An optical waveguide wafer surface detection device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of wafer surface detection, in particular to a photonic waveguide wafer surface detection device, which comprises a mounting base, a first electrically-controlled conveying belt and a second electrically-controlled conveying belt, an electrically-controlled center column is arranged at the upper end center position of the mounting base, an electrically-controlled bottom-side adjusting disc is movably assembled on the upper surface of the mounting base, and a lateral optical detection module is arranged at the top end of the electrically-controlled center column through detachable lateral supports. Through cooperation of the electrically-controlled bottom-side adjusting disc and an electrically-controlled assembly control frame, multi-angle and multi-position adjustment of the photonic waveguide wafer can be realized, and the lateral optical detection module can be used for comprehensively detecting the wafer surface, so that the problem of incomplete detection caused by single detection mode is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer surface inspection technology, and in particular to an optical waveguide wafer surface inspection device. Background Technology

[0002] Optical waveguide wafers are the core carriers for integrated photonic devices. Using materials such as quartz as substrates, optical waveguide structures with specific refractive index differences are formed through micro-nano fabrication processes. They are key basic components for realizing optical signal confinement, transmission and control, and are widely used in optical communication, AR / VR, optical sensing and other fields. Their quality directly determines the optical performance, reliability and yield of downstream devices.

[0003] In the process of manufacturing optical waveguide wafers, processes such as photolithography, etching, and polishing can easily lead to various defects on the surface, such as particle contamination, scratches, and step defects. These defects can cause increased optical signal transmission loss, waveform distortion, and even device failure. Therefore, surface inspection is an indispensable quality control link in the wafer manufacturing process.

[0004] Currently, the mainstream detection methods mainly include optical microscopy, laser confocal scanning, and atomic force microscopy. Optical microscopy can quickly achieve large field-of-view scanning and locate obvious scratches and large particles; laser confocal scanning can accurately measure surface grooves, steps, and other structural features; atomic force microscopy can detect nanoscale defects, but it suffers from low detection efficiency.

[0005] Existing detection technologies still have significant shortcomings: a single detection method cannot balance detection accuracy and efficiency; high-resolution detection methods have a small field of view and long detection cycles, making them unsuitable for large-scale mass production; different detection devices need to be operated separately, making it difficult to achieve multi-dimensional comprehensive characterization of defects, and easily leading to missed detections and false detections; the accuracy in identifying minute defects such as nanoscale particle contamination and crystal structure distortion is insufficient, and it is difficult to accurately trace the cause of defects, which restricts the further improvement of the quality of optical waveguide wafers. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an efficient, accurate, and comprehensive surface inspection technology to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that the existing technology for detecting the surface of optical waveguide wafers has low efficiency, insufficient accuracy, incomplete detection, and is difficult to adapt to the needs of large-scale mass production.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is as follows: an optical waveguide wafer surface inspection device, including a mounting base, a first electrically controlled conveyor belt and a second electrically controlled conveyor belt. An electrically controlled central column is installed at the center of the upper end of the mounting base. An electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate is movably mounted on the upper surface of the mounting base. A lateral optical inspection module is mounted on the top of the electrically controlled central column through a detachable lateral bracket. An electrically controlled assembly control frame is hinged to the upper end of the electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate. An embedded annular guide rail is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the mounting base. The electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate includes a bottom adjustment ring that is slidably inserted into the embedded annular guide rail, a support wheel and a drive wheel installed inside the bottom adjustment ring. The lateral optical inspection module includes an n-shaped top assembly frame fixed to the outer end of the detachable lateral bracket, a lateral mounting seat inserted into the lower opening of the top assembly frame, and an optical inspection probe fixed on the lateral mounting seat.

[0008] Furthermore, in order to realize the lifting and adjustment of the electrically controlled center column and adapt to the detection requirements of different heights, the electrically controlled center column includes a longitudinally fixed column fixed to the upper end of the mounting base, a central lifting support rod axially inserted into the interior of the longitudinally fixed column, and a longitudinally lifting column axially fitted on the outer side of the upper end of the longitudinally fixed column. The top of the longitudinally lifting column is fixed with an end mounting seat with an installation slot on the outer side.

[0009] Furthermore, to enable rapid assembly and disassembly of the detachable side bracket, facilitating subsequent maintenance and module replacement, the detachable side bracket is fixedly assembled with the end mounting base by inserting the mounting clips of the assembly section into the mounting slot.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to achieve stable assembly and position adjustment of the electronically controlled assembly control frame, the upper surface of the bottom adjustment ring has several upwardly protruding surface assembly frames, and the electronically controlled assembly control frame is movably assembled on the outside of the surface assembly frames.

[0011] Furthermore, to achieve stable clamping and angle adjustment of the optical waveguide wafer and ensure comprehensive testing, the electrically controlled assembly control frame includes a flip control frame hinged to the outer surface assembly frame, an inner adjustment strut hinged to the inner surface assembly frame, arc-shaped clamping arms hinged to both sides of the upper end of the flip control frame, a lateral control strut, and lateral support wheels and lateral drive wheels movably installed inside the arc-shaped clamping arms.

[0012] Furthermore, to improve the stability of wafer clamping and avoid damage to the wafer surface during clamping, an arc-shaped limiting groove is provided on the clamping surface of the arc-shaped clamping arm.

[0013] Furthermore, to achieve precise wafer positioning, improve detection accuracy, and avoid detection deviations, an optical positioning module is mounted on the outside of the end mount via a detachable lateral bracket.

[0014] Furthermore, to supplement the detection light and ensure sufficient illumination to improve the accuracy of identifying minute defects, LED lights for supplementary lighting are fixedly installed on the top surface inside the top side assembly frame.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0016] (1) The present invention can realize multi-angle and multi-position adjustment of optical waveguide wafer by combining the electronically controlled bottom adjustment plate and the electronically controlled assembly control frame. Combined with the side optical detection module, it can perform comprehensive detection on the wafer surface, solving the problem of incomplete detection by a single detection method.

[0017] (2) The setting of optical positioning module and LED light improves the detection accuracy and the ability to identify minor defects, and avoids missed detection and false detection;

[0018] (3) The detachable side bracket facilitates the maintenance and replacement of the module. The electronically controlled structure design enables automated operation, improves testing efficiency, and is suitable for large-scale mass production.

[0019] (4) The overall structure is reasonably designed and easy to operate. It can take into account both detection accuracy and efficiency, effectively solve the defects of existing detection technology, and improve the detection quality and efficiency of optical waveguide wafers. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall assembly structure of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the device mounted on the base in this invention.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the electrically controlled central column in this invention.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lateral optical detection module in this invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flip control box, the inner adjusting support rod, and the arc-shaped clamping arm in this invention.

[0026] Reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Mounting base; 2. First electrically controlled conveyor belt; 3. Second electrically controlled conveyor belt; 4. Electrically controlled center column; 5. Electrically controlled bottom side adjustment plate; 6. Detachable side bracket; 7. Side optical inspection module; 8. Electrically controlled assembly control frame; 9. Embedded ring guide rail; 10. Bottom adjustment ring; 11. Support wheel; 12. Drive wheel; 13. Top side assembly frame; 14. Side mounting seat; 15. Optical inspection probe; 16. Longitudinal fixed column; 17. Central lifting support rod; 18. Longitudinal lifting column; 19. Mounting slot; 20. End mounting seat; 21. Mounting buckle; 22. Surface assembly frame; 23. Flip control frame; 24. Inner side adjustment support rod; 25. Arc-shaped clamping arm; 26. Side control support rod; 27. Side support wheel; 28. Side drive wheel; 29. ​​Arc-shaped limiting groove; 30. Optical positioning module; 31. LED light. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, illustrating only the basic structure of the invention, and therefore only show the components relevant to the invention.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5The optical waveguide wafer surface inspection device shown has a mounting base 1 as the supporting foundation for the entire device. A first electrically controlled conveyor belt 2 and a second electrically controlled conveyor belt 3 are fixedly installed on both sides of the mounting base 1, maintaining a horizontal alignment with the upper surface of the mounting base 1 to facilitate stable wafer transport. An electrically controlled central column 4 is longitudinally fixed at the center of the upper end of the mounting base 1. Its longitudinally positioned fixed column 16 is bolted to the mounting base 1. A centrally positioned lifting support rod 17 is axially inserted inside the longitudinally positioned fixed column 16. A longitudinally positioned lifting column 18 is fitted onto the outer side of the upper end of the longitudinally positioned fixed column 16 and can slide up and down along the longitudinally positioned fixed column 16. An end mounting seat 20 is welded and fixed to the longitudinally positioned... At the top of the lifting column 18; the detachable side bracket 6 is fixed to the mounting slot 19 of the end mounting seat 20 by the mounting buckle 21 of the assembly section, realizing a detachable connection with the electrically controlled center column 4. The side optical detection module 7 and the optical positioning module 30 are respectively fixed to the outer ends of different detachable side brackets 6, forming a linkage with the electrically controlled center column 4; the embedded ring guide rail 9 is fixed to the upper surface of the mounting base 1 and surrounds the electrically controlled center column 4. The bottom adjustment ring 10 of the electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate 5 is slidably inserted into the embedded ring guide rail 9. The support wheel 11 and the drive wheel 12 are evenly installed inside the bottom adjustment ring 10. Two drive wheels 12 roll against the inner wall of the embedded annular guide rail 9 to achieve circumferential movement of the electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate 5 on the mounting base 1; the surface mounting frame 22 on the upper surface of the bottom adjustment ring 10 is integrally formed with the bottom adjustment ring 10; the electrically controlled assembly control frame 8 is movably hinged to the surface mounting frame 22 via a hinge shaft, and can rotate around the hinge shaft; the inner adjustment support rod 24 is hinged at both ends to the surface mounting frame 22 and the rotation control frame 23 respectively, and is used to drive the rotation control frame 23 to rotate; the arc-shaped clamping arm 25 is hinged to both sides of the upper end of the rotation control frame 23; the lateral control support rod 26 is hinged at both ends to the rotation control frame 23 and the arc-shaped clamping arm respectively. 25 is hinged to control the opening and closing of the arc-shaped clamping arm 25. The lateral support wheel 27 and the lateral drive wheel 28 are movably installed inside the arc-shaped clamping arm 25 and are rotatably connected to the arc-shaped clamping arm 25. The arc-shaped limiting groove 29 is integrally formed on the clamping surface of the arc-shaped clamping arm 25. The top side mounting frame 13 is fixed to the outer end of the detachable lateral bracket 6. The lateral mounting seat 14 is inserted into the lower opening of the top side mounting frame 13. The optical detection probe 15 is fixed on the lateral mounting seat 14, and multiple optical detection probes 15 are arranged longitudinally. The LED light 31 is fixed on the inner top surface of the top side mounting frame 13, located directly above the longitudinally arranged optical detection probes 15, for supplementary lighting.

[0030] The optical detection principle of this device is as follows: Using longitudinally arranged optical detection probes 15, and utilizing the principles of light reflection and refraction, when light is illuminated by LED lights 31 and then shines onto the wafer surface, smooth areas of the wafer surface will reflect the light to the optical detection probes 15 in a fixed direction. However, areas with defects such as particle contamination, scratches, or step defects will cause light to scatter, refract, or deflect in a different direction. The optical detection probes 15 capture these differences in light signals and convert them into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the terminal control system. The control system analyzes and processes these electrical signals to accurately identify the location, size, and type of defects, thus achieving precise detection of the wafer surface. Simultaneously, the longitudinally arranged optical inspection probes 15 and the circumferentially moving wafer form a bidirectional inspection cooperation. The wafer moves circumferentially with the electronically controlled bottom adjustment disk 5, moving between the optical inspection probes 15 on both sides, and then is driven to rotate by the lateral drive wheel 28. Thus, the multiple longitudinally arranged optical inspection probes 15 can simultaneously cover different radial areas of the wafer, achieving rapid scanning of the wafer surface without additional adjustment of the probe position, which greatly improves the optical inspection efficiency. The top supplementary lighting of the LED lamp 31 can effectively compensate for the detection blind zone caused by insufficient light, enhance the light contrast, further improve the accuracy of identifying minute defects, and avoid missed detections and false detections.

[0031] The working principle of this device also includes a comprehensive wafer inspection method: the lateral drive wheel 28 is connected to the external drive mechanism. During the inspection process, the lateral drive wheel 28 can drive the wafer held by the arc-shaped clamping arm 25 to rotate slowly. Combined with the electronically controlled bottom adjustment plate 5 driving the wafer to move circumferentially, the wafer can rotate around its own center and also move in a circle around the electronically controlled central column 4. The longitudinally arranged optical inspection probes 15 can perform all-round, blind-angle scanning inspection of the wafer surface, which completely solves the problem of incomplete inspection caused by single-direction inspection and ensures that all defects on the wafer surface can be accurately captured.

[0032] The complete working process of this device is as follows: First, the device is started, and the first electrically controlled conveyor belt 2 begins to operate, smoothly transporting the optical waveguide wafer to be tested to the corresponding lower position of the electrically controlled assembly control frame 8. At this time, the electrically controlled assembly control frame 8 is in a vertical state. Subsequently, the inner adjusting support rod 24 is activated, driving the flipping control frame 23 to flip downward around the hinge axis of the surface assembly frame 22 until the arc-shaped clamping arm 25 is at the same horizontal height as the wafer on the first electrically controlled conveyor belt 2. Then, the lateral control support rod 26 is activated. The drive arc-shaped clamping arms 25 open outwards. After the wafer is completely transported to the corresponding position of the arc-shaped limiting groove 29 between the arc-shaped clamping arms 25, the lateral control support rod 26 retracts, driving the arc-shaped clamping arms 25 to close. The wafer is stably clamped through the arc-shaped limiting groove 29, and the lateral support wheel 27 is in contact with the wafer surface to avoid damage to the wafer during clamping. After clamping is completed, the inner adjustment support rod 24 is activated again, driving the flip control frame 23 to flip upwards and reset, bringing the wafer back to the vertical position, completing the wafer loading and clamping.

[0033] After the wafer is clamped in place, the optical positioning module 30 is activated to accurately position the wafer and transmit the positioning signal to the control system. Based on the positioning signal, the control system controls the extension and retraction of the central lifting support rod 17 of the electrically controlled central column 4, causing the longitudinal lifting column 18 to move up and down, thereby adjusting the height of the lateral optical inspection module 7 so that the longitudinally arranged optical inspection probes 15 are aligned with the inspection area on the wafer surface. Simultaneously, the control system controls the drive wheel 12 of the electrically controlled bottom adjustment disk 5 to rotate, causing the bottom adjustment ring 10 to move circumferentially at a uniform speed within the embedded annular guide rail 9, thereby causing the wafer to move circumferentially around the electrically controlled central column 4. The LED lights 31 are activated synchronously to provide supplementary illumination to the wafer surface from the top. During the inspection process, the lateral drive wheel 28 is activated, causing the clamped wafer to rotate slowly. The longitudinally arranged optical inspection probes 15 perform bidirectional scanning inspection of the circumferentially moving and rotating wafer surface, capturing defect signals on the wafer surface and transmitting them to the terminal control system. The control system analyzes the inspection signals to determine whether the wafer is qualified.

[0034] After the inspection is completed, the control system performs the corresponding unloading operation according to the inspection results: If the wafer inspection is qualified, the inner adjusting support rod 24 drives the flipping control frame 23 to flip downward, so that the wafer and the second electrically controlled conveyor belt 3 are at the same horizontal height. The lateral control support rod 26 is activated, driving the arc-shaped clamping arm 25 to open, placing the qualified wafer on the second electrically controlled conveyor belt 3. The second electrically controlled conveyor belt 3 then rotates, exporting the qualified wafer to the next process; if the wafer inspection is unqualified, the inner adjusting support rod 24 drives the flipping control frame 23 to move away from the second electrically controlled conveyor belt 3. One side of the conveyor belt 3 flips downwards, aligning the wafer with the preset lateral slope (the lateral slope is fixed to one side of the mounting base 1 and is at a certain angle to the mounting base 1). The lateral control strut 26 is activated, driving the arc-shaped clamping arm 25 to open. The defective wafer slides down the lateral slope under its own gravity, completing the discharge of the defective wafer. After the unloading is completed, the electrically controlled assembly control frame 8, the electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate 5, and the electrically controlled center column 4 are all reset, ready to receive the next wafer to be inspected. This cycle is repeated to achieve continuous automated inspection of the wafer.

[0035] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A surface inspection device for optical waveguide wafers, comprising a mounting base (1), a first electrically controlled conveyor belt (2), and a second electrically controlled conveyor belt (3), characterized in that: An electrically controlled center column (4) is installed at the center of the upper end of the mounting base (1). An electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate (5) is movably mounted on the upper surface of the mounting base (1). A lateral optical detection module (7) is mounted on the top of the electrically controlled center column (4) through a detachable lateral bracket (6). An electrically controlled assembly control frame (8) is hinged to the upper end of the electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate (5). An embedded ring guide rail (9) is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the mounting base (1). The electrically controlled bottom adjustment plate (5) includes a bottom adjustment ring (10) that is slidably inserted into the embedded ring rail (9), a support wheel (11) and a drive wheel (12) installed inside the bottom adjustment ring (10). The lateral optical detection module (7) includes an n-shaped top mounting frame (13) fixed to the outer end of the detachable lateral bracket (6), a lateral mounting seat (14) inserted into the lower opening of the top mounting frame (13), and an optical detection probe (15) fixed on the lateral mounting seat (14). The electrically controlled center column (4) includes a longitudinally fixed column (16) fixed to the upper end of the mounting base (1), a central lifting support rod (17) inserted axially inside the longitudinally fixed column (16), and a longitudinally lifting column (18) axially fitted on the outer side of the upper end of the longitudinally fixed column (16). The top of the longitudinally lifting column (18) is fixed with an end mounting seat (20) with a mounting slot (19) on the outer side. The upper surface of the bottom adjustment ring (10) has several upwardly protruding surface assembly frames (22), and the electronically controlled assembly control frame (8) is movably assembled on the outside of the surface assembly frame (22); The electrically controlled assembly control frame (8) includes a flip control frame (23) hinged to the outer surface assembly frame (22), an inner adjusting support rod (24) hinged to the inner surface assembly frame (22), an arc-shaped clamping arm (25) hinged to both sides of the upper end of the flip control frame (23), a lateral control support rod (26), a lateral support wheel (27) and a lateral drive wheel (28) movably installed inside the arc-shaped clamping arm (25).

2. The optical waveguide wafer surface inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detachable side bracket (6) is fixedly assembled with the end mounting seat (20) by inserting the mounting buckle (21) of the assembly section into the mounting slot (19).

3. The optical waveguide wafer surface inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The arc-shaped clamping arm (25) has an arc-shaped limiting groove (29) on its clamping surface.

4. The optical waveguide wafer surface inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An optical positioning module (30) is mounted on the outside of the end mount (20) via a detachable lateral bracket (6).

5. The optical waveguide wafer surface inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An LED lamp (31) for supplementary lighting is fixedly installed on the top surface of the top side mounting frame (13).

Images