Wafer flipping device and wafer cleaning apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor preparation. Disclosed are a wafer flipping device and a wafer cleaning apparatus. The disclosed wafer flipping device comprises a base, a housing, a first driving part and a clamping mechanism, wherein the first driving part is arranged on the base, and is connected to the housing, so as to drive the housing to flip relative to the base; and the clamping mechanism comprises a clamping shaft assembly, the clamping shaft assembly being rotatably arranged in a mounting space of the housing, and an accommodating space for the placement of at least two wafers being defined in the mounting space. The clamping shaft assembly can adjust the size of the accommodating space by means of rotation, so as to clamp or release the at least two wafers, thereby realizing a flipping operation on the at least two wafers, improving the wafer flipping efficiency, and thus improving the wafer cleaning efficiency.

Description

Wafer flipping device and wafer cleaning equipment Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor fabrication technology, and in particular to a wafer flipping device and a wafer cleaning equipment. Background Technology

[0002] During the wafer manufacturing process, cleaning equipment is used to clean the wafers to ensure the cleanliness of the wafer surface. In the specific cleaning process, after the front side of the wafer is cleaned, a flipping mechanism is used to flip the wafer 180°, and then the back side of the wafer is cleaned.

[0003] In related technologies, the flipping mechanism consists of a robotic arm and a stage. The stage is used to place the wafer, and the robotic arm clamps the wafer on the stage from both sides. Then, the robotic arm flips the wafer to turn it from the front to the back, and then places it back on the stage. Since the robotic arm can only clamp and flip a single wafer at a time, it suffers from low efficiency, which in turn affects the wafer cleaning efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application discloses a wafer flipping device and a wafer cleaning equipment to solve the problem of low efficiency of flipping mechanisms in related technologies when flipping wafers.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application disclose a wafer flipping device, which includes a base, a housing, a first driving unit, and a clamping mechanism, wherein:

[0007] The first driving unit is disposed on the base and connected to the housing to drive the housing to rotate relative to the base;

[0008] The clamping mechanism includes a clamping shaft assembly, which is rotatably disposed in the mounting space of the housing and defines a receiving space for placing at least two wafers. The clamping shaft assembly is used to adjust the size of the receiving space by rotation in order to clamp or release at least two wafers.

[0009] Secondly, embodiments of this application disclose a wafer cleaning apparatus. The disclosed wafer cleaning apparatus includes a first gripping mechanism, a second gripping mechanism, a wafer storage area, a cleaning chamber, and the aforementioned wafer flipping device. The first gripping mechanism is used to transport the wafer between the wafer storage area and the wafer flipping device, and the second gripping mechanism is used to transport the wafer between the cleaning chamber and the wafer flipping device.

[0010] The technical solution adopted in this application can achieve the following technical effects:

[0011] The wafer flipping device disclosed in this application improves upon related technologies. The disclosed wafer flipping device includes a base, a housing, a first driving unit, and a clamping mechanism. The first driving unit is disposed on the base and connected to the housing to drive the housing to flip relative to the base. The clamping mechanism includes a clamping shaft assembly, which is rotatably disposed in the mounting space of the housing and defines a receiving space for placing at least two wafers in the mounting space. The clamping shaft assembly can adjust the size of the receiving space by rotation to clamp or release at least two wafers, thereby realizing the flipping operation of at least two wafers, improving the wafer flipping efficiency, and thus improving the wafer cleaning efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer flipping device disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0013] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the wafer flipping device disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 3 is one of the internal structural schematic diagrams of the wafer flipping device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0015] Figure 4 is a second schematic diagram of the internal structure of the wafer flipping device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first clamping shaft disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 6 is an exploded view of the first clamping shaft disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 7 is one of the schematic diagrams showing the relative positions of the first clamping shaft and the second clamping shaft disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 8 is a second schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the first clamping shaft and the second clamping shaft disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 9 is a third schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the first clamping shaft and the second clamping shaft disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the wafer flipping device disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer cleaning equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100-Wafer flipping device, 110-Base, 120-Housing, 121-Mounting space, 122-First end face, 123-Second end face, 124-Clearing area, 125-Top plate, 126-Bottom plate, 127-Side plate, 128-Wafer transfer port, 129-Mounting bracket, 1291-Connecting frame, 130-First drive unit, 140-Clamping shaft assembly, 141-First clamping shaft, 1411-Rotating shaft, 1411a-Shaft body, 1411b-Spline, 1 412-Transmission gear, 1413-Claw gripper, 1413a-Bearing surface, 1414-Spline sleeve, 1415-Washer, 1416-Shaft end cover, 1417-Shaft sleeve, 142-Second clamping shaft, 150-Second drive unit, 151-Drive body, 152-Transmission assembly, 1521-Drive gear, 1522-Transmission belt, 1523-Driven gear, 1523a-First driven gear, 1523b-Second driven gear, 1525-Retaining ring, 160-Third drive unit; 200-Wafer, 300-First gripping mechanism, 400-Second gripping mechanism, 500-Wafer storage area, 600-Cleaning chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0025] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and are not limited in number; for example, a first object can be one or more.

[0026] The technical solutions disclosed in the various embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Please refer to Figures 1 to 11. This application discloses a wafer flipping device 100 for flipping a wafer 200. The disclosed wafer flipping device 100 may include a base 110, a housing 120, a first driving part 130, and a clamping mechanism, wherein:

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the base 110 serves as the structural foundation of the wafer flipping device 100, supporting the housing 120, the first drive unit 130, and the clamping mechanism. The base 110 can be U-shaped. The first drive unit 130 can be located on the side of the base 110. Specifically, the base 110 has a base plate and two vertically arranged support plates opposite each other on both sides of the base plate. The first drive unit 130 can be located on one of the support plates. The first drive unit 130 can be assembled with the base 110 via snap-fit, bolt connection, or other methods. The housing 120 can be disposed within the area enclosed by the base 110. The two sides of the housing 120 are rotatably connected to the base 110 respectively. Specifically, they can be rotatably connected to the two support plates respectively through two sets of rotating pairs composed of bearings and rotating shafts. The housing 120 is also connected to the power output end of the first drive unit 130. The first drive unit 130 can drive the housing 120 to rotate relative to the base 110. The first drive unit 130 can be a motor, a rotary cylinder, etc. The connection method between the power output end of the first drive unit 130 and the housing 120 can be a snap-fit ​​connection, a bolt connection, etc.

[0029] The housing 120 has an internal mounting space 121. The clamping mechanism may include a clamping shaft assembly 140, which is rotatably disposed in the mounting space 121 of the housing 120. The mounting space 121 defines a receiving space for placing at least two wafers 200. The receiving space may be a cylindrical space. When the wafers 200 are placed in the receiving space, the circular surface of the wafers 200 may be parallel to the bottom surface of the receiving space. At least two wafers 200 may be placed in the receiving space by stacking them along the axial direction of the cylindrical space.

[0030] The clamping shaft assembly 140 can be rotated to adjust the size of the receiving space to clamp or release at least two wafers 200. Specifically, the clamping shaft assembly 140 may include multiple clamping shafts, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the wafers 200 to form the aforementioned receiving space. During the adjustment of the receiving space, each clamping shaft can rotate about its own axis. The housing 120 has an upper wall, a lower wall, and side walls for connecting the upper and lower walls. Shaft holes can be provided in the upper and lower walls of the housing 120, and the two ends of the clamping shafts can be inserted into the corresponding shaft holes to support the clamping shafts through the housing 120.

[0031] During the rotation of the clamping shaft, a local position of the clamping shaft will move closer to or further away from the center of the accommodating space, thereby adjusting the size of the accommodating space. The clamping shaft can be driven by a motor, rotary cylinder, or other drive device. The drive device can drive multiple clamping shafts to rotate synchronously, or it can drive multiple clamping shafts to rotate sequentially.

[0032] In one embodiment of this application, the clamping shaft can be an eccentric shaft. During the rotation of the clamping shaft, it will move closer to or further away from the center of the receiving space, thereby clamping or releasing the wafer 200 in the receiving space. Alternatively, a clamping claw can be provided on one side of the clamping shaft, and the rotation of the clamping shaft can drive the clamping claw to move closer to or further away from the center of the receiving space to clamp or release the wafer 200 in the receiving space. In addition, other forms of clamping shafts can be used, as long as they can achieve the clamping or releasing of the wafer 200. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0033] After the wafer 200 is clamped using the clamping shaft assembly 140, the first driving part 130 can be used in conjunction with the flipping action of the housing 120 to cause the housing 120 to rotate at least two wafers 200 in the accommodating space. This improves the efficiency of wafer 200 rotation, thereby improving the efficiency of subsequent wafer 200 cleaning. It should be noted that the wafer 200 may include a front and a back side. When cleaning the wafer 200, both the front and back sides of the wafer 200 need to be cleaned. The wafer 200 rotation refers to rotating the wafer 200 180° to switch between the front and back sides.

[0034] As can be seen from the above, the wafer flipping device 100 disclosed in this application improves the related technology. The disclosed wafer flipping device 100 includes a base 110, a housing 120, a first driving part 130, and a clamping mechanism. The first driving part 130 is disposed on the base 110 and connected to the housing 120 to drive the housing 120 to flip relative to the base 110. The clamping mechanism includes a clamping shaft assembly 140, which is rotatably disposed in the mounting space 121 of the housing 120 and defines a receiving space for placing at least two wafers 200 in the mounting space 121. The clamping shaft assembly 140 can adjust the size of the receiving space by rotation to clamp or release at least two wafers 200, thereby realizing the flipping operation of at least two wafers 200, improving the efficiency of wafer flipping, and thus improving the cleaning efficiency of wafers 200.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the clamping shaft assembly 140 may include a plurality of first clamping shafts 141 and a plurality of second clamping shafts 142. The plurality of first clamping shafts 141 and the plurality of second clamping shafts 142 are rotatably connected to the housing 120. Specifically, corresponding shaft holes are provided on the upper and lower walls of the housing 120, and the two ends of the first clamping shafts 141 and the two ends of the second clamping shafts 142 are respectively inserted into the corresponding shaft holes to support the first clamping shafts 141 and the second clamping shafts 142 through the housing 120. The plurality of first clamping shafts 141 and the plurality of second clamping shafts 142 are arranged at intervals along the same circumferential direction to form the aforementioned receiving space, which can be the circumferential direction of the wafer 200. The plurality of first clamping shafts 141 and the plurality of second clamping shafts 142 can adjust the size of the receiving space by rotating around their own axes to clamp or release the wafer 200 within the receiving space.

[0036] The wafer 200 has a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other, and the first surface and the second surface are connected by a side surface of the wafer 200. A first clamping shaft 141 is used to contact at least the first surface of the wafer 200, and a second clamping shaft 142 is used to contact at least the second surface of the wafer 200. Furthermore, to improve the stability of the wafer 200 clamping, the first clamping shaft 141 and the second clamping shaft 142 can also contact the side surface of the wafer 200 respectively. Taking the wafer 200 horizontally placed in the receiving space as an example, according to function, the first clamping shaft 141 can be used to support the wafer 200, and the second clamping shaft 142 can press the wafer 200 against the first clamping shaft 141; or, the second clamping shaft 142 can be used to support the wafer 200, and the first clamping shaft 141 can press the wafer 200 against the second clamping shaft 142.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the first clamping shaft 141, the second clamping shaft 142 and the wafer 200 are in a matching relationship. There are four first clamping shafts 141 and four second clamping shafts 142. The four first clamping shafts 141 are used to support the wafer 200 and the four second clamping shafts 142 are used to press the wafer 200 against the first clamping shafts 141.

[0038] As shown in Figure 9, the first clamping shaft 141, the second clamping shaft 142 and the wafer 200 are in a cooperative relationship. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 120 in Figure 1 after being rotated 180°. At this time, the functions of the first clamping shaft 141 and the second clamping shaft 142 are interchanged. The second clamping shaft 142 can be used to support the wafer 200, and the first clamping shaft 141 can press the wafer 200 against the second clamping shaft 142.

[0039] The first clamping axis 141 and the second clamping axis 142 adopt the above-described functional division. Firstly, it can optimize the wafer 200 pick-up and drop process. For example, Figures 7 and 8 are views of Figure 3 after being rotated 180° along the direction indicated by the arrow. As shown in Figure 7, the second clamping axis 142 is used to support the wafer 200, and the first clamping axis 141 is used to press the wafer 200 against the second clamping axis 142. In this scenario, to facilitate the placement of the wafer 200, the first clamping axis 141 can be rotated to the clearance position first, and then the wafer 200 can be placed on the second clamping axis 142, which supports the wafer 200. After the wafer 200 is placed stably, as shown in Figure 8, the first clamping axis 141 can be rotated back to the working position, and the wafer 200 can be pressed against the second clamping axis 142.

[0040] Figure 10 is a view along the direction of the arrow in Figure 4. The first clamping shaft 141 is used to support the wafer 200, and the second clamping shaft 142 is used to press the wafer 200 against the first clamping shaft 141. In this scenario, to facilitate the placement of the wafer 200, the second clamping shaft 142 can be rotated to the clearance position first, and then the wafer 200 can be placed on the first clamping shaft 141, which will support the wafer 200. Once the wafer 200 is stably placed, the second clamping shaft 142 can be rotated back to the working position to press the wafer 200 against the first clamping shaft 141. It should be noted that when switching between the working position and the clearance position, the rotation directions of the first clamping shaft 141 and the second clamping shaft 142 can be the same or opposite.

[0041] Secondly, since the first clamping shaft 141 and the second clamping shaft 142 can contact the first surface and the second surface of the wafer 200 respectively, the wafer 200 can be effectively prevented from shifting along its thickness direction during the flipping process. In addition, the first clamping shaft 141 and the second clamping shaft 142 can also contact the side surface of the wafer 200 respectively, which can further prevent the wafer 200 from shifting along its radial direction during the flipping process.

[0042] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, multiple first clamping shafts 141 and multiple second clamping shafts 142 are spaced apart along the same circumferential direction, thereby ensuring that the wafer 200 is uniformly stressed circumferentially, reducing the probability of wafer 200 fragmentation due to uneven stress. The edge of the wafer 200 is divided into a first semicircular arc portion and a second semicircular arc portion. Two first clamping shafts 141 and two second clamping shafts 142 can be respectively arranged in the first semicircular arc portion, and correspondingly, two first clamping shafts 141 and two second clamping shafts 142 are also respectively arranged in the second semicircular arc portion, thereby achieving uniform clamping of the wafer 200. It should be noted that the specific number and arrangement of the first clamping shafts 141 and second clamping shafts 142 can be selected according to the specifications of the wafer 200 and process requirements; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the clamping mechanism may also include a second drive unit 150 and a third drive unit 160, which are respectively connected to the housing 120. Specifically, they can be assembled with the housing 120 by means of snap-fit, bolt connection, etc.

[0044] The execution end of the second drive unit 150 can be understood as the end of the drive and transmission system constituted by the second drive unit 150. The execution end of the second drive unit 150 can extend into the installation space 121 through the hollow area 124 of the first end face 122 of the housing 120, and respectively engage with multiple first clamping shafts 141 to drive the multiple first clamping shafts 141 to rotate synchronously. The drive source of the second drive unit 150 may include a motor, a rotary cylinder, etc., and the transmission form of the second drive unit 150 may include gear transmission, linkage transmission, magnetic transmission, etc.

[0045] Correspondingly, the execution end of the third drive unit 160 extends into the installation space 121 through the hollow area 124 of the second end face 123 of the housing 120, and respectively engages with multiple second clamping shafts 142 to drive the multiple second clamping shafts 142 to rotate synchronously; wherein, the first end face 122 and the second end face 123 are two opposite end faces of the housing 120, the first end face 122 can be located on the upper wall of the housing 120, and the second end face 123 can be located on the lower wall of the housing 120.

[0046] In light of the above-mentioned application scenarios, the second drive unit 150 can be used to individually control the multiple first clamping axes 141, and the third drive unit 160 can be used to individually control the multiple second clamping axes 142, thereby improving the flexibility of the wafer 200 pick-and-place process.

[0047] For example, as shown in FIG7, in order to facilitate the placement of wafer 200, the first clamping shaft 141 can be rotated to the clearance position using the second driving unit 150, and then the wafer 200 can be placed on the second clamping shaft 142, which supports the wafer 200. After the wafer 200 is placed stably, as shown in FIG8, the first clamping shaft 141 can be rotated back to the working position using the second driving unit 150, so that the wafer 200 can be pressed against the second clamping shaft 142.

[0048] As shown in Figure 9, the second clamping shaft 142 can be rotated to the clearance position using the third driving unit 160, and then the wafer 200 can be placed on the first clamping shaft 141, which supports the wafer 200. After the wafer 200 is placed stably, the second clamping shaft 142 can be rotated back to the working position using the third driving unit 160, so that the wafer 200 can be pressed against the first clamping shaft 141.

[0049] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the second drive unit 150 and the third drive unit 160 can have the same structure, differing only in their placement. The specific structure of the second drive unit 150 is described below as an example. The second drive unit 150 may include a drive body 151 and a transmission assembly 152. The drive body 151 is located on the outer wall of the housing 120 and can be a motor, rotary cylinder, etc. To facilitate the installation of the drive body 151, a mounting bracket 129 can be provided on the first side of the housing 120 to accommodate the drive body 151. The output end of the first drive unit 130 can be connected to the mounting bracket 129, driving the mounting bracket 129 to rotate synchronously with the housing 120. For the second side of the housing 120 opposite to the first side, a connecting frame 1291 can be provided on the second side. The housing 120 is rotatably connected to the base 110 through the connecting frame 1291, forming a sufficient clearance between the housing 120 and the base 110 to prevent interference between them.

[0050] The transmission form of the transmission assembly 152 may include gear transmission, linkage transmission, magnetic transmission, etc. Taking the second drive unit 150 as an example, a part of the transmission assembly 152 may be inserted through the hollow area 124 of the first end face 122 of the housing 120 and connected to the drive body 151 and a plurality of first clamping shafts 141 respectively, so that the drive body 151 can drive the plurality of first clamping shafts 141 to rotate through the transmission assembly 152.

[0051] A portion of the transmission assembly 152 of the second drive unit 150 can pass through the hollow area 124 of the first end face 122 of the housing 120, and is connected to the drive body 151 and the plurality of first clamping shafts 141 respectively, so that the drive body 151 can drive the plurality of first clamping shafts 141 to rotate through the transmission assembly 152. A portion of the transmission assembly 152 of the third drive unit 160 can pass through the hollow area 124 of the second end face 123 of the housing 120, and is connected to the drive body 151 and the plurality of second clamping shafts 142 respectively, so that the drive body 151 can drive the plurality of second clamping shafts 142 to rotate through the transmission assembly 152.

[0052] It should be added that the drive body 151 provided in the second drive unit 150 and the drive body 151 provided in the third drive unit 160 can be respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the mounting bracket 129.

[0053] In one embodiment of this application, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the transmission assembly 152 may include a driving gear 1521, a transmission belt 1522, and a driven gear 1523. The driving gear 1521 is located at the output end of the drive body 151 and is fixed relative to the output end of the drive body 151.

[0054] Taking the second drive unit 150 as an example, the driven tooth 1523 can be set in the hollow area 124 of the first end face 122 of the housing 120. A part of the driven tooth 1523 extends into the installation space 121 through the hollow area 124 and is in transmission cooperation with multiple first clamping shafts 141. The transmission belt 1522 is respectively meshed on the end face of the drive tooth 1521 and the end face of the driven tooth 1523. When the output end of the drive body 151 rotates, the output end drives the drive tooth 1521 to rotate synchronously. The drive tooth 1521 then drives the driven tooth 1523 to rotate synchronously through the transmission belt 1522, thereby driving multiple first clamping shafts 141 to rotate around their own axis at the same time.

[0055] Taking the third drive unit 160 as an example, the driven tooth 1523 can be set in the hollow area 124 of the second end face 123 of the housing 120. A part of the driven tooth 1523 extends into the installation space 121 through the hollow area 124 and is driven and cooperated with multiple second clamping shafts 142. The transmission belt 1522 is respectively meshed on the end face of the drive tooth 1521 and the end face of the driven tooth 1523. When the output end of the drive body 151 rotates, the output end drives the drive tooth 1521 to rotate synchronously. The drive tooth 1521 then drives the driven tooth 1523 to rotate synchronously through the transmission belt 1522, thereby driving multiple second clamping shafts 142 to rotate around their own axis at the same time.

[0056] The aforementioned transmission method features a simple structure and high transmission efficiency. It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 2, the driving gear 1523 can be a split structure, specifically including a first driven gear 1523a and a second driven gear 1523b. The first driven gear 1523a and the second driven gear 1523b are concentrically arranged and fixed to each other. The transmission belt 1522 is respectively engaged with the end face of the driving gear 1521 and the end face of the first driven gear 1523a. When the output end of the drive body 151 rotates, the output end drives the driving gear 1521 to rotate synchronously. The driving gear 1521, in turn, drives the first driven gear 1523a and the second driven gear 1523b to rotate synchronously via the transmission belt 1522. Furthermore, the second driven gear 1523b drives multiple first clamping shafts 141 or multiple second clamping shafts 142 to rotate simultaneously around their own axis. Since the first driven tooth 1523a and the second driven tooth 1523b together need to slide into the hollow area 124 of the housing 120, a retaining ring 1525 can be provided in the hollow area 124 to reduce friction with the housing 120. The retaining ring 1525 can be made of a material with good wear resistance. The frictional engagement between the retaining ring 1525 and the first driven tooth 1523a and the second driven tooth 1523b can improve the durability of use. At the same time, the retaining ring 1525 can also prevent the first driven tooth 1523a from sliding into the housing 120 from the hollow area 124, thus improving reliability to a certain extent.

[0057] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the structures of the first clamping shaft 141 and the second clamping shaft 142 can be the same, differing only in their setting position and setting direction. The specific structure of the first clamping shaft 141 will be described below as an example. The first clamping shaft 141 may include a rotating shaft 1411, a transmission gear 1412, and multiple jaws 1413. The rotating shaft 1411 serves as the rotational basis for the first clamping shaft 141. Both ends of the rotating shaft 1411 can be rotatably engaged with the shaft holes on the inner wall of the housing 120. The transmission gear 1412 is sleeved on the rotating shaft 1411 and fixed to it. The driven gear 1523 can mesh with the transmission gear 1412, thereby driving the rotating shaft 1411 to rotate around its axis. The driven gear 1523 can control the reciprocating rotation of the rotating shaft 1411 by changing its rotation direction. The transmission gear 1412 can be positioned near the end of the rotating shaft 1411. For the first clamping shaft 141, the transmission gear 1412 can be close to the first end face 122 of the housing 120. For the second clamping shaft 142, it is only necessary to invert the rotating shaft 1411 so that the transmission gear 1412 is close to the second end face 123 of the housing 120. It should be noted that when the driven gear 1523 adopts a split structure and includes a first driven gear 1523a and a second driven gear 1523b, the second driven gear 1523b can be used to mesh with the transmission gear 1412.

[0058] Multiple grippers 1413 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 1411 and fixed to it. As the rotating shaft 1411 rotates, the grippers 1413 move closer to or further away from the center of the receiving space, thereby adjusting the size of the receiving space to grip or release the wafer 200. The multiple grippers 1413 can divide the receiving space into multiple stacked subspaces, each subspace being used to hold one wafer 200, thus enabling the gripping and flipping of multiple wafers 200. It should be noted that on the same rotating shaft 1411, the distance between adjacent grippers 1413 is greater than the thickness of the wafer 200, so that the wafer 200 can smoothly enter the subspace.

[0059] By using the aforementioned method of cooperating between the rotating shaft 1411 and the jaw clamp 1413, during the process of the jaw clamp 1413 holding the wafer 200, the entire structure formed by the rotating shaft 1411 and the jaw clamp 1413 is only subjected to axial torque. Therefore, the radial clamping size and force of the wafer 200 can be kept stable, and the clamping force of each subspace is the same, so that the wafer 200 in each subspace can be clamped in a uniform and stable manner.

[0060] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the jaw clamp 1413 is provided with a bearing surface 1413a for contacting the surface of the wafer 200. The bearing surface 1413a of the jaw clamp 1413 on the first clamping shaft 141 and the bearing surface 1413a of the jaw clamp 1413 on the second clamping shaft 142 are offset along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 1411. When the wafer 200 is in the subspace, the jaw clamp 1413 on the first clamping shaft 141 is in contact with at least the first surface of the wafer 200, and the jaw clamp 1413 on the second clamping shaft 142 is in contact with at least the second surface of the wafer 200. In addition, the first clamping shaft 141 and the second clamping shaft 142 can also contact the side surface of the wafer 200 respectively, thereby optimizing the wafer 200 picking and placing process and effectively preventing the wafer 200 from shifting in the radial or thickness direction during the flipping process.

[0061] The jaw clamp 1413 can be fixed to the rotating shaft 1411 by interference fit or welding. In one embodiment of this application, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the rotating shaft 1411 may further include a shaft body 1411a and multiple splines 1411b. The two ends of the shaft body 1411a are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the housing 120. The multiple splines 1411b are spaced apart along the axial direction of the shaft body 1411a. The splines 1411b are fixed relative to the shaft body 1411a. The jaw clamp 1413 is provided with a spline sleeve 1414. The jaw clamp 1413 can be fitted and fixed to the corresponding splines 1411b through the spline sleeve 1414 to achieve synchronous rotation of the shaft body 1411a and the jaw clamp 1413. The interval between the splines 1411b can match the required interval between the jaw clamps 1413.

[0062] In addition, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, a washer 1415, a shaft end cap 1416, and a bushing 1417 can be sequentially installed on the rotating shaft 1411 between the transmission gear 1412 and the jaw clamp 1413 to improve the stability of the fit between the rotating shaft 1411, the jaw clamp 1413, and the transmission gear 1412.

[0063] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the housing 120 may include a top plate 125, a bottom plate 126, and a side plate 127. The top plate 125 and the bottom plate 126 are connected through the side plate 127 to form an installation space 121. The upper wall of the housing 120 is the top plate 125, the lower wall is the bottom plate 126, and the side wall is the side plate 127. The first end face 122 is the surface of the top plate 125 facing away from the installation space 121, and the second end face 123 is the surface of the bottom plate 126 facing away from the installation space 121. The execution end of the second drive unit 150 can extend into the installation space 121 through the hollow area 124 opened in the top plate 125, and the execution end of the third drive unit 160 can extend into the installation space 121 through the hollow area 124 opened in the bottom plate 126.

[0064] In addition, to facilitate the placement and removal of the wafer 200, a transfer port 128 can be provided on the side plate 127, which allows the wafer 200 to enter and exit the receiving space.

[0065] Please refer to Figures 1 to 11. This application also discloses a wafer cleaning apparatus. The disclosed wafer cleaning apparatus may include a first gripping mechanism 300, a second gripping mechanism 400, a wafer storage area 500, a cleaning chamber 600, and the aforementioned wafer flipping device 100. The first gripping mechanism 300 is located between the wafer flipping device 100 and the wafer storage area 500, and is used to transport wafers 200 between the wafer storage area 500 and the wafer flipping device 100; the second gripping mechanism 400 is located between the wafer flipping device 100 and the cleaning chamber 600, and is used to transport wafers 200 between the cleaning chamber 600 and the wafer flipping device 100.

[0066] During the transfer of wafer 200, the first gripping mechanism 300 takes the wafer 200 to be cleaned from the wafer storage area 500 and transfers it to the wafer flipping device 100. At this time, the wafer flipping device 100 is required to be in a state that can accept the wafer 200 to be cleaned, as shown in Figure 7. The first clamping shaft 141 is in the clearance position, and the second clamping shaft 142 is in the working position. The second clamping shaft 142 can support the wafer 200. After the wafer 200 is placed stably, as shown in Figure 8, the first clamping shaft 141 can be rotated back to the working position, so that the wafer 200 can be pressed against the second clamping shaft 142. Then, the first driving part 130 can be used to drive the housing 120 to rotate 180°, thereby realizing the flipping action of the wafer 200.

[0067] After the wafer 200 is flipped, the second gripping mechanism 400 can grip the wafer 200 in the wafer flipping device 100 and transfer it to the corresponding cleaning chamber 600 for cleaning. Before the second gripping mechanism 400 picks up the wafer, it needs to switch the wafer 200 from the clamping state in the wafer flipping device 100 to the carrying state. The second clamping shaft 142 can rotate from the working position to the clearance position under the drive of the third drive unit 160 (as shown in Figure 9). At this time, the second gripping mechanism 400 can extend into the receiving space of the wafer flipping device 100 to pick up the wafer and transfer it to the corresponding cleaning chamber 600 for cleaning. When the wafer 200 is cleaned and needs to be placed back into the wafer storage area 500 from the cleaning chamber 600, the actions of the first gripping mechanism 300, the second gripping mechanism 400, and the wafer flipping device 100 are in the reverse order of the actions described above.

[0068] As described above, the wafer flipping device 100 and wafer cleaning equipment disclosed in this application improve upon related technologies. The disclosed wafer flipping device 100 includes a base 110, a housing 120, a first driving unit 130, and a clamping mechanism. The first driving unit 130 is disposed on the base 110 and connected to the housing 120 to drive the housing 120 to flip relative to the base 110. The clamping mechanism includes a clamping shaft assembly 140, which is rotatably disposed in the mounting space 121 of the housing 120 and defines a receiving space for placing at least two wafers 200 in the mounting space 121. The clamping shaft assembly 140 can adjust the size of the receiving space by rotation to clamp or release at least two wafers 200, thereby realizing the flipping operation of at least two wafers 200, improving the efficiency of wafer flipping, and thus improving the cleaning efficiency of wafers 200.

[0069] The above embodiments of this application focus on describing the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different technical features between the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form more specific embodiments. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0070] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A wafer flipping device, characterized by, It includes a base (110), a housing (120), a first drive unit (130), and a clamping mechanism, wherein: The first driving unit (130) is disposed on the base (110) and connected to the housing (120) to drive the housing (120) to rotate relative to the base (110); The clamping mechanism includes a clamping shaft assembly (140) rotatably disposed in the mounting space (121) of the housing (120) and defining a receiving space for placing at least two wafers (200) in the mounting space (121). The clamping shaft assembly (140) is used to adjust the size of the receiving space by rotation to clamp or release at least two wafers (200).

2. The wafer flip device of claim 1, wherein, The clamping shaft assembly (140) includes a plurality of first clamping shafts (141) and a plurality of second clamping shafts (142). The plurality of first clamping shafts (141) and the plurality of second clamping shafts (142) are respectively rotatably connected to the housing (120) and are arranged at intervals along the same circumferential direction to form the accommodating space. The size of the accommodating space can be adjusted by rotating around its own axis. The first clamping shaft (141) is used to contact at least a first surface of the wafer (200), and the second clamping shaft (142) is used to contact at least a second surface of the wafer (200), wherein the first surface and the second surface are two opposite surfaces of the wafer (200).

3. The wafer flip device of claim 2, wherein, The plurality of first clamping shafts (141) and the plurality of second clamping shafts (142) are spaced apart along the same circumferential direction.

4. The wafer flip device of claim 2, wherein, The clamping mechanism further includes a second drive unit (150) and a third drive unit (160), the second drive unit (150) and the third drive unit (160) being connected to the housing (120) respectively; The execution end of the second drive unit (150) extends into the mounting space (121) through the hollow area (124) of the first end face (122) of the housing (120), and is respectively engaged with the plurality of first clamping shafts (141) to drive the plurality of first clamping shafts (141) to rotate synchronously. The execution end of the third drive unit (160) extends into the mounting space (121) through the hollow area (124) of the second end face (123) of the housing (120), and is respectively engaged with the plurality of second clamping shafts (142) to drive the plurality of second clamping shafts (142) to rotate synchronously. The first end face (122) and the second end face (123) are two opposite end faces of the housing (120).

5. The wafer flip device of claim 4, wherein, The second drive unit (150) and the third drive unit (160) have the same structure, and both include a drive body (151) and a transmission assembly (152); The drive body (151) is disposed on the outer wall of the housing (120). A portion of the transmission component (152) of the second drive unit (150) passes through the hollow area (124) of the first end face (122) and is connected to the drive body (151) and a plurality of first clamping shafts (141) respectively. A portion of the transmission component (152) of the third drive unit (160) passes through the hollow area (124) of the second end face (123) and is connected to the drive body (151) and a plurality of second clamping shafts (142) respectively.

6. The wafer flipping apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (152) includes a driving tooth (1521), a transmission belt (1522), and a driven tooth (1523); The active tooth (1521) is located at the output end of the drive body (151). A portion of the driven tooth (1523) extends into the mounting space (121) and engages with multiple first clamping shafts (141) or multiple second clamping shafts (142). The transmission belt (1522) is respectively meshed with the end face of the active tooth (1521) and the end face of the driven tooth (1523) so that the active tooth (1521) drives the driven tooth (1523) to rotate synchronously through the transmission belt (1522).

7. The wafer flipping apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first clamping shaft (141) and the second clamping shaft (142) have the same structure, and both include a rotating shaft (1411), a transmission gear (1412) and multiple jaws (1413); The two ends of the rotating shaft (1411) are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the housing (120), the transmission gear (1412) is sleeved on the rotating shaft (1411) and fixed to the rotating shaft (1411), and the driven gear (1523) meshes with the transmission gear (1412) to drive the rotating shaft (1411) to rotate around its axis; Multiple claws (1413) are spaced apart along the axial direction of the rotating shaft (1411) and fixed to each other to divide the receiving space into multiple stacked subspaces, each of which is used to place one wafer (200).

8. The wafer flip device of claim 7, wherein, The jaw clamp (1413) is provided with a bearing surface (1413a) for contacting the surface of the wafer (200), wherein: The bearing surface (1413a) of the jaw (1413) on the first clamping shaft (141) and the bearing surface (1413a) of the jaw (1413) on the second clamping shaft (142) are offset along the axial direction of the rotating shaft (1411). When the wafer (200) is in the subspace, the jaw (1413) on the first clamping shaft (141) is at least used to contact the first surface of the wafer (200), and the jaw (1413) on the second clamping shaft (142) is at least used to contact the second surface of the wafer (200).

9. The wafer flip device of claim 7, wherein, The rotating shaft (1411) also includes a shaft body (1411a) and a plurality of splines (1411b). The plurality of splines (1411b) are spaced apart along the axial direction of the shaft body (1411a). The jaw clamp (1413) is provided with a spline sleeve (1414) to fix it to the corresponding spline (1411b) through the spline sleeve (1414).

10. The wafer flipping device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The housing (120) includes a top plate (125), a bottom plate (126), and a side plate (127). The top plate (125) and the bottom plate (126) are connected through the side plate (127) to form the installation space (121). The first end face (122) is the surface of the top plate (125) facing away from the installation space (121), and the second end face (123) is the surface of the bottom plate (126) facing away from the installation space (121). The side plate (127) has a wafer transfer port (128) for the wafer (200) to enter and exit the mounting space (121).

11. A wafer cleaning device, characterized in that, The device includes a first gripping mechanism (300), a second gripping mechanism (400), a wafer storage area (500), a cleaning chamber (600), and a wafer flipping device (100) according to any one of claims 1-10. The first gripping mechanism (300) is used to transport the wafer (200) between the wafer storage area (500) and the wafer flipping device (100), and the second gripping mechanism (400) is used to transport the wafer (200) between the cleaning chamber (600) and the wafer flipping device (100).

Images