Silicon wafer conveying device and thin film deposition equipment
By introducing a conveyor arm, arm controller, relays, and PLC module into the silicon wafer conveying device, the conveying can be stopped when the semiconductor equipment alarms, solving the problem that traditional devices cannot detect equipment abnormalities in real time, and improving silicon wafer quality and production efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520007830.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-26
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-01-02
AI Technical Summary
Traditional silicon wafer transport devices lack effective communication with semiconductor equipment, causing them to continue transporting silicon wafers even when the equipment alarms, resulting in damaged or poor-quality wafers, which affects production efficiency and costs.
Design a silicon wafer conveying device, including a conveying arm, an arm controller, a relay, multiple PLC modules, and a pause switch for wafer conveying. The device enables immediate cessation of silicon wafer conveying when an alarm is triggered by the semiconductor equipment, and the conveying arm is controlled by transmitting alarm signals through the PLC modules.
This effectively avoids quality problems caused by continuing to deliver silicon wafers after the semiconductor equipment alarms, thus improving silicon wafer quality and production efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure CN223728745U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, in particular to a silicon wafer conveying device and a thin film deposition equipment. BACKGROUND
[0002] In the use of semiconductor equipment, the conveying of silicon wafers is a crucial link. The conventional silicon wafer conveying device lacks effective communication with the semiconductor equipment, resulting in the conveying device continuing to convey silicon wafers into the equipment when the semiconductor equipment has an alarm or abnormal condition. In this case, the silicon wafers may be damaged due to the unstable state of the equipment, or the quality of the produced silicon wafers may be poor. This not only reduces production efficiency, but also increases production cost and waste.
[0003] For example, a thin film deposition equipment uses a specific chemical reaction to form a thin film on the surface of a silicon wafer. In this process, the equipment inputs a pre-proportioned mixture of alkyl gases and oxygen into a high-temperature process chamber through a precision nozzle. In this high-temperature environment, the mixture of alkyl gases and oxygen will undergo a chemical reaction, thereby depositing a uniform thin film on the surface of the silicon wafer.
[0004] After the thin film deposition is completed, the process exhaust gas needs to be effectively discharged to the exhaust treatment device through the exhaust pipeline to avoid pollution to the environment and the equipment. However, in the existing thin film deposition equipment, if the motor on the exhaust pipeline fails, the equipment will usually only issue an alarm signal, but will not immediately stop conveying silicon wafers into the process chamber.
[0005] In this case, due to the motor failure, the process exhaust gas cannot be normally discharged, and the pressure, temperature and gas composition parameters in the process chamber may be affected, thereby causing the thin film on the silicon wafer to have a film uniformity that exceeds the acceptable range, or the particle detection result to exceed the standard. These problems will seriously affect the quality and performance of the silicon wafer, and may even cause the entire batch of silicon wafers to be scrapped.
[0006] In order to solve this problem, a silicon wafer conveying device that stops conveying silicon wafers when the semiconductor equipment alarms needs to be designed and processed. CONTENT OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the problems existing in the prior art described above, the present application provides a silicon wafer conveying device and a thin film deposition equipment. Once the semiconductor equipment (such as a thin film deposition equipment) fails and issues an alarm signal, the silicon wafer conveying device will immediately trigger the corresponding control mechanism to make the semiconductor equipment stop conveying silicon wafers into the process chamber. In this way, the problem of poor quality of silicon wafers caused by continuing to convey silicon wafers after the semiconductor equipment alarms can be effectively avoided, thereby improving the quality of silicon wafers and production efficiency.
[0008] To achieve the above object and other related objects, the utility model provides a kind of silicon wafer conveying device, silicon wafer conveying device is arranged at the outside of thin film deposition equipment, and silicon wafer conveying device includes:
[0009] Conveying arm is used to grab the silicon wafer to be driven;
[0010] Arm controller is communicatedly connected with conveying arm to control conveying arm;
[0011] Relay;
[0012] First PLC module is communicatedly connected with relay to transmit the alarm signal of semiconductor equipment to relay;
[0013] Second PLC module is communicatedly connected with relay, and it includes input module and output module, and input module receives the alarm signal from relay;
[0014] Third PLC module is communicatedly connected with output module and arm controller respectively to receive the alarm signal from output module and transmit the alarm signal to arm controller.
[0015] Optionally, silicon wafer conveying device further includes: mounting box, and mounting box is mounted to the outside of semiconductor equipment.
[0016] Optionally, relay and second PLC module are mounted in mounting box.
[0017] Optionally, silicon wafer conveying device further includes: air switch, and air switch is mounted in mounting box, and air switch is connected with second PLC module.
[0018] Optionally, mounting box includes: box cover, and box cover is detachable transparent box cover.
[0019] Optionally, alarm signal includes the alarm signal of motor of semiconductor equipment, and first PLC module is connected with motor through motor signal line.
[0020] Optionally, silicon wafer conveying device further includes: pause wafer conveying switch, and pause wafer conveying switch is located between output module of second PLC module and third PLC module, and is communicatedly connected with output module and third PLC module respectively.
[0021] Optionally, silicon wafer conveying device further includes: function input circuit board, and pause wafer conveying switch is arranged on function input circuit board.
[0022] Another aspect of the utility model provides a kind of thin film deposition equipment, and thin film deposition equipment includes process cavity and the silicon wafer conveying device of conveying silicon wafer to process cavity, and the silicon wafer conveying device of thin film deposition equipment includes the above-mentioned silicon wafer conveying device.
[0023] The silicon wafer conveying device and the thin film deposition equipment have at least the following beneficial technical effects:
[0024] The silicon wafer conveying device is used for conveying silicon wafers to a semiconductor equipment, and comprises a conveying arm, an arm controller, a relay, a first PLC module, a second PLC module and a third PLC module. The conveying arm is used for grabbing a silicon wafer to be conveyed. The arm controller is in communication connection with the conveying arm to control the conveying arm. The first PLC module is in communication connection with the relay to transmit an alarm signal of the semiconductor equipment to the relay. The second PLC module is in communication connection with the relay and comprises an input module and an output module, and the input module receives the alarm signal from the relay. The third PLC module is in communication connection with the output module and the arm controller respectively to receive the alarm signal from the output module and transmit the alarm signal to the arm controller. When the arm controller receives the alarm signal, the conveying arm is controlled to stop conveying. The semiconductor equipment alarm causes the conveying arm to stop conveying, effectively avoiding the problem of poor quality of the silicon wafer caused by continuing to convey after the semiconductor equipment alarms, thereby improving the quality and production efficiency of the silicon wafer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0025] Figure 1 A signal connection relationship schematic diagram of the silicon wafer conveying device provided by the embodiment one of the present application is shown.
[0026] Figure 2 A structure schematic diagram of the mounting box provided by the embodiment one of the present application is shown.
[0027] Figure 3 A structure schematic diagram of the box cover provided by the embodiment one of the present application is shown.
[0028] Figure 4 A circuit schematic diagram of the relay, the second PLC module and the pause conveying switch provided by the embodiment one of the present application is shown.
[0029] Figure 5 A circuit schematic diagram of the first module of the first PLC module provided by the embodiment one of the present application is shown.
[0030] Figure 6 A circuit schematic diagram of the third module of the third PLC module and the function input circuit board provided by the embodiment one of the present application is shown.
[0031] Figure 7 A connection relationship schematic diagram of the motor and the first PLC module provided by the embodiment one of the present application is shown.
[0032] Figure 8The position schematic view of the relay, the second PLC module and the air switch is shown in an optional embodiment of the first embodiment of the utility model.
[0033] Reference signs
[0034] 1, semiconductor equipment;111, installation box;1111, box body;1112, box cover;112, first PLC module;1121, first module;11211, 70-75 ports;113, relay;114, second PLC module;1141, input module;11411, input port;1142, output module;11421, output port;115, function input circuit board;1151, pause slice transmission switch;116, third PLC module;1161, third module;117, arm controller;118, conveying arm;119, air switch;12, motor;13, motor signal line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] The above description is only used to illustrate the specific embodiments of the utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the utility model from the above description. The utility model can also be implemented or applied in different specific embodiments, and each detail in the specification can be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the utility model.
[0036] It should be noted that the diagrams provided in the embodiments only illustrate the basic concept of the utility model in a schematic manner. Although only the components related to the utility model are shown in the diagrams, the actual implementation of the components, number, shape and size can be changed at will under the premise of realizing the technical solutions of the utility model, and the component layout form can also be more complex.
[0037] During the use of the semiconductor equipment, the conveying of the silicon wafer is undoubtedly a very critical and delicate link, and its smoothness directly affects the efficiency and product quality of the entire production line. As the core material of semiconductor manufacturing, the silicon wafer needs to be accurately controlled at each step of the processing process, and the conveying device as a bridge connecting various production modules cannot be ignored. However, the traditional silicon wafer conveying device often has a significant defect in design: they lack an efficient and real-time communication mechanism with the semiconductor equipment.
[0038] The absence of such communication capability results in a serious problem: when the semiconductor device triggers an alarm or enters an abnormal state due to various reasons (such as excessive temperature, insufficient vacuum degree, or other mechanical failures), the conventional conveying device cannot immediately perceive such information and still continues to convey the silicon wafer into the device according to the established program. The silicon wafer may suffer physical damage such as scratches, cracks, etc. due to improper handling, which will directly affect the performance and reliability of the final product.
[0039] To solve the above problems, the present application provides a silicon wafer conveying device and a thin film deposition equipment, which realizes the stop of the conveying arm when the semiconductor device alarms, effectively avoiding the problem of poor quality of the silicon wafer caused by continuing to convey the silicon wafer after the semiconductor device alarms. The following embodiments and drawings are described in detail.
[0040] Embodiment one
[0041] The present embodiment provides a silicon wafer conveying device for conveying silicon wafers to a semiconductor device. As shown in Figure 1 , the silicon wafer conveying device includes a conveying arm 118, an arm controller 117, a relay 113, a first PLC module 112, a second PLC module 114, and a third PLC module 116. The conveying arm 118 is used to grab the silicon wafer driven by a belt. The arm controller 117 is in communication connection with the conveying arm 118 to control the conveying arm 118.
[0042] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 5 , the first PLC module 112 is in communication connection with the semiconductor device 1 and the relay 113 to transmit the alarm signal of the semiconductor device 1 to the relay 113. To realize the transmission of the alarm signal of the semiconductor device 1 to the relay 113, the semiconductor device 1 and the relay 113 are respectively connected to the same port of the first PLC module 112. Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 7 , the connection alarm signal includes the alarm signal emitted by the motor 12 of the semiconductor device 1. In order to more clearly describe the working process of the transmission of the alarm signal from the semiconductor device 1 to the relay 113, the following takes the transmission process when the motor 12 of the semiconductor device 1 emits an alarm signal as an example. Referring to Figure 7 , Figure 4 and Figure 5The first PLC module 112 is connected with the motor 12 through the motor signal line 13. The motor signal line 13 is connected to the 70-75 port 11211 of the first module 1121 of the first PLC module 112, and the relay 113 is also connected to the 50-55 port 11211. Optionally, the number of the relay 113 is six, and the six relays 113 are connected to the 50-55 port 11211 of the first module 1121 of the first PLC module 112 one by one. At this time, when the motor 12 sends an alarm signal, the alarm signal is transmitted to the first PLC module 112 through the motor signal line 13, and the first PLC module 112 transmits the alarm signal to the relay 113.
[0043] As shown in Figure 4 , in order to facilitate the second PLC module 114 to receive the alarm signal from the relay 113, the second PLC module 114 is in communication connection with the relay 113, and the second PLC module 114 includes an input module 1141 and an output module 1142, and the input module 1141 receives the alarm signal from the relay 113. Taking the six relays 113 as an example, the six relays 113 are connected to the six input ports 11411A1-A6 of the input module 1141 one by one to receive the alarm signal from the relay 113.
[0044] Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 , the output module 1142 of the second PLC module 114 is provided with a pause transfer switch 1151 between the second PLC module 114 and the third PLC module 116, and the pause transfer switch 1151 is in communication connection with the output module 1142 and the third PLC module 116, respectively. The pause transfer switch 1151 is an important part of the safety of the semiconductor device 1 operation. In an emergency or when it is necessary to pause the movement of the transfer arm 118, the operator can immediately stop the movement of the transfer arm 118 by pressing the pause transfer switch 1151, thereby avoiding potential damage or injury. The pause transfer switch 1151 is arranged on the function input circuit board 115 of the semiconductor device 1. When the input module 1141 receives the alarm signal from the relay 113, the alarm signal is transmitted to the pause transfer switch 1151 through the output module 1142. In an optional embodiment of the present embodiment, referring to Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 6The pause wafer conveying switch 1151 is connected with the output port 11421B0 and B1 of the output module 1142 and the third module 1161 of the third PLC module 116. The alarm signal from the second PLC module 114 triggers the pause wafer conveying switch 1151 to open, so as to transmit the alarm signal to the third PLC module 116. After the alarm signal is transmitted to the third PLC module 116, the third PLC module 116 transmits the alarm signal to the arm controller 117. The arm controller 117 controls the conveying arm 118 to pause the wafer conveying.
[0045] With reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The silicon wafer conveying device 11 further comprises a mounting box 111, which is mounted to the outside of the semiconductor equipment 1. The mounting box 111 not only bears the internal components, but also plays a protective and fixing role. In an optional embodiment of the embodiment, with reference to Figures 1 to 3 The mounting box 1111 comprises a box body 1111 and a box cover 1112. The box body 1111 is composed of a bottom surface and four side walls perpendicular to the bottom surface, forming an open cuboid space. The box cover 1112 is a detachable transparent box cover. This design not only allows the operator to intuitively check the status of the internal components, such as whether the wiring is firm and whether each component is working normally, without the need to completely disassemble the device, but also facilitates daily cleaning and maintenance work. The transparent box cover 1112 is made of high-strength transparent material, ensuring sufficient durability and protection, while ensuring the clarity of the view. The relay 113 and the second PLC module 114 are mounted in the mounting box 111. In an optional embodiment of the embodiment, in order to reduce the length of the connecting wires and improve the compactness and reliability of the system, the relay 113 and the second PLC module 114 are arranged adjacent to each other in the mounting box 111.
[0046] Optionally, with reference to Figure 8 The silicon wafer conveying device further comprises an air switch 119, which is connected with the second PLC module 114. Once potential dangerous conditions such as abnormal current, overload or short circuit are detected, the air switch 119 will respond quickly and automatically cut off the power, thereby effectively preventing equipment damage and even fire accidents caused by electrical faults. This instant power-off protection mechanism is crucial for ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the production line and the safety of the operators.
[0047] By setting the above-mentioned silicon wafer conveying device, when the semiconductor equipment fails and alarms, the conveying arm stops conveying the wafer, effectively avoiding the problem of poor wafer quality caused by continuing to convey the wafer after the semiconductor equipment alarms, thereby improving the quality and production efficiency of the wafer.
[0048] Embodiment two
[0049] The embodiment provides a thin film deposition device, and the thin film deposition device comprises a silicon wafer conveying device.
[0050] The above embodiment only illustrates the principle and effect of the present application, and is not used to limit the present application. Any person skilled in the art can modify or change the above embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or changes completed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed by the present application should be covered by the claims of the present application.
Claims
1. A silicon wafer transfer device for transferring a silicon wafer to a semiconductor apparatus, characterized by, Comprising: a transfer arm for grabbing a silicon wafer to be transferred; an arm controller in communication with the transfer arm to control the transfer arm; a relay; a first PLC module in communication with the relay to transmit an alarm signal of the semiconductor equipment to the relay; a second PLC module in communication with the relay, comprising an input module and an output module, the input module receiving the alarm signal from the relay; a third PLC module in communication with the output module and the arm controller respectively to receive the alarm signal from the output module and transmit the alarm signal to the arm controller.
2. The silicon wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein Further comprising: a mounting box mounted to the outside of the semiconductor equipment.
3. The silicon wafer transfer device of claim 2, wherein The relay and the second PLC module are mounted in the mounting box.
4. The silicon wafer transfer apparatus of claim 3, wherein Further comprising: an air switch mounted in the mounting box, the air switch being connected with the second PLC module.
5. The silicon wafer transfer apparatus of claim 3, wherein The mounting box comprises a box cover, which is a detachable transparent box cover.
6. The silicon wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein The alarm signal comprises an alarm signal emitted by a motor of the semiconductor equipment, and the first PLC module is connected with the motor through a motor signal line.
7. The silicon wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein Further comprising: a pause wafer transfer switch between the output module of the second PLC module and the third PLC module, and in communication with the output module and the third PLC module respectively.
8. The silicon wafer transfer apparatus of claim 7, wherein Further comprising: a function input circuit board, on which the pause wafer transfer switch is arranged.
9. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized by, The thin film deposition equipment comprises a process cavity and a silicon wafer transfer device for transferring a silicon wafer to the process cavity, and the silicon wafer transfer device comprises any one of the silicon wafer transfer devices according to claims 1-8.