Wafer automatic feeding and discharging device and system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of semiconductors, in particular to an automatic wafer feeding and discharging device and system.The automatic wafer feeding and discharging device comprises a suction cup and a driving assembly, the suction cup comprises a cyclone groove, a nozzle and an adjusting piece, the cyclone groove is formed in the end face of the suction cup, and the projection of the cyclone groove in the axial direction of the suction cup is circular; the nozzle is slidably arranged on the suction cup in the axial direction of the suction cup and can spray gas into the cyclone groove, and the flowing direction of the gas at the nozzle is tangent to the cyclone groove; the driving assembly is used for controlling the sucker to move and pick and place the wafer. The nozzle sliding in the axial direction of the suction cup is arranged, the suction force of the suction cup to the wafer can be changed on the premise that the flow of gas sprayed out of the nozzle is not changed, and noise pollution is reduced; and meanwhile, when the wafer is placed, the suction force of the suction cup to the wafer is reduced by slowly moving the nozzle, so that the wafer can slowly fall on the material loading mechanism, and the damage caused by wafer collision is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to an automatic wafer loading and unloading device and system. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing field, wafers are the core substrate of silicon semiconductor integrated circuits. The precision of their production and processing directly determines the performance and yield of integrated circuits. The wafer manufacturing process involves many key steps, and the handling operations between these steps are crucial for ensuring production continuity and wafer quality. Specifically, wafer manufacturing requires an initial inspection process to confirm integrity and eliminate defects such as cracks and displacement deviations before proceeding to the surface coating process. After coating, the wafer is transferred to a photolithography production line for photolithography, followed by etching and other processes to form circuit patterns, and finally diced into individual chips. This entire process involves multiple wafer transfers. Currently, the industry commonly uses Bernoulli chucks (non-contact) for wafer adsorption, fixation, and transport. These chucks create a pressure difference by drawing gas to generate adsorption force, avoiding direct contact with the wafer surface and preventing damage.

[0003] However, existing wafer handling methods based on Bernoulli chucks still have significant drawbacks: when the wafer is moved to the target position and needs to be released, the wafer will fall instantly due to loss of support as the air pressure is released. Since there is a certain gap between the workpiece and the worktable, it is very easy to cause the wafer edge to bump or the surface to be damaged, reducing the product yield. In addition, when dealing with wafers of different sizes, the suction force of the chuck needs to be adjusted to adapt to the wafer size, but the suction force adjustment is often accompanied by an increase in air pressure, which can easily generate excessive noise and affect the production environment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an automatic wafer loading and unloading device and system to address the problem that current Bernoulli chucks cannot effectively handle wafers.

[0005] The above objectives are achieved through the following technical solutions: An automated wafer loading and unloading device includes a protective box, a loading mechanism, a robotic arm, and a detection mechanism. The loading mechanism is slidably disposed in the protective box along a vertical direction and is used to place wafers in different processes. The robotic arm is disposed in the protective box and includes suction cups and a drive assembly. Multiple suction cups are arranged in a circumferential array. Each suction cup includes a cyclone groove, a nozzle, and an adjustment component. The cyclone groove is disposed on the end face of the suction cup, and its projection along the axial direction of the suction cup is circular. The nozzle is slidably disposed on the suction cup along the axial direction and can direct airflow into the cyclone groove. Gas is ejected, and the gas flow direction at the nozzle is tangential to the cyclone groove. The nozzle has an initial position, an upper limit position, and a lower limit position. When the nozzle is in the initial position, the suction force of the chuck adsorbing the wafer is the standard value. When the nozzle is in the upper limit position, the suction force of the chuck adsorbing the wafer is less than the standard value. When the nozzle is in the lower limit position, the suction force of the chuck adsorbing the wafer is greater than the standard value. An adjustment component is used to control the switching of the nozzle between the initial position, the upper limit position, and the lower limit position. A drive assembly is used to control the movement of the chuck and to pick up and place wafers in different processes on the loading mechanism. A detection mechanism is used to detect whether the wafer has separated from the loading mechanism. When the wafer has not separated from the loading mechanism, multiple nozzles alternately move back and forth between the initial position and the lower limit position. After the wafer separates from the loading mechanism, the nozzle is in the initial position.

[0006] Preferably, the number of suction cups is an even number, and two suction cups are grouped together. The two suction cups in the same group are symmetrically arranged about the center around which the multiple suction cups are arranged, and the airflow in the cyclone grooves on the two suction cups in the same group rotates in opposite directions.

[0007] Preferably, the driving assembly includes an arc plate, a driving unit, and an air source. The arc plate is disposed inside a protective box, and multiple suction cups are disposed on the same surface of the arc plate. The driving unit is used to support the arc plate and drive the arc plate to move above the wafer on the material carrier mechanism, and the air source is used to introduce gas into the nozzle.

[0008] Preferably, the suction cup also includes a mounting plate, which is set on the arc plate. A cyclone groove is opened on one side of the mounting plate. The nozzle is slidably set on the mounting plate. The adjusting component includes multiple sets of electromagnets, each set of electromagnets corresponds to one nozzle, and each set has two electromagnets. The two electromagnets are respectively set on the mounting plate and located on both sides of the nozzle in the axial direction of the suction cup. The nozzle is made of magnetic material.

[0009] Preferably, a chamfer is provided on the side wall of the cyclone groove, and the chamfer is located at the opening of the cyclone groove.

[0010] Preferably, the curved plate has multiple positioning blocks on the side with the suction cup. The multiple positioning blocks are evenly distributed around the circumference of the curved plate. The multiple positioning blocks are located on the side of the suction cup away from the center of the curved plate. Each positioning block has a step. Wafers of different sizes are clamped between the multiple positioning blocks through the steps.

[0011] Preferably, the material carrier includes a wafer box, a test platform, and a coating station. The wafer box, coating station, and test platform are all housed within the enclosure. The wafer box is used to store wafers, the test platform is used to detect the integrity of the wafers, and the coating station is used to coat the wafers with the detected integrity with adhesive. A suction cup is used to pick up and place wafers from the wafer box, the test platform, and the coating station.

[0012] Preferably, the inspection mechanism includes a vision sensor and a lifting assembly. The vision sensor is provided in multiple groups, which are divided into three groups. The three groups of vision sensors are respectively set on the wafer box, the test platform, and the coating stage to detect the movement of the corresponding wafer. The lifting assembly is used to control the wafers on the wafer box, the test platform, and the coating stage to move vertically when they are attracted by the suction cup.

[0013] Preferably, there are three lifting components. Each lifting component includes a support rod and a cylinder. The support rod is set inside the protective box, and the cylinder is set on the support rod. The cylinder extends and retracts in the vertical direction. The wafer box, the measuring platform, and the coating table are respectively set on one of the cylinders and move in the vertical direction with the extension and retraction of the corresponding cylinder.

[0014] The present invention also provides an automatic wafer loading and unloading system, including an automatic wafer loading and unloading device.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By providing a nozzle that slides along the axial direction of the suction cup, the suction force of the suction cup on the wafer can be altered without changing the gas flow rate, thus reducing noise pollution. Simultaneously, during wafer placement, the nozzle is slowly moved by an adjusting mechanism to reduce the suction force of the suction cup on the wafer, allowing the wafer to fall slowly onto the loading mechanism and reducing damage caused by wafer impacts. When the distances between multiple suction cups and the wafer are inconsistent, the multiple suction cups cannot generate sufficient suction to hold the wafer, and the wafer does not separate from the loading mechanism. A detection mechanism is provided, and the adjusting mechanism controls the multiple suction cups to sequentially increase their suction force, thereby generating sufficient suction force on the wafer.

[0016] When the suction force of multiple chucks increases sequentially, it can adaptively provide appropriate suction force according to the relative position of the wafer and multiple chucks, so that the chucks can be attracted. After being attracted, when the suction force of the chucks decreases from the maximum, it reduces the repulsive force of the airflow on the wafer after the wafer approaches the chuck, reduces the wobbling amplitude of the wafer, and improves the stability of the chuck attraction. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3A plan view of an arc plate of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A side view of an arc plate of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Sectional view along the middle AA direction; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chuck in an automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 A front view of a suction cup of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 for Figure 7 Sectional view along the BB direction; Figure 9 A bottom view of a suction cup of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 for Figure 9 A cross-sectional view along the CC direction; Figure 11 A split view of the chuck of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a front view of an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 for Figure 12 Sectional view along the DD direction; Figure 14 for Figure 13 Enlarged view of point E in the middle.

[0018] in: 100. Protective box; 101. Mounting plate; 102. Top plate; 103. Cyclone groove; 104. Nozzle; 105. Electromagnet; 106. Slide groove; 107. First main air duct; 108. Branch air duct; 109. Arc plate; 110. Drive unit; 111. Second main air duct; 112. Positioning block; 113. Wafer box; 114. Measuring platform; 115. Glue application table; 116. Support rod; 117. Cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0020] The component designations used in this document, such as "first" and "second," are merely for distinguishing the described objects and do not have any sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this invention, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages). It should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description. They 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, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0022] like Figures 1 to 14As shown in the figure, an automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a protective box 100, a loading mechanism, a robot arm, and a detection mechanism. The loading mechanism is slidably disposed in the protective box 100 along the vertical direction and is used to place wafers in different processes. The robot arm is disposed in the protective box 100 and includes a suction cup and a driving assembly. Multiple suction cups are arranged in a circumferential array. Each suction cup includes a cyclone groove 103, a nozzle 104, and an adjusting component. The cyclone groove 103 is disposed on the end face of the suction cup, and its projection in the axial direction of the suction cup is circular. The nozzle 104 is slidably disposed on the suction cup along the axial direction of the suction cup and is capable of... Gas is ejected into the cyclone groove 103. The gas flow direction at the nozzle 104 is tangential to the cyclone groove 103. The nozzle 104 has an initial position, an upper limit position, and a lower limit position. When the nozzle 104 is in the initial position, the suction force of the chuck adsorbing the wafer is the standard value. When the nozzle 104 is in the upper limit position, the suction force of the chuck adsorbing the wafer is less than the standard value. When the nozzle 104 is in the lower limit position, the suction force of the chuck adsorbing the wafer is greater than the standard value. An adjusting component is used to control the nozzle 104 to switch between the initial position, the upper limit position, and the lower limit position. A driving component is used to control the movement of the chuck and to pick up and place wafers in different processes on the loading mechanism. A detection mechanism is used to detect whether the wafer has separated from the loading mechanism. When the wafer has not separated from the loading mechanism, multiple nozzles 104 alternately move back and forth between the initial position and the lower limit position. After the wafer is separated from the loading mechanism, the nozzle 104 is in the initial position.

[0023] A nozzle 104 that slides along the axial direction of the chuck can alter the suction force of the chuck on the wafer without changing the gas flow rate, thus reducing noise pollution. Simultaneously, during wafer placement, the nozzle 104 is slowly moved via an adjusting mechanism to reduce the suction force, allowing the wafer to fall gently onto the loading mechanism and minimizing damage from impacts. When the distances between multiple chucks and the wafer are inconsistent, the chucks cannot generate sufficient suction to hold the wafer, preventing separation from the loading mechanism. A detection mechanism, using an adjusting mechanism, controls the chucks to sequentially increase their suction force, thereby generating sufficient suction for the wafer.

[0024] The suction force of multiple suction cups increases sequentially, which can adaptively provide appropriate suction force according to the relative position of the wafer and multiple suction cups, so that the suction cups can be attracted. After being attracted, the suction force of the suction cups decreases from the maximum, which reduces the repulsive force of the airflow on the wafer after it approaches the suction cup, reduces the swaying amplitude of the wafer, and improves the stability of the suction cup adsorption.

[0025] In this embodiment, the number of suction cups is an even number, and two suction cups are grouped together. The two suction cups in the same group are symmetrical about the center around which the multiple suction cups are surrounded. The airflow in the cyclone groove 103 on the two suction cups in the same group rotates in opposite directions. The airflow with opposite directions generates opposite torques on the wafer, thereby preventing the suctioned wafer from rotating and maintaining the stability of the floating wafer.

[0026] In this embodiment, the driving assembly includes an arc plate 109, a driving unit 110, and an air source. The arc plate 109 is disposed inside the protective housing 100, and multiple suction cups are disposed on the same surface of the arc plate 109, with the center of the circle formed by the multiple suction cups coinciding with the center of the arc plate 109. The driving unit 110 is used to support the arc plate 109 and drive the arc plate 109 to move above the wafer on the loading mechanism. The air source is used to introduce gas into the nozzle 104. The arc plate 109 is provided with a second main air channel 111, which is connected to multiple first main air channels 107. The driving unit 110 is a robotic arm in the prior art, capable of driving the arc plate 109 to move. The air source is connected to the second main air channel 111, and a valve is provided between the air source and the second main air channel 111. A detection mechanism can control the opening and closing of the valve. When the suction cups no longer pick up the wafer, the detection mechanism controls the valve to close, so that the gas in the air source does not flow into the second main air channel 111, reducing resource waste. In this embodiment, the suction cup also includes a mounting plate 101 and an upper plate 102. The mounting plate 101 is disposed on the arc plate 109. The cyclone groove 103 is opened on one side of the mounting plate 101. The nozzle 104 is slidably disposed on the mounting plate 101. The adjusting component includes multiple sets of electromagnets 105. Each set of electromagnets 105 corresponds to one nozzle 104. There are two electromagnets 105 in each set. The two electromagnets 105 are respectively disposed on the mounting plate 101 and located on both sides of the nozzle 104 in the axial direction of the suction cup. The nozzle 104 is made of magnetic material. The two electromagnets 105 corresponding to each nozzle 104 can generate magnetic force on the nozzle 104 individually. The magnitude of the magnetic force of the electromagnets 105 is adjustable. Changing the magnetic force of the two electromagnets 105 in the same set can control the relative distance between the corresponding nozzle 104 and the two electromagnets 105, thereby changing the position of the nozzle 104 in the cyclone groove 103, and thus changing the suction force of the suction cup.

[0027] The mounting plate 101 has a number of grooves 106 matching the number of nozzles 104. Each nozzle 104 is slidably disposed in its corresponding groove 106. Each set of electromagnets 105 is disposed in one groove 106. The upper plate 102 is bolted to the mounting plate 101 and has a first main air passage 107 and multiple branch air passages 108. One end of each branch air passage 108 is connected to the first main air passage 107, and the other end of each branch air passage 108 is connected to a nozzle 104 via an air pipe. The first main air passages 107 on the multiple suction cups are interconnected, and the airflow in each suction cup is consistent.

[0028] In this embodiment, a chamfer is provided on the side wall of the cyclone groove 103. The chamfer is located at the opening of the cyclone groove 103. The tilt angle of the chamfer has a certain influence on the adsorption force of the suction cup. Adjusting the tilt angle of the chamfer can improve the adsorption force of the suction cup.

[0029] In this embodiment, a plurality of positioning blocks 112 are provided on the side of the arc plate 109 where the suction cup is located. The positioning blocks 112 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the arc plate 109 and are located on the side of the suction cup away from the center of the arc plate 109. Each positioning block 112 has a step. Wafers of different sizes are held between the positioning blocks 112 by the steps. After the suction cup holds the wafer, the wafer is positioned between the positioning blocks 112, and there is a small gap between the circumference of the wafer and the positioning blocks 112 to prevent the floating wafer from getting stuck. When the suction cup holds the wafer and needs to move the wafer in the horizontal direction, the positioning blocks 112 can provide support for the wafer to prevent the wafer from being misaligned with the suction cup and falling off.

[0030] In this embodiment, the material carrier mechanism includes a wafer cassette 113, a testing platform 114, and a coating stage 115. The wafer cassette 113, coating stage 115, and testing platform 114 are all housed within a housing. The wafer cassette 113 stores wafers, the testing platform 114 detects the integrity of the wafers, and the coating stage 115 applies adhesive to wafers that have passed integrity testing (the wafer cassette 113, testing platform 114, and coating stage 115 are conventional technologies in the art and will not be described in detail). A chuck picks up and places wafers from the wafer cassette 113, the testing platform 114, and the coating stage 115. The drive unit 110 controls the arc plate 109 to extend into the wafer cassette 113, using the chuck to pick up the wafers and then sequentially place them onto the testing platform 114 and the coating stage 115 for corresponding processing steps.

[0031] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism includes a control panel, vision sensors, and a lifting assembly. The control panel is mounted on the protective housing 100. Multiple vision sensors are provided, divided into three groups. These three groups of vision sensors are respectively mounted on the wafer cassette 113, the measuring platform 114, and the coating stage 115, and are used to detect the movement of the corresponding wafers. Each vision sensor can transmit a detection signal to the control panel, which can control the magnetic strength of the electromagnet 105 on the suction cup based on the detection signals from the vision sensors. The lifting assembly controls the vertical movement of the wafers on the wafer cassette 113, the measuring platform 114, and the coating stage 115 when they are attracted by the suction cup. The wafer cassette 113 contains multiple wafers arranged vertically. One group of vision sensors mounted on the wafer cassette 113 can detect each wafer individually. When the suction cup attracts one wafer, the vision sensor corresponding to that wafer will start working to detect the attraction of that wafer.

[0032] Similarly, when a wafer on the test platform 114 or the coating stage 115 needs to be removed, the suction cup will move above the corresponding wafer and then pick it up. The lifting assembly controls the wafer cassette 113, test platform 114, or coating stage 115 to descend, and sequentially checks whether the wafer is picked up by the suction cup.

[0033] If the wafer is attracted, a change in distance will occur between the wafer and the corresponding wafer cassette 113, test platform 114, or coating stage 115. This change is detected by a vision detector, and the next process begins. If the wafer is not attracted, no change in distance will occur between the wafer and the corresponding wafer cassette 113, test platform 114, or coating stage 115. This change is also detected by the vision sensor. At this time, the suction cups remain stationary. When the lifting assembly drives the corresponding wafer cassette 113, test platform 114, or coating stage 115 to reset, the control panel controls the suction force of multiple suction cups to change in order to attract the wafer.

[0034] Due to the flatness of the equipment or the wafer itself, the distance between the multiple suction cups on the arc plate 109 and the wafer may be different, which can easily lead to the suction cups failing to pick up the wafer. Since the nozzle 104 can normally pick up qualified wafers with consistent spacing between the multiple suction cups when in the initial position, the suction force generated by the nozzle 104 on each suction cup gradually increases and then decreases as it moves from the initial position to the lower limit position and then back to the initial position, it can pick up wafers with inconsistent spacing between each suction cup. If the wafer is picked up at this time, the control panel will control the nozzle 104 to move a gradually decreasing distance from the initial position to the lower limit position until it stabilizes at the initial position.

[0035] In this embodiment, three lifting components are provided. Each lifting component includes a support rod 116 and a cylinder 117. The support rod 116 is disposed inside the protective housing 100, and the cylinder 117 is disposed on the support rod 116. The cylinder 117 extends and retracts in the vertical direction. The wafer cassette 113, the measuring platform 114, and the coating stage 115 are respectively disposed on one of the cylinders 117 and move in the vertical direction with the extension and retraction of the corresponding cylinder 117. The wafer cassette 113, the measuring platform 114, and the coating stage 115 can move in the vertical direction under the drive of the corresponding cylinder 117.

[0036] The present invention also provides an automatic wafer loading and unloading system, including an automatic wafer loading and unloading device.

[0037] The working principle of the automatic wafer loading and unloading device provided in the above embodiments is as follows: First, the initial position of the nozzle 104 is preset according to the wafer size. Then, the magnetic force of the electromagnet 105 is controlled by the control panel to make the nozzle 104 position in the initial position. Next, the drive unit 110 is activated, which moves the arc plate 109 to above the wafer to be adsorbed in the wafer box 113. The suction cup on the arc plate 109 faces the wafer to be adsorbed. Then, the valve between the air source and the second main air channel 111 is opened. The gas enters from the second main air channel 111 into the first main air channel 107 on each upper plate 102. The gas in each first main air channel 107 enters the corresponding branch air channel 108 and is then ejected from the corresponding nozzle 104. Gas ejected from multiple nozzles 104 on the same mounting plate 101 rotates in the corresponding cyclone grooves 103 and then exits from the cyclone grooves 103. At this time, a negative pressure is generated in the middle of the cyclone grooves 103, forming a negative pressure zone. The negative pressure zone exerts an attractive force on the wafer below and attracts the wafer. At this time, the wafer is located between multiple positioning blocks 112 and there is a gap between the wafer and the positioning blocks 112. Then, the drive unit 110 drives the arc plate 109 to move, so that the attracted wafer is separated from the wafer cassette 113. The arc plate 109 carries the wafer to the test platform 114. Then, the magnetic force of the electromagnet 105 is changed, so that the nozzle 104 slowly moves from the initial position to the upper limit position. The attraction of the chuck to the wafer gradually decreases, and the wafer slowly approaches the test platform 114 and falls onto the test platform 114, avoiding a large collision between the wafer and the test platform 114 due to the sudden disappearance of the chuck's attraction. After the integrity test is completed, the wafer on the test platform 114 is moved to the coating stage 115 in the same manner for coating.

[0038] During the process of the suction cup adsorbing the wafer, the cylinder 117 in the lifting assembly will drive the corresponding wafer box 113, the measuring platform 114 or the coating stage 115 to move down and then reset, thereby detecting whether the suction cup has adsorbed the wafer.

[0039] If the wafer moves after the cylinder 117 moves the corresponding wafer cassette 113, measuring platform 114, or coating stage 115 downwards, it indicates that the wafer is not being held in place. The distance between the wafer and the suction cups is inconsistent, resulting in insufficient suction force. At this time, a set of vision sensors transmits the detected signals to the control panel. When the wafer cassette 113, measuring platform 114, or coating stage 115 moves downwards and then returns to its original position, the control panel controls the electromagnet 105 in each suction cup to change its magnetic force. This causes the nozzle 104 in each suction cup to move from its initial position to its lower limit position. The nozzles 104 in multiple suction cups move sequentially to their lower limits and then return to their original positions. During this process, the suction force of each suction cup reaches its maximum value, generating the maximum suction force on the wafer to effectively pick it up. After the chuck picks up the wafer, the corresponding vision sensor detects it. Then, the control panel controls the nozzle 104 in each chuck to move less from its initial position to its lower limit position. The suction force of the chuck on the wafer gradually decreases until each nozzle 104 moves back to its initial position and stops moving to its lower limit position. In this process, the wafer initially experiences a large suction force from the chuck and quickly moves closer to it. Under the influence of airflow, a large repulsive force is generated between the wafer and the chuck, causing the wafer to move away from the chuck. As the nozzle 104 gradually approaches its initial position, the suction force of the chuck gradually decreases, the wafer's wobbling amplitude also decreases, and the picked-up wafer gradually stabilizes.

[0040] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0041] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic wafer loading and unloading device, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a protective housing, a material loading mechanism, a robotic arm, and a detection mechanism. The material loading mechanism is vertically slidable within the protective housing and is used to place wafers in different processes. The robotic arm, housed within the protective housing, includes suction cups and a drive assembly. Multiple suction cups are arranged in a circumferential array. Each suction cup includes a cyclone groove, a nozzle, and an adjustment mechanism. The cyclone groove is located on the end face of the suction cup, and its projection along the axial direction of the suction cup is circular. The nozzle is slidably mounted on the suction cup along the axial direction and can eject gas into the cyclone groove. The gas flow direction at the nozzle is tangential to the cyclone groove. The nozzle has an initial position, an upper limit position, and a lower limit position. When the nozzle is in the initial position, the suction force of the suction cup adsorbing the wafer is the standard value. When the nozzle is in the upper limit position, the suction force is less than the standard value. When the nozzle is in the lower limit position, the suction force is greater than the standard value. The adjustment mechanism controls the switching of the nozzle between the initial, upper, and lower limit positions. The drive assembly is used to control the movement of the chuck and to pick up and place wafers in different processes on the loading mechanism; the detection mechanism is used to detect whether the wafer has separated from the loading mechanism; when the wafer has not separated from the loading mechanism, multiple nozzles move back and forth alternately between the initial position and the lower limit position. After the wafer separates from the material carrier, the nozzle is in its initial position.

2. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of suction cups is an even number, and two suction cups are grouped together. The two suction cups in the same group are symmetrically arranged about the center around which multiple suction cups are arranged, and the airflow in the cyclone grooves on the two suction cups in the same group rotates in opposite directions.

3. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes an arc plate, a drive unit, and an air source. The arc plate is housed inside a protective box, and multiple suction cups are located on the same surface of the arc plate. The drive unit is used to support the arc plate and drive the arc plate to move above the wafer on the material carrier mechanism, and the gas source is used to introduce gas into the nozzle.

4. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The suction cup also includes a mounting plate, which is set on the arc plate. A cyclone groove is opened on one side of the mounting plate. The nozzle is slidably set on the mounting plate. The adjustment component includes multiple sets of electromagnets, each set of electromagnets corresponds to one nozzle, and there are two electromagnets in each set. The two electromagnets are respectively set on the mounting plate and located on both sides of the nozzle in the axial direction of the suction cup. The nozzle is made of magnetic material.

5. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sidewall of the cyclone channel is chamfered, and the chamfer is located at the opening of the cyclone channel.

6. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 3, characterized in that, On the side of the arc plate with the suction cup, there are multiple positioning blocks. The multiple positioning blocks are evenly distributed around the circumference of the arc plate. The multiple positioning blocks are located on the side of the suction cup away from the center of the arc plate. Each positioning block has a step. Wafers of different sizes are clamped between the multiple positioning blocks through the steps.

7. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material carrier mechanism includes a wafer cassette, a test platform, and a coating station. The wafer cassette, coating station, and test platform are all housed inside the enclosure. The wafer cassette is used to store wafers, the test platform is used to inspect the integrity of the wafers, and the coating station is used to apply adhesive to the wafers that have been inspected for integrity. A chuck is used to pick up and place wafers from the wafer cassette, the test platform, and the coating station.

8. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inspection mechanism includes vision sensors and a lifting assembly. There are multiple vision sensors, which are divided into three groups. The three groups of vision sensors are respectively set on the wafer box, the test platform, and the coating stage to detect the movement of the corresponding wafers. The lifting assembly is used to control the vertical movement of the wafers on the wafer box, the test platform, and the coating stage when they are attracted by the suction cups.

9. The automatic wafer loading and unloading device according to claim 8, characterized in that, There are three lifting components. Each lifting component includes a support rod and a cylinder. The support rod is set inside the protective box, and the cylinder is set on the support rod. The cylinder extends and retracts in the vertical direction. The wafer cell, the measuring platform, and the coating table are each set on one of the cylinders and move in the vertical direction as the corresponding cylinder extends and retracts.

10. An automated wafer loading and unloading system, characterized in that, Includes the automatic wafer loading and unloading device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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