Feeding and discharging mechanism, feeding and discharging method and feeding and discharging system of wafer

Abstract

The invention relates to a feeding and discharging mechanism for wafers. The feeding and discharging mechanism comprises a wafer carrying box lifting platform; the wafer translation sliding table is arranged on the wafer carrying box lifting platform; the wafer carrying box is arranged on the wafer carrying box lifting platform and is suitable for being driven by the wafer carrying box lifting platform to vertically lift; the wafer grabbing mechanism is arranged on the wafer translation sliding table, is suitable for grabbing the wafer units in the wafer carrying box and horizontally slides on the wafer translation sliding table; the pre-alignment mechanism is arranged at a preset feeding and discharging target position, the pre-alignment mechanism comprises a first stand column pair with a micro roller at the head and a second stand column pair with a micro roller at the head, and the second stand column pair horizontally pushes the wafer unit to be in contact with the first stand column pair; therefore, the wafer unit can be accurately placed at a preset loading and unloading target position. The invention further relates to a wafer feeding and discharging method and system. According to the technical scheme provided by the invention, the wafer carrying compatibility and efficiency can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of wafer processing technology, and in particular to a wafer loading and unloading mechanism, a loading and unloading method and a loading and unloading system. Background Art

[0002] In the main packaging process of integrated circuits, wafer cutting is the first step, and its purpose is to cut and separate the individual grains on the wafer after the previous process. In the wafer cutting process, a blue film is used to fix the wafer on the metal patch ring (patch ring) to fix the wafer and constrain the grains. For this type of wafer with a patch ring, in the loading and unloading system of the subsequent process equipment, the three-degree-of-freedom wafer handling robot is currently used to complete the wafer handling operation.

[0003] However, the existing handling manipulators are standard purchased parts, and are limited by the fixed size of standard purchased parts, so they can only reach loading and unloading stations within a limited range. Therefore, when the process equipment has special requirements for loading and unloading stations, this type of manipulator cannot be easily integrated into it. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a wafer loading and unloading mechanism and a wafer loading and unloading method to solve the technical problems of low compatibility and low efficiency of wafer loading and unloading equipment.

[0005] The first embodiment of the present application discloses a wafer loading and unloading mechanism, comprising:

[0006] Wafer cassette lifting platform (1);

[0007] A wafer translation slide (2) arranged on the wafer carrier lifting platform (1);

[0008] A wafer carrier (3) disposed on the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) and adapted to be driven by the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) to vertically lift;

[0009] A wafer grabbing mechanism (4) disposed on the wafer translation slide (2), suitable for grabbing a wafer unit in a wafer carrier box (3) and sliding horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2);

[0010] A pre-alignment mechanism (5) is arranged at a preset loading and unloading target position, and the pre-alignment mechanism (5) comprises a first column pair (51) having a micro roller (51a) at the head and a second column pair (52) having a micro roller (52a) at the head, and the second column pair (52) pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51) to accurately place the wafer unit at the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0011] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application,

[0012] The wafer carrier lifting platform (1) comprises a carrier panel (11);

[0013] The carrier panel (11) comprises a plurality of limit blocks (12), and the plurality of limit blocks (12) fix wafer carrier boxes (3) of different sizes.

[0014] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application,

[0015] The wafer carrier lifting platform (1) also includes a slide module (13), a first motor (14) and a lead screw;

[0016] The platform panel (11) is fixed on the slide module (13); the output end of the first motor (14) is connected to the end of the screw rod, driving the screw rod to drive the platform panel (11) to vertically rise and fall on the slide module (13).

[0017] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application,

[0018] The surface of the wafer translation slide table (2) is provided with two polished flat plates (21) for the wafer unit to slide horizontally; a sliding channel is left between the two polished flat plates (21) for the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) to slide horizontally.

[0019] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application,

[0020] The first column pair (51) is connected in the internal space of the wafer translation slide (2) through the first cylinder (53); the initial position of the first column pair (51) is lower than the polishing plate (21); when the wafer slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction;

[0021] The second column pair (52) is connected in the internal space of the wafer translation slide (2) through the second cylinder (54), and the second column pair (52) is higher than the polishing plate (21). When the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) releases the wafer unit, and the second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to translate horizontally to contact the wafer unit, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0022] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, the wafer unit includes a wafer with a patch ring.

[0023] The first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction, comprising:

[0024] The first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise, so that the micro roller (51a) at the head of the first column pair (51) passes over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction;

[0025] The micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) is higher than the polishing plate (21).

[0026] The second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to move horizontally to contact the wafer unit, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally to contact the first column pair (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed at a preset loading and unloading target position, including:

[0027] The second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to translate horizontally, so that the micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) contacts the wafer patch ring, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the micro roller (51a) at the head of the first column pair (51). The position and direction of the wafer unit are finely adjusted by the rolling of the micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) or the micro roller (51a) at the head of the first column pair (51) and the side of the wafer patch ring, until the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0028] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) includes a fixed clamping plate (41) and a movable clamping plate (42);

[0029] The movable clamping plate (42) engages up and down to grasp the wafer unit.

[0030] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, a contact sensor (15) is provided on the surface of the stage panel (11) to sense whether the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place;

[0031] When the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place, the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) grabs the wafer units in the wafer carrier box (3).

[0032] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, the wafer translation slide (2) also includes a first photoelectric sensor (22) for sensing the position of the wafer grasping mechanism (4) so ​​that when the wafer carrier (3) is placed in place, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) can slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) to the wafer carrier (3) based on the position of the wafer grasping mechanism (4) and grasp the wafer unit in the wafer carrier (3).

[0033] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) has a second photoelectric sensor (43) for judging whether the movable clamping plate (42) has grasped the wafer unit when the movable clamping plate (42) is engaged up and down.

[0034] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) further includes a third cylinder (44) for driving the movable clamping plate (42) to engage up and down.

[0035] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, a micro drag chain is provided on the side of the wafer grasping mechanism (4); the micro drag chain connects the signal line of the second photoelectric sensor (43) and the air pipe of the third cylinder (44) to the outside of the wafer grasping mechanism (4).

[0036] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the first embodiment of the present application, the wafer translation slide (2) includes a second motor (23), a synchronous belt (24), a synchronous wheel (25) and a linear guide rail (26) at the bottom;

[0037] The synchronous belt (24) is connected to the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) via a connecting clamp;

[0038] The second motor (23) drives the synchronous wheel (25) to drive the synchronous belt (24), so that the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) slides horizontally on the linear guide rail (26).

[0039] The second embodiment of the present application discloses a wafer loading and unloading method, which is applied to a control unit, and the control unit is used to control the wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present application, including:

[0040] Determining whether the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place on the wafer carrier box lifting platform (1);

[0041] If it is not placed in place, an error reminder will be issued, otherwise,

[0042] Controlling the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) to vertically lift the wafer carrier (3) to the height of the wafer translation slide (2);

[0043] Controlling the grasping mechanism (4) to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide table (2) to the wafer carrier box (3);

[0044] Controlling a grasping mechanism (4) to grasp a wafer unit in a wafer carrier box (3);

[0045] The gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) toward a preset loading and unloading target position; wherein, when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first column pair (51) is controlled to rise; when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to release the wafer unit, and the second column pair (52) is controlled to translate horizontally to contact the wafer patch ring, and the wafer unit is pushed horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0046] The third embodiment of the present application discloses a wafer loading and unloading method, which is applied to a control unit, and the control unit is used to control the wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present application, including:

[0047] According to the specifications of the wafer and the sensing thresholds of the plurality of contact sensors, it is determined whether the wafer carrier (3) is placed in place on the carrier panel (11); if it is not placed in place, an error reminder is issued; otherwise,

[0048] Controlling the carrier panel (11) to vertically lift and lower the wafer carrier box lifting platform (1) to the height of the wafer translation slide (2);

[0049] Based on the position of the gripping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22), the gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide table (2) to the wafer carrier box (3);

[0050] Controlling the movable clamping plate (42) of the grasping mechanism (4) to engage up and down, and sensing the wafer unit grasped by the movable clamping plate (42) in the wafer carrier box (3) through a second photoelectric sensor;

[0051] Based on the position of the gripping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22), the gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) toward a preset loading and unloading target position; wherein, when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first column pair (51) is controlled to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction; when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the movable clamping plate (42) is controlled to release the wafer unit, and the second column pair (52) is controlled to translate horizontally to contact the wafer patch ring, and the wafer unit is pushed horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0052] The fourth embodiment of the present application discloses a wafer loading and unloading system, the loading and unloading system comprising the wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0053] The loading and unloading system also includes a robot for transporting wafers from a preset loading and unloading target position of the loading and unloading mechanism.

[0054] According to the loading and unloading system of the fourth embodiment of the present application, the robot includes a tooth fork for carrying the wafer unit from a preset loading and unloading target position;

[0055] The tooth fork includes: a connecting portion connected to the movable end of the manipulator;

[0056] At least two connecting teeth connected to the connecting portion have at least two vacuum suction nozzles disposed on their surfaces for sucking the wafer unit.

[0057] In the present application, a wafer carrier (3) is driven by a wafer carrier lifting platform (1) to vertically lift; a wafer grabbing mechanism (4) arranged on a wafer translation slide (2) grabs a wafer unit in the wafer carrier (3) and slides horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2); a pre-alignment mechanism (5) is arranged at a preset loading and unloading target position. The pre-alignment mechanism (5) comprises a first column pair (51) having a micro roller (51a) at the head and a second column pair (52) having a micro roller (52a) at the head. The second column pair (52) pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51), and accurately places the wafer unit at the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0058] Furthermore, the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the present application can cooperate with a robot with one degree of freedom or two degrees of freedom, and can move the wafer to any preset position, avoiding the need to replace the entire robot process due to a single robot being unsuitable for the wafer loading and unloading station requirements, and can effectively improve the wafer loading and unloading efficiency and compatibility as a whole. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] Figure 1 A structural diagram of a wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0060] Figure 2 A structural diagram of a wafer carrier lifting platform according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0061] Figure 3 A structural diagram of a wafer translation slide according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0062] Figure 4 A partially enlarged view of a wafer translation slide according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0063] Figure 5 A structural diagram of a pre-alignment mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0064] Figure 6 A flow chart of a method for loading and unloading wafers according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0065] Figure 7 A structural diagram of a tooth fork according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the implementation methods of the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0067] Considering the technical problems of high cost, low compatibility and low efficiency of wafer loading and unloading equipment in the prior art, the embodiment of the present application proposes a wafer loading and unloading mechanism. For different types of wafer processing, the equipment has low structural complexity, high stability, high compatibility, high loading and unloading efficiency and low cost. Figure 1 As shown, the wafer loading and unloading mechanism includes:

[0068] Wafer cassette lifting platform (1);

[0069] A wafer translation slide (2) arranged on the wafer carrier lifting platform (1);

[0070] A wafer carrier (3) disposed on the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) and adapted to be driven by the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) to vertically lift;

[0071] A wafer grabbing mechanism (4) disposed on the wafer translation slide (2), suitable for grabbing a wafer unit in a wafer carrier box (3) and sliding horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2);

[0072] A pre-alignment mechanism (5), the pre-alignment mechanism (5) is arranged at a preset loading and unloading target position.

[0073] The specific components of the wafer carrier lifting platform (1), the wafer translation slide (2), the wafer carrier (3), the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) and the pre-alignment mechanism (5) are described in detail below.

[0074] In an embodiment of the present application, the wafer unit may include a wafer or a combination of a wafer and a wafer patch ring. Among them, the combination of a wafer and a wafer patch ring is further fixed and protected by applying tape, a patch ring (such as a metal ring, a patch ring made of SUS420J2 material), etc. The wafer patch ring is mainly used to fix the wafer in the semiconductor manufacturing process to prevent the expensive wafer from being bruised or scratched during turnover and transportation. It can also be used as a protective layer to prevent the surface of the wafer from being damaged by chemicals or mechanical scratches during processing. In addition, the wafer patch ring is also used for positioning in wafer processing to ensure that the wafer position is accurate and to provide support during wafer transmission to prevent the wafer from being broken or bent due to force. The wafer patch ring can be customized as a non-standard product according to customer requirements, including shape, thickness and size. The wafer patch ring comes in a variety of sizes, such as 6 inches, 8 inches and 12 inches, with thicknesses of 1.2mm and 1.5mm respectively. These sizes correspond to different wafer sizes to meet different process requirements. Among them, wafers can include various types and sizes, such as substrate types based on silicon and supplemented by new semiconductor materials, and wafer sizes of 6, 8, and 12 inches. The specific changes can be flexibly made in actual application scenarios, and will not be elaborated here.

[0075] Wafer transportation is crucial in the semiconductor manufacturing process, involving multiple technical requirements and safety regulations. Since wafers are very fragile, collisions and vibrations should be avoided as much as possible during transportation or loading and unloading, and gentle handling should be ensured to effectively protect the integrity of the wafers. Wafers should be in a clean and vacuum environment during transportation to prevent dust and contaminants from affecting the quality of the wafers. Especially for patterned wafers or special scenarios, direct contact with the upper surface of the wafer should be avoided as much as possible during transportation to avoid damaging the pattern on the wafer surface or causing contamination that affects the yield of semiconductor process production.

[0076] like Figure 2 As shown, according to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the wafer carrier box lifting platform (1) includes a carrier panel (11); the carrier panel (11) includes a plurality of limit blocks (12), and the plurality of limit blocks (12) fix wafer carrier boxes (3) of different sizes;

[0077] In this embodiment, by setting a plurality of limit blocks, wafer carriers of different sizes and types can be adapted, thereby improving the loading and unloading efficiency and compatibility of the loading and unloading mechanism.

[0078] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the wafer carrier box lifting platform (1) also includes a slide module (13), a first motor (14) and a screw rod. The surface of the carrier panel (11) is provided with a contact sensor (15) to sense whether the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place, so that when the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) grasps the wafer unit in the wafer carrier box (3).

[0079] In the embodiment of the present application, "placed in place" can be understood as: the wafer carrier is located at a preset position of the carrier panel, and is stuck by a stopper adapted thereto at the preset position, and the wafer carrier is in a horizontal placement state (or other currently required placement state). The stopper can ensure that the wafer carrier does not shift, and the contact sensor can timely detect whether the wafer carrier is in the target placement state, and determine whether the wafer unit in the wafer carrier is safely placed.

[0080] In this embodiment, the contact sensor can be used to timely detect whether the bottom of the wafer carrier is in place, thereby avoiding damage to the wafer due to improper placement or deviation in the subsequent wafer movement process due to improper placement, thereby improving the accuracy of wafer transportation.

[0081] The carrier panel (11) is installed on a connection frame (16), the connection frame (16) is connected to a connection plate (17), the connection plate (17) is connected to a connection plate (18), the connection plate (18) is fixed on a movable plate (19) of a slide module (13), and the movable plate (19) can vertically rise and fall and slide on the slide module (13). In this way, the carrier panel (11) can be slidably connected to the slide module (13). The output end of the first motor (14) is connected to the end of the screw rod, and the screw rod is driven to drive the carrier panel (11) to vertically rise and fall on the slide module (13).

[0082] The wafer carrier lifting platform (1) also has a mounting plate (110), a mounting plate (111) and a mounting plate (112) for mounting the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) on other platforms. The wafer carrier lifting platform (1) also has a drag chain (114) for connecting the signal line of the contact sensor (15), the signal line of the first motor (14), the power line and other wiring to the outside of the wafer carrier lifting platform (1).

[0083] like Figure 3 The figure shows a wafer translation slide of a wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 A partial enlarged view of the wafer translation slide is shown. Figure 3 and Figure 4From the perspective of the structure, the surface of the wafer translation slide (2) has a polishing plate (21), which is divided into two parts: a polishing plate (21a) and a polishing plate (21b), for the wafer patch ring to slide horizontally. A sliding channel is left between the polishing plate (21a) and the polishing plate (21b) for the wafer grasping mechanism (4) to slide horizontally. The wafer translation slide (2) also includes a first photoelectric sensor (22) for sensing the position of the wafer grasping mechanism (4), for example, the horizontal position. When the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) slides horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) to the wafer carrier box (3) based on the position of the wafer grasping mechanism (4), and grasps the wafer unit in the wafer carrier box (3).

[0084] In this embodiment, the sliding channel provided by the sliding channel between the polishing plate (21a) and the polishing plate (21b) prevents the upper surface of the wafer from being touched, thereby reducing the probability of wafer defects caused by falling dust particles and reducing the wear caused by the transportation process.

[0085] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the wafer translation slide (2) includes a second motor (23), a synchronous belt (24), a synchronous wheel (25), and a linear guide rail (26) at the bottom; the synchronous belt (24) is connected to the wafer grasping mechanism (4) through a connecting clamp; the second motor (23) drives the synchronous wheel (25) to drive the synchronous belt (24), so that the wafer grasping mechanism (4) slides horizontally on the linear guide rail (26).

[0086] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the wafer translation slide (2) also includes: a base plate (27) for supporting a synchronous wheel (25), a synchronous belt (24), and a linear guide rail (26); a platform mounting plate (28), a platform mounting plate (29), and a platform mounting plate (210) for mounting the wafer translation slide (2) on a wafer carrier lifting platform (1) or other external equipment; and a drag chain (211) for connecting the signal line of the first photoelectric sensor (22), the signal line of the second motor (23), and the power line to the outside of the wafer translation slide (2).

[0087] like Figure 4 As shown, according to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) includes a fixed clamping plate (41) and a movable clamping plate (42) to form a clamping claw; the movable clamping plate (42) bites up and down to grasp the wafer unit.

[0088] In this embodiment, a fixed clamp (41) and a movable clamp (42) are provided to form a clamping claw, which can be gripped up and down by the movable clamp (42), and can grip wafer units of various types and sizes, rather than the existing manipulator that can only grip wafer units of specific types and sizes, thereby improving the loading and unloading compatibility and efficiency of the loading and unloading mechanism.

[0089] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) has: a second photoelectric sensor (43) for judging whether the movable clamping plate (42) has grabbed the wafer unit when the movable clamping plate (42) is engaged up and down; and a third cylinder (44) for driving the movable clamping plate (42) to engage up and down. A micro drag chain (not shown in the figure) is provided on the side of the wafer grabbing mechanism (4); the micro drag chain connects the signal line of the second photoelectric sensor (43) and the air pipe of the third cylinder (44) to the outside of the wafer grabbing mechanism (4).

[0090] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) also has: a guide rail slider (45) installed at the bottom, used for horizontal sliding on the linear guide rail (26) of the wafer translation slide (2); a photoelectric baffle 46, used to be sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22); a clamp connecting plate 47, used to connect the clamp to other components; a clamp cover plate 48, as a covering protection for the clamp.

[0091] like Figure 5 As shown, the pre-alignment mechanism (5) comprises a first column pair (51) (limiting column) having a micro roller (51a) on the head and a second column pair (52) (pushing column) having a micro roller (52a) on the head. The second column pair (52) pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51) to accurately place the wafer unit at a preset loading and unloading target position.

[0092] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the first column pair (51) is connected in the internal space of the wafer translation slide (2) through the first cylinder (53) (limit cylinder), and the initial position of the first column pair (51) is lower than the polishing plate (21). When the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction; the second column pair (52) is connected to the wafer translation slide (2) through the first cylinder (53) (limit cylinder). The second column pair (52) is connected in the internal space of the table (2) through the second cylinder (54) (propelling cylinder), and the second column pair (52) is always higher than the polishing plate (21). When the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) releases the wafer unit, and the second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to translate horizontally to contact the wafer unit, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally to contact with the first column pair (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed in the preset loading and unloading target position. In this embodiment, by setting the first column pair and pushing the wafer unit horizontally to contact with the first column pair (51), the wafer unit is accurately placed in the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0093] More specifically, in an embodiment of the present application, when the wafer unit is a wafer with a patch ring, the first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction, including: the first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise, so that the micro roller (51a) at the head of the first column pair (51) passes over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction; the micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) is higher than the polishing plate (21).

[0094] The second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to translate horizontally so as to contact the wafer unit, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed at a preset loading and unloading target position, including: the second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to translate horizontally so that the micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) contacts the wafer patch ring, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the micro roller (51a) at the head of the first column pair (51), and the position and direction of the wafer unit are finely adjusted by rolling the micro roller (52a) or the micro roller (51a) with the side of the wafer patch ring until the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position, so that the direction and position of the wafer meet the subsequent loading and unloading requirements.

[0095] In this way, the wafer unit can be accurately moved to the preset position, reducing position errors, meeting the high-precision requirements of semiconductor processing technology, avoiding contact with the upper surface of the wafer, and reducing the probability of wafer defects caused by damage to the wafer during transportation or dust falling from the upper surface. The micro roller pushes the wafer to roll forward, making the movement process gentler and reducing the risk of wafer damage.

[0096] According to the wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the embodiment of the present application, the pre-alignment mechanism (5) also includes: a limit cylinder mounting plate (55), a limit cylinder mounting plate (56), and a limit cylinder mounting plate (57), which are used to install the first cylinder (53) (limit cylinder); a propulsion cylinder mounting plate (58), a propulsion column mounting plate (59), and a propulsion guide rail mounting plate (510), which are used to install the second cylinder (54) (propulsion cylinder); a propulsion guide rail (511), which is used to install the propulsion cylinder mounting plate (58), the propulsion column mounting plate (59), and the propulsion guide rail mounting plate 510 with the second cylinder (54) (propulsion cylinder) sliding thereon; and a propulsion guide rail mounting plate (512), which is used to install the propulsion guide rail (511).

[0097] In this embodiment, a micro roller is provided to push the wafer to roll forward, so that the movement process is smoother and gentler, and the risk of wafer damage is reduced.

[0098] The embodiment of the present application also discloses a method for loading and unloading wafers, which can be integrated in a control unit. The control unit can control the loading and unloading mechanism of the wafers in the embodiment of the present application. The control unit can be a component unit of the loading and unloading mechanism of the wafers and is arranged in the loading and unloading mechanism of the wafers; the control unit can also be arranged separately and communicated with the loading and unloading mechanism of the wafers. The control unit can be specifically such as a host computer, a slave computer, an industrial computer, a general computer device, etc. The setting method of the control unit and the actual device type can be flexibly selected according to the application requirements, and are not limited here.

[0099] Specifically, refer to Figure 6 The flowchart of the wafer loading and unloading method applied to the control unit includes:

[0100] S601, determining whether the wafer carrier box is in place on the wafer carrier box lifting platform; specifically, determining whether the wafer carrier box (3) is in place on the carrier panel (11) based on the specifications of the wafers and the sensing data of multiple contact sensors.

[0101] The size of the wafer carrier (3) is related to the size of the wafer. As the size of the wafer increases, a larger wafer carrier (3) is required to load the wafer. When wafer carriers (3) of different sizes are placed on the carrier panel (11), they will contact different contact sensors among the multiple contact sensors, and there is a corresponding relationship between wafers of different specifications and the contact sensors.

[0102] On this basis, the control unit can pre-store the correspondence between wafers of different specifications and at least one contact sensor. For example, wafer A, wafer B, wafer C, and wafer D have different specifications. Theoretically, if wafer A contacts contact sensor 1 when placed on the carrier panel (11), wafer B contacts contact sensor 2 when placed on the carrier panel (11), wafer C contacts contact sensor 3 when placed on the carrier panel (11), and wafer D contacts contact sensors 4 and 5 at the same time when placed on the carrier panel (11), it indicates that these wafers are in place, so the control unit can pre-store the following correspondence: wafer A, wafer B, and wafer C correspond to contact sensor 1, contact sensor 2, and contact sensor 3 respectively; wafer D corresponds to touch sensors 4 and 5. In this way, in the actual loading and unloading process, when the wafer carrier box (3) is placed on the carrier panel (11), the control unit receives the data of the contact sensor and the specifications of the currently placed wafer, and then searches from the pre-stored correspondence. If a correspondence is found between the received contact sensor data and the specifications of the currently placed wafer, it means that the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place on the carrier panel (11), otherwise an alarm is sounded.

[0103] The contact sensor can be fixedly mounted on the stage panel (11). The contact sensor can also be movably mounted on the stage panel (11) in a manner driven by other driving devices (e.g., motors, cylinders, etc.). Therefore, for wafers of specific specifications, the contact sensor movably mounted on the stage panel (11) can be driven to rise and fall by the driving device, and a specific number of contact sensors can be controlled to rise above the table surface of the stage panel (11), while other contact sensors are hidden below the table surface. The respective needs of existing wafers of various specifications can be supported more flexibly. It is also possible to set a corresponding contact sensor for a new special wafer, and the corresponding relationship between the new wafer and the contact sensor can be stored in the control unit to realize the processing of the new wafer, without the need for manual corresponding settings of the stage panel.

[0104] S602, if it is not placed in place, an error reminder is issued, otherwise,

[0105] S603, controlling the wafer carrier lifting platform to vertically lift the wafer carrier to the height of the wafer translation slide;

[0106] S604, controlling the grasping mechanism to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide to the wafer carrier box; specifically, based on the position of the grasping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22), controlling the grasping mechanism (4) to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) to the wafer carrier box (3).

[0107] For example, the control unit can obtain the position of the wafer carrier (3), which can be a default position pre-stored in the control unit, or a real-time position sensed by sensors arranged around the wafer carrier; and obtain the position of the gripping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22). The control unit calculates the distance that the gripping mechanism (4) needs to move to the wafer carrier (3) based on the acquired position of the wafer carrier (3) and the position of the gripping mechanism (4), and then controls the gripping mechanism (4) to move the distance on the wafer translation slide (2) in the direction of the wafer carrier (3). In this way, the gripping mechanism (4) can slide to the wafer carrier (3).

[0108] S605, controlling the grasping mechanism to grasp the wafer unit in the wafer carrier box; for example, controlling the movable clamping plate (42) of the grasping mechanism (4) to engage up and down, and sensing through the second photoelectric sensor whether the movable clamping plate (42) grasps the wafer unit in the wafer carrier box (3);

[0109] The wafer grasping mechanism can be provided with multiple second photoelectric sensors, each of which can sense the different engagement states of the movable clamp. For example, photoelectric sensor 1 can sense that the movable clamp is in an open state, photoelectric sensor 2 can sense that the movable clamp is in a closed clamping state (at this time the movable clamp is correctly clamped to the wafer unit), and photoelectric sensor 3 can sense that the movable clamp is in a closed state (at this time the movable clamp is closed but not clamped to the wafer unit). The position of each photoelectric sensor here can be flexibly determined based on the position of the movable clamp in different states and the actual scene requirements, and no restrictions are made here.

[0110] S606, controlling the gripping mechanism to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide toward a preset loading and unloading target position; that is, specifically, based on the position of the gripping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22), controlling the gripping mechanism (4) to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide toward a preset loading and unloading target position;

[0111] For example, the control unit can obtain the position of the gripping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22) and the preset loading and unloading target position. The control unit calculates the distance that the gripping mechanism (4) needs to move to the preset loading and unloading target position based on the obtained position of the gripping mechanism (4) and the preset loading and unloading target position, and then controls the gripping mechanism (4) to move the distance to the preset loading and unloading target position on the wafer translation slide (2). In this way, the gripping mechanism (4) can slide to the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0112] S606 includes: S6061, when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair, the first column pair is controlled to rise, for example, specifically, when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first column pair (51) is controlled to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction; S6062, when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the gripping mechanism is controlled to release the wafer unit, specifically, the movable clamp (42) is controlled to release the wafer unit; S6063, the second column pair is controlled to translate horizontally to contact the wafer patch ring, and the wafer unit is pushed horizontally to contact the first column pair, so as to accurately place the wafer at the preset loading and unloading target position.

[0113] In the present application, a wafer carrier (3) is driven by a wafer carrier lifting platform (1) to vertically lift and lower; a wafer grabbing mechanism (4) fixed on a wafer translation slide (2) grabs a wafer unit in the wafer carrier (3) and slides horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2); a pre-alignment mechanism (5) fixes the moving wafer unit to a preset loading and unloading target position. The pre-alignment mechanism (5) includes a first column pair (51) having a micro roller (51a) at the head and a second column pair (52) having a micro roller (52a) at the head. The second column pair (52) pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51) and accurately places the wafer unit at the preset loading and unloading target position. Various wafer units of different specifications can be positioned and align to any preset position, so as to meet the requirements of the process equipment being compatible with wafer processing processes of different sizes and types; the process of replacing the entire manipulator is avoided, equipment costs are saved, and overall assembly efficiency is improved.

[0114] The embodiment of the present application also discloses a wafer loading and unloading system, which includes a wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to the embodiment of the present application, and a manipulator for carrying the wafer from a preset loading and unloading target position of the loading and unloading mechanism.

[0115] According to the wafer loading and unloading system of the present application, Figure 7 As shown, the robot includes a tooth fork (71) for carrying a wafer unit (72) from a preset loading and unloading target position. Figure 7 In the embodiment, the wafer unit (72) is placed at a loading and unloading target position on the polishing plate (21). The tooth fork (71) comprises: a connecting portion (711) for connecting to a movable end of a robot; and at least two connecting teeth (712) connected to the connecting portion: a connecting tooth (712a) and a connecting tooth (712b). The surfaces of the connecting teeth (712a) and the connecting teeth (712b) are each provided with at least one vacuum nozzle ( Figure 7The robot arm (not shown) is used to absorb the wafer unit (72), and there is no need to apply mechanical clamping force to the wafer unit (72), thereby avoiding damage to the wafer unit (72), and allowing the robot arm to absorb the wafer unit (72) above the wafer unit (72), thereby facilitating operation.

[0116] It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the present application, rather than limiting the present application. In addition, for ease of description, only some but not all structures or processes related to the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the accompanying drawings.

[0117] It should be understood that although the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various features, these features should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. For example, a first feature may be referred to as a second feature, and similarly a second feature may be referred to as a first feature without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0118] In the description of this application, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the term "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this embodiment can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0119] The illustrative embodiments of the present application include, but are not limited to, a wafer loading and unloading mechanism and a wafer loading and unloading method.

[0120] The various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using terms commonly used by those skilled in the art to convey the essence of their work to other persons skilled in the art. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that some alternative embodiments are implemented using the features described in part. For the purpose of explanation, specific numbers or configurations are set forth so that the illustrative embodiments are more thoroughly understood. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that alternative embodiments can be implemented without the specific details. In some other cases, some well-known features are omitted or simplified herein to avoid obscuring the illustrative embodiments of the application.

[0121] In addition, various operations will be described as multiple separate operations in a manner that is most helpful for understanding the illustrative embodiments; however, the order of description should not be interpreted as implying that these operations must rely on the order of description, and many of the operations can be implemented in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations can also be rearranged. When the described operations are completed, the process can be terminated, but can also have additional steps not included in the drawings. The process can correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subprogram, etc.

[0122] References in the specification to "an embodiment," "an illustrative embodiment," etc. indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or property, but each embodiment may or may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or property. Moreover, these phrases are not necessarily directed to the same embodiment. In addition, when particular features are described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, the knowledge of those skilled in the art can affect the combination of these features with other embodiments, whether or not these embodiments are explicitly described.

[0123] Unless the context dictates otherwise, the terms "comprising," "having," and "including" are synonymous. The phrase "A and / or B" means "(A), (B), or (A and B)."

[0124] In the accompanying drawings, some structural or method features may be shown in a specific arrangement and / or order. However, it should be understood that such a specific arrangement and / or order is not necessary. Instead, in some embodiments, these features may be described in a manner and / or order different from that shown in the illustrative drawings. In addition, the structural or method features included in a specific figure do not mean that all embodiments need to include such features. In some embodiments, these features may not be included or may be combined with other features.

[0125] In some cases, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. The disclosed embodiments may also be implemented in the form of instructions or programs carried or stored on one or more transient or non-transient machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) storage media, which may be read and executed by one or more processors, etc. When the instructions or programs are run by the machine, the machine may perform the aforementioned various methods. For example, the instructions may be distributed via a network or other computer-readable medium. Therefore, the machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a machine (e.g., computer) readable form, such as a floppy disk, an optical disk, a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROMs), a magneto-optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic card or an optical card, or a flash memory or a tangible machine-readable memory for transmitting network information via electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.). Accordingly, machine-readable media includes any form of machine-readable media suitable for storing or transmitting electronic instructions or information readable by a machine (eg, a computer).

[0126] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the use of the technical solution of the present application is not limited to the various applications mentioned in the embodiments of the present application. Various structures and modifications can be easily implemented with reference to the technical solution of the present application to achieve the various beneficial effects mentioned herein. Various changes made within the knowledge of ordinary technicians in the field without departing from the purpose of the present application should all fall within the scope of the patent coverage of the present application.

Claims

1. A wafer loading and unloading mechanism, characterized in that: include: Wafer cassette lifting platform (1); A wafer translation slide (2) arranged on the wafer carrier lifting platform (1); A wafer carrier (3) arranged on the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) and adapted to be driven by the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) to vertically lift; A wafer grabbing mechanism (4) arranged on the wafer translation slide (2), suitable for grabbing the wafer unit in the wafer carrier box (3) and sliding horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2); A pre-alignment mechanism (5), the pre-alignment mechanism (5) is arranged at a preset loading and unloading target position, and the pre-alignment mechanism (5) comprises a first column pair (51) having a micro roller (51a) at the head and a second column pair (52) having a micro roller (52a) at the head, the second column pair (52) pushing the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51) to accurately place the wafer unit at the preset loading and unloading target position.

2. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wafer carrier box lifting platform (1) comprises a carrier panel (11); The carrier panel (11) comprises a plurality of limit blocks (12), and the plurality of limit blocks (12) fix the wafer carrier boxes (3) of different sizes.

3. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The wafer carrier lifting platform (1) also includes a slide module (13), a first motor (14) and a lead screw; The platform panel (11) is fixed on the slide module (13); the output end of the first motor (14) is connected to the end of the screw rod, driving the screw rod to drive the platform panel (11) to vertically rise and fall on the slide module (13).

4. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The surface of the wafer translation slide (2) is provided with two polished flat plates (21) for the wafer unit to slide horizontally; a sliding channel is left between the two polished flat plates (21) for the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) to slide horizontally.

5. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first column pair (51) is connected in the internal space of the wafer translation slide (2) via a first cylinder (53); the initial position of the first column pair (51) is lower than the polishing plate (21); when the wafer slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction; The second pair of columns (52) is connected in the internal space of the wafer translation slide (2) via a second cylinder (54); the second pair of columns (52) is higher than the polishing plate (21); when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) releases the wafer unit, and the second cylinder (54) drives the second pair of columns (52) to translate horizontally to contact the wafer unit, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the first pair of columns (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position.

6. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The wafer unit includes a wafer with a patch ring; The first cylinder (53) drives the first pair of columns (51) to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction, comprising: The first cylinder (53) drives the first column pair (51) to rise, so that the micro rollers (51a) at the heads of the first column pair (51) pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction; The micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) is higher than the polishing plate (21). The second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to move horizontally to contact the wafer unit, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally to contact the first column pair (51), so that the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position, comprising: The second cylinder (54) drives the second column pair (52) to translate horizontally, so that the micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) contacts the wafer patch ring, and pushes the wafer unit horizontally until it contacts the micro roller (51a) at the head of the first column pair (51). The position and direction of the wafer unit are finely adjusted by rolling the micro roller (52a) at the head of the second column pair (52) or the micro roller (51a) at the head of the first column pair (51) with the side of the wafer patch ring, until the wafer unit is accurately placed at the preset loading and unloading target position.

7. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The wafer grabbing mechanism (4) comprises a fixed clamping plate (41) and a movable clamping plate (42); The movable clamping plate (42) engages up and down to grasp the wafer unit.

8. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: The surface of the carrier panel (11) is provided with a contact sensor (15) for sensing whether the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place; When the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place, the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) grabs the wafer units in the wafer carrier box (3).

9. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that: The wafer translation slide (2) also includes a first photoelectric sensor (22) for sensing the position of the wafer grasping mechanism (4) so ​​that when the wafer carrier box (3) is placed in place, the wafer grasping mechanism (4) can slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) to the wafer carrier box (3) based on the position of the wafer grasping mechanism (4) and grasp the wafer unit in the wafer carrier box (3).

10. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that: The wafer grabbing mechanism (4) has a second photoelectric sensor (43) for judging whether the movable clamping plate (42) has grabbed a wafer unit when the movable clamping plate (42) is engaged up and down.

11. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that: The wafer grabbing mechanism (4) also includes a third cylinder (44) for driving the movable clamping plate (42) to engage up and down.

12. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that: A micro drag chain is provided on the side of the wafer grabbing mechanism (4); the micro drag chain connects the signal line of the second photoelectric sensor (43) and the air pipe of the third cylinder (44) to the outside of the wafer grabbing mechanism (4).

13. The wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wafer translation slide (2) comprises a second motor (23), a synchronous belt (24), a synchronous wheel (25) and a linear guide rail (26) at the bottom; The synchronous belt (24) is connected to the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) via a connecting clamp; The second motor (23) drives the synchronous wheel (25) to drive the synchronous belt (24), so that the wafer grabbing mechanism (4) slides horizontally on the linear guide rail (26).

14. A method for loading and unloading wafers, characterized in that: Applied to a control unit, the control unit is used to control a wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising: Determining whether the wafer carrier (3) is placed in place on the wafer carrier lifting platform (1); If it is not placed in place, an error reminder will be issued, otherwise, Controlling the wafer carrier lifting platform (1) to vertically lift the wafer carrier (3) to the height of the wafer translation slide (2); Controlling a grasping mechanism (4) to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide table (2) to the wafer carrier box (3); Controlling the grasping mechanism (4) to grasp the wafer unit in the wafer carrier box (3); The gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) toward a preset loading and unloading target position; wherein, when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first column pair (51) is controlled to rise; when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to release the wafer unit, and the second column pair (52) is controlled to translate horizontally to contact the wafer patch ring, and the wafer unit is pushed horizontally until it contacts the first column pair (51), so as to accurately place the wafer unit at the preset loading and unloading target position.

15. A method for loading and unloading wafers, characterized in that: Applied to a control unit, the control unit is used to control a wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising: According to the specifications of the wafer and the sensing thresholds of the plurality of contact sensors, it is determined whether the wafer carrier (3) is placed in place on the carrier panel (11); if it is not placed in place, an error reminder is issued; otherwise, Controlling the carrier panel (11) to vertically rise and fall on the wafer carrier box lifting platform (1) to the height of the wafer translation slide (2); Based on the position of the gripping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22), the gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) to the wafer carrier box (3); Controlling the movable clamping plate (42) of the grasping mechanism (4) to engage up and down, and sensing the wafer unit grasped by the movable clamping plate (42) in the wafer carrier box (3) through a second photoelectric sensor; Based on the position of the gripping mechanism (4) sensed by the first photoelectric sensor (22), the gripping mechanism (4) is controlled to slide horizontally on the wafer translation slide (2) toward a preset loading and unloading target position; wherein, when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the position of the first column pair (51), the first column pair (51) is controlled to rise and pass over the polishing plate (21) in the vertical direction; when the wafer unit slides horizontally beyond the preset loading and unloading target position, the movable clamp (42) is controlled to release the wafer unit, and the second column pair (52) is controlled to translate horizontally to contact the wafer patch ring, and the wafer unit is pushed horizontally to contact the first column pair (51), so as to accurately place the wafer unit at the preset loading and unloading target position.

16. A wafer loading and unloading system, characterized in that: The loading and unloading system comprises the wafer loading and unloading mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 13; The loading and unloading system also includes a robot for transporting wafers from a preset loading and unloading target position of the loading and unloading mechanism.

17. The loading and unloading system according to claim 16, characterized in that: The robot comprises a tooth fork, which is used to carry the wafer unit from a preset loading and unloading target position; The tooth fork comprises: a connecting portion connected to the movable end of the manipulator; At least two connecting teeth connected to the connecting portion have at least two vacuum suction nozzles disposed on their surfaces for sucking the wafer unit.

Images