JP2014136263A - Suction device, and conveying apparatus with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a suction device for generating a suction force using Bernoulli effect in which a negative pressure area is prevented from remaining after stopping gas supply, thereby reducing possibility of drawing particles existing in the circumference to a workpiece.SOLUTION: A suction device includes: an opening part 51 for generating a negative pressure, the opening part 51 that is opened on a downward surface, by which a radial flow comprising an air flow F radially flowing by gas supply is generated in a space between a downward surface and a workpiece W, and an area surrounded by the radial flow in the space between the downward surface and the workpiece W can be made a negative pressure area X depressurized more than an ambient pressure that is a gas pressure existing around the suction device; and an opening part 221 for releasing the negative pressure, the opening part that is opened on a downward surface and can supply a gas for boosting the negative pressure area X more than the ambient pressure between the downward surface and the workpiece W.

Description

  The present invention relates to a suction device capable of generating a suction force by an air current and sucking a workpiece, and a transport device including the suction device.

  There is an adsorbing device that adsorbs a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer for conveyance or the like by generating a suction force due to a pressure difference caused by an air flow by using the Bernoulli effect (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this suction device, conveyance or the like can be performed in a non-contact manner except for contact for positioning the workpiece on the device. Therefore, this suction device is suitable for uses such as conveyance of workpieces that dislike contamination. Further, since the work is attracted from above, when the work is gripped and transported, a moving pin or the like necessary for floating the work upward from the work storage container is unnecessary.

  As described above, among suction devices using the Bernoulli effect, there is a device configured to suck a workpiece by forming a negative pressure region in a space between the suction device and the workpiece. A schematic configuration of this apparatus is shown in FIG. The adsorption device 50 is connected to the apparatus main body 501 and a supply for supplying gas (inert gas, air in which particles (floating fine particles) are reduced by a filter, etc.) to the apparatus main body 501. And an air pipe 502. An airflow passage 503 is formed inside the apparatus main body 501 and is connected to an air supply pipe 502. This airflow passage 503 is a passage having a substantially annular cross section whose diameter dimension increases in the vicinity of the center of the apparatus main body 501 in plan view (or bottom view) as it goes downward in the figure. The airflow passage 503 opens in a substantially annular shape on the lower surface of the apparatus main body 501. The air supply pipe 502 includes an on-off valve 504, which can supply gas to the airflow passage 503 (the state shown in FIG. 7A) or stop (the state shown in FIG. 7B).

  When the gas is passed through the air flow passage 503 through the air supply pipe 502, the air flow F directed radially outward is ejected radially below the apparatus main body 501. Then, a space closer to the center than the space immediately below the opening of the airflow passage 503 on the lower surface of the apparatus main body 501 (a space surrounded by the airflow F going in the radially outward direction) exists in the space as the airflow F is ejected. Since the gas that has been drawn is sucked in the radially outward direction, the pressure becomes negative (for the pressure distribution, see, for example, the graph in FIG. 1 in Patent Document 1). Thus, the negative pressure region X is formed in the space closer to the center. Due to the negative pressure region X, the work W located below is attracted to the apparatus body 501 located above. Note that the workpiece W is positioned by the workpiece W coming into contact with the side surface on the radially inner side of the guide portion 505 formed on the outer edge of the lower surface of the apparatus main body 501.

  Here, particles (floating fine particles) P are present around the adsorption device (at a positive pressure). Incidentally, it is difficult to prevent the particles P from being completely present even in a clean environment such as inside a clean room. If the particles P adhere to the work W, there is a possibility of causing quality troubles of the work W.

  In the state of FIG. 7A, the air flow F continues to flow. For this reason, even if the particles P are attracted to the air flow F, they are carried on the air flow F in the radially outward direction. For this reason, even in a clean environment, the slightly present particles P do not adhere to the workpiece W in the state of FIG.

  However, as shown in FIG. 7B, the negative pressure region X remains for a short time after the supply of gas to the airflow passage 503 is stopped by closing the on-off valve 504. There is a possibility that the particle P is attracted to the remaining negative pressure region X (the particle P in FIG. 7B is schematically shown, and may be different from the actual movement mode of the particle P). There).

  As described above, the remaining of the negative pressure region X after the air flow to the airflow passage is stopped should be avoided even in a short time in order to reduce the possibility that the particles P adhere to the workpiece W. It is.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-284671 (FIG. 1)

  Therefore, the present invention has an object to provide an adsorption device that reduces the possibility of attracting particles present in the surrounding area to the workpiece by suppressing the remaining of the negative pressure region after the gas supply is stopped, and a conveying device including the adsorption device. And

  The present invention has a downward surface and is supplied with gas so that an airflow is generated along the downward surface with the workpiece positioned below, and the workpiece is caused by a pressure difference caused by the airflow. In the suction device capable of adsorbing and releasing suction of the workpiece by stopping the airflow, the downward flow is opened to the downward surface, and by supplying the gas, a radial flow consisting of a radially flowing airflow is An area that is generated in a space between the workpiece and surrounded by the radial flow in a space between the downward surface and the workpiece is more than an ambient pressure that is a pressure of a gas existing around the adsorption device. An opening for generating a negative pressure that can be a negative pressure region that has been decompressed, and an opening in the downward surface, and a gas for boosting the negative pressure region to be equal to or higher than the ambient pressure, and the downward surface and the workpiece Between A suction device which is characterized in that and a negative pressure releasing opening that can be introduced between.

  According to this configuration, the negative pressure region can be extinguished by the gas introduced from the negative pressure release opening. For this reason, the remaining of the negative pressure region can be suppressed regardless of the supply stop of the gas from the opening for generating the negative pressure.

  And this invention may be equipped with the control part which starts introduction of gas from the said opening for negative pressure cancellation | release before the supply of the gas from the said opening for negative pressure generation | occurrence | production is stopped.

  According to this configuration, the introduction of gas can be started from the negative pressure release opening before the control unit stops the supply of gas from the negative pressure generation opening. For this reason, the remaining of a negative pressure area | region can be suppressed reliably.

  And this invention is equipped with the air supply mechanism for pushing in the gas which is more than the said ambient pressure with respect to the said opening for negative pressure cancellation | release, The said air supply mechanism faces the said downward through the said opening for negative pressure cancellation | release The negative pressure region may be extinguished by the gas pushed into the space between the surface and the workpiece.

  The present invention includes a peripheral opening that is open to the periphery of the suction device and is configured to be able to communicate with the negative pressure release opening, the negative pressure region and the suction device. Due to the difference in atmospheric pressure, the ambient pressure gas is sucked into the space between the downward surface and the workpiece through the peripheral opening and the negative pressure release opening, and the sucked gas Thus, the negative pressure region may be configured to disappear.

  The present invention provides a transfer device disposed in a clean environment in which suspended particulates are reduced compared to the external environment, and includes a movable unit for transporting a workpiece from one position to the other position. Is provided with the adsorption device, and the gas introduced into the space between the downward surface and the work from the opening for releasing the negative pressure is a gas in which suspended fine particles are reduced as compared with the external environment. Device.

  According to this configuration, in a clean environment, it is possible to perform transport that is not affected by particles present around the transport device.

  The present invention can reduce the possibility of attracting particles present in the surrounding area to the workpiece by suppressing the remaining of the negative pressure region after the gas supply is stopped.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the adsorption | suction apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the adsorption device. It is the schematic which shows the adsorption | suction procedure in the adsorption | suction apparatus, (A) is the state which is adsorb | sucking a workpiece | work, (B) shows the state in which gas was introduced from the air supply part for negative pressure release. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the conveying apparatus (robot) which mounts the adsorption | suction apparatus. It is a timing chart regarding control of the adsorption device. It is the schematic of the cross-sectional view which shows the example of the adsorption | suction apparatus which concerns on other embodiment, (A) is the form which gathered piping by the upstream end side, (B) is the form provided with the surrounding opening part, (C) Indicates a form in which a cyclonic flow is generated. It is the schematic which shows the point of the adsorption | suction in an example of the conventional adsorption | suction apparatus, (A) is the state which is adsorb | sucking a workpiece | work, (B) shows the state immediately after supply of the gas for adsorption | suction stops.

  The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings by taking one embodiment. In the following, the expression “upper and lower” is based on the state shown in FIG. It should be noted that the embodiment is not limited to the direction described below, and the direction can be changed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the suction device 10 of the present embodiment is a device that is also called “Bernoulli chuck”, and can suck a workpiece W that is a suction target by an air flow. The workpiece W of this embodiment is a semiconductor wafer, and has a disk shape as shown. The adsorption device 10 includes a main body portion 1, a flow guide portion 2, a guide portion 3, an air supply pipe 4, and a control portion 6.

  The suction device 10 is attached to a transfer device (robot) 20 including an arm 201 as a movable portion for transferring a workpiece W to be transferred, for example, as shown in FIG. For example, when the semiconductor wafer is taken in and out of a reactor for forming a film on the surface of the semiconductor wafer by injecting a gas in a high temperature environment, the transfer device 20 includes a processing device and the semiconductor wafer provided with the reactor. It is used for delivery of semiconductor wafers to / from a transfer tray that is stored. The transport device 20 and the suction device 10 are installed in a clean environment such as a clean room where the amount of particles (floating fine particles) is controlled to be reduced compared to the atmosphere. In the present embodiment, the transport device 20 and the adsorption device 10 are disposed in a space that is a nitrogen environment, but may be disposed in an air environment.

  By using the transfer device 20 in this manner, the semiconductor wafer can be transferred without human intervention, so that the clean environment can be prevented from being damaged by human operation. In addition, productivity can be improved by automation.

  The main body 1 includes a central portion 1a and an extending portion 1b that extends from the central portion 1a in three directions in the radial direction and has a rotationally symmetric shape. In the present embodiment, the center part 1a mainly performs the work W suction. The extension 1b mainly functions for positioning the workpiece W. The main body 1 includes a lower surface 11, a central recess 12, and an intake air supply unit 13.

  The lower surface of the main body 1 is the lower surface 11. The lower surface portion 11 is a plane. As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the lower surface portion 11 and the upper surface W1 of the workpiece W are in a substantially parallel relationship during suction. And between this lower surface part 11 and the upper surface W1 of the workpiece | work W, the airflow F (refer FIG. 3) which is supplied from the flow path 5 for adsorption | suction (after-mentioned) and goes to the radial direction of the main-body part 1 passes.

  The central concave portion 12 is a portion that is recessed upward from the lower surface portion 11 in the center of the main body portion 1 when viewed from the bottom. The central concave portion includes a flat surface portion 121 having a circular bottom view and a tapered surface portion 122 that is located on the outer edge of the flat surface portion 121 and connects the flat surface portion 121 and the lower surface portion 11.

  The suction air supply unit 13 is open to the flat surface 121 of the central recess 12. The adsorption air supply unit 13 is connected to an adsorption air supply piping 41 via a connection piping 14 fixed to the main body 1.

  The flow guide part 2 is a member fixed to the lower part of the main body part 1 as shown in FIG. The flow guide part 2 includes a disk part 21 and a cylindrical negative pressure release air supply part 22 that extends upward from the center of the upper surface part 211 of the disk part 21.

  The upper surface portion 211 is positioned in parallel downward with respect to the flat surface portion 121 of the main body 1 when the flow guide portion 2 is fixed to the lower portion of the main body 1. The tapered surface portion 212 is located on the outer edge of the upper surface portion 211, and is located obliquely downward and parallel to the tapered surface portion 122 of the main body portion 1 when the flow guide portion 2 is fixed to the lower portion of the main body portion 1.

  The downstream end of the negative pressure release air supply unit 22 opens as a negative pressure release opening 221 at the center of the lower surface 213 of the disk portion 21. The negative pressure release air supply section 22 is connected to the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 via a connection pipe 23 fixed to the upper end of the negative pressure release air supply section 22.

  The disk portion 21 is disposed in the central recessed portion 12 of the main body portion 1. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower surface portion 11 of the main body portion 1 and the lower surface portion 213 of the flow guide portion 2 are located on the same plane (which is a twist), but the lower surface portion 11 and the lower surface portion. 213 may be positioned up and down. By the main body part 1 and the flow guide part 2, between the parts 1 and 2 (between the flat part 121 in the central recess 12 of the main body part 1 and the upper surface part 211 of the flow guide part 2 and the tapered surface part of the main body part 1 122 and the tapered surface portion 212 of the flow guide section 2), the adsorption flow path 5 is formed. By supplying gas (nitrogen in this embodiment) from the suction air supply unit 13 to the adsorption channel 5, the space between the lower surface 11 of the main body 1 and the upper surface W <b> 1 of the workpiece W is An air flow F directed outwardly flows. On the other hand, since the gas existing in the space below the flow guide portion 2 is surrounded by the air flow F directed in the radially outward direction, the gas is attracted in the radially outward direction. For this reason, this space is decompressed. Therefore, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 3A, a negative pressure region (a region where the pressure is reduced from the periphery of the adsorption device 10) X is formed in the space below the flow guide portion 2. The negative pressure region X disappears when gas is introduced (supplied) from the negative pressure release opening 221 to the space between the lower surface 213 and the workpiece W through the negative pressure release air supply unit 22. .

  The pressure of the gas introduced (supplied) from the opening 221 for releasing the negative pressure is not particularly limited as long as the negative pressure region X can be raised to the extent that particles existing around the adsorption device 10 cannot be attracted. It is not limited. For example, it is only necessary that a gas for increasing the pressure above the pressure of the gas existing around the adsorption device 10 (ambient pressure) can be introduced from the opening 221 for releasing the negative pressure. Note that the pressure is such that the suction of the workpiece W can be released even when the gas is supplied from the suction air supply unit 13 and the airflow is still flowing in the suction flow path 5. It is preferable from the viewpoint that the pressure region X does not remain. In this embodiment, the pressure of the gas to be introduced (supplied) is the same as the pressure of the gas supplied from the adsorption air supply unit 13.

  The guide part 3 is a resin member attached to the extension part 1 b of the main body part 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a part of this guide part 3 protrudes from the lower surface of the radial direction edge part of the extension part 1b in the shape of a truncated cone. The tapered surface of the truncated cone portion is a workpiece contact portion 31, and the outer edge W <b> 2 of the workpiece W is in contact with the inner diameter position of the workpiece contact portion 31 as shown in FIG. 2. Since it is sufficient if the workpiece W can be positioned on the suction device 10, the contact is sufficient for point contact. For this reason, the bad influence caused by contact | abutting with respect to the workpiece | work W can be suppressed to the minimum. Moreover, since the workpiece | work contact part 31 inclines with respect to the outer edge W2 of the workpiece | work W, the guide part 3 can suppress the motion to the up-down direction of the workpiece | work W by an external force etc., and the movement to a horizontal direction. Further, the guide portion 3 hardly inhibits the airflow F flowing in the space between the main body portion 1 and the workpiece W.

  The air supply pipe 4 includes an adsorption air supply pipe 41 and a negative pressure release air supply pipe 42. The downstream end of the suction air supply pipe 41 is connected to the suction air supply unit 13. The downstream end of the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 is connected to the negative pressure release air supply unit 22. The air supply pipes 41 and 42 can be supplied (injected) with a gas for increasing the pressure to be higher than the pressure (ambient pressure) of the gas existing around the adsorption device 10 with respect to the air supply units 13 and 22. ) The air supply mechanism is connected. The air supply mechanism of the present embodiment includes, as an example, a gas tank, a compressor, a regulator (pressure adjusting unit) 421, a filter, and on-off valves 411 and 422 (members without reference numerals are not shown). With this air supply mechanism, it is possible to supply a clean gas (a gas in which particles contained in the atmosphere are reduced) from the suction air supply unit 13 and the negative pressure release air supply unit 22.

  Note that production facilities such as factories often have facilities for supplying an inert gas such as nitrogen. Therefore, the equipment for supplying the inert gas can be used as an air supply mechanism as it is or after being partially modified. In this case, since it is not necessary to construct a new air supply mechanism, there is an advantage that the equipment cost can be reduced.

  In the adsorption device 10 configured as described above, an adsorption flow path 5 is formed between the main body 1 and the flow guide portion 2. The downstream end of the adsorption flow path 5 is a negative pressure generating opening 51 located between the lower surface portion 11 of the main body portion 1 and the lower surface portion 213 of the flow guide portion 2. The negative pressure generating opening 51 is annular when viewed from the bottom. An airflow directed downward and radially outward from the negative pressure generating opening 51 is ejected. The jetted airflow collides with the upper surface W1 of the workpiece W, and becomes an airflow F that is directed substantially horizontally and radially outward. This air flow F constitutes a radiant flow composed of air flows in a plurality of directions that flow radially when the main body 1 is viewed in plan (or viewed from the bottom). The radial flow of the present embodiment is a radial flow in the direction of 360 ° in the outer radial direction with reference to the radial center of the lower surface portion 11 in the main body 1.

  In this way, by flowing the air flow F toward the radially outward direction along the lower surface portion 11 that is the downward surface of the adsorption device 10, the lower surface portion 213 of the flow guide portion 2 and the lower surface portion 213 are substantially parallel. A negative pressure region X is formed between the workpiece W and the upper surface W1. Since the suction force acts on the workpiece W due to the negative pressure region X, the workpiece W can be attracted to the suction device 10. In addition to the negative pressure region X, a suction force acts between the lower surface portion 11 of the main body portion 1 and the upper surface W1 of the workpiece W by the air flow F. In addition, since the airflow ejected from the negative pressure generating opening 51 collides with the workpiece W as described above, a cooling effect of the workpiece W can be expected although it is secondary.

  At the time of the suction, three locations on the outer edge W <b> 2 of the workpiece W abut on the workpiece abutting portion 31 of the guide portion 3. Thereby, even if the arm 201 of the conveying apparatus 20 is moved, it can suppress that the workpiece | work W slip | deviates with respect to the adsorption | suction apparatus 10, for example.

  The control unit 6 is a part that controls the air flow passing through the suction air supply pipe 41 and the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 by controlling the air supply mechanism. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the control unit 6 controls the on-off valves 411 and 422. However, the control unit 6 may control members constituting the air supply mechanism such as a compressor.

  It will be described how the work W is attracted by the control of the airflow by the control unit 6. First, gas is supplied from the suction air supply pipe 41 in a state in which the main body 1 is brought close to the work W arranged in the horizontal direction, and is sucked from the negative pressure generating opening 51 of the suction flow path 5. An air flow F is caused to flow between the apparatus 10 and the workpiece W. Thereby, the work W is attracted (chucked) to the main body 1.

  Next, when releasing the suction (dechucking), the controller 6 opens the negative pressure release opening before the supply of gas from the negative pressure generation opening 51 is stopped (including the moment of supply stop). The gas supply is started from 52. As a result, the gas supplied from the negative pressure release opening 52 boosts the negative pressure region X (at this time, the supply of gas from the negative pressure generation opening 51 continues). Due to this pressure increase, the negative pressure region X disappears and the suction force decreases, so that the workpiece W falls from the suction device 10 due to its own weight.

  Due to the boosting, the negative pressure region X quickly disappears. For this reason, particles existing around the adsorption device 10 are not attracted. The gas supplied from the negative pressure release opening 52 to the negative pressure region X is a gas in which particles are reduced as compared to the atmosphere. For this reason, the supplied gas does not adversely affect the workpiece W due to particles.

  5A to 5C, which are timing charts, show on / off timings of the airflow passing through the suction air supply pipe 41 and the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 for the control of the airflow by the control unit 6. The upper part of the timing chart shows the on / off timing of the airflow in the adsorption supply pipe 41, and the lower part shows the on / off timing of the airflow in the negative pressure release supply pipe 42.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the negative pressure is released before the supply of gas (hereinafter referred to as “chucking gas”) from the suction air supply unit 13 passing through the suction air supply pipe 41 is stopped. Gas (hereinafter referred to as “dechucking gas”) is supplied to the space between the lower surface portion 213 of the flow guide section 2 and the work W from the negative pressure release air supply section 22 through the air supply pipe 42. However, it is preferable because the negative pressure region X can be prevented from remaining. FIG. 5A shows a case where the supply of the chucking gas and the dechucking gas is stopped simultaneously, and FIG. 5B shows a case where the supply of the dechucking gas is stopped after the supply of the chucking gas is stopped.

  As shown in FIG. 5C, the supply of the dechucking gas may be started simultaneously with the stop of the supply of the chucking gas. However, in this case, since the negative pressure region X remains if the start of supplying the dechucking gas is delayed even a little, it is necessary to strictly control the control unit 6. However, when controlled at such timing, it is sufficient that the pressure of the dechucking gas is such that the negative pressure region X can be extinguished (when the gas supply from the negative pressure generating opening 51 is continued). Requires a pressure against the suction force generated by the air flow F). For this reason, there is an advantage that a gas having a relatively low pressure can be supplied as compared with the control at the timing shown in FIGS.

  According to the suction device 10 configured as described above, it is possible to prevent the particles existing around the suction device 10 from being attracted to the workpiece W by preventing the negative pressure region X from remaining after the chuck gas supply is stopped. it can.

  As mentioned above, although one embodiment was taken up and explained about the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various changes are possible in the range which does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

  6A to 6C show examples of the adsorption device 10 according to another embodiment. FIG. 6A shows a form in which the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 is assembled to the adsorption air supply pipe 41 on the upstream end side. According to this embodiment, there is an advantage that the air supply mechanism can be unified.

  FIG. 6B shows a form in which the upstream end side of the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 is opened to the periphery of the adsorption device 10 at the peripheral opening 423. In this embodiment, the peripheral opening 423 can communicate with the negative pressure releasing opening 221. Even in this form, by opening the on-off valve 422, the gas present around the adsorption device 10 is sucked from the peripheral opening 423 due to the difference in atmospheric pressure between the negative pressure region X and the adsorption device 10, and is negative. The air is introduced into the negative pressure region X through the pressure release air supply pipe 42. For this reason, the negative pressure region X can be boosted as in the above-described embodiment. According to this embodiment, there is an advantage that the air supply mechanism provided in the negative pressure releasing air supply pipe 42 can be simplified.

  FIG. 6C shows a form in which a cyclone flow (spiral air flow) Fc is generated inside the main body 1. The adsorption device 10 in this form includes, for example, a cyclone flow forming recess 7 that opens downward in the main body 1, and is supplied from an adsorption air supply pipe 41 to an upper portion of the inner wall of the cyclone flow forming recess 7. A jet outlet 71 from which gas is jetted is provided so as to open in a substantially tangential direction of the inner wall. Although only one nozzle outlet 71 is illustrated, a plurality of jet nozzles 71 may be provided in the circumferential direction. Further, the downstream end of the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 opens into the cyclone flow forming recess 7 (even if the downstream end of the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 coincides with the lower end position of the main body 1. Good). Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIG.

  In the adsorption device 10 according to this embodiment, the gas supplied from the adsorption supply pipe 41 flows obliquely downward along the inner wall of the cyclone flow forming recess 7 to form a cyclone flow Fc. The cyclone flow Fc flows out into the space between the main body 1 and the work W, and becomes an air flow F directed outward in the radial direction as in the above-described embodiment. Even in this form, the negative pressure region X is formed below the portion surrounded by the cyclone flow Fc. This negative pressure region X can be extinguished by increasing the pressure by the gas supplied from the negative pressure release air supply pipe 42 as in the above embodiment.

  Moreover, the extension part 1b in the main-body part 1 is not limited to three, but can be various numbers. Moreover, the extension part 1b may be formed in disk shape. Further, the extension 1b may be a thin rod for only the positioning of the workpiece W.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the main-body part 1 and the flow introduction part 2 are formed separately, it is not limited to this, You may form integrally.

  In the embodiment, the adsorption flow path 5 is formed between the tapered surface portion 122 of the main body portion 1 and the tapered surface portion 212 of the flow guide portion 2. And although the airflow which goes to a radial direction is ejected, it is not limited to this. For example, the adsorption flow path 5 may be formed such that an airflow directed downward from the negative pressure generation opening 51 is ejected. Further, the adsorption flow path 5 may be an aggregate of a plurality of flow paths arranged in parallel in the circumferential direction, for example.

  The pressure of the dechucking gas is not particularly limited as long as it is a pressure that can eliminate the negative pressure region X. For example, by setting the pressure to a high level, the workpiece W can be urged downward using the dechucking gas, and the conveyance of the workpiece W downward can be assisted.

  Further, the negative pressure region X of the embodiment is located at the radial center of the suction device 10 and the workpiece W. For this reason, the airflow F constitutes a radial flow composed of a radially flowing airflow when the main body portion 1 is viewed in plan (or bottom view) (the radial flow of the embodiment is the diameter of the lower surface portion 11 in the main body portion 1). It is a radial flow in the direction of 360 ° in the radial direction with respect to the direction center). However, the position of the negative pressure region X is not limited to this. For example, the suction device 10 may be configured to perform suction in a plurality of negative pressure regions X. In such a configuration, the radial center in the plan view (or bottom view) of the adsorption device 10 does not coincide with the center position of the radiant flow.

  Moreover, although the gas supplied by the said embodiment is nitrogen, it is not limited to this, Various gases, such as inert gas and air other than nitrogen, can be supplied.

  Moreover, although the workpiece | work W made into adsorption | suction object by the adsorption | suction apparatus 10 of the said embodiment was a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer, the shape of the workpiece | work W is not limited. However, in order to uniformly apply the suction force to the workpiece W, the upper surface of the workpiece W is preferably a flat surface.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main-body part 11 Downward surface, lower surface part 13 Supply part, adsorption | suction supply part 2 Conducting part 22 Supply part, Negative pressure release supply part 221 Negative pressure release opening part 3 Guide part 4 Supply pipe 423 Peripheral opening 5 Adsorption channel 51 Negative pressure generation opening 6 Control unit 10 Adsorption device 20 Conveying device 201 Movable unit, arm W Work F Air flow (air flow constituting radiant flow)
X Negative pressure region P Airborne particles, particles

Claims (5)

By having a downward surface and supplying gas, an air flow is generated along the downward surface between the workpiece positioned below, and the workpiece can be adsorbed by a pressure difference caused by the air flow, In the suction device that can release the suction of the workpiece by stopping the airflow,
Opened in the downward surface, and by supplying the gas, a radial flow consisting of a radially flowing air flow is generated in a space between the downward surface and the workpiece, and the downward surface and the workpiece An opening for generating a negative pressure that can be a negative pressure area that is lower than the ambient pressure that is the pressure of the gas existing around the adsorption device, the area surrounded by the radiation flow in the space between,
An opening for negative pressure release that is open to the downward surface, and capable of introducing a gas for boosting the negative pressure region to the ambient pressure or more into a space between the downward surface and the workpiece; An adsorbing device characterized by comprising.   2. The adsorption according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that starts introduction of gas from the negative pressure release opening before the supply of gas from the negative pressure generation opening is stopped. apparatus. An air supply mechanism for pushing the gas that is equal to or higher than the ambient pressure into the negative pressure release opening;
3. The negative pressure region disappears due to the gas pushed into the space between the downward surface and the work by the air supply mechanism through the negative pressure release opening. The adsorption device according to 1. A peripheral opening that is open to the periphery of the adsorption device and configured to communicate with the negative pressure release opening;
Due to the difference in atmospheric pressure between the negative pressure region and the periphery of the adsorption device, the space between the downward surface and the workpiece is filled with the ambient pressure gas through the peripheral opening and the negative pressure release opening. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure region disappears due to the sucked gas. In a transfer device that is placed in a clean environment with reduced suspended particulates compared to the external environment,
It has a movable part for transporting workpieces from one position to the other,
The movable part includes the adsorption device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The transfer device, wherein the gas introduced from the negative pressure release opening into the space between the downward surface and the workpiece is a gas in which suspended fine particles are reduced compared to the external environment.

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