JP2004288720A - Substrate carrying system and substrate processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry semiconductor wafers with a large degree of freedom in carriage while reducing the footprint of a system where a plurality of vacuum processing chambers are connected to the circumference of an airtight carrying chamber provided with a substrate carrying system. <P>SOLUTION: First and second articulated arms of substantially identical structure turnable about the center of a carrying chamber are provided. Each articulated arm consists of a turning arm and a forward end arm for holding a wafer, and a middle stage arm provided between both arms. In an ordinary articulated arm where the substrate holding arm performs a linear motion, a gear ratio between a base end pulley of the turning arm and a supporting pulley on the forward end side is 2:1 and a gear ratio between a fixed pulley on the base end side of the middle stage arm and a forward end pulley on the forward end side is 1:2, but the former gear ratio is set at 2.67:1, for example. The substrate holding arms of the first and second articulated arms advance while drawing curves away from each other and make an open angle of 45° when the arms extend fully. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer) and a substrate processing apparatus in which a plurality of substrate processing chambers are airtightly connected to a transfer chamber provided with the substrate transfer apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Among semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, there is a system called a cluster tool or a multi-chamber system in which a plurality of processing chambers (process chambers) are connected to a transfer chamber (transfer chamber) provided with a substrate transfer apparatus. This system can perform continuous processing without breaking vacuum, for example, when performing a plurality of vacuum processes on a substrate, and can keep the processing chamber away from the atmosphere to achieve higher throughput. There are advantages. In order to effectively use the cluster tool, it is important to transfer the substrate efficiently, and there is an apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 as an apparatus for efficient transfer.
[0003]
As shown in FIG. 11, the cluster tool described here has a load lock chamber 91 airtightly connected to one side of a square transfer chamber 90, and a chamber 92 that can simultaneously process two sheets on the other three sides. 93 and 94 are airtightly connected, and a wafer transfer device 95 for transferring a wafer W as a substrate is disposed in the transfer chamber 90. The wafer transfer device 95 is configured such that a blade assembly 95a capable of holding two wafers W side by side can be moved forward and backward by an arm assembly 95b, and can be turned by a rotating mechanism (not shown). According to the wafer transfer device 95, two wafers W can be simultaneously taken out from the load lock chamber 91 and simultaneously loaded into the chamber 92 (93, 94).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
FIGS. 15 and 16 of JP-A-10-275848
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the transfer device 95 transfers two wafers W at the same time, if one of the two gate valves arranged on one side of the transfer chamber 90 remains closed, it is disposed on one side thereof. The wafer W cannot be transferred to the chamber 92 (93, 94). Further, two processing regions are formed in one chamber. For example, in an apparatus in which two chambers are arranged side by side, one of the two chambers cannot be used due to a trouble or the like. In this case, the other chamber cannot be used.
[0006]
Further, since the blade assembly 95a of the transfer device 95 transfers the two wafers W linearly in a state where the two wafers W are arranged side by side, the blade assembly 95a is applicable to a configuration in which two wafers W are processed on one side of the transfer chamber 90. However, when the chambers are arranged along a circle centered on the rotation center of the transfer device, for example, the transfer chamber 90 is configured as a pentagonal shape or more polygonal shape, not limited to a square shape, and one chamber is provided on each side. Cannot be applied to the structure in which the device is arranged, so that the footprint (occupied area) of the device becomes large.
[0007]
The present invention has been made under such a background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer apparatus that can transfer a substrate with high transfer efficiency in a narrow transfer area. Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus in which a plurality of substrate processing chambers are arranged around a transfer chamber provided with a substrate transfer apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of transporting a substrate.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention includes a first swivel arm that can freely rotate, a first substrate holding arm that forms a first substrate holding unit for holding a substrate, the first swivel arm, and the first swivel arm. A first multi-joint arm including a first middle arm provided between the substrate holding arms;
A second swivel arm having a common swivel center with the first swivel arm, a second substrate holding arm forming a second substrate holding unit for holding a substrate, and the second swivel A second middle arm provided between the arm and the second substrate holding arm; and a second articulated arm including:
The movement trajectories of the first and second substrate holding arms are separated from each other to the left and right with respect to a horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation.
[0009]
According to the present invention, the turning centers of the first and second articulated arms are common, and the movement trajectories of the first and second substrate holding arms are separated from the horizontal straight line passing through the turning center. Both articulated arms can transfer the board without interfering with each other. Since the articulated arm is used, the configuration is simple, and the substrate can be transferred with high transfer efficiency. In the present invention, for example, it is desirable that the first and second substrate holding arms move in a curved manner while opening left and right with respect to a horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation. The substrate can be transferred with high transfer efficiency in the inside. Also, even if the frontage of two chambers, for example, where the substrate is transferred to and from the substrate holding arm, faces the center of rotation, the first and second substrate holding arms transfer the substrate to the chambers at the same time, for example. Can be.
[0010]
The substrate transfer device of the present invention can be configured, for example, as follows.
a. The first substrate holding arm and the second substrate holding arm advance or retreat at the same time.
b. The first and second pivot arms pivot in a state where the first and second substrate holding arms are located at reference positions arranged side by side with the pivot center therebetween.
c. The first articulated arm and the second articulated arm are independently driven.
d. Each of the first and second substrate holding arms has holding portions at both ends in the advancing and retreating directions so as to be able to hold two substrates, and is located on the front side and the rear side with respect to a reference position arranged right and left across the center of rotation. Move symmetrically to each other to the side.
e. Each of the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm includes a turning arm, a substrate holding arm, and a middle arm provided between the turning arm and the substrate holding arm. Shorter than swivel arm.
f. At the reference positions of the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm, both middle arms are located on a straight line, and the substrate holding arm is orthogonal to the middle arm. g. With the center of rotation of the swing arm as the center of rotation, a base pulley that is rotatable independently of the swing arm,
A support pulley that is rotatably provided at the distal end of the swing arm, is connected to the base pulley by a timing belt, and rotates integrally with the middle arm;
An intermediate pulley provided coaxially with the support pulley on the middle arm and fixed to a swing arm;
A tip pulley that is rotatably provided at the tip end of the middle arm, is connected to the intermediate pulley by a timing belt, and rotates integrally with the substrate holding arm, and the movement locus of the substrate holding arm is curved. The configuration may be such that the tooth ratio of each pulley is adjusted to draw. In this case, the ratio of the number of teeth between the base pulley and the supporting pulley is A (A is a value larger than 2): 1, and the ratio of the number of teeth between the intermediate pulley and the tip pulley is 1: 2. it can.
[0011]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate transfer device comprising: a first and a second swivel unit that can swivel around a common swivel center;
First and second substrate holders provided on the first and second turning parts so as to be able to advance and retreat, respectively, and located on the same plane;
The first and second trajectories of the first and second substrate holding portions are symmetrical to the left and right with respect to a horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation and draw curves in a direction away from the straight line when moving forward. And a first and second drive unit for moving the substrate holding unit.
[0012]
The substrate processing apparatus of the present invention uses the above-described substrate transfer device, and has a transfer chamber having an airtight structure including the above-described substrate transfer device, and a circle around the transfer center around the transfer chamber. A plurality of substrate processing chambers arranged along the transfer chamber and airtightly connected to the transfer chamber. The first substrate holding arm and the second substrate holding arm respectively control the substrates with respect to the substrate processing chambers adjacent to each other. It is characterized by being carried in and out. Further, for example, around the transfer chamber, first and second load lock chambers in which substrates are transferred by the first substrate holding arm and the second substrate holding arm are airtightly connected to the transfer chamber. Further, the substrate processing apparatus and the transfer chamber are set to, for example, a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere.
According to such an invention, since the substrate can be transferred with high efficiency, the throughput is high. The substrate processing chamber can be arranged along a circle around the center of rotation of the substrate transfer apparatus in the transfer chamber, and the transfer chamber can be formed in a polygonal shape, thereby reducing the footprint (occupied area) of the apparatus. can do. In this case, the substrate can be transferred to any two adjacent substrate processing chambers by the first and second substrate holding arms, so that efficient transfer can be performed, and the degree of freedom can be further improved. Can be conveyed.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
1 and 2 are views showing an embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus includes, for example, two cassette chambers 11 and 12 having an airtight structure into which a cassette (transport container) C for storing a plurality of wafers as substrates is loaded. Each of the cassette chambers 11 and 12 is provided with a gate door GD on the atmosphere side, and the gate door GD provides an airtight partition from the atmosphere. In the cassette chambers 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 2, a cassette mounting table 11a is raised and lowered, and an elevating unit 11b for sequentially positioning wafer holding grooves in the cassette C at an access level of a first transfer device described later is provided. Is provided.
[0014]
A first transfer chamber 13 having an airtight structure is airtightly connected to the inside of the cassette chambers 11 and 12, and the first transfer chamber 13 is two load lock chambers (standby chambers) arranged side by side. A second transfer chamber 16, which is in a vacuum atmosphere, is hermetically connected via the auxiliary vacuum chambers 14, 15. In the drawing, reference numeral 10 denotes a panel constituting a wall portion. In the first transfer chamber 13, there are positioning stages 17, 18 for rotating the wafer W to adjust the orientation thereof, cassettes 11, 12, preliminary vacuum chambers 14, 15, and positioning stages 17, 18. And a first substrate transfer device 2 for transferring the wafer W therebetween. The cassette chambers 11 and 12 and the first transfer chamber 13 are, for example, in an inert gas atmosphere, but may be in a vacuum atmosphere.
[0015]
The second transfer chamber 16 is formed in a polygonal shape, for example, an octagonal shape, in which the second substrate transfer device 3 is provided. Vacuum chambers 4 (4A to 4F), which are substrate processing chambers, are air-tightly connected to six sides of the octagonal sides of the second transfer chamber 16, and auxiliary vacuum chambers are connected to the remaining two sides. 14 and 15 are connected. In FIG. 1, the vacuum chamber 4 is shown as a simple circle for convenience of illustration, but when an actually circular chamber is used, a member forming a transfer port connecting the chamber and the second transfer chamber 16 is interposed. I do.
[0016]
The vacuum chamber 4 may be, for example, a rectangular chamber. Examples of the vacuum processing performed in the vacuum chamber 4 include etching using an etching gas, film forming processing using a film forming gas, and ashing using an ashing gas. As shown in FIG. 2, a mounting table 41 for mounting a wafer W and a gas supply unit 42 for supplying a processing gas are provided in the vacuum chamber 4. Is located on a circle centered on the center of the second transfer chamber 16.
[0017]
Next, a second substrate transport device 3 which is an embodiment of the substrate transport device of the present invention will be described in detail. FIGS. 3 and 4 are views showing an overview and a transmission system of the second substrate transfer device 3, respectively. In this example, the substrate transfer device 3 includes a first multi-joint arm 3A forming a first transfer portion and a second multi-joint arm 3B forming a second transfer portion. 3A is a swing arm 51 that forms a first swing portion around the center of the second transfer chamber 16 as a swing center, and a middle arm 52 that is provided at the tip of the swing arm 51 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. And a substrate holding arm 53 that constitutes a first substrate holding portion that is rotatably provided in the distal end portion of the middle arm 52 in the horizontal direction. The middle arm 52 is configured to be shorter than the swing arm 51, and is set to, for example, 1 / 1.65 of the length of the swing arm 51.
[0018]
The second multi-joint arm 3B has a turning center common to the turning center 100 of the turning arm 51, and a turning arm 61 constituting a second turning portion provided below the turning arm 51; An intermediate arm 62 provided on the arm 61 and a substrate holding arm 63 constituting a second substrate holding unit provided on the intermediate arm 62 are provided. The structure of the second articulated arm 3B is substantially the same as the structure of the first articulated arm 3A, but the height of the substrate holding arm 63 is the same as the substrate holding arm 53 of the first articulated arm 3A. Therefore, the length of the rotation axis of the substrate holding arm 63 is different from that of the first embodiment in that the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 are configured to be conveyed on the same plane.
[0019]
The first articulated arm 3A and the second articulated arm 3B are arranged such that the swing arms 51 and 61 are aligned with each other at a reference position, and the middle arms 52 and 62 overlap the swing arms 51 and 61, respectively. It is set to be on a straight line. At this time, the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 are set so as to be orthogonal to the middle arms 52 and 62, respectively. The substrate holding arm 53 (63) is pivotally supported at the middle position in the length direction by the middle arm 52 (62), and is provided with wafers at both ends in the forward and backward directions so as to hold two substrates. Fork-shaped holding portions 54, 55 (64, 65) for holding W are provided.
[0020]
The transmission system of the first and second articulated arms 3A and 3B will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The turning arm 51 of the first articulated arm 3A is a cylindrical turning shaft having the turning center 100 as the center of rotation. It is configured to turn by 70. On the base end side of the turning arm 51, a base pulley 72 that is rotatable independently of the turning arm 51 by a turning shaft 71 provided in a cylindrical turning shaft 70 around a turning center 100 as a rotation center. Is provided. A support pulley 73 that supports the middle arm 52 and rotates integrally with the middle arm 52 is rotatably provided at the distal end of the turning arm 51, and the support pulley 73 is in timing with the base pulley 72. They are connected by a belt 74.
[0021]
The middle arm 52 is fixed to the upper end of a hollow rotary shaft 75 provided above the support pulley 73. At the base end of the middle arm 52, an intermediate pulley 76 of the same diameter, for example, having the same number of teeth is provided coaxially with the support pulley 73, while a tip pulley 77 is rotatable at the tip of the middle arm 52. The tip pulley 77 is connected to the intermediate pulley 76 by a timing belt 78. The intermediate pulley 76 is fixed to a shaft 76 a fixed to the revolving arm 51 through a hollow rotary shaft 75. The substrate holding arm 53 is fixed to the upper end of a rotating shaft 79 provided above the tip pulley 77.
[0022]
By the way, in a normal articulated arm, the ratio of the number of teeth between the base pulley 72 and the support pulley 73 is set to 2: 1 and the ratio of the number of teeth between the intermediate pulley 76 and the distal pulley 77 is set to 1: 2. Although the substrate holding arm moves linearly, in the articulated arm 3A of this embodiment, the ratio of the number of teeth between the base pulley 72 and the support pulley 73 is a value larger than 2, for example, 2.67. : 1 and the ratio of the number of teeth between the intermediate pulley 76 and the tip pulley 77 is set to 1: 2. Therefore, the substrate holding arm 53 takes a locus that draws a curve as described later.
[0023]
In the second articulated arm 3B, 80 is a cylindrical turning shaft, 81 is a cylindrical rotating shaft, 82 is a base pulley, 83 is a supporting pulley, 84 is a timing belt, 85 is a rotating shaft, 86 is an intermediate pulley. 86a, a shaft portion, 87, a tip pulley, 88, a timing belt, and 89, a rotating shaft. The point that the rotation shaft 81 of the proximal pulley 82 is provided so as to surround the turning shaft 70 of the first articulated arm 3A, and the rotation axis 89 of the substrate holding arm 63 is the substrate holding arm of the first articulated arm 3A The second articulated arm 3B is different from the first articulated arm 3A in that it is longer than the rotation shaft 79 of 53, but the configuration for determining the transfer function is exactly the same as that of the first articulated arm 3A. It is. Therefore, the center of rotation of the turning shaft 80 and the rotating shaft 81 is the turning center 100, the middle arm 62 is set to 1 / 1.65 of the length of the turning arm 61, and the base pulley 82, the support pulley 83 Is set to 2.67: 1, and the ratio of the number of teeth between the intermediate pulley 86 and the tip pulley 87 is set to 1: 2.
[0024]
In FIG. 4, reference numerals 56 and 57 denote a driving unit of the turning shaft 70 and a driving unit of the rotating shaft 71 in the first multi-joint arm 3A, respectively, and 66 and 67 denote driving of the turning shaft 80 in the second multi-joint arm 3B, respectively. And a drive unit for the rotating shaft 81. These drive units 56, 57, 66, 67 correspond to a mechanism including a motor, a pulley, a belt, and the like. Each of the pulleys such as the rotating shaft driving unit 57 and the base pulley 72 described above, the timing belt, the rotating shaft, and the like serve as a first reciprocating driving unit for driving the substrate holding unit of the first multi-joint arm 3A to reciprocate. Correspondingly, each of the pulleys such as the rotation axis driving section 67 and the base pulley 82 described above, the timing belt, the rotation axis, and the like are used for the second advance and retreat for driving the substrate holding section of the second articulated arm 3B forward and backward. It corresponds to a driving unit.
[0025]
FIG. 5 shows an example of a specific structure of the turning shafts 70 and 80 and the rotating shafts 71 and 81 in the first and second articulated arms 3A and 3B, and parts related thereto. In FIG. 5, reference numerals 56a and 57a denote pulleys for rotating the turning shaft 70 and the rotating shaft 71, respectively, which are driven by a motor M1 and a motor M2 hidden behind the motor M1 and not visible. Reference numeral 66a denotes a pulley for rotating the turning shaft 80, which is driven by a motor M3 via a driving pulley 66c and a belt 66b. Reference numeral 67a denotes a pulley for rotating the rotating shaft 81, which is driven by a motor M4 via a driving pulley 67c and a belt 67b. The motors M1 to M4 are fixed to a base BE that forms a bottom surface of the transfer chamber 3.
[0026]
Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. In the first articulated arm 3A, when the drive unit 56 of the revolving shaft 70 (see FIG. 4) is stopped, and the drive unit 57 of the rotary shaft 71 is operated to rotate the base pulley 72, the middle arm The rotation shaft 75 supporting the shaft 52 is about to rotate. At this time, the turning shaft 70 is not given a rotational force from the drive unit 56, but is in a free state (a rotatable state). Therefore, when the proximal pulley 72 rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. The arm 52 rotates clockwise to open with respect to the swing arm 51, and the swing arm 51 also rotates counterclockwise.
[0027]
In FIG. 6, L1 is the axis of the turning arm 51 when the first joint arm 3A is at the reference position (line connecting the turning center and the rotation center of the support pulley 73), and L2 is the axis of the middle arm 52 (intermediate). L3 is the axis of the substrate holding arm 53 when the first joint arm 3A is at the reference position (the line connecting the center of the pulley 76 and the center of the tip pulley 77). W is a line connecting the center of the wafer W when it is held, the center line in the width direction of the substrate holding arm 53), and L4 is the axis of the substrate holding arm 53 when the turning arm 51 is rotated by α degrees. In FIG. 6, the other holding portion 55 is omitted.
[0028]
Since the ratio of the number of teeth between the base pulley 72 and the support pulley 73 is 2.67: 1, when the turning arm 51 rotates by α degrees from the reference position, the middle arm 52 rotates by -2.67 α degrees. When the middle arm 52 rotates clockwise, the intermediate pulley 76 rotates counterclockwise relative to the middle arm 52, so that the substrate holding arm 53 rotates counterclockwise, and the intermediate pulley 76 and the tip pulley rotate. Since the ratio of the number of teeth to the number 77 is 1: 2, the substrate holding arm 53 rotates 1.335α degrees. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, when the first multi-joint arm 3A is extended from the reference position to advance the substrate holding arm 53, the substrate holding arm 53, more specifically, the center position of the wafer W held by the substrate holding arm 53 Traces a curve in a direction passing through the turning center 100 and moving away from a horizontal straight line L0 orthogonal to the straight line L1.
[0029]
When the ratio of the number of teeth between the base pulley 72 and the supporting pulley 73 is A: 1 and the ratio of the number of teeth between the intermediate pulley 76 and the distal pulley 77 is 1: 2, the first articulated arm 3A is fully extended. Assuming that the axis L4 of the substrate holding arm 53 at this time forms an angle of θ / 2 with respect to the straight line L0, there is a relationship of A = 360 / (180−θ). In this example, since A is 2.67, θ is 45, and θ / 2 is 22.5. In addition, the second multi-joint arm 3B performs the same movement, and the movement trajectory of the substrate holding arm 63 is symmetric with the movement trajectory of the substrate holding arm 53 with respect to the straight line L0. The axis L4 of the substrate holding arm 63 when the arm 3B is fully extended forms an angle of θ / 2 with respect to the straight line L0, and is 22.5 in this example. In other words, when the first multi-joint arm 3A and the second multi-joint arm 3B are simultaneously extended, the board transfer device 3 can be used to hold the board holding arms 53 and 63 (more specifically, the holding portions 54 and 64). ) Moves while drawing a curve symmetrically in the direction away from each other, and the opening angle (narrow angle) when fully extended becomes θ represented by A = 360 / (180−θ), in this example, 45 degrees. .
[0030]
The reason why the opening angle is set to 45 degrees is that, as shown in FIG. 1, the second transfer chamber 16 is octagonal, and the opening of the vacuum chamber 4 or the auxiliary vacuum chambers 14 and 15 connected to the transfer chamber 16 side. Radiation angle from the center of the transfer chamber 16 toward the center of the frontage adjacent to each other (in other words, the angle between the centers of the wafers W in the vacuum chamber 4 or the auxiliary vacuum chambers 14 and 15 adjacent to the center of the transfer chamber 16). Is 45 degrees. Also in FIG. 7, when the base pulleys 72, 82 are reversed (rotated counterclockwise), the substrate holding arms 53, 63 move in exactly the same way as the trajectory in the forward direction. .
[0031]
Then, with respect to the first multi-joint arm 3A, the drive units 56 and 57 are simultaneously operated in the reference position to rotate the proximal pulley 72 and the turning shaft 70 in the counterclockwise direction, and the second multi-joint arm 3B When the drive units 66 and 67 are simultaneously operated in the reference position to rotate the proximal pulley 82 and the turning shaft 80 in the counterclockwise direction, the first and second articulated arms 3A and 3B are moved to FIG. While rotating at the reference position indicated by the solid line in FIG.
[0032]
Since the second substrate transfer device 3 operates as described above, for example, the following transfer is performed in operating the substrate processing device. Referring to FIG. 1, a wafer W before processing is held in a cassette C and carried into the cassette chamber 11 or 12 from the outside. After the gate door GD is closed to form an airtight space, for example, an inert gas atmosphere is set. You. Then, the gate valves G inside the cassette chambers 11 and 12 are opened, and the cassette C and the cassette chamber in the cassette chamber 11 are opened by the first substrate transfer device 2 in the first transfer chamber 13 in an inert gas atmosphere. The wafers W are simultaneously taken out of the cassette C in the cassette 12 and transferred to the positioning stages 17 and 18. The first substrate transfer device 2 also includes two articulated arms, and is configured to transfer two wafers W at the same time.
[0033]
After the two wafers W are oriented in a predetermined direction, they are loaded into the preliminary vacuum chambers 14 and 15 by the first substrate transfer device 2, and the preliminary vacuum chambers 14 and 15 are set to a predetermined vacuum atmosphere. After that, they are simultaneously loaded into a predetermined vacuum chamber 4 by the second transfer device 3.
[0034]
FIG. 8A shows that the vacuum processing of the wafers W1 and W2 is completed in, for example, the vacuum chambers 4C and 4D, respectively, and the wafers W3 and W4 to be processed next stand by in the preliminary vacuum chambers 14 and 15, respectively. The state is shown. In this state, for example, the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 of the second substrate transfer device 3 enter the preliminary vacuum chambers 14 and 15, respectively, and receive the wafers W3 and W4 by the holding portions 65 and 55, respectively (FIG. 8B). reference). Next, the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 enter the vacuum chambers 4C and 4D, respectively, and receive the wafers W1 and W2 by the holding portions 64 and 54, respectively (see FIG. 9A). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9B, the second substrate transfer device 3 turns 180 degrees (specifically, the above-described turning arms 51 and 61 turn 180 degrees), and as shown in FIG. 10A. The wafers W1 and W2 held in the substrate holding portions 64 and 54 are carried into the preliminary vacuum chambers 14 and 15, respectively, and are also held in the substrate holding portions 65 and 55, respectively, as shown in FIG. The loaded wafers W3 and W4 are loaded into the vacuum chambers 4C and 4D. The wafers W1 and W2 carried into the preliminary vacuum chambers 14 and 15, respectively, are returned to the cassettes C of the cassette chambers 11 and 12, for example, simultaneously by the first substrate transfer device 2. Although the description so far focuses on the vacuum chambers 4C and 4D, for example, if the vacuum processing of each wafer is completed in the vacuum chambers 4A and 4B, the wafers are replaced in the same manner.
[0035]
Also, for example, when the vacuum chambers 4A and 4F are not used in FIG. 1, the other four vacuum chambers 4B to 4E which are continuously arranged are used, and each set of the vacuum chambers (4B, 4C) and (4D, 4E) is used. Alternatively, the wafer W may be simultaneously transferred by the substrate holding arms 53 and 63. Furthermore, since the first articulated arm 3A and the second articulated arm 3B can be driven independently, for example, when the vacuum chamber 4B is not used, the vacuum chambers (4C, 4D) and (4E, 4F ), The wafers W are simultaneously transferred by the substrate holding arms 53 and 63, and both the multi-joint arms 3A and 3B are driven such that one of the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 is used for the vacuum chamber 4A. An operation may be performed in which the mode for performing the operation and the mode for driving only one of the modes are selectively used.
[0036]
According to the above-described embodiment, the board holding arm 53 (first board holding section) of the first multi-joint arm 3A and the board holding arm 63 (second board holding section) of the second multi-joint arm 3B. Are symmetrically separated from the horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation, respectively, so that the two articulated arms 3A and 3B can transfer the wafer W without interfering with each other. Since the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 can move forward while drawing a curve so as to open each other, and can simultaneously rotate with the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 placed at a reference position, for example, an octagonal second transfer chamber. The wafers W can be simultaneously transferred to an arbitrary set of the vacuum chambers 4 or the auxiliary vacuum chambers 14 and 15 provided on each side of the vacuum chambers 16 and the adjacent vacuum chambers 14 and 15, so that the operation can be performed with a high degree of freedom. The wafer W can be transferred with high efficiency in a narrow transfer area because the turning radius is small.
[0037]
Further, since the first and second articulated arms 3A and 3B can be driven independently, by adding a mode for driving only one of them, operation with higher flexibility can be performed. Even when some of the vacuum chambers 4 cannot be used, it is possible to operate the remaining vacuum chambers 4, for example, to utilize all of them. Furthermore, the substrate holding arms 53 and 63 as the substrate holding portions are provided with holding portions (54, 55) and (64, 65) at both ends, respectively, and can hold two wafers W at a time. As can be understood from the above description of the operation, the frequency of the turning operation can be reduced, and from this point, the conveyance can be performed with high efficiency.
[0038]
Further, the vacuum chamber 4 can be arranged along a circle centered on the turning center of the substrate transfer device 3 in the second transfer chamber 16, and the second transfer chamber 16 can be formed in a polygonal shape. In addition, the footprint (occupied area) of the device can be reduced.
[0039]
In the above-described embodiment, the turning axes of the first articulated arm 3A and the second articulated arm 3B are configured to be able to be driven independently of each other. Good. In this case, the two pivot axes are independent of each other, but either of the case where the drive source is common and the case where the both pivot axes are common may be used. However, some errors may occur on the layout when the apparatus is assembled, such as when each vacuum chamber 4 is connected to the transfer chamber 16, so if the pivots can be driven independently of each other, Since the above-mentioned error can be absorbed by finely adjusting the position of each turning shaft in the rotation direction, it is preferable that the turning shafts are configured to be driven independently of each other.
[0040]
In the present invention, the chambers provided around the transfer chamber provided with the substrate transfer device are all substrate processing chambers. For example, wafers are loaded into the transfer chamber from two of the substrate processing chambers, respectively, and another two It can also be applied to an apparatus in which wafers are respectively unloaded from the substrate processing chamber. The substrate processing chamber is not limited to a single-wafer-type vacuum processing chamber. For example, a vertical batch furnace for performing a heat treatment in a batch system, and an inert gas atmosphere loading for loading a substrate into the batch furnace, for example. And a division space including an area.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
According to the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention, the two articulated arms 3A and 3B can transfer the wafer W without interfering with each other, and can perform efficient transfer. Further, the first and second substrate holders are configured to move in a curved manner while opening left and right with respect to a horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation, so that the frontage of each of the two chambers is not linear. Even when the chamber faces inward, the substrates can be transferred to and from these chambers by the first and second substrate holding units, and can be efficiently transferred in a narrow transfer area. Further, according to the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, the substrate processing chamber can be arranged along a circle centered on the turning center of the substrate transfer device in the transfer chamber, and the transfer chamber can be formed in a polygonal shape. The footprint (occupied area) of the apparatus can be reduced, and the transport can be performed efficiently.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view schematically showing the substrate processing apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a substrate transfer device according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a transmission system of the substrate transfer device.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a specific configuration example of a part of the substrate transfer device.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation principle of the above-described substrate transfer device.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the substrate transfer device. .
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a state of wafer transfer in the substrate processing apparatus.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a state of transferring a wafer in the substrate processing apparatus. .
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of transferring a wafer in the substrate processing apparatus. .
FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a conventional substrate processing apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
W Semiconductor wafers 11, 12 Cassette chamber 13 First transfer chamber 14, 15 Preliminary vacuum chamber 16 Second transfer chamber 2 First substrate transfer device 3 Second substrate transfer device 4 (4A to 4F) Vacuum chamber 3A 1 multi-joint arm 3B 2nd multi-joint arm 51, 61 turning arm 52, 62 middle stage arm 53, 63 substrate holding arm 54, 55, 64, 65 holding portion 70, 80 turning shaft 72, 82 base pulley 73, 83 Support pulley 76, 86 Intermediate pulley 77, 87 Tip pulley 100 Center of rotation

Claims (15)

A first swivel arm that can swivel, a first substrate holding arm that forms a first substrate holding unit for holding a substrate, and a first arm provided between the first swivel arm and the first substrate holding arm. A first articulated arm including:
A second swivel arm having a common swivel center with the first swivel arm, a second substrate holding arm forming a second substrate holding unit for holding a substrate, and the second swivel A second middle arm provided between the arm and the second substrate holding arm; and a second articulated arm including:
A substrate transfer apparatus, wherein the movement trajectories of the first and second substrate holding arms are left and right separated by a horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation. The moving trajectory of the first and second substrate holding arms is symmetrical left and right with respect to a horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation, and draws a curve in a direction away from the straight line when the forward movement is performed. The substrate transfer device according to any one of the preceding claims. 3. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate holding arm and the second substrate holding arm move forward or backward at the same time. 4. The first and second turning arms turn in a state where the first and second substrate holding arms are placed at reference positions arranged side by side with the turning center interposed therebetween. The substrate transfer device according to any one of the above. 5. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm are configured to be independently driven. Each of the first and second substrate holding arms has holding portions at both ends in the advancing and retreating directions so as to be able to hold two substrates, and is located on the front side and the rear side with respect to a reference position arranged right and left across the center of rotation. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate transfer device is configured to move symmetrically to sides. Each of the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm has three arms including a swivel arm, a substrate holding arm, and a middle arm that is interposed between the two arms and shorter than the swivel arm. The substrate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: 8. The reference position of the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm, wherein both middle arms are located on a straight line, and the substrate holding arm is orthogonal to the middle arm. Substrate transfer equipment. Articulated arm
With the center of rotation of the swing arm as the center of rotation, a base pulley that is rotatable independently of the swing arm,
A support pulley that is rotatably provided at the distal end of the swing arm, is connected to the base pulley by a timing belt, and rotates integrally with the middle arm;
An intermediate pulley provided coaxially with the support pulley on the middle arm and fixed to a swing arm;
A tip pulley that is rotatably provided at the tip end of the middle arm, is connected to the intermediate pulley by a timing belt, and rotates integrally with the substrate holding arm,
9. The substrate transfer device according to claim 7, wherein the gear ratio of each pulley is adjusted so that the movement locus of the substrate holding arm draws a curve. The ratio of the number of teeth between the base pulley and the supporting pulley is A (A is a value larger than 2): 1, and the ratio of the number of teeth between the intermediate pulley and the distal pulley is 1: 2. 10. The substrate transfer device according to 9. First and second turning portions that can turn around a common turning center;
First and second substrate holders provided on the first and second turning parts so as to be able to advance and retreat, respectively, and located on the same plane;
The first and second trajectories of the first and second substrate holding portions are symmetrical to the left and right with respect to a horizontal straight line passing through the center of rotation and draw curves in a direction away from the straight line when moving forward. A first and a second reciprocating drive unit for respectively moving the substrate holding unit. A transfer chamber having an airtight structure provided with the substrate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
A plurality of substrate processing chambers arranged around the transfer chamber along a circle around the center of rotation and airtightly connected to the transfer chamber,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein substrates are transferred to adjacent substrate processing chambers by a first substrate holding unit and a second substrate holding unit, respectively. Around the transfer chamber, it is assumed that first and second load lock chambers for loading and unloading the substrate by the first substrate holding unit and the second substrate holding unit are airtightly connected to the transfer chamber. 13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: 14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the substrate processing chamber and the transfer chamber have a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere. 15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the transfer chamber is formed in a polygonal shape.

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