Development of micro-fiber array with high-friction and low-adhesion for wafer transfer on a wafer transfer robot

Abstract

The contact behavior with high-friction and low normal adhesion between a wafer and an end-effector of a wafer transfer robot is crucial to the high efficiency of wafer transfer. In this paper, a novel method of wafer transfer based on micro-fiber array is presented as well as the detailed design of micro-fiber array with high-friction and low-adhesion for wafer transfer. An interaction model is firstly established to obtain the friction and adhesion between micro-fiber array and wafer. Then, four typical failure modes of micro-fiber array are analyzed and a set of structure constraint conditions are established for the design of micro-fiber array with the feature of high-friction and low-adhesion for wafer transfer. A prototype based on SU-8 is prepared, and the experiments results show the prototype is with high friction and low normal adhesion, and capable of improving the efficiency of wafer transfer, which identify the feasibility of this method.