JP2002016124A - Wafer transporting arm mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove water drop adhered to a wafer transporting arm and to prevent defective wafers at the time of transferring the wafer from one object to the other object. SOLUTION: A wafer transporting arm mechanism 30 has a suction port 20 sucking and holding the wafer, and an air blow means 27 of a wafer transporting arm 18 that can transfer the wafer from one object to the other object, which jets drying air from the suction port and sprays drying air to the wafer transporting arm from the outside. Since the wafer transporting arm is set to a drying state in the transportation of one wafer by one, the occurrence of a defect by the adhesion of the water drop on the wafer can completely be prevented without making water drop adhere to the wafer even if the wafer worked one by one by a semiconductor work device is picked up by the wafer transporting arm after cleaning and drying.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, for example, by supplying a semiconductor wafer from a wafer cassette to a polishing processing apparatus to a polishing processing apparatus,
The present invention relates to a wafer transfer arm mechanism for transferring from a polishing apparatus to a wafer cassette after a polishing process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as a polishing apparatus of this kind, for example, the one shown in FIG. 1 is a known technique as a conventional example. The polishing apparatus 1 is a so-called twin polishing apparatus, in which a turntable 3 is provided on a work table 2, and a plurality of chuck tables 4 are provided on the turntable 3. In addition to being rotatable by an appropriate driving unit, the workpiece is a semiconductor wafer or the like that is suction-supported by an appropriate suction unit.

[0006] Two polishing means 5 are provided for grinding or polishing a semiconductor wafer mounted on a chuck table 4. The two polishing means 5 perform, for example, rough polishing and finish polishing. The two polishing means 5 have the same configuration, and have a cylindrical body 6 and a motor 7 mounted on the upper part of the body. A spindle 8 driven by the motor and projecting downward from the body, a wheel 9 attached to the spindle, and a grinding wheel 10 detachably attached to the wheel. The torso part 6 is a wall body 1 provided to stand upright from the work table 2.
1 is attached via a base member 12 so as to be vertically movable.

On the work table 2, a washing area 13 is provided.
A mounting and drying area 14 and an arm member 15 are provided.
Is placed on the chuck table 4 and picked up,
The cleaning area 13 or the mounting table or the drying area 14 is transported. In addition, the polishing apparatus 1 having such a configuration includes:
What is generally used can be used as it is, and in practice, a computer controlled polishing apparatus 1 is used.

In this known polishing apparatus 1, semiconductor wafers 16 to be polished are set at predetermined positions on a work table 2 in a state where a large number of semiconductor wafers 16 are stored in a wafer cassette 17 for transfer. The set wafer cassette 17, that is, one object, is sequentially taken out one by one by the wafer transfer arm 18 and transferred to the mounting table or the drying area 14, that is, the other object, or Conversely, the polished semiconductor wafer 16a
After cleaning and drying, is stored in the wafer cassette 17a (one object) from the drying area 14 (the other object).

The operation of the polishing apparatus 1 will be described. A wafer cassette 17 containing semiconductor wafers 16 is set on one side and an empty wafer cassette 17a is set on the other side with the wafer transfer arm 18 interposed therebetween. Then, the semiconductor wafer 16 is taken out of the wafer cassette 17 by the wafer transfer arm 18 and is temporarily mounted on the mounting table 14. This placed semiconductor wafer 1
6 is picked up by one arm member 15 and placed on the chuck table 4.

[0007] The semiconductor wafer 16 placed on the chuck table 4 is held by suction, and the turntable 3 is rotated to be positioned below one of the polishing means 5. 3 is rotated and positioned at the lower part of the other polishing means 5 for finish polishing,
Thereafter, the turntable 3 is further rotated to pick up the processed semiconductor wafer 16a from the chuck table 4 by the other arm member 15a, and
The semiconductor wafer 16a is placed in the drying area 14a after the cleaning, and is dried by the drying area 14a. Then, the semiconductor wafer 16a is picked up by the wafer transfer arm 18 and stored in the empty wafer cassette 17a.

As described above, the movement of the semiconductor wafer 16 in the manufacturing apparatus follows the path of supply → polishing processing → cleaning → drying → storage, and the wafer transfer arm 18 engages in the supply and storage of the semiconductor wafer 16. Will be.

The wafer transfer arm 18
Is mounted on a base 19 as shown in FIG.
6 is provided, and the suction port 20 communicates with an appropriate tube 22 through a passage 21 in the base 19, and the tube 22 is connected through a switching valve 23. An appropriate suction means is connected through a pipe 24 and an appropriate air supply means is connected through a pipe 25.

When the wafer transfer arm 18 picks up the semiconductor wafer 16, the switching valve 23 switches to the pipe 24 side to apply a suction action to the suction port 20. However, moisture may not be completely removed, and moisture may adhere to the wafer transfer arm 18.

If water droplets adhere to the wafer transfer arm 18 as described above, when the next semiconductor wafer 16 is picked up, the water droplets adhere to the semiconductor wafer and are transported to the next step. It becomes a kind of contamination and generates defective products.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, before picking up the semiconductor wafer 16, the switching valve 23 is switched to the pipe 25 in order to remove water droplets attached to the wafer transfer arm 18. Air is supplied from the air supply means, and air is blown out from the suction port 20 in the direction of arrow a to blow off water droplets adhering to the surface side, thereby drying the surface of the wafer transfer arm 18.

[0013]

However, even if air is ejected from the suction port 20, water may still remain on both sides and the rear end of the suction port 20 without the ejected air acting. , Wafer transfer arm 1
8 may not be completely dried, or water droplets may wrap around and adhere to the back side of the wafer transfer arm 18, and thus cannot be completely dried. Semiconductor wafer 16 by adhesion
The problem is that the generation of defective products cannot be prevented.

Therefore, the conventional wafer transfer arm has a problem that must be solved by completely removing and drying the attached water droplets.

[0015]

As a specific means for solving the problems of the prior art, the present invention has a suction port for sucking and holding a wafer, and transfers a wafer from one object to another object. A wafer transfer arm capable of ejecting drying air from the suction port,
An object of the present invention is to provide a wafer transfer arm mechanism, wherein air blowing means for blowing drying air from outside is provided to the wafer transfer arm.

Further, in the wafer transfer arm mechanism according to the present invention, the wafer transfer arm is provided with a rotating means so that drying air can be blown to the back side of the wafer transfer arm; When the drying air is blown to the side, the air is simultaneously blown out from the suction port; and the air blow means has a nozzle portion at its tip which can adjust the amount and direction of air discharge. Included as an additional requirement.

The wafer transfer arm mechanism according to the present invention comprises:
By providing an air blow means for blowing the drying air from the outside to the wafer transfer arm, the wafer transfer arm can be in a dry state, so that each wafer processed by the semiconductor processing apparatus is cleaned and dried. Even after the process, even if the wafer is picked up by the wafer transfer arm, no water droplets adhere to the wafer, so that the occurrence of defective wafers can be prevented.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. To facilitate understanding, the same parts as those of the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals and described. First, in FIG. 1, a wafer transfer arm mechanism 30 according to the present invention has a wafer transfer arm 18 attached to a base 19, and a suction port 20 for picking up the semiconductor wafer 16 on the upper surface of the wafer transfer arm 18. Is provided. The suction port 20 communicates with an appropriate tube 22 through a passage 21 in the base 19, and the tube 22 passes through a pipe 24 via a switching valve 23 and an appropriate suction means through a pipe 25. It is connected to the air supply means.

The base 19 can be rotated in the axial direction.
Appropriate rotating means 26 is attached to the rear end side.
The rotating means 26 is, for example, a pulse motor or the like, and can rotate accurately in the forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angle range.

Air blowing means 2 for drying air is provided at a predetermined interval on the tip end side of the wafer transfer arm 18.
7 is provided. The air blow means 27 has a nozzle portion 27a at the tip, and the discharge amount and direction of the drying air can be appropriately adjusted by the nozzle portion 27a.

The air blow means 27 blows drying air to the wafer transfer arm 18 from obliquely forward and forward on the tip end side, as indicated by an arrow b, and via a pipe 28. It is connected to a supply source of drying air, and is appropriately driven based on a preset program.

The air blow means 27 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), when the semiconductor wafer 16 is transferred from one object to another object by the wafer transfer arm 18, an appropriate supporting means is set at a position where the semiconductor wafer 16 does not contact. It is attached with.

The wafer transfer arm mechanism 30 of the present invention having such a structure performs an operation of removing water droplets before the wafer is suction-supported, and FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 will be described. First, in the first step shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, air is blown out from the suction port 20 as indicated by an arrow a to remove water droplets on the front surface side of the wafer transfer arm 18 and dry it. At this time, the air blow means 27
No drying air is spouted from.

Next, in the second step shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the blowing of air from the suction port 20 is stopped, and the blowing of drying air from the air blowing means 27 is performed. This drying air is supplied to the wafer transfer arm 1
8 squirts obliquely upward from the tip end side toward the surface, and extends to the side and back of the suction port 20 to remove water droplets over the entire surface of the wafer transfer arm 18 and dry it. Things.

Further, in the next step, in the third step shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the rotating means 26 is operated to rotate the base 19 and the wafer transfer arm 18 by 180 °, and Up. In this state, air is ejected from the suction port 20 and drying air is also ejected from the air blow means 27 at the same time.

In the third step, the wafer transfer arm 1
By turning over 8 and injecting drying air from the air blow means 27, water droplets adhering to the back surface are removed and dried. At this time, the water droplets adhering to the back surface face downward. The air is ejected from the suction port 20 at the same time so as not to go around the front side.

As described above, by the first to third steps,
After removing and drying the water droplets on both the front and back surfaces of the wafer transfer arm 18 for a time, the rotating means 26 is driven to drive the base 19.
And the wafer transfer arm 18 is turned 180 °,
3 (A) and 3 (B), the air is again ejected from the suction port 20 as a fourth step at that time. The ejection of air in the fourth step is for the purpose of ensuring safety, and by doing so, the entire wafer transfer arm 18 is almost completely dried.

The above-mentioned step of removing and drying the water droplets comprises:
This is performed during one polishing step in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and the control of the switching valve 23, the rotating means 26, and the air blowing means 27 in the water droplet removing and drying steps is programmed in advance by the control unit. (Computer). The time for blowing out air from the suction port 20 and the time for blowing out drying air from the air blowing means 27 are sufficient in a range of several seconds to several tens of seconds. can do.

In any case, the wafer transfer arm mechanism 30 according to the present invention is used for transferring and transferring wafers in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
Especially when transferring from one object to another after cleaning the wafer, if there is unexpected water droplets on the wafer transfer arm, the wafer may be defective. The generated water droplets can be removed to eliminate the occurrence of defects.

[0030]

As described above, the wafer transfer arm mechanism according to the present invention has a suction port for sucking and holding a wafer, and is capable of transferring a wafer from one object to another. Arm, and while blowing out drying air from the suction port, the wafer transfer arm is provided with air blow means for blowing drying air from the outside, so that the wafer is transferred one by one. Since the wafer transfer arm can be in a dry state, the wafer processed by the semiconductor processing device for each wafer, after undergoing a cleaning step and a drying step, even if picked up by the wafer transfer arm,
An excellent effect is obtained in that the occurrence of defective products due to the attachment of water droplets on the wafer can be completely prevented without causing water droplets to adhere to the wafer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a main part of a wafer transfer arm mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a plan view schematically showing a main part of the wafer transfer arm mechanism, and FIG. 2B is a side view of the same.

3A and 3B are views for explaining first and fourth steps of the operation state of the wafer transfer arm mechanism, and FIG. 3A is a plan view schematically showing a main part of the wafer transfer arm mechanism. FIG. (B) is a side view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a second step of the operation state of the wafer transfer arm mechanism, and FIG. 4A is a plan view schematically showing a main part of the wafer transfer arm mechanism; FIG. (B) is the same side view.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a third step of the operation state of the wafer transfer arm mechanism, and FIG. 5A is a plan view schematically showing a main part of the wafer transfer arm mechanism; FIG. (B) is the same side view.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a polishing apparatus generally used as a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and having a wafer transfer arm.

FIG. 7 is a side view schematically showing a main part of the wafer transfer arm of the conventional example.

8 (A) is a plan view schematically showing a main part of the wafer transfer arm of the conventional example, and FIG. 8 (B) is a side view thereof. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

16 semiconductor wafer; 18 wafer transfer arm;
19 base; 20 suction port; 21 passage; 22
Tube; 23 switching valve; 24, 25, 28 pipe; 26 rotating means; 27 air blowing means;
7a nozzle part; 30 wafer transfer arm mechanism,
a, b Arrows indicating the blowing direction of the drying air.

Claims (4)

[Claims] A suction port for sucking and holding the wafer;
A wafer transfer arm capable of transferring a wafer from one object to another object, wherein the drying air is blown out from the suction port, and the drying air is blown from the outside to the wafer transfer arm. A wafer transfer arm mechanism provided with air blow means. 2. The wafer transfer arm mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a rotation means is provided on the wafer transfer arm so that the drying air can be blown to the back side of the wafer transfer arm. 3. The wafer transfer arm mechanism according to claim 1, wherein when the drying air is blown to the back side of the wafer transfer arm, the air is simultaneously blown out from the suction port. 4. The wafer transfer arm mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the air blow means has a nozzle at the tip thereof for adjusting the amount and direction of air discharge.