JP2002093877A - Semiconductor manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a semiconductor manufacturing device to handle wafers having different outside diameters, without requiring large-scale modification. SOLUTION: A cassette 10 housing wafers W2 is transferred, after the cassette 10 has been positioned on the upper surface of an adapter plate 30, having three V-grooves 32 on its lower surface. On the holding plate 29 of a carrier transfer device 20, one low pin 29a and two high pins 29b and 29c are provided in upwardly projecting states for holding the adapter plate 30 in an inclined state. Since the adapter plate 30 is inclined by means of the holding plate 29, the wafers W2 housed in the cassette 10 are inclined rearwardly, and accordingly, the slipping down of the wafers W2 from the cassette 10 can be prevented. Consequently, a CVD system which is constituted to handle wafers by using pad is enabled to handle wafers by using cassettes, without requiring large-scale remodeling.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus,
In particular, the present invention relates to a technology for handling a substrate storage container. For example, a CVD film such as an insulating film or a metal film is formed on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer) as a substrate on which a semiconductor integrated circuit including a semiconductor element is formed, The present invention relates to an apparatus which is effective when used in a batch type vertical diffusion / CVD apparatus for diffusing a gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a batch type vertical CVD apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a CVD apparatus), which is an example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, an unprocessed wafer is stored in a carrier (substrate storage container) from outside the CVD apparatus. It is carried in. As a conventional carrier of this type, a cassette formed in a substantially cubic box shape having a pair of opposing surfaces opened, and a cap formed in a substantially cubic box shape having one surface opened. FOUP which is detachably mounted
(Front opening unified pod, hereafter referred to as pod).

When a pod is used as a wafer carrier, the wafer is transported in a sealed state, so that the cleanliness of the wafer is maintained even if particles and the like exist in the surrounding atmosphere. can do.
Therefore, it is not necessary to set the cleanliness in the clean room in which the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is installed so high that the cost required for the clean room can be reduced. Therefore, a pod has been used as a carrier of a wafer in a CVD apparatus.

On the other hand, in order to increase the productivity of semiconductor devices, the diameter of a wafer has been increased, and a wafer having a diameter of 200 mm (hereinafter, referred to as a 200 mm wafer) has a diameter of 300 m.
The conversion to m wafers (hereinafter, referred to as three hundred mm wafers) has been promoted. Generally, a cassette is used as a carrier for 200 mm wafers, and a pod is used as a carrier for 300 mm wafers.

[0005]

However, three hundred m
In a CVD apparatus configured to handle pods of m wafers, when a cassette of 200 mm wafers is to be handled, since the positioning method and the like are different due to the difference in size between the pod and the cassette, the transfer mechanism is significantly increased. Need to be remodeled. Therefore, there is a problem that a very large-scale remodeling is inevitable and time and cost are enormous.

An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of handling substrates having different outer diameters without requiring a large-scale remodeling.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a carrier transport device for transporting a carrier; and an adapter plate for placing a substrate containing a cassette containing the substrates in a horizontal state. Wherein the carrier transport device is provided with a holding plate for holding the adapter plate in an inclined state.

In the above-described means, when the cassette containing the substrates is transported by the carrier transport device while being placed on the adapter plate, the adapter plate is tilted by the holding plate, so that the cassette is stored in the cassette on the adapter plate. The substrate in the cassette can be inclined with respect to the horizontal, so that it is possible to prevent the substrate in the cassette from slipping from the inside of the cassette during transportation. In this way, by preventing the substrates from dropping out of the cassette during the transport of the cassette, it is possible to cope with a carrier transport device that handles pods. The substrate can be stored in a cassette and handled without modification.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is configured as a CVD apparatus, that is, a batch type vertical CVD apparatus as shown in FIG.
Further, it is configured to handle a 300-mm wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a first wafer) in a state of being stored in a pod. In the present embodiment, the CVD apparatus 1 configured to handle a pod is configured to be able to handle a 200-mm wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a second wafer) in a cassette.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first wafer W
_The pod 9 for storing ₁ is formed in a substantially cubic box shape with one surface opened, and a cap 9a is detachably mounted on the opening surface. As shown in FIG. 2C, a female kinematic coupling 9b is disposed on one side (hereinafter referred to as a lower surface) of the pod 9 at the apexes of the three-row and the equilateral triangle, respectively, and is radially submerged. As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the three-way female kinematic coupling (hereinafter referred to as a V-groove) 9b has a substantially triangular prism-shaped groove shape and a triangular prism having a groove bottom. Is formed in a rectangular groove whose bottom side extends in the radial direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second wafer W
₂ is formed in a substantially cubic box shape with one facing opening, and a plurality of (for example, twenty-five) holding grooves 10a are flush with the inner surfaces of a pair of side walls of one opening. are Botsu設are aligned at equal intervals so as to constitute a, and is held by the outer peripheral portion is inserted into the second wafer W ₂ these holding grooves 10a.
The other of the pair of legs 10b in the opening of the cassette 10 are projectingly provided parallel to the direction of arrangement of the second wafer W _2, legs 10
Positioning of the cassette 10 is ensured between the positions b and 10b. Second wafer W of cassette 10
_A handle 10c protrudes from one side surface parallel to ₂ .

The CVD apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a housing 2 constructed in an airtight chamber structure. A heater unit 3 is vertically installed above one end (hereinafter, referred to as a rear end) in the housing 2.
The process tube 4 is arranged concentrically inside the inside. The process tube 4 is connected to a gas introduction pipe 5 for introducing a raw material gas, a purge gas and the like into the process tube 4 and an exhaust pipe 6 for evacuating the inside of the process tube 4. An elevator 7 is provided below the rear end of the housing 2, and the elevator 7 is configured to vertically move a boat 8 disposed directly below the process tube 4. The boat 8 is configured to support a large number of wafers in a state where the wafers are arranged horizontally with their centers aligned, and are carried in and out of the processing chamber of the process tube 4.

A carrier entrance (not shown) is provided on the front wall of the housing 2, and the carrier entrance is opened and closed by a front shutter. A carry-in / carry-out stage (hereinafter, referred to as an I / O stage) 11 for performing positioning of the pod 9 is provided at the carrier entrance / exit, and the pod 9 is moved into / out of the I / O stage 11 through the carrier entrance / exit. It has become.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the I / O stage 11 has a mounting table 12 formed in a substantially L-shaped flat plate shape in plan view. On the upper surface, three male kinematic couplings (hereinafter, referred to as pins) 12a are arranged at the apexes of the equilateral triangle so as to correspond to the three V-grooves 9b of the pod 9, and protrude therefrom. The position of the vertex of the equilateral triangle formed by the three pins 12a is set slightly inward of the position of the vertex of the equilateral triangle formed by the outermost end of the three V-grooves 9b. Also,
The heights of the three pins 12a are set to be the same, and the vertices of the three pins 12a form a horizontal plane.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, a rotating shelf 13 for storing a plurality of carriers is provided at an upper portion of a central portion of the housing 2 in the front-rear direction. ,
In the present embodiment, the rotating shelf 13 is configured to store a total of eight carriers. That is, the rotating shelf 13 includes two shelves 14 formed in a substantially swastika shape, and the two shelves 14, 14 are arranged in two stages vertically and rotatably supported in a horizontal plane. It is designed to be rotated in one direction in a pitch feed by an intermittent rotation drive device (not shown).

A swastika-shaped shelf board 14 of the rotating shelf 13
On the upper surface of the four mounting portions 15, three male kinematic couplings (hereinafter, referred to as pins) 15a are arranged at the vertices of an equilateral triangle so as to correspond to the three V-grooves 9b of the pod 9, respectively. It is protruding. Three pins 15
The position of the vertex of the equilateral triangle formed by a is set slightly inside the position of the vertex of the equilateral triangle formed by the outermost end of the three V-grooves 9b. The heights of the three pins 15a are set to be the same, and the vertices of the three pins 15a form a horizontal plane.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, a pair of wafer transfer ports 16 for transferring (charging and discharging) wafers are provided below the rotating shelf 13 in the housing 2. The wafer transfer ports 16, 16 are each provided with a mounting table 17. Although detailed explanation and illustration are omitted,
A pod opener that opens and closes the cap 9a of the pod 9 is installed at the wafer transfer port 16, and both pedestals 1
Reference numerals 7 and 17 are configured to be reciprocated in the front-rear direction by a pod opener.

The mounting table 17 is formed in a flat plate shape having a substantially L-shape in plan view, and three male kinematic couplings (hereinafter, referred to as pins) 17 a are provided on the upper surface of the mounting table 17. The V-grooves 9b are arranged at the vertices of the equilateral triangle so as to correspond to the V-grooves 9b, respectively. The positions of the vertices of the regular triangle formed by the three pins 17a are set slightly inward of the positions of the vertices of the regular triangle formed by the outermost ends of the three V-grooves 9b. The heights of the three pins 17a are set to be the same, and the vertices of the three pins 17a form a horizontal plane.

As shown in FIG. 1, the I
A carrier transfer device 20 is provided between the / O stage 11 and the rotary shelf 13 and the wafer transfer port 16, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 to 8, the carrier transfer device 20 SCARA robot (selective comp
liance assembly robot arm. SCARA). That is, the carrier transport device 20 includes a linear actuator 21 laid on the floor surface in the housing 2 in the left-right direction, and the linear actuator 21 is configured to slide the moving table 22 in the left-right direction.
An elevator 23 for elevating and lowering the elevating table 24 is provided on the moving table 22, and a rotary actuator 25 for rotating the first arm 26 and the second arm 27 is provided on the elevating table 24. I have. A second rotary actuator 28 is provided at a free end of the second arm 27, and the second rotary actuator 28 is configured to rotate the holding plate 29.

The holding plate 29 of the carrier transfer device 20
The plan view of the mounting table 12 of the I / O stage 11, the mounting section 15 of the rotating shelf 13 and the mounting table 17 of the wafer transfer port 16 is slightly square in plan view slightly smaller than the size of the space formed by the L-shape. And three male kinematic couplings (hereinafter, referred to as pins) 29 a, 29 b, and 29 c on the upper surface of the holding plate 29.
Projecting so as to respectively correspond to the three V-grooves 9b. The position of the vertex of the equilateral triangle formed by the three pins 29a, 29b, and 29c is set slightly outside the position of the vertex of the equilateral triangle formed by the innermost end of the three V-grooves 9b. The height of a pin 29a on the base end side of the holding plate 29 on the rotary actuator 28 side is set low, and the height of the pin 29a is symmetrical with respect to the low pin (hereinafter referred to as a low pin) 29a. The height of the pins 29b and 29c is the same as the height of the
It is set higher than a. And the low pin 12a
And two high pins on the left and right (hereinafter referred to as high pins) 2
The plane defined by the vertices 9b and 29c is inclined such that the base end side is lower than the horizontal plane, and in the present embodiment, the inclination angle Θ (see FIG. 5) is set to 4 degrees. .

In the present embodiment, to handle the second wafer W ₂ by the cassette 10 in the CVD apparatus 1 for handling the first wafer W ₁ by the pod 9, FIGS. 3-8
Is prepared. The number of adapter plates 30 is set to be the same as the number of loadable cassettes, that is, the total number of mounting portions 15 of the rotating shelf 13. If a buffer shelf is prepared, the total number includes the number of cassettes stored in the shelf.

The adapter plate 30 has a main body 31, and the main body 31 is formed in a square plate shape slightly larger than the area of the lower surface of the pod 9 in plan view. Body 3
On one principal surface (hereinafter, referred to as a lower surface) of the pod 9, a three female kinematic coupling (hereinafter, referred to as an adapter plate V groove) 32 corresponding to the three V grooves 9b of the pod 9 is provided. . That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the three adapter plate V-grooves 32 are laid radially at equal intervals around the center point of the lower surface of the main body 31, respectively. Each inner end and each outer end are aligned on each concentric circle.

A rectangular parallelepiped positioning block 33 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the main body 31 near one end of the three adapter plate V-grooves 32 perpendicular to one of the V-grooves 32 so as to project in parallel with the end. The positioning block 33 is provided on the leg 1 of the cassette 10 placed on the upper surface of the main body 31.
The position of the cassette 10 in the front-rear direction is set by contacting the cassette 0b. Left and right positioning blocks 34 and 35 are provided on the upper surface of the main body 31 on the left and right of the front and rear positioning blocks 33 so as to be parallel to each other and project symmetrically.
Are set so as to abut on the left and right side surfaces of the cassette 10 to define the position of the cassette 10 in the left-right direction. On the upper surfaces of the left and right positioning blocks 34 and 35, grooves 34a and 35a that fit into the H-bars of the cassette 10 are laid in the short direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, between the wafer transfer port 16 and the boat 8, a wafer transfer device 4 is provided.
0 is set, and the wafer transfer device 40 is configured to transfer the wafer between the wafer transfer port 16 and the boat 8 and charge and uncharge the wafer with respect to the boat 8. A plurality of (for example, five) tweezers 41, which are hands of the wafer transfer device 40, are horizontally supported with their both ends aligned in the vertical direction and arranged at equal intervals and can transfer a plurality of wafers simultaneously. It has become.

Next, a description will be given of the operation for the case of handling by the second wafer W ₂ of the cassette 10 in the CVD apparatus 1 according to the configuration.

When processing the second wafer W ₂ in the CVD apparatus 1 according to the above configuration, the boat 8 is previously replaced with a boat capable of holding the first wafer W ₁ by a boat capable of holding the second wafer W _2. Can be When a notch aligning device is provided, it can correspond to the second wafer. Further, the process tubes 4 and the like are appropriately changed from those for the first wafer to those for the second wafer as necessary.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second wafer W
_When the cassette 10 accommodating the cassette 2 is carried into the I / O stage 11 in the housing 2 from the carrier entrance, the adapter plate 30 is placed on the mounting table 12 and the three pins 12a of the mounting table 12 It is set in advance in a state where it is fitted in the adapter plate V-groove 32, respectively. By fitting the three pins 12a into the three adapter plate V-grooves 32, the adapter plate 30 is positioned on the mounting table 12.

The cassette 10 accommodating the second wafer W ₂ is placed on the adapter plate 30 with three side surfaces abutting the three positioning blocks 33, 34, 35. The cassette 10 has three positioning blocks 33, 3
4 and 35, the adapter plate 30 is positioned on the adapter plate 30.
The cassette 10 is properly positioned on the mounting table 12 by being positioned on the mounting table 12 by the groove 32 and the three pins 12a.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cassette 10 supplied to the I / O stage 11 is
In the state of being mounted on the rotating shelf 13, it is picked up from the mounting table 12 of the I / O stage 11 by the carrier transfer device 20, appropriately transferred to the specified mounting portion 15 of the rotating shelf 13, and temporarily. Stored in

When the cassette 10 is picked up from the mounting table 12 of the I / O stage 11 and is raised after the holding plate 29 of the carrier transport device 20 is inserted into the mounting table 12, the holding plate 29 is L-shaped. Mounting table 1 of shape
The adapter plate 30 is lifted from the mounting table 12 by dipping from the space 2 below. At this time, the three pins 29a, 2
9b and 29c are fitted, so that the adapter plate 30, that is, the cassette 10 is positioned on the holding plate 29.

When the cassette 10 is transported by the carrier transport device 20, the height of the pin 29a located on the leg 10b side of the cassette 10 among the three pins 29a, 29b, and 29c fitted into the three adapter plate V-grooves 32, respectively. Is set lower than the height of the left and right pins 29b and 29c, the adapter plate 30
The cassette 1 is tilted backward so that the cassette 1
0 second wafer W ₂ accommodated in the never fall out from the opening of the cassette 10. In other words, the holding plate 29 of the carrier transport device 20 supports the adapter plate 30 in an inclined state, so that the adapter plate 3
0 Since the placed cassette 10 in a state that is tilted backward, the second wafer W ₂ contained in the cassette 10 is in a state always trying S'Agaro rearward of the cassette 10 by its own weight. That is, since the second wafer W ₂ is always going to descend backward, the second wafer W ₂ does not fall out of the opening of the cassette 10.

As shown in FIG.
Is put down on the mounting portion 15 of the rotating shelf 13,
The holding plate 29 of the carrier transport device 20 is
When it is lowered after being aligned from above in the L-shaped space of
The cassette 10 is transferred to the mounting portion 15 while the holding plate 29 is mounted on the adapter plate 30 by going under the space portion from above. At this time, the adapter plate 3
Since the three pins 15a of the mounting portion 15 are fitted into the three adapter plate V-grooves 32 of the
That is, the cassette 10 is positioned on the mounting portion 15.

The cassette 10 temporarily stored on the rotating shelf 13 is appropriately picked up by the carrier transfer device 20 while being placed on the adapter plate 30, transferred to the wafer transfer port 16, and placed on the mounting table 17. Will be transferred to As shown in FIG. 8, when the wafer is transferred from the rotating shelf 13 to the wafer transfer port 16, the adapter plate 30 is supported by the holding plate 29 of the carrier transfer device 20 in a state where the adapter plate 30 is inclined. In order to tilt the cassette 10 placed on the plate 30 backward, the second wafer W ₂ stored in the cassette 10 is always going to be lowered to the rear of the cassette 10 by its own weight. ₂ does not fall out of the opening of the cassette 10.

When the adapter plate 30 on which the cassette 10 is mounted is transferred onto the mounting table 17 of the wafer transfer port 16, the three pins 17a of the mounting table 17 are fitted into the adapter plate V-grooves 32, respectively. In this state, the cassette 10 is supported horizontally by the wafer transfer port 16 and is properly positioned. Thus, the wafer transfer device 40 can be out from the cassette 10 and the second wafer W ₂ horizontally.

When the pod 9 is mounted on the mounting table 17, an operation of opening the cap 9a by the pod opener is performed thereafter. In the case of the cassette 10, the wafer transfer device 40 side is used. Surface is open,
No pod opener work is performed. That is, the closure (not shown) of the pod opener is retracted from the opening surface of the cassette 10.

At the wafer transfer port 16, the cassette 1
When 0 is set to the mounting table 17, the second wafer W ₂ of the cassette 10 is drawn out by the wafer transfer apparatus 40 are carried to the boat 8 transfer (charging). At this time, the second wafer W ₂ of the cassette 10 on a plurality boat 8, are transferred simultaneously by a plurality of tweezers 41 of the wafer transfer device 40.

The number of wafers (for example, one hundred to one hundred and fifty hundred) to be batch-processed by the boat 8 is one cassette 10
The second number of wafers W ₂ housed in the (e.g., twenty-five sheets) for many many times than while transferring operation by the wafer transfer apparatus 40 for the wafer transfer port 16 (upper or lower) Meanwhile, another cassette 10 is simultaneously supplied to the other (lower or upper) by the carrier transfer device 20, and a plurality of cassettes 10 are supplied to the upper and lower wafer transfer ports 16, 16 by the carrier transfer device 20. It will be supplied repeatedly. The transfer operation of the wafer transfer device 40 to the upper and lower wafer transfer ports 16 is alternately repeated, so that a plurality of second wafers W ₂ are transferred from the cassette 10 to the boat 8.

In this way, one (upper or lower)
During the wafer transfer (charging) operation to the wafer transfer port 16, the transfer to the empty cassette 10 to the other (lower or upper) wafer transfer port 16 and the preparation work are simultaneously performed. Since the wafer transfer device 40 can continuously perform the wafer transfer operation without wasting a waiting time for the replacement operation of the cassette 10, the throughput of the CVD device 1 can be increased.

When a plurality of second wafers W ₂ specified in advance are transferred from the cassette 10 to the boat 8, the boat 8 is lifted by the elevator 7 and loaded (loaded) into the processing chamber of the process tube 4. . When the boat 8 reaches the upper limit, the periphery of the upper surface of the cap holding the boat 8 closes the process tube 4 in a sealed state.
The processing chamber is airtightly closed.

While the process tube 4 is closed in an airtight manner, the process tube 4 is evacuated to a predetermined degree of vacuum by an exhaust pipe 6.
A predetermined temperature (400 to 700) is set by the heater unit 3.
° C), the entire material is uniformly heated, and a predetermined raw material gas is supplied by the gas introduction pipe 5 at a predetermined flow rate. Thus, a predetermined CVD film is formed on the second wafer W _2.

[0042] Then, after a lapse of a preset processing time, by boat 8 is lowered by the elevator 7, the processed second wafer W ₂ boat 8 holding the can out to the original standby position (unloading) Is done.

The processed second wafer W ₂ of the boat 8 carried out to the original standby position is supplied in advance in a state where it is mounted on the adapter plate 30 of the wafer transfer port 16 and the empty cassette 10 supported horizontally. Is transferred (discharged) by the wafer transfer device 40.

Next, the cassette 10 containing the processed second wafer W ₂ is picked up from the wafer transfer port 16 by the carrier transfer device 20 while being placed on the adapter plate 30, and Is transported (put down) while being placed on the adapter plate 30 and temporarily stored.

[0045] Also during the above treated second wafer W ₂ transfer (the discharging) work, the second boat 8 for accommodating the empty cassette 10 in the number of sheets of the single second wafer W ₂ was batched for many many times than the number of wafers W _2,
A plurality of cassettes 10 are provided with upper and lower wafer transfer ports 16,
16 are alternately and repeatedly supplied by the carrier transport device 20. Also in this case, during the wafer transfer operation to one (upper or lower) wafer transfer port 16, the other (lower or upper) wafer transfer port 1
The wafer transfer device 40 moves the cassette 10 to the empty cassette 10 at the same time.
Since the wafer transfer operation can be performed continuously without wasting the waiting time for the replacement operation of C,
The throughput of the VD device 1 can be increased.

The cassette 10 accommodating the processed second wafer W ₂ is transferred from the rotary shelf 13 to the mounting table 12 of the I / O stage 11 by the carrier transfer device 20 while being mounted on the adapter plate 30. It is put (put down). The cassette 10 transferred to the I / O stage 11 is carried out of the housing 2 through the cassette slot. Then, the cassette 10 accommodating the new second wafer W ₂ is carried from the carrier loading and unloading opening in the I / O stage 11 in the housing 2.

The work of loading and unloading the old and new cassettes 10 to and from the I / O stage 11 and the work of switching between the I / O stage 11 and the rotary shelf 13 are performed by loading and unloading the boat 8 in the process tube 4 and forming films. Since the processing is performed simultaneously during the processing, it is possible to prevent the working time of the entire CVD apparatus 1 from being extended.

Thereafter, the above-described operation is repeated, and the second wafer W ₂ is batch-processed by the CVD apparatus 1.

[0049] Then, the batch process is completed for the second wafer W ₂ of the desired number, when resuming the batch processing for the first wafer W _1, since the first wafer W ₁ is handled by the pod 9 The preparation work is performed. For example, a boat 8 and process tube 4 or the like is replaced as necessary to those from those for the second wafer W ₂ for the first wafer W _1, closure opener is in the operating position from the retracted position Will be returned.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

1) Insert the cassette 10 into the adapter plate 30
Since the cassette 10 can be made to correspond to the I / O stage 11, the rotating shelf 13, the carrier transfer device 20, and the wafer transfer port 16 that handle the pod 9 by handling the pod 9, the first wafer W ₁ Pod 9
The second wafer W ₂ can be handled is housed in the cassette 10 without significantly modifying the configured CVD apparatus as handled by.

2) Submerging the V-groove 32 corresponding to the V-groove 9b of the pod 9 on the lower surface of the adapter plate 30, the mounting table 12 of the I / O stage 11, the mounting portion 15 of the rotating shelf 13, the carrier Since the pins for positioning the holding plate 29 of the transfer device 20 and the wafer transfer port 16 on the mounting table 17 can be made to correspond to each other, the I / O stage 11, the rotating shelf 13, and the carrier transfer device 20 that handle the pod 9. The cassette 10 can correspond to the wafer transfer port 16. Therefore, the first wafer W ₁ is handled by the pod 9 by the C
The second wafer W ₂ can be handled is housed in the cassette 10 to VD device 1 without significant modification.

3) By configuring the holding plate 29 of the carrier transfer device 20 to hold the adapter plate 30 with the adapter plate 30 inclined, the cassette 10 is transferred by the carrier transfer device 20 with the cassette 10 placed on the adapter plate 30. in, since it is possible to tilted backward of the cassette 10, during the transfer, it is possible to the second wafer W ₂ is prevented from escaping from the cassette 10.

4) The holding plate 29 of the I / O stage 11 is configured by holding the holding plate 29 of the carrier transfer device 20 with the adapter plate 30 inclined.
2. Placement section 15 of rotating shelf 13 and wafer transfer port 1
In the mounting table 17 of 6 it is possible to support the adapter plate 30 horizontally, it is possible to maintain the second wafer W ₂ contained in the cassette 10 in the horizontal state.

5) According to the above 4), when the cassette 10 is supplied to the wafer transfer port 16, the cassette 10 can be supported horizontally, so that the second wafer W ₂ is held horizontally with respect to the cassette 10. It can be taken in and out, so that the wafer transfer device 40 does not need to be modified.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, although the case where the first wafer (three-hundred mm wafer) is accommodated in the pod and handled has been described, the first wafer may be housed and handled in a cassette corresponding to the three hundred mm wafer. In this case, the pod opener and the like can be omitted.

The wafer transfer port is not limited to the two-stage upper and lower stages, but may be one stage, or three or more stages, such as upper, middle and lower stages.

The substrate is not limited to a wafer, but may be a photomask, a printed wiring board, a liquid crystal panel, a compact disk, a magnetic disk, or the like.

The CVD apparatus can be used not only for a film forming process but also for a heat treatment such as an oxide film forming process and a diffusion process.

In the above embodiment, the case of a batch type vertical CVD apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
The present invention can be applied to all semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses such as a batch type vertical heat treatment apparatus (diffusion apparatus, oxidation apparatus, etc.).

[0062]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Substrates having different outer diameters can be handled without requiring major remodeling of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a CVD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A and 2B show a pod, wherein FIG. 2A is a partially cut front view, FIG. 2B is a partially cut side view, and FIG. 2C is a partially cut bottom view.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an I / O stage for handling a cassette.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing the I / O stage.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a pickup state of the cassette.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a rotating shelf.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view thereof.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing a wafer transfer port for handling a cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

W ₁ : first wafer (300 mm wafer, substrate), W ₂ : second wafer (200 mm wafer, substrate), 1: CVD apparatus (semiconductor manufacturing apparatus), 2: housing, 3: heater unit,
4 ... process tube, 5 ... gas introduction pipe, 6 ... exhaust pipe,
7 elevator, 8 boat, 9 pod (carrier), 9a cap, 9b V-groove (female kinematic coupling), 10 cassette (carrier), 10a ...
Holding groove, 10b leg, 10c handle, 11 I / O stage, 12 mounting table, 12a pin (male kinematic coupling), 13 rotating shelf, 14 shelf board, 15 mounting section, 15a: Pin (male kinematic coupling), 1
6 wafer transfer port, 17 mounting table, 17a pin (male kinematic coupling), 20 carrier transfer device, 21 linear actuator, 22 moving table, 2
3 elevator, 24 elevator, 25 rotary actuator, 26 first arm, 27 second arm, 2
8 rotary actuator 29 holding plate
29a: low pin, 29b, 29c: high pin, 30 ...
Adapter plate (first adapter plate), 31 ...
Main body, 32: Adapter plate V groove (female kinematic coupling), 33, 34, 35: Positioning block,
40: wafer transfer device; 41: tweezer.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tatehisa Matsunaga 3-14-20 Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo International Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5F031 CA02 CA05 CA07 CA09 DA01 DA17 FA03 FA07 GA02 GA06 GA07 GA47 GA48 GA49 KA03 KA12 KA17 MA13 MA28 PA16 5F045 BB08 BB10 DP19 DQ05 EM08 EN05

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A carrier transport device for transporting a carrier, and an adapter plate on which a substrate storing a cassette storing the substrates is placed so as to be in a horizontal state, wherein the carrier transport device includes the adapter. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising a holding plate for holding a plate in an inclined state. 2. A plurality of grooves are recessed in a main surface of the adapter plate opposite to the cassette holding surface,
The holding plate is provided with a plurality of pins projecting into the respective grooves, and the lengths of the pins are set corresponding to the inclination of the adapter plate. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1.