Special tool for taking and placing PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) tray

Abstract

The utility model discloses a special tool for taking and placing a PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) tray, which comprises a bearing platform and a handle, the bearing platform is supported below the tray, the handle is connected with the bearing platform, the bearing platform comprises a bearing body and a plurality of limiting structures arranged at the end part of the bearing body, and the limiting structures are encircled and propped against the periphery of the tray; the limiting structure is movably connected with the bearing body so as to be transversely far away from or close to the bearing body, transverse flexible adjustment can be achieved, various PECVD aluminum trays within the width range of 240 mm to 250 mm can be accurately matched, existing mainstream tray specifications are covered, tools do not need to be independently configured for trays of different specifications, and compared with an existing multi-tool scheme, the equipment input cost is reduced, and the working efficiency is improved. And time loss caused by tool replacement is avoided. Meanwhile, the multiple limiting structures define the limiting space attached to the peripheral contour of the tray, the limiting structures abut against the tray in the left-right direction and the front-back direction, the displacement amount of the tray on the bearing platform is greatly reduced, and the problems that due to incomplete limiting of an existing tool, the tray slides and moves are solved.

Description

A special tool for handling PECVD trays Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of auxiliary tools for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, specifically to a special tool for picking up and placing PECVD trays. Background Technology

[0002] PECVD technology, a core process for thin film fabrication in semiconductors, photovoltaics, and other fields, uses low-temperature plasma glow discharge in a low-pressure environment, combined with chemical reactions of process gases, to deposit functional thin films on the wafer surface. Aluminum trays, due to their excellent thermal conductivity and temperature stability, can rapidly heat up and uniformly transfer heat within the process temperature range of 200℃-400℃, making them a crucial component for supporting the wafer in the PECVD process. After film deposition, the aluminum trays need to be removed from the 100℃-150℃ vacuum chamber and transferred to a multi-layered metal tray box for temporary storage or transport.

[0003] In existing technologies, pallet handling mainly relies on manual grasping or the assistance of general-purpose simple tools, which has several technical drawbacks: First, the limiting structures of existing handling tools are mostly fixed designs, only adaptable to pallets of a single width or length specification. However, in actual production, the width and length of PECVD pallets are often between 240mm-250mm, and different batches of processes may use different pallet specifications, resulting in the need for multiple sets of specialized tools, increasing equipment investment costs, and making tool replacement cumbersome, thus affecting production efficiency. Second, although some tools have movable limits, they only use a single-direction sliding design, resulting in poor limit stability. During handling, the pallet is prone to shifting along the unlimited direction, causing wafers to... Sliding or even slipping within the pallet slot can damage the wafer. Statistics show that the wafer slippage damage rate caused by existing tools is approximately 3%-5%. Thirdly, during loading and unloading, the pallet, tools, pallet box guardrails, and support points are mostly in direct metal contact. Metal debris generated by friction and impact easily adheres to the pallet surface, and in subsequent processes, it is bombarded by ions, resulting in metal ion doping and an increase in the film defect rate. Fourthly, the operating space of multi-layer pallet boxes is small, and the existing tool connection structure design is unreasonable. When loading and unloading the lower pallet, the upper pallet must be moved, which is cumbersome and takes 30-40 seconds per loading and unloading, restricting the production cycle. Fifthly, the tool's grip stability is insufficient, and it is easy to slip in high-temperature environments. Moreover, there is a lack of horizontal status monitoring, which can easily cause vibration damage due to pallet tilting.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, those skilled in the art have attempted to add fixed supports or simple sliding structures to the tool. However, fixed supports still cannot accommodate pallets of various sizes, and simple sliding structures lack a reliable locking mechanism, making the limit position prone to loosening. Furthermore, they fail to resolve core issues such as metal friction and ease of operation. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a dedicated PECVD pallet handling tool with strong adaptability, high stability, contamination prevention, and ease of operation, to simultaneously meet the requirements of adapting to different pallet sizes, providing stable positioning, reducing contamination, and improving efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a special tool for picking up and placing PECVD pallets, which solves the technical problems of poor adaptability, unstable positioning, easy metal contamination, and cumbersome operation of existing PECVD pallet picking and placing tools. It enables accurate adaptation and stable picking and placing of pallets of different specifications, while reducing the risk of wafer damage and contamination and improving work efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a special tool for handling PECVD pallets, including: a support platform supported under the pallet and a handle connected to the support platform. The support platform includes a support body and a limiting structure located at the end of the support body. Multiple limiting structures are provided and surround and abut against the outer periphery of the pallet. The limiting structures are movably connected to the support body to move laterally away from or closer to the support body.

[0007] Through the movable connection design of the limiting structure and the carrier body, flexible adjustment within a lateral range of ±5mm can be achieved, accurately adapting to various PECVD aluminum pallets within a width range of 240mm-250mm, covering existing mainstream pallet specifications. This eliminates the need for separate tools for different pallet sizes, significantly reducing equipment investment costs compared to existing multi-tool solutions and avoiding the time wasted on tool replacements. Simultaneously, multiple limiting structures form a limiting space that conforms to the pallet's outer contour, abutting the pallet from multiple directions (left, right, front, and back), greatly reducing pallet displacement on the carrier platform and solving the pallet slippage and movement problems caused by incomplete limiting in existing tools. Furthermore, the abutting method of the limiting structure avoids the single-point clamping of the pallet edge by traditional tools; the contact area is evenly distributed around the pallet's outer perimeter, ensuring balanced force on the pallet during handling and reducing the probability of friction and impact between the pallet and tools / pallet box support points. This significantly reduces metal debris, thereby lowering the film defect rate caused by metal ion doping in subsequent processes and helping to improve film yield. Furthermore, the compact design of the movable limiting structure, combined with the flat layout of the carrying platform, reduces the overall thickness of the tool, allowing it to easily reach into the gaps between layers of multi-layer pallet boxes. When removing the lower layer pallet, there is no need to move the upper layer pallet, greatly shortening the single removal and placement time and significantly optimizing the production cycle.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, the limiting structure includes two side limiting plates and a front limiting block; the two side limiting plates are arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the bearing body and are slidably connected to the bearing body, and the front limiting block is arranged at one end of the bearing body along the length direction of the bearing platform; the distance between the two side limiting plates can be adjusted by sliding to accommodate pallets of different widths.

[0009] By setting the two side limiting plates to slide relative to each other along the width direction, precise adjustment in the width dimension can be achieved. Combined with the length-direction positioning of the front limiting block, a two-way limiting system of "adjustable width + fixed length" is formed, further enhancing the circumferential limiting effect of the pallet and preventing the pallet from shifting along the width direction. This design is particularly suitable for production scenarios with relatively uniform length specifications (such as the standard length of 244mm) and diverse width specifications, making the limiting adaptation more targeted and further improving the limiting stability and scenario adaptability.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, each side limiting plate is threaded with an adjusting bolt, one end of which abuts against the bearing body, so that the side limiting plate can slide laterally relative to the bearing body.

[0011] The self-locking characteristic of the threaded connection allows for stepless fine-tuning of the spacing, with an adjustment accuracy of 0.1mm. This adapts to the minute dimensional differences of trays of varying widths, resolving the issue of "over-adjustment or excessive gap" that easily occurs with simple sliding connections. Once adjusted, the adjusting bolt abuts against the load-bearing body to form a rigid lock. During vibrations or tilting operations, the displacement of the side limit plate is minimal, ensuring the stability of the limit structure. In addition to achieving multi-specification compatibility, the reliability of the limit is further improved, preventing tray displacement and wafer damage caused by loose limiters.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, a front limiting block is slidably connected to the carrier body, and a locking bolt is provided on the front limiting block. The locking bolt passes through the front limiting block and abuts against the carrier platform, so that the front limiting block can slide longitudinally relative to the carrier body.

[0013] By incorporating a locking bolt on the front limiting block, which penetrates the block and abuts against the support platform, the design achieves "adjustable width and length," fulfilling the core objective of "adapting to pallets of different specifications." This overcomes the limitation of existing tools that can only accommodate pallets of a single length. The sliding adjustment of the front limiting block, combined with the fixing of the locking bolt, further improves the limiting accuracy in the length direction, providing more comprehensive circumferential limiting of the pallet on the support platform and further reducing the risk of movement. This design significantly enhances the tool's versatility, covering a wider range of PECVD pallet specifications, and further reduces equipment investment costs and operational complexity.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, a level is also provided on the side of the handle near the support body.

[0015] By incorporating a level indicator near the handle, operators can monitor the level of the carrier in real time during transport, adjusting their grip angle promptly to prevent pallet imbalance caused by carrier tilt. This design overcomes the difficulty of visually judging levelness during manual operation, further reducing the risk of wafer slippage and improving the accuracy and safety of handling operations.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, the bottom of the support body is provided with reinforcing ribs.

[0017] By incorporating reinforcing ribs at the bottom of the support body, its bending strength is enhanced, thereby increasing its load-bearing capacity and allowing it to accommodate heavier, specially sized pallets. Simultaneously, the reinforcing ribs effectively distribute stress from the pallet's weight, preventing deformation of the support body and ensuring the installation accuracy of the limiting structure. This prevents misalignment due to deformation of the support body, ensuring stable operation of the limiting structure, extending the tool's lifespan, and further enhancing its practical value.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, a non-metallic contact layer is provided on the upper surface of the support body, and the non-metallic contact layer is supported under the pallet.

[0019] By providing a non-metallic contact layer on the upper surface of the support body, which supports the tray from below, metal friction contamination is blocked at the contact interface. Simultaneously, the non-metallic material possesses a degree of elasticity, cushioning the impact force during tray placement, preventing scratches on the tray surface, and protecting the tray's thermal conductivity from damage. This further enhances the anti-contamination and anti-damage effects.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, a bent connecting arm is provided between the handle and the carrier body. One end of the bent connecting arm is fixedly connected to the carrier body, and the other end is fixedly connected to the handle.

[0021] By incorporating a bent connecting arm between the handle and the supporting body, operators can adjust the angle between the handle and the supporting body according to their location when holding different layers of pallets. This allows them to easily avoid the upper pallets and guardrails of multi-layer pallet boxes and reach into the lower space without moving the upper pallets, thus improving retrieval efficiency.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD pallet handling tool, a rotary damping hinge is provided at the connection between the bent connecting arm and the carrier body, which enables the carrier body to rotate relative to the bent connecting arm.

[0023] By incorporating a rotary damping hinge at the connection between the bent connecting arm and the load-bearing body, and allowing the load-bearing body to rotate relative to the bent connecting arm, the rotary damping hinge enables fine-tuning of the angle between the load-bearing body and the handle. This allows operators to precisely align the pallet with the support point when placing it, preventing impact between the pallet and the support point due to angular deviations and further reducing the generation of metal debris. Simultaneously, the damping structure ensures that the load-bearing body maintains a fixed angle after rotation, preventing pallet imbalance caused by sudden angle changes during placement and further improving the stability and accuracy of picking up and placing the pallet.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of a PECVD tray handling tool, the outer surface of the handle is covered with a silicone anti-slip sleeve, and the surface of the silicone anti-slip sleeve has anti-slip texture.

[0025] By wrapping the outer surface of the handle with a silicone anti-slip sleeve, and the surface of the silicone anti-slip sleeve has anti-slip texture, the friction between the user and the handle is greatly improved when holding the handle, preventing the tool from slipping due to hand sweat or oil in high-temperature environments. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a special tool for pallet handling in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a special tool for picking up and placing trays and a tray in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a special tool for picking up and placing trays and a tray in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part A in Figure 3.

[0031] List of components and reference numerals:

[0032] 1-Bearing body; 2-Handle; 3-Side limiting plate; 4-Adjusting bolt; 5-Front end limiting block; 6-Locking bolt; 7-Level; 8-Pattern; 9-Wafer. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of this utility model, a detailed description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] It should be noted that many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, this utility model provides a special tool for picking up and placing PECVD tray 8, including: a support platform supported under the tray 8 and a handle 2 connected to the support platform. The support platform includes a support body 1 and a limiting structure provided at the end of the support body 1. The limiting structure is provided in multiple ways and surrounds and abuts against the outer periphery of the tray 8. The limiting structure is movably connected to the support body 1 so as to move laterally away from or closer to the support body 1.

[0036] Through the movable connection design between the limiting structure and the carrier body 1, flexible adjustment within a lateral range of ±5mm can be achieved, accurately adapting to various PECVD aluminum pallets 8 within a width range of 240mm-250mm, covering existing mainstream pallet 8 specifications. This eliminates the need for separate tools for different pallet 8 specifications, significantly reducing equipment investment costs compared to existing multi-tool solutions and avoiding time wastage caused by tool replacements. Simultaneously, multiple limiting structures form a limiting space that conforms to the outer contour of the pallet 8, abutting against the pallet 8 from multiple directions (left, right, front, and back), greatly reducing the displacement of the pallet 8 on the carrier platform and solving the problem of pallet 8 sliding and shifting caused by incomplete limiting in existing tools. Furthermore, the abutting method of the limiting structure avoids the single-point clamping of the pallet 8 edge by traditional tools; the contact area is evenly distributed around the outer perimeter of the pallet 8, ensuring balanced force on the pallet 8 during handling, reducing the probability of friction and impact between the pallet 8 and tools, and the pallet 8 box support points. This significantly reduces metal debris, thereby lowering the film defect rate caused by metal ion doping in subsequent processes and helping to improve film yield. Furthermore, the compact design of the movable limiting structure, combined with the flat layout of the carrying platform, reduces the overall thickness of the tool, allowing it to easily reach into the gaps between the layers of the multi-layer pallet 8. When taking off the lower layer pallet 8, there is no need to move the upper layer pallet 8, greatly shortening the single take-off and take-off time and significantly optimizing the production cycle.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment of this application, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the limiting structure includes two side limiting plates 3 and a front limiting block 5; the two side limiting plates 3 are arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the bearing body 1 and are slidably connected to the bearing body 1, and the front limiting block 5 is arranged at one end of the bearing body 1 along the length direction of the bearing platform; the distance between the two side limiting plates 3 can be adjusted by sliding to adapt to pallets 8 of different widths.

[0038] By setting the two side limiting plates 3 to slide relative to each other along the width direction, precise adjustment of the width dimension can be achieved. Combined with the length direction positioning of the front limiting block 5, a two-way limiting system of "adjustable width + fixed length" is formed, which further enhances the circumferential limiting effect of the pallet 8 and prevents the pallet 8 from moving along the width direction. This design is particularly suitable for production scenarios with relatively uniform length specifications (such as the standard length of 244mm) and diverse width specifications, making the limiting adaptation more targeted and further improving the limiting stability and scenario adaptability.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, each side limiting plate 3 is threaded with an adjusting bolt 4, one end of which abuts against the bearing body 1 so that the side limiting plate 3 can slide laterally relative to the bearing body 1.

[0040] The self-locking characteristic of the threaded connection allows for stepless fine-tuning of the spacing, with an adjustment accuracy of 0.1mm. This adapts to the minute dimensional differences of trays 8 with varying widths, solving the problem of "over-adjustment or excessive gap" that easily occurs with simple sliding connections. After adjustment, the adjusting bolt 4 abuts against the bearing body 1 to form a rigid lock. During vibration or tilting operations, the displacement of the side limiting plate 3 is minimal, ensuring the stability of the limiting structure. Based on multi-specification adaptability, the reliability of the limiting mechanism is further improved, preventing tray 8 displacement and wafer 9 damage due to loosening of the limiting mechanism.

[0041] As a preferred embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the front limiting block 5 is slidably connected to the bearing body 1. The front limiting block 5 is provided with a locking bolt 6, which passes through the front limiting block 5 and abuts against the bearing platform, so that the front limiting block 5 can slide longitudinally relative to the bearing body 1.

[0042] By incorporating a locking bolt 6 on the front limiting block 5, which penetrates the front limiting block 5 and abuts against the support platform, the core objective of "adjustable width and length" is achieved, enabling "adaptation to different specifications of pallets 8." This overcomes the limitation of existing tools that can only adapt to pallets 8 of a single length. The sliding adjustment of the front limiting block 5, combined with the fixing of the locking bolt 6, further improves the limiting accuracy in the length direction, providing more comprehensive circumferential limiting of the pallet 8 on the support platform and further reducing the risk of movement. This design significantly enhances the tool's versatility, covering a wider range of PECVD pallet 8 specifications, further reducing equipment investment costs and operational complexity.

[0043] As a preferred embodiment of this application, as shown in FIG1, a level 7 is also provided on the side of the handle 2 near the support body 1.

[0044] By incorporating a level 7 on the side of the handle 2 near the carrier body 1, operators can observe the level of the carrier body 1 in real time during transport, adjust the grip angle accordingly, and prevent the tray 8 from becoming unbalanced due to the carrier body 1 tilting. This design overcomes the difficulty of visually judging the levelness during manual operation, further reducing the risk of the wafer 9 slipping and improving the accuracy and safety of handling operations.

[0045] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the bottom of the support body 1 is provided with reinforcing ribs.

[0046] By incorporating reinforcing ribs at the bottom of the load-bearing body 1, its bending strength is enhanced, thereby increasing its load-bearing capacity and allowing it to accommodate heavier, specially sized pallets 8. Simultaneously, the reinforcing ribs effectively distribute the stress from the weight of the pallet 8, preventing deformation of the load-bearing body 1, ensuring the installation accuracy of the limiting structure, and preventing misalignment due to deformation of the load-bearing body 1. This ensures the stable operation of the limiting structure, extends the tool's service life, and further enhances the tool's practical value.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the upper surface of the carrier body 1 is provided with a non-metallic contact layer, which is supported under the tray 8.

[0048] By providing a non-metallic contact layer on the upper surface of the supporting body 1, which is supported under the tray 8, metal friction contamination is blocked from the contact interface. Simultaneously, the non-metallic material possesses a certain degree of elasticity, which can buffer the impact force when the tray 8 is placed, preventing scratches on the surface of the tray 8 and protecting its thermal conductivity from damage. This further enhances the anti-contamination and anti-damage effects.

[0049] It should be noted that this application does not specifically limit the material of the non-metallic contact layer. As a preferred embodiment of this application, the non-metallic contact layer is made of polytetrafluoroethylene with a thickness of 0.3-0.8 mm and a friction coefficient of only 0.04-0.12, which is much lower than the friction coefficient between metals (0.15-0.25).

[0050] In a preferred embodiment of this application, a bent connecting arm is provided between the handle 2 and the support body 1. One end of the bent connecting arm is fixedly connected to the support body 1, and the other end is fixedly connected to the handle 2.

[0051] By providing a bent connecting arm between the handle 2 and the carrier body 1, the operator can adjust the angle between the handle 2 and the carrier body 1 according to the position when holding different layers of pallets 8, so that it can easily avoid the upper pallet 8 and the guardrail of the multi-layer pallet box, and can reach into the lower space without moving the upper pallet 8, thus improving the retrieval efficiency.

[0052] Furthermore, a rotary damping hinge is provided at the connection between the bent connecting arm and the bearing body 1, which enables the bearing body 1 to rotate relative to the bent connecting arm.

[0053] By providing a rotary damping hinge at the connection between the bent connecting arm and the carrier body 1, and by allowing the carrier body 1 to rotate relative to the bent connecting arm, the rotary damping hinge enables fine-tuning of the angle between the carrier body 1 and the handle 2. When placing the pallet 8, the operator can accurately align the pallet 8 with the support point, avoiding impact between the pallet 8 and the support point due to angle deviation, and further preventing the generation of metal debris. At the same time, the damping structure allows the carrier body 1 to maintain a fixed angle after rotation, preventing sudden angle changes during placement that could cause the pallet 8 to become unbalanced, further improving the stability and accuracy of picking up and placing.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the outer surface of the handle 2 is covered with a silicone anti-slip sleeve, and the surface of the silicone anti-slip sleeve is provided with anti-slip texture.

[0055] By wrapping the outer surface of the handle 2 with a silicone anti-slip sleeve, and the surface of the silicone anti-slip sleeve has anti-slip texture, the friction between the user and the handle 2 is greatly improved when the user holds the handle 2, preventing the tool from slipping due to hand sweat or oil in high-temperature environments.

[0056] The technical solutions protected by this utility model are not limited to the above embodiments. It should be noted that any combination of the technical solutions of any embodiment with one or more other embodiments is within the protection scope of this utility model. Although this utility model has been described in detail above with general descriptions and specific embodiments, some modifications or improvements can be made to it, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, all such modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of this utility model are within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

Claims

1. A special tool for handling PECVD trays, characterized in that, include: The support platform is supported under the tray and a handle is connected to the support platform. The support platform includes a support body and a limiting structure at the end of the support body. The limiting structure is provided in multiple ways and surrounds and abuts against the outer periphery of the tray. The limiting structure is movably connected to the support body so as to move laterally away from or closer to the support body.

2. The special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting structure includes two side limiting plates and a front limiting block; the two side limiting plates are arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the bearing body and are slidably connected to the bearing body; the front limiting block is arranged at one end of the bearing body along the length direction of the bearing platform; the distance between the two side limiting plates can be adjusted by sliding to accommodate pallets of different widths.

3. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the side limiting plates is threaded with an adjusting bolt, one end of which abuts against the bearing body, so that the side limiting plate can slide laterally relative to the bearing body.

4. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 2, characterized in that, The front limiting block is slidably connected to the bearing body. The front limiting block is provided with a locking bolt. The locking bolt passes through the front limiting block and abuts against the bearing platform, so that the front limiting block can slide longitudinally relative to the bearing body.

5. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 1, characterized in that, A level is also provided on the side of the handle near the support body.

6. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the supporting body is provided with reinforcing ribs.

7. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the support body is provided with a non-metallic contact layer, which is supported under the tray.

8. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 1, characterized in that, A bent connecting arm is provided between the handle and the supporting body. One end of the bent connecting arm is fixedly connected to the supporting body, and the other end is fixedly connected to the handle.

9. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 8, characterized in that, A rotary damping hinge is provided at the connection between the bent connecting arm and the load-bearing body, which enables the load-bearing body to rotate relative to the bent connecting arm.

10. A special tool for handling PECVD pallets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the handle is covered with a silicone anti-slip sleeve, and the surface of the silicone anti-slip sleeve is provided with anti-slip texture.

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