Cache device, detection apparatus, and detection process

Abstract

This application provides a buffer device, a detection device, and a detection process, relating to the field of semiconductor technology. The buffer device includes a chamber, a chamber cover, an air inlet, and an air extraction section. The chamber has an opening on one side in a first direction, and the air inlet communicates with the interior of the chamber. Inside the chamber, multiple accommodating sections for holding components to be processed are sequentially arranged along a second direction. In the second direction, a gap layer is formed between the first layer of accommodating sections and the chamber wall, as well as between each pair of adjacent accommodating sections. The air extraction section includes multiple independent sub-extraction sections, with each gap layer communicating with a different sub-extraction section. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. By independently controlling the extraction volume of each sub-extraction section, the problem of poor processing performance for components corresponding to gap layers with small airflow due to large differences in airflow between the gap layers can be avoided, ensuring processing uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a cache device, detection equipment and detection process. Background Technology

[0002] After heat treatment processes such as annealing, the temperature of a wafer typically exceeds room temperature. Thermal expansion causes a change in the wafer's volume, affecting its buoyancy in air and consequently its weight. Therefore, to ensure accuracy when weighing the wafer, it is cooled before weighing. Currently, active temperature control modules (ASNs) are commonly used for this purpose. However, this method suffers from low cooling efficiency and uneven cooling. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address at least one of the aforementioned problems, this application provides the following solution:

[0004] A buffer device includes a chamber body, a chamber cover, an air inlet, and an air extraction section. The chamber body has an opening on one side in a first direction. The chamber cover is used to open or close the opening. The air inlet communicates with the interior of the chamber body. The interior of the chamber body has multiple layers of accommodating parts for accommodating components to be processed arranged sequentially along a second direction. In the second direction, a gap layer is formed between the first layer of accommodating parts and the chamber wall of the chamber body, as well as between every two adjacent layers of accommodating parts. The air extraction section includes multiple independent sub-extraction sections, and each gap layer communicates with a different sub-extraction section. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0005] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the sub-extraction section is disposed on the compartment cover.

[0006] In one embodiment of the buffer device, each of the sub-extraction units has an extraction port located on the side of the chamber cover facing the gap layer. The chamber wall includes a first chamber wall and a second chamber wall disposed opposite each other in a second direction, and a side chamber wall connected between the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall. An air inlet is disposed on the side chamber wall and has multiple sets of air outlets arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction. The air outlets are located on the side of the side chamber wall facing the gap layer. In a direction perpendicular to the second direction, each set of air outlets corresponds to one layer of the gap layer.

[0007] In one embodiment of the buffer device, each of the sub-extraction units has a plurality of extraction ports arranged sequentially at intervals along a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0008] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the side compartment wall has a first side compartment wall, a second side compartment wall, and a third side compartment wall. The first side compartment wall and the opening are disposed opposite to each other in a first direction. The second side compartment wall and the third side compartment wall are connected between the two sides of the first side compartment wall and the opening. The second side compartment wall and the third side compartment wall are disposed opposite to each other in a third direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. Each group of air inlets includes: a plurality of air inlets located on the side of the first side compartment wall facing the gap layer and arranged sequentially at intervals along the projection direction of the first side compartment wall on a plane perpendicular to the second direction; a plurality of air inlets located on the side of the second side compartment wall facing the gap layer and arranged sequentially at intervals along the projection direction of the second side compartment wall on a plane perpendicular to the second direction; and a plurality of air inlets located on the side of the third side compartment wall facing the gap layer and arranged sequentially at intervals along the projection direction of the third side compartment wall on a plane perpendicular to the second direction.

[0009] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the sub-extraction unit has an exhaust port and a confluence channel, the exhaust port being used to connect an external extraction device, and the confluence channel connecting all the extraction ports and exhaust ports of the same sub-extraction unit.

[0010] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the air intake includes an air intake chamber and an air inlet. The air inlet is used to connect an external air intake device. The air intake chamber is disposed inside the chamber wall of the chamber body. The air intake chamber connects all the air supply ports and the air inlet.

[0011] One embodiment of the buffer device includes a gas diffuser located within the air intake chamber.

[0012] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the cover is provided with multiple independent cover segments along the second direction. Each gap layer corresponds to one cover segment along the first direction. Each cover segment can move along the second direction so that the opening area corresponding to one gap layer can be opened independently. Each cover segment is provided with at least one sub-extraction section.

[0013] One embodiment of the buffer device includes a driving mechanism and a connecting mechanism. The driving mechanism is connected to the connecting mechanism. The driving mechanism is configured to drive the connecting mechanism to move along a second direction and to drive the connecting mechanism to move closer to or further away from the compartment cover unit in a direction perpendicular to the second direction, so that the connecting mechanism can be connected to or separated from any layer of the compartment cover unit.

[0014] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the driving mechanism includes a first driving part and a second driving part, the first driving part being connected to the second driving part, and the second driving part being connected to the connecting mechanism. The first driving part is configured to drive the second driving part and the connecting mechanism to move along the second direction, and the second driving part is configured to drive the connecting mechanism to move closer to or further away from the compartment cover assembly along a direction perpendicular to the second direction, so that the connecting mechanism can be connected to or separated from any layer of the compartment cover assembly.

[0015] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the connecting mechanism is provided with an avoidance notch. The connecting mechanism is separately connected to a layer of the cover and the opening area corresponding to the gap layer is open. The avoidance notch is opened in the opening area along the first direction.

[0016] In one embodiment of the buffer device, the connecting mechanism includes a plug-in portion, and the compartment cover is provided with an adapter portion that plugs into the plug-in portion, so that the connecting mechanism and any layer of the compartment cover are connected through the plug-in portion and the adapter portion.

[0017] This application also provides a testing device, including a weighing device and a buffer device as described in any of the above claims.

[0018] This application also provides a detection process based on the above-mentioned detection equipment, including the following steps:

[0019] S1. Move the component to be processed into the cache unit's compartment;

[0020] S2. Cooling gas is introduced into the chamber of the buffer device;

[0021] S3. After the concentration of cooling gas in the chamber of the buffer device reaches the standard, the air extraction section of the buffer device starts to extract air while filling and extracting air.

[0022] S4. The cooled component is transferred from the buffer device to the weighing device for weighing.

[0023] The aforementioned buffer device, due to its multi-layered accommodating section, can simultaneously accommodate multiple components to be processed at any given time, thus enabling the concurrent processing of multiple components. This significantly improves processing efficiency compared to processing individual components one by one. During processing, the air inlet fills the chamber with gas, while the air extraction section extracts gas from the chamber. Since each sub-extraction section of the extraction section is independent, and each gap layer is connected to a different sub-extraction section, each gap layer can be extracted by a separate sub-extraction section. The extraction volume of each sub-extraction section can be independently controlled. By independently controlling the extraction volume of each sub-extraction section, the airflow volume of each gap layer can be independently controlled. This avoids the problem of poor processing performance for components in gap layers with large differences in airflow between them, ensuring uniform processing. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 A perspective view of one embodiment of the caching device provided in this application;

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A longitudinal cross-sectional view of the buffer device;

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the buffer unit's housing and cover;

[0027] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0028] 1. Compartment body; 11. Opening; 12. First compartment wall; 13. Second compartment wall; 14. First side compartment wall; 15. Second side compartment wall; 16. Third side compartment wall;

[0029] 2. Compartment cover; 21. Compartment cover split unit; 22. Guide shaft; 23. Connecting beam;

[0030] 3. Air intake section, 31. Air inlet, 32. Air intake chamber, 33. Air outlet;

[0031] 4. Air extraction section; 41. Air extraction port; 42. Air exhaust port; 43. Combination channel;

[0032] 5 connectors;

[0033] 6. Drive mechanism, 61. First drive unit, 611. First motor, 612. Base, 613. Lead screw, 614. First slider, 615. First guide rail, 62. Second drive unit, 621. Second motor, 622. Second slider, 623. Second guide rail.

[0034] 7. Connecting mechanism; 71. Insertion part; 72. Connecting plate; 721. Avoidance notch;

[0035] 8. Flow controller. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of this application, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0037] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the buffer device provided in this application includes at least a chamber body 1, a chamber cover 2, an air inlet 3, and an air extraction part 4.

[0038] The compartment 1 has an opening 11 on one side in the first direction. The compartment cover 2 can open or close the opening 11. When it is necessary to put the part to be processed 01 into the compartment 1 or take it out of the compartment 1, at least a part of the opening 11 is opened, and the part to be processed is taken out or put in through the area opened by the opening 11.

[0039] The component to be processed can be a thin-plate structure, such as a wafer, chip, photomask, or glass screen. For ease of description, the following explanation will primarily use a wafer as an example.

[0040] The air inlet 3 is connected to the interior of the chamber 1. In use, the air inlet 3 can be connected to an external inflation device. Once the inflation device is activated, gas can be injected into the chamber 1 through the air inlet 3. The inflation device may include an air source, inflation piping, power components, and valves. It should be noted that the buffer device provided in this application may or may not include the inflation device for sale.

[0041] The interior of the container 1 is provided with multiple layers of accommodating portions along a second direction for accommodating components to be processed. Each accommodating portion includes a physical space for accommodating the components and a limiting structure for positioning the components. For example, the limiting structure may be a support structure placed below the components to be processed. The limiting structure can be designed with a variable contact position with the components to be processed. For instance, the limiting structure may include multiple first contact portions and multiple second contact portions. The first and second contact portions are used to contact different positions of the components to be processed. When the first contact portion contacts the component to be processed, the second contact portion does not contact the component. When the second contact portion contacts the component to be processed, the first contact portion does not contact the component.

[0042] In the second direction, a gap layer is formed between the first layer of accommodating part and the wall of the hopper 1, as well as between each pair of adjacent accommodating parts.

[0043] The extraction section 4 includes multiple independent sub-extraction sections, meaning that the airflow paths of each sub-extraction section are not interconnected and can independently perform extraction operations. Each gap layer is connected to a different sub-extraction section, meaning that each gap layer has a corresponding connected sub-extraction section, and the same sub-extraction section is connected to only one gap layer. Each gap layer is connected to at least one sub-extraction section; specifically, each gap layer may be connected to one sub-extraction section, or each gap layer may be connected to two or more sub-extraction sections. In use, the sub-extraction section can be connected to an external extraction device. After the extraction device is activated, a negative pressure can be formed within the sub-extraction section, allowing the gas in the gap layer to be discharged through the sub-extraction section. The extraction device may include extraction pipelines, power components, and valves, etc. It should be noted that the buffer device provided in this application may or may not include the extraction device for sale.

[0044] The aforementioned buffer device, due to its multi-layered accommodating section, can simultaneously accommodate multiple components to be processed at a given time, thus enabling simultaneous processing of multiple components. This is more efficient than processing individual components one by one. During processing, the air inlet 3 fills the chamber 1 with gas, and the air extraction 4 extracts gas from the chamber 1. Since each sub-extraction section of the air extraction 4 is independent, and each gap layer is connected to a different sub-extraction section, each gap layer can be extracted by a separate sub-extraction section. The extraction volume of each sub-extraction section can be independently controlled. By independently controlling the extraction volume of each sub-extraction section, the airflow volume of each gap layer can be independently controlled. This avoids the problem of poor processing effect for components in gap layers with large differences in airflow between gap layers, ensuring processing uniformity.

[0045] For example, the aforementioned buffer device can cool the heat-treated wafers to match their temperature with the air temperature inside the weighing chamber of the weighing device, thus preventing temperature differences during weighing from causing inconsistent air convection or buoyancy, which could affect weighing accuracy. Since multiple wafers can be cooled simultaneously, the cooling efficiency is high. Because the airflow rate of each interlayer can be independently controlled, the airflow rate of the interlayer corresponding to each wafer can be controlled to be essentially consistent. Furthermore, because it is gas convection heat transfer cooling rather than contact cooling, the warped areas of the wafer can also be effectively cooled. This solves the problem of large cooling dead zones in interlayers with low airflow rates. Therefore, the cooling uniformity is high, meaning high temperature consistency across multiple wafers and high temperature consistency across different regions of a single wafer.

[0046] In some embodiments, the sub-extraction section is located on the chamber cover 2. This allows the extraction field of the sub-extraction section to be concentrated near the opening 11 of the chamber 1. As a result, when the sub-extraction section extracts air, it forms an air curtain near the opening 11, thereby reducing the amount of air entering the chamber 1 from the opening 11 when the opening 11 is open. For the wafer, this reduces the contact between the wafer and the air, alleviating the wafer oxidation problem.

[0047] Alternatively, the sub-extraction unit may be located on the wall of the chamber body 1 instead of on the chamber cover 2.

[0048] In some embodiments, a sub-extraction unit is provided on the chamber cover 2. Each sub-extraction unit has an extraction port 41, which is located on the side of the chamber cover 2 facing the gap layer. The chamber wall of the chamber body 1 includes a first chamber wall 12 and a second chamber wall 13 disposed opposite each other in a second direction, and a side chamber wall connecting the first chamber wall 12 and the second chamber wall 13. An air inlet 3 is provided on the side chamber wall of the chamber body 1. The air inlet 3 has multiple sets of air outlets 33 arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction, and the air outlets 33 are located on the side of the side chamber wall facing the gap layer. Along a direction perpendicular to the second direction, each set of air outlets 33 corresponds to a gap layer, that is, the projection of each set of air outlets 33 along the direction perpendicular to the second direction is located within the corresponding gap layer. In this way, the airflow flows basically in a direction parallel to the gap layer, and is basically in a laminar flow state, with reduced turbulence, thereby helping to reduce the dead zone of the airflow and improve the uniformity of the airflow on the surface of the component to be processed, thereby improving the uniformity of component processing.

[0049] Alternatively, the positions of the sub-extraction unit and the air inlet unit 3 can be interchanged, i.e., the sub-extraction unit is located on the side wall of the compartment 1, and the air inlet unit 3 is located on the compartment cover 2. In this case, the air extraction port 41 of the sub-extraction unit is located on the side of the side wall facing the gap layer, and the air delivery port 33 of the air inlet unit 3 is located on the side of the compartment cover 2 facing the gap layer.

[0050] In some embodiments, a sub-extraction section is provided on the cover 2, and each sub-extraction section has a plurality of extraction ports 41 arranged sequentially at intervals along a third direction. The third direction is perpendicular to the first and second directions, which is more conducive to reducing airflow dead zones and improving the uniformity of airflow on the surface of the component to be processed, thereby improving the uniformity of component processing.

[0051] Alternatively, each sub-extraction unit may be provided with only one extraction port 41.

[0052] In some embodiments, the air intake 3 is disposed on the side wall of the chamber 1. The side wall of the chamber 1 has a first side wall 14, a second side wall 15, and a third side wall 16. The first side wall 14 and the opening 11 are disposed opposite each other in a first direction. The second side wall 15 and the third side wall 16 are connected between the two sides of the first side wall 14 and the opening 11, and the second side wall 15 and the third side wall 16 are disposed opposite each other in a third direction. Each set of air inlets 33 of the air intake 3 includes: a plurality of air inlets 33 located on the side of the first side wall 14 facing the gap layer and spaced apart sequentially along the projection direction of the first side wall 14 on a plane perpendicular to the second direction, for example... Figure 3 From this perspective, the projection of the first side wall 14 onto a plane perpendicular to the second direction follows this pattern: it first extends obliquely from the third side wall 16 away from the cover, then extends along the third direction, and then obliquely towards the cover, extending all the way to the second side wall 15. It also includes a plurality of air inlets 33 located on the side of the second side wall 15 facing the gap layer and spaced sequentially along the projection of the second side wall 15 onto a plane perpendicular to the second direction, for example... Figure 3 From a certain perspective, the projection of the second side wall 15 onto a plane perpendicular to the second direction is the first direction. It also includes a plurality of air inlets 33 located on the side of the third side wall 16 facing the gap layer and spaced apart sequentially along the projection direction of the third side wall 16 onto a plane perpendicular to the second direction, for example... Figure 3 From this perspective, the projection of the third side wall 16 onto a plane perpendicular to the second direction is directed towards the first direction. The third direction is perpendicular to both the first and second directions. This design helps reduce airflow dead zones and improves the uniformity of airflow across the surface of the component being processed, thereby enhancing the uniformity of component processing.

[0053] Alternatively, each set of air inlets 33 may be located only on the side of the first side wall 14 facing the gap layer, or only on the side of the second side wall 15 facing the gap layer, or only on the side of the third side wall 16 facing the gap layer, or only on the side of the first side wall 14 facing the gap layer and the side of the second side wall 15 facing the gap layer, or only on the side of the second side wall 15 facing the gap layer and the side of the third side wall 16 facing the gap layer.

[0054] In some embodiments, each sub-extraction unit has an exhaust port 42 and a manifold 43. The exhaust port 42 is used to connect to an external extraction device. The manifold 43 connects all the extraction ports 41 and exhaust ports 42 of the same sub-extraction unit. For example, in the figure, each sub-extraction unit is provided with a manifold 43 extending in a third direction, and an exhaust port 42 is provided at each end of the extension direction (i.e., the third direction) of the manifold 43. Each of the two exhaust ports 42 is provided with a connector 5 to connect to the pipeline of the extraction device. The pipeline of the extraction device is provided with a flow controller 8 to control the flow rate as needed. The manifold 43 simplifies the connection between the sub-extraction unit and the extraction device. On the other hand, the manifold 43 also has the function of flow equalization and pressure stabilization, so that the air flow rate at each extraction port 41 of the sub-extraction unit is basically the same and the pressure fluctuation is relatively small.

[0055] Alternatively, the sub-extraction unit may not have a manifold 43, and each air inlet may be connected to an exhaust port 42 separately.

[0056] In some embodiments, the air intake 3 includes an air intake chamber 32 and an air inlet 31, with the air inlet 31 used for connecting an external air intake device. The air intake chamber 32 is located inside the chamber wall of the chamber 1; that is, the chamber wall has an inner wall and an outer wall, and the air intake chamber 32 is sandwiched between the inner and outer wall portions. The air intake chamber 32 connects all the air outlets 33 and the air inlets 31 of the air intake 3. During inflation, the airflow first enters the air intake chamber 32 from the air inlet 31, then disperses from the air intake chamber 32 to each air outlet 33, and then enters the interior of the chamber 1 from the air outlets 33. The air intake chamber 32 simplifies the connection between the air intake 3 and the air intake device, and also serves to equalize flow and stabilize pressure, ensuring that the airflow at each air outlet 33 is essentially uniform and the pressure fluctuation is relatively small.

[0057] Alternatively, the intake section 3 may not have an intake chamber 32, and each air outlet 33 may be connected to an individual air outlet 31.

[0058] In some embodiments, the air inlet 31 is located on the lower wall of the chamber 1. This allows the airflow to automatically diffuse upwards after entering the air intake chamber 32, which is more conducive to the uniform distribution of airflow within the air intake chamber 32. For example, in the figure, the second chamber wall 13 is located below, and the air inlet 31 is located on the second chamber wall 13.

[0059] Alternatively, the air inlet 31 can also be located on the wall of the compartment 1 in other locations.

[0060] In some embodiments, a gas diffuser is provided within the intake chamber 32 to ensure a more uniform gas distribution within the chamber. The gas diffuser can be assembled into the intake chamber 32 post-installed or integrally formed with the chamber wall. The gas diffuser can be powered or stationary, such as a flow equalization grid.

[0061] Alternatively, a gas diffuser may not be installed in the air intake chamber 32.

[0062] In some embodiments, the housing cover 2 is provided with multiple independent housing cover segments 21 arranged sequentially along the second direction. Each gap layer corresponds to one housing cover segment 21 along the first direction, that is, the projection of each housing cover segment 21 along the first direction covers the corresponding gap layer. Each housing cover segment 21 can move along the second direction so that the opening 11 area corresponding to one gap layer can be opened individually. In this way, the opening 11 area corresponding to each gap layer can be opened individually, so when picking up or placing the part to be processed, only the opening 11 area corresponding to one gap layer needs to be opened, while the opening 11 areas corresponding to the remaining gap layers remain closed. This reduces the amount of air entering the housing 1 from the opening 11 during the picking and placing of parts. For wafers, this reduces the contact between the wafer and air and alleviates the wafer oxidation problem.

[0063] For example, assuming there are four layers of cover 21 and four layers of gaps, from top to bottom as the first, second, third, and fourth layers, when the opening 11 area corresponding to the third layer of gaps is to be opened, the third layer of cover 21, together with the first and second layer of cover 21 above it, can be driven to rise together (the fourth layer of cover 21 remains stationary) until the opening 11 area corresponding to the third layer of gaps is opened. At this time, the opening 11 area corresponding to the second layer of gaps is covered by the third layer of cover 21 and thus remains closed; the opening 11 area corresponding to the first layer of gaps is covered by the second layer of cover 21 and thus remains closed; and the opening 11 area corresponding to the fourth layer of gaps is covered by the fourth layer of cover 21 and thus remains closed.

[0064] Furthermore, each compartment cover section 21 is equipped with at least one sub-extraction section. In this way, when the opening 11 area corresponding to one gap layer is opened, the other gap layers are still connected to their respective sub-extraction sections, thus allowing independent control of the airflow in the other gap layers.

[0065] like Figure 1As shown, the cover 2 can be provided with two connecting beams 23 extending in the third direction and two guide shafts 22 connected between the two connecting beams 23. The two ends of the cover body 21 in the third direction are respectively sleeved on the two guide shafts 22 so that it can be guided by the two guide shafts 22 to move in the first direction. In this way, the cover body 21 is not easy to tilt or get stuck when it moves.

[0066] like Figure 1 As shown, a sealing slide rail can be provided at the contact position between the second side wall 15, the third side wall 16 and the cover body 21 to guide the movement direction of the cover body 21 and seal the gap between the cover body 21 and the second side wall 15 and the third side wall 16.

[0067] Alternatively, the cover 2 can be configured as an integral structure, and the opening 11 can be opened and closed by rotating or moving the entire structure.

[0068] In some embodiments, the buffer device includes a driving mechanism 6 and a connecting mechanism 7. The driving mechanism 6 is connected to the connecting mechanism 7 and is configured to drive the connecting mechanism 7 to move along a second direction, and also to drive the connecting mechanism 7 to move closer to or away from the cover split 21 along a direction perpendicular to the second direction (such as the first direction or a third direction in the figure), so as to realize the connection or separation of the connecting mechanism 7 and the cover split 21. In this way, the single-layer opening and closing of the cover split 21 is realized through movement in two perpendicular directions, which has high reliability and simple structure.

[0069] Alternatively, the drive mechanism 6 can also be configured to drive the connecting mechanism 7 to move along the first direction, and also to drive the connecting mechanism 7 to rotate in a plane perpendicular to the first direction, thereby achieving the connection or separation of the connecting mechanism 7 and the cover split 21 through rotation.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drive mechanism 6 includes a first drive unit 61 and a second drive unit 62. The first drive unit 61 is connected to the second drive unit 62, and the second drive unit 62 is connected to the connecting mechanism 7. The first drive unit 61 is configured to drive the second drive unit 62 and the connecting mechanism 7 to move along a second direction. The second drive unit 62 is configured to drive the connecting mechanism 7 to move closer to or away from the cover assembly 21 along a direction perpendicular to the second direction (such as the first direction or a third direction in the figure), so that the connecting mechanism 7 is connected to or separated from the cover assembly 21. In this way, the first drive unit 61 and the second drive unit 62 are integrated, resulting in a compact structure and simple drive logic.

[0071] In the figure, the first drive unit 61 includes a first motor 611, a base 612, a lead screw 613, a first slider 614, and a first guide rail 615. The first slider 614 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 613 and slidably engaged with the first guide rail 615. The first guide rail 615 extends along a second direction. The second drive unit 62 is mounted on the first slider 614. The base 612 is provided with a transmission component (such as a belt transmission component, gear transmission component, chain transmission component, etc.). The transmission component can convert the rotation of the rotating shaft of the first motor 611 into the rotation of the lead screw 613, thereby driving the second drive unit 62 of the first slider 614 to slide along the first guide rail 615. The second drive unit 62 includes a second motor 621, a second slider 622, and a second guide rail 623. The second slider 622 is connected to the second motor 621 and slides along the second guide rail 623. The second guide rail 623 extends along a first direction. A connecting mechanism 7 is mounted on the second slider 622. The second motor 621 drives the second slider 622 and the connecting mechanism 7 to slide along the second guide rail 623. It should be noted that the structure of the first drive unit 61 and the second drive unit 62 is not limited to this. The first drive unit 61 only needs to be able to drive the second drive unit 62 and the connecting mechanism 7 to move along the second direction, and the second drive unit 62 only needs to be able to drive the connecting mechanism 7 to move closer to or away from the cover assembly 21 in a direction perpendicular to the second direction.

[0072] Alternatively, the first drive unit 61 and the second drive unit 62 can be separated. The first drive unit 61 is connected to the connecting mechanism 7, and the second drive unit 62 is connected to the connecting mechanism 7. When the first drive unit 61 drives the connecting mechanism 7, the second drive unit 62 is disconnected from the connecting mechanism 7. When the second drive unit 62 drives the connecting mechanism 7, the first drive unit 61 is disconnected from the connecting mechanism 7.

[0073] In some embodiments, the connecting mechanism 7 includes a plug-in portion 71, and the cover body 21 is provided with an adapter portion that interlocks with the plug-in portion 71. For example, in the figure, the connecting mechanism 7 has two pin-shaped plug-in portions 71 spaced apart along a third direction, and the cover body 21 has two hole-shaped adapter portions spaced apart along a third direction. The connection between the connecting mechanism 7 and the cover body 21 is achieved by interlocking the plug-in portion 71 and the adapter portion. In this way, the relative position of the connecting mechanism 7 and the cover body 21 is relatively stable after connection, making the opening or closing of the cover body 21 more stable.

[0074] Alternatively, the connection mechanism 7 and the compartment cover 21 can be connected by clamping, magnetic attraction, or other methods.

[0075] In some embodiments, the connecting mechanism 7 is provided with a clearance notch 721. For example, as shown in the figure, the connecting mechanism 7 includes a connecting plate 72, and two plug-in parts 71 are connected to the driving mechanism 6 through the connecting plate 72. The clearance notch 721 is provided on the connecting plate 72 and located between the two plug-in parts 71. When the connecting mechanism 7 is connected to the first layer cover 21 and the opening 11 area corresponding to the first layer gap layer is open, the clearance notch 721 corresponds to the current open area of ​​the opening 11 along the first direction. In this way, after the opening 11 area corresponding to the first layer gap layer is opened, the connecting mechanism 7 does not need to be separated from the cover 21. The part to be processed can be placed into the compartment 1 through the clearance notch 721 and the current open area of ​​the opening 11. After placement, the connecting mechanism 7 can be directly driven to reset the cover 21, which improves the efficiency of picking and placing parts.

[0076] Alternatively, the connecting mechanism 7 may not have the clearance notch 721. In this case, after the connecting mechanism 7 connects to the first layer of the cover 21 and opens the cover 21, it needs to be separated from the cover 21. Then, the parts to be processed are placed into the compartment 1. After placement, the connecting mechanism 7 connects to the cover 21 again to reset the cover 21.

[0077] This application also provides a testing device, including a weighing device and the aforementioned buffer device. The weighing device is used to weigh the components processed by the aforementioned buffer device. To ensure that the temperature of the wafer is cooled to match the air temperature inside the weighing chamber of the weighing device, a temperature sensor is correspondingly provided for each layer of the wafer-containing portion, for example, it can be attached to the support structure below each wafer layer.

[0078] This application also provides a detection process based on the above-mentioned detection equipment, including the following steps:

[0079] S1. The component to be processed (such as a heat-treated wafer) is transferred to the cache unit 1.

[0080] For example, after the wafers undergo heat treatment, they are placed into a transfer box (such as FOUP). All the wafers in the transfer box can be transferred to the buffer unit 1 for centralized cooling to achieve higher cooling efficiency.

[0081] S2. Inject cooling gas into chamber 1;

[0082] This step can begin before or after the component to be processed is moved into chamber 1. The cooling gas can be an inert gas such as nitrogen, helium, or argon, but it is not limited to these.

[0083] S3. Once the cooling gas concentration inside chamber 1 reaches the standard, the extraction unit 4 begins to extract gas, simultaneously filling and extracting. In other words, the extraction unit 4 will not be activated until the cooling gas concentration inside chamber 1 reaches the standard.

[0084] The concentration of cooling gas can be measured directly or calculated by measuring related parameters (such as oxygen concentration).

[0085] The air extracted by the extraction section 4 is discharged into the waste discharge device to avoid corrosion of the detection equipment.

[0086] S4. Transfer the cooled components from the buffer device to the weighing device for weighing.

[0087] In some embodiments, the cooling gas can be replaced with other temperature-controlled gases, such as heating gases with preset temperatures, according to actual process requirements. This temperature-controlled gas can be applied in the semiconductor manufacturing field, for example, to preheat or regulate the temperature of wafers before processes such as wafer resistivity measurement and thin film deposition, so that the wafers reach the target process temperature before subsequent coating, inspection, or other processing steps are performed, thereby broadening the scope of application and improving the versatility of equipment and processes.

[0088] The above embodiments can be freely combined without conflict.

[0089] The above examples illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the embodiments are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this application without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A buffer device, characterized in that, The buffer device includes a chamber (1), a cover (2), an air inlet (3), and an air extraction part (4). The chamber (1) has an opening (11) on one side in a first direction. The cover (2) is used to open or close the opening (11). The air inlet (3) communicates with the interior of the chamber (1). The interior of the chamber (1) has multiple layers of accommodating parts for accommodating components to be processed arranged sequentially along a second direction. In the second direction, a gap layer is formed between the first layer of accommodating parts and the chamber wall of the chamber (1), as well as between each two adjacent layers of accommodating parts. The air extraction part (4) It includes multiple independent sub-extraction sections, each of the gap layers is connected to a different sub-extraction section, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; the cover (2) is provided with multiple independent cover segments (21) in sequence along the second direction, each of the gap layers corresponds to one cover segment (21) along the first direction, each cover segment (21) can move along the second direction so as to be able to open the opening (11) area corresponding to one of the gap layers individually, and each cover segment (21) is provided with at least one sub-extraction section.

2. The caching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sub-extraction unit is located on the compartment cover (2).

3. The caching device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the sub-extraction sections has an extraction port (41) located on the side of the chamber cover (2) facing the gap layer. The chamber wall includes a first chamber wall (12) and a second chamber wall (13) arranged opposite to each other in the second direction, and a side chamber wall connected between the first chamber wall (12) and the second chamber wall (13). The air inlet section (3) is provided on the side chamber wall. The air inlet section (3) has multiple sets of air outlets (33) arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction. The air outlets (33) are located on the side of the side chamber wall facing the gap layer. In a direction perpendicular to the second direction, each set of air outlets (33) corresponds to one layer of the gap layer.

4. The caching device according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the sub-extraction units has a plurality of extraction ports (41) arranged sequentially at intervals along a third direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

5. The caching device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The side compartment wall has a first side compartment wall (14), a second side compartment wall (15) and a third side compartment wall (16). The first side compartment wall (14) and the opening (11) are arranged opposite to each other in the first direction. The second side compartment wall (15) and the third side compartment wall (16) are connected between the two sides of the first side compartment wall (14) and the opening (11). The second side compartment wall (15) and the third side compartment wall (16) are arranged opposite to each other in the third direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. Each set of air inlets (33) includes: a plurality of air inlets (33) located on the side of the first side wall (14) facing the gap layer and arranged at intervals along the projection direction of the first side wall (14) on a plane perpendicular to the second direction; a plurality of air inlets (33) located on the side of the second side wall (15) facing the gap layer and arranged at intervals along the projection direction of the second side wall (15) on a plane perpendicular to the second direction; and a plurality of air inlets (33) located on the side of the third side wall (16) facing the gap layer and arranged at intervals along the projection direction of the third side wall (16) on a plane perpendicular to the second direction.

6. The caching device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sub-extraction unit has an exhaust port (42) and a confluence channel (43). The exhaust port (42) is used to connect an external extraction device, and the confluence channel (43) connects all the extraction ports (41) and exhaust ports (42) of the same sub-extraction unit.

7. The caching device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The air intake (3) includes an air intake chamber (32) and an air inlet (31). The air inlet (31) is used to connect an external air intake device. The air intake chamber (32) is located inside the wall of the chamber body (1). The air intake chamber (32) connects all the air outlets (33) and the air inlet (31).

8. The caching device according to claim 7, characterized in that, A gas diffuser is provided inside the air intake chamber (32).

9. The buffer device according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The buffer device includes a driving mechanism (6) and a connecting mechanism (7). The driving mechanism (6) is connected to the connecting mechanism (7). The driving mechanism (6) is configured to drive the connecting mechanism (7) to move along the second direction and to drive the connecting mechanism (7) to move closer to or further away from the cover body (21) in a direction perpendicular to the second direction, so that the connecting mechanism (7) can be connected to or separated from any layer of the cover body (21).

10. The caching device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The driving mechanism (6) includes a first driving part (61) and a second driving part (62). The first driving part (61) is connected to the second driving part (62), and the second driving part (62) is connected to the connecting mechanism (7). The first driving part (61) is configured to drive the second driving part (62) and the connecting mechanism (7) to move along the second direction. The second driving part (62) is configured to drive the connecting mechanism (7) to move closer to or further away from the cover body (21) in a direction perpendicular to the second direction, so that the connecting mechanism (7) can be connected to or separated from any layer of the cover body (21).

11. The caching device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The connecting mechanism (7) is provided with a clearance notch (721). When the connecting mechanism (7) is connected to the first layer of the cover body (21) and the opening (11) area corresponding to the first layer of the gap layer is open, the clearance notch (721) is opened in the first direction corresponding to the opening (11) area.

12. The caching device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The connecting mechanism (7) includes a plug-in part (71), and the compartment cover body (21) is provided with an adapter part that is inserted into the plug-in part (71) so that the connecting mechanism (7) and any layer of the compartment cover body (21) can be connected through the insertion of the plug-in part (71) and the adapter part.

13. A testing device, characterized in that, It includes a weighing device and a buffer device as described in any one of claims 1-12.

14. A detection process, implemented based on the detection equipment of claim 13, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Move the component to be processed into the buffer unit (1); S2. Cooling gas is introduced into the chamber (1) of the buffer device; S3. After the concentration of cooling gas in the chamber (1) of the buffer device reaches the standard, the air extraction section (4) of the buffer device starts to extract air while filling and extracting air. S4. The cooled component is transferred from the buffer device to the weighing device for weighing.

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