Wafer transmission device, wafer temporary storage mechanism and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a wafer transmission device, a wafer temporary storage mechanism and semiconductor process equipment, and relates to the field of photovoltaics and semiconductors. The wafer transmission device comprises a first transmission mechanism, a plurality of second transmission mechanisms, a plurality of back transmission mechanisms and a first transfer mechanism, the first transmission mechanism is used for transmitting wafers in a first direction; the plurality of second transmission mechanisms are arranged along the first direction, and each second transmission mechanism is used for transmitting a carrier plate carrying the wafer in a second direction; the first transfer mechanism is used for transferring the wafer from the carrier plate to the first transmission mechanism; the plurality of returning mechanisms and the plurality of second transmission mechanisms are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence manner, and each returning mechanism is used for returning the carrier plate with the wafer removed to the corresponding second transmission mechanism. The problems of cross contamination of the support plates and the like can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of photovoltaics and semiconductors, and specifically relates to a wafer transmission device, a wafer temporary storage mechanism and semiconductor process equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the production process of HJT solar cells, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment is mainly used to deposit the film layer.

[0003] In the PECVD equipment in the related art, when the carrier is transferred between multiple different process chambers, cross contamination of the carrier will occur, affecting the product yield. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a wafer transmission device, a wafer temporary storage mechanism and semiconductor process equipment, which can at least solve the problem of cross contamination of the carrier.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, this application is implemented as follows: The embodiment of the present application provides a wafer transmission device, comprising: a first transmission mechanism, a plurality of second transmission mechanisms, a plurality of return transmission mechanisms and a first transfer mechanism; The first transport mechanism is used to transport the wafer in a first direction; A plurality of the second transmission mechanisms are arranged along the first direction, and each of the second transmission mechanisms is used to transmit the carrier carrying the wafer in the second direction; The first transfer mechanism is used to transfer the wafer from the carrier to the first transmission mechanism; The plurality of return mechanisms are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms, and each of the return mechanisms is used to return the carrier from which the wafer has been removed to the corresponding second transmission mechanism.

[0006] The embodiment of the present application also provides a temporary storage mechanism for wafers, the temporary storage mechanism comprising: a temporary storage cavity and a lifting assembly; The two ends of the temporary storage cavity along the second direction are connected, and two opposite inner walls of the temporary storage cavity are provided with multi-layer support platforms for supporting the carrier plate; An opening is provided at one end of the temporary storage cavity along the third direction, and the opening is used for the return transmission mechanism or the second transmission mechanism to pass through; The lifting assembly is connected to the temporary storage cavity and is used to drive the temporary storage cavity to rise and fall along the third direction; The second direction is the transmission direction of the second transmission mechanism, and the third direction is the direction of the temporary storage mechanism toward the second transmission mechanism.

[0007] The embodiment of the present application further provides a transmission device, comprising: a plurality of second transmission mechanisms, a plurality of return transmission mechanisms, and a plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms, wherein the first temporary storage mechanism is the above-mentioned temporary storage mechanism; A plurality of the second transmission mechanisms are arranged along the first direction, and each of the second transmission mechanisms is used to transmit the carrier carrying the wafer in the second direction; The multiple return mechanisms are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple second transmission mechanisms, and the multiple first temporary storage mechanisms are correspondingly arranged between the multiple second transmission mechanisms and the multiple return mechanisms, and are respectively used to temporarily store the carriers carrying the chips transmitted by the multiple second transmission mechanisms, or the carriers with the chips removed and returned by the multiple return mechanisms.

[0008] The embodiment of the present application also provides a semiconductor process equipment, comprising: a plurality of process chambers and any one of the above-mentioned transmission devices; A plurality of groups of the process chambers and a plurality of the second transmission mechanisms are respectively arranged correspondingly; Each group of the process chambers includes at least one layer of the process chambers.

[0009] In the embodiment of the present application, the carrier carrying the wafer that has completed one of the processes can be transmitted in the second direction by the second transmission mechanism, the carrier carrying the wafer can be received by the return transmission mechanism, the wafer can be taken away from the carrier by the first transfer mechanism, and transferred to the first transmission mechanism, and transmitted downstream by the first transmission mechanism so that the wafer can proceed to the next process, and the carrier with the wafer taken away is again transmitted to the second transmission mechanism by the return transmission mechanism, so as to be transmitted to the work station for receiving the wafer by the second transmission mechanism again. Based on the above settings, the implementation of the present application can realize the recycling of the carrier in the same process of the wafer, thereby effectively avoiding the situation of sharing the carrier between different processes, ensuring that the carrier is not cross-contaminated, and is conducive to improving the product yield. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a chain PECVD device in the related art; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a reaction chamber and a robot in the related art; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor process equipment disclosed in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a process flow of a semiconductor process equipment disclosed in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 5A schematic diagram of the first structure of the second temporary storage mechanism and the carrier plate disclosed in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 A second structural schematic diagram of a second temporary storage mechanism and a carrier plate disclosed in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer and a carrier board disclosed in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the PECVD process disclosed in the embodiments of the present application; Fig. 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of the translation mechanism and the carrier plate disclosed in the embodiment of the present application; Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a carrier translation process disclosed in an embodiment of the present application; Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the empty carrier loading process disclosed in the embodiment of the present application; Fig.12 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the turning mechanism and the first transfer mechanism disclosed in the embodiment of the present application; Fig.13 This is a schematic diagram of the process of flipping a wafer using a flipping member disclosed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0011] Description of reference numerals: 01-Transmission device; 10-first transmission mechanism; 11-first transmission member; M-accommodating space; 12-turning member; 121-transmission notch; 20-second transmission mechanism; 21-second transmission member; 30-return mechanism; 31-first return assembly; 311-avoidance space; 32-second return assembly; 33-translation assembly; 331-carrying member; 332-rolling body; 40-first transfer mechanism; 50- second transfer mechanism; 60-first temporary storage mechanism; 60a-first temporary storage station; 60b-second temporary storage station; 61-temporary storage cavity; 611-opening; 612-support platform; 62-lifting assembly; 70- Second temporary storage institution; 02-Process chamber; 03-Carrier board; 04-Chip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0013] The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, so that the embodiments of the present application can be implemented in a sequence other than those illustrated or described here, and the objects distinguished by "first", "second", etc. are generally of one type, and the number of objects is not limited. For example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, "and / or" in the specification and claims represents at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects associated with each other are in an "or" relationship.

[0014] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below through specific embodiments and their application scenarios in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0015] In the current photovoltaic market, amorphous heterojunction (HJT) cells have the advantages of double-sided structure, high efficiency, thin film, good short-wave absorption, low-temperature process, and high stability. They are one of the important directions for future battery development.

[0016] In the manufacturing process of HJT solar cells, the core process steps include: cleaning and texturing, amorphous silicon thin film deposition, conductive film deposition and metallization. Currently, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment is mainly used for the deposition of amorphous silicon thin films. PECVD is a method that uses radio frequency glow discharge in a low-pressure environment to ionize the reaction gas to form a highly active ionized gas, and then forms a solid film on the surface of the wafer after a series of chemical reactions.

[0017] Among them, the PECVD equipment layout has chain structures such as Figure 1 As shown, it mainly includes multiple wafer inlet and outlet chambers, preheating chambers, process chambers, transfer valves, etc. The wafer enters the wafer inlet chamber, enters the preheating chamber through the transfer valve after vacuuming, enters the process chamber after being heated to the preheating temperature in the preheating chamber, and then enters the process chamber for process deposition. After deposition is completed, it is transferred to the wafer outlet chamber.

[0018] In order to improve the equipment production capacity, a stacked equipment form can be used, and the carrier and wafer can be transferred through a multi-layer robot, such as Figure 2 shown.

[0019] In the related art, when performing different processes in PECVD equipment, wafers are transferred between different process chambers through carriers. However, different process products may be produced in different process processes, and when the carriers are transferred between different process chambers, cross contamination of the carriers is likely to occur, affecting the quality of the final product.

[0020] Based on the above situation, the present application embodiment discloses a wafer 04 transmission device 01, referring to Figures 3 to 13 , used to realize the transmission of wafers when the wafer 04 is subjected to different processes. Optionally, the transmission device 01 can be applied to the semiconductor field, photovoltaic field, etc. For example, the manufacturing process of solar cells is taken as an example. In the manufacturing process of solar cells, the wafer 04 needs to be subjected to multiple steps to finally form a solar cell. Of course, the transmission device 01 can also be applied to the manufacturing process of other products besides solar cells.

[0021] Taking HJT battery as an example, thin films need to be deposited on the front and back of wafer 04, such as depositing intrinsic silicon thin film (i.e., i-layer thin film) on the front and back of wafer 04, depositing N-type silicon thin film (i.e., N-layer thin film) on the front, and depositing P-type silicon thin film (i.e., P-layer thin film) on the back. Based on this, wafer 04 needs to be transferred by transfer device 01 between adjacent steps. In addition, multiple groups of process chambers 02 can be set, each group of process chambers 02 can perform a step process on wafer 04; and each group can include at least one process chamber 02. When each group includes multiple process chambers 02, multiple process chambers 02 can be stacked, which is beneficial to reduce the occupied space and facilitate the transfer of wafer 04.

[0022] In addition, the carrier plate 03 can be used to carry the wafer 04, which is convenient for the transmission of the wafer 04 and can also provide a certain degree of protection for the wafer 04 during the transmission process. Optionally, the carrier plate 03 can be provided with at least one carrying position, each of which can hold a wafer 04, so that at least one wafer 04 can be placed on the carrier plate 03 according to the actual working conditions. Exemplarily, in order to improve the transmission efficiency of the wafer 04, each carrier plate 03 can be provided with multiple carrying positions, which can simultaneously hold multiple wafers 04, so as to improve the transmission efficiency of the wafer 04.

[0023] In order to correspond to the multi-step process of the wafer 04, the transmission device 01 in the embodiment of the present application may include a plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20, and each second transmission mechanism 20 may correspond to a step process. Among them, the second transmission mechanism 20 can be used to transmit the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 toward the corresponding process chamber 02. Of course, the second transmission mechanism 20 can also be used to transmit the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 in a direction away from the process chamber 02. Optionally, the second transmission mechanism 20 may include a conveyor belt or a conveyor roller, and the conveyor belt or the conveyor roller is driven by a motor to rotate to realize the transmission of the carrier 03. In the embodiment of the present application, the area where the second transmission mechanism 20 is located is the carrier transmission area.

[0024] In some embodiments, a plurality of second transport mechanisms 20 may be arranged along the first direction so as to be arranged corresponding to the corresponding process chamber 02, and each second transport mechanism 20 is used to transport the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 in the second direction. Based on this arrangement, each second transport mechanism 20 may be used to transport the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04, so as to subsequently transport the wafer 04 to the process chamber 02, or to transport the wafer 04 from the process chamber 02 to a subsequent workstation.

[0025] The transmission device 01 further includes a plurality of return mechanisms 30, and the plurality of return mechanisms 30 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20, so that the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 transmitted by each second transmission mechanism 20 can be transmitted to the return mechanism 30, so that the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 can be transmitted downstream through the return mechanism 30, and each return mechanism 30 can also be used to return the carrier 03 from which the wafer 04 has been removed to the corresponding second transmission mechanism 20, so that the empty carrier 03 can be transmitted toward the corresponding process chamber 02 through the second transmission mechanism 20, so as to subsequently place the wafer 04 in the process chamber 02 on the empty carrier 03. In the embodiment of the present application, the area where the return mechanism 30 is located is the carrier return area.

[0026] It should be noted that the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 on the second transmission mechanism 20 can be directly transmitted by the second transmission mechanism 20 to the input end of the return mechanism 30, or other mechanisms can be additionally provided to transfer the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 on the second transmission mechanism 20 to the return mechanism 30. Similarly, the empty carrier plate 03 returned by the return mechanism 30 can be directly transmitted by the return mechanism 30 to the input end of the second transmission mechanism 20, or other mechanisms can be additionally provided to transfer the empty carrier plate 03 returned by the return mechanism 30 to the second transmission mechanism 20.

[0027] In order to separate the wafer 04 from the carrier 03, the transmission device 01 may further include a first transfer mechanism 40, which is used to remove the wafer 04 from the carrier 03 to separate the wafer 04 from the carrier 03. It should be noted that when the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 is being transported on the return mechanism 30 or when it is transported to a designated position, the first transfer mechanism 40 can pick up the wafer 04 and drive the wafer 04 to separate from the carrier 03, so as to obtain an empty carrier 03.

[0028] Optionally, the first transfer mechanism 40 may include a vacuum suction cup to pick up the wafer 04 by vacuum adsorption to alleviate the problem of the wafer 04 being damaged by the clamping force. In addition, the first transfer mechanism 40 may also include a gantry, and the vacuum suction cup is connected to the gantry to achieve multi-directional movement of the vacuum suction cup in the horizontal and vertical directions through the gantry.

[0029] To achieve the continued transmission of the wafer 04, the transmission device 01 may further include a first transmission mechanism 10. The first transfer mechanism 40 may transfer the wafer 04 from the carrier 03 to the first transmission mechanism 10. The first transmission mechanism 10 is used to transmit the wafer 04 in a first direction so that the wafer 04 can be subsequently transported to the downward movement station for the downward movement process. In the embodiment of the present application, the area where the first transmission mechanism 10 is located is the wafer transmission area.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first direction and the second direction may be perpendicular; illustratively, the first direction may be a horizontal left-right direction, and the second direction may be a horizontal front-back direction. Of course, it may also be in other forms, which are not specifically limited here.

[0031] In the embodiment of the present application, the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 that has completed one of the processes can be transported in the second direction by the second transport mechanism 20, the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 can be received by the return mechanism 30, the wafer 04 can be taken away from the carrier plate 03 by the first transfer mechanism 40, and transferred to the first transport mechanism 10, and transported downstream by the first transport mechanism 10 so that the wafer 04 can proceed to the next process, and the carrier plate 03 with the wafer 04 taken away is again transported to the second transport mechanism 20 by the return mechanism 30, so as to be transported to the work station for receiving the wafer 04 by the second transport mechanism 20 again. Based on the above settings, the implementation of the present application can realize the recycling of the carrier plate 03 in the same process of the wafer 04, thereby effectively avoiding the situation of sharing the carrier plate 03 between different processes, ensuring that the carrier plate 03 is not cross-contaminated, and is conducive to improving the product yield.

[0032] refer to Fig. 9 and Fig.10In some embodiments, the return mechanism 30 may include a first return component 31, a second return component 32, and a translation component 33. The first return component 31 extends along the second direction, and the input end of the first return component 31 is connected to the output end of the second transmission mechanism 20, so that the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 transmitted by the second transmission mechanism 20 can be transported to the first return component 31, so that the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 can be transported along the second direction by the first return component 31, so that the wafer 04 can be taken away from the carrier 03 by the first transfer mechanism 40 later.

[0033] The second return component 32 extends along the second direction and is spaced apart from the first return component 31 in the first direction. Based on this, the carrier 03 with the chip 04 removed can be transported toward the second conveying mechanism 20 through the second return component 32, so that the empty carrier 03 can be returned to the second conveying mechanism 20, and finally transported toward the process chamber 02 through the second conveying mechanism 20, so as to realize the reuse of the empty carrier 03.

[0034] The translation assembly 33 is respectively arranged corresponding to the first return assembly 31 and the second return assembly 32, and is used to transfer the carrier 03 between the first return assembly 31 and the second return assembly 32 along the first direction. Based on this arrangement, after the first transfer mechanism 40 takes the wafer 04 from the carrier 03, an empty carrier 03 is left on the first return assembly 31. In this case, the translation assembly 33 can translate the empty carrier 03 along the first direction to the second return assembly 32, so as to return the empty carrier 03 through the second return assembly 32; of course, the translation assembly 33 can also translate the empty carrier 03 on the second return assembly 32 along the first direction to the first return assembly 31, so as to return the empty carrier 03 to the second transmission mechanism 20 through the first return assembly 31 to realize the return of the carrier 03.

[0035] Continue to refer Fig. 9 In some embodiments, the translation assembly 33 may include a lifting component, a bearing member 331 and a plurality of rolling bodies 332. The bearing member 331 is disposed below the first return assembly 31 and the second return assembly 32, and the plurality of rolling bodies 332 are arranged on the bearing member 331 along the first direction. Each group of rolling bodies 332 is rotatably connected to the bearing member 331, and the rotation axis of each group of rolling bodies 332 extends along the second direction. In this way, the bearing member 331 can support the plurality of rolling bodies 332, and ensure that each group of rolling bodies 332 can rotate around the rotation axis extending along the second direction.

[0036] The first return assembly 31 and the second return assembly 32 are both provided with an avoidance space 311. One of the multiple groups of rolling bodies 332 is arranged corresponding to the avoidance space 311 of the first return assembly 31, and the other group of rolling bodies 332 is arranged corresponding to the avoidance space 311 of the second return assembly 32. The lifting component is connected to the supporting member 331, and is used to drive the supporting member 331 to rise and fall, so that the rolling bodies 332 protrude or retract relative to the avoidance space 311.

[0037] Based on the above arrangement, in the process of the lifting component driving the supporting member 331 to rise, the supporting member 331 can drive multiple groups of rolling bodies 332 to rise, so that one group of rolling bodies 332 protrudes from the first return component 31 through the avoidance space 311 of the first return component 31, so as to support the carrier plate 03 that takes away the chip 04 transmitted by the first return component 31, so that it can be separated from the first return component 31. At the same time, the group of rolling bodies 332 rotates, so as to drive the carrier plate 03 to move along the first direction to the top of the second return component 32, and support the carrier plate 03 through another group of rolling bodies 332.

[0038] Then, the lifting component drives the carrier 331 to descend, and drives the rolling body 332 to descend through the carrier 331, so that the carrier plate 03 falls on the second return assembly 32, so that the empty carrier plate 03 can be returned along the second direction through the second return assembly 32.

[0039] After the second return assembly 32 returns the empty carrier plate 03 to the specified position, the lifting component drives the supporting member 331 and the rolling body 332 to rise again, so that the carrier plate 03 is supported again by another set of rolling bodies 332 to make the carrier plate 03 separate from the second return assembly 32, and then the rolling bodies 332 rotate to move the carrier plate 03 along the first direction to the top of the first return assembly 31.

[0040] Then the lifting component drives the supporting member 331 to descend again, and drives the rolling body 332 to descend through the supporting member 331, so that the carrier plate 03 falls on the first return assembly 31, and finally the carrier plate 03 is returned to the second transmission mechanism 20 through the first return assembly 31, so as to realize the reuse of the carrier plate 03.

[0041] It should be noted here that the supporting member 331 can be an integral supporting plate 03, and multiple groups of rolling bodies 332 are rotatably connected to the supporting plate 03 respectively to realize the overall lifting of the multiple groups of rolling bodies 332; of course, the supporting member 331 can also include multiple split supporting plate 03 units, each group of rolling bodies 332 is rotatably connected to the corresponding supporting plate 03 unit, and each supporting plate 03 unit is correspondingly connected to a lifting component to realize the independent lifting of multiple groups of rolling bodies 332.

[0042] Exemplarily, the lifting component may include a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric cylinder, etc.; the bearing member 331 may be a bearing plate 03; the rolling body 332 may be a roller, a ball, etc. In addition, the first return assembly 31 and the second return assembly 32 may both include a conveyor belt or a conveyor roller arranged side by side along the first direction.

[0043] refer to Fig.11 and Fig.12 In some embodiments, the first transmission mechanism 10 may include a first transmission member 11, which extends along the first direction to facilitate the transmission of the wafer 04 in the first direction. It should be noted that the first transfer mechanism 40 can transfer the wafer 04 on the carrier 03 to the first transmission member 11, so as to be transmitted downstream along the first direction through the first transmission member 11, so as to facilitate the subsequent transmission of the wafer 04 to the next station for the next step of the process.

[0044] Considering that the previous process is performed on the first side of the wafer 04, the next process needs to be performed on the opposite second side of the wafer 04. Thus, the wafer 04 needs to be turned over so that the next process can be performed after the previous process. Based on this, the first transmission mechanism 10 in the embodiment of the present application can also include a flipping member 12, which can flip the wafer 04 transmitted by the first transmission member 11 by 180° to facilitate the next process.

[0045] Furthermore, the flipping member 12 can be arranged in the area of ​​the first transmission member 11 between at least two adjacent return mechanisms 30, and is used to flip the wafer 04 transmitted by the first transmission member 11 by 180°. Based on this arrangement, the wafer 04 is taken away from the carrier 03 transmitted by the previous return mechanism 30 by the first transfer mechanism 40, and placed on the first transmission member 11, and is transmitted by the first transmission member 11 along the first direction; then the wafer 04 is transferred from the first transmission member 11 to the next return mechanism 30 by the first transfer mechanism 40 again, so that the carrier 03 transmitted by the next return mechanism 30 is returned to the corresponding second transmission mechanism 20, and is transmitted to the next group of process chambers 02 by the second return mechanism 30, and finally the next step is carried out in the next group of process chambers 02.

[0046] Optionally, the first transmission member 11 may be in the form of a conveyor belt, a conveyor roller, or the like.

[0047] In order to avoid interference between the flip member 12 and the first transmission member 11, the first transmission member 11 may be provided with a receiving space M, the receiving space M being located between two adjacent return transmission mechanisms 30, the flip member 12 being flippably disposed in the receiving space M, and the flip axis extending along the second direction. Based on this, it can be ensured that the flip member 12 and the first transmission member 11 will not contact each other, ensure that the two are installed relatively independently, and prevent the two from having installation and movement interference.

[0048] Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the flip member 12 may be provided with at least one transmission notch 121 distributed in a radial shape, such as Fig.13 As shown, the transmission gap 121 extends along the second direction and is used to clamp the wafer 04. Based on this configuration, the wafer 04 can be clamped through the transmission gap 121, and the wafer 04 is driven to flip 180° as the flipping member 12 flips, thereby achieving a 180° flip of the wafer 04, thereby preparing for the next step.

[0049] Optionally, the flipping mechanism may include multiple flipping members 12, which are arranged at intervals along the second direction and have collinear flipping axes. In this way, the transmission notches 121 of the multiple flipping members 12 can be used to jointly engage the same carrier 03, thereby improving the flipping stability of the carrier 03.

[0050] In addition, the flipping mechanism may also include a lifting component, and the flipping member 12 is rotatably connected to the lifting component. In this way, when the carrier 03 moves to the position to be flipped, the flipping member 12 can be lifted up by the lifting component to facilitate alignment with the carrier 03 through the transmission notch 121 of the flipping member 12.

[0051] It should be noted here that there is a certain relationship between the transmission speed of the first transmission member 11 and the flipping speed of the flipping member 12, so as to ensure that when the first transmission member 11 transmits the chip 04 to the flipping member 12, the transmission notch 121 of the flipping member 12 is opposite to the chip 04, thereby ensuring that the chip 04 can be stuck into the transmission notch 121.

[0052] Optionally, the flipping member 12 can be a flipping wheel, the outer circumferential surface of which is provided with a plurality of transmission notches 121, and the plurality of transmission notches 121 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the flipping wheel. Based on this arrangement, the wafer 04 can be respectively inserted into the plurality of transmission notches 121 to improve the flipping efficiency of the wafer 04. It should be noted here that the time for the first transmission component to transmit the wafer 04 to the transmission notch 121 can be equal to the time for the flipping wheel to flip from the previous transmission notch 121 to the next transmission notch 121, so as to ensure that each wafer 04 can be smoothly inserted into the corresponding transmission notch 121 without colliding with the flipping wheel. Exemplarily, the plurality of transmission notches 121 can be evenly arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the flipping wheel.

[0053] refer to Figures 3 to 5In some embodiments, the transmission device 01 may further include a plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms 60, which are correspondingly disposed between the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20 and the plurality of return mechanisms 30, and are respectively used to temporarily store the carriers 03 carrying the wafers 04 transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20, or the carriers 03 with the wafers 04 removed and returned by the plurality of return mechanisms 30. By providing the first temporary storage mechanism 60, the carriers 03 can be temporarily stored between the corresponding second transmission mechanisms 20 and the return mechanisms 30, which is beneficial to improving the fault tolerance of the transmission device 01 and preventing the carriers 03 from being piled up.

[0054] The first temporary storage mechanism 60 may include a first temporary storage station 60a and a second temporary storage station 60b arranged along the first direction, and the first temporary storage station 60a is arranged corresponding to the first return assembly 31, and the second temporary storage station 60b is arranged corresponding to the second return assembly 32. Optionally, the first temporary storage station 60a and the second temporary storage station 60b may be symmetrically arranged in the first direction.

[0055] Based on the above arrangement, when the carrier 03 carrying the chips 04 is piled up on the first return component 31, the carrier 03 carrying the chips 04 transferred by the second transfer mechanism 20 can be temporarily stored through the first temporary storage station 60a. When the carrier 03 carrying the chips 04 is no longer piled up on the first return component 31, the carrier 03 carrying the chips 04 can be released to the first return component 31 through the first temporary storage station 60a, thereby effectively solving the problem of the accumulation of the carrier 03 carrying the chips 04.

[0056] Similarly, when empty carriers 03 accumulate on the second return assembly 32, the empty carriers 03 returned by the second return assembly 32 can be temporarily stored at the second temporary storage station 60b. When the empty carriers 03 are no longer accumulated on the second return assembly 32, the empty carriers 03 can be released to the second return assembly 32 through the second temporary storage station 60b, thereby effectively solving the problem of empty carriers 03 accumulation.

[0057] Optionally, the first return component 31 may include at least one return component extending along the second direction, and accordingly, the first temporary storage mechanism 60 includes at least one first temporary storage station 60a arranged along the first direction; the second return component 32 may include at least one return component extending along the second direction, and accordingly, the second temporary storage mechanism 70 includes at least one second temporary storage station 60b arranged along the first direction.

[0058] refer to Figures 3 to 8In some embodiments, the transmission device 01 may further include a plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms 70, which are respectively arranged corresponding to the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20, and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 transmitted from the process chamber 02, or the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20. Based on this, by setting the second temporary storage mechanism 70, the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 can be temporarily stored between the corresponding second transmission mechanism 20 and the process chamber 02, which is beneficial to improve the fault tolerance of the transmission device 01 and prevent the carrier 03 from being piled up.

[0059] Exemplarily, the second temporary storage mechanism 70 may be disposed above the second transmission mechanism 20 .

[0060] refer to Figure 6 In some embodiments, the first temporary storage mechanism 60 and the second temporary storage mechanism 70 may include a temporary storage chamber 61 and a lifting assembly 62. The temporary storage chamber 61 is connected at both ends along the second direction so that the carrier 03 can be moved into or out of the temporary storage chamber 61.

[0061] Furthermore, the temporary storage cavity 61 has two inner walls arranged opposite to each other, and both inner walls may be provided with a support platform 612, and the support platform 612 is used to support the carrier 03. In this way, multiple carriers 03 can be supported by multiple layers of support platforms 612, thereby increasing the number of carriers 03 temporarily stored and ensuring the support stability of the carrier 03. Optionally, the table surface of each support platform 612 may be provided with a guide groove extending along the second direction, and the two ends of the carrier 03 are respectively located in the guide grooves of the two support platforms 612 of each layer, so as to guide the corresponding carrier 03 through the guide grooves, effectively alleviating the problem of collision during the process of taking and placing the carrier 03.

[0062] For the first temporary storage mechanism 60, an opening 611 may be provided at one end of the temporary storage cavity 61 along the third direction, and the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 may be passed through the corresponding opening 611 along the second direction, so that the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 may enter the temporary storage cavity 61 through the opening 611, so as to facilitate the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 to carry the carrier 03 in the temporary storage cavity 61, so that the carrier 03 is separated from the temporary storage cavity 61. Among them, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction may be perpendicular to each other. For example, the third direction may be a lifting direction or an up-and-down direction. The lifting component 62 is connected to the temporary storage cavity 61, and is used to drive the temporary storage cavity 61 to rise and fall along the third direction. At the same time, the multi-layer carrier 03 may also be driven to rise and fall synchronously through the temporary storage cavity 61.

[0063] Based on the above arrangement, when it is necessary to temporarily store the carrier 03 through the first temporary storage mechanism 60, the lifting assembly 62 can drive the temporary storage chamber 61 to rise, so that there are more layers of support platforms 612 in the temporary storage chamber 61 to support the carrier 03, thereby increasing the number of carriers 03 temporarily stored; when it is necessary to move out the carrier 03, the lifting assembly 62 can drive the temporary storage chamber 61 to descend, so that the carrier 03 at the lower end approaches and contacts the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32, so that as the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32 moves along the second direction, the friction force can make the lowermost carrier 03 move along the second direction with the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32, and finally slide out of the support platform 612 and fall on the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32 and move therewith, thereby realizing the release of the carrier 03 from the first temporary storage mechanism 60.

[0064] It should be noted here that the carrier 03 can enter the temporary storage chamber 61 in the following manner: the temporary storage chamber 61 is driven to rise by the lifting assembly 62, and each layer of support platform 612 is used in turn to support the carrier 03 on the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32; of course, it is also possible to simultaneously transfer multiple layers of carriers 03 to multiple support platforms 612 of the temporary storage chamber 61 at one time.

[0065] Exemplarily, the cross section of the temporary storage cavity 61 may be concave, so as to achieve through-connection at both ends in the second direction, and to form an opening 611 at one end in the third direction.

[0066] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 62 may include a linear module and a connecting bracket component, wherein the connecting bracket component is fixedly connected to the temporary storage cavity 61, and the linear module is connected to the connecting bracket component to drive the connecting bracket component to move along the third direction, and the connecting bracket component drives the temporary storage cavity 61 to move along the third direction.

[0067] Among them, the linear module may include a first slider and a second slider, and the connecting bracket may include the first bracket and the second bracket respectively, the first bracket is connected to the first slider, and the second bracket is connected to the second slider. In addition, the first bracket and the second bracket are also connected to the temporary storage cavity 61 respectively. In this way, when the linear module is started, the first slider and the second slider can respectively drive the first bracket and the second bracket to move synchronously along the third direction, thereby driving the temporary storage cavity 61 to move and improving the stability of the temporary storage cavity 61.

[0068] In addition, the linear module can drive the screw to rotate through a stepper motor, and drive the first slider and the second slider to move respectively through the screw. For example, the stepper motor can realize the stepping movement of the temporary storage cavity 61, for example, the temporary storage cavity 61 is driven to move down 50mm within 1s, stay for 1s, and then the temporary storage cavity 61 is driven to move down 50mm again within 1s, and so on and so forth, so as to realize the release of each layer of carrier 03 in the temporary storage cavity 61.

[0069] Optionally, when the carrier 03 is released, the temporary storage chamber 61 can be lowered by 50 mm. At this time, the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32 can be located between the bottom support platform 612 and the second bottom support platform 612, so that the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32 can contact the carrier 03 and lift the carrier 03, so that the carrier 03 is separated from the support platform 612, so that the carrier 03 can move with the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32 and leave the temporary storage chamber 61. Repeatedly, the carriers 03 in the temporary storage chamber 61 can be fully transferred out at a speed of 2s.

[0070] In addition, the first temporary storage mechanism 60 may further include a guide assembly, which includes a guide rod and a linear bearing, the linear bearing is slidably connected to the guide rod, the guide rod extends along a third direction, and the linear bearing is connected to the temporary storage cavity 61 through a third bracket, so that the sliding stability of the temporary storage cavity 61 along the third direction can be further improved.

[0071] In some embodiments, a correction component may also be provided in the temporary storage cavity 61, and the correction component may include a cylinder and a positioning plate. The cylinder is connected to the positioning plate to position the multi-layer carrier 03 in the temporary storage cavity 61 through the positioning plate to ensure that the corresponding board ends of the multi-layer carrier 03 are located on the same positioning surface, thereby ensuring the position accuracy of the multi-layer carrier 03.

[0072] Regarding the second temporary storage mechanism 70, the structure is basically the same as that of the first temporary storage mechanism 60, and the main difference is that the second transmission mechanism 20 enters the temporary storage cavity 61 through the opening 611, so that the carrier 03 in the temporary storage cavity 61 can be carried by the second transmission mechanism 20, so that the carrier 03 can be separated from the temporary storage cavity 61. It should be noted here that the working principle of the second temporary storage mechanism 70 is basically the same as the working principle of the first temporary storage mechanism 60 mentioned above, and it will not be repeated here. In the embodiment of the present application, the area where the first temporary storage mechanism 60 and the second temporary storage mechanism 70 are located is the carrier temporary storage area.

[0073] In some embodiments, the transmission device 01 may further include a plurality of second transfer mechanisms 50, which are respectively used to transfer the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 between the corresponding second temporary storage mechanism 70 and the process chamber 02. Based on this configuration, when the wafer 04 in the process chamber 02 is processed, the carrier 03 and the wafer 04 can be taken out of the process chamber 02 by the corresponding second transfer mechanism 50 and transferred to the corresponding second temporary storage mechanism 70 for temporary storage; of course, the second transfer mechanism 50 can also transfer the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 temporarily stored in the second temporary storage mechanism 70 to the corresponding process chamber 02 for process processing.

[0074] Optionally, the second transfer mechanism 50 may be a carrier robot, which may include multi-layer robot fingers, which may simultaneously grab multi-layer carriers 03 to improve the transfer efficiency of the carriers 03. In addition, the second transfer mechanism 50 may also include a transfer rack, and the multi-layer robot fingers are connected to the transfer rack, so as to drive the multi-layer robot fingers to move in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction respectively through the transfer rack.

[0075] The embodiment of the present application also discloses a temporary storage mechanism for a wafer 04, and the disclosed temporary storage mechanism includes: a temporary storage chamber 61 and a lifting assembly 62. The two ends of the temporary storage chamber 61 along the second direction are connected, and the two opposite inner walls of the temporary storage chamber 61 are provided with a multi-layer support platform 612 for supporting the carrier 03; one end of the temporary storage chamber 61 along the third direction may also be provided with an opening 611, and the opening 611 is used for the return mechanism 30 or the second transmission mechanism 20 to pass through; the lifting assembly 62 is connected to the temporary storage chamber 61, and is used to drive the temporary storage chamber 61 to rise and fall along the third direction, wherein the second direction is the transmission direction of the second transmission mechanism 20, and the third direction is the direction of the temporary storage mechanism toward the second transmission mechanism 20.

[0076] It should be noted here that the temporary storage mechanism here can be the above-mentioned first temporary storage mechanism 60, or the above-mentioned second temporary storage mechanism 70. The specific structure and working principle thereof can refer to the above-mentioned corresponding contents, which will not be repeated here.

[0077] The embodiment of the present application further provides another transmission device 01 , including a plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20 , a plurality of return transmission mechanisms 30 , and a plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms 60 . The first temporary storage mechanism 60 is the temporary storage mechanism for the wafer 04 .

[0078] Among them, multiple second transmission mechanisms 20 are arranged along the first direction, and each second transmission mechanism is used to transmit the carrier 03 carrying the chip 04 in the second direction. Multiple return mechanisms 30 are arranged one by one corresponding to the multiple second transmission mechanisms 20. Multiple first temporary storage mechanisms 60 are correspondingly arranged between the multiple second transmission mechanisms 20 and the multiple return mechanisms 30, and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier 03 carrying the chip 04 transmitted by the multiple second transmission mechanisms 20, or the carrier 03 with the chip 04 removed and returned by the multiple return mechanisms 30.

[0079] It should be noted here that the specific structure, working process, principle, etc. of another transmission device 01 in the embodiment of the present application are basically the same as the specific structure, working process, and principle of the transmission device 01 in the above-mentioned embodiment. Please refer to the above-mentioned relevant content for details, and no further details will be given here.

[0080] Based on any of the above-mentioned transmission devices 01, the embodiment of the present application further discloses a semiconductor process equipment, and the disclosed semiconductor process equipment includes multiple groups of process chambers 02 and any of the above-mentioned transmission devices 01, wherein the multiple groups of process chambers 02 are respectively arranged corresponding to the multiple second transmission mechanisms 20, and each group of process chambers 02 includes at least one layer of process chambers 02. Based on this arrangement, the same process can be performed through at least one layer of process chambers 02 in each group, so as to improve efficiency.

[0081] Accordingly, at least one layer of process chambers 02 in each group may correspond to a second transmission mechanism 20, so that the carrier 03 and the wafer 04 carried thereon may be transmitted between the corresponding process chambers 02 through the second transmission mechanism 20. Taking the preparation of HJT solar cells by PECVD equipment as an example, a detailed description is given, specifically: The PECVD equipment may include four groups of process chambers 02, each group includes two process chambers 02 arranged up and down, a total of 8 process chambers 02, and the two process chambers 02 in each group perform the same deposition process, respectively used for the growth of the front thin film and the back thin film of the HJT battery. Specifically, the first group of process chambers 02 is used to deposit the i layer (i.e., the front intrinsic silicon thin film) on the front side of the wafer 04; the second group of process chambers 02 is used to deposit the i layer (i.e., the back intrinsic silicon thin film) on the back side of the wafer 04; the third group of process chambers 02 is used to deposit the N layer (i.e., the N-type silicon thin film) on the back side of the wafer 04; the fourth group of process chambers 02 is used to deposit the P layer (i.e., the P-type silicon thin film) on the front side of the wafer 04.

[0082] A multi-layer heating structure may be provided in each process chamber 02 to heat the multi-layer wafers 04 respectively; the second temporary storage mechanism 70 serves as a transfer transition structure between the process chamber 02 and the second transmission mechanism 20, and can store the same number of carriers 03 as in the process chamber 02; the second transmission mechanism 20 can utilize the friction between it and the carriers 03 in the second temporary storage mechanism 70 to make the carriers 03 separate from the second temporary storage mechanism 70 and move with the second transmission mechanism 20, wherein the second transmission mechanism 20 has four groups, each group is arranged with two transmission stations, and the total number is 8 transmission stations, corresponding to eight process chambers 02 respectively; the second transfer mechanism 50 may have multi-layer mechanical fingers, which can transfer the carriers 03 between the process chamber 02 and the second temporary storage mechanism 70; the return mechanism 30 can To realize the return of the empty carrier 03, wherein the rhythm of the return mechanism 30 returning the carrier 03 corresponds to the rhythm of the second transmission mechanism 20 and the first temporary storage mechanism 60 respectively; the first transfer mechanism 40 can transfer the wafer 04 from the carrier 03 to the first transmission mechanism 10, and when all the wafers 04 on the carrier 03 are taken away, the return of the empty carrier 03 is realized through the return mechanism 30, and in addition, new wafers 04 can be transferred to the empty carrier 03 through the loading mechanism; the return mechanism 30 returns the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 to the second transmission mechanism 20, and transmits it to the corresponding process chamber 02 through the second transmission mechanism 20, and finally transfers the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 from the second transmission mechanism 20 to the process chamber 02 through the second transfer mechanism 50, so as to ensure the continuity of the process. In the embodiment of the present application, the area where the loading mechanism is located is the wafer loading area.

[0083] During the entire process, after the first group of process chambers 02 deposit the i layer, the wafer 04 needs to be transferred to the second group of process chambers 02 for i layer deposition. In this way, the wafer 04 is flipped 180° by the flip mechanism. Similarly, after the third group of process chambers 02 deposit the N layer, the wafer 04 needs to be transferred to the fourth group of process chambers 02 for P layer deposition. The flip mechanism also needs to flip the wafer 04 180°. When the P layer deposition process is completed, the wafer 04 is transferred out and finally unloaded by the unloading mechanism and transferred to the corresponding basket. At this point, the entire automated wafer transfer and process are completed. In the embodiment of the present application, the area where the unloading mechanism is located is the wafer unloading area.

[0084] The specific process is: when the wafer 04 in the first group of process chambers 02 completes i-layer deposition, the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 in the first group of process chambers 02 is taken out by the second transfer mechanism 50 and transferred to the second temporary storage mechanism 70 for temporary storage, and then the second transfer mechanism 50 withdraws from the second temporary storage mechanism 70.

[0085] The second temporary storage mechanism 70 drives the multi-layer carriers 03 to gradually descend, so that the carrier 03 at the bottom contacts the second conveying mechanism 20 and moves with the second conveying mechanism 20 under the action of friction; when a carrier 03 position is vacant at the rear end of the second conveying mechanism 20, the second temporary storage mechanism 70 descends next time, so that the second layer of carriers 03 at the bottom contacts the second conveying mechanism 20 and moves with the second conveying mechanism 20, and this cycle is repeated to transfer all the carriers 03 in sequence.

[0086] The second transmission mechanism 20 transmits the carrier plate 03 to the first temporary storage mechanism 60 at a fixed speed. If temporary storage is required, the first temporary storage mechanism 60 supports the carrier plate 03 on the second transmission mechanism 20 through the support platform 612 in the temporary storage cavity 61 to achieve temporary storage of the carrier plate 03. If temporary storage is not required, the second transmission mechanism 20 drives the carrier plate 03 to continue to be transmitted downstream to the return transmission mechanism 30.

[0087] The return mechanism 30 transfers the carrier 03 carrying the chip 04 to the chip 04 removal station, and the first transfer mechanism 40 picks up the chip 04, drives the chip 04 off the carrier 03 and transfers it to the first transfer mechanism 10, so that the chip 04 can be transferred to the downstream position along the first direction through the first transfer mechanism 10.

[0088] As the first transmission mechanism 10 transmits the wafer 04 along the first direction, the wafer 04 is flipped 180° by the flipping mechanism to achieve the change of the front and back sides of the carrier 03, and then the first transmission mechanism 10 continues to transmit the wafer 04 after the face change downstream. It should be noted here that when preparing the IN layer and the NP layer, the wafer 04 needs to be flipped by the flipping mechanism. Therefore, the flipping mechanism can be respectively set at the first transmission mechanism 10 between the first group of process chambers 02 and the second group of process chambers 02, and at the first transmission mechanism 10 between the third group of process chambers 02 and the fourth group of process chambers 02.

[0089] Subsequently, the wafer 04 after the face change can be transferred from the first transmission mechanism 10 to an empty carrier plate 03 of the next process through the first transfer mechanism 40, and the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 can be returned to the second transmission mechanism 20 of the next process through the return mechanism 30, and then transferred to the second temporary storage mechanism 70 of the next process along the second direction through the second transmission mechanism 20 for temporary storage, and then transferred from the second temporary storage mechanism 70 to the second group of process chambers 02 for process treatment through the second transfer mechanism 50.

[0090] And so on, until the growth process of the thin films (i layer, i layer, n layer and p layer respectively) on the front and back sides of the HJT solar cell is completed, that is, the entire process step is completed, and the carrier 03 carrying the chip 04 that has completed the entire process step is transported in sequence via the second transfer mechanism 50, the second temporary storage mechanism 70, the second transmission mechanism 20, and the return mechanism 30; and the chip 04 that has completed the entire process step is taken away from the carrier 03 by the unloading mechanism and transmitted to the downstream flower basket, so that the chip 04 can be contained in the flower basket, which is convenient for the subsequent transmission or process of the chip 04.

[0091] In addition, after the wafer 04 that has been processed in the first group of process chambers 02 is taken away, the empty carrier 03 is returned through the return mechanism 30. When the empty carrier 03 is returned to the loading mechanism, the new wafer 04 in the basket is loaded onto the empty carrier 03 through the loading mechanism, and the carrier 03 carrying the new wafer 04 is returned to the first temporary storage mechanism 60 through the return mechanism 30. If temporary storage is required, the carrier 03 and the wafer 04 are temporarily stored through the first temporary storage mechanism 60. If temporary storage is not required, the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 is continuously transferred to the second temporary storage mechanism 70 for temporary storage through the second transfer mechanism 20, and finally the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 is transferred to the first group of process chambers 02 for process processing through the second transfer mechanism 50.

[0092] The empty carrier plate 03 returned by the return mechanism 30 can also be transferred to a new wafer 04 by the loading mechanism, so as to repeat the above process to obtain the wafer 04 that completes the entire process steps.

[0093] In summary, the transmission device 01 in the embodiment of the present application can be used to complete the transmission of the wafer 04 between the manufacturing processes, and is an important component of the photovoltaic automation production system, the semiconductor automation production system, etc. As the photovoltaic field, semiconductor kilometers, etc. develop towards high efficiency and low cost, it is required to minimize the pollution and debris loss caused by manual operation in the production process, while improving the speed and equipment utilization rate of the wafer 04 processing, improving the efficiency and production capacity of the production line, and reducing the number of workers to reduce the increasing labor costs, and finally reducing the production cost of photovoltaic products and semiconductor products. Therefore, the transmission device 01 proposed in the embodiment of the present application can realize multi-channel loading and unloading, multiple process chambers 02 in series, etc., can realize fast automatic loading and unloading, transmission, and flipping, and while avoiding cross contamination of the carrier 03 as much as possible during the transmission process, realize the efficient recycling of the carrier 03, which is suitable for the mass production of photovoltaic products and semiconductor products, and is of great significance to the automated production of photovoltaic products and semiconductor products.

[0094] In addition, by setting a flipping device between the process chambers 02 for preparing IN and NP, the wafer 04 can be flipped, which can not only meet the process requirements but also help improve production efficiency; the return device can realize the transmission and return of the carrier 03, and realize the recycling of the carrier 03 only in the same process, effectively avoiding the cross contamination caused by the use of the carrier 03 in multiple different processes, and is also conducive to improving the efficient recycling of the carrier 03; in the transmission and return process of the carrier 03, by setting the first temporary storage mechanism 60 and the second temporary storage mechanism 70, the fault tolerance of the transmission device 01 can be improved, the problem of accumulation of the carrier 03 can be effectively alleviated, and the continuous transmission of the carrier 03 can be ensured.

[0095] The embodiments of the present application are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of the present application, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of the present application and the scope of protection of the claims, all of which are within the protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A wafer transmission device, characterized in that: include: A first transmission mechanism (10), a plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), a plurality of return transmission mechanisms (30), and a first transfer mechanism (40); The first transport mechanism (10) is used to transport the wafer (04) in a first direction; A plurality of the second transport mechanisms (20) are arranged along the first direction, and each of the second transport mechanisms (20) is used to transport the carrier (03) carrying the wafer (04) in the second direction; The first transfer mechanism (40) is used to transfer the wafer (04) from the carrier plate (03) to the first transmission mechanism (10); The plurality of return mechanisms (30) are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), and each of the return mechanisms (30) is used to return the carrier (03) from which the chip (04) has been removed to the corresponding second transmission mechanism (20).

2. The transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The return transmission mechanism (30) comprises a first return transmission component (31), a second return transmission component (32) and a translation component (33); The first return component (31) extends along the second direction, and the input end of the first return component (31) is connected to the output end of the second transmission mechanism (20); The second return component (32) extends along the second direction and is spaced apart from the first return component (31) in the first direction; The translation component (33) is respectively arranged corresponding to the first return component (31) and the second return component (32), and is used to transfer the carrier (03) between the first return component (31) and the second return component (32) along the first direction.

3. The transmission device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The translation assembly (33) comprises a lifting component, a bearing component (331) and a plurality of groups of rolling bodies (332); The bearing member (331) is arranged below the first return transmission component (31) and the second return transmission component (32); A plurality of groups of rolling bodies (332) are arranged on the supporting member (331) along the first direction, each group of rolling bodies (332) is rotatably connected to the supporting member (331), and a rotation axis of each group of rolling bodies (332) extends along the second direction; The first return assembly (31) and the second return assembly (32) are respectively provided with a clearance space (311); one group of the rolling bodies (332) among the plurality of groups of rolling bodies (332) is arranged corresponding to the clearance space (311) of the first return assembly (31), and another group of the rolling bodies (332) is arranged corresponding to the clearance space (311) of the second return assembly (32); The lifting component is connected to the bearing member (331) and is used to drive the bearing member (331) to rise and fall, so that the rolling body (332) protrudes or retracts relative to the avoidance space (311).

4. The transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first transmission mechanism (10) comprises a first transmission member (11) and a turning member (12); The first transmission member (11) extends along the first direction; The flipping member (12) is arranged in a region of the first transmission member (11) between at least two adjacent return mechanisms (30), and is used to flip the wafer (04) transmitted by the first transmission member (11) by 180 degrees.

5. The transmission device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first transmission member (11) is provided with a receiving space (M), and the receiving space (M) is located between two adjacent return transmission mechanisms (30); The flip member (12) is flippably arranged in the accommodating space (M), and the flip axis extends along the second direction; The outer peripheral surface of the flip member (12) is provided with at least one transmission notch (121) for clamping the wafer (04), and the transmission notch (121) extends along the second direction.

6. The transmission device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The turning member (12) is a turning wheel, and the outer circumferential surface of the turning wheel is provided with a plurality of transmission notches (121) arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the turning wheel.

7. The transmission device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission device (01) further comprises a plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms (60), wherein the plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms (60) are correspondingly arranged between the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20) and the plurality of return mechanisms (30), and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier plates (03) carrying the chips (04) transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), or the carrier plates (03) with the chips (04) removed and returned by the plurality of return mechanisms (30).

8. The transmission device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first temporary storage mechanism (60) comprises a first temporary storage station (60a) and a second temporary storage station (60b) arranged along the first direction; The first temporary storage station (60a) is arranged corresponding to the first return component (31), and the second temporary storage station (60b) is arranged corresponding to the second return component (32).

9. The transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission device (01) further comprises a plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms (70), wherein the plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms (70) are respectively arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier plates (03) carrying the wafers (04) transmitted from the plurality of process chambers (02), or the carrier plates (03) carrying the wafers (04) transmitted from the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20).

10. The transmission device according to claim 1 or 2 or 7 or 9, characterized in that: The transmission device (01) comprises a first temporary storage mechanism (60) and / or a second temporary storage mechanism (70); the first temporary storage mechanism (60) and the second temporary storage mechanism (50) both comprise a temporary storage cavity (61) and a lifting assembly (62); The temporary storage cavity (61) is connected at both ends along the second direction, and two opposite inner walls of the temporary storage cavity (61) are provided with multi-layer support tables (612) for carrying the wafer (04), and an opening (611) is provided at one end of the temporary storage cavity (61) along the third direction; The lifting component (62) is connected to the temporary storage chamber (61) and is used to drive the temporary storage chamber (61) to rise and fall along the third direction.

11. The transmission device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The transmission device (01) further comprises a plurality of second transfer mechanisms (50), wherein the plurality of second transfer mechanisms (50) are respectively used to transfer the carrier (03) carrying the wafer (04) between the corresponding second temporary storage mechanism (70) and the process chamber (02).

12. A wafer temporary storage mechanism, characterized in that: The temporary storage mechanism comprises: a temporary storage cavity (61) and a lifting assembly (62); The two ends of the temporary storage cavity (61) along the second direction are connected, and two opposite inner walls of the temporary storage cavity (61) are provided with multiple layers of support platforms (612) for supporting the carrier plate (03); An opening (611) is provided at one end of the temporary storage cavity (61) along the third direction, and the opening (611) is used for the return transmission mechanism (30) or the second transmission mechanism (20) to pass through; The lifting component (62) is connected to the temporary storage chamber (61) and is used to drive the temporary storage chamber (61) to move up and down along the third direction; The second direction is the transmission direction of the second transmission mechanism (20), and the third direction is the direction of the temporary storage mechanism toward the second transmission mechanism (20).

13. A transmission device, characterized in that: include: A plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), a plurality of return transmission mechanisms (30), and a plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms (60), wherein the first temporary storage mechanisms (60) are temporary storage mechanisms for the wafers (04) according to claim 12; A plurality of the second transmission mechanisms (20) are arranged along the first direction, and each of the second transmission mechanisms (20) is used to transmit the carrier (03) carrying the wafer (04) in the second direction; The plurality of return mechanisms (30) are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), and the plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms (60) are arranged correspondingly between the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20) and the plurality of return mechanisms (30), and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier plates (03) carrying the chips (04) transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), or the carrier plates (03) with the chips (04) removed and returned by the plurality of return mechanisms (30).

14. The transmission device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The transmission device (01) further comprises a plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms (70), wherein the second temporary storage mechanisms (70) are the temporary storage mechanisms; The plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms (70) are respectively arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier plates (03) carrying the wafers (04) transmitted from the plurality of process chambers (02), or the carrier plates (03) carrying the wafers (04) transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20).

15. The transmission device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The return transmission mechanism (30) comprises a first return transmission component (31), a second return transmission component (32) and a translation component (33); The first return component (31) extends along the second direction, and the input end of the first return component (31) is connected to the output end of the second transmission mechanism (20); The second return component (32) extends along the second direction and is spaced apart from the first return component (31) in the first direction; The translation component (33) is respectively arranged corresponding to the first return component (31) and the second return component (32), and is used to transfer the carrier (03) between the first return component (31) and the second return component (32) along the first direction.

16. The transmission device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The transmission device (01) further comprises a first transmission mechanism (10) and a first transfer mechanism (40); The first transfer mechanism (40) is used to transfer the wafer (04) from the carrier plate (03) to the first transmission mechanism (10), and the first transmission mechanism (10) is used to transmit the wafer (04) in the first direction.

17. The transmission device according to claim 16, characterized in that: The first transmission mechanism (10) comprises a first transmission member (11) and a turning member (12); The first transmission member (11) extends along the first direction; The flipping member (12) is arranged in a region of the first transmission member (11) between at least two adjacent return mechanisms (30), and is used to flip the wafer (04) transmitted by the first transmission member (11) by 180 degrees.

18. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: include: A plurality of process chambers (02) and a transmission device (01) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 or any one of claims 13 to 17; A plurality of groups of the process chambers (02) and a plurality of the second transmission mechanisms (20) are respectively arranged correspondingly; Each group of the process chambers (02) comprises at least one layer of the process chambers (02).

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