Substrate clamping device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses a substrate clamping device and method, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, and the device comprises a detection module which is used for obtaining the type data of a substrate; the chuck is used for placing the substrate; the execution module comprises a pneumatic unit which is arranged on the chuck and is used for clamping the substrate; one end of the main pipeline is connected with an air source, and the other end of the main pipeline is connected with the pneumatic unit; the pressure regulating unit is arranged on the main pipeline and is used for regulating the air pressure in the main pipeline; and the processing module is used for receiving the type data and controlling the pressure regulating unit to regulate the air pressure in the main pipeline according to the type data, so that the air pressure is matched with the type data. The substrate clamping device can automatically output matched clamping force according to different substrates, so that the production efficiency of the substrates is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor devices, and particularly relates to a substrate clamping device and method. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous progress and development of high-precision science and technology, the performance and types of semiconductor chips are also increasing. Wafers have various different types. According to different thicknesses, wafers can be divided into Taiko wafers (wafers with a thin middle and a thick ring around the periphery), thin wafers, standard wafers, thick wafers, thickened wafers, etc.; according to different diameters, wafers are mainly divided into 6-inch, 8-inch, 12-inch wafers, etc.; according to different materials, wafers can be divided into wafers of Si, SiC, GaAs, etc. The external forces that wafers of different thicknesses, sizes, and materials can withstand are different. Therefore, the clamping forces required for different wafers in the process are different, neither too large nor too small.

[0003] The existing wafer clamping devices cannot automatically adjust the clamping force on the wafer, and are prone to damage the wafer. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defect that the substrate clamping device in the prior art cannot automatically adjust the clamping force on the substrate, and provide a substrate clamping device and method.

[0005] The present invention solves the above technical problem through the following technical solutions:

[0006] A substrate clamping device, comprising:

[0007] A detection module, configured to obtain type data of the substrate;

[0008] A chuck, configured to place the substrate;

[0009] An execution module, comprising:

[0010] A pneumatic unit, arranged on the chuck and configured to clamp the substrate;

[0011] A main pipeline, one end of the main pipeline is connected to a gas source, and the other end is connected to the pneumatic unit;

[0012] A pressure regulating unit, arranged on the main pipeline and configured to regulate the air pressure in the main pipeline;

[0013] A processing module, the processing module is configured to receive the type data, and control the pressure regulating unit to regulate the air pressure in the main pipeline according to the type data, so that the air pressure matches the type data.

[0014] The type data of the substrate is obtained by the detection module. According to the type data of the substrate, the processing module can control the pressure regulating unit of the execution module to adjust the corresponding air pressure. Different air pressures correspond to different clamping forces, so that the substrate clamping device can automatically output the corresponding clamping force according to different types of substrates. Therefore, there is no need to manually change the control parameters of the execution module according to different substrates, thereby improving the production efficiency of the substrate. In addition, by clamping the substrate pneumatically, the clamping force of the pneumatic unit can be changed by changing the air pressure. The control method is simple and the output force of the pneumatic unit can be controlled with high precision.

[0015] A substrate clamping method includes:

[0016] Pre-storing the correspondence between the type data of the substrate and the clamping force of the substrate;

[0017] Obtaining the type data of the substrate;

[0018] Applying a clamping force matching the type of the substrate to the substrate according to the correspondence.

[0019] By this method, it is possible to automatically output a clamping force matching different substrates without manual adjustment, improving production efficiency and accuracy, and being beneficial to improving the yield of the substrate. Description of the Drawings

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the substrate clamping device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the chuck according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pneumatic unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the substrate clamping device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the substrate clamping device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the substrate clamping device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the substrate clamping device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the flow of the substrate clamping method according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0028] The present invention will be further described below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of the examples accordingly.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, this example provides a substrate clamping device, including a detection module 100, a chuck 400, an execution module, and a processing module 200. The detection module 100 is used to obtain the type data of the substrate. The chuck 400 is used to place the substrate. The execution module includes a pneumatic unit 310, a main pipeline 320, and a pressure regulating unit 330. The pneumatic unit 310 is arranged on the chuck 400 and is used to clamp the substrate. One end of the main pipeline 320 is connected to a gas source 700, and the other end is connected to the pneumatic unit 310. The pressure regulating unit 330 is arranged on the main pipeline 320 and is used to adjust the air pressure in the main pipeline 320. The processing module 200 receives the type data of the substrate and controls the pressure regulating unit 330 of the execution module to adjust the air pressure in the main pipeline 320 according to the type data of the substrate, so that the air pressure matches the type data of the substrate, and further enables the pneumatic unit 310 to output a clamping force matching the type data of the substrate.

[0031] Specifically, the type data of the substrate includes parameters such as the thickness, size, and material of the substrate. By obtaining the type data of the substrate through the detection module 100, the processing module 200 can control the pressure regulating unit 330 of the execution module to adjust the air pressure in the main pipeline 320 according to the type data of the substrate. Different air pressures correspond to different clamping forces, and thus the substrate clamping device can automatically output a matching clamping force according to different types of substrates. Therefore, there is no need to manually change the control parameters of the execution module according to different substrates, thereby improving the production efficiency and yield of the substrate. In addition, by clamping the substrate in a pneumatic manner, by changing the air pressure, the clamping force of the pneumatic unit 310 can be changed, and the control method is simple, and the output force of the pneumatic unit 310 can be controlled with high precision.

[0032] As an example, the substrate is placed in a substrate carrying device for transportation. The substrate carrying device is marked with the type data of the currently carried substrate. The detection module 100 obtains the type data of the substrate by reading the mark on the substrate carrying device. Among them, the mark can specifically be a bar code or an RFID tag containing the type data of the substrate, etc. Different type data of the substrate correspond to different clamping forces, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between the clamping force and the air pressure in the main pipeline 320. Therefore, the corresponding relationship between the type data of the substrate and the air pressure can be known. The corresponding relationship between the type data of the substrate and the air pressure is stored in the database in the processing module 200 in advance. When the processing module 200 receives the type data of the substrate, it can call this database to obtain the matching air pressure.

[0033] Further, as Figure 3 shown, the pneumatic unit 310 includes a cylinder 311 and an actuator 312. The cylinder 311 drives the actuator 312 to move, and the actuator 312 contacts the outer edge of the substrate to clamp the substrate within the chuck 400. The structure of the pneumatic unit 310 is simple and compact, occupying a small space, facilitating layout in a limited space, and the output force control of the pneumatic unit 310 is simpler and more precise. Among them, as Figure 2 shown, three pneumatic units 310 are provided, which are spaced apart and distributed on one side of the chuck 400. In addition, three fixing members 500 are respectively provided corresponding to the other side of the chuck 400. By driving the actuator 312 to move, the cylinder 311 can clamp the substrate between the actuator 312 and the fixing member 500, so that the substrate is fixed within the chuck 400.

[0034] In this embodiment, three pneumatic units 310 are provided. Refer to Figure 1 , each pneumatic unit 310 is respectively connected to the main pipeline 320 through a branch pipeline 350, and each pneumatic unit 310 is in a parallel structure. Multiple pneumatic units 310 are more stable during the clamping process of the substrate. Each pneumatic unit 310 adopts a parallel structure, the air pressure of each pneumatic unit 310 is the same, the clamping force output by each pneumatic unit 310 to the substrate is the same, and the control is more precise.

[0035] In other embodiments, the number of pneumatic units 310 is not limited to this. When the usage requirements are met, only one or other numbers can also be set.

[0036] In some embodiments, the diameter of the branch pipeline 350 is smaller than that of the main pipeline 320, which can ensure the sufficiency of gas flow supply, avoid unstable pressure in the branch pipeline 350 caused by insufficient gas flow, and is beneficial to improving the stability of the output of the pneumatic unit 310.

[0037] In this embodiment, the execution module further includes a first valve 341. The first valve 341 is arranged on the main pipeline 320 between the pressure regulating unit 330 and the pneumatic unit 310. The processing module 200 is further configured to control the on-off state of the first valve 341. By adding the first valve 341, the first valve 341 can be closed during the pressure regulation process of the main pipeline 320 by the pressure regulating unit 330. After the pressure regulation is completed, the first valve 341 is opened, so that the clamping force output of the pneumatic unit 310 can be more stable.

[0038] As an example, the pressure regulating unit 330 is a pressure regulating valve, and the pressure regulating valve is communicatively connected to the processing module 200.

[0039] The communication connection method can adopt one or a combination of wired communication and wireless communication, which can be specifically selected according to needs and will not be overly restricted here.

[0040] Embodiment 2

[0041] This embodiment is basically the same as the solution of Embodiment 1, and the difference lies in that, as Figure 4 shown, the execution module further includes a first pressure sensor 360. The first pressure sensor 360 is communicatively connected to the processing module 200. The first pressure sensor 360 is disposed on the main pipeline 320 between the pressure regulating unit 330 and the pneumatic unit 310, and is used to measure the air pressure in the main pipeline 320 after being regulated by the pressure regulating unit 330.

[0042] In this solution, the first pressure sensor 360 is communicatively connected to the processing module 200, and can feedback the air pressure on the main pipeline 320 to the processing module 200 in real time, facilitating precise control of the pneumatic unit 310 to avoid air pressure out of control and damage to the substrate.

[0043] In this embodiment, the execution module further includes a manual switch valve 371 and a manual pressure regulating valve 372. The manual pressure regulating valve 372 is disposed on the main pipeline 320 between the pressure regulating unit 330 and the gas source 700, and the manual switch valve 371 is disposed on the main pipeline 320 between the manual pressure regulating valve 372 and the gas source 700. The pressure of the main pipeline 320 can be pre-adjusted to a suitable value through the manual pressure regulating valve 372, and the pressure of the main pipeline 320 is more stable, which can avoid the influence on the pressure of the main pipeline 320 caused by the fluctuation of the gas source 700.

[0044] Embodiment 3

[0045] This embodiment is basically the same as the solution of Embodiment 2, and the difference lies in that, as Figure 5 shown, in this embodiment, the execution module not only includes a first valve 341, but also includes a second valve 342. One passage of the second valve 342 is communicated with the external atmosphere, and the other passage of the second valve 342 is communicated with the main pipeline 320 after the first valve 341. The pneumatic unit 310 is connected to the main pipeline 320 between the first valve 341 and the second valve 342, and the processing module 200 is further used to control the opening and closing state of the second valve 342.

[0046] In this solution, by opening the first valve 341 and closing the second valve 342, the gas in the main pipeline 320 can be controlled to drive the pneumatic unit 310 to apply a thrust to the substrate to clamp the substrate. By closing the first valve 341 and opening the second valve 342, the gas in the pneumatic unit 310 can flow through the second valve 342 to the external atmosphere, and thus the substrate can be released. The clamping and releasing of the substrate can be controlled only by controlling the switching states of the first valve 341 and the second valve 342.

[0047] Specifically, the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 are solenoid valves, and the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 are respectively communicatively connected to the processing module 200.

[0048] The communication connection method can adopt one or a combination of wired communication and wireless communication, and can be specifically selected according to needs, and no excessive restrictions are imposed here.

[0049] Embodiment 4

[0050] As Figure 6 shown, the solution in this embodiment is basically the same as that in Embodiment 3, and the difference is that in this embodiment, the execution module further includes a control pipeline 344, the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 are pneumatic valves, the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 are connected to the gas source 700 through the control pipeline 344, and a solenoid valve 343 is arranged on the control pipeline 344. The solenoid valve 343 is communicatively connected to the processing module 200. By controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valve 343, the processing module 200 can control the connection state of the control pipeline 344, and thus can control the working states of the first valve 341 and the second valve 342. Specifically, when the solenoid valve 343 is closed, the first valve 341 is in a closed state, the second valve 342 is connected, and the gas in the pneumatic unit 310 can flow through the second valve 342 to the external atmosphere, and thus the substrate can be released; when the solenoid valve 343 is opened, the gas in the gas source 700 can reach the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 through the solenoid valve, and then the first valve 341 is opened and the second valve 342 is closed, so that the gas in the main pipeline 320 can be controlled to drive the pneumatic unit 310 to apply a thrust to the substrate to clamp the substrate.

[0051] Specifically, both the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 are two-way two-position valves. The initial working position of the first valve 341 is a closed state, and the initial working position of the second valve 342 is a connected state. The opening and closing states of the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 are always opposite, where the opening and closing states include a connected state and a closed state. The opening and closing states of the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 are always opposite, and thus the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 can achieve synchronous state changes through a single control pipeline.

[0052] In other embodiments, a control pipeline may also be separately provided for each of the first valve 341 and the second valve 342 for independent control.

[0053] Embodiment 5

[0054] As Figure 7 shown, this embodiment is basically the same as the solution in Embodiment 3, except that in this embodiment, the substrate clamping device further includes a second pressure sensor 380, and the second pressure sensor 380 is disposed on the branch pipeline 350. The second pressure sensor 380 is used to detect the air pressure in the branch pipeline 350, and the air pressure in the branch pipeline 350 is the same as the air pressure in the cylinder 311 of the pneumatic unit 310. Therefore, the air pressure of the pneumatic unit 310 can be indirectly detected through the second pressure sensor 380. The second pressure sensor 380 is connected to the processing module 200 by wireless communication. By providing the second pressure sensor 380 to detect the air pressure of the pneumatic unit 310 and feed it back to the processing module 200, when the pneumatic unit 310 leaks air, the second pressure sensor 380 will detect a pressure fluctuation and feed it back to the processing module 200. When the actual measured value of the second pressure sensor 380 exceeds the preset range, a leakage alarm can be given.

[0055] In other embodiments, the second pressure sensor 380 and the processing module 200 may also be connected by wired communication.

[0056] In this embodiment, the substrate clamping device further includes a force sensor 600. The force sensor 600 is disposed on the actuator 312 of the pneumatic unit 310 and is used to measure the clamping force of the actuator 312. The force sensor 600 is connected to the processing module 200 by wireless communication. The force sensor 600 can feed back the clamping force of the actuator 312 on the substrate to the processing module 200, so as to further detect whether the actual output clamping force of the actuator 312 on the substrate is consistent with the theoretical clamping force.

[0057] In other embodiments, the force sensor 600 and the processing module 200 may also be connected by wired communication. The arrangement position of the force sensor is not limited to this. The force sensor may also be disposed on a fixing member on the chuck, and can also measure the actual clamping force of the actuator on the substrate.

[0058] Embodiment 6

[0059] As Figure 8 shown, this embodiment provides a substrate clamping method, including:

[0060] S10. Pre-store the correspondence between the type data of the substrate and the clamping force of the substrate.

[0061] S20. Obtain the type data of the substrate.

[0062] S30. Apply a clamping force matching the type of the substrate to the substrate according to the corresponding relationship.

[0063] Through this method, the substrate clamping device can automatically output a clamping force matching different types of substrates without manual adjustment, improving production efficiency and accuracy, and being conducive to improving the yield of substrates.

[0064] Specifically, the substrate clamping device is a chuck, and the substrate can be clamped by pneumatic clamping.

[0065] In this embodiment, step S20 specifically includes:

[0066] S21. Identify the type data of the substrate in the substrate carrying device.

[0067] S22. Place the substrate into the corresponding substrate carrying device.

[0068] S23. Obtain the type data of the substrate by obtaining the identification in the substrate carrying device.

[0069] Of course, in other embodiments, the type data of the substrate can also be directly obtained by an optical sensor.

[0070] Although the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art should understand that this is only an example, and the protection scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to these embodiments, but these changes and modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A substrate clamping device, characterized in that, it includes: a detection module for obtaining type data of the substrate; a chuck for placing the substrate; an execution module, including: a pneumatic unit disposed on the chuck for clamping the substrate; a main pipeline, one end of the main pipeline is connected to a gas source, and the other end is connected to the pneumatic unit; a pressure regulating unit disposed on the main pipeline and used for regulating the air pressure in the main pipeline; a processing module, the processing module is used to receive the type data and control the pressure regulating unit to regulate the air pressure in the main pipeline according to the type data, so that the air pressure matches the type data, and further enables the pneumatic unit to output a clamping force matching the type data.

2. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the substrate clamping device further includes a fixing member, the pneumatic unit is disposed on one side of the chuck, and the fixing member is correspondingly disposed on the other side of the chuck, and the pneumatic unit is used to cooperate with the fixing member to clamp the substrate.

3. The substrate clamping device according to claim 2, characterized in that, the pneumatic unit includes a cylinder and an actuator, the cylinder is used to drive the actuator to move, so that the actuator contacts the outer edge of the substrate to clamp the substrate in the chuck.

4. The substrate clamping device according to claim 3, characterized in that, the substrate clamping device further includes a force sensor, the force sensor is communicatively connected to the processing module, and the force sensor is disposed on the actuator or the fixing member for measuring the clamping force of the actuator on the substrate.

5. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the detection module obtains the type data of the substrate by detecting an identifier on the substrate carrying device, the substrate carrying device is used to carry the substrate, and the identifier on the substrate carrying device stores the type data of the currently carried substrate.

6. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the execution module further includes a first pressure sensor, the first pressure sensor is communicatively connected to the processing module, and the first pressure sensor is disposed on the main pipeline between the pressure regulating unit and the pneumatic unit for measuring the air pressure in the main pipeline after being regulated by the pressure regulating unit.

7. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the substrate clamping device further includes branch pipelines, there are multiple pneumatic units, and each pneumatic unit is respectively connected to the main pipeline through the branch pipelines, and each pneumatic unit is in a parallel structure.

8. The substrate clamping device according to claim 7, characterized in that, the diameter of the branch pipeline is smaller than the diameter of the main pipeline.

9. The substrate clamping device according to claim 7, characterized in that, the substrate clamping device further includes a second pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor is communicatively connected to the processing module, and the second pressure sensor is disposed on the branch pipeline for measuring the air pressure in the branch pipeline.

10. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The execution module further includes a first valve, which is arranged on the main pipeline between the pressure regulating unit and the pneumatic unit, and the processing module is further configured to control the on-off state of the first valve.

11. The substrate clamping device according to claim 10, wherein, the execution module further includes a second valve, one passage of the second valve is communicated with the outside, the other passage of the second valve is communicated with the main pipeline after the first valve, the pneumatic unit is connected to the main pipeline between the first valve and the second valve, and the processing module is further configured to control the on-off state of the second valve.

12. The substrate clamping device according to claim 11, wherein, the first valve and the second valve are solenoid valves, and the first valve and the second valve are respectively communicatively connected to the processing module.

13. The substrate clamping device according to claim 11, wherein, the execution module further includes a control pipeline, the first valve and the second valve are pneumatic valves, the first valve and the second valve are connected to a gas source through the control pipeline, a solenoid valve is arranged on the control pipeline, the solenoid valve is communicatively connected to the processing module, and the processing module is further configured to control the connection state of the control pipeline by controlling the on-off of the solenoid valve.

14. The substrate clamping device according to claim 13, wherein, both the first valve and the second valve are two-position two-way valves, the initial working position of the first valve is in a closed state, the initial working position of the second valve is in a connected state, and the opening and closing states of the first valve and the second valve are always opposite.

15. A substrate clamping method, wherein, it includes: pre-storing the correspondence between the type data of the substrate and the clamping force of the substrate; obtaining the type data of the substrate; applying a clamping force matching the type of the substrate to the substrate according to the correspondence.

16. The substrate clamping method according to claim 15, wherein, the step of obtaining the type data of the substrate includes: identifying the type data of the substrate in the substrate carrying device; putting the substrate into the corresponding substrate carrying device; obtaining the type data of the substrate by obtaining the identifier in the substrate carrying device.

17. The substrate clamping method according to claim 15, wherein, the substrate clamping device clamps the substrate in a pneumatic manner.

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