Wafer cassette loading apparatus compatible with multiple wafer sizes and method of use

Abstract

The application discloses a wafer box loading equipment compatible with multiple sizes of wafers and an application method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing. The application comprises a main body frame and a detection table. The wafer box is driven to ascend and descend through a liftable loading platform, and is integrated with an RFID (radio frequency identification) detector, a POD (semiconductor wafer carrier) door opening mechanism, a material box type identification module (containing a tab sensor), a mapping detection mechanism and a fragment receiving plate. The core innovation lies in that the wafer size type can be automatically distinguished, the wafer position can be accurately positioned, the buckle fixing, the anti-fouling design and the exhaust clean design are combined, and high efficient compatible processing and pollution control are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a wafer box loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes and an application method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Clean wafer transport is crucial in semiconductor manufacturing, and the Standard Mechanical Interface Facility (SMIF) system is key to achieving this. Currently, mainstream SMIF loading equipment is primarily designed for eight-inch wafers and has significant compatibility limitations, making it incapable of meeting the production requirements of six-inch wafers. This forces fabs to equip separate equipment for different wafer sizes, increasing production costs and complexity.

[0003] Existing technical solutions, such as disclosed technologies CN220106459U and CN220856529U, suffer from insufficient reliability and contamination risks in key links. Specifically, these devices generally only have a single cassette presence or placement detection sensor (such as a container detection sensor or placement sensor), which can only detect the presence of the base plate, but cannot simultaneously and effectively determine whether the POD (semiconductor wafer carrier) housing is in place and not skewed. Because the POD base plate must be separated from the housing during operation, this single-point detection mechanism is prone to misjudging the device status. There is a risk of performing wafer placement operations when the cassette is not fully in place or in an abnormal state, which may lead to device failure or wafer damage. In addition, the lifting mechanism (such as the ball screw) of existing equipment lacks effective protective measures, and the screw grease is prone to splashing during operation, posing a risk of wafer contamination. At the same time, the lubricating oil accumulated on the lifting rail 113 after long-term use may drip and contaminate the clean area within the equipment.

[0004] When it comes to wafer status detection, existing mapping inspection mechanisms typically employ overly wide detection schemes (e.g., sensors must cover the entire height of the cassette). This results in significant signal attenuation, suboptimal detection results, false alarms, and insufficient positioning accuracy, impacting the accuracy and efficiency of subsequent robotic wafer removal. In summary, existing SMIF loading equipment suffers from systemic deficiencies in multi-size compatibility, state detection reliability, contamination prevention and control, and mapping detection accuracy, making it difficult to meet the demands of modern semiconductor production for high-cleanliness, multi-specification wafers. Therefore, a wafer cassette loading device that is compatible with commonly used sizes and offers excellent detection results is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a wafer box loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes and an application method thereof, which ensures the precise positioning of the wafer box through a detection mechanism, optimizes the pollution protection design to avoid contamination, and improves the reliability of wafer position detection.

[0006] A wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of various sizes comprises a main frame with an inspection table attached to its side. A liftable loading platform is mounted within the inspection table, driven up and down by a lifting screw. A pod door opening mechanism is located in the center of the loading platform, along with an RFID (radio frequency identification) detector located on the edge of the platform. A pod presence detection system and latches are installed around the top of the lifting notch. A cassette type recognition module is mounted on the side of the lifting notch, along with a mapping detection mechanism, a wafer removal port, and a debris receiving plate located on the bottom side of the lifting notch. The debris receiving plate extends through the main frame and connects to the outside world. The device is compatible with six-inch and eight-inch wafer cassettes (PODs). The main frame forms the support structure, with the pod loading platform and its drive components (lifting screws), pod identification components (RFID detectors), pod door opening and closing components (POD door opening mechanism), and multiple detection functions (including the POD presence detection system, cassette type recognition module, mapping detection mechanism, and a protrusion detection sensor) integrated into the side inspection table. At the same time, a debris receiving plate is set on the side of the bottom of the main frame to prevent wafer fragments from contaminating the internal environment of the equipment, as well as a wafer retrieval port to provide a wafer retrieval channel for the robot.

[0007] A wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes. The POD (Position Detection Device) in-place detection system includes housing in-place detection sensors and cassette in-place detection sensors, located on the side and bottom of the loading platform, respectively, forming a dual detection mechanism. The POD in-place detection system ensures that the wafer cassette is accurately placed on the loading platform from both the top and bottom positions. This is achieved by combining a housing in-place detection sensor located on the side of the platform (to detect the position of the wafer cassette housing / top) with a cassette in-place detection sensor located on the bottom of the platform (to detect the position of the wafer cassette floor). This dual detection mechanism (top and bottom) of the housing in-place detection sensor and the cassette in-place detection sensor significantly reduces the risk of misjudgment. This dual confirmation ensures precise horizontal and vertical positioning of the POD on the loading platform.

[0008] A wafer cassette loading device compatible with multiple wafer sizes features a cassette type recognition module, including a cassette type detection sensor, a six-inch tab detection sensor, and an eight-inch tab detection sensor, used to distinguish between six-inch and eight-inch wafer cassettes. The cassette type recognition module reliably distinguishes between six-inch and eight-inch wafer cassettes. The module utilizes a combination of a cassette type detection sensor (which detects cassette appearance characteristics and matches them with cassette information recorded by an external computer), a six-inch tab detection sensor specifically designed to detect the tabs unique to six-inch cassettes, and an eight-inch tab detection sensor specifically designed to detect the tabs unique to eight-inch cassettes. The cassette type detection sensor, combined with specialized six-inch and eight-inch tab detection sensors, accurately identifies cassette size through multi-sensor collaboration. This provides the foundation for subsequent automatic adjustment of the loading platform's lifting position and the mapping detection mechanism's scanning range for different wafer sizes (six-inch or eight-inch). The convex piece detection sensor and the material box type detection sensor work together to identify the two types of material boxes. When the material box is in the material box identification position, the eight-inch convex piece detection sensor can just detect the material box reversing column at the bottom of the front end of the material box. Since the tail edge of the eight-inch material box is longer than that of the six-inch material box, the material box type detection sensor can detect the tail edge of the eight-inch material box. With the joint action of the two sets of sensors, an eight-inch material box is identified, otherwise it is a six-inch material box. Compared with the detection of a single sensor, the results of this solution are more reliable and accurate.

[0009] A wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of various sizes features a mapping detection mechanism. The mapping detection mechanism includes a motor with a drive axis parallel to the wafer plane and a motor output shaft directly connected to a lead screw assembly. The lead screw assembly is connected to a scanning rod via a slider, which moves horizontally on a detection rail. The scanning rod is mounted with a transmitting sensor and a receiving sensor. The mapping detection mechanism provides a mechanical structure that drives the scanning rod for precise and smooth movement along the height of the wafer cassette, used for scanning and detecting the position of each wafer. This structure includes a motor (with an axis parallel to the wafer plane) as a power source, a lead screw assembly directly driven by the motor, a scanning rod connected to the lead screw assembly's slider, a detection rail that guides the scanning rod, and a transmitting sensor and a receiving sensor mounted on the scanning rod for detection. The lead screw assembly and detection rail drive the scanning rod's movement, which, in conjunction with the transmitting sensor and receiving sensor, enables high-precision measurement of the wafer position.

[0010] A wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of various sizes features a screw cover covering the outer periphery of the lifting screw, which moves vertically on lifting rails. The screw cover protects the lifting screw components and the lifting rails, preventing grease or wear debris from contaminating the equipment (particularly the wafer area). The screw cover completely encloses the screw, and the rail oil trough is provided, forming a closed channel. This closed channel, formed by the screw cover and rail oil trough, confines contaminants, protecting the area near the loading platform and the wafer removal port. The rail oil trough collects dripping / spattering grease and debris.

[0011] A wafer cassette loading device compatible with multiple wafer sizes features mechanical latches symmetrically positioned on either side of the loading platform to secure the POD housing. These latches are specifically designed to secure the POD housing. These symmetrical latches securely hold the POD housing in place, preventing movement during operations such as lifting, opening the door, and so on. The POD housing is transparent, allowing operators to easily observe the structure of the wafer cassettes placed within.

[0012] A wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of various sizes features a cooling fan installed at the bottom of the main frame to dissipate heat from the electrical baseplate. Improvements to the main frame, including the installation of a cooling fan at the bottom, address potential heat dissipation issues associated with the electrical baseplate. The cooling fan actively forces air cooling onto the electrical baseplate, reducing the temperature of electronic components and minimizing thermal failures. This ensures the performance stability and lifespan of electronic components mounted on the baseplate, such as controllers and sensors.

[0013] A wafer box loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes. The guide rail oil trough is embedded in the side of the lifting guide rail, and the guide rail oil trough bottom plate is removable. The top and bottom surfaces of the guide rail oil trough are clamped by a limit plate, and the limit plate top surface is provided with a pressure sensor. The lifting screw cover is installed on the screw fixing seat and the support seat to prevent the grease thrown out of the lifting screw during rotation from contaminating the wafers. The guide rail oil trough is fixed to the lifting guide rail, located directly below the linear guide rail, to receive the grease accumulated at the bottom of the lifting guide rail during long-term use to prevent it from dripping into the interior of the equipment and causing contamination. The pressure sensor is used to detect the weight of the collected lubricating oil. Once the detected pressure exceeds the set value, the pressure sensor will alarm through the external system. This method ensures that the lubricating oil is discharged after a certain amount of collection is reached, preventing the lubricating oil from overflowing beyond the bearing capacity of the guide rail oil trough. When the pressure sensor alarm sounds, the staff removes the guide rail oil trough bottom plate to drain the oil.

[0014] A wafer box loading device that is compatible with wafers of multiple sizes has an air inlet and an air outlet installed on the main frame for filling gas into the POD shell. The bottom outlet of the air outlet pipe is above the wafer removal port, and the air outlet of the air outlet pipe is a fan-shaped exhaust port. The air inlet and air outlet pipes are added to the main frame to protect the cleanliness of the inside of the opened wafer box. A POD air inlet is provided on the upper side of the POD shell facing the main frame. After the POD base plate and the POD shell are re-clamped to complete a working cycle, the telescopic head of the air inlet pipe is directly extended into the POD air inlet to introduce clean gases such as XCDA and CDA or inert gases. A POD exhaust port is also provided on the lower side of the POD shell facing the main frame for extending the air outlet pipe. Both the POD air inlet and the POD exhaust port are provided with a normally closed cover. When there is no external force, the normally closed cover is tightly closed, and the interior of the POD shell is not connected to the external gas. When ventilation is required, the telescopic head can push open the normally closed cover for ventilation. The exhaust pipe's telescopic head also plugs into the POD exhaust port. The outlet of the exhaust pipe is aligned with the wafer access port area, simultaneously blowing any remaining wafer debris there to the debris receiving plate. This facilitates centralized cleaning and prevents debris accumulation at the wafer access port, potentially damaging subsequent wafer retrieval. Clean or inert gases such as XCDA and CDA can replace air to completely remove oxygen and water vapor, preventing oxidation reactions and ensuring the environment within the POD enclosure meets wafer storage requirements.

[0015] An application method of a wafer box loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes,

[0016] Loading: The POD shell with the material box is placed on the loading platform by overhead crane or manual loading;

[0017] Fixing: After the POD is docked in place, the buckle on the loading platform extends to clamp and fix the POD shell;

[0018] Type identification: The POD door opening mechanism rotates to separate the POD base plate from the POD shell. The loading platform drives the POD base plate and the material box down to the convex piece detection position. The eight-inch convex piece detection sensor, the six-inch convex piece detection sensor, and the material box type detection sensor work together to identify the material box type.

[0019] Scanning: When an eight-inch box is identified, the loading platform continues to descend to the set eight-inch scanning start position; when a six-inch box is identified, the loading platform continues to descend to the set six-inch scanning start position and extends the scanning rod for scanning;

[0020] Detection: The sensor in the mapping detection mechanism scans the wafer until it reaches the set end position;

[0021] Wafer retrieval: Based on the identified wafer cassette type, the loading platform rises to the robot docking and calibration position for the robot to retrieve the wafer;

[0022] Recycling: After the film is taken, the material box returns to the initial loading position, and the POD door opening mechanism rotates in the opposite direction to re-lock the POD bottom plate and POD shell to complete a cycle.

[0023] This approach is compatible with the complete automated operation process of both six-inch and eight-inch wafer cassettes, clarifying how the various functional components work together. The entire process, from "loading" (placing the POD on the loading platform) to "recovery" (unloading), is clearly standardized and automated through the use of various sensors and control components. The loading platform descends to different tab detection positions, and the eight-inch tab detection sensor, six-inch tab detection sensor, and cassette type detection sensor identify the size, thereby controlling the loading platform to descend to the scanning starting position corresponding to the size.

[0024] Key steps include securing the POD with snaps, scanning based on type recognition using a scanning rod and mapping detection mechanism, and robotic removal from a safe location. This standardized process improves operational efficiency and equipment utilization. Core components such as snaps for securing, eight-inch and six-inch tab detection sensors, and cartridge type detection sensors for type recognition and positioning, and a scanning rod for mapping and scanning, play a role throughout the entire process.

[0025] The present invention significantly improves the versatility of the equipment through a design that is compatible with both six-inch and eight-inch dual-specification wafer boxes. It adopts dual sensors (housing + base plate in-place detection) to accurately determine the status of the wafer box to reduce operational risks. The collaborative anti-fouling structure of the screw cover and the oil receiving groove is used to completely isolate the grease pollution generated by the mechanical components, and optimizes the short-distance scanning scheme of the mapping detection mechanism to improve positioning accuracy. In addition, the innovative exhaust system introduces clean gas during the closing process of the wafer box and guides the airflow through the wafer retrieval port, which not only maintains the internal clean environment, but also effectively removes residual debris, ultimately realizing high-cleanliness and high-reliability wafer automated storage and retrieval, significantly reducing the equipment cost and maintenance cost of multi-specification production in the wafer fab. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other implementation drawings based on the provided drawings without inventive effort.

[0027] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the main frame and detection platform of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation positions of the housing in-place detection sensor and the material box in-place detection sensor of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation positions of the six-inch convex piece detection sensor and the eight-inch convex piece detection sensor of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the mapping detection mechanism, screw cover, and heat dissipation air installation position of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation positions of the box type detection sensor, lifting gap, and mapping detection mechanism of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the location of the mapping detection mechanism and the debris receiving plate of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the screw housing and guide rail oil tank of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the position of the mapping detection mechanism of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the back side of the main frame of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe of Example 3 of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the fan-shaped exhaust port structure.

[0038] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the screw housing and guide rail oil tank structure of Example 1 of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the guide rail oil tank according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the mapping detection mechanism of the present invention detecting wafers.

[0041] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the POD shell of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 16 Schematic diagram of the material box of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the guide rail oil tank structure of Example 1 of the present invention.

[0044] Description of the drawings: 1-testing table, 2-loading platform, 3-main frame, 4-POD shell, 12-mapping detection mechanism, 13-box type detection sensor, 15-guide rail oil tank, 16-cooling fan, 17-clip, 18-lifting notch, 19-screw cover, 19a-limiting plate, 110-guide rail bottom plate, 21-POD door opening mechanism, 22-RFID detector, 31-inlet pipe, 32-outlet pipe, 33-wafer removal port, 34-debris receiving Plate, 35-fan-shaped exhaust port, 41-material box, 42-wafer, 43-POD base plate, 44-POD air inlet, 45-POD exhaust port, 111-housing in-position detection sensor, 112-material box in-position detection sensor, 113-lifting guide rail, 121-motor, 122-screw rod component, 123-detection guide rail, 124-scanning rod, 125-transmitting sensor, 126-receiving sensor, 141-six-inch convex piece detection sensor, 142-eight-inch convex piece detection sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] The following first describes the concepts involved in this application with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description of each concept is intended only to make the content of this application easier to understand and does not limit the scope of protection of this application. At the same time, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other unless there is a conflict. The following detailed description of this application will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0047] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments herein may be provided as methods, apparatuses (devices), or computer program products. Therefore, the present invention may take the form of entirely hardware embodiments, entirely software embodiments, or embodiments combining software and hardware aspects. These include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVDs) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and that can be accessed by a computer. Furthermore, as is well known to those skilled in the art, communication media typically contain computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include any information delivery medium.

[0048] This document is described with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatuses (devices), and computer program products according to the embodiments of this document. It should be understood that each process and / or block in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, as well as combinations of processes and / or blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate instructions for implementing the processes in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 a process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in a block or multiple blocks.

[0049] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to work in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory produce an article of manufacture comprising an instruction device, which implements the process Figure 1 a process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A step that specifies a function in one or more boxes.

[0050] It should be noted that the terms used in this application are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. As shown in the specification of this application, unless the context clearly indicates an exception, the words "one", "a", "a kind of" and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. The terms "comprise", "include" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements that are not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise a..." do not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method or device comprising the elements.

[0051] Example 1:

[0052] Initialization and device preparation

[0053] Refer to the attached Figure 2 , Attachment Figure 4 , Attachment Figure 12 As shown, cooling fan 16 is turned on to forcefully cool the electrical baseplate at the bottom of main frame 3, ensuring stable temperatures for electronic components such as the controller. Loading platform 2 is raised to its initial height, with the lifting screw driven by it completely enclosed by screw housing 19, and the guide rail oil tank 15 empty.

[0054] Loading and dual positioning detection

[0055] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 2 , Attachment Figure 15 As shown, the overhead crane places the POD housing 4 on the loading platform 2. The housing presence detection sensor 111 monitors the position of the POD housing 4 in real time, while the magazine presence detection sensor 112 simultaneously monitors the position of the POD base plate 43, forming a dual vertical verification mechanism. If both sensors return a position signal, symmetrical latches 17 on either side of the loading platform 2 automatically extend, locking the POD housing 4 to prevent displacement. The magazine 41 is loaded into the POD housing 4 and secured by the POD base plate 43.

[0056] Collaborative identification of box types

[0057] Refer to the attached Figure 3 , Attachment Figure 5 , Attachment Figure 15 As shown, the POD base plate 43 has a latch extending from the side that latches onto the POD shell. A rotatable structure lies beneath the POD base plate 43. When the POD is placed on the loading platform 2, this structure rests on the POD door opening mechanism 21. When the door needs to be opened, the POD door opening mechanism 21 rotates, thereby driving the rotating structure on the POD base plate 43 to rotate, retracting the latch and separating the POD shell 4 from the POD base plate 43. The POD door opening mechanism 21 rotates, separating the base plate from the shell. The loading platform 2 lowers the magazine 41 and POD base plate 43 to the preset tab detection position, initiating multi-sensor joint recognition: the magazine type detection sensor 13 scans the length of the rear edge of the magazine 41 (the rear edge of the eight-inch magazine 41 is significantly longer than the six-inch one), the eight-inch tab detection sensor 142 detects the rewinding column feature at the bottom front end of the magazine 41, and the six-inch tab detection sensor 141 serves as a complementary verification. If the magazine type detection sensor 13 and the eight-inch convex piece detection sensor 142 are triggered at the same time, it is determined to be an eight-inch magazine 41 ; if only the magazine type detection sensor 13 and the six-inch convex piece detection sensor 141 are triggered, it is determined to be a six-inch magazine 41 .

[0058] Wafer scanning and contamination prevention and control

[0059] Refer to the attached Figure 7 , Attachment Figure 8 , Attachment Figure 14 As shown, attached Figure 12 , Attachment Figure 16 , Attachment Figure 17As shown, the transmitting sensor 125 emits light, and the receiving sensor 126 receives it. Based on the recognition results, the loading platform 2 descends to the scanning starting position corresponding to the size. The interference beam of wafer 42 is detected, confirming that the magazine 41 is equipped with wafer 42 on this layer. The motor 121 of the mapping detection mechanism 12 drives the screw assembly 122, which drives the scanning rod 124 to move horizontally along the detection guide rail 123 to approach the wafer 42 for mapping. After mapping is completed, the scanning rod 124 returns to its original position. During the raising and lowering of the loading platform 2, the screw cover 19 prevents grease from splashing from the lifting screw. The guide rail oil collecting groove 15 is threadedly connected to the guide rail base plate 110 to collect lubricating oil dripping from the lifting guide rail 113.

[0060] Wafer removal

[0061] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 6 , Attachment Figure 9 As shown, the loading platform 2 is raised to the robot docking height, the wafer 42 is taken out by the robot through the wafer taking port 33 , and the fragments fall into the fragment receiving plate 34 that passes through the main frame 3 .

[0062] Recycling and reset cycles

[0063] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 3 , Attachment Figure 16 As shown, after the film is taken, the loading platform 2 returns to its initial position, and the POD door opening mechanism 21 rotates in the reverse direction to re-engage the POD bottom plate 43 with the shell. The buckle 17 releases the POD shell 4, completing the fully automated operation cycle.

[0064] Example 2:

[0065] Refer to the attached Figure 13 As shown, optionally, a guide rail oil tank 15 structure can automatically warn. The guide rail oil tank 15 is embedded in the bottom side of the lifting guide rail 113. The bottom surface of the top of the guide rail oil tank 15 contacts the limit plate 19a. Preferably, a pressure sensor is set on the top surface of the limit plate 19a. When the pressure sensor exceeds the set value, the control system will alarm. The staff will remove the bottom plate of the guide rail oil tank 15 to drain the lubricating oil to prevent the lubricating oil from overflowing. The bottom plate of the guide rail oil tank 15 can be connected to the side plate of the guide rail oil tank 15 with a connecting pin for easy disassembly.

[0066] Example 3:

[0067] Refer to the attached Figure 10 , Attachment Figure 11As shown, optionally, a cleaning method based on the air inlet pipe 31 and the air outlet pipe 32 is provided, wherein a POD air inlet 44 is provided at the top side of the POD shell 4, and a POD exhaust port 45 is provided at the bottom. After the POD bottom plate 43 and the POD shell 4 are re-clamped to complete a working cycle, the telescopic head of the air inlet pipe 31 is extended into the POD air inlet 44, and clean gas or inert gas such as XCDA and CDA is introduced. The telescopic head of the air outlet pipe 32 is also extended into the POD exhaust port 45. The introduced gas flows and fills the POD shell 4, and finally flows out from the air outlet pipe 32. The air outlet of the air outlet pipe 32 is aligned with the wafer retrieval port 33 area, and the air outlet is a fan-shaped exhaust port 35 with a relatively large exhaust surface. This pipe arrangement method blows away the wafer fragments remaining in the wafer retrieval port 33 area to the fragment receiving plate 34 while ventilating and cleaning the POD shell 4, making it convenient for the staff to clean uniformly and prevent the debris from accumulating in the wafer retrieval port 33 and causing damage to the subsequent wafer 42 retrieval. Clean gases such as XCDA and CDA or inert gases can replace air to completely remove oxygen and water vapor, avoid oxidation reactions, and ensure that the environment inside the POD housing 4 meets the storage requirements of the wafers 42.

[0068] Example 4:

[0069] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 2 , attached Figure 3 , Attachment Figure 4 , Attachment Figure 9 As shown, a wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes includes a main frame 3, with an inspection platform 1 connected to the side of the main frame 3. A liftable loading platform 2 is installed inside the inspection platform 1. The loading platform 2 is driven up and down by a lifting screw. A POD door opening mechanism 21 is installed in the center of the loading platform 2, and an RFID detector 22 is also installed on the edge of the platform to verify the wafer cassette information. The inspection platform 1 is equipped with a POD in-place detection system and a latch 17 around the top of the lifting gap 18. The inspection platform 1 is equipped with a cassette type identification module on the side of the lifting gap 18, a mapping detection mechanism 12, a wafer removal port 33, and a debris receiving plate 34 on the side of the bottom of the lifting gap 18. The debris receiving plate 34 passes through the main frame 3 and is connected to the outside world. A loading device capable of handling both six-inch and eight-inch wafer cassettes (PODs) is provided. The device utilizes a main frame 3 as a support structure. The cassette loading platform 2 and its drive components (lifting screws), cassette identification components (RFID detector 22), cassette door opening components (POD door opening mechanism 21), and various detection functions (including a POD presence detection system, cassette type identification module, mapping detection mechanism 12, and a protrusion detection sensor) are integrated onto a side inspection platform 1. Furthermore, a debris receiving plate 34 is provided on the side of the bottom of the main frame 3 to prevent wafer 42 fragments from contaminating the device's internal environment. A wafer removal port 33 provides a wafer removal channel for a robotic arm.

[0070] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 2 The figure shows a wafer cassette loading device compatible with multiple wafer sizes. The POD in-place detection system includes a housing detection sensor 111 and a cassette in-place detection sensor 112. These sensors are located on the side and bottom of the loading platform 2, respectively, forming a dual detection mechanism. The POD in-place detection system ensures accurate detection of the wafer cassette's placement on the loading platform 2 from both the top and bottom. This is achieved by combining the housing detection sensor 111, located on the side of the platform (to detect the position of the cassette housing / top), with the cassette in-place detection sensor 112, located on the bottom of the platform (to detect the position of the cassette floor). This dual detection mechanism (top and bottom) of the housing detection sensor 111 and the cassette in-place detection sensor 112 significantly reduces the risk of misjudgment. This dual confirmation ensures precise horizontal and vertical positioning of the POD on the loading platform 2.

[0071] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 3 , Attachment Figure 4 , Attachment Figure 5 As shown. A wafer cassette loading device compatible with multiple wafer sizes. The cassette type identification module includes a cassette type detection sensor 13, a six-inch tab detection sensor 141, and an eight-inch tab detection sensor 142, used to distinguish between six-inch and eight-inch wafer cassettes. The cassette type identification module can reliably distinguish between six-inch and eight-inch wafer cassettes. This module utilizes the cassette type detection sensor 13 (which detects the cassette's external features and matches them with the cassette information recorded by an external computer), as well as a six-inch tab detection sensor 141 specifically designed to detect the tabs unique to six-inch wafer cassettes, and an eight-inch tab detection sensor 142 specifically designed to detect the tabs unique to eight-inch wafer cassettes. The cassette type detection sensor 13, combined with the dedicated six-inch tab detection sensor 141 and eight-inch tab detection sensor 142, achieves precise cassette size identification through multi-sensor collaboration. This provides the basis for subsequent automatic adjustment of the loading platform 2's lifting position and the scanning range of the mapping detection mechanism 12 for different wafer sizes (six-inch or eight-inch). The convex piece detection sensor and the material box type detection sensor 13 work together to identify the two types of material boxes. When the material box is located at the material box identification position, the eight-inch convex piece detection sensor 142 can just detect the material box reversing column at the bottom of the front end of the material box. Since the tail edge of the eight-inch material box is longer than that of the six-inch material box, the material box type detection sensor 13 can detect the tail edge of the eight-inch material box. Under the joint action of the two groups of sensors, an eight-inch material box is identified, otherwise it is a six-inch material box. Compared with the detection of a single sensor, the results of this solution are more reliable and accurate.

[0072] Refer to the attached Figure 8The figure shows a wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of various sizes, including a mapping detection mechanism 12. The mapping detection mechanism 12 includes a motor 121, whose drive axis is parallel to the wafer plane. The output shaft of the motor 121 is directly connected to a lead screw assembly 122, which is connected to a scanning rod 124 via a slider. The scanning rod 124 moves horizontally on a detection guide rail 123 via the slider. The scanning rod 124 is equipped with a transmitting sensor 125 and a receiving sensor 126. The mapping detection mechanism 12 provides a mechanical structure that drives the scanning assembly to move precisely and smoothly along the height of the wafer cassette, thereby scanning and detecting the position of each wafer. The structure includes a motor 121 (whose axis is parallel to the wafer plane) as a power source, a lead screw assembly 122 directly driven by motor 121, a scanning rod 124 connected to the slider of lead screw assembly 122, a detection rail 123 that provides guidance for scanning rod 124, and a transmitting sensor 125 and a receiving sensor 126 mounted on a moving component (such as the scanning rod or a robotic arm attached thereto) for performing detection. Lead screw assembly 122 and detection rail 123 drive the movement of scanning rod 124, and in conjunction with transmitting sensor 125 and receiving sensor 126, achieve high-precision measurement of wafer position.

[0073] Refer to the attached Figure 9 , Attachment Figure 12 As shown, a wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes is shown. The outer periphery of the lifting screw is covered by a screw cover 19, and the lifting screw moves vertically on the guide rail. The screw cover 19 protects the lifting screw components and the lifting guide rail 113, preventing grease or wear debris from contaminating the equipment (especially the wafer area). The screw cover 19 is used to completely cover the screw, and a guide rail oil receiving groove 15 is provided. The two are combined to form a closed channel. The closed channel formed by the screw cover 19 and the guide rail oil receiving groove 15 confines contaminants, protecting the area near the loading platform 2 and the wafer removal port 33. The guide rail oil receiving groove 15 can collect dripping / spattering grease and debris.

[0074] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 15 The figure shows a wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of various sizes. The latches 17 are mechanical locks symmetrically positioned on either side of the loading platform, securing the POD housing 4. These latches are symmetrically positioned on either side of the loading platform 2 and are specifically designed to secure the POD housing. The symmetrical latches 17 securely hold the POD housing 4, preventing it from moving during movements such as lifting, opening the door, and so on. The POD housing is made of a transparent material, allowing operators to easily observe the structure of the wafer cassette 41 placed within.

[0075] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 16The figure shows a wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of various sizes. A cooling fan 16 is installed at the bottom of the main frame 3 to dissipate heat from the electrical baseboard. This improvement to the main frame 3 addresses potential heat dissipation issues associated with the electrical baseboard. The cooling fan 16 actively forces air cooling onto the electrical baseboard, reducing the temperature of electronic components and minimizing thermal failures. This ensures the performance stability and lifespan of electronic components such as controllers and sensors mounted on the baseboard.

[0076] It should also be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application. Unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", etc. should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be a communication between the internal parts of two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0077] The embodiments and / or implementation methods described above are only used to illustrate the preferred embodiments and / or implementation methods for realizing the technology of the present invention, and do not impose any form of limitation on the implementation methods of the technology of the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make slight changes to other equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical means disclosed in the content of the present invention, but they should still be regarded as technologies or embodiments that are essentially the same as the present invention.

[0078] This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core ideas of this application. The above is only the preferred implementation method of this application. It should be pointed out that due to the limitations of textual expression, there are objectively infinite specific structures. For ordinary technicians in this technical field, without departing from the principles of this application, they can also make several improvements, modifications or changes, and can also combine the above technical features in an appropriate manner; these improvements, modifications, changes or combinations, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution to other occasions without improvement, should be regarded as the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A wafer box loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes, comprising a main frame (3), a detection table (1) being mounted on the side of the main frame (3), characterized in that: The detection platform (1) is internally provided with a lifting and lowering loading platform (2), and a lifting notch (18) of the same size as the outer edge of the loading platform (2) is provided on the top. The loading platform (2) is used to place the POD shell (4), the POD bottom plate (43), and the material box (41); the loading platform (2) is driven up and down by a lifting screw, and a POD door opening mechanism (21) is provided at the center of the loading platform (2), and an RFID detector (22) is also provided at the edge of the platform. The detection platform (1) is provided with a material box type identification module on the side of the lifting notch (18), and a mapping detection mechanism (12) and a wafer taking port (33) are installed on the side of the bottom of the lifting notch (18). The material box type identification module includes a material box type detection sensor (13). , a six-inch convex chip detection sensor (141), and an eight-inch convex chip detection sensor (142) are used to distinguish between six-inch and eight-inch wafer boxes. A debris receiving plate (34) is provided below the outlet of the wafer taking-out port (33) for receiving wafer debris. An air inlet pipe (31) and an air outlet pipe (32) are installed on the main frame (3) for filling gas into the POD shell (4). The bottom air outlet of the air outlet pipe (32) is above the wafer taking-out port (33). The air outlet of the air outlet pipe (32) is a fan-shaped exhaust port (35). The air inlet pipe (31) introduces clean gas or inert gas into the POD shell (4). The gas is discharged through the fan-shaped exhaust port (35) and purges the wafer taking-out port (33) area. The remaining debris falls into the debris receiving plate (34).

2. The wafer cassette loading device compatible with multiple-sized wafers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection platform (1) is provided with a POD in-place detection system around the top of the lifting notch (18). The POD in-place detection system comprises a housing in-place detection sensor (111) and a material box in-place detection sensor (112). The housing in-place detection sensor (111) and the material box in-place detection sensor (112) are respectively located on the side and bottom of the loading platform (2), forming a dual detection mechanism.

3. The wafer cassette loading device compatible with multiple-sized wafers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mapping detection mechanism (12) includes a motor (121), an output shaft of the motor (121) is directly connected to a screw rod component (122), the screw rod component (122) is connected to a scanning rod (124) via a slider, the scanning rod (124) moves horizontally on a detection guide rail (123) via the slider, and a transmitting sensor (125) and a receiving sensor (126) are installed on the scanning rod (124).

4. The wafer cassette loading device compatible with multiple-sized wafers according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the lifting screw is covered by a screw cover (19), and the lifting screw moves vertically on the lifting guide rail (113). The bottom of the lifting guide rail (113) is provided with a guide rail oil receiving groove (15).

5. The wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes according to claim 3, characterized in that: The detection platform (1) is provided with a buckle (17) around the top of the lifting notch (18). The buckle (17) is a mechanical lock buckle symmetrically arranged on both sides of the loading platform and is used to fix the POD shell (4).

6. The wafer cassette loading device compatible with wafers of multiple sizes according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bottom plate of the guide rail oil receiving groove (15) and the side plate of the guide rail oil receiving groove (15) are connected by a bayonet pin. The bottom of the top surface of the guide rail oil receiving groove (15) abuts against the limit plate (19a). The top surface of the limit plate (19a) is provided with a pressure sensor.

7. An application method based on the loading device according to claim 5, characterized in that: Loading: The POD housing (4) with the material box (41) is placed on the loading platform (2) by overhead crane or manual loading; Fixing: After the POD is docked in place, the buckle (17) on the loading platform (2) extends to clamp and fix the POD shell (4); Type identification: The POD door opening mechanism (21) rotates to separate the POD bottom plate (43) from the POD shell (4), and the loading platform (2) drives the POD bottom plate (43) and the material box (41) to descend to the convex piece detection position. The eight-inch convex piece detection sensor (142), the six-inch convex piece detection sensor (141), and the material box type detection sensor (13) work together to identify the type of the material box. The material box type detection sensor (13) scans the length of the tail edge of the material box (41) and synchronously triggers the six-inch convex piece detection sensor (141) and the eight-inch convex piece detection sensor (142) to verify the specific features. When the box type detection sensor (13) and the eight-inch convex piece detection sensor (142) respond simultaneously, it is determined to be an eight-inch box; when only the box type detection sensor (13) and the six-inch convex piece detection sensor (141) respond simultaneously, it is determined to be a six-inch box; Scanning: When an eight-inch material box is identified, the loading platform (2) continues to descend to the set eight-inch scanning start position; when a six-inch material box is identified, the loading platform (2) continues to descend to the set six-inch scanning start position, and at the same time extends the scanning rod (124) to scan; Detection: The sensor in the mapping detection mechanism (12) scans and detects the wafer until the scan reaches the set end position; Retrieving wafers: Based on the identified wafer cassette type, the loading platform (2) rises to the robot docking and calibration position for the robot to retrieve wafers, and the robot takes the wafers out at the wafer retrieval port (33); Recycling: After the film is taken out, the material box (41) returns to the initial loading position, and the POD door opening mechanism (21) rotates in the opposite direction to re-clamp the POD bottom plate (43) and the POD shell (4) to complete a cycle.

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