A water spray head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device

Abstract

This utility model discloses a water jet head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device, applied to a fully automatic ultrasonic defect detection equipment for semiconductor wafers. Addressing the problems of existing water jet heads, such as the bottom water-collecting layer hindering the short-focal-length probe from getting close to the wafer, the horizontal water inlet pipe easily generating turbulent bubbles, and the complex structure making it difficult to manufacture, improvements are made: the bottom water-collecting layer is removed, allowing the short-focal-length ultrasonic probe 1 (9.5mm and below) to get close to the wafer 7, reducing signal attenuation; vertical left and right water inlets 2 and 3 are provided, with the width of the double thin pipes reduced by the upper top wall 4 to avoid turbulent bubbles; the upper top wall 4 provides mounting, fixing, and connection to the flow guiding structure 5; the flow guiding structure 5 guides the water flow, and the side walls form a vertical water channel. The simplified structure is easier to manufacture, the reduced size lowers the equipment load, facilitates multi-probe integration, and improves detection performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor wafer inspection, and in particular to a water spray head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of ultrasonic defect inspection of semiconductor bonding wafers, inspection equipment is classified into three categories based on its level of automation: manual equipment, semi-automatic equipment, and fully automatic equipment. Because ultrasonic waves have extremely low transmission efficiency in air, water must be introduced between the ultrasonic probe and the wafer as a coupling agent to create a dedicated waterway transmission channel for the ultrasonic signal, ensuring stable signal transmission.

[0003] Manual equipment requires manual placement of wafers onto the platform in the equipment's water tank. After testing, the wet wafers must be manually removed and dried. The process is cumbersome and relies on manual intervention. Semi-automatic equipment allows wafers to be manually placed onto the platform in the drying area. It can then automatically feed the platform and wafers into the water tank for testing. After testing, the platform can be automatically raised and the wafers dried by air knives. Finally, the dried wafers are manually removed. The level of automation is higher than that of manual equipment, but manual intervention is still required in the loading and unloading process.

[0004] The fully automated equipment operates without any human intervention: simply place the wafer cassette containing the wafers onto the equipment's loading stage, and the equipment will automatically complete the entire process, including wafer loading and unloading, pre-alignment, stage placement, water coupling agent introduction, defect detection, initial air knife drying, complete drying by the rotary drying system, and finally, automatic return of the wafers to the wafer cassette. However, due to the automatic wafer loading and unloading mechanism of the fully automated equipment, it cannot supply coupling agent through a water tank like manual and semi-automatic equipment. Therefore, a water spray head structure is required to precisely introduce water coupling agent between the ultrasonic probe and the wafer, making the water spray head one of the core components for achieving efficient testing in the fully automated equipment.

[0005] However, currently, there is no publicly available complete solution for the specific design details of the water jet head structure for fully automated ultrasonic testing equipment for semiconductor wafers, and existing similar water jet heads generally suffer from the following three key problems in practical applications: Among existing patented technologies, Chinese utility model patent No. 200910235210.8 discloses a nozzle for ultrasonic non-destructive testing of water jets, comprising a nozzle tube, a water inlet, a probe end cap, and an annular water screen. The internal structure of the nozzle tube is symmetrical along the centerline of the water column. The water inlet is connected to the nozzle body via threads. The probe end cap and the nozzle body adopt a quick-assembly structure. The nozzle tube and the nozzle body are connected by threads. Inside the nozzle body, there is an annular water screen for isolation. One side of the screen is a water-filling chamber connected to the water inlet, and the other side is a flow slope and a flow channel. The annular water screen is covered with screen holes, the diameter of a single screen hole is less than 2 mm, and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the annular water screen is greater than three times the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel. The inner ring of the annular water screen allows the probe to pass through. The probe end cap and the probe are fixed by an interference fit.

[0006] The existing water nozzle has a water inlet at the bottom center, through which water flows towards the wafer, forming a water column between the lens (the core component of the ultrasonic probe) and the wafer. Simultaneously, the nozzle bottom has a ring of centrally located water-collecting material to catch the water flow and guide it to the lens component at the center of the ultrasonic probe. However, when detecting small defects, a high-frequency, short-focal-length ultrasonic probe adapted to high resolution is required. High-frequency ultrasonic signals attenuate significantly with increasing propagation distance, therefore the probe needs to operate as close to the wafer surface as possible. The presence of the bottom water-collecting layer directly hinders the reduction of the distance between the probe and the wafer, preventing the probe from achieving the optimal working distance, thus weakening the ultrasonic signal intensity and severely affecting the detection accuracy of small defects.

[0007] Currently, most water inlet pipes in spray nozzles on the market are designed horizontally, with water entering through inlet holes on the side wall of the nozzle. This inlet method inevitably creates vertical bends in the water path as the water flows downwards, causing turbulence. This leads to decreased stability and turbulent flow, and also easily generates air bubbles. When unstable or air-filled water flows under an ultrasonic probe, it strongly interferes with the transmission of the ultrasonic signal, causing partial signal loss and ultimately affecting the accuracy of defect detection. Existing solutions require additional buffer structures to address this issue, but this significantly increases the structural complexity of the spray nozzle, posing considerable challenges to manufacturing.

[0008] The existing water nozzles have a complex overall structural design, leading to several problems: First, the large size of the nozzles places an additional load on the motion axis of the ultrasonic equipment, affecting the equipment's motion accuracy and response speed. Furthermore, the bulky structure makes it difficult to integrate multiple probes, limiting the improvement of the equipment's detection efficiency. Second, the complex internal water channel structure of the nozzles makes conventional machining or injection molding processes insufficient to meet their manufacturing requirements. If 3D printing is used, the poor durability of 3D printing materials means that after repeated disassembly, the threaded connections of the nozzles are prone to damage, and the overall structure is also prone to cracking, resulting in a shortened nozzle lifespan and increased maintenance costs. Utility Model Content

[0009] This invention provides a water spray head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device. This spray head eliminates the bottom water-collecting layer, allowing the short-focal-length ultrasonic probe to be as close as possible to the wafer. This reduces ultrasonic signal attenuation, enhances the ultrasonic signal intensity, and thus improves the resolution and defect detection rate of the ultrasonic probe. Simultaneously, its water inlet pipe is oriented vertically, avoiding turbulence and air bubbles in the water path, which is beneficial for ultrasonic signal transmission and the detection of small defects. Furthermore, the water spray head utilizes the gap between the nozzle sidewall and the probe to form a water path. This design not only reduces the nozzle size and facilitates the integration of the probe and nozzle, but also facilitates molding processing.

[0010] This utility model provides a water spray head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device, comprising: An ultrasonic probe, which is vertical and installed inside the spray head; The top wall is horizontally positioned at the top of the spray head; The left water inlet pipe is installed through the left side of the upper top wall, and its water inlet axis is perpendicular to the plane of the upper top wall. The right inlet pipe is installed through the right side of the upper top wall, and its inlet axis is perpendicular to the plane of the upper top wall. A flow guiding structure is located below the upper top wall, connecting the upper top wall and the side wall; and The sidewalls are ring-shaped, surrounding the outside of the ultrasonic probe, with the top connected to the flow guide structure and the bottom extending to a position close to the wafer.

[0011] In one embodiment of this utility model, the upper top wall is provided with a threaded water inlet hole for installing the water inlet pipe.

[0012] In one embodiment of this utility model, the water spray head is fixed to an ultrasonic device: The inner side of the upper top wall, away from the water inlet pipe, has a horizontally threaded hole for clamping and fixing the spray head to the probe with screws; or A fixing plate structure is provided above the upper top wall, and the water spray head is fastened with screws; or The ultrasonic probe has an interface on its side for fixing the water spray head.

[0013] In one embodiment of this utility model, the flow guiding structure and the upper top wall are integrally formed by injection molding, welded connection, or threaded connection.

[0014] In one embodiment of this utility model, a gap is reserved between the inner wall of the side wall and the outer wall of the ultrasonic probe to form the outer boundary of the vertical waterway.

[0015] In one embodiment of this utility model, the left water inlet pipe vertically guides water into the nozzle through the threaded hole on the top wall, providing a basic water volume for the water path; The right water inlet pipe is an auxiliary water replenishment channel and is symmetrically arranged with the left water inlet pipe.

[0016] In one embodiment of this utility model, the flow guiding structure is inclinedly disposed below the upper top wall to control the direction of water flow.

[0017] This utility model has the following beneficial effects: (1) Remove the bottom water-collecting layer so that the short focal length ultrasonic probe can be close to the wafer, reduce ultrasonic signal attenuation, enhance signal strength, improve probe resolution, and directly improve the defect detection rate.

[0018] (2) A vertical water inlet pipe is used to avoid turbulence and air bubbles in the water path, ensuring stable transmission of ultrasonic signals and further assisting in the accurate detection of small defects.

[0019] (3) Add a right water inlet pipe, which has the same water inlet form as the left water inlet pipe and can jointly increase the water inlet volume; compared with a single thick water inlet pipe, the double thin water inlet pipe design can effectively reduce the width of the top wall and avoid the problem of a wide top wall. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 A front view of a water jet head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; and Figure 2 A top view of a water jet head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0021] In the following description, the present invention is described with reference to various embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments may be practiced without one or more specific details or with other alternatives and / or additional methods, materials, or components. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail so as not to obscure the inventive aspects of the present invention. Similarly, for illustrative purposes, specific quantities, materials, and configurations are set forth to provide a comprehensive understanding of embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific details.

[0022] In this utility model, the various embodiments are merely intended to illustrate the solution of this utility model and should not be construed as limiting.

[0023] In this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "this embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to all of the same embodiment.

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0025] Figure 1 The image shows a front view of a water jet head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 A top view of a water jet head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of this utility model, the water spray head for a fully automatic ultrasonic device includes: The ultrasonic probe 1, acting as the "signal center" for ultrasonic detection, emits high-frequency ultrasonic signals that penetrate the water film to reach the wafer interface. Simultaneously, it receives ultrasonic signals reflected from wafer defects, converts these signals into electrical signals, and transmits them to the equipment control system for defect identification. In this invention, it is specifically designed for short focal lengths of 9.5mm and below, requiring close proximity to the wafer surface. Therefore, its outer wall must cooperate with the side wall 6 and the flow guiding structure 5 to form a compact water channel, preventing external structures from hindering its proximity to the wafer 7. The ultrasonic probe 1 is the central component of the entire spray head structure, vertically penetrating the core area inside the spray head. Its bottom must face the wafer 7, and its bottom plane must be flush with or slightly lower than the bottom plane of the side wall 6 to avoid direct contact between the probe and the wafer 7.

[0028] The left inlet pipe 2 and the right inlet pipe 3 serve as the basic water input channel. The left inlet pipe 2 vertically introduces water into the nozzle through the threaded hole in the upper top wall 4, providing the basic water volume for the water circuit and ensuring the initial requirements for water film formation. The right inlet pipe 3 is an auxiliary water replenishment channel, symmetrically set with the left inlet pipe 2. Its core function is to "replace coarse with fine" – if only a single inlet pipe is used, the water pipe needs to be thickened to meet the water volume requirements, which would lead to the widening of the upper top wall 4. The double fine pipe design can reduce the width of the upper top wall 4 while ensuring the total water volume, thus achieving nozzle miniaturization. Both adopt a vertical water inlet method to avoid the "vertical bend" problem of horizontal water inlet, reducing turbulence and bubble generation from the source.

[0029] The upper top wall 4 provides a threaded hole for the installation interface of the water inlet pipe, which achieves a sealed connection between the water inlet pipe and the nozzle through the connector to prevent water leakage. At the same time, it serves as a connection carrier between the nozzle and the equipment. The entire nozzle can be fixed on the motion axis of the ultrasonic equipment through horizontal threaded holes, top fixing plates, or probe side interfaces to ensure the stability of the nozzle position during the test. The upper top wall 4 serves as a transition component between the upper water inlet pipe and the lower flow guiding structure 5 and side wall 6. Through welding, threaded connection, or integral molding, it ensures the sealing and rigidity of the overall nozzle structure and prevents water leakage from the top. The upper top wall 4 is located at the top of the nozzle and is horizontal. The left water inlet pipe 2 and the right water inlet pipe 3 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the upper top wall 4 and connected to the pre-set threaded water inlet holes of the upper top wall 4 through threaded connectors. The axis of the water inlet pipe is perpendicular to the plane of the upper top wall 4 to ensure that water flows vertically into the nozzle from above.

[0030] The flow guiding structure 5 is used to receive the water flowing out of the inlet pipes 2 and 3. By adapting its preset tilt angle to the water flow direction, it smoothly guides the water flow to the gap between the side wall 6 and the ultrasonic probe 1, forming a vertical downward water flow path. This prevents the water flow from accumulating or becoming turbulent at the top, structurally eliminating sludge and air bubbles. The inner side of the flow guiding structure 5 is attached to the outer wall of the probe, and the outer side is connected to the top of the side wall 6, forming an "annular flow guiding space". This ensures that all the water flow enters the vertical water path and does not leak to the outside, while also enhancing the connection stability of the upper and lower parts of the nozzle. The flow guiding structure 5 is located directly below the upper top wall 4 and is fixedly connected to the upper top wall 4 by injection molding. It can be machined, welded, or threaded. Its inner side is attached to the outer wall of the ultrasonic probe 1, and its outer side is connected to the top of the side wall 6, forming a transition structure of "connecting to the top wall above, attaching to the probe inside, and connecting to the side wall below". This covers the outlet of the inlet pipes 2 and 3, ensuring that the water flow can be guided downward.

[0031] The side wall 6 cooperates with the outer wall of the ultrasonic probe 1 to form the outer boundary of the "annular vertical water channel", which constrains the water flow to flow vertically downward, avoids water flow diffusion, and ensures that the water flow is concentrated on the surface of the wafer 7 to form a uniform water film. The bottom height of the side wall 6 is flush with or slightly higher than the bottom of the probe. On the one hand, it avoids the bottom of the probe from directly contacting the wafer 7 and causing scratches. On the other hand, it does not occupy the "focusing distance" between the probe and the wafer 7, ensuring that the short focal length probe can work close to the wafer 7 and reduce ultrasonic signal attenuation. The side wall 6 is annular and surrounds the outside of the ultrasonic probe 1. The top is connected to the flow guiding structure 5, and the bottom extends to a position close to the wafer 7 without contacting the wafer 7. A gap is reserved between the inner wall of the side wall 6 and the outer wall of the ultrasonic probe 1 to form the outer boundary of the vertical water channel. The outer wall is the outer contour of the nozzle and needs to ensure that the overall size is compact and adapts to the requirements of the equipment's motion axis. In this embodiment, the outer wall of the probe is used as the inner boundary of the water channel. There is no need to design an independent water channel inside the nozzle, which greatly simplifies the structure, reduces the nozzle diameter, reduces the load on the equipment's motion axis, and facilitates the integration of multiple probes.

[0032] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not as limitations. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various combinations, modifications, and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present invention disclosed herein should not be limited by the exemplary embodiments disclosed above, but should be defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A full-automatic ultrasonic device water jet head characterized by, include: An ultrasonic probe, which is vertical and installed inside the spray head; The top wall is horizontally positioned at the top of the spray head; The left water inlet pipe is installed through the left side of the upper top wall, and its water inlet axis is perpendicular to the plane of the upper top wall. The right inlet pipe is installed through the right side of the upper top wall, and its inlet axis is perpendicular to the plane of the upper top wall. A flow guiding structure is located below the upper top wall, connecting the upper top wall and the side wall; as well as The sidewalls are ring-shaped, surrounding the outside of the ultrasonic probe, with the top connected to the flow guide structure and the bottom extending to a position close to the wafer.

2. The full-automatic water jet head for an ultrasonic device according to claim 1, characterized by The upper top wall is provided with a threaded water inlet hole for installing the water inlet pipe.

3. The full-automatic ultrasonic water jet head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water spray head is fixed to the ultrasonic device: The inner side of the upper top wall, away from the water inlet pipe, has a horizontally threaded hole for clamping and fixing the spray head to the probe with screws; or A fixing plate structure is provided above the upper top wall, and the water spray head is fastened with screws; or The ultrasonic probe has an interface on its side for fixing the water spray head.

4. The full-automatic ultrasonic water jet head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow guiding structure and the upper top wall are integrally formed by injection molding, welding, or threaded connection.

5. The full-automatic ultrasonic water jet head according to claim 1, characterized in that, A gap is reserved between the inner wall of the side wall and the outer wall of the ultrasonic probe to form the outer boundary of the vertical waterway.

6. The full-automatic ultrasonic water jet head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left water inlet pipe vertically guides water into the nozzle through the threaded hole on the top wall, providing a basic water volume for the water circuit; The right water inlet pipe is an auxiliary water replenishment channel and is symmetrically arranged with the left water inlet pipe.

7. The full-automatic ultrasonic water jet head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow guiding structure is inclined and positioned below the upper top wall to control the direction of water flow.

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