JP2000216234A - Semiconductor wafer handling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress occurrence of flaw and sticking of dirts by providing one end of a robot hand with a plurality of plate-like chucks comprising a hitting part where a tip end side is folded, and providing a robot hand on the side facing the fitting part with a holder movable parallel to the chuck. SOLUTION: A semiconductor wafer handling device 1 is provided with a plurality of plate-like chucks 3 comprising, at one end of a robot hand, a hitting part where a tip end side is folded by 90 deg.. A robot hand on the side facing the hitting part 13 of the chuck 3 is provided with a holder holding device 9 movable in parallel to the chuck 3. A holder 5 comprising a claw part 6, inclined part 7 and holding part 8 is provided inside the holder holding device 9. Further, the holder holding device 9 holds the holder 5 through a spring 10. The chuck 3 does not directly hit a semiconductor wafer surface. Thus, occurrence of flaw or sticking of dirts is suppressed to minimum.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus capable of easily handling a plurality of semiconductor wafers at the same time without damaging the semiconductor wafer surface when handling semiconductor wafers in a semiconductor wafer cassette or the like. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a semiconductor wafer is transferred from a semiconductor wafer cassette to another semiconductor wafer cassette, a substantially U-shaped chuck is directly applied to the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and the semiconductor wafer is held by a vacuum chuck. ing.

[0003]

However, in a conventional handling apparatus using a chuck, the chuck directly hits the surface of the semiconductor wafer, causing scratches or dust to adhere to it, resulting in a defect and an increase in yield. Had led to a decline.

Further, since semiconductor wafers are transferred one by one by a chuck when transferring semiconductor wafers from a semiconductor wafer cassette to another semiconductor wafer cassette, it is extremely problematic in addition to the above-mentioned problems such as generation of scratches and adhesion of dust. There is also a problem that it takes time and the working efficiency is reduced.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and can hold a semiconductor wafer without directly touching the surface of the semiconductor wafer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus that can minimize the number of semiconductor wafers and can surely handle a plurality of semiconductor wafers at a time.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus 1 of the present invention, a flat chuck having a contact portion 13 whose one end is turned 90 degrees at one end of a robot hand 2 is provided. A plurality of holders 3 are provided, and a holder 9 that can move in parallel to the chuck 3 is provided on the robot hand 2 on the side facing the contact portion 13. Also, the claw portions 6 are provided inside the holder holder 9.
A holder 5 having an inclined portion 7 and a holding portion 8 is provided, and the holder 5 is held by a holder holding tool 9 via a spring 10. Inside the holder holding tool 9, the holder 5 is also attached to the chuck 3. Parallel movement is possible.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic external view of a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus of the present invention, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a side view, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a holder and a holder holder of the semiconductor wafer handling apparatus of the present invention. And FIG.
FIG. 4 is an AA enlarged cross-sectional view showing a contact portion at a tip of a chuck of the semiconductor wafer handling device of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a plurality of flat chucks 3 each having a contact portion 13 whose one end is turned 90 degrees at one end of a robot hand 2. Arrange. The number is preferably 13 or 25 in accordance with the actual semiconductor wafer cassette, but is not particularly limited. The contact portion 13 of the chuck 3 has an appropriate width so that one end of the semiconductor wafer 4 can be stably held without being affected by the orientation flat, and the one end of the semiconductor wafer 4 contacts in an arc shape. It is possible.

[0009] Next, as shown in FIG.
A holder 9 that can move in parallel with the chuck 3 is provided on the robot hand 2 on the side facing 3. Also,
A holder 5 having a claw portion 6, an inclined portion 7, and a holding portion 8 is provided inside the holder holding tool 9, and the holder 5 is further held by the holder holding tool 9 via a spring 10. The holder 5 can also be moved parallel to the chuck 3 inside the holder 9. Also, holder stoppers 11 and 12 are provided at the opening of the holder holder 9 and at the end of the holder 5 so that the holder 5 does not fall off from the holder holder 9.

The claw portion 6 has an acute angle for hanging the lower surface on the other end side of the semiconductor wafer 4. The inclined portion 7 forms a linear inclined surface having an appropriate inclination angle for pulling up the semiconductor wafer 4 hung by the claw portion 6 along the inclined surface. There is no specific value such as the inclination angle of the inclined portion 7 or the width of the inclined surface, and an appropriate value may be used. The holding portion 8 is provided with the inclined portion 7.
In order to hold the semiconductor wafer 4 pulled up by the above, the inclined surface is turned back to form a groove.

Although the holder holder 9 moves in parallel with respect to the plurality of chucks 3 in a lump, any mechanism for performing the parallel movement may be used as long as it is a single-axis linear mechanism. There is no particular limitation. The spring 10 for absorbing the variation in the diameter of the semiconductor wafer 4 inside the holder holder 9 may have any structure, and is not particularly limited, and a damper or the like may be used instead of the spring. . Further, the structure of the holder holder 9 may be any structure as long as it has the above-described function.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
3A and 3B are diagrams showing a situation in which a semiconductor wafer is held by a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3A shows a state in which a claw portion is hung on an edge of the semiconductor wafer, and FIG. 3C shows a state in which the variation in the diameter of the semiconductor wafer is absorbed by the spring.

First, a contact portion 13 at the tip end of the chuck 3 is attached to one end of the semiconductor wafer 4 in the semiconductor wafer cassette.
Then, the claw portion 6 of the holder 5 is hung on the lower surface on the other end side of the semiconductor wafer 4. FIG. 2A shows this state.

Next, as shown by an arrow a in FIG. 2A, the holder holder 9 is moved in parallel to the contact portion 13 on the tip end side of the chuck 3. At this time, the semiconductor wafer 4 is as shown in FIG.
As shown by the arrow b in the figure, the holder 5 rises along the inclined surface of the inclined portion 7 of the holder 5. Further, when reaching the holding unit 8, the movement of the holder holding tool 9 is stopped by the control mechanism in the robot hand 2, and the semiconductor wafer 4 can be held by the holding unit 8.

At this time, if there is a variation in the diameter of the semiconductor wafer 4 due to an orientation flat or an error, the holder holder 9
The holder 5 is pushed out or pushed in by the spring 10 inside, so that the remarkable variation in the diameter of the semiconductor wafer 4 can be absorbed. In FIG. 2C, since the diameter of the semiconductor wafer 4 is slightly smaller, the holder 5 is
0 shows a state where the semiconductor wafer 4 is securely held by being extruded.

In FIG. 2, the chuck 3 is located on the upper surface of the semiconductor wafer 4 and the state in which the semiconductor wafer 4 is pulled up and held by the holder 5 has been described. It is also possible to handle the semiconductor wafers 4 in the semiconductor wafer cassette even when the semiconductor wafers 4 are set on the lower surface. In this case, the semiconductor wafer 4 is held by the claws 6 and the inclined portions 7 described above.
Can be directly held by the holding unit 8 without performing the operation of pulling up.

[0017]

As described above, the following effects can be obtained when the semiconductor wafer handling apparatus of the present invention handles semiconductor wafers in a semiconductor wafer cassette. Since the handling of the semiconductor wafer is performed by the contact portion of the chuck and the holding portion of the holder, the chuck does not directly hit the semiconductor wafer surface. Therefore, generation of scratches and adhesion of dust can be minimized. By moving the holder in parallel inside the holder holder via a spring, variations in the diameter of the semiconductor wafer due to orientation flats and errors can be absorbed, so that a plurality of semiconductor wafers can be handled reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus according to the present invention, wherein (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing a situation in which a semiconductor wafer is held by a semiconductor wafer handling apparatus of the present invention, wherein FIG. 2A shows a state in which a claw portion is hung on an edge of the semiconductor wafer, and FIG. FIG. 3C shows a state in which the semiconductor wafer is held in a state where variations in the diameter of the semiconductor wafer are absorbed by a spring.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a holder and a holder holder of the semiconductor wafer handling apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an AA enlarged cross-sectional view showing a contact portion at a tip of a chuck of the semiconductor wafer handling apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor wafer handling apparatus 2 Robot hand 3 Chuck 4 Semiconductor wafer 5 Holder 6 Claw part 7 Inclined part 8 Holding part 9 Holder holder 10 Spring 11 Holder stopper 12 Holder stopper 13 Contact part

Claims (2)

[Claims] At one end of a robot hand (2), a plurality of flat plate-like chucks (3) having a contact portion (13) whose front end side is folded by 90 degrees are arranged, and a plurality of chucks (3) are provided. The robot hand (2) on the opposite side is provided with a holder (9) that can move in parallel with the chuck (3), and the claw (6), the inclined portion (6) are provided inside the holder (9). A holder (5) having a part (7) and a holding part (8) is provided, one end of the semiconductor wafer is brought into contact with the contact part (13) of the chuck (3), and the other end is placed in the holder (5). ), A plurality of semiconductor wafers can be handled at a time by holding them with the holding portions (8), hanging them up with the claw portions (6), pulling them up with the inclined portions (7), and holding them. Handling equipment. 2. The holder (5) is held by a holder holder (9) via a spring (10), and the holder (5) is also chucked (3) inside the holder holder (9).
2. The semiconductor wafer handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel movement enables the semiconductor wafer to be reliably handled by absorbing a variation in the diameter of the semiconductor wafer.