JP2001054888A - Chuck and suction disc for plate-like material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chuck for hardly letting dust adher to a plate-like material in holding the plate-like material by vacuum. SOLUTION: This plate-like material is supported by pins 2, so that the plate-like material is suck up by a sucking disc 3 having a sucking surface a little lower in level than the several pins 2 so as to be held over the supporting pins 2. In this case, since the labyrinth of the annular part of the sucking disc 3 places restriction on ingressing of outside air so as to keep the inside of the sucking disc vacuum, the tabular material is sucked up so as to be held over the supporting pin because the sucking disc does not come into therewith.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a chuck used for manufacturing a semiconductor or the like and for holding and transferring a plate-like material such as a wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a chuck used for holding and transferring a plate-shaped material is suction-held by directly contacting the plate-shaped material by using a vacuum in order to prevent the plate-shaped material from dropping. I do. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-70141 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-1
The chuck, such as 56749, directly contacts and adsorbs the plate-like material and transfers the plate-like material.

[0003]

A vacuum chuck conventionally used for a plate-like material is directly in contact with and attracted to the plate-like material, so that dust is generated between the plate-like material and the chuck. Dust adheres to the adsorption trace of the plate material. For example, in the manufacture of semiconductors, a thin disk-shaped wafer is often transferred by being gripped by a chuck, and a large amount of dust adheres to the suction mark of the wafer each time. These debris hindered the subsequent processes, and significantly reduced the product yield.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a chuck that grips and transfers a plate-shaped material using a vacuum, in which dust adheres little to the plate-shaped material.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one or a plurality of suction disks for sucking the plate-like material without contacting the plate-like material are attached to the gripping arm of the check of the present invention, Further, a plurality of support pins for supporting the plate-like material are attached directly or via a suction board.

[0006] The suction disk has an annular portion, and the annular portion has a continuous singular or a plurality of grooves that do not communicate with each other, or, in other words, a fin. That is, there is a plane labyrinth. The center of the suction disk is connected to a connection hole connected to a vacuum source. The center is evacuated by the sealing effect of the planar labyrinth, and the suction plate sucks the plate-like material and fixes it on the support pins. Since the upper surface of the support pin is slightly higher than the upper surface of the suction disk, a gap is formed between the suction disk and the plate-like material, and the two do not contact each other. The support pin is disposed at any one of the gripping arm, the inside of the annular portion of the suction disk, the outside of the annular portion of the suction disk, the annular portion of the suction disk, or a combination thereof.
There is no contact between the suction plate and the plate material, so that no dust is generated by suction of the suction plate, and no dust adheres to the suction mark of the plate material.

[0007] Atmosphere always enters the suction plate from the gap between the suction plate and the plate-like material. However, since the inside of the suction plate is pulled by the vacuum source, the vacuum state is maintained inside the suction plate due to the resistance of the planar labyrinth of the annular portion, and the suction force of the suction plate is maintained. The plate-like material is supported by several support pins, and dust may adhere to the plate-like material at that portion. However, there is almost no adhesion of dust other than the support pins.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings based on embodiments. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the chuck is a gripping arm 1 for transferring a plate-shaped material W, a suction plate 3 attached to the gripping arm 1,
And a plurality of support pins 2. The gripping arm 1 has a connection hole 5 connected to a vacuum source V, and is connected to the inside of the suction plate 3 to evacuate. The suction plate 3 has an annular portion 4, and the annular portion 4 has a continuous singular surrounding the inside, or
There are multiple grooves that do not communicate with each other, and in other words, there are fins. That is, there is a plane labyrinth. Suction board 3
The center of is vacuumed by the sealing effect of the plane labyrinth,
The suction plate 3 sucks the plate material W and fixes it on the support pins 2. The support pins 2 are gripping arms, inside the annular portion 4 of the suction plate 3,
It is arranged on the outside of the annular portion 4, on the annular portion 4, or in a combination thereof. Further, the connection hole 5 communicates with the gap between the suction plate 3 and the plate material W on the upper portion of the suction plate 3 via the suction plate 3.

When the chuck is inserted into the lower surface of the plate member, the suction plate 3 is evacuated and moves upward together with the gripping arm 1, and when the plate member W comes into contact with the support pin 2, the plate member W It is sucked by the suction board 3 and held by the support pins 2. Or,
When the plate is placed on the chuck, the plate W
Is sucked by the suction plate 3 and held by the support pins 2. Since the upper surface of the support pin 2 is slightly higher than the upper surface of the suction plate 3, a small gap is generated between the suction plate 3 and the plate material W. Therefore,
The suction plate 3 and the plate-shaped material W are not in contact with each other.
There is no dust generation or adhesion on the suction mark of. The plate-shaped material W can move by the frictional force generated between the plate-shaped material W and the support pin 2 by the suction force of the suction plate 3.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show a second embodiment. 4 to 6, the chuck is a gripping arm 1 for transferring the plate material W.
1, a suction board 3 attached to the gripping arm 11 and a plurality of support pins 2 attached to the suction board 3. Other structural functions conform to the first embodiment.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the chuck is a rotating disk 6 for rotating the plate-shaped material W, two suction disks 3 attached to the rotating disk 6, and
It has a plurality of support pins 2 attached to a suction board 3. The turntable 6 is attached to the hollow shaft 8 to transmit power, and is connected to the vacuum source V from the connection hole 5 of the turntable 6 through the connection hole 25 at the center of the hollow shaft 8 to be evacuated. The plate material is gripped on the support pins 2 and is rotated and processed. Other structural functions conform to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows the plate material W and the suction surface S of the suction plate 3.
Indicates a state where the object is placed with a certain gap h interposed therebetween. FIG.
Is a plan view thereof. The suction plate 3 sucks out the air in the gap between the plate-shaped material W and the suction surface S of the suction plate 3 through the center connection hole 7 by the pipe 15 connected to the vacuum source V, and the air from the outer periphery of the suction plate 3 Despite the intrusion, the gap h maintains a vacuum, and the plate material W is sucked by the suction board 3. There is a single continuous groove or a plurality of grooves not communicating with each other, which surrounds the inside of the suction surface S of the annular portion 4 of the suction plate 3, and in other words, there are fins. That is, the annular portion 4 having a plane labyrinth is arranged. The suction surface S of the suction plate 3 is a plate material W
And a small gap h. In the suction state, the atmosphere enters the center of the suction plate (3), but the plane labyrinth becomes a maze, so that the amount of air entering can be significantly reduced. That is, every time the intruding outside air enters the labyrinth groove of the annular portion 4 of the suction plate, it generates a vortex, the kinetic energy of the air becomes heat, and the air invades in a substantially isenthalpy state. At that time, the area of the gap over each groove gradually decreases, and during this time, the pressure of the gas gradually decreases in the first groove, and rapidly decreases toward the center to reach the center.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show a suction plate 3 integrally formed.
Is shown. The suction plate 3 is connected to the vacuum source V via the center connection hole 17. The suction plate 3 is provided with an annular portion 4 having a plane labyrinth and surrounded by a suction surface S. The plurality of support pins 12 are arranged inside the annular portion 4, outside the annular portion 4, on any one of the annular portions 4, or a combination thereof. In this example, the pins 12 are disposed outside the annular portion 4 and are integrally formed.

FIG. 11 shows the relationship between the groove position and the pressure inside the groove when the suction plate 3 is operated. The horizontal axis indicates the number of labyrinth grooves from the outside, and the vertical axis indicates the pressure of the groove. Due to the planar labyrinth of the annular portion 4 of the suction plate 3, the amount of air flowing into the central portion of the suction plate 3 can be reduced, and the capacity of the vacuum pump required for suction can be significantly reduced. As a result of the calculation, for example, in the case of the same suction force, the amount of air passing through the suction plate 3 having the seven grooves is about 3 minutes compared to a suction plate having no groove and having only one convex portion on the periphery. It is 1.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, improvements, combinations, and the like can be made.

[0016]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

Since the suction plate of the chuck sucks and holds or transfers the plate material without contacting the plate material, dust adhering to the plate material can be significantly reduced. As a result of the measurement, the number of dusts adhering to the wafer per one suction disk was 0.2 μm or more at the mark where the chuck gripped the wafer, and the average was about four. This value is drastically reduced as compared with the case where the conventional vacuum chuck leaves 500 to thousands of dusts, and it is found that the chuck of the present invention has a remarkable effect.

Further, since the suction disk has a flat labyrinth surrounding the inside, the capacity of a vacuum source for maintaining a vacuum inside the suction disk can be reduced, and the plate-shaped material can be suctioned and gripped.

Further, since the relative position between the chuck and the plate-like material can be selected in various ways, for example, if the chuck is used upside down, the plate-like material can be not only from below but also from below.
It can be supported by a support pin from above and moved by suction and gripping. Further, the chuck can be used for tweezers for holding a plate-shaped material. Moreover, it is possible to make a chuck in which dust does not adhere to the suction mark of the plate-shaped material suction plate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a chuck according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a suction board of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a chuck according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the suction board 3 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a chuck according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line CC of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a suction board.

10 is an elevational sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a characteristic diagram of a suction disk.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a suction board.

FIG. 13 is an elevational sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG. 12;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 11 Gripping arm 2, 12 Support pin 3 Suction board 4 Annular part of suction board 5, 7, 17, 25 Connection hole 6 Rotating board 8 Hollow shaft 15 Tube W Plate-shaped material S Suction board suction face h Dimension of gap V vacuum source

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] July 11, 2000 (2007.1.
1)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIGS. 12 and 13 show a suction plate 3 integrally formed.
Is shown. The suction plate 3 is connected to the vacuum source V via the center connection hole 17. The suction plate 3 is provided with an annular portion 4 having a plane labyrinth and surrounded by a suction surface S. The plurality of support pins 12 are arranged inside the annular portion 4, outside the annular portion 4, on any one of the annular portions 4, or a combination thereof. In this example, the support pins 12 are disposed outside the annular portion 4 and are integrally formed.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A plate-like material (W) attached to a gripping arm (1)
The vacuum source (V) is connected to one or more suction discs (3) that are not in contact with the vacuum pump (3), and the plurality of pins (2) attached directly to the gripping arm (1) or via the suction disc (3). And a plate-shaped material (W) which is sucked and gripped. 2. A plate material (W) is supported by a plurality of support pins (2), and one or more suction disks (3) not in contact with the plate material (W) are connected to a vacuum source (V). The plate-like material (W) according to claim 1, wherein the plate-like material (W) is suction-gripped and transferred by a vacuum generated between the plate-like material (W) and the suction board (3). Check. 3. An annular part (4) having a plane labyrinth surrounding the inside is arranged on the suction surface (S), and a connection hole (7) leading to a vacuum source (V) is provided inside the annular part (4). The suction disk according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a gap is provided between the plate material (W) and the suction surface (S). 4. An annular part (4) having a plane labyrinth surrounding the inside is arranged on a suction surface (S), a support pin (2) is assembled, and a vacuum source (V) is provided inside the annular part (4). 4. The suction board according to claim 3, wherein a connection hole (7) is provided to communicate with the plate, and a gap is provided between the plate-shaped material (W) and the suction surface (S). 5. An annular portion (4) having a plane labyrinth surrounding the inside thereof is arranged on a suction surface (S), is formed integrally with a support pin (12), and a vacuum source is provided inside the annular portion (4). The suction disk according to claim 4, wherein a connection hole (17) leading to (V) is provided, and a gap is provided between the plate material (W) and the suction surface (S).