CN111211082B - Wafer transmission device - Google Patents

Wafer transmission device Download PDF

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Publication number
CN111211082B
CN111211082B CN201811396522.2A CN201811396522A CN111211082B CN 111211082 B CN111211082 B CN 111211082B CN 201811396522 A CN201811396522 A CN 201811396522A CN 111211082 B CN111211082 B CN 111211082B
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China
Prior art keywords
wafer
support
load chamber
module
transfer device
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CN201811396522.2A
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CN111211082A (en
Inventor
周仁
刘春�
王亮
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Piotech Inc
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Piotech Inc
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Priority to CN201811396522.2A priority Critical patent/CN111211082B/en
Priority to TW108119619A priority patent/TWI702681B/en
Publication of CN111211082A publication Critical patent/CN111211082A/en
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    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/683Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
    • H01L21/687Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches
    • H01L21/68714Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67739Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations into and out of processing chamber
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/683Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
    • H01L21/687Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches
    • H01L21/68714Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support
    • H01L21/68764Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating caroussel

Abstract

The invention provides a wafer transmission device, which comprises a load cavity module, an equipment front end module and a conversion cavity module, wherein the load cavity module is provided with a first side and a second side, at least one load cavity is formed by communicating the first side and the second side, at least one pair of wafer supports are arranged in the load cavity, each wafer support comprises a main body, a pair of supporting arms extend in parallel from the main body, and each supporting arm is provided with a supporting ball and a centering limit block. The equipment front end module is configured on the first side of the load cavity module in a connecting mode. The conversion cavity module is connected and configured on the second side of the load cavity module.

Description

Wafer transmission device
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a wafer transferring device of a semiconductor processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a wafer transferring device using a wafer support structure of a split design in a load chamber module between a vacuum end and an atmospheric end.
Background
In semiconductor processing equipment, wafer processing is often performed under vacuum pressure, and a load chamber module is required as an excess environment of pressure in vacuum and atmospheric conditions when wafers are transferred into or out of a reaction chamber. While the wafer must be positioned with some precision on the support for proper transfer of the wafer, the wafer may be positioned at an offset from the normal transfer position after processing in the load chamber when the robot transfers the wafer to the wafer support in the load chamber module.
The processing quality of a wafer also has strict requirements on the granularity of its surface. The commonly used wafer support is a metal material support such as aluminum alloy, and particles generated when the wafer contacts with the support can influence the final processing quality of the wafer; the other type is that organic materials such as Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) can only bear low temperature, but the processed wafer is usually at high temperature, so that the contact part of the bracket and the wafer is softened and abraded, and a large amount of particles are generated to influence the final processing quality of the wafer.
Disclosure of Invention
In view of the above, the present invention provides an improved wafer transferring apparatus, which includes a load chamber module, an equipment front end module and a transfer chamber module, wherein the load chamber module has a first side and a second side, at least one load chamber is formed between the first side and the second side, at least one pair of wafer supports is disposed in the load chamber, each wafer support includes a main body, a pair of supporting arms extends in parallel from the main body, and each supporting arm is provided with a supporting ball and a middle limiting block; the equipment front end module is connected and configured on the first side of the load cavity module; the conversion cavity module is connected and configured on the second side of the load cavity module.
Further, the pair of wafer supports are designed to be separated and are arranged on the opposite side walls of the load chamber.
Furthermore, the materials of the supporting ball and the middle limiting block are single crystal materials.
Further, the body of the wafer support is disposed on one of the opposing sidewalls of the load chamber.
Further, the support ball is disposed on the support arm away from the side wall of the load chamber, and the support ball is rotatable or fixed without falling off.
Further, the centering limit block is arranged on the supporting arm and close to the side wall of the loading chamber.
Furthermore, the centering limit block is provided with an axis, and forms a limit surface parallel to the axis and a centering surface with an included angle with the axis.
Furthermore, the distance from the axis of the central limiting block to the center of the circle of the wafer supported by the pair of wafer supports is larger than the radius of the wafer.
Furthermore, two pairs of wafer supports are arranged in the load chamber, and the two pairs of wafer supports are mutually overlapped and arranged on opposite side walls of the load chamber.
Further, the supporting balls of the pair of wafer supports are used for supporting the lower surface of a wafer.
In the above embodiments of the present disclosure, the supporting balls of the wafer support are used to support the lower surface of the wafer, and the centering stopper of the wafer support is used to limit the position of the wafer, so as to ensure that the wafer is supported at the same position by the wafer support each time, thereby achieving the effect of automatically centering and positioning the wafer.
These and other aspects and embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the relevant art upon reference to the following detailed description and drawings.
Drawings
The dimensional proportions of the structures shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the practical practice of the invention.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wafer transfer device according to an embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the load chamber module of fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the load chamber module of fig. 2 with the cover plate removed.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wafer support of fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the middle stopper of fig. 4.
Figure 6 is an enlarged partial side view of the support arm of figure 4.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a dual-layered wafer support according to another embodiment.
Detailed Description
In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. And are shown by way of illustration, in which the described embodiments may be practiced. Sufficient detail is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and that other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Furthermore, references to "an embodiment" do not necessarily pertain to the same or a singular embodiment, although they may. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the described embodiments is defined only by the appended claims.
Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms have the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the term "or" is an inclusive "or" usage and equivalents of the term "and/or" unless expressly specified otherwise. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the word "based on" is not exclusive and allows for the basis of many other factors that are not recited. In addition, the meaning of "a", "an" and "the" in the entire application includes plural references. The meaning of "in 8230; includes" in 8230, and "in 8230.
A brief summary of the subject matter is provided below to provide a basic understanding of some aspects. This brief description is not intended as a complete overview. This brief description is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to delineate or circumscribe the scope. Its purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The invention provides a wafer transmission device for wafer processing equipment. A load chamber in a wafer transfer apparatus provides a wafer support structure having a function of automatically centering a wafer, which can ensure the accuracy of the wafer during transfer, and at the same time, can sufficiently reduce the generation and accumulation of particles.
Embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of the invention. In the drawings, the same and/or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference characters.
Various embodiments are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of what may be embodied in various forms. Furthermore, each of the examples given in connection with the various embodiments is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components (and any dimensions, materials, and similar details shown in the figures are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive). Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for teaching one skilled in the relevant art to practice the disclosed embodiments.
Referring to fig. 1, a perspective view of a wafer transfer device 100 of the present invention is shown. The wafer transfer device 100 of the present invention comprises a front end of equipment module 10, a load chamber module 20, and a transfer chamber module 30. The load chamber module 20 has a first side 201 and a second side 202, and at least one load chamber 21 (shown in fig. 3) is formed by the communication between the first side 201 and the second side 202. The equipment front end module 10 is configured to engage a first side 201 of the load chamber module 20. Conversion chamber module 30 is configured to engage second side 202 of load chamber module 20.
Referring to fig. 2, a perspective view of the load chamber module 20 of fig. 1 is shown. The cavity of the load chamber module 20 is provided with a front isolation valve 22 on a first side 201, a cover plate 23 on an upper surface and a back isolation valve 24 on a second side. The cover plate 23 is used to seal the load chamber 21 (shown in fig. 3) formed between the first side 201 and the second side 202, while the front isolation valve 22 is located at the first side 201 to seal the communication between the load chamber 21 and the equipment front module 10, and the rear isolation valve 24 is located at the second side 202 to seal the communication between the load chamber 21 and the conversion chamber module 30.
Referring to fig. 3 and 4, a perspective view of the load chamber module 20 of fig. 2 with the cover plate 23 removed and a perspective view of the wafer support 25 of fig. 3 are respectively shown. Referring also to fig. 3 and 4, a pair of wafer supports 25 are disposed in each load chamber 21 for supporting a wafer (not shown), each wafer support 25 including a body 251, a pair of support arms, respectively support arm 252 and support arm 253, extending in parallel from the body 251. A supporting ball 26 and a central limiting block 28 are disposed or formed on the upper surface of the supporting arm 253, and a supporting ball 26 and a central limiting block 28 are also disposed on the supporting arm 252, which will not be described repeatedly. The four support balls 26 of the pair of wafer supports 25 are used to support the lower surface of the wafer, and the four centering stoppers 28 of the pair of wafer supports 25 are used to limit the position of the wafer, so as to ensure that the pair of wafer supports 25 support a wafer at the same position each time.
In the present embodiment, the pair of wafer supports 25 are separately designed and respectively disposed on opposite sidewalls of the load chamber 21. The main body 251 of the wafer support 25 is disposed on one of the opposing sidewalls of the load chamber 21, and the support arms 252, 253 of the two wafer supports 25 extend in parallel from the main body 251 in opposite directions.
In the present embodiment, the support balls 26 are disposed on the support arms 253 far from the side walls of the load chamber 21, and the support balls 26 are mounted in ball grooves predetermined by the support arms 253 by using a special process, so that the support balls 26 can be rotated or fixed without falling off. In this embodiment, the middle limit block 28 is disposed on the supporting arm 253 near the sidewall of the loading chamber 21, and the middle limit block 28 is disposed in a mounting groove preset in the supporting arm 253 and is in interference fit with the mounting groove, so that the middle limit block 28 cannot fall off. The position relationship and structure of the support ball and the middle stop block on the other support arm 252 are similar to those of the support arm 253, and repeated description is omitted.
In this embodiment, the material of the supporting ball 26 and the centering stopper 28 is single crystal material, so that particles are not easily generated, and can withstand higher temperature, and the material requirement of the main body 251 can be reduced.
Please refer to fig. 5, which is a perspective view of the middle stopper 28 shown in fig. 4. The middle stopper 28 has an axis a, and the middle stopper 28 forms a stopper surface 28b parallel to the axis a and a centering surface 28a having an included angle with the axis a.
Referring next to fig. 6, an enlarged partial side view of the support arm 253 of fig. 4 is shown. After the robot arm carries a wafer 200 into the load chamber 21 and is displaced above the inventive wafer support 25, the robot arm is lowered so that the wafer 200 is supported by the inventive wafer support 25. Because the central axis a of the middle stopper 28 and the centering surface 28a form an included angle, when the position of the wafer 200 is deviated, the edge of the wafer 200 slides down along the centering surface 28a along with the descending of the robot arm, so that the center O of the wafer 200 reaches the central position limited by the 4 middle stoppers 28, thereby achieving the function of automatically centering and positioning the wafer 200. In addition, the distance R from the axis A of the middle stopper 28 to the center O of the wafer 200 supported by the wafer support 25 is larger than the radius R of the wafer.
Referring to fig. 7, a perspective view of a dual-layered wafer support according to another embodiment is shown. Two pairs of wafer supports, wafer support 254 and wafer support 255, are disposed within the load chamber 21. Two pairs of wafer supports are mounted one above the other on opposite side walls of the load chamber 21. However, the number of wafer supports installed may be determined depending on the internal space of the load chamber 21. Each pair of wafer supports can bear one wafer, and the wafer supports are arranged in an overlapping mode, so that the conveying efficiency of the load chamber can be improved, a plurality of wafers can be conveyed between the front end module of the equipment and the conversion cavity module through the load chamber at one time, and the processing capacity is improved.
The foregoing provides a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the described embodiments. Since many embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, the embodiments should be limited only by the claims appended hereto.

Claims (9)

1. A wafer transfer apparatus, comprising:
the wafer support comprises a main body, a pair of support arms extend in parallel from the main body, and each support arm is provided with a support ball and a middle limiting block;
the equipment front end module is connected and configured at the first side of the load cavity module;
and a conversion cavity module, which is connected and configured on the second side of the load cavity module,
the middle limiting block is provided with an axis, and forms a limiting surface parallel to the axis and a centering surface with an included angle with the axis.
2. The wafer transfer device of claim 1, wherein the pair of wafer supports are of a split design and are disposed on opposite sidewalls of the load chamber.
3. The wafer transfer device of claim 1, wherein the support balls and the centering stop are made of a single crystal material.
4. The wafer transfer device of claim 1, wherein the body of the wafer support is disposed on one of the opposing sidewalls of the load chamber.
5. The wafer transfer device of claim 4, wherein the support balls are disposed on the support arm away from the side wall of the load chamber, and the support balls are rotatable or fixed so as not to fall off.
6. The wafer transfer device of claim 5, wherein the central stop is disposed on the support arm proximate a sidewall of the load chamber.
7. The wafer transfer device of claim 1, wherein the center stop has an axis that is spaced from the center of a wafer supported by the pair of wafer supports by a distance greater than a radius of the wafer.
8. The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein two pairs of wafer supports are disposed in the load chamber, the two pairs of wafer supports being mounted on opposite sidewalls of the load chamber in overlying relation to one another.
9. The wafer transfer device of claim 1, wherein the support balls of the pair of wafer supports are adapted to support the lower surface of the wafer.
CN201811396522.2A 2018-11-22 2018-11-22 Wafer transmission device Active CN111211082B (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201811396522.2A CN111211082B (en) 2018-11-22 2018-11-22 Wafer transmission device
TW108119619A TWI702681B (en) 2018-11-22 2019-06-06 Wafer transfer device

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201811396522.2A CN111211082B (en) 2018-11-22 2018-11-22 Wafer transmission device

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CN111211082A CN111211082A (en) 2020-05-29
CN111211082B true CN111211082B (en) 2022-10-25

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6116848A (en) * 1997-11-26 2000-09-12 Brooks Automation, Inc. Apparatus and method for high-speed transfer and centering of wafer substrates
KR100790792B1 (en) * 2006-08-23 2008-01-02 코닉시스템 주식회사 Wafer transfer device
CN105789091A (en) * 2016-03-16 2016-07-20 沈阳拓荆科技有限公司 Load chamber and a multi-chamber processing system applying the load chamber
CN106571329A (en) * 2015-10-12 2017-04-19 沈阳拓荆科技有限公司 Wafer substrate support rack structure
CN106611722A (en) * 2015-10-21 2017-05-03 沈阳拓荆科技有限公司 A two-chamber double-layer support structure integrating positioning and centring functions

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080099451A1 (en) * 2006-10-30 2008-05-01 Richard Lewington Workpiece rotation apparatus for a plasma reactor system

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6116848A (en) * 1997-11-26 2000-09-12 Brooks Automation, Inc. Apparatus and method for high-speed transfer and centering of wafer substrates
KR100790792B1 (en) * 2006-08-23 2008-01-02 코닉시스템 주식회사 Wafer transfer device
CN106571329A (en) * 2015-10-12 2017-04-19 沈阳拓荆科技有限公司 Wafer substrate support rack structure
CN106611722A (en) * 2015-10-21 2017-05-03 沈阳拓荆科技有限公司 A two-chamber double-layer support structure integrating positioning and centring functions
CN105789091A (en) * 2016-03-16 2016-07-20 沈阳拓荆科技有限公司 Load chamber and a multi-chamber processing system applying the load chamber

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Publication number Publication date
CN111211082A (en) 2020-05-29
TW202021017A (en) 2020-06-01
TWI702681B (en) 2020-08-21

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