Wafer transfer device

Abstract

The invention discloses a wafer transfer device, which comprises a mounting seat, and a finger assembly, a wafer transfer mechanism, a wafer transfer mechanism and a wafer transfer mechanism which are mounted on the mounting seat, the transfer driving module is configured to drive the finger assembly to perform transfer actions including horizontal movement and rotation relative to the mounting base; the distance adjusting driving module drives the adjustable fingers to move in the vertical direction through a rigid transmission mechanism so as to adjust the distance between the adjustable fingers and the fixed fingers and the distance between every two adjacent adjustable fingers; and the control unit is configured to be capable of controlling the transfer driving module and the distance adjusting driving module to work independently or cooperatively so as to realize dynamic transfer of the wafer from the material taking position to the material placing position. The driving piece drives the adjustable fingers to adjust the distance between the adjustable fingers and the fixed fingers and the distance between the adjustable fingers and the adjacent adjustable fingers in real time through the rigid transmission mechanism, adaptation from the material taking position distance to the material placing position distance can be completed without pausing transfer, continuity of the multi-wafer transfer process is ensured, and the overall transfer efficiency is effectively improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application belongs to the technical field of wafer transfer equipment, and particularly relates to a wafer transfer device. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the process of manufacturing semiconductor wafers, a wafer transfer device is a core device for transferring wafers between different process equipment, such as a photoetching machine, an etching machine, a thin film deposition device, and a storage unit, such as a FOUP box and a vertical furnace wafer boat. The transfer efficiency and stability of the wafer transfer device directly affect the yield rate of the wafers and the production efficiency of the production line. To improve the wafer transfer efficiency, the finger assembly of the wafer transfer device is usually provided with multiple fingers, each finger independently supports wafers, and multiple wafers are transferred from a previous process to a next process at one time. However, due to the significant difference in the wafer spacing requirements of different equipment, for example, the wafer spacing of a FOUP box is usually 10 mm, and the slot spacing of a vertical furnace wafer boat is usually 5.2 mm, 6.5 mm, etc. This brings difficulties to the simultaneous transfer of multiple wafers. Therefore, the finger assembly of the wafer transfer device must have flexible and accurate spacing adjustment function to meet the multi-station adaptation requirement.

[0003] A wafer transfer distance adjustment device based on the cooperation of cam grooves and limiting guide rails is disclosed in a patent with the application number 202311206642.2. The specific structure and working logic are as follows: The device is stacked in the first direction (vertical direction) and is provided with multiple end fingers. Each finger is provided with a wafer placement position at the front end and is slidably installed in the limiting guide rail extending in the vertical direction through a sliding block, so as to ensure that the finger can only move in the vertical direction. The end of the finger away from the wafer placement position is fixed with a cylindrical cam, and a cam groove plate is correspondingly arranged outside the cam. The cam groove plate is provided with a cam groove corresponding to the number of cams. The cam groove in the middle position is parallel to the second direction (horizontal direction), and the cam grooves on both sides are symmetrically inclined (with an angle of 5°-15° with the horizontal direction) about the middle groove. When the distance is adjusted, the motor drives the cam groove plate to slide in the horizontal direction through the ball screw, the cam converts the horizontal movement of the groove plate into vertical displacement along the limiting guide rail under the constraint of the inclined groove, and then the fingers on both sides are close to the middle or away from the outside, so as to finally realize the adjustment of the spacing between the adjacent fingers.

[0004] However, the coupling structure of the cam groove and the limiting guide rail in the prior art has the following structural defects that cannot be avoided, which makes it difficult to adapt to the high brittleness, high precision and high rhythm of the semiconductor wafer transfer requirements:

[0005] The distance adjustment of the comparative document relies on the transverse sliding of the cam groove plate, and the vertical displacement of the fingers is completely determined by the passive sliding of the cam in the inclined sliding groove, which strictly limits the movement space of the finger assembly when the cam groove plate is driven transversely: if the rotation movement is performed simultaneously during the distance adjustment, such as horizontal movement to the next station or rotation alignment of the platform, the transverse position of the cam groove plate will interfere with the horizontal movement, vertical movement or rotation movement trajectory of the rotation mechanism, therefore, the rotation in the prior art must adopt the process of taking material, stopping rotation, transversely moving the cam groove plate for distance adjustment, restarting the rotation mechanism, and placing material, that is, after taking material, the finger distance must be adjusted before rotation, and after placing material, the finger distance must be adjusted again to adapt to the wafer distance during taking material, the distance adjustment cannot be performed in parallel with the rotation movement, which greatly affects the wafer rotation efficiency.

[0006] In addition, in order to ensure the stability of the wafer on the fingers, a protruding fixing part is usually arranged on the fingers in the industry, and the fixing part is in contact with the wafer to limit the lateral displacement of the wafer. When the fingers in the comparative document are adjusted in distance, the cam needs to bear the oblique thrust of the sliding groove and the vertical constraint force of the limiting guide rail at the same time to realize the distance adjustment of the fingers. The matching structure of the cam and the sliding groove will inevitably produce a stick-slip effect. When the cam groove plate starts to be driven transversely, the static friction between the cam and the sliding groove is greater than the sliding friction, and the cam will first remain stationary until the transverse thrust of the groove plate overcomes the static friction, and then the cam can slide along the sliding groove under the action of the sliding friction. This process from static friction to sliding friction will cause the end of the finger to shake, and the wafer edge will be easily cracked after colliding with the fixing part, affecting the quality of the wafer. Moreover, the cam will continuously shake under the combined action of the oblique thrust and the vertical constraint force during the sliding process, and the shaking amplitude will be amplified at the end of the cantilever side of the finger, so that the wafer and the fixing part will continuously collide and crack due to the shaking effect.

[0007] Moreover, since the transmission and rotation of the wafer require high alignment accuracy, the position relationship between the fingers and the wafer taking position or the wafer placing position needs to be accurately aligned. The machining deviation of the sliding groove angle and the individual difference of the cam wear in the comparative document make it impossible to directly calculate the finger distance by the moving distance of the groove plate, and the secondary accurate alignment of the fingers is necessary, which greatly affects the continuity of the rotation operation.

[0008] In summary, although the comparative document provides a finger distance adjustable scheme, it cannot meet the special requirements of rotation efficiency, alignment accuracy and transmission stability during wafer rotation in the wafer rotation field. SUMMARY

[0009] The application provides a wafer transfer device to solve the technical problems of low wafer transfer efficiency caused by the difficulty in adjusting the finger spacing to be synchronized with the wafer transfer process and the difficulty in aligning the fingers, and the wafer damage caused by poor stability during the wafer transfer process.

[0010] The technical scheme adopted by the application is:

[0011] The wafer transfer device comprises a mounting seat and a finger assembly mounted on the mounting seat, the finger assembly comprising at least one fixed finger and at least two adjustable fingers, the finger assembly being used to carry wafers; a transfer driving module configured to drive the finger assembly to perform a transfer movement including horizontal movement relative to the mounting seat and rotation; a spacing adjusting driving module comprising a driving member and a rigid transmission mechanism, the driving member being capable of driving the adjustable fingers to move in a vertical direction through the rigid transmission mechanism to adjust the spacing between the adjustable fingers and the fixed finger and between two adjacent adjustable fingers, so as to adapt to the wafer placement spacing of different stations; and a control unit configured to control the transfer driving module and the spacing adjusting driving module to work independently or cooperatively, so that the finger assembly adjusts the spacing between the adjustable fingers through the spacing adjusting driving module while performing the transfer movement, and realizes the dynamic transfer of wafers from a material taking position to a material placing position.

[0012] The wafer transfer device described in the application further comprises the following additional technical features:

[0013] The four adjustable fingers are divided into two groups of adjustable fingers located on the two sides of the fixed finger, each group of adjustable fingers comprising an inner adjustable finger located on the side close to the fixed finger and an outer adjustable finger located on the side away from the fixed finger; the rigid transmission mechanism comprises a transmission assembly, a first linkage member connected with the two outer adjustable fingers, and a second linkage member connected with the two inner adjustable fingers, the driving member driving the first linkage member and the second linkage member to act through the transmission assembly, so as to drive the outer adjustable fingers and the inner adjustable fingers to move in the direction of approaching or moving away from the fixed finger synchronously.

[0014] The first linkage member comprises a first linkage section and a second linkage section arranged at intervals, the second linkage member comprises a third linkage section and a fourth linkage section arranged at intervals, the two outer adjustable fingers are connected with the first linkage section and the second linkage section respectively, and the two inner adjustable fingers are connected with the third linkage section and the fourth linkage section respectively, the first linkage member acts to synchronously drive the two outer adjustable fingers to approach or move away from each other in the vertical direction, and the second linkage member acts to synchronously drive the two inner adjustable fingers to approach or move away from each other in the vertical direction.

[0015] The first connecting member is configured as a first screw rod, the first connecting segment and the second connecting segment are respectively provided with threads in opposite directions, the second connecting member is configured as a second screw rod, the third connecting segment and the fourth connecting segment are respectively provided with threads in opposite directions, and the outer adjustable fingers are matched with the first connecting segment and the second connecting segment through first transmission nuts to form a first double-vice screw rod assembly, and the inner adjustable fingers are matched with the third connecting segment and the fourth connecting segment through second transmission nuts to form a second double-vice screw rod assembly.

[0016] The transmission assembly comprises a driving wheel, a first transmission wheel, a second transmission wheel and a transmission belt sleeved outside the driving wheel, the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel, the output shaft of the driving member is connected with the driving wheel, the driving member drives the driving wheel to rotate and synchronously drives the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel to rotate synchronously, and the transmission ratio of the first transmission wheel to the second transmission wheel is 2:1.

[0017] The transmission assembly further comprises a first tensioning member and a second tensioning member, the first tensioning member is located between the driving wheel and the first transmission wheel, the second tensioning member is located between the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel, and the first tensioning member and the second tensioning member respectively abut against the transmission belt to tighten the transmission belt.

[0018] The wafer transfer device further comprises a mounting sleeve, the mounting sleeve is hollow inside to form a mounting cavity, the mounting cavity is provided with a mounting plate at the top, the mounting plate is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole respectively aligned with the first screw rod and the second screw rod, the top end of the first screw rod penetrates the first through hole, the top end of the second screw rod penetrates the second through hole, the top end of the first screw rod is sleeved with a first bearing mounted in the first through hole, and the top end of the second screw rod is sleeved with a second bearing mounted in the second through hole.

[0019] The finger assembly further comprises a connecting plate fixedly connected with each adjustable finger, one side of the mounting sleeve facing the finger assembly is provided with a guide slide rail extending in the vertical direction, the connecting plate is provided with a guide sleeve sleeved on the guide slide rail, and the guide slide rail and the guide sleeve are slidingly matched to guide the adjustable finger to move in the vertical direction.

[0020] The mounting base comprises a first functional base and a second functional base; a mobile slide rail is arranged on the upper surface of the first functional base, and a sliding piece is arranged on the mobile slide rail; the finger assembly is arranged on the sliding piece; the driving piece drives the sliding piece to slide along the mobile slide rail to drive the horizontal movement of the finger assembly; the second functional base is provided with a rotating mechanism, the first functional base is arranged on the rotating mechanism, and the driving piece drives the rotating mechanism to rotate to drive the rotation of the first functional base relative to the second functional base.

[0021] The wafer transfer device further comprises a power piece and a lifting column, the lifting column is provided with a lifting sliding groove extending in the vertical direction, the second functional base is provided with a lifting sliding plate matched with the lifting sliding groove, the lifting sliding plate is in sliding fit with the lifting sliding groove, and the power piece drives the second functional base to move up and down along the lifting sliding groove.

[0022] Due to the adoption of the above technical scheme, the wafer transfer device has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] 1. The wafer transfer device comprises a transfer module and a distance adjustment driving module, and the synchronous operation of the distance adjustment work and the transfer work of the finger assembly is realized through the cooperation of the transfer driving module and the distance adjustment driving module, so that the wafer transfer efficiency is improved. The transfer driving module and the distance adjustment driving module are both arranged on the mounting base and are independently arranged, the transfer driving module can independently drive the finger assembly to complete the horizontal movement and rotation relative to the mounting base, the distance adjustment driving module drives the adjustable fingers to move in the vertical direction to adjust the distance between the adjustable fingers and the fixed fingers and the distance between adjacent adjustable fingers through the cooperation of the driving piece and the rigid transmission mechanism, the movement spaces of the two modules do not interfere with each other, and there is no risk of trajectory conflict. Meanwhile, the control unit can accurately control the cooperative work of the two modules, when the transfer driving module drives the finger assembly to transfer from the material taking position to the material placing position, the control unit synchronously triggers the distance adjustment driving module, so that the driving piece drives the adjustable fingers to adjust the distance between the fixed fingers and the adjacent adjustable fingers in real time through the rigid transmission mechanism, the distance adjustment from the material taking position to the material placing position can be completed without pausing the transfer, and the distance adjustment and the adaptation to the next material taking after placing the material do not need to pause the transfer of the finger assembly, so that the continuity of the multi-wafer transfer process is ensured, and the overall transfer efficiency is effectively improved.

[0024] Secondly, the distance adjusting driving module adopts a rigid transmission mechanism to transmit power, and the power output by the driving member is directly transmitted to the adjustable finger through the rigid structure, greatly reducing the vibration fluctuation that the power transmission hysteresis may bring to the finger assembly. During the distance adjusting process, the rigid transmission mechanism can stably and uniformly convert the power into the vertical movement of the adjustable finger, greatly reducing the instantaneous impact that may be caused by the conversion of static friction to sliding friction, and further greatly reducing the possibility of vibration at the end of the finger assembly, providing protection for the stable bearing of the wafer. At the same time, the direction of force transmission of the rigid transmission mechanism is stable, only driving the adjustable finger to move in the vertical direction, without generating additional lateral force, ensuring that the end of the finger always remains stable, and ensuring the quality of wafer transfer.

[0025] Furthermore, the wafer transfer device of the present application can realize precise adjustment and rapid alignment of the distance between the finger assemblies, avoid secondary calibration, and ensure the continuity of the transfer operation. The rigid transmission mechanism of the distance adjusting driving module has a clear and stable power transmission relationship, and the driving action amount of the driving member can be accurately converted into the displacement amount of the adjustable finger through the rigid transmission mechanism, without relying on passive cooperation of external structures, and without causing displacement deviation due to cooperation gap and wear difference. Under the control of the control unit, the action of the rigid transmission mechanism can be accurately controlled by the driving member according to the preset distance between the material taking position and the material placing position, directly driving the adjustable finger to adjust to the target distance, without the need for secondary detection and compensation calibration by external detection equipment, so as to realize the precise alignment of the finger with the material taking position and the material placing position, thereby avoiding the transfer interruption caused by secondary alignment, ensuring the continuous operation of multi-wafer transfer, and further adapting to the high requirements of semiconductor production line on transfer precision and continuity.

[0026] In summary, the wafer transfer device of the present application realizes precise driving through the cooperation of each module and the rigid transmission mechanism, improves the transfer efficiency, and takes into account the stability and alignment accuracy of wafer transfer, fully meeting the multi-station and high requirement transfer needs of semiconductor wafers.

[0027] 2.The wafer transfer device of the present application further improves the symmetry and synchronization of the adjustable fingers through the grouping design and the optimization of the rigid transmission mechanism components, ensuring the balanced and stable loading of the multiple wafers, and fully adapting to the high-precision transfer requirements of semiconductor wafers. Specifically, the four adjustable fingers are divided into two groups of adjustable fingers and symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fixed finger. Each group is clearly divided into an inner adjustable finger and an outer adjustable finger. This grouping structure enables the distance adjustment action to be symmetrically expanded around the fixed finger, reducing the probability of overall imbalance of the finger assembly caused by excessive deviation of the adjustable fingers on one side of the fixed finger, and providing a basis for uniform loading of the wafers. At the same time, the transmission components, the first connecting member and the second connecting member in the rigid transmission mechanism form a targeted transmission link. The first connecting member is specially connected to the outer adjustable fingers on both sides, and the second connecting member is specially connected to the inner adjustable fingers on both sides. The power output by the driving member is synchronously transmitted to the first connecting member and the second connecting member through the transmission components, so that the outer adjustable fingers and the inner adjustable fingers can be simultaneously driven in the direction of approaching or moving away from the fixed finger. This design of grouped driving and synchronous action ensures that the adjustable fingers on both sides of the fixed finger can maintain completely symmetrical distance adjustment rhythm, and the situation that one side adjusts too fast and the other side adjusts too slowly does not occur, thereby ensuring that the distance between adjacent adjustable fingers and the distance between the adjustable fingers and the fixed finger is always uniform, avoiding the situation that some wafers are loaded too loosely or too tightly due to uneven distance. In addition, the inner and outer layer design for each group of adjustable fingers also enables the displacement of each adjustable finger during distance adjustment to be adapted to the distance from the fixed finger, ensuring that all wafers are always in the same vertical plane during distance adjustment, and avoiding lateral deviation due to distance adjustment, further ensuring stable contact between the wafers and the fixed part of the finger assembly, and greatly reducing the risk of collision between the wafers and the finger assembly during the wafer assembly picking and placing process. This structural design not only strengthens the accuracy of distance adjustment, but also lays a stable foundation for the subsequent cooperation with the transfer driving module, ensuring that the multiple wafers can still maintain a balanced and stable loading state during the transfer and distance adjustment process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] The drawings described herein are used to provide further understanding of the present application, and form a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application, and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a wafer transfer device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a finger assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 3 FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of A of FIG. 2; Figure 2

[0032] Figure 4 ​Structure diagram of part structure of finger assembly in one embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0033] Figure 5 Structure diagram of part structure of finger assembly in one embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0034] Figure 6 Enlarged view of B part of Figure 5 ;

[0035] Figure 7 Exploded view of wafer transfer device in one embodiment of the present application.

[0036] List of components and reference numerals:

[0037] 1 finger assembly, 11 fixed finger, 12 adjustable finger, 121 inner adjustable finger, 122 outer adjustable finger;

[0038] 2 driving member;

[0039] 3 mounting seat, 31 first function seat, 311 moving slide rail, 32 second function seat, 321 rotating mechanism, 322 lifting slide plate;

[0040] 4 adjustable group;

[0041] 5 first connecting member, 51 first connecting section, 52 second connecting section;

[0042] 6 second connecting member, 61 third connecting section, 62 fourth connecting section;

[0043] 7 first transmission nut;

[0044] 8 second transmission nut;

[0045] 9 driving wheel;

[0046] 10 first transmission wheel;

[0047] 110 second transmission wheel;

[0048] 120 transmission belt;

[0049] 130 first tensioning member;

[0050] 140 second tensioning member;

[0051] 150 mounting sleeve, 1501 mounting cavity, 1502 guide slide rail;

[0052] 160 lifting column, 1601 lifting slide groove;

[0053] 170 connecting plate, 1701 guide sleeve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] In order to more clearly illustrate the overall concept of the present application, the following will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present application. The present application, however, can be practiced in a variety of ways other than those specifically described herein, and the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. It is to be noted that the embodiments of the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other unless there is a conflict.

[0056] In addition, in the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only used to facilitate the description of the present application and simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present application.

[0057] In the present application, unless specifically defined and limited otherwise, the terms "mount", "connect", "connection", "fixed", and the like are to be broadly interpreted, for example, can be fixed connection, can also be detachable connection, or integral; can be mechanical connection, can also be electrical connection, can also be communication; can be directly connected, can also be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0058] In the present application, unless specifically defined and limited otherwise, the first feature is "on" or "under" the second feature, which can be direct contact between the first and second features, or indirect contact between the first and second features through an intermediate medium. In the description of the specification, the description referring to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present specification, the illustrative description of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0059] As Figures 1 to 7As shown, a wafer transfer device comprises a mounting base 3, and mounted on the mounting base 3: a finger assembly 1 comprising at least one fixed finger 11 and at least two adjustable fingers 12, the finger assembly 1 being used to carry a wafer; a transfer driving module configured to drive the finger assembly 1 to perform a transfer movement including horizontal movement and rotation relative to the mounting base 3; a distance adjusting driving module comprising a driving member 2 and a rigid transmission mechanism, the driving member 2 being capable of driving the adjustable fingers 12 to move in a vertical direction through the rigid transmission mechanism to adjust the distance between the adjustable fingers 12 and the fixed finger 11 or between two adjacent adjustable fingers 12, so as to adapt to the wafer placement distance of different stations; and a control unit (not shown in the figure) configured to control the transfer driving module and the distance adjusting driving module to work independently or cooperatively, so that the finger assembly 1 performs a transfer movement while the distance adjusting driving module adjusts the distance between the adjustable fingers 12, thereby realizing dynamic transfer of the wafer from a pick-up station to a drop-off station.

[0060] Specifically, the end upper surfaces of the fixed finger 11 and the adjustable fingers 12 are each provided with a wafer carrying position, and a plurality of protruding fixing portions are circumferentially spaced apart on the wafer carrying position. The wafer carrying position is used to carry a wafer, and the fixing portion is used to limit the lateral movement of the wafer to prevent the wafer from being thrown out of the wafer carrying position due to lateral force during the transfer process. The number of adjustable fingers 12 is not limited in the present application. The number of fixed fingers 11 is one, and the number of adjustable fingers 12 is an even number and is symmetrically arranged above and below the fixed finger 11. When the number of adjustable fingers 12 is two, the distance adjusting driving module only adjusts the distance between the two adjustable fingers 12 and the fixed finger 11. When the number of adjustable fingers 12 is four or more even numbers, the distance adjusting driving module not only adjusts the distance between the adjustable fingers 12 and the fixed finger 11, but also synchronously adjusts the distance between two adjacent adjustable fingers 12 in the vertical direction. The fixed finger 11 and the adjustable fingers 12 both extend in the horizontal direction.

[0061] Preferably, the control unit comprises a controller electrically connected with the transfer driving module and the distance adjusting driving module to control the working of the two modules. When the vertical placement distance of the wafer at the pick-up station and the drop-off station is different, the controller controls the transfer driving module and the distance adjusting driving module to act synchronously. When the transfer driving module drives the movement of the mounting base 3, the distance adjusting driving module adjusts the position of the adjustable fingers 12 to adapt to the distance of the drop-off station. When the vertical placement distance of the wafer at the pick-up station and the drop-off station is the same, the controller controls the transfer driving module to work independently.

[0062] The wafer transfer device of the present application is provided with a transfer module and a distance adjustment driving module, and the synchronous operation of the distance adjustment work and the transfer work of the finger assembly 1 is realized through the cooperation of the transfer driving module and the distance adjustment driving module, which significantly improves the wafer transfer efficiency. The transfer driving module and the distance adjustment driving module are both installed on the mounting seat 3 and independently arranged, the transfer driving module can independently drive the finger assembly 1 to complete the horizontal movement, rotation and other transfer work relative to the mounting seat 3, and the distance adjustment driving module drives the adjustable finger 12 to move along the vertical direction through the cooperation of the driving part 2 and the rigid transmission mechanism to adjust the distance between the adjustable finger 12 and the fixed finger 11 and between the adjacent two adjustable fingers 12, and the movement spaces of the two do not interfere with each other, and there is no risk of trajectory conflict. At the same time, the control unit can accurately control the cooperative work of the two modules, when the transfer driving module drives the finger assembly 1 to transfer from the material taking position to the material placing position, the control unit synchronously triggers the distance adjustment driving module, so that the driving part 2 drives the adjustable finger 12 to adjust the distance between the fixed finger 11 and the adjacent adjustable finger 12 in real time through the rigid transmission mechanism, without pausing the transfer, the adaptation from the material taking position distance to the material placing position distance can be completed, and there is no need to pause the transfer of the finger assembly 1 after placing the material to adjust the distance and adapt to the next material taking, which ensures the continuity of the multi-wafer transfer process and effectively improves the overall transfer efficiency.

[0063] Secondly, the distance adjustment driving module adopts a rigid transmission mechanism to transmit power, the power output by the driving part 2 is directly transmitted to the adjustable finger 12 through the rigid structure, which greatly reduces the vibration fluctuation of the finger assembly 1 caused by the hysteresis of power transmission. During the distance adjustment process, the rigid transmission mechanism can stably and uniformly convert the power into the vertical movement of the adjustable finger 12, greatly reducing the instantaneous impact caused by the conversion of static friction to sliding friction, and further greatly reducing the possibility of vibration at the end of the finger assembly 1, which provides protection for the stable bearing of the wafer. At the same time, the direction of the force transmitted by the rigid transmission mechanism is stable, only driving the adjustable finger 12 to move along the vertical direction, without generating additional lateral force, ensuring that the end of the finger always maintains a stable state, and ensuring the quality of wafer transfer.

[0064] Furthermore, the wafer transfer device of this application can achieve precise adjustment and rapid alignment of the finger assembly 1 spacing, avoiding secondary calibration and ensuring the continuity of transfer operations. The rigid transmission mechanism of the spacing adjustment drive module has a clear and stable power transmission relationship. The driving action of the drive component 2 can be accurately converted into the displacement of the adjustable finger 12 through the rigid transmission mechanism, without relying on the passive cooperation of external structures, and without displacement deviation caused by fitting gaps or wear differences. Under the control of the control unit, the action of the rigid transmission mechanism can be precisely controlled by the drive component 2 according to the preset spacing of the pick-up and drop-off positions, directly driving the adjustable finger 12 to adjust to the target spacing. Without the need for secondary detection and compensation calibration by external detection equipment, the precise alignment of the finger with the pick-up and drop-off positions can be achieved, thereby avoiding transfer interruptions caused by secondary alignment, ensuring the continuous operation of multi-wafer transfer, and further adapting to the high requirements of semiconductor production lines for transfer accuracy and continuity.

[0065] In summary, the wafer transfer device of this application, through the coordinated operation of various modules and the precise drive of the rigid transmission mechanism, improves transfer efficiency while taking into account the stability and alignment accuracy of wafer transfer, and comprehensively meets the transfer needs of semiconductor wafers in multiple workstations and with high requirements.

[0066] As a preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, there are four adjustable fingers 12, which are divided into two groups of adjustable groups 4 located on both sides of the fixed finger 11. Each adjustable group 4 includes an inner adjustable finger 121 located on the side closer to the fixed finger 11 and an outer adjustable finger 122 located on the side farther from the fixed finger 11. The rigid transmission mechanism includes a transmission assembly, a first linkage 5 connected to the two outer adjustable fingers 122, and a second linkage 6 connected to the two inner adjustable fingers 121. The driving member 2 drives the first linkage 5 and the second linkage 6 to move simultaneously through the transmission assembly, so as to drive the outer adjustable fingers 122 and the inner adjustable fingers 121 to move synchronously in the direction closer to or farther from the fixed finger 11.

[0067] Specifically, the adjustable group 4 uses the horizontal plane where the extension direction of the fixed finger 11 is located as the reference plane, forming one group on each of the upper and lower sides. Within each group, the inner adjustable finger 121 and the outer adjustable finger 122 are symmetrically arranged in the vertical direction. The inner adjustable finger 121 is adjacent to the fixed finger 11, and the outer adjustable finger 122 is located on the side of the inner adjustable finger 121 away from the fixed finger 11. The first linkage 5 and the second linkage 6 always move in the same direction. That is, when the transmission assembly drives the first linkage 5 to move the outer adjustable finger 122 away from the fixed finger 11, the second linkage 6 simultaneously drives the two inner adjustable fingers 121 to move away from the fixed finger 11.

[0068] By optimizing the grouping design of the adjustable fingers 12 and the assembly of the rigid transmission mechanism, the symmetry and synchronization of the distance adjustment are further improved, ensuring the balanced and stable bearing of the multi-wafer, fully adapting to the high-precision transfer requirements of semiconductor wafers. Specifically, the four adjustable fingers 12 are divided into two groups of adjustable groups 4 and symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fixed finger 11. Each group is clearly divided into an inner adjustable finger 121 and an outer adjustable finger 122. This grouping structure allows the distance adjustment action to be symmetrically expanded around the fixed finger 11, reducing the probability of overall imbalance of the finger assembly 1 caused by excessive deviation of the adjustable fingers 12 on one side of the fixed finger 11, and providing a foundation for uniform bearing of the wafers. At the same time, the transmission assembly, the first connecting member 5 and the second connecting member 6 in the rigid transmission mechanism form a targeted transmission link. The first connecting member 5 is specially connected to the two outer adjustable fingers 122, and the second connecting member 6 is specially connected to the two inner adjustable fingers 121. The power output by the driving member 2 is synchronously transmitted to the first connecting member 5 and the second connecting member 6 through the transmission assembly, so that they can simultaneously drive the outer adjustable fingers 122 and the inner adjustable fingers 121 to move in the direction of approaching or moving away from the fixed finger 11. This design of grouped driving and synchronous action ensures that the adjustable fingers 12 on both sides of the fixed finger 11 can maintain completely symmetrical distance adjustment rhythm, and there will be no situation of one side adjusting too fast and the other side adjusting too slowly, thereby ensuring that the distance between adjacent adjustable fingers 12 and the distance between the adjustable fingers 12 and the fixed finger 11 is always uniform, avoiding the situation that some wafers are too loose or too tight due to uneven distance. In addition, the inner and outer layer design of each group of adjustable fingers 12 also allows the displacement of each adjustable finger 12 to be adapted to the distance from the fixed finger 11 during the distance adjustment process, ensuring that all wafers are always in the same vertical plane during the distance adjustment process and will not deviate horizontally due to distance adjustment, further ensuring stable contact between the wafers and the fixed part of the finger assembly 1, and greatly reducing the risk of collision between the wafer assembly and the finger assembly 1 during the pick-and-place process. This structural design not only strengthens the accuracy of distance adjustment, but also lays a stable foundation for subsequent cooperation with the transfer driving module, ensuring that the multi-wafer can still maintain a balanced and stable bearing state during the distance adjustment and transfer process.

[0069] As a preferred embodiment under the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 3 、 Figure 4 , the first connecting member 5 includes a first connecting section 51 and a second connecting section 52 arranged at intervals, and the second connecting member 6 includes a third connecting section 61 and a fourth connecting section 62 arranged at intervals. The two outer adjustable fingers 122 are connected to the first connecting section 51 and the second connecting section 52 respectively, and the two inner adjustable fingers 121 are connected to the third connecting section 61 and the fourth connecting section 62 respectively. The first connecting member 5 acts to synchronously drive the two outer adjustable fingers 122 to move closer to or farther away from each other in the vertical direction, and the second connecting member 6 acts to synchronously drive the two inner adjustable fingers 121 to move closer to or farther away from each other in the vertical direction.

[0070] By segmenting the first linkage member 5 and the second linkage member 6, the power transmission path is further refined, ensuring the symmetry and displacement consistency of the adjustable fingers 12, and providing more reliable structural protection for stable wafer transfer. Specifically, the first linkage member 5 is provided with first linkage segments 51 and second linkage segments 52 distributed at intervals, and the second linkage member 6 is provided with third linkage segments 61 and fourth linkage segments 62 distributed at intervals. This segmented layout allows each linkage member to simultaneously apply power to the adjustable fingers 12 on both sides of the fixed finger 11, and the power transmission paths on both sides are completely independent and symmetrical. When the drive member 2 drives the first linkage member 5 through the transmission assembly, the first linkage segments 51 and the second linkage segments 52 can simultaneously drive the outer adjustable fingers 122 on both sides to move closer or farther away along the vertical direction. Since the two segments are arranged at intervals and the action directions are opposite, it can be ensured that the displacement amounts of the upper and lower outer adjustable fingers 122 are exactly the same, and there is no unilateral displacement deviation. Similarly, when the second linkage member 6 is actuated, the third linkage segments 61 and the fourth linkage segments 62 simultaneously drive the inner adjustable fingers 121 on both sides to move closer or farther away along the vertical direction, and the displacement consistency of the inner adjustable fingers 121 on both sides can also be ensured. This design structurally avoids the unilateral adjustable finger 12 displacement problem caused by uneven power transmission, ensures that the distance adjustment actions on both sides of the fixed finger 11 are completely symmetrical, and the intervals between adjacent adjustable fingers 12 are always uniform. At the same time, the segmented design also makes the power transmission of each adjustable finger 12 more direct, reduces the loss and fluctuation of power in the transmission process, and further reduces the risk of tremor when the adjustable finger 12 adjusts the distance.

[0071] As a preferred example under the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 3 、 Figure 4 , the first linkage member 5 is configured as a first lead screw, the first linkage segment 51 and the second linkage segment 52 are respectively provided with threads in opposite directions, the second linkage member 6 is configured as a second lead screw, the third linkage segment 61 and the fourth linkage segment 62 are respectively provided with threads in opposite directions, the outer adjustable fingers 122 are respectively matched with the first linkage segment 51 and the second linkage segment 52 through the first transmission nut 7 to form a first double-vice lead screw assembly, and the inner adjustable fingers 121 are respectively matched with the third linkage segment 61 and the fourth linkage segment 62 through the second transmission nut 8 to form a second double-vice lead screw assembly.

[0072] Specifically, the first threaded segment and the second threaded segment are opposite in rotation direction but have the same thread pitch, and when the first screw rotates about its own axis, the first nuts on both sides will be synchronized to move towards the middle or away from the middle, thereby driving the outer adjustable fingers 122 to realize symmetric adjustment; the third threaded segment and the fourth threaded segment are opposite in rotation direction and have the same thread pitch, ensuring that when the second screw rotates, the inner adjustable fingers 121 can move synchronously. The inner walls of the first transmission nut 7 and the second transmission nut 8 are provided with internal threads that are adapted to the threads of the first screw and the second screw, respectively, and the outer sides of the first transmission nut 7 and the second transmission nut 8 are fixed to the adjustable fingers 12 by bolts or welding, ensuring that the power transmission is not loose and avoiding displacement deviation during adjustment.

[0073] Preferably, the first transmission nut 7 and the second transmission nut 8 can be provided with a ball structure to form a ball screw nut pair, converting sliding friction into rolling friction, reducing power transmission loss, reducing the risk of tremor during adjustment, prolonging the service life of the components, and ensuring stable adjustment accuracy after long-term use.

[0074] The first connecting member 5 and the second connecting member 6 are designed as screws, and are matched with threaded segments of opposite rotation direction and transmission nuts to form a precisely controllable double-secondary screw assembly, improving the adjustment accuracy and stability from the transmission nature and meeting the stringent requirements for uniformity of spacing during multi-wafer transfer. When the first screw rotates, the first transmission nuts 7 on both sides will drive the outer adjustable fingers 122 to move towards the middle or away from the middle along the first screw axis synchronously, and the displacement is completely determined by the rotation angle and the pitch of the first screw, without nonlinear fluctuations in power transmission. Similarly, the second connecting member 6 is designed as a second screw, and the opposite threads of the third connecting segment 61 and the fourth connecting segment 62 are matched with the second transmission nut 8 to form a second double-secondary screw assembly, which can drive the inner adjustable fingers 121 to realize symmetric and precise displacement. The screw transmission itself has the characteristics of high rigidity, high transmission efficiency, and controllable displacement precision, and the design of opposite threaded segments can ensure that the adjustable fingers 12 on both sides of the fixed fingers 11 always maintain displacement synchronization and uniform spacing during adjustment, without spacing deviation caused by fitting clearance or power fluctuations. In addition, the cooperation between the transmission nut and the screw belongs to the category of rolling friction, and the power transmission process is smooth and smooth, which can minimize the possibility of stick-slip effect, greatly reduce the possibility of tremor of the adjustable fingers 12 during adjustment, and ensure stable contact of the wafer and the fixed part of the finger assembly 1. At the same time, the structure design of the double-secondary screw assembly also makes the adjustment action have a clear correspondence between the driving amount and the displacement amount, and the control unit can directly adjust the adjustable fingers 12 to the target spacing by precisely controlling the rotation angle of the screw, without additional calibration, ensuring that the adjustment process is fast and accurate.

[0075] As a preferred mode in this example, as shown in Figures 3 to 6As shown, the transmission assembly comprises a driving wheel 9, a first transmission wheel 10, a second transmission wheel 110, and a transmission belt 120 sleeved outside the driving wheel 9, the first transmission wheel 10, and the second transmission wheel 110. The first lead screw is fixedly connected with the first transmission wheel 10, the second lead screw is fixedly connected with the second transmission wheel 110, the driving wheel 9 is connected with the output shaft of the driving member 2, the driving member 2 drives the driving wheel 9 to rotate and synchronously drives the first transmission wheel 10 and the second transmission wheel 110 to rotate synchronously, and the transmission ratio of the first transmission wheel 10 to the second transmission wheel 110 is 2:1.

[0076] The specific form of the driving wheel 9, the first transmission wheel 10, and the second transmission wheel 110 is not limited in this mode. In one scheme, the driving wheel 9, the first transmission wheel 10, and the second transmission wheel 110 are all belt wheels, and the transmission belt 120 is a synchronous belt. The power is transmitted through the meshing of the gear teeth and the belt teeth to avoid slipping. The first lead screw is fixedly connected with the shaft center of the first transmission wheel 10, the second lead screw is fixedly connected with the shaft center of the second transmission wheel 110, the driving wheel 9 drives the first transmission wheel 10 to rotate one circle through the transmission belt 120, and synchronously drives the second transmission wheel 110 to rotate half a circle through the transmission belt 120, so as to realize that the first lead screw fixed with the first transmission wheel 10 rotates one circle, the second lead screw fixed with the second transmission wheel 110 rotates half a circle, the first transmission nut 7 carries the outside adjustable finger 122 to walk one unit of travel in the vertical direction, and the second transmission nut 8 carries the inside adjustable finger 121 to walk half a unit of travel in the vertical direction. In this way, when the driving wheel 9 drives the first transmission wheel 10 to rotate one circle, the distance between the fixed finger 11 and the inside adjustable finger 121 changes half a unit, the distance between the inside adjustable finger 121 and the outside adjustable finger 122 in each adjustable group 4 changes half a unit, and the equal-distance adjustment of the adjustable finger 12 is realized in this way.

[0077] In the transmission assembly, the driving wheel 9 is directly connected with the output shaft of the driving member 2, the first transmission wheel 10 is fixed with the first lead screw, the second transmission wheel 110 is fixed with the second lead screw, the transmission belt 120 is sleeved outside the three wheel bodies to form a complete power transmission link. When the driving member 2 drives the driving wheel 9 to rotate, the power is synchronously transmitted to the first transmission wheel 10 and the second transmission wheel 110 through the transmission belt 120, driving the first lead screw and the second lead screw to rotate at the same time, and then driving the first double auxiliary lead screw assembly and the second double auxiliary lead screw assembly to drive the outer adjustable fingers 122 and the inner adjustable fingers 121 to adjust the distance at the same time. This single driving source and double driven wheel transmission design ensures that the rotation of the two lead screws is completely synchronized, avoiding the action delay or deviation caused by multiple driving sources. More importantly, the first transmission wheel 10 and the second transmission wheel 110 are set to a transmission ratio of 2:1, so that the rotation speed of the first transmission wheel 10 is twice that of the second transmission wheel 110. When the first transmission wheel 10 rotates, the first lead screw rotates synchronously, driving the outer adjustable fingers 122 to generate a corresponding displacement; at the same time, the second transmission wheel 110 rotates at half the speed, the second lead screw drives the inner adjustable fingers 121 to generate displacement, and the displacement of the inner adjustable fingers 121 is exactly half of that of the outer adjustable fingers 122. This proportional displacement control can ensure that the interval between the fixed fingers 11 and the inner adjustable fingers 121 and the interval between the inner adjustable fingers 121 and the outer adjustable fingers 122 always remains consistent, whether the interval is enlarged or reduced. The interval between the adjacent adjustable fingers 12 can change uniformly, perfectly adapting to the differentiated requirements of different stations for wafer spacing. In addition, the flexible transmission characteristics of the transmission belt 120 can also buffer the instantaneous impact in the power transmission process, and cooperate with the rigid transmission of the lead screw to further reduce the risk of vibration when the adjustable fingers 12 adjust the distance, ensuring stable wafer loading.

[0078] As a preferred solution in this way, as shown in Figure 5 、 Figure 6 , the transmission assembly further includes a first tensioning member 130 and a second tensioning member 140. The first tensioning member 130 is located between the driving wheel 9 and the first transmission wheel 10, and the second tensioning member 140 is located between the first transmission wheel 10 and the second transmission wheel 110. The first tensioning member 130 and the second tensioning member 140 respectively abut the transmission belt 120 to tension the transmission belt 120.

[0079] Specifically, the tensioning member includes a mounting column and a tensioning wheel mounted on the mounting column, and the tensioning wheel rotates around the mounting column with the movement of the transmission member.

[0080] By adding the first tensioning member 130 and the second tensioning member 140 in the transmission assembly, it is ensured that the transmission belt 120 is always in a stable tensioning state, the risk of slipping in the power transmission process is reduced, the stability and precision of the pitch driving are further improved, and the reliable transfer of the multi-wafer is ensured. The first tensioning member 130 and the second tensioning member 140 respectively abut the surface of the transmission belt 120, and through the rigid support force of themselves, the transmission belt 120 is tightly stretched outside the three wheel bodies, and the stability of the power transmission of the transmission belt 120 is ensured.

[0081] As another preferred solution under the present mode, as shown in Figure 5 The wafer transfer device further includes a mounting sleeve 150, the mounting sleeve 150 is hollow inside to form a mounting cavity 1501, the mounting cavity 1501 is provided with a mounting plate at the top, the mounting plate is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole which are respectively aligned with the first lead screw and the second lead screw, the first lead screw passes through the first through hole at the top, the second lead screw passes through the second through hole at the top, the first lead screw is provided with a first bearing mounted in the first through hole at the top, and the second lead screw is provided with a second bearing mounted in the second through hole at the top.

[0082] The internal dimensions of the mounting cavity 1501 are matched with the volume of the transmission assembly and the lead screw, so that the components do not shake after installation, and enough movement space is reserved, without interfering with the rotation of the lead screw and the pitch adjustment of the adjustable finger 12. The hole diameter of the first through hole and the second through hole is slightly larger than the diameter of the lead screw, and the hole wall is provided with a bearing mounting groove, the first bearing and the second bearing are deep groove ball bearings or thrust bearings, the inner ring is in interference fit with the lead screw, and the outer ring is in interference fit with the mounting groove, which not only limits the radial displacement of the lead screw, but also does not affect its axial rotation, so as to ensure that the lead screw always rotates stably along its axis.

[0083] Preferably, as shown in Figure 4 The finger assembly 1 further includes a connecting plate 170 fixedly connected with each adjustable finger 12, and the side of the mounting sleeve 150 facing the finger assembly 1 is provided with a guide rail 1502 extending in the vertical direction, and the connecting plate 170 is provided with a guide sleeve 1701 sleeved on the guide rail 1502, and the guide rail 1502 and the guide sleeve 1701 are in sliding fit to guide the vertical movement of the adjustable finger 12.

[0084] The matching structure of the connecting plate 170, the guide slide rail 1502 and the guide sleeve 1701 provides accurate guidance for the movement of the adjustable fingers 12, further limits the movement direction of the adjustable fingers 12, ensures the stability and accuracy of the distance adjusting action, and provides double protection for the stable bearing of the wafer. Specifically, each adjustable finger 12 in the finger assembly 1 is fixedly connected with a connecting plate 170, and the connecting plate 170 is correspondingly provided with a guide sleeve 1701 sleeved on the guide slide rail 1502, and the two form a sliding fit. When the adjustable finger 12 adjusts the distance in the vertical direction, the guide sleeve 1701 will slide along the guide slide rail 1502 synchronously, and the vertical extension direction of the slide rail strictly limits the movement trajectory of the guide sleeve 1701, thereby making the connecting plate 170 drive the adjustable finger 12 to move only in the vertical direction, and no deviation in the horizontal or other directions occurs. This guide structure can effectively compensate for the possible slight radial deviation caused by the lead screw transmission, ensure that the movement trajectory of the adjustable finger 12 is always accurate and vertical, and avoid uneven spacing of adjacent adjustable fingers 12 and the adjustable finger 12 and the fixed finger 11 due to deviation of the adjustable finger 12.

[0085] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 7 The mounting seat 3 includes a first functional seat 31 and a second functional seat 32; the upper surface of the first functional seat 31 is provided with a moving slide rail 311 and a sliding member mounted on the moving slide rail 311, the finger assembly 1 is mounted on the sliding member, and the driving member 2 drives the sliding member to slide along the moving slide rail 311 to drive the finger assembly 1 to move horizontally; the second functional seat 32 is provided with a rotating mechanism 321, the first functional seat 31 is mounted on the rotating mechanism 321, and the driving member 2 drives the rotating mechanism 321 to rotate to drive the first functional seat 31 to rotate relative to the second functional seat 32.

[0086] Specifically, the moving slide rail 311 is two linear slide rails arranged in parallel and spaced apart, fixed to the upper surface of the first functional seat 31, and the length of the slide rail is adapted to the maximum horizontal movement distance of the finger assembly 1; the sliding member is a combination structure of a sliding block and a mounting plate, the sliding block is slidingly installed on the moving slide rail 311, and the mounting plate is fixed to the top of the sliding block; the mounting seat 3 of the finger assembly 1 is fixed to the mounting plate, ensuring that the sliding member drives the finger assembly 1 to move smoothly along the slide rail. The rotating mechanism 321 can be a combination of a servo motor and a reducer, the output shaft of the reducer is fixed to the bottom of the first functional seat 31, and when the servo motor drives the reducer to rotate, it drives the first functional seat 31 to rotate around the output shaft axis, and the rotation angle range can be flexibly adjusted according to the layout of the workstations.

[0087] The horizontal movement and the rotating action are integrated in the first function seat 31 and the second function seat 32 respectively, so as to realize the accurate control of the transfer trajectory, provide flexible adaptability for the cooperative work with the distance adjustment driving module, and comprehensively meet the trajectory requirements of the multi-station wafer transfer. Specifically, the first function seat 31 is provided with a moving slide rail 311 and a sliding piece on the upper surface, and the finger assembly 1 is directly installed on the sliding piece. When the driving mechanism of the transfer driving module drives the sliding piece to slide along the moving slide rail 311, the sliding piece will drive the finger assembly 1 to move synchronously in the horizontal direction. The linear extension characteristics of the slide rail ensure that the horizontal movement trajectory of the finger assembly 1 is accurate and straight, and the finger assembly 1 can accurately dock the material taking position and the material placing position at different horizontal positions. The second function seat 32 is provided with a rotating mechanism 321, and the first function seat 31 is integrally installed on the rotating mechanism 321. When the driving mechanism drives the rotating mechanism 321 to rotate, the first function seat 31 and the finger assembly 1 and the sliding piece thereon will synchronously rotate. The central positioning accuracy of the rotating mechanism 321 ensures that the finger assembly 1 can accurately align the stations at different angles, so as to avoid that the wafer cannot be accurately taken and placed due to the rotating deviation. The functional partition design of the horizontal movement and the rotating action makes the transfer driving module be able to flexibly combine the two actions, realize the complex transfer trajectory, and adapt to the process equipment and the storage unit with different layouts.

[0088] In addition, the partition design makes the control of the transfer action more accurate and independent. When working cooperatively with the distance adjustment driving module, the horizontal movement or the rotating action will not interfere with the vertical distance adjustment of the adjustable finger 12. For example, when the finger assembly 1 moves horizontally along the moving slide rail 311, the distance adjustment driving module can synchronously drive the adjustable finger 12 to adjust the distance; or in the process of rotating the finger assembly 1 to align the station by the rotating mechanism 321, the distance from the material taking position to the material placing position is adapted.

[0089] As a preferred embodiment in the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 7 The wafer transfer device further includes a power piece and a lifting column 160. The lifting column 160 is provided with a lifting slide groove 1601 extending in the vertical direction. The second function seat 32 is provided with a lifting slide plate 322 adapted to the lifting slide groove 1601. The lifting slide plate 322 is in sliding cooperation with the lifting slide groove 1601, and the power piece drives the second function seat 32 to move up and down along the lifting slide groove 1601.

[0090] Specifically, the lifting column 160 is a vertically arranged long strip-shaped metal column with a lifting chute 1601 extending along the length direction opened on the side surface; the lifting slide plate 322 is a metal plate matched with the shape of the chute, fixed on one side with the back of the second functional seat 32, and embedded in the lifting chute 1601 on the other side, which can slide up and down along the chute. The power member can be a combination of a servo motor and a ball screw, the ball screw is arranged along the length direction of the lifting column 160, the screw nut is fixed with the lifting slide plate 322, and when the servo motor drives the screw to rotate, the screw nut and the lifting slide plate 322 move up and down along the axial direction of the screw, thereby realizing the lifting of the second functional seat 32.

[0091] By adding the power member and the lifting column 160, the vertical lifting function is introduced to realize flexible adjustment of the transfer height, further expand the adaptation range of the wafer transfer device to different height stations, and ensure the wafer transfer between multi-process equipment and storage units. The lifting chute 1601 extending in the vertical direction is arranged on the lifting column 160, and the lifting slide plate 322 matched with the lifting chute 1601 is arranged on the second functional seat 32, and the two form a sliding fit. When the power member drives the second functional seat 32 to act, the lifting slide plate 322 will slide up and down along the lifting chute 1601 synchronously, driving the second functional seat 32, the first functional seat 31, the finger assembly 1 and the transfer driving module to lift along the vertical direction as a whole. This lifting structure can make the finger assembly 1 accurately dock with different height material taking and placing positions, such as adapting to low position FOUP box and high position vertical furnace boat, or different height photoetching platform, without additional adjustment of equipment layout, the wafer transfer between multi-height stations can be realized.

[0092] In addition, this lifting function can be flexibly coordinated with the action of the distance adjusting driving module and the transfer driving module, for example, the finger assembly 1 can be simultaneously horizontally moved and distance adjusted while ascending along the lifting chute 1601; or in the process of rotating and aligning with the station, the lifting action is completed to adapt to the height of the target station. This multi-action coordination capability greatly improves the transfer flexibility of the device, ensuring that the wafer can be transferred between stations with different heights, different horizontal positions and different angles without interrupting the transfer process, and multiple adaptations of height, position and distance can be completed. The rigid structure of the lifting column 160 can provide stable support for the whole device, reduce the vibration during lifting, and further ensure the stability of wafer carrying. Whether it is high-low station switching or multi-station continuous transfer, this lifting structure can provide reliable height adjustment capability for the device, and cooperate with the precise action of other modules to fully meet the high requirements of semiconductor production line for wafer transfer diversity and continuity.

[0093] The places not mentioned in the application can be realized by adopting or referring to the existing technology.

[0094] The various embodiments in the specification are described in progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be mutually referred to, and each embodiment focuses on the difference from other embodiments.

[0095] The above only describes the embodiments of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. The present application can have various modifications and changes for those skilled in the art. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the scope of claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A wafer transfer device, comprising: The device comprises a mounting base and a finger assembly mounted on the mounting base. The finger assembly comprises at least one fixed finger and at least two adjustable fingers, and is used to carry a wafer; A transfer driving module is configured to drive the finger assembly to perform a transfer movement including horizontal movement relative to the mounting base and rotation; A distance adjustment driving module comprises a driving member and a rigid transmission mechanism, the driving member being capable of driving the adjustable fingers to move in a vertical direction through the rigid transmission mechanism to adjust the distance between the adjustable fingers and the fixed finger or between two adjacent adjustable fingers, so as to adapt to the wafer placement distance of different stations; A control unit is configured to control the transfer driving module and the distance adjustment driving module to work independently or cooperatively, so that the finger assembly adjusts the distance between the adjustable fingers through the distance adjustment driving module while performing the transfer movement, and realizes the dynamic transfer of the wafer from a picking position to a placing position.

2. The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, wherein The adjustable fingers are four, and the four adjustable fingers are divided into two adjustable groups located on the two sides of the fixed finger, each adjustable group comprises an inner adjustable finger located on one side close to the fixed finger and an outer adjustable finger located on one side away from the fixed finger; the rigid transmission mechanism comprises a transmission assembly, a first linkage member connected with the two outer adjustable fingers, and a second linkage member connected with the two inner adjustable fingers, and the driving member drives the first linkage member and the second linkage member to act through the transmission assembly, so as to drive the outer adjustable fingers and the inner adjustable fingers to move in the direction close to or away from the fixed finger.

3. The wafer transfer device according to claim 2, wherein The first linkage member comprises a first linkage section and a second linkage section arranged at intervals, the second linkage member comprises a third linkage section and a fourth linkage section arranged at intervals, the two outer adjustable fingers are connected with the first linkage section and the second linkage section respectively, and the two inner adjustable fingers are connected with the third linkage section and the fourth linkage section respectively, the first linkage member acts to synchronously drive the two outer adjustable fingers to move in a vertical direction to approach or move away from each other, and the second linkage member acts to synchronously drive the two inner adjustable fingers to move in a vertical direction to approach or move away from each other.

4. The wafer transfer device according to claim 3, wherein The first linkage member is a first lead screw, the first linkage section and the second linkage section are respectively provided with threads in opposite directions, the second linkage member is a second lead screw, the third linkage section and the fourth linkage section are respectively provided with threads in opposite directions, the outer adjustable fingers are respectively matched with the first linkage section and the second linkage section through first transmission nuts to form a first double-vice lead screw assembly, and the inner adjustable fingers are respectively matched with the third linkage section and the fourth linkage section through second transmission nuts to form a second double-vice lead screw assembly.

5. The wafer transfer device according to claim 4, wherein The transmission assembly comprises a driving wheel, a first transmission wheel, a second transmission wheel, and a transmission belt sleeved outside the driving wheel, the first transmission wheel, and the second transmission wheel, the first screw rod is fixedly connected with the first transmission wheel, the second screw rod is fixedly connected with the second transmission wheel, the driving wheel is connected with an output shaft of the driving member, the driving member drives the driving wheel to rotate and synchronously drives the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel to synchronously rotate, and a transmission ratio of the first transmission wheel to the second transmission wheel is 2:

1.

6. The wafer transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transmission assembly further comprises a first tensioning member and a second tensioning member, the first tensioning member is located between the driving wheel and the first transmission wheel, the second tensioning member is located between the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel, and the first tensioning member and the second tensioning member respectively abut against the transmission belt to tighten the transmission belt.

7. The wafer transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The wafer transfer device further comprises a mounting sleeve, the mounting sleeve is internally hollow to form a mounting cavity, a mounting plate is arranged at a top of the mounting cavity, the mounting plate is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole which are respectively aligned with the first screw rod and the second screw rod, the first screw rod passes through the first through hole, the second screw rod passes through the second through hole, a first bearing is arranged on the first screw rod and sleeved with the first through hole, and a second bearing is arranged on the second screw rod and sleeved with the second through hole.

8. The wafer transfer device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The finger assembly further comprises a connecting plate fixedly connected with each adjustable finger, a side of the mounting sleeve facing the finger assembly is provided with a guide slide rail extending in a vertical direction, the connecting plate is provided with a guide sleeve sleeved with the guide slide rail, and the guide slide rail and the guide sleeve are in sliding fit to guide the adjustable finger to move in the vertical direction.

9. The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting seat comprises a first functional seat and a second functional seat; A moving slide rail and a sliding member mounted on the moving slide rail are arranged on an upper surface of the first functional seat, the finger assembly is mounted on the sliding member, and the driving member drives the sliding member to slide along the moving slide rail to drive the finger assembly to move horizontally. The second functional seat is provided with a rotating mechanism, the first functional seat is mounted on the rotating mechanism, and the driving member drives the rotating mechanism to rotate to drive the first functional seat to rotate relative to the second functional seat.

10. The wafer transfer device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The wafer transfer device further comprises a power member and a lifting column, the lifting column is provided with a lifting slide groove extending in a vertical direction, the second functional seat is provided with a lifting slide plate matched with the lifting slide groove, the lifting slide plate and the lifting slide groove are in sliding fit, and the power member drives the second functional seat to move up and down along the lifting slide groove.

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