Patent Application
20140227072
This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0015605, filed on Feb. 14, 2013 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a wafer transfer blade and/or a wafer transfer apparatus having the wafer transfer blade. More particularly, example embodiments relate a wafer transfer blade for manufacturing a semiconductor and/or a wafer transfer apparatus having the wafer transfer blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a wafer transfer apparatus includes a wafer transfer blade. During a manufacturing process of a wafer, the wafer may be loaded to or un-loaded from a front opening unified pod (FOUP) using the wafer transfer blade. At this time, static electricity generated during the manufacturing process may interrupt the wafer being separated from the wafer transfer blade while the wafer is loaded or un-loaded, thereby causing, for example, the wafer to be shocked in the FOUP of the wafer transfer apparatus.
At least one example embodiment provides a wafer transfer blade capable of decreasing a shock during a wafer loading/unloading process.
At least one example embodiment provides a wafer transfer apparatus having the wafer transfer blade.
According to some example embodiments, a wafer transfer blade may include a body configured to support a wafer. The body may include metal oxide and at least one a vacuum hole defined therein. The first vacuum hole may be configured to apply vacuum pressure therethrough such that the wafer is attached to the body.
In some example embodiments, the metal oxide may be titanium dioxide.
In some example embodiments, the wafer transfer blade may further include a first branch extending from the body, and a second branch extending from the body. The first branch may include at least one second vacuum hole defined therein, the second branch may include at least one third vacuum hole defined therein, and the first to third vacuum holes may be configured to apply vacuum pressures therethrough such that the wafer is attached to the body
In some example embodiments, the body, the first branch and the second branch may form a Y-shape. The first to third vacuum holes may be disposed in a triangle.
In some example embodiments, the body, the first branch and the second branch may be configured to contact the wafer when the wafer is carried thereon.
In some example embodiments, the wafer transfer blade may further include a first contact pad, a second contact pad, and a third contact pad. The first contact pad may be disposed on the body and have a first opening. The second contact pad may be disposed on the first branch and have a second opening. The third contact pad may be disposed on the second branch and have a third opening. The first to third vacuum holes may be connected to the first to third openings of the first to third contact pads, respectively. The first to third contact pads may be configured to contact the wafer such that the body, the first branch, and the second branch may be spaced apart from the wafer when the wafer is carried on the wafer transfer blade.
In some example embodiments, the first to third contact pads may include polyimide plastic.
In some example embodiments, the wafer transfer blade may further include a ground part connected to the body to discharge static electricity.
According to some example embodiments, a wafer transfer blade may include a body including metal oxide and configured to support a wafer, a first guide wall formed at a first end of the body, and a second guide wall formed at a second end of the body. The second end may be opposite to the first end.
In some example embodiments, the metal oxide may include titanium dioxide.
In some example embodiments, the body may be configured to contact the wafer when the wafer is carried.
In some example embodiments, the wafer transfer blade may further include a plurality of contact pad disposed on the body. When the wafer is carried on the wafer transfer blade in contact with the contact pads, the wafer may be spaced apart from the body.
According to some example embodiments, a wafer transfer apparatus may include a wafer transfer blade and a first arm connected to the wafer transfer blade. The wafer transfer blade may include a body to support a wafer, and an absorbing part on the body and having at least one vacuum hole therein to apply vacuum pressure to attach the wafer on the body. The body may include metal oxide to prevent static electricity.
In some example embodiments, the metal oxide may include titanium dioxide.
In some example embodiments, the wafer transfer apparatus may further include a second arm connected to the first arm. The wafer transfer blade may be configured to move up and down and right and left based on movements of the first arm and the second arm.
According to some example embodiments, a wafer transfer blade including a metal oxide, which has a relatively low electrical insulation resistance, may transfer a wafer undergone implant process and ashing process with mitigating or preventing static elasticity on the wafer.
According to some example embodiments, a wafer transfer blade may include a body configured to support a wafer and the body may include metal oxide and a wafer holding portion nit configured to hold the wafer.
In some example embodiments, the wafer holding portion may include at least one vacuum hole defined in the body, the vacuum hole configured to apply vacuum pressure therethrough such that the wafer is adsorped to the body.
In some example embodiments, the wafer holding portion may include at least one elastic contact pad.
In some example embodiments, the elastic contact pad may include an opening defined therein, the wafer holding portion may include at least one vacuum hole, and the vacuum hole may be connected to the opening and may be configured to provide vacuum pressure through the opening such that the wafer is adsorped on the elastic contact pad.
In some example embodiments, the wafer holding portion may be defined by at least one guide wall at at least one end of the body, the guide wall configured to confine the wafer within the wafer holding portion. Further, the wafer transfer blade may include first to third vacuum holes formed on a body, a first branch and a second branch, respectively, so that damage to the wafer is prevented or mitigated.
Further, the wafer transfer blade may include first to third contact pads including an elastic material so that damage to the wafer may be prevented or mitigated.
Further, the wafer transfer blade may be separated from the wafer in a direction perpendicular to a lower surface of the wafer during an un-loading in a FOUP so that damage to the wafer may be prevented or mitigated.
Example embodiments will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Various example embodiments will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some example embodiments are shown. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.
It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Example embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized example embodiments (and intermediate structures). As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, example embodiments should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, an implanted region illustrated as a rectangle will, typically, have rounded or curved features and/or a gradient of implant concentration at its edges rather than a binary change from implanted to non-implanted region. Likewise, a buried region formed by implantation may result in some implantation in the region between the buried region and the surface through which the implantation takes place. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
Hereinafter, some example embodiments will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The body 102, the first branch 104, and the second branch 106 may include a material which protects the wafer from being damaged by static electricity. For example, the body 102, the first branch 104, and the second branch 106 may include a material (e.g., metal oxide) having a relatively low electrical insulation resistance. For example, the body 102, the first branch 104, and the second branch 106 may include titanium dioxide, which has an electrical insulation resistance of about 1Ω. Further, surfaces of the body 102, the first branch 104, and the second branch 106 may be coated by, e.g., titanium dioxide. In addition, the body 102, body 102, the first branch 104 and the second branch 106 may include ceramic.
When the body 102, the first branch 104, and the second branch 106 are formed using titanium dioxide, during a transferring process of a wafer (e.g., transferring wafer from an implant processing area to an ashing processing area), the wafer transfer blade 100 in the example embodiment experiences static electricity of about 0.1 kv/in on average compared to the average static electricity of about 6 kv/in of a traditional wafer transfer blade. The above result has been confirmed by an experiment.
First to third vacuum holes 110, 120, and 130 may be formed on the wafer transfer blade 100. The first to third vacuum holes 110, 120, and 130 may attach the wafer to the wafer transfer blade 100 using a vacuum pressure. The first to third vacuum holes 110, 120, and 130 may be disposed at positions on the wafer transfer blade 100 to properly carry the wafer. For example, the first vacuum hole 110 may be disposed on the body 102, the second vacuum hole 120 may be disposed on the first branch 104, and the third vacuum hole 130 may be disposed on the second branch 106. Thus, the first to third vacuum holes 110, 120, and 130 may be disposed, for example, in a triangle such that the wafer on the wafer transfer blade 100 is attached and carried by the vacuum pressure with a center of the triangle coinciding with the center of the wafer. At this time, a lower surface of the wafer makes contact with the body 102, the first branch 104, and the second branch 106 of the wafer transfer blade 100.
The first to third vacuum holes 110, 120, and 130 may generate same or similar vacuum pressure such that the first to third vacuum holes 110, 120, and 130 apply the same or similar force to the wafer.
Although not shown in figures, the wafer transfer blade 100 may further include a ground part, which is electrically connected with the body 102 to discharge static electricity.
Referring to
The wafer transfer blade 200 may include a body 202, a first branch 204 extending from the body 202, and a second branch 206 extending from the body 202.
The first to third contact pads 212, 222, and 232 may be disposed on the wafer transfer blade 200. The first contact pad 212 may be disposed on the body 202, the second contact pad 222 may be disposed on the first branch 204, and the third contact pad 232 may be disposed on the second branch 206. The first to third contact pads 212, 222, and 232 may contact a wafer (refers 10 of
The first to third contact pads 212, 222, and 232, which contact the wafer, may include an elastic material to reduce or prevent damage to the wafer. Thus, the first to third contact pads 212, 222 and 232 may include, for example, polyimide plastic (e.g., Vespel sold by Dupont).
The guide wall 203 may be formed on the body 202. The guide wall 203 may have a height greater than a thickness of the first to third contact pads 212, 222 and 232, so that the guide wall 203 may prevent the wafer from being separated or from sliding from the wafer transfer blade 200.
Referring to
Referring to
When the wafer is carried or placed onto the wafer transfer blade 300 (or, alternatively the wafer blade 300 is placed under the wafer), the wafer may be disposed on the body 310 and may contact the body 310.
The body 310 may include a material which protects the wafer from being damaged by static electricity. The body 310 may include a material (e.g., metal oxide) having a relatively low electrical insulation resistance. For example, the body 302 may include titanium dioxide. Further, surfaces of the body 302 may be coated by, e.g., titanium dioxide. Further, the body 302 may include ceramic.
The wafer transfer blade 300 may not include an additional grip element. Further, the wafer transfer blade 300 may further include an additional grip element (not shown) to prevent the wafer from being separated or from sliding from the wafer transfer blade 300.
Referring to
The contact pads 440 may be disposed on a body 410. The contact pads 440 may be disposed, for instance, in a triangle. The contact pads 440 may have a specific height smaller than those of first and second guide walls 420 and 430. Accordingly, A wafer may be prevented from being spaced apart or from sliding from the body 410.
The contact pads 440 may include an elastic material to reduce or prevent damage to the wafer. Thus, the contact pads 440 may include, for example, polyimide plastic (e.g., Vespel sold by Dupont).
Referring to
Referring to
An example of loading a wafer 10 in a front opening unified Pod (FOUP) 50 using the wafer transfer apparatus 1000 is described in
The wafer transfer blade 200 may include, for example, titanium dioxide, and the first to third contact pads 212, 222, and 232 of
An example of un-loading or releasing a wafer 10 in the FOUP 50 using the wafer transfer apparatus 1000 is described in
The wafer transfer blade 200 may include, for example, titanium dioxide, and the first to third contact pads 212, 222, and 232 of
According to example embodiments, a wafer transfer blade may include a material (e.g., metal oxide) having a relatively low electrical insulation resistance. Thus, a wafer moving for example, from IMP processing area to an ashing processing area may be carried preventing or reducing static elasticity related problems.
Further, the wafer transfer blade may include first to third vacuum holes formed on a body, a first branch and a second branch, respectively so that damage to the wafer is prevented or minimized.
Further, the wafer transfer blade may include first to third contact pads including, for example, an elastic material so that damage to the wafer is prevented or minimized.
Further, the wafer transfer blade may be separated from the wafer in a direction perpendicular to a lower surface of the wafer during an un-loading in a FOUP such that damage to the wafer is prevented or minimized.
The foregoing is illustrative of example embodiments and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few example embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the example embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present inventive concepts. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present inventive concept as defined in the claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments and is not to be construed as limited to the specific example embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed example embodiments, as well as other example embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2013-0015605 | Feb 2013 | KR | national |
