Gripper for transporting a vertically standing semiconductor wafer and method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer

Abstract

A gripper for transporting a vertically standing semiconductor wafer, a flat body having a head portion and a foot portion that form a flat front side, an arm extending from the head portion to a spaced end of the foot portion, and at the end of the arm, a support surface set back from the plane of the front side, a gripper comprising a holding pin disposed at the end and intended to establish a clamping connection between the semiconductor wafer and the body, a channel is provided in the arm along the inner surface of the arm, terminating at the edge, and the edge is separated from the end of the arm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gripper for transporting a vertically standing semiconductor wafer, and includes a flat main body having a head portion and a foot portion that form a flat front side, an arm extending from the head portion to a spaced end of the foot portion, and at an end portion of the arm, a support surface disposed so as to recede from the plane of the front side, and a holding pin disposed at the end portion and intended to establish a clamping connection between the semiconductor wafer and the main body.

Background Art

[0002] Prior Art / Problems This type of gripper is used particularly in a cleaning line in which semiconductor wafers after chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) are individually transported into a cleaning module and cleaned. This type of cleaning line (traveling beam apparatus) is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0203152. Such a gripper is also called a blade.

[0003] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 213845245 discloses such a gripper. The drawback here is that this gripper does not sufficiently protect the semiconductor wafer from the liquid cleaning agent passing over the semiconductor wafer after cleaning and the particles contained in this cleaning agent, and thus there is a possibility of newly contaminating the clean semiconductor wafer, and / or the cleaning agent passing over the semiconductor wafer thereafter changes the surface roughness of the semiconductor wafer.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to reduce this risk of the cleaned semiconductor wafer being recontaminated.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An object of the present invention is a gripper for transporting a vertically standing semiconductor wafer, comprising a flat main body having a head portion and a foot portion forming a flat front side, an arm extending from the head portion to a spaced end of the foot portion, and at the end of the arm, a support surface arranged to recede from the plane of the front side, a gripper comprising a holding pin arranged at the end and intended to establish a clamping connection between the semiconductor wafer and the main body, wherein a channel along the inner surface of the arm is provided in the arm and terminates at a rim edge which is separated from the end of the arm, is achieved by the gripper.

[0006] The proposed channel mainly guides liquid through the semiconductor wafer to the (end) edge of the channel, from where the liquid can drip without previously passing through the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The channel preferably extends forward, i.e., protrudes to some extent outward from the plane of the front side. It is preferred that the inner surfaces of the arms curve towards each other in a semi-circular manner. It is also possible to shape the arms in other ways, for example, it is also possible to space the arms apart from each other at a certain distance at the foot portion.

[0007] At the ends, it is also preferred that the arms taper to a tip each, and that tip does not contact the semiconductor wafer transported by the gripper. This tip is preferably rounded. Even with this configuration, there is a possibility that liquid drips at this tip.

[0008] The main body of the gripper is thicker than the semiconductor wafer to be transported and is preferably made of a polymer. It is preferred that openings are present in the head portion, which reduce the weight of the gripper and its flow resistance.

[0009] The semiconductor wafer preferably consists of single-crystalline silicon and preferably has a diameter of 300 mm or more.

[0010] Preferably, it is the case where the semiconductor wafer conveyed by the gripper is separated from the support surface. This distance is ensured by the configuration of the holding pins. This distance is preferably at least equal to the thickness of the semiconductor wafer. Each holding pin preferably has a placement surface of the semiconductor wafer, and this surface is preferably adjacent to the boundary. This boundary is in the form of frustum cones located opposite to each other, and the bottom surface of the frustum cone is located on the outside.

[0011] The present invention also relates to a method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer in a cleaning line, wherein the semiconductor wafer is conveyed in a vertically standing state from a cleaning module of the cleaning line, and during this time, the semiconductor wafer is conveyed by a gripper according to the present invention. This method is preferably used after CMP.

[0012] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Detailed description of exemplary embodiments according to the present invention The gripper 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a foot portion 5 formed by a head portion 3 having an opening 4 and an arm 6, and includes a flat body 2 extending from the head portion 3 to the end portion 7 of the foot portion 5. The arm 6 of the present embodiment is curved along the inner surface 8 and is integrated with the head portion 3. The head portion 3 and the foot portion 5 form the flat front side of the body.

[0015] There is a support surface 9 at the end portion of the arm 6, and this support surface is arranged so as to retreat from the front plane. A holding pin 11 is also arranged at the end portion, and a clamp connection is established between the semiconductor wafer 10 and the body 2 using this holding pin.

[0016] The gripper 1 also has a channel 12 that follows the curvature of the arm 6 and terminates at the edge portion 13. The channel 12 is formed in the body 2 and follows the curvature of the inner surface 8 of the arm at a certain distance therefrom.

[0017] Fig. 2 clearly shows that the edge portion 13 and the end portion 7 of the arm 6 are separated from each other. The ends of the channel 12 are oriented so as to be further apart from each other in the outward direction, while the end portions 7 of the arm 6 are oriented so as to face each other in the inward direction.

[0018] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view in which the channel 12 can show a good effect. Regarding the edge portion 13, the channel 12 largely follows the curvature of the inner surface 8 of the arm 6. According to the shown embodiment, the channel 12 protrudes outward to a certain extent from the front plane.

[0019] When the gripper 1 is conveyed from the cleaning module, the liquid path mainly extends from the head portion 3 of the body 2 to the edge portion 13 along the channel 12. From there, the liquid retreats and drips, for example, into the cleaning module. The liquid residue on the semiconductor wafer 10 is significantly reduced.

[0020] In the description with reference to FIG. 4, at the end 7, the arms 6 taper towards the tip 14 respectively, and the tip 14 does not contact the semiconductor wafer 10 conveyed by the gripper. In the illustrated embodiment, the tip 14 is rounded. The tip 14 may be further chamfered, that is, the thickness may be reduced, and the thickness decreases with the distance from the holding pin 11. Preferably, the upper surface of the tip 14 shown in FIG. 4 is chamfered.

[0021] FIG. 5 shows a preferred configuration of the holding pins 11 for holding the semiconductor wafer 10 conveyed at a distance from the support surface 9. Each of the holding pins 11 has a contact surface with the semiconductor wafer 10, and this contact surface is adjacent to the boundary. This boundary is in the form of a frustum of a cone 15 located opposite to each other, and the bottom surface of the frustum of the cone 15 is located on the outside.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0022] 1 Gripper 2 Body 3 Head portion 4 Opening 5 Foot portion 6 Arm 7 End 8 Inner surface 9 Support surface 10 Semiconductor wafer 11 Holding pin 12 Channel 13 Edge portion 14 Tip 15 Frustum of a cone

Claims

Claim 1 A gripper for transporting a vertically standing semiconductor wafer, comprising: a flat body having a head portion and a foot portion that form a flat front side; an arm extending from the head portion to a spaced end of the foot portion; at the end of the arm, a support surface arranged to recede from the plane of the front side; a holding pin arranged at the end and intended to establish a clamping connection between the semiconductor wafer and the body, the gripper comprising: a channel along the inner surface of the arm provided within the arm and terminating at an edge portion, the edge portion being separated from the end of the arm. Claim 2 The gripper according to claim 1, characterized by an opening in the head portion. Claim 3 The gripper according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the channel protrudes from the plane of the front side. Claim 4 The gripper according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner surface of the arm is curved. Claim 5 The gripper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the arm tapers to a tip at each end, the tip not contacting the semiconductor wafer transported by the gripper. Claim 6 The gripper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the holding pin holds the semiconductor wafer at a distance from the support surface. Claim 7 A method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer in a cleaning line, wherein the semiconductor wafer is transported in a vertically standing state from a cleaning module of the cleaning line, during which the semiconductor wafer is transported by a gripper according to any one of the preceding claims.

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