Finger structure compatible with wafer carrying and wafer carrier

Abstract

The utility model provides a finger structure compatible with wafer carrying and wafer carrier carrying, comprising a finger body connected with a mechanical arm and comprising a basic surface; the bearing assembly is arranged on the finger body and is provided with a bearing surface which is higher than the basic surface and is used for bearing a wafer and a wafer carrier; wherein the bearing assembly comprises a plurality of bearing units, and the top surface of the upper portion of each bearing unit forms a bearing surface; the combination of different bearing units is used for bearing a wafer carrier or bearing a wafer; and when the wafer carrier is carried, at least one bearing unit is arranged below the thinned wafer carried by the wafer carrier. According to the utility model, a single finger structure can be compatible with the carrying of the wafer and the wafer carrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of manufacturing equipment in the semiconductor industry, and in particular to a finger structure compatible with wafers and wafer carriers. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor process, wafer transportation is generally achieved through fingers connected to the robotic arm. Wafers include thinned wafers and non-thinned wafers. When transporting non-thinned wafers, due to their good rigidity, they can be transported in many ways. The most common method is to directly carry the bottom surface of the non-thinned wafer by the fingers. When transporting thinned wafers, since thinned wafers usually need to be thinned to about 200 microns, and thinned wafers of this thickness become very soft due to their poor rigidity, they need to be handled with the help of Figure 1 The wafer carrier Z, shown above, is used to support the wafer. The wafer carrier Z, which carries the thinned wafer, is then moved by fingers. The wafer carrier Z supports the thinned wafer by first bonding blue film to the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer to be thinned to hold it. The blue film is then tightened around the outer periphery and secured to the edge of the wafer carrier Z. The inner diameter of the hollow portion of the wafer carrier Z is larger than the outer diameter of the thinned wafer, so the thinned wafer and wafer carrier Z are connected only by the tightened blue film.

[0003] Some advanced packaging processes require simultaneous handling of wafers of varying thicknesses, necessitating chip processing equipment capable of handling both unthinned wafers and wafer carriers (which carry the thinned wafers) without replacing parts. Currently, there are existing handling fingers that can handle both wafers and wafer carriers, but they cannot effectively inspect both simultaneously, only one or the other. This introduces risks and drawbacks. Furthermore, existing fingers are designed to avoid structures on either side and are not suitable for handling situations where the center of the wafer must be avoided, presenting certain limitations.

[0004] Therefore, how to solve the problem of compatible transportation of wafers and wafer carrier rings is a problem that concerns those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to provide a finger structure that is compatible with transporting wafers and wafer carriers, so that a single finger structure can be compatible with transporting wafers and wafer carriers.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a finger structure compatible with transporting wafers and wafer carriers, comprising:

[0007] A finger body connected to the robotic arm, wherein the finger body includes a base surface;

[0008] a supporting assembly, disposed on the finger body, having a bearing surface higher than the base surface for supporting a wafer and a wafer carrier;

[0009] Wherein, the supporting assembly includes a plurality of supporting units, and the upper top surface of each supporting unit constitutes a bearing surface;

[0010] Different combinations of the supporting units are used to carry a wafer carrier or a wafer; and when carrying the wafer carrier, there are at least two symmetrically distributed supporting units below the thinned wafer carried by the wafer carrier.

[0011] In an optional solution, the finger structure also includes a material detection component, which includes a photoelectric component installed on the finger body and a signal processing component communicatively connected to the photoelectric component. The material detection component is used to detect whether there is a wafer / wafer carrier on the finger structure.

[0012] In an optional solution, the finger body is provided with a receiving groove, the optoelectronic component is placed in the receiving groove, and the top surface of the optoelectronic component is lower than the base surface.

[0013] In an optional solution, a cable fixing plate is installed in the wiring trough, and the cable fixing plate is used to limit the cables of the optoelectronic component. The top surface of the cable fixing plate is lower than the base surface.

[0014] In an optional solution, the supporting units are horizontally arranged O-rings, and the wafer / wafer carrier is supported by the upper surface of each O-ring.

[0015] In an optional solution, a plurality of positioning grooves adapted to the respective O-rings are provided on the base surface of the finger body, the depth of the positioning grooves being smaller than the height of the O-rings, and the bottom of each O-ring being buried in each positioning groove.

[0016] In an optional solution, the supporting unit further comprises a longitudinal positioning device for positioning the O-ring; the longitudinal positioning device comprises: a stopper and a fastener;

[0017] The stopper presses the O-ring from above, and the fastener fixes the stopper to the bottom of the positioning groove through a detachable connection, so that the O-ring is fixed between the stopper and the bottom of the positioning groove, and after fixation, the top surface of the O-ring is higher than the base surface and the stopper.

[0018] In an optional solution, the block includes a circular gasket and a positioning protrusion located below the center of the circular gasket, a screw hole is provided at the center of the block, a step is provided at the bottom of the positioning groove for positioning the positioning protrusion, and a through hole is provided at the center of the step that penetrates the finger body; the fastener is a fixing screw that is compatible with the through hole at the bottom of the positioning groove and the screw hole of the block.

[0019] In an optional solution, a wafer scribe line is provided on the base surface, and the wafer scribe line is adapted to the outer edge of the non-thinned wafer for calibrating the relative position of the finger body and the non-thinned wafer; and / or,

[0020] The base surface is provided with carrier scribed lines, which are matched with the calibration cutting edges of the wafer carrier and are used to calibrate the relative position of the finger body and the wafer carrier.

[0021] In an optional solution, the tail of the finger body has multiple rows of mounting holes for locking with the robotic arm.

[0022] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0023] By setting up multiple supporting units on the finger body, a single finger structure can be compatible with wafers and wafer carriers, improving equipment utilization and production efficiency during chip processing and greatly saving production costs.

[0024] Furthermore, through the material detection component, the detection of the carried wafers and wafer carriers can be achieved, and the problems that may arise due to different installation and detection distances caused by different materials can be accommodated, thereby realizing automatic transportation. The detection method currently used in the industry is a directed detection method, which is to add a set of directed photoelectrics in the thickness direction of the wafer to achieve the purpose of detecting the presence or absence of the wafer, but because it adds detection photoelectrics in the thickness direction, its thickness is relatively large, and sometimes wafer partitions need to be placed. The optoelectronic component of the present invention adopts a thin detection photoelectric sensor, which is reflective, has a thin body, and the body is embedded in the finger body, detecting the wafer from the vertical direction, making the finger thinner and more convenient for taking and placing the wafer.

[0025] Furthermore, the O-ring design of the supporting unit can provide greater friction to stably support the load, and can also reduce the contact surface to avoid excessive particle contaminants on the wafer.

[0026] Furthermore, through the design of the longitudinal positioning device of the O-ring, each O-ring can be replaced conveniently and quickly, and the stopper can be embedded in the finger body for precise positioning, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the stopper and the O-ring, making disassembly and assembly more convenient, positioning more accurate, and more suitable for advanced manufacturing.

[0027] Furthermore, by setting wafer scribe lines and carrier scribe lines, the wafer and wafer carrier can be positioned according to production needs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals generally represent the same components.

[0029] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a top plan structure of a wafer carrier in the prior art.

[0030] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the top view of the finger structure in the embodiment of the present utility model.

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the front view structure.

[0032] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of a wafer carrier transported by a finger structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the finger structure transporting an unthinned wafer in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the top view of the supporting unit in the embodiment of the present utility model;

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the front cross section.

[0036] Description of reference numerals:

[0037] 1-finger body; 2-support assembly; 3-material detection assembly; 11-mounting hole; 12-wafer carrier line; 13-wafer line; 14-positioning groove; 15-base surface; 21-O-ring; 22-stop block; 23-fixing screw; 2a-first supporting unit; 2b-second supporting unit; 2c-third supporting unit; 2d-fourth supporting unit; 2e-fifth supporting unit; 2f-sixth supporting unit; 31-thin detection photoelectric sensor; 32-cable fixing plate; 32a-first cable fixing plate; 32b-second cable fixing plate; W-wafer; Z-wafer carrier. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description and drawings. However, it should be noted that the technical solutions of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of different forms and are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. The drawings are highly simplified and not to exact scale, and are intended solely to facilitate and clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention.

[0039] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "adjacent to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, adjacent to, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intervening elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly adjacent to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or part from another element, component, region, layer, or part. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the present invention, the first element, component, region, layer, or part discussed below may be represented as a second element, component, region, layer, or part.

[0040] Spatially relative terms such as "under," "beneath," "below," "under," "above," "above," etc., may be used herein for convenience of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature shown in the figures to other elements or features. It should be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use and operation in addition to the orientations shown in the figures. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, then the elements or features described as "under" or "beneath" or "beneath" the other elements will be oriented as "over" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary terms "under" and "under" may include both the upper and lower orientations. The device may be oriented otherwise (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations) and the spatial descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0041] The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. When used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising" and / or "including", when used in this specification, determine the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups. When used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] Reference Figures 2 to 7 This embodiment provides a finger structure compatible with transferring wafers and wafer carriers, including:

[0044] The finger body 1 is connected to the robot arm (not shown), and the finger body 1 includes a base surface 15;

[0045] A supporting assembly 2 is provided on the finger body 1 and has a bearing surface higher than the base surface 15 for supporting the wafer W and the wafer carrier Z;

[0046] Wherein, the supporting assembly includes a plurality of supporting units, and the upper top surface of each supporting unit constitutes a bearing surface;

[0047] Different combinations of the supporting units are used to carry the wafer carrier Z or the wafer W; and when carrying the wafer carrier Z, there are at least two symmetrically distributed supporting units below the thinned wafer carried by the wafer carrier Z.

[0048] Specifically, the finger structure of this embodiment is connected to the corresponding robotic arm and is used to achieve compatibility in transporting and carrying both non-thinned wafers and wafer carriers (used to carry thinned wafers) under the drive of the robotic arm.

[0049] The finger body 1 is generally made of ceramic material; in this embodiment, the tail of the finger body 1 has multiple rows ( Figure 2 The robotic arm is secured to the plurality of mounting holes 11 (two rows are shown in the figure). Multiple fixing members (e.g., screws) engage the mounting holes 11 of the robotic arm and the finger body 1 to secure the robotic arm to the finger body 1. The simultaneous locking of the plurality of mounting holes 11 creates a larger mounting surface, which can improve the strength of the finger body to a certain extent, reduce the amount of droop at the tip of the finger body, and ensure smooth and secure film transmission.

[0050] The supporting assembly 2 is provided at a corresponding position on the finger body 1, and includes a bearing surface higher than the base surface 15 for supporting wafers and wafer carriers. Furthermore, the carrier supporting assembly 2 includes a plurality of carrier supporting units; each carrier supporting unit is vertically fixed on the finger body 1, and has a top surface that protrudes a certain height from the base surface 15 and has a consistent height, and is used to support wafers and wafer carriers, and each supporting unit is precisely fixed in a positioning groove reserved on the finger body 1 to ensure its installation accuracy. Among them, the distribution of each supporting unit is adapted to the size of the wafer and wafer carrier to be transported. For example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, there are 6 supporting units distributed in a rectangular shape, namely the first supporting unit 2a, the second supporting unit 2b, the third supporting unit 2c, the fourth supporting unit 2d, the fifth supporting unit 2e and the sixth supporting unit 2f. Among them, the wafer carrier Z is supported by the first supporting unit 2a, the third supporting unit 2c, the fourth supporting unit 2d and the sixth supporting unit 2f (see Figure 2). Figure 4 ), the wafer W is carried by the first supporting unit 2a, the second supporting unit 2b, the fourth supporting unit 2d and the fifth supporting unit 2e (attached Figure 5 ).

[0051] Since the conveying speed of the robot arm can be very fast, in order to increase the friction force on the wafer carrier Z carried so that it can be stably fixed during the conveying process, preferably, in some embodiments, the top surface of each supporting unit is made of a high-friction material, such as rubber; further, in order to reduce the contact surface between the supporting unit and the wafer W or wafer carrier Z to be carried, and avoid excessive contact to generate more particle contaminants, preferably, in some embodiments, such as Figure 6 、 Figure 7 As shown, each supporting unit includes a horizontally arranged O-ring 21, which supports the wafer W or the wafer carrier Z through its annular upper surface, thereby achieving both a small contact surface and a large friction force.

[0052] Furthermore, in order to achieve the lateral positioning of each O-ring 21 on the horizontal plane, preferably, in some embodiments, a plurality of positioning grooves 14 with shapes matching those of each O-ring 21 are also provided at corresponding positions on the base surface 15 of the finger body 1. The depth of each positioning groove 14 is slightly smaller than the height of the O-ring 21, so that the O-ring 21 can bury part of its body in the positioning groove 14 and part of it protrudes from the positioning groove 14, thereby limiting the outer contour in the horizontal plane direction to achieve its lateral positioning, and at the same time having a carrier bearing surface that is higher than the base surface 15.

[0053] Furthermore, the supporting unit further includes a longitudinal positioning device for positioning the O-ring, so as to fix the O-ring 21 in the vertical direction of the positioning groove 14. Because the O-ring 21 may sometimes be corroded by acids, alkalis, or organic reagents on the surfaces of the unthinned wafer W or the wafer carrier Z during the transportation of the O-ring 21, the O-ring 21 has a certain life cycle and needs to be frequently disassembled and replaced. Preferably, in some embodiments, the longitudinal positioning device can realize the rapid disassembly and replacement of the O-ring 21. Specifically, the longitudinal positioning device includes a stopper 22 and a matching fastener (such as a fixing screw 23); wherein the stopper 22 presses the O-ring 21 from above, and the protrusion below it cooperates with the corresponding positioning groove 14 on the finger body 1. This cooperation has a certain tolerance, so that the clearance between the two is small, thereby achieving high-precision positioning. The fixing screw 23 is detachably connected to the stopper 22 and the finger body 1, respectively, so that the upper and lower portions of the O-ring 21 are clamped and fixed by the stopper 22 and the bottom of the positioning groove 14, respectively. This ensures that, after fixation, the highest point of the longitudinal positioning device (the highest point on the upper surface of the stopper 22; generally, the fixing screw 23 should not protrude above the upper surface of the stopper 22) is lower than the O-ring 21, thereby preventing the supported wafer W or carrier Z from contacting the longitudinal positioning device. The fixing screw 23 can be secured from above the stopper 22, through the stopper 22, and to the bottom of the positioning groove 14, or from below the finger body 1, through the through hole at the bottom of the positioning groove 14 and secured to the stopper 22. Both methods are acceptable, but only one is shown in this example.

[0054] Preferably, in some embodiments, the outer shape of the stopper 22 is similar to a circular gasket, and its outer diameter is between the inner and outer diameters of the O-ring 21. Figure 7The circular gasket has a trapezoidal cross-section that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. It has a protrusion below for precise positioning, and a threaded hole is located at its center. The fastener is a set screw 23 that matches the threaded hole of the stopper 22. The bottom of each positioning slot 14 is provided with a step for precise positioning of the stopper 22 protrusion, and a through-hole is left at the center of the step for the set screw 23 to penetrate the finger body 1. During installation, the inclined surface of the circular gasket presses against a portion of the upper surface of the O-ring 21 from above, while the positioning protrusion below engages the through-hole reserved in the finger body. The set screw 23 is threaded upward from the bottom of the finger body 1, passing through the through-hole of the positioning slot 14 and the center of the O-ring 21. It then engages with the threaded hole of the stopper 22 and is tightened until the top surface of the stopper 22 is lower than the top surface of the O-ring 21. This ensures that the highest point of the support unit is the O-ring 21, and that the stopper 22 and set screw 23 do not contact the unthinned wafer W or the wafer carrier Z. When the O-ring 21 needs to be removed, simply unscrew the fixing screw 23 and remove the stopper 22 to remove the O-ring 21, making assembly convenient. The shape of the stopper 22 is not limited to a circle, and can be any shape that can achieve the above purpose, such as a square, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, etc.; the shape of the O-ring 21 is not limited to a perfect circle, and various ring shapes can be used. The specific situation can be set according to actual conditions.

[0055] like Figure 4 、 Figure 5 As shown, the finger body 1 is provided with a receiving groove, into which a photoelectric component is placed. The photoelectric component is connected to an external signal processing component (not shown). The photoelectric component and the signal processing component constitute a material detection assembly, which is used to detect the presence of a wafer W or a wafer carrier Z on the finger body 1. In this embodiment, the photoelectric component is a thin detection photoelectric sensor 31. The thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 has a light source and a light receiver, and is connected to the signal processing component via a signal cable. The thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 detects the presence of a wafer or wafer carrier on the carrier support assembly by emitting light and receiving reflected light. The detection method currently used in the industry is a through-beam detection method, which adds a set of through-beam photoelectric sensors along the thickness direction of the wafer to achieve the purpose of detecting the presence of a wafer. However, the addition of detection photosensors along the thickness direction results in a larger thickness, sometimes requiring the placement of wafers in a slot. Compared to through-beam detection, the thin detection photoelectric sensor is a reflective type with a thinner body. The body is embedded in the finger body, detecting wafers vertically, making the finger thinner and more convenient for wafer placement.

[0056] In some embodiments, the material detection component 3 is integrally embedded in the interior of the finger body 1 (in other embodiments, the material detection component installation plane can also be raised according to the distance of the detected material). Generally, the corresponding thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 is selected according to the position of the material to be detected, and then a corresponding groove is milled at the corresponding position on the finger body 1 according to its outer dimensions. Generally, this groove does not pass through the finger body 1, and then a threaded hole is punched at the corresponding position of the groove bottom to fix the thin detection photoelectric sensor 31. By embedding the thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 into the finger body 1, the thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 is prevented from interfering with the wafer to be transported (because some wafers will have a certain degree of bending due to process or thickness issues). The specific position and number of the thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 can be adjusted according to the type and quantity of the material to be detected. In this example, a detection method of a thin detection photoelectric 31 is adopted. The signal transmission cable of the thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 itself is also embedded in the finger body 1. Generally, the cross-sectional diameter of this cable is 1mm, and the cable itself is flexible and has a certain degree of bendability. Therefore, a 3mm wide groove is generally opened on the finger body for routing. Because the cable is relatively flexible, it needs to be limited to a certain extent. Therefore, a cable fixing plate 32 is added according to the exposed length of the cable. In this example, two cable fixing plates are used (a first cable fixing plate 32a and a second cable fixing plate 32b). The specific number can be adjusted according to the actual length to achieve a fixed and limited cable and play an aesthetic role. Preferably, in some embodiments, the detection distance of the fixed thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 is generally 0.3mm-2.3mm, so it can be adapted and compatible with wafers W and wafer carriers Z of different heights, thereby achieving the purpose of detecting the presence of different materials. This embodiment does not specifically limit the location of the thin detection photoelectric sensor and the cable fixing plate, nor does it specifically limit the logic of how to detect the presence of materials. All are implemented according to existing technical solutions.

[0057] When the carrier is a non-thinned wafer W, its bottom is in direct contact with the upper surface of the corresponding supporting unit, and it is fixed by static friction and then transported. When the carrier is a wafer carrier Z, its bottom edge is also in direct contact with the upper surface of the corresponding supporting unit, and the thinned wafer W in the wafer carrier Z can be located vertically above the second supporting unit 2b and the fifth supporting unit 2e. At this time, the thinned wafer in the wafer carrier will be pressed on the middle second supporting unit 2b and the fifth supporting unit 2e under the action of gravity, playing a certain supporting role. Specifically, because the wafer carrier Z and the thinned wafer W inside it are softly connected through a blue film and have a certain floatability, under the action of gravity, it can be pressed on the two supporting units in the middle, limiting its vertical displacement, which is convenient for transportation.

[0058] Furthermore, in order to accurately position the material when the finger body structure supports the unthinned wafer W and the wafer carrier Z, corresponding carrier scribe lines 12 and wafer scribe lines 13 are provided on the finger body 1 . Among them, the carrier mark line 12 is a reference line for calibrating the relative position between the finger body 1 and the wafer carrier Z. The position and shape of the carrier mark line 12 are adapted to the calibration trim of the corresponding wafer carrier Z (any trim can be set as the calibration trim according to actual conditions); when the set calibration trim of the wafer carrier Z carried by the finger body 1 coincides with the corresponding carrier mark line 12, the wafer carrier Z is now located at the accurate carrying position on the finger body 1; the wafer mark line 13 is a reference line for calibrating the relative position between the finger body 1 and the unthinned wafer W. The position and shape of the wafer mark line 13 are adapted to the outer edge of the corresponding unthinned wafer W; when the outer edge of the unthinned wafer W carried by the finger body 1 coincides with the corresponding wafer mark line 13, the unthinned wafer W is located at the accurate carrying position on the finger body 1.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, a wafer scribe line 13 is provided on the finger body 1 in this embodiment, which is adapted to the unthinned wafer W that needs to be carried in this example. Figure 5 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the wafer W not being thinned being located at an accurate supporting position on the finger body 1. Figure 4 As shown, a carrier line 12 is provided on the finger body 1 in this embodiment, which is adapted to the wafer carrier Z required to be carried in this example. Figure 4 This diagram shows the wafer carrier Z positioned accurately on the finger body 1. This line, in certain situations, serves to verify the correct placement of the material and to determine if adjustments are necessary. Multiple wafer scribe lines 13 and carrier scribe lines 12 can also be provided to accommodate wafers and carriers of varying sizes.

[0060] Reference Figure 2 The front end of the finger body 1 is a fork-type structure, which can be used to avoid other structures that contact the center of the wafer to achieve the purpose of taking and placing the wafer, and the support points are placed on both sides of the wafer. The supporting force on the wafer is also distributed on both sides. At this time, the force is more uniform, which is more convenient for wafer transmission.

[0061] The working method of the finger structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0062] S1. Connect and fix the finger structure to the robotic arm by tightening screws.

[0063] S2. Manually control the robotic arm through the program to reach a required loading station, adjust the corresponding position of the finger body 1, and when the outer edge of the unthinned wafer W coincides with the corresponding wafer scribe line 13, or when the set calibration trim of the wafer carrier Z coincides with the corresponding carrier scribe line 12, the finger body 1 is raised and then carries the unthinned wafer W or wafer carrier Z at the station; both are carried by the carrier support component 2, and this component is compatible with the carrying and transportation of both.

[0064] S3. The thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 starts working, receives whether there is light reflected back, and transmits the reflected signal to the subsequent signal processing component to determine whether there is material at this time and whether the program is running normally. If it is normal, it will continue; if it is an error, it will stop and be debugged until it is normal.

[0065] S4. Repeat steps S2 and S3 until the positional relationship between each carrying station and the robotic arm is established, and each detection value or signal is qualified, then the debugging of the robotic arm is completed, thereby ensuring that in the subsequent process, the robotic arm can smoothly and safely realize the automatic transportation of all stations to achieve the purpose of normal production.

[0066] S5. During the process, the program or software controls the robotic arm to automatically enter the carrying station set by the program, and carries the unthinned wafer W or wafer carrier Z on the carrying station on a specific carrier support component 2 above the finger body 1 according to the set position after debugging. The thin detection photoelectric sensor 31 is turned on to detect the unthinned wafer W or wafer carrier Z thereon, and its reflective brightness value is read. It is compared with the reflective brightness value of the carrying station pre-recorded and set during the debugging process to see if it is consistent or within a fixed range, so as to determine whether the carrier exists on the finger structure at this time and whether the properties of the carrier are correct (unthinned wafer W or wafer carrier Z). When the comparison is consistent, the transportation and subsequent process processing are started.

[0067] In summary, the finger structure compatible with wafers and wafer carriers provided by the present invention realizes that a single finger structure can be compatible with wafers and wafer carriers by setting multiple supporting units on the finger body, thereby improving the utilization rate and production efficiency of a single chip processing equipment, and also saving production costs. By adopting a fork-like structure, the space below the center part of the wafer is avoided, and the structure in the center of the wafer during the process or wafer transfer can be avoided, thereby achieving effective and safe wafer transfer. Moreover, the support points are placed on both sides, and the supporting force on the wafer is also distributed on both sides of the wafer. At this time, the force is more uniform, which is more convenient for wafer transfer. By setting wafer scribe lines and carrier scribe lines, the compatibility of the required wafers and wafer carriers can be achieved according to production needs. Through the material detection component, it is possible to detect whether the wafers and wafer carriers carried are defective, and it can be judged based on the brightness value of the reflected light to achieve automatic transportation. Through the O-ring design on the supporting unit, the carried objects can be stably and safely carried under conditions with large friction, and the contact surface can be reduced to avoid the generation of more particulate contaminants. The quick disassembly and assembly structure design of the vertical locking method of the supporting unit allows for quick and convenient replacement of each O-ring.

[0068] The above description is only a description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Any changes and modifications made by ordinary technicians in the field of the present invention based on the above disclosure shall fall within the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A finger structure compatible with transporting wafers and wafer carriers, characterized in that: include: A finger body connected to the robotic arm, wherein the finger body includes a base surface; a supporting assembly, disposed on the finger body, having a bearing surface higher than the base surface for supporting a wafer and a wafer carrier; Wherein, the supporting assembly includes a plurality of supporting units, and the upper top surface of each supporting unit constitutes a bearing surface; Different combinations of the supporting units are used to carry a wafer carrier or a wafer; and when carrying the wafer carrier, there are at least two symmetrically distributed supporting units below the thinned wafer carried by the wafer carrier.

2. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The finger structure also includes a material detection component, which includes a photoelectric component installed on the finger body and a signal processing component communicatively connected to the photoelectric component. The material detection component is used to detect whether there is a wafer / wafer carrier on the finger structure.

3. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 2, wherein: The finger body is provided with a receiving groove, the optoelectronic component is placed in the receiving groove, and the top surface of the optoelectronic component is lower than the base surface.

4. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 3, wherein: A cable fixing plate is installed in the accommodating groove, and the cable fixing plate is used to limit the cables of the optoelectronic component. The top surface of the cable fixing plate is lower than the base surface.

5. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The supporting units are horizontally arranged O-rings, and the wafer / wafer carrier is supported by the upper surface of each O-ring.

6. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 5, wherein: A plurality of positioning grooves adapted to the O-rings are provided on the base surface of the finger body, the depth of the positioning grooves being smaller than the height of the O-rings, and the bottom of each O-ring is buried in each positioning groove.

7. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 6, wherein: The supporting unit further comprises a longitudinal positioning device for positioning the O-ring; the longitudinal positioning device comprises: a stopper and a fastener; The stopper presses the O-ring from above, and the fastener fixes the stopper to the bottom of the positioning groove through a detachable connection, so that the O-ring is fixed between the stopper and the bottom of the positioning groove, and after fixation, the top surface of the O-ring is higher than the base surface and the stopper.

8. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 7, wherein: The block includes a circular gasket and a positioning protrusion located below the center of the circular gasket. A screw hole is provided at the center of the block, a step is provided at the bottom of the positioning groove for positioning the positioning protrusion, and a through hole is provided at the center of the step that penetrates the finger body; the fastener is a fixing screw that is compatible with the through hole at the bottom of the positioning groove and the screw hole of the block.

9. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The base surface is provided with wafer scribe lines, which are adapted to the outer edge of the non-thinned wafer and are used to calibrate the relative position of the finger body and the non-thinned wafer; and / or, The base surface is provided with carrier scribed lines, which are matched with the calibration cutting edges of the wafer carrier and are used to calibrate the relative position of the finger body and the wafer carrier.

10. The finger structure for transporting wafers and wafer carriers as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The tail of the finger body is provided with multiple rows of mounting holes for locking with the robotic arm.

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