200810006 九、發明說明： 【發明所屬之技術領域】 本發明係有關於一種半導體製造設備之改良，特別是有關於 在定位卡栓(Kinematic Coupling pin或稱KC pin)頂端加裝滚珠機 構，降低摩擦力，進而降低粒污染及FOUP晶圓傳送念底座損 傷的設計。 【先前技術】 如熟習該項技藝者所知，在300mm晶圓薇中，具有 晶圓傳送盒(Front Opening Unified Pod，FOUP)、晶圓载入機（L〇ad Port Unit, LPU)及微環境(Minienvironment，Μ/E)的晶圓載卸模 組（Material Loading Module)為目前主要的晶圓载卸設備，其中 FOUP晶圓傳送盒專作晶圓儲存及傳輸之用，而Lpu晶圓載入機 則疋用來開啟FOUP晶圓傳送盒邊門的裝置，使得儲存於F〇up 晶圓傳送盒内之晶圓得以經由一機械手臂而載入製程機台。 FOUP晶圓傳送盒是儲存和傳送過程中存放晶圓的密封容 器’主要用來隔離晶圓及晶圓架與周圍環境接觸，以避免存於内 部之晶圓遭受污染。通常F0UP晶圓傳送盒内存有Μ #晶圓，其 編號方式乃由下往上，最下方為位置！，而最上方為位置25，各 位置的晶圓皆會被架設於微環肋之機械手臂依序載人製程設備 進行製程。 200810006 LPU晶圓载入機乃是用來開啟FOUP晶圓傳送盒的邊門的機 構，使儲存於FOUP晶圓傳送盒内之晶圓得以載入製程機台，其 主要由FOUP置放台(FOUP Stage)及前開機械介面(FrontK)pening Interface Mechanism)所組成。 然而，在習知技藝中，機台loadport的定位卡栓(KCpin)容易 與FOUP晶圓傳送盒的底座產生摩擦，長久下來定位卡栓及機台 loadport容易產生微粒污染且F0UP晶圓傳送盒的底座也容易因此 損傷。 【發明内容】 因此，本發明之目的即在提供一種改良的Lpu晶圓載入機上 的疋位卡栓(KCPm)設計，以改善前述習知技藝中所產生的微粒污 染等問題。 * * . 根據本發明之較佳實施例，本發明提供一種具有改良定位卡 栓的晶圓载入設備，包含有一 FOUP置放台(F〇UPStage);以及至 少一凸出於該FOUP置放台的定位卡栓(KC pin);其中該定位卡栓 具有一滾珠機構，設置於該定位卡栓的頂部位置，並由一軸承(ball bearing)配合支撐該滚珠機構，使其可以自由滾動。 為了使貴審查委員能更進一步了解本發明之特徵及技術内 备’明參閱以下有關本發明之詳細說明與附圖。然、而所附圖式僅 200810006 供參考與說明用，並非用來對本發明加以限制者。 【實施方式】200810006 IX. Description of the Invention: [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an improvement of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to the addition of a ball mechanism at the top of a positioning clamp (Kinematic Coupling pin or KC pin) to reduce friction Force, which in turn reduces the design of particle contamination and FOUP wafer transfer damage. [Prior Art] As known to those skilled in the art, in a 300mm wafer, there is a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP), a wafer loader (LPU), and a micro Environment (Minienvironment, Μ / E) wafer loading module (Material Loading Module) is currently the main wafer loading and unloading equipment, of which FOUP wafer transfer box is dedicated for wafer storage and transmission, while Lpu wafer loading The access device is used to open the FOUP wafer transfer cassette side door, so that the wafer stored in the F〇up wafer transfer cassette can be loaded into the processing machine via a robot arm. The FOUP wafer cassette is a sealed container for storing wafers during storage and transfer. The main purpose is to isolate the wafer and wafer holder from contact with the surrounding environment to avoid contamination of the internal wafer. Usually, the F0UP wafer transfer cassette has Μ# wafers, which are numbered from bottom to top and bottom position! At the top, the position is 25, and the wafers at each position are processed by the robotic arm mounted on the micro-ring ribs in sequence. 200810006 LPU wafer loader is the mechanism used to open the side door of the FOUP wafer transfer cassette, so that the wafer stored in the FOUP wafer transfer cassette can be loaded into the processing machine, which is mainly used by the FOUP placement table (FOUP). Stage) and front-end mechanical interface (FrontK) pening interface mechanism. However, in the prior art, the positioning pin (KCpin) of the loadport of the machine is easy to generate friction with the base of the FOUP wafer transfer box, and the positioning pin and the loadport of the machine are prone to particle contamination and the FOUP wafer transfer box for a long time. The base is also susceptible to damage. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved clamp plug (KCPm) design for an improved Lpu wafer loader to ameliorate problems such as particulate contamination generated in the prior art. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a wafer loading apparatus having an improved positioning plug, including a FOUP placement station (F〇UPStage); and at least one projection from the FOUP The positioning card plug (KC pin); wherein the positioning card plug has a ball mechanism, is disposed at a top position of the positioning card plug, and is supported by a ball bearing to support the ball mechanism so that it can freely roll. In order to provide a more detailed understanding of the features and technical aspects of the present invention, the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. The drawings are only for the purpose of reference and description, and are not intended to limit the invention. [Embodiment]
請參閱第1圖，其繪示的是本發明具有改良之定位卡栓(KCPlease refer to FIG. 1 , which shows an improved positioning card plug (KC) of the present invention.
Pm)設計的LPU晶圓載入設備的示意圖。如第i圖所示，Lpu晶 圓載入設備1包括有一 F0UP置放台(F〇up Stage)2、三個凸出於 FOUP置放台2的定位卡栓(KC pin)3以及設於定位卡栓3 一側的 感應裝置4。其中，定位卡栓3係鎖死固定在F〇up置放台2上， 不會移動，感應裝置4係用來確定F0UP晶圓傳送盒以經定位在 FOUP置放台2上。LPU晶圓載入設備i可以是機台的晶圓載入 界面，例如，蝕刻機台、洗積機台等，但亦可以是晶圓儲存設備 的晶圓載入界面。 儲存於FOUP晶圓傳送盒(圖未示)内之晶圓載入製程機台，主 要就是由FOUP置放台2及前開機械介面(Front_〇pening ImeifaeePm) Schematic of the LPU wafer loading device designed. As shown in the figure i, the Lpu wafer loading device 1 includes a F0UP stage (F〇up Stage) 2, three positioning clips (KC pins) 3 protruding from the FOUP setting table 2, and Position the sensing device 4 on one side of the card plug 3. The positioning clip 3 is locked and fixed on the F〇up mounting table 2 and does not move. The sensing device 4 is used to determine the FOUP wafer transfer cassette to be positioned on the FOUP mounting table 2. The LPU wafer loading device i can be a wafer loading interface of the machine, for example, an etching machine, a cleaning machine, etc., but can also be a wafer loading interface of the wafer storage device. The wafer loading process machine stored in the FOUP wafer transfer box (not shown) is mainly composed of the FOUP placement table 2 and the front opening mechanical interface (Front_〇pening Imeifaee)
Mechanism)來完成。基本上，整個啟門過程可由四個過程來說明， 首先工作人員會將裝滿晶圓之Fqup晶圓傳送盒置於F〇up置 放台2上，並利用定位卡栓3將F〇Up晶圓傳送盒固定，接著， FOUP置放台2會帶動F0Up晶圓傳送盒往前移動，直到F〇Up 晶圓傳送盒邊門上之卡栓與前開機械界面5之卡栓緊密連結為 止，再來，前開機械界面旋轉卡栓開啟F〇UP晶圓傳送盒邊門， 並開始往後鑛至定位，使得FOUP晶圓傳送盒之邊門被帶開， 最後則是整個前開機械介面往下收進Lpu晶圓載入機内。 200810006 在習知技藝中，工作人員會將裝滿晶圓之F〇up晶圓傳送盒 置於FOUP置放台2時，常常不能一次到位，而需要以人力稍微 挪動F0UP晶圓傳送盒，使定位卡栓3插入F〇up晶圓傳送盒底 座上相對應的定位孔中，但如此一來，機台1〇adp〇rt的定位卡栓容 易與FOUP晶圓傳送盒的底座產生摩擦，長久下來定位卡栓及機 台loadP〇rt容易產生微粒污染且foup晶圓傳送盒的底座也容易 攀因為與定位卡栓3撞擊而損傷。 為解決上述習知技藝的問題，本發明提出一種新穎的定位卡 检没計。請參閱第2圖及第3 ®，其中第2圖繪示的是本發明改 良之定位卡栓的侧視圖，第3圖繪示的是本發明改良之定位卡栓 的剖面不意圖。如第2圖及第3圖所示，本發明改良之粒卡栓3 具有一滾珠機構31，設置於定位卡栓3的頂部位置，並由一軸承 籲（ball bearing^配合支撐滾珠機構31，使其可以自由滾動。 如第3圖所示，本發明改良之定位卡栓3分為内外兩個部位， 内部固定栓32係鎖死固定在foup置放台2上，具有螺紋，而外 部套件33係套鎖在内部固定栓32上，而滾珠機構31與轴承料 即a置在外部套件33頂部。若有損壞，則將外部套件刃拆下更 換即可。 根據本㈣之難實_，為了避免產生錄㈣，滚珠機 200810006 構31係以耐磨陶瓷材料或其它同等堅硬耐耗損之材料製作雨成 的’軸承34亦為非金屬材質。内部固定栓32與外部套件33可以 是由不鏽鋼材料所製成。 經過這樣的改良，當工作人員將裝滿晶圓之F0UP晶圓傳送 孤置於FOUP置放台2時’即使不能一次到位，此時僅需以滑動 方式使FOUP晶圓傳送盒稍微移動，就可以讓定位卡栓3插入 FOUP晶圓傳送盒底座上相對應的定位孔中，而機台丨⑽办⑽的定 位卡栓不會與FOUP晶圓傳送盒的底座產生摩擦，定位卡栓及機 台loadport不會產生微粒污染，且F0UP晶圓傳送盒的底座也不 會再與定位卡栓3撞擊而損傷。 以上所述僅為本發明之較佳實施例，凡依本發明申請專利範 圍所做之均等變化與修飾，皆應屬本發明之涵蓋範圍。 【圖式簡單說明】 第Ϊ圖繪示的是本發明具有改良之定位卡栓(KC pin)設計的LPU 晶圓載入設備的示意圖。 第2圖緣示的是本發明改良之定位卡栓的側視圖。 第3圖繪示的是本發明改良之定位卡栓的剖面示意圖。 【主要元件符號說明】 1 LPU晶圓載入設備 2 FOUP置放台 200810006 3 定位卡栓 4 感應裝置 5 前開機械界面 31 滾珠機構 32 内部固定栓 33 外部套件 34 輛承Mechanism) to complete. Basically, the entire opening process can be explained by four processes. First, the staff will place the Fqup wafer transfer cassette filled with wafers on the F〇up placement table 2, and use the positioning card pin 3 to raise F〇Up. The wafer transfer cassette is fixed. Then, the FOUP placement table 2 drives the F0Up wafer transfer cassette to move forward until the latch on the side door of the F〇Up wafer transfer cassette is closely coupled with the card plug of the front opening mechanical interface 5, and then The front opening mechanical interface rotary latch opens the F〇UP wafer transfer box side door, and starts to mine backwards to position, so that the side door of the FOUP wafer transfer box is brought open, and finally the entire front opening mechanical interface is lowered into the Lpu. The wafer is loaded into the machine. 200810006 In the prior art, when the F会将up wafer transfer cassette filled with wafers is placed on the FOUP placement table 2, the staff often cannot be in place at one time, and the F0UP wafer transfer cassette needs to be moved slightly by manpower. The positioning card plug 3 is inserted into the corresponding positioning hole on the base of the F〇up wafer transfer box, but in this way, the positioning pin of the machine 1〇adp〇rt easily rubs against the base of the FOUP wafer transfer box for a long time. The positioning latch and the loadP〇rt of the machine are prone to particle contamination and the base of the foup wafer transfer cassette is also easily damaged due to impact with the positioning clip 3. In order to solve the above problems of the prior art, the present invention proposes a novel positioning card checker. Please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, wherein FIG. 2 is a side view of the positioning card plug improved by the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the improved positioning card plug of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the modified granule plug 3 of the present invention has a ball mechanism 31 which is disposed at the top position of the locating clip 3 and is supported by a ball bearing. It can be freely rolled. As shown in Fig. 3, the improved positioning card pin 3 of the present invention is divided into two parts, the inner fixing bolt 32 is locked and fixed on the foup placing table 2, and has a thread, and the outer kit The 33 series sleeve is locked on the inner fixing bolt 32, and the ball mechanism 31 and the bearing material a are placed on the top of the outer kit 33. If there is damage, the outer kit blade can be removed and replaced. According to the difficulty of the present (4), In order to avoid the recording (4), the ball machine 200810006 is made of wear-resistant ceramic material or other equally hard and wear-resistant material. The bearing 34 is also non-metallic. The inner fixing bolt 32 and the outer sleeve 33 can be made of stainless steel. Made by the material. After this improvement, when the staff transports the F0UP wafer filled with the wafer to the FOUP placement table 2, even if it cannot be placed once, only the FOUP wafer needs to be transferred in a sliding manner. The box moves slightly, The positioning card plug 3 can be inserted into the corresponding positioning hole on the base of the FOUP wafer transfer box, and the positioning pin of the machine (10) (10) will not rub against the base of the FOUP wafer transfer box, and the positioning pin and The load port of the machine will not generate particulate contamination, and the base of the FOUP wafer transfer box will not be damaged by the impact of the positioning clip 3. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the patent application scope according to the present invention The equal changes and modifications made should be within the scope of the present invention. [Simplified Schematic] The figure shows the LPU wafer loading device with the improved positioning pin (KC pin) design of the present invention. Figure 2 is a side view of the improved positioning card plug of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the improved positioning card plug of the present invention. [Main component symbol description] 1 LPU wafer loading Incoming equipment 2 FOUP placement table 200810006 3 Positioning clamp 4 Induction device 5 Front opening mechanical interface 31 Ball mechanism 32 Internal fixing bolt 33 External kit 34 Bearing