JP2889933B2 - Wafer carrier transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring a wafer carrier.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or the like, a carrier transporting apparatus that mounts and transports a plurality of carriers is used. In this carrier transporting apparatus, a moving mechanism is configured by a ball screw and a nut, and the ball screw shaft is used. Was rotated by a motor to move the carrier transport unit fixed to the nut unit.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, when a ball screw and a nut are used, it is difficult to manufacture a long ball screw, and the long-distance carrier transport unit cannot be transported.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer carrier transfer device capable of transferring a long distance.

[Constitution of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured to be movable along a transfer path and to be mounted on a main body on which a transferred wafer carrier is mounted, and to be provided on the main body. A motor, a pulley rotationally driven by the motor, and a belt stretched along the conveyance path, wherein the pulley is pressed against the belt, and the motor is driven to drive the motor. A first rod having a plurality of first pressing plates arranged at predetermined intervals and configured to move the main body along the transport path; and a first rod facing the first pressing plate, respectively. Rod having a plurality of second pressing plates disposed at predetermined intervals as described above, a first rack provided on the first rod, and a second rack provided on the second rod. The second luck Preparative there is a pinion gear which is meshed so as to face provided on said main body, by rotating the pinion gear, said first
The first and second rods are driven so that the holding plate and the second holding plate approach and separate from each other, and hold and release the transferred wafer carrier.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the wafer carrier transfer apparatus according to the first aspect, the pulley and the belt are pressed against each other by auxiliary pulleys provided on both sides of the pulley.

(Operation) In the present invention, the motor provided on the main body is fixed to the outside and is brought into contact with the stretched belt, and the main body moves because the belt is fixed by driving the motor.

Therefore, by increasing the length of the belt, long-distance conveyance can be performed.

Further, two position detectors composed of optical sensors and the like are provided at predetermined intervals in the direction of the transport path, and a projecting piece slightly longer than the predetermined interval between these position detectors is disposed on the main body side, for example. To stop at a position where the projecting pieces are simultaneously detected by the two position detectors, it is possible to accurately stop at a predetermined position even when the belt is stretched.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is used for a carrier transport device will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an entire heat treatment apparatus using the carrier transport device.

As shown in the figure, this heat treatment apparatus has a carrier stocker 1, a transfer mechanism 3, a boat transfer mechanism 5, a boat transport mechanism 7, an elevator 9, a furnace body 11, and a gas supply source 13.

The carrier stocker 1 stores a plurality of shelves of carriers for storing a plurality of substrates to be processed, for example, 25 semiconductor wafers, for example, 25 wafers.

The transfer mechanism 3 automatically transfers a wafer between a carrier sent from the carrier stocker 1 and a quartz boat capable of mounting 100 to 150 wafers by a robot.

The boat transfer mechanism 5 transfers the boat between the boat transport mechanism 7 and the transfer mechanism 3.

The boat transfer mechanism 7 transfers the boat transferred by the boat transfer mechanism 5 to a furnace body 11, for example, a vertical reaction furnace.

The boat elevator 9 carries the boat into and out of the furnace body 11.

The furnace body 11 has a resistance heating type heater provided around a reaction tube for performing desired oxidation, diffusion, CVD processing and the like.

The gas supply source 13 supplies a predetermined processing gas to each processing chamber of the furnace body 11.

The carrier stocker 1, transfer mechanism 3, boat transfer mechanism 5, and boat transport mechanism 7 are provided with a blower fan, a HEPA filter, and a discharge fan (not shown) so that clean air is supplied in a downflow manner.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the carrier stocker 1 and its vicinity.

The carrier stocker 1 is provided with a plurality of shelves 15 on which carriers are placed, for example, four shelves, for example.

At the lower front of the carrier stocker 1, the in-side port 17
And an out-side port 19 is fixedly provided.

An inside station below the inside of the carrier stocker 1
21, the out side station 23 is fixed. Further, a carrier liner 25 for mounting and transporting a plurality of carriers is provided movably in the horizontal direction.

The transporter 27a moves vertically downward from below the in-side port 17, receives the carrier placed on the in-side port 17, and then moves horizontally to reach the upper part of the in-side station 21; Then, the carrier is placed on the in-side station 21, and then moves downward. When the carrier reaches a predetermined position, the carrier moves horizontally and returns to the original position.

Conversely, the transporter 27b rises from below the out-side station 23, receives the carrier placed on the out-side station 23, rises to a predetermined position, and moves in the horizontal direction,
When the carrier reaches the upper side of the out-side port 19, it descends, the carrier is placed on the out-side port 19, and then moves down in the horizontal direction after returning by a predetermined amount, and returns to the original position.

6 holds the carrier inside the carrier stocker 1.
The carrier arm 29 provided with a plurality of gripping mechanisms
It is provided movably in the axis and Z-axis directions.

In this carrier arm 29, six gripping mechanisms operate independently, and the in-side station 21 and the out-side station 2
3. Carrier transfer between the carrier liner 25 and the shelf 15 is performed.

The carrier liner 25 is provided so as to be movable in the horizontal direction between the carrier stocker 1 and the transfer mechanism 3, and carries the carrier between the carrier stocker 1 and the transfer mechanism 3.

Next, the movement of the carrier in the carrier stocker shown in FIG. 2 will be briefly described.

When the carrier 14 containing a wafer is placed on the in-side port 17, the carrier is placed on the in-side station 21 by the transporter 27a.

Thereafter, the carrier 14 placed on the in-side station 21 by the carrier arm 29 is placed on the carrier liner 25.

The carrier liner 25 transports the loaded carrier while moving in the horizontal direction to the transfer mechanism 3. Thereafter, the wafer is inserted into the boat, the boat is transferred to the boat transfer device 7 by the boat transfer mechanism 5, the boat is transferred to the furnace body 11 by the boat transfer mechanism 7, and the boat elevator 9
The boat containing the wafers is carried into the furnace body 11 by the
A predetermined processing gas is supplied from the gas supply source 13 to perform heat treatment.

The wafer after the heat treatment is taken out of the furnace body 11 by the boat elevator 9,
The wafer is transferred by the boat transfer mechanism 5, the wafer in the boat is taken out by the transfer mechanism 3, the wafer is stored in the carrier, the carrier is mounted on the carrier liner 25, and the carrier liner 25 is mounted on the carrier stocker 1. To the bottom.

The carrier arm 29 places a plurality of carriers placed on the carrier liner 25 on the shelf 15 or the out-side station 23, and the transporter 27b transfers the carriers on the out-side station 23 to the out-side port 19 by two carriers. Move one by one.

Then, the carrier is transported from the out-side port 19 by another transport means (not shown), and the carrier on the out-side station 23 is again moved by two to the out-side port 19, and the above operation is repeated until the carrier is exhausted. repeat.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the carrier liner 25.

A motor 33 is fixed on the main body 31, and a rotation shaft 35 of the motor 33 is provided.
, A main pulley 37 is provided.

Further, columns 41 are provided on both sides of the motor 33, and an auxiliary pulley 45 is provided on an auxiliary rotation shaft 43 of the column 41. The main pulley 37 and the auxiliary pulley 45 are connected to a belt 39 extended outside.
Wound around.

At an end of the main body 31, a pinion gear 47 driven by a second motor (not shown) is provided. Pinion gear
47 meshes with a first rack 49 provided on the first rod 53,
Further, it meshes with the second rack 51 provided on the second rod 55.

Six first holding plates 57 are provided on the first rod 53 at equal intervals. The first holding plate 57 is provided so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the main body 31.

Six second holding plates 59 are provided on the second rod 55 at equal intervals. The second holding plate 59 is also provided slidably in the longitudinal direction of the main body 31.

 Next, the operation of the carrier liner 25 will be described.

Since the main body 31 is provided so as to be movable in the direction of FIG. 3A or 3B, when the motor 33 is driven, the main pulley 37 is driven.
In contrast, the belt 39 is stretched so as not to slip, so that the carrier liner 25 moves in the A or B direction due to the frictional force.

The structure for such movement is surrounded by a cover,
By exhausting the inside of the cover with a negative pressure, dust and the like can be prevented from scattering in the carrier direction.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the belt 39 is used. If a long belt is used, the main body 31 can be conveyed no matter how long the distance.

Also, since only one belt 39 is stretched,
Space can be saved.

4 and 5 are plan views of the end of the main body 31. FIG.

When the pinion gear 47 is driven by a second motor (not shown) and rotates in the direction C in the figure, the first rod 53 moves in the direction A in the figure, and the second rod 55 moves in the direction B. Accordingly, the first holding plate 57 moves in the direction A, and the second holding plate 59 moves.
Moves in the direction B, so that the first holding plate 57 and the second holding plate 57
Hold carrier 61 with 59. In this state, the motor 33 is driven to move the carrier liner 25.

As described above, since the carrier 61 is sandwiched between the first holding plate 57 and the second holding plate 59, accurate positioning of the carrier is performed, and the positioning of the carrier 61 is performed even while the carrier liner 25 is moving. There is no displacement.

 FIG. 6 is a front view of the right end of the main body 1.

A projecting piece 63 is provided on the lower surface of the main body 31. Also,
A first sensor 65 and a second sensor 67 are fixed outside the carrier liner 25.

FIG. 7 shows the first sensor 65, the second sensor 67 and the projecting piece.
FIG. 63 is a perspective view showing a relation of 63.

The first sensor 65 is provided with an optical sensor 69, and the second sensor 67 is provided with an optical sensor 71.

The length L of the projecting piece 63 is determined by the first sensor 65 and the second sensor.
It is slightly longer than the distance N between 67.

The carrier liner 25 stops at the moment when the projecting piece 63 crosses the second sensor 67 and the light between the optical sensors 71 is shut off. At this time, since the length L of the projecting piece 53 is slightly longer than the distance N between the first sensor 65 and the second sensor 67, the projecting piece 63 simultaneously blocks light between the optical sensors 71 of the first sensor 65. I have.

If the carrier liner 25 did not stop at the target position,
Alternatively, if a position shift occurs due to an external force or the like after stopping at the target position, one or both of the first sensor 65 and the second sensor do not detect the protruding piece 63.

Therefore, even if the backlash between the belt 39 and the main pulley 37 is large, or if the belt 39 has been stretched due to long-term use, the carrier liner 25 can be accurately stopped at the target position, and the position of the carrier liner 25 is shifted after the stop. Can be detected.

The distance N between the first sensor 65 and the second sensor 67
Can be adjusted by shifting the mounting position of the sensor, and the allowable range of the target stop position can be adjusted.

 Note that the present invention can be variously modified.

In this embodiment, in addition to the motor 33, a pinion gear 47 is provided.
Although a second motor (not shown) for driving the motor is provided, a single motor may be used and this may be switched and used by means such as a clutch.

Further, the present invention is based on the premise that a carrier is conveyed, but it is also possible to convey a boat with the present apparatus. In this case, the first holding plate 56 and the second holding plate 56
A single holding plate 59 is provided, and these are used to hold the boat.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, according to the present invention, since conveyance is performed using a belt, long-distance conveyance is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat treatment apparatus using a carrier liner according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a carrier stocker 1 and its vicinity, and FIG. 4 and 5 are plan views of the end of the carrier liner 25, FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the end of the carrier liner 25, and FIG. Piece 63, first sensor 65, and second sensor 67
It is a perspective view of the vicinity. 25 Carrier liner 31 Body 33 Motor 35 Rotating shaft 37 Main pulley 39 Belt 47 Pinion gear 49 First rack 51 Second rack 53 First rod 55… Second rod 57… First presser plate 59… Second presser plate 61… Carrier

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A main body on which a wafer carrier to be conveyed is mounted, the main body being capable of being moved along a conveyance path, a motor provided on the main body, a pulley rotated by the motor, and a tension along the conveyance path. A belt provided, wherein the pulley is in pressure contact with the belt, and by driving the motor, the main body is configured to move along the transport path, and a predetermined interval is provided. A first rod having a plurality of first pressing plates disposed in a predetermined manner, and a plurality of second pressing plates disposed at predetermined intervals so as to face the first pressing plates, respectively. A second rod, a first rack provided on the first rod, and a pinion gear meshed with a second rack provided on the second rod so as to face the main body. Provided, By rotating the pinion gear, the first and second rods are driven so that the first holding plate and the second holding plate approach and separate from each other, and hold and release the transferred wafer carrier. A wafer carrier transport device having the above-mentioned configuration. 2. The wafer carrier transfer device according to claim 1, wherein auxiliary pulleys disposed on both sides of said pulley are provided.
A wafer carrier transfer device, wherein the pulley and the belt are pressed against each other.