US-12626894-B2 - Carrier for end effector, transportation apparatus including the same and the substrate processing apparatus

US12626894B2US 12626894 B2US12626894 B2US 12626894B2US-12626894-B2

Abstract

The transporting apparatus of the present invention comprises an end effector including a hand and a plurality of vacuum holes installed in the hand; and a carrier located on the hand and for supporting a consumable part, wherein the carrier comprises one side for supporting a consumable part, the other surface facing the hand of the end effector, and a plurality of support blocks installed on the other surface and corresponding to the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein an inner space communicating with the vacuum hole is installed in the plurality of support blocks, and the inner space is evacuated by negative pressure provided from the plurality of vacuum holes.

Inventors

Jae Won Shin
Duk Hyun SON

Assignees

SEMES CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20221230
Priority Date: 20220401

Claims (20)

1 . A transporting apparatus comprising: an end effector that comprises a hand, the hand comprising a plurality of vacuum holes; and a carrier located on the hand and for supporting a consumable part that is being transported by the transporting apparatus using the carrier, wherein the carrier comprises: a first surface for supporting a consumable part, a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the second surface faces the hand of the end effector and faces away from the consumable part, and a plurality of support blocks installed on the second surface and at positions that correspond to the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein the plurality of support blocks are separated from the consumable part by the carrier, wherein each of the plurality of support blocks comprises an inner space that communicates with at least one of the plurality of vacuum holes, and the inner space of each of the plurality of support blocks is evacuated by negative pressure provided from the at least one of the plurality of vacuum holes.
2 . The transporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a contact pad is further installed on a surface of each of the plurality of support blocks.
3 . The transporting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the contact pad is made of an elastic material or a soft material so that the inner space is sealed by evacuating the inner space, and the contact pad forms a ring shape having a diameter that is a same diameter as or a larger diameter than an inner diameter of the inner space.
4 . The transporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the consumable part forms a ring shape, wherein the carrier has a circular shape having a same diameter as the consumable part, has a polygon shape, in which a corner is formed along a perimeter of the consumable part, or has a shape including an arc identical to an arc of the consumable part so as not to protrude from a perimeter of the consumable part.
5 . The transporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the consumable part is a ring-shaped member of a chuck.
6 . The transporting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the transporting apparatus further comprises: a plurality of protrusion units that: are provided on the first surface of the carrier, are spaced apart from one another, and protrude upward in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the consumable part to prevent horizontal movement of the consumable part.
7 . The transporting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusion units comprises a same height or a lower height than a height of the consumable part.
8 . The transporting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusion units is formed with an inclined surface or an inclined corner upward in a direction from a first side of each of the plurality of protrusion units that faces the inner circumferential surface of the consumable part to a second side of each of plurality of protrusion units that faces away from the inner circumferential surface to guide the consumable part.
9 . The transporting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusion units has a curved upper portion.
10 . The transporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the inner space of the plurality of support blocks has a diameter greater than a diameter of one of the plurality of vacuum holes.
11 . An apparatus for processing a substrate comprising: a chuck for supporting a substrate; and a transporting apparatus, wherein the transport apparatus comprises: an end effector that comprises a hand, the hand comprising a plurality of vacuum holes; and a carrier located on the hand and for supporting a consumable part, wherein the carrier comprises: a first surface for supporting a consumable part that is being transported by the transporting apparatus using the carrier, a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the second surface faces the hand of the end effector and faces away from the consumable part, and a plurality of support blocks installed on the second surface and at positions that correspond to the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein the plurality of support blocks are separated from the consumable part by the carrier, wherein each of the plurality of support blocks comprises an inner space that communicates with at least one of the plurality of vacuum holes, and the inner space of each of the plurality of support blocks is evacuated by negative pressure provided from the at least one of the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein the consumable part comprises a ring shape and is a ring-shaped member of a chuck, wherein the carrier has a circular shape having a same diameter as the consumable part, has a polygon shape, in which a corner is formed along a perimeter of the consumable part, or has a shape including an arc identical to an arc of the consumable part so as not to protrude from a perimeter of the consumable part, wherein a plurality of protrusion units are provided on the first surface of the carrier and spaced apart from one another, each of the plurality of protrusion units protrudes upward in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the consumable part to prevent horizontal movement of the consumable part, and the plurality of protrusion units comprise a same height or a lower height than a height of the consumable part, wherein the transporting apparatus transports the ring-shaped member to the chuck.
12 . A carrier for an end effector comprising: a base unit comprising a first surface that supports a consumable part that is being transported by a transporting apparatus using the carrier and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the second surface faces a hand of the end effector and faces away from the consumable part, and wherein the hand comprises a plurality of vacuum holes; and a plurality of support blocks installed on the second surface and at positions that correspond to the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein the plurality of support blocks are separated from the consumable part by the carrier, wherein each of the plurality of support blocks comprises an inner space that communicates with at least one of the plurality of vacuum holes, and the inner space of each of the plurality of support blocks is evacuated by negative pressure provided from the at least one of the plurality of vacuum holes.
13 . The carrier of claim 12 , wherein a contact pad is further installed on a surface of each of the plurality of support blocks, and wherein the contact pad is made of an elastic material or a soft material so that the inner space is sealed by evacuating the inner space, and the contact pad forms a ring shape having a diameter that is a same diameter as or a larger diameter than an inner diameter of the inner space.
14 . The carrier of claim 12 , wherein the consumable part forms a ring shape, wherein the base unit has a circular shape having a same diameter as the consumable part, has a polygon shape, in which a corner is formed along a perimeter of the consumable part, or has a shape including an arc identical to an arc of the consumable part so as not to protrude from a perimeter of the consumable part.
15 . The carrier of claim 12 , wherein the carrier further comprises: a plurality of protrusion units that: are provided on the first surface of the carrier, are spaced apart from one another, and protrude upward in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the consumable part to prevent horizontal movement of the consumable part.
16 . The carrier of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusion units comprises a same height or a lower height than a height of the consumable part.
17 . The carrier of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusion units is formed with an inclined surface or an inclined corner upward in a direction from a first side of each of the plurality of protrusion units that faces the inner circumferential surface of the consumable part to a second side of each of plurality of protrusion units that faces away from the inner circumferential surface to guide the consumable part.
18 . The carrier of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusion units has a curved upper portion.
19 . The carrier of claim 12 , wherein one of the inner space of the plurality of support blocks has a diameter greater than a diameter of one of the plurality of vacuum holes.
20 . The carrier of claim 12 , wherein the consumable part is a ring-shaped member of a chuck.

Description

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0041027, filed on Apr. 1, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field The present invention relates to a carrier for an end effector, and a transporting apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. 2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor device can be manufactured by forming a predetermined pattern on a substrate. When a predetermined pattern is formed on a substrate, a plurality of processes, such as a deposition process, a lithography process, and an etching process, may be continuously performed in equipment used in a semiconductor manufacturing process. SUMMARY Meanwhile, the focus ring may be etched together with the substrate while the substrate is being etched. If the etching amount exceeds a certain level, replacement is required, and efforts to improve the transport of the ring-shaped member such as the focus ring are continuing. The object of the present invention is to provide a carrier for an end effector that is easy to manufacture and has a simple structure, and can transport a ring-shaped member in a transport operation the same as or similar to that of a substrate, and a transporting apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. The objects of the present invention are not limited to the objects mentioned above, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. One aspect of the transporting apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises an end effector including a hand and a plurality of vacuum holes installed in the hand; and a carrier located on the hand and for supporting a consumable part, wherein the carrier comprises one side for supporting a consumable part, the other surface facing the hand of the end effector, and a plurality of support blocks installed on the other surface and corresponding to the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein an inner space communicating with the vacuum hole is installed in the plurality of support blocks, and the inner space is evacuated by negative pressure provided from the plurality of vacuum holes. One aspect of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above other object comprises a chuck for supporting a substrate; and a transporting apparatus, wherein the transport apparatus comprises, an end effector including a hand and a plurality of vacuum holes installed in the hand; and a carrier located on the hand and for supporting a consumable part, wherein the carrier comprises one side for supporting a consumable part, the other surface facing the hand of the end effector, and a plurality of support blocks installed on the other surface and corresponding to the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein an inner space communicating with the vacuum hole is installed in the plurality of support blocks, and the inner space is evacuated by negative pressure provided from the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein the consumable part forms a ring shape and includes a ring-shaped member of a chuck, wherein the carrier has a circular shape having the same diameter as the consumable part, has a polygon shape, in which a corner is formed along a perimeter of the consumable part, or has a shape including an arc the same as an arc of the consumable part so as not to protrude from a perimeter of the consumable part, wherein a plurality of protrusion units are provided on one surface of the carrier, and the plurality of protrusion units are spaced apart from each other, protrude upward in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the consumable part to prevent horizontal movement of the consumable part, and formed the same as or lower than a height of the consumable part, wherein the transporting apparatus transports the ring member provided on the chuck. One aspect of the carrier for the end effector of the present invention for achieving the above another object comprises a base unit including one surface supporting the consumable part and the other surface facing the hand so as to be located on an end effector including a hand, in which a plurality of vacuum holes are installed; and a plurality of support blocks installed on the other surface and corresponding to the plurality of vacuum holes, wherein, in the support block, an inner space in communication with the plurality of vacuum holes and evacuated by negative pressure provided from the plurality of vacuum holes is installed. The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram ill