A glove box for MOCVD equipment

Abstract

This invention discloses a glove box for an MOCVD (Multi-Active Chemical Vapor Deposition) equipment. A buffer chamber is located on the side of the box body and includes an automatically opening and closing inner door and an outer door. An automatically movable tray assembly is located inside the buffer chamber. The inner door is connected to one side of the box body, and the bottom of the box body is connected to the MOCVD equipment. The substrate to be coated enters the tray assembly through the outer door, then enters the box body through the inner door, and finally enters the MOCVD equipment. A gas path control unit is located on the side of the buffer chamber and connected to the box body. The gas path control unit controls the flow of the working gas to achieve automatic cleaning and gas circulation inside the box. This invention has the advantages of compact structure, simple operation, and high airtightness. It addresses the limitations of existing glove boxes in terms of layout, sealing, oxidation and corrosion resistance, gas introduction and distribution, and automated control, solving technical problems related to gas environment control, chemical handling, temperature control, automated control, and substrate loading and unloading.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of glove box technology, and more specifically to a glove box for MOCVD equipment. Background Technology

[0002] MOCVD (Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) is a widely used fabrication technology in the semiconductor industry and an important method for growing compound semiconductor materials. It utilizes an organometallic gas source to thermally decompose the metal on a heated substrate to obtain the desired compound semiconductor thin film material. This technology is widely used in the fabrication of optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes (LDs), and high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), and plays a crucial role in the epitaxial growth of III-V group compound semiconductor materials.

[0003] MOCVD processes require a controlled atmosphere to ensure precise control of high temperatures, specific atmospheres, and other parameters in order to produce high-quality semiconductor thin film materials. While significant progress has been made in reducing growth temperatures and increasing growth rates with the continuous development of MOCVD technology, problems such as operational complexity and the flammability and explosiveness of organic sources still exist. For example, widely used materials like trimethylgallium (TMGa) and trimethylindium (TMIn) can have extremely serious consequences in the event of gas leaks or runaway reactions. These issues hinder the further development of MOCVD technology.

[0004] Traditional glove boxes are not compact enough and do not meet the high integration requirements of MOCVD equipment. Their relatively independent structure makes effective integration with MOCVD equipment impossible. Furthermore, traditional glove boxes typically lack sufficient airtightness, leading to inaccurate gas environment control and affecting the stability and consistency of the MOCVD process. In addition, the materials and coatings of traditional glove boxes lack sufficient resistance to oxidation and corrosion, potentially causing corrosion during the MOCVD process and reducing equipment lifespan and performance. Moreover, the design of traditional glove boxes does not adequately consider operator convenience, resulting in low operating efficiency and increasing the risk of human error. Finally, traditional glove boxes lack advanced gas environment control systems, including accurate temperature and pressure control, and therefore cannot meet the precision process conditions required by MOCVD equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the limitations of existing glove boxes in terms of layout, sealing, oxidation and corrosion resistance, gas introduction and distribution, and automatic control, and to provide a glove box for MOCVD equipment that is compact in structure, functionally integrated, highly automated, and has good airtightness.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A glove box for an MOCVD equipment includes: a box body, a buffer chamber, and a gas path control unit; the buffer chamber is disposed on the side of the box body, the buffer chamber includes an automatically opening and closing inner door and an outer door, and the buffer chamber is provided with an automatically movable tray assembly; the inner door is connected to one side of the box body, the bottom of the box body is connected to the MOCVD equipment, and the substrate to be coated enters the tray assembly through the outer door, enters the box body through the inner door, and then enters the MOCVD equipment;

[0008] The gas path control unit is located on the side of the buffer chamber and connected to the housing. The gas path control unit includes: an electrical control cabinet, a working gas inlet pipe, a working gas exhaust pipe, a second circulation pipe, a circulating fan, a purification and reduction device, an integrated valve group, a vacuum pump, and a first circulation pipe. The electrical control cabinet controls the start and stop of the circulating fan and the vacuum pump. The working gas inlet pipe adopts a one-inlet, four-outlet structure. The first branch is the inlet pipe for housing cleaning, and this branch is only opened during housing cleaning. The second branch is the housing replenishment pipe, and housing replenishment also only occurs through this branch. The third branch is the outer perimeter replenishment pipe (cylinder replenishment) for the buffer chamber. The fourth branch is the nitrogen purging pipe for the housing. The working gas inlet pipe... The first branch of the gas supply line is connected to the second circulation line via a circulating fan. One end of the second circulation line is connected to the housing, and one end of the first circulation line is also connected to the housing. The other end of the first circulation line is connected to three points via a T-junction. The first point is directly connected to the cleaning valve, which is connected to a check valve, through which the cleaning gas is discharged. The second point is connected to the buffer chamber exhaust port via pipe d. The third point is connected to the integrated valve group via pipe b, through which both the housing's gas supply and exhaust are performed. The second branch of the working gas inlet line goes to pipe b via the integrated valve group's VG valve. The exhaust gas is discharged from the equipment via pipe b, through the integrated valve group's VV valve, and then through the working gas exhaust line. The vacuum pump is in the on state during the operation of the glove box.

[0009] When cleaning the enclosure, the working gas enters the circulating fan through the first branch of the working gas inlet pipe, then enters the enclosure through the second circulating pipe, and is discharged directly to the cabinet through the cleaning valve and check valve in the first circulating pipe. When the working gas circulates in the enclosure, the working gas circulates in a closed loop consisting of the first circulating pipe, the purification and reduction device, the circulating fan, the second circulating pipe, and the enclosure. The second branch of the working gas inlet pipe is connected to the first circulating pipe through pipe b, which connects to the integrated valve group, so as to replenish the working gas in the closed loop or exhaust the closed loop.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the gas circuit control unit further includes: a regenerated gas inlet pipe, a regenerated gas exhaust pipe, and a float flow meter. The regenerated gas inlet pipe is connected to the purification and reduction device through pipe c connecting the integrated valve group. The purification and reduction device is connected to the regenerated gas exhaust pipe, the vacuum pipe, and the vacuum pump through pipe a connecting the integrated valve group. The float flow meter is connected to the regenerated gas exhaust pipe.

[0011] When the purification column in the purification and reduction device is regenerated, firstly, the flow meter is used to check whether the regeneration gas exhaust pipe is unobstructed and the pressure is normal. Then, the purification column is heated and the waste gas is discharged through the regeneration gas exhaust pipe. Next, while the purification column is heated, working gas is introduced into the purification and reduction device through the regeneration gas inlet pipe and the waste gas is discharged through the regeneration gas exhaust pipe. Then, the regeneration gas inlet pipe and the regeneration gas exhaust pipe are closed, a vacuum pump is used to evacuate the vacuum and the purification column is cooled. Finally, working gas is introduced into the purification column through the first circulation pipe, pipe b, integrated valve group and pipe a to complete the regeneration of the purification column.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the gas path control unit further includes: a dust removal exhaust pipe, a dust removal fan, and a dust removal inlet pipe; the dust removal fan is connected to both the dust removal exhaust pipe and the dust removal inlet pipe, which are respectively connected to the interior of the housing. Particulate matter inside the housing is filtered by a third filter element, and the gas flows through the dust removal exhaust pipe to the dust removal fan, and then circulates back into the housing through the dust removal inlet pipe. As a further improvement of the present invention, an oxygen analyzer and a water analyzer are installed on the first circulation pipe to detect the oxygen and moisture content in the working gas.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, a cooling water pipe is provided on the second circulation pipeline to cool the circulating gas inside the box.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first circulation pipeline is connected to the buffer chamber through pipe d, and pipe d is provided with a balance valve and a buffer chamber exhaust port connected to it. The buffer chamber exhaust port is connected to the buffer chamber. When it is necessary to open the inner door of the buffer chamber, the balance valve is opened to achieve pressure balance between the inside of the buffer chamber and the inside of the box.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the vacuum pump is connected to the buffer chamber via pipe e, and the vacuum pump is used to evacuate the buffer chamber.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, the buffer chamber is connected to the third branch of the working gas inlet pipe, and the housing is connected to the buffer chamber through pipe f. The third branch of the working gas inlet pipe is used to quickly replenish the working gas entering the buffer chamber, and pipe f is used to fine-tune the working gas entering the buffer chamber.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, the housing includes a housing weldment and a left plate weldment, a right plate weldment, and a front window assembly disposed around the housing weldment. The left plate weldment and the right plate weldment are respectively disposed on both sides of the housing weldment. The lower part of the left plate weldment is provided with an opening that matches the inner door, so as to facilitate a sealed connection with the cavity of the buffer chamber and substrate transfer. The bottom of the housing weldment is connected to the MOCVD equipment. The two front window assemblies are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the housing weldment, and multiple operating gloves are provided on the front window assemblies.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, the lower part of the left plate weldment is also provided with a circulating air outlet, an air passage plate assembly and a one-way valve; the inside of the box weldment is provided with a nitrogen purging assembly, and the top of the box weldment is provided with a circulating air inlet. The air passage plate assembly and the nitrogen purging assembly constitute a self-cleaning system inside the box; the one-way valve is used for depressurization inside the box; the circulating air outlet is connected to the first circulating pipeline, and the circulating air inlet is connected to the second circulating pipeline.

[0019] As a further improvement of the present invention, a dust removal pipeline assembly is provided inside the housing welded part, a dust removal air passage inlet is provided at the top of the housing welded part, a dust removal air passage outlet is provided at the bottom of the housing welded part, the dust removal pipeline assembly is connected to the dust removal air passage outlet, the dust removal air passage outlet is connected to the dust removal exhaust pipeline, and the dust removal air passage inlet is connected to the dust removal inlet pipeline.

[0020] As a further improvement of the present invention, the top of the box welded component is provided with an electrical through-plate assembly, a lighting assembly, a temperature sensor and a hydrogen analyzer, and the inside of the box welded component is provided with a suction pen assembly and a suction cup assembly.

[0021] As a further improvement of the present invention, the buffer chamber includes a cavity welded component, with an inner door and an outer door respectively disposed on both sides of the cavity welded component. The side of the cavity welded component is provided with a first cylinder, a lifting guide rail, a second cylinder, and a pressing cylinder assembly. The pressing cylinder assembly is connected to the inner door to press the inner door. The output end of the first cylinder is connected to the middle of the inner door support plate. Both sides of the inner door support plate are respectively connected to the lifting guide rail. The first cylinder and the lifting guide rail are used to realize the lifting and lowering of the inner door. The output end of the second cylinder is connected to the outer door to realize the pressing of the outer door.

[0022] As a further improvement of the present invention, the top of the cavity weldment is provided with a gas storage bottle and multiple valve seat assemblies. The first cylinder and the second cylinder are both connected to an external control gas through corresponding valve seat assemblies. The operation of the first cylinder and the second cylinder is controlled by the external gas. The pressing cylinder assembly is connected to the gas storage bottle through the valve seat assembly. The operation of the pressing cylinder assembly is controlled by the air pressure provided by the gas storage bottle.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0024] This invention relates to a glove box for MOCVD equipment. Through high integration with the MOCVD equipment, it achieves tight collaboration among equipment components, improving production efficiency and reducing the complexity of the entire system. An advanced gas environment control system precisely regulates gas composition, flow rate, temperature, and pressure, optimizing the atmospheric conditions of the MOCVD process, improving the stability and consistency of thin film deposition, ensuring process controllability, and thus improving product quality and yield. Simultaneously, a highly efficient internal filtration system effectively blocks particulates and contaminants, maintaining a highly clean manufacturing environment, reducing the risk of contamination during the process, and improving the reliability and consistency of semiconductor products. Furthermore, a water-cooling device is installed on the gas circulation pipeline of the gas path control unit to ensure a stable gas temperature environment within the box. A highly automated control system enables real-time monitoring and adjustment of multiple key parameters, improving process consistency and efficiency, reducing human error, ensuring efficient production operation, and lowering production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural principle of the glove box used in an MOCVD equipment in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structural principle of the box in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural principle of the buffer chamber in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structural principle of the buffer chamber component after the inner and outer door components are removed in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural principle of the tray in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure and principle of the gas circuit control unit in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structural principle of the gas circuit control unit from another perspective in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural principle of the connection between the air circuit control unit and the housing in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the air circuit principle of the glove box in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Legend: 1. Housing; 101. Housing weldment; 102. Left plate weldment; 103. Right plate weldment; 104. Front window assembly; 105. Circulating air outlet; 106. Dust removal air outlet; 107. Air passage plate assembly; 108. Electrical passage plate assembly; 109. Lighting assembly; 110. One-way valve; 111. Temperature sensor; 112. Hydrogen analyzer; 113. Nitrogen purging assembly; 114. Suction pen assembly; 115. Suction cup assembly; 116. Dust removal pipeline assembly; 117. Fixing assembly; 18. Operating gloves; 119. Circulating air inlet; 120. Dust removal air inlet; 2. Buffer chamber; 201. Cavity weldment; 202. Inner door; 203. Tray assembly; 204. Outer door; 205. Valve seat assembly; 206. First cylinder; 207. Lifting guide rail; 208. Handle; 209. Second cylinder; 210. Tray; 211. Forward and backward movement assembly; 212. Left and right movement assembly; 213. Air storage cylinder; 214. Pressing cylinder assembly; 215. Pneumatic spring; 3. Air circuit control unit; 3 01. Base plate assembly; 302. Electrical control cabinet; 303. Working gas inlet pipe; 304. Working gas exhaust pipe; 305. Regenerated gas inlet pipe; 306. Regenerated gas exhaust pipe; 307. Second filter element; 308. Second circulation pipe; 309. Cooling water pipe; 310. Circulating fan; 311. First pneumatic angle valve; 312. Purification and reduction device; 313. Integrated valve group; 314. Cleaning valve; 315. First check valve; 316. Oxygen analyzer; 317. Water analyzer; 318. Vacuum pump; 319. Float flowmeter; 320. Second check valve; 321. Dust removal exhaust pipe; 322. Dust removal fan; 323. First circulation pipe; 324. First filter element; 325. Dust removal air inlet pipe; 326. Fourth filter element; 327. Third filter element; 328. Regeneration pipe; 329. Vacuum pipe; 330. Balancing valve; 331. Pressure gauge; 332. Buffer chamber air extraction port; 333. Vacuum valve; 334. Solenoid valve; 335. Second pneumatic angle valve; Pipes a, b, c, d, e, f. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific preferred embodiments, but this does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Example

[0037] like Figures 1 to 9As shown, the glove box for an MOCVD equipment of the present invention includes: a housing 1, a buffer chamber 2, and a gas path control unit 3. The buffer chamber 2 is disposed on the side of the housing 1. The buffer chamber 2 includes an automatically opening and closing inner door 202 and an outer door 204, and an automatically movable tray assembly 203 is provided inside the buffer chamber 2. The inner door 202 is connected to one side of the housing 1, and the bottom of the housing 1 is connected to the MOCVD equipment. The substrate to be coated enters the tray assembly 203 through the outer door 204, and then enters the housing 1 through the inner door 202, and then enters the MOCVD equipment.

[0038] The gas circuit control unit 3 is located on the side of the buffer chamber 2 and connected to the housing 1. The gas circuit control unit 3 includes: a base plate assembly 301, an electrical control cabinet 302, a working gas inlet pipe 303, a working gas exhaust pipe 304, a second circulation pipe 308, a circulating fan 310, a purification and reduction device 312, an integrated valve group 313, a vacuum pump 318, and a first circulation pipe 323. The electrical control cabinet 302, the circulating fan 310, and the purification and reduction device 312 are all mounted on the base plate assembly 301, which is used to secure the gas circuit control unit 3. The electrical control cabinet 302 controls the start and stop of the circulating fan 310 and the vacuum pump 318, controls the on / off state of all solenoid valves and the pneumatic angle valves to control the gas flow, and achieves its functions through interlocking in the software program while ensuring personnel safety. The working gas inlet pipe 303 adopts a one-inlet, four-outlet structure. The first branch is the inlet pipe for cleaning the housing, and this branch is only opened during housing 1 cleaning. The second branch is the housing 1 refueling pipe, and housing 1 refueling is also done through this branch only. The third branch is the external refueling (cylinder refueling) pipe for the buffer chamber 2. The fourth branch is the nitrogen purging pipe for housing 1. The first branch of the working gas inlet pipe 303 is connected to the second circulation pipe 308 via the circulating fan 310. One end of the second circulation pipe 308 is connected to housing 1 via the second filter element 307. One end of the first circulation pipeline 323 is connected to the housing 1 via the first filter element 324. The other end of the first circulation pipeline 323 is connected to three points via a three-way pipe. The first point is directly connected to the cleaning valve 314, which is closely connected to the first check valve 315, through which the cleaning gas is discharged. The first check valve 315 is used to prevent air from flowing back into the pipeline when the cleaning gas pressure is insufficient. The second point is connected to the buffer chamber exhaust port 332 via pipeline d. The third point is connected to the integrated valve group 313 via pipeline b. Both the replenishment and extraction of air from the housing 1 must be carried out through pipeline b. The second branch of the working gas inlet pipeline 303 goes to pipeline b via the VG valve of the integrated valve group 313. The exhaust gas is discharged from the equipment via pipeline b, through the VV valve of the integrated valve group 313, and then through the working gas exhaust pipeline 304. Both the second circulation pipeline 308 and the first circulation pipeline 323 are connected to the purification and reduction device 312. During regeneration of the purification and reduction device 312, the first pneumatic angle valve 311 and the second pneumatic angle valve 335 are closed to isolate the housing 1 from the purification and reduction device 312, preventing regeneration gas from entering the housing 1 and triggering a hydrogen alarm. Figure 9 As shown, the integrated valve group 313 integrates six solenoid valves: regeneration gas inlet valve VRE, regeneration gas exhaust valve VRS, purification and reduction device vacuum valve VRV, purification and reduction device back pressure balance valve VS, chamber gas replenishment valve VG, and chamber gas extraction valve VV. This allows for control of the intake and exhaust of the regeneration pipeline 328, control of vacuuming and pressure backfilling of the purification and reduction device, and control of chamber gas extraction and replenishment. The integrated design optimizes the space layout. During glove box operation, the vacuum pump 318 remains constantly on.

[0039] When the glove box is first installed, the exposed air, water, and oxygen content inside chamber 1 are all above the standard, which is enough to disrupt the atmosphere inside the chamber. Therefore, chamber 1 needs to be cleaned. First, prepare a sufficient volume of working gas (inert gas such as N2) with a purity greater than 99.999%. Clean the glove box for a certain period of time to replace the air or other non-compliant gases inside, so that the water and oxygen content inside chamber 1 is less than 200 ppm.

[0040] After cleaning, circulation is initiated. The glove box circulation is a closed-loop system. At this time, the circulation fan 310 is turned on, and the second circulation pipe 308 is simultaneously water-cooled. Driven by the circulation fan 310, the gas inside chamber 1 flows through the purification and reduction device 312 and then returns to chamber 1. After a period of circulation, the water and oxygen in chamber 1 are removed, and the water and oxygen content is below 1 ppm.

[0041] like Figure 9 As shown, when cleaning the housing 1, the working air enters the circulating fan 310 through the first branch of the working air inlet pipe 303 via the solenoid valve 334, and then enters the housing 1 through the second circulating pipe 308, and is discharged through the first circulating pipe 323 via the cleaning valve 314 and the first check valve 315.

[0042] like Figure 9 As shown, when working gas circulates in the housing 1, the working gas circulates in a closed loop consisting of the first circulation pipe 323, the purification and reduction device 312, the circulation fan 310, the second circulation pipe 308, and the housing 1. The second branch of the working gas inlet pipe 303 is connected to the first circulation pipe 323 through the b pipe connected to the integrated valve group 313, so as to supplement the working gas into the closed loop or exhaust the closed loop according to the actual circulation situation.

[0043] In this embodiment, the glove box adopts a highly integrated design to ensure tight integration with the MOCVD equipment. The box body is fixed to the equipment base plate, and the buffer chamber is fixed to the equipment frame. The box body and the buffer chamber are sealed with a gasket. The gas path control unit has a compact layout, and the entire glove box is seamlessly connected with other components of the MOCVD equipment, forming a highly efficient and collaborative system. The glove box adopts a compact and reasonable layout design, making full use of space resources and reducing the system footprint. At the same time, the connections and layout between the components are simple and clear, facilitating operation and maintenance.

[0044] The gas circuit control unit 3 also includes: a regeneration gas inlet pipe 305, a regeneration gas exhaust pipe 306, and a float flow meter 319. The regeneration gas inlet pipe 305 is connected to the purification and reduction device 312 via pipe c (regeneration pipe 328) connecting to the integrated valve group 313. The purification and reduction device 312 is connected to the regeneration gas exhaust pipe 306, the vacuum pipe 329, and the vacuum pump 318 via pipe a connecting to the integrated valve group 313. The float flow meter 319 is connected to the regeneration gas exhaust pipe 306. A second check valve 320 is also provided on the regeneration gas exhaust pipe 306 to prevent air containing water and oxygen from entering the integrated valve group through the regeneration exhaust pipe and corroding the valve group.

[0045] like Figure 9 As shown, when the purification column in the purification and reduction device 312 is regenerated, the first step is to observe whether the regeneration gas exhaust pipe 306 is unobstructed and the pressure is normal through the float flow meter 319. Then, the purification column is heated and the waste gas is discharged through the regeneration gas exhaust pipe 306. Next, working gas is introduced into the purification and reduction device 312 through the regeneration gas inlet pipe 305. Then, the regeneration gas inlet pipe 305 and the regeneration gas exhaust pipe 306 are closed. The vacuum pump 318 is used to draw a vacuum and cool the purification column. Finally, working gas is introduced into the purification column through the first circulation pipe 323, pipe b, integrated valve group 313 and pipe a to complete the regeneration of the purification column.

[0046] After a period of circulation, the adsorption capacity of the purification column in the purification and reduction device 312 decreases, and the glove box needs to be regenerated. Here, "regeneration" refers only to the purification column. The gas continuously circulates within chamber 1, absorbing water and oxygen through the purification column. Over time, the column becomes saturated, similar to a sponge that has absorbed water. Once saturated, its ability to adsorb water and oxygen decreases, failing to meet requirements. Therefore, regeneration is necessary to restore the purification column's ability to absorb water and oxygen.

[0047] Regeneration involves several steps: trial ventilation, heating of the purification column, formal heating and regeneration gas supply, vacuuming of the purification column, cooling of the purification column, and refilling of the purification column to atmospheric pressure. First, trial ventilation is conducted for 2 minutes to confirm normal regeneration flow and pressure. Then, heating continues for 3 hours, followed by 3 hours of heating and ventilation. The purification column is then vacuumed for 6 hours, cooled for 7.5 hours, and finally, gas is intermittently supplied via the integrated valve seat pressure balancing valve for 0.5 hours until the pressure in the purification column and chamber 1 reaches equilibrium, completing the purification column regeneration. The entire regeneration process takes 20 hours.

[0048] like Figures 6 to 8As shown, in this embodiment, the air circuit control unit 3 further includes: a dust removal exhaust pipe 321, a dust removal fan 322, and a dust removal inlet pipe 325. The dust removal fan 322 is connected to the dust removal exhaust pipe 321 and the dust removal inlet pipe 325 respectively. Both the dust removal exhaust pipe 321 and the dust removal inlet pipe 325 are equipped with filter elements and are respectively connected to the inside of the housing 1. The particulate matter inside the housing 1 is filtered by the third filter element 327, and the gas is discharged to the dust removal fan 322 through the dust removal exhaust pipe 321, and then circulated back into the housing 1 through the dust removal inlet pipe 325.

[0049] In this embodiment, the glove box is equipped with a high-efficiency filter element, which can effectively adsorb particulate matter during circulation. In addition, the dust collection and removal device is equipped with a separate filter device and uses a circulating centrifugal fan as the dust removal fan, which can effectively adsorb and intercept other pollutants, ensuring a dust-free environment during the production process.

[0050] like Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the first circulation pipeline 323 is equipped with an oxygen analyzer 316 and a water analyzer 317, which can be displayed via a PLC, to detect the oxygen and moisture content in the working gas. Both the oxygen analyzer 316 and the water analyzer 317 are connected to the electrical control cabinet 302 to facilitate real-time transmission of detection information, enabling the electrical control cabinet 302 to issue corresponding control commands. The glove box is equipped with an advanced water and oxygen analyzer, capable of timely detection of the ambient gas atmosphere. Through the cleaning and circulation functions of the purification unit components, precise control of the external atmosphere of the reaction chamber is achieved, including the detection of parameters such as gas composition, flow rate, temperature, and pressure. Through sensors and feedback mechanisms, the system can adjust in real time to meet the requirements of the MOCVD process.

[0051] like Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, a cooling water pipe 309 is provided on the second circulation pipeline 308 to cool the working gas before it enters the box 1, and the working gas carries away the heat inside the box 1 to ensure that the inside of the box 1 is at a suitable working temperature.

[0052] like Figures 6 to 9 As shown, in this embodiment, the first circulation pipeline 323 is connected to the buffer chamber 2 via pipe d, and pipe d is equipped with a balance valve 330, a buffer chamber exhaust port 332, and a vacuum valve 333. The buffer chamber exhaust port 332 is connected to the buffer chamber 2, and the vacuum valve 333 is used to control the connection between the first circulation pipeline 323 and the vacuum pump 318. When it is necessary to open the inner door 202 of the buffer chamber 2, the balance valve 330 is opened to achieve pressure balance between the inside of the buffer chamber 2 and the inside of the housing 1, thereby improving the smoothness and safety of opening the door.

[0053] like Figures 6 to 9As shown, in this embodiment, the vacuum pump 318 is connected to the buffer chamber 2 through pipe e, and the vacuum pump 318 is used to evacuate the buffer chamber 2.

[0054] like Figures 6 to 9 As shown, in this embodiment, the buffer chamber 2 is connected to the third branch of the working gas inlet pipe 303. A pressure gauge 331 is installed on the third branch of the working gas inlet pipe 303. The housing 1 is connected to the buffer chamber 2 through pipe f. The third branch of the working gas inlet pipe 303 is used for coarse adjustment of the working gas entering the buffer chamber 2, and pipe f is used for fine adjustment of the working gas entering the buffer chamber 2.

[0055] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the housing 1 includes a housing weldment 101 and left plate weldments 102, right plate weldments 103, and front window assembly 104 disposed around the housing weldment 101. The housing weldment 101 is made of 304 stainless steel. The left plate weldment 102 and right plate weldment 103 are respectively sealed and fixed to both sides of the housing weldment 101. The lower part of the left plate weldment 102 has an opening that matches the inner door 202 to facilitate substrate transfer. The right plate weldment 103 is connected to the MOCVD equipment. The two front window assemblies 104 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing weldment 101, and multiple operating gloves 118 are provided on the front window assembly 104. The front window assembly 104 adopts a flange-type window, sealed with an O-ring, and welded to the housing weldment 101 as a whole, resulting in a low leakage rate. The elliptical glove window provides a larger operating space, and the operating gloves 118 are not left- or right-handed, adopting a front and rear dual-position for easy operation.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, the lower part of the left plate weldment 102 is also provided with a circulating air outlet 105, an air passage plate assembly 107, and a one-way valve 110. The box weldment 101 is equipped with a nitrogen purging assembly 113 inside, and a circulating air inlet 119 at the top of the box weldment 101. The air passage plate assembly 107 and the nitrogen purging assembly 113 form a self-cleaning system inside the box 1, facilitating cleaning and maintenance of the box. The box 1 can be independently sealed and cleaned; the cleaning pipeline has a separate air inlet branch, and a first check valve 315 is connected after the cleaning valve 314 to prevent backflow of air. The one-way valve 110 is used for internal pressure relief of the box 1, and has automatic overpressure protection and backflow prevention capabilities. The circulating air outlet 105 is connected to the first circulating pipeline 323, and the circulating air inlet 119 is connected to the second circulating pipeline 308.

[0057] like Figure 2As shown, the housing weldment 101 has a dust removal pipeline assembly 116 inside. The top of the housing weldment 101 has a dust removal air inlet 120, and the bottom of the housing weldment 101 has a dust removal air outlet 106. The dust removal pipeline assembly 116 is connected to the dust removal air outlet 106. The dust removal air outlet 106 is connected to the dust removal exhaust pipeline 321 via a third filter element 327. The dust removal air inlet 120 is connected to the dust removal inlet pipeline 325 via a fourth filter element 326. The dust collection and removal device can effectively remove particles adhering to the epitaxial wafer after the process.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the top of the glove box 101 is equipped with an electrical through-board assembly 108, a lighting assembly 109, a temperature sensor 111, and a hydrogen analyzer 112. The temperature sensor 111 can detect real-time temperature changes inside the glove box 1, enabling precise temperature control and ensuring process conditions are maintained, thus guaranteeing the consistency and repeatability of semiconductor production. The glove box is equipped with a hydrogen analyzer and has a hydrogen leak safety alarm capability. The interior of the glove box 101 includes a suction pen assembly 114 and a suction cup assembly 115 to facilitate corresponding process operations. The bottom of the glove box 101 is equipped with a fixing assembly 117 for secure installation of the glove box 1.

[0059] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the buffer chamber 2 includes a cavity welded component 201. An inner door 202 and an outer door 204 are respectively disposed on adjacent sides of the cavity welded component 201. The outer door 204 is provided with a handle 208 for easy pulling. The cavity welded component 201 has a first cylinder 206, a lifting guide rail 207, a second cylinder 209, a pressing cylinder assembly 214, and a pneumatic spring 215 on its side. The pressing cylinder assembly 214 is connected to the inner door 202 to press the inner door 202. The output end of the first cylinder 206 is connected to the middle of the pressing cylinder assembly 214. The two sides of the inner door 202 are respectively connected to the lifting guide rail 207. The first cylinder 206 and the lifting guide rail 207 are used to raise and lower the inner door 202. The output end of the second cylinder 209 is connected to the outer door 204 to press the outer door 204. The pneumatic spring 215 is used to assist the outer door 204 in opening. It is understood that the clamping cylinder assembly 214 used to clamp the inner door 202 can be a pair of compression cylinders, the first cylinder 206 can be a piston cylinder, and the second cylinder 209 can be a telescopic cylinder. The outer door 204 is automatically opened and closed by the two pairs of telescopic cylinders.

[0060] Furthermore, the top of the cavity weldment 201 is provided with a gas storage cylinder 213 and multiple valve seat assemblies 205. The first cylinder 206 and the second cylinder 209 are both connected to the external control gas through the corresponding valve seat assemblies 205. The operation of the first cylinder 206 and the second cylinder 209 is controlled by the external gas. The pressing cylinder assembly 214 is connected to the gas storage cylinder 213 through the valve seat assembly 205. The operation of the pressing cylinder assembly 214 is controlled by the air pressure provided by the gas storage cylinder 213, so as to realize the individual control of the pressing cylinder assembly 214. This ensures that the inner door 202 can still be pressed in case of unexpected situations such as disconnection or instability of the control gas, so as to isolate the chamber from the air and provide a stable external environment for the MOCVD process.

[0061] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the bottom of the tray 210 is provided with a front-to-back moving component 211 and a left-to-right moving component 212, which are used to move the tray 210 in the XY direction. A positioning sensor is installed inside the buffer chamber 2 to detect whether the tray 210 has moved into position, and it is interlocked with the inner and outer door switches for safety.

[0062] Combination Figure 9 As shown, transferring items into box 1 includes the following steps:

[0063] Step S1: Detect the inner door 202 closed signal SD3 and the locking signal SD1. The buffer room is in ATM status. Manually open the outer door 204, pull out the tray 210 to put in the items, and push the tray 210 back to its original position SD4.

[0064] Step S2: Manually close the outer door 204;

[0065] Step S3, outer door 204 locked in place signal SD2;

[0066] Step S4: Open the vacuum valve USV on the e-pipe and evacuate the buffer chamber 2 to the set value of the chamber pressure bottom pressure.

[0067] Step S5: Close the vacuum valve USV, first open the gas supply valve VSFE (the third branch of the working gas inlet pipe 303) on the periphery of the buffer chamber 2 to supply gas to 900mbar, then open the gas supply valve VSF on the f pipe of the buffer chamber 2 to supply gas to the set pressure value of the chamber.

[0068] It should be noted that steps S4 and S5 demonstrate the process of one filling and emptying of the buffer chamber. In actual operation, the buffer chamber will be filled and empty multiple times (≥3 times) after an item is transferred into the program. Each filling and emptying process replenishes air to the set pressure value of the chamber (generally lower than the set pressure value of the chamber), and only the last filling and emptying process replenishes air to the set pressure value of the chamber.

[0069] Step S6: Open the pressure balancing valve UVS of the buffer chamber 2 on the d pipeline, release the inner door 202 to the position SD1, and raise the inner door 202 to the position SD3.

[0070] Step S7: Remove the items from the tray 210 using the operating gloves 118, and push the tray 210 back to its original position SD4;

[0071] S8, Inner door 202 descends to position SD3 and locks in position SD1.

[0072] Combination Figure 9 As shown, the process of transferring items out of box 1 includes the following steps:

[0073] Step Y1: Detect the locking signal SD2 of the outer door 204, and the buffer room status is ATM;

[0074] Step Y2: Open the inner door 202, manually pull out the tray 210, put in the items, and push the tray 210 back to its original position SD4;

[0075] Step Y3: Close the inner door 202, and close the inner door 202 to the closed position SD3 and lock it to the locked position SD1;

[0076] Step Y4, outer door 204 is released into position SD2;

[0077] Step Y5: Manually open the outer door 204, take out the items on the tray 210, and push the tray 210 back to its original position SD4;

[0078] Step Y6: Manually close outer door 204;

[0079] Step Y7: Lock the outer door SD2.

[0080] In this embodiment, a high-purity, sealed inert gas environment is provided by a glove box, enabling operators to handle air-sensitive compound semiconductor materials under oxygen-free or low-oxygen and pollution-free conditions, ensuring the quality and performance of the epitaxial wafer products while ensuring the safety of the equipment operators.

[0081] While the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention, or modify them into equivalent embodiments, without departing from the spirit and technical essence of the invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent substitutions, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the content of the present invention, shall still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A glove box for a MOCVD apparatus, characterized by, include: The chamber (1), buffer chamber (2), and air circuit control unit (3) are provided. The buffer chamber (2) is located on the side of the chamber (1). The buffer chamber (2) includes an automatically opening and closing inner door (202) and an outer door (204). The buffer chamber (2) is equipped with an automatically movable tray assembly (203). The inner door (202) is connected to one side of the chamber (1). The bottom of the chamber (1) is connected to the MOCVD equipment. The substrate to be coated enters the tray assembly (203) through the outer door (204), and then enters the chamber (1) through the inner door (202) and then enters the MOCVD equipment. The gas control unit (3) is located on the side of the buffer chamber (2) and connected to the housing (1). The gas control unit (3) includes: an electrical control cabinet (302), a working gas inlet pipe (303), a working gas exhaust pipe (304), a second circulation pipe (308), a circulating fan (310), a purification and reduction device (312), an integrated valve group (313), a cleaning valve (314), a check valve (315), a vacuum pump (318), and a first circulation pipe (323). The electrical control cabinet (302) is used to control the start and stop of the circulating fan (310) and the vacuum pump (318). The working gas inlet pipe (303) adopts a one-inlet-four-outlet structure, wherein the first branch is the inlet pipe for cleaning the housing, the second branch is the housing replenishment pipe, the third branch is the outer replenishment pipe for the buffer chamber, and the fourth branch is the nitrogen purging pipe for the housing. The first branch of the working gas inlet pipe (303) is a four-outlet structure. A branch line is connected to the second circulation pipeline (308) via a circulating fan (310). One end of the second circulation pipeline (308) is connected to the housing (1). One end of the first circulation pipeline (323) is connected to the housing (1). The other end of the first circulation pipeline (323) is connected to three points via a three-way pipe. The first point is directly connected to the cleaning valve (314), which is connected to the check valve (315). The cleaning gas is discharged through this point. The second point is connected to the buffer chamber exhaust port (332) via the d pipeline. The third point is connected to the integrated valve group (313) via the b pipeline. The air supply and exhaust of the housing must be carried out through the b pipeline. The second branch of the working gas inlet pipeline (303) goes to the b pipeline via the integrated valve group (313). The exhaust gas is discharged from the equipment via the b pipeline, the integrated valve group (313), and the working gas exhaust pipeline (304). The vacuum pump (318) is in the open state during the operation of the glove box. When the housing (1) is being cleaned, the working gas enters the circulating fan (310) through the first branch of the working gas inlet pipe (303), and then enters the housing (1) through the second circulating pipe (308). It is then discharged through the first circulating pipe (323) via the cleaning valve (314) and the check valve (315) and is directly discharged into the cabinet. When the working gas is circulating in the housing (1), the working gas circulates in the closed loop formed by the first circulating pipe (323), the purification and reduction device (312), the circulating fan (310), the second circulating pipe (308), and the housing (1). The second branch of the working gas inlet pipe (303) is connected to the first circulating pipe (323) through the b pipe connected to the integrated valve group (313) to replenish the working gas in the closed loop or to exhaust the closed loop.

2. The glove box for MOCVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The gas circuit control unit (3) further includes: a regenerated gas inlet pipe (305), a regenerated gas exhaust pipe (306), and a float flow meter (319). The regenerated gas inlet pipe (305) is connected to the purification and reduction device (312) through pipe c connecting the integrated valve group (313). The purification and reduction device (312) is connected to the regenerated gas exhaust pipe (306), the vacuum pipe (329), and the vacuum pump (318) through pipe a connecting the integrated valve group (313). The float flow meter (319) is connected to the regenerated gas exhaust pipe (306). When the purification column in the purification and reduction device (312) is regenerated, the first step is to observe whether the regeneration gas exhaust pipe (306) is unobstructed and the pressure is normal through the float flow meter (319); then the purification column is heated and the waste gas is discharged through the regeneration gas exhaust pipe (306); then the purification column is heated while the working gas is introduced into the purification and reduction device (312) through the regeneration gas inlet pipe (305) and the waste gas is discharged through the regeneration gas exhaust pipe (306); then the regeneration gas inlet pipe (305) and the regeneration gas exhaust pipe (306) are closed, a vacuum is drawn by the vacuum pump (318), and the purification column is cooled; finally, the working gas is introduced into the purification column through the first circulation pipe (323), pipe b, integrated valve group (313) and pipe a to complete the regeneration of the purification column.

3. The glove box for MOCVD equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air circuit control unit (3) further includes: a dust removal exhaust pipe (321), a dust removal fan (322), and a dust removal inlet pipe (325); the dust removal fan (322) is connected to the dust removal exhaust pipe (321) and the dust removal inlet pipe (325) respectively. The dust removal exhaust pipe (321) and the dust removal inlet pipe (325) are connected to the inside of the housing (1) respectively. The particulate matter inside the housing (1) is filtered by the third filter element (327). The gas is discharged to the dust removal fan (322) through the dust removal exhaust pipe (321) and then circulated back to the inside of the housing (1) through the dust removal inlet pipe (325).

4. The glove box for MOCVD equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first circulation pipeline (323) is equipped with an oxygen analyzer (316) and a water analyzer (317) for detecting the oxygen content and moisture content in the working gas.

5. The glove box for MOCVD equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second circulation pipeline (308) is equipped with a cooling water pipe (309) to cool the circulating gas inside the box (1).

6. The glove box for MOCVD equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first circulation pipeline (323) is connected to the buffer chamber (2) through the d pipeline, and the d pipeline is equipped with a balance valve (330) and a buffer chamber exhaust port (332) connected to it. The buffer chamber exhaust port (332) is connected to the buffer chamber (2). When it is necessary to open the inner door (202) of the buffer chamber (2), the balance valve (330) is opened to achieve pressure balance between the inside of the buffer chamber (2) and the inside of the box (1).

7. The glove box for MOCVD equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vacuum pump (318) is connected to the buffer chamber (2) through the e-pipe, and the vacuum pump (318) is used to evacuate the buffer chamber (2).

8. The glove box for an MOCVD equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The buffer chamber (2) is connected to the third branch of the working gas inlet pipe (303). The box body (1) is connected to the buffer chamber (2) through the f pipe. The third branch of the working gas inlet pipe (303) is used to quickly replenish the working gas entering the buffer chamber (2). The f pipe is used to fine-tune the working gas entering the buffer chamber (2).

9. The glove box for an MOCVD equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The housing (1) includes a housing weldment (101) and a left plate weldment (102), a right plate weldment (103) and a front window assembly (104) arranged around the housing weldment (101). The left plate weldment (102) and the right plate weldment (103) are respectively arranged on both sides of the housing weldment (101). The lower part of the left plate weldment (102) is provided with an opening that matches the inner door (202) to facilitate the sealed connection with the cavity of the buffer chamber (2) and the transfer of substrate. The bottom of the housing weldment (101) is connected to the MOCVD equipment. The two front window assemblies (104) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing weldment (101), and multiple operating gloves (118) are provided on the front window assembly (104).

10. The glove box for an MOCVD equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The lower part of the left plate weldment (102) is also provided with a circulating gas outlet (105), a gas passage plate assembly (107) and a one-way valve (110); the box weldment (101) is provided with a nitrogen purging assembly (113) inside, and a circulating gas inlet (119) is provided at the top of the box weldment (101). The gas passage plate assembly (107) and the nitrogen purging assembly (113) form a self-cleaning system inside the box (1); the one-way valve (110) is used to depressurize inside the box (1). The circulating gas outlet (105) is connected to the first circulating pipeline (323), and the circulating gas inlet (119) is connected to the second circulating pipeline (308).

11. The glove box for an MOCVD equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The box welded component (101) is provided with a dust removal pipeline assembly (116) inside. The top of the box welded component (101) is provided with a dust removal air inlet (120) and the bottom of the box welded component (101) is provided with a dust removal air outlet (106). The dust removal pipeline assembly (116) is connected to the dust removal air outlet (106), the dust removal air outlet (106) is connected to the dust removal exhaust pipeline (321), and the dust removal air inlet (120) is connected to the dust removal air intake pipeline (325).

12. The glove box for an MOCVD equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The top of the box welded component (101) is provided with an electrical through-plate assembly (108), a lighting assembly (109), a temperature sensor (111) and a hydrogen analyzer (112), and the inside of the box welded component (101) is provided with a pen suction assembly (114) and a suction cup assembly (115).

13. The glove box for an MOCVD equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The buffer chamber (2) includes a cavity weldment (201). The inner door (202) and the outer door (204) are respectively arranged on both sides of the cavity weldment (201). The cavity weldment (201) is provided with a first cylinder (206), a lifting guide rail (207), a second cylinder (209) and a pressing cylinder assembly (214) on its side. The pressing cylinder assembly (214) is connected to the inner door (202) to press the inner door (202). The output end of the first cylinder (206) is connected to the middle of the inner door (202) support plate. The two sides of the inner door (202) support plate are respectively connected to the lifting guide rail (207). The first cylinder (206) and the lifting guide rail (207) are used to realize the lifting of the inner door (202). The output end of the second cylinder (209) is connected to the outer door (204) to realize the pressing of the outer door (204).

14. The glove box for an MOCVD equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that, The top of the cavity weldment (201) is provided with a gas storage cylinder (213) and multiple valve seat assemblies (205). The first cylinder (206) and the second cylinder (209) are both connected to an external control gas through the corresponding valve seat assembly (205). The operation of the first cylinder (206) and the second cylinder (209) is controlled by the external gas. The pressing cylinder assembly (214) is connected to the gas storage cylinder (213) through the valve seat assembly (205). The operation of the pressing cylinder assembly (214) is controlled by the air pressure provided by the gas storage cylinder (213).

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