Center gripping device, method, wafer cleaning device and wafer processing equipment

Abstract

The application provides a centering clamping device, a method, a wafer cleaning device and a wafer processing equipment. The centering clamping device comprises a moving assembly, a supporting assembly and a clamping assembly. The moving assembly comprises a track and two sliders. The supporting assembly comprises two supporting arms which are fixed above the two sliders respectively. Each supporting arm is symmetrically provided with a pair of clamping assemblies at both ends. Each clamping assembly comprises a clamping mechanism and a counterweight. The clamping mechanism can swing to different limiting angles to clamp wafers of different sizes. The counterweight can swing to a corresponding angle in the opposite direction with the swing of the clamping mechanism to compensate for the centroid offset of the clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism comprises a clamping wheel which is uniformly provided with a plurality of water outlets in the circumferential direction. A hydraulic sensor is arranged on the water supply path and is configured to monitor the hydraulic value of the water supply path in real time. When the hydraulic value exceeds the preset range or produces irregular fluctuations, it is judged that the force direction of the clamping wheel on the wafer is deviated, the supporting arm is tilted, and then the counterweight adjustment is prompted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor wafer processing technology, specifically to a centering clamping device, method, wafer cleaning device, and wafer processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor wafer fabrication, centering clamping devices need to be compatible with multiple wafer sizes (such as 6, 8, and 12 inches) to meet the requirements of production line flexibility. However, existing centering clamping devices experience force vector direction shifts at the contact points between the clamping wheels and the wafer as the wafer's outer diameter changes. This leads to a mismatch in the spatial distribution of the support system's center of gravity, resulting in asymmetrical inertial loads that cause the center of gravity to shift and generate eccentric loads. This causes wafer warping deformation, interfering with the positioning accuracy of the moving mechanism, reducing clamping posture stability, and increasing dynamic wear of the moving mechanism. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, this application provides a centering clamping device, method, wafer cleaning device, and wafer processing equipment, thereby solving or at least alleviating one or more of the above-mentioned problems and other problems existing in the prior art.

[0004] One aspect of this application provides a concentric clamping device for clamping a wafer, comprising:

[0005] The moving component includes a track and two sliders located at both ends of the track, the two sliders being able to slide relative to or away from each other along the track;

[0006] The support assembly includes two support arms respectively fixed above two sliders, the support arms extending across the track and extending the same distance to both sides of the track;

[0007] The clamping assembly has a pair of clamping assemblies symmetrically arranged at both ends of each support arm. Each clamping assembly includes a clamping mechanism that can swing horizontally around the end of the support arm and a counterweight. The clamping mechanism can swing to different limit angles to clamp wafers of different sizes. The counterweight can swing in the opposite direction with the swing of the clamping mechanism to compensate for the centroid offset of the clamping mechanism.

[0008] The clamping mechanism includes clamping wheels for clamping wafers. Multiple water outlets are evenly distributed around the clamping wheels. A hydraulic sensor is installed on the water supply path of the water outlet. The hydraulic sensor is configured to monitor the hydraulic value of the water supply path in real time. When the hydraulic value exceeds the preset range or produces irregular fluctuations, it is determined that the force direction of the clamping wheel on the wafer is deviated and the support arm is tilted, thereby prompting the adjustment of the counterweight.

[0009] Optionally, it also includes an adaptive adjustment mechanism, including a swing controller, for adjusting the swing angle of the counterweight based on the counterweight adjustment prompt information issued by the hydraulic sensor, so as to compensate for the center of gravity offset of the clamping mechanism and prevent the support arm from tilting.

[0010] Optionally, it also includes an adaptive adjustment mechanism, comprising:

[0011] An inclination sensor is installed at the connection between the support arm and the slider to monitor in real time the tilt of the support arm caused by the shift of the center of gravity of the clamping mechanism.

[0012] The swing controller is used to obtain the tilt information of the support arm from the tilt sensor and adjust the swing angle of the counterweight based on the tilt information to compensate for the center of gravity offset of the clamping mechanism, so that the support arm no longer tilts.

[0013] Optionally, it also includes a heart control mechanism, including:

[0014] Four synchronous swing mechanisms are used to control the swing of the four clamping mechanisms at both ends of the two support arms;

[0015] Four reference sensors are respectively set at the same position at both ends of the two support arms;

[0016] When the four clamping mechanisms simultaneously trigger the corresponding reference sensors, the synchronous swing mechanism records the position of the corresponding clamping mechanism as the origin position, and synchronously drives the corresponding clamping mechanism to swing from the origin position at a limit angle corresponding to the size of the wafer to be clamped, so that the four clamping mechanisms can clamp the wafer in a centered manner.

[0017] Optionally, the clamping mechanism includes a first swing arm extending to the support arm, and the counterweight includes a second swing arm extending to the support arm. The first and second swing arms are respectively stacked on the upper and lower sides of the end of the support arm and sleeved on a rotating shaft that passes vertically through the support arm. The support mechanism and the counterweight can swing in opposite directions around the rotating shaft.

[0018] Optionally, the clamping assembly further includes a transmission mechanism, which includes a transmission shaft that passes vertically through the support arm, a transmission gear located at the upper end of the transmission shaft, a first pulley located at the lower end of the transmission shaft, a second pulley located at the lower end of the rotating shaft, and a transmission belt sleeved on the first pulley and the second pulley. The second pulley is fixedly connected to the lower part of the second swing arm, and the transmission gear meshes with the meshing teeth on the outer side of the first swing arm.

[0019] The swinging of the clamping mechanism causes the first swing arm to drive the transmission gear to rotate in the opposite direction; the rotation of the transmission gear is transmitted to the second swing arm in the same direction through the transmission shaft, the first pulley, the transmission belt, and the second pulley, causing the counterweight and the clamping mechanism to swing in opposite directions.

[0020] Optionally, each end of the support arm is provided with one or more limit pins, and the clamping mechanism is limited by the limit pins to swing to the corresponding limit angle.

[0021] Optionally, each end of the support arm is provided with two or more limiting pins; each limiting pin is configured to extend up and down, so that when limited by one limiting pin, it extends upward from the support arm, and when limited by other limiting pins, it retracts into the support arm.

[0022] Optionally, the clamping mechanism and the counterweight have the same weight, and the angle of swing of the clamping mechanism is the same as the angle of swing of the counterweight in the opposite direction.

[0023] Optionally, the clamping mechanism includes a clamping body suspended and supported by a first swing arm. The clamping body includes a clamping wheel located above the first swing arm and a drive motor located below the first swing arm. The drive motor is used to drive the clamping wheel to rotate, and the clamping wheel clamps the edge of the wafer and drives the wafer to rotate.

[0024] Optionally, the counterweight includes a vertical portion extending downward from the second swing arm and a horizontal portion extending horizontally from the lower end of the vertical portion toward the clamping body. The horizontal portion is located below the clamping body. When the centers of mass of the clamping mechanism and the counterweight are both located on the straight line of the support arm, the horizontal portion is stacked below the clamping body.

[0025] Optionally, the two sliders are connected to two clamping cylinders respectively. The clamping cylinders drive the two sliders to slide in opposite directions so that the wafer is placed between the two pairs of clamping components of the two support arms, and drive the two sliders to slide relative to each other so that the two pairs of clamping components clamp the wafer.

[0026] According to another aspect of this application, a concentric clamping method is provided, which is performed using the aforementioned concentric clamping device, comprising the following steps:

[0027] The two sliders move in opposite directions along the track to create a space to accommodate the wafer;

[0028] Adjust the clamping mechanism to swing to the corresponding limit angle based on the size of the wafer to be clamped, and make the counterweight swing in the opposite direction to the corresponding angle as the clamping mechanism swings.

[0029] The wafer is moved horizontally into the space, and the two sliders are moved relative to each other so that the clamping mechanism clamps the wafer.

[0030] Water is supplied to the outlet on the clamping wheel of the clamping mechanism, and the hydraulic value is monitored. When the hydraulic value is within the preset range, it is determined that the direction of the force applied by the clamping wheel to the wafer is along the horizontal radial direction of the wafer. When the hydraulic value exceeds the preset range or produces irregular fluctuations, it is determined that the direction of the force applied by the clamping wheel to the wafer is deviated, the support arm is tilted, and then the counterweight is adjusted.

[0031] According to another aspect of this application, a wafer cleaning apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0032] The centering clamping device as described above is used to clamp the wafer and drive the wafer to rotate.

[0033] A cleaning roller brush is configured to move to the diameter position of the wafer and adhere to the wafer after the wafer is held by the centering clamping device to clean the wafer surface.

[0034] According to another aspect of this application, a wafer processing apparatus is provided, including the centering clamping device as described above.

[0035] According to the technical solution of this application, the centering clamping device can adapt to multi-size wafer clamping operations. Based on the clamping operation requirements, without mechanical reconfiguration, the clamping mechanism's swinging motion adapts to the centering clamping of wafers of different sizes. Furthermore, by incorporating a follow-up counterweight, it can actively adjust the center-of-gravity offset caused by the horizontal swinging of the clamping mechanism, compensating for this offset and adjusting the spatial distribution of the center of gravity. This ensures balanced force on the support arm without tilting, thereby improving clamping stability, suppressing inertial vibration of moving components during clamping, preventing unbalanced force on the slider due to support arm tilt, and avoiding dynamic wear, significantly extending the service life of the moving components. Moreover, the counterweight compensation ensures that the force vector applied to the wafer by the clamping mechanism is horizontally inward along the wafer's radial direction, reducing wafer warpage, minimizing the risk of wafer damage, and improving wafer processing or cleaning quality. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention 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 the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a wafer dicing apparatus according to one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0038] Figure 2 A top view schematic diagram of a center-clamping device is shown;

[0039] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 A side view of the centering clamping device in the middle;

[0040] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a centering clamping device according to one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0041] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 Side view of the centering clamping device in the middle;

[0042] Figure 6 It shows Figure 5 Transmission principle diagram at point A;

[0043] Figure 7 It shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of one swinging state of the clamping component in the process;

[0044] Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 A top view of the concentric clamping device;

[0045] Figure 9 It shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another swinging state of the clamping component in the middle;

[0046] Figure 10 It shows Figure 9 A top view of the concentric clamping device;

[0047] Figure 11 A flowchart of a centering clamping method according to one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0048] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of this application is shown.

[0049] Reference numerals: 1. Slicing unit; 11. Spindle assembly; 12. Support platform; 2. Cleaning unit; 31. First robotic arm; 32. Second robotic arm; 33. Third robotic arm; 4. Positioning platform; 20. Centering clamping device; 21. Base plate; 22. Moving assembly; 221. Track; 222. Slider; 223. Clamping cylinder; 2231. Connecting block; 23. Support assembly; 231. Support arm; 232. Bracket; 2311. Rotating shaft; 2312, Limiting pin; 24, Clamping assembly; 241, Clamping mechanism; 2411, First swing arm; 2412, Clamping wheel; 2413, Drive motor; 242, Counterweight; 2421, Second swing arm; 2422, Vertical part; 2423, Horizontal part; 2431, Drive shaft; 2432, Drive gear; 2433, First pulley; 2434, Second pulley; 2435, Drive belt; 30, Cleaning roller brush; 100, Wafer. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0051] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0052] In addition, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise specified and limited, it should be noted that the terms "installation", "connection" and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to mechanical or electrical connections, or internal connections between two components. They can be direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms according to the specific circumstances.

[0053] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a wafer dicing apparatus according to one embodiment of this application is shown. It mainly includes a dicing unit 1, a cleaning unit 2, and a transfer unit for transporting wafers. The dicing unit 1 includes two spindle assemblies 11 for cutting the wafer edges and a support platform 12 for carrying the wafer. The support platform 12 can move along the longitudinal direction of the apparatus, i.e., the Y-axis in the figure, to carry the wafer between the two spindle assemblies 11 for edge cutting and to remove the wafer from the dicing unit 1 and transfer it to the transfer unit. The cleaning unit 2 may include a wafer cleaning device, mainly including a centering clamping device 20 for horizontally clamping the wafer 100 and a cleaning roller brush (not shown) for brushing the surface of the wafer 100. The transfer unit may include at least a first robotic arm 31 and a second robotic arm 32. The first robotic arm 31 can interact with the support platform 12 and the cleaning unit 2 to exchange wafers, and the second robotic arm 32 can be used to remove the wafer 100 from the cleaning unit 2. Additionally, the wafer dicing equipment may also include a positioning stage 4 for positioning the wafer before wafer processing, and the transfer unit may also include a third robotic arm 33 that interacts with the positioning stage 4 to move the wafer. The thick arrows in the figure schematically indicate the possible directions of movement for each component.

[0054] Figure 2A schematic diagram of a concentric clamping device 20 is shown. The concentric clamping device 20 typically includes four clamping mechanisms 241 for clamping wafers. When the support arm 231 clamps a smaller wafer, the clamping mechanisms 241 are suspended inward from the support arm 231 and not on the straight line of the support arm 231 (which can be understood as the center line of the width of the support arm 231), generating an inward bending moment on the support arm 231. Figure 2 As indicated by the curved arrow, the support arm 231 tilts inward, causing a mismatch in the center of mass of the support system. This tilting of the support arm 231 interferes with the positioning accuracy of the connected moving component 22, increases its dynamic wear, and reduces the stability of the clamping posture. On the other hand, as... Figure 3 As shown, the tilt of the support arm 231 causes the clamping mechanism 241 to tilt inward (as indicated by the arrow), which causes the force vector of the clamping mechanism 241 on the wafer to be deflected, resulting in warping deformation of the wafer 100, affecting the wafer processing or subsequent cleaning effect, and increasing the risk of wafer damage.

[0055] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a centering clamping device 20 according to one embodiment of this application is shown, which can be used for Figure 1 In a wafer dicing apparatus, the centering clamping device 20 mainly includes a base plate 21, a moving assembly 22, a support assembly 23, and a clamping assembly 24 mounted on the base plate 21. The base plate 21 can be a separate plate or part of a plate component in the wafer dicing apparatus; no limitation is made here. The moving assembly 22 includes a track 221 and two sliders 222 located at both ends of the track 221. The two sliders 222 can slide relative to or away from each other along the track 221. The support assembly 23 includes two support arms 231 respectively fixed above the two sliders 222. The support arms 231 extend across the track 221 and extend the same distance to both sides of the track 221. The middle part of the support arm 231 can be connected to the slider 222 by a bracket 232. The support arm 231 and the bracket 232 form a T-shaped structure. Each support arm 231 has a pair of clamping assemblies 24 symmetrically arranged at both ends. Each clamping assembly 24 includes a clamping mechanism 241 that can swing horizontally around the end of the support arm 231 and a counterweight 242. The clamping mechanism 241 can swing to different limit angles to clamp wafers of different sizes. The counterweight 242 can swing in the opposite direction to the clamping mechanism 241 by a corresponding angle to compensate for the centroidal offset of the clamping mechanism 241. It should be understood that for the four clamping mechanisms 241, the two clamping mechanisms 241 on one support arm 231 swing horizontally symmetrically closer to or further away from the track 221, and the two pairs of clamping mechanisms 241 on the two support arms 231 swing horizontally symmetrically closer to or further away from each other to achieve centered clamping of the wafer.

[0056] According to the technical solution of this application, the centering clamping device 20 can adapt to multi-size wafer clamping operations. Based on the clamping operation requirements, without mechanical reconfiguration, the oscillation of the clamping mechanism 241 adapts to the centering clamping operations of wafers of different sizes. Furthermore, by setting a follow-up counterweight 242, it can actively adjust the center-of-gravity offset caused by the horizontal oscillation of the clamping mechanism 241, compensating for the center-of-gravity offset of the clamping system to adjust the spatial distribution of the center of gravity. This ensures that the support arm 231 is subjected to balanced forces without tilting, thereby improving the stability of the clamping posture, suppressing the inertial vibration of the moving component 22 during the clamping process, and preventing the slider 222 from experiencing unbalanced forces and dynamic wear due to the tilt of the support arm 231, significantly extending the service life of the moving component 22. Moreover, the compensation from the counterweight 242 ensures that the force vector applied by the clamping mechanism 241 to the wafer is horizontally inward along the radial direction of the wafer, reducing wafer warpage, reducing the risk of wafer damage, and improving the quality of wafer processing or cleaning.

[0057] In specific implementation methods, such as Figure 4 As shown, clamping cylinders 223 can be installed at the two outer end faces of the track 221. The clamping cylinders 223 are connected to the sliders 222 via connecting blocks 2231. The clamping cylinders 223 can drive the two sliders 222 to slide back-to-back so that the wafer can be placed between the two pairs of clamping components 24 of the two support arms 231, and drive the two sliders 222 to slide relative to each other so that the two pairs of clamping components 24 clamp the wafer. Through the balancing effect of the counterweight 242 on the clamping mechanism 241, the support arm 231 has a stable position, the slider 222 is subjected to balanced forces, and thus the connection between the slider 222 and the connecting block 2231 is more stable. The force applied by the clamping cylinders 223 to the slider 222 is also more stable, improving the movement stability and service life of the moving component 22.

[0058] In specific implementation methods, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the clamping mechanism 241 includes a first swing arm 2411 extending toward the support arm 231, and the counterweight 242 includes a second swing arm 2421 extending toward the support arm 231. The first swing arm 2411 and the second swing arm 2421 are respectively stacked on the upper and lower sides of the end of the support arm 231 and sleeved on the pivot 2311 that passes vertically through the support arm 231. The first swing arm 2411 and the second swing arm 2421 can swing around the pivot 2311 in opposite directions, so that the clamping mechanism 241 and the counterweight 242 can swing around the pivot 2311 in opposite directions.

[0059] In one embodiment, the clamping mechanism 241 and the counterweight 242 have equal weights, and the swing angle of the clamping mechanism 241 is the same as the swing angle of the counterweight 242 in the opposite direction. Specifically, the clamping mechanism 241 may include a clamping body suspended and supported by a first swing arm 2411. The clamping body includes a clamping wheel 2412 disposed above the first swing arm 2411 and a drive motor 2413 disposed below the first swing arm 2411. The drive motor 2413 is used to drive the clamping wheel 2412 to rotate, and the clamping wheel 2412 clamps the edge of the wafer and drives the wafer to rotate. Regarding the shape of the counterweight 242, in one embodiment, as shown... Figure 5 As shown, the counterweight 242 may include a vertical portion 2422 extending downward from the second swing arm 2421 and a horizontal portion 2423 extending horizontally from the lower end of the vertical portion 2422 toward the clamping body. The vertical portion 2422 and the horizontal portion 2423 are generally L-shaped, or in other words, the second swing arm 2421, the vertical portion 2422, and the horizontal portion 2423 are generally Z-shaped. The horizontal portion 2423 is located below the drive motor 2413. When the centers of mass of the clamping mechanism 241 and the counterweight 242 are both located on the straight line of the support arm 231, the horizontal portion 2423 is stacked below the drive motor 2413. The horizontal portion 2423 may be configured as a circular plate that matches the bottom of the clamping mechanism 241.

[0060] The clamping assembly 24 may also include a transmission mechanism, and the follow-up mechanism in which the counterweight 242 swings in the opposite direction to the swing of the clamping mechanism 241 can be realized through the transmission mechanism. Figure 5 The side view of the centering clamping device 20 shown and Figure 6 shown Figure 5 The transmission principle diagram of the transmission mechanism at point A shows that the transmission mechanism includes a transmission shaft 2431 that vertically passes through the support arm 231, a transmission gear 2432 located at the upper end of the transmission shaft 2431, a first pulley 2433 located at the lower end of the transmission shaft 2431, a second pulley 2434 located at the lower end of the rotating shaft 2311, and a transmission belt 2435 sleeved on the first pulley 2433 and the second pulley 2434. The second pulley 2434 is fixedly connected to the lower part of the second swing arm 2421. The transmission gear 2432 meshes externally with the meshing teeth on the outer side of the first swing arm 2411. Specifically, in conjunction with... Figure 4 The portion of the first swing arm 2411 fitted onto the rotating shaft 2311 has a semi-circular structure on the side facing the transmission gear 2432, with meshing teeth on the outer side of this semi-circular structure. The transmission shaft 2431 and the rotating shaft 2311 are parallel and spaced apart. Figure 6As indicated by the arrow, the swing of the clamping mechanism 241 causes the first swing arm 2411 to drive the transmission gear 2432 to rotate in the opposite direction. The rotation of the transmission gear 2432 is transmitted in the same direction to the first pulley 2433 via the transmission shaft 2431. The rotation of the first pulley 2433 is transmitted in the same direction to the second pulley 2434 via the transmission belt 2435. The rotation of the second pulley 2434 is then transmitted in the same direction to the second swing arm 2421, causing the counterweight 242 and the clamping mechanism 241 to swing in opposite directions.

[0061] Alternatively, the swinging of the clamping mechanism 241 can be achieved manually, or by an electrically driven mechanism connected thereto, or by a robotic arm in the wafer processing equipment.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, each end of the support arm 231 is provided with one or more limiting pins 2312, and the clamping mechanism 241 is limited by the limiting pins 2312 to swing to the corresponding limiting angle. Figure 4 As shown, when there are only two limiting pins 2312 at each end of the support arm 231, the two limiting pins 2312 can be respectively set on both sides of the first swing arm 2411 to limit two swing angles. When there are two or more limiting pins 2312, multiple limiting angles can be limited, thereby adapting to wafers of various sizes. In this case, each limiting pin 2312 is configured to be retractable vertically, so that when limited by one limiting pin 2312, it extends upward from the support arm 231, and when limited by other limiting pins 2312, it retracts into the support arm 231, so as to avoid interfering with the swing of the clamping mechanism 241. Alternatively, in an optional embodiment, the two outermost limiting pins 2312 located on both sides of the first swing arm 2411 can be fixed, while the remaining limiting pins 2312 can be retractable vertically, thereby reducing the number of telescopic mechanisms and simplifying the structure.

[0063] like Figure 7 A schematic diagram of one swinging state of the clamping assembly 24 is shown. Figure 8 A top view is shown. The centers of mass of the clamping mechanism 241 and the counterweight 242 are both located on the same line as the support arm 231. The counterweight 242 is stacked below the clamping mechanism 241. The first swing arm 2411 is limited by the limiting pin 2312 on its outer side. At this time, it can be used, for example, to clamp a 12-inch wafer 100. Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing another swinging state of the clamping assembly 24 is shown. Figure 10A top view is shown. The clamping mechanism 241 swings inward and is limited by a limiting pin 2312 inside the first swing arm 2411. The counterweight 242 correspondingly swings outward by a corresponding angle to balance the spatial mismatch in the clamping system's center of mass caused by the offset of the clamping mechanism 241's center of mass relative to the support arm 231, ensuring that the support arm 231 does not tilt. In this case, the internal clamping space of the four clamping mechanisms 241 becomes smaller, for example, it can be used to clamp 8-inch wafers. In other embodiments, the clamping mechanism 241 can swing inward by a larger or smaller angle to clamp wafers of other sizes, such as 6-inch wafers.

[0064] In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the follow-up mechanism in which the counterweight 242 swings in the opposite direction to the swing of the clamping mechanism 241 can be achieved not through the aforementioned mechanical transmission mechanism, but through electronic control or other means. This enables stepless adjustment of the swing angle between the clamping mechanism 241 and the counterweight 242, and decouples the swing of the counterweight 242 from the swing of the clamping mechanism 241. While the counterweight 242 can swing synchronously with the clamping mechanism 241, it can also be individually fine-tuned to compensate for structural wear or inaccurate positioning.

[0065] For example, the center-aligning clamping device may also include an adaptive adjustment mechanism, which includes a tilt sensor and a swing controller. The tilt sensor can be located at the connection between the support arm 231 and the slider 222, for example, on the bracket 232 connecting the support arm 231 and the slider 222, to monitor in real time the tilt of the support arm 231 caused by the center-of-gravity shift of the clamping mechanism 241, such as the tilt angle. The swing controller is used to obtain the tilt information of the support arm 231 from the tilt sensor and adjust the swing angle of the counterweight 242 based on the tilt information to compensate for the center-of-gravity shift of the clamping mechanism, so that the support arm no longer tilts. This adaptive adjustment mechanism can realize adaptive fine-tuning after the counterweight swings synchronously with the clamping mechanism, making the compensation effect of the counterweight more precise and achieving better balance of the support arm.

[0066] More preferably, the need for fine-tuning of the counterweight can also be determined through hydraulic monitoring. The clamping wheel 2412 of the clamping mechanism 241 is circumferentially provided with multiple water outlets. Hydraulic sensors are installed along the water supply path of each outlet, configured to monitor the hydraulic pressure value in real time. When the hydraulic pressure value exceeds a preset range or exhibits irregular fluctuations, it is determined that the clamping wheel's force direction on the wafer is skewed, or the support arm is tilted, thus prompting adjustment of the counterweight. Specifically, when the clamping mechanism and support arm are in a horizontal, untilted state, the clamping wheel 2412 applies force to the wafer in the horizontal radial direction, and maintains a uniform gap between the clamping wheel 2412 and the wafer edge. When the clamping wheel 2412 clamps the wafer or simultaneously drives the wafer to rotate, the liquid jet ejected from the outlet is perpendicular to the wafer's side, the water flow resistance is stable, and the readings of all hydraulic sensors remain consistent and within the preset range. When the support arm or clamping mechanism tilts or deflects, the distance and force angle between the clamping wheel 2412 and the wafer edge change locally, and the jet resistance of the liquid column at the outlet changes accordingly. This results in abnormal, irregular fluctuations in the corresponding hydraulic value, or it exceeding the preset range. In this case, the counterweight 242 needs to be fine-tuned to balance the support arm or clamping mechanism and prevent tilting. This avoids warping, microcracks, or damage to the wafer due to force deviation, further improving the stability of the clamping process and processing yield. Furthermore, using water spray to monitor the hydraulic pressure can also rinse the wafer edge, reducing contaminant accumulation between the clamping wheel 2412 and the wafer edge, preventing contaminants from scratching the wafer, and improving wafer cleanliness. After determining that adjustment of the counterweight 242 is necessary, the swing controller can adjust the swing angle of the counterweight based on the adjustment prompts from the hydraulic sensors to compensate for the center of gravity shift of the clamping mechanism, ensuring the support arm no longer tilts. This achieves precise compensation for the tilt of the support assembly by the counterweight.

[0067] For the aforementioned mechanical transmission mechanism, the horizontal part of the counterweight 242 can be configured to be horizontally movable or rotatable relative to the vertical part 2422, so that the center of gravity position of the counterweight can be changed slightly when fine adjustment of the counterweight is required.

[0068] Furthermore, the centering clamping device may also include a centering control mechanism, including:

[0069] Four synchronous swing mechanisms are used to control the swing of the four clamping mechanisms at both ends of the two support arms;

[0070] Four reference sensors are respectively set at the same position at both ends of the two support arms;

[0071] When the four clamping mechanisms simultaneously trigger the corresponding reference sensors, the synchronous swing mechanism records the position of the corresponding clamping mechanism as the origin position, and synchronously drives the corresponding clamping mechanism to swing from the origin position at a limit angle corresponding to the size of the wafer to be clamped, so that the four clamping mechanisms can clamp the wafer in a centered manner.

[0072] In addition, the aforementioned hydraulic sensors can be used to determine whether the wafer is being centered. For example, the monitoring information of the four hydraulic sensors corresponding to the four clamping mechanisms can be uploaded to the host controller in real time. The host controller can determine whether the four clamping wheels clamp the wafer symmetrically by the hydraulic symmetry between the four clamping components, thereby determining whether the wafer is being centered.

[0073] Figure 11 A flowchart of a centering clamping method according to one embodiment of this application is shown, which is performed using the centering clamping device as described in the foregoing aspects, and includes the following steps:

[0074] S1: Move the two sliders in opposite directions along the track to create a space to accommodate the wafer;

[0075] S2: Adjust the clamping mechanism to swing to the corresponding limit angle based on the size of the wafer to be clamped, and make the counterweight swing in the opposite direction to the corresponding angle as the clamping mechanism swings.

[0076] S3: Move the wafer horizontally into the space and move the two sliders relative to each other so that the clamping mechanism clamps the wafer.

[0077] Preferably, the angle of the counterweight can be further monitored and fine-tuned. That is, the centering clamping method can further include: S4: supplying water to the outlet on the clamping wheel of the clamping mechanism and monitoring the hydraulic value. When the hydraulic value is within a preset range, it is determined that the force applied by the clamping wheel to the wafer is along the horizontal radial direction of the wafer; when the hydraulic value exceeds the preset range or exhibits irregular fluctuations, it is determined that the force applied by the clamping wheel to the wafer is deviated, the support arm tilts, and thus prompts for counterweight adjustment. According to another aspect of this application, a wafer cleaning device is provided, such as... Figure 11 As shown, it may include the aforementioned centering clamping device 20 for clamping the wafer 100 and driving the wafer 100 to rotate, and a cleaning roller brush 30 configured to move to the diameter position of the wafer and adhere to the wafer to clean the wafer surface after the wafer 100 is clamped by the centering clamping device 20.

[0078] According to another aspect of this application, a wafer processing apparatus is provided, which may include the aforementioned centering clamping device 20 or the aforementioned wafer cleaning device. Specifically, the wafer processing apparatus may be as follows: Figure 1 The wafer dicing equipment shown.

[0079] 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 concentric clamping device for clamping wafers, characterized in that, include: The moving component includes a track and two sliders located at both ends of the track, the two sliders being able to slide relative to or away from each other along the track; The support assembly includes two support arms respectively fixed above two sliders, the support arms extending across the track and extending the same distance to both sides of the track; The clamping assembly has a pair of clamping assemblies symmetrically arranged at both ends of each support arm. Each clamping assembly includes a clamping mechanism that can swing horizontally around the end of the support arm and a counterweight. The clamping mechanism can swing to different limit angles to clamp wafers of different sizes. The counterweight can swing in the opposite direction with the swing of the clamping mechanism to compensate for the centroid offset of the clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism includes clamping wheels for clamping wafers. Multiple water outlets are evenly distributed around the clamping wheels. A hydraulic sensor is installed on the water supply path of the water outlet. The hydraulic sensor is configured to monitor the hydraulic value of the water supply path in real time. When the hydraulic value exceeds the preset range or produces irregular fluctuations, it is determined that the force direction of the clamping wheel on the wafer is deviated and the support arm is tilted, thereby prompting the adjustment of the counterweight.

2. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an adaptive adjustment mechanism, including a swing controller, which adjusts the swing angle of the counterweight based on the counterweight adjustment prompt information issued by the hydraulic sensor to compensate for the center of gravity offset of the clamping mechanism and prevent the support arm from tilting.

3. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an adaptive adjustment mechanism, including: An inclination sensor is installed at the connection between the support arm and the slider to monitor in real time the tilt of the support arm caused by the shift of the center of gravity of the clamping mechanism. The swing controller is used to obtain the tilt information of the support arm from the tilt sensor and adjust the swing angle of the counterweight based on the tilt information to compensate for the center of gravity offset of the clamping mechanism, so that the support arm no longer tilts.

4. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes heart control mechanisms, including: Four synchronous swing mechanisms are used to control the swing of the four clamping mechanisms at both ends of the two support arms; Four reference sensors are respectively set at the same position at both ends of the two support arms; When the four clamping mechanisms simultaneously trigger the corresponding reference sensors, the synchronous swing mechanism records the position of the corresponding clamping mechanism as the origin position, and synchronously drives the corresponding clamping mechanism to swing from the origin position at a limit angle corresponding to the size of the wafer to be clamped, so that the four clamping mechanisms can clamp the wafer in a centered manner.

5. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism includes a first swing arm extending to the support arm, and the counterweight includes a second swing arm extending to the support arm. The first and second swing arms are respectively stacked on the upper and lower sides of the end of the support arm and sleeved on a rotating shaft that passes vertically through the support arm. The support mechanism and the counterweight can swing in opposite directions around the rotating shaft.

6. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The clamping assembly also includes a transmission mechanism, which includes a transmission shaft that passes vertically through the support arm, a transmission gear located at the upper end of the transmission shaft, a first pulley located at the lower end of the transmission shaft, a second pulley located at the lower end of the rotating shaft, and a transmission belt sleeved on the first pulley and the second pulley. The second pulley is fixedly connected to the lower part of the second swing arm, and the transmission gear meshes with the meshing teeth on the outer side of the first swing arm. The swinging of the clamping mechanism causes the first swing arm to drive the transmission gear to rotate in the opposite direction; the rotation of the transmission gear is transmitted to the second swing arm in the same direction through the transmission shaft, the first pulley, the transmission belt, and the second pulley, causing the counterweight and the clamping mechanism to swing in opposite directions.

7. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, Each end of the support arm is provided with one or more limit pins, and the clamping mechanism is limited by the limit pins to swing to the corresponding limit angle.

8. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Each end of the support arm is provided with two or more limit pins; each limit pin is configured to extend and retract vertically, so that when one limit pin is used for limiting, it extends upward from the support arm, and when other limit pins are used for limiting, it retracts into the support arm.

9. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism and the counterweight have the same weight, and the angle of swing of the clamping mechanism is the same as the angle of swing of the counterweight in the opposite direction.

10. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism includes a clamping body suspended and supported by a first swing arm. The clamping body includes a clamping wheel located above the first swing arm and a drive motor located below the first swing arm. The drive motor is used to drive the clamping wheel to rotate, and the clamping wheel clamps the edge of the wafer and drives the wafer to rotate.

11. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The counterweight includes a vertical portion extending downward from the second swing arm and a horizontal portion extending horizontally from the lower end of the vertical portion toward the clamping body. The horizontal portion is located below the clamping body. When the center of mass of both the clamping mechanism and the counterweight is located on the straight line of the support arm, the horizontal portion is stacked below the clamping body.

12. The concentric clamping device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Two sliders are connected to two clamping cylinders respectively. The clamping cylinders drive the two sliders to slide back to back so that the wafer can be placed between the two pairs of clamping components of the two support arms, and drive the two sliders to slide relative to each other so that the two pairs of clamping components can clamp the wafer.

13. A method for centering clamping, performed using the centering clamping device as described in any one of claims 1-12, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The two sliders move in opposite directions along the track to create a space to accommodate the wafer; Adjust the clamping mechanism to swing to the corresponding limit angle based on the size of the wafer to be clamped, and make the counterweight swing in the opposite direction to the corresponding angle as the clamping mechanism swings. The wafer is moved horizontally into the space, and the two sliders are moved relative to each other so that the clamping mechanism clamps the wafer. Water is supplied to the outlet on the clamping wheel of the clamping mechanism, and the hydraulic value is monitored. When the hydraulic value is within the preset range, it is determined that the direction of the force applied by the clamping wheel to the wafer is along the horizontal radial direction of the wafer. When the hydraulic value exceeds the preset range or produces irregular fluctuations, it is determined that the direction of the force applied by the clamping wheel to the wafer is deviated, the support arm is tilted, and then the counterweight is adjusted.

14. A wafer cleaning apparatus, characterized in that, include: The concentric clamping device as described in any one of claims 1-12 is used to clamp a wafer and drive the wafer to rotate; A cleaning roller brush is configured to move to the diameter position of the wafer and adhere to the wafer after the wafer is held by the centering clamping device to clean the wafer surface.

15. A wafer processing equipment, characterized in that, Includes the centering clamping device as described in any one of claims 1-12.

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