Wafer diameter measuring device

Abstract

A wafer diameter measuring device comprises a wafer platform which is provided with a central shaft and is used for arranging a wafer; the standard support is fixedly connected to the wafer platform, the standard support comprises a measuring part, and a first distance is formed between the measuring part and the central shaft of the wafer platform; and the detection unit is used for obtaining a second distance between the measuring part and the edge of the wafer, and the first distance and the second distance jointly determine a diameter of the wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a wafer diameter measuring device, and more particularly to a wafer diameter measuring device that provides high-accuracy diameter measurement results. Background Technology

[0002] In typical wafer diameter measurement, a common architecture utilizes an edge finder in conjunction with a movable wafer platform. Once the wafer platform carries the wafer to the measurement point, a detection unit on the edge finder measures the distance the wafer is obscured by the edge of the edge finder. Then, based on the preset center of the wafer platform, the distance between the edge of the edge finder and the center is calculated. Finally, the wafer radius is calculated by summing the two distances to obtain the diameter.

[0003] In this measurement method, since the wafer platform is mobile, its measurement accuracy depends entirely on whether it can be accurately moved to the preset measurement point to accurately calculate the distance between the edge finder's edge and the wafer platform. In other words, the accuracy of the wafer platform's position reproduction when it moves to the measurement point directly affects the distance from the center of the wafer platform to the edge finder's edge. Under these circumstances, to improve accuracy, the wafer platform's positioning must usually be precisely calibrated after each movement, which makes the calibration process complex and significantly increases time costs.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a wafer diameter measuring device to address the deficiencies of the aforementioned known technologies. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a wafer diameter measuring device that can effectively reduce operating costs and at the same time improve the accuracy of wafer diameter measurement.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a wafer diameter measuring device, comprising: a wafer platform having a central axis and for setting a wafer; a standard support fixedly connected to the wafer platform, wherein the standard support includes a measuring part and the measuring part has a first distance from the central axis of the wafer platform; and a detection unit for obtaining a second distance between the measuring part and the edge of the wafer, wherein the first distance and the second distance together determine a diameter of the wafer.

[0007] In one embodiment, the diameter of the wafer is the difference between a first distance and a second distance.

[0008] In one embodiment, the first distance is a constant.

[0009] In one embodiment, the wafer platform is positioned on a transverse axis to move between a loading position and a measurement position, and the detection unit obtains a second distance when the wafer platform is in the measurement position.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second distance is the shortest distance between the measuring unit and the edge of the wafer, and the second distance falls within the detection range of the detection unit.

[0011] In one embodiment, the measurement unit is implemented as a plurality of measurement units to correspond to a variety of wafer sizes.

[0012] In one embodiment, the standard support is implemented as one of a plurality of standard supports, and the plurality of standard supports correspond to a plurality of wafer sizes.

[0013] In one embodiment, the detection unit is disposed on the edge finder.

[0014] In one embodiment, the detection unit includes at least one of the following: a camera and a light detection unit.

[0015] The wafer diameter measuring device of this application effectively reduces the wafer platform position calibration procedure and corresponding time cost by setting a fixed standard bracket on the wafer platform, while achieving highly accurate diameter measurement results. It is a highly advantageous design. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This diagram shows a wafer diameter measuring device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Figure 2 Showing a side view of a wafer diameter measuring device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 This shows a side view of a wafer diameter measuring device carrying a wafer according to an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 4 This diagram shows a standard bracket according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0021] 1: Wafer diameter measuring device

[0022] 10: Wafer platform

[0023] 20, 20': Standard bracket

[0024] 21, 21a, 21b, 21c: Measurement Department

[0025] 30: Detection unit

[0026] 40: Wafers

[0027] 50: Horizontal axis

[0028] C: Central axis

[0029] D1: First distance,

[0030] D2: Second distance. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Some typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that this application can have various variations in different ways, but none of them depart from the scope of this application, and the descriptions and drawings therein are for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting this application.

[0032] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 . Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a wafer diameter measuring device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 2 A side view of a wafer diameter measuring device according to an embodiment of this application is shown, and Figure 3 This shows a side view of a wafer diameter measuring device according to an embodiment of the present application, comprising a wafer platform 10, a standard support 20, and a detection unit 30. The wafer platform 10 is used to hold a wafer 40 whose diameter is to be measured. The standard support 20 is fixedly connected to the wafer platform 10, for example, by locking, and a measuring section 21 is provided on the standard support 20. The measuring section 21 is located at the outer edge of the wafer 40 supported on the wafer platform 10, i.e., adjacent to the outer edge of the wafer 40. The detection unit 30 is used to detect the position of an object placed within its detection range. In one embodiment, the detection unit 30 may be disposed on a wafer aligner. In other embodiments, the detection unit 30 may also be disposed on other devices in other applications requiring wafer diameter measurement.

[0033] The wafer platform 10 is mounted on the transverse axis 50 to move between a loading position and a measurement position. The loading position is where the wafer platform 10 loads the wafer 40 of the diameter to be measured, and the measurement position is where the diameter of the wafer 40 being measured is measured. The measurement position also refers to the position where the measuring section 21 of the standard support 20 and the edge of the wafer 40 closest to the measuring section 21 fall within the detection range of the detection unit 30.

[0034] Based on the above configuration, such as Figure 3As shown, since the standard support 20 is fixedly connected to the wafer platform 10, the first distance D1 between the measuring unit 21 and the central axis C of the wafer platform 10 is a constant. In this case, to obtain the diameter of the wafer 40, it is only necessary to obtain the second distance D2 between the measuring unit 21 and the edge of the wafer 40. The radius of the wafer 40 can then be calculated by subtracting the second distance D2 from the first distance D1, and thus the diameter of the wafer 40 can be obtained. Therefore, the diameter of the wafer 40 is determined by both the first distance D1 and the second distance D2.

[0035] Here, the second distance D2 refers to the distance between the intersection of the line connecting the central axis C and the measuring unit 21 and the edge of the wafer 40, and the measuring unit 21 itself; that is, the shortest distance between the measuring unit 21 and the edge of the wafer 40. In other words, the measuring unit 21, the measuring position of the second distance D2 at the edge of the wafer 40, and the central axis C are all on the same straight line.

[0036] More specifically, in this application, since the position of the standard support 20 on the wafer platform 10 is fixed, the first distance D1 between the measuring unit 21 and the central axis C remains unchanged regardless of the position of the wafer platform 10 on the transverse axis 50. This eliminates the complex calibration procedure and time cost required in prior art to precisely calibrate the wafer platform 10 to a default fixed position, while also maintaining measurement accuracy. With this configuration, by obtaining the second distance D2 between the measuring unit 21 and the edge of the wafer 40 during each measurement via the detection unit 30, the radius of the wafer 40 can be quickly calculated using the difference between the known first distance D1 and the measured second distance D2, thus yielding the diameter.

[0037] In other words, under the architecture of the wafer diameter measuring device 1 of this application, by setting a standard bracket 20 fixed on the wafer platform 10, variables that may affect the measurement accuracy in the prior art can be eliminated. Therefore, the procedure of calibrating the positioning of the wafer platform 10 to avoid the influence of variables can be effectively reduced, and time costs can be lowered. When the wafer platform 10 moves to the measurement position via the transverse axis 50, there is no need to perform a precise calibration procedure to ensure that the wafer platform 10 is located at a preset point, as in the prior art, and the accurate diameter can be measured. This design combines time cost-effectiveness and measurement accuracy.

[0038] In practical applications, in one embodiment, the second distance D2 is obtained by rotating the wafer 40 during measurement, driven by the mounting plane of the wafer platform 10, and detecting the continuous value of the distance between the measuring unit 21 and the edge of the wafer 40 during the rotation of the wafer 40. The second distance D2 is then calculated by substituting this value into an algorithm. This eliminates the error that might be caused by misalignment between the center point of the wafer 40 and the central axis C of the wafer platform 10, further improving measurement accuracy.

[0039] Multiple measuring units can be implemented on the standard support 20 to accommodate wafers of different sizes. In one embodiment, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the standard support 20' can be implemented by including multiple measuring sections 21a, 21b, and 21c to correspond to wafers of various sizes, such as 12-inch, 10-inch, and 8-inch wafers. This ensures that the corresponding measuring sections and the edges of each wafer fall appropriately within the detection range of the detection unit 30. It should be noted that the number and position of the measuring sections are not limited as long as their height does not interfere with the wafer arrangement, and can be varied according to the actual implementation. In other embodiments, different standard supports 20 can be used for wafers 40 of different sizes. For example, the standard support 20 can be interchangeable, which also helps to ensure that the corresponding measuring sections and the edges of each wafer fall appropriately within the detection range of the detection unit 30. In addition, the distance between the measuring section 21 and the edge of the wafer 40 can also be changed according to the actual application, as long as it falls within the detection range of the detection unit 30, and is also not limited.

[0040] The detection unit 30 can be implemented as various types of detection units as needed. For example, in one embodiment, the detection unit 30 can be implemented as a light detection unit including a light emitter and a light receiver; in another embodiment, the detection unit 30 can also be implemented as a camera. Therefore, there are no limitations, as long as the second distance D2 between the measuring unit 21 and the edge of the wafer 40 can be obtained, it falls within the scope of this application.

[0041] In summary, the wafer diameter measuring device of this application provides a measurement reference position and a fixed basis for calculating the wafer diameter by setting a fixed standard support on a moving wafer platform. Therefore, the wafer diameter can be accurately measured without the need for precise calibration of the measurement position of the wafer platform, which greatly simplifies the calibration procedure and time cost, and helps to improve the accuracy of wafer diameter measurement.

[0042] It should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments for illustrating this application, and this application is not limited to the described embodiments. The scope of this application is determined by the scope of the appended patent application. Furthermore, this application may be modified in various ways by those skilled in the art, but none of these modifications shall depart from the protection sought by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wafer diameter measuring device, characterized in that, Include: A wafer platform having a central axis and used to set up a wafer; A standard support is fixedly connected to the wafer platform, wherein the standard support includes a measuring section, and the measuring section has a first distance between it and the central axis of the wafer platform; and A detection unit is used to obtain a second distance between the measuring part and the edge of the wafer, and the first distance and the second distance together determine a diameter of the wafer.

2. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the wafer is the difference between the first distance and the second distance.

3. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first distance is a fixed value.

4. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer platform is positioned on a transverse axis to move between a loading position and a measurement position, and the detection unit acquires the second distance when the wafer platform is in the measurement position.

5. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second distance is the shortest distance between the measuring unit and the edge of the wafer, and the second distance falls within the detection range of the detection unit.

6. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measurement unit is implemented as multiple measurement units to correspond to various wafer sizes.

7. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The standard support is implemented as one of multiple standard supports, and these multiple standard supports correspond to various wafer sizes.

8. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection unit is mounted on an edge finder.

9. The wafer diameter measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection unit includes at least one of the following: a camera and a light detection unit.

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