Abstract:
A loading device for loading a substrate includes: a support module having at least a contact region contacted with the substrate for providing a supporting force to load the substrate; and a conductive media, electrically connected to the contact region and a voltage level, for eliminating electrostatic discharges between the contact region and the substrate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to a loading device of loading a substrate, and more particularly, to a loading device capable of eliminating electrostatic charges.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     In the fields of semiconductor manufacturing processes, each substrate, also commonly referred to as a wafer, is processed through multiple manufacturing processes to produce a variety of electronic products. Taking the liquid crystal display (LCD) as an example, a glass substrate is processed through various complex manufacturing processes. These processes include: exposure, development, and deposition processes such that the LCD can be formed. The above-mentioned complex processes should be performed by different machines. Therefore, in the entire flow of manufacturing processes that are necessary to generate the LCD, the glass substrate must be moved to a specific machine to perform current manufacturing processes according to the required manufacturing flow.  
         [0005]     However, in the process of locating the glass substrate inside the clean room, electrostatic charges are formed on the glass substrate. This is especially apparent during the moving process. The electrostatic charges form regardless of steps taken such as placing the glass substrate in a cassette or placing it in a moving/loading device such as a vacuum robot or an operating machine. Regardless of these prevention efforts, the electrostatic charges are formed on the glass substrate because the glass substrate still has frictions with surrounding environments. Therefore, the electrostatic discharge (ESD) effect occurs.  
         [0006]     For some specific machines, for example, the ULVAC PVD machine, the vacuum robot forklift is firstly utilized to move the glass substrate to the sputter chamber. Then the PVD process is performed on the glass substrate to form the thin film of semiconductor and protection layer on the surface of the glass substrate.  
         [0007]     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagram of a conventional robot forklift  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the robot forklift  100  comprises support modules  110 ,  120 , and a connect module  130 . The connect module  130  is connected to the body of the robot. The support modules  110 ,  120  are connected to the connect module  130  such that the connecting force between the support modules  110 ,  120  and the connect module  130  can be utilized to provide a support force to the support modules  110 ,  120 . Therefore, the support modules  110 ,  120  can be utilized to load the glass substrate  150  such that the glass substrate  150  can be moved to different machines by the robot forklift  100 .  
         [0008]     In addition, each of the support modules  110 ,  120  comprises a plurality of pads  140 . When the support modules  110 ,  120  move the glass substrate  150 , the pads  140  provide the glass substrate  150  with a plurality of contact regions such that the pads  140  can provide needed supporting force for loading the glass substrate  150  through these contact regions. Furthermore, the pads  140  can also provide friction to the glass substrate  150  in order to prevent the glass substrate  150  from sliding.  
         [0009]     Because these pads  140  rub against the glass substrate  150 , the electrostatic charges are accumulated between the glass substrate  150  and pads  140 . If the electrostatic charges are accumulated to be larger than a threshold, the above-mentioned ESD effect occurs between the glass substrate  150  and the pads  140 . Therefore, the above-mentioned ESD effect occurs in the areas  160 ,  170 . It is well known that the ESD effect changes the electric fields in the areas  160 ,  170 . The manufacturing processes are influenced by unstable electric fields resulting in errors. This directly decreases the yield of the LCD.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     It is therefore one of the primary objectives of the invention to provide a loading device capable of eliminating electrostatic charges, to solve the above-mentioned problem.  
         [0011]     The present invention discloses a loading device for loading a substrate. The loading device comprises a support module and a conductive media. The support module comprises at least one contact region contacted with the substrate for providing a supporting force to load the substrate. As mentioned previously, ESD effect may occurs on the contact region. Therefore, the conductive media is electrically connected to the contact region and a voltage level for eliminating electrostatic charges between the contact region and the substrate.  
         [0012]     In addition, the present invention further discloses a method for utilizing a loading device to load a substrate. The method comprises: utilizing at least a contact region on a support module to contact the substrate such that a supporting force is provided to the substrate to load the substrate; and electrically connecting the contact region to a voltage level such that electrostatic charges between the contact region and the substrate are eliminated.  
         [0013]     The present invention robot forklift comprises a conductive media to eliminate the electrostatic charges between the pads and the glass substrate. Therefore, the interferences by the electrostatic charges can be reduced and the yield of the LCD can be increased. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a conventional robot forklift.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of a robot forklift according to the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of a conductive media shown in  FIG. 2  of an embodiment according to the preset invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which is a diagram of a robot forklift  200  according to the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the robot forklift  200  also comprises support modules  210 ,  220 , and a connect module  230 . The connect module  230  is connected to the body of the robot. The support modules  210 ,  220  are connected to the connect module  230  such that the connecting force between the support modules  210 ,  220  and the connect module  230  can be utilized to provide a support force to the support modules  210 ,  220 . Therefore, the support modules  210 ,  220  can be utilized to load the glass substrate  250  such that the glass substrate  250  can be moved to different machines by the robot forklift  200 .  
         [0018]     Similar to the robot forklift  100 , each of the support modules  210 ,  220  of the present invention robot forklift  200  also comprises a plurality of pads  240 . When the support modules  210 ,  220  move the glass substrate  250 , the pads  240  provide the glass substrate  250  with a plurality of contact regions such that the pads  240  can provide the needed support force for loading the glass substrate  250  through these contact regions. Furthermore, the pads  240  can also provide frictions to the glass substrate  250  in order to prevent the glass substrate  250  from sliding.  
         [0019]     In this embodiment, each of the support modules  210 ,  220  further comprises a conductive media  280 . One end of the conductive media  280  is electrically connected to the above-mentioned pads  240 , and the other end of the conductive media  280  is electrically connected to a ground voltage. Therefore, the aforementioned electrostatic charges in the areas  260 ,  270  are removed by the ground voltage through the conductive media  280 . Therefore, the above-mentioned ESD effect can be sufficiently eliminated.  
         [0020]     Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which is a diagram of the conductive media  280  shown in  FIG. 2  of an embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the conductive media  280  is a tree-shaped copper film conductive line. Moreover, each branch of the conductive media  280  is contacted to the pads  240  of the support modules  210 ,  220 , and the other end of the conductive media  280  is electrically connected to the ground voltage. Therefore, the electrostatic charges can be removed by the ground voltage. Please note the tree-shaped copper film conductive line  280  is only utilized as a preferred embodiment; this is not a limitation of the present invention. In other words, the conductive media  280  can have various shapes or can be manufactured utilizing other conducting materials. This change also obeys the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0021]     However, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, sufficiently removes the electrostatic charges between the pads  240  and the glass substrate  250  by utilizing some components that are refined to optimize the removing operation of the electrostatic charges. For example, the pads  240  are manufactured by tiny electricity-conducting materials. Therefore, the electrostatic charges can be smoothly conducted through pads  240  and conductive media  280 . Please note, the pads  240  can also be manufactured utilizing other materials. The above-mentioned tiny electricity-conducting materials are only utilized as a preferred embodiment; this is not a limitation of the preset invention.  
         [0022]     Furthermore, please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  again. The conductive media  280  is pasted on the support modules  210 ,  220  utilizing a glue. Therefore, for the best mode of the entire structure of the robot forklift  200  and for preventing the conductive media  280  from influencing the original manufacturing processes, in the preferred embodiment, is the glue. The glue is capable of bearing high temperature. Therefore, the glue does not vaporize thus producing unwanted gas that might influence the manufacturing processes. Furthermore, the thickness of the copper thin film  280  is made as thin as possible such that the influence of the copper thin film  280  can be minimized. For example, the thickness of the copper thin film  280  can be 0.1 mm. However, the 0.1 mm thickness and the glue capable of bearing high temperature are also utilized as an embodiment of the present invention. In other words, designers can select various glues and thickness according to various manufacturing procedure and cost requirements. This change also obeys the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0023]     Please note, in the above disclosure, the manufacturing process of the LCD is utilized to illustrate the technique of the present invention, however, the preset invention can be utilized in the manufacturing processes of other electronic devices. In other words, the present invention robot forklift is not limited to the task of loading the glass substrate, in fact, the present invention robot forklift can be utilized to load and move all kinds of substrates or wafers.  
         [0024]     In addition, the present invention is not limited to be utilized in the above-mentioned robot forklift. In the actual implementation, all loading devices for loading substrates can utilize the present invention method and related structure to remove the electrostatic charges of the substrate. This change also obeys the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0025]     In contrast to the prior art, the present invention robot forklift comprises a conductive media to eliminate the electrostatic charges that are formed between the pads and the glass substrate. Therefore, the interference caused by the electrostatic charges can be reduced and the yield of the LCD can be increased.  
         [0026]     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.