Wafer alignment device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wafer alignment device, which comprises a vacuum cavity provided with an inner cavity and a conveying port used for conveying wafers, the conveying port is arranged along a first direction, and detection windows are arranged on two opposite side walls of the vacuum cavity along a second direction; the tray mechanism is horizontally arranged in the inner cavity of the vacuum cavity and is used for bearing and driving the wafer to rotate along the axis direction of the wafer; the detection piece comprises a transmitting end and a receiving end, the transmitting end and the receiving end are arranged on two opposite side walls of the vacuum cavity respectively in the second direction, and the transmitting end and the receiving end are used for detecting whether a wafer is aligned or not; the driving part is connected with the detection part, and the driving part is used for driving the detection part to synchronously move along a third direction; wherein the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to one another. According to the scheme, edge searching detection can be conveniently carried out on wafers of different sizes.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment especially relates to a wafer alignment device. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the semiconductor production process, the wafer is the base material for manufacturing transistors and integrated circuits. The shape of the wafer is circular, and the manufacturing process of the wafer includes the steps of refining high-purity silicon, growing a single crystal silicon rod, cutting into thin slices, polishing and polishing, etc. Among them, in the semiconductor process, in order to identify the chip position and direction of the wafer, the outer edge of the wafer has a V-shaped notch or a flat edge designed positioning mark, which serves as the basis for identification and positioning. Specifically, it is cut from a silicon ingot, and during the cutting process, a flat edge is cut for silicon ingots below 8 inches, and a V-shaped notch, called a V-shaped groove, is cut for silicon ingots above 8 inches. The flat edge and the V-shaped groove are used to achieve wafer positioning after wafer formation through edge detection to facilitate subsequent processing of the wafer.

[0003] The current positioning edge detection device cannot simultaneously achieve the edge detection of the wafer, the notch rotation to the specified position and other functions. Therefore, the prior art discloses a positioning edge detection device comprising a base; a detection unit comprising a first drive mechanism arranged on the base and a detection mechanism rotatable about the center axis of the base and extendable along the radial direction of the base; a centering unit comprising a rotating shaft arranged on the first drive mechanism and rotatable, and a plurality of positioning structures arranged on the side wall of the rotating shaft and extendable; a vacuum chuck device arranged on the rotating shaft, and the vacuum chuck device is rotatable and movable along the axial direction of the base.

[0004] Although the prior art can achieve the edge detection of the wafer, the notch position rotation to the specified position and other functions, it is difficult to quickly switch and match wafers of different sizes when facing edge detection of wafers of different sizes, which affects the work efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a wafer alignment device to solve the above problems existing in the prior art. UTILITY MODEL CONTENT

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the technical scheme of the utility model is as follows:

[0007] A wafer alignment device comprises:

[0008] A vacuum cavity has an inner cavity and a conveying port for conveying a wafer, the conveying port is opened along a first direction, and detection windows are opened on the opposite side walls along a second direction.

[0009] A tray mechanism is horizontally arranged in the inner cavity of the vacuum cavity and used to carry and drive the wafer to rotate along the axis direction of the wafer.

[0010] A detection member includes a transmitting end and a receiving end, which are arranged on the opposite two side walls of the vacuum cavity along the second direction respectively, the laser beam emitted by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end through the detection window, and the edge part of the wafer intersects with the laser beam.

[0011] A driving member is connected with the detection member, and the driving member is used to drive the detection member to move synchronously along the third direction.

[0012] The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0013] The tray mechanism is arranged in the inner cavity of the vacuum cavity, can carry and drive the wafer to rotate, and completes the edge detection operation through rotation, without the need of adjusting the tray for wafers of different sizes. For wafers of different sizes, the diameters of the wafers are different, so that the notch positions are different, the driving member can drive the transmitting end and the receiving end to move synchronously, and the notches on the wafers of different diameters can be detected. For small-size wafers, the detection member can be close to the edge of the wafer to perform high-precision edge detection and notch detection. For large-size wafers, the detection member can be adjusted to a larger range through synchronous movement, so that the edge and the notch of the wafer can be accurately captured, and the edge detection of wafers of different sizes is adapted.

[0014] Further, the tray mechanism comprises:

[0015] A rotating disc rotates around the axis of the rotating disc, and the rotating disc is uniformly provided with at least three sunken grooves, the sunken grooves extend to the edge of the rotating disc along the radial direction of the rotating disc, and the bottom wall of each sunken groove is provided with a plurality of mounting holes along the radial direction.

[0016] A supporting member is arranged on the bottom wall of the sunken groove and connected with the mounting hole to support the wafer.

[0017] By adopting the above technical scheme, in combination with the design of the sunken groove and the mounting hole, the tray mechanism can provide support for wafers of different sizes. The design of the three sunken grooves and the plurality of mounting holes in cooperation with the supporting member can adjust the position of the supporting member, install the supporting member on the mounting holes at different positions, and then support the small-size wafers and the large-size wafers, and ensure that the center of the wafer can still be kept on the rotation axis, and the supporting member can be uniformly distributed in the edge area of the wafer.

[0018] Further, the inner wall of the mounting hole is provided with a thread, and the supporting member comprises:

[0019] A screw rod is arranged in the second direction, one end of the screw rod is threadedly connected with the mounting hole;

[0020] A support disc is fixedly connected with the other end of the screw rod, and the support disc is used for bearing the wafer.

[0021] By adopting the technical scheme, one end of the screw rod is threadedly connected with the inner wall of the mounting hole, so that the height of the support member can be accurately adjusted. By rotating the screw rod, the position of the support disc can be finely adjusted, and then the support point of the wafer is adjusted. While the position of the screw rod is adjusted, the support disc can also move up and down, and then the levelness of the wafer is adjusted.

[0022] Further, the support member further comprises a reinforcing part arranged between the support disc and the screw rod, and the reinforcing part is used for reinforcing the friction force between the screw rod and the rotating disc.

[0023] Further, the reinforcing part comprises a wave spring arranged between the support disc and the rotating disc, and the wave spring is in a compressed state and is sleeved on the screw rod.

[0024] Further, an annular dovetail groove is formed in the upper surface of the support disc, an annular ring is embedded in the annular dovetail groove, and the upper edge of the annular ring is higher than the upper surface of the support disc.

[0025] Further, a notch is further arranged on the support disc, and the notch and the annular dovetail groove are in communication with each other.

[0026] Further, an adjusting hole is formed in the screw rod, and the extending direction of the adjusting hole is perpendicular to the length direction of the screw rod.

[0027] Further, the detection member is a transmitting-receiving sensor and a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket is arranged on the vacuum cavity, the transmitting end and the receiving end are arranged on the mounting bracket, and the laser beam emitted by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end through the two detection windows.

[0028] Further, the driving member comprises a first air cylinder and a second air cylinder, the telescopic end of the first air cylinder is fixedly connected with the transmitting end, the telescopic end of the second air cylinder is fixedly connected with the receiving end, and the first air cylinder and the second air cylinder are used for synchronously driving the transmitting end and the receiving end to move in the second direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 It is a whole structure schematic view of the wafer alignment device of the embodiment of the utility model;

[0030] Figure 2 It is a side view of the whole structure of the wafer alignment device of the embodiment of the utility model;

[0031] Figure 3 It is the exploded view of the support disc of the utility model;

[0032] Figure 4 It is the support structure plan view of the utility model embodiment;

[0033] Figure 5 It is the support structure section view of the utility model embodiment.

[0034] The figure mark: 1, vacuum cavity;11, delivery port;12, detection window;2, tray mechanism;21, rotary table;211, sink groove;212, screw hole;22, support piece;221, screw;222, support disc;223, wave spring;23, annular dovetail groove;24, annular ring;25, notch;26, adjusting hole;27, driving source;3, detection piece;31, transmitting end;32, receiving end;33, mounting frame;4, driving piece;5, wafer;6, laser beam. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantage of the utility model embodiment more clear, the technical scheme in the utility model embodiment will be clearly and completely described below, obviously, the described embodiment is a part of the embodiment of the utility model, rather than all the embodiment. Based on the embodiment in the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by the person skilled in the art without making the creative labor belong to the protection scope of the utility model. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used here should be the general meaning understood by the person skilled in the art belonging to the utility model. The similar words such as " including " used in this paper mean that the element or object before the word covers the element or object listed after the word and its equivalent, and does not exclude other elements or objects.

[0036] The following will be combined with the attached Figure 1 - attached Figure 5 , the specific implementation of the utility model is further detailed.

[0037] Refer to Figures 1-3 , the utility model provides a kind of wafer alignment device, including vacuum cavity 1, tray mechanism 2, detection piece 3 and driving piece 4.It needs to be explained that first direction is the x-axis direction in figure, second direction is the z-axis direction in figure, and third direction is the y-axis direction in figure.First direction, second direction and third direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0038] The inner part of the vacuum cavity 1 has an inner cavity for placing the tray mechanism 2, one side of the vacuum cavity 1 is provided with a conveying port 11 for conveying the wafer 5, and the conveying port 11 is provided along a first direction. The vacuum cavity 1 is provided with detection windows 12 on the opposite two side walls along a second direction, and the detection windows 12 are used for the detection member 3 to detect the wafer 5 in the inner cavity. The tray mechanism 2 is located in the inner cavity and is horizontally arranged on the inner bottom wall of the vacuum cavity 1, and the tray mechanism 2 is used for carrying and driving the wafer to rotate along the axis direction of the wafer. The tray mechanism 2 can carry and drive the wafer to rotate, and the edge finding operation is completed by rotation, and it is not necessary to separately adjust the tray for wafers of different sizes.

[0039] The detection member 3 comprises a transmitting end 31 and a receiving end 32, and the transmitting end 31 and the receiving end 32 are arranged on the opposite two side walls of the vacuum cavity 1 along the second direction, and the transmitting end 31 and the receiving end 32 are used for detecting whether the wafer is aligned. In some embodiments of the utility model, the detection member adopts a reflection sensor, the transmitting end 31 and the receiving end 32 are located on the reflection sensor, and the laser beam 6 emitted by the transmitting end 31 is received by the receiving end 32 through the two detection windows 12. When the wafer is placed on the tray mechanism 2 and starts to rotate, the laser beam 6 of the reflection sensor irradiates to the surface of the wafer. When the laser beam passes through the small opening of the wafer 5, the laser beam emitted by the transmitting end 31 is received by the receiving end 32, which indicates that the wafer is completely aligned at this time. When the laser beam is blocked by the surface of the wafer 5, the emitted laser beam cannot be received by the receiving end, which indicates that the wafer 5 is not aligned at this time. The mounting frame 33 is arranged between the detection member 3 and the outer wall of the vacuum cavity 1, the mounting frame 33 facilitates the installation of the transmitting end 31 and the receiving end 32, and the laser of the transmitting end 31 can pass through the detection window 12 without being interfered.

[0040] The driving member 4 is connected with the detection member 3, and the driving member 4 is used for driving the detection member 3 to move synchronously along a third direction. For wafers of different sizes, the diameters are different, which causes the positions of the notches 25 to be different, and the driving member 4 can drive the transmitting end 31 and the receiving end 32 to move synchronously, and the notches 25 on wafers of different diameters can be detected. For small-size wafers, the detection member 3 can be close to the edge of the wafer, and high-precision edge finding and notch 25 detection can be performed. For large-size wafers, the detection member 3 can be adjusted to a larger range through synchronous movement, and the accurate capture of the wafer edge and the notch 25 is ensured, and then the edge finding detection of wafers of different sizes is adapted. In some other embodiments of the utility model, the driving member 4 comprises a first air cylinder and a second air cylinder, the telescopic end of the first air cylinder is fixedly connected with the transmitting end 31, the telescopic end of the second air cylinder is fixedly connected with the receiving end 32, and the second air cylinder and the second air cylinder are used for driving the transmitting end 31 and the receiving end 32 to move along the second direction synchronously. It should be noted that when the alignment device is in the initial state, one of the air cylinders is extended, and the other air cylinder is retracted, so that the telescopic ends of the two air cylinders correspond to each other.

[0041] With reference to Figure 3 The tray mechanism 2 comprises a rotating disc 21 and a support 22, the rotating disc 21 rotates around its own axis, the rotating disc 21 is uniformly provided with at least three sunken grooves 211, the sunken grooves 211 extend radially to the edge of the rotating disc 21, and the bottom wall of each sunken groove 211 is provided with a plurality of mounting holes in the radial direction. The support 22 is arranged on the bottom wall of the sunken groove 211 and connected with the mounting hole for supporting the wafer. In combination with the design of the sunken groove 211 and the mounting hole, the tray mechanism 2 can provide support for wafers of different sizes. The design of at least three supports 22 can effectively share the weight of the wafer, avoiding deformation or damage of the wafer due to load concentration. The configuration of at least three support points can provide a relatively stable support structure to ensure that the wafer remains stable during rotation and transportation. By mounting the support 22 on the mounting hole at different positions, small and large wafers can be supported, and the center of the wafer can still be kept on the rotation axis, and the support 22 can be uniformly distributed in the edge area of the wafer to provide stable support.

[0042] With reference to Figure 1 In some embodiments of the present application, the bottom of the tray mechanism 2 is provided with a driving source 27, which is a combination of a DD motor or a motor and a speed reducer. The driving source 27 has a power shaft, which is coaxially arranged with the rotating disc 21. The driving source 27 drives the power shaft to rotate by transmitting power, and the power shaft drives the rotating disc 21 to rotate, and the rotating disc 21 drives the support 22 and the wafer on the support 22 to rotate.

[0043] With reference to Figure 4 In other embodiments of the present application, the support 22 comprises a screw rod 221 and a support disc 222, the inner wall of the mounting hole is provided with a thread, the screw rod 221 is arranged in the second direction, one end of the screw rod 221 is threadedly connected with the mounting hole, and the other end of the screw rod 221 is coaxially arranged with and fixedly connected with the support disc 222, and the support disc 222 is used for carrying the wafer. By threadedly connecting the screw rod 221 with the inner wall of the mounting hole, the height of the support 22 can be accurately adjusted. By rotating the screw rod 221, the position of the support disc 222 can be finely adjusted, and then the support point of the wafer can be adjusted. While adjusting the position of the screw rod 221, the support disc 222 can also move up and down, and then the levelness of the wafer can be adjusted.

[0044] With reference to Figure 3 and Figure 5 In other embodiments of the present application, the support 22 further comprises a reinforcing part, which is arranged between the support disc 222 and the screw rod 221, and is used for reinforcing the friction between the screw rod 221 and the rotating disc 21. By increasing the friction between the screw rod 221 and the screw hole, the screw rod 221 can be prevented from loosening due to vibration during equipment operation.

[0045] In some other embodiments of the present utility model, the reinforcing part comprises a wave spring 223, which is located between the support disc 222 and the rotating disc 21, and is in a compressed state and sleeved on the screw rod 221. By arranging the wave spring 223 between the support disc 222 and the rotating disc 21, the wave spring 223 is used to apply a continuous pressure to the screw rod 221 by virtue of the compression elastic effect of the wave spring 223, so as to increase the friction force and effectively absorb the slight vibration in the operation of the equipment, thereby playing a buffering role and further reducing the influence of vibration on the connecting components. In addition, the use of the wave spring 223 can disperse the stress generated by vibration, thereby avoiding the damage or operation failure of the equipment caused by the loosening of the connection due to the concentrated load.

[0046] In some other embodiments of the present utility model, an annular dovetail groove 23 is arranged on the upper surface of the support disc 222, an annular ring 24 is embedded in the annular dovetail groove 23, and the upper edge of the annular ring 24 is higher than the upper surface of the support disc 222. The annular dovetail groove 23 can provide a more stable embedding position for the annular ring 24, so as to prevent the annular ring 24 from falling off due to vibration or external force during operation. The upper edge of the annular ring 24 is higher than the surface of the support disc 222, so that a uniform support surface can be formed when the wafer is placed, thereby avoiding the movement of the wafer position due to the uneven surface of the support disc 222 or insufficient friction. The annular ring 24 is made of a material with high elasticity and wear resistance, which can apply moderate buffering to the wafer, and the soft material characteristics can provide certain elastic buffering when supporting the wafer, thereby reducing the direct contact between the wafer and the hard surface of the support disc 222, avoiding scratches or stress concentration. In addition, the annular dovetail groove 23 not only fixes the annular ring 24, but also allows the annular ring 24 to freely adjust the position when it expands or shrinks due to heat, thereby avoiding deformation or falling off caused by thermal stress.

[0047] The support disc 222 is further provided with a notch 25, and the notch 25 is in communication with the annular dovetail groove 23. The notch 25 provides an opening or entrance, so that the annular ring 24 can be slid into the annular dovetail groove 23 from the notch 25, without the need to gradually embed the annular ring 24 from the entire annular boundary of the dovetail groove. This can significantly simplify the installation process. If there is no notch 25, the annular ring 24 may need to be forcibly squeezed or stretched to fit the entrance of the annular dovetail groove 23, which may cause deformation, surface scratches or even structural damage of the annular ring 24. The disassembly of the annular ring 24 may need to use a tool to pry, thereby increasing the risk of damage to the surface of the support disc 222 and the annular ring 24. The design of the notch 25 reduces the need for prying, thereby ensuring that the parts of the equipment remain in good physical condition.

[0048] In some other embodiments of the utility model, the screw rod 221 is provided with an adjusting hole 26, and the extending direction of the adjusting hole 26 is perpendicular to the length direction of the screw rod 221. The adjusting hole 26 provides an operation entrance for the screw rod 221, so that the operator can change the threaded connection depth of the screw rod 221 with the fixed structure by rotating the screw rod 221, thereby realizing the accurate adjustment of the height of the supporting disc 222. The adjusting hole 26 can be directly matched with external tools such as an internal hexagonal wrench, a screwdriver, an adjusting rod and the like, and the operator can directly rotate the screw rod 221 by inserting the tool, without the need of additionally disassembling the equipment or using complex tools, thereby significantly improving the convenience and efficiency of the adjustment.

[0049] In summary, the wafer alignment device provided by the utility model has the working principle based on the synergistic effect of the vacuum cavity 1, the tray mechanism 2, the detection piece 3 and the driving piece 4, and realizes the automatic alignment and high-precision edge detection of the wafer. The wafer is placed on the tray mechanism 2 of the vacuum cavity 1, and the tray mechanism 2 drives the wafer to rotate along the axis thereof through the driving source 27. In the rotating process, the emitting end 31 and the receiving end 32 of the emitting sensor detect the position of the gap 25 on the wafer surface through the detection window 12 of the vacuum cavity 1. When the laser beam 6 passes through the wafer gap 25, the receiving end 32 receives the laser signal, thereby determining the alignment state of the wafer. The driving piece 4 is used for adjusting the synchronous movement of the detection piece 3 along the third direction, so as to adapt to the diameter change of wafers of different sizes and ensure accurate detection. The tray mechanism 2 is provided with a plurality of height-adjustable supporting pieces 22, which can provide stable support for wafers of different sizes and can also adjust the levelness of the wafer, thereby avoiding damage to the wafer in the rotating and transporting process.

[0050] Through the height-adjustable design of the tray mechanism 2, different sizes of wafers can be flexibly adapted, and the versatility of the equipment is improved. The design of the adjusting hole 26 and the screw rod 221 makes the adjustment of the wafer supporting height more convenient and accurate, and avoids complex operation. The buffering support design of the annular dovetail groove 23 and the annular ring 24 improves the protection of the wafer and prevents scratching and stress concentration. The setting of the wave spring 223 strengthening part enhances the anti-vibration performance of the connection and avoids loosening of the screw rod 221 due to vibration. In summary, the device realizes the automatic alignment, high-precision detection and stable support of the wafer, significantly improves the applicability of the equipment, and is suitable for efficient operation of wafers of various sizes.

[0051] Although the embodiments of the utility model are described in detail in the foregoing, it is obvious for those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and changes all belong to the scope and spirit of the utility model described in the claims. Moreover, the utility model described herein can have other embodiments, and can be implemented or realized in various ways.

Claims

1. A wafer alignment device, characterized by, The application relates to a wafer edge detection device, which comprises the following parts: a vacuum cavity (1) with an inner cavity and a conveying port (11) for conveying wafers, the conveying port (11) being opened along a first direction, and detection windows (12) being opened on opposite side walls of the vacuum cavity (1) along a second direction; a tray mechanism (2) horizontally arranged in the inner cavity of the vacuum cavity (1) and used for carrying and driving the wafers to rotate along the axis direction of the wafers; a detection piece (3) comprising a transmitting end (31) and a receiving end (32), the transmitting end (31) and the receiving end (32) being arranged on the opposite side walls of the vacuum cavity (1) along the second direction respectively, a laser beam emitted by the transmitting end (31) passing through the detection window (12) and being received by the receiving end (32), and the edge part of the wafer intersecting with the laser beam; a driving piece (4) connected with the detection piece (3), the driving piece (4) being used for driving the detection piece (3) to move synchronously along a third direction; wherein the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

2. The wafer alignment device of claim 1, wherein The tray mechanism (2) comprises: a rotating disc (21) rotating around the axis of the rotating disc (21), the rotating disc (21) being uniformly provided with at least three sunken grooves (211) extending to the edge of the rotating disc (21) along the radial direction of the rotating disc (21), and the bottom wall of each sunken groove (211) being provided with a plurality of mounting holes along the radial direction; a supporting piece (22) arranged on the bottom wall of the sunken groove (211) and connected with the mounting holes, the supporting piece (22) being used for supporting the wafer.

3. A wafer alignment device as claimed in claim 2, wherein The inner wall of the mounting hole is provided with a thread, and the supporting piece (22) comprises: a screw rod (221) arranged along the second direction, one end of the screw rod (221) being threadedly matched with the mounting hole; a supporting disc (222) fixedly connected with the other end of the screw rod (221), the supporting disc (222) being used for carrying the wafer.

4. The wafer alignment device of claim 3, wherein The supporting piece (22) further comprises a reinforcing part arranged between the supporting disc (222) and the screw rod (221), and the reinforcing part is used for reinforcing the friction force between the screw rod (221) and the rotating disc (21).

5. A wafer alignment device as claimed in claim 4, wherein The reinforcing part comprises a wave spring (223) located between the supporting disc (222) and the rotating disc (21), and the wave spring (223) is in a compressed state and is sleeved on the screw rod (221).

6. The wafer alignment device of claim 3, wherein An annular dovetail groove (23) is arranged on the upper surface of the supporting disc (222), an annular ring (24) is embedded in the annular dovetail groove (23), and the upper edge of the annular ring (24) is higher than the upper surface of the supporting disc (222).

7. A wafer alignment device as claimed in claim 6, wherein A notch (25) is further arranged on the supporting disc (222), and the notch (25) and the annular dovetail groove (23) are in communication with each other.

8. The wafer alignment device of claim 3, wherein, An adjusting hole (26) is arranged on the screw rod (221), and the extending direction of the adjusting hole (26) is perpendicular to the length direction of the screw rod (221).

9. The wafer alignment device of claim 1, wherein, The detection piece (3) is a pair of laser sensors and a mounting bracket (33), the mounting bracket (33) is arranged on the vacuum cavity (1), the transmitting end (31) and the receiving end (32) are located on the mounting bracket (33), and the laser beam (6) emitted by the transmitting end (31) is received by the receiving end (32) through the two detection windows (12).

10. The wafer alignment device of claim 1, wherein The driving piece (4) comprises a first cylinder and a second cylinder, the telescopic end of the first cylinder is fixedly connected with the transmitting end (31), the telescopic end of the second cylinder is fixedly connected with the receiving end (32), and the first cylinder and the second cylinder are used for synchronously driving the transmitting end (31) and the receiving end (32) to move in the second direction.

Images