CN212874467U

CN212874467U - Transmission system

Info

Publication number: CN212874467U
Application number: CN202022139310.5U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 刘凯; 付红艳; 刘浩; 王刚
Original assignee: Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-09-25
Filing date: 2020-09-25
Publication date: 2021-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2030-09-25

Abstract

The utility model relates to a semiconductor processing equipment technical field especially relates to a transmission system. The utility model provides a transmission system, which comprises a storage library, a workpiece table and a transmission mechanism, wherein the storage library is used for storing workpieces with different shapes and sizes; the workpiece table can bear workpieces with different shapes and sizes; the transmission mechanism comprises a driving part and at least two sheet forks for sucking workpieces with different shapes and sizes, and the driving part can drive the sheet forks to suck the workpieces in the storage library and transfer the workpieces to the workpiece table. This transmission system all can adapt to the work piece that bears different shapes and size through making repository and work piece platform, then utilizes the piece fork of difference to shift the work piece of different shapes and size in the repository to the work piece bench, need not to change hardware, can compatible transmission work piece of different shapes and size, improves the operating efficiency, reduces equipment cost, can also reduce maintainer's work load.

Description

Transmission system

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a semiconductor processing equipment technical field especially relates to a transmission system.

Background

In the semiconductor processing process, a transmission system is needed to quickly, accurately and reliably transmit the silicon wafer. The silicon wafers comprise round silicon wafers (hereinafter referred to as wafers) and square silicon wafers (hereinafter referred to as square wafers), wherein the size types of the wafers comprise 8 inches, 12 inches and the like; the tile size types include 50 × 50, 120 × 120, 160 × 100, 160 × 200, and the like. As the shapes and sizes of silicon wafers processed by the lithography machine increase, the transmission system is required to be compatible with silicon wafers of different shapes and sizes. In the transmission system in the prior art, only the wafer or the square wafer can be processed independently, and only hardware can be replaced when the wafer is switched to the square wafer, so that on one hand, the operation is complicated, and the processing efficiency is influenced; on the other hand, different types of hardware equipment need to be purchased, and the cost is high.

Therefore, a transmission system is needed to solve the above problems.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

An object of the utility model is to provide a transmission system can compatible transmission work piece of different shapes and size, improves the operating efficiency, reduces equipment cost.

In order to realize the purpose, the following technical scheme is provided:

a transmission system, comprising:

the storage warehouse is used for storing workpieces with different shapes and sizes;

the workpiece table can bear workpieces with different shapes and sizes;

the transmission mechanism comprises a driving part and at least two piece forks for sucking workpieces with different shapes and sizes, and the driving part can drive the piece forks to suck the workpieces in the storage warehouse and transfer the workpieces to the workpiece table.

As an alternative to the transport system, the workpiece table comprises at least two sets of suction assemblies with different suction ranges, which can be raised and lowered to receive workpieces on different sheet forks.

As an alternative to the transport system, the drive element can drive the blade fork to rotate, and the motion track of the blade fork forms a virtual circle.

As the alternative of a transmission system, at least two groups of the adsorption components comprise a first adsorption component and at least two sheet forks comprise a first sheet fork, an avoiding groove is formed in the operation end of the first sheet fork, and the avoiding groove can avoid the first adsorption component.

As an alternative of the conveying system, a second adsorption component is included in at least two groups of adsorption components, and the second adsorption component comprises a plurality of second adsorption pieces arranged at intervals; the at least two piece forks comprise a second piece fork, and the working end of the second piece fork can extend into the intervals among the plurality of second adsorption pieces.

As an alternative to the conveying system, the first adsorption module includes a plurality of first adsorption parts arranged at intervals, and the plurality of first adsorption parts are arranged around the periphery of the second adsorption module.

As an alternative to the transport system, the magazine comprises a plurality of magazines for storing workpieces of different shapes and sizes, the plurality of magazines and the workpiece tables being distributed circumferentially around the output of the drive element.

As an alternative to the transport system, the transport system further comprises a plurality of pre-alignment stations, which are located on a circumference formed by the plurality of magazines and the workpiece table.

As an alternative of the transmission system, the plurality of the film storehouses comprise a wafer film storehouse and a square film storehouse, the wafer film storehouse and the square film storehouse are arranged in parallel at intervals, the wafer film storehouse and the square film storehouse are arranged on one side of the driving piece, and the workpiece table is arranged on the other side of the driving piece.

As an alternative to the transport system, a plurality of said pre-alignment stations comprises:

the wafer pre-alignment station is arranged on the circumference formed by the plurality of wafer libraries and the workpiece table and is positioned between the wafer libraries and the workpiece table;

and the square sheet pre-alignment station is arranged on the circumference formed by the plurality of sheet storehouses and the workpiece platform and is positioned between the square sheet storehouses and the workpiece platform.

As an alternative to the transport system, the line connecting the centre of the wafer pre-alignment station and the centre of the square pre-alignment station passes through the output of the drive.

As an alternative of the conveying system, the conveying mechanism further comprises at least two telescopic assemblies, one end of each telescopic assembly is connected with the output end of the driving piece, the other end of each telescopic assembly is connected with one piece fork, the driving piece can drive the telescopic assemblies to rotate, and the telescopic assemblies can drive the piece forks to move in a horizontal plane.

Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the utility model are that:

the utility model provides a transmission system, which comprises a storage library, a workpiece table and a transmission mechanism, wherein the storage library is used for storing workpieces with different shapes and sizes; the workpiece table can bear workpieces with different shapes and sizes; the transmission mechanism comprises a driving part and at least two sheet forks for sucking workpieces with different shapes and sizes, and the driving part can drive the sheet forks to suck the workpieces in the storage library and transfer the workpieces to the workpiece table. This transmission system all can adapt to the work piece that bears different shapes and size through making repository and work piece platform, then utilizes the piece fork of difference to shift the work piece of different shapes and size in the repository to the work piece bench, need not to change hardware, can compatible transmission work piece of different shapes and size, improves the operating efficiency, reduces equipment cost, can also reduce maintainer's work load.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required to be used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly described below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained according to the contents of the embodiments of the present invention and the drawings without creative efforts.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic layout diagram of a first adsorption assembly and a second adsorption assembly on a workpiece table according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a schematic view of a first fork sucking a wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a schematic view of a first fork suction square piece provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the first blade fork and the first adsorption assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic view of a second piece fork suction square piece provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second blade fork and a second adsorption assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a transmission mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numerals:

100-virtual circle;

1-a workpiece table; 11-a first suction attachment; 12-a second absorbent member;

2-a transmission mechanism; 21-a drive member; 22-a first blade fork; 221-avoidance groove; 23-a second blade fork; 24-a first retraction assembly; 25-a second retraction assembly;

3-a wafer library; 31-a first cassette;

4-square slice library; 41-a second cassette;

5-wafer pre-alignment station;

6-square piece prealignment station.

Detailed Description

In order to make those skilled in the art better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention is further described below by referring to the drawings and the detailed description.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", and the like indicate the directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, or the directions or positional relationships that are usually placed when the product is used, and are only for convenience of description of the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element indicated must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and thus, should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first", "second", and the like are used for descriptive purposes only or to distinguish between different structures or components and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection or a removable connection; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.

As shown in fig. 1, the present embodiment provides a conveying system, which includes a storage library, a workpiece table 1 and a conveying mechanism 2, wherein the storage library is used for storing workpieces with different shapes and sizes; the workpiece table 1 can bear workpieces with different shapes and sizes; the transmission mechanism 2 comprises a driving part 21 and at least two sheet forks for sucking workpieces with different shapes and sizes, and the driving part 21 can drive the sheet forks to suck the workpieces in the storage library and transfer the workpieces to the workpiece table 1. This transmission system, through making repository and work piece platform 1 homoenergetic enough adapt to bear the weight of the work piece of different shapes and sizes, then utilize the piece fork of difference to shift the work piece of different shapes and sizes in the repository to work piece platform 1 on, need not to change hardware, can compatible transmission work piece of different shapes and sizes, improve the operating efficiency, reduce equipment cost, can also reduce maintainer's work load.

Optionally, the workpiece is a silicon wafer or wafer.

Optionally, the storage library includes a plurality of magazines for storing workpieces of different shapes and sizes, and the plurality of magazines and the workpiece table 1 are circumferentially distributed with the output end of the driving member 21 as a circle center, so as to save space, adapt to the shortest transmission path, and improve transmission efficiency.

Optionally, the transport system further comprises a plurality of pre-alignment stations located on a circumference formed by the plurality of magazines and the workpiece table, and the pre-alignment stations are located between the magazines and the workpiece table 1. After the piece fork absorbs the work piece in the piece storehouse, need at the prealignment station earlier carry out prealignment, then shift the work piece to work piece platform 1, realize that work piece platform 1 can accurate acceptance work piece, avoid appearing work piece handing-over failure, collision piece or surpass the condition such as alignment position in the place position of work piece platform.

Preferably, the driving member 21 can drive the blade fork to rotate and move in a horizontal plane, and for convenience of description, the maximum transmission distance forming area range of the blade fork is identified by a virtual circle 100, wherein the center of the virtual circle 100 is the center position of the output end of the driving member 21, and the plurality of blade libraries and the workpiece tables 1 are all located on the circumference of the virtual circle 100.

Illustratively, the plurality of magazines comprise a wafer magazine 3 and a square magazine 4, the wafer magazine 3 and the square magazine 4 are arranged in parallel at intervals, the wafer magazine 3 and the square magazine 4 are arranged on one side of the driving member 21, and the workpiece table 1 is arranged on the other side of the driving member 21. On one hand, the chip library can compatibly store circular silicon chips and square silicon chips; on the other hand, the path from the wafer magazine 3 to the workpiece table 1 is made similar to or the same as the path from the square magazine 4 to the workpiece table 1, thereby simplifying the control strategy of the wafer fork.

In other embodiments, the plurality of wafer libraries further comprise other-shaped wafer libraries for storing other-shaped silicon wafers.

Further, as shown in fig. 1, the wafer magazine 3, the square magazine 4 and the workpiece table 1 are circumferentially distributed with the output end of the driving member 21 as a center of a circle, and the wafer magazine 3, the square magazine 4 and the workpiece table 1 are all located within a range of a virtual circle 100 with the farthest distance of movement of the blade fork as a radius, so as to ensure that the driving member 21 can drive the blade fork to transfer workpieces between the wafer magazine 3 and the workpiece table 1 and between the square magazine 4 and the workpiece table 1.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 1, the disk magazine 3 is provided with a plurality of first cassettes 31 for holding disks of different sizes. Illustratively, the first plurality of cassettes 31 includes 8 "wafer cassettes and 12" wafer cassettes for storing 8 "and 12" wafers, respectively. In other embodiments, the plurality of first wafer cassettes 31 further includes a 9-inch wafer cassette, a 10-inch wafer cassette and an 11-inch wafer cassette, which can be determined according to the size of the workpiece that can be transported by the wafer fork and the size of the workpiece that can be carried by the workpiece table 1, and are not illustrated here.

Preferably, the first sheet cassette 31 is arranged in two ways: 1) the opening of the first film box 31 faces the driving part 21, and the center line of the first film box 31 passes through the center of the virtual circle 100, so that the driving part 21 drives the film fork to move in the radial direction into the first film box 31 to suck the workpiece. 2) The opening direction of the first cassette 31 is parallel to the horizontal Y direction and parallel to the diameter of the virtual circle 100 in the horizontal direction, and at this time, the driving member 21 drives the sheet fork to move in a non-radial direction (i.e., in the Y direction) into the first cassette 31 to suck the workpiece.

Optionally, a plurality of second film boxes 41 for containing square films with different sizes are arranged on the square film warehouse 4. Illustratively, the second plurality of cassettes 41 includes 50mm by 50mm square cassettes and 120mm by 120mm square cassettes. In other embodiments, the second cassettes 41 further include a 60mm by 60mm square cassette, an 80mm by 80mm square cassette, a 100mm by 100mm square cassette, etc., which can be determined according to the size of the workpiece that can be transported by the sheet fork and the size of the workpiece that can be carried by the workpiece table 1, and will not be described in detail herein.

Preferably, the opening of the second cassette 41 faces the driving member 21, and the center line of the opening direction of the second cassette 41 passes through the radial direction of the virtual circle 100, so that the driving member 21 drives the sheet fork to move in the radial direction, and the workpiece can be sucked into the second cassette 41.

Illustratively, the plurality of pre-alignment stations comprise a wafer pre-alignment station 5 and a square pre-alignment station 6, the wafer pre-alignment station 5 is positioned between the wafer library 3 and the workpiece table 1, and the square pre-alignment station 6 is positioned between the square library 4 and the workpiece table 1.

Preferably, a line connecting the center of the wafer pre-alignment station 5 and the center of the square pre-alignment station 6 passes through the output end of the driving member 21 (i.e., the center of the virtual circle 100) to adapt to the shortest transmission path, thereby improving the transmission efficiency. In fig. 1, a line connecting the center of the wafer pre-alignment station 5 and the center of the square pre-alignment station 6 extends in the horizontal X direction.

Further, the pre-alignment of the wafer is realized by adopting an optical alignment mode at the wafer pre-alignment station 5. Specifically, the wafer edge data can be collected by the CCD for centering and orientation.

Furthermore, a mechanical clamping mode is adopted at the square sheet pre-alignment station 6, so that the pre-alignment of the square sheet is realized. Specifically, positioning is performed by clamping four sides of the square piece.

Optionally, the workpiece table 1 includes at least two sets of adsorption assemblies with different adsorption ranges, and the adsorption assemblies can be lifted to receive workpieces on different sheet forks.

As shown in fig. 2, the at least two groups of adsorption assemblies include a first adsorption assembly, and the first adsorption assembly is used for bearing a wafer silicon wafer and a square silicon wafer with a larger size. The first suction assembly includes a plurality of spaced apart first suction fittings 11.

The at least two groups of adsorption components comprise second adsorption components, and the second adsorption components are used for bearing the square silicon wafers. The second adsorption assembly includes a plurality of second adsorption members 12 arranged at intervals.

Preferably, a plurality of first suction fittings 11 are arranged around the periphery of the second suction assembly, so that the first suction assembly and the second suction assembly are arranged reasonably, and the workpiece table 1 can bear workpieces with more sizes in a limited size.

Alternatively, the plurality of first adsorption members 11 are circumferentially distributed with a radius R1, the plurality of second adsorption members 12 are circumferentially distributed with a radius R2, and R1 > R2.

Illustratively, the number of the first suction attachments 11 is three, and the three first suction attachments 11 are arranged in a triangle; the number of the second adsorption pieces 12 is three, and the three second adsorption pieces 12 are arranged in a triangular shape. Further, the first suction member 11 and the second suction member 12 are arranged to be offset.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 3, the at least two sheet forks include a first sheet fork 22, and the first sheet fork 22 is used for sucking the wafer silicon slice and the larger-sized distance-shaped silicon slice.

Illustratively, fig. 4-5 are schematic views of the first blade fork 22 for sucking wafers of different sizes and square wafers of larger sizes, respectively. Wherein the first blade fork 22 is capable of picking up wafers in the range of 200mm to 300mm in diameter, and square wafers of 100mm by 160mm, 200mm by 160mm, and other sizes in the shadow region.

Preferably, an avoiding groove 221 is formed in the working end of the first blade fork 22, and the avoiding groove 221 can avoid the first adsorption assembly so that the first adsorption assembly and the first blade fork 22 can be used for connecting and disconnecting the workpiece. Further, the first sheet fork 22 is provided with a rubber suction cup, and can handle a wafer or a square sheet with a certain warpage.

Illustratively, the working end of the first blade fork 22 is U-shaped.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 6, the at least two blade forks include a second blade fork 23, and the second blade fork 23 is used for sucking the square piece.

Illustratively, fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of the second blade fork 23 sucking different size square blades, and the second blade fork 23 can suck 50mm by 50mm square blades, 120mm by 120mm square blades and other size square blades within the range of the shaded area.

Preferably, the working end of the second piece fork 23 can extend into the space between the plurality of second suction members 12 to avoid the second suction members 12, so that the second suction assembly and the second piece fork 23 can be used for receiving and transferring the workpiece.

Further, the second blade fork 23 is provided with a rubber suction cup, so that a square blade with certain warping can be processed.

Illustratively, the working end of the second blade fork 23 is square.

Optionally, the conveying mechanism 2 further comprises at least two telescopic assemblies, one end of each telescopic assembly is connected with the output end of the driving member 21, the other end of each telescopic assembly is connected with one piece fork, the driving member 21 can drive the telescopic assemblies to rotate, and the telescopic assemblies can drive the piece forks to move in the horizontal plane.

As shown in fig. 8, the at least two telescoping assemblies include a first telescoping assembly 24 and a second telescoping assembly 25, wherein the first telescoping assembly 24 is connected to the first blade fork 22 to drive the first blade fork 22 to move in a horizontal plane; the second telescopic assembly 25 is connected with the second plate fork 23 to drive the second plate fork 23 to move in the horizontal plane.

For convenience of understanding, the working process of the transmission system provided by the present embodiment is described by taking the transmission system for transmitting square sheets and round sheets as an example, as follows:

when transferring the wafer, 1) the first fork 22 moves into the corresponding first cassette 31 and sucks the target wafer; 2) the first wafer fork 22 drives the target wafer to be pre-aligned on the wafer pre-alignment station 5; 3) the first fork 22 transfers the target wafer to the workpiece platform 1, and the first adsorption assembly lifts and receives the target wafer on the first fork 22, so that the transfer of the target wafer is completed.

When square sheets are transferred, 1) the second sheet fork 23 moves into the corresponding second sheet box 41 and sucks the target square sheet; 2) the second piece fork 23 drives the target square piece to be pre-aligned on the square piece pre-alignment station 6; 3) the second piece fork 23 transmits the target square piece to the workpiece table 1, and the second adsorption assembly is lifted and receives the target square piece on the second piece fork 23, so that the target square piece is transmitted.

The transmission system is compatible with the transmission of wafers and squares, can process more types and sizes of workpieces, does not need to adapt to the workpieces of different types by replacing hardware, reduces the workload of machine maintenance personnel, and can improve the competitiveness of products.

It should be noted that the foregoing is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles applied. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various obvious modifications, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in greater detail with reference to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include other equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A transmission system, comprising:

the workpiece table (1) can bear workpieces with different shapes and sizes;

the conveying mechanism (2) comprises a driving part (21) and at least two piece forks for sucking workpieces with different shapes and sizes, and the driving part (21) can drive the piece forks to suck the workpieces in the storage library and transfer the workpieces onto the workpiece table (1).

2. The transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece table (1) comprises at least two sets of suction assemblies with different suction ranges, which can be raised and lowered to receive workpieces on different forks.

3. The transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the drive member (21) is capable of driving the fork to rotate, the movement trajectory of the fork forming a virtual circle (100).

4. The transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the at least two groups of suction modules comprise a first suction module and a second suction module, the first suction module comprises a plurality of first suction elements (11) arranged at intervals, and the plurality of first suction elements (11) are arranged around the periphery of the second suction module.

5. A transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that the magazine comprises a plurality of magazines for storing workpieces of different shapes and sizes, the magazines and the workpiece tables (1) being distributed circumferentially around the output of the drive member (21).

6. Transport system according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of pre-alignment stations located on the circumference formed by the plurality of magazines and the workpiece table (1).

7. The transfer system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of magazines comprise a wafer magazine (3) and a square magazine (4), the wafer magazine (3) and the square magazine (4) are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, the wafer magazine (3) and the square magazine (4) are arranged on one side of the driving member (21), and the workpiece table (1) is arranged on the other side of the driving member (21).

8. The transfer system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of pre-alignment stations comprises a wafer pre-alignment station (5) and a square pre-alignment station (6), the wafer pre-alignment station (5) being located between the wafer magazine (3) and the workpiece table (1); the square sheet pre-alignment station (6) is located between the square sheet warehouse (4) and the workpiece table (1).

9. The transfer system according to claim 8, wherein a line connecting the center of the wafer pre-alignment station (5) and the center of the square pre-alignment station (6) passes through the output end of the driving member (21).

10. The transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer mechanism (2) further comprises at least two telescoping assemblies, one end of each telescoping assembly is connected to the output end of the driving member (21), the other end of each telescoping assembly is connected to one of the sheet forks, the driving member (21) can drive the telescoping assemblies to rotate, and the telescoping assemblies can drive the sheet forks to move in a horizontal plane.