Wafer taking and placing manipulator

Abstract

The utility model relates to a manipulator for taking and placing wafers, which comprises a rotary table driven by a rotary actuating mechanism to rotate. The rotary table is provided with an independent fork hand, a fork hand set composed of at least two fork hands, a first executing mechanism driving the independent fork hand to stretch out and draw back intermittently and a second executing mechanism driving the fork hand set to stretch out and draw back intermittently. When the independent fork hand and the fork hand set stretch out at the same time, the fork hands of the independent fork hand and the fork hand set are arranged in an up-down stacked mode, and the independent fork hand is located on the uppermost portion or the lowermost portion. The utility model has the beneficial effects that the independent fork hand and the fork hand group which are respectively driven are designed, so that the function of independently stretching out the independent fork hand during small-batch trial production is realized, the independent fork hand and the fork hand group integrally and synchronously stretch out and draw back during large-batch production, and the production efficiency is not reduced. The equipment realizes full-automatic production, improves the efficiency, reduces the labor cost and is safer to operate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing processes, and particularly to a wafer pick-and-place manipulator. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, a vertical chemical vapor deposition furnace (Furnace tube) is a widely used cluster deposition device, which has advantages such as high deposition efficiency and high-precision control. The conventional structure of a vertical chemical vapor deposition furnace mainly includes a furnace tube and a furnace door arranged at the lower part of the furnace tube. The furnace tube serves as a deposition reaction chamber, and a precursor nozzle component is arranged inside. A susceptor is fixedly arranged on the liftable furnace door. The number of nozzles in the precursor nozzle component varies according to the requirements of the deposited film or process requirements, and one or more nozzles can be set. The nozzle component is distributed along the axis of the susceptor and is arranged on one side of the susceptor. The furnace tube is also provided with an air inlet and an air outlet.

[0003] When the vertical chemical vapor deposition furnace is performing a deposition process, there are often two modes: small-batch trial production and large-batch production. The existing wafer handling manipulators are of two types: single-fork and multi-fork. The gap of the multi-fork matches the wafer gap of the susceptor / wafer carrier. Each telescopic movement can pick and place multiple wafers. Obviously, the single-fork can only operate on one wafer at a time, resulting in low operation efficiency during large-batch production; in the case where the wafers in the wafer carrier are closely arranged, the multi-fork will inevitably pick and place multiple wafers each time, making the wafers in the susceptor still closely arranged, which does not meet the design requirements during small-batch trial production. At this time, if the wafers in the susceptor need to be loosely arranged, the arrangement of the wafers in the wafer carrier must be adjusted manually in advance, which not only reduces the production efficiency but also may introduce contamination.

[0004] It is necessary to improve and optimize the existing wafer pick-and-place manipulator to better meet the user's needs. Summary of the Utility Model

[0005] The purpose of the embodiment of the utility model is to propose a wafer pick-and-place manipulator aiming at the structural defects of the existing technology. By designing independently driven independent forks and fork groups, the function of the independent fork extending alone during small-batch trial production is realized, and the independent forks and the fork groups are telescopically operated synchronously as a whole during large-batch production, without reducing the production efficiency. The device realizes fully automated production, improves efficiency, reduces labor costs, and is safer to operate.

[0006] In order to achieve the above utility model purpose, a wafer pick-and-place manipulator proposed by the embodiment of the utility model is realized through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A wafer pick-and-place manipulator, characterized in that: the wafer pick-and-place manipulator includes a turntable driven to rotate by a rotational actuator, an independent fork is provided on the turntable, a fork group composed of at least two forks, a first actuator for driving the independent fork to perform intermittent telescoping, and a second actuator for driving the fork group to perform intermittent telescoping; when the independent fork and the fork group extend simultaneously, the forks of the independent fork and the fork group are stacked vertically, and the independent fork is located at the uppermost or lowermost position.

[0008] The wafer pick-and-place manipulator further includes a Y-axis linear drive module, and the turntable is arranged on the Y-axis linear drive module.

[0009] Both the first actuator and the second actuator include a guide rail, a slider slidably arranged on the guide rail, a servo motor, and a belt transmission assembly, and the belt transmission assembly connects the servo motor and the slider; the guide rails of the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged in parallel, and the fork group / independent fork is directly or indirectly fixedly installed on the slider.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present utility model are: by designing an independent fork and a fork group driven separately, the function of the independent fork extending alone during small-batch trial production is realized, and during large-batch production, the independent fork and the fork group perform overall synchronous telescoping operations, without reducing production efficiency. This equipment realizes fully automated production, improves efficiency, reduces labor costs, and is safer to operate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Through the following description of its exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, the above-mentioned features and advantages of the present utility model will become clearer and easier to understand.

[0012] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the wafer pick-and-place manipulator in the present utility model embodiment during pipeline operation;

[0013] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram I of the wafer pick-and-place manipulator in the present utility model embodiment;

[0014] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram II of the wafer pick-and-place manipulator in the present utility model embodiment;

[0015] Figure 4 It is a partial structure schematic diagram of the turntable of the wafer pick-and-place manipulator in the present utility model embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation manners of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present utility model, rather than all of them. Based on the embodiments in the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0017] Terms such as "front", "rear", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc. cited in this specification are only for the convenience of clear narration, rather than used to limit the scope of implementation of the present utility model. The change or adjustment of their relative relationships shall also be regarded as the scope of implementation of the present utility model without substantial change in technical content.

[0018] In the description of the following embodiments, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, terms such as "connection" shall be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and can be the communication inside two components or the interaction relationship between two components, unless otherwise clearly limited. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present utility model can be understood according to specific situations.

[0019] See Figures 1-4 As shown, in this embodiment, the furnace body 2 of the deposition furnace is the same as the existing deposition furnace structure, including a vertical furnace tube 21. A liftable furnace door 22 is provided at the lower part of the furnace tube. The furnace tube 21 serves as a deposition reaction chamber, and a precursor nozzle component is provided inside. A susceptor 23 is fixedly provided on the liftable furnace door 22. The furnace tube is also provided with an air inlet and an air outlet.

[0020] In this embodiment, the wafer pick - and - place manipulator 3 is used to pick and place wafers between the susceptor 23 and the wafer transport box in the buffer area 1. A stacked cassette rack is provided in the buffer area 1, and two storage positions for wafer transport boxes are stacked vertically inside the cassette rack.

[0021] The wafer pick - and - place manipulator 3 includes a Y - axis linear drive module 35, a turntable 31, and a rotation execution mechanism 32. In this embodiment, the rotation execution mechanism 32 is a servo motor and a gearbox. The turntable 31 is connected to the servo motor through the gear transmission structure of the gearbox and rotates around the axis under the drive of the servo motor. The turntable 31 and the rotation execution mechanism 32 are arranged on the Y - axis linear drive module.

[0022] An independent fork 33, a fork group 34, a first execution mechanism, and a second execution mechanism are arranged on the turntable 31.

[0023] The fork group 34 is composed of 4 forks. The independent fork 33 has the same structure as these 4 forks, and has a fork rod and a fork head. A front hook is fixed to the front part of the fork head part, and a rear hook is fixed to the rear part. The front hook has a first horizontal support surface and a front stop surface located in front of the first horizontal support surface. The rear hook has a second horizontal support surface and a rear stop surface located on the second horizontal support surface. The upper surfaces of the first horizontal support surface and the second horizontal support surface are on the same horizontal plane. The purpose of this setting is to minimize the contact area between the fork rod and the product, reduce the friction between the product and the fork rod, and avoid the wear of the product.

[0024] The fork group 34 and the independent fork 33 can be extended and retracted independently. Among them, the first actuator drives the independent fork 33 to perform intermittent extension and retraction, and the second actuator drives the fork group 34 to perform intermittent extension and retraction. When the independent fork 33 and the fork group 34 extend at the same time, the forks of the independent fork 33 and the fork group 34 are stacked up and down, and the independent fork 33 is located at the top.

[0025] The first actuator and the second actuator have the same structure, and both are linear drive modules, including a guide rail 36, a slider 37 slidably arranged on the guide rail 36, a servo motor 38 and a belt transmission component 39. The belt transmission component 39 connects the servo motor 38 and the slider 37. In this embodiment, the guide rails 36 of the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged in parallel. A connecting piece is installed on the outside of each of the two sliders 37, and the fork rod of the fork group 34 or the independent fork 33 is installed on the connecting piece.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present utility model are as follows: By designing the storage area and the flat-edge alignment device, not only can automatic flat-edge alignment be achieved, but also the whole process of alignment and feeding on the automatic production line can be realized, improving the production efficiency. In addition, by designing the independently driven independent fork and fork group, the function of the independent fork extending alone during small-batch trial production is realized, and the independent fork and the fork group perform synchronous extension and retraction operations as a whole during large-batch production, without reducing the production efficiency. This equipment realizes fully automated production, improves efficiency, reduces labor costs, and is safer to operate.

[0027] The above uses embodiments to elaborate in detail the inventive concept and implementation manner of the present utility model. However, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present utility model pertains can understand that the above embodiments of the present utility model are only one of the preferred embodiments of the present utility model. Due to space limitations, all implementation manners cannot be listed one by one here. Any implementation that can embody the technical solution of the claims of the present utility model falls within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0028] It should be noted that the above content is a further detailed description of the present utility model in combination with specific implementation manners, and it cannot be determined that the specific implementation manners of the present utility model are limited thereto. Under the guidance of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various improvements and deformations on the basis of the above embodiments, and these improvements or deformations fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A wafer pick-and-place manipulator, characterized in that: The wafer pick-and-place manipulator includes a turntable driven to rotate by a rotational actuator, and an independent fork, a fork group composed of at least two forks, a first actuator for driving the independent fork to perform intermittent telescoping, and a second actuator for driving the fork group to perform intermittent telescoping are arranged on the turntable; when the independent fork and the fork group extend simultaneously, the forks of the independent fork and the fork group are stacked vertically, and the independent fork is located at the uppermost or lowermost position.

2. The wafer pick-and-place manipulator according to claim 1, wherein: The wafer pick-and-place manipulator further includes a Y-axis linear drive module, and the turntable is arranged on the Y-axis linear drive module.

3. The pick-and-place wafer manipulator according to claim 2, wherein: Both the first actuator and the second actuator include a guide rail, a slider slidably arranged on the guide rail, a servo motor, and a belt transmission assembly, and the belt transmission assembly connects the servo motor and the slider; the guide rails of the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged in parallel, and the fork group / independent fork is directly or indirectly fixedly installed on the slider.

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