Integrated wafer transfer platform and control method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to an integrated wafer transfer platform and control method, wherein the integrated wafer transfer platform is composed of a mounting structure, a support structure, a wafer transfer robot structure, a wafer probe detection structure, and a wafer positioning detection structure. The present application has a high degree of integration, which can not only effectively reduce the occupied space, but also be able to circulate and transfer wafers in a wafer storage and transportation device with limited space. It can also effectively reduce the time it takes for the wafer transfer robot structure to transfer wafers between wafer probe detection and wafer positioning under the coordinated action of the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure, and the wafer positioning detection structure, thereby improving work efficiency and production efficiency; the drive structure is used to drive the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure, and the wafer positioning detection structure to perform vertical lifting and movement together through the support structure, thereby facilitating the transfer of wafers inside the wafer storage and transportation device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to an integrated wafer transfer platform and a control method. Background Art

[0002] As semiconductor manufacturing technology continues to advance, the requirements for wafer transfer equipment are also increasing. As the key substrate that supports semiconductor circuits, wafers need to be positioned and transferred efficiently and accurately throughout the manufacturing process.

[0003] Wafer transfer robots are mainly responsible for the fast and smooth transportation of wafers between different process equipment to ensure the precise positioning and transmission of wafers during the manufacturing process.

[0004] After the traditional wafer transfer robot circulates and transfers the wafers between various process equipment, it transfers the wafers to the wafer box, and then transfers the wafer box to the wafer boat through the conveying system. In this process, it is necessary to ensure that the wafer transfer robot can operate in a high-cleanliness environment, reduce the frequent contact of the wafer with the outside world before entering the furnace body and wafer boat, and save space and shorten the transfer time. Therefore, wafer transfer robots are usually used in wafer storage and transportation devices with limited space to perform operations such as wafer circulation and transmission. Since the traditional wafer transfer robot has a simple structure and does not have the function of wafer probing detection and wafer positioning detection, the degree of integration is low, resulting in low production efficiency. To this end, the present invention proposes an integrated wafer transfer platform and control method, which is suitable for internal use of wafer storage and transportation devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an integrated wafer transfer platform and control method to address the above technical issues, so as to solve the problems raised in the above background technology.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an integrated wafer transfer platform is provided, which is applied to a wafer storage and transportation device, comprising: a support structure, a wafer transfer robot structure fixedly mounted on the support structure and having a wafer box and wafer synchronous transfer function, a wafer probing detection structure fixedly mounted on the support structure, and a wafer positioning detection structure fixedly mounted on the support structure. In the process of vertically ascending from the origin position with the support structure, the wafer transfer robot structure is used to synchronously transfer the wafer box and the wafer, and transfer the wafer box to the wafer probing detection structure. After completing the wafer probing detection operation, the wafer is quickly transferred to The wafer positioning detection structure performs wafer positioning operations. The placement area of ​​the wafer probe detection structure and the placement area of ​​the wafer positioning detection structure are located at the same height to ensure the stability and transmission efficiency of the wafer during the transmission process. The wafer probe detection structure includes a pair of initial position probe sensing structures and a pair of arrival position probe sensing structures. During the wafer probe detection process, as the wafer in the wafer box is moved outward through the wafer transfer robot structure, the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure are respectively used to perform probe detection on whether the edge of the wafer in the wafer box passes through the initial detection position and the arrival detection position in sequence.

[0007] Optionally, it also includes a mounting structure and a driving structure, a driving structure is set at the lower end of the mounting structure, the output end of the driving structure is connected to the supporting structure, the mounting structure includes a slide back plate, a vertical slide and a slide upper cover, the vertical slide is fixedly installed at the front end of the slide back plate, the slide upper cover is fixedly installed at the front end of the vertical slide, and a vertical mounting gap is formed between the slide upper cover and the vertical slide, the supporting structure is slidably connected to the vertical mounting gap, and under the drive of the driving structure, the supporting structure is used to perform vertical lifting and lowering movements along the vertical mounting gap.

[0008] Optionally, the supporting structure includes a slider and a hanging basket, the slider is slidably connected to the vertical installation gap, the hanging basket is fixedly installed on the slider, and the output end of the driving structure is connected to the slider.

[0009] Optionally, the support structure further includes an electrical pipeline protection structure, and the electrical pipeline protection structure is used to protect the cables or air pipes of the driving structure that move with the slider.

[0010] Optionally, the wafer transfer robot structure includes a body fixedly mounted on a hanging basket, a multi-joint motion structure arranged on the body, and a wafer transfer robot arranged on the multi-joint motion structure, the body is a body with its own vertical transmission, the multi-joint motion structure includes N robotic arms controlled by N+1 joint axes on a horizontal plane, N is an integer greater than 0; the wafer transfer robot includes a mounting seat, a wafer clamping structure and a wafer box clamping structure, the wafer clamping structure and the wafer box clamping structure are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the mounting seat, the mounting seat is arranged on the joint axis at the uppermost end of the multi-joint motion structure, and is driven by the multi-joint motion structure to drive the mounting seat, the wafer clamping structure and the wafer box clamping structure to perform horizontal rotational motion, so as to realize the synchronous transportation of the wafer box and the wafer, and a first sensing structure is also provided on the wafer box clamping structure to detect the position and quantity of the wafers in the wafer box.

[0011] Optionally, the wafer probe detection structure also includes a wafer probe detection platform and a support and storage component. The wafer probe detection platform is fixedly mounted on the hanging basket, and the support and storage component is fixedly mounted on the wafer probe detection platform to limit and store the wafer box. Each pair of the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure are symmetrically arranged on the wafer probe detection platform and the support and storage component respectively.

[0012] Optionally, the support and storage assembly includes a pillar, a bracket and a limit block base plate, the pillar is fixedly mounted on the wafer probe detection platform, the limit block base plate is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the pillar, one end of the bracket is fixedly connected to the side of the pillar, and the other end of the bracket is provided with an initial position probe sensing structure and an arrival position probe sensing structure, and the arrival position probe sensing structure is arranged near the edge of the end of the bracket, a limit block and a boss are provided on the limit block base plate for limiting and storing the wafer box, the limit block is arranged on the side away from the wafer transfer robot structure, the boss is arranged beside the limit block, and an avoidance groove for facilitating wafer probe detection is provided on the side of the limit block base plate close to the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure.

[0013] Optionally, the wafer positioning detection structure includes a locator placement platform fixedly mounted on the hanging basket and a wafer locator fixedly mounted on the locator placement platform and used to position the wafer, and the wafer positioning table of the wafer locator and the placement area of ​​the limit block bottom plate are at the same height.

[0014] According to the second aspect of the present invention, a control method for an integrated wafer transfer platform is provided, comprising the following steps: Step 1: First, the slide back plate is firmly installed between the wafer conveyor machine working position and the window working position inside the wafer storage and transportation device, so as to flow between the wafer conveyor machine working position and the window working position where the wafer storage and transportation device is docked with the furnace body crystal boat, and the integrated wafer transfer platform is powered on; Step 2: The wafer box on the wafer conveyor machine working position is clamped by the wafer box clamping structure, and the position and quantity of the wafers in the wafer box are detected during the clamping process, and then the wafer box is transferred to the limit block bottom plate, and the wafer box is limited and stored by the limit block and the boss; Step 3: As the wafers in the wafer box move outward through the wafer transfer robot structure, the initial position detection sensing structure and the arrival position detection sensing structure are used to detect whether the edge of the wafer in the wafer box passes through the initial detection position and arrival position in turn. The detection position is used for protrusion detection. If the edge protrusion problem occurs on the wafer in the wafer box, the wafer with the edge protrusion problem is corrected by the wafer clamping structure. If the edge protrusion problem occurs on the wafer in the wafer box, step four is performed; step four: the wafer in the wafer box is transferred to the wafer positioning table of the wafer locator by the wafer clamping structure; step five: the wafer is positioned by the wafer locator, and then the positioned wafer is placed back into the wafer box by the wafer clamping structure; step six: steps four and five are repeated until all wafers have been positioned and put back into the wafer box. Driven by the driving structure, the support structure drives the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer protrusion detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure to move vertically upward until they move to the window working position where the wafer storage and transportation device is docked with the furnace body wafer boat, and the wafer in the wafer is transferred to the furnace body wafer boat through the window working position by the wafer clamping structure.

[0015] Optionally, in the step 2, before the wafer box clamping structure transfers the wafer box, the step further includes: resetting the origin of the wafer transfer robot structure.

[0016] The advantages and beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the present invention provides an integrated wafer transfer platform and control method, the integrated wafer transfer platform has a high degree of integration by integrating the mounting structure, the supporting structure, the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure, which can not only effectively reduce the occupied space, but also can circulate and transfer wafers in wafer storage and transportation devices with limited space, and can also effectively reduce the time required for the wafer transfer robot structure to transfer wafers between wafer probe detection and wafer positioning under the coordinated action of the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure. The time of a round is shortened, thereby improving work efficiency and production efficiency; at the same time, the driving structure is used to drive the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure through the supporting structure to perform vertical lifting and movement, so as to facilitate the transfer of the wafer inside the wafer storage and transportation device; by setting the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure, not only can the edge of the wafer in the wafer box be probed to detect whether it passes through the initial detection position and the arrival detection position in sequence, but also the defects or features on the wafer can be detected, so as to improve the performance and reliability of the final product, thereby reducing yield loss and ensuring smooth production. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a left view of the integrated wafer transfer platform of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the hanging basket of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the aluminum hollow rod of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged view of the integrated wafer transfer platform of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the installation position of the slider of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of the electrical pipeline protection structure of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of the wafer transfer robot of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a top view of the wafer transfer robot of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 10 It is a structural schematic diagram of the transmission structure of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the installation position of the first sensing structure of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 12 It is a structural schematic diagram of the probe detection platform of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 1: Body 1, wafer probe detection platform 2, wafer locator 3, first photoelectric sensor 4, bracket 5, limit block bottom plate 6, limit block 7, boss 8, hanging basket 9, drag chain 10, vertical slide 11, slider 12, locator placement platform 13, wafer positioning platform 14, slide cover 15, slide back plate 16, drag chain plate 17, aluminum hollow rod 18, multi-joint motion structure 19, wafer transfer robot 20, vertical installation gap 21, second photoelectric sensor 22, avoidance groove 23, ceramic chuck 24, installation Mounting seat 25, back plate 26, wafer clamp housing 27, joint shaft 28, clamp bracket 29, second clamping block 30, first clamping block 31, second support block 32, first support block 33, cylinder block 34, solenoid valve 35, main transmission rod 36, driven rotating rod 37, solenoid valve mounting frame 38, baffle 39, pneumatic cylinder 40, speed regulating valve 41, suction port 42, air guide 43, horizontal guide 44, vertical guide 45, first sensing structure 46, first fixed plate 47, second fixed plate 48, pillar 49. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and are not to be construed as limitations on the present application. In addition, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments may be combined with each other unless there is a conflict. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] Reference Attachment Figure 1-11, an integrated wafer transfer platform, used for wafer storage and transportation devices, including: an installation structure, a support structure, a wafer transfer robot structure, a wafer probe detection structure and a wafer positioning detection structure.

[0033] In this embodiment, a driving structure is provided at the lower end of the mounting structure, the output end of the driving structure is connected to the supporting structure, and the supporting structure and the mounting structure are slidingly connected. The driving structure can be an electric motor or a pneumatic cylinder, which is used to drive the supporting structure to drive the wafer transfer robot structure, wafer probe detection structure and wafer positioning detection structure thereon to perform vertical lifting and lowering movements together, so as to complete the transfer of the wafer and reset the origin of the wafer transfer robot structure.

[0034] In this embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 6 The mounting structure includes a slide back plate 16, a vertical slide 11 and a slide cover 15. The vertical slide 11 is fixedly mounted on the front end of the slide back plate 16, and the slide cover 15 is fixedly mounted on the front end of the vertical slide 11. A vertical mounting gap 21 is formed between the slide cover 15 and the vertical slide 11. The supporting structure is slidably connected to the vertical mounting gap 21. When driven by the driving structure, the supporting structure is used to perform vertical lifting and lowering movements along the vertical mounting gap 21.

[0035] Furthermore, the support structure is slidably connected to the vertical installation gap 21 formed between the slide cover 15 and the vertical slide 11, so as to effectively improve the stability and reliability of the support structure during the vertical lifting and moving process.

[0036] It should be noted that when the integrated wafer transfer platform is fixedly installed inside the wafer storage and transportation device, the slide back plate 16 can be fixedly installed on the inner wall of the wafer storage and transportation device through bolts and other fixing parts to realize the installation of the integrated wafer transfer platform.

[0037] In this embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1-2 and attached Figure 6The supporting structure includes a slider 12 and a hanging basket 9. The slider 12 is slidably connected to the vertical installation gap 21. The hanging basket 9 is fixedly installed on the slider 12. The output end of the driving structure is connected to the slider 12. The hanging basket 9 is used to integrate the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure, and is slidably connected at the vertical installation gap 21 through the slider 12. The degree of integration is high, which can not only effectively reduce the space volume occupancy rate of the integrated wafer transfer platform, but also can circulate and transport wafers in wafer storage and transportation devices with limited space. It can also realize the vertical lifting and lowering movement of the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure under the driving action of the driving structure, which is convenient for the transportation of wafers inside the wafer storage and transportation device.

[0038] For further information, see the attached Figure 4 The hanging basket 9 involved in this application is made of an aluminum hollow rod 18, wherein the aluminum hollow rod 18 is an X-shaped hollow structure, and its longitudinal cross-section is an axisymmetric structure. Moreover, in the X-axis and Y-axis directions of the longitudinal cross-section, the moment of inertia, radius of inertia, section modulus, etc. of the two are the same, which has the advantages of convenient design and connection. At the same time, the aluminum hollow rod 18 also has the significant characteristics of high strength, light weight and corrosion resistance, so as to effectively reduce the weight of the entire integrated wafer transfer platform, thereby improving the operating performance of the integrated wafer transfer platform.

[0039] In this embodiment, in order to further protect the cables or air pipes of the driving structure and ensure that they are not damaged during movement, the present application also designs an electrical pipeline protection structure, refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 7 The electrical pipeline protection structure includes a drag chain plate 17 and a drag chain 10. The drag chain plate 17 is fixedly installed on the slider 12. One end of the drag chain 10 is fixedly connected to the drag chain plate 17, and the other end is fixedly connected to the vertical slide 11. It should be noted that the cables of the driving structure or the air pipe and other cables need to be installed in the drag chain 10. On the one hand, the wiring is more neat, and on the other hand, the cables can be well protected to protect the cables from wear and pulling.

[0040] In this embodiment, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure are arranged on both sides of the wafer transfer robot structure. When the driving structure drives the support structure to move vertically upward from the origin position, the wafer transfer robot structure is used to synchronously transmit the wafer box and the wafer, and after transferring the wafer box to the wafer probe detection structure to complete the wafer probe detection operation, the wafer is quickly transferred to the wafer positioning detection structure for wafer positioning operation.

[0041] In this embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 5The wafer transfer robot structure includes a body 1 fixedly mounted on the hanging basket 9, a multi-joint motion structure 19 arranged on the body 1, and a wafer transfer robot 20 arranged on the multi-joint motion structure 19, wherein the body 1 is a body 1 with its own vertical transmission, and the multi-joint motion structure 19 includes N robotic arms controlled by N+1 joint axes on the horizontal plane, where N is an integer greater than 0; the wafer transfer robot 20 includes a mounting seat, a wafer clamping structure and a wafer box clamping structure, the wafer clamping structure and the wafer box clamping structure are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the mounting seat, the mounting seat is arranged on the joint shaft 28 at the uppermost end of the multi-joint motion structure 19, and is driven by the multi-joint motion structure 19 to drive the mounting seat, the wafer clamping structure and the wafer box clamping structure to perform horizontal rotational motion to realize the synchronous transportation of the wafer box and the wafer, and a first sensing structure 46 is also provided on the wafer box clamping structure to detect the position and quantity of the wafers in the wafer box. The wafer transfer robot structure of the present application uses precise positioning and transmission technology, which can not only ensure the high-precision transmission effect and stability of the wafer during the transmission process, but also realize the automatic execution of wafer flow and transmission tasks, effectively reducing manual intervention and thus improving production efficiency.

[0042] Furthermore, the body 1 involved in the present application is a body that can realize its own vertical transmission. The body 1 is a commercially available product, and its models include but are not limited to the UTX-FS6000 ASYST wafer semiconductor robot body, etc. It can be flexibly selected according to actual production needs. As long as it can realize its own lifting and movement, it will not be limited here.

[0043] Furthermore, the multi-joint motion structure 19 involved in the present application is composed of N robotic arms controlled by N+1 joint axes rotating on the horizontal plane, where N is an integer greater than 0, and the number of N can be flexibly selected according to actual production needs, as long as horizontal rotation movement can be achieved, and no limitation is given here. Figure 1 It can be seen that the multi-joint motion structure 19 in this embodiment includes two robotic arms controlled by three joint axes for rotation on a horizontal plane. By providing two robotic arms, horizontal transport of wafers can be achieved.

[0044] Furthermore, in order to avoid the wafer clamping structure and the wafer box clamping structure from influencing or interfering with each other in a limited space, the present application arranges the wafer clamping structure and the wafer box clamping structure on both sides of the mounting seat 25, which not only can realize the synchronous transmission of the wafer and the wafer box, but also can avoid the mutual influence or interference between the wafer clamping module and the wafer box clamping module inside the wafer storage and transportation device in a limited space, optimizes the spatial layout between the two, and improves the rationality of the spatial layout.

[0045] For further information, see the attached Figure 8 The wafer clamping structure includes a wafer clamping control module arranged inside the mounting base 25 and a wafer clamping module fixedly installed on the side of the mounting base 25. The wafer clamping control module and the wafer clamping module are connected through an air duct 43, which is used for the wafer clamping module to clamp or release the wafer by adsorption, and to control the adsorption force of the wafer clamping module by controlling the gas flow rate.

[0046] For further information, see the attached Figure 9 The wafer clamp control module may include a solenoid valve mounting frame 38, a solenoid valve 35 fixed to the solenoid valve mounting frame 38 and connected to the air duct 43, and a speed regulating valve 41 installed on the air duct 43. When the solenoid valve 35 controls the wafer clamp module to adsorb the wafer, the gas flow rate can be regulated by the speed regulating valve 41 to adjust the adsorption force of the wafer clamp module; in addition, the solenoid valve 35 also needs to be connected to an external air pump to achieve the purpose of adsorption-type clamping of the wafer.

[0047] For further information, see the attached Figure 8-9 The wafer clamp module may include a wafer clamp housing 27 fixed to the side of the mounting base 25 and a ceramic chuck 24 fixed to the wafer clamp housing 27. The wafer clamp housing 27 and the ceramic chuck 24 are respectively provided with interconnected air passages. The air passage inside the wafer clamp housing 27 is connected to the air guide tube 43. A plurality of adsorption ports 42 connected to the internal air passages of the ceramic chuck 24 are provided on the surface of the ceramic chuck to realize adsorption-type clamping or release of the wafer.

[0048] Furthermore, the wafer box clamping structure includes a wafer box clamping control module fixed to one side and a wafer box clamping module slidably connected to the wafer box clamping control module, wherein the wafer box clamping module is provided with a first sensing structure 46 for detecting the position and quantity of wafers in the wafer box.

[0049] For further information, see the attached Figure 8-9The wafer box clamping claw control module includes a back plate 26 fixed to the side of the mounting base 25, a pneumatic cylinder 40 fixed to the inside of the back plate 26, a cylinder block 34 arranged at the output shaft end of the pneumatic cylinder 40, and a transmission structure rotatably connected to the cylinder block 34 and used to drive the wafer box clamping claw module to clamp or release the wafer box. The pneumatic cylinder 40 and the cylinder block 34 are both arranged on the vertical center line of the back plate 26. In addition, in order to improve the stability of the transmission structure driven by the cylinder block 34, a vertical guide 45 is also provided inside the back plate 26. The vertical guide 45 is slidably connected to the cylinder block 34 to guide the moving direction of the cylinder block 34, so as to improve the stability of the transmission structure driven by the cylinder block 34. At the same time, in order to further improve the stability of the wafer box clamping module driven by the transmission structure, a horizontal guide 44 is also provided inside the back plate 26. The horizontal guide 44 is slidably connected to the wafer box clamping module to guide the moving direction of the wafer box clamping module, so as to improve the stability of the wafer box clamping module driven by the transmission structure.

[0050] For further information, see the attached Figure 8-9 The wafer box clamping module includes a pair of clamping brackets 29, a pair of first clamping blocks 31, a pair of first supporting blocks 33, a pair of second clamping blocks 30 and a pair of second supporting blocks 32. The pair of clamping brackets 29 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the back plate 26, and the end portion of the clamping bracket 29 close to the back plate 26 passes through the back plate 26 and is slidably connected to the back plate 26. At the same time, the clamping bracket 29 passes through the end portion of the back plate 26 and is slidably connected to the horizontal guide member 44, thereby improving the stability of the clamping bracket 29 during the reciprocating translation movement; the first clamping block 31 and the second clamping block The tightening blocks 30 are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside on the side of the clamping bracket 29 away from the back plate 26, the first support block 33 and the second support block 32 are both fixed to the clamping bracket 29, and the first support block 33 and the second support block 32 are respectively arranged below the first clamping block 31 and the second clamping block 30, so as to respectively perform clamping operations on wafer boxes of corresponding sizes, and under the coordinated action of the first support block 33 and the second support block 32, respectively, the wafer boxes of corresponding sizes can be effectively prevented from falling off during the clamping process, thereby improving the safety of wafer box transportation.

[0051] It should be noted that by setting the first clamping block 31 and the first support block 33, the second clamping block 30 and the second support block 32, it is possible to clamp two sizes of wafer boxes, such as 6-inch and 8-inch wafer boxes. In addition, the number of clamping blocks and support blocks can be flexibly set according to actual production needs. If it is necessary to clamp other or more sizes of wafer boxes, such as 12-inch wafer boxes, corresponding clamping blocks and support blocks can be arranged at the corresponding positions of the clamping jaw bracket 29, and no further limitation is given here.

[0052] For further information, see the attached Figure 10 The transmission structure includes a pair of connecting rod transmission modules arranged on both sides of the pneumatic cylinder 40, wherein the connecting rod transmission module includes a main transmission rod 36 and a driven rotating rod 37. One end of the main transmission rod 36 is rotatably connected to the cylinder block 34, and the other end is rotatably connected to the middle part of the driven rotating rod 37. The two end portions of the driven rotating rod 37 are respectively fixed to the clamping jaw bracket 29 to drive the clamping jaw bracket 29 to perform reciprocating translational motion.

[0053] For further information, see the attached Figure 11 In order to protect the wafers in the wafer box, a baffle 39 can be set on the side of the back plate 26 facing the wafer box. At the same time, a first sensing structure 46 is fixed on the baffle 39. The layout position of the first sensing structure 46 corresponds to the position of the wafers in the wafer box, so as to improve the detection accuracy of the position and quantity of the wafers in the wafer box.

[0054] Furthermore, the first sensing structure 46 may adopt FU18M optical fiber sensors, and 25 FU18M optical fiber sensors may be installed in a stepped manner on both sides of the center line in the vertical direction of the baffle 39. It should be noted that the number of FU18M optical fiber sensors corresponds to the maximum carrying capacity of the wafers in the wafer box, that is, the maximum carrying capacity of wafers in wafer boxes of different sizes is 25 pieces, and the distance between two adjacent wafers in the wafer box is the same. Therefore, after completing the arrangement of 25 FU18M optical fiber sensors at the corresponding positions of the wafers in the wafer box, it can be used to detect the position and quantity of wafers in wafer boxes of different sizes, and the detection range is wider.

[0055] Furthermore, the optical fiber in the FU18M fiber optic sensor has a diameter of 1mm, and the cross-section of the sensor's detection end is a rectangular structure with a length of 2mm and a width of 1.5mm. The FU18M fiber optic sensor's operating principle for detecting the position and number of wafers within a wafer cassette includes the following: When the wafer cassette's gripper module grips the wafer cassette, the FU18M fiber optic sensor's light source emits a light beam, which is transmitted via the optical fiber to the sensor's detection end. When a wafer blocks the light beam, the beam undergoes total reflection at the wafer edge, forming a transmission path for the optical signal. This determines that a wafer is present in the corresponding recess of the wafer cassette. Otherwise, the sensor determines that no wafer is present in the corresponding recess. This total reflection allows the optical signal to propagate through the optical fiber without scattering or absorption, thereby achieving long-distance, highly sensitive signal transmission. Furthermore, by counting the number of wafers present, the wafer count can be determined, completing the process of detecting the position and number of wafers within the cassette.

[0056] In this embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1The wafer probe detection structure includes a wafer probe detection platform 2, a support and storage component, a pair of initial position probe sensing structures and a pair of arrival position probe sensing structures. The wafer probe detection platform 2 is fixedly installed on the hanging basket 9, and the support and storage component is fixedly installed on the wafer probe detection platform 2 to limit and store the wafer box. Each pair of the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure are symmetrically arranged on the wafer probe detection platform and the support and storage component. During the wafer probe detection process, when the wafer box is placed on the wafer probe detection structure, the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure are respectively used to perform probe detection on whether the edge of the wafer in the wafer box passes through the initial detection position and the arrival detection position in sequence.

[0057] In this embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 6 and attached Figure 12 The support and storage assembly includes a pillar 49, a bracket 5 and a limit block base plate 6. The pillar 49 is fixedly mounted on the wafer probe detection platform 2, and the limit block base plate 6 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the pillar 49. One end of the bracket 5 is fixedly connected to the side of the pillar 49, and the other end of the bracket 5 is provided with an initial position probe sensing structure and an arrival position probe sensing structure, and the arrival position probe sensing structure is arranged near the edge of the bracket end. A limit block 7 and a boss 8 are provided on the limit block base plate 6 for limiting and storing the wafer box. The limit block 7 is arranged on the side away from the wafer transfer robot structure, and the boss 8 is arranged beside the limit block 7. The side of the limit block base plate 6 close to the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure is provided with an avoidance groove 23 for facilitating wafer probe detection.

[0058] Furthermore, a support 49 is fixedly mounted on the wafer protrusion detection platform 2, and a bracket 5 and a limit block base plate 6 are fixedly mounted on the support 49, wherein both the support 49 and the bracket 5 can be made of the aforementioned aluminum hollow rod 18 to improve the stability of the overall structure. In addition, a limit block 7 and a boss 8 are provided on the limit block base plate 6, and the synergistic effect of the two can achieve the limiting and storage of the wafer box. At the same time, each pair of initial position protrusion sensing structures and arrival position protrusion sensing structures are symmetrically arranged at the relative positions of the wafer protrusion detection platform 2 and the bracket 5, respectively, which can realize the protrusion detection of the wafer edge, that is, used to detect wafers protruding outward to prevent them from breaking or being damaged, thereby reducing production losses and ensuring smooth production.

[0059] For further information, see the attached Figure 12The initial position detection sensing structure includes a pair of first fixing plates 47 and a pair of first photoelectric sensors 4. The arrival position detection sensing structure includes a pair of second fixing plates 48 and a pair of second photoelectric sensors 22. Each pair of first fixing plates 47 and each pair of second fixing plates 48 are symmetrically arranged relative to the wafer detection platform 2 and the bracket 5. The first photoelectric sensor 4 is fixedly mounted on the first fixing plate 47, and the second photoelectric sensor 22 is fixedly mounted on the second fixing plate 48. The first photoelectric sensor 4 and the second photoelectric sensor 22 can be EX-13A photoelectric sensors. The EX-13A photoelectric sensor has an NPN output and two open collector / bright light output modes. It uses a red LED as a light source and has an IP67 protection rating, effectively preventing the intrusion of dust and water. Its operating principle is based on the photoelectric effect. The EX-13A photoelectric sensor specifically consists of a transmitter, a receiver, and a detection circuit. The transmitter emits a light beam, the receiver receives the reflected or transmitted light signal, and the detection circuit converts the change in light intensity into an electrical signal. During wafer edge detection, the EX-13A photoelectric sensor can not only accurately locate the edge of the wafer and perform wafer edge detection, but also detect defects or features on the wafer. It can detect defects by comparing the image of the chip to be inspected with the image of the adjacent chip. If there are no defects on the wafer, it can be determined through digital signals, thereby improving the performance and reliability of the final product.

[0060] For further information, see the attached Figure 12As the wafer cassette is placed on the stop block base, the initial position detection sensing structure and the arrival position detection sensing structure detect whether the edges of the wafers in the cassette have passed through the initial detection position and the arrival detection position, respectively. The operating principle is as follows: When the wafer cassette is placed on the stop block base and the wafers in the cassette are protruded outward by the wafer transfer robot structure, the edges of the wafers enter the detection range formed by the two pairs of EX-13A photoelectric sensors. The edges of the wafers then pass through the detection range of the first photoelectric sensor 4 on the inner side and the second photoelectric sensor 22 on the outer side. When the edge of the wafer first reaches the detection range of the first photoelectric sensor 4 on the inner side, the first photoelectric sensor 4 on the inner side will detect the presence of the wafer and send an output signal of the initial detection position. This output signal indicates that the inner edge of the wafer has reached the initial detection position. Subsequently, the wafer transfer robot structure drives the wafer to continue to move outward, and the edge of the wafer continues to move until it reaches the detection range of the second photoelectric sensor 22 on the outer side. The second photoelectric sensor 22 on the outer side will detect the presence of the wafer and send an output signal of reaching the detection position. This output signal indicates that the inner edge of the wafer has reached the detection position. By transmitting these two output signals to an external control system, the control system will process the two output signals and calculate the wafer's protrusion amount. If the wafer's protrusion amount is within the preset range, the wafer position is considered correct; if the protrusion amount exceeds the preset range, the wafer position is considered incorrect and needs to be adjusted or an alarm is issued.

[0061] In this embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 3 and attached Figure 5 The wafer positioning detection structure includes a locator placement platform 13 fixedly mounted on the hanging basket 9 and a wafer locator 3 fixedly mounted on the locator placement platform 13 and used to position the wafer. The wafer positioning table 14 of the wafer locator 3 and the placement area of ​​the limit block base plate 6 are located at the same height.

[0062] Furthermore, in order to achieve precise positioning of the wafer to ensure the accuracy and consistency of subsequent processing steps, the present application also provides a wafer locator 3. Specifically, each wafer has a notch, and the wafer can be positioned through this notch. In the process of positioning the wafer, the wafer is first placed on the wafer positioning table 14 of the wafer locator 3 through the wafer transfer robot structure, and then the wafer is driven to rotate by the wafer locator 3. By detecting the position of this notch, the wafer is adjusted to a preset position, specifically adjusted so that the notch position of the wafer corresponds to the preset position, thereby ensuring the accuracy and consistency of the wafer in subsequent processing steps.

[0063] Furthermore, the wafer locator 3 involved in this application is a commercially available product, and its models include but are not limited to HAL200V-0408S_Aligner calibrator, etc., which can be flexibly selected according to actual production needs. As long as wafer positioning can be achieved, no further limitation is made here.

[0064] In this embodiment, the present application also provides a control method for an integrated wafer transfer platform, comprising the following steps.

[0065] Step 1: First, firmly install the slide back plate 16 between the wafer conveyor work station and the window work station inside the wafer storage and transportation device, so that it can flow between the wafer conveyor work station and the window work station where the wafer storage and transportation device is docked with the furnace body crystal boat, and power on the integrated wafer transfer platform.

[0066] Furthermore, in order to realize the transfer process of wafers between the wafer conveyor workstation and the window workstation, the length of the vertical slide 11 involved in this application needs to be the same as the distance between the wafer conveyor workstation and the window workstation.

[0067] Step 2: Clamp the wafer box on the working position of the wafer conveyor through the wafer box clamping structure, and detect the position and quantity of the wafers in the wafer box during the clamping process, and then transfer the wafer box to the limit block bottom plate 6, and limit and store the wafer box through the limit block 7 and the boss 8.

[0068] Furthermore, before the wafer box clamping structure transfers the wafer box, it also includes: resetting the origin of the wafer transfer robot structure, which specifically includes the following steps: first, the wafer transfer robot structure receives the signal from the overhead crane transporting the wafer transfer machine to the working position; then, the wafer transfer robot structure needs to determine whether it is in the origin position. The judgment method can be achieved by setting a position sensor at the origin position, such as an optical position sensor, to monitor whether the wafer transfer robot structure is in the origin position, which has the characteristics of high precision and fast response; if the wafer transfer robot structure is not in the origin position, the drive structure can drive the wafer transfer robot structure to move vertically downward until it returns to the origin position, and then the wafer box clamping operation is performed.

[0069] Step 3: As the wafers in the wafer box are moved outward through the wafer transfer robot structure, the initial position detection sensing structure and the arrival position detection sensing structure are used to detect whether the edges of the wafers in the wafer box have passed through the initial detection position and the arrival detection position in turn. If the wafers in the wafer box have edge detection problems, the wafers with edge detection problems are corrected through the wafer clamping structure. If the wafers in the wafer box do not have edge detection problems, proceed to step 4.

[0070] Step 4: The wafers in the wafer box are transferred to the wafer positioning table 14 of the wafer positioner 3 by the wafer clamping structure.

[0071] Furthermore, through the coordinated action of the machine body 1 with its own vertical transmission, the multi-joint motion structure 19 and the wafer clamping structure, the operation of transferring the wafers in the wafer box to the wafer positioning table 14 of the wafer positioner 3 can be achieved.

[0072] Step 5: Position the wafer using the wafer positioner 3, and then place the positioned wafer back into the wafer box using the wafer clamping structure.

[0073] Furthermore, when placing the positioned wafer back into the wafer box, it is also necessary to utilize the coordinated effect of the body 1, the multi-joint motion structure 19 and the wafer clamping structure to achieve this.

[0074] Step 6: Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all wafers have been positioned and placed back into the wafer box. Driven by the drive structure, the support structure drives the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure to move vertically upward until they move to the window working position where the wafer storage and transportation device is docked with the furnace body wafer boat, and the wafers in the wafer box are transferred to the furnace body wafer boat through the window working position by the wafer clamping structure.

[0075] Furthermore, after completing all wafer positioning processing, the slider 12 and the wafer transfer robot structure, wafer probe detection structure and wafer positioning detection structure integrated thereon can be driven by the driving action of the driving structure to move vertically upward, and after reaching the window working position where the transport device is docked with the furnace body crystal boat, the positioning processed wafers are sent into the window where the wafer storage and transport device is docked with the furnace body crystal boat by utilizing the coordinated action of the body 1, the multi-joint motion structure 19 and the wafer clamping structure, thereby completing the wafer transfer process inside the wafer storage and transport device.

[0076] Furthermore, in order to improve the transmission efficiency of wafers inside the wafer storage and transportation device, the driving structure can also drive the slider 12 and the wafer transfer robot structure, wafer probe detection structure and wafer positioning detection structure integrated thereon to perform vertical upward movement, thereby completing the wafer probe detection and wafer positioning operations, so as to effectively improve the transmission efficiency of wafers inside the wafer storage and transportation device.

[0077] The above is a further detailed description of the present invention in conjunction with specific embodiments, and the specific implementation of the present invention cannot be considered to be limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, several simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all of these should be considered to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated wafer transfer platform, used for wafer storage and transportation, characterized in that: include: A support structure, a wafer transfer robot structure fixedly mounted on the support structure and having a wafer box and wafer synchronous transfer function, a wafer probing detection structure fixedly mounted on the support structure, and a wafer positioning detection structure fixedly mounted on the support structure. In the process of vertically ascending from the origin position with the support structure, the wafer transfer robot structure is used to synchronously transfer the wafer box and the wafer, and after transferring the wafer box to the wafer probing detection structure to complete the wafer probing detection operation, the wafer is quickly transferred to the wafer positioning detection structure for wafer positioning operation. The wafer The placement area of ​​the probe detection structure and the placement area of ​​the wafer positioning detection structure are located at the same height to ensure the stability and transmission efficiency of the wafer during the transmission process. The wafer probe detection structure includes a pair of initial position probe sensing structures and a pair of arrival position probe sensing structures. During the wafer probe detection process, as the wafer in the wafer box is probed outward by the wafer transfer robot structure, the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure are used to respectively perform probe detection on whether the edge of the wafer in the wafer box passes through the initial detection position and the arrival detection position in sequence; It also includes a mounting structure and a driving structure, a driving structure is arranged at the lower end of the mounting structure, an output end of the driving structure is connected to a supporting structure, the mounting structure includes a slide back plate, a vertical slide and a slide cover, the vertical slide is fixedly mounted on the front end of the slide back plate, the slide cover is fixedly mounted on the front end of the vertical slide, and a vertical mounting gap is formed between the slide cover and the vertical slide, the supporting structure is slidably connected to the vertical mounting gap, and under the drive of the driving structure, the supporting structure is used to perform vertical lifting and lowering movements along the vertical mounting gap.

2. The integrated wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting structure includes a slider and a hanging basket. The slider is slidably connected to the vertical installation gap. The hanging basket is fixedly installed on the slider. The output end of the driving structure is connected to the slider.

3. The integrated wafer transfer platform according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support structure further includes an electrical pipeline protection structure, which is used to protect the cables or air pipes of the driving structure that move with the slider.

4. The integrated wafer transfer platform according to claim 2, characterized in that: The wafer transfer robot structure includes a body fixedly mounted on a hanging basket, a multi-joint motion structure arranged on the body, and a wafer transfer robot arranged on the multi-joint motion structure. The body is a body with its own vertical transmission. The multi-joint motion structure includes N robotic arms controlled by N+1 joint axes in a horizontal plane, where N is an integer greater than 0; the wafer transfer robot includes a mounting seat, a wafer clamping structure, and a wafer box clamping structure. The wafer clamping structure and the wafer box clamping structure are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the mounting seat. The mounting seat is arranged on the joint axis at the uppermost end of the multi-joint motion structure. Under the drive of the multi-joint motion structure, the mounting seat, the wafer clamping structure, and the wafer box clamping structure are driven to perform horizontal rotational motion to realize the synchronous transportation of the wafer box and the wafer. A first sensing structure is also provided on the wafer box clamping structure to detect the position and quantity of the wafers in the wafer box.

5. The integrated wafer transfer platform according to claim 2, characterized in that: The wafer probe detection structure also includes a wafer probe detection platform and a support and storage component. The wafer probe detection platform is fixedly installed on the hanging basket, and the support and storage component is fixedly installed on the wafer probe detection platform to limit and store the wafer box. Each pair of the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure are symmetrically arranged on the wafer probe detection platform and the support and storage component.

6. The integrated wafer transfer platform according to claim 5, characterized in that: The support and storage assembly includes a pillar, a bracket and a limit block base plate, the pillar is fixedly installed on the wafer probe detection platform, the limit block base plate is fixedly installed on the upper end of the pillar, one end of the bracket is fixedly connected to the side of the pillar, and the other end of the bracket is provided with an initial position probe sensing structure and an arrival position probe sensing structure, and the arrival position probe sensing structure is arranged near the edge of the bracket end, a limit block and a boss are provided on the limit block base plate for limiting and storing the wafer box, the limit block is arranged on the side away from the wafer transfer robot structure, the boss is arranged beside the limit block, and an avoidance groove for facilitating wafer probe detection is provided on the side of the limit block base plate close to the initial position probe sensing structure and the arrival position probe sensing structure.

7. The integrated wafer transfer platform according to claim 6, characterized in that: The wafer positioning detection structure includes a locator placement platform fixedly mounted on the hanging basket and a wafer locator fixedly mounted on the locator placement platform and used to position the wafer. The wafer positioning table of the wafer locator and the placement area of ​​the limit block bottom plate are located at the same height.

8. The control method of an integrated wafer transfer platform according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The steps include: Step 1: First, securely install the slide backing plate between the wafer transfer machine workstation and the window workstation inside the wafer storage and transport unit. This allows for transfer between the wafer transfer machine workstation and the window workstation where the wafer storage and transport unit docks with the furnace body wafer boat. Power on the integrated wafer transfer platform. Step 2: The wafer cassette on the wafer transfer machine working position is clamped by the wafer cassette clamping structure, and the position and quantity of the wafers in the wafer cassette are detected during the clamping process. The wafer cassette is then transferred to the limit block bottom plate, and the wafer cassette is limited and stored by the limit block and the boss; Step 3: As the wafers in the wafer cassette are protruded outward by the wafer transfer robot structure, the initial position protrusion sensing structure and the arrival position protrusion sensing structure are used to detect whether the edges of the wafers in the wafer cassette have passed through the initial detection position and the arrival detection position in sequence. If the wafers in the wafer cassette have edge protrusion problems, the wafers with edge protrusion problems are corrected by the wafer gripper structure. If the wafers in the wafer cassette do not have edge protrusion problems, step 4 is performed. Step 4: The wafer in the wafer box is transferred to the wafer positioning table of the wafer positioner through the wafer clamping structure; Step 5: Position the wafer using the wafer positioner, and then place the positioned wafer back into the wafer box using the wafer gripper structure; Step 6: Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all wafers have been positioned and placed back into the wafer box. Driven by the drive structure, the support structure drives the wafer transfer robot structure, the wafer probe detection structure and the wafer positioning detection structure to move vertically upward until they move to the window working position where the wafer storage and transportation device is docked with the furnace body wafer boat, and the wafers in the wafer box are transferred to the furnace body wafer boat through the window working position by the wafer clamping structure.

9. The control method of the integrated wafer transfer platform according to claim 8, characterized in that: In the step 2, before the wafer box clamping structure transfers the wafer box, the step also includes: resetting the origin of the wafer transfer robot structure.

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