Clamp for vacuum suction of photomask
By designing a clamp for vacuum-grabbing photomasks, combined with a handle and a vacuum adsorption device, the problem of stable gripping of photomasks in non-standard positions is solved, achieving convenient and stable fixation of photomasks and protection of the photomask area, thereby improving production efficiency and equipment safety.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422676052.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-04
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-17
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-04
AI Technical Summary
In semiconductor manufacturing and testing, photomasks are difficult to hold stably when they are in non-standard positions on the machine, which can lead to damage to the photomasks and machine hardware, increasing manufacturing costs and affecting production efficiency.
Design a fixture for vacuum suction of photomasks. By setting handles and vacuum suction devices on the fixture body, the photomask can be easily operated and firmly fixed, avoiding the photomask area. The combination of multiple suction components and negative pressure system ensures the stability and safety of the photomask during the fixing process.
It improves the convenience and stability of photomask handling, protects the integrity of the photomask area, ensures the accuracy and quality of subsequent processing or testing, and reduces the risk of photomask damage and machine damage.
Smart Images
Figure CN223442105U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of mask transfer, especially relates to a clamp for vacuum suction mask. BACKGROUND
[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing and testing process, the machine table using the mask such as photolithography machine and testing machine plays a vital role. However, these machine tables sometimes appear downtime during operation, resulting in the mask staying on the mask table or mask transfer arm of the machine table and other specific positions. When the mask staying in the non-standard position needs to be taken out, engineers usually face a difficult problem. Because the size of the mask table and the mask transfer arm closely matches the size of the mask, the mask is tightly wrapped therein, and the operating space left for the engineer is extremely limited. Specifically, the engineer can only touch a small part of the edge or diagonal area of the mask, and it is difficult to exert enough force due to space limitations. In this limited operating environment, it is difficult for the engineer to stably grasp and take out the mask. The mask may be accidentally dropped due to difficulty in exerting force, which not only damages the expensive mask itself, but also may cause serious damage to the hardware part of the machine table. Such accidental loss not only increases the manufacturing cost, but also may cause the production line to stop working, which seriously affects the overall production efficiency. SUMMARY
[0003] To solve all or part of the problems of the prior art, the utility model provides a clamp for vacuum suction mask, by integrating the handle and the vacuum suction device on the opposite surface of the clamp body, the convenient operation and stable fixation of the mask are realized, and the photo mask area is ingeniously avoided to protect it from damage,
[0004] To achieve the above purpose, the utility model provides the following technical scheme:
[0005] A clamp for vacuum suction mask, comprising a clamp body, the clamp body comprises a first surface and a second surface arranged oppositely, the first surface is provided with a handle, and the second surface is provided with a vacuum suction device for adsorbing and fixing the mask;The side of the mask being sucked includes a photo mask area and an adsorption area, and the vacuum suction device adsorbs the adsorption area. By arranging the handle facilitating holding and moving and the vacuum suction device for stably adsorbing the mask on the opposite sides of the clamp body respectively, not only the convenience and flexibility in the process of carrying the mask are significantly improved, but also the stability and safety of the mask during fixation are ensured by accurately adsorbing the specific adsorption area of the mask instead of the photo mask area, and any damage to the photo mask area is effectively avoided.
[0006] The vacuum adsorption device comprises at least two suction accessories and a negative pressure system connected with the suction accessories, the suction accessories are arranged on the second surface of the jig body at positions corresponding to the adsorption areas of the photomask, and the suction accessories are connected in communication with the negative pressure system through vacuum pipes which are arranged inside or along the surface of the jig body. By flexibly arranging multiple suction accessories, the photomask can be more uniformly and effectively adsorbed and fixed, and the adsorption stability and precision of the jig for the photomask are improved. Meanwhile, the vacuum pipes are arranged inside or along the surface of the jig body, which not only maintains the neatness and compactness of the appearance of the jig, but also helps to reduce the influence of external factors on the vacuum adsorption process.
[0007] The jig body is a frame comprising a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, a first end of the first side is connected with a first end of the second side, a second end of the second side is connected with a first end of the third side, a second end of the third side is connected with a first end of the fourth side, and a second end of the fourth side is connected with a second end of the first side. A stable quadrilateral frame is formed, and this design not only enhances the structural stability and balance of the jig, but also provides sufficient strength and rigidity for the jig.
[0008] The handle spans the frame, one end of the handle is fixed on the first side, and the other end of the handle is fixed on the third side, or one end of the handle is fixed at the connection of any two adjacent sides, and the other end of the handle is fixed at the connection of the other two adjacent sides. The structural strength of the frame is utilized to provide stable support for the handle, and the flexible fixing mode enables the operator to determine the position and angle of the handle according to actual needs and preferences.
[0009] Two suction accessories are arranged on the opposite two sides of the first side, the second side, the third side and the fourth side, respectively, forming a diagonal adsorption layout. Stable adsorption of the photomask is achieved, and this diagonal adsorption distribution mode is also convenient for the operator to quickly position and adjust the position of the suction accessories.
[0010] The first side and the third side are parallel to each other, and the second side and the fourth side are parallel to each other. By ensuring that the two groups of opposite sides are parallel, the structural symmetry and stability of the jig body are further strengthened.
[0011] The vacuum adsorption device comprises four suction accessories, and the four suction accessories are distributed in a rectangular manner on the second surface of the frame. Comprehensive and balanced adsorption of the photomask is achieved, and the fixing effect and stability of the jig for the photomask are significantly improved.
[0012] The horizontal or vertical spacing between two adjacent suction members is designed to be greater than the longest side length of the photomask photoresist area. This effectively avoids direct contact or potential interference of the suction members with the photomask photoresist area during the suction process, thereby protecting the integrity and precision of the photoresist area.
[0013] The suction member is one of a disc, a strip or a ring-shaped suction disc. When the suction member is a disc-shaped suction disc, the width of the suction disc is less than the width of the frame side and the width of the photomask suction area. The diameter of the suction disc ranges from 5mm to 15mm and is made of soft rubber. The use of soft rubber for the suction disc not only enhances the flexibility and sealing of the suction disc, but also helps to reduce potential damage to the surface of the photomask during the suction process, thereby protecting the integrity and precision of the photomask.
[0014] The clamp body is a square frame structure, and the lengths of the first side, the second side, the third side and the fourth side are between 125mm and 175mm, and the thickness is between 3mm and 10mm. By using a square frame structure, the structural stability and balance of the clamp body are ensured, providing a solid foundation for the accurate arrangement of the suction member and the stable suction of the photomask.
[0015] The utility model has at least the following beneficial effects:
[0016] 1) The vacuum suction device is carefully designed to achieve efficient and stable fixation of the photomask. Four suction members are evenly distributed in a rectangular array on the second surface of the frame, accurately corresponding to the suction area of the photomask, ensuring balanced distribution of suction force. This design not only improves the stability of the photomask during handling and processing, but also effectively avoids deformation or damage of the photomask due to uneven suction.
[0017] 2) The spacing between two adjacent suction members is specially designed to be greater than the longest side length of the photomask photoresist area, ensuring that the suction members completely avoid the photoresist area during the entire suction and fixation process, thereby protecting the critical area of the photomask from damage. This design not only improves the fixation effect of the photomask, but also ensures the precision and quality of subsequent processing or detection.
[0018] 3) The handle is designed to span the frame, with flexible installation and easy control of the clamp by the operator when holding the handle. In addition, the shape and size of the suction member can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs, such as disc-shaped suction discs, strip-shaped suction members, ring-shaped suction members, etc., to meet the suction needs of photomasks of different shapes, sizes or materials. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical scheme in the specific embodiments of the utility model, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiment description, obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the utility model, and for the ordinary skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained according of these drawings without creative labor.
[0020] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic view of the clamp for vacuum suction mask of the utility model embodiment.
[0021] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic view of the first surface of the clamp body in the utility model embodiment.
[0022] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic view of the second surface of the clamp body in the utility model embodiment.
[0023] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic view of the mask suction surface in the utility model embodiment.
[0024] Reference signs: 1-clamp body;101-first side edge;102-second side edge;103-third side edge;104-fourth side edge;2-handle;3-vacuum adsorption device;301-suction member;302-negative pressure system;4-mask;401-photo mask area;402-adsorption area;5-mask table. Specific implementation
[0025] The technical scheme in the specific embodiments of the utility model will be described clearly and completely below, obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the utility model, not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by the ordinary skilled in the art without creative labor are within the protection scope of the utility model.
[0026] The implementation of the utility model will be described in detail below in combination with specific embodiments.
[0027] In the utility model embodiment, in combination with reference Figures 1-4As shown, a clamp for vacuum suction of a photomask is provided, the core component of which is a clamp body 1. The clamp body 1 has two oppositely arranged main surfaces: a first surface and a second surface. On the first surface, a handle 2 is arranged for the operator to hold and move, which greatly improves the convenience and flexibility of the clamp in use. On the second surface, a vacuum suction device 3 is arranged, which is specially used to suck and firmly fix the photomask 4. It is worth noting that the suction surface of the photomask 4 is specially divided into a photomask area 401 and a suction area 402 specially used for contact with the vacuum suction device 3. The vacuum suction device 3 realizes stable and damage-free fixation of the photomask 4 by accurately sucking the suction area 402. The design of this clamp not only fully considers the convenience of operation and the fixation effect of the photomask 4, but also ensures that the photomask area 401 of the photomask 4 will not be disturbed or damaged during the entire suction and fixation process, thereby guaranteeing the precision and quality of subsequent processing or detection.
[0028] The clamp body 1 adopts a frame form, and its structure is composed of a first side edge 101, a second side edge 102, a third side edge 103 and a fourth side edge 104. Specifically, the first end of the first side edge 101 and the first end of the second side edge 102 are connected to each other by a connecting structure, the second end of the second side edge 102 and the first end of the third side edge 103 are connected in the same way, the second end of the third side edge 103 is connected to the first end of the fourth side edge 104, and the second end of the fourth side edge 104 is connected to the second end of the first side edge 101 to form a stable quadrilateral frame. In this design, the first side edge 101 and the third side edge 103 are parallel, and the second side edge 102 and the fourth side edge 104 are also parallel, which ensures the structural stability and balance of the clamp body 1. The handle 2, as an important operating component of the clamp, is designed in the form of crossing the frame, and its installation method is flexible: one end can be fixed on the first side edge 101, and the other end can be fixed on the third side edge 103, which makes it easy for the operator to control the clamp when holding the handle 2; or the handle 2 can be fixed at one end on the connection between any two adjacent side edges (such as the connection between the first side edge 101 and the second side edge 102), and at the other end on the connection between the other two adjacent side edges (such as the connection between the third side edge 103 and the fourth side edge 104), which also ensures the convenience and stability of operation.
[0029] In the present embodiment, the clamp body 1 is specially designed as a square frame structure to accommodate a photomask 4 of size 152x152mm. Specifically, the length of the first side 101, the second side 102, the third side 103 and the fourth side 104 are all within the range of 125mm-175mm, preferably 154mm, to ensure that the clamp can closely fit the edges of the photomask 4 while providing sufficient operating space. In addition, the thickness of the clamp body 1 is controlled between 3mm-10mm, preferably 5mm, to ensure the strength and durability of the clamp while avoiding unnecessary pressure or damage to the photomask 4.
[0030] The vacuum suction device 3 of the present utility model comprises at least two suction accessories 301, and a negative pressure system 302 connected with the suction accessories 301. The suction accessories 301 are arranged on the second surface of the frame, which is accurately corresponding to the suction area 402 of the photomask 4 to be sucked. The suction accessories 301 are internally communicated with the negative pressure system 302 through precisely laid vacuum pipes, wherein the vacuum pipes are built in the internal structure of the frame or arranged along the external surface of the frame in an optimized path to ensure the efficiency of air flow transmission and the compactness of the structure. The negative pressure system 302 is a vacuum system equipped on the photomask machine, which can also be an independently set system to provide a stable and reliable vacuum source for the entire suction process in other embodiments. In the present embodiment, four suction accessories 301 are specifically adopted, which are uniformly distributed in a rectangular array on the second surface of the frame, and the distance between each adjacent suction accessory 301 is accurately calculated to ensure uniform distribution to achieve the best suction balance effect. In particular, the horizontal or vertical distance between two adjacent suction accessories 301 is designed to be greater than the longest side length of the photomask film area 401 of the photomask 4, which ensures that the suction accessories 301 completely avoid the photomask film area 401 during the process of grabbing and fixing the photomask 4, effectively preventing any potential damage to the key area of the photomask 4, while ensuring that the photomask 4 can be firmly and uniformly attached to the frame.
[0031] In this embodiment, the specific form of the suction accessory 301 is a disc-shaped suction disc, and the width of the suction disc is set to be smaller than the width of the frame side and the width of the mask 4 suction area 402. This design not only ensures that the suction disc can effectively act on the suction area 402, but also avoids interference with the frame or the edge of the mask 4. The diameter of the suction disc is controlled in the range of 5mm-15mm. This size range is selected based on the comprehensive consideration of suction force, material strength and manufacturing feasibility. In addition, the suction disc is made of high-quality soft rubber material. This material not only has good sealing and durability, but also provides the necessary buffer during the suction process, effectively preventing damage to the mask 4 caused by hard contact, thereby further improving the safety and reliability of the suction device. In other specific embodiments, the form of the suction accessory 301 is not limited to the disc-shaped suction disc, and can also be used according to actual needs, such as strip-shaped suction accessories, ring-shaped suction accessories or other special-shaped suction accessories, to meet the suction needs of masks 4 of different shapes, sizes or materials, and further expand the application range and flexibility of the utility model.
[0032] In summary, the utility model not only improves the convenience, stability and safety of the mask 4 in the process of suction, fixation and transportation, but also ensures the integrity and safety of the mask 4 photo mask area 401, and provides a strong guarantee for the subsequent processing or detection of the mask 4.
[0033] It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the principles of the utility model, the utility model can be improved and modified in several ways, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the utility model claims.
Claims
1. A fixture for vacuum absorption of a photomask, characterized in that: The clamp body (1) comprises a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other, the first surface is provided with a handle (2), and the second surface is provided with a vacuum adsorption device (3) for adsorbing and fixing a photomask (4); the side of the photomask (4) to be adsorbed comprises a photomask area (401) and an adsorption area (402), and the vacuum adsorption device (3) adsorbs the adsorption area (402).
2. The clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that The vacuum adsorption device (3) comprises at least two adsorption members (301) and a negative pressure system (302) connected to the adsorption members (301), wherein the adsorption members (301) are arranged on the second surface of the fixture body (1) at a position corresponding to the adsorption area (402) of the light mask (4); the adsorption members (301) are connected to the negative pressure system (302) via a vacuum tube, and the vacuum tube is built into the fixture body (1) or arranged along its surface.
3. The clamp according to claim 2, characterized in that The clamp body (1) is a frame, comprising a first side (101), a second side (102), a third side (103) and a fourth side (104), wherein the first end of the first side (101) is connected to the first end of the second side (102), the second end of the second side (102) is connected to the first end of the third side (103), the second end of the third side (103) is connected to the first end of the fourth side (104), and the second end of the fourth side (104) is connected to the second end of the first side (101).
4. The clamp according to claim 3, characterized in that The handle (2) spans the frame, with one end fixed to the first side (101) and the other end fixed to the third side (103); or, one end fixed to the connection of any two adjacent sides and the other end fixed to the connection of another two adjacent sides.
5. The clamp according to claim 3, characterized in that The two adsorption members (301) are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the first side (101), the second side (102), the third side (103) and the fourth side (104), forming a diagonal adsorption layout.
6. The clamp according to claim 3, characterized in that The first side (101) and the third side (103) are parallel to each other, and the second side (102) and the fourth side (104) are parallel to each other.
7. The clamp according to claim 6, characterized in that The vacuum adsorption device (3) comprises four adsorption members (301), and the four adsorption members (301) are distributed in a rectangular shape on the second surface of the frame.
8. The clamp according to claim 5 or 7, characterized in that: The horizontal or vertical spacing between two adjacent adsorption members (301) is designed to be greater than the longest side length of the photomask region (401) of the photomask (4).
9. The clamp according to claim 3, characterized in that The adsorption member (301) is a disc-shaped, strip-shaped or ring-shaped suction cup; the adsorption member (301) is a disc-shaped suction cup, the width of which is smaller than the width of the side of the frame and the width of the adsorption area (402) of the mask (4); the diameter of the suction cup is in the range of 5mm-15mm and is made of soft rubber.
10. The clamp according to claim 3, wherein: The clamp body (1) is a square frame structure, and the lengths of the first side (101), the second side (102), the third side (103) and the fourth side (104) are between 125-175 mm, and the thicknesses are between 3 mm and 10 mm.