CN107949905B

CN107949905B - Nozzle unit

Info

Publication number: CN107949905B
Application number: CN201680050938.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 河合俊宏; 重田贵司; 吉川雅顺
Original assignee: Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-09-04
Filing date: 2016-08-19
Publication date: 2022-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 2036-08-19
Also published as: TW201718109A; JP6623627B2; KR102577608B1; KR20180048650A; WO2017038501A1; CN107949905A; TWI715624B; JP2017050518A

Abstract

The invention provides a nozzle unit for preventing air from entering when a FOUP is filled with gas. Accordingly, the nozzle unit includes: a nozzle body (71) having a gas supply port (72) communicating with a container (7) for storing a storage object and a gas flow path (77) communicating with the gas supply port (72); a supply nozzle (78) connected to the gas flow path (77) and used for supplying gas to the container through the gas supply port (72); and an exhaust nozzle (83) connected to the gas flow path (77) and configured to exhaust the gas flow path (77).

Description

Nozzle unit

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a nozzle unit for filling a gas into a container for storing wafers being transferred.

Background

Conventionally, semiconductor manufacturing is performed by performing various processing steps on a wafer as a substrate. In recent years, high integration of devices and miniaturization of circuits have been progressing, and it is required to maintain the periphery of a wafer at a high degree of cleanliness so as not to cause adhesion of particles and moisture to the surface of the wafer. Further, in order to prevent surface properties such as surface oxidation of the wafer from changing, the periphery of the wafer is also made into a nitrogen atmosphere, which is an inert gas, or into a vacuum state.

In order to appropriately maintain the atmosphere around the wafer, the wafer is loaded into and managed by a closed-type storage chamber called a FOUP (Front-open Unified Pod), and nitrogen is filled into the closed-type storage chamber. In order to transfer a wafer between a FOUP and a processing apparatus for processing the wafer, an efem (equipment Front End module) is used. The EFEM constitutes a wafer transfer chamber which is substantially closed inside the housing, and has a Load Port (Load Port) which functions as an interface with the FOUP on one of the opposite wall surfaces, and a Load lock chamber which is a part of the processing apparatus is connected to the other wall surface. A wafer transfer device for transferring a wafer is provided in the wafer transfer chamber, and the wafer transfer device is used to access the wafer between a FOUP connected to the load station and the load-lock vacuum chamber. The wafer transfer chamber is generally configured to always send a clean atmosphere, i.e., a down-flow, from a fan filter unit disposed at an upper portion of the transfer chamber.

In recent years, in the front end process of the wafer, the properties of the wafer may be changed even by oxygen, moisture, and the like contained in the clean atmosphere used as the down stream. Therefore, as in patent document 1, a technique for injecting an inert gas into a FOUP so that the periphery of the wafer becomes a nitrogen atmosphere is required to be put into practical use.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2011-187539

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, in the nozzle unit described in patent document 1, air and fine particles remain in the flow path inside the injection nozzle. As a result, the following problems occur: the residual air and particles are mixed into the FOUP which requires a lower oxygen concentration and a lower humidity, and the properties of the wafer may be changed.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle unit that prevents the entry of air when filling an inert gas into a FOUP.

Means for solving the problems

The nozzle unit of the invention 1 comprises:

a nozzle body having a gas supply port communicating with a container for storing a storage object and a gas flow path communicating with the gas supply port;

a supply nozzle connected to the gas flow path and configured to supply a gas to the container through the gas supply port; and

and an exhaust nozzle connected to the gas flow path and configured to exhaust gas from the gas flow path.

In the nozzle unit, the atmosphere is discharged by an exhaust nozzle. Therefore, after the container and the nozzle body are brought into contact with each other, the atmosphere in the nozzle unit including the nozzle body, the supply nozzle, and the exhaust nozzle is exhausted, and the gas is supplied to the container from the supply nozzle. This prevents the atmosphere in the nozzle unit from flowing into the container. Here, the atmospheric air means a substance that may change the properties of the wafer such as oxygen, moisture, and particulates, which may oxidize the wafer stored in the container, and a gas containing the substance. Since this atmosphere is prevented from flowing into the container, the properties of the wafers stored in the container can be prevented from changing.

In the nozzle unit of the invention 2,

the nozzle body has:

a trunk portion that forms the gas supply port;

a 1 st peripheral wall rising from an upper end surface of the trunk portion; and

an upper space formed by an upper end surface of the trunk portion and the 1 st peripheral wall,

the gas flow path communicates with the upper space via the gas supply port.

In the nozzle unit, the exhaust nozzle discharges the atmosphere in the supply nozzle, the gas flow path, the upper space, and the exhaust nozzle. Thus, after the container and the nozzle body are brought into contact, the inflow of atmospheric air into the container is reliably prevented when the supply nozzle supplies gas to the container. This can prevent the wafers stored in the container from changing their properties.

In the nozzle unit of the invention 3,

the supply nozzle and the exhaust nozzle are integrated.

In this nozzle unit, the supply nozzle and the exhaust nozzle are integrally provided, so that the structure is simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the nozzle unit of the invention 4,

the nozzle unit has a pressure adjusting member for adjusting a pressure within the nozzle body,

the pressure adjusting member controls the pressure in the nozzle body to be a predetermined value or less when the nozzle body is replaced with gas.

In the nozzle unit, the pressure adjusting member controls the pressure in the nozzle body to be a predetermined value or less. Therefore, when the inert gas is supplied by discharging the atmosphere in the nozzle body, that is, when the inert gas is replaced from the atmosphere in the nozzle body, the inert gas can be prevented from flowing into the container.

The nozzle unit of the invention of claim 5 comprises:

the nozzle body;

an opening/closing mechanism for closing the gas supply port; and

and an opening member for opening the gas supply port closed by the opening/closing mechanism.

In this nozzle unit, after the container and the nozzle body come into contact with each other, the opening member opens the gas supply port closed by the opening/closing mechanism, and the exhaust nozzle discharges the atmosphere in the nozzle unit. Therefore, after the exhaust nozzle discharges the atmosphere in the nozzle unit, the supply nozzle supplies the inert gas to the container, and thus the atmosphere in the nozzle unit can be prevented from flowing into the container.

In the nozzle unit of the invention 6,

the opening and closing mechanism includes: an elastic closing member located in the upper space and closing a peripheral edge of the gas supply port with an outer peripheral edge portion; and a fixing portion for fixing the elastic closing member to the trunk portion,

the opening means is an inert gas for releasing the sealing by pressing the elastic sealing member to elastically deform the elastic sealing member.

In this nozzle unit, the pressure of the inert gas is set to a predetermined value or more, and the inert gas presses the elastic closing member to be elastically deformed, thereby releasing the closing of the gas supply port. This makes it possible to supply gas with an easy structure.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

In the invention 1, the atmosphere is discharged by the exhaust nozzle. Therefore, after the container and the nozzle body are brought into contact with each other, the atmosphere in the nozzle unit including the nozzle body, the supply nozzle, and the exhaust nozzle is exhausted, and the inert gas is supplied from the supply nozzle to the container. This prevents the atmosphere in the nozzle unit from flowing into the container. Here, the atmosphere contains oxygen, moisture, particles, and the like that may oxidize the wafers stored in the container or change the properties of the wafers. Since this atmosphere is prevented from flowing into the container, the properties of the wafers stored in the container can be prevented from changing.

In the invention of claim 2, the exhaust nozzle discharges the atmosphere in the supply nozzle, the gas flow path, the upper space, and the exhaust nozzle. Thus, after the container and the nozzle body are brought into contact, the inflow of atmospheric air into the container is reliably prevented when the supply nozzle supplies gas to the container. This prevents the wafers stored in the container from changing in shape.

In the invention 3, the supply nozzle and the exhaust nozzle are integrally provided, so that the structure is simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the 4 th aspect of the present invention, the pressure adjusting means controls the pressure in the nozzle body to be equal to or lower than a predetermined value. Therefore, when the inert gas is supplied by discharging the atmosphere in the nozzle body, that is, when the inert gas is replaced from the atmosphere in the nozzle body, the inert gas can be prevented from flowing into the container.

In the 5 th aspect of the present invention, after the container and the nozzle body come into contact with each other, the opening member opens the gas supply port closed by the opening/closing mechanism, and the exhaust nozzle discharges the atmosphere in the nozzle unit. Therefore, after the air in the nozzle unit is discharged from the air discharge nozzle, the supply nozzle supplies the inert gas to the container, and thus the air in the nozzle unit can be prevented from flowing into the container.

In the invention according to claim 6, the pressure of the inert gas is set to a predetermined value or more, and the inert gas presses the elastic closing member to be elastically deformed, thereby releasing the closing of the gas supply port. This makes it possible to supply the inert gas with an easy structure.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state where a side wall of an EFEM is detached.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the loading station shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing a FOUP and a loading station.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a window unit and a gate portion constituting the EFEM in an enlarged manner.

Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the positioning sensor.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the nozzle unit of embodiment 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of moving the nozzle unit of fig. 6 toward the FOUP.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing a state in which the nozzle unit of fig. 6 is mounted to a FOUP.

Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a connection state of the control unit.

Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing a gas injection operation performed on a FOUP.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the nozzle unit of embodiment 2.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of moving the nozzle unit of fig. 11 toward the FOUP.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the nozzle unit of fig. 12 further moved toward the FOUP.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view showing a state in which the nozzle unit of fig. 12 is attached to a FOUP.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the nozzle unit of embodiment 2.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view showing a state in which the nozzle unit of the modification of fig. 15 is attached to a FOUP.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view showing a state where the nozzle unit of the modification of fig. 15 is attached to a FOUP and gas is injected.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view of a nozzle unit using an elastic closure member different from that of fig. 15.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view showing a state in which the elastic closing member in fig. 18 is opened.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view of a nozzle unit of a modification of embodiment 2 in which a pressure chamber is used instead of a spring.

Fig. 21 is a sectional view of a nozzle unit of a modification of embodiment 2 that employs an actuator for opening and closing a gas supply port.

Fig. 22 is a sectional view of the periphery of the mounting table of a modification in which the gas replacement mechanism is fixed without being lifted.

Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the mounting table in a modification using a pressure sensor as a positioning sensor.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the interior visible by removing the side walls of the EFEM 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the EFEM1 includes: a wafer transfer device 2 for transferring the wafer W between predetermined transfer positions; a case 3 which is box-shaped and is provided so as to surround the wafer transfer device 2; a loading station 4 connected to an outer side of a wall on the front surface side of the housing 3; and a control unit 5. Here, the direction of the side to which the loading station 4 is connected when viewed from the housing 3 is defined as the front, and the direction of the side opposite to the side to which the loading station 4 is connected when viewed from the housing 3 is defined as the rear.

The control unit 5 controls the operation of the wafer transfer device 2, thereby enabling the transfer of the wafers (stored objects) W stored in the FOUP (container) 7 placed in the loading station 4 to the transfer space 9 inside the housing 3 and the re-transfer of the wafers W subjected to various processes into the FOUP 7.

The loading station 4 includes a door 51 (see fig. 2), and the door 51 is connected to the lid 32 provided in the FOUP7 and moves together, so that the FOUP7 is opened with respect to the conveying space 9. A plurality of placement portions are provided in the FOUP7 in the vertical direction, and a plurality of wafers W can be stored therein. Further, nitrogen is usually filled in the FOUP7, and the atmospheric gas in the FOUP7 may be replaced with nitrogen by the loading station 4 under the control of the control unit 5.

The control unit 5 is configured as a control unit provided in the upper space of the housing 3. The control unit 5 performs drive control of the wafer transfer apparatus 2, nitrogen replacement control of the FOUP7 by the loading station 4, opening/closing control of the door 51, and nitrogen circulation control in the housing 3. The control unit 5 is constituted by a general microprocessor or the like including a CPU, a memory, and an interface, and stores a program necessary for processing in advance in the memory, and the CPU sequentially reads and executes the necessary program to realize a desired function in cooperation with peripheral hardware devices. The nitrogen circulation control will be described later.

The internal space of the housing 3 is partitioned by the partition member 8 into a gas return path 10 and a transport space 9 which is a space in which the wafer transport apparatus 2 operates. The conveyance space 9 and the gas return path 10 communicate only at a gas sending-out port 11 provided in an upper portion of the conveyance space 9 extending in the width direction and a gas suction port 12 provided in a lower portion of the conveyance space 9 extending in the width direction. Then, a downward flow is generated in the conveyance space 9 through the gas outlet 11 and the gas suction port 12, and an upward flow is generated in the gas return passage 10, thereby circulating the nitrogen gas. In the present embodiment, nitrogen as an inert gas is circulated in the casing 3, but the circulated gas is not limited thereto, and other gases may be used.

A gas supply member 16 for introducing nitrogen into the housing 3 is connected to an upper portion of the back side of the return path 10. The gas supply means 16 can control the supply of nitrogen and the stop of the supply based on a command from the control means 5. Therefore, when a part of the nitrogen flows out of the housing 3, the nitrogen atmosphere in the housing 3 can be kept constant by supplying the nitrogen corresponding to the outflow amount from the gas supply member 16. A gas discharge member 17 for discharging nitrogen gas in the casing 3 is connected to the lower portion of the back surface side. The gas discharge member 17 is operable in response to a command from the control member 5, and opens a shutter, not shown, to communicate the inside of the casing 3 with a nitrogen gas discharge destination provided outside. By using the gas supply means 16 together with the nitrogen supply, the inside of the casing 3 can be replaced with a nitrogen atmosphere or the pressure in the casing 3 can be controlled. In the present embodiment, the gas supply means 16 supplies nitrogen in order to convert the circulating gas into nitrogen, but when circulating another gas, the gas supply means 16 supplies the circulating gas.

Further, a fan filter unit 13(FFU13) including a filter 13b and a fan 13a as the 1 st air blowing member is provided in the gas outlet 11. The fan filter unit 13 removes fine particles contained in the nitrogen gas circulating in the casing 3 and blows air downward into the conveyance space 9, thereby generating a down flow in the conveyance space 9. The FFU13 is supported by a support member 18 that is connected to the partition member 8 and extends in the horizontal direction.

Then, the nitrogen gas in the casing 3 is circulated by the fan 13a and the fan 15 of the FFU13 by descending in the conveyance space 9 and ascending in the gas return path 10. Since the gas delivery port 11 opens downward, nitrogen gas is delivered downward by the FFU 13. Since the gas suction port 12 is opened upward, the nitrogen gas can be sucked downward in the original state without disturbing the down flow generated by the FFU13, and a smooth nitrogen gas flow can be produced. Further, the fine particles adhering to the upper portion of the wafer W and the off-gas emitted from the processed wafer once are removed by generating the down-flow in the conveyance space 9, and the off-gas and the fine particles are prevented from floating by moving the wafer conveyance device 2 and the like in the conveyance space 9.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the loading station 4. The structure of the loading station 4 will be described below.

The loading station 4 vertically stands up the base 21 from the rear of the leg portion 25 to which the caster and the installation leg are attached, and has a horizontal base portion 23 provided from a height position of about 60% of the base 21 toward the front. A mounting table 24 for mounting FOUP7 is provided above the horizontal base portion 23.

As schematically shown in fig. 3, the FOUP7 includes a main body 31 having an internal space Sf for storing wafers W (see fig. 1), and a lid 32 for opening and closing an opening 31a provided on one surface of the main body 31 to serve as a carrying-in/out port for the wafers W. When the FOUP7 is correctly placed on the stage 24, the lid 32 faces the base 21.

Returning to fig. 2, table 24 is provided with positioning pins 24a for positioning FOUP7, and locking claws 24b for fixing FOUP7 to table 24. After FOUP7 is properly positioned on stage 24, lock claw 24b can fix FOUP7 by performing a locking operation, and FOUP7 can be separated from stage 24 by performing an unlocking operation. Further, the stage 24 can be moved in the front-rear direction by a stage driving unit (not shown) in a state where the FOUP7 is placed. Here, properly positioned means that the height of the bottom surface of FOUP7 with respect to stage 24 is within a predetermined range from the upper surface of stage 24.

Whether or not FOUP7 is positioned at an appropriate position is detected by positioning sensor 60 (see fig. 5) disposed near positioning pin 24 a. The positioning sensor 60 includes: a sensor 61 formed of a plate spring; a shade 62 provided to protrude downward from the sensor 61; a photoelectric sensor 63 which is transmissive and disposed below the light shield 62; and a sensor cable 64 connected to the photosensor 63. Preferably, the positioning sensors 60 are disposed in the vicinity of the positioning pins 24a, respectively.

When the FOUP7 is placed on the stage 24, a positioning groove (not shown) of the FOUP7 is inserted into the positioning pin 24a, and the bottom of the FOUP7 comes into contact with the sensor 61. Accordingly, the light shield 62 is lowered by the weight of the FOUP7 to shield the electric sensor 63 from light, and thus the FOUP7 can be recognized (detected). The detection result is transmitted to the controller by the sensor cable 64. In this way, when the light shield 62 shields the photoelectric sensor 63, it is possible to detect that the FOUP7 is properly positioned on the stage 24. Specifically, in order to detect whether FOUP7 is properly positioned, light shield 62 may be designed to shield photosensor 63 when FOUP7 is properly positioned. The amount of light blocked by the light blocking cover 62 detected by the photosensor 63 may be compared with a predetermined threshold value to detect the amount.

Further, a nozzle unit 70 for supplying nitrogen gas into FOUP7 and a 2 nd exhaust nozzle 104 for exhausting nitrogen gas from within FOUP7 are provided at two locations of the stage 24, respectively. The nozzle unit 70 and the 2 nd exhaust nozzle 104 are normally located below the bottom surface of the FOUP7 in an appropriately positioned state, and in use, the nozzle unit 70 and the 2 nd exhaust nozzle 104 protrude upward and are connected to the gas supply valve 33 (see fig. 3) and the gas exhaust valve 34 of the FOUP7, respectively.

In use, the upper end of the nozzle unit 70 contacts the gas supply valve 33 of the FOUP7, and similarly, the upper end of the 2 nd exhaust nozzle 104 contacts the gas exhaust valve 34 of the FOUP 7. Then, a gas such as dry nitrogen gas is supplied from the nozzle unit 70 to the internal space Sf of the FOUP7 through the gas supply valve 33, and the gas of the internal space Sf can be discharged from the 2 nd exhaust nozzle 104 through the gas discharge valve 34. Further, the pressure of the internal space Sf may be set to a positive pressure higher than the pressure of the outside, conveying space 9 of the casing 3 by making the nitrogen gas supply amount larger than the nitrogen gas discharge amount.

Here, in a case where the gas supply valve 33 of the FOUP7 placed on the loading station 4 is a so-called gasket (grommet) type elastic member, the upper end of the corresponding nozzle unit 70 is usually made of a material having higher rigidity than the gas supply valve 33, such as metal or plastic, or an elastic member similar to a gasket type. In the present embodiment, the upper end of the nozzle unit 70 is made of plastic.

The base 21 for constituting the loading station 4 constitutes a part of a front wall that isolates the conveying space 9 from the external space. As shown in fig. 2, the base 21 includes:

support columns

21a, 21a standing on both sides; a base main body 21b supported by these

support columns

21a, 21 a; and a window unit 40 attached to a window portion 21c that is substantially rectangular and open in the base main body 21 b. Here, the substantially rectangular shape in the present application means a shape in which a rectangle having four sides is a basic shape and four corners are smoothly connected by a circular arc.

The window unit 40 is provided at a position facing the lid 32 (see fig. 3) of the FOUP7 described above. Since the window unit 40 is provided with a substantially rectangular opening 42 (see fig. 4) as described later in detail, the conveyance space 9 of the casing 3 can be opened through the opening 42.

The window unit 40 includes: a window frame portion 41; a 1 st O-ring 43 and a 2 nd O-ring 44, the 1 st O-ring 43 and the 2 nd O-ring 44 being elastic members and attached to the window frame portion 41; and a clamp unit 45 serving as a pull-in member for bringing the FOUP7 into close contact with the window frame portion 41 via the 1 st O-ring 43.

The window frame portion 41 has a frame shape in which a substantially rectangular opening 42 is formed on the inner side. Since the window frame portion 41 constitutes a part of the base 21 (see fig. 2) as a constituent element of the window unit 40, the opening 42 can be said to be a portion that opens the front wall of the housing 3. A 1 st O-ring 43 is disposed on the front surface of the sash portion 41 so as to surround the vicinity of the peripheral edge of the opening portion 42. A 2O-ring 44 is disposed on the rear surface of the sash portion 41 so as to surround the vicinity of the periphery of the opening portion 42.

The opening 42 is slightly larger than the outer periphery of the lid 32 of the FOUP7, and the lid 32 can move through the opening 42. In a state where the FOUP7 is placed on the mounting table 24, the front surface of the main body 31 forming the periphery of the lid 32 is brought into contact with the front surface of the window frame portion 41 through the 1 st O-ring 43 as the contact surface 31 b. Thus, when the FOUP7 is attached to the window unit 40, the 1 st O-ring 43 seals between the peripheral edge of the opening 42 (base 21) and the FOUP 7.

The door portion 51 is in contact with the rear surface of the window frame portion 41 via the 2 nd O-ring 44. Thereby, the 2 nd O-ring 44 seals between the peripheral edge of the opening 42 and the door 51.

The clamp units 45 are provided at 4 positions in total, which are vertically spaced apart, on both sides of the sash portion 41. Each clamp unit 45 is basically provided with an engagement piece 46 and an actuator 47 for actuating the engagement piece 46, and each clamp unit 45 presses the FOUP7 toward the base 21 in a state where the FOUP7 is mounted on the window unit 40.

When the engaging piece 46 protrudes forward, the tip end thereof faces upward, and when the engaging piece 46 is pulled in backward, the tip end thereof faces inward FOUP 7. By the clamping operation, the engagement piece 46 can be engaged with the flange portion protruding in the lateral direction from the FOUP7 by making the tip end thereof face inward.

The loading station 4 includes an opening/closing mechanism 50 for opening and closing the window unit 40, and the window unit 40 is configured to be able to mount the FOUP 7.

As shown in fig. 3, the opening and closing mechanism 50 includes: a door 51 for opening and closing the opening 42; a support frame 52 for supporting the door portion 51; a movable block 54 which supports the support frame 52 via a slide support member 53 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction; and a slide rail 55 that supports the movable block 54 so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base main body 21 b.

Actuators (not shown) for moving the gate 51 in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction are provided in each of the directions, and the gate 51 can be moved in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction by giving a drive command from the control unit Cp to these actuators. In this manner, the loading station 4 operates by the control unit Cp giving a drive command to each unit.

The door portion 51 includes: an adsorption unit 56 (see fig. 4) for adsorbing the lid 32 of the FOUP 7; and a coupling member 57 for performing a locking operation of the lid body 32 for opening and closing the FOUP7 and holding the lid body 32. The door 51 fixes and releases the lid 32, and allows the lid 32 to be detached from the FOUP7 and the lid 32 to be attached. By performing the unlocking operation of the lid body 32 by the coupling member 57, the lid body 32 can be opened, and the lid body 32 can be coupled to and integrated with the door portion 51. On the contrary, the cover 32 can be attached to the main body 31 to be in the closed state while releasing the connection between the cover 32 and the door 51.

Hereinafter, the nozzle unit 70 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

< embodiment 1 >

As shown in fig. 6, the gas injection device 70 of embodiment 1 includes: a nozzle body 71 having a gas supply port 72 for supplying an inert gas to the FOUP 7; and a driving member 96 for moving the nozzle main body 71 up and down.

The nozzle body 71 has: a trunk portion 73 for forming the gas supply port 72; a 1 st peripheral wall 74 rising upward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper end surface of the main body 73; and a 2 nd peripheral wall 75 hanging downward from the outer peripheral edge of the lower end surface of the main body 73.

The trunk portion 73 has a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction of the nozzle body 71. The trunk portion 73 includes: a gas flow path 77 that communicates with the gas supply port 72; and an annular locking portion 86 that protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the trunk portion 73.

The gas flow path 77 extends linearly inside the stem portion 73 along a horizontal direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the nozzle body 71, and communicates with the gas supply port 72 at a central portion. One opening of the gas flow path 77 is connected to the supply nozzle 78, and forms a supply flow path 79. The supply nozzle 78 is connected to a nitrogen supply source (not shown) via a supply valve 80 (see fig. 3), and supplies nitrogen gas to the FOUP 7. The other opening of the gas passage 77 is connected to the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81, and forms an exhaust passage 82. The 1 st exhaust nozzle 81 is connected to a vacuum pump, not shown, via an exhaust valve 83, and exhausts the gas flow path 77 and an upper space 87, which will be described later, to the atmosphere.

An upper space 87 is formed above the trunk portion 73 between the 1 st peripheral wall 74 and the upper end surface of the trunk portion 73. A protruding wall 88 protruding toward FOUP7 is formed at the tip end of the 1 st peripheral wall 74.

A lower space 89 below the trunk portion 73 is formed between the 2 nd peripheral wall 75 and the lower end surface of the trunk portion 73. The lower end of the 2 nd peripheral wall 75 is supported by a base 90 fixed to the mounting table 24.

The nozzle body 71 is provided with a contact detection sensor (not shown) and a flow rate controller 76 (see fig. 3) as a pressure adjustment member connected to the supply valve 80.

The contact detection sensor is used to detect whether the FOUP7 is in contact with the nozzle unit 70. This detection may be performed based on the stroke amount of the cylinder 101, or may be indirectly detected based on the pressure of the cylinder 101.

The flow rate controller 76 adjusts the opening degree of the supply nozzle 80 to control the flow rate of the supplied nitrogen gas, thereby adjusting the pressure in the nozzle unit 70. Specifically, when the atmosphere in the nozzle unit 70 is discharged and nitrogen gas is supplied, the pressure in the nozzle unit 70 is controlled to be equal to or lower than a predetermined value. Here, the nozzle unit 70 includes the gas flow path 77, the upper space 87, the supply nozzle 78, and the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81.

The driving member 96 includes a disc-shaped support member (support portion) 97 and an annular standing wall 98 standing upward from the upper surface of the support member 97. A through hole 99 penetrating the support member 97 in the thickness direction is formed inside the standing wall 98 of the support member 97, and the 2 nd peripheral wall 75 penetrates the through hole 99.

The radially outer side of the support member 97 is connected to the lower end of the cylinder 101 disposed on the mounting table 24. Thus, the support member 97 is driven to move up and down by the cylinder 101, and the nozzle body 71 is driven to move up and down.

As shown in fig. 9, the input side of the control unit Ct is connected to a positioning sensor 60 for detecting a state where FOUP7 is properly positioned and a contact detection sensor for detecting a state where FOUP7 is in contact with nozzle main body 71, and the output side of the control unit Ct is connected to supply valve 80, exhaust valve 83, and cylinder 101. The control unit Ct is provided in the EFEM1, and incorporates various memories and a controller for receiving operation input from a user.

An operation example in the case of using the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to fig. 6 to 10. In the initial state, the supply valve 80 and the exhaust valve 83 are closed.

As shown in fig. 10, in step S1, positioning sensor 60 detects that FOUP7 is properly positioned on stage 24, and proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, after FOUP7 is positioned on stage 24, air cylinder 101 raises nozzle unit 70 toward FOUP7 via support member 97 (see fig. 7). At this time, the lower end of the 2 nd peripheral wall 75 is spaced apart from the base 90.

In step S3, whether or not the FOUP7 is in contact with the protruding wall 88 of the nozzle body 71 is detected by the contact detection sensor. In the case where the contact detection sensor is not used, the position of the nozzle main body 71 to be raised may be set in advance with reference to the bottom surface of the FOUP7 that is appropriately positioned on the stage 24. This allows the contact between the FOUP7 and the projecting wall 88 of the nozzle body 71 to be indirectly detected by detecting the stroke amount of the cylinder 101 or the pressure of the cylinder 101.

In step S4, the exhaust valve 83 is opened to exhaust the atmosphere from the gas flow path 77, the upper space 87, the supply nozzle 78, and the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81. When the exhaust is finished, the exhaust valve 83 is closed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the supply nozzle 78 may supply nitrogen gas to the nozzle unit 70 including the upper space 87 to replace the atmosphere when the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81 discharges the atmosphere in the nozzle unit 70. When nitrogen gas is supplied from the supply nozzle 78 to the upper space 87, the flow rate controller 76 controls the pressure in the nozzle unit 70 to a predetermined value or less. The predetermined value here means a pressure at which an opening/closing valve (not shown) such as a check valve provided in the gas supply port 72 is not opened. The opening/closing valve seals the gas supply port 72 in a closed state, prevents the gas inside the FOUP7 from flowing out of the FOUP7, and prevents the atmospheric air outside the FOUP7 from flowing into the FOUP 7. However, the on-off valve can be opened by receiving a predetermined pressure, and nitrogen gas can be introduced into the FOUP7 through the gas supply port 72.

Thereafter, in step S5, the supply valve 80 is opened, and nitrogen gas flows from the supply nozzle 78 in the supply flow path 79, the gas supply port 72, and the upper space 87 in this order, and is supplied to the FOUP 7. Thus, the interior of the FOUP7 is filled with nitrogen gas, and the nitrogen gas is replaced. However, at the end of this replacement, the supply valve 80 is closed.

In step S6, when the loading station 4 receives the stop command for nitrogen gas, the supply valve 80 is closed, and the supply of nitrogen gas from the nozzle unit 70 is stopped. Thereafter, in step S7, the support member 97 is moved downward by the air cylinder 101, and the nozzle unit 70 is moved downward and separated from the FOUP7 (see fig. 7). When the lower end of the 2 nd peripheral wall 75 abuts against the base 90, the lowering of the nozzle unit 70 is completed (see fig. 6).

[ features of the nozzle unit of the present embodiment ]

The nozzle unit 70 of the present embodiment has the following features.

In the nozzle unit 70 of embodiment 1, the atmosphere is discharged by the exhaust nozzle 83. Thus, after the FOUP7 comes into contact with the nozzle body 71, the atmosphere inside the nozzle unit 70 including the nozzle body 71, the supply nozzle 78, and the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81 is exhausted, and then the supply nozzle 78 supplies nitrogen gas to the FOUP 7. This prevents the atmosphere in the nozzle unit 70 from flowing into the FOUP 7. Since this atmosphere is prevented from flowing into the FOUP7, the properties of the wafers stored in the FOUP7 can be prevented from changing.

In the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 1, the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81 discharges the atmosphere in the supply nozzle 80, the gas flow path 77, the upper space 87, and the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81. Thus, the inflow of atmospheric air into the FOUP7 when the supply nozzle 78 supplies nitrogen gas to the FOUP7 after the FOUP7 comes into contact with the nozzle body 71 is reliably prevented. This can prevent the wafers stored in the FOUP7 from changing in shape.

In the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 1, the flow rate controller 76 controls the pressure in the nozzle body 71 to a predetermined value or less. Therefore, when the atmosphere in the nozzle body 71 is exhausted and nitrogen gas is supplied, that is, when the atmosphere in the nozzle body 71 is replaced with nitrogen gas, the nitrogen gas can be prevented from flowing into the FOUP 7.

< embodiment 2 >

The nozzle unit 70 of embodiment 2 will be described below. Note that the same elements as those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in fig. 11, the nozzle unit 70 includes: a nozzle body 71 having a gas supply port 72 for supplying nitrogen gas to the FOUP 7; an opening/closing mechanism 92 for sealing the gas supply port 72; and an opening member 96 for opening the gas supply port 72 sealed by the opening and closing mechanism 92.

The trunk portion 73 includes: a gas flow path 77 communicating with the gas supply port 72; a 1 st seal portion 85 provided at an upper edge portion of the gas supply port 72; and an annular locking portion 86 that protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the trunk portion 73.

The opening/closing mechanism 92 has a cross-sectional letter T shape, and includes a disk-shaped lid portion 93 and a columnar extension portion 94 extending downward from the center of the lower surface of the lid portion 93. The lid 93 is positioned in the upper space 87, and the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface thereof abuts against the 1 st sealing portion 85 to seal the peripheral edge of the gas supply port 72. The extending portion 94 extends from the lid portion 93 to the lower space 89 through the trunk portion 73. The gap between the extension 94 and the trunk 73 is sealed by a 2 nd seal 95 provided at the lower end of the trunk 73.

The opening member 96 is connected to the lower end of the extending portion 94, and pushes the extending portion 94 upward to move the opening/closing mechanism 92 upward. The opening member 96 includes a disc-shaped support member (support portion) 97 and an annular standing wall 98 standing upward from the upper surface of the support member 97. A through hole 99 penetrating the support member 97 in the thickness direction is formed inside the standing wall 98 of the support member 97. The opening member 96 is attached to the lower space 89 so as to be movable up and down with respect to the trunk portion 73 by the 2 nd peripheral wall 75 penetrating the through hole 99. The opening member 96 according to embodiment 2 is the same element as the driving member 96 according to embodiment 1, and the names of the members are changed according to the difference in function between the embodiments.

The radially outer side of the support member 97 is connected to the lower end of the cylinder 101 disposed on the mounting table 24. Thus, the support member 97 is driven to move up and down by the cylinder 101, and the nozzle body 71 is driven to move up and down by the spring 102 (see fig. 12 and 13).

A spring 102 as an urging member is disposed between the trunk portion 73 and the support member 97. The opening member 96 presses the opening/closing mechanism 92 upward against the elastic force of the spring 102. The opening member 96 and the opening/closing mechanism 92 are formed integrally.

[ features of the nozzle unit of the present embodiment ]

The nozzle unit 70 of the present embodiment has the following features.

In the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 2, after the gas flow path 77 is exhausted, the gas supply port 72 sealed by the opening and closing mechanism 82 can be opened (see fig. 14). Therefore, the atmosphere in the gas flow path 77 is prevented from flowing into the FOUP7 supplied with nitrogen gas, and the properties of the wafer accommodated in the FOUP7 can be prevented from changing. Further, since the opening member 96 opens the gas supply port 72 sealed by the opening and closing mechanism 92, nitrogen gas can be easily supplied from the gas supply port 72.

In the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 2, the opening/closing mechanism 92 can be moved upward by simply moving the opening member 96 upward, and the sealing of the lid 93 to the gas supply port 72 can be released. Thus, nitrogen gas can be easily supplied from the gas supply port 72.

In the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 2, the opening member 96 is biased downward with respect to the nozzle body 71 by the spring 102, and therefore the lid 93 of the opening and closing mechanism 92 connected to the opening member 96 can reliably seal the gas supply port 72. Further, even when the opening member 96 is moved upward, the spring 102 biases the stem portion 73 toward the lid portion 93, and therefore, the sealing of the lid portion 93 with respect to the gas supply port 72 can be reliably maintained.

In the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 2, the atmosphere in the gas flow path 77 can be discharged by the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81 before the upper end of the nozzle main body 71 is brought into contact with the FOUP7 and nitrogen gas is supplied from the gas supply port 72. Therefore, when the nitrogen gas is supplied, the atmosphere in the gas flow path 77 can be prevented from flowing into the FOUP7 that receives the nitrogen gas supply.

In the nozzle unit 70 according to embodiment 2, the atmosphere in the gas flow path 77 is discharged by the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81, and after the upper end of the nozzle main body 71 comes into contact with the FOUP7, the gas supply port 72 is opened to start gas injection into the FOUP 7. Therefore, when the injection of nitrogen gas into the FOUP7 is started, the atmosphere in the gas flow path 77 can be prevented from flowing into the interior of the FOUP 7. This can prevent the wafers stored in the FOUP7 from changing in shape. Here, after the upper end of the nozzle main body 71 comes into contact with the FOUP7, the opening member 96 is preferably moved upward to exhaust the atmosphere in the upper space 87 while exhausting the gas from the nozzle when the gas supply port 72 is opened. It is preferable that the nitrogen gas be injected into the FOUP7 after the atmosphere in the above-described upper space is exhausted. By so doing, the atmosphere in the headspace is prevented from entering the FOUP 7.

In the nozzle unit 70 of embodiment 2, after the injection of nitrogen gas into the FOUP7 is completed, the opening and closing mechanism 92 seals the gas supply port 72. Then, the nozzle body 71 is separated from the FOUP 7. Therefore, the nitrogen gas can be prevented from leaking out of the gas supply port 72 after the nitrogen gas injection is completed. In addition, after the injection of nitrogen gas into the FOUP7 is completed, the nozzle main body 71 may be maintained in a positive pressure state of a predetermined value or less, and in this state, the gas supply port may be closed (sealed) by the opening and closing mechanism 92 after or at the same time as the nozzle main body 71 is separated from the FOUP 7. The predetermined value here means a pressure at which an opening/closing valve (not shown) such as a check valve provided in the gas supply port 72 is not opened.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments. The scope of the present invention is defined not only by the description of the above embodiments but also by the claims, and includes all modifications equivalent in meaning and scope to the claims.

In embodiment 2, the sealing and the unsealing of the gas supply port 72 are performed by moving the opening/closing mechanism 92 up and down. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in fig. 15, an opening/closing mechanism 110 having an elastic closing member 111 and a fixing portion 112 may be employed, the elastic closing member 111 being located in the upper space 87, the elastic closing member 111 sealing the peripheral edge of the gas supply port 72 with the outer peripheral edge portion of the lower surface, and the fixing portion 112 fixing the elastic closing member 111 to the trunk portion 73. In the following modifications, the same elements as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

In the opening/closing mechanism 110, the cylinder (not shown) moves the trunk portion 73 upward (see fig. 16), and the protruding wall 88 comes into contact with the gas supply valve 33 of the FOUP 7. When nitrogen gas is caused to flow from the supply nozzle 78 toward the upper space 87 in this state, the elastic closing member 111 is elastically deformed by the pressure of the nitrogen gas as shown in fig. 17, and the seal of the gas supply port 72 is released. When the pressure of the nitrogen gas is set to a predetermined value or more in this manner, the nitrogen gas presses the elastic closing member 111 to be elastically deformed, and the seal of the gas supply port 72 is released. The predetermined value referred to herein means a pressure value at which the elastic closing member 111 is elastically deformed and the sealing of the check valve with respect to the gas supply port 72 can be released. This makes it possible to supply nitrogen gas from the supply channel 79 to the FOUP7 through the upper space 87 with a simple configuration. In this case, the exhaust passage 82 as in the above embodiment is not essential, and the supply nozzle 78 and the 1 st exhaust nozzle 81 are integrated and used together. For example, the supply of nitrogen gas is stopped before the nozzle body 71 is separated from the FOUP7, and the gas supply port 72 is sealed by the elastic closing member 111. This can substantially prevent the air from remaining in the supply flow path 79 even after the nozzle body 71 is separated from the FOUP 7. The opening/closing mechanism 110 functions as a check valve, and a known check valve can be used.

As another modification of the opening/closing mechanism 110, as shown in fig. 18, an opening/closing mechanism 110 having an elastic closing member 113 for sealing the gas supply port 72 by bringing the center portion of the elastic closing member 113 into contact with the gas supply port, and a fixing portion 114 for fixing the elastic closing member 113 to the trunk portion 73, the fixing portion 114 being formed radially outside the elastic closing member 113, may be employed.

In the opening/closing mechanism 110, when nitrogen gas is caused to flow from the supply nozzle 78 toward the upper space 87, as shown in fig. 19, the elastic closing member 113 is elastically deformed and bent outward by the pressure of the nitrogen gas, and the seal of the gas supply port 72 is released. This enables nitrogen gas to be supplied to the FOUP7 with a simple configuration.

In embodiment 2, the spring 102 biases the nozzle body 71 upward with respect to the support member 97, and the seal of the opening/closing mechanism 92 with respect to the gas supply port 72 is maintained. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the sealing or the releasing of the sealing of the gas supply port 72 may be performed by using the pressure chamber 115 as the biasing member instead of the spring 102. As shown in fig. 20, the pressure chamber 115 is formed between the support member 97 integrated with the nozzle body 71 and the trunk portion 73. The pressure chamber 115 is connected to a pressure adjustment nozzle 116 for supplying or discharging gas.

The pressure adjusting nozzle 116 increases the pressure by supplying gas into the pressure chamber 115, and presses the lower end 117 of the opening/closing mechanism 92 downward to bias the opening/closing mechanism 92 downward. Thereby, the lid 93 seals the gas supply port 72. On the other hand, the pressure is reduced by discharging gas from the pressure chamber 115 through the pressure adjusting nozzle 116, and the lower end 117 is lifted upward by the negative pressure to move the opening/closing mechanism 92 upward. This releases the sealing of the lid 93 to the gas supply port 72.

In embodiment 2, an elastic member called a gasket is used as the gas supply valve 33 of the FOUP 7. However, as the gas supply valve 33, a material having a high rigidity, such as metal or plastic, which is called a so-called lip type, may be used. In this case, the upper end of the corresponding gas injection device 70 is constituted by an elastic member 37 (see fig. 20) of a washer type. In this way, the gas supply valve 33 and the upper end of the nozzle unit 70 are set in a relationship of an elastic member and a rigid member, or in a relationship of both elastic members. Accordingly, when the upper end of the gas injector 70 contacts the gas supply valve 33, the protrusion 33a of the gas supply valve 33 contacts the elastic member 37, and the gas injector can have a hermetic property. Therefore, the nitrogen gas supplied into the FOUP7 can be prevented from leaking to the outside.

In embodiment 2, the opening member 96 and the opening/closing mechanism 92 are formed integrally. However, for ease of assembly, the opening/closing mechanism 92 may be configured to be detachable by independently restricting the relationship between the male screw 133 and the female screw 134 relative to the opening member 96, for example. This facilitates assembly and replacement of the valve mechanism 92.

Further, the sealing or the releasing of the sealing of the gas supply port 72 may be performed by adjusting the pressure of the nitrogen gas in the gas flow path 77. Specifically, as shown in fig. 21, a 1 st regulator 121 and a 2 nd regulator 122 connected in parallel to the flow rate controller 120 are connected to the supply nozzle 78. Thereby, the 1 st regulator 121 that ejects high-pressure nitrogen gas is driven to flow the high-pressure nitrogen gas to the supply nozzle 78. The opening/closing mechanism 92 is moved upward by the pressure of the nitrogen gas to release the sealing of the lid 93 to the gas supply port 72. At this time, the exhaust valve 83 is closed. On the other hand, the 2 nd regulator 122 for ejecting low-pressure nitrogen gas is driven to flow the low-pressure nitrogen gas to the supply nozzle 78. The opening/closing mechanism 92 is moved downward by the low-pressure nitrogen gas, and the gas supply port 72 is sealed by the lid 93.

In embodiment 1 and embodiment 2, the nozzle unit 70 is raised and lowered by the air cylinder 101. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the nozzle unit 70 may not be moved up and down. As shown in fig. 22, the gas replacement mechanism 125 includes a gas supply device, not shown, filled with an inert gas, and supplies the inert gas into the FOUP7 disposed on the stage 24. The gas replacement mechanism 125 is provided with a gas supply port 126 and a gas exhaust port 127. The gas supply port 126 is connected to a purge port 128 for taking in the mounting table 24, and the gas discharge port 127 is connected to a purge port 129 for taking out the mounting table 24. Thus, the gas supply port 126 and the gas exhaust port 127 are fixed to the mounting table 24 and do not move up and down.

In embodiment 1 and embodiment 2, whether or not FOUP7 is fixed in position is detected by position sensor 60. However, as shown in fig. 23, it may be detected whether FOUP7 is properly positioned by detecting whether protrusion 130 provided at the bottom of FOUP7 presses pressing part 131a of pressure sensor 131 provided at the upper part of stage 24.

In the above embodiment, the inert gas is nitrogen, but the inert gas is not limited thereto, and a desired gas such as dry gas or argon gas may be used.

In the above-described embodiment, the positioning sensor is exemplified by an optical sensor and a pressure sensor, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a mechanical sensor, an electric sensor, or the like may be used.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a loading station, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention is also applicable to a purge station (purge device) device for supplying an inert gas into a FOUP, a FOUP storage cabinet having a plurality of tables and storing a plurality of FOUPs, or a buffer device for temporarily storing a FOUP.

Description of the reference numerals

70. A nozzle unit; 71. a nozzle body; 72. a gas supply port; 73. a trunk portion; 76. a flow controller (pressure adjusting member); 77. a gas flow path; 78. a supply nozzle; 81. the 1 st exhaust nozzle; 87. an upper space; 89. a lower space; 92. an opening and closing mechanism; 93. a lid portion; 94. an extension portion; 96. an opening member; 97. a support member (support portion); 102. a spring (urging member); 111. an elastic closing member; 112. a fixed part.

Claims

1. A nozzle unit, characterized in that,

the nozzle unit includes:

a supply nozzle connected to one end of the gas flow path, for supplying a gas to the container through the gas supply port; and

an exhaust nozzle connected to the other end of the gas flow path for exhausting gas from the gas flow path,

the nozzle body is raised and lowered relative to the container.

2. The nozzle unit of claim 1,

the nozzle body has:

a trunk portion that forms the gas supply port;

a first peripheral wall rising from an upper end surface of the trunk portion; and

an upper space formed by an upper end surface of the trunk and the first peripheral wall,

the gas flow path communicates with the upper space via the gas supply port.

3. Nozzle unit according to claim 1 or 2,

the supply nozzle and the exhaust nozzle are integrated.

4. Nozzle unit according to claim 1 or 2,

the nozzle unit has a pressure adjusting member for adjusting a pressure in the nozzle body,

5. Nozzle unit according to claim 1 or 2,

the nozzle unit includes:

the nozzle body;

an opening/closing mechanism for closing the gas supply port; and

6. The nozzle unit of claim 2,

the nozzle unit includes:

the nozzle body;

an opening/closing mechanism for closing the gas supply port; and

an opening member for opening the gas supply port closed by the opening/closing mechanism,