JP2901469B2 - Substrate transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention takes out a substrate having an arc-shaped outer peripheral surface such as a semiconductor substrate from a cassette or the like,
Optically measuring the thickness of transparent thin films such as photoresist films and silicon oxide films formed on the substrate surface, or using a microscope to enlarge the line width of various thin films including metal thin films in addition to these transparent thin films It can be measured in a non-contact manner by analyzing the surface, and furthermore, it can be applied to various types of processing equipment such as a surface evaluation device or an inspection device that measures physical properties such as a capacitance-voltage measurement method, or a spin coating device. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device used for transferring.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a substrate is transported in a substrate transport apparatus of this type, it is conventionally configured as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-122306. That is, according to this conventional example, when a substrate housed in a cassette or the like is transported to a Z table on an XY table for film thickness measurement, the substrate taken out of the cassette is once transported to a positioning unit, and the positioning is performed. In this section, the substrate is brought into contact with the backing plate, the substrate is sucked and held by the holding member by vacuum suction, the centering is performed by a centering member or the like, and then the sheet is transferred to the Z table by another transfer mechanism. Is configured.

[0003]

However, in the prior art, in order to carry out centering by the backing plate, the substrate conveyed to the positioning portion is delivered to the holding member, and is held by the holding member to perform centering of the substrate. However, since the substrate is transferred from the holding member to another transfer mechanism and transferred to a predetermined processing unit, a dedicated positioning unit irrelevant to the transfer is required, and the disadvantage that the entire apparatus becomes large is disadvantageous. there were.

Therefore, in order to reduce the size of the entire apparatus by eliminating the need for the dedicated positioning section as described above, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-3 is disclosed.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 0549, a state in which a substrate transfer device itself for transferring a substrate is provided with a substrate aligning means for positioning the substrate, and the substrate is mounted on a substrate mounting tool constituting the substrate transfer device. In the meantime, it has been proposed that the substrate is positioned by contacting and separating the contact piece of the substrate alignment means with the outer edge of the substrate.However, in order to provide the substrate transfer device with the substrate alignment means, There was a drawback that the configuration became complicated and expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the substrate transfer apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention eliminates the need for a dedicated positioning section or apparatus for performing centering. The purpose is to be able to be configured at a low cost while being able to reduce the size of the whole,
A second object of the present invention is to simplify a control structure for performing centering.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems] substrate transfer apparatus of the invention according to claim 1, in order to achieve the above-described object, a first substrate for mounting supporting the back surface of the base <br/> plate conveyance An arm is provided movably in the vertical direction, and the substrate supported by the first substrate transfer arm at the substrate transfer position is
A second substrate transfer arm to be transferred is provided so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, a first positioning guide is provided on the first substrate transfer arm to abut on an outer peripheral end surface of the substrate, and the first substrate transfer arm is provided at the substrate transfer position . A second positioning guide is provided at a position above the second substrate transfer arm and is in contact with the first positioning guide and abuts on the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate, and any one of the first and second positioning guides is provided. or one of them arranged to be perspective displaced in the opposite direction, further
The first substrate transfer arm on which the substrate is placed and supported
Lowers the board to the board transfer position and transports the board to the second board
Immediately after the transfer to the arm, the first substrate transfer arm descends
Stopping the movement, followed by said first and second positioning
By holding the substrate between the guides, the second
Is configured to position the substrate on the substrate transfer arm .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate transfer jig wherein the first positioning guide according to the first aspect is moved relative to the second positioning guide. The first substrate transfer arm is provided so as to be relatively movable so as to be far away.

[0008]

According to the structure of the substrate transfer apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, for example, when a substrate is taken out of a cassette or an appropriate place and transported to the appropriate place, the second substrate transfer arm is transferred from the first substrate transfer arm. Place and support the substrate when transferring it to the arm
The first substrate transfer arm that has been moved down to the substrate transfer position
Immediately after dropping and transferring the substrate to the second substrate transfer arm
The first substrate transfer arm is stopped, and then a first positioning guide attached to the first substrate transfer arm , and a second positioning guide provided above the second substrate transfer arm at the substrate transfer position The second substrate transfer arm
The centering of the substrate is performed on the system, and the centered substrate can be transferred to an appropriate position by the second substrate transfer arm in accordance with the transfer of the substrate.

Further, according to the structure of the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention, the first substrate transfer arm is provided with the first substrate transfer arm.
Is moved relative to the first substrate transfer arm, the first positioning guide is brought into contact with the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate placed and supported on the first substrate transfer arm, and the substrate is pushed in, thereby fixing the substrate. Centering of the substrate can be performed by bringing the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate into contact with the second positioning guide.

[0010]

【Example】

<Embodiment> Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics to which a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention is applied, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the first embodiment. On a table 1, a cassette mounting section 2, a substrate transfer device 3, and a measurement stage 4 for measuring electrical characteristics are provided.

The cassette mounting portion 2 has a plurality of orientation flats as shown in a partially cut-away enlarged side view of a main portion of FIG. 3 and a partially cut-out enlarged plan view of a main portion of FIG. The cassette 5 which accommodates the substrates W in multiple stages in the vertical direction is placed. The cassette 5 is configured by connecting groove forming members 7 having substrate insertion grooves 6 formed at predetermined intervals in a vertical direction in an opposed state, and has an outer periphery of the substrate W on the back side of each of the groove forming members 7. A tapered surface F that is in contact with the end surface is provided. Note that FIG.
4 and FIG. 4, a second substrate transfer device 9 described later is omitted.

As shown in the perspective view of the main part of FIG. 5, the substrate transporting device 3 transports the substrate W between the cassette 5 and the substrate transfer position below the cassette mounting portion 2.
And a second substrate transfer device 9 for transferring the substrate W across the substrate transfer position and the measurement stage 4
It is composed of

The first substrate transfer device 8 is provided with a first support 13 provided so as to be able to ascend and descend by a screw shaft 11 rotated forward and reverse by a first electric motor 10 and a pair of first guides 12 and 12. The second support 17 is movably movable in the horizontal direction by a first wire 15 and a second guide 16 which are reciprocated by a second electric motor 14 which can be rotated forward and backward.
Is provided on the front end side of the second support member 17.
A first positioning guide 18 having an arc surface 18a in contact with the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W and a first substrate transfer arm 19 for mounting and supporting the back surface including the central portion of the substrate W by vacuum suction are provided. .

As shown in an exploded perspective view of the main part of FIG. 6, a support bracket 20 is mounted on the tip end side of the second support member 17, and a mounting plate 21 is mounted on the support bracket 20. The fixed guide body 22a and the spring receiver 22b are attached to the lower side of the mounting plate 21.
The first substrate transfer arm 19 formed with is formed. Although not shown, the first substrate transfer arm 19, the mounting plate 21, the support bracket 2
A vacuum suction source is connected through the 0 and second supports 17.

A movable body 24 is provided slidably with respect to the fixed guide body 22a, and the movable body 24 and the spring receiver 22b are provided.
The compression coil springs 25, 25 are interposed between the mounting plate 21 and the projection 26 provided on the movable body 24 is fitted into an elongated hole 27 formed on the mounting plate 21, whereby the movable range of the movable body 24 is regulated. ing. The movable body 24 has a first
The first position is set above the substrate transfer arm 19 of the first position.
Are attached. A tension spring may be used instead of the compression coil springs 25, 25 described above. The first positioning guide 18 is located above the first substrate transfer arm 19 and closer to the base side than the position of the vacuum suction hole 23, and the distal end of the first substrate transfer arm 19 is operated by the action of the compression coil spring 25. It is biased in the lateral direction.

The compression coil springs 25, 25
When the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W is pressed by the positioning guide 18, the variation in the amount of movement of the first positioning guide 18 in the pressing direction by the second support 17 is absorbed, and the outer shape of each substrate W is reduced. It acts so as to absorb an excessive pressing force so as not to apply an excessive force to the substrate W due to the dimensional variation.

On the other hand, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 7, the second substrate transfer device 9 is reciprocated by a third electric motor 29 capable of rotating forward and backward on a third support 28. A fourth support 32 is provided movably in the horizontal direction by the wire 30 and the third guide 31, and the fourth support 32 is provided with an eccentric cam 34 rotated by a fourth electric motor 33. Rotating body (cam follower)
A fifth support 37 is provided so as to be able to ascend and descend by a predetermined amount by the 35 and the fourth guide 36.
An arc-shaped second substrate transfer arm 38 that mounts and supports the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W by vacuum suction is attached thereto. The second substrate transfer arm 38 is provided at its tip with a suction portion 38a having a semicircular arc shape along the outer periphery of the substrate W to be transferred, and including a central portion of the substrate W. When the substrate W is transferred to and from the first substrate transport arm 19 supported by the first and second substrates, the two arms are configured not to collide with each other.

The substrate transfer position is set at a position below the cassette mounting portion 2 as described above, and the second substrate transfer arm 38 at the substrate transfer position is provided on the lower surface of the cassette mounting table 2a of the cassette mounting portion 2. The substrate W is opposed to the first positioning guide 18 at a position close to
A second positioning guide 39 having an arcuate surface 39a that is in contact with the outer peripheral end surface is fixedly mounted.

Next, the operation of transporting the substrate W by the substrate transport apparatus will be described. First, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 8A (see FIGS. 3 and 4), when taking out the substrate W from the cassette 5, the first substrate transfer arm 19 is used.
Is raised to a predetermined height, and then moved in the horizontal direction so as to protrude into the cassette 5. The first positioning guide 18 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W to apply a pressing force to the substrate W.
Is pressed against the tapered surface F of the groove forming members 7, 7 so that the substrate W is displaced relative to the groove forming members 7, 7 so that the three portions come into contact with each other, and the center W is naturally located at the centering position. The position of the substrate W is adjusted as described above. At this time, the first positioning guide 18 is displaced in the direction of compressing the compression coil spring 25 by the contact with the substrate W and the advance of the first substrate transfer arm 19.

Then, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 8B, the direction in which the first substrate transfer arm 19 is pulled out of the cassette 5 so that the first positioning guide 18 is separated from the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W. Then, the first substrate transfer arm 19 rises slightly while performing a suction operation, performs vacuum suction, and mounts and supports the substrate W. Thereafter, the first substrate transfer arm 19 is moved. The substrate W is withdrawn and the substrate W is extracted from the cassette 5.

Next, a plan view of FIG.
As shown in a partially cutaway side view of FIG. 9B, the first substrate transfer arm 19 is lowered to a substrate transfer position near the upper surface of the second substrate transfer arm 38, and the first substrate transfer arm 19 is moved downward. Then, the substrate W is placed on the second substrate transfer arm 38 and supported by being lowered slightly further after releasing the suction by the above. At this point, the substrate W separates from the suction surface of the first substrate transfer arm 19 and is transferred to the second substrate transfer arm 38.

Thereafter, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 10A and the partially cutaway side view of FIG. 10B, the first substrate transfer arm 19 is moved to the second substrate transfer arm 38 side. , The outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W is pressed by the first positioning guide 18, the substrate W is brought into contact with the second positioning guide 39, and the substrate W is positioned by being sandwiched between the first and second positioning guides 18, 39. Then, the centering of the substrate W is performed.

Then, in this state, the second substrate transfer arm 38 performs a suction operation to suck the substrate W, and thereafter,
As shown in the plan view of FIG. 11A and the partially cutaway side view of FIG.
Is lowered to the standby position below the second substrate transfer arm 38, and the second substrate transfer arm 19 is moved from the first substrate transfer arm 19 to the second position.
The transfer transfer to the substrate transfer arm 38 is completed.

As shown in the plan view of FIG. 12A and the partially cutaway side view of FIG. 12B, the second substrate on which the positioned substrate W is placed and supported. The transfer arm 38 is moved to the measurement stage 4 side, and the opening 40 is moved.
The substrate W is carried into the processing chamber 41 through the substrate, and the substrate W is transported onto the measurement stage 4. The suction of the measurement stage 4 is started and the suction by the second substrate transfer arm 38 is released. And the substrate W is placed on the measurement stage 4.

Thereafter, although not shown, the second substrate transfer arm 38 is retracted and moved to a standby position outside the processing chamber 41, the opening 40 is closed by the door 42, and a predetermined measurement process is performed. After the processing is completed, the processed substrate is returned to a predetermined position of the cassette 5 by a procedure reverse to that described above.

In this embodiment, the lowering distance of the first substrate transfer arm 19 when transferring the substrate W from the first substrate transfer arm 19 to the second substrate transfer arm 38 is as follows.
When the first substrate transfer arm 19 is moved to the second positioning guide 39 after the transfer, the substrate W can be sandwiched between the second positioning guide 39 and the first positioning guide 18 as much as possible. Is the distance. The second positioning guide 39 is provided so that the substrate W is
The substrate W is placed on the first positioning guide 1
The substrate W is provided at a position slightly higher than the second substrate transfer arm 38 so that the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W comes into contact with the second positioning guide 39 when the substrate W is pushed into the substrate 8.

In the above embodiment, the second positioning guide 39 and the second substrate transfer arm 38 are provided independently.
Only the second substrate transfer arm 38 moves while the second positioning guide 39 remains fixed. Therefore, for example, as in the case where the second positioning guide is attached to the second substrate transfer arm, after the second substrate transfer arm conveys the substrate W to the measurement stage 4 or the like after centering, When descending to retreat from the measurement stage 4 or the like, it is possible to prevent the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W from being rubbed by the arc surface of the second positioning guide.

In the above-described embodiment, each of the first and second substrate transfer arms 19 and 38 is configured to place and support the substrate W by vacuum suction. Instead, a so-called electrostatic chuck configuration that sucks and holds by static electricity may be used, or various mounting support structures such as simply mounting without suction may be adopted.

In the above embodiment, the first substrate transfer arm 1
9, a first positioning guide 18 which can be relatively displaced therefrom.
The second positioning guide 39 is provided below the cassette mounting portion 2 in a fixed state. However, in the present invention, the first positioning guide 18 is fixed to the first substrate transfer arm 19. On the other hand, a second positioning guide 39 is provided at a position below the cassette mounting portion 2 so that an arc surface thereof can be displaced along the traveling direction of the first positioning guide 18. The second positioning guide 39 may be configured to secure a space in which the second positioning guide 39 can be displaced backward when pressed by the substrate W.

In the above embodiment, the second substrate transfer arm 3
8 is configured to move in a direction opposite to the pressing direction by the first positioning guide 18, but the second substrate transfer arm 38 is arranged in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the opposite direction.
May be any direction.

In this embodiment, the first substrate transfer arm 19
Is designed to place and support the back surface including the central portion of the substrate W, but may be configured to place and support a portion outside the central portion of the substrate W. The substrate W at a position where it does not interfere with the second substrate transfer arm 38
Any structure can be used as long as it can be placed and supported.

The present invention is not limited to the transfer of the substrate W having the orientation flat as described above, but can be applied to the transfer of a substrate having an arc-shaped outer peripheral surface, such as a substrate having a notch.

[0034]

As described above, according to the substrate transport apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, for example, when a substrate is taken out from a cassette or an appropriate location and transported to the appropriate location, the first
In the transfer from the substrate transfer arm to the second substrate transfer arm, the first positioning guide attached to the first substrate transfer arm and the second positioning guide provided above the second substrate transfer arm at the substrate transfer position. The centering of the substrate is performed on the transferred second substrate transfer arm by the positioning guide of the first or second, so that the first or second substrate can be reduced while eliminating the need for a dedicated positioning section and miniaturizing the entire apparatus. This eliminates the need for adopting a complicated configuration such as providing a positioning device for performing centering on the substrate transfer arm of the present invention, thereby enabling an inexpensive configuration.

Further, for example, the first positioning guide is configured to be relatively movable with respect to the first substrate transport arm, and the first positioning guide presses the substrate toward the back of the cassette to center the substrate. And when it is to be transferred to the measurement stage or the like using only the first substrate transfer arm, a guide roller is provided near the measurement stage or in the processing chamber in order to release the pressing action by the first positioning guide. However, according to the substrate transport apparatus of the present invention, the substrate positioned by the first and second positioning guides is moved to the second substrate transport arm. Therefore, the above-described cam mechanism can be dispensed with, and the problem of particle generation can be avoided.

According to the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention, the first positioning guide attached to the first substrate transfer arm is moved with respect to the first substrate transfer arm, and the outer periphery of the substrate is moved. Press in contact with the end face to fix the second
Since the centering of the substrate is performed by bringing the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate into contact with the positioning guide, the second substrate transfer arm may be stopped at a position based on the second positioning guide when stopping the transfer of the substrate. For example, in the case where the first positioning guide is fixed and the second positioning guide is movably provided, control such as moving the second substrate transfer arm following the movement of the second positioning guide is performed. In contrast to having to perform an action,
A control configuration for performing centering can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics using a substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway enlarged side view of a main part.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway enlarged plan view of a main part.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer device.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a main part.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second substrate transfer device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a main part illustrating a transport operation.

FIG. 9A is a plan view of a main part illustrating a transport operation,
(B) is a partially notched side view explaining a conveyance operation.

FIG. 10A is a plan view of a main portion illustrating a transport operation, and FIG. 10B is a partially cutaway side view illustrating the transport operation.

11A is a plan view of a main portion illustrating a transport operation, and FIG. 11B is a partially cutaway side view illustrating the transport operation.

FIG. 12A is a plan view of a main portion illustrating a transport operation, and FIG. 12B is a partially cutaway side view illustrating the transport operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 18 First positioning guide 19 First substrate transfer arm 38 Second substrate transfer arm 39 Second positioning guide W Substrate

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Ikusho Nakatani 322 Habushishi Furukawacho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto Nippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Inside the Rakusai Plant Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Rakusai Factory (56) References JP-A-5-29438 (JP, A) JP-A-4-30549 (JP, A) JP-A-3-38636 (JP, U) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01L 21/68 B65G 49/07

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] With 1. A provided movably first substrate transfer arm that supports placing the back surface of the base plate in the vertical direction, passed the substrate supported by the first substrate transport arm in the substrate delivery position A second substrate transfer arm is provided so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, and the first substrate transfer arm is provided with a first positioning guide abutting on an outer peripheral end surface of the substrate, and the second substrate transfer arm is provided at the substrate transfer position . A second position abutting the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate at a position above the substrate transfer arm in opposition to the first positioning guide;
And the first substrate is provided so that one of the first and second positioning guides can be displaced in near and far directions, and further the substrate is placed and supported.
Lower the transfer arm to the board transfer position and
Immediately after the transfer to the second substrate transfer arm, the first substrate transfer
Stop the lowering movement of the feed arm, and then,
Delivery is performed by sandwiching the substrate between the second positioning guides.
The substrate on the second substrate transfer arm
Substrate transfer apparatus is characterized in that configured to perform. 2. A substrate transfer apparatus, wherein the first positioning guide according to claim 1 is relatively movably provided on a first substrate transfer arm so as to be closer to and away from the second positioning guide.