Substrate transfer apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a substrate conveying device and relates to the field of semiconductor device manufacturing.The substrate conveying device comprises a mechanical arm, and the mechanical arm comprises at least one arm connecting rod, the arm connecting rod comprises a segmented arm body, the segmented arm body comprises a first segment, an intermediate segment and a last segment which are rigidly connected in sequence, the intermediate segment is made of a first metal material, the first segment and the last segment are made of a second metal material, the rigidity of the first metal material is greater than that of the second metal material, and the density of the second metal material is less than that of the first metal material, and a transmission assembly is arranged in the segmented arm body.The center distance of a belt wheel is dominated by thermal expansion deformation of the intermediate segment, a synchronous belt is made of the same first metal material as the intermediate segment, and the thermal expansion elongation of the synchronous belt when the temperature changes is matched with the change amount of the center distance of the belt wheel.The above scheme realizes the effect of high-precision wafer conveying in a high-temperature environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment manufacturing technology, and more particularly to substrate transfer equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the industrial trend of continuous development of intelligent manufacturing and high-end equipment, wafer transfer robots, as key automated equipment in the semiconductor equipment manufacturing field, are widely used for wafer handling between various process stations and reaction chambers. Existing wafer transfer robots typically include a drive module, a large arm, a small arm, and an end effector for carrying the wafer. Their basic working principle is to drive the large arm and small arm to perform linkage movements such as extension, retraction, and rotation through a motor-driven synchronous belt and other transmission mechanisms, thereby achieving efficient transfer and precise positioning of wafers between different workstations.

[0003] To further improve the motion accuracy and structural stability during wafer transfer, existing technologies have proposed a robotic arm body. For example, the upper or lower arm of a wafer transfer robot is typically designed as a single-piece structure, directly machined from a single material. This reduces assembly errors caused by splicing multiple parts, thereby improving the initial structural strength of the robotic arm to meet the high stability requirements of automated equipment in semiconductor manufacturing.

[0004] However, the aforementioned improvements still have serious technical limitations in practical applications, especially in the high-temperature operating environments common in semiconductor processes. As semiconductor processes demand higher adaptability to high-temperature environments, traditional wafer transfer mechanisms are susceptible to unexpected structural deformation due to thermodynamic factors during long-term high-temperature operation, and the compatibility between internal transmission components also decreases. This degradation of system rigidity and transmission instability caused by high temperatures not only accelerates component wear but also directly restricts the high positioning accuracy of wafer pick-and-place. Therefore, there is an urgent need in the field to provide a high-precision substrate transfer device that can effectively overcome the interference of high-temperature environments. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a substrate transfer device to solve the problem that existing substrate transfer devices are unable to overcome the interference of high-temperature environments in high-precision wafer transfer.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A substrate conveying device is provided, including a robotic arm, said robotic arm including at least one arm link, said arm link including: The segmented arm includes a first segment, a middle segment, and a last segment that are rigidly connected in sequence. The middle segment is made of a first metal material, and the first segment and the last segment are made of a second metal material. The first metal material has a higher stiffness than the second metal material, and the second metal material has a lower density than the first metal material. A transmission assembly is disposed inside the segmented boom body. The transmission assembly includes pulleys distributed at both ends of the segmented boom body and a synchronous belt wound around the pulleys. The center distance of the pulleys is governed by the thermal expansion deformation of the intermediate section. The synchronous belt is made of the same first metal material as the intermediate section so that the thermal expansion elongation of the synchronous belt during temperature changes matches the change in the center distance of the pulleys.

[0007] Furthermore, the elastic modulus of the first metal material and its yield strength under a preset high-temperature environment are both higher than those of the second metal material.

[0008] Furthermore, the first metal material is stainless steel, the second metal material is aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the synchronous belt is a stainless steel synchronous belt of the same material as the intermediate section.

[0009] Furthermore, the rigid connection between the first segment and the middle segment, and between the last segment and the middle segment, includes: Welded, keyed, or pinned connections used for splicing dissimilar metals.

[0010] Furthermore, the robotic arm includes an upper arm, a forearm pivotally connected to the end of the upper arm, and an actuation component pivotally connected to the end of the forearm. The arm link includes either the upper arm or the forearm. Both the upper arm and the forearm include the segmented arm body composed of the first segment, the middle segment, and the last segment. Furthermore, the robotic arm has a shoulder joint axis, an elbow joint axis, and a wrist joint axis; the proximal end of the upper arm pivots about the shoulder joint axis, and the proximal end of the forearm pivots about the elbow joint axis; the actuation assembly includes a first end effector and a second end effector that are rotatable relative to each other about the wrist joint axis. Furthermore, the substrate conveying device also includes a drive assembly and a Z-axis lifting mechanism; the drive assembly includes multiple independent power sources, which are respectively connected to the upper arm, the forearm, the first end effector and the second end effector; the Z-axis lifting mechanism is connected to the robotic arm. Furthermore, the pulleys include shoulder pulleys, elbow pulleys, and wrist pulleys located at corresponding joints; the output end of the power source is connected to the corresponding upper-level pulley, and the upper-level pulley is connected to the corresponding lower-level pulley via the synchronous belt. Furthermore, the substrate conveying device has a base and a combined housing, and the Z-axis lifting mechanism is disposed within the base; the Z-axis lifting mechanism includes a Z-axis motor, a lead screw, a transmission nut, and a guide rail; The output end of the Z-axis motor is connected to the lead screw drive, the drive nut is sleeved on the lead screw and threadedly engaged with the lead screw, and the drive nut is fixedly connected to the combined housing; the combined housing is slidably engaged with the guide rail.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the substrate conveying device provided by this invention are as follows: First, this solution designs the arm link as a segmented arm structure comprising a first section, a middle section, and a last section. The middle section uses a high-rigidity first metal material, while the first and last sections use a low-density second metal material, thus forming a composite structure of "high-rigidity support in the middle and lightweight load reduction at both ends." Since the bending deformation of the robotic arm in its extended state is mainly concentrated in the middle region, using a material with a higher elastic modulus and structural rigidity in the middle section effectively improves the bending and flexural resistance of the entire arm link, reducing end-cap drooping caused by material softening or long-term stress under high-temperature conditions. Simultaneously, using a lighter second metal material at both ends reduces the overall rotational inertia and cantilever load of the arm, decreasing the inertial torque during the driving process and further reducing the accumulation of arm deflection. Furthermore, since the robotic arm generates periodic acceleration and deceleration loads during high-speed reciprocating motion, the existing high-density overall structure easily leads to an increase in driving inertia, which in turn causes vibration amplification and positioning overshoot. This solution, through lightweight design of the first and last sections, significantly reduces the dynamic inertia of the robotic arm, improves servo response speed and motion stability, and reduces vibration amplitude during high-speed movement, thereby enhancing trajectory tracking accuracy and docking positioning accuracy during substrate handling. Especially in high-precision handling scenarios such as semiconductor substrates and high-temperature glass substrates, it can effectively reduce substrate misalignment, edge collisions, or adsorption position errors caused by mechanical vibration.

[0012] Furthermore, in existing technologies, because the synchronous belt and the main body of the arm are usually made of different materials, their coefficients of thermal expansion differ, resulting in different elongations when the temperature rises, causing changes in the synchronous belt tension. When the actual elongation of the synchronous belt is less than the change in the center distance between the pulleys, it leads to overstretching of the synchronous belt and localized stress concentration; while when the elongation of the synchronous belt is greater than the change in the center distance, it leads to slackness of the synchronous belt, increased backlash, and even tooth skipping, ultimately increasing transmission errors. The above solution, since the center distance between the pulleys is mainly governed by the thermal expansion deformation of the middle section, uses the same first metal material as the middle section for the synchronous belt, ensuring that the thermal expansion elongation of the synchronous belt and the change in the center distance between the pulleys change synchronously during temperature variations. This automatically maintains the stability of the synchronous belt tension in high-temperature environments, preventing excessive tensile stress due to thermal expansion differences and transmission backlash due to slackness, thus effectively suppressing synchronous belt fatigue, localized plastic deformation, and abnormal tooth wear. Therefore, this invention not only improves the transmission accuracy of the substrate conveying equipment in high-temperature environments but also enhances the transmission life and system reliability under long-term cyclic operation conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the substrate conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an isometric view of the substrate conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the substrate conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the robotic arm according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the robotic arm according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the upper arm structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the forearm structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the upper arm and its transmission assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the upper arm key connection structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of the key block in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the upper arm pin connection according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of the upper arm pin according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Reference numerals: 100, robotic arm; 101, upper arm; 102, forearm; 103, actuator assembly; 1031, first end effector; 1032, second end effector; 1033, finger; 104, shoulder joint axis; 105, elbow joint axis; 106, wrist joint axis; 110, segmented arm body; 111, first segment; 112, middle segment; 113, end segment; 114, keyway; 1141, keyway; 115, pin; 200, drive assembly; 210, power source; 211. First motor; 212. Second motor; 213. Third motor; 214. Fourth motor; 215. Rotor; 216. Stator; 300. Z-axis lifting mechanism; 301. Z-axis motor; 302. Lead screw; 303. Guide rail; 304. Slider; 305. Transmission nut; 400. Transmission assembly; 401. Shoulder pulley; 401A. First shoulder pulley; 401B. Second shoulder pulley; 401C. Third shoulder pulley; 402. Wrist pulley; 402A. First wrist pulley; 4 02B, Second elbow pulley; 403, Elbow pulley; 403A, First elbow pulley; 403B, Second elbow pulley; 403C, Third elbow pulley; 403D, Fourth elbow pulley; 403E, Fifth elbow pulley; 404, Drive shaft; 4041, First shaft; 4042, Second shaft; 4043, Third shaft; 4044, Fourth shaft; 4045, Bellows; 4046, First transition ring; 4047, First elbow shaft; 4048, Second elbow shaft; 4049, Third elbow shaft; 4 040, Second extension shaft; 405, Synchronous belt; 500, Base; 501, First flange; 502, Outer shell; 503, Base plate; 600, Combined shell; 70, Semiconductor processing equipment; 700, Atmospheric front end; 701, Loading port module; 7011, Substrate carrier; 702, Microenvironment; 7021, Loading port; 703, Conveying robot; 800, Vacuum loading lock; 900, Vacuum back end; 901, Transport chamber; 902, Processing station; 903, Controller; W, Working substrate. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed after the word and its equivalents, but does not exclude other elements or objects.

[0016] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1 - Appendix Figure 12 The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below.

[0017] Reference Figures 1-5 In some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate transfer device can be applied in a semiconductor processing apparatus 70 for transferring work substrates W between different process modules. The semiconductor processing apparatus 70 typically includes an atmospheric front end 700, a vacuum loading lock 800, and a vacuum back end 900. The atmospheric front end 700 may include a loading port module 701 and a microenvironment 702 module, while the vacuum back end 900 may include a transport chamber 901, multiple processing stations 902, and the substrate transfer device disposed within the transport chamber 901.

[0018] The loading port module 701 can be used to receive the substrate carrier 7011, which can accommodate multiple substrates to be processed. The loading port module 701 can be connected to the microenvironment 702 module through the loading port 7021 to allow the substrates to be transferred between the substrate carrier 7011 and the microenvironment 702. The microenvironment 702 module can provide a controlled clean environment and realize the transfer of substrates between the loading port module 701 and the vacuum loading lock 800 through a transfer robot 703 disposed therein.

[0019] The vacuum loading lock 800 is disposed between the microenvironment 702 module and the vacuum backend 900, and is used to isolate and switch between atmospheric and vacuum environments. The vacuum loading lock 800 may include an atmospheric slot valve and a vacuum slot valve to maintain a stable vacuum environment inside the transport chamber 901 during substrate transfer.

[0020] The vacuum backend 900 includes a transport chamber 901 and one or more processing stations 902 communicating with the transport chamber 901. The processing station 902 is capable of performing deposition, etching, oxidation, diffusion, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or other semiconductor manufacturing processes on the substrate. The substrate transfer device is disposed inside the transport chamber 901 and is used to transfer the substrate between the vacuum loading lock 800 and each processing station 902.

[0021] The substrate transfer device includes a base 500, a robotic arm 100, and a drive assembly 200 and a Z-axis lifting mechanism 300 for driving the movement of the robotic arm 100. The robotic arm 100 is mounted on the base 500 and is capable of performing multi-degree-of-freedom substrate transfer operations in a vacuum environment. The base 500 is located on the atmospheric environment side, and the robotic arm 100 is located on the vacuum environment side, with the two isolated by a dynamic sealing structure.

[0022] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments, the robotic arm 100 includes at least one arm link, which includes an upper arm 101 and a forearm 102. The proximal end of the upper arm 101 is rotatably connected to a base 500 at a shoulder joint about a shoulder joint axis 104; the proximal end of the forearm 102 is rotatably connected to the distal end of the upper arm 101 at an elbow joint about an elbow joint axis 105. In some embodiments, the base 500 includes a first flange 501 for mounting and securing the robotic arm 100 to an external device cavity.

[0023] Furthermore, an actuation component 103 is provided at the distal end of the forearm 102, the actuation component 103 including a first end effector 1031 and a second end effector 1032. Both the first end effector 1031 and the second end effector 1032 can rotate independently relative to the forearm 102 about the wrist joint axis 106.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first end effector and the second end effector 1032 can be used to carry different working substrates W to achieve parallel handling of two wafers. With the dual end effector structure, while one end effector removes a substrate from the processing station 902, the other end effector feeds a substrate to be processed into another processing station 902, thereby reducing waiting time and improving equipment throughput efficiency. In some embodiments, the first end effector 1031 and / or the second end effector 1032 includes fingers 1033 for supporting the working substrate W. The fingers 1033 extend radially along the substrate and are used to insert into the substrate support gap in the processing station 902 to realize the picking and placing action of the working substrate W. In some embodiments, the fingers 1033 may include multiple spaced-apart interdigitated structures to reduce the contact area with the working substrate W.

[0025] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the robotic arm 100 has five degrees of freedom, including: a rotational degree of freedom of the upper arm 101 about the shoulder joint axis 104; a rotational degree of freedom of the forearm 102 about the elbow joint axis 105; a rotational degree of freedom of the first end effector about the wrist joint axis 106; a rotational degree of freedom of the second end effector 1032 about the wrist joint axis 106; and a lifting degree of freedom of the robotic arm 100 as a whole along the Z-axis. Correspondingly, the substrate conveying device includes a plurality of independent power sources 210 for driving the above-mentioned degrees of freedom of motion respectively.

[0026] In some embodiments, the drive assembly 200 includes a first motor 211, a second motor 212, a third motor 213, and a fourth motor 214. The first motor 211 drives the upper arm 101 to rotate about the shoulder joint axis 104; the second motor 212 drives the forearm 102 to rotate about the elbow joint axis 105; the third motor 213 drives a first end effector to rotate about the wrist joint axis 106; and the fourth motor 214 drives a second end effector 1032 to rotate about the wrist joint axis 106.

[0027] Furthermore, the substrate conveying device also includes a Z-axis lifting mechanism 300 for driving the overall lifting of the robotic arm 100. In some embodiments, the Z-axis lifting mechanism 300 is disposed inside the base 500 and includes a Z-axis motor 301, a lead screw 302, a transmission nut 305, and a guide rail 303. The combined housing 600 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 303 via a slider 304, which is fixedly disposed on the side of the combined housing 600. The output end of the Z-axis motor 301 is connected to the lead screw 302 for driving the lead screw 302 to rotate around its own axis; the transmission nut 305 is sleeved on the outer circumference of the lead screw 302 and forms a threaded engagement with the lead screw 302; the transmission nut 305 is fixedly connected to the combined housing 600.

[0028] The combined housing 600 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 303, enabling the combined housing 600 to perform stable linear lifting and lowering motion along the direction of the guide rail 303. Further, the combined housing 600 is connected to the robotic arm 100 via multiple drive shafts 404. When the Z-axis motor 301 drives the lead screw 302 to rotate, the transmission nut 305 moves axially along the lead screw 302, driving the combined housing 600 to lift and lower along the direction of the guide rail 303, thereby causing the robotic arm 100 to move synchronously along the Z-axis. The base 500 includes an outer shell 502, which is mounted on a base plate 503, which supports the overall structure of the base 500. The outer shell 502 surrounds the drive assembly 200 and the Z-axis lifting mechanism 300, forming a sealed protective space.

[0029] Reference Figure 4 In some embodiments, the pulleys include a shoulder pulley 401 disposed at the shoulder joint, an elbow pulley 403 disposed at the elbow joint, and a wrist pulley 402 disposed at the wrist joint. In some embodiments, the output end of the power source 210 is connected to the corresponding pulley via a corresponding drive shaft 404, and cross-joint power transmission is achieved via a synchronous belt 405 to form a multi-degree-of-freedom independently driven power transmission link. Specifically, the rotational movement of the upper arm 101 is directly driven by the first motor 211. The first motor 211 includes a rotor 215 and a stator 216, wherein the torque output by the first motor 211 is transmitted to the first transition ring 4046 via the first shaft 4041. The first transition ring 4046 is fixedly connected to the upper arm 101, thereby directly driving the upper arm 101 to rotate around the shoulder joint axis 104.

[0030] Furthermore, the rotation of the forearm 102 is driven by the second motor 212. The torque output by the second motor 212 is transmitted to the second extension shaft 4040 via the second shaft 4042, and drives the corresponding first shoulder pulley 401A to rotate; the first shoulder pulley 401A drives the corresponding first elbow pulley 403A to rotate synchronously via the synchronous belt 405; the first elbow pulley 403A further drives the forearm 102 to rotate around the elbow joint axis 105 via the first elbow shaft 4047. In some embodiments, the rotation of the first end effector 1031 is driven by the third motor 213. The torque output by the third motor 213 drives the corresponding second shoulder pulley 401B to rotate via the third shaft 4043. The power is transmitted to the corresponding second elbow pulley 403B via the synchronous belt 405, and drives the corresponding fourth elbow pulley 403D to rotate synchronously via the second elbow shaft 4048. Subsequently, the power is further transmitted to the corresponding first wrist pulley 402A via the synchronous belt 405, and finally drives the first end effector 1031 to rotate around the wrist joint axis 106.

[0031] Furthermore, the rotation of the second end effector 1032 is driven by the fourth motor 214. The torque output by the fourth motor 214 drives the corresponding third shoulder pulley 401C to rotate via the fourth shaft 4044. The power is transmitted via the synchronous belt 405 to the corresponding third elbow pulley 403C, and then via the third elbow shaft 4049 to drive the corresponding fifth elbow pulley 403E to rotate. Subsequently, the power is further transmitted via the synchronous belt 405 to the corresponding second wrist pulley 402B, and finally drives the second end effector 1032 to rotate around the wrist joint axis 106. In the above embodiment, each power source 210 corresponds to a different degree of freedom of motion of the robotic arm 100. The pulleys and synchronous belts 405 at each level form independent power transmission links, thereby avoiding mechanical coupling interference between different motion axes and improving the accuracy of multi-degree-of-freedom motion control.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments, a bellows 4045 is provided around the drive shaft 404. The bellows 4045 is used to maintain a sealed vacuum environment during the rotation or axial movement of the drive shaft 404, and to absorb vibrations and minor displacements generated during transmission, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the robotic arm 100 in a vacuum environment.

[0033] In some embodiments, the substrate conveying device includes a robotic arm 100, which may employ a multi-joint linkage structure, including an upper arm 101, a forearm 102, and an execution component 103 disposed at the end of the forearm 102. One end of the upper arm 101 is rotatably connected to a drive base, and the other end is pivotally connected to the forearm 102. The end of the forearm 102 is further pivotally connected to the execution component 103 to form a multi-stage linkage conveying structure. The execution component 103 may be a wafer carrier fork, a vacuum adsorption component, or an electrostatic adsorption component, used to carry the substrate to be transported.

[0034] Reference Figures 5-9 In this embodiment, the upper arm 101 or the forearm 102 both constitute an arm linkage, and the arm linkage adopts a segmented arm body 110 structure. Specifically, the segmented arm body 110 includes a first segment 111, a middle segment 112, and a last segment 113 connected sequentially along the length direction. Among them, the first segment 111 is located near the drive end, the middle segment 112 is located in the main force-bearing area of ​​the arm body, and the last segment 113 is located near the execution component 103.

[0035] In some embodiments, the intermediate segment 112 is made of a first metal material, and the first segment 111 and the last segment 113 are made of a second metal material. Preferably, the first metal material is stainless steel, which has high rigidity and high temperature resistance, such as stainless steel or other high-strength heat-resistant steel; the second metal material is a low-density lightweight material, such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, magnesium-aluminum alloy or other lightweight metal materials.

[0036] Since the bending stress of the robotic arm 100 in its extended state is mainly concentrated in the middle region, using a high-stiffness, high-elastic-modulus material for the middle section 112 can improve the overall bending resistance of the arm linkage and reduce thermal deflection and end-effector sag under high-temperature conditions. Conversely, using low-density materials for the first section 111 and the last section 113 can reduce the overall weight and moment of inertia of the robotic arm 100, thereby reducing the drive load and improving dynamic response performance during high-speed handling. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the elastic modulus of the first metal material is higher than that of the second metal material, and its yield strength under a preset high-temperature environment is also higher than that of the second metal material. For example, in a process environment of 150°C to 450°C, the first metal material can still maintain high structural strength to avoid permanent deformation of the arm body due to thermal softening, while the second metal material is mainly used in non-critical load-bearing areas to achieve lightweighting.

[0037] Reference Figures 8-12 In some embodiments, the first segment 111 and the middle segment 112, as well as the last segment 113 and the middle segment 112, can be rigidly joined using dissimilar metal connection structures. Specifically, fixing can be achieved using welding, keying, pinning, bolting, or tenon joints. For example, in embodiments using welding, dissimilar metal connections between stainless steel and aluminum alloy can be achieved through laser welding, friction welding, diffusion welding, or brazing to improve the structural strength and thermal stability of the connection area. In other embodiments, mechanical connections between dissimilar metals can be achieved through intermediate transition connectors. For example, a connecting flange is provided at the end of the middle segment 112, and the first segment 111 or the last segment 113 is locked to the connecting flange using locating pins and high-strength bolts, thereby reducing the heat-affected zone problems caused by direct welding of dissimilar metals.

[0038] In some embodiments, the end segment 113 and the middle segment 112 are connected by a key block 114 for torque transmission, the key block 114 being partially embedded in a keyway 1141 at the corresponding connection location. The keyway 1141 extends along the connection axis to restrict relative circumferential rotation between the end segment 113 and the middle segment 112. In some embodiments, the beginning segment 111 and the middle segment 112, and the end segment 113 and the middle segment 112, can also be connected by a pin 115 for auxiliary positioning.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a transmission assembly 400 is provided inside the segmented arm 110. The transmission assembly 400 includes pulleys respectively disposed at both ends of the arm and a synchronous belt 405 wound around the pulleys. The rotational power output by the drive motor is transmitted to the distal end of the robotic arm 100 through the synchronous belt 405 to drive the forearm 102 or the actuator 103 to move.

[0040] In some embodiments, the timing belt 405 is a metal timing belt, the main body of which is made of the same first metal material as the intermediate section 112. Preferably, the timing belt 405 is formed by a toothed forming process using a thin stainless steel strip to improve its high-temperature resistance and tensile strength. Since the center distance between the pulleys is mainly determined by the length change of the intermediate section 112, the intermediate section 112 will change in length due to thermal expansion when the ambient temperature changes. If the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials of the timing belt 405 and the intermediate section 112 are different, a difference will appear between the elongation of the timing belt 405 and the change in the center distance between the pulleys, resulting in the timing belt 405 being too tight or too loose.

[0041] In this embodiment, the synchronous belt 405 and the intermediate section 112 are made of the same first metal material with the same coefficient of thermal expansion, so that the thermal expansion elongation of the synchronous belt 405 during temperature changes changes synchronously with the change in the center distance of the pulleys. This allows the tension of the synchronous belt 405 to remain relatively stable in high-temperature environments. Specifically, when the ambient temperature rises, the intermediate section 112 undergoes axial thermal expansion, leading to an increase in the center distance of the pulleys, while the synchronous belt 405, being made of the same material, also experiences thermal expansion elongation in the corresponding length direction. Since both exhibit the same thermal deformation trend, the synchronous belt 405 will not experience significant additional tensile stress due to changes in the center distance, nor will it sag due to excessive thermal elongation. Therefore, this embodiment effectively reduces the risk of localized stress concentration, tooth surface wear, fatigue cracks, and tooth skipping in the synchronous belt 405, and maintains a stable transmission ratio, thereby improving the repeatability and long-term operational reliability of the robotic arm 100 in high-temperature processing environments.

[0042] Furthermore, due to the reduced tension variation of the synchronous belt 405, the additional load on the pulley bearings and the load fluctuation of the drive motor can be reduced, thereby reducing system vibration and energy consumption and improving the stability of continuous equipment operation. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 100 may further include a temperature detection component and a controller 903. The temperature detection component is used to detect the temperature distribution in different areas of the robotic arm 100 in real time, and the controller 903 performs compensatory control of the drive parameters based on the detected temperature to further reduce the impact of high-temperature environment on handling accuracy.

[0043] In some embodiments, the synchronous belt 405 adopts a metal synchronous belt structure, and the synchronous belt 405 and the middle section 112 in the segmented arm 110 are made of the same first metal material, so that the thermal expansion elongation of the synchronous belt 405 is consistent with the change in the center distance of the joint pulleys. Therefore, even if the internal temperature of the transport chamber 901 changes in a vacuum high-temperature environment, the synchronous belt 405 can still maintain a stable tension, avoiding problems such as slackness, overstretching, or skipped teeth, thereby improving the repeatability and positioning accuracy of the robotic arm 100 in high-temperature environments.

[0044] Furthermore, since this embodiment uses multiple independent power sources 210 to drive different degrees of freedom of motion, there is no problem of mechanical coupling error accumulation between the motion axes, enabling higher precision trajectory control. Furthermore, since the synchronous belt 405 transmission has buffering and vibration absorption characteristics, and the rigid shaft transmission has high torsional rigidity, the combination of the two can improve power transmission accuracy and reduce vibration and impact during high-speed motion. Furthermore, since this embodiment uses five independent power sources 210 to drive different degrees of freedom of motion, there is no problem of mechanical coordination error accumulation between the motion axes, enabling higher precision trajectory control.

[0045] Furthermore, during the process of transferring the work substrate W to the processing station 902 via the vacuum loading lock 800, the controller 903 can control the movement posture of the upper arm 101, the forearm 102, and the two end effectors respectively, so that the two end effectors can be precisely aligned with different processing stations 902, thereby realizing parallel substrate exchange at two workstations. At the same time, the Z-axis lifting mechanism 300 can adjust the overall height of the robotic arm 100 according to the height position of different processing stations 902 to meet the loading and unloading requirements of different process cavities.

[0046] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A substrate conveying device, including a robotic arm, characterized in that, The robotic arm includes at least one arm link, the arm link comprising: The segmented arm includes a first segment, a middle segment, and a last segment that are rigidly connected in sequence. The middle segment is made of a first metal material, and the first segment and the last segment are made of a second metal material. The first metal material has a higher stiffness than the second metal material, and the second metal material has a lower density than the first metal material. A transmission assembly is disposed inside the segmented boom body. The transmission assembly includes pulleys distributed at both ends of the segmented boom body and a synchronous belt wound around the pulleys. The center distance of the pulleys is governed by the thermal expansion deformation of the intermediate section. The synchronous belt is made of the same first metal material as the intermediate section so that the thermal expansion elongation of the synchronous belt during temperature changes matches the change in the center distance of the pulleys.

2. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic modulus and yield strength of the first metal material under a preset high temperature environment are both higher than those of the second metal material.

3. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first metal material is stainless steel, the second metal material is aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the synchronous belt is a stainless steel synchronous belt of the same material as the intermediate section.

4. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rigid connections between the first segment and the middle segment, and between the last segment and the middle segment, include: Welded, keyed, or pinned connections used for splicing dissimilar metals.

5. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm includes an upper arm, a forearm pivotally connected to the end of the upper arm, and an actuation component pivotally connected to the end of the forearm. The arm link includes either the upper arm or the forearm. Both the upper arm and the forearm include the segmented arm body composed of the first segment, the middle segment, and the last segment.

6. The substrate conveying device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The robotic arm has a shoulder joint axis, an elbow joint axis, and a wrist joint axis; the proximal end of the upper arm pivots about the shoulder joint axis, and the proximal end of the forearm pivots about the elbow joint axis; the actuation assembly includes a first end effector and a second end effector that are rotatable relative to each other about the wrist joint axis.

7. The substrate conveying device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The substrate conveying device further includes a drive assembly and a Z-axis lifting mechanism; the drive assembly includes multiple independent power sources, which are respectively connected to the upper arm, the forearm, the first end effector and the second end effector; the Z-axis lifting mechanism is connected to the robotic arm.

8. The substrate conveying device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pulleys include shoulder pulleys, elbow pulleys, and wrist pulleys located at corresponding joints; the output end of the power source is connected to the corresponding upper-level pulley, and the upper-level pulley is connected to the corresponding lower-level pulley via the synchronous belt.

9. The substrate conveying device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The substrate conveying device has a base and a combined housing, and the Z-axis lifting mechanism is disposed in the base; the Z-axis lifting mechanism includes a Z-axis motor, a lead screw, a transmission nut and a guide rail; The output end of the Z-axis motor is connected to the lead screw drive, the drive nut is sleeved on the lead screw and threadedly engaged with the lead screw, and the drive nut is fixedly connected to the combined housing; the combined housing is slidably engaged with the guide rail.

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