JP2913354B2 - Processing system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a processing system for processing a plate-like object to be processed such as a semiconductor substrate or an LCD substrate in a single-wafer method, and particularly to a system having a cassette station.

[0020]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 shows a conventional processing system used in a resist coating process in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

This processing system includes a processing station 2
10 and a cassette station 200, a plurality of single-wafer processing apparatuses 216 to 222 are integrated in the processing station 210, and an unprocessed semiconductor wafer W is taken out of the wafer cassette C in the cassette station 200. The processed semiconductor wafer W is returned to the wafer cassette C.

In the cassette station 200, the cassette mounting table 20 is provided on the outer side when viewed from the processing station 210.
2 is provided, and a transfer path 204 for moving the wafer transfer body 206 is provided inside.

On the cassette mounting table 202, a plurality of, for example, four wafer cassettes C for accommodating, for example, 25 semiconductor wafers W in multiple stages are mounted in a line.

The wafer transfer body 206 includes a wafer cassette C
Move on the transport path 204 in parallel with the arrangement direction. The wafer transfer body 206 has plate-like tweezers 206a,
This tweezers 20 is opposed to each wafer cassette C.
The desired semiconductor wafer W is taken out by moving the 6a forward and backward at a predetermined height position. Then, the wafer carrier 20
6 is the semiconductor wafer W from any of the wafer cassettes C.
When the semiconductor wafer W is taken out, it moves to a wafer transfer position P provided at the center of the transfer path 204, and transfers the semiconductor wafer W to the wafer transfer body 212 on the processing station 210 side at the position P.

In the processing station 210, a transfer path 214 for moving the wafer transfer body 212 is provided in the center in a corridor shape, and a resist coating apparatus 216, an adhesion processing apparatus 218, and a cooling apparatus 220 are provided on both sides of the transfer path 214. , A heating device 222 and the like.

The wafer carrier 212 has a telescopic arm 212a. The arm 212a receives the semiconductor wafer W from the wafer transfer position P, and performs a first processing, for example, an adhesion processing apparatus 218.
Carry in. When the processing in the adhesion processing device 218 is completed, the wafer transfer body 212 unloads the semiconductor wafer W therefrom, and the next processing device, for example, the cooling device 22
Transport to 0.

Then, for example, when the final processing is completed in the heating device 222, the wafer transfer body 212
The semiconductor wafer W is unloaded from the base station 22, transported to the wafer transfer position P of the cassette station 200, and the processed semiconductor wafer W is transferred to the wafer transfer body 212 of the processing station 210.

Upon receiving the processed semiconductor wafer W, the wafer transfer body 212 on the processing station 210 side moves to a position facing the wafer cassette C where the semiconductor wafer W is to be collected, and moves the tweezers 212a forward and backward. The semiconductor wafer W is stored in a predetermined position in the wafer cassette C.

[0110]

In the above conventional processing system, a transfer path 204 for moving a wafer transfer body 206 on the cassette station 200 side is provided between the cassette mounting table 202 and the processing station 210. On the transfer path 204, the wafer transfer body 206 accesses each of the wafer cassettes C mounted in a row on the cassette mounting table 202.

In such a system, since the width of the cassette station 200 is the sum of the width of the cassette mounting table 202 and the width of the transport path 204, the space occupied by the cassette station 200 is large. However, the size of the room increased and the cost of the clean room was high.

In this type of processing system, a wafer mapping sensor including a light emitting element and a light receiving element is attached to the wafer transfer means on the cassette station side. In the above-described conventional processing system, the wafer carrier 2
06, a wafer sensor (not shown) for such wafer mapping is attached, and the wafer transfer unit 206 moves the wafer sensor close to each wafer cassette C to move up and down, thereby causing each semiconductor wafer in each wafer cassette C to move. The presence or absence of W or the storage position is determined.

However, in the conventional processing system, when the wafer transfer body 206 moves up and down in opposition to one wafer cassette C and completes wafer mapping for one cassette, the next transfer through the transfer path 204 is performed. The wafer must be moved to the front of the wafer cassette C, and then moved up and down again, and the wafer mapping of the entire cassette cannot be performed at high speed in a short time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a processing system which significantly reduces the space occupied by a cassette station, thereby realizing a reduction in the size of the cassette station and the overall system. With the goal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a processing system capable of performing wafer mapping for a plurality of cassettes arranged in a cassette station at high speed in a short time.

[0170]

In order to achieve the above object, a processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises:
A processing station including one or a plurality of single-wafer processing apparatuses, and a cassette provided adjacent to one side surface of the processing station and accommodating a plurality of plate-like workpieces in multiple stages is arranged at a predetermined position; The objects to be processed at the processing station are taken out of any one of the cassettes one by one and transferred to the processing station, and the processed objects are received one by one from the processing station. A cassette station for returning to the cassette, a cassette mounting shelf provided in the cassette station, and having a plurality of shelves vertically arranged in multiple stages at intervals capable of accommodating the cassettes one by one; A station is provided on one side of the cassette mounting shelf so as to be able to move up and down, so that the cassette can be loaded or unloaded. Loading and unloading the cassette between the cassette mounting table provided in the cassette station and the selected one of the cassette mounting shelves. An elevating mechanism for moving the cassette mounting table up and down to the height of the shelf in order to perform, between the cassette mounting table and a selected shelf in the cassette mounting shelf provided in the cassette station. Cassette transfer means for transferring the cassette by moving the cassette in the horizontal direction, and being provided at the cassette station on the other side of the cassette mounting shelf so as to be movable up and down and rotatable; An object transfer means for accessing the cassette placed on the selected shelf to take out or store the object to be processed; It was constructed.

A processing system according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a processing station including one or a plurality of single-wafer processing apparatuses arranged side by side in a horizontal Y direction; A transport path extending in the Y direction along the transport path, and provided movably in the Y direction on the transport path;
An object transport mechanism for loading or unloading a plate-shaped object to be processed one by one with respect to each of the single-wafer processing apparatuses; and a plurality of plate-shaped objects to be processed provided adjacent to the processing station. Is placed in a predetermined position to accommodate the cassettes in multiple stages,
The objects to be processed at the processing station are taken out of any one of the cassettes one by one and transferred to the processing station, and the processed objects are received one by one from the processing station. A cassette station for returning to the cassette of
A cassette mounting shelf provided at the cassette station and having a plurality of shelves vertically arranged in multiple stages at intervals capable of accommodating the cassettes one by one; and a horizontal X orthogonal to the Y direction in the cassette station. Movably provided on one side of the cassette shelf in the direction,
A cassette mounting table for mounting the cassette in a predetermined direction for loading or unloading the cassette; and a cassette mounting table provided at the cassette station, between the cassette mounting table and a selected shelf in the cassette mounting shelf. An elevating mechanism for moving the cassette mounting table up and down to the shelf in order to carry in or unload the cassette; and a lifting mechanism provided at the cassette station, the cassette mounting table and a selected shelf in the cassette mounting shelf. Cassette transfer means for transferring the cassette by moving the cassette in the horizontal direction between the cassette mounting shelf and the other side of the cassette mounting shelf in the X direction within the cassette station; Accessing the cassette mounted on the selected shelf in the cassette mounting shelf to take out or store the object to be processed It has a configuration comprising a processing member transporting means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the processing system of the second aspect, the object transfer means in the cassette station is disposed on an extension of a transfer path in the processing station. And

A processing system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the processing system according to the second or third aspect, wherein the two stations are located between the object transfer means in the cassette station and a transfer path in the processing station. A plurality of vertically movable support pins for transferring the object to be processed are provided.

[0210] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the processing system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the cassette transfer means is arranged so as to face the cassette mounting shelf on the cassette mounting table. It has plate-like tweezers movably provided, and driving means for moving the tweezers between a predetermined backward movement position and a forward movement position, and each shelf of the cassette mounting table is provided with the tweezers. It has a notch for allowing access.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the processing system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the processing object detecting means for detecting the processing object stored in the cassette is provided. Attached to the object transfer means,
The presence / absence or accommodation position of each of the processing objects in the plurality of cassettes can be collectively determined by moving the processing object transporting means up or down with respect to the cassette mounted on the cassette mounting shelf. Configuration.

[0230]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show the configuration of a processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This processing system is used in a resist coating and developing step in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cassette station 80 is provided on one side of the processing station 10.

The processing station 10 has a longitudinal direction (Y
Transfer path 14 for moving the wafer transfer body 12 in the
A rotary (spinner type) single-wafer processing apparatus such as a cleaning device 16, a resist coating device 18, a developing device 20, and a resist removing device 22 is provided in parallel on one side of the transport path 14. Although not shown, hot plate type single-wafer processing apparatuses such as an adhesion processing apparatus, a cooling apparatus, and a heating apparatus may be arranged in the same row.

At the front of the processing station 10, an operation panel 17 for inputting various set values to each processing apparatus and the wafer transfer mechanism and monitoring various measured values is provided.

The wafer carrier 12 of the processing station 10
Is the guide rail 1 laid on the bottom of the transport path 14
It has a transport body 12a that moves on the transport body 4a, and has a telescopic and rotatable arm 12b mounted on the upper surface of the transport body 12a.

The wafer carrier 12 is provided with each of the processing units 16 and 1
The arm 12b is accessed (in / out) with respect to 8, 20, and 22 so that the semiconductor wafer W can be loaded or unloaded.

At a position adjacent to the cassette station 30 on the transfer path 14 of the processing station 10, a wafer transfer section 28 for transferring the semiconductor wafer W between the stations 10 and 30 is provided.

[0310] The wafer transfer section 28 is provided with three vertically movable support pins 28a which are vertically erected at intervals of 120 °. Although not shown, a mechanism for aligning the semiconductor wafer W (alignment of orientation flat, centering, etc.) may be provided in parallel.

The depth of the cassette station 80 is equal to the depth of the processing station 10 and the width WD is somewhat larger than that of the wafer cassette C.

In the cassette station 80,
At the center or the rear in the depth direction (X direction), a wafer transfer mechanism 82 configured to be vertically movable and rotatable at a position on the extension of the transfer path 14 in the processing station 10.
Is provided. Also, 1 is provided at the front of the operation panel 81 side.
Two cassette mounting tables 84 are provided. A multi-stage cassette mounting shelf 86 is provided between the cassette mounting table 84 and the wafer transfer mechanism 82. That is, X
A cassette mounting table 84 and a wafer transfer mechanism 82 are provided on both sides of the cassette mounting shelf 86 in the direction.

On the cassette mounting table 84, the semiconductor wafer W
For example, one wafer cassette C containing 25 wafers in multiples is placed. The cassette mounting table 84 is moved by a cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 88 (described later) between a reference position P for loading and unloading as shown in FIG. 1 and each of the shelves 86a to 86d of the cassette mounting shelf 86 as shown in FIG. It moves up and down in the vertical direction (Z direction) between the height position.

In FIG. 4, the cassette mounting shelf 86 is provided with a support table 90 provided at the bottom of the cassette station 80.
And four shelves 86a to 86d are provided at intervals such that one wafer cassette C can be accommodated in each shelf.

[0360] Of these shelves 86a to 86d, the upper two
The two shelves 86a and 86b are positioned above or at the same height as the reference position P of the cassette mounting table 84, and the two lower shelves 86c and 86d are positioned below the reference position P of the cassette mounting table 84. .

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the shelves 86a to 86
“d” is formed in a U-shape with the center portion cut out facing the cassette mounting table 84 side. These notches 87a,
87b,..., Tweezers 92 of the cassette mounting table 84, which will be described later, place the wafer cassette C thereon, and the shelves 86a, 86b,.
... to get in and out.

The cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 88 is configured as follows.

[0390] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, a pair of ball screws 94 and 96 are provided outside the both sides of the cassette mounting shelf 86.
And a pair of guide shafts 98, 100 are vertically provided, and are respectively formed in corresponding screw holes and through holes formed in a pair of arm-shaped guide members 102, 104 extending integrally from the cassette mounting table 84. Ball screw 94, 96
Are screwed together and the guide shafts 98 and 100 are loosely inserted.

The guide shafts 98 and 100 are fixed to stoppers 106 and 107 attached to the upper end and a support table 108 installed at the bottom of the cassette station 80, respectively.
06 and 107, and is rotatably driven by a drive motor 110 installed at the bottom of the cassette station 80. When the drive motor 110 is operated to rotate the ball screws 94 and 96, the arm-shaped guide portions 102 and 104 and the cassette mounting table 84 move up and down integrally in the vertical direction (Z direction) along the cassette mounting shelf 86. It has become.

The direction of the up / down movement (up / down) corresponds to the rotation direction of the motor 110, and the amount of up / down movement is
Since the drive motor 110 is rotated in a predetermined direction by a predetermined amount of rotation under the control of a system controller (not shown), the cassette mounting table 84 is moved to each of the shelves 86a to 86d. Can be moved to the height position.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, at the center of the cassette mounting table 84, arm-shaped guides 102, 10 are provided.
A plate-like tweezers 92 (cassette transfer means) is provided movably in the direction of arrow X in parallel with 4. Under the control of the system controller, the tweezers 92 are moved to the base end side of the cassette mounting table 84 by a driving means such as a drive motor or an air cylinder provided inside the cassette mounting table 84 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
It reciprocates in the direction of arrow X between the forward movement position advancing between 2 and 104.

When the cassette mounting table 84 stands by at the reference position shown in FIG. 1 in order to load or unload the wafer cassette C from outside the system, or as shown in FIG. When the tweezers 92 are moved up and down while being placed, the tweezers 92 are retracted to the return position.

However, when the cassette mounting table 84 is mounted on the shelf 86a-
When loading or unloading the wafer cassette C with respect to the wafer cassette 86d, the tweezers 92 is moved to the home position shown in FIG.
The forward and backward movement is performed between the forward movement position shown in FIG. Note that a claw-shaped cassette positioning member 92a that engages with a predetermined position on the bottom surface of the wafer cassette C is provided at the tip of the upper surface of the tweezers 92.

As described above, in the cassette station 80 of the present embodiment, the cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 88 and the tweezers 92 function to move the wafer cassette C on the cassette mounting table 84 from the reference position P for loading and unloading the cassette. The cassette 86 is configured to be moved to the reference position P from above the shelves 86a to 86d of the cassette mounting shelf 86 or vice versa.

[0460] The wafer transfer mechanism 82 in the cassette station 80 of this embodiment is configured as follows.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one ball screw 120 and a pair of guide shafts 122 and 124 on both sides thereof are vertically arranged in the Y direction at the rear of the cassette station 80. . The two guide shafts 122 and 124 are fixed to a stopper 126 attached to the upper end and a support base (not shown) installed at the bottom of the cassette station 80, respectively, and a through hole provided at one end of the elevating base 130. Has been inserted into the play.

The ball screw 120 is supported by a stopper 126 and is driven to rotate by a drive motor 128 provided at the bottom of the cassette station 80. The ball screw 120 is screwed into a through hole with a screw hole provided at one end of the lift 130. The other end of the elevating table 130 extends toward the cassette mounting shelf 86, on which the transport base 132 is fixedly mounted.

[0490] As shown in detail in FIG.
A rectangular parallelepiped transfer main body 60 is rotatably mounted on a horizontal plane (θ direction) by a drive motor or the like (not shown), and tweezers 62, a wafer centering member 64, and a pair of sensor arms are mounted on the transfer main body 60. 66 and 68 are attached.

[0500] The tweezers 62 are plate bodies formed in a width and a length in which a wafer can be mounted, and are driven by driving means (for example, an air cylinder, a ball screw, a belt, or the like) built in the carrying body 60. In the front-rear direction (the direction of arrow K in FIG. 5).

The wafer centering member 64 is supported substantially horizontally on both sides of the base end of the tweezers 62 by the mounting bracket 70, and forms an arc-shaped inner side surface 64a toward the tip end of the tweezers 62.

At the time of taking out the wafer W, the tweezers 62
7 moves forward to the forward position as shown in FIG. 7 and, for example, places a certain semiconductor wafer W in the wafer cassette C3, and when the wafer is loaded and retreats to the backward position shown in FIG. Since the wafer is sandwiched between the provided step portion 62a and the arcuate inner side surface 64a of the wafer centering member 64, the centering and holding of the wafer are performed at the same time.

A light-emitting element (for example, a light-emitting diode such as an LED or a laser diode) 72 and a light-receiving element (for example, a phototransistor or a photodiode) are provided at the ends of the sensor arms 66 and 68 so as to face each other.
74 are respectively attached.

When there is no object between these elements 72 and 74, the light emitted from light emitting element 72 enters light receiving element 74, and an output signal of, for example, "H" level is output from light receiving element 74. . However, when an object exists between the two elements 72 and 74, the light emitted from the light emitting element 72 is blocked by the object and does not enter the light receiving element 74. Occurs. At the time of wafer detection, an output signal obtained from the light receiving element 74 is sent to a system controller (not shown) as a sensor detection signal.

The two sensor arms 66 and 68 are configured to be able to move in the front-rear direction (the direction of arrow K in FIG. 5) with respect to the transport main body 60 independently of the tweezers 62. The distance between the two sensor arms 66 and 68 is selected so that the arc portion of the semiconductor wafer W can be inserted horizontally between the two arms.

The drive motor 128 operates to operate the ball screw 1
20 is rotated, the elevating table 130 and the transport base 13 are rotated.
2 are integrally moved up and down in the vertical direction (Z direction).

[0570] When the motor 128 rotates by a predetermined rotation angle or amount in a predetermined direction under the control of the system controller, the rotation base 132 is moved to the designated height position of the cassette mounting shelf 86. Then, the tweezers 62 of the transfer main body 60 can access the selected wafer accommodating position in the wafer cassettes C1 to C4.

As described above, in the cassette station 80 of the present embodiment, the wafer transfer mechanism 82 moves the wafer cassettes C1 to C4 arranged vertically on the shelves 86a to 86d of the cassette mounting shelf 86 in the Z direction. By simply moving the transfer main body 60 on the transfer base 132 in the vertical direction (Z-direction) with the attitude toward the cassette mounting table 84 side, it is possible to access an arbitrary wafer accommodation position in the wafer cassettes C1 to C4. Is available.

[0590] Then, when a certain semiconductor wafer W is taken out, the wafer transfer mechanism 82 moves the transfer base 132 up and down to a height position corresponding to the wafer transfer section 28 on the processing station 10 side, and at this position, the transfer base 132 is moved. The semiconductor wafer W is delivered by rotating the transfer main body 60 on the 132 and moving the tweezers 62 forward and backward by rotating the transfer body 60 by about 90 ° toward the wafer transfer unit 28 side.

When transferring the processed semiconductor wafer W at the processing station 10 to the cassette station 80, the wafer transfer mechanism 82 moves the tweezers forward and backward at the same position as described above, and transfers the processed semiconductor wafer W from the wafer transfer unit 28. The wafer W is received.

[0610] Upon receiving the processed semiconductor wafer W,
The wafer transfer mechanism 82 moves the transfer main body 6 on the transfer substrate 132.
0 is rotated 90 ° to face the cassette mounting shelf 86,
The transfer base 132 is moved up and down to a predetermined wafer storage position of the recovery destination wafer cassette Ci, for example, to the same height position as the position where the wafer is taken out. The operation of each unit in the wafer transfer mechanism 82 is controlled by a system controller.

The unloading of the wafer cassette C in the cassette station 80 is performed as follows.

[0630] Wafer cassette C in cassette mounting shelf 86
When the processed semiconductor wafers W are fully stored (collected) in all or a part of 1 to C4, the cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 88 is operated under the control of the system controller, and the wafer cassette to be unloaded is operated. The cassette mounting table 84 is moved up and down to the height of the shelves 86a to 86d on which Ci is mounted.

[0640] Then, at the height position, the cassette mounting table 8
The wafer cassette Ci is taken up by the cassette mounting table 84 by moving the cassette transfer tweezers 92 on the front and back 4 in the X direction between the backward movement position and the forward movement position.

Next, the cassette mounting table 84 is moved up and down to move the wafer cassette C to the reference position P. The transfer robot or an operator moves the wafer cassette C from the reference position P.
Is removed, the cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 88 moves the shelf 86a on which the next wafer cassette Ci to be unloaded is placed.
The cassette mounting table 84 is moved up and down to a height of ~ 86d. Then, the same cassette unloading operation as described above is repeated.

As described above, in the cassette station 80 in this embodiment, it is possible to move up and down and to rotate to a position on the extension of the transport path 14 of the processing station 10 at the rear or center in the depth direction (X direction). A wafer transfer mechanism 82 having means for taking in and out or transferring the semiconductor wafer W is provided. A cassette mounting shelf 86 and a cassette mounting table 84 are provided adjacent to the wafer transfer mechanism 82 in the X direction. ing.

[0670] The wafer cassette C mounted on the cassette mounting table 84 at the reference position P is moved by the cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 88.
The cassette is transferred one by one to one of the four shelves 86a to 86d of the cassette mounting shelf 86 by the action of the cassette transfer tweezers 92.

[0680] Thus, a plurality of wafer cassettes C1 to C4 are arranged in the vertical direction (Z direction) toward the wafer transfer mechanism 82 while being placed on the shelves 86a to 86d, respectively.
Access to the wafer cassettes C1 to C4 by the wafer transfer mechanism 82 (removal or storage of the semiconductor wafer W or wafer mapping) is performed at the positions of these shelves.

According to this structure, wafer transfer mechanism 82
Takes an installation space on the extension of the cassette mounting shelf 86 and the cassette mounting table 84 in the depth direction (X direction),
It does not protrude in the Y direction. Therefore, the cassette station 80 has a width WD slightly larger than that of the wafer cassette C.

Furthermore, since the cassette mounting shelf 86 and the cassette mounting table 84 are provided only on one side of the wafer transfer mechanism 82, the size is reduced to almost half in the depth direction (X direction). Therefore, the space occupied by the cassette station 80 is greatly reduced to about 1/4 as compared with the conventional one as shown in FIG.

[0710] Therefore, the cassette station 80
Are connected to one side surface of the processing station 10 (in parallel), the width size and the depth size of the entire processing system can be reduced, and the cost of the clean room can be reduced.

[0720] A plurality of wafer cassettes C1 to C4 are arranged in the cassette mounting shelf 86 in a row in the vertical direction (Z direction) adjacent to the wafer transfer mechanism 82. As a result, the wafer transfer mechanism 82 can quickly access an arbitrary wafer cassette Ci only by moving up and down and rotating.

Further, by attaching a wafer sensor to the wafer transfer mechanism 82 and moving it up or down only once, the wafer mapping operation can be simultaneously performed for all the wafer cassettes C1 to C4, and all the wafer cassettes C1 to C4 can be simultaneously operated. Wafer mapping to the cassette can be performed much faster and in a shorter time.

[0740] The cassette mounting shelf 8 in the above-described embodiment.
The six shelves 86a to 86d are the upper two (86a, 86b)
Is higher than the reference position P of the cassette mounting table 84, and the lower 2
Although one (86c, 86d) is provided at a position lower than the reference position P, the height relationship is not limited to this. For example, one shelf 8 is located at a position higher than the reference position P.
6a, and the remaining three shelves 86b to 86d may be arranged at a position lower than the reference position P. Further, the number of shelves is not limited to four, and an arbitrary number of shelves can be provided.

In the above embodiment, all the wafer cassettes C are transferred from the reference position P to the cassette mounting shelves 86a-86.
d. However, if necessary, for some of the wafer cassettes, the loading (arranging) position for loading and unloading and the loading (arranging) position for access may be set to the same position and fixed.

In the above embodiment, the wafer transfer mechanism 8
2, a cassette mounting shelf 86 and a cassette mounting table 84 were provided. However, it goes without saying that it may be provided on both sides.

[0770] Further, the cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 88 may be constituted by an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a belt mechanism, or the like, instead of the above-described structure including the motor 110 and the ball screw 94. Similarly, the wafer transfer mechanism 82 may be configured using an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a belt mechanism, or the like instead of the above-described configuration including the motor 128 and the ball screw 120.

[0780] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which four cassettes C1 to C4 accommodating semiconductor wafers W before processing were carried in. However, for example, C3 and C4 may be empty cassettes, C1 and C2 may be cassettes containing wafers, and processed wafers W may be stored in cassettes C3 and C4.

Although the above embodiment relates to a processing system for performing a resist coating and developing step, the present invention is not limited to such a processing system, but may be any single-wafer processing apparatus or system having a cassette station. Applicable to Therefore, the object to be processed is not limited to a semiconductor wafer, but may be an LCD substrate, a glass substrate, a CD substrate, a printed substrate, a photomask, a ceramic substrate, or other plate-shaped objects.

[0800]

As described above, according to the processing system of the present invention, in a cassette station provided adjacent to one side of a processing station having a single-wafer processing apparatus, a multi-stage cassette mounting apparatus is provided in a vertical direction. In addition to disposing the mounting shelf, the cassette mounting table and the object transfer means are disposed on both sides thereof so as to be able to move up and down, and the cassette mounting table is moved from one side to the cassette mounting table by the lifting mechanism and the cassette transferring means. In addition to loading and unloading the cassette between the processing objects, the processing object transfer means performs removal or storage of the selected processing object from the other side, so that the area occupied by the cassette station is greatly reduced, A reduction in the size of the cassette station and, consequently, a reduction in the size of the entire system, thus reducing the cost of the clean room. It can be.

[0810] According to the processing system of the present invention, the object transfer means moves up or down with respect to a plurality of cassettes vertically arranged in multiple stages in the cassette mounting shelf, and Since the body detection means detects the presence or absence or the accommodation position of all the objects to be processed accommodated in those cassettes at a time, wafer mapping can be performed at high speed and in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a main part of a cassette station and a part of the processing station in the processing system of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a configuration of a cassette transfer tweezer provided in a cassette station in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a configuration of a cassette mounting table elevating mechanism and a wafer transfer mechanism provided in a cassette station in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a configuration of a wafer transfer mechanism in a cassette station in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing a configuration of a wafer transfer mechanism in a cassette station in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing how a semiconductor wafer is taken in and out or mapped in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a conventional processing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Processing station 12 Wafer transfer body 14 Transfer path 60 Transfer main body 62 Tweezers 80 Cassette station 82 Wafer transfer mechanism 84 Cassette mounting table 86 Cassette mounting shelf 88 Cassette mounting table elevating mechanism 92 Cassette transfer tweezers 132 Transport base

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A processing station including one or a plurality of single-wafer processing apparatuses, and a cassette provided adjacent to one side surface of the processing station and accommodating a plurality of plate-like workpieces in multiple stages. , And the objects to be processed at the processing station are taken out of one of the cassettes one by one and transferred to the processing station, and the processed objects are processed one by one. A cassette station for receiving the cassette and returning it to any one of the cassettes; and a cassette mount provided in the cassette station and having a plurality of shelves vertically arranged in multiple stages at intervals capable of accommodating the cassettes one by one. A cassette shelf, the cassette station being provided on one side of the cassette loading shelf so as to be movable up and down; A cassette mounting table for mounting the cassette in a predetermined direction for loading or unloading the cassette; and a cassette mounting table provided at the cassette station, wherein the cassette mounting table and a selected shelf in the cassette mounting shelf are An elevating mechanism for moving the cassette mounting table up and down to the height of the shelf in order to carry in or unload a cassette; provided at the cassette station; and a selected one of the cassette mounting table and the cassette mounting shelf. Cassette transfer means for transferring the cassette by horizontally moving the cassette to and from a shelf; and the cassette station being provided at the cassette station on the other side of the cassette mounting shelf so as to be vertically movable and rotatable. An object to be processed, which accesses the cassette mounted on a selected shelf in the mounting shelf to take out or store the object to be processed Processing system comprising a feeding unit. 2. A processing station including one or a plurality of single-wafer processing apparatuses arranged side by side in a horizontal Y direction, and a processing station extending in the Y direction along the single-wafer processing apparatus in the processing station. A transfer path, which is provided so as to be movable in the Y direction on the transfer path, and a processing object transfer mechanism that loads or unloads a plate-like processing object one by one into each of the single-wafer processing apparatuses; A cassette provided adjacent to the processing station and accommodating a plurality of plate-shaped objects to be processed in multiple stages is arranged at a predetermined position, and one of the objects to be processed at the processing station is processed one by one. A cassette station for taking out the processed objects one by one from the processing station and returning the processed objects to any one of the cassettes; A cassette mounting shelf provided in the cassette station and having a plurality of shelves vertically arranged in multiple stages at intervals capable of accommodating the cassettes one by one; and a horizontal plane orthogonal to the Y direction in the cassette station. A cassette mounting table provided on one side of the cassette shelf in the X direction so as to be able to move up and down, and mounting the cassette in a predetermined direction for loading or unloading the cassette; and An elevating mechanism for moving the cassette mounting table up and down to the shelf in order to carry in or unload the cassette between the cassette mounting table and a selected shelf in the cassette mounting shelf; and Moving the cassette horizontally between the cassette mounting table and a selected one of the cassette mounting shelves. A cassette transfer means for transferring the selected one of the cassettes on the other side of the cassette mounting shelf in the cassette station in the X direction so as to be vertically movable and rotatable; A processing object transporting means for accessing the cassette placed in the storage device to take out or store the processing object. 3. The processing system according to claim 2, wherein said object transfer means in said cassette station is provided on an extension of a transfer path in said processing station. 4. A plurality of vertically movable supports for transferring the object between the two stations between the object conveying means in the cassette station and a conveying path in the processing station. The processing system according to claim 2, wherein a pin is provided. 5. A tweezer-shaped tweezer provided movably on said cassette mounting table in a direction facing said cassette mounting shelf, and said cassette transferring means moves said tweezers to a predetermined backward movement position. A drive means for moving the cassette mounting table between the tweezers and the cassette mounting table, wherein each of the shelves of the cassette mounting table has a notch for allowing the tweezers to enter and exit. A processing system according to any of the above. 6. The cassette mounted on the cassette mounting shelf, wherein a processing object detecting means for detecting the processing object stored in the cassette is attached to the processing object transport means. The presence / absence or accommodation position of each of the objects to be processed in a plurality of the cassettes is detected at a time by raising or lowering the object to be processed transport means. The processing system according to claim 1.