Wafer rotating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611548-B2
Application number	US-201615076684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A wafer rotating apparatus includes a base, a carrying device, a first shaft gear, a power unit, a roller, a second shaft gear and a driving assembly. The base has an accommodating space which the carrying device is disposed in to accommodate the wafer. The first shaft gear is disposed on a side surface of the base. The power unit is assembled to a top of the base and connected to the first shaft gear. The roller is located under the carrying device and supports an edge of the wafer. The second shaft gear is disposed on the side surface of the base and connected to the roller. The driving assembly is connected between the first shaft gear and the second shaft gear. The power unit provides a power through the first gear, the driving unit and the second shaft gear to drive the roller to rotate the wafer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wafer rotating apparatus, applied in a wafer processing equipment, the wafer rotating apparatus comprising:
a base, having an accommodating space;
a carrying device, disposed in the accommodating space and used to accommodate a wafer;
a first shaft gear, disposed on a side surface of the base;
a power unit, assembled to a top of the base, wherein the first shaft gear is connected to the power unit;
a roller, located under the carrying device and supporting an edge of the wafer;
a second shaft gear, disposed on the side surface and connected to the roller; and
a driving assembly, connected between the first shaft gear and the second shaft gear, wherein when the power unit provides a power to enable the first shaft gear and the driving assembly to rotate, the second shaft gear rotates to drive the roller to rotate, so as to rotate the wafer.

2. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the roller has a wrapping layer wrapping around the roller to increase friction between the roller and the edge of the wafer.

3. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a material of the wrapping layer is rubber.

4. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a material of the wrapping layer is marprene.

5. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the base further has a fixing portion, the fixing portion is disposed in the accommodating space and comprises a plurality of limiting walls and a limiting slot between each two adjacent limiting walls, the limiting slots connect with the accommodating space, and opposite sides of a bottom of the carrying device are disposed in the limiting slots to limit the carrying device from moving.

6. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a height of a top surface of each of the limiting walls is lower than a height of a rotation center of the roller.

7. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the base further has a fixing portion, the fixing portion is disposed in the accommodating space and comprises a plurality of limiting walls and a limiting slot between each two adjacent limiting walls, the limiting slots are recessed from the top surfaces of the limiting walls to form a plurality of floors, each of the floors has a plurality of through holes connecting with the accommodating space and the limiting slots, and opposite sides of a bottom of the carrying device are disposed in the limiting slots and contact the floors to limit the carrying device from moving.

8. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a height of a top surface of each of the limiting walls is lower than a height of a rotation center of the roller.

9. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driving assembly is gear chain set, the gear chain set comprises a plurality of gears, and the gears are engaged between the first shaft gear and the second shaft gear.

10. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driving assembly is a belt, and the belt surrounds the first shaft gear and the second shaft gear.

11. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the base further has a handheld portion, and the base is movably disposed in the wafer processing equipment through the handheld portion.

12. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the handheld portion has at least a pair of cantilevers, and the cantilevers respectively protrude toward the outsides of the base.

13. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the handheld portion has two first frames and a second frame, the two first frames are respectively disposed on the side surface and another side surface of the base, and the second frame is vertically connected between the two first frames.

14. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the power unit comprises:
a motor, connected with the first shaft gear; and
a power supply device, electrically connected with and driving the motor to drive the first shaft gear to rotate.

15. The wafer rotating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a limiting pillar, disposed on another side surface of the base, protruding from the another side surface into the accommodating space and located above the top of the carrying device to limit the carrying device from wobbling.

Assignees

• Globalwafers Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chang Yuan-Hao
• Lee Te-Hao
• Shih Ying-Ru
• Hsu Wen-Ching

Classifications

• H10P72/0416 Primary

  with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels · CPC title

• H10P72/50

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title

• H10P72/15

  Horizontal carrier comprising wall type elements whereby the substrates are vertically supported, e.g. comprising sidewalls · CPC title

• H10P72/04 Primary

  Apparatus for manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• C23C18/163 Primary

  Supporting devices for articles to be coated · CPC title