A transfer arm control device and method

Abstract

The application provides a conveying arm control device and method, and relates to the technical field of semiconductors.The device comprises a front light curtain, a rear light curtain, a controller, a motor and a conveying arm.The front light curtain, the rear light curtain and the motor are connected with the controller, and the motor is also connected with the conveying arm.The front light curtain and the rear light curtain are arranged at a fixed frame, and when a silicon wafer is located at the fixed frame, the front light curtain is located at the front side of the silicon wafer, and the rear light curtain is located at the rear side of the silicon wafer.The upper light axes of the front and rear light curtains are on the same horizontal line, and the lower light axes are also on the same horizontal line.The conveying arm is used to take out or place the silicon wafer, and the controller is used to control the conveying arm to stop moving when a front light curtain blocking signal is received, so as to avoid the conveying arm from breaking the silicon wafer and the conveying arm itself during the process of taking out or placing the silicon wafer.The controller is also used to close the front light curtain and the rear light curtain when a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal are received at the same time, so as to ensure that the conveying arm can move normally to complete the process of taking out or placing the silicon wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and more specifically, to a control device and method for a transfer arm. Background Technology

[0002] In the coating and developing equipment, the conveyor arm needs to remove or place silicon wafers from the mounting bracket in the transfer unit before transferring them to other units. The transfer unit serves to transfer and temporarily store the silicon wafers.

[0003] In existing technologies, the servo system controlling the movement of the conveyor arm is a semi-closed-loop control system. The encoder only monitors the number of motor rotations, and there is no feedback on the actual movement distance of the track and slider. Over long periods of operation, the driver, guide rail, synchronous track, motor, encoder, and other components can experience positional deviations due to other uncertainties. This can cause the conveyor arm to deviate from its position when picking up or placing wafers in the transfer unit, potentially shattering the silicon wafers or even breaking the conveyor arm itself. This necessitates lengthy debris handling and downtime, resulting in significant losses.

[0004] Therefore, how to prevent the transfer arm from breaking the silicon wafer and the transfer arm itself during the wafer picking or placing process is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a control device and method for a transfer arm to prevent the transfer arm from breaking the silicon wafer and the transfer arm itself during the wafer picking or placing process.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of this application are as follows: On one hand, this application provides a conveyor arm control device, which includes: a front light curtain, a rear light curtain, a controller, a motor, and a conveyor arm; the front light curtain, the rear light curtain, and the motor are all connected to the controller, and the motor is also connected to the conveyor arm.

[0007] The front light curtain and the rear light curtain are both located at the fixed frame. When the silicon wafer is located at the fixed frame, the front light curtain is located on the front side of the silicon wafer and the rear light curtain is located on the rear side of the silicon wafer. The upper optical axis of the front light curtain and the upper optical axis of the rear light curtain are on the same horizontal line, and the lower optical axis of the front light curtain and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain are also on the same horizontal line.

[0008] The conveying arm is used to pick up or place silicon wafers; the controller is used to control the motor to stop working when a front light curtain blocking signal is received, so that the conveying arm stops moving; the controller is also used to close the front light curtain and the rear light curtain when both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal are received simultaneously, so that the conveying arm can move normally.

[0009] Furthermore, the conveyor arm control device also includes a starting position sensor, which is disposed on the conveyor arm and connected to the controller.

[0010] The starting position sensor is used to send a reset signal to the controller when it detects that the conveying arm has returned to the starting position, so that the controller can reopen the front light curtain and the rear light curtain; wherein, the starting position is the initial position of the conveying arm during the film picking or placing process.

[0011] Furthermore, the front light curtain includes a front transmitter and a front receiver, and the rear light curtain includes a rear transmitter and a rear receiver; wherein, the input terminal of the controller is connected to the output terminals of the front receiver and the rear receiver respectively, and the output terminal of the controller is connected to the input terminals of the front transmitter and the rear transmitter respectively.

[0012] The front receiver is used to send a front light curtain blocking signal to the controller when the conveying arm blocks the front light curtain; the rear receiver is used to send a rear light curtain blocking signal to the controller when the conveying arm blocks the rear light curtain; the front transmitter is used to turn the front light curtain off or on under the control of the controller, and the rear transmitter is used to turn the rear light curtain off or on under the control of the controller.

[0013] Furthermore, the vertical distance from the upper optical axis to the silicon wafer is equal to the vertical distance from the lower optical axis to the silicon wafer; wherein, the upper optical axis includes the upper optical axis of the front light curtain and the upper optical axis of the rear light curtain, and the lower optical axis includes the lower optical axis of the front light curtain and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain.

[0014] Furthermore, the distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the front light curtain is 3.4. The optical width is 4.6mm, and the distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain is 3.4mm. 4.6mm.

[0015] Furthermore, the distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the front light curtain is 4mm, and the distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain is 4mm.

[0016] Furthermore, the transfer unit includes multiple vertically aligned mounting frames, each used to store a silicon wafer; each mounting frame has a front light curtain on its front side and a rear light curtain on its rear side, and each front light curtain and each rear light curtain are connected to a controller.

[0017] During the film retrieval process, the controller is used to stop the motor when it receives a front light curtain blocking signal for the current layer or a front light curtain blocking signal for the next layer, so that the conveyor arm stops moving; the controller is used to close the front and rear light curtains for the current layer when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the current layer, so that the conveyor arm can move upward normally; the controller is also used to stop the motor when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the previous layer, so that the conveyor arm stops moving.

[0018] During the film loading process, the controller is used to stop the motor when it receives a front light curtain blocking signal for the current layer or a front light curtain blocking signal for the previous layer, so that the conveyor arm stops moving; the controller is used to close the front and rear light curtains for the current layer when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the current layer, so that the conveyor arm moves downward normally; the controller is also used to stop the motor when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the next layer, so that the conveyor arm stops moving.

[0019] On the other hand, this application also provides a method for controlling a transfer arm, which is applied to the transfer arm control device as described in any of the preceding claims, the method comprising: Control the conveyor arm to move forward and determine whether a front light curtain obstruction signal is received.

[0020] If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving.

[0021] If not, after the conveyor arm reaches the designated position, control the conveyor arm to move vertically and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal are received at the same time; wherein, the designated position is directly below the fixed frame or directly above the fixed frame.

[0022] If so, close the front and rear light curtains to allow the teleportation arm to move normally.

[0023] Furthermore, the method for controlling the transfer arm also includes: Determine whether a reset signal has been received from the starting position sensor.

[0024] If so, then reopen the front and rear light curtains.

[0025] Furthermore, the transfer unit includes multiple layers of vertically aligned mounting frames, each layer storing one silicon wafer; each layer of mounting frames has a front light curtain on its front side and a rear light curtain on its rear side, and each front and rear light curtain is connected to a controller; the transfer arm control method further includes: During the film retrieval process, the control arm moves forward to determine whether a front light curtain occlusion signal for the current layer or the next layer is received.

[0026] If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving.

[0027] If not, when the conveyor arm reaches directly below the fixed frame of this layer, control the conveyor arm to move upward, and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer are received at the same time.

[0028] If so, then turn off the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer to allow the transmission arm to move upward normally, and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of the previous layer are received at the same time.

[0029] If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving.

[0030] During the film loading process, the control arm moves forward to determine whether a front light curtain blocking signal for this layer or the front light curtain blocking signal for the previous layer is received.

[0031] If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving.

[0032] If not, when the conveyor arm reaches directly above the fixed frame of this layer, control the conveyor arm to move downwards, and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer are received at the same time.

[0033] If so, then turn off the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer to allow the transmission arm to move downward normally, and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of the next layer are received at the same time.

[0034] If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving.

[0035] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages: This application provides a control device and system for a conveyor arm. A front light curtain is installed at the front of the mounting frame. When the controller receives a front light curtain obstruction signal, it stops the motor, thus halting the forward movement of the conveyor arm. This ensures that if a positional deviation occurs during the initial forward movement of the conveyor arm, it can be detected by the front light curtain and stopped in time, preventing damage to the silicon wafer and the conveyor arm itself. A rear light curtain is installed at the rear of the mounting frame, and the upper and lower optical axes of the front and rear light curtains are on the same horizontal line. When the controller receives both front and rear light curtain obstruction signals simultaneously, it closes both light curtains, ensuring the conveyor arm can move normally to complete wafer pick-up or placement.

[0036] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process of transferring the image using an arm in the prior art; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the film placement process using a transfer arm in the prior art; Figure 3 A front view of a transfer arm control device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 One of the top views of a transfer arm control device provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 A second top view of a conveyor arm control device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 A top view of a conveyor arm control device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 One of the flowcharts for a transmission arm control method provided in this application embodiment; Figure 8 A front view of another transfer arm control device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 A second flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a transfer arm provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is the third flowchart of a transmission arm control method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0039] Reference numerals: 110-Front light curtain; 111-Front transmitter; 112-Front receiver; 120-Rear light curtain; 121-Rear transmitter; 122-Rear receiver; 130-Controller; 140-Motor; 150-Transfer arm; 160-Starting position sensor; 170-Upper optical axis; 180-Lower optical axis; 200-Fixing frame; 300-Silicon wafer. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should be noted that relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. The term "connection" should be interpreted broadly, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium.

[0043] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0044] As described in the background section, when transferring silicon wafers, the transfer arm needs to remove or place wafers from the holder in the transfer unit. For details on the wafer removal process, please refer to... Figure 1 The conveyor arm 150 first moves forward to directly below the fixed frame 200 (i.e., directly below the silicon wafer 300), then moves upward a certain distance, removes the silicon wafer 300, and then moves backward to the starting position.

[0045] During the film playback process, please refer to Figure 2The conveyor arm 150 first moves the silicon wafer 300 forward to directly above the fixed frame 200, then moves it downward a certain distance, places the silicon wafer 300, and then moves it backward to the starting position.

[0046] The inventors discovered that if the vertical distance between the conveyor arm 150 and the fixed frame 200 is too short at the beginning during the wafer picking or placing process, i.e., there is a positional deviation, it will cause the conveyor arm 150 to break the silicon wafer 300 or even break the conveyor arm 150 itself as it moves forward.

[0047] To resolve the above issues, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 This application provides a control device for a conveyor arm. Wherein, Figure 3 To transmit the front view of the arm control device, Figure 4 A top view of the transmission arm control device.

[0048] In this embodiment, the transfer arm control device includes a front light curtain 110, a rear light curtain 120, a controller 130, a motor 140, and a transfer arm 150. The front light curtain 110, rear light curtain 120, and motor 140 are all connected to the controller 130, and the motor 140 is also connected to the transfer arm 150, which is used to remove or place silicon wafers from the fixture 200.

[0049] It should be noted that both the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 are located at the mounting bracket 200, and when the silicon wafer is located at the mounting bracket 200, the front light curtain 110 is located on the front side of the silicon wafer, and the rear light curtain 120 is located on the rear side of the silicon wafer. Furthermore, the upper optical axis 170 of the front light curtain 110 and the upper optical axis 170 of the rear light curtain 120 are on the same horizontal line, and the lower optical axis 180 of the front light curtain 110 and the lower optical axis 180 of the rear light curtain 120 are also on the same horizontal line.

[0050] The controller 130 is used to control the motor 140 to stop working when it receives a front light curtain blocking signal, so as to stop the conveyor arm 150 from moving.

[0051] The controller 130 is also used to close the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 when both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal are received simultaneously, so that the conveyor arm 150 can move normally.

[0052] For example, during the wafer retrieval process, if the lower optical axis 180 of the front light curtain 110 is blocked when the conveyor arm 150 moves forward, it indicates that the vertical distance between the conveyor arm 150 and the silicon wafer and the mounting bracket 200 is too short. At this time, the front light curtain 110 will send a front light curtain blocking signal to the controller 130. After receiving the signal, the controller 130 will control the motor 140 to stop working, so that the conveyor arm 150 stops moving and avoids the conveyor arm 150 from breaking the silicon wafer and itself.

[0053] If the vertical distance between the conveyor arm 150 and the silicon wafer and the fixture 200 is normal at the beginning, it will not block the lower optical axis 180 of the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 during its forward movement. When the conveyor arm 150 moves directly below the fixture 200, it begins to move upward. During the upward movement, if the controller 130 receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal simultaneously, it will close the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 to allow the conveyor arm 150 to move normally.

[0054] Similarly, during the wafer unloading process, if the upper optical axis 170 of the front light curtain 110 is blocked when the conveyor arm 150 moves the silicon wafer forward, it indicates that the vertical distance between the conveyor arm 150 and the mounting bracket 200 is too short. At this time, the front light curtain 110 will send a front light curtain blocking signal to the controller 130. After receiving the signal, the controller 130 will control the motor 140 to stop working, so that the conveyor arm 150 stops moving, thus preventing the conveyor arm 150 from breaking the silicon wafer and itself.

[0055] If the vertical distance between the conveyor arm 150 and the mounting frame 200 is normal at the beginning, it will not block the upper optical axis 170 of the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 during its forward movement. When the conveyor arm 150 moves directly above the mounting frame 200, it begins to move downwards. During the downward movement, if the controller 130 receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal simultaneously, it will close the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 to allow the conveyor arm 150 to move normally.

[0056] Based on the above design, a front light curtain 110 is installed on the front side of the mounting bracket 200. When the controller 130 receives a front light curtain blocking signal, it controls the motor 140 to stop, thereby stopping the conveyor arm 150 from moving forward. This ensures that if there is a positional deviation during the initial forward movement of the conveyor arm 150, it can be detected by the front light curtain 110 and stopped in time, avoiding damage to the silicon wafer and the conveyor arm 150 itself. A rear light curtain 120 is installed on the rear side of the mounting bracket 200, and the upper optical axes 170 and lower optical axes 180 of the front and rear light curtains are on the same horizontal line. When the controller 130 receives both the front and rear light curtain blocking signals simultaneously, it closes the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120, ensuring that the conveyor arm 150 can move normally to complete wafer picking or placing.

[0057] Please refer to it again. Figure 3In this embodiment, the upper optical axis 170 and the lower optical axis 180 are used to limit the upper and lower regions of the silicon wafer, that is, the silicon wafer is located between the upper optical axis 170 and the lower optical axis 180. Furthermore, the vertical distance from the upper optical axis 170 to the silicon wafer is equal to the vertical distance from the lower optical axis 180 to the silicon wafer. The upper optical axis 170 includes the upper optical axis 170 of the front light curtain 110 and the upper optical axis 170 of the rear light curtain 120, and the lower optical axis 180 includes the lower optical axis 180 of the front light curtain 110 and the lower optical axis 180 of the rear light curtain 120.

[0058] This means that the vertical distances from the upper optical axis 170 of the front light curtain 110 to the silicon wafer, the vertical distances from the lower optical axis 180 of the front light curtain 110 to the silicon wafer, the vertical distances from the upper optical axis 170 of the rear light curtain 120 to the silicon wafer, and the vertical distances from the lower optical axis 180 of the rear light curtain 120 to the silicon wafer are all equal.

[0059] Optionally, the distance between the upper optical axis 170 and the lower optical axis 180 is not limited and can be set according to actual application requirements. For example, the distance between the upper optical axis 170 and the lower optical axis 180 of the front light curtain 110 can be 3.4. The distance between the upper optical axis 170 and the lower optical axis 180 of the rear light curtain 120 can be 3.4 mm. 4.6mm. In this embodiment of the application, preferably, the distance between the upper optical axis 170 and the lower optical axis 180 of the front light curtain 110 is 4mm, and the distance between the upper optical axis 170 and the lower optical axis 180 of the rear light curtain 120 is 4mm.

[0060] As an optional implementation, please refer to Figure 5 The conveyor arm control device also includes a starting position sensor 160. The starting position sensor 160 is disposed on the conveyor arm 150 and is connected to the controller 130.

[0061] During the film pick-up or placement process, the starting position sensor 160 moves along with the conveyor arm 150. When the controller 130 simultaneously receives both the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal, it will close the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 to allow the conveyor arm 150 to move vertically normally, and then retreat to the starting position. The starting position refers to the initial position of the conveyor arm 150 during the film pick-up or placement process.

[0062] When the starting position sensor 160 detects that the conveyor arm 150 has returned to the starting position, it sends a reset signal to the controller 130. After receiving the reset signal, the controller 130 will reopen the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 to prepare for the next film pick-up or placement.

[0063] To better explain the generation of the light curtain blocking signal and the principles of the light curtain's opening and closing, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 .

[0064] As one possible implementation, the front light curtain 110 includes a front transmitter 111 and a front receiver 112, and the rear light curtain 120 includes a rear transmitter 121 and a rear receiver 122. The input terminals of the controller 130 are connected to the output terminals of the front receiver 112 and the rear receiver 122, respectively, and the output terminals of the controller 130 are connected to the input terminals of the front transmitter 111 and the rear transmitter 121, respectively.

[0065] The front receiver 112 is used to send a front light curtain obstruction signal to the controller 130 when the conveyor arm 150 obstructs the front light curtain 110. The rear receiver 122 is used to send a rear light curtain obstruction signal to the controller 130 when the conveyor arm 150 obstructs the rear light curtain 120.

[0066] The front transmitter 111 is used to close or open the front light curtain 110 under the control of the controller 130, and the rear transmitter 121 is used to close or open the rear light curtain 120 under the control of the controller 130.

[0067] To better explain the operation of the transfer arm control device, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 7 , Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating a transfer arm control method provided in this application embodiment. The method is applied to the aforementioned transfer arm control device and includes the following steps: Step S10: Control the conveyor arm to move forward and determine whether a front light curtain blocking signal is received.

[0068] Step S20: If yes, control the motor to stop working so that the conveyor arm stops moving.

[0069] During wafer pick-up or placement, the controller first activates the front and rear light curtains, then controls the conveyor arm to move forward. If the controller receives a signal indicating front light curtain obstruction during the forward movement of the conveyor arm, it indicates a positional deviation. To prevent the conveyor arm from damaging the silicon wafer, the controller stops the electrodes, thus halting the forward movement of the conveyor arm.

[0070] Step S30: If not, control the conveyor arm to move vertically after it reaches the designated position.

[0071] If the controller does not receive a front light curtain obstruction signal during the forward movement of the transmission arm, it indicates that there is no positional deviation of the transmission arm. When the transmission arm reaches directly below or above the fixed frame, the controller controls the transmission arm to move vertically.

[0072] Step S40: Determine whether the front light curtain occlusion signal and the rear light curtain occlusion signal are received simultaneously.

[0073] If step S50 is yes, then close the front light curtain and the rear light curtain to allow the conveyor arm to move normally.

[0074] If the controller receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal simultaneously during the vertical movement of the conveyor arm, it indicates that the conveyor arm is picking up or placing a film. The controller will then close the front and rear light curtains to allow the conveyor arm to move normally and complete the film picking or placing process.

[0075] If the controller does not receive both the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal at the same time, then continue to execute step S30.

[0076] Step S60 determines whether a reset signal sent by the starting position sensor has been received.

[0077] If step S70 is yes, then the front and rear light curtains will be reopened.

[0078] When the wafer pick-up or placement is completed, the drive arm is in the starting position. The starting position sensor mounted on the drive arm sends a reset signal to the controller when it detects that the drive arm is in the starting position.

[0079] If the controller receives a reset signal, it indicates that the current film pick-up or placement process is complete. The controller then reopens the front and rear light curtains to prepare for the next film pick-up or placement.

[0080] If the controller does not receive a reset signal, proceed to step S50.

[0081] As can be seen, the aforementioned transmission arm control devices and methods are all for transmission units consisting of only one layer of fixed frames. However, in practical applications, the transfer unit includes multiple layers of vertically aligned fixed frames, each layer storing one silicon wafer. Furthermore, most of the time, each layer of fixed frames experiences rapid, dynamic storage of silicon wafers.

[0082] Therefore, this application also provides another control device for the transfer arm; please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8 The device includes multiple front light curtains 110 and multiple rear light curtains 120, with a front light curtain 110 on the front side of each layer of the fixed frame and a rear light curtain 120 on the rear side of each layer of the fixed frame. Each front light curtain 110 and each rear light curtain 120 is connected to the controller 130.

[0083] During the film retrieval process, if the controller 130 receives a signal indicating that the front light curtain of the current layer or the front light curtain of the next layer is blocked, it indicates that there is a positional deviation in the forward movement of the conveyor arm 150. The controller 130 controls the motor 140 to stop working, so that the conveyor arm 150 stops moving forward.

[0084] When the controller 130 receives both the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal for the current layer simultaneously, it indicates that the conveyor arm 150 is picking up a film. The controller 130 controls the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 for the current layer to close, so that the conveyor arm 150 can move upward normally.

[0085] When controller 130 receives both the upper layer front light curtain blocking signal and the upper layer rear light curtain blocking signal simultaneously, it indicates that the conveyor arm 150 has moved too far and there is a positional deviation. In order to prevent the conveyor arm 150 from breaking the silicon wafers of the upper and current layers, controller 130 controls motor 140 to stop working, so that the conveyor arm 150 stops moving upward.

[0086] During the film loading process, when the controller 130 receives a signal indicating that the front light curtain of the current layer or the front light curtain of the previous layer is blocked, it indicates that there is a positional deviation in the forward movement of the conveyor arm 150. The controller 130 controls the motor 140 to stop working, so that the conveyor arm 150 stops moving forward.

[0087] When the controller 130 receives both the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of the current layer simultaneously, it indicates that the conveyor arm 150 is loading the film. The controller 130 controls the front light curtain 110 and the rear light curtain 120 of the current layer to close, so that the conveyor arm 150 can move downward normally.

[0088] When the controller 130 simultaneously receives both the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of the next layer, it indicates that the conveyor arm 150 has moved too far and there is a positional deviation. In order to prevent the conveyor arm 150 from breaking the silicon wafers of the next and current layers, the controller 130 controls the motor 140 to stop working, so that the conveyor arm 150 stops moving downward.

[0089] The flowchart of the corresponding transmission arm control method is as follows: Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown. Among them, Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a transfer arm during chip retrieval, provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a transfer arm during film loading, as provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0090] Please refer to the following during the film retrieval process: Figure 9 The method includes: Step S110: Control the conveyor arm to move forward and determine whether a front light curtain blocking signal for this layer or the front light curtain blocking signal for the next layer is received.

[0091] Step S120: If yes, then control the motor to stop working so that the conveyor arm stops moving.

[0092] Step S130: If not, control the conveyor arm to move upward when it reaches directly below the fixed frame on this floor.

[0093] During the wafer retrieval process, if the transfer unit includes multiple layers of mounting brackets, and the transfer arm deviates from its position during forward movement, it may break the silicon wafer in the current layer or the next layer. Therefore, when the controller receives a light curtain blocking signal for the current layer or the next layer, it should control the transfer arm to stop moving forward to avoid breaking the silicon wafer in the current or next layer.

[0094] Step S140: Determine whether the front light curtain occlusion signal and the rear light curtain occlusion signal of this layer are received simultaneously.

[0095] Step S150: If yes, then turn off the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer so that the conveyor arm can move upward normally.

[0096] If not, proceed to step S130.

[0097] Step S160: Determine whether the upper layer front light curtain blocking signal and the upper layer rear light curtain blocking signal are received simultaneously.

[0098] Step S170: If not, control the conveyor arm to move normally to return to the starting position.

[0099] During the upward movement of the conveyor arm, if the upward distance is too large, it may cause the silicon wafers on the previous layer and the current layer to shatter. Therefore, if the controller simultaneously receives signals of obstruction from both the front and rear light curtains of the previous layer, it indicates that the upward distance of the conveyor arm is too large and there is a positional deviation. The controller then stops the motor to halt the upward movement of the conveyor arm.

[0100] If the controller does not simultaneously receive both the upper front light curtain blocking signal and the upper rear light curtain blocking signal, it will control the conveyor arm to move normally to return to the starting position.

[0101] Step S180: Determine whether a reset signal has been received.

[0102] Step S190: If so, then reopen the front and rear light curtains.

[0103] If the controller receives a reset signal, it indicates that the current film retrieval process is complete. The controller then reopens the front and rear light curtains to prepare for the next film retrieval or loading.

[0104] If the controller does not receive a reset signal, proceed to step S170.

[0105] During the film playback process, please refer to Figure 10 The method includes: Step S210: Control the conveyor arm to move forward and determine whether a front light curtain blocking signal of this layer or the front light curtain blocking signal of the previous layer is received.

[0106] Step S220: If yes, then control the motor to stop working so that the conveyor arm stops moving.

[0107] Step S230: When the conveyor arm reaches directly above the fixed frame on this floor, control the conveyor arm to move downwards.

[0108] During the wafer loading process, if the transfer unit includes multiple layers of mounting brackets, and the transfer arm moves the silicon wafer forward with a positional deviation, it may break the wafer it carries or the wafer from the previous layer. Therefore, when the controller receives a signal indicating that the front light curtain of the current layer or the front light curtain of the previous layer is blocked, it should control the transfer arm to stop moving forward to avoid breaking the wafers of the next layer or the wafer it carries.

[0109] Step S240: Determine whether the front light curtain occlusion signal and the rear light curtain occlusion signal of this layer are received simultaneously.

[0110] Step S250: If yes, then turn off the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer so that the conveyor arm can move downward normally.

[0111] If not, proceed to step S230.

[0112] Step S260: Determine whether the next layer front light curtain occlusion signal and the next layer rear light curtain occlusion signal are received simultaneously.

[0113] Step S270: If not, control the conveyor arm to move normally to return to the starting position.

[0114] During the downward movement of the conveyor arm, if the downward distance is too large, it may cause the silicon wafers on the next layer and its own wafers to be shattered. Therefore, if the controller simultaneously receives signals of obstruction from both the front and rear light curtains of the next layer, it indicates that the downward distance of the conveyor arm is too large and there is a positional deviation. The controller then stops the motor to bring the conveyor arm to a halt.

[0115] If the controller does not simultaneously receive the signal of the front light curtain blocking the next layer and the signal of the rear light curtain blocking the next layer, it will control the conveyor arm to move normally to return to the starting position.

[0116] Step S280: Determine whether a reset signal has been received.

[0117] Step S290: If so, then reopen the front and rear light curtains.

[0118] If the controller receives a reset signal, it indicates that the current film loading process is complete. The controller then reopens the front and rear light curtains to prepare for the next film loading or loading.

[0119] If the controller does not receive a reset signal, proceed to step S270.

[0120] In summary, this application provides a control device and method for a transfer arm. When the transfer unit includes only one fixed frame, a front light curtain is installed on the front side of the fixed frame. When the controller receives a front light curtain blocking signal, it controls the motor to stop, thus stopping the transfer arm from moving forward. This ensures that if there is a positional deviation during the initial forward movement of the transfer arm, the movement can be stopped in time by detection through the front light curtain, avoiding damage to the silicon wafer and the transfer arm itself. By installing a rear light curtain on the rear side of the fixed frame, and ensuring that the upper optical axes of the front and rear light curtains are on the same horizontal line, and the lower optical axes of the front and rear light curtains are also on the same horizontal line, when the controller simultaneously receives both the front and rear light curtain blocking signals, it closes both the front and rear light curtains, ensuring that the transfer arm can move normally to complete wafer picking or placing.

[0121] When the transfer unit includes multiple layers of mounting frames, a front light curtain is installed on the front side of each mounting frame, and a rear light curtain is installed on the rear side of each mounting frame. During the wafer retrieval process, when the controller receives a front light curtain blocking signal for the current layer or the next layer, it controls the conveyor arm to stop moving forward to avoid damaging the wafers in the current or next layer. When the controller simultaneously receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal from the previous layer, it controls the conveyor arm to stop moving upward to avoid damaging the wafers in the current or previous layer.

[0122] During the wafer unloading process, when the controller receives a front light curtain blocking signal for the current layer or the previous layer, it controls the conveyor arm to stop moving forward to avoid damaging the silicon wafer in the current or previous layer. When the controller simultaneously receives a front light curtain blocking signal for the next layer and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the next layer, it controls the conveyor arm to stop moving downward to avoid damaging the silicon wafer in the current or next layer.

[0123] Furthermore, the transmission arm control device provided in this application has a high degree of compatibility with conventional servo systems, eliminating the need to introduce high-cost, high-precision servo systems (e.g., guide rail slider positioning feedback servo systems, optical positioning servo systems), thus reducing costs.

[0124] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

[0125] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this application can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this application. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this application is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within this application. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control device for a conveyor arm, characterized in that, The transfer arm control device includes: The system includes a front light curtain, a rear light curtain, a controller, a motor, and a conveyor arm; the front light curtain, rear light curtain, and motor are all connected to the controller, and the motor is also connected to the conveyor arm. The front light curtain and the rear light curtain are both mounted on a fixed frame. When the silicon wafer is located on the fixed frame, the front light curtain is located on the front side of the silicon wafer, and the rear light curtain is located on the rear side of the silicon wafer. The upper optical axis of the front light curtain and the upper optical axis of the rear light curtain are on the same horizontal line, and the lower optical axis of the front light curtain and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain are also on the same horizontal line. The transfer arm is used to pick up or place silicon wafers; The controller is used to control the motor to stop working when it receives a front light curtain blocking signal, so as to stop the conveyor arm from moving; the controller is also used to close the front light curtain and the rear light curtain when it receives both the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal at the same time, so as to allow the conveyor arm to move normally.

2. The control device for the conveyor arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor arm control device further includes a starting position sensor, which is disposed on the conveyor arm and connected to the controller; The starting position sensor is used to send a reset signal to the controller when it detects that the conveying arm has returned to the starting position, so that the controller can reopen the front light curtain and the rear light curtain; wherein, the starting position is the initial position of the conveying arm during the film picking or placing process.

3. The conveyor arm control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front light curtain includes a front transmitter and a front receiver, and the rear light curtain includes a rear transmitter and a rear receiver; The controller's input terminals are connected to the output terminals of the front receiver and the rear receiver, respectively, and the controller's output terminals are connected to the input terminals of the front transmitter and the rear transmitter, respectively. The front receiver is used to send a front light curtain obstruction signal to the controller when the conveying arm obstructs the front light curtain; the rear receiver is used to send a rear light curtain obstruction signal to the controller when the conveying arm obstructs the rear light curtain. The front transmitter is used to turn the front light curtain off or on under the control of the controller, and the rear transmitter is used to turn the rear light curtain off or on under the control of the controller.

4. The control device for the conveyor arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical distance from the upper optical axis to the silicon wafer is equal to the vertical distance from the lower optical axis to the silicon wafer; wherein, the upper optical axis includes the upper optical axis of the front light curtain and the upper optical axis of the rear light curtain, and the lower optical axis includes the lower optical axis of the front light curtain and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain.

5. The control device for the conveyor arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the front light curtain is 3.

4. The optical width is 4.6mm, and the distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain is 3.4mm. 4.6mm.

6. The conveyor arm control device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the front light curtain is 4mm, and the distance between the upper optical axis and the lower optical axis of the rear light curtain is 4mm.

7. The conveyor arm control device according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The transfer unit includes multiple vertically aligned mounting frames, each used to store one silicon wafer; each mounting frame has a front light curtain on its front side and a rear light curtain on its rear side, and each front light curtain and each rear light curtain is connected to a controller. During the wafer retrieval process, the controller is used to stop the motor when it receives a front light curtain blocking signal for the current layer or a front light curtain blocking signal for the next layer, so that the conveyor arm stops moving; the controller is used to close the front and rear light curtains for the current layer when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the current layer simultaneously, so that the conveyor arm moves upward normally; the controller is also used to stop the motor when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the previous layer simultaneously, so that the conveyor arm stops moving. During the film loading process, the controller is used to stop the motor when it receives a front light curtain blocking signal for the current layer or a front light curtain blocking signal for the previous layer, so that the conveyor arm stops moving; the controller is used to close the front and rear light curtains for the current layer when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the current layer, so that the conveyor arm moves downward normally; the controller is also used to stop the motor when it receives both a front light curtain blocking signal and a rear light curtain blocking signal for the next layer, so that the conveyor arm stops moving.

8. A method for controlling a conveyor arm, characterized in that, The transfer arm control method, applied to the transfer arm control device according to any one of claims 1-7, comprises: Control the conveyor arm to move forward and determine whether a signal of obstruction from the front light curtain is received; If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving; If not, after the conveyor arm reaches the designated position, control the conveyor arm to move vertically and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal are received at the same time; where the designated position is directly below or directly above the fixed frame. If so, close the front and rear light curtains to allow the teleportation arm to move normally.

9. The method for controlling a conveyor arm according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method for controlling the transfer arm also includes: Determine whether a reset signal has been received from the starting position sensor; If so, then reopen the front and rear light curtains.

10. The method for controlling a conveyor arm according to claim 8, characterized in that, The transfer unit includes multiple layers of vertically aligned mounting frames, each layer storing one silicon wafer; each layer has a front light curtain on its front side and a rear light curtain on its rear side, and each front and rear light curtain is connected to a controller; the transfer arm control method further includes: During the film retrieval process, the control arm moves forward to determine whether a front light curtain occlusion signal for the current layer or the next layer is received. If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving; If not, when the conveyor arm reaches directly below the fixed frame of this layer, control the conveyor arm to move upward and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer are received at the same time. If so, then turn off the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer to allow the transmission arm to move upward normally, and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of the previous layer are received at the same time. If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving; During the film loading process, control the conveyor arm to move forward and determine whether a front light curtain blocking signal for this layer or the front light curtain blocking signal for the previous layer is received. If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving; If not, when the conveyor arm reaches directly above the fixed frame of this layer, control the conveyor arm to move downwards, and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer are received at the same time. If so, then turn off the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of this layer to allow the transmission arm to move downward normally, and determine whether the front light curtain blocking signal and the rear light curtain blocking signal of the next layer are received at the same time. If so, the motor will stop working to stop the conveyor arm from moving.

Images