CN101964319A - Wafer transmission system of ion implantation machine and wafer transmission method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a wafer delivery system of an ion implanter and a wafer delivery method thereof. A wafer transfer system for an ion implanter, which includes a vacuum target chamber, a left film conveying manipulator, a middle film conveying manipulator, a right film conveying manipulator, a left isolation valve, a right isolation valve, a left film storehouse, a right film storehouse and an ion implantation target The left, middle, and right film conveying manipulators are all fixed in the vacuum target chamber; the left isolation valve isolates the left film warehouse from the vacuum rake chamber, and the right isolation valve isolates the right film warehouse from the vacuum rake chamber; the ion implantation target The table is located in the vacuum rake chamber; the working position of the left film transporting manipulator includes the left film magazine and ion implantation target platform; Bits include the right film library and ion implantation target stage. The system uses three manipulators to cooperate with the transfer of wafers, which greatly improves the efficiency of wafer transfer.

Description

Ion implanter wafer transfer system and wafer transfer method

technical field

The invention relates to the field of integrated circuit manufacturing equipment, in particular to an ion implanter wafer delivery system and a wafer delivery method thereof.

Background technique

Ion implantation technology is a high-tech material surface modification technology that has been vigorously developed and widely used internationally in the past 30 years. The basic principle is: use an ion beam with an energy of 100keV to enter the material, a series of physical and chemical interactions will occur between the ion beam and the atoms or molecules in the material, the incident ions will gradually lose energy, and finally stay in the In the material, and cause changes in the surface composition, structure and properties of the material. Ion implantation technology has been widely used in doping semiconductor materials. The ion implanter wafer transfer system is an important part of the ion implanter, which mainly completes the transfer of wafers in the system and the exchange with wafers on the production line. In the design of the wafer transfer system, the most important thing is to design a reasonable wafer transfer route scheme to improve the efficiency of wafer transfer to achieve higher productivity and reduce semiconductor manufacturing costs. With the rapid development of the integrated circuit manufacturing industry, a high-efficiency wafer transfer system has become an urgent need for the industry.

European Patent No. EP0559360A1 proposes a single-manipulator wafer transfer system. Since the system only uses one manipulator to transfer wafers, it cannot work in parallel, resulting in low wafer transfer efficiency.

In addition, Chinese Patent No. 200520142510 proposes a wafer transfer control system with dual transfer mechanisms, which uses two wafer positioning and transfer systems to transfer wafers, and completes the positioning of wafers in the vacuum target chamber process (that is, the dual tasks of positioning and conveying are completed by the wafer positioning and conveying device). This system puts the wafer positioning process in the vacuum target chamber and reduces the overall efficiency of ion implanter wafer transport. In addition, although the system has two spaces for holding wafers, only one transport mechanism works in each space, and the transport efficiency still needs to be improved.

Contents of the invention

(1) Technical problems to be solved

The technical problem to be solved by the invention is how to improve the transfer efficiency of the wafer in the ion implanter.

(2) Technical solutions

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, an ion implanter wafer transfer system is provided, which includes a vacuum target chamber, a left film conveying manipulator, a middle film conveying manipulator, a right film conveying manipulator, a left isolation valve, a right isolation valve, a left film warehouse, The right film library and ion implantation target platform; the left film transport manipulator, the middle film transport manipulator and the right film transport manipulator are all fixed in the vacuum target chamber, and the three are arranged according to the left, middle and right; the left isolation valve isolates the left film store and the vacuum Rake chamber, the right isolation valve isolates the right film library and vacuum rake chamber; the ion implantation target platform is located in the vacuum rake chamber; the working position of the left film transport manipulator includes the left film storehouse and ion implantation target platform, The working station includes the left film magazine, the right film magazine and the ion implantation target platform, and the working station of the right film conveying manipulator includes the right film magazine and the ion implantation target platform.

A further technical solution is that the wafers contained in the cassettes of the left and right magazines are wafers that have been positioned.

A still further technical solution is that air pumps are provided in the left film storehouse and the right film storehouse.

A further technical solution is that the left film conveying manipulator and the right film conveying manipulator are arranged symmetrically with respect to the middle film conveying manipulator.

A still further technical solution is that the left film chamber and the right film chamber are arranged symmetrically with respect to the middle film conveying manipulator.

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, a wafer transfer method is also provided, which includes the following steps:

(1) Atmospheric manipulator puts multiple wafers that have been positioned into the cassette of the right film library from the atmospheric environment outside the vacuum target chamber, then the right film library is closed, and the air pump in the right film library starts to work, and the air pump will The air in the right film library is pumped out until the vacuum degree in the right film library is the same as the vacuum degree in the vacuum target chamber, the air pump stops working, and the right isolation valve opens;

(2) The right film transporting manipulator reaches into the cassette of the right film library to take the wafer. After taking the wafer, the right film transporting manipulator shrinks the wafer to the initial position of the right manipulator, and at the same time, the middle film transporting manipulator implants ions The ion-implanted wafers on the target stage are taken away and retracted to the initial position of the mid-transfer manipulator;

(3) The right film transport manipulator and the middle film transport manipulator rotate and align with the ion implantation target platform and the right film library respectively;

(4) The right wafer transporting manipulator stretches out to send the wafer to the ion implantation target table, then the right film transporting manipulator retracts for a safe distance, and waits for the wafer to complete the ion implantation process; at the same time, the middle film transporting manipulator extends to place the The ion-implanted wafers are sent to the cassettes in the right library, and then the middle transfer manipulator retracts for a safe distance, waiting for the cassettes in the right library to complete the lifting process;

(5) The right film transporting manipulator stretches out to take the ion-implanted wafer away from the ion implantation target table, and the right film transporting manipulator takes the wafer and shrinks back to the initial position of the right film transporting manipulator; at the same time, the middle transporting film The manipulator extends into the right film library, takes out a wafer to be ion-implanted, and shrinks to the initial position of the middle transport manipulator;

(6) The right film feeding manipulator and the middle film transporting manipulator rotate and align with the right film library and ion implantation target platform respectively;

(7) The ion-implanted wafers completed by the right film transporting manipulator are sent back to the film cassette of the right film warehouse, and then the right film transporting manipulator shrinks for a safe distance, waiting for the film cassette in the right film warehouse to complete the lifting process; at the same time, the middle transporting film The manipulator stretches out, and sends the wafer to be ion-implanted to the ion-implantation target platform, and then retracts the film transport manipulator for a safe distance, waiting for the wafer to complete the ion-implantation process;

(8) The whole system repeats the above steps (2)-(7) until all the wafers in the right library complete the ion implantation;

When performing the above steps (2)-(8), the left film library is also completing the work of step (1): the atmospheric manipulator puts multiple positioned wafers into the left film from the atmospheric environment outside the target chamber Then the left film library is closed, the air pump in the left film library starts to work, and the air pump pumps out the air in the left film library until the vacuum degree in the left film library is the same as the vacuum degree in the target chamber, and the air pump stops working ; After all the wafers in the right library have completed ion implantation, the right isolation valve is closed, and the left isolation valve is opened; then the left and middle transport manipulators cooperate with each other to complete the same steps as (2)-(8) above .

(3) Beneficial effects

The wafer transfer system of the ion implanter of the present invention uses three manipulators to coordinately transfer the wafer. When transferring the wafers in any library, the two manipulators can be transferred in parallel, but their transfer order is just staggered to avoid interference when the two manipulators transport the wafers in actual work. This greatly improves the efficiency of wafer transfer. In addition, in order to further improve the wafer transfer efficiency of the ion implanter wafer transfer system of the present invention, the wafer positioning process is placed outside the vacuum rake room, that is, the wafers contained in the wafer boxes of the left and right wafer magazines is a wafer that has been positioned.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of the wafer delivery system of the ion implanter of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of the wafer transfer method of the present invention.

The wafer transfer system and wafer transfer method of the ion implanter of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

Detailed ways

Referring to Fig. 1, the ion implanter wafer transfer system includes a vacuum target chamber 1, a left film transfer manipulator 2, a middle film transport manipulator 3, a right film transport manipulator 4, a left isolation valve 5, a right isolation valve 6, a left film warehouse 7, The right film library 8 and the ion implantation target platform 9 . The left film conveying manipulator 2, the middle film conveying manipulator 3, and the right film conveying manipulator 4 are all fixed in the vacuum target chamber 1, and the three are arranged according to the left, middle and right sides. The left film transporting manipulator 2 and the right film transporting manipulator 4 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the middle film transporting manipulator 3 . The left isolation valve 5 isolates the left film storehouse 7 and the vacuum rake chamber 9; the right isolation valve 6 isolates the right film storehouse 8 and the vacuum rake chamber 9. The wafers contained in the cassettes of the left wafer library 7 and the right wafer library 8 are wafers that have been positioned. The left film chamber 7 and the right film chamber 8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the middle conveying film manipulator 3 . The ion implantation target stage 9 is located in the vacuum rake chamber 1 . The working position of the left film feeding manipulator 2 includes the left film magazine 7 and the ion implantation target platform 9, the working position of the middle film transporting manipulator 3 includes the left film magazine 7, the right film magazine 8 and the ion implantation target platform 9, and the right film transporting manipulator 4 The working position includes the right film library 8 and the ion implantation target platform 9 . The dotted lines in Figure 1 represent the working routes of each manipulator respectively. Of course, each manipulator also has its working initial position. An air pump (not shown) for vacuuming is provided in the left sheet storehouse 7 and the right sheet storehouse 8 .

Refer to Fig. 2, Fig. 2 is a simplified flow chart of wafer transfer. The upper and lower parts of each dotted box in the figure are carried out synchronously. Specifically, the dotted box on the right indicates: "The right isolation gate is opened, and then the right output The wafer manipulator and the middle conveying manipulator cooperate to transport all the wafers in the right magazine to complete the ion implantation.” At the same time, “the atmosphere conveying manipulator outside the rake chamber sends the wafers that have been positioned into the left warehouse. into the film cassette, and then the left film library is vacuumed”. The dotted line box on the left indicates: "The atmospheric transport manipulator outside the rake chamber sends the positioned wafers into the cassette of the right film library, and then the right film library is evacuated." At the same time, "the left isolation door is opened, Then the left film transport manipulator and the middle film transport manipulator cooperate to transport all the wafers in the left film library to complete the ion implantation". The above-mentioned wafer transfer process is repeated cyclically.

The following describes the detailed process of wafer transfer by the above-mentioned ion implanter wafer transfer system:

Wafer transmission method, it comprises the steps:

(1) Atmospheric manipulator (not shown in the figure) puts multiple wafers that have been positioned into the cassette of the right film library 8 from the atmospheric environment outside the vacuum target chamber 1, then the right film library 8 is closed, and the right film library The air pump in 8 starts to work, and the air pump extracts the air in the right film library 8 until the vacuum degree in the right film library 8 is the same as that in the vacuum target chamber 1, the air pump stops working, and the right isolation valve 6 opens.

(2) The right film transporting manipulator 4 extends into the cassette of the right film library 8 to take the wafer. After taking the wafer, the right film transporting manipulator 4 shrinks the wafer to the initial position of the right manipulator 4, and at the same time transports the film The manipulator 3 takes away the ion-implanted wafer on the ion implantation target stage 9, and shrinks to the initial position of the mid-transfer manipulator 3.

(3) The right film transporting manipulator 4 and the middle film transporting manipulator 3 rotate and aim at the ion implantation target table 9 and the right film magazine 8 respectively.

(4) The right sheet transporting manipulator 4 stretches out to send the wafer to the ion implantation target platform 9, then the right transporting film manipulator 4 shrinks to a safe distance, and waits for the wafer to complete the ion implantation process; meanwhile, the middle transporting film manipulator 3 extends out, the ion-implanted wafers are sent to the cassette in the right magazine 8, and then the middle transfer manipulator 3 shrinks a safe distance, waiting for the cassette in the right magazine 8 to complete the lifting process.

(5) The right transporting manipulator 4 stretches out, and the wafer that has completed the ion implantation is taken away from the ion implantation target table 9, and the right transporting manipulator 4 shrinks back to the initial position of the right transporting manipulator 4 with the wafer; at the same time , the middle transport manipulator 3 extends into the right film magazine 8, takes out a wafer to be ion-implanted, and shrinks to the initial position of the middle transport manipulator 3.

(6) The right film transporting manipulator 4 and the middle film transporting manipulator 3 rotate and aim at the right film magazine 8 and the ion implantation target platform 9 respectively.

(7) The wafer that the right transporting manipulator 4 completes the ion implantation is sent back in the cassette of the right film storehouse 8, then the right transporting film manipulator 4 shrinks a section of safe distance, waits for the film cassette in the right film storehouse 8 to complete the lifting process; at the same time , the mid-transfer manipulator 3 stretches out, and sends the wafer to be ion-implanted to the ion implantation target table 9, and then the mid-transfer manipulator 3 shrinks a safe distance, waiting for the wafer to complete the ion implantation process.

(8) The whole system repeats the above steps (2)-(7) until all the wafers in the right library complete the ion implantation.

When performing the above steps (2)-(8), the left film library is also completing the work of step (1): that is, the atmospheric manipulator puts multiple wafers that have been positioned into the atmospheric environment outside the target chamber. In the film box of left film storehouse 7, then left film storehouse 7 closes. The air pump in the left film storehouse 7 starts working, and the air pump extracts the air in the left film storehouse 7 until the vacuum degree in the left film storehouse is the same as the vacuum degree in the target chamber, and the air pump stops working. After all the wafers in the right sheet warehouse 8 have completed ion implantation, the right isolation valve 6 is closed, and the left isolation valve 5 is opened; ) the same steps. This is repeated sequentially to realize the cyclic ion implantation process on the wafers in the left and right chip libraries.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, but not to limit the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the relevant technical field can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all Equivalent technical solutions also belong to the category of the present invention, and the scope of patent protection of the present invention should be defined by the claims.

Claims (6)

1. ion implantor wafer transfer system is characterized in that, comprises that vacuum target chamber, left film trasport manipulator, middle film trasport manipulator, right film trasport manipulator, left separation valve door, right separation valve door, left valut, right valut and ion inject the target platform; Left side film trasport manipulator, middle film trasport manipulator, right film trasport manipulator all are fixed in the vacuum target chamber, and the three arranges according to the left, center, right; Left side separation valve door is isolated described left valut and vacuum rake chamber, and right separation valve door is isolated described right valut and vacuum rake chamber; It is indoor that ion injection target platform is positioned at described vacuum rake; The working position of left side film trasport manipulator comprises that left valut and ion inject the target platform, and the working position of middle film trasport manipulator comprises that left valut, right valut and ion inject the target platform, and the working position of right film trasport manipulator comprises that right valut and ion inject the target platform.

2. ion implantor wafer transfer system as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, the wafer that is held in the brilliant box of described left valut and right valut is for finishing the wafer of location.

3. ion implantor wafer transfer system as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, is equipped with air pump in described left valut and the right valut.

4. ion implantor wafer transfer system as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described left film trasport manipulator, right film trasport manipulator are symmetrical arranged with respect to middle film trasport manipulator.

5. as any described ion implantor wafer transfer system among the claim 1-4, it is characterized in that described left valut and right valut are symmetrical arranged with respect to film trasport manipulator in described.

6. the wafer transfer approach is characterized in that, comprises the steps:

(1) the atmosphere manipulator wafer of multi-disc having been finished the location is put into the film magazine of right valut from vacuum target chamber atmosphere outside environment, right then valut is closed, air pump in the right valut is started working, air pump is extracted the air in the right valut out, when the vacuum degree in right valut is identical with vacuum degree in the vacuum target chamber, air pump quits work, and right separation valve door is opened;

(2) right film trasport manipulator stretches in the film magazine of right valut and gets wafer, after getting wafer, right film trasport manipulator band the initial position that wafer is retracted to right manipulator, the film trasport manipulator injects ion and has finished the wafer that ion injects on the target platform and take away simultaneously, and the initial position of film trasport manipulator in being retracted to;

(3) right film trasport manipulator and middle film trasport manipulator rotate and aim at ion respectively and inject target platform and right valut;

(4) right film trasport manipulator stretches out, and wafer is delivered to ion inject on the target platform, and right then film trasport manipulator shrinks one section safe distance, and the wait wafer is finished ion implantation process; Simultaneously, middle film trasport manipulator stretches out, and delivers to the film magazine of right valut with finishing wafer that ion injects, then in the film trasport manipulator shrink one section safe distance, wait for that the film magazine in the right valut is finished lifting process;

(5) right film trasport manipulator stretches out, and the wafer of finishing the ion injection is injected the target platform from ion take away, and right film trasport manipulator band wafer and shunk the initial position of getting back to right film trasport manipulator; Simultaneously, middle film trasport manipulator stretches in the right valut, takes out the wafer that the pending ion of a slice injects, and is retracted to the initial position of middle film trasport manipulator;

(6) right film trasport manipulator reaches middle film trasport manipulator rotation and aims at right valut respectively and ion injection target platform;

(7) right film trasport manipulator is finished the film magazine that wafer that ion injects is sent right valut back to, and right then film trasport manipulator shrinks one section safe distance, waits for that the film magazine in the right valut is finished lifting process; Simultaneously, middle film trasport manipulator stretches out, and the wafer that pending ion injects is delivered on the ion injection target platform, and middle then film trasport manipulator shrinks one section safe distance, and the wait wafer is finished ion implantation process;

(8) repeat the step of above-mentioned (2)-(7), all wafers are finished ion and are injected in right valut;

When carrying out the step of above-mentioned (2)-(8), left side valut is also in the work of completing steps (1): the wafer that the location finished multi-disc by the atmosphere manipulator is put into the film magazine of left valut from target chamber atmosphere outside environment, left then valut is closed, air pump in the valut of a left side is started working, air pump is extracted the air in the left valut out, when the vacuum degree in left valut was identical with vacuum degree in the target chamber, air pump quit work; After wafers all in the right valut was finished the ion injection, right separation valve door was closed, and left separation valve door is opened; Left then film trasport manipulator cooperatively interacts with middle film trasport manipulator and finishes and the identical step in above-mentioned (2)-(8).

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