Crystal ingot feeding mechanism of thinning equipment and crystal ingot feeding and transporting device

Abstract

The utility model provides a thinning equipment crystal ingot feeding mechanism and a crystal ingot feeding and transporting device, is used for transferring crystal ingots, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, and the thinning equipment crystal ingot feeding mechanism comprises a suction cup used for sucking the crystal ingots; the at least two clamping jaws are arranged on the periphery of the suction cup in a spaced surrounding mode; each clamping jaw can be close to or away from the suction cup, each clamping jaw comprises a bottom support, and the bottom supports are located below the crystal ingots in the crystal ingot transferring process. The problem that in the prior art, crystal ingots fall off and are damaged in the transferring process is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and more specifically, to a wafer thinning equipment wafer feeding mechanism and wafer feeding and transport device. Background Technology

[0002] After the laser lift-off process, the surface of the ingot needs to be thinned and planarized. At this point, feeding the ingot from the hopper onto the worktable becomes a technical challenge.

[0003] Currently, during the loading and unloading of crystal ingots, suction cups are commonly used to grip and transfer them. Suction cup gripping involves using suction cups to adhere to the upper surface of the ingot, thereby securing it. The ingot is then moved to the worktable and placed there.

[0004] In practical work, the suction cup feeding method has a simple structure, but due to the rough surface of the crystal ingot laser peeling, there is a risk of vacuum leakage. Once the vacuum leaks, it often leads to the crystal ingot falling or breaking. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a crystal ingot feeding mechanism and a crystal ingot feeding and transportation device for a thinning equipment, which aims to solve the problem of crystal ingots falling and being damaged during transfer in related technologies.

[0006] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of this application.

[0007] According to a first aspect of this application, a crystal ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device is provided for transferring crystal ingots, comprising:

[0008] A suction cup is used to pick up the crystal ingot;

[0009] At least two grippers are arranged around the suction cup in a spaced-around manner;

[0010] Each of the grippers is capable of moving closer to or further away from the suction cup, and each gripper includes a base that is positioned below the ingot during the ingot transfer process.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the gripper further includes a side plate. During the transfer of the crystal ingot, the side plate is located outside the side wall of the crystal ingot, the bottom support is fixed to the bottom of the side plate, and there is a gap between the side plate and the bottom support and the crystal ingot.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the grippers are configured as three, and the three grippers are distributed in a uniformly spaced manner around the suction cup as the center.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, a telescopic member for driving the gripper to move is further included. The telescopic member includes a fixed part and a telescopic part. The telescopic part is slidable relative to the fixed part and is fixedly connected to the side plate.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, a suction cup lifting structure is also included. The suction cup lifting structure is disposed above the suction cup and can drive the suction cup to move below the base or retract between the plurality of grippers.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, a support frame is also included, which is used to install and support the suction cup lifting structure and the fixing part of the lifting telescopic member.

[0016] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, an integral lifting structure is also included, which can drive the support frame to rise or fall.

[0017] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, a proximity sensor is also included, which is disposed around the suction cup and is used to acquire an ingot thickness value to adjust the suction force of the suction cup.

[0018] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, a flexible pad is fixed on the upper surface of the base.

[0019] According to a second aspect of this application, an ingot feeding and transport device is provided, including an ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device as described in any one of the above claims.

[0020] The exemplary embodiments of this application may have some or all of the following beneficial effects:

[0021] In the sample embodiment of this application, a crystal ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device first moves each gripper away from the suction cup when gripping the crystal ingot. This ensures sufficient space below the suction cup to accommodate the crystal ingot, preventing the grippers from bumping or hitting the ingot during suction. After the suction cup has adhered to the upper surface of the crystal ingot, each gripper moves closer to the ingot, positioning a base underneath it. If the crystal ingot accidentally detaches from the suction cup during transport, the base can support the ingot, preventing it from falling and thus avoiding damage.

[0022] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This paper shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a crystal ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 The diagram shows a front view of a crystal ingot feeding mechanism of a thinning device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] 1. Suction cup; 2. Gripper; 21. Side plate; 22. Base support; 3. Telescopic component; 4. Suction cup lifting structure; 5. Support frame; 6. Overall lifting structure. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore their detailed descriptions will be omitted. Furthermore, the drawings are merely illustrative of this application and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0029] Although relative terms such as "upper" and "lower" are used in this specification to describe the relative relationship of one component of an icon to another, these terms are used only for convenience, such as according to the orientation of the examples in the accompanying drawings. It is understood that if the device of the icon is flipped so that it is upside down, the component described as "upper" will become the component described as "lower." When a structure is "upper" of another structure, it may mean that the structure is integrally formed on the other structure, or that the structure is "directly" mounted on the other structure, or that the structure is "indirectly" mounted on the other structure through another structure.

[0030] The terms “a,” “one,” “the,” and “at least one” are used to indicate the existence of one or more elements / components / etc.; the terms “including” and “having” are used to indicate an open-ended inclusion and to mean that there may be other elements / components / etc. in addition to the listed elements / components / etc.; the terms “first” and “second” are used only as markers and are not a limitation on the number of objects.

[0031] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the embodiments of this application, a crystal ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device is disclosed, used for transferring crystal ingots, including:

[0032] Suction cup 1 is used to pick up the crystal ingot;

[0033] At least two grippers 2 are arranged around the suction cup 1 in a spaced-around manner;

[0034] Each of the grippers 2 can move closer to or further away from the suction cup 1, and each of the grippers 2 includes a base 22, which is located below the crystal ingot during the crystal ingot transfer process.

[0035] If the crystal ingot accidentally detaches from the suction cup 1 during the transfer process, the base 22 can provide good support for the crystal ingot, preventing it from falling and thus avoiding economic losses.

[0036] In this embodiment, the gripper 2 further includes a side plate 21. During the ingot transfer process, the side plate 21 is located outside the side wall of the ingot, and the base 22 is fixed to the bottom of the side plate 21. There is a gap between the side plate 21, the base 22 and the ingot. During the ingot transfer process, neither the side plate 21 nor the base 22 comes into contact with the ingot, thus protecting the ingot and preventing damage to the ingot due to friction between the side plate 21 and the base 22 and the ingot surface.

[0037] Furthermore, during ingot transfer, the distance between the base 22 and the lower surface of the ingot should be within the range of 1-5 mm. This range ensures that if the ingot accidentally detaches from the suction cup 1, it will not be damaged when it falls onto the base 22. The distance between the side plate 21 and the ingot side plate 22 should be within the range of 1-10 mm. The length of the base 22 below the ingot should be greater than 10 mm. Within this range, it ensures that the gripper 2 will not contact the surface of the ingot during transfer, and that the base 22 can stably catch the ingot if it falls. Of course, the above ranges are not limiting.

[0038] In the embodiments of this application, in order to ensure that the gripper 2 can smoothly receive the ingot when it is accidentally separated from the chuck 1, the number of grippers 2 should be no less than two. If there are two grippers 2, the two grippers 2 should be symmetrically located on both sides of the chuck 1; if there are more than two grippers 2, the multiple grippers 2 should be distributed in a spaced-out manner.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the number of grippers 2 is set to three, and the three grippers 2 are distributed around each other in a uniformly spaced manner.

[0040] In embodiments of this application, a telescopic member 3 for driving the gripper 2 to move is also provided. The telescopic member 3 includes a fixed part and a telescopic part, wherein the telescopic part can slide relative to the fixed part, and the telescopic part is fixedly connected to the side plate 21. In embodiments of this application, the telescopic member 3 can be a pneumatic telescopic rod, a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric cylinder, or a linear motor, etc., and here a pneumatic telescopic rod is preferred as the telescopic member 3. In this case, the fixed part is the cylinder body of the pneumatic telescopic rod, and the telescopic part corresponds to the piston rod of the pneumatic telescopic rod.

[0041] In this embodiment of the application, a suction cup lifting structure 4 is also included. The suction cup lifting structure 4 is located directly above the suction cup 1. The suction cup lifting structure 4 is located directly above the suction cup 1 and can move the suction cup 1 to the bottom support 22 or retract it between the multiple grippers 2.

[0042] When material needs to be grasped, all grippers 2 first move away from each other to leave enough space for the crystal ingot, ensuring that the base 22 does not obstruct the ingot's ascent. Then, the suction cup lifting structure 4 moves downwards with the suction cup 1 below the grippers 2 and attaches to the center of the crystal ingot's upper surface. Next, the suction cup lifting structure 4 moves upwards with the suction cup 1 and the crystal ingot together between the grippers 2, positioning the crystal ingot above the base 22. Finally, the grippers 2 move towards the suction cup 1 to the designated position, thus completing the crystal ingot grasping operation.

[0043] In this embodiment, a support frame 5 is also included. The support frame 5 is sleeved on the outside of the suction cup lifting structure 4, and the fixing parts of both the suction cup lifting structure 4 and the telescopic component 3 are fixed on the support frame 5. The support frame 5 provides good installation and support for the suction cup lifting structure 4 and the telescopic component 3, thereby improving their stability during use.

[0044] In this embodiment of the application, an overall lifting structure 6 is also included. The overall lifting structure 6 is disposed on one side of the support frame 5 and can drive the support frame 5 to rise or fall.

[0045] Furthermore, this application also includes proximity sensors (not shown in the figure). The specific number of proximity sensors is not specifically limited in this application. They are arranged around the suction cup 1. The proximity sensors can obtain the thickness value of the crystal ingot and control the magnitude of the adsorption force for the crystal ingot through the thickness value.

[0046] In one possible implementation of this application, both the suction cup lifting structure 4 and the overall lifting structure 6 are configured as electric cylinders. Of course, this is only an illustrative example and not a limitation.

[0047] In this embodiment, a flexible pad is also fixed on the upper side of the base 22. The flexible pad can be made of flexible materials such as flocked cloth, silicone, or rubber. When the crystal ingot is accidentally detached, the flexible pad can buffer the crystal ingot and further protect it.

[0048] In this application embodiment, a crystal ingot loading and conveying device is also disclosed, which includes a crystal ingot loading mechanism of any of the above-described thinning equipment. This loading and conveying device can realize the loading and unloading of crystal ingots during the crystal ingot thinning process.

[0049] Other embodiments of this application will readily conceive of by those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the embodiments thereof. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not claimed in this application. The specification and embodiments are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A crystal ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device, used for transferring crystal ingots, characterized in that, include: A suction cup is used to pick up the crystal ingot; At least two grippers are arranged around the suction cup in a spaced-around manner; Each of the grippers is capable of moving closer to or further away from the suction cup, and each gripper includes a base that is positioned below the ingot during the ingot transfer process.

2. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper also includes a side plate. During the transfer of the crystal ingot, the side plate is located outside the side wall of the crystal ingot, and the bottom support is fixed to the bottom of the side plate. There is a gap between the side plate and the bottom support and the crystal ingot.

3. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper is configured as three, and the three grippers are distributed in a uniformly spaced manner around the suction cup.

4. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a telescopic component for moving the gripper, the telescopic component including a fixed part and a telescopic part, the telescopic part being able to slide relative to the fixed part, and the telescopic part being fixedly connected to the side plate.

5. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a suction cup lifting structure, which is located above the suction cup and can move the suction cup to the bottom support or retract it between the multiple grippers.

6. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a support frame for mounting and supporting the suction cup lifting structure and the fixing part of the telescopic component.

7. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes an overall lifting structure, which can drive the support frame to rise or fall.

8. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a proximity sensor, which is laid around the suction cup and is used to obtain the ingot thickness value to adjust the suction force of the suction cup.

9. The ingot feeding mechanism for a thinning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A flexible pad is fixed to the upper surface of the base.

10. A crystal ingot feeding and conveying device, characterized in that, The thinning equipment includes a crystal ingot feeding mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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