Photomask turnover device and equipment

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of semiconductor production equipment manufacturing, and particularly relates to a photomask turnover device and equipment, the photomask turnover device comprises two turnover assemblies, clamping ends of the two turnover assemblies are oppositely arranged, and a clamping station is arranged between the two clamping ends; the side, facing the clamping station, of the overturning assembly is provided with two clamping jaws. And when the photomask is arranged at the clamping station, the two overturning assemblies respectively clamp the opposite angles of the photomask through clamping jaws, and the clamping jaws are in contact with one side of the photomask. The two overturning assemblies are arranged, the two clamping jaws are arranged on the overturning assemblies, the clamping jaws of the two overturning assemblies clamp a pair of opposite angles of the photomask respectively, and each clamping jaw makes contact with one side of the photomask, so that the photomask is prevented from sliding off from the overturning assemblies, and the photomask is prevented from being damaged by large clamping force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, specifically relating to a photomask flipping device and equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, photolithography, etching, and oxidation are key technologies. Photolithography, in particular, uses light to "print" circuit patterns onto a photomask, with the coating, exposure, and development of photoresist being crucial steps. As an important component of exposure equipment, the photomask (photomask) is used in various sizes during semiconductor chip and panel manufacturing. The storage and handling environment for photomasks must possess high levels of cleanliness, safety, and stability.

[0003] The photomask needs to be transferred in the equipment. The photomask is usually rectangular. In the photomask cleaning equipment of related technologies, when the photomask is flipped or transferred by the transmission device or the flipping device, the two sides of the photomask are usually clamped, which can easily cause the photomask to slip or the clamping force of the clamp to be too large, resulting in economic losses such as fragmentation.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a photomask flipping device and equipment to solve the technical problem that the photomask is prone to slippage or fragmentation when the clamp holds the two sides of the photomask during the transfer process.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in this background section is only for understanding the background technology of this application concept, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art. Utility Model Content

[0006] This disclosure provides at least one photomask flipping device and apparatus.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a photomask flipping device, comprising: two flipping components, the clamping ends of which are disposed opposite to each other, and a clamping station is provided between the two clamping ends;

[0008] The flipping assembly has two grippers on the side facing the clamping station.

[0009] Furthermore, when the photomask is placed in the clamping station, the two flipping components clamp the opposite corners of the photomask through the grippers, and the grippers are in contact with one side of the photomask.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, the end of the gripper is provided with a clamping and limiting groove, the width of which is consistent with the thickness of the photomask.

[0011] In one alternative embodiment, the flipping assembly includes a flipping plate and a rotating shaft adapted to drive the flipping plate to rotate;

[0012] The grippers are mounted on the side of the flip plate away from the rotating shaft;

[0013] The distance from the rotating shaft to the two grippers is equal.

[0014] In one alternative embodiment, the flipping assembly further includes a clamp base plate and two clamp fixing plates slidably mounted on the clamp base plate;

[0015] The rotating shaft is connected to the clamp fixing plate via a transmission connection.

[0016] Secondly, this disclosure also provides a photomask flipping device, including the photomask flipping device as described above, and the photomask flipping device further includes: a feeding robot and a feeding conveying component respectively disposed on both sides of the flipping component.

[0017] In one optional embodiment, the feeding and conveying assembly includes a horizontal slide rail and a conveying robot arm slidably disposed on the horizontal slide rail;

[0018] The transfer robot includes a drive base, the drive base has a robot column, a transfer base is installed at the end of the column, and two transfer claws are respectively provided on one side of the transfer base.

[0019] The transfer claw is adapted to hold the photomask after the flipping component has flipped, and the drive base is adapted to drive the transfer claw to slide along the horizontal slide rail to the next process.

[0020] In one optional embodiment, the loading robot includes a mounting base and a horizontal arm slidably disposed on the mounting base, the horizontal arm being throttle-connected to the mounting base;

[0021] The crossarm is arrayed with several feeding limit slots.

[0022] In one optional embodiment, the loading robot further includes a rotating base and a rotary electric actuator mounted on the rotating base;

[0023] The mounting base is rotatably mounted on the rotating seat, and the rotary electric actuator is connected to the mounting base via a transmission.

[0024] In one optional embodiment, the loading robot further includes a support base and a vertical slide rail, with the support base slidably mounted on the vertical slide rail.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this utility model are that by setting two flipping components and two grippers on the flipping components, the grippers of the two flipping components respectively clamp a pair of opposite corners of the photomask and make each gripper contact one side of the photomask, so as to prevent the photomask from slipping off the flipping components and the photomask from being damaged by large clamping force.

[0026] Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of this invention are realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims, and drawings.

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 A perspective view of a photomask flipping device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a feeding and conveying assembly provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 3 A front view of a loading robot provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0032] Figure 4 A front view of a flip component provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flipping component provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a photomask delivery method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] In the picture:

[0036] 1. Flipping assembly; 11. Gripper; 12. Gripping limiting groove; 13. Flipping plate; 14. Rotating shaft; 15. Fixture base plate; 16. Fixture fixing plate;

[0037] 2. Loading robot; 21. Mounting base; 22. Horizontal arm; 23. Loading limit groove; 24. Rotary seat; 25. Rotary electric actuator; 26. Support base; 27. Vertical slide rail;

[0038] 3. Material feeding and conveying assembly; 31. Horizontal slide rail; 32. Conveying robot arm; 33. Drive base; 34. Robot arm column; 35. Conveying base; 36. Conveying claw;

[0039] 4. Loading platform; 5. Equipment frame; 6. Equipment power supply; 7. Clamping station. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0041] Research has revealed that photomasks need to be transferred within equipment. Since photomasks are typically rectangular, current photomask cleaning equipment often uses a conveying or flipping device to flip or transfer the photomask, which usually clamps both sides of the photomask. This can easily cause the photomask to slip off or result in excessive clamping force, leading to fragmentation and other economic losses. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a photomask flipping device and equipment to solve the technical problem of photomask slippage or fragmentation caused by clamping both sides of the photomask during transfer.

[0042] The shortcomings of the above solutions are the result of the inventor's practical experience and careful research. Therefore, the discovery process of the above problems and the solutions proposed in this disclosure below should be considered as the inventor's contribution to this disclosure.

[0043] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described below can be combined with each other. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the thickness of components may be exaggerated or reduced for the purpose of effectively describing the technical content.

[0044] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0045] Based on the above research, and referring to Figure 4This disclosure provides a photomask flipping device, including: a clamp base plate 15 and two clamp fixing plates 16 slidably mounted on the clamp base plate 15. Two flipping plates 13 are arranged facing each other between the two clamp fixing plates 16. Two grippers 11 are respectively provided on the facing side of the two flipping plates 13, while the disjoint sides of the two flipping plates 13 are rotatably connected to the clamp fixing plates via a rotating shaft 14. The clamp fixing plates 16 have a power device inside, and the two flipping plates 13 are respectively connected to the power device in the clamp fixing plates 16 via the rotating shaft 14. The power device adopts a conventional choice for driving the rotation of parts in related technologies, such as a motor. Simultaneously, the clamp base plate 15 also has a linear sliding pair inside, which adopts a conventional choice for driving the linear sliding of parts in related technologies, such as a cylinder. The distances from the rotating shaft 14 to the two grippers 11 are equal to ensure that the photomask can remain in its original position without displacement during the flipping process.

[0046] The gripper 11 can move closer to or further away from the fixture base to clamp or release the photomask, and can flip the photomask under the action of the fixture fixing plate 16.

[0047] Reference Figure 4 In at least one embodiment, there is a clamping station 7 between the clamping ends of the two grippers 11. After the photomask moves to the clamping station 7, it can be clamped by the grippers 11.

[0048] Furthermore, when the photomask is placed in the clamping station 7, the two flipping components 1 respectively clamp the opposite corners of the photomask via grippers 11, and the grippers 11 are in contact with one side of the photomask. By using the grippers 11 of the two flipping components 1 to clamp a pair of opposite corners of the photomask, the opposite corners of the photomask are symmetrical. At the same time, it is ensured that each gripper 11 is in contact with one side of the photomask, which can prevent the photomask from slipping off the fixture and prevent excessive clamping force from damaging the photomask.

[0049] Reference Figure 5 In at least one embodiment, the end of the gripper 11 is provided with a clamping and limiting groove 12, the width of which is consistent with the thickness of the photomask, so as to ensure that after the gripper 11 contacts the edge of the photomask, the photomask can be inserted into the clamping and limiting groove 12 to prevent the photomask from slipping or tipping over.

[0050] This disclosure also provides a photomask flipping device, including the photomask flipping apparatus as described above, with reference to... Figure 2 The photomask flipping device further includes a loading robot 2 and a loading and conveying assembly 3 respectively disposed on both sides of the flipping assembly 1. The loading and conveying assembly 3 can transport the horizontal photomask to the clamping station 7 so that the flipping assembly 1 can clamp and flip the photomask. After the photomask is flipped, the loading robot 2 transports the flipped workpiece to the next process.

[0051] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the feeding and conveying assembly 3 includes a horizontal slide rail 31 and a conveying robot 32 slidably mounted on the horizontal slide rail 31. A drive device is mounted on the horizontal slide rail 31 and is connected to the conveying robot 32 for transmission, so that the conveying robot 32 can slide along the horizontal slide rail 31. The drive device adopts a conventional choice in related technologies for driving parts to slide along the horizontal slide rail 31, such as chain drive. The conveying robot 32 includes a drive base 33, the drive base 33 has a robot column 34, a conveying base 35 is mounted at the end of the column, and two conveying claws 36 are respectively provided on one side of the conveying base 35. A drive device is also provided inside the conveying base 35. The drive device adopts a conventional choice in related technologies for driving two parts to extend and retract in opposite directions, such as a motor, and a gear is mounted on the movable end of the motor. The two conveying claws 36 are respectively mounted with racks, and the racks of the two conveying claws are located on both sides of the gear. When the motor rotates, it drives the two conveying claws 36 to slide towards or away from each other through the gear, so as to achieve the function of clamping or releasing the photomask. The transfer claw 36 is adapted to hold the flipped photomask of the flipping component 1 after flipping, and the drive seat 33 is adapted to drive the transfer claw 36 to slide along the horizontal slide rail 31 to the next process position.

[0052] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments, the loading robot 2 includes a mounting base 21 and a horizontal arm 22 slidably mounted on the mounting base 21, the horizontal arm 22 being tractively connected to the mounting base 21. The horizontal arm 22 has an array of loading limiting slots 23. The photomask flipping device also includes a loading platform 4, the mounting base 21 being equipped with a drive device, which employs a conventional method for horizontal sliding of the driving components, such as chain drive. The horizontal arm 22 slides along the mounting base 21 to the loading platform 4 to receive a new photomask and place it onto the loading limiting slots 23. Then, the horizontal arm 22 transports the photomask to the clamping station 7.

[0053] Reference Figure 3 In some embodiments, to facilitate adjustment of the angle of the horizontal arm 22 so that it can tilt the horizontally placed photomask at a certain angle so that the flipping assembly 1 can clamp the diagonal of the photomask, the loading robot 2 further includes a rotating base 24 and a rotary electric actuator 25 mounted on the rotating base 24. The mounting base 21 is rotatably mounted on the rotating base 24, and the rotary electric actuator 25 is drively connected to the mounting base 21. The rotary electric actuator 25 may be a motor.

[0054] Reference Figure 3 In some embodiments, to further enable the horizontal arm 22 to rise and fall to adapt to the height of the clamping station 7, the loading robot 2 also includes a support base 26 and a vertical slide rail 27, with the support base 26 slidably mounted on the vertical slide rail 27. A drive device is provided on the support base 26, which employs a conventional method for driving horizontal sliding of components, such as chain drive.

[0055] In addition, refer to Figure 1 In some embodiments, the photomask flipping device further includes a device frame 5 for encapsulating the aforementioned components. See also... Figure 2 The photomask flipping device also includes a power supply 6 for supplying power to the above-mentioned components.

[0056] Reference Figure 6 This disclosure also provides a method for transporting a photomask, which is performed using the photomask flipping device described above. The method for transporting the photomask includes the following steps:

[0057] Step S1: The loading robot 2 transports the horizontally placed photomask to the clamping station 7;

[0058] In step S2, the two flipping components 1 rotate the gripper 11 to a horizontal position and clamp the opposite corner of the photomask, with the gripper 11 contacting one side of the photomask.

[0059] Step S3: The two flipping components 1 drive the gripper 11 to flip the photomask;

[0060] In step S4, the feeding and conveying component 3 transports the flipped photomask to the next process.

[0061] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Furthermore, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Based on the above-described ideal embodiments of this utility model, and through the above description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this utility model is not limited to the contents of the specification; its technical scope must be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A reticle flipping device, characterized by, The utility model relates to a photomask turnover device, including: Two turnover assemblies (1) are oppositely arranged, and a clamping station (7) is arranged between the two clamping ends; Wherein, the turnover assembly (1) has two clamping jaws (11) on the side towards the clamping station (7); When the photomask is placed in the clamping station (7), the two turnover assemblies (1) clamp the opposite corners of the photomask through the clamping jaws (11) respectively, and the clamping jaws (11) are in contact with one side of the photomask.

2. The photomask turnover device according to claim 1, wherein: The end of the clamping jaw (11) is provided with a clamping limiting groove (12), and the width of the clamping limiting groove (12) is consistent with the thickness of the photomask.

3. The photomask turnover device according to claim 1, wherein: The turnover assembly (1) comprises a turnover plate (13) and a rotating shaft (14) adapted to drive the turnover plate (13) to rotate; The clamping jaw (11) is installed on the side of the turnover plate (13) away from the rotating shaft (14); The distance from the rotating shaft (14) to the two clamping jaws (11) is equal.

4. The photomask turnover device according to claim 3, wherein: The turnover assembly (1) further comprises a clamp bottom plate (15) and two clamp fixed plates (16) slidably installed on the clamp bottom plate (15); The rotating shaft (14) is in transmission connection with the clamp fixed plate (16).

5. A reticle flipping apparatus, characterized by, The photomask turnover device according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising an upper feeding manipulator (2) and an upper feeding transmission assembly (3) arranged on the two sides of the turnover assembly (1) respectively.

6. The photomask turnover device according to claim 5, wherein: The upper feeding transmission assembly (3) comprises a horizontal sliding rail (31) and a transmission manipulator (32) slidably arranged on the horizontal sliding rail (31); The transmission manipulator (32) comprises a driving seat (33), the driving seat (33) has a manipulator stand (34), the end of the stand is provided with a transmission seat (35), and two transmission jaws (36) are arranged on one side of the transmission seat (35) respectively; The transmission jaw (36) is adapted to clamp the photomask after being turned over by the turnover assembly (1), and the driving seat (33) is adapted to drive the transmission jaw (36) to slide along the horizontal sliding rail (31) to the next process.

7. The photomask turnover device according to claim 5, wherein: The upper feeding manipulator (2) comprises a carrying seat (21) and a cross arm (22) slidably arranged on the carrying seat (21), and the cross arm (22) is in transmission connection with the carrying seat (21); A plurality of upper feeding limiting grooves (23) are arranged on the cross arm (22) in an array.

8. The photomask turnover device according to claim 7, wherein: The upper feeding manipulator (2) further comprises a rotating seat (24) and a rotating electric actuator (25) installed on the rotating seat (24); The carrying seat (21) is rotatably arranged on the rotating seat (24), and the rotating electric actuator (25) is in transmission connection with the carrying seat (21).

9. The photomask turnover device according to claim 8, wherein: The upper feeding manipulator (2) further comprises a supporting seat (26) and a vertical sliding rail (27), and the supporting seat (26) is slidably arranged on the vertical sliding rail (27).

Images