A carrying device, a robot hand and a process method

Abstract

The application discloses a bearing device, a mechanical hand and a process method. The bearing device comprises a bearing body, a first electrode, and at least two second conductive terminals. The bearing body comprises a bearing area and a non-bearing area. The first electrode comprises an electrode sheet built in the bearing area and a first conductive terminal connected with the electrode sheet arranged in the non-bearing area. The at least two second conductive terminals are arranged in the non-bearing area, and one end of each of the at least two second conductive terminals is a second leading end. The at least two second conductive terminals comprise at least one adsorption electrode and at least one detection electrode. When a carried object is transferred to the bearing area, the other end of the at least two second conductive terminals is in conduction with the carried object. The first conductive terminal and the second leading end of the adsorption electrode are used for connecting two ends of an external power supply or are grounded at the same time. The second leading end of the detection electrode is used for connecting a detection circuit to detect the potential of the detection electrode to the ground. After the carried object is completely transferred, the electrostatic on the carried object can be completely released.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, specifically to a carrier device, a robotic arm, and a process method. Background Technology

[0002] Plasma processing (such as etching or thin film deposition) is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing. During the process, ions or electrons in the plasma interact with the wafer surface, which may lead to the accumulation of charge on the wafer surface. In addition, the electrostatic discharge step of desorption in the plasma etching process also affects the amount of residual electrostatic charge on the wafer. The accumulation of multiple factors can lead to excessive accumulation of electrostatic charge on the wafer, generating electrostatic forces. When wafers are transferred between different semiconductor process equipment, dust particles are attracted to the wafer surface by these electrostatic forces, causing particulate contamination and reducing yield. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a carrier device, a robotic arm, and a process method, which can improve the problem of particulate contamination caused by electrostatic adsorption of dust particles onto the wafer surface during wafer transport.

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, in a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a supporting device, comprising:

[0005] The supporting body is made of insulating material and includes a load-bearing area and a non-load-bearing area;

[0006] Electrode sheets are embedded in the bearing area;

[0007] A first conductive terminal is disposed in the non-load-bearing area, with one end connected to the electrode sheet and the other end serving as a first connection terminal;

[0008] The second conductive terminal is disposed in the non-load-bearing area and includes a second connection terminal and a third connection terminal;

[0009] The conductive element includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is conductively connected to the third connection end, and the second end is located beside the bearing area.

[0010] When the bearing area carries the object, the second end is electrically connected to the object.

[0011] Optionally, the conductive element is an elastic spring, and the second end is a free end that extends freely to the side of the bearing area, the height of which is higher than the top surface of the bearing area;

[0012] When the supported object is supported on the bearing area, the free end is deformed by the supported object to the same height as the bearing area.

[0013] Optionally, both the second conductive terminal and the elastic spring have C-shaped cross-sections;

[0014] The first end is fitted into the C-shaped opening of the second conductive terminal so that the second conductive terminal and the elastic spring mesh with each other and are fixed by elastic deformation.

[0015] Optionally, the bearing body includes, along the thickness direction:

[0016] An insulating substrate, wherein the electrode sheet, the first conductive terminal, and the second conductive terminal are all disposed on the insulating substrate;

[0017] The dielectric layer, together with the insulating substrate, sandwiches the electrode sheet, the first conductive terminal, and the second conductive terminal in the middle, and the dielectric layer has windows at least at the first connection end, the second connection end, and the third connection end.

[0018] Optionally, the thickness of the insulating substrate is 2-3 mm;

[0019] The thickness of the electrode sheet and the first conductive terminal is 10-20 μm;

[0020] The thickness of the second conductive terminal is 0.1–0.5 mm;

[0021] The thickness of the dielectric layer is 0.2 to 0.8 mm.

[0022] Optionally, the edges of the electrode sheet and the edges of the first conductive terminal are recessed at least 3 mm relative to the edge of the insulating substrate.

[0023] Optionally, the insulating substrate is a ceramic substrate; and / or,

[0024] The electrode sheet and the first conductive terminal are thin films formed by a deposition process; and / or,

[0025] The second conductive terminal is a sheet metal part; and / or,

[0026] The dielectric layer is a ceramic layer formed by a sintering process.

[0027] Optionally, the carrier device further includes a detection circuit;

[0028] The second conductive terminal is provided with at least two, including at least one adsorption terminal and at least one detection terminal;

[0029] When the bearing area carries the object, the first connecting end and the second connecting end of the adsorption terminal are used to connect to the two ends of an external power source, or to ground simultaneously.

[0030] The second connection terminal of the detection terminal is used to connect to the detection circuit to detect the potential of the detection terminal to ground.

[0031] Optionally, the detection circuit includes a first current-limiting resistor, a second current-limiting resistor, and a controller;

[0032] One end of the first current-limiting resistor is connected to the detection terminal, and the other end is connected to one end of the second current-limiting resistor; the other end of the second current-limiting resistor is grounded.

[0033] The controller is used to acquire the voltage across the second current-limiting resistor in order to determine the potential.

[0034] Optionally, the carrier device further includes a power supply circuit;

[0035] The power supply circuit includes: a third current-limiting resistor, a fourth current-limiting resistor, and a commutator;

[0036] One end of the third current-limiting resistor is connected to the first connection end;

[0037] One end of the fourth current-limiting resistor is connected to the second connection end of the adsorption terminal;

[0038] In the first switching state, the commutator connects the other end of the third current-limiting resistor to the positive terminal of the external power supply and the other end of the fourth current-limiting resistor to the negative terminal of the external power supply; in the second switching state, the other ends of the third and fourth current-limiting resistors are grounded.

[0039] Optionally, in the third switching state, the commutator connects the other end of the third current-limiting resistor to the negative terminal of the external power supply and connects the other end of the fourth current-limiting resistor to the positive terminal of the external power supply.

[0040] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a robotic hand, including an arm and a support device as described in the above embodiments, wherein the arm is connected to the support device and is used to drive the support device to move.

[0041] Thirdly, this application also provides a process method for wafer transfer using the robotic arm described in the above embodiments, the process method including:

[0042] S10. Ground the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal;

[0043] S20. Control the carrier device to move to the wafer picking position;

[0044] S30. Control the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal to be connected to the two ends of an external power supply respectively, and apply a preset voltage.

[0045] Optionally, the carrier device further includes a detection circuit; at least two second conductive terminals are provided, including at least one adsorption terminal and at least one detection terminal; when the carrier area carries the object, the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal of the adsorption terminal are used to connect to the two ends of an external power supply, or simultaneously grounded; the second connection terminal of the detection terminal is used to connect to the detection circuit to detect the potential of the detection terminal relative to ground;

[0046] Following S20, the following is also included:

[0047] S21. Control the detection circuit to detect the potential; when the potential is equal to 0, execute S30.

[0048] Following S30, the following is also included:

[0049] S31. Control the detection circuit to detect the potential. When the potential is equal to 0, determine that there is no wafer at the wafer picking position.

[0050] Optionally, after S30, the method further includes:

[0051] S32. When the potential is not equal to 0, control the carrier device to move to the plate placement position;

[0052] S33. Control the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal of the adsorption terminal to be grounded.

[0053] Optionally, after S20, the method further includes:

[0054] S22. When the potential is not equal to 0, control the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal of the adsorption terminal to be grounded simultaneously for a preset time, and then execute S30.

[0055] As described above, the carrier device of this application, when it is necessary to electrostatically adsorb the object being carried, can connect the first connection end of the first conductive terminal and the second connection end of the second conductive terminal 30 to an external power source to apply a preset voltage and electrostatically adsorb and fix the object being carried. After the process is completed, the first connection end of the first conductive terminal and the second connection end of the second conductive terminal can be grounded. The charge on the object being carried can be released through the conductive component and the grounding of the second conductive terminal 30, so that the electrostatic force can be completely released, thereby avoiding the problem of pollution caused by electrostatic adsorption of particles. In addition, since this embodiment adopts a unipolar adsorption method, under the same adsorption area and adsorption voltage, the carrier device of this embodiment has a greater adsorption force. Attached Figure Description

[0056] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0057] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a carrier component in a related technology;

[0058] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of electrostatic adsorption principle of the support part;

[0059] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Control principle diagram of the load-bearing part;

[0060] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a supporting device in a working state according to an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 5 This is a top view of a support device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the correlation between a preset voltage and electrostatic force provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of a bearing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the correlation between a preset voltage and the maximum static friction force provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a detection circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a power supply circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 11 This is a control structure diagram of a power supply circuit and a detection circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 12 This is a schematic flow diagram of a process method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 13 This is a schematic flow diagram of another process method provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0070] The realization of the objectives, functional features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings have illustrated specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0071] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0072] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, components, features, and elements with the same names in different embodiments of this application may have the same meaning or different meanings, the specific meaning of which must be determined by its interpretation in that specific embodiment or further in conjunction with the context of that specific embodiment.

[0073] It should be further understood that the terms "comprising" or "including" indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, types, and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence, occurrence, or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, types, and / or groups. The terms "or," "and / or," and "comprising at least one of the following," as used in this application, can be interpreted as inclusive, or mean any one or any combination thereof. For example, "comprising at least one of the following: A, B, C" means "any one of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C," and similarly, "A, B, or C" or "A, B, and / or C" means "any one of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C." Exceptions to this definition only occur when the combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently mutually exclusive in some way.

[0074] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe various types of information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this document, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” used in this document are intended to also include the plural forms, unless the context indicates otherwise.

[0075] It should be understood that the terms "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "vertical", "horizontal", etc., 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 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 on this application.

[0076] For ease of description, the following embodiments are all illustrated using an orthogonal space defined by a horizontal plane and a vertical direction. This premise should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0077] Please see Figures 1-3 , Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a carrier component in a related technology. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of electrostatic adsorption principle of the carrier part. Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The control principle diagram of the carrier portion is shown below. The carrier portion 100a includes a first substrate 10a and a second substrate 20a. A first electrode 11a and a second electrode 12a are formed on the first substrate 10a. The first electrode 11a and the second electrode 12a each occupy approximately half of the area A of the carrier portion 100a. The second substrate 20a covers the first substrate 10a, sandwiching the two electrodes in the middle. Utilizing the bipolar electrostatic adsorption principle, the first electrode 11a and the second electrode 12a are connected to the positive and negative terminals of the power supply 30a, respectively. At this time, the charge on the wafer 101a is polarized, generating induced charge. The wafer 101a is adsorbed onto the carrier portion 100a by the electrostatic force generated by the induced charge. The formula for calculating the electrostatic adsorption force Fd is as follows:

[0078] Fd=0.5QE=ε m AV 2 / (8D 2 ),

[0079] Where Q is the total induced charge, E is the induced electric field strength, and ε is the total induced charge. m V is the relative permittivity of the insulating layer, A is the area of ​​the carrier 100a, V is the applied voltage, and D is the distance between the electrode plate and the wafer 101a.

[0080] The voltage output of the power supply 30a can be adjusted by the controller 40a to adjust the electrostatic force on the wafer 101a, providing sufficient static friction force to the wafer 101a to improve the transfer efficiency and prevent the wafer 101a from sliding.

[0081] When the carrier portion 100a and wafer 101a are transferred out of the process cavity after the current process step, if wafer 101a carries positive or negative static charge, since the surface of the carrier portion 100a is an insulating material (e.g., ceramic), the residual charge on wafer 101a can only be released through two pathways: the insulating material and atmospheric self-discharge. Ceramics have a very high resistivity, typically greater than 1 × 10⁻⁶. 15 The charge release rate through the ceramic material is extremely slow, measured in Ω·m. Similarly, when wafer 101a comes into contact with the atmosphere, the flow of gas molecules can carry a small amount of charge and release it into the atmosphere, which is also a very slow process. Therefore, the support portion 100a cannot quickly release the residual charge on wafer 101a.

[0082] As a further improvement, after the process is completed, a reverse voltage can be applied to the two electrodes via controller 40a, i.e., the first electrode 11a is connected to the negative terminal and the second electrode 12a is connected to the positive terminal. When the reverse voltage is equal to the voltage generated by the residual charge on wafer 101a, the residual Coulomb force can be eliminated. However, for the same reason (the surface of the support portion 100a is an insulating material, and the residual charge cannot be quickly conducted away), the residual charge cannot be eliminated. The residual charge remains on wafer 101a, thus failing to reduce the negative impact of static electricity on subsequent processing steps. Based on this, this application provides a support device, a robot, and a processing method.

[0083] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a carrier device in a working state (carrying a wafer 100) according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 This is a top view of a support device provided in an embodiment of this application. The support device may include: a support body 10, an electrode sheet 21, a first conductive terminal 22, a second conductive terminal 30, and a conductive element 40.

[0084] The carrier body 10 is made of insulating material. Functionally, the carrier body 10 may include a carrier region 101 and a non-carrier region 102. Figure 4With the dashed line as a reference, the bearing area 101 is used to adsorb and fix the supported object 100. The bearing area 101 is the area that directly contacts the supported object 100. The non-bearing area 102 does not contact the supported object 100 and is located outside the projection area of ​​the supported object 100 onto the carrier body 10. The non-bearing area 102 can be used to set circuit traces, etc., but this application embodiment does not limit it. The supported object 100 includes, but is not limited to, a wafer. The following uses a wafer as an example.

[0085] Electrode 21 is embedded in the bearing area 101 of the bearing body 10, and first conductive terminal 22 and second conductive terminal 30 are disposed in the non-bearing area 102 of the bearing body 10. One end of the first conductive terminal 22 is connected to the electrode 21, and the other end is a first connection terminal 221. The second conductive terminal 30 includes a second connection terminal 31 and a third connection terminal 32.

[0086] The conductive element 40 includes a first end 41 and a second end 42. The first end 41 is electrically connected to the third connection end 32 of the second conductive terminal 30, and the second end 42 is located on the side of the bearing area 101.

[0087] When a wafer is supported on the carrier region 101, the second end 42 of the conductive element 40 is electrically connected to the wafer. That is, the conductive element 40 conducts electricity between the second conductive terminal 30 and the wafer.

[0088] The working principle of the carrier device in this embodiment is as follows: When electrostatic adsorption of the wafer is required, the first connection end 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection end 31 of the second conductive terminal 30 can be connected to an external power supply 70 to apply a preset voltage U1. The external power supply 70 can be a DC source. For example, the second connection end 31 of the second conductive terminal 30 is connected to the positive electrode and forms a conductive path with the back of the wafer through the conductive element 40, thereby forming a positive charge on the wafer. The first connection end 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 is connected to the negative electrode and is connected to the electrode plate 21, so that a negative charge is formed on the electrode plate 21. An electrostatic attraction is formed between the wafer and the electrode plate 21. The electrostatic force adsorbs and fixes the wafer on the carrier body 10. The magnitude of the electrostatic force is exponentially related to the preset voltage U1. Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the correlation between the preset voltage and the electrostatic force. After the process is completed, the first connection terminal 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection terminal 31 of the second conductive terminal 30 can be grounded. The positive charge on the wafer is released through the grounding of the conductive element 40 and the second conductive terminal 30, and the negative charge on the electrode plate 21 is released through the grounding of the first conductive terminal 22. There will be no residual charge, so the electrostatic force can be completely released, thereby avoiding the problem of electrostatic adsorption of particles and pollution.

[0089] Furthermore, since this embodiment uses a unipolar adsorption method, that is, only positive electrode adsorption or negative electrode adsorption, the electrostatic adsorption force Fs is calculated as follows:

[0090] Fs=0.5QE=ε m AV 2 / (2D 2 ),

[0091] It can be seen that the unipolar adsorption force Fs is 4 times that of the bipolar adsorption force Fd. Under the same adsorption area and adsorption voltage, the bearing device in this embodiment has a greater adsorption force.

[0092] It is understood that the conductive element 40 is a component used to conductively connect the second conductive terminal 30 and the wafer. In order to improve the good contact between the second conductive terminal 30 and the wafer, in one embodiment, please refer to [the following text is missing]. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The conductive element 40 can be an elastic spring 40. The first end 41 of the elastic spring 40 is electrically connected to the third connection end 32 of the second conductive terminal 30. The second end 42 of the elastic spring 40 is a free end that extends freely to the side of the bearing area 101. The height of this free end is higher than the top surface of the bearing area 101. Figure 4 As shown. When the wafer is supported on the support area 101, the free end 42 is deformed by the wafer pressing down to the same height as the support area 101.

[0093] In this embodiment, by using an elastic spring 40, the third connection end 32 of the second conductive terminal 30 can maintain good contact with the wafer, so as to ensure that the wafer can be electrically connected to the external power supply 70 or properly grounded.

[0094] It should be noted that the specific structure of the elastic spring 40 is not particularly limited in this embodiment. For example, the first end 41 of the elastic spring 40 is welded to the second conductive terminal 30, and the second end 42 can be bent upward relative to the first end 41 and freely extend to the side of the bearing area 101, slightly higher than the top surface of the bearing area 101. Preferably, please refer to... Figure 4 Both the second conductive terminal 30 and the elastic spring 40 have C-shaped cross-sections. The first end 41 of the elastic spring 40 engages with the C-shaped opening of the second conductive terminal 30, allowing the two to interlock and be fixed by elastic deformation. In other words, a detachable connection can be formed by engaging the first end 41 of the elastic spring 40 into the C-shaped opening of the second conductive terminal 30. Disassembly can be achieved by simply pulling the first end 41 of the elastic spring 40 out of the C-shaped opening of the second conductive terminal 30. Compared to welding, this detachable connection makes assembly and disassembly more convenient.

[0095] In various embodiments of this application, the carrier body 10 can be integrally formed with the electrode sheet 21, the first conductive terminal 22, and the second conductive terminal 30 through injection molding. The carrier body 10 encloses the electrode sheet 21, the first conductive terminal 22, and the second conductive terminal 30 internally, exposing only the areas where conductive connections are required, such as the first connection end 221, the second connection end 31, and the third connection end 32. The specific structural implementation of the carrier device is not particularly limited in this application.

[0096] As a preferred example, please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of a support device provided in an embodiment of this application. The support body 10 may include an insulating substrate 110 and a dielectric layer 120. The electrode sheet 21, the first conductive terminal 22, and the second conductive terminal 30 are all disposed on the insulating substrate 110. The dielectric layer 120 and the insulating substrate 110 sandwich the electrode sheet 21, the first conductive terminal 22, and the second conductive terminal 30 in the middle. The figure only shows the dielectric layer 120 on the surface of the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22. The dielectric layer 120 may also include a portion on the surface of the second conductive terminal 30. The dielectric layer 120 on the surface of the second conductive terminal 30 may be fabricated in a separate step, or it may be formed in the same step as the dielectric layer 120 on the surface of the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22. This embodiment of the application does not make any particular limitation. The dielectric layer 120 has windows at least at the first connection end 221 of the first conductive terminal 22, the second connection end 31 of the second conductive terminal 30, and the third connection end 32. The windows are to maintain conductive contact at the connection points. The load-bearing structure in this embodiment is a layered structure, which allows for a wider range of material choices compared to injection molding. For example, the insulating substrate 110 and the dielectric layer 120 can be made of ceramic materials, and the entire structure is formed by sintering. This not only ensures structural reliability but also makes it more adaptable to the high-temperature and corrosive environments in semiconductor processes.

[0097] As examples, the thickness of the insulating substrate 110 can be 2–3 mm, serving as the carrier of the overall structure. The thickness of the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 can be 10–20 μm. For example, they can be formed on the insulating substrate 110 by thin film deposition to reduce the overall thickness. The material can be metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, or titanium. When the second conductive terminal 30 has a C-shaped structure, its thickness can be 0.1–0.5 mm. It can be directly assembled with the insulating substrate 110 using sheet metal parts. The second conductive terminal 30 can be processed into a C-shape by stamping or bending. The thickness of the dielectric layer 120 can be 0.2–0.8 mm. The dielectric layer 120 can be an oxide layer or a ceramic layer formed by a sintering process. In other embodiments, the portions of the dielectric layer 120 corresponding to the electrode sheet 21, the first conductive terminal 22, and the second conductive terminal 30 can also be fabricated separately. For example, the dielectric layer 120 on the surface of the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 can be formed using processes such as sintering or diffusion bonding. The dielectric layer 120 on the surface of the second conductive terminal 30 can be formed by oxidation. For example, when the second conductive terminal 30 is aluminum, the dielectric layer 120 on the surface of the second conductive terminal 30 can be hard anodized aluminum.

[0098] To meet the electrostatic adsorption force requirements in most cases, and to prevent high-voltage breakdown of the two electrodes (wafer and electrode plate 21), preferably, the dielectric layer 120 is made of ceramic material, and the thickness of the ceramic layer 120 in the bearing area 101 (i.e., the distance between the two electrodes) is ≥0.4mm. Specifically, the static friction force Ff experienced by the wafer needs to satisfy Ff=ma, where m is the wafer mass and a is the acceleration; and Ff=μFs, where μ is the static friction factor of the ceramic surface and Fs is the unipolar adsorption force. Combining the two equations, we can obtain:

[0099] a = 0.5QE = με m AV 2 / (2mD 2 ),

[0100] Assuming the thickness of ceramic layer 120 is D = 0.4 mm, the static friction coefficient of ceramic layer 120 surface is 0.2, the mass of the wafer is 0.12762 kg, and the contact area between the bearing region 101 and the wafer is approximately half the wafer area, 0.033 m²,... 2 , ε m =10 / (8.85×10) -12 The ceramic breakdown voltage is 20kV / mm. Based on the acceleration calculation formula, a graph showing the relationship between the preset voltage between the two plates and the maximum acceleration the wafer can withstand can be plotted. Figure 8As shown, when the preset voltage is 1000V, the maximum acceleration is 14.3 m / s², meaning that at a preset voltage of 1000V, the wafer will not slip if the robot's acceleration is below 14.3 m / s². Similarly, when the preset voltage is 2000V, the maximum acceleration is 57.2 m / s², which meets the requirements of most applications. Furthermore, the 0.4mm thick ceramic layer has a breakdown voltage of 8kV, far exceeding the applied 2kV electrode voltage. Therefore, setting the dielectric layer thickness to ≥0.4mm can meet application requirements.

[0101] In one embodiment, the edges of the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 are recessed at least 3 mm relative to the edge of the insulating substrate 110, for example, 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm, 10 mm, etc. This ensures that the shielding width of the dielectric layer 120 on the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 is within a certain processing tolerance range, preventing the edges of the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 from being exposed and coming into contact with the wafer to form a short circuit.

[0102] In one embodiment, the carrier device may further include a detection circuit. At least two second conductive terminals 30 are provided, all of which include at least one adsorption terminal 30A and at least one detection terminal 30B. Figure 5 Taking the example of setting two adsorption terminals 30A and one detection terminal 30B.

[0103] When the wafer is mounted on the carrier region 101, all second conductive terminals 30 are connected to the wafer. The first connection terminal 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection terminal 31 of the adsorption terminal 30A are used to connect to the two ends of the external power supply 70, or simultaneously grounded. The second connection terminal 31 of the detection terminal 30B is used to connect to the aforementioned detection circuit to detect the potential of the detection terminal 30B relative to ground.

[0104] It should be noted that "adsorption terminal 30A" refers to the terminal being connected to an external power source during operation, and does not mean that the wafer is adsorbed in the area corresponding to the terminal. In actual operation, the wafer is adsorbed in the carrier area 101, and the adsorption terminal 30A is located in the non-carrier area 102.

[0105] Since electrostatic discharge may take a certain amount of time, and in this embodiment, when the wafer is transferred to the carrier area 101, the detection terminal 30B is conductive to the wafer. The external detection circuit can detect the potential of the detection terminal 30B to ground and indirectly measure the potential of the wafer. This allows the determination of whether the electrostatic discharge on the wafer has been fully discharged or when it has been completed, ensuring that the wafer transfer is carried out only after the electrostatic discharge is completely discharged.

[0106] As an example of a detection circuit, please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of a detection circuit provided in an embodiment of this application. The detection circuit 50 includes a first current-limiting resistor R1, a second current-limiting resistor R2, and a controller 51. One end of the first current-limiting resistor R1 is connected to the detection terminal 30B, and the other end is connected to one end of the second current-limiting resistor R2. The other end of the second current-limiting resistor R2 is grounded. The controller 51 is used to acquire the voltage across the second current-limiting resistor R2 to determine the potential of the detection terminal 30B.

[0107] In one embodiment, see Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a power supply circuit provided in an embodiment of this application. The supporting device may further include a power supply circuit 60. The power supply circuit 60 includes a third current-limiting resistor R3, a fourth current-limiting resistor R4, and a commutator 61. One end of the third current-limiting resistor R3 is connected to the first connection terminal 221 of the first conductive terminal 22, and one end of the fourth current-limiting resistor R4 is connected to the second connection terminal 31 of the adsorption terminal 30A. In the first switching state (corresponding to contacts A1 and A2), the commutator 61 connects the other end of the third current-limiting resistor R3 to the positive terminal (A1) of the external power supply 70 and connects the other end of the fourth current-limiting resistor R4 to the negative terminal (A2) of the external power supply 70. In the second switching state (corresponding to contacts B1 and B2), the other ends of the third current-limiting resistor R3 and the fourth current-limiting resistor R4 are grounded.

[0108] It is understood that the first switching state is the positive electrode adsorption state, and the second switching state is the wafer electrostatic discharge state. In other embodiments, the commutator 61 can also connect the other end of the third current-limiting resistor R3 to the negative terminal (C1) of the external power supply 70 and connect the other end of the fourth current-limiting resistor R4 to the positive terminal (C2) of the external power supply 70 in the third switching state, which is the negative electrode adsorption state.

[0109] Please see Figure 11 , Figure 11 This is a control structure diagram of a power supply circuit and a detection circuit provided in an embodiment of this application. For example, the controller 51 can control the commutator 61 to connect the adsorption terminal 30A of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second conductive terminal 30 to the two ends of the external power supply 70, and then control the external power supply 70 to apply a preset voltage U1 to achieve electrostatic adsorption of the wafer. The controller 51 can also control the detection circuit 50 to measure the potential of the detection terminal 30B of the second conductive terminal 30 to ground. The controller 51 can also control the external power supply 70 to stop supplying power, and then control the commutator 61 to ground the adsorption terminal 30A of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second conductive terminal 30 to achieve electrostatic discharge of the wafer.

[0110] This application also provides a method for preparing a support device. Please refer to... Figures 4-7The preparation method may include:

[0111] S110. Provide an insulating substrate, wherein the insulating substrate includes a load-bearing region and a non-load-bearing region.

[0112] The insulating substrate 110 can be made of ceramic sheet, and the shape of the ceramic sheet can be made into the shape of the fingers of the robotic hand. The thickness of the ceramic sheet can be 2-3mm to ensure the overall mechanical strength of the load-bearing device. Depending on the actual application, the insulating substrate 110 can be divided into a load-bearing area 101 and a non-load-bearing area 102.

[0113] S120. An electrode sheet and a first conductive terminal are formed on an insulating substrate, wherein the electrode sheet is formed in a bearing area and the first conductive terminal is formed in a non-bearing area.

[0114] The electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22, as electrodes that directly exert an adsorption force on the wafer, can be formed in one step using a thin-film deposition process (such as PVD or CVD). The electrode sheet 21 is formed in the support region 101, and the first conductive terminal 22 is formed in the non-support region 102. The specific pattern fabrication process for the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 can be as follows: first, a full-surface conductive layer can be fabricated, and then the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 can be formed by fabricating a mask and etching; alternatively, a masking film can be printed first in the area where the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 do not need to be formed, then a conductive layer can be deposited, and finally the masking film along with the conductive layer on its surface can be removed. It should be noted that the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 are preferably recessed 3-10 mm relative to the insulating substrate 110 to ensure that the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 are not exposed.

[0115] S130, Provide at least one second conductive terminal and place it in a non-load-bearing area;

[0116] The second conductive terminal 30 is disposed in the non-load-bearing area 102 and can be manufactured using the same method as the first conductive terminal 22. For the C-shaped second conductive terminal 30, a pre-fabricated sheet metal part can be used, which is then assembled into the non-load-bearing area 102. Furthermore, a groove 103 can be pre-formed in the non-load-bearing area 102, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the second conductive terminal 30 is disposed in the groove 104, which can prevent the second conductive terminal 30 from protruding too much.

[0117] S140. A dielectric layer is formed on the electrode sheet, the first conductive terminal, and the second conductive terminal, wherein the dielectric layer has windows at least at the first connection end, the second connection end, and the third connection end.

[0118] As described above, when the second conductive terminal 30 is planar, it can be formed in the same process step as the first conductive terminal 22. In this case, the dielectric layer 120 can simultaneously cover the areas to be covered by the electrode sheet 21, the first conductive terminal 22, and the second conductive terminal 30, with openings only at the locations where conductive connections are required (the first connection terminal 221, the second connection terminal 31, and the third connection terminal 32). When the second conductive terminal 30 is C-shaped, a portion of the dielectric layer 120 can be formed on the electrode sheet 21 and the first conductive terminal 22 by thin film deposition, and then the surface of the second conductive terminal 30 can be oxidized to form another portion of the dielectric layer 120 on the second conductive terminal 30.

[0119] S150. A conductive element is provided, and a first end of the conductive element is connected to a second conductive terminal, the second end being disposed on the side of the bearing area.

[0120] Taking the conductive component 40 as an example, elastic spring 40 can be prefabricated to correspond one-to-one with the second conductive terminal 30. As mentioned above, when the second conductive terminal 30 is planar, the elastic spring 40 can be directly connected to the second connecting end 31 of the second conductive terminal 30 by welding or adhesive bonding. When the second conductive terminal 30 is C-shaped, the first end 41 of the elastic spring 40 can be inserted into the C-shaped opening of the second conductive terminal 30, and the two can be snapped together by the deformation of the elastic spring 40.

[0121] Preferably, the carrier device may be provided with mounting through holes 104 at the first connection end 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection end 31 of the second conductive terminal 30, respectively. The mounting through holes 104 can be used to install electrode terminals. The first conductive terminal and the adsorption terminal 30A are connected to the external power supply 70 through their respective electrode terminals, and the detection terminal 30B is connected to the detection circuit 50 through the electrode terminals.

[0122] The carrier device fabricated using this method has a reliable structure and is better adapted to the high-temperature and corrosive environments in semiconductor processes.

[0123] This application also provides a robotic hand, which may include an arm and a support device as described in the above embodiments. The arm is connected to the support device and is used to drive the movement of the support device. The support device can be regarded as the fingers of the robotic hand, used to adsorb and fix the wafer during wafer transport.

[0124] This application also provides a process method; please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 12 , Figure 12 This is a schematic flowchart of a process method provided in an embodiment of this application. Specifically, it uses a robotic arm as described in the above embodiments for wafer transfer. This process method may include:

[0125] S10, control the grounding of the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal.

[0126] For example, when picking up a wafer, the controller 51 can control the commutator 61 to ground the first connection terminal 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection terminal 31 of the second conductive terminal 30. This state can be used as the initial state before the robot picks up the wafer.

[0127] S20. Control the carrier device to move to the film picking position.

[0128] For example, controller 51 can control the arm to move the carrier device (i.e., the fingers) to the wafer pickup position. If a wafer is present at the pickup position, the carrier area 101 of the carrier device can contact the wafer. It should be noted that the wafer pickup position corresponds to the wafer just contacting the carrier surface of the carrier device. For example, in this step, controller 51 can control the arm to move the carrier device horizontally first, to below the wafer, and then move it upward to a position where it can contact the wafer (if a wafer is present).

[0129] S30. Connect the first and second connection terminals to the two ends of an external power supply and apply a preset voltage.

[0130] For example, the controller 51 can control the commutator 61 to connect the first connection end 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection end 31 of the second conductive terminal 30 to the two ends of the external power supply 70, and then apply a preset voltage. If a wafer is present, an electrostatic attraction will be generated between the wafer and the electrode sheet 21, and the wafer will be attracted and fixed.

[0131] The process method of this application, being a unipolar adsorption method, exhibits greater adsorption force for the same bearing area 101. Furthermore, since the first connection terminal 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection terminal 31 of the second conductive terminal 30 can be grounded after the wafer is transferred to the placement position, the electrostatic force on the wafer is quickly released, leaving no residual charge and avoiding the problem of contamination caused by electrostatic adsorption of particles.

[0132] In one embodiment, the carrier device may further include a detection circuit 50; at least two second conductive terminals 30 are provided, all of which include at least one adsorption terminal 30A and at least one detection terminal 30B; when a wafer is carried on the carrier region 101, all second conductive terminals 30 are connected to the wafer. The first connection terminal 221 of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second connection terminal 31 of the adsorption terminal 30A are used to connect to the two ends of an external power supply 70, or simultaneously grounded. The second connection terminal 31 of the detection terminal 30B is used to connect to the aforementioned detection circuit to detect the potential of the detection terminal 30B relative to ground. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 13 , Figure 13 This is a schematic flow chart of another process method provided in an embodiment of this application. After step S20 above, it may further include:

[0133] S21. The control detection circuit detects the potential of the detection terminal to ground. When the potential is equal to 0, S30 is executed.

[0134] For example, the controller 51 can control the detection circuit 50 to measure the potential of the detection terminal 30B in the second conductive terminal 30 to ground. When the detected potential is equal to 0, there may be a wafer at the wafer pick position and the static electricity on the wafer may be completely released, or there may be no wafer. The test result is 0 in both cases.

[0135] Following S30, S31 may be included to further determine whether a wafer exists.

[0136] S31. The control detection circuit detects the potential. When the potential is equal to 0, it is determined that there is no wafer at the wafer pickup location. For example, the controller 51 can control the detection circuit 50 to measure the potential of the detection terminal 30B in the second conductive terminal 30 again. If there is no wafer, the entire circuit is open, and the test result is equal to 0, then it is determined that there is no wafer at the wafer pickup location, and a wafer-free alarm can be issued. At this time, manual inspection of abnormalities can be performed.

[0137] In one embodiment, please continue reading Figure 13 After step S30 above, the following may also be included:

[0138] S32. When a potential that is not equal to 0 is detected, control the carrier device to move to the film placement position.

[0139] When a preset voltage is applied and a potential that is not equal to 0 is detected, it indicates that a wafer is present. At this point, the electrostatic adsorption of the wafer has been completed, and the controller 51 can control the arm to move the carrier device to the wafer placement position.

[0140] S33, control the first connection terminal 22 and the second connection terminal 31 of the adsorption terminal 30A to be grounded simultaneously.

[0141] After the wafer is transferred to the placement position, the controller 51 can first control the external power supply 70 to stop applying voltage to release electrostatic adsorption, and then control the commutator 61 to ground the adsorption terminal 30A in the first conductive terminal 22 and the second conductive terminal 30 so that the residual charge on the wafer can be fully released.

[0142] Finally, the robotic arm retracts, completing one wafer transfer. The wafer transferred to the placement position is free of residual static electricity, preventing interference with the next process.

[0143] The process method of this embodiment can not only stably adsorb wafers, but also determine whether there are wafers at the wafer pick-up position during the process, and can automatically identify abnormal situations where there are no wafers.

[0144] For further information, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 13 After step S20 above, the following may also be included:

[0145] S22. When the potential is detected to be non-zero, control the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal of the adsorption terminal to be grounded for a preset time, and then execute S30.

[0146] When the carrier moves to the wafer pick-up position and detects a potential that is not equal to 0, it indicates that there must be a wafer at the pick-up position, and there is residual static electricity on the wafer that has not been completely discharged. At this time, the controller 51 can control the commutator 61 to delay for a preset time (to ensure that the residual charge is completely discharged), and then connect the adsorption terminal 30A of the first conductive terminal 22 and the second conductive terminal 30 to the two ends of the external power supply 70, so that the static electricity on the wafer is fully discharged. Then, the subsequent steps are executed.

[0147] For other working principles and processes of the robotic arm and process method in this embodiment, please refer to the description of the bearing device in the foregoing embodiments of the present invention, which will not be repeated here.

[0148] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of the carrying device, robot, and process method provided in this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. It should be noted that the descriptions of each embodiment in this application have different emphases; parts not described in detail in a particular embodiment can be referred to in the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0149] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. The technical features of the technical solution of this application can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are also included within the patent protection scope of this application, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other.

Claims

1. A supporting device, characterized in that, include: The supporting body is made of insulating material and includes a load-bearing area and a non-load-bearing area; Electrode sheets are embedded in the bearing area; A first conductive terminal is disposed in the non-load-bearing area, with one end connected to the electrode sheet and the other end serving as a first connection terminal; The second conductive terminal is disposed in the non-load-bearing area and includes a second connection terminal and a third connection terminal; The conductive element includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is conductively connected to the third connection end, and the second end is located beside the bearing area. When the bearing area carries the object, the second end is electrically connected to the object.

2. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive element is an elastic spring, and the second end is a free end that extends freely to the side of the bearing area, with the height of the free end being higher than the top surface of the bearing area; When the supported object is supported on the bearing area, the free end is deformed by the supported object to the same height as the bearing area.

3. The bearing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the second conductive terminal and the elastic spring have C-shaped cross-sections; The first end is fitted into the C-shaped opening of the second conductive terminal so that the second conductive terminal and the elastic spring mesh with each other and are fixed by elastic deformation.

4. The bearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The load-bearing body includes, along the thickness direction: An insulating substrate, wherein the electrode sheet, the first conductive terminal, and the second conductive terminal are all disposed on the insulating substrate; The dielectric layer, together with the insulating substrate, sandwiches the electrode sheet, the first conductive terminal, and the second conductive terminal in the middle, and the dielectric layer has windows at least at the first connection end, the second connection end, and the third connection end.

5. The bearing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The thickness of the insulating substrate is 2-3 mm; The thickness of the electrode sheet and the first conductive terminal is 10-20 μm; The thickness of the second conductive terminal is 0.1–0.5 mm; The thickness of the dielectric layer is 0.2 to 0.8 mm.

6. The bearing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The edges of the electrode sheet and the first conductive terminal are recessed at least 3 mm relative to the edge of the insulating substrate.

7. The bearing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The insulating substrate is a ceramic substrate; and / or, The electrode sheet and the first conductive terminal are thin films formed by a deposition process; and / or, The second conductive terminal is a sheet metal part; and / or, The dielectric layer is a ceramic layer formed by a sintering process.

8. The bearing device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, It also includes detection circuitry; The second conductive terminal is provided with at least two, including at least one adsorption terminal and at least one detection terminal; When the bearing area carries the object, the first connecting end and the second connecting end of the adsorption terminal are used to connect to the two ends of an external power source, or to ground simultaneously. The second connection terminal of the detection terminal is used to connect to the detection circuit to detect the potential of the detection terminal to ground.

9. The bearing device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The detection circuit includes a first current-limiting resistor, a second current-limiting resistor, and a controller; One end of the first current-limiting resistor is connected to the detection terminal, and the other end is connected to one end of the second current-limiting resistor; the other end of the second current-limiting resistor is grounded. The controller is used to acquire the voltage across the second current-limiting resistor in order to determine the potential.

10. The bearing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes the power supply circuit; The power supply circuit includes: a third current-limiting resistor, a fourth current-limiting resistor, and a commutator; One end of the third current-limiting resistor is connected to the first connection end; One end of the fourth current-limiting resistor is connected to the second connection end of the adsorption terminal; In the first switching state, the commutator connects the other end of the third current-limiting resistor to the positive terminal of the external power supply and the other end of the fourth current-limiting resistor to the negative terminal of the external power supply; in the second switching state, the other ends of the third and fourth current-limiting resistors are grounded.

11. The bearing device according to claim 10, characterized in that, In the third switching state, the commutator connects the other end of the third current-limiting resistor to the negative terminal of the external power supply and the other end of the fourth current-limiting resistor to the positive terminal of the external power supply.

12. A robotic arm, characterized in that, Includes an arm and a support device as described in any one of claims 1-11, wherein the arm is connected to the support device and is used to drive the support device to move.

13. A process method, characterized in that, Wafer transfer is performed using the robotic arm as described in claim 12, wherein the process method includes: S10. Ground the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal; S20. Control the carrier device to move to the wafer picking position; S30. Control the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal to be connected to the two ends of an external power supply respectively, and apply a preset voltage.

14. The process method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The carrier device further includes a detection circuit; at least two second conductive terminals are provided, including at least one adsorption terminal and at least one detection terminal; when the carrier area carries the object, the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal of the adsorption terminal are used to connect to the two ends of an external power supply, or simultaneously grounded; the second connection terminal of the detection terminal is used to connect to the detection circuit to detect the potential of the detection terminal relative to ground; Following S20, the following is also included: S21. Control the detection circuit to detect the potential; when the potential is equal to 0, execute S30. Following S30, the following is also included: S31. Control the detection circuit to detect the potential. When the potential is equal to 0, determine that there is no wafer at the wafer picking position.

15. The process method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Following S30, the following is also included: S32. When the potential is not equal to 0, control the carrier device to move to the plate placement position; S33. Control the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal of the adsorption terminal to be grounded.

16. The process method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Following S20, the following is also included: S22. When the potential is not equal to 0, control the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal of the adsorption terminal to be grounded simultaneously for a preset time, and then execute S30.

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