Wafer grabbing device based on van der waals force and wafer testing equipment

Abstract

This invention provides a wafer gripping device and wafer testing equipment based on van der Waals forces, relating to the field of wafer testing technology. Each adsorption assembly includes multiple adsorption elements arranged at intervals, each adsorption element including a connecting post and a van der Waals force patch. The connecting post is connected to a support, and the van der Waals force patch is attached to the bottom surface of the connecting post and contacts the wafer, thereby adsorbing the wafer. The van der Waals force patch is made of a flexible material, and the surface in contact with the wafer has a biomimetic microstructure. The pusher mechanism includes a driving element and a pusher. The driving element is mounted on the support, and the pusher is configured to move downward under the drive of the driving element to push the wafer, thereby causing the wafer to detach from the van der Waals force patch. This embodiment is based on the principle of van der Waals force, and amplifies the van der Waals force through the design of biomimetic microstructures, achieving stable adhesion to the wafer. The pusher can release the wafer, achieving a low-damage and safe and reliable gripping effect, improving wafer yield and surface integrity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of wafer testing technology, and in particular to a wafer gripping device and wafer testing equipment based on van der Waals forces. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional wafer handling methods mainly rely on mechanical grippers or negative pressure chucks. However, these gripping methods have the following problems: unstable gripping of small rectangular or thin-film products; easy slippage, misalignment, or localized scratches during the gripping process, thus affecting wafer yield and surface integrity. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a wafer gripping device that can improve wafer yield and surface integrity. Utility Model Content

[0003] One objective of this invention is to provide a wafer gripping device based on van der Waals forces, which solves the technical problem that mechanical clamps or negative pressure suction cups used in the prior art can affect wafer yield and surface integrity when gripping wafers.

[0004] A further objective of this invention is to avoid damaging the wafer when the push rod moves the wafer.

[0005] Another objective of this invention is to provide a wafer testing device having the aforementioned wafer gripping device.

[0006] Specifically, this utility model provides a wafer gripping device based on van der Waals forces, comprising:

[0007] support;

[0008] Multiple adsorption components are provided, each of which includes a plurality of adsorption elements arranged at intervals. Each adsorption element includes a connecting post and a van der Waals patch. The connecting post is connected to the support, and the van der Waals patch is attached to the bottom surface of the connecting post and contacts the wafer, thereby adsorbing the wafer. The van der Waals patch is made of a flexible material, and the surface in contact with the wafer has a biomimetic microstructure.

[0009] At least one pusher mechanism, each of the pusher mechanisms including a drive member and a pusher, the drive member being mounted on the support, the pusher being configured to move downward under the drive member to push the wafer, thereby causing the wafer to disengage from the van der Waals force patch.

[0010] Optionally, the biomimetic microstructure is a gecko skin structure or a micropillar array structure.

[0011] Optionally, the bracket is square;

[0012] Multiple sets of the adsorption components are arranged at intervals along the length of the support;

[0013] The plurality of adsorption elements in each group of adsorption components are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the support.

[0014] Optionally, the van der Waals patch is square, rectangular, circular, or elliptical.

[0015] Optionally, there may be multiple push rod mechanisms, with one push rod mechanism installed on the side of each group of adsorption components.

[0016] Optionally, the push rod mechanism further includes:

[0017] A flexible component is connected between the drive component and the push rod, and is arranged vertically.

[0018] A gasket is attached to the bottom of the push rod and contacts the wafer.

[0019] Optionally, the push rod extends along the width direction of the bracket and has the same arrangement length as the corresponding plurality of adsorption elements.

[0020] Optionally, it also includes:

[0021] The controller is mounted on the bracket and connected to the drive unit.

[0022] In particular, this utility model also provides a wafer testing device, including the wafer gripping device described above.

[0023] In this invention, each adsorption assembly of the wafer gripping device includes multiple adsorption elements arranged at intervals. Each adsorption element includes a connecting post and a van der Waals force patch. The connecting post is connected to a support, and the van der Waals force patch is attached to the bottom surface of the connecting post and contacts the wafer, thereby adsorbing the wafer. The van der Waals force patch is made of a flexible material, and the surface in contact with the wafer has a biomimetic microstructure. The pusher mechanism includes a driving element and a pusher. The driving element is mounted on the support, and the pusher is configured to move downward under the drive of the driving element to push the wafer, thereby causing the wafer to detach from the van der Waals force patch. The above technical solution is based on the principle of van der Waals force. Through the design of biomimetic microstructures, the van der Waals force is amplified, achieving stable adhesion to the wafer. The pusher can release the wafer, achieving a low-damage and safe and reliable gripping effect, improving wafer yield and surface integrity.

[0024] Furthermore, the push rod mechanism in this invention also includes a flexible component and a gasket. The flexible component is connected between the drive component and the push rod and is arranged vertically. The gasket is attached to the bottom of the push rod and contacts the wafer. The above technical solution, through the design of the flexible component and the gasket, ensures that the push rod will not scratch the wafer when in contact with it, further improving the integrity of the wafer surface.

[0025] The above and other objects, advantages and features of this utility model will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of this utility model in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the present invention in a detailed manner by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or components. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer gripping device according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken at one angle.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer gripping device according to one embodiment of the present invention from another angle;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic side view of a wafer gripping device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure label:

[0031] 100-Wafer gripping device, 10-Support, 20-Adsorption assembly, 30-Push rod mechanism, 40-Controller, 21-Adsorption element, 211-Connecting post, 212-Van der Waals force patch, 31-Push rod, 32-Panet, 33-Driver. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0033] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper" and "lower" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0034] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature, that is, include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. When a feature "includes or contains" one or more of the features it encompasses, unless otherwise specifically described, this indicates that other features are not excluded and may be further included.

[0035] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "installation," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art should be able to understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] Unless otherwise specified, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the description of this embodiment have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer gripping device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken at one angle. Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer gripping device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention from another angle. Figure 3 This is a schematic side view of a wafer gripping device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the wafer gripping device 100 based on van der Waals forces includes a support 10, multiple sets of adsorption components 20, and at least one pusher mechanism 30. Each set of adsorption components 20 includes multiple adsorption elements 21 arranged at intervals. Each adsorption element 21 includes a connecting post 211 and a van der Waals force patch 212. The connecting post 211 is connected to the support 10, and the van der Waals force patch 212 is attached to the bottom surface of the connecting post 211 and contacts the wafer, thereby adsorbing the wafer. The van der Waals force patch 212 is made of a flexible material, and the surface in contact with the wafer has a biomimetic microstructure. Each pusher mechanism 30 includes a drive element 33 and a pusher 31. The drive element 33 is mounted on the support 10, and the pusher 31 is configured to move downward under the drive of the drive element 33 to push the wafer, thereby causing the wafer to detach from the van der Waals force patch 212.

[0038] The wafer gripping device 100 in this embodiment is based on the van der Waals force principle. Through the design of a biomimetic microstructure, the van der Waals force is amplified, achieving stable bonding of the wafer. The push rod 31 can release the wafer, achieving a gripping effect with low damage and safety and reliability, and improving wafer yield and surface integrity.

[0039] In this embodiment, push rod 31 only needs to gently push the back of the wafer to make the wafer surface instantly detach from the van der Waals force patch 212, achieving smooth unloading. The entire release process does not require pulling or vibration, which can effectively avoid micro-damage to the wafer.

[0040] In this embodiment, the van der Waals force patch 212 uses a flexible material that can better fit the wafer surface with a certain slight curvature or not completely flat. Even if the wafer surface is slightly rough or slightly bent, the flexible structure can still provide a large area of ​​contact, making the wafer less likely to fall off.

[0041] In some embodiments, the biomimetic microstructure is a gecko skin structure or a micropillar array structure. Here, the gecko skin structure mimics the microscopic hairs or branching mechanism of a gecko's toes, with thousands of nanometer or micrometer-sized branched hairs, which can amplify the surface area. The micropillar array consists of neatly arranged tiny pillars that can uniformly contact the wafer surface. This embodiment enhances the adsorption effect of van der Waals forces by amplifying the contact area and forming a tight fit with the wafer surface. This biomimetic microstructure can be adapted to small, flat objects, and is especially suitable for thin-film materials such as wafers, chips, or microdevices. This embodiment can achieve a stable and reliable adsorption effect by optimizing the arrangement density of the biomimetic microstructure, overcoming the drawbacks of traditional mechanical clamping which is prone to scratching and vacuum suction cups which rely on an air source.

[0042] In some embodiments, the support 10 is square, and multiple sets of adsorption components 20 are arranged at intervals along the length of the support 10, with multiple adsorption elements 21 of each set of adsorption components 20 arranged at intervals along the width of the support 10. This embodiment, using the above-described layout, is equivalent to arranging multiple adsorption elements 21 evenly, allowing for uniform contact with the surface of the wafer.

[0043] In some embodiments, the van der Waals force patch 212 is square, rectangular, circular, or elliptical. In other embodiments, the shape of the van der Waals force patch 212 can also be determined according to specific design requirements.

[0044] In some embodiments, there are multiple push rod mechanisms 30, with one push rod mechanism 30 installed on the side of each adsorption assembly 20. Multiple push rod mechanisms 30 simultaneously apply a slight pushing force to the wafer surface, so that the wafer surface is uniformly stressed, which can avoid the wafer from cracking due to local stress and achieve low-loss release.

[0045] In some embodiments, the drive 33 may be a servo microdriver or a piezoelectric microdriver.

[0046] In some embodiments, the push rod mechanism 30 further includes a flexible element and a pad 32. The flexible element is connected between the drive element 33 and the push rod 31 and is arranged vertically. The pad 32 is attached to the bottom of the push rod 31 and contacts the wafer. This embodiment utilizes the elastic deformation of the flexible element to make the push rod 31 make soft contact with the wafer surface, avoiding damage to the wafer.

[0047] In this embodiment, when the van der Waals force patch 212 of the adsorption member 21 contacts the wafer, the height of the bottom surface of the push rod 31 is higher than the height of the van der Waals force patch 212, that is, the push rod 31 does not contact the wafer. When it is necessary to release the wafer, the push rod 31 moves downward, thereby gently pushing the wafer so that the wafer is detached from the van der Waals force patch 212.

[0048] In some embodiments, the push rod 31 extends along the width direction of the support 10 and is aligned with the arrangement length of the corresponding plurality of adsorption elements 21. This embodiment is equivalent to being able to apply a pushing force to each adsorption point of the adsorption element 21, causing multiple adsorption points to detach from the wafer simultaneously.

[0049] In some embodiments, the wafer gripping device 100 further includes a controller 40, which is mounted on the support 10 and connected to the drive unit 33. The controller 40 is used to control the drive unit 33 to start or stop operating.

[0050] This embodiment also provides a wafer testing apparatus, which includes the wafer gripping device 100 of any of the above embodiments. Details regarding the wafer gripping device 100 are not provided here.

[0051] This embodiment utilizes the weak adsorption effect of van der Waals forces on the wafer surface to achieve non-mechanical contact gripping. Van der Waals forces are a type of electromagnetic force that is naturally generated when the distance between molecules is extremely close. They are characterized by no power supply required, low energy consumption, and no pollution. Moreover, they can exist stably even in extreme environments such as vacuum, high temperature, and low temperature, making them extremely suitable for semiconductor manufacturing scenarios with extremely high requirements for cleanliness and precision.

[0052] This embodiment utilizes the biomimetic microstructure of the van der Waals force patch 212 and the elastic properties of the flexible material to enable the adsorption element 21 to achieve sufficient adhesion after it comes into contact with the wafer surface. In addition, the push rod mechanism 30 has a release capability, which enables the wafer gripping device 100 to ensure stable transfer of the wafer between various workstations.

[0053] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although many exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A wafer gripping device based on van der Waals forces, characterized in that, include: support; Multiple adsorption components are provided, each of which includes multiple adsorption elements arranged at intervals. Each adsorption element includes a connecting post and a van der Waals patch. The connecting post is connected to the support, and the van der Waals patch is attached to the bottom surface of the connecting post and in contact with the wafer, thereby adsorbing the wafer. The van der Waals force patch is made of a flexible material and has a biomimetic microstructure on the surface that contacts the wafer; At least one pusher mechanism, each of the pusher mechanisms including a drive member and a pusher, the drive member being mounted on the support, the pusher being configured to move downward under the drive member to push the wafer, thereby causing the wafer to disengage from the van der Waals force patch.

2. The wafer gripping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The biomimetic microstructure is a gecko skin structure or a micropillar array structure.

3. The wafer gripping device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bracket is square in shape; Multiple sets of the adsorption components are arranged at intervals along the length of the support; The plurality of adsorption elements in each group of adsorption components are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the support.

4. The wafer gripping device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The van der Waals force patch is square, rectangular, circular, or elliptical.

5. The wafer gripping device according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, There are multiple push rod mechanisms, with one push rod mechanism installed on the side of each adsorption component.

6. The wafer gripping device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The push rod mechanism also includes: A flexible component is connected between the drive component and the push rod, and is arranged vertically. A gasket is attached to the bottom of the push rod and contacts the wafer.

7. The wafer gripping device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The push rod extends along the width of the bracket and has the same length as the arrangement of the corresponding plurality of adsorption elements.

8. The wafer gripping device according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The controller is mounted on the bracket and connected to the drive unit.

9. A wafer testing device, characterized in that, Includes the wafer gripping device as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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