Wafer transmission system and wafer transmission method
Through innovative design of robotic arm components and vacuum adsorption components, the problems of insufficient adsorption force and defects in coating solutions during wafer transfer were solved, achieving high stability and high precision wafer transfer, and reducing production costs and equipment modification costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANGHAI TYRON SEMICON EQUIP CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, insufficient adsorption force during wafer transfer can lead to slippage and scratches, affecting processing accuracy and yield. Furthermore, coating solutions increase production costs and complexity.
The system employs a robotic arm assembly and a vacuum adsorption assembly. The first, second, and third adsorption sections are used to adsorb the wafer into the non-cutout areas. Combined with an edge-finding adsorption mechanism and a safety monitoring module, it ensures stable transmission and positioning accuracy.
It improves the stability and yield of wafer transmission, reduces production costs, enhances lithography precision and production efficiency, and is compatible with existing equipment without large-scale modifications.
Smart Images
Figure CN122069974A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a wafer transport system and wafer transport method. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, the semiconductor manufacturing industry commonly uses vacuum chuck transfer systems to transport 8-inch etched wafers. The working principle relies on the chuck contacting the wafer surface to form a complete seal. Air is extracted from this sealed space to create a vacuum, which in turn generates suction force to fix the wafer and complete the transfer. However, existing suction methods have the following problems: insufficient suction force between the wafer and the chuck causes the wafer to slip during transport, damaging the wafer's delicate surface structure; during slippage, the wafer edges are prone to collisions and friction with the transport equipment, causing edge chipping and rendering the wafer unusable; uneven suction force and slippage can cause scratches on the wafer surface, affecting the processing accuracy of subsequent photolithography and etching processes, ultimately leading to substandard MOSFET chip performance and severely restricting product yield improvement.
[0003] In related technologies, a protective film is applied to the back of an 8-inch hollowed-out wafer to fill the hollowed-out area and form a complete sealing surface, thereby enabling adsorption and transfer using a traditional vacuum chuck. However, this temporary solution has several inherent drawbacks. First, it is inefficient and increases the production cycle. The back-side coating solution requires two additional independent process steps: coating and removal, which prolongs the overall chip manufacturing cycle. Second, it affects processing accuracy and reduces device performance. The coating material and the wafer substrate have significantly different coefficients of thermal expansion. In subsequent high-temperature processing steps such as photolithography, their different degrees of thermal expansion and contraction can cause stress deformation inside the wafer, leading to deviations in photolithography accuracy. Third, it significantly increases production costs and poses a risk of contamination. On the one hand, the consumption of coating materials and the investment of manpower and equipment in the coating and stripping processes increase the production cost of a unit 8-inch hollow wafer by 15%-20%, significantly reducing the product's market competitiveness. On the other hand, film residues are easily generated during the stripping process. If these residues are not completely removed, they will contaminate the wafer surface, damage the wafer's precision structure, further reduce the product qualification rate, and increase production costs. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer drive system and wafer drive method, which aims to solve the problems of increased production costs and reduced wafer processing accuracy caused by existing wafer drive technology. The wafer drive system and wafer drive method can reduce production costs, ensure the stability of wafer transmission, and at the same time, not affect the wafer processing accuracy.
[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: Wafer drive system, including: A robotic arm assembly includes a wafer picking arm, a conveying arm, and a loading / unloading arm. The wafer picking arm is used to pick up wafers and has a first adsorption part corresponding to a non-cutout area of the wafer. The conveying arm is used to convey the wafer and has a second adsorption part corresponding to a non-cutout area of the wafer. The loading / unloading arm is used to load and unload the wafer and has a third adsorption part corresponding to a clamping area of the wafer. An edge-finding adsorption mechanism is provided, wherein the conveying arm can receive the wafer on the wafer-picking arm and convey the wafer to the edge-finding adsorption mechanism, and the edge-finding adsorption mechanism is used to position and verify the wafer. A vacuum adsorption assembly, wherein the loading and unloading arm is capable of transferring the wafer on the edge-finding adsorption mechanism to the vacuum adsorption assembly, and the vacuum adsorption assembly is capable of providing adaptive adsorption force; The safety monitoring module is communicatively connected to both the edge-finding adsorption mechanism and the vacuum adsorption component. The safety monitoring module includes a monitoring camera used to monitor the orientation of the wafer. The control unit, the film picking arm, the conveying arm, the loading and unloading arm, the edge-finding adsorption mechanism, and the vacuum adsorption assembly are all communicatively connected to the control unit.
[0006] In some possible implementations, the grid linewidth of the cutout region of the wafer is d1, and the distance between the center of the first adsorption portion and the boundary of the cutout region of the wafer is L, where L≥1.5d1.
[0007] In some possible implementations, the first adsorption unit includes a plurality of suction nozzles arranged in an array.
[0008] In some possible implementations, the adsorption gas flow velocity of the first adsorption section is in the range of 30 m / s to 50 m / s; the vacuum adsorption pressure of the first adsorption section is in the range of 70 kPa to 90 kPa.
[0009] In some possible implementations, the vacuum adsorption assembly includes a first vacuum suction cup, which contains a plurality of independent vacuum chambers. Each vacuum chamber is equipped with a vacuum sensor and an electric regulating valve to individually adjust the vacuum level within each vacuum chamber.
[0010] In some possible implementations, the edge-finding adsorption mechanism includes a second vacuum suction cup with a plurality of arrayed holes corresponding to the non-cutout areas of the wafer; the edge-finding adsorption mechanism also includes a laser rangefinder, a visual recognition sensor, and an edge detection sensor for capturing the edge contour of the wafer and extracting the center coordinates and notch position signals of the wafer.
[0011] In some possible implementations, the wafer has a functional region, the distance between the edge of the functional region and the edge of the wafer is d2, d2≥5mm; the portion between the edge of the functional region and the edge of the wafer forms the clamping region.
[0012] In some possible implementations, the docking deviation of the loading / unloading arm to the wafer is ≤ ±0.01 mm, the edge clamping offset of the loading / unloading arm to the wafer is ≤0.1 mm, the single loading / unloading cycle time of the loading / unloading arm is ≤1 s, and the air pressure supply range of the loading / unloading arm is 0.2 MPa-0.3 MPa or -70 kPa-90 kPa.
[0013] In some possible implementations, the loading and unloading arm includes a first branch plate, a connecting plate, and two second branch plates. The two second branch plates are respectively vertically disposed at both ends of the first branch plate. The first branch plate and the two second branch plates form a C-shaped structure. The first branch plate and the two second branch plates are each provided with the third adsorption part. The connecting plate is disposed on the outside of one of the second branch plates.
[0014] A wafer drive method, using a wafer drive system as described in any of the above embodiments, the wafer drive method comprising: S1. The control unit obtains the wafer model and wafer cutout density, determines the vacuum degree distribution of the vacuum adsorption assembly, and obtains the transmission speed of the wafer picking arm, the conveying arm, and the loading and unloading arm. S2, the wafer picking arm picks up the wafer from the cassette; S3. The conveying arm receives the wafer from the wafer picking arm and conveys the wafer to the edge-finding adsorption mechanism; S4. The edge-finding adsorption mechanism verifies the positioning of the wafer; S5. The loading and unloading arm clamps the wafer from the edge-finding adsorption mechanism and docks the wafer with the vacuum adsorption assembly; S6. Repeat steps S1-S5.
[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: The wafer transport system provided by this invention includes a pick-up arm that adsorbs the non-cutout area of the wafer via a first adsorption part, ensuring stable adsorption when the wafer is lifted and preventing vacuum leakage during transport; a transfer arm that receives the non-cutout area of the wafer via a second adsorption part, ensuring stable adsorption and preventing vacuum leakage during transport; a loading / unloading arm that corresponds to the wafer's clamping area via a third adsorption part, avoiding contact with the wafer's functional areas; an edge-finding adsorption mechanism that can locate and verify the wafer to obtain its contour parameters, center coordinates, and notch location information; a vacuum adsorption component that provides adaptive adsorption force to improve wafer adsorption stability; and a safety monitoring module. The system can monitor the positioning accuracy of the wafer in the edge-finding adsorption mechanism and the vacuum level of the vacuum adsorption component. The monitoring camera can monitor the wafer's orientation. When the positioning deviation exceeds the standard, there is a vacuum leak, or the wafer's orientation is abnormal, the safety monitoring module can issue an alarm signal to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the system and the wafer transmission. The control unit can obtain the wafer model and the wafer cutout density. The control unit is used to make the wafer picking arm pick up the wafer, make the transfer arm pick up and transfer the wafer, and make the loading and unloading arm clamp the wafer. It also adjusts the vacuum level distribution of the vacuum adsorption component, the transfer speed of the wafer picking arm, and the transfer speed of the transfer arm according to the wafer model and the wafer cutout density, effectively improving the transmission stability.
[0016] The wafer transport method provided by this invention, using the aforementioned wafer transport system, solves the problem of vacuum leakage during transport by setting the first, second, and third adsorption parts to correspond to the non-cutout areas of the wafer. The wafer transport yield can reach over 99%, and there is no wafer slippage or damage after 10,000 continuous operations, improving stability by over 30% compared to traditional coating methods. The precision edge-finding adsorption mechanism has an edge-finding position deviation of ≤±10μm and a repeatability accuracy of 5μm, meeting the micron-level alignment requirements of advanced MOSFET chip manufacturing, improving accuracy by over 80% compared to traditional positioning methods, effectively improving lithography accuracy and product yield. It is compatible with existing NIKON... The I11 series worktable and lithography machine chamber environment eliminate the need for large-scale modifications to existing production lines, reducing equipment upgrade costs for enterprises. It supports 8-inch MOSFET wafer transfer with a cutout density of 20%-60%, adapting to various product specifications. The single wafer transfer cycle is shortened by more than 20% compared to traditional coating solutions. The robotic arm assembly can work continuously for 10,000 times without failure. The safety monitoring module enables rapid response and emergency shutdown in case of abnormalities. The system's mean time between failures (MTBF) is ≥8,000 hours, significantly improving production efficiency and equipment reliability. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an 8-inch MOSFET cutout wafer provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of another type of 8-inch MOSFET cutout wafer provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the slice-taking arm provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the conveyor arm provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the loading and unloading arm provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the edge-finding adsorption mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vacuum adsorption assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a distribution diagram of the vacuum chamber of the vacuum adsorption assembly provided in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer pick-up arm picking up a wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a transfer arm transferring a wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the loading and unloading arm picking up a wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a flowchart of the wafer transmission method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] In the picture: 10. Wafer; 101. Cutout area; 110. Wafer picking arm; 111. First adsorption section; 120. Conveyor arm; 121. Second adsorption section; 130. Loading / unloading arm; 131. Third adsorption section; 132. First branch plate; 133. Second branch plate; 134. Connecting plate; 200. Edge-finding adsorption mechanism; 210. Second vacuum suction cup; 211. Hole; 300. Vacuum adsorption assembly; 310. First vacuum suction cup; 320. Vacuum chamber. Detailed Implementation
[0019] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components or components having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.
[0020] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection or a detachable connection; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.
[0021] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0022] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0023] This embodiment provides a wafer transport system for conveying wafers with cutout areas. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cutout area of the wafer includes a grid-like cutout structure, and the area of the cutout structure is set according to the performance requirements of different devices.
[0024] like Figures 3 to 11As shown, the wafer transport system provided in this embodiment includes a robotic arm assembly, an edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200, a vacuum adsorption assembly 300, a safety monitoring module, and control components. The robotic arm assembly includes a wafer picking arm 110, a conveying arm 120, and a loading / unloading arm 130. The wafer picking arm 110 is used to pick up the wafer 10 and has a first adsorption part 111, which corresponds to the non-cutout area 101 of the wafer 10. The conveying arm 120 is used to convey the wafer 10 and has a second adsorption part 121, which corresponds to the non-cutout area 101 of the wafer 10. The loading / unloading arm 130 is used to load and unload the wafer 10 and has a third adsorption part 131, which corresponds to the clamping area of the wafer 10. The conveyor arm 120 receives the wafer 10 from the pick-up arm 110 and conveys it to the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200. The edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 is used to position and verify the wafer 10 to obtain its contour parameters, center coordinates, and notch location information. The loading / unloading arm 130 conveys the wafer 10 from the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 to the vacuum adsorption assembly 300, which provides adaptive adsorption force. Both the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 and the vacuum adsorption assembly 300 are communicatively connected to a safety monitoring module, which also includes a monitoring camera used to monitor the orientation of the wafer 10. The pick-up arm 110, conveyor arm 120, loading / unloading arm 130, edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200, and vacuum adsorption assembly 300 are all communicatively connected to a control unit.
[0025] The wafer transport system provided in this embodiment includes a pick-up arm 110 that picks up the non-cutout area 101 of the wafer 10 via a first adsorption part 111, ensuring stable adsorption when the wafer 10 is lifted and preventing vacuum leakage during transport; a transfer arm 120 that receives the wafer 10 via a second adsorption part 121, ensuring stable adsorption and preventing vacuum leakage during transport; a loading / unloading arm 130 that corresponds to the clamping area of the wafer 10 via a third adsorption part 131, avoiding contact with the functional areas of the wafer 10; an edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 that can locate and verify the wafer 10 to obtain the wafer 10's contour parameters, center coordinates, and notch position information; and a safety monitoring module that can monitor the wafer 10 during edge-finding adsorption. The positioning accuracy of mechanism 200 and the vacuum degree of vacuum adsorption component 300 are monitored. The monitoring camera can monitor the orientation of wafer 10. When the positioning deviation exceeds the standard, vacuum leakage occurs, or the orientation of wafer 10 is abnormal, the safety monitoring module can issue an alarm signal to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the system and the transmission of wafer 10. The control component can obtain the model and cutout density of wafer 10. The control component is used to make the pick-up arm 110 pick up wafer 10, make the transfer arm 120 transfer wafer 10, make the loading and unloading arm 130 clamp wafer 10, and adjust the vacuum degree distribution of vacuum adsorption component 300, the transfer speed of pick-up arm 110, and the transfer speed of transfer arm 120 according to the model and cutout density of wafer 10.
[0026] Optionally, the grid linewidth of the hollowed-out region 101 of wafer 10 is d1, and the distance between the center of the first adsorption part 111 and the boundary of the hollowed-out region 101 of wafer 10 is L, where L ≥ 1.5d1. For example, if d1 = 30 μm, then L ≥ 45 μm. This setting ensures that the first adsorption part 111 is adsorbed within the optimal adsorption safety zone of the non-hollowed-out region 101 of wafer 10. For example, the optimal adsorption safety zone of the non-hollowed-out region 101 can be obtained by first using a vision system or a preset process file to acquire a precise geometric model of the hollowed-out region 101 of wafer 10, and then calculated using simulation software based on the precise geometric model of the hollowed-out region 101. The parameters of the precise geometric model of the hollowed-out region 101 include the grid linewidth (e.g., 10 μm-50 μm), the spacing between adjacent grid lines (e.g., 100 μm-300 μm), and the boundary coordinates of the hollowed-out region 101, etc. The positions of the second adsorption section 121 and the third adsorption section 131 are the same as those of the first adsorption section 111, and will not be described again here.
[0027] In some embodiments, the first adsorption section 111, the second adsorption section 121, and the third adsorption section 131 each include a plurality of suction nozzles, which are arranged in an array. The arrayed suction nozzles uniformly disperse the total adsorption force, improving the uniformity of the adsorption force distribution and thus preventing local deformation of the wafer 10.
[0028] Optionally, the multiple nozzles can be arranged in a ring array or a regular polygon array. When arranged in a ring array, the nozzles are arranged in multiple concentric rings along the radial direction of the wafer 10. The number of rings (e.g., 2-4 rings) and the total number of nozzles (e.g., 6-12) can be determined according to the size and clearance of the wafer 10. The radius of each ring and the angular spacing between the nozzles on the ring can be optimized by simulation software to ensure that the torque generated at each adsorption point is balanced when the wafer 10 is lifted, preventing the wafer 10 from tilting or twisting.
[0029] Optionally, the adsorption gas flow velocity of the first adsorption section 111 ranges from 30 m / s to 50 m / s; the vacuum adsorption pressure of the first adsorption section 111 ranges from 70 kPa to 90 kPa. This ensures that the stress on the wafer 10 is ≤0.3 N / cm². 2 No warping or deformation.
[0030] In some possible implementations, the wafer picker arm 110 has a repeatability of ±0.01mm, a wafer picker position deviation of ≤±0.02mm, a maximum extension distance of 600mm-720mm, and a single wafer picker cycle of ≤2s. This ensures that the wafer picker arm 110 can operate continuously for 10,000 cycles without failure, and the alarm response time of the safety monitoring module in case of adsorption failure is ≤10ms. Simultaneously, the wafer picker arm 110 can be equipped with real-time vacuum feedback and adaptive adjustment functions, dynamically adjusting the adsorption parameters according to the cutout density of the wafer 10, thereby improving wafer picker stability.
[0031] Preferably, the wafer pick-up arm 110 dynamically adjusts the adsorption parameters via a PLC / industrial computer. The PLC / industrial computer monitors the actual pressure (P_actual) in real time through a piezoelectric vacuum sensor installed in the vacuum chamber of the wafer pick-up arm 110. When a local leak is detected causing P_actual fluctuations to exceed a set threshold (e.g., ±2 kPa), an adaptive algorithm calculates the pressure compensation amount ΔP. By adjusting the opening of the proportional vacuum valve in the corresponding loop, P_actual is quickly brought back to P_vac + ΔP (the corrected target value). For wafers with high void density (K > 50%), the system may use a higher baseline vacuum level (e.g., -85 kPa to 90 kPa) to compensate for a larger potential leakage flow. Dynamic adjustment of the adsorption gas flow rate (V_flow): The gas flow rate is controlled by a mass flow controller (MFC). The initial speed is set according to the weight and cutout density of wafer 10 (e.g., 40 m / s). During the wafer picking process, if the vibration sensor detects abnormal shaking or the position sensor reports that wafer 10 has a slight slippage tendency, the system will fine-tune V_flow (e.g., within ±5 m / s in the range of 30 m / s-50 m / s) to change the Bernoulli force and viscous damping force to stabilize the orientation of wafer 10.
[0032] Optionally, the material of the pick-up arm 110 is a ceramic matrix composite material (such as Al2O3-SiC), which has both high strength and high cleanliness characteristics; the surface of the end effector of the pick-up arm 110 is precision polished, with a roughness Ra≤0.8μm, which meets the Class 1 cleanliness requirements.
[0033] In some possible implementations, the repeatability of the conveyor arm 120 is ±0.05mm, and it is equipped with a dynamic trajectory correction system, which makes the response time ≤1s and can compensate for position deviations during the transfer process in real time; residual vibration decays to ≤0.1mm within 5s, and the maximum linear speed is ≤750mm / s (non-linear motion mode) to ensure the stability of the transfer.
[0034] Optionally, the conveyor arm 120 is made of a low-outgassing-rate alloy material, with an outgassing rate ≤1×10⁻⁶ in a vacuum environment at an operating temperature of 23±2℃. -8 Pa·m 3 / s, fully compatible with the high vacuum and high cleanliness requirements of lithography machine chambers.
[0035] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the transfer arm 120 may include two parallel transfer plates, one transfer plate being provided with a second adsorption section 121, and the other transfer plate being provided with two spaced-apart second adsorption sections 121. The three second adsorption sections 121 form a triangular distribution to improve the adsorption stability of the wafer 10.
[0036] In this embodiment, wafer 10 has a functional area, and the distance between the edge of the functional area and the edge of wafer 10 is d2, where d2 ≥ 5 mm; the portion between the edge of the functional area and the edge of wafer 10 forms a clamping area. This allows the loading / unloading arm 130 to clamp the non-functional area of wafer 10, avoiding damage to the functional area of wafer 10.
[0037] Optionally, the clamping force of the loading / unloading arm 130 is 0.5N-1.0N, and the maximum effective load of the loading / unloading arm 130 is ≤15kg. This ensures stable clamping of the wafer 10.
[0038] In some possible implementations, the docking deviation of the loading / unloading arm 130 to the wafer 10 is ≤ ±0.01mm, the edge clamping offset of the loading / unloading arm 130 to the wafer 10 is ≤0.1mm, the single loading / unloading cycle time of the loading / unloading arm 130 is ≤1s, and the air pressure supply range of the loading / unloading arm 130 is 0.2MPa-0.3MPa or -70kPa--90kPa to meet the loading / unloading needs of different workstations and expand its application range; at the same time, the loading / unloading arm 130 can have a clamping force overload protection function to avoid damage to the edge of the wafer 10 due to excessive clamping force. For example, the loading / unloading arm 130 can be equipped with a workstation docking sensor to obtain the workstation docking deviation and edge clamping offset.
[0039] like Figure 11 As shown, optionally, the loading / unloading arm 130 includes a first branch plate 132, a connecting plate 134, and two second branch plates 133. The two second branch plates 133 are respectively vertically arranged at both ends of the first branch plate 132, forming a C-shaped structure. Both the first branch plate 132 and the two second branch plates 133 are provided with a third adsorption part 131. The connecting plate 134 is disposed on the outer side of one of the second branch plates 133. By providing a third adsorption part 131 on both the first branch plate 132 and the second branch plate 133, the adsorption area is expanded, and the adsorption stability is improved. The connecting plate 134 is disposed on the outer side of one of the second branch plates 133, which facilitates assembly with external components.
[0040] Optionally, the vacuum adsorption assembly 300 includes a first vacuum suction cup 310, within which multiple independent vacuum chambers 320 are disposed. Each vacuum chamber 320 is equipped with a vacuum sensor and an electrically adjustable valve to individually adjust the vacuum level within each chamber 320. This facilitates individual adjustment of the vacuum level in each region according to the distribution of the cutout areas 101 on the wafer 10. Optionally, the vacuum level adjustment range is 0.01 MPa-0.09 MPa to achieve precise matching of adsorption forces. For example, the number of vacuum chambers 320 can be set to three, four, or five, etc., as needed. Optionally, the vacuum sensor can be a piezoelectric vacuum sensor.
[0041] Preferably, a high-response vacuum generator is installed inside the first vacuum chuck 310, and a multi-channel streamlined airflow channel is adopted. The pressure rise and fall response time of the vacuum generator is ≤5ms, which can quickly establish a stable adsorption force and reduce the impact of airflow disturbance on the wafer 10.
[0042] In some possible implementations, the surface of the first vacuum chuck 310 is precision polished and treated with anti-static agents. The surface roughness Ra of the first vacuum chuck 310 is ≤0.8μm, which avoids the electrostatic adsorption of impurities and avoids scratching the surface of the wafer 10, thereby improving the product qualification rate by 5%-8%. At the same time, low-pollution materials are selected to ensure that no harmful substances are released, meeting the high cleanliness requirements of semiconductor manufacturing.
[0043] Optionally, the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 includes a second vacuum chuck 210 with multiple arrayed holes 211 corresponding to the non-cutout areas 101 of the wafer 10. The edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 also includes a laser rangefinder, a visual recognition sensor, and an edge detection sensor to capture the contour of the wafer 10 and extract the center coordinates and notch position signals of the wafer 10. The number of holes 211 can be dynamically configured according to the cutout ratio of the wafer 10, and the distribution of the holes 211 can be optimized according to the characteristics of the cutout areas 101 of the wafer 10 to ensure adsorption of the non-cutout areas 101 of the wafer 10, ensuring stable adsorption and avoiding vacuum leakage. Typically, the laser rangefinder has a laser ranging frequency of 800Hz-1000Hz. By incorporating the laser rangefinder, visual recognition sensor, and edge detection sensor, the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 simultaneously possesses adsorption, positioning, verification, and compensation functions, achieving a positioning resolution of 1μm for the wafer 10.
[0044] Optionally, the safety monitoring module also includes a vacuum level monitoring sensor and a positioning accuracy detection sensor. The vacuum level monitoring sensor is communicatively connected to the vacuum adsorption assembly 300, and the positioning accuracy detection sensor is communicatively connected to the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200. The vacuum level monitoring sensor is used to monitor the vacuum level of the vacuum adsorption assembly 300 in real time, and the positioning accuracy detection sensor is used to monitor the positioning accuracy of the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 on the wafer 10 in real time. When a vacuum leak or positioning deviation exceeds the limit, the safety monitoring module immediately triggers an alarm and performs an emergency shutdown operation. The alarm response time of the safety monitoring module is ≤10ms to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the system and the transmission of the wafer 10.
[0045] like Figure 12 As shown, this embodiment also provides a wafer drive method. Using the above-described wafer drive system, the wafer drive method includes: S1. The control unit obtains the model and cutout density of wafer 10, determines the vacuum degree distribution of vacuum adsorption assembly 300, and obtains the transmission speed of wafer picking arm 110, conveying arm 120 and loading / unloading arm 130. S2. Wafer pick-up arm 110 picks up wafer 10 from the cassette. S3. The transfer arm 120 receives the wafer 10 from the wafer pick-up arm 110 and transfers the wafer 10 to the edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200. S4, Edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 pairs of wafer 10 positioning verification; S5. Loading and unloading arm 130 clamps wafer 10 from edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 and docks wafer 10 with vacuum adsorption assembly 300. S6. Repeat steps S1-S5.
[0046] The wafer transport method provided in this embodiment, using the aforementioned wafer transport system, solves the problem of vacuum leakage during transport by setting the first adsorption part 111, the second adsorption part 121, and the third adsorption part 131 to correspond to the non-cutout area 101 of the wafer 10. The yield of wafer 10 transport can reach over 99%, and there is no wafer 10 slippage or damage after 10,000 continuous operations, which improves stability by more than 30% compared to traditional coating solutions. The edge-finding adsorption mechanism 200 has an edge-finding position deviation of ≤±10μm and a repeatability accuracy of 5μm, meeting the micron-level alignment requirements of advanced MOSFET chip manufacturing, which improves accuracy by more than 80% compared to traditional positioning solutions, effectively improving photolithography accuracy and product yield. It is compatible with existing NIKON products. The I11 series worktable and lithography machine chamber environment eliminate the need for large-scale modifications to existing production lines, reducing equipment upgrade costs for enterprises. It supports 10-bit transfer of 8-inch MOSFET wafers with 20%-60% cutout density, adapting to various product specifications. The single wafer transfer cycle is shortened by more than 20% compared to traditional coating solutions. The robotic arm assembly can work continuously for 10,000 times without failure. The safety monitoring module enables rapid response and emergency shutdown in case of abnormalities. The system's mean time between failures (MTBF) is ≥8,000 hours, significantly improving production efficiency and equipment reliability.
[0047] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A wafer drive system, characterized in that, include: The robotic arm assembly includes a wafer picking arm (110), a conveying arm (120), and a loading / unloading arm (130). The wafer picking arm (110) is used to pick up wafers (10) and has a first adsorption part (111) corresponding to the non-cutout area (101) of the wafer (10). The conveying arm (120) is used to convey the wafer (10) and has a second adsorption part (121) corresponding to the non-cutout area (101) of the wafer (10). The loading / unloading arm (130) is used to load and unload the wafer (10) and has a third adsorption part (131) corresponding to the clamping area of the wafer (10). Edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200), wherein the conveying arm (120) is capable of receiving the wafer (10) on the wafer picking arm (110) and conveying the wafer (10) to the edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200), and the edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) is used for positioning and verifying the wafer (10); Vacuum adsorption assembly (300), wherein the loading and unloading arm (130) is capable of conveying the wafer (10) on the edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) to the vacuum adsorption assembly (300), and the vacuum adsorption assembly (300) is capable of providing adaptive adsorption force; The safety monitoring module is connected in communication with the edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) and the vacuum adsorption component (300). The safety monitoring module includes a monitoring camera, which is used to monitor the orientation of the wafer (10). The control unit, the film picking arm (110), the conveying arm (120), the loading and unloading arm (130), the edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) and the vacuum adsorption assembly (300) are all communicatively connected to the control unit.
2. The wafer drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grid linewidth of the hollow area (101) of the wafer (10) is d1, and the distance between the center of the first adsorption part (111) and the boundary of the hollow area (101) of the wafer (10) is L, where L≥1.5d1.
3. The wafer drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first adsorption section (111), the second adsorption section (121) and the third adsorption section (131) each include a plurality of suction nozzles, which are arranged in an array.
4. The wafer drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adsorption gas flow velocity of the first adsorption section (111) is in the range of 30m / s-50m / s; the vacuum adsorption pressure of the first adsorption section (111) is in the range of 70kPa-90kPa.
5. The wafer drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum adsorption assembly (300) includes a first vacuum suction cup (310), which has multiple independent vacuum chambers (320) inside. Each vacuum chamber (320) is equipped with a vacuum sensor and an electric regulating valve to adjust the vacuum level in each vacuum chamber (320) individually.
6. The wafer drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) includes a second vacuum chuck (210), which has a plurality of arrayed holes (211) that correspond to the non-cutout area (101) of the wafer (10). The edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) also includes a laser rangefinder, a visual recognition sensor and an edge detection sensor, for capturing the edge contour of the wafer (10) and extracting the center coordinates and notch position signals of the wafer (10).
7. The wafer drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer (10) has a functional region, and the distance between the edge of the functional region and the edge of the wafer (10) is d2, where d2 ≥ 5 mm; the portion between the edge of the functional region and the edge of the wafer (10) forms the clamping region.
8. The wafer drive system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The docking deviation of the loading and unloading arm (130) to the wafer (10) is ≤ ±0.01mm, the edge clamping offset of the loading and unloading arm (130) to the wafer (10) is ≤0.1mm, the single loading and unloading cycle time of the loading and unloading arm (130) is ≤1s, and the air pressure supply range of the loading and unloading arm (130) is 0.2MPa-0.3MPa or -70kPa--90kPa.
9. The wafer drive system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The loading and unloading arm (130) includes a first branch plate (132), a connecting plate (134), and two second branch plates (133). The two second branch plates (133) are respectively vertically arranged at both ends of the first branch plate (132). The first branch plate (132) and the two second branch plates (133) form a C-shaped structure. The first branch plate (132) and the second branch plates (133) are each provided with the third adsorption part (131). The connecting plate (134) is arranged on the outside of one of the second branch plates (133).
10. A wafer transfer method, characterized in that, The wafer drive method is performed using the wafer drive system as described in any one of claims 1-9, and includes: S1. The control unit obtains the model of the wafer (10) and the cutout density of the wafer (10), determines the vacuum degree distribution of the vacuum adsorption component (300), and obtains the transmission speed of the wafer picking arm (110), the conveying arm (120) and the loading and unloading arm (130). S2, the wafer picking arm (110) picks up the wafer (10) from the cassette; S3. The transfer arm (120) receives the wafer (10) from the wafer picking arm (110) and transfers the wafer (10) to the edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200); S4. The edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) performs positioning verification on the wafer (10); S5. The loading and unloading arm (130) clamps the wafer (10) from the edge-finding adsorption mechanism (200) and docks the wafer (10) with the vacuum adsorption assembly (300); S6. Repeat steps S1-S5.