JP2008130752A - Semiconductor manufacturing device and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor manufacturing device which can suppress the generation of dust formed by rubbing and improve the yield of a formed semiconductor device by holding a wafer vertically and without shifting the wafer when transferring and transporting the wafer in order to allow the wafer to be subjected to a batch process, and its control method. <P>SOLUTION: A semiconductor manufacturing device comprises a treatment apparatus 2 for treating a wafer 1, a transporting system 3 for transporting the wafer into or from the treatment apparatus 2 or transporting the wafer in the treatment apparatus 2, a transporting system member 4 for housing and transporting the plurality of wafers 1 in the transporting system 3, a transporting system supporting unit 5 which supports the transporting system member 4 in the transporting system 3, a weight detecting mechanism 6 for detecting a variation in weight load in the transporting system supporting unit 5 when the wafer 1 is transferred, and a position adjusting mechanism 7 for correcting a variation in position from a reference position caused by the variation in the weight load. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs batch processing by transporting, for example, a semiconductor substrate and a control method thereof.

  In general, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, for example, a batch type cleaning apparatus is used for performing wet cleaning processing on a plurality of wafers simultaneously. In such a batch type processing apparatus, for example, in a 300 mm wafer, only the wafer in the FOUP is transferred using a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) or the like, and delivery between the transfer system and the processing apparatus is performed.

  For example, 25 slots (grooves) are provided in the FOUP, and one lot (25 sheets) of wafers can be stored. Then, in order to process one batch or two lots into one batch, the batch is converted into a vertical position, and then transferred to a vertical transfer system, and further transferred to a processing apparatus.

  At this time, the number of wafers to be processed in one batch is not constant. For example, the number of wafers varies from 1 to 50, and the mounting position also varies. Therefore, the weight load during transportation also varies. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, when the number of sheets is 0 (solid line) and when the number of sheets 50 is loaded (broken line), the processing batch (wafer 101) is supported from the lower part or supported by the upper part. Since the arm 114 is not a perfect rigid body, the amount of deflection varies due to a change in weight load at the time of transfer (for example, when 0 sheets are loaded and when 50 sheets are loaded).

  Usually, in the transfer system, for example, in a state where there is no wafer load, alignment and transfer at the reference position is performed. However, since the transfer position shifts due to the fluctuation of the deflection amount, the shift causes rubbing with the slot portions (104a, 114a) in contact with the wafer, and rubbing dust is generated. Such rubbing dust becomes a foreign matter and adheres directly to the wafer, or diffuses into the wet cleaning treatment tank, for example, and thus adheres secondarily during wafer processing. In addition, there arises a problem that a yield is lowered due to problems such as a mask in a process such as exposure, etching, and film formation, and contact resistance is increased.

Conventionally, a method has been proposed in which a fork is horizontally adjusted so that the fork on which the wafer is mounted does not come into contact with the process tube when the wafer is put in and out of the process tube for heat treatment (for example, Patent Document 1 [0008] ], [0009], FIG. 1 etc.). However, although the level is maintained when the wafer is taken in and out of the process tube, there is a problem that the level cannot be obtained when the wafer is transferred to the fork.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-114566

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor device that is formed by suppressing generation of rubbing dust between a wafer and a transfer system by holding the wafer vertically and without misalignment when transferring and transferring wafers for batch processing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of improving the yield and its control method.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a processing apparatus for processing a wafer, a transport system for carrying the wafer in or out of the processing apparatus, or transporting the wafer in the processing apparatus, and the transport system, A transport system member for storing and transporting a plurality of the wafers, a transport system support unit for supporting the transport system member in the transport system, and a weight in the transport system support unit when the wafer is transferred A semiconductor comprising: a weight detection mechanism that detects a change in load; and a position adjustment mechanism that corrects a position change from a reference position due to the change in the weight load based on the detected change in the weight load. A manufacturing apparatus is provided.

  Further, according to one aspect of the present invention, when the wafer is transferred into or out of a processing apparatus for processing the wafer by a transfer system, or transferred in the processing apparatus, and the wafer is transferred, Provided is a method for controlling a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein a variation in weight load in a transport system is detected, and a position variation from a reference position due to the variation in weight load is corrected based on the detected variation in weight load. Is done.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, when transferring and transporting wafers for batch processing, the wafers can be held vertically and without misalignment, and generation of rubbing dust between the wafers and the transport system can be prevented. Therefore, the yield of the formed semiconductor device can be improved.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, a wet cleaning device 2 for processing a plurality of wafers 1 (processing batch), and a transfer system 3 for transferring the wafer 1 to or from the wet cleaning processing device 2; A transport system 13 is provided for transport in the wet cleaning processing apparatus 2. The wafer 1 is held in the slot 4 a of the transfer system member 4 such as a lifter in the transfer system 3, and is held in the slot 14 a of the transfer system member 14 in the transfer system 13. The transport system members 4 and 14 are supported by transport system support portions 5 and 15 when transported by the transport systems 3 and 13, respectively. Then, the weight detection mechanisms 6 and 16 for detecting the variation of the weight load in the transport system support portions 5 and 15 respectively, and the variation (inclination) from the reference position (horizontal) of the transport system support portions 5 and 15 are corrected. Position adjusting mechanisms 7 and 17 are provided. The wet cleaning processing apparatus 2 is provided with a processing tank 8 for cleaning the wafer 1. Furthermore, a wafer counter (not shown) for detecting the number of wafers is installed.

  Using such a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the wafer is transferred, transferred, and wet-cleaned by the flow shown in FIG. First, a carrier to be processed is selected from a carrier (not shown) that carries the wafer 1 processed in the previous process, and wafer information such as the number of wafers in the carrier and the slot position is detected by a wafer counter (step 1). ).

  Next, the wafer 1 is extracted from the carrier (step 2), and the wafer 1 is moved to move the position in order to vertically convey the wafer 1 (step 3).

  Then, the moved wafers 1 are collected into a processing batch (step 4). At this time, the number of wafers 1 collected in a processing batch for one batch processing may be one lot (25 sheets) or less. Alternatively, for example, a plurality of lots such as 2 lots (50 sheets) may be used, which are set as appropriate according to the processing capability in the wet cleaning processing apparatus 2 and the supply amount of the wafer, and are not particularly limited. Here, lot information (batch set information) that is simultaneously collected into a processing batch is acquired.

  Next, the processing batch is converted into a vertical position, transferred to the transport system 3 and vertically held by the transport system member 4 for vertical transport to the wet cleaning processing apparatus 2 (step 5). At this time, in the transport system 3, a change in the weight load is detected by the weight detection mechanism 6 that detects the weight load in the transport system support unit 5 that supports the transport system member 4 (step a), and the detected weight load is detected. The position adjustment mechanism 7 corrects in advance the amount of deflection (positional deviation) in the transport system 4 based on the change in the above and the wafer information detected in step 1 and the batch set information acquired in step 4 (step b). That is, when the processing batch is transferred to the transport system 3, the deflection amount (positional deviation) of the transport system member 4 that varies depending on the number of mounted wafers 1 obtained in advance from the moment when the heavy load is generated is determined by the weight load. Correct according to. At this time, although the weight load gradually fluctuates, it is preferable to correct the deflection amount (positional deviation) of the transport system member 4 following such a change over time.

  Next, the processing batch vertically transported by the transport system 3 is moved to a delivery position with the wet cleaning processing apparatus 2 and transferred to the transport system 13 on the wet cleaning processing apparatus 2 side (step 6). Also at this time, similarly to step 5, in the transport system 13, a change in the weight load is detected by the weight detection mechanism 16 that detects the weight load at the transport system support portion 15 that supports the transport system member 14 (step a). ) Based on the detected change in weight load, the wafer information detected in step 1 and the batch set information acquired in step 4, the position adjustment mechanism 17 preliminarily determines the amount of deflection (position shift) in the transport system 14. It is corrected (step b).

  The processing batch received in the transfer system 13 of the wet cleaning processing apparatus 2 is subjected to a predetermined processing in the processing tank 8 of the wafer cleaning processing apparatus 2 (step 7). At this time, since the buoyancy acts on the wafer 1 and the transfer system member 14 due to the processing liquid in the processing tank 8 and the load weight fluctuates, the deflection amount (positional deviation) in the transfer system 4 is corrected in advance as in Step 5. Is done.

  After the processing is completed, the processed batch is transferred from the transport system 13 of the wet cleaning processing apparatus 2 to the transport system 3 (step 8). At this time, similarly to step 5, the deflection amount (positional deviation) in the transport system 4 is corrected in advance.

  Then, the processing batch is transported in the reverse route to the conventional route, divided into processing batches, and then stored in a carrier (not shown) for transporting to a subsequent process (step 9).

  In this way, the amount of deflection that occurs at each transfer is corrected, so that the wafer can always be held vertically and without misalignment, and friction between the wafer and the transfer system member can be suppressed. Therefore, generation of dust due to rubbing can be suppressed. And it becomes possible to improve the yield of the semiconductor device formed through such processing steps.

  In this embodiment, the carrierless transport is performed, but the carrierless is not necessarily required, and even when transporting using the carrier, generation of dust due to rubbing between the slot in the carrier and the wafer can be suppressed. It becomes.

  Further, although the lifter is used as the transport system member, a transport robot may be used as shown in FIG. The wet cleaning apparatus is used as the processing apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to apparatuses that perform batch processing, such as other heat treatment apparatuses.

  In this embodiment, when detecting wafer information, the number of wafers in the carrier is detected by the wafer counter. However, the wafer information may be detected when the wafer is transferred to the transfer system member.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above. Various other modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the flow in which the conveyance of the wafer in 1 aspect of this invention, a transfer, and a process are carried out. The figure which shows the conveyance system member with which the wafer was hold | maintained in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of 1 aspect of this invention. The figure which shows the conveyance system member with which the wafer was hold | maintained in the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The figure which shows the conveyance system member with which the wafer was hold | maintained in the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,101 ... Wafer, 2 ... Wet cleaning processing apparatus, 3, 13 ... Transfer system 4, 14, 104, 114 ... Transfer system member, 4a, 14a, 104a, 114a ... Slot (groove), 5, 15 ... Transfer System support part, 6, 16 ... Weight detection mechanism, 7, 17 ... Position adjustment mechanism, 8 ... Processing tank

Claims (5)

A processing apparatus for processing the wafer;
A transfer system for transferring the wafer into or out of the processing apparatus or in the processing apparatus;
In the transfer system, a transfer system member for storing and transferring a plurality of the wafers;
In the transport system, a transport system support unit that supports the transport system member;
When transferring the wafer, a weight detection mechanism that detects a change in weight load in the transport system support,
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a position adjustment mechanism for correcting a position change from a reference position due to the change in the weight load based on the detected change in the weight load. A wafer detection mechanism for detecting information on the wafer placed on the transfer system member,
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position adjusting mechanism is capable of correcting a position variation based on information on the wafer. In the weight detection mechanism, a change in weight load is detected over time,
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position adjustment mechanism corrects the position fluctuation over time based on the detected fluctuation of the weight load. The wafer is carried into or out of a processing apparatus for processing the wafer by a transfer system, or is transferred in the processing apparatus,
When transferring the wafer, it detects a change in weight load in the transfer system,
A method for controlling a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: correcting a position change from a reference position due to the change in the weight load based on the detected change in the weight load. Detecting information of the wafer placed on the transfer system member;
5. The method of controlling a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein position fluctuation is corrected based on the information of the wafer.

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