Semiconductor wafer anti-collision device

Abstract

The invention provides an anti-collision device for a semiconductor wafer, and the device comprises a bearing box which is of a split structure. The locking mechanisms are arranged on the two sides of the bearing box, penetrate through the bearing box and are connected with the modular positioning mechanism, and each locking mechanism comprises a blocking piece; the modular positioning mechanism comprises at least two layers of vertically stacked positioning units, and each layer of positioning unit comprises a bearing plate used for bearing a wafer body; the guide plate is arranged on the upper surface of the bearing plate, and the guide plate is used for guiding the wafer body to move; the receding groove and the blocking piece are arranged correspondingly, and the blocking piece is configured to form physical limiting with the surface of the bearing plate. According to the semiconductor wafer anti-collision device provided by the invention, through an innovative split type structure, a modularized positioning mechanism and an intelligent locking system, the safety and the operation efficiency of the wafer in the transportation and storage process are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor wafer packaging production, specifically a semiconductor wafer anti-collision device. Background Technology

[0002] In the complex semiconductor manufacturing process, wafers play a crucial role, forming the foundation of the entire process. The raw material for wafers is silicon. By dissolving high-purity polycrystalline silicon and incorporating silicon seed crystals, a cylindrical single-crystal silicon ingot is obtained through a slow crystal pulling process. This silicon ingot then undergoes a series of delicate processing steps, including grinding, polishing, and slicing, ultimately forming what we call a silicon wafer, or simply a wafer. However, the surface of a wafer is extremely fragile and highly susceptible to impacts, friction, or improper stacking. These factors can lead to microcracks, scratches, or other forms of defects, directly affecting the yield of the final product and thus reducing production efficiency.

[0003] During wafer fabrication and subsequent processing, wafers undergo multiple transfer operations. To ensure the quality of wafers is not compromised during transfer, specially designed transfer containers must be used. Currently, most existing wafer transfer containers employ a fixed design for the locking mechanism and wafer positioning. While this design maintains stability under normal conditions, sudden impacts or vibrations during transport can easily cause hard collisions between the wafer and the transfer container. Such collisions can create microcracks or defects on the wafer surface, increasing the risk of wafer scrap and negatively impacting the yield and cost control of the entire production process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome some of the problems mentioned in the background above, the present invention provides a semiconductor wafer anti-collision device.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a semiconductor wafer anti-collision device, comprising a carrier box, wherein the carrier box is a split structure; Locking mechanisms are provided on both sides of the carrier box. The locking mechanisms pass through the carrier box and are connected to the modular positioning mechanism. The locking mechanisms include baffles. The modular positioning mechanism includes at least two layers of vertically stacked positioning units, each layer of the positioning unit comprising: Support plate, the support plate being used to support the wafer body; A guide plate is disposed on the upper surface of the support plate, and the guide plate is used to guide the movement of the wafer body; An obstacle clearance groove is provided corresponding to the baffle, and the baffle is configured to physically limit the surface of the support plate.

[0006] Furthermore, the positioning unit also includes a vertical positioning mechanism. The upper surface of the support plate is provided with a second positioning rod, and the lower surface is provided with a second positioning groove. Adjacent positioning units are vertically stacked and positioned by the lower second positioning rod nesting the upper second positioning groove.

[0007] Furthermore, the positioning unit also includes a sensor, which is disposed on the rib of the support plate. The sensor is a photoelectric sensor and is configured to trigger the locking mechanism to operate after detecting that the wafer body is in place.

[0008] Furthermore, the carrier box includes a top plate, side wall, back plate and bottom plate from top to bottom. The top plate and the bottom plate are provided with mounting holes for connecting the locking mechanism. The top plate is provided with a first positioning groove. The uppermost positioning unit is nested in the first positioning groove through a second positioning rod. The base plate is provided with a first positioning rod, and the lowest positioning unit is nested in the first positioning rod through a second positioning groove. The sidewall is provided with air holes.

[0009] Furthermore, the outer side of the carrier box is provided with a plug plate and a connector. The plug plate is embedded in the outer side of the side wall, and the connector is disposed on the top plate. The connector is a quick-connect electromagnetic coupler for electrical connection with an external robotic arm.

[0010] Furthermore, the locking mechanism also includes a locking rod that passes through the mounting hole, and the baffle is fixedly connected to the locking rod; The cooperation between the baffle and the clearance groove satisfies the following: in the non-working state, the baffle is completely contained in the clearance groove and its top surface is flush with the upper surface of the support plate; in the working state, the locking rod drives the baffle to rise and form a physical limit. Furthermore, the front side of the guide plate is provided with an inclined flow guiding structure.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The semiconductor wafer anti-collision device provided by this invention significantly improves the safety and operational efficiency of wafers during transportation and storage through its innovative split structure, modular positioning mechanism, and intelligent locking system. Specific advantages are as follows: Dynamic anti-collision protection: When not in operation, the baffle of the locking mechanism is hidden in the clearance groove to ensure smooth loading and unloading of the wafer. During operation, the sensor detects the wafer's position in real time, and then the locking mechanism moves to make the baffle rise quickly to form a physical limit, effectively preventing the wafer from being displaced or damaged due to vibration, collision or external force.

[0012] The nested structure of the second positioning rod and the second positioning groove enables the vertical stacking of multi-layer positioning units to meet the carrying requirements of different numbers of wafers. Attached Figure Description Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view schematic diagram of the semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor wafer anti-collision device (excluding the carrier box) according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor wafer anti-collision device (excluding the carrier box and wafer body) according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle carrier box; Figure 6 for Figure 1 Left view of the middle carrier box; Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the AA section along the middle edge; Figure 8 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the positioning unit; Figure 9 for Figure 3 Top view of the positioning unit.

[0013] In the picture: 1. Carrier box; 11. Top plate; 12. Mounting hole; 13. Side wall; 14. First positioning rod; 15. Bottom plate; 16. Vent hole; 17. Back plate; 18. First positioning groove; 2. Locking mechanism; 21. Locking rod; 22. Baffle; 3. Positioning mechanism; 31. Support plate; 32. Second positioning rod; 33. Sensor; 34. Rib plate; 35. Guide plate; 36. Second positioning groove; 37. Recessed groove; 4. Wafer body; 5. Insert plate; 6. Connector. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0015] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0016] like Figures 1-4 As shown, in some embodiments, a semiconductor wafer anti-collision device includes a carrier box 1. The carrier box 1 is designed as a split structure, which facilitates assembly and maintenance. This split structure provides the carrier box 1 with a certain degree of rigidity while also offering flexibility and adaptability.

[0017] Locking mechanisms 2 are provided on both sides of the carrier box 1. These mechanisms pass through the carrier box 1 and are connected to the modular positioning mechanism 3. The locking mechanisms 2 securely fix the wafer 4 installed in the positioning mechanism 3, preventing the wafer 4 from shifting during transportation. Specifically, the locking mechanism 2 can be driven by an external driver to move up and down, thus activating the locking mechanism 2.

[0018] The locking mechanism 2 is designed to include multiple baffles 22, which can effectively prevent the wafer 4 from shifting relative to the positioning mechanism 3 during transportation, thereby avoiding impact or damage to the wafer 4.

[0019] Specifically, the modular positioning mechanism 3 includes at least two layers of vertically stacked positioning units, each layer of positioning units including: The support plate 31 is configured as two pieces, which are connected into a whole by the rib plate 34. The support plate 31 supports the wafer 4 and ensures its stability during movement.

[0020] The guide plate 35 is the same number as the support plate 31, and is also a two-piece plate. The guide plate 35 is installed on the upper surface of the support plate 31. Its main function is to guide the movement direction of the wafer 4 and prevent the wafer 4 from shifting during the movement.

[0021] A clearance groove 37 is provided corresponding to a baffle 22, which is configured to physically limit the movement of the wafer 4 during transport, thereby preventing collisions.

[0022] In this embodiment, the working process of the wafer anti-collision device is as follows: Wafer loading process: The wafer 4 is pushed into the support plate 31 along the guide plate 35 by an external robotic arm. At this time, the baffle 22 is fully embedded in the clearance groove 37 and its top surface is flush with the upper surface of the support plate 31 to ensure that it does not interfere with the smooth movement of the wafer 4.

[0023] Locking and limiting: After a specified number of wafers 4 are placed in the carrier box 1, the baffle 22 will automatically rise to form a physical limit, ensuring that the wafers 4 remain stable relative to the positioning mechanism 3 during transportation and preventing the wafers 4 from being impacted or damaged.

[0024] It should be noted that the beneficial effects of this embodiment are as follows: Dynamic anti-collision protection: When the locking mechanism 2 is not in operation, the baffle 22 is hidden in the clearance groove 37 to ensure smooth loading and unloading of the wafer 4; when in operation, the sensor 33 detects the position status of the wafer 4 in real time, and then the locking mechanism 2 is activated, and the baffle 22 rises quickly to form a physical limit, effectively preventing the wafer from being displaced or damaged due to vibration, collision or external force.

[0025] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the positioning unit further includes a vertical positioning structure. Specifically, the upper surface of the support plate 31 is provided with a second positioning rod 32, while its lower surface is provided with a second positioning groove 36. With this design, adjacent positioning units can achieve vertical stacking positioning by nesting the lower second positioning rod 32 into the upper second positioning groove 36. This vertical positioning structure design not only ensures precise alignment between positioning units but also improves the stability and reliability of the entire positioning mechanism 3. In addition, this vertical positioning structure design has the advantages of simple installation and flexible operation, making the entire positioning mechanism 3 more efficient and convenient in practical applications.

[0026] Using the above technology, the vertical stacking of multi-layer positioning units can be achieved through the interlocking structure of the second positioning rod 32 and the second positioning groove 36, so as to meet the carrying requirements of different numbers of wafers 4.

[0027] Furthermore, in some embodiments, each positioning unit also includes a sensor 33, which is disposed on the rib 34 of the support plate 31. Specifically, the sensor 33 is a photoelectric sensor configured to trigger the locking mechanism 2 when the wafer 4 is fully in place. The sensor 33 can accurately identify whether the wafer 4 has been correctly placed on the support plate 31. Once it detects that the wafer 4 has reached the predetermined position, it immediately sends a signal to the locking mechanism 2, thereby ensuring that the wafer 4 remains stable during transportation and preventing collisions or damage caused by inaccurate positioning.

[0028] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the carrier box 1 is designed from top to bottom to include a top plate 11, a side wall 13, a back plate 17, and a bottom plate 15. In particular, both the top plate 11 and the bottom plate 15 are designed with mounting holes 12, which are used to connect the locking mechanism 2, thereby ensuring the firmness of the locking mechanism 2.

[0029] Specifically, the top plate 11 is specially designed with a first positioning groove 18 so that the uppermost positioning unit can be precisely nested into the first positioning groove 18 through the second positioning rod 32, thereby ensuring the precise positioning and fixation of the positioning mechanism 3 at the top.

[0030] Furthermore, the design of the base plate 15 also embodies the concept of precise positioning, with a first positioning rod 14 installed on the base plate 15. The lowest positioning unit is nested with the first positioning rod 14 through the second positioning groove 36, thereby ensuring the precise positioning and fixation of the positioning mechanism 3 at the bottom.

[0031] The above design not only improves the positioning accuracy of the positioning mechanism 3 within the carrier box 1, but also enhances the stability of the positioning mechanism 3.

[0032] To further improve the transport quality of the wafer 4, vents 16 are specially designed on the sidewall 13 for heat dissipation and static electricity elimination. These vents 16 not only help with ventilation inside the carrier box 1, preventing the quality of the wafer 4 from being affected by excessive temperature, but also effectively reduce the entry of dust and contaminants into the carrier box 1, thereby protecting the wafer 4 from contamination and ensuring the production quality of the wafer 4.

[0033] The design of the split-type carrier box 1: the top plate 11, side wall 13, back plate 17 and bottom plate 15 can be combined with an aluminum alloy frame and an engineering plastic lining, which can ensure the overall rigidity and facilitate assembly and maintenance.

[0034] Furthermore, in some embodiments, an insert plate 5 and a connector 6 are specifically designed on the outer side of the carrier box 1. The insert plate 5 is cleverly fixed to the outer side of the side wall 13 of the carrier box 1, and its cooperation with the external transport container increases the stability of the device. The connector 6 is located above the top plate 11. Specifically, the connector 6 is designed as a quick-connect electromagnetic coupler, which allows it to be easily and quickly connected to the external transport container, thereby achieving an efficient and stable connection. This design enables the anti-collision device in this embodiment to achieve a fast and reliable connection with the external transport container, improving the efficiency of wafer transport.

[0035] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the locking mechanism 2 further includes a locking rod 21, which passes through the mounting hole 12 and is slidably connected to the top plate 11 and the bottom plate 15, allowing the locking rod 21 to move up and down when driven by an external force. Specifically, the locking rod 21 also passes through the clearance groove 37 and is slidably connected to the support plate 31. The clearance groove 37 and the mounting hole 12 further ensure the verticality of the locking rod 21, thereby ensuring the stability of the baffle 22. This prevents the baffle 22 from squeezing the wafer 4 when the carrier box 1 collides, thus reducing the risk of the wafer 4 breaking.

[0036] Furthermore, the baffle 22 and the locking rod 21 are fixed as a whole, so that the locking rod 21 can move along with the baffle 22 when driven, thereby limiting the position of the wafer 4. This design allows the locking mechanism 2 to provide precise control during operation, ensuring accurate positioning of the wafer 4 and stability during transportation.

[0037] Specifically, the baffle 22 has a groove that engages with the support plate 31, ensuring that the top surface of the baffle 22 is flush with the top surface of the support plate 31. This design ensures a smooth transition between the baffle 22 and the support plate 31 during the operation of the locking mechanism 2, thereby preventing unnecessary friction or damage to the wafer 4 during the insertion of the positioning unit.

[0038] In this embodiment, the cooperation between the baffle 22 and the clearance groove 37 is as follows: In the non-working state, the baffle 22 is in a low position, with its top surface flush with the upper surface of the support plate 31, thus not affecting the normal insertion of the wafer 4 into the positioning unit. In the working state, the locking rod 21 drives the baffle 22 upward, forming a physical limit to ensure that the wafer 4 does not change position during transportation, improving the safety and reliability of wafer 4 transportation. This design allows the locking mechanism 2 to provide dual protection during wafer 4 transportation, ensuring both transportation safety and stability.

[0039] Furthermore, the baffle 22 has an arc-shaped contact surface with the wafer 4, allowing it to better conform to the side of the wafer 4 and better stabilize it. To further ensure the transport quality of the wafer 4, a flexible pad is specially provided on this arc-shaped surface, making the contact between the wafer 4 and the baffle 22 a soft contact, greatly reducing the breakage rate of the wafer 4 and improving the transport quality and efficiency. The arc-shaped structure and flexible pad covering the contact surface between the baffle 22 and the wafer 4 further reduce contact stress, decrease the risk of wafer breakage, and improve transport safety. like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the front end of the guide plate 35 is designed as an inclined flow guiding structure. This design allows the guide plate 35 to effectively guide the movement direction of the wafer 4 when it is loaded into the positioning unit, thereby reducing the possibility of the wafer 4 colliding with other parts of the device during movement. This inclined flow guiding structure ensures the stability of the wafer 4 during loading, improving the safety and reliability of the entire semiconductor wafer 4 processing process.

[0040] Specifically, the front end of the guide plate 35 can be designed with a tilt angle of 10° to 15° to guide the wafer 4 to slide smoothly into the support plate 31, reduce friction damage, optimize the transmission path, improve production efficiency, reduce wafer damage caused by collisions, and thus reduce production costs.

[0041] The typical working process of the above embodiments is as follows: Assembly stage: Step 1: Take one of the positioning units and install it on the base plate 15. Fix the first positioning unit by interlocking the first positioning rod 14 with the second positioning groove 36. Insert the bottom of the locking rod 21 into the base plate 15. Step 2: Install the positioning units to be installed one by one upwards. After the two adjacent positioning units are respectively fitted and fixed into the second positioning rod 32 and the second positioning groove 36, the assembly operation of the positioning mechanism 3 is completed. Step 3: Assemble the side panel and back panel 17, and connect the bottom of the back panel 17 to the bottom panel 15. The connection can be made by snap-fit ​​or screw. Connect the top panel 11 to the uppermost positioning unit. Specifically, the second positioning rod 32 is engaged with the first positioning groove 18. The top panel 11 is connected to the top of the side panel and the back panel 17. The wafer anti-collision device is assembled by following the above steps. The locking rod 21 is driven up and down by an external drive device to test the limiting function of the baffle 22.

[0042] Mounting stage; Step 1: Using a robotic arm, the wafers 4 to be transported are sequentially loaded into the positioning unit from top to bottom.

[0043] Step 2: Based on the detection results of sensor 33, the locking rod 21 is driven to move upward by an external drive device, so that the arc surface of the baffle 22 is in contact with the side of the wafer 4 to ensure the stability of the wafer 4 position.

[0044] Transportation phase: An external transport container is connected to connector 6, enabling the transfer of wafer 4 between multiple work areas via the external transport container.

[0045] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0046] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0047] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive, and the accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. In conclusion, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for preventing collisions on semiconductor wafers, characterized in that, Includes a carrier box (1), which is a split structure; Locking mechanisms (2) are provided on both sides of the carrier box (1). The locking mechanisms (2) pass through the carrier box (1) and are connected to the modular positioning mechanism (3). The locking mechanisms (2) include baffles (22). The modular positioning mechanism (3) includes at least two layers of vertically stacked positioning units, each layer of the positioning unit including: Support plate (31), the support plate (31) is used to support the wafer body (4); A guide plate (35) is disposed on the upper surface of the support plate (31) and is used to guide the movement of the wafer body (4); The clearance groove (37) is provided in correspondence with the baffle (22), and the baffle (22) is configured to physically limit the surface of the support plate (31).

2. The semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning unit also includes a vertical positioning structure. The upper surface of the support plate (31) is provided with a second positioning rod (32) and the lower surface is provided with a second positioning groove (36). Adjacent positioning units achieve vertical stacking positioning by nesting the lower second positioning rod (32) with the upper second positioning groove (36).

3. The semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning unit also includes a sensor (33), which is disposed on the rib (34) of the support plate (31). The sensor (33) is a photoelectric sensor and is configured to trigger the locking mechanism (2) to operate after the wafer body (4) is in place.

4. The semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier box (1) includes a top plate (11), a side wall (13), a back plate (17) and a bottom plate (15) from top to bottom. The top plate (11) and the bottom plate (15) are provided with mounting holes (12) for connecting the locking mechanism (2). The top plate (11) is provided with a first positioning groove (18). The uppermost positioning unit is nested in the first positioning groove (18) through a second positioning rod (32). The base plate (15) is provided with a first positioning rod (14), and the lowest positioning unit is nested in the first positioning rod (14) through a second positioning groove (36). The sidewall (13) is provided with air holes (16).

5. The semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer side of the carrier box (1) is provided with a plug plate (5) and a connector (6). The plug plate (5) is embedded in the outer side of the side wall (13). The connector (6) is set on the top plate (11). The connector (6) is a quick-connect electromagnetic coupler used for electrical connection with an external robotic arm.

6. The semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The locking mechanism (2) further includes a locking rod (21), which passes through the mounting hole (12), and the baffle (22) is fixedly connected to the locking rod (21); The cooperation between the baffle (22) and the clearance groove (37) satisfies the following: when not in operation, the baffle (22) is completely contained in the clearance groove (37) and its top surface is flush with the upper surface of the support plate (31); when in operation, the locking rod (21) drives the baffle (22) to rise and form a physical limit.

7. The semiconductor wafer anti-collision device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front side of the guide plate (35) is provided with an inclined flow guiding structure.

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