TWI553768B - System and method for transferring semiconductor element - Google Patents

Description

Transmission system and transmission method of semiconductor component

The present invention relates to a transmission system and a transmission method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transmission system and method for transporting semiconductor components to a process chamber.

The semiconductor industry has experienced rapid growth due to improved integrated density of various electronic components (eg, transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.). Most of the improvement in bulk density comes from the shrinking of semiconductor process nodes (for example, shrinking process nodes to nearly 20 nm process nodes). When semiconductor devices become smaller and enter the next generation, new technologies are needed to maintain electronic components. Performance. Devices are more complex because manufacturers have designed integrated circuits that feature smaller and more features, and these complex devices lead to more process steps.

Integrated circuit fabs may include a variety of process equipment such as stepper, immersion scanners, and more. However, most of the aforementioned process equipment is kept in a vacuum state, so a vacuum environment must be created in a space before entering the process equipment, and gas needs to be injected into the space after the process equipment is processed. As a result, time consumption is often generated during the process, which reduces efficiency.

In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a transmission system. System for transmitting a first semiconductor component, including a process chamber and a first relay station, wherein the first relay station has a first chamber, a second chamber, a third chamber, and an external chamber The second chamber connects the first chamber, the third chamber, and the process chamber, and maintains a vacuum state. The first semiconductor element is sequentially moved from the external chamber through the first chamber and the second chamber to the processing chamber, and the first semiconductor element is sequentially moved by the processing chamber through the second chamber and the third chamber To the external chamber.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first relay station further includes a shift The moving member is disposed in the external chamber for moving the first semiconductor component.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first relay station further has a first valve The door and a second valve, wherein the first valve is located between the first chamber and the second chamber, and the second valve is located between the second chamber and the third chamber.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first relay station further has a third valve A door and a fourth valve, wherein the third valve is located between the first chamber and the outer chamber, and the fourth valve is located between the third chamber and the outer chamber.

In an embodiment of the invention, the transmission system further includes a connection first a suction device for the chamber and the third chamber.

In an embodiment of the invention, the transmission system further includes a connection first a gas supply device for the chamber and the third chamber.

The invention also provides a transmission method for transmitting a plurality of half a conductor element, the semiconductor element includes a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element, and the transmitting method includes moving the first semiconductor element into a first chamber, forming a vacuum in the first chamber, and moving the first semiconductor element Entering a second chamber from the first chamber, wherein the second chamber is in a vacuum state, the input gas enters the first chamber, moves the second semiconductor element into the first chamber, and enters the second semiconductor After a chamber, the first semiconductor component in the second chamber is moved into a process chamber.

In an embodiment of the invention, the transmission method is further included in the second semi-conductor After the step of the body element entering the first chamber is completed, a vacuum is formed in the first and third chambers, the first semiconductor element in the process chamber is moved through the second chamber and into the third chamber, and the first The second semiconductor component in the chamber moves to the second chamber.

In an embodiment of the invention, the semiconductor component further includes a first a semiconductor element, and the foregoing transmission method further comprises: after the step of the second semiconductor element entering the second chamber, inputting the gas to the first and third chambers, moving the third semiconductor element into the first chamber, and moving the first A semiconductor component exits the third chamber.

10‧‧‧Input chamber

20‧‧‧First relay station

21‧‧‧First Chamber

22‧‧‧ second chamber

23‧‧‧ third chamber

24‧‧‧External chamber

25‧‧‧Mobile parts

30‧‧‧Second relay station

31‧‧‧ Robotic arm

40‧‧‧Processing chamber

S‧‧‧Semiconductor components

S1‧‧‧First semiconductor component

S2‧‧‧second semiconductor component

S3‧‧‧ third semiconductor component

V1‧‧‧ first valve

V2‧‧‧Second valve

V3‧‧‧ third valve

V4‧‧‧fourth valve

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line x-x in Fig. 1.

3A to 3J are diagrams showing a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission system of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission system of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing a transmission system of another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a transmission system of a semiconductor element according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described And transmission method. However, it will be readily understood that the embodiments of the present invention are susceptible to many specific embodiments of the invention and can The specific embodiments disclosed are merely illustrative of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technology and Scientific terminology has the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will be understood that these terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the relevant art and the context or context of the present disclosure, and should not be in an idealized or overly formal manner. Interpretation, unless specifically defined herein.

First, please refer to FIG. 1 , a transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor device S is configured to include an input chamber 10, a first relay station 20, a second relay station 30, and a plurality of processing chambers 40. The opposite sides of the first relay station 20 are respectively connected to the second relay station 30. And the input chamber 10, and the plurality of process chambers 40 are respectively connected to the second relay station 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor device S in the present embodiment is processed. The semiconductor element S can be temporarily placed in the input chamber 10 before or after processing, and the semiconductor element S can be moved between the storage portion (not shown) of the semiconductor element S and the input chamber 10 by a human hand, a conveyor belt or a robot arm. A rotatable robot arm 31 is disposed in the second relay station 30 for moving the semiconductor element S between the first relay station 10 and the second relay station 20 or between the second relay station 20 and the processing chamber 40. The process chamber 40 may be a chemical vapor deposition (CVD), a physical vapor deposition (PVD), a photolithography, an etching chamber. Etching, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), detection chamber, cutting chamber, bonding chamber, encapsulation chamber or other front-end processing chamber or rear-end processing chamber, and the aforementioned semiconductor element S may For wafers, etc.

Next, please refer to Figure 2, which shows the x-x direction in Figure 1. A partial cross-sectional view. The first relay station 20 includes a first chamber 21, a second chamber 22, a third chamber 23, an external chamber 24, and a moving member 25, wherein the second chamber 22 is located in the first chamber 21 Between the third chambers 23, the external chamber 24 is disposed on one side of the first, second, and third chambers 21, 22, 23, and is compatible with the input chamber 10, the first chamber 21, and the first chamber The three chambers 23 are in communication. The moving member 25 is disposed in the outer chamber 24 and is movable up and down within the outer chamber 24. It should be noted that a first valve V1 is disposed between the first chamber 21 and the second chamber 22, and a second valve V2 is disposed between the second chamber 22 and the third chamber 23, and the external chamber 24 is A third valve V3 is disposed between the first chamber 21, and a fourth valve V4 is disposed between the outer chamber 24 and the third chamber 23. The first, second, third, and fourth valves V1 and V2 are respectively disposed. V3, V4 can keep the first and third chambers 21, 23 sealed, wherein the first relay station 20 is connected to the second relay station 30 by the second chamber 22.

It should be particularly noted that the first and third chambers in this embodiment The chambers 21, 23 are connected to an air extracting device (not shown) for extracting the gases in the first and third chambers 21, 23; moreover, the first and third chambers 21, 23 are further connected to a gas. A supply device (not shown) is connected to input a gas to the first and third chambers 21, 23. The aforementioned air suction device may include, for example, a pump, and the foregoing gas supply device may include, for example, a gas flow controller (MFC). In another embodiment of the present invention, the first and third chambers 21, 23 may also respectively have closable through holes, wherein the through holes are connected to the external environment. It can be used in place of the aforementioned gas supply device.

Please refer to the 3A~3J diagram, and the 3A~3J diagram shows the hair. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a method of transmitting a semiconductor device according to an embodiment. It should be noted that the present embodiment transmits a semiconductor component by using the aforementioned transmission system, when the transmission system is in an initial state (as shown in FIG. 2). 1. The second valves V1, V2 are closed, and the second relay station 30, the process chamber 40 and the second chamber 22 are in a vacuum state, the first chamber 21, the third chamber 23, the external chamber 24 and the input chamber Chamber 10 is in a non-vacuum state. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3A together, when a first semiconductor element S1 is to be moved from the input chamber 10 to the process chamber 40, the first semiconductor element S1 can enter the external cavity of the first relay station 20 through the input chamber 10. The chamber 24 is placed on the moving member 25. Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the moving member 25 can be raised along the outer chamber 24 to the right side of the first chamber 21, and the third valve V3 is opened, so that the first semiconductor element S1 can enter the first chamber through the third valve V3. Inside the chamber 21.

As shown in FIG. 3C, the first semiconductor element S1 enters the first cavity After the chamber 21, the third valve V3 is closed, and the first chamber 21 is in a sealed state. At this time, the air extracting device can extract the gas in the first chamber 21, so that the first chamber 21 is in a vacuum state. At the same time, the moving member 25 can be lowered into the left side of the input chamber 10 in the outer chamber 24.

Referring again to FIG. 3D, the first chamber 21 is in a vacuum state. Thereafter, the first valve V1 can be opened, the first semiconductor element S1 can enter the second chamber 22 from the first chamber 21 via the first valve V1, and a second semiconductor element S2 can enter the external chamber from the input chamber 10. 24, and placed on the moving member 25. Next, as shown in FIG. 3E, the first semiconductor element S1 can be moved to the second relay station 30 via the second chamber 22 by using the aforementioned rotatable robot arm 31 (as shown in FIG. 1), and then The first semiconductor component S1 is moved from the second relay station 30 to the selected process chamber 40 for processing. At the same time, the moving member 25 can be raised in the outer chamber 24 such that the second semiconductor element S2 is located on the right side of the first chamber 21. Further, the first valve V1 is also closed at the same time, and the gas supply means can input a gas (for example, nitrogen) into the first chamber 21.

As shown in Figure 3F, the gas to be supplied to the gas supply device is first After the step of the chamber 21 is completed, the third valve V3 can be opened, so that the second semiconductor element S2 can enter the first chamber 21 through the third valve V3, and then the third valve V3 is closed, and the air suction device extracts the first The gas in the chamber 21 causes a vacuum to be generated in the first chamber 21. At the same time, the moving member 25 descends to the left side of the input chamber 10 in the outer chamber 24, and the air extracting means can extract the gas in the third chamber 23 to cause a vacuum in the third chamber 23. After the first semiconductor element S1 is processed in the processing chamber 40, the first semiconductor element S1 can be moved from the processing chamber 40 to the second relay station 30 by the rotatable robot arm 31, and then moved to the second relay station 30 to Inside the second chamber 22. It should be particularly noted that, in this embodiment, when the step of generating vacuum in the first chamber 21 is completed, the step of generating a vacuum in the third chamber 23 may be simultaneously completed, and the first semiconductor element S1 is just second. The relay station 30 enters the second chamber 22. In addition, it should be understood that when the first semiconductor element S1 is processed in the process chamber 40, the air extracting device may simultaneously extract the first chamber 21 and the third chamber 23 where the second semiconductor element S2 is located. Gas to effectively reduce the waste of process time.

Referring again to Figure 3G, since the third chamber 23 has been vacuumed Then, the second valve V2 can be opened, so that the processed first semiconductor element S1 can enter the third chamber 23 from the second chamber 22 through the second valve V2. At the same time The first chamber 21 is also in a vacuum state, and the first valve V1 can also be opened, so that the second semiconductor element S2 can enter the second chamber 22 from the first chamber 21 through the first valve V1. At this time, a third semiconductor element S3 can enter the external chamber 24 from the input chamber 10 and be placed on the moving member 25.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3H, the first and second valves V1 and V2 are closed. The second semiconductor component S2 can be moved to the second relay station 30 via the second chamber 22 by the aforementioned rotatable robot arm 31, and then moved to the selected processing chamber 40 by the second relay station 30 for processing. At the same time, the gas supply device can input gas into the first and third chambers 21, 23, and the moving member 25 can rise in the outer chamber 24 to move the third semiconductor element S3 to the right of the first chamber 21. .

As shown in FIG. 3I, the gas supply device inputs gas to the first chamber After the step of the chamber 21 is completed, the third valve V3 can be opened, the third semiconductor component S3 can enter the first chamber 21 through the third valve V3, and then the third valve V3 can be closed (as shown in FIG. 3J). And the air extracting device can extract the gas in the first chamber 21 to generate a vacuum in the first chamber 21. At the same time, the moving member 25 descends to the right side of the third chamber 23 in the outer chamber 24, and the fourth valve V4 can be opened, and the first semiconductor element S1 can be moved by the third chamber 23 through the fourth valve V4 to the moving member 25. And then removed into the input chamber 10. After the first semiconductor element S1 moves out of the third chamber 23, the fourth valve V4 can be closed (as shown in FIG. 3J), and the air extracting device can extract the gas in the third chamber 21. After the second semiconductor element S2 is processed in the processing chamber 40, the second semiconductor element S2 can be moved from the processing chamber 40 to the second relay station 30 by the rotatable robot arm 31, and then moved to the second relay station 30 to Inside the second chamber 22. It should be particularly noted that, in this embodiment, when the step of generating vacuum in the first chamber 21 is completed, the step of generating a vacuum in the third chamber 23 may also be performed. The synchronization is completed and the second semiconductor component S2 enters the second chamber 22 just by the second relay station 30.

By the above transmission system, the semiconductor component can be repeated and continued The ground enters the process chamber for processing to avoid the time consumption caused by manufacturing vacuum or releasing the vacuum, thereby increasing the transmission efficiency.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the foregoing transmission system may not include Including the input chamber 10, the semiconductor component S can be directly transported into the external chamber 24 of the first relay station 20 after being transported from the storage location. Referring to FIG. 4, in another embodiment of the present invention, the transmission system further includes a plurality of input chambers 10 and a corresponding plurality of first relay stations 20, wherein the input chambers 10 are respectively connected to the first relay station 20 And the first relay stations 20 are respectively connected to the second relay station 30, whereby the transmission efficiency of the semiconductor element can be improved. Referring to FIG. 5, in another embodiment of the present invention, a first relay chamber 20, a second relay chamber 30, and a plurality of process chambers are respectively disposed at two ends of the input chamber 10. 40. Referring to FIG. 6, another embodiment of the present invention may also be provided with two second chambers 22 respectively located at two ends of the process chamber 40 and connected to the first chamber 21 and the third chamber 23, respectively.

In addition, in an embodiment, the air pumping device is further compatible with the foregoing second The chamber 22 is connected. If gas inadvertently enters the second chamber 22, the air in the second chamber 22 can be withdrawn by the air extracting device to maintain the second chamber 22 in a vacuum state. In one embodiment, the gas supply device is further coupled to the selected process chamber 40 to provide a specific gas to the process chamber 40.

Although the embodiments of the present invention and its advantages have been disclosed as above, It is understood that any person skilled in the art can make changes, substitutions, and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, this The scope of the invention is not limited to the processes, machines, manufacture, compositions, devices, methods and steps in the specific embodiments described in the specification, and any one of ordinary skill in the art can understand the present disclosure. Processes, machines, fabrications, compositions, devices, methods, and procedures, which are developed in the future, may be used in accordance with the present invention as long as they can perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same results in the embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention includes the above-described processes, machines, manufactures, compositions, devices, methods, and steps. In addition, the scope of each of the claims constitutes an individual embodiment, and the scope of the invention also includes the combination of the scope of the application and the embodiments.

While the invention has been described above in terms of several preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Those skilled in the art having the ordinary skill in the art can make some modifications and refinements 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. In addition, each patent application scope is constructed as a separate embodiment, and various combinations of patents and combinations of embodiments are within the scope of the invention.

10‧‧‧Input chamber

20‧‧‧First relay station

21‧‧‧First Chamber

22‧‧‧ second chamber

23‧‧‧ third chamber

24‧‧‧External chamber

25‧‧‧Mobile parts

30‧‧‧Second relay station

V1‧‧‧ first valve

V2‧‧‧Second valve

V3‧‧‧ third valve

V4‧‧‧fourth valve

Claims (10)

A transmission system for transmitting a first semiconductor component, comprising: a process chamber; and a first relay station having: an external chamber; a first chamber; and a second chamber connected to the first chamber a chamber and the process chamber, and maintaining a vacuum state; and a third chamber connecting the second chamber, wherein the first semiconductor component is sequentially moved by the external chamber through the first chamber and the second The chamber is to the process chamber, and the first semiconductor component is sequentially moved from the process chamber through the second chamber and the third chamber to the outer chamber. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the first relay station further comprises a moving member disposed in the external chamber for moving the first semiconductor component. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the first relay station further has a first valve and a second valve, wherein the first valve is located between the first chamber and the second chamber, A second valve is located between the second chamber and the third chamber. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the first relay station further has a third valve and a fourth valve, wherein the third valve is located between the first chamber and the outer chamber, the first A four valve is located between the third chamber and the outer chamber. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the transmission system is further An air extraction device is included to connect the first chamber and the third chamber. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the transmission system further comprises a gas supply device connecting the first chamber and the third chamber. A transmission method for transmitting a plurality of semiconductor elements, wherein the semiconductor elements comprise a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element, and the transmitting method comprises: moving the first semiconductor element into a first chamber; Forming a vacuum in the first chamber; moving the first semiconductor element from the first chamber into a second chamber, wherein the second chamber is in a vacuum state; inputting a gas to the first chamber; moving the first The second semiconductor component enters the first chamber; and after the second semiconductor component enters the first chamber, the first semiconductor component in the second chamber is moved into a process chamber. The transmission method of claim 7, wherein the transmitting method further comprises: after the step of entering the second semiconductor element into the first chamber, forming in the first chamber and the third chamber Vacuuming; moving the first semiconductor component in the processing chamber through the second chamber into the third chamber; and moving the second semiconductor component in the first chamber to the second chamber . The transmission method of claim 8, wherein the semiconductor components further comprise a third semiconductor component, and the transmitting method further comprises: after the step of entering the second semiconductor component into the second chamber, Input The gas to the first chamber; and moving the third semiconductor component into the first chamber. The transmission method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting method further comprises: after the step of entering the second semiconductor element into the second chamber, inputting the gas to the third chamber; and moving the The first semiconductor component exits the third chamber.