AT512450A1 - METHOD FOR MANIPULATING SEMICONDUCTOR DISCS - Google Patents

Abstract

Semiconductor wafers (6) are transferred (reordered) from a container (1) (Foup) into a support (4) for semiconductor wafers (6) by applying the opened container (1) with its opening from below to a carrier (4) and is locked with this. Then, the container (1) is rotated together with the carrier (4) until the carrier (4) is arranged below the container (1). Once this is done, the lock is released and the container (1) lifted upwards from the carrier (4), the semiconductor wafers (6) in the carrier (4) remain until they are from a gripper (13) in a boat ( 5), in which they are treated further.

Description

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The invention relates to a method for manipulating semiconductor wafers having the features of the introductory part of claim 1. Various devices and systems are known for manipulating wafers. For example, reference may be made to DE 10 2006 058 952 A1 and EP 0 047 132 Bl.

The semiconductor wafer manipulation system, as known from DE 10 2006 058 952 A1, is a clean-room manipulation system for semiconductor wafers for feeding horizontal semiconductor processing equipment, in which a robot with a gripper for mounting and dehorning semiconductor wafers Transport containers is used.

EP 0 047 132 B1 discloses a method for transferring semiconductor wafers between a first carrier tray and a second carrier tray, wherein the second carrier tray is placed in an inverse position with the first carrier tray and transferring the semiconductor wafers from a carrier tray into the carrier tray others only after turning both hordes due to gravity takes place.

Disadvantage of this known system is that it is not suitable for simultaneous loading of racks and boats.

Also known is a manipulation system for

Semiconductor wafers in which either the horde or the foup is guided vertically over a comb-like carrier and in a subsequent movement the semiconductor wafers (wafers) stop. Alternatively, it can be provided that the horde or the Foup lie on a receptacle and a robot removes the semiconductor wafers horizontally.

The invention is based on the object, a method of I * * * * * * * »» * «I * I« tf * «·· *« · · ··············· * * * Be provided with the semiconductor wafers (wafers) from containers for semiconductor wafers (hordes or so-called Foups = front opening unified pot) can be converted into boats in which the semiconductor wafers can then be subjected to further treatment.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a method having the features of claim 1.

Preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

In the system according to the invention, the semiconductor wafers are implemented in a simple manner, in particular with the aid of a robot in one, in particular comb-like, carrier and further implemented with the aid of a single or multiple gripper in a boat in which they are then subjected to further treatment.

It is considered according to the invention from the container (Horde or Foup) all or only individual semiconductor wafers in boats (so-called. "Boats") implement.

The method according to the invention also makes it possible to convert treated semiconductor wafers from the boats back into containers for semiconductor wafers (hurds / foups).

It is particularly advantageous in the context of the invention, when carrying out the inventive method, the semiconductor wafers from the container from above under the action of gravity in below the open side of the container arranged carrier, in particular comb-like carrier implemented. This has the advantage that no additional grippers or similar devices are required for converting the semiconductor wafers from a container into the carrier.

Further details and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the drawings. Show it:

1 to 3 an arrangement for converting semiconductor wafers in different working positions in carrying out the method according to the invention and

Figs. 4 to 8 a sequence of steps in carrying out the method according to the invention.

In the method according to the invention for manipulating semiconductor wafers 6 (wafers), a container 1 is detected by a multi-axis robot 3 and the lid of the container 1 is opened. Following this, the container 1 is placed, with the open side facing upwards, from underneath to a carrier 4 ("transfer plate") located in a transfer station 2 and locked therewith. The container 1 is then rotated together with the carrier 4 by the robot (about a substantially horizontal axis) (arrow 10 in Fig. 6) so that it is in a position above the (comb-like) carrier 4. Now, the semiconductor wafers 6 move under the action of gravity in the (comb-like) support 4 until they are finally arranged in this. As soon as this is done, the lock between container 1 and carrier 4 is released and the now empty container 1 is removed from the carrier 4. Subsequently, the semiconductor wafers 6 (all or only individual) are transported by means of a gripper 13 in a boat 5 and further processed in this in the course of the production of semiconductor wafers 6 (wafers) / treated.

Once the treatment has been carried out, treated wafers 6 (wafers) are removed from the boat 5. For this purpose, they are lifted with the aid of a gripper 13 from the boat 5 and placed on a (comb-like) support 4 in the Umhordestation 2. Thereafter, the robot 3 detects a container 1, opens it and places the container 1 with the open side facing downwards over the (standing) semiconductor wafers 6 arranged on the comb-like carrier 4

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Container 1 is locked to the carrier 4. As soon as this is done, the container 1 and the carrier 4 locked with it are rotated by the robot so that the open side of the container 1 again points upwards and the container 1 finally comes to lie below the carrier 4. Following this, the lock can be released, the robot 3 remove the container 1 from the carrier 4 and close the lid of the container 1, whereupon treated semiconductor wafers 6 are received in the now closed container 1.

The embodiment of the carrier 4 in the transfer station 2 shown in the drawings is characterized in that it has on two opposite sides semiconductor wafers 6, laterally supporting mounts, namely combs 7, 8. In each case, a middle comb 7 and two side combs 8 are provided. The side combs 8 are arranged so as to be widely spaced from each other, thus keeping the semiconductor wafers 6 well and securely.

The symmetrical with respect to a median plane of the support 4 training (combs 7, 8 above and below, ie on both sides) has the advantage that the carrier 4, after semiconductor wafers 6 have been removed, need not be turned back when he again for recording of wafers 6 is required.

These steps are shown in Figs. 4 to 8, in which only the container 1, the carrier 4 and a gripper 13 are shown.

Fig. 4 shows how an open container 1 is moved from below to a support 4 (arrow 9).

In Fig. 5 the phase is shown in which the container 1 is locked to the carrier 4.

Fig. 6 shows that the container 1 after rotation (arrow 10) of the arrangement of container 1 and with this locked carrier 4 to ♦ * a substantially horizontal axis (with now downwardly facing opening) above the support 4 is arranged.

After rotating the arrangement of container 1 and carrier 4 (FIG. 6), as shown in FIG. 7, the container 1 is lifted upwards (arrow 11) from the carrier 4 - after release of the lock - the semiconductor wafers 6 stay on the carrier 4.

Subsequently, the semiconductor wafers 6 (or individual ones thereof) are lifted out of the carrier 4 with the aid of a gripper 13 (arrow 12) and inserted into a boat 5, for example.

In summary, an embodiment of the invention can be described as follows:

Wafers 6 are converted from a container 1 (Foup) in a carrier 4 for semiconductor wafers 6 (umgehordet) by the opened container 1 is applied with its opening from below to a support 4 and locked with this. Then, the container 1 is rotated together with the carrier 4 until the carrier 4 is arranged below the container 1. Once this is done, the lock is released and lifted the container 1 upwards from the carrier 4, wherein the semiconductor wafers 6 remain in the carrier 4 until they are converted by a gripper 13 in a boat 5, in which they are treated further.

Claims (9)

1. A method for manipulating semiconductor wafers, in which semiconductor wafers are made of at least one of a plurality of semiconductor wafers. 2. Description of the Prior Art Container (Horde / Foup) and converted into at least one boat and vice versa, characterized in that the container is opened and placed with its opening below a support for semiconductor wafers in position that the semiconductor wafers are converted in the carrier that the semiconductor wafers are unloaded from the carrier into a boat and subjected to a treatment that treated semiconductor wafers are loaded from the boat into the carrier and that treated semiconductor wafers are converted from the carrier into the container. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the container is overturned for converting the semiconductor wafers in the carrier, wherein the semiconductor wafers, while the container is overturned by rotation, are retained in the container. 3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the opened container containing the semiconductor wafers, after having been positioned beneath the carrier, is locked to the carrier and the assembly is rotated on the container and carrier until the opening of the container Container down and the support for semiconductor wafers comes to lie below the container. 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the rotated container is lifted from the carrier arranged below it, wherein the semiconductor wafers remain in the carrier. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a comb-like carrier, in particular a carrier with provided on opposite sides K combs, is used as the carrier. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that individual or all semiconductor wafers are unloaded from the carrier by means of a gripper device in a boat. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that treated semiconductor wafers are lifted from the boat by means of a gripper in a support for semiconductor wafers that an opened container is placed on the carrier with treated semiconductor wafers in position that the container is locked with the carrier, that the carrier is rotated together with the container, so that the opening of the container is now facing up, that the lock between the carrier and container is released and that the container is removed from the carrier down and closed. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the movements of the container and the carrier are carried out by means of a multi-axis robot. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the arrangement of container and with this locked carrier is rotated about a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis.