JP2676436B2 - Etching drum - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an etching drum for etching the surface of the wafer by immersing them in an etching solution in a state of accommodating a plurality of wafers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor wafer used as a substrate of a semiconductor device is obtained by slicing, for example, a single crystal ingot of silicon or the like in the direction of its rod axis and subjecting the sliced product to lapping, etching, annealing, polishing and the like. It is obtained by applying.

By the way, a plurality of wafers that have been lapped are stored in a basket and conveyed to an etching process, transferred from the basket to an etching drum in the etching process, and immersed in an etching solution together with the etching drum. The surface is etched, and the strained layer caused by the surface lapping and the embedded wrapping agent are removed.

Although the etching itself is automatically performed by a known etching machine, it is not yet possible to perform a series of processes from lapping to etching and polishing to be fully automatic inline. Is the reality.

[0005]

Therefore, it is desired to perform a series of processes fully automatically, but in order to realize this, it is necessary to achieve automation of a wafer transfer operation. For example, in order to transfer a plurality of wafers, which have been polished and stored in a basket, to an etching process and automatically etch the wafers, it is necessary to automatically transfer the wafers in the basket to an etching drum of an etching machine. is there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. The object of the present invention is to simultaneously and automatically transfer a plurality of wafers contained in a basket to and from the basket. On top of that, the transferred wafers
An object is to provide an etching drum capable of etching while automatically rotating .

[0007]

To achieve the above object, an etching drum according to the present invention is shown in, for example, FIGS.
Set bar to support and rotate the wafer
20, the main roller 12 and the auxiliary roller 13 are drum frames
It is arranged in parallel with each other inside the housing
To form a drum, and the drum is etched by the etching machine 10
And provided on the etching machine 10.
The set bar 20, the main roller 12 are driven by a driving device.
And etching for rotating the auxiliary roller 13
A drum, the housings 11 facing each other
Inside the housing 11 which is composed of the side plates 11a and 11b
The side plates 17a and 17b facing each other.
Also, a rotatable movable housing for opening and closing the drum.
The side plates 17a and 17b, respectively.
The rotary shafts 18 and 19 projecting outward from the drum are integrated.
And the rotary shaft 18 is provided on the boss portion of the side plate 11a.
The rotating shaft 19 is attached to the boss portion of the side plate 11b.
The side plates 17a, 17 are provided separately from the boss and are rotatable.
The set bar 20 is rotatably installed between b and
The first small-diameter gear 26a is integrally rotated with one end of the towbar 20.
The first large-diameter gear 25 is provided on the outer periphery of the rotary shaft 18.
Is separately rotatably provided, and a second member is provided on the outer periphery of the side plate 11b.
A large-diameter gear 15 is integrally provided, and between the side plates 11a and 11b.
The main roller 12 and the auxiliary roller 1 are parallel to each other.
3 is rotatably installed on one end of the main roller 12
The second small diameter gear 26b is attached to one end of the auxiliary roller 13
3 small diameter gears 26c are respectively bound to the rotary shaft 19
The third large-diameter gear 23 is concentrically attached to the side plate 11a.
The side plate 11b is provided on the rotating shaft 18 so as to be separately rotatable.
Is separately rotatably provided on the rotary shaft 19 and is a first small diameter gear.
26a, the second small diameter gear 26b and the third small diameter gear 26c
The set bar 20 and the first large diameter gear 25 are meshed with each other.
The outer circumference of the wafer is held on the outer circumference of the main roller 12.
Forming a plurality of engaging grooves at appropriate intervals, and
With the gear provided in the driving device of the ching machine 10, the first
Small diameter gear 26a, second large diameter gear 15 and third large diameter gear 2
It is characterized in that 3 is rotated.

[0008]

[ Function ] Wafers with multiple wafers in the basket
Supporting the wafer from the basket,
Work and action when transferring to etching drum
Every time, the wafer stored in the etching drum is rotated.
An example of the action in the case of causing it will be described. (1) Turn the movable housing 17 in the state shown in FIGS.
By rotating it together with the set bar 20,
Open the bottom of the etching drum 3 as shown in 6,
An opening for inserting the aha is formed. As shown in FIG.
Move the Eha fork 8 upward, and through the opening,
The c is stored in the etching drum 3. (2) As shown in FIG. 10, the movable housing 17 is further
The wafer is rotated by a predetermined angle and the wafer is set by the set bar 20.
After supporting (temporarily supporting) the lower part,
Move the Eha fork 8 downward to move it to the etching drum 3.
To evacuate. (3) As shown in FIG. 11, the movable housing 17 is further
The wafer is rotated by a predetermined angle and the wafer is set by the set bar 20.
Support the bottom edge. (4) The second large diameter gear 15 and the third large diameter gear 23 (see FIG.
(See Fig. 12)
Then, if the etching drum 3 is turned over,
Wafer transfer to good drum 3 is completed, and the outer periphery of the wafer
Is set bar 20, main roller 12 and auxiliary roller
Supported by 13. In this case, the second large diameter gear 15
The housing 11 (side plates 11a and 11b) is rotated by
Rotate, and thus the main roller 12 and the auxiliary roller
13 revolves integrally with the housing 11. Parallel to this
Then, the movable housing 1 is rotated by the rotation of the third large diameter gear 23.
7 (side plates 17a, 17b) rotate, and therefore, set
The bar 20 revolves integrally with the movable housing 17. (5) Etching drum by etching machine 10
3 is immersed in the etching solution and the first small diameter gear 26a is rotated.
The first large diameter gear 25 is rotated by the
The radial gear 26b and the third small diameter gear 26c are rotated.
As a result, the set bar 20, the main roller 12 and the auxiliary
The auxiliary roller 13 rotates in the same direction and is supported by these.
The wafer is etched while rotating. (6) As described above, according to the present invention,
The multiple wafers that were placed between the etching drum
Simultaneously and automatically transferred, then automatically rotated
While being etched. Therefore, the wafer manufacturing
In-line automation is realized.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a wafer transfer device, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an etching drum according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an etching drum in an open state. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an engaged state with a wafer fork, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.

A wafer transfer device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is for transferring a plurality of wafers W, which have been polished and housed in a basket 2, to an etching drum 3 of an etching machine 10 simultaneously and automatically. However, this is provided in a state of being immersed in the pure water of the transfer tank 4.

A set table 5 is provided in the transfer tank 4, and the basket 2 is set on the set table 5.
Further, a support stay 7 which is vertically moved by an air cylinder 6 is provided in the transfer tank 4 so as to pass through the set table 5, and the support stay 7 passes through the set table 5 and stands upright. A wafer fork 8 is attached. still,
The basket 2 is carried by a basket carrier (not shown) and set in the illustrated position in the transfer tank 4.

Further, above the basket 2 in the transfer tank 4, the etching drum 3 supported by the etching machine 10 stands by.

Here, the etching drum 3 according to the present invention.
The configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

In FIG. 2, 11 is an etching machine 1.
0 rotatably a bearing housings in the side plates 11a of the housing 11, respectively on the parallel to one another the same pitch circle two main rollers 12, 12 and the auxiliary rollers 13 and 13 between 11b, and The side plates 11a and 11b are rotatably supported, and are reinforced by two reinforcing bars 14 and 14 installed in parallel with each other. A large-diameter gear 15 is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the one side plate 11b, and a small-diameter drive gear 16 provided on the etching machine 10 side is meshed with the gear 15.

A movable housing 17 is rotatably supported inside the housing 11. That is, the rotary shafts 18 and 19 protruding outward of the left and right side plates 17a and 17b of the movable housing 17 are the side plates 11 of the housing 11.
The bosses a and 11b are rotatably supported separately from the bosses . Then, the side plates 17a, set bar 20 between 17b are bridged is supported freely rotating, side plates 17a, 17b are reinforced by two reinforcing bars 21 and 21 which are extending parallel to each other. Set bar 20
The axially intermediate portion outer periphery of, ... ring-shaped comb teeth 20a as shown in FIG. 2 is formed with a plurality in the axial direction, the wafer W ... appropriate between the plurality of comb teeth 20a ... Engagement grooves 20b ... To be held at intervals are formed. The method
Like the set bar 20, the inner roller 12 also has comb teeth and
Engagement grooves are formed.

The side plate 17 of the movable housing 17 is also provided.
Guide protrusions 22 and 22 are provided so as to face each other inside a and 17b, and a large-diameter gear 23 is attached to an end portion of the rotary shaft 19 of one side plate 17b. A small-diameter drive gear 24 provided on the etching machine 10 side meshes with the gear 23.

Further, on the outer circumference of the rotary shaft 18 of the other side plate 17a , a large-diameter center gear 25 is provided separately from the rotary shaft 18.
It is rotatably supported, and the center gear 25 has the set bar 20, the main roller 12, and the auxiliary roller 1
Small-diameter gears 26a, 26b, 2 connected to each one end of
6c is meshed. And the gear 26a is horny
The drive gear 27 provided on the machine side is in mesh.
You. Thus (see FIG. 2) gears 16, 24 and 27
Is provided on the etching machine 10 side, and gears 15 and 2
3, 25 and 26a to 26c are installed on the etching drum 3.
Gears 16 and 15, gears 24 and 23,
The gears 27 and 26a mesh with each other, and further the gears 26a to
26c meshes with 25. The role of gear 16 is gear
The gears 15 and 23 that rotate in synchronization with 24 and mesh with them
By rotating the
Rotate, so that the entire etching drum 3
It is to invert from the state of 11 to the state of FIG.
In addition, the gear 24 has another function of independently rotating and moving.
Rotate the housing 17 by an appropriate angle (see
And revolve the set bar 20 at an appropriate angle).
You. Further, the gear 27 is a center gear via the gear 26a.
25 through the center gear 25
It is for rotating 6b and 26c.

Next, the transfer operation of the wafer W from the basket 2 to the etching drum 3 by the wafer transfer device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 12. 8 to 12 are explanatory views showing the transfer work according to the procedure.

First, as shown in FIG. 8, the basket 2 is set at a position below the etching drum 3 (above the wafer fork 8) on the setting table 5 by a transfer means (not shown). At this time, the etching drum 3 in FIG.
The movable housing by driving the gear 24 from the inverted state
By rotating 17 the drum 3 becomes the state of FIG.
Become. That is, the set bar 20 revolves around the
Almost the same height as the core line (center line of rotation of the movable housing 17)
Position, the etching drum 3 is opened downward.
I do. In the state shown in FIG. 6, the guide protrusions 22, 22 projecting from the side plates 17a, 17b of the movable housing 17 are vertically erected as shown in FIGS.

Next, by driving the air cylinder 6 shown in FIG. 1 to move the wafer fork 8 upward, the wafer fork 8 supports all the wafers W in the basket 2 as shown in FIG. This is pushed up, and the wafer W ... Is housed in the etching drum 3 as shown in FIG.

By the way, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pusher 28 is provided on the upper portion of the wafer fork 8 with a screw 2.
The pusher 28 is connected at its both sides with guide grooves 30 and 30 vertically extending therethrough. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the pusher 28 has an arcuate curved receiving surface 28a for receiving the outer peripheral portion of the wafer W ...
Are formed.

Thus, the wafer fork 8 is the wafer W.
When the pusher 28 faces the inside of the etching drum 3 by supporting it, and pushing it up, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
The guide protrusions 22, 22 on the etching drum 3 side are pushed.
The wafer W supported by the wafer fork 8 is stored in a predetermined position in the drum 3 accurately and orderly because it engages with the guide grooves 30, 30 formed in the wafer 28 to guide the upward movement of the wafer fork 8. To be done.

When the wafer W is housed in the etching drum 3 as described above, as shown in FIG. 10, the movable housing 17 is driven with the wafer fork 8 supporting the wafer W. The movable housing 17
The set bar 20 supported by is revolved by a predetermined angle (angle sufficient to support the wafers W ... within a range that does not interfere with the wafer fork 8 and prevent the wafers W from falling) θ1.

In the above-described state, the set bar 20 prevents the wafers W stored in the etching drum 3 from falling, so that the air cylinder 6 (see FIG. 1) is used as shown in FIG. The wafer fork 8 can be retracted from the etching drum 3 by driving the wafer fork 8 (see FIG. 3) again. After retracting the wafer fork 8 from the etching drum 3 in this way, the set bar 20 is exposed by the angle θ2 in FIG.
It is rotated and moved to a predetermined position (directly below).

Finally, the drive gears 16 and 24 on the etching machine 10 side shown in FIG.
And drive the gears 15 and 23 simultaneously by
As shown in FIG. 12, when the entire etching drum 3 is turned over, the transfer of the wafer W ... From the basket 2 to the etching drum 3 is completed, and the wafer W. 12, the set bar 20 and the auxiliary rollers 13 and 13 are stored in a supported state.

The etching drum 3 containing the wafers W is immersed in the etching liquid of an etching tank (not shown) by the etching machine 10. Then, by the gear 27 on the side of the etching machine 10 (see FIG. 2)
When the gear 26a is driven to rotate, the rotation of the gear 26a is transmitted to the gears 26b and 26c via the center gear 25, and the gear 2a is rotated.
6a to 26c are driven to rotate in the same direction at the same speed,
Set bar 20, main roller 12 and auxiliary roller 13
The wafers W, which are rotatably driven and supported by these, have their surfaces etched by the etching liquid while rotating in the etching drum 3.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a plurality of wafers accommodated in the basket can be
Automatically and simultaneously with the touch drum.
After being etched, it is automatically rotated and etched. did
Therefore, automation by inline wafer manufacturing process
The effect that can be realized is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a wafer transfer device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an etching drum according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an engagement state between an etching drum and a wafer fork in an open state.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an engagement state between an etching drum and a wafer fork in an open state.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a wafer transfer work according to the procedure.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a wafer transfer work according to the procedure.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a wafer transfer work according to the procedure thereof.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a wafer transfer work according to the procedure.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a wafer transfer work according to the procedure.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 Wafer transfer device 2 Basket 3 Etching drum 4 Transfer tank 5 Set stand 6 Air cylinder 7 Support stay 8 Wafer fork 10 Etching machine 11 Housing 11a, 11b Side plate 12 Main roller 13 Auxiliary roller 14 Reinforcing bar 15 Gear (second large diameter gear) 16 Drive gear 17 Movable housing 17a, 17b Side plates 18, 19 Rotating shaft 20 Set bar 20a Comb tooth 20b Engaging groove 21 Reinforcing bar 22 Guide protrusion 23 Gear (third large diameter gear) 24 Drive Gear 25 Center gear (first large diameter gear) 26a First small diameter gear 26b Second small diameter gear 26c Third small diameter gear 27 Drive gear 28 Pusher 28a Bearing surface 29 Screw 30 Guide groove W Wafer

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A set for supporting and rotating a wafer.
Tober (20), main roller (12) and auxiliary roller
(13) in a drum frame-shaped housing (11)
A drum is constructed by arranging the drums in parallel and free to rotate.
The etching machine (10) supports the
The drive is installed in the etching machine (10) to
Cover bar (20), main roller (12) and auxiliary roll
With an etching drum that rotates the la (13)
And side plates facing each other of the housing (11)
(11a) and (11b), the housing (1
1) Inside side plates (17a) (17b) facing each other
A rotatable structure for opening and closing the drum
A movable housing (17) is provided, and the side plate (17a) is provided.
In (17b), each protrudes to the outside of the drum.
The rotary shafts (18) and (19) are integrally provided, and the rotary shafts (1
8) is attached to the boss portion of the side plate (11a) by the rotary shaft (1
9) is the boss portion of the side plate (11b)
And the side plates (17a) (17)
The set bar (20) is installed between b) so as to rotate freely,
The first small diameter gear (26
a) is integrally rotatably provided, and the outer circumference of the rotary shaft (18)
The first large-diameter gear (25) is separately rotatably provided in the
A second large-diameter gear (15) is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the side plate (11b).
On the side plates (11a) and (11b) parallel to each other
The main roller (12) and the auxiliary roller (13)
It is installed so that it can rotate freely, and is attached to one end of the main roller (12).
The second small diameter gear (26b) is attached to the auxiliary roller (13).
The third small-diameter gear (26c) is attached to one end of each,
Third large diameter gear (23) is concentrically attached to the rotary shaft (19).
Then, the side plate (11a) is separately rotated around the rotation shaft (18).
The side plate (11b) is rotatably provided, and the side plate (11b) is
9) rotatably provided as a separate body, and has a first small diameter gear (26a),
The second small diameter gear (26b) and the third small diameter gear (26c)
It meshes with the first large diameter gear (25), and the set bar (2
0) and the outer periphery of the main roller (12)
Forming multiple engaging grooves that should hold the outer periphery at appropriate intervals
Provided in the driving device of the etching machine (10).
Depending on the gear, the first small diameter gear (26a), the second large diameter gear
(15) and the third large diameter gear (23) to rotate
Etching drum characterized by having done.