GRIPPER FOR TRANSPORTING A STANDINGLY ARRANGED SEMICONDUCTOR DISC AND METHOD FOR CLEANING THE SEMICONDUCTOR DISC

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a gripper for transporting a vertically arranged semiconductor wafer, comprising a flat body having a head portion and a foot portion forming a flat front surface; arms extending from the head portion to spaced-apart ends in the foot portion; a support surface recessed from the plane of the front surface at end portions of the arms; and retaining pins arranged on the end portions for creating a clamping connection between the semiconductor wafer and the body. State of the art / problems

[0002] Grippers of this type are used primarily in cleaning lines where semiconductor wafers are individually transported to a cleaning module after chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and cleaned. A cleaning line (running beam device) of this type is described, for example, in US2020 0 203 152 A1. Such a gripper is also referred to as a blade.

[0003] Such a gripper is shown in CN213 845 245 U. The disadvantage is that it does not adequately protect a semiconductor wafer after cleaning from liquid cleaning agent from the gripper onto the semiconductor wafer, which could cause particles contained in the cleaning agent to recontaminate the cleaned semiconductor wafer and / or cause cleaning agent subsequently contacting the semiconductor wafer to change the roughness of the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0004] The object of the invention is to reduce this risk of recontamination of the cleaned semiconductor wafer.

[0005] The object of the invention is achieved by a gripper for transporting a standing semiconductor wafer, comprising a flat body having a head portion and a foot portion forming a flat front surface; arms extending from the head portion to spaced-apart ends in the foot portion; a support surface set back from the plane of the front surface at end portions of the arms; and retaining pins arranged on the end portions for creating a clamping connection between the semiconductor wafer and the body, characterized by a groove following an inner side of the arms, which groove is incorporated into the arms and terminates at edges, the edges being spread apart from the ends of the arms.

[0006] The proposed channel directs liquid largely past the semiconductor wafer to the edges of the channel, from which it can drip off without first reaching the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Preferably, the channel extends forward, thus protruding slightly from the plane of the front surface. The inside of the arms is preferably curved in a semicircular manner. A different shape of the arms, for example, arms with a constant distance between them in the base section, is also possible.

[0007] The body of the gripper is thicker than the semiconductor wafer to be transported and is preferably made of a polymer.

[0008] The head section preferably has recesses that reduce the weight of the gripper and its flow resistance.

[0009] The semiconductor wafer is preferably made of single-crystal silicon and has a diameter of preferably 300 mm or larger.

[0010] The invention also relates to a method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer in a cleaning line, wherein the semiconductor wafer is transported in an upright position from a cleaning module of the cleaning line, characterized in that the semiconductor wafer is transported during this process by a gripper according to one of the preceding patent claims. The method is preferably applied after a CMP.

[0011] The invention is further described below with reference to drawings. Short description of the characters

[0012] Fig. 1 shows the front side of an embodiment of the gripper according to the invention and a semiconductor wafer transported by it. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of Fig. 1 . Fig. 3 shows a partial view of Fig. 1 , which is rotated counterclockwise by almost 90° around a vertical axis. List of reference symbols used

[0013] 1 gripper 2 Body 3 Head section 4 recesses 5 Foot section 6 poor 7 ends 8 inside 9 Support surface 10 semiconductor wafer 11 Retaining pins 12 gutter 13 edge Detailed description of an embodiment according to the invention

[0014] The gripper 1 comprises a flat body 2 with a head portion 3 with recesses 4 and a foot portion 5 formed by arms 6 extending from the head portion 3 to ends 7 in the foot portion 5. The arms 6 of this embodiment are curved along an inner side 8 and join in the head portion 3. The head portion 3 and the foot portion 5 form a flat front side of the body.

[0015] At the end sections of the arms 6, there is a support surface 9, which is set back from the plane of the front side. Furthermore, retaining pins 11 are arranged on the end sections, with the aid of which a clamping connection is created between the semiconductor wafer 10 and the body 2.

[0016] The gripper 1 also has a groove 12 that follows the curvature of the arms 6 and ends at edges 13. The groove 12 is incorporated into the body 2 and follows the curvature of the inner side 8 of the arms at a certain distance.

[0017] In Fig. 2 It is emphasized that the edges 13 and the ends 7 of the arms 6 are spread apart from each other. The ends of the edges 12 point outwards, away from each other, while the ends 7 of the arms 6 point inwards.

[0018] Fig. 3shows a perspective in which the groove 12 is clearly visible. The groove 12 largely follows the curvature of the inner side 8 of the arms 6 up to the edges 13. According to the embodiment shown, the groove 12 protrudes slightly from the plane of the front side.

[0019] The path for liquid after the gripper 1 is transported out of a cleaning module leads from the head section 3 of the body 2, predominantly along the groove 12 to the edges 13. From there, the liquid drips back into the cleaning module, for example. Liquid residues on the semiconductor wafer 10 are significantly reduced.

[0020] The scope of protection of the patent is determined by the patent claims.

Claims

1. Gripper (1) for transporting an upright semiconductor wafer (10), comprising a flat body (2) having a head portion (3) and a foot portion (5), which form a planar front side; arms (6), which extend from the head portion to spaced-apart ends in the foot portion; at end portions of the arms, a supporting surface (9), which is arranged so as to be set back from the plane of the front side; and holding pins (11), which are arranged on the end portions and are intended for establishing a clamping connection between the semiconductor wafer and the body, characterized by a channel (12) which follows an inner side (8) of the arms, is made in the arms and terminates at edges (13), wherein the edges are separated from the ends of the arms.

2. Gripper according to Claim 1, characterized by apertures in the head portion.

3. Gripper according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by the channel projecting out of the plane of the front side.

4. Gripper according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner side of the arms is curved.

5. Method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer (10) in a cleaning line, wherein the semiconductor wafer is transported in an upright state out of a cleaning module of the cleaning line, characterized in that, during this time, the semiconductor wafer is transported by a gripper (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims.