Protective device, wafer grinding module, thinning equipment and method, and processing equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a protection device, a wafer grinding module, thinning equipment and method, data processing equipment and a storage medium. The protection device is used for a wafer grinding module of wafer thinning equipment, and comprises separation flow guide strips which divide a rotary table into a plurality of fan-shaped areas and are provided with flow guide grooves; the movable protection part is arranged to be located above the separation flow guide strip of the rotating table when the wafer is located at any station, and the movable protection part can move to a first position for preventing waste liquid from splashing when the wafer is ground; and when the rotary table rotates, the movable protection piece can move to a second position allowing the rotary table to rotate. According to the invention, impurities such as scraps can be effectively prevented from contacting or falling on the surface of the wafer during rotation switching of the wafer station, so that the risk that the upper surface of the wafer is damaged by the grinding scraps is effectively reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of wafer ultra-precision grinding, and in particular to a protective device, a wafer grinding module, a thinning device and method, a data processing device and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Wafers are circular sheets made of silicon or other semiconductor materials used to manufacture integrated circuits. Wafer grinding is an important part of the semiconductor manufacturing process. It is mainly used to adjust the thickness of the wafer, usually grinding from the inactive surface of the wafer to make the wafer reach the required specifications and improve the flatness and flatness of the wafer.

[0003] During the wafer thinning and grinding process, in order to thin the back of the wafer to the required thickness, the operation is usually carried out in a grinding area surrounded by a cavity. During this process, grinding waste will splash onto the inner walls around the cavity or splash out from the gap under the cavity wall to pollute other areas. Currently, a fixed waterproof curtain made of soft material is usually set under the cavity wall. However, the fixed waterproof curtain has certain limitations and is easy to pollute or scratch the wafer. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a protective device, a wafer grinding module, a thinning device and method, a data processing device and a storage medium, so as to solve or at least alleviate one or more of the above-mentioned problems and other problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a protective device, which is used for a wafer grinding module of a wafer thinning device, wherein the wafer grinding module has a rotary table capable of rotating a wafer between multiple stations, wherein the protective device comprises:

[0006] A separation guide bar protrudes from the surface of the rotary table and extends radially to divide the rotary table into a plurality of sector-shaped areas, and a guide groove with a radial outer end opening is formed on the top surface of the separation guide bar; and

[0007] A movable protective member, wherein the movable protective member has a radial dimension matching the radius of the turntable, and the movable protective member is configured to be located above the separating guide strip. When wafer grinding is performed, the movable protective member can be moved to a first position for preventing waste liquid from splashing, and when the turntable is rotated, the movable protective member can be moved to a second position for allowing the turntable to rotate.

[0008] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the workstations include a loading and unloading station and several grinding stations, and the protective device includes a cover shell surrounding the grinding stations, the cover shell having a vertical mounting surface for mounting the movable protective member, and the mounting surface is located between the loading and unloading station and the grinding station and / or between adjacent grinding stations.

[0009] In the protection device as described above, optionally, the bottom of the cover shell is open to allow waste liquid to flow into the water collection tray under the rotary worktable.

[0010] In the protective device as described above, optionally, a lifting cylinder and a linear guide rail are provided at the mounting surface, and the movable protective member can be controlled by the lifting cylinder to be lifted and lowered along the linear guide rail.

[0011] In the protective device as described above, optionally, two linear guide rails and one lifting cylinder are arranged on the mounting surface, and the linear guide rails are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting cylinder.

[0012] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the lifting cylinder is connected to a controller, and the controller is responsible for receiving instructions and driving the lifting cylinder to perform corresponding actions through electrical signals.

[0013] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the movable protective member includes a protective plate, the lower end of which is lowered into the guide groove when wafer grinding is performed, and the lower end of which is raised above the separating guide bar when the rotary table is rotated.

[0014] In the protection device as described above, optionally, the protection plate is made of corrosion-resistant material.

[0015] In the protection device as described above, optionally, the inner bottom surface of the guide groove gradually tilts downward radially outward, and the bottom end of the protection plate tilts at the same angle as the inner bottom surface of the guide groove.

[0016] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the movable protective member further includes a lifting plate, which is fixed to the top of the protective plate, and the protective plate moves with the lifting plate. The lifting plate is controlled by a lifting cylinder and can be lifted and lowered along the linear guide rail.

[0017] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the protective device further includes a fixed protective member fixed to the cover shell, and the fixed protective member is arranged on the outer side of the rotary worktable to prevent waste liquid from splashing out.

[0018] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the fixed protective member includes an outer rigid rib and an inner soft rib, the outer peripheral side of the inner soft rib is spliced ​​with the inner peripheral side of the outer rigid rib, the outer rigid rib and the inner soft rib are used to prevent circumferential splashing of waste liquid, and a gap is left between the inner soft rib and the side of the rotary worktable.

[0019] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the outer rigid rib is integrally formed with the mounting surface of the cover shell, and the outer rigid rib includes a top section laterally aligned with the mounting surface, a side section located at the radial outer periphery of the movable protective member and the turntable, and a bottom section extending radially inward below the turntable, and the top section, the side section and the bottom section are integrally formed.

[0020] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the fixed protective member and the movable protective member are spliced ​​into an anti-splash surface, and the fixed protective member is located outside the movable protective member.

[0021] In the protective device as described above, optionally, the outer rigid rib is made of rigid metal, and the inner soft rib is made of corrosion-resistant rubber or silicone.

[0022] In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the second aspect of the present invention provides a wafer grinding module for a wafer thinning device, wherein the wafer grinding module has a rotary worktable capable of rotating the wafer between multiple workstations, and the wafer grinding module has a protective device as described in any one of the aforementioned first aspects.

[0023] In the wafer grinding module as described above, optionally, the radial outer end opening has a downward guiding portion, and the downward guiding portion is located at the radial outer periphery of the rotary table to prevent waste liquid from contaminating the rotary table.

[0024] In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, a third aspect of the present invention provides a wafer thinning device, wherein the wafer thinning device has a wafer grinding module as described in any one of the aforementioned second aspects.

[0025] In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method for processing a wafer using the wafer thinning device as described in the third aspect, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0026] Loading the wafer onto the rotary table at a loading and unloading station;

[0027] moving the movable guard to the second position, and rotating the rotary table to transfer the wafer to a grinding station;

[0028] Moving the movable protective member to the first position to perform wafer grinding;

[0029] The movable protective member is moved to the second position, and the rotary table is rotated to convert the wafer into a work station.

[0030] In the method as described above, optionally, the grinding station includes a rough grinding station and a fine grinding station, and when the wafer is transferred from the loading and unloading station into the grinding station, the turntable rotates clockwise so that the wafer sequentially enters the rough grinding station for rough grinding and enters the fine grinding station for fine grinding, and when the wafer is returned from the grinding station to the loading and unloading station, the turntable rotates counterclockwise so that the wafer returns directly from the fine grinding station to the loading and unloading station.

[0031] In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a fifth aspect of the present invention provides a data processing device, wherein the data processing device comprises:

[0032] A memory, wherein the memory is used to store computer executable instructions or computer programs;

[0033] A processor, wherein the processor is used to control the wafer thinning equipment as described in the third aspect to implement the method as described in any one of the fourth aspects when executing the computer executable instructions or computer programs stored in the memory.

[0034] In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the sixth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions or a computer program, and when the computer-executable instructions or the computer program are executed by a processor, the wafer thinning equipment as described in the aforementioned third aspect is controlled to implement a method as described in any one of the aforementioned fourth aspects.

[0035] The present invention provides a protective device, a wafer grinding module, a thinning device and method, a data processing device and a storage medium, which can effectively reduce the contact or drop of grinding waste onto the wafer surface when the wafer station is rotated and switched, thereby effectively reducing the waste from contaminating the upper surface of the wafer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The disclosure of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a wafer grinding module according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic top view of another embodiment of a wafer grinding module according to the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the wafer grinding module, which also shows the protective device of the rotary table;

[0040] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of the wafer grinding module along AA, wherein the movable guard falls into the guide groove;

[0041] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of the wafer grinding module along AA, wherein the movable guard exits the guide groove;

[0042] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a wafer thinning device;

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic flow chart of an embodiment of a method for processing a wafer using the wafer thinning apparatus according to the present invention; and

[0044] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the working process of the rotary table of the wafer thinning equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Reference numerals :1-protection device; 2-wafer grinding module; 3-rotating worktable; 4-dividing guide strip; 5-guide groove; 6-fixed protective part; 7-movable protective part; 8-lifting plate; 9-lifting cylinder; 10-linear guide rail; 11-loading and unloading station; 12-rough grinding station; 13-fine grinding station; 14-cover; 15-mounting surface; 16-outer rigid rib; 17-inner soft rib; 18-top section; 19-side section; 20-bottom section; 21-wafer mounting suction cup ; 22- downward guide part; 23- protective plate; 100- wafer thinning equipment; 101- rough grinding station; 102- first waterproof curtain; 103- loading and unloading station; 104- fine grinding station; 105- second waterproof curtain; 106- rotary table; I- first position of the protective device; II- second position of the protective device; III- third position of the protective device; a- first wafer; b- second wafer; c- third wafer; d- fourth wafer; e- fifth wafer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] With reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, the structure, composition, characteristics and advantages of the protective device, wafer grinding module, thinning equipment and method, data processing equipment and storage medium of the present invention will be described below in an exemplary manner. However, all descriptions should not be used to form any limitations on the present invention.

[0047] For any single technical feature described or implied in the embodiments mentioned in this document, or any single technical feature displayed or implied in the accompanying drawings, the present invention still allows any combination or deletion between these technical features (or their equivalents) without any technical obstacles, and thus it should be considered that these more embodiments according to the present invention are also within the scope of the description of this document.

[0048] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features.

[0049] Figure 1 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a wafer grinding module according to the present invention.

[0050] According to the diagram, the wafer grinding module includes a rotary table 106, a loading and unloading station 103, a rough grinding station 101, and a fine grinding station 104. The figure also shows a first waterproof curtain 102 and a second waterproof curtain 105 between the stations. The first waterproof curtain 102 and the second waterproof curtain 105 can be waterproof curtains made of soft materials. In order to prevent waste chips and waste liquid from flowing out of the gap, the waterproof curtain can be dropped so that its bottom will fit tightly with the water collection tray; when the wafer carrier takes the wafer out of the grinding area, the soft waterproof curtain can be raised to effectively reduce the contact between its inner wall and the upper surface of the wafer, reducing the risk of impurities such as waste chips on the waterproof curtain falling onto the surface of the wafer. Therefore, after a long period of grinding, the pollutants on the inner wall of the waterproof curtain will not damage the surface of the wafer when the station is switched.

[0051] Figure 2 FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of another embodiment of a wafer grinding module according to the present invention.

[0052] from Figure 2 It can be seen that the wafer grinding module 2 of this embodiment can include at least the following parts, namely, the rotary table 3, the protective device 1, and the cover 14. The cover 14 isolates the grinding station from the outside to prevent waste liquid and waste chips from splashing into the external environment.

[0053] The rotary table 3 can rotate to allow the wafer to rotate between multiple stations. When performing grinding work, the rotary table 3 rotates so that the wafer to be ground is transferred between the loading and unloading station 11 and each grinding station through the protective device 1. In the illustrated example, the grinding station on the left may be the rough grinding station 12, and the grinding station on the right may be the fine grinding station 13.

[0054] According to the illustrated example, when performing wafer grinding, each rotation cycle of the rotary table 3 can make the wafer rotate in the order of loading and unloading station 11-rough grinding station 12-fine grinding station 13 clockwise, and then make the wafer rotate counterclockwise back to the loading and unloading station 11. The entire rotation process is compactly designed, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency of wafer grinding, and can be automatically controlled to reduce manual operation intervention, reduce the risk of quality fluctuations caused by human factors, and ensure the consistency and reliability of wafer processing.

[0055] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the rotary table 3 is circular in shape as a whole. The radial partitioning guide strips 4 on the rotary table 3 evenly divide the rotary table 3 into three sector-shaped areas, each of which can be in different process positions, namely, a loading and unloading station 11 and two grinding stations, where the two grinding stations can be a rough grinding station 12 and a fine grinding station 13. The partitioning guide strips 4 protrude from the surface of the rotary table 3 and extend radially. It should be understood that in an optional embodiment, the rotary table 3 can also be divided into other uniform sector-shaped areas by other numbers of radial partitioning guide strips, such as but not limited to four, five, etc.

[0056] As shown in the figure, the center of the loading and unloading station 11 and the two grinding stations are connected to the center line of the rotary table 3 at an angle of 120°, thereby ensuring a balanced distribution and seamless connection between the various stations. A wafer mounting suction cup 21 can be installed on each station to keep the wafer stable and drive the wafer to rotate together, which can prevent the wafer from being displaced or damaged due to vibration or high-speed rotation. For example, the wafer mounting suction cup 21 can adopt a porous ceramic suction cup to use vacuum to absorb the wafer.

[0057] In the illustrated example, both sides of the loading and unloading station 11 and the grinding station can be equipped with protective devices 1. When the rotary table 3 places the wafer at each station, the protective device 1 is aligned with the guide groove 5 on the dividing guide bar 4, and can guide waste liquid, waste chips, etc. to the guide groove 5 and flow through the guide groove 5 into the water collection tray under the rotary table (not shown). Figure 2 The protective device between the two grinding stations and the loading and unloading station 11 is clearly shown in FIG. In addition, a protective device may also be provided between the two grinding stations, which is not shown in the figure because it is covered in the cover shell 14.

[0058] In addition, from Figure 2It can also be seen that the protective device 1 in this embodiment may include a fixed protective member 6 and a movable protective member 7, and the fixed protective member 6 and the movable protective member 7 may be spliced ​​into an anti-splashing surface. The lifting cylinder 9 is used to drive the movable protective member 7 to lift and lower, and the linear guide 10 guides the lifting and lowering of the movable protective member 7. In this example, the fixed protective member 6 can be fixed to the cover 14 and arranged on the outer side of the rotary table 3 to prevent waste liquid from splashing from the grinding station to the external environment; the movable protective member 7 can have a radial size that matches the radius of the rotary table 3, thereby providing protection over the entire radius range of the rotary table 3 and allowing the rotary table 3 to rotate.

[0059] When the wafer is being ground, the movable guard 7 can be in a position aligned with the guide groove 5 on the partition guide bar 4. The movable guard 7 can be arranged such that when the wafer is located at any station, the movable guard 7 can be located above the partition guide bar 4 and is suitable for guiding the waste liquid contaminated by the movable guard 7 to the guide groove 5, and the guide groove 5 is suitable for guiding the waste liquid radially outward along the rotary table 3 into the water collection tray.

[0060] In addition, it can be seen from this example that setting Figure 2 The left grinding station is the rough grinding station 12, and the right grinding station is the fine grinding station 13. In the wafer grinding process, the grinding rotary table 3 for each wafer needs to be rotated three times to switch between different stations, even if the wafer starts from the loading and unloading station 11, it rotates clockwise to the rough grinding station 12 and the fine grinding station 13 in sequence, and finally returns to the loading and unloading station 11 counterclockwise to replace the new wafer to be processed. During the rotary grinding process, although a large amount of grinding waste will splash onto the inner wall around the cavity formed by the cover shell 14, the protective device 1 prevents the waste and coolant from splashing or diffusing to the adjacent stations of each processing position, and guides the waste liquid to be collected radially outward to the water collection tray, it can effectively reduce the pollution or scratching of the wafers that have been ground.

[0061] Further, in Figure 2 In the example shown, a single set of protective devices or two independent sets of protective devices may be included on both sides of the sector-shaped area where the loading and unloading station 11 is located, so that the lifting and lowering of the movable protective member 7 can be controlled individually or designed to be controlled uniformly.

[0062] For example, in Figure 2 In the figure, the lifting plates 8 and movable protective parts 7 on the left and right sides of the protective device can be operated synchronously as a whole. The two lifting cylinders 9 in the figure operate the lifting plates 8 and movable protective parts 7 on both sides of the whole at the same time. The four linear guide rails 10 on the left and right sides jointly guide the lifting and lowering of the lifting plates 8 and the movable protective parts 7, and the synchronous movement of the left and right sides of the protective device is realized mechanically.

[0063] For example, in Figure 2 In the figure, the lifting plates 8 and movable protective parts 7 on the left and right sides of the protective device can be operated independently. The two lifting cylinders 9 in the figure can synchronously operate the independent lifting plates 8 and movable protective parts 7 on both sides separately, and the synchronous action of the protective devices on the left and right sides is realized through control.

[0064] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the wafer grinding module, which also shows the protective device of the rotary table.

[0065] As can be seen from the figure, the wafer grinding module also shows a cover 14. In this embodiment, the protective device 1 may include a cover 14 surrounding the grinding station. The cover 14 provides a working space for the grinding and thinning of the wafer, effectively reducing the splashing of waste liquid and waste chips. In addition, the bottom of the cover 14 is open, allowing waste liquid and the like to be collected in the water collection tray under the rotary table 3, which is convenient for centralized treatment and recycling. It can be understood that the stations of the wafer grinding module also include a loading and unloading station 11 and a plurality of grinding stations.

[0066] The figure shows a circular rotary table 3 of a wafer grinding module 2. The surface of the rotary table 3 can be divided into a plurality of uniform sector-shaped areas by raised radial separation guide strips 4. The top surface of the separation guide strips 4 can be provided with a guide groove 5 with a radial outer end opening. The rotary table 3 can drive the wafer to rotate between a plurality of workstations, and the cover 14 and the protective device 1 do not rotate with the rotary table 3.

[0067] In this embodiment, the movable protective member 7 may include a protective plate 23, which may be made of a corrosion-resistant material. When wafer grinding is performed, the lower end of the protective plate 23 may be lowered into the guide groove 5 of the partition guide bar 4, so that the protective plate 23 and the partition guide bar 4 together form a barrier. When the turntable 3 is rotated, the lower end of the protective plate 23 may be raised above the partition guide bar 4, thereby allowing the turntable 3 to rotate and avoiding the protective plate 23 from obstructing the guide groove 5. The bottom surface of the protective plate 23 may have a slope, gradually becoming lower radially outward, so that the sputtered waste liquid can flow outward along the bottom surface and fall into the water collection tray, without accidentally contaminating the wafer falling within the radius area of ​​the turntable 3.

[0068] As shown in the figure, the housing 14 has a vertical mounting surface 15 for mounting the protective plate 23. The mounting surface 15 can be located between the loading and unloading station 11 and the grinding station and / or between adjacent grinding stations. A lifting cylinder 9 and a linear guide rail 10 are arranged at the mounting surface 15, and the protective plate 23 can be controlled by the lifting cylinder 9 to rise and fall along the linear guide rail 10, and enter and exit the guide groove 5 on the partition guide bar 4.

[0069] As shown in the figure, in the illustrated example, two linear guides 10 and a lifting cylinder 9 are arranged at the mounting surface 15, and the linear guides 10 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting cylinder 9. The linear guides 10 are arranged vertically at the mounting surface 15. After such arrangement, the lifting operation of the mounting surface 15 under the guidance of the two linear guides 10 will be more stable, and tilt failure caused by unbalanced torque can be avoided. In an optional embodiment, other numbers of linear guides can also be selected as needed.

[0070] The figure also shows a fixed guard 6. As shown in the figure, the fixed guard 6 can be a plate, which includes an outer rigid rib 16 and an inner soft rib 17. The outer peripheral side of the inner soft rib 17 can be spliced ​​with the inner peripheral side of the outer rigid rib 16, and the outer rigid rib 16 and the inner soft rib 17 are used to prevent circumferential splashing of waste liquid. The outer rigid rib 16 and the inner soft rib 17 are optionally located in the same plane as a whole. A gap can be left between the inner soft rib 17 and the side of the rotary table 3 to avoid contamination of the rotary table 3 and scratches on the rotary table 3 that affect the grinding process. In order to provide a wider operating space at the loading and unloading station 11, the fixed guard 6 is arranged at an angle to the movable guard 7 in the radial direction, and it is turned back toward the grinding station as a whole. Specifically, in this example, the extension direction of the fixed guard 6 is perpendicular to the radius of the rotary table 3 passing through the loading and unloading station 11, thereby expanding the operable space of the loading and unloading station 11 and its periphery.

[0071] In the illustrated example, in order to further improve the anti-sputtering effect, the outer rigid rib 16 is optionally constructed to be integrally formed with the mounting surface 15 of the cover shell 14 to avoid formation of a gap therebetween and gradual falling off due to vibration, thereby reducing the risk of failure.

[0072] It can also be seen from the figure that the outer rigid rib 16 may include a top section 18 laterally aligned with the mounting surface 15, a side section 19 located at the radial periphery of the movable protective member 7 and the rotary table 3, and a bottom section 20 extending radially inward below the rotary table 3, which are respectively used to form protection above, to the side and below the rotary table 3. In an optional embodiment, the top section 18, the side section 19 and the bottom section 20 may be formed integrally. In this example, the top section 18, the side section 19 and the bottom section 20 are in the same plane, which is convenient for processing and has a flat and beautiful appearance.

[0073] As shown in the figure, according to this embodiment, corresponding to the movable protective member 7 of the protective device 1, the lifting cylinder 9 is located at the top of the entire device and can be fixed at the edge of the top surface of the cover 14, and can push the lifting plate 8 to move up and down, thereby adjusting the height of the moving protective plate 23. The lifting plate 8 can be fixed to the top of the protective plate 23, and the protective plate 23 moves with the lifting plate 8. The lifting plate 8 is controlled by the lifting cylinder 9 and can be raised and lowered along the linear guide rail 10.

[0074] In this example, two linear guides 10 are shown, which are fixed to the mounting surface 15 of the cover 14. The two linear guides 10 can be symmetrically located on the left and right sides of the lifting cylinder 9, respectively. The linear guide 10 can be composed of a linear rail-slider assembly, which is composed of a linear rail and a slider. The slider can slide on the linear rail. The linear rail is fixed to the mounting surface 15 of the cover 14, and the slider is connected to the push rod of the lifting cylinder 9 on the one hand, and the lifting plate 8 on the other hand, so that the lifting cylinder 9 drives the lifting plate 8. In this example, two sets of linear rail-slider assemblies are used, and the two cooperate to ensure smooth movement of the lifting plate during the rising and falling process.

[0075] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Schematic cross-sectional view of the wafer grinding module along AA, wherein the movable protective member falls into the guide groove.

[0076] Figure 5 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the cross-section of the wafer grinding module along AA, where the movable guard exits the guide groove. These two figures clearly illustrate how the guard is dynamically adjusted during the grinding process to ensure the cleanliness, safety and grinding efficiency of the wafer at the same time.

[0077] When the wafer is in a grinding station, such as a rough grinding station 12 or a fine grinding station 13, the protective device 1 is Figure 4 As shown, the lifting plate 8 and the protective plate 23 will move to the first position shown in the figure, at which the movable protective member 7 can prevent the waste liquid from splashing. Specifically, in the first position, the lifting cylinder 9 starts and drives the lifting plate 8 to descend, and the movable protective member 7 is driven by the lifting plate 8 to move downward synchronously, and the movable protective member 7 finally descends to a position inside the guide groove 5 of the radial partitioning guide strip 4 on the surface of the rotary table 3, and cooperates with the guide groove 5 set on the radial partitioning guide strip 4. This design enables the movable protective member 7 to cooperate with the partitioning guide strip 4 to form a stable and continuous barrier in the radial direction between different workstations, preventing the waste chips and waste liquid generated during the grinding process from splashing out of the grinding workstation area, thereby protecting the wafer and the cleanliness of the working environment.

[0078] However, when the wafer needs to switch positions, the rotary table 3 needs to be rotated to position for the next step. At this time, in order to leave enough space for the rotation of the rotary table 3, the movable protective member 7 needs to be adjusted accordingly. Figure 5 As shown, the lifting plate 8 and the protective plate 23 are in the second position, at which the movable protective member 7 allows the rotary table 3 to rotate. Specifically, the lifting cylinder 9 is started and drives the lifting plate 8 to rise, and the movable protective member 7 is driven to move upward synchronously through the lifting plate 8. The movable protective member 7 is finally lifted to a higher position, withdraws from the guide groove 5, and leaves a gap between the movable protective member 7 and the separating guide bar 4 for the rotary table 3 to rotate. In this way, by lifting the movable protective member 7 to the second position shown in the figure, when the rotary table 3 rotates through, a certain safety distance is maintained between the upper surface of the wafer and the movable protective member, which not only ensures that no waste liquid or waste chips fall onto the wafer surface during the station switching, but also avoids any potential damage to the wafer surface that may be caused by the improper position of the movable protective member.

[0079] Through this dynamic adjustment mechanism, the movable protective member 7 can change its position in real time according to actual needs during the grinding process, which can not only provide effective protection during grinding, but also ensure sufficient space when switching between workstations, effectively reducing any damage to the wafer. This design not only improves the safety and reliability of the wafer grinding process, but also optimizes the overall process flow, making the transfer of wafers between various workstations more efficient and orderly.

[0080] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The various structural components of the wafer grinding module are also more clearly shown in FIG. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In, refer to Figure 2 The AA section position shown in the figure can be understood. The left side of the figure is the wafer grinding station, and the right side is the wafer protection device. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The cover 14, the lifting cylinder 9, the linear guide rail 10, the lifting plate 8, the protective plate 23, the partition guide strip 4, and the outer rigid rib 16 and the inner soft rib 17 of the fixed protective member 6 can be seen more clearly.

[0081] When the wafer is being ground, the lower end of the protective plate 23 of the movable protective member 7 can be lowered into the guide groove 5. When the rotary table 3 is rotated, the lower end of the protective plate 23 can be withdrawn from the guide groove 5 and raised to a position higher than the partition guide bar 4. Figure 5In the figure, the guide groove 5 is more clearly shown because the protective plate 23 is withdrawn from the guide groove 5. It can be seen from the figure that the inner bottom surface of the guide groove 5 gradually tilts down radially outward, and at the same time, the bottom end of the protective plate 23 tilts at the same angle as the inner bottom surface of the guide groove 5, and the waste liquid can be discharged to the outer periphery of the rotary table 3 along the inner bottom surface of the guide groove 5 and the bottom end of the protective plate 23. Figure 4 As shown in , since the bottom surface of the guide groove 5 and the bottom end of the protective plate 23 have the same inclination angle, when the protective plate 23 enters the guide groove 5, the two can effectively match in shape to prevent waste liquid from splashing between the workstations on both sides. Figure 4 and Figure 5 It is also shown that the radial outer end opening of the guide groove 5 also has a downward guiding portion 22, which is located at the radial outer periphery of the rotary worktable 3 and is used to guide the waste liquid in the guide groove 5 to the water collection tray to prevent the waste liquid from contaminating the rotary worktable 3.

[0082] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The fixed protection member 6 is also clearly shown.

[0083] As can be seen from the figure, the inner soft rib 17 is located on the inner side, and fits the outer periphery of the rotary table 3 with a small gap, and can be made of soft and durable materials, such as rubber or silicone. The function of the inner soft rib 17 includes filling the gap between the outer rigid rib 16 and the rotary table 3 to prevent the coolant and waste chips from leaking out of the gap, and the inner soft rib 17 can also effectively reduce the waste liquid splashed thereon from splashing back to the grinding area again, thereby ensuring the cleanliness in the grinding area and preventing the grinding waste chips from causing damage to the upper surface of the wafer.

[0084] Correspondingly, the outer rigid rib 16 is located at the outermost periphery of the entire protective device 1 and can be made of a rigid metal material. The functions of the outer rigid rib 16 include providing rigid support for the inner soft rib 17, and can ensure the stability and reliability of the entire protective device 1. The outer rigid rib 16 and the inner soft rib 17 together form a complete and effective closed structure. Due to the rigidity and stability of the outer rigid rib 16, the rigidity and closedness of the entire protective device 1 are enhanced, and even during the high-speed rotation and grinding process of the rotating parts at the grinding station, the splashing of waste chips and waste liquid can be effectively prevented. It can be understood that this double-layer protection design combines the advantages of softness and rigidity, is flexible and strong, and is an important guarantee to ensure the efficient implementation of the grinding process.

[0085] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a wafer thinning device.

[0086] like Figure 6As shown in FIG. 1 , the wafer thinning equipment 100 may include an equipment front end module (EFEM module), a chemical mechanical polishing and cleaning module (CMP and cleaning module) and a grinding module.

[0087] Specifically, in the illustrated example, the equipment front-end module can be arranged at the front end of the wafer thinning equipment, and is used to transport the wafer from the outside to the inside of the equipment platform, so as to realize the "dry in and dry out" of the wafer; the grinding module can be arranged at the end of the wafer thinning equipment, including a loading and unloading station, a rough grinding station and a fine grinding station (refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) for grinding the wafer. The chemical mechanical polishing and cleaning module can be arranged between the equipment front-end module and the grinding module, for chemical mechanical polishing of the ground wafer; the module also has the function of transferring the wafer between the equipment front-end module, the grinding module, and the chemical mechanical polishing and cleaning module.

[0088] exist Figure 6 The figure also schematically shows the positions for installing the protective device, for example, including the first position I of the protective device, the second position II of the protective device and the third position III of the protective device. In this example, the first position I and the third position III are protective devices between the loading and unloading station and the grinding station, and the second position II is a protective device between two grinding stations. The specific composition and structure of these protective devices can be seen in combination with Figures 2 to 5 Description. The surface of the rotary table of the grinding module of the wafer thinning equipment can be divided into a plurality of uniform sector-shaped areas by raised radial partition guide strips, and the top surface of the partition guide strips can be provided with guide grooves with radial outer end openings. When the wafer is in the grinding station, the movable protective parts of each protective device are aligned with the guide grooves of the partition guide strips, and can be lowered into the guide grooves to shield the waste liquid splashing between each sector; when the rotary table rotates, the movable protective parts of each protective device withdraw from the guide grooves, allowing the rotary table to rotate, so that the wafer switches positions.

[0089] It should be noted here that Figure 6 What is shown is only one embodiment of the wafer thinning device 100; in other optional embodiments, the wafer thinning device 100 may have an equipment front-end module, a chemical mechanical polishing and cleaning module, and a grinding module arranged in other forms, without being limited to the illustrated embodiments.

[0090] Figure 7 The flowchart of an embodiment of a method for processing a wafer using the wafer thinning device according to the present invention is shown in the figure. As can be seen from the figure, the method may include the following steps.

[0091] In order to process the wafer, it is first necessary to load the wafer onto the rotary table at the loading and unloading station. Figure 2In the embodiment of the present invention, the loading and unloading station 11 is used for loading and unloading the wafers to be processed. It is understood that the loading and unloading can occur during the grinding process at the grinding station, when the rotary table stops rotating, and the movable protective member blocks the splashing of the waste liquid at the grinding station, which is suitable for loading and unloading the wafers onto and from the rotary table.

[0092] After loading the wafer onto the rotary table, the movable guard may be moved to a second position, such as Figure 2 In an embodiment, the second position may be Figure 4 The movable guard 7 is in the raised position shown in the figure, and the rotary table can be rotated to transfer the wafer to the grinding station. Figure 4 As shown in the figure, after the movable protective member is raised, a moving channel is provided for the wafer between the movable protective member 7 and the separating guide bar 4, so that the wafer does not contact the movable protective member during the transfer process, which can effectively reduce the waste liquid sputtered on the protective member from contaminating the wafer.

[0093] After the wafer reaches the grinding station, the movable protective member 7 can be moved to the first position. Figure 2 In an embodiment, the first position may be Figure 5 The movable guard 7 is shown in the lowered position for wafer grinding. At this time, the movable guard 7 enters the guide groove 5 on the separation guide bar 4, and the movable guard 7 and the separation guide bar block the various stations of the grinding module from each other. With the cooperation of the fixed guard 6, the waste liquid and waste chips generated during grinding are effectively reduced from splashing outward.

[0094] After the grinding is completed, when the wafer station needs to be switched, the movable protective member 7 can be moved to the second position again. Figure 4 The movable guard 7 in the raised position can be rotated to rotate the rotary table 3 to make the wafer perform station conversion. If it is necessary to continue the grinding process after the station conversion, the movable guard 7 needs to be moved to the first position again to avoid the splashing of waste liquid and waste chips.

[0095] like Figure 2 As shown in , the grinding station may include a rough grinding station 12 and a fine grinding station 13. When the wafer is transferred from the loading and unloading station 11 to the grinding station, the rotary table 3 may rotate clockwise so that the wafer sequentially enters the rough grinding station 12 for rough grinding and enters the fine grinding station 13 for fine grinding. When returning from the grinding station to the loading and unloading station 11, the rotary table 3 may rotate counterclockwise so that the wafer directly returns from the fine grinding station 13 to the loading and unloading station 11.

[0096] Figure 8The schematic diagram of the working process of the rotary table of the wafer thinning equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention shows in detail how the rotary table rotates to change the wafer position for processing the wafer and loading and unloading the wafer.

[0097] Specifically, first, Figure 8 As shown in (i), the first wafer a is loaded onto the rotary table at the loading and unloading station of the wafer grinding module. Figure 8 As shown in (ii) of FIG. 1 , the first wafer a is transferred to the rough grinding station by rotating the rotary table clockwise, and the second wafer b can be loaded at the loading and unloading station. Then, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 As shown in (iii), the rotary table is rotated clockwise to transfer the first wafer a to the fine grinding station, and the second wafer b is moved to the rough grinding station, and the third wafer c can be loaded at the loading and unloading station. Figure 8 As shown in (iv), the rotary table is rotated counterclockwise to transfer the first wafer a to the loading and unloading station. At this time, the second wafer b is moved to the fine grinding station, and the third wafer c is moved to the rough grinding station. The first wafer a can be unloaded and the fourth wafer d can be loaded. Finally, as Figure 8 As shown in (v), the rotary table is rotated clockwise to transfer the second wafer b to the loading and unloading station, at which time the third wafer c is moved to the fine grinding station, and the fourth wafer d is moved to the rough grinding station, and the second wafer b can be unloaded and the fifth wafer e can be loaded. In this process, when the rotary table rotates, the movable protective member can be moved to the second position, i.e., the raised position, and when the rotary table stops and performs wafer processing, the movable protective member can be moved to the first position, i.e., the lowered position.

[0098] The method achieves continuous and efficient processing of wafers by alternately using loading and unloading stations, rough grinding stations and fine grinding stations, thereby ensuring smooth flow of wafers between various stations and making full use of the efficiency of the grinding equipment.

[0099] Another aspect of the present invention also provides a data processing device. The data processing device may include: a memory, the memory is used to store computer executable instructions or computer programs; a processor, the processor is used to control the wafer thinning device as described in the above embodiment to implement the method as described in the above embodiment when executing the computer executable instructions or computer programs stored in the memory. The data processing device may be, for example, a central processing unit, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) or a program loaded from a storage device into a random access memory (RAM). In the RAM, various programs and data required for the operation of the data processing device may also be stored. The data processing device, ROM and RAM can be connected to each other via a bus. The input / output (I / O) interface is also connected to the bus.

[0100] Another aspect of the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which can store computer-executable instructions or computer programs, which, when executed by a processor, control the wafer thinning device as described in the above embodiment to implement the method as described in the above embodiment.

[0101] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the method process can be implemented as a computer software program. For example, an embodiment of the present invention may include a computer program product, which includes a computer program carried on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and the computer program contains a program code for executing the method of the present invention. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network through a communication device, or installed from a storage device, or installed from a ROM. When the computer program is executed by a processing device, the above-mentioned functions defined in the method of an embodiment of the present invention are executed.

[0102] It should be noted that the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention may be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device or component, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to, an electrical connection with one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that may be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or component.

[0103] The computer-readable storage medium may be included in the data processing device, or may exist independently without being incorporated into the data processing device.

[0104] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents of the above description. Those skilled in the art can make various deformations and modifications to the above implementation without departing from the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and these deformations and modifications should all fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A protective device (1), the protective device (1) being used for a wafer grinding module (2) of a wafer thinning device (100), the wafer grinding module (2) having a rotary table (3) capable of rotating a wafer between a plurality of workstations, characterized in that: The protective device (1) comprises: A separation guide strip (4) protrudes from the surface of the rotary table (3) and extends radially to divide the rotary table (3) into a plurality of sector-shaped areas, and a guide groove (5) having a radial outer end opening is formed on the top surface of the separation guide strip (4); and A movable protective member (7), wherein the movable protective member (7) has a radial dimension matching the radius of the rotary table (3), and the movable protective member (7) is arranged to be located above the separating guide strip (4). When wafer grinding is performed, the movable protective member (7) can be moved to a first position for preventing waste liquid from splashing, and when the rotary table (3) is rotated, the movable protective member (7) can be moved to a second position for allowing the rotary table (3) to rotate.

2. The protective device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The workstations include a loading and unloading station (11) and a plurality of grinding stations, the protective device (1) includes a cover shell (14) surrounding the grinding stations, the cover shell (14) having a vertical mounting surface (15) for mounting the movable protective member (7), and the mounting surface (15) is located between the loading and unloading station (11) and the grinding stations and / or between adjacent grinding stations.

3. The protection device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that The bottom of the cover shell (14) is open, allowing waste liquid to flow into the water collection tray below the rotary workbench (3).

4. The protection device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that A lifting cylinder (9) and a linear guide rail (10) are provided on the mounting surface (15), and the movable protective member (7) can be controlled by the lifting cylinder (9) to be lifted and lowered along the linear guide rail (10).

5. The protection device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that Two linear guide rails (10) and one lifting cylinder (9) are arranged on the mounting surface (15), and the linear guide rails (10) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting cylinder (9).

6. The protection device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The lifting cylinder (9) is connected to a controller, and the controller is responsible for receiving instructions and driving the lifting cylinder (9) to perform corresponding actions through electrical signals.

7. The protection device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that The movable protective member (7) comprises a protective plate (23), wherein the lower end of the protective plate (23) is lowered into the guide groove (5) when wafer grinding is performed, and the lower end of the protective plate (23) is raised above the partition guide bar (4) when the rotary table (3) is rotated.

8. The protection device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The protective plate (23) is made of corrosion-resistant material.

9. The protection device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The inner bottom surface of the guide groove (5) gradually tilts downward in a radially outward direction, and the bottom end of the protection plate (23) tilts at the same angle as the inner bottom surface of the guide groove (5).

10. The protection device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The movable protective member (7) further comprises a lifting plate (8), wherein the lifting plate (8) is fixed to the top end of the protective plate (23), the protective plate (23) moves with the lifting plate (8), and the lifting plate (8) is controlled by a lifting cylinder (9) and can be lifted and lowered along a linear guide rail (10).

11. The protection device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that The protective device (1) further comprises a fixed protective member (6) fixed to the cover shell (14), wherein the fixed protective member (6) is arranged on the outer side of the rotary table (3) to prevent waste liquid from splashing out.

12. The protection device (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that The fixed protective member (6) comprises an outer rigid rib (16) and an inner soft rib (17); the outer peripheral side of the inner soft rib (17) is spliced ​​with the inner peripheral side of the outer rigid rib (16); the outer rigid rib (16) and the inner soft rib (17) are used to prevent circumferential splashing of waste liquid; and a gap is left between the inner soft rib (17) and the side of the rotary table (3).

13. The protection device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that The outer rigid rib (16) is integrally formed with the mounting surface (15) of the cover shell (14), and the outer rigid rib (16) includes a top section (18) laterally aligned with the mounting surface (15), a side section (19) located radially outwardly of the movable protective member (7) and the rotary table (3), and a bottom section (20) extending radially inwardly below the rotary table (3), wherein the top section (18), the side section (19) and the bottom section (20) are integrally formed.

14. The protection device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that The fixed protective member (6) and the movable protective member (7) are spliced ​​to form an anti-splashing surface, and the fixed protective member (6) is located outside the movable protective member (7).

15. The protection device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that The outer rigid rib (16) is made of rigid metal, and the inner soft rib (17) is made of corrosion-resistant rubber or silicone.

16. A wafer grinding module (2) for a wafer thinning device (100), characterized in that: The wafer grinding module (2) has a rotary table (3) capable of rotating the wafer between a plurality of workstations, and the wafer grinding module (2) has a protective device (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. The wafer grinding module (2) according to claim 16, characterized in that: The radial outer end opening is provided with a downward guiding portion (22), and the downward guiding portion (22) is located at the radial outer periphery of the rotary table (3) to prevent waste liquid from contaminating the rotary table (3).

18. A wafer thinning device (100), characterized in that: The wafer thinning device (100) has a wafer grinding module (2) as claimed in claim 16 or 17.

19. A method for processing a wafer using the wafer thinning device (100) as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: Loading the wafer onto the rotary table (3) at a loading and unloading station (11); Moving the movable protective member (7) to the second position, and rotating the rotary table (3) to transfer the wafer to the grinding station; Moving the movable protective member (7) to the first position to perform wafer grinding; The movable protective member (7) is moved to the second position, and the rotary table (3) is rotated to allow the wafer to undergo a workstation conversion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein: The grinding station includes a rough grinding station and a fine grinding station, and when the wafer is transferred from the loading and unloading station into the grinding station, the turntable rotates clockwise so that the wafer sequentially enters the rough grinding station for rough grinding and enters the fine grinding station for fine grinding, and when the wafer is returned from the grinding station to the loading and unloading station, the turntable rotates counterclockwise so that the wafer directly returns from the fine grinding station to the loading and unloading station.

21. A data processing device, characterized in that: The data processing device comprises: A memory, wherein the memory is used to store computer executable instructions or computer programs; A processor, wherein the processor is configured to control the wafer thinning device (100) as claimed in claim 18 to implement the method as claimed in claim 19 or 20 when executing the computer executable instructions or computer program stored in the memory.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions or a computer program, and when the computer-executable instructions or the computer program are executed by a processor, the wafer thinning device (100) as claimed in claim 18 is controlled to implement the method as claimed in claim 19 or 20.

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