TW201712783A - Contactless wafer moving device generating a sucking force that is applied to a to-be-moved wafer in a way that the to-be-moved wafer is held at a distance from an operating terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

A contactless wafer moving device operable to move a to-be-moved wafer includes a base, a moving arm, a tube disposed in the moving arm, and a negative pressure device. The moving arm, which is pivotally connected to the base and moves relative to the base, includes an operating terminal away from the base. The tube includes a channel that receives fluid and a sucking opening that is communicated with the channel and formed at the operating terminal. The negative pressure device is connected to the channel and applies a negative pressure to the fluid in the channel, so that the sucking opening generates a sucking force that is applied to the to-be-moved wafer in a way that the to-be-moved wafer is held at a distance from the operating terminal. As a result, the to-be-moved wafers can be moved without contact.

Description

Non-contact wafer handling device

The present invention relates to a wafer handling device, and more particularly to a non-contact wafer handling device.

A wafer (Wafer) refers to a germanium wafer used in the fabrication of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit (IC) is fabricated thereon, and the fabrication process of the integrated circuit requires dozens or even hundreds of steps. With the development of electronic information products in the direction of lightness and thinness, if they are still manpowered as in the past, it is easy to cause errors, and the production yield is reduced, and the increasingly complicated process requires a lot of manpower. Therefore, Today's fabs use robotic arms instead of manpower to handle wafers.

A common wafer holding robot, such as the "Holding device for wafers" of US Pat. No. 6,918,735, which discloses a holding device for a wafer, comprising a clamping arm and two oppositely disposed on the clamping arm The upper clamp and a transmission electrically connected to the two clamps, the transmission controls the opening of the two clamps, and can move a part of the periphery of the wafer.

However, when the two clamps hold the wafer, the wafer is easily bent or damaged due to uneven application, and the two clamps block the surface of a part of the wafer, and the process cannot be processed. Moreover, the two fixtures operate. After a period of time, the position at which the wafer is picked and dropped may be offset, and the wafer is scratched. Therefore, how to reduce the wafer damage caused by the clamping device and the wafer being blocked by the clamping device The problem of not being able to process the process is an important issue.

The main object of the present invention is to solve the problem that the wafer is damaged by the clamping device and the surface of a portion of the wafer is blocked, so that the process cannot be processed.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a non-contact wafer transfer device for carrying a wafer to be transported, comprising a base, a moving arm, a tube body and a negative pressure device, the moving arm and the The base is pivoted and moved relative to the base, and has an operating end remote from the base. The tube body is disposed in the moving arm, and includes a channel for accommodating a fluid and a communication with the channel. The suction device is connected to the passage at the suction port of the operating end.

The negative pressure device generates a negative pressure on the fluid in the channel to cause the operating end to generate an adsorption force acting on the wafer to be transported, and maintain the operating distance between the wafer to be transported and the suction port. .

In summary, the negative pressure device generates a negative pressure on the fluid in the channel, so that the suction port generates an adsorption force, and the adsorption force can adsorb the wafer to be transported and the wafer to be handled and The suction port is kept at a distance, so that the wafer to be conveyed can be transported to different positions without contacting the wafer to be conveyed, and the conventional holding of the crystal to be carried by the clamping device can be prevented. The problem of damage caused by the roundness, and the surface of the wafer to be handled is blocked by the holding device, and the process cannot be processed.

The detailed description and technical content of the present invention will now be described as follows:

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C for a schematic cross-sectional view and a schematic diagram of an operation flow according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The present invention is a non-contact wafer transfer device for carrying a wafer to be transported 70, comprising a base 10, a moving arm 20, a tube body 30 and a vacuum device 40, the moving arm 20 The base 10 is pivotally connected to the base 10 and includes a working end 21 away from the base 10. The tube 30 is disposed in the moving arm 20 and includes a passage 31 for accommodating a fluid. And a suction port 32 communicating with the passage 31 and formed at the operating end 21, the vacuum device 40 is connected to the passage 31. In this embodiment, the base 10 further includes a pivoting member 11 , and the moving arm 20 is pivotally connected to the base 10 through the pivoting member 11 , and the tubular body 30 extends to the base 10 to The vacuum device 40 is connected, but the tube 30 can also be disposed only on the moving arm 20 without extending to the base 10.

In this embodiment, the moving arm 20 further includes a plurality of arms 22 and a plurality of rotating units 23 disposed between the arms 22, and the rotating units 23 can control the rotating units 23. The relative position of the arms 22 allows the moving arm 20 to operate within a certain distance. Further, a sensing component 60 is disposed at the operating end 21 for sensing the distance between the wafer 70 to be handled and the operating end 21.

Referring to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C, in operation, the rotating unit 23 operates to bring the operating end 21 of the moving arm 20 close to the wafer 70 to be transported, and then the vacuum device 40 is operated to generate a negative pressure on the fluid in the channel 31, so that the suction port 32 generates an adsorption force, which acts on the wafer 70 to be transported to adsorb the wafer 70 to be transferred. Or using the viscous force between the fluid itself and the operating end 21, that is, as long as the fluid is not lost, the wafer to be transported 70 is always adsorbed, and the wafer to be transported 70 is kept at the operating end 21 When the sensing member 60 senses that the to-be-transferred wafer 70 and the operating end 21 are maintained at the operating distance, the moving arm 20 carries the wafer 70 to be moved to perform the next process. Therefore, the wafer to be transferred 70 can be transported without contacting the wafer 70 to be conveyed, thereby preventing damage caused by the need to clamp the wafer 70 to be handled by the clamping device, and the to-be-handled One of the upper surfaces 71 of the wafer 70 is blocked by the holding device and cannot enter The process of handling the problem.

In the present invention, the fluid may be a liquid or a gas, and the liquid may be selected to have a cleaning or other utility liquid, so that the wafer to be transported 70 can be processed while pre-processing to reduce the process operation. time. In addition, it should be particularly noted that, if it is a liquid, a liquid is formed on the upper surface 71 of the wafer 70 to be transferred, and the adsorption force generated by the suction port 32 is used to suck the wafer 70 to be transported. .

Referring to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment. The second embodiment further includes an auxiliary fixing member 50, and the auxiliary fixing member 50 is disposed in the operation. The end portion 21 includes an upper cover 51 extending outward from the operating end 21 to cover the upper surface 71 of the wafer 70 to be conveyed, and a stopper 52 extending perpendicularly from the periphery of the upper cover 51. The upper cover 51 is matched with the upper cover 51. The shape of the wafer 70 is a disc shape, and the wafer to be transported 70 may be moved by the moving arm 20 during the transportation process, or the wafer 70 to be transported may be translated. Because the translation of the wafer 70 to be transferred causes the suction port 32 to be unable to adsorb the wafer to be transferred 70, and the drop is damaged. Therefore, the stopper 52 can restrict the translation of the wafer 70 to be carried, thereby preventing the wafer 70 from being transferred. The problem that the wafer 70 to be handled is dropped and damaged, and the production cost is increased.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the second embodiment. The auxiliary fixing member 50 further includes a corresponding cover 51 and is disposed on the blocking member 52. The lower cover 53 is away from the side of the upper cover 51. In this embodiment, the lower cover 53 and the blocking member 52 are connected to each other by a rotating member (not shown), and can be opened to form a cavity. Room 54. During operation, the lower cover 53 is opened first, so that the suction port 32 adsorbs the wafer to be transported 70 and maintains the operating distance. Thereafter, the lower cover 53 is closed, so that the wafer to be transported 70 can be The pre-processing of the process is first performed in the chamber 54, and when the wafer 70 to be transported is accidentally dropped, it will fall on the lower cover 53 which is closer to the lower cover 53 and can be reduced to fall to the ground. Damage caused by or on other objects.

In summary, the present invention has the following features:

1. The suction device generates an adsorption force by the suction device, so that the wafer to be conveyed can be kept at an operating distance from the operation end, so that the wafer can be handled without contacting the wafer to be conveyed. The wafer to be conveyed prevents the conventional wafer from being damaged by the clamping device, and the upper surface of the wafer to be conveyed is blocked by the holding device and cannot be processed.

Second, the fluid can be a liquid with clean or other functions, and can be pre-processed at the same time as the process to reduce the process operation time.

3. By the arrangement of the stopper, the wafer to be conveyed can be restricted from being translated during the conveyance process, and the problem that the suction port cannot absorb the wafer to be conveyed and the damage is dropped can be prevented.

4. The chamber to be transported can be pre-processed in the chamber by the setting of the chamber of the auxiliary fixing member, and when the wafer to be transported is accidentally dropped, it will fall on The lower cover is closer to the damage, and the damage caused by falling onto the ground or other objects can be reduced.

Therefore, the present invention is highly progressive and conforms to the requirements of the invention patent application, and the application is made according to law, and the praying office grants the patent as soon as possible.

The present invention has been described in detail above, but the foregoing is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. That is, the equivalent changes and modifications made by the scope of the present application should remain within the scope of the patent of the present invention.

10‧‧‧ Pedestal
11‧‧‧ pivotal parts
20‧‧‧ moving arm
21‧‧‧Operator
22‧‧‧ Arms
23‧‧‧Rotating unit
30‧‧‧pipe body
31‧‧‧ channel
32‧‧‧ suction port
40‧‧‧Negative pressure device
50‧‧‧Auxiliary fixtures
51‧‧‧Upper cover
52‧‧‧stops
53‧‧‧Under the cover
54‧‧‧ chamber
60‧‧‧Inductive parts
70‧‧‧ wafers to be handled
71‧‧‧Upper surface

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. 2A-2C are schematic diagrams showing the operation flow of the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

10‧‧‧ Pedestal

11‧‧‧ pivotal parts

20‧‧‧ moving arm

21‧‧‧Operator

22‧‧‧ Arms

23‧‧‧Rotating unit

30‧‧‧pipe body

31‧‧‧ channel

32‧‧‧ suction port

40‧‧‧Negative pressure device

60‧‧‧Inductive parts

Claims (7)

A non-contact wafer handling device for transporting a wafer to be carried, comprising: a base; a moving arm pivotally connected to the base and moving relative to the base, the moving arm has a distance An operating end of the base; a tube disposed in the moving arm, the tube body includes a passage for accommodating a fluid; and a suction port communicating with the passage and formed at the operating end; and a connection to the base a negative pressure device of the channel; wherein the negative pressure device generates a negative pressure on the fluid in the channel to cause the suction port to generate an adsorption force acting on the wafer to be transported, and to allow the wafer to be handled and the The operating terminal maintains an operating distance. The non-contact wafer handling device of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary fixing member disposed at the operating end, the auxiliary fixing member comprising an outer extending from the operating end to cover the to-be-handled An upper cover of an upper surface of the wafer and a stop extending perpendicularly from a periphery of the upper cover to limit translation of the wafer to be handled. The non-contact wafer handling device of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary fixing member further comprises a lower cover corresponding to the upper cover and disposed on a side of the blocking member away from the upper cover. The non-contact wafer handling device of claim 2, wherein the upper cover is in the shape of a disk. The non-contact wafer handling device of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a gas or a liquid. The non-contact wafer handling device of claim 1, further comprising an inductive member disposed at the operating end. The non-contact wafer handling device of claim 1, wherein the moving arm further comprises a plurality of arms and a plurality of rotating units disposed between the arms.