Substrate transfer equipment and substrate processing system using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025214786-A1
Application number	US-202419004660-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2024
Priority date	Dec 29, 2023
Publication date	Jul 3, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides substrate transfer equipment. In an embodiment, the substrate transfer equipment includes: a transfer robot supporting the substrate; and a vertical actuating unit moving the transfer robot in an up-down direction, wherein the vertical actuating unit includes: a vertical frame having a slit formed with a longitudinal direction thereof provided in the up-down direction, and having a vertical space formed therein; an exhaust duct having an exhaust space connected with the vertical space and provided on a side of the vertical frame; and an actuating member positioned in the vertical space and moving a supporting unit in the up-down direction, wherein the exhaust duct is provided such that a first side is open toward the vertical space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Substrate transfer equipment comprising:
a transfer robot transferring the substrate; and a vertical actuating unit moving the transfer robot in an up-down direction, the vertical actuating unit comprises: a vertical frame having a slit formed with a longitudinal direction thereof provided in the up-down direction, and having a vertical space formed therein; an exhaust duct having an exhaust space connected with the vertical space and provided on a side of the vertical frame; and an actuating member positioned in the vertical space and moving a supporting unit in the up-down direction, wherein the exhaust duct is provided such that a first side is open toward the vertical space.

2 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 1 , wherein the transfer robot comprises:
a robot body having handles supporting the substrate; a base supporting the robot body, having a Z-axial actuating unit rotating the robot body about a vertical axis, and having a first exhaust passage for discharging particles produced in a process of actuating the robot body to the outside; and a mover connected to a first end of the base, coupled to the actuating member through the slit, and having a second exhaust passage connected with the first exhaust passage.

3 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 2 , wherein the base further comprises a first exhaust fan installed in the first exhaust passage to generate airflow moving from the first exhaust passage to the second exhaust passage.

4 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 2 , wherein the mover is configured such that an outlet of the second exhaust passage faces a second side that is opposite to the open first side of the exhaust duct.

5 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 4 , wherein the mover further comprises a momentum reduction member provided to reduce momentum of particles that are discharged through the outlet of the second exhaust passage.

6 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 5 , wherein the momentum reduction member comprises a porous member or a perforated plate.

7 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 4 , wherein the vertical frame further comprises an airflow block member preventing airflow, which is exhausted through the second exhaust passage and collides with the second side of the exhaust duct, from leaking to the outside through the slit.

8 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 7 , wherein the airflow block member comprises a projection protruding from an inner surface of the vertical frame.

9 . The substrate transfer equipment of claim 2 , wherein the exhaust duct further comprises a second exhaust fan exhausting airflow in the exhaust space to the outside.

10 . A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
a process chamber processing the substrate; and a transfer chamber provided adjacent to the process chamber and having a substrate transfer equipment transferring the substrate to the process chamber, wherein the transfer chamber comprises: a transfer robot transferring the substrate; and a pair of vertical actuating units configured to horizontally move along a guide rail, supporting the transfer robot on both sides, and moving the transfer robot in an up-down direction, wherein the vertical actuating unit comprises: a vertical frame having a slit formed with a longitudinal direction thereof provided in the up-down direction, and having a vertical space formed therein; an exhaust duct having an exhaust space connected with the vertical space and provided on a side of the vertical frame; and an actuating member positioned in the vertical space and moving a supporting unit in the up-down direction, wherein the exhaust duct is provided such that a first side is open toward the vertical space.

11 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the transfer robot comprises:
a robot body having handles supporting the substrate; a base supporting the robot body, having a Z-axial actuating unit rotating the robot body about a vertical axis, and having a first exhaust passage for discharging particles produced in a process of actuating the robot body to the outside; and a mover connected to a first end of the base, coupled to the actuating member through the slit, and having a second exhaust passage connected with the first exhaust passage.

12 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the base further comprises a first exhaust fan installed in the first exhaust passage to generate airflow moving from the first exhaust passage to the second exhaust passage.

13 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the mover is configured such that an outlet of the second exhaust passage faces a second side that is opposite to the open first side of the exhaust duct.

14 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the mover further comprises a momentum reduction member provided to reduce momentum of particles that are discharged through the outlet of the second exhaust passage.

15 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the momentum reduction member comprises a porous member or a perforated plate.

16 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the vertical frame further comprises an airflow block member preventing airflow, which is exhausted through the second exhaust passage and collides with the second side of the exhaust duct, from leaking to the outside through the slit.

17 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the airflow block member comprises a projection protruding from an inner surface of the vertical frame.

18 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the exhaust duct further comprises a second exhaust fan exhausting airflow in the exhaust space to the outside.

19 . Substrate transfer equipment comprising:
a transfer robot transferring the substrate; and a vertical actuating unit moving the transfer robot in an up-down direction, wherein the vertical actuating unit comprises: a vertical frame having a slit formed with a longitudinal direction thereof provided in the up-down direction, and having a vertical space formed therein; an exhaust duct having an exhaust space connected with the vertical space, provided on a side of the vertical frame, and being open on a first side being in contact with the vertical space; and an actuating member positioned in the vertical space and moving a supporting unit in the up-down direction, wherein the transfer robot comprises: a robot body having handles supporting a substrate; a base supporting the robot body, having a Z-axial actuating unit rotating the robot body about a vertical axis, and having a first exhaust passage for discharging particles produced in a process of actuating the robot body to the outside; a mover connected to a first end of the base, coupled to the actuating member through the slit, and having a second exhaust passage connected with the first exhaust passage; and a first exhaust fan installed in the first exhaust passage and providing airflow moving from the first exhaust passage to the second exhaust passage, wherein the mover is configured such that an outlet of the second exhaust passage faces a second side that is opposite to the open first side of the exhaust duct and comprises a momentum reduction member provided to reduce momentum of particles that are discharged through the outlet of the second exhaust passage, wherein the vertical frame compr

Assignees

• Semes Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoo Ha Neul
• Jeong Jae Hun
• Shin Cheol Yong
• Baek Doo Hyun

Classifications

• H10P72/7602 Primary

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3206

  the substrate being handled substantially vertically · CPC title

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03F7/70733

  Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask · CPC title