KR20020076039A - Automatic continue wafer processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An automatically continuous wafer processing system and a method for processing a wafer using the same are provided to reduce the area of processing modules in a production line by forming a plurality of processing modules with one body. CONSTITUTION: A plurality of polygon module units(10) are formed with a polygon body, a plurality of processing modules(100a,100b,100c,100d), and a polygon processing robot. The first polygon path is formed in the polygon body. The processing modules(100a,100b,100c,100d) are used for processing the received wafers. The polygon processing robot is fixed to an inside of the polygon body in order to transfer a wafer to the processing modules. A wafer distribution tower(30) is formed with a tower body having a distribution path, and an aligner is fixed to an inside of the tower body in order to check a twist degree of the wafer. An elevation robot is installed inside the tower body. A load lock tower is installed among the polygon module units(10) and the wafer distribution tower(30).

Description

Automatic continue wafer processing system

The present invention relates to an automatic continuous wafer processing system and a wafer processing method using the same, which continuously perform a series of processes for processing a wafer without exposing the wafer to the atmosphere.

In order to produce a semiconductor chip, a series of processes are required to continuously process a wafer. These processes are roughly divided into four processes: photo, etching, diffusion, and thin film processes. Since each of these processes must be carried out under different conditions, a number of process modules for performing the above processes are required. The process modules are typically arranged efficiently in process categories in a large space to form a process module line.

The wafer is sequentially passed from one process module to another process module by a person or a robot in the production line, and the above processes are performed in this process.

The present invention has been created to promote productivity in the above fields, by integrating a plurality of process modules for performing a series of processes in the semiconductor manufacturing process can reduce the area occupied by the modules in the production line, An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic continuous wafer processing system and a wafer processing method using the same, which can reduce the time required for transferring a wafer from one process module to another process module.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic continuous wafer processing system and a wafer using the same, which can minimize the exposure of the wafer to the outside to minimize the number of particles falling on the wafer and the formation of an oxide film on the wafer by the atmosphere. It is to provide a processing method.

1 is a perspective view of an automatic continuous wafer processing system according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the automatic continuous wafer processing system of Figure 1 seen from another angle,

3 is an excerpt perspective view of the wafer distribution tower of FIG. 1;

Figure 4 is an excerpt perspective view of the polygon body of Figure 2,

5 is an internal perspective view of the polygon body of FIG. 4;

6 is a perspective view of the inside of the load lock tower of FIG.

7 is a view illustrating a state in which the process module of FIG. 1 is coupled to a polygon body;

8 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the process module of FIG. 7;

9 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the process module of FIG.

<Code Description of Main Parts of Drawing>

10, 20 ... upper and lower polygon module unit

11, 21 ... upper and lower polygon bodies 12, 22 ... upper and lower polygon paths

13a, 13b, 13c, 13d ... upper second polygon passage

23a, 23b, 23c, 23d ... lower second polygon passage

15 ... polygon fixed robot 15a ... robot body

15b ... first arm 15c ... second arm

15d ... Finger 16 ... Polygon Vacuum Pump

16a ... Pumping line 30 ... Wafer distribution tower

31 ... Tower body 31a ... Distribution passage

32 ... aligner 32a ... slot

34a ... Cylinder 34a '... Vertical Coaxial

34b ... horizontal guide 35 ... lifting robot

35a ... robot body 35b ... rotation axis

35c ... arm 35d ... finger

36 ... 1st load port module 36a ... Loosen

37 ... 2nd load port module 37a ... Loosen

38 ... Panel 39 ... Fan Filter

40 ... Road Rock Tower 41 ... Road Rock Tower

42 ... Coolstation 44 ... Road Rock Elevator

45 ... first load lock valve 46a ... upper second load lock valve

46b ... lower second load lock valve 47 ... load lock vacuum pump

47a ... pumping line

100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 105a, 105b, 105c ... process module

101 ... modular batter valve 110 ... reactor block

111 ... first connection pipe 112 ... second connection pipe

115 ... pumping port 116 ... wafer transfer hole

117, 118 ... exhaust hole 120 ... showerhead plate

121 ... first connection line 122 ... second connection line

130 ... diffuser 131 ... nozzle

132 ... Euro 133 ... Nozzle

140 ... Wafer Block 150 ... Module Pumping Line

200 ... system control unit

In order to achieve the above object, the automatic continuous wafer processing system according to the present invention,

Processing the wafer (w) that is coupled to the surface of the polygon main body formed with a first polygon passage through which the wafer (w) enters and exits from each surface except for the surface where the first polygon passage is formed in the polygon body. At least two polygon module units (10, 20) comprising a plurality of process modules, and a polygonal fixing robot (15) fixed in the polygon body to transfer a wafer (w) to the plurality of process modules; ;

The tower main body 31 having the distribution passage 31a through which the wafer w enters and exits, and the degree of distortion of the wafer w fixed and pinched inside the tower main body 31 are identified to generate corresponding information. Lifting robot which is installed in the aligner 32 and the tower body 31 to be lifted and lifted and lifted to a position corresponding to the distribution passage 31a by extracting the wafer w from the aligner 32 ( A wafer distribution tower 30 having 35);

Installed between the polygon module units 10 and 20 and the wafer distribution tower 30 to correspond to the first polygon passages and the distribution passage 31a, respectively, to access the first polygon passage and the distribution passage. The wafer (w) is temporarily stored, characterized in that it comprises a load lock tower (40) for separating the polygon module units (10, 20) and the wafer distribution tower (30).

In the present invention, the wafer distribution tower 30 includes at least one load port module in which a pull is installed to wait for process progress or to receive a processed wafer w. At this time, the wafer distribution tower 30, the fan filter 39 for removing the foreign matter particles contained in the incoming air is installed.

In the present invention, the elevating robot 35, the robot body 35a to be transferred in the vertical direction in the tower body 31, the rotating shaft 35b for rotating in the robot body 35a, and the An arm 35c provided on the rotational shaft 35b and a finger 35d that articulates with respect to the arm 35c and extract the wafer w are included.

In the present invention, the load lock tower 40, the load lock tower body 41 is installed so that the first polygonal passage (12), 22 and the distribution passage (31a) and the load lock tower body A plurality of slots are formed in the 41 to accommodate the wafer w, and a cool station 42 for cooling the stored wafer w and the cool station 42 are mounted on the polygon lifting robot 15. Or a load lock elevator 44 for lifting and lowering the wafer w to a height suitable for extracting the wafer w, a first load lock valve 45 for opening and closing the distribution passage, and the first polygon. Second rod lock boat valves 46a and 46b for opening and closing the passages 12 and 22 are included.

In the present invention, the polygonal fixed robot 15, the robot body 15a fixed in the polygon body (11) (21), and the first arm (15b) for horizontal rotational movement in the robot body (15a) And a second arm 15c articulating relative to the first arm 15b, and a finger 15d articulating relative to the second arm 15c and extracting the wafer w.

In order to achieve the above object, the wafer processing method using the wafer processing system according to the present invention, the polygon main body is formed with a first polygon passage through which the wafer (w) enters on one surface, and the first polygon on the polygon body A plurality of process modules for processing the wafer (w) is coupled to each of the remaining surfaces other than the surface on which the passage is formed, and fixed to the inside of the polygon body to transfer the wafer (w) to the plurality of process modules At least two or more polygonal module units (10, 20) comprising a polygonal fixed robot (15) to be used; And a wafer w installed in the polygon module units 10 and 20 so as to correspond to each of the first polygon paths 12 and 22 to enter and exit the first polygon paths 12 and 22. Load lock tower (40) is stored, including the plurality of process modules are applied to a wafer processing system having a sequential process relationship for wafer processing,

The polygon fixing robot (15) transferring the wafer (w) to the first process module in which a specific process is performed in the load lock tower in which the wafer (w) is temporarily stored;

The polygon fixing robot (15) extracting the wafer from the first process module and sequentially transferring the wafer (w) clockwise or counterclockwise to the next process modules where a specific process is performed;

And extracting the wafer (w) from the last fixed module by the polygon fixing robot (15) to the load lock tower.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described a preferred embodiment of the automatic continuous wafer processing system according to the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of an automatic continuous wafer processing system according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the automatic continuous wafer processing system of Figure 1 from another angle, Figure 3 is an excerpt perspective view of the wafer distribution tower of Figure 1, 4 is an exploded perspective view of the polygon body of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is an internal perspective view of the polygon body of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is an internal perspective view of the load lock tower of FIG. 5.

As shown, the automatic continuous wafer processing system includes at least two or more polygonal module units 10 and 20 in which a plurality of process modules 100a, 100b, 100c, and 100d (105a, 105b, 105c) are installed. A wafer distribution tower 30 having a distribution passage through which (w) enters and exits, and a load lock tower 40 disposed between the polygon module units 10 and 20 and the wafer distribution tower 30. The wafer distribution tower 30 is for transferring wafers between the load lock tower 40 and the pulls 36a and 36b provided in the first and second load port modules 36 and 37 to be described later. The load lock tower 40 exists for wafer transfer between the wafer distribution tower 30 in the standby state and the polygon module units 10 and 20 that are always maintained in vacuum, and furthermore, the polygon module unit 10 ( 20) and the wafer distribution tower 30 to separate the space.

In the present embodiment, for the sake of simplicity, the polygon module unit is limited to two and is defined as the upper polygon module unit 10 and the lower polygon module unit 20. However, of course, the number of polygon module units may be three or four or more.

The upper polygon module unit, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, has an upper polygon body 11 having a polygonal columnar shape, and in this embodiment a pentagonal columnar shape. On one surface of the upper polygon body 11 is formed an upper first polygon passage 12 through which the wafer w enters, and the four upper second polygon passages 13a through which the wafer W enters and exits. 13b, 13c, and 13d are formed.

Inside the upper polygon body 11, as shown in FIG. 5, a polygonal fixing robot 15 for transporting the wafer w is installed. The polygon fixing robot 15 has a robot body 15a fixed in the upper polygon body 11, a first arm 15b for horizontal rotational movement in the robot body 15a, and a joint with respect to the first arm 15b. And a second arm 15c that moves, and a finger 15d that articulates the second arm 15c and extracts the wafer w. The polygonal fixing robot 15 sequentially transfers the supplied wafer w to the upper first polygon path 12 or the four process modules 100a, 100b, 100c, and 100d.

On the side of the upper polygon body 11, four process modules 100a, 100b, 100c, and 100d for processing the incoming wafer w are each of the upper second polygon paths 13a, 13b, and 13c. 13d is combined with a cluster (cluster). The process modules 100a, 100b, 100c and 100d have a sequential process relationship for wafer processing and are sequentially arranged in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. At this time, between the upper polygon body 11 and each of the process modules 100a, 100b, 100c, and 100d, the wafer transfer hole 116 and the upper second polygon path 13a and 13b (to be described later) ( The module boat valve 101 for opening and closing 13c) and 13d is provided. Each process module described above is defined in function and structure according to a continuous process.

The polygonal vacuum pump 16 for forming a vacuum therein is connected to the upper polygon body 11 through a pumping line 16a. Polygon vacuum pump 16, for example, when the vacuum degree in the process module maintains 10 ^-2 Torr, the vacuum degree inside the upper polygon body 11 slightly higher than 10 ^-2 Torr. By doing so, when the module batter valve 101 is opened after the completion of the process, the remaining gas inside the process module may be prevented from going out of the upper polygon body 11, thereby preventing the upper polygon body 11 from being contaminated. Since this polygon vacuum pump 16 uses a well-known thing, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

The lower polygon module unit 20 includes a lower polygon body 21, a lower first polygon passage 22, and four lower second polygon passages having the same structure and the same function as the upper polygon module unit 10 described above. 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, a polygonal fixed robot, a pumping line 26a connected to the polygon vacuum pump, and four process modules 105a and 105b respectively coupled to the lower second polygonal passage. 105c) is employed. Since this configuration has the same structure as described above in the upper polygon module unit, further description thereof will be omitted.

The wafer distribution tower 30 has a tower main body 31 having a distribution passage 31a on which an inner surface of the wafer w enters and a tower lock 31 fixed inside the tower main body 31 to accurately load-load the wafer w. Horizontal cylinder 34a having an aligner 32 used to put on 40, a vertical coaxial shaft 34a 'installed vertically inside the tower body 31 and being elevated upwards, and the cylinder 34a horizontally A horizontal guide 34b for moving in the direction, and a lifting robot 35 fixed on the vertical coaxial 34a 'and extracting the wafer w from the aligner 32 and elevating to a position corresponding to the distribution passage 31a. )

The lifting robot 35 includes a robot body 35a fixed on the vertical coaxial shaft 34a ', a rotation shaft 35b for rotating in the robot body 35a, an arm 35c installed on the rotation shaft 35b, And a finger 35d for articulating the arm 35c and extracting the wafer w.

The aligner 32 is formed with a slot 32a into which the wafer w transferred by the lifting robot 35 is fitted. The aligner detects the degree of distortion of the wafer sandwiched in the slot 32a and transmits the corresponding information to the lifting robot 35 so that the lifting robot 35 can accurately transfer the wafer w to the load lock tower 40. To help. Since the aligner 32 is well known, further description thereof will be omitted.

The tower body 31 is provided with a panel 38 so that the space inside the tower body 31 is not exposed to the outside. The panel 38 has a plurality of load port modules, each of which is provided with a plurality of load ports 36a and 37a (foup), each of which is waiting for a process to be processed or in which a wafer w having completed a process is received. Port modules 36 and 37 are installed. In addition, a predetermined portion of the tower body 31 is provided with a fan filter 39 for removing foreign matter contained in the air flowing into the wafer distribution tower 30.

The load lock tower 40 has upper and lower polygon module units 10 and 20 and a wafer distribution tower 30 so as to communicate with the upper and lower first polygonal passages 12 and 22 and the distribution passage 31a, respectively. The load lock tower main body 41 installed between the plurality of slots is installed in the load lock tower main body 41 to accommodate the wafer w is formed and cool the metal material to cool the stored wafer (w) Station 42. The cool station 42 is formed with a plurality of wafers, in this embodiment, ten or more slots into which the wafers w are sandwiched so as to accommodate ten or more wafers at once.

As shown in FIG. 6, the load lock tower body 41 has a load lock for elevating the cool station 42 to a height suitable for the polygon fixing robot 15 or the lifting robot 35 to extract the wafer w. An elevator 44 is installed.

An inert gas inlet tube 43 is installed at the side of the load lock tower body 41, and the inert gas inlet tube 43 injects an inert gas such as Ar into the load lock tower body 41 to cool the station 42. ), The wafer w stored in the wafer is cooled. At this time, the inert gas inlet pipe 43 may be used as a means for making the inside of the load lock tower body 41 at atmospheric pressure.

Further, the load lock tower main body 41 has a first load lock boat valve 45 for opening and closing the distribution passage 31a, and an upper second load lock boat valve 46a for opening and closing the upper first polygon passage 12. And a lower second load lock valve 46b for opening and closing the lower first polygon passage 22. A load lock vacuum pump 47 for forming a vacuum in the load lock tower 40 is connected to the side of the load lock tower 40 through the vacuum line 47a.

All of the above components are all controlled by the system controller 200.

Each process module coupled to the sides of the upper and lower polygon bodies 11 and 21 should be structured and function so that a specific process can be performed on the wafer. Therefore, the structure of all process modules may be the same or may be different depending on the process. In the present embodiment, a structure of a thin film forming module capable of performing a thin film forming process will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9 as follows.

7 to 9, the process module 100a is installed on the upper polygon body 11 so as to correspond to the second polygon passage 13a. The process module 100a includes a reactor block 110 in which the wafer w transferred through the wafer transfer hole 116 by the polygon fixing robot 15 is positioned when the module boat valve 101 is opened. The shower head plate 120 coupled to the reactor block 110 and the diffusion plate 130 installed in the shower head plate 120 to inject the reaction gas and / or inert gas supplied from the reaction gas supply unit (not shown). And a wafer block 140 installed inside the reactor block 110 to seat the wafer w, and an exhaust unit connected to the reactor block 110 to exhaust the gas in the reactor block 110 to the outside. (Not shown).

The shower head plate 120 includes a first connection line 121 for transferring the supplied first reaction gas and / or inert gas to the diffusion plate 130, and a second reaction gas and / or inert gas. A second connection line 122 is provided to transfer the same to the 130, and the reactor block 110 has a first connection pipe connected to the first connection line 121 and the second connection line 122, respectively. 111 and a second connecting pipe 112 are provided. The first and second connection pipes 111 and 112 are connected to the first and second connection lines 121 and 122 installed on the shower head plate 120. The first and second connection pipes 111 and 112 are connected to a reaction gas supply unit (not shown).

The diffusion plate 130 positioned inside the reactor block 110 when the shower head plate 120 covers the reactor block 110 may include a first reaction gas and / or introduced through the first connection line 121. A plurality of injection holes 131 for injecting an inert gas to the upper portion of the wafer (w) and a plurality of injection of the second reaction gas and / inert gas flowing into the second connection line 122 to the outer peripheral side of the wafer (w) Has a nozzle 133.

In the process module as described above, a plurality of heaters H are installed to increase the temperature therein.

In the process module 100 as described above, the wafer w is transferred through the wafer transfer hole 116 to be seated on the wafer block 140, and the reactor block 110 is heated to a predetermined temperature. The reaction gas and / or the inert gas are injected onto the wafer w through the first connection pipe 111 → the first connection line 121 → the injection port 131, and the second reaction gas and / or the inert gas The two connecting pipes 112 → the second connecting line 122 → the nozzle 133 to be sprayed in the direction of the inner surface of the reactor block 110. The first and second reaction gases form a thin film on the wafer w, and gases not used for process by-products or thin film deposition are exhaust holes 117 and 118 through the pumping port 115 and the module pumping line 150. Exhaust to the outside.

According to the present invention, a series of processes can be continuously performed on a wafer by employing a plurality of known process modules having the above structure or another structure, and in this embodiment, eight.

The operation of the automatic continuous wafer processing system having the above structure will be described.

By supplying air from which foreign substances have been removed by the fan filter 39 into the wafer distribution tower 30, the inside of the wafer distribution tower 30 is kept clean, while the upper and lower sides of the polygon vacuum pumps 16 are maintained. The inside of the polygon bodies 11 and 21 is maintained in a predetermined vacuum state. On the other hand, a plurality of wafers are accommodated in the pulls 36a and 37a of the first and second load port modules 36 and 37.

Next, the lifting robot 35 is moved by the vertical coaxial 34a 'and the horizontal guide 34b to a position corresponding to the first load port module 36, and then the rotating shaft, arm, and finger 35b ( One wafer w is extracted from the product 36a of the first load port module 36 by moving 35c and 35d. Then, the lifting robot 35 moves to the position corresponding to the aligner 32 to insert the wafer w into the slot 32a of the aligner 32. The aligner 32 determines the degree of distortion of the sandwiched wafer w and transfers the corresponding information to the lifting robot 35 so that the lifting robot 35 can accurately transfer the wafer w to the load lock tower. Make sure

Next, the lifting robot 35 extracts the wafer w from the aligner 32 by moving the rotary shaft, the arm, and the fingers 35b, 35c, and 35d, and transfers the wafer w to a position corresponding to the distribution passage 31a. At this time, the cool station 42 in the load lock tower body 41 is lifted by the load lock elevator 44 is moved to a position corresponding to the distribution passage (31a).

Next, the first load lock valve 45 descends to open the distribution passage 31a, and the lifting robot 35 moves the arm and the panger 35c and 35d to move the wafer w through the distribution passage 31a. After inserting into the empty slot of the cool station 42 to avoid the slots are already inserted into the wafer for the process proceeds, the finger 35b is folded out of the load lock tower 40.

Next, the first load lock boat valve 45 is raised to close the distribution passage 31a. Then, a valve (not shown) on the pumping line 47a connected to the load lock vacuum pump 47 is opened to make the inside of the load lock tower body 41 the same vacuum as the upper polygon body 11.

Next, when the inside of the load lock tower 40 and the inside of the upper polygon body 11 are in the same vacuum state, the upper second load lock valve 46a is lowered to open the upper first polygon passage 12. Then, the polygon fixing robot 15 unfolds the first, second arm, fingers 15b, 15c and 15d to extract the wafer w from the slot of the cool station 42. When the polygonal fixing robot 15 extracts the wafer w and moves it into the upper polygon body 11, the upper second load lock valve 46a is raised to close the upper first polygon path 12.

Next, the polygon fixing robot 15 transfers the wafer w to a position corresponding to the 13a upper second polygon path using the first, second arm, and the fingers 15b, 15c, and 15d, which are rotated, unfolded, and folded. Let's do it.

Next, when the degree of vacuum inside the 100a process module is the same as the inside of the upper polygon body 11, the module boat valve 101 of the 100a process module descends to open the wafer transfer hole 116.

Next, the polygon fixing robot 15 unfolds the first and second arms and the fingers 15b, 15c, and 15d to seat the wafer w on the wafer block 110. After supplying the wafer w, the polygonal fixing robot 15 folds the first and second arms and the fingers 15b, 15c and 15d and completely exits the 100a process module.

Next, the module boat valve 101 is raised to close the wafer transfer hole 116, and then a specific process is performed in the 100a process module.

Subsequently, when the process is completed and the degree of vacuum in the 100a process module is equal to the inside of the upper polygon body 11, the module boat valve 101 is lowered to open the wafer transfer hole 116, and the polygon fixing robot 15 is a wafer ( w) is extracted from the 100a process module.

Next, the polygon fixing robot 15 moves the wafer w to a position corresponding to the 13b upper second polygon path, and repeats the above operation to supply the wafer w to the 100b process module. In the 100b process module, a sequential process is performed.

Next, the polygon fixing robot 15 sequentially extracts the wafer w from the 100b process module and then sequentially supplies the wafer w to the 100c and 100d process modules in which a specific process is performed by repeating the above operation.

Next, the polygon fixing robot 15 extracts the wafer w from the 100d process module.

Next, the upper second load lock boat valve 46a is lowered, and the polygon fixing robot 15 inserts the wafer w in which the specific process is performed sequentially into the slot of the cool station 42 of the load lock tower 40. Put it in. At this time, if another wafer is already inserted in the slot of the cool station 42, the load lock elevator 44 is operated to raise and lower the cool station 42 to insert the wafer w having a specific process into the empty slot. .

Next, the upper second load lock boat valve 46a is raised to close the upper first polygon passage 12.

Next, the load lock elevator 44 lowers the cool station 42 and moves it to a position corresponding to the lower second load lock valve 46b.

Next, the lower second load lock boat valve 46b is lowered, and the polygon fixing robot installed in the lower polygon body 21 extends the first and second arms and fingers to extract the wafer w from the slot of the cool station 42. After that, it is moved to a position corresponding to the lower second polygon passage 23a. Thereafter, by performing the same operation performed in the upper polygon module unit 10 so that the wafer w passes through the four process modules 105a0, 105b and 105c, a specific process is applied to the wafer w. To be performed.

Next, when the wafer w passes through all the process modules, the polygonal fixing robot of the lower polygon body 21 extracts the wafer w to come to the position of the lower first polygon path 22, and then the lower second When the load lock valve 46b is lowered, the polygon fixing robot inserts the wafer w into the slot of the cool station 42, and then the lower second load lock valve 46b is raised to lower the first polygon path 22. ) Close. At this time, if another wafer is already inserted into the slot of the cool station 42, the load lock elevator 44 operates to lift and lower the cool station 42, thereby inserting the wafer w that has already been processed into the empty slot. Put it in. Since the wafer w has been heated, the inert gas is supplied to the cool station to cool the wafer to an appropriate temperature.

Next, when the wafer w is cooled to an appropriate temperature, the load lock elevator 44 moves the cool station 42 to a position corresponding to the first load lock valve 45.

Next, the vent member (not shown) is operated to make the inside of the load lock tower body 41 at atmospheric pressure, which is the atmospheric pressure inside the wafer distribution tower 30.

Next, the first load lock boat valve 45 descends and the distribution passage 31a is opened, and the lifting robot 35 cools the wafers w that have completed all the sequential processes through the distribution passage 31a. After extraction, the wafers are moved to accommodate the unwinding 37a of the second load port module 37 or the unwinding 36a of the first loadport module 36. At this time, the wafers are returned to the same slots in the same pull that were first exited.

In the above-described embodiment, one wafer has been described as an example, but a process may be simultaneously performed on multiple wafers. For example, when a wafer on which a specific process is performed in a 100a process module proceeds to a 100b process module, new wafers may be stored in the 100a process module to continuously process a plurality of wafers.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible. will be.

As described above, according to the present invention, by integrating a plurality of process modules performing a series of continuous processes, by stacking a plurality of polygon module unit implemented by combining the process modules to increase productivity by increasing the productivity per unit area Can be.

In addition, it is possible to reduce the number of particles falling on the wafer by preventing the wafer from being exposed to the outside as much as possible, or to minimize the formation of an oxide film on the wafer by the atmosphere, thereby increasing the production yield.

Claims (7)

Processing the wafer (w) that is coupled to the surface of the polygon main body formed with a first polygon passage through which the wafer (w) enters and exits from each surface except for the surface where the first polygon passage is formed in the polygon body. At least two polygon module units (10, 20) comprising a plurality of process modules, and a polygonal fixing robot (15) fixed in the polygon body to transfer a wafer (w) to the plurality of process modules; ; The tower main body 31 having the distribution passage 31a through which the wafer w enters and exits, and the degree of distortion of the wafer w fixed and pinched inside the tower main body 31 are identified to generate corresponding information. Lifting robot which is installed in the aligner 32 and the tower body 31 to be lifted and lifted and lifted to a position corresponding to the distribution passage 31a by extracting the wafer w from the aligner 32 ( A wafer distribution tower 30 having 35); Installed between the polygon module units 10 and 20 and the wafer distribution tower 30 to correspond to the first polygon passages and the distribution passage 31a, respectively, to access the first polygon passage and the distribution passage. An automatic continuous wafer processing system comprising a load lock tower (40) for temporarily storing a wafer (w) and separating the polygon module unit (10) and the wafer distribution tower (30). The method of claim 1, The wafer dispensing tower (30), at least one of the load port module that is installed for the process of waiting for the process progress or the wafer (w) is completed (w) is installed, characterized in that the automatic continuous wafer processing system. The method of claim 2, The wafer distribution tower (30), the automatic continuous wafer processing system, characterized in that the fan filter (39) for removing the foreign matter particles contained in the air introduced. The method of claim 1, The elevating robot 35, the robot body 35a to be transferred in the vertical direction in the tower body 31, the rotating shaft 35b for rotating in the robot body 35a and the rotating shaft 35b And an installed arm (35c) and a finger (35d) articulating the arm (35c) and extracting the wafer (w). The method of claim 1, The load lock tower 40 is installed in the load lock tower main body 41 and the load lock tower main body 41 installed so that the first polygonal passages 12 and 22 communicate with the distribution passage 31a. A plurality of slots are formed to accommodate the wafer w, and a cool station 42 for cooling the received wafer w and the cool station 42 may be used for the polygon lifting robot 15 or the lifting robot ( A load lock elevator 44 for elevating the wafer w to a height suitable for extracting the wafer w, a first load lock valve 45 for opening and closing the distribution passage, and the first polygon passage 12 ( 22) A second continuous lock processing valve (46a, 46b) for opening and closing the automatic continuous wafer processing system characterized in that it comprises. The method of claim 1, The polygon fixing robot 15 includes a robot main body 15a fixed in the polygon main bodies 11 and 21, a first arm 15b horizontally rotating in the robot main body 15a, and the first arm. And a second arm 15c articulating with respect to the arm 15b, and a finger 15d articulating with respect to the second arm 15c and extracting the wafer w. Processing system. Processing the wafer (w) that is coupled to the surface of the polygon main body formed with a first polygon passage through which the wafer (w) enters and exits from each surface except for the surface where the first polygon passage is formed in the polygon body. At least two polygon module units (10, 20) comprising a plurality of process modules, and a polygonal fixing robot (15) fixed in the polygon body to transfer a wafer (w) to the plurality of process modules; ; And a wafer w installed in the polygon module units 10 and 20 so as to correspond to each of the first polygon paths 12 and 22 to enter and exit the first polygon paths 12 and 22. Load lock tower (40) is stored, including the plurality of process modules are applied to a wafer processing system having a sequential process relationship for wafer processing, The polygon fixing robot (15) transferring the wafer (w) to the first process module in which a specific process is performed in the load lock tower in which the wafer (w) is temporarily stored; The polygon fixing robot (15) extracting the wafer from the first process module and sequentially transferring the wafer (w) clockwise or counterclockwise to the next process modules where a specific process is performed; And a step of extracting the wafer (w) from the final process module to the load lock tower by the polygon fixing robot (15).