Adapter device and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

This invention discloses a switching device and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The switching device is used to switch a sensor to a manufacturing position. The switching device includes a cylinder, a piston assembly, an isolator, a housing, and a sealing part. The housing has an inlet hole and a flow cavity communicating with the inlet hole. The sealing part is movably disposed in the flow cavity and can switch between a first position blocking the inlet hole and a second position opening the inlet hole by moving. The piston rod is slidably engaged with the cylinder and is drivenly connected to the sealing part to drive the sealing part to switch between the first position and the second position. The isolator is disposed between the cylinder and the housing. The piston rod passes through the isolator and is movable relative to the isolator. The piston rod has a sliding engagement portion that is slidably engaged with the cylinder. When the piston rod drives the sealing part to the first position, the sliding engagement portion is located outside the flow cavity.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor equipment design technology, specifically relating to an adapter and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. [Previous Technology]

[0002] In the semiconductor equipment field, some semiconductor process equipment sensors need to be connected to the process position through an adapter. For example, when the semiconductor process equipment is a cleaning equipment and the sensor is a water resistance meter, the water resistance meter needs to be connected to the cleaning tank through an adapter so that when the cleaning equipment cleans the wafer, the water resistance meter can be used to check whether the wafer has been cleaned.

[0003] Specifically, during operation, the inflow hole on the adapter that is connected to the cleaning tank is opened, allowing pure water in the cleaning tank to flow into the adapter through the inflow hole, thereby enabling the water resistance meter to perform measurements.

[0004] To facilitate the operation of the adapter, as shown in Figure 1, the adapter in the related technology is provided with a piston assembly 12a. The piston assembly 12a includes a piston 121a and a piston rod 122a. The piston is disposed in the cylinder 11a of the adapter. One end of the piston rod 122a is connected to the piston 121a, and the other end extends into the adapter and connects to the sealing portion 40a within the adapter. When the piston 121a slides within the cylinder 11a, it causes the piston rod 122a to extend or retract, thereby causing the piston rod 122a to drive the sealing portion to seal the 40a or open the inflow hole 32a.

[0005] However, in order to make the piston rod 122a slide smoothly, grease is provided between the piston rod 122a and the cylinder 11a. This causes the grease to easily enter the adapter along with the piston rod 122a when the inflow hole 32a is blocked or opened. As a result, when the inflow hole 32a on the adapter is opened, the grease in the adapter can easily enter the process position through the inflow hole 32a, causing the wafer to be contaminated. [Summary of the Invention]

[0006] This invention discloses an adapter and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to solve the problem that adapters in related technologies are prone to contaminating wafers.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention discloses a transfer device for transferring a sensor to a process position, comprising: a housing having a flow cavity for communicating with the sensor and an inflow hole for communicating with the process position, the flow cavity communicating with the inflow hole; a blocking part movably disposed within the flow cavity and switching between a first position blocking the inflow hole and a second position opening the inflow hole by movement; a cylinder and a piston rod, the piston rod slidingly engaging with the cylinder and being drivenly connected to the blocking part to drive the blocking part to switch between the first position and the second position; an isolator disposed between the cylinder and the housing, the piston rod passing through the isolator and movable relative to the isolator; the piston rod having a sliding engagement portion for slidingly engaging with the cylinder, the sliding engagement portion being located outside the flow cavity when the piston rod drives the blocking part to the first position. Secondly, the present invention discloses a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the disclosed semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including a process station, a sensor and the aforementioned adapter, wherein the sensor is connected to the process station via the adapter.

[0008] The technical solution adopted by the present invention can achieve the following technical effects: The adapter disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, by setting an isolation member, allows the piston rod to pass through the plug and the isolation member in sequence and extend into the flow cavity to connect with the sealing part. This allows the rod to extend to the position where the sealing part blocks the inflow hole when the sealing part is in the first position, while the sliding engagement part on the rod that slides with the plug can be isolated by the isolation member, so that the sliding engagement part is located outside the flow cavity. When the sealing part is in the second position, the rod retracts to the position where the inflow hole can be opened, so that the sliding engagement part is also located outside the flow cavity. This structure can isolate the sliding engagement part from the flow cavity by means of the isolation member, that is, make the sliding engagement part always located outside the flow cavity during the movement of the piston rod, avoiding the sliding engagement part from carrying grease into the flow cavity, thereby preventing grease from entering the process position through the inflow hole and contaminating the wafer in the process position.

Implementation Method

[0010] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0011] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such terms can be used interchangeably where appropriate so that embodiments of the invention can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and are not limited in number; for example, the first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0012] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the adapter involved in the related technology includes a cylinder 11a, a piston assembly 12a, a housing 30a, and a sealing part 40a. The piston assembly 12a includes a piston 121a and a piston rod 122a. The piston 121a is slidably disposed in the cylinder 11a. The cylinder 11a includes a body portion 111a and a plug 112a. The body portion 111a is a hollow structure with one open end and the other closed end. The plug 112a seals the open end. The housing 30a has a flow cavity 31a and an inflow hole 32a communicating with the flow cavity 31a. The piston rod 122a of the piston assembly 12a passes through the plug 112a and extends into the flow chamber 31a to connect with the sealing part 40a, so as to drive the sealing part 40a to switch between a first position and a second position. The piston rod 122a drives the sealing part 40a to switch between the first position and the second position by telescopic movement. When the piston rod 122a telescopically moves, it slides with the plug 112a.

[0014] In the specific working process, when the sealing part 40a is in the first position, the piston rod 122a moves towards the inflow hole 32a, so that the piston rod 122a extends to the position where the sealing part 40a seals the inflow hole 32a. Since the piston rod 122a of the piston assembly 12a extends directly into the flow chamber 31a through the plug 112a and connects with the sealing part 40a, the sliding engagement part 1221a on the piston rod 122a that slides with the plug 112a will enter the flow chamber 31a as the piston rod 122a slides. When the sealing part 40a is in the second position, the piston rod 122a retracts to move away from the inflow hole 32a, thereby driving the sealing part 40a away from the inflow hole 32a, so that the piston rod 122a retracts to the position where it can open the inflow hole 32a.

[0015] In this structure, wear and particulate matter are easily generated during the sliding engagement of the piston rod 122a and the plug 112a. In order to enable the piston rod 122a and the plug 112a to slide smoothly, grease is provided between the piston rod 122a and the plug 112a. However, the piston rod 122a of the piston assembly 12a extends directly through the plug 112a into the flow cavity 31a and connects with the sealing part 40a. This causes the sliding engagement part 1221a to enter the flow cavity 31a as the piston rod 122a slides. This causes the sliding engagement part 1221a to carry particulate matter and grease into the flow cavity 31a, which can easily contaminate the flow cavity 31a and affect the normal operation of the adapter. Furthermore, particulate matter and grease can easily enter the process position through the flow cavity 31a and contaminate the wafer in the process position.

[0016] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, please refer to Figures 2 to 9. An embodiment of the present invention discloses a transfer device, which includes a cylinder 11, a piston assembly 12, an isolator 20, a housing 30, and a sealing portion 40. The transfer device is used to transfer the sensor 50 (described later) to the process station (described later) to detect the fluid flowing out of the process station. In some embodiments, the process station can be a process chamber, and the sensor 50 is transferred to the process chamber via the transfer device to detect the gas inside the process chamber; in other embodiments, the process station can also be a wet etching process tank, and the sensor 50 is transferred to the wet etching process tank via the transfer device to detect the concentration, pH value, etc. of the solution in the process tank; in still other embodiments, the process station can also be the process tank of a cleaning device, and the sensor 50 is transferred to the cleaning process tank via the transfer device to detect the resistance value, etc., of the pure water in the process tank.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 to 7, the housing 30 has a flow cavity 31 for communicating with a sensor and an inlet hole 32 for communicating with a process position. The flow cavity 31 and the inlet hole 32 are in communication. The blocking part 40 is movably disposed in the flow cavity 31 and can switch between a first position blocking the inlet hole 32 and a second position opening the inlet hole 32 by moving. The piston assembly 12 includes a piston 121 and a piston rod 122. The piston rod 122 is slidably engaged with the cylinder 11. The piston rod 122 is drivenly connected to the blocking part 40 to drive the blocking part 40 to switch between a first position and a second position. The isolator 20 is disposed between the cylinder 11 and the housing 30. The piston rod 122 passes through the isolator 20 and is movable relative to the isolator 20. The piston rod 122 has a sliding engagement portion 1221 for slidingly engaging with the cylinder 11. When the piston rod 122 drives the blocking part 40 to move to the first position, the sliding engagement portion 1221 is located outside the flow cavity 31.

[0018] Specifically, the piston 121 of the piston assembly 12 is slidably disposed in the cylinder 11, so that the piston rod 122 of the piston assembly 12 can be driven to extend and retract under the fluid drive in the cylinder 11. The cylinder 11 includes a body part 111 and a plug 112. The body part 111 is a hollow structural member (e.g., a cylindrical structural member) with one end open and the other end closed. The plug 112 is sealed at the open end, so that the piston 121 of the piston assembly 12 can slide in the cylinder 11 formed by the body part 111 and the plug 112 to drive the piston rod 122 to extend and retract. Of course, during this process, the piston rod 122 extends and retracts through the plug 112.

[0019] The isolating element 20 is the core component for achieving isolation in the transfer device. The isolating element 20 is located between the cylinder body 11 and the housing 30, so that the piston rod 122 passes through the plug 112 and the isolating element 20 in sequence and extends into the flow cavity 31 to connect with the sealing part 40. That is, the open end of the main body 111 is opposite to the isolating element 20, so that the piston rod 122 can pass through the plug 112 at the sealing open end and the isolating element 20 in sequence and extend into the flow cavity 31 to connect with the sealing part 40.

[0020] The sliding engagement portion 1221 on the piston rod 122 that slides with the plug 112 can be isolated by the isolator 20, thereby placing the sliding engagement portion 1221 outside the flow cavity 31. This prevents the sliding engagement portion 1221 from carrying grease into the flow cavity 31, thus preventing grease from entering the process position through the inflow hole 32 of the flow cavity 31 and contaminating the wafer. It also prevents contamination of the flow cavity 31 and its impact on the normal operation of the adapter. Of course, wear can easily occur during the sliding engagement of the piston rod 122 and the plug 112, generating particulate matter. This structure also prevents the sliding engagement portion 1221 from carrying particulate matter into the flow cavity 31, thereby preventing particulate matter from contaminating the wafer in the process position and the flow cavity 31 and its impact on the normal operation of the adapter.

[0021] The housing 30 is the basic component of the adapter, providing mounting positions for other components of the adapter. The sealing part 40 and the sensor 50 are both located in the housing 30. Furthermore, the housing 30 also forms functional spaces or structures, such as the flow cavity 31, the inlet hole 32, and the second positioning groove 33, the outlet hole 34, and the blocking protrusion 35 described later. Specifically, the housing 30 has a flow cavity 31 and an inlet hole 32 communicating with the flow cavity 31. The inlet hole 32 communicates with the process position to allow fluid in the process position to flow into the inlet hole 32. The flow cavity 31 communicates with the sensor 50 to detect the fluid flowing through the flow cavity 31. The sealing part 40 is movably disposed in the flow cavity 31 to seal the inlet hole 32.

[0022] Specifically, the fluid in the process position can be a liquid, such as water or a pharmaceutical solution. In this case, the liquid in the process position can enter the inlet hole 32, and after entering the flow cavity 31 through the inlet hole 32, it can flow out from the outlet hole 34 described later. Of course, the fluid in the process position can also be a gas, such as a process gas. In this case, the gas in the process position can enter the inlet hole 32, and after entering the flow cavity 31 through the inlet hole 32, it can flow out from the outlet hole 34.

[0023] The piston rod 122 of the piston assembly 12 passes through the isolation member 20 and extends into the flow cavity 31 to connect with the sealing part 40, so as to drive the sealing part 40 to switch between the first position and the second position. The extension and retraction of the piston rod 122 can drive the sealing part 40 to extend and retract, thereby enabling the sealing part 40 to switch between the first position and the second position.

[0024] In a specific working process, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6, when the sealing part 40 is in the first position, the piston rod 122 moves toward the direction close to the inflow hole 32, so that the piston rod 122 extends to the position where the sealing part 40 blocks the inflow hole 32. The sliding fit part 1221 is located outside the flow cavity 31. The sliding fit part 1221 moves closer to the flow cavity 31 as the piston rod 122 moves, so that when the sealing part 40 is in the first position, the sliding fit part 1221 can be in the first extreme position. The sliding fit part 1221 in the first extreme position is closest to the flow cavity 31 during the extension and retraction of the piston rod 122. In this case, since the sliding fit part 1221 will not extend into the flow cavity 31, it will not bring grease and particulate matter into the flow cavity 31.

[0025] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, when the sealing part 40 is in the second position, the piston rod 122 retracts to move away from the inflow hole 32, thereby driving the sealing part 40 away from the inflow hole 32, so that the piston rod 122 retracts to a position that can open the inflow hole 32, thereby opening the inflow hole 32. The sliding fit part 1221 moves away from the flow cavity 31 as the piston rod 122 moves, so that when the sealing part 40 is in the second position, the sliding fit part 1221 can be in the second extreme position. The sliding fit part 1221 in the second extreme position is farthest from the flow cavity 31 during the extension and retraction of the piston rod 122. The sliding fit part 1221 is farthest from the flow cavity 31 during the extension and retraction of the piston rod 122. The sliding fit part 1221 is farthest from the flow cavity 31, which means that the sliding fit part 1221 will not bring grease and particles into the flow cavity 31.

[0026] That is to say, in this structure, the length through which the isolation member 20 is passed by the piston rod 122 in the axial direction of the piston rod 122 can be greater than the stroke of the piston 121, so that during the process of the piston 121 driving the piston rod 122 to extend and retract, the isolation member 20 can isolate the sliding fit part 1221 outside the flow cavity 31, so as to avoid the sliding fit part 1221 from bringing grease and particulate matter into the flow cavity 31 as much as possible.

[0027] The adapter disclosed in this embodiment of the invention, compared with the structure of the adapter involved in the related art, by providing the isolation member 20, allows the piston rod 122 of the piston assembly 12 to pass through the isolation member 20 and extend into the flow cavity 31 to connect with the blocking part 40. This allows the piston rod 122 to extend to the position where the blocking part 40 blocks the inflow hole 32 when the blocking part 40 is in the first position, and the sliding engagement part 1221 can be isolated by the isolation member 20, so that the sliding engagement part 1221 is located outside the flow cavity. When the blocking part 40 is in the second position, the piston rod 122 retracts to the position where the inflow hole 32 can be opened, so that the sliding engagement part 1221 is also located outside the flow cavity 31.

[0028] This structure can isolate the sliding engagement portion 1221 from the flow cavity 31 by means of the isolation member 20, that is, the sliding engagement portion 1221 is always outside the flow cavity 31 during the movement of the piston assembly 12, so as to prevent the sliding engagement portion 1221 from carrying the grease into the flow cavity 31, thereby preventing the grease from entering the process position through the inlet hole 32 and contaminating the wafer in the process position.

[0029] Of course, this structure can also prevent the sliding fit part 1221 from carrying the particles generated by the wear that is easy to occur during the sliding fit between the piston rod 122 and the plug 112 into the flow cavity 31, thereby preventing the particles from contaminating the wafer in the process position and preventing the particles from contaminating the flow cavity 31 and affecting the normal operation of the adapter.

[0030] In this embodiment of the invention, the piston 121 can divide the inner cavity of the cylinder 11 into a first sub-cavity 113 and a second sub-cavity 114. The cylinder can also include a first fluid passage hole and a second fluid passage hole. The first fluid passage hole can communicate with the first sub-cavity 113 and the second fluid passage hole can communicate with the second sub-cavity 114.

[0031] In the specific working process, when the first fluid through hole is in the fluid input state and the second fluid through hole is in the fluid output state, the fluid entering the first sub-cavity 113 can drive the piston 121 to slide within the cylinder 11, so that the sealing part 40 can be switched to the first position by means of the piston rod 122. When the first fluid through hole is in the fluid output state and the second fluid through hole is in the fluid input state, the fluid entering the second sub-cavity can drive the piston 121 to slide within the cylinder 11, so that the sealing part 40 can be switched to the second position by means of the piston rod 122. This structure is relatively simple and easy to implement. Specifically, the fluid entering or exiting the inner cavity of the cylinder 11 can be a gas, such as compressed dry air. Of course, the fluid entering or exiting the inner cavity of the cylinder 11 can also be a liquid, such as hydraulic oil. The embodiments of the present invention do not limit the specific type of fluid entering or exiting the inner cavity of the cylinder 11.

[0032] In some embodiments, a third sealing ring 63 may be provided between the piston 121 and the cylinder 11 to ensure the reliability of the sealing and isolation between the first sub-cavity 113 and the second sub-cavity 114.

[0033] Please refer to Figures 3 to 7 and Figure 9. In a feasible technical solution, the isolation member 20 may be provided with a first clearance hole 22 and a second clearance hole 23 spaced apart. The piston rod 122 may pass through the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23 in sequence and extend into the flow cavity 31. That is, the first clearance hole 22 is located on the side of the second clearance hole 23 away from the flow cavity 31, which makes the first clearance hole 22 farther away from the flow cavity 31 than the second clearance hole 23.

[0034] When the sealing part 40 is in the first position, the edge of the sliding fit part 1221 near the sealing part 40 can be located between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23. In this case, part of the sliding fit part 1221 can be located in the first clearance hole 22 and the other part can be located between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23, so as to prevent the sliding fit part 1221 from entering the second clearance hole 23. This can isolate the sliding fit part 1221 further away, thereby better preventing the sliding fit part 1221 from approaching the flow cavity 31, so as to better reduce the risk of the sliding fit part 1221 bringing impurities such as grease and particulate matter into the flow cavity 31.

[0035] That is to say, in the axial direction of the piston rod 122, the sum of the length of the first clearance hole 22 and the interval length between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23 can be greater than the stroke of the piston 121, so that the sliding fit part 1221 will not enter the second clearance hole 23 during the process of the piston 121 driving the piston rod 122 to extend and retract.

[0036] Of course, the length of the gap between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23 along the axial direction of the piston rod 122 may also be greater than the stroke of the piston 121. When the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23 are spaced apart by the isolation cavity 21 described later, the length of the isolation cavity 21 along the axial direction of the piston rod 122 is greater than the stroke of the piston 121.

[0037] Of course, when the sealing part 40 is in the first position, the sliding fit part 1221 can be located in the first clearance hole 22, so that the sliding fit part 1221 will not enter between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23, and will not enter the second clearance hole 23. This allows the sliding fit part 1221 to be further away from the flow cavity 31, thereby further reducing the risk of the sliding fit part 1221 bringing impurities such as grease and particulate matter into the flow cavity 31.

[0038] That is to say, in this structure, the length of the first clearance hole 22 along the axial direction of the piston rod 122 can be greater than the stroke of the piston 121, so that during the process of the piston 121 driving the piston rod 122 to extend and retract, the sliding fit part 1221 will not enter between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23, let alone enter the second clearance hole 23.

[0039] Please continue to refer to Figures 3 to 7 and Figure 9. In order to more effectively prevent the sliding fit part 1221 from entering the flow cavity 31, the isolation member 20 may also include an isolation cavity 21. The first clearance hole 22 can communicate with the second clearance hole 23 through the isolation cavity 21. The piston rod 122 can pass through the first clearance hole 22, the isolation cavity 21 and the second clearance hole 23 in sequence to reach the flow cavity 31. That is, the isolation cavity 21 is located between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23, so that the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23 can be isolated by the isolation cavity 21. In this way, the isolation cavity 21 can collect the grease and particles carried by the sliding fit part 1221, thereby minimizing the risk of the sliding fit part 1221 bringing the grease and particles into the second clearance hole 23, and thus reducing the risk of grease and particles entering the flow cavity 31.

[0040] In some embodiments, the isolation member 20 may have a discharge hole 24, which can connect the isolation cavity 21 with the external environment of the adapter, so that the grease and particulate matter in the isolation cavity 21 can be discharged to the external environment of the adapter through the discharge hole 24, thereby avoiding the situation where the grease and particulate matter accumulate in the isolation cavity 21 and easily enter the flow cavity 31 through the second clearance hole 23.

[0041] In addition, wear of the sliding fit between the piston rod 122 and the plug 112 can easily cause fluid in the second sub-cavity 114 to leak between the piston rod 122 and the plug 112. As a result, the fluid leaking from the second sub-cavity 114 can enter the isolation chamber 21 through the first clearance hole 22. The discharge hole 24 connects the isolation chamber 21 with the external environment of the transfer device, so that the fluid leaking from the second sub-cavity 114 can be discharged to the external environment of the transfer device through the discharge hole 24. This can prevent the fluid leaking from the second sub-cavity 114 from mixing with grease and particulate matter and entering the flow chamber 31.

[0042] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in order to facilitate the discharge of grease and particulate matter and other impurities, multiple discharge holes 24 can be provided. The penetration direction of the multiple discharge holes 24 can be perpendicular to the penetration direction of the first clearance hole 22.

[0043] In order to further reduce the risk of grease and particulate matter entering the flow cavity 31, the first clearance hole 22 has a first gap 26 between its wall and the piston rod 122, and / or the second clearance hole 23 has a second gap 25 between its wall and the piston rod 122. Based on this, in one embodiment, a second gap 25 may be provided between the wall of the second clearance hole 23 and the piston rod 122. The second gap 25 may connect the flow cavity 31 and the isolation cavity 21. In this structure, the piston rod 122 does not contact the inner wall of the second clearance hole 23, thereby avoiding contact between the piston rod 122 and the inner wall of the second clearance hole 23, which would easily generate particulate matter due to mutual friction. At the same time, the fluid in the flow cavity 31 can flow through the second gap 25 to the isolation cavity 21 and then be discharged from the discharge hole 24 to the external environment of the transfer device. In this case, the second gap 25 is filled with the fluid flowing out of the flow cavity 31, thereby achieving a liquid seal effect when the fluid in the flow cavity 31 is a liquid (e.g., water) and a gas seal effect when the fluid in the flow cavity 31 is a gas (e.g., process gas), so that grease and particulate matter cannot enter the flow cavity 31 through the second gap 25.

[0044] Furthermore, when the sealing part 40 is in the first position and a portion of the sliding fit part 1221 is located in the first clearance hole 22 and another portion is located between the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23, the second gap 25 can prevent the inner wall of the second clearance hole 23 from being contaminated by the sliding fit part 1221. This can prevent the second clearance hole 23 from contaminating the portion of the piston rod 122 that has moved out of the flow chamber 31 when the sealing part 40 is in the second position, thereby effectively preventing the flow chamber 31 from being contaminated.

[0045] In another embodiment, a first gap 26 may be provided between the wall of the first clearance hole 22 and the piston rod 122 to avoid the piston rod 122 from contacting and rubbing against the inner wall of the first clearance hole 22, which would easily generate particulate matter. When the sealing part 40 is in the first position, the first gap 26 can prevent the sliding fit part 1221 from contaminating the inner wall of the first clearance hole 22. This can prevent the inner wall of the first clearance hole 22 from contaminating the part of the piston rod 122 that has moved out of the flow cavity 31 when the sealing part 40 is in the second position, thereby further reducing the risk of the flow cavity 31 being contaminated.

[0046] In other embodiments, a first gap 26 may be provided between the wall of the first clearance hole 22 and the piston rod 122, and a second gap 25 may be provided between the wall of the second clearance hole 23 and the piston rod 122. The first gap 26 and the second gap 25 respectively prevent the piston rod 122 from contacting and rubbing against the inner wall of the first clearance hole 22 and the inner wall of the second clearance hole 23, which would easily generate particulate matter. At the same time, the second gap 25 can be filled with the fluid flowing out of the flow chamber 31, so that when the fluid in the flow chamber 31 is liquid, a liquid seal effect can be achieved, and when the fluid in the flow chamber 31 is gas, a gas seal effect can be achieved. Thus, grease and particulate matter cannot enter the flow chamber 31 through the second gap 25, thereby more effectively preventing grease and particulate matter from entering the flow chamber 31.

[0047] In a more preferred embodiment, the first gap 26 and the second gap 25 can be a first annular gap and a second annular gap, respectively. This allows the inner walls of the first clearance hole 22 and the second clearance hole 23 to be evenly spaced from the piston rod 122, thereby more reliably preventing the piston rod 122 from contacting and rubbing against the inner walls of the second clearance hole 23 and the first clearance hole 22, respectively.

[0048] In some embodiments, the width of both the first annular gap and the second annular gap can be set to 0.5 mm to 1 mm, thereby preventing impurities from the external environment of the adapter from easily entering the first and second annular gaps if they are too large. It should be noted that the width direction of the first annular gap can be perpendicular to the penetration direction of the first clearance hole 22, and the width direction of the second annular gap can be perpendicular to the penetration direction of the second clearance hole 23. The width direction of the first annular gap can be parallel to the width direction of the second annular gap.

[0049] As described above, in this case, the diameter of the first clearance hole 22 can be larger than the diameter of the piston rod 122 to form a first annular gap, and the diameter of the second clearance hole 23 can be larger than the diameter of the piston rod 122 to form a second annular gap. Simultaneously, the difference between the radius of the first clearance hole 22 and the radius of the piston rod 122, and the difference between the radius of the second clearance hole 23 and the radius of the piston rod 122, can both be 0.5 mm to 1 mm, so that the width of both the first annular gap and the width of both the second annular gap can be set to 0.5 mm to 1 mm.

[0050] In this embodiment of the invention, the body part 111 may have an annular positioning surface 1111 that faces the same direction as the opening end. The piston rod 122 may pass through the plug 112 and slide and seal with the plug 112. Specifically, a first sealing ring 61 may be provided between the piston rod 122 and the plug 112 to achieve a sealing fit between the piston rod 122 and the plug 112, thereby minimizing the leakage of fluid from the inner cavity of the cylinder 11 between the piston rod 122 and the plug 112.

[0051] The main body 111 and the isolation member 20 can be fixedly connected, and the plug 112 can be clamped and fixed between the annular positioning surface 1111 and the isolation member 20, avoiding the need to set additional connecting parts to fix the plug 112 on the annular positioning surface 1111, thereby simplifying the structure.

[0052] In some embodiments, a second sealing ring 62 may be provided between the main body 111 and the isolation member 20 to achieve a sealed connection between the main body 111 and the isolation member 20, so as to prevent liquid in the external environment of the adapter from entering the cylinder 11 and affecting the sliding of the piston 121 in the cylinder 11. A fourth sealing ring 64 may be provided between the isolation member 20 and the housing 30 to achieve a sealed connection between the isolation member 20 and the housing 30, so as to prevent liquid in the flow cavity 31 from leaking between the isolation member 20 and the housing 30.

[0053] To facilitate the installation of the main body 111 and the plug 112, the isolation member 20 may be provided with a first positioning groove 27. The main body 111 can be positioned in the first positioning groove 27, and the plug 112 can be clamped and fixed between the annular positioning surface 1111 and the bottom wall of the first positioning groove 27. In this case, a second sealing ring 62 may be provided between the main body 111 and the bottom wall of the first positioning groove 27 so that the main body 111 can be sealed and positioned in the first positioning groove 27.

[0054] Furthermore, the housing 30 may have a second positioning groove 33, and the isolating member 20 may be positioned in the second positioning groove 33 and fixedly connected to the housing 30 to facilitate the installation of the isolating member 20. In this case, the fourth sealing ring 64 may be provided between the isolating member 20 and the bottom wall of the second positioning groove 33 so that the isolating member 20 can be sealed and positioned in the second positioning groove 33.

[0055] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG2, the adapter may further include a connector 70, which can pass sequentially through the body portion 111 and the spacer 20 to be fixedly connected to the housing 30. The spacer 20 can be clamped and fixed between the body portion 111 and the housing 30. Specifically, the connector 70 can be a screw or bolt, and there can be multiple connectors 70, thereby making the fixed connection between the body portion 111, the spacer 20, and the housing 30 more reliable.

[0056] In this embodiment of the invention, the housing 30 may be provided with an outflow hole 34. When the sealing part 40 is in the second position, the inflow hole 32 can communicate with the outflow hole 34 through the flow cavity 31 so that the fluid in the process position can flow into the flow cavity 31 through the inflow hole 32 and then flow out through the outflow hole 34.

[0057] As shown in FIG2, in some embodiments, the housing 30 may include a blocking protrusion 35, which may be higher than the orifice 341 of the outflow hole 34 exposed on the outer surface of the housing 30. When the adapter is installed outside the process position, the housing 30 is fixed outside the process position. Fluid (e.g., liquid medicine, water, or process gas) in the process position can easily overflow from the slot of the process position and flow to the outer surface of the housing 30, thereby easily entering the outflow hole 34 through the orifice 341 exposed on the outer surface of the housing 30 and entering the flow cavity 31, thus easily contaminating the flow cavity 31. This structure can more effectively block the fluid overflowing from the slot of the process position from flowing into the orifice 341 of the outflow hole 34 exposed on the outer surface of the housing 30 by means of the blocking protrusion 35, thereby avoiding easy contamination of the flow cavity 31.

[0058] The outflow hole 34 can be used to allow the fluid in the flow cavity 31 to flow out of the housing 30. Specifically, after the fluid in the flow cavity 31 flows to the outflow hole 34, it can flow out of the housing 30 through the orifice 341 of the outflow hole 34. More preferably, the blocking protrusions 35 can be distributed around the orifice 341 to form a fluid guide groove communicating with the orifice 341, thereby guiding the fluid flowing out of the orifice 341 and preventing the fluid flowing out of the orifice 341 from flowing onto other components in the semiconductor process equipment, reducing the possibility of damage to the semiconductor process equipment.

[0059] Based on the adapter disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention further discloses a semiconductor process apparatus. The disclosed semiconductor process apparatus includes a process station, a sensor 50, and the adapter described in any of the above embodiments. The sensor 50 is connected to the process station through the adapter so that fluid in the process station can enter the inlet port 32. Specifically, the sensor 50 may be disposed in the housing 30, wherein the housing 30 may be provided with an outlet port 34, and the sensor 50 may be disposed in the outlet port 34. Specifically, the sensor 50 may be partially disposed outside the outlet port 34. In this case, the sensor 50 may be partially disposed outside the housing 30, or it may be entirely disposed in the outlet port 34. In this case, the sensor 50 may be entirely disposed inside the housing 30.

[0060] In the specific working process, the fluid flowing from the flow cavity 31 to the outflow hole 34 can flow to the sensor 50 and be detected by the sensor 50. At the same time, the fluid in the outflow hole 34 can flow out of the housing 30 through the orifice 341 of the outflow hole 34. The fluid flowing out of the housing 30 through the orifice 341 can be guided by the fluid guide groove and continue to flow under the guidance of the fluid guide groove.

[0061] In one technical solution, the semiconductor process equipment can be a cleaning equipment, the process position can be a process tank, and the sensor 50 can be a water resistance meter. The water resistance meter is connected to the cleaning tank through an adapter, so that the fluid (such as a chemical solution or water) in the cleaning tank can enter the inlet hole 32, thereby enabling the water resistance value in the cleaning tank to be measured when the cleaning equipment cleans the wafer. The water resistance value is related to the purity of the water. The higher the purity of the water, the higher its resistance value. By detecting the water resistance value in the process tank with the water resistance meter, it is possible to check whether the wafer has been cleaned.

[0062] In other embodiments, the process tank can be used as both a cleaning tank and a chemical solution tank. During operation, when the sealing part 40 is in the first position, the inlet hole 32 is blocked by the sealing part 40, and the liquid in the process tank will not flow into the flow cavity 31 through the inlet hole 32. In this case, the process tank can be used as a chemical solution tank, and the liquid in the process tank can be a chemical solution, thereby enabling the wafer in the process tank to undergo processing (e.g., wet etching). When the sealing part 40 is in the second position, the sealing part 40 does not block the inlet hole, allowing the liquid in the process tank to flow into the flow cavity 31 through the inlet hole 32. In this case, the process tank can be used as a cleaning tank, and the liquid in the process tank can be water, thereby enabling the sensor 50 (e.g., a water resistance meter) to detect the resistance value of the water flowing out of the cleaning tank when cleaning the wafer in the cleaning tank.

[0063] In a further technical solution, the water resistance meter can be disposed in the outflow hole 34. Specifically, the water resistance meter can be partially disposed outside the outflow hole 34, in which case the water resistance meter can be partially disposed outside the housing 30. Alternatively, the water resistance meter can be entirely disposed in the outflow hole 34, in which case the water resistance meter can be entirely disposed inside the housing 30. The side wall of the cleaning tank can be provided with an overflow hole. The housing 30 can be fixed outside the cleaning tank, and the inflow hole 32 can communicate with the overflow hole, so that the fluid in the cleaning tank can flow into the inflow hole 32 through the overflow hole.

[0064] Of course, the sensor 50 can be a temperature sensor or a flow sensor, etc. In this case, the adapter can be used to connect the temperature sensor or the flow sensor, etc. The embodiments of the present invention do not limit the specific use of the adapter. That is to say, the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention can include sensors. The sensor 50 can be a water resistance meter, or it can be a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, or other types of sensors 50, so that the embodiments of the present invention do not limit the specific use of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0065] The above embodiments of the present invention focus on describing the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different optimization features of the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form a better embodiment. Considering the brevity of the text, they will not be described in detail here.

[0066] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0009] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a transfer device related to the relevant technology; Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a transfer device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a transfer device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a transfer device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention with the sealing part in a first position; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a transfer device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention with the sealing part in a second position; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of another transfer device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention with the sealing part in a first position; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of another transfer device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention with the sealing part in a second position; Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of an isolation member disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 8.

Claims

1. An adapter for transferring a sensor to a process position, comprising: The housing (30) has a flow chamber (31) for communicating with the sensor and an inlet port (32) for communicating with the process position, the flow chamber (31) communicating with the inlet port (32); a plug (40) is movably disposed in the flow chamber (31) and can switch between a first position blocking the inlet port (32) and a second position opening the inlet port (32) by movement; a cylinder (11) and a piston rod (122) are slidably engaged with the cylinder (11) and drivenly connected to the plug (40) to drive the plug (40) to switch between the first position and the second position; an isolator (20) is disposed between the cylinder (11) and the housing (30), the piston rod (122) passing through the isolator (20) and movable relative to the isolator (20); The piston rod (122) has a sliding engagement portion (1221) for sliding engagement with the cylinder (11), and when the piston rod (122) drives the sealing part (40) to a first position, the sliding engagement portion (1221) is located outside the flow cavity (31).

2. The adapter as described in claim 1, wherein, The isolation member (20) is provided with a first clearance hole (22) and a second clearance hole (23) spaced apart. The piston rod (122) passes through the first clearance hole (22) and the second clearance hole (23) in sequence and extends into the flow cavity (31). When the sealing part (40) is in the first position, the sliding fit part (1221) is located in the first clearance hole (22) or the sliding fit part (1221) is located between the first clearance hole (22) and the second clearance hole (23) near the edge of the sealing part (40).

3. The adapter as described in claim 2, wherein, The isolation member (20) also includes an isolation cavity (21), the first clearance hole (22) communicates with the second clearance hole (23) through the isolation cavity (21), and the piston rod (122) passes through the first clearance hole (22), the isolation cavity (21) and the second clearance hole (23) in sequence to reach the flow cavity (31).

4. The adapter as described in claim 3, wherein, The isolation element (20) has a discharge port (24) that connects the isolation chamber (21) to the external environment of the transfer device.

5. The adapter as described in claim 2, wherein, The first clearance hole (22) has a first gap (26) between its wall and the piston rod (122); and / or the second clearance hole (23) has a second gap (25) between its wall and the piston rod (122).

6. The adapter as described in claim 1, wherein, The cylinder body (11) includes a body part (111) and a plug (112). The body part (111) is a hollow structure with one end open and the other end closed. The plug (112) is sealed at the open end. The piston rod (122) passes through the plug (112) and the isolation member (20) in sequence and extends into the flow cavity (31) to connect with the sealing part (40).

7. The adapter as described in claim 6, wherein, The main body (111) has an annular positioning surface (1111) aligned with the opening end. The piston rod (122) passes through the plug (112) and slides and seals with the plug (112). The main body (111) is fixedly connected to the isolation member (20), and the plug (112) is clamped and fixed between the annular positioning surface (1111) and the isolation member (20).

8. The adapter as described in claim 7, wherein, The isolation component (20) is provided with a first positioning groove (27), the main body (111) is positioned in the first positioning groove (27), and the plug (112) is clamped and fixed between the annular positioning surface (1111) and the bottom wall of the first positioning groove (27).

9. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The housing (30) has a second positioning groove (33), and the isolation member (20) is positioned in the second positioning groove (33) and is fixedly connected to the housing (30).

10. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The housing (30) is provided with an outflow hole (34). When the sealing part (40) is in the second position, the inflow hole (32) communicates with the outflow hole (34) through the flow cavity (31). The housing (30) includes a blocking protrusion (35), which is higher than the orifice (341) of the outflow hole (34) exposed on the outer surface of the housing (30).

11. The adapter as claimed in claim 10, wherein, The blocking protrusion (35) is distributed around the orifice (341) to form a fluid guide groove communicating with the orifice (341).

12. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising a process bit, a sensor (50) and a switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the sensor (50) is in communication with the process bit via the switching device.

13. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein, The semiconductor manufacturing equipment is a cleaning device, the manufacturing position is a manufacturing tank, and the sensor (50) is a water resistance meter.

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