Photomask transfer arm and system, photomask loading method

Abstract

The application provides a photomask conveying arm and system and a photomask loading method. The photomask conveying arm comprises a supporting arm, an air floating unit arranged on the supporting arm and used for forming an air cushion between the supporting arm and the photomask, and the photomask floats on the air cushion during conveying and leaves a gap between the supporting arm and the photomask. One end of the supporting arm is provided with a fixing member, and the other end is provided with an abutting member in an extendable manner. The abutting member extends outward during conveying and abuts against one end of the photomask, so that the other end of the photomask contacts the fixing member. In this way, the air floating unit is arranged on the supporting arm, and the air cushion is formed between the supporting arm and the photomask, so that the photomask can float on the air cushion during conveying, direct contact between the photomask and the supporting arm is avoided, the abutting member can normally apply force to push the photomask to achieve fixation, and the situation that conveying fails due to excessive friction between the photomask and the supporting arm is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular to a photomask transfer arm and system, and a photomask loading method. Background Technology

[0002] The existing photomask transfer arm includes an arm body and a push pin. When the arm body receives the photomask to be transferred, the push pin pushes the photomask until it comes into contact with the fixing component of the arm body, so that the photomask is fixed under the combined action of the push pin and the fixing component.

[0003] However, the existing photolithography transfer arm has several issues that can cause the ejector pin to fail to push the photolithography plate onto the fixing component, resulting in transfer failure.

[0004] 1) The surface of the photomask to be transferred is smooth and it fits too tightly to the arm body, which increases the friction between the photomask and the arm body, and the ejector pin cannot push the photomask.

[0005] 2) The surface of the photomask to be transferred has chemical residue, which increases the friction between the photomask and the arm body, making it impossible for the ejector pin to push the photomask.

[0006] 3) The presence of particulate matter or other contaminants on the arm body increases the friction between the photolithography plate and the arm body, preventing the ejector pin from pushing the photolithography plate.

[0007] 4) There is resistance when the ejector pin is ejected, resulting in insufficient ejection force and inability to push the photolithography plate.

[0008] Therefore, how to reduce the friction between the photolithography plate and the arm body has become a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a photomask transfer arm and system, and a photomask loading method, to solve the problem in the prior art where excessive friction between the photomask and the arm body causes the ejector pin to be unable to fix the photomask.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a photolithography plate transfer arm, comprising:

[0011] Support arm;

[0012] An air flotation unit is disposed on the support arm to form an air cushion between the support arm and the photomask; the photomask floats on the air cushion during the transport process, and a gap is left between it and the support arm;

[0013] One end of the support arm is provided with a fixing member, and the other end is provided with a retractable abutment member; the abutment member extends outward during the transmission process and abuts against one end of the photomask, so that the other end of the photomask comes into contact with the fixing member.

[0014] Optionally, the air flotation unit includes:

[0015] An air duct, located inside the support arm, is used for gas circulation;

[0016] And air holes, which are formed on the surface of the support arm and communicate with the air groove, are used to allow the gas to be ejected outward to form the air cushion.

[0017] Optionally, the direction of gas ejection is set at an angle to the plane where the support arm is located.

[0018] Optionally, the photolithography plate transfer arm further includes:

[0019] A gas supply unit is used to supply gas for forming an air cushion to the air flotation unit through the gas tank;

[0020] The gas supply unit includes a gas delivery pipeline and a pressure detection device;

[0021] The gas delivery pipeline is connected to the gas tank and is used to supply the gas to the gas tank;

[0022] The pressure detection device is installed on the gas delivery pipeline to acquire and adjust the gas pressure in the gas delivery pipeline.

[0023] A control valve and a connector are also provided between the gas supply unit and the gas tank; the control valve is used to open or close the connection between the gas supply unit and the gas tank; the connector is used to connect the gas delivery pipeline and the gas tank.

[0024] Optionally, the photolithography plate transfer arm further includes:

[0025] Safety arms are provided on both sides of the support arm, and the extension direction of the safety arms is parallel to the extension direction of the support arm.

[0026] The safety arm is equipped with a first sensor, which is used to detect whether there is any abnormality in the position of the photolithography plate during the transmission process.

[0027] Optionally, the first sensor has a transmitter and a receiver;

[0028] The transmitting end and the receiving end are respectively disposed on the safety arms located on both sides. The transmitting end is used to emit a detection beam, and the receiving end is used to receive the detection beam.

[0029] When the receiving end does not receive the detection beam, the position of the photomask is abnormal.

[0030] Optionally, the photolithography plate transfer arm further includes:

[0031] A driving component, disposed on the support arm and connected to the abutment component, is used to drive the abutment component to move between an extended position and a retracted position;

[0032] When the abutment is in the extended position, the abutment abuts against the photomask; when the abutment is in the retracted position, the abutment releases its contact with the photomask.

[0033] Optionally, a second sensor is provided on the drive component, located at the extended position, for detecting whether the abutment component is in the extended position;

[0034] And a third sensor, located at the retracted position, for detecting whether the abutment is in the retracted position.

[0035] Optionally, a fourth sensor is also provided on the support arm. The fourth sensor and the abutment are located on the same side of the photomask, and are used to detect whether the photomask is on the support arm.

[0036] Optionally, two support arms are provided, and the distance between the two support arms is adapted to the size of the photomask; the abutment is provided between the two support arms;

[0037] The fixing members are respectively disposed on the two support arms. After the abutting member abuts against the photomask, the edge of the photomask contacts the two fixing members respectively.

[0038] Optionally, the fixing member protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the support arm; the protrusion distance of the fixing member is adapted to the thickness of the photomask.

[0039] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a photomask transport system, comprising:

[0040] The photolithography transfer arm as described above;

[0041] And a drive unit, connected to the photomask transfer arm, for driving the photomask transfer arm to move between different positions.

[0042] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a photomask loading method, comprising:

[0043] Move the photomask transfer arm to a position close to the back of the photomask to be transferred;

[0044] An air cushion is formed between the photolithography plate transfer arm and the photolithography plate;

[0045] Move toward the photomask until the photomask floats on the air cushion;

[0046] The drive abutment moves until it abuts against the photomask, so that the photomask comes into contact with the fixing member and is fixed.

[0047] Optionally, the photolithography mounting method further includes:

[0048] The first sensor detects an abnormal position of the photomask; or...

[0049] When the second or third sensor detects an abnormal position of the abutment, the operation stops and an alarm signal is generated.

[0050] Compared with existing transfer arms, the photomask transfer arm and system and photomask loading method provided in this application have the following advantages:

[0051] The photomask transfer arm provided in this application, by setting an air-bearing unit on the support arm and forming an air cushion between the support arm and the photomask, allows the photomask to float on the air cushion during transfer, avoiding direct contact between the photomask and the support arm. There is virtually no friction between them, and the photomask can be fixed by normal force applied by the abutment, preventing transfer failures caused by excessive friction between the photomask and the support arm, and reducing the probability of damage to the photomask during transfer. Simultaneously, the reduced friction between the photomask and the support arm lowers the load on the abutment and reduces frictional wear, extending the service life of both the support arm and the abutment, reducing consumable consumption, and thus lowering production costs. Furthermore, the airflow forming the air cushion, with the photomask floating on it, can also clean the surface of the photomask, ensuring the cleanliness of both the photomask and the support arm.

[0052] Furthermore, by adding safety arms on both sides of the support arm and setting the first sensor on the safety arm, it is used to detect whether there is any abnormality in the position of the photomask during the transmission process. Once an abnormality occurs, it can be detected and dealt with in time, avoiding the situation where the photomask tilts over and falls off the air cushion, reducing the probability of photomask breakage, thereby reducing the consumption of consumables and lowering production costs.

[0053] Furthermore, by setting a second and a third sensor on the drive unit to detect the position of the abutment, any abnormality can be detected and dealt with in a timely manner, avoiding the situation where the photomask becomes loose due to the abutment not being in place, thus ensuring the fixation effect of the photomask and improving the transmission success rate of the photomask transfer arm.

[0054] The photomask transfer system provided in this application reduces the friction between the photomask and the support arm by using the aforementioned photomask transfer arm, avoiding transfer failures caused by excessive friction between the photomask and the support arm, thereby improving the transfer success rate of the photomask transfer arm, thus improving the transfer efficiency of the photomask transfer system and reducing the loss of yield and productivity caused by transfer failures.

[0055] The photomask loading method provided in this application uses the aforementioned photomask transfer arm to form an air cushion between the support arm and the photomask, so that the photomask does not directly contact the support arm during the loading process. This avoids the situation where the photomask transfer fails because the friction between the support arm and the photomask is too great and the abutment cannot properly fix the photomask. Attached Figure Description

[0056] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the photolithography transfer arm provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a photomask transfer arm fixing a photomask according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the detection of anomalies in the position of a photomask by a first sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the detection of the photomask position by the fourth sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 5 A flowchart of a photomask loading method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] The explanations of the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0062] 1-Support arm; 10-Arm body; 11-Fixing component; 12-Abutting component;

[0063] 2-Air flotation unit; 20-Air cushion; 21-Air tank; 22-Air hole; 23-Gas supply unit; 24-Control valve; 25-Connector; 230-Gas delivery pipeline; 231-Pressure regulating valve; 232-Pressure gauge;

[0064] 3-Safety arm; 30-First sensor; 300-Transmitter; 301-Receiver;

[0065] 4-Driver; 40-Second sensor; 41-Third sensor;

[0066] 5-Fourth sensor; 6-Photolithography plate. Detailed Implementation

[0067] To make the objectives, advantages, and features of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and are not drawn to scale, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the explanation of the embodiments of this invention. Furthermore, the structures shown in the drawings are often part of the actual structures. In particular, different figures may emphasize different aspects and may sometimes use different scales.

[0068] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural objects; the term “or” is generally used to mean “and / or”; the term “a number” is generally used to mean “at least one”; and the term “at least two” is generally used to mean “two or more”. Furthermore, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as “first,” “second,” or “third” may explicitly or implicitly include one or at least two of that feature. “One end” and “the other end,” as well as “proximal end” and “distal end,” generally refer to two corresponding parts, including not only endpoints. The terms “installed,” “connected,” and “joined” should be interpreted broadly; for example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements. Furthermore, as used in this specification, the phrase "one element is disposed on another element" generally only indicates that there is a connection, coupling, cooperation, or transmission relationship between the two elements, and the connection, coupling, cooperation, or transmission between the two elements can be direct or indirect through an intermediate element. It should not be construed as indicating or implying a spatial positional relationship between the two elements, i.e., one element can be located arbitrarily inside, outside, above, below, or to the side of another element, unless otherwise explicitly stated. The terms "above," "below," "top," and "bottom" generally refer to relative positional relationships arranged according to the direction of gravity; the terms "vertical" or "vertical direction" generally refer to the direction of gravity, which is generally perpendicular to the ground; "horizontal" or "horizontal plane direction" generally refers to a direction parallel to the ground. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this specification according to the specific circumstances.

[0069] The purpose of this invention is to provide a photomask transfer arm and system, and a photomask loading method, to solve the problem in the prior art where excessive friction between the photomask and the arm body causes the ejector pin to be unable to fix the photomask.

[0070] As those skilled in the art will understand, existing photomask transfer arms consist of an arm body and ejector pins. After the photomask is placed on the arm body, the ejector pins are used to abut against the photomask for fixation. In actual use, the photomask surface is often too smooth, or there may be chemical residues, or there may be particulate matter residues on the surface of the arm body, causing increased friction between the photomask and the arm body. This requires the ejector pins to provide greater force, shortening their lifespan. Furthermore, the ejector pins may fail to push the photomask, causing position sensor alarms, resulting in transfer failure, affecting the normal operation of the machine, and reducing production efficiency. Therefore, this embodiment provides a photomask transfer arm and system, and a photomask loading method. By adding an air flotation unit to the support arm and forming an air cushion between the support arm and the photomask, the photomask floats on the air cushion during transfer, avoiding direct contact between the photomask and the support arm, reducing friction between them, and allowing the abutment to properly push the photomask, thereby achieving fixation.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This invention provides a photomask transport arm, comprising: a support arm 1; and an air-floating unit 2 disposed on the support arm 1 for forming an air cushion 20 between the support arm 1 and the photomask 6. During transport, the photomask 6 floats on the air cushion 20, with a gap between it and the support arm 1. One end of the support arm 1 is provided with a fixing member 11, and the other end is provided with a retractable abutment member 12. During transport, the abutment member 12 extends outward and abuts against one end of the photomask 6, so that the other end of the photomask 6 contacts the fixing member 11. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the gas forming the air cushion 20 can be extra clean dry air (XCDA) or N2; the abutment member 12 can be a cylinder ejector pin.

[0072] As an optional embodiment, during the process of using the above-mentioned photomask transfer arm to transfer the photomask 6, the support arm 1 can be moved to a position close to the bottom surface of the photomask 6 first, and then the air flotation unit 2 can be turned on to form an air cushion 20 in the area between the support arm 1 and the photomask 6. Then, the support arm 1 can be moved closer to the photomask 6. The photomask 6 floats above the support arm 1 due to the buoyancy of the air cushion 20. After the photomask 6 is stably floating on the air cushion 20 and there is a gap between it and the support arm 1, the abutment 12 located at one end of the support arm 1 is extended so that it abuts against the photomask 6 and pushes the photomask 6 until the photomask 6 contacts the fixing member 11 located at the other end of the support arm 1. The photomask 6 maintains a force balance under the action of the pushing force of the abutment 12 and the reaction force of the fixing member 11, and the relative position is fixed.

[0073] With this configuration, the photomask 6 floats above the support arm 1 during transport under the action of the air cushion 20, avoiding direct contact between the photomask 6 and the support arm 1. This reduces the friction between the photomask 6 and the support arm 1 to almost zero, allowing the abutment 12 to apply force normally to push the photomask 6 for fixation. This avoids situations where excessive friction between the photomask 6 and the support arm 1 prevents the abutment 12 from being unable to push the photomask 6, thus improving the efficiency and success rate of photomask 6 transport and reducing the probability of damage to the photomask 6 during transport. At the same time, the reduced friction between the photomask 6 and the support arm 1 also reduces the load on the abutment 12 and the frictional wear between the photomask 6 and the support arm 1, increasing the service life of the abutment 12 and the support arm 1 and reducing production costs. In addition, the airflow forming the air cushion 20, which is above the photomask 6, can also clean the surface of the photomask 6, thereby ensuring the cleanliness of the photomask 6 and the support arm 1.

[0074] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 In a preferred embodiment, the photomask transfer arm includes an arm body 10 and two support arms 1. The two support arms 1 extend in parallel directions (parallel to line A in the figure). One end of each support arm 1 is connected to the arm body 10 and extends outward from the arm body 10 to form a U-shaped component. The distance between the two support arms 1 is adapted to the size of the photomask 6. Fixing members 11 are respectively disposed at the ends of the two support arms 1 away from the arm body 10, and abutment members 12 are disposed at the other end of the support arm 1 relative to the fixing members 11. The other end includes the connection position between the arm body 10 and the support arm 1, and the portion of the arm body 10 located between the two connection positions. Figure 1In the middle, the abutment 12 is disposed in the part of the arm body 10 located between two connection positions, which may be the center of the arm body 10. The abutment 12 can extend out of the arm body 10 or retract into the arm body 10 in the direction of approaching or moving away from the photomask 6. The fixing member 11 is a protrusion that protrudes in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the support arm 1 is located, and is respectively disposed at the end of the two support arms 1 away from the arm body 10. The protrusion distance of the fixing member 11 is adapted to the thickness of the photomask 6.

[0075] In this embodiment, the abutment 12 abuts against the center of one end of the photomask 6 and applies a pushing force, ensuring that the photomask 6, floating on the air cushion 20, continues to move parallel to the extension direction of the support arm 1 after being pushed by the abutment 12, without deflection. Simultaneously, the edge of the other end of the photomask 6 contacts the two fixing members 11, forming a stable force system where the center of one end of the photomask 6 is pushed and the sides of the other end are subjected to reaction forces. This improves the fixing effect of the photomask 6 and further reduces the probability of slippage or deflection during transport. Of course, in other embodiments, the photomask transport arm may only have one support arm 1. In this case, the abutment 12 and the fixing members 11 can also contact and abut against the centers of both ends of the photomask 6 to achieve fixation.

[0076] It should be noted that, for ease of description, in this article, the two ends of photomask 6 refer to... Figure 1 The two corresponding ends of the photomask 6 along the left-right direction; the two sides of the photomask 6 refer to Figure 1 The two corresponding ends of the photolithography plate 6 along the vertical direction. Correspondingly, the two ends of the support arm 1 refer to... Figure 1 The two corresponding ends of the middle support arm 1 along the left-right direction; the two sides of the support arm 1 refer to Figure 1 The two corresponding ends of the middle support arm 1 along the vertical direction.

[0077] For further details, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The air flotation unit 2 includes: an air groove 21 disposed inside the support arm 1 for gas flow; and an air hole 22 formed on the surface of the support arm 1 and communicating with the air groove 21 for gas to be ejected outward to form an air cushion 20. Those skilled in the art will understand that the air groove 21 is a channel formed inside the support arm 1, allowing gas to flow within the support arm 1. In this embodiment, the gas forming the air cushion 20 flows through the air groove 21 inside the support arm 1 and is ejected outward through the air hole 22 formed on the surface of the air groove, thereby forming the air cushion 20. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the air hole 22 is opened on the surface of the support arm 1 near the photomask 6, and the air groove 21 is partially disposed inside the support arm 1 and partially disposed inside the arm body 10.

[0078] Preferably, multiple vents 22 are provided and evenly distributed on the two support arms 1, with the vents 22 on the same support arm 1 evenly spaced along the extension direction of the support arm 1. With this configuration, since the two support arms 1 correspond to the two sides of the photomask 6 respectively, the evenly distributed vents 22 on the two support arms 1 ensure that the concentration of the air cushion 20 on both sides of the photomask 6 is approximately equal, thereby providing approximately equal buoyancy. This ensures that the photomask 6 floating on the air cushion 20 is approximately parallel to the plane of the support arm 1. Of course, in other photomask transport arms with only one support arm 1, the vents 22 can also be evenly distributed on the support arm 1, forming multiple rows and columns of vents.

[0079] As an optional embodiment, the gas ejection direction is set at an angle to the plane where the support arm 1 is located. In this embodiment, the gas ejection direction can be set perpendicular to the plane where the support arm 1 is located, or it can be set at other angles to the plane where the support arm 1 is located. For example, after the gas is ejected from the gas hole 22, it approaches the center of the photomask 6 from both sides. It should be noted that, regardless of how the gas ejection direction is set, in Figure 1 In the embodiments shown, it is necessary to ensure that the air holes 22 located on the two support arms 1 are symmetrically arranged along the extension direction of the support arms 1 so that the buoyancy force on both sides of the photomask 6 is approximately equal.

[0080] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1 and Figure 2The photolithography conveying arm also includes a gas supply unit 23, used to supply gas for forming the air cushion 20 to the air flotation unit 2 via the air tank 21. The gas supply unit 23 includes a gas delivery pipeline 230 and a pressure detection device. The gas delivery pipeline 230 is connected to the air tank 21 and is used to supply gas to the air tank 21. The pressure detection device is disposed on the gas delivery pipeline 230 and is used to acquire and regulate the gas pressure in the gas delivery pipeline 230. The pressure detection device may include a pressure regulating valve 231 and a pressure gauge 232. The pressure regulating valve 231 is used to detect the real-time gas pressure in the gas delivery pipeline 230; the pressure gauge 232 is used to regulate the gas pressure in the gas delivery pipeline 230. Since the gas delivery pipeline 230 is directly connected to the gas tank 21, the pressure value obtained by the pressure regulating valve 231 is the gas pressure inside the gas tank 21. The adjustment function of the pressure gauge 232 also applies to the gas tank 21. The operator can obtain and adjust the gas pressure inside the gas tank 21 based on the pressure regulating valve 231 and the pressure gauge 232 to change the gas flow rate inside the gas tank 21, thereby changing the buoyancy provided by the air cushion 20, and thus adjusting the relative position of the photomask 6 floating on the air cushion 20. In this embodiment, one end of the gas delivery pipeline 230 is located inside the arm body 10 and connected to the gas tank 21, and the other end is located outside the photomask conveying arm and connected to the gas storage device. Correspondingly, the pressure detection device can be located on the part of the gas delivery pipeline 230 located inside the arm body 10, or on the part of the gas delivery pipeline 230 located outside the photomask conveying arm.

[0081] Furthermore, a control valve 24 is provided between the gas supply unit 23 and the gas tank 21 to open or close the connection between them. It should be noted that the control valve 24 can be a solenoid valve, capable of opening or closing the connection between the gas supply unit 23 and the gas tank 21, thereby controlling the gas flow to form or eliminate the air cushion 20. Simultaneously, to reduce the volume of residual gas inside the gas tank 21 when the connection is closed, the control valve 24 is positioned near the connection point between the gas delivery pipeline 230 and the gas tank 21; and for ease of installation, the control valve 24 is typically located on the gas delivery pipeline 230. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the control valve 24 is located inside the arm body 10. In other embodiments, the control valve 24 may also be located outside the photolithography transfer arm. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0082] Furthermore, a connector 5 is provided between the gas delivery unit 23 and the gas tank 21 to connect the gas delivery pipeline 230 and the gas tank 21. It should be noted that, in order to ensure the airtightness of the connection between the gas delivery pipeline 230 and the gas tank 21, a connector 25 is also required at the connection to ensure that the gas flowing in the gas delivery pipeline 230 can flow completely into the gas tank 21, reducing loss and waste during the delivery process.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The photomask transport arm also includes: a safety arm 3, disposed on both sides of the support arm 1, with the extension direction of the safety arm 3 parallel to the extension direction of the support arm 1; a first sensor 30 is disposed on the safety arm 3, the first sensor 30 being used to detect whether there is an abnormality in the position of the photomask 6 during transport. Further, the first sensor 30 has a transmitting end 300 and a receiving end 301; the transmitting end 300 and the receiving end 301 are respectively disposed on the safety arms 3 located on both sides, the transmitting end 300 being used to emit a detection beam, and the receiving end 301 being used to receive the detection beam; wherein, when the receiving end 301 does not receive the detection beam, the position of the photomask 6 is abnormal. It should be noted that, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the photolithography conveying arm is equipped with two safety arms 3, which are respectively set on both sides of the two support arms 1. One end of each safety arm 3 is connected to the arm body 10 and extends outward from the arm body 10. The two safety arms 3 and the two support arms 1 are arranged parallel to each other.

[0084] With this configuration, the first sensor 30 can promptly generate an alarm signal when an abnormality occurs in the position of the photomask 6, allowing operators to detect and handle the situation in a timely manner. This reduces the probability of the photomask 6 tipping over and breaking during transport, thereby reducing material consumption and lowering production costs.

[0085] As an optional embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the photomask 6 floating on the air cushion 20 is approximately parallel to the plane of the support arm 1, the detection beam emitted by the transmitter 300 on one side of the safety arm 3 can be emitted from above the photomask 6 and received by the receiver 301 on the other side of the safety arm 3. However, once the photomask 6 is deflected by other forces or external disturbances (e.g., along...), the detection beam can be detected from above the photomask 6. Figure 3If the photomask 6 deflects vertically or floats too high above the air cushion 20, the detection beam emitted by the transmitter 300 will be blocked by the photomask 6, and the receiver 301 will not receive the detection beam. Both deflection and excessive height of the photomask 6 are detrimental to stable transmission. Therefore, if the receiver 301 fails to receive the detection beam, transmission should be immediately interrupted, and an alarm signal should be generated to notify the relevant operators. Simultaneously, to ensure the detection beam passes above the photomask 6, the height of the safety arm 3 should generally be higher than the height of the support arm 1. The smaller the distance between the detection beam and the photomask 6, the more minute the deflection of the photomask 6 can be detected. The specific detection accuracy can be selected by those skilled in the art based on the actual situation.

[0086] Please refer to Figures 1 to 2 The photomask conveying arm also includes: a drive unit 4, disposed on the support arm 1 and connected to the abutment member 12, for driving the abutment member 12 to move between an extended position and a retracted position; when the abutment member 12 is in the extended position, the support arm 1 extends and abuts against the photomask 6; when the abutment member 12 is in the retracted position, the support arm 1 retracts and the abutment against the photomask 6 is released. Furthermore, the drive unit 4 is provided with a second sensor 40, disposed in the extended position, for detecting whether the abutment member 12 is in the extended position; and a third sensor 41, disposed in the retracted position, for detecting whether the abutment member 12 is in the retracted position.

[0087] As an alternative embodiment, the drive unit 4 can be a cylinder, and both the second sensor 40 and the third sensor 41 are position sensors. In this embodiment, the abutment 12 needs to move between an extended position and a retracted position, but before the photolithography conveying arm performs the next action, the abutment 12 must be located in either the extended or retracted position. Therefore, when the photolithography conveying arm performs the next action, either the second sensor 40 or the third sensor 41 must be able to detect the presence of the abutment 12. If neither of them detects the abutment 12, it means that the position of the abutment 12 is abnormal. The abutment 12 may be affected by environmental contaminants and stuck between the extended and retracted positions; it may also be due to an abnormal state of the drive unit 4, affecting the generation of driving force and causing the movement of the abutment 12 to be stuck. Regardless of the reason, at this time, the photolithography plate 6 is at risk of loosening and falling off because it is not pushed by the abutment 12, and the conveying should be stopped in time and an alarm signal should be generated. This configuration allows for timely detection and handling of any issues arising from the movement of the abutment 12, leading to abnormal positioning. This ensures the fixation of the photomask 6 and improves the success rate of its transmission.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4A fourth sensor 5 is also provided on the support arm 1. The fourth sensor 5 and the abutment 12 are located on the same side of the photomask 6, and are used to detect whether the photomask 6 is on the support arm 1. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the fourth sensor 5 is used to detect whether the photomask 6 is on the support arm 1. When the fourth sensor 5 can detect the detection beam reflected back from the photomask 6, it indicates that the photomask 6 is mounted on the support arm 1; when the fourth sensor 5 fails to detect the detection beam reflected back from the photomask 6, it indicates that the photomask 6 is not mounted on the support arm 1.

[0089] In another embodiment, the present invention also provides a photomask transport system, including: a photomask transport arm as described above; and a drive unit connected to the photomask transport arm for driving the photomask transport arm to move between different positions. This configuration, by using the aforementioned photomask transport arm, reduces the friction between the photomask 6 and the support arm 1, avoiding transport failures caused by excessive friction between the photomask 6 and the support arm 1, thereby improving the transport success rate of the photomask transport arm. This improves the transport efficiency of the photomask transport system and reduces yield and productivity losses due to transport failures.

[0090] Please refer to Figure 5 In another embodiment, the present invention also provides a photomask loading method, comprising:

[0091] Step S1: Move the photomask transfer arm to a position close to the back of the photomask 6 to be transferred;

[0092] Step S2: Form an air cushion 20 between the photolithography transfer arm and the photolithography plate 6;

[0093] Step S3: Move towards the photomask 6 until the photomask 6 floats on the air cushion 20;

[0094] Step S4: Drive the abutment 12 to move until the abutment 12 abuts against the photomask 6, so that the photomask 6 contacts the fixing member 11 and forms a fixation.

[0095] It should be noted that after step S3, the fourth sensor 5 needs to detect that the photolithography plate 6 is mounted on the support arm 1 before step S4 can continue.

[0096] In an optional embodiment, the above-described photomask loading method is applicable when the photomask 6, which has not yet completed its transfer, is loaded onto the photomask transfer arm. When the photomask 6, after its transfer is complete, needs to be unloaded from the photomask transfer arm, it can be understood as the reverse operation of the loading process, specifically:

[0097] Step S10: Drive the abutment 12 to move, releasing the abutment 12 from contact with the photomask 6;

[0098] Step S20: Move away from the photomask 6 until the photomask 6 is placed in the target position;

[0099] Step S30: Stop gas delivery and eliminate air cushion 20.

[0100] With this configuration, by using the aforementioned photomask transfer arm, an air cushion 20 is formed between the support arm 1 and the photomask 6, so that the photomask 6 does not directly contact the support arm 1 during loading and unloading. This avoids the situation where the friction between the support arm 1 and the photomask 6 is too great, and the abutment 12 cannot properly fix the photomask 6, resulting in the failure of photomask 6 transfer.

[0101] Preferably, the photolithography mounting method further includes:

[0102] Step S5: When the first sensor 30 detects an abnormal position of the photomask 6; or when the second sensor 40 or the third sensor 41 detects an abnormal position of the abutment 12, the operation stops and an alarm signal is generated.

[0103] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, as described above, the first sensor 30 is used to detect whether the position of the photomask 6 is abnormal during the transfer process; the second sensor 40 and the third sensor 41 are used to detect whether the abutment 12 is in the extended position and the retracted position, respectively. If any of the above three sensors detects an abnormality, the photomask 6 may fail to be fixed or may deflect, thereby increasing the possibility of transfer failure. In this case, the movement of the photomask transfer arm needs to be stopped immediately, and an alarm signal (such as an audible signal, an optical signal, or an APP pop-up message) should be generated to notify the operator to handle the situation immediately and avoid damage to the photomask 6 during the transfer process.

[0104] As an optional embodiment, an air cushion 20 is formed between the photomask transfer arm and the photomask 6, including:

[0105] Step S2-1: Open the control valve 24, and gas is ejected from the air hole 22 located on the photomask conveying arm towards the photomask 6 to form an air cushion 20.

[0106] It should be noted that in this embodiment, please refer to... Figure 1The specific process of forming an air cushion 20 between the photomask transfer arm and the photomask 6 includes: opening the control valve 24 to connect the gas delivery pipe 230 and the gas tank 21; gas flowing out from the gas delivery pipe 230, passing through the connector 25, entering the gas tank 21, circulating in the gas tank 21, and finally being ejected from the air hole 22 towards the photomask 6. The gas forming the air cushion 20 can be XCDA or N2. Of course, in some other embodiments, the gas forming the air cushion 20 can also be other suitable gases, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0107] In summary, in the photomask transfer arm and system and photomask loading method provided in the embodiments of the present invention, the photomask transfer arm includes: a support arm; an air flotation unit disposed on the support arm for forming an air cushion between the support arm and the photomask; the photomask floats on the air cushion during transfer and has a gap between it and the support arm; one end of the support arm is provided with a fixing member, and the other end is provided with a retractable abutment member; the abutment member extends outward during transfer and abuts against one end of the photomask so that the other end of the photomask contacts the fixing member.

[0108] This configuration, by incorporating an air-floating unit on the support arm and forming an air cushion between the support arm and the photomask, allows the photomask to float on the air cushion during transport. This avoids direct contact between the photomask and the support arm, resulting in virtually no friction between them. Normal force from the abutment component is sufficient to push the photomask for fixation, preventing transport failures caused by excessive friction between the photomask and the support arm, and reducing the probability of damage during transport. Simultaneously, the reduced friction between the photomask and the support arm lowers the load on the abutment component and reduces frictional wear, extending the lifespan of both the support arm and the abutment component, reducing consumable consumption, and thus lowering production costs. Furthermore, the airflow from the air cushion, which forms the air cushion, also cleans the surface of the photomask, ensuring the cleanliness of both the photomask and the support arm.

[0109] The above description is merely a description of preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Any changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the above disclosure shall fall within the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A photolithography plate conveying arm, characterized in that, include: Support arm; An air flotation unit is disposed on the support arm and is used to form an air cushion between the support arm and the photomask; The photomask floats on the air cushion during the transport process, with a gap between it and the support arm; One end of the support arm is provided with a fixing member, and the other end is provided with a retractable abutment member; the abutment member extends outward during the transmission process and abuts against one end of the photomask, so that the other end of the photomask comes into contact with the fixing member.

2. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air flotation unit includes: An air duct, located inside the support arm, is used for gas circulation; And air holes, which are formed on the surface of the support arm and communicate with the air groove, are used to allow the gas to be ejected outward to form the air cushion.

3. The photolithography plate conveying arm as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The direction of the gas ejection is at an angle to the plane where the support arm is located.

4. The photolithography plate conveying arm as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The photolithography plate transfer arm also includes: A gas supply unit is used to supply gas for forming an air cushion to the air flotation unit through the gas tank; The gas supply unit includes a gas delivery pipeline and a pressure detection device; The gas delivery pipeline is connected to the gas tank and is used to supply the gas to the gas tank; The pressure detection device is installed on the gas delivery pipeline to acquire and adjust the gas pressure in the gas delivery pipeline. A control valve and a connector are also provided between the gas supply unit and the gas tank; the control valve is used to open or close the connection between the gas supply unit and the gas tank; the connector is used to connect the gas delivery pipeline and the gas tank.

5. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The photolithography plate transfer arm also includes: Safety arms are provided on both sides of the support arm, and the extension direction of the safety arms is parallel to the extension direction of the support arm. The safety arm is equipped with a first sensor, which is used to detect whether there is any abnormality in the position of the photolithography plate during the transmission process.

6. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The first sensor has a transmitter and a receiver; The transmitting end and the receiving end are respectively disposed on the safety arms located on both sides. The transmitting end is used to emit a detection beam, and the receiving end is used to receive the detection beam. When the receiving end does not receive the detection beam, the position of the photomask is abnormal.

7. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The photolithography plate transfer arm also includes: A driving component, disposed on the support arm and connected to the abutment component, is used to drive the abutment component to move between an extended position and a retracted position; When the abutment is in the extended position, the abutment abuts against the photomask; when the abutment is in the retracted position, the abutment releases its contact with the photomask.

8. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The drive component is provided with a second sensor, which is located at the extended position, for detecting whether the abutment component is in the extended position; And a third sensor, located at the retracted position, for detecting whether the abutment is in the retracted position.

9. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support arm is also equipped with a fourth sensor, which is located on the same side of the photomask as the abutment member, and is used to detect whether the photomask is present on the support arm.

10. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Two support arms are provided, and the distance between the two support arms is adapted to the size of the photomask; the abutment is provided between the two support arms; The fixing members are respectively disposed on the two support arms. After the abutting member abuts against the photomask, the edge of the photomask contacts the two fixing members respectively.

11. The photolithography plate transfer arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing member protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the support arm; the protrusion distance of the fixing member is adapted to the thickness of the photomask.

12. A photomask transport system, characterized in that, include: Photolithography transfer arm as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; And a drive unit, connected to the photomask transfer arm, for driving the photomask transfer arm to move between different positions.

13. A method for mounting a photomask, characterized in that, include: Move the photomask transfer arm to a position close to the back of the photomask to be transferred; An air cushion is formed between the photolithography plate transfer arm and the photolithography plate; Move toward the photomask until the photomask floats on the air cushion; The drive abutment moves until it abuts against the photomask, so that the photomask comes into contact with the fixing member and is fixed.

14. The photomask loading method as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The photolithography loading method further includes: The first sensor detects an abnormal position of the photomask; or... When the second or third sensor detects an abnormal position of the abutment, the operation stops and an alarm signal is generated.

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