Chemical mechanical polishing equipment and wafer transmission method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor wafer processing, and provides chemical mechanical polishing equipment and a wafer transmission method, and the chemical mechanical polishing equipment comprises a polishing mechanism which comprises a bearing head; the loading and unloading mechanism comprises a driving assembly, a support and a loading and unloading assembly. The support comprises an L-shaped vertical frame, an L-shaped horizontal frame and a sliding block fixed to the vertical frame, and the loading and unloading assembly is arranged on the horizontal frame. The driving assembly is in sliding connection with the sliding block to drive the sliding block to move up and down so that the loading and unloading assembly can move between the low station and the high station. The transmission mechanism comprises a transmission base and a manipulator, and the manipulator comprises a mechanical arm and a clamping jaw used for clamping a wafer; the clamping jaw is configured to horizontally move above and align with the loading and unloading assembly at a height higher than that of the loading and unloading assembly when the loading and unloading assembly is in the low station; the loading and unloading assembly moves towards the clamping jaw to interact with the wafer after the clamping jaw moves in place, and moves upwards to a high station to interact with the bearing head after the clamping jaw avoids from the upper portion of the loading and unloading assembly.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent filed on May 20, 2025, with application number 202510647339.9 and title "Chemical Mechanical Polishing Equipment and Wafer Transfer Method". Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of semiconductor wafer processing technology, specifically to a chemical mechanical polishing device and a wafer transport method. Background Technology

[0003] In existing CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) equipment, the polishing head (or carrier head) places the polished wafer into a wafer loading cup. Then, a transfer robot moves the wafer from the wafer loading cup to the transfer mechanism, or vice versa, to transfer the wafer from the transfer mechanism to the polishing head, thus realizing the transfer of the wafer from the polishing head to the transfer mechanism.

[0004] To adapt to the rapid development of chip technology, advanced equipment is evolving towards a greater number of polishing pads and heads, while minimizing the equipment's footprint to significantly improve wafer per hour (WPH) and achieve optimal equipment layout within the processing area. However, the aforementioned conventional transfer methods, with their transfer robots, loading / unloading cups, and transfer mechanisms each occupying lateral space, cannot meet the requirement for a compact spatial layout. Furthermore, the transfer process is lengthy, with low transfer accuracy and efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and a wafer transfer method to solve or alleviate at least some of the problems mentioned above.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0007] The polishing mechanism includes a carrier head that carries the wafer to a polishing disk for polishing;

[0008] A loading and unloading mechanism includes a drive assembly, a support, and a loading and unloading assembly; the drive assembly is disposed on the side of the loading and unloading assembly; the support includes an L-shaped vertical frame and a horizontal frame, and a slider fixed to the vertical frame; the loading and unloading assembly is disposed 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 position and a high position.

[0009] The transfer mechanism includes a transfer base disposed below the horizontal frame and a robotic arm connected to the transfer base, the robotic arm including a robotic arm and grippers for holding wafers;

[0010] The gripper is configured to move horizontally above and align with the loading / unloading assembly at a height higher than the loading / unloading assembly when the loading / unloading assembly is in the low position; after the gripper moves into place, the loading / unloading assembly moves toward the gripper to interact with the gripper on the wafer, and moves upward to the high position to interact with the carrier head on the wafer after the gripper moves away from it.

[0011] Optionally, the loading and unloading assembly includes a bracket assembly and a loading and unloading cup disposed on the bracket assembly. The loading and unloading cup is used to carry wafers to provide wafers to the carrier head and to receive wafers unloaded from the carrier head. The bracket assembly includes a bracket plate, a plurality of support columns disposed on the bracket plate, and an elastic support member disposed 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. The stiffness of the elastic support member is adjustable.

[0012] Optionally, the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus includes a horizontal polishing platform that divides the CMP apparatus into an upper polishing chamber and a lower transfer chamber; the polishing mechanism is located in the polishing chamber, the transfer mechanism is located in the transfer chamber, and the drive assembly and the support are located in the transfer chamber; the polishing platform has an interface that connects the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber, and the loading / unloading assembly moves between a lower position in the transfer chamber and a higher position in the polishing chamber through the interface.

[0013] Optionally, the drive 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 / unloading assembly. The driver includes an actuator mounted to the vertical plate on one side toward the loading / unloading assembly, a motor disposed on the other side of the vertical plate, and a transmission component extending from the bottom across the vertical plate to drive the actuator and the motor. The motor, the vertical plate, and the actuator form a three-layer stacked structure to reduce the arrangement space. The actuation block of the actuator is fixedly connected to the slider, and the motor drives the actuation block to move up and down via the transmission component to move the slider up and down.

[0014] Optionally, the actuator includes a vertically extending lead screw and an actuating block threadedly connected to the lead screw, wherein the motor drives the lead screw to rotate so that the actuating block moves up and down along the lead screw.

[0015] Optionally, the vertical plate is provided with a low-position detector and a high-position detector at positions corresponding to the low-position and the high-position, and the actuating block is provided with a detection plate having a width t in 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 gripper 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 gripper to move below the loading and unloading assembly; the threshold range is t.

[0016] Optionally, the upper surface of the loading / unloading cup is provided with a nozzle, and the loading / unloading mechanism includes a liquid inlet pipe that is fluidly connected to the nozzle to supply 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 configured as a spiral to extend and retract during the up and down movement.

[0017] Optionally, the transmission base includes a slide rail, the robot arm is configured to move along the slide rail, the robot arm includes a horizontal arm extending horizontally from the slide rail beyond the loading / unloading assembly and a vertical arm extending upward from the horizontal arm, the top of the vertical arm being connected to the gripper; when the gripper moves above the loading / unloading assembly, the horizontal arm, the vertical arm and the gripper form a C-shape opening toward the loading / unloading assembly, the loading / unloading assembly being located in the opening space of the C-shape.

[0018] Optionally, the horizontal arm is configured to be horizontally extendable, the vertical arm is configured to be vertically extendable, and the gripper is configured to be horizontally rotatable about the vertical arm.

[0019] Optionally, the chemical mechanical polishing equipment further 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 onto 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 station, the water receiving tray moves to a position where the flange is 2mm-5mm away from the lower surface of the polishing platform, and the height of the water receiving tray is set to allow a robot arm to pass underneath it.

[0020] Optionally, the water receiving tray is provided with a drain outlet, and a drain pipe that is retractable and expandable with the movement of the water receiving tray is connected below the drain outlet. The water receiving tray receives liquid from the polishing chamber and enters the transmission chamber through the interaction port, and discharges the liquid through the drain pipe.

[0021] Optionally, the lower end of the drain pipe is connected to a water suction source and a water supply source. When the water receiving tray moves to a high position with the loading and unloading assembly, the water suction source is activated 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 suction source stops, and the water supply source is activated to supply moisturizing liquid to the water receiving tray. The amount of moisturizing liquid supplied is such that the moisturizing liquid forms a liquid film of 0.5 mm to 1 mm on the surface of the water receiving tray to moisturize the water receiving tray and adsorb contaminants.

[0022] Optionally, the inner surface of the water receiving tray is provided with a hydrophobic coating to cause the received liquid to roll into the drain pipe and prevent back splashing; or the inner surface of the water receiving tray is provided with a hydrophilic coating, which is configured to cause the droplets falling onto it to spread into a liquid film to disperse and absorb the kinetic energy of the droplets and prevent back splashing.

[0023] Optionally, the lower surface of the polishing platform is provided with a receiving portion adapted to the shape of the horizontal frame at the edge of the interaction port. The receiving portion is recessed upward so that the support is received in the receiving portion when it moves upward. The edge of the receiving portion near the interaction port is higher than its opposite edge. The receiving portion has a first lower stop edge extending downward along the edge of the interaction port. The upper surface of the horizontal frame has an upper stop edge extending upward. The upper stop edge is provided outside the first lower stop edge so that the two form an interlaced structure to prevent liquid from flowing out of the water receiving tray through the upper surface of the horizontal frame.

[0024] Optionally, the upper baffle has two side baffles that extend vertically from the side of the horizontal frame to the water receiving tray to guide the liquid flow to the water receiving tray.

[0025] Optionally, the slider is configured with a concave horizontal cross-section, and the side of the drive assembly facing the slider is surrounded in the concave opening of the slider; the slider is configured with a C-shaped slit that runs vertically through it, consistent with the shape of its concave cross-section; 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 slit and a second and a third waterproof plate respectively surrounding two sides of the slider, the first waterproof plate passing vertically through the C-shaped slit; the first, second, and third waterproof plates are connected to the drive assembly at the top via an adapter plate to keep the gap between the first, second, and third waterproof plates and the slider constant when the slider slides up and down.

[0026] According to another aspect of this application, a wafer transfer method is provided for use in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described above, the method comprising the following steps:

[0027] Move the loading and unloading mechanism down to a lower position;

[0028] The robotic arm is moved to the loading and unloading mechanism, and the gripper is moved horizontally 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.

[0029] The loading and unloading assembly is moved upward to the gripper, which releases the wafer into the loading and unloading cup;

[0030] Move the loading and unloading assembly downwards to the lower work position;

[0031] Move the grippers to avoid over the loading / unloading assembly;

[0032] Move the loading and unloading assembly upwards to the high work position;

[0033] The bearing head of the polishing mechanism interacts with the loading / unloading cup to remove the wafer from the loading / unloading cup.

[0034] Optionally, when the loading and unloading mechanism is in the high position, the robot arm can move along the track of the transfer mechanism under the loading and unloading assembly to transfer wafers to other mechanisms.

[0035] According to the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment and wafer transfer method of this application, the large-stroke movement of the loading and unloading assembly between the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber arranged vertically enables it to also perform wafer handling functions, eliminating the need for an additional transfer robot. This reduces the number of wafer interactions, shortens the wafer transfer path, and significantly improves the accuracy and efficiency of wafer transfer. The side-mounted cantilever bracket and drive assembly fully utilize the space below the loading and unloading assembly, allowing the loading and unloading mechanism and the transfer mechanism to share a single floor area in the CMP equipment. During interaction, they overlap vertically, making full use of the vertical layout space. This helps save floor space in the CMP equipment, optimizes the equipment layout structure, facilitates the arrangement of other modules, and promotes the efficient operation of the CMP equipment, thereby improving wafer processing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a partial schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present application, showing the loading / unloading mechanism and the transfer mechanism of the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus;

[0038] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing another angle and state of the loading / unloading mechanism and the transmission mechanism in the middle;

[0039] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 Side view of the loading / unloading mechanism and the transmission mechanism in the middle;

[0040] Figure 4 It shows Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the loading and unloading mechanism;

[0041] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0042] Figure 6 A flowchart of a wafer transfer method according to one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a partial schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to another embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing another angle and state of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment;

[0045] Figure 9 It shows Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the loading and unloading mechanism;

[0046] Figure 10 It shows Figure 9 An enlarged schematic diagram of the water receiving tray in the middle;

[0047] Figure 11 It shows Figure 10 A top view of the water receiving tray in the middle;

[0048] Figure 12 It shows Figure 7 Bottom view of the polishing platform in the middle;

[0049] Figure 13 for Figure 7 Vertical cross-sectional view of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment in the image;

[0050] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Enlarged view of point A in the image;

[0051] Figure 15 It shows Figure 7 A 3D view of the slider in the image;

[0052] Figure 16 It shows Figure 7A 3D view of the slider and waterproof components;

[0053] Figure 17 It shows Figure 16 A horizontal cross-sectional view of the slider and waterproof components.

[0054] Figure label:

[0055] Loading / unloading mechanism 100; drive assembly 110; support frame 111; horizontal plate 111a; vertical plate 111b; driver 112; actuator 112a; motor 112b; transmission component 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 / unloading assembly 101; Bracket assembly 130; Bracket plate 131; Support column 132; Elastic support 133; Loading / 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;

[0056] Transmission mechanism 200; robotic arm 210; robotic arm 211; horizontal arm 211a; vertical arm 211b; gripper 212; slide rail 220;

[0057] Polishing mechanism 300; polishing platform 310; interaction port 311; receiving part 312; first lower edge 310a; second lower edge 310b; bearing head 320; polishing disc 330. Detailed Implementation

[0058] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0059] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They 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, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0060] In addition, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified and limited, it should be noted that the terms "installation", "connection" and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to mechanical or electrical connections, or internal connections between two components. They can be direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms according to the specific circumstances.

[0061] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a loading / unloading mechanism 100 and a transfer mechanism 200 according to one embodiment of this application is shown, wherein the loading / unloading assembly 101 is in a low position. Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the loading / unloading mechanism 100 and the transmission mechanism 200 from another angle and in another state, wherein the loading / unloading assembly 101 is in a high position. The loading / unloading mechanism 100 and the transmission mechanism 200 can be installed in a chemical mechanical polishing device. Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A side view of the loading / unloading mechanism 100 and the transfer mechanism 200, wherein the loading / unloading assembly 101 at the lower position is shown in dashed lines. Figures 1 to 3 The image also shows a polishing platform 310 of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus and a polishing mechanism 300 including a support head 320. The polishing platform 310 divides the interior of the CMP apparatus into upper and lower chambers: an upper polishing chamber and a lower transfer chamber. The polishing platform 310 has an interface 311 connecting the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber. A polishing mechanism, including a polishing disc 330 (see [reference]), can be installed in the polishing chamber. Figure 5 The wafer is held in place by a carrier head 320, which is used to hold the wafer and move it to a polishing disk 330 for chemical mechanical polishing.

[0062] The loading / unloading mechanism 100 includes a drive assembly 110, a support 120, and a loading / unloading assembly 101. The loading / unloading assembly 101 mainly includes a carrier assembly 130 and a loading / unloading cup 140 disposed on the carrier assembly 130. The loading / unloading cup 140 is used to carry wafers to provide wafers to the carrier head 320 and to receive wafers unloaded from the carrier head 320. The loading / unloading cup 140 is concentrically arranged with the interface 311. Figure 1The drive assembly 110 is located to the side of the loading / unloading assembly 101, specifically below the interface 311. The bracket 120 includes a vertical frame 121 and a horizontal frame 122. The vertical frame 121 is positioned close to the drive assembly, and the horizontal frame extends horizontally from the top of the vertical frame 121 away from the drive assembly 110. The vertical frame 121 and the horizontal frame 122 form an L-shaped cantilever structure, and the loading / unloading assembly 101 is mounted on the horizontal frame 122. The bracket 120 also includes a slider 123 fixed to the side of the vertical frame 121 facing the drive assembly 110. The slider 123 is slidably connected to the drive assembly 110, which drives the slider 123 to move up and down, thereby moving the bracket 120 up and down, and thus causing the loading / unloading assembly 101 to move between the low and high positions through the interface 311.

[0063] The biased arrangement of the drive assembly 110 creates placement space below the loading / unloading assembly 101, allowing the transfer mechanism 200 to be positioned below the loading / unloading assembly 101 instead of occupying equipment space and increasing the equipment footprint by being positioned to the side of the loading / unloading assembly 101. Specifically, the transfer mechanism 200 includes a transfer base positioned below the horizontal frame 122 and a robotic arm 210 connected to the transfer base. The robotic arm 210 may specifically include a robotic arm 211 and grippers 212 for holding wafers. The grippers 212 are configured to move horizontally above and align with the loading / unloading assembly 101 at a height higher than the loading / unloading assembly 101 when the loading / unloading assembly 101 is in a low position. Figure 1 After the gripper 212 moves into position, the loading / unloading assembly 101 moves toward the gripper 212 to interact with the gripper 212 on the wafer. Then, after the gripper 212 moves away from it, it moves upward to a higher position to interact with the carrier head 320 on the wafer (e.g., ...). Figure 2 The wafer is transferred from the transfer mechanism 200 to the carrier head 320 for polishing. After polishing, the wafer is transferred from the carrier head 320 to the transfer mechanism via the reverse process. "Moving into place" can mean moving above and aligning with the loading and unloading assembly 101. Specifically, it can mean that when the gripper 212 is transferring the wafer to the loading and unloading cup 140, the gripper 212 carries the wafer and moves above the loading and unloading cup 140 with the center of the wafer aligned with the center of the loading and unloading cup 140. Alternatively, it can mean that when the gripper 212 is taking the wafer from the loading and unloading cup 140, the gripper 212 moves above the loading and unloading cup 140 with the gripping space of the gripper 212 aligned with the center of the loading and unloading cup 140.

[0064] According to the technical solution of this application, the large-stroke movement of the loading and unloading assembly 101 between the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber arranged vertically enables it to also perform wafer handling functions, eliminating the need for an additional transfer robot. This reduces the number of wafer interactions, shortens the wafer transfer path, and significantly improves the accuracy and efficiency of wafer transfer. The side-mounted arrangement of the cantilever bracket 120 and the drive assembly 110 makes full use of the space below the loading and unloading assembly 101, allowing the loading and unloading mechanism 100 and the transfer mechanism 200 to share a single floor area in the chemical mechanical polishing equipment. During interaction, they overlap vertically, making full use of the vertical arrangement space. This helps save the floor area of ​​the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, optimizes the equipment layout structure, facilitates the arrangement of other modules, and promotes the efficient operation of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment, thereby improving the wafer processing efficiency.

[0065] In specific implementation methods, for example... 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 / unloading cup 140 to support the loading / unloading cup 140. For example Figure 1The bracket plate 131 is configured in approximately an equilateral triangle shape, with three support columns 132 positioned at the three corners of the triangle. The bracket plate 131 is centrally positioned below the loading / unloading cup 140 to provide stable support for the cup, ensuring stability when the cup interacts with the robot arm 210 or the carrier head 320. The bracket assembly 130 may also include an elastic support member 133 disposed between the bracket plate 131 and the horizontal frame 122. The elastic support member 133 has adjustable stiffness to provide buffer support for the loading / unloading cup 140, ensuring stability and accuracy when the cup interacts with the transfer mechanism 200 and the carrier head 320. For example, the elastic support 133 may include an inflatable annular airbag, which is disposed concentrically between the bracket plate 131 and the horizontal frame 122 of the support 120 and the loading / unloading cup 140. The annular airbag is always in contact with the bracket plate 131 and the horizontal frame 122 so that the rigidity of the annular airbag can be adjusted by inflation and deflation, thereby meeting the different requirements when the loading / unloading cup 140 interacts with the robot arm 210 and the carrying head 320 of the transmission mechanism 200. Specifically, when the loading / unloading cup 140 interacts with the robot arm 210 at a low position, the annular airbag inflates and expands, increasing its rigidity and improving the horizontal accuracy of the loading / unloading cup 140. This ensures the stability of the horizontal posture of the loading / unloading cup 140, facilitating the robot arm 210 to pick up and place wafers and avoiding shaking or skewing during the interaction. When the loading / unloading cup 140 interacts with the carrier head 320 at a high position, the alignment accuracy between the loading / unloading cup 140 and the carrier head 320 is required to be high. Otherwise, when the carrier head 320 uses the air film in its middle to adsorb the wafer, the eccentric wafer is easily broken by the hard retaining ring around the air film. Furthermore, the carrier head 320 presses its weight against the loading / unloading cup 140. If the support structure below the loading / unloading cup 140 still has high rigidity, it is easy for the carrier head 320 to press and damage or crush the wafer. Therefore, in this interaction situation, the annular airbag depressurizes and increases its flexibility, thereby forming a buffer support for the loading / unloading assembly 101 and enhancing its adaptability to interaction with the carrier head. After the interaction with the carrier head 320 is completed, the annular airbag can be re-inflated to allow the loading / unloading cup 140 to return to a horizontal position.

[0066] In alternative implementations, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the transmission base of the transmission mechanism 200 includes a slide rail 220, in which... Figure 5In the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus shown, which has two or more juxtaposed loading / unloading mechanisms 100 and two or more carrier heads 320, the slide rail 220 can extend between the juxtaposed loading / unloading mechanisms 100 and can also extend to other transfer robots of the CMP apparatus to transfer wafers between the two or more loading / unloading mechanisms 100 and other transfer robots. When the current loading / unloading assembly 101 is in a high position, the robot 210 of the transfer mechanism 200 can pass under the current loading / unloading assembly 101 along the slide rail 220 to transfer wafers, thereby enabling multiple loading / unloading assemblies 101 and their corresponding carrier heads 320 to perform wafer handling and polishing in parallel, improving the processing efficiency of the CMP apparatus. The robotic arm 210 of the transmission mechanism 200 is configured to move along the slide rail 220. The robotic arm 211 includes a horizontal arm 211a extending horizontally from the slide rail 220 beyond the loading and unloading assembly 101 and a vertical arm 211b extending upward from the horizontal arm 211a. The top of the vertical arm 211b is connected to a gripper 212. When the gripper 212 moves above the loading and unloading assembly 101, the horizontal arm 211a, the vertical arm 211b and the gripper 212 form a C-shape that opens toward the loading and unloading assembly 101. The loading and unloading assembly 101 is in the opening space of the C-shape, realizing the overlap of the loading and unloading assembly 101 and the robotic arm 210 in the vertical direction. The horizontal arm 211a can be configured to extend horizontally, the vertical arm 211b can be configured to extend vertically, and the gripper 212 can be configured to rotate horizontally in the horizontal plane around the vertical arm 211b, thereby achieving multiple degrees of freedom for the robot 210 to adapt to the interaction positions with multiple loading / unloading mechanisms 100 or other transfer robots. Additionally, in Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the horizontal arm 211a, the vertical arm 211b, and the gripper 212 are relatively fixed in a C-shape facing the loading / unloading assembly 101 and slide only along the slide rail 220, thereby simplifying the design, manufacturing, and control complexity of the robot arm 210. It should be understood that the C-shape referred to herein includes a bracket-like shape with straight edges and bent portions.

[0067] Figure 4 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the loading and unloading assembly 101 in the middle, combined with 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 toward the loading / unloading assembly 101. The driver 112 includes an actuator 112a mounted to one side of the vertical plate 111b toward the loading / unloading assembly 101, a motor 112b disposed on the other side of the vertical plate 111b, and a transmission member 112c extending from the bottom across the vertical plate 111b to drive the actuator 112a and the motor 112b. In the figure, the motor 112b, the actuator 112a, and the transmission member 112c are each encapsulated in their respective housings. Thus, the motor 112b, the vertical plate 111b, and the actuator 112a form a three-layer stacked structure to reduce the arrangement space. The actuator block (not shown) of actuator 112a is fixedly connected to slider 123. Motor 112b drives the actuator block to move up and down via transmission member 112c, thereby driving slider 123 to move up and down, and thus driving bracket 120 and loading / 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 an optional embodiment, transmission member 112c may be a plurality of meshing gears, or a synchronous belt sleeved to the output shaft of motor 112b and actuator 112a.

[0068] See Figure 3A low-position detector 113a and a high-position detector 113b are provided on the vertical plate 111b at positions corresponding to the low and high workstations, respectively. A detection plate is provided on the actuating block, and the detection plate has a width t in the vertical direction. When the detection plate moves to the low-position detector 113a, the low-position detector 113a is triggered to determine that the loading / unloading assembly 101 is within a threshold range near the low workstation, so as to allow the gripper 212 to move above the loading / 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 / unloading assembly 101 is within a threshold range near the high workstation, so as to allow the gripper 212 to move below the loading / unloading assembly 101. The threshold range is t. Therefore, by setting up the low-position detector 113a, the high-position detector 113b, and the detection plate, the vertical position of the loading / unloading assembly 101 can be indicated, providing accurate guidance for the movement of the transmission mechanism 200. This effectively avoids motion interference between the loading / unloading assembly 101 and the transmission mechanism 200, improving the smoothness and safety of equipment operation. The width setting of the detection plate allows the robot arm 210 to move its gripper above the loading / unloading assembly 101 for wafer exchange when the loading / unloading assembly 101 is within the threshold range near the low or high position, or allows the robot arm 210 to move below the loading / unloading assembly 101 for wafer transfer and exchange between the robot arm 210 and other loading / unloading assemblies 101 or other transmission mechanisms 200. This allows the robot arm 210 to move as soon as the loading / unloading assembly 101 has cleared space for its movement, without having to wait until the loading / unloading assembly 101 is at the low or high position, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the equipment.

[0069] Depend on Figure 4 It can also be seen that the upper surface of the loading / unloading cup 140 is configured with a nozzle 141, and the loading / unloading mechanism 100 includes a liquid inlet pipe 142, which is fluidly connected to the nozzle 141 to supply liquid to the nozzle 141 for rinsing the carrier head 320 or wafer to keep the carrier head 320 or wafer clean, or to moisturize the carrier head 320 or wafer to prevent the polishing fluid containing chemical components on both from drying and crystallizing, thereby causing scratches on 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 / unloading cup 140. For this purpose, the liquid inlet pipe 142 is at least partially configured as a spiral to extend and retract during up and down movement.

[0070] Figure 6 A flowchart of a wafer transfer method according to one embodiment of this application is shown. The method is used in the aforementioned chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, and the method includes the following steps:

[0071] S1: Move the loading / unloading mechanism 100 downwards to the lower position;

[0072] S2: Move the robotic arm 210 to the loading and unloading mechanism 100, and move the gripper 212 horizontally 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.

[0073] S3: Move the loading / unloading assembly 101 upward to the gripper 212, and the gripper 212 releases the wafer into the loading / unloading cup 140;

[0074] S4: Move the loading / unloading assembly 101 downwards to the lower position;

[0075] S5: Move the gripper 212 to avoid over the loading / unloading assembly 101;

[0076] S6: Move the loading / unloading assembly 101 upwards to the high position;

[0077] S7: Interact the bearing head 320 of the polishing mechanism 300 with the loading / unloading cup 140 to remove the wafer from the loading / unloading cup 140.

[0078] Further, between steps S1 and S2, a determination step may be included to determine whether the low-position detector 113a has been triggered. If so, step S2 is executed; otherwise, the movement of the robot arm 210 is not executed. Between steps S4 and S5, a determination step may also be included to determine whether the low-position detector 113a has been triggered. If so, step S5 is executed; otherwise, the movement of the robot arm 210 is not executed. Between steps S6 and S7, a determination step may be included to determine whether the high-position detector 113b has been triggered. If so, step S7 is executed, and the robot arm 210 moves to any position below the loading / unloading assembly 101 for wafer transfer; otherwise, the robot arm 210 is prohibited from moving to the loading / unloading mechanism 100. In addition, steps S1-S7 describe the steps of transporting the wafer from the transfer mechanism 200 to the polishing mechanism 300. The wafer transfer method of this application may also include the opposite step of transporting the polished wafer from the polishing mechanism 300 to the transfer mechanism 200.

[0079] This application also provides a wafer processing method for the aforementioned chemical mechanical polishing equipment. The wafer processing method includes a wafer transport step, wherein the wafer transport step uses the aforementioned wafer transport method to transport the wafer, and further includes a wafer processing step, wherein a carrier head 320 moves a wafer loaded from a loading / unloading cup 140 to a polishing disk 330 for polishing.

[0080] According to the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment, wafer transfer method, and wafer processing method of this 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 / unloading mechanism 100 allows the robot arm 210 and the loading / unloading assembly 101 to interact with the wafer in a vertically overlapping manner, rather than horizontally. This significantly reduces the lateral footprint of the CMP equipment, optimizes the spatial layout, improves the overall processing efficiency, and enhances the equipment's market competitiveness. Furthermore, the cantilevered support 120 of the loading / unloading mechanism 100 provides unobstructed space below the loading / unloading assembly 101, ensuring that the interaction between the loading / unloading assembly 101 and the carrier head 320 in the polishing chamber does not affect the transfer movement below the robot arm 210, thus improving the overall transfer efficiency. Additionally, the loading / unloading assembly 101, through its large-stroke vertical movement, can directly transfer wafers between the carrier head 320 in the polishing chamber and the robot arm 210 in the transfer chamber, reducing the need for additional intermediate robots and significantly improving wafer transfer efficiency.

[0081] In chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment, the loading / unloading cup 140 interacts with the carrier head 320 and the transfer mechanism 200 to pick up and place wafers, and to rinse and / or moisturize the wafers and carrier head 320. During operation, a large amount of liquid, such as polishing slurry used in CMP, is sprayed inside the polishing chamber. When the loading / unloading assembly 101 is at a high position, it also sprays a large amount of moisturizing liquid to rinse or moisturize the wafers or carrier head 320. This liquid from the polishing chamber flows through the interaction port 311 on the polishing platform 310 into the transfer chamber. This causes the robotic arm 210 of the transfer mechanism 200 to be contaminated by the dripping liquid as it carries the wafers past the interaction port 311, reducing the wafer processing yield and potentially damaging the drive assembly 110 of the loading / unloading mechanism 100 with water, thus affecting equipment operation.

[0082] To at least solve one of the above problems, in a further embodiment of this application, such as Figures 7-9 As shown, a water receiving tray 150 is provided below the loading and unloading assembly 101. The water receiving tray 150 moves up and down with the loading and unloading assembly 101, and the water receiving tray 150 is always located in the transfer chamber. Figure 7 When the loading / unloading assembly 101 moves to the high position, the water receiving tray 150 approaches the lower surface of the polishing platform 310. The projection of the water receiving tray 150 onto the polishing platform 310 covers the interaction port 311 to receive the liquid flowing into the transfer chamber from the interaction port 311. Specifically, see... Figure 10 , Figure 11The enlarged view and top view of the water receiving tray 150 shown indicate that the water receiving tray 150 is fixed to the horizontal frame 122 of the support 120 via 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 vertically upward flange. When the loading and unloading assembly 101 moves to the high position, the water receiving tray 150 moves until the flange is 2mm-5mm away from the lower surface of the polishing platform 310. The flange effectively intercepts liquid splashing in all directions. Furthermore, the height of the water receiving tray 150 is set so that the robot arm 210 can pass underneath it when the loading and unloading assembly 101 moves to the high position; that is, the bottom surface of the water receiving tray 150 is higher than the height of the robot arm 210. Figure 11 The water receiving tray 150 is provided with a drain outlet 151, and a retractable drain pipe 152 is connected below the drain outlet 151, which moves with the water receiving tray 150. Figures 7-9 The drain pipe 152 can be two connected pipe sections, with the upper thinner pipe fitting into the lower thicker pipe. The thicker pipe can be fixed, while the thinner pipe can extend and retract within the thicker pipe. The water receiving tray 150 receives liquid entering the transfer chamber from the polishing chamber through the interaction port 311 and discharges the liquid through the drain pipe 152. The water receiving tray 150 has a semi-racetrack-shaped profile formed by combining rectangles and semicircles. The semicircular portion of the water receiving tray 150 is aligned with the interaction port 311 and the loading / unloading cup 140, and its radius is larger than that of the interaction port 311. The rectangular portion of the water receiving tray 150 is located on the side of the water receiving tray 150 closest to the slider 123, so that the edge of the rectangular portion can be close to the slider 123 and the drive assembly 110 for water collection and protection. By setting up the water receiving tray 150, a large amount of liquid can be prevented from falling onto the wafer carried by the lower transfer mechanism 200, thus preventing wafer contamination and ensuring wafer cleanliness.

[0083] 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 position with the loading and unloading assembly 101, the water suction source is activated 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, and avoiding overflow or back splashing. Furthermore, since the liquid received in the water receiving tray 150 includes the polishing fluid from the polishing chamber, which contains chemical components and a small amount of polishing debris, if the liquid in the water receiving tray 150 is completely drained, the remaining small amount of liquid may crystallize or solidify as it dries. Therefore, when the water receiving tray 150 moves to the lower position with the loading / unloading assembly 101, the water suction source stops, and the water supply source starts to supply liquid, such as a moisturizing solution, to the water receiving tray 150. The amount of moisturizing solution supplied is such that a 0.5mm to 1mm liquid film is formed on the surface of the water receiving tray 150 to moisturize it, preventing crystallization of any remaining liquid after drying. The liquid film also adsorbs contaminants, allowing them to be drained with the liquid the next time the water suction source is activated, preventing secondary contamination of the wafer. Additionally, the liquid film on the water receiving tray also dissipates static electricity, reducing the accumulation of static charge and preventing arc damage to the wafer.

[0084] In an optional embodiment, the inner surface of the drip tray 150 may be provided with a hydrophobic coating to facilitate the rapid rolling of received liquid into the drain pipe 152, thus preventing backsplashing. Alternatively, the inner surface of the drip tray 150 may be provided with a hydrophilic coating configured such that the spreading speed of the edge of the droplet falling onto it is much greater than the retraction speed, thereby causing the droplet to rapidly spread into a liquid film to disperse and absorb the kinetic energy of the droplet, thus preventing backsplashing. In addition, the continuous liquid film formed by the droplet can also carry away contaminants from the surface of the drip tray 150. In a further preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic coating may be configured with nanoscale or sub-nanometer-scale micro-guiding structures that extend toward the drain outlet 151 to guide the liquid to flow toward the drain outlet 151. The micro-guiding structures can also accelerate the penetration and diffusion of droplets, thereby reducing liquid splashing.

[0085] Furthermore, such as Figure 12 A bottom view of the polishing platform 310 is shown. It can be seen that the lower surface of the polishing platform 310 has a receiving portion 312 at the edge of the interaction port 311, which is adapted to the shape of the horizontal frame 122. This receiving portion 312 is recessed upwards so that the support 120 can be accommodated when it moves upwards. This increases the vertical travel of the loading and unloading assembly 101 and allows for a smaller gap between the support 120 and the loading / unloading cup 140 (i.e., a smaller vertical dimension of the bracket assembly 130). This allows the loading / unloading cup 140 to have a height that interacts with the bearing head 320 at a high position, which increases the structural stability of the loading / unloading assembly 101. Based on this, combined with... Figure 13 The cross-sectional view shown and Figure 14 shown Figure 13 The enlarged view at point A shows that the receiving portion 312 has a first lower stop 310a extending downward along the edge of the interaction port 311, correspondingly as shown in the figure. Figure 10 and Figure 11 The upper surface of the horizontal frame 122 has an upwardly extending upper flange 122a. Since the interface 311 is circular, the first lower flange 310a is arc-shaped, and the upper flange 122a is also an arc-shaped flange of the appropriate size. For example... Figure 14 The upper baffle 122a is located radially outside the first lower baffle 310a to form an interlaced structure. Liquid flowing from the interface 311 to the transmission chamber can be blocked at the first lower baffle 310a and flow downward along the first lower baffle 310a. Liquid falling onto the upper surface of the horizontal frame 122 or liquid splashing outward from below the first lower baffle 310a can be further blocked by the upper baffle 122a, thereby preventing liquid from flowing over the upper surface of the horizontal frame 122 to the outside of the water receiving tray 150 and dripping down, contaminating the wafer on the lower transmission mechanism 200. More preferably, as Figure 10 The upper baffle 122a may also have two side baffles 122b extending vertically from the side of the horizontal frame 122 to the water receiving tray 150 to prevent liquid from flowing from the sides of the upper baffle 122a to the side of the horizontal frame 122 and dripping, and to guide the liquid to the water receiving tray 150.

[0086] On the other hand, to protect the drive assembly 110, a vertically extending waterproof component is provided to protect the drive assembly 110. To achieve waterproofing while maintaining the movement function of the slider 123, the slider 123 is constructed with a concave horizontal cross-section, such as... Figure 15 The driving component 110, specifically the actuator 112a, is surrounded by a recess in the slider 123 on the side facing the slider 123. The recess in the slider 123 may have a protrusion 1231 that slides through the driving component 110, or it may omit the protrusion 1231 and instead have the actuator protrude into and connect to the recess in the slider 123. The slider 123 has a C-shaped slit 1232 that runs vertically through it, matching its concave cross-sectional shape. The C-shaped slit 1232 is roughly bracket-shaped, i.e., "[". Figure 16 , Figure 17 The waterproofing assembly includes a C-shaped first waterproofing plate 161 that matches the shape of the C-shaped slot 1232, with the first waterproofing plate 161 vertically passing through the C-shaped slot 1232. The waterproofing assembly also includes a second waterproofing plate 162 and a third waterproofing 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 into the recess of the slider 123, thus forming a wraparound shape that surrounds 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 waterproof plate 161, the second waterproof plate 162, and the third waterproof plate 163 are connected to the drive assembly 110 at the top via an adapter plate 166. All three waterproof plates and the slider 123 are positioned on the drive assembly 110. When the slider 123 slides up and down, the gaps between the first waterproof plate 161, the second waterproof plate 162, and the third waterproof plate 163 and the slider 123 remain constant, ensuring smooth movement of the slider 123 and preventing interference or impact caused by changes in gaps during movement due to different positioning references between the slider 123 and the three waterproof plates. The first waterproof plate 161, the second waterproof plate 162, and the third waterproof plate 163 form a labyrinthine waterproof structure, and the vertical extension length of the waterproof assembly covers the vertical length of the drive assembly 110, thus providing effective waterproof protection for the drive assembly 110.

[0087] Furthermore, such as Figure 17 The waterproofing assembly may further include a fourth waterproofing plate 164 and a fifth waterproofing plate 165 extending away from the sides of the second waterproofing plate 162 and the third waterproofing plate 163, respectively, away from the slider 123. The fourth waterproofing plate 164 and the fifth waterproofing plate 165 may be coplanar with the side of the first waterproofing plate 161 parallel to the drive assembly 110. Accordingly, as... Figure 8 , Figure 12 and Figure 14 The lower surface of the polishing platform 310 is provided with a downwardly extending second lower curb 310b 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 curb 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, which further prevents liquid from entering the drive assembly 110 from the gap at the top of the waterproof assembly.

[0088] According to the technical solution of this application, by setting up a water receiving tray 150, when the loading and unloading component 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 lower transfer chamber, thus preventing liquid from falling onto the wafer carried by the transfer mechanism 200 and ensuring the cleanliness of wafer transfer in the transfer chamber. In addition, by setting up a labyrinth-shaped waterproof component, vertical waterproofing of the drive component 110 can be achieved when the loading and unloading component 101 moves a large distance in a very small space. When the loading and unloading component 101 is at a low position in the transfer 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 transfer chamber. The labyrinth-shaped waterproof component can prevent liquid from entering the drive component 110, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the equipment.

[0089] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, all equivalent technical solutions also fall within the scope of the embodiments of this application, and the patent protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A chemical mechanical polishing device, characterized in that, include: The polishing platform divides the chemical mechanical polishing equipment into an upper polishing chamber and a lower transfer chamber, and has an interface connecting the polishing chamber and the transfer chamber. The polishing mechanism, located in the polishing chamber, includes a carrier head that carries the wafer to the polishing disk for polishing; The loading and unloading mechanism includes a loading and unloading assembly and a drive assembly and a support located in the transfer chamber; the drive assembly is located to the side of the loading and unloading assembly; the support 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 moves between the low position in the transfer chamber and the high position in the polishing chamber through the interaction port, so as to directly transfer the wafer up and down between the carrier head and the robot arm; The transfer mechanism, located in the transfer chamber, includes a transfer base disposed below a horizontal frame and a robotic arm connected to the transfer base. The robotic arm includes a robotic arm and grippers for holding wafers. The grippers are configured to move horizontally above and align with the loading and unloading assembly at a height higher than the loading and unloading assembly when the loading and unloading assembly is in a low position. After the grippers are in place, the loading and unloading assembly moves toward the grippers to interact with the wafers, and moves upward to a high position to interact with the carrier head after the grippers move away from it. The drive 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 the end of the horizontal plate toward the loading and unloading assembly. The driver includes an actuator mounted on the side of the vertical plate toward the loading and unloading assembly, a motor located on the other side of the vertical plate, and a transmission component that extends from the bottom across the vertical plate to drive the actuator and the motor. The motor, the vertical plate, and the actuator form a three-layer stacked structure. The actuator block of the actuator is fixedly connected to the slider, and the motor drives the actuator block to move up and down to move the slider up and down.

2. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The actuator includes a vertically extending lead screw and an actuating block threadedly 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.

3. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical plate is provided with a low-position detector and a high-position detector at positions corresponding to the low position and the high position, and the actuation block is provided with a detection plate, the detection plate having a width t along the vertical direction; The low-position detector is triggered when the detection plate moves to the low-position detector to determine that the loading and unloading assembly is within a threshold range near the low position, so as to allow the gripper to move above the loading and unloading assembly; The high-position detector is triggered when the detection plate moves to the high-position detector to determine that the loading and unloading assembly is within a threshold range near the high position, so as to allow the gripper to move below the loading and unloading assembly; The threshold range is t.

4. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower surface of the polishing platform has a receiving part at the edge of the interaction port that is adapted to the shape of the horizontal frame; the receiving part is recessed upward so that the support can be accommodated when it moves upward, thereby increasing the stroke of the loading and unloading components.

5. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The receiving part has a first lower stop extending downward along the edge of the interaction opening, and the upper surface of the horizontal frame has an upper stop extending upward. The first lower stop is arc-shaped, and the upper stop is arc-shaped to match the size of the first lower stop. The upper stop is located radially outside the first lower stop so that the two form an interlaced structure.

6. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The upper baffle also has two side baffles that extend vertically from the sides of the horizontal frame to the water receiving tray located below the horizontal frame, in order to prevent liquid from flowing from the sides of the upper baffle to the sides of the horizontal frame and dripping down, and to guide the liquid to the water receiving tray.

7. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The slider is constructed with a concave horizontal cross-section, and the side of the drive assembly facing the slider is surrounded in the concave opening of the slider; the slider is constructed with a C-shaped slit that runs vertically through it, consistent with the shape of its concave cross-section. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment also includes a vertically extending waterproof component for protecting the drive assembly. The waterproof component includes a first waterproof plate that matches the shape of the C-shaped slit, and a second and a third waterproof plate that respectively surround the two sides of the slider. The first waterproof plate extends vertically through the C-shaped slit.

8. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The first, second, and third waterproof plates are connected to the drive assembly at the top via an adapter plate to keep the gap between the first, second, and third waterproof plates and the slider constant when the slider slides up and down.

9. The chemical mechanical polishing equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The second waterproof plate starts from the surface of the slider facing away from the drive assembly, bends 90 degrees to the side of the slider, bends 90 degrees again to the surface of the slider facing away from the bracket assembly, and bends 90 degrees again to the recess of the slider, so as to form a wraparound shape that surrounds the side of the slider. The shape of the third waterproof plate is symmetrical to that of the second waterproof plate.

10. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The waterproofing assembly also includes a fourth and a fifth waterproofing plate extending away from the sides of the second and third waterproofing plates, respectively, away from the slider; the fourth and fifth waterproofing plates are on the same plane as the side of the first waterproofing plate parallel to the drive assembly; the lower surface of the polishing platform is provided with a downwardly extending second lower edge at a position closer to the loading and unloading assembly than the fourth and fifth waterproofing plates, the second lower edge extending parallel to the fourth and fifth waterproofing plates and partially overlapping the first, fourth, and fifth waterproofing plates in the vertical direction to form an overlapping structure to prevent liquid from entering the drive assembly from the gap at the top of the waterproofing assembly.

11. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The chemical mechanical polishing equipment also includes a water receiving tray, which is fixedly connected to the support and located below the horizontal frame. The projection of the water receiving tray onto the polishing platform covers the interaction port. The outer edge of the water receiving tray has a vertically upward flange. When the loading and unloading assembly moves to the high station, the water receiving tray allows a robot arm to pass underneath it.

12. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The water receiving tray is provided with a drain outlet, and a retractable drain pipe is connected below the drain outlet, which moves with the water receiving tray. The water receiving tray receives liquid from the polishing chamber and enters the transmission chamber through the interaction port, and discharges the liquid through the drain pipe.

13. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The lower end of the drain pipe is connected to a water suction source and a water supply source. When the water receiving tray moves to a high position with the loading and unloading assembly, the water suction source is activated 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 suction source stops, and the water supply source is activated to supply moisturizing liquid to the water receiving tray. The amount of moisturizing liquid supplied is such that the moisturizing liquid forms a liquid film of 0.5 mm to 1 mm on the surface of the water receiving tray to moisturize the water receiving tray and adsorb pollutants.

14. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The inner surface of the water receiving tray is provided with a hydrophobic coating to cause the received liquid to roll into the drain pipe and prevent back splashing; or the inner surface of the water receiving tray is provided with a hydrophilic coating, which is configured to cause the droplets falling on it to spread into a liquid film to disperse and absorb the kinetic energy of the droplets and prevent back splashing.

15. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The loading and unloading assembly includes a bracket assembly and a loading and unloading cup disposed on the bracket assembly. The loading and unloading cup is used to carry wafers to provide wafers to the carrier head and to receive wafers unloaded from the carrier head. The bracket assembly includes a bracket plate, a plurality of support columns disposed on the bracket plate, and an elastic support member disposed 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. The stiffness of the elastic support member is adjustable.

16. A wafer transfer method for use in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-15, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Move the loading and unloading mechanism down to a lower position; The robotic arm is moved to the loading and unloading mechanism, and the gripper is moved horizontally 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. The loading and unloading assembly is moved upward to the gripper, which releases the wafer into the loading and unloading cup; Move the loading and unloading assembly downwards to the lower work position; Move the grippers to avoid over the loading / unloading assembly; Move the loading and unloading assembly upwards to the high work position; The bearing head of the polishing mechanism interacts with the loading / unloading cup to remove the wafer from the loading / unloading cup.

Images