Magnetic levitation transportation device

Abstract

The utility model provides a magnetic levitation transportation device. The magnetic levitation transportation device comprises a stator platform and a rotor. The rotor comprises a rotor body and an electrostatic chuck; the rotor body moves on the stator platform in a suspension mode in a moving iron type magnetic suspension mode, and the electrostatic chuck is installed on the upper surface of the rotor body. According to the magnetic levitation transportation device, the mover can adsorb objects through the electrostatic adsorption effect of the electrostatic chuck in the high-acceleration or high-deceleration motion state in the magnetic levitation state, and the stability of the mover for transporting the objects under the high-speed dynamic condition is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a magnetic levitation transportation device. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous improvement of chip precision, the chip manufacturing equipment in the semiconductor industry, such as lithography machines, wafer cutting machines, chip bonding equipment, wafer heat treatment equipment, etc., and chip detection equipment, such as wafer film thickness detection equipment, wafer defect detection equipment, etc., have higher and higher requirements for moving parts, so high-precision ultra-precision positioning systems play an increasingly important role in the semiconductor field. Magnetic levitation technology has gradually been used in the semiconductor industry with its superior performance. Compared with traditional motion platforms, magnetic levitation motion platforms have the following advantages: no mechanical contact and friction, meeting the requirements of ultra-clean manufacturing environment, low maintenance cost, long service life, suitable for vacuum environment, etc. The motion platform based on magnetic levitation planar motor is widely used in semiconductor equipment and is one of the most important moving parts in lithography machines. It can not only achieve contactless motion in six degrees of freedom, but also perform large-stroke motion in two dimensions, with good positioning accuracy and motion accuracy.

[0003] There are two main types of magnetic levitation planar motors: one uses magnets as stators and coils as movers, i.e., the moving coil type; the other uses coils as stators and magnets as movers, i.e., the moving iron type. In some application scenarios in the semiconductor industry, in order to avoid disturbance and friction of cables, it is usually required that the movers must not have cables. Moving iron type magnetic levitation planar motors can achieve complete cable-free operation on the movers, and do not require additional batteries.

[0004] However, when the magnetic levitation planar motor in the prior art transports objects, there is a risk of the load being unstable during high deceleration or high acceleration, and there is a risk of the objects falling. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of an embodiment of the present application is to provide a magnetic levitation transportation device, wherein the mover of the magnetic levitation transportation device can adsorb objects through the electrostatic adsorption effect of an electrostatic suction cup when performing high acceleration or high deceleration in a magnetic levitation state, thereby improving the stability of the mover in transporting items under high-speed dynamic conditions.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a magnetic levitation transport device, comprising a stator platform and a mover. The mover comprises a mover body and an electrostatic chuck; the mover body is suspended and moves on the stator platform in a moving iron type magnetic levitation manner; and the electrostatic chuck is installed on the upper surface of the mover body.

[0007] In an implementable solution, the electrostatic chuck includes an electrode and a temporary energy storage device capable of rapid charge and discharge. The temporary energy storage device is circuit-connected to the electrode. A charge and discharge plug for charging and discharging the temporary energy storage device is further provided on the mover, and the charge and discharge plug is installed at a side position of the mover. The maglev transportation device further includes a charging seat and a discharging seat.

[0008] The charging seat is arranged at a predetermined position around the stator platform and is higher than the upper surface of the stator platform; during operation, the mover moves to a position close to the charging seat under the drive of the stator platform, so that the charge and discharge plug of the electrostatic chuck is docked with the charging seat, and the temporary energy storage device is charged to make the electrode energized to generate an electric field, so that the electrostatic chuck obtains the electrostatic adsorption ability.

[0009] The discharging seat is arranged at a predetermined position around the stator platform and is higher than the upper surface of the stator platform; during operation, the mover moves to a position close to the discharging seat under the drive of the stator platform, so that the charge and discharge plug of the electrostatic chuck is docked with the discharging seat, and the temporary energy storage device discharges or fully discharges to weaken or disappear the electric field generated by the electrode, and the electrostatic adsorption ability of the electrostatic chuck weakens or completely disappears.

[0010] In an implementable solution, the electrostatic chuck includes an electrode and a storage battery. The storage battery is integrated in the electrostatic chuck, and the storage battery is connected to the electrode of the electrostatic chuck through a control switch. Among them, when the control switch is closed, the electrode is energized to generate an electric field, so that the electrostatic chuck obtains the electrostatic adsorption ability; when the control switch is opened, the electrode loses power, so that the electrostatic chuck loses the electrostatic adsorption ability.

[0011] In an implementable solution, the maglev transportation device includes a main controller, which is arranged outside the stator platform. The electrostatic chuck includes a transfer controller, the transfer controller is circuit-connected to the control switch, and the transfer controller is wirelessly signal-connected to the main controller. The main controller sends a switch signal to the transfer controller to control the closing or opening of the control switch.

[0012] In an implementable solution, for the electrostatic chuck with a charge and discharge plug, the number of charge and discharge plugs is one or more.

[0013] In an implementable solution, when the number of charge and discharge plugs is greater than or equal to two, all charge and discharge plugs are evenly distributed in a circle around the center of the mover.

[0014] In an implementable solution, the edge of the electrostatic chuck extends beyond the edge of the mover body; the charge and discharge plug is installed on the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck and is in the area where the edge of the electrostatic chuck extends beyond the edge of the mover body.

[0015] In an implementable solution, the charge and discharge plug is installed on the side wall of the mover body.

[0016] In an implementable solution, at least one loading area and at least one unloading area are provided on the stator platform; a charging seat is provided on the periphery of the stator platform near the loading area; a discharging seat is provided on the periphery of the stator platform near the unloading area.

[0017] In an implementable solution, the stator platform includes a sub-platform, or the stator platform is formed by splicing multiple sub-platforms in the same horizontal plane; each sub-platform has the ability to drive the mover body to perform maglev motion.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application at least include the following.

[0019] When the maglev transportation device of the present application works, the levitation motion of the mover body is realized by controlling the power supply of the stator platform. The mover body does not directly carry the object, but the electrostatic chuck installed on the mover body adsorbs and carries the object. The electrostatic chuck can provide an additional adsorption force when the mover is moving at high speed. This adsorption force is particularly significant when the mover body performs high-acceleration or high-deceleration operations, which ensures the firm attachment of the item (such as a wafer) during the movement following the mover body, effectively avoiding the detachment of the item, thus significantly improving the stability of the mover in transporting items under high-speed dynamic conditions. Description of the Drawings

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required to be used in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present application, and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other related drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a first maglev transportation device shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a top view structural diagram of the maglev transportation device in FIG. 1.

[0023] Figure 3 FIG. 3 is a top view of a mover having two charging and discharging plugs shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a top view of a mover having four charging and discharging plugs shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 5 and Figure 6 FIG. 5 is a side view of the mover shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 7 Schematic side view of a maglev transportation device with a stator platform formed by splicing multiple sub-platforms.

[0027] Figure 8 Schematic top view of a maglev transportation device with a stator platform formed by splicing multiple sub-platforms.

[0028] Figure 9 Schematic structural view of the first maglev transportation device with a sealed cavity shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Figure 10 Schematic structural view of a maglev transportation device with a cooling pipeline shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Figure 11 Schematic structural view of a maglev transportation device with a vacuum pumping device shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Figure 12 Schematic structural view of a maglev transportation device with a stator platform formed by splicing multiple sub-platforms.

[0032] Figure 13 Schematic structural view of a maglev transportation device with a liftable sealed cavity shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Figure 14 Schematic structural view of a maglev transportation device with a liftable stator platform shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Figure 15 Schematic structural view of a maglev transportation device with both a liftable sealed cavity and a liftable stator platform shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Figure 16 Schematic structural view of a maglev transportation device with a transition chamber shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 17 Schematic structural view of the second maglev transportation device shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 18 Schematic structural view of the second maglev transportation device with a sealed cavity shown according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0038] In the figure: 1. Stator platform; 11. Sub-platform; 2. Rotor; 21. Rotor body; 22. Electrostatic chuck; 23. Charge and discharge plug; 3. Charging seat; 4. Discharging seat; 10. Sealed cavity; 101. Flat bottom plate; 20. Vacuum pumping device; 30. First lifting mechanism; 40. Second lifting mechanism; 50. Transition chamber; 501. First sealing door; 502. Second sealing door; 60. First vacuum pumping device; 70. Second vacuum pumping device; 80. Cooling pipeline. Detailed implementation manners

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Apparently, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present application. Usually, the components of the embodiments of the present application described and illustrated herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0040] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed present application, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0041] As Figure 1 and Figure 17 shown, the present application first provides a maglev transportation device, including a stator platform 1 and a rotor 2.

[0042] Among them, the rotor 2 includes a rotor body 21 and an electrostatic chuck 22. The rotor body 21 moves in a levitated manner on the stator platform 1 in a moving-iron type of maglev, and the electrostatic chuck 22 is installed on the upper surface of the rotor body 21.

[0043] When the maglev transportation device of the present application works, the levitated movement of the rotor body 21 is realized by controlling the power supply of the stator platform 1. The rotor body 21 does not directly carry objects, but the electrostatic chuck 22 installed on the rotor body 21 adsorbs and carries the objects. The electrostatic chuck 22 can provide an additional adsorption force when the rotor 2 moves at a high speed. This adsorption force is particularly significant when the rotor body 21 performs high-acceleration or high-deceleration operations. It ensures the firm attachment of the articles (such as wafers) during the movement following the rotor body, effectively avoiding the detachment of the articles, thereby significantly improving the stability of the rotor 2 in transporting articles under high-speed dynamic conditions.

[0044] In order to elaborate in more detail on the structure and working principle of the maglev transportation device of the present application, the following several embodiments are provided by the present application. It should be noted that, on the premise of no conflict, the technical features and technical solutions in each embodiment can be combined and used with each other.

[0045] Embodiment 1

[0046] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, this embodiment provides a maglev transportation device, including a stator platform 1 and a mover 2. Among them, the mover 2 includes a mover body 21 and an electrostatic chuck 22. The mover body 21 moves in a levitated manner on the stator platform 1 in a moving-iron type of maglev, and the electrostatic chuck 22 is installed on the upper surface of the mover body 21.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electrostatic chuck 22 may include electrodes (not shown in the figure) and a temporary energy storage device (not shown in the figure) capable of rapid charging and discharging, and the temporary energy storage device is circuit-connected to the electrodes. A charging and discharging plug 23 for charging and discharging the temporary energy storage device is also provided on the mover 2, and the charging and discharging plug 23 is installed at a side position of the mover 2.

[0048] The maglev transportation device may further include a charging seat 3 and a discharging seat 4. The charging seat 3 is arranged at a predetermined position around the stator platform 1 and is higher than the upper surface of the stator platform 1; during operation, the mover 2 moves to a position close to the charging seat 3 under the drive of the stator platform 1, so that the charging and discharging plug 23 of the electrostatic chuck 22 is docked with the charging seat 3, and the temporary energy storage device is charged to make the electrodes get electricity to generate an electric field, so that the electrostatic chuck 22 obtains the electrostatic adsorption ability. The discharging seat 4 is arranged at a predetermined position around the stator platform 1 and is higher than the upper surface of the stator platform 1; during operation, the mover 2 moves to a position close to the discharging seat 4 under the drive of the stator platform 1, so that the charging and discharging plug 23 of the electrostatic chuck 22 is docked with the discharging seat 4, and the temporary energy storage device discharges or completely discharges to make the electric field generated by the electrodes weaken or disappear, and the electrostatic adsorption ability of the electrostatic chuck 22 weakens or completely disappears.

[0049] Among them, the levitated movement of the mover body 21 on the stator platform 1 includes but is not limited to displacement along the surface of the stator platform 1, lifting perpendicular to the surface of the stator platform 1, rotation around an axis perpendicular to the stator platform 1, and the mover body 21 tilting at a certain angle by itself, etc.

[0050] It should be noted that the mover body 21 moves in a levitated manner on the stator platform 1 in a moving-iron type of maglev, that is, the mover body 21 and the stator platform 1 form a moving-iron type of maglev planar motor. The structural feature of the moving-iron type of maglev planar motor is that the coil array is arranged on the stator platform 1, and there is no electrical connection on the mover body 21, which makes the heat easier to dissipate and is beneficial to improving the motion performance of the system.

[0051] Among them, the stator platform 1 and the mover body 21 can refer to the stator and mover structures of the moving-iron type magnetic levitation planar motor in the prior art. For example, generally multiple coils are installed in the stator platform 1, and these coils are designed into a structure of one layer or multiple layers of coils. These coils can be energized to generate a magnetic field, and the coils are designed to extend in a specific direction to form coil traces. The energization of the coils in the stator platform 1 interacts with the magnets on the mover body 21, thereby realizing the suspension motion control of the mover body 21.

[0052] The mover body 21 can be composed of multiple magnets. The magnets are arranged in a certain pattern, and each magnet has its own magnetization direction, forming an array with a specific magnetization direction. The design of the magnet array enables them to respond and move in the magnetic field generated by the stator platform 1. The magnets can use permanent magnetic materials, such as neodymium iron boron (NdFeB), samarium cobalt (SmCo), and neodymium iron (NdFe), etc. The magnets can also use soft magnetic materials, such as silicon steel sheets, nickel iron alloys, etc. The magnets can also use magnetic composite materials, which combine magnetic particles and polymer matrices and can customize magnetic properties according to needs, such as magnetic permeability and magnetic saturation.

[0053] In addition, generally a sensor array is arranged on the stator platform 1. These sensors are like a grid array composed of sensors and can sense minute changes in the magnetic field. They are arranged in rows and columns to form a two-dimensional array. The sensors can use but are not limited to Hall effect sensors, magnetoresistive sensors, magnetostrictive sensors, etc.

[0054] The coils in the stator platform 1 are connected to a controller. The controller detects the magnetic field changes caused by the magnet array on the mover body 21 through the sensor array of the stator platform 1. The controller receives the information of the sensor array, processes this information, obtains the position, speed, attitude, etc. of the mover body 21, and according to the requirements of the next action, controls the direction and magnitude of the current flowing through the coils in the stator platform 1, generates a sufficient magnetic field to drive the mover body 21 to move to the desired position or perform the desired attitude change, and realizes the precise control of the mover body 21.

[0055] It should be noted that the electrostatic chuck 22 can also be called an electrostatic chuck or an electrostatic adsorption device, which is a tool for fixing an object by using the principle of electrostatic adsorption. The temporary energy storage device of the electrostatic chuck 22 in this embodiment is used to supply power to the electrodes to enable the electrodes to generate an electric field, so that the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 22 can adsorb a thin object (such as a wafer) through electrostatic adsorption. The temporary energy storage device can be a capacitor or other energy storage devices that can charge and discharge quickly. The electrostatic chuck 22 can be a single-electrode type or a double-electrode type, and preferably a double-electrode type electrostatic chuck is adopted.

[0056] The charging and discharging plug 23 of the electrostatic chuck 22 is plugged into the charging base 3, so as to charge the temporary energy storage device of the electrostatic chuck 22. The temporary energy storage device supplies power to the electrodes, and the electrodes are energized, which will generate a strong electric field around the electrodes. When an object, such as an electronic component or a thin plate material (such as a wafer), is placed on the surface of the chuck, the electric field will redistribute the surface charges of the object, generating a static charge layer opposite to the electric field of the chuck. An attractive force is generated between these static charges and the charges on the chuck, thereby firmly adsorbing the object on the surface of the electrostatic chuck 22.

[0057] When releasing the object, just plug the charging and discharging plug 23 into the discharging base 4. The electric energy of the temporary energy storage device is released, the electrodes lose power, the electric field disappears accordingly, and the adsorption force of the electrostatic chuck 22 also disappears. Then the object adsorbed on the surface of the electrostatic chuck 22 can be easily removed. Or, for example, when the temporary energy storage device is a capacitor, the charging and discharging plug 23 can be plugged into the discharging base 4 to apply a reverse voltage to neutralize the charges in the capacitor. In this way, the charges on the electrodes are neutralized (equivalent to discharging), the electric field strength is reduced to zero, and thus the adsorption ability is lost, so that the object adsorbed on the chuck can be safely removed.

[0058] Specifically, as Figure 1 shown, when the maglev transportation device of this embodiment is used to transport wafers, the stator platform 1 is powered on and works, interacting with the mover body 21 to move the mover 2 to a position closer to the charging base 3, and by adjusting the current flowing through the coil in the stator platform 1, the charging and discharging plug 23 located on the side of the mover 2 is made to be at the same height as the charging base 3. Then, the stator platform 1 drives the mover body 2 to move so that the charging and discharging plug 23 is plugged into and then disconnected from the charging base 3. At this time, the electrostatic chuck 22 generates an electric field, and after the wafer is placed on the surface of the electrostatic chuck 22, it is firmly adsorbed by the electrostatic action.

[0059] After that, according to the position where the wafer needs to be delivered, the current in the stator platform 1 is adjusted to drive the mover 2 to move to the target position, and the charging and discharging plug 23 located on the side of the mover 2 is plugged into the discharging base 4, so that the electrostatic chuck 22 loses power or partially loses power, and the electrostatic adsorption force of the electrostatic chuck 22 disappears or weakens. At this time, the wafer can be taken away by a manipulator or the like at the target position.

[0060] It should be noted that when the charging and discharging plug 23 is plugged into the discharging base 4 for discharging, there may be an incomplete discharging situation. The incomplete discharging may cause the surface of the electrostatic chuck 22 to still have a weak electrostatic adsorption ability, but this weak electrostatic adsorption ability may not affect the removal of the object from the chuck. Or, the electrostatic adsorption ability of the electrostatic chuck 22 can be adjusted by controlling the charging amount or the discharging amount.

[0061] When the maglev transportation device of this embodiment is working, the levitation movement of the mover body 21 is achieved by controlling the power supply of the stator platform 1. The mover body 21 does not directly carry objects, but the electrostatic chuck 22 installed on the mover body 21 adsorbs and carries the objects. The electrostatic chuck 22 can provide additional adsorption force when the mover 2 is moving at high speed. This adsorption force is particularly significant when the mover body 21 performs high-acceleration or high-deceleration operations, ensuring the firm attachment of the items (such as wafers) during the movement following the mover body, effectively avoiding the detachment of the items, and thus significantly improving the stability of the mover 2 in transporting items under high-speed dynamic conditions.

[0062] In addition, in the maglev transportation device of this application, the charging and discharging operations of the electrostatic chuck 22 are flexibly realized by docking with the charging seat 3 or the discharging seat 4. This design cleverly avoids installing an independent power supply device on the mover 2, thus maintaining the passive characteristic of the mover 2. The docking mechanism of the charging and discharging plug 23 with the charging seat 3 or the discharging seat 4 not only simplifies the structure of the mover 2 but also effectively reduces its weight.

[0063] This design without an independent power supply means that the mover 2 can be more lightweight and efficient when performing charging and discharging tasks. The reduced weight is of great significance for improving the load-carrying capacity and transportation efficiency of the mover 2. Without the burden of an additional power supply, the mover 2 can carry and transfer items more easily, especially in application scenarios that require quick response and frequent operations. At the same time, this design also reduces the complexity and maintenance cost of the system. Since the mover 2 does not require a built-in power supply, its structure is more concise, reducing potential failure points, thereby improving the reliability of the system and the convenience of maintenance. In addition, the passive design helps to reduce energy consumption.

[0064] In this embodiment, mounting holes are generally provided on the upper surface of the mover body 21, and the electrostatic chuck 22 is fixed in the mounting holes of the mover body 21 through fasteners such as screws and bolts. Or the upper surface of the mover body 21 and the lower surface of the electrostatic chuck 22 can adopt a snap-in structure (not shown in the figure).

[0065] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the number of charging and discharging plugs 23 can be one, that is, the charging and discharging plug 23 can be used for both charging and discharging.

[0066] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, the number of charging and discharging plugs 23 can be multiple. When the number of charging and discharging plugs 23 is greater than or equal to two, all the charging and discharging plugs 23 can be evenly distributed in a circle around the center of the mover 2.

[0067] Among them, multiple charging and discharging plugs 23 are evenly distributed in a circle around the rotor 2. On the one hand, it can make the balance of the rotor 2 body better. On the other hand, the design of multiple charging and discharging plugs 23 can enable the nearby charging and discharging plugs 23 to be docked when docking with the charging base 3 or the discharging base 4, reducing unnecessary attitude adjustment of the rotor 2, which is beneficial to improving the transportation efficiency and reducing the docking error rate.

[0068] In this embodiment, as Figure 5 shown, the edge of the electrostatic chuck 22 can extend beyond the edge of the rotor body 21, and the charging and discharging plugs 23 can be installed on the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck 22 and in the area where the edge of the electrostatic chuck 22 extends beyond the edge of the rotor body 21.

[0069] In this embodiment, as Figure 6 shown, the charging and discharging plugs 23 can also be installed on the side wall of the rotor body 21 and be electrically connected to the electrostatic chuck 22.

[0070] In this embodiment, the stator platform 1 can be made into an integral structure according to the loading position, unloading position of the rotor 2 and the involved movement trajectory. Or as Figure 7 shown in Fig. 8, the stator platform 1 can include a sub-platform 11, or be formed by splicing multiple sub-platforms 11 in the same horizontal plane. Each sub-platform 11 has the ability to drive the rotor body 21 to perform maglev movement. The adjacent sub-platforms 11 can be structurally spliced through limiters, fasteners, etc. The signal interfaces and power supply interfaces of the sub-platform 11 are all arranged on the bottom side of the sub-platform 11. The signal interfaces and power supply interfaces between adjacent sub-platforms 11 are all connected to the controller, and all sub-platforms 11 are controlled by the controller to generate a magnetic field for driving the rotor 2 to levitate and move.

[0071] In this embodiment, at least one loading area and at least one unloading area can be arranged on the stator platform 1. A charging base 3 is arranged on the periphery of the stator platform 1 near the loading area, and a discharging base 4 is arranged on the periphery of the stator platform 1 near the unloading area.

[0072] As Figure 8 shown, the position of the mark A is the loading area, and a charging base 3 is arranged near the loading area. The positions of the marks B1, B2, and B3 are the unloading areas, and a discharging base 4 is arranged near the unloading areas. If the object transported by the rotor 2 is a wafer, the B1, B2, and B3 unloading areas may correspond to multiple different parallel processing stations.

[0073] Embodiment 2

[0074] As Figure 9 shown, this embodiment also provides a maglev transportation device. The difference from Embodiment 1 is that the maglev movement device of this embodiment further includes a sealed cavity 10.

[0075] Specifically, the inner cavity of the sealed cavity 10 maintains a vacuum state, and its bottom surface is a flat bottom plate 101 with a uniform thickness.

[0076] The stator platform 1 is arranged outside the sealed cavity 10 and is located on the lower side of the flat bottom plate 101. The mover 2 is arranged inside the sealed cavity 10 and is located on the upper side of the flat bottom plate 101. The charging seat 3 is installed on the inner side wall of the sealed cavity 10 close to the edge of the stator platform 1. The discharging seat 4 is installed on the inner side wall of the sealed cavity 10 close to the edge of the stator platform 1.

[0077] The structures and working principles of the stator platform 1, the mover body 21, and the electrostatic chuck 22 can refer to the content in Embodiment 1.

[0078] In the maglev transportation device of the present application, the stator platform 1 that generates more heat is designed to be externally placed outside the sealed cavity 10, which cleverly avoids the problem that heat cannot be effectively discharged in a vacuum environment and ensures the stable operation of the entire maglev transportation device.

[0079] By placing the stator platform 1 outside the sealed cavity 10, the air in the external environment can be used as a natural heat dissipation medium. In this way, the heat generated by the stator platform 1 during operation can be quickly dissipated through the natural convection of air, thus avoiding the accumulation of heat in the vacuum environment. This solution of externalizing the heat source not only improves the heat dissipation efficiency but also reduces the impact on the internal environment of the sealed cavity 10 in a vacuum, keeping the working environments of all components within an appropriate temperature range.

[0080] In addition, this design also brings a series of additional benefits. First, due to the externalization of the heat source, the heat is effectively controlled and managed, and the structural materials of the stator platform 1 and the mover 2 will not degrade in performance due to being in a high-temperature state for a long time, thus extending the service life of the equipment. Second, the appropriate temperature environment helps to improve the operation efficiency of the maglev transportation device and reduce the energy consumption loss caused by overheating. Third, the externalization of the heat source also helps to reduce the maintenance cost and frequency of the equipment because high temperature is often one of the main causes of equipment failures.

[0081] To further improve the heat dissipation efficiency, air cooling or liquid cooling can also be used to dissipate heat well through the heat dissipation channels provided on the stator platform 1 to ensure that the stator platform 1 can maintain a stable temperature under various working conditions.

[0082] In this embodiment, the flat bottom plate 101 of the sealed cavity 10 can be made of materials such as aviation aluminum and 316 stainless steel. To ensure the structural stability and surface flatness, the thickness of the flat bottom plate 101 can be 1 - 2 mm.

[0083] In addition, in this embodiment, the distance between the mover body 21 and the stator platform 1 can be adjusted within the range of 0.1 - 4 mm. However, in order to ensure no friction between the mover body 21 and the inner surface of the flat bottom plate 101, it is necessary to control a certain gap between the mover body 21 and the flat bottom plate 101 after the mover body 21 is levitated.

[0084] In this embodiment, as Figure 10 shown, a cooling pipeline 80 can be provided in the stator platform 1. By circulating a cooling medium through the cooling pipeline 80, the heat generated by the stator platform 1 can be further dissipated, achieving faster temperature control.

[0085] In this embodiment, as Figure 10 and Figure 11 shown, the maglev transportation device can include a vacuum pumping device 20, and the vacuum pumping device 20 is connected to the sealed cavity 10. The vacuum degree of the sealed cavity 10 can be adjusted through the vacuum pumping device 20.

[0086] In this embodiment, as Figure 9 shown, the upper surface of the stator platform 1 can be fixedly installed in close contact with the lower surface of the flat bottom plate 101 of the sealed cavity 10. For example, the sealed cavity 10 is fixed at a certain height, and the stator platform 1 can also be installed on a base (not shown in the figure). The stator platform 1 is supported by the base, so that the upper surface of the stator platform 1 is in close contact with the lower surface of the flat bottom plate 101.

[0087] In this embodiment, the stator platform 1 can be made into an integral structure according to the loading position, unloading position of the mover 2 and the involved movement trajectory. Or as Figure 12 shown, the stator platform 1 can include a sub-platform 11, or be formed by splicing multiple sub-platforms 11 in the same horizontal plane. Each sub-platform 11 has the ability to drive the mover body 21 to perform maglev movement. The adjacent sub-platforms 11 can be structurally spliced through limiters, fasteners, etc. The signal interfaces and power interfaces of the sub-platform 11 are all arranged on the bottom side of the sub-platform 11. The signal interfaces and power interfaces between adjacent sub-platforms 11 are all connected to the controller, and all sub-platforms 11 are controlled by the controller to generate a magnetic field for driving the mover 2 to levitate and move.

[0088] In this embodiment, the projection boundary of the stator platform 1 on the surface of the flat bottom plate 101 does not exceed the boundary of the flat bottom plate 101, that is, the flat bottom plate 101 of the sealed cavity 10 does not limit the movement range of the mover 2 on the stator platform 1.

[0089] In this embodiment, the setting of the charge and discharge plug 23 can be referred to the description in Embodiment 1. As Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the number of the charge and discharge plugs 23 can be one, that is, the charge and discharge plug 23 can be used for both charging and discharging. For example, Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the number of the charge and discharge plugs 23 can be multiple. When the number of the charge and discharge plugs 23 is greater than or equal to two, all the charge and discharge plugs 23 can be evenly distributed in a circle around the center of the mover 2. Among them, when multiple charge and discharge plugs 23 are evenly distributed in a circle around the center of the mover 2, on the one hand, the balance of the mover 2 body can be better. On the other hand, the design of multiple charge and discharge plugs 23 can enable the nearest charge and discharge plug 23 to be docked when docking with the charging seat 3 or the discharging seat 4, reducing unnecessary attitude adjustment of the mover 2, which is beneficial to improving the transportation efficiency and reducing the docking error rate.

[0090] Similar to the first embodiment, at least one loading area and at least one unloading area can be provided on the stator platform 1, a charging seat 3 is provided on the inner side wall of the sealing cavity 10 near the loading area, and a discharging seat 4 is provided on the inner side wall of the sealing cavity 10 near the unloading area.

[0091] In the maglev transportation device of this embodiment, a new thermal management strategy is adopted, that is, the stator platform 1 that generates more heat is designed to be externally disposed outside the sealing cavity 10. This design ingeniously avoids the problem that heat cannot be effectively discharged in a vacuum environment, ensuring the stable operation of the entire maglev transportation device.

[0092] By disposing the stator platform 1 outside the sealing cavity 10, good heat dissipation can be achieved by means of air cooling or liquid cooling through the heat dissipation channels provided on the stator platform 1. In this way, the heat generated by the stator platform 1 during operation can be quickly dissipated, thus avoiding the accumulation of heat in the vacuum environment. This solution of externalizing the heat source not only improves the heat dissipation efficiency, but also reduces the impact on the internal environment of the vacuum sealing cavity 10, keeping the working environment of each component within an appropriate temperature range.

[0093] In addition, this design also brings a series of additional benefits. First of all, due to the externalization of the heat source, the heat is effectively controlled and managed, and the structural materials of the stator platform 1 and the mover 2 will not degenerate in performance due to being in a high temperature state for a long time, thus extending the service life of the equipment. Secondly, the appropriate temperature environment helps to improve the operation efficiency of the maglev transportation device and reduce the energy consumption loss caused by overheating. Moreover, the externalization of the heat source also helps to reduce the maintenance cost and frequency of the equipment, because high temperature is often one of the main reasons for equipment failure.

[0094] In summary, by the external heat source solution that places the stator platform 1 outside the sealed cavity 10, the heat dissipation problem in the vacuum environment is solved, providing an efficient, stable, and economical thermal management strategy for the maglev transportation device. This strategy not only ensures the long-term stable operation of the equipment but also provides a solid foundation for the reliability and safety of the entire system.

[0095] Embodiment III

[0096] As Figure 13 、 Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, this embodiment also provides a maglev transportation device. The difference from Embodiment II is that the maglev transportation device in this embodiment further includes a first lifting mechanism 30 and / or a second lifting mechanism 40 for changing the height of the sealed cavity 10 and / or the stator platform 1, while the height and the distance between the sealed cavity 10 and the stator platform 1 in Embodiment II are fixed.

[0097] Specifically, as Figure 13 shown, the maglev transportation device may only include the first lifting mechanism 30. The sealed cavity 10 is installed on the first lifting mechanism 30, and the height of the sealed cavity 10 is adjusted by the first lifting mechanism 30 to adjust the distance between the flat bottom plate 101 of the sealed cavity 10 and the stator platform 1. In addition, multiple first lifting mechanisms 30 can be arranged at different positions around the sealed cavity 10, and the levelness of the flat bottom plate 101 of the sealed cavity 10 can be adjusted by the multiple first lifting mechanisms 30.

[0098] As Figure 14 shown, the maglev transportation device may only include the second lifting mechanism 40. The stator platform 1 is installed on the second lifting mechanism 40, and the height of the stator platform 1 is adjusted by the second lifting mechanism 40 to adjust the distance between the stator platform 1 and the flat bottom plate 101 of the sealed cavity 10. In addition, multiple second lifting mechanisms 40 can be arranged at different positions below the stator platform 1, and the levelness of the stator platform 1 can be adjusted by the multiple second lifting mechanisms 40.

[0099] As Figure 15 shown, the maglev transportation device may include both the first lifting mechanism 30 and the second lifting mechanism 40. Multiple first lifting mechanisms 30 and multiple second lifting mechanisms 40 can be respectively arranged. The sealed cavity 10 is installed on the first lifting mechanism 30, and the stator platform 1 is installed on the second lifting mechanism 40. Thus, both the height and the levelness of the flat bottom plate 101 of the sealed cavity 10 can be adjusted, and the height and the levelness of the stator platform 1 can be adjusted, making the adjustment more flexible.

[0100] Embodiment IV

[0101] As Figure 16As shown, this embodiment also provides a maglev transportation device, which is different from that of Embodiment 2 or Embodiment 3 in that the maglev transportation device of this embodiment is further provided with a transition chamber 50.

[0102] Specifically, the maglev transportation device of this embodiment may further include a transition chamber 50 communicating with the sealed cavity 10. A first sealing door 501 that can be opened and closed is provided at the connection between the transition chamber 50 and the sealed cavity 10, and a second sealing door 502 that can be opened and closed is provided between the transition chamber 50 and the outside. The maglev transportation device further includes a first vacuum pumping device 60 and a second vacuum pumping device 70. The first vacuum pumping device 60 communicates with the sealed cavity 10, and the second vacuum pumping device 70 communicates with the transition chamber 50.

[0103] A transfer device for transfer, such as a linear displacement space module, a multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator, etc., may be provided in the transition chamber 50.

[0104] For example, during the process of placing a wafer outside the sealed cavity 10 into the sealed cavity 10, keep the first sealing door 501 in a sealed closed state, open the second sealing door 502, let the transfer device in the transition chamber 50 receive the wafer, and then close the second sealing door 502. After that, the first vacuum pumping device 60 operates to perform a vacuum pumping operation on the transition chamber 50 to make the vacuum degree of the transition chamber 50 basically equivalent to that in the sealed cavity 10. Then, open the first sealing door 501, let the transfer device in the transition chamber 50 place the wafer on the electrostatic chuck 22 of the mover 2, the transfer device then retreats into the transition chamber 50, and then close the first sealing door 501. If the vacuum degree in the sealed cavity 10 does not meet the requirements, vacuum pumping adjustment can be performed through the second vacuum pumping device 70.

[0105] Another example is that during the process of transferring a wafer inside the sealed cavity 10 to the outside of the sealed cavity 10, the mover 2 carrying the wafer moves to a position close to the transition chamber 50. Keep the second sealing door 502 in a sealed closed state, the first vacuum pumping device 60 operates to perform a vacuum pumping operation on the transition chamber 50 to make the vacuum degree of the transition chamber 50 basically equivalent to that in the sealed cavity 10. Open the first sealing door 501, let the transfer device in the transition chamber 50 pick up the wafer from the electrostatic chuck 22 of the mover 2 and retreat into the transition chamber 50, and then close the first sealing door 501. After that, open the second sealing door 502, let the transfer device in the transition chamber 50 transport the wafer from the transition chamber 50 to the outside, the transfer device then retreats into the transition chamber 50, and then close the second sealing door 502.

[0106] It can be seen from this that through the transition chamber 50, the first sealing door 501, the second sealing door 502, the first vacuum pumping device 60 and the second vacuum pumping device 70 provided in this embodiment, it is possible to realize the entry and exit of an object into and out of the sealed cavity 10 while ensuring that the vacuum degree of the sealed cavity 10 remains basically unchanged, and it is also possible to ensure that the environment inside the sealed cavity 10 is basically free from external pollution.

[0107] In this embodiment, configurations of the transition chamber 50, the first sealing door 501, the second sealing door 502 and the first vacuum pumping device 60 can be provided at the positions of the loading area and the unloading area corresponding to the sealed cavity 10, so as to facilitate the entry and exit of an object into and out of the sealed cavity 10.

[0108] Embodiment Five

[0109] As Figure 17 and Figure 18 shown, this embodiment also provides a maglev transportation device. Different from any of the technical solutions of Embodiments One to Four, an independent power supply is provided on the electrostatic chuck 22 in this embodiment, and the charging and discharging plug 23, the charging seat 3 and the discharging seat 4 are not provided, while an independent power supply is not provided on the mover 2 in Embodiments One to Four, and the charging and discharging plug 23, the charging seat 3 and the discharging seat 4 are provided.

[0110] Specifically, the electrostatic chuck 22 of the maglev transportation device in this embodiment may include an electrode and an energy storage battery (not shown in the figure). The energy storage battery is integrated in the electrostatic chuck 22, and the energy storage battery is connected to the electrode of the electrostatic chuck 22 through a control switch (not shown in the figure). Among them, when the control switch is closed, the electrode is powered to generate an electric field, so that the electrostatic chuck 22 obtains the electrostatic adsorption ability; when the control switch is opened, the electrode loses power, so that the electrostatic chuck 22 loses the electrostatic adsorption ability.

[0111] In this embodiment, the maglev transportation device may include a main controller (not shown in the figure), which is provided outside the stator platform 1. The electrostatic chuck 22 includes a transfer controller (not shown in the figure). The transfer controller is circuit-connected to the control switch, and the transfer controller is wirelessly signal-connected to the main controller. The main controller sends a switch signal to the transfer controller to control the closing or opening of the control switch.

[0112] It should be noted that the battery capacity of the energy storage battery needs to be calculated according to the required adsorption force and the working duration. The capacity of the energy storage battery should neither be too small nor too large to prevent the overweight of the energy storage battery from affecting the suspension movement ability of the mover 2 on the stator platform 1.

[0113] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and modifications. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A magnetic levitation transport device, characterized in that: include: Stator platform (1); The mover (2) comprises a mover body (21) and an electrostatic chuck (22); the mover body (21) moves in suspension on the stator platform (1) in a moving iron type magnetic levitation manner; and the electrostatic chuck (22) is mounted on the upper surface of the mover body (21).

2. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrostatic chuck (22) comprises an electrode and a temporary energy storage device capable of rapid charge and discharge, wherein the temporary energy storage device is connected to the electrode circuit; The mover (2) is also provided with a charging and discharging plug (23) for charging and discharging the temporary energy storage device, and the charging and discharging plug (23) is installed at a side position of the mover (2); The magnetic levitation transport device also includes a charging seat (3) and a discharging seat (4); The charging seat (3) is arranged at a predetermined position around the stator platform (1) and is higher than the upper surface of the stator platform (1); when working, the mover (2) is driven by the stator platform (1) to move to a position close to the charging seat (3) so that the charging and discharging plug (23) of the electrostatic chuck (22) is docked with the charging seat (3), and the temporary energy storage device is charged so that the electrode is electrified to generate an electric field, so that the electrostatic chuck (22) obtains electrostatic adsorption capability; The discharge seat (4) is arranged at a predetermined position around the stator platform (1) and is higher than the upper surface of the stator platform (1); when working, the mover (2) is driven by the stator platform (1) to move to a position close to the discharge seat (4) so ​​that the charging and discharging plug (23) of the electrostatic chuck (22) is docked with the discharge seat (4), the temporary energy storage device is discharged or completely discharged so that the electric field generated by the electrode is weakened or disappears, and the electrostatic adsorption capacity of the electrostatic chuck (22) is weakened or completely disappears.

3. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrostatic chuck (22) comprises an electrode and an energy storage battery, wherein the energy storage battery is integrated in the electrostatic chuck (22), and the energy storage battery is connected to the electrode of the electrostatic chuck (22) via a control switch; When the control switch is closed, the electrode is energized to generate an electric field, so that the electrostatic chuck (22) acquires electrostatic adsorption capability; when the control switch is opened, the electrode loses power, so that the electrostatic chuck (22) loses its electrostatic adsorption capability.

4. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The magnetic levitation transport device comprises a main controller, which is arranged outside the stator platform (1); the electrostatic chuck (22) comprises a transfer controller, which is connected to the control switch circuit, and the transfer controller is connected to the main controller via a wireless signal; The main controller sends a switch signal to the relay controller to control the closing or opening of the control switch.

5. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The number of the charging and discharging plugs (23) is one or more.

6. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: When the number of the charging and discharging plugs (23) is greater than or equal to two, all the charging and discharging plugs (23) are evenly distributed in a circumference around the center of the mover (2).

7. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The edge of the electrostatic chuck (22) exceeds the edge of the mover body (21); the charging and discharging plug (23) is installed on the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck (22) and is located in the area where the edge of the electrostatic chuck (22) exceeds the edge of the mover body (21).

8. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The charging and discharging plug (23) is mounted on the side wall of the mover body (21).

9. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The stator platform (1) is provided with at least one loading area and at least one unloading area; The charging seat (3) is arranged around the stator platform (1) near the loading area; The discharge seat (4) is arranged on the periphery of the stator platform (1) close to the material unloading area.

10. The magnetic levitation transportation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The stator platform (1) comprises a sub-platform (11), or the stator platform (1) is formed by splicing a plurality of sub-platforms (11) in the same horizontal plane; Each of the sub-platforms (11) has the ability to drive the mover body (21) to perform magnetic levitation motion.

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