Wafer pickup device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wafer pickup device. According to the utility model, the wafer pickup device comprises a main body frame, the main body frame comprises an extension rod and a first stop block connected to the first end of the extension rod, and the extension rod is provided with a sliding groove; the bearing arm comprises a sliding rod and a wafer bearing part connected to the first end of the sliding rod, the sliding rod is arranged in the sliding groove, a second stop block is arranged on the wafer bearing part, and a clamping space for clamping a wafer is formed between the first stop block and the second stop block; the elastic element enables the second end of the sliding rod to be connected to the extension rod in a sliding mode, and the elastic element can enable the bearing arm to slide along the sliding groove relative to the main body frame so that the wafer can be fixed between the first stopping block and the second stopping block. The wafer pickup device provided by the embodiment of the utility model can safely and reliably pick up wafers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of microelectronics, in particular to a wafer picking device. Background Art

[0002] A wafer is a silicon chip used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. Due to its circular shape, it is called a wafer. During wafer production, the wafer undergoes a variety of processes, including thin film deposition, etching, and polishing.

[0003] During the wafer processing process, production failures may occur, and the wafers in production need to be manually removed. In the prior art, operators often use ordinary wafer tweezers to clamp the wafers, which cannot well ensure the safety of the operators and may cause contamination and damage to the wafers.

[0004] Therefore, it is hoped that there will be a new wafer picking device that can overcome the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a wafer picking device so as to pick up wafers safely and reliably.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a wafer picking device is provided, comprising: a main frame, the main frame comprising an extension rod and a first blocking block connected to the first end of the extension rod, the extension rod being provided with a sliding groove; a supporting arm, the supporting arm comprising a sliding rod and a wafer supporting portion connected to the first end of the sliding rod, the sliding rod being arranged in the sliding groove, the wafer supporting portion being provided with a second blocking block, a clamping space for clamping the wafer being formed between the first blocking block and the second blocking block; and an elastic element, the elastic element slidably connecting the second end of the sliding rod to the extension rod, wherein the elastic element can enable the supporting arm to slide along the sliding groove relative to the main frame so that the wafer is fixed between the first blocking block and the second blocking block.

[0007] In some embodiments, the elastic element is stretched to move the support arm from the initial position to the first position, forming a clamping space for clamping the wafer between the first stop block and the second stop block. The elastic element retracts and the support arm returns to the second position. The stretched elastic element provides elastic force to fix the wafer between the first stop block and the second stop block.

[0008] In some embodiments, a clamping space for clamping the wafer is formed between the first stop block and the second stop block, and the elastic element is compressed to move the support arm from the initial position to the third position. The compressed elastic element provides elastic force to fix the wafer between the first stop block and the second stop block.

[0009] In some embodiments, the wafer picking device further includes: a base plate connected to the main frame, and a receiving cavity for receiving the sliding rod is formed between the base plate and the sliding groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, a slot is provided on the extension rod, which is connected to the sliding slot; the wafer picking device also includes a slider that can slide along the length direction of the sliding slot, the slider is provided on the slot, and part of the slider passes through the slot to be connected to the sliding rod.

[0011] In some embodiments, the wafer supporting portion includes a first sub-arm, a second sub-arm, and a connecting rod, the first sub-arm and the second sub-arm are connected to one side of the connecting rod, and the sliding rod is connected to the other side of the connecting rod.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first blocking block is provided with a first groove and a second groove; the first sub-arm is provided in the first groove, and the first groove limits the moving direction of the first sub-arm; the second sub-arm is provided in the second groove, and the second groove limits the moving direction of the second sub-arm.

[0013] In some embodiments, the extension rod includes a front portion, a middle portion, and a tail portion connected in sequence, the sliding groove extends from the front portion to the tail portion, the thickness of the front portion is smaller than the thickness of the middle portion, wherein the connecting rod is supported on the front portion.

[0014] In some embodiments, the second blocking block is an arc-shaped contact portion; when the wafer picking device clamps the wafer, the arc-shaped contact portion fits against the edge of the wafer.

[0015] In some embodiments, the wafer pickup device further includes: an electrostatic rubber layer, which is disposed on the wafer supporting portion; when the wafer pickup device clamps the wafer, the electrostatic rubber layer is located between the wafer and the wafer supporting portion.

[0016] The wafer picking device provided by the present invention forms a clamping space for clamping the wafer between the first stop block of the main frame and the second stop block of the support arm, and drives the support arm to slide relative to the main frame through an elastic element, thereby achieving the fixation of the wafer by the first stop block and the second stop block, and can safely and reliably pick up the wafer. In addition, since the device clamps the wafer through elastic force, it does not need to use the gripping force of the hand like tweezers in the prior art. Therefore, the length of the main frame can be set according to the distance between the hot plate shell and the heating area, thereby avoiding the risk of wafer contamination and burns caused by the operator's need to insert his hand into the hot plate cavity in the prior art.

[0017] Furthermore, the main frame and the supporting arm are slidably connected via a sliding groove and a sliding rod, which makes movement easy and allows for quick adjustment.

[0018] Furthermore, the elastic element is a spring, which can automatically clamp the wafer in cooperation with the first stop block and the second stop block.

[0019] Furthermore, an accommodating cavity for accommodating the sliding rod is formed between the bottom plate and the sliding groove, so that the sliding rod can only move in a limited direction, thereby improving stability during picking.

[0020] Furthermore, the supporting arm includes a plurality of sub-arms, and a plurality of matching grooves are correspondingly provided on the first blocking block of the main frame. The dispersed supporting method of the plurality of sub-arms reduces the weight of the device while ensuring the supporting stability.

[0021] Furthermore, the arrangement of the arc-shaped contact portion can make the wafer fit more closely when picking up the wafer, thereby ensuring stable picking while avoiding damage to the wafer.

[0022] Furthermore, the provision of the electrostatic rubber layer can ensure stability when the wafer is picked up and avoid damage to the wafer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through the following description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1 Shows a front view of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 Shows an explosion diagram of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 ;

[0025] Figure 3 Shows an explosion diagram of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 ;

[0026] Figure 4 The three-dimensional structure diagram of the wafer picking device according to the embodiment of the utility model is shown. Figure 1 ;

[0027] Figure 5 The three-dimensional structure diagram of the wafer picking device according to the embodiment of the utility model is shown. Figure 2 ;

[0028] Figure 6 A side view of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 7 An enlarged view of a connecting rod area of ​​a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 8A top view of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0031] Figure 9 A side view of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 10 The schematic diagram of the dimensions of the wafer pickup device according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 ;

[0033] Figure 11 The schematic diagram of the dimensions of the wafer pickup device according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 ;

[0034] Figure 12 The schematic diagram of the dimensions of the wafer pickup device according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 ;

[0035] Figures 13 to 18 A schematic diagram of an application scenario of a wafer picking device according to an embodiment of the present utility model is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each of the accompanying drawings, identical elements are represented by identical or similar reference numerals. For the sake of clarity, the various parts in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale. In addition, certain well-known parts may not be shown in the drawings.

[0037] The following describes the specific embodiments of the present invention in further detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. Numerous specific details of the present invention, such as component structures, materials, dimensions, processing techniques, and technologies, are described below to provide a clearer understanding of the present invention. However, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present invention may be practiced without following these specific details.

[0038] It should be understood that when describing the structure of a component, when a layer or a region is referred to as being "on" or "over" another layer or region, it may mean that it is directly on the other layer or region, or that other layers or regions are included between it and the other layer or region. Furthermore, if the component is turned over, the layer or region will be "below" or "beneath" the other layer or region.

[0039] The inventors discovered that during the wafer processing, when a production failure occurs, the wafers in production need to be manually removed. The current wafer picking (clamping) device is difficult to ensure the safety of the operator. Taking the production step of coating and development as an example, heating is required during this processing. If during the production process, a wafer falls or encounters a failure, the operator needs to reach into the hot plate cavity to clamp the wafer using the existing clamping device. This poses two risks. First, there is a risk of high-temperature burns to the operator. Second, there is a risk of particles on clothes or gloves falling into the hot plate cavity, which subsequently contaminates other wafers. Third, even if the clamping device is lengthened to prevent people from reaching into the hot plate cavity, this greatly increases the operator's grip, increasing the risk of the wafer falling during the clamping process, thereby causing damage to the wafer.

[0040] Specifically, photolithography is a crucial process in semiconductor manufacturing, enabling the transfer of mask patterns onto actual wafers. The primary production equipment used in this process is the track and scanner, both of which operate inline. The process unit of the track includes multiple heating modules (also known as hot plates or hot plate modules), such as a front hot plate module and a rear hot plate module.

[0041] like Figure 13 and Figure 14 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the heating module in the coating developer. The heating module includes the following parts:

[0042] cavity;

[0043] Heating area 700: Located at the bottom of the cavity, the wafer is in contact with the heating area 700 during the heating process, achieving the purpose of heating.

[0044] Multiple support pins (eg, three pins) 600 : The centers of the multiple support pins 600 coincide with the center of the heating area 700 . The support pins 600 have two states: a raised state (Pin up) and a lowered state (Pin down).

[0045] The working process of the pin 600 is as follows: when no wafer is supported, the pin 600 is in a raised state (Pin up). Initially, the pin 600 receives the wafer 800 transported by the wafer transport arm of the spin coater and developer. Figure 15 Afterwards, the pin 600 is lowered, and the wafer 800 is attached to the heating area 700 to heat the wafer 800. At this time, the pin 600 is in a lowered state (Pindown), as shown Figure 16 After heating is completed, the support pin 600 is raised, and the wafer transfer arm of the coating and developing machine takes out the wafer 800.

[0046] On the one hand, when the spreader and developer are working normally, the center of the wafer 800 coincides with the center of the support pin 600, the wafer 800 is placed stably, and the equipment operates normally. On the other hand, due to the problem of the wafer handling arm's handling accuracy of the spreader and developer (for example, inaccurate placement / pickup position), or abnormal movement of the support pin 600 during the rising and falling process: the support pin 600 is stuck or the support pin 600 does not rise and fall at the same time, and there is a stroke difference between multiple support pins (that is, there is a height difference between multiple support pins), the position of the wafer 800 on the support pin 600 will be offset, causing the wafer to fall from the support pin 600, resulting in the wafer handling arm of the spreader and developer being unable to pick up the wafer 800, and a wafer loss (Lost wafer) failure will occur. Figure 17 A wafer with an abnormal location is shown.

[0047] In order to avoid affecting normal production and reduce losses, the fallen wafer 800 (hereinafter also referred to as the abnormal position) must be quickly removed to protect the equipment and the wafer 800. However, there are two problems in the process of removing the wafer 800 in the abnormal position:

[0048] 1. Operator safety: The temperature inside the heating chamber is high. If ordinary wafer tweezers are used to pick up wafer 800, the operator needs to insert his hands into the heating plate chamber. This poses two risks: (a) the operator may be burned by the high temperature; (b) particles on clothing or gloves may fall into the heating plate chamber and subsequently contaminate other wafers.

[0049] 2. Wafer scratch problem: After the wafer is lost, the position of wafer 800 is random, and the operator cannot observe the position of wafer 800 in all directions. It is difficult to pick up the wafer in the abnormal position using ordinary wafer tweezers, and during the picking process, since the wafer tweezers and the wafer are in point contact, there may be a risk of damaging the front and back areas of the wafer; even if the length of the tweezers is extended to pick up the wafer in the abnormal position, since the wafer tweezers need to be held by hand all the time to clamp the wafer, due to the thin thickness of the wafer and the long length of the wafer tweezers, the extended tweezers greatly increase the difficulty of the operator's grip, and there is a great risk of the wafer falling during the clamping process, which further causes damage to the wafer or even scrapping.

[0050] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors proposed a new wafer picking device. Figure 1 A front view of a wafer picking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 Shows an explosion diagram of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 . Figure 3 Shows an explosion diagram of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 . Figure 4The three-dimensional structure diagram of the wafer picking device according to the embodiment of the utility model is shown. Figure 1 . Figure 5 The three-dimensional structure diagram of the wafer picking device according to the embodiment of the utility model is shown. Figure 2 . Figure 6 A side view of a wafer picking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 7 An enlarged view of the connecting rod area according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0051] See also Figures 1 to 7 In detail, the wafer picking device of the embodiment of the present invention includes a main frame 100, a supporting arm 200 and an elastic element 310.

[0052] Specifically, the main frame 100 includes an extension rod 150 and a first stopper 140 connected to a first end of the extension rod 150. The extension rod 150 is provided with a sliding groove 120. In some embodiments, the main frame 100 is constructed of a high-temperature resistant material, such as stainless steel, to ensure that it does not deform or fail in high-temperature environments. In some embodiments, the extension rod 150 and the first stopper 140 are formed into a continuous, integral unit.

[0053] The support arm 200 includes a sliding rod 230 and a wafer support portion 220 connected to a first end of the sliding rod 230. A second stopper 210 is disposed on the wafer support portion 220. The sliding rod 230 is disposed in the sliding groove 120. A clamping space 400 for clamping the wafer is formed between the first stopper 140 and the second stopper 210. In some embodiments, the sliding rod 230, the wafer support portion 220, and the second stopper 210 are formed as a continuous unit.

[0054] The elastic element 310 slidably connects the second end of the sliding rod 230 to the second end of the support arm 200, so that the support arm 200 can slide back and forth along the sliding groove 120 under the drive of the elastic element 310. The elastic element 310 can enable the support arm 200 to slide along the sliding groove 120 relative to the main frame 100, thereby fixing the wafer between the first stop block 140 and the second stop block 210.

[0055] Specifically, the elastic element 310 is stretched, and the elastic element 310 drives the supporting arm 200 to move from the initial position to the first position (ie, toward Figure 6(As shown, the wafer moves to the left). A clamping space for the wafer is formed between the first stopper 140 and the second stopper 210. After the wafer pickup device picks up the wafer, the stretched elastic element 310 provides elastic force, causing the support arm 200 to pull back from the first station to the second station, thereby clamping the wafer supported on the wafer support portion 220 between the first stopper 140 and the second stopper 210. In one embodiment, the second station can be the same position as the initial station, or the second station can be located between the initial station and the first station.

[0056] In another embodiment, a clamping space for clamping the wafer is formed between the first stop block 140 and the second stop block 210. After the wafer picking device picks up the wafer, the elastic element 310 is compressed to move the supporting arm 200 from the initial position to the third position (i.e., toward the Figure 6 As shown in the right side movement, the compressed elastic element provides elastic force, so that the wafer supported on the wafer supporting portion 220 is clamped by the first blocking block 140 and the second blocking block 210.

[0057] The elastic element 310 can be a coil spring, a rubber spring, an air spring, or the like. When the elastic element 310 is a spring, the spring is preferably made of high-strength steel or a special alloy, which exhibits excellent elasticity and durability. In one embodiment, the elastic element 310 is a spring disposed in the sliding groove 120. The first end of the spring 310 is connected to the sliding rod 230, and the second end of the spring 310 is connected to the main frame 100.

[0058] Optionally, a slot 130 is provided on the extension rod 150. The slot 130 is connected to the sliding slot 120. The wafer pickup device further includes a slider 520 that is slidable along the length of the sliding slot 120. The slider 520 is disposed on the slot 130, and a portion of the slider 520 passes through the slot 130 to connect to the sliding rod 230. When the slider 520 moves along the length of the main frame 100 in the slot 130, the sliding rod 230 compresses or stretches the spring 310, thereby driving the wafer support portion 220 to move along the length of the main frame 100.

[0059] Alternatively, as Figure 2As shown, the wafer support portion 220 includes a connecting rod 250 and at least one sub-arm, the sub-arm being connected to one side of the connecting rod 250, and the sliding rod 230 being connected to the other side of the connecting rod 250. In an embodiment where the support arm 200 includes the connecting rod 250 and the sub-arms, the first stopper 140 may include a groove extending along the length of the connecting rod 250, with the sub-arm extending from the connecting rod 250 and passing through the groove from one side. Optionally, the first stopper 140 includes multiple grooves (a first groove 141, a second groove 142, etc.) arranged along its length, and the wafer support portion 220 accordingly includes multiple sub-arms extending through the grooves in a one-to-one correspondence. In this embodiment, the second stopper 210 may include multiple blocking portions, each disposed in a one-to-one correspondence at the ends of the multiple sub-arms away from the connecting rod 250.

[0060] In one embodiment, the wafer support portion 220 includes a first sub-arm 241 and a second sub-arm 242 for supporting the wafer, and the first stopper 140 includes a first groove 141 and a second groove 142. The first sub-arm 241 is supported in the first groove 141, which limits the movement direction of the first sub-arm 241. The second sub-arm 242 is supported in the second groove 142, which limits the movement direction of the second sub-arm 242.

[0061] In some embodiments, the end of the sliding rod 230 away from the connecting rod 250 is connected to the rear end of the main frame 100 via a spring 310 located in the sliding slot 120. A threaded hole is provided at the end of the sliding rod 230 away from the connecting rod 250. Through the threaded hole, the sliding rod 230 can be fixed to the slider 520 by a threaded connection, so that when the slider 520 moves along the length of the sliding rod 230 in the slot 130, it can drive the wafer support portion 220 to move along the length of the sliding rod 230.

[0062] The extension rod 150 includes a front portion connected to the first stopper 140, a middle portion provided with a sliding slot 120, and a rear portion connected to the middle portion, with the front, middle, and rear portions being sequentially connected. The sliding slot 120 extends from the front portion of the extension rod 150 to the rear portion of the extension rod 150 along the length of the main frame 100 (i.e., it extends through the entire middle portion), and the length of the sliding slot 120 is shorter than the length of the main frame 100. The thickness of the front portion of the extension rod 150 is smaller than that of the rear portion (and the middle portion) of the extension rod 150. The front portion is connected to the bottom of the sliding slot 120, allowing the sliding rod 230 to be inserted into the sliding slot 120. The middle portion can prevent the connecting rod 250 from moving backward. In this way, the forward and backward movement of connecting rod 250 is blocked by first stopper 140 and the middle portion of extension rod 150, respectively. Therefore, by controlling the distance between the middle portion of extension rod 150 and first stopper 140 (i.e., the length of the front portion of extension rod 150), the spring's extension (or compression) can be controlled, thereby preventing excessive spring deformation from damaging the wafer. Slot 130 (sliding opening) is provided in the middle portion of extension rod 150 and extends along the thickness of extension rod 150 to connect to sliding slot 120. Spring 310 is located in sliding slot 120, connecting one end of sliding rod 230 to the rear end of extension rod 150.

[0063] Optionally, the wafer pickup device further includes a base plate 510 connected to the main frame 100. A cavity for accommodating the sliding rod 230 is formed between the base plate 510 and the sliding slot 120. The base plate 510 can be secured to the main frame 100 via a threaded connection. In one embodiment, threaded holes are provided at the rear and middle portions of the main frame 100 for securing the base plate 510 to the main frame 100 to support the sliding rod 230 in the sliding slot 120.

[0064] When the wafer picking device of the present invention is used to clamp a wafer, the sliding slider 520 moves the support arm 200 from the initial position to the first position, the spring 310 is stretched, and a clamping space for clamping the wafer is formed between the second stop block 200 of the support arm 200 and the first stop block 140 of the main frame 100 ( Figure 5The portion shown in the dotted box is, for example, the clamping space). After the wafer picking device picks up the wafer, the slider 520 is released, and the stretched spring 310 automatically retracts, causing the support arm 200 to be pulled back from the first station to the second station, so that the wafer supported on the wafer supporting portion 220 is clamped by the first stop block 140 and the second stop block 210. In this way, during the process of transferring the wafer by the wafer picking device, it is only necessary to grasp the wafer picking device, without having to hold it with hands all the time as with tweezers in the prior art. This greatly reduces the difficulty of the operator picking up the wafer and reduces the risk of the wafer falling, thereby further reducing the risk of wafer damage. In addition, since the present device does not need to be held with hands all the time as with tweezers in the prior art, the main body length can be set according to the distance between the hot plate housing and the heating area, thereby avoiding the risk of wafer contamination and burns caused by the operator's need to put his hand into the hot plate cavity in the prior art.

[0065] In another embodiment, after the wafer picking device picks up the wafer, the sliding block 520 compresses the elastic element 310, so that the supporting arm 200 moves from the initial position to the third position (ie, toward the Figure 6 The compressed elastic element provides elastic force, so that the wafer supported on the wafer support portion 220 is clamped by the first stop block 140 and the second stop block 210. In this way, when the wafer picking device transfers the wafer, it is only necessary to press the slider 520, without having to hold it with the hand as with tweezers in the prior art. Therefore, the main body length can be set according to the distance between the hot plate housing and the heating area, thereby greatly reducing the difficulty for the operator to pick up the wafer. At the same time, it also avoids the risk of wafer contamination and burns caused by the operator's hand reaching into the hot plate cavity in the prior art.

[0066] Figure 8 A top view of a wafer picking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 9 A side sectional view of a wafer pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 10 The schematic diagram of the dimensions of the wafer pickup device according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 . Figure 11 Shown Figure 10 An enlarged schematic diagram of the wafer picking device. Figure 12 Shown Figure 11 An enlarged view of the wafer pickup area. Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Schematic cross-section of the AA section; Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A partial enlarged view of the dotted box part.

[0067] Combine Figures 8 to 12As shown, the second blocking block 210 is an arc-shaped contact portion. When the wafer picking device clamps the wafer, the arc-shaped contact portion fits the edge of the wafer.

[0068] The wafer pickup device also includes an electrostatic rubber layer 530. The electrostatic rubber layer 530 is arranged on the wafer support part 220 (first sub-arm 241, second sub-arm 242). When the wafer pickup device clamps the wafer, the electrostatic rubber layer 530 is located between the wafer and the wafer support part 220. In an embodiment where the wafer support part 220 includes multiple sub-arms, the length of the electrostatic rubber layer 530 can be shorter than the length of the sub-arm. The provision of the electrostatic rubber layer 530 can prevent the wafer from being scratched during the wafer clamping process. The electrostatic rubber layer 530 can be made of high-efficiency thermal insulation materials and anti-static materials to ensure thermal insulation effects in high-temperature environments and protect the wafer surface.

[0069] In a specific embodiment, Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the distance from the first blocking block 140 to the arc-shaped contact portion is S1. The length of the extension rod 150 is S2. Figure 12 As shown, the distance between the first stopper 140 and the connecting rod 250 is S3. Wafers come in a variety of sizes, such as 8-inch and 12-inch. Different wafer pickup devices with different S1 specifications can be used to accommodate wafers of different sizes. Depending on actual needs, wafer pickup devices with different S2 and S3 specifications can also be used.

[0070] Figures 13 to 18 A schematic diagram of an application scenario of a wafer picking device according to an embodiment of the present utility model is shown. Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a heating module of a spin coater developer is shown. Figure 14 Shown Figure 13 Schematic top view of the heating module. Figure 15 A schematic diagram showing a wafer placed in a heating module. Figure 16 A schematic diagram showing the heating module heating the wafer. Figure 17 Schematic diagram showing a wafer in an abnormal position. Figure 18 A schematic diagram of picking up a wafer using the wafer picking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0071] The following is an example of a specific application scenario. Figures 1 to 18 , the structure and use method of the wafer picking device of the present invention are further described. Of course, the application scenario of the present application is not limited to this, and can be applied to any scenario where wafers need to be picked up.

[0072] Taking the example of picking up an 8-inch wafer, the length of the extension rod 150 is S2 (e.g., 800mm). This length setting is sufficient to ensure that the operator can perform the wafer gripping operation outside the machine cover. When using the wafer picking device described in this application, the steps are as follows:

[0073] After the wafer pickup device is assembled and the spring is in its natural state (i.e., uncompressed or unstretched), the distance between the front end of the support arm 200 (the second stopper 210) and the first stopper 140 can be set to S1. This distance can be slightly greater than, slightly less than, or equal to the size of the target wafer to be picked up. For example, if the target wafer to be picked up is 8 inches, S1 can be 200 mm in the spring's natural state. Furthermore, the maximum distance between the first stopper 140 and the connecting rod 250 can be S3, which can be controlled by adjusting the length of the front portion of the extension rod 150. For example, S3 is 5 mm. That is, due to the first stopper 140 and the middle portion of the extension rod 150 blocking the movement of the connecting rod 250, the maximum distance that the sliding block 520 stretches the elastic element 310 to drive the wafer support portion 220 forward is S3. This maximum distance cannot be too large to prevent the wafer support portion 220 from moving too far forward when clamping the wafer, resulting in excessive elastic force during the subsequent rebound, which could damage the wafer.

[0074] When picking up a wafer, the bottom plate (cover) of the device is opened, and the wafer picking device is extended into the heating chamber and aligned with the abnormal wafer position. The operator slides the slider 520 forward, and the sliding rod stretches the elastic element 310, driving the wafer supporting part 220 to move forward, so that the distance between the second stop block 210 and the first stop block 140 on the wafer supporting part 220 increases (refer to Figures 9 to 11 , the maximum distance can reach S1 + S3, at which point the distance is slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer being picked up. When the wafer is visually observed to be on the wafer support 220, the slider is released, and the extension rod 150 is pulled by the spring, driving the wafer support 220 to move backward, so that the wafer 800 supported on the wafer support 220 is clamped by the first stop block 140 and the second stop block 210, as shown in FIG. Figure 18 shown.

[0075] The wafer picking device provided in the present application can reduce the risk of damaging the wafer or even not damage the wafer, thereby reducing the risk of high-temperature burns for operators and safely picking up wafers in abnormal positions; it can solve the problem of handling wafers after they fall in the coating and developing machine in the production line of the manufacturing plant, improve production efficiency and flexibility, and while achieving safe operation, it can improve efficiency and reduce the risk of wafer scratches.

[0076] The wafer picking device described in the present application only needs to grasp the main frame during the wafer picking process, without having to hold the device by hand as with tweezers in the prior art. This greatly reduces the difficulty for the operator to pick up the wafer and reduces the risk of the wafer falling, thereby further reducing the risk of wafer damage. In addition, since the device does not need to be held by hand as with tweezers in the prior art, the main body length can be set according to the distance between the hot plate housing and the heating area, thereby avoiding the risk of wafer contamination and burns caused by the operator's need to insert his hand into the hot plate cavity in the prior art.

[0077] The wafer picking device described in the present application supports the wafer by surface contact through the wafer supporting part during the wafer picking process, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the wafer; the provision of the electrostatic rubber layer further reduces the risk of damaging the wafer.

[0078] The solution of the present application can limit the stretching of the spring by setting the middle part of the extension rod and the first blocking block to limit the forward and backward movement of the connecting rod, thereby preventing the excessive elastic force from causing damage to the wafer during the process of the spring returning to its natural state.

[0079] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0080] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the present invention to the specific embodiments described. Obviously, numerous modifications and variations are possible based on the above description. These embodiments are selected and described in detail in this specification to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the present invention and its modifications. The present invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A wafer picking device, characterized in that: include: a main frame, the main frame comprising an extension rod and a first blocking block connected to a first end of the extension rod, wherein the extension rod is provided with a sliding slot; a supporting arm, the supporting arm comprising a sliding rod and a wafer supporting portion connected to a first end of the sliding rod, the sliding rod being disposed in the sliding groove, a second stop block being disposed on the wafer supporting portion, and a clamping space for clamping the wafer being formed between the first stop block and the second stop block; as well as an elastic element, wherein the elastic element slidably connects the second end of the sliding rod to the extension rod, The elastic element can enable the supporting arm to slide along the sliding groove relative to the main frame, so that the wafer is fixed between the first blocking block and the second blocking block.

2. The wafer pickup device according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic element is stretched to move the supporting arm from the initial position to the first position, forming a clamping space for clamping the wafer between the first blocking block and the second blocking block. The elastic element retracts and the supporting arm returns to the second position. The stretched elastic element provides elastic force to fix the wafer between the first blocking block and the second blocking block.

3. The wafer pickup device according to claim 1, wherein: A clamping space for clamping the wafer is formed between the first blocking block and the second blocking block. The elastic element is compressed to move the supporting arm from the initial position to the third position. The compressed elastic element provides elastic force to fix the wafer between the first blocking block and the second blocking block.

4. The wafer pickup device according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: A bottom plate is connected to the main frame, and an accommodating cavity for accommodating the sliding rod is formed between the bottom plate and the sliding groove.

5. The wafer pickup device according to claim 1, wherein: The extension rod is provided with a slot, and the slot is connected to the sliding slot; The wafer picking device further includes a slider slidable along a length direction of the sliding groove, the slider is disposed on the slot, and a portion of the slider passes through the slot to be connected to the sliding rod.

6. The wafer pickup device according to claim 1, wherein: The wafer supporting portion includes a first sub-arm, a second sub-arm and a connecting rod, the first sub-arm and the second sub-arm are connected to one side of the connecting rod, and the sliding rod is connected to the other side of the connecting rod.

7. The wafer pickup device according to claim 6, wherein: The first blocking block is provided with a first groove and a second groove; The first sub-arm is arranged in the first groove, and the first groove limits the moving direction of the first sub-arm; The second sub-arm is disposed in the second groove, and the second groove limits a moving direction of the second sub-arm.

8. The wafer pickup device according to claim 6, wherein: The extension rod includes a front portion, a middle portion and a tail portion connected in sequence, the sliding groove extends from the front portion to the tail portion, the thickness of the front portion is smaller than that of the middle portion, wherein the connecting rod is supported on the front portion.

9. The wafer pickup device according to claim 1, wherein: The second blocking block is an arc-shaped contact portion; When the wafer picking device clamps the wafer, the arc-shaped contact portion fits against the edge of the wafer.

10. The wafer pickup device according to claim 1, wherein: The wafer picking device further comprises: an electrostatic rubber layer, the electrostatic rubber layer being disposed on the wafer supporting portion; When the wafer pickup device clamps the wafer, the electrostatic rubber layer is interposed between the wafer and the wafer supporting portion.

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