Pick-and-place module and wafer detection device

Abstract

The application relates to a taking and placing module and a wafer detection device. The taking and placing module comprises a rack, a back detection disc, a storage mechanism and a transfer mechanism. The back detection disc is configured to store wafers to be detected. The storage mechanism is installed on the rack and is configured to at least carry the back detection disc. The transfer mechanism is movably installed on the rack and is configured to transfer the back detection disc and the wafers to be detected on the back detection disc between the storage mechanism and a detection station. The taking and placing module is used to solve the problems of insufficient precision of manual taking and placing of the back detection disc, easy damage of a clean environment and low production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor inspection technology, and in particular to pick-and-place modules and wafer inspection devices. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, back-side inspection of wafers is a crucial step in ensuring wafer quality and subsequent chip production yield. In this inspection process, the back-side inspection tray, as the core component for holding the wafer, needs to be frequently transferred between the storage station and the inspection fixture. Currently, the industry largely relies on manual operation for handling back-side inspection trays. The specific process is as follows: the operator first opens the protective door of the semiconductor inspection equipment, manually removes the back-side inspection tray from the storage rack, and then precisely installs it into the designated position on the inspection fixture; after inspection, the back-side inspection tray must be manually removed and returned to the storage rack.

[0003] However, this manual handling method has many drawbacks: the precision of manual operation is limited, which can easily cause unstable wafer adsorption, thereby affecting the accuracy of the test data, and may even cause problems such as wafer scratches and breakage; frequent manual opening and closing of the protective door will damage the clean environment inside the equipment, introducing dust, particles and other impurities, which will interfere with the test results; the efficiency of manual handling is low and cannot meet the needs of large-scale, high-speed production in semiconductor manufacturing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a pick-and-place module to address the above problems, which aims to solve the issues of insufficient accuracy of manual pick-and-place of back inspection trays, easy damage to the clean environment, and low production efficiency.

[0006] This application provides a pick-and-place module for use in a wafer inspection device, the wafer inspection device having an inspection station, the pick-and-place module comprising:

[0007] frame;

[0008] The back inspection tray is configured to store wafers to be inspected;

[0009] A storage unit, mounted on the rack, is configured to at least support the back inspection disk; and

[0010] A transfer mechanism, movably mounted on the rack, is configured to transfer the back inspection tray and the wafer to be inspected thereon between the storage unit and the inspection station.

[0011] In one embodiment, the transfer mechanism includes a gripping component, and the back inspection tray is provided with a mating part;

[0012] The gripping component is configured to grip the back inspection tray by gripping the mating part, and to move the back inspection tray between the storage mechanism and the inspection station.

[0013] In one embodiment, the gripping component includes a drive structure and at least two clamping members disposed on the drive structure, the mating portions having at least two, and a plurality of the mating portions protruding from the side of the back inspection tray; the drive structure is configured to drive the plurality of clamping members to move closer or further apart, so that the plurality of clamping members respectively clamp the plurality of mating portions, thereby clamping the back inspection tray.

[0014] In one embodiment, one of the clamping member and the clamping protrusion is provided with a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being configured to detect the clamping force of the clamping member on the clamping protrusion; and / or

[0015] The clamping member has a buffer member on the side facing the clamping protrusion, and the buffer member is clamped between the clamping member and the clamping protrusion.

[0016] In one embodiment, the gripping assembly includes an electromagnet, the mating portion is configured as a magnetic element, and the electromagnet attracts the magnetic element to grip the back inspection tray; and / or,

[0017] The transfer mechanism further includes a first sliding guide rail fixed to the frame, and the gripping component is slidably mounted on the first sliding guide rail to drive the back inspection tray to transfer between the storage mechanism and the inspection station.

[0018] In one embodiment, the storage mechanism includes a mounting plate with a bearing position, the back inspection tray being detachably disposed in the bearing position, and the mounting plate being configured to move the back inspection tray to a retrieval position via a sliding motion, so that the transfer mechanism can grasp or place the back inspection tray.

[0019] In one embodiment, the back inspection tray is provided with a trigger, the mounting plate is provided with a trigger position, and the trigger position is provided with a trigger; when the back inspection tray is positioned in the bearing position, the trigger is inserted into the trigger position to trigger the trigger; and / or,

[0020] One of the back inspection tray and the mounting plate is provided with a positioning member, and the other is provided with a positioning hole. The positioning member and the positioning hole are configured to interlock with each other when the back inspection tray is placed in the bearing position. In one embodiment, the storage mechanism includes a plurality of mounting plates and a plurality of second sliding rails. Each mounting plate is slidably mounted on a second sliding rail. The back inspection trays on at least two of the plurality of mounting plates are configured with different specifications, and one of the plurality of mounting plates slides on the second sliding rail to transport the back inspection tray to the retrieval position.

[0021] In one embodiment, the back inspection tray is provided with a receiving groove, which is configured to receive the wafer to be inspected, and the receiving groove is provided with an adsorption port, which is configured to fix the wafer to be inspected in the receiving groove by vacuum adsorption.

[0022] This application also provides a wafer inspection device, including the pick-and-place module as described above.

[0023] The aforementioned pick-and-place module includes a rack, a back inspection tray, a storage mechanism, and a transfer mechanism. The back inspection tray is configured to store the wafers to be inspected, allowing the transfer mechanism to transfer the wafers via the back inspection tray without direct contact, further reducing the risk of wafer scratches and contamination, and better ensuring wafer inspection quality and production safety. The storage mechanism is mounted on the rack and is configured to at least support the back inspection tray, enabling the back inspection tray to be stored in an orderly manner, facilitating rapid positioning and picking by the transfer mechanism. Compared to manual storage, this solution avoids damage caused by random placement of the back inspection tray and reduces the possibility of contamination by environmental impurities. The transfer mechanism is mounted on the rack and is configured to move the back inspection tray between the storage unit and the inspection station to transfer the wafer to be inspected. This allows the transfer mechanism to automatically complete the transfer of the back inspection tray between the storage unit and the inspection station without manual intervention from operators. This avoids the accuracy problems caused by manual operation and eliminates the need to frequently open and close the protective doors of the semiconductor inspection equipment, effectively maintaining the high cleanliness inside the wafer inspection device and meeting the production environment requirements. At the same time, it can stably complete the pick-and-place operation according to the set program, significantly shortening the time spent on back inspection tray replacement and transfer, adapting to the needs of large-scale, high-frequency production, and avoiding the risk of operators bumping into the precision parts of the equipment, thus eliminating the safety hazards of manual operation. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first angle structure of a wafer inspection device in one embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the second angle structure of the wafer inspection device in one embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the third angle structure of a wafer inspection device in one embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the transfer mechanism in one embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the storage mechanism from a first angle in one embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the second angle structure of the storage mechanism in one embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the first angle structure of the back inspection tray in one embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the second angle structure of the back inspection tray in one embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure label:

[0034] 1. Frame; 101. Crossbeam; 11. Storage mechanism; 112. Second sliding guide rail; 113. Mounting plate; 1131. Bearing position; 1132. Positioning component; 1133. Trigger; 114. Adapter; 12. Back inspection plate; 121. Trigger; 122. Mating part; 123. Receiving groove; 124. Adsorption port; 13. Detection mechanism; 131. Detection fixture; 132. Detection module; 14. Transfer mechanism; 141. First sliding guide rail; 142. Gripping assembly; 143. Drive structure; 144. Clamping component; 1441. Clamping groove; 145. First adapter frame; 146. Second adapter frame. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0036] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0037] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0038] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0039] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0040] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0041] See Figures 1 to 4 , Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The following are schematic diagrams of the wafer inspection device 1 from three different angles in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view at point A in the middle; An embodiment of the present application provides a pick-and-place module including a rack 1, a back inspection tray 12, a storage mechanism 11, and a transfer mechanism 14. The back inspection tray 12 is configured to store wafers to be inspected; the storage mechanism 11 is mounted on the rack 1 and is configured to at least carry the back inspection tray 12; the transfer mechanism 14 is movably mounted on the rack 1 and is configured to drive the back inspection tray 12 to transfer between the storage mechanism 11 and the inspection station to transfer the wafers to be inspected.

[0042] Specifically, in this embodiment, referring to Figure 3 Let the up and down direction be the first direction, with upward as the positive direction and downward as the negative direction, and the left and right direction be the second direction, with right as the positive direction and left as the negative direction. The following explanation will use this as an example.

[0043] The back inspection tray 12 is configured to store wafers, allowing the transfer mechanism 14 to transfer wafers via the back inspection tray 12 without direct contact with the wafers. This further reduces the risk of wafer scratches and contamination, better ensuring wafer inspection quality and production safety. The storage mechanism 11 is used to support at least the back inspection tray 12, enabling the back inspection tray 12 to be stored in an orderly manner, facilitating rapid positioning and gripping by the transfer mechanism 14. Compared to manual storage, this solution avoids damage caused by random placement of the back inspection tray 12 and reduces the possibility of contamination by environmental impurities. Furthermore, the storage mechanism 11 can be used solely to support the back inspection tray 12, or it can simultaneously support back inspection trays 12 containing inspected wafers and those not yet inspected, further adapting to the production requirements of automated continuous inspection. Alternatively, the storage mechanism 11 can further transport the back inspection tray 12, enabling the back inspection tray 12 to actively move to the position to be picked up by the transfer mechanism 14. This eliminates the need for the transfer mechanism 14 to go deep into multiple positions inside the storage mechanism 11 to pick up and place items separately, simplifying the movement path of the transfer mechanism 14 and further improving the picking and placing efficiency.

[0044] The transfer mechanism 14 can automatically transfer the back inspection tray 12 between the storage mechanism 11 and the inspection station without the need for manual intervention by operators. This avoids the accuracy problems caused by manual operation and eliminates the need to frequently open and close the protective door of the semi-circular wafer inspection device. It effectively maintains the high cleanliness inside the wafer inspection device, meets the production environment requirements, and can stably complete the pick-up and put-down operations according to the set program. This significantly shortens the time spent on changing and transferring the back inspection tray 12, adapts to the needs of large-scale, high-speed production, and avoids the risk of operators bumping into the precision parts of the equipment, thus eliminating the safety hazards of manual operation.

[0045] Furthermore, when the storage mechanism 11 is only used to carry the back inspection tray 12, that is, only the transfer mechanism 14 can transfer the back inspection tray 12, it is suitable for production scenarios where the frequency of tray replacement is not high. When the storage mechanism 11 can actively transport the back inspection tray 12 to the position to be picked up, the transfer mechanism 14 only needs to move back and forth between the position to be picked up and the inspection station, which can further shorten the movement stroke of the transfer mechanism 14, improve the transfer efficiency, and at the same time facilitate the storage mechanism 11 to store back inspection trays 12 of various specifications and quantities, adapting to different inspection and production needs.

[0046] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 In some embodiments of this application, the transfer mechanism 14 includes a gripping component 142, and the back inspection tray 12 is provided with a mating part 122. The gripping component 142 is configured to grip the back inspection tray 12 through the gripping mating part 122 and drive the back inspection tray 12 to transfer between the storage mechanism 11 and the inspection station. Specifically, by setting the mating part 122, the gripping component 142 can accurately act on the designated position on the back inspection tray 12 without occupying the space of the back inspection tray 12 used to place the wafer. It also avoids the gripping component 142 directly contacting the wafer during the gripping process, ensuring that the wafer is not contaminated by external force. At the same time, it can ensure that the force is uniform and stable during the gripping process, improve the stability of the back inspection tray 12 during the transfer process, prevent the back inspection tray 12 from slipping, and further improve the transfer accuracy and safety.

[0047] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 5The gripping component 142 includes a drive structure 143 and two clamping members 144 disposed on the drive structure 143. Two mating parts 122 are provided, and the two mating parts 122 protrude from opposite sides of the back inspection tray 12. The drive structure 143 is configured to drive the two clamping members 144 to move closer or further apart, so that the two clamping members 144 respectively clamp the two mating parts 122 to clamp the back inspection tray 12. Specifically, before the gripping component 142 moves to the back inspection tray 12, the drive structure 143 drives the two clamping members 144 to open. Thus, when the gripping component 142 moves to the back inspection tray 12, the two clamping members 144 are located on the side of the two mating parts 122 that are far apart. Then, the two clamping members 144 come closer and clamp the mating parts 122 on both sides of the back inspection tray 12. The gripping component 142 can then transfer the back inspection tray 12 as a whole to the inspection station. After the inspection is completed, the gripping component 142 moves to the inspection station again, clamps the back inspection tray 12 again, and sends the back inspection tray 12 back to the storage mechanism 11. The entire clamping and transfer process is simple, the clamping force is uniform and stable, and it will not cause squeezing damage to the wafers on the back inspection tray 12. The clamping reliability is high, the control logic is simple, and it can quickly complete the picking, placing and transferring of the back inspection tray 12, which is suitable for high-frequency continuous inspection requirements.

[0048] The number of clamping members 144 can be greater than 2, and multiple clamping members 144 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the back inspection tray 12. The number of corresponding clamping parts 122 can also be greater than 2, which can clamp the back inspection tray 12 at multiple points along the circumference, further improving the stability of the back inspection tray 12 clamping, adapting to the transfer requirements of large-sized back inspection trays 12, and avoiding uneven force in one direction that causes the back inspection tray 12 to deflect and slip.

[0049] Furthermore, in order to improve the clamping stability of the clamping member 144, in one embodiment, a clamping groove 1441 is provided on the side of the two clamping members 144 that are close to each other, thereby forming a clamping step. The clamping step is clamped to the mating part 122, which can limit the clamping position of the clamping member 144, prevent the mating part 122 from slipping and falling off relative to the clamping member 144 during the clamping process, and further improve the clamping stability.

[0050] The clamping surface of the clamping member 144 can be provided with an anti-slip pad to increase the friction between the clamping member 144 and the mating part 122, preventing the back inspection plate 12 from slipping and falling during the transfer process, thus further improving the safety of clamping and transfer. Furthermore, one of the clamping member 144 and the mating part 122 is equipped with a pressure sensor, configured to detect the clamping force of the clamping member 144 on the clamping protrusion. When the pressure sensor detects that the clamping force reaches a preset threshold, it sends a signal to the control unit, which then controls the drive structure 143 to stop the clamping action. This ensures that the clamping force is sufficient to clamp the back inspection plate 12, preventing slippage due to insufficient clamping force, while also preventing excessive clamping force from damaging the back inspection plate 12 or deforming the mating part 122. This ensures that the structural accuracy of the back inspection plate 12 is not affected by the clamping action, and also adapts to the clamping requirements of back inspection plates 12 with different machining tolerances, preventing insufficient or excessive clamping force due to dimensional tolerances of the back inspection plate 12, further improving the adaptability and reliability of clamping and transfer. If the pressure sensor does not detect a clamping force that reaches the threshold, the control unit will pause the equipment and issue a prompt, reminding the operator to check the position of the back inspection tray 12 or the clamping status to prevent the wafer from falling and being damaged during the transfer process.

[0051] Furthermore, a buffer is provided on the side of the clamping member 144 facing the mating part 122, and the buffer is clamped between the clamping member 144 and the mating part 122. Specifically, the buffer can absorb the impact force during the clamping process, preventing the clamping member 144 from rigidly contacting the mating part 122 and causing vibration of the back inspection tray 12, preventing the wafer from shifting within the back inspection tray 12 due to vibration, ensuring the wafer's positional accuracy, and also preventing rigid collision damage to the clamping member 144 or the mating part 122, thus improving the component's service life. The buffer can also compensate for the dimensional gap between the clamping member 144 and the mating part 122, further improving clamping stability. The buffer can be made of flexible materials, such as rubber, silicone, or foam, which ensures cushioning and shock absorption, is inexpensive and easy to replace, and does not generate additional debris to contaminate the testing environment, meeting the cleanliness requirements of semiconductor manufacturing.

[0052] Compared to clamping the back inspection tray 12, in another embodiment, the gripping component 142 includes an electromagnet, and the mating part 122 is configured as a magnetic element. The electromagnet attracts the magnetic element to grip the back inspection tray 12. Specifically, gripping the back inspection tray 12 by electromagnetic adsorption eliminates the need for additional opening and closing actions, making the gripping process simpler and faster, further reducing the gripping time of the back inspection tray 12 and improving pick-and-place efficiency. Simultaneously, the electromagnetic adsorption does not generate compressive stress on the mating part 122 of the back inspection tray 12, avoiding deformation of the mating part 122 or vibration of the back inspection tray 12 caused by compression, thus better ensuring the positional accuracy of the wafers on the back inspection tray 12. Moreover, electromagnetic adsorption gripping can adapt to back inspection trays 12 of different sizes and specifications. Only the adsorption power of the electromagnet needs to be adjusted to meet the gripping requirements of back inspection trays 12 of different weights, without needing to adjust the gripping stroke for different specifications of back inspection trays 12, further improving the adaptability of the pick-and-place module to different testing conditions. When the back inspection tray 12 needs to be lowered, simply cutting off the power supply to the electromagnet will release the attraction to the mating part 122. The control logic is simple, the action response is fast, and it can be better adapted to high-speed automated inspection production. The mating part 122 can be configured as a magnet, or it can be configured as a magnetic material such as iron, cobalt, or nickel that can be attracted by the electromagnet.

[0053] In addition, an anti-slip buffer pad can be provided at the adsorption end of the electromagnet. This can buffer the impact force during the adsorption process, preventing the electromagnet from vibrating due to rigid impact with the mating part 122, and also increase the friction at the adsorption end. Even in the event of a brief power failure, this can prevent the back inspection tray 12 from suddenly slipping, further improving the safety of gripping and transferring. In other embodiments, the gripping component 142 can also use other methods to grip the inspection tray, such as using a vacuum nozzle to adsorb the mating part 122. This method has a simple structure, fast gripping response, and will not cause squeezing damage to the back inspection tray 12. It can also meet the pick-and-place requirements. Those skilled in the art can choose according to the actual production scenario and the specifications of the back inspection tray 12, as long as it can stably grip and transfer the back inspection tray 12. No limitation is made here.

[0054] Refer again Figure 5In some embodiments of this application, the transfer mechanism 14 further includes a first sliding guide rail 141 fixed to the frame 1, and a gripping component 142 slidably mounted on the first sliding guide rail 141 to drive the back inspection tray 12 to transfer between the storage mechanism 11 and the inspection station. Specifically, the first sliding guide rail 141 is fixedly mounted to the frame 1, and the gripping component 142 slides along the extension direction of the first sliding guide rail 141, thereby driving the back inspection tray 12 to transfer between the storage mechanism 11 and the inspection station. The movement is simple, and the transfer of the back inspection tray 12 can be completed quickly, improving the overall inspection cycle. The sliding guidance accuracy is high, which can ensure the positional stability of the back inspection tray 12 during the transfer process and avoid shaking and collision with the wafer. The drive of the gripping component 142 can adopt a conventional linear drive structure 143 such as a lead screw drive, a synchronous belt drive, or a cylinder drive, which can stably control the sliding position of the transfer component, meet the transfer accuracy requirements of the back inspection tray 12, has low cost, mature and reliable technology, and is easy to maintain.

[0055] The transfer mechanism 14 can be equipped with three first sliding guide rails 141, which are arranged at an angle to each other. One of the three first sliding guide rails 141 is fixed to the frame 1, and one of the other two is slidably mounted on the first sliding guide rail 141 fixed to the frame 1, while the other is slidably mounted on the first sliding guide rail 141 of the fixed first sliding guide rail. That is, the three first sliding guide rails 141 are slidably mounted in sequence, so that the gripping component 142 has degrees of freedom in the three angled directions. This allows the gripping component 142 to be adjusted in three dimensions in space, making it easier for the gripping component 142 to avoid interference from the storage mechanism 11 or other components, and to smoothly reach the designated position to grip the back inspection tray 12. It also allows for flexible adjustment of the placement position of the back inspection tray 12, improving transfer accuracy, adapting to the alignment requirements of the inspection station, and better matching inspection equipment with different layouts, thus having stronger adaptability. The position adjustment of the gripping component 142 can be automatically controlled by a preset program, without the need for manual alignment, ensuring the consistency of the transfer position each time, and further improving the stability of automated inspection. In this case, a solution where the storage mechanism 11 is immovable is more suitable. Of course, in other embodiments, there may be two first sliding guide rails 141, or only one first sliding guide rail 141. The specific choice can be made based on whether the storage mechanism 11 can actively transport the back inspection tray 12 and the equipment layout space. As long as it can drive the gripping component 142 to smoothly complete the transfer of the back inspection tray 12 between the storage mechanism 11 and the inspection station, it is acceptable. No limitation is made here.

[0056] Taking a single transfer mechanism 14 as an example, in one embodiment, the frame 1 has a crossbeam 101, and the first sliding guide rail 141 is fixed to the crossbeam 101 via a first adapter frame 145. For example, the first adapter frame 145 has adjacent and perpendicular first and second mounting surfaces. The first mounting surface is fixed to the crossbeam 101 by fasteners, and the first sliding guide rail 141 is fixed to the second mounting surface. This structure is simple and stable, and also facilitates adjusting the installation accuracy of the first sliding guide rail 141 according to the position of the crossbeam 101, ensuring that the extension direction of the first sliding guide rail 141 conforms to the transfer path requirements, making installation and debugging more convenient. Adjustment shims can also be added between the first adapter frame 145 and the crossbeam 101 to facilitate adjusting the installation position accuracy of the first sliding guide rail 141, further ensuring the sliding path accuracy of the gripping component 142 and preventing the back inspection tray 12 from rubbing against or colliding with surrounding components during transfer.

[0057] Furthermore, a second adapter frame 146 is provided on the first sliding guide rail 141. The second adapter frame 146 has adjacent and perpendicular third and fourth mounting surfaces. The third mounting surface is slidably mounted on the first sliding guide rail 141, and the fourth mounting surface is used for mounting the gripping component 142. The structure is simple and compact, which can stably connect the gripping component 142 to the sliding part of the first sliding guide rail 141. At the same time, it is convenient to adjust the mounting angle and position of the gripping component 142, improve the convenience of installation and debugging, reduce the processing and installation accuracy requirements, and facilitate assembly. Adjustment shims can also be added between the second adapter frame 146 and the gripping component 142 to facilitate the correction of the installation position error of the gripping component 142, ensure that the gripping component 142 can be aligned with the mating part 122 of the back inspection tray 12, improve the gripping accuracy, and avoid damage to the back inspection tray 12 or the wafer due to misalignment caused by installation errors. The gripping component 142 can be installed on the fourth mounting surface with fasteners, which facilitates quick disassembly and replacement of gripping components 142 of different specifications, adapts to the gripping needs of back inspection trays 12 of different sizes, and makes maintenance and debugging more convenient.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7In some embodiments of this application, the storage mechanism 11 includes a mounting plate 113, which has a bearing position 1131. The back inspection tray 12 is detachably disposed in the bearing position 1131. The mounting plate 113 is configured to move the back inspection tray 12 to a position to be picked up through sliding motion, so that the transfer mechanism 14 can grasp or place the back inspection tray 12. Specifically, the bearing position 1131 can be configured as a mounting groove, and the back inspection tray 12 is correspondingly inserted into the mounting groove. The side wall of the mounting groove can provide circumferential limiting for the back inspection tray 12, preventing the back inspection tray 12 from shifting position during the sliding process with the mounting plate 113, ensuring that the back inspection tray 12 is always in a preset position, facilitating accurate grasping by the transfer mechanism 14, and preventing the problem of misalignment during grasping. Alternatively, a corresponding adsorption and fixing structure, such as a vacuum suction hole, can be configured in the bearing position 1131 to stably adsorb and fix the back inspection tray 12 on the mounting plate 113, further improving the placement stability of the back inspection tray 12 and preventing shaking and displacement during movement. In other embodiments, the bearing position 1131 can also be provided with other structures, such as a snap-fit ​​limiting structure, which uses a retractable snap-fit ​​to limit and fix the corners of the back inspection tray 12. When the back inspection tray 12 needs to be removed, the snap-fit ​​can be retracted to release it. The loading and unloading operation is simple and convenient, and the fixing reliability is good.

[0059] Furthermore, the back inspection tray 12 is detachably mounted on the bearing position 1131, and the mounting plate 113 can slide along a preset direction, thereby actively conveying the back inspection tray 12 on the bearing position 1131 to the pick-up position for the transfer mechanism 14 to grab. After the back inspection tray 12 has completed the inspection and been returned, the mounting plate 113 then drives the empty bearing position 1131 or the bearing position 1131 with the inspected back inspection tray 12 to return to the storage position, and at the same time conveys the next back inspection tray 12 to be inspected to the pick-up position. There is no need for the transfer mechanism 14 to extend into the storage mechanism 11 to grab the back inspection tray 12, which greatly shortens the movement stroke of the transfer mechanism 14, reduces the transfer time, and further improves the inspection cycle. At the same time, the storage mechanism 11 can pre-store multiple back inspection trays 12 of different specifications, and can sequentially convey the back inspection trays 12 to be inspected according to the inspection requirements, adapting to the needs of continuous automated inspection production. Correspondingly, the transfer mechanism 14 can move in only one direction to transfer the detection plate, which makes the structure simpler and the control logic more concise. This can effectively reduce the manufacturing cost and failure probability of the equipment and improve operational stability.

[0060] Furthermore, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7The back inspection tray 12 and the mounting plate 113 each have a positioning element 1132 and a positioning hole, respectively. When the back inspection tray 12 is positioned at the bearing position 1131, the positioning element 1132 is inserted into the positioning hole. Specifically, the insertion and engagement of the positioning element 1132 with the positioning hole enables precise positioning of the back inspection tray 12 on the mounting plate 113, ensuring minimal positional error each time the back inspection tray 12 is placed. This avoids accumulated errors affecting subsequent transfer and inspection accuracy, and also limits circumferential and radial displacement of the back inspection tray 12 during its movement with the mounting plate 113, further improving the stability of the back inspection tray 12. The positioning element 1132 can be a cylindrical pin or a conical pin structure, offering high positioning accuracy, simple processing and assembly, low cost, minimal wear over long-term use, and high positioning reliability.

[0061] Furthermore, to ensure a constant placement orientation of the back inspection tray 12, only one positioning element 1132 or multiple positioning elements 1132 can be provided between the back inspection tray 12 and the mounting plate 113, with different spacing between adjacent positioning elements 1132. This achieves foolproof positioning, preventing incorrect placement of the back inspection tray 12 and ensuring that the wafer placement angle always matches the inspection requirements without subsequent angle adjustments, further improving inspection efficiency and accuracy, and avoiding data deviations caused by incorrect orientation. The positioning element 1132 can be located on the periphery of the back inspection tray 12 or on the end face of the back inspection tray 12 facing the mounting plate 113. Corresponding positioning holes are adaptively provided at corresponding positions on the mounting plate 113, without interfering with wafer placement or the transfer mechanism 14's gripping of the back inspection tray 12. The structural layout is reasonable, and the positioning is intuitive and reliable.

[0062] Correspondingly, the inspection station is also equipped with multiple positioning components 1132, and the positioning directions of the multiple positioning components 1132 on the inspection station are completely consistent with those of the multiple positioning components 1132 on the mounting plate 113. This ensures that the back inspection tray 12 maintains a consistent placement direction whether on the mounting plate 113 or the inspection station, preventing directional deviations from affecting the inspection module 132's identification and judgment of defects at different locations on the wafer, thus ensuring accurate and reliable inspection results. Furthermore, after the back inspection tray 12 is transferred to the inspection station, it can be precisely positioned directly by the positioning components 1132 without additional alignment adjustments, further improving installation efficiency and ensuring the placement accuracy of the back inspection tray 12, meeting the positional accuracy requirements of wafer inspection. Of course, in other embodiments, an additional alignment device can be provided, such as a rotating mechanism on the back inspection tray 12. After the inspection is completed, the back inspection tray 12 automatically rotates and adjusts its angle to further correct positional deviations and ensure inspection accuracy. Additional alignment settings can adapt to higher precision inspection requirements, preventing placement errors of the back inspection tray 12 from affecting the inspection results. Users can choose whether to configure this feature based on their own inspection accuracy requirements.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, reference is made again. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The back inspection tray 12 is equipped with a trigger element 121, and the mounting plate 113 has a trigger position, with a trigger 1133 at the trigger position. When the back inspection tray 12 is positioned at the bearing position 1131, the trigger element 121 is inserted into the trigger position to trigger the trigger 1133. After the trigger 1133 is triggered, it sends a signal to the control unit that the back inspection tray 12 has been accurately installed. Only after receiving this signal will the equipment start the subsequent conveying and testing process. If the back inspection tray 12 is not correctly placed at the bearing position 1131, the trigger 1133 will not be triggered, and the equipment will pause operation and issue a warning signal to prevent the back inspection tray 12 from slipping or colliding during subsequent transfer due to improper placement. This further improves the safety and stability of equipment operation and effectively avoids wafer damage and equipment component collision failures. The trigger 1133 can also use conventional detection components such as photoelectric sensors and contact limit switches, which have a simple structure, reliable triggering, low cost, and are easy to maintain and replace in daily life. The trigger position can be configured as a socket. The trigger 1133 is located on the side of the mounting plate 113 away from the back inspection plate 12. When the back inspection plate 12 is set in the bearing position 1131, the trigger 121 is inserted into the socket. The trigger 1133 detects the insertion of the trigger 121 and is thus triggered.

[0064] To facilitate the transport of the back inspection tray 12 to the retrieval position by the storage mechanism 11, in one embodiment, referring to... Figures 1 to 3 The storage mechanism 11 includes multiple mounting plates 113 and multiple second sliding rails 112. Each mounting plate 113 is slidably mounted on a second sliding rail 112. At least two of the mounting plates 113 have back inspection trays 12 with different specifications. One of the mounting plates 113 slides along the second sliding rail 112 to transport the back inspection tray 12 to the retrieval position. Specifically, the storage mechanism 11 can store multiple wafers. When the wafer inspection device is working, one of the mounting plates 113 slides along the extension direction of the second sliding rail 112 to transport the back inspection tray 12 to the retrieval position. After the wafer inspection is completed, another mounting plate 113 can be directly replaced to slide and inspect another wafer without stopping the machine to replace the wafer. That is, the entire storage mechanism 11 can act as a wafer transfer station, thereby effectively reducing standby waiting time, further improving inspection efficiency, and adapting to the continuous inspection needs of high capacity. Furthermore, each mounting plate 113 independently supports the back inspection panel 12, preventing mutual interference. The replacement process is simple, the control logic is clear, and it will not affect the overall stability of the equipment operation.

[0065] Furthermore, the back inspection trays 12 on at least two of the multiple mounting plates 113 are configured with different specifications. This configuration enables the wafer inspection device to store wafers of multiple specifications simultaneously, adapting to different inspection needs. There is no need for manual replacement of storage fixtures or adjustment of positioning, further improving the compatibility and inspection flexibility of the equipment. It can meet the inspection needs of multiple varieties and small batches of wafers, and also reduce the standby time for changeover adjustments.

[0066] Multiple second sliding guide rails 112 extend along the second direction, and multiple mounting plates 113 are arranged at intervals along the first direction. The corresponding transfer mechanism 14 also slides along the first direction. That is, multiple storage components are arranged at intervals along the vertical direction. Each mounting plate 113 can slide independently along the second direction to discharge material without motion interference. The layout structure is compact. The multiple mounting plates 113 are arranged at intervals along the first direction, which can make full use of the space inside the housing along the first direction. The storage capacity of the equipment can be increased without increasing the equipment floor area. It can adapt to the continuous testing needs of more wafers, effectively compress the overall space occupied by the device, and adapt to the compact layout requirements of semiconductor production workshops.

[0067] The second sliding guide rail 112 is fixedly mounted on the housing and extends along the second direction. The mounting plate 113 is slidably mounted on the second sliding guide rail 112 and can slide along the second direction under the drive of the driving component, thereby driving the back inspection tray 12 placed on the mounting plate 113 to move as a whole, transporting the back inspection tray 12 to the position to be picked up, or returning to the original position after the inspection is completed. The sliding guide is stable and the motion accuracy is high, which can ensure that the back inspection tray 12 is accurately positioned each time it is transported to the position to be picked up, which is convenient for the transfer mechanism 14 to grasp accurately.

[0068] Furthermore, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7The storage mechanism 11 also includes multiple adapters 114, each adapter 114 being slidably mounted on a second sliding guide rail 112 and fixedly connected to a mounting plate 113. The adapters 114 are configured to slide on the first sliding guide rail 141, thereby causing the mounting plate 113 to slide on the first sliding guide rail 141. Specifically, the adapter 114 can be configured as an adapter block, slidably mounted on the second sliding guide rail 112, with the mounting plate 113 connected to the adapter 114. This reduces the contact area between the mounting plate 113 and the second sliding guide rail 112 when the mounting plate 113 is directly mounted on the second sliding guide rail 112, reducing the machining accuracy requirements of the mounting plate 113, facilitating assembly and adjustment, reducing the sliding friction area, improving the smoothness of sliding movement, preventing the mounting plate 113 from tilting or wobbling after long-term load-bearing, ensuring the stability of the sliding process, and extending the service life of the storage component. Meanwhile, the adapter 114 can be easily connected to the mounting plate 113, reducing the assembly difficulty between the drive component and the mounting plate 113 and improving assembly efficiency. The adapter 114 can be adapted to mounting plates 113 of different sizes. When it is necessary to replace the mounting plate 113 of a different size to support a larger back inspection disk 12, there is no need to replace the second sliding guide rail 112. Only the specifications of the adapter 114 need to be adjusted, which further improves the compatibility of the storage components.

[0069] To improve the sliding accuracy of the mounting plate 113, in one embodiment, a position detection element is provided on the second sliding guide rail 112. The position detection element is configured to detect when the mounting plate 113 has slid to the desired position. Specifically, when the position detection element detects that the mounting plate 113 has slid into place, it sends a position signal to the control unit. The control unit then controls the storage component to stop sliding and drives the transfer mechanism 14 to start the transfer action. This can accurately control the stopping position of the mounting plate 113, avoiding overtravel or undertravel of the mounting plate 113, ensuring the position accuracy of the back inspection tray 12, providing an accurate positional basis for the subsequent gripping by the transfer mechanism 14, further improving the reliability of the transfer action, and avoiding gripping failure or collision with components due to positional deviation. The position detection element can use conventional detection components such as photoelectric sensors, limit switches, or magnetic detection switches. It has a simple structure, reliable detection, low cost, and is easy to maintain.

[0070] In other embodiments, a position detection component may not be required. Instead, a limiting component may be directly installed at the corresponding position of the first sliding guide rail 141. When the mounting plate 113 slides to the position to be picked up, the limiting component restricts the mounting plate 113 from sliding further to the right. The positional accuracy of the mounting plate 113 is ensured by hard limiting, which simplifies the structure, further reduces equipment costs, and makes the control logic more direct with a lower probability of failure. Alternatively, the sliding distance of the mounting plate 113 can be recorded by the encoder built into the drive component to determine whether the mounting plate 113 has slid into place. No additional detection components are required, which simplifies wiring and further reduces equipment costs.

[0071] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 In some embodiments of this application, the back inspection tray 12 is provided with a receiving groove 123, which is configured to receive a wafer. The receiving groove 123 also has an adsorption port 124, which is configured to fix the wafer to the receiving groove 123 through vacuum adsorption. Specifically, the contour dimensions of the receiving groove 123 are adapted to the outer dimensions of the wafer, enabling circumferential positioning of the wafer and preventing positional displacement during transfer and inspection. Combined with the vacuum adsorption effect of the adsorption port 124, the wafer can be stably fixed on the back inspection tray 12. This prevents wafer deformation and damage due to excessive fixing force and ensures the wafer's stable position throughout the transfer and inspection process, preventing displacement and shaking, thus ensuring smooth inspection and accurate and reliable results. Multiple adsorption ports 124 can be provided, evenly distributed along the bottom of the receiving groove 123, ensuring uniform force on all parts of the wafer, improving fixing stability, and preventing uneven local force from causing wafer warping and deformation, which would affect the inspection results. The adsorption port 124 is connected to an external vacuum generator via an air channel, making control simple. Only the vacuum on / off state needs to be controlled to fix and release the wafer, making loading and unloading convenient and quick, suitable for continuous automated testing operations. For higher precision testing requirements, a pressure detection element can be installed in the receiving tank 123 to detect the adsorption force. If the adsorption force is insufficient, timely feedback will be provided to prevent testing failures caused by unstable wafer fixation.

[0072] The diameter of the receiving slot 123 can be set according to the size of the wafer. For wafers of different specifications, only the back inspection tray 12 of the corresponding receiving slot 123 size needs to be replaced. The main structure of the original storage component, transfer mechanism 14 and inspection fixture 131 does not need to be replaced. Only the relevant positioning parameters need to be adjusted. This flexible adaptation can meet the inspection needs of wafers of various specifications and reduce the equipment modification cost for multi-specification inspection. After the wafer is placed in the receiving slot 123, the back side of the wafer to be inspected faces the inspection module 132 and is not blocked by the back inspection tray 12. This ensures that the inspection module 132 can directly acquire a complete image of the back side of the wafer and successfully complete defect detection and identification.

[0073] This application also proposes a wafer inspection device, which includes a pick-and-place module. The specific structure of the pick-and-place module is as described in the above embodiments. Since this wafer inspection device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0074] Among them, reference Figures 1 to 4 The wafer inspection device also includes an inspection mechanism 13, which includes an inspection fixture 131 and an inspection module 132 mounted on the rack 1. The inspection fixture 131 is used to support the back inspection tray 12 on which the wafer to be inspected is placed, so that the back side of the wafer to be inspected faces the inspection module 132. The inspection module 132 is used to collect image information of the back side of the wafer and identify and detect defects in the wafer. The back inspection tray 12 is automatically stored, transported and transferred through the pick-and-place module, eliminating the need for manual loading and unloading, realizing fully automated continuous operation of wafer inspection, greatly improving inspection efficiency, reducing labor costs, and avoiding positioning errors and wafer bump damage caused by manual operation, thereby improving the accuracy and safety of inspection results.

[0075] The inspection fixture 131 is slidably or rotatably mounted on the frame 1. When the transfer mechanism 14 transports the back inspection tray 12 to the inspection fixture 131, the inspection fixture 131 can drive the back inspection tray 12 to adjust its position, allowing the wafer to gradually move to the inspection area of ​​the inspection module 132. This allows the inspection module 132 to complete the scanning and inspection of the entire wafer without requiring large-scale movement of the inspection module 132 itself, ensuring the inspection accuracy of the inspection module 132, reducing vibration interference caused by the movement of the inspection module 132, and further improving the accuracy of the inspection results. The inspection module 132 is configured as an imaging inspection module 132, which can employ different inspection structures such as optical imaging and scanning electron microscopes. The appropriate type can be selected according to the required inspection accuracy, enabling accurate identification of minute defects on the back of the wafer and meeting the inspection requirements of different scenarios.

[0076] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0077] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pick-and-place module, applied to a wafer inspection device, the wafer inspection device having an inspection station, characterized in that, The pick-and-place module includes: frame; The back inspection tray is configured to store wafers to be inspected; Storage unit, mounted on the rack, configured to at least support the back inspection disk; and A transfer mechanism, movably mounted on the rack, is configured to transfer the back inspection tray and the wafer to be inspected thereon between the storage unit and the inspection station.

2. The pick-and-place module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer mechanism includes a gripping component, and the back inspection tray is provided with a mating part; The gripping component is configured to grip the back inspection tray by gripping the mating part, and to move the back inspection tray between the storage mechanism and the inspection station.

3. The pick-and-place module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gripping component includes a drive structure and at least two clamping members disposed on the drive structure. The mating parts have at least two, and a plurality of the mating parts protrude from the side of the back inspection tray. The drive structure is configured to drive the plurality of clamping members to move closer or further apart, so that the plurality of clamping members respectively clamp the plurality of mating parts, thereby clamping the back inspection tray.

4. The pick-and-place module according to claim 3, characterized in that, One of the clamping member and the mating portion is provided with a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being configured to detect the clamping force of the clamping member on the mating portion; and / or The clamping member has a buffer on the side facing the mating part, and the buffer is clamped between the clamping member and the mating part.

5. The pick-and-place module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gripping assembly includes an electromagnet, the mating part is configured as a magnetic element, and the electromagnet attracts the magnetic element to grip the back inspection tray; and / or, The transfer mechanism further includes a first sliding guide rail fixed to the frame, and the gripping component is slidably mounted on the first sliding guide rail to drive the back inspection tray to transfer between the storage mechanism and the inspection station.

6. The pick-and-place module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage mechanism includes a mounting plate with a bearing position. The back inspection tray is detachably disposed in the bearing position. The mounting plate is configured to move the back inspection tray to a position to be picked up by sliding motion, so that the transfer mechanism can grab or place the back inspection tray.

7. The pick-and-place module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The back inspection tray is equipped with a trigger element, the mounting plate is equipped with a trigger position, and the trigger position is equipped with a trigger; when the back inspection tray is positioned in the bearing position, the trigger element is inserted into the trigger position to trigger the trigger; and / or, One of the back inspection tray and the mounting plate is provided with a positioning element, and the other is provided with a positioning hole. The positioning element and the positioning hole are configured to be inserted into each other when the back inspection tray is set in the bearing position.

8. The pick-and-place module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The storage mechanism includes multiple mounting plates and multiple second sliding rails. Each mounting plate is slidably mounted on a second sliding rail. The back inspection trays on at least two of the multiple mounting plates are configured with different specifications. The multiple mounting plates can be selectively slid on the second sliding rail to transport the back inspection tray to the position to be retrieved.

9. The pick-and-place module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The back inspection tray is provided with a receiving groove, which is configured to receive the wafer to be inspected, and the receiving groove is provided with an adsorption port, which is configured to fix the wafer to be inspected in the receiving groove by vacuum adsorption.

10. A wafer inspection device, characterized in that, Includes the pick-and-place module as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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