Handling device, semiconductor device and loading method, unloading method

Abstract

The application provides a loading and unloading device, a semiconductor device and a loading method and an unloading method, relates to the technical field of crystal manufacturing, and is designed to solve the problem of excessively high height of the semiconductor device. The loading and unloading device comprises a mounting part, a first transfer mechanism capable of moving to a first set position to support a to-be-loaded object on a lower cover, at this time, the to-be-loaded object is partially located in a cavity body, and the first transfer mechanism can move away from the first set position, and a second transfer mechanism capable of carrying the to-be-loaded object to move back and forth in and out of a loading and unloading space, and supporting the to-be-loaded object for the lower cover when the to-be-loaded object is carried and moved to a second set position, and supporting the to-be-loaded object when the lower cover is moved to the second set position. The loading and unloading device provided by the application reduces the overall height of the crystal growth furnace and reduces the requirement for the height of the factory building.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of crystal manufacturing, in particular to a loading and unloading device, a semiconductor equipment and a loading method and an unloading method. BACKGROUND

[0002] The physical vapor transport (PVT) is one of the mainstream methods for preparing silicon carbide crystals. In the PVT method for growing SiC single crystals, SiC crystals are placed as seeds on the top of a graphite hot field, Si and C powders are placed as a source on the bottom of the graphite hot field, an induction coil is designed for heating, the temperature reaches about 2300 DEG C, and the growth temperature gradient is controlled, and argon is introduced to control the growth chamber pressure. During the crystal growth process, the seeds are pasted on the upper part, the temperature is lower, the SiC source temperature is higher, and there is a certain temperature gradient between the two. The crystal growth process is sublimated and crystallized on the cold end of the seed, and the SiC bulk single crystal is obtained.

[0003] In the SiC single crystal growth process, the loading and unloading of the hot field is a very important link. With the development of the industry, the SiC single crystal growth process is developing towards larger size crystal growth, the size of the crucible and the hot field is getting larger and larger, the height is getting higher and higher, and the height of the equipment needs to be increased to complete the loading of the hot field. It is difficult for a general equipment factory to meet the loading requirements. Therefore, how to conveniently and safely complete the loading and unloading of the hot field while limiting the height of the equipment has great significance for the SiC large-size crystal growth furnace. SUMMARY

[0004] The first object of the present application is to provide a loading and unloading device to solve the technical problem of excessive height of the existing semiconductor equipment.

[0005] The loading and unloading device provided by the present application comprises: the loading and unloading device is applied to the semiconductor equipment; wherein the semiconductor equipment comprises a chamber body and a lifting mechanism, the chamber body has a detachable lower cover, and the lower part of the chamber body has a loading and unloading space; the lower cover is used for carrying the to-be-loaded object, and the lifting mechanism is located in the loading and unloading space and is used for driving the lower cover of the chamber body to lift; the loading and unloading device comprises:

[0006] a mounting portion;

[0007] a first transfer mechanism movably mounted on the mounting portion, capable of supporting the to-be-loaded object on the lower cover at a first set position of the loading and unloading space, and capable of moving away from the first set position for lifting by the lifting mechanism; wherein part of the to-be-loaded object is located in the chamber body when the to-be-loaded object is supported by the first transfer mechanism; and

[0008] The second transfer mechanism is movably mounted on the mounting portion and can carry the object to be loaded to move back and forth in and out of the loading and unloading space; and when the object to be loaded is carried to a second set position of the loading and unloading space, the lower cover supports the object to be loaded, and when the lower cover carries the object to be loaded to the second set position of the loading and unloading space, the lower cover supports the object to be loaded.

[0009] The beneficial effects brought about by the loading and unloading device of the present invention are:

[0010] By providing a first transfer mechanism, the first transfer mechanism can initially support the hot field during the process of the lifting mechanism driving the hot field upward. After the lifting mechanism descends, the support columns can be placed on the lifting mechanism, which then drives the support columns upward. The support columns lift the hot field upward and away from the first transfer mechanism, and the first transfer mechanism then leaves the area where the hot field and the lifting mechanism operate. This can achieve the goal of not having to provide support columns on the lifting mechanism when the hot field is placed on the lifting mechanism, thereby reducing the height of the loading and unloading space below the chamber body, thereby reducing the overall height of the crystal growth furnace and lowering the height requirements of the factory building. After the lifting mechanism lifts the hot field upward and away from the first transfer mechanism via the support columns, the first transfer mechanism leaves the operating area of ​​the hot field and the lifting mechanism, so that the first transfer mechanism no longer affects the raising and lowering of the hot field and the lifting mechanism. By providing a second transfer mechanism, the hot field can be placed on the second transfer mechanism by external equipment such as an overhead crane, stacker, or forklift. The second transfer mechanism can then transport the hot field into the loading and unloading space, or the second transfer mechanism can move the hot field inside the loading and unloading space out of the loading and unloading space. There is no need for operators to manually move the hot field to the lifting mechanism, which significantly reduces the operator's workload and significantly improves the safety of operation compared to manual loading and unloading.

[0011] In a preferred technical solution, the first transfer mechanism includes:

[0012] a first supporting member configured to support the object to be loaded, the first supporting member being provided with a first opening for allowing a tray to pass through in a vertical direction, the tray being mounted on the lower cover; and

[0013] The first transmission member is rotatably mounted on the mounting portion and connected to the first supporting member. The first transmission member is configured to drive the first supporting member to move to or away from the first set position.

[0014] In a preferred technical solution, the first supporting member includes a first C-shaped ring, the upper end of the first C-shaped ring has a first supporting surface, and the first supporting surface is configured to support the object to be loaded in a vertical direction; the first C-shaped ring has a first limiting portion protruding from the first supporting surface, and the first limiting portion is located at the edge of the first supporting surface, and the first limiting portion is configured to limit the lateral movement of the object to be loaded.

[0015] In a preferred technical solution, the first transmission member includes a first connecting arm, one end of the first connecting arm is rotatably connected to the mounting portion, and the first supporting member is fixedly connected to the other end of the first connecting arm.

[0016] In a preferred technical solution, the first transfer mechanism further includes a first transfer sensor, which is used to detect whether the first transmission member is located at a first set position.

[0017] In the preferred technical solution, the loading and unloading device also includes a first controller and an upper loading position sensor electrically connected to the first controller; the upper loading position sensor is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism has run to the upper loading position; the first controller is used to control the lifting mechanism to stop running when the upper loading position sensor detects that the lifting mechanism has run to the upper loading position, and control the first transfer mechanism to move to the first set position or leave the first set position, so that the object to be loaded can be transferred between the lower cover or the first transfer mechanism.

[0018] In the preferred technical solution, the loading and unloading device also includes a lower loading position sensor electrically connected to the first controller; the lower loading position sensor is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism has run to the lower loading position; the first controller is also used to control the lifting mechanism to stop running when the lower loading position sensor detects that the lifting mechanism has run to the lower loading position; wherein, the distance between the upper loading position and the lower limit is greater than the height of the support column, and the support column is used to be placed on the lower cover so that the lower cover carries the object to be loaded through the support column.

[0019] In a preferred technical solution, the second transfer mechanism includes:

[0020] A second supporting member is configured to support the object to be loaded, the second supporting member is provided with a second opening portion, the second opening portion is used for a tray to pass through in a vertical direction, and the tray is mounted on the lower cover; and

[0021] The second transmission member is installed on the installation portion and connected to the second supporting member. The second transmission member is configured to drive the second supporting member to move to or leave the second set position.

[0022] In a preferred technical solution, the second supporting member includes a second C-shaped ring, the upper end of the second C-shaped ring has a second supporting surface, and the second supporting surface is configured to support the object to be loaded in a vertical direction; the second C-shaped ring has a second limiting portion protruding from the second supporting surface, and the second limiting portion is located at the edge of the second supporting surface, and the second limiting portion is configured to limit the lateral movement of the object to be loaded.

[0023] In a preferred technical solution, the second transmission member includes a second connecting arm, one end of the second connecting arm is rotatably connected to the mounting portion, and the second supporting member is fixedly connected to the other end of the second connecting arm.

[0024] In a preferred technical solution, the second transfer mechanism further includes a second transfer sensor, which is used to detect whether the second transmission member is in a second set position. The second set position is located in the loading and unloading space and below the first set position.

[0025] In the preferred technical solution, the loading and unloading device also includes a second controller and an upper limit sensor electrically connected to the second controller; the upper limit sensor is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism moves to the upper limit position; the second controller is used to control the lifting mechanism to stop rising when the upper limit sensor detects that the lifting mechanism has reached the upper limit position, so that the lower cover covers the chamber body.

[0026] In a preferred technical solution, the loading and unloading device also includes a lower limit sensor electrically connected to the second controller; the lower limit sensor is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism moves to the lower limit; the second controller is also used to control the lifting mechanism to stop descending when the lower limit sensor detects that the lifting mechanism has reached the lower limit, wherein the lower limit is the lowest position allowed for the lifting mechanism to descend.

[0027] In a preferred technical solution, the semiconductor equipment is a crystal growth furnace, and the object to be loaded and unloaded is a thermal field.

[0028] The second object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device to solve the technical problem of the crystal growth furnace being too high.

[0029] The semiconductor equipment provided by the present invention includes a chamber body, a lifting mechanism, and any one of the loading and unloading devices. The loading and unloading space is formed below the chamber body, and the lifting mechanism is used to drive the lower cover to rise and fall in the loading and unloading space.

[0030] By arranging the above-mentioned loading and unloading device in the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device accordingly has all the advantages of the above-mentioned loading and unloading device, which will not be described in detail here.

[0031] The third object of the present invention is to provide a loading method to solve the technical problem of the crystal growth furnace being too high.

[0032] The present invention provides a loading method for loading objects into the semiconductor device described above, the loading method comprising:

[0033] placing the object to be loaded on the second transfer mechanism, and controlling the second transfer mechanism to move to the second set position;

[0034] Controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover to support the object to be loaded;

[0035] controlling the second transfer mechanism to leave the loading and unloading space;

[0036] Controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover to support the object to be loaded to rise a set distance, so that the first transfer mechanism can support the object to be loaded when it moves to the first set position;

[0037] Controlling the first transfer mechanism to move to the first set position and support the object to be loaded;

[0038] Controlling the lifting mechanism to descend until the distance between the tray on the lower cover and the object to be loaded is greater than the height of the support column;

[0039] placing the support column on the tray;

[0040] Controlling the lifting mechanism to rise until the support column can support the object to be loaded; controlling the first transfer mechanism to leave the first set position;

[0041] The lifting mechanism is controlled to rise until the lower cover covers the chamber body.

[0042] By employing the above-described loading method, on the one hand, the second transfer mechanism can be used to move the load into the loading and unloading space, eliminating the need for operators to perform such laborious and dangerous work, thereby improving labor efficiency and reducing the workload and risk for operators. On the other hand, while the lift mechanism is moving the load into the chamber body, the load can first be moved to a certain height. The first transfer mechanism then supports the load, allowing the lift mechanism to descend to the lower loading position to insert the support columns. Consequently, there is no need to place the support columns before inserting the load, reducing the height of the loading and unloading space, thereby reducing the overall height of the semiconductor equipment and lowering the height requirements of the factory building.

[0043] A fourth object of the present invention is to provide an unloading method to solve the technical problem of semiconductor equipment being too high.

[0044] The unloading method is used for unloading the to-be-loaded object from the semiconductor device,

[0045] The unloading method comprises:

[0046] controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover to lower the to-be-loaded object to a position where the first transfer mechanism can support the to-be-loaded object when the first transfer mechanism moves to the first set position;

[0047] controlling the first transfer mechanism to move to the first set position and support the to-be-loaded object;

[0048] controlling the lifting mechanism to lower until the distance between the tray on the lower cover and the to-be-loaded object is greater than the height of the support column;

[0049] taking out the support column from the tray;

[0050] controlling the lifting mechanism to rise until the lower cover supports the to-be-loaded object;

[0051] controlling the first transfer mechanism to move away from the first set position;

[0052] controlling the lifting mechanism to lower to a position where the second transfer mechanism can support the to-be-loaded object when the second transfer mechanism moves to the second set position;

[0053] controlling the second transfer mechanism to move into the second set position and support the to-be-loaded object;

[0054] controlling the lifting mechanism to lower;

[0055] controlling the second transfer mechanism to move out of the loading space.

[0056] By using the above method to control the loading and unloading of the to-be-loaded object of the semiconductor device, on the one hand, the second transfer mechanism can be used to move the to-be-loaded object out of the loading and unloading space, so that the operator does not need to perform such laborious and dangerous work, thereby improving the labor efficiency and reducing the work burden and danger of the operator. On the other hand, during the process of the lifting mechanism unloading the to-be-loaded object from the chamber body, the to-be-loaded object is first moved to a certain height and supported by the first transfer mechanism, so that the lifting mechanism can be lowered to the lower loading position to take out the support column. Therefore, the support column does not need to be taken out first before the to-be-loaded object is taken out, which reduces the height of the loading and unloading space, and further reduces the overall height of the semiconductor device and the requirement for the height of the factory building. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0057] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the background technology, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the background technology description. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0058] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the crystal growth furnace mentioned in the first related art of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a loading and unloading device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention applied to a crystal growth furnace;

[0060] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a first transfer mechanism in a loading and unloading device provided in Example 1 of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 4 A top view of the first transfer mechanism in the loading and unloading device provided in Example 1 of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a second transfer mechanism in the loading and unloading device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 6 A top view of the second transfer mechanism in the loading and unloading device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 7a This is a schematic diagram of the state of the second transfer mechanism supporting the thermal field outside the loading and unloading space in step S110 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 7b This is a schematic diagram of the state when the second transfer mechanism moves the heat field to the second set position in step S110 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0066] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it rises to the lower loading position in step S120 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0067] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the state when the second transfer mechanism moves outside the loading and unloading space in step S130 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it rises to the upper loading position in step S140 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0069] Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the state when the first transfer mechanism moves to the first set position in step S150 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0070] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it descends to the lower loading position in step S160 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0071] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism after the support column is placed in step S170 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] Figure 14a This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it rises to the upper loading position in step S180 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0073] Figure 14b This is a schematic diagram of the state when the first transfer mechanism moves to the first external preset position in step S180 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0074] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the state after step S190 of the loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention is executed;

[0075] Figure 16a This is a schematic diagram of the state when the first transfer mechanism begins to leave the first set position in step S210 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0076] Figure 16b This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it descends to the upper loading position in step S210 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0077] Figure 17 A schematic diagram of a state in which the first transfer mechanism moves to the first set position in step S220 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0078] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it descends to the lower loading position in step S230 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0079] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the state after the support column is removed from the lifting mechanism in step S240 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0080] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it rises to the upper loading position in step S250 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0081] Figure 21A schematic diagram of the state when the first transfer mechanism moves to the first external preset position in step S260 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0082] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it descends to the lower loading position in step S270 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0083] Figure 23 A schematic diagram of the state when the second transfer mechanism moves to the second set position in step S280 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0084] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the lifting mechanism when it descends to the lower limit position in step S290 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0085] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram of the state when the second transfer mechanism is moved outside the loading and unloading space in step S300 of the unloading method provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] Description of reference numerals:

[0087] 110 - chamber body; 120 - mounting portion; 210 - lifting drive assembly; 220 - lifting assembly; 221 - lower cover; 222 - tray support; 223 - tray; 224 - support column; 230 - upper limit sensor; 240 - lower limit sensor; 250 - upper loading position sensor; 260 - lower loading position sensor; 300 - first transfer mechanism; 310 - first transmission member; 320 - first supporting member; 321 - first opening; 322 - third opening; 323 - first supporting surface; 324 - first limiting member; 330 - first transfer sensor; 400 - second transfer mechanism; 410 - second transmission member; 420 - second supporting member; 421 - second opening; 422 - fourth opening; 423 - second supporting surface; 424 - second limiting member; 430 - second transfer sensor;

[0088] 500-hot field. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0089] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the crystal growth furnace mentioned in the related art of the present invention; in the related art, the entire loading and unloading work of the thermal field 500 is completed entirely by manpower. Figure 1As shown, during the loading process, two to three operators are first required to lift the hot field 500 weighing up to 80 kg, and move the hot field 500 from the front of the equipment to the bottom of the whole machine. Then the three operators lift the hot field 500 upward from the bottom of the whole machine. The lifting height must ensure that the distance between the bottom of the hot field 500 and the tray 223 is greater than the height of the support column 224. At this time, manual judgment is required to ensure that the hot field 500 is roughly concentric with the quartz chamber and the hot field 500 is kept stable at this height. At the same time, another operator is required to place the quartz support column 224 on the tray 223. Then the three operators who hold up the hot field 500 slowly lower the hot field 500 vertically onto the support column 224, and then manually judge and adjust the position of the hot field 500 to ensure that the hot field 500 is concentric with the chamber body 110. Finally, the lifting mechanism is started to complete the loading work.

[0090] The disadvantages of the related art are as follows:

[0091] 1. The heat field 500 must be completely located below the chamber body 110 during loading. Since the heat field 500 itself is very high, the height of the equipment needs to be designed to be very high to meet the loading requirements. It is difficult for a general equipment plant to meet the loading requirements.

[0092] 2. The entire loading process requires the cooperation of at least 3 to 5 operators, resulting in low labor efficiency and high labor costs.

[0093] 3. Loading is completely manual. During loading, the operator must lift the 80kg-weight thermal field 500 in a confined space and manually align the thermal field 500 with the chamber. This is very inconvenient and requires a high level of operator strength and coordination. Even the slightest misoperation can easily cause the thermal field 500 or support column 224 to tilt, resulting in unnecessary damage or even personal injury.

[0094] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the following detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present invention is given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0095] Example 1:

[0096] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the loading and unloading device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention applied to a crystal growth furnace; Figure 2As shown, the loading and unloading device provided by the embodiment of the present invention is applied to semiconductor equipment; the semiconductor equipment includes a chamber body 110 and a lifting mechanism, the chamber body 110 has a detachable lower cover 221, and a loading and unloading space is defined below the chamber body 110; the lower cover 221 is used to carry objects to be loaded and unloaded, and the lifting mechanism is located in the loading and unloading space and is used to drive the lower cover 221 of the chamber body 110 to move up and down;

[0097] The loading and unloading equipment includes:

[0098] Mounting portion 120;

[0099] The first transfer mechanism 300 is movably mounted on the mounting portion 120 and can move to a first set position in the loading and unloading space to support the object to be loaded on the lower cover 221, and can move away from the first set position to allow the lifting mechanism to move up and down. When the object to be loaded is supported by the first transfer mechanism 300, a portion of the object to be loaded 500 is located within the chamber body 110; and

[0100] The second transfer mechanism 400 is movably mounted on the mounting portion 120 and can carry the object to be loaded and move back and forth in and out of the loading and unloading space; and when the object to be loaded is carried and moved to the second set position of the loading and unloading space, the lower cover 221 supports the object to be loaded, and when the lower cover 221 carries the object to be loaded and moves to the second set position of the loading and unloading space, the lower cover 221 supports the object to be loaded.

[0101] Specifically, in this embodiment, the semiconductor device may be a crystal growth furnace, and the object to be loaded may be the thermal field 500. In this embodiment, the mounting portion 120 may be a column at the bottom of the crystal growth furnace for supporting the chamber body 110.

[0102] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting assembly 220, which includes a lifting arm. A lower cover 221 and a tray 223 are mounted on one end of the lifting arm. The tray 223 is located above the lower cover 221. The lower cover 221 is connected to the tray 223 via tray struts 222. The lower cover 221 is the lower cover 221 of the crystal growth furnace chamber body 110. The tray 223 is provided with support columns 224, which can directly support the thermal field 500. The lifting drive assembly 210 can be raised and lowered using a ball screw, a lead screw nut, or an electric push rod. The lifting arm is mounted at the power output end of the lifting drive assembly 210.

[0103] The loading and unloading device provided in this embodiment is used in a crystal growth furnace. The space below the chamber body 110 of the crystal growth furnace is the loading and unloading space. The hot field 500 is sent into the loading and unloading space from the outside and then lifted by the lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism lifts the lower cover 221, the tray 223, the support column 224 and the hot field 500 upward together, thereby sending the hot field 500 into the chamber body 110 of the crystal growth furnace. When the lifting assembly 220 rises to the highest position, the lifting assembly 220 drives the lower cover 221 to close the opening at the lower end of the chamber body 110. When the material in the hot field 500 is processed, the lifting mechanism descends, thereby separating the hot field 500 from the chamber body 110. When the lifting mechanism finally descends into place, the hot field 500 is removed from the loading and unloading space.

[0104] Specifically, the first set position is the position where the first transfer mechanism 300 can support the thermal field 500 and allow the tray 223, described later, to pass through the first opening 321. The first transfer mechanism 300 being outside the loading and unloading space does not require the first transfer mechanism 300 to be in a precise, defined position. As long as the first transfer mechanism 300 is outside the loading and unloading space and does not affect the movement of the thermal field 500 by the second transfer mechanism 400, described later, and does not affect the placement of the thermal field 500 into or removal from the second transfer mechanism 400, it can be considered to be outside the loading and unloading space. Leaving the first set position does not necessarily mean that the first transfer mechanism 300 is outside the loading and unloading space, nor does it mean that the first transfer mechanism 300 is considered to have left the first set position if it is only 1 mm or 2 mm away from the supporting thermal field. In this application, the first transfer mechanism 300 leaving the first set position or moving away from the first set position means that the first transfer mechanism 300 moves to a certain position, and in this position, it does not affect the lifting mechanism carrying the thermal field 500, the first transfer mechanism 300 does not interfere with the movement of the lifting mechanism, the thermal field 500, and the lower cover 221, and the first transfer mechanism 300 does not interfere with the movement of the second transfer mechanism 400 carrying the thermal field 500. In this case, the first transfer mechanism 300 can be inside or outside the loading and unloading space.

[0105] Specifically, the second set position is a position where the second transfer mechanism 400 can support the thermal field 500 and allow the pallet 223, described later, to pass through the second opening 421. The second transfer mechanism 400 is located outside the loading and unloading space, which can be convenient for operators to place the thermal field 500 into or remove it from the second transfer mechanism 400 using external equipment such as an overhead crane, stacker, or forklift. In both cases, the second transfer mechanism 400 can be considered to be outside the loading and unloading space.

[0106] By providing the first transfer mechanism 300, the first transfer mechanism 300 can first support the hot field 500 during the process of the lifting mechanism driving the hot field 500 upward. After the lifting mechanism descends, the support column 224 can be placed on the lifting mechanism, and the lifting mechanism then drives the support column 224 upward. The support column 224 lifts the hot field 500 upward and away from the first transfer mechanism 300, and the first transfer mechanism 300 then leaves the area where the hot field 500 and the lifting mechanism operate. This can achieve the goal of not having to provide the support column 224 on the lifting mechanism when the hot field 500 is placed on the lifting mechanism, thereby reducing the height of the loading and unloading space below the chamber body 110, thereby reducing the overall height of the crystal growth furnace and ultimately reducing the height requirements of the factory building. After the lifting mechanism lifts the hot field 500 upward and away from the first transfer mechanism 300 via the support column 224, the first transfer mechanism 300 leaves the operating area of ​​the hot field 500 and the lifting mechanism, so that the first transfer mechanism 300 no longer affects the raising and lowering of the hot field 500 and the lifting mechanism. By providing the second transfer mechanism 400, the heat field 500 can be placed on the second transfer mechanism 400 by external equipment such as an overhead crane, stacker, or forklift. The second transfer mechanism 400 can then transport the heat field 500 into the loading and unloading space, or the heat field 500 in the loading and unloading space can be moved out of the loading and unloading space. This eliminates the need for operators to manually move the heat field 500 to the lifting mechanism, significantly reducing operator workload and significantly improving operational safety compared to manual loading and unloading.

[0107] Optionally, in the present application, when the first transfer mechanism 300 moves from outside the loading and unloading space to inside the loading and unloading space, it can only move to the first set position at most, so that the position of the first transfer mechanism 300 in the loading and unloading space can be positioned, avoiding the addition of additional positioning devices.

[0108] Similarly, optionally, in the present application, when the second transfer mechanism 400 moves from outside the loading and unloading space to inside the loading and unloading space, it can only move to the second set position at most, so that the position of the second transfer mechanism 400 in the loading and unloading space can be positioned, avoiding the addition of additional positioning devices.

[0109] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a first transfer mechanism in a loading and unloading device provided in Example 1 of the present invention; Figure 4 A top view of the first transfer mechanism in the loading and unloading device provided in Example 1 of the present invention; Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, preferably, the first transfer mechanism 300 includes: a first supporting member 320, configured to support the thermal field 500, the first supporting member 320 is provided with a first opening portion 321, the first opening portion 321 is used for the tray 223 to pass through in a vertical direction, and the tray 223 is installed on the lower cover 221; and a first transmission member 310, installed on the mounting portion 120 and connected to the first supporting member 320, the first transmission member 310 is configured to drive the first supporting member 320 to move to or away from a first set position or a first external preset position.

[0110] The first opening 321 refers to a region that is hollowed out and connected from top to bottom and roughly in the middle of the first supporting member 320 . The region is roughly circular, and the diameter of the circle is larger than the diameter of the tray 223 .

[0111] By setting the opening size of the first opening 321 larger than that of the tray 223, the tray 223 can be prevented from interfering with the first supporting member 320 during the lifting movement, that is, when the tray 223 moves away from or approaches the thermal field 500, thereby improving the smoothness of the movement and allowing the tray 223 to descend a greater distance to allow the support column 224 to be placed. The provision of the first transmission member 310 can drive the first supporting member 320 to have a larger range of movement, thereby avoiding interference with the lifting and lowering of the thermal field 500 and the translation of the thermal field by the second transfer mechanism 500.

[0112] In addition to the implementations described below, in another implementation, the first supporting member 320 may also be angled. As long as the center of gravity of the thermal field 500 is ensured to be within the triangular area enclosed by the solid portion of the angled first supporting member 320 and the third opening 322, only one first supporting member 320 may be provided to support the thermal field 500. Alternatively, two first supporting members 320 may be provided, each of which is angled. The two first supporting members 320 are respectively moved from opposite sides of the thermal field 500 to below the thermal field 500 to support the thermal field 500. In this case, it is not necessary to ensure that the center of gravity of the thermal field 500 is within the triangular area of ​​each first supporting member 320.

[0113] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, preferably, the first supporting member 320 includes a first C-shaped ring, the upper end of the first C-shaped ring has a first supporting surface 323, and the first supporting surface 323 is configured to support the thermal field 500 in the vertical direction; the first C-shaped ring has a first limiting portion 324 protruding from the first supporting surface 323, and the first limiting portion 324 is located at the edge of the first supporting surface 323, and the first limiting portion 324 is configured to limit the lateral movement of the thermal field 500.

[0114] Specifically, the area between the two free ends of the first C-shaped ring entity portion is the third opening portion 322. Since the first supporting member 320 needs to leave when the support column 224 supports the thermal field 500, the opening size of the third opening portion 322 must be larger than the lateral size of the support column 224.

[0115] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first limiting portion 324 can be a continuous limiting wall arranged on the upper surface of the edge of the first supporting surface 323. Of course, the two ends of the limiting wall in the circumferential length direction are consistent with the two ends of the circumferential length of the first C-shaped ring along its outer edge to ensure that there is no interference with the support column 224.

[0116] The first C-shaped ring provides support for the thermal field 500 over a wide range, ensuring that the center of gravity of the thermal field 500 is within the support range of the first C-shaped ring, thereby improving the stability of the support for the thermal field 500. The first position limiter 324 prevents the thermal field 500 from deviating from its original position during the support process, thereby ensuring the coaxiality of the thermal field 500 relative to the chamber body 110 of the crystal growth furnace.

[0117] In another implementation, the first limiting portion 324 does not adopt the form of a limiting wall. For example, multiple limiting columns can be used. When the thermal field 500 abuts at least two of the limiting columns, it can be determined that the concentricity of the thermal field 500 meets the requirements. In fact, the first limiting portion 324 can be omitted because the first supporting member 320 only supports the thermal field 500 and does not drive the horizontal movement of the thermal field 500. In the absence of accidents, when the thermal field 500 is supported by the first supporting member 320, it will only be subjected to or lose upward support force from the support column 224 or tray 223 below, and will not be subject to horizontal forces. The horizontal position of the thermal field 500 will not change, so there is actually no need for the first supporting member 320 to limit the thermal field 500.

[0118] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, preferably, the first transmission member 310 includes a first connecting arm, one end of the first connecting arm is rotatably connected to the mounting portion 120, and the first supporting member 320 is fixed to the other end of the first connecting arm.

[0119] Specifically, one end of the first connecting arm is pivotally connected to a pivot seat provided on the mounting portion 120, and the first connecting arm can be driven by a first drive motor (not shown) to rotate. When the lifting mechanism is required to drive the thermal field 500 to rise or fall, the first transmission member 310 is required to drive the first supporting member 320 to move out of the loading and unloading space. Furthermore, when the second transfer mechanism 400, which will be described later, is required to move into or out of the loading and unloading space, and the bottom surface of the first transfer mechanism 300 cannot be higher than the top of the thermal field 500, the first transmission member 310 is also required to drive the first supporting member 320 to move out of the loading and unloading space.

[0120] The first transmission member 310 is provided in a rotational connection manner, and there is no need to provide a long guide rail, thereby reducing the manufacturing difficulty and manufacturing cost of the device.

[0121] In another implementation, the first transmission member 310 can also drive the first supporting member 320 to move in a translational manner. If the first transfer mechanism 300 includes a first transmission member 310 and a first supporting member 320, Figure 2 Using the illustrated directions as a guide, the first transmission member 310 can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the map. Specifically, when moving toward the viewer, the first transmission member 310 and the first supporting member 320 move away from the thermal field 500; when moving away from the viewer, the first transmission member 310 and the first supporting member 320 move toward the thermal field 500. Alternatively, when the first transfer mechanism 300 includes two sets of first transmission members 310 and first supporting members 320, each set can be moved toward or away from each other in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the map, thereby supporting the thermal field 500 and freeing up space for the thermal field 500 and the lifting mechanism to operate.

[0122] like Figure 2 As shown, preferably, the first transfer mechanism 300 further includes a first transfer sensor 330, and the first transfer sensor 330 is used to detect whether the first transmission member 310 is located at the first set position.

[0123] Specifically, the first transfer sensor 330 can be disposed on the mounting portion 120, below the first transmission member 310 when the first transmission member 310 drives the first supporting member 320 to support the thermal field 500. Specifically, the first transfer sensor 330 can be a proximity switch or a reflective photoelectric sensor.

[0124] The first transfer sensor 330 can detect whether the first support member 320 is in the first set position. If the first support member 320 is in the first set position, the first transfer sensor 330 detects the first support member 320 and prevents the lifting mechanism from colliding with the first support member 320 or from interfering with the heat field 500 when it is transported into the loading and unloading space, thereby avoiding damage to the crystal growth furnace or the heat field 500.

[0125] like Figure 2 and Figure 10 、 Figure 11 As shown, the loading and unloading device preferably further includes a first controller and an upper loading position sensor 250 electrically connected to the first controller; the upper loading position sensor 250 is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism has reached the upper loading position. The first controller is used to control the lifting mechanism to stop operation and control the first transfer mechanism 300 to move to or away from the first set position when the upper loading position sensor 250 detects that the lifting mechanism has reached the upper loading position, so that the objects to be loaded can be transferred between the lower cover 221 and the first transfer mechanism 300.

[0126] Specifically, the upper loading position sensor 250 can be mounted on the mounting portion 120 or on a fixed component of the lift drive assembly 210. Furthermore, the upper loading position sensor 250 can be a proximity switch, a through-beam photoelectric sensor, or a reflective photoelectric sensor. When the lift mechanism reaches the upper loading position, the bottom surface of the thermal field 500 is higher than the upper surface of the first stopper 324 of the first support member 320.

[0127] In a specific implementation, when the lifting mechanism rises from the lower loading position (described later) and drives the lower cover 221 supporting the thermal field 500 to the upper loading position, the lifting mechanism stops, and the first transfer mechanism 300 can now move below the thermal field 500. The lifting mechanism then descends, the first supporting member 320 can support the thermal field 500, and the tray 223 is separated from the thermal field 500, thereby completing the transfer of the thermal field 500 from the lower cover 221 to the first transfer mechanism 300.

[0128] When the lifting mechanism carrying the thermal field 500 descends from the chamber body 110 to the upper loading position, the lifting mechanism stops, and the first transfer mechanism 300 moves to the bottom of the thermal field 500. As the lifting mechanism continues to descend, the first supporting member 320 can support the thermal field 500, and the tray 223 is separated from the thermal field 500, thereby completing the transfer of the thermal field 500 from the lower cover 221 to the first transfer mechanism 300.

[0129] When the first transfer mechanism 300 supports the thermal field 500 at the first set position, the lifting mechanism drives the lower cover 221 and support columns 224 to the upper loading position, and then the lifting mechanism stops. The first transfer mechanism 300 moves out from under the thermal field 500, and the support columns 224 can support the thermal field 500, thereby completing the transfer of the thermal field 500 from the first transfer mechanism 300 to the lower cover 221.

[0130] Among them, further, the upper loading position can be selected as: when the lifting mechanism runs to the upper loading position, the upper surface of the first limiting portion 324 of the first supporting member 320 is lower than the bottom surface of the thermal field 500, and it can even be made that the upper surface of the first limiting portion 324 is lower than the bottom surface of the tray 223 at this time, so that the two ends of the first limiting portion 324 can be consistent with the circumferential ends of the outer edge of the first C-shaped ring, so as to facilitate wrapping the thermal field 500 with a larger central angle, thereby improving the stability of the operation of the thermal field 500.

[0131] By setting up an upper loading position sensor 250 to detect the lifting mechanism, it can be achieved that: when loading into the hot field 500, the support column 224 is put in last, and when taking out the hot field 500, the support column 224 is taken out first. In order to lower the overall height of the crystal growth furnace, the lifting mechanism can be stopped in time when it runs to the upper loading position and the next action can be carried out. This not only improves the control accuracy, but also reduces the reciprocating motion stroke generated by the lifting mechanism in order to move out the space for placing and taking out the support column 224, thereby reducing time consumption and improving operating efficiency.

[0132] like Figure 2 and Figure 12 、 Figure 13 As shown, preferably, it also includes a lower loading position sensor 260 electrically connected to the first controller, and the lower loading position sensor 260 is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism has run to the lower loading position; the first controller is also used to control the lifting mechanism to stop running when the lower loading position sensor 260 detects that the lifting mechanism has run to the lower loading position; wherein, the distance between the upper loading position and the lower limit is greater than the height of the support column 224, and the support column 224 is used to be placed on the lower cover 221 so that the lower cover 221 carries the object to be loaded through the support column 224.

[0133] Specifically, the lower loading position sensor 260 can be mounted on the mounting portion 120 or on a fixed component of the lifting drive assembly 210. Furthermore, the lower loading position sensor 260 can be a proximity switch, a through-beam type, or a reflective photoelectric sensor. When the lifting mechanism reaches the lower loading position, it is preferable to ensure that the upper surface of the support column 224 is lower than the lowest position of the first transfer mechanism 300 when the support column 224 is placed on the tray 223. This facilitates the removal and insertion of the support column 224, and minimizes the impact of the first transfer mechanism 300 on the operator when inserting or removing the support column 224.

[0134] Among them, further, the lower loading position can be selected as: when the lifting mechanism runs to the lower loading position, the upper surface of the second limiting portion 424 of the second supporting member 420 is lower than the bottom surface of the thermal field 500, and it can even be made that the upper surface of the second limiting portion 424 is lower than the bottom surface of the tray 223 at this time, so that the two ends of the second limiting portion 424 can be consistent with the circumferential ends of the outer edge of the second C-shaped ring, so as to facilitate wrapping the thermal field 500 with a larger central angle, thereby improving the stability of the operation of the thermal field 500.

[0135] By setting the lower loading position sensor 260, the lifting mechanism can be moved to an appropriate position after leaving the thermal field 500 so as to put in or take out the support column 224. At the same time, the lifting mechanism can be prevented from having to move back and forth for a long distance in order to move the support column 224 in and out, thereby reducing time consumption and improving operating efficiency.

[0136] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a second transfer mechanism in the loading and unloading device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 A top view of the second transfer mechanism in the loading and unloading device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, preferably, the second transfer mechanism 400 includes:

[0137] The second supporting member 420 is configured to support the thermal field 500. The second supporting member 420 has a second opening 421. The second opening 421 is used for the tray 223 to pass through in a vertical direction. The tray 223 is installed on the lower cover 221; and

[0138] The second transmission member 410 is mounted on the mounting portion 120 and connected to the second supporting member 420 . The second transmission member 410 is configured to drive the second supporting member 420 to move to or away from the second set position.

[0139] The second opening 421 refers to a region roughly in the middle of the second supporting member 420 that is hollowed out and connected from top to bottom. The region is roughly circular, and the diameter of the circle is larger than the diameter of the tray 223 .

[0140] By setting the opening size of the second opening portion 421 larger than the tray 223, it is possible to prevent the tray 223 from interfering with the second supporting member 420 during the lifting movement, that is, when the tray 223 moves away from or approaches the thermal field 500, thereby improving the smoothness of the movement. This allows the tray 223 to pass through the middle of the second supporting member 420 from bottom to top, thereby lifting the thermal field 500, or to pass through the second supporting member 420 downward, thereby supporting the thermal field 500 and separating it from the tray 223. The provision of the second transmission member 410 allows the second supporting member 420 to have a larger range of motion, thereby avoiding interference with the lifting and lowering of the thermal field 500.

[0141] In addition to the implementation method described later, in another implementation method, the second supporting member 420 can also be an angled shape. As long as the center of gravity of the thermal field 500 is ensured to be within the triangular area surrounded by the solid part of the angled second supporting member 420 and the fourth opening part 422, only one second supporting member 420 can be set to complete the support of the thermal field 500.

[0142] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, preferably, the second supporting member 420 includes a second C-shaped ring, the upper end of the second C-shaped ring has a second supporting surface 423, and the second supporting surface 423 is configured to support the thermal field 500 in the vertical direction; the second C-shaped ring has a second limiting portion 424 protruding from the second supporting surface 423, and the second limiting portion 424 is located at the edge of the second supporting surface 423, and the second limiting portion 424 is configured to limit the lateral movement of the thermal field 500.

[0143] Specifically, the area between the two free ends of the second C-shaped ring is the fourth opening portion 422. Since the first supporting member 320 needs to leave when the tray pillar 222 supports the tray 223, the opening size of the fourth opening portion 422 is larger than the lateral size of the tray pillar 222.

[0144] Specifically, in this embodiment, the second limiting portion 424 can be a continuous limiting wall arranged on the upper surface of the edge of the second supporting surface 423. Of course, the two ends of the limiting wall in the circumferential length direction are consistent with the two ends of the circumferential length of the second C-shaped ring along its outer edge to ensure that there is no interference with the support column 224.

[0145] The second C-shaped ring provides support for the thermal field 500 over a wider range, ensuring that the center of gravity of the thermal field 500 is within the support range of the second C-shape, thereby improving the stability of the support for the thermal field 500. The second stopper 424 prevents the thermal field 500 from deviating from its original position during the support process, thereby ensuring the coaxiality of the thermal field 500 relative to the chamber body 110 of the crystal growth furnace.

[0146] In another implementation, the second limiting portion 424 does not adopt the limiting wall method, for example, multiple limiting columns can be used. When the thermal field 500 abuts against at least two of the limiting columns, it can be determined that the concentricity of the thermal field 500 meets the requirements.

[0147] like Figure 2 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, preferably, the second transmission member 410 includes a second connecting arm, one end of the second connecting arm is rotatably connected to the mounting portion 120, and the second supporting member 420 is fixed to the other end of the second connecting arm.

[0148] Specifically, one end of the second connecting arm is pivotally connected to a pivot seat provided on the mounting portion 120. The second connecting arm can be driven by a second drive motor (not shown) to rotate. When the lifting mechanism is required to drive the thermal field 500 up or down, the second transmission member 410 is required to drive the second supporting member 420 to move outside the loading and unloading space.

[0149] The second transmission member 410 is provided in a rotational connection manner, eliminating the need for providing a long guide rail, thereby reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the device.

[0150] In another implementation, the second transmission member 410 can also drive the second supporting member 420 to move in a translational manner. If the first transfer mechanism 300 includes a second transmission member 410 and a second supporting member 420, and the C-shaped opening of the second supporting member 420 is set at Figure 2 The direction shown is used as a reference, so that the second transmission member 410 can be moved to Figure 2 The opening of the second C-shaped ring of the second supporting member 420 is directed toward Figure 2 Alternatively, when the first transfer mechanism 300 includes two sets of second transmission members 410 and second supporting members 420, each set can be moved closer to or further away from each other in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the image sheet, thereby supporting the thermal field 500 and freeing up space for the thermal field 500 and the lifting mechanism to operate.

[0151] like Figure 2 and Figure 7b 、 Figure 8 As shown, preferably, the second transfer mechanism further includes a second transfer sensor 430, which is used to detect whether the second transmission member 410 is in a second set position, and the second set position is located in the loading and unloading space and below the first set position.

[0152] Specifically, the second transfer sensor 430 can be disposed on the mounting portion 120, below the second transmission member 410 when the second transmission member 410 drives the second supporting member 420 to support the thermal field 500. Specifically, the second transfer sensor 430 can be a proximity switch or a reflective photoelectric sensor.

[0153] The second transfer sensor 430 can detect whether the second support member 420 is at the second set position. If the second support member 420 is at the second set position, the lifting mechanism is prevented from colliding with the second support member 420, thereby avoiding damage to the crystal growth furnace or the thermal field 500.

[0154] like Figure 2As shown, preferably, the loading and unloading device also includes a second controller and an upper limit sensor 230 electrically connected to the second controller; the upper limit sensor 230 is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism moves to the upper limit position; the second controller is used to control the lifting mechanism to stop rising when the upper limit sensor 230 detects that the lifting mechanism has reached the upper limit position, so that the lower cover 221 covers the chamber body 110.

[0155] The upper limit position is the highest position of the lifting mechanism. When the lifting mechanism is at this position, the lower cover 221 of the lifting mechanism covers the lower end opening of the chamber body 110 .

[0156] In a specific implementation, the first controller and the second controller may be the same controller, which is not limited here.

[0157] By setting the upper limit sensor 230, the lifting mechanism can stop rising when it reaches the upper limit, preventing damage to the motor of the lifting drive assembly 210, and at the same time ensuring that the lower cover 221 can tightly cover the opening at the lower end of the chamber body 110.

[0158] like Figure 2 As shown, preferably, it also includes a lower limit sensor 240 electrically connected to the second controller; the second controller is also used to control the lifting mechanism to stop descending when the lower limit sensor 240 detects that the lifting mechanism has reached the lower limit, wherein the lower limit is the lowest position allowed for the lifting mechanism to descend.

[0159] Specifically, in this embodiment, the lower limit sensor 240 is lower than the aforementioned lower loading position sensor 260. When the lifting mechanism moves to the lower limit, the highest points of the lower cover 221 and the tray 223 are lower than the lowest point of the second supporting member 420.

[0160] By providing the lower limit sensor 240 , the lowest position of the lifting mechanism can be controlled so that the thermal field 500 can be placed on the second supporting member 420 during the descending process.

[0161] Example 2:

[0162] like Figure 2 As shown, the semiconductor device provided by the second embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber body 110, a lifting mechanism and any of the above-mentioned loading and unloading devices. A loading and unloading space is formed below the chamber body 110, and the lifting mechanism is used to drive the lower cover 221 to rise and fall in the loading and unloading space.

[0163] By arranging the above-mentioned loading and unloading device in the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device accordingly has all the advantages of the above-mentioned loading and unloading device, which will not be described in detail here.

[0164] In this embodiment, the semiconductor device is a crystal growth furnace, which further includes a mounting portion 120. In this embodiment, the mounting portion 120 may be a column at the bottom of the crystal growth furnace for supporting the chamber body 110. The first transmission member 310 and the second transmission member 410 may be rotatably mounted on the mounting portion 120, with the first transmission member 310 positioned above the second transmission member 410. The first transfer sensor 330 and the second transfer sensor 430 may also be mounted on the mounting portion 120, specifically below the position where the first transmission member 310 and the second transmission member 410 are located when the first supporting member 320 and the second supporting member 420 support the thermal field 500.

[0165] Example 3:

[0166] The loading method provided in the third embodiment of the present invention is used to load an object into the aforementioned semiconductor device. The semiconductor device of this embodiment may be a crystal growth furnace, and the object to be loaded may be a thermal field 500. The loading method provided in this application is described below using the semiconductor device as a crystal growth furnace and the object to be loaded as a thermal field 500 as an example.

[0167] The loading method may include the following steps:

[0168] S110, placing the heat field 500 on the second transfer mechanism 400, and controlling the second transfer mechanism 400 to move to a second set position:

[0169] The above steps start as follows Figure 7a As shown, the action ends in the state Figure 7b As shown; specifically, when the thermal field 500 is placed on the second transport mechanism 400, the first transport mechanism 300 and the second transport mechanism 400 are staggered in the vertical projection.

[0170] During specific implementation, it is generally necessary to reset the lifting mechanism, the first transfer mechanism 300 and the second transfer mechanism 400 before step S110. That is, the first transfer mechanism 300 and the second transfer mechanism 400 are both located outside the loading and unloading space, and the lifting mechanism is located at the lower limit. Among them, when the first transfer mechanism 300 leaves the first set position, it is confirmed by the first transfer sensor 330 that the first transmission member 310 cannot be detected; and when the lifting mechanism is at the lower limit, it is confirmed by the lower limit sensor 240 that the lifting mechanism is detected. Before the second transfer mechanism 400 moves the heat field 500 to the second set position, the lifting mechanism is at the lower limit, and the lower surface of the second supporting member 420 is higher than the upper surface of the tray 223 to avoid interference. The second transfer mechanism 400 moves to the second set position, and the second transfer sensor 430 detects the second transmission member 410 for confirmation.

[0171] S120, control the lifting mechanism to drive the upper cover 221 to support the heating field 500:

[0172] The state when the lifting mechanism is controlled to rise to the lower loading position and stops is as follows Figure 8 As shown, the lifting mechanism moves to the lower loading position and is confirmed by the lower loading position sensor 260. Specifically, the upper cover 221 is driven to support the thermal field 500. The upper cover 221 can support the thermal field 500 through the tray 223 thereon, rather than directly contacting the bottom surface of the thermal field 500 with the upper cover 221.

[0173] Furthermore, when the lifting mechanism rises to the lower loading position, the upper surface of the tray 223 is higher than the second supporting surface 423, facilitating the tray 223 to lift the thermal field 500. The lifting mechanism then bears the weight of the thermal field 500, and the second supporting surface 423 separates from the bottom surface of the thermal field 500. At this point, the second supporting member 420 is within the height range of the tray support 222.

[0174] S130, controlling the second transfer mechanism to leave the loading and unloading space:

[0175] The end status of the action of this step is Figure 9 shown.

[0176] S140, controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover 221 supporting the thermal field 500 to rise by a set distance, so that the first transfer mechanism 300 can support the thermal field 500 when it moves to the first set position:

[0177] The end state of the action of this step is as follows: Figure 10 Before executing this step, it is necessary to confirm that the second transfer mechanism 400 has left the second set position and the first transfer mechanism 300 has left the first set position.

[0178] In this application, the second transfer mechanism 400 leaving the second set position or moving away from the second set position means that the second transfer mechanism 400 moves to a certain position. In this position, it does not affect the lifting mechanism and the lifting of the supporting thermal field 500, and the second transfer mechanism 400 does not interfere with the movement of the lifting mechanism, the thermal field 500, and the lower cover 221. In this case, the second transfer mechanism 400 can be inside or outside the loading and unloading space.

[0179] Since the lower cover 221 is used to seal the opening at the lower end of the chamber body 110, and the opening at the lower end of the chamber body 110 can accommodate the entry and exit of the thermal field 500, the opening at the lower end of the chamber body 110 is larger than the thermal field 500. The second supporting member 420 is used to support the thermal field 500, and the second opening 421 is smaller than the thermal field 500. Therefore, the lower cover 221 is necessarily larger than the second opening 421 of the second supporting member 420. To avoid interference between the lower cover 221 and the second supporting member 420, before the lifting mechanism continues to rise, it is necessary to confirm that the second transfer mechanism 400 has left the second set position. Specifically, this can be confirmed by the second transfer sensor 430 failing to detect the second transmission member 410.

[0180] Specifically, the lifting mechanism drives the lower cover 221 supporting the thermal field 500 to rise a set distance and then moves to the lower loading position. The movement of the lifting mechanism to the lower loading position is detected by the lower loading position sensor 260 and confirmed by the lifting mechanism.

[0181] S150, controlling the first transfer mechanism 300 to move to the first set position and supporting the thermal field 500:

[0182] The end state of the action of this step is as follows: Figure 11 When the first transfer mechanism 300 moves to the first set position, the first limiting portion 324 of the first transfer mechanism 300 is lower than the lower surface of the tray 223, that is, the first supporting member 320 of the first transfer mechanism 300 is located within the height range of the tray support 222 of the lifting mechanism.

[0183] In addition, in this embodiment, the rotation process of the second transfer mechanism 400 can be Figure 2 The rotation of the first transfer mechanism 300 is performed on the side of the image plane facing away from the viewer, while the rotation of the first transfer mechanism 300 can be performed on the side of the image plane closer to the viewer. In other words, the rotation of the first transfer mechanism 300 and the rotation of the second transfer mechanism 400 are not performed within the same semi-circle to prevent interference between the first transfer mechanism 300 and the thermal field 500.

[0184] S160, control the lifting mechanism to descend until the distance between the tray 223 on the lower cover 221 and the thermal field 500 is greater than the height of the support column 224:

[0185] The end status of the action of this step is Figure 12As shown. In this step, when the lifting mechanism descends until the distance between the tray 223 and the thermal field 500 is greater than the height of the support column 224, the lifting mechanism stops at the lower loading position. Before executing this step, it is necessary to confirm that the first transfer mechanism 300 is in the first set position and the second transfer mechanism 400 has left the second set position. The first transfer mechanism 300 is in the first set position, as confirmed by the first transfer sensor 330 detecting the first transmission member 310; the second transfer mechanism 400 is out of the second set position, as confirmed by the second transfer sensor 430 not detecting the second transmission member 410.

[0186] When the lifting mechanism descends, the bottom surface of the heat field 500 contacts the first supporting surface 323. The weight of the heat field 500 is borne by the first supporting member 320, and the tray 223 separates from the heat field 500. The lifting mechanism then continues to descend and stops at the lower loading position. When the lifting mechanism is in the lower loading position, the support columns 224 placed on the tray 223 still have a large space between them and the first transfer mechanism 300, making it easier to place the support columns 224 on the tray 223.

[0187] S170, placing the support column 224 on the tray 223:

[0188] The end status of the action of this step is Figure 13 shown.

[0189] S180, control the lifting mechanism to rise until the support column 224 can support the thermal field 500; control the first transfer mechanism 300 to leave the first set position:

[0190] Among them, the lifting mechanism is controlled to rise to the end state where the support column 224 can support the thermal field 500. Figure 14a The end state of the first transfer mechanism 300 leaving the first set position is as shown in FIG. Figure 14b When the lifting mechanism rises to the point where the support column 224 can support the thermal field 500 , the lifting mechanism is located at the upper loading position.

[0191] After the support columns 224 are in place, the lifting mechanism rises. The lifting mechanism moves to the upper loading position, which is determined by the upper loading position sensor 250. The tray 223 lifts the thermal field 500 via the support columns 224, and the lifting mechanism bears the weight of the thermal field 500. The first supporting surface 323 separates from the bottom surface of the thermal field 500, and the first supporting member 320 is within the height range of the tray support columns 222. Then, because the lower cover 221 is larger than the first opening 321 of the first supporting member 320, to prevent interference between the first supporting member 320 and the lower cover 221, the first transfer mechanism 300 is moved away from the first set position.

[0192] S190, control the lifting mechanism to rise until the lower cover 221 covers the chamber body 110:

[0193] The action start state of this step is shown in Figure 15 Before this step is performed, it is necessary to confirm that the first transfer mechanism 300 is away from the first set position. When the lifting mechanism is lifted to the upper limit position, not only is the hot field 500 delivered to the position, but also the lower cover 221 is delivered to the opening at the lower end of the chamber body 110 and covers the opening to seal the chamber body 110. Thus, the hot field 500 loading is completed. Specifically, the lifting mechanism is at the upper limit position, and the upper limit position sensor 230 detects the lifting mechanism.

[0194] By using the above loading method, on the one hand, the second transfer mechanism 400 can be used to move the to-be-loaded object into the loading and unloading space, so that the operator does not need to perform such laborious and dangerous work, thereby improving the labor efficiency and reducing the work burden and danger of the operator. On the other hand, during the process of driving the to-be-loaded object into the chamber body 110 by the lifting mechanism, the to-be-loaded object can be moved to a certain height first, and the to-be-loaded object is supported by the first transfer mechanism 300, so that the lifting mechanism can be lowered to the lower loading position to put in the support column 224. Therefore, it is not necessary to put the support column 224 in place before the to-be-loaded object is put in, which reduces the height of the loading and unloading space, and further reduces the overall height of the semiconductor equipment and the requirement for the height of the factory building.

[0195] Embodiment Four:

[0196] The unloading method provided in Embodiment Four of the present application is used to unload the to-be-loaded object from the above-mentioned semiconductor equipment. In this embodiment, the semiconductor equipment can be a crystal growing furnace, and the to-be-loaded object can be a hot field 500. The unloading method provided in the present application will be described below by taking the semiconductor equipment as a crystal growing furnace and the to-be-loaded object as a hot field 500.

[0197] The unloading method can include the following steps:

[0198] S210, control the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover 221 to support the hot field 500 to descend to a position where the first transfer mechanism 300 can support the hot field 500 when the first transfer mechanism 300 moves to the first set position:

[0199] The action start state of this step is shown in Figure 16a , and the action end state is shown in Figure 16b . In a specific implementation, before step S210 starts, the first transfer mechanism 300 generally needs to be reset, that is, the first transfer mechanism 300 is located outside the loading and unloading space. Further, the second transfer mechanism 400 can also be reset, that is, the second transfer mechanism 400 is located outside the loading and unloading space.

[0200] S220, control the first transfer mechanism 300 to move to the first set position and support the hot field 500:

[0201] The end state of the action of this step is as follows: Figure 17 When the lifting mechanism descends to the upper loading position, the bottom surface of the tray 223 is higher than the top of the first limiting portion 324 of the first supporting member 320. Therefore, when the first transfer mechanism 300 moves to the first set position, it enters from below the tray 223 and above the lower cover 221 without interfering with the lifting mechanism.

[0202] S230, control the lifting mechanism to descend until the distance between the tray 223 on the lower cover 221 and the thermal field 500 is greater than the height of the support column 224:

[0203] The end state of the action of this step is as follows: Figure 18 Before executing this step, it is necessary to confirm that the first transfer mechanism 300 is located at the first set position and the second transfer mechanism 400 leaves the second set position, and control the lifting mechanism to descend to the lower loading position and stop.

[0204] As the lifting mechanism descends, the bottom surface of the heat field 500 contacts the first supporting surface 323. The weight of the heat field 500 is borne by the first supporting member 320, and the tray 223 separates from the heat field 500. The lifting mechanism then continues to descend and stops at the lower loading position. Since there is still a height difference between the upper surface of the support column 224 and the first transfer mechanism 300 when the lifting mechanism descends to the lower loading position, the support column 224 can be easily removed.

[0205] S240, taking the support column 224 out of the tray 223:

[0206] The end status of the action of this step is Figure 19 shown.

[0207] S250, control the lifting mechanism to rise until the lower cover 221 supports the thermal field 500:

[0208] The end state of the action of this step is as follows: Figure 20 Before executing this step, it is necessary to confirm that the first transfer mechanism 300 is located at the first set position and the second transfer mechanism 400 is located outside the loading and unloading space.

[0209] After the support column 224 is removed from the tray 223, the lifting mechanism is controlled to rise to the upper loading position, and the tray 223 is in direct contact with the thermal field 500. When the upper surface of the tray 223 is higher than the first supporting surface 323, the bottom surface of the thermal field 500 is separated from the first supporting surface 323, and the tray 223 bears the weight of the thermal field 500. Then, the first transfer mechanism 300 can be controlled to move to the first external preset position.

[0210] S260, controlling the first transfer mechanism 300 to leave the first set position:

[0211] The end status of the action of this step is Figure 21 shown.

[0212] S270, controlling the lifting mechanism to descend to a position where the second transfer mechanism 400 can support the thermal field 500 when the second transfer mechanism 400 moves to the second set position:

[0213] The end state of the action of this step is as follows: Figure 22 Before executing this step, it is necessary to confirm that the first transfer mechanism 300 has left the first set position and the second transfer mechanism 400 has left the second set position. When the lifting mechanism is in the lower loading position, the second transfer mechanism 400 can support the thermal field 500 when it moves to the second set position.

[0214] S280, control the second transfer mechanism 400 to move to the second set position and support the thermal field 500:

[0215] The end status of the action of this step is Figure 23 At this time, the bottom surface of the thermal field 500 is still higher than the second supporting surface 423 .

[0216] S290, control the lifting mechanism to descend:

[0217] The end state of the action of this step is as follows: Figure 24 Before executing this step, it is necessary to confirm that the first transfer mechanism 300 leaves the first set position and the second transfer mechanism 400 is located at the second set position.

[0218] As the lifting mechanism continues to descend, the bottom surface of the thermal field 500 begins to contact the second transfer mechanism 400, and the weight of the thermal field 500 is gradually borne by the second transfer mechanism 400 until the lifting mechanism descends to the lower limit position. The upper surface of the tray 223 is lower than the lowest end of the second transfer mechanism 400, and the second transfer mechanism 400 can then drive the thermal field 500 to move outside the loading and unloading space.

[0219] S300, controlling the second transfer mechanism 400 to move outside the loading space:

[0220] The end status of the action of this step is Figure 25 Then the thermal field 500 is taken out from the second transfer mechanism 400 to complete the unloading of the thermal field 500.

[0221] By employing the above-described method for unloading the crystal growth furnace, on the one hand, the second transfer mechanism 400 can be utilized to move the hot field 500 out of the loading and unloading space, thereby eliminating the need for operators to perform such laborious and dangerous labor, thereby improving labor efficiency and reducing the workload and risk for operators. On the other hand, while the lifting mechanism is driving the hot field 500 to be unloaded from the chamber body 110, the hot field 500 can first be moved to a certain height, supported by the first transfer mechanism 300, thereby allowing the lifting mechanism to descend to the lower loading position to remove the support columns 224. Therefore, there is no need to remove the hot field 500 before removing the support columns 224, reducing the height of the loading and unloading space, thereby reducing the overall height of the crystal growth furnace and lowering the height requirements for the factory building.

[0222] The technical solution provided by this application detects the positions of the lifting mechanism, the first transfer mechanism, and the second transfer mechanism, and controls the operation and stopping of the lifting mechanism structure based on the detection results. Furthermore, the host computer can also pop up prompt information based on the detection results, thereby ensuring the safety and convenience of the loading and unloading process.

[0223] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope defined by the claims.

[0224] Finally, it should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the term "comprises" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article, or device that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements that are inherent to such process, method, article, or device. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device that includes the element.

[0225] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of directions such as “upper” and “lower” are all based on the drawings.

[0226] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

[0227] Thus, the present invention will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A loading and unloading device, characterized in that: The loading and unloading device is applied to semiconductor equipment; the semiconductor equipment comprises a chamber body (110) and a lifting mechanism, the chamber body (110) has a detachable lower cover (221), and a loading and unloading space is provided below the chamber body (110); the lower cover (221) is used to carry objects to be loaded, and the lifting mechanism is located in the loading and unloading space and is used to drive the lower cover (221) of the chamber body (110) to be lifted or lowered; The loading and unloading device comprises: a mounting portion (120); a first transfer mechanism (300) movably mounted on the mounting portion (120), capable of moving to a first set position in the loading and unloading space to support the object to be loaded located on the lower cover (221), and capable of moving away from the first set position to allow the lifting mechanism to lift; wherein, when the object to be loaded is supported by the first transfer mechanism (300), a portion of the object to be loaded is located within the chamber body (110); and, The second transfer mechanism (400) is movably mounted on the mounting portion (120) and is capable of carrying the object to be loaded and moving back and forth in and out of the loading and unloading space; and when the object to be loaded is carried and moved to a second set position of the loading and unloading space, the lower cover (221) supports the object to be loaded, and when the lower cover (221) carries the object to be loaded and moves to the second set position of the loading and unloading space, the lower cover (221) supports the object to be loaded.

2. The loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first transfer mechanism (300) comprises: a first supporting member (320) configured to support the object to be loaded, the first supporting member (320) being provided with a first opening (321), the first opening (321) being used for allowing a tray (223) to pass through in a vertical direction, the tray (223) being mounted on the lower cover (221); and The first transmission member (310) is rotatably mounted on the mounting portion (120) and connected to the first supporting member (320). The first transmission member (310) is configured to drive the first supporting member (320) to move to or away from the first set position.

3. The loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first supporting member (320) includes a first C-shaped ring, the upper end of the first C-shaped ring has a first supporting surface (323), and the first supporting surface (323) is configured to support the object to be loaded in a vertical direction; the first C-shaped ring has a first limiting portion (324) protruding from the first supporting surface (323), and the first limiting portion (324) is located at the edge of the first supporting surface (323), and the first limiting portion (324) is configured to limit the lateral movement of the object to be loaded.

4. The loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first transmission member (310) comprises a first connecting arm, one end of the first connecting arm is rotatably connected to the mounting portion (120), and the first supporting member (320) is fixed to the other end of the first connecting arm.

5. The loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first transfer mechanism (300) further includes a first transfer sensor (330), and the first transfer sensor (330) is used to detect whether the first transmission member (310) is located at a first set position.

6. The loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a first controller and an upper loading position sensor (250) electrically connected to the first controller; The upper loading position sensor (250) is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism has moved to the upper loading position; the first controller is used to control the lifting mechanism to stop moving when the upper loading position sensor (250) detects that the lifting mechanism has moved to the upper loading position, and to control the first transfer mechanism (300) to move to the first set position or leave the first set position, so that the object to be loaded can be transferred between the lower cover (221) and the first transfer mechanism (300).

7. The loading and unloading device according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also included is a lower loading position sensor (260) electrically connected to the first controller; The lower loading position sensor (260) is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism has moved to the lower loading position; the first controller is also used to control the lifting mechanism to stop moving when the lower loading position sensor (260) detects that the lifting mechanism has moved to the lower loading position; The distance between the upper loading position and the lower limit position is greater than the height of the support column (224), and the support column (224) is used to be placed on the lower cover (221) so that the lower cover (221) carries the object to be loaded through the support column (224).

8. The loading and unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The second transfer mechanism (400) comprises: A second supporting member (420) is configured to support the object to be loaded, wherein the second supporting member (420) P20223230-SQ20220535-ZJAUX2022051909 is provided with a second opening (421), wherein the second opening (421) is used for allowing a tray (223) to pass through in a vertical direction, and the tray (223) is mounted on the lower cover (221); and The second transmission member (410) is mounted on the mounting portion (120) and connected to the second supporting member (420). The second transmission member (410) is configured to drive the second supporting member (420) to move to or away from the second set position.

9. The loading and unloading device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second supporting member (420) includes a second C-shaped ring, the upper end of the second C-shaped ring has a second supporting surface (423), and the second supporting surface (423) is configured to support the object to be loaded in a vertical direction; the second C-shaped ring has a second limiting portion (424) protruding from the second supporting surface (423), the second limiting portion (424) is located at the edge of the second supporting surface (423), and the second limiting portion (424) is configured to limit the lateral movement of the object to be loaded.

10. The loading and unloading device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second transmission member (410) comprises a second connecting arm, one end of the second connecting arm is rotatably connected to the mounting portion (120), and the second supporting member (420) is fixed to the other end of the second connecting arm.

11. The loading and unloading device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second transfer mechanism (400) further includes a second transfer sensor (430), which is used to detect whether the second transmission member (410) is in the second set position; the second set position is located in the loading and unloading space and below the first set position.

12. The loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a second controller and an upper limit sensor (230) electrically connected to the second controller; The upper limit sensor (230) is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism moves to the upper limit; The second controller is used for controlling the lifting mechanism to stop rising when the upper limit sensor (230) detects that the lifting mechanism has reached the upper limit, so that the lower cover (221) covers the chamber body (110).

13. The loading and unloading device according to claim 12, characterized in that: Also included is a lower limit sensor (240) electrically connected to the second controller; The lower limit sensor (240) is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism moves to the lower limit; P20223230-SQ20220535-ZJAUX2022051909The second controller is also used to control the lifting mechanism to stop descending when the lower limit sensor (240) detects that the lifting mechanism has reached the lower limit, wherein the lower limit is the lowest position allowed for the lifting mechanism to descend.

14. The loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The semiconductor device is a crystal growth furnace, and the object to be loaded is a thermal field.

15. A semiconductor device, characterized in that: It comprises a chamber body (110), a lifting mechanism and a loading and unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the loading and unloading space is formed below the chamber body (110), and the lifting mechanism is used to drive the lower cover (221) to rise and fall in the loading and unloading space.

16. A loading method for loading an object into the semiconductor device according to claim 15, characterized in that: The loading method comprises: Placing the object to be loaded on the second transfer mechanism (400), and controlling the second transfer mechanism (400) to move to the second set position; Controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover (221) to support the object to be loaded; controlling the second transfer mechanism (400) to leave the loading and unloading space; Controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover (221) to support the object to be loaded and rise a set distance, so that the first transfer mechanism (300) can support the object to be loaded when it moves to the first set position; controlling the first transfer mechanism (300) to move to the first set position and support the object to be loaded; Controlling the lifting mechanism to descend until the distance between the tray (223) on the lower cover (221) and the object to be loaded is greater than the height of the support column (224); placing the support column (224) on the tray (223); Controlling the lifting mechanism to rise until the support column (224) can support the object to be loaded; controlling the first transfer mechanism (300) to leave the first set position; The lifting mechanism is controlled to rise until the lower cover (221) covers the chamber body (110).

17. An unloading method for unloading an object to be loaded from the semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein P20223230-SQ20220535-ZJAUX2022051909 is characterized in that: The uninstallation method includes: Controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the lower cover (221) to support the object to be loaded and descend to a position where the first transfer mechanism (300) can support the object to be loaded when the first transfer mechanism (300) moves to the first set position; controlling the first transfer mechanism (300) to move to the first set position and support the object to be loaded; Controlling the lifting mechanism to descend until the distance between the tray (223) on the lower cover (221) and the object to be loaded is greater than the height of the support column (224); Taking the support column (224) out of the tray (223); Controlling the lifting mechanism to rise until the lower cover (221) supports the object to be loaded; controlling the first transfer mechanism (300) to leave the first set position; controlling the lifting mechanism to descend to a position where the second transfer mechanism (400) can support the object to be loaded when the second transfer mechanism (400) moves to the second set position; Controlling the second transfer mechanism (400) to move into a second set position and support the object to be loaded; controlling the lifting mechanism to descend; The second transfer mechanism (400) is controlled to move outside the loading space.

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