Wafer transport apparatus, wafer staging mechanism, and semiconductor processing apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a wafer conveying device, a wafer temporary storage mechanism and a semiconductor process equipment, and relates to the photovoltaic and semiconductor fields. The wafer conveying device comprises a first conveying mechanism, a plurality of second conveying mechanisms, a plurality of return mechanisms and a first transfer mechanism; the first conveying mechanism is used for conveying wafers in a first direction; the plurality of second conveying mechanisms are arranged along the first direction, and each second conveying mechanism is used for conveying a wafer-carrying carrier plate in a second direction; the first transfer mechanism is used for transferring the wafer from the carrier plate to the first conveying mechanism; the plurality of return mechanisms are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second conveying mechanisms, and each return mechanism is used for returning the carrier plate from which the wafer is removed to the corresponding second conveying mechanism. The application can solve the problems of carrier plate cross contamination and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical fields of photovoltaics and semiconductors, specifically relating to a wafer transmission device, a wafer temporary storage mechanism, and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

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

[0003] In PECVD equipment, when the carrier is transferred between multiple different process chambers, cross-contamination of the carrier can occur, affecting product yield. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a wafer transport device, a wafer temporary storage mechanism, and semiconductor process equipment, which can at least solve problems such as cross-contamination of carrier boards.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] This application provides a chip transmission device, including: a first transmission mechanism, a plurality of second transmission mechanisms, a plurality of return transmission mechanisms, and a first transfer mechanism;

[0007] The first transmission mechanism is used to transmit the wafer in a first direction;

[0008] A plurality of second transmission mechanisms are arranged along the first direction, and each second transmission mechanism is used to transmit a carrier board carrying the wafer in the second direction;

[0009] The first transfer mechanism is used to transfer the wafer from the carrier plate to the first transfer mechanism;

[0010] The plurality of return mechanisms are configured in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms, and each of the return mechanisms is used to return the carrier board from which the wafer has been removed to the corresponding second transmission mechanism.

[0011] This application embodiment also provides a temporary storage mechanism for a wafer, the temporary storage mechanism including: a temporary storage cavity and a lifting assembly;

[0012] The temporary storage cavity extends through both ends along the second direction, and the two opposite inner walls of the temporary storage cavity are provided with multiple layers of support platforms for supporting the carrier plate.

[0013] The temporary storage cavity has an opening at one end along a third direction, and the opening is used for the return mechanism or the second transmission mechanism to pass through.

[0014] The lifting assembly is connected to the temporary storage cavity and is used to drive the temporary storage cavity to move up and down along the third direction;

[0015] Wherein, 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.

[0016] This application embodiment also provides a transmission device, including: 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 aforementioned temporary storage mechanism;

[0017] A plurality of second transmission mechanisms are arranged along a first direction, and each second transmission mechanism is used to transmit a carrier board carrying the wafer in a second direction;

[0018] The plurality of return mechanisms are configured in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms, and the plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms are configured between the plurality of second transmission mechanisms and the plurality of return mechanisms, respectively for temporarily storing the carrier board carrying the wafer transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms, or for temporarily storing the carrier board with the wafer removed transmitted back by the plurality of return mechanisms.

[0019] This application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including: multiple process chambers and any of the above-mentioned transfer devices;

[0020] Multiple sets of the aforementioned process chambers are respectively provided with multiple second transmission mechanisms;

[0021] Each group of process chambers includes at least one layer of process chambers.

[0022] In this embodiment, a carrier board carrying a wafer that has completed one process can be transported along a second direction via a second transmission mechanism. A return mechanism can receive the carrier board carrying the wafer. A first transfer mechanism can remove the wafer from the carrier board and transfer it to the first transmission mechanism, which then transports it downstream so that the wafer can proceed to the next process. The carrier board with the removed wafer is then transported back to the second transmission mechanism via the return mechanism, so that it can be transported again to the wafer receiving station via the second transmission mechanism. Based on the above configuration, this embodiment can achieve the recycling of carrier boards during the same wafer process, thereby effectively avoiding the sharing of carrier boards between different processes, ensuring that the carrier boards are not cross-contaminated, and improving product yield. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a chain-type PECVD device in related technologies;

[0024] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the reaction chamber and the robotic arm in the related technology;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a first structural schematic diagram of the second temporary storage mechanism and carrier plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of the second temporary storage mechanism and carrier plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer and carrier disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the PECVD process disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the translation mechanism and carrier plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the carrier plate translation process disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the unloaded loading process of the carrier plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flipping mechanism and the first transfer mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer flipping process disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0036] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0037] 01-Transmission device;

[0038] 10-First transmission mechanism; 11-First transmission component; M-Accommodation space; 12-Flipping component; 121-Transmission notch;

[0039] 20 - Second transmission mechanism; 21 - Second transmission component;

[0040] 30 - Return mechanism; 31 - First return component; 311 - Alternating space; 32 - Second return component; 33 - Translation component; 331 - Bearing element; 332 - Rolling element;

[0041] 40 - First transfer mechanism;

[0042] 50 - Second transfer mechanism;

[0043] 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;

[0044] 70 - Second temporary storage institution;

[0045] 02-Process Chamber;

[0046] 03-Carrier plate;

[0047] 04-Chip. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0049] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and are not limited in number; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0050] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples and application scenarios.

[0051] In the current photovoltaic market, amorphous heterojunction (HJT) cells have advantages such as bifacial structure, high efficiency, thinness, good short-wave absorption, low-temperature processing, and high stability, making them one of the important directions for future cell development.

[0052] The core process steps in the fabrication of HJT solar cells include: texturing, amorphous silicon thin film deposition, conductive film deposition, and metallization. Currently, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is mainly used for amorphous silicon thin film deposition. PECVD utilizes radio frequency glow discharge in a low-pressure environment to ionize the reactive gas, forming a highly reactive ionized gas. After a series of chemical reactions, a solid thin film is formed on the wafer surface.

[0053] Among them, PECVD equipment layouts include chain-like structures, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it mainly includes multiple wafer entry / exit chambers, a preheating chamber, a process chamber, and transfer valves. The wafer enters through the wafer entry chamber, is evacuated, and then passes through the transfer valve into the preheating chamber. After being heated to the preheating temperature in the preheating chamber, it enters the process chamber for process deposition. After deposition is completed, it is transferred to the wafer exit chamber.

[0054] To increase equipment capacity, a stacked equipment design can be adopted, using multi-layered robotic arms to transfer carrier boards and wafers, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0055] In related technologies, wafers are transferred between different process chambers using a carrier plate during different processes in PECVD equipment. However, different processes may produce different process products, and when the carrier plate is transferred between different process chambers, cross-contamination of the carrier plate can easily occur, affecting the final product quality.

[0056] Based on the above, this application discloses a transmission device 01 for a wafer 04, with reference to... Figures 3 to 13 This transfer device 01 is used to transfer wafers during different processes on wafer 04. Optionally, this transfer device 01 can be applied to the semiconductor field, photovoltaic field, etc. For example, in the manufacturing process of solar cells, wafer 04 needs to undergo multiple processes to ultimately form a solar cell. Of course, the transfer device 01 can also be applied to the manufacturing processes of other products besides solar cells.

[0057] Taking an HJT battery as an example, thin films need to be deposited on both the front and back sides of the wafer 04. For example, intrinsic silicon thin films (i.e., i-layer films) can be deposited on the front and back sides of the wafer 04, N-type silicon thin films (i.e., N-layer films) can be deposited on the front side, and P-type silicon thin films (i.e., P-layer films) can be deposited on the back side. Based on this, the wafer 04 needs to be transferred between adjacent steps via a transfer device 01. In addition, multiple sets of process chambers 02 can be set up, and each set of process chambers 02 can perform one process step on the wafer 04; and each set can include at least one process chamber 02. When each set includes multiple process chambers 02, the multiple process chambers 02 can be stacked, which helps to reduce the occupied space and facilitates the transfer of the wafer 04.

[0058] Additionally, the carrier plate 03 can support the wafer 04, facilitating its transfer and providing some protection during transport. Optionally, the carrier plate 03 can have at least one support position, each capable of holding one wafer 04. Thus, at least one wafer 04 can be placed on the carrier plate 03 depending on the actual operating conditions. For example, to improve the transfer efficiency of the wafer 04, each carrier plate 03 can have multiple support positions, allowing it to simultaneously support multiple wafers 04, thereby enhancing the transfer efficiency.

[0059] To accommodate the multiple processing steps of the wafer 04, the transfer device 01 in this embodiment may include multiple second transfer mechanisms 20, each corresponding to one processing step. The second transfer mechanism 20 can be used to transfer the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 towards the corresponding process chamber 02. Alternatively, the second transfer mechanism 20 can also be used to transfer the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 away from the process chamber 02. Optionally, the second transfer mechanism 20 may include a conveyor belt or conveyor roller, and the transfer of the carrier plate 03 is achieved by driving the conveyor belt or conveyor roller to rotate via a motor. In this embodiment, the area where the second transfer mechanism 20 is located is the carrier plate transfer area.

[0060] In some embodiments, multiple second transfer mechanisms 20 may be arranged along a first direction to correspond to a respective process chamber 02, and each second transfer mechanism 20 is used to transfer a carrier 03 carrying a wafer 04 in a second direction. Based on this arrangement, the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 can be transferred through each second transfer mechanism 20, so that the wafer 04 can be subsequently transferred to the process chamber 02, or transferred from the process chamber 02 to a subsequent work station.

[0061] The transmission device 01 also includes multiple return mechanisms 30, which are configured one-to-one with multiple second transmission mechanisms 20. This allows each second transmission mechanism 20 to transfer a carrier 03 carrying a wafer 04 to a return mechanism 30, facilitating downstream transfer of the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 via the return mechanism 30. Furthermore, each return mechanism 30 can also return a carrier 03 with the wafer 04 removed to its corresponding second transmission mechanism 20, allowing the empty carrier 03 to be transferred towards the corresponding process chamber 02 via the second transmission mechanism 20, facilitating the subsequent placement of the empty carrier 03 into the process chamber 02 where the wafer 04 is located. In this embodiment, the area where the return mechanism 30 is located is the carrier return area.

[0062] It should be noted that the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 on the second transmission mechanism 20 can be directly transferred from the second transmission mechanism 20 to the input terminal of the return mechanism 30, or the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 on the second transmission mechanism 20 can be transferred to the return mechanism 30 by additionally setting other mechanisms. Similarly, the empty carrier board 03 returned by the return mechanism 30 can be directly transferred from the return mechanism 30 to the input terminal of the second transmission mechanism 20, or the empty carrier board 03 returned by the return mechanism 30 can be transferred to the second transmission mechanism 20 by additionally setting other mechanisms.

[0063] To separate the wafer 04 from the carrier plate 03, the transmission device 01 may further include a first transfer mechanism 40. The first transfer mechanism 40 is used to remove the wafer 04 from the carrier plate 03, thereby separating the wafer 04 from the carrier plate 03. It should be noted that during the transmission of the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 on the return mechanism 30 or when it reaches a designated position, the first transfer mechanism 40 can pick up the wafer 04 and move the wafer 04 away from the carrier plate 03, so as to obtain an empty carrier plate 03.

[0064] Optionally, the first transfer mechanism 40 may include a vacuum chuck to pick up the wafer 04 using vacuum adsorption, thereby mitigating the problem of damage to the wafer 04 due to clamping forces. Additionally, the first transfer mechanism 40 may also include a gantry, to which the vacuum chuck is connected, enabling multi-directional movement of the vacuum chuck in both horizontal and vertical directions.

[0065] To enable the continued transfer of wafer 04, the transfer device 01 may further include a first transfer mechanism 10. The first transfer mechanism 40 can transfer wafer 04 from carrier plate 03 to the first transfer mechanism 10. The first transfer mechanism 10 is used to transfer wafer 04 in a first direction so that wafer 04 can be subsequently transported to the lower transfer station for a lower transfer process. In this embodiment, the area where the first transfer mechanism 10 is located is the wafer transfer area.

[0066] In some embodiments, the first direction and the second direction may be perpendicular; for example, the first direction may be a horizontal left-right direction, and the second direction may be a horizontal front-back direction. Of course, other forms are also possible, which are not specifically limited here.

[0067] In this embodiment, the carrier board 03 carrying a wafer 04 that has completed one process can be transported along a second direction via the second transmission mechanism 20. The return mechanism 30 receives the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04. The first transfer mechanism 40 removes the wafer 04 from the carrier board 03 and transfers it to the first transmission mechanism 10, where it is transported downstream so that the wafer 04 can proceed to the next process. The carrier board 03 with the removed wafer 04 is then transported back to the second transmission mechanism 20 via the return mechanism 30, so that it can be transported again to the station receiving the wafer 04. Based on the above configuration, this embodiment can achieve the cyclical use of the carrier board 03 during the same process of wafer 04, thereby effectively avoiding the sharing of the carrier board 03 between different processes, ensuring that the carrier board 03 is not cross-contaminated, and improving product yield.

[0068] refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 In 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 a second direction, and its input end is connected to the output end of the second transmission mechanism 20. This allows the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04, which is being transported by the second transmission mechanism 20, to be conveyed to the first return component 31. The carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 is then transported along the second direction via the first return component 31, facilitating the subsequent removal of the wafer 04 from the carrier board 03 by the first transfer mechanism 40.

[0069] The second return assembly 32 extends along the second direction and is spaced apart from the first return assembly 31 in the first direction. Based on this, the carrier 03 with the wafer 04 removed can be transported towards the second transfer mechanism 20 through the second return assembly 32, so that the empty carrier 03 can be returned to the second transfer mechanism 20 and finally transported towards the process chamber 02 through the second transfer mechanism 20, so as to realize the reuse of the empty carrier 03.

[0070] The translation component 33 is respectively configured to correspond with the first return component 31 and the second return component 32, and is used to transfer the carrier plate 03 between the first return component 31 and the second return component 32 along the first direction. Based on this configuration, after the first transfer mechanism 40 removes the wafer 04 from the carrier plate 03, an empty carrier plate 03 remains on the first return component 31. In this case, the translation component 33 can translate the empty carrier plate 03 along the first direction to the second return component 32, so that the empty carrier plate 03 can be returned through the second return component 32. Of course, the translation component 33 can also translate the empty carrier plate 03 on the second return component 32 along the first direction to the first return component 31, so that the empty carrier plate 03 can be returned to the second transfer mechanism 20 through the first return component 31 to realize the return of the carrier plate 03.

[0071] Continue to refer to Figure 9 In some embodiments, the translation component 33 may include a lifting component, a support member 331, and multiple sets of rolling elements 332. The support member 331 is located below the first return component 31 and the second return component 32. Multiple sets of rolling elements 332 are arranged along a first direction on the support member 331. Each set of rolling elements 332 is rotatably connected to the support member 331, and the rotation axis of each set of rolling elements 332 extends along a second direction. Thus, the support member 331 can support multiple sets of rolling elements 332 and ensure that each set of rolling elements 332 can rotate around its rotation axis extending along the second direction.

[0072] Both the first return assembly 31 and the second return assembly 32 are provided with a clearance space 311. One set of rolling elements 332 is correspondingly arranged with the clearance space 311 of the first return assembly 31, and the other set of rolling elements 332 is correspondingly arranged with the clearance space 311 of the second return assembly 32. The lifting component is connected to the carrier 331 and is used to drive the carrier 331 to lift and lower, so that the rolling elements 332 protrude or retract relative to the clearance space 311.

[0073] Based on the above configuration, during the process of the lifting component driving the carrier 331 to rise, the carrier 331 can drive multiple sets of rolling elements 332 to rise, so that one set of rolling elements 332 protrudes out of the first return component 31 through the clearance space 311 of the first return component 31, thereby supporting the carrier plate 03 that is carrying the chip 04 transferred by the first return component 31, so that it can be separated from the first return component 31. At the same time, the set of rolling elements 332 rotates, thereby driving the carrier plate 03 to move along the first direction to above the second return component 32, and supporting the carrier plate 03 by another set of rolling elements 332.

[0074] Subsequently, the lifting component drives the carrier 331 to descend, and the carrier 331 drives the rolling element 332 to descend, so that the carrier plate 03 falls on the second return assembly 32, and the empty carrier plate 03 can be returned along the second direction through the second return assembly 32.

[0075] After the second return assembly 32 returns the empty carrier plate 03 to the designated position, the lifting component drives the carrier 331 and the rolling element 332 to rise again, thereby supporting the carrier plate 03 again through another set of rolling elements 332, so that the carrier plate 03 is separated from the second return assembly 32. Then the rolling elements 332 rotate, so that the carrier plate 03 moves along the first direction above the first return assembly 31.

[0076] Subsequently, the lifting component drives the carrier 331 to descend again, and the carrier 331 drives the rolling element 332 to descend, so that the carrier plate 03 falls on the first return assembly 31. 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.

[0077] It should be noted that the support member 331 can be a single support plate 03, with multiple sets of rolling elements 332 rotatably connected to the support plate 03 to achieve the overall lifting and lowering of the multiple sets of rolling elements 332; of course, the support member 331 can also include multiple separate support plate 03 units, with each set of rolling elements 332 rotatably connected to the corresponding support plate 03 unit, and each support plate 03 unit corresponding to a lifting component to achieve the independent lifting and lowering of the multiple sets of rolling elements 332.

[0078] For example, the lifting component may include a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric cylinder, etc.; the bearing component 331 may be a bearing plate 03; the rolling element 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 conveyor roller arranged side by side along the first direction.

[0079] refer to Figure 11 and Figure 12 In some embodiments, the first transfer mechanism 10 may include a first transfer member 11 extending along a first direction to facilitate the transfer 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 transfer member 11 for downstream transfer along the first direction, so as to facilitate the subsequent transfer of the wafer 04 to the next station for the next process.

[0080] Considering that the previous process is performed on the first side of wafer 04, the next process needs to be performed on the opposite second side of wafer 04. Therefore, wafer 04 needs to be flipped to facilitate the next process after the previous process. Based on this, the first transmission mechanism 10 in this embodiment may further 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.

[0081] Furthermore, the flipping member 12 can be disposed in the area of ​​the first transmission member 11 located between at least two adjacent return mechanisms 30, for flipping 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 plate 03 transmitted by the previous return mechanism 30 by the first transfer mechanism 40 and placed on the first transmission member 11, which then transmits it along the first direction; subsequently, the wafer 04 is transferred again from the first transmission member 11 to the next return mechanism 30 by the first transfer mechanism 40, so that the carrier plate 03 transmitted by the next return mechanism 30 can be returned to the corresponding second transmission mechanism 20, and then transmitted to the next set of process chambers 02 by the second return mechanism 30, and finally the next process step is carried out in the next set of process chambers 02.

[0082] Optionally, the first transmission component 11 can be in the form of a conveyor belt, a conveyor roller, or the like.

[0083] To avoid interference between the flipping component 12 and the first transmission component 11, the first transmission component 11 may be provided with a receiving space M, which is located between two adjacent return mechanisms 30. The flipping component 12 is flipped and disposed in the receiving space M, with the flipping axis extending along the second direction. Based on this, it can be ensured that the flipping component 12 and the first transmission component 11 will not come into contact, ensuring that the two are installed relatively independently and preventing installation and movement interference between them.

[0084] Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the flipper 12 may be provided with at least one radially distributed transmission notch 121, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the transmission notch 121 extends along the second direction and is used to insert the wafer 04. Based on this configuration, the wafer 04 can be inserted through the transmission notch 121, and the wafer 04 can be rotated 180° as the flipping member 12 flips, thereby realizing the 180° rotation of the wafer 04 and preparing it for the next process.

[0085] Optionally, the flipping mechanism may include a plurality of flipping elements 12, which are arranged at intervals along the second direction and have collinear flipping axes. In this way, the multiple flipping elements 12 can be inserted into the same carrier plate 03 through the transmission notches 121, thereby improving the flipping stability of the carrier plate 03.

[0086] In addition, the flipping mechanism may also include a lifting component, and the flipping component 12 is rotatably connected to the lifting component. In this way, when the carrier plate 03 moves to the flipping station, the lifting component can lift the flipping component 12 so that it can be aligned with the carrier plate 03 through the transmission notch 121 of the flipping component 12.

[0087] It should be noted that there is a certain relationship between the transmission speed of the first transmission component 11 and the flipping speed of the flipping component 12, so as to ensure that while the first transmission component 11 transmits the wafer 04 to the flipping component 12, the transmission notch 121 of the flipping component 12 is opposite to the wafer 04, thereby ensuring that the wafer 04 can be inserted into the transmission notch 121.

[0088] Optionally, the flipping component 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 spaced apart along the circumference of the flipping wheel. Based on this configuration, the flipping efficiency of the wafer 04 can be improved by using the plurality of transmission notches 121 to respectively engage the wafer 04. It should be noted 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 engaged in the corresponding transmission notch 121 without colliding with the flipping wheel. For example, the plurality of transmission notches 121 can be evenly distributed on the outer circumferential surface of the flipping wheel.

[0089] refer to Figures 3 to 5 In some embodiments, the transmission device 01 may further include a plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms 60, which are correspondingly disposed between a plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20 and a plurality of return mechanisms 30. These mechanisms are used to temporarily store the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20, or the carrier board 03 with the wafer 04 removed and returned by the plurality of return mechanisms 30. By providing the first temporary storage mechanisms 60, the carrier board 03 can be temporarily stored between the corresponding second transmission mechanism 20 and the return mechanism 30, which helps to improve the fault tolerance of the transmission device 01 and prevents the carrier board 03 from accumulating.

[0090] The first temporary storage mechanism 60 may include a first temporary storage station 60a and a second temporary storage station 60b arranged along a first direction, with the first temporary storage station 60a corresponding to the first return transmission component 31 and the second temporary storage station 60b corresponding to the second return transmission component 32. Optionally, the first temporary storage station 60a and the second temporary storage station 60b may be symmetrically arranged along the first direction.

[0091] Based on the above settings, when a stack of carrier boards 03 carrying wafers 04 appears on the first return component 31, the carrier boards 03 carrying wafers 04 transmitted by the second transmission mechanism 20 can be temporarily stored at the first temporary storage station 60a. When the stack of carrier boards 03 carrying wafers 04 on the first return component 31 is no longer stacked, the carrier boards 03 carrying wafers 04 can be released to the first return component 31 through the first temporary storage station 60a, thereby effectively solving the problem of stacking of carrier boards 03 carrying wafers 04.

[0092] Similarly, when empty carrier plates 03 accumulate on the second return component 32, the empty carrier plates 03 returned by the second return component 32 can be temporarily stored at the second temporary storage station 60b. Once the empty carrier plates 03 on the second return component 32 no longer accumulate, the empty carrier plates 03 can be released to the second return component 32 through the second temporary storage station 60b, thereby effectively solving the problem of empty carrier plates 03 accumulation.

[0093] Optionally, the first return assembly 31 may include at least one return component extending along the second direction, and correspondingly, the first temporary storage mechanism 60 includes at least one first temporary storage station 60a arranged along the first direction; the second return assembly 32 may include at least one return component extending along the second direction, and correspondingly, the second temporary storage mechanism 70 includes at least one second temporary storage station 60b arranged along the first direction.

[0094] refer to Figures 3 to 8 In some embodiments, the transmission device 01 may further include a plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms 70, which are respectively configured corresponding to a plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20, and are used to temporarily store the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 transmitted from the process chamber 02, or the carrier board 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 board 03 carrying the wafer 04 can be temporarily stored between the corresponding second transmission mechanism 20 and the process chamber 02, which helps to improve the fault tolerance of the transmission device 01 and prevent the carrier board 03 from piling up.

[0095] For example, the second temporary storage mechanism 70 may be located above the second transmission mechanism 20.

[0096] refer to Figure 6 In some embodiments, both the first temporary storage mechanism 60 and the second temporary storage mechanism 70 may include a temporary storage cavity 61 and a lifting assembly 62. The temporary storage cavity 61 extends through both ends along the second direction to allow the carrier plate 03 to be moved into or out of the temporary storage cavity 61.

[0097] Furthermore, the temporary storage cavity 61 has two opposing inner walls, each of which can be provided with a support platform 612. This support platform 612 supports the carrier plate 03. Thus, multiple carrier plates 03 can be supported by multiple support platforms 612, thereby increasing the number of carrier plates 03 that can be temporarily stored and ensuring the stability of the support for the carrier plates 03. Optionally, the surface of each support platform 612 can be provided with a guide groove extending along a second direction. The two ends of the carrier plate 03 are respectively located in the guide grooves of the two support platforms 612 in each layer, so that the corresponding carrier plate 03 is guided by the guide grooves, effectively mitigating the problem of collisions during the handling of the carrier plate 03.

[0098] For the first temporary storage mechanism 60, the temporary storage cavity 61 may have an opening 611 at one end along a third direction. The first return component 31 or the second return component 32 passes through the corresponding opening 611 along a second direction. This allows the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 to enter the temporary storage cavity 61 through the opening 611, facilitating the support of the carrier plate 03 within the temporary storage cavity 61 and allowing the carrier plate 03 to detach from the temporary storage cavity 61. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction can be perpendicular to each other. For example, the third direction can be a lifting direction or a vertical 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. Simultaneously, the temporary storage cavity 61 can also drive the multi-layer carrier plates 03 to rise and fall synchronously.

[0099] Based on the above configuration, when the carrier plate 03 needs to be temporarily stored through the first temporary storage mechanism 60, the lifting component 62 can drive the temporary storage cavity 61 to rise, so that the temporary storage cavity 61 has more layers of support platforms 612 to support the carrier plate 03, thereby increasing the number of carrier plates 03 that can be temporarily stored. When the carrier plate 03 needs to be removed, the lifting component 62 can drive the temporary storage cavity 61 to fall, so that the lowest carrier plate 03 approaches and contacts the first return component 31 or the second return component 32. Thus, as the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 moves along the second direction, the lowest carrier plate 03 can move along the second direction with the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 under the action of friction, and finally slides out of the support platform 612 and falls on the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 and moves with it. Therefore, the carrier plate 03 is released from the first temporary storage mechanism 60.

[0100] It should be noted that the carrier plate 03 can enter the temporary storage cavity 61 in the following ways: the temporary storage cavity 61 is raised by the lifting component 62 and then passes through each support platform 612 to support the carrier plate 03 on the first return component 31 or the second return component 32 in sequence; of course, multiple carrier plates 03 can also be transferred to multiple support platforms 612 of the temporary storage cavity 61 at the same time.

[0101] For example, the cross-section of the temporary storage cavity 61 can be concave to allow both ends to be connected in the second direction, while an opening 611 is formed at the third direction end.

[0102] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 62 may include a linear module and a connecting bracket component. 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 in a third direction, and the connecting bracket component drives the temporary storage cavity 61 to move in a third direction.

[0103] The linear module may include a first slider and a second slider, and the connecting bracket may include a first bracket and a 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. Thus, when the linear module is started, the first slider and the second slider can drive the first bracket and the second bracket to move synchronously in a third direction, thereby driving the temporary storage cavity 61 to move and improving the stability of the temporary storage cavity 61.

[0104] Alternatively, the linear module can be driven by a stepper motor to rotate a lead screw, which in turn moves the first and second sliders respectively. For example, the stepper motor can be used to achieve the stepping movement of the temporary storage cavity 61. For instance, the temporary storage cavity 61 can be driven down 50mm in 1 second, paused for 1 second, and then driven down 50mm again in 1 second, and this process can be repeated to release each layer of carrier plate 03 within the temporary storage cavity 61.

[0105] Optionally, when the carrier plate 03 is released, the temporary storage cavity 61 can be lowered by 50mm. 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-to-last support platform 612, so that the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32 can contact the carrier plate 03 and lift the carrier plate 03, separating the carrier plate 03 from the support platform 612. This allows the carrier plate 03 to detach from the temporary storage cavity 61 as the first return assembly 31 or the second return assembly 32 moves. By repeating this process, all the carrier plates 03 in the temporary storage cavity 61 can be transferred out at intervals of 2 seconds.

[0106] In addition, the first temporary storage mechanism 60 may also 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 in a third direction, and the linear bearing is connected to the temporary storage cavity 61 through a third bracket. In this way, the sliding stability of the temporary storage cavity 61 in the third direction can be further improved.

[0107] In some embodiments, a correction component may be provided in the temporary storage cavity 61. 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 plate 03 in the temporary storage cavity 61 through the positioning plate, so as to ensure that the corresponding plate ends of the multi-layer carrier plate 03 are located on the same positioning surface and to ensure the positional accuracy of the multi-layer carrier plate 03.

[0108] The second temporary storage mechanism 70 has a structure that is basically the same as that of the first temporary storage mechanism 60. The main difference is that the second transmission mechanism 20 enters the temporary storage cavity 61 through the opening 611, so as to support the carrier plate 03 in the temporary storage cavity 61 and detach the carrier plate 03 from the temporary storage cavity 61. It should be noted that the working principle of the second temporary storage mechanism 70 is basically the same as that of the first temporary storage mechanism 60, and will not be repeated here. In this embodiment, the area where the first temporary storage mechanism 60 and the second temporary storage mechanism 70 are located is the carrier plate temporary storage area.

[0109] In some embodiments, the transfer device 01 may further include a plurality of second transfer mechanisms 50, which are respectively used to transfer a carrier plate 03 carrying a wafer 04 between a corresponding second temporary storage mechanism 70 and a process chamber 02. Based on this arrangement, when the wafer 04 in the process chamber 02 completes the process processing, the carrier plate 03 and the wafer 04 can be passed out of the process chamber 02 through 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 plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 temporarily stored in the second temporary storage mechanism 70 to the corresponding process chamber 02 for process processing.

[0110] Optionally, the second transfer mechanism 50 can be a carrier robot, which may include multiple layers of robotic fingers. These multiple robotic fingers can simultaneously grasp multiple carrier plates 03 to improve the transfer efficiency of the carrier plates 03. In addition, the second transfer mechanism 50 may also include a transfer frame, to which the multiple robotic fingers are connected, so that the transfer frame can drive the multiple robotic fingers to move in the horizontal and vertical directions respectively.

[0111] This application also discloses a temporary storage mechanism for a wafer 04, which includes a temporary storage cavity 61 and a lifting assembly 62. The temporary storage cavity 61 extends through both ends along a second direction, and each of its two opposing inner walls is provided with multiple layers of support platforms 612 for supporting the carrier plate 03. One end of the temporary storage cavity 61 along a third direction may also have an opening 611 for the return transmission mechanism 30 or the second transmission mechanism 20 to pass through. The lifting assembly 62 is connected to the temporary storage cavity 61 and is used to drive the temporary storage cavity 61 to move up and down along a third direction, wherein the second direction is the transmission direction of the second transmission mechanism 20, and the third direction is the direction from the temporary storage mechanism towards the second transmission mechanism 20.

[0112] It should be noted that the temporary storage mechanism here can be either the first temporary storage mechanism 60 or the second temporary storage mechanism 70 mentioned above. Their specific structures and working principles can be referred to the corresponding content above, and will not be repeated here.

[0113] This application embodiment also 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, wherein the first temporary storage mechanism 60 is the temporary storage mechanism of the aforementioned chip 04.

[0114] The plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20 are arranged along the first direction, and each second transmission mechanism is used to transmit the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 in the second direction. The plurality of return transmission mechanisms 30 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20. The plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms 60 are respectively arranged between the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20 and the plurality of return transmission mechanisms 30, and are used to temporarily store the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms 20, or the carrier board 03 with removed wafer 04 returned by the plurality of return transmission mechanisms 30.

[0115] It should be noted that the specific structure, working process, and principle of another transmission device 01 in this application embodiment are basically the same as the specific structure, working process, and principle of the transmission device 01 in the above embodiments. For details, please refer to the above-mentioned relevant content, which will not be repeated here.

[0116] Based on any of the aforementioned transmission devices 01, this application also discloses a semiconductor process apparatus. The disclosed semiconductor process apparatus includes multiple sets of process chambers 02 and any of the aforementioned transmission devices 01. The multiple sets of process chambers 02 are respectively configured with multiple second transmission mechanisms 20, and each set of process chambers 02 includes at least one layer of process chambers 02. Based on this configuration, the same process can be performed through at least one layer of process chambers 02 in each set, thereby improving efficiency.

[0117] Accordingly, at least one process chamber 02 in each group can correspond to a second transfer mechanism 20, so as to transfer the carrier plate 03 and the wafer 04 it carries between the second transfer mechanism 20 and the corresponding process chamber 02. Taking the fabrication of HJT solar cells using PECVD equipment as an example, the following is a detailed explanation:

[0118] The PECVD equipment may include four sets of process chambers 02, each set comprising two process chambers 02 arranged vertically, for a total of eight process chambers 02. Two process chambers 02 in each set perform the same deposition process, respectively for the growth of the front and back thin films of the HJT cell. Specifically, the first set of process chambers 02 is used to deposit an i-layer (i.e., a front intrinsic silicon thin film) on the front side of the wafer 04; the second set of process chambers 02 is used to deposit an i-layer (i.e., a back intrinsic silicon thin film) on the back side of the wafer 04; the third set of process chambers 02 is used to deposit an N-layer (i.e., an N-type silicon thin film) on the back side of the wafer 04; and the fourth set of process chambers 02 is used to deposit a P-layer (i.e., a P-type silicon thin film) on the front side of the wafer 04.

[0119] Each process chamber 02 may be equipped with a multi-layer heating structure to heat the multi-layer wafers 04 separately; the second temporary storage mechanism 70 serves as a transfer structure between the process chamber 02 and the second transfer mechanism 20, and can store the same number of carrier plates 03 as in the process chamber 02; the second transfer mechanism 20 can use the friction between itself and the carrier plates 03 in the second temporary storage mechanism 70 to detach the carrier plates 03 from the second temporary storage mechanism 70 and move with the second transfer mechanism 20, wherein there are four groups of the second transfer mechanism 20, each group is arranged with two transfer stations, for a total of eight transfer stations, corresponding to the eight process chambers 02 respectively; the second transfer mechanism 50 may have multi-layer mechanical fingers, which can transfer the carrier plates 03 between the process chamber 02 and the second temporary storage mechanism 70; the return mechanism 30 can... To achieve the return of empty carrier plate 03, the cycle of the return mechanism 30 for returning carrier plate 03 corresponds to the cycle of the second transfer mechanism 20 and the first temporary storage mechanism 60, respectively. The first transfer mechanism 40 can transfer wafers 04 from carrier plate 03 to the first transfer mechanism 10. After all wafers 04 on carrier plate 03 have been removed, the return mechanism 30 returns empty carrier plate 03. In addition, new wafers 04 can be transferred to empty carrier plate 03 through the loading mechanism. The return mechanism 30 returns carrier plate 03 carrying wafers 04 to the second transfer mechanism 20, and then transfers it to the corresponding process chamber 02 through the second transfer mechanism 20. Finally, the second transfer mechanism 50 transfers carrier plate 03 carrying wafers 04 from the second transfer mechanism 20 to the process chamber 02, ensuring the continuity of the process. In this embodiment, the area where the loading mechanism is located is the wafer loading area.

[0120] In the entire process, after the first set of process chambers 02 deposits the i-layer, the wafer 04 needs to be transferred to the second set of process chambers 02 for i-layer deposition. This is done by flipping the wafer 04 180° using a flipping mechanism. Similarly, after the third set of process chambers 02 deposits the N-layer, the wafer 04 needs to be transferred to the fourth set of process chambers 02 for P-layer deposition, again requiring a flipping mechanism to flip the wafer 04 180°. After the P-layer deposition process is completed, the wafer 04 is transferred out and finally unloaded by the unloading mechanism and conveyed to the corresponding basket. This completes the entire automated wafer transfer and process. In this embodiment, the area where the unloading mechanism is located is the wafer unloading area.

[0121] The specific process is as follows: after the wafer 04 in the first process chamber 02 completes the i-layer deposition, the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 in the first process chamber 02 is taken out by the second transfer mechanism 50 and transferred to the second temporary storage mechanism 70 for temporary storage. Then the second transfer mechanism 50 exits the second temporary storage mechanism 70.

[0122] The second temporary storage mechanism 70 drives the multi-layer carrier plates 03 to gradually descend, so that the carrier plate 03 at the bottom contacts the second transmission mechanism 20 and moves with the second transmission mechanism 20 under the action of friction. When a carrier plate 03 position is vacated at the rear end of the second transmission mechanism 20, the second temporary storage mechanism 70 descends again, so that the lower second layer carrier plate 03 contacts the second transmission mechanism 20 and moves with the second transmission mechanism 20. This cycle is repeated so that all the carrier plates 03 can be transmitted in sequence.

[0123] 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, thereby achieving 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.

[0124] The return mechanism 30 transfers the carrier plate 03 carrying the wafer 04 to the wafer 04 removal station. The first transfer mechanism 40 picks up the wafer 04, which will cause the wafer 04 to detach from the carrier plate 03 and transfer it to the first transfer mechanism 10, so that the wafer 04 can be transferred to the downstream position along the first direction through the first transfer mechanism 10.

[0125] As the first transfer mechanism 10 transfers the wafer 04 along the first direction, the wafer 04 is flipped 180° by the flipping mechanism, realizing the exchange of the front and back sides of the carrier board 03. The first transfer mechanism 10 then continues to transfer the flipped wafer 04 downstream. It should be noted that the wafer 04 needs to be flipped using the flipping mechanism during the fabrication of the IN and NP layers. Therefore, flipping mechanisms can be provided at the first transfer mechanism 10 between the first and second process chambers 02, and at the first transfer mechanism 10 between the third and fourth process chambers 02.

[0126] Subsequently, the first transfer mechanism 40 can transfer the surface-changing wafer 04 from the first transfer mechanism 10 to the empty carrier 03 of the next process, and the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 is returned to the second transfer mechanism 20 of the next process through the return transfer mechanism 30. It is then transferred along the second direction through the second transfer mechanism 20 to the second temporary storage mechanism 70 of the next process for temporary storage. Finally, the second transfer mechanism 50 transfers the carrier 03 carrying the wafer 04 from the second temporary storage mechanism 70 to the second set of process chambers 02 for process processing.

[0127] This process continues until the growth 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, thus completing the entire process. The carrier plate 03, carrying the wafer 04 that has completed the entire process, is then sequentially transferred via the second transfer mechanism 50, the second temporary storage mechanism 70, the second transmission mechanism 20, and the return mechanism 30. The wafer 04 that has completed the entire process is then removed from the carrier plate 03 by the unloading mechanism and transferred to the downstream basket for easy placement and subsequent transport or processing of the wafer 04.

[0128] In addition, after the wafer 04 is removed after being processed in the first set of process chambers 02, it is returned to the empty carrier board 03 by the return mechanism 30. When the empty carrier board 03 is returned to the loading mechanism, the loading mechanism loads the new wafer 04 from the basket onto the empty carrier board 03, and the carrier board 03 carrying the new wafer 04 is returned to the first temporary storage mechanism 60 by the return mechanism 30. If temporary storage is required, the carrier board 03 and the wafer 04 are temporarily stored by the first temporary storage mechanism 60. If temporary storage is not required, the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 is transferred to the second temporary storage mechanism 70 by the second transfer mechanism 20 for temporary storage. Finally, the carrier board 03 carrying the wafer 04 is transferred to the first set of process chambers 02 by the second transfer mechanism 50 for processing.

[0129] New wafers 04 can also be transferred from the empty carrier board 03 returned by the return mechanism 30 through the feeding mechanism to repeat the above process and obtain wafers 04 that have completed the entire process steps.

[0130] In summary, the transmission device 01 in this embodiment can be used to complete the transmission of wafers 04 between manufacturing processes, and is an important component in photovoltaic automated production systems, semiconductor automated production systems, etc. As the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries develop towards higher efficiency and lower costs, the production process requires minimizing pollution and debris loss caused by manual operation, while increasing the processing speed and equipment utilization of wafers 04, improving production line efficiency and capacity, and reducing the number of workers to lower the ever-increasing labor costs, ultimately reducing the production costs of photovoltaic and semiconductor products. Therefore, the transmission device 01 proposed in this embodiment can realize multi-channel loading and unloading, and connect multiple process chambers 02 in series, enabling rapid automatic loading, unloading, transmission, and flipping. It also minimizes cross-contamination of the carrier board 03 during transmission while achieving efficient recycling of the carrier board 03. It is suitable for the mass production of photovoltaic and semiconductor products and is of great significance for the automated production of photovoltaic and semiconductor products.

[0131] Furthermore, by setting a flipping device between the process chambers 02 for preparing IN and NP, the wafer 04 can be flipped, which not only meets process requirements but also improves production efficiency. The return device enables the transmission and return of the carrier 03, realizing the recycling of the carrier 03 only in the same process, effectively avoiding cross-contamination caused by the use of the carrier 03 in multiple different processes, and also improving the efficient recycling of the carrier 03. During the transmission and return 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, effectively alleviating the problem of carrier 03 accumulation and ensuring the continuous transmission of the carrier 03.

[0132] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A wafer transport apparatus, comprising: include: The system comprises a first transmission mechanism (10), multiple second transmission mechanisms (20), multiple return transmission mechanisms (30), and a first transfer mechanism (40). The first transmission mechanism (10) is used to transmit the wafer (04) in a first direction; A plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20) are arranged along the first direction, and each second transmission mechanism (20) is used to transmit a carrier plate (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 transfer mechanism (10). The plurality of return mechanisms (30) are configured in a 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 board (03) from which the wafer (04) has been removed to the corresponding second transmission mechanism (20).

2. The transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The return mechanism (30) includes 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); 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 configured to correspond to the first return component (31) and the second return component (32) for transmitting the carrier plate (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, wherein The translation component (33) includes a lifting component, a bearing component (331), and multiple sets of rolling elements (332). The carrier (331) is located below the first return assembly (31) and the second return assembly (32); Multiple sets of the rolling elements (332) are arranged along the first direction on the support member (331), each set of the rolling elements (332) is rotatably connected to the support member (331), and the rotation axis of each set of the rolling elements (332) extends along the second direction; The first return component (31) and the second return component (32) are respectively provided with a clearance space (311). One of the multiple sets of rolling bodies (332) is set in correspondence with the clearance space (311) of the first return component (31), and the other set of rolling bodies (332) is set in correspondence with the clearance space (311) of the second return component (32). The lifting component is connected to the carrier (331) and is used to drive the carrier (331) to rise or fall so that the rolling element (332) protrudes or retracts relative to the clearance space (311).

4. The transmitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein The first transmission mechanism (10) includes a first transmission component (11) and a flipping component (12); The first transmission element (11) extends along the first direction; The flipping element (12) is located in the region of the first transmission element (11) between at least two adjacent return mechanisms (30) for flipping the wafer (04) transmitted by the first transmission element (11) by 180°.

5. The transmission device according to claim 4, wherein The first transmission element (11) is provided with a receiving space (M), which is located between two adjacent return mechanisms (30); The flipping member (12) is flipped in the receiving space (M), and the flipping axis extends along the second direction; The outer peripheral surface of the flipper (12) is provided with at least one transmission notch (121) for inserting the wafer (04), the transmission notch (121) extending along the second direction.

6. The transmission device according to claim 5, wherein The flipping component (12) is a flipping wheel, and the outer circumferential surface of the flipping wheel is provided with a plurality of transmission notches (121) spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the flipping wheel.

7. The transmitting apparatus of claim 2, wherein The transmission device (01) further includes a plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms (60), which are respectively disposed between a plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20) and a plurality of return mechanisms (30), and are used to temporarily store the carrier board (03) carrying the wafer (04) transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), or the carrier board (03) that has taken away the wafer (04) 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) includes 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 set to correspond with the first return transmission component (31), and the second temporary storage station (60b) is set to correspond with the second return transmission component (32).

9. The transmitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The transmission device (01) further includes a plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms (70), which are respectively configured in correspondence with a plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20) and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier board (03) carrying the wafer (04) transmitted from a plurality of process chambers (02) or the carrier board (03) carrying the wafer (04) transmitted by a plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20).

10. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 or 7 or 9, wherein, The transmission device (01) includes a first temporary storage mechanism (60) and / or a second temporary storage mechanism (70); both the first temporary storage mechanism (60) and the second temporary storage mechanism (50) include a temporary storage cavity (61) and a lifting assembly (62). The temporary storage cavity (61) extends through both ends along the second direction. The two inner walls of the temporary storage cavity (61) are provided with multiple layers of support platforms (612) for supporting the wafer (04). The temporary storage cavity (61) has an opening (611) at one end along the third direction. The lifting assembly (62) is connected to the temporary storage cavity (61) and is used to drive the temporary storage cavity (61) to move up and down along the third direction.

11. The transmission device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The transfer device (01) further includes a plurality of second transfer mechanisms (50), which are respectively used to transfer the carrier plate (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 by, The temporary storage mechanism includes: a temporary storage cavity (61) and a lifting assembly (62); The temporary storage cavity (61) extends through both ends in the second direction, and the two inner walls of the temporary storage cavity (61) are provided with multiple layers of support platforms (612) for supporting the carrier plate (03). The temporary storage cavity (61) has an opening (611) at one end along a third direction, 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 cavity (61) and is used to drive the temporary storage cavity (61) to move up and down 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).

13. A transmitting device, comprising: include: Multiple second transmission mechanisms (20), multiple return transmission mechanisms (30), and multiple first temporary storage mechanisms (60), wherein the first temporary storage mechanism (60) is the temporary storage mechanism of the wafer (04) as described in claim 12; A plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20) are arranged along a first direction, and each second transmission mechanism (20) is used to transmit a carrier plate (03) carrying the wafer (04) in a second direction. The plurality of return mechanisms (30) are configured one-to-one with the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), and the plurality of first temporary storage mechanisms (60) are configured between the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20) and the plurality of return mechanisms (30), respectively used to temporarily store the carrier board (03) carrying the wafer (04) transmitted by the plurality of second transmission mechanisms (20), or the carrier board (03) with the wafer (04) removed transmitted by the plurality of return mechanisms (30).

14. The transmitting apparatus of claim 13, wherein, The transmission device (01) further includes a plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms (70), wherein the second temporary storage mechanism (70) is the temporary storage mechanism; Multiple second temporary storage mechanisms (70) are respectively configured in a one-to-one correspondence with multiple second transmission mechanisms (20), and are respectively used to temporarily store the carrier board (03) carrying the wafer (04) transmitted from multiple sets of process chambers (02), or the carrier board (03) carrying the wafer (04) transmitted by multiple second transmission mechanisms (20).

15. The transmitting apparatus of claim 13, wherein, The return mechanism (30) includes 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); 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 configured to correspond to the first return component (31) and the second return component (32) for transmitting the carrier plate (03) between the first return component (31) and the second return component (32) along the first direction.

16. The transmitting apparatus of claim 13, wherein, The transmission device (01) further includes 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 transmitting apparatus of claim 16, wherein, The first transmission mechanism (10) includes a first transmission component (11) and a flipping component (12); The first transmission element (11) extends along the first direction; The flipping element (12) is located in the region of the first transmission element (11) between at least two adjacent return mechanisms (30) for flipping the wafer (04) transmitted by the first transmission element (11) by 180°.

18. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized by, include: Multiple process chambers (02) and the transmission device (01) as described in any one of claims 1 to 11 or any one of claims 13 to 17; Multiple sets of the process chambers (02) are respectively provided with multiple second transmission mechanisms (20); Each group of process chambers (02) includes at least one layer of process chambers (02).

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