JP3857653B2 - Open cassette and open / close device for semiconductor wafer transfer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an open cassette for transporting a semiconductor wafer provided with a means for preventing a semiconductor wafer from jumping out, and a semiconductor wafer transport container opening / closing device provided with a means for releasing the pop-out prevention.
[0002]
[Prior art]
One of the devices responsible for transporting semiconductor wafers (hereinafter simply referred to as wafers) within and between automated semiconductor factory processing processes is a wafer transport container. There are a closed type container (hereinafter referred to as a hoop) used when a high level of cleanliness is required, and an open type container used when a high degree of cleanness is not required, that is, an open cassette (hereinafter simply referred to as a cassette).
The hoop has a support portion for supporting a part of the periphery of the wafer inside, and the outer peripheral surface is sealed except for the front surface having the wafer transfer port, and the wafer transfer port is opened and closed by a door (opening / closing lid). It is closed. On the other hand, the cassette has only a support portion for supporting a part of the periphery of the wafer inside the frame, and the outer peripheral surface is open.
[0003]
The hoop is placed on a table provided in a table provided in front of a wafer transfer port of a wafer transfer container opening / closing device (also referred to as an opener) so as to be capable of moving forward and backward. The door that closes the wafer transfer port of the switchgear is automatically opened by the door drive unit provided in the switchgear when it is advanced toward the wafer transfer port by the mounting table drive provided in the table. In addition, after the door closing the hoop delivery port is opened by the door opening / closing robot provided inside the opening / closing device, the wafer delivery robot provided inside the opening / closing device Wafer delivery is performed.
[0004]
On the other hand, when the cassette is mounted on the mounting table and the mounting table is advanced toward the wafer transfer port by the mounting table driving unit, the door that closes the wafer transfer port of the opening / closing device opens and closes. The process until the door is automatically opened by the door driving unit provided in the apparatus is the same as in the case of the hoop, but without the door opening operation by the door opening / closing robot thereafter, the wafer is transferred by the wafer transfer robot. The wafer is transferred to the opened wafer transfer port.
[0005]
Therefore, in a cassette in which the wafer transfer port is always open, AGV (automated guided vehicle with transfer device), RGV (unmanned guided vehicle with transfer device), OHT (ceiling transfer monorail with hoist type transfer device) ), While the cassette is being transferred by an in-process transfer device such as a PGV (manned transfer carriage with a manual transfer machine), the cassette is shaken or vibrated from the wafer transfer robot while it is mounted on the mounting table of the switchgear. Since there is a risk that the wafer may jump out of the cassette when it is received, it has been known for a long time to have means for preventing the wafer from jumping out.
[0006]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561 describes a structure in which a hollow cushion is provided on both sides of a wafer support portion of a cassette and the wafer is held by expanding and contracting the hollow cushion. Further, in Patent Document 2, an arm is rotatably provided above and below the wafer transfer port side of the cassette, and a pop-out prevention bar is coupled between the ends of the upper and lower arms so that the pop-out prevention bar prevents the wafer from popping out. A biasing member that biases the arm so that it is held in position is provided, and a cable having one end coupled to the arm is connected to a pair of pinions provided on the front or back of the cassette via a plurality of pulleys. A release mechanism is described in which both the pinions are engaged with the teeth of a rack projecting from the cassette so as to be able to move forward and backward. ing.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-201459, pages 1, 2
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-326182
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the wafer pop-out preventing means of Patent Document 1 has a possibility that the pop-out prevention function may be lost due to air leakage from the hollow cushion because the hollow cushion is always expanded during wafer transfer and holds the outer periphery of the wafer. In addition, it is difficult to control the pressure so that the wafer does not warp, and the wafer transfer device needs to be provided with a pressurized air supply device in addition to the mounting table driving unit for moving the cassette forward and backward, There is a problem that the configuration of the wafer transfer device becomes complicated and large, and complicated control is required for driving the mounting table and supplying pressurized air.
In addition, since the pop-out prevention bar is always urged toward the pop-out prevention position in the wafer pop-out prevention means of Patent Document 2 , there is no fear that the pop-out prevention function will be lost in the cassette alone state. Since the structure is such that a pulley, a pinion, and a rack perform multiple conversion in the direction of the force applied when the cassette is mounted and the arm is transmitted to the arm, there is a problem that the configuration is complicated and mounting is not easy, and failure is likely to occur. Further, since it is necessary to add a configuration for moving the rack forward and backward regardless of the forward and backward movement of the cassette mounting table, an increase in equipment cost is inevitable.
[0009]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a cassette provided with a pop-out preventing means that can prevent a wafer from popping out with a simple configuration. is there.
[0010]
The second object of the present invention is to release the means for preventing the wafer from popping out of the cassette easily and reliably by using the mounting table driving unit already installed in the switchgear, that is, without adding a new configuration. Another object of the present invention is to provide a switchgear that can be returned.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To solve the above first problem, the invention of claim 1, in a cassette provided with means for preventing jumping out, the cassette than the plate of the upper of a wafer diameter of the left and right spaced with large listening distance plate is formed in the connecting to the frame-like manner, the which has a wafer transfer port between the ends of the same side of the side plates, the wafer delivery is possible so c Fine from the wafer delivery port on the opposite surface of the side plate It consists cassette body having a wafer support portion for supporting the pop-out preventing means is provided rotatably on vertical axis around before Symbol wafer transfer port side plates Oite the upper and lower of said cassette body The upper and lower ends of the first arm and the upper and lower first arms are supported at both upper and lower ends, and the wafer received by the cassette body is received by the rotation of the first arm. A protrusion preventing bar that is moved between a closed position that prevents pop-out from the transfer opening and an open position that does not interfere with wafer transfer to the cassette body; and a lower first arm that is provided on the wafer transfer opening side. A hook having an engaging recess that opens to the cassette body, and a first biasing member that is provided in the cassette body and biases the first arm to return the pop-out prevention bar to the closed position. It is a feature.
With the above configuration, when the force against the urging force of the first urging member is not applied to the hook, the pop-out prevention bar is removed from the wafer cassette by the urging force that the first urging member applies to the first arm. It is held in a closed position that prevents popping out. When a force against the urging force of the first urging member is applied to the hook, the first arm is rotated against the first urging member, and the pop-out prevention bar does not hinder delivery of the wafer to the cassette. Moved to.
[0012]
Further, in order to solve the second problem, the invention of claim 2 constitutes a wafer transfer port of EFEM, and has a door provided at the wafer transfer port and a door driving unit for opening and closing the door. A wafer transfer container opening / closing device comprising: a mounting table for mounting a wafer transfer container on a table provided in front of the wafer transfer port; and a mounting table driving unit for moving the mounting table forward and backward toward the wafer transfer port And a second arm which is provided outside the mounting table on the left and right sides of the wafer transfer port on the upper surface of the table, and is supported at one end so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, and at the tip of the second arm. a locking pin provided, the lower side when the prevention bar jumping out of the cassette placed on the mounting stage in which the locking pin is present in the retracted position exists in the closed position A stop member for stopping the second arm at a position engaging with a hook of one arm, and the second arm rotated as the mounting table is advanced by the mounting table driving unit. Is provided with a pop-out prevention releasing means comprising a second urging member that returns to a position where it is stopped by the stop member as it is retracted to the retracted position by the mounting table driving section.
With the above configuration, when the mounting table drive unit advances the mounting table on which the cassette is mounted, the locking pin of the second arm of the pop-up prevention releasing means is engaged with the hook of the cassette, and the engaged state is continued. The second arm is rotated against the second urging member. Accordingly, the first arm of the cassette is rotated, and the pop-out prevention bar is moved from the closed position to the open position. In addition, when the mounting table driving unit moves the mounting table backward, the first arm is rotated in the reverse direction by the second arm and the second urging member, and the pop-out prevention bar existing in the open position is returned to the closed position. The The second arm is returned until it is stopped by the stop member by the second urging member.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 switchgear, a part of the side view of the EFEM and semiconductor processing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the state of the cassette toward the upper side of the cassette, FIG. 3 is a left side view of the cassette of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a plan view of the opening / closing device, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of a main part for explaining a part of the configuration of the pop-out preventing means provided in the cassette and the pop-out prevention releasing means provided in the opening / closing device and its operation.
[0014]
In FIG. 1, 100 is a switching device , 200 is a semiconductor device front end module (EFEM), and 300 is a processing device. The opening / closing device 100 includes a table 101 on which a hoop or a cassette is placed, and a partition wall 102 that stands up in the EFEM 200 of the table. A wafer transfer port is formed in the partition wall, and the wafer transfer port is hermetically sealed. The door 103 is automatically opened and closed by a known door drive unit 104.
A mounting table 105 is provided on the upper surface of the table 101 so as to be movable forward and backward in the direction of the wafer transfer port of the partition wall 102 , and the mounting table 105 is connected to a mounting table driving unit (not shown) provided in the table 101. And configured to be moved between a predetermined forward position and a backward position. Cam mounting table driving unit, for example, that the arm is rotated and the motor, thereby, the rollers provided at the distal end of the arm, provided on the lower surface of the mounting table, slidably engaged with said roller The thing comprised from the groove | channel and the other known thing can be used.
Further, the mounting table 105 is provided with a known clamping mechanism (not shown) for fixing the hoop or the cassette C mounted on the mounting table 105 so that the hoop or the cassette C is not dropped when the mounting table driving unit moves forward and backward.
Thus, by placing the hoop or cassette and moving the mounting table 105 fixed by the clamp mechanism forward by the mounting table driving unit, the wafer transfer port of the hoop or cassette is brought close to the wafer transfer port of the opening / closing device 100, and in this state The door driving unit 104 opens the door 103.
[0015]
EFEM 200 in FIG. 1, the hoop or cassette on table 105 mounting therein, or contrast, by housing the like known robot 201 for transferring the required location of delivery and the processing apparatus 300 of the wafer Yes.
[0016]
The mounting table 105 in FIG. 1 shows a state where the cassette C according to the present invention is mounted. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cassette C is composed of left and right side plates 3 and 4 in which upper and lower substantially disk-shaped plates 1 and 2 are arranged at a distance slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer. A frame-like cassette that is connected and has a wafer delivery port 8 formed between the end portions on the same side of both side plates, and the back portions of the upper and lower plates are connected by rod-like or tubular connecting members 5 and 6. It has a body. The side plates 3 and 4 have an arcuate outer peripheral shape in cross section, but the opposing surfaces are parallel to each other in the height direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2 and the vertical direction of the paper surface in FIG. 3). ) Are formed with a plurality of pairs of grooves (not shown ) that are continuous in the front-rear direction (the vertical direction of the paper in FIG. 2 ) with a certain interval, and a wafer support portion is constituted by each pair of grooves.
[0017]
In the center of the upper surface of the upper plate 1, a known bunch lifting portion 7 is projected. Bunch lifting unit This is also assumed to be provided on the upper surface of the hoop, AGV, RGV, OHT, or by automatically gripped by process transfer device of the robot hand such as PGV, or gripped by hand transport Is to do.
[0018]
2 and 3, reference numeral 10 denotes a wafer pop-out preventing means according to the present invention. A wafer transfer port 8 on the front side of one cassette C, that is, a connecting member 5 for the left and right side plates 3 and 4 is provided. 6 and provided on the left and right sides of the opening formed between the opposite ends. As will be described in detail below, the left and right members constituting the wafer pop-out prevention means 10 are arranged symmetrically, so that the same reference numerals are used for the left and right components.
[0019]
The pop-out prevention means 10 includes arms (first arms) 12U and 12L, a hook 14, and a biasing member (first biasing member) including a coil spring 15 and the like. One end of each of the arms 12U and 12L is a support provided on a common vertical line at the wafer transfer port 8 side of the upper and lower plates 1 and 2 of the cassette body, that is, in the vicinity of one end of the side plates 3 and 4. The shafts 11U and 11L are coupled so as to be rotatable around the support shafts 11U and 11L. The upper and lower ends of the pop-out prevention bar 13 are supported by the distal ends of the arms 12U and 12L. The hook 14 is provided on the outer surface of the lower arm 12L and has an engaging recess that opens in the front direction. One end portion 15b of the coil spring 15 is fixed to the upper surface of the upper plate 1, and the other end portion 15a is fixed to the center side of the cassette body from the support shaft 11U of the upper arm 12U.
[0020]
With the above configuration, when the arms 12U and 12L are rotated in the direction (inward) in which the tips of the arms approach the peripheral edges of the upper and lower plates 1 and 2 around the support shafts 11U and 11L, the pop-out prevention bar 13 is The plates 1 and 2 are brought into contact with the peripheral edges of the plates 1 and stopped, or are fitted into the concave portions 16 formed at the peripheral edges and stopped. Since the distance between the left and right pop-out prevention bars 13 at this time is designed to be smaller than the diameter of the wafer, the wafer accommodated in the wafer support portion of the cassette is prevented from popping out. The position of the pop-out prevention bar 13 at this time is called a closed position. At this time, the support point 15a of the coil spring 15 with respect to the arm 12U exists on the inner side of the support shaft 11U, so that the pop-out prevention bar 13 is held in the closed position by the coil spring 15 .
[0021]
Further, an outward force is applied to the pop-out prevention bar 13 held in the closed position, or a force is applied to the hook 14 formed on the lower arm 12L, so that the arms 12U and 12L can support the support shafts 11U and 11L. When the tip of the arm is rotated in the direction away from the peripheral edges of the upper and lower plates 1 and 2 as the center, when the support point 15a of the coil spring 15 moves to the outside beyond the support shaft 11U, the arm 12U is moved to the side plate 3, 4 is stopped by hitting the stop surfaces 3a, 4a formed on the surface. Since the distance between the pop-out prevention bars 13 at this time is designed to be larger than the diameter of the wafer, the pop-out prevention bar 13 does not hinder delivery of the wafer to the wafer support portion of the cassette. The position of the pop-out prevention bar 13 at this time is called an open position. Further, since the support point 15a of the coil spring 15 is moved to the outside beyond the support shaft 11U, the pop-out prevention bar 13 is held in the open position.
[0022]
The above is the structure of the pop-out prevention means provided in the cassette C. While the cassette is accommodated in the cassette and transferred, the pop-out prevention bar 13 is held in the closed position as shown in FIG. Used in state.
[0023]
On the other hand, the table 101 of the switchgear 100 according to the present invention is provided with the following releasing means for automatically releasing the pop-out prevention by the pop-out preventing bar 13 of the cassette pop-out preventing means 10. This will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 4, 105 is a known mounting table provided at the center of the upper surface of the table 101, and is formed at a position near the center of the lower plate 2 of the cassette C at a position corresponding to the apex of the triangle of the mounting table. Protrusions 106 that are fitted in three recesses (not shown) and that support stable three points are provided, and the mounting table 105 has one piece formed on the lower plate 2 of the cassette C. A known clamping mechanism (not shown) is provided that fits and tightens into a recess (not shown) to fix the cassette to the mounting table 105. Reference numeral 107 in FIG. 4 denotes the clamp.
[0024]
As described above, the table 101 is provided with a known mounting table driving unit (not shown) for moving the mounting table 105 forward and backward toward the wafer transfer port of the partition wall 102. The mounting table drive unit operates based on the control of a control device (not shown) to move the mounting table 105 forward and backward within a predetermined stroke range.
[0025]
The release means 20 is provided on the left and right outer sides of the mounting table 105 of the table 101 on the side of the partition wall 102 having the wafer transfer port. The release means 20 includes a support shaft 22 erected on a mounting plate 21 fixed to the upper surface of the table 101, a second arm 23 rotatably supported on the support shaft 22, and the second arm 23. When the locking pin 24 erected at the front end of the cassette and the cassette C placed on the mounting table 105 are in the retracted position, the locking pin 24 approaches the engagement recess of the hook 14 of the cassette. The urging member 25 that is urged in the direction of rotation and the second arm 23 that is urged and rotated by the urging member 25 are stopped at a position where the locking pin 24 is close to the engaging recess of the hook 14 of the cassette. The member 26 is comprised.
[0026]
The operation of the pop-out prevention means 10 and the release means 107 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. When the mounting table 105 on which the cassette C is mounted and fixed is held at the retracted position of the table 101, the pop-out prevention bar 13 is As shown by the solid line in FIG. 5, the hook 14 is held in the closed position, the hook 14 is opened in the front direction, and the locking pin 24 of the releasing means is held in a position close to the engaging recess of the hook. .
Then, when the mounting table 105 starts to be advanced by the mounting table driving unit, the locking pin 24 engages with the hook 14, and the second arm 23 of the release means moves the support shaft 22 while the mounting table continues to advance. Since the first arm 12L of the cassette pop-out preventing means having the hook 14 engaged with the locking pin 24 is rotated about the support shaft 11L, the mounting table 105 is moved forward by a predetermined amount. When the position is reached, the first arms 12U and 12L are rotated outward as indicated by the chain line in FIG. 5, and the pop-out prevention bar 13 is moved to the open position. The support point 15a of the first arm of the coil spring 15 is to cross the supporting shaft 11 U, is preventing bars 13 jumping out is held in the open position. Therefore, the wafer can be delivered to the cassette C.
[0027]
When the delivery of the wafer to the cassette C is completed and the cassette is moved from the mounting table 105, the door is closed by the door driving unit 104, and then the mounting table driving unit is operated so that the mounting table 105 becomes the original one. At this time, the first arms 12U and 12L of the cassette are rotated in the direction opposite to the rotation direction at the time of forward movement by the action of the second arm 23 and the urging member 25 of the release means. It is turned toward the position. When the cassette C reaches a predetermined retracted position, the pop-out prevention bar 13 is returned to the closed position and is held by the urging member 15. The second arm 23 of the release means is stopped at the initial position by the stop member 26, and is held at a position where the locking pin 24 is detached from the engagement recess of the hook 14 or a position where the engagement can be easily removed.
[0028]
In the above embodiment, the opening / closing device 100 is described as being shared by the hoop and the cassette, but an opening / closing device dedicated to the cassette may be used. Moreover, although the example in which the hook 14 is formed integrally with the first arm 12L is shown, the hook is formed separately from the first arm 12L, and is fixed to the first arm 12L or the support shaft 11L. Also good.
[0029]
As described above, the pop-out preventing means according to the present invention comprises the upper and lower arms 12U and 12L, the pop-out preventing bar 13, the hook 14 and the biasing member 15, so that the configuration is simple and the mounting is easy. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the cables that are wired around the outer periphery of the cassette are not required, so the failure rate is low. Can be opened and closed.
[0030]
The release means 20 includes a second arm 23, a locking pin 24, an urging member 25, and a stop member 26 attached to the upper surface of the table 101. Therefore, this is also simple in structure, and the mounting table is driven. Since there is no need to link them to each other or add another drive mechanism, the cost of the switchgear can be minimized.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a cassette provided with pop-out prevention means that can prevent the wafer from popping out with a simple configuration.
[0032]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to simply and reliably release and return the wafer jump-out preventing means by using the mounting table driving unit already provided in the switchgear without adding a new configuration. be able to.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view of a part of a switchgear, an EFEM, and a semiconductor processing apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cassette.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the same.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the opening / closing device.
FIG. 5 is a main part plan view for explaining a part of the configuration of the pop-out prevention means provided in the cassette and the pop-out prevention release means provided in the opening / closing device and the operation thereof;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Opening / closing apparatus 101 Mounting base 103 Door 104 Door drive part 105 Mounting base 200 EFEM
300 Processing apparatus C Cassette 1 Upper plate 2 Lower plate 3, 4 Side plate 8 Wafer delivery port 10 Wafer pop-out prevention means 11U, 11L Support shafts 12U, 12L First arm 13 Pop-out prevention bar 14 Hook 15 Biasing member 20 Release means 22 Support Shaft 23 Second arm 24 Locking pin 25 Biasing member 26 Stopping member

Claims (2)

In an open cassette for transporting semiconductor wafers equipped with pop-out prevention means,
The open cassette is than the diameter of the semiconductor wafer plate above under formed in a frame shape joined by side plates of the left and right spaced with a large listening distance, the semiconductor wafer delivery between the ends of the same side of said side plates and it has a mouth, made from the cassette body with a semiconductor wafer support for supporting the semiconductor wafer semiconductors wafers to allow transfer of the semiconductor wafer from the transfer port on the opposite surface of the side plate,
The pop-out preventing means, an arm rotatably mounted on vertical axis around before Symbol semiconductor wafer transfer port side plates Oite the upper and lower of said cassette body, the upper and lower the tip of the upper and lower arms A closed position where both ends are supported and the semiconductor wafer accommodated in the cassette body by the rotation of the arm is prevented from jumping out from the semiconductor wafer delivery port of the cassette body, and an opening which does not prevent the semiconductor wafer delivery to the cassette body A pop-out prevention bar that is moved between positions, a hook that is provided on the lower arm and has an engagement recess that opens to the semiconductor wafer transfer port side, and a pop-out prevention bar that is provided on the cassette body. And an urging member for urging the arm to return the closed position to the closed position.
An open cassette for transporting semiconductor wafers. A table provided in front of the semiconductor wafer transfer port, comprising a semiconductor wafer transfer port of the semiconductor device front-end module, having a door provided in the semiconductor wafer transfer port, a door drive unit for driving the door to open and close In addition, in the semiconductor wafer transfer container opening and closing device having a mounting table for mounting the semiconductor wafer transfer container, and a mounting table driving unit for moving the mounting table forward and backward toward the semiconductor wafer transfer port,
A second arm provided outside the mounting table on the left and right sides of the semiconductor wafer transfer port on the upper surface of the table, and supported at one end so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis; and provided at a tip of the second arm. The pop-out preventing bar of the pop-out preventing means of the open cassette for transferring a semiconductor wafer according to claim 1, wherein the pop-out preventing bar is placed in the closed position. A stop member for stopping the second arm at a position where it engages with a hook of the first arm when present, and the second arm rotated as the mounting table is advanced by the mounting table driving unit. And a urging member for returning to the position where the stop is stopped by the stop member as the table is moved back to the retracted position by the table driving unit. Semiconductor wafer carrier container opening device according to symptoms.

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