JP3290215B2 - Transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer device for holding and transferring a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as a robot).
In particular, the present invention relates to an improvement in a power supply structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of robot has a transfer arm.
A hand (gripping means) having a gripper for gripping a semiconductor wafer is provided at the tip of the transfer arm. The grip is driven by a driving unit, and the driving unit is connected to a power supply device via a wire.

When a semiconductor wafer is gripped, power is supplied from a power supply device to a driving unit via a wiring, and the gripping unit is driven by the driving unit to grip the semiconductor wafer. By the way, the above-mentioned wiring is attached to the outside of the transfer arm of the robot via a support portion in a state of being curled, or provided inside the transfer arm.

[0004]

However, when the wiring is provided outside the transfer arm, there is a problem that the wiring is damaged by friction with the supporting portion and dust is generated.

Further, when the wiring is provided inside the transport arm, if the transport arm is a thin piece, there is no wiring space, and the transport arm is damaged at the bent portion of the transport arm. There was a risk of doing so. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer device capable of supplying power to a driving unit of a gripper without providing a wiring along a transfer arm.

[0006] [means for solving the problems] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, the outer
A transfer arm disposed in a room capable of blocking light from the unit, a gripper provided at a distal end of the transfer arm, and a gripper for gripping an object to be gripped, and the gripper provided on the gripper. a driving means for driving, setting the gripping means
And a photoelectric conversion means for supplying a driving current to the driving means, and irradiating the photoelectric conversion means with light.
When irradiated with light, generated by this photoelectric conversion means
A light source for activating the drive means with electrical energy
And

[0007]

The driving arm and the photoelectric conversion means are provided on the gripping means, the light is received by the photoelectric conversion means, the light energy is converted into electric energy, and the electric energy is supplied to the driving means. Current can be supplied to the driving means without providing a long wiring along the line.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in FIGS.

FIG. 6 shows an apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 denotes a load lock chamber. An intermediate chamber 2 is adjacent to the load lock chamber 1, and a processing chamber 3 is adjacent to the intermediate chamber 2.

[0010] A robot 10 is provided in the intermediate chamber 2, and a semiconductor wafer (an object to be gripped) 5 between the shelf 9 in the load lock chamber 1 and the chuck 4 in the processing chamber 2 is provided by the robot 10. Is carried. The load lock chamber 1 is provided with a first gate valve 6 communicating with the outside and a second gate valve 7 communicating with the intermediate chamber 2. To transfer the semiconductor wafer 5 between the load lock chamber 1 and the outside, the second gate valve 7 is closed and the first gate is closed.
The opening of the valve 6 is performed.

The load lock chamber 1 is provided with at least two shelves 9 of shelves 9 so that at least one unprocessed semiconductor wafer and one processed semiconductor wafer can be stored therein.

When the semiconductor wafer 5 is transferred between the load lock chamber 1 and the processing chamber 3, the first gate valve 6 is closed and the pressure in the intermediate chamber 2 and the processing chamber 3 is changed in the load lock chamber 1. Alternatively, after making the gas atmosphere equal to a predetermined gas atmosphere, the second and third gate valves 7, 8 are opened. As described above, the robot 10 of the present invention is used in a room shielded from the outside, as described above. By the way, the robot 10 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, in the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a transfer arm.
A hand 12 as a gripping means is attached to the tip of the memory 11. The hand 12 is provided with a grip 14 for gripping the semiconductor wafer 5.

[0013] The gripping portion 14 is formed with protruding portions 15 as shown in FIG.
The protrusions 15 are provided with a pressing arm 16 for pressing the semiconductor wafer 5 by a spring force.

As shown in FIG. 3, a chip 17 is removably mounted on the tip of the holding arm 16, and the semiconductor wafer 5 is pressed through the chip 17. The holding arm 16 has a suction piece 18 made of a magnetic material.
Is fixed. The hand 12 is provided with a solenoid 19 as a driving means. The solenoid 19 is opposed to the suction piece 18 of the holding arm 16 at a distance.

A solar cell 20 is mounted on the hand 12 as a photoelectric conversion means. The solar cell 20 is electrically connected to the solenoid 19 to supply a current.

The interior of the intermediate chamber 2 in which the robot 10 is installed, the load lock chamber 1 in which the hand 12 enters and exits, and the processing chamber 3 are relatively dark, and the solar cells 20 attached to the hand 12 are relatively dark. Is set to a brightness that does not generate the current necessary to operate an actuator such as the solenoid 19.

On the other hand, the load lock chamber 1 and the processing chamber 3
As shown in FIG. 7, a first and a second light for irradiating the solar cell 20 of the hand 12 placed at the wafer transfer position with respect to the shelf 9 and the chuck 4 with light necessary for operating the solenoid 19 are provided. Light sources 21 and 22 are provided.

The transfer arm 11 is connected to a drive motor (not shown) via first and second drive arms 25 and 26, and the drive arm drives the transfer arm 11 to move back and forth. It is designed to be turned.

When the semiconductor wafer 5 in the load lock chamber 1 is transferred into the processing chamber 3, the second and third gate valves 7, 8 are opened, and the drive motor is driven. As a result, the transport arm 11 is advanced through the first and second drive arms 25 and 26, and is fed into the load lock chamber 1 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

At this time, light is emitted from the first light source 21, and the light is received by the solar cell 20, photoelectrically converted, and a current flows through the solenoid 19. As a result, the solenoid 19 is excited, and as shown in FIG.
The suction plate 18 of the memory 16 is sucked, and the chip 17 is separated from the position where the semiconductor wafer 5 should be pressed.

From this state, the hand 12 rises and the shelf 9
The upper semiconductor wafer 5 is lifted, and then the first light source 2
1 is turned off. As a result, the solenoid 19 is demagnetized, and as shown in FIG. 3, the holding arm 16 is returned by its spring force, and the tip 17 pushes the semiconductor wafer 5 to the projections 15, 15 of the hand 12. The nip is held by pressing.

After holding the semiconductor wafer 5 in the above-described manner, the transport arm 12 is retracted from the rod lock chamber 1 and turned to be sent into the processing chamber 3 by driving the drive motor. . At this time, the semiconductor wafer 5 is positioned above the chuck 4 and then the second light source 22
Lights up. When the second light source 22 is turned on, the solenoid 19 is excited, and the adsorbing body 18 of the holding arm 16 is adsorbed, so that the chip 17 is separated from the semiconductor wafer 5 as shown in FIG. It is released. After a while
The transfer arm 12 is lowered to place the semiconductor wafer 5 on the chuck 4, the transfer arm 12 is withdrawn from the processing chamber 3 and returned to the intermediate chamber 2, and the third gate valve 8 is closed. Thus, the processing of the semiconductor wafer 5 is performed in the processing chamber 3.

As described above, the first and second light sources 2
Light is radiated from the light source 1 and 22 and the light is photoelectrically converted by the solar cell 20 to operate the solenoid 19, so that it is not necessary to provide a long electric wiring along the transport arm 11 as in the related art. There is no danger of damage or dust generation.

The first and second light sources 21 and
Various lamps can be used for the device 2 in consideration of the thermal effect on the temperature in each room, etc., but instead of the lamps, windows that can be opened and closed may be used to utilize external light.

The first and second light sources 21 and
By making the light amount variable and gradually increasing or decreasing the light amount at the time of lighting and extinguishing, or by gently opening and closing the window, the movement of the chip 17 is made slow to reduce the impact caused by the contact of the chip 17. By alleviating the dust, the generation of dust may be more reliably prevented, and the peripheral cleanliness may be maintained satisfactorily. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be as shown in FIGS.

That is, in this embodiment, the first and second solar cells 32 and 33 are disposed on the upper surface of the hand 31, and a driving means is provided between the first and second solar cells 32 and 33. DC motor 34 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 10, a male screw portion 36 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the motor shaft 35 of the DC motor 34, and the motor shaft 35 on which the male screw portion 36 is formed has an inner peripheral portion. An operation tube 38 having a female screw portion 37 formed on its surface is screwed. A bellows 39 is provided between the motor shaft 35 and the operation pipe 38, and both ends thereof are hermetically fixed.
A tip 40 is attached to the tip of the operation tube 38, and a spring portion 41 is formed at the center thereof. As shown in FIG. 13, the DC motor 34 includes first and second DC motors.
Are electrically connected to the solar cells 32 and 33 of the first embodiment.

When light is applied to the first solar cell 32 by a light source (not shown) provided corresponding to the first solar cell 32, a current flows through the DC motor 34 and the motor shaft 35 Rotates in a predetermined direction. By the rotation of the motor shaft 35, the operation pipe 38 is advanced, and as shown in FIG. 10, the flange 39a on the moving side of the bellows 39 comes into contact with a part of the hand 31 and further, a little spring force With chip 40
Presses and holds the semiconductor wafer 5.

When another light source (not shown) provided corresponding to the second solar cell 33 irradiates the second solar cell 33 with light, a reverse current flows through the DC motor 34.
The motor shaft 35 rotates in the opposite direction, and as shown in FIG.
The operation tube 38 is retracted, the chip 40 is separated from the semiconductor wafer 5, and the pressing and holding is released. The solar cells 32, 3
When only one of the cells 3 is irradiated with light, the solar cell not irradiated with light has a high resistance value, so that there is no problem even when the solar cell remains connected. Further, when light having a difference in light intensity is simultaneously applied to the first and second solar cells 32 and 33,
A current corresponding to the difference between the two flows.

Further, in this embodiment, two solar cells 32 and 33 are mounted on the same plane of the hand 31 and light is emitted alternately one by one. However, a plurality of solar cells may be used. Further, a solar cell may be installed on the back surface of the hand 31. Further, a light source may be separately provided for the solar cell 32 and the solar cell 33, or the direction may be changed, and light may be selectively applied to each of the light sources.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, a conveying arm, a gripping means provided at a distal end of the conveying arm for gripping an object to be gripped, A driving unit provided on the holding unit for operating the holding unit; and a photoelectric conversion unit provided on the holding unit for receiving light to convert the light energy into electric energy and supply the electric energy to the driving unit. Because it is equipped, as in the past,
When the electric wiring is curled and placed outside the carrying arm, or when the electric wiring is placed inside the carrying arm, the wiring is damaged or dust is generated from the part. Therefore, power can be supplied reliably, and the cleanliness can be maintained well.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a hand attached to a transfer arm of a robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing a portion A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of an A section in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along a roll line in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus provided with the robot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a robot transfer arm according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a hand attached to the system.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-A in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the driving unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the operation of the driving unit in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along a ho-ho line in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a wiring diagram showing a connection between the driving unit of FIG. 10 and a solar cell.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: transfer arm, 5: semiconductor wafer (object to be gripped), 1
4 ... Grip part, 12, 31 ... Hand (gripping means), 19 ...
Solenoid (drive means), 34 ... DC motor (drive means), 20, 32, 33 ... Solar cell (photoelectric conversion means).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B25J 19/00 B25J 15/08

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A device which is arranged in a room capable of blocking external light.
A transfer arm, a gripper provided at a distal end of the transfer arm, and a gripper for gripping an object to be gripped; a drive unit provided on the gripper for driving the gripper; And the drive means
Photoelectric conversion means for supplying a kinetic current, and irradiating the photoelectric conversion means with light and irradiating the light
When the electric energy generated by this photoelectric conversion means
And a light source for operating the driving means .