A device front end module and a control method thereof

Abstract

The application relates to an equipment front end module and a control method thereof. The equipment front end module comprises: a shell provided with a processing chamber; an edge finding alignment device arranged in the processing chamber, the edge finding alignment device comprising a first edge finding mechanism and a second edge finding mechanism, the first edge finding mechanism being configured to perform edge finding alignment on a first type of workpiece, and the second edge finding mechanism being configured to perform edge finding alignment on a second type of workpiece. According to the application, the edge finding alignment device comprising the first edge finding mechanism and the second edge finding mechanism is integrated in the processing chamber of the equipment front end module, so that a single equipment front end module can select a corresponding edge finding mechanism to perform edge finding alignment according to the type of the workpiece, the equipment investment cost is significantly reduced, and the universality and flexibility of the production line are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and more specifically, to a device front-end module and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] The Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) is a key automation module in semiconductor manufacturing that connects wafer cassettes and process equipment. By creating a localized, highly clean microenvironment, the EFEM enables efficient and automated transfer of wafers from the wafer cassette to the process equipment, making it an indispensable logistics transfer and alignment link in semiconductor wafer fabrication lines.

[0003] However, the edge finders in existing EFEMs can only be adapted to a single type of wafer, such as conventional wafers or iron ring wafers. When the production line needs to process two different types of workpieces, namely conventional wafers and iron ring wafers, multiple EFEMs must be equipped or the edge finder modules must be frequently replaced. This significantly increases the equipment investment cost and the complexity of the production line, and reduces production efficiency.

[0004] As the semiconductor industry continues to demand higher capacity utilization and greater equipment versatility, there is an urgent need for a front-end module that can be compatible with multiple types of workpieces. This would allow a single EFEM to handle both conventional wafers and iron ring wafers, thereby reducing equipment investment costs and improving the flexibility and efficiency of the production line. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defect that the front-end module of the equipment in the prior art can only adapt to a single type of wafer and cannot be compatible with different types of workpieces.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the basic concept of the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a device front-end module, comprising:

[0008] The casing has a processing chamber;

[0009] An edge-finding and alignment device is disposed in the processing chamber. The edge-finding and alignment device includes a first edge-finding mechanism and a second edge-finding mechanism. The first edge-finding mechanism is configured to perform edge-finding and alignment on a first type of workpiece, and the second edge-finding mechanism is configured to perform edge-finding and alignment on a second type of workpiece.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first edge-finding mechanism is provided with a first support member, the second edge-finding mechanism is provided with a second support member, and at least one of the first support member and the second support member is provided with a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly includes a clamping block and a driving member. The clamping block is slidably disposed on the first support member and / or the second support member, and the driving member is drivenly connected to the clamping block.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first carrier is connected to a rotary drive and a centering drive module, and the clamping block is configured to slide on the second carrier in its radial direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, it further includes:

[0013] A placement box is disposed in the housing, and the placement box communicates with the processing chamber;

[0014] A device interface, located in the housing, is used to connect to external process equipment;

[0015] A robotic arm is installed within the processing chamber;

[0016] The controller is configured to control the robot arm to transfer the workpiece between the placement box, the edge-finding alignment device and the device interface;

[0017] The controller has a first control output terminal and a second control output terminal. The first control output terminal is connected to the first edge-finding mechanism, and the second control output terminal is connected to the second edge-finding mechanism. The controller is configured to selectively control the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment through the first control output terminal or the second control output terminal according to the type of the workpiece.

[0018] In one embodiment, the controller further includes a third control output terminal connected to the robot arm, and the controller is configured to control the robot arm to pick up and deliver a workpiece from the first edge-finding mechanism or the second edge-finding mechanism according to the conduction state of the first control output terminal or the second control output terminal.

[0019] In one embodiment, the first edge-finding mechanism and the second edge-finding mechanism are stacked in the vertical direction, and the end effector of the robot arm is provided with a first operating height and a second operating height in the vertical direction. The first operating height corresponds to the first support member of the first edge-finding mechanism, and the second operating height corresponds to the second support member of the second edge-finding mechanism.

[0020] In one embodiment, the device front-end module further includes a flipping mechanism disposed within the processing chamber, the flipping mechanism being located between the edge-finding alignment device and the device interface.

[0021] In one embodiment, the device front-end module further includes a detection component disposed within the processing chamber. The detection component is located between the placement box and the edge-finding alignment device, with the detection end of the detection component facing the conveying path of the robotic arm.

[0022] In one embodiment, the device front-end module further includes an air purification unit and an operation panel;

[0023] The air purification unit is disposed in the housing, communicates with the processing chamber, and is electrically connected to the controller;

[0024] The operation panel is located on the outer wall of the housing and is electrically connected to the controller.

[0025] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a control method for a device front-end module, applied to the aforementioned device front-end module, the control method comprising:

[0026] The controller receives a workpiece type signal;

[0027] The controller selects whether the first edge-finding mechanism or the second edge-finding mechanism is activated based on the workpiece type signal;

[0028] The controller controls the robot to transfer the workpiece to the selected edge-finding mechanism, and causes the selected first edge-finding mechanism or the second edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment on the workpiece;

[0029] The controller controls the robot arm to transfer the workpiece, after edge finding and alignment, to the equipment interface.

[0030] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art.

[0031] This invention integrates an edge-finding alignment device, which includes a first edge-finding mechanism and a second edge-finding mechanism, into the processing chamber of the front-end module of the equipment. This allows a single front-end module to select the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment according to the type of workpiece. The front-end module does not need to be equipped with multiple edge finders or frequently replace edge finder modules. It can simultaneously accommodate two different types of workpieces, namely the first type and the second type, which significantly reduces equipment investment costs and improves the versatility and flexibility of the production line. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The accompanying drawings, as part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the device front-end module provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the device front-end module provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the device front-end module provided in an embodiment of this application from another angle;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the edge alignment device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the edge-finding and alignment device provided in an embodiment of this application from another angle;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a block diagram of the module connection of the controller provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the control method for the edge alignment device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0040] In the picture:

[0041] 1. Shell; 11. Processing chamber;

[0042] 2. Placement box;

[0043] 3. Device interface;

[0044] 4. Edge-finding and alignment device; 41. First edge-finding mechanism; 411. First support member; 412. Rotation drive member; 413. Centering drive module; 414. Vision inspection mechanism; 42. Second edge-finding mechanism; 421. Second support member; 422. Clamping assembly; 4221. Clamping block; 4222. Drive member; 43. Accommodation space;

[0045] 5. Robotic arm; 51. End effector;

[0046] 6. Controller; 61. First control output terminal; 62. Second control output terminal; 63. Third control output terminal;

[0047] 7. Tilting mechanism;

[0048] 8. Air purification unit;

[0049] 9. Control panel.

[0050] It should be noted that these accompanying drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0052] The following is combined with Figures 1 to 5 The front-end module of the device according to the implementation scheme of this application is described.

[0053] It should be noted that the front-end module of the equipment can be used for the front-end automation processes in the semiconductor wafer processing field. The workpieces processed include, but are not limited to, conventional wafers and iron ring wafers. Conventional wafers refer to bare wafers that are not fixed by iron rings, while iron ring wafers refer to an assembly in which the wafer is attached to a metal iron ring by a thin film.

[0054] This embodiment provides a device front-end module, which aims to solve the problem that the device front-end module in the prior art can only adapt to a single type of wafer and cannot be compatible with conventional wafers and iron ring wafers.

[0055] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the front-end module of the device includes a housing 1, a placement box 2, a device interface 3, an edge-finding and alignment device 4, a robotic arm 5, and a controller 6.

[0056] The housing 1 has a processing chamber 11, which is a closed or semi-closed cavity structure used to provide a clean operating environment for wafer transfer and edge alignment. The placement box 2 is disposed in the housing 1 and is connected to the processing chamber 11. The placement box 2 is used to place the wafer box containing the workpiece. The workpiece in the wafer box can enter the processing chamber 11 through the communication port between the placement box 2 and the processing chamber 11. The device interface 3 is disposed in the housing 1 and is used to connect to external process equipment. The device interface 3 is connected to the processing chamber 11. After edge alignment, the workpiece is transferred from the processing chamber 11 to the external process equipment through the device interface 3.

[0057] The edge-finding and alignment device 4 is disposed in the processing chamber 11. The edge-finding and alignment device 4 includes a first edge-finding mechanism 41 and a second edge-finding mechanism 42. The first edge-finding mechanism 41 is configured to perform edge-finding and alignment on a first type of workpiece, and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 is configured to perform edge-finding and alignment on a second type of workpiece. The first type of workpiece and the second type of workpiece are different types of workpieces. The robot arm 5 is disposed in the processing chamber 11, and the controller 6 is configured to control the robot arm 5 to transfer workpieces between the placement box 2, the edge-finding and alignment device 4 and the equipment interface 3.

[0058] During operation, the first type of workpiece enters the processing chamber 11 from the placement box 2. The controller 6 controls the robot arm 5 to transfer the first type of workpiece to the first edge-finding mechanism 41, which performs edge-finding and alignment on the first type of workpiece. The second type of workpiece enters the processing chamber 11 from the placement box 2. The controller 6 controls the robot arm 5 to transfer the second type of workpiece to the second edge-finding mechanism 42, which performs edge-finding and alignment on the second type of workpiece. After edge-finding and alignment, the robot arm 5, controlled by the controller 6, transfers the workpiece from the first edge-finding mechanism 41 or the second edge-finding mechanism 42 to the equipment interface 3, and then to the external process equipment.

[0059] In this embodiment, the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 of the edge-finding and alignment device 4 can be arranged in different positions within the processing chamber 11. They can be arranged side by side in the horizontal direction or stacked in the vertical direction. Both arrangements allow the two edge-finding mechanisms to perform edge-finding and alignment operations in different spatial areas within the processing chamber 11. The robot arm 5 can transfer workpieces between the placement box 2 and the two edge-finding mechanisms, and between the two edge-finding mechanisms and the equipment interface 3. The controller 6 controls the movement path of the robot arm 5, enabling the robot arm 5 to transfer workpieces to the corresponding edge-finding mechanisms according to the workpiece type, and then transfer the aligned workpieces from the corresponding edge-finding mechanisms to the equipment interface 3.

[0060] The front-end module of this application integrates an edge-finding alignment device 4, which includes a first edge-finding mechanism 41 and a second edge-finding mechanism 42, into the processing chamber 11 of the front-end module. This allows a single front-end module to select the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment according to the type of workpiece. The front-end module does not need to be equipped with multiple edge finders or frequently replace edge finder modules. It can simultaneously accommodate two different types of workpieces, namely the first type and the second type, which significantly reduces equipment investment costs and improves the versatility and flexibility of the production line.

[0061] In some embodiments, the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction within the processing chamber 11. The placement box 2 is located on the front side of the housing 1, the device interface 3 is located on the rear side of the housing 1, and the robot arm 5 is located between the placement box 2 and the device interface 3. The robot arm 5 has rotational and extensional degrees of freedom in the horizontal plane, and its end effector 51 can move freely between the placement box 2, the first edge-finding mechanism 41, the second edge-finding mechanism 42, and the device interface 3. After the robot arm 5 picks up the workpiece from the placement box 2, it places the workpiece on the first edge-finding mechanism 41 or the second edge-finding mechanism 42 according to the workpiece type; after edge alignment is completed, the robot arm 5 removes the workpiece from the corresponding edge-finding mechanism and transfers it to the device interface 3.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 are stacked vertically within the processing chamber 11. The first edge-finding mechanism 41 is positioned above or below the second edge-finding mechanism 42. The robot arm 5 has vertical freedom of movement, and its end effector 51 can switch between different heights to reach the workpiece bearing positions of the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42, respectively. Depending on the workpiece type, the robot arm 5 selects the corresponding operating height in the vertical direction and transfers the workpiece to the corresponding first edge-finding mechanism 41 or second edge-finding mechanism 42.

[0063] In some implementations, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the first edge-finding mechanism 41 is provided with a first support member 411, and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 is provided with a second support member 421. At least one of the first support member 411 and the second support member 421 is provided with a clamping assembly 422. The clamping assembly 422 includes a clamping block 4221 and a driving member 4222. The clamping block 4221 is slidably disposed on the first support member 411 and / or the second support member 421, and the driving member 4222 is connected to the clamping block 4221 in a transmission manner.

[0064] The first support member 411 is used to support the first type of workpiece, and the second support member 421 is used to support the second type of workpiece. Since the first type of workpiece and the second type of workpiece have different structures, the requirements for support and positioning are also different. For example, a conventional wafer is a bare die, while an iron ring wafer is an assembly with an iron ring. For the type of workpiece that needs to be clamped and positioned, such as an iron ring wafer, the corresponding support member is provided with a clamping component 422. The clamping block 4221 is slidably disposed on the support member, and the driving member 4222 drives the clamping block 4221 to slide relative to the support member, so that the clamping block 4221 moves closer to or away from the edge of the workpiece, so as to achieve clamping or releasing of the workpiece.

[0065] During operation, when the second type of workpiece is placed on the second carrier 421, the driving member 4222 drives the clamping block 4221 to slide along the surface of the second carrier 421 toward the workpiece. The clamping block 4221 contacts the edge of the workpiece and applies clamping force to it, positioning the workpiece at a preset position on the second carrier 421. When the edge alignment is completed and the workpiece needs to be removed, the driving member 4222 drives the clamping block 4221 to slide away from the workpiece, releasing the workpiece, and the robot arm 5 can then remove the workpiece.

[0066] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly 422 is disposed on the second support member 421. The second type of workpiece is an iron ring wafer. The second support member 421 is used to support the iron ring wafer. The clamping assembly 422 includes a plurality of clamping blocks 4221. Each clamping block 4221 is distributed circumferentially along the second support member 421. Each clamping block 4221 is driven by a corresponding driving member 4222. Each driving member 4222 drives the corresponding clamping block 4221 to slide synchronously towards the center along the surface of the second support member 421. Each clamping block 4221 clamps the iron ring edge of the iron ring wafer from multiple circumferential directions, positioning the iron ring wafer at the center position of the second support member 421. The plurality of clamping blocks 4221 apply clamping force to the iron ring from multiple circumferential points, making the positioning of the iron ring wafer more stable and uniform.

[0067] In some embodiments, clamping components 422 are simultaneously disposed on the first carrier 411 and the second carrier 421. The clamping components 422 on the first carrier 411 are used to clamp a first type of workpiece, and the clamping components 422 on the second carrier 421 are used to clamp a second type of workpiece. At this time, the first type of workpiece is a ring wafer of different specifications or other types of wafers that need to be clamped for edge finding. The number and distribution of clamping blocks 4221 of the clamping components 422 on the first carrier 411 and the second carrier 421 are different. The number of clamping blocks 4221 on the first carrier 411 is less than that on the second carrier 421. The first carrier 411 is used to perform light contact positioning on the edge of the first type of workpiece, and the second carrier 421 is used to perform multi-point clamping on the edge of the ring of the second type of workpiece.

[0068] In some implementations, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the first carrier 411 is connected to the rotary drive 412 and the centering drive module 413, and the clamping block 4221 is configured to slide on the second carrier 421 in its radial direction.

[0069] Specifically, the first carrier 411 is connected to a rotary drive 412 and a centering drive module 413. The rotary drive 412 is used to drive the first carrier 411 to rotate around its vertical axis, thereby causing the first type of workpiece placed on the first carrier 411 to rotate. The centering drive module 413 is used to drive the first carrier 411 to move in two mutually perpendicular directions in the horizontal plane, thereby correcting the first type of workpiece to a preset center position.

[0070] The clamping block 4221 is configured to slide on the second carrier 421 in its radial direction, and the clamping block 4221 moves closer to or further away from the center of the second carrier 421 in the radial direction of the second carrier 421 to clamp or release the second type of workpiece.

[0071] During operation, when the first type of workpiece is placed on the first carrier 411, the rotation drive 412 drives the first carrier 411 to rotate, causing the first type of workpiece to rotate around its center. The edge contour information of the first type of workpiece is collected by the vision detection component to determine the center deviation of the first type of workpiece. Then, the centering drive module 413 drives the first carrier 411 to move in two mutually perpendicular directions in the horizontal plane according to the deviation value, correcting the first type of workpiece to the preset center position. When the second type of workpiece is placed on the second carrier 421, the clamping block 4221 slides towards the center along the radial direction of the second carrier 421, clamping the second type of workpiece from the circumferential direction and positioning it at the center position of the second carrier 421.

[0072] Furthermore, the first edge-finding mechanism 41 is provided with a vision inspection mechanism 414. When the first type of workpiece 23 needs to be aligned by edge-finding, the first carrier 411 places the first type of workpiece 23 on the carrier surface 211 of the rotating platform 21. The rotating platform 21 drives the first type of workpiece 23 to rotate. The vision inspection mechanism 414 collects the edge contour information of the first type of workpiece through its imaging end, determines the center position deviation of the first type of workpiece based on the collected edge contour information, and then drives the rotating platform to move to correct the first type of workpiece to the preset center position.

[0073] In the front-end module of this embodiment, the first carrier is connected to a rotary drive and a centering drive module, which can achieve precise centering of the first type of workpiece through rotary scanning and visual inspection. The clamping block slides radially on the second carrier, which can achieve centering and alignment of the second type of workpiece through radial clamping. The two carriers adopt different driving methods and positioning principles, respectively, to adapt to the edge-finding and alignment requirements of different types of workpieces, so that the two edge-finding mechanisms in the same front-end module can independently complete different types of edge-finding and alignment operations.

[0074] In some embodiments, the rotary drive 412 is a rotary motor, whose output shaft is fixedly connected to the bottom of the first support member 411. The centering drive module 413 includes a first linear module and a second linear module. The first linear module extends along a first direction in the horizontal plane, and the second linear module extends along a second direction in the horizontal plane. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. The first linear module is disposed on the second linear module. The rotary drive 412 and the first support member 411 are disposed on the first linear module. The second linear module drives the first linear module to move along the second direction, and the first linear module drives the rotary drive 412 and the first support member 411 to move along the first direction.

[0075] In some embodiments, the clamping block 4221 slides radially on the second support member 421. Multiple clamping blocks 4221 are evenly spaced around the second support member 421. Under the drive of the corresponding drive member 4222, each clamping block 4221 slides synchronously towards the center or away from the center along the radial direction of the second support member 421. When each clamping block 4221 slides synchronously towards the center, each clamping block 4221 contacts and clamps the edge of the second type of workpiece from multiple points around the circumference, pushing the workpiece to the center position of the second support member 421.

[0076] In some implementations, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the controller 6 has a first control output terminal 61 and a second control output terminal 62. The first control output terminal 61 is connected to the first edge-finding mechanism 41, and the second control output terminal 62 is connected to the second edge-finding mechanism 42. The controller 6 is configured to selectively control the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment through the first control output terminal 61 or the second control output terminal 62 according to the type of workpiece.

[0077] Specifically, the first control output terminal 61 of the controller 6 is electrically connected to the driving element of the first edge-finding mechanism 41, and the second control output terminal 62 is electrically connected to the driving element of the second edge-finding mechanism 42. The controller 6 selectively sends control signals through the first control output terminal 61 or the second control output terminal 62 according to the type of workpiece.

[0078] When the workpiece type is the first type of workpiece, the controller 6 sends a control signal to the first edge-finding mechanism 41 through the first control output terminal 61, so that the first edge-finding mechanism 41 performs the edge-finding and alignment operation; when the workpiece type is the second type of workpiece, the controller 6 sends a control signal to the second edge-finding mechanism 42 through the second control output terminal 62, so that the second edge-finding mechanism 42 performs the edge-finding and alignment operation.

[0079] The controller 6 of this application is connected to the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 through two independent first control output terminals 61 and second control output terminals 62, respectively. It selectively controls the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding and alignment according to the type of workpiece, thereby realizing the automatic switching of the two edge-finding mechanism working modes.

[0080] In some implementations, the controller 6 receives a workpiece type signal input from the upper control system or the operation panel. The workpiece type signal contains the type information of the workpiece to be processed. The controller 6 determines whether the current workpiece is a first type workpiece or a second type workpiece based on the workpiece type signal. If it is a first type workpiece, the controller 6 sends a drive signal to the first edge-finding mechanism 41 through the first control output terminal 61. If it is a second type workpiece, the controller 6 sends a drive signal to the second edge-finding mechanism 42 through the second control output terminal 62.

[0081] In some embodiments, the edge-finding and alignment device 4 is equipped with a sensor, the output of which is connected to the input of the controller 6. The sensor is used to detect the contour features of the workpiece placed on the edge-finding and alignment device 4, and generates a workpiece type signal based on the contour features. The controller 6 selects to control the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding and alignment through the first control output 61 or the second control output 62 based on the workpiece type signal sent by the sensor.

[0082] In some embodiments, the controller 6 has a third control output terminal 63 connected to the robot arm 5. The controller 6 is configured to control the robot arm 5 to pick up and deliver workpieces from the first edge-finding mechanism 41 or the second edge-finding mechanism 42 according to the conduction state of the first control output terminal 61 or the second control output terminal 62.

[0083] Specifically, the third control output terminal 63 of the controller 6 is electrically connected to the drive element of the robot arm 5. The conduction state of the first control output terminal 61 indicates that the first edge-finding mechanism 41 has performed the edge-finding alignment operation, and the conduction state of the second control output terminal 62 indicates that the second edge-finding mechanism 42 has performed the edge-finding alignment operation. The controller 6 determines the edge-finding mechanism that has completed edge-finding alignment based on the conduction state of the first control output terminal 61 or the second control output terminal 62, and sends a control signal to the robot arm 5 through the third control output terminal 63 to control the robot arm 5 to pick up and deliver the workpiece from the edge-finding mechanism that has completed edge-finding alignment.

[0084] When the first control output terminal 61 is in the ON state, it indicates that the first edge-finding mechanism 41 has completed the edge-finding and alignment of the first type of workpiece. The controller 6 controls the robot arm 5 to move to the workpiece bearing position of the first edge-finding mechanism 41 through the third control output terminal 63, and takes away the aligned first type of workpiece and transfers it to the equipment interface 3. When the second control output terminal 62 is in the ON state, it indicates that the second edge-finding mechanism 42 has completed the edge-finding and alignment of the second type of workpiece. The controller 6 controls the robot arm 5 to move to the workpiece bearing position of the second edge-finding mechanism 42 through the third control output terminal 63, and takes away the aligned second type of workpiece and transfers it to the equipment interface 3.

[0085] The controller controls the robot arm 5 to pick up and deliver workpieces from the corresponding edge-finding mechanism according to the conduction state of the first control output terminal 61 or the second control output terminal 62, so that the picking and delivery action of the robot arm 5 is automatically matched with the completion state of the edge-finding mechanism, without the need for additional detection or manual intervention, thus improving the automation level of the front-end module of the equipment.

[0086] In some implementations, after the controller 6 sends a drive signal to the first edge-finding mechanism 41 through the first control output terminal 61, it waits to receive a completion signal returned by the first edge-finding mechanism 41.

[0087] Upon receiving the completion signal from the first edge-finding mechanism 41, the controller 6 determines that the conduction state of the first control output terminal 61 is complete, and then controls the robot arm 5 to pick up and deliver the workpiece from the first edge-finding mechanism 41 through the third control output terminal 63. Similarly, the same workflow is used for the second edge-finding mechanism 42.

[0088] In some implementations, when the controller 6 controls the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment through the first control output terminal 61 or the second control output terminal 62, it simultaneously records the currently active output terminal identifier. After the edge-finding alignment is completed, the controller 6 determines the edge-finding mechanism that has completed alignment based on the recorded output terminal identifier, and controls the robot arm 5 to pick up and deliver the workpiece from the corresponding edge-finding mechanism through the third control output terminal 63.

[0089] In some implementations, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 are stacked in the vertical direction. The end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 has a first operating height and a second operating height in the vertical direction. The first operating height corresponds to the first support member 411 of the first edge-finding mechanism 41, and the second operating height corresponds to the second support member 421 of the second edge-finding mechanism 42.

[0090] The first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 are stacked vertically, with the first edge-finding mechanism 41 located above the second edge-finding mechanism 42, or the second edge-finding mechanism 42 located above the first edge-finding mechanism 41. The projections of the two edge-finding mechanisms on the horizontal plane at least partially overlap or completely overlap, so that the horizontal area occupied by the two edge-finding mechanisms in the processing chamber 11 is only equivalent to the floor area of ​​one edge-finding mechanism. Since the two edge-finding mechanisms are at different heights in the vertical direction, the end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 needs to reach different heights in the vertical direction to transfer workpieces with different edge-finding mechanisms.

[0091] The end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 has a first operating height and a second operating height in the vertical direction. The first operating height is the height position of the end effector 51 when it exchanges workpieces with the first support member 411 of the first edge-finding mechanism 41, and the second operating height is the height position of the end effector 51 when it exchanges workpieces with the second support member 421 of the second edge-finding mechanism 42. The end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 rises and falls to the corresponding operating height in the vertical direction according to the type of workpiece to be processed, so as to transfer the workpiece to the corresponding edge-finding mechanism or remove the workpiece from the corresponding edge-finding mechanism.

[0092] The first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 are stacked in the vertical direction, which greatly reduces the horizontal area occupied by the two edge-finding mechanisms in the processing chamber 11; the end effector of the robot arm 5 has an operating height corresponding to different load-bearing components in the vertical direction, and can flexibly switch between the two edge-finding mechanisms to adapt to the stacked spatial structure.

[0093] In some embodiments, the first edge-finding mechanism 41 is located directly above the second edge-finding mechanism 42, the first support member 411 is located on top of the first edge-finding mechanism 41 for supporting the first type of workpiece, and the second support member 421 is located on top of the second edge-finding mechanism 42 for supporting the second type of workpiece. The two edge-finding mechanisms are fixed to the bottom or side wall of the processing chamber 11 by support columns or mounting brackets, so that the two edge-finding mechanisms maintain a fixed height difference in the vertical direction. The end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 has a lifting stroke in the vertical direction and can freely switch between the first operating height and the second operating height.

[0094] In some embodiments, the second edge-finding mechanism 42 is located directly above the first edge-finding mechanism 41, the second support member 421 is located on top of the second edge-finding mechanism 42 and is used to support the second type of workpiece, and the first support member 411 is located on top of the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and is used to support the first type of workpiece. The first support member 411 and the second support member 421 are separated by a certain distance in the vertical direction, which is greater than the thickness of the workpiece, so as to ensure that the workpieces on the two support members will not contact each other in the stacked arrangement. When the end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 switches between the first operating height and the second operating height, the movement trajectory of its end effector 51 passes through the interval area between the two support members.

[0095] In some embodiments, when the first edge-finding mechanism 41 and the second edge-finding mechanism 42 are stacked in the vertical direction, the second edge-finding mechanism 42 is located directly above the first edge-finding mechanism 41, and a receiving space 43 is formed between the first support member 411 and the second support member 421.

[0096] The accommodating space 43 is defined by a vertically spaced area between the lower surface of the second support member 421 and the upper surface of the first support member 411. A rotary drive member 412 and a centering drive module 413 are disposed within the accommodating space 43. The first support member 411 is disposed at the bottom of the accommodating space 43. The rotary drive member 412 is connected below the first support member 411 and passes through the bottom area of ​​the accommodating space 43. The centering drive module 413 is disposed below the accommodating space 43 and drives the first support member 411 to move horizontally within the accommodating space 43. The rotary drive member 412 drives the first support member 411 to rotate about a vertical axis, and the centering drive module 413 drives the first support member 411 to move horizontally within the accommodating space 43 to perform edge alignment for the first type of workpiece.

[0097] Since the accommodating space 43 is formed by the interval area between the first support member 411 and the second support member 421, when the first support member 411 rotates and moves horizontally within the accommodating space 43, its range of motion is limited to the horizontal projection range of the accommodating space 43, and it will not come into contact with the second support member 421. That is, the horizontal dimension of the accommodating space 43 is greater than the sum of the maximum range of horizontal movement of the first support member 411 and the dimension of the first support member 411 itself, ensuring that all the movement trajectories of the first support member 411 within the accommodating space 43 do not exceed the boundary of the accommodating space 43.

[0098] When the first edge-finding mechanism 41 is working, the rotary drive 412 drives the first carrier 411 to rotate around its vertical axis, causing the first type of workpiece placed on the first carrier 411 to rotate. The edge contour information of the first type of workpiece is collected by the vision detection component. The centering drive module 413 drives the first carrier 411 to move horizontally within the accommodating space 43 according to the edge contour information collected by the vision detection component, until the center of the first carrier 411 coincides with the preset center position, thus completing the centering.

[0099] When the second edge-finding mechanism 42 is working, the second support member 421 carries the second type of workpiece, and the clamping assembly 422 clamps and positions the second type of workpiece. The accommodating space 43 provides the first edge-finding mechanism 41 with a movement space independent of the second edge-finding mechanism 42, so that the rotational and centering movements of the first edge-finding mechanism 41 are completed below the second edge-finding mechanism 42, and the movement paths of the two edge-finding mechanisms do not overlap in space. As a result, the two edge-finding mechanisms achieve space reuse within the same vertical projection area, and the floor space occupied by the front-end module of the equipment in the processing chamber is reduced.

[0100] In some embodiments, the end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 transfers a workpiece to the first carrier 411 via the receiving space 43, or removes a workpiece from the first carrier 411 via the receiving space 43.

[0101] In other embodiments, the end effector 51 of the robot arm 5 transfers the workpiece to the first carrier 411 from the side of the receiving space 43, or removes the workpiece from the first carrier 411 from the side of the receiving space 43. The picking and placing path of the end effector 51 is not limited to passing through the receiving space 43, and can be selected and set according to the spatial layout in the processing chamber 11.

[0102] In some implementations, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the front-end module of the device also includes a flipping mechanism 7, which is located in the processing chamber 11 and between the edge-finding alignment device 4 and the device interface 3.

[0103] Furthermore, the flipping mechanism 7 is disposed in the processing chamber 11, located between the edge-finding alignment device 4 and the equipment interface 3. The flipping mechanism 7 is used to receive the workpiece after it has been aligned by the edge-finding alignment device 4 and flip the workpiece. The flipping mechanism 7 has a workpiece bearing part and a flipping drive part. The workpiece bearing part is used to receive and hold the workpiece, and the flipping drive part is used to drive the workpiece bearing part to rotate around the horizontal axis, thereby flipping the workpiece. The flipped workpiece is taken away from the flipping mechanism 7 by the robot arm 5 and transferred to the equipment interface 3, and then transferred to the external process equipment.

[0104] A flipping mechanism 7 is installed in the processing chamber 11, which enables the workpiece to be flipped according to process requirements after alignment. This expands the function of the front-end module of the equipment, eliminates the need to transfer the workpiece to external equipment for flipping, and improves production efficiency.

[0105] In some implementations, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the front-end module of the device also includes a detection component (not shown in the figure). The detection component is set in the processing chamber 11 and is located between the placement box 2 and the edge alignment device 4. The detection end of the detection component faces the conveying path of the robot arm 5.

[0106] The detection component is located in the processing chamber 11, between the placement box 2 and the edge-finding alignment device 4. The detection component is used to detect the workpiece during the process of the workpiece being transferred from the placement box 2 to the edge-finding alignment device 4. The detection end of the detection component faces the transfer path of the robot arm 5. When the robot arm 5 carries the workpiece along the transfer path and passes the location of the detection component, the detection end of the detection component aligns with the workpiece and detects the workpiece. The detection component can detect the state and / or position of the workpiece, such as whether the workpiece exists, whether the workpiece is damaged, whether the workpiece is offset, etc.

[0107] During operation, after the robotic arm 5 takes the workpiece from the placement box 2, it moves along the conveying path towards the edge-finding and alignment device 4. When the robotic arm 5 carrying the workpiece passes the location of the detection component, the detection component detects the workpiece, generates a detection signal, and sends the detection signal to the controller 6. The controller 6 determines whether the workpiece is in normal condition based on the detection signal. If the workpiece is in normal condition, the controller 6 controls the robotic arm 5 to continue conveying the workpiece to the corresponding edge-finding mechanism. If the workpiece is in abnormal condition, the controller 6 issues an alarm signal and controls the robotic arm 5 to convey the abnormal workpiece to the recycling position.

[0108] By installing a detection component in the processing chamber, the workpiece can be detected before it is conveyed to the edge alignment device, abnormal workpieces can be identified in advance, and abnormal workpieces can be prevented from entering the edge alignment process, thereby improving production efficiency and yield.

[0109] In some embodiments, the detection component is a photoelectric sensor, with its transmitter and receiver respectively located on both sides of the conveying path of the robot arm 5. When the workpiece passes through the conveying path, the workpiece blocks the light beam emitted by the transmitter. The receiver determines whether the workpiece exists and whether the position of the workpiece has shifted based on the changes in the received light signal.

[0110] In some implementations, the detection component is a vision inspection camera, with its image-capturing end facing the conveying path of the robot arm 5. When the robot arm 5 carries the workpiece along the conveying path and passes through the image-capturing range of the vision inspection camera, the vision inspection camera acquires the image information of the workpiece and sends it to the controller 6. The controller 6 determines whether the workpiece exists, whether it is damaged, and whether it is offset based on the image information.

[0111] In some implementations, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the front-end module of the device also includes an air purification unit 8 and an operation panel 9. The air purification unit 8 is disposed on the housing 1, communicates with the processing chamber 11, and is electrically connected to the controller 6. The operation panel 9 is disposed on the outer wall of the housing 1 and is electrically connected to the controller 6.

[0112] The air purification unit 8 is disposed on the housing 1 and communicates with the processing chamber 11. The air purification unit 8 is used to filter and purify the air entering the processing chamber 11, remove particulate matter and pollutants from the air, and maintain the cleanliness of the processing chamber 11.

[0113] The air purification unit 8 is electrically connected to the controller 6, which can control the start, stop and switch the working mode of the air purification unit 8.

[0114] The operation panel 9 is located on the outer wall of the housing 1. The operation panel 9 is electrically connected to the controller 6. The operation panel 9 is used for operators to input operation commands, such as start commands, stop commands, mode selection commands, etc. The commands input by the operator through the operation panel 9 are sent to the controller 6. The controller 6 controls the front-end module of the equipment to perform corresponding operations according to the commands.

[0115] During operation, the air purification unit 8 continuously circulates and filters the air in the processing chamber 11 to maintain the cleanliness of the processing chamber 11, ensuring that the workpiece is not contaminated by particulate matter during the conveying and edge alignment process in the processing chamber 11, and ensuring the cleanliness of the workpiece processing environment.

[0116] Operators input operation commands such as workpiece type, start conveying, and stop operation through the operation panel 9. The controller 6 controls the robot arm 5, edge alignment device 4, and other functional modules to perform corresponding operations according to the operation commands, providing a convenient human-machine interaction method that allows operators to easily control the operation of the front-end modules of the equipment.

[0117] In some embodiments, the air purification unit 8 includes a fan and a filter. The fan is disposed on the top or side wall of the housing 1, and the filter is disposed at the air inlet or air outlet of the fan. The fan drives the air to flow through the filter, the filter filters the particulate matter in the air, and the purified air enters the processing chamber 11. The air purification unit 8 is electrically connected to the controller 6, and the controller 6 controls the speed of the fan according to the cleanliness signal in the processing chamber 11.

[0118] The operation panel 9 is a touch screen, which is located on the front outer wall of the housing 1. The touch screen is electrically connected to the controller 6. The operator can input operation commands and view equipment status information through the touch screen.

[0119] The second aspect of the invention, as Figure 7 As shown, a control method for a device front-end module is provided, applied to the device front-end module of the above embodiment. The control method includes the following steps:

[0120] Step 1: Controller 6 receives the workpiece type signal.

[0121] Step 2: The controller 6 selects to activate either the first edge-finding mechanism 41 or the second edge-finding mechanism 42 based on the workpiece type signal.

[0122] Step 3: The controller 6 controls the robot arm 5 to transfer the workpiece to the selected edge-finding mechanism, and causes the selected first edge-finding mechanism 41 or the second edge-finding mechanism 42 to perform edge-finding and alignment on the workpiece.

[0123] Step 4: Controller 6 controls robot arm 5 to transfer the workpiece after edge finding and alignment to equipment interface 3.

[0124] Specifically, in step one, the workpiece type signal contains the type information of the workpiece to be processed, which indicates whether the current workpiece is a first type workpiece or a second type workpiece. The workpiece type signal can come from the upper control system, the input of the operation panel 9, or the detection result of the sensor set on the front end module of the equipment.

[0125] In step two, when the workpiece type signal indicates that the current workpiece is a first type of workpiece, the controller 6 selects the first edge-finding mechanism 41 to be turned on; when the workpiece type signal indicates that the current workpiece is a second type of workpiece, the controller 6 selects the second edge-finding mechanism 42 to be turned on. The controller 6 realizes the on-time control through its first control output terminal 61 or second control output terminal 62. The turned-on edge-finding mechanism is ready to perform the edge-finding alignment operation, while the unturned edge-finding mechanism remains in a non-working state.

[0126] In step three, after the robot arm 5 takes the workpiece from the placement box 2, it transfers the workpiece to the first support member 411 of the first edge-finding mechanism 41 or the second support member 421 of the second edge-finding mechanism 42, depending on the position of the selected edge-finding mechanism.

[0127] After the workpiece is placed on the corresponding carrier, the selected edge-finding mechanism performs an edge-finding and alignment operation on the workpiece. If it is the first edge-finding mechanism 41, it performs an alignment operation on the first type of workpiece through the rotation drive 412 and the centering drive module 413; if it is the second edge-finding mechanism 42, it performs a centering and alignment operation on the second type of workpiece through the clamping assembly 422.

[0128] In step four, after the edge finding and alignment are completed, the controller 6 controls the robot arm 5 to take the aligned workpiece from the corresponding edge finding mechanism and transfer the workpiece to the equipment interface 3, and then transfer the workpiece to the external process equipment through the equipment interface 3.

[0129] The control method of the front-end module of this application can automatically select the corresponding edge-finding mechanism according to the workpiece type signal, and control the robot to transfer the workpiece to the selected edge-finding mechanism, perform edge-finding and alignment, and then transfer it to the equipment interface. This realizes a fully automated control process of the front-end module of the equipment, without the need for manual intervention, which improves production efficiency and avoids processing abnormalities caused by manual selection errors.

[0130] In some implementations, the workpiece type signal is sent from the upper control system to the controller 6 via a communication bus. Before the robot arm 5 takes the workpiece from the placement box 2, the upper control system has sent the current workpiece type information to the controller 6. Based on the received workpiece type signal, the controller 6 completes the selection of the edge-finding mechanism before executing the material-picking action of the robot arm 5, so that the conveying path of the robot arm 5 and the selection of the edge-finding mechanism are synchronized.

[0131] In some implementations, the workpiece type signal is obtained by a detection component or a sensor mounted on the edge-finding and alignment device 4. During the process of the robot arm 5 transferring the workpiece from the placement box 2 to the edge-finding and alignment device 4, the detection component or sensor detects the contour features of the workpiece and generates a workpiece type signal based on the contour features, which is then sent to the controller 6. The controller 6 receives the workpiece type signal before the workpiece arrives at the edge-finding and alignment device 4 and selects the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to be activated based on the workpiece type signal, so that the corresponding edge-finding mechanism is ready when the workpiece arrives.

[0132] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0133] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device front-end module, characterized in that, include: The casing has a processing chamber; An edge-finding and alignment device is disposed in the processing chamber. The edge-finding and alignment device includes a first edge-finding mechanism and a second edge-finding mechanism. The first edge-finding mechanism is configured to perform edge-finding and alignment on a first type of workpiece, and the second edge-finding mechanism is configured to perform edge-finding and alignment on a second type of workpiece.

2. The device front-end module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first edge-finding mechanism is provided with a first support member, and the second edge-finding mechanism is provided with a second support member. At least one of the first support member and the second support member is provided with a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly includes a clamping block and a driving member. The clamping block is slidably disposed on the first support member and / or the second support member, and the driving member is drivenly connected to the clamping block.

3. The device front-end module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first carrier is connected to a rotary drive and a centering drive module, and the clamping block is configured to slide on the second carrier in its radial direction.

4. The device front-end module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Also includes: A placement box is disposed in the housing, and the placement box communicates with the processing chamber; A device interface, located in the housing, is used to connect to external process equipment; A robotic arm is installed within the processing chamber; The controller is configured to control the robot arm to transfer the workpiece between the placement box, the edge-finding alignment device and the device interface; The controller has a first control output terminal and a second control output terminal. The first control output terminal is connected to the first edge-finding mechanism, and the second control output terminal is connected to the second edge-finding mechanism. The controller is configured to selectively control the corresponding edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment through the first control output terminal or the second control output terminal according to the type of the workpiece.

5. The device front-end module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller also has a third control output terminal, which is connected to the robot arm. The controller is configured to control the robot arm to pick up and deliver workpieces from the first edge-finding mechanism or the second edge-finding mechanism according to the conduction state of the first control output terminal or the second control output terminal.

6. The device front-end module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first edge-finding mechanism and the second edge-finding mechanism are stacked in the vertical direction. The end effector of the robot arm is provided with a first operating height and a second operating height in the vertical direction. The first operating height corresponds to the first support member of the first edge-finding mechanism, and the second operating height corresponds to the second support member of the second edge-finding mechanism.

7. The device front-end module according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a flipping mechanism disposed within the processing chamber, the flipping mechanism being located between the edge-finding and alignment device and the device interface.

8. The device front-end module according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a detection component disposed within the processing chamber, the detection component being located between the placement box and the edge-finding alignment device, with the detection end of the detection component facing the conveying path of the robotic arm.

9. The device front-end module according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes an air purification unit and a control panel; The air purification unit is disposed in the housing, communicates with the processing chamber, and is electrically connected to the controller; The operation panel is located on the outer wall of the housing and is electrically connected to the controller.

10. A control method for a device front-end module, applied to the device front-end module according to any one of claims 4 to 9, the control method comprising: The controller receives a workpiece type signal; The controller selects whether the first edge-finding mechanism or the second edge-finding mechanism is activated based on the workpiece type signal; The controller controls the robot to transfer the workpiece to the selected edge-finding mechanism, and causes the selected first edge-finding mechanism or the second edge-finding mechanism to perform edge-finding alignment on the workpiece; The controller controls the robot arm to transfer the workpiece, after edge finding and alignment, to the equipment interface.

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