JP2007038360A - Articulated conveyer and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a articulated conveyer, easily controlling the synchronous operation of the respective motors, saving on wiring, and reduced in size. <P>SOLUTION: In this articulated conveyer, a plurality of arms 22, .., 52 are connected to each other to rotate through joints, a plurality of direct drive type motors 210, ..., 510 are installed at the joints, and the respective arms are rotated by the drive of each motor of the two or more motors to convey a body to be conveyed, which is loaded on the last arm. The conveyer includes: a control device 11 for converting an electric signal required for controlling the respective motors to a light signal and transmitting the same; signal converters 21, ..., 41 for converting the light signal to the electric signal and converting the electric signal to the light signal; and an optical communication means 113 for transmitting the light signal from the control device to the signal converter, wherein the respective motors are driven by the electric signal converted by the signal converter, and the drive of the respective motor is controlled according to the electric signal from the motors. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus used for a semiconductor device apparatus or a novel articulated conveyance apparatus used for an inspection apparatus.

  Conventionally, a multi-joint transport apparatus used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or an inspection apparatus has a driving method (Patent Document 1) in which joints are linked by a belt to drive each joint, and each joint is directly driven by an independent motor. There are direct drive systems (Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3), but the direct drive system is effective from the viewpoint of freedom of operation.

  In the direct drive system, it is necessary to transmit a large number of drive power supplies and control electrical signals for driving the motors of the joints to the motors installed in the joints, and control the motors. There are devices that control each motor by having a dedicated control circuit in each arm, and those that transmit all electric signals necessary for operation through a slip ring, as in Patent Document 3.

  Patent Document 4 has a plurality of arms connected to a single swiveling column that is rotationally driven by compressed air, and provides a multi-joint function for a hand operation, a rotation operation, and a tilt operation for tilting each arm. A multi-arm swivel articulated robot controlled by data communication is shown.

JP 2001-96480 A JP 2003-103490 A JP 2003-1178775 A JP-A-5-31685

  In the conventional direct drive system in which each joint of Patent Documents 2 and 3 is directly driven by an independent motor, a large number of control electric signals for controlling the motor drive power and motor position for operating each joint are supplied to each joint. It is necessary to transmit to the installed motor. In general, for transmission of motor drive power and control electrical signals, each joint is equipped with a mechanism such as a slip ring that can directly transmit power and electrical signals while rotating, and between the control device and the motor of each joint. However, when the number of signals to be transmitted increases, a signal transmission mechanism such as a slip ring becomes large, and at the same time, there are about 10 wires for each motor. Not only is necessary, but also the wiring becomes complicated, and the entire conveying device becomes large, making it difficult to reduce the size.

  In addition, in order to reduce the number of wirings, a method of controlling with a dedicated control circuit for each motor is used. In this case, it is necessary to exchange position information of each joint, and position control is difficult. Become.

  Further, Patent Document 4 does not show a multi-joint transfer device that is a multi-arm swivel robot connected to one swivel column and in which a plurality of arms are rotatably coupled to each other via joints.

  An object of the present invention is to adopt a direct drive system in which each joint is directly driven by a plurality of independent motors, and by using an optical signal to transmit an electric signal for controlling the motor, the synchronous operation of each motor can be easily performed. An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-joint transfer apparatus that can be controlled and can realize a reduction in wiring and size, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the same.

  The present invention converts a plurality of electrical signals necessary for controlling a motor that drives each joint into an optical signal, transmits communication through an optical coupling installed in each joint, and transmits the optical signal to each joint. It is characterized in that the signal is restored to an electric signal by a signal converter installed in the motor and the motor is controlled by the restored electric signal. In addition, electric signals that require direct wiring, such as motor drive power, are transmitted by slip rings, and furthermore, the motors that drive each joint are hollow, using optical signal cables from optical couplings and slip rings. It has a structure that allows electric wires to pass through.

  That is, according to the present invention, a plurality of arms are rotatably connected to each other through joints, and have a plurality of motors installed at the joints. In the multi-joint transport apparatus that transports the transported body mounted on the arm, a control device that converts an electrical signal necessary for controlling each motor into an optical signal and transmits the optical signal, and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal And a signal converter for converting an electric signal into an optical signal, an optical communication means for transmitting the optical signal from the control device to the signal converter, and each motor by the electric signal converted by the signal converter. And driving of each motor is controlled based on the electric signal from the motor.

  Each motor has a hollow motor rotating shaft, and each arm is fixed to a hollow rotating shaft fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the hollow motor rotating shaft, and rotates by the rotation of the hollow rotating shaft. Necessary electrical signals from the control device to the motors are transmitted by optical signals through optical coupling.

  The optical coupling has a rotating part fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the hollow rotary shaft and a fixing part formed to transmit light to the rotating part, and the rotating part and the fixing part are the The rotating portion has a mechanism capable of optical communication while rotating.

  The control device and the optical coupling, the optical coupling and the signal converter, and the signal converter and the optical coupling are all connected by optical fibers.

  Electrical signals necessary for driving power and direct wiring of each motor from the control device are transmitted by slip rings provided at the joints of the arms.

  The slip ring has a rotating portion fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the hollow rotary shaft and a fixing portion that is in sliding contact with the rotating portion, and electricity is transmitted from the fixed portion while the rotating portion rotates. Is done.

  The signal converter converts the optical signal from the control device into the electrical signal, and converts an electrical signal from an encoder for detecting a rotational position provided in the motor into an optical signal.

  Each arm is formed of a box, and ends thereof are rotatably connected to each other via the hollow motor rotating shaft. The optical communication means, the signal, The converter, the optical coupling, and the slip ring are housed inside the box, and have a plurality of 2 to 5.

  A motor drive relay cable for driving the motor between the control device and the slip ring and between the slip ring and the signal converter; and between the control device and the motor and the signal A motor drive cable for driving the motor is provided between the converter and the motor. The hollow rotary shaft has a structure through which the optical fiber and the motor drive relay cable are passed.

  The present invention relates to an alignment device that adjusts the center position and set position of a substrate, a load lock device that transfers the adjusted substrate between an atmospheric state and a vacuum state, and the load lock device brings the vacuum state to the vacuum state. In a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a processing apparatus for processing the substrate and a transfer robot for transferring the substrate to the alignment apparatus and the load lock apparatus, the transfer robot includes the articulated transfer apparatus described above. It is characterized by that.

  The present invention also provides a load lock device having an alignment mechanism for transferring a substrate between an atmospheric state and a vacuum state and adjusting a center position and a setting position of the substrate, and the alignment and the vacuum state that are aligned by the load lock device. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a processing apparatus for processing the substrate and a transfer robot for transferring the substrate to the load lock apparatus, wherein the transfer robot is composed of the articulated transfer apparatus described above. To do.

  The transfer robot for loading and transferring the wafer can receive the center position information of the wafer and transfer the wafer in a state where the centers of the wafer are aligned to the load lock device.

  The vacuum robot for transporting the wafer after alignment in the load lock device to the wafer processing device is provided with information on the center position of the wafer, and the wafer processing device is arranged with the wafer in the centered state. It is possible to transport to.

  With the above structure, a plurality of electrical signals can be transmitted by optical communication, and a significant reduction in wiring and size can be realized.

  According to the present invention, as a multi-joint conveyance device, a direct drive system in which each joint is directly driven by an independent motor is used, and an electric signal for motor control is converted into an optical signal and transmitted to thereby synchronize each motor. It can be easily controlled and can be reduced in wiring and size.

  A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a semiconductor substrate such as an IC / LSI needs to use a large number of processing apparatuses in order to perform various processes such as exposure, development, and inspection on a wafer. In each processing apparatus, wafers are sequentially transferred to the respective apparatuses, and processing is performed in the apparatuses.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an entire semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for sequentially transferring wafers to a wafer processing apparatus and processing the wafers. As shown in FIG. 1, a wafer processing apparatus 1 for performing each process on a wafer 7 is provided with one or more load lock apparatuses 2 that repeat a vacuum region and an atmospheric region. A wafer 7 is transferred to the load lock device 2 by a transfer robot 5, and this transfer robot 5 has a plurality of arms 6 that can move in the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions. It has a structure that can hold. Further, the transfer robot 5 takes out the wafer 7 from the wafer cassette 4 and transfers it to the wafer alignment device 3 within the operation range of the transfer robot 5.

  The wafer alignment apparatus 3 adjusts the orientation of the wafer 7 placed on the wafer mounting means 11 in the atmosphere, and the V notch or orientation flat provided on the wafer 7 is detected by an optical or mechanical detector 10. The position of the wafer 7 is set by detecting while rotating by the rotation drive unit 12. In this semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the wafer 7 must be transferred to each processing apparatus at a predetermined angle. If the wafer 7 is transported at a different angle, the processing will be performed at an incorrect position.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in order to perform notch alignment in the atmosphere, first, the wafer 7 is taken out from the cassette 4 by the transfer robot 5 and transferred to the wafer alignment apparatus 3. The wafer alignment device 3 performs notch alignment, and after the completion, the transfer robot 5 transfers to the load lock device 2 that repeats the vacuum region and the atmospheric region in order to enter the wafer processing device 1 that is always in vacuum. In the load lock apparatus 2, after the wafer 7 is mounted on the wafer mounting means 11, the gate valve 13 installed in the load lock apparatus 2 is closed and evacuated to a predetermined pressure, and then the gate valve on the wafer processing apparatus 1 side. 13 is opened, and the wafer 7 is transferred to the wafer processing apparatus 1.

  The wafer cassette 4 has one or more wafer cassettes, can store 25 wafers 7, and is used when transporting to each processing apparatus or storing.

  In the present embodiment, by installing two load lock devices 2, a wafer 7 is transferred from one load lock device 2 to the wafer processing device 1 and is processed. 7 alignment processing is performed. The wafer 7 processed by the wafer processing apparatus 1 is returned to the load lock apparatus 2 and is transferred to another process after being brought to the atmospheric state. At the same time, the alignment process of another wafer 7 is completed by the load lock apparatus 2. The wafer is transferred to the wafer processing apparatus 1 and processed. Accordingly, it is possible to sequentially perform processing without waiting for alignment processing.

  2 is a top external view of the articulated transfer device of the present invention relating to the transfer robot of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the first arm 22 is attached to the housing 110, and the first arm 22 rotates horizontally around the first rotation shaft 23. A second arm 32 is attached to the first arm 22 and rotates horizontally around the second rotation shaft 33. Similarly, a third arm 42 is attached to the second arm 32, and a fourth arm 52 is attached to the third arm 42, and they are attached so as to rotate horizontally around the third rotation shaft 43 and the fourth rotation shaft 53, respectively. A grip hand 56 is attached to the fourth arm 52 so that a work (not shown) can be gripped by the grip hand 50 and conveyed to a predetermined position. As shown in FIG. 2, each arm has a box shape, and the joint portion will be described below with reference to FIG.

  The first motor 210 is fixed to the housing 110, and the rotating portion 24 of the first motor 210 is fixed to the first rotating shaft 23 that is a hollow rotating shaft. As a result, the first rotary shaft 23 is also rotated in synchronism with the rotation of the hollow motor rotary shaft by the first motor 210 and the first arm 222 is rotated.

  The second motor 310 is fixed to the first arm 22, and the rotating portion 34 of the second motor 310 is fixed to the second rotating shaft 33 formed of a hollow rotating shaft. Accordingly, the second rotary shaft 33 is also rotated in synchronization with the rotation of the hollow motor rotary shaft by the second motor 310, and the second arm 32 is rotated.

  The third motor 410 is fixed to the second arm 32, and the rotating portion 44 of the third motor 410 is fixed to the third rotating shaft 43 formed of a hollow rotating shaft. As a result, the third rotating shaft 43 is rotated in synchronization with the rotation of the hollow motor rotating shaft by the third motor 410, and the third arm 42 is rotated.

  The fourth motor 510 is fixed to the third arm 42, and the rotating portion 54 of the fourth motor 510 is fixed to the fourth rotating shaft 53 formed of a hollow rotating shaft. Accordingly, the fourth rotary shaft 53 is also rotated in synchronization with the rotation of the hollow motor rotary shaft by the fourth motor 510, and the fourth arm 52 is rotated.

  A rotating portion 25 of the first slip ring 118 is fixed to the first rotating shaft 23, and a fixing portion 26 of the first slip ring 118 is fixed to the housing 110. The first slip ring 118 is a mechanism capable of directly transmitting an electric signal and electric power while rotating. A first optical coupling 117 is installed on the first rotating shaft 23, a fixed portion 28 of the first optical coupling 117 is fixed to the housing 110, and the rotating portion 27 is fixed to the first rotating shaft 23. In synchronization with the rotation of the first rotating shaft 23, the rotating portion 27 of the first optical coupling 117 also rotates. The first optical coupling 117 has a mechanism capable of transmitting an optical signal while rotating.

  A rotating portion 35 of the second slip ring 218 is fixed to the second rotating shaft 33, and a fixing portion 36 of the second slip ring 218 is fixed to the first arm 22. The second slip ring 218 can directly transmit an electric signal and electric power while rotating. A second optical coupling 217 is installed on the second rotating shaft 33, a fixed portion 38 of the second optical coupling 217 is fixed to the first arm 22, and the rotating portion 37 is fixed to the second rotating shaft 33. . In synchronization with the rotation of the second rotating shaft 33, the rotating portion 37 of the second optical coupling 217 also rotates. The second optical coupling 217 has a mechanism capable of transmitting an optical signal while rotating.

  A rotating portion 45 of a third slip ring 318 is fixed to the third rotating shaft 43, and a fixing portion 46 of the third slip ring 318 is fixed to the second arm 32. The third slip ring 318 can directly transmit an electric signal and electric power while rotating. A third optical coupling 317 is installed on the third rotating shaft 43, a fixed portion 48 of the third optical coupling 317 is fixed to the second arm 32, and the rotating portion 47 is fixed to the third rotating shaft 43. . In synchronization with the rotation of the third rotating shaft 43, the rotating portion 47 of the third optical coupling 317 also rotates. The third optical coupling 317 has a mechanism capable of transmitting an optical signal while rotating.

  A rotating portion 55 of a fourth slip ring 418 is fixed to the fourth rotating shaft 53, and a fixing portion 56 of the fourth slip ring 418 is fixed to the third arm 42. The fourth slip ring 418 can directly transmit an electric signal and electric power while rotating.

  The joint portion of the first arm 22 has a first motor 210, a first slip ring 118, a first optical coupling 117, and a first rotating shaft 23, and is synchronized with the rotating operation of the first motor 210. The arm 22 is a rotating mechanism. In the first arm 22, a motor drive relay cable 212, an optical fiber 213, and a first signal converter 21 are installed. The motor drive relay cable 212 and the optical fiber 213 are connected to the first signal converter 21. A second motor drive cable 215, a motor drive relay cable 214, and an optical fiber 216 are arranged from the first signal converter 21. The second motor drive cable 215 is connected to the second motor 310 and drives the second motor 310. The motor drive relay cable 214 is connected to the motor drive relay cable 312 via the second slip ring 218. The optical fiber 216 transmits an optical signal to the optical fiber 313 via the second optical coupling 217.

  The joint portion of the second arm 32 includes a second motor 310, a second slip ring 218, a second optical coupling 217, and a second rotation shaft 33, and the second motor 310 is synchronized with the rotation operation of the second motor 310. The arm 32 is a rotating mechanism. A motor drive relay cable 312, an optical fiber 313, and a second signal converter 31 are installed in the second arm 32. The motor drive relay cable 312 and the optical fiber 313 are connected to the second signal converter 31. A third motor drive cable 315, a motor drive relay cable 314, and an optical fiber 316 are arranged from the second signal converter 31. The third motor drive cable 315 is connected to the third motor 410 and drives the third motor 410. The motor drive relay cable 314 is connected to the motor drive relay cable 412 via the third slip ring 318. The optical fiber 316 transmits an optical signal to the optical fiber 413 through the third optical coupling 317.

  The joint portion of the third arm 42 has a third motor 410, a third slip ring 318, a third optical coupling 317, and a third rotating shaft 43, and is synchronized with the rotating operation of the third motor 410. The arm 42 is a rotating mechanism. A motor drive relay cable 412, an optical fiber 413, and a third signal converter 41 are installed in the third arm 42. The motor drive relay cable 412 and the optical fiber 413 are connected to the third signal converter 41. A third motor drive cable 415 and a motor drive relay cable 414 are arranged from the third signal converter 41. The third motor drive cable 415 is connected to the fourth motor 510 and drives the fourth motor 510. The motor drive relay cable 414 is connected via a fourth slip ring 418.

  The joint portion of the fourth arm 52 has a fourth motor 510, a fourth slip ring 418, and a fourth rotating shaft 53, and a mechanism for rotating the fourth arm 52 in synchronization with the rotating operation of the fourth motor 510. Become. A fourth motor 510 connected to the motor drive relay cable 415 is installed in the fourth arm 52. The fourth motor 510 is driven by being connected to the motor drive relay cable 415.

  An optical fiber 113, a motor drive relay cable 114, and a first motor drive cable 115 are arranged from the control device 111. In the optical fiber 113, an optical signal is transmitted to the optical fiber 213 installed in the first arm 22 through a first optical coupling 117 through a through hole provided in the first rotating shaft 23.

  The motor drive relay cable 114 directly transmits an electric signal and electric power to the motor drive relay cable 212 installed in the first arm 22 through the first slip ring 118 through a through hole provided in the first rotating shaft 23. . The first motor drive cable 115 is connected to the first motor 210 and transmits a drive signal for the first motor 210.

  The first motor 210 is driven via the first motor drive relay cable 115 by the drive power output from the control device 111 and the control electric signal. In addition, an electrical signal such as position information output from an encoder built in the first motor 210 can be transmitted to the control device 111 and controlled based on the output signal.

  The second motor 310 converts the control electrical signal output from the control device 111 into an optical signal, optically transmits the optical signal via the first optical coupling 117 capable of transmitting the optical signal while rotating, and converts the first signal. The second motor 310 is controlled by the electrical signal restored by the device 21. In addition, an electrical signal such as position information output from an encoder built in the second motor 310 is converted into an optical signal by the first signal converter 21 and transmitted to the control device 111 to be restored to the electrical signal. An output signal from the motor 310 can be controlled by the control device 111.

  The third motor 410 converts the electric signal for control output from the control device 111 into an optical signal, passes through the first optical coupling 117 and the first signal converter 21 that can transmit the optical signal while rotating, and further rotates. The third motor 410 is controlled by the electrical signal transmitted through the second optical coupling 217 capable of transmitting an optical signal and restored by the second signal converter 31. In addition, an electrical signal such as position information output from the third motor 410 is converted into an optical signal by the second signal converter 31 and transmitted to the control device 111 to be restored to an electrical signal. The output signal can be controlled by the control device 111.

  The fourth motor 510 converts the control electrical signal output from the control device 111 into an optical signal, passes through the first optical coupling 117 and the first signal converter 21 that can transmit the optical signal while rotating, and further rotates. The optical signal is transmitted through a second optical coupling 217 capable of transmitting an optical signal while passing through a second signal converter 31 and further transmitted through a third optical coupling 317 capable of transmitting an optical signal even while rotating. The fourth motor 510 is controlled by the electric signal restored by the converter 41. In addition, an electrical signal such as position information output from the fourth motor 510 is converted into an optical signal by the third signal converter 41, transmitted to the control device 111, and restored to the electrical signal to restore the electrical signal from the fourth motor 510. The output signal can be controlled by the control device 111.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the second arm to the fourth arm convert a plurality of electrical signals necessary for controlling the drive motor of each joint from the control device 111 to optical signals, Communication is transmitted via the installed optical coupling, and these optical signals are restored to electrical signals by the signal converters installed at each joint, and the motor is controlled by the restored electrical signals, and the motor drive power supply etc. An electric signal that requires wiring is taken by a slip ring. The drive motor for driving each joint is a hollow type, and has a structure for passing the optical signal cable from the optical coupling and the electric wire from the slip ring. The control signal to each motor is converted into an optical signal, and the optical signal is generated at each specific different wavelength.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, a direct drive system in which each joint is directly driven by an independent motor, and by converting almost all the motor control electrical signals except for the motor drive power supply into optical communication and transmitting the optical communication, Since the electric signal transmission mechanism for motor control can be reduced, the number of wires can be reduced and the size can be reduced. Further, since each motor is controlled from one control device, control signals to each motor can be transmitted simultaneously. Therefore, an articulated conveyance device that can easily control the synchronous operation of each motor is obtained, and the throughput can be improved in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

  In this embodiment, in place of the wafer alignment apparatus 3 of the first embodiment, the load lock apparatus having an alignment mechanism for transferring the wafer 7 between the atmospheric state and the vacuum state and adjusting the center position and the set position of the wafer 7. Can be used. By using this load lock apparatus, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a wafer processing apparatus for processing the aligned wafer 7 in a vacuum state and a transfer robot for transferring the wafer 7 to the load lock apparatus can be obtained. The load lock device of this embodiment can reduce the internal volume in the chamber by providing a sensor for detecting a notch or orientation flat indicating the orientation of the wafer 7 and the light source outside the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum state is changed from the atmospheric state. At that time, the pressure reduction operation is performed gradually at the beginning, and the orientation of the wafer 7 can be adjusted while being evacuated by a device having high vacuum evacuation after a predetermined pressure reduction.

  Furthermore, the transfer robot using the multi-joint transfer apparatus in this embodiment has a control mechanism for the center position information of the wafer 7, receives the information, and puts the center of the wafer 7 into the load lock apparatus. It can be transported. The vacuum robot that transports the wafer 7 after alignment by the load lock device to the wafer processing device also has a control mechanism for information on the center position of the wafer 7, receives the information, and keeps the wafer in a state in which the center is aligned. It can be transported to a processing device.

  In the present embodiment as well, as in the first embodiment, the electric signal for motor control can be reduced by converting the electric signal for controlling the motor into optical communication, so that the number of wirings can be reduced. In addition, since each motor is controlled from one control device, control signals to each motor can be transmitted simultaneously, so that the synchronous operation of each motor can be easily controlled, which is higher in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Throughput can be improved.

Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus It is a top view of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which used the articulated conveyance apparatus concerning this invention for the conveyance robot. It is a top view of the articulated conveyance apparatus of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the articulated conveyance apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Wafer processing apparatus, 2 ... Load lock apparatus, 3 ... Wafer alignment apparatus, 4 ... Wafer cassette, 5 ... Transfer robot, 6 ... Arm, 7 ... Wafer, 22 ... 1st arm, 32 ... 2nd arm, 42 ... 3rd arm 52 ... 4th arm 23 ... 1st rotating shaft 33 ... 2nd rotating shaft 43 ... 3rd rotating shaft 53 ... 4th rotating shaft 21 ... 1st signal converter 31 ... 2nd Signal converter 41... Third signal converter 50. Grasping hand 51. Fourth signal converter 110. Case 111. Control device 113 213 313 413 216 316 416 416 Light Fibers 114, 214, 314, 414, 212, 312, 412 ... motor drive relay cable, 115 ... first motor drive cable, 117 ... first optical coupling, 118 ... first slip ring, 210 ... One motor, 215 ... second motor drive cable, 217 ... second optical coupling, 218 ... second slip ring, 310 ... second motor, 312 ... motor drive relay cable, 315 ... third motor drive cable, 317 ... first Three light couplings, 318 ... third slip ring, 410 ... third motor, 415 ... fourth motor drive cable, 417 ... fourth optical coupling, 418 ... fourth slip ring, 510 ... fourth motor.

Claims (14)

  A plurality of arms are rotatably connected to each other via joints, and have a plurality of motors installed in the joints. The arms are rotated by driving the motors and mounted on the last arm. In the multi-joint transport device for transporting the transported body, a control device that converts an electrical signal necessary for controlling each motor into an optical signal and transmits the optical signal, and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal and the electrical signal as an optical signal. A signal converter for converting the signal to the optical converter, an optical communication means for transmitting the optical signal from the control device to the signal converter, and the electric signals converted by the signal converter for driving the motors and the motors. An articulated conveying device that controls driving of each motor based on the electrical signal from the motor.   In Claim 1, each said motor has a hollow type motor rotating shaft, and each said arm is fixed to the hollow type rotating shaft fixed to the internal peripheral surface of the said hollow type motor rotating shaft, An articulated conveying device characterized in that each arm rotates by rotation.   3. The articulated conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein a necessary electrical signal from the control device to each motor is transmitted by an optical signal through an optical coupling.   4. The optical coupling according to claim 3, wherein the optical coupling includes a rotating part fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the hollow rotary shaft, and a fixing part formed to transmit light to the rotating part. The articulated conveying device having a mechanism capable of optical communication while the rotating portion rotates with the fixed portion.   5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the control device and the optical coupling, the optical coupling and the signal converter, and the signal converter and the optical coupling are all. An articulated conveyance device characterized by being connected by an optical fiber.   6. The electric power necessary for driving power and direct wiring of each motor from the control device according to claim 1 is transmitted by a slip ring provided at the joint of each arm. An articulated conveying device.   7. The slip ring according to claim 6, wherein the slip ring includes a rotating portion fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the hollow rotary shaft and a fixing portion that is in sliding contact with the rotating portion, and the rotating portion rotates while the rotating portion rotates. A multi-joint transport device characterized in that the transmission of electricity from the device can be obtained.   7. The signal converter according to claim 1, wherein the signal converter converts the optical signal from the control device into the electrical signal and outputs an electrical signal from an encoder for detecting a rotational position provided in the motor. An articulated conveyance device characterized by converting into an optical signal.   In any one of Claims 1-8, each said arm is comprised with a box, and while each edge part is rotatably connected via the said hollow type motor rotating shaft, each said arm is connected to the last stage. The articulated conveying device is characterized in that the optical communication means, the signal converter, the optical coupling, and the slip ring are housed inside the box.   In any one of Claims 1-9, it has a motor drive relay cable which drives the motor between the control device and the slip ring and between the slip ring and the signal converter, A multi-joint transport apparatus comprising a motor drive cable for driving the motor between the motor and between the signal converter and the motor.   11. The articulated conveyance device according to claim 10, wherein the hollow rotary shaft has a structure through which the optical fiber and the motor drive relay cable are passed.   The articulated conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm has a plurality of 2 to 5 bodies.   An alignment device that adjusts a center position and a setting position of the substrate, a load lock device that transfers the adjusted substrate between an atmospheric state and a vacuum state, and the substrate that is in the vacuum state by the load lock device 13. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a processing apparatus that processes the substrate; and a transfer robot that transfers the substrate to the alignment apparatus and the load lock apparatus, wherein the transfer robot is an articulated transfer according to any one of claims 1 to 12. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising an apparatus. A load lock device having an alignment mechanism for transferring a substrate between an atmospheric state and a vacuum state and adjusting a center position and a set position of the substrate, and the substrate that has been aligned by the load lock device and is in the vacuum state 13. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a processing apparatus for processing and a transfer robot for transferring the substrate to the load lock apparatus, wherein the transfer robot comprises the articulated transfer apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

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