JP2002018753A - Device and method for teaching wafer handling robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and method for easily and accurately teaching a wafer handling robot to be used for a semiconductor manufacturing device. SOLUTION: The device having an end effector on which wafers are placed in position, an arm and a rotating shaft for teaching the wafer handling robot to be used for the semiconductor manufacturing device in transferring the wafers comprises a board having a fitting portion for fitting the end effector, the board being disposed at a teaching position. The teaching of the end effector, the arm and the rotating shaft for the wafer handling robot is executed when the end effector is fitted to the fitting portion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a teaching device and a method of a wafer handling robot for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to an end effector, an arm, a rotating shaft, and a wafer constituting the wafer handling robot. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for teaching a slide shaft for moving a handling robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a typical vacuum load lock type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 has two sets of left and right chambers 2, 2 ', and each chamber is provided with a substrate support plate 3, 3' on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted.

The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 further includes a wafer handling robot 4 that operates in the atmosphere and a wafer that is disposed in a vacuum-evacuated chamber (indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure) and operates under vacuum. A handling robot 5 is provided.

A wafer handling robot 4 is disposed in a cassette port 6 and takes out a wafer from a cassette 6 ′ in which a plurality of wafers are stored, passes through an opening of the chamber 2 to a wafer holding plate 3, or vice versa. Transfer the wafer. On the other hand, the wafer handling robot 5 takes out the wafer held on the wafer holding plate 3 'in the evacuated chamber 2 under vacuum and transfers the wafer to, for example, a reactor or vice versa.

[0005] The wafer handling robot 4 can move closer to another chamber 2 'along a slide shaft (not shown), and can perform the same operation as described above.

The wafer handling robot 4 (the wafer handling robot 5 has the same structure) usually has a structure shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the main body 11, a rotating shaft 12 rotatable with respect to the main body 11, two arms 13, 14 connected to the rotating shaft 12 and rotatably attached to each other, The wafer 14 has an end effector 17 rotatably mounted on the wafer 14 and placed at a predetermined position.

When the rotation shaft 12 rotates while the end effector 17 is guided to move in the axial direction, the end effector 17 can reciprocate on the axis of the end effector 17 via two arms. Further, when the main body 11 is entirely rotated by the rotating means (not shown), the two arms and the end effector rotate as a whole while maintaining the form (for example, when a wafer is taken out of the cassette and transferred to the chamber, The main body rotates as a whole, and the end effector can change its direction to the chamber with the wafer placed thereon.

The wafer handling robot moves the end effector 17 up and down (that is, the rotating shaft) so that the surface of the end effector 17 contacts the lower surface of the wafer in the cassette, for example.
It has means (not shown) for raising and lowering the whole in the 12 axial directions).

As described above, the wafer handling robot can transfer a wafer to a predetermined position of a cassette, a chamber, and a reactor, that is, a position where a wafer is to be transferred, but such transfer is automatically performed. Therefore, the rotation of the entire wafer handling robot, the position of the start point of the rotation of the rotation axis, the position of the stop point,
It is necessary that the position of the robot in the axial direction is set accurately. To do so, the end effector and arm of the robot must be taught, that is, positioned. Similarly, when the robot moves along the slide axis, the slide axis must be taught.

Conventionally, such teaching has been carried out by actually mounting a wafer on an end effector and visually checking a cassette, a wafer holding plate in a chamber, and the like.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Such visual teaching cannot be performed quickly and accurately unless a considerably skilled worker is used. Nevertheless, when teaching in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, for example, by bringing the upper surface of the end effector into contact with the lower surface of the wafer placed in the cassette, the wafer floats when the end effector comes into contact with the wafer. Because
It is difficult to find the contact point accurately. Furthermore, since the parallelism between the wafer stored in the cassette or the wafer placed on the holding plate and the end effector is not always strictly accurate, it cannot be said that the point was accurately detected by contact between the two. In some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a simple and accurate teaching method for a wafer handling robot used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus without using a wafer. To provide a device and method that can be used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for teaching a wafer handling robot without changing existing equipment in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising: an end effector, an arm, and a rotating shaft on which a wafer is mounted at a predetermined position. For teaching a wafer handling robot for transferring wafers. This device comprises a substrate provided with a fitting portion for fitting with an end effector. This substrate is placed at the teaching position, and when the end effector is fitted to the fitting portion, teaching of the end effector, arm and rotating shaft of the wafer handling robot is executed. Here, the end effector has a concave portion, and the fitting portion is preferably a convex portion that fits into the concave portion of the end effector. Further, the convex portion is a cylindrical portion, and the concave portion has a shape corresponding to the cylindrical portion. It is desirable to have

In this apparatus, when the concave portion and the convex portion are fitted to each other and the rotation shaft is moved in the axial direction, when the lower surface of the end effector comes into contact with the upper surface of the substrate, the rotation shaft of the wafer handling robot is moved. Teaching in the axial direction is performed.

Another teaching device of the present invention comprises a fitting portion attached to the end effector, and a board fitted with the fitting portion. Here, the fitting portion has a convex portion facing downward, and the substrate has a concave portion that fits with the convex portion. The substrate is arranged at the teaching position, and when the convex portion of the fitting portion attached to the end effector is fitted into the concave portion of the substrate, teaching of the end effector, the arm and the rotating shaft of the wafer handling robot is executed.

Also in this apparatus, when the concave portion and the convex portion are fitted and the rotary shaft is moved in the axial direction, when the lower surface of the fitted portion contacts the upper surface of the substrate, the rotary shaft of the wafer handling robot is rotated. Teaching in the axial direction is performed.

In the above apparatus, before or after the fitting of the concave portion and the convex portion, by moving the front rotary shaft in the axial direction, the end effector is rotated by the rotary shaft provided in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. When the alignment with the mark for determining the position in the axial direction is performed, teaching in the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the wafer handling robot is executed.

According to another teaching device of the present invention, in a semiconductor manufacturing device, a wafer handling robot comprises:
This is a device for teaching a slide shaft for moving along two or more locations between which wafers are to be transferred. The apparatus comprises a substrate removably disposed at a plurality of teaching positions and a bar attached to the substrate. Here, the bar has a straight line along its axis. When the substrate is placed in the teaching position, the bar has a length that exceeds the slide axis. The axis of the bar intersects with the axis passing through the center of the wafer when the wafer is transferred to a position to be transferred. The wafer handling robot is marked to align with the straight line of the bar. By aligning the mark on the straight line of the placed substrate with the mark, the slide axis is adjusted.
The teaching method of the slide shaft is executed. Preferably, the substrate is arranged at each of the two teaching positions, and a straight line attached to each of the bars of the arranged substrate is aligned with the mark attached to the wafer handling robot, so that the slide axis is adjusted. Is taught. The adjustment of the slide shaft can be performed by adjusting and driving the means for moving the wafer handling robot, but may be performed manually or by using a dedicated device.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings, a teaching device and method according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the teaching device 20 of the present invention. The teaching device 20 is disposed on the wafer cassette port 6. The wafer cassette port 6 is a cassette 6 'in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (see FIG. 1) in which a plurality of wafers are removably stored.
The substrate 21 constituting the teaching device 20 is disposed thereon so as to be removable (at this position,
Such a position is referred to as a teaching position because teaching described below is performed.)

On the substrate 21, a cylindrical fitting portion having an axis that coincides with the axis passing through the center of the wafer in the cassette when the cassette 6 'is placed in the wafer cassette port 6 is formed. The projection 22 is provided.

A U-shaped recess 18 in which the projection 22 can be housed and fitted is provided at the end of the end effector 17 of the wafer handling robot 4. When the concave portion 18 and the convex portion 22 are fitted as shown in FIG. 2, the axis passing through the center of the wafer to be disposed on the end effector 17 and the axis of the convex portion 22 match. Therefore, it is desirable that the recess 18 be formed.

The rotary shaft 12 rotates, and the end effector 17 can reciprocate in the axial direction by the axial guide (not shown) via the two arms 13 and 14 connected to each other. The effector 17 gradually protrudes in accordance with the rotation of the rotating shaft and advances along the substrate 21 in the axial direction, and the concave portion 18 is completely fitted with the convex portion 22 on the substrate 21.
At this time, since the end effector 17 is at the position for taking out or storing the wafer in the cassette,
At this time, the wafer handling robot is in the state of taking out or storing the wafer in the cassette. Therefore, teaching, that is, positioning is performed by setting the eher handling robot in this state (at this time, the rotation start point of the rotating shaft for taking out and storing the wafer in the cassette, the stop point thereof, and the arm position). The position data is stored as rotation axis data for executing teaching, arm axis data, and the like.)

By the above-mentioned fitting, teaching related to the rotation of the rotating shaft is performed. However, for transferring the wafer, teaching related to the axial direction of the rotating shaft is also required. This teaching is performed as follows.

By the above-mentioned fitting, the substrate 21 is moved to the wafer cassette port 6 so that the position of the upper surface of the end effector 17 in contact with the substrate 21 coincides with the lower surface of the wafer in the cassette 6 'to be arranged after teaching. Place on top. Then, the rotating shaft 12 is moved up and down in the axial direction together with or independently of the fitting operation, so that the lower surface of the end effector and the upper surface of the substrate 21 are brought into contact. This allows
The position of the rotary shaft in the axial direction is determined, that is, teaching has been performed.

In addition to such teaching, before or after the above-mentioned fitting, means for raising and lowering the rotating shaft is used.
The rotary shaft is raised and lowered in the axial direction, and the end effector is aligned with a mark for determining the axial position of the rotary shaft provided in the apparatus, for example, a step or a line for storing and supporting wafers in a cassette. Thus, teaching in the axial direction of the rotating shaft can be performed. Such teaching can be performed by providing appropriate marks even in the chamber.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the fitting portion on the substrate is a cylindrical convex portion, and the concave portion of the end effector is fitted to this convex portion. However, the shape is not limited to these. . For example, a convex portion such as a triangular or elliptical shape and a concave portion having a shape fitted to the convex portion may be used.

FIG. 3 shows an apparatus 30 for teaching a wafer handling robot 4 on a wafer holding plate in a chamber 2 of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The wafer holding plate 3 has a pair of support portions 3 ', 3 "facing each other and accommodating and supporting a wafer therebetween.

The apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 3 also comprises a substrate and a fitting portion provided thereon for fitting an end effector, as in the embodiment of FIG. In order to perform teaching on the holding plate, the substrate 31 has the same shape as the wafer. On the substrate 31, a convex portion 32 as a fitting portion is provided so as to coincide with an axis passing through the center of the wafer to be disposed on the wafer holding plate. The convex portion 32 is desirably cylindrical as in the embodiment of FIG.

The configuration of the wafer handling robot 4 of this embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 2, that is, an end having a U-shaped concave portion having a shape capable of fitting the cylindrical convex portion 32 at the end. Effector 17, Arm 13, 1
4. It is composed of a rotating shaft 12. The teaching operation is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and the end effector 17 is extended in the axial direction via the arms 13 and 14 according to the rotation of the rotating shaft, and the concave portion 18 of the end effector 17 is fitted into the convex portion 32. It is performed by combining.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment in which teaching is performed in a cassette. The teaching device 40 of this embodiment also includes a board 41 and a fitting portion 42. In this apparatus 40, the end effector 17 'of the wafer handling robot can place a wafer at a predetermined position, similarly to the end effector 17 of FIG. 2, but the end effector 17' has a substantially rectangular shape. A semicircular notch 17 "for positioning is formed at the tip.

The fitting portion 42 accommodates the tip of the end effector 17 ′, but the notch 17 ″ of the end effector 17 ″
And a projection 42 'that engages with Further, the fitting portion 42 has on its lower surface a downward convex portion 43 which coincides with an axis passing through the center of a wafer placed at a predetermined position on the end effector 17 '.

The substrate 41 is disposed on the wafer cassette port 6 so as to be removable. The substrate 41 has a recess 41 ″ at an axis passing through the center of the wafer in the cassette when placed on the wafer cassette port 6.

In the teaching in this embodiment, the fitting portion 42 is attached to the end of the end effector 17 ', and FIG.
As in the case of (1), means for gradually extending the end effector 17 'in the axial direction and moving the wafer handling robot up and down along the axial direction where the respective axes of the concave portion 41' and the convex portion 43 coincide. As a result, the end effector 17 'is lowered, and the convex portion and the concave portion are fitted. By this fitting, the air handling robot is taught, that is, positioned.

The substrate 41 is moved so that the position of the upper surface of the end effector 17 'in contact with the substrate 41 coincides with the lower surface of the wafer in the cassette to be arranged after teaching by the engagement between the convex portion and the concave portion. When the rotary shaft is arranged on the cassette port, the position of the rotary shaft in the axial direction is determined by the fitting operation, that is, teaching is performed.

When there are two or more positions to transfer wafers, such as cassettes and processing chambers, it is necessary to move the wafer handling robot to approach those positions. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a teaching device in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a wafer handling robot is moved along a slide axis and a wafer is transferred there.

FIG. 5 shows a teaching device 50 arranged in the cassette port 6 and a teaching device 60 arranged in the chamber 2. The device 50 disposed in the cassette port 6 is provided with a substrate 51 disposed on the cassette port 6 and an axis 52 'perpendicular to an axis passing through the center of the wafer in the cassette disposed in the cassette port 6. And extending bar 52. The bar 52 has a length exceeding a slide axis (not shown) for the wafer handling robot to move along, and further has a straight line 53 attached along an axis 52 '.

The other teaching device 60 comprises a substrate 61 and a bar 62, like the one teaching device 50. The substrate 61 has a cross section substantially the same as the size of the opening 2 ′ of the chamber 2. Therefore, when the substrate 61 is inserted into the opening 2 'of the chamber, it is held in that state. The bar 62, like the bar 52, has an axis extending along an axis perpendicular to the axis passing through the center of the wafer transferred into the chamber, and has a straight line 63 attached along the axis. Bar 62
Also have a length that exceeds the slide axis (not shown).

The teaching of the slide shaft using these devices is performed as follows. First, the substrate 51 of the teaching device 50 is placed in the cassette port 6, and the teaching device 6
The zero substrate 61 is inserted into the opening of the chamber. By such an arrangement and insertion, the bars 51 and 62 extend beyond the slide axis. The mark 12 'provided on the rotation axis of the wafer handling robot 4 is aligned with the straight lines 53 and 63 of the respective bars, and positioning of the slide axis, that is, teaching is performed. The movement of the wafer handling robot for this teaching is performed by using means other than the means for vertically moving the robot. This movement may be performed manually or using a teaching pendant that is a dedicated device.

In this example, teaching is performed at a position where a wafer is to be transferred, ie, a cassette port and a chamber. If there are two cassette ports, two chambers are provided at these port positions as shown in FIG. In some cases, teaching can be performed at these chamber locations. At this time, in addition to the case where two teaching devices are arranged in each of the cassette ports, a teaching device is arranged in one of the cassette ports so that the straight line and the mark are aligned, and then the teaching is performed in the other cassette port. By arranging the device and aligning the straight line with the mark, teaching of the slide shaft can be performed.

[0042]

According to the present invention, teaching of a wafer handling robot can be performed with a very simple apparatus without using a wafer. The teaching includes teaching in a direction along the rotation axis of the robot. Therefore, three-dimensional teaching can be performed.

Further, this teaching can also be achieved by performing a normal operation of a normal wafer handling robot. Therefore, anyone can achieve teaching in a short time.

The apparatus of the present invention can be used without making any changes to existing semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using a conventional wafer handling robot.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a relation between a teaching device of the present invention and a wafer handling robot at a wafer port.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a relation between a teaching device of the present invention and a wafer handling robot in a chamber.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of another teaching device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows teaching by a teaching device for a slide shaft of a wafer handling robot.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Wafer handling robot 6 Cassette port 11 Main body 12 Rotary shaft 13, 14 Arm 17 End effector 18 Concave 20 Teaching device 21 Substrate 22 Convex

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Watanabe 6-23-1, Nagayama, Tama-shi, Tokyo FSM terms within ASM Japan Co., Ltd. 3F059 AA01 AA14 BA04 BA10 BC07 BC09 CA06 DA02 DA05 DA08 DC08 DD01 DE05 FA03 FA10 FB01 FB16 FC02 FC07 FC13 FC14 3F060 AA01 AA07 DA10 EA07 EB12 EC02 EC12 FA02 GA05 GA13 GD13 HA13 HA32 HA35 5F031 CA02 FA01 FA11 GA42 GA43 5H269 AB17 AB33 CC09 SA01 SA05 SA12

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for teaching a wafer handling robot for transferring a wafer, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having an end effector, an arm, and a rotation shaft on which the wafer is mounted at a predetermined position, A substrate provided with a fitting portion for fitting with the end effector, the substrate being disposed at a teaching position, and when the end effector is fitted to the fitting portion, an end effector of the wafer handling robot; The device where teaching of the arm and rotating shaft is performed. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end effector has a concave portion, and the fitting portion is a convex portion that fits into the concave portion of the end effector. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said convex portion is a cylindrical portion, and said concave portion has a shape corresponding to said cylindrical portion. 4. An apparatus for teaching a wafer handling robot for transferring a wafer, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having an end effector, an arm, and a rotation shaft on which the wafer is mounted at a predetermined position, A fitting portion attached to the end effector, and a board fitted to the fitting portion, wherein the fitting portion has a downwardly directed convex portion, and the substrate is fitted to the convex portion. And an end effector and an arm of the wafer handling robot when the convex portion of the fitting portion attached to the end effector is fitted into the concave portion of the substrate. And teaching of the rotating axis is executed,
The device. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, wherein
The teaching device, wherein the teaching position is a position where a cassette for storing wafers is arranged. 6. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, wherein
The teaching position is a wafer holding position in a wafer holding means in a vacuum evacuated chamber,
The apparatus wherein the substrate is located at a position where a wafer is held by the wafer holding means. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion is placed at the predetermined position of the end effector and the axis of the convex portion of the fitting portion on the substrate disposed at the teaching position. The center axis of the wafer at the time of the fitting is matched with the concave portion and the convex portion. 8. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said projection of said fitting portion has an axis passing through the center of the wafer where the wafer is located at a predetermined position on said end effector. An axis of the concave portion of the substrate disposed at the teaching position and an axis of the convex portion of the fitting portion coincide with each other when the concave portion and the convex portion are fitted to each other;
The device. 9. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein a wafer handling robot teaches a slide shaft for moving along two or more positions between which wafers are to be transferred, and a plurality of teaching positions. And a bar attached to each of the substrates. Each of the bars has a straight line along an axis thereof, and the substrate is disposed at the teaching position. Sometimes, the bar has a length exceeding the slide axis, and the axis of the bar intersects with the axis passing through the center of the wafer when the wafer is transferred to a position to transfer the wafer. A mark for aligning the bar with the straight line is attached to the wafer handling robot, and the bar straight line of the placed substrate is aligned with the mark. In Rukoto, teaching of the slide shaft is executed, at the device. 10. A method of teaching a wafer handling robot for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising an end effector, an arm, and a rotation shaft on which the wafer is mounted at a predetermined position, A step of arranging a substrate provided with a fitting portion for fitting with the end effector at a teaching position, and a process of fitting the end effector to the fitting portion. The method in which teaching of the end effector, arm, and rotary axis of the handling robot is performed. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the fitting step is to fit a convex portion provided on the mating portion into a concave portion provided on the end effector.
Where way. 12. A method of teaching a wafer handling robot for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising an end effector, an arm, and a rotating shaft on which the wafer is mounted at a predetermined position, Attaching a fitting portion having a downwardly facing convex portion to the end effector, and arranging a substrate having a concave portion to be fitted with the convex portion at a teaching position;
Fitting the convex portion to the concave portion, whereby the teaching of the end effector, the arm, and the rotating shaft of the wafer handling robot is performed. 13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of arranging the substrate at the teaching position comprises arranging the substrate at a position where a cassette for accommodating wafers is arranged. Method. 14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of arranging the substrate at the teaching position comprises arranging the substrate on wafer holding means in a vacuum-evacuated chamber. the method of. 15. The method according to claim 11, wherein said concave portion and said convex portion are fitted to each other, and said rotary shaft is moved in the axial direction thereof, whereby the lower surface of said end effector and said substrate are fixed. The method wherein the teaching in the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the wafer handling robot is performed when the upper surface makes contact with the upper surface. 16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said concave portion and said convex portion are fitted to each other, and said rotary shaft is moved in the axial direction so that the lower surface of said fitting portion is formed on said substrate. When in contact with the upper surface of the robot, teaching in the axial direction of the rotation axis of the wafer handling robot is performed;
Where way. 17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the rotating shaft is moved in the axial direction before or after the fitting of the concave portion and the convex portion.
When the end effector is aligned with a mark provided in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for determining an axial position of the rotation shaft, teaching in the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the wafer handling robot is performed. , Where way. 18. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of teaching the slide shaft includes the step of arranging the substrate at the teaching position and the step of positioning the mark on the wafer handling robot. Adjusting the slide axis in alignment with the straight line attached to the bar of the placed substrate, wherein the adjusting step is a step of adjusting and driving means for moving the wafer handling robot. , Where way. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of arranging the substrate at each of the teaching positions includes arranging the substrate at each of two teaching positions. Adjusting the slide axis by aligning the mark on the handling robot with a straight line on each of the bars of the substrate located at the two teaching positions. 20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the adjusting step is performed by a dedicated adjusting device or manually instead of the adjusting driving step.