JP7045140B2 - Wafer processing method and processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for processing wafers of different sizes and a processing apparatus capable of processing wafers of different sizes.

A processing apparatus for grinding a plate-shaped workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer includes a cassette having a storage shelf for accommodating the wafer (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Then, the wafer is carried out from the cassette placed on the cassette stage and transported onto the holding surface of the holding table, and is subjected to processing such as grinding while being sucked and held by the holding surface. Conventionally, a cassette contains a plurality of wafers of one size, and a processing device is provided with an area corresponding to the set wafer size by setting the wafer size housed in the cassette as one of the processing conditions. The wafer is held on the holding surface and processed with a processing tool.

When the set wafer size and the wafer size stored in the cassette are different, the operation of the processing apparatus is stopped. Here, the size of the wafer stored in the cassette is recognized by the size of the cassette recognized by the cassette stage when the cassette is placed on the cassette stage. That is, in the conventional processing device, the cassette has a unique different shape (size) for each wafer size, and the processing device recognizes the size of the wafer to be processed according to the shape (size) of the cassette. ing. If there is a difference between the wafer size set in the processing device and the wafer size recognized by the cassette stage, for example, information indicating that the processing is stopped is displayed on the display unit of the processing device because the wafer size is different.

The conventional processing device, for example, as a holding table, is a universal type holding table (for example, a central holding surface) that supports wafers of a plurality of sizes and enables proper suction and holding of the wafer without exchanging the holding table itself. By providing a holding table (with a plurality of annular holding surfaces), the shape (size) of the cassette placed on the cassette stage is recognized as described above, the size of the wafer is recognized, and then the holding table is provided. The area of the holding surface can be appropriately switched, and an appropriate processing process can be applied to the wafer for each size.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-104580

However, for example, when a plurality of wafers of different sizes are stored in one cassette, the size of the wafer cannot be specified by the shape (size) recognition of the cassette on the cassette stage, and therefore the wafer size is recognized. There is no means to do this, and the area of the holding surface of the universal type holding table cannot be appropriately switched for each wafer size before the start of machining.

Therefore, when a plurality of wafers of different sizes are mixed and stored in one cassette, the wafer is carried out from the cassette placed on the cassette stage and the wafer is held on the holding surface of the holding table. By recognizing the size of the wafer taken out from the cassette and switching the area of the holding surface of the holding table, there is a problem that the wafer is processed while the wafer is properly held by the holding table. be.

The present invention for solving the above problems is a processing device for processing a substantially circular wafer having different sizes, and is a carrying means for carrying out the wafer from a cassette placed on a cassette stage by a robot and carrying it into a holding table. The wafers are placed by the cassette stage on which the cassettes, which are a mixture of multiple wafers of different sizes and stored in a shelf shape, and the robot hand, which is placed in the cassettes on the cassette stage and entered from the horizontal direction. The robot to be carried out, a size recognition means for recognizing the size of the wafer by the operation of the robot, a holding table having a holding surface whose area can be changed according to each size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means, and the said. The robot hand is provided with a holding surface area changing means for changing the area of the holding surface of the holding table according to the size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means, and the robot hand can advance and retreat in a direction of entering the cassette in a horizontal plane. The wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor for detecting the outer peripheral edge of the wafer at the time of entering the cassette is provided, and the size recognition means is such that the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor of the robot hand that has entered the cassette detects the outer peripheral edge of the wafer. It is a processing device that recognizes the size of the wafer from the approach position information of the robot hand in the cassette at the time of the operation.
Further, the present invention for solving the above problems is a processing device for processing a substantially circular wafer having different sizes, and the wafer is carried out from a cassette placed on a cassette stage by a robot and carried into a holding table. By the carrying means, the cassette stage on which the cassette in which a plurality of wafers of different sizes are mixed and stored in a shelf shape is placed, and the robot hand which is horizontally entered into the cassette placed on the cassette stage. The robot that carries out the wafer, a size recognition means that recognizes the size of the wafer by the operation of the robot, and a holding table having a holding surface that can change the area according to each size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means. The cassette is provided with a holding surface area changing means for changing the area of the holding surface of the holding table according to the size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means, and the cassette is at a height position of the wafer stored in a shelf shape. A plurality of shelves for mounting wafers of different sizes by changing the height position in descending order of wafer size are provided in the upward direction in the Z-axis direction, and the robot moves the robot hand up and down in the Z-axis direction. A moving Z-axis direction moving means is provided, and the size recognizing means determines the size of the wafer from the information of the height position at the time of sucking the wafer in the cassette of the robot hand sent from the Z-axis direction moving means. It is a processing device that recognizes.

The processing apparatus according to the present invention for processing substantially circular wafers having different sizes uses a carrying-in means for carrying out the wafers from a cassette placed on a cassette stage by a robot and carrying them into a holding table, and a plurality of wafers having different sizes. The size of the wafer can be adjusted by the operation of the cassette stage, where the cassettes stored in a mixed shelf shape are placed, the robot that carries out the wafer by the robot hand that has entered the cassette placed on the cassette stage from the horizontal direction, and the robot. A size recognizing means, a holding table having a holding surface whose area can be changed according to each size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means, and a wafer size recognized by the size recognition means on the area of the holding surface of the holding table. It is equipped with a holding surface area changing means that changes according to the size of the wafer, and the robot hand can move forward and backward in the direction of entering the cassette in the horizontal plane, and is equipped with a wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor that detects the outer peripheral edge of the wafer when entering the cassette. Since the size recognition means recognizes the size of the wafer from the approach position information in the cassette of the robot hand when the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor of the robot hand that has entered the cassette detects the outer peripheral edge of the wafer , the cassette is used. By recognizing the size of the wafer taken out from and appropriately switching the area of the holding surface of the holding table to correspond to the size of the wafer, even if the cassette contains different sizes of wafers, the wafer can be used on the holding table. It is possible to hold it securely and perform appropriate processing. In particular, the size recognition means recognizes the size of the wafer by the operation of the robot that carries out the wafer by the robot hand that has entered the cassette placed on the cassette stage from the horizontal direction, so that the size of the wafer is recognized at an early stage before processing the wafer. In addition, the size of the wafer can be recognized, and for example, the operation of placing the wafer once on the cassette stage and recognizing the size is not required, so that the process can be started more smoothly and efficiently. It is possible to improve the throughput of wafer processing. In addition, it enables accurate size recognition of a specific wafer at an early stage before starting the processing of the wafer. Further, the robot hand is easier to attach the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor than, for example, a cassette stage, and it is possible to prevent the device from becoming large.
Further, the processing apparatus according to the present invention for processing a substantially circular wafer having different sizes includes a carrying means for carrying out the wafer from a cassette placed on a cassette stage by a robot and carrying the wafer into a holding table, and a plurality of wafers having different sizes. A cassette stage on which a wafer is mixed and stored in a shelf shape, a robot that carries out the wafer by a robot hand that is horizontally inserted into the cassette placed on the cassette stage, and a wafer that is operated by the robot. A size recognizing means for recognizing a size, a holding table having a holding surface whose area can be changed according to each size of the wafer recognized by the size recognizing means, and a wafer recognized by the size recognizing means for the area of the holding surface of the holding table. The cassette is provided with a holding surface area changing means that changes according to the size of the wafer, and the cassette is placed in the height position in descending order of the wafer size in the upward direction in the Z-axis direction, which is the height position direction of the wafer stored in a shelf shape. It is equipped with a plurality of shelves on which wafers of different sizes are placed by changing the size, the robot is equipped with a Z-axis direction moving means for moving the robot hand up and down in the Z-axis direction, and the size recognition means is sent from the Z-axis direction moving means. By recognizing the size of the wafer from the information on the height position when sucking the wafer in the cassette of the incoming robot hand, the wafer can be reliably held by the holding table even if the cassette contains wafers of different sizes. This makes it possible to perform appropriate processing, and the size of the wafer can be recognized using the Z-axis direction moving means that is almost certainly necessary for the operation of the robot without disposing a special sensor in the device. Since it is possible, it is possible to cut the cost of the device.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of a processing apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the shelf which accommodates a wafer and the robot hand which carries out a wafer accommodated in a shelf. It is a perspective view which shows another example of the shelf which accommodates a wafer and the robot hand which carries out a wafer accommodated in a shelf. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the temporary placement table and the alignment mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the temporary place table is fixed on the alignment mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the structure of the holding table of a universal type. From the side, the robot hand enters the first cassette in which the shelves for accommodating the outer peripheral edge of the wafer are arranged, and the outer peripheral edge of the wafer is reacting at the outer peripheral edge of the 5-inch wafer. It is explanatory drawing which shows. From the front, the robot hand enters the first cassette in which the shelves for accommodating the outer peripheral edge of the wafer are arranged, and the outer peripheral edge of the wafer is reacting at the outer peripheral edge of the 5-inch wafer. It is explanatory drawing which shows. From the side, the robot hand enters the first cassette in which the shelves for accommodating the outer peripheral edge of the wafer are arranged, and the outer peripheral edge of the wafer is reacting at the outer peripheral edge of the 6-inch wafer. It is explanatory drawing which shows. From the side, the robot hand enters the first cassette in which the shelves for accommodating the outer peripheral edge of the wafer are arranged, and the outer peripheral edge of the wafer is reacting at the outer peripheral edge of the 8-inch wafer. It is explanatory drawing which shows. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds a 5 inch wafer in the 1st cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the outer peripheral edge of a wafer from the side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds a 6-inch wafer in the 1st cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the outer peripheral edge of a wafer from the side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds an 8-inch wafer in the first cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the outer peripheral edge of a wafer from the side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds a 5 inch wafer in the 1st cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the center of a wafer from the side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds a 5 inch wafer in the 1st cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the center of a wafer from the front. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds a 6-inch wafer in the 1st cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the center of a wafer from the side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds a 6-inch wafer in the 1st cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the center of a wafer from the front. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds an 8-inch wafer in the first cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the center of a wafer from the side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the robot hand sucks and holds an 8-inch wafer in the first cassette which arranged the shelf which accommodates with respect to the center of a wafer from the front. It is a schematic plan view which shows an example of a wafer size recognition table.

The processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 according to the present invention is, for example, an apparatus for grinding a wafer held on a holding table 30 by a processing means 15 equipped with a processing tool 154. The front side (-X direction side) on the base 10 of the processing apparatus 1 is the carry-in / carry-out area A, which is the area where the wafer is carried in / out with respect to the holding table 30, and the rear side (+ X direction) on the base 10. The side) is a processing region B, which is a region where the wafer held on the holding table 30 by the processing means 15 is ground.

For example, a first cassette stage 131 and a second cassette stage 132 are provided on the front side (-X direction side) of the base 10, and the wafer before processing is housed in the first cassette stage 131. The first cassette 11 is mounted, and the second cassette 12 for accommodating the processed wafer is mounted on the second cassette stage 132.

Since the first cassette 11 and the second cassette 12 have the same configuration, the configuration of the first cassette 11 will be described below. The first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1 can be stored in a shelf shape by mixing a plurality of wafers of different sizes, and has a bottom plate 11a, a top plate 11b, a back plate 11c, and two side plates having handles. It has an opening 11d (only one is shown) and an opening 11e on the front side (+ X direction side), and the wafer can be carried in and out from the opening 11e.

Inside the first cassette 11, shelves 110 shown in FIG. 2, which can accommodate wafers of different sizes, are arranged in a plurality of stages at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. For example, the wafers that can accommodate the wafer 110 having a rectangular outer shape are the wafer W5 having a diameter of 5 inches shown by the dotted line, the wafer W6 having a diameter of 6 inches shown by the alternate long and short dash line, and the diameter indicated by the alternate long and short dash line. Is an 8-inch wafer W8. The shelf 110 can accommodate a wafer of each size in a horizontal state with reference to the outer peripheral edge of the wafer.

The shelf 110 includes a wafer accommodating portion 110a formed by being cut out in a predetermined shape from the upper surface of the shelf 110 to the middle in the thickness direction. In FIG. 2, the inner side surface of the wafer accommodating portion 110a located on the inner side (-X direction side) is bent with a predetermined curvature so that a part of the outer peripheral edge of each wafer of 5 to 8 inches can come into contact with each other. For example, the 5-inch wafer W5 is accommodated in the wafer accommodating portion 110a in a state of being in contact with the innermost portion 110c of the innermost side surface of the wafer accommodating portion 110a so that a part of the outer peripheral edge overlaps. The 6-inch wafer W6 is accommodated in the wafer accommodating portion 110a in a state where it is in contact with two curved surfaces 110d located on both sides of the innermost portion 110c on the innermost side of the wafer accommodating portion 110a so that a part of the outer peripheral edge overlaps. Will be done. Although the 5 to 8 inch wafers are superimposed in FIG. 2, only one of the 5 to 8 inch wafers is accommodated in the shelf 110 at the start of processing. ..
The central region of the bottom of the shelf 110 is cut out in the same planar shape as the outer shape of the robot hand 200 described later when viewed from the + Z direction, and this cut-out region is an approach path through which the robot hand 200 can enter. It is 110b.

As shown in FIG. 1, the processing apparatus 1 includes a carrying-in means 2 for carrying out the wafer from the first cassette 11 mounted on the first cassette stage 131 and carrying it into the holding table 30. The carry-in means 2 is a robot 20 for carrying out the wafer before processing from the first cassette 11 mounted on the first cassette stage 131 and carrying the wafer after processing to the second cassette 12, and the robot 20. A carry-in arm mechanism 22 that holds a temporary placement table 21 in which wafers carried out by a robot 20 are temporarily placed at adjacent positions and a wafer temporarily placed and aligned on the temporary placement table 21 and carries the wafers into the holding table 30. And have.

The robot 20 is housed in a robot housing area 10C formed on the rear side (+ X direction side) of the first cassette stage 131. The robot 20 includes, for example, a robot hand 200 that sucks and holds a wafer, an arm unit 208 that swivels and moves the robot hand 200 to a predetermined position, and an X-axis direction moving means 202 that moves the robot hand 200 forward and backward in the X-axis direction. I have. For example, the arm unit 208 is an articulated unit configured by connecting a plurality of arms and a turning means for turning each arm.

As shown in FIG. 2, the robot hand 200 is, for example, a plate made of SUS or the like and having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view having a rounded tip in an arc shape, and is inside the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1 from the tip side. I will enter.
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, on the tip end side of the surface 200a, which is the wafer holding surface of the robot hand 200, a wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b for detecting the outer peripheral edge of the wafer when entering the cassette is disposed. The waha outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b is, for example, a reflective photoelectric sensor, and receives the light projected from below on the waha housed in the shelf 110 and the reflected light reflected by the waha. It is provided with a light receiving unit 200d.

A suction hole 200e for transmitting a suction force to the surface 200a is opened behind the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b on the surface 200a (on the + X direction side in FIG. 2). The suction hole 200e communicates with, for example, a suction path 200f formed so as to extend horizontally inside the robot hand 200, and the suction path 200f is connected to a suction source 209 including a vacuum generator, a compressor, and the like. There is. For example, the end portion (ridge line) of the surface 200a of the robot hand 200 may be chamfered so as not to damage the wafer.

The X-axis direction moving means 202 is connected to the base side (+ X direction side) of the robot hand 200. In the X-axis direction moving means 202, for example, the holder 202a for holding the robot hand 200, the movable portion 202c connected to the holder 202a and housed in the casing 202b shown in FIG. 1, and the movable portion 202c move in the X-axis direction. It is equipped with a base 202d that can be mounted.
For example, the X-axis direction moving means 202 is fixed to a scale (not shown) extending in the X-axis direction along the base portion 202d, and is fixed to the movable portion 202c and moves along the scale together with the movable portion 202c to read the scale of the scale. It has a reading unit (not shown). The reading unit is an optical type that reads the reflected light of the scale formed on the scale, and operates when the robot hand 200 enters the opening 11e of the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1, and is a movable portion from the scale of the scale. The movement distance of 202c in the X-axis direction, in other words, the position information in the X-axis direction in the first cassette 11 of the robot hand 200 can be detected.

The shelves arranged in a plurality of stages inside the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1 may be the shelves 111 shown in FIG. 3 instead of the shelves 110 shown in FIG. The shelf 111 capable of storing wafers of different sizes has, for example, a rectangular outer shape, and accommodates one wafer of different sizes in a horizontal state with respect to the center of the wafer.

For example, in the central region of the shelf 111, four steps are formed from the upper surface to the bottom surface of the shelf 111. The step portion of the first step from the bottom surface side of the shelf 111 is the 5-inch wafer accommodating portion 111a in which the 5-inch wafer W5 is accommodated, and the step portion of the second step from the bottom surface is the 6-inch wafer accommodating the 6-inch wafer W6. It becomes the wafer accommodating portion 111b, and the step portion of the third step from the bottom surface becomes the 8-inch wafer accommodating portion 111c in which the 8-inch wafer W8 is accommodated. In FIG. 3, the inner side surface of each wafer accommodating portion located on the −X direction side is a circular curved surface having a curvature along the outer peripheral edge of each inch wafer.
The central region of the bottom of the shelf 111 is cut out in the same planar shape as the outer shape of the robot hand 201 described later when viewed from the + Z direction, and this cut-out region is an approach path through which the robot hand 201 can enter. It is 111d.

As shown in FIG. 3, when any one of the 5-inch wafer W5 to the 8-inch wafer W8 is accommodated in the 5-inch wafer accommodating portion 111a to the 8-inch wafer accommodating portion 111c, each inch is placed on the side surface of each wafer accommodating portion. Approximately half of the outer peripheral edges of the wafers are in contact with each other, and the centers of the 5-inch wafers W5 to 8 inch wafers W8 are substantially aligned with the centers of the shelves 111 on the horizontal plane, for example. Although the 5 to 8 inch wafers are superimposed in FIG. 3, only one of the 5 to 8 inch wafers is accommodated in the shelf 111 at the start of processing. ..

When the shelves arranged in a plurality of stages inside the first cassette 11 are the shelves 111 shown in FIG. 3, the robot 20 shown in FIG. 1 includes the robot hand 201 shown in FIG. 3 instead of the robot hand 200. In addition, the robot hand 201 is provided with a Z-axis direction moving means 203 for moving the robot hand 201 up and down in the Z-axis direction. The robot hand 201 is connected to the Z-axis direction moving means 203 via the holder 203a. For example, the Z-axis direction moving means 203 arranged on the arm unit 208 shown in FIG. 1 is a drive mechanism including a ball screw, a motor, and the like, but is not limited thereto.

The robot hand 201 is a plate made of SUS or the like and having a rounded tip in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and enters the inside of the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1 from the tip side.
A suction hole 201e for transmitting a suction force to the surface 201a is opened on the tip end side of the surface 201a of the robot hand 201. The suction hole 201e communicates with, for example, a suction path 201f formed so as to extend horizontally inside the robot hand 201, and the suction path 201f is connected to the suction source 209. The end portion (ridge line) of the surface 201a of the robot hand 201 may be chamfered so as not to damage the wafer.

Behind the suction hole 201e of the surface 201a of the robot hand 201 (on the + X direction side in FIG. 3), a 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g, a 6-inch wafer detection sensor 201h, and a 6-inch wafer detection sensor 201h in the extending direction of the robot hand 201. The 8-inch wafer detection sensors 201i are arranged so as to be lined up. The 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g to the 8-inch wafer detection sensor 201i is, for example, an optical sensor. The 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g to the 8-inch wafer detection sensor 201i is located at the center of the robot hand 201 in the width direction (Y-axis direction). Each wafer detection sensor that emits inspection light upwards, for example, emits inspection light when the robot hand 201 is positioned below the wafer so that the suction hole 201e and the center of the wafer to be held are substantially aligned with each other. It reacts according to the size of the wafer housed in the shelf 111 depending on the presence or absence of reflection on the wafer.

For example, a pressure gauge (not shown) that measures the pressure of the air flowing through the suction path 201f may be provided in the suction path 201f. This pressure gauge can detect a pressure change in the suction path 201f when the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the wafer, and sends a detection signal to the Z-axis direction moving means 203.

The temporary table 21 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 includes a plate 219 having a square shape in a plan view, and a circular table 210 is provided in the center of the plate 219. As shown in FIG. 4, the plate 219 is provided with a plurality of (six in the examples shown in FIGS. 1 and 4) long holes 210a for guiding that evenly penetrate the plate 219 in the circumferential direction around the base 210. The legs 210b are arranged at the four corners thereof. The elongated holes 210a for the guide extend radially, and it is sufficient that at least three elongated holes 210a are provided in the plate 219.

Below the temporary placement table 21, an alignment mechanism 27 for aligning the wafer on the temporary placement table 21 is arranged. The legs 210b of the temporary table 21 are fixed to the four corners of the base 270 of the alignment mechanism 27 with bolts. As shown in FIG. 4, a support column 271 is erected in the center of the upper surface of the base 270, and a disk 272 is placed around the axis in the Z-axis direction on the upper portion of the support column 271 via a gear 275. It is mounted rotatably.
The disk 272 supports each end of each of a plurality of (six in FIG. 4) arms 273, and each arm 273 can swivel on a horizontal plane. The pivot axis 273a at the base of each arm 273 is positioned at the same center as the disk 272 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

A contact pin 274 extending upward is fixed to the other end of each arm 273, and when the temporary placement table 21 is fixed to the alignment mechanism 27, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper side of the contact pin 274 is temporarily placed. It is inserted into the elongated hole 210a of the table 21 and protrudes from the upper surface of the plate 219. The fixed positions of the contact pins 274 on each arm 273 are equidistant from the pivot 273a. Then, the contact pin 274 is in a state where it can simultaneously move toward the center of the temporary placement table 21 along the elongated hole 210a. It is sufficient that at least three arms 273 and three contact pins 274 are arranged.

As shown in FIG. 4, a disk rotating means 276 that generates a force for rotating the disk 272 is arranged at one corner of the four corners on the base 270. The disk rotating means 276 has a motor 276a, a rotating shaft 276b having an axial center in the Z-axis direction and having a lower end connected to the motor 276a, and a gear 276c fixed to the upper end side of the rotating shaft 276b. The gear 276c meshes with the gear 275. Therefore, the disk 272 can be rotated by the disk rotating means 276. For example, a rotary encoder 276d that detects the rotation speed of the motor 276a and sends a pulse signal (a signal indicating the detected rotation speed of the motor 276a) is connected to the shaft of the motor 276a.
The temporary table 21 and the alignment mechanism 27 are installed on the base 10 shown in FIG. 1 in an integrated state as shown in FIG.

The carry-in arm mechanism 22 shown in FIG. 1 has, for example, a suction pad 220 having a disk-shaped outer shape and a lower surface thereof serving as a suction surface for sucking and holding a wafer, and a suction pad 220 extending horizontally and having a suction pad 220 on the lower surface of the tip thereof. It is provided with a fixed arm 221 and an arm moving means 222 connected to the arm 221 and rotating the arm 221 horizontally around an axis in the Z-axis direction. The arm 221 may be expandable and contractible in the horizontal direction, for example, or may be vertically movable in the Z-axis direction by the arm moving means 222.

Next to the carry-in arm mechanism 22, a carry-out arm mechanism 16 having a function of transporting the ground wafer held by the holding table 30 to the cleaning means 18 is arranged. The cleaning means 18 for cleaning the ground wafer is within the movable range of the robot 20, the spinner table 180 for sucking and holding the wafer, the nozzle 181 for supplying the cleaning liquid to the wafer held on the spinner table 180, and the scattering of the cleaning liquid. It is provided with a cover 182 for prevention.

The holding table 30 shown in FIG. 1 is a universal chuck table that can properly perform suction holding without replacing the wafer with another holding table even if the size of the wafer to be held changes. The holding table 30 is surrounded by the cover 39 and can be reciprocated in the X-axis direction by an X-axis direction feeding means (not shown) arranged under the cover 39.

As shown in FIG. 6, the holding table 30 has a circular outer shape, and includes a suction portion 300 which is made of a porous material or the like and sucks a wafer, and a frame body 301 which supports the suction portion 300. The exposed surface of the suction portion 300 is a holding surface whose area can be changed according to each size of the wafer, and the suction portion 300 is, for example, a 5-inch wafer W5, a 6-inch wafer W6, and an 8-inch wafer W8 shown in FIG. The suction regions 300a, 300b, and 300c corresponding to the above are divided into balm-kuchen shapes by partition portions 302a, 302b made of a non-breathable material. The partition portion 302a and the partition portion 302b are arranged concentrically around the center of the holding table 30. The holding table 30 can be rotated around the axis in the Z-axis direction by the rotating means 38 arranged on the bottom surface side.

A suction flow path 303a, a suction flow path 303b, and a suction flow path 303c for transmitting suction force individually communicate with each of the suction areas 300a, 300b, and 300c. The suction flow paths 303a to 303c are formed so as to pass through the bottom of the frame body 301 and the inside of the rotating means 38 via a rotary joint or the like (not shown), and are connected to the suction source 37, respectively. A solenoid valve 304a, a solenoid valve 304b, and a solenoid valve 304c are arranged in the suction flow path 303a, the suction flow path 303b, and the suction flow path 303c, respectively, and each solenoid valve has a suction flow path 303a to 303c. Has a function of switching between a state of communicating with the suction source 37 and a state of being open to the atmosphere.

As shown in FIG. 1, a column 10A is erected behind the machining area B (on the + X direction side), and a machining means 15 is held on the side surface of the column 10A on the −X direction side with respect to the holding table 30. A processing feed means 17 for processing and feeding in the vertical direction separated or approaching is arranged. The machining feed means 17 is connected to a ball screw 170 having a vertical (Z-axis direction) axis, a pair of guide rails 171 arranged in parallel with the ball screw 170, and the upper end of the ball screw 170 to rotate the ball screw 170. It is provided with a motor 172 to be operated, an elevating plate 173 in which an internal nut is screwed into a ball screw 170 and a side portion is in sliding contact with a guide rail 171, and a holder 174 connected to the elevating plate 173 to hold a processing means 15. When the 172 rotates the ball screw 170, the elevating plate 173 is guided by the guide rail 171 and reciprocates in the Z-axis direction, and the machining means 15 held by the holder 174 is machined and fed in the Z-axis direction. ..

The processing means 15 for grinding the wafer held on the holding table 30 includes a rotary shaft 150 whose axial direction is vertical (Z-axis direction), a housing 151 that rotatably supports the rotary shaft 150, and a rotary shaft 150. It is provided with a motor 152 for rotationally driving the rotary shaft 150, an annular mount 153 connected to the lower end of the rotary shaft 150, and a processing tool 154 detachably attached to the lower surface of the mount 153.

The processing tool 154 is a grinding wheel, and includes a wheel base 154b and a plurality of substantially rectangular parallelepiped grinding wheels 154a arranged in an annular shape on the bottom surface of the wheel base 154b. The grinding wheel 154a is formed by fixing diamond abrasive grains or the like with, for example, a resin bond or a metal bond.

A thickness measuring means 19 for measuring the thickness of the wafer held by the holding table 30 and ground by the processing means 15 is arranged in the vicinity of the side of the moving path of the holding table 30. The thickness measuring means 19 is, for example, a pair of height gauges for measuring the thickness of a wafer by a contact method. The thickness measuring means 19 includes a first height gauge 191 for measuring the height position of the holding surface of the holding table 30, and a second height gauge 192 for measuring the height position of the wearer held by the holding table 30. The first height gauge 191 (second height gauge 192) is provided with a contact 191a (192a) that moves up and down in the vertical direction at its tip. The thickness measuring means 19 can measure the thickness of the wafer at any time during grinding by calculating the difference between the measured values of both gauges.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the processing apparatus 1, for example, between the start of carrying out the wafer from the inside of the first cassette 11 by the robot 20 and the loading of the wafer into the holding table 30 by the carry-in arm mechanism 22, the wafer It is equipped with a size recognition means that recognizes the size.

The processing apparatus 1 includes a holding surface area changing means 8 that changes the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 according to the size of the wafer recognized by the size recognizing means. As shown in FIG. 6, the holding surface area changing means 8 is electrically connected to the solenoid valves 304a to 304c, and each suction region 300a, 300b, 300c corresponding to the recognized size of the waha is selected. , Open / close control of the solenoid valve 304a, the solenoid valve 304b, and the solenoid valve 304c corresponding to the selected suction region.

(Embodiment 1 of Wafer Processing Method)
Hereinafter, each step of the processing method when the wafer processing method according to the present invention is carried out using the processing apparatus 1 will be described.

(1-1) Entering the Robot Hand into the First Cassette in the Carrying Out Process In the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of shelves 110 shown in FIG. 2 are arranged in a plurality of stages, and each shelf 110 is arranged. Each contains one of a 5-inch wafer W5, a 6-inch wafer W6, and an 8-inch wafer W8. That is, in the first cassette 11, a plurality of wafers of three different sizes are mixed and stored in a shelf shape.

First, the arm unit 208 shown in FIG. 1 turns the robot hand 200 so that the tip of the robot hand 200 faces the opening 11e of the first cassette 11. Next, the X-axis direction moving means 202 moves the robot hand 200 in the −X direction, and the robot hand 200 horizontally enters the inside of the first cassette 11 through the opening 11e.

(2) Size recognition step In this embodiment, the size recognition step for recognizing the size of the wafer is carried out in parallel with the carry-out step, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the holding step described later from the start of the carry-out step is not limited to this. It may be carried out before the start of.

The size recognizing means is, for example, electrically connected to the X-axis direction moving means 202 shown in FIG. 2, and is in the first cassette 11 of the robot hand 200 sent from the X-axis direction moving means 202 to the size recognizing means. The size of the wafer can be recognized from the information on the approach position in. Hereinafter, the size recognition means of this configuration will be referred to as the size recognition means 7A of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

For example, when the robot hand 200 enters the opening 11e of the first cassette 11, a reading unit (not shown) of the X-axis direction moving means 202 operates, and the scale of the base portion 202d indicates that the first cassette 11 of the robot hand 200 is operated. Start measuring the movement distance in the X-axis direction. When the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is a 5-inch wafer W5, the robot hand 200 shown in FIG. 2 passes under the shelf 110, and as shown in FIG. 7, the outer peripheral edge of the 5-inch wafer W5 on the + X direction side. When passing below the wafer, the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b reacts. That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the inspection light that is projected upward from the light projecting unit 200c and passes through the approach path 110b (not shown in FIG. 7) is reflected on the lower surface of the 5-inch wafer W5. Light is received by the light receiving unit 200d. Similarly, when the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is a 6-inch wafer W6, or when the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is an 8-inch wafer W8, the 6-inch wafer W6 is as shown in FIG. When the robot hand 200 passes below the outer peripheral edge on the + X direction side of the wafer, the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b reacts, and as shown in FIG. 10, the robot hand 200 is below the outer peripheral edge on the + X direction side of the 8-inch wafer W8. When the wafer passes, the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b reacts.

The position of the robot hand 200 in the first cassette 11 in the X-axis direction when the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b detects the wafer differs depending on the wafer for each size. That is, when the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is a 5-inch wafer W5 as shown in FIG. 7, the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is a 6-inch wafer W6 as shown in FIG. However, the robot hand 200 enters the innermost side (-X direction side) inside the first cassette 11. Further, when the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is a 6-inch wafer W6 as shown in FIG. 9, the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is an 8-inch wafer W8 as shown in FIG. However, the robot hand 200 enters the innermost side (-X direction side) inside the first cassette 11.

As shown in FIGS. 7, 9, or 10, when the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b detects the presence of the wafer, the robot hand 200 read from the scale by a reading unit (not shown) of the X-axis direction moving means 202 at that time. The position information in the X-axis direction is transmitted to the size recognition means 7A of the first embodiment. Then, the size recognition means 7A of the first embodiment is housed in the shelf 110 from the approach position in the X-axis direction in the first cassette 11 of the robot hand 200 when the wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200b detects the wafer. Recognize what size wafer you are using.

(1-2) Suction and holding of the wafer by the robot hand in the carry-out process and carry-out from the first cassette of the wafer When the size recognition means 7A of the first embodiment recognizes the size of the wafer housed in the shelf 110, for example. , Information about the size of the wafer is fed back to the X-axis direction moving means 202. The movement distance of the robot hand 200 is controlled by the X-axis direction moving means 202 that receives the information. For example, the robot hand 200 is further moved to a position where the suction hole 200e of the robot hand 200 and the center of the wafer substantially coincide with each other. Stop after being sent in the direction. That is, when the waha housed in the shelf 110 is recognized as the 5-inch waha W5, as shown in FIG. 11, the suction hole 200e of the robot hand 200 and the center of the 5-inch waha W5 substantially match. When the robot hand 200 is further sent in the −X direction to the desired position and then stopped, and the waha housed in the shelf 110 is recognized as the 6-inch waha W6, the robot is as shown in FIG. The robot hand 200 is further sent in the −X direction to a position where the suction hole 200e of the hand 200 and the center of the 6-inch waiha W6 are substantially aligned with each other, and then the robot hand 200 is stopped. If it is recognized, after the robot hand 200 is further sent in the −X direction to a position where the suction hole 200e of the robot hand 200 and the center of the 8-inch waiha W8 substantially coincide with each other, as shown in FIG. Stop. That is, the stop position of the robot hand 200 is determined for each size of the wafer.

Next, the robot hand 200 rises, and for example, the surface 200a of the robot hand 200 comes into contact with the lower surface of the 5-inch wafer W5 shown in FIG. The suction force generated by the suction source 209 is transmitted to the surface 200a through the suction path 200f, so that the robot hand 200 sucks and holds the 5-inch wafer W5. Then, the robot hand 200 that sucks and holds the 5-inch wafer W5 moves in the + X direction, and the 5-inch wafer W5 is carried out from the inside of the first cassette 11 by the robot 20. Similarly, when the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is the 6-inch wafer W6, as shown in FIG. 12, the 6-inch wafer W6 is sucked and held by the robot hand 200, and then the 6-inch wafer W6 is the robot 20. Is carried out from the inside of the first cassette 11. Similarly, when the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is the 8-inch wafer W8, as shown in FIG. 13, the 8-inch wafer W8 is sucked and held by the robot hand 200, and then the 8-inch wafer W8 is the robot 20. Is carried out from the inside of the first cassette 11.

(3) Holding surface area changing step After the size recognition step is performed as described above, the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 shown in FIG. 1 having a holding surface for holding the wafer according to the recognized wafer size is Be changed. In the present embodiment, the size of the wafer recognized in the size recognition step is, for example, 6 inches, and the 6-inch wafer W6 is carried out from the first cassette 11 by the robot 20.

Information about the size of the wafer is sent from the size recognizing means 7A of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 9 to the holding surface area changing means 8 shown in FIG. The holding surface area changing means 8 sends an electric signal to the solenoid valve 304a and the solenoid valve 304b to open both valves and close the solenoid valve 304c to the suction region 300a and the suction region 300b. The negative pressure generated by the suction source 37 is transmitted. That is, the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 is changed to the area corresponding to the 6-inch wafer W6 (the area including the suction area 300a and the suction area 300b).

(4) Holding process The robot 20 shown in FIG. 1 moves the 6-inch wafer W6 carried out from the first cassette 11 to the temporary storage table 21. Next, the 6-inch wafer W6 on the temporary placement table 21 is positioned at a predetermined position by the alignment mechanism 27 shown in FIG. Next, the carry-in arm mechanism 22 sucks and holds the 6-inch wafer W6 on the temporary placement table 21 with the suction pad 220. Further, the arm moving means 222 of the carry-in arm mechanism 22 swivels and moves the suction pad 220 to a position where the center of the 6-inch wafer W6 sucked and held by the suction pad 220 substantially coincides with the center of the holding table 30. Further, the suction pad 220 is lowered, and the 6-inch wafer W6 is placed on the holding surface of the holding table 30, that is, the holding surface including the suction region 300a and the suction region 300b shown in FIG. 6 in the present embodiment.

The suction force generated by the suction source 37 shown in FIG. 6 is transmitted to the suction area 300a and the suction area 300b through the suction flow path 303a and the suction flow path 303b, respectively, so that the holding table 30 is provided. The 6-inch waiha W6 is sucked and held on the holding surface. Further, the suction force of the suction pad 220 is released, and the suction pad 220 retracts from the holding table 30.

(5) Machining Step Next, the holding table 30 that sucks and holds the 6-inch wafer W6 moves from the carry-in / out area A shown in FIG. 1 to the bottom of the machining means 15 in the machining area B in the + X direction. Further, the motor 152 rotationally drives the rotary shaft 150, and the machining tool 154 also rotates accordingly. The machining means 15 is fed in the −Z direction by the machining feed means 17, and the rotating grinding wheel 154a abuts on the 6-inch wafer W6 to start grinding. Then, as the holding table 30 rotates, the 6-inch wafer W6 held by the holding table 30 also rotates, so that the grinding wheel 154a grinds the entire surface of the 6-inch wafer W6 to be ground. Further, the grinding water is supplied to the contact portion between the grinding wheel 154a and the 6-inch wafer W6, and the contact portion is cooled and washed.

Since the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 is appropriately switched to correspond to the 6-inch wafer W6, even if the first cassette 11 contains three different sizes of wafers, the holding table 30 has a 6-inch wafer. Appropriate grinding is performed while W6 is securely held. During grinding, the thickness of the 6-inch wafer W6 is measured at any time by the thickness measuring means 19 shown in FIG. 1, and the grinding is completed when the 6-inch wafer W6 is ground to a desired thickness.

Next, the 6-inch wafer W6 is conveyed from the holding table 30 onto the spinner table 180 of the cleaning means 18 by the carry-out arm mechanism 16, and the 6-inch wafer W6 after grinding is cleaned.

As described above, in the wafer processing method according to the present invention, for example, when the wafer is carried out from the first cassette 11, a size recognition step is performed to recognize the size of the wafer, and the wafer is changed in the holding surface area changing step. By appropriately switching the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 so as to correspond to the size, even if the first cassette 11 contains wafers of three different sizes, the holding table 30 can reliably hold the wafers appropriately. It is possible to perform various processing.

Further, the processing apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a holding table 30 having a holding surface whose area can be changed according to each size of the wafer, a size recognition means 7A of the first embodiment for recognizing the size of the wafer, and a holding table. From the holding surface area changing means 8 that changes the area of the holding surface of 30 according to the size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means 7A of the first embodiment, and the first cassette 11 mounted on the first cassette stage 131. Since it is provided with a carrying means 2 for carrying out the wafer and carrying it into the holding table 30, the holding surface of the holding table 30 recognizes the size of the wafer taken out from the first cassette 11 and corresponds to the size of the wafer. By appropriately switching the area of the first cassette 11, even if wafers of different sizes are mixed, the wafer can be reliably held by the holding table 30 and appropriate processing can be performed.

(Embodiment 2 of Wafer Processing Method)
Hereinafter, each step of the processing method when the wafer processing method according to the present invention is carried out using the processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

(1-1) Entering the Robot Hand into the First Cassette in the Carrying Out Process In the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of shelves 111 shown in FIG. 3 are arranged in a plurality of stages, and each shelf 111 is arranged. Each contains one 5-inch wafer W5, 6-inch wafer W6, or 8-inch wafer W8. That is, in the first cassette 11, a plurality of wafers of three different sizes are mixed and stored in a shelf shape. Further, the robot 20 shown in FIG. 1 includes the robot hand 201 shown in FIG. 3 instead of the robot hand 200.

First, the arm unit 208 shown in FIG. 1 turns the robot hand 201 shown in FIG. 3 included in the robot 20 so that the tip of the robot hand 201 faces the opening 11e of the first cassette 11. Next, the arm unit 208 moves the robot hand 201 in the −X direction, and causes the robot hand 201 to horizontally enter the inside of the first cassette 11 through the opening 11e. For example, when the robot hand 201 is positioned at a position where the suction hole 201e shown in FIG. 3 and the center of the shelf 111 on the horizontal plane substantially coincide with each other, only one 5-inch wafer W5 to 8-inch wafer is housed in the shelf 111. The center of any of the wafers in W8 and the suction hole 201e are substantially aligned with each other.

(2) Size recognition step In the present embodiment, the size recognition step for recognizing the size of the wafer is carried out in parallel with the carry-out step.

The size recognition means is electrically connected to, for example, the Z-axis direction moving means 203 shown in FIG. Then, the size recognizing means can recognize the size of the wafer from the information of the height position at the time of sucking the wafer in the first cassette 11 of the robot hand 201 sent from the Z-axis direction moving means 203 to the size recognizing means. It is a structure that can be done. Hereinafter, the size recognition means of this configuration will be referred to as the size recognition means 7B of the second embodiment shown in FIG.

After the robot hand 201 is positioned at a position where the center of any of the 5-inch wafers W5 to 8 inch wafers W8 housed in the shelf 111 and the suction hole 201e substantially coincide with each other, the suction source is used. 209 is activated, and the suction force generated by the suction source 209 is transmitted to the surface 201a through the suction path 201f, so that the robot hand 201 can suck and hold the wafer.

Next, the Z-axis direction moving means 203 raises the robot hand 201 at a predetermined feed rate. When the robot hand 201 is raised and the surface 201a of the robot hand 201 comes into contact with the lower surface of the 5-inch wafer W5 shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, for example, the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the 5-inch wafer W5. Then, since the pressure of the air flowing through the suction path 201f shown in FIG. 14 drops to a predetermined value, a pressure gauge (not shown) arranged in the suction path 201f detects the pressure change and sends a detection signal in the Z-axis direction. It is sent to the transportation means 203.

The Z-axis direction moving means 203 can calculate the amount of movement of the robot hand 201 in the Z-axis direction and detect the height position of the robot hand 201 in the Z-axis direction, and can detect a pressure change detection signal from the pressure gauge. Upon receipt, the height position of the robot hand 201 in the Z-axis direction at that time is detected. Then, the Z-axis direction moving means 203 transmits the detected information about the height position of the robot hand 201 to the size recognizing means 7B of the second embodiment.
Similarly, even when the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is the 6-inch wafer W6, when the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the 6-inch wafer W6 as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the Z-axis direction moving means 203 Information about the height position of the robot hand 201 at that time is transmitted to the size recognition means 7B of the second embodiment. Further, even when the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is an 8-inch wafer W8, when the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the 8-inch wafer W8 as shown in FIGS. Information about the height position of the robot hand 201 at the time point is transmitted to the size recognition means 7B of the second embodiment.

Since the wafer is housed in each of the 5-inch wafer accommodating portions 111a to 8-inch wafer accommodating portions 111c having different height positions for each size, the robot hand 201 is in the first cassette 11 when the wafer is sucked and held. The height position differs depending on the size of the wafer. That is, when the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is the 6-inch wafer W6 as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is the 5-inch wafer W5 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The robot hand 201 sucks and holds the wafer at a higher position inside the first cassette 11 than in the case of. When the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is the 8-inch wafer W8 as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is the 6-inch wafer W6 as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. The robot hand 201 sucks and holds the wafer at a higher position inside the first cassette 11 than in the case. Then, in the size recognition means 7B of the second embodiment, the size of the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is different from the height position in the first cassette 11 when the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the wafer. Recognize if there is.

The size recognition means may be electrically connected to, for example, the 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g to the 8-inch wafer detection sensor 201i shown in FIG. The size recognition means is configured to be able to recognize the size of the wafer by, for example, a wafer detection signal from the 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g to the 8-inch wafer detection sensor 201i. Hereinafter, the size recognition means 7 having the present configuration will be referred to as the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment shown in FIG.

The size recognition of the wafer by the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment in the size recognition step is performed, for example, as shown below.
The robot hand 201 shown in FIG. 3 was positioned at a position where the center of any of the 5-inch wafers W5 to 8 inch wafers W8 housed in the shelf 111 and the suction hole 201e substantially coincided with each other. After that, the suction source 209 is activated, and the robot hand 201 is in a state where the wafer can be sucked and held. Next, the Z-axis direction moving means 203 raises the robot hand 201 to bring the surface 201a of the robot hand 201 into contact with the lower surface of the 5-inch wafer W5 shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, for example, and the 5-inch wafer by the robot hand 201. W5 is sucked and held.

As shown in FIG. 14, when the wafer housed in the shelf 110 is a 5-inch wafer W5, the 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g to the state where the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the wafer as described above. Of the 8-inch wafer detection sensor 201i, only the upper part of the 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g is blocked by the wafer. Therefore, only the 5-inch wafer detection sensor 201g reacts, and the detection signal is transmitted to the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment. Then, the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment recognizes that the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is the 5-inch wafer W5.
When the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is a 6-inch wafer W6, as shown in FIG. 16, the wafer is also used above the 6-inch wafer detection sensor 201h in a state where the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the wafer. Since the state is blocked, the 6-inch wafer detection sensor 201h reacts and transmits a detection signal to the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment. Then, the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment recognizes that the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is a 6-inch wafer W6.
When the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is an 8-inch wafer W8, as shown in FIG. 18, the wafer is also used above the 8-inch wafer detection sensor 201i in a state where the robot hand 201 sucks and holds the wafer. Since the state is blocked, the 8-inch wafer detection sensor 201i reacts and transmits a detection signal to the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment. Then, the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment recognizes that the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is an 8-inch wafer W8.

(1-2) Carrying out the wafer from the first cassette by the robot hand in the carrying-out process The size of the wafer accommodated in the shelf 111 by the size recognition means 7B of the second embodiment or the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment. Is recognized, the wafer is carried out of the shelf 111. For example, the robot hand 201 that sucks and holds the 5-inch wafer W5 shown in FIG. 14 moves in the + X direction, and the 5-inch wafer W5 is carried out from the inside of the first cassette 11 by the robot 20. Similarly, when the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is the 6-inch wafer W6, the robot hand 201 sucking and holding the 6-inch wafer W6 shown in FIG. 16 moves in the + X direction, and the 6-inch wafer W6 is the robot 20. Is carried out from the inside of the first cassette 11. Similarly, when the wafer housed in the shelf 111 is an 8-inch wafer W8, the robot hand 201 sucking and holding the 8-inch wafer W8 shown in FIG. 18 moves in the + X direction, and the 8-inch wafer W8 becomes the robot 20. Is carried out from the inside of the first cassette 11.

(3) Holding surface area changing step to (5) Machining step After the size recognition step is performed as described above, the wafer size recognized by the size recognition means 7B of Example 2 or the size recognition means 7C of Example 3. The area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 shown in FIG. 6 having the holding surface for holding the wafer is changed accordingly. That is, the holding surface area changing means 8 that has received information about the wafer size from the size recognizing means 7B of the second embodiment or the size recognizing means 7C of the third embodiment is the holding surface area changing step in the wafer processing method of the first embodiment. Similarly, the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 is changed to the area corresponding to the wafer size.
Further, the holding step and the processing step are carried out in the same manner as the holding step and the processing step in the wafer processing method of the first embodiment.

As described above, in the wafer processing method according to the present invention, for example, a size recognition step is performed when the wafer is carried out from the first cassette 11, the wafer size is recognized, and the wafer size is changed in the holding surface area changing step. By appropriately switching the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 so as to correspond to the above, even if the first cassette 11 contains three different sizes of wafers, the holding table 30 can reliably hold the wafers and is appropriate. It becomes possible to apply processing.

The processing apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes the size recognition means 7B of the second embodiment or the size recognition means 7C of the third embodiment and the size recognition means 7B of the second embodiment or the size recognition means of the third embodiment. Since the holding surface area changing means 8 for changing the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 according to the size of the wafer recognized by 7C is provided, the size of the wafer taken out from the first cassette 11 is recognized and the wafer is recognized. By appropriately switching the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 so as to correspond to the size, even if wafers of different sizes are mixed in the first cassette 11, the holding table 30 reliably holds the wafers and is appropriate. It becomes possible to carry out processing.

(Embodiment 3 of Wafer Processing Method)
Hereinafter, each step of the processing method when the wafer processing method according to the present invention is carried out using the processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

(1) Carrying-out process For example, shelves 110 shown in FIG. 2 are arranged in a plurality of stages in the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1, and each shelf 110 has a 5-inch wafer W5 and a 6-inch wafer, respectively. One W6 or 8-inch wafer W8 is housed. That is, in the first cassette 11, a plurality of wafers of three different sizes are mixed and stored in a shelf shape.

First, the arm unit 208 shown in FIG. 1 turns the robot hand 200 so that the tip of the robot hand 200 faces the opening 11e of the first cassette 11. Next, the X-axis direction moving means 202 moves the robot hand 200 in the −X direction, and the robot hand 200 horizontally enters the inside of the first cassette 11 through the opening 11e. Then, the robot hand 200 sucks and holds the wafer (referred to as the 6-inch wafer W6 in the present embodiment) housed in the shelf 110, and then the 6-inch wafer W6 is sucked and held by the robot 20 in the first cassette 11. It is carried out from the inside of.

(2) Size recognition step In the present embodiment, the size recognition step for recognizing the size of the wafer is performed after the carry-out step is carried out. Further, the size recognition means is, for example, electrically connected to the rotary encoder 276d shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and information (pulse signal) about the rotation speed of the motor 276a transmitted from the rotary encoder 276d to the size recognition means. Therefore, the size of the encoder can be recognized. Hereinafter, the size recognition means 7 having this configuration will be referred to as the size recognition means 7D of the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The robot 20 shown in FIG. 1 places the 6-inch wafer W6 on the temporary table 21, and then the robot 20 separates from the 6-inch wafer W6. When the motor 276a shown in FIG. 5 rotates and the disk 272 rotates a predetermined angle in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from the + Z direction side via the gear 276c and the gear 275 shown in FIG. 4, each arm 273 uses the pivot axis 273a as a fulcrum. With this rotation, each contact pin 274 moves along the elongated hole 210a of the temporary placement table 21 so as to reduce the diameter toward the center of the temporary placement table 21 as shown in FIG. do. That is, the rotational motion of the disk 272 changes to a linear motion in the radial direction of the contact pin 274 via the arm 273. Further, when the motor 276a starts to rotate, the rotary encoder 276d detects the rotation speed of the motor 276a and starts sending a pulse signal to the size recognition means 7D of the fourth embodiment, and the size recognition means 7D of the fourth embodiment starts to send a pulse signal. Counts the pulse signal.

Since each contact pin 274 moves to reduce its diameter while maintaining its position on the same circumference, each contact pin 274 pushes the outer peripheral edge of the 6-inch wafer W6 to correct its position, and finally all contacts. The pin 274 stops in contact with the outer peripheral edge of the 6-inch wafer W6. As a result, the center of the 6-inch wafer W6 can be aligned with the center of the temporary table 21 (the center of the circular table 210).

For each 5-inch wafer W5 to 8-inch wafer W8 shown in FIG. 1, the amount of movement of the contact pin 274 in the radial direction when the center of the wafer is aligned as described above on the temporary placement table 21, in other words, The rotation speed of the motor 276a, which is the driving force for moving the contact pin 274, is different. The smaller the size of the wafer placed on the temporary placement table 21, the higher the rotation speed of the motor 276a, and the higher the rotation speed of the motor 276a. The larger the size of the wafer mounted on the, the lower the rotation speed of the motor 276a.
Then, the size recognition means 7D of the fourth embodiment was carried out from the first cassette 11 from the count of the pulse signal (the number of rotations of the motor 276a) at the time when the center of the wafer was aligned on the temporary placement table 21. Recognize what size wafer the wafer is.

As shown in FIG. 5, after the center of the 6-inch waiha W6 is aligned on the temporary placement table 21, the disk 272 is rotated at a predetermined angle in the counterclockwise direction opposite to the above by the motor 276a of the disk rotating means 276. When rotated, each arm 273 rotates counterclockwise with the pivot 273a as a fulcrum, and along with this rotation, each contact pin 274 moves away from the center of the temporary placement table 21 along the elongated hole 210a of the temporary placement table 21. Move to. That is, each contact pin 274 moves in the direction of expanding the diameter of the circle while maintaining the position on the same circumference. As a result, the 6-inch wafer W6 on the temporary storage table 21 can be sucked by the carry-in arm mechanism 22 shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the center is aligned.

(3) Holding surface area changing step to (5) Machining step After the size recognition step is carried out as described above, the holding that holds the wafer according to the wafer size recognized by the size recognition means 7D of the fourth embodiment. The area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 having the surface is changed. That is, the holding surface area changing means 8 that has received information about the wafer size from the size recognizing means 7D of the fourth embodiment holds the holding table 30 in the same manner as in the holding surface area changing step in the wafer processing method of the first embodiment. Change the area of the surface to the area according to the wafer size.
Further, the holding step and the processing step are carried out in the same manner as the holding step and the processing step in the wafer processing method of the first embodiment.

As described above, in the wafer processing method according to the present invention, for example, after the wafer is carried out from the first cassette 11, a size recognition step is performed to recognize the size of the wafer, and the wafer is recognized in the holding surface area changing step. By appropriately switching the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 so as to correspond to the size of, the holding table 30 securely holds the wafer even if the first cassette 11 contains three different sizes of wafers. Appropriate processing can be applied.

The processing apparatus 1 according to the present invention corresponds to the size recognition means 7D of the fourth embodiment for recognizing the size of the wafer and the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 according to the size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means 7D of the fourth embodiment. Since the holding surface area changing means 8 for changing is provided, the size of the wafer taken out from the first cassette 11 is recognized, and the area of the holding surface of the holding table 30 is appropriately adjusted to correspond to the wafer size. By switching, even if wafers of different sizes are mixed in the first cassette 11, the wafers can be reliably held by the holding table 30 and appropriate processing can be performed.

The method for processing a wafer according to the present invention is not limited to each of the above embodiments, and the configuration of the processing apparatus 1 shown in the attached drawings is not limited to this, and the effects of the present invention can be achieved. It can be changed as appropriate within the range that can be exhibited.

The size recognition means shown in FIG. 1 is not limited to the configurations shown in the above Examples 1 to 4. For example, in the vicinity of the robot accommodating area 10C shown in FIG. 1, an image pickup means including a light irradiation unit for irradiating light and a camera composed of an image pickup element (CCD) or the like is arranged, and the image pickup means is provided. Therefore, the wafer carried out from the first cassette 11 by the robot 20 and sucked and held may be able to be imaged from above. The size recognition means may be configured to recognize the size of the wafer from the image captured by the image pickup means (hereinafter, referred to as the size recognition means of the fifth embodiment). In this case, the size recognition step is carried out as follows.

In a state where the wafer is carried out from the first cassette 11 shown in FIG. 1 by the robot 20 and is sucked and held by the robot 20, the image pickup means captures the wafer from above to form an image. The size recognition means of the fifth embodiment is electrically connected to the image pickup means, and the image pickup image data about the wafer is transmitted from the image pickup means to the size recognition means of the fifth embodiment. The size recognition means of the fifth embodiment analyzes the transmitted image data to determine whether the wafer carried out from the first cassette 11 is a 5-inch wafer W5 to an 8-inch wafer W8. recognize. Then, the size recognition means of the fifth embodiment transmits information about the recognized size of the wafer to the holding surface area changing means 8.

For example, the image pickup means may be arranged above the temporary placement table 21 so that the wafer temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 21 can be imaged by the image pickup means. The size recognition means may be configured to recognize the size of the wafer from the image captured by the image pickup means (hereinafter, referred to as the size recognition means of the sixth embodiment). In this case, the size recognition step is carried out as follows.

The wafer carried out by the robot 20 from the first cassette 11 is temporarily placed on the temporary storage table 21. Then, the imaging means captures the wafer on the temporary table 21 from above to form an captured image. The size recognition means of the sixth embodiment is electrically connected to the image pickup means, and the image pickup means sends the image pickup image data about the wafer to the size recognition means of the sixth embodiment. The size recognition means of the sixth embodiment analyzes the transmitted image data to determine whether the wafer carried out from the first cassette 11 is a 5-inch wafer W5 to an 8-inch wafer W8. recognize. Then, the size recognition means of the sixth embodiment transmits information about the recognized size of the wafer to the holding surface area changing means 8.

For example, the wafer size recognition table 4 shown in FIG. 20 may be arranged in the processing apparatus 1. The wafer size recognition table 4 is, for example, arranged in the movable area of the robot 20 on the base 10 of the processing apparatus 1, and serves as a table for temporarily placing the wafer carried out from the first cassette 11 by the robot 20. ..
The wafer size recognition table 4 is, for example, erected on a base 40 formed in a square shape in a plan view, a wafer mounting portion 41 erected in the central region of the pedestal 40, and an upper surface of the pedestal 40. It is provided with two columnar first fixing pins 42A and two columnar second fixing pins 42B. Further, on the base 40, a columnar abutting pin 43 that can move linearly from the corner of the base 40 on the −X direction side to the substantially center of the base 40 is arranged.

The wafer mounting portion 41 has, for example, an outer shape formed in a substantially elliptical shape in a plan view, and is cut out from the outer peripheral edge on the −X direction side toward the center, and this cutout region is abutted. The approach road 410 through which the pin 43 can enter.
The abutting pin 43 can be reciprocated in the X-axis direction by the abutting pin advancing / retreating means 44 composed of a ball screw, a motor, or the like, and the abutting pin advancing / retreating means 44 is the advancing / retreating position of the abutting pin 43 in the X-axis direction. Can be detected.

The two first fixing pins 42A are arranged symmetrically with each other with the diagonal line parallel to the X-axis direction of the base 40 as the axis of symmetry in a plan view. The two second fixing pins 42B arranged on the −X direction side of the two first fixing pins 42A are also symmetrical with each other with the diagonal line parallel to the X-axis direction of the base 40 as the axis of symmetry in plan view. Is located in. The distance between the two second fixing pins 42B in the Y-axis direction is set to be larger than the diameter of the 5-inch wafer W5 and the diameter of the 6-inch wafer W6.

The size recognition means is configured to be able to recognize the size of the wafer from the distance at which the abutting pin advancing / retreating means 44 advances / retreats the abutting pin 43 toward the −X direction side. Hereinafter, the size recognition means of this configuration will be referred to as the size recognition means 7E of the seventh embodiment shown in FIG.

When the processing apparatus 1 includes the wafer size recognition table 4 shown in FIG. 20, the size recognition step is carried out as follows.
The robot 20 shown in FIG. 1 places a wafer carried out from the first cassette 11 on the wafer mounting portion 41 of the wafer size recognition table 4, and then the robot 20 separates from the wafer size recognition table 4.

Next, the abutting pin advancing / retreating means 44 moves the abutting pin 43 in the −X direction. The abutting pin 43 moves toward the wafer, and the abutting pin 43 comes into contact with the outer periphery of the wafer. Then, the abutting pin 43 is further advanced in the −X direction, and the wafer is slid on the wafer mounting portion 41 toward the −X direction.

When the wafer mounted on the wafer mounting portion 41 is a 5-inch wafer W5, the wafer slides and moves with the two first fixing pins 42A in contact with the abutting pin 43 on the outer circumference of the wafer. Stops. When the wafer mounted on the wafer mounting portion 41 is a 6-inch wafer W6, the wafer slides and moves with the two first fixing pins 42A in contact with the abutting pin 43 on the outer circumference of the wafer. Stops. When the wafer mounted on the wafer mounting portion 41 is an 8-inch wafer W8, the two first fixing pins 42A and the two second fixing pins 42B are in contact with the outer periphery of the wafer together with the abutting pin 43. The slide movement of the wafer stops when it is in contact with the wafer.

As shown in FIG. 20, the moving distance of the abutting pin 43 in the X-axis direction until the slide movement of the wafer is stopped is different, and the size of the wafer mounted on the wafer mounting portion 41 is small. The larger the moving distance of the abutting pin 43, and the larger the size of the wafer mounted on the wafer mounting portion 41, the smaller the moving distance of the abutting pin 43.
In the size recognition means 7E of the seventh embodiment, the wafer carried out from the first cassette 11 and mounted on the wafer mounting portion 41 is provided from the moving distance of the abutting pin 43 until the slide movement of the wafer is stopped. Recognize what size wafer it is.

1: Processing equipment 10: Base A: Loading / unloading area B: Processing area 10A: Column 10C: Robot accommodation area 11: First cassette 11a: Bottom plate 11b: Top plate 11c: Back plate 11d: Side plate 11e: Opening 131: First 1 cassette stage
12: Second cassette 132: Second cassette stage 110: Shelf 110a: Wafer accommodating part 110b: Approach path 111: Shelf 111a: 5 inch wafer accommodating part 111b: 6 inch wafer accommodating part 111c: For 8 inch wafer Containment section 111d: Approach path 2: Carry-in means 20: Robot
200: Robot hand 200a: Surface 200b: Waha outer peripheral edge detection sensor 200e: Suction hole 200f: Suction path 209: Suction source 202: X-axis direction moving means 202a: Holder 202b: Casing 202c: Movable part 202d: Base 7A: Implementation Example 1 size recognition means 8: Holding surface area changing means 201: Robot hand 201a: Robot hand surface 201e: Suction hole 201f: Suction path
203: Z-axis direction moving means 203a: Holder
7B: Size recognition means of Example 2 7C: Size recognition means of Example 3 21: Temporary table 210: Table 219: Plate 27: Alignment mechanism 270: Base 272: Disk 273: Arm 274: Contact pin 276 : Disk rotation means 276a: Motor 276d: Rotary encoder 7D: Size recognition means of Example 4 22: Carry-in arm mechanism 220: Suction pad 221: Arm 222: Arm moving means 16: Carry-out arm mechanism 18: Cleaning means 19: Thickness Measuring means
15: Machining means 150: Rotating shaft 151: Housing 152: Motor 153: Mount 154: Machining tool 154b: Wheel base 154a: Grinding wheel 17: Machining feed means 170: Ball screw 171: Guide rail 172: Motor 173: Elevating plate 174 : Holder 30: Holding table 300: Suction part 301: Frame body 300a to 300c: Suction area 304a to 304c: Solenoid valve 37: Suction source 39: Cover
4: Wafer size recognition table 40: Base 41: Wafer mounting portion 43: Abutting pin 42A: First fixing pin 42B: Second fixing pin 44: Abutting pin advancing / retreating means 7E: Size recognition means of the seventh embodiment

Claims (2)

A processing device that processes approximately circular wafers of different sizes, and is a carry-in means for carrying out wafers from a cassette placed on a cassette stage by a robot and carrying them into a holding table.
The cassette stage on which the cassette in which a plurality of wafers of different sizes are mixed and stored in a shelf shape is placed, and
The robot that carries out the wafer by a robot hand that is placed on the cassette stage and is placed in the cassette from the horizontal direction.
A size recognition means that recognizes the size of the wafer by the operation of the robot,
A holding table having a holding surface whose area can be changed according to each size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means, and a holding table.
A holding surface area changing means for changing the area of the holding surface of the holding table according to the size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means is provided .
The robot hand is capable of advancing and retreating in a direction of entering the cassette in a horizontal plane, and includes a wafer outer peripheral edge detection sensor that detects the outer peripheral edge of the wafer when entering the cassette.
The size recognition means recognizes the size of the wafer from the approach position information of the robot hand in the cassette when the outer peripheral edge detection sensor of the robot hand that has entered the cassette detects the outer peripheral edge of the wafer. Processing equipment. A processing device that processes approximately circular wafers of different sizes, and is a carry-in means for carrying out wafers from a cassette placed on a cassette stage by a robot and carrying them into a holding table.
The cassette stage on which the cassette in which a plurality of wafers of different sizes are mixed and stored in a shelf shape is placed, and
The robot that carries out the wafer by a robot hand that is placed on the cassette stage and is placed in the cassette from the horizontal direction.
A size recognition means that recognizes the size of the wafer by the operation of the robot,
A holding table having a holding surface whose area can be changed according to each size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means, and a holding table.
A holding surface area changing means for changing the area of the holding surface of the holding table according to the size of the wafer recognized by the size recognition means is provided.
The cassette is provided with a plurality of shelves on which wafers of different sizes are placed by changing the height position in descending order of the wafer size in the upward direction in the Z-axis direction, which is the height position direction of the wafers stored in a shelf shape. ,
The robot includes a Z-axis direction moving means for moving the robot hand up and down in the Z-axis direction.
The size recognizing means is a processing device that recognizes the size of a wafer from information on the height position at the time of sucking the wafer in the cassette of the robot hand sent from the Z-axis direction moving means.

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