JP3092888B2 - Thin plate immersion equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thin plate immersion apparatus and, more particularly, to a thin plate immersion apparatus for immersing a thin plate storage portion for storing a large number of thin plates in upper and lower stages in a liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Wafers (an example of a thin plate material) are automatically conveyed and processed in an extremely clean clean room so as not to be contaminated. When this kind of thin plate material comes into contact with air during transportation, there is a possibility that a small amount of dust floating in the air adheres or the surface is oxidized and becomes a defective product. Further, in the case of a wafer contaminated with an abrasive or the like, if the wafer dries, particles such as an abrasive adhere to the surface of the wafer and cannot be easily removed.

For this reason, a thin plate immersion apparatus is used in which a wafer is immersed in a liquid such as pure water until it is supplied to a processing apparatus (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-6581). The thin plate immersion apparatus includes a liquid tank for immersing a cassette capable of accommodating a large number of wafers in upper and lower stages in a liquid, a loader for moving the cassette up and down in the liquid tank, and moving the wafer in a horizontal direction. It is composed of a conveyor composed of two rubber rings to be conveyed, and a pusher that pushes a wafer from the loader to the conveyor.

In this thin plate immersion apparatus, once the cassette is set on the loader, the cassette is immersed in the liquid tank once. Then, when taking out the wafer from the cassette, the loader moves up to a position where the desired wafer can be carried out, and the pusher pushes the wafer to the conveyor side. The extruded wafer is conveyed in a horizontal direction by a conveyor and carried to a processing step.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional configuration,
A pusher is required on the upstream side in the transport direction of the liquid tank, and a conveyor is required on the downstream side in the transport direction of the liquid tank. For this reason, the device becomes large and the configuration becomes complicated. Also, when the pusher pushes the wafer from the cassette to the conveyor,
When the back surface of the wafer is in sliding contact with the cassette and the conveyor, the back surface of the wafer is damaged and particles are generated.

An object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of the apparatus and to suppress damage to the rear surface of the wafer and generation of particles.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thin plate immersion apparatus for immersing a thin plate storage portion for storing a large number of thin plates in upper and lower stages in a liquid. The apparatus includes a liquid tank, a storage unit elevating unit, a sheet material discharging unit,
A negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure, a first pipe, the
It has two pipes and a liquid removing means. The liquid tank is for storing a liquid therein, and for immersing the thin plate storage section in the liquid. The storage unit elevating means is for moving the thin plate material storage unit up and down in the liquid tank. The sheet material discharging means has a multi-joint structure, has a transfer arm that enters the sheet material storage section, supports the sheet material from below the sheet material storage section, and then discharges the sheet material, and has an opening on the upper surface of the transfer arm. Suck
A hole is formed. The first pipe is the suction hole of the transfer arm
And the negative pressure generating means are connected. The second pipe is connected to the first pipe
Has been continued. The liquid removing means is a means for removing the liquid remaining in the second pipe.

[0008] The thin plate immersion apparatus according to claim 2 is a multi-layer
Immerse the thin plate storage section that stores the thin plate in multiple stages
This is a thin plate material immersion device. This device has a liquid tank and
Storage section elevating means, sheet material unloading means, and
Negative pressure generating means, first pipe, second pipe, openable and closable
It has a functional valve. The liquid tank stores liquid inside,
This is for immersing the thin plate storage section in the liquid.
The storage unit elevating means moves the thin plate storage unit up and down in the liquid tank.
It is for. The sheet material discharge means has an articulated structure.
Then, the sheet enters the sheet storage section, and the sheet is stored in the sheet storage section.
It has a transfer arm that carries out the material after supporting it from below.
In addition, a suction hole is formed on the upper surface of the transfer arm.
You. The first pipe connects the suction hole of the transfer arm and the negative pressure generating means.
Connecting. The second pipe is connected to the first pipe. Opening and closing
A possible valve is provided in the second pipe, and opens a part of the second pipe to the atmosphere to introduce the atmosphere into the second pipe .

[0009]

In the thin plate immersion apparatus according to the present invention, when the thin plate storage section is set in the storage section lifting / lowering means, the storage section lifting / lowering means is lowered and the thin plate material is immersed in the liquid tank. When sending out the sheet material, the storage section elevating means rises, and the sheet material discharge means enters the sheet material storage section, and after the sheet material is supported from below in the sheet material storage section, is carried out.

In this case, since the sheet material discharge means enters the sheet material storage section and supports the sheet material from below under the sheet material storage section, the sheet material is conveyed out, so that the back surface of the sheet material is brought into sliding contact with the sheet material storage section. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of damage and particles due to abrasion of the thin plate material during unloading. Further, since a pusher and a conveyor are not required, the apparatus configuration is simplified.

In this apparatus, the thin plate immersed in the liquid tank is adsorbed by the transfer arm and transferred. For this reason,
The liquid easily enters each pipe from the suction hole of the transfer arm. The liquid that has entered each of the pipes causes inconvenience when, for example, measuring a negative pressure. However, here, particularly, the liquid that enters and accumulates in the second pipe is removed by the liquid removing means. For this reason, even if a liquid enters the pipe, inconvenience due to the liquid can be suppressed. Also openable
A simple valve is provided in the second pipe, a part of the second pipe is opened to the atmosphere, and the atmosphere is introduced into the second pipe, thereby simplifying the structure.
The liquid in the piping can be eliminated.

[0012]

1 and 2 show a substrate processing apparatus employing an embodiment of the present invention. This substrate processing apparatus performs cleaning and drying processing on the semiconductor wafer W. In these figures, the substrate processing apparatus includes an underwater loader 1 for immersing a large number of wafers W stored in a cassette C in pure water,
A back surface cleaning device 2 for brush cleaning the back surface (lower surface) of the wafer W taken out of the cassette C, a front surface cleaning device 3 for brush cleaning the front surface (upper surface) of the wafer W, and a water cleaning for performing water washing and drying processing of the wafer W The drying device 4 and the unloader 5 for accommodating and discharging the processed wafer W in another cassette C are arranged in this order.

Between each of the loaders 1, 5 and the devices 2 to 4,
A transfer device 6 having an articulated robot 7 is arranged. The transfer device 6 and each of the loaders 1 and 5 and the devices 2 to 4 can be shut off by a shutter (not shown). Also,
Pure water is supplied to the loader 1 and the devices 2 to 4 and 6 from the pure water supply device 8 via the control valve 9. The drainage from the loader 1 and the devices 2 to 4 and 6 is collected by a drainage collection device 10.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the underwater loader 1 has a water tank 11 for storing pure water therein and immersing the cassette C in the pure water, and a vertical movement of the cassette C in the water tank 11. And a cassette elevating device 12 for performing the operation.
The elevating device 12 moves the cassette C at least between the position where the uppermost wafer W stored in the cassette C is completely immersed in pure water and the lowermost wafer W stored in the cassette C. Move up and down to a position that floats from the water. The cassette C is hollow, and an opening 13 for taking in and out of the accommodated wafer W is provided at the right front side in FIG.
Are formed.

The water tank 11 is made of synthetic resin, and has a side surface opposite to the side surface on which the opening 13 of the cassette C is arranged (FIG. 4).
On the left side), a weir 14 whose vertical position can be adjusted is provided. The height of the liquid level in the water tank 11 is determined by the weir 14. Further, the portion near the opening 1 3 of the cassette C at the bottom of the tank 11, the pure water supply port 15 is formed, pure water from the supply port 15 is supplied to the tub 11. The supplied pure water overflows from the weir 14 and is discharged. Therefore, during the supply of pure water, a water flow is formed from the opening 13 of the cassette C to the back side at least near the liquid level in the water tank 11. A liquid level gauge 17 using a capacitance sensor 18 is disposed on one side surface of the water tank 11.

The cassette elevating device 12 is provided with the elevating frame 1.
9 is provided. The elevating frame 19 is vertically movably supported by two guide shafts 20 arranged vertically. In the center of the lifting frame 19, a ball nut 21 is provided.
Is arranged. The ball nut 21 is screwed into a ball screw 22 extending vertically. The ball screw 22 includes a guide frame 23 that supports the guide shaft 20.
It is rotatably supported by. Ball screw 2
2 is rotationally driven by a motor 26 via a toothed pulley 24 and a toothed belt 25 arranged at the lower end. As a result, the lifting frame 19 is driven up and down.

At both ends of the lifting frame 19, a pair of lifting members 27 made of a stainless steel thin plate member and a vertical member 31 connected thereto are provided. Each vertical member 31
A cassette table 32 made of a synthetic resin flat plate member
Is attached. On the cassette table 32, positioning members 33 for positioning the four corners of the cassette C are attached.

The upper end of each elevating member 27 is connected by a connecting member 30. The central portion of the connecting member 30 prevents the cassette C from rising when the cassette C is immersed in the water tank 11. Lift prevention member 4 for
4a is provided. This lifting prevention member 44a
Is a bearing portion 45a fixed to the connecting member 30;
and a stopper 47a rotatably connected to the bearing portion 45a via a.

In the transfer device 6 shown in FIG. 2, above the three articulated robots 7 on the upstream side in the transfer direction, a nozzle 34 for jetting pure water is provided as shown in FIGS. The nozzle 34 is for spraying pure water onto the wafer W sucked and held by the articulated robot 7 to prevent drying of the wafer W and to suppress contact between the wafer W and air. The nozzle 34 sprays pure water in a cone shape slightly larger in diameter than the wafer W.

The articulated robot 7 is, as shown in FIG.
A vertical column 41 attached to a frame 40 of the substrate processing apparatus, a base 42 supported rotatably in the horizontal direction on the vertical column 41, and a transfer supported rotatably in the horizontal direction at the tip of the base 42 And an arm 43. The articulated robot 7 can take a standby posture shown by a solid line in FIG. 6, a carry-out posture shown by a two-dot chain line, and a carry-in posture shown by a dotted line. In the standby posture, the transfer arm 43 is on the base 4
2 is a posture folded up. Unloading posture is base 4
Reference numeral 2 denotes a posture in which the base 42 and the transfer arm 43 are arranged so as to rotate 90 ° counterclockwise in FIG. 6 from the standby posture and extend in a straight line. The carry-in posture is a posture that is line-symmetric with the carry-out posture with respect to the standby posture.

The vertical column 41 is made of stainless steel and has a substantially cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. A rotating shaft 44 rotatably supported by stainless steel bearings 45 and 46 is disposed inside the vertical column 41. A rotating lever 49 made of a synthetic resin is fixed to an upper end of the rotating shaft 44, and a rotation driving mechanism including a motor (not shown) is connected to a lower end side. As shown in FIG. 9, the rotating lever 49 has a fan shape, and the outer edge thereof is fixed to the base 42. Therefore, the base 42 and the swing shaft 44 rotate integrally.

At the upper end of the vertical column 41, a spur gear 50 made of synthetic resin is fixed. Thus, the spur gear 50 rotates integrally with the vertical column 41. Bearings 47 and 48 made of stainless steel are arranged on the outer periphery of the upper end of the vertical column 41. These bearings 47 and 48 are
Are supported to be rotatable. Base 42
Is made of aluminum and has an outer surface covered with tetrafluoroethylene resin. The base 42 has a generally oval shape, and has a bearing housing 51 for housing bearings 47 and 48 at the base thereof. Fixed shafts 52 and 53 made of synthetic resin are provided upright at the front end and the intermediate portion of the base 42. An intermediate gear 54 made of synthetic resin meshing with the spur gear 50 is rotatably supported on the fixed shaft 53 at the intermediate portion. The intermediate gear 54 is a two-piece gear that can be adjusted to remove backlash. A pinion 55 made of a synthetic resin is rotatably supported on the fixed shaft 52 at the tip. The pinion 55 has a boss 56 at the top, and the base end of the transfer arm 43 is fixed to the upper end of the boss 56.

The rotation lever 49 and the spur gear 5
0, the intermediate gear 54 and the pinion 55 are covered with a synthetic resin cover 57 screwed around the base 42. The transfer arm 43 is made of a stainless steel thin plate member, and has an opening at the upper end of the transfer arm 43 inside the transfer arm 43.
A suction hole 58 extending therefrom to the fixed shaft 52 is formed. Similarly, suction holes 59 and 60 are also formed in the shaft centers of the fixed shaft 52 and the fixed shaft 53. This suction hole 5
A suction hole 61 is also formed in the base 42 so as to connect 9, 60. Further, the suction hole 6 is also provided at the axis of the rotating shaft 44.
The suction hole 62 and the suction hole 60 are connected by a suction pipe 63.

As shown in FIG. 10, one end of a negative pressure pipe 64 is connected to the base end of the rotating shaft 44. The suction holes 65 to 62, the suction pipe 63, and the negative pressure pipe 64 form a suction path 65. The other end of the negative pressure pipe 64 is connected to a negative pressure generating section 66. The negative pressure generating unit 66
The aspirator system generates a negative pressure by high-pressure air from an air source 67 connected to a negative-pressure generating unit 66. A vacuum gauge 69 with a lower limit contact is connected to the negative pressure generator 66 via a measurement pipe 68. An open pipe 70 open to the atmosphere is connected to the measurement pipe 68 near the vacuum gauge 69. An on-off valve 71 of an electromagnetic control type is arranged in the open pipe 70. This open pipe 70
This is for removing pure water that has entered the measurement pipe 68 from the adsorption path 65.

A steam / water separator 72 is connected downstream of the negative pressure generator 66. The steam separator 72 is for separating moisture contained in air from air.
Downstream of the steam separator 72 is an exhaust pipe 73 and a drain pipe 74.
And connected to. Here, when the wet wafer W is sucked by the tip of the transfer arm 43, water enters the suction path 65. The intruded water flows from the negative pressure generating section 66 to the steam-water separator 72. Then, the air separated by the steam separator 72 is discharged to an exhaust pipe 73, and moisture is discharged to a drain pipe 74. Further, a part of the water also enters the measurement pipe 68. If pure water stays in the measurement pipe 68, the measurement with the vacuum gauge 69 becomes impossible. Therefore, immediately before the measurement by the vacuum gauge 69, the on / off valve 71 is opened, the measurement pipe 68 is opened to the atmosphere, and the pure water in the measurement pipe 68 is removed. Is discharged to the negative pressure generating section 66 side.

In the substrate processing apparatus configured as described above,
Since the removal of the wafer W from the underwater loader 1 can be performed only by the articulated robot 7, the apparatus configuration is simplified. next,
The operation of the above-described substrate processing apparatus will be described. When a cassette C containing a large number of wafers W is positioned and mounted on the cassette lifting device 12 of the underwater loader 1, the lifting device 12 descends and immerses the cassette C in the water tank 11.

When supplying the wafer W to the back surface cleaning device 2, the cassette lifting device 12 for holding the immersed cassette C is raised. Then, with the wafer W to be carried out positioned slightly above the take-out position, the cassette elevating device 12 stops. Subsequently, the rotation shaft 44 of the articulated robot 7 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 9 by a motor (not shown), and the base 42 is rotated counterclockwise via the rotation lever 49. Then, the spur gear 50 fixed to the base 42 rotates together with the base 42, and the intermediate gear 54
And the pinion 55 is rotationally driven. When the pinion 55 rotates, the transfer arm 43 (FIG. 8) turns. Then, when the base 42 is rotated 90 ° counterclockwise, the base 42 and the transfer arm 43 are brought into the unloading posture (the posture indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5). Then, the wafer W is received on the transfer arm 43 of the articulated robot 7 by slightly lowering the cassette lifting device 12.

Here, the inside of the suction path 65 is set to a negative pressure, and the wafer W is held by suction. Further, the on / off valve 71 is opened instantaneously, and the measurement pipe 68 is opened to the atmosphere. As a result, the water that has entered the measurement pipe 68 and stays there is discharged, and the negative pressure can be confirmed by the vacuum gauge 69. And vacuum gauge 69
Check if the lower contact of is turned on. When the lower contact is ON, the device is stopped because the negative pressure is not sufficient.

When a normal negative pressure is detected and the suction of the wafer W is performed normally, the rotating shaft 44 is rotated in the opposite direction (clockwise in FIG. 9), and the base 42 is rotated in the opposite direction. 90
Rotate °. As a result, the transfer arm 43 is
It becomes the standby posture located above. Here, the underwater loader 1
When receiving the wafer W from the transfer arm 43, the transfer arm 43 is inserted into the cassette C, the wafer W is received by lowering the elevating device 12, and the received wafer W is sucked and held by the negative pressure. Is rotated to the standby position to discharge the wafer W, so that the wafer W does not slide on the transfer device 6 and the cassette C. Therefore, generation of particles due to wear can be prevented.

The standby posture of the articulated robot 7 is maintained until a transfer request from the back surface cleaning device 2 comes. During this time,
Pure water is sprayed from the nozzle 34. Therefore, the wafer W
Does not dry during transportation and standby, and can prevent oxidation and particle sticking caused by contact with air. When a transfer request is issued from the back surface cleaning device 2, the rotating shaft 4
4 further rotates 90 ° clockwise. Then, the transfer arm 43 is brought into the carry-in posture extending toward the back surface cleaning device 2, and the tip thereof is disposed at the center position of the back surface cleaning device 2. On the back surface cleaning apparatus 2 side, a chuck (not shown) receives the wafer W and performs back surface cleaning.

When the back surface cleaning is completed, the articulated robot 7 disposed between the back surface cleaning device 2 and the front surface cleaning device 3
Receives the wafer W from the back surface cleaning apparatus 2. And
After waiting once, the wafer W is carried into the front surface cleaning device 3 in response to a carry-in request from the front surface cleaning device 3. Pure water is sprayed from the nozzles 34 even during the standby from the carry-out to the carry-in, thereby preventing the wafer W from drying. When the surface cleaning is completed, the articulated robot 7 disposed between the surface cleaning tank 3 and the rinsing / drying device 4 receives the wafer W from the surface cleaning device 3 and rinses the wafer W with the same processing while preventing drying. It is carried into the drying device 4. The wafer W having been subjected to the washing / drying process is carried out of the washing / drying device 4 and carried into the unloader 5 by the articulated robot 7 arranged between the washing / drying device 4 and the unloader 5. The unloader 5
The processed wafers W are sequentially stored in another cassette C, and the cassette C is discharged from the unloader 5 when all the wafers W are stored.

[Other Embodiments] (a) The present invention can be similarly applied to a thin plate immersion apparatus for immersing a glass substrate for a liquid crystal or a photomask. (B) Instead of immersion in pure water, the wafer may be immersed in a liquid such as isopropyl alcohol.

[0033]

In the thin plate immersion apparatus according to the present invention, the thin plate carrying out means having the multi-joint structure enters the thin plate storage portion,
Since the sheet material is transported after being supported from below in the sheet material storage section, damage to the sheet material and generation of particles are suppressed. Further, the device configuration is simplified.

Further, since the liquid that has entered the pipe through the suction hole of the transfer arm is eliminated by the liquid eliminating means, it is possible to suppress inconvenience caused by the liquid remaining in the pipe. Further, a part of the second pipe is opened to the atmosphere.
To provide an openable and closable valve for introducing air into the second pipe.
Thus, the liquid in the pipe can be eliminated with a simple configuration .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective partial view of an underwater loader.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of an underwater loader.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the underwater loader.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the transfer device.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the transfer device.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view of the articulated robot.

FIG. 9 is a partially broken plan view of the articulated robot.

FIG. 10 is a piping diagram of an articulated robot.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Underwater loader 7 Articulated robot 11 Water tank 12 Cassette raising / lowering device 65 Suction path 66 Negative pressure generation part 69 Vacuum gauge 70 Open piping 71 On / off valve

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Kurata 2426-1, Katsunogawara, Mikami, Yasu-machi, Yasu-cho, Yasu-gun, Shiga Prefecture Inside Yasu Office, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masami Sawamura Yasu, Yasu-gun, Shiga Prefecture 2426-1, Machijo, Sanjo, Kuchinogawara, Yasu Works, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-4-264749 (JP, A) Jiko 3-6581 (JP, Y2) (58) ) Surveyed field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 49/04 B65G 49/07

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A thin plate immersion apparatus for immersing a thin plate storage portion for storing a large number of thin plate members in upper and lower stages in a liquid, wherein the liquid is stored therein, and the thin plate storage portion is stored in the liquid. A liquid tank for immersion; a storage section elevating means for vertically moving the sheet material storage section in the liquid tank; and entering the sheet material storage section and lowering the sheet material in the sheet material storage section. The transfer arm has a transfer arm that is carried out after being further supported, and a suction hole opened on the upper surface of the transfer arm is formed.
Connecting the multi-jointed thin sheet discharging means, a negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure, and a suction hole of the transfer arm to the negative pressure generating means.
A first pipe connected to the first pipe, a second pipe connected to the first pipe, and a liquid removing means for removing a liquid remaining in the second pipe. 2. A thin plate material in which a large number of thin plate materials are stored in multiple stages in the upper and lower directions.
A thin plate immersion device for immersing a storage section in a liquid, wherein the liquid is stored inside, and the thin plate storage section is immersed in the liquid.
A liquid tank for immersion, and a storage for vertically moving the thin plate material storage section in the liquid tank.
Part elevating means, and enters the sheet material storing section, and is forwardly moved in the sheet material storing section.
A transport arm that transports the sheet after supporting it from below.
And a suction hole opened on the upper surface of the transfer arm.
A thin plate material discharging means having a multi-joint structure, a negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure, and a suction hole of the transfer arm and the negative pressure generating means are connected.
A first pipe, a second pipe connected to the first pipe, and a part of the second pipe provided in the second pipe.
An openable and closable valve that opens to introduce air into the second pipe
And a thin plate immersion apparatus comprising: