TW554421B - A front open unified pod door opener with a dust-proof means - Google Patents

Abstract

A front open unified pod door opener with a dust-proof means, which is placed in an apparatus for dealing with 12 inches wafer, is used for opening the apparatus and preventing dust enter the apparatus when taking out or putting in a wafer from the front open unified pod. A front open unified pod door opener is consisted of an inner door and an outer door. The dust-proof means is placed on the front open unified pod door opener near a side of nitrogen load-lock area of the apparatus. The dust-proof means is consisted of a gas pump is used for pumping gas, a filter is connected to gas outlet of the gas pump for removing the particle in the gas, an outlet member is connected to gas outlet of the filter for blowing a laminar gas flow, and an inlet member is connected to gas inlet of the gas pump for returning the gas blew from the outlet member to the gas pump. The dust-proof means prevents the particles enter the chamber and pollute the wafer loading area and reduce the use amount of nitrogen.

Description

554421

In particular, before the dust-proof device, the present invention relates to a semiconductor process equipment, which is provided in a machine for processing a 12-inch wafer and has an open-type wafer box door opening device. As the integration of semiconductor components in integrated circuits increases, the accuracy of the relative process becomes particularly important. Because once a slight error or contamination occurs in the process, it may cause the process to fail ', which will cause the wafer to be damaged or scrapped, which will cost a lot of cost.

In the general semiconductor manufacturing process, the equipment of the semiconductor manufacturing process is composed of several molds, and (private manufacturing / transmission / storage / safety chain / reactive gas), and through the Japanese yen transfer system (Wafer Transfer System), The wafer is transferred between the process module and the storage module. The wafer transfer system uses a robot arm, Robot Blade, to remove the wafer from the wafer carrier and transfer it to the process reaction chamber for process reactions. After the process is completed, the wafer is returned and sent back. In a wafer carrier, a series of process steps are performed. Traditional 8-inch wafers use a standard mechanical interface (Standad

Mechanical Inter-Face (SMIF) wafer carrier. However, with the advancement of semiconductor manufacturing technology, the wafer size has increased to 12mm. The wafer carrier used is different from the 8-inch wafer carrier. It is called the Front Opening Unified Pod (F0UP). ) To fit larger crystals

circle. This type of front-opening wafer cassette (F0UP) is to keep the wafer fixed in a closed @ 空间 甲 ’to prevent the dust from contaminating the wafer in the atmosphere. However, although the internal cleanness of the front-opened wafer box (F0UP) is relatively high, the opening and closing of the lid of the front-opening wafer box (F〇up) is in the process of loading the wafer into the process of preparation. All actions need to be filled with a large amount of nitrogen to reduce the

^ 54421 V. Description of the invention (2) Closed box cover II ^:: f f J $ oxygen environment. Moreover, opening the lid and contaminating the wafer. This example disturbs the surrounding environment and the dust entrance door on the back of the wafer and the outer door. Take the reaction furnace tube as an example. The machine has an internal Opener, FD ()), and a miscellaneous open wafer box door opening device. (The influence of the FOUP Door machine. The opening and control of the inner and outer doors can also reduce the dust on the schematic diagram shown in Figure 1. Please refer to the reactor tube for 12-inch wafers, see m, nitrogen, as shown in Figure 1. Loading mutual account: It is shown that the reaction furnace tube 100 includes the opening of the reaction chamber wafer box door; n (^ ad-Lock) 104, the robot arm 106 and the front hypoxic environment. Front opening ^ ΐ Among them, The nitrogen loading interlocking area 104 is on the device 108. The round box 110 was fixed to the front-opening wafer box door 100 and opened as a wafer. The box door opening device 108 was used to open the reactor tube 108 including the inside. The door 108 is used for the entrance. The front-opening wafer box door opening 108a is set close to the front door \ outside door 108b, and the nitrogen nozzle 108c. The inner door is close to the nitrogen loading box, which ^, The outer door 108b is provided with the inner door 108a and the outer door 108b, p 4. The nitrogen spray head 108 is located between M m + n n. Also, in order to Hold the front open type wafer box ,,,, etc. The open type B means that the round box door opening device 10 has a good seal, and the clamp-tool 11 2 will open the open type wafer box ii G and the front open type. The wafer box door opening device 108 is fixed together. F. Load the wafer in the front-opening wafer box 110 into the reaction chamber. At 02 o'clock, open the front opening-type wafer box door opening device 108. Gate i〇8a, and then use a nitrogen chaos nozzle 108c to inject nitrogen to the front open-type wafer cassette 丨 丨 〇 internal 1 minute to reduce the oxygen concentration inside the open-type wafer cassette 110. Then: Reopening 554421 V. Description of Invention (3)

Open the front-opening wafer box door opening device. 08 The outer door 108b, and extend the front-opening wafer box 110 with a robotic arm 106 to take the wafer back to the reaction furnace tube 100, and The circle is placed on the wafer boat. After all the wafers in the open wafer box are moved to the wafer boat, the inner door 108a and the outer door 108b of the front open wafer box door opening device 08 will be closed. After that, repeat the same operation to move the wafers in another front-opening wafer cassette to the wafer boat, and then transfer the wafer boat to the reaction chamber until the wafer boat is filled (usually 120 wafers). The reaction was performed. Similarly, when loading a wafer into the front-opening wafer cassette 110, the wafer boat is first sent out from the reaction chamber 102, and then the inner door i0a of the front-opening wafer cassette opening device 108 is opened. And use the nitrogen nozzle 108 (: blowing nitrogen to the inside of the front open wafer box 110 for several minutes. Then, open the outer door 08b, and take the wafer on the wafer boat with the arm $ 106, then Wafers are fed into the front open wafer cassette 110. After the current open wafer cassette 110 is filled, the inner and outer doors 108a and 108b of the front open wafer cassette door opening device 108 will be closed. After that, Repeat the same operation and move the remaining wafers in the wafer boat to another front-opening wafer box 'until all the wafers in the wafer boat have been moved. |

^ In the above steps, since the nitrogen-loaded interlocking zone 104 is a low-oxygen ring soil brother A, when the reactor tube j θ 〇 is turned on, the nitrogen nozzle 10 must be used to blow nitrogen to the front-opening wafer cassette.丨 丨 θ inside, in order to reduce the oxygen concentration in the front-opening wafer cassette 110, otherwise the air inside the front-opening wafer cassette 110 is also closed, and nitrogen is loaded into the interlocking zone 104. Therefore, in order to sufficiently reduce the oxygen concentration in the front-open type = Yuanyi 110, the nitrogen nozzle 108c is usually required to blow nitrogen to the interior of the open-type wafer cassette 11 minutes, which not only wastes time but also consumes nitrogen. τ exhibition

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On the other hand, because the inside of the door of the front-opening wafer box door opening device 108 is opened, the same time, using the rat milk nozzle 108C to blow nitrogen to the front-opening wafer box 110 days, the front-opening wafer box will also be raised. If the inside of the wafer cassette 110 and the back of the wafer ... When the outer door i08b is opened, the dust will enter the nitrogen-loaded interproduct and the #contaminate the nitrogen-loaded interlocking area 104, and when the dust falls, · It may also fall on the wafer surface and affect the wafer. ^ In addition, in order to prevent outside air and fine dust from opening before the reactor tube ^ Yen Phoenix door opening device 108 enters the reactor tube when it is turned on, it is necessary to make the type 2 wafer box 110 and the front open type wafer box The door opening device 108 has a good seal between the front opening wafer box no. 0 and the Lu front opening wafer box door opening device 108. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening wafer box door opening device with a dust-proof device, which can prevent dust and air from entering the nitrogen-loaded interlocking area, and also can prevent nitrogen from leaking out of the nitrogen-loading interlocking area. Another object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening type wafer box door opening device having a dust-proof device. Even if a poor seal between the front-opening type wafer box door opening device and the front-opening type wafer box does not affect the nitrogen loading interlock Area, no clamps are needed to secure the front-opening cassette. Another object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening-wafer box door opening device with a dust-proof device, which can directly transfer wafers from the front-opening wafer box to the i Φ wafer boat, and directly return the wafers to the front-opening wafer. It can save time and increase productivity in a round box. Another object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening wafer box door opening device with a dust-proof device, which can save the amount of nitrogen and reduce the cost. work

9736twf.ptd

554421 V. Description of the invention (5) The present invention provides a dust-proof device. The device is installed on a 12-inch wafer openable machine and can prevent the dust from entering the machine in the previously opened wafer cassette. Previously opened crystals consist of inner and outer doors. The dust-proof device is provided with a nitrogen-loaded interlock near the reactor tube. The air-inlet is provided with an air-exhaust device for extracting gas and a filter air inlet for filtering fine dust in the gas. , So that the air intake member blown from the air exhaust member. Among them, there is a space between the gas outlet member and the inlet. This space is a crystal channel. The shape of the gas outlet member and the air inlet member is parallel to the surface of the wafer, and the wafer can be blown. The open-type wafer device before the reactor tube is provided with an exhaust gas inlet for extracting gas and an air outlet for filtering the fine dust in the gas, which can blow out the air inlet of the gas exhaust device in a laminar flow state, so that The air inlet member from the air outlet member device. Wherein, the air outlet member is provided, and there is a space between the two, the space passage is' and the shape of the air outlet member and the air inlet member is parallel to the wafer surface, and the wafer box door opening and mounting machine (such as In the reactor tube), the round box door opening device is generally placed on one side of the front-opening wafer box door opening area when a wafer is taken in and placed in. This dust-proof device is connected to the air outlet of the air extraction device, the air outlet member connected to the filter device, and the air component connected to the air extraction device can be returned to the air outlet of the air extraction device. The upper and lower surfaces of the gas flow direction. It is installed in a 12-inch crystal box door opening device. This dustproof installation, the filter device connected to the air extraction device, the air outlet member connected to the filter device, and the blown gas can be returned to the air extraction and opposed to the air intake member system. The upper and lower surfaces of the gas flow direction of the gas curtain formed by the wafer entering and exiting the reaction furnace tube are set.

Page 10 554421 V. Description of the invention (6) The present invention is equipped with a dust-proof device on the front-opening wafer box door opening device of a machine (such as a reaction furnace tube) for processing 12-inch wafers. The nitrogen forms an air curtain (Curtaiη), and the flow direction of the air curtain is parallel to the wafer surface. Since wafers must pass through the air curtain of the dustproof device when entering and exiting the front-opening wafer cassette, the dust on the wafer surface can be removed and filtered by the dustproof device, which can prevent the dust and air from entering the nitrogen-loaded interlocking area.

In addition, since wafers must be dust-proofed when entering and exiting the front-opening wafer cassette, even if the seal between the front-opening wafer-box door opening device and the front-opening wafer cassette is poor, the nitrogen-loaded interlocking zone will not be affected. (Hypoxic environment), it is not necessary to fix the front-opening cassette with the clamping device. In addition, the present invention is equipped with a dust-proof device on the machine for processing 12-inch wafers (such as the reactor door opening device before the furnace tube is closed). The device allows the wafer to be directly transferred to the wafer boat in the form of a moon-yen-yen-yin, or returns the wafer directly to the front-open type. Therefore, it is not necessary to blow the front-open type wafer box with nitrogen, or ^, box 5 Short the time for blowing the front open wafer box with nitrogen, which can save the capacity and the amount of nitrogen used.

In order to make the above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention easier to understand, a preferred embodiment is exemplified below, and it will be explained in more detail in conjunction with the attached ★. 100, 200: reactor tube 102, 202: reaction chamber 104, 204: nitrogen-loaded interlock zone

554421 V. Description of the invention (7) I 0 6, 2 0 6 • Robotic arms 108, 208: front-opening wafer box door opening devices 108a, 212: inner door 108b, 214: outer door 108c: nitrogen nozzle II 0 , 2 1 0: Front-opening wafer cassette 11 2: Clamps 216, 300: Dustproof device 302: Extraction device 304: Filter device 306: Air outlet member 308: Air inlet member 310, 312, 314: Pipe 4 0 0 Wafers 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, and 412: The second embodiment of the arrow shows the reaction furnace provided with a dust-proof device for a newly opened wafer box door opening device, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Tube top view. Referring to FIG. 2, the reaction furnace tube 200 includes a reaction chamber 202, a nitrogen-loaded interlocking zone 204, a robot arm 206, and a front-opening wafer box door opening device 2008. The front-opening wafer cassette 210 is disposed on the front-opening wafer cassette door opening device 208. The open-type wafer box door opening device 2008 includes an inner door 2 1 2, an outer door 2 1 4, and a dust prevention device 216. Among them, the 'inner door 212 is disposed near the front-opening wafer cassette 21 〇

Page 12 554421 V. Description of the invention (8) On this side, the outer door 2 1 4 is arranged between the inner door 21 2 and the dustproof device 2 1 6. The dust-proof device 2 1 6 is arranged on the side near the nitrogen-loaded interlocking area 204. Figures 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of the structure of the dust-proof device of the present invention at different viewing angles. Among them, Fig. 3B is a schematic view of Fig. 3A turning 90 degrees. Referring to Figures 3A and 3B, the unexplained dust-proof device 0 υ υ includes an air extraction device 302, a filtering device 304, an air outlet member 306, an air inlet member 308, a pipeline 310, a pipeline 312, The pipeline 314 is formed. Among them, the pipeline 310 connects the air outlet of the air extraction device 302 and the air inlet of the filter device 304. The pipeline 312 is connected to the air outlet of the filter device 304 and the air outlet member 306. The pipeline 314 connects the suction member 31 and the air inlet of the suction device 302. The gas device 302 is, for example, a blower for extracting gas. Filters the particles in the gas. The air outlet member 306 and the air suction member tube have Γ set to r, and for example, a large number of small holes are provided in the air outlet member 306.

Flow) / 1 The gas blown out by the member 306 is laminar (Laminar qh-like 4 'and then sucked by the suction member 308. Therefore, a 屮 翕 hibi # 3〇6 and the suction member are eight times later, in the exit The rolling between the rolling member 306 and the suction, ", L will form an air curtain, and the space 1 ^ between the channel members 3G8 of the gas outlet member box is a wafer open-front wafer

Extraction device 3 08 The working principle of the dust extraction device. First, open the pipeline 310 to reach the gas (gas) and pressurize the gas, and then the gas passes through the fine dust in the gas or; The filtering device 3〇4 ^^ J transported the lice member 306, and the gas passage i

554421

The small tube placed in the exhaust member 3 06 moves in the direction of the combusting member 308 to form an air curtain, a flow state, and is attracted to the suction member 302, and passes from the suction member 308 to the drawing device. In this way, the gas can be installed in a dust-proof manner; in the second way, 3 = to the air extraction device 3.2. The dust in the gas can be used, and the wide crying team UI # Μ ', and the gas in the gas is filtered using a filter &, So that there is a certain degree of cleanliness. Fu Liren's breast body Figure 4 shows the wafer passing through the dustproof device and the diagram. In Figure 4, t, the components and Figures 3A and 3β are equal to ^! F02 ^ ^ ^ 4〇4 ^ ^ 410 410 #. Arrow 40 8 is the supplementary gas (nitrogen). The former number 412 is the moving direction of wafer 400. As shown in Figure 4, after the gas is pressurized by the air extraction device 3202, it passes through the filter device 3G4 and then reaches the air outlet member 3G6. The gas passes through a small tube provided in the air outlet member 306 and becomes laminar flow. The air curtain is formed by moving in the direction of the suction member 308, and then the gas returns to the suction device 302 through the suction member 308. When the wafer 400 passes through the space between the gas-extracting member and the gas-absorbing member, the surface of the wafer 400 is parallel to the direction of nitrogen flow (arrow 410), so the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer 400 Both can be blown by nitrogen, and the dust or impurities attached to the 400 surface of the wafer can be removed. Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the operation principle of the open-type wafer box door opening device provided with the reaction furnace tube equipped with the dust-proof mounting of the present invention will be described. Among them, the dustproof device 216 is always operated in the reaction furnace tube 200, and can silently filter the fine dust in the reaction furnace tube 200. T When loading the wafers in the front-opening cassette 2 10 into the reaction chamber 202,

554421, description of the invention (10) 1 After the inner door 214 and the outer door 216 of the front-opening wafer box door opening device 108, the robot arm 206 is extended into the front-opening wafer box 210 to pick up the wafer. Then, when the wafer is retrieved for the robot | 206 and returned to the nitrogen-loaded interlocking zone 204, the wafer passes through the dustproof device 216. Since the airflow of the dust-proof device 216 is parallel to the wafer surface, both the upper surface and the lower surface of the wafer can be blown by nitrogen. When the wafer passes the dust-proof device 2 1 6, the dust on the wafer can be protected by the dust-proof device 21 6 It is blown off and filtered, so that the fine dust does not enter the nitrogen-loaded interlocking zone 204. Moreover, since the dust-proof device 216 is always operated in the reaction chamber 2000, the dust particles raised by the outer door 214 and the inner door 2i 2 of the current open-type wafer box door opening device 2 will also be removed The dustproof device 2 1 6 is removed, and = will enter the nitrogen-loaded interlocking area 204. Then the robotic arm 206 puts the wafer on the boat, and all the wafers in the current open wafer box are moved to the wafer boat. The front open wafer box door opening device 208 is within n212 and the outer door 214. Will be closed = After that, repeat the same action to move the circle in another front-open wafer box to the wafer boat, and then transfer the wafer boat until the wafer boat is filled (usually 120 wafers). Go to the reaction chamber 200 for reaction. Similarly, when loading a wafer into the front-opening wafer cassette 2o0, the door dream reaction chamber 200 is sent out, and then the front-opening wafer cassette door is opened = the outer door 214 and the inner door 212. After the robotic arm 206 picks up the wafer, it sends the wafer to the open-front wafer cassette 210, and the wafer will be 214 and the device 216. Therefore, in the front-opening wafer box door opening device 208, the outer door 2 1 4 and the inner door 2 1 2 are opened. M # Ο 1. ^ A, when the dust is raised, the dust will also enter the nitrogen 210 Loading interlocking area 204. After the current open wafer is filled, the inner door 212 of the front open wafer box door opening device 208 554 421 421 5. Description of the invention (π) and the outer door 21 4 will be closed. After that, repeat the same operation to move the remaining wafers in the wafer boat to another front-opening wafer cassette until all the wafers in the wafer boat are moved. According to the embodiment of the present invention, a dustproof device is installed on the open-type wafer box door opening device in front of the reaction furnace tube. This dust-proof device sprays gas such as nitrogen ^ to form a curtain. The wafer box must pass the air curtain of the dustproof device, so the dust on the wafer can be removed and filtered by the dustproof device, which can prevent the dust and air from entering the nitrogen-loaded interlocking area. μ

In addition, since wafers must pass through the dust-proof device when entering and exiting the front-opening wafer cassette, even if the sealing between the front-opening wafer-box door opening device and the front-opening wafer cassette is not affected, the nitrogen loading interlock zone ( Hypoxic environment): It is not necessary to fix the front open wafer box with the sweet clip device. In addition, according to the present invention, a dustproof device is installed on the opening and closing of the wafer box door before the reaction furnace tube. When the wafer is to enter and exit the front-opening wafer box, the dustproof device must be passed, so that the wafer can directly place the wafer. Transfer the wafer boat from the front-opening wafer box, or return the wafer directly to the front-opening wafer box, so it can be disrespectful = Purge the front-opening wafer box, or it can be shortened to inject ( Purge) The time of the front-opening wafer cassette, which can save and increase the production capacity and the amount of nitrogen. ~

Although the present invention has been disclosed as above with a preferred embodiment, = to limit the present invention, anyone skilled in this art will not be able to make various changes and retouches within the scope of :::: Among them, the ones defined by the patent ^ shall prevail. Yuezhi

554421 Brief description of the drawings The first diagram is a schematic diagram showing the top view of a conventional reaction furnace tube; the second diagram is a diagram showing the top view of a reactor tube with an open-type wafer box door opening device provided with a dustproof device according to the present invention 3A and 3B are schematic structural diagrams of a dustproof device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a wafer passing through the dustproof device.

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Claims (1)

554421 6. Scope of patent application 1. A front-opening wafer box door opening device with a dust-proof device. The front door opening device can open a machine as an entrance to a wafer from a front-opening wafer. The The front-open type wafer box door includes: an inner door, which is disposed near one side of the front-open type wafer box; the open-type wafer box box has at least a pick-up and opening device and a dust-proof device, and the dust-proof device Including: an air extraction device, a filter device, an air outlet, the air outlet member, the air inlet member air inlet member, the air outlet member device; the air outlet member space, the empty air outlet member is flush with the surface of the wafer, and There is a channel between the suction and the direction, and the direction is related to the lower surface. 2. If an external door dust device is provided on the door of the Shen-type wafer box, it is arranged near one side of the machine. The air extraction device is used to extract gas. The air inlet of the filter device is connected to the air extraction filter device to filter the gas. Particulates in the air; the air from the air outlet member connected to the filtering device can blow out laminar gas; and the air from the air inlet member connected to the air suction device can blow back to the air inlet member through the air inlet member It is relative to each other, and the two are the gas flow lines formed by the air curtain formed by the air inlet member of the front-opening wafer cassette, and can sweep the upper surface of the wafer and the first patent area. It is described that the device has a dust-proof device before the opening device, wherein the inner door and the dust-proof device further include 9736twf.ptd Page 18 554421 6. Scope of patent application 3 • The front-opening wafer box door opening device with dust-proof device as described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the gas outlet member is provided with a plurality of small tubes. 4. The front-opening wafer box door opening device having a dust-proof device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the air extraction device includes a blower. 5 · The front-opening wafer box door opening device with a dustproof device as described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the machine includes a reaction furnace tube. 6 · The front-opening wafer box door opening device with a dust-proof device as described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the gas includes nitrogen. The 7. dust-proof device, which is disposed on one of a machine and the wafer-exit dust-proof device includes: an air-exhaust device, a filter-device air outlet, the filter-air-exhaust member, and the air-exhaust member can be an air-intake member from the air-exhaust member Blowing; wherein there is a space between the outlets and the gas-exhausting member is parallel to the surface of the wafer 8. If an application is specifically made, the air-exhausting device is used to extract gas; and the air inlet of the filtering device is connected to the air-exhausting device The device is used to filter the fine dust in the gas; the air outlet member is connected to the air outlet of the filter device to blow out the gas in a laminar state; and the air inlet member is connected to the air inlet of the air extraction device. The air inlet member is returned to the air extraction member and the air inlet member, and the space is the channel for the wafer to enter and exit the machine, and the gas flow direction of the air curtain formed by the air inlet member. Tie, and can blow the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer. The dustproof device described in item 7 9736twf.ptd Page 19 554421 6. Scope of patent application There are several small tubes in the gas component. 9. The dust-proof device according to item 7 of the scope of patent application, wherein the exhaust device includes a blower. 10. The dust-proof device according to item 7 of the scope of patent application, wherein the machine includes a reactor tube. 11. The dust-proof device according to item 7 of the scope of patent application, wherein the gas includes nitrogen. 9736twf.ptd Page 20