Vacuum arm and wafer handling system
By designing a vacuum arm with detachable support components and a single vacuum nozzle, the risks of fragmentation and costs in handling warped wafers were solved, resulting in cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 捷捷微电(南通)科技有限公司
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing vacuum arms are not compatible with warped wafer products, resulting in the risk of breakage and high costs during handling.
A vacuum arm is designed, including a U-shaped body, a mounting part, a vacuum nozzle, a first support member and a second support member. The vacuum nozzle is set on the connector, the support member is detachably connected, the support arm is provided with a sliding groove to adapt to different warpages, and the support member can adjust its height and position to fully support the wafer.
It reduces overall costs, minimizes the risk of fragmentation, and improves work efficiency and adaptability, enabling flexible handling of wafers of different sizes and warpages.
Smart Images
Figure CN224556229U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and more specifically, to a vacuum arm and wafer handling system. Background Technology
[0002] In semiconductor fabrication processes, wafer handling is required, and currently, vacuum arms are commonly used for wafer handling.
[0003] Current vacuum arms typically have three vacuum nozzles for handling planar wafers. However, some wafers are warped, and for these, the three nozzles cannot completely hold them, posing a risk of breakage. Furthermore, not all three nozzles can be used, resulting in wasted production costs.
[0004] In summary, existing vacuum arms are not suitable for warped wafer products. Utility Model Content
[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a vacuum arm and wafer handling system to solve the problem that existing vacuum arms cannot be adapted to warped wafer products.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of this application are as follows:
[0007] On one hand, this application provides a vacuum arm, which includes a U-shaped body, a mounting part, a vacuum nozzle, a first support member, and a second support member. The U-shaped body includes a first support arm, a second support arm, and a connector. The first and second support arms are respectively disposed on both sides of the connector. The first and second support members are respectively mounted on the first and second support arms. The mounting part is connected to the side of the connector away from the first and second support members. The vacuum nozzle is disposed on the connector.
[0008] The first support member is detachably connected to the first support arm, and the second support member is detachably connected to the second support arm.
[0009] Optionally, the vacuum nozzle is located at the middle position of the connector, and the connector is provided with a vacuum pipe, which is connected to the vacuum nozzle.
[0010] Optionally, the first support arm is provided with a first sliding groove, and the second support arm is provided with a second sliding groove. The first support member is slidably connected to the first support arm through the first sliding groove, and the second support member is slidably connected to the second support arm through the second sliding groove.
[0011] Optionally, one end of the first slide groove and the second slide groove are respectively disposed at the end of the first support arm and the second support arm, and the other end is inclined toward the position of the vacuum nozzle.
[0012] Optionally, the vacuum arm further includes a hardness-enhancing layer disposed on the side of the U-shaped body away from the vacuum nozzle.
[0013] Optionally, a groove is provided on the side of the U-shaped body away from the vacuum nozzle, and the hardness-enhancing layer is installed in the groove.
[0014] Optionally, the hardness-enhancing layer is an aluminum alloy layer.
[0015] Optionally, the thickness of the first support arm and the second support arm is 3mm.
[0016] Optionally, the diameter of the vacuum nozzle is 30 mm.
[0017] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a wafer handling system, which includes the aforementioned vacuum arm.
[0018] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages:
[0019] This application provides a vacuum arm and wafer handling system. The vacuum arm includes a U-shaped body, a mounting part, a vacuum nozzle, a first support member, and a second support member. The U-shaped body includes a first support arm, a second support arm, and a connector. The first and second support arms are respectively disposed on both sides of the connector, and the first and second support members are respectively mounted on the first and second support arms. The mounting part is connected to the side of the connector away from the first and second support members. The vacuum nozzle is disposed on the connector. The first and second support members are detachably connected to the first and second support arms. On the one hand, since the vacuum arm provided in this application includes only one vacuum nozzle, the overall cost can be reduced. On the other hand, because the first and second support members are detachably connected to the first and second support arms, appropriate heights of the first and second support members can be selected for different warpages, allowing the wafer to be completely supported by the first and second support members and the vacuum nozzle, reducing the risk of breakage.
[0020] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description
[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0022] Figure 1 A top view of a vacuum arm provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0023] Figure 2 A bottom view of the vacuum arm provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0024] Figure 3 A top view of another vacuum arm provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0025] In the picture:
[0026] 100-Vacuum arm; 110-U-shaped body; 111-Connector; 112-First support arm; 113-Second support arm; 120-Mounting part; 121-Threaded hole; 130-Vacuum nozzle; 140-First support; 150-Second support; 160-First slide groove; 170-Second slide groove; 180-Hardness reinforcement layer. Detailed Implementation
[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0028] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0029] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. Furthermore, in the description of this application, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0030] It should be noted that in this paper, relational terms such as first and second 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.
[0031] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0032] As described in the background section, currently existing vacuum arms are not compatible with wafer products with special warpage, resulting in the risk of breakage during handling and high handling costs.
[0033] In view of this, and in order to improve the above problems, this application provides a vacuum arm, which is described below as an example:
[0034] As an optional implementation, please refer to Figure 1 The vacuum arm 100 includes a U-shaped body 110, a mounting part 120, a vacuum nozzle 130, a first support member 140, and a second support member 150. The U-shaped body 110 includes a first support arm 112, a second support arm 113, and a connector 111. The first support arm 112 and the second support arm 113 are respectively disposed on both sides of the connector 111. The first support member 140 and the second support member 150 are respectively mounted on the first support arm 112 and the second support arm 113. The mounting part 120 is connected to the side of the connector 111 away from the first support member 140 and the second support member 150. The vacuum nozzle 130 is disposed on the connector 111. The first support member 140 is detachably connected to the first support arm 112, and the second support member 150 is detachably connected to the second support arm 113.
[0035] Understandably, in this application, on the one hand, the overall cost can be reduced due to the use of a single vacuum nozzle 130. Furthermore, the single vacuum nozzle 130 structure can possess sufficient adsorption force and adaptability to meet the adsorption requirements of wafers with different warpages. On the other hand, since the first support member 140 is detachably connected to the first support arm 112, and the second support member 150 is detachably connected to the second support arm 113, the appropriate height of the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 can be selected for different warpages. This allows the wafer to be completely supported by the first support member 140, the second support member 150, and the vacuum nozzle 130, reducing the risk of fragmentation.
[0036] The mounting part 120 is mainly used to connect the vacuum arm 100 to the moving device, and the mounting part 120 is provided with multiple threaded holes 121 to facilitate installation. The moving device can drive the vacuum arm 100 to move, thereby realizing the handling of wafers.
[0037] In one implementation, the U-shaped body 110 is entirely made of a single ceramic material, and the thickness of the first support arm 112 and the second support arm 113 is 3mm. Furthermore, to further enhance the overall rigidity of the U-shaped body 110, the vacuum arm 100 also includes a rigidity-enhancing layer 180, which is disposed on the side of the U-shaped body 110 away from the vacuum nozzle 130. Optionally, the rigidity-enhancing layer 180 can be made of aluminum alloy.
[0038] In practical applications, the vacuum nozzle 130 is generally positioned in the middle of the connector 111, and the connector 111 contains a vacuum pipe that connects to the vacuum nozzle 130. The other end of the vacuum pipe is connected to a vacuum pump. Through the action of the vacuum pump, the vacuum nozzle 130 firmly adheres to the wafer. In this application, the vacuum nozzle 130 has a diameter of 30mm, is made of corrosion-resistant material, and has an adjustable vacuum range of -80kPa to -100kPa.
[0039] Therefore, a channel needs to be provided in the U-shaped body 110 to provide negative pressure to the vacuum nozzle 130 through a vacuum pipe. In one implementation, the U-shaped body 110 is a hollow structure, and a groove is provided on the side of the U-shaped body 110 away from the vacuum nozzle 130, within which the hardness reinforcing layer 180 is installed. For practical applications, please refer to... Figure 2 The structure of the hardness-enhancing layer 180 is similar to that of the U-shaped body 110, and the hardness-enhancing layer 180 is slightly smaller than the U-shaped body 110, so that the hardness-enhancing layer 180 can cover the U-shaped body 110. After covering, a receiving space is formed between the hardness-enhancing layer 180 and the U-shaped body 110, which can accommodate the vacuum pipe.
[0040] Therefore, by setting the hardness enhancement layer 180, on the one hand, it is beneficial to enhance the hardness of the entire vacuum arm 100, and on the other hand, it is beneficial to form an accommodating space between the U-shaped body 110 and the hardness enhancement layer 180.
[0041] In one implementation, in order to be adaptable to wafers of different sizes, such as 12-inch wafers and 8-inch wafers, a first groove 160 is provided on the first support arm 112, and a second groove 170 is provided on the second support arm 113. The first support member 140 is slidably connected to the first support arm 112 through the first groove 160, and the second support member 150 is slidably connected to the second support arm 113 through the second groove 170.
[0042] By setting the first slide 160 and the second slide 170, the first support 140 and the second support 150 can slide according to actual needs, thereby enabling the vacuum arm 100 provided in this application to handle wafers of different sizes.
[0043] Furthermore, since the first support member 140 is detachably connected to the first support arm 112, and the second support member 150 is detachably connected to the second support arm 113, this configuration allows the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 to move horizontally and adjust their height vertically. This ensures that the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 can be adjusted to the appropriate height and position for wafers with different warpages, allowing both the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 to fully conform to the wafer and preventing fragmentation during wafer handling.
[0044] It should be noted that since a hollow area is formed between the U-shaped body 110 and the hardness-enhancing layer 180, when setting the first sliding groove 160 and the second sliding groove 170, it is only necessary to cut grooves on the U-shaped body 110. Furthermore, knobs can be provided on the first support member 140 and the second support member 150. Rotating the knob counterclockwise can loosen the first support member 140, the second support member 150, and the U-shaped body 110, thereby allowing the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 to move. Rotating the knob clockwise can fix the first support member 140, the second support member 150, and the U-shaped body 110.
[0045] It should also be noted that the first support member 140 and the first support arm 112 are detachably connected, and the second support member 150 and the second support arm 113 are detachably connected, which can include the following two methods:
[0046] In the first implementation, both the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 can be completely detached from the U-shaped body 110. For example, a large hollow area can be provided at the ends of the first groove 160 and the second annular groove, so that the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 can be separated when they slide to the ends.
[0047] In the second implementation, both the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 include a base and a buffer layer mounted on the base, which is typically made of sponge. Therefore, when it is necessary to disassemble the first support member 140 or the second support member 150 from the U-shaped body 110, only the buffer layer can be removed. For example, if there is a height difference between the first support member 140 and the wafer, it indicates that the buffer layer thickness is insufficient, and in this case, a thicker buffer layer can be replaced.
[0048] Furthermore, in the arrangement of the first slide rail 160 and the second slide rail 170, such as Figure 3 As shown, one end of the first slide groove 160 and the second slide groove 170 are respectively located at the ends of the first support arm 112 and the second support arm 113, while the other ends are inclined towards the vacuum nozzle 130. This arrangement allows for several advantages. First, when moving wafers of different sizes, the first support member 140, the second support member 150, and the vacuum nozzle 130 can all form an acute-angled triangle, resulting in more uniform force distribution when supporting the wafer. Second, in practical applications, the first support member 140 and the second support member 150 can be slid to different positions based on the different warpages of the wafer to accommodate the warpage of different areas, making their use more flexible.
[0049] Therefore, the vacuum arm provided in this application has at least the following advantages:
[0050] 1. The structure is simplified, with only one vacuum nozzle, which reduces the complexity of spare parts and makes maintenance and use easier.
[0051] 2. Cost reduction: Reduced material and manufacturing costs, improving the cost-effectiveness of the equipment.
[0052] 3. Improved work efficiency: The single vacuum nozzle structure makes it easier to achieve precise adsorption. Combined with the support of the first and second support components, it can reduce the alarm rate and thus improve work efficiency.
[0053] 4. Enhanced adaptability: By setting the first and second support components, it can slide in the horizontal direction. At the same time, the height of the first and second support components can be adjusted by disassembly, so its use can be more flexible and can be used to handle wafers of different sizes and warpages.
[0054] Based on the above implementation, this application embodiment also provides a wafer handling system, which includes the vacuum arm 100 described above.
[0055] In summary, this application provides a vacuum arm and wafer handling system. The vacuum arm includes a U-shaped body, a mounting part, a vacuum nozzle, a first support member, and a second support member. The U-shaped body includes a first support arm, a second support arm, and a connector. The first and second support arms are respectively disposed on both sides of the connector, and the first and second support members are respectively mounted on the first and second support arms. The mounting part is connected to the side of the connector away from the first and second support members. The vacuum nozzle is disposed on the connector. The first support member and the first support arm are detachably connected, and the second support member and the second support arm are detachably connected. On the one hand, since the vacuum arm provided by this application includes only one vacuum nozzle, the overall cost can be reduced. On the other hand, since the first support member and the first support arm are detachably connected, and the second support member and the second support arm are detachably connected, the appropriate height of the first and second support members can be selected for different warpages, allowing the wafer to be completely supported by the first and second support members and the vacuum nozzle, reducing the risk of fragmentation.
[0056] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.
[0057] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this application can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this application. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this application is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within this application. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A vacuum arm, characterized in that, The vacuum arm includes a U-shaped body, a mounting part, a vacuum nozzle, a first support member, and a second support member. The U-shaped body includes a first support arm, a second support arm, and a connecting member. The first and second support arms are respectively disposed on both sides of the connecting member. The first and second support members are respectively mounted on the first and second support arms. The mounting part is connected to the side of the connecting member away from the first and second support members. The vacuum nozzle is disposed on the connecting member. The first support member is detachably connected to the first support arm, and the second support member is detachably connected to the second support arm.
2. The vacuum arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum nozzle is located in the middle of the connector, and the connector is provided with a vacuum pipe, which is connected to the vacuum nozzle.
3. The vacuum arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first support arm is provided with a first sliding groove, and the second support arm is provided with a second sliding groove. The first support member is slidably connected to the first support arm through the first sliding groove, and the second support member is slidably connected to the second support arm through the second sliding groove.
4. The vacuum arm as described in claim 3, characterized in that, One end of the first slide groove and the second slide groove are respectively disposed at the end of the first support arm and the second support arm, and the other end is inclined towards the position of the vacuum nozzle.
5. The vacuum arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum arm also includes a hardness-enhancing layer, which is disposed on the side of the U-shaped body away from the vacuum nozzle.
6. The vacuum arm as described in claim 5, characterized in that, A groove is provided on the side of the U-shaped body away from the vacuum nozzle, and the hardness enhancement layer is installed in the groove.
7. The vacuum arm as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The hardness-enhancing layer is an aluminum alloy layer.
8. The vacuum arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the first support arm and the second support arm is 3mm.
9. The vacuum arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the vacuum nozzle is 30mm.
10. A wafer handling system, characterized in that, The wafer handling system includes the vacuum arm as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.