CN111211082B - Wafer transmission device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a wafer transmission device, which comprises a load cavity module, an equipment front end module and a conversion cavity module, wherein the load cavity module is provided with a first side and a second side, at least one load cavity is formed by communicating the first side and the second side, at least one pair of wafer supports are arranged in the load cavity, each wafer support comprises a main body, a pair of supporting arms extend in parallel from the main body, and each supporting arm is provided with a supporting ball and a centering limit block. The equipment front end module is configured on the first side of the load cavity module in a connecting mode. The conversion cavity module is connected and configured on the second side of the load cavity module.

Description

Wafer Transfer Unit

technical field

The invention relates to a wafer transfer device for semiconductor process equipment, in particular to a wafer transfer device using a split-design wafer support structure in a load chamber module between a vacuum end and an atmospheric end.

Background technique

In semiconductor process equipment, wafer processing often needs to be carried out under vacuum pressure. When the wafer is passed into or out of the reaction chamber, a load chamber module is required as an excessive environment of vacuum and atmospheric pressure. In order to achieve the normal transfer of the wafer, the position of the wafer on the support must meet a certain accuracy. However, when the robotic arm transfers the wafer to the wafer support in the load chamber module, after the wafer is processed in the load chamber, The position of the wafer may be offset relative to the normal transfer position.

The processing quality of the wafer also has strict requirements on the particle size of its surface. The commonly used wafer supports, one is a metal support such as aluminum alloy, the particles generated when the wafer is in contact with the support will affect the final processing quality of the wafer; the other is an organic material such as polyetheretherketone (polyetheretherketone, PEEK), can only withstand lower temperatures, but the processed wafers usually have a higher temperature, which causes softening and wear at the contact between the support and the wafer, which in turn produces a large number of particles that affect the final processing quality of the wafer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of this, the present invention provides an improved wafer transfer apparatus including a load chamber module, an equipment front end module and a conversion chamber module, wherein the load chamber module has a first side and a second side, and the first side and the second side are At least one load chamber is formed by communicating between the sides, and at least one pair of wafer holders is arranged in the load chamber, each wafer holder includes a main body, the main body extends in parallel with a pair of support arms, and each support arm is provided with a support The ball and the center limit block; the equipment front-end module is connected and arranged on the first side of the load cavity module; the conversion cavity module is connected and arranged on the second side of the load cavity module.

Further, the pair of wafer holders are of separate design and are disposed on opposite side walls of the load chamber.

Further, the material of the support ball and the centering stopper is a single crystal material.

Further, the main body of the wafer holder is disposed on one of the opposite side walls of the load chamber.

Further, the support ball is disposed on the side wall of the support arm away from the load chamber, and the support ball is rotatable or fixed so as not to fall off.

Further, the centering stop block is arranged on the support arm close to the side wall of the load chamber.

Further, the centering and limiting block has an axis, and forms a limiting surface parallel to the axis, and a centering surface having an included angle with the axis.

Further, the distance from the axis of the centering block to the center of the wafer supported by the pair of wafer holders is greater than the radius of the wafer.

Further, two pairs of wafer holders are arranged in the load chamber, and the two pairs of wafer holders are superimposed on each other and installed on opposite side walls of the load chamber.

Further, the support balls of the pair of wafer holders are used to support the lower surface of a wafer.

In the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure, the support ball of the wafer holder is used to support the lower surface of the wafer, and the centering stopper of the wafer holder is used to limit the position of the wafer, so as to ensure that the wafer holder supports each time The wafers are placed in the same position, thereby achieving the effect of automatic centering and positioning of the wafers.

These and other views and embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art upon reference to the ensuing detailed description and drawings.

Description of drawings

The size ratios of the structures shown in the drawings do not limit the actual implementation of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wafer transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the load cavity module of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the load chamber module of FIG. 2 after the cover plate is removed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wafer holder of FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the centering stop block of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial side view of the support arm of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a double-layer wafer holder according to another embodiment.

Detailed ways

In the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which drawings form a part of this disclosure. and are shown by way of illustration by way of example by which the described embodiments may be implemented. Sufficient detail is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, but it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Additionally, references to "an embodiment" are not necessarily to the same or a singular embodiment, although they may be so. Accordingly, the following detailed description is not intended to be limiting, and the scope of the specific embodiments described is defined only by the scope of the appended claims.

Throughout the entire application and scope of the application, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the following terms have the meanings explicitly associated therewith. As used herein, the term "or" is an inclusive "or" and is equivalent to the term "and/or" unless expressly stated otherwise. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the term "based on" is not exclusive and is permitted to be based on many other factors not recited. Further, in the entire application, the meanings of "a", "an" and "the" include plural references. The meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on".

A brief summary of these innovation themes is provided below to provide a basic understanding of some aspects. This brief description is not intended to be a complete overview. This short description is not intended to be used to identify major or key components, or to delineate or limit the scope. Its purpose is merely to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The present invention provides a wafer transfer device for wafer processing equipment. The load chamber in the wafer transfer unit provides a wafer support structure with the function of automatically centering the wafer, which can ensure the accuracy of the wafer during the transfer process, and at the same time can fully Reduce particle generation and aggregation.

Embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of the present invention. In the drawings, identical and/or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference signs.

Various embodiments will be disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative of the various forms that may be embodied. Furthermore, each example given in connection with the various embodiments is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Further, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features are exaggerated to show details of particular components (and any dimensions, materials and similar details shown in the drawings are intended to be illustrative only and not limiting) . Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for teaching one skilled in the relevant art to practice the disclosed embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a wafer transfer apparatus 100 of the present invention is shown. The wafer transfer apparatus 100 of the present invention includes an equipment front-end module 10 , a load cavity module 20 and a conversion cavity module 30 . The load chamber module 20 has a first side 201 and a second side 202 , and at least one load chamber 21 is communicated between the first side 201 and the second side 202 to form at least one load chamber 21 (as shown in FIG. 3 ). The equipment front-end module 10 is connected to the first side 201 of the load chamber module 20 . The conversion cavity module 30 is connected to the second side 202 of the load cavity module 20 .

Please refer to FIG. 2 , which shows a perspective view of the load chamber module 20 shown in FIG. 1 . The cavity of the load chamber module 20 is provided with a front-end isolation valve 22 on the first side 201 , a cover plate 23 on the upper surface and a rear-end isolation valve 24 on the second side. The cover plate 23 is used to seal the load chamber 21 formed between the first side 201 and the second side 202 (as shown in FIG. 3 ), and the front isolation valve 22 is located on the first side 201 to seal the load chamber 21 In communication with the equipment front end module 10 , a back end isolation valve 24 is located on the second side 202 to seal the communication between the load chamber 21 and the transition chamber module 30 .

Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , respectively showing a perspective view of the load chamber module 20 shown in FIG. 2 after removing the cover plate 23 , and a perspective view of the wafer holder 25 shown in FIG. 3 . Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 at the same time, each load chamber 21 is provided with a pair of wafer holders 25 for supporting a wafer (not shown). Each wafer holder 25 includes a main body 251 . The main body 251 A pair of support arms extend in parallel, and are respectively a support arm 252 and a support arm 253 . The upper surface of the support arm 253 is provided with or formed with a support ball 26 and a centering stop block 28 , and the support arm 252 is also provided with a support ball 26 and a center stop block 28 , which will not be repeated. The four support balls 26 of the pair of wafer holders 25 are used to support the lower surface of the wafer, and the four centering stop blocks 28 of the pair of wafer holders 25 are used to limit the position of the wafer to ensure that each time The pair of wafer holders 25 support a wafer at the same position.

In this embodiment, the pair of wafer holders 25 are of separate design, and are respectively disposed on opposite side walls of the load chamber 21 . The main body 251 of the wafer holder 25 is disposed on one of the opposite side walls of the load chamber 21 , and the support arms 252 and 253 of the two wafer holders 25 extend parallel to the main body 251 .

In this embodiment, the support ball 26 is disposed on the side wall of the support arm 253 away from the load chamber 21 , and the support ball 26 is installed in the preset ball groove of the support arm 253 using a special process, so that the support ball 26 is Can be rotated or fixed without falling off. In this embodiment, the centering stopper 28 is disposed on the support arm 253 close to the side wall of the load chamber 21 , and the centering stopper 28 is located in the preset installation groove of the support arm 253 , and is different from that of the support arm 253 . The installation groove is an interference fit, so that the centering block 28 will not fall off. The positional relationship and structure of the support ball and the centering stop block on the other support arm 252 are similar to the positional relationship and structure of the support arm 253, and will not be repeated.

In this embodiment, the material of the support ball 26 and the centering stop 28 is a single crystal material, so particles are not easily generated, and can withstand higher temperatures, while reducing the material requirements for the main body 251 .

Please refer to FIG. 5 , which is a perspective view of the centering stopper 28 shown in FIG. 4 . The centering block 28 has an axis A, and the centering block 28 forms a limiting surface 28b parallel to the axis A, and a centering surface 28a having an included angle with the axis A.

Referring next to FIG. 6, an enlarged partial side view of the support arm 253 shown in FIG. 4 is shown. When the robot arm carries a wafer 200 into the load chamber 21 and moves to the top of the wafer holder 25 of the present invention, the robot arm will descend so that the wafer 200 is supported by the wafer holder 25 of the present invention. Since the axis A of the centering stop 28 has an included angle with the centering surface 28a, when the position of the wafer 200 is offset, the edge of the wafer 200 will follow the centering surface as the robot arm descends 28a slides down, so that the center O of the wafer 200 reaches the center position limited by the four centering stop blocks 28, thus achieving the function of automatically centering and positioning the wafer 200. In addition, the distance R from the axis A of the centering block 28 to the center O of the wafer 200 supported by the wafer holder 25 is greater than the radius r of the wafer.

Please refer to FIG. 7 , which shows a perspective view of a double-layer wafer holder according to another embodiment. The load chamber 21 is provided with two pairs of wafer holders, which are a wafer holder 254 and a wafer holder 255 respectively. Two pairs of wafer holders are mounted on opposite side walls of the load chamber 21 one on top of the other. However, the number of wafer holders installed may be determined according to the inner space of the load chamber 21 . Each pair of wafer holders can carry one wafer, and the wafer holders are installed on top of each other, which can improve the transfer efficiency of the load chamber, so that multiple wafers can be transferred at one time from the front-end module of the equipment to the conversion chamber module through the load chamber. , in order to increase the processing capacity.

The foregoing provides a complete description of the manufacture and use of the combination of these recited embodiments. Since many specific embodiments can be produced without departing from the spirit and scope of this description, these specific embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims below.

Claims (9)

1. a wafer transfer device, is characterized in that, comprises: A load chamber module has a first side and a second side, at least one load chamber is communicated between the first side and the second side, and at least one pair of wafer holders is arranged in the load chamber, and each wafer The bracket includes a main body, the main body extends in parallel with a pair of support arms, and each support arm is provided with a support ball and a centering stop block; It also includes an equipment front-end module, which is connected and arranged on the first side of the load cavity module; and a conversion cavity module connected to the second side of the load cavity module, The centering and limiting block has an axis, and forms a limiting surface parallel to the axis, and a centering surface having an included angle with the axis. 2 . The wafer transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of wafer holders are of separate design and are disposed on opposite side walls of the load chamber. 3 . 3 . The wafer transfer device according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting ball and the centering block are made of single crystal material. 4 . 4 . The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main body of the wafer holder is disposed on one of the opposite side walls of the load chamber. 5 . 5 . The wafer transfer device of claim 4 , wherein the support ball is disposed on the support arm away from the side wall of the load chamber, and the support ball is rotatable or fixed so as not to fall off. 6 . 6 . The wafer transfer device of claim 5 , wherein the centering stopper is disposed on the support arm close to the side wall of the load chamber. 7 . 7 . The wafer transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the distance from the center of the centering stopper to the center of the wafer supported by the pair of wafer supports is greater than the radius of the wafer. 8 . 8. The wafer transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the load chamber is provided with two pairs of wafer supports, and the two pairs of wafer supports are superimposed on each other and mounted on the opposite side walls of the load chamber. 9 . The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a pair of support balls of the wafer holder are used to support the lower surface of the wafer. 10 .

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