GB2156582A - Small part transport system - Google Patents

Small part transport system Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2156582A
GB2156582A GB08502074A GB8502074A GB2156582A GB 2156582 A GB2156582 A GB 2156582A GB 08502074 A GB08502074 A GB 08502074A GB 8502074 A GB8502074 A GB 8502074A GB 2156582 A GB2156582 A GB 2156582A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
piston
bore
transport system
block
air
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08502074A
Other versions
GB8502074D0 (en
Inventor
George Bantz
Jorge S Ivaldi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Applied Biosystems Inc
Original Assignee
Perkin Elmer Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Perkin Elmer Corp filed Critical Perkin Elmer Corp
Publication of GB8502074D0 publication Critical patent/GB8502074D0/en
Publication of GB2156582A publication Critical patent/GB2156582A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
    • H01L21/67766—Mechanical parts of transfer devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G54/00—Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for
    • B65G54/02—Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
    • B65G54/025—Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for electrostatic, electric, or magnetic the load being magnetically coupled with a piston-like driver moved within a tube
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
    • H01L21/67778—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading involving loading and unloading of wafers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/683—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
    • H01L21/6838—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping with gripping and holding devices using a vacuum; Bernoulli devices

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Robotics (AREA)
  • De-Stacking Of Articles (AREA)
  • Actuator (AREA)
  • Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer is held by suction on an extension 20 of an air bearing block 16 running on a rectangular section bar 11. A piston 13 located in a bore 12 of the bar 11 is magnetically coupled to the block 16 by respective magnets 14, 18 separated by non-ferrous spacers 15, 19. The piston 13 is moved along the bore 12 by air pressure and causes the block 16 to move with it to transport the wafer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Small part transport system Fabrication of integrated circuits requires a large number of processing steps. For example, in forming circuit patterns on a silicon wafer, the wafer is transported first to a pre-aligner, then to a work station and finally to a storage cassette. Similarly, wafers must be handled extensively and transported during the coating, developing and etching processes which are all important steps in the manufacture of integrated circuits. Other small parts may need to be transported in the same way.
Most wafer transport systems presently used are complex mechanical arrangements often employing air tracks wherein the wafer is transported on a film of air from station to station. These systems are frequently unreliable and more importantly, cause contamination from particulate generation resulting from wafers contacting edges or each other. The particles so generated may then be transported by air streams causing them to be deposited on the surface of the wafers.
A transport system in accordance with the invention comprises a bar having a longitudinal through bore, a block slidably mounted on the bar, a piston disposed in the bore, means for moving the piston along the bore and a magnetic coupling arrangement between the piston and the block causing the block to move in unison with the piston.
Such a system overcomes the foregoing disadvantages by providing a simple, accurate and reliable transport for a wafer while substantially eliminating particulate contamination.
An example of system in accordance with the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the system; and Figure 2 is a sectional view of an air bar forming part of the system and showing a piston assembly disposed therein.
Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, the illustrated transport assembly 10 comprises an air bar 11 which may be of any desired length. The air bar 11 which is rectangular in shape is made of hard anodized aluminium and is a commercially available item manufactured, e.g. by The Dover Company of Massachusetts. The air bar 11 has a circular central bore 12 throughout its length for receiving piston assembly 13 which is moved back and forth within bore 12 in a manner more fully described in connection with Fig. 2. Piston assembly 13 comprises two or more rare earth magnets 14 separated by non-ferrous spacers 15.
An air bearing block 16 is slidably mounted on air bar 11 and is supported thereon by a thin film of air such that the air bearing block 16 and air bar 33 never come into physical contact with each other, permitting friction less relative movement. The air film is provided by means of tube 17 connected to a source of air (not shown) at a pressure of approximately 30 to 40 psi (204 to 272 kN/m2). The air bearing block 16 also comprises two or more rare earth magnets 18 separated by nonferrous spacers 19.
Due to the magnetic coupling between piston assembly 13 and air bearing block 16, air bearing block 16 precisely follows the movement of piston assembly 13 as it is moved back and forth within bore 12 of the air bar 11.
Fig. 1 also shows an extension or finger 20 fixed to air bearing block 16 for transporting a wafer 21 or a similar device. The wafer 21 is held on extension 20 by means of vacuum ports 22 connected to a vacuum source (not shown) via tube 23. In operation the transport system of the present invention picks up a wafer from input cassette 30 and transports it to a, e.g., pre-aligner 31 or other work station. The air bar 11 is long enough to transport the wafer from input cassette 31 to an output cassette (not shown), positioning it at various work stations along the way.
Fig. 2 shows the air bar 11 in section to illustrate the details of the piston assembly 13 disposed within bore 12. In this view, piston assembly 13 is shown as comprising two rare earth magnets 14 separated by a non-ferrous spacer 15. At each end of piston assembly are PTFE seals 25 and 26 which function as air tight seals and bearings for the piston assembly 15. A bolt and washer assembly 27 and 28 at each end of the piston assembly 13 holds the piston assembly together. The seals 25 and 26, the magnets 14 and the spacer 15 are essentially annular shaped bodies disposed about a cylindrical non-ferrous body 29.
The air bearing block 16 of Fig. 2 shows two rare earth magnets 18 and a non-ferrous spacer 19 disposed on air bar 11. As aforesaid, air bearing block 16 moves with piston assembly 13 due to the magnetic coupling force of the magnets 14 and 18. A particular method for moving piston assembly 13 within bore 12 is shown for one side of the transport system 10, it being understood that the other side, which is shown in broken away lines, has a similar arrangement.
A seal 32 encloses the end of the air bar 11. A conduit 33 through seal 13 connects the volume of bore 12 to a source of compressed air 35 via valve 34. Valve 34 is conventional and comprises a check valve 36 and a needle valve 37. While not shown, a seal and valve similar to seal 32 and valve 34 are disposed at the other end of air bar 11.
To move piston assembly 13 and, therefore, air bearing block 16 to the right, com pressed air is supplied to bore 12 via check valve 37 and air on the other side of the piston assembly 13 escapes through the needie valve counterpart to needle valve 36.
In a similar manner, to move piston assembly 13 and, therefore, air bearing block 16 to the left, compressed air is supplied to bore 12 on the right hand side of piston assembly by means of compressed air source 35 and a check valve similar to check valve 37. Air escapes through needle valve 36 as the piston assembly compresses the air in bore 12. The use of needle valves permits the air to escape in a controlled manner, thus provide highly uniform movement of the piston assembly 13 and air bearing block 1 6.
Means other than compressed air may be used to move piston assembly 13. For example, the piston 13 can also be moved via a screw arrangement, chains, cables and so forth, all of which are non-contaminating since the contaminating elements are sealed within the bar.
Although described in terms of the transport of silicon wafers for integrated circuits through a series of processing steps, a transport system in accordance with the invention may, of course, be used for the similar transport of other small parts which are capable of being held on the finger 20.

Claims (8)

1. A small part transport system, comprising a bar having a longitudinal through bore, a block slidably mounted on the bar, a piston disposed in the bore, means for moving the piston along the bore and a magnetic coupling arrangement between the piston and the block causing the block to move in unison with the piston.
2. A transport system according to claim 1 wherein the magnetic coupling arrangement comprises at least two magnets on each of the piston and the block.
3. A transport system according to claim 2 wherein the magnets on the piston and block respectively are separated by non-ferrous material.
4. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims further cornpris- ing means for forming a thin film of air between the bar and the block.
5. A transport system according to claim 4 wherein the block has an extension fixed to it for supporting a wafer or similar device, the extension having associated means for supplying vacuum thereto for securing the wafer or similar device in position.
6. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for moving the piston along the bore comprises a source of compressed air, and respective valve arrangements connected between the source of compressed air and the bore on either side of the piston, each arrangement comprising a check valve for providing air to the bore to move the piston in a respective direction within the bore and a needle valve to permit air to escape at a controlled rate from the bore on the side of the piston towards which is it moved.
7. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bar is rectangular in section.
8. A transport system according to claim 7 wherein the bar is made of hard anodized aluminium.
GB08502074A 1984-03-29 1985-01-28 Small part transport system Withdrawn GB2156582A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US59500584A 1984-03-29 1984-03-29

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8502074D0 GB8502074D0 (en) 1985-02-27
GB2156582A true GB2156582A (en) 1985-10-09

Family

ID=24381310

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08502074A Withdrawn GB2156582A (en) 1984-03-29 1985-01-28 Small part transport system

Country Status (3)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS60227439A (en)
DE (1) DE3504021A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2156582A (en)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0250990A1 (en) * 1986-06-26 1988-01-07 Fujitsu Limited Wafer transfer apparatus
EP0278462A2 (en) * 1987-02-09 1988-08-17 Svg Lithography Systems, Inc. Wafer handling system
WO1991015032A1 (en) * 1990-03-22 1991-10-03 Surface Technology Systems Limited Loading mechanisms
GB2266992A (en) * 1992-05-06 1993-11-17 Surface Tech Sys Ltd Apparatus for loading semi-conductor wafers
USH1373H (en) * 1992-04-06 1994-11-01 American Telephone And Telegraph Company Wafer handling apparatus and method
WO1995002891A1 (en) * 1993-07-15 1995-01-26 Materials Research Corporation Spiral magnetic linear translating mechanism
US5711647A (en) * 1994-10-17 1998-01-27 Aesop, Inc. Method of and apparatus for locating and orientating a part on a gripper and transferring it to a tool while maintaining location and orientation on the tool
EP0848412A2 (en) * 1996-12-11 1998-06-17 Applied Materials, Inc. Wafer extraction platform
US6672819B1 (en) * 1995-07-19 2004-01-06 Hitachi, Ltd. Vacuum processing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing line using the same

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3608783A1 (en) * 1986-03-15 1987-09-17 Telefunken Electronic Gmbh Gas-phase epitaxial method and apparatus for carrying it out
US6005226A (en) * 1997-11-24 1999-12-21 Steag-Rtp Systems Rapid thermal processing (RTP) system with gas driven rotating substrate

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1317105A (en) * 1971-02-18 1973-05-16 Marine Eng Co Stockport Ltd Fluid operated device for moving articles
GB2065228A (en) * 1979-11-30 1981-06-24 Festo Maschf Stoll G Fluid power driving unit

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1317105A (en) * 1971-02-18 1973-05-16 Marine Eng Co Stockport Ltd Fluid operated device for moving articles
GB2065228A (en) * 1979-11-30 1981-06-24 Festo Maschf Stoll G Fluid power driving unit

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0250990A1 (en) * 1986-06-26 1988-01-07 Fujitsu Limited Wafer transfer apparatus
US4744715A (en) * 1986-06-26 1988-05-17 Fujitsu Limited Wafer transfer apparatus
EP0278462A2 (en) * 1987-02-09 1988-08-17 Svg Lithography Systems, Inc. Wafer handling system
EP0278462A3 (en) * 1987-02-09 1990-08-16 The Perkin-Elmer Corporation Wafer handling system
US5330301A (en) * 1990-03-22 1994-07-19 Surface Technology Systems Limited Loading mechanisms
WO1991015032A1 (en) * 1990-03-22 1991-10-03 Surface Technology Systems Limited Loading mechanisms
USH1373H (en) * 1992-04-06 1994-11-01 American Telephone And Telegraph Company Wafer handling apparatus and method
GB2266992A (en) * 1992-05-06 1993-11-17 Surface Tech Sys Ltd Apparatus for loading semi-conductor wafers
WO1995002891A1 (en) * 1993-07-15 1995-01-26 Materials Research Corporation Spiral magnetic linear translating mechanism
US5711647A (en) * 1994-10-17 1998-01-27 Aesop, Inc. Method of and apparatus for locating and orientating a part on a gripper and transferring it to a tool while maintaining location and orientation on the tool
US6672819B1 (en) * 1995-07-19 2004-01-06 Hitachi, Ltd. Vacuum processing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing line using the same
US6705828B2 (en) * 1995-07-19 2004-03-16 Hitachi, Ltd. Vacuum processing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing line using the same
EP0848412A2 (en) * 1996-12-11 1998-06-17 Applied Materials, Inc. Wafer extraction platform
EP0848412A3 (en) * 1996-12-11 2003-11-26 Applied Materials, Inc. Wafer extraction platform

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8502074D0 (en) 1985-02-27
DE3504021A1 (en) 1985-10-03
JPS60227439A (en) 1985-11-12

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)