JP2010267761A - Substrate storing container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate storing container such that the height of a container body is made low when supported with positioning pins of a substrate processing device etc., the capacity needed to support the container body is reduced, the container body is substantially accurately positioned, and a valve and a predetermined device are connected to suppress leakage of a gas. <P>SOLUTION: The substrate storing container includes a lid body 20 for opening and closing the opened front of the container body 1 for semiconductor wafer storage, a plurality of purge valves 30 fitted to the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1 to replace gases inside and outside it, and a plurality of positioning tools 40 arranged on the bottom plate 3, and is supported in the substrate processing device. The plurality of positioning tools 40 are each constituted of a plurality of Z-direction positioning tools 41 which come into contact with the substrate processing device to position the container body 1 in a Z direction, an XY-direction positioning tool 43 which fits to the positioning pin of the substrate processing device to position the container body 1 in XY directions, and an X-direction positioning tool 46 which fits to the positioning pin to position the container body 1 in the X direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate storage container used when storing, storing, transporting, transporting, or the like, a substrate made of a semiconductor wafer or mask glass.

  In recent years, the wiring pitch of semiconductor components has been narrowed and miniaturized, and in view of such trends, substrate storage containers for storing semiconductor wafers are required to have a high degree of sealing performance and automation of handling. Yes. In view of such a demand, a type of substrate storage container with a check valve used for gas purging has been developed (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Although not shown, the substrate storage container with a check valve includes a container main body for storing a semiconductor wafer, and a lid body for opening and closing the front surface of the container main body. A stop valve and a positioning tool are provided.

  The semiconductor wafer is formed into a thin plate having a size of, for example, φ300 mm or 450 mm, and the container body is formed according to this size. In addition, the container body is formed in a front open box type that arranges and stores multiple semiconductor wafers one above the other, and is positioned and mounted on a semiconductor processing device or gas replacement device with the open front facing sideways. Is done.

  Through holes are respectively drilled in the vicinity of the four corners of the bottom plate of the container body, and check valves communicating with the inside and outside of the container body are fitted into the plurality of through holes. Also, a bottom plate is screwed to the bottom plate of the container body, and a plurality of positioning tools for positioning the substrate storage container, specifically, the container body, are provided at both the front side and the rear center of the bottom plate or the bottom plate. It is arranged.

  Each check valve includes a cylindrical valve case and a valve body supported by the valve case so as to be reciprocally movable via a spring and having an annular seal surface. Are connected to each other from above. The valve case is divided into a cylindrical case that is exposed to the outside of the container body and a holding cylinder that is detachably screwed into the cylindrical case and is positioned in the container body.

  Each positioning tool is formed in a V-shaped cross section, and this V-groove is fitted and contacted from above with a positioning pin with a rounded upper end of a semiconductor processing device or gas replacement device, and slides by centripetal action by its own weight. It functions to position the container body in the XYZ directions. The inclined surface of the V groove of the positioning tool is formed long and deep so that the positioning contact with the positioning pin is possible even when the container body is displaced.

JP 2004-179449 A JP 2002-521189 A

  The conventional substrate storage container is configured as described above, and the V groove of the positioning tool is formed long and deep in consideration of the position shift of the container body. Therefore, the positioning pins of the semiconductor processing apparatus and the gas replacement apparatus are also provided. Inevitably longer. As a result, there is a problem that the height of the container body is increased despite the desire to keep the height of the container body low. Such a problem is serious when the semiconductor wafer is a large φ450 mm type with a large amount of deflection, because the container body must be enlarged to increase the pitch interval when aligning and storing the semiconductor wafer.

  In addition, the positioning tool positions the container body by sliding due to the centripetal action due to its own weight. However, the positioning of the container body, the inclined surface of the V-groove, and the positioning pin interferes with the sliding of the container body. There is a problem that proper positioning becomes difficult and the container body tilts. In addition, if the check valve and the air supply / exhaust port of the gas replacement device are not properly connected due to the inclination of the container body, there is a risk of gas leakage and deterioration of gas purge efficiency, resulting in high purity. It is also uneconomical when using expensive nitrogen gas or the like.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and the volume required to support the container body inside the substrate processing apparatus or the like while suppressing the height of the container body when supported by the positioning pins of the substrate processing apparatus or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate storage container that can reduce the leakage of gas and suppress the leakage of gas by connecting the valve and a predetermined device.

In the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a container main body that accommodates a substrate, a lid that opens and closes an opening of the container main body, and a gas that is attached to the container main body and causes the gas inside the container main body to flow outside the container main body. It comprises a plurality of purge valves to be replaced and a plurality of positioning tools provided at the bottom of the container body, and is supported by the substrate processing apparatus,
A plurality of positioning tools includes a Z-direction positioning tool that contacts the substrate processing apparatus and positions the container body in the Z direction, and an XY-direction positioning tool that is fitted to the positioning pins of the substrate processing apparatus and positions the container body in the XY direction. And an X-direction positioning tool that is fitted to the positioning pins of the substrate processing apparatus and positions the container body in the X direction.

  The purge valve opens at one end of a hollow valve case, imparts at least air permeability to the other end of the valve case, allows gas to flow between both ends of the valve case, and allows the gas to flow. The valve to be controlled is inserted and supported so as to be able to reciprocate in the valve case, and is a hollow internal pressure adjusting valve body that opens and closes the valve case. And a gas filter interposed between the other end portion of the valve case and the internal pressure adjusting valve body and the external pressure adjusting valve body, the gas from one end portion of the valve case toward the other end portion. When the gas flows, the external pressure adjustment valve body is moved forward to open the closed internal pressure adjustment valve body, and when the gas flows from the other end of the valve case toward the one end, the internal pressure The adjustment valve is moved forward and closed It is preferable to open the space between the valve case was.

  Further, the valve case of the purge valve is divided into a cylindrical case that houses the internal pressure adjusting valve body and the external pressure adjusting valve body, and at least a hollow holding case that houses the filter and is detachably fitted to the cylindrical case. The cylindrical case has a guide inclined surface that seals the inner surface of one end of the cylindrical case in close contact with the internal pressure adjusting valve body, and supports the internal pressure adjusting valve body in the vicinity of the boundary between the one end side and the remaining portion of the cylindrical case. The part can be formed.

Further, at least the end of the Z-direction positioning tool can be formed in a cylindrical shape that contacts the support surface of the substrate processing apparatus.
Further, the Z-direction positioning tool can be formed in a cylindrical shape, and the reduced diameter cylindrical portion can be formed with a step on the end surface.
Also, Z direction positioning tools can be provided in the vicinity of the plurality of purge valves, respectively, and the end surfaces of the plurality of Z direction positioning tools can be adjusted to a height that can support the container body horizontally.
Also, Z direction positioning tools can be provided in the vicinity of the plurality of purge valves, respectively, and the end surfaces of the plurality of Z direction positioning tools can be aligned at the same height.

Further, it is possible to form at least an end portion of the Z-direction positioning tool in a cylindrical shape and to provide a Z-direction position adjusting portion on at least one of the peripheral surface and the end surface.
Further, at least end portions of the XY direction positioning tool and the X direction positioning tool are each formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the internal cross section is guided to the centering hole so that the positioning pins on the support surface of the substrate processing apparatus are guided by the inclined guide surface. It can be formed in a funnel shape.

It is also possible to form the container main body in a front open box whose front is open, and to provide the XY direction positioning tool and the X direction positioning tool on the approximate center line in the bottom width direction of the container main body at intervals. .
Further, the internal cross section of the X direction positioning tool is formed in a centering hole in a substantially funnel shape in which the positioning pin of the substrate processing apparatus is guided by the inclined guide surface, and a gap is formed between the centering hole and the positioning pin in the Y direction. It is preferable to enable dimensional adjustment to

  Here, the substrate in the claims corresponds to at least one or more semiconductor wafers (for example, φ200, 300, 450 mm type, etc.), liquid crystal substrate, glass substrate, mask glass, and the like. The substrate storage container may be a top open box type, a front open box type, or a bottom open box type. The container body of the substrate storage container is not particularly required to be transparent, opaque or translucent.

  An internal pressure adjusting valve element can be inserted into the purge valve via various spring members, and an external pressure adjusting valve element can be inserted into the internal pressure adjusting valve element via various spring members. Further, the bottom of the container body includes both the bottom plate of the container body and the bottom plate attached to the bottom plate of the container body. The gas includes at least air, nitrogen gas, silane gas, mixed gas, and the like. Furthermore, the substantially funnel shape may be a funnel shape, a Y shape, or a shape similar to these.

  According to the present invention, when the substrate storage container is supported on the substrate processing apparatus, the Z-direction positioning tool comes into contact with the support surface of the substrate processing apparatus, and the container body of the substrate storage container is positioned in the Z direction and supported. An XY-direction positioning tool is fitted to the positioning pin protruding from the surface from above to position the container main body in the XY direction, and an X-direction positioning tool is fitted to the positioning pin protruding from the support surface from above to hold the container main body. Position in the X direction.

  It is not necessary to form the interior of the XY direction positioning tool and the X direction positioning tool long and deep in consideration of slippage of the positioning pins of the substrate processing apparatus, so that the height of the container body can be kept low. In addition, since the V-groove can be omitted, the state of the V-groove and the like is less likely to cause slippage, and the container body can be positioned and the container body can be prevented from tilting. In addition, the functions of a plurality of positioning tools are subdivided, the container body is positioned in the Z direction by the Z direction positioning tool, and the container body is positioned in the XY direction by the XY direction positioning tool and the X direction positioning tool. The container body can be positioned with high accuracy.

According to the present invention, the height of the container body when supported by the positioning pins of the substrate processing apparatus or the like can be kept low, and the volume required to support the container body inside the substrate processing apparatus or the like can be reduced. There is an effect that can be done. Further, the container main body can be positioned substantially accurately, and there is an effect that gas leakage can be suppressed by connecting the valve and a predetermined device.
In addition, if a Z-direction positioning tool is provided in the vicinity of the plurality of purge valves, and the end face of the plurality of Z-direction positioning tools is adjusted to a height that can support the container body horizontally, the height direction of the container body The dimensional variation of can be suppressed.

Further, if at least one end of the Z-direction positioning tool is formed in a cylindrical shape and a position adjusting portion for Z-direction is provided on at least one of the peripheral surface and the end surface, the positioning accuracy in the Z-direction with respect to the container body is improved. And easy position adjustment.
In addition, if the container body is formed in a front open box whose front is open, and the XY direction positioning tool and the X direction positioning tool are respectively provided on the substantially center line in the bottom width direction of the container body, the container body Can be parallel to the opening of the substrate processing apparatus.

  Furthermore, if the internal cross section of the X direction positioning tool is formed in a substantially funnel shape and a gap is formed between the centering hole and the positioning pin to enable the dimension adjustment in the Y direction, the Y direction of the XY direction positioning tool can be adjusted. It becomes possible to follow the positioning.

It is a perspective explanatory view by the side of the bottom showing typically an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a section side view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is sectional explanatory drawing which shows typically the support state in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is back explanatory drawing which shows typically embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically the positioning state of the XY direction positioning tool in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically the positioning state of the X direction positioning tool in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically the purge valve in a 2nd embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing typically a 3rd embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing a 4th embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention typically. It is a perspective explanatory view showing typically a 5th embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, a substrate storage container in the present embodiment includes a container main body 1 for storing a semiconductor wafer W, and the container main body 1. A lid 20 that opens and closes the opened front surface, a plurality of purge valves 30 that are fitted to the container body 1 and replace gas inside and outside, and a plurality of positioning tools 40 that are integrally formed on the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1. A plurality of positioning tools 40, a Z-direction positioning tool 41 for positioning the container body 1 in the Z direction, an XY-direction positioning tool 43 for positioning the container body 1 in the XY direction, and the XY-direction positioning tool 43. An X-direction positioning tool 46 that works to position the container body 1 in the X direction is supported by the substrate processing apparatus 10 including a semiconductor processing apparatus, a gas replacement apparatus, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the semiconductor wafer W is made of, for example, a thin and heavy silicon wafer of φ450 mm having a thickness of 925 μm, and a notch for alignment and identification (not shown) is cut out in a flat semicircular shape at the periphery. In the container body 1, 25 sheets are stored in an aligned manner.

  The container main body 1 and the lid 20 are each injection-molded with a molding material containing a predetermined resin. Examples of the predetermined resin in the molding material include polycarbonate, polyether ether ketone, polyether imide, and cyclic olefin resin, which are excellent in mechanical properties and heat resistance. Carbon, carbon fiber, metal fiber, carbon nanotube, conductive polymer, antistatic agent, flame retardant or the like is selectively added to the molding material as necessary.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the container body 1 is formed in an opaque front open box type in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers W are aligned and stored in the vertical direction, and the horizontally long front face is directed horizontally. In this state, the substrate is positioned and supported on the substrate processing apparatus 10 or is cleaned by the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank. A pair of left and right support pieces 2 for horizontally supporting the semiconductor wafer W are provided on both sides inside the container body 1, that is, on the inner surfaces of both side walls, and the pair of support pieces 2 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction. Is done.

  The bottom plate 3 of the container body 1 is formed with a slight inclination in the front-rear direction and overlaps with the projection area of the stored semiconductor wafer W from the viewpoint of securing a demolding taper when the container body 1 is removed from the mold. Through holes 4 are formed by drilling near the four corners on both the front and rear sides, for example, and purge valves 30 communicating with the inside and outside of the container body 1 are respectively attached to and detached from the plurality of through holes 4 through O-rings. Fits freely.

  The top plate of the container body 1 is formed with a slight inclination in the front-rear direction from the viewpoint of securing a removal taper when removed, and a top flange 5 for transportation held by a factory ceiling transportation mechanism is a fastening screw. It is screwed horizontally through. In addition, a transparent viewing window is selectively formed on the back wall of the container body 1, and the inside of the container body 1 is visually observed and grasped from the outside by the viewing window. On the surfaces of the both side walls of the container body 1, in addition to reinforcement and deformation prevention, there are provided grip portions capable of interfering with fingers and the like.

  A rim flange 6 bulging outward is formed on the front peripheral edge of the container body 1, and a detachable lid 20 is fitted into the rim flange 6 by a lid opening / closing device or manually via a gasket. Is done.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the substrate processing apparatus 10 has air supply or exhaust ports 11 built in front and rear portions thereof, and a plurality of ports 11 are processed to be flat with high accuracy. The positioning pins 13 are implanted in the front and rear portions of the support surface 12 upward. The plurality of exhaust ports 11 are connected to a vacuum device (not shown). Further, the upper end portion of the positioning pin 13 is formed into a hemispherical shape from the viewpoint of preventing damage to the XY direction positioning tool 43 and the X direction positioning tool 46.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the lid 20 includes a horizontally long casing 21 that fits in the front of the container body 1, and a surface plate 22 that covers the open surface (front) of the casing 21. The locking mechanism 23 is interposed between the casing 21 and the surface plate 22. The casing 21 of the lid body 20 is basically formed in a shallow, substantially cross-sectional dish shape, and a front retainer that elastically holds the semiconductor wafer W is detachably attached to the center of the back surface. The

  The locking mechanism 23 is not particularly limited, but for example, a pair of left and right rotating plates that are rotated by operating pins of the lid opening / closing device that penetrates the operating port 24 of the surface plate 22 and rotation of each rotating plate. Accordingly, a plurality of slide plates that slide in the vertical direction and a plurality of locking claws that protrude from the housing 21 as the slide plates slide and engage with the locking holes on the inner periphery of the rim flange 6 are configured.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, a plurality of purge valves 30 are preferably used as a pair of left and right purge valves 30 positioned at the rear of the inside of the container body 1 for supplying air. A pair of left and right purge valves 30 located in front of the interior is used for exhaust. The supply purge valve 30 is connected to the supply port 11 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 to supply an inert gas such as nitrogen gas into the container body 1. The exhaust purge valve 30 is connected to the substrate processing apparatus 10. It is connected to the exhaust port 11 and functions to evacuate air from the inside of the container body 1 to the outside.

  Each purge valve 30 is inserted into and supported by a split case valve case 31 fitted in the through-hole 4 of the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1 and reciprocally movable in the valve case 31 via a coil spring, and opens and closes the valve case 31. And a filter for gas filtration interposed between the valve case 31 and the valve body.

  When the inert gas is supplied from the outside into the container body 1, such a purge valve 30 is raised by compressing the coil spring by the supply pressure of the inert gas, and the valve case 31. The flow path between is opened. By opening this flow path, the inert gas is supplied into the container body 1 from the outside via the flow path of the purge valve 30.

  On the other hand, when the inert gas is supplied, the pressure in the container body 1 increases, and when the air in the container body 1 is exhausted to the outside, the valve body is lowered by the coil spring due to the air pressure. Then, the flow path between the valve case 31 and the valve case 31 is opened. By opening the flow path, air is exhausted from the inside of the container body 1 to the outside of the container body 1 via the flow path of the purge valve 30.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 to 7, the plurality of positioning tools 40 are arranged in the vicinity of the plurality of purge valves 30 so that the Z-direction positioning tools 41 are close to each other. The XY direction positioning tool 43 and the X direction positioning tool 46 are disposed on the center line CL of the center line CL with a space therebetween. The XY direction positioning tool 43 and the X direction positioning tool 46 are arranged such that the XY direction positioning tool 43 is positioned in front of the container main body 1 and the X direction positioning tool 46 is positioned in line with the rear of the container main body 1. It functions to make the front surface of the main body 1 parallel to the opening of the substrate processing apparatus 10 facing each other.

  A plurality of (four in this embodiment) Z-direction positioning tools 41 are adjusted to a height at which the flat end surface 42 of the end protruding downward from the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1 supports the container body 1 horizontally. It is located near both the front and rear sides of the bottom plate 3 in the state of being close to the purge valve 30. In view of the inclination of the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1, the plurality of Z-direction positioning tools 41 are low in the Z-direction positioning tool 41 positioned in front of the bottom plate 3 and high in the Z-direction positioning tool 41 positioned behind the bottom plate 3. It is formed.

  Each Z-direction positioning tool 41 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that contacts the support surface 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 10, supports the container body 1 horizontally on the support surface 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 10, and this container body 1 Functions in the Z direction (height direction).

  The XY-direction positioning tool 43 is formed in a hollow bottomed cylindrical shape, is fitted from above to the positioning pin 13 protruding from the support surface 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 10, and contacts the support surface 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 10. Instead, the container body 1 is positioned in the X direction (width direction) and the Y direction (depth direction), respectively.

  The inside of the XY direction positioning tool 43 is directed downward from the end of the centering hole 44 and a round centering hole 44 having a U-shaped cross section that fits with the positioning pin 13 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 through a slight gap. Accordingly, the positioning pin 13 is formed in a cross-sectional funnel shape having an inclined guide surface 45 for the positioning pin 13 that gradually expands, and is guided by sliding contact with the inclined guide surface 45 into the centering hole 44 by automatic centering. Mates with high accuracy.

  The X-direction positioning tool 46 is formed in a hollow bottomed cylindrical shape, is fitted from above to the positioning pin 13 protruding from the support surface 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 10, and cooperates with the XY-direction positioning tool 43 while being a container body. It functions to position 1 in the X direction. The X-direction positioning tool 46 has a centering hole 44A having a substantially U-shaped section that loosely fits with the positioning pin 13 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 and gradually expands from the end of the centering hole 44A downward. The positioning pin 13 is formed in the shape of a funnel section having an inclined guide surface 45 for the positioning pin 13 to be opened, and is guided in sliding contact with the inclined guide surface 45. The positioning pin 13 is fitted into the centering hole 44A by automatic centering.

  Unlike the centering hole 44 of the XY direction positioning tool 43, the centering hole 44A of the X direction positioning tool 46 is formed in the shape of a long hole or a split pin extending in the Y direction, and is used for tracking with the positioning pin 13 of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The gap 47 is loosely fitted to follow the positioning in the Y direction of the XY direction positioning tool 43, and the dimension adjustment in the Y direction is made possible.

  Of the Z-direction positioning tool 41, the XY-direction positioning tool 43, and the X-direction positioning tool 46, at least the XY-direction positioning tool 43 and the inclined guide surface 45 of the X-direction positioning tool 46 are slidably contacted with the positioning pin 13 and centered. In addition, it is molded by a predetermined molding material with low wear and slidability. Specific examples include polyacetal, polyethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyether ether ketone, and the like. From the viewpoint of improving the sliding characteristics, a fluororesin, a silicone resin, or the like is selectively added to the molding material.

  In the above configuration, when the substrate storage container is supported on the substrate processing apparatus 10, the end face 42 of the Z-direction positioning tool 41 comes into contact with the flat support surface 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 and the container main body 1 is moved to the Z position. The XY-direction positioning tool 43 is fitted to the positioning pin 13 protruding from the support surface 12 from above to position the container body 1 in the XY direction, and to another positioning pin 13 protruding from the support surface 12. An X-direction positioning tool 46 is fitted from above to position the container body 1 in the X direction.

  At this time, the inclined guide surface 45 of the XY-direction positioning tool 43 slides in contact with the hemispherical upper end portion of the protruding positioning pin 13 and shifts downward, and the positioning pin 13 is guided into the centering hole 44 and fitted with high accuracy. To do. Similarly, the inclined guide surface 45 of the X-direction positioning tool 46 is in sliding contact with the hemispherical upper end portion of the protruding positioning pin 13, and the positioning pin 13 is guided and fitted into the centering hole 44A. With these fittings, the purge valve 30 of the container body 1 is appropriately connected to the port 11 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 from above.

  According to the above configuration, it is not necessary to form the interiors of the XY direction positioning tool 43 and the X direction positioning tool 46 long and deep in consideration of the sliding of the positioning pin 13, so that the height of the container body 1 and related devices is kept low. This can contribute to space saving and storage convenience. Further, since the V-groove can be omitted, the container main body 1 can be accurately positioned and the container main body 1 can be prevented from being tilted without hindering sliding due to the state of the V-groove or the like. .

  Further, the container body 1 is positioned in the Z direction only by the support surface 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 and the Z direction positioning tool 41, and the container body 1 is positioned in the XY direction by the XY direction positioning tool 43 and the X direction positioning tool 46, respectively. Therefore, the container main body 1 can be positioned with high accuracy in the height direction.

  Therefore, with the inclination of the container body 1, the purge valve 30 and the air supply / exhaust port 11 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 are not properly connected, and it is possible to effectively wipe out the possibility of causing gas leakage. . Further, it is possible to improve the efficiency of gas purging and economically use high-purity expensive nitrogen gas or the like. Furthermore, since the purge valve 30 and the Z-direction positioning tool 41 of the container main body 1 are close to each other, the dimension in the height direction of the container main body 1 is unlikely to vary and stable support can be expected.

  Next, FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the purge valve 30 is divided into a valve case 31 having a divided structure that is fitted into the through hole 4 of the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1. The valve case 31 is inserted and supported so as to be able to reciprocate through a coil spring 64 having an enlarged diameter, and a hollow internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 for opening and closing the valve case 31. A coil spring 67 having a reduced diameter in the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 is provided. Is inserted and supported so as to be able to reciprocate through the external pressure adjustment valve body 65, and is disposed between the internal pressure adjustment valve body 62 and the external pressure adjustment valve body 65 in the upper end portion of the valve case 31. The filter holder 68 is provided, and the filter holder 68 holds the filter 69 for gas filtration.

  The valve case 31 accommodates the combined internal pressure adjustment valve body 62 and external pressure adjustment valve body 65 and is exposed to the outside of the container body 1, and accommodates the filter holder 68 and the cylindrical case 51. And a holding case 52 that is detachably screwed from inside the container body 1 and is fitted into the through hole 4 of the container body 1 from the inside and outside through a spacer ring 53 and a loosening prevention ring 54. The cylindrical case 51 is basically formed in a cylindrical shape, and the lower end portion side of the inner peripheral surface thereof is formed to expand outward in the radial direction, and the linearly inclined inner surface on the lower end portion side is an internal pressure adjusting valve body 62. The guide inclined surface 55 seals closely.

  The inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical case 51 is formed with a screw 56 that is threadedly engaged with the holding case 52 in the circumferential direction on the upper end side, and in the radial inner direction near the boundary between the upper end side and the lower end side. A projecting flat ring-shaped support portion 57 is formed, and a flat ring-shaped holding projection 58 is formed on the flat upper surface of the support portion 57, and the internal pressure adjusting valve element 62 is a coil spring on the holding projection 58. It is positioned and held via the lower end portion of 64. In addition, a plurality of minute projections 59 that are engaged with and come into contact with the loosening prevention ring 54 are arranged on the upper end surface of the cylindrical case 51 at intervals.

  The holding case 52 is basically formed in a cylindrical shape, and a screw groove 60 that is screwed into the screw 56 of the cylindrical case 51 is formed in the circumferential direction at the lower portion of the outer peripheral surface thereof. A lattice-shaped partition rib that contacts the filter 69 is installed on the part, and is detachably fitted in the through hole 4 of the container body 1 through an airtight O-ring 61. In the circumferential direction of the inner peripheral surface of the holding case 52, a plurality of locking holes for the filter holder 68 are formed at intervals.

  The spacer ring 53 is formed in a ring that fits into the holding case 52, and when the purge valve 30 is fitted into the through hole 4 of the container body 1, the peripheral edge of the through hole 4 and the upper end of the holding case 52 with a flange. Between the container main body 1 and the container main body 1 so as to function to correct a dimensional error associated with the demolding taper when the molded container main body 1 is removed from the mold.

  The loosening prevention ring 54 is formed in a ring that fits into the holding case 52, and when the purge valve 30 is fitted into the through hole 4 of the container body 1, the peripheral portion of the through hole 4 and the cylindrical case 51 of the valve case 31. Between the container main body 1 and the outside. The loosening prevention ring 54 has a plurality of projections and depressions on the lower surface, and the plurality of projections and depressions are engaged with and in contact with the microprotrusions 59 of the cylindrical case 51 facing each other. It functions to prevent the case 51 from loosening and falling off.

  The internal pressure regulating valve body 62 is basically formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter smaller than that of the holding case 52, and a notch is formed in the circumferential surface on the lower end portion side so as to be recessed in the circumferential direction. An airtight O-ring 61 </ b> A that elastically contacts the guide inclined surface 55 of the case 51 is fitted, and a gas flow path is formed between the inner surface of the valve case 31. The upper end side of the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 is formed in a substantially funnel shape in a radially outward direction, is close to the inner surface of the holding case 52 with a slight gap, and is locked to the upper end portion of the coil spring 64. The inner surface is an external pressure adjusting valve body 65 and a guide support slope 63 for its coil spring 67.

  In the vicinity of the boundary between the upper end side and the lower end portion of the inner surface of the internal pressure regulating valve body 62, a stepped portion that interferes with the upper end portion of the coil spring 67 is formed so as to protrude radially inward. Further, the coil spring 64 is fitted to the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 from the outside and supported by the support portion 57 of the cylindrical case 51, and elastically biases the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 upward.

  The external pressure adjusting valve body 65 is basically formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that is slightly shorter than the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62, and a flange is formed to protrude radially outward at the lower end portion of the external pressure adjusting valve body 65. The lower end is supported, and a gas flow path is formed between the inner pressure regulating valve body 62 and the inner surface.

  A notch is formed in the circumferential surface on the upper end portion side of the external pressure adjusting valve body 65 in the circumferential direction, and an airtight O-ring 61B that elastically contacts the guide support slope 63 of the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 is fitted into this notch. Is done. The coil spring 67 is fitted to the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 from the inside and is interposed between the stepped portion and the flange of the external pressure adjusting valve body 65, and elastically biases the external pressure adjusting valve body 65 downward.

  The filter holder 68 is formed in a short breathable cylindrical shape or ring, and a lattice-shaped partition rib is installed in the opening thereof, and the filter 69 is supported on the partition rib. The filter 69 is detachably fitted therein and functions to hold the filter 69 between the partition ribs. On the outer peripheral surface of the filter holder 68, a plurality of locking claws are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction, and each locking claw is locked in the locking hole of the holding case 52 so that the filter holding tool 68 is Fix the positioning.

  The filter 69 is formed into a thin disk using a material such as high-purity alumina or polytetrafluoroethylene, for example, and removes particles in the gas flowing through the filter holder 68 to contaminate the semiconductor wafer W or the like. To prevent.

  Next, a case where the air in the container main body 1 is replaced with an inert gas or the like using the bidirectional purge valve 30 will be described. The purge valve 30 before replacement has an internal pressure on the guide inclined surface 55 of the cylindrical case 51. The O-ring 61A of the adjustment valve body 62 is tightly sealed, and the O-ring 61B of the external pressure adjustment valve body 65 is tightly sealed with the guide support slope 63 of the internal pressure adjustment valve body 62, so that the gas is introduced into and out of the container body 1. Will not leak due to errors.

  Next, when the inert gas is supplied into the container body 1 from the outside, the external pressure adjusting valve body 65 is raised while compressing the coil spring 67 due to the supply pressure of the inert gas, and the O-ring 61B is moved up. The internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 is separated from the guide support slope 63, and the flow path between the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 and the external pressure adjusting valve body 65 is opened. By opening this flow path, the inert gas is supplied into the container body 1 from the outside via the flow path of the purge valve 30.

  When the supply of the inert gas is stopped, the external pressure adjusting valve body 65 is lowered by the restoring action of the coil spring 67 to bring the O-ring 61B into close contact with the guide support slope 63 of the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62. The O-ring 61B of the valve body 65 is appropriately brought into close contact while being guided by the tapered guide support slope 63, and ensures a good sealing state.

  Next, when the inert gas is supplied, the pressure in the container main body 1 increases, and when the air in the container main body 1 is exhausted to the outside, the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 causes the coil spring 64 to be moved by the air pressure. While being compressed, the O-ring 61A is separated from the guide inclined surface 55 of the cylindrical case 51, and the flow path between the valve case 31 and the internal pressure adjusting valve body 62 is opened. By opening the flow path, air is exhausted from the inside of the container body 1 to the outside of the container body 1 via the flow path of the purge valve 30.

  When the pressure in the container main body 1 decreases, the internal pressure adjusting valve element 62 rises due to the restoring action of the coil spring 64 to bring its O-ring 61A into close contact with the guide inclined surface 55 of the cylindrical case 51. At this time, the internal pressure adjusting valve The O-ring 61A of the body 62 is appropriately brought into close contact while being guided by the tapered guide inclined surface 55 to ensure a good sealing state. The other parts are substantially the same as those in the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the same effect as the above embodiment can be expected, and the bidirectional purge valve 30 that can be used for both gas supply and gas exhaust is used. There is no need for both a stop valve and a check valve for gas exhaust, and there is no need to pay attention to the directionality of the purge valve 30. Therefore, the operation of attaching the plurality of purge valves 30 to the container body 1 becomes extremely easy, and the operation can be simplified and speeded up.

Next, FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the Z-direction positioning tool 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a thin reduced-diameter cylindrical portion 70 is formed from the flat end face 42. A step 71 is provided to project downward. The other parts are substantially the same as those in the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.
Also in this embodiment, the same effect as the above embodiment can be expected, and the reduced diameter cylindrical portion 70 is formed with a step 71 from the end face 42 of the Z-direction positioning tool 41 to improve the rigidity. Obviously, significant suppression of deformation of the direction positioning tool 41 can be expected.

Next, FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the Z-direction positioning tool 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the end surface 42 of the flat end portion is used for the Z-direction. A plurality of position adjustment protrusions 72 are arranged at intervals.
Each position adjustment protrusion 72 is formed in a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, a hemispherical shape, or the like as necessary. The other parts are substantially the same as those in the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  In this embodiment, it is obvious that the same effect as the above embodiment can be expected, and that the positioning adjustment projection 72 for the Z direction can be expected to greatly improve the positioning accuracy in the Z direction and facilitate the position adjustment. It is.

Next, FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the Z-direction positioning tool 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a Z-direction position adjusting ring 73 is formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The necessary number is provided.
One Z-direction position adjusting ring 73 may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the Z-direction positioning tool 41, or a plurality of Z-direction position adjusting rings may be provided. The other parts are substantially the same as those in the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be expected, and the position adjustment ring 73 for the Z direction can be expected to greatly improve the positioning accuracy in the Z direction and facilitate the position adjustment.

  In the above embodiment, the Z-direction positioning tool 41 is integrally formed on the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1. However, a separate Z-direction positioning tool 41 may be detachably attached to the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1. The Z-direction positioning tool 41 may be the same thickness as the bottom plate 3 of the container body 1 or may be thin. Further, it may be a tapered hollow truncated cone shape that gradually becomes thinner as it goes downward. Further, the Z-direction positioning tool 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the thin reduced-diameter cylindrical portion 70 is formed so as to protrude downward from the flat end surface 42 in a multistage manner, or the thin reduced-diameter cylindrical portion 70 is directed downward. It can also be formed in a stepped manner.

1 Container body 3 Bottom plate (bottom)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Substrate processing apparatus 11 Port 12 Support surface 13 Positioning pin 20 Lid 30 Purge valve 31 Valve case 40 Positioning tool 41 Z direction positioning tool 42 End surface 43 XY direction positioning tool 44 Centering hole 44A Centering hole 45 Inclined guide surface 46 X direction Positioning tool 47 Clearance 62 Internal pressure adjusting valve element 65 External pressure adjusting valve element 68 Filter holder 69 Filter 70 Reduced diameter cylindrical part 71 Step 72 Position adjusting projection (position adjusting part)
73 Position adjustment ring (position adjustment part)
CL Center line W Semiconductor wafer (substrate)

Claims (7)

A container main body for storing the substrate, a lid for opening and closing the opening of the container main body, a plurality of purge valves attached to the container main body for replacing the gas in the container main body with the gas outside the container main body, and the bottom of the container main body A plurality of positioning tools provided in the substrate storage container supported by the substrate processing apparatus,
A plurality of positioning tools includes a Z-direction positioning tool that contacts the substrate processing apparatus and positions the container body in the Z direction, and an XY-direction positioning tool that is fitted to the positioning pins of the substrate processing apparatus and positions the container body in the XY direction. A substrate storage container comprising: an X-direction positioning tool which is fitted to a positioning pin of the substrate processing apparatus and positions the container main body in the X direction.   The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein at least an end portion of the Z-direction positioning tool is formed in a cylindrical shape that contacts a support surface of the substrate processing apparatus.   The substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a Z-direction positioning tool is provided near each of the plurality of purge valves, and an end surface of each of the plurality of Z-direction positioning tools is adjusted to a height capable of supporting the container body horizontally. .   4. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein at least an end portion of the Z-direction positioning tool is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a position adjusting portion for the Z direction is provided on at least one of the peripheral surface and the end surface. .   At least end portions of the XY direction positioning tool and the X direction positioning tool are each formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and a substantially funnel shape in which a positioning pin of a support surface of a substrate processing apparatus is guided by an inclined guide surface through a centering hole of the inner cross section. 5. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the substrate storage container is formed as described above.   The container main body is formed in a front open box whose front is open, and an XY direction positioning tool and an X direction positioning tool are provided on the substantially center line in the bottom width direction of the container main body at intervals. The board | substrate storage container of crab.   The internal cross section of the X direction positioning tool is formed in a centering hole, and the positioning pin of the substrate processing apparatus is formed in a substantially funnel shape guided by an inclined guide surface. A gap is formed between the centering hole and the positioning pin, and the dimension in the Y direction The substrate storage container according to claim 5 or 6, wherein adjustment is possible.

Images