Robotic arm and semiconductor process device

Abstract

The present application discloses a robotic arm and a semiconductor process device. The disclosed robotic arm comprises a base, a first support beam, a second support beam, and a first detection assembly. At least one of the first support beam and the second support beam is connected to the base by means of the first detection assembly. The first detection assembly comprises a connecting seat, and an elastic member and a first detection member provided on the connecting seat; the elastic member matches the first support beam or the second support beam; and the connecting seat is connected to the base. When the robotic arm carries a carrier boat or carries a preset number of carrier boats, the first support beam or the second support beam is used for being driven by the gravity of the carrier boat to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member, so as to trigger the first detection member. The solution can solve the problem in the related art of low process efficiency caused by a robotic arm being unable to perceive, during grabbing, whether a carrier boat has been grabbed or whether sufficient carrier boats have been grabbed.

Description

robotic arms and semiconductor process equipment Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, specifically relating to a robotic arm and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the fabrication of solar cells, the diffusion furnace is a crucial piece of equipment used to dope and form PN junctions on the surface of silicon wafers. In the relevant processes, the silicon wafer is carried by a carrier boat and supported by a specialized support frame. The support frame is then picked up by a robotic arm and placed on a conveyor mechanism, which transports the wafer into or out of the diffusion furnace.

[0003] Due to various problems caused by the support bracket, related technologies have further designed a robotic arm capable of directly grasping the carrier boat and then moving it in and out of the diffusion furnace. However, during the process of the robotic arm grasping the carrier boat, it may fail to grasp any carrier boats or grasp an insufficient number, leading to substandard grasping performance. However, the semiconductor process equipment involved in this technology cannot detect this, ultimately resulting in the robotic arm failing to grasp carrier boats or grasping an insufficient number of carrier boats, thus hindering efficient operation and ultimately impacting process efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application discloses a robotic arm and semiconductor process equipment to solve the problem of low process efficiency caused by the robotic arm's inability to detect whether it has grasped the carrier boat or whether it has grasped a sufficient amount of carrier boat when performing grasping work.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application disclose a robotic arm for picking up and placing a carrier boat. The robotic arm includes a base, a first support beam, a second support beam, and a first detection component, wherein:

[0007] At least one of the first support beam and the second support beam is connected to the base through the first detection component; the first detection component includes a connecting seat, an elastic element and a first detection element disposed on the connecting seat, the elastic element cooperating with the first support beam or the second support beam, and the connecting seat being connected to the base.

[0008] When the robotic arm carries a carrier boat or a preset number of carrier boats, the first support beam or the second support beam is driven by the gravity of the carrier boat to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element and trigger the first detection element.

[0009] Secondly, this application discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a carrier boat and the robotic arm described in the first aspect. The carrier boat has boat ears on opposite sides. When the robotic arm is in a grasping state, the first support beam and the second support beam support the corresponding boat ears of the carrier boat.

[0010] The technical solution adopted in this application can achieve the following technical effects:

[0011] The robotic arm disclosed in this application improves the structure of robotic arms in related technologies. At least one of the first and second support beams is connected to the base via a first detection component. This first detection component not only enables the installation of the first or second support beam on the base, but more importantly, it connects the base to the first or second support beam. This allows the robotic arm to perform its load-bearing function as long as it grasps and carries a load-bearing boat or a predetermined number of load-bearing boats. The load-bearing boat, under its own weight, presses down on the first and second support beams, causing at least one of the first and second support beams to press down on a corresponding elastic element, triggering the first detection component. Ultimately, the first detection component detects that the robotic arm is carrying a load-bearing boat or a predetermined number of load-bearing boats. This robotic arm structure not only picks up and places load-bearing boats, but also detects whether the robotic arm is carrying a load-bearing boat or a predetermined number of load-bearing boats via the first detection component, achieving the purpose of detecting whether the robotic arm has a boat or is missing one. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robotic arm disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0013] Figure 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of part of the structure in Figure 1;

[0014] Figure 3 is an explosion diagram of some of the structures in Figure 1 from other perspectives;

[0015] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robotic arm grasping the carrier boat disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 5 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the robotic arm disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm disclosed in the embodiments of this application when it carries a carrier boat and the carrier boat is in a normal position.

[0018] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm disclosed in the embodiments of this application when it carries a carrier boat and the carrier boat is in an abnormal position;

[0019] Figure 8 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the robotic arm disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of Figure 8 from another perspective;

[0021] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first sub-base of the robotic arm disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of part of the structure of the robotic arm disclosed in the embodiment of this application in the grasping state;

[0023] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure shown in Figure 11 in the unloaded state;

[0024] Figures 13 and 14 are schematic diagrams of the carrier boat disclosed in the embodiments of this application from different perspectives;

[0025] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the carrier boat disclosed in the embodiment of this application in the process chamber;

[0026] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of multiple carrier boats in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 17 is a structural schematic diagram of the first or second supporting beam disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the storage bracket disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the boat storage rack disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support unit of the boat temporary storage rack disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the support unit and the carrier boat disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of the structure on the paddle of the conveyor mechanism where multiple carrier boats are placed.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 10-Manipulator, 11-Base, 111-First sub-base, 112-Second sub-base, 12-Drive mechanism, 121- Motor, 122-Commutator, 123-First Lead Screw, 124-Second Lead Screw, 125-First Threaded Sleeve, 126-Second Threaded Sleeve, 127-First Connecting Frame, 128-Second Connecting Frame, 13-First Support Beam, 131-Beam Body, 132-Boat Grab, 133-Third Detection Component, 14-Second Support Beam, 15-First Detection Component, 151-Connecting Seat, 1511-Receiving Cavity, 152-Elastic Component, 153-First Detection Component, 154-Cover, 155-Guide Structure, 1551-Guide Hole, 156-Rolling Element, 16-Adapter Block, 17-Second Detection Component, 171-First Light Emitter, 172-First Light Receiver, 18-Rotating Connector, 191-Second Detection Component, 192-Third Detection Component, 193-Trigger Component 20-Bearing boat, 21-Boat ear, 22-Separating protrusion, 23-First end plate, 24-Second end plate, 25-Groove bar, 26-Supporting component, 261-Supporting foot, 262-Connecting plate, 263-First positioning groove, 27-Detection mating protrusion, 28-Second positioning groove, 30-Process chamber, 40-Conveying mechanism, 41-Paddle support, 42-Drive body, 43-First sensor, 44-Second sensor, 50-Material storage bracket, 51-Boat temporary storage rack, 511-Frame, 512-Supporting unit, 5121-Supporting platform, 5122-Inclined guide, 5123-Positioning protrusion, 52-Frame base, 60-Feeding mechanism, 61-Base. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application 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 this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0037] The technical solutions disclosed in the various embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] Please refer to Figures 1 to 24. This application discloses a robotic arm 10. The disclosed robotic arm 10 belongs to semiconductor process equipment and is used for picking up and placing a carrier boat 20. The disclosed robotic arm 10 includes a base 11, a first support beam 13, a second support beam 14, and a first detection component 15.

[0039] The base 11 is the basic component of the robot arm 10, providing mounting positions for other components of the robot arm 10. Other components of the robot arm 10 can be directly or indirectly mounted on the base 11. For example, in the embodiments of this application, the first support beam 13, the second support beam 14, and the first detection component 15 are all directly or indirectly mounted on the base 11.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are spaced apart. When the robotic arm 10 carries the carrier boat 20, the carrier boat 20 is located between the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14. The first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 support the boat ears 21 on opposite sides of the carrier boat 20, thereby achieving the purpose of supporting the carrier boat 20. The robotic arm 10 disclosed in this application embodiment can pick up and place one carrier boat 20, or it can pick up and place multiple carrier boats 20 simultaneously. This application embodiment does not impose any limitations. Regardless of the number of carrier boats 20 carried, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 support the boat ears 21 on opposite sides of each carrier boat 20. When carrying a carrier boat 20, the carrier boat 20 will press on the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 under its own weight. In other words, the weight of each carrier boat 20 is shared by the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14.

[0041] In one embodiment, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can be distributed in parallel. In other embodiments, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 may not be parallel, and there may be a small angle between them. As long as the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can support the boat ears 21 on opposite sides of the carrying boat 20 when the robot arm 10 is carrying the carrying boat 20, this application embodiment does not impose too many restrictions.

[0042] At least one of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 is connected to the base 11 via the first detection component 15. Specifically, only the first support beam 13 may be connected to the base 11 via the first detection component 15, or only the second support beam 14 may be connected to the base 11 via the first detection component 15, or the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 may be connected to the base 11 via their respective first detection components 15. This application does not impose limitations on the embodiments described.

[0043] The first detection component 15 is used to detect whether the robotic arm 10 carries a carrier boat 20 or whether it carries a preset number of carrier boats 20. It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific value of the preset number. In the specific design process, if the robotic arm 10 can be designed to carry a preset number of carrier boats 20, it is considered that the robotic arm 10 carries carrier boats 20, and the number of carrier boats 20 carried is sufficient, and there is no phenomenon of missing carrier boats 20.

[0044] In this embodiment of the application, the first detection component 15 includes a connector 151, an elastic element 152, and a first detection element 153.

[0045] The connecting seat 151 not only serves a connecting function but also provides an installation base for the elastic element 152 and the first detection element 153. In the embodiments of this application, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, both the elastic element 152 and the first detection element 153 are disposed on the connecting seat 151, which is connected to the base 11. The elastic element 152 cooperates with either the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14. In embodiments where only the first support beam 13 is connected to the base 11 via the first detection assembly 15, the first support beam 13 cooperates with the elastic element 152. In embodiments where only the second support beam 14 is connected to the base 11 via the first detection assembly 15, the second support beam 14 cooperates with the elastic element 152. In the embodiment where the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are respectively connected to the base 11 through corresponding first detection components 15, the first support beam 13 cooperates with the elastic element 152 of the corresponding first detection component 15, and the second support beam 14 cooperates with the elastic element 152 of the corresponding first detection component 15.

[0046] When the robotic arm 10 carries a carrier boat 20 or a preset number of carrier boats 20, the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 is driven by the gravity of the carrier boat 20 to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 152 and trigger the first detection element 153. As long as the first detection element 153 is triggered, it can be concluded that the robotic arm 10 has indeed grasped a carrier boat 20 or grasped a number of carrier boats 20 that meet the requirements (i.e., the preset number). For example, the first detection element 153 can be a detection switch, or a pressure sensor or other detection element that is triggered after being subjected to force. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific type of the first detection element 153.

[0047] In the specific design process, the pressure threshold triggered by the first detection element 153 can be set to determine whether the robot arm 10 is carrying a carrier boat 20 or whether it is carrying a preset number of carrier boats 20. Those skilled in the art can set the size of the pressure threshold according to specific circumstances, and the embodiments of this application do not impose any limitations.

[0048] If there is no carrier boat 20 on the robot arm 10 or the number of carrier boats 20 is less than the preset number, the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 is driven by the elastic element 152 to separate from the first detection element 153. In this case, the first detection element 153 is not triggered, indicating that the robot arm 10 has not grasped the carrier boat 20, resulting in the carrier boat 20 not being carried on the robot arm 10, or the number of grasped carrier boats 20 is less than the preset number, resulting in the lack of carrier boats 20.

[0049] The robotic arm 10 disclosed in this application improves the structure of robotic arms in related technologies, enabling at least one of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to be connected to the base 11 via the first detection component 15. The first detection component 15 not only enables the installation of the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 on the base 11, but more importantly, it connects the base 11 with the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14. This allows the robotic arm 10 to perform its load-bearing function as long as it grasps and carries the load-bearing boat 20 or carries a preset number of load-bearing boats 20. Consequently, the load-bearing boat 20 presses down on the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 under its own weight. This causes at least one of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to press down and overcome the elastic force of the corresponding elastic element 152, triggering the first detection element 153. Ultimately, the first detection element 153 detects that the robotic arm 10 is carrying the load-bearing boat 20 or a preset number of load-bearing boats 20. The robotic arm 10 with this structure can not only pick up and put down the carrier boat 20, but also detect whether the robotic arm 10 is carrying the carrier boat 20 or a preset number of carrier boats 20 through the first detection component 15, thus achieving the purpose of detecting whether the robotic arm 10 has a boat or is missing a boat.

[0050] In this embodiment, the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 presses down on the elastic element 152 when compressed. The elastic element 152 is located on the connecting seat 151. Essentially, the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 needs to be movable with the connecting seat 151 to allow it to rise and fall relative to the connecting seat 151. Various structures can achieve this assembly. For example, the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 can directly slide with the connecting seat 151. In some embodiments, a sliding protrusion can be provided on the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14, and a sliding groove can be provided on the connecting seat 151 to slide with the sliding protrusion. In other embodiments, a sliding groove can be provided on the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14, and a sliding protrusion can be provided on the connecting seat 151. Through the sliding engagement between the sliding groove and the sliding protrusion, the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 can compress and deform the elastic element 152 by rising and falling.

[0051] In the embodiments shown in Figures 2 and 3, at least one of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can be fixed with a transition block 16. The connecting seat 151 can be provided with a receiving cavity 1511. The transition block 16 extends at least partially into the receiving cavity 1511 and achieves a sliding engagement with the connecting seat 151 by slidingly engaging with the inner wall of the receiving cavity 1511. The transition block 16 engages with the elastic member 152 to achieve contact or separation with the first detection member 153. In this case, the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 achieves indirect engagement with the elastic member 152 through the transition block 16. To ensure load-bearing strength, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are relatively thick, making it difficult to achieve a sliding engagement assembly. However, by adding the transition block 16, it is beneficial to design the size of the transition block 16, thereby making it easier to achieve a sliding engagement assembly through the transition block 16. In the specific design process, the adapter block 16 can be designed to be thinner, making it easier to extend into the receiving cavity 1511 and to form a sliding fit structure with the inner wall of the receiving cavity 1511. The adapter block 16 and the elastic element 152 can be connected or only in contact, thereby achieving mutual cooperation.

[0052] In an embodiment where only the first support beam 13 is connected to the base 11 via the first detection component 15, only the first support beam 13 is fixed with the adapter block 16, thereby indirectly achieving the connection with the first detection component 15 through the adapter block 16. In an embodiment where only the second support beam 14 is connected to the base 11 via the first detection component 15, only the second support beam 14 is fixed with the adapter block 16, thereby indirectly achieving the connection with the first detection component 15 through the adapter block 16. In an embodiment where the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are respectively connected to the base 11 via corresponding first detection components 15, the first support beam 13 is fixed with the adapter block 16, thereby indirectly achieving the connection with the corresponding first detection component 15 through the adapter block 16, and the second support beam 14 is also fixed with the adapter block 16, thereby indirectly achieving the connection with the corresponding first detection component 15 through the adapter block 16.

[0053] The adapter block 16 can be designed as a detachable structural component, and the adapter block 16 can be detachably connected to the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14. For example, the adapter block 16 can be detachably connected to the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 by means of snap-fit, connector connection, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific installation method of the adapter block 16.

[0054] In this embodiment, the first detection component 15 may further include a cover 154, and the connecting seat 151 may be a groove-shaped body. The cover 154 is fixedly connected to the connecting seat 151 and covers the opening of the groove-shaped body. The first end of the elastic element 152 is fixed to the cover 154, and the second end of the elastic element 152 extends into the receiving cavity 1511 and cooperates with the adapter block 16. The adapter block 16 may cooperate with the elastic element 152 for support, and thus be elastically supported by the elastic element 152. The space inside the groove of the groove-shaped body can be considered as the receiving cavity 1511 mentioned above. This structure can cover the opening of the groove-shaped body with the cover 154, and at the same time, the cover 154 serves as the mounting base for the elastic element 152, making it easier to install the elastic element 152. The cover 154 may be connected to the connecting seat 151 by means of bonding, snap-fitting, threaded connection, etc. This embodiment does not limit the specific connection method between them.

[0055] In this embodiment, the elastic element 152 can be a spring, a rubber component, etc., and this embodiment does not limit the specific type of elastic element 152. To improve the regularity of the expansion and contraction deformation of the elastic element 152, in a further embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first detection component 15 may further include a guide structure 155. The guide structure 155 can be disposed in the receiving cavity 1511, and the elastic element 152 is guided and engaged with the guide structure 155. This structure allows the elastic element 152 to deform along the guide structure 155, thereby improving the deformation effect.

[0056] The guide structure 155 can have various structures. For example, the guide structure 155 can be a guide post, and the elastic member 152 can be sleeved outside the guide post and guide and cooperate with the guide post. In other embodiments, the guide structure 155 can have a guide hole 1551, and the portion of the elastic member 152 is located in the guide hole 1551 and slides and guides with the guide hole 1551. In this structure, it is not necessary for the elastic member 152 to be sleeved outside the guide structure 155, which allows the elastic member 152 to be designed with more types of structures, without having to be designed as a sleeve structure. In a further embodiment, the first detection member 153 can be fixed to the guide structure 155, specifically, the first detection member 153 is located outside the guide hole 1551. In this case, the guide structure 155 not only performs the guiding function, but also provides an installation position for the first detection member 153. It should be noted that the specific installation position of the first detection element 153 is not limited in the embodiments of this application. As long as the first detection element 153 can be triggered by overcoming the elastic force of the elastic element 152 when the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14 carries the support boat 20 or carries a preset number of support boats 20.

[0057] In this embodiment, the adapter block 16 can directly slide against the inner wall of the connecting seat 151 (i.e., the inner wall of the receiving cavity 1511) or indirectly slide against it. To reduce wear, in the embodiment shown in FIG3, a plurality of rolling elements 156 can be provided between the adapter block 16 and the connecting seat 151, and the adapter block 16 slides against the connecting seat 151 through the plurality of rolling elements 156. Specifically, the rolling elements 156 can be balls or rollers, and this embodiment does not limit the specific shape of the rolling elements 156.

[0058] The robotic arm 10 disclosed in this application embodiment may further include multiple rotating connectors 18, all of which are rotatably mounted on the base 11. The first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are rotatably mounted on the base 11 via the rotating connectors 18. The first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 move closer to each other or further apart under the rotational drive of their respective rotating connectors 18. When the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 move closer together, the boat grippers 132 of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 clamp the boat ears 21 on opposite sides of the carrying boat 20. When the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 move further apart, the boat grippers 132 of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 release the boat ears 21 of the carrying boat 20, thereby enabling the robotic arm 10 to switch between unloading and gripping states.

[0059] Specifically, at least one of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 respectively cooperates with the elastic element 152 of its corresponding first detection component 15, and is connected to the corresponding rotating connector 18 through the connecting seat 151 of its corresponding first detection component 15. Then, the rotating connector 18 achieves rotational engagement with the base 11. In the actual operation process, by rotating multiple rotating connectors 18, the first detection component 15 can drive at least one of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to rotate, thereby realizing the state switching of the robot arm 10.

[0060] In order to facilitate the rotation of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14, in a further embodiment, the two ends of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can respectively cooperate with the elastic element 152 of their respective first detection components 15, and be connected to the corresponding rotating connecting member 18 through the connecting seat 151 of their respective first detection components 15.

[0061] In this embodiment, to improve the installation stability of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14, both ends of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are connected to the base 11 at least through corresponding rotating connectors 18. The base 11 can be an integral structure or a split structure. In the case of a split structure, as shown in FIG4, the base 11 may include a first sub-base 111 and a second sub-base 112, which are spaced apart. The first ends of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are connected to the first sub-base 111 through corresponding first detection components 15 and rotating connectors 18. The second ends of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are connected to the second sub-base 112 through corresponding first detection components 15 and rotating connectors 18. In this structure, the first sub-base 111 and the second sub-base 112 support and connect the two ends of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14, respectively. At the same time, the first sub-base 111 and the second sub-base 112 can be spaced apart, so as to better avoid the support boat 20 carried on the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14.

[0062] As described above, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 rotate towards or away from each other under the rotational drive of their respective rotating connectors 18, thereby enabling the robotic arm 10 to switch between gripping and unloading states. In one embodiment, both the first sub-base 111 and the second sub-base 112 may be equipped with a drive mechanism 12, which drives both ends of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 respectively, thereby coordinating to drive the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to rotate towards or away from each other. Specifically, the first support beam 13 rotates around the rotation center of its corresponding rotating connector 18, and the second support beam 14 rotates around the rotation center of its corresponding rotating connector 18, thereby enabling the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to rotate towards or away from each other.

[0063] In the specific process preparation, when the robot arm 10 grasps the carrier boat 20 and places it onto or removes it from the conveying mechanism 40 of the semiconductor process equipment, one end of the robot arm 10 will be close to the furnace opening of the process chamber 30 (see Figure 18), while the other end of the robot arm 10 will be located away from the furnace opening. The temperature is higher at the location closer to the furnace opening of the process chamber 30, which can easily cause the drive mechanism 12 at the end closer to the furnace opening to malfunction or be damaged due to high temperature. Based on this, in another embodiment, the robot arm 10 disclosed in this application includes a drive mechanism 12, a rotating connector 18 connected to the first sub-base 111 as an active connector, and a rotating connector 18 connected to the second sub-base 112 as a driven connector, as shown in Figure 8. The drive mechanism 12 is located on the first sub-base 111 and is connected to the rotating connector 18, which is the active connector. The drive mechanism 12 drives the rotating connector 18, which acts as the active connector, to rotate and move the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 closer or further apart through the corresponding first detection component 15. In the robot arm 10 disclosed in this embodiment, the drive mechanism 12 is only provided on the first sub-base 111, so that the drive mechanism 12, which is only provided on the first sub-base 111, drives the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to rotate and move closer or further apart through the active connector. At the same time, the rotating connector 18, which acts as the driven connector, rotates passively under the drive of the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14, so that the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can rotate relative to the first sub-base 111 and the second sub-base 112 at the same time, thereby achieving mutual approach or mutual distance.

[0064] In this structure, the first sub-base 111 can be positioned in the process chamber 30 at a location relatively far from the furnace opening, so that the drive mechanism 12 located on it is not easily damaged by high temperature, which helps to improve the service life of the robot arm 10.

[0065] In this application embodiment, the type of drive mechanism 12 can be various, and this application embodiment does not limit the specific type of drive mechanism 12. In one embodiment, drive mechanism 12 may include motor 121, commutator 122, first lead screw 123, second lead screw 124, first threaded sleeve 125 and second threaded sleeve 126.

[0066] Motor 121 is the power source of drive mechanism 12. Motor 121 can be a servo motor or other types of motors. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific type of motor 121. As shown in Figures 1, 4, 8 and 9, motor 121 is mounted on the first sub-base 111 and connected to the input terminal of commutator 122.

[0067] The first lead screw 123 and the second lead screw 124 are rotatably mounted on the first sub-base 111. The commutator 122 can be a gearbox. The commutator 122 has a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The first output terminal is connected to the first lead screw 123 to drive the first lead screw 123 to rotate. The second output terminal is connected to the second lead screw 124 to drive the second lead screw 124 to rotate.

[0068] As shown in Figure 8, the first threaded sleeve 125 and the second threaded sleeve 126 are threadedly engaged with the first lead screw 123 and the second lead screw 124, respectively, to form a lead screw mechanism. The first threaded sleeve 125 and the second threaded sleeve 126 are connected to the corresponding rotating connecting members 18 through the first connecting frame 127 and the second connecting frame 128, respectively. The first threaded sleeve 125 and the second threaded sleeve 126 move linearly, causing the first connecting frame 127 and the second connecting frame 128 to push the corresponding rotating connecting members 18 to rotate, that is, to push the corresponding active connecting members to rotate through linear movement. The rotation of the rotating connecting members 18 on the first sub-base 111 enables the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to move closer to each other or further away from each other by rotation, thereby realizing the switching of the robot arm 10 between the gripping state and the unloading state. It should be noted that the first connecting frame 127 and the second connecting frame 128 are movably connected to the corresponding rotating connecting members 18, thereby realizing the coordination between the linear movement of the first connecting frame 127 and the second connecting frame 128 and the rotation of the corresponding rotating connecting members 18.

[0069] This type of drive mechanism 12 can achieve the goal of simultaneously driving the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 to rotate using fewer motors 121, which helps to simplify the structure of the drive mechanism 12. At the same time, the use of the drive mechanism 12 can form a lead screw mechanism, which is a more refined transmission structure, and is conducive to achieving more precise driving of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14.

[0070] In other embodiments, the rotating connector 18 can be replaced by a movable connector that can move relative to the base 11. The movable connectors can move closer to or further away from each other relative to the base 11, thus enabling the robot arm 10 to switch between gripping and unloading states. Since the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are relatively long, using a drive mechanism to drive the movable connector to move the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 closer to or further away would require significant power, resulting in high energy consumption for the drive mechanism 12. However, in the above embodiment, the drive mechanism 12 moves the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 closer to or further away by driving the rotating connector 18, thus requiring less power and reducing energy consumption. In this case, the drive mechanism 12 can be a bidirectional linear motor.

[0071] The robotic arm 10 disclosed in this application embodiment may further include a second detection component 17. As shown in FIG5, the second detection component 17 may include a first light emitter 171 and a first light receiver 172. As shown in FIG8, the first light emitter 171 is disposed on the first sub-base 111, and as shown in FIG9, the first light receiver 172 is disposed on the second sub-base 112, and the two are arranged opposite to each other. As shown in FIG6, when the carrier boat 20 is in a normal position, the first detection light emitted by the first light emitter 171 is not blocked by the carrier boat 20 and can be received by the first light receiver 172, and the first light receiver 172 can emit a normal position signal; as shown in FIG7, when the robotic arm 10 grasps the carrier boat 20 and the carrier boat 20 is in an abnormal position, the first detection light emitted by the first light emitter 171 is blocked by the abnormally positioned carrier boat 20, and therefore cannot be received by the first light receiver 172, and the first light receiver 172 can emit a position abnormal signal. It should be noted that when the robotic arm 10 grasps the carrier boat 20 and the carrier boat 20 is in an abnormal position, the carrier boat 20 may not be properly positioned, deflected, or shifted laterally after being grasped by the robotic arm 10. In this case, part of the structure of the carrier boat 20 will block the first detection light, so that the first light receiver 172 cannot receive the first detection light.

[0072] To achieve more comprehensive position anomaly detection, there can be two second detection components 17. The two second detection components 17 can be respectively set on opposite sides of the carrier boat 20, so as to perform anomaly detection when the opposite sides of the carrier boat 20 shift.

[0073] To detect the state of the robotic arm 10, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the robotic arm 10 disclosed in this application may have a triggering component 193 on the rotating connecting member 18 of at least one of the first sub-base 111 and the second sub-base 112. At least one of the first sub-base 111 and the second sub-base 112 may have a second detection element 191 and a third detection element 192 corresponding to and cooperating with the triggering component 193. When the robotic arm 10 is in a grasping state, the triggering component 193 triggers the second detection element 191 and separates from the third detection element 192. In this case, the triggering of the second detection element 191 can generate a signal indicating that the robotic arm 10 is in a grasping state. When the robotic arm 10 is in an unloading state, the triggering component 193 triggers the third detection element 192 and separates from the second detection element 191. In this case, the triggering of the third detection element 192 can generate a signal indicating that the robotic arm 10 is in an unloading state. It should be noted that the second detection element 191 and the third detection element 192 can be a detection switch or a force sensor. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific types of the second detection element 191 and the third detection element 192.

[0074] In this embodiment, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can have identical structures, respectively supporting and cooperating with the lugs 21 on opposite sides of the carrying boat 20, thereby cooperating to grasp the carrying boat 20. Specifically, as shown in FIG1, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can each include a beam body 131 and a plurality of boat grippers 132 spaced apart along the extension direction of the beam body 131. The boat grippers 132 of the first support beam 13 and the boat grippers 132 of the second support beam 14 can be opposite each other and are respectively used to support the lugs 21 on opposite sides of the carrying boat 20. Each pair of opposite boat grippers 132 can support one carrying boat 20, thereby realizing the grasping of the carrying boat 20. The beam bodies 131 of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are respectively connected to the base 11 through the first detection component 15 and the corresponding rotating connector 18. Specifically, the beam 131 can mate with the elastic element 152 of the first detection component 15 and move with the connecting seat 151. Alternatively, the beam 131 can be fixed with the aforementioned adapter block 16 to indirectly mate with the elastic element 152 and move with the connecting seat 151.

[0075] In a further embodiment, as shown in FIG17, at least one of the beam bodies 131 of the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 may be provided with a third detection component 133, which may be one-to-one with the boat gripper 132 of the first support beam 13 and the boat gripper 132 of the second support beam 14. The third detection component 133 may be a light transceiver, and the third detection component 133 may be used to detect whether the corresponding support boat 20 has been gripped. If the position corresponding to the third detection component 133 lacks a carrier boat 20, it proves that the carrier boat 20 has not been captured at this position. In the specific detection process, the third detection component 133 can emit a second detection light. If the third detection component 133 captures a carrier boat 20 at the corresponding position, the second detection light is projected onto the corresponding carrier boat 20 and reflected back to the third detection component 133 by the carrier boat 20. In other words, the third detection component 133 can receive the reflected second detection light, which proves that the carrier boat 20 has been captured at the corresponding position of the third detection component 133. If the third detection component 133 does not receive the second detection light, it means that the second detection light has not been reflected back by the carrier boat 20, which further proves that the carrier boat 20 has not been captured at the corresponding position of the third detection component 133.

[0076] There are multiple third detection components 133, which are distributed relative to the boat grippers 132. In other words, the boat grippers 132 of the first support beam 13 and the boat grippers 132 of the second support beam 14 can be distributed in pairs, and when there are multiple pairs, each pair of boat grippers 132 can grasp one carrier boat 20, corresponding to one third detection component 133. When the robot arm 10 grasps multiple carrier boats 20, whether each carrier boat 20 has been grasped can be detected by its respective corresponding third detection component 133. This structure can further improve the detection capabilities of the robot arm 10 in determining whether a carrier boat 20 is missing or present.

[0077] In this embodiment, the first detection component 15 can detect whether the robot arm 10 carries a carrier boat 20 or a preset number of carrier boats 20. However, once a carrier boat 20 is detected to be missing, the location of the missing carrier boat 20 cannot be detected. The third detection component 133 consists of multiple components and is used to correspond one-to-one with multiple carrier boats 20. Therefore, it can accurately determine the specific location of the missing carrier boat 20.

[0078] The applicant needs to emphasize that, in this embodiment, the third detection component 133 cannot replace the first detection component 15, thus omitting the first detection component 15. This is because, during the process, the propeller 41 (mentioned later) may break. When the robot arm 10 is open (i.e., the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are separated and spread apart) and is about to grab the carrier boat 20 on the propeller 41, if the propeller 41 breaks after the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 of the robot arm 10 have moved to opposite sides of the carrier boat 20, the robot arm 10 will be unable to continue moving to grab the carrier boat 20. At this time, the third detection component 133 may... The robot arm 10 is already in a position opposite to the carrier boat 20 that it is cooperating with for detection. The third detection component 133 may be blocked and actually triggered, but at this time the robot arm 10 has not actually grabbed the carrier boat 20. It is only in a state of about to grab the carrier boat 20, but at this time the robot arm 10 has not actually grabbed the carrier boat 20. At this time, the judgment is not accurate. The first detection component 15 in this embodiment can more accurately detect whether the robot arm 10 is carrying the carrier boat 20 or whether it is carrying a preset number of carrier boats 20. On this basis, it can further combine with the third detection component 133 to determine which specific position of the robot arm 10 is missing a carrier boat 20.

[0079] Based on the robotic arm 10 disclosed in the embodiments of this application, this application further discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a carrier boat 20 and the robotic arm 10 described in the above embodiments. As shown in FIG15, the carrier boat 20 has boat ears 21 on opposite sides. The first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 are respectively used to support the boat ears 21 on opposite sides of the carrier boat 20, thereby realizing the grasping of the carrier boat 20. Of course, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 can separate from the boat ears 21 through movement, thereby realizing the lowering of the carrier boat 20.

[0080] In the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in this application, the number of carrier boats 20 can be one or more. To improve process throughput, as shown in FIG16, the number of carrier boats 20 can be multiple and arranged adjacent to each other along the extension direction of the first support beam 13. In embodiments with multiple carrier boats 20, as shown in FIG14, at least one of two adjacent carrier boats 20 can be provided with a spacer protrusion 22, which is used to form a flow gap between the two adjacent carrier boats 20. This structure can prevent two adjacent carrier boats 20 from being too close together, and the flow gap facilitates the passage of process gas during the process, thereby allowing the silicon wafers carried on the carrier boats 20 to have more sufficient contact with the process gas, thus improving the process efficiency.

[0081] In this application embodiment, the structure of the support boat 20 can be varied. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG13, the support boat 20 may include a first end plate 23, a second end plate 24, and a plurality of slot rods 25. The plurality of slot rods 25 are connected between the first end plate 23 and the second end plate 24, and are spaced apart. The plurality of slot rods 25 form a silicon wafer positioning space. The slot rods 25 have a plurality of positioning slots arranged along their extension direction. The silicon wafer is placed in the silicon wafer positioning space and positioned in the corresponding positioning slots of the plurality of slot rods 25, thereby realizing the placement of the silicon wafer in the support boat 20.

[0082] As described above, the carrier boat 20 in this embodiment does not require a special bracket and can be directly grasped by the robot arm 10 and transported to the conveying mechanism 40. Finally, it is conveyed by the conveying mechanism 40 into the process chamber 30, where it is directly supported by the inner wall. Based on this, as shown in FIG13, the carrier boat 20 disclosed in this embodiment may further include at least two support members 26, which are spaced apart along the extension direction of the first support beam 13. Each support member 26 includes two support feet 261 respectively disposed opposite to the first end plate 23 and the second end plate 24, as shown in FIG15. The support feet 261 are used for supporting contact with the inner wall of the process chamber 30 of the semiconductor process equipment. The support feet 261 are plate-shaped structural members perpendicular to the first end plate 23 or the second end plate 24. The first end plate 23 and the second end plate 24 can be parallel, and there can also be a small angle between the first end plate 23 and the second end plate 24. The boat ears 21 on opposite sides of the supporting boat 20 are respectively provided on the opposite surfaces of the first end plate 23 and the second end plate 24. The opposite surfaces of the first end plate 23 and the second end plate 24 are actually part of the outer surface of the supporting boat 20.

[0083] As shown in Figure 18, the semiconductor process equipment also includes a conveying mechanism 40. The carrier boat 20 grasped by the robot arm 10 is placed on the propeller 41 of the conveying mechanism 40. The propeller 41 is essentially inserted between the two support legs 261 of each support member 26. The extension direction of the propeller 41 can be parallel to the first end plate 23 or the second end plate 24. In this structure, since the support legs 261 are perpendicular to the first end plate 23 or the second end plate 24, increasing the thickness of the support legs 261 does not affect the propeller 41 passing through the two support legs 261 of each support member 26. Therefore, this structure of the carrier boat 20 allows for a larger design thickness of the support legs 261, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the support member 26 and making the support member 26 less prone to deformation in the process chamber 30, ultimately improving the stability of the structure. It also ensures that the propeller 41 of the conveying mechanism 40 will not fail to support the carrier boat 20 due to deformation of the carrier boat 20 when they cooperate.

[0084] During the specific transport process, the robot arm 10 places the carrier boat 20 on the support paddle 41. When there are one or more carrier boats 20, the first positioning groove 263 (see Figure 15) of each carrier boat 20 is positioned and engaged with the support paddle 41. This is equivalent to the support paddle 41 passing through the first positioning groove 263 of each carrier boat 20. The support paddle 41 lifts the carrier boat 20 and drives it into the process chamber 30. Then, the support paddle 41 drives the carrier boat 20 down until it lands on the inner wall of the process chamber 30. The support paddle 41 then descends, separating from the carrier boat 20, and finally withdraws, thus separating from the carrier boat 20. After the process (e.g., diffusion process) is completed, the support paddle 41 extends into the process chamber 30 and passes through the first positioning groove 263 of the carrier boat 20. Then, the support paddle 41 rises, lifting the carrier boat 20 and driving it out of the process chamber 30.

[0085] As described in this process, the propeller 41 needs to support the carrier boat 20 for transportation. During this process, the weight of the carrier boat 20 and the silicon wafers loaded in it is borne by the propeller 41. In some embodiments, the propeller 41 can directly cooperate with the slotted rod 25 located at the bottom of the carrier boat 20 among multiple slotted rods 25, thereby supporting the carrier boat 20 and the silicon wafers on it. However, the slotted rod 25 has multiple positioning slots, and its strength is limited, making it prone to breakage and other damage, which can easily lead to process failure. Based on this, in another embodiment, as shown in FIG13, the support member 26 may further include a connecting plate 262. In each support member 26, the connecting plate 262 connects two support feet 261 and forms a first positioning slot 263. The support member 26 is connected to the first end plate 23 and the second end plate 24. The first positioning slot extends through the first support beam 13 or the second support beam 14, which is also the direction in which the propeller 41 passes through the support member 26. As described above, the semiconductor process chamber disclosed in this application also includes a conveying mechanism 40, whose propeller 41 is used to cooperate with the first positioning groove 263. In this structure, the connecting plate 262 connects two support feet 261 within the same support member 26, similar to a rib, which can improve the strength of the support member 26 to achieve a better support effect. At the same time, the connecting plate 262 forms the bottom wall of the first positioning groove 263, which can directly cooperate with the propeller 41 to support the carrier boat 20. Since the support member 26 including the connecting plate 262 has high strength, it can better achieve the support cooperation between the carrier boat 20 and the propeller 41. Meanwhile, the connecting plate 262 protrudes from the slotted rod 25 located at the bottom of the carrier boat 20 among the multiple slotted rods 25, thereby isolating the multiple slotted rods 25 from the propeller 41, so that the connecting plate 262 can directly cooperate with the propeller 41, avoiding contact between the slotted rods 25 and the propeller 41, and thus avoiding the problem of the slotted rods 25 being easily damaged by large loads.

[0086] The semiconductor process equipment disclosed in this application may include not only a process chamber 30 and a conveying mechanism 40, as shown in FIG18, but also a storage support 50 and a feeding mechanism 60. As described above, the conveying mechanism 40 includes a paddle 41 opposite to the process chamber 30, and the feeding mechanism 60 is used to carry the carrier boat 20 of the unprocessed silicon wafer. A robot arm 10 is movably mounted on the storage support 50, and a driving device may be provided between the robot arm 10 and the storage support 50. The driving device can drive the robot arm 10 to move as a whole, enabling the robot arm 10 to move in multiple directions in space, thereby realizing that the robot arm 10 can grasp or put down the carrier boat 20 at different positions.

[0087] In the specific working process, the robotic arm 10 is used to transfer the carrier boat 20 carrying unprocessed silicon wafers from the feeding mechanism 60 to the support paddle 41. The conveying mechanism 40 drives the support paddle 41 to transport the carrier boat 20 carrying unprocessed silicon wafers into the process chamber 30 and to transport the carrier boat 20 carrying processed silicon wafers out of the process chamber 30. The robotic arm 10 is also used to transfer the carrier boat 20 carrying processed silicon wafers from the support paddle 41 to the storage rack 50. During the transfer of the carrier boat 20, the robotic arm 10 can achieve the gripping and lowering of the carrier boat 20 by switching states. Specifically, the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 move closer to each other and move to the underside of the boat ears 21 on opposite sides of the carrier boat 20, thereby cooperating with the corresponding boat ears 21 to grip the carrier boat 20 by lifting the boat ears 21. After the first support beam 13 and the second support beam 14 move away from each other and are removed from under the boat ears 21 on opposite sides of the carrying boat 20, the support engagement with the corresponding boat ears 21 is released, and the robot arm 10 releases the carrying boat 20.

[0088] In this embodiment, the conveying mechanism 40 includes a paddle 41 and a drive body 42 capable of driving the paddle 41. The paddle 41 is movably mounted on the drive body 42, which can drive the paddle 41 to move in multiple dimensions. As described above, the drive body 42 can at least drive the paddle 41 to move in and out of the process chamber 30, thereby allowing the paddle 41 to be withdrawn from or enter the process chamber 30. The drive body 42 can also drive the paddle 41 to rise and fall, thereby lowering the carrier boat 20 into or lifting it from the process chamber 30.

[0089] As described above, in order to improve process efficiency, the robotic arm 10 grasps multiple carrier boats 20 at a time. The carrier boats 20 are arranged in a row, grasped, and transported to the propeller 41. To better determine the number of carrier boats 20 input into or output from the process chamber 30, in a specific embodiment, as shown in FIG18, the drive body 42 may be equipped with a first sensor 43, and the top of the carrier boat 20 may have a detection engagement protrusion 27. There are multiple carrier boats 20 arranged along the moving direction of the propeller 41, and the first sensor 43 can be used to engage with the detection engagement protrusion 27 of each carrier boat 20. In the specific working process, the propeller 41 moves under the drive of the drive body 42, thereby driving each carrier boat 20 on it to move relative to the drive body 42. As the propeller 41 moves, each carrier boat 20 passes through the first sensor 43 one by one. Each carrier boat 20 will engage with the first sensor 43 through the detection engagement protrusion 27, thereby triggering the first sensor 43. If the first sensor 43 is triggered an equal number of times during the input and output of the carrier boat 20, it indicates that there is no omission of the carrier boat 20 during the process of entering and exiting the process chamber 30.

[0090] In a further optional embodiment, the drive body 42 may also be equipped with a second sensor 44. The first sensor 43 and the second sensor 44 may be distributed at intervals in the direction of movement of the propeller 41. The second sensor 44 may also cooperate with the detection engagement protrusion 27 on the carrier boat 20 to achieve the purpose of detection. As mentioned above, there may be multiple carrier boats 20, which may be arranged in a row. The first sensor 43 is used to cooperate with the detection engagement protrusion 27 of the carrier boat 20 located at one end, and the second sensor 44 is used to cooperate with the detection engagement protrusion 27 of the carrier boat 20 located at the other end. After the robot arm 10 places multiple carrier boats 20 arranged in a row on the propeller 41, the first sensor 43 and the second sensor 44 are respectively triggered by the detection engagement protrusion 27 of their respective carrier boats 20. In this case, it indicates that the robot arm 10 placed the multiple carrier boats 20 on the propeller 41 in an accurate position and there was no offset. This structure can detect whether the multiple carrier boats 20 have been placed in place, which is beneficial to the subsequent precise driving of the multiple carrier boats 20 by the drive body 42.

[0091] As described in the above work process description, the unprocessed carrier boat 20 will be temporarily stored on the feeding mechanism 60 and await the gripping of the robot arm 10. After being gripped by the robot arm 10, the processed carrier boat 20 will be placed on the storage rack 50. In order to facilitate the accurate placement of the carrier boat 20, at least one of the storage rack 50 and the feeding mechanism 60 may include at least one boat temporary storage rack 51.

[0092] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG20, the storage rack 50 may further include a base 52, and the boat storage rack 51 included in the storage rack 50 may be fixedly mounted on the base 52. Specifically, the storage rack 50 may include one boat storage rack 51 or multiple boat storage racks 51. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific number of boat storage racks 51 included in the storage rack 50. In embodiments where the storage rack 50 includes multiple boat storage racks 51, the multiple boat storage racks 51 may be distributed at intervals, for example, in a vertical direction.

[0093] In another embodiment, the feeding mechanism 60 may also include a base 61, and the boat storage rack 51 included in the feeding mechanism 60 may be fixedly mounted on the base 61.

[0094] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG21, the boat storage rack 51 may include a frame 511 and paired support units 512, which are disposed on the frame 511. Each support unit 512 is used to support the boat ears 21 opposite to the carrying boat 20. As shown in FIG22, the support unit 512 includes a support platform 5121 and an inclined guide 5122. The inclined guide 5122 is connected to the support platform 5121 and is used to guide the carrying boat 20 onto the support platform 5121 and position it on the support platform 5121 in a first direction. This structure allows the robot arm 10 to place the carrying boat 20 onto the boat storage rack 51, so that even if there is a deviation in the carrying boat 20, the boat ears 21 will contact the inclined guide 5122 and be correctly transferred to the support platform 5121 under the guidance of the inclined guide 5122, and finally set up on the support platform 5121. The first direction can be the distribution direction of the paired support units 512, or the distribution direction of the opposite sides of the boat bearing ears 21 on the boat 20.

[0095] In a further embodiment, as shown in FIG22, each support unit 512 of the boat temporary storage rack 51 disclosed in this application may further include a positioning protrusion 5123. The positioning protrusion 5123 may be a columnar protrusion or a protrusion of other shapes, and the positioning protrusions 5123 are distributed at intervals with the support platform 5121. As shown in FIG13 and FIG14, a second positioning groove 28 may be provided at the bottom of the carrying boat 20. As shown in FIG23, the positioning protrusion 5123 is used to position and cooperate with the second positioning groove 28 in the arrangement direction of the carrying boat 20, thereby preventing the carrying boat 20 from shifting in the arrangement direction of multiple carrying boats 20. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the arrangement direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and both the first direction and the arrangement direction are perpendicular to the support direction of the support platform 5121. In this structure, the positioning protrusion 5123 cooperates with the second positioning groove 28, thereby realizing the positioning of the arrangement direction. The boat storage rack 51 with this structure enables the carrying boat 20 to be positioned more accurately on the boat storage rack 51 after it is lowered, avoiding the problem of the carrying boat 20 shifting and causing inconvenience in subsequent grabbing.

[0096] In one embodiment, a boat ear 21 can be provided on each of the opposite sides of the carrier boat 20, or multiple boat ears 21 can be provided. For example, two boat ears 21 can be provided on each of the opposite sides of the carrier boat 20. More boat ears 21 can improve the gripping stability of the robot arm 10 on the carrier boat 20, and also help the carrier boat 20 to be placed more stably on the boat temporary storage rack 51.

[0097] In an embodiment where two boat ears 21 are provided on opposite sides of the support boat 20, each support unit 512 may include two support platforms 5121 and two inclined guide portions 5122. The two boat ears 21 located on the same side of the support boat 20 may respectively cooperate with the two inclined guide portions 5122 and the two support platforms 5121. Further, the positioning protrusion 5123 may be located between the two support platforms 5121 and the two inclined guide portions 5122 in the same support unit 512.

[0098] The above embodiments of this application 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. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0099] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application 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 this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A robotic arm for picking up and placing a carrier boat, characterized in that, The robotic arm includes a base, a first support beam, a second support beam, and a first detection component. At least one of the first support beam and the second support beam is connected to the base through the first detection component; the first detection component includes a connecting seat, an elastic element and a first detection element disposed on the connecting seat, the elastic element cooperating with the first support beam or the second support beam, and the connecting seat being connected to the base. When the robotic arm carries a carrier boat or a preset number of carrier boats, the first support beam or the second support beam is driven by the gravity of the carrier boat to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element and trigger the first detection element.

2. The robotic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the robotic arm is not carrying the carrier boat or the number of carrier boats it carries is less than the preset number, the first support beam or the second support beam is driven by the elastic element to separate from the first detection element.

3. The robotic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm further includes: at least one adapter block, at least one of the first support beam and the second support beam being connected to the adapter block and slidingly engaged with the connecting seat through the adapter block, the adapter block engaging with the elastic element to contact or separate from the first detection element.

4. The robotic arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first detection component further includes a cover, the connecting seat is a groove-shaped body, the cover is fixedly connected to the connecting seat and forms a receiving cavity with the connecting seat, the adapter block extends at least partially into the receiving cavity, the first end of the elastic member is fixed to the cover, the second end of the elastic member extends into the receiving cavity and supports and cooperates with the adapter block.

5. The robotic arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first detection component further includes a guide structure, which is disposed in the connecting seat, and the elastic element is guided and engaged with the guide structure.

6. The robotic arm according to claim 5, characterized in that, The guide structure has a guide hole, the elastic element is located in the guide hole and slides with the guide hole, and the first detection element is fixed on the guide structure.

7. The robotic arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, A plurality of rolling elements are provided between the adapter block and the connecting seat, and the adapter block slides with the connecting seat through the plurality of rolling elements.

8. The robotic arm according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The robotic arm also includes multiple rotating connectors, all of which are rotatably mounted on the base. The first support beam and the second support beam are respectively provided with the first detection component at both ends and cooperate with the elastic element of their respective first detection components. The two ends of the first support beam and the second support beam correspond to the multiple rotating connectors. The first support beam and the second support beam are connected to the corresponding rotating connectors through the connecting seat of their respective first detection components.

9. The robotic arm according to claim 8, characterized in that, The base includes a first sub-base and a second sub-base spaced apart. The first end of the first support beam and the first end of the second support beam are connected to the first sub-base via the first detection component and the rotating connector corresponding to each other. The second end of the first support beam and the second end of the second support beam are connected to the second sub-base via the first detection component and the rotating connector corresponding to each other.

10. The robotic arm according to claim 9, characterized in that, The robotic arm also includes a drive mechanism. The rotating connector connected to the first sub-base is an active connector, and the rotating connector connected to the second sub-base is a driven connector. The drive mechanism is located on the first sub-base and connected to the active connector. The drive mechanism drives the active connector to drive the first support beam and the second support beam to move closer to or further away from each other by rotating through the corresponding first detection components.

11. The robotic arm according to claim 10, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a motor, a commutator, a first lead screw, a second lead screw, a first threaded sleeve, and a second threaded sleeve. The motor is mounted on the first sub-base and connected to the input end of the commutator. The first output terminal and the second output terminal of the commutator are respectively connected to the first lead screw and the second lead screw to drive the first lead screw and the second lead screw to rotate. The first threaded sleeve and the second threaded sleeve are respectively threaded with the first lead screw and the second lead screw to form a lead screw mechanism. The first threaded sleeve and the second threaded sleeve are respectively connected to the corresponding rotating connecting member through the first connecting frame and the second connecting frame to drive the corresponding rotating connecting member to rotate through linear movement.

12. The robotic arm according to claim 9, characterized in that, The robotic arm also includes a second detection component, which includes a first light emitter and a first light receiver. The first light emitter and the first light receiver are respectively disposed on the first sub-base and the second sub-base and are arranged opposite to each other. When the position of the carrier boat is abnormal, the first detection light emitted by the first light emitter is blocked.

13. The robotic arm according to claim 9, characterized in that, The rotating connector on at least one of the first sub-base and the second sub-base is provided with a triggering component, and at least one of the first sub-base and the second sub-base is provided with a second detection component and a third detection component that cooperate with the triggering component. When the robotic arm is in a grasping state, the triggering component triggers the second detection element and separates from the third detection element; or When the robotic arm is in the unloading state, the triggering component triggers the third detection element and separates from the second detection element.

14. The robotic arm according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Both the first support beam and the second support beam include a beam body and a plurality of boat grippers spaced apart along the extension direction of the beam body. The boat grippers of the first support beam and the boat grippers of the second support beam are opposite to each other and are used to support the boat ears distributed opposite to each other on the supporting boat.

15. The robotic arm according to claim 14, characterized in that, At least one of the beams of the first support beam and the second support beam is provided with a third detection component, which is opposite to the boat gripper of the first support beam and the boat gripper of the second support beam.

16. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a support boat and a robotic arm as described in any one of claims 1 to 15. The support boat is provided with boat ears on opposite sides. When the robotic arm is in a grasping state, the first support beam and the second support beam respectively support the corresponding boat ears of the support boat.

17. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 16, characterized in that, There are multiple carrier boats, and at least one of two adjacent carrier boats is provided with a separation protrusion, which is used to form a flow gap between the two adjacent carrier boats.

18. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 16, characterized in that, The support boat includes a first end plate, a second end plate, and a plurality of slotted bars that connect the first end plate and the second end plate and are spaced apart. The plurality of slotted bars form a silicon wafer positioning space. The support boat also includes at least two support members that are spaced apart along the extension direction of the first support beam. Each support member includes two support feet that are respectively disposed opposite to the first end plate and the second end plate. The support feet are used to make support contact with the inner wall of the process chamber of the semiconductor process equipment. The support feet are plate-shaped structural members perpendicular to the first end plate or the second end plate.

19. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 18, characterized in that, The support member further includes a connecting plate. In each support member, the connecting plate connects two support legs and forms a first positioning groove. The support member is connected to the first end plate and the second end plate. The first positioning groove extends through the extension direction of the first support beam. The semiconductor process equipment further includes a conveying mechanism. The paddle of the conveying mechanism is used to cooperate with the first positioning groove.

20. The semiconductor process equipment according to any one of claims 16 to 19, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment further includes a conveying mechanism, which includes a driving body and a paddle. The paddle is movably mounted on the driving body. The driving body is provided with a first sensor and a second sensor, which are distributed at intervals in the moving direction of the paddle. The top of the carrier boat has a detection engagement protrusion. There are multiple carrier boats arranged along the moving direction of the paddle. The first sensor is used to engage with the detection engagement protrusion of the carrier boat located at one end, and the second sensor is used to engage with the detection engagement protrusion of the carrier boat located at the other end.

21. The semiconductor process equipment according to any one of claims 16 to 19, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment further includes at least one boat storage rack, which includes a frame and paired support units disposed on the frame. Each pair of support units is used to support the boat ears facing opposite each other on the carrier boat. The support unit includes a support platform, an inclined guide, and a positioning protrusion. The bottom of the carrier boat is provided with a second positioning groove. The inclined guide part is connected to the support platform and is used to guide the carrier boat to the support platform and position it on the support platform in a first direction. The positioning protrusion and the second positioning groove are positioned and cooperated with in the arrangement direction of the carrier boat. The first direction is perpendicular to the arrangement direction and perpendicular to the support direction of the support platform.

Images