Wafer clamping mechanism, wafer cleaning device and cleaning method

Abstract

The invention discloses a wafer clamping mechanism, a wafer cleaning device and a cleaning method, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing. The wafer clamping mechanism comprises a turntable; the clamping assemblies are arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotary disc and at least comprise the first clamping assembly and the second clamping assembly. Each clamping assembly comprises a vertical rod and a clamping jaw arranged on the top of the vertical rod. The vertical rod is meshed with the peripheral side of the rotating disc through a gear structure, so that the rotating disc rotates to drive the vertical rod to synchronously rotate around the axis of the vertical rod, and then the clamping jaws are driven to be switched between the opening posture and the closing posture. The initial offset angle of the clamping jaws of the clamping assemblies is set as follows: when the rotary table rotates by a set angle in the first direction, the first clamping assembly is closed, and the second clamping assembly is opened; when the rotary table rotates by another set angle in the opposite direction, the first clamping assembly is opened, and the second clamping assembly is closed; and the state switching assembly is arranged below the rotating disc and drives the rotating disc to rotate through a reverser so as to change the state of the clamping assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a wafer clamping mechanism, a wafer cleaning apparatus, and a cleaning method. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, wafer cleaning is a crucial and frequently performed step, as its cleanliness directly affects the success or failure of subsequent processes such as thin film deposition, photolithography, and etching, as well as the performance and yield of the final device. With the continuous miniaturization of integrated circuit technology nodes, the requirements for controlling contaminants on wafer surfaces are becoming increasingly stringent, making efficient, uniform, and non-destructive single-wafer cleaning technology a key to industry development.

[0003] In single-wafer cleaning equipment, the wafer clamping mechanism is the core component for reliably fixing and rotating the wafer at high speed for processes such as spraying, brushing, or drying. Its design must meet several stringent requirements: first, it must provide stable and uniform clamping force to ensure that the wafer does not slip or vibrate under high-speed rotation, maintaining excellent concentricity and orientation stability; second, it must minimize obstruction of the wafer surface to avoid forming cleaning "blind spots," thereby ensuring full coverage and uniformity of surface treatment; and third, the mechanism itself must possess good chemical corrosion resistance, anti-contamination properties, and long-life reliability.

[0004] Currently, the wafer clamping mechanisms commonly used in the industry mainly have the following two typical designs and their inherent defects:

[0005] Existing solution one employs multiple independently operating jaws distributed along the circumference of the wafer. Each jaw typically incorporates a built-in elastic element (such as a spring) that can independently extend and retract to adapt to the outer edge of the wafer and apply clamping force. However, this design has a significant problem: because the clamping force of each jaw originates from its own independent spring, the centrifugal force experienced by each jaw and the frictional force between the jaw and the wafer differ during high-speed wafer rotation. This can easily lead to minute, uneven displacement or wobbling of the wafer, a problem known as "concentricity drift." This not only affects process uniformity but, in extreme cases, may cause the wafer to detach or collide, posing a risk of wafer breakage.

[0006] Existing Solution 2 simplifies the structure by using a set of fixed jaws or clamping points. While this improves clamping stability to some extent, it introduces a more prominent "cleaning blind spot" problem. Because the clamping points are fixed in position, the area in contact with the wafer is consistently blocked throughout the cleaning process, preventing the cleaning medium (such as chemicals, ultrapure water, or gas) from effectively reaching this area. To clean these blocked areas, it is typically necessary to pause the process during a single cleaning cycle, manually or through a complex external mechanism to loosen and reposition the wafer, and then repeat the cleaning process. This "step-by-step clamping, step-by-step cleaning" operation mode not only significantly extends the total process time for a single cleaning cycle and reduces equipment throughput, but also introduces additional contamination risks and operational complexity due to the added wafer handling and repositioning steps. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a wafer clamping mechanism, a wafer cleaning apparatus, and a cleaning method to at least partially solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a wafer clamping mechanism is provided, comprising:

[0009] Turntable;

[0010] A clamping assembly is arranged along the circumference of the turntable and includes at least a first clamping assembly and a second clamping assembly; each clamping assembly includes a vertical rod and a claw disposed on the top of the vertical rod; the vertical rod meshes with the outer circumference of the turntable through a gear structure, so that the rotation of the turntable can drive the vertical rod to rotate synchronously around its own axis, thereby driving the claw to switch between an open position and a closed position.

[0011] The initial offset angle of the jaws of the clamping assembly is set as follows: when the turntable rotates by a set angle in the first direction, the first clamping assembly closes and the second clamping assembly opens; when the turntable rotates by another set angle in the opposite direction, the first clamping assembly opens and the second clamping assembly closes.

[0012] The state switching component is located below the turntable. It drives the turntable to rotate via a commutator to change the state of the clamping component.

[0013] In some embodiments, the commutator includes a first slider, a second slider, and a swing member, the swing member being connected between the first slider and the second slider; the state switching component drives the first slider to move vertically, thereby driving the swing member to swing around a fixed point to drive the second slider to move horizontally; the second slider is equipped with a rack that meshes with a first gear of the turntable, and the moving second slider drives the turntable to rotate.

[0014] In some embodiments, a magnetic plate is disposed below the first slider, and the state switching component includes a magnetic ring. The magnetic plates and the magnetic ring have the same magnetic poles on their opposite sides, so as to drive the first slider to move vertically through the magnetic repulsion between the two.

[0015] In some embodiments, the second slider is slidably disposed on a horizontal slide rail, the horizontal slide rail being disposed on a slide rail fixing frame, and the swing member is hinged to the side of the slide rail fixing frame.

[0016] In some embodiments, a second gear is disposed on the outer periphery of the turntable, and a third gear is disposed on the outer periphery of the upright, the two being meshed with each other; the wafer clamping mechanism further includes a fixing ring located below the turntable for vertically fixing the upright.

[0017] In some embodiments, the wafer clamping mechanism further includes a bottom cover disposed below the turntable for fixing the commutator; the fixing ring is concentrically disposed on the outer edge of the bottom cover, and the uprights of the clamping assembly are spaced apart from the fixing ring; an auxiliary rod is disposed below the uprights, and a first spring is disposed on the outer periphery of the auxiliary rod, which is located between the fixing ring and the bottom cover.

[0018] In some embodiments, the slide rail fixing bracket is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the bottom cover, and is provided with a limiting block. The limiting block is disposed at the end of the slide rail fixing bracket to limit the movement distance of the second sliding member.

[0019] In some embodiments, the number of commutators is multiple, and they are evenly distributed along the center of the turntable; the wafer clamping mechanism further includes a second spring disposed between the commutators, and one end of the second spring is connected to the turntable, and the other end is connected to the bottom cover.

[0020] In some embodiments, the wafer clamping mechanism further includes a top cover that is fitted over the turntable and exposes the claws at the top of the uprights to clamp the wafer to be processed.

[0021] In some embodiments, the state switching component includes a first driving member and a second driving member, the output of which is connected to the magnetic ring; the first driving member drives the magnetic ring to move, thereby driving all the jaws of the clamping component to open, so as to place the wafer to be processed; the second driving member drives the magnetic ring to move, thereby driving the jaws of the clamping component to open and close alternately, so as to expose and clean the edge areas of the wafer that have been clamped by different jaws in sequence.

[0022] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, a wafer cleaning apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0023] Box;

[0024] The wafer clamping mechanism described above is located inside the housing, and a drive mechanism is configured below it to drive the clamped wafer to rotate around the axis.

[0025] The post-processing mechanism is located above the wafer clamping mechanism to perform post-processing processes on the rotating wafer.

[0026] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of this application, a wafer cleaning method is provided, employing the wafer clamping mechanism described above, which includes the following steps:

[0027] Step 1: Drive the turntable to the first angle, so that the first set of jaws closes to clamp the wafer, and the second set of jaws opens;

[0028] Step 2: During the wafer rotation and cleaning process, drive the turntable to rotate to a set angle to a second angle, so that the first set of jaws opens and the second set of jaws closes, thereby switching the clamping area of ​​the wafer.

[0029] Step 3: Continue cleaning the wafer.

[0030] The beneficial effects of this invention include:

[0031] a. Achieving blind-spot-free comprehensive cleaning of the wafer surface: By setting up a first and second clamping assembly with an initial bias angle, and coordinating with the forward and reverse rotation control of the turntable, the two sets of jaws can alternately be in open and closed states. During the cleaning process, the clamping state can be switched by driving the turntable, allowing the wafer edge areas that were originally blocked by the jaws to be exposed to the cleaning medium in sequence, thereby completely eliminating cleaning blind spots and ensuring the uniformity and integrity of the wafer surface cleaning;

[0032] b. Improve clamping stability and concentricity to prevent wafer drift: The uprights of each clamping component mesh with the outer periphery of the turntable via a gear structure. When the turntable rotates, all uprights can be synchronously driven to rotate around their own axes, thereby causing the jaws to change their posture uniformly. This linkage mechanism ensures the synchronicity and consistency of the jaw movements, avoiding uneven clamping force caused by independent driving. This maintains stable wafer clamping and excellent concentricity during high-speed rotation, preventing wafer displacement or vibration.

[0033] c. Achieving continuous automated cleaning and significantly improving process efficiency: The wafer clamping mechanism, through the state switching component and commutator, can automatically switch the clamping state without interrupting the process or requiring manual intervention or external mechanism intervention. Compared with the existing "step-by-step clamping" method that requires stopping the machine and repositioning the wafer, this invention supports continuous clamping state changes and comprehensive cleaning in a single cleaning process, greatly shortening process time and improving equipment capacity and automation level;

[0034] d. Compact and reliable structure, suitable for harsh process environments: The transmission method of magnetic repulsion drive combined with commutator realizes non-contact state switching control, reducing the risk of mechanical wear and particulate contamination; at the same time, the upright and commutator are limited and reset by the structure of fixed ring, bottom cover, spring, etc., which enhances the overall rigidity, corrosion resistance and long-term operational reliability of the mechanism, meeting the high standard requirements of cleanliness and stability of semiconductor cleaning equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer clamping mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the wafer clamping mechanism after the top cover has been removed in the embodiment;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a pole provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a top view of the clamping components holding the wafer;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a commutator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a turntable provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a pole installed on a fixing ring according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a state switching component provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer cleaning apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0046] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0047] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer clamping mechanism 100 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the wafer clamping mechanism 100 after the top cover 80 is removed in the embodiment is shown to better illustrate its internal structure.

[0049] The wafer clamping mechanism 100 includes:

[0050] Turntable 10;

[0051] The clamping assembly 20 is arranged circumferentially along the turntable 10 to horizontally clamp the wafer to be processed.

[0052] In this invention, the clamping assembly 20 is used to provide radial clamping force from the outer peripheral edge of the wafer in a horizontal plane. There are at least two sets of clamping assemblies 20, and each set includes at least two clamps spaced apart circumferentially to achieve alternating switching of the wafer clamping position as mentioned below. Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping assembly 20 includes a first clamping assembly 20A and a second clamping assembly 20B to alternately clamp the wafer. The first clamping assembly 20A may include three clamping units that are evenly spaced circumferentially, and the second clamping assembly 20B also includes three clamping units, which are staggered with the clamping units of the first clamping assembly 20A to form six evenly distributed clamping points.

[0053] The clamping assembly 20 includes a vertical rod 21, and a claw 22 is provided at the top of the vertical rod 21, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the chuck 22 is offset at the top of the support 21. Specifically, the centerline of the clamping surface of the chuck 22 (i.e., the curved surface in contact with the wafer edge) is offset from the axis of the support 21. As the support 21 rotates around its own axis, the chuck 22 can move to different positions, causing the distance between the outer peripheral wall of the chuck 22 and the edge of the wafer to change, thereby changing the wafer clamping state. When this distance is less than the actual radius of the wafer, the chuck is in a "closed position," applying clamping force to the wafer; when this distance is greater than or equal to the actual radius of the wafer, the chuck is in an "open position," releasing the clamping of the wafer.

[0054] In this invention, the upright 21 meshes with the outer periphery of the turntable 10 through a gear structure, so that the rotation of the turntable 10 can drive the upright 21 to rotate synchronously around its own axis, thereby driving the pawl 22 to switch between open and closed positions.

[0055] More specifically, all the gears of the uprights 21 have the same gear structure parameters and the same meshing relationship with the turntable 10, thus ensuring that all the uprights 21 rotate completely synchronously and equally when the turntable 10 rotates at any angle. This rigid linkage design effectively eliminates the problems of uneven wafer force and concentricity drift caused by asynchronous movement of each clamping point.

[0056] In this invention, the initial offset angle of the jaws 22 of the clamping assembly 20 is set as follows: when the turntable 10 rotates by a set angle in the first direction, the first clamping assembly 20A closes and the second clamping assembly 20B opens; when the turntable 10 rotates in the opposite direction, the first clamping assembly 20A opens and the second clamping assembly 20B closes.

[0057] Furthermore, the "setting angle" is determined by the geometry of the chuck 22, the initial offset angle, and the gear ratio. Through precise design, this setting angle is typically small (e.g., 70°-85°), enabling rapid and precise state switching. In a preferred embodiment, the setting angle allows the turntable 10 to rotate only about 80° to achieve a state switch of a set of chucks from fully open to fully closed (or vice versa).

[0058] Figure 4This is a top view of the clamping assembly 20 clamping the wafer W with the jaws 22. The jaws 22 indicated by the dashed lines show that the clamping assembly 20 is in the open state, and the jaws 22 indicated by the center line show that the clamping assembly 20 is in the closed state after the upright 21 is rotated in the opposite direction.

[0059] Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the uprights 21 corresponding to the first clamping assembly 20A and the second clamping assembly 20B are alternately arranged, so that the jaws 22 corresponding to each set of clamping assemblies 20 are relatively evenly distributed on the edge of the wafer to ensure uniform clamping force on the wafer. Specifically, the jaws 22 of the first clamping assembly 20A are positioned... Figure 4 When shown in the solid line state, the jaw 22 of the second clamping assembly 20B is in the position... Figure 4 The dotted lines indicate the state of rotation. When the turntable 10 rotates, the upright 21 rotates around its axis, causing the jaws 22 of the first clamping assembly 20A to switch from a solid line state to a dotted line state, while the jaws 22 of the second clamping assembly 20B switch from a dotted line state to a center line state. That is, the first clamping assembly 20A switches from a closed state to an open state, while the second clamping assembly 20B switches from an open state to a closed state.

[0060] In this invention, the wafer clamping mechanism 100 further includes a state switching component 30, which is disposed below the turntable 10. The turntable 10 is rotated by a commutator 40 to change the state of the clamping component 20.

[0061] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a commutator 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the commutator 40 includes a first sliding member 41, a second sliding member 42, and a swing member 43, wherein the swing member 43 is connected between the first sliding member 41 and the second sliding member 42. The state switching component 30 drives the first sliding member 41 to move vertically, thereby driving the swing member 43 to swing around a fixed point, which in turn drives the second sliding member 42 to move horizontally. The second sliding member 42 is equipped with a rack 44, which meshes with the first gear 11 of the turntable 10. The moving second sliding member 42 drives the turntable 10 to rotate.

[0062] In this invention, the oscillating member 43 is essentially a lever, one end of which is fixed to the slide rail bracket 47 via a hinge shaft. The vertical displacement of the first sliding member 41 is amplified or converted into the horizontal displacement of the second sliding member 42 through the lever, thereby realizing the conversion of the motion direction and the transmission of force. This commutator 40 has a compact structure and is particularly suitable for arrangement in the confined space below the wafer clamping mechanism 100.

[0063] Furthermore, a magnetic plate 45 is disposed below the first slider 41, and the state switching component 30 includes... Figure 1 and Figure 2The magnetic ring 33 shown has the same magnetic poles on the opposite side of the magnetic plate 45, so that the first sliding member 41 can be moved vertically by the magnetic repulsion between the two.

[0064] The use of non-contact magnetic repulsion drive has significant advantages: First, it avoids the problems of physical contact and sealing between the drive component and the moving component, completely eliminating particulate contamination caused by wear at mechanical connections, which is particularly in line with the stringent cleanliness requirements of semiconductor equipment; Second, the magnetic force is smooth and impact-free, which helps to improve the stability and accuracy of clamping state switching; Third, the magnetic ring 33, as the drive source, can be set outside the relatively enclosed clean area, while the magnetic plate 45 is located inside, which facilitates the overall sealing and protection of the equipment.

[0065] Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, the second sliding member 42 is slidably disposed on the horizontal slide rail 46, which is disposed above the slide rail fixing frame 47, and the swing member 43 is hinged to the side of the slide rail fixing frame 47. Driven by the vertically moving first sliding member 41, the swing member 43 rotates around the hinge point to drive the rack 44 disposed on the horizontal slide rail 46 to move.

[0066] Furthermore, the slide rail fixing frame 47 is equipped with a limiting block 48, which is located at the end of the slide rail fixing frame 47 to limit the movement distance of the second sliding member 42 and prevent the claw 22 on the upright 21 from moving beyond its limit and crushing the wafer. The limiting block 48 plays a crucial role, as it precisely defines the horizontal travel endpoint of the second sliding member 42, thereby indirectly and precisely controlling the rotation angle of the turntable 10 (i.e., the aforementioned "set angle"). At the same time, by adjusting the position of the limiting block 48, the opening and closing range of the clamping assembly 20 can also be finely adjusted to accommodate wafers with different thicknesses or slightly fluctuating sizes.

[0067] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a turntable 10 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. A second gear 12 is disposed on the outer periphery of the turntable 10, and a support rod 21 is disposed below the support rod 21. Figure 3 The third gear 23 shown is meshed with the second gear 12. The turntable 10, which rotates about the central axis, can drive the upright 21 to rotate about its axis through gear meshing.

[0068] Preferably, the second gear 12 is an internal gear, and the third gear 23 is an external gear. The third gear 23 of all uprights 21 meshes with the second gear 12 of the same turntable 10. This "planetary gear" layout is very compact and has extremely high power transmission synchronization. The module and number of teeth of the gears need to be optimized according to the required clamping force transmission efficiency and rotation angle.

[0069] In this invention, the uprights 21 of each clamping assembly 20 mesh with the outer periphery of the turntable 10 via a gear structure. When the turntable 10 rotates, all uprights 21 can be synchronously driven to rotate around their own axes, thereby causing the jaws 22 to change their posture uniformly. This linkage mechanism ensures the synchronicity and consistency of the actions of each jaw 22, avoiding the problem of uneven clamping force caused by independent driving. This maintains stable clamping and excellent concentricity of the wafer during high-speed rotation, preventing wafer displacement or vibration.

[0070] In this invention, the wafer clamping mechanism 100 further includes a fixing ring 50, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the retaining ring 50 is located below the turntable 10 and is used to vertically fix the upright 21. Furthermore, the retaining ring 50 not only provides radial support for the lower part of the upright 21, limiting its radial movement, but more importantly, it, together with the bottom cover 60, forms the axial positioning reference surface of the upright 21, ensuring that all the jaws 22 are at the same horizontal height, thereby ensuring that the wafer is horizontally clamped.

[0071] Furthermore, the wafer clamping mechanism 100 also includes a bottom cover 60, which is disposed below the turntable 10 for fixing the commutator 40. A retaining ring 50 is provided on the upper side of the outer edge of the bottom cover 60, and the uprights 21 of the clamping assembly 20 are spaced apart from the retaining ring 50.

[0072] An auxiliary rod 24 is provided below the upright 21, which passes through the mounting hole of the fixing ring 50 and is connected to the upright 21. To ensure that the upright 21 can rotate around its own axis, the outer diameter of the auxiliary rod 24 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting hole. A first spring 25 is disposed on the outer periphery of the auxiliary rod 24, such as... Figure 7 As shown, it is located between the fixing ring 50 and the bottom cover 60. The first spring 25 is designed to absorb the vibration generated by gear meshing, ensuring the stability of the clamping assembly 20 during opening and closing.

[0073] The first spring 25 is a compression spring, which has a certain preload during assembly. This preload acts upward on the retaining ring 50 and downward on the bottom cover 60, forming a flexible axial support. Its advantages are: it can compensate for minor axial clearances in the gear transmission chain, ensuring stable meshing; it acts as a buffer when the mechanism is subjected to slight axial impacts; and its elastic force helps maintain the uniformity of the entire clamping mechanism's stiffness in the vertical direction.

[0074] It should be noted that the bottom surface of the fixing ring 50 is provided with a groove 51, the mounting hole of the fixing rod 21 is set in the groove 51, and the first spring 25 is set in the groove 51 to ensure the compactness of the structure.

[0075] In this invention, there are three commutators 40, which are evenly distributed along the center of the turntable 10 and located inside the bottom cover 60. Specifically, the slide rail fixing bracket 47 of the commutator 40 is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the bottom cover 60, and the swing member 43 is hinged to the side of the slide rail fixing bracket 47. In some embodiments, the swing member 43 has a V-shaped structure, and a certain gap is provided between it and the inner bottom surface of the bottom cover 60 to facilitate the swing member 43 to swing around the hinge point and prevent the swing member 43 from interfering with the bottom cover 60.

[0076] Setting up multiple commutators 40 evenly distributed circumferentially to jointly drive the same turntable 10 has several advantages: the driving torque is applied evenly to different positions around the turntable 10, avoiding deformation or jamming of the turntable 10 that may be caused by single-point driving; the reliability and redundancy of the drive system are improved, and even if a single commutator 40 malfunctions, the remaining commutators 40 can still provide some driving force to prevent the mechanism from completely locking up; multiple magnetic plates 45 interact with the same magnetic ring 33, increasing the total magnetic repulsion force, making the drive more powerful and smoother.

[0077] Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the wafer clamping mechanism 100 further includes a second spring 70, which is disposed between adjacent commutators 40, and one end of the second spring 70 is connected to the turntable 10, and the other end is connected to the bottom cover 60.

[0078] In this invention, the second spring 70 is a tension spring, which constitutes the reset and pre-tightening mechanism of the turntable 10. Its working principle is as follows: In its natural state, the tension of the second spring 70 keeps the turntable 10 in a default angle position, corresponding to the state where the first clamping assembly 20A is closed and the second clamping assembly 20B is open. When the commutator 40 drives the turntable 10 to rotate against the spring force, energy is stored in the spring. Once the driving force is removed (the magnetic ring 33 moves away), the restoring force of the second spring 70 pulls the turntable 10 back to the default position. This design ensures that the clamping state has a clear "default position" and "switch position". Simultaneously, the spring force also directly contributes to the clamping force of the jaws 22 on the wafer, making the clamping force gentle and adjustable.

[0079] Furthermore, the wafer clamping mechanism 100 also includes a top cover 80, which is sleeved above the turntable 10 to cover the internal components of the wafer clamping mechanism 100 and prevent various moving parts from contacting the wafer cleaning fluid. At the same time, the top surface of the top cover 80 is provided with a through hole, through which the upright 21 passes to expose the claw 22 at the top of the upright 21, thereby facilitating the clamping of the wafer to be processed.

[0080] The top cover 80 and the bottom cover 60 together form a basically sealed housing, protecting precision transmission components such as gears and commutator 40, and isolating them from the cleaning chamber above. This greatly reduces the risk of corrosion, jamming, or contamination caused by the intrusion of cleaning solutions or vapors, and improves the long-term reliability of the equipment in harsh chemical environments.

[0081] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a state switching component 30 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The state switching component 30 includes a first driving member 31 and a second driving member 32, the output of which is connected to a magnetic ring 33. The first driving member 31 drives the magnetic ring 33 to move, thereby driving all the jaws 22 of the clamping component 20 to open, so as to place the wafer to be processed. The second driving member 32 drives the magnetic ring 33 to move, thereby driving the jaws 22 of the clamping component 20 to open and close alternately, so as to expose and clean the edge areas of the wafer that have been clamped by different jaws in sequence.

[0082] The first drive element 31 and the second drive element 32 can be linear motion mechanisms such as cylinders, linear motors, or precision lead screw modules. They are comprised of a wafer cleaning device 1000. Figure 9 The main controller coordinates the control (shown in the diagram). The first drive unit 31 has a shorter stroke, and its drive magnetic ring 33 rises to a lower position. The resulting magnetic repulsion force is sufficient to overcome the resultant force of all the second springs 70, causing the turntable 10 to rotate to a "fully open" angle. At this time, all the grippers 22 are in the open position, which facilitates the loading and unloading of materials by the robot arm. The second drive unit 32 has a longer stroke and can reciprocate. Its drive magnetic ring 33 reciprocates near a higher position. Each movement generates only a magnetic repulsion force sufficient to overcome the spring force and drive the turntable 10 to rotate by a "set angle", thereby realizing the alternating switching of the two sets of gripper states.

[0083] This embodiment further illustrates a wafer cleaning process based on the wafer clamping mechanism 100 described above. The core of this method lies in dynamically changing the clamped area on the wafer by controlling the switching of the turntable 10 between two specific angles during the continuous rotation and cleaning process of the wafer, thereby achieving full coverage and blind-spot-free cleaning of the wafer edges. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0084] Step 1: Wafer Placement and Initial Clamping. First, the drive state switching component 30, i.e., the first drive component 31, raises the magnetic ring 33 to a low position, so that the jaws 22 of all clamping components 20 are in the open position. The wafer to be processed is placed in the space enclosed by these open jaws 22. Subsequently, the driving force is removed or changed (e.g., the magnetic ring 33 descends), so that the turntable 10 is positioned at a first angle by the action of the reset mechanism (such as the second spring 70) or by the drive of the state switching component 30. At this first angle, according to the initial bias angle design of the jaws 22, the jaws 22 of the first clamping component 20A rotate to the closed position, thereby clamping the wafer from the first set of clamping points; at the same time, the jaws 22 of the second clamping component 20B are in the open position, and the corresponding wafer edge area is exposed. The drive mechanism is activated, so that the wafer clamping mechanism 100, together with the clamped wafer, rotates at high speed around the central axis.

[0085] Step 2: Switching the clamping area during the cleaning process. As the wafer continues to rotate and be cleaned, when it is necessary to clean the area initially blocked by the first clamping assembly 20A, the drive state switching assembly 30, i.e., through the second drive component 32, moves the magnetic ring 33 to a specific high position, causing it to drive the turntable 10 to rotate by a preset angle via the commutator 40, from the first angle to a second angle. This rotation of the turntable 10 synchronously drives all the uprights 21 to rotate via the gear structure, causing the jaws 22 of the first clamping assembly 20A to switch from a closed position to an open position, thereby releasing the wafer area it was originally clamping; simultaneously, the jaws 22 of the second clamping assembly 20B switch from an open position to a closed position, and then clamp their corresponding previously cleaned wafer area. Thus, the clamped area of ​​the wafer completes the switch from the first set of clamping points to the second set of clamping points, exposing the previously blocked area.

[0086] Step 3: Continue cleaning the exposed area. After the clamping area switch is completed, the wafer continues to rotate at high speed. At this time, the cleaning medium can directly act on the wafer edge area that has just been exposed and was originally blocked by the first clamping component 20A, while other parts of the wafer (including the area being clamped by the second clamping component 20B) continue to be cleaned or rinsed.

[0087] Optionally, depending on process requirements, steps two and three can be repeated, causing the turntable 10 to switch between the first and second angles again, thereby achieving multiple alternations of the clamping area and ensuring that the entire circumferential edge of the wafer is thoroughly cleaned. After all cleaning processes are completed, all jaws 22 can be driven to open and the wafer removed.

[0088] Through the above method, the present invention enables the sequential cleaning of all areas corresponding to the clamping points of the wafer in a single, continuous cleaning process without interrupting rotation or removing the wafer, effectively eliminating the cleaning blind spots caused by fixed clamping and significantly improving cleaning uniformity and process efficiency.

[0089] The following is combined with Figure 2 The provided embodiments illustrate in detail the operation of the wafer clamping mechanism 100 during a complete cleaning process cycle:

[0090] Step S1: Loading and Initial Clamping. The controller activates the first drive unit 31, raising the magnetic ring 33 to the "fully open" low position. Under the action of strong magnetic repulsion, all commutators 40 actuate, driving the turntable 10 to rotate to the "fully open" angle, and all uprights 21 rotate synchronously, causing the jaws 22 of the first clamping assembly 20A and the second clamping assembly 20B to fully open. The robot moves the wafer to be cleaned above the open jaws 22 and places it. Subsequently, the first drive unit 31 drives the magnetic ring 33 to descend and move away. After the magnetic repulsion disappears, under the reset pull of the second spring 70, the turntable 10 rotates back to the default angle. According to the initial design, at this time, the jaws 22 of the first clamping assembly 20A rotate to the closed position, firmly clamping the wafer; the jaws 22 of the second clamping assembly 20B are in the open position, exposing the corresponding wafer edge area. The drive mechanism (not shown in the figure) begins to drive the entire wafer clamping mechanism 100 and the wafer to rotate at high speed.

[0091] Step S2: First area cleaning. While the wafer is rotating at high speed, Figure 9 The post-processing mechanism 300 (e.g., a spray bar) begins spraying cleaning media onto the wafer surface. At this time, the wafer edge region corresponding to the second clamping assembly 20B is fully exposed and undergoes thorough cleaning. Although the region corresponding to the first clamping assembly 20A is blocked by its jaws, the wafer is stably clamped and rotated at high speed for cleaning of other areas.

[0092] Step S3: Initial clamping state switching. After a predetermined time (ensuring the exposed area is thoroughly cleaned), the controller activates the second drive unit 32, raising the magnetic ring 33 to the "switching" high position. The magnetic ring 33 and the magnetic plate 45 generate a repulsive force, driving the commutator 40 to rotate the turntable 10 along the first direction (e.g., clockwise) by a "set angle" (e.g., 80°). This rotation causes: the upright 21 of the first clamping assembly 20A to rotate in the opposite direction, and its jaws 22 to switch from the closed position to the open position, releasing the wafer in the corresponding area; simultaneously, the upright 21 of the second clamping assembly 20B also rotates in the opposite direction, and its jaws 22 to switch from the open position to the closed position, clamping the wafer in the corresponding area. At this point, the clamping state is completed for the first switching.

[0093] Step S4: Second area cleaning. In the new clamping state, the wafer continues to rotate at high speed. At this time, the area previously covered by the first clamping component 20A claws is completely exposed and directly exposed to the cleaning medium; while the previously cleaned areas are now held by its claws. This achieves a "relay" exposure and cleaning of all previously clamped areas at the wafer edge.

[0094] Step S5: Optional secondary switching and reset. If necessary, step S3 can be repeated to perform a secondary switching, returning the clamping state to the initial default state, or switching to other modes. After the entire cleaning and drying process is completed, the controller restarts the first drive unit 31, raising the magnetic ring 33 to the "fully open" low position, opening all grippers, and allowing the robotic arm to remove the cleaned wafer. The mechanism then resets, ready to receive the next wafer.

[0095] As can be seen from the above working process, this invention, through one to multiple rapid automatic switching of clamping states within a single process cycle, ensures that all points on the entire circumference of the wafer's outer edge are fully exposed to the cleaning environment, effectively eliminating permanent cleaning blind spots caused by fixed clamping points. The entire switching process is completed within milliseconds, without machine downtime or external robotic arm intervention, achieving truly continuous, automated, and blind-spot-free cleaning, greatly improving production efficiency and cleaning uniformity.

[0096] In addition, the present invention also provides a wafer cleaning apparatus 1000, the schematic diagram of which is shown below. Figure 9 As shown, the wafer cleaning apparatus 1000 includes:

[0097] The 200 enclosure provides a relatively sealed space for cleaning the wafers;

[0098] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The mentioned wafer clamping mechanism 100 is located inside the housing 200, and a drive mechanism (not shown) is arranged below it to drive the clamped wafer to rotate around the axis.

[0099] A post-processing unit 300 is positioned above the wafer clamping unit 100 to perform post-processing processes on the rotating wafer. Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, the post-processing mechanism 300 is a spray bar that sprays gas and / or liquid toward the wafer surface to remove contaminants from the wafer surface, thereby achieving wafer cleaning and drying.

[0100] The drive mechanism typically includes a motor, a spindle, and a rotary seal. Its spindle is centrally connected to the bottom cover 60 of the wafer clamping mechanism 100, driving the entire wafer clamping mechanism 100 and the wafer to rotate at high speed. Due to its excellent concentricity retention capability, the wafer clamping mechanism 100 of this invention can match high-speed rotation cleaning processes, ensuring consistent linear velocity at all points on the wafer surface, thereby achieving uniform cleaning and drying effects.

[0101] In another embodiment, the clamping surface of the chuck 22 may be covered or embedded with a flexible corrosion-resistant material (such as PFA or PTFE) to provide sufficient friction while avoiding mechanical damage or metal contamination to the wafer edge.

[0102] In another embodiment, the controller of the state switching component 30 can be integrated with the main control system of the cleaning device, automatically triggering the timing and number of clamping state switching according to the preset cleaning formula. For example, a switch can be performed once during the chemical spraying stage, another switch can be performed during the deionized water rinsing stage, and a fixed clamping state can be maintained during the rotary drying stage, thereby optimizing the entire cleaning process.

[0103] In summary, the wafer clamping mechanism and cleaning device provided in this embodiment cleverly resolve the contradiction between "clamping stability" and "cleaning without blind spots" through an innovative linkage-type alternating clamping design, supplemented by magnetic drive non-contact switching and spring reset pre-tightening mechanism. Its ingenious structure, reliable operation, and high cleanliness make it particularly suitable for single-wafer cleaning equipment in advanced semiconductor manufacturing where cleaning uniformity and particle control are extremely critical.

[0104] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0105] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, all equivalent technical solutions also fall within the scope of the embodiments of this application, and the patent protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A wafer clamping mechanism, characterized in that, include: Turntable; A clamping assembly is arranged along the circumference of the turntable and includes at least a first clamping assembly and a second clamping assembly; each clamping assembly includes a vertical rod and a claw disposed on the top of the vertical rod; the vertical rod meshes with the outer circumference of the turntable through a gear structure, so that the rotation of the turntable can drive the vertical rod to rotate synchronously around its own axis, thereby driving the claw to switch between an open position and a closed position. The initial offset angle of the jaws of the clamping assembly is set as follows: when the turntable rotates by a set angle in the first direction, the first clamping assembly closes and the second clamping assembly opens; when the turntable rotates by another set angle in the opposite direction, the first clamping assembly opens and the second clamping assembly closes. The state switching component is located below the turntable. It drives the turntable to rotate via a commutator to change the state of the clamping component.

2. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The commutator includes a first slider, a second slider, and a swing member, with the swing member connected between the first slider and the second slider. The state switching component drives the first slider to move vertically, thereby driving the swing member to swing around a fixed point and drive the second slider to move horizontally. The second slider is equipped with a rack that meshes with the first gear of the turntable, and the moving second slider drives the turntable to rotate.

3. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, A magnetic plate is disposed below the first slider, and the state switching component includes a magnetic ring. The magnetic poles of the opposite surfaces of the magnetic plate and the magnetic ring are the same, so that the magnetic repulsion between the two drives the first slider to move vertically.

4. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second sliding member is slidably disposed on the horizontal slide rail, the horizontal slide rail is disposed on the slide rail fixing frame, and the swing member is hinged to the side of the slide rail fixing frame.

5. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The turntable is provided with a second gear on its outer periphery, and the upright is provided with a third gear on its outer periphery, and the two are meshed with each other; the wafer clamping mechanism also includes a fixing ring, which is located below the turntable and is used to vertically fix the upright.

6. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a bottom cover, which is disposed below the turntable for fixing the commutator; the fixing ring is concentrically disposed on the outer edge of the bottom cover, and the uprights of the clamping assembly are spaced apart from the fixing ring; an auxiliary rod is disposed below the uprights, and a first spring is disposed on the outer periphery of the auxiliary rod, which is located between the fixing ring and the bottom cover.

7. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The slide rail fixing frame is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the bottom cover, and is equipped with a limiting block. The limiting block is disposed at the end of the slide rail fixing frame to limit the movement distance of the second sliding member.

8. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of commutators is multiple, and they are evenly distributed along the center of the turntable; the wafer clamping mechanism also includes a second spring, which is disposed between the commutators, and one end of the second spring is connected to the turntable, and the other end is connected to the bottom cover.

9. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a top cover that is fitted over the turntable and exposes the claws at the top of the uprights to hold the wafers to be processed.

10. The wafer clamping mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The state switching component includes a first driving element and a second driving element, the output of which is connected to the magnetic ring; the first driving element drives the magnetic ring to move, thereby driving all the jaws of the clamping component to open, so as to place the wafer to be processed. The second driving member drives the magnetic ring to move, thereby driving the jaws of the clamping assembly to open and close alternately, so as to expose and clean the wafer edge areas that have been clamped by different jaws in sequence.

11. A wafer cleaning apparatus, characterized in that, include: Box; The wafer clamping mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 10 is disposed inside the housing, and a driving mechanism is disposed below it to drive the clamped wafer to rotate around the axis. The post-processing mechanism is located above the wafer clamping mechanism to perform post-processing processes on the rotating wafer.

12. A wafer cleaning method, employing the wafer clamping mechanism according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Drive the turntable to the first angle, so that the first set of jaws closes to clamp the wafer, and the second set of jaws opens; Step 2: During the wafer rotation and cleaning process, drive the turntable to rotate to a set angle to a second angle, so that the first set of jaws opens and the second set of jaws closes, thereby switching the clamping area of ​​the wafer. Step 3: Continue cleaning the wafer.

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