Wafer clamping jaw base and wafer clamping jaw

Abstract

The utility model provides a wafer clamping jaw base and a wafer clamping jaw, and belongs to the technical field of semiconductors. In order to solve the problem that the wafer carrying mode is limited due to the fact that the types of wafer clamping jaws are difficult to switch, the wafer clamping jaw base comprises a base body, a wafer clamping mechanism and a vacuum control mechanism, and one end of the base body is provided with an installation area used for installing a lifting type clamping jaw body or a vacuum suction type clamping jaw body. The wafer clamping mechanism and the vacuum control mechanism are arranged close to the mounting area; the wafer clamping mechanism is used for being matched with the lifting type clamping jaw body to clamp a wafer, the vacuum control mechanism is used for being matched with the vacuum suction type clamping jaw body to suck the wafer, the vacuum control mechanism comprises a first air channel and a second air channel, and the first air channel and the second air channel are arranged on the two sides of the wafer locking mechanism respectively and penetrate through the mounting area. The wafer clamping jaw can be matched with a lifting type clamping jaw body and a vacuum suction type clamping jaw body at the same time, so that switching of the two types of wafer clamping jaws is achieved, and the flexibility of a wafer carrying mode is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a wafer clamp base and a wafer clamp. Background Art

[0002] Wafer refers to the silicon wafer used in the processing and manufacturing of silicon semiconductor integrated circuits. Its raw material is silicon. Because the shape after processing is usually round, it is called a wafer. In the semiconductor production process, the equipment front end module (EquipmentFront EndModule), referred to as EFEM, is the most commonly used important equipment. EFEM transfers wafers from the wafer transfer box to different processing stations and detection modules. The equipment front end module is mainly composed of three core components: wafer loading system (Loadport), wafer transport robot (Robot) and wafer aligner (Aligner). There are multiple wafers (usually 25) in a standard wafer transfer box. After the wafer transfer box is placed on the wafer loading system, the gripper of the robot arm extends into the wafer transfer box and takes out the wafers in it or puts down the wafers on the gripper. The gripper refers to a mechanical part that directly contacts the wafer and carries and transports a single wafer. The gripper includes a gripper body and a base for mounting the gripper body. The base is connected to the robot arm to achieve displacement such as gripper rotation.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream types of wafer grippers include lifting type and vacuum suction type. Both have their own advantages, but due to the complex connection between the gripper and the robot arm body, it is usually difficult to remove and switch to another type of wafer gripper after one type of wafer gripper is installed on the robot arm, resulting in limited wafer handling methods. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to solve the problem in the prior art that the wafer clamp type is difficult to switch, resulting in a limited wafer handling method. Therefore, this application provides a wafer clamp base and a wafer clamp, and by arranging a wafer clamping mechanism and a vacuum control mechanism on the base body, the base can be adapted to the lifting type clamp body and the vacuum suction type clamp body at the same time, thereby realizing the switching of the two types of wafer clamps and improving the flexibility of the wafer handling method.

[0005] The embodiment of the present application provides a wafer clamping claw base, comprising a base body, and a wafer clamping mechanism and a vacuum control mechanism both arranged on the base body, wherein one end of the base body is provided with an installation area for installing a lifting type clamping claw body or a vacuum suction type clamping claw body, and the wafer clamping mechanism and the vacuum control mechanism are both arranged close to the installation area; and,

[0006] The wafer clamping mechanism is used to cooperate with the lifting type clamping jaw body to clamp the wafer, and the vacuum control mechanism is used to cooperate with the vacuum suction type clamping jaw body to absorb the wafer. The vacuum control mechanism includes a first air duct and a second air duct, and the first air duct and the second air duct are respectively arranged on both sides of the wafer clamping mechanism and pass through the installation area.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, a wafer clamping mechanism and a vacuum control mechanism are arranged on the base body to realize that the base can adapt to both the lifting type clamp body and the vacuum suction type clamp body, thereby realizing the switching of the two types of wafer clamps, improving the flexibility of the wafer handling method, and the layout is reasonable and the size is small. At the same time, only the type of clamp body needs to be replaced, and there is no need to change the connection between the clamp and the robotic arm, especially the wiring layout, which improves the convenience of clamp switching and the safety of subsequent use.

[0008] In some embodiments, the base body includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion that are oppositely arranged, the first extension portion and the second extension portion are respectively located on both sides of one end of the base body, and the first air duct is arranged in the first extension portion, and the second air duct is arranged in the second extension portion.

[0009] By adopting the above technical scheme, the first air duct and the second air duct are integrated into the base body, thereby improving the flow stability of the airflow at the interface between the air duct and the vacuum suction type clamp body, thereby improving the stability and safety of vacuum control, and improving the stability and safety of wafer suction; and through the first extension part and the second extension part, the connection between the first air duct and the second air duct and the air pipe is more flexible, which is suitable for layout in the base body with a relatively small space.

[0010] In some embodiments, the installation area is provided with an air hole, the air hole is adapted to the gas flow channel opening of the vacuum suction type clamp body, and the air hole is communicated with the first air channel and the second air channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the end of the air hole that contacts the air flow channel opening of the vacuum suction type clamp body is configured as a countersunk hole and is embedded with a sealing ring.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the sealing performance at the interface between the air hole and the gas flow channel opening of the vacuum suction type clamp body is improved, thereby improving the stability and safety of vacuum control and enhancing the stability and safety of wafer suction.

[0013] In some embodiments, an avoidance hole is provided at the edge of the base body located in the installation area;

[0014] The wafer clamping mechanism comprises a telescopic mechanism and a clamping rod extending out of the avoidance hole, and the telescopic mechanism is used to control the clamping rod to extend or shorten in a direction pointing to the lifting type clamping claw body, thereby completing the clamping and unloading of the wafer.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the clamping and unloading of the wafer is achieved through the extension and contraction of the clamping rod and the cooperation of the lifting type clamping claw body.

[0016] In some embodiments, a connecting block is connected between the driving end of the telescopic mechanism and the clamping rod, and the connecting block includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion that are vertically connected, and the connecting surface area of ​​the second connecting portion is larger than the connecting surface area of ​​the first connecting portion, the first connecting portion is connected to the driving end of the telescopic mechanism, and the second connecting portion is connected to the clamping rod.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the clamping rod is connected through the second connecting portion with a larger area, thereby improving the stability of the telescopic mechanism driving the clamping rod to move, thereby improving the stability and safety of wafer clamping.

[0018] In some embodiments, a connecting block is connected between the driving end of the telescopic mechanism and the clamping rod;

[0019] The base body is also provided with a displacement detection assembly, which includes a displacement sensor arranged on the side of the telescopic mechanism and a trigger member connected to the connecting block. The trigger member moves under the drive of the connecting block and triggers the displacement sensor.

[0020] By adopting the above technical scheme, the trigger member is driven to move synchronously through the connecting block to realize the displacement detection of the clamping rod, so as to judge whether the clamping rod clamps the wafer and whether the displacement distance of the clamping rod is appropriate to avoid clamping and damaging the wafer. The displacement sensor is set on the side of the telescopic mechanism and triggered by the movement of the trigger member, so that the displacement detection component is small in size and suitable for installation in the base body with relatively narrow space after the wafer clamping mechanism and the vacuum control mechanism are installed.

[0021] In some embodiments, the connecting block and the trigger member are connected via bolts and waist-shaped holes.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the relative positions of the connecting block and the trigger member can be conveniently adjusted, thereby improving the installation flexibility of the displacement sensor, which is suitable for a base body with a relatively narrow space.

[0023] In some embodiments, a fiber optic amplifier is further disposed on the base body, and the fiber optic amplifier is used to connect to a mapping sensor disposed on the lifting type clamp body or the vacuum suction type clamp body.

[0024] The above technical solution can improve the versatility of the base, and in particular, a lifting-type clamp body or a vacuum-suction type clamp body equipped with a mapping sensor can be installed to detect the storage status of the wafer while the wafer is being transported. The operation is simple and quick, and there is no need to use a separate wafer detection system for wafer detection, thus saving usage costs.

[0025] The embodiment of the present application also provides a wafer clamp, comprising any of the wafer clamp bases described above, and the wafer clamp base is detachably connected to a lifting type clamp body or a vacuum suction type clamp body.

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, it is possible to conveniently switch between the lifting type clamp body and the vacuum suction type clamp body to realize different wafer handling methods.

[0027] Other features and corresponding beneficial effects of the present application are described in the latter part of the specification, and it should be understood that at least some of the beneficial effects become obvious from the records in the specification of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer clamp base of the present application;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the wafer clamp base of the present application;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base body of the wafer clamp base of the present application;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer clamp base of the present application, which is equipped with a lifting type clamp body and is installed on a robotic arm.

[0032] Description of reference numerals: 1. Robotic arm; 2. Lifting type clamp body; 21. Support limit block; 3. Wafer clamp base; 4. Mapping sensor;

[0033] 100, base body; 101, mounting area; 102, air hole; 103, avoidance hole; 110, first extension part; 120, second extension part;

[0034] 210, telescopic mechanism; 220, clamping rod; 230, connecting block; 231, first connecting part; 232, second connecting part; 233, bolt;

[0035] 310, first airway; 320, second airway;

[0036] 410, displacement sensor; 420, triggering member; 421, waist-shaped hole;

[0037] 500, optical fiber amplifier;

[0038] 600, trachea connector;

[0039] 700. Cover plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present application, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the contents disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present application will be introduced in conjunction with the preferred embodiment, this does not mean that the features of this application are limited to the implementation. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the application in conjunction with the implementation is to cover other options or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present application. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present application, the following description will include many specific details. The present application can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion or blurring the focus of the present application, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0041] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in the subsequent drawings.

[0042] The technical solution of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0043] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, which are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description created by the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0045] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the implementation methods of the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0046] Embodiment 1:

[0047] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a wafer clamping base 3, including a base body 100 and a wafer clamping mechanism and a vacuum control mechanism both arranged on the base body 100. The wafer clamping mechanism is used to cooperate with the lifting type clamping body 2 to clamp the wafer, and the vacuum control mechanism is used to cooperate with the vacuum suction type clamping body to suck the wafer, so that the base can be adapted to the lifting type clamping body 2 and the vacuum suction type clamping body at the same time, and the switching of the two types of wafer clamps is realized, the flexibility of the wafer handling method is improved, and the layout is reasonable and the volume is small. At the same time, only the type of the clamping body needs to be changed, and there is no need to change the connection between the clamping body and the robot arm 1, especially the wiring layout, which improves the convenience of clamping switching and the safety of subsequent use.

[0048] One end of the base body 100 is provided with an installation area 101 for installing a lifting type clamp body 2 or a vacuum type clamp body, and the wafer clamping mechanism and the vacuum control mechanism are both arranged near the installation area 101. Figure 4 It is a lifting type clamp, one end of which is mounted on the mounting area 101. Those skilled in the art know that the overall shape of the vacuum type clamp is similar to that of the lifting type clamp 2, and the same mounting method can be basically adopted.

[0049] In one embodiment, the vacuum control mechanism includes a first air channel 310 and a second air channel 320, and the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320 are respectively arranged on both sides of the wafer clamping mechanism and pass through the mounting area 101. The first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320 are used to connect the air source through the air pipe and connect with the vacuum suction type clamp body to realize negative pressure adsorption of the wafer.

[0050] In one embodiment, the base body 100 includes a first extension portion 110 and a second extension portion 120 that are relatively arranged, and the first extension portion 110 and the second extension portion 120 are respectively located on both sides of one end of the base body 100, and the first air duct 310 is arranged in the first extension portion 110, and the second air duct 320 is arranged in the second extension portion 120, that is, the first air duct 310 and the second air duct 320 are integrated into the base body 100, thereby improving the flow stability of the airflow at the interface between the air duct and the vacuum suction type clamp body, thereby improving the stability and safety of vacuum control, and enhancing the stability and safety of wafer suction; and the first extension portion 110 and the second extension portion 120 make the connection between the first air duct 310 and the second air duct 320 and the air pipe more flexible, which is suitable for layout in the base body 100 with a relatively small space.

[0051] In one embodiment, the mounting area 101 is provided with an air hole 102 , the air hole 102 is adapted to the gas flow channel opening of the vacuum suction type clamp body, and the air hole 102 is connected to the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320 .

[0052] In one embodiment, the end of the air hole 102 that contacts the gas flow channel opening of the vacuum suction type clamp body is configured as a countersunk hole and is embedded with a sealing ring, thereby improving the sealing performance at the interface between the air hole 102 and the gas flow channel opening of the vacuum suction type clamp body, thereby improving the stability and safety of vacuum control and enhancing the stability and safety of wafer suction.

[0053] In one embodiment, an avoidance hole 103 is provided at the edge of the base body 100 located in the installation area 101 .

[0054] The wafer clamping mechanism includes a telescopic mechanism 210 and a clamping rod 220 extending out of the avoidance hole 103. The telescopic mechanism 210 is used to control the clamping rod 220 to extend or shorten in a direction pointing to the lifting type clamp body 2, thereby completing the clamping and unloading of the wafer, that is, the clamping and unloading of the wafer is achieved by telescoping the clamping rod 220 and cooperating with the lifting type clamp body 2.

[0055] It should be noted that the lifting-type clamp body 2 is usually provided with support limit blocks 21 on its four corners. The four support limit blocks 21 realize the support of the wafer and limit the horizontal movement of the wafer. However, in order to match wafers of various sizes, the circumferential limit space formed by the support limit blocks 21 is usually larger, and the wafer will still produce horizontal movement in this space. Therefore, the clamping rod 220 of the wafer clamping mechanism needs to extend and abut against the edge of the wafer, and cooperate with the support limit blocks 21 to clamp the wafer of a specific size.

[0056] In one embodiment, the telescopic mechanism 210 is a cylinder. Preferably, the air pipe connector 600 of the telescopic mechanism 210 is disposed on the side thereof, so as to be suitable for the base body 100 with a relatively narrow space.

[0057] In one embodiment, a connecting block 230 is connected between the driving end of the telescopic mechanism 210 and the clamping rod 220. The connecting block 230 includes a first connecting portion 231 and a second connecting portion 232 which are vertically connected, and the connecting surface area of ​​the second connecting portion 232 is larger than the connecting surface area of ​​the first connecting portion 231. The first connecting portion 231 is connected to the driving end of the telescopic mechanism 210, and the second connecting portion 232 is connected to the clamping rod 220. The clamping rod 220 is connected via the second connecting portion 232 with a larger area, thereby improving the stability of the telescopic mechanism 210 in driving the clamping rod 220 to move, thereby improving the stability and safety of wafer clamping.

[0058] In one embodiment, a connecting block 230 is connected between the driving end of the telescopic mechanism 210 and the clamping rod 220 .

[0059] A displacement detection component is also provided on the base body 100, and the displacement detection component includes a displacement sensor 410 arranged on the side of the telescopic mechanism 210 and a trigger member 420 connected to the connecting block 230. The trigger member 420 moves and triggers the displacement sensor 410 under the drive of the connecting block 230, that is, the trigger member 420 is driven by the connecting block 230 to synchronously move, thereby realizing the displacement detection of the clamping rod 220, thereby judging whether the clamping rod 220 clamps the wafer, and judging whether the displacement distance of the clamping rod 220 is appropriate, so as to avoid clamping the wafer, and the displacement sensor 410 is arranged on the side of the telescopic mechanism 210, and the trigger is realized by the movement of the trigger member 420, so that the volume of the displacement detection component is small, and it is suitable to be installed in the base body 100 with a relatively narrow space after the wafer clamping mechanism and the vacuum control mechanism are installed.

[0060] In one embodiment, the trigger member 420 is connected to the middle position of the second connection portion 232 of the connection block 230 , thereby improving the stability of the synchronous movement of the trigger member 420 and the connection block 230 .

[0061] In one embodiment, the connection block 230 and the trigger member 420 are connected by bolts 233 and waist-shaped holes 421, which can realize convenient adjustment of the relative positions of the connection block 230 and the trigger member 420, thereby improving the installation flexibility of the displacement sensor 410, which is suitable for the base body 100 with a relatively narrow space.

[0062] In one embodiment, the air pipe connector 600 of the second air channel 320 is arranged in parallel with the wafer clamping mechanism, so that the wafer clamping mechanism can be arranged close to the second extension portion 120. The air pipe connector 600 (not shown in the figure) of the first air channel 310 is arranged perpendicular to the wafer clamping mechanism, so that the displacement detection component can be avoided and both the air pipe connector 600 of the first air channel 310 and the displacement detection component can be installed.

[0063] In one embodiment, the displacement sensor 410 is a through-beam sensor, and the trigger member 420 has a shielded area and an open area. When the trigger member 420 moves with the connecting block 230 and the shielded area is located in the detection area of ​​the displacement sensor 410, the displacement sensor 410 is not triggered; when the trigger member 420 moves with the connecting block 230 and the open area is located in the detection area of ​​the displacement sensor 410, the displacement sensor 410 is triggered.

[0064] In one embodiment, a fiber optic amplifier 500 is also provided on the base body 100, and the fiber optic amplifier 500 is used to connect to a mapping sensor 4 provided on a lifting type clamp body 2 or a vacuum type clamp body, thereby improving the versatility of the base. In particular, a lifting type clamp body 2 or a vacuum type clamp body provided with a mapping sensor 4 can be installed to detect the storage status of the wafer while the wafer is being transported. The operation is simple and quick, and there is no need to use a separate wafer detection system for wafer detection, thereby saving the use cost.

[0065] Those skilled in the art know that the Mapping sensor 4 is usually a fiber optic sensor.

[0066] like Figure 4 The above is a specific application scenario of the wafer clamp base 3. The wafer clamp base 3 is connected to the robot arm 1, and a lifting type clamp body 2 is installed on the wafer clamp base 3. A cover plate 700 is also provided on the base body 100 of the wafer clamp base 3 to achieve closure and protect the internal components of the base body 100.

[0067] Embodiment 2:

[0068] The embodiment of the present application also provides a wafer clamp, including the wafer clamp base 3 of the above embodiment 1, and the wafer clamp base 3 is detachably connected with a lifting type clamp body 2 or a vacuum suction type clamp body, so that the lifting type clamp body 2 and the vacuum suction type clamp body can be easily switched to realize different wafer handling methods.

[0069] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit it. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A wafer clamping base, characterized in that: It comprises a base body, a wafer clamping mechanism and a vacuum control mechanism both arranged on the base body, one end of the base body is provided with an installation area for installing a lifting type clamping claw body or a vacuum suction type clamping claw body, the wafer clamping mechanism and the vacuum control mechanism are both arranged close to the installation area; and, The wafer clamping mechanism is used to cooperate with the lifting type clamping jaw body to clamp the wafer, and the vacuum control mechanism is used to cooperate with the vacuum suction type clamping jaw body to absorb the wafer. The vacuum control mechanism includes a first air duct and a second air duct, and the first air duct and the second air duct are respectively arranged on both sides of the wafer clamping mechanism and pass through the installation area.

2. The wafer clamping base according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base body includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion that are arranged opposite to each other. The first extension portion and the second extension portion are respectively located on both sides of one end of the base body, and the first air channel is arranged in the first extension portion, and the second air channel is arranged in the second extension portion.

3. The wafer clamping base according to claim 1, characterized in that: The installation area is provided with an air hole, the air hole is matched with the gas flow channel opening of the vacuum suction type clamp body, and the air hole is communicated with the first air channel and the second air channel.

4. The wafer clamping base according to claim 3, characterized in that: The end of the air hole that contacts the opening of the air flow channel of the vacuum suction type clamp body is configured as a countersunk hole and is embedded with a sealing ring.

5. The wafer clamping base according to claim 1, characterized in that: An avoidance hole is provided at the edge of the base body located in the installation area; The wafer clamping mechanism comprises a telescopic mechanism and a clamping rod extending out of the avoidance hole, and the telescopic mechanism is used to control the clamping rod to extend or shorten in a direction pointing to the lifting type clamping claw body, thereby completing the clamping and unloading of the wafer.

6. The wafer clamping base according to claim 5, characterized in that: A connecting block is connected between the driving end of the telescopic mechanism and the clamping rod, and the connecting block includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion which are vertically connected, and the connecting surface area of ​​the second connecting portion is larger than the connecting surface area of ​​the first connecting portion, the first connecting portion is connected to the driving end of the telescopic mechanism, and the second connecting portion is connected to the clamping rod.

7. The wafer clamping base according to claim 5, characterized in that: A connecting block is connected between the driving end of the telescopic mechanism and the clamping rod; The base body is also provided with a displacement detection assembly, which includes a displacement sensor arranged on the side of the telescopic mechanism and a trigger member connected to the connecting block. The trigger member moves under the drive of the connecting block and triggers the displacement sensor.

8. The wafer clamping base according to claim 7, characterized in that: The connecting block and the triggering member are connected via bolts and waist-shaped holes.

9. The wafer clamping base according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base body is also provided with an optical fiber amplifier, and the optical fiber amplifier is used to connect to a Mapping sensor provided on the lifting type clamp body or the vacuum suction type clamp body.

10. A wafer clamp, characterized in that: It comprises a wafer clamping claw base as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the wafer clamping claw base is detachably connected to a lifting type clamping claw body or a vacuum suction type clamping claw body.

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