Workpiece stage assembly, semiconductor production device, and method

Abstract

The present invention provides a workpiece stage assembly, a semiconductor production device, and a method. The workpiece stage assembly comprises a workpiece stage body and edge retaining mechanisms; the workpiece stage body comprises a chuck base and a chuck, the chuck being arranged on the chuck base; the plurality of edge retaining mechanisms are arranged around a periphery of the chuck; each edge retaining mechanism comprises a horizontal driving member, a vertical driving member, and a pressing plate portion, the horizontal driving member being connected to the chuck base, the vertical driving member being connected to the horizontal driving member, and the pressing plate portion being connected to the vertical driving member; and when states of the horizontal driving member and the vertical driving member are maintained, the pressing plate portion and the chuck are stationary relative to one another. The workpiece stage assembly is used in a semiconductor production device, wherein the semiconductor production device performs the following operations when operating: enabling a chuck to securely hold a substrate; inspecting whether a state of the substrate meets a predefined application condition; if so, performing a predefined operation; and if not, using edge retaining mechanisms to perform inline edge retaining, and then performing the predefined operation, thereby ensuring that the predefined operation is successfully performed.

Description

A workpiece stage assembly, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and method Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, specifically relating to a workpiece stage assembly, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the gradual growth of the substrate packaging market, the demand for exposure and packaging equipment in semiconductor manufacturing is increasing. However, the substrate manufacturing process is complex, typically involving multiple additive manufacturing processes on a single glass substrate to continuously increase its thickness, followed by high-temperature baking to increase its hardness. These substrates, especially large-size ones, often exhibit warping deformation after fabrication. Common warping types include "crying face warping" (convex center and concave periphery), "smiling face warping" (concave center and convex periphery), and "M-shaped warping" (alternating concave and convex shapes).

[0003] Adhesion to thick and rigid warped substrates is a significant challenge to stage performance. In existing technologies, adhesion of warped substrates typically involves offline edge pressing. That is, after the substrate is adsorbed by the stage's suction cups, if warping exists, an offline edge pressing mechanism presses and shapes the substrate, flattening the warped area. The offline edge pressing mechanism then detaches from the substrate. After detachment, subsequent predetermined operations, such as exposure, can be performed on the shaped substrate.

[0004] When the offline pressing mechanism presses on the warped area of ​​the substrate, stress accumulates on the substrate. For ultra-hard and ultra-thick substrates, the stress accumulated during the pressing process is greater than the suction force of the suction cup on the originally warped area. This causes the shaped substrate to spring back under stress and partially detach from the suction cup after the offline pressing mechanism is removed from the substrate, and return to the warped state. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a workpiece stage assembly, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and method, which aims to ensure that the state of the substrate meets the preset application conditions when a predetermined operation is performed on the substrate.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a workpiece stage assembly, including a workpiece stage body and a plurality of edge-pressing mechanisms; the workpiece stage body includes a suction cup base and a suction cup, the suction cup being disposed on the suction cup base; the plurality of edge-pressing mechanisms are arranged around the outer periphery of the suction cup; each edge-pressing mechanism includes: a horizontal drive member connected to the suction cup base; a vertical drive member connected to the horizontal drive member and moving horizontally towards or away from the suction cup under the drive of the horizontal drive member; and a pressure plate portion connected to the vertical drive member and moving vertically towards or away from the suction cup under the drive of the vertical drive member; the workpiece stage assembly is configured to keep the suction cup and the pressure plate portion relatively stationary when the horizontal drive member and the vertical drive member are in a state holding state.

[0007] Optionally, the workpiece stage body further includes a posture adjustment mechanism, and the suction cup seat is connected to the posture adjustment mechanism. Optionally, the horizontal driving member includes a first fixed part and a first movable part connected to each other, the first fixed part is connected to the suction cup seat and remains relatively stationary with respect to the suction cup seat; the vertical driving member includes a second fixed part and a second movable part connected to each other; the second fixed part is connected to the first movable part; the pressure plate part is disposed on the second movable part.

[0008] Optionally, at least one of the pressing mechanisms includes a plurality of the horizontal driving members, and the plurality of the horizontal driving members of the same pressing mechanism are configured to operate synchronously or stop operating synchronously.

[0009] Optionally, at least one of the pressing mechanisms includes a plurality of the vertical drives, and the plurality of the vertical drives of the same pressing mechanism are configured to operate synchronously or stop operating synchronously.

[0010] Optionally, at least one of the pressure plates includes a plurality of sub-pressure plates spaced apart along its own extending direction, each of the sub-pressure plates being connected to at least one of the vertical drive members.

[0011] Optionally, the suction cup is used to adsorb a substrate, the substrate having multiple edge regions; the sum of the number of the pressing plates of all the pressing mechanisms is the same as the number of the edge regions, and each pressing plate is provided corresponding to one of the edge regions.

[0012] Optionally, each of the pressing mechanisms includes one pressing plate portion; or, at least one of the pressing mechanisms includes two pressing plate portions connected at an angle.

[0013] Optionally, the pressure plate includes an adapter plate and a pressure strip, the adapter plate being connected to the vertical drive member, and the pressure strip being connected to the side of the adapter plate facing the horizontal drive member.

[0014] Optionally, the pressing mechanism further includes a retaining portion, which is connected to the adapter plate and located on the side of the pressing strip away from the suction cup; the retaining portion includes a first stop and a second stop, the first stop being connected to the side of the adapter plate facing the horizontal drive member, and the vertical dimension of the first stop being larger than the vertical dimension of the pressing strip; the second stop being a flexible structure, connected to the free end of the first stop and protruding from the free end of the adapter plate; the end of the second stop facing the horizontal drive member is aligned with the end of the first stop facing the horizontal drive member; all the retaining portions of the pressing mechanism can be spliced ​​to form a ring structure.

[0015] Optionally, the pressing mechanism further includes a force detection element disposed on the pressing plate portion and configured to detect the vertical pressure on the pressing plate portion.

[0016] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, including a workpiece stage assembly as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0017] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a semiconductor manufacturing method, performed on the semiconductor manufacturing equipment as described above. The semiconductor manufacturing method includes: using a suction cup to adsorb a substrate; detecting the state of the substrate; if the state of the substrate meets preset application conditions, performing a preset operation; if the state of the substrate does not meet the preset application conditions, first controlling the operation of the horizontal drive member and the vertical drive member of at least one of the pressing mechanisms, so that the corresponding pressing plate portion presses against the corresponding edge region of the substrate and shapes the substrate until the state of the substrate meets the preset application conditions; and then performing the preset operation while maintaining the corresponding pressing plate portion pressing against the corresponding edge region of the substrate.

[0018] Optionally, the substrate is provided with a first alignment point, and the workpiece stage body is provided with a second alignment point; after the pressing mechanism shapes the substrate and before performing the preset operation, the semiconductor manufacturing method further includes: detecting whether the first alignment point and the second alignment point are aligned; if so, performing the preset operation; if not, adjusting the position of the suction cup while keeping the corresponding pressing plate part pressing against the corresponding edge area of ​​the substrate, so that the first alignment point and the second alignment point are aligned.

[0019] Optionally, the step of controlling the operation of the horizontal drive member and the vertical drive member of at least one of the pressing mechanisms so that the corresponding pressing plate portion presses against the edge of the substrate includes: controlling the operation of the vertical drive member of the corresponding pressing mechanism and driving the pressing plate portion to move vertically to above the substrate; controlling the operation of the horizontal drive member of the corresponding pressing mechanism and driving the vertical drive member to move horizontally to approach the substrate; controlling the operation of the vertical drive member of the corresponding pressing mechanism and driving the pressing plate portion to move vertically to press against the substrate.

[0020] Optionally, during the process of controlling the vertical drive member of the corresponding pressing mechanism to operate and driving the pressing plate to move vertically to press against the substrate, the vertical drive member is controlled according to the vertical pressure received by the pressing plate.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the workpiece stage assembly, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and method of the present invention have the following advantages: The aforementioned workpiece stage assembly includes a workpiece stage body and a plurality of edge-pressing mechanisms; the workpiece stage body includes a suction cup and a suction cup seat, the suction cup being disposed on the suction cup seat; the plurality of edge-pressing mechanisms are arranged around the outer periphery of the suction cup; each edge-pressing mechanism includes a horizontal drive member, a vertical drive member, and a pressure plate portion, the horizontal drive member being connected to the suction cup seat, the vertical drive member being connected to the movable portion of the horizontal drive member, and moving horizontally to approach or move away from the suction cup under the drive of the horizontal drive member, the pressure plate portion being connected to the vertical drive member, and moving vertically to approach or move away from the suction cup under the drive of the vertical drive member; the workpiece stage assembly is configured to keep the suction cup and the pressure plate portion relatively stationary when the horizontal drive member and the vertical drive member are in a state holding state. The workpiece stage assembly can be applied to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, thereby enabling the semiconductor manufacturing equipment to perform a semiconductor manufacturing method on a substrate. The semiconductor manufacturing method includes: using a suction cup to adsorb the substrate; detecting the state of the substrate; if the state of the substrate meets preset application conditions, performing a preset operation; if the state of the substrate does not meet the preset application conditions, first controlling the horizontal and vertical drive members of at least one of the edge-pressing mechanisms to operate, so that the corresponding edge-pressing portion presses against the corresponding edge region of the substrate, shaping the substrate until its state meets the preset application conditions; then, while maintaining the corresponding pressing portion pressing against the corresponding edge region of the substrate, performing the preset operation. That is, when the state of the substrate does not meet the preset application conditions, by continuously pressing the substrate with at least one edge-pressing mechanism throughout the preset operation, the substrate is kept in a state meeting the preset application conditions, ensuring the smooth execution of the preset operation. Furthermore, the structure of the workpiece stage assembly allows the edge-pressing mechanism to still press the substrate adsorbed by the suction cup even if the workpiece stage body loses its servo state, thereby ensuring the smooth execution of subsequent preset operations. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings are provided to better understand the invention and are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the invention.

[0023] Figure 1 is a top view of a workpiece stage assembly provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the workpiece stage assembly provided by the present invention according to an embodiment, in which the pressing mechanism is far away from the substrate.

[0025] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the application scenario of the workpiece stage assembly provided by the present invention according to an embodiment. The viewing position of Figure 3 is different from that of Figure 2, and the horizontal drive member of the pressing mechanism in Figure 3 drives the vertical drive member and the pressing plate to approach the substrate.

[0026] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the workpiece stage assembly provided by the present invention according to an embodiment, wherein the pressing component presses the substrate.

[0027] Figure 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of a workpiece stage assembly provided by the present invention according to an embodiment. Each pressing mechanism in the figure includes a pressing plate portion but does not include a retaining portion.

[0028] Figure 6 is a simplified schematic diagram of a workpiece stage assembly provided by the present invention according to an embodiment. Each pressing mechanism in the figure includes two pressing plates connected at an angle, but does not include a retaining section.

[0029] Figure 7 is a simplified schematic diagram of a workpiece stage assembly provided according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each pressing mechanism in the figure includes a pressing plate portion and also includes a retaining portion.

[0030] Figure 8 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the workpiece stage assembly shown in Figure 7.

[0031] Figure 9 is a simplified schematic diagram of a workpiece stage assembly provided by the present invention according to an embodiment. Each pressing mechanism in the figure includes two pressing plates connected at an angle, and also includes a retaining portion.

[0032] Figure 10 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the workpiece stage assembly shown in Figure 9.

[0033] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the workpiece stage assembly provided by the present invention according to an embodiment. The pressing mechanism in the figure includes a blocking part, but the second blocking edge is not shown.

[0034] Figure 12 is a flowchart of an exposure apparatus provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 13 is another flowchart of the exposure apparatus provided by the present invention according to one embodiment.

[0036] [The following are explanations of the reference numerals in the attached drawings]: 100-Workpiece stage body, 110-Suction cup, 120-Position adjustment mechanism, 121-Long stroke motion module, 122-Micro-motion module, 130-Suction cup seat, 200-Edge pressing mechanism, 210-Horizontal drive component, 220-Vertical drive component, 230-Pressure plate part, 231-Second adapter plate, 232-Pressure strip, 240-Force detection element, 250-First adapter plate, 260-Blocking part, 261-First guard edge, 2611-Guard edge body, 2512-Flexible contact part, 262-Second guard edge, 01-Base plate. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape, and size of components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the type, quantity, and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout may also be more complex.

[0038] Furthermore, while each embodiment described below possesses one or more technical features, this does not imply that users of the present invention must simultaneously implement all technical features in any embodiment, or can only separately implement some or all technical features in different embodiments. In other words, provided it is feasible, those skilled in the art can, based on the disclosure of the present invention and depending on design specifications or implementation requirements, selectively implement some or all technical features in any embodiment, or selectively implement a combination of some or all technical features in multiple embodiments, thereby increasing the flexibility in implementing the present invention.

[0039] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural objects, and the plural form “multiple” includes two or more objects, unless otherwise expressly indicated. As used herein, the term “or” is generally used to include the meaning of “and / or,” unless otherwise expressly indicated, and the terms “installed,” “connected,” and “linked” should be interpreted broadly, for example, as a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. Connections can be mechanical or electrical. Connections can be direct or indirect through an intermediate medium, and can be internal communication between two elements or an interaction between two elements. Relational terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations, nor do they indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of indicated technical features. It should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] To make the objectives, advantages, and features of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clearly illustrate the objectives of the embodiments of the present invention. The same or similar reference numerals in the drawings represent the same or similar parts.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, this embodiment of the invention provides a workpiece stage assembly, which includes a workpiece stage body 100 and a plurality of edge-pressing mechanisms 200. The workpiece stage body 100 includes a suction cup 110 and a suction cup base 130, with the suction cup 110 disposed on the suction cup base 130. The plurality of edge-pressing mechanisms 200 are arranged around the outer periphery of the suction cup 110. Each edge-pressing mechanism 200 includes a horizontal drive member 210, a vertical drive member 220, and a pressure plate portion 230. The horizontal drive member 210 is connected to the suction cup base 130, the vertical drive member 220 is connected to the horizontal drive member 210, and the pressure plate portion 230 is connected to the vertical drive member 220. The horizontal drive member 210 is configured to drive the vertical drive member 220 and the pressure plate portion 230 connected to the vertical drive member 220 to move horizontally towards or away from the suction cup 110. The vertical drive member 220 is used to drive the pressure plate portion 230 to move vertically closer to or further away from the suction cup 110. The workpiece stage assembly is configured to keep the suction cup 110 and the pressure plate portion 230 relatively stationary when the horizontal drive member 210 and the vertical drive member 220 are in a state holding position. Vertical refers to the vertical direction.

[0042] The workpiece stage assembly is used to carry the substrate 01 and can be applied to a semiconductor manufacturing equipment so that the semiconductor manufacturing equipment can perform a semiconductor manufacturing method on the substrate 01.

[0043] When performing the semiconductor manufacturing method on the substrate 01, the state of the substrate 01 adsorbed by the suction cup 110 needs to meet preset application conditions. These preset application conditions may include the substrate 01 being in a flat, warp-free state, or the vacuum adsorption threshold of the edge region of the substrate 01 reaching a set threshold. However, in practice, the substrate 01 is often warped after board fabrication, causing the state of the substrate 01 after being adsorbed by the suction cup 110 to not meet the preset application conditions. In this case, the edge pressing mechanism 200 can be used to press the edge region of the substrate 01 to shape the substrate 01, so that the shaped substrate 01 meets the preset application conditions.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present invention, based on the structure of the workpiece stage assembly, a process of the semiconductor manufacturing method is shown in FIG12, including the following steps S11, S12, S13 and S14.

[0045] Step S11 includes having the suction cup 110 adsorb the substrate 01.

[0046] Step S12 includes detecting the state of the substrate 01. If the state of the substrate 01 meets the preset application conditions, then step S14 is executed. If the state of the substrate 01 does not meet the preset application conditions, then step S13 is executed first, and then step S14 is executed.

[0047] Step S13 includes controlling the operation of at least one of the horizontal drive members 210 and the vertical drive members 220 of the pressing mechanism 200 so that the corresponding pressing plate portion 230 presses against the corresponding edge region of the substrate 01 to shape the substrate 01.

[0048] Step S14 includes performing a preset operation on the substrate 01.

[0049] It is worth noting that if step S13 is executed before step S14, then during the execution of step S14, the corresponding pressure plate 230 continuously presses against the corresponding edge region of the substrate 01 to continuously shape the substrate 01. That is, the edge-pressing mechanism 200 shapes the substrate 01 online during the preset operation. Compared to the offline edge-pressing mechanism in the prior art, this avoids the problem of the shaped substrate 01 reverting to a warped shape after being separated from the offline edge-pressing mechanism, effectively ensuring that the substrate 01 performs the preset operation under the preset application conditions, thus ensuring operation quality. Furthermore, the online edge-pressing method eliminates the need for the previously arranged offline edge-pressing stations. This reduces the overall size of the semiconductor production equipment, thereby lowering the overall cost, and also shortens the travel distance of the workpiece stage assembly, thus improving the production capacity of the semiconductor production equipment.

[0050] Furthermore, during the online edge pressing process of the edge pressing mechanism 200, if the servo state of the workpiece stage body 100 is disrupted, causing a change in the vertical plane of the workpiece stage body 100, the pressure plate 230 and the suction cup 110 can still cooperate to keep the substrate 01 in a state that meets the preset application conditions. Conversely, when the edge pressing mechanism 200 is used to shape the substrate 01, the workpiece stage body 100 can be in a non-servo state. It can be understood that as long as the edge pressing mechanism 200 can complete the edge pressing normally, even if the workpiece stage body 100 is not in a servo state, it can still adsorb the substrate 01, thereby completing the subsequent exposure operation. However, for the offline edge pressing mechanism in the prior art, once the workpiece stage loses its servo state, the offline edge pressing mechanism cannot complete the edge pressing operation, causing the suction cup on the workpiece stage to be unable to adsorb the substrate, and thus the subsequent exposure operation cannot be completed.

[0051] Furthermore, the arrangement of the horizontal drive member 210 and the vertical drive member 220 allows the edge pressing mechanism 200 to shape substrates 01 of different areas and thicknesses. On the other hand, it allows the mechanism to press a specific edge area on the substrate 01 individually or several edge areas as needed, rather than pressing all edge areas of the substrate 01, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the substrate 01.

[0052] It is easy to understand that the suction cup 110 and the suction cup base 130 remain relatively stationary. The horizontal drive member 210 includes a first fixed part and a first movable part connected to each other. The first movable part is movable relative to the first fixed part, wherein the first fixed part is connected to the suction cup base 130. The vertical drive member 220 includes a second fixed part and a second movable part connected to each other. The second movable part is movable relative to the second fixed part. The second fixed part is connected to the first movable part, and the second movable part is connected to the pressure plate part 230. Thus, when the horizontal drive member 210 and the vertical drive member 220 are maintained in a state such that the position of the first movable part of the horizontal drive member 210 remains unchanged, and the position of the second movable part of the vertical drive member 220 also remains unchanged, the pressure plate part 230 and the suction cup base 130 remain relatively stationary, thereby achieving the effect of the pressure plate part 230 and the suction cup 110 remaining relatively stationary.

[0053] In this embodiment of the invention, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is, for example, an exposure device; thus, the semiconductor manufacturing method is an exposure method, and the preset operation is an exposure operation. Of course, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment can also be other equipment, such as a defect detection device; accordingly, the semiconductor manufacturing method is a defect detection method, and the preset operation is a defect detection operation.

[0054] The structure of the workpiece stage assembly will now be described in further detail. For ease of description, the following text will use the semiconductor manufacturing equipment as an example of an exposure device. Those skilled in the art can modify the following description to adapt it to situations where the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is other types of equipment.

[0055] Referring again to Figures 1 to 4, the workpiece stage body 100 further includes a pose adjustment mechanism 120. The suction cup seat 130 is connected to the pose adjustment mechanism 120. The pose adjustment mechanism 120 is used to drive the suction cup 110 to move, thereby adjusting the pose of the substrate 01 adsorbed on the suction cup 110. It should be understood that "pose" includes position and orientation.

[0056] More specifically, the pose adjustment mechanism 120 includes a long-stroke motion module 121 and a micro-motion module 122. The micro-motion module 122 is disposed on the long-stroke motion module 121, and the suction cup seat 130 is disposed on the micro-motion module 122. The long-stroke motion module 121 is configured to drive the suction cup 110 and the substrate 01 on it to perform long-stroke motion in the horizontal plane, for example, moving between the exposure end position, the substrate junction position, the alignment points of each substrate, the mask space image position, and the exposure start position. The micro-motion module 122 is used to drive the suction cup 110 and the substrate 01 on it to perform micro-motion adjustment in four degrees of freedom (Rx / Ry / Rz / Z) to complete the leveling and focusing operation of the workpiece stage body 100. The specific structure of the long-stroke motion module 121 and the micro-motion module 122 can be referred to the prior art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0057] Those skilled in the art will understand that a first alignment point is provided on the substrate 01, and a second alignment point is provided on the workpiece stage body 100. Step S11 is performed at the substrate junction position. Before performing step S11, assuming the state of the substrate 01 adsorbed by the suction cup 110 meets the preset application conditions, the pose adjustment mechanism 120 positions the workpiece stage body 100 at the substrate junction position. In this case, if the state of the substrate 01 adsorbed by the suction cup 110 meets the preset application conditions, once the substrate 01 is adsorbed by the suction cup 110, the first alignment point and the second alignment point are aligned. However, if the state of the substrate 01 being adsorbed does not meet the preset application conditions, then when the substrate 01 is shaped by the pressing mechanism 200 until the state of the substrate 01 meets the preset application conditions, the first alignment point and the second alignment point may not be aligned. At this time, since the suction cup 110 and the pressing plate 230 remain relatively stationary, the position of the workpiece stage body 100 can be finely adjusted by the micro-motion module 122 so that the first alignment point and the second alignment point are aligned, thereby ensuring the exposure quality of the subsequent exposure operation.

[0058] Each of the pressing mechanisms 200 may include one or more of the horizontal drive members 210. When a pressing mechanism 200 includes multiple horizontal drive members 210, the first fixing portions of the multiple horizontal drive members 210 of the pressing mechanism 200 are all connected to the suction cup seat 130, and the first moving portions of the multiple horizontal drive members 210 of the pressing mechanism 200 are all connected to the second fixing portions of the vertical drive members 220 belonging to the same pressing mechanism 200. Furthermore, the multiple horizontal drive members 210 of the same pressing mechanism 200 are configured to operate synchronously or stop synchronously. In addition, the number of horizontal drive members 210 in different pressing mechanisms 200 may be the same or different.

[0059] Furthermore, the specific form of the horizontal drive member 210 is not particularly limited in the embodiments of the present invention, and it may include any suitable linear motion mechanism. In some examples, the horizontal drive member 210 includes a pneumatic slide, in which case the cylinder of the pneumatic slide constitutes the first fixed part, and the slider of the pneumatic slide constitutes the first movable part; in other examples, the horizontal drive member 210 includes a linear motor, the housing of the linear motor constitutes the first fixed part, and the output shaft of the linear motor constitutes at least a part of the first movable part; in still other examples, the horizontal drive member 210 includes a rotary motor and a lead screw and nut pair, the housing of the rotary motor constitutes the first fixed part, and the nut of the lead screw and nut pair constitutes at least a part of the first movable part. It can be understood that when the horizontal drive member 210 includes the pneumatic slide, the flow rate of the pneumatic slide can be adjusted by setting a throttle valve to control the movement speed of the first movable part, so as to avoid damage to the substrate 01 due to excessive movement speed of the first movable part. When the horizontal drive unit 210 includes the linear motor or the rotary motor, the speed of the linear motor or the rotary motor can be controlled by setting a speed regulating valve, thereby controlling the movement speed of the first movable part.

[0060] The present invention does not particularly limit the specific form of the vertical drive component 220, which may include any suitable linear motion mechanism, such as a pneumatic slide, a linear motor, or a combination of a rotary motor and a lead screw and nut assembly. When the vertical drive component 220 includes the pneumatic slide, the flow rate of the pneumatic slide can be adjusted by setting a throttle valve, thereby controlling the movement speed of the second movable part to avoid the second movable part moving too fast and causing the pressure plate part 230 to damage the substrate 01. Furthermore, the air pressure of the pneumatic slide can be adjusted by setting a pressure regulating valve to regulate the pressure exerted by the pressure plate part 230 on the substrate 01, preventing the substrate 01 from being crushed. When the vertical drive component 220 includes the linear motor or the rotary motor, the speed of the linear motor or the rotary motor can be controlled by setting a speed regulating valve, thereby controlling the movement speed of the second movable part. Additionally, the output torque of the linear motor or the rotary motor can be controlled to control the pressure exerted by the pressure plate part 230 on the substrate 01.

[0061] Preferably, the pressing mechanism 200 further includes a force detection element 240, which is disposed on the pressing plate portion 230 and used to detect the vertical pressure on the pressing plate portion 230. It can be understood that when the pressing plate portion 230 presses against the substrate 01, the substrate 01 applies a reaction force to the pressing plate portion 230, causing the pressing plate portion 230 to experience vertical pressure. By detecting this vertical pressure through the force detection element 240, the pressure applied by the pressing plate portion 230 to the substrate 01 can be determined. Furthermore, the output torque of the vertical drive member 220 can be controlled according to the vertical pressure to adjust the pressure applied by the pressing plate portion 230 to the substrate 01, avoiding the problem of insufficient pressure leading to ineffective pressing, and also avoiding the problem of excessive pressure leading to crushing of the substrate 01.

[0062] Optionally, the pressing mechanism 200 further includes a first adapter plate 250, which extends vertically and is connected to the horizontal drive member 210. The vertical drive member 220 is connected to the first adapter plate 250, that is, the vertical drive member 220 is indirectly connected to the horizontal drive member 210 through the first adapter plate 250. In an alternative embodiment, the vertical drive member 220 is directly connected to the horizontal drive member 210.

[0063] Each of the pressing mechanisms 200 includes at least one pressing plate portion 230. The sum of the number of pressing plate portions 230 of each pressing mechanism 200 is equal to the number of edge regions on the substrate 01, and the pressing plate portions 230 correspond one-to-one with the edge regions of the substrate 01, with each pressing plate portion 230 extending along the extension direction of the corresponding edge region.

[0064] Specifically, when the substrate 01 is triangular, rectangular, or polygonal, each side of the substrate 01 can be considered as an edge region. The sum of the number of pressure plate portions 230 of all the pressing mechanisms 200 is then equal to the number of sides of the substrate 01, and each side of the substrate 01 has one pressure plate portion 230. In one example, the substrate 01 is rectangular, so all the pressing mechanisms 200 have a total of four pressure plate portions 230, arranged in a rectangular ring, such that each pressure plate portion 230 corresponds to one side of the substrate 01. When the substrate is circular (not shown in the figure), the circular edge line of the substrate can be divided into multiple edge regions according to a set unit angle, thus the number of edge regions is... α is a unit angle, and all the pressing mechanisms 200 have a total of The pressure plate portion 230, and The pressure plate portions 230 are arranged in a circular pattern.

[0065] In some examples, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, each of the pressing mechanisms 200 includes one pressing plate portion 230. In other examples, as shown in Figure 6, at least one pressing mechanism 200 includes two pressing plate portions 230. It is understood that the two pressing plate portions 230 belonging to the same pressing mechanism 200 are connected at an angle, such that each pressing plate portion 230 extends along the extension direction of the corresponding edge region. Compared to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the embodiment shown in Figure 6 reduces the number of gaps between the pressing plate portions 230 when all the pressing mechanisms 200 operate simultaneously to press the entire edge region of the substrate 01, preventing excessive gaps from causing incomplete shaping and air leakage from the suction cup 110.

[0066] Optionally, each of the pressing mechanisms 200 may include one or more of the vertical drive members 220. When the pressing mechanism 200 includes multiple vertical drive members 220, the second fixed portion of each of the multiple vertical drive members 220 of the pressing mechanism 200 is connected to the first movable portion of the horizontal drive member 210 belonging to the same pressing mechanism 200.

[0067] When the edge pressing mechanism 200, which includes multiple vertical drive members 220, includes a pressure plate portion 230 that extends continuously along the corresponding edge region, or when the edge pressing mechanism 200, which includes multiple vertical drive members 220, includes two pressure plate portions 230 connected at an angle, the second movable portions of the multiple vertical drive members 220 of the edge pressing mechanism 200 are all connected to the pressure plate portion 230. This configuration increases the pressure of the pressure plate portion 230 on the substrate 01, improving the shaping effect on the substrate 01. It should be understood that the multiple vertical drive members 220 of the same edge pressing mechanism 200 are configured to operate synchronously or stop synchronously. Furthermore, the number of vertical drive members 220 in different edge pressing mechanisms 200 may be the same or different. When the pressing mechanism 200, which includes multiple vertical drive members 220, includes a pressing plate portion 230, and the pressing plate portion 230 includes multiple sub-pressing plate portions (not shown) spaced apart along the extension direction of the corresponding edge regions, each sub-pressing plate portion is connected to the second movable portion of at least one vertical drive member 220, such that each sub-pressing plate portion can be driven by the corresponding vertical drive member 220 to move independently in the vertical direction. It can be understood that when the same sub-pressing plate portion is connected to multiple vertical drive members 220, the multiple vertical drive members 220 connected to the same sub-pressing plate portion are configured to operate synchronously or stop synchronously.

[0068] Optionally, the pressure plate portion 230 includes a second adapter plate 231 and a pressure strip 232. The second adapter plate 231 is connected to the vertical drive member 220, and the pressure strip 232 is connected to the side of the second adapter plate 231 facing the horizontal drive member 210. Thus, the pressure strip 232 is used to directly contact the substrate 01 and apply pressure to the substrate 01.

[0069] The second adapter plate 231 is configured to be elastic, for example, using a spring as the second adapter plate 231. Thus, when the pressure plate portion 230 applies pressure to the substrate 01, the pressure plate portion 230 is in a slow pressing state, and the pressure plate portion 230 elastically deforms to avoid excessive hardness of the pressure plate portion 230 from damaging the substrate 01. The pressure strip 232 can be configured as a flexible mechanism, for example, it is made of soft materials such as silicone or rubber.

[0070] Further preferably, as shown in Figures 7 to 11, the pressing mechanism 200 further includes a blocking portion 260, which is disposed on the side of the pressing strip 232 away from the suction cup 110, and includes a first blocking edge 261 and a second blocking edge 262. The first blocking edge 261 is connected to the side of the second adapter plate 231 facing the horizontal drive member 210, and the vertical dimension of the first blocking edge 261 is larger than the vertical dimension of the pressing strip 232. The second blocking edge 262 is a flexible structure, which is connected to the free end of the first blocking edge 261 and protrudes from the free end of the second adapter plate 231. The vertical dimension of the second blocking edge 262 is larger than the vertical dimension of the pressing strip 232, such that the end of the second blocking edge 262 near the horizontal drive member 210 is aligned with the end of the first blocking edge 261 near the horizontal drive member 210, where alignment means being level or approximately level. It is understood that the second flange 262 can also be connected to the free end of the second adapter plate 231.

[0071] In actual operation, the area of ​​the substrate 01 is smaller than the area of ​​the suction cup 110. Therefore, when all the pressing mechanisms 200 are working to press the entire edge area of ​​the substrate 01, the surrounding portions 260 of all the pressing mechanisms 200 together surround the outer perimeter of the substrate 01 and form a ring around the substrate 01. Simultaneously, all the surrounding portions 260 press against the suction cup 110, reducing air leakage from the suction cup 110 and improving its adsorption capacity on the substrate 01. Here, the second baffle 262 is designed as a flexible structure so that it can fill the gap between two adjacent pressing plates 230, reducing the possibility of air leakage between them, while also overcoming interference between adjacent pressing mechanisms 200 through its own deformation. In practice, the smaller the distance between the enclosure portion 260 and the substrate 01, the better. The effect is best when the enclosure portion 260 contacts the outer edge of the substrate 01.

[0072] Preferably, the first retaining edge 261 includes a retaining edge body 2611 and a flexible contact portion 2612. The retaining edge body 2611 is connected to the second adapter plate 231, and the flexible contact portion 2612 is connected to the side of the retaining edge body 2611 away from the second adapter plate 231. The retaining edge body 2611 may also be flexible.

[0073] Furthermore, the worktable assembly may also include positioning elements for positioning the pressure plate portion 230 and the enclosure portion 260, ensuring that when all the pressure plate portions 230 press against the substrate 01, all the enclosure portions 260 surround and protect the substrate 01, and press against the suction cup 110. The embodiments of the present invention do not particularly limit the structure and placement of the positioning elements, as long as they can achieve the above functions.

[0074] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which includes the aforementioned workpiece stage assembly. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes, but is not limited to, any one of an exposure device and a defect detection device.

[0075] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a semiconductor manufacturing method, which is performed based on the aforementioned semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

[0076] In one example, the semiconductor manufacturing method is shown in Figure 12 and includes the aforementioned steps S11 to S14.

[0077] In another example, the semiconductor manufacturing method is shown in Figure 13 and includes the following steps S21 to S26.

[0078] Step S21 includes having the suction cup 110 adsorb the substrate 01.

[0079] Step S22 includes detecting the state of the substrate 01. If the state of the substrate 01 meets the preset application conditions, then step S26 is executed. If the state of the substrate 01 does not meet the preset application conditions, then at least steps S23 and S24 are executed.

[0080] Step S23 includes controlling the operation of at least one of the horizontal drive members 210 and the vertical drive members 220 of the pressing mechanism 200 so that the corresponding pressing plate portion 230 presses against the corresponding edge region of the substrate 01, so as to shape the substrate 01 to a state that meets the preset application conditions.

[0081] Step S24 includes detecting whether the first alignment point on the substrate 01 is aligned with the second alignment point on the workpiece stage body 100. If yes, then step S26 is executed; if no, then step S25 is executed first, and then step S26 is executed.

[0082] Step S25 includes adjusting the position of the suction cup 110 so that the first alignment point and the second alignment point are aligned.

[0083] Step S26 includes performing the preset operation.

[0084] It is understood that steps S11 and S21 are performed at the substrate junction position.

[0085] Steps S12 and S21 are performed in accordance with existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0086] The specific operations of steps S13 and S23 may include: first, controlling the vertical drive member 220 of the corresponding edge pressing mechanism 200 to operate, and driving the pressure plate portion 230 to move vertically to a position higher than the substrate 01; then, controlling the horizontal drive member 210 of the corresponding edge pressing mechanism 200 to operate, and driving the vertical drive member 220 and the pressure plate portion 230 to move horizontally closer to the substrate 01; finally, controlling the vertical drive member 220 of the corresponding edge pressing mechanism 200 to operate, and driving the pressure plate portion 230 to move vertically until the pressure plate portion 230 presses against the corresponding edge area of ​​the substrate 01. It can be understood that after the pressure plate portion 230 contacts the substrate 01, the vertical drive member 220 should be controlled to operate according to the pressure value detected by the force detection element 240, so that the pressure applied by the pressure plate portion 230 to the substrate 01 is appropriate, ensuring effective pressing of the substrate 01 and avoiding crushing the substrate 01.

[0087] Step S24 can be performed with reference to existing technology, and will not be described in detail here.

[0088] Step S25 is achieved through the operation of the micro-motion module 122, which is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0089] Depending on the specific type of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the preset operation may be an exposure operation, a defect detection operation, or another operation.

[0090] After the preset operation is completed, the position adjustment mechanism 120 controls the suction cup 110 and the substrate 01 to move to the substrate junction position. Then, the substrate 01 is unloaded from the workpiece stage assembly through the following operations: the vertical drive member 220 of the corresponding edge pressing mechanism 200 is controlled to move the pressure plate 230 away from the substrate 01 until the pressure plate 230 is higher than the substrate 01, thereby releasing the pressure on the substrate 01. Then, the horizontal drive member 210 of the corresponding edge pressing mechanism 200 is controlled to move the vertical drive member 220 away from the substrate 01. Then, the vertical drive member 220 of the corresponding edge pressing mechanism 200 is controlled to move the pressure plate 230 to a position lower than the substrate 01. Finally, the suction cup 110 is depressurized, and a robotic arm removes the substrate 01.

[0091] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, the present invention also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A workpiece stage assembly, characterized in that, The system includes a workpiece stage body and multiple edge-pressing mechanisms; the workpiece stage body includes a suction cup base and a suction cup, the suction cup being disposed on the suction cup base; the multiple edge-pressing mechanisms are arranged around the outer periphery of the suction cup; each edge-pressing mechanism includes: A horizontal drive component is connected to the suction cup base; A vertical drive member, connected to the horizontal drive member, moves horizontally under the drive of the horizontal drive member to approach or move away from the suction cup; and, The pressure plate is connected to the vertical drive member and moves vertically under the drive of the vertical drive member to approach or move away from the suction cup. The workpiece stage assembly is configured to keep the suction cup and the pressure plate relatively stationary when the horizontal drive and the vertical drive are in a state holding state.

2. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The workpiece stage body also includes a posture adjustment mechanism, and the suction cup seat is connected to the posture adjustment mechanism.

3. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal drive component includes a first fixed part and a first movable part connected to each other. The first fixed part is connected to the suction cup base and remains relatively stationary with respect to the suction cup base. The vertical drive component includes a second fixed part and a second movable part that are connected to each other; the second fixed part is connected to the first movable part. The pressure plate is disposed on the second movable part.

4. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the pressing mechanisms includes a plurality of the horizontal driving elements, and the plurality of the horizontal driving elements of the same pressing mechanism are configured to operate synchronously or stop operating synchronously.

5. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the pressing mechanisms includes a plurality of the vertical drives, and the plurality of the vertical drives of the same pressing mechanism are configured to operate synchronously or stop operating synchronously.

6. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the pressure plates includes a plurality of sub-pressure plates spaced apart along its own extending direction, each of the sub-pressure plates being connected to at least one of the vertical drive members.

7. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suction cup is used to adsorb a substrate, which has multiple edge regions; The sum of the number of pressure plates of all the pressure-pressing mechanisms is the same as the number of edge regions, and each pressure plate is provided corresponding to one edge region.

8. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned pressing mechanisms includes one of the pressing plate portions; or... At least one of the pressing mechanisms includes two pressing plates connected at an angle.

9. The workpiece stage assembly according to any one of claims 1, 7, and 8, characterized in that, The pressure plate includes an adapter plate and a pressure strip. The adapter plate is connected to the vertical drive member, and the pressure strip is connected to the side of the adapter plate facing the horizontal drive member.

10. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The edge pressing mechanism further includes a retaining portion, which is connected to the adapter plate and located on the side of the pressing strip away from the suction cup. The retaining portion includes a first stop and a second stop. The first stop is connected to the side of the adapter plate facing the horizontal drive member, and the vertical dimension of the first stop is larger than the vertical dimension of the pressing strip. The second stop is a flexible structure and is connected to the free end of the first stop, protruding beyond the free end of the adapter plate. The end of the second stop facing the horizontal drive member is aligned with the end of the first stop facing the horizontal drive member. All the retaining portions of the edge pressing mechanism can be spliced ​​to form a ring structure.

11. The workpiece stage assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressing mechanism further includes a force detection element disposed on the pressing plate portion and configured to detect the vertical pressure received by the pressing plate portion.

12. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the workpiece stage assembly as described in any one of claims 1-11.

13. A semiconductor manufacturing method, performed using the semiconductor manufacturing equipment as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The semiconductor manufacturing method includes: The suction cup adsorbs the substrate; The state of the substrate is detected. If the state of the substrate meets the preset application conditions, a preset operation is performed. If the state of the substrate does not meet the preset application conditions, the horizontal drive member and the vertical drive member of at least one of the pressing mechanisms are first controlled to operate so that the corresponding pressing plate part presses against the corresponding edge area of ​​the substrate and shapes the substrate until the state of the substrate meets the preset application conditions. Then, the preset operation is performed while the corresponding pressing plate part is pressed against the corresponding edge area of ​​the substrate.

14. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The substrate is provided with a first alignment point, and the workpiece stage body is provided with a second alignment point; After the edge-pressing mechanism shapes the substrate and before performing the preset operation, the semiconductor manufacturing method further includes: If the first alignment point and the second alignment point are aligned, the preset operation is executed; otherwise, the position of the suction cup is adjusted while the corresponding pressure plate part is pressed against the corresponding edge area of ​​the substrate, so that the first alignment point and the second alignment point are aligned.

15. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the horizontal drive member and the vertical drive member of at least one of the pressing mechanisms so that the corresponding pressing plate portion presses against the edge of the substrate includes: The vertical drive of the corresponding pressing mechanism is controlled to operate, and the pressing plate is driven to move vertically to a position higher than the substrate. The horizontal drive of the corresponding pressing mechanism is controlled to operate, and the vertical drive is driven to move in the horizontal direction to approach the substrate; The vertical drive of the corresponding pressing mechanism is controlled to operate, and the pressing plate is driven to move vertically to press against the substrate.

16. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 15, characterized in that, During the process of controlling the vertical drive member of the corresponding pressing mechanism to operate and driving the pressing plate to move vertically to press against the substrate, the vertical drive member is controlled according to the vertical pressure received by the pressing plate.

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