KR100631914B1 - Multi-touch point vacuum chuck system applying to semiconductor fabrication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum chuck system applied to a semiconductor manufacturing facility. In particular, the wafer is stably seated in the vacuum chuck using the pressure of the vacuum applied from a plurality of vacuum holes formed in the semiconductor manufacturing facility. If not, it is a multi-contact vacuum chuck system that generates an alarm to notify the plant operator. The multi-contact vacuum chuck system applied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to the present invention forms a plurality of vacuum holes for adsorbing the wafer on the vacuum chuck, and forms vacuum lines connected to each of the vacuum holes to contact the wafer. The vacuum chuck system is configured to be this multi-contact point. In addition, when the abnormal signal is detected from the sensor to detect the abnormality in the vacuum pressure of a specific vacuum line provided with a plurality of sensors for detecting the vacuum pressure of each vacuum line and the alarm generating unit connected to the plurality of sensors An alarm indicating an abnormality of the vacuum line, for example, an alarm, a voice guidance or an alarm message, is output.

Vacuum chuck, vacuum hole, vacuum line, wafer

Description

MULTI-TOUCH POINT VACUUM CHUCK SYSTEM APPLYING TO SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION EQUIPMENT}             

1 is a side view of a single contact vacuum chuck system applied to a conventional semiconductor manufacturing facility

2 is a top plan view of a single contact vacuum chuck system applied to a conventional semiconductor manufacturing facility.

3 is a side view of a three-contact vacuum chuck system applied to a semiconductor manufacturing facility in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a top plan view of a three-contact vacuum chuck system applied to a semiconductor manufacturing facility in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: vacuum hole 11: vacuum area

13: wafer contact 15: vacuum line

17: vacuum chuck sensor 111: first vacuum hole

113: second vacuum hole 115: third vacuum hole                 

121: first vacuum region 123: second vacuum region

125: third vacuum region 131: first vacuum line

133: second vacuum line 135: third vacuum line

140: sensor unit 141: first sensor

143: second sensor 145: third sensor

151: first wafer contact portion 153: second wafer contact portion

155: third wafer contact portion 160: the alarm generating portion

100-1: vacuum chuck head 100-2: vacuum chuck pillar

100: vacuum chuck

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum chuck system applied to a semiconductor manufacturing facility. In particular, the wafer is stably seated in the vacuum chuck using the pressure of the vacuum applied from a plurality of vacuum holes formed in the semiconductor manufacturing facility. If not, it is a multi-contact vacuum chuck system that generates an alarm to notify the plant operator.

In the semiconductor manufacturing facility, the vacuum chuck (VACUUM CHUCK) plays a role of seating the wafer on the wafer contact portion (upper part of the vacuum chuck) at a vacuum pressure in order to proceed with the semiconductor manufacturing process. The stable seating of the wafer in the vacuum chuck of the semiconductor manufacturing facility is an important factor in determining the progress of the manufacturing process, the reliability of the product, and the quality of the wafer. If the vacuum chuck does not stably seat the wafer and the wafer is dislodged, defects occur in the manufacture of the semiconductor product, and the reliability of the product is lowered and the working time is delayed.

The configuration, principle, and problems of a vacuum chuck system applied to a conventional semiconductor manufacturing facility will be described through a single contact vacuum chuck system applied to the conventional semiconductor manufacturing facility shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Conventional vacuum chuck systems use vacuum pressure to form one vacuum hole for adsorbing a wafer onto a vacuum chuck. The structure in which one vacuum hole is in contact with the wafer is called a single contact. The configuration of a conventional vacuum chuck system consists of a vacuum chuck 13, a vacuum hole 10, a vacuum line 15, and a vacuum chuck sensor 17. The region in which the vacuum pressure from the vacuum hole 10 is applied in the upper portion of the vacuum chuck is called the vacuum region 11, and the portion in contact with the wafer on the upper portion of the vacuum chuck is called the wafer contact portion 13 for convenience of description. The vacuum chuck has an upper portion of a disk-shaped head to allow the wafer to be seated, and a lower portion of the vacuum chuck forming a column for supporting the disk-shaped head. In addition, the vacuum chuck has a vacuum hole 10 formed at the center of the upper portion, and the vacuum hole 10 is connected to a vacuum line 15 penetrating the inside of the vacuum chuck. The vacuum line 15 receives a vacuum from a vacuum pump (not shown) and supplies the vacuum line to the vacuum hole 10. In addition, a vacuum chuck sensor 17 for detecting the vacuum pressure of the vacuum line 15 is located at a predetermined position, for example, the lower end of the vacuum chuck. The operating principle of the single contact vacuum chuck system as described above is as follows. When the wafer is placed on the vacuum chuck, the wafer contact portion 13 and the wafer contact each other to form a vacuum region 11 therein. When the vacuum pressure applied from the vacuum line 15 to the vacuum region 11 is applied to the wafer through the vacuum hole 10, the wafer is adsorbed onto the vacuum chuck so that the wafer does not escape. However, when the wafer is seated on the vacuum chuck and the work is carried out, the pressure of the vacuum may change above or below a prescribed pressure, in which case the wafer may be released without being seated on the vacuum chuck. In particular, when the vacuum chuck is rotated, the vacuum is often lowered in pressure, which is why the wafer is often separated. Therefore, conventionally, an alarm is generated when the pressure of the vacuum deviates from the prescribed level through the vacuum chuck sensor 17 which detects whether the pressure of the vacuum deviates from the prescribed level in order to prevent such departure of the wafer.

However, the conventional vacuum chuck system as described above has a single contact structure in which only one vacuum hole, which serves to seat the wafer on the vacuum chuck, forms one at the center, so that the vacuum pressure applied at the time of mounting the wafer is essentially one. Only vacuum lines and vacuum holes were dependent. This means that if the change in the vacuum pressure is outside the prescribed level, it will have to stop working to control the vacuum pressure, even if an alarm occurs and fortunately prevents the wafer from leaving. The vacuum pressure corresponds to a prescribed value when the vacuum chuck is stopped, but lowers when the vacuum chuck is rotated, so that the suction force for adsorbing the wafer to the wafer contact portion of the vacuum chuck is inevitably lowered. This may also result in wafer detachment.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-contact vacuum chuck system for more stable mounting of the wafer to the vacuum chuck in order to solve the above problems.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-contact for generating an alarm for notifying an operator of which vacuum line has an abnormality when the pressure of the vacuum capable of adsorbing wafers from each vacuum line is not at a prescribed level. In providing a vacuum chuck system.

Multi-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention to achieve the above object is a vacuum chuck; A plurality of vacuum lines for supplying a vacuum through each vacuum line; And a plurality of vacuum holes connected to each of the plurality of vacuum lines, respectively, formed at predetermined positions on the upper portion of the vacuum chuck to seat the wafer on the upper portion of the vacuum chuck by the vacuum pressure through the respective vacuum holes. It features.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First of all, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components have the same reference numerals as much as possible even if they are displayed on different drawings. In addition, in the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention, such as specific processing flows. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that are determined to unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention will be omitted.

The multi-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention forms a plurality of vacuum holes for adsorbing the wafer on the vacuum chuck, and forms a vacuum line connected to each of the vacuum holes so that the vacuum holes in contact with the wafer are multi-contact. It is what constitutes a chuck system. In addition, a plurality of sensors for detecting the vacuum pressure of each vacuum line of the multi-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention and an alarm generating unit connected to the plurality of sensors having an abnormality in the vacuum pressure of a specific vacuum line from the sensor When an abnormal signal is detected that has occurred, an alarm indicating an abnormality of the corresponding vacuum line, for example, an alarm, a voice guidance or an alarm message, is output. For example, when an abnormal signal indicating that an abnormality in the vacuum pressure of the third vacuum line is generated through the sensor, the alarm generating unit has a specific alarm informing the abnormality of the third vacuum line, or “the vacuum pressure of the third vacuum line. 000, below / over the specified value. ”Allows the equipment operator to be notified.

The operating principle of the multi-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention is that when the wafer is placed on the vacuum chuck, the wafer contact portion and the wafer are in contact with each other to form vacuum regions under the vacuum pressure applied in the respective vacuum holes. At this time, when the vacuum pressure applied from the plurality of vacuum lines is applied to the wafer through the vacuum holes respectively connected to each vacuum line, the wafer is adsorbed on the vacuum chuck so that the wafer does not leave. The multi-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention includes a plurality of vacuum lines and vacuum holes, so that even if the vacuum pressure applied from one of the vacuum lines is lowered, the vacuum pressure applied from the other vacuum lines becomes normal so that It will be very effective in preventing departure. In particular, when the vacuum chuck is rotated, the vacuum is often lowered in pressure, but this problem can be solved by applying a multi-contact point.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the configuration and principle of the three-contact vacuum chuck system will be described in detail. 3 is a side view of a multi-contact vacuum chuck system applied to a semiconductor manufacturing facility according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a multi-contact vacuum chuck system applied to a semiconductor manufacturing facility according to the present invention.

The configuration of the three-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention is the first vacuum hole 111, the second vacuum hole 113, the third vacuum hole 115, the first vacuum region 121, the second vacuum region 123 ), The third vacuum region 125, the first vacuum line 131, the second vacuum line 133, the third vacuum line 135, the sensor unit 140, the first sensor 141, the second sensor 143, a third sensor 145, a first wafer contact part 151, a second wafer contact part 153, a third wafer contact part 155, and an alarm generator 160. Here, the first to third vacuum holes 111, 113, 115, the first to third vacuum regions 121, 123, and 125, and the first to third wafer contacts 151, 153, and 155 are vacuum chucks 100. (Head in the form of a circular plate) is configured on the top.                     

The region in which the vacuum pressure by the first vacuum hole 111 is exerted on the vacuum chuck 100 is called the first vacuum region 121, and the region in which the vacuum pressure by the second vacuum hole 113 is exerted. The second vacuum region 123 is referred to as, and the region affected by the vacuum pressure by the third vacuum hole 115 is referred to as the third vacuum region 125. In addition, a portion of the upper portion of the vacuum chuck 100 that contacts the wafer located between the first vacuum region 121 and the second vacuum region 123 is referred to as a first wafer contact portion 151 for convenience of description. The portion between the second vacuum region 123 and the third vacuum region 125 is called the second wafer contact portion 153, and the remaining wafer contact portion on the upper portion of the vacuum chuck is called the third wafer contact portion 155. The vacuum chuck has an upper head forming a disk-shaped head 100-1 so that the wafer can be seated, and a lower part forming a pillar 100-2 supporting the disk head. In addition, the vacuum chuck 100 has three vacuum holes (first to third vacuum holes) are formed to be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined position, the three vacuum holes penetrate the interior of the vacuum chuck 100, respectively. Is connected to three vacuum lines (first to third vacuum lines). Each vacuum line receives a vacuum from a vacuum pump (not shown) and supplies a vacuum to a vacuum hole connected to the vacuum line. Then, the sensor unit 140 for detecting the vacuum pressure of each vacuum line is located at a predetermined position, for example, the lower end of the vacuum chuck 100. The sensor unit 14 is composed of three sensors (first to third sensors) for detecting whether or not the vacuum pressure abnormality of each vacuum line, each sensor detects the vacuum pressure of the vacuum line managed by its own level If not, the abnormal signal is sent to the alarm generating unit 160. The alarm generating unit 16 generates an alarm when an abnormal signal is input from the sensor unit 140. The abnormal signal input from the sensor unit 140 individually detects a vacuum pressure of each vacuum line. Each of the three sensors may be input, and in this case, the alarm generator 160 may notify an abnormality of the corresponding vacuum line when an abnormal signal is detected from a specific sensor that detects an abnormality in the vacuum pressure of the specific vacuum line. For example, to output an alarm, voice guidance or alarm message. As an example, when an abnormal signal indicating that an abnormality in the vacuum pressure of the third vacuum line 135 occurs is generated through the third sensor 145, a specific alarm indicating an abnormality of the third vacuum line 135, or “third” The vacuum pressure on the vacuum line is 000, which is below / over the specified value. ”A voice notification / alarm message is sent to the equipment operator.

On the other hand, if the multi-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention is expanded to X multi-contact vacuum chuck system, where X is any integer greater than 1; The configuration of the multi-contact vacuum chuck system will be as follows. The multi-contact vacuum chuck system according to the present invention includes a vacuum chuck having a disk-shaped head formed thereon and a pillar supporting the disk-shaped head formed therein; X vacuum lines for supplying a vacuum through each vacuum line passing through the vacuum chuck, wherein X is any integer greater than 1; X vacuum holes connected to each of the X vacuum lines and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined position on the vacuum chuck to seat the wafer on the vacuum chuck by vacuum pressure through each vacuum hole; X sensors connected to the X vacuum lines, respectively, for detecting a pressure of a vacuum supplied to the vacuum line and outputting an abnormal signal when the vacuum level is not defined; And an alarm generating unit for generating an alarm for notifying an abnormality of the vacuum pressure of a specific vacuum line connected to the sensor into which the abnormal signal is input, when the abnormal signals are input from the X sensors, and are spaced apart from each other on the upper part of the vacuum chuck. X vacuum holes are formed at positions where the vacuum regions of the respective vacuum holes do not overlap each other on the upper part of the vacuum chuck.

On the other hand, the detailed description of the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, of course, various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described above, the present invention has an advantage that the wafer can be more stably seated on the vacuum chuck by producing a multi-contact vacuum chuck system in the semiconductor manufacturing process in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the equipment operator generates an alarm to notify the equipment operator which vacuum line has an abnormality when the pressure of the vacuum capable of adsorbing the wafers from each vacuum line is not at a prescribed level. There is an advantage that can easily recognize the abnormality of the vacuum line.

Claims (6)

A vacuum chuck; A plurality of vacuum lines for supplying a vacuum through each vacuum line; A plurality of vacuum holes connected to each of the plurality of vacuum lines are formed at predetermined positions above the vacuum chuck to seat the wafer on the upper portion of the vacuum chuck by vacuum pressure through each vacuum hole; A sensor unit connected to the plurality of vacuum lines to sense a pressure of a vacuum supplied to the vacuum line and output an abnormal signal when it is not a prescribed vacuum pressure; And an alarm generating unit for generating an alarm when an abnormal signal is input from the sensor unit. (delete) The method of claim 1, The sensor unit is connected to each of the plurality of vacuum lines is a multi-contact vacuum chuck characterized in that it consists of a plurality of sensors for detecting the pressure supplied to each vacuum line and outputs an abnormal signal when the pressure is not a prescribed vacuum pressure system. The method of claim 3, wherein The alarm generating unit recognizes a sensor to which the abnormal signal is input, the multi-contact vacuum chuck system, characterized in that to output an alarm for notifying the vacuum pressure abnormality of the vacuum line connected to the sensor. A vacuum chuck having a disk-shaped head formed at an upper portion thereof and a column supporting the disk-shaped head formed at a lower portion thereof; X vacuum lines for supplying a vacuum through each vacuum line passing through the vacuum chuck, wherein X is any integer greater than 1; It is connected to each of the X vacuum lines, are formed spaced apart from each other at a predetermined position on the upper portion of the vacuum chuck, the vacuum region of each vacuum hole is formed in a position that does not overlap each other on the upper portion of the vacuum chuck through the vacuum through each vacuum hole X vacuum holes for seating a wafer on the vacuum chuck by pressure; X sensors connected to the X vacuum lines, respectively, for detecting a pressure of a vacuum supplied to the vacuum line and outputting an abnormal signal when the vacuum level is not defined; And Applied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, characterized in that the alarm generating unit for generating an alarm for notifying the vacuum pressure abnormality of a specific vacuum line connected to the sensor inputted the abnormal signal is input from the X sensors; Multi-contact vacuum chuck system. (delete)

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