Wafer cassette switching method and related device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a wafer cassette switching method. When a wafer cassette is switched to a target wafer cassette, a first controller sends, in response to a switching operation for the target wafer cassette, a switching start instruction carrying a target slot count to a second controller, so that the second controller determines the target slot count in response to the instruction and returns the target slot count to the first controller, and thus, the first controller can obtain a slot pitch of the target wafer cassette on the basis of this online mode. In this way, during wafer cassette switching, there is no need to stop running relevant programs in the first controller and the second controller, manually configure the target slot count in the second controller, or manually measure and verify the slot pitch and manually configure the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette in the first controller, thereby helping improve the switching efficiency of the wafer cassette. In addition, throughout the entire process, there is no need for operation and maintenance personnel to manually configure the second controller, helping reduce the professional skill requirements on operation and maintenance personnel for wafer cassette switching.

Description

Wafer cassette switching method and related device TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor technology, in particular to the wafer cassette switching technology in the technical field of semiconductor technology, and more particularly to a wafer cassette switching method and related device. BACKGROUND

[0002] A semiconductor process equipment can include an aligner, a robot, a load lock, a load port, a process chamber and the like. The semiconductor process equipment can be used to automatically process and transfer wafers.

[0003] The load port is the starting point of the semiconductor process equipment for automatically processing wafers, and ensuring efficient work is important to improve the work efficiency of the semiconductor process equipment. SUMMARY

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a wafer cassette switching method and related device, which achieve the purpose of improving the switching efficiency of different types of wafer cassettes, thereby improving the work efficiency of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0005] To achieve the above technical purpose, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, one embodiment of the present application provides a wafer cassette switching method applied to a first controller of a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprising a load port and a second controller, the second controller being configured to control the load port to work based on an instruction issued by the first controller, and the wafer cassette switching method comprising:

[0007] In response to a switching operation for a target wafer cassette, a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number is sent to the second controller; the target wafer cassette is different from a type of a previous wafer cassette, and the target slot number is a slot number of the target wafer cassette; the switching start instruction is used to instruct the second controller to determine a slot pitch of the target wafer cassette;

[0008] In response to the second controller returning the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette, the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette is saved.

[0009] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wafer cassette switching method applied to a second controller of a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprising a wafer loading and unloading station and a first controller, the second controller being configured to control the wafer loading and unloading station based on an instruction from the first controller, the wafer cassette switching method comprising:

[0010] determining a slot pitch of a target wafer cassette in response to a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number, the target wafer cassette being different from a previous wafer cassette, and the target slot number being a slot number of the target wafer cassette;

[0011] returning the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette to the first controller, so that the first controller saves the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette.

[0012] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wafer cassette switching device applied to a first controller of a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprising a wafer loading and unloading station and a second controller, the second controller being configured to control the wafer loading and unloading station based on an instruction from the first controller, the wafer cassette switching device comprising:

[0013] a first switching module configured to send a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number to the second controller in response to a switching operation on a target wafer cassette, the target wafer cassette being different from a previous wafer cassette, and the target slot number being a slot number of the target wafer cassette, the switching start instruction being configured to instruct the second controller to determine a slot pitch of the target wafer cassette;

[0014] a first data module configured to save the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette in response to the second controller returning the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette.

[0015] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wafer cassette switching device applied to a second controller of a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprising a wafer loading and unloading station and a first controller, the second controller being configured to control the wafer loading and unloading station based on an instruction from the first controller, the wafer cassette switching device comprising:

[0016] a second switching module configured to determine a slot pitch of a target wafer cassette in response to a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number, the target wafer cassette being different from a previous wafer cassette, and the target slot number being a slot number of the target wafer cassette;

[0017] a second data module configured to return the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette to the first controller, so that the first controller saves the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette.

[0018] In a fifth aspect, one embodiment of the present application provides a semiconductor process equipment, comprising a first controller, a second controller and a wafer loading and unloading station, wherein

[0019] The first controller is configured to send a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number to the second controller in response to a switching operation for a target wafer box, and save a slot interval of the target wafer box in response to the second controller returning the slot interval of the target wafer box; the target wafer box is of a type different from that of a previous wafer box, and the target slot number is a slot number of the target wafer box.

[0020] The second controller is configured to determine a slot interval of a target wafer box in response to a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number, and return the slot interval of the target wafer box to the first controller.

[0021] In a sixth aspect, one embodiment of the present application further provides a computing device, comprising a memory, a processor and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor implements the wafer box switching method as described above when executing the computer program.

[0022] In a seventh aspect, one embodiment of the present application further provides a computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium stores a computer program, and the computer program is executable on a processor to implement the wafer box switching method as described above.

[0023] In an eighth aspect, one embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product or a computer program, wherein the computer program product comprises a computer program stored in a computer readable storage medium; and a processor of the computer device reads the computer program from the computer readable storage medium, and the processor implements the steps of the wafer box switching method as described above when executing the computer program.

[0024] From the above technical solution, it can be seen that the wafer box switching method provided by the embodiment of the application, when the wafer box is switched to the target wafer box, the first controller sends a switching start instruction carrying the target slot number to the second controller in response to the switching operation for the target wafer box, so that the second controller determines the target slot number in response to the switching start instruction and returns to the first controller, so that the first controller can obtain the slot pitch of the target wafer box based on the online mode. In this way, when the previous wafer box is switched to the target wafer box, it is not necessary to stop running the related programs in the first controller and the second controller, manually configure the target slot number in the second controller, and manually measure and verify the slot pitch and manually configure the slot pitch of the target wafer box in the first controller, which is beneficial to improve the switching efficiency of the wafer box. And in the whole process, the maintenance personnel do not need to manually measure the slot pitch, and the maintenance personnel do not need to manually configure the second controller, which is beneficial to reduce the requirement of professional skills of the maintenance personnel for the wafer box switching method, and is beneficial to reduce the labor cost required in the wafer box switching process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creating laborious work.

[0026] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a semiconductor process equipment provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a wafer box of different types provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Fig. 3 is a flow schematic diagram of a wafer box switching method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Fig. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a device for performing a scanning operation provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Fig. 5 is a flow schematic diagram of another wafer box switching method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Fig. 6 is a wafer box switching flow schematic diagram provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Fig. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a wafer box switching device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Fig. 8 is a structural schematic diagram of another wafer box switching device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG. 9 is a structural schematic diagram of another semiconductor processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a computing device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, technical terms or scientific terms used in the embodiments of the present application shall have the ordinary meanings to those skilled in the art to which the present application pertains. The terms "first", "second", and similar terms used in the embodiments of the present application do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to avoid the confusion of the constituent elements.

[0037] Unless otherwise required by the context, throughout the specification, "plurality" means "at least two", "comprising" is to be construed as open, inclusive, meaning "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" are intended to mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. The illustrative representation of the above terms does not necessarily mean the same embodiment or example.

[0038] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely in the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0039] SUMMARY

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1, taking a cluster-type equipment as an example, FIG. 1 shows a structural schematic diagram of a semiconductor processing equipment, which can include a plurality of equipment modules, which can include a first robot 10, a wafer loading and unloading site 21 (also referred to as a wafer load port), a calibration module 22, a cooling disc 23, and a plurality of process chambers 11, etc.; wherein,

[0041] The calibration module 22 can include a slot, and the calibration module 22 can calibrate the wafer placed in the slot.

[0042] The process chamber 11 (also referred to as a processing module), each process chamber 11 can include a slot, and each slot can place a wafer for processing.

[0043] Cooler, for cooling the wafer after processing.

[0044] The first robot 10 can be a double-arm robot, the two arms of the double-arm robot can be fixed at 180°, each arm can include a slot, each slot can place a wafer, generally, the two arms cannot simultaneously perform the operation of taking and placing wafers; the first robot 10 is responsible for transporting wafers between the loading and unloading chamber and the plurality of process chambers 11.

[0045] In addition, in some embodiments, the semiconductor process equipment can further include a loading and unloading chamber and a second robot, etc.; the loading and unloading chamber (LoadLock) can include two slots, each slot can place a wafer, the loading and unloading chamber can switch between an atmospheric state and a vacuum state, wherein when the state of the loading and unloading chamber is converted to the atmospheric state, the wafer on the side of the second robot can be sent into the loading and unloading chamber; when the state of the loading and unloading chamber is converted to the vacuum state, the wafer on the side of the first robot can be sent into the loading and unloading chamber. The second robot can be a single-arm robot, the second robot can include a slot, each slot can place a wafer, the second robot can be responsible for transporting wafers between the wafer loading and unloading site 21, the calibration module 22 and the loading and unloading chamber.

[0046] The wafer loading and unloading site 21 is used to place a wafer box, each wafer box can place multiple wafers. The wafer box can also be called a wafer transfer box, and the wafer box can include a front opening unified pod (FOUP) and a standard wafer cassette, etc. The wafer loading and unloading site 21 is installed at the front end of the semiconductor process equipment and is an important bridge for wafers to enter the equipment. The wafer loading and unloading site is an interactive port of the semiconductor process equipment and the production line, and is an important link to realize wafer production automation. After receiving the wafer box sent by the production line, it performs operations such as fixing, loading, unloading and moving the wafer box.

[0047] Before the wafer box is transported to the wafer loading and unloading station, the wafer box can be divided into different types according to the wafer process, size, thickness, etc. The number of slots of different types of wafer boxes (in some cases, each slot can accommodate one wafer, and the number of slots is positively correlated with the upper limit of the number of wafers that the wafer box can accommodate in a normal state) may be different, for example, according to the number of slots, the wafer box can be divided into 13-slot wafer box and 25-slot wafer box, etc. Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows a comparison diagram of different types of wafer boxes (i.e. wafer box A and wafer box B). When the controller of the semiconductor process equipment controls the wafer loading and unloading station to perform wafer box loading and unloading, moving the wafer box to the target position, etc., the number of slots and the slot spacing of the wafer box need to be known in advance. According to these parameter information, it is necessary to judge whether there is a wafer in a certain slot, the slot where the next wafer is located, etc., so as to meet the realization needs of the functions such as loading, unloading, moving the wafer box to the target position, etc.

[0048] In some embodiments, in order to balance the operation convenience of the semiconductor process equipment and the control accuracy of the hardware, the first controller and the second controller can be used to cooperatively control the hardware. The first controller can provide a human-computer interaction interface, so that the operator can issue control instructions and obtain the running state of the semiconductor process equipment more intuitively and conveniently through the human-computer interaction interface. The second controller can receive the control instructions of the first controller, convert them into instructions more suitable for hardware response, and transmit them to the corresponding hardware, so as to realize accurate and real-time interaction with the hardware. Some second controllers can provide various types of input / output interfaces to meet different types of hardware control needs.

[0049] For example, in some embodiments, the first controller can include a computer or the like computing device, and the second controller can include a programmable digital electronic device such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). The computer or the like computing device can provide an interactive interface suitable for reading by an operator, while the programmable digital electronic device such as a PLC can implement precise real-time hardware control, can be directly connected to various sensors and actuators, has fast processing speed and short response time, and ensures the stability and safety of hardware during execution of instructions. In addition, these programmable digital electronic devices can be programmed according to actual application requirements through programming methods such as ladder diagrams, statement lists, or function blocks, and can flexibly implement various complex control logic. In particular, a PLC is designed from the beginning to meet the real-time control requirements in industrial environments, and has very fast scan cycles and response speeds, enabling it to process signals from sensors and actuators in real time and make corresponding control decisions. At the same time, the PLC has hardware redundancy and fault self-diagnosis functions, and can maintain high reliability even in harsh environments. In addition, the PLC uses a hard real-time system to ensure that specified control tasks are completed within a specified time, which is crucial for engineering applications that require strict time control.

[0050] Through the cooperation of the first controller and the second controller, while ensuring precise control of the hardware, the operator can conveniently issue various control instructions through the first controller, and intuitively obtain various parameters and determine the hardware state through the human-machine interface provided by the first controller.

[0051] However, in the scenario where a wafer box needs to be switched, if the type of the previous wafer box is different from that of the target wafer box after switching, the number of slots and / or the slot spacing of the previous wafer box and the target wafer box may be different, which requires the first controller and the second controller to be configured so that the first controller determines the number of slots and the slot spacing of the target wafer box, and the second controller determines the number of slots of the target wafer box, to meet the requirements of the first controller sending corresponding control instructions to the second controller, and the second controller controlling the actual action of the wafer loading and unloading position according to the control instructions.

[0052] In the related art, when a wafer box is switched, the slot interval of the target wafer box needs to be measured manually, the first controller and the second controller are stopped (for example, the related programs running in the first controller and the second controller are stopped), the related parameters in the configuration file are manually changed, the slot number and the slot interval of the target wafer box are manually written in the first controller, the slot number of the target wafer box is written in the second controller, and the first controller and the second controller are restarted (for example, the related programs running in the first controller and the second controller are restarted), so that the first controller and the second controller can perform the related control functions based on the newly configured parameters.

[0053] This way not only needs the operation and maintenance personnel to manually measure and configure the related parameters, which is low in efficiency, but also requires high professional skills of the operation and maintenance personnel for the configuration of the second controller, resulting in low efficiency and high labor cost of the wafer box switching method in the related art.

[0054] To solve this problem, the inventors propose a wafer box switching method for online and automatic configuration of the related parameters of a target wafer box. When the wafer box is switched to the target wafer box, the first controller sends a switching start instruction carrying the target slot number to the second controller in response to the switching operation for the target wafer box, so that the second controller determines the target slot number in response to the switching start instruction and returns it to the first controller, so that the first controller can obtain the slot interval of the target wafer box based on this online method. In this way, when the previous wafer box is switched to the target wafer box, there is no need to stop the related programs running in the first controller and the second controller, manually configure the target slot number in the second controller, manually measure and verify the slot interval, and manually configure the slot interval of the target wafer box in the first controller, which is beneficial to improve the wafer box switching efficiency. And the operation and maintenance personnel do not need to manually measure the slot interval, and the operation and maintenance personnel do not need to manually configure the second controller, which is beneficial to reduce the requirement of professional skills of the operation and maintenance personnel for the wafer box switching method, and is beneficial to reduce the labor cost required in the wafer box switching process.

[0055] Based on the above idea, the embodiments of the present application provide a wafer box switching method, which will be described exemplarily below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0056] Exemplary method

[0057] Taking the first controller applied to the semiconductor process equipment in FIG. 3 as an example, some embodiments of the present application exemplarily illustrate the wafer box switching method, the semiconductor process equipment further comprises a wafer loading and unloading site and a second controller, the second controller is used to control the wafer loading and unloading site to work based on the instruction issued by the first controller, and the wafer box switching method comprises:

[0058] S301: In response to a switching operation for a target wafer box, a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number is sent to a second controller; the target wafer box is different from a previous wafer box in type, and the target slot number is a slot number of the target wafer box; the switching start instruction is used to instruct the second controller to determine a slot pitch of the target wafer box.

[0059] S302: In response to the second controller returning the slot pitch of the target wafer box, the slot pitch of the target wafer box is saved.

[0060] The first controller can be a device suitable for providing a human-computer interaction interface, such as a host computer of a semiconductor process device, etc. The second controller can be a device suitable for directly connecting a wafer loading and unloading site and controlling the wafer loading and unloading site to perform an action, such as a programmable digital electronic device, e.g., a PLC.

[0061] The switching operation for the target wafer box can include an action of inputting the target slot number of the target wafer box in the first controller, such as an operation of typing the target slot number in a human-computer interaction interface, or an operation of inputting the target slot number through a peripheral device such as a keyboard or a software module such as a virtual keyboard, which is not limited in the present application and is determined according to actual conditions.

[0062] The target wafer box refers to a wafer box to be used after switching, and the previous wafer box refers to a wafer box switched down. The target wafer box and the previous wafer box can be different in type, which can refer to that the target wafer box and the previous wafer box are different in slot number, or that the target wafer box and the previous wafer box are different in slot pitch, or that the target wafer box and the previous wafer box are different in both slot number and slot pitch, which is not limited in the present application and is determined according to actual conditions.

[0063] As described above, the slot number refers to the number of slots in a wafer box, and each slot can accommodate a wafer. The slot pitch refers to the distance between adjacent slots in a slot box. The slot number and the slot pitch are important parameters for controlling the action of a wafer box, for example, the slot number can help determine whether there is a wafer left in the wafer box, the slot pitch can help determine the position of the next wafer to be unloaded and the movement amount of the wafer box, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately determine the slot number and the slot pitch before performing the related control operation of the wafer loading and unloading site.

[0064] The switch start instruction can be transmitted by the second controller to the communication interface opened by the first controller. In an available embodiment, the switch start instruction is specifically used to instruct the second controller to execute a switch process, and the switch process includes: obtaining a scanning parameter by performing a scanning operation on the target FOUP by the FOUP loading and unloading station, determining a slot pitch of the target FOUP based on the target slot number and the scanning parameter, and returning the slot pitch of the target FOUP to the first controller; the scanning parameter is used to represent the position of the target wafer in the target FOUP; that is, the switch start instruction can instruct the second controller to start performing a scanning operation on the target FOUP to obtain a scanning parameter, and obtain the slot pitch of the target FOUP based on the target slot number carried by the switch start instruction and the scanning parameter obtained by scanning.

[0065] The scanning parameter obtained by scanning can include relevant parameters for describing the geometric information of the target FOUP, and specifically can include parameters related to the geometric information of the slots of the target FOUP and / or the wafers arranged in the slots, for example, can be used to represent the position of the target wafer in the target FOUP, which can include the top wafer and the bottom wafer loaded in the target FOUP, and the present application does not make a limitation thereon, which is determined according to the actual situation. The scanning operation can be performed by relying on the scanning module possessed by the FOUP loading and unloading station itself, without the need to add new hardware, which is conducive to reducing the execution cost of the method.

[0066] When the second controller responds to the switch start instruction and executes the switch process, the slot pitch obtained by scanning is returned to the first controller, so that the first controller saves the slot pitch, so that the first controller can determine the correct control instruction based on the correct target slot number and slot pitch in the subsequent control process of the target FOUP, and meet the normal control requirements of the target FOUP.

[0067] In the present embodiment, the operation and maintenance personnel only need to perform the switch operation on the target FOUP to realize the automatic switch function of the target FOUP, and meet the requirements of automatically saving the slot pitch in the first controller and automatically transmitting the target slot number to the second controller. The FOUP switching method has the characteristics of high execution efficiency, without the need for operation and maintenance personnel to master the programming skills for the second controller, without the need to stop running the first controller and the second controller (for example, stopping running the related control programs in the first controller and the second controller), and the like.

[0068] In order to make the second controller clear the FOUP switch process and the normal control workflow, in some embodiments, after saving the slot pitch of the target FOUP, the method further includes:

[0069] generating a switch end instruction, the switch end instruction being used to instruct the second controller to enable the control instruction response function;

[0070] The control instruction is used to instruct the second controller to control the wafer loading and unloading position to perform a target operation, and the target operation includes at least one of a wafer cassette loading operation, a wafer cassette unloading operation, and a wafer cassette moving operation.

[0071] In some embodiments, the second controller can be instructed to enter a wafer switching state by the switching start instruction, so that the second controller performs a switching process by running a related control program. The second controller can be instructed to end the switching process and enter a normal working state by the switching end instruction, so that the response function of the control instruction is enabled. In this way, the second controller can distinguish between the wafer switching state and the normal working state based on the switching start instruction and the switching end instruction, so as to help the second controller run in the correct state according to the switching start instruction and the switching end instruction, and to help ensure the normal operation of the second controller and avoid the second controller responding to the control instruction mistakenly sent by the first controller in the wafer switching state, which may cause damage to the wafer and other problems.

[0072] In some embodiments, a first communication channel is established between the first controller and the second controller to ensure accurate transmission of the instructions.

[0073] The switching start instruction also carries a flag bit with a first value, and the flag bit with the first value is transmitted to the second controller through the first communication channel. The flag bit with the first value is used to instruct the second controller to enter a switching mode, and in the switching mode, the second controller is used to determine the slot spacing of the target wafer cassette.

[0074] The switching end instruction carries a flag bit with a second value transmitted through the first communication channel, and the flag bit with the second value is used to instruct the second controller to end the switching mode and enable the response function of the control instruction.

[0075] The first communication channel can be a communication channel established between a human-computer interaction interface program running on the first controller and an electrical program running on the second controller. The switching start instruction and the switching end instruction can respectively carry flag bits with different values transmitted through the first communication channel. The first value and the second value can be 0 and 1 respectively. In this way, the switching start instruction and the switching end instruction can be distinguished by the flag bits, which helps to simplify the complexity of the wafer cassette switching method.

[0076] In addition to the first communication channel, in some embodiments, a second communication channel and a third communication channel can also be established between the first controller and the second controller. The second communication channel can be used to transmit the target slot number, and the third communication channel can be used to transmit the slot spacing of the target wafer cassette. In this way, different communication channels transmit different parameters, which helps to improve the parameter transmission efficiency and avoid the problem of time-sharing transmission when a single channel transmits multiple parameters.

[0077] In some embodiments, a feasible process for a second controller to perform a scanning operation is provided, referring to FIG. 4, the wafer loading and unloading station comprises a scanning module; the target wafer box comprises a first wafer and a second wafer;

[0078] The scanning operation performed by the wafer loading and unloading station on the target wafer box comprises:

[0079] Controlling the target wafer box to move from a starting position along a preset direction, and obtaining scanning parameters obtained by the scanning module scanning the first wafer and the second wafer during the movement;

[0080] The first wafer and the second wafer comprise two different wafers in the target wafer box from the preset direction; the starting position is located on a side of the target position away from the preset direction, and the target position comprises a position of the target wafer box when the first wafer is aligned with the scanning module.

[0081] For example, in an embodiment, the first wafer can comprise a first wafer in the target wafer box from the preset direction, and the second wafer can comprise a last wafer in the target wafer box from the preset direction.

[0082] In the embodiment, the scanning module can comprise a scanning sensor, for example, a reflective scanning sensor, during the scanning process, light emitted by the scanning sensor is directed to the target wafer box, when the light is incident on the wafer in the target wafer box, the light is reflected back to the scanning sensor, at this time the scanning sensor records the position of the wafer, based on the above principle, the scanning parameters of the first wafer and the second wafer are obtained.

[0083] The preset direction can refer to a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the scanning sensor, for example, in FIG. 4, when the scanning direction of the scanning sensor is the horizontal direction, the preset direction can be the vertical direction, for example, it can be vertical upward or vertical downward. The preset direction can be different according to the different starting positions. During the scanning process, the target wafer box can be driven to move from the starting position based on the movement of the motor carrying the target wafer box.

[0084] Still referring to FIG. 4, in an embodiment, the scanning parameters comprise: an upper surface position value of the first wafer, a lower surface position value of the first wafer, an upper surface position value of the second wafer, and a lower surface position value of the second wafer;

[0085] Determining the slot distance of the target wafer box based on the target slot number and the scanning parameters comprises:

[0086] Based on the scanning parameters, determining the first distance and the second distance; the first distance comprises the distance between the upper surface of the first wafer and the upper surface of the second wafer, and the second distance comprises the distance between the lower surface of the first wafer and the lower surface of the second wafer;

[0087] determine the slot pitch of the target FOUP based on the distance parameters and the gap number; the distance parameters include the first distance and / or the second distance, and the gap number includes the number of slot gaps between the first wafer and the second wafer.

[0088] In FIG. 4, the first distance and the second distance can be d1 and d2 in FIG. 4, respectively. The slot pitch of the target FOUP can be determined based on the gap number and the distance parameters, so as to realize automatic acquisition of the slot pitch. This method has the characteristics of being simple and easy to implement. For example, in an embodiment, the ratio of the first distance to the target slot number can be approximated as the slot pitch, the ratio of the second distance to the target slot number can also be approximated as the slot pitch, and the average of the first distance and the second distance to the target slot number can also be approximated as the slot pitch. The present application does not limit this, and the specific determination is determined according to the actual situation.

[0089] In order to more accurately acquire the slot pitch, in some embodiments, the distance parameters include the first distance and the second distance.

[0090] determine the slot pitch of the target FOUP based on the distance parameters and the target slot number, including:

[0091] determine the slot pitch of the target FOUP based on the distance parameters and the target slot number, including:

[0092] determine the slot pitch of the target FOUP based on the distance parameters and the target slot number, including:

[0093] Specifically, in an embodiment, the slot pitch of the target FOUP can be determined based on the following formula:

[0094] slot pitch = (d1+d2) / 2(n-1), where d1 and d2 are the first distance and the second distance, respectively, n is the target slot number, and (n-1) is the gap number.

[0095] In the present embodiment, based on the above method for determining the slot pitch, the influence of the thickness of the first wafer and the second wafer on the calculation of the slot pitch can be removed, which is beneficial to improve the calculation accuracy of the slot pitch.

[0096] Taking a second controller applied in a semiconductor process equipment as an example, an embodiment of the present application further provides a FOUP switching method, as shown in FIG. 5, the FOUP switching method includes:

[0097] S501: In response to a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number, determine the slot pitch of a target FOUP; the target FOUP is different from the type of the previous FOUP, and the target slot number is the slot number of the target FOUP;

[0098] S502: return the slot interval of the target FOUP to the first controller, so that the first controller stores the slot interval of the target FOUP.

[0099] In some embodiments, the determining the slot interval of the target FOUP comprises:

[0100] performing a switching process, the switching process comprising: obtaining a scanning parameter by a scanning operation performed on the target FOUP by the wafer loading and unloading station; the target FOUP being different from the previous FOUP in type, and the target slot number being the number of slots of the target FOUP;

[0101] determining the slot interval of the target FOUP based on the target slot number and the scanning parameter, and returning the slot interval of the target FOUP to the first controller; the scanning parameter being used to represent the position of the target wafer in the target FOUP; and the slot interval of the target FOUP being used to instruct the first controller to store the slot interval of the target FOUP.

[0102] In some embodiments, the wafer loading and unloading station comprises a scanning module; and the target wafer comprises a first wafer and a second wafer.

[0103] The scanning operation performed on the target FOUP by the wafer loading and unloading station comprises:

[0104] controlling the target FOUP to move from a starting position in a preset direction, and obtaining a scanning parameter obtained by scanning the first wafer and the second wafer by the scanning module during the movement;

[0105] The first wafer and the second wafer comprise two different wafers in the target FOUP from the preset direction; and the starting position is located on a side of the target position away from the preset direction, and the target position comprises a position of the target FOUP when the first wafer is aligned with the scanning module.

[0106] In some embodiments, the scanning parameter comprises: an upper surface position value of the first wafer, a lower surface position value of the first wafer, an upper surface position value of the second wafer, and a lower surface position value of the second wafer.

[0107] The determining the slot interval of the target FOUP based on the target slot number and the scanning parameter comprises:

[0108] determining a first distance and a second distance based on the scanning parameter; the first distance comprising a distance between the upper surface of the first wafer and the upper surface of the second wafer, and the second distance comprising a distance between the lower surface of the first wafer and the lower surface of the second wafer;

[0109] determining the slot interval of the target FOUP based on the distance parameter and the gap number; the distance parameter comprising the first distance and / or the second distance, and the gap number comprising a number of slot gaps between the first wafer and the second wafer.

[0110] In some embodiments, the distance parameters include a first distance and a second distance.

[0111] Based on the distance parameters and the slot parameters, determining the slot pitch of the target FOUP includes:

[0112] Determining half of the ratio of the sum of the distance parameters to the number of gaps as the slot pitch of the target FOUP.

[0113] As described above, the switching start instruction can be sent by the first controller to the second controller, so that the second controller executes the switching process in response to the switching start instruction. For related definitions of the first controller, the second controller, the switching start instruction, the target slot number, and the switching process, please refer to the related description in the foregoing, which will not be described herein.

[0114] Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 shows a specific flowchart of a wafer FOUP switching method according to an embodiment of the present application. The execution process of the method can include:

[0115] When the wafer FOUP is switched to the target wafer FOUP, the number of slots of the wafer FOUP in the wafer loading and unloading position changes, and the operation and maintenance personnel execute the switching operation for the target wafer FOUP. For example, in some embodiments, the first controller can provide a human-computer interaction interface, and the operation and maintenance personnel can enter the target slot number through the human-computer interaction interface.

[0116] After the first controller receives the entered target slot number through the human-computer interaction interface, the first controller saves the target slot number and sends a switching start instruction to the second controller through the communication channel established with the second controller.

[0117] The second controller receives the switching start instruction and saves the target slot number carried by the switching start instruction in response to the instruction. The second controller executes the switching process. If the first distance and the second distance cannot be normally obtained in the switching process, the hardware throws an alarm. The first controller generates a switching end instruction to end the switching process. If the first distance and the second distance can be normally obtained in the switching process, the second controller calculates the slot pitch based on the first distance, the second distance, and the target slot number and feeds back the slot pitch to the first controller.

[0118] The first controller receives the slot pitch and saves it. The first controller generates a switching end instruction to end the switching process.

[0119] After the switching process is normally ended, the wafer loading and unloading position can be controlled to execute the steps of loading, unloading, moving, and the like.

[0120] Exemplary apparatus

[0121] In an example embodiment of the present application, a wafer cassette switching device is also provided, which is applied to a first controller of a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprising a wafer loading and unloading station and a second controller, the second controller being configured to control the wafer loading and unloading station based on an instruction issued by the first controller, and the wafer cassette switching device comprises:

[0122] a first switching module 701, configured to send a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number to the second controller in response to a switching operation for a target wafer cassette, the target wafer cassette being different from a previous wafer cassette in type, and the target slot number being a slot number of the target wafer cassette; the switching start instruction being configured to instruct the second controller to determine a slot pitch of the target wafer cassette;

[0123] a first data module 702, configured to save the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette in response to the second controller returning the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette.

[0124] In an example embodiment of the present application, a wafer cassette switching device is also provided, which is applied to a second controller of a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprising a wafer loading and unloading station and a first controller, the second controller being configured to control the wafer loading and unloading station based on an instruction issued by the first controller, and the wafer cassette switching device comprises:

[0125] a second switching module 801, configured to determine a slot pitch of a target wafer cassette in response to a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number, the target wafer cassette being different from a previous wafer cassette in type, and the target slot number being a slot number of the target wafer cassette;

[0126] a second data module 802, configured to return the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette to the first controller, so that the first controller saves the slot pitch of the target wafer cassette.

[0127] The specific limitations of the wafer cassette switching device can be referred to the limitations of the wafer cassette switching method described above, which will not be repeated here. The modules in the wafer cassette switching device described above can be realized by software, hardware and combinations thereof in whole or in part. The modules described above can be embedded in or independent of the processor in the computer device in hardware form, or stored in the memory in the computer device in software form, so as to be called and executed by the processor to perform the operations corresponding to the modules.

[0128] Example device

[0129] As shown in FIG. 9, an embodiment of the present application further provides a semiconductor process equipment 100, comprising a first controller 40, a second controller 50 and a wafer loading and unloading station 21, wherein,

[0130] The first controller 40 is configured to: in response to a switching operation of a target wafer box, send a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number to the second controller, and save a slot pitch of the target wafer box in response to the second controller returning the slot pitch of the target wafer box; the target wafer box is of a type different from that of a previous wafer box, and the target slot number is a slot number of the target wafer box.

[0131] The second controller 50 is configured to: in response to the switching start instruction carrying the target slot number, determine the slot pitch of the target wafer box; and return the slot pitch of the target wafer box to the first controller.

[0132] In one embodiment, the switching start instruction further carries a flag bit of a first value, and a first communication channel, a second communication channel and a third communication channel are established between the first controller 40 and the second controller 50; wherein,

[0133] The first communication channel is used to transmit the flag bit of the first value, and the flag bit of the first value is used to instruct the second controller 50 to execute a switching process;

[0134] The second communication channel is used to transmit the target slot number.

[0135] The third communication channel is used to transmit the slot pitch of the target wafer box.

[0136] In one embodiment, the second controller 50 includes a programmable logic controller.

[0137] The first controller 40 can provide a man-machine interface for an operator to issue instructions and obtain information. The second controller 50 can directly control the controlled device 30, thereby improving the control accuracy and stability of the controlled device 30. The controlled device 30 can include at least one of the process chamber 11, the first robot 10, the calibration module 22, the cooling disc 23 and the wafer loading and unloading site 21.

[0138] For the corresponding wafer box switching method performed by the first controller 40 and the second controller 50 in the semiconductor process equipment 100, reference can be made to the related description in the above wafer box switching method, and the present application will not be repeated here.

[0139] Correspondingly, another embodiment of the present application further provides a computing device, as shown in FIG. 10, and one exemplary embodiment of the present application further provides a computing device, which includes a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to execute the steps in the wafer box switching method according to various embodiments of the present application described in the above embodiments of the present application.

[0140] The internal structure of the computing device can be as shown in FIG. 10, which includes a processor, a memory, a network interface and an input device connected by a system bus. Among them, the processor of the computing device is used to provide computing and control capabilities. The memory of the computing device includes a non-volatile storage medium and an internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system and a computer program. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and the computer program in the non-volatile storage medium. The network interface of the computing device is used to communicate with the external terminal through the network connection. The computer program is executed by the processor to perform the steps in the wafer box switching method according to various embodiments of the present application described in the above embodiments of the present application.

[0141] The processor can include a main processor, and can also include a baseband chip, a modem, etc.

[0142] The memory stores programs for executing the technical solutions of the present application, and can also store an operating system and other key services. Specifically, the program can include program code, and the program code includes computer operation instructions. More specifically, the memory can include a read-only memory (ROM), other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM), other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and instructions, a disk memory, a flash, etc.

[0143] The processor can be a general-purpose processor, such as a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, etc., or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of programs of the present application. It can also be a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a ready-to-use programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component.

[0144] The input device can include devices that receive data and information input by the user, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a camera, a scanner, a light pen, a voice input device, a touch screen, a pedometer or a gravity sensor, etc.

[0145] The output device can include devices that allow information to be output to the user, such as a display screen, a printer, a speaker, etc.

[0146] The communication interface can include devices such as transceivers to communicate with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.

[0147] The processor executes the program stored in the memory and invokes other devices, which can be used to implement each step of the wafer cassette switching method provided by any one of the embodiments of the present application.

[0148] The computing device can also include a display component, which can be a liquid crystal display or an electronic ink display, and an input device, which can be a touch layer overlaid on the display component, or a key, trackball or touchpad provided on the housing of the computing device, or an external keyboard, touchpad or mouse.

[0149] Those skilled in the art can understand that the structure shown in FIG. 10 is only a block diagram of part of the structure related to the scheme of the present application, and does not constitute a limitation on the computing device to which the scheme of the present application is applied. The specific computing device can include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have a different arrangement of components.

[0150] Exemplary computer program product and storage medium

[0151] In addition to the above method and device, the wafer cassette switching method provided by the embodiments of the present application can also be a computer program product, which includes computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of the wafer cassette switching method according to various embodiments of the present application described in the above “Exemplary Method” section.

[0152] The above computer program product can be implemented by hardware, software or a combination thereof. In one optional embodiment, the computer program product is embodied as a computer storage medium. In another optional embodiment, the computer program product is embodied as a software product, such as a software development kit (SDK) and the like.

[0153] The computer program product can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages, such as Java, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on a user computing device, partially on a user device, as a standalone software package, partially on a user computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server.

[0154] In addition, the embodiment of the present application further provides a computer readable storage medium, which stores a computer program, and the computer program is executed by a processor to execute steps in the wafer box switching method according to various embodiments of the present application described in the above-mentioned "exemplary method" part.

[0155] Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be completed by a computer program instructing related hardware, and the computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, the computer program can include the processes of the above-mentioned embodiment methods. Any reference to memory, storage, database or other medium used in the embodiments provided by the present application can include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) or flash memory. The volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. As an illustration but not limitation, RAM is available in various forms, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link (Synchlink) DRAM (SLDRAM), memory bus (Rambus) direct RAM (RDRAM), direct memory bus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and memory bus dynamic RAM (RDRAM), etc.

[0156] Any combination of the technical features of the above embodiments can be made, and in order to make the description simple, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described, however, as long as the combination of the technical features does not exist, it should be considered as the range disclosed by the present application.

[0157] The above embodiments only express several implementation manners of the present application, and the description is more specific and detailed, but it should not be understood as a limitation on the scope of the solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application. It should be pointed out that, for those skilled in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, a number of modifications and improvements can be made, which are all within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present patent should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of switching a wafer cassette, characterized by, The first controller is applied to a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprises a wafer loading and unloading station and a second controller, the second controller is used for controlling the wafer loading and unloading station to work based on the instruction issued by the first controller, and the switching method of the wafer box comprises: In response to a switching operation for a target wafer box, a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number is sent to the second controller; the target wafer box is different from a type of a previous wafer box, and the target slot number is a slot number of the target wafer box; and the switching start instruction is used for instructing the second controller to determine a slot pitch of the target wafer box. In response to the second controller returning the slot pitch of the target wafer box, the slot pitch of the target wafer box is saved.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, After the slot pitch of the target wafer box is saved, the method further comprises: A switching end instruction is generated, the switching end instruction is used for instructing the second controller to enable a control instruction response function; Based on the slot pitch and the target slot number, a control instruction is generated; the control instruction is used for instructing the second controller to control the wafer loading and unloading station to perform a target operation; and the target operation comprises at least one of a wafer box loading operation, a wafer box unloading operation and a wafer box moving operation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, A first communication channel is established between the first controller and the second controller; The switching start instruction further carries a flag bit of a first value, the flag bit of the first value is transmitted to the second controller through the first communication channel, and the flag bit of the first value is used for instructing the second controller to enter a switching mode; in the switching mode, the second controller is used for determining the slot pitch of the target wafer box; The switching end instruction carries a flag bit of a second value transmitted through the first communication channel, and the flag bit of the second value is used for instructing the second controller to end the switching mode and enable the control instruction response function.

4. A method of switching a wafer cassette, characterized by, The second controller is applied to a semiconductor process equipment, the semiconductor process equipment further comprises a wafer loading and unloading station and a first controller, the second controller is used for controlling the wafer loading and unloading station to work based on the instruction issued by the first controller, and the switching method of the wafer box comprises: In response to a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number, a slot pitch of a target wafer box is determined; the target wafer box is different from a type of a previous wafer box, and the target slot number is a slot number of the target wafer box; The slot pitch of the target wafer box is returned to the first controller, so that the first controller saves the slot pitch of the target wafer box.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The determination of the slot pitch of the target wafer box comprises: A switching process is performed, the switching process comprises: a scanning parameter obtained through a scanning operation of the wafer loading and unloading station on a target wafer box; the target wafer box is different from a type of a previous wafer box, and the target slot number is a slot number of the target wafer box; determine the slot pitch of the target wafer box based on the target slot number and the scanning parameter, and return the slot pitch of the target wafer box to the first controller; the scanning parameter is used to represent the position of the target wafer in the target wafer box; the slot pitch of the target wafer box is used to instruct the first controller to save the slot pitch of the target wafer box.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The wafer loading and unloading station comprises a scanning module; the target wafer comprises a first wafer and a second wafer; The scanning operation performed by the wafer loading and unloading station on the target wafer box comprises: controlling the target wafer box to move from a starting position to a preset direction, and obtaining the scanning parameter obtained by scanning the first wafer and the second wafer by the scanning module during the movement; The first wafer and the second wafer comprise two different wafers in the target wafer box from the preset direction; the starting position is located on one side of the target position away from the preset direction, and the target position comprises the position of the target wafer box when the first wafer is aligned with the scanning module.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The scanning parameter comprises: an upper surface position value of the first wafer, a lower surface position value of the first wafer, an upper surface position value of the second wafer, and a lower surface position value of the second wafer; The determination of the slot pitch of the target wafer box based on the target slot number and the scanning parameter comprises: determining a first distance and a second distance based on the scanning parameter; the first distance comprises the distance between the upper surface of the first wafer and the upper surface of the second wafer, and the second distance comprises the distance between the lower surface of the first wafer and the lower surface of the second wafer; determining the slot pitch of the target wafer box based on the distance parameter and the gap number; the distance parameter comprises the first distance and / or the second distance, and the gap number comprises the number of slot gaps between the first wafer and the second wafer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, The distance parameter comprises the first distance and the second distance; The determination of the slot pitch of the target wafer box based on the distance parameter and the slot parameter comprises: determining half of the ratio of the sum of the distance parameters to the gap number as the slot pitch of the target wafer box.

9. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized by comprising: Comprise: a first controller, a second controller and a wafer loading and unloading station; wherein The first controller is configured to: in response to a switching operation for a target wafer box, send a switching start instruction carrying a target slot number to the second controller, and in response to the second controller returning the slot pitch of the target wafer box, save the slot pitch of the target wafer box; The target wafer box is different from the type of the previous wafer box, and the target slot number is the slot number of the target wafer box; The second controller is configured to: in response to the switching start instruction carrying the target slot number, determine the slot pitch of the target wafer box; and return the slot pitch of the target wafer box to the first controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The switching start instruction also carries a flag bit with a first value, and the first controller and the second controller have established a first communication channel, a second communication channel and a third communication channel; wherein, The first communication channel is used for transmitting a flag bit of the first value, and the flag bit of the first value is used for instructing the second controller to execute the switching process; The second communication channel is used for transmitting the target slot number; The third communication channel is used for transmitting a slot pitch of the target wafer box.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The second controller comprises a programmable logic controller.

12. A computing device, comprising: A computer readable storage medium, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the wafer box switching method according to any one of claims 1-8.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium stores a computer program, and the computer program is executable on a processor to implement the wafer box switching method according to any one of claims 1-8.

Images