TWI830444B - Semiconductor process equipment and grasping device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A semiconductor process equipment and a grasping device thereof. The grabbing device is used for grabbing the wafer, and is connected with the driving device in the semiconductor process equipment, and is used for transmitting the wafer under the driving of the driving device, including: a housing, a driving mechanism and a plurality of clamping pieces; The housing is used for connecting with the drive device and moving under the drive of the drive device; A plurality of clips are rotationally connected with the housing and distributed at intervals along the circumference of the housing. The driving mechanism is used to synchronously drive each clip to rotate to clamp or release the edge of the wafer.

Description

Semiconductor process equipment and gripping devices

This application relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology. Specifically, this application relates to a semiconductor processing equipment and a grabbing device.

In wet cleaning equipment in the field of integrated circuits, the transmission system plays a vital role. The way and position of wafer removal affect the final process effect of the wafer, especially the stability during the removal process. .

In the prior art, the front end of the grabbing device is fixedly provided with a front limit stop, and the rear end is slidably provided with a rear limit stop. The movement of the rear limit stop is controlled by a cylinder. During the grabbing process, the wafer is limited by the two front limit stops, and the rear limit stop is pushed toward the wafer through the cylinder until the rear limit stop is in contact with the two front limit stops. The wafer is clamped between the three blocks together. However, when the gas is blown to the lower surface of the wafer through the carrying device to make the wafer float above the carrying device using Bernoulli's principle, the wafer will float on the carrying device. Multiple stuck pins are shaking inside, causing the wafer to be slightly offset when grabbing the wafer, causing the grabbing device to fail to pick up the wafer. It is also possible that although the wafer pick-up is successful, the front limit stop or the rear The limit stopper does not clamp the wafer, causing the wafer to fall off and fragment during transportation.

In view of the shortcomings of the existing methods, this application proposes a semiconductor processing equipment and a grabbing device to solve the technical problems of failed chip picking and fragmentation caused by wafer deflection in the existing technology.

In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a grabbing device for semiconductor processing equipment, used for grabbing wafers, and connected to a driving device in the semiconductor processing equipment, for transporting the wafer under the driving of the driving device. Circle, which includes: a housing, a driving mechanism and a plurality of engaging parts; the housing is used to be connected with the driving device and used to move under the driving of the driving device; a plurality of the engaging parts are connected with the housing Rotally connected and distributed at intervals along the circumference of the housing, the driving mechanism is used to synchronously drive each of the clamping members to rotate to clamp or release the edge of the wafer.

In one embodiment of the present application, a plurality of the clamping members position the wafer below the housing when clamping the wafer, and the housing has a hollow portion, and the hollow portion is used to make the wafer The upper surface is exposed.

In one embodiment of the present application, each of the engaging members includes a rotating shaft and an eccentric shaft. The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the housing. The eccentric shaft is eccentrically arranged and fixedly connected to the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft can revolve around Its axis rotates clockwise or counterclockwise to drive the eccentric shaft to rotate to a first position for clamping the edge of the wafer, or a second position for releasing the edge of the wafer.

In one embodiment of the present application, a bearing portion is provided on an end of the eccentric shaft away from the rotation axis. The bearing portion is used to support the bottom edge of the wafer when the eccentric shaft rotates to the first position.

In one embodiment of the present application, the eccentric shaft includes a clamping post, and the bearing part includes a bearing plate; one end of the clamping pillar is connected to the rotating shaft, and the other end of the clamping pillar is connected to the bearing plate; the bearing The plates are spaced below the rotating shaft and eccentrically arranged with the clamping column to support the bottom edge of the wafer when the eccentric shaft rotates to the first position.

In one embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism includes an annular driving member disposed in the housing and arranged around the circumference of the housing. The annular driving member is connected to the rotating shafts of a plurality of the engaging members, The rotating shaft is used to synchronously drive a plurality of the engaging parts to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around its axis.

In one embodiment of the present application, the outer circumferential surface of the annular driving member is provided with a toothed structure, and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shafts of the plurality of engaging members is provided with first tooth portions that mesh with the toothed structure. The driving member rotates around its own axis to synchronously drive the rotating shafts of the plurality of engaging members to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around their axes.

In an embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism further includes a transmission member and a driver. The transmission member is disposed in the housing, and the outer periphery of the transmission member has a second tooth portion that meshes with the tooth structure. The driver is connected to the toothed structure. The transmission member is connected and used to drive the annular driving member to rotate by driving the transmission member to rotate around its own axis.

In an embodiment of the present application, the housing includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate, the first cover plate is covered with the second cover plate, and the first cover plate and the second cover plate both There is a gap for docking to form the hollow portion; an installation space is formed between the two, and the installation space is used to accommodate the first tooth portion, the annular driving member and the transmission member.

In one embodiment of the present application, the grabbing device further includes a connecting structure, one end of which is connected to the housing, and the other end of which is higher than the top surface of the housing for connecting with the driving device. connection.

In a second aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor processing equipment, including: a process chamber, a driving device and a grabbing device as provided in the first aspect. The processing chamber is provided with a liftable carrying device, and the grabbing device The picking device is connected to the driving device and is used to move above the carrying device to grab or release the wafer driven by the driving device.

The beneficial technical effects brought by the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application are:

In the embodiment of the present application, the housing is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed engaging members, and the multiple engaging members cooperate with the edge of the wafer to realize the engaging and clamping of the wafer, and then realize the clamping through the driving device. Transfer of wafers. Since the plurality of latching members are arranged along the circumference of the casing, the ring formed by the plurality of latching members can be arranged concentrically with the casing. During the actual process of grabbing the wafer, the wafer can be connected to the multiple latching members. The joint and the housing are all concentrically arranged to avoid the wafer and the grasping device being offset and causing the wafer grasping failure, or the wafer being detached and fragmented due to the wafer offset after the grasping is successful, thereby ensuring that the wafer is picked up. The stability and success rate of wafers are improved, thereby improving wafer transfer efficiency and wafer yield.

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, the following description in which 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 Embodiments 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 numbers and/or letters in various instances. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity and does not inherently indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.

In addition, for ease of description, spatially relative terms such as “below,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like may be used herein to describe one element or component in relation to another(s). The relationship between components or components, as illustrated in the figure. Spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation other than the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the disclosure are approximations, the values stated 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 "approximately" means within one acceptable standard error of the mean when considered by one of ordinary skill in the art. Except in operating/working examples, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all numerical ranges such as quantities, durations of time, temperatures, operating conditions, ratios of quantities, and the like for materials disclosed herein, Quantities, values and percentages should be understood to be modified in all instances by the term "approximately". Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the patent claims of this disclosure and accompanying invention claims are approximations that may vary as necessary. At a minimum, each numerical parameter should be interpreted in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Ranges may be expressed herein as from one endpoint to the other endpoint or between two endpoints. All ranges disclosed herein include endpoints unless otherwise specified.

Embodiments of the present application provide a grabbing device for semiconductor processing equipment, used to grab the wafer 100, and connected to a driving device in the semiconductor processing equipment, used to transport the wafer under the driving of the driving device. The structural schematic diagram of the grabbing device is shown in Figure 1A, Figure 1B and Figure 3. It includes: a housing 1, a driving mechanism 3 and a plurality of engaging parts 2; the housing 1 is used to connect with the driving device in the semiconductor processing equipment. , used to move under the drive of the driving device; a plurality of engaging parts 2 are rotationally connected to the housing 1 and distributed at intervals along the circumference of the housing 1, and the driving mechanism 3 is used to synchronously drive each engaging part 2 to rotate, so as to The edge of wafer 100 is clamped or released.

As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B , the semiconductor processing equipment may be equipment used to perform a single-wafer wet etching process, and the grabbing device may grab the wafer 100 and transport the wafer 100 under the driving of the driving device. It can be moved into or out of the process chamber, but the embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific type of semiconductor process equipment, and those skilled in the art can adjust it according to the actual situation. The housing 1 can be a disc structure made of metal, the engaging parts 2 can be a columnar structure made of metal, and the plurality of engaging parts 2 can be arranged on the housing 1 along the circumferential direction of the housing 1 The bottom, and the tops of the plurality of clamping members 2 are rotationally connected to the housing 1, and the bottoms of the plurality of clamping members 2 cooperate with each other for contact with the edge of the wafer 100, so as to realize the removal of the carrying device from the process chamber (Fig. (not shown), the wafer 100 is grasped, and since the housing 1 is connected to the driving device of the semiconductor processing equipment, the housing 1 and the clamping member 2 can transport the wafer 100 under the driving of the driving device. The driving mechanism 3 can be drive-connected to a plurality of clamping members 2, and is used to synchronously drive each clamping member 2 to rotate, so that the plurality of clamping members 2 rotate simultaneously to clamp or release the edge of the wafer. Furthermore, since the plurality of engaging members 2 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the housing 1, the circle formed by the plurality of engaging members 2 can be arranged concentrically with the housing 1. During the actual process of grabbing the wafer 100 The wafer 100 can be arranged concentrically with the plurality of clamping members 2 and the housing 1, thereby preventing the wafer 100 from being offset from the grasping device and causing the wafer 100 to fail to grasp, or the wafer 100 to be grasped successfully due to the 100 offset causes the wafer 100 to fall off and become fragmented, thereby greatly improving the yield of the wafer 100 .

In the embodiment of the present application, the housing is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed engaging members, and the multiple engaging members cooperate with the edge of the wafer to realize the engaging and clamping of the wafer, and then realize the clamping through the driving device. Transfer of wafers. Since the plurality of latching members are arranged along the circumferential direction of the casing, the circle formed by the plurality of latching members can be arranged concentrically with the casing. During the actual process of grabbing the wafer, the wafer can be aligned with the multiple latching members. The joint and the housing are all concentrically arranged to avoid the wafer and the grasping device being offset and causing the wafer grasping failure, or the wafer being detached and fragmented due to the wafer offset after the grasping is successful, thereby ensuring that the wafer is picked up. The stability and success rate of wafers are improved, thereby improving wafer transfer efficiency and wafer yield.

It should be noted that the embodiments of the present application do not limit the placement positions of the plurality of latching members 2. For example, the plurality of latching members 2 can also be disposed on the top of the housing 1, thereby realizing grabbing from the bottom of the wafer 100. . Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 1B , when the plurality of clamping members 2 clamp the wafer 100, the wafer 100 is located below the housing 1, and the housing 1 has a hollow portion 11. The hollow portion The portion 11 is used to expose the upper surface of the wafer 100 . Specifically, the housing 1 can adopt a ring-shaped structure made of metal, so that a circular hollow portion 11 is formed in the center of the housing 1. The diameter of the hollow portion 11 can be slightly smaller than the size of the wafer 100. The effective process area of the wafer 100 except the edge is exposed. Moreover, the diameter of the hollow portion 11 can also be smaller than the diameter of the circle surrounded by the plurality of engaging members 2, so that multiple engaging members 2 can be provided on the housing 1, thereby making the implementation structure of the present application simple and reasonably designed. Using the above design, due to the existence of the hollow portion 11 during actual removal, the upper surface of the wafer 100 can always be exposed under the electrostatic generator and fan assembly components on the top of the process chamber, thereby ensuring the electrostatic balance on the upper surface of the wafer 100 and cleanliness, reducing the overall particle contamination of the wafer 100, thereby improving the effect of the process.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific diameter of the hollow portion 11 . The diameter of the hollow portion 11 can be set corresponding to the diameter of the wafer 100 , as long as the diameter of the hollow portion 11 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the wafer 100 . Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , each engaging member 2 is rotatably disposed on the housing 1 , and the plurality of engaging members 2 can clamp or release the wafer by rotating. The edge of 100. Specifically, each of the plurality of engaging pieces 2 can rotate around its own central axis, and during the synchronous rotation process, the size of the circle enclosed by the plurality of engaging pieces 2 will change, and the circular shape can be realized by switching the direction of rotation. The shape size is switched between increasing and decreasing, by driving multiple clamping parts 2 to rotate simultaneously, and when the multiple clamping parts 2 rotate to the largest enclosed circular size, the multiple clamping parts 2 can be released Wafer 100; when the plurality of clamping members 2 are rotated to the smallest enclosed circular size, the plurality of clamping members 2 can clamp the edge of the wafer 100. Using the above design, the wafer 100 can be clamped and released by rotating a plurality of clamping members 2. Not only is it easy to adjust and takes up less space, but the engagement of the edges of the clamping members 2 with the wafer 100 makes the application practical. The contact area with the wafer 100 is smaller, thereby effectively reducing the contact area with the wafer 100 and avoiding contamination during the process of grabbing the wafer 100 . Furthermore, a plurality of clamping members 2 may be disposed at the bottom of the housing 1 to facilitate grabbing the wafer 100 from above the carrying device.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation of the engaging member 2. For example, the engaging member 2 can also rotate around other central axes, as long as it can clamp the edge of the wafer 100 after movement. Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 2B , each engaging member 2 includes a rotating shaft 21 and an eccentric shaft 22 . The rotating shaft 21 is rotatably connected to the housing 1 . The eccentric shaft 22 and the rotating shaft 21 Eccentrically arranged and fixedly connected, the rotating shaft 21 can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around its axis to drive the eccentric shaft 22 to rotate to a first position for clamping the edge of the wafer 100 or a second position for releasing the edge of the wafer 100 .

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 2B , the engaging member 2 may include an integrally formed rotating shaft 21 and an eccentric shaft 22 , and the overall shape may be a rod-shaped structure. The top of the rotating shaft 21 may be disposed in the housing 1 , the eccentric shaft 22 may be located at the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21 , and the eccentric shaft 22 is offset to one side of the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21 . However, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific structure of the engaging member 2. For example, the eccentric shaft 22 can be welded to the rotating shaft 21, or the eccentric shaft 22 can also be fixed to the bottom of the rotating shaft 21 using fasteners, as long as the eccentric shaft 22 is on the rotating shaft 21. When rotating around its central axis to the first position or the second position, it only needs to be able to engage or release with the edge of the wafer 100 . In practical applications, the rotating shaft 21 can be rotated clockwise by a preset angle so that the eccentric shafts 22 of the plurality of engaging members 2 move toward the middle of the housing 1 at the same time, so that the circular size formed by the plurality of engaging members 2 shrink, thereby clamping the edge of the wafer 100; or, rotate the rotating shaft 21 counterclockwise by a preset angle, so that the eccentric shafts 22 of multiple clamping members 2 move toward the edge of the housing 1 at the same time, so that multiple The size of the circle formed by the two engaging parts 2 is increased, so that the wafer 100 can be released. The above design makes the structure of the embodiment of the present application simple and easy to control, thereby greatly improving the grabbing efficiency and reducing the failure rate.

In one embodiment of the present application, a bearing portion is provided on an end of the eccentric shaft 22 away from the rotation axis 21 . The bearing portion is used to support the bottom edge of the wafer 100 when the eccentric shaft 22 rotates to the first position. With the help of the bearing part, the edge of the wafer 100 can be clamped by the eccentric shaft 22 and the bottom edge of the wafer 100 can be supported by the bearing part, so that an engaging position is formed between the bearing part and the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21 for use. The edge of the wafer 100 is engaged in the engaging position, thereby preventing the wafer 100 from falling off the engaging member 2 . With the above design, since the carrying portion can be located at the bottom of the wafer 100 during use, even if the clamping pillar 23 does not clamp the wafer 100 strongly enough, the wafer 100 cannot fall off from the clamping member 2 , thus greatly improving the efficiency of the present application. Example: safety and stability of taking slices.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 2B , the eccentric shaft 22 includes a clamping column 23 ; the above-mentioned bearing portion includes a bearing plate 24 ; one end of the clamping column 23 is connected to the rotating shaft 21 , and the clamping column 23 The other end is connected to the bearing plate 24; the bearing plate 24 is arranged at intervals below the rotating shaft 21 and is eccentrically arranged with the clamping column 23 to support the bottom edge of the wafer 100 when the eccentric shaft 22 rotates to the above-mentioned first position. In this way, the edge of the wafer 100 can be clamped by the clamping posts 23 and the bottom edge of the wafer 100 can be supported by the carrier plate 24 . Optionally, the bottom end of the bearing plate 24 and the rotating shaft 21 can also be used to clamp the edge of the wafer 100 together. That is, the bearing plate 24 supports the bottom edge of the wafer 100, and at the same time, the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21 presses the edge of the wafer 100. Top edge. In practical applications, the clamping column 23 and the load-bearing plate 24 may adopt an integrally formed structure, or they may adopt a split structure and be fixedly connected through fasteners.

In a specific embodiment, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, one end of the clamping column 23 is connected to the rotating shaft 21, and the other end is connected to the load-bearing plate 24; the clamping column 23 is, for example, a bar-shaped column. The length direction is arranged along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 21, and the thickness direction is arranged along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 21. The outer peripheral wall of the bar-shaped column is, for example, arc-shaped, and part of the outer peripheral wall of the bar-shaped column is aligned with part of the peripheral wall of the rotating shaft 21. , that is, to achieve the eccentric setting of the two. The bearing plate 24 is, for example, a circular plate. The projection of the clamping column 23 on the bearing plate 24 is located in the edge area of the bearing plate 24. The diameter of the bearing plate 24 is greater than the thickness of the strip column, and part of the periphery of the bearing plate 24 is in contact with the clamping plate. Part of the peripheral wall of the column 23 is aligned, so that the carrier plate 24 can extend into the bottom of the wafer when the strip column contacts the edge of the wafer. In practical applications, the above-mentioned clamping column 23 is not limited to a strip column, and can also adopt other arbitrary shapes, such as cylindrical, elliptical, etc., as long as the rotating shaft 21 can be rotated around its central axis to the first position. or the second position, it can be engaged or released with the edge of the wafer 100; the above-mentioned carrying plate 24 is not limited to a circular plate, and it can also adopt other arbitrary shapes, such as rectangle, square, oval, etc. , as long as the bottom edge of the wafer 100 can be supported or released when the rotating shaft 21 rotates around its central axis to the first position or the second position. The embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , the driving mechanism 3 includes an annular driving member 31 disposed in the housing 1 and arranged around the circumference of the housing 1 . The annular driving member 31 and The rotating shafts 21 of the plurality of engaging members 2 are connected to synchronously drive the rotating shafts 21 of the plurality of engaging members 2 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around their axes, so that the engaging members 2 clamp or release the wafer 100 .

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , the annular driving member 31 may be a circular annular structure made of metal, which is disposed in the housing 1 and located inside the plurality of engaging members 2 . Each of the latching pieces 2 comes into contact to drive all the latching pieces 2 to rotate. Further, the specific number of the engaging parts 2 can be six, and every three are divided into one group. The two sets of engaging parts 2 are symmetrically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the annular driving part 31 to effectively reduce the number of engaging parts 2 quantity, thereby reducing application and maintenance costs. In this way, one annular driving member 31 drives multiple engaging members 2 to rotate, which facilitates the control of the engaging members 2 and also facilitates the installation of the annular driving member 31 . Using the above design, only one annular driving member 31 can drive multiple engaging members 2 to rotate at the same time, which not only greatly reduces application and maintenance costs, but also improves stability and reduces failure rates.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation of the annular driving member 31. For example, multiple engaging members 2 may be provided on the inner periphery of the annular driving member 31, or each engaging member 2 may be provided with a separate An annular driver 31. Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , the outer circumferential surface of the annular driving member 31 is provided with a toothed structure, and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shafts 21 of the plurality of engaging members 2 is provided with a toothed structure that meshes with the toothed structure. The first tooth portion, the annular driving member 31 rotates around its own axis to synchronously drive the rotating shafts 21 of the plurality of engaging members 2 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around their axes. Specifically, the outer peripheral wall of the annular driving member 31 is provided with a tooth-shaped structure, that is, the overall structure of the annular driving member 31 is in the shape of a hollow gear. The top of the rotating shaft 21 of the engaging member 2 can be provided with a first tooth portion. The first tooth portion is, for example, a gear sleeved on the top of the rotating shaft 21 . The first tooth portion of the engaging member 2 and the toothed structure of the annular driving member 31 Engagement settings. Through the tooth structure of the annular driving member 31 meshing with the first tooth portion of the engaging member 2, the power is transmitted from the annular driving member 31 to the engaging member 2. The power transmission is relatively stable and accurate, and it is easy to control the engagement through the number of meshed teeth. The rotation angle of the component 2 prevents the wafer 100 from being fragmented due to the large engaging force of the engaging component 2 on the wafer 100, thereby improving the safety and stability of the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific transmission method of the annular driving member 31 and the engaging member 2. For example, the two can also be transmitted through contact friction, thereby reducing processing costs. Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , the driving mechanism 3 also includes a transmission member 32 and a driver (not shown in the figures). The transmission member 32 is disposed in the housing 1 , and the transmission member 32 The outer periphery of the ring has a second tooth portion that meshes with the tooth structure. The driver is connected to the transmission member 32 and is used to drive the annular driving member 31 to rotate by driving the transmission member 32 to rotate around its own axis. Specifically, the transmission member 32 can adopt a gear structure, that is, the outer periphery of the transmission member 32 has a second tooth portion that meshes with the tooth structure. The transmission member 32 can be disposed in the housing 1 as a whole, and the second tooth portion is engaged with the tooth structure of the annular driving member 31. The driver is connected to the transmission member 32. The driver may be a motor, for example, and the transmission member is used to transfer the power of the driver. The power is transmitted to the annular driving member 31 , and then the tooth structure of the annular driving member 31 meshes with the first tooth portion of the engaging member 2 , thereby transmitting the power from the annular driving member 31 to the engaging member 2 . Since the transmission member 32 , the annular driving member 31 and the engaging member 2 are all driven by gears, the power transmission is relatively stable and accurate, and it is easy to control the rotation angle of the transmission member 32 through the number of meshed teeth, thereby avoiding the impact of the transmission member 32 on the wafer 100 The large clamping force causes the wafer 100 to fragment, thereby further improving the safety and stability of the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific number of transmission members 32. For example, the transmission members 32 may be multiple and distributed around the outer periphery of the annular driving member 31, thereby improving the stability of power transmission. Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , the housing 1 includes a first cover 12 and a second cover 13 . The first cover 12 is covered on the second cover 13 . Both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 have circular notches for butting to form a hollow portion 11; and the two butts form an installation space, and the installation space is used to accommodate the first tooth portion, the annular driving member 31 and the transmission member. 32.

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 adopt a circular ring structure, that is, both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 have circular notches. When the first cover plate 12 When the plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 are closed, the circular notch cooperates to form the hollow portion 11 of the above embodiment. Both the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 are formed with annular grooves extending along their circumferential direction. When the first cover plate 12 and the second cover plate 13 are closed, the two cover plates can form an installation space. In order to accommodate the first tooth portion of the rotating shaft 21, the annular driving member 31 and the transmission member 32. Further, the first tooth portion of the engaging member 2 is located in the installation space, the top end of the engaging member 2 can be connected to the first cover plate 12, and part of the rotating shaft 21 and the eccentric shaft 22 of the engaging member 2 pass through the second cover plate. 13, located at the bottom of the second cover 13; and the annular driving member 31 and the transmission member 32 are both disposed on the first cover 12. In practical applications, each component can be disassembled and maintained by simply disassembling the second cover 13 , thereby greatly improving the disassembly and maintenance efficiency of the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the cooperation mode between the engaging member 2, the transmission member 32 and the driving member and the housing 1. For example, the engaging member 2, the transmission member 32 and the annular driving member 31 can all be provided. on the second housing 1. Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings by themselves according to the actual situation.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 , the grabbing device further includes a connecting structure 5 , one end (such as the bottom end) of the connecting structure 5 is connected to the housing 1 , and one end (such as the bottom end) of the connecting structure 5 is connected to the housing 1 . The top) is higher than the top surface of the housing 1 and is used to connect with the driving device. Specifically, the connection structure 5 and the housing 1 can adopt an integrally formed structure, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited to this. For example, the two can also adopt a split structure. Further, the connecting structure 5 can specifically adopt an inverted "L"-shaped structure, in which the vertical rod of the connecting structure 5 can be arranged on one side of the housing 1, and the bottom end of the vertical rod can be integrally formed with the outer peripheral wall of the housing 1. The top end is higher than the top surface of the housing 1, that is, the height of the vertical bar is greater than the axial height of the housing 1. One end of the horizontal bar of the connecting structure 5 can be connected to the top of the vertical bar, and the other end is used to connect to the driving device. In practical applications, the driving device can directly drive the housing 1 into the process chamber to take out the film. Specifically, when the process chamber is used to perform the cleaning process, the carrying device can be lifted and lowered in the process chamber, and the connection structure 5 The design allows the carrying device to drive the wafer up to a certain distance from the opening of the process chamber. At this time, the housing 1 can be extended into the process chamber to pick and place the wafer, which avoids the need in the prior art for the carrying device to lift the wafer to Only when the grasping device is flush with the opening of the process chamber can the wafer be picked up and placed, thereby causing particle contamination problems. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application not only prevents the upper surface of the wafer 100 from being contaminated by particles to a certain extent, but also improves the transmission efficiency. Furthermore, since there is no need for the carrying device to rise to a higher position, mechanical interference between the housing 1 and the carrying device can be avoided, thereby further improving the safety and stability of the embodiment of the present application.

In order to further illustrate the technical effects of the embodiments of the present application, a specific implementation of the present application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4B, when the process chamber completes the process, since the carrying device 201 and the engaging member do not rotate relative to each other, the angles between the two can be adjusted by preset to achieve the six positions of the carrying device 201. The positions of the clamping pins 202 are staggered from the positions of the six clamping members 2. For example, the included angle between any two adjacent clamping pins 202 and the connecting line between the clamping members 2 and the axis of the housing 1 is 15 degrees. At this time, the driving device drives the housing 1 to move into the process chamber, and when the axis of the grabbing device coincides with the axis of the process chamber, the housing 1 and the engaging member 2 descend at the same time. When the engaging member 2 The upper surface of the carrier plate 24 drops to 1 mm away from the lower surface of the wafer 100 and stops. Since there is protective gas between the carrying device and the lower surface of the wafer 100, the wafer 100 rocks within the range of the six clamping pins 202. At this time, the housing 1 is controlled to rise so that the upper surface of the carrying plate 24 is in contact with the wafer 100. The lower surface contacts, the wafer 100 stops shaking, and the clamping member 2 rotates at a preset angle driven by the annular driving member 31 to collect the wafer 100 to the center of the housing 1. After the wafer 100 is clamped, the housing 1 Lift up and remove wafer 100. When releasing the wafer, the grabbing device grabs the wafer 100 and enters the process chamber and places it on the carrying device 201 . The six latching members 2 open to release the wafer 100 , and then the grabbing device rises and leaves the process chamber.

Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor processing equipment, including: a process chamber, a driving device, and a grabbing device as provided in the above embodiments. The processing chamber is provided with a liftable carrying device, and the grabbing device It is connected to the driving device and is used to move above the carrying device to grab or release the wafer driven by the driving device.

Optionally, the semiconductor processing equipment may be a single-wafer cleaning equipment, for example.

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

In the embodiment of the present application, the housing is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed engaging members, and the multiple engaging members cooperate with the edge of the wafer to realize the engaging and clamping of the wafer, and then realize the clamping through the driving device. Transfer of wafers. Since the plurality of latching members are arranged along the circumference of the casing, the ring formed by the plurality of latching members can be arranged concentrically with the casing. During the actual process of grabbing the wafer, the wafer can be connected to the multiple latching members. The joint and the housing are all concentrically arranged to avoid the wafer and the grasping device being offset and causing the wafer grasping failure, or the wafer being detached and fragmented due to the wafer offset after the grasping is successful, thereby ensuring that the wafer is picked up. The stability and success rate of wafers are improved, thereby improving wafer transfer efficiency and wafer yield.

The foregoing content summarizes the features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may 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 disclosure, and that they can be variously changed, replaced, and altered herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

1: Shell 2:Clamping parts 3: Driving mechanism 5: Connection structure 11: Hollow part 12:First cover 13:Second cover 21:Rotating axis 22: Eccentric shaft 23: Clamping column 24: Loading board 31: Ring driver 32: Transmission parts 100:wafer 201: Carrying device 202: stuck needle

The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in accordance with standard practice in the industry, the various components are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various components may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. Figure 1A is a schematic front view of a grabbing device provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 1B is a schematic top view of a grabbing device provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2A is a schematic front view of a clamping member provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2B is a schematic bottom view of a clamping member provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 is a schematic bottom view of an omitted part of a grabbing device provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4A is a schematic structural diagram of the cooperation between a grabbing device and a carrying device provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. 4B is a schematic structural diagram of the cooperation between a grabbing device and a clamping pin of a carrying device according to an embodiment of the present application.

1: Shell

2:Clamping parts

5: Connection structure

12:First cover

13:Second cover

100:wafer

Claims (10)

A grabbing device for semiconductor processing equipment, used to grab wafers, and connected to a driving device in the semiconductor processing equipment, used to transport the wafer under the driving of the driving device, including: a housing, a driving device mechanism and a plurality of engaging pieces; the housing is used to be connected with the driving device and used to move under the driving of the driving device; a plurality of the engaging pieces are rotationally connected with the housing and move along the circumference of the housing. Distributed at intervals, the driving mechanism is used to synchronously drive each of the clamping members to rotate to clamp or release the edge of the wafer; wherein each of the clamping members includes a rotating shaft and an eccentric shaft, and the rotating shaft is connected with the wafer edge. The housing is rotatably connected, and the eccentric shaft is eccentrically arranged and fixedly connected to the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around its axis to drive the eccentric shaft to rotate to the first position that clamps the edge of the wafer. position, or release a second position on the edge of the wafer. The grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the clamping members keep the wafer below the housing when clamping the wafer, and the housing has a hollow portion, and the hollow portion is used for To expose the upper surface of the wafer. The grabbing device of claim 1, wherein a bearing portion is provided on an end of the eccentric shaft away from the rotation axis, and the bearing portion is used to support the bottom of the wafer when the eccentric shaft rotates to the first position. at the edge. The grabbing device of claim 3, wherein the eccentric shaft includes a clamping column, and the bearing part includes a bearing plate; one end of the clamping column is connected to the rotating shaft, and the other end of the clamping column is connected to the rotating shaft. The bearing plate is connected; the bearing plate is arranged at intervals below the rotating shaft and is eccentrically arranged with the clamping column to support the bottom edge of the wafer when the eccentric shaft rotates to the first position. The grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism includes an annular driving member disposed in the housing and arranged around the circumference of the housing, and the annular driving member is connected with a plurality of the engaging members. The rotating shaft connection is used to synchronously drive the rotating shafts of a plurality of the engaging parts to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around their axes. The grabbing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the outer circumferential surface of the annular driving member is provided with a toothed structure, and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shafts of the plurality of engaging members is provided with a first gear meshing with the toothed structure. The tooth portion, the annular driving member rotates around its own axis to synchronously drive the rotating shafts of multiple engaging members to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around their axes. The grabbing device according to claim 6, wherein the driving mechanism further includes a transmission member and a driver, the transmission member is disposed in the housing, and the outer periphery of the transmission member has a first gear meshing with the toothed structure. The driver is connected with the transmission member and is used to drive the annular driving member to rotate by driving the transmission member to rotate around its own axis. The grabbing device of claim 7, wherein the housing includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate, the first cover plate is closed on the second cover plate, and the first cover plate and Each of the second cover plates has a gap for butting to form the hollow portion; the two cover plates are butted to form an installation space, and the installation space is used to accommodate the first tooth portion, the annular driving member and the transmission member. The grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein the grabbing device further includes a connecting structure, one end of which is connected to the housing, and the other end of which is higher than the top surface of the housing. to connect to the drive device. A semiconductor processing equipment, which includes: a process chamber, a driving device and a grabbing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9. The processing chamber is provided with a liftable carrying device, and the grabbing device The picking device is connected to the driving device and is used to move above the carrying device to grab or release the wafer driven by the driving device.