TW201626480A - Substrate transferring system - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate transferring system comprises a robot arm, a clamper, a purge box and a purging element. The clamper is disposed on an end of the robot arm and used for clamping a substrate. The purging element is disposed within the purge box and used for purging the clamper entering the purge box.

Description

Substrate transfer system

The present invention relates to a substrate transfer system, and more particularly to a substrate transfer system having a cleaning function.

The substrate can be transported by the robot arm between the two positions after being clamped by the robot arm. However, after the substrate is held by the robot arm, the material of the substrate (such as particles) remains on the robot arm. These residual materials can negatively affect the quality of the substrate that is transferred next, such as scratching the surface of the substrate that is transferred next time.

The present invention relates to a substrate transfer system that removes residual substrate material from a robotic arm.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a substrate transfer system is proposed. The substrate transfer system includes a robot arm, a holder, a cleaning box, and a cleaner. The holder is disposed at one end of the robot arm and is used for holding a substrate. The cleaner is located in the cleaning box to clean the holder entering the cleaning box.

In order to better understand the above and other aspects of the present invention, the preferred embodiments are described below, and in conjunction with the drawings, the detailed description is as follows:

10‧‧‧Substrate

100, 200, 300‧‧‧ substrate transmission system

110‧‧‧ Robotic arm

120‧‧‧Piece

130‧‧‧Clamps

130r‧‧‧ slot

140‧‧‧Clean box

141‧‧‧ bottom wall

141b‧‧‧ bottom

142‧‧‧ side wall

140a‧‧‧ entrance

150‧‧‧cleaner

150a‧‧‧jet hole

160‧‧‧ gas supply

170‧‧‧Exhaust components

180‧‧‧rails

D1‧‧‧ spacing

G‧‧‧cleaning gas

H1‧‧‧ length

S1‧‧‧ itinerary

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the holder and the sheet-like crucible according to an embodiment of the present invention in a first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the appearance of the cleaner of Fig. 1.

4 is a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 . FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a holder and a sheet 耙 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Cutaway view. The substrate transfer system 100 includes a robot arm 110, a plurality of sheet fins 120, a plurality of grippers 130 (shown in FIG. 2), a cleaning tank 140, a plurality of cleaners 150, a gas supply source 160, and an exhausting member 170. .

The sheet-like crucible 120 and the holder 130 are disposed at one end of the robot arm 110, wherein each of the holders 130 is located between the adjacent two-piece crucibles 120. Each of the holders 130 has a clamping groove 130r, and the substrate 10 can be clamped in the clamping groove 130r. Through the movement of the robot arm 110, the substrate 10 held by the holder 130 can be transported between two different positions. The substrate 10 is, for example, a wafer.

Since the substrate 10 and the groove wall of the clip groove 130r are in tight contact, the material (such as particles) of the substrate 10 is likely to remain in the holder 130 during the process of being clamped and separated, and even remains in the sheet shape.耙120. Although this, the holder 130 After the substrate 10 is released, the robot arm 110 can drive the sheet-like crucible 120 and the holder 130 into the cleaning box 140 to remove residual substrate material remaining on the sheet-like crucible 120 and/or the holder 130. In addition, the cleaning box 140 has an inlet 140a, and the robot arm 110 drives the sheet-like crucible 120 and the holder 130 into the cleaning box 140 through the inlet 140a. The inlet 140a can be the only inlet to the cleaning tank 140. When the robotic arm 110 rests or blocks the inlet 140a, the residual substrate material in the cleaning tank 140 is not blown out of the cleaning tank 140 (except for being sucked out by the venting element 170). In this way, the cleanliness of the environment outside the cleaning box 140 can be maintained.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning box 140 includes a bottom wall 141 and side walls 142. The side wall 142 is closed and connected to the bottom wall 141 so that the residual substrate material removed from the sheet-like crucible 120 and/or the holder 130 is not easily blown out of the cleaning box 140.

The cleaner 150 is disposed in the cleaning box 140. Each cleaner 150 has a gas injection hole 150a. When the holder 130 enters the cleaning box 140, the gas injection holes 150a can be aligned with the holder 130 to remove residual substrate material on the holder 130. In an embodiment, the position of each cleaner 150 may correspond to a space between adjacent two sheets 120. As a result, the cleaning gas G ejected from the cleaner 150 is not directly sprayed onto the sheet crucible 120 to reduce the ejection force. Since the position of each cleaner 150 corresponds to the space between the adjacent two sheets 120, the cleaning gas G sprayed by the cleaner 150 can act on the adjacent two sheets in addition to the holder 130. The opposite sides of 120, in turn, can remove the residual substrate material (if any) on the opposite sides.

In addition, the air supply source 160 communicates with the cleaner 150 to provide a cleaner 150 a cleaning gas G and providing a cleaning gas G sufficient to remove residual substrate material pressure. The cleaning gas G may be an inert gas such as nitrogen, helium or the like. Due to the inertness of the cleaning gas G, chemical changes in the residual substrate material can be avoided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaners 150 can be arranged in at least one row. This embodiment is illustrated by a single row. A single row of cleaners 150 are movably disposed within the cleaning bin 140. For example, a single row of cleaners 150 can be moved in the direction in which the tabs 120 extend. The moving stroke S1 of the cleaner 150 is substantially equal to or greater than the length H1 of the sheet-like crucible 120. As a result, the cleaning gas G ejected from the cleaner 150 can sufficiently act on the entire sheet-like crucible 120, thereby removing the possible residual substrate material on the entire sheet-like crucible 120.

As shown in FIG. 1, the venting element 170 is in communication with the cleaning tank 140 to quickly discharge residual substrate material from the retort 120 and/or the holder 130 in the cleaning tank 140. In an embodiment, the venting element 170 can be disposed on the bottom wall 141 of the cleaning tank 140. Further, the exhaust member 170 is disposed opposite to the inlet 140a of the cleaning tank 140. In another embodiment, the venting element 170 can be disposed on the sidewall 142 of the cleaning bin 140, preferably but not limited to, in the sidewall 142 adjacent the cleaner 150.

Please refer to FIG. 3, which shows an external view of the cleaner of FIG. 1. The substrate transport system 100 further includes a slide rail 180. The slide rail 180 extends between the inlet 140a and the bottom surface 141b (as shown in Figure 1). The slide rail 180 is disposed in the cleaning box 140, for example, on the inner surface of the side wall 142. The cleaner 150 is slidably provided on the slide rail 180 to allow the cleaner 150 to eject the cleaning gas G while moving. As such, as long as the range of movement of the single or single row of cleaners 150 covers the area of the sheet-like crucible 120 and the holder 130 The residual substrate material on the sheet crucible 120 and/or the holder 130 can be sufficiently removed. In another embodiment, the substrate transfer system 100 further includes a drive component (not shown), such as a motor, that can drive the cleaner 150 to slide.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The substrate transport system 200 includes a robot arm 110, a plurality of sheet-like crucibles 120, a plurality of grippers 130 (not shown), a cleaning tank 140, a plurality of cleaners 150, a gas supply source 160, an exhausting member 170, and a slide rail. 180 (not shown).

In this embodiment, the plurality of cleaners 150 are arranged in a plurality of rows, for example, two rows. The second row of cleaners 150 are movably disposed on the slide rails 180 within the cleaner 150. The distance D1 between the two rows of cleaners 150 may be substantially equal to or smaller than the length H1 of the sheet-like crucible 120; in this design, when the robot arm 110 drives the sheet-like crucible 120 and the holder 130 through the inlet 140a into the cleaning box 140 The range of movement of the second row of cleaners 150 may encompass the entire area of the sheet-like crucible 120 and the holder 130 to substantially remove the residual substrate material on the sheet-like crucible 120 and/or the holder 130. In another embodiment, the distance D1 between the two rows of cleaners 150 may also be greater than the length H1 of the sheet-like crucible 120.

Referring to FIG. 5, a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The substrate transfer system 300 includes a robot arm 110, a plurality of sheet fins 120, a plurality of grippers 130 (not shown), a cleaning tank 140, a plurality of cleaners 150, a supply source 160, and a venting element 170. The plurality of cleaners 150 are arranged in a plurality of rows, for example, two rows. In this embodiment, one of the rows of the two rows of cleaners 150 can be adjacent to the inlet 140a of the cleaning tank 140, the position of which corresponds substantially to the position of the holder 130, and the spacing D1 of the two rows of cleaners 150 is substantially equal to or greater than the sheet. Shape 120 The length of H1. In this way, the second row of cleaners 150 can cover the entire area of the sheet-like crucible 120 and the holder 130 without moving to sufficiently remove the residual substrate material on the sheet-like crucible 120 and/or the holder 130. Under this design, the substrate transport system 300 can selectively omit the slide rails 180.

In summary, the robot arm of the substrate transfer system of the embodiment of the present invention can enter the cleaning box after the substrate is released to remove the residual substrate material on the holder and/or the sheet. In this way, it is possible to avoid excessive damage to the held substrate during the next clamping process. Additionally, the substrate transport system can include one or more cleaners that are movably or fixedly disposed within the cleaning chamber to remove residual substrate material from the holder and/or sheet. In addition, one or some of the plurality of cleaners are movably disposed while the other or others are fixedly disposed. At least some of the plurality of movable cleaners may be linked or individually operated differently. The embodiments of the present invention do not limit the number, arrangement, and/or motion relationship of the cleaners as long as the residual substrate material on the holder and/or the sheet-like crucible can be removed.

In conclusion, the present invention has been disclosed in the above preferred embodiments, and is not intended to limit the present invention. A person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧Substrate transmission system

110‧‧‧ Robotic arm

120‧‧‧Piece

140‧‧‧Clean box

141‧‧‧ bottom wall

141b‧‧‧ bottom

142‧‧‧ side wall

140a‧‧‧ entrance

150‧‧‧cleaner

150a‧‧‧jet hole

160‧‧‧ gas supply

170‧‧‧Exhaust components

G‧‧‧cleaning gas

H1‧‧‧ length

S1‧‧‧ itinerary

Claims (11)

A substrate transfer system comprising: a robot arm; a holder disposed at one end of the robot arm, the holder for holding a substrate; a cleaning box; and a cleaner disposed in the cleaning box Used to clean the holder into the cleaning box. The substrate transfer system of claim 1, wherein the cleaner has a gas vent; the gas vent is aligned with the holder when the holder enters the cleaning box. The substrate transfer system of claim 1, further comprising: a venting element communicating with the cleaning box and for discharging impurities in the cleaning box. The substrate transfer system of claim 3, wherein the cleaning box has an inlet, the substrate transfer system further comprising a venting element, the venting element being disposed opposite the inlet system. The substrate transfer system as described in claim 1 of the patent application, including plural The cleaners are arranged in at least one row. The substrate transfer system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of sheet-like crucibles, the holder being located between adjacent two sheets of crucibles; wherein the cleaner is movably located in the cleaning box, And the movement stroke of the cleaner is substantially equal to or greater than the length of the sheet-like crucible. The substrate transfer system of claim 1, further comprising: a gas supply source connected to the cleaner for providing the cleaner-cleaning gas. The substrate transport system of claim 7, wherein the clean gas system is an inert gas. The substrate transfer system of claim 1, wherein the cleaner is slidably disposed in the cleaning box. The substrate transfer system of claim 9, further comprising: a slide rail disposed in the cleaning box; wherein the cleaner is slidably disposed on the slide rail. The substrate transfer system of claim 10, wherein the cleaning box has an inlet and a bottom surface, the sliding rail extending from the inlet and the bottom surface between.