CN216447917U - A gas charging system for wafer box - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model discloses an inflation system for a wafer box, which comprises an air supply device, an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, wherein the air inlet pipeline comprises a main air inlet pipe and four branch air inlet pipes; the exhaust pipeline comprises a main exhaust pipe and four branch exhaust pipes, the main exhaust pipe is provided with a main exhaust valve, each branch exhaust pipe is provided with a branch exhaust valve, and each branch exhaust pipe is connected with a vent hole; the inflation system also comprises a control unit, and the control unit is respectively in signal connection with the main air inlet valve, the main exhaust valve, the four branch air inlet valves and the four branch exhaust valves; each vent has switchable inlet and outlet states. The gas charging system for the wafer box can be flexibly adjusted and converted, the nitrogen flow can be accurately controlled, the cost is effectively reduced, the operation is rapid, and the error is not easy to occur.

Description

A gas charging system for wafer box

Technical Field

The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, in particular to an inflation system for a wafer cassette.

Background

With the continuous development of semiconductor process technology, the requirement for environmental cleanliness is higher and higher in the processes of wafer processing and storage, and if the wafer is polluted by particles and metals or oxidized by oxygen, the circuit function in the wafer is easily damaged, and the wafer yield is reduced. Therefore, after the wafer cassette for storing the wafers is cleaned, it is necessary to remove impurities such as oxygen, moisture, and particles remaining in the air inside the wafer cassette. Currently, a common method is to fill dry and clean nitrogen gas into the wafer cassette, so as to exhaust air which may contain impurities originally.

A known wafer cassette gas filling system is mainly configured to connect a gas inlet line to a single nitrogen gas source, then fill nitrogen gas from the gas source into the wafer cassette, and then connect a gas exhaust line from a gas outlet of the wafer cassette to a plant-side gas exhaust system to exhaust waste gas. Since the price of nitrogen is expensive, in order to effectively reduce the cost, how to accurately control the flow of nitrogen is a big problem, if the flow of nitrogen is too large, the cost is very high, and waste is caused; if the nitrogen flow is too small, the effect of removing moisture, oxygen and particles is greatly reduced, and the wafer box cannot meet the use requirements. However, the gas flow of the existing wafer box inflation system is single, the pipeline connection mode is relatively fixed, and the nitrogen flow cannot be regulated and controlled in real time according to the actual situation of the wafer box.

Therefore, an inflation system for the wafer box, which can flexibly and efficiently control the nitrogen flow according to actual needs, is lacked at present so as to realize the maximum utilization rate of nitrogen and effectively reduce the production cost on the basis of ensuring the inflation effect.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The utility model aims to provide an inflation system for a wafer box, which is convenient to operate and can accurately adjust the nitrogen flow according to actual conditions, aiming at the defects in the prior art.

In order to achieve the purpose, the utility model adopts the technical scheme that:

an inflation system for a wafer cassette, the wafer cassette to be inflated having a cassette body with a relatively closed inner cavity, four air vents are arranged on the box body at intervals, each air vent is communicated with the inner cavity, the inflation system comprises an air supply device, an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, wherein the air inlet pipeline comprises a main air inlet pipe and four branch air inlet pipes, the main air inlet pipe is provided with a main air inlet valve, each branch air inlet pipe is provided with a branch air inlet valve, each branch air inlet pipe is provided with a first end part and a second end part which are respectively arranged at two different end parts in the length direction of the branch air inlet pipe, one end part of the main air inlet pipe is connected with the air supply device, the other end part of the main air inlet pipe is respectively connected with the first end parts of the four branch air inlet pipes, and the second end part of each branch air inlet pipe is respectively connected with one air vent; the exhaust pipeline comprises a main exhaust pipe and four branch exhaust pipes, wherein the main exhaust pipe is provided with a main exhaust valve, each branch exhaust pipe is provided with a branch exhaust valve, each branch exhaust pipe is provided with a third end part and a fourth end part which are respectively arranged at two different end parts in the length direction of the branch exhaust pipe, the third end part of each branch exhaust pipe is respectively connected with one vent hole, and the fourth end parts of the four branch exhaust pipes are all connected with the same end part of the main exhaust pipe; the inflation system also comprises a control unit which is respectively in signal connection with the main air inlet valve, the main exhaust valve, the four branch air inlet valves and the four branch exhaust valves; each air vent is provided with an air inlet state and an air outlet state which can be switched, and when the air vent is in the air inlet state, the branch air inlet valve on the branch air inlet pipe connected with the air vent is opened, and the branch air outlet valve on the branch air outlet pipe connected with the air vent is closed; when the air vent is in an exhaust state, the branch air inlet valve on the branch air inlet pipe connected with the air vent is closed, and the branch exhaust valve on the branch exhaust pipe connected with the air vent is opened.

Preferably, an air pressure detection device and a flow detection device are arranged on the main air inlet pipe, and the control unit is in signal connection with the air pressure detection device and the flow detection device respectively.

Preferably, a sensor for detecting the temperature and/or humidity of the gas is arranged on the main exhaust pipe, and the sensor is in signal connection with the control unit.

Preferably, the total gas inlet pipe is provided with a filter for filtering impurities in the gas.

Further preferably, the total intake pipe is provided with a needle valve, and the total intake valve, the needle valve, the filter and the branch intake pipe are sequentially arranged from back to front along a gas transmission path.

Preferably, the gas supply device is used for providing nitrogen gas, be equipped with the gas supply valve on the total intake pipe, and follow gaseous transmission path, the gas supply valve sets up the rear side of total intake valve.

Preferably, the inflation system further comprises an exhaust gas treatment device, and one end of the main exhaust pipe, which is far away from the branch exhaust pipes, is connected with the exhaust gas treatment device.

Preferably, one or more of the total intake valve, the branch intake valves, the total exhaust valve, and the branch exhaust valves are pneumatic valves.

Preferably, along on gaseous transmission path, be equipped with from the back forward in proper order on the total intake pipe total intake valve, relief pressure valve, flowmeter, needle valve and filter, be equipped with temperature and humidity sensor forward from the back on the total exhaust pipe and total exhaust valve, wherein, the relief pressure valve is connected with the manometer, temperature and humidity sensor is connected with the differential pressure gauge.

Preferably, the inflation system has a large-flow inflation state, a balanced-flow inflation state and a small-flow inflation state, and the number of the air ports in the air intake state is greater than the number of the air ports in the air exhaust state when the inflation system is in the large-flow inflation state; the inflation system is in a balanced flow inflation state, the number of the vents in the intake state being equal to the number of the vents in the exhaust state; the inflation system is in a low flow inflation state, the number of the vents in the intake state being less than the number of the vents in the exhaust state.

Due to the application of the technical scheme, each air vent of the wafer box is connected with one branch air inlet pipe and one branch air outlet pipe, the real-time switching between the air inlet state and the air outlet state can be realized, so that the whole air inflation system can be adjusted and converted flexibly, the control unit and each detection device are matched for monitoring the pipeline condition in real time, the nitrogen flow can be increased by increasing the air vents in the air inlet state or decreased by increasing the air vents in the air outlet state, the switching of the air vents only needs to control the opening and closing of the valves through the control unit, no manual operation is involved, and the operation is rapid and is not easy to make mistakes.

Drawings

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an inflator system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart of the operation of the inflation system of this embodiment;

wherein: 100. a wafer cassette; 101. a vent; 200. an air intake line; 210. a main air inlet pipe; 211. a total intake valve; 212. a pressure reducing valve; 213. a pressure gauge; 214. a flow meter; 215. a needle valve; 216. a filter; 220. a branch air inlet pipe; 221. a branch intake valve; 300. an exhaust line; 310. a main exhaust pipe; 311. a total exhaust valve; 312. a temperature and humidity sensor; 313. a differential pressure gauge; 320. branch exhaust pipes; 321. a branch exhaust valve; 400. a gas supply device; 401. an air supply valve; 500. an exhaust gas treatment device; 600. and an inflation station.

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the advantages and features of the utility model may be more readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", "left-right direction", "height direction", "front-back direction", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on fig. 1 only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, but do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, only have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus, should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and the like are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

When a feature is referred to as being "fixed" or "connected" to another feature, it can be directly fixed or connected to the other feature or indirectly fixed or connected to the other feature, unless otherwise specified. Unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are intended to be inclusive and mean, for example, that they may be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; 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 meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.

Referring to fig. 1, an inflation system for a wafer pod includes an air inlet pipeline 200, an exhaust pipeline 300, an air supply device 400, an exhaust gas treatment device 500, an inflation station 600, and the like. The inflation station 600 is used for placing the wafer box 100 to be inflated, the wafer box 100 to be inflated is provided with a box body, the box body is provided with an inner cavity which is used for storing wafers and is relatively closed, four openable vent holes 101 are formed in the box body at intervals, and each vent hole 101 is communicated with the inner cavity.

In this embodiment, the gas supply device 400 is used to supply nitrogen gas, and specifically, a compressed nitrogen gas cylinder or the like may be used. The exhaust gas treatment device 500 receives air or excess nitrogen gas discharged from the wafer cassette 100, performs a detoxification treatment, and discharges the treated gas into the atmosphere.

Specifically, the intake pipeline 200 includes a total intake pipe 210 and four branch intake pipes 220, each branch intake pipe 220 has a first end and a second end respectively disposed at two ends different from each other in the length direction of the branch intake pipe, one end of the total intake pipe 210 is connected to the air supply device 400, the other end of the total intake pipe is connected to the first ends of the four branch intake pipes 220, and the second end of each branch intake pipe 220 is connected to one air vent 101.

Similarly, the exhaust pipeline 300 includes a main exhaust pipe 310 and four branch exhaust pipes 320, each branch exhaust pipe 320 has a third end and a fourth end respectively disposed at two different ends in the longitudinal direction thereof, the third end of each branch exhaust pipe 320 is connected to one of the air vents 101, the fourth ends of the four branch exhaust pipes 320 are connected to the same end of the main exhaust pipe 310, and the other end of the main exhaust pipe 310 is connected to the exhaust gas treatment device 500.

Thus, the wafer cassette 100 to be inflated has a plurality of gas inlet passages and a plurality of gas outlet passages, and each of the gas inlets 101 can be selected as a gas inlet or a gas outlet as required. In order to realize the efficient switching of the air vent 101, the air charging system further comprises an air supply valve 401, a main air inlet valve 211, a pressure reducing valve 212, a flow meter 214, a needle valve 215 and a filter 216 which are arranged on the main air inlet pipe 210 from back to front along the transmission path of the air, wherein the pressure reducing valve 212 is also connected with a pressure gauge 213; the inflation system further comprises a temperature and humidity sensor 312 and a main exhaust valve 311 which are sequentially arranged on the main exhaust pipe 310 from back to front along the transmission path of the gas, wherein the temperature and humidity sensor 312 is further connected with a differential pressure gauge 313. In addition, each branch air inlet pipe 220 is provided with a branch air inlet valve 221, each branch air outlet pipe 320 is provided with a branch air outlet valve 321, and in the embodiment, the main air inlet valve 211, each branch air inlet valve 221, the main air outlet valve 311 and each branch air outlet valve 321 are all pneumatic valves.

The inflation system further comprises a control unit (not shown in the figure), which is in signal connection with the total intake valve 211, the total exhaust valve 311, the four branch intake valves 221, the four branch exhaust valves 321, the pressure gauge 213, the flow meter 214, the temperature and humidity sensor 312, the differential pressure gauge 313 and the like, so that the whole inflation system can be uniformly detected and controlled.

In this embodiment, the air supply valve 401 is a ball valve, and is used as a main switch of the nitrogen gas source to control the opening and closing of the air supply device 400. The total intake valve 211 is a switch of the intake pipe 200 for controlling whether nitrogen gas enters the total intake pipe 210. The pressure gauge 213 is used to detect the pressure of the nitrogen gas in the total intake pipe 210, and the pressure reducing valve 212 is used to adjust the pressure of the nitrogen gas in the total intake pipe 210 according to the measurement value of the pressure gauge 213. The flow meter 214 is used to detect the gas flow rate of nitrogen in the total intake pipe 210. The needle valve 215 is used to further precisely adjust the gas flow rate of nitrogen. The high precision filter 216 is used to filter moisture and particulates that may be present in the nitrogen gas to ensure that the nitrogen gas entering the cassette 100 is dry and clean. The four intake valves 221 can individually control the opening and closing of each of the intake branch pipes 220.

In this way, the pressure gauge 213 and the pressure reducing valve 212 constitute a pressure detecting device, and the flow meter 214 constitutes a flow rate detecting device, and can detect the pressure and the flow rate in the intake pipe 200 in real time and transmit them to the control unit.

On the other hand, the temperature/humidity sensor 312 is used to detect the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas in the exhaust line 300, so as to determine whether the required nitrogen concentration has been reached in the wafer cassette 100, and whether the nitrogen delivery can be stopped. The differential pressure gauge 313 is used to detect the gas pressure in the exhaust line 300. The main exhaust valve 311 is used for opening and closing the exhaust line 300. The four branch exhaust valves 321 can individually control the opening and closing of each branch exhaust pipe 320.

As can be seen from the above, in the present embodiment, each of the air vents 101 of the wafer cassette 100 has an air inlet state and an air outlet state that can be switched. In the intake state, the branch intake valve 221 of the branch intake pipe 220 connected to the air vent 101 is opened, and the branch exhaust valve 321 of the branch exhaust pipe 320 connected to the air vent 101 is closed; in the exhaust state, the branch intake valve 221 of the branch intake pipe 220 connected to the air vent 101 is closed, and the branch exhaust valve 321 of the branch exhaust pipe 320 connected to the air vent 101 is opened. That is, the control means controls the opening and closing of each of the branch intake valves 221 and the branch exhaust valves 321, thereby switching the air vent 101 between the intake state and the exhaust state on line. Of course, each air vent 101 also has a closed state, in which the branch intake valve 221 and the branch exhaust valve 321 connected to the air vent 101 are both closed, and the air vent 101 does not function as an intake or an exhaust.

Thus, the inflation system has at least a high flow inflation state, a balanced flow inflation state, and a low flow inflation state, depending on the number of vents 101 in the intake and exhaust states. In the high-flow inflation state, the number of the air ports 101 in the air intake state is greater than that of the air ports 101 in the air exhaust state, and the number may be 3 to 1 row, or 2 to 1 row, for example; in the balanced flow inflation state, the number of the air ports 101 in the intake state is equal to the number of the air ports 101 in the exhaust state, and may be 2 in 2 rows, 1 in 1 row, for example; in the low flow inflation state, the number of the air ports 101 in the intake state is smaller than the number of the air ports 101 in the exhaust state, and may be, for example, 1 in 2 rows, and 1 in 3 rows. By switching the gas inlet state and the gas outlet state of each of the plurality of gas ports 101, the flow direction and the flow rate of the gas in the wafer pod 100 may be changed to meet different process requirements.

In addition, the provision of the branch gas inlet pipes 220 and the branch gas outlet pipes 320 has another advantage of being adaptable to the cassettes 100 of different specifications. In the actual production process, probably can use the different producers production, the wafer box 100 of different specifications, the volume of different wafer boxes 100 and the shape of blow vent 101, the position all has difference, the single fixed gas charging system of tradition is difficult to satisfy the user demand of multiple wafer box 100, and gas charging system in this embodiment can be at the second tip of different intake pipe 220, the third terminal of different branch blast pipes 320 does not set up the connector of different specifications, thereby can adapt to different blow vent 101 as required, the range of application is wider, also correspondingly reduced equipment cost.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the specific working principle of the inflation system in this embodiment is described as follows:

first, the wafer cassette 100 to be inflated is placed on the inflation station 600, and the second end portions of the four branch inlet pipes 220 and the third end portions of the four branch outlet pipes 320 are respectively connected to the corresponding vent holes 101. The control unit then opens the main exhaust valve 311, the main intake valve 211, and at least one of the branch intake valve 221 and the branch exhaust valve 321, and then opens the supply valve 401, the gas supply apparatus 400 starts to introduce dry and clean nitrogen gas into the wafer pod 100, and simultaneously the exhaust gas enters the exhaust line 300 and the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 500 from the wafer pod 100.

In this process, the pressure reducing valve 212, the pressure gauge 213, the flow meter 214, the needle valve 215 and the filter 216 start to operate, the temperature and humidity sensor 312 on the main exhaust pipe 310 starts to detect the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas in the exhaust line 300, the pressure difference gauge 313 detects the gas pressure in the exhaust line 300, once the temperature and humidity of the gas in the exhaust line 300 meet the requirements, the control unit can instantly receive signals and close the main exhaust valve 311 and the main intake valve 211, and the nitrogen filling process of the wafer cassette 100 is completed.

In the inflation process, if the flow meter 214 detects that the flow of the nitrogen in the intake pipeline 200 is insufficient or too large, the control unit can control the partial intake valve 221 or the partial exhaust valve 321 to be closed or opened according to a preset program, so that the real-time flow regulation is realized, and the use cost of the nitrogen is reduced to the maximum extent on the premise of meeting the inflation requirement.

In conclusion, the inflation system for the wafer box of the embodiment can freely adjust and accurately control the flow, the flow rate, the air pressure and the like of the nitrogen inflation according to actual needs, and can instantly detect and stop the action after the nitrogen is filled in the wafer box 100, so that the cost is saved, the potential safety hazard is avoided, and the application range is wide.

The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical ideas and features of the present invention, and the purpose thereof is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the contents of the present invention and implement the present invention, and not to limit the protection scope of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. The utility model provides an inflation system for wafer box, treats that inflatable wafer box has a box body, the box body has relative confined inner chamber, four blow vents have been seted up on the box body at interval, every the blow vent all with the inner chamber is linked together, inflation system includes air feeder, air inlet pipeline, exhaust pipe, its characterized in that:

the air inlet pipeline comprises a main air inlet pipe and four branch air inlet pipes, wherein the main air inlet pipe is provided with a main air inlet valve, each branch air inlet pipe is provided with a branch air inlet valve, each branch air inlet pipe is provided with a first end part and a second end part which are respectively arranged at two different end parts in the length direction of the branch air inlet pipe, one end part of the main air inlet pipe is connected with the air supply device, the other end part of the main air inlet pipe is respectively connected with the first end parts of the four branch air inlet pipes, and the second end part of each branch air inlet pipe is respectively connected with one air vent;

the exhaust pipeline comprises a main exhaust pipe and four branch exhaust pipes, wherein the main exhaust pipe is provided with a main exhaust valve, each branch exhaust pipe is provided with a branch exhaust valve, each branch exhaust pipe is provided with a third end part and a fourth end part which are respectively arranged at two different end parts in the length direction of the branch exhaust pipe, the third end part of each branch exhaust pipe is respectively connected with one vent hole, and the fourth end parts of the four branch exhaust pipes are all connected with the same end part of the main exhaust pipe;

the inflation system also comprises a control unit, and the control unit is in signal connection with the main intake valve, the main exhaust valve, the four branch intake valves and the four branch exhaust valves respectively;

each air vent is provided with an air inlet state and an air outlet state which can be switched, and when the air vent is in the air inlet state, the branch air inlet valve on the branch air inlet pipe connected with the air vent is opened, and the branch air outlet valve on the branch air outlet pipe connected with the air vent is closed; when the air vent is in an exhaust state, the branch air inlet valve on the branch air inlet pipe connected with the air vent is closed, and the branch exhaust valve on the branch exhaust pipe connected with the air vent is opened.

2. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to claim 1, wherein: the air inlet manifold is provided with an air pressure detection device and a flow detection device, and the control unit is in signal connection with the air pressure detection device and the flow detection device respectively.

3. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to claim 1, wherein: the main exhaust pipe is provided with a sensor for detecting the temperature and/or the humidity of the gas, and the sensor is in signal connection with the control unit.

4. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to claim 1, wherein: and a filter for filtering impurities in the gas is arranged on the main gas inlet pipe.

5. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to claim 4, wherein: the total intake pipe is provided with a needle valve, and the total intake valve, the needle valve, the filter and the branch intake pipe are arranged in sequence from back to front along a gas transmission path.

6. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to claim 1, wherein: the gas supply device is used for providing nitrogen, be equipped with the gas supply valve on the total intake pipe, and follow gaseous transmission path, the gas supply valve sets up the rear side of total intake valve.

7. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to claim 1, wherein: the inflation system also comprises an exhaust gas treatment device, and one end part of the main exhaust pipe, which is far away from the branch exhaust pipe, is connected with the exhaust gas treatment device.

8. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to claim 1, wherein: one or more of the total intake valve, the branch intake valves, the total exhaust valve, the branch exhaust valves are pneumatic valves.

9. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: along on gaseous transmission path, be equipped with from the back forward in proper order on the total intake pipe total intake valve, relief pressure valve, flowmeter, needle valve and filter, be equipped with temperature and humidity sensor forward from the back on the total exhaust pipe and total exhaust valve, wherein, the relief pressure valve is connected with the manometer, temperature and humidity sensor is connected with the differential pressure gauge.

10. The gas filling system for a wafer cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: the inflation system has a large-flow inflation state, a balanced-flow inflation state and a small-flow inflation state, and the number of the air vents in the air intake state is larger than that in the air exhaust state when the inflation system is in the large-flow inflation state; the inflation system is in a balanced flow inflation state, the number of the vents in the intake state being equal to the number of the vents in the exhaust state; the inflation system is in a low flow inflation state, the number of vents in the intake state being less than the number of vents in the exhaust state.

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