Wafer edge clamping system

Abstract

The invention provides a wafer edge clamping system, and the system comprises a bearing platform which is matched with a wafer in size; the at least three normal pressing devices move in the normal direction of the wafer and are used for being in contact with the upper surface of the wafer so as to carry out normal pressing on the wafer; the at least three circumferential pressing devices move in the circumferential direction of the wafer and are used for being in contact with the side face of the wafer so as to perform circumferential pressing on the corresponding wafer; wherein the at least three normal pressing devices and the at least three circumferential pressing devices are correspondingly arranged at the edge positions of the bearing table. According to the invention, corresponding normal pressure and circumferential pressure can be applied to the edge of the wafer at the same time, so that the wafer can be fixed comprehensively, and the working efficiency is correspondingly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and particularly to a wafer edge clamping system. Background Art

[0002] With the progress of technology and the rapid development of productivity, semiconductor technology has also developed rapidly, and the production process of semiconductors has become increasingly mature, enabling the preparation of various semiconductor devices, which correspondingly facilitates people's lives.

[0003] Among them, a wafer is an important and basic semiconductor device, which has been widely used due to its good electrical conductivity and economic performance, and has become one of the essential components of each semiconductor device. Therefore, the quality of the wafer performance affects the quality of the semiconductor device performance to a certain extent.

[0004] Furthermore, in the process of processing wafers in the prior art, corresponding handling of wafers is required. Specifically, most of the prior art will set corresponding robotic arms and further automatically complete the handling of wafers through the robotic arms. However, in the actual application process, due to the relatively smooth surface of the wafers, the robotic arms may loosen and shift during the handling of wafers, which will correspondingly affect the subsequent processing accuracy of the wafers and thus reduce the work efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a wafer edge clamping system to solve the problem that the prior art may loosen and shift during the handling of wafers by robotic arms, resulting in affecting the subsequent processing accuracy of wafers.

[0006] One aspect of the embodiments of the present invention proposes:

[0007] A wafer edge clamping system, wherein the system includes:

[0008] A carrier table, the size of the carrier table being adapted to the size of the wafer;

[0009] At least three normal pressing devices, the normal pressing devices moving along the normal direction of the wafer for contacting the upper surface of the wafer to perform normal pressing on the wafer;

[0010] At least three circumferential pressing devices, the circumferential pressing devices moving along the circumferential direction of the wafer for contacting the side surface of the wafer to perform circumferential pressing on the wafer;

[0011] Among them, at least three of the normal pressing devices and at least three of the circumferential pressing devices are correspondingly arranged at the edge positions of the carrying platform.

[0012] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: By providing the carrying platform, on the one hand, it can be used to carry the wafer during actual application, and on the other hand, it can be used to install the normal pressing device and the circumferential pressing device. Based on this, when the wafer is correspondingly placed on the current carrying platform, the normal pressing device and the circumferential pressing device will be immediately activated, so that a normal pressure and a circumferential pressure can be correspondingly applied to the edge of the wafer, and then the current wafer can be fixed on the current carrying platform in all directions, which is convenient for subsequent handling and will not show looseness and deviation, correspondingly improving the work efficiency.

[0013] Furthermore, the carrying platform is arranged in a circular shape, and a plurality of installation points are correspondingly arranged at the edge of the carrying platform, and the positions of each installation point are different.

[0014] Furthermore, the installation points are correspondingly set to six, and the six installation points are symmetrically arranged in pairs on both sides of the carrying platform.

[0015] Furthermore, the at least three normal pressing devices and the at least three circumferential pressing devices are alternately arranged in sequence at the positions of the six installation points.

[0016] Furthermore, a receiving groove is provided in the middle of the carrying platform, the receiving groove is arranged in a circular shape, and the receiving groove is coaxially arranged with the carrying platform.

[0017] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the receiving groove is adapted to the outer diameter of the wafer, and when the receiving groove contacts the wafer, a clearance fit is correspondingly generated between the receiving groove and the wafer.

[0018] Furthermore, a plurality of pressure sensors are provided at the bottom of the receiving groove, and the plurality of pressure sensors are respectively arranged at different positions.

[0019] Furthermore, the pressure sensors are evenly arranged in the middle of the receiving groove, and the plurality of pressure sensors are arranged in a circumferential array with the center of the receiving groove as the center of the circle.

[0020] Furthermore, when the wafer is placed inside the receiving groove, the wafer contacts the plurality of pressure sensors to correspondingly trigger the normal pressing mechanism and the circumferential pressing mechanism to press the wafer.

[0021] Furthermore, the depth of the receiving groove is correspondingly smaller than the thickness of the wafer.

[0022] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, become apparent in part from the following description, or be learned by practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the wafer edge clamping system provided for the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the normal pressing device of the wafer edge clamping system provided for the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the circumferential pressing device of the wafer edge clamping system provided for the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] The following specific embodiments will further illustrate the present invention in conjunction with the above-mentioned drawings. SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0027] For ease of understanding the present invention, the present invention will be described more comprehensively below with reference to the relevant drawings. Several embodiments of the present invention are given in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention is thorough and complete.

[0028] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can also be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. The terms used herein in the description of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0030] Please refer to Figure 1 , which shows the wafer edge clamping system provided for the first embodiment of the present invention. The wafer edge clamping system provided in this embodiment can apply corresponding normal pressure and circumferential pressure to the edge of the wafer respectively, so as to be able to fix the wafer in all directions, and further avoid the phenomenon of loosening or offset of the wafer during handling, correspondingly improving the work efficiency.

[0031] Specifically, this embodiment provides:

[0032] A wafer edge clamping system, wherein the system includes:

[0033] A carrier table, the size of the carrier table being adapted to the size of the wafer; specifically, in order to ensure that the wafer can be processed stably for a long time, in one case, the carrier table provided by the present invention can be made of stainless steel. Specifically, existing stainless steel has good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, and at the same time has high hardness and abrasion resistance, so it can effectively protect the surface of the wafer from damage, correspondingly improving the product yield of the wafer. At the same time, the cost of stainless steel is relatively low, so it can be widely used. In another case, the carrier table provided by the present invention can also be made of ceramic. Specifically, existing ceramic is known for its extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion, high hardness and excellent chemical stability. These characteristics enable the ceramic carrier table to effectively reduce the dimensional change caused by temperature change and improve the test accuracy. At the same time, the smooth surface of the ceramic can also reduce the friction and wear with the surface of the wafer, so ceramic can also be widely used. Based on this, existing ceramics and stainless steel can both be applied to the present invention for subsequent processing.

[0034] At least three normal pressing devices 10, the normal pressing devices 10 moving along the normal direction of the wafer for contacting the upper surface of the wafer to perform normal pressing on the wafer; wherein, as Figure 2As shown, it should be noted that for the convenience of implementation, the normal pressing device 10 provided by the present invention can be specifically obtained from the prior art. Specifically, the main structure of the normal pressing device 10 provided by the present invention generally consists of a pressing component, a fixing and positioning component, and an adjusting component. Among them, the pressing component is the core component of the normal pressing device 10 provided by the present invention, which is responsible for directly applying the pressing force. Specifically, common existing pressing components include clamps, pressing plates, magnets, etc. Clamps are usually used in occasions where a large pressing force is required, while magnets are suitable for occasions where small or regular-shaped parts need to be fixed. Preferably, the pressing component provided by the present invention can be set as a pressing plate, and it can correspond to press the edge of the wafer in the normal direction through the pressing plate in real time, so as to be able to correspondingly realize the fixation of the wafer in the normal direction. In addition, the above-mentioned fixing and positioning components are used to ensure that the pressing component can accurately and stably apply the pressing force. The fixing and positioning components may include a pressing ring, a pressing nut, a central shaft, etc. For example, the pressing ring is connected to the sleeve through a thread and is used to fix the pressing component at a predetermined position. Further, the above-mentioned adjusting component allows the user to adjust the magnitude and direction of the pressing force according to needs. For example, some devices may include a rotating contact jaw assembly, and the pressing degree of the contact on the part can be adjusted by rotation. In addition, it should also be noted that the specific mechanism of the normal pressing device 10 provided by the present invention depends on its application field and design requirements. When designing and selecting the normal pressing device 10, factors such as the shape, size, material, and working environment of the part should be fully considered to ensure that the pressing device can accurately and stably apply the pressing force and meet the usage requirements.

[0035] At least three circumferential pressing devices 20, which move along the circumferential direction of the wafer and are used to contact the side surface of the wafer to perform circumferential pressing on the corresponding wafer; it should be noted that the basic structure of the circumferential pressing device 20 provided by the present invention mainly includes a pressing wheel mechanism, a fixing and forming structure, and an adjusting mechanism. Among them, the pressing wheel is the core component of the circumferential pressing device 20 and is responsible for directly applying the pressing force. The pressing wheel is usually made of wear-resistant materials to ensure a stable pressing effect during long-term use. In addition, the pressing wheel mechanism may include components such as a pressing wheel, a pressing wheel bracket, a double-headed screw, and a torsion spring. These components cooperate together to enable the pressing wheel to stably apply the pressing force and maintain an appropriate pressing position. In addition, it should also be pointed out that the above-mentioned fixing and forming structure is used to ensure that the pressing wheel mechanism can be stably fixed in a predetermined position and withstand the pressure from the pressing wheel. These structures may include a support frame, a bearing seat, a connecting plate, etc. Based on this, the above-mentioned adjusting mechanism allows the user to adjust the magnitude and direction of the pressing force as needed. For example, some circumferential pressing devices 20 may include components such as an adjusting bolt and an adjusting nut. By rotating these components, the gap between the pressing wheel and the workpiece can be adjusted, thereby changing the magnitude of the pressing force. In addition, it should also be noted that the above-mentioned circumferential pressing device 20 may further include special structures such as a head transverse movement device, a head lifting device, and a movable guide path. Among them, it should be pointed out that in some circumferential pressing devices 20, such as a circumferential bundling machine, the head transverse movement device is an important component. It drives the transverse movement of the head by a head transverse movement motor, so as to realize the pressing of the pressing wheel on different positions of the workpiece. In addition, the above-mentioned head lifting device drives the lifting movement of the bundling head by a head lifting motor. This structure allows the user to adjust the height of the pressing wheel as needed to adapt to workpieces of different sizes or shapes. In addition, the above-mentioned movable guide path is used to guide the movement trajectory of the pressing wheel in some circumferential pressing devices 20. It may include components such as a guide rail and a slider to ensure that the pressing wheel can move along a predetermined path. In summary, the circumferential pressing device 20 provided by the present invention can be specifically adjusted correspondingly according to different wafer models, so as to simultaneously meet the clamping requirements of different wafers, that is, it can be adapted to different models of wafers at the same time, correspondingly improving the work efficiency.

[0036] Among them, at least three of the normal pressing devices 10 and at least three of the circumferential pressing devices 20 are correspondingly arranged at the edge position of the carrier table. Among them, as Figures 1 to 3As shown in the figure, it should be noted that in order to quickly and effectively clamp the edge of the wafer, in the actual application process, the present invention will respectively arrange three normal pressing devices 10 and three circumferential pressing devices 20 at the edge positions of the above-mentioned carrier table, and neither of them will contact the edge of the wafer. Based on this, when the wafer is placed inside the above-mentioned carrier table in real time, the above-mentioned normal pressing device 10 and circumferential pressing device 20 can be immediately activated at this time, and the normal pressing and circumferential pressing of the wafer edge can be immediately completed. Based on this, the all-round pressing of the current wafer edge can be quickly and effectively completed, thereby effectively preventing the wafer from loosening or shifting, and correspondingly improving the work efficiency.

[0037] By setting the carrier table, the wafer to be processed can be safely and effectively carried. Based on this, in order to facilitate the fixation of the edge of the wafer, three normal pressing devices 10 and three circumferential pressing devices 20 will be further arranged at the edge of the current carrier table. Based on this, when it is detected in real time that the wafer contacts the carrier table, the current three normal pressing devices 10 and three circumferential pressing devices 20 will be immediately activated. At the same time, corresponding normal pressing and circumferential pressing can be formed at the edge of the current wafer, that is, the pressing of the current wafer can be completed in all directions. Thus, during the subsequent wafer handling process, the wafer can be effectively prevented from loosening or shifting, and further, the wafer can be ensured to continuously stay in the normal processing position, correspondingly greatly improving the work efficiency.

[0038] Furthermore, the carrier table is set to be circular, and a number of installation points are correspondingly arranged at the edge of the carrier table, and the positions of each installation point are different.

[0039] Furthermore, the installation points are correspondingly set to be six, and the six installation points are symmetrically arranged in pairs on both sides of the carrier table. Among them, it should be noted that the three normal pressing devices 10 provided by the present invention are respectively arranged at the positions of 0 degrees, 142 degrees, and 218 degrees. Correspondingly, the three circumferential pressing devices provided by the present invention are respectively arranged at the positions of 38 degrees, 322 degrees, and 180 degrees. Based on this, through the current three normal pressing devices 10 and the current three circumferential pressing devices 20, the normal pressing and circumferential pressing of the wafer edge can be correspondingly completed, thereby completing the all-round fixation of the wafer and improving the work efficiency.

[0040] Furthermore, the at least three normal pressing devices 10 and the at least three circumferential pressing devices 20 are alternately arranged at the positions of the six installation points in sequence.

[0041] By setting up the carrier table, it can safely and effectively carry the wafers to be processed. Based on this, in order to facilitate the fixation of the edges of the wafers, three normal pressing devices 10 and three circumferential pressing devices 20 are further arranged at the edge of the current carrier table. Based on this, when it is detected in real time that the wafer contacts the carrier table, the three current normal pressing devices 10 and the three circumferential pressing devices 20 will be immediately activated. At the same time, corresponding normal pressing and circumferential pressing can be formed at the edge of the current wafer, that is, the pressing of the current wafer can be completed in all directions, so that during the subsequent wafer handling process, the phenomenon of the wafer loosening or shifting can be effectively avoided, and further, the wafer can be continuously processed at the normal processing position, correspondingly greatly improving the work efficiency.

[0042] Furthermore, a receiving groove (not shown in the figure) is provided in the middle of the carrier table. The receiving groove is circular and is coaxially arranged with the carrier table.

[0043] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the receiving groove is adapted to the outer diameter of the wafer, and when the receiving groove contacts the wafer, a clearance fit is correspondingly generated between the receiving groove and the wafer.

[0044] By setting up the carrier table, it can safely and effectively carry the wafers to be processed. Based on this, in order to facilitate the fixation of the edges of the wafers, three normal pressing devices 10 and three circumferential pressing devices 20 are further arranged at the edge of the current carrier table. Based on this, when it is detected in real time that the wafer contacts the carrier table, the three current normal pressing devices 10 and the three circumferential pressing devices 20 will be immediately activated. At the same time, corresponding normal pressing and circumferential pressing can be formed at the edge of the current wafer, that is, the pressing of the current wafer can be completed in all directions, so that during the subsequent wafer handling process, the phenomenon of the wafer loosening or shifting can be effectively avoided, and further, the wafer can be continuously processed at the normal processing position, correspondingly greatly improving the work efficiency.

[0045] Furthermore, a plurality of pressure sensors (not shown in the figure) are provided at the bottom of the receiving groove, and the plurality of pressure sensors are respectively arranged at different positions.

[0046] Furthermore, the pressure sensors are evenly arranged in the middle of the receiving groove, and the plurality of pressure sensors are arranged in a circumferential array with the center of the receiving groove as the center. It should be noted that the receiving groove and the pressure sensors correspondingly arranged inside the receiving groove disclosed in the present invention can be correspondingly obtained from the prior art, so they will not be elaborated again here, correspondingly improving the work efficiency.

[0047] By setting up a carrier stage, it can safely and effectively carry the wafers to be processed. Based on this, in order to facilitate the fixation of the edges of the wafers, three normal pressing devices 10 and three circumferential pressing devices 20 are further arranged at the edge of the current carrier stage. Based on this, when it is detected in real time that the wafer contacts the carrier stage, the three current normal pressing devices 10 and the three circumferential pressing devices 20 will be immediately activated. At the same time, corresponding normal pressing and circumferential pressing can be formed at the edge of the current wafer, that is, the pressing of the current wafer can be completed in all directions, so that during the subsequent wafer handling process, the phenomenon of the wafer loosening or shifting can be effectively avoided, and further the continuous processing of the wafer at the normal processing position can be ensured, correspondingly greatly improving the work efficiency.

[0048] Further, when the wafer is placed inside the accommodation groove, the wafer contacts several of the pressure sensors, so as to correspondingly trigger the normal pressing mechanism and the circumferential pressing mechanism to press the wafer.

[0049] Further, the depth of the accommodation groove is correspondingly smaller than the thickness of the wafer.

[0050] By setting up a carrier stage, it can safely and effectively carry the wafers to be processed. Based on this, in order to facilitate the fixation of the edges of the wafers, three normal pressing devices 10 and three circumferential pressing devices 20 are further arranged at the edge of the current carrier stage. Based on this, when it is detected in real time that the wafer contacts the carrier stage, the three current normal pressing devices 10 and the three circumferential pressing devices 20 will be immediately activated. At the same time, corresponding normal pressing and circumferential pressing can be formed at the edge of the current wafer, that is, the pressing of the current wafer can be completed in all directions, so that during the subsequent wafer handling process, the phenomenon of the wafer loosening or shifting can be effectively avoided, and further the continuous processing of the wafer at the normal processing position can be ensured, correspondingly greatly improving the work efficiency.

[0051] In summary, the wafer edge clamping system provided by the above embodiments of the present invention can apply corresponding normal pressure and circumferential pressure to the edges of the wafers respectively, so as to fix the edges of the wafers in all directions, and further avoid the phenomenon of the wafers loosening or shifting, correspondingly improving the work efficiency.

[0052] It should be noted that the above-mentioned various modules can be functional modules or program modules, which can be implemented either by software or by hardware. For the modules implemented by hardware, the above-mentioned various modules can be located in the same processor; or the above-mentioned various modules can also be located in different processors in any combined form.

[0053] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a definitional sequence list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, which can be specifically implemented in any computer-readable medium for use by an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (such as a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or other systems that can fetch and execute instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device), or used in conjunction with these instruction execution systems, apparatus, or devices. For the purposes of this specification, a "computer-readable medium" can be any device that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0054] More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media include the following: an electrical connection part (electronic device) having one or more wirings, a portable computer disk cartridge (magnetic device), a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber device, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM). Additionally, the computer-readable medium can even be paper or other suitable media on which the program can be printed, because the program can be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other media, followed by editing, interpretation, or otherwise processing as appropriate, and then storing it in a computer memory.

[0055] It should be understood that various parts of the present invention can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above-described embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented by software or firmware stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented by hardware, as in another embodiment, any one or a combination of the following techniques well known in the art can be used: discrete logic circuits having logic gate circuits for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits having appropriate combinational logic gate circuits, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and the like.

[0056] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples", etc., means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0057] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation manners of the present invention. The description thereof is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several modifications and improvements can still be made, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wafer edge clamping system, characterized in that: The system comprises: A carrying platform, the size of which is adapted to the size of the wafer; at least three normal pressing devices, which move along the normal direction of the wafer and are used to contact the upper surface of the wafer to press the wafer in the normal direction; At least three circumferential pressing devices, which move along the circumferential direction of the wafer and are used to contact the side surfaces of the wafer to perform circumferential pressing on the wafer; Among them, at least three of the normal pressing devices and at least three of the circumferential pressing devices are correspondingly arranged at the edge positions of the supporting platform.

2. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bearing platform is arranged in a circular shape, and a plurality of mounting points are arranged correspondingly on the edge of the bearing platform, and the position of each mounting point is different.

3. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The number of the installation points is correspondingly six, and the six installation points are symmetrically arranged in pairs on both sides of the supporting platform.

4. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The at least three normal pressing devices and the at least three circumferential pressing devices are arranged alternately in sequence at the positions of the six installation points.

5. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A receiving groove is provided in the middle of the supporting platform. The receiving groove is circular and coaxially arranged with the supporting platform.

6. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the receiving groove is matched with the outer diameter of the wafer, and when the receiving groove is in contact with the wafer, a clearance fit is generated between the receiving groove and the wafer.

7. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 6, characterized in that: A plurality of pressure sensors are arranged at the bottom of the accommodating groove, and the plurality of pressure sensors are arranged at different positions respectively.

8. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pressure sensors are evenly arranged in the middle of the accommodating groove, and a plurality of the pressure sensors are arranged in a circular array with the center of the accommodating groove as the center.

9. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the wafer is placed inside the accommodating groove, the wafer contacts a plurality of the pressure sensors to correspondingly trigger the normal pressing mechanism and the circumferential pressing mechanism to press the wafer.

10. The wafer edge clamping system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The depth of the containing groove is correspondingly smaller than the thickness of the wafer.

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