Calibration tool for robot, robot, and semiconductor processing apparatus

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, specifically provides a kind of calibration tool for manipulator, manipulator and semiconductor processing equipment, to solve the problems such as low efficiency, poor precision of artificial calibration in prior art.To this end, the utility model provides a kind of calibration tool for manipulator, manipulator includes multi-joint robot arm and the driving device for driving multi-joint robot arm movement, calibration tool includes plate body, plate body is provided with mounting hole, the driving shaft of multi-joint robot arm passes through mounting hole and is connected with driving device;The upper surface of plate body is provided with angle scale, and angle scale is set around mounting hole.Based on the above structural arrangement, the rotation angle of multi-joint robot arm can be calibrated directly according to the angle scale on plate body, so as to reduce the repeated debugging time of artificial calibration, greatly improve calibration efficiency and calibration accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, specifically providing a calibration tool for a robotic arm, a robotic arm, and semiconductor processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Wafer transfer robots are key components in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, used to achieve high-precision and high-cleanliness wafer transfer. These robots typically consist of a multi-joint robotic arm, an end effector, and a control and drive system. After prolonged use, they are prone to problems such as code failure and zero-point offset.

[0003] In existing technologies, most calibration methods rely on visual inspection and repeated wafer transfers to confirm the calibration effect. However, these calibration methods have the following drawbacks: low efficiency, requiring repeated wafer transfers for verification, which is time-consuming and dependent on the operator's experience; poor accuracy, as human perspective deviations can lead to substandard calibration and secondary failures; and high risk, as calibration errors can cause process abnormalities such as wafer scratches and particle contamination.

[0004] Therefore, a calibration tool for robotic arms is needed to solve the aforementioned technical problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, the problems of low efficiency, poor accuracy and high risk in the existing technology of using visual confirmation and calibration robot arms.

[0006] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a calibration tool for a robotic arm, which includes a multi-joint robotic arm and a drive device for driving the multi-joint robotic arm. The calibration tool includes a plate with mounting holes, through which the drive shaft of the multi-joint robotic arm passes and connects to the drive device. An angle scale is provided on the upper surface of the plate, surrounding the mounting holes. In a specific embodiment of the calibration tool for the robotic arm described above, the angle scale is located in the edge region of the plate.

[0007] In the specific embodiment of the calibration tool for the robotic arm described above, the plate body is composed of multiple connecting pieces spliced ​​together.

[0008] In the specific embodiment of the calibration tool for the robotic arm described above, there are two connecting pieces, which are connected by magnetic attraction or mechanical fixation.

[0009] In a specific embodiment of the calibration tool for the robotic arm described above, the driving device includes a support housing and a driver located within the support housing. A plate is disposed on the upper surface of the support housing, and a multi-joint robotic arm is disposed above the plate. The drive shaft of the multi-joint robotic arm passes through a mounting hole and connects to the driver. In another specific embodiment of the calibration tool for the robotic arm described above, the lower surface of the plate is provided with multiple fixing pins, and the support housing is correspondingly provided with multiple positioning holes, with the fixing pins engaging with the positioning holes.

[0010] In the specific embodiment of the calibration tool for the robotic arm described above, the lines connecting multiple fixing pins form an equilateral triangle.

[0011] In the specific embodiment of the calibration tool for the robotic arm described above, a height measuring scale is further included, which is perpendicular to the plane on which the plate is located; the height measuring scale is set at the edge of the mounting hole and is located outside the motion trajectory limit range of the multi-joint robotic arm.

[0012] Secondly, the present invention also provides a robotic hand, including a multi-joint robotic arm, a drive device for driving the movement of the multi-joint robotic arm, and a calibration tool for the robotic hand as described in the first aspect above.

[0013] Thirdly, this utility model also provides a semiconductor processing equipment, including a robotic arm and a calibration tool for the robotic arm as described in the first aspect above. This utility model provides a calibration tool for a robotic arm, in which the drive shaft of a multi-joint robotic arm is sleeved onto a plate through mounting holes, and the plate has angle scales, allowing direct reading of scale data. The rotation angle of the multi-joint robotic arm is then calibrated based on the scale data, thus reducing the repeated debugging time of manual calibration, greatly improving calibration efficiency and accuracy, and also reducing the risks during the calibration process compared to manual calibration.

[0014] Furthermore, the calibration tool for robotic arms provided by this invention defines the angle scale as being set on the edge area of ​​the plate to increase the distance between the angle scales and facilitate the operator in reading the data.

[0015] Furthermore, the calibration tool for robotic arms provided by this invention limits the plate body to be composed of multiple connecting pieces, which facilitates the installation and disassembly of the calibration tool and the multi-joint robotic arm.

[0016] Furthermore, the calibration tool for the robotic arm provided by this utility model includes a fixing pin to strengthen the connection between the plate and the drive device and ensure concentricity during installation.

[0017] Furthermore, the calibration tool for the robotic arm provided by this utility model defines a height measuring scale for calibrating the height of the robotic arm, thereby realizing the calibration of the robotic arm in the X, Y, and Z directions.

[0018] In addition, the robotic arm and semiconductor processing equipment provided by this utility model also have the above-mentioned beneficial effects because they adopt the calibration tool for the robotic arm. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The preferred embodiments of this utility model are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This utility model provides a calibration tool for a robotic arm and a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the robotic arm.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a top view of the calibration tool for a robotic arm provided by this utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a front view of the calibration tool for robotic arms provided by this utility model.

[0023] Figure label:

[0024] 1. Multi-joint robotic arm; 11. Drive shaft; 2. Calibration tool; 21. Plate; 22. Mounting hole; 23. Fixing pin; 24. Height measuring scale; 3. Drive device. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific applications. For example, although this specific embodiment is described in conjunction with the application of the calibration tool to a robotic arm, the calibration tool of the present invention can obviously also be used in other scenarios. Such changes in application scenarios do not deviate from the basic principles of the present invention and fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "middle," "outer," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for better describing the technical solutions of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Furthermore, some of the above-mentioned terms may be used to indicate other meanings besides orientation or positional relationship; for example, the term "upper" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] Wafer transfer robots (referred to as "robots") are key components in semiconductor processing equipment. Their function is to achieve high-precision and high-cleanliness transfer of wafers. For example, the wafer transfer robot in an ion implanter is responsible for accurately transporting the wafer from the input end to the process chamber and returning the wafer to the designated position after the process is completed.

[0028] While the structure of robotic arms in different semiconductor processing equipment may vary slightly, most robotic arms mainly consist of a multi-joint robotic arm, an end effector, and a control and drive system. The end effector, located at the end of the multi-joint robotic arm, is the component that directly contacts the wafer and is typically a vacuum chuck or edge gripper. The control and drive system mainly consists of servo motors, optical sensors, and intelligent controllers, which can sense wafer position, pressure, and even temperature drift in real time to achieve motion control of the multi-joint robotic arm. After prolonged use, robotic arms may experience malfunctions such as coding failures and zero-point position offsets, directly affecting wafer transfer accuracy and even causing transfer failures. In such cases, the robotic arm needs to be calibrated.

[0029] In existing technologies, most calibrations are performed manually by visual inspection and repeated transfer of the device to confirm the calibration effect. However, the above-mentioned manual calibration methods have drawbacks such as low efficiency, poor accuracy, and high risk. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a calibration tool for robotic arms.

[0030] Figure 1 This utility model provides a calibration tool for a robotic arm and a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the robotic arm. Figure 2 This is a top view of the calibration tool for a robotic arm provided by this utility model. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, this utility model provides a calibration tool for a robotic arm (hereinafter referred to as the calibration tool). The robotic arm includes a multi-joint robotic arm 1 and a drive device 3. One end of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 is a drive shaft 11, and the other end is connected to an end effector. The drive device 3 is connected to the drive shaft 11 to control the movement of the multi-joint robotic arm 1, such as rotation, rising, and falling around the drive shaft 11, thereby driving the end effector and the wafer to move. The calibration tool 2 includes a plate 21 with mounting holes 22 that are adapted to the drive shaft 11 of the multi-joint robotic arm 1. The upper surface of the plate 21 is provided with an angle scale around the mounting holes 22 for calibrating the rotation angle of the multi-joint robotic arm 1.

[0031] Based on the above structural setup, the drive shaft 11 of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 is inserted through the mounting hole 22 into the plate 21 and connected to the drive device 3. In this way, when calibrating the multi-joint robotic arm 1 in the X and Y directions, the multi-joint robotic arm 1 can be rotated by the drive device 3. The rotation angle of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 can be measured and calibrated by the angle scale on the plate 21. Since the angle scale is located on the upper surface of the plate 21, the scale data can be read directly, reducing the repeated debugging time of manual calibration and greatly improving the calibration efficiency and calibration effect.

[0032] It should be noted that this utility model does not impose any restrictions on the specific structure of the mounting hole 22 and the drive shaft 11, as long as the shape of the mounting hole 22 is compatible with the structure of the drive shaft 11. Technicians can set these parameters according to actual usage requirements. For example, ... Figure 1 As shown, the root of the drive shaft 11 of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 is cylindrical, so the mounting hole 22 is also a circular hole, and the two are matched in size to ensure that the drive shaft 11 can rotate flexibly. In the specific implementation process, the outer periphery of the plate 21 is circular, and the plate 21 as a whole is annular.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the angle scale is located on the edge region of the plate 21; specifically, the mounting hole 22 is located in the middle region of the plate 21, and the angle scale is located on the edge region of the plate 21. By setting the angle scale on the edge region of the plate 21, the distance between adjacent angle scales can be increased, making it easier for users to read data. Furthermore, by setting the angle scale on the edge region of the plate 21, more and denser angle scales can be set within a limited area, improving the accuracy of the angle scale and thus improving the calibration accuracy. It should be noted that although the angle scale is arranged around the mounting hole 22, this invention does not require the angle scale to be arranged in a ring; it can also partially surround the mounting hole 22, as long as it is compatible with the rotation area of ​​the multi-joint robotic arm 1.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the plate 21 adopts a split design, specifically composed of multiple detachable connecting pieces, which facilitates the installation and disassembly of the calibration tool 2 and the multi-joint robotic arm 1, for example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the structure shown, the plate 21 is a ring-shaped structure assembled from two detachable connecting pieces. By adopting the above-mentioned split design, axial interference between the plate 21 and the drive shaft 11 can be avoided during installation and disassembly, which is especially suitable for space-constrained semiconductor processing equipment environments.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the two connecting pieces that make up the plate 21 are symmetrical semi-circular rings. When in use, these two connecting pieces are assembled so that the outer circumference can be enclosed to form a complete circle and the inner circumference can be enclosed to form a circular mounting hole 22, so as to further facilitate the installation and disassembly of the calibration tool 2 and the multi-joint robotic arm 1 by the staff.

[0036] In another embodiment, the two connecting pieces can also be a combination of a larger semicircle and a smaller semicircle. For example, the larger semicircle can be a sector with a central angle of 240°, and the smaller semicircle can be a sector with a central angle of 120°. During disassembly and assembly, the smaller semicircle can be aligned with the area where the drive shaft 11 frequently rotates, thus achieving a certain degree of avoidance between the drive shaft 11 and the plate 21 during disassembly and assembly. In another embodiment, the two connecting pieces are each arc-shaped, which is equivalent to a structure obtained by cutting a circle with an arbitrary straight line, and this straight line also passes through the mounting hole 22.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the multiple connecting pieces constituting the plate 21 are connected by magnetic attraction or mechanical fixing. Taking two connecting pieces as an example, magnetic connection involves embedding a magnet into the edge of a semi-circular ring, causing the two connecting pieces to be attracted to each other. This method ensures structural stability after assembly and facilitates quick disassembly and maintenance. Mechanical fixing involves connecting the two connecting pieces using clips, screws, or other methods, providing high connection strength.

[0038] In the preferred embodiment of this utility model, see Figure 1 The drive unit 3 includes a support box and a driver (not shown in the figure) located inside the support box. The plate 21 is disposed on the upper surface of the support box, and the multi-joint robotic arm 1 is disposed above the plate 21. The drive shaft 11 of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 passes through the mounting hole 22 and is connected to the driver.

[0039] It should be noted that this utility model does not impose any restrictions on the specific structure and placement of the drive device 3. The structure of the drive device 3 may vary depending on the semiconductor processing equipment. Optionally, the overall structure of the drive device 3 may be cylindrical with a hollow interior. The drive device 3 includes a support housing, a sensor, and a driver. The support housing is cylindrical with a hollow interior, and the sensor and driver are installed in the support housing. The driver may be a servo motor or multiple motors with different functions, so that the multi-joint robotic arm 1 can move up and down or rotate under the drive of the motors.

[0040] Figure 3 This is a front view of the calibration tool for a robotic arm provided by this utility model. Figure 3 As shown, the lower surface of the plate 21 is provided with multiple fixing pins 23, and the drive device 3 is provided with multiple positioning holes (not shown in the figure). The fixing pins 23 are inserted into the positioning holes to strengthen the connection between the plate 21 and the drive device 3, while ensuring that the center of the plate 21 is concentric with the axis of the drive shaft 11, and that no positional error occurs during each installation, thus avoiding angular deviation.

[0041] It should be noted that this utility model does not impose any restrictions on the specific number, structure, or location of the fixing pins 23 and the positioning holes. Those skilled in the art can determine the number of fixing pins 23 and the positioning holes based on the number of connecting pieces. The structure and location of the fixing pins 23 and the positioning holes can be set according to actual usage requirements. For example, for a plate 21 composed of two connecting pieces, the number of fixing pins 23 can be three, and the line connecting the three fixing pins 23 forms an equilateral triangle.

[0042] The calibration tool 2 provided in the above embodiment can achieve position calibration of the robot in the X and Y directions. In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, combined with Figures 1 to 3 The calibration tool 2 provided by this utility model further includes a height measuring scale 24. The height measuring scale 24 is disposed at the edge of the mounting hole 22 and is located outside the movement trajectory limit range of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 to avoid affecting the movement of the multi-joint robotic arm 1. The height measuring scale 24 has a dimensional scale on its upper part, thereby allowing adjustment and calibration of the height of the robotic arm, especially the multi-joint robotic arm 1, through the height measuring scale 24, thus achieving position calibration of the robotic arm in the Z direction. Optionally, the height measuring scale 24 can be made of solid rectangular aluminum alloy.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the scale of the height measuring ruler 24 is set vertically, and the scale arrangement direction is perpendicular to the plane where the plate 21 is located, to ensure that the height direction of the height measuring ruler 24 is strictly vertical, so as to calibrate the height value of the multi-joint robotic arm 1. In addition, the height of the height measuring ruler 24 preferably exceeds the vertical (i.e., Z-direction) movement limit range of the multi-joint robotic arm 1, which can ensure that the calibration height of the height measuring ruler 24 completely covers the vertical movement limit range of the multi-joint robotic arm 1.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the rotation trajectory of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 is fan-shaped, and the height measuring scale 24 is positioned outside the coverage area of ​​the fan shape. In practice, the rotation angle of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 is usually not strictly 360°, but slightly less than 360°. That is, the rotation trajectory of the multi-joint robotic arm 1 is usually a fan shape with a central angle slightly less than 360°. Therefore, positioning the height measuring scale 24 outside the coverage area of ​​the fan shape can prevent collisions between the multi-joint robotic arm 1 and the height measuring scale 24 during rotation.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the calibration tool 2 provided by this utility model is suitable for calibrating the wafer transfer robot of an ion implanter or other semiconductor processing equipment to ensure that the multi-joint robot arm can carry the wafer to the standard angle of the specified position.

[0046] This invention also provides a robotic arm, which includes a multi-joint robotic arm 1, a drive device 3 for driving the multi-joint robotic arm 1, and a calibration tool 2 for the robotic arm as described in the foregoing embodiments. Compared with traditional manual calibration methods, the robotic arm using this calibration tool 2 can shorten calibration time, improve calibration accuracy, and thus reduce wafer transfer position deviation.

[0047] This invention also provides a semiconductor processing equipment, including a robotic arm and a calibration tool 2 for the robotic arm as described in the above embodiments. Compared with manually calibrating the robotic arm, based on the above structural design, the semiconductor processing equipment using the calibration tool 2 can shorten the calibration time of the robotic arm, greatly improve the wafer transfer position accuracy after calibration, effectively avoid wafer damage and process abnormalities caused by improper calibration, and significantly improve the operating efficiency and process stability of the semiconductor processing equipment.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, considering the high cleanliness requirements of semiconductor equipment, all components of the calibration tool 2 are made of antistatic materials, and their surfaces undergo special treatment to prevent particle generation. Furthermore, this calibration scheme requires no modification to existing robotic arm structures, exhibiting excellent compatibility and cost-effectiveness, and can be widely applied to various semiconductor processing equipment.

[0049] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the principle of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. Without departing from the principle of this utility model, those skilled in the art can adjust the above structure so that this utility model can be applied to more specific application scenarios.

[0050] The technical solution of this utility model has been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the protection scope of this utility model is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principle of this utility model, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A calibration tool for a robotic arm, the robotic arm comprising a multi-joint robotic arm and a drive device for driving the movement of the multi-joint robotic arm, characterized in that, The calibration tool includes a plate with mounting holes, and the drive shaft of the multi-joint robotic arm passes through the mounting holes and is connected to the drive device. The upper surface of the plate is provided with an angle scale, which surrounds the mounting hole.

2. The calibration tool for a robotic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle scale is set on the edge area of ​​the plate.

3. The calibration tool for a robotic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plate is composed of multiple connecting pieces spliced ​​together.

4. The calibration tool for a robotic arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, The number of connecting pieces is two, and the two connecting pieces are connected by magnetic attraction or mechanical fixation.

5. The calibration tool for a robotic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving device includes a support box and a driver located inside the support box. The plate is disposed on the upper surface of the support box, and the multi-joint robotic arm is disposed above the plate. The drive shaft of the multi-joint robotic arm passes through the mounting hole and is connected to the driver.

6. The calibration tool for a robotic arm according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lower surface of the plate is provided with multiple fixing pins, and the support box is provided with multiple positioning holes. The fixing pins are inserted into the positioning holes.

7. The calibration tool for a robotic arm according to claim 6, characterized in that, The lines connecting multiple fixing pins form an equilateral triangle.

8. The calibration tool for a robotic arm according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, It also includes a height measuring scale, which is perpendicular to the plane on which the plate is located; The height measuring scale is located at the edge of the mounting hole and outside the motion trajectory limit range of the multi-joint robotic arm.

9. A robotic arm, characterized in that, It includes a multi-joint robotic arm, a drive device for driving the movement of the multi-joint robotic arm, and a calibration tool for the robotic arm as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, Includes a robotic arm and a calibration tool for the robotic arm as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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