Substrate holding device

Abstract

Provided in the present invention is a substrate holding device, comprising: a base and a plurality of holding members, wherein the holding members are mounted in corresponding mounting holes in the base and are configured to self-rotate relative to the base to hold or release a substrate; and a bearing structure is provided between each holding member and the corresponding mounting hole. By providing the bearing structure between each holding member and the corresponding mounting hole in the base, during the self-rotation of the holding member relative to the base, the friction between the holding member and the base can be reduced, thereby greatly prolonging the service life of the holding member; and the particle contamination generated during the self-rotation of the holding member relative to the base is reduced.

Description

Substrate clamping device Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and in particular to a substrate clamping device. Background Art

[0002] In wafer processing equipment, a wafer chuck is often required. Specifically, the wafer is fixed on a rotatable wafer chuck, so that the wafer chuck drives the wafer to rotate, so as to cooperate with other modules of the equipment to perform corresponding processing processes. The wafer chuck usually includes a base and multiple clamping members, and the multiple clamping members are installed on the base to form a clamping space. The clamping member is connected to the driving component in a transmission manner. Under the drive of the driving component, the clamping member rotates relative to the base to realize the closing and opening of the clamping space, that is, to realize the clamping or loosening of the wafer.

[0003] Since the main part of the clamp is usually installed in the mounting hole of the base, during the process of self-rotation relative to the base, the main part of the clamp will inevitably rub against the wall of the mounting hole. On the one hand, this will shorten the service life of the clamp. On the other hand, the particles generated by friction will contaminate the wafer on the base and the components inside the base, causing adverse effects.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate clamping device for solving the technical problems of how to increase the service life of the clamping member and reduce particle contamination generated during the opening and closing process of the clamping member.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose and other related purposes, one aspect of the present invention provides a substrate clamping device, comprising: a base and a plurality of clamping members, wherein the clamping members are installed in corresponding mounting holes on the base and are configured to rotate relative to the base to clamp or release the substrate, wherein a bearing structure is provided between the clamping members and the mounting holes.

[0007] Optionally, the bearing structure is a rolling bearing including an inner ring and an outer ring, the outer ring of the rolling bearing is fixedly connected to the mounting hole, and the inner ring of the rolling bearing is fixedly connected to the clamping member.

[0008] Optionally, the bearing structure is a sliding bearing, comprising a sleeve, wherein an outer wall of the sleeve is fixedly connected to the mounting hole, and the clamping member is rotatable relative to an inner wall of the sleeve.

[0009] Optionally, the mounting hole includes a first circumferential groove, and the bearing structure is arranged in the first circumferential groove.

[0010] Optionally, a bearing cover plate is further included, which is located at the bottom of the mounting hole and fixedly connected to the base.

[0011] Optionally, at least two coaxial rolling bearings are arranged in each of the mounting holes.

[0012] Optionally, the rolling bearing is a ceramic bearing.

[0013] Optionally, the bushing is a ceramic bushing.

[0014] Optionally, a sealing member is further included, the mounting hole includes a second circumferential groove, and the sealing member is arranged in the second circumferential groove.

[0015] Optionally, the clamping member includes a main body, a clamping member located at the top of the main body, and a gear member located at the bottom of the main body, the clamping member is located outside the base and is used to clamp the substrate; the gear member is located inside the base and is connected to a gear transmission member for driving the clamping member to rotate relative to the base under the drive of the gear transmission member.

[0016] As described above, the present invention provides a substrate clamping device having the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1) By providing a bearing structure between the clamp and the mounting hole on the base, the friction between the clamp and the base during the self-rotation of the clamp relative to the base is reduced, thereby significantly increasing the service life of the clamp;

[0018] 2) Reduce particle contamination generated during the self-rotation of the clamp relative to the base.

[0019] Summary of the Figures

[0020] The features and performance of the present application are further described by the following examples and drawings.

[0021] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a substrate clamping device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing a partial structure of the clamping member and the base in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] FIG3 is a top view of the bearing cover plate in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0024] FIG4 is a front view of the bearing cover plate in the first and second embodiments of the present invention;

[0025] FIG5 is a schematic diagram showing a partial structure of the clamping member and the base in the second embodiment of the present invention; and

[0026] FIG6 is a schematic diagram showing a partial structure of the clamping member and the base in the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Preferred embodiment of this application

[0028] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention through specific examples. Those skilled in the art will readily understand the other advantages and benefits of the present invention from the disclosure herein. The present invention may also be implemented or applied through various other specific embodiments, and the details in this specification may be modified or altered based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0029] It should be noted that the drawings disclosed herein only illustrate the basic concept of the present invention in a schematic manner. Although the drawings only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of components in actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component in actual implementation may be changed at will, and the component layout may also be more complicated.

[0030] In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present invention. Instead, they are merely examples of devices consistent with some aspects of the present invention as detailed in the appended claims.

[0031] The terms used in this disclosure are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used in this disclosure and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," "the," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0032] In the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified and limited, it should be noted that the terms "install", "connect" and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, or it can be the internal connection between two components. It can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used in the present disclosure to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from each other.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] Referring to Figure 1, a schematic diagram of the structure of a substrate clamping device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. The substrate clamping device comprises a base 1 and a plurality of clamping members 2. The clamping members 2 are mounted in corresponding mounting holes 13 on the base 1 and are configured to rotate relative to the base 1 to clamp or release a substrate. A bearing structure is disposed between the mounting holes 13 and the clamping members 2. For example, in this embodiment, the substrate may be a wafer, and the bearing structure is a bearing 14, which is a rolling bearing. The outer ring of the bearing 14 is fixedly connected to the mounting hole 13, and the inner ring of the bearing 14 is fixedly connected to the clamping member 2.

[0036] Continuing to refer to FIG1 , in this embodiment, the base 1 includes an upper base 11 and a lower base 12 , which are fixedly connected to enclose an internal space. Mounting holes 13 are provided on the upper base 11 and are distributed circumferentially along the upper base 11 . The clamping member 2 includes a main body 21 , a clamping portion 22 located at the top of the main body 21 , and a gear portion 23 located at the bottom of the main body 21 . The clamping portion 22 is located outside the base 1 and protrudes outwardly for clamping the substrate; the gear portion 23 is located inside the base 1 and is in transmission connection with a gear transmission member 4 , and is used to drive the clamping member 2 to rotate relative to the base 1 under the drive of the gear transmission member 4 . The gear transmission member 4 is in transmission connection with a driving component, which drives the gear transmission member 4 to rotate, thereby driving the gear portion 23 of the clamping member 2 to rotate, so that the clamping member 2 rotates relative to the base 1 . A rotating shaft 3 is provided at the center of the base 1, which is driven by a rotating shaft drive device (e.g., a motor) to rotate the base 1 about the axis of the rotating shaft 3. A gear transmission member 4 is located within the interior space of the base 1, and a center bearing 5 is provided on the inner ring of the gear transmission member 4. For example, the center bearing 5 is sleeved on the rotating shaft 3.

[0037] 2 , which shows a partial structural diagram of the clamping member 2 and the base 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention, shows that the mounting hole 13 includes a first circumferential groove 131, and the bearing 14 is disposed in the first circumferential groove 131. The bearing 14 is accommodated in the first circumferential groove 131, and the outer ring of the bearing 14 is fixedly connected to the first circumferential groove 131. For example, the outer ring of the bearing 14 is fixedly connected to the first circumferential groove 131 by a tight fit with the first circumferential groove 131; the inner ring of the bearing 14 is fixedly connected to the clamping member 2. For example, the inner ring of the bearing 14 is fixedly connected to the clamping member 2 by a tight fit with the clamping member 2.

[0038] Preferably, this embodiment further includes a bearing cover plate 6. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a top view and a front view of the bearing cover plate 6, respectively. The bearing cover plate 6 is located at the bottom of the mounting hole 13. Screw holes 65 are provided on either side of the bearing cover plate 6 for engagement with screws 61. The bearing cover plate 6 is securely connected to the upper base 11 via the screws 61. The bearing cover plate 6 includes a center hole 62 and a fixing platform 63. The center hole 62 allows the clamping member 2 to pass through it, thereby avoiding interference with the clamping member 2. The fixing platform 63 abuts the bottom of the outer ring of the bearing 14 to strengthen the fixation between the outer ring of the bearing 14 and the first circumferential groove 131. Furthermore, since the bearing 14 is a rolling bearing, to avoid interfering with the rotation of the inner ring of the bearing 14, a clearance groove 64 is provided between the center hole 62 and the fixing platform 63 in this embodiment. This clearance groove 64 allows the inner ring of the bearing 14 to rotate freely within the clearance groove 64, thus avoiding interference with the rotation of the inner ring of the bearing 14. 1 , in order to limit the axial position of the clamping member 2 and ensure its free rotation, a thimble bearing 7 is disposed at the bottom of the clamping member 2 , and the thimble bearing 7 is mounted on the lower base 12 .

[0039] In this embodiment, by providing a first circumferential groove 131 within the mounting hole 13, mounting the bearing 14 within the first circumferential groove 131, and fixing the clamp 2 to the inner ring of the bearing 14, the clamp 2 and the upper base 11 form a bearing rotation pair; the gear portion 23 of the clamp 2 and the gear transmission member 4 form a gear pair. During the opening and closing process of the clamp 2, the gear transmission member 4 engages with the gear portion 23, causing the gear portion 23 to rotate. The gear portion 23 drives the clamp 2 and the inner ring of the bearing 14 to rotate synchronously, changing the position of the clamping portion 22 of the clamp 2 to achieve clamping or loosening of the wafer. Since the friction between the inner and outer rings of the bearing 14 is relatively low, the clamp 2 can rotate smoothly, reducing the direct friction between the clamp 2 and the wall of the mounting hole 13, thereby extending the service life of the clamp 2 and reducing the particle contamination generated during the self-rotation of the clamp 2.

[0040] It should be understood that, in this embodiment, driving the clamping member 2 to rotate by the gear transmission member 4 is exemplary and does not constitute a limitation to the present invention. In other embodiments, the clamping member 2 may also be driven to rotate by other known methods.

[0041] Preferably, in this embodiment, two coaxial bearings 14 are provided in each mounting hole 13. If only one bearing 14 is provided between the clamp 2 and the mounting hole 13, due to the gap between the inner and outer rings of the bearing, the inner and outer rings of the bearing 14 may not remain coaxial during the self-rotation of the clamp 2, thereby causing the clamp 2 to tilt during the self-rotation. By providing two coaxial bearings 14 in one mounting hole 13, the two bearings 14 act as circumferential limiters to each other, which can reduce or even avoid the possible tilting of the clamp 2. It should be understood that, since the height of the upper base 11 in which the mounting hole 13 is provided and the height of the main body 21 of the clamp 3 are limited in this embodiment, the internal space of the mounting hole 13 cannot accommodate a larger number of bearings 14. In other possible embodiments, one or more than two bearings 14 may be provided in one mounting hole 13. Those skilled in the art can reasonably set the number of bearings 14 based on actual conditions under the guidance of this disclosure.

[0042] Preferably, in this embodiment, the bearing 14 is a ceramic bearing. Ceramic bearings have the advantages of corrosion resistance, self-lubrication, and long service life. In other possible embodiments, the bearing 14 can also be selected from other types of rolling bearings.

[0043] Example 2

[0044] Referring to Figure 5, which illustrates a partial structural diagram of the clamping member 2 and base 1 in a second embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment further includes a sealing member 15. The mounting hole 13 includes a second circumferential groove 132, within which the sealing member 15 is disposed. The sealing member 15 is secured within the second circumferential groove 132, forming a seal between the clamping member 2 and the mounting hole 13. The clamping member 2 can rotate relative to the sealing member.

[0045] Since corrosive chemical liquids are often used in wafer processing, in order to prevent the chemical liquid from entering the bearing 14 and the internal space enclosed by the upper base 11 and the lower base 12 through the gap between the mounting hole 13 and the clamping member 2, thereby causing corrosion to the bearing 14 and other components in the internal space, in this embodiment, a second circumferential groove 132 is provided in the hole wall of the mounting hole 13, and the second circumferential groove 132 is located above the first circumferential groove 131. A sealing member 15, such as an O-ring, is provided in the second circumferential groove 132 to seal the portion of the base 1 below the second circumferential groove 132.

[0046] Example 3

[0047] Refer to Figure 6, which shows a partial structural diagram of the clamping member 2 and base 1 in the third embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the second embodiment, this embodiment changes the bearing structure implementation to a sliding bearing structure. It should be understood that, unlike rolling bearings, sliding bearings do not have an outer ring and an inner ring structure and are typically composed of a bearing seat and a sleeve. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the bearing cover plate 6 does not have the avoidance groove 64 shown in Figures 3 and 4. In other implementations of this embodiment, the bearing cover plate 6 can also be omitted.

[0048] Specifically, in this embodiment, a sleeve 34 is disposed within the first circumferential groove 131. The outer wall of the sleeve 34 is fixedly connected to the groove wall of the first circumferential groove 131. The inner wall of the sleeve 34 is clearance-fitted with the clamp 2, and the clamp 2 rotates relative to the inner wall of the sleeve 34. The upper base 11 constitutes the bearing seat of the sliding bearing and forms a sliding bearing with the sleeve 34. During the opening and closing process of the clamp 2, the clamp 2 rotates within the sleeve 34. Since the friction between the sleeve 34 and the clamp 2 is relatively low, the self-rotation of the clamp 2 proceeds smoothly, avoiding direct friction between the clamp 2 and the wall of the mounting hole 13. This not only prolongs the service life of the clamp 2, but also reduces particle contamination generated during the self-rotation of the clamp 2.

[0049] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical principles disclosed herein are intended to be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A substrate clamping device, characterized in that: include: A base and a plurality of clamping members, The clamping member is mounted in a corresponding mounting hole on the base and is configured to rotate relative to the base to clamp or release the substrate; Wherein, a bearing structure is arranged between the clamping member and the mounting hole.

2. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that The bearing structure is a rolling bearing, comprising an inner ring and an outer ring. The outer ring of the rolling bearing is fixedly connected to the mounting hole, and the inner ring of the rolling bearing is fixedly connected to the clamping member.

3. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that The bearing structure is a sliding bearing, comprising a sleeve, Wherein, the outer wall of the shaft sleeve is fixedly connected to the mounting hole, and the clamping member is rotatable relative to the inner wall of the shaft sleeve.

4. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting hole comprises a first circumferential groove, and the bearing structure is arranged in the first circumferential groove.

5. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a bearing cover plate, which is located at the bottom of the mounting hole and is fixedly connected to the base.

6. The substrate clamping device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bearing cover plate includes a center hole and a fixing platform, The central hole is used for the clamping member to pass through so as to avoid the clamping member, and the fixing platform abuts against the bearing structure.

7. The substrate clamping device according to claim 2, characterized in that: At least two coaxial rolling bearings are arranged in each mounting hole.

8. The substrate clamping device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rolling bearing is a ceramic bearing.

9. The substrate clamping device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The shaft sleeve is a ceramic shaft sleeve.

10. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that: A sealing member is also included, the mounting hole includes a second circumferential groove, and the sealing member is disposed in the second circumferential groove.

11. The substrate clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping member includes a main body, a clamping portion located at the top of the main body, and a gear portion located at the bottom of the main body. The clamping portion is located outside the base and is used to clamp the substrate; The gear portion is located inside the base and is in transmission connection with a gear transmission member, and is used for driving the clamping member to rotate relative to the base under the drive of the gear transmission member.

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