JP2005109523A - Pod cleaning and drying equipment for semiconductor wafer and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot which sequentially carries a pod body part and a pod lid part from the vicinity of an equipment body into a cleaning chamber of the equipment body, and after cleaning and drying, carries the pod body part and the pod lid part to the vicinity of the equipment body in the reverse order and assembles them in their former states, since a robot is not equipped in conventional pod cleaning and drying equipment for semiconductor wafers and the like. <P>SOLUTION: Pod cleaning and drying equipment for semiconductor wafers and the like, is constituted by providing a pod-placing part 2 in the vicinity of pod-cleaning and drying equipment body 1, and a robot 3 which, before cleaning, takes and separates the pod body part and the pod lid part from a pod 50 placed in the pod placing part 2 and carries and makes them engage into the cleaning chamber of the equipment body 1, and after cleaning and drying, sequentially takes the pod lid part and the pod body part from the lid body of the cleaning chamber in reverse and carries them to the pod-placing part 2, attaches the pod body to part the pod lid part and assembles the pod 50. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like.

Conventionally, a semiconductor wafer or the like is accommodated and transported in a pod composed of a pod main body and a pod lid, and as the cleaning device, the pod is a pod main body as described in JP-A-11-340311. There is known a cleaning device that separates into a pod lid and cleans them separately.

This conventional apparatus is configured to be integrally attached to a lid for sealing a cleaning chamber for storing and cleaning the pod main body so that only an inner surface of the pod lid is exposed and cleaned. is there.

In the conventional apparatus, the pod main body portion is cleaned entirely in the cleaning chamber, whereas the pod lid portion is cleaned by exposing only the portion exposed inside the pod to the cleaning chamber. There was a problem that the entire part could not be cleaned.

In addition, since a conventional rotary cleaning body provided with a nozzle for ejecting cleaning liquid or dry air has a structure of a rotation connecting portion, it is difficult to eject high-pressure cleaning liquid or dry air from the nozzle.
In addition, since the conventional cleaning device fixes and cleans the pod lid and the pod main body, it is necessary to provide the cleaning nozzles in multiple directions in order to reliably clean and dry the whole. There has been a problem that the structure of the nozzle is complicated.

Further, since there is no suction means for applying a negative pressure to the cleaning chamber during drying, there is a problem that it takes time to dry the pod.
In addition, the conventional cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle has a problem that it takes a long time until the cleaning power is weak and complete cleaning is possible.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a pod such as a semiconductor wafer provided with a cleaning liquid for cleaning and drying in a state where the pod is separated into a pod main body part and a pod cover part and a nozzle for ejecting dry air. A cleaning / drying apparatus, wherein a cleaning chamber for storing and cleaning the pod main body is sealed with a cleaning chamber lid for storing and cleaning the pod lid, and is cleaned and dried. A pod cleaning and drying apparatus is provided.

According to the present invention, since the pod lid portion was conventionally disposed outside the cleaning chamber during cleaning, the entire pod lid portion could not be cleaned. Therefore, the entire pod lid portion can be evenly washed and dried by the nozzle.
Further, since the cleaning chamber is hermetically sealed with the cleaning chamber lid, the pod main body portion and the pod lid portion housed therein can be reliably cleaned and dried.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to the first aspect, a turntable for locking the pod main body to the bottom of the cleaning chamber is rotatable. And an outer cleaning body having a nozzle for ejecting cleaning liquid or dry air is fixed to the outside of the pod main body on the side surface of the cleaning chamber, and the pod is disposed at the center of the cleaning chamber. An inner cleaning body provided with the nozzle inside the main body is fixed integrally with the support shaft of the turntable, and the outer cleaning body is rotated while rotating the pod main body by the rotation of the turntable during cleaning. The present invention provides a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like which is cleaned with a cleaning liquid by the inner cleaning body and dried with dry air.

According to the present invention, the pod main body mounted on the turntable is rotated by the rotation of the turntable, so that the inner cleaning body and the outer cleaning body are fixedly provided in a fixed direction. Cleaning can be performed by spraying the cleaning liquid evenly on the inner surface of the main body, and drying can be performed by blowing dry air.
In addition, since the inner cleaning body is fixed, the cleaning liquid or dry air can be reliably ejected from the nozzle with a structure having no rotation connecting portion as compared with the rotary cleaning body.

Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 3, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to claim 1 or 2, the cylindrical lid portion in which the cleaning chamber lid is in close contact with the upper portion of the cleaning chamber And an upper lid portion provided on the upper end side of the cleaning chamber lid body, the nozzle provided on the cylindrical lid portion in both the upper and lower directions, and a rotating plate provided rotatably on the upper lid portion, The rotating plate is provided with a locking portion for detachably locking the pod lid, and the cleaning liquid is washed by the nozzle while rotating the pod lid locked to the locking portion by rotation of the rotating plate during cleaning. And a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers, etc., which is cleaned with dry air and dried with dry air.
According to the present invention, since the pod lid is rotated by the rotation of the rotating plate, the nozzle rotating structure can be made unnecessary as compared with the conventional method of rotating and cleaning the nozzle.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like according to any one of the first to third aspects, the dry air or the cleaning liquid is sucked into the bottom of the cleaning chamber. A pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like provided with a suction means for applying pressure is provided.
According to the present invention, cleaning and drying can be effectively performed by applying a weak negative pressure to the cleaning chamber with the suction means.
Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 5, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to claim 4, a cyclone apparatus that separates and discharges the cleaning liquid contained in the dry air and the dry air to the suction means A pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like is provided.

According to the present invention, the dry air and the cleaning liquid sucked simultaneously by the suction means can be separated into exhaust and waste water by the cyclone device.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, an ultrasonic device is provided as a cleaning liquid supply source, Provided is a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like, which applies ultrasonic waves to the cleaning liquid to be ejected.
According to the present invention, the cleaning liquid to which ultrasonic waves are applied can be ejected from a large number of the nozzles only by providing the ultrasonic device for applying ultrasonic waves to the cleaning liquid at one place in the supply source.

Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 7, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the water vapor inside the cleaning chamber and the cleaning chamber lid is sucked. The present invention provides a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers, etc., in which a water vapor suction means is provided on the cylindrical lid.
According to the present invention, after the cleaning, the water inside the cleaning chamber and the cleaning chamber lid is sucked, thereby eliminating the moisture inside the cleaning chamber and the cleaning chamber lid, and applying the negative pressure The pod lid or the pod main body can be quickly dried.
Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 8, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to any one of claims 3 to 7, the rotational speed of the rotating plate that locks the pod lid portion. The present invention provides a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like provided with means for controlling the above.

According to the present invention, at the time of cleaning, the pod lid can be maintained at a low speed to wash the pod lid evenly and reliably, and at the time of drying, the pod lid can be rapidly rotated at a high speed. After the water adhering to the surface is blown away by centrifugal force, the high speed rotation can be shifted to the low speed rotation to dry the pod lid.
Further, according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, a pod mounting portion is provided in the vicinity of the apparatus main body. The pod lid portion of the placed pod is detachably locked, and the pod main body portion is gripped and separated from the pod of the pod mounting portion before cleaning, transported into the cleaning chamber of the apparatus main body, and then locked. The pod lid is gripped from the pod mounting portion and transported and locked to the cleaning chamber lid of the apparatus main body, while the pod lid is gripped and separated from the cleaning chamber lid after cleaning and drying. Pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers, etc., which is equipped with a robot for gripping the pod main body from the cleaning chamber and transporting it to the pod mounting section and mounting the pod main body on the pod lid to assemble the pod Providing That.

According to the present invention, the robot can separate or assemble the pod at the pod mounting portion, and transport the pod main body and the pod lid to the cleaning chamber and the cleaning chamber lid of the main body of the apparatus. can do.
Further, according to the present invention, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to claim 9, when the pod main body is stored in the cleaning chamber, the robot is placed in the cleaning chamber. The present invention provides a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like provided with an extended portion for receiving the robot arm.

According to the present invention, by providing the extension portion into which the robot arm enters the cleaning chamber, even if the robot is transported to the cleaning chamber while holding the side surface of the pod main body, it contacts the cleaning chamber. It can be conveyed and stored without
Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 11, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to any one of claims 3 to 10, the pod lid portion is detachably locked to the rotating plate. The present invention provides a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like, which is provided with an adsorbing section for the purpose.
Note that the rotating plate that locks the pod lid is controlled so that the stationary position is constant, and is controlled so that the pod lid can be attached by the robot without any deviation at a preset attachment position.

As described above, according to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 1, the cleaning liquid for cleaning and drying in a state where the pod is separated into the pod main body and the pod lid. And a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like having nozzles for ejecting dry air, wherein a cleaning chamber for storing and cleaning the pod main body is sealed by a cleaning chamber lid for storing and cleaning the pod lid In the past, since the pod lid was placed outside the washing chamber during washing, the entire pod lid could not be washed. Then, since the pod lid portion is housed in the cleaning chamber, the entire pod lid portion can be uniformly washed and dried by the nozzle.

Further, since the cleaning chamber is hermetically sealed with the cleaning chamber lid, the pod main body and the pod lid housed therein can be reliably cleaned and dried.
According to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 2, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to claim 1, the bottom of the cleaning chamber is A turntable for locking the pod main body is rotatably provided, and an outer cleaning body provided with a nozzle for ejecting cleaning liquid or dry air is fixed to the side surface of the cleaning chamber on the outer side of the pod main body, Further, an inner cleaning body provided with the nozzle inside the pod main body is fixed to the central portion of the cleaning chamber so as to be integrated with a support shaft of the rotating table, and by rotating the rotating table during cleaning, By rotating the pod main body, the outer cleaning body and the inner cleaning body are washed with a cleaning liquid and dried with dry air. By rotating the pod body, the cleaning solution is sprayed evenly on the inner surface of the pod body simply by fixedly providing the inner cleaning body and the outer cleaning body in a fixed direction, and drying is performed by blowing dry air. There is an effect that can be done.

Further, since the inner cleaning body is fixed, there is an effect that the cleaning liquid or the dry air can be reliably ejected from the nozzle with a structure having no rotation connecting portion as compared with the rotary cleaning body.
Moreover, according to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 3, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to claim 1, the cleaning chamber lid body Comprises a cylindrical lid portion that is in close contact with the upper portion of the cleaning chamber, and an upper lid portion that is provided on the upper end side of the cleaning chamber lid body, and the cylindrical lid portion is provided with nozzles in both upward and downward directions, and A rotating plate is rotatably provided on the upper lid portion, and a locking portion for detachably locking the pod lid portion is provided on the rotating plate, and locked to the locking portion by rotation of the rotating plate during cleaning. Since the pod lid is rotated by the rotation of the rotating plate, the conventional nozzle is rotated by having a configuration in which the pod lid is rotated with the cleaning liquid and dried with dry air while rotating the pod lid. Compared to the cleaning method, the nozzle Rolling structure there is an effect that can be dispensed with.

Moreover, according to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 4, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to any one of claims 1 to 3, By having a configuration in which a suction means for sucking dry air or cleaning liquid and applying a negative pressure to the bottom of the chamber is provided, cleaning and drying can be effectively performed by applying a weak negative pressure to the cleaning chamber by the suction means. There are effects that can be performed.
According to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 5, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to claim 4, the suction means includes dry air and cleaning liquid. By providing a cyclone device that separates and discharges the air, there is an effect that the dry air and the cleaning liquid sucked simultaneously by the suction means can be separated into exhaust and waste water by the cyclone device.

According to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 6, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to any one of claims 1 to 5, By providing an ultrasonic device in the supply source and applying the ultrasonic wave to the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle, the ultrasonic device for applying the ultrasonic wave to the cleaning liquid is only provided in one place in the supply source. Thus, there is an effect that the cleaning liquid provided with ultrasonic waves can be ejected from a large number of the nozzles.
Moreover, according to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 7, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to any one of claims 1 to 6, By having a configuration in which the cylindrical lid portion is provided with a water vapor suction means for sucking water vapor inside the chamber and the cleaning chamber lid body, the water vapor inside the cleaning chamber and the cleaning chamber lid body is sucked after the cleaning. By doing so, there is an effect that moisture in the cleaning chamber and the cleaning chamber lid can be eliminated and the pod lid or the pod main body can be quickly dried by applying a negative pressure.

According to the pod cleaning and drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 8, the pod cleaning and drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to any one of claims 3 to 7, By having means for controlling the rotation speed of the rotating plate that locks the lid, it is possible to maintain the pod lid at a low speed during cleaning and to clean the pod lid evenly and reliably. In addition, when drying, the pod lid can be rapidly rotated at a high speed, and the water attached to the pod lid can be swept away by centrifugal force. There is.

In addition, according to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 9, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A pod mounting portion is provided in the vicinity of the pod so that the pod lid portion of the mounted pod is detachably locked, and the pod main body portion is grasped and separated from the pod of the pod mounting portion before cleaning. It is transported and locked in the cleaning chamber of the main body, and then the pod lid is gripped from the pod mounting section and transported to the cleaning chamber lid of the main body of the apparatus, and is locked from the cleaning chamber lid after cleaning and drying. A robot that grips and separates the lid and transports it to the pod mounting unit, then grips the pod body from the cleaning chamber and transports it to the pod mounting unit, and attaches the pod body to the pod lid and assembles the pod Configuration with By having the pod, the pod can be separated or assembled by the robot by the robot, and the pod body and the pod lid can be transferred to and removed from the cleaning chamber and the cleaning chamber lid of the apparatus body. There is an effect that can.

According to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 10, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to claim 9, the pod main body is placed in the cleaning chamber. By providing the extension portion into which the robot arm of the robot enters the cleaning chamber when storing the portion, the extension portion into which the robot arm enters the cleaning chamber is provided, so that the robot Even if the side surface of the pod main body is gripped and transported to the cleaning chamber, it can be transported and stored without contacting the cleaning chamber.

Moreover, according to the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 11, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers according to claim 3, the rotation In the case where the pod cover part can be freely attached / detached and the rotating plate is inclined by having a configuration in which a suction part for detachably locking the pod cover part to the plate is provided. However, there is an effect that the pod lid can be fixed.

Embodiments of a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated examples.
As shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, the pod cleaning / drying apparatus 1 for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention is included in a pod cleaning / drying system 10 and accommodates a pod 50 such as a semiconductor wafer around it. A stocker 4, a pod placement unit 2 for performing separation or assembly work of the pod 50, a robot 3 for performing separation, assembly, or conveyance work of the pod 50 are provided. An operation panel 94 is provided at a corner portion of the system 10 so that the angle can be adjusted in order to display and operate the operation status.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pod 50 includes a pod main body 52 and a pod lid 51. As shown in FIG. 5 or 6, the pod cleaning / drying apparatus 1 stores and cleans the pod main body 52. And a cleaning chamber lid 9 for storing and cleaning the pod lid 51.
As shown in FIG. 6, the cleaning chamber 8 is fixed by a support leg 83, and in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the fixed support shaft 20 passes through the center of the bottom of the cleaning chamber 8. The rotating shaft portion 32 of the turntable 13 is rotatably supported on the fixed support shaft 20 by bearing portions 85 and 86.

Further, the outer peripheral portion of the rotating shaft portion 32 is supported by a bearing member 33 provided integrally with the bottom portion of the cleaning chamber 8.
The rotary shaft portion 32 is provided with a pulley 30 located below the bearing member 33 and is driven to rotate by a timing belt 31 provided between the pulley 29 of the drive shaft 28 of the motor 26 provided on the side. It is configured. The motor 26 is integrally fixed to a stator 27 that is located on the side of the fixed support shaft 20 and located on the bottom surface of the bottom of the cleaning chamber 8, and is provided upward in parallel with the fixed support shaft 20. A pulley 29 is provided on the drive shaft 28.

The turntable 13 is controlled to rotate at a rotational speed by a motor 26, and is controlled to be stationary at a preset origin by an origin sensor 25 that detects and controls the rotational stationary position of the rotary shaft 32, and is set in advance. The pod main body 52 can be securely attached at the attachment position of the robot.
As shown in FIG. 4, the turntable 13 is provided with a holding portion 84 extending in four directions, and a pod whose opening portion is lowered by four locking portions 24 provided at the tip of the holding portion 84. The corner part of the opening part of the main-body part 52 is comprised so that it can detachably latch.

In the upper part of the fixed support shaft 20, an inner cleaning body 18 having the nozzle 16 upward and an inner cleaning body 19 having the nozzle 17 sideways are 180 degrees in order to clean and dry the inside of the pod main body 52. Are provided at two locations at angular intervals of. A hollow tube 80 is provided through the center of the fixed support shaft 20, and in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, a supply source provided outside the apparatus and the hollow tube 80 are connected by a tube 81. The cleaning liquid or dry air is sent from the supply source to the inner cleaning bodies 18 and 19 via the hollow tube 80, respectively.

Further, on the inner surface of the cleaning chamber 8, six outer cleaning bodies 15 having nozzles 14 facing inward are provided on the bottom 87 of the cleaning chamber 8 so as to clean and dry the outside of the pod main body 52. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, a supply source provided outside the apparatus and the outer cleaning body 15 are connected by a pipe 82 so that cleaning liquid or dry air is sent to the nozzle 14.
As shown in FIG. 10, the pipes 75, 81, and 82 are configured to switch and connect the cleaning liquid pipe 88 and the dry air pipe 89, respectively. The cleaning liquid pipe 88 is connected to the pipes 75, 81, and 82 from the supply source, respectively. The cleaning liquid can be sent, and the dry air pipe 89 is configured to send dry air from the supply source to the pipes 75, 81, and 82.

When cleaning the pod main body 52, the nozzles 14, 16, 17, and 21 are rotated while the pod main body 52 that is locked to the rotary table 13 by the locking portion 24 is rotated slowly by driving rotation of the motor 26. The cleaning liquid can be jetted from the entire inner and outer peripheral surface of the pod main body 52 to be cleaned. On the other hand, at the time of drying, switching is performed, and dry air is jetted from the nozzles 14, 16, 17, 21 to pod main body 52. Is configured to be surely dried.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, an exhaust drainage port 7 is provided at the bottom 87 of the cleaning chamber 8, and as shown in FIG. 1 or 2, drainage is from a water distribution pipe 93 and exhaust is from an exhaust pipe 65. In addition to being discharged, the moisture contained in the exhaust from the exhaust pipe 65 is configured to be separated when suctioned by a suction means described later.
As shown in FIG. 12, a suction pump 66 is provided outside the present apparatus, and a cyclone device 60 is provided in front of the pump 66 as shown in FIG. The port 61 and the exhaust drain port 7 are connected by the exhaust pipe 65, and the suction pump 66 separates the dry air in the cleaning / drying device 1 or the mixed cleaning liquid from the suction port 61 when the suction air is sucked through the cyclone device 60. It is configured to be able to. Moreover, it is comprised so that a drainage and drying can be accelerated | stimulated by applying a weak negative pressure inside the washing-drying apparatus 1. FIG.

Reference numeral 67 denotes a control unit of the cyclone device 60. In the cyclone unit 62, the cleaning liquid and the dry air can be rotated along with the suction, and both can be centrifuged by the centrifugal force generated at that time. The cleaning liquid discharged from the port 63 is temporarily stored in a drain tank 90 provided at the lower part of the cyclone section 62 and can be drained from a drain pipe 64 with a check valve 92. Reference numeral 91 denotes a drain provided at the lower portion of the pump 66.

Next, the cleaning chamber lid body 9 includes a cylindrical lid portion 6 that is in close contact with the upper portion of the cleaning chamber 8 and an upper lid portion 5 that is in close contact with the upper end side of the cylindrical lid portion 6. The upper lid 5 is provided so as to be rotatable about the hinge 36 with respect to the cylindrical lid 6.
In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, air cylinders 34 and 35 are provided on the outer surface of the cleaning chamber 8 substantially vertically to automatically open and close the cylindrical lid portion 6 and the upper lid portion 5. The telescopic shaft 38 of the cylinder 34 is connected to the opening / closing hinge 40 provided on the operation piece portion 76 that opens and closes the upper lid 5 around the hinge 36, and the telescopic shaft 39 of the air cylinder 35 is connected to the cylindrical lid portion. 6 is connected to an opening / closing hinge 41 provided on an operation piece 77 that opens and closes around a hinge 37.

Accordingly, the upper lid portion 5 opens and closes due to the expansion and contraction of the telescopic shaft 38 of the air cylinder 34, and the cylindrical lid portion 6 opens and closes due to the expansion and contraction of the telescopic shaft 39 of the air cylinder 35. 5b in FIG. 5 shows the position of the upper lid 5 in the open state, 5a in FIG. 5 shows the position in the closed state, and 6b in FIG. 6 shows the position of the cylindrical lid 6 in the opened state. 6a in FIG. 6 shows the closed position.
The air cylinders 34 and 35 are swingably supported by support shafts 68 and 69 provided on the outer surface of the cleaning chamber 8 so that the upper lid 5 and the cylindrical lid 6 can be smoothly rotated. It is provided.

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the upper lid portion 5 is provided with a rotation drive shaft 44 penetrating the center portion, and the rotation plate 22 is provided integrally with the lower end of the rotation drive shaft 44. A bearing member 48 is integrally fixed to the lower surface of the upper lid portion 5 in order to rotatably support the rotation drive shaft 44.
A pulley 45 is provided above the rotation drive shaft 44 on the upper surface of the upper lid 5, and is configured to be driven to rotate by a timing belt 47 provided between the drive shaft 43 of the motor 42 and the pulley 46. It is. The motor 42 is integrally fixed to a support base 78 provided on the upper surface of the upper cover 5 and located on the side of the rotation drive shaft 44, and the drive shaft 43 provided downward in parallel with the rotation drive shaft 44. The pulley 46 is provided.

The rotating plate 22 is rotated at a rotational speed controlled by a motor 42, and is controlled to stop at a preset stationary position by an origin sensor 79 that detects and controls the rotational stationary position of the rotational drive shaft 44. The pod lid 51 is configured to be attached / removed by the robot without any error at the preset attachment position by reliably stopping at the preset stationary position 22.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the rotary plate 22 is provided with six locking portions 23 and four suction portions 49 for detachably locking the pod lid portion 51 at predetermined intervals. The locking portion 23 is locked to grip the pod lid portion 51 from the outside, and the suction portion 49 is configured to suck and lock the pod lid portion 51 by suction means described later.

In addition, the latching | locking part 23 can hold | maintain so that it may not remove | deviate with a centrifugal force at the time of rapid rotation by latching so that the pod cover part 51 may be grasped from the outside, The top plate portion can be adsorbed and the pod lid portion 51 can be reliably held between the locking portions 23.
In the case of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the suction means of the suction portion 49 includes a hollow tube portion 71 provided at the center of the rotation drive shaft 44 and a suction tube 73 provided outside the apparatus as the rotation drive shaft. 44 is connected by a fixed rotary joint 72 located at the upper end of 44, and is connected to the adsorbing portion 49 by a branch portion 74 and an air tube 70 that are arranged radially from the lower end of the hollow tube portion 71. Further, the suction force is applied to the suction portion 49 by the suction tube 73 even during rotation of the rotating plate 22.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the cylindrical lid portion 6 in which the rotating plate 22 is to be accommodated is located at the boundary with the cleaning chamber 8, and the upper pod lid portion 51 and the lower pod body portion. Nozzle members 54 each provided with a nozzle 21 for cleaning and drying 52 are vertically provided.
In the case of the embodiment, the nozzles 21 are provided in a line in one radial direction including the vicinity of the center in the upper and lower directions because the pod lid part 51 and the pod main body part 52 rotate. Of course.

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the nozzle member 54 is connected to a supply source provided outside the apparatus by a pipe 75 so that cleaning liquid or dry air is sent from the supply source to the nozzle member 54. It is configured.
At the time of cleaning the pod lid 51, the driving rotation of the motor 42 rotates the pod lid 51 locked to the rotating plate 22 by the locking portion 23 and the suction portion 49, and the cleaning liquid is ejected from the nozzle 21, The nozzle 51 can be cleaned by spraying the entire surface of the nozzle 51. At the time of drying, first, immediately after cleaning, the pod lid 51 is rotated at a high speed instantaneously to blow off the cleaning liquid adhering at the time of cleaning by centrifugal force, and then the nozzle is rotated at a low speed. The pod lid 51 can be surely dried by ejecting dry air from 21.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the cylindrical lid 6 is provided with a suction port 55, and is configured so that water vapor in the cleaning / drying apparatus 1 is sucked by a suction means described later during cleaning or drying. is there.
In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the suction means of the suction port 55 is composed of an ejector 56 provided outside the apparatus. The suction port portion 59 and the suction port 55 are connected by a tube or the like, and the inlet 57 of the ejector 56 is connected. By flowing high-pressure air in the direction from the discharge port 58 to the discharge port 58, the water vapor filled in the cleaning / drying device 1 can be discharged to the outside from the suction port 55, and drying is performed by applying a weak negative pressure to the inside of the cleaning / drying device 1. It is configured so that it can be promoted.

Further, the cleaning chamber lid 9 and the cleaning chamber 8 are provided with heater means for heating the interior of the cleaning chamber lid 9 and the cleaning / drying apparatus 1 inside by heating to an appropriate temperature during cleaning or drying. The main body 52 is configured to facilitate cleaning or drying.
In addition, heating means for adjusting the temperature of the dry air ejected from each of the nozzles 14, 16, 17, and 21 is provided in the vicinity of the cleaning and drying apparatus 1, and ejected from the nozzles 14, 16, 17, and 21 during drying. The dry air to be heated is heated to an appropriate temperature and sprayed onto the pod lid portion 51 and the pod main body portion 52 to promote drying.

Further, in the vicinity of the cleaning / drying apparatus 1, a cleaning liquid supply source made of pure water or the like is provided with a means for warming a cleaning liquid such as pure water used at the time of cleaning, and a means for injecting a chemical solution is provided. The nozzles 14, 16, 17, 21 are sometimes sprayed from the nozzles 14, 16, 17, 21 to the pod lid 51 and the pod body 52 so that the cleaning can be effectively performed.
As shown in FIG. 10, the cleaning liquid pipe 88 is provided with an ultrasonic device 53, which applies ultrasonic waves to the cleaning liquid ejected from each of the nozzles 14, 16, 17, and 21, By being sprayed onto the pod main body 52, it can be effectively cleaned.

As shown in the introduction, the pod cleaning / drying apparatus 1 for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention is included in the pod cleaning / drying system 10 as shown in FIG. A stocker 4, a pod mounting unit 2 for separating or assembling the pod 50 into a pod main body 52 and a pod lid 51, a robot 3 for separating, assembling or conveying the pod 50, and the like. is there.
In the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like of the above-described embodiment, the pod 50 is transported from the stocker 4 to the pod mounting unit 2 by the robot 3 so that the pod lid 51 is on the pod mounting unit 2. The unit 52 is gripped and placed by the robot arm 12, the pod lid unit 51 is detachably locked by the pod placement unit 2, and only the pod main body 52 is gripped and lifted by the robot 3, and the apparatus of the present invention is provided. Transport to the main body.

Next, the upper lid 5 and the cylindrical lid 6 are opened by the air cylinders 34 and 35 so that the pod main body 52 can be stored. The pod main body 52 gripped by the robot 3 is placed on the turntable 13 of the cleaning chamber 8. Lock. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the pod main body 52 is provided on the turntable 13 without the robot arm 12 of the robot 3 coming into contact with the cleaning chamber 8 by the extension 11 provided on the side of the cleaning chamber 8. It can be locked to the locking portion 24.
Next, the pod lid 51 locked to the pod mounting portion 2 is gripped by the robot 3 and transferred to the rotating plate 22 of the cleaning chamber lid 9, and the locking portion 23 provided on the rotating plate 22 and the suction portion The pod lid 51 is locked to the rotary plate 22 by 49. Here, the cylindrical lid portion 6 and the upper lid portion 5 are sequentially closed by the air cylinders 34 and 35, and the pod lid portion 51 and the pod main body portion 52 are accommodated in the cleaning / drying apparatus 1 in a sealed state.

Next, the pod lid 51 and the pod main body 52 are washed with the washing liquid by the washing chamber 8 and the washing chamber lid 9 and dried with dry air, and then the upper lid 5 and the cylindrical lid 6 are again recharged by the air cylinders 34 and 35. , The pod lid 51 locked to the rotating plate 22 of the upper lid 5 is grasped and removed by the robot arm 12, transported and locked to the pod placement unit 2, and then rotated in the cleaning chamber 8. The pod main body 52 locked to the base 13 can be grasped and removed by the robot arm 12, transported to the pod mounting portion 2 and overlapped with the previous pod lid portion 51 to assemble the pod 50, The assembled pod 50 is gripped by the robot 3 and transferred to the stocker 4 to complete the cleaning and drying processes.

In the present invention, as will be understood from the description of the above examples, the following embodiments can be listed.
In the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like of the present invention, the cleaning liquid supply source is provided with a means for warming the cleaning liquid used at the time of cleaning. The cleaning effect can be improved.
Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like of the present invention, by providing the cleaning liquid supply means with means for injecting the chemical into the cleaning liquid, the chemical liquid can be injected into the cleaning liquid to be used during cleaning. The cleaning effect in the pod can be improved.

Moreover, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, the cleaning effect in the pod can be improved by providing a means for applying ultrasonic waves to the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle. .
Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, an ejector having a water vapor suction means is provided outside the cleaning chamber, so that the cleaning chamber is relatively weak due to the ejector having a simple structure. Negative pressure can be applied.

Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, the dry air is ejected from the nozzle by having a configuration in which the dry air is ejected from the nozzle and the pod lid or the pod main body is dried. By doing so, the moisture adhering to the pod lid part or the pod main body part at the time of washing can be blown off, and the pod lid part or the pod main body part can be dried.
Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, the pod lid portion is configured to provide a means for adjusting the temperature of the dry air ejected from the nozzle so that the temperature of the pod lid is adjusted from the nozzle. Or it can accelerate | stimulate drying of the water | moisture content adhering to the said pod cover part or the said pod main-body part by spraying on the said pod main-body part.

Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, the cleaning chamber lid is provided in the cleaning chamber lid and in the cleaning chamber by providing means for heating the interior of the cleaning chamber lid. By warming the inside of the body and the inside of the cleaning chamber, cleaning and drying of the pod lid or the pod main body can be promoted.
Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers and the like according to the present invention, a pod mounting portion for separating or assembling the pod is provided in the vicinity of the apparatus main body, and a robot for separating, assembling or transporting is provided. By having the configuration, there is an effect that the separation or assembling work can be automatically performed by the robot at one pod placement portion.

Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to the present invention, the pod mounting portion is provided with an adsorption portion for adsorbing and locking the pod lid portion, so that the pod is attached to the pod lid. And when the robot is lifted again in a state where the robot grips the pod main body and places it on the pod placement portion and the pod lid portion is fixed to the suction portion. The pod lid and the pod main body can be easily separated.
Further, in the pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to the present invention, a stocker storing the pod is provided in the vicinity of the robot, and the robot is transported from the stocker to the pod placement unit by the robot. Thus, by placing the pod on the stocker, the pod can be smoothly delivered to the robot, and can be automatically conveyed to the pod placement unit.

The schematic plan view which shows the usage condition of one Example of this invention apparatus. The schematic side view which shows the usage condition of the Example. The partial longitudinal section schematic front view of one Example of this invention apparatus. The schematic plan view of the Example. The schematic front view which shows one usage condition of the whole one Example of this invention apparatus. The schematic side view of the Example. The schematic front view of the principal part of the Example. The schematic front view of the other principal part of the Example. The schematic plan view of the other principal part of the Example. The schematic piping explanatory drawing of one Example of this invention apparatus. The schematic explanatory drawing of the principal part of the Example. The schematic explanatory drawing of the other principal part of the Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pod washing | cleaning drying apparatus 2 Pod mounting part 3 Robot 4 Stocker 5 Upper cover part 6 Cylindrical cover part 7 Exhaust drain outlet 8 Cleaning chamber 9 Cleaning room cover body 10 Pod washing drying apparatus 11 Expansion part 12 Robot arm 13 Turntable 14 Nozzle 15 Outer cleaning body 16 Nozzle 17 Nozzle 18 Inner cleaning body 19 Inner cleaning body 20 Fixed support shaft 21 Nozzle 22 Rotating plate 23 Locking portion 24 Locking portion 25 Origin sensor 26 Motor 27 Stator 28 Drive shaft 29 Pulley 30 Pulley 31 Timing belt 32 Rotating shaft portion 33 Bearing member 34 Air cylinder 35 Air cylinder 36 Hinge 37 Hinge 38 Telescopic shaft 39 Telescopic shaft 40 Opening / closing hinge 41 Opening / closing hinge 42 Motor 43 Drive shaft 44 Rotation drive shaft 45 Pulley 46 Pulley 47 Timing belt 48 Bearing member 49 Adsorption part 50 Pod 51 Pod lid part 2 Pod body 53 Ultrasonic device 54 Nozzle member 55 Suction port 56 Ejector 57 Entrance 58 Ejection port 59 Suction port 60 Cyclone device 61 Suction port 62 Cyclone unit 63 Exhaust port 64 Drain port 65 Exhaust pipe 66 Pump 67 Control unit 68 Support Shaft 69 Support shaft 70 Air tube 71 Hollow tube portion 72 Rotary joint 73 Suction tube 74 Branch portion 75 Tube 76 Operation piece portion 77 Operation piece portion 78 Support base 79 Origin sensor 80 Hollow tube 81 Tube 82 Tube 83 Support leg portion 84 Holding section 85 Bearing section 86 Bearing section 87 Bottom section 88 Washing liquid pipe 89 Dry air pipe 90 Drain tank 91 Drain 92 Check valve 93 Drain pipe 94 Operation panel

Claims (3)

A pod cleaning / drying device for a semiconductor wafer or the like having a cleaning liquid for cleaning and drying a pod in a state where the pod is separated into a pod main body and a pod lid, and a nozzle for ejecting dry air. In a pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers, etc., which is hermetically sealed with a cleaning chamber lid that cleans and cleans the cleaning chamber containing the pod lid, in the vicinity of the main body of the pod cleaning / drying apparatus The pod mounting portion is provided, the pod lid portion of the placed pod is detachably locked, and the pod main body portion is gripped and separated from the pod of the pod mounting portion before cleaning. It is transported and locked in the cleaning chamber, and then grips the pod lid from the pod mounting portion and transports and locks it to the upper lid of the main body of the apparatus, while the pod lid from the upper lid after cleaning and drying. Hold and separate and transport to the pod placement unit, then grip the pod body from the cleaning chamber and transport to the pod placement unit, and install a robot that assembles the pod by attaching the pod body to the pod lid Pod cleaning and drying equipment for semiconductor wafers. The pod cleaning / drying apparatus for a semiconductor wafer or the like according to claim 1, wherein when the pod main body is stored in the cleaning chamber, an extension portion into which the robot arm of the robot enters the cleaning chamber is provided. Pod washing and drying equipment. 3. A pod cleaning / drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers or the like according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rotatable rotating plate is provided on the upper cover of the apparatus main body so as to be cleaned and dried while the pod cover is locked and rotated. A pod cleaning / drying device for a semiconductor wafer or the like, which is provided with a suction portion for detachably locking the pod lid to a plate.

Images