherein the wafer box is provided with multiple layers of slots, and any layer of slots can accommodate a wafer; an adjustment mechanism, which is arranged on one side of the first lifting platform, and is used to locate and find the edges of the wafers in the wafer box; a detector, which is used to detect the notches on the wafers; a barcode scanner, which is used to obtain the coded information on the wafers; wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises: a hook, wherein the front end of the hook close to the first lifting platform is provided with a push plate capable of contacting the side of the wafer; a turntable, which is rotatably arranged on the hook, and is used to support the wafer; a first driving component, which is used to drive the hook to approach or move away from the first lifting platform; a second driving component, which is used to drive the turntable to rotate; after the wafer box carrying multiple wafers is placed on the first lifting platform, the first wafer in the wafer box is in the preparation position; the first driving component drives the hook to approach the first lifting platform until the hook is directly below the preparation position, and the first The lifting platform drives the wafer box to descend, so that the first wafer falls on the turntable, the first driving component drives the hook away from the first lifting platform, the push plate pushes the first wafer, and pushes the first wafer to the adjustment station; the working ends of the detector and the scanner are facing the adjustment station; the second driving component drives the turntable to rotate with the first wafer until the detector detects the notch on the first wafer and the scanner obtains the coding information on the first wafer; the first driving component drives the hook close to the first lifting platform and sends the first wafer back to the preparation station, the first lifting platform drives the wafer box to rise, so that the first wafer is separated from the hook and the turntable; the first driving component drives the hook away from the first lifting platform, and the first lifting platform moves the second wafer to the preparation station by rising or falling, so that the adjustment mechanism can position and find the edge of the second wafer; and so on, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit can pre-adjust the wafers in the wafer box one by one.

[0008] Furthermore, a fixture is provided on the first lifting platform, and the fixture is used to fix the wafer box to prevent the wafer box from being accidentally displaced during the lifting process.

[0009] Furthermore, the hook includes at least two claws, and any two adjacent claws are arranged at an angle; and / or the push plate is arranged in a needle shape, or the push plate is arranged in an arc shape that can fit the side of the wafer; and / or the surface of the turntable for contacting the wafer is provided with an anti-slip structure; and / or the integrated wafer pre-adjustment part also includes a limit plate, which is arranged at the adjustment position, and after the wafer is pushed by the hook to the adjustment position, it can be against the limit plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment section also includes: a mounting plate, which is arranged on one side of the first lifting platform; a guide member, which is arranged on the mounting plate and extends toward the first lifting platform, and the hook claw is slidably arranged on the guide member; a driving wheel, which is rotatably arranged on the back of the hook claw and is located at the rear end away from the push plate; a driven wheel, which is rotatably arranged on the back of the hook claw and connected to the turntable; a synchronous belt, which is sleeved on the driving wheel and the driven wheel; a first gear, which is coaxially arranged with the driving wheel; a rack, which is connected to the hook claw and extends in the same direction as the guide member, and the rack and the first gear are distributed in the vertical direction; a rotating driving member, the movable part of the rotating driving member A second gear is provided at the end, and the second gear can mesh with the first gear or the rack; a lifting drive member is used to drive the rotating drive member to move in the vertical direction; when the first driving component is needed to work, the lifting drive member drives the rotating drive member to move until the second gear meshes with the rack, and the rotating drive member drives the second gear to rotate, and the rack can drive the hook along the guide member to approach or move away from the first lifting platform; when the second driving component is needed to work, the lifting drive member drives the rotating drive member to move until the second gear meshes with the first gear, and the rotating drive member drives the second gear to rotate, and the first gear can be driven by the synchronous belt assembly to rotate the turntable.

[0011] Furthermore, the detector uses a distance sensor; the detector is set at a fixed point, and when the wafer is rotated until the notch thereon is at a fixed point position, the detection value of the detector changes, thereby confirming that the wafer has reached the right edge.

[0012] The present application also provides a wafer processing device, including the above-mentioned integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit, and also includes: a first cavity, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit is arranged in the first cavity, and a sealing door is provided on the first cavity; a transfer cavity, connected to the first cavity, and a gate valve is provided between the transfer cavity and the first cavity; a transfer mechanism, arranged in the transfer cavity, for receiving and transferring wafers; when the gate valve is opened, the transfer mechanism can enter the first cavity and take out the pre-adjusted wafers in the wafer box; when the sealing door is opened, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit can load and unload the wafer box.

[0013] Furthermore, the wafer processing device also includes: a second cavity, connected to the transfer cavity, a gate valve is also provided between the transfer cavity and the second cavity, and a sealing door is also provided on the second cavity; a second lifting platform is arranged in the second cavity; an auxiliary wafer box is arranged on the second lifting platform, for storing processed wafers; a receiving platform is also arranged in the second cavity and located on one side of the second lifting platform, for placing the wafer box; a delivery mechanism is used to transfer the wafers in the auxiliary wafer box to the wafer box on the receiving platform; the wafer box carrying multiple wafers first enters the first cavity, and the wafers are taken away by the transfer mechanism after pre-adjustment is completed; the processed wafers are placed in the auxiliary wafer box; the wafers are arranged in the same manner in the wafer box and the auxiliary wafer box; after all the wafers are taken away, the empty wafer box is transferred to the receiving platform; the delivery mechanism then transfers the wafers in the auxiliary wafer box to the empty wafer box, and returns each wafer to the original slot.

[0014] Furthermore, the delivery mechanism includes: a flip plate, rotatably arranged on the second lifting platform, and the auxiliary wafer box is arranged on the flip plate; a flip driving member, used to drive the flip plate to flip with the auxiliary wafer box toward the material receiving platform; the surface of the material receiving platform for receiving the wafer box extends obliquely toward the auxiliary wafer box, and the surface of the material receiving platform for receiving the wafer box is also provided with a back support plate, and the back support plate is perpendicular to the material receiving platform; after the wafer box is placed on the material receiving platform, one of its open sides is in contact with the back support plate; after the auxiliary wafer box is flipped, it can be against the wafer box on the material receiving platform, the open sides of the wafer box and the auxiliary wafer box are connected to each other, and the slots in the two correspond one to one and extend obliquely in the same direction, so that the wafer in the auxiliary wafer box can slide into the wafer box.

[0015] Furthermore, the transfer chamber is arranged in a regular polygonal shape, and a plurality of gate valves are arranged at equal intervals on the side of the transfer chamber, and any gate valve can be connected to a working chamber; the transfer mechanism can perform both telescopic movement and rotational movement; the transfer mechanism can grasp or release the wafer by extending and retracting through the gate valve; the transfer mechanism can transport the wafer to different working chambers by rotating.

[0016] Furthermore, the wafer processing device also includes a third cavity, the third cavity is connected to the transfer cavity, and a gate valve is also provided between the transfer cavity and the third cavity; the third cavity is used for temporarily storing wafers.

[0017] The present application provides an integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit, comprising a first lifting platform, an adjustment mechanism, a detector and a barcode scanner, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a hook, a turntable, a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly; the first drive assembly cooperates with the hook to move the wafer at the preparation station to the adjustment station, thereby realizing the positioning of the wafer; the second drive assembly cooperates with the turntable to rotate the wafer, so that the detector and the barcode scanner can confirm the notch position and coding information of the wafer, thereby realizing edge finding and barcode scanning of the wafer; the first drive assembly outputs a fixed stroke, so that the hook carries the wafer back to the preparation station, and the wafer returned to the preparation station has its left and right sides restricted by the slot, and its front and rear positions are restricted by the output stroke of the first drive assembly, thereby realizing the centering of the wafer; the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit provided by the present application The circular pre-adjustment department integrates the wafer's edge-finding, code scanning, alignment and other pre-adjustment operations into one department, eliminating the step of transferring wafers between multiple pre-adjustment chambers in traditional equipment. The first lifting platform, adjustment mechanism, detector and scanner work together in an orderly manner, reducing the wafer transfer time and improving the wafer pre-adjustment efficiency. Compared with traditional multi-pre-adjustment chambers, the integrated design reduces the equipment's footprint and can more effectively utilize space resources, providing more possibilities for the layout of the workshop and future expansion. Since there is no need to set up multiple pre-adjustment chambers or corresponding complex control systems, the hardware cost of the equipment has been significantly reduced. At the same time, the reduction in the number of equipment also means a reduction in maintenance workload, which helps to improve the economic benefits of production.

[0018] The present application also provides a wafer processing device, including the above-mentioned integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit, and also includes a first cavity, a transfer cavity and a transport mechanism. The sealing design of the first cavity can effectively isolate the interference of the external environment on the wafer pre-adjustment process, and ensure that the wafer is pre-adjusted in a clean environment; the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit can accurately position, find edges, scan codes and align wafers, so that each wafer has a unified and accurate position and posture before processing, providing accurate data and positioning basis for subsequent wafer processing procedures; the transfer cavity can dock with multiple working cavities at the same time, and each working cavity can perform different processing operations, cooperating with the transfer machine. The structure can efficiently transfer the pre-adjusted wafers to the subsequent processing steps, realizing the seamless connection between wafer pre-adjustment and subsequent processing steps. This efficient transfer mechanism reduces the waiting time of wafers between different processing links and improves the production efficiency of the wafer processing line. In actual work, after completing the pre-adjustment of multiple or all wafers, the gate valve can be opened and the wafers can be transferred, or the pre-adjustment of the next wafer and the transfer of the pre-adjusted wafer can be carried out at the same time. After a wafer box is empty, the sealed door can be opened to replace it with a new wafer box. In this way, the processing device can operate continuously to avoid low production efficiency due to equipment waiting or discontinuous operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit provided in this application;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the structure of the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit after omitting the detector and the barcode scanner;

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of the structure in the middle circle;

[0022] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing device provided in this application;

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a delivery mechanism provided in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0025] The present application provides an integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit 100, including: a first lifting platform 110, used to place a wafer box, the wafer box is provided with multiple layers of slots, any layer of slots can accommodate a wafer; an adjustment mechanism 120, arranged on one side of the first lifting platform 110, for positioning and edge finding the wafer in the wafer box; a detector 130, used to detect notches on the wafer; a barcode scanner 140, used to obtain coding information on the wafer.

[0026] For details, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the figure shows a basket-shaped wafer box, the front and back sides of the wafer box are open to facilitate the entry and exit of wafers; the left and right sides of the wafer box are provided with limit fences, and the limit fences on both sides are symmetrically provided with multi-layer slots; a pair of slots arranged opposite to each other can cooperate to insert a wafer. During the pre-adjustment process, the slots can also limit the translation direction of the wafer, improving the stability and accuracy of the wafer movement.

[0027] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first lifting platform 110 includes: a table portion for receiving the wafer box; a lifting drive portion for driving the table portion to move in a vertical direction; the lifting drive portion can adopt any driving component such as a cylinder, an electric cylinder, etc. that can drive the table portion to perform lifting motion.

[0028] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The adjustment mechanism 120 is arranged on one side of the first lifting platform 110. After the first lifting platform 110 receives the wafer box, the adjustment mechanism 120 faces an open side of the wafer box and can enter the wafer box through the open side to contact the wafer. The lifting drive unit drives the table to lift and lower the wafer box, and the adjustment mechanism 120 can contact the wafers in each layer of the slot without vertical displacement.

[0029] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The detector 130 and the barcode scanner 140 are disposed between the adjustment mechanism 120 and the first lifting platform 110 and suspended above. During the pre-adjustment process, the adjustment mechanism 120 moves the wafer out of the wafer box so that at least part of the wafer is exposed under the detector 130 and the barcode scanner 140, so that the detector 130 and the barcode scanner 140 can detect the wafer.

[0030] The detector 130 may be a photoelectric sensor, a CCD camera, a probe contact detection mechanism, or other detection components that are convenient for capturing the gap information.

[0031] The barcode scanner 140 may be any barcode scanning component capable of deciphering coded information, such as laser, radio frequency identification (RFID), and image.

[0032] Among them, the adjustment mechanism 120 includes: a hook 121, and a push plate capable of contacting the side of the wafer is provided at the front end of the hook 121 close to the first lifting platform 110; a turntable 122, rotatably arranged on the hook 121, for supporting the wafer; a first drive component, for driving the hook 121 to approach or move away from the first lifting platform 110; and a second drive component, for driving the turntable 122 to rotate.

[0033] Specifically, after the wafer box carrying multiple wafers is placed on the first lifting platform 110, the first wafer in the wafer box is in the preparation position; the first driving component drives the hook 121 to approach the first lifting platform 110 until the hook 121 is directly below the preparation position, the first lifting platform 110 drives the wafer box to descend, so that the first wafer falls on the turntable 122, the first driving component drives the hook 121 away from the first lifting platform 110, the push plate pushes the first wafer, and pushes the first wafer to the adjustment position; the working ends of the detector 130 and the scanner 140 are both facing the adjustment position; the second driving component drives the turntable 122 to rotate with the first wafer until the detector 130 detects that the wafer has been moved. The notch on the first wafer is detected and the barcode scanner 140 obtains the coding information on the first wafer; the first driving component drives the hook 121 to approach the first lifting platform 110 and send the first wafer back to the preparation station, and the first lifting platform 110 drives the wafer box to rise, so that the first wafer is separated from the hook 121 and the turntable 122; the first driving component drives the hook 121 away from the first lifting platform 110, and the first lifting platform 110 moves the second wafer to the preparation station by rising or falling, so that the adjustment mechanism 120 can position and find the edge of the second wafer; and so on, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit 100 can pre-adjust the wafers in the wafer box one by one.

[0034] For details, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the hook 121 includes a connecting portion and a claw portion. The claw portion is arranged at the front end of the connecting portion close to the first lifting platform 110 and is arranged in a long strip shape. A vertically extending push plate is arranged at the front end of the claw portion. The turntable 122 is arranged in a disc shape and is rotatably arranged on the front of the connecting portion through a bearing. The diameter of the turntable 122 is smaller than the diameter of the wafer, and the claw portion is convexly arranged in front of the turntable 122. On the basis of ensuring that the turntable 122 can drive the wafer to translate and rotate, the diameter of the turntable 122 is made smaller, and the contact area between the turntable 122 and the wafer is reduced, which is beneficial to protecting the back of the wafer.

[0035] The first driving assembly can provide a driving force in the horizontal direction. The first driving assembly is connected to the hook 121 and can drive the hook 121 to move horizontally to approach or move away from the first lifting platform 110. The first driving assembly can be any linear driving component such as a cylinder or an electric cylinder.

[0036] When working, the first driving assembly can accurately control the hook 121 and adjust the position of the hook 121 in different operation stages to facilitate the transfer of the wafer between the preparation station and the adjustment station.

[0037] The second driving assembly is connected to the rotating disk 122 and can provide rotational power for the rotating disk 122. The second driving assembly can be any rotating driving member such as a rotating cylinder, a motor, etc.

[0038] During operation, after the wafer reaches the adjustment station, the second drive assembly drives the turntable 122 to rotate, and the turntable 122 drives the wafer to rotate, and the detector 130 can monitor the notch on the wafer in real time; because the position of the detector 130 is fixed and facing the adjustment station, the detector 130 can accurately capture the position where the notch appears during the rotation of the wafer; after the detector 130 confirms the notch information, the second drive assembly can control the turntable 122 to rotate the notch to the preset position; so that the notch of each wafer is adjusted to the preset position, the edge search of all wafers can be realized. After the wafer stops rotating, the barcode scanner 140 can quickly obtain and interpret the coded information on the wafer, thereby recording the relevant data of the wafer, and then realizing the scanning of all wafers.

[0039] Since the positions of the preparation station and the adjustment station are relatively fixed, after completing the edge finding, the first drive component outputs a fixed stroke so that the hook 121 carries the wafer back to the preparation station. The wafer returning to the preparation station is restricted by the slot on its left and right sides, and its front and rear positions are restricted by the output stroke of the first drive component, thereby achieving centering of all wafers.

[0040] More specifically, when the first wafer is the highest wafer in the wafer box, after the wafer box enters the first lifting platform 110, it is in a low position as a whole, and the first wafer is located at the preparation position, facing the adjustment mechanism 120; after completing the pre-adjustment of the first wafer, the wafer box is moved up one position, and the second wafer can be moved to the preparation position, facing the adjustment mechanism 120, and so on, the wafer box rises layer by layer to facilitate the pre-adjustment of the wafers layer by layer.

[0041] Alternatively, when the first wafer is the wafer at the lowest position in the wafer box, after the wafer box enters the first lifting platform 110, it is in a high position as a whole, and the first wafer is located at the preparation position, facing the adjustment mechanism 120; after completing the pre-adjustment of the first wafer, the wafer box is lowered by one position, and the second wafer can be moved to the preparation position, facing the adjustment mechanism 120, and so on. The wafer box descends layer by layer to facilitate the pre-adjustment of the wafers layer by layer.

[0042] If necessary, the wafer of the target layer can be moved to the preparation station by lifting the wafer box, so that the target wafer faces the adjustment mechanism 120 and receives pre-adjustment.

[0043] The integrated wafer pre-adjustment section 100 provided in the present application integrates wafer edge finding, code scanning, alignment and other pre-adjustment operations in one section, eliminating the step of transferring wafers between multiple pre-adjustment chambers in traditional equipment. The first lifting platform 110, the adjustment mechanism 120, the detector 130 and the code scanner 140 cooperate in an orderly manner, reducing the transfer time of the wafer and improving the pre-adjustment efficiency of the wafer. Compared with the traditional multiple pre-adjustment chambers, the integrated design reduces the occupied space of the equipment and can more effectively utilize space resources, providing more possibilities for the layout within the workshop and future expansion. Since there is no need to set up multiple pre-adjustment chambers and no corresponding complex control system, the hardware cost of the equipment is significantly reduced. At the same time, the reduction in the number of equipment also means a reduction in maintenance workload, which helps to improve the economic benefits of production.

[0044] Optionally, a fixture is provided on the first lifting platform 110, and the fixture is used to fix the wafer box to prevent the wafer box from being accidentally displaced during the lifting process.

[0045] In one embodiment, the fixer adopts a snap-on structure.

[0046] For example, a plurality of movable buckles are arranged around the first lifting platform 110. One end of the buckle is connected to the first lifting platform 110 through an elastic element (such as a spring), and the other end is a free end. After the wafer box is placed on the platform, the free end of the buckle can clamp the base of the wafer box under the action of the elastic element. The shape of the buckle can be L-shaped or U-shaped, and the buckle can fit tightly to the edge of the base of the wafer box to ensure that the wafer box can be effectively fixed in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0047] When the wafer box needs to be placed in or taken out, the operator can manually press the free end of the buckle to make the buckle open to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element, so as to facilitate the movement of the wafer box. After the wafer box is placed in place, the buckle is released, and the buckle can automatically reset and clamp the wafer box under the action of the elastic element.

[0048] During the wafer box lifting process, the buckle can firmly fix the wafer box to prevent it from displacement and ensure that each layer of wafers can accurately reach the preparation position.

[0049] When all wafers in the wafer box have been pre-adjusted or all have been taken out, the buckle is opened, the wafer box is taken out, and a new wafer box can be replaced for the next round of pre-adjustment.

[0050] In order to improve the uniformity of the wafer box in place, optionally, the table surface of the first lifting platform 110 is provided with a card slot adapted to the shape of the wafer box base; by inserting the wafer box into the card slot, the position of the wafer box on the first lifting platform 110 can be unified, thereby ensuring the relative position of the preparation station and the adjustment station is reliable.

[0051] In another embodiment, the fixer adopts a magnetic structure.

[0052] For example, a plurality of electromagnets are installed on the first lifting platform 110, and a metal sheet or a magnet with opposite magnetic properties is installed on the wafer box. When the electromagnet is energized, it can generate a magnetic field and attract the metal sheet or magnet on the wafer box, thereby fixing the wafer box on the lifting platform. During the lifting process of the wafer box, the magnetic attraction can ensure the stable position of the wafer box.

[0053] When the wafer box needs to be taken out, the electromagnet is powered off and the magnetic field disappears, thereby releasing the wafer box.

[0054] The wafer box is fixed and released by controlling the on and off of the electromagnet, which is beneficial to the rapid replacement of the wafer box.

[0055] In yet another embodiment, the fastener adopts a pin and hole matching structure.

[0056] For example, a plurality of positioning pins are provided on the first lifting platform 110, and the positioning pins may be cylindrical or conical. At the same time, positioning holes matching the positioning pins are provided on the base of the wafer box. After the wafer box is placed on the platform, the positioning pins are inserted into the positioning holes to achieve positioning and fixing of the wafer box.

[0057] The positioning pins and the positioning holes limit and restrict each other, which can ensure the stable position of the wafer box.

[0058] When the wafer box needs to be taken out, the wafer box is lifted by appropriate external force, so that the positioning pins can be disengaged from the positioning holes, so as to facilitate the replacement of a new wafer box.

[0059] The present application does not limit the specific configuration of the fastener.

[0060] Optionally, the hook 121 includes at least two claw portions, and any two adjacent claw portions are arranged at an angle.

[0061] For details, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, two claws are provided at the front end of the hook 121 facing the first lifting platform 110, and a vertically extending push plate is provided at the front end of each claw. The two claws are symmetrically arranged at an angle with the rotation center of the turntable 122 as the center of the circle, which can cooperate well with the wafer to provide support and fulcrums for the wafer at different positions, ensuring that the wafer is evenly stressed during the translation process, and avoiding tilting, displacement or even damage of the wafer due to uneven force.

[0062] Providing multiple claws to contact the wafer at different angles can form multi-point support and improve the stability of the hook 121 in moving the wafer.

[0063] Optionally, the push plate is arranged in a needle shape, or the push plate is arranged in an arc shape that can fit the side surface of the wafer.

[0064] When the push plate is set in a needle shape, its contact with the side of the wafer is similar to point contact, and the contact area between the two is extremely small. The small area contact will not affect the pushing force of the push plate on the wafer, and in the process of rotating the turntable 122 carrying the wafer, it will hardly generate additional friction or interference force on the rotation of the wafer, so that the wafer can maintain a natural motion state during the rotation process.

[0065] In addition, the point contact of the needle-shaped push plate can also reduce problems such as scratches and electrostatic adsorption that may be caused by large-area friction, which is beneficial to reduce the potential risk of damage to the wafer and protect the wafer.

[0066] When the push plate is set in an arc shape, the arc structure can fit and contain the side of the wafer, thereby providing a uniform and stable thrust for the wafer. At the same time, the arc push plate will not hinder the rotation of the wafer. During the wafer pre-adjustment process, the turntable 122 rotates with the wafer, and the arc push plate can follow the rotation of the wafer, and will not generate friction or interference force contrary to the rotation direction. It can also provide a certain guide and limit for the rotation of the wafer, so that the wafer can maintain a stable trajectory during the rotation process, which is beneficial to the operation of the detector 130 and the scanner 140.

[0067] In addition, the soft curve of the arc-shaped push plate can also reduce hard contact with the edge of the wafer, reducing the risk of wafer edge damage caused by collision or extrusion, further ensuring the integrity and quality of the wafer and playing a role in protecting the wafer edge.

[0068] Optionally, a surface of the turntable 122 for contacting the wafer is provided with an anti-slip structure.

[0069] In one embodiment, the anti-slip structure adopts dot-shaped protrusions.

[0070] Specifically, the upper surface of the turntable 122 for contacting the wafer is evenly distributed with a plurality of dot-shaped protrusions. When the wafer moves with the hook 121, these dot-shaped protrusions can provide sufficient friction to prevent the wafer from sliding off the push plate due to instantaneous thrust or inertia of movement; when the wafer rotates with the turntable 122, the dot-shaped protrusions can provide reliable grip, so that the wafer rotates synchronously with the turntable 122 to avoid relative slipping of the two. In addition, the contact area between the dot-shaped protrusions and the back of the wafer is small, which can effectively reduce the risk of damage to the back of the wafer.

[0071] Optionally, the dot-shaped protrusions are made of a material with moderate hardness that will not damage the wafer, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, rubber, etc.

[0072] In another embodiment, the anti-slip structure adopts rib-shaped protrusions.

[0073] Specifically, the upper surface of the turntable 122 for contacting the wafer is provided with a plurality of parallel or staggered rib-shaped protrusions. When the wafer is translated, the rib-shaped protrusions can form multiple support points with the back of the wafer to enhance the friction force, thereby ensuring that the wafer remains in contact with the hook 121 and moves with the hook 121; when the wafer rotates, the rib-shaped protrusions can reliably transmit the rotational force and prevent the wafer from slipping. In addition, the contact area between the rib-shaped protrusions and the back of the wafer is reduced compared to the plane contact, which can effectively reduce the risk of damage to the back of the wafer.

[0074] Optionally, the material of the rib-shaped protrusions is a material with good wear resistance and flexibility, such as silicone.

[0075] In other embodiments, the anti-slip structure may also be a micro-nano texture structure, an elastic suction cup, etc. The present application does not limit the specific configuration of the anti-slip structure.

[0076] Optionally, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment part 100 further includes a limit plate, which is disposed at the adjustment position. After the wafer is pushed to the adjustment position by the hook 121 , it can abut against the limit plate.

[0077] In simple terms, the limit plate and the push plate are arranged opposite to each other. After the hook 121 pushes the wafer to the adjustment position, the front end of the wafer abuts against the push plate, and the rear end abuts against the limit plate. The wafer is confined between the push plate and the limit plate, which is conducive to the uniformity and accuracy of the wafer position. When translating, the limit plate can play the role of extreme positioning; when rotating, the limit plate can cooperate with the push plate to play the role of collaboratively maintaining the center position of the wafer, avoiding factors such as centrifugal force that cause wafer displacement and affect positioning and edge finding.

[0078] Optionally, the limiting plate is arranged in a needle shape, or the limiting plate is arranged in an arc shape that can fit the side surface of the wafer.

[0079] The configuration of the limiting plate is similar to that of the pushing plate, which can reduce the contact area between the limiting plate and the wafer and prevent the limiting plate from interfering with the rotation of the wafer.

[0080] Optionally, the limiting plate is detachably arranged at the adjustment station.

[0081] For example, a guide rod is provided on one side of the adjustment station, the extension direction of the guide rod is parallel to the translation direction of the hook 121, and the limit plate is sleeved on the guide rod through a clamp. By loosening the clamp, the position of the limit plate can be adjusted along the guide rod so that the limit plate is close to or away from the first lifting platform 110. When the limit plate is close to the first lifting platform 110, the adjustment station is forward, and the limit plate can cooperate with the push plate to limit the small-sized wafer; when the limit plate is away from the first lifting platform 110, the adjustment station is backward, and the limit plate can cooperate with the push plate to limit the large-sized wafer.

[0082] For another example, the limiting plate is arranged on one side of the adjustment mechanism 120 by means of screw connection, plug connection or other easy disassembly and assembly methods.

[0083] The limit plate is easily removable, and the position of the limit plate can be easily adjusted so that the limit plate cooperates with the push plate to limit wafers of different sizes to a position that is convenient for the detector 130 and the scanner 140 to work; in this way, there is no need to design or replace components separately for each size of wafer, which is conducive to improving the versatility of the equipment and production efficiency.

[0084] If necessary, the detector 130 and the barcode scanner 140 can also be set in a detachable and easy-to-move form to facilitate their detection of wafers of different specifications.

[0085] Optionally, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment section 100 provided in the present application also includes: a mounting plate 151, which is arranged on one side of the first lifting platform 110; a guide member 152, which is arranged on the mounting plate 151 and extends toward the first lifting platform 110, and the hook 121 is slidably arranged on the guide member 152; a driving wheel, which is rotatably arranged on the back side of the hook 121 and located at the rear end away from the push plate; a driven wheel, which is rotatably arranged on the back side of the hook 121 and connected to the turntable 122; a synchronous belt 123, which is sleeved on the driving wheel and the driven wheel; a first gear 124, which is coaxially arranged with the driving wheel; a rack 125, which is connected to the hook 121 and extends in the same direction as the guide member 152, and the rack 125 and the first gear 124 are distributed in the vertical direction; a rotating driving member 126, and the movable end of the rotating driving member 126 is provided with a first Second gear 127, the second gear 127 can be meshed with the first gear 124 or the rack 125; the lifting drive member 128 is used to drive the rotating drive member 126 to move in the vertical direction; when the first driving component is needed to work, the lifting drive member 128 drives the rotating drive member 126 to move until the second gear 127 is meshed with the rack 125, the rotating drive member 126 drives the second gear 127 to rotate, and the rack 125 can drive the hook 121 along the guide member 152 to approach or move away from the first lifting platform 110; when the second driving component is needed to work, the lifting drive member 128 drives the rotating drive member 126 to move until the second gear 127 is meshed with the first gear 124, the rotating drive member 126 drives the second gear 127 to rotate, and the first gear 124 can be driven by the synchronous belt assembly to rotate the turntable 122.

[0086] For details, please refer to Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting plate 151 is fixedly arranged on the right side of the first lifting platform 110, and the bottom surface of the mounting plate 151 is provided with a guide member 152 extending straightly toward the first lifting platform 110, and the rear end of the connecting portion of the hook 121 is slidably arranged on the guide member 152 through a slider. The guide member 152 can limit the movement direction of the hook 121 and ensure that the hook 121 approaches or moves away from the first lifting platform 110 along a uniform preset path, so that the wafer can accurately move between the preparation station and the adjustment station.

[0087] Continue to refer to Figure 2 , the front end of the hook 121 connection part is provided with two claws; the turntable 122 is rotatably arranged on the front of the connection part through a bearing; on the back of the connection part, a driven wheel is provided at the front end, and the wheel axle of the driven wheel is connected to the rotating shaft of the turntable 122, and a driving wheel is provided at the rear end, and the driving wheel is rotatably arranged on the connection part through a bearing; a synchronous belt is sleeved between the driven wheel and the driving wheel. When the driving wheel rotates, the synchronous belt can drive the driven wheel to rotate, and then drive the turntable 122 to rotate. The synchronous belt transmission method can ensure the accuracy and stability of power transmission, and ensure that the turntable 122 has a continuous and uniform speed during the rotation process.

[0088] Continue to refer to Figure 2 A first gear 124 is provided below the driving wheel, and the first gear 124 is coaxially arranged with the driving wheel and can rotate synchronously. A rack 125 is provided below the hook 121, and the rack 125 also extends straight toward the first lifting platform 110. The first gear 124 is provided above the rack 125. The first gear 124 and the rack 125 are arranged in a staggered manner, which lays a foundation for subsequent power transmission and motion conversion.

[0089] Continue to refer to Figure 2 The lifting drive member 128 is fixedly arranged on the right side of the first lifting platform 110 and is arranged below the rack 125. The lifting drive member 128 can be any driving member that can drive the rotating drive member 126 to perform lifting motion, such as a cylinder or an electric cylinder. The rotating drive member 126 is arranged above the lifting drive member 128 and is connected to the movable end of the lifting drive member 128; the second gear 127 is arranged above the rotating drive member 126 and is connected to the movable end of the rotating drive member 126. The rotating drive member 126 can be any driving member that can drive the second gear 127 to rotate, such as a rotating cylinder or a motor.

[0090] The second gear 127 plays a key switching role in the entire transmission system.

[0091] When the first driving assembly needs to work, that is, when the hook 121 needs to translate, the lifting driving member 128 drives the rotary driving member 126 to move downward, so that the second gear 127 is meshed with the rack 125. At this time, the rotary driving member 126 drives the second gear 127 to rotate. Due to the meshing relationship between the second gear 127 and the rack 125, the rack 125 can drive the hook 121 connected thereto to move linearly along the guide member 152, thereby realizing the translation movement of the hook 121 close to or away from the first lifting platform 110.

[0092] When the second driving assembly needs to work, that is, when the turntable 122 needs to rotate, the lifting driving member 128 drives the rotating driving member 126 to move upward so that the second gear 127 is meshed with the first gear 124. At this time, the rotating driving member 126 drives the second gear 127 to rotate. Due to the meshing relationship between the second gear 127 and the first gear 124, the first gear 124 can drive the driving wheel connected thereto to rotate, and then through the transmission of the synchronous belt 123 and the driven wheel, the turntable 122 is finally rotated.

[0093] By controlling the lifting and lowering of the rotary drive member 126 by the lifting drive member 128 , the meshing switching between the second gear 127 and different components is realized, thereby realizing two different movements of the translation of the hook 121 and the rotation of the turntable 122 .

[0094] With such a configuration, the first drive component and the second drive component are further integrated, and the two drives can be realized by using a set of drive systems, which saves equipment space, improves the integration of equipment, and provides more flexibility for the overall layout. At the same time, since the second gear 127 can be meshed with different components by only lifting and lowering, compared with the switching of complex multi-drive systems, this method reduces the intermediate links, reduces the complexity and response delay of the system, and can more quickly and accurately realize the translation of the hook 121 and the rotation of the turntable 122, ensuring the efficient pre-adjustment of the wafer. In addition, the integrated design structure of the drive is relatively simple, with few failure points, which is conducive to reducing hardware costs, reducing control difficulty, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0095] Optionally, the detector 130 uses a distance sensor; the detector 130 is set at a fixed point, and when the wafer is rotated until the notch thereon is at the fixed point, the detection value of the detector 130 changes, thereby confirming that the wafer has reached the edge.

[0096] Specifically, when a distance sensor is used as the detector 130 to detect wafer notches, its working principle is based on the sensing characteristics of the distance sensor to reflections or occlusions on the surfaces of different objects. The distance sensor is fixedly set just above the adjustment station. When the wafer starts to rotate under the drive of the turntable 122, the distance sensor continuously emits a detection signal (such as a laser beam, ultrasonic wave, etc., depending on the type of distance sensor) and receives a signal reflected from the wafer surface.

[0097] At the beginning of wafer rotation, when the notch is not facing the distance sensor, the distance sensor detects the signal reflected from the relatively flat part of the wafer surface. Since the distance between the wafer surface and the distance sensor is relatively stable, the distance sensor outputs a relatively small and stable detection value at this time.

[0098] As the wafer rotates, when the notch on the wafer rotates to face the distance sensor, the notch will change the path or characteristics of the reflected signal because it is different from the flat surface of the wafer. For optical distance sensors, the notch will weaken the intensity of the reflected light or change its direction, causing the reflected light signal received by the sensor to become weaker, thereby increasing the calculated distance value; for ultrasonic distance sensors, the notch will affect the reflection of the ultrasonic wave, causing the echo time received by the sensor to change, which will also increase the detection value.

[0099] By monitoring the changes in the distance sensor detection value, the system can accurately determine that the notch on the wafer has rotated to a position facing the distance sensor, thereby confirming that the wafer is adjusted in place and providing an accurate trigger signal for subsequent operations.

[0100] The distance sensor has high detection accuracy, which can ensure the accuracy of the notch position judgment; at the same time, the signal response speed of the distance sensor is fast, so that the system can quickly capture changes in the notch and respond accordingly; in addition, the distance sensor usually has good stability and reliability, and is not easily disturbed by external environmental factors (such as slight vibration, dust, etc.), which can ensure the normal development of the detection work; and the distance sensor is relatively small in size and easier to integrate into the equipment, which helps to achieve compact and integrated design of the equipment and improve the space utilization of the equipment.

[0101] The present application also provides a wafer processing device, including the above-mentioned integrated wafer pre-adjustment part 100, and also includes: a first cavity 1, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment part 100 is arranged in the first cavity 1, and the first cavity 1 is provided with a sealed door; a transfer cavity 2, connected to the first cavity 1, and a gate valve is provided between the transfer cavity 2 and the first cavity 1; a transfer mechanism, arranged in the transfer cavity 2, for receiving and transferring wafers; when the gate valve is opened, the transfer mechanism can enter the first cavity 1 and take away the pre-adjusted wafers in the wafer box; when the sealed door is opened, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment part 100 can load and unload the wafer box.

[0102] For details, please refer to Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer chamber 2 is arranged in a regular polygonal shape, and a gate valve that can be opened and closed is arranged on any side. Any gate valve can be used to connect a working chamber (the first chamber 1, the second chamber 3, and the third chamber 4 mentioned in this application are all working chambers, and the working chamber can also have built-in processing equipment for surface treatment required by the process for the pre-adjusted wafers). Most wafer processing needs to be carried out under vacuum conditions, and the gate valve has a sealing effect; when the wafer is transferred in different chambers, the corresponding gate valve is opened to break the vacuum; after the wafer is in place, the corresponding gate valve is closed, and the vacuum equipment is used to regulate the air pressure in the chamber.

[0103] Continue to refer to Figure 4 The first cavity 1 is provided with two inlets and outlets. The first inlet and outlet are connected to the transfer cavity 2 through a gate valve, and the second inlet and outlet are provided with an openable and closable sealing door. When the gate valve and the sealing door are both in a closed state, the first cavity 1 is in a sealed state, and the vacuum degree in the first cavity 1 can be changed by cooperating with a vacuum device.

[0104] During the semiconductor manufacturing process, wafers are very susceptible to pollutants such as particles, water vapor, and organic volatiles. In order to prevent these pollutants from adhering to the wafer surface during the pre-conditioning process, the first cavity 1 is sealed to place the wafer in a certain vacuum environment, which can effectively reduce the number of air molecules and inhibit the occurrence of chemical reactions, thereby reducing the possibility of pollutants and reducing the risk of wafer contamination.

[0105] When the first lifting platform 110 fixes the wafer box by vacuum adsorption, or when the turntable 122 fixes the wafer by vacuum adsorption, the first cavity 1 is sealed so that the wafer is in a certain vacuum environment, which is conducive to the realization and maintenance of vacuum adsorption, thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the pre-adjustment process.

[0106] In addition, static electricity is easily generated on the surface of the wafer, which may absorb dust particles and damage sensitive circuits on the wafer when discharged. Sealing the first cavity 1 and placing the wafer in a certain vacuum environment helps reduce the generation and accumulation of static electricity; a vacuum environment is conducive to the dissipation of charges and can prevent a large amount of charge from accumulating on the surface of the wafer, thereby reducing the damage of static electricity to the wafer.

[0107] For some special wafer pre-conditioning processes, such as those involving thin film deposition, ion implantation and other preliminary pre-conditioning operations, the vacuum degree directly affects the movement and distribution of particles involved in the reaction, and thus affects key parameters such as the quality of the thin film, the depth and uniformity of ion implantation, etc. Sealing the first cavity 1, so that the wafer is in a specific vacuum environment, can ensure the accuracy and consistency of the process.

[0108] Continue to refer to Figure 4 , the transfer mechanism is hidden in the transfer chamber 2. The transfer mechanism can adopt any automated handling structure that is convenient for grabbing and transferring wafers, such as robots, manipulators, suction cups, etc. When the transfer chamber 2 is docked with multiple working chambers, multiple sets of transfer mechanisms can be set to perform wafer transfer operations for different chambers respectively, or to perform wafer transfer operations for multiple different chambers at the same time. Since the transfer chamber 2 is arranged in a regular polygonal shape, the transfer mechanism can rotate. After the transfer mechanism obtains the wafer, it can face another working chamber after turning a certain angle.

[0109] Specifically, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit 100 includes a first lifting platform 110, an adjustment mechanism 120, a detector 130 and a scanner 140. These components work together in the first cavity 1 to achieve pre-adjustment of the wafer, including positioning and edge finding, notch detection and code scanning.

[0110] The first cavity 1 has a sealing function and cooperates with the vacuum equipment to adjust the vacuum degree in the cavity, so as to maintain a stable environment in the cavity during wafer pre-adjustment and prevent external impurities, dust, etc. from entering the cavity and affecting the wafer quality.

[0111] The transfer chamber 2 is connected to the first chamber 1, and a gate valve is provided between the two. A transfer mechanism is provided in the transfer chamber 2, which can connect different working chambers in series and realize the access and transfer of wafers in different working chambers. The transfer chamber 2 provides an operating space for the transfer mechanism to ensure that the wafers can be safely moved between different chambers.

[0112] In the processing device, the first lifting platform 110 and the wafer box thereon are located between the transfer mechanism and the adjustment mechanism 120, one of the open sides of the wafer box faces the adjustment mechanism 120, and the other open side faces the transfer mechanism. In one embodiment, the transfer mechanism and the adjustment mechanism 120 are arranged one high and one low. After completing the pre-adjustment of a wafer, the wafer box rises or falls one station, so that the pre-adjusted wafer faces the gate valve and the transfer mechanism, and the next wafer to be pre-adjusted is in the preparation station, facing the adjustment mechanism 120. In this way, the lifting of the wafer box can simultaneously meet the wafer replacement at the preparation station and the transfer mechanism to receive the pre-adjusted wafer.

[0113] In summary, the sealing design of the first chamber 1 can effectively isolate the interference of the external environment on the wafer pre-adjustment process, ensuring that the wafer is pre-adjusted in a clean environment; the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit 100 can accurately position, find edges, scan codes and align the wafer, so that each wafer has a uniform and accurate position and posture before processing, providing accurate data and positioning basis for subsequent wafer processing procedures; the transfer chamber 2 can simultaneously dock with multiple working chambers, each of which can perform different processing operations, and cooperate with the transfer mechanism to efficiently transfer the pre-adjusted wafers and allow them to enter The subsequent processing steps realize the seamless connection between wafer pre-adjustment and subsequent processing steps. This efficient transfer mechanism reduces the waiting time of wafers between different processing links and improves the production efficiency of the wafer processing line. In actual work, after completing the pre-adjustment of multiple or all wafers, the gate valve can be opened and the wafers can be transferred. The pre-adjustment of the next wafer and the transfer of the pre-adjusted wafer can also be carried out at the same time. After a wafer box is empty, the sealed door can be opened to replace it with a new wafer box. In this way, the processing device can operate continuously to avoid low production efficiency due to equipment waiting or inconsistent operation.

[0114] Optionally, the wafer processing device provided by the present application further includes: a second chamber 3, connected to the transfer chamber 2, a gate valve is also provided between the transfer chamber 2 and the second chamber 3, and a sealing door is also provided on the second chamber 3; a second lifting platform 210, arranged in the second chamber 3; an auxiliary wafer box 220, arranged on the second lifting platform 210, for storing processed wafers; a receiving platform 230, also arranged in the second chamber 3 and located on one side of the second lifting platform 210, for placing the wafer box; a delivery mechanism for delivering the auxiliary wafer box 2 The wafers in the wafer box 20 are transferred to the wafer box on the receiving platform 230; the wafer box carrying multiple wafers first enters the first cavity 1, and the wafers are taken away by the transfer mechanism after pre-adjustment; the processed wafers are placed in the auxiliary wafer box 220; the wafers are arranged in the same way in the wafer box and the auxiliary wafer box 220; after all the wafers are taken away, the empty wafer box is transferred to the receiving platform 230; the delivery mechanism then transfers the wafers in the auxiliary wafer box 220 to the empty wafer box, and makes each wafer return to the original slot.

[0115] For details, please refer to Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the second cavity 3 is disposed on one side of the first cavity 1, and the two are arranged adjacent to each other and are connected to the transfer cavity 2 through a gate valve. The first cavity 1 is equivalent to the loading part of the wafer. The wafers to be processed are stored in the wafer box and first enter the first cavity 1. After the pre-adjustment is completed, the wafers are taken away by the transfer mechanism and sent to the required working cavity for process processing. The second cavity 3 is equivalent to the unloading part of the wafer. The processed wafers are sent to the auxiliary wafer box 220 through the transfer mechanism. The auxiliary wafer box 220 can store these wafers. After the wafer box in the first cavity 1 is empty, the processed wafers stored in the auxiliary wafer box 220 are transported back to the wafer box through the delivery mechanism, and finally the wafers and the wafer box are reset.

[0116] Continue to refer to Figure 4 The configuration of the second cavity 3 is similar to that of the first cavity 1. The second cavity 3 is also provided with two inlets and outlets. The first inlet and outlet are connected to the transfer cavity 2 through a gate valve, and the second inlet and outlet are provided with an openable and closable sealing door. When the gate valve and the sealing door are closed, the second cavity 3 is in a sealed state. The vacuum degree in the second cavity 3 can be changed by cooperating with the vacuum equipment, which is conducive to the cleanliness, stability and safety of the wafer storage environment.

[0117] Continue to refer to Figure 4 The second lifting platform 210, the auxiliary wafer box 220, the receiving platform 230 and the delivery mechanism are hidden in the second cavity 3. Figure 5 The configuration of the second lifting platform 210 is similar to that of the first lifting platform 110, and the second lifting platform 210 also includes a platform and a lifting drive unit. The configuration of the auxiliary wafer box 220 is similar to that of an ordinary wafer box, and multiple layers of slots are also provided in the auxiliary wafer box 220. The auxiliary wafer box 220 can be fixedly arranged on the platform, or can be detachably connected to the platform (to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the auxiliary wafer box 220); when working, after the auxiliary wafer box 220 receives the wafer in a slot facing the gate valve and the transfer mechanism, the auxiliary wafer box 220 is raised or lowered to a certain height by the second lifting platform 210, so that another layer of empty slots faces the gate valve and the transfer mechanism, so as to facilitate receiving the next wafer to be processed. The receiving platform 230 can be any structure that is convenient for placing the wafer box. A fixture can also be provided on the receiving platform 230 to facilitate positioning of the wafer box, so that the wafer box can be stably docked with the transfer mechanism and the delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism may be any automated transport structure such as a robot, a manipulator, or a suction cup that can conveniently grab the wafer from the auxiliary wafer box 220 and transfer the wafer to the receiving platform 230 .

[0118] Specifically, a wafer box carrying multiple wafers enters the first cavity 1; for ease of understanding, the wafer box is referred to as an initial wafer box; in the initial wafer box, from top to bottom, the wafer inserted in the first layer slot is referred to as the first wafer, the wafer inserted in the second layer slot is referred to as the second wafer, and so on. After the first lifting platform 110 receives and fixes the initial wafer box, the adjustment mechanism 120 can cooperate with the detector 130 and the barcode scanner 140 to pre-adjust the multiple wafers in the initial wafer box layer by layer.

[0119] After the gate valve is opened to connect the first chamber 1 with the transfer chamber 2, the transfer mechanism can take out the pre-conditioned wafers in the initial wafer box; the wafers enter the downstream working chamber and receive process treatment. As the wafers are continuously taken away, the initial wafer box is eventually empty. After closing the gate valve and opening the sealing door, the wafer box can be replaced. The new wafer box with multiple wafers enters the first chamber 1, and the empty initial wafer box is sent to the second chamber 3.

[0120] The second chamber 3 is connected to the transfer chamber 2, and the transfer mechanism can deliver the processed wafers into the auxiliary wafer box 220. Since the wafers are all scanned, and the processing sequence, process, and node are fixed, the control system can understand which wafer in the initial wafer box the wafer to be transported and processed is (in actual operation, these wafers may enter the downstream working chamber in sequence for processing, such as from the first wafer to the last wafer, or from the last wafer to the first wafer, so that the processing is completed one by one, or a random wafer may enter the downstream working chamber for processing, and the control system will record it during the operation); before the transfer mechanism inserts the wafer into the auxiliary wafer box 220, the second lifting platform 210 is used to make the auxiliary wafer box 220 rise or fall to the corresponding layer of the slot facing the gate valve and the transfer mechanism; after the gate valve is opened, the transfer mechanism can insert the wafer into the slot and ensure that the a-th wafer is in the a-th layer slot.

[0121] It should be explained that in the production process, tracking the processing history and location information of each wafer helps to timely discover and solve quality problems and improve the controllability of product quality. Therefore, both the wafer and the wafer box need to have traceability, that is, before processing, the wafer and the wafer box have an initial relative position, and after processing, the wafer returns to the wafer box and also needs to have the initial relative position.

[0122] By coordinating the transfer mechanism and the second lifting platform 210 through the control system, it can be ensured that the wafers are arranged in the same manner in the initial wafer box and the auxiliary wafer box 220, which is convenient for the subsequent wafer resetting. After the empty initial wafer box arrives at the receiving platform 230, the delivery mechanism can transfer the wafers in the auxiliary wafer box 220 to the initial wafer box, so that the initial wafer box returns to the initial state of carrying multiple wafers, and each wafer is in the initial position.

[0123] The design of the second cavity 3 and its internal structure realizes the parallel operation of wafer processing; while the wafers in the initial wafer box are pre-adjusted, the processed wafers can be temporarily stored in the auxiliary wafer box 220, which not only avoids the waste of time waiting for the wafers to be pre-adjusted before subsequent processing, but also avoids the long-term detention of wafers waiting for the initial wafer box to be empty, which is conducive to improving the production efficiency of the wafer processing device. The auxiliary wafer box 220 also facilitates the resetting of each layer of wafers. The delivery mechanism does not need to record the position of each layer of wafers in the auxiliary wafer box 220. The wafers can be directly moved in position so that each wafer returns to its initial position in the initial wafer box.

[0124] In one embodiment, processing a wafer box containing multiple wafers represents one stage of work; in one stage of work, the wafers in the wafer box are pre-adjusted layer by layer, and the pre-adjusted wafers are transported downstream one by one to complete the processing; the processed wafers are sent to the auxiliary wafer box 220 one by one; as the wafer box is gradually emptied, the auxiliary wafer box 220 is gradually filled; the empty wafer box is sent to the material receiving platform 230; after all the wafers in one stage have entered the auxiliary wafer box 220, the delivery mechanism is started to send all the multiple wafers in the auxiliary wafer box 220 into the empty wafer box at one time.

[0125] Optionally, after all wafers in a stage have entered the auxiliary wafer box 220, the empty wafer box is abutted against the auxiliary wafer box 220 to ensure that the open sides of the two are connected to each other and the slots therein correspond one to one and extend in a straight line. The delivery mechanism uses a push plate in conjunction with a pusher (such as a cylinder, electric cylinder, etc.) to push multiple wafers into the empty wafer box at one time.

[0126] Optionally, the delivery mechanism includes: a flip plate 241, which is rotatably arranged on the second lifting platform 210, and the auxiliary wafer box 220 is arranged on the flip plate 241; a flip driving member 242, which is used to drive the flip plate 241 to flip with the auxiliary wafer box 220 toward the material receiving platform 230; the surface of the material receiving platform 230 for receiving the wafer box extends obliquely toward the auxiliary wafer box 220, and the surface of the material receiving platform 230 for receiving the wafer box is also provided with a back support plate 231, and the back support plate 231 is perpendicular to the material receiving platform 230; after the wafer box is placed on the material receiving platform 230, one of its open sides is in contact with the back support plate 231; after the auxiliary wafer box 220 is flipped, it can be against the wafer box on the material receiving platform 230, and the open sides of the wafer box and the auxiliary wafer box 220 are connected to each other, and the slots in the two correspond one to one and extend obliquely in the same direction, so that the wafer in the auxiliary wafer box 220 can slide into the wafer box.

[0127] For details, please refer to Figure 5In the illustrated embodiment, the flip plate 241 is flippably arranged on the top surface of the second lifting platform 210 through a hinge; the flip driving member 242 adopts a cylinder, and the flip driving member 242 is swingably arranged on the side of the second lifting platform 210 away from the material receiving platform 230, and is connected to the flip plate 241 through a rotating joint; when the piston rod of the flip driving member 242 makes a linear motion, its own swinging design and the rotating connection with the flip plate 241 can compensate for the stroke difference, so that the flip plate 241 can rotate around the hinge.

[0128] Continue to refer to Figure 5 The auxiliary wafer box 220 is fixedly arranged on the flip plate 241 and can rotate close to or away from the receiving platform 230 along with the flip plate 241. When the auxiliary wafer box 220 rotates toward the receiving platform 230, the slot therein extends obliquely from left to right, and the wafer in the slot can slide down from left to right under the influence of its own weight.

[0129] Continue to refer to Figure 5 The table top of the receiving platform 230 extends obliquely from left to lower right, and a back support plate 231 is provided on the right side of the receiving platform 230. The back support plate 231 is vertically arranged on the receiving platform 230 and extends obliquely from left to upper right. When receiving a wafer box, the table top of the receiving platform 230 can abut against the base of the wafer box, and the back support plate 231 can abut against an open side of the wafer box; the back support plate 231 can cooperate with the table top to fix the wafer box, and make the other open side of the wafer box exposed upward and inclined toward the auxiliary wafer box 220. This inclined design is just suitable for the sliding direction of the wafer after the auxiliary wafer box 220 is flipped, so that the slot direction of the wafer box is consistent with the sliding direction of the wafer after the auxiliary wafer box 220 is flipped.

[0130] Specifically, after the auxiliary wafer box 220 is flipped over, it can abut against the wafer box on the receiving platform 230. At this time, the open sides of the two are connected to each other, and the slots in the two correspond to each other and extend in a straight line. The wafer sliding down from the auxiliary wafer box 220 can slide into the wafer box without misalignment, and the back support plate 231 can also prevent the wafer from sliding off the wafer box.

[0131] In this way, by flipping the auxiliary wafer box 220, the wafers can be transferred in batches and quickly without the help of external force, which is beneficial to reducing the time required for wafer transfer and improving wafer production efficiency. At the same time, the delivery mechanism based on the flip plate 241 and the flip drive 242 is simpler in structure than a complex manipulator or a multi-component coordinated transfer device. It reduces the complex mechanical structure and moving parts in the equipment, and reduces the difficulty of designing, manufacturing and controlling the equipment. In addition, the design of the receiving platform 230 and the back support plate 231 ensures that the slot of the wafer box is accurately matched with the sliding trajectory of the wafer in the auxiliary wafer box 220, reducing the possibility of position deviation of the wafer during the transfer process, ensuring that each wafer can accurately return to the corresponding slot, which is beneficial to wafer resetting and traceability.

[0132] In order to prevent the wafer from sliding down and hitting the back support plate 231 and causing damage, the surface of the back support plate 231 that contacts the wafer box can be provided with an anti-collision layer made of flexible materials such as rubber and cloth.

[0133] If necessary, the receiving platform 230 can be turned over. When delivering wafers, the receiving platform 230 turns over so that the wafer box on it tilts toward the auxiliary wafer box 220 to receive the wafers that slide down from the auxiliary wafer box 220; after the delivery is completed, the receiving platform 230 and the wafer box return to a horizontal state to facilitate loading and unloading of the wafer box.

[0134] Optionally, the transfer chamber 2 is arranged in a regular polygonal shape, and a plurality of gate valves are arranged at equal intervals on the side of the transfer chamber 2, and any gate valve can be connected to a working chamber; the transfer mechanism can perform both telescopic movement and rotational movement; the transfer mechanism can grasp or release the wafer by extending and retracting through the gate valve; the transfer mechanism can transport the wafer to different working chambers by rotating.

[0135] For details, please refer to Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer chamber 2 is arranged in a regular octagon, each side of which is provided with a gate valve and can be equipped with a working chamber; each gate valve can be connected to an independent working chamber. The regular polygon design not only makes the spatial layout of the equipment more compact, but also facilitates the operation of wafers and helps to improve operating efficiency. The transfer chamber 2 is like a central hub. After the transfer mechanism takes out the wafer from a working chamber and returns to the transfer chamber 2, it turns the wafer at a certain angle so that the wafer faces the next working chamber. The equally spaced distribution ensures the relative uniformity of the working chamber corresponding to each gate valve in space, so that the transfer mechanism can interact with different working chambers in a more uniform manner during operation.

[0136] The transfer mechanism is arranged inside the transfer chamber 2, and it has two modes of movement, namely telescopic movement and rotational movement. In a specific embodiment, the transfer mechanism includes: a claw for receiving the wafer; a telescopic drive member for driving the claw to extend and retract the translational movement so that the claw can extend into the working chamber or return to the transfer chamber 2; a rotational drive member for driving the claw to rotate so that the claw faces different working chambers. Among them, the telescopic drive member can adopt a linear drive member such as a cylinder and an electric cylinder, and the rotational drive member can adopt a rotational drive member such as a rotary cylinder and a motor.

[0137] Since the transfer chamber 2 can be connected to multiple working chambers, each working chamber can perform different wafer processing procedures, which enables the entire wafer processing device to have the ability to process multiple tasks in parallel. For example, when the wafer is pre-adjusted in the first chamber 1, a working chamber downstream performs photolithography on the wafer, and another working chamber downstream performs etching on the wafer, and the second chamber 3 downstream receives the processed wafer. The transfer mechanism can quickly transfer wafers between different working chambers, shortening the waiting time of wafers between different processing procedures, realizing the compactness of the production process, and helping to improve overall production efficiency.

[0138] In actual production, the working chamber can be flexibly assembled on the transfer chamber 2 according to the process to meet different production tasks and improve the applicability of the whole machine. When there is no need to arrange too many working chambers, the closed gate valve does not affect the floor space or the environment inside the chamber, and also provides convenience for the subsequent expansion of the equipment; if new processing processes need to be added in future production, it is only necessary to find a suitable position on the circumference of the transfer chamber 2 and install another working chamber.

[0139] At the same time, the transfer mechanism's telescopic and rotating motion design enables it to quickly respond to the needs of different working chambers. Compared with the traditional linear transfer method, this transfer mechanism that can flexibly rotate and telescope in the disc-shaped transfer chamber 2 greatly reduces the transfer path and time, improves the transfer efficiency, and thus speeds up the pace of the entire production process.

[0140] Optionally, the wafer processing device provided in the present application further includes a third chamber 4, which is connected to the transfer chamber 2, and a gate valve is also provided between the transfer chamber 2 and the third chamber 4; the third chamber 4 is used for temporarily storing wafers.

[0141] For details, please refer to Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the third cavity 4 is disposed between the first cavity 1 and the second cavity 3. The third cavity 4 is equivalent to a spare working part. Its existence enriches the functional layout of the wafer processing device, so that the wafer has a temporary storage place in the entire processing flow.

[0142] During the wafer manufacturing process, some processing techniques may cause the wafer to generate a high temperature, which makes it inconvenient to immediately perform the next round of processing. At this time, the wafer in a high temperature state can pass through the transfer mechanism and the gate valve of the transfer chamber 2 into the third chamber 4 and wait for natural cooling.

[0143] A wafer box, a slot, a support platform or other structures may be provided in the third cavity 4 to facilitate placement of multiple wafers.

[0144] In a complex wafer manufacturing process, the working rhythm of each working chamber cannot be completely consistent. Some chambers may process faster, while subsequent chambers cannot receive wafers in time due to complex processes or equipment speed limitations. At this time, the first processed wafers can be temporarily stored in the third chamber 4 and wait for the downstream to be unblocked before entering the production line.

[0145] During the wafer processing process, some problems are inevitable, such as detecting that a certain process of a certain wafer is not completely processed, or finding that a temporary failure of the equipment requires temporary storage of the wafer. At this time, the problematic wafer can be transferred to the third chamber 4 for temporary storage. In the third chamber 4, the wafer can obtain a relatively stable environment to avoid further contamination or damage due to random placement. At the same time, the operator can have enough time to analyze and deal with the problem. After the problem is solved, the wafer is taken out of the third chamber 4 and continues to be processed later to ensure the stability and controllability of the production process.

[0146] In summary, the setting of the third chamber 4 enables the wafer processing device to have higher flexibility when facing various uncertainties in production. Whether it is a temperature problem, a beat difference or an unexpected process problem, it can be effectively dealt with and adjusted by temporarily storing the wafer in the third chamber 4, so as to better adapt to diversified production tasks and meet the needs of different production scenarios.

[0147] The above embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit, characterized in that: include: A first lifting platform (110) is used to place a wafer box, wherein the wafer box is provided with multiple layers of slots, and any layer of the slots can accommodate a wafer; An adjustment mechanism (120) is provided on one side of the first lifting platform (110) and is used to position and find the edge of the wafer in the wafer box; A detector (130) for detecting a notch on a wafer; A barcode scanner (140), used to obtain coding information on the wafer; Wherein, the adjustment mechanism (120) comprises: A hook claw (121), wherein a front end of the hook claw (121) close to the first lifting platform (110) is provided with a push plate capable of contacting a side surface of the wafer; A turntable (122) rotatably disposed on the hook (121) and used for supporting a wafer; A first driving assembly, used for driving the hook (121) to move closer to or away from the first lifting platform (110); A second driving assembly, used for driving the turntable (122) to rotate; After a wafer box carrying a plurality of wafers is placed on the first lifting platform (110), the first wafer in the wafer box is placed in a preparation position; The first driving component drives the hook (121) to approach the first lifting platform (110) until the hook (121) is directly below the preparation station, the first lifting platform (110) drives the wafer box to descend, so that the first wafer falls on the turntable (122), the first driving component drives the hook (121) away from the first lifting platform (110), and the push plate pushes the first wafer to the adjustment station; The working ends of the detector (130) and the barcode scanner (140) are both facing the adjustment station; The second driving component drives the turntable (122) to rotate with the first wafer until the detector (130) detects a notch on the first wafer and the barcode scanner (140) acquires the coded information on the first wafer; The first driving component drives the hook (121) to approach the first lifting platform (110) and send the first wafer back to the preparation station, and the first lifting platform (110) drives the wafer box to rise, so that the first wafer is separated from the hook (121) and the turntable (122); The first driving component drives the hook (121) away from the first lifting platform (110), and the first lifting platform (110) moves the second wafer to the preparation station by ascending or descending, so that the adjustment mechanism (120) can position and find the edge of the second wafer; By analogy, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit (100) can pre-adjust the wafers in the wafer box one by one.

2. The integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first lifting platform (110) is provided with a fixer, which is used to fix the wafer box to prevent the wafer box from being accidentally displaced during the lifting process.

3. The integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hook claw (121) comprises at least two claw portions, and any two adjacent claw portions are arranged at an angle; And / or, the push plate is arranged in a needle shape, or the push plate is arranged in an arc shape capable of fitting the side surface of the wafer; And / or, the surface of the turntable (122) for contacting the wafer is provided with an anti-slip structure; And / or, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment part (100) further comprises a limit plate, the limit plate being arranged at the adjustment station, and the wafer can abut against the limit plate after being pushed by the hook (121) to the adjustment station.

4. The integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A mounting plate (151) disposed on one side of the first lifting platform (110); A guide member (152) is provided on the mounting plate (151) and is extended toward the first lifting platform (110); the hook (121) is slidably provided on the guide member (152); A driving wheel rotatably disposed on the back of the hook claw (121) and located at a rear end away from the push plate; A driven wheel is rotatably disposed on the back of the hook (121) and connected to the rotating disk (122); A synchronous belt (123) is sleeved on the driving wheel and the driven wheel; A first gear (124) is coaxially arranged with the driving wheel; a rack (125) connected to the hook (121) and extending in the same direction as the guide member (152), wherein the rack (125) and the first gear (124) are distributed in a vertical direction; A rotary drive member (126), wherein a second gear (127) is provided at a movable end of the rotary drive member (126), and the second gear (127) is capable of meshing with the first gear (124) or the rack (125); A lifting drive member (128) used to drive the rotating drive member (126) to move in a vertical direction; When the first driving assembly is required to work, the lifting driving member (128) drives the rotating driving member (126) to move until the second gear (127) is meshed with the rack (125), and the rotating driving member (126) drives the second gear (127) to rotate, and the rack (125) can drive the hook (121) along the guide member (152) to approach or move away from the first lifting platform (110); When the second driving assembly is required to work, the lifting driving member (128) drives the rotating driving member (126) to move until the second gear (127) is meshed with the first gear (124), and the rotating driving member (126) drives the second gear (127) to rotate, and the first gear (124) can be driven by the synchronous belt assembly to rotate the turntable (122).

5. The integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detector (130) is a distance sensor; The detector (130) is set at a fixed point, and when the wafer is rotated until the notch thereon is at the fixed point, the detection value of the detector (130) changes, thereby confirming that the wafer has found its edge in place.

6. A wafer processing device, characterized in that: The integrated wafer pre-adjustment unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprises: A first cavity (1), the integrated wafer pre-adjustment part (100) being arranged in the first cavity (1), and a sealing door being provided on the first cavity (1); A transfer cavity (2) connected to the first cavity (1), a gate valve being provided between the transfer cavity (2) and the first cavity (1); A transfer mechanism, disposed in the transfer chamber (2), for receiving and transferring wafers; When the gate valve is opened, the transfer mechanism can enter the first cavity (1) and take out the pre-conditioned wafers in the wafer box; When the sealing door is opened, the integrated wafer pre-adjustment section (100) can load and unload wafer boxes.

7. The wafer processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes: A second cavity (3) is connected to the transfer cavity (2), a gate valve is also provided between the transfer cavity (2) and the second cavity (3), and a sealing door is also provided on the second cavity (3); A second lifting platform (210) is disposed in the second cavity (3); An auxiliary wafer box (220), arranged on the second lifting platform (210), and used for storing processed wafers; A material receiving platform (230) is also arranged in the second cavity (3) and located on one side of the second lifting platform (210), and is used for placing a wafer box; A delivery mechanism, used for transferring the wafers in the auxiliary wafer box (220) to the wafer box on the receiving platform (230); A wafer box containing a plurality of wafers first enters the first cavity (1), and the wafers are taken away by the transfer mechanism after pre-adjustment is completed; The processed wafers are placed into the auxiliary wafer box (220); The wafers are arranged in the same manner in the wafer box and the auxiliary wafer box (220); After all wafers are taken away, the empty wafer box is transferred to the receiving platform (230); The delivery mechanism then transfers the wafers in the auxiliary wafer box (220) to the empty wafer box, and returns each wafer to its original slot.

8. The wafer processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The delivery mechanism comprises: A flip plate (241) is rotatably arranged on the second lifting platform (210), and the auxiliary wafer box (220) is arranged on the flip plate (241); A flip driving member (242) for driving the flip plate (241) and the auxiliary wafer box (220) to flip toward the material receiving platform (230); The surface of the receiving platform (230) for receiving the wafer box extends obliquely toward the auxiliary wafer box (220), and a back support plate (231) is also provided on the surface of the receiving platform (230) for receiving the wafer box, and the back support plate (231) is perpendicular to the receiving platform (230); After the wafer box is placed on the material receiving platform (230), one of the open sides is in contact with the back support plate (231); After the auxiliary wafer box (220) is turned over, it can abut against the wafer box on the receiving platform (230); the open sides of the wafer box and the auxiliary wafer box (220) are interconnected, and the slots therein correspond one to one and extend in the same direction, so that the wafers in the auxiliary wafer box (220) can slide into the wafer box.

9. The wafer processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The transfer chamber (2) is arranged in a regular polygonal shape, and a plurality of gate valves are arranged at equal intervals on the side of the transfer chamber (2), and any of the gate valves can be connected to a working chamber; The transfer mechanism can perform both telescopic movement and rotational movement; The transfer mechanism can pass through the gate valve by telescoping to grab or release the wafer; The transfer mechanism can transport the wafer to different working chambers by rotating.

10. The wafer processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also comprises a third cavity (4), the third cavity (4) being connected to the transfer cavity (2), and a gate valve is also provided between the transfer cavity (2) and the third cavity (4); The third cavity (4) is used for temporarily storing wafers.

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