Multilayer vacuum panel conveying device and coating equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a multilayer vacuum panel sheet conveying device and coating equipment, and belongs to the technical field of vacuum sputtering equipment, the multilayer vacuum panel sheet conveying device comprises a sheet storage mechanism, a first sheet conveying manipulator, a second sheet conveying manipulator and a lifting sheet taking and placing mechanism, the lifting path of the lifting wafer taking and placing mechanism intersects with the moving path of the first wafer conveying mechanical arm, the second wafer conveying mechanical arm and the wafer storage table in the first direction, and wafers can be transferred between any two of the first wafer conveying mechanical arm, the wafer storage table and the second wafer conveying mechanical arm. According to the utility model, a plurality of wafers can be stored at one time for processing, the wafers do not need to be replaced by breaking vacuum when each wafer is processed, the wafers can be prevented from being conveyed by frequent opening and closing, and the problems that pollution is easily caused and the production efficiency is influenced are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of vacuum sputtering equipment, specifically relating to a multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device and coating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing automation of semiconductor manufacturing, many devices use vacuum transfer robots for wafer transport. In existing technologies, after the wafer is processed in a vacuum environment, the vacuum needs to be broken, and then the vacuum transfer robot is used to remove the wafer. In factory conditions where dust particles are present, frequent wafer transfers can easily lead to dust particles entering the process chamber, causing contamination, and also affecting production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0003] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the aforementioned technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device that avoids frequent opening and closing for transfer, thus solving the problems of easy contamination and reduced production efficiency.

[0004] Secondly, this utility model provides a coating equipment that applies the above-mentioned multilayer vacuum panel transfer device.

[0005] The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to a first aspect embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0006] A wafer storage mechanism, wherein multiple wafer storage platforms are arranged in a vertical direction, and the wafer storage platforms are movably and adjustably arranged in the wafer loading chamber in a first direction;

[0007] The first wafer transfer robot is located outside the wafer loading chamber and can be moved and adjusted along the first direction.

[0008] The second wafer transfer robot is disposed in the wafer loading chamber and is capable of moving in and out of the process chamber connected to the wafer loading chamber along the first direction.

[0009] A lifting and loading film mechanism is provided in the film loading chamber in an adjustable manner.

[0010] The lifting path of the lifting and placing mechanism intersects with the movement paths of the first wafer transfer robot, the second wafer transfer robot, and the wafer storage platform along the first direction, and can transfer wafers between any two of the first wafer transfer robot, the wafer storage platform, and the second wafer transfer robot.

[0011] The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to the embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0012] When placing a wafer into the wafer loading chamber, the first wafer transfer robot moves along the first direction to deliver the wafer into the wafer loading chamber. The lifting and picking mechanism rises to lift the wafer, separating it from the first wafer transfer robot. The first wafer transfer robot then exits the wafer loading chamber. Afterward, the lifting and picking mechanism moves the wafer to a height corresponding to the storage platform. The storage platform then moves along the first direction to a position below the lifting and picking mechanism. The lifting and picking mechanism descends to place the wafer onto the storage platform. Afterward, each mechanism resets and repeats the above actions to complete the delivery of multiple wafers into the wafer loading chamber.

[0013] When the wafer is placed into the process chamber, the lifting and placing mechanism moves to a height lower than the corresponding height of the storage stage. The storage stage moves along the first direction until the wafer is above the lifting and placing mechanism. The lifting and placing mechanism then rises to lift the wafer. After that, the lifting and placing mechanism moves down to place the wafer onto the second transfer robot, which then sends the wafer into the process chamber.

[0014] The multi-layer vacuum panel wafer transfer device of this embodiment has a wafer storage mechanism in the wafer loading chamber, which can store multiple wafers. The first wafer transfer robot can send or take out wafers into or out of the wafer loading chamber, and the second wafer transfer robot can send or take out wafers into or out of the process chamber. The lifting and placing mechanism can put wafers into the first wafer transfer robot, the second wafer transfer robot, or the wafer storage stage. Therefore, multiple wafers can be stored for processing at one time, eliminating the need to break the vacuum and replace wafers after each wafer is processed. This avoids frequent opening and closing of wafer transfer, solving the problems of easy contamination and reduced production efficiency.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the lifting and placing mechanism includes:

[0016] A lifting guide is provided, which is vertically disposed on both sides of the wafer feeding chamber along the second direction, and the distance between the lifting guides on both sides is greater than the size of the wafer along the second direction;

[0017] A support portion is slidably connected to the lifting guide portion. The support portions are arranged in pairs on the lifting guide portions on both sides. The minimum distance between the two support portions in each pair is less than the size of the wafer along the second direction.

[0018] A lifting drive unit is connected to the support unit and is used to control the lifting and adjusting of the support unit.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the wafer storage platform is provided with clearance grooves on both sides along the second direction. The clearance grooves extend from the side of the wafer storage platform near the process chamber along the first direction. When the wafer storage mechanism moves along the first direction, the lifting guide and the support can enter and exit the clearance grooves.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the tablet storage platform further includes a stacking portion, which is located on the opposite side of the clearance grooves on both sides along the second direction. The tablet storage mechanism is provided with a support sleeve between two adjacent tablet storage platforms, and the support sleeve abuts against the stacking portion.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, both the first and second transfer robotic arms are provided with a pick-up finger, which can enter between the support portions on both sides along the first direction.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the tablet storage mechanism is further provided with a tablet storage slide rail, which is disposed on both sides of the tablet infeed chamber along the second direction, and at least one tablet storage platform is slidably connected to the tablet storage slide rail.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the power components of the wafer storage mechanism, the second wafer transfer robot, and the lifting and placing wafer mechanism are all located outside the wafer loading chamber, and a magnetic fluid sealing connection is provided for power transmission.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first wafer transfer robot is located above the wafer loading chamber, the second wafer transfer robot is located below the wafer storage mechanism, and the lifting and placing wafer mechanism is located on the side of the wafer loading chamber closer to the process chamber.

[0025] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the coating equipment is provided with a loading chamber, a process chamber, and a multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device of any of the above embodiments.

[0026] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the film loading chamber is provided with an access space above the lifting and loading film mechanism, and the first film transfer robot can enter and exit the access space along the first direction.

[0027] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and some of these additional aspects and advantages will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the reloading mechanism and the second transfer robot of this utility model and the process chamber.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the spatial position relationship of the multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device in this utility model;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an overall structure of the multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device of this utility model;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the storage plate mechanism in this utility model;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the lifting and placing plate mechanism in this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0036] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the directional or positional relationship based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0037] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0038] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0039] In the description of this utility model, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0040] Reference Figures 1 to 6 The embodiments of this application propose a multilayer vacuum panel wafer transfer device, including a wafer storage mechanism 200, a first wafer transfer robot 201, a second wafer transfer robot 202, and a lifting and placing wafer mechanism 203. The wafer storage mechanism 200, the second wafer transfer robot 202, and the lifting and placing wafer mechanism 203 are all disposed in the wafer loading chamber 100, while the first wafer transfer robot 201 is disposed outside the wafer loading chamber 100, for the purpose of jointly transferring wafers.

[0041] Specifically, the wafer storage mechanism 200 has multiple wafer storage platforms 204 arranged vertically. The wafer storage platforms 204, the first wafer transfer robot 201, and the second wafer transfer robot 202 are all movable and adjustable along a first direction. The first wafer transfer robot 201 can move and adjust along the first direction to enter and exit the wafer loading chamber 100. The second wafer transfer robot 202 can move and adjust along the first direction to enter and exit the process room 101 from the wafer loading chamber 100. A lifting and loading wafer handling mechanism 203 is vertically adjustable and located within the wafer loading chamber 100.

[0042] Furthermore, the lifting and lowering path of the wafer handling mechanism 203 intersects with the moving paths of the first wafer transfer robot 201, the second wafer transfer robot 202, and the wafer storage stage 204 along the first direction, and can transfer wafers between any two of the first wafer transfer robot 201, the wafer storage stage 204, and the second wafer transfer robot 202.

[0043] When a wafer is placed into the wafer loading chamber 100, the first wafer transfer robot 201 moves along the first direction to deliver the wafer into the wafer loading chamber 100. The lifting and placing mechanism 203 rises to lift the wafer, separating it from the first wafer transfer robot 201. The first wafer transfer robot 201 exits the wafer loading chamber 100. Then, the lifting and placing mechanism 203 moves the wafer to a height corresponding to the storage stage 204. The storage stage 204 then moves along the first direction to below the lifting and placing mechanism 203. The lifting and placing mechanism 203 descends to place the wafer onto the storage stage 204. Afterward, each wafer is reset and the above actions are repeated to complete the delivery of multiple wafers into the wafer loading chamber 100.

[0044] When the wafer is placed into the process chamber 101, the lifting and placing mechanism 203 moves to a height lower than the corresponding height of the storage stage 204. The storage stage 204 moves along the first direction until the wafer is above the lifting and placing mechanism 203. The lifting and placing mechanism 203 then rises to lift the wafer. After that, the lifting and placing mechanism 203 moves downward to place the wafer onto the second transfer robot 202. The second transfer robot 202 then sends the wafer into the process chamber 101.

[0045] Therefore, in this embodiment of the multilayer vacuum panel wafer transfer device, a wafer storage mechanism 200 is provided in the wafer loading chamber 100 to store multiple wafers. The first wafer transfer robot 201 can send or take out wafers into or out of the wafer loading chamber 100, and the second wafer transfer robot 202 can send or take out wafers into or out of the process chamber 101. The lifting and placing mechanism 203 can put wafers into the first wafer transfer robot 201, the second wafer transfer robot 202, or the wafer storage stage 204. Thus, multiple wafers can be stored at one time for processing, eliminating the need to break the vacuum and replace wafers after each wafer is processed. This avoids frequent opening and closing for wafer transfer, solving the problems of easy contamination and reduced production efficiency.

[0046] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first direction is the left-right arrangement of the wafer loading chamber 100 and the process chamber 101, with the wafer loading chamber 100 on the left and the process chamber 101 on the right. The wafer storage stage 204, the first wafer transfer robot 201, and the second wafer transfer robot 202 can all be moved and adjusted in the left-right direction. The lifting and loading mechanism 203 moves up and down to transfer the wafer between the wafer storage stage 204, the first wafer transfer robot 201, and the second wafer transfer robot 202, and the first wafer transfer robot 201 and the second wafer transfer robot 202 respectively enable the wafer to enter and exit the wafer loading chamber 100 and the process chamber 101.

[0047] In some embodiments of this utility model, the lifting and placing mechanism 203 includes:

[0048] The lifting guide is vertically disposed on both sides of the wafer loading chamber 100 along the second direction, and the distance between the lifting guides on both sides is greater than the size of the wafer along the second direction.

[0049] The support portion is slidably connected to the lifting guide portion. The support portions are arranged in pairs on the lifting guide portions on both sides. The minimum distance between the two support portions in each pair is less than the size of the wafer along the second direction.

[0050] The lifting drive unit is connected to the support unit and is used to control the lifting and adjusting of the support unit.

[0051] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the second direction is the front-back direction perpendicular to the left-right direction. Since the wafer moves up and down with the lifting and loading mechanism 203, in this embodiment, the lifting guide is set on both sides of the wafer loading chamber 100 in the front-back direction to ensure smooth up-and-down movement of the wafer. The minimum distance between the support parts is less than the size of the wafer along the second direction, which ensures that the support parts on both sides can stably support the wafer from both sides below the wafer and drive the wafer to move up and down.

[0052] The lifting drive unit includes a lifting screw and a lifting motor. The lifting screw is vertically installed inside the wafer loading chamber 100 and threadedly connected to the support unit. The lifting motor is located outside the wafer loading chamber 100 and is connected to the lifting screw using a magnetic fluid seal. This design ensures stable transmission of the lifting screw while reducing the overall size of the wafer loading chamber 100.

[0053] Reference Figure 5 In some embodiments of this utility model, the storage platform 204 is provided with clearance grooves 2041 on both sides along the second direction. The clearance grooves 2041 extend from the side of the storage platform 204 near the process chamber 101 along the first direction. When the storage mechanism 200 moves along the first direction, the lifting guide and the support can enter and exit the clearance grooves 2041.

[0054] When transferring the wafer from the support to the storage stage 204, the support is first moved until the wafer is higher than the corresponding storage stage 204. Then the storage mechanism 200 controls the storage stage 204 to move from left to right to below the wafer. At this time, the lifting guide is located in the clearance groove 2041. After that, the support descends through the clearance groove 2041, and the wafer naturally falls onto the storage stage 204.

[0055] Conversely, when transferring the wafer from the storage stage 204 to the support, first control the support to move below the corresponding storage stage 204, then control the storage stage 204 to move from left to right above the support. At this time, the wafer is above the support. Then control the support to move upward and pass through the clearance groove 2041 to naturally lift the wafer.

[0056] This embodiment incorporates a clearance groove 2041, enabling the support portion to support the wafer in the left-right direction, ensuring the stability of the wafer support. Simultaneously, the wafer storage stage 204 can make large-area contact with the wafer, providing support and meeting the production needs of larger wafer sizes.

[0057] Continue to refer to Figure 5 In some embodiments of this utility model, the tablet storage platform 204 further includes a stacking portion 2042, which is located on the opposite side of the clearance grooves 2041 on both sides along the second direction. The tablet storage mechanism 200 provides a support sleeve 2043 between two adjacent tablet storage platforms 204, and the support sleeve 2043 abuts against the stacking portion 2042.

[0058] It is understood that in this embodiment, stacking portions 2042 are provided on both the front and rear sides of the wafer storage stage 204, and the stacking portions 2042 are connected to the wafer storage stage 204 as an integral structure. By providing support sleeves 2043 between the stacking portions 2042, two adjacent wafer storage stages 204 are stacked vertically with a gap between them, so that there is sufficient space for vertical movement when the support part puts down or takes out the wafer.

[0059] Furthermore, by providing support sleeves 2043 between the stacked portions 2042, and by providing multiple support sleeves 2043 in the left-right direction, the stability of the wafer storage stage 204 is ensured, thereby ensuring the stability of the wafer storage.

[0060] In some embodiments of this utility model, both the first wafer transfer robot 201 and the second wafer transfer robot 202 are equipped with wafer-picking fingers that can enter between the support portions on both sides along a first direction. In this way, when the support portions move up and down, the wafer can be picked up or put down from the first wafer transfer robot 201 and the second wafer transfer robot 202.

[0061] In some embodiments of this utility model, the tablet storage mechanism 200 is further provided with a tablet storage slide rail 2044, which is disposed on both sides of the tablet inlet chamber 100 along the second direction, and at least one tablet storage platform 204 is slidably connected to the tablet storage slide rail 2044.

[0062] In this embodiment, by setting the film storage slide rail 2044 on both sides of the film loading chamber 100 in the front and rear directions, it can avoid interference with the lifting and loading film mechanism 203, and at the same time, it can support the film storage platform 204 throughout its entire range of movement.

[0063] Furthermore, in order to reduce the size of the wafer loading chamber 100, the driving power for the movement of the wafer storage stage 204 and the driving power for the movement of the second wafer transfer robot 202 are both located outside the wafer loading chamber 100 and are transmitted through a magnetic fluid seal connection.

[0064] In some embodiments of this utility model, the first transfer robot 201 is located above the wafer loading chamber 100, the second transfer robot 202 is located below the wafer storage mechanism 200, and the lifting and loading wafer mechanism 203 is located on the side of the wafer loading chamber 100 near the process chamber 101.

[0065] When feeding a wafer into the wafer loading chamber 100, it is only necessary to first control the support to rise to the position corresponding to the first wafer transfer robot 201, and then control the first wafer transfer robot 201 to enter the wafer loading chamber 100, which can quickly feed the wafer to the position corresponding to the support. Similarly, when feeding a wafer into the process chamber 101, it is only necessary to control the second wafer transfer robot 202 to be below the support, and then control the support to descend, which can quickly place the wafer on the second wafer transfer robot 202, and then control the second wafer transfer robot 202 to move and extend into the process chamber 101. Therefore, the structural arrangement of this embodiment is beneficial to improving the efficiency of wafer transfer, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0066] The embodiments of this utility model also propose a coating equipment, which is provided with a film loading chamber 100, a process chamber 101, and a multilayer vacuum panel film transfer device of any of the above embodiments.

[0067] Reference Figure 1 Specifically, the overall height of the wafer loading chamber 100 matches the stacking height of the multiple wafer storage stages 204 to facilitate the loading and unloading of wafers on the wafer storage stages 204 at different heights. Simultaneously, the wafer loading chamber 100 has an access space protruding above the lifting and unloading mechanism 203, which is arranged side-by-side with the first wafer transfer robot 201 in the left-right direction. The first wafer transfer robot 201 can move in and out of the access space in the left-right direction.

[0068] Meanwhile, the film loading chamber 100 has a recessed standby space below the lifting and loading film mechanism 203. This standby space can accommodate the support part, allowing the second film transfer robot 202 to pass over the support part.

[0069] The entry / exit space allows the first wafer transfer robot 201 to quickly feed the wafer onto the support or remove the wafer from the support. The standby space allows the support to be moved to wait during the process. After the process is complete, the second wafer transfer robot 202 removes the wafer from the process chamber 101 and immediately transfers it to the support, and then to the wafer storage stage 204.

[0070] Therefore, the structural design of this embodiment is beneficial for minimizing equipment size and maximizing production efficiency, solving the impact of frequent wafer replacement on production quality and efficiency, and also meeting the production needs of large-size wafers.

[0071] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. A multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device, characterized in that, include: A wafer storage mechanism, wherein multiple wafer storage platforms are arranged in a vertical direction, and the wafer storage platforms are movably and adjustably arranged in the wafer loading chamber in a first direction; The first wafer transfer robot is located outside the wafer loading chamber and can be moved and adjusted along the first direction. The second wafer transfer robot is disposed in the wafer loading chamber and is capable of moving in and out of the process chamber connected to the wafer loading chamber along the first direction. A lifting and loading film mechanism is provided in the film loading chamber in an adjustable manner. The lifting path of the lifting and placing mechanism intersects with the movement paths of the first wafer transfer robot, the second wafer transfer robot, and the wafer storage platform along the first direction, and can transfer wafers between any two of the first wafer transfer robot, the wafer storage platform, and the second wafer transfer robot.

2. The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting and placing mechanism includes: A lifting guide is provided, which is vertically disposed on both sides of the wafer feeding chamber along the second direction, and the distance between the lifting guides on both sides is greater than the size of the wafer along the second direction; A support portion is slidably connected to the lifting guide portion. The support portions are arranged in pairs on the lifting guide portions on both sides. The minimum distance between the two support portions in each pair is less than the size of the wafer along the second direction. A lifting drive unit is connected to the support unit and is used to control the lifting and adjusting of the support unit.

3. The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wafer storage platform is provided with clearance grooves on both sides along the second direction. The clearance grooves extend from the side of the wafer storage platform near the process chamber along the first direction. When the wafer storage mechanism moves along the first direction, the lifting guide and the support can enter and exit the clearance grooves.

4. The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tablet storage platform also includes a stacking section, which is located on the opposite side of the clearance grooves on both sides along the second direction. The tablet storage mechanism is provided with a support sleeve between two adjacent tablet storage platforms, and the support sleeve abuts against the stacking section.

5. The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the first and second transfer robotic arms are equipped with a pick-up finger, which can enter between the support portions on both sides along the first direction.

6. The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tablet storage mechanism is also provided with tablet storage slide rails, which are located on both sides of the tablet feeding chamber along the second direction, and at least one tablet storage platform is slidably connected to the tablet storage slide rails.

7. The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power components of the wafer storage mechanism, the second wafer transfer robot, and the lifting and placing wafer mechanism are all located outside the wafer loading chamber, and are equipped with a magnetic fluid sealing connection for power transmission.

8. The multi-layer vacuum panel transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first wafer transfer robot is located above the wafer loading chamber, the second wafer transfer robot is located below the wafer storage mechanism, and the lifting and placing wafer mechanism is located on the side of the wafer loading chamber closer to the process chamber.

9. A coating apparatus, characterized in that, It is equipped with a wafer loading chamber, a process chamber, and a multi-layer vacuum panel wafer transfer device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The coating equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The loading chamber has an access space above the lifting and loading mechanism, and the first loading robot can move in and out of the access space along the first direction.

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