Automatic transition glove box

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic transition glove box which comprises a main box body and operation gloves arranged on the side face of the main box body, a main transition cabin is arranged below the main box body, the main transition cabin is communicated with the main box body in a sealing mode, a filling bottle lifting mechanism is arranged in the main transition cabin, and the filling bottle lifting mechanism is driven by a driving device to drive filling bottles to enter and exit from the main box body. Through cooperation of the filling bottle lifting mechanism and the driving device, automatic feeding and discharging of filling bottles are achieved, the complexity and time consumption of manual carrying are greatly reduced, and the lower space is better utilized; by adopting an up-and-down in-and-out mode, butt joint of canning valves is easier and more convenient to operate, and the production efficiency is improved; not only is the flexibility of manual operation maintained, but also the automation level is improved. In the filling process, if tools are needed, an operator does not need to take out the filling bottle for re-operation and can carry out treatment through the auxiliary transition cabin, so that the problems of production interruption and low efficiency are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor production equipment, and in particular to an automatic transition glove box. Background Art

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, thin film deposition technology is one of the key processes for manufacturing high-performance semiconductor devices, mainly including physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD). Precursors play a vital role in this process. They are the main raw materials for semiconductor thin film deposition processes and can be used to prepare metal, oxide, nitride films, etc. These films are used to manufacture wafers or silicon wafers, as well as transistors, capacitors and other devices, thereby realizing the functions of chips.

[0003] Semiconductor precursors are a class of compounds with special chemical structures and properties. They are easily affected by moisture and oxygen, which can cause chemical reactions in the precursors, generate impurities or change their chemical properties, thus affecting the quality and performance of the final film. In addition, moisture and oxygen may also introduce contaminants, further affecting the manufacturing process and product quality of semiconductor devices. Therefore, glove boxes are often used in the prior art to fill precursors.

[0004] The traditional glove box includes a main box and operating gloves on one side. The main box isolates moisture and oxygen. In order to achieve a better isolation effect, a transition chamber is often added on the side, which can be sealed and connected to the main box. However, in the semiconductor field, in the process of filling precursors in traditional glove boxes, the process of sending the filling bottles from the transition chamber to the main box is time-consuming and laborious to carry with operating gloves. Moreover, after the filling bottles are sent in, other operating tools cannot be sent in again during the filling process of the closed main box. If tools are needed during the filling process, the filling bottles need to be taken out and re-operated, which is extremely inconvenient and has low production efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, an automatic transition glove box is provided, which includes a main box body and operating gloves arranged on the side of the main box body. The operating gloves are inserted into the main box body through the glove opening to operate the filling bottles in the main box body. A main transition cabin is provided under the main box body. The main transition cabin can be sealed with the main box body. A filling bottle lifting mechanism is provided in the main transition cabin. The filling bottle lifting mechanism drives the filling bottles in and out of the main box body under the drive of the driving device.

[0006] Preferably, a plurality of compartments are provided in the main transition compartment, and each compartment can accommodate a filling bottle.

[0007] Preferably, a pair of cabins are symmetrically arranged in the main transition cabin, and the pair of cabins are arranged side by side.

[0008] Preferably, the lifting mechanism comprises lifting platforms corresponding to the number of cabins, and each lifting platform is arranged in one cabin.

[0009] Preferably, a scale is provided in the lifting platform.

[0010] Preferably, the filling bottle lifting mechanism further comprises slide rails arranged on both sides of the lifting platform, and the lifting platform moves along the extending direction of the slide rails.

[0011] Preferably, an explosion-proof box is provided on the side of the main box body, and the explosion-proof box detects the gas pressure in the main box body.

[0012] Preferably, a secondary transition compartment sealably connected to the main box body is provided on the outer side of the main box body.

[0013] Preferably, the volume of the secondary transition tank is smaller than that of the main transition tank.

[0014] Preferably, a slidable tray is provided in the main box.

[0015] According to the automatic transition glove box of the embodiment of the present invention, the automatic entry and exit of the filling bottles is realized through the cooperation of the filling bottle lifting mechanism and the driving device, which not only greatly reduces the tediousness and time-consuming manual handling, but also makes better use of the space below. The up and down entry and exit method makes it easier to operate the canned valves, thereby improving production efficiency. This design of the glove box retains the flexibility of manual operation and improves the level of automation. If tools are needed during filling, the operator does not need to take out the filling bottle and re-operate, but can handle it through the auxiliary transition compartment, thereby avoiding production interruptions and inefficiencies.

[0016] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the technology as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A front view of an automatic transition glove box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 A side view of an automatic transition glove box according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to further illustrate the present invention.

[0020] First, combine Figure 1 , 2The automatic transition glove box according to an embodiment of the present invention is widely used in manufacturing, experiment and other scenarios where it is necessary to isolate some easily reactive components in the air. In this embodiment, the production of precursors in semiconductor manufacturing needs to be isolated from moisture and oxygen as an example.

[0021] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the automatic transition glove box of the embodiment of the present invention comprises a main box body 1, operating gloves arranged on the side of the main box body 1, a main transition compartment 2 below the main box body 1, and a filling bottle lifting mechanism.

[0022] Specifically, Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the main box 1 is used as the main operating environment, providing a space that isolates moisture and oxygen to protect the semiconductor precursor from the external environment. The operating gloves extend into the main box 1 through the glove port 11 to operate the filling bottle in the main box 1, which is arranged on the side of the main box 1, allowing the operator to manually operate the items in the main box 1 while maintaining environmental isolation. The common main transition cabin 2 is designed on the left and right sides of the operator, and can be sealed with the main box 1. After isolating moisture and oxygen by vacuuming, the transition cabin is connected to the main box 1 to send items that need to be tested or produced. However, in this embodiment, semiconductor manufacturing is designed, taking the filling of precursors into the filling bottles as an example, the filling system involves multiple pipelines and valves, and complex steps are required to ensure the purity and quality of the precursor filling. Therefore. The more complex filling system is often located above the main box 1, which is also convenient for the operator to operate the valve. However, the traditional transition cabin is designed on the side of the main box 1, and the entry and exit of the filling bottles is very inconvenient and difficult to operate. In this embodiment, the main transition cabin 2 is designed to be below the main box body 1. Its height is convenient for the operator to operate normally, and the space below can be better utilized. A filling bottle lifting mechanism is arranged inside. The filling bottle lifting mechanism drives the filling bottles in and out of the main box under the drive of the driving device. The up and down entry and exit method is adopted, which makes it easier to operate the canning valves, thereby greatly improving production efficiency.

[0023] Preferably, a plurality of chambers 21 are provided in the main transition chamber 2, and each chamber 21 can accommodate a filling bottle. By providing a plurality of chambers 21, a plurality of filling bottles can be accommodated at the same time, thereby realizing batch processing. This can not only improve production efficiency, but also reduce the frequent transfer of filling bottles between the transition chamber and the main box body 1, thereby reducing operation complexity and time cost.

[0024] Preferably, a pair of cabins 21 are symmetrically arranged in the main transition cabin 2, and the pair of cabins 21 are arranged side by side. For the existing precursor production requirements and the operating efficiency of a technical staff at a workstation, designing a pair of cabins 21 can meet the efficiency requirements and the observation and operation of the operator, and meet the convenience and safety. The symmetrical arrangement of the cabins 21 can balance the weight of the transition cabin and reduce mechanical wear or instability caused by uneven weight.

[0025] Preferably, the lifting mechanism comprises lifting platforms 3 corresponding to the number of cabins 21, and each lifting platform 3 is arranged in a cabin 21. Each cabin 21 corresponds to a lifting platform 3, which can ensure that each filling bottle can be lifted and lowered independently and smoothly, and can be adapted to filling bottles of different models, with high flexibility. This avoids possible mutual interference or collision between multiple filling bottles on the same lifting platform 3, and improves the stability and safety of the operation.

[0026] Preferably, a scale is provided inside the lifting platform 3, which can monitor the weight of the filling bottle in real time, so as to determine whether the filling amount is accurate; this is crucial for the accurate filling of semiconductor precursors and helps to ensure the quality and performance of the final product.

[0027] Preferably, the filling bottle lifting mechanism further includes slide rails 31 provided on both sides of the lifting platform 3, and the lifting platform 3 moves along the extending direction of the slide rails 31. The design of the slide rails 31 enables the lifting platform 3 to move smoothly along a fixed path, reducing operational errors caused by shaking or deviation. At the same time, the slide rails 31 also provide a guiding function for the lifting platform 3, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the lifting process.

[0028] Preferably, an explosion-proof box 4 is provided on the side of the main box 1, and the explosion-proof box 4 detects the gas pressure in the main box 1. When the pressure is abnormal, timely measures are taken to prevent the occurrence of explosion accidents. This is crucial for the safe filling of semiconductor precursors and helps to protect the life safety of operators and the safe operation of equipment.

[0029] Preferably, a secondary transition chamber 5 sealably connected to the main box 1 is provided on the outside of the main box 1. The secondary transition chamber 5 provides an additional buffer zone, so that other work can still be carried out in and out of the main box 1 during the filling of the filling bottle, which increases the flexibility and convenience of the entire production process.

[0030] Preferably, the volume of the auxiliary transition chamber 5 is smaller than that of the main transition chamber 2. For most tools, the volume is much smaller than that of the filling bottle. The smaller volume of the auxiliary transition chamber 5 can reach the required pressure or temperature conditions more quickly, thereby shortening the pretreatment time. In addition, according to the size of the objects entering and exiting the main box body 1, the main transition chamber 2 or the auxiliary transition chamber 5 can be adaptively selected, which provides a more flexible selection space for the glove box. It is not better to use a larger main transition chamber 2 for smaller tools, which means less material and energy consumption, and helps to reduce production costs.

[0031] Preferably, a slidable tray 6 is provided in the main box 1, and the slidable tray 6 allows the operator to more conveniently move and position the filling bottles or other operating tools, which improves the flexibility and convenience of operation, helps to reduce the operation time and improve production efficiency.

[0032] When in use, firstly, the main transition cabin 2 is vacuumed to remove the air and impurities in the cabin. After the vacuum degree reaches the requirement, the main transition cabin 2 is filled with inert gas, and the filling bottle is placed in the cabin 21 of the main transition cabin 2. The filling bottle is located above the lifting platform 3. The main transition cabin 2 is treated in the same way to isolate oxygen and water, etc.; the driving device of the lifting mechanism is started, so that the corresponding lifting platform 3 extends along the slide rail 31 into the main transition cabin 2, and the filling bottle is lifted. After the lifting platform 3 smoothly delivers the filling bottle into the main box body 1, the operator performs the filling operation by operating gloves and cooperating with the filling system. During the filling process, the weight of the filling bottle can be monitored in real time to ensure the accuracy of the filling amount. After the filling is completed, the lifting platform 3 again sends the filling bottle from the main box body 1 back to the main transition cabin 2. After sealing the main box body 1, the main transition cabin 2 is opened to take out the filling bottle for subsequent processing or storage.

[0033] Above, refer to Figure 1 , 2 The automatic transition glove box according to the embodiment of the present invention is described. Through the cooperation of the filling bottle lifting mechanism and the driving device, the filling bottles can be automatically put in and out, which not only greatly reduces the tediousness and time-consuming of manual handling, but also makes better use of the space below. By adopting the up and down entry and exit method, it is easier to connect the valve of the canned bottle at the output end of the filling system during operation, thereby improving production efficiency. This design of the glove box retains the flexibility of manual operation and improves the level of automation. If tools are needed during filling, the operator does not need to take out the filling bottle and re-operate, but can handle it through the auxiliary transition compartment 5, thereby avoiding production interruption and inefficiency.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, “plurality” means two or more than two; the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, “inner”, “outer”, “top”, and “bottom” are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that, in this specification, the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprises..." do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements.

[0036] Although the content of the present invention has been described in detail through the above preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the above description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention. After reading the above content, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and substitutions of the present invention will occur. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic transition glove box, comprising a main box body and operating gloves arranged on the side of the main box body, wherein the operating gloves extend into the main box body through the glove opening to operate the filling bottles in the main box body, characterized in that: A main transition compartment is provided below the main box body, and the main transition compartment can be sealedly connected to the main box body. A filling bottle lifting mechanism is provided in the main transition compartment, and the filling bottle lifting mechanism drives the filling bottles in and out of the main box body under the drive of the driving device.

2. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of compartments are arranged in the main transition compartment, and each of the compartments can accommodate a filling bottle.

3. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 2, characterized in that: A pair of cabins are symmetrically arranged in the main transition cabin, and the pair of cabins are arranged side by side.

4. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism comprises lifting platforms corresponding to the number of the cabins, and each of the lifting platforms is arranged in a cabin.

5. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 4, characterized in that: A scale is arranged inside the lifting platform.

6. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The filling bottle lifting mechanism also includes slide rails arranged on both sides of the lifting platform, and the lifting platform moves along the extending direction of the slide rails.

7. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 1, characterized in that: An explosion-proof box is arranged on the side of the main box body, and the explosion-proof box detects the gas pressure in the main box body.

8. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 1, characterized in that: An auxiliary transition compartment sealably connected to the main box body is provided on the outer side of the main box body.

9. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 8, characterized in that: The volume of the auxiliary transition compartment is smaller than that of the main transition compartment.

10. The automatic transition glove box according to claim 9, characterized in that: A slidable tray is provided in the main box.

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