JP2006024682A - Conveying apparatus and exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize apparatuses, and to speed up a conveyance speed. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of first finger sections 125a, 125b in a first hand section 124 are made linearly asymmetrical to a prescribed center axis A1, and a pair of second finger sections 135a, 135b in a second hand section 134 are made linearly asymmetrical to a prescribed center axis A2 so that one hand section can advance or retreat to a delivery position P8 without interfering with the other hand section, when one hand of a first hand section 124 and a second hand section 134 is at the prescribed delivery position P8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport apparatus that transports an object such as a substrate, and an exposure apparatus including the transport apparatus.

  In a photolithography process, which is one of the manufacturing processes of semiconductor elements, a resist coating apparatus (coater) for applying a photosensitive material (photoresist) onto a substrate (object) such as a wafer or a glass plate, and the photosensitive material is applied. An exposure apparatus (stepper) for projecting and transferring a pattern image of a reticle (mask) onto a substrate, and forming a latent image of the pattern; a developing apparatus (developer) for developing the latent image formed on the substrate; used.

  Transfer of substrates between the resist coating apparatus and the exposure apparatus, and between the exposure apparatus and the developing apparatus is performed collectively using a substrate carrier (substrate cassette) that can store a plurality of substrates, or There is a type in which the substrate is individually transferred to a resist coating apparatus or the like disposed in the vicinity of the exposure apparatus (so-called in-line type).

  The substrate on which the resist is applied is stored in a substrate carrier or is individually carried from a resist coating device to a predetermined delivery position, and is individually transferred to an exposure main body (substrate stage) by a substrate transfer device provided in the exposure device. Be transported. The substrate for which the exposure processing has been completed is transported from the exposure main body to a predetermined delivery position by the substrate transport device, and is stored in a substrate carrier or individually carried out to the next developing device.

  A processing unit such as a pre-alignment mechanism that preliminarily adjusts the posture of the substrate is disposed between the substrate delivery position and the exposure main body, and the substrate transport device is located between the delivery position, the processing unit, and the exposure main body. Then, the substrates are sequentially transferred. Various types of substrate transfer devices are known. For example, a device including a plurality of articulated robots is used.

  These robots have a hand part for sucking and holding the substrate at the tip part, and the hand part is substantially U-shaped so that a pair of finger parts are symmetrical with respect to a predetermined central axis. Those arranged in a shape (or a substantially U-shape) are generally used. The shape of the hand portion is substantially U-shaped when the substrate held by the arm portion is transferred between, for example, a processing unit having a center pin that sucks and holds the central portion of the substrate, a substrate stage, or the like. This is to prevent the fingers from interfering with each other as much as possible when handing over to / from the hand of another robot having the shape of. When handing over to the center pin, position the center pin so that it enters between the pair of fingers of the arm part. When handing over to the other arm part, one finger part of the other is the other finger part. The substrate is transferred by positioning so as to be in between.

As a conventional substrate transfer device having a hand portion in which a pair of finger portions are arranged symmetrically so as to be substantially U-shaped, see, for example, Patent Document 1 below.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-319562

  As described above, according to the prior art, between a hand portion in which a pair of finger portions are arranged in a substantially U shape so as to be symmetrical with respect to the central axis, and another hand portion having the same configuration as this. When the substrate is delivered, it is necessary to deliver the substrate in a state of being positioned with respect to each other so that one finger portion of one hand portion enters between a pair of finger portions of the other hand portion. In order to achieve this state without interfering with each other's fingers, in the horizontal plane, the central axis of one hand part and the central axis of the other hand part are set substantially parallel and the center of one hand part It is necessary to move linearly along the central axis in directions close to each other in a state where the axis and the central axis of the other hand portion are shifted in a direction perpendicular to the central axis.

  In this way, with the configuration of the conventional hand unit, there are many restrictions on the movement of each other when delivering a substrate, so the degree of freedom regarding the arrangement of each part such as the robot and processing unit is small, and highly efficient arrangement and operation are realized. There is a problem in that it may not be possible to meet the demands for downsizing the entire transfer apparatus and increasing the substrate transfer speed.

  In general, the substrate is transported in a state where negative pressure is adsorbed to the hand part to prevent it from falling, but when the negative pressure supply is interrupted or drops due to any failure. Conventionally, no measures are taken, and there is a problem that the substrate may fall from the hand portion.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and provides a transport apparatus capable of realizing downsizing of the apparatus and an increase in transport speed, and an exposure apparatus provided with the transport apparatus. The purpose is to do.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a transport apparatus that can prevent an object that is being transported from dropping even if some trouble occurs, and an exposure apparatus that includes the transport apparatus.

  Hereinafter, in the description shown in this section, the present invention will be described in association with the member codes shown in the drawings representing the embodiments. However, each constituent element of the present invention is limited to the members shown in the drawings attached with these member codes. Is not to be done.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, according to a first aspect of the present invention, at least one for holding the object horizontally in a transport device (100) for transporting the object (W) to predetermined positions (P1 to P8). A pair of finger portions (125a, 125b, 135a, 135b, 155a) each including two holding portions (126a, 126b, 136a, 136b, 156a, 156b, 156c) and asymmetrical with respect to a predetermined central axis. , 155b), a transport device comprising a hand portion (124, 134, 153) is provided.

  In the present invention, the pair of fingers of the hand unit is configured to be asymmetrical with respect to a predetermined direction. Interference with other hands, etc. can be reduced, the degree of freedom regarding the arrangement of each part such as the robot and the processing part is increased, and highly efficient arrangement and operation can be realized. It becomes possible to cope with downsizing of the entire transport device and higher transport speed.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the transport device (100) for transporting the object (W) to the predetermined positions (P1 to P8), a plurality of holding portions (126a, 126b, 136a, 136b, 156a, 156b, 156c), and when the object is transported, the center of gravity of the object held by the holding unit is located in a region having the plurality of holding units as apexes or sides. There is provided a transfer device including a hand unit (124, 134, 153) in which at least one of the shape and arrangement of the plurality of holding units is set.

  In the present invention, at least one of the shape and the arrangement of the plurality of holding portions is set so that the center of gravity of the object is positioned in a polygon having a plurality of holding portions as vertices or sides when the object is conveyed. Even when the object is blocked or insufficiently held due to the occurrence of a failure, the object is less likely to fall from the hand unit.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the transport device (100) that transports the object (W) to the predetermined positions (P1 to P8), the first direction (A1,1) toward the predetermined delivery positions (P6, P8). A3) and a pair of first fingers (125a, 125b, each including at least one holding part (126a, 126b, 156a, 156b) for holding the object horizontally 155a, 155b) and a first hand part (124, 153), and is movable linearly along a second direction (A2) intersecting the first direction toward the predetermined delivery position, A second hand part (134) having a pair of second finger parts (135a, 135b) each including at least one holding part (136a, 136b) for holding an object horizontally, When one hand part of the hand part and the second hand part is at the predetermined delivery position, the other hand part advances or evacuates to the predetermined delivery position without interfering with the one hand part. The pair of first fingers are configured to be asymmetrical with respect to the first central axis (A1, A3), and the pair of second fingers are configured to be the second central axis (A2). On the other hand, a conveyance device configured to be asymmetrical is provided.

  In the present invention, the relative traveling directions of the first hand portion and the second hand portion at the time of object delivery can be crossed, and the relative traveling direction of one hand portion and the other hand portion can be crossed. Compared to the prior art that had to be set substantially parallel to each other, the degree of freedom regarding the arrangement of each part such as a robot and a processing unit is increased, and highly efficient arrangement and operation can be realized. As a result, it becomes possible to cope with downsizing of the entire transport device and an increase in transport speed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in an exposure apparatus that includes a stage (WST) that holds an object (W) and that exposes and transfers an image of a pattern formed on a mask (R) to the object, the stage includes the stage (WST). An exposure apparatus provided with a transport apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention is provided as a transport apparatus (100) for transporting an object.
In this invention, since the small and high-speed transport apparatus according to the first or third aspect of the present invention is provided, the entire exposure apparatus can be downsized and the processing speed (throughput) can be increased. In addition, since an object is less likely to fall from the hand unit when some kind of failure occurs, the processing can be continued as it is after the failure is recovered.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that the apparatus can be downsized and the conveyance speed can be increased. In addition, even when some kind of failure occurs, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent the object being dropped from being transported and to recover quickly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the overall configuration of the exposure apparatus is first outlined, and then the wafer transfer apparatus is described in detail.

[Exposure equipment]
FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the overall configuration of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 1 sequentially transfers a pattern formed on a reticle R as a mask onto a wafer W as a substrate while synchronously moving the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WST with respect to the projection optical system PL. • An AND-scan type exposure apparatus. In the following description, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set in the drawing, and the positional relationship of each member will be described with reference to this XYZ orthogonal coordinate system. In the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system shown in FIG. 1, the XY plane is set to a plane parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z axis is set to the vertically upward direction. The direction along the Y axis is the scan direction (scan direction).

In FIG. 1, the illumination optical system IL shapes the cross-sectional shape of laser light emitted from a light source such as an ArF excimer laser light source (wavelength 193 nm) into a slit shape extending in the X direction, and makes the illuminance distribution uniform to perform illumination. Ejected as light. In this embodiment, the case where an ArF excimer laser light source is provided as a light source will be described as an example. In addition, an ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp that emits g-line (wavelength 436 nm) and i-line (wavelength 365 nm), or A KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248 nm), an F ₂ laser (wavelength 157 nm), and other light sources can be used.

  The reticle R is attracted and held on the reticle stage RST, and a movable mirror MRr to which the length measuring beam BMr from the reticle interferometer system IFR is irradiated is fixed to one end of the reticle stage RST. Positioning of the reticle R is performed by a drive system DR that translates the reticle stage RST in the XY plane perpendicular to the optical axis AX and rotates it slightly in the XY plane. This drive system DR scans the reticle stage RST in the Y direction at a constant speed when the pattern of the reticle R is transferred onto the wafer W. Above the reticle stage RST, alignment systems OB1 and OB2 for photoelectrically detecting reticle alignment marks formed at two positions around the reticle R are provided. The detection results of the alignment systems OB1 and OB2 are used to position the reticle R with a predetermined accuracy with respect to the optical axis AX of the illumination optical system IL or the projection optical system PL.

  Reticle stage RST is movably held on reticle stage base structure CL1 constituting a part of the column structure of the apparatus main body, and a motor or the like of drive system DR is also mounted on base structure CL1. Further, a beam interference portion (such as a beam splitter) of the reticle interferometer system IFR that measures a change in position of the reticle R is also attached to the base structure CL1. Interferometer system IFR projects length measurement beam BMr onto moving mirror MRr attached to one end of reticle stage RST, receives the reflected beam, and measures the positional change of reticle R.

  The image of the pattern formed on the reticle R is imaged and projected onto the wafer W at a projection magnification of 1/4 or 1/5 via the projection optical system PL disposed immediately below the reticle stage RST. The lens barrel of the projection optical system PL is fixed to a lens base structure CL3 that constitutes a part of the column structure, and the lens base structure CL3 supports the reticle base structure CL1 via a plurality of column structures CL2. is doing. The reticle interferometer system IFR shown in FIG. 1 is configured such that the reflected beam of the length measuring beam BMr interferes with the reference beam reflected by the reference mirror FRr fixed on the projection optical system PL. However, an interferometer system having a configuration in which the reference mirror is fixed to the reticle base structure CL1 side or an interferometer system incorporating the reference mirror itself may be used.

  The projection optical system PL has a plurality of optical elements such as lenses, and the glass material of the optical elements is selected from optical materials such as quartz and fluorite according to the wavelength of illumination light emitted from the illumination optical system IL. .

  The lens base structure CL3 is mounted on the wafer base structure CL4 on which the wafer stage WST that mounts the wafer W and moves two-dimensionally along the XY plane is mounted. Although not shown, wafer stage WST is provided with a wafer holder for vacuum-sucking wafer W, and a leveling table for finely moving and tilting the wafer holder in the Z direction (optical axis AX direction). Yes.

  The movement coordinate position of wafer stage WST in the XY plane and the minute rotation amount by yawing are measured by wafer interferometer system IFW. The interferometer system IFW projects the laser beam from the laser light source LS onto the movable mirror MRw fixed to the leveling table of the wafer stage WST and the fixed mirror FRw fixed to the bottom of the projection optical system PL. The coordinate position and minute rotation amount (yawing amount) of wafer stage WST are measured by causing the reflected beams from mirrors MRw and FRw to interfere.

  On the leveling table of wafer stage WST, various alignment systems, focus sensors, and a reference plate FM used for calibration of the leveling sensor and measurement of the baseline amount are also attached. On the surface of the reference plate FM, a reference mark that can be detected by the alignment systems OB1 and OB2 is formed together with the mark of the reticle R under illumination light having an exposure wavelength.

  Examples of the various alignment systems described above include off-axis type alignment sensors that measure position information of alignment marks formed on the wafer W. The focus sensor is a sensor that measures the amount of deviation of the surface of the wafer W relative to the image plane of the projection optical system PL, and the leveling sensor is a sensor that measures the attitude (tilt) of the surface of the wafer W. The baseline amount is an amount indicating the distance between the reference position of the reticle pattern image projected onto the wafer W (for example, the center position of the pattern image) and the center of the measurement field of the alignment sensor.

[Wafer transfer equipment]
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a wafer transfer apparatus as a transfer apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  This wafer transfer apparatus 100 is a wafer carrier (wafer cassette) WC carried into a predetermined hoop position P1, a resist coating apparatus (coater) that performs a resist coating process that is a processing process before the exposure apparatus, or a subsequent processing process. This is a device for transporting a wafer (object, substrate) W as a transport target between a delivery position P2 for a developing device (developer) performing a certain development process and a predetermined delivery position P5 for a wafer stage WST of the exposure device. .

  The wafer transfer apparatus 100 includes a load robot 120, an unload robot 130, a load slider 140, an unload slider 150, a delivery table 160, a first pre-alignment unit (pre-aligner) 170, and a second pre-alignment on the wafer loader base 110. The unit 180 is arranged.

  The load robot 120 includes a first arm 122 whose one end is rotatably attached to the robot base 121, a second arm 123 whose one end is rotatably attached to the other end of the first arm 122, and a second arm 123. This is a scalar-type multi-joint robot configured to include a hand portion 124 having a base end portion rotatably attached to the other end side of the two arms 123. Each of the connecting parts of the robot base 121, the first arm 122, the second arm 123, and the hand part 124 is provided with a drive part including a servo motor and a rotary encoder. The part 124 can be positioned at an arbitrary position in an arbitrary posture.

  As shown in the enlarged plan view of FIG. 3, the hand portion 124 has a pair of finger portions 125a and 125b on the tip side thereof, and a wafer near the tip portion of each finger portion 125a and 125b. Suction grooves 126a and 126b for supplying a negative pressure for vacuum-sucking W are arranged.

  The finger parts 125a and 125b of the hand part 124 are configured to be asymmetrical with respect to a predetermined (first) central axis A1. Here, the shape is set such that the length of the other finger portion 125b is shorter than the one finger portion 125a. The asymmetry of the pair of finger parts 125a and 125b is the asymmetry of finger parts 135a and 135b of the hand part 134 of the unload robot 130 to be described later, and the posture and progress when the wafers W of the hand parts 124 and 134 are delivered. The direction is set so as not to interfere with each other when the wafer W is transferred.

  The suction grooves 126a and 126b are formed so that the outer wall portions thereof are slightly high so that the back surface of the wafer W does not come into contact with the finger portions 125a and 125b when the wafer W is held, and the negative pressure supply pipe on the back surface side. The wafer W is sucked and held by vacuum suction through holes 127a and 127b communicated with each other. Here, the suction grooves 126a and 126b are formed in an arc shape so that the sides facing each other are concave, and a straight line L1 connecting one end of the suction groove 126a and one end corresponding to the suction groove 126b, the suction groove 126a. Is held inside a region (polygon or virtual figure) formed by a straight line L2 connecting the other end of the suction groove 126b and the other end corresponding to the suction groove 126b and a straight line connecting both ends of the suction grooves 126a and 126b. The center (center of gravity) C1 of the wafer W to be positioned is set. The reason why the center C1 of the wafer W is positioned inside the region (polygon) formed by the suction grooves 126a and 126b as described above is that the wafer W is held by the hand even when the vacuum suction is stopped. This is to prevent the unit 124 from falling. The reason why the suction grooves 126a and 126b are formed in an arc shape so that the sides facing each other are concave is that the wafer W to be held is deformed so that the central portion thereof is depressed (so-called bowl-shaped deformation). Even so, the wafer W can be reliably held by suction.

  The unload robot 130 has a first arm 132 whose one end is rotatably attached to the robot base 131, a second arm 133 whose one end is rotatably attached to the other end of the first arm 132, and The second arm 133 is a scalar multi-joint robot configured to include a hand portion 134 that is pivotally attached to the other end side of the second arm 133. Each connecting portion of the robot base 131, the first arm 132, the second arm 133, and the hand unit 134 is provided with a drive unit including a servo motor and a rotary encoder. The part 134 can be positioned at an arbitrary position in an arbitrary posture.

  As shown in the enlarged plan view of FIG. 4 (A) and the enlarged side view of FIG. 4 (B), the hand part 134 has a pair of finger parts 135a, 135b on the tip side, Adsorption grooves 136a and 136b for supplying a negative pressure for vacuum adsorption of the wafer W are arranged in the vicinity of the front ends of the finger portions 135a and 135b.

  The finger parts 135a and 135b of the hand part 134 are configured to be asymmetrical with respect to a predetermined center axis A2. Here, the length of the other finger part 135b is shorter than the one finger part 135a, and the longitudinal direction of the finger part 135a is formed substantially parallel to the central axis A2, whereas the finger part 135b Has a shape formed so that the longitudinal direction thereof is oblique to the central axis A2. The asymmetry of the pair of finger portions 135a and 135b is the aforementioned asymmetry of the finger portions 125a and 125b in the hand portion 124 of the load robot 120 and the posture and the traveling direction when the wafers W of the hand portions 124 and 134 are delivered. And the relationship between the asymmetry of fingers 155a and 155b of the hand portion 153 of the unload slider 150, which will be described later, and the posture and the traveling direction when the wafers W of the hand portions 134 and 153 are delivered. It is set not to interfere with each other when handing over.

  The suction grooves 136a and 136b are formed so that the outer wall portions thereof are slightly high so that the back surface of the wafer W does not come into contact with the finger portions 135a and 135b when the wafer W is held (see FIG. 4B). The wafer W is sucked and held by vacuum suction through a hole (not shown) communicated with the negative pressure supply pipe on the back side. Here, the suction grooves 136a and 136b are linearly formed so as to be parallel to each other, and a straight line L3 connecting one end of the suction groove 136a and one end corresponding to this of the suction groove 136b, and the other end of the suction groove 136a. And an area (polygon or virtual figure) formed by a straight line L4 connecting the other ends of the suction grooves 136b and the center lines (or sides far from each other) of the suction grooves 136a and 136b. The center (center of gravity) C2 of the wafer W to be held is set on the inner side. The reason why the center of the wafer W is positioned inside the region (polygon) formed by the suction grooves 136a and 136b as described above is that the wafer W is held in the hand portion even when the vacuum suction is stopped. This is to prevent falling from 134.

  The load slider 140 includes a hand portion (load slider arm) 143 attached to a slider 142 that can slide along the guide 141. The hand portion 143 has a pair of finger portions 145a and 145b arranged symmetrically with respect to a predetermined central axis (here, an axis parallel to the sliding direction), and each finger portion 145a and 145b includes A plurality of suction grooves 146a, 146b, 147a, 147b for vacuum suction of the wafer W to be transferred are provided. The suction grooves 146a, 146b, 147a, 147b are formed with slightly higher outer wall portions so that the back surface of the wafer W does not come into contact with the finger portions 145a, 145b when the wafer W is held. The wafer W is sucked and held by vacuum suction through a hole (not shown) communicated with the negative pressure supply pipe.

  Here, the finger parts 145a and 145b of the hand part 143 are configured to be symmetric with respect to a predetermined central axis, but the hand part 124 shown in FIG. 3 or the hand part shown in FIG. Based on the same principle as 134 or the hand unit 153 described later, it may be configured to be asymmetrical with respect to a predetermined central axis. The slider 142 is driven by a drive unit having a ball screw mechanism (not shown), a linear encoder, etc., and the hand unit 143 is located between a position P4 where the second pre-alignment unit 180 is disposed and a predetermined delivery position P5 of the wafer stage WST. It is designed to move back and forth. The hand unit 143 is provided with a mark 144. The position of the mark 144 is detected by a photoelectric detector provided on the exposure apparatus side, the position of the wafer stage WST is corrected based on the detection result, and the center pin CT1. The wafer W is delivered in a state where the relative positional relationship between the hand portion 143 and the hand portion 143 is maintained.

  The unload slider 150 includes a hand portion 153 attached to a slider 152 that can slide along the guide 151. As shown in the enlarged plan view of FIG. 5, the hand portion 153 has a pair of finger portions 155a, asymmetrically arranged with respect to a predetermined central axis (here, an axis parallel to the sliding direction) A3. Suction pins 156a and 156b for vacuum-sucking the wafer W to be transferred are provided in the vicinity of the tips of the finger portions 155a and 155b, respectively. Further, a non-suction pin 156c is provided in the vicinity of a portion where the longitudinal directions of the finger portions 155a and 155b intersect. The suction pins 156a and 156b are formed so that their outer wall portions are slightly higher so that the back surface of the wafer W does not come into contact with the finger portions 155a and 155b when the wafer W is held. The wafer W is sucked and held by vacuum suction through a hole (not shown) communicated with each other.

  The non-suction pins 156c are formed at the same height as the outer wall portions of the suction pins 156a and 156b so that the back surface of the wafer W does not come into contact with the finger portions 155a and 155b when the wafer W is held. The slider 152 is driven by a drive unit having a ball screw mechanism (not shown), a linear encoder, and the like, and the hand unit 153 is between a transfer position P6 with the hand unit 134 of the unload robot 130 and a predetermined transfer position P5 of the wafer stage WST. It is designed to move back and forth. The suction pins 156a and 156b and the non-suction pins 156c have a center (center of gravity) C3 of the wafer W held inside a region (triangle or virtual figure) formed by connecting the centers (or circumscribed straight lines) of each other. It is set to be located. The center C3 of the wafer W is positioned inside the region (triangle) formed by the suction pins 156a and 156b and the non-suction pins 156c as described above, even when the vacuum suction is stopped. This is to prevent the wafer W from falling from the hand portion 153. Instead of the non-suction pin 156c, suction pins having the same configuration as the suction pins 156a and 156b may be provided.

  Although the detailed illustration is omitted, the delivery table 160 has a plurality of stages of shelves in which the wafers W are stored, and these shelves are for receiving the wafers W sent from a resist coating apparatus (not shown). At least a shelf and a shelf for transferring the wafer W to a developing device (not shown) are provided, and if necessary, the wafer W carried from the resist coating device is held for a certain period of time in order to adjust to the atmosphere in the exposure device. Or a shelf having a cool plate that actively cools in accordance with the ambient temperature in the exposure apparatus.

  The first pre-alignment unit 170 is a unit for detecting the outer shape while rotating the wafer W and roughly aligning the orientation of the center of the wafer W and the notch (or orientation flat). And a sensor (not shown). The second pre-alignment unit 180 images the three locations on the outer periphery of the wafer W roughly aligned by the first pre-alignment unit 170 with the CCD cameras 181, 181, and 181, respectively. This is a unit for aligning the center and rotation more precisely, and comprises a center table CT2. The center table CT2 can hold the approximate center of the wafer W by vacuum suction, and can move up and down and move in the X and Y directions.

  Next, the transfer operation of the wafer W in the transfer apparatus 100 will be described. The wafer W stored in the wafer carrier WC loaded in the FOUP position P1 or stored in a predetermined shelf of the transfer table 160 is taken out by the load robot 120 and transferred to the first pre-alignment unit 170. It is transported to the position P3 and transferred onto the turntable 171. Next, the turntable 171 is rotated, the outer shape and notch portion (or orientation flat portion) of the wafer W are detected by the sensor of the first pre-alignment unit 170, and the center position and the rotation direction of the wafer W are determined relatively rough. Aligned to the standard of Thereafter, the wafer W is transferred to the second pre-alignment unit 180.

  In the second pre-alignment unit 180, three predetermined outer portions of the wafer W are imaged by the CCD cameras 181, 181, 181, and the center position and rotation of the wafer W are more precisely positioned based on the imaging results. To be combined. Next, the wafer W is transferred to the hand unit 143 of the load slider 140 that is waiting in advance at a predetermined position on the + X axis direction side, transferred in the −X axis direction, and transferred to the transfer position P5 with the wafer stage WST. The At this time, the position of the mark 144 provided on the hand unit 143 of the load slider 140 is detected, and the wafer W is transferred to the center table CT1 of the wafer stage WST in a state where the error accompanying the conveyance by the load slider 140 is corrected. .

  Next, the center table CT1 of the wafer stage WST is lowered, held by suction on the wafer holder, transported to a predetermined exposure position by the wafer stage WST, and an image of the pattern of the reticle R is exposed on the wafer W by the exposure main body. Then, the wafer stage WST is moved again, and the wafer W is positioned at the delivery position P5.

  At this time, the hand portion 153 of the unload slider 150 is positioned at the delivery position P5, and the wafer W after the exposure processing is delivered to the hand portion 153 of the unload slider 150. Next, the wafer W is transferred by the unload slider 150 to the transfer position P6 with the unload robot 130 and transferred to the hand unit 134 of the unload robot 130. FIG. 6 shows the relative positional relationship between the hand portion 134 of the unload robot 130 and the hand portion 153 of the unload slider 150 when the wafer W is transferred at the transfer position P6.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the hand portion 134 of the unload robot 130 and the hand portion 153 of the unload slider 150 are each centered as described above with each pair of finger portions 135a, 135b, 155a, 155b. Since they are formed asymmetrically with respect to the axes A2 and A3, the central axes A2 and A3 are not obliquely interfered with each other, and the suction grooves 136a and 136b of the hand portions 134 and 153 or the suction The wafer W can be delivered in a state where the center of the wafer W is positioned inside the polygon formed by the pins 156a and 156b and the non-suction pins 156c. The wafer W transferred to the hand unit 134 of the unload robot 130 is transferred to the transfer position P8 with the load robot 120 via the initial position P7 of the unload robot 130 and transferred to the hand unit 124 of the load robot 120. . FIG. 7 shows the relative positional relationship between the hand unit 124 of the load robot 120 and the hand unit 134 of the unload robot 130 when the wafer W is transferred at the transfer position P8.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the hand portion 124 of the road robot 120 and the hand portion 134 of the unload robot 130 are arranged so that each pair of finger portions 125a, 125b, 135a, 135b has their respective central axes as described above. Since they are formed asymmetrically with respect to A1 and A2, they do not interfere with each other in the state where the central axes A1 and A2 are obliquely crossed, and the suction grooves 126a, 126b or 136a, The wafer W can be delivered while the center of the wafer W is positioned inside the polygon formed by 136b. A predetermined shelf for unloading the wafer W transferred to the hand unit 124 of the load robot 120 to the inside of the wafer carrier WC installed at the hoop position P1 or to the developing device of the transfer table 160 (transfer position P2). It is conveyed to.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the hand unit 153 of the unload slider 150 and the hand unit 134 of the unload robot 130, and the hand unit 134 of the unload robot 130 and the hand unit 124 of the load robot 120 are mutually connected. Since the wafers W can be delivered without interfering with each other in a state where the central axes A1, A2, A3 (traveling directions) are obliquely crossed, if the central axes are not set parallel to each other as in the prior art, Compared to a configuration in which delivery is not possible, there are fewer restrictions on the arrangement of each part, the degree of freedom in design can be increased, and the overall size of the transfer device can be reduced.

  Further, the wafer W is placed inside a region (polygon) formed by the suction grooves 126a and 126b, the suction grooves 136a and 136b, and the suction pins 156a and 156b and the non-suction pins 156c of the respective hand portions 124, 134, and 153. Since the wafer W is transported with the center of the wafer W positioned, the wafer W remains in the hand portions 124, 134, and 153 even if the negative pressure adsorption stops or becomes insufficient due to some trouble. Less falling from the Furthermore, when some kind of trouble occurs and the position and posture of each of the hand portions 124, 134, and 153 in the road robot 120, the unload robot 130, and the unload slider 150 become unknown, each road robot 120, the unload robot 130, and the unload slider 150 need to return to the origin. Even in this case, the origin can be returned without interfering with each other. It can be recovered.

  In the above-described embodiment, the wafer W is transferred between the articulated robots (between the load robot 120 and the unload robot 130), and the slider (the unload robot 130 and the unload slider 150) that is linearly driven with the articulated robot. However, the present invention can also be applied to the transfer of the wafer W between the linearly driven sliders.

  In the above-described embodiment, the step-and-scan type exposure apparatus has been described as an example of the exposure apparatus, but the present invention can also be applied to a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus. In addition to exposure apparatuses used for manufacturing semiconductor elements, exposure apparatuses used for manufacturing liquid crystal display elements, plasma displays, thin film magnetic heads, and image sensors (CCDs, etc.), reticles, and masks are manufactured. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that transfers a circuit pattern to a glass substrate or a silicon wafer. In other words, the present invention can be applied regardless of the exposure method and application of the exposure apparatus.

  A semiconductor element as a device includes a step of designing a function and performance of the device, a step of manufacturing a reticle based on the design step, a step of manufacturing a wafer from a silicon material, and the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment. It is manufactured through a step of exposing and transferring a pattern to a wafer, a device assembly step (including a dicing process, a bonding process, and a package process), an inspection step, and the like.

  The embodiment described above is described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and is not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiment is intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the transport apparatus that transports a substrate such as a wafer in the exposure apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to any transport apparatus that transports an object.

It is a front view which shows typically the whole structure of the exposure apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of the wafer conveyance apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the detail of the hand part of the road robot of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the detail of the hand part of the unload robot of embodiment of this invention, (A) is a top view, (B) is a side view. It is a top view which shows the detail of the hand part of the unload slider of embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the relationship in the delivery position of the hand part of the unload slider of embodiment of this invention, and the hand part of an unload robot. It is a top view which shows the relationship in the delivery position of the hand part of the unload robot of embodiment of this invention, and the hand part of a road robot.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 120 ... Road robot 124 ... Hand part 125a, 125b ... Finger part 126a, 126b ... Suction groove 130 ... Unload robot 134 ... Hand part 135a, 135b ... Finger part 136a, 136b ... Suction groove 140 Load slider 143 ... Hand part 145a, 145b ... finger part 150 ... unload slider 153 ... hand part 155a, 155b ... finger part 156a, 156b ... suction pin 156c ... non-suction pin W ... wafer WST ... wafer stage

Claims (5)

In a transport device that transports an object to a predetermined position,
A transport apparatus comprising: a hand portion including a pair of finger portions each including at least one holding portion for horizontally holding the object and being asymmetrical with respect to a predetermined central axis. In a transport device that transports an object to a predetermined position,
A plurality of holding units for holding the object horizontally are included, and the center of gravity of the object held by the holding unit is located in an area having the plurality of holding units as vertices or sides when the object is transported A conveying device comprising a hand unit in which at least one of the shape and arrangement of the plurality of holding units is set. In a transport device that transports an object to a predetermined position,
A first hand portion having a pair of first finger portions each of which is linearly movable along a first direction toward a predetermined delivery position and includes at least one holding portion for holding the object horizontally. When,
A pair of second parts that are linearly movable along a second direction intersecting the first direction toward the predetermined delivery position, each including at least one holding part for holding the object horizontally. A second hand part having a finger part,
When one hand part of the first hand part and the second hand part is at the predetermined delivery position, the other hand part does not interfere with the one hand part with respect to the predetermined delivery position. The pair of first fingers are configured to be asymmetric with respect to the first central axis so that the pair of first fingers can be advanced or retracted, and the pair of second fingers is asymmetric with respect to the second central axis. A conveying apparatus characterized by comprising.   Each of the said holding | maintenance part has the adsorption | suction part formed in the circular arc shape so that the mutually opposing side between the said pair of finger parts may become concave. Conveying device. In an exposure apparatus that includes a stage for holding an object and that exposes and transfers an image of a pattern formed on a mask to the object,
An exposure apparatus comprising: the transport apparatus according to claim 1, which transports the object to the stage.

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