TWI808865B - Semiconductor cleaning device and wafer turnover device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A semiconductor cleaning device and a wafer turnover device thereof. In the wafer turnover device, the turnover mechanism is connected with the turnover support, the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the turnover support, the turnover mechanism is used to drive the turnover support to rotate, so as to drive the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism to replace each other between the first position and the second position, and the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are both used to selectively clamp or release the wafer; When one of the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism is at the first position and the other is at the second position, it can cooperate with the front manipulator to release the film and the rear manipulator to take the film.

Description

Semiconductor cleaning equipment and its wafer flipping device

The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, and in particular, the present application relates to a semiconductor cleaning device and a wafer inversion device thereof.

At present, the single-wafer cleaning process is usually used to clean the wafer in the semiconductor processing process. The single-wafer cleaning machine in the semiconductor cleaning equipment, because it cleans a single wafer, has a better cleaning effect than the tank-type cleaning machine, but the work efficiency is low. This requires the single-wafer cleaning machine to shorten the takt time as much as possible to improve the working efficiency of the equipment.

Since the single-wafer cleaning machine needs to clean the back of the wafer, it needs to flip the wafer 180°. However, the existing single-wafer cleaning machine seriously affects the work efficiency due to the long flipping and transmission time.

In view of the shortcomings of the existing methods, the present application proposes a semiconductor cleaning device and a wafer turning mechanism thereof to solve the technical problem of low work efficiency in the prior art.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wafer inversion device for semiconductor cleaning equipment, which is installed between the front manipulator and the rear manipulator of the semiconductor cleaning equipment, and is used for the front manipulator and the rear manipulator to pick and place the wafer, and to invert the wafer, including: an inversion mechanism, an inversion support, a first clamping mechanism, and a second clamping mechanism; the inversion mechanism is connected to the inversion support, and the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the inversion support, and the inversion mechanism is used to drive the inversion support to overturn. To drive the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism to alternate between the first position and the second position, the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are used to selectively clamp or release the wafer; when one of the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism is located at the first position and the other is located at the second position, it can cooperate with the front manipulator to place the wafer, and at the same time cooperate with the rear manipulator to take the wafer.

In an embodiment of the present application, the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism both include a mounting shell, a driving element and a plurality of clamping elements, and a plurality of the clamping components are uniformly and spaced apart along the circumference of the mounting shell; the driving component is arranged on the mounting shell, and is used to drive a plurality of the clamping elements to move simultaneously relative to the mounting shell to clamp or release the wafer; the gap between any two adjacent clamping elements is used for the front manipulator or the rear manipulator to reach in to pick and place the wafer.

In one embodiment of the present application, each of the clamping elements is pivotally connected with the mounting shell, and can swing relative to the mounting shell along a first direction or along a second direction opposite to the direction; a plurality of the clamping components can all swing along the first direction to clamp the wafer; or all swing along the second direction to release the wafer.

In one embodiment of the present application, each of the clamping elements includes a swing arm and a clamping column; the first end of the swing arm is pivotally connected to the mounting shell through a pivot shaft, the second end of the swing arm is provided with the clamping column, and a plurality of the clamping columns are used to jointly clamp the edge of the wafer.

In one embodiment of the present application, the driving element includes a first driving element, a second driving element, and a driver. Both the first driving element and the second driving element are disposed in the mounting case. The driver is disposed on the mounting shell and connected to the second driving element. The driver is used to simultaneously drive a plurality of the swing arms of the clamping element to swing around the pivot axis along the second direction through the second driving element when the power is turned on. The pivot shaft swings in the first direction.

In an embodiment of the present application, the first driving member includes a plurality of elastic parts, which are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of swing arms, and the plurality of elastic parts are located on the same side of the plurality of swing arms along the circumference of the installation case, one end of the elastic part is connected with the installation case, and the other end is connected with the swing arm, and is used to provide elastic force capable of resetting the swing arm when the driver is powered off.

In an embodiment of the present application, connecting posts are provided in the installation case and on the swing arm, and both ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to the connecting posts in the installation case and the connecting posts on the swing arm.

In one embodiment of the present application, the driver is arranged outside the installation case, and the output shaft of the driver extends into the installation case and is connected with the second drive member for driving the second drive member to rotate; the first ends of the plurality of swing arms extend into the installation case and contact the second drive member, so that the second drive member can push the swing arm to swing along the second direction when the second drive member rotates.

In one embodiment of the present application, the second driving member includes a transmission plate and a rolling member, the transmission plate is arranged coaxially with the output shaft of the driver, a plurality of rolling parts are arranged on the side of the transmission plate away from the driver, the first ends of each of the swing arms extend to one side of each rolling member in the circumferential direction of the transmission plate in a one-to-one correspondence, and roll in contact with the rolling member; the elastic member and the rolling member are respectively located on opposite sides of the corresponding swing arm.

In one embodiment of the present application, the rolling member includes a mounting shaft and a bearing, the mounting shaft is fixedly connected to the transmission disc, and the axis of the mounting shaft is parallel to the output shaft of the driver; the bearing is sleeved on the mounting shaft.

In one embodiment of the present application, the installation shell includes a top plate, a column and a bottom plate, a plurality of the columns are located between the top plate and the bottom plate, and are arranged uniformly and at intervals along the circumference of the top plate and the bottom plate, the gap between any two of the columns is used for the first end of the swing arm to extend into, and the driver is arranged on the side of the top plate away from the bottom plate.

In one embodiment of the present application, one end of the clamping column is connected to the second end of the swing arm, and the axial direction of the clamping column is perpendicular to the axial direction of the swing arm; the other end of the clamping column is provided with a limiting groove for accommodating the edge of the wafer.

In an embodiment of the present application, the turning mechanism includes a driving part and a connecting shaft, the driving part is fixedly arranged, and the rotating shaft of the driving part is connected to the turning support through the connecting shaft.

In one embodiment of the present application, the turning support includes a semi-circular rotating support and a semi-circular connecting support, the rotating support cooperates with the connecting support to form a sleeve-shaped turning support, the turning mechanism is connected to the rotating support, and parts of the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are located in the turning support.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a semiconductor cleaning device, including a front manipulator, a rear manipulator, a process chamber, and a wafer flipping device as provided in the first aspect, the front manipulator is used to transfer the wafer in the cassette to the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism, and the rear manipulator is used to transfer the wafer on the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism to the process chamber.

The beneficial technical effect brought by the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application is: the embodiment of the present application is provided with a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism symmetrically at both ends of the overturning support, and the two are driven by the overturning mechanism to replace each other between the first position and the second position. The flipping step realizes wafer flipping, greatly shortens the wafer flipping and transfer time, thereby greatly improving the work efficiency of the wafer transfer process, and thus greatly improving the work efficiency of semiconductor cleaning equipment.

Additional aspects and advantages of the application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the application.

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, of different means for implementing the disclosure. Specific examples of components and configurations are described below to simplify the present disclosure. Of course, these are examples only and are not intended to be limiting. For example, in the following description a first member is formed over or on a second member may include embodiments in which the first member and the second member are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional members may be formed between the first member and the second member such that the first member and the second member may not be in direct contact. Additionally, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in various instances. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.

In addition, for ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "below," "under," "under," "above," "upper," and the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or component to another element or component(s), as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and thus the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted similarly.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the disclosure are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "about" generally means within 10%, 5%, 1%, or 0.5% of a given value or range. Alternatively, the term "about" means within an acceptable standard error of the mean when considered by one of ordinary skill in the art. Except in operating/working examples, or unless expressly specified otherwise, all numerical ranges, quantities, values and percentages such as for quantities of materials disclosed herein, durations of time, temperatures, operating conditions, ratios of quantities, and the like, are to be understood as modified by the term "about" in all instances. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in this disclosure and the accompanying claims are approximations that may vary as desired. At a minimum, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Ranges can be expressed herein as from one endpoint to the other or as between two endpoints. All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of endpoints unless otherwise specified.

A wafer inversion mechanism in the prior art is composed of an inversion manipulator and a carrier table, wherein the inversion manipulator is composed of a base, a 45° rotation module, a 180° rotation module and a clamping arm. The process flow of the wafer turning mechanism is as follows: firstly, the front manipulator takes out the wafer from the cassette and places it on the carrier table. At this time, the clamping arm clamps the wafer from both sides, and the 45° rotating module drives the clamping arm to rise to separate the wafer from the carrier table; then the 180° rotating module turns the clamping arm and the wafer 180°, and then the 45° rotating module lowers the wafer and places it on the carrier table, and then the 45° rotating module rises again to lift the clamping arm. Then, the wafer is removed from the carrier table by the rear robot arm and transferred to the process chamber for process.

The above-mentioned wafer flipping mechanism has many steps to flip the wafer, and the wafer can only be placed by the front manipulator first, and then taken by the rear manipulator. Only one of these two actions is allowed at the same time, resulting in long flip and transfer time, seriously affecting work efficiency.

The technical solution of the present application and how the technical solution of the present application solves the above technical problems will be described in detail below with specific embodiments.

An embodiment of the present application provides a wafer inversion device for semiconductor cleaning equipment, which is installed between the front manipulator and the rear manipulator of the semiconductor cleaning equipment, and is used for the front manipulator and the rear manipulator to pick and place the wafer, and flip the wafer. The structure diagram of the wafer inversion device is shown in Figure 1A and Figure 1B, including: a turning mechanism 1, a turning support 2, a first clamping mechanism 3, and a second clamping mechanism 4; the turning mechanism 1 is connected to the turning support 2, and the first holding mechanism 3 and the second holding mechanism 4 are symmetrically arranged on the turning support 2 At both ends of the wafer, the turning mechanism 1 is used to drive the turning support 2 to turn over, so as to drive the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 to alternate between the first position and the second position. Both the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 are used to selectively clamp or release the wafer 100; when one of the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 is located at the above-mentioned first position, and the other is at the above-mentioned second position, it can cooperate with the front manipulator to release the film, and at the same time cooperate with the rear manipulator to take the film.

When the first clamping mechanism 3 is at the first position and the second clamping mechanism 4 is at the second position, the first clamping mechanism 3 can clamp the wafer 100 from the front manipulator (not shown in the figure), and the rear manipulator (not shown) can take the wafer 100 away from the second clamping mechanism 4; Round 100.

As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B , the semiconductor cleaning equipment may specifically be a single-chip cleaning machine, which is used to perform a cleaning process on the wafer. The wafer inversion device may be installed between the front manipulator and the rear manipulator (not shown in the figure) of the semiconductor cleaning equipment to invert the wafer. However, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can adjust the position of the wafer inversion device according to the actual situation. The overturning mechanism 1 can specifically adopt a rotary cylinder for driving the overturning support 2 to overturn, which is not only precise in control but also low in cost. Specifically, the turning mechanism 1 can be fixedly arranged on a platform through a bracket 11 , but it can also be directly arranged on a platform, so the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. The overturn support 2 adopts a sleeve structure, for example, the outer periphery of the overturn support 2 (on the outer peripheral wall of the sleeve) is connected with the overturn mechanism 1, and the two axial ends of the overturn support 2 are respectively connected with the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4. Turning mechanism 1 drives turning support 2 to turn around its radial centerline. For example, if before turning over, one of the ends of turning support 2 faces upwards, then after turning over 180°, this end faces down.

For example, when the first clamping mechanism 3 is at the first position and the second clamping structure 4 is at the second position, the first clamping mechanism 3 is located at the bottom of the overturning support 2, and the second clamping mechanism 4 can be located at the top of the overturning support 2; In actual application, the first clamping mechanism 3 is located at the bottom of the flip support 2, and the second clamping mechanism 4 is located at the top of the flip support 2, that is, when the first clamping mechanism 3 is at the first position and the second clamping mechanism 4 is at the second position, the front manipulator can transfer the first wafer 100 to the first clamping mechanism 3, and the first wafer 100 is clamped by the first clamping mechanism 3, that is, the film is released. At the same time, it drives the second clamping structure 4 to turn over to the first position. At this time, the rear manipulator can take away the first wafer 100 from the first clamping mechanism 3, that is, to realize the chip removal.

In the embodiment of the present application, the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are arranged symmetrically at both ends of the flipping support, and the flipping mechanism drives the two to replace each other between the first position and the second position. Wafer inversion and transmission time, thereby greatly improving the work efficiency of the wafer transmission process, thereby greatly improving the work efficiency of semiconductor cleaning equipment.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 2 , the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 both include a mounting shell 51, a plurality of clamping elements 52 and a driving element 53, wherein the plurality of clamping assemblies 52 are uniformly and spaced along the circumference of the mounting shell 51; For the front manipulator or the rear manipulator to reach in to pick and place the wafer 100 .

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 2 , the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 can adopt exactly the same structure, so as to meet the needs of the front and rear manipulators to pick and place the wafer 100, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, for example, the two can also adopt different structures. Both the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 can include a mounting shell 51 and a plurality of clamping elements 52, the mounting shell 51 can adopt a cylindrical structure, the mounting shell 51 can be arranged on the end of the flip support 2 as a whole, and the mounting shell 51 has an accommodating space 514 for installing multiple clamping elements 52. The specific number of clamping elements 52 can be three, and the three clamping elements 52 can be evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the mounting shell 51, and optionally, one end of the clamping elements 52 can extend into the accommodating space 514 of the mounting shell 51, and the other end extends to a position away from the mounting shell 51 along the radial direction of the mounting shell 51 or a direction that forms an angle with the radial direction, that is, a plurality of clamping assemblies 52 are distributed radially along different radial directions of the mounting shell 51 or in directions that form an angle with different radial directions. Further, there is a gap between any two adjacent clamping elements 52. Since three clamping elements 52 are used, an angle of 120° is formed between any two adjacent clamping elements 52 for the front and rear manipulators to protrude from the gap to realize picking and placing the wafer 100. However, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific number of clamping elements 52. For example, the number of clamping elements 52 can be more than three. The driving assembly 53 is disposed on the installation shell 51 and is used for driving a plurality of clamping elements 52 to move relative to the installation shell 51 simultaneously. In practical applications, the plurality of clamping elements 52 are driven by the driving element 53 to move relative to the mounting shell 51 simultaneously, so as to selectively clamp or release the wafer 100 . The above-mentioned design makes the structure of the present application simple and easy to implement, and can also avoid mechanical interference with the front and rear manipulators, thereby greatly increasing the application and maintenance costs of the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the movement mode between the plurality of clamping elements 52 and the mounting shell 51. For example, the driving element 53 can drive the multiple clamping elements 52 to expand and contract or swing relative to the mounting shell 51 at the same time, so as to realize clamping or releasing of the wafer 100. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 2 , each clamping element 52 is pivotally connected to the mounting shell 51, and can swing relative to the mounting shell 51 in a first direction or in a second direction opposite thereto; a plurality of clamping components 52 can all swing in the above-mentioned first direction to clamp the wafer; or, all swing in the above-mentioned second direction to release the wafer; the first direction and the second direction are both circumferential directions of the mounting shell 51, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

As shown in FIG. 2 , a plurality of clamping elements 52 are pivotally connected to the mounting shell 51, and a driving element 53 drives the multiple clamping elements 52 to swing relative to the mounting shell 51 in a first direction, such as a clockwise direction, so that the ends of the multiple clamping elements 52 away from the mounting shell 51 are close to the mounting shell 51 at the same time, thereby realizing wafer clamping. The driving element 53 drives the plurality of clamping elements 52 to swing relative to the mounting shell 51 in a second direction, for example, the second direction may be counterclockwise, so that the multiple clamping elements 52 are away from one end of the mounting shell 51 and away from the mounting shell 51 at the same time, so as to release the wafer. With the above design, since multiple clamping elements 52 simultaneously swing toward the first direction to clamp the wafer, and multiple clamping elements 52 simultaneously swing toward the second direction to release the wafer, not only can the efficiency of clamping the wafer be improved, but also the structural complexity of the embodiment of the present application can be greatly reduced, thereby greatly reducing application and maintenance costs.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific directions of the first direction and the second direction. For example, the first direction is counterclockwise and the second direction is clockwise, and the above technical effect can also be achieved. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , each clamping element 52 includes a swing arm 521 and a clamping column 522; the first end 524 of the swing arm 521 is pivotally connected to the mounting shell 51 through a pivot shaft 523, and the second end 525 of the swing arm 521 is provided with a clamping column 522. A plurality of clamping columns 522 are used to contact the edge of the wafer to clamp the wafer together. Specifically, a pivot hole 526 is formed on the swing arm 521 close to the first end 524; a pivot shaft 523 that can pass through the pivot hole 526 is disposed in the installation shell 51, and the swing arm 521 is pivotally connected to the installation shell 51 through the pivot shaft 523.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , the swing arm 521 can be a rod-shaped structure made of metal material. Optionally, the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521 extend into the mounting shell 51, and the second ends 525 extend along the radial direction of the mounting shell 51 or in a direction forming an angle with the radial direction, and the bottom of the second end 525 can be provided with a clamping column 522. The clamping columns 522 on the multiple swing arms 521 cooperate with each other to clamp the edge of the wafer. The pivot shaft 523 is passed through the pivot hole 526 of the swing arm 521, and the pivot hole 526 is arranged near the first end 524. It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific number of the pivot shafts 523 as long as they correspond to the swing arms 521 one by one. The above-mentioned design makes the structure of the embodiment of the present application simple and easy to implement, thereby greatly reducing application and maintenance costs.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the driving element 53 includes a first driving member 6, a second driving member 7 and a driver 8, wherein the first driving member 6 and the second driving member 7 are arranged in the mounting case 51, the driver 8 is arranged on the mounting case 51, and is connected with the second driving member 7, and the driver 8 is used to simultaneously drive the swing arms 521 of a plurality of clamping elements 52 through the second driving member 7 when power is applied to swing around the pivot shaft 523 along the above-mentioned second direction; When the driver 8 is powered off, it simultaneously drives the swing arms 521 of the plurality of clamping elements 52 to swing around the pivot shaft 523 along the above-mentioned first direction. With the above design, since the first driving member 6 and the second driving member 7 respectively drive the swing arm 521 to swing in the first direction and the second direction, the embodiment of the present application can control the swinging direction of the swing arm 521 separately, which not only can greatly reduce the response time, thereby improving the control efficiency of the embodiment of the present application, but also enables multiple swing arms 521 to be controlled simultaneously, thereby greatly improving the control accuracy.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit that the driving element 53 must include two driving parts. For example, the driving element 53 may only include the second driving part 7, and the driver 8 drives the plurality of swing arms 521 to swing in the first direction or the second direction through the second driving part 7. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the first driving member 6 includes a plurality of elastic members 61, which are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of swing arms 521, and the plurality of elastic members 61 are located on the same side of the plurality of swing arms 521 along the circumferential direction of the installation case 51. One end of the elastic member 61 is connected to the installation case 51, and the other end is connected to the swing arm 521. The connection position is, for example, between the pivot hole 526 and the second end 525. The elastic force (for example, elastic restoring force) to reset the swing arm 521 is used to drive the swing arm 521 to swing along the first direction. Specifically, the three elastic components 61 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the three swing arms 521, and the three elastic components 61 are all located on one side of the swing arm 521 in the clockwise direction, that is, the multiple elastic components 61 are located on the same side of the multiple swing arms 521 along the circumferential direction of the mounting shell 51. One end of the elastic member 61 is connected to the installation shell 51 , and the other end is connected to a position between the pivot hole 526 and the second end 525 and connected to the swing arm 521 . By applying a pre-tightening force to the elastic member 61, the elastic member 61 always applies an elastic restoring force to the swing arm 521 to drive the swing arm 521 to always swing in the first direction. Since the plurality of elastic members 61 are all located on the clockwise side of the swing arm 521, the first direction is clockwise. With the above design, multiple swing arms 521 can simultaneously swing along the first direction due to a relatively simple structure, which not only reduces the difficulty of manufacturing, but also greatly reduces the cost of application and maintenance.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific position of the elastic component 61 , for example, the elastic component 61 may also be disposed on one side of the swing arm 521 in the counterclockwise direction, so that the first direction is counterclockwise. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , connecting posts 62 are arranged in the mounting case 51 and on the swing arm 521 , and the two ends of the elastic member 61 are respectively connected to the connecting posts 62 in the mounting case 51 and the connecting posts 62 on the swing arm 521 . Specifically, the elastic member 61 can be a coil spring, and the two connecting posts 62 are respectively arranged in the installation shell 51 and on the swing arm 521. The connecting posts 62 on the swing arm 521 are located between the pivot hole 526 and the second end 525, and are arranged on the same side as the clamping post 522. Both ends of the elastic member 61 are connected to the installation shell 51 and the swing arm 521 through the connecting posts 62. The elastic restoring force of the elastic member 61 can drive the swing arm 521 to swing along the first direction, so that the clamping column 522 disposed at the second end 525 can clamp the wafer. Since the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 61 is used to clamp the wafer, the force on the wafer is small, and damage to the wafer due to a large clamping force can be avoided. Adopting the above design not only makes the structure of the embodiment of the present application simple and reasonable in design, but also greatly reduces application and maintenance costs. However, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation of the elastic member 61. For example, other types of elastic structures can also be used for the elastic member 61. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can make adjustments according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , the driver 8 is arranged outside the mounting case 51, and the output shaft of the driver 8 extends into the mounting case 51 and is connected with the second driving member 7 for driving the second driving member 7 to rotate; the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521 extend into the mounting case 51 and contact the second driving member 7, so that the second driving member 7 can push the swing arm 521 to swing along the second direction when rotating. Specifically, the driver 8 is, for example, located on the top of the mounting case 51, the second driving member 7 is disposed in the mounting case 51, the top of the second driving member 7 is connected to the output shaft, and the bottom is in contact with the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521, so as to push against the first ends 524 to drive the swing arms 521 to swing in the second direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , the driver 8 can specifically adopt a stepping motor or a servo motor, the driver 8 can be arranged on the top of the mounting shell 51 , and the output shaft of the driver 8 extends into the accommodating space 514 of the mounting shell 51 . The second driving member 7 is disposed in the accommodating space 514 of the installation case 51 and coaxially arranged with the installation case 51 . The middle position of the top of the second driving member 7 can be fixedly connected with the output shaft of the driver 8 , and the bottom is respectively in contact with the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521 . In practical application, the driver 8 drives the second driving member 7 to rotate, and the second driving member 7 pushes against the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521, so that the plurality of swing arms 521 can overcome the elastic restoring force of the first driving member 6, thereby swinging in the second direction, so that the plurality of clamping columns 522 release the wafer. With the above design, since the second driving member 7 is in contact with the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521, and by overcoming the elastic restoring force of the first driving member 6, the plurality of swing arms 521 simultaneously swing in the second direction to release the wafer, so that the control logic of the embodiment of the present application is simple, and safety and stability can also be improved.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the contact mode between the second driving member 7 and the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521 , for example, the contact between the second driving member 7 and the plurality of swing arms 521 can be achieved by pivotal connection. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 , the second driving member 7 includes a transmission disc 71 and a rolling member 72. The transmission disc 71 is arranged coaxially with the output shaft of the driver 8. On the side of the transmission disc 71 facing away from the driver 8, there are a plurality of rolling members 72 (for example, evenly distributed). The rolling members 72 are respectively located on opposite sides of the corresponding swing arms 521 . Specifically, a plurality of rolling members 72 are provided in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of swing arms 521 , and the rolling members 72 and the elastic member 61 are located on opposite sides of the swing arm 521 , and the rolling members 72 can rotate when abutting against the first end 524 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 , the transmission disc 71 can specifically be a circular plate-shaped structure made of a metal material. The center position of the top surface of the transmission disc 71 is connected to the output shaft of the driver 8 , and a plurality of rolling parts 72 are evenly distributed on the bottom surface, that is, a plurality of rolling parts 72 are evenly distributed on the side of the transmission disc 71 away from the driver 8 . The number of rolling parts 72 is set corresponding to the number of swing arms 521 , for example, three are set, that is, the number of rolling parts 72 is set in one-to-one correspondence with the number of swing arms 521 . Further, the rolling parts 72 and the elastic parts 61 are respectively located on opposite sides of the first end 524 of the swing arm 521, that is, the plurality of rolling parts 72 are located on one side of the plurality of swing arms 521 in the counterclockwise direction, so as to cooperate with the elastic part 61 to drive the swing arm 521 to swing. In practical application, the driver 8 drives a plurality of rolling members 72 to move simultaneously through the transmission disc 71, and the plurality of rolling members 72 simultaneously press against the first end 524 of the swing arm 521, so that the plurality of swing arms 521 swing along the second direction at the same time, and at this time, the rolling member 72 rotates by itself to reduce impurities generated by friction with the first end 524, thereby avoiding impurity pollution to the wafer. With the above design, since the plurality of rolling parts 72 are located on one side of the swing arm 521, the structure of the embodiment of the present application is simple, thereby greatly improving the disassembly and maintenance efficiency, and further improving the working efficiency of the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the installation positions of the plurality of rolling parts 72 , for example, the rolling parts 72 may be located on the clockwise side of the swing arm 521 , that is, the positions of the rolling parts 72 and the elastic parts 61 are interchanged. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 , the rolling member 72 includes a mounting shaft 73 and a bearing 74, the mounting shaft 73 is fixedly connected to the transmission disc 71, and the axis of the mounting shaft 73 is parallel to the output shaft of the driver 8; the bearing 74 is sleeved on the mounting shaft 73. Specifically, the three mounting shafts 73 are all arranged on the bottom surface of the transmission disc 71, and are evenly and spaced along the circumference of the transmission disc 71, and the three bearings 74 are respectively disposed on the mounting shafts 73, and the outer circumference of the bearings 74 is used to achieve rolling contact with the first end 524 of the swing arm 521. Adoption of the above-mentioned design makes the application and maintenance costs of the embodiment of the present application lower, thereby improving work efficiency and economic benefits. However, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation manner of the rolling component 72 , for example, the rolling component 72 only includes a bearing 74 , and its inner ring is disposed on the transmission disc 71 . Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 , the installation shell 51 includes a top plate 511, a column 512 and a bottom plate 513. A plurality of columns 512 are located between the top plate 511 and the bottom plate 513, and are arranged evenly and at intervals along the circumference of the top plate 511 and the bottom plate 513. The gap between any two columns 512 is used for the first end 524 of the swing arm 521 to extend in. The driver 8 is arranged on the top plate 511 away from the bottom plate. 513 side.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 , both the top plate 511 and the bottom plate 513 can be circular plate structures made of metal materials, and the columns 512 can be integrally formed on the top surface of the bottom plate 513, and a plurality of columns 512 are uniformly and spaced along the circumference of the bottom plate 513. The top plate 511 can be arranged above the bottom plate 513, and is fixedly connected to the multi-column 512 by a plurality of fasteners, so as to form an accommodating space 514 in cooperation with the bottom plate 513, and the top surface of the top plate 511 can be used for installing the driver 8 of the driving element 53. Since the number of swing arms 521 is three, the specific number of uprights 512 can be three, so that a gap is formed between any two adjacent uprights 512 for the first end 524 of the swing arm 521 to extend into the accommodating space 514 of the mounting shell 51, and the gap can be used for installing the pivot shaft 523 of the swing arm 521 and the connecting post 62 of the elastic member 61. However, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific number of columns 512. The specific number of connecting columns 62 can be set corresponding to the number of swing arms 521. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting according to the actual situation. The above-mentioned design makes the embodiment of the present application easy to disassemble and maintain, that is, it is easy to install the second driving member 7 and the driver 8, thereby further improving the disassembly and maintenance efficiency.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation manner of the installation shell 51 , for example, a split structure is adopted between the plurality of columns 512 and the bottom plate 513 . Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 4 , one end of the clamping column 522 is connected to the second end 525 of the swing arm 521, and the axial direction of the clamping column 522 and the axial direction of the swing arm 521 are arranged perpendicular to each other; the other end of the clamping column 522 defines a limiting groove 527 for accommodating the edge of the wafer. Specifically, the axial direction of the clamping column 522 and the axial direction of the swing arm 521 can be arranged perpendicular to each other, so that the swing arm 521 can clamp or release the wafer when swinging. The top end of the clamping column 522 is connected to the second end 525 of the swing arm 521 by screwing, for example, but the implementation of the present application does not limit the specific connection method. The bottom of the clamping column 522 can be provided with an annular limiting groove 527. When multiple clamping columns 522 cooperate to clamp the wafer, the limiting groove 527 can accommodate the edge of the wafer, so as to realize the limiting of the wafer and prevent it from falling off, thereby greatly improving the stability and safety of the embodiment of the present application, and further improving the process yield of the wafer. However, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific structure of the clamping column 522, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting according to the actual situation.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B , the turning mechanism 1 includes a driving part 12 and a connecting shaft 13 , the driving part 12 is fixedly arranged, and the rotating shaft of the driving part 12 is connected to the turning support 2 through the connecting shaft 13 . Specifically, the driving part 12 can specifically adopt a rotary cylinder, which has the advantages of precise and simple control, and is convenient for directly turning the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 into place at one time, thereby greatly improving the turning efficiency of the embodiment of the present application. One end of the connecting shaft 13 is connected to the rotating shaft of the driving part 12, and the other end is connected to the turning support 2. Since the two ends of the turning support 2 are respectively provided with the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4, the connecting shaft 13 can make the two clamping mechanisms and the turning mechanism 1 have a certain distance, so as to avoid the mechanical interference between the two holding mechanisms and the turning mechanism 1 during the turning process, so that the structural design of the embodiment of the present application is reasonable, thereby greatly reducing the failure rate and improving the service life. It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation manner of the turning mechanism 1 , for example, the driving part 12 may adopt a stepping motor or a servo motor. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

In order to further illustrate the working principle of the embodiment of the present application, a specific implementation manner of the present application will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1A to 8B . Specifically, when the first clamping mechanism 3 takes the wafer 100 from the front manipulator, the first clamping mechanism 3 is at the first position and the second clamping mechanism 4 is at the second position, the driver 8 of the first clamping mechanism 3 drives the second driving member 7 to rotate clockwise, and the rolling member 72 pushes against the first ends 524 of the plurality of swing arms 521, so that the second ends 525 of the plurality of swing arms 521 swing in the second direction, so that the diameter of the circle formed by the clamping columns 522 on the plurality of swing arms 521 becomes larger 8A and 8B, the front manipulator can transfer the wafer 100 to the bottom of the first clamping mechanism 3, the driver 8 drives the second driver 7 to rotate counterclockwise, the rolling member 72 no longer touches the first end 524 of the swing arm 521, and the swing arm 521 swings in the first direction under the tension of the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 61, so that the diameter of the circle formed by the clamping columns 522 on the plurality of swing arms 521 becomes smaller, thereby realizing wafer 1 00 for clamping. Then the flipping mechanism 1 can drive the first clamping mechanism 3 to flip to the second position, and drive the second clamping mechanism 4 to flip to the first position. The driver 8 of the first clamping mechanism 3 drives the second driving member 7 to rotate clockwise again, so that the second ends 525 of the multiple swing arms 521 swing in the second direction, so that the diameter of the circle formed by the clamping columns 522 on the multiple swing arms 521 becomes larger, so as to place the clamped wafer 100 on the rear robot. It should be noted that the working principle of the second clamping mechanism 4 is the same as that of the first clamping mechanism 3 , which will not be repeated here.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , the turning support 2 includes a semi-circular rotating support 21 and a semi-circular connecting support 22. The rotating support 21 cooperates with the connecting support 22 to form a sleeve-shaped turning support 2. The turning mechanism 1 is connected to the rotating support 21. The parts of the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 are located in the turning support 2.

As shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 3 , both the turning support 2 and the connecting support 22 can be semi-annular sleeve structures made of metal, and the two can be fixedly connected by fasteners. Wherein, the outer circumference of the rotating support 21 has a rectangular boss, and the end of the connecting shaft 13 can be connected with the rectangular boss on the rotating support 21 using a plurality of fasteners; The top plate 511 of the first clamping mechanism 3 can be connected with the bottom end of the overturning support 2, and the driver 8 of the first clamping mechanism 3 can be located in the overturning support 2, while the second clamping mechanism 4 can be symmetrically arranged on the top of the overturning support 2. Further, the rotating support 21 and the connecting support 22 can cooperate with each other to engage the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 on the turning support 2, thereby greatly improving the disassembly and maintenance efficiency. With the above-mentioned design, since the parts of the first clamping mechanism 3 and the second clamping mechanism 4 can be located in the turning support 2, the space occupation of the embodiment of the present application can be greatly saved, and because the turning support 2 adopts a split structure, the structure of the embodiment of the present application is simple, thereby greatly improving the efficiency of disassembly and maintenance.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific structure of the overturning support 2 , for example, the overturning support 2 can also be made in an integrated manner. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting by themselves according to the actual situation.

Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application provides a semiconductor cleaning device. The structure diagram of the semiconductor cleaning device is shown in 9, including: a front manipulator 201, a rear manipulator 202, a process chamber 203, and a wafer flipping device 204 as provided in the above-mentioned embodiments. The circle is transferred into the process chamber 203. Specifically, a plurality of process chambers 203 can be arranged in two rows, and two cassettes 205 are arranged at intervals from one end of the two rows of process chambers 203, the front manipulator 201 is disposed close to the two cassettes 205, the rear manipulator 202 is disposed between the ends of the two rows of process chambers 203, and the wafer flipping device 204 is disposed between the front manipulator 201 and the rear manipulator 202. With the above design, since the first clamping mechanism 3 cooperates with the front manipulator 201 to pick and place the wafer, while the second clamping mechanism 4 cooperates with the rear manipulator 202 to pick and place the wafer, thereby greatly improving the transmission efficiency of the semiconductor cleaning equipment, thereby greatly improving the working efficiency of the semiconductor cleaning equipment. However, it should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific number of process chambers 203 and cassettes 205 , and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

By applying the embodiments of the present application, at least the following beneficial effects can be achieved:

In the embodiment of the present application, the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are arranged symmetrically at both ends of the flipping support, and the flipping mechanism drives the two to replace each other between the first position and the second position. Wafer inversion and transmission time, thereby greatly improving the work efficiency of the wafer transmission process, thereby greatly improving the work efficiency of semiconductor cleaning equipment.

The foregoing content summarizes the features of several embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art should also understand that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

1: Flip mechanism 2: flip support 3: The first clamping mechanism 4: The second clamping mechanism 6: The first driver 7: The second driver 8: drive 11: Bracket 12: Drive Department 13: connecting shaft 21: Swivel support 22: Connection support 51: Install the shell 52: clamping components 53: Drive components 61:Elastic part 62: connecting column 71: Transmission disc 72:Rolling parts 73: Install shaft 74: Bearing 100: Wafer 201: Front manipulator 202: rear manipulator 203: Process chamber 204: Wafer flipping device 205: film box 511: top plate 512: column 513: Bottom plate 514:Accommodating space 521: arm swing 522: clamping column 523: Pivot axis 524: first end 525: second end 526: pivot hole 527: limit slot

Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various components are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various components may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion. FIG. 1A is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer flipping device clamping a wafer provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. 1B is an exploded schematic diagram of a wafer flipping device provided in an embodiment of the present application; Fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present application; Fig. 3 is an exploded schematic diagram of a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present application; FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a clamping assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an installation shell provided by an embodiment of the present application; Fig. 6 is a perspective schematic diagram of a top view state of a second driving member provided by the embodiment of the present application; Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a second driving member in a bottom view provided by an embodiment of the present application; Fig. 8A is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present application, omitting parts of the structure; 8B is a schematic top view of a wafer clamped by a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application; FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a semiconductor cleaning device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

1: Flip mechanism

2: flip support

11: Bracket

100: Wafer

Claims (15)

A wafer flipping device for semiconductor cleaning equipment, which is arranged between a front manipulator and a rear manipulator of the semiconductor cleaning equipment, and is used for the front manipulator and the rear manipulator to take and place a wafer, and flip the wafer, including: a flip mechanism, a flip support, a first clamping mechanism, and a second clamp mechanism; Symmetrically arranged at the upper and lower ends of the flip support, the flip mechanism is used to drive the flip support to turn over to drive the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism to alternate between a first position and a second position. Both the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are used to selectively clamp or release the wafer. The wafer flipping device according to claim 1, wherein the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism each include a mounting shell, a driving element and a plurality of clamping elements, and a plurality of the clamping components are uniformly and spaced apart along the circumference of the mounting shell; the driving component is arranged on the mounting shell, and is used to drive a plurality of the clamping elements to move simultaneously relative to the mounting shell to clamp or release the wafer; the gap between any two adjacent clamping elements is used for the front manipulator or the rear manipulator to reach in to pick and place the wafer. The wafer flipping device according to claim 2, wherein each of the clamping elements is pivotally connected to the mounting shell, and can swing relative to the mounting shell in a first direction or in a second direction opposite thereto; a plurality of the clamping components can all swing in the first direction to clamp the wafer; or, can swing in the second direction to release the wafer. The wafer flipping device according to claim 3, wherein each of the clamping elements includes a swing arm and a clamping column; the first end of the swing arm is pivotally connected to the mounting shell through a pivot shaft, the second end of the swing arm is provided with the clamping column, and a plurality of the clamping columns are used to jointly clamp the edge of the wafer. The wafer flipping device according to claim 4, wherein the driving element includes a first driving element, a second driving element, and a driver, the first driving element and the second driving element are disposed in the mounting case, the driver is disposed on the mounting shell, and is connected to the second driving element, the driver is used to simultaneously drive the swing arms of a plurality of the clamping elements to swing around the pivot axis along the second direction through the second driving element when the driver is powered off; the first driving element is used to simultaneously drive a plurality of the clamping elements when the driver is powered off The swing arm swings along the first direction around the pivot shaft. The wafer inverting device according to claim 5, wherein the first driving member includes a plurality of elastic members, the plurality of elastic members are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of swing arms, and the plurality of elastic members are located on the same side of the plurality of swing arms along the circumferential direction of the installation case, one end of the elastic member is connected to the installation case, and the other end is connected to the swing arm, and is used to provide elastic force that can reset the swing arm when the driver is powered off. The wafer flipping device according to claim 6, wherein a connecting post is provided in the mounting case and on the swing arm, and the two ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to the connecting post in the mounting case and the connecting post on the swing arm. The wafer inverting device according to claim 6, wherein the driver is arranged outside the mounting case, and the output shaft of the driver extends into the mounting case and is connected to the second driving member for driving the second driving member to rotate; the first ends of the plurality of swing arms extend into the mounting case and contact the second driving member, so that the second driving member can push the swing arm to swing along the second direction when rotating. The wafer inverting device according to claim 8, wherein the second driving member includes a transmission plate and a rolling member, the transmission plate is arranged coaxially with the output shaft of the driver, a plurality of rolling parts are arranged on the side of the transmission plate away from the driver, the first ends of each swing arm extend to one side of each rolling member in the circumferential direction of the drive plate, and roll in contact with the rolling member; the elastic member and the rolling member are respectively located on opposite sides of the corresponding swing arm. The wafer inverting device according to claim 9, wherein the rolling member includes a mounting shaft and a bearing, the mounting shaft is fixedly connected to the transmission disc, and the axis of the mounting shaft is parallel to the output shaft of the driver; the bearing is sleeved on the mounting shaft. The wafer flipping device as claimed in item 8, wherein the installation shell includes a top plate, a vertical A column and a bottom plate, a plurality of the columns are located between the top plate and the bottom plate, and are evenly and spaced along the circumferential direction of the top plate and the bottom plate, the gap between any two of the columns is used for the first end of the swing arm to extend in, and the driver is arranged on the side of the top plate away from the bottom plate. The wafer flipping device according to claim 4, wherein one end of the clamping column is connected to the second end of the swing arm, and the axial direction of the clamping column is perpendicular to the axial direction of the swing arm; the other end of the clamping column is provided with a limiting groove for accommodating the edge of the wafer. The wafer inversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the inversion mechanism includes a driving part and a connecting shaft, the driving part is fixedly arranged, and the rotating shaft of the driving part is connected to the inverting support through the connecting shaft. The wafer inversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the inversion support includes a semi-circular rotating support and a semi-circular connecting support, the rotating support cooperates with the connecting support to form a sleeve-shaped inverting support, the inverting mechanism is connected to the rotating support, and parts of the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism are located in the inverting support. A semiconductor cleaning equipment, which includes a front manipulator, a rear manipulator, a process chamber and the wafer flipping device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the front manipulator is used to transfer the wafer in the cassette to the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism, and the rear manipulator is used to transfer the wafer on the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism to the process chamber.