JP2014110358A - Unit for configuring manufacturing line and assembly method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve high assembly accuracy as a whole, even if manufacturing each processor in a unit 12 while designing separately and independently.SOLUTION: A frame 14 of the unit 12 (minimal device) includes a front chamber 24 and a processing chamber 26. A processed object is received from an adjacent unit 12 by a holding mechanism 42. In the unit 12, the processed object moves from the front chamber 24 to a processor through a window 32 in a reference plate 30. An arbitrary processor is disposed in the processing chamber 26. Assembly accuracy is ensured by providing the holding mechanism 42 or a positioning mechanism of the processor on the reference plate 30 closest to the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26 and having the strength as a partition between them.

Description

  The present invention relates to a unit having a frame with a stylized appearance and taking a predetermined manufacturing process in a manufacturing line of a workpiece and an assembling method thereof.

  2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor manufacturing line is known in which units (minimal devices) each carrying a certain manufacturing process are arranged (Patent Document 1). In this semiconductor manufacturing line, a semiconductor wafer is accommodated in a sealed case and is transferred from unit to unit for processing. Only the inside of the unit and the wafer transfer system have a clean room structure. Therefore, there is a feature that a large clean room is unnecessary and it is suitable for small-lot production of various varieties.

JP 2012-54414 A

In order to build a semiconductor production line in a small space, the units are arranged close to each other. The unit is structured with a frame with a stylized appearance. As a result, the layout can be easily changed by changing the process order or adding a new process.

  However, it is said that a suitable unit size suitable for this purpose is a relatively slim unit having a height of about 200 cm, a width of 30 cm, and a depth of about 60 cm. For example, an apparatus for processing a half-inch wafer (semiconductor wafer) is accommodated in this narrow space. Specifically, for example, a process apparatus such as a resist coating apparatus, an exposure apparatus, a developing apparatus, and an etching apparatus.

  All of these process devices are highly specialized and are designed and manufactured separately for each device. However, a coordinated operation for transferring the semiconductor wafers being processed to each other is necessary, and high mounting position accuracy is required when a plurality of process apparatuses are incorporated in the same unit. This caused the productivity of the unit to decrease.

In addition to the process apparatus as described above, for example, a semiconductor wafer inspection apparatus, an analysis apparatus, or a storage management apparatus is incorporated in the same unit and used. The units incorporating such various processing apparatuses have the above-mentioned common problems.
In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a unit having a structure capable of automatically realizing a required high assembly (attachment) accuracy of a processing apparatus and an assembly method thereof.

The following configurations are means for solving the above-described problems.
<Configuration 1>
A unit for arranging a unit 12 having a stylized frame 14 each carrying a certain process to form a line for processing an object to be processed, the unit comprising the following elements: .
(A) The frame 14 includes a front chamber 24 and a processing chamber 26.
(B) The front chamber 24 receives the object to be processed from the adjacent unit 12 and holds the object to be transferred to the processing chamber 26, and the object to be processed that has been processed in the processing chamber 26 is separated. A holding mechanism 42 is provided for holding the unit 12 for delivery.
(C) The processing chamber 26 includes a processing device 58 that performs a certain process on the object to be processed.
(D) The object to be processed is transferred from the front chamber 24 by an internal transfer device and delivered to the processing device 58 inside the processing chamber 26.
(E) The object to be processed processed by the processing device 58 is transferred from the processing device 58 by the internal transfer device and transferred to the holding mechanism 42 of the front chamber 24.
(F) A reference plate 30 that separates the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26 is disposed at the boundary between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26, and the workpiece to be processed transported by the internal transport device is placed on the reference plate 30. A window 32 is provided for passing therethrough.
(G) The reference plate 30 is provided with a positioning mechanism for positioning and fixing the holding mechanism 42 and the processing device 58.

<Configuration 2>
A unit characterized in that the following elements are added to the unit 12 described in Configuration 1.
(H) One or a plurality of reference plates 30 are provided in the unit 12, and an arbitrary processing device 58 is fixed to each reference plate 30.

<Configuration 3>
A unit characterized in that the following elements are added to the unit 12 according to Configuration 1 or 2.
(K) The object to be processed is a semiconductor wafer 38.
(M) The external transfer device 40 accommodates and transfers the semiconductor wafer 38 in a sealed case 36.

<Configuration 4>
A unit comprising the following elements added to the unit 12 according to any one of configurations 1 to 3.
(N) The reference plate 30 includes a positioning pin 48 or a hole 50 into which the positioning pin 48 is inserted or a positioning wall surface for positioning and fixing the holding mechanism 42 and the processing device 58.

<Configuration 5>
A unit comprising the following elements added to the unit 12 according to any one of configurations 1 to 4.
(P) The frame 14 is supported on the floor 20 via a support device 22.
(Q) The reference plate 30 is positioned so that the position of the reference plate 30 disposed between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26 of each unit 12 is in a certain relationship with the floor surface 20. It is fixed to the frame 14.

<Configuration 6>
A unit obtained by adding the following elements to the unit 12 according to the configuration 5.
(R) One of the adjacent units 12 is provided with a dedicated external transfer device 40 for transferring an object to be processed between the adjacent units 12.
(S) The object to be processed is transferred from the adjacent unit 12 by the external transfer device 40 and transferred to the holding mechanism 42 of the front chamber 24.
(T) The object to be processed is taken out from the holding mechanism 42 of the front chamber 24 by the external transfer device 40 and delivered to the adjacent units 12.

<Configuration 7>
A unit assembling method for assembling a unit including the elements described in Configuration 1 according to the following procedure.
(U) An auxiliary tool 57 having a support plate 56 and an arm 52 is used.
(V) The arm 52 has one end fixed to the support plate 56 and a marker 54 on the other end side.
(W) The support plate 56 is positioned and fixed to the reference plate 30, and the mark 54 portion of the arm 52 is disposed in the processing chamber.
(X) The processing apparatus or a part thereof is positioned based on the position of the marker 54.

<Effect of Configuration 1>
The external transfer device 40 delivers the object to be processed through the front chamber 24 between the adjacent units 12. The front chamber 24 is positioned with reference to the reference plane 16. Therefore, it is possible to clear the allowable error required when the workpiece is delivered by the external conveyance device 40 in relation to the adjacent unit 12.
On the other hand, in the unit 12, the object to be processed moves from the front chamber 24 to the processing device 58 through the window 32 of the reference plate 30.
An arbitrary processing device 58 is disposed inside the processing chamber 26, and the object to be processed moves between them. Positioning with higher accuracy is required between the processing devices 58. Therefore, a positioning mechanism common to the holding mechanism 42 and the processing device 58 is provided on the reference plate 30 having a high strength as a partition between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26. That is, the frame 14 is not used for positioning.
In this way, even if each processing device 58 is designed and manufactured separately, if it is attached to a predetermined position of the reference plate 30, high positioning accuracy can be realized between the processing devices 58.
<Effect of Configuration 2>
Various processing devices 58 can be positioned and fixed to the plurality of reference plates 30 inside the unit 12 with high accuracy.
<Effect of Configuration 3>
Outside the unit 12, the semiconductor wafer 38 is accommodated in the case 36 and transported in order to prevent contamination. On the other hand, inside the unit 12, the semiconductor wafer 38 is taken out from the case 36 and transferred. The semiconductor wafer 38 is thin and easily damaged by collision. In addition, precise attitude control is required. Safe control can be performed by positioning the processing device 58 and the like with high accuracy using the reference plate 30.
<Effect of Configuration 4>
Each processing device 58 can be easily and accurately positioned with respect to the reference plate 30 using the pins 48, the holes 50, or the walls. Note that the positioning wall surface refers to the groove 51, the ridge, or the like that fits in close contact with a part of the processing device 58. Various positioning structures may be provided in each part of the reference plate 30.
<Effect of Configuration 5>
The reference plate 30 attached to the frame 14 is positioned in consideration of the relative relationship with the adjacent unit 12. Thereby, the smooth conveyance of the to-be-processed object between the adjacent units 12 is enabled.
<Effect of Configuration 6>
A device for conveying a workpiece exclusively between these units 12 is provided in any of the units 12 adjacent to each other among the plurality of units 12 arranged in a line. The floor surface 20 on which the unit 12 is arranged has irregularities, and it cannot be expected that the entire line is flat with high accuracy. That is, there are many cases where it is impossible to position all the units 12 by precisely aligning them. If a dedicated transport device is provided between the adjacent units 12, the flatness of the floor 20 is not greatly affected. It is sufficient to adjust only the positional relationship between them.
<Effect of Configuration 6>
The auxiliary tool 57 can be used to accurately position any processing device or part thereof with respect to the reference plate 30 before incorporating other devices.

It is an external appearance perspective view of the Example of the frame of a unit. It is an external appearance perspective view of the case used for conveyance of a semiconductor wafer. It is a front view of two units which show the example of an external conveyance device. It is the schematic which shows the arrangement | sequence method of a some unit. It is a perspective view which shows the installation structure to the floor surface of the unit 12. FIG. It is a principal part perspective view of an anterior chamber. It is a perspective view of a reference plate. It is a perspective view which shows the Example of the auxiliary tool 57 of a unit. It is a perspective view which shows the usage method of the auxiliary tool 57. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modified example of the reference plate 30. FIG.

  In general, a plurality of units that cooperate with each other are arranged upright at regular intervals with each unit upright on the basis of the floor on which the units are installed. Unify unit standards and adjust the positional relationship between adjacent units.

  Various devices are fixed to the frame of the unit. In general, marks are made at various points on the frame of the unit, and each device is positioned in accordance with the marks.

  However, in the case of a minifab system for processing semiconductor wafers, the accuracy required for positioning a processing apparatus incorporated in the unit is about one digit higher than the assembly accuracy of the unit frame. A processing apparatus incorporated in a unit for semiconductor wafer processing has a positioning tolerance of about 1/10 mm.

  The unit's frame is not very thick and durable so that it does not become overweight. Moreover, the aggregate used for the frame is long, and it is almost impossible to achieve the above-described high-accuracy positioning over the entire frame.

  Further, a method of performing relative positioning between the processing apparatuses is also conceivable. A method of positioning based on the transport mechanism of the transport apparatus is also conceivable. However, in that case, if there is no reference device, another device cannot be attached. If the reference device is exchanged, the overall arrangement will be out of order. Adjustment is unsuccessful when the transport device and the plurality of processing devices are individually designed and manufactured.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the reference plate disposed between the front chamber near the center of the frame and the processing chamber is used for positioning the device inside the unit. In addition to the reference plate, one or more sub-reference plates can be provided inside the unit. The position of each sub reference plate with respect to the position of the reference plate may be positioned with positioning accuracy on the surface of the reference plate.

  An arbitrary processing device is fixed to each reference plate. Each processing device may be required to have a highly accurate positional relationship. For example, there are cases where a plurality of processing apparatuses sequentially perform processing on a semiconductor wafer that is supported and fixed at a certain place. In some cases, processing is performed while delivering a semiconductor wafer between a plurality of processing apparatuses.

In such a case, the semiconductor wafer support and fixing device and the plurality of processing devices may be positioned and fixed on the reference plate or sub-reference plate with high accuracy.

  In addition, the person in charge of designing and manufacturing the processing apparatus only needs to realize the requested function with the required size on the corresponding reference plate, and the division of roles becomes easy.

  On the other hand, outside the unit, the semiconductor wafer is accommodated in a case and transported. The transport of the case between adjacent units does not require as much accuracy as the inside of the unit. The relative positional relationship between the front chambers of each unit may be in a certain range.

  However, if there is a height difference or unevenness on the floor surface, it is difficult to adjust the relative position between the units far away. Actually, since it is usual to pass kaes between adjacent units, it is better to adjust the relative position only between adjacent units.

  At this time, the frame is configured such that the position of the reference plate disposed between the front chamber and the processing chamber of each unit has a certain relationship with the floor surface. This can ensure positioning between sufficiently adjacent units. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of a unit frame.
Each unit 12 is configured to perform a certain manufacturing process. In this figure, only the part of the frame 14 which is stylized of the unit 12 is shown. As described in Patent Document 1, for example, the units 12 are arranged in the order of processes to constitute a manufacturing line for processing a semiconductor wafer.

  As already described, some of the units 12 have functions such as inspection, analysis, and storage of an object to be processed, and the units 12 are arranged in an optimal layout according to the application. Since the standard of the unit 12 is standardized, it is possible to use a combination of a processing object transport device and a processing device without distinguishing the manufacturer. A system using this type of minimal apparatus has been developed as suitable for a high-mix low-volume production line of semiconductor devices, but can be widely used for production and inspection of various other products. In the following embodiments, a description will be given by taking a semiconductor device as an example of an object to be processed.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a case used for transporting a semiconductor wafer.
As shown, the case 36 is sealed with the semiconductor wafer 38 placed on the bottom lid 37. For example, one 0.5 inch semiconductor wafer 38 is accommodated in the case 36. As shown in Patent Document 1, the case 36 is a container for containing a semiconductor wafer 38 in a sealed manner. Since the semiconductor wafer 38 is protected by the case 36, the semiconductor wafer 38 can be exchanged between the units 12 without a clean room.

  The frame 14 shown in FIG. 1 includes a front chamber 24 and a processing chamber 26 at positions indicated by broken lines in the drawing. The front chamber 24 includes a holding mechanism 42 that receives and temporarily holds the case 36. The semiconductor wafer 38 is taken out from the case 36 by the holding mechanism 42. The semiconductor wafer 38 (object to be processed) held by the holding mechanism 42 is transferred from the front chamber 24 to the processing chamber 26. The processing chamber 26 includes a processing device 58 that performs a certain process on the semiconductor wafer 38.

  The semiconductor wafer 38 is subjected to a photoresist process, an etching process, and the like by the processing apparatus 58. The semiconductor wafer 38 processed in the processing chamber 26 is returned to the holding mechanism 42 in the front chamber 24. Then, the holding mechanism 42 accommodates the case 36 again.

FIG. 3 is a front view of two units showing an embodiment of the external transfer device.
In this figure, only the upper part of two units 12 adjacent to each other is schematically illustrated. As shown in the figure, the case 36 held by the holding mechanism 42 is taken out by being hung by the transfer machine 41 of the external transfer device 40 attached to one unit 12 and delivered to the adjacent unit 12. . The external transfer device 40 may be a dedicated device for transferring an object to be processed between adjacent units.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method of arranging a plurality of units. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the installation structure of the unit 12 on the floor surface.
The units 12 shown in FIG. 3A are arranged close to each other as shown in FIG. 3B, for example. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the three units 12 are operated in a coordinated manner, they are accurately positioned on the floor surface 20. For example, four support devices 22 are attached to the bottom surface of the unit 12. For example, the support device 22 is adjusted so that the bottom surface of the unit 12 coincides with the common reference plane 16.

  However, it is difficult to precisely adjust and position the numerous units 12 only by adjusting the length of the support device 22. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4A, a fixing device 34 for fixing each unit 12 is attached to the floor surface 20. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the unit 12 is fixed to the fixing device 34, the plurality of units 12 can be positioned on the floor surface 20. Thereby, the space | interval of an adjacent unit can be arrange | equalized with 5 mm, for example.

  In addition, in the line which arranged many units, there is no guarantee that the whole floor surface which installed each unit is necessarily flat. When the workpiece such as the semiconductor wafer 38 is automatically transferred, the height is adjusted between adjacent units, and the two are aligned within the allowable error range that the external transfer device 40 can absorb. It's enough.

  That is, each unit may be positioned so as to have a certain positional relationship with the adjacent frame. Therefore, the external transfer device 40 may be a dedicated device for transferring an object to be processed between adjacent units. In addition, what is necessary is just to position by the arbitrary references | standards about the unit which does not exchange a to-be-processed object between adjacent units. That is, when the frame is configured such that the position of the reference plate (FIG. 1) disposed between the front chamber of each adjacent unit and the processing chamber (FIG. 1) is in a fixed relationship with the floor surface. Good.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the main part of the anterior chamber.
As shown, a reference plate 30 is fixed to the frame 14 at the boundary between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26. A gate valve 46 and a holding mechanism 42 are fixed on the front chamber 24 side of the reference plate 30. As described with reference to FIG. 3, the holding mechanism 42 holds the case 36 containing the semiconductor wafer 38.

  A mechanism for taking out the semiconductor wafer 38 from the case 36 is provided at the holding mechanism 42. The semiconductor wafer 38 taken out from the case 36 is transferred to the processing chamber 26 side through the window 32 by the internal transfer device 44. For example, a processing apparatus 58 for etching the semiconductor wafer 38 is fixed to the processing chamber 26 side of the reference plate 30. The semiconductor wafer 38 delivered and processed by the processing device 58 is sent to the cleaning device accommodated in the processing chamber 26, for example, and after the cleaning processing, is taken out by the internal transfer device 44 and again held by the holding mechanism 42. Is passed on.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the reference plate.
As described above, the reference plate 30 is disposed at the boundary between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26 to separate them. The reference plate 30 is provided with a window 32 through which the semiconductor wafer 38 transferred by the internal transfer device 44 passes. In the example of FIG. 6, the gate valve 46 is fixed to the window 32. The gate valve 46 is provided when the processing chamber 26 constitutes a vacuum apparatus for vapor deposition processing or the like. The configuration of the gate valve 46 is the same as that provided in a known semiconductor manufacturing facility or the like.

  The reference plate 30 is provided with a positioning mechanism for positioning and fixing the holding mechanism 42 and the processing device 58 shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 7, the pin 48, the hole 50, and the groove 51 correspond to the positioning mechanism. The reference plate 30 is made of, for example, a stainless steel plate or a chrome-plated iron plate having a thickness of 9 mm. The surface processing accuracy is less than a dozen microns. Therefore, when positioning is performed on the surface of the reference plate 30, positioning can be performed with an accuracy of 0.1 mm or less of a required tolerance.

  The processing device 58 is a device having functions such as resist coating, exposure, development, and etching. If the pins 48, the holes 50, and the grooves 51 are provided, any processing apparatus can be easily positioned with high accuracy with respect to the reference plate 30. The groove 51 forms a positioning wall surface on any surface of the reference plate 30. The positioning wall surface is a groove, a ridge or the like that fits in close contact with a part of the processing apparatus. Various positioning structures may be provided in each part of the reference plate.

  Inside the unit 12, the semiconductor wafer 38 is exposed and transferred for processing. The semiconductor wafer moves between the front chamber 24 and the processing apparatus through the window 32 of the reference plate 30. The semiconductor wafer 38 is thin and easily damaged by collision. In addition, precise attitude control is required. If the holding mechanism 42 and the processing apparatus are positioned with high accuracy using the reference plate 30, precise posture control becomes possible.

  The tolerance of the dimension and inclination of the frame 14 is, for example, 1 mm to 1.5 mm, and is about 0.5 mm even when the accuracy is higher. On the other hand, the tolerance of the mounting position of the processing device 58 is, for example, about 0.1 mm, and higher accuracy is required. Therefore, when the processing device 58 is fixed to the frame 14, high-precision positioning becomes difficult. Therefore, the positioning pins 48 and the like are provided on the reference plate 30 that is closest to the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26 and has strength as a partition wall therebetween. Since the devices that require high positioning accuracy are concentrated in the vicinity of the reference plate 30, this structure can be said to be optimal.

  If it is determined that the holding device 42 and the processing device 58 are fixed to a specific place on the reference plate 30, even if each device is designed and manufactured by a separate department or manufacturer, the assembly accuracy is automatically increased as a whole. realizable.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the auxiliary tool 57 of the unit. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing how to use the auxiliary tool 57.
The processing chamber 26 of the unit 12 may include a processing apparatus that cannot be directly fixed to the reference plate 30. Even in the case of the processing device 58 having a part fixed to the reference plate 30, it may be desired to check the positioning accuracy of the part away from the reference plate 30. Further, there is a case where it is desired to position the processing device in relation to the device in the front chamber 24 in a state where nothing is attached to the front chamber 24. The auxiliary tool 57 shown in the figure is used in such a case.

  In FIG. 8, the auxiliary tool 57 includes a support plate 56 and an arm 52. One end 59 of the arm 52 is fixed to the support plate 56. A sign 54 is attached to the other end 60 of the arm 52. The shape of the support plate 56 can be arbitrarily selected according to the shape of the reference plate 30. The shape of the arm 52 is also arbitrary, and may be curved as long as accuracy can be maintained.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the support plate 56 is positioned and fixed on the surface of the reference plate 30 facing the front chamber 24, for example. Then, the arm 52 is protruded from the window 32 of the reference plate 30 to the processing chamber 26 side. Thus, one end 59 of the arm 52 is positioned on the reference plate 30, and the marker 54 provided on the other end 60 indicates a point in the space inside the processing chamber 26. In this example, no other device is attached to the front chamber side of the reference plate 30 yet. On the other hand, since various apparatuses will be fixed to the processing chamber side of the reference plate 30 from now on, it is desired to open them. Therefore, the support plate 56 is fixed to the front chamber side of the reference plate 30, and the arm 52 is protruded to the processing chamber 26 side through the window of the reference plate 30.

  For example, the position of a part of any of the processing apparatuses can be finely adjusted with reference to the position of the above-described marker 54 for positioning. Before the entire front chamber 24 is assembled, the inside of the processing chamber may be assembled. Even in this case, if the reference plate 30 and the auxiliary tool 57 are used, the positioning and operation of the processing apparatus can be confirmed. That is, it can be confirmed whether or not the processing device functions correctly in relation to the position of the sign 54.

  As described above, by providing a positioning reference on the reference plate 30 provided on the frame 14, the holding mechanism 42 and the processing device 58 can be incorporated into the unit 12 with high accuracy.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified example of the reference plate 30.
The frame 14 of the unit in the figure is schematically indicated by a broken line. In addition to the reference plate 30, this unit includes two sub reference plates 31a and 31b. As described in the previous embodiment, the reference plate 30 is disposed at the boundary between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26. The sub-reference plate 31 a is in contact with the reference plate 30 and is orthogonal to the reference plate 30. Further, a reference plate 31b oriented parallel to the floor surface is disposed vertically below the auxiliary reference plate 31a.

  Both the reference plate 31a and the reference plate 31b can fix various processing apparatuses with positioning accuracy on the surface of the reference plate 30. The reference plate 30, the sub-reference plate 31a, and the sub-reference plate 31b are positioned relative to each other with high accuracy. That is, the positions of the sub-reference plates 31a and 31b with respect to the positions of the reference plates 30 Positioning with positioning accuracy on 30 planes.

  In this embodiment, the reference plate 30, the sub-reference plate 31a, and the sub-reference plate 31b are arranged so as to be in contact with each other. Thereby, the precision of the relative positioning between several reference | standard plates is securable. However, they may be fixed to the frame 14 apart from each other as long as they are arranged sufficiently close to each other or connected by some highly accurate connecting means.

12 Unit 14 Frame 16 Reference plane 20 Floor 22 Support device 24 Front chamber 26 Processing chamber 30 Reference plate 31a Sub-reference plate 31b Sub-reference plate 32 Window 34 Fixing device 36 Case 37 Bottom lid 38 Semiconductor wafer 40 External transfer device 41 Transfer machine 42 holding mechanism 44 internal transfer device 46 gate valve 48 pin 50 hole 51 groove 52 arm 54 mark 56 support plate 57 auxiliary tool 58 processing device 59 one end 60 other end

Claims (7)

A unit for arranging a unit 12 having a stylized frame 14 each carrying a certain process to form a line for processing an object to be processed, the unit comprising the following elements: .
(A) The frame 14 includes a front chamber 24 and a processing chamber 26.
(B) The front chamber 24 receives the object to be processed from the adjacent unit 12 and holds the object to be transferred to the processing chamber 26, and the object to be processed that has been processed in the processing chamber 26 is separated. A holding mechanism 42 is provided for holding the unit 12 for delivery.
(C) The processing chamber 26 includes a processing device 58 that performs a certain process on the object to be processed.
(D) The object to be processed is transferred from the front chamber 24 by an internal transfer device and delivered to the processing device 58 inside the processing chamber 26.
(E) The object to be processed processed by the processing device 58 is transferred from the processing device 58 by the internal transfer device and transferred to the holding mechanism 42 of the front chamber 24.
(F) A reference plate 30 that separates the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26 is disposed at the boundary between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26, and the workpiece to be processed transported by the internal transport device is placed on the reference plate 30. A window 32 is provided for passing therethrough.
(G) The reference plate 30 is provided with a positioning mechanism for positioning and fixing the holding mechanism 42 and the processing device 58. A unit comprising the following elements added to the unit according to claim 1.
(H) In addition to the reference plate 30, one or a plurality of sub reference plates 31 are provided in the unit 12, and an arbitrary processing device 58 is fixed to the sub reference plate 31. Yes.
(J) The position of the sub reference plate 31 with respect to the position of each reference plate 30 is positioned with positioning accuracy on the surface of the reference plate 30. A unit comprising the following elements added to the unit 12 according to claim 1.
(K) The object to be processed is a semiconductor wafer 38.
(M) The external transfer device 40 accommodates and transfers the semiconductor wafer 38 in a sealed case 36. A unit characterized by adding the following elements to the unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
(N) The reference plate 30 includes a positioning pin 48 or a hole 50 into which the positioning pin 48 is inserted or a positioning wall surface for positioning and fixing the holding mechanism 42 and the processing device 58. The unit which added the following element with respect to the unit 12 in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4.
(P) The frame 14 is supported on the floor 20 via a support device 22.
(Q) The reference plate 30 is positioned so that the position of the reference plate 30 disposed between the front chamber 24 and the processing chamber 26 of each unit 12 is in a certain relationship with the floor surface 20. It is fixed to the frame 14. A unit comprising the following elements added to the unit according to claim 5.
(R) One of the adjacent units 12 is provided with a dedicated external transfer device 40 for transferring an object to be processed between the adjacent units 12.
(S) The object to be processed is transferred from the adjacent unit 12 by the external transfer device 40 and transferred to the holding mechanism 42 of the front chamber 24.
(T) The object to be processed is taken out from the holding mechanism 42 of the front chamber 24 by the external transfer device 40 and delivered to the adjacent units 12. A unit assembling method for assembling a unit including the element according to claim 1 according to the following procedure.
(U) An auxiliary tool 57 having a support plate 56 and an arm 52 is used.
(V) The arm 52 has one end fixed to the support plate 56 and a marker 54 on the other end side.
(W) The support plate 56 is positioned and fixed to the reference plate 30, and the mark 54 portion of the arm 52 is disposed in the processing chamber.
(X) The processing apparatus or a part thereof is positioned based on the position of the marker 54.

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