Chemical mechanical polishing equipment and wafer transfer method

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of semiconductor wafer processing technology, providing a chemical mechanical polishing device and a wafer transfer method, the chemical mechanical polishing device comprising: a polishing mechanism comprising a carrier head; a loading and unloading mechanism comprising a drive assembly, a bracket and a loading and unloading assembly; the bracket comprising an L-shaped vertical frame and a horizontal frame and a slider fixed to the vertical frame, and the loading and unloading assembly is arranged on the horizontal frame; the drive assembly is slidably connected to the slider to drive the slider to move up and down so that the loading and unloading assembly moves between a low station and a high station; the transfer mechanism comprises a transfer base and a manipulator, the manipulator comprising a robotic arm and a clamp for clamping the wafer; the clamp is configured to move horizontally to above the loading and unloading assembly at a height higher than the loading and unloading assembly and align with it when the loading and unloading assembly is in the low station; the loading and unloading assembly moves toward the clamp after the clamp moves into position to exchange wafers with the clamp, and moves upward to the high station after the clamp moves away from above it to exchange wafers with the carrying head.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor wafer processing technology, and in particular to a chemical mechanical polishing device and a wafer transfer method. Background Art

[0002] In existing CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) equipment, a polishing head (also called a carrier head) places the polished wafer in a wafer loading and unloading cup. Then, a transfer robot moves the wafer from the wafer loading and unloading cup to a transfer mechanism, or uses the reverse process to transfer the wafer from the transfer mechanism to the polishing head, thereby realizing the transfer of the wafer from the polishing head to the transfer mechanism.

[0003] To adapt to the rapid advancement of chip technology, advanced equipment is increasingly equipped with an increasing number of polishing pads and polishing heads, while minimizing equipment footprint to achieve significant improvements in wafer processing efficiency (WPH) and optimal equipment layout within the processing facility. However, conventional transfer methods, such as the transfer robot, loading and unloading cups, and transfer mechanism, each occupy lateral space, failing to meet the requirements for a compact layout. Furthermore, the transfer process is lengthy, resulting in low accuracy and efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a chemical mechanical polishing device and a wafer transfer method to solve or alleviate at least some of the problems mentioned above.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, a chemical mechanical polishing device is provided, comprising:

[0006] A polishing mechanism including a carrying head for carrying the wafer to the polishing plate for polishing;

[0007] The loading and unloading mechanism includes a drive assembly, a bracket, and a loading and unloading assembly; the drive assembly is arranged on the side of the loading and unloading assembly; the bracket includes an L-shaped vertical frame and a horizontal frame and a slider fixed to the vertical frame, and the loading and unloading assembly is arranged on the horizontal frame; the drive assembly is slidably connected to the slider to drive the slider to move up and down, so that the loading and unloading assembly moves between the low station and the high station;

[0008] A transmission mechanism, comprising a transmission base disposed below the horizontal frame and a manipulator connected to the transmission base, wherein the manipulator comprises a mechanical arm and a gripper for gripping wafers;

[0009] The clamp is configured to move horizontally above the loading and unloading assembly and align with it when the loading and unloading assembly is in the low station; the loading and unloading assembly moves toward the clamp after the clamp moves into position to interact with the wafer, and moves upward to the high station to interact with the wafer with the carrier head after the clamp moves away from above it.

[0010] Optionally, the loading and unloading assembly includes a bracket assembly and a loading and unloading cup arranged on the bracket assembly, the loading and unloading cup is used to carry wafers to provide wafers to the carrier head and receive wafers unloaded from the carrier head, the bracket assembly includes a bracket plate, a plurality of support columns arranged on the bracket plate and an elastic support member arranged between the bracket plate and the horizontal frame, the plurality of support columns are evenly distributed along a circle concentric with the loading and unloading cup to support the loading and unloading cup, and the stiffness of the elastic support member is adjustable.

[0011] Optionally, the chemical mechanical polishing equipment includes a horizontal polishing platform, which divides the chemical mechanical polishing equipment into a polishing chamber located above and a transfer chamber located below; the polishing mechanism is located in the polishing chamber, the transfer mechanism is located in the transfer chamber, and the drive assembly and the bracket are located in the transfer chamber; the polishing platform is provided with an interaction port that connects the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber, and the loading and unloading assembly moves between the low station in the transfer chamber and the high station in the polishing chamber through the interaction port.

[0012] Optionally, the driving assembly includes a support frame and a driver, the support frame includes a horizontal plate mounted to the lower surface of the polishing platform and a vertical plate extending vertically downward from one end of the horizontal plate toward the loading and unloading assembly, the driver includes an actuator mounted to the side of the vertical plate facing the loading and unloading assembly, a motor arranged on the other side of the vertical plate, and a transmission member crossing the vertical plate from the bottom to drive the connection between the actuator and the motor, the motor, the vertical plate, and the actuator form a three-layer stacked structure to reduce the layout space; the actuator block of the actuator is fixedly connected to the slider, and the motor drives the actuator block to move up and down via the transmission member to drive the slider to move up and down.

[0013] Optionally, the actuating member includes a vertically extending lead screw and the actuating block threadably connected to the lead screw, and the motor drives the lead screw to rotate so that the actuating block moves up and down along the lead screw.

[0014] Optionally, a low-position detector and a high-position detector are provided on the vertical plate at positions corresponding to the low work station and the high work station, and a detection plate is provided on the actuating block, and the detection plate has a width t along the vertical direction; when the detection plate moves to the low-position detector, the low-position detector is triggered to determine that the loading and unloading assembly is within a threshold range near the low work station, so as to allow the clamping jaw to move above the loading and unloading assembly; when the detection plate moves to the high-position detector, the high-position detector is triggered to determine that the loading and unloading assembly is within a threshold range near the high work station, so as to allow the clamping jaw to move below the loading and unloading assembly; the threshold range is t.

[0015] Optionally, a nozzle is constructed on the upper surface of the loading and unloading cup, and the loading and unloading mechanism includes a liquid inlet pipe, which is fluidically connected to the nozzle to provide liquid to the nozzle; the liquid inlet pipe is fixedly connected to the slider to move up and down with the slider, and the liquid inlet pipe is at least partially constructed into a spiral shape so as to expand and contract when moving up and down.

[0016] Optionally, the transfer base includes a slide rail, the manipulator is configured to move along the slide rail, the manipulator includes a horizontal arm extending horizontally from the slide rail beyond the loading and unloading assembly and a vertical arm extending upward from the horizontal arm, and the top of the vertical arm is connected to the clamp; when the clamp moves above the loading and unloading assembly, the horizontal arm, the vertical arm and the clamp form a C-shape opening toward the loading and unloading assembly, and the loading and unloading assembly is located in the C-shaped opening space.

[0017] Optionally, the horizontal arm is configured to be horizontally retractable, the vertical arm is configured to be vertically retractable, and the clamping claw is configured to be horizontally rotatable around the vertical arm.

[0018] Optionally, the chemical mechanical polishing equipment also includes a water receiving tray, which is fixedly connected to the bracket and located below the horizontal frame. The projection of the water receiving tray to the polishing platform covers the interaction port, and the outer edge of the water receiving tray has a vertical upward flange; when the loading and unloading assembly moves to the high work station, the water receiving tray moves to a distance of 2mm-5mm between the flange and the lower surface of the polishing platform, and the height of the water receiving tray is set to allow the robot to pass under it.

[0019] Optionally, the water receiving tray is provided with a drain port, and a drain pipe that is retractable as the water receiving tray moves is connected below the drain port. The water receiving tray receives liquid that enters the transmission chamber from the polishing chamber through the interaction port and discharges the liquid through the drain pipe.

[0020] Optionally, the lower end of the drain pipe is connected to a water absorption source and a water supply source. When the water receiving tray moves to a high position with the loading and unloading assembly, the water absorption source is started to absorb the liquid in the water receiving tray; when the water receiving tray moves to a low position with the loading and unloading assembly, the water absorption source stops, and the water supply source is started to supply moisturizing liquid to the water receiving tray. The supply amount of the moisturizing liquid is such that the moisturizing liquid forms a liquid film of 0.5mm to 1mm on the surface of the water receiving tray to moisturize the water receiving tray and adsorb pollutants.

[0021] Optionally, a hydrophobic coating is provided on the inner surface of the water receiving tray to cause the received liquid to roll into the drain pipe to prevent backsplashing; or a hydrophilic coating is provided on the inner surface of the water receiving tray, and the hydrophilic coating is configured to spread the droplets dripping onto it into a liquid film to disperse the kinetic energy of the absorbed droplets to prevent backsplashing.

[0022] Optionally, the lower surface of the polishing platform is constructed with a accommodating portion adapted to the shape of the horizontal rack at the edge of the interaction port, and the accommodating portion is recessed upward so that the bracket can be accommodated in the accommodating portion when it moves upward, and the edge of the accommodating portion close to the interaction port is higher than the edge opposite thereto, and the accommodating portion has a first lower stop edge extending downward along the edge of the interaction port, and the upper surface of the horizontal rack has an upper stop edge extending upward, and the upper stop edge is arranged on the outside of the first lower stop edge so that the two form a staggered structure to prevent liquid from flowing out of the water receiving tray through the upper surface of the horizontal rack.

[0023] Optionally, the two sides of the upper baffle have two side baffles that abut against the side surfaces of the horizontal frame and extend vertically to the water receiving tray to guide the liquid to flow to the water receiving tray.

[0024] Optionally, the slider is configured to have a "concave" shape in horizontal cross-section, and the side of the drive assembly facing the slider is enclosed in the recess of the slider; the slider is configured to have a C-shaped gap that is consistent with its "concave" cross-sectional shape and runs through it in the vertical direction; the chemical mechanical polishing equipment also includes a vertically extending waterproof assembly for protecting the drive assembly, the waterproof assembly including a first waterproof plate that matches the shape of the C-shaped gap and a second waterproof plate and a third waterproof plate that respectively wrap around the two side portions of the slider, the first waterproof plate vertically passing through the C-shaped gap; the first waterproof plate, the second waterproof plate and the third waterproof plate are connected to the drive assembly at the top via an adapter plate so that the gap between the first waterproof plate, the second waterproof plate and the third waterproof plate and the slider is constant when the slider slides up and down.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present application, a wafer transfer method is provided for use in the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus described in the aforementioned aspect, the method comprising the following steps:

[0026] Move the loading and unloading mechanism downward to the low working position;

[0027] Move the robot to the loading and unloading mechanism, and move the gripper horizontally to above the loading and unloading assembly so that the wafer held by the gripper is aligned with the loading and unloading cup of the loading and unloading assembly;

[0028] moving the handling assembly upward to the gripper, which releases the wafer into the handling cup;

[0029] Moving the loading and unloading assembly downward to the low working position;

[0030] moving the clamping jaws to clear the top of the loading and unloading assembly;

[0031] Moving the loading and unloading assembly upward to the high working position;

[0032] A carrier head of a polishing mechanism interacts with the load and unload cup to remove the wafer from the load and unload cup.

[0033] Optionally, when the loading and unloading mechanism is at the high position, the robot arm can move along the track of the transmission mechanism and pass under the loading and unloading assembly to transfer wafers to other mechanisms.

[0034] According to the chemical mechanical polishing equipment and wafer transmission method of the present application, the loading and unloading assembly moves over a large stroke between the polishing chamber and the transmission chamber arranged above and below, so that it has the function of wafer handling, eliminating the need for an additional transfer robot, reducing the number of wafer interactions, shortening the wafer transmission path, and significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of wafer transmission; the side arrangement of the cantilever bracket and the drive assembly can make full use of the space below the loading and unloading assembly, so that the loading and unloading mechanism and the transmission mechanism share a piece of floor space in the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, and are vertically overlapped during interaction to make full use of the vertical arrangement space, which is beneficial to saving the floor space of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, optimizing the equipment layout structure, facilitating the arrangement of other modules, and facilitating the efficient operation of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, thereby improving the processing efficiency of wafers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a partial schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing device according to an embodiment of the present application, which shows a loading and unloading mechanism and a transmission mechanism of the chemical mechanical polishing device;

[0037] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another angle and state of the loading and unloading mechanism and the transmission mechanism;

[0038] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 A side view of the loading and unloading mechanism and the transmission mechanism;

[0039] Figure 4 Shown Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the loading and unloading mechanism;

[0040] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0041] Figure 6 A flow chart of a wafer transfer method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0042] Figure 7 is a partial schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 8 Shown Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another angle and state of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment;

[0044] Figure 9 Shown Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the loading and unloading mechanism;

[0045] Figure 10 Shown Figure 9 An enlarged schematic diagram of the water receiving tray in FIG.

[0046] Figure 11 Shown Figure 10 A top view of the water tray in FIG.

[0047] Figure 12 Shown Figure 7 Bottom view of the polishing platform in;

[0048] Figure 13 for Figure 7 A vertical cross-sectional view of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus in FIG.

[0049] Figure 14 for Figure 13 A magnified view of point A in FIG;

[0050] Figure 15 Shown Figure 7 A stereogram of the slider in ;

[0051] Figure 16 Shown Figure 7A perspective view of the slider and waterproof assembly in FIG;

[0052] Figure 17 Shown Figure 16 Horizontal cross-section of the slider and waterproofing assembly.

[0053] Reference numerals:

[0054] Loading and unloading mechanism 100; drive assembly 110; support frame 111; horizontal plate 111a; vertical plate 111b; driver 112; actuator 112a; motor 112b; transmission member 112c; low position detector 113a; high position detector 113b; bracket 120; vertical frame 121; horizontal frame 122; upper stop 122a; side stop 122b; slider 123; protrusion 1231; C-shaped gap 123 2; loading and unloading assembly 101; bracket assembly 130; bracket plate 131; support column 132; elastic support member 133; loading and unloading cup 140; nozzle 141; liquid inlet pipe 142; water receiving tray 150; drain outlet 151; drain pipe 152; vertical connecting plate 153; first waterproof plate 161; second waterproof plate 162; third waterproof plate 163; fourth waterproof plate 164; fifth waterproof plate 165; adapter plate 166;

[0055] Transmission mechanism 200; robot 210; robot arm 211; horizontal arm 211a; vertical arm 211b; gripper 212; slide rail 220;

[0056] Polishing mechanism 300 ; polishing platform 310 ; interaction port 311 ; accommodating portion 312 ; first lower stop 310 a ; second lower stop 310 b ; carrier head 320 ; polishing plate 330 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field should fall within the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present application.

[0058] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0059] In addition, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified and limited, it should be noted that the terms "install", "connect" and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, or it can be the internal connection between two components. It can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0060] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a loading and unloading mechanism 100 and a transmission mechanism 200 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown, wherein the loading and unloading assembly 101 is at a low position. Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 FIG2 is a schematic diagram of another angle and state of the loading and unloading mechanism 100 and the transmission mechanism 200 in FIG2 , wherein the loading and unloading assembly 101 is at a high position. The loading and unloading mechanism 100 and the transmission mechanism 200 can be set in a chemical mechanical polishing device. Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 A side view of the loading and unloading mechanism 100 and the transmission mechanism 200 is shown, wherein the loading and unloading assembly 101 at the lower position is shown with a dotted line. Figures 1 to 3 The figure also shows a polishing platform 310 of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment and a polishing mechanism 300 including a carrier head 320. The polishing platform 310 divides the interior of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment into two chambers, the upper chamber being the polishing chamber and the lower chamber being the transfer chamber. The polishing platform 310 is provided with an interface 311 that connects the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber. A polishing mechanism can be set in the polishing chamber, and the polishing mechanism includes a polishing plate 330 (see Figure 5 ) and a carrier head 320, the carrier head 320 is used to absorb the wafer and move the wafer to the polishing plate 330 for chemical mechanical polishing.

[0061] The loading and unloading mechanism 100 includes a driving assembly 110, a bracket 120 and a loading and unloading assembly 101. The loading and unloading assembly 101 mainly includes a bracket assembly 130 and a loading and unloading cup 140 provided on the bracket assembly 130. The loading and unloading cup 140 is used to carry wafers to provide wafers to the carrier head 320 and receive wafers unloaded from the carrier head 320. The loading and unloading cup 140 is concentrically arranged with the interaction port 311. Figure 1, the driving assembly 110 is arranged on the side of the loading and unloading assembly 101, specifically, on the side below the interaction port 311. The bracket 120 includes a vertical frame 121 and a horizontal frame 122. The vertical frame 121 is arranged close to the driving assembly, and the horizontal frame extends horizontally from the top of the vertical frame 121 away from the driving assembly 110. The vertical frame 121 and the horizontal frame 122 form an L-shaped cantilever structure, and the loading and unloading assembly 101 is arranged on the horizontal frame 122. The bracket 120 also includes a slider 123 fixed to the side of the vertical frame 121 facing the driving assembly 110. The slider 123 is slidably connected to the driving assembly 110, and the driving assembly 110 drives the slider 123 to move up and down, so that the bracket 120 moves up and down, thereby driving the loading and unloading assembly 101 to move between the low station and the high station through the interaction port 311.

[0062] The offset setting of the drive assembly 110 creates a layout space below the loading and unloading assembly 101, so that the transmission mechanism 200 can be set below the loading and unloading assembly 101, instead of having to be set to the side of the loading and unloading assembly 101 to occupy equipment space and increase the equipment footprint. Specifically, the transmission mechanism 200 includes a transmission base set below the horizontal frame 122 and a robot 210 connected to the transmission base. The robot 210 can specifically include a robot arm 211 and a clamping claw 212 for clamping the wafer. The clamping claw 212 is configured to move horizontally to the top of the loading and unloading assembly 101 at a height higher than the loading and unloading assembly 101 and align with it when the loading and unloading assembly 101 is in the low position (such as Figure 1 ); the loading and unloading assembly 101 moves toward the clamp 212 after the clamp 212 moves into position to interact with the clamp 212 wafer, and then moves upward to the high station after the clamp 212 avoids it from above to interact with the carrier head 320 wafer (such as Figure 2 ), thereby transferring the wafer from the transport mechanism 200 to the carrier head 320 for polishing. After polishing, the wafer is transferred from the carrier head 320 to the transport mechanism through the reverse process. "Moving into position" can refer to moving to above the loading and unloading assembly 101 and aligning with it. Specifically, it can mean that when the clamping jaws 212 transfer the wafer to the loading and unloading cup 140, the clamping jaws 212 carry the wafer and move above the loading and unloading cup 140, and the center of the wafer is aligned with the center of the loading and unloading cup 140. Or, when the clamping jaws 212 remove the wafer from the loading and unloading cup 140, the clamping jaws 212 move to above the loading and unloading cup 140, and the clamping space of the clamping jaws 212 is aligned with the center of the loading and unloading cup 140.

[0063] According to the technical solution of the present application, the loading and unloading component 101 moves over a large stroke between the polishing chamber and the transmission chamber arranged above and below, so that it has the function of wafer handling, eliminating the need for an additional transfer robot, reducing the number of wafer interactions, shortening the wafer transmission path, and significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of wafer transmission; the side arrangement of the cantilever bracket 120 and the drive component 110 can make full use of the space below the loading and unloading component 101, so that the loading and unloading mechanism 100 and the transmission mechanism 200 share a piece of floor space in the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, and are vertically overlapped during interaction to make full use of the vertical arrangement space, which is beneficial to saving the floor space of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, optimizing the equipment layout structure, facilitating the arrangement of other modules, and facilitating the efficient operation of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, thereby improving the processing efficiency of wafers.

[0064] In a specific embodiment, Figure 1 The bracket assembly 130 includes a bracket plate 131 and a plurality of support columns 132 disposed on the bracket plate 131. The plurality of support columns 132 are evenly distributed along a circle concentric with the loading and unloading cup 140 to support the loading and unloading cup 140. Figure 1The support plate 131 is configured in a roughly equilateral triangle shape, with three support columns 132 positioned at the corners of the equilateral triangle. The support plate 131 is positioned concentrically with the loading and unloading cup 140 and below the loading and unloading cup 140 to provide stable support for the loading and unloading cup 140 and ensure stability when the loading and unloading cup 140 interacts with the robot 210 or the carrier head 320. The support plate 131 may also include an elastic support member 133 disposed between the support plate 131 and the horizontal frame 122. The elastic support member 133 has an adjustable stiffness to provide cushioning support for the loading and unloading cup 140, ensuring stability and precision when the loading and unloading cup 140 interacts with the transfer mechanism 200 and the carrier head 320, respectively. For example, the elastic support member 133 may include an inflatable annular airbag, which is arranged concentrically with the loading and unloading cup 140 between the bracket plate 131 and the horizontal frame 122 of the bracket 120. The annular airbag always maintains contact with the bracket plate 131 and the horizontal frame 122 to adjust the rigidity of the annular airbag by inflation and deflation, thereby meeting the different requirements when the loading and unloading cup 140 interacts with the manipulator 210 and the carrying head 320 of the transmission mechanism 200. Specifically, when the loading and unloading cup 140 interacts with the robot 210 at a low station, the annular airbag is inflated and pressurized to expand and bulge, and its rigidity is enhanced, which can improve the horizontal accuracy of the loading and unloading cup 140, ensure the stability of the horizontal position of the loading and unloading cup 140, facilitate the robot 210 to pick up and place the wafer, and avoid jitter and deflection during the interaction process; when the loading and unloading cup 140 interacts with the carrier head 320 at a high station, the centering accuracy of the loading and unloading cup 140 and the carrier head 320 is required to be high, otherwise when the carrier head 320 uses the air film in the middle to adsorb the wafer, the eccentric wafer is easily crushed by the hard retaining ring around the air film, and the carrier head 320 presses against the loading and unloading cup 140 with its weight. If the support structure under the loading and unloading cup 140 still has a high rigidity, it is easy to be damaged or crushed by the carrier head 320. Therefore, in this interaction situation, the annular airbag is exhausted and decompressed, and its flexibility is improved, thereby forming a buffer support for the loading and unloading component 101 and enhancing the adaptability of the interaction with the carrier head. After interaction with the carrier head 320 is complete, the annular bladder can be re-inflated to level the loading and unloading cup 140 again.

[0065] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the transmission base of the transmission mechanism 200 includes a slide rail 220. Figure 5In the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus shown, which has two or more juxtaposed loading and unloading mechanisms 100 and two or more carrier heads 320, the slide rail 220 can extend between the juxtaposed loading and unloading mechanisms 100 and can also extend to other transfer robots of the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus to transfer wafers between the two or more loading and unloading mechanisms 100 and other transfer robots. When the current loading and unloading assembly 101 is at a high position, the robot 210 of the transfer mechanism 200 can pass under the current loading and unloading assembly 101 along the slide rail 220 to transfer wafers. This enables multiple loading and unloading assemblies 101 and their corresponding carrier heads 320 to perform wafer handling and polishing in parallel, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The manipulator 210 of the transmission mechanism 200 is configured to be movable along the slide rail 220. The manipulator 211 includes a horizontal arm 211a extending horizontally from the slide rail 220 beyond the loading and unloading component 101 and a vertical arm 211b extending upward from the horizontal arm 211a. The top of the vertical arm 211b is connected to the clamping claw 212. When the clamping claw 212 moves to above the loading and unloading component 101, the horizontal arm 211a, the vertical arm 211b and the clamping claw 212 form a C-shape that opens toward the loading and unloading component 101. The loading and unloading component 101 is in the C-shaped opening space, thereby realizing the vertical overlap of the loading and unloading component 101 and the manipulator 210. The horizontal arm 211a can be configured to be horizontally retractable, the vertical arm 211b can be configured to be vertically retractable, and the clamping claw 212 can be configured to be horizontally rotated around the vertical arm 211b in a horizontal plane, so as to realize the multi-degree of freedom of the manipulator 210 and adapt to the interactive position with multiple loading and unloading mechanisms 100 or other transport manipulators. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the horizontal arm 211a, the vertical arm 211b, and the clamping jaw 212 are relatively fixed to form a C-shape that opens toward the loading and unloading assembly 101 and slides only along the slide rail 220, thereby simplifying the design, manufacturing, and control complexity of the robot 210. It should be understood that the C-shape referred to herein includes a [-shape having straight sides and a bent portion, similar to a square bracket.

[0066] Figure 4 Shown Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the assembly 101 in FIG. Figure 3As can be seen, the drive assembly 110 includes a support frame 111 and a driver 112. The support frame 111 includes a horizontal plate 111a mounted to the lower surface of the polishing platform 310 and a vertical plate 111b extending vertically downward from one end of the horizontal plate 111a facing the assembly 101. The driver 112 includes an actuator 112a mounted to the side of the vertical plate 111b facing the assembly 101, a motor 112b disposed on the other side of the vertical plate 111b, and a transmission member 112c extending from the bottom of the vertical plate 111b to drive the connection between the actuator 112a and the motor 112b. In the figure, the motor 112b, the actuator 112a, and the transmission member 112c are respectively encapsulated in their respective housings. As a result, the motor 112b, the vertical plate 111b, and the actuator 112a form a three-layer stacked structure to reduce layout space. The actuator block (not shown) of actuator 112a is fixedly connected to slider 123. Motor 112b drives the actuator block up and down via transmission member 112c, thereby driving slider 123 up and down, thereby driving bracket 120 and loading and unloading assembly 101 to move up and down. In a specific embodiment, actuator 112a may include a vertically extending lead screw and an actuator block threadedly connected to the lead screw. Motor 112b drives the lead screw to rotate, causing the actuator block to move up and down along the lead screw. In alternative embodiments, transmission member 112c may be a plurality of intermeshing gears, or a synchronous belt sleeved to the output shaft of motor 112b and actuator 112a.

[0067] See also Figure 3A low-position detector 113a and a high-position detector 113b are provided on vertical plate 111b at positions corresponding to the low and high positions. A detection plate is provided on the actuating block, and the detection plate has a vertical width t. When the detection plate moves to the low-position detector 113a, the low-position detector 113a is triggered to determine that the loading and unloading assembly 101 is within a threshold range near the low position, thereby allowing the clamping jaw 212 to move above the loading and unloading assembly 101. When the detection plate moves to the high-position detector 113b, the high-position detector 113b is triggered to determine that the loading and unloading assembly 101 is within a threshold range near the high position, thereby allowing the clamping jaw 212 to move below the loading and unloading assembly 101. The threshold range is t. Thus, by setting the low position detector 113a, the high position detector 113b and the detection plate, the upper and lower positions of the loading and unloading assembly 101 can be indicated, providing accurate guidance for the movement of the transmission mechanism 200, effectively avoiding the movement interference between the loading and unloading assembly 101 and the transmission mechanism 200, and improving the smoothness and safety of the equipment operation. The width of the detection plate is set so that when the loading and unloading assembly 101 is within the threshold range near the low position or the high position, the robot 210 can be allowed to move the claw above the loading and unloading assembly 101 for wafer exchange, or the robot 210 can be allowed to move below the loading and unloading assembly 101 to transfer and exchange wafers between the robot 210 and other loading and unloading assemblies 101 or other transmission mechanisms 200. In this way, the movement of the robot 210 can be executed after the loading and unloading assembly 101 has made room for the robot 210 to move, without having to wait until the loading and unloading assembly 101 is at the low position or the high position, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the equipment.

[0068] Depend on Figure 4 As can be seen, a nozzle 141 is configured on the upper surface of the loading and unloading cup 140. The loading and unloading mechanism 100 includes a liquid inlet pipe 142, which is fluidically connected to the nozzle 141 to supply liquid to the nozzle 141. This liquid inlet pipe 142 is used to rinse the carrier head 320 or the wafer to keep them clean, or to moisturize the carrier head 320 or the wafer to prevent the polishing liquid containing chemical components on them from drying and crystallizing, thereby scratching the wafer. The liquid inlet pipe 142 is fixedly connected to the slider 123 to move up and down with the slider 123, thereby maintaining relative fixation with the loading and unloading cup 140. To this end, the liquid inlet pipe 142 is at least partially configured in a spiral shape to expand and contract during the upward and downward movement.

[0069] Figure 6 A flow chart of a wafer transfer method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The method is used in the aforementioned chemical mechanical polishing equipment, and the method includes the following steps:

[0070] S1: Move the loading and unloading mechanism 100 downward to the low position;

[0071] S2: Move the robot 210 to the loading and unloading mechanism 100 and move the gripper 212 horizontally to above the loading and unloading assembly 101 so that the wafer held by the gripper 212 is aligned with the loading and unloading cup 140 of the loading and unloading assembly 101;

[0072] S3: Move the loading and unloading assembly 101 upward to the clamping claw 212 , and the clamping claw 212 releases the wafer to the loading and unloading cup 140 ;

[0073] S4: Move the loading and unloading assembly 101 downward to the lower position;

[0074] S5: Move the clamping claw 212 to avoid the top of the loading and unloading assembly 101;

[0075] S6: Move the loading and unloading assembly 101 upward to the high position;

[0076] S7 : The carrier head 320 of the polishing mechanism 300 interacts with the loading and unloading cup 140 to remove the wafer from the loading and unloading cup 140 .

[0077] Furthermore, between steps S1 and S2, a determination step may be included to determine whether the low-level detector 113a is triggered. If so, step S2 is executed; otherwise, the movement of the robot 210 is not executed. Between steps S4 and S5, a determination step may also be included to determine whether the low-level detector 113a is triggered. If so, step S5 is executed; otherwise, the movement of the robot 210 is not executed. Between steps S6 and S7, a determination step may be included to determine whether the high-level detector 113b is triggered. If so, step S7 is executed, and the robot 210 moves to any position below the loading and unloading assembly 101 to transfer the wafer; otherwise, the robot 210 is prohibited from moving to the loading and unloading mechanism 100. In addition, steps S1-S7 describe the steps of transferring the wafer from the conveying mechanism 200 to the polishing mechanism 300. The wafer transfer method of the present application may also include the opposite step of transferring the polished wafer from the polishing mechanism 300 to the conveying mechanism 200.

[0078] The present application also provides a wafer processing method, which is used for the aforementioned chemical mechanical polishing equipment. The wafer processing method includes a wafer transfer step, which uses the aforementioned wafer transfer method to transfer the wafer, and also includes a wafer processing step, which includes the carrier head 320 moving the wafer loaded from the loading and unloading cup 140 to the polishing disk 330 for polishing.

[0079] According to the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, wafer transfer method and wafer processing method of the present application, the polishing mechanism is located in the upper polishing chamber, and the transfer mechanism 200 is located in the lower transfer chamber. The arrangement of the transfer mechanism 200 and the loading and unloading mechanism 100 enables the manipulator 210 and the loading and unloading assembly 101 to vertically overlap when interacting with the wafer, rather than horizontally, which can greatly reduce the horizontal footprint of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, optimize the spatial layout of the equipment, improve the overall processing efficiency of the equipment, and thus improve the market competitiveness of the equipment. In addition, the cantilevered bracket 120 of the loading and unloading mechanism 100 is set to achieve an unobstructed space below the loading and unloading assembly 101, so that when the loading and unloading assembly 101 interacts with the carrier head 320 in the polishing chamber, it can not affect the transmission movement below the manipulator 210, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of the entire machine. In addition, the loading and unloading assembly 101 can directly transfer wafers up and down between the carrier head 320 in the polishing chamber and the manipulator 210 in the transfer chamber through a large stroke of up and down movement, reducing the setting of an additional transfer manipulator between the two and significantly improving the wafer transfer efficiency.

[0080] In the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, the function of the loading and unloading cup 140 is to interact with the carrier head 320 to pick up and place wafers, interact with the transmission mechanism 200 to pick up and place wafers, and rinse and / or moisturize the wafers and the carrier head 320. When the polishing chamber is working, a large amount of liquid will be sprayed, such as the polishing liquid used for chemical mechanical polishing. The loading and unloading component 101 will also spray a large amount of moisturizing liquid to rinse or moisturize the wafer or the carrier head 320 when it is at a high working position. These liquids in the polishing chamber will flow to the transmission chamber through the interaction port 311 on the polishing platform 310, causing the robot 210 of the transmission mechanism 200 to be contaminated by the dripping liquid when carrying the wafer under the interaction port 311, thereby reducing the yield rate of wafer processing, and also causing the drive component 110 of the loading and unloading mechanism 100 to be damaged by water, affecting the operation of the equipment.

[0081] In order to solve at least one of the above problems, in a further embodiment of the present application, Figure 7-Figure 9 As shown, a water receiving tray 150 is provided below the assembly and disassembly assembly 101. The water receiving tray 150 moves up and down with the assembly and disassembly assembly 101. The water receiving tray 150 is always in the transmission chamber. Figure 7 When the assembly 101 moves to the high position, the water tray 150 is close to the lower surface of the polishing platform 310, and the projection of the water tray 150 to the polishing platform 310 covers the interaction port 311 to receive the liquid flowing into the transmission chamber from the interaction port 311. Figure 10 、 Figure 11As shown in the enlarged view of the water receiving tray 150 and the top view of the water receiving tray 150, the water receiving tray 150 is fixed to the horizontal frame 122 of the bracket 120 via the vertical connecting plates 153 on both sides of the horizontal frame 122, and is located below the horizontal frame 122. The outer edge of the water receiving tray 150 has a vertical upward flange. When the loading and unloading component 101 moves to the high station, the water receiving tray 150 moves to a position where the flange is 2mm-5mm away from the lower surface of the polishing platform 310. The setting of the flange can effectively block the splashing of liquid to the surroundings. In addition, the height of the water receiving tray 150 is set to allow the manipulator 210 to pass under it when the loading and unloading component 101 moves to the high station, that is, the bottom surface of the water receiving tray 150 is higher than the height of the manipulator 210. As shown in FIG. Figure 11 The water receiving tray 150 is provided with a drain outlet 151, and a drain pipe 152 (which can be extended and retracted along with the movement of the water receiving tray 150) is connected below the drain outlet 151. Figure 7-Figure 9 ), the drain pipe 152 can be two sleeved pipe sections, with the upper thin pipe sleeved into the lower thick pipe, the thick pipe can be fixed, and the thin pipe can be retracted in the thick pipe. The water receiving tray 150 receives the liquid that enters the transmission chamber from the polishing chamber through the interaction port 311, and discharges the liquid through the drain pipe 152. The water receiving tray 150 is a semi-runway-shaped outline formed by combining a rectangle and a semicircle. The semicircular part of the water receiving tray 150 is arranged concentrically with the interaction port 311 and the loading and unloading cup 140, and its radius is greater than the radius of the interaction port 311. The rectangular part of the water receiving tray 150 is arranged on the side of the water receiving tray 150 close to the slider 123, so that the edge of the rectangular part can be close to the slider 123 and the drive assembly 110 for water collection and protection. By providing the water receiving tray 150, a large amount of liquid can be prevented from falling on the wafers carried by the lower transmission mechanism 200, which can prevent the wafers from being contaminated and ensure the cleanliness of the wafers.

[0082] In a preferred embodiment, the lower end of the drain pipe 152 can be connected to a water suction source and a water supply source. When the water receiving tray 150 moves to a high working position along with the loading and unloading assembly 101, the water suction source is started to absorb the liquid in the water receiving tray 150, thereby promoting the rapid drainage of the liquid splashed from the polishing chamber to the transfer chamber received by the water receiving tray 150 to avoid overflow or backsplash. In addition, since the liquid received in the water receiving tray 150 includes the polishing liquid in the polishing chamber, which contains chemical components and a small amount of polishing debris, if the liquid in the water receiving tray 150 is drained, the small amount of remaining liquid may produce crystals or contaminants when it dries. Therefore, when the water receiving tray 150 moves to the lower working position with the loading and unloading assembly 101, the water suction source stops and the water supply source starts to supply liquid, such as moisturizing liquid, to the water receiving tray 150. The amount of moisturizing liquid supplied is such that the moisturizing liquid forms a liquid film of 0.5mm to 1mm on the surface of the water receiving tray 150 to moisturize the water receiving tray 150 and prevent the liquid in the water receiving tray 150 from drying and crystallizing. The liquid film is used to absorb contaminants so that the contaminants can be drained away with the liquid when the water suction source is started next time, thereby preventing secondary contamination of the wafer. In addition, since the liquid film on the water receiving tray can also dissipate static electricity, it reduces the accumulation of static charge on the water receiving tray and prevents arc damage to the wafer.

[0083] In an optional embodiment, the inner surface of the water receiving tray 150 can be provided with a hydrophobic coating to promote the received liquid to roll quickly to the drain pipe 152 and prevent backsplash. Alternatively, the inner surface of the water receiving tray 150 can be provided with a hydrophilic coating, which is configured to make the spreading speed of the edge of the droplet dripping onto it much greater than the retraction speed, so that the droplet quickly spreads into a liquid film to disperse the kinetic energy of the absorbed droplet, thereby preventing backsplash. In addition, the continuous liquid film spread into by the droplet can also carry away pollutants on the surface of the water receiving tray 150. In a further preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic coating can be constructed with a nanoscale or sub-nanoscale micro-guiding structure, which extends toward the drain outlet 151 to guide the liquid to flow toward the drain outlet 151. The micro-guiding structure can also accelerate the penetration and diffusion of the droplet, thereby reducing the splash of liquid.

[0084] Further, if Figure 12 The bottom view of the polishing platform 310 is shown. It can be seen that the lower surface of the polishing platform 310 is constructed with a receiving portion 312 at the edge of the interaction port 311, which is adapted to the shape of the horizontal frame 122. The receiving portion 312 is recessed upward so that the bracket 120 can be accommodated in the receiving portion 312 when it moves upward. This can increase the stroke of the loading and unloading assembly 101 moving up and down, and make the distance between the bracket 120 and the loading and unloading cup 140 smaller (that is, the vertical dimension of the bracket assembly 130 is smaller), so that the loading and unloading cup 140 has a height that can interact with the carrier head 320 at a high position, which can increase the structural stability of the loading and unloading assembly 101. On this basis, combined with Figure 13 The cross-sectional view and Figure 14 shown Figure 13 In the enlarged view at A in the middle, the accommodating portion 312 has a first lower stop edge 310a extending downward along the edge of the interactive opening 311, and correspondingly Figure 10 and Figure 11 The upper surface of the horizontal frame 122 has an upper retaining edge 122a extending upward. Since the interactive opening 311 is circular, the first lower retaining edge 310a is arc-shaped, and the upper retaining edge 122a is also an arc-shaped with a matching size. Figure 14 The upper baffle 122a is arranged radially outward of the first lower baffle 310a so that the two form a staggered structure. The liquid flowing from the interaction port 311 to the transfer chamber can be blocked by the first lower baffle 310a at the first lower baffle 310a and flow downward along the first lower baffle 310a. The liquid falling onto the upper surface of the horizontal frame 122 or the liquid splashing outward from below the first lower baffle 310a can be further blocked by the upper baffle 122a, thereby preventing the liquid from flowing outside the water receiving tray 150 through the upper surface of the horizontal frame 122 and dripping, thereby contaminating the wafers on the transfer mechanism 200 below. More preferably, as Figure 10 The two sides of the upper baffle 122a can also have two side baffles 122b that extend vertically to the water receiving tray 150 against the sides of the horizontal frame 122 to prevent liquid from flowing from the two sides of the upper baffle 122a to the sides of the horizontal frame 122 and dripping, and guide the liquid to flow to the water receiving tray 150.

[0085] On the other hand, in order to protect the driving assembly 110, a vertically extending waterproof assembly is provided to protect the driving assembly 110. In order to achieve waterproofing while ensuring the movement function of the slider 123, the slider 123 is constructed to have a "concave" shape in horizontal cross section, such as Figure 15 The driving assembly 110, specifically the side of the actuator 112a facing the slider 123, is enclosed in the notch of the slider 123. The notch of the slider 123 may be provided with a protrusion 1231 that is slidably connected to the driving assembly 110, or the protrusion 1231 may not be provided, and the actuator block may protrude toward the notch of the slider 123 and be connected to the notch of the slider 123. The slider 123 is constructed with a C-shaped gap 1232 that is consistent with its "concave" cross-section and passes through it in the vertical direction. The C-shaped gap 1232 is roughly similar to a bracket shape, that is, a "[" shape. Figure 16 、 Figure 17 The waterproof assembly includes a first C-shaped waterproof plate 161 that matches the shape of the C-shaped gap 1232. The first waterproof plate 161 vertically passes through the C-shaped gap 1232. The waterproof assembly also includes a second waterproof plate 162 and a third waterproof plate 163 that respectively surround the two sides of the slider 123. For example Figure 17The second waterproof plate 162 starts from the surface of the slider 123 facing away from the drive assembly 110, bends 90 degrees to the side of the slider 123, then bends 90 degrees to the surface facing away from the bracket assembly 130, and finally bends 90 degrees again to the recess of the slider 123, thereby forming a wraparound shape that wraps around the side of the slider 123. The shape of the third waterproof plate 163 is symmetrical to that of the second waterproof plate 162. Figure 14 or Figure 16 The first, second, and third waterproof panels 161, 162, and 163 are connected to the drive assembly 110 at the top via an adapter plate 166. The three waterproof panels and slider 123 are positioned relative to the drive assembly 110. As the slider 123 slides up and down, the gaps between the first, second, and third waterproof panels 161, 162, and 163 and the slider 123 remain constant, ensuring smooth movement of the slider 123 and preventing interference and collisions caused by varying gaps during movement due to different positioning references between the slider 123 and the three waterproof panels. The first, second, and third waterproof panels 161, 162, and 163 form a labyrinthine waterproof structure, and the vertical extension of the waterproof assembly overlaps the vertical length of the drive assembly 110, providing effective waterproof protection for the drive assembly 110.

[0086] Further, if Figure 17 The waterproof assembly may further include a fourth waterproof plate 164 and a fifth waterproof plate 165 extending from the sides of the second waterproof plate 162 and the third waterproof plate 163 away from the slider 123, respectively. The fourth waterproof plate 164 and the fifth waterproof plate 165 may be on the same plane as the side of the first waterproof plate 161 parallel to the driving assembly 110. Accordingly, Figure 8 、 Figure 12 and Figure 14 The lower surface of the polishing platform 310 is provided with a second lower guard edge 310b extending downward at a position closer to the loading and unloading assembly 101 than the fourth waterproof plate 164 and the fifth waterproof plate 165. The second lower guard edge 310b extends parallel to the fourth waterproof plate 164 and the fifth waterproof plate 165, and partially overlaps with the first waterproof plate 161, the fourth waterproof plate 164, and the fifth waterproof plate 165 in the vertical direction to form an overlapping structure, further preventing liquid from entering the driving assembly 110 from the gap at the top of the waterproof assembly.

[0087] According to the technical solution of the present application, by providing a water receiving tray 150, when the loading and unloading assembly 101 is at a high position, a large amount of liquid in the polishing chamber will flow into the water receiving tray 150 and will not flow into the transmission chamber below, thereby preventing the liquid from falling on the wafers carried by the transmission mechanism 200, thereby ensuring the cleanliness of the wafer transmission in the transmission chamber. In addition, by providing a labyrinth-shaped waterproof assembly, the vertical waterproofing of the drive assembly 110 can be achieved when the loading and unloading assembly 101 moves a large stroke in a very small space. When the loading and unloading assembly 101 is at a low position in the transmission chamber, the water receiving tray 150 will be away from the polishing platform 310, and a small amount of splashed water in the polishing chamber will drip into the transmission chamber. The labyrinth-shaped waterproof assembly can prevent liquid from entering the interior of the drive assembly 110, thereby ensuring the safe and stable operation of the equipment.

[0088] The above implementation methods are only used to illustrate the embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present application. Ordinary technicians in the relevant technical field can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application. Therefore, all equivalent technical solutions also fall within the scope of the embodiments of the present application, and the scope of patent protection of the embodiments of the present application should be defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A chemical mechanical polishing device, characterized in that: include: A polishing platform, which separates the chemical mechanical polishing equipment into an upper polishing chamber and a lower transfer chamber, and is provided with an interactive port passing through the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber; a polishing mechanism, located in the polishing chamber, comprising a carrying head for carrying a wafer to a polishing plate for polishing; The loading and unloading mechanism includes a loading and unloading assembly and a drive assembly and a bracket located in the transfer chamber; the drive assembly is located on the side of the loading and unloading assembly; the bracket includes an L-shaped vertical frame and a horizontal frame and a slider fixed to the vertical frame, and the loading and unloading assembly is located on the horizontal frame; the drive assembly is slidably connected to the slider to drive the slider to move up and down, so that the loading and unloading assembly passes through the interaction port and moves between the low station in the transfer chamber and the high station in the polishing chamber, so as to directly transfer wafers up and down between the carrier head and the robot; The transfer mechanism is located in the transfer chamber and includes a transfer base provided below the horizontal frame and a robot connected to the transfer base, the robot including a robot arm and a clamping claw for clamping a wafer; the clamping claw is configured to move horizontally above the loading and unloading assembly at a height higher than the loading and unloading assembly and align with the loading and unloading assembly when the loading and unloading assembly is in the low position; the loading and unloading assembly moves toward the clamping claw after the clamping claw moves into position to exchange wafers with the clamping claw, and moves upward to the high position to exchange wafers with the carrier head after the clamping claw moves away from above the loading and unloading assembly; A water receiving tray is fixedly connected to the bracket and is located below the horizontal frame. The projection of the water receiving tray to the polishing platform covers the interaction port, and the outer edge of the water receiving tray has a vertically upward flange. When the loading and unloading assembly moves to the high workstation, the water receiving tray allows the robot to pass under it.

2. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The loading and unloading assembly includes a bracket assembly and a loading and unloading cup arranged on the bracket assembly, the loading and unloading cup is used to carry wafers to provide wafers to the carrier head and receive wafers unloaded from the carrier head, the bracket assembly includes a bracket plate, a plurality of support columns arranged on the bracket plate and an elastic support member arranged between the bracket plate and the horizontal frame, the plurality of support columns are evenly distributed along a circle concentric with the loading and unloading cup to support the loading and unloading cup, and the stiffness of the elastic support member is adjustable.

3. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The driving assembly includes a support frame and a driver, the support frame includes a horizontal plate mounted on the lower surface of the polishing platform and a vertical plate extending vertically downward from one end of the horizontal plate facing the loading and unloading assembly, the driver includes an actuator mounted on one side of the vertical plate facing the loading and unloading assembly, a motor provided on the other side of the vertical plate, and a transmission member crossing the vertical plate from the bottom to drive the actuator and the motor. The motor, the vertical plate, and the actuator form a three-layer stacked structure to reduce layout space. The actuating block of the actuating member is fixedly connected to the slider, and the motor drives the actuating block to move up and down via the transmission member to drive the slider to move up and down.

4. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 3, wherein The actuating member includes a vertically extending lead screw and the actuating block threadably connected to the lead screw. The motor drives the lead screw to rotate so that the actuating block moves up and down along the lead screw.

5. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 3, wherein A low position detector and a high position detector are provided on the vertical plate at positions corresponding to the low position and the high position, and a detection plate is provided on the actuating block, wherein the detection plate has a width t along the vertical direction; When the detection plate moves to the low-position detector, the low-position detector is triggered to determine that the loading and unloading assembly is within a threshold range near the low position, so as to allow the clamping jaw to move above the loading and unloading assembly; When the detection plate moves to the high-position detector, the high-position detector is triggered to determine that the loading and unloading assembly is within a threshold range near the high position, so as to allow the clamping claw to move under the loading and unloading assembly; The threshold range is t.

6. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 2, wherein: A nozzle is constructed on the upper surface of the loading and unloading cup, and the loading and unloading mechanism includes a liquid inlet pipe, which is fluidically connected to the nozzle to provide liquid to the nozzle; the liquid inlet pipe is fixedly connected to the slider to move up and down with the slider, and the liquid inlet pipe is at least partially constructed in a spiral shape so as to expand and contract when moving up and down.

7. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The transmission base includes a slide rail, the robot is configured to move along the slide rail, the robot arm includes a horizontal arm extending horizontally from the slide rail beyond the loading and unloading assembly and a vertical arm extending upward from the horizontal arm, and the top of the vertical arm is connected to the clamping claw; when the clamping claw moves to above the loading and unloading assembly, the horizontal arm, the vertical arm and the clamping claw form a C-shape opening toward the loading and unloading assembly, and the loading and unloading assembly is located in the C-shaped opening space.

8. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 7, wherein: The horizontal arm is configured to be horizontally retractable, the vertical arm is configured to be vertically retractable, and the clamping claw is configured to be horizontally rotatable around the vertical arm.

9. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The water receiving tray is provided with a drain port, and a drain pipe which is retractable as the water receiving tray moves is connected below the drain port. The water receiving tray receives liquid which enters the transmission chamber from the polishing chamber through the interaction port and discharges the liquid through the drain pipe.

10. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 9, wherein The lower end of the drain pipe is connected to a water absorption source and a water supply source. When the water receiving tray moves to a high position with the loading and unloading assembly, the water absorption source is started to absorb the liquid in the water receiving tray; when the water receiving tray moves to a low position with the loading and unloading assembly, the water absorption source stops and the water supply source is started to supply moisturizing liquid to the water receiving tray. The supply amount of the moisturizing liquid is such that the moisturizing liquid forms a liquid film of 0.5mm to 1mm on the surface of the water receiving tray to moisturize the water receiving tray and adsorb pollutants.

11. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The inner surface of the water receiving tray is provided with a hydrophobic coating to promote the received liquid to roll into the drain pipe to prevent backsplashing; or the inner surface of the water receiving tray is provided with a hydrophilic coating, which is configured to spread the droplets dripping onto it into a liquid film to disperse the kinetic energy of the absorbed droplets and prevent backsplashing.

12. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The slider is configured to have a concave horizontal cross-section, and the side of the drive assembly facing the slider is enclosed in a recess of the slider; the slider is configured to have a C-shaped gap that is consistent with its concave cross-section and passes through it in the vertical direction; The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus further includes a vertically extending waterproof assembly for protecting the drive assembly, the waterproof assembly including a first waterproof plate matching the shape of the C-shaped gap and a second waterproof plate and a third waterproof plate respectively surrounding two side portions of the slider, wherein the first waterproof plate vertically passes through the C-shaped gap; The first waterproof plate, the second waterproof plate and the third waterproof plate are connected to the driving assembly via an adapter plate at the top so that the gaps between the first waterproof plate, the second waterproof plate and the third waterproof plate and the slider are constant when the slider slides up and down.

13. A wafer transfer method, used in the chemical mechanical polishing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: Move the loading and unloading mechanism downward to the low working position; Move the robot to the loading and unloading mechanism, and move the gripper horizontally to above the loading and unloading assembly so that the wafer held by the gripper is aligned with the loading and unloading cup of the loading and unloading assembly; moving the handling assembly upward to the gripper, which releases the wafer into the handling cup; Moving the loading and unloading assembly downward to the low working position; moving the clamping jaws to clear the top of the loading and unloading assembly; Moving the loading and unloading assembly upward to the high working position; A carrier head of a polishing mechanism interacts with the load and unload cup to remove the wafer from the load and unload cup.

14. The wafer transfer method according to claim 13, wherein: When the loading and unloading mechanism is at the high position, the robot arm can move along the track of the transmission mechanism and pass under the loading and unloading assembly to transmit wafers to other mechanisms.

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