JPH01123420A - Substrate supporting apparatus for semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the mechanism of an input/output conveying apparatus, by providing vacuum introducing paths of a substrate supporting apparatus for semiconductor devices independently in correspondence to a plurality of rotary supporting bodies, and independently performing suction, fixing and release of substrates at the rotary supporting bodies. CONSTITUTION:Vacuum introducing paths 25, whose number corresponds to the number of chucks 2, are independently provided in planetary arms 4. One end of each path 25 is opened and communicated to path 17b of one hollow spindle 3. The other end of the path 25 is opened at the outer surface part of a hollow rotary shaft part 4b of the arm 4. When solenoid valves 29 are individually operated, a plurality of paths 25 reaching a vacuum source are independently opened and closed. Substrate 1 on the chucks 2 are individually sucked, fixed or released. Thus the mechanism of an input/output conveying apparatus can be simplified.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a substrate support device for a semiconductor device for uniformly applying a viscous liquid onto a substrate for a semiconductor device, and particularly to a substrate support structure for a substrate for a semiconductor device. It is related to.

C. Prior Art] In the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a patterning technique for forming a desired pattern uses a lithography technique in which a pattern is formed by exposing and developing a photosensitive resin such as a resist. This lithography method involves applying a thin layer of resist onto a semiconductor substrate, exposing and developing the resist film using a mask with a desired pattern formed thereon, and forming a desired resist pattern on the semiconductor substrate. This resist film is required to be applied thinly and uniformly onto the semiconductor substrate, and a coating device called a spinner is generally used that uses centrifugal force to spin-coat the resist dropped onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate. This is, for example, Utility Model Application No. 56-155445 or Utility Model Application No. 56-164069.
The content is exemplified below.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional substrate support device called a planetary spinner. This device supports multiple semiconductor substrates at the same time and rotates the semiconductor substrates, and includes a rotation mechanism that rotates the semiconductor substrates in a horizontal plane, and a fixing mechanism that fixes the semiconductor substrates to the rotation mechanism. Become.

The rotation mechanism of this device is configured to cause the semiconductor substrate to move planetarily using a planetary gear train consisting of two sun gears and one planetary gear. That is, the chuck 2 on which the semiconductor substrate 1 is placed and fixed by vacuum suction is vertically and rotatably supported by the end of the rotating arm 4a of the planetary arm 4 via the hollow spindle 3. Furthermore, a planetary gear 5 is fitted into the intermediate portion of the hollow spindle 3. A first sun gear 6 is vertically supported at its center by a spindle 7 at a position where it meshes with the planet gear 5 in the same horizontal plane as the planet gear 5. This spindle 7 is the center of rotation of the first sun gear 6 and the center of revolution of the planetary gears 5, and the rotational force transmitted from the first drive motor 8 directly connected to the spindle 7 is transmitted to the sun gear. 6. Further, the hollow rotating shaft portion 4b of the planetary arm 4 is fitted into the outer periphery of the spindle 7. and planetary arm 4
A planetary arm rotating gear 9 for rotating the planetary arm 4 is attached to one end of the hollow rotating shaft portion 4b.

Furthermore, a first transmission gear 10 is engaged with this gear, and the planetary arm 4 is rotated about the spindle 7 by a second drive motor 11 directly connected to the first transmission gear 10.

Furthermore, an outer peripheral arm 12 is rotatably fitted into the outer periphery of the hollow rotating shaft portion 4b of the planetary arm 4. The outer peripheral arm 12 includes a hollow rotating shaft portion 12a that is fitted onto the outer periphery of the planetary arm 4, and an arm portion 12b that surrounds the rotating arm portion 4a of the planetary arm 4.

A rotating gear 13 is attached to one end of the hollow rotating shaft portion 12a of the outer peripheral arm 12, and a third drive motor 1 is directly connected to a second transmission gear 14 that meshes with this gear.
5, the outer peripheral arm 12 rotates around the spindle 7. Further, the arm portion 12b of the outer peripheral arm 12
An internal gear 16 is attached to one end, which serves as a second sun gear and meshes with a planetary gear 5 attached to the hollow spindle 3. With such a mechanism, the present device constitutes a planetary gear train consisting of the first sun gear 6, the second sun gear 16, and the planetary gears 5 as shown in FIG. As a result, the semiconductor substrate 1 mounted on the concentric axis with the planetary gear 5 is attached to the hollow spindle 3 of the planetary gear 5.
The first sun gear 6 rotates around the spindle 7 of the first sun gear 6 and revolves around the spindle 7 of the first sun gear 6. Due to this rotational movement, a complex centrifugal force acts on the resist dropped onto the semiconductor substrate, making it possible to uniformly stretch the resist and form a thin coating film even on the uneven surface of the semiconductor substrate. .

Next, the fixing mechanism of the semiconductor substrate of this device will be explained again using FIG. 2. A vacuum bonding method is used as a means for fixing the semiconductor substrate 1 to the chuck 2, and the fixing mechanism includes a vacuum source (not shown), a vacuum introduction path from the vacuum source to the chuck 2, and a vacuum introduction path in the middle of the vacuum introduction path. It consists of an on-off valve provided.

The vacuum introduction path is formed as follows. Inside the plurality of chucks 2 and the hollow spindle 3, each chuck 2 is provided.
A passage 17b is formed that extends continuously from the suction hole 17a. Further, the plurality of passages 17b are connected to the planetary arm 4.
It is connected to a passage 18 provided inside the arm portion 4a. The passage 18 of the arm part 4a extends inside the arm part a until it reaches the spindle 7, and is then connected to the passage 19 of the hollow rotating shaft part 4b of the planetary arm 4, which extends vertically along the spindle 7. Furthermore, the passage 1 of the planetary arm 4
9 is a passage 21a formed inside a coupling 20 attached to an extension of the hollow rotating shaft portion 4b of the planetary arm 4.
and is connected to the opening 21b. A conduit 22 is attached to the outlet side of the opening 21b, and is led to a vacuum source via a solenoid valve 23.

Such a vacuum introduction path is mainly constructed by connecting passages formed by hollowing out the inside of each rotating mechanism component, so that the hollow spindle 3, the planetary arm 4,
Gaskets 24 for holding air vM are provided at each sliding portion between the planetary arm 4 and the spindle 7, between the planetary arm 4 and the coupling 20, and between the coupling 20 and the spindle 7.

This semiconductor substrate fixing method starts the vacuum source with the semiconductor substrate 1 placed on all the plurality of chucks 2, opens the solenoid valve 23, and evacuates the vacuum introduction path.
A semiconductor substrate 1 is vacuum-adhered and fixed to a chuck 2.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention 3] As described above, the vacuum adhesion mechanism of the conventional substrate support device for semiconductor devices consists of a plurality of semiconductor substrate suction parts, a single vacuum introduction path that collects these parts, and this vacuum It consists of a single on-off valve provided in the introduction path. Therefore, the semiconductor substrate can be completely vacuum-fixed only when the semiconductor substrate is placed on all the chucks that attract the semiconductor substrate. For this reason, the work of loading and unloading semiconductor substrates onto and from the chucks must be carried out simultaneously for a plurality of chucks, which has the disadvantage of complicating the mechanism of the device for loading and unloading semiconductor substrates.

In addition, if a semiconductor substrate is not placed on any one of the chucks, or if a foreign object is caught between the semiconductor substrate and the chuck, the vacuum introduction path for sucking the semiconductor substrate should be changed. As the degree of vacuum decreases, the ability of other chucks to attract the semiconductor substrate decreases, and in the worst case, there is a problem that the semiconductor substrate may be scattered.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate support device for a semiconductor device in which each of a plurality of chucks can independently suction-fix and release a semiconductor substrate.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A substrate support device for a semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a plurality of rotary supports on which a plurality of semiconductor device substrates are placed, and a plurality of rotary supports. a rotating body that rotatably supports a body and rotates on its own axis; a driving means that causes the rotating support to rotate and revolves the rotating body by causing the rotating body to rotate; a vacuum introduction path connecting the substrate mounting surface and a vacuum source in order to vacuum-adsorb the substrate onto the substrate mounting surface of the rotating support; This is a substrate support device for a semiconductor device, in which a viscous liquid is dropped onto the substrate while the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed thereon, and the viscous liquid is evenly applied by rotating and revolving the substrate. Further, the vacuum introduction path is provided independently for each of the semiconductor device substrates.

[Function] In the semiconductor device support device of the present invention, one vacuum introduction path is formed for each of the semiconductor device substrates between the semiconductor device substrates, and the semiconductor device substrates are brought into close contact and released by opening and closing operations of the vacuum introduction paths. Operations are controlled individually.

[Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional structural view of a planetary spinner which is a substrate support device for a semiconductor device according to the present invention.

This embodiment has the same semiconductor substrate rotation mechanism as the conventional planetary spinner shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and differs only in the semiconductor substrate fixing mechanism. Therefore, for a detailed explanation of the rotation function of this embodiment, please refer to [Prior Art], and here, the fixing mechanism of the semiconductor substrate will be explained in detail.

In FIG. 1, there is a vacuum introduction passage 2 in the planetary arm 4.
5 are independently provided in a number corresponding to the number of chucks 2. Each of the vacuum introduction passages 25 has one end opened and connected to the passage 17b of each hollow spindle 3.

The other end is open to the outer periphery of the hollow rotating shaft portion 4b of the planetary arm 4. A coupling 26 is fitted into this outer peripheral portion so as to cover the opening of the vacuum introduction passage 25. The coupling 26 has a vacuum introduction passage 25.
A number of vacuum pipes 27 are formed corresponding to the number of vacuum pipes 27,
One vacuum pipe line 27 and the hollow rotating shaft portion 4b of the planetary arm 4
A gasket 28 is inserted into the gap between the coupling 26 and the hollow rotating shaft portion 4b so that one vacuum introducing passage 25 opened on the outer circumference side forms an independent path. The vacuum lines 27 in the coupling 26 are each connected to a vacuum source by a line 30 via a solenoid valve 29.

As described above, in this embodiment, the vacuum is applied to the chuck 2, which is a plurality of semiconductor substrate suction parts, and from the chuck 2 and the suction part 17a as starting points, via the hollow spindle 3, the planetary arm 4, the coupling 26, and the electromagnetic valve 29. A vacuum introduction path leading to the source is formed independently corresponding to the chuck 2. Therefore, by individually operating the solenoid valves 29, the plurality of vacuum introduction paths from the suction holes 17a of the chuck 2 to the vacuum source are opened and closed independently, and the semiconductor substrates 1 on the chuck 2 are individually suction-fixed or It will be canceled. That is, when the semiconductor substrate 1 is not initially placed on the chuck 2, the solenoid valve 29 is closed and the vacuum is cut off. Next, when the semiconductor substrate 1 is loaded onto the chuck 2, the solenoid valve 29 is opened and the suction hole 1 is passed through the vacuum source.
The semiconductor substrate 1 is moved to the chuck 2 due to the vacuum introduced to 7a.
It is fixed by suction. Subsequently, another semiconductor substrate 1 is loaded onto another chuck 2, and the other electromagnetic valve 29 is opened in the same manner as described above, so that the semiconductor substrate 1 is attracted and fixed. In the case of suction release, the suction and release operations of semiconductor substrates can be performed one by one by simply performing the reverse procedure to the above.

Note that airtightness between the hollow spindle 3 and the free length arm 4 or between the planetary arm 4 and the coupling 26 is maintained by the gasket 28 even when the device is in operation, that is, during rotation.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the rotating hollow shaft portion 4b of the planetary arm 4
A vacuum introducing conduit 25 is opened on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end, and a coupling 26 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the vacuum introduction pipe 25 via a packing 28.
A configuration may also be adopted in which the coupling 26 is disposed below it. In addition, the packing 28 has a structure in which it contacts the side surface of the planetary arm 4, but in order to further improve airtightness, grooves or protrusions are provided on the sidewall of the planetary arm 4 or the inner wall of the coupling 26 to improve the adhesion of the packing. Alternatively, a labyrinth may be used instead of a gasket to maintain airtightness.

Further, in the above embodiment, the spin head, that is, the chuck 2
Although the case in which there are two spin heads is illustrated, it goes without saying that even in the case of having a plurality of spin heads, it is sufficient to provide vacuum introduction paths corresponding to the number of spin heads.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each independent vacuum introduction path was constructed by connecting the passages formed inside the hollow spindle 3 and the planetary arm 4, but for example, the independent vacuum introduction paths were constructed by connecting the passages formed inside the hollow spindle 3 and the planetary arm 4. It may also be one that constitutes a vacuum introduction path.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the vacuum introduction paths of the substrate support device for semiconductor devices are provided independently corresponding to a plurality of rotating supports. The substrates can be suction-fixed and released by the body independently, and substrates can be loaded and unloaded into and out of the apparatus one by one. Therefore, the mechanism of the semiconductor substrate loading/unloading device can be simplified. In addition, it is not necessary for the semiconductor substrate to be adsorbed to all of the plurality of rotating supports, and it is also possible to use only some of these rotating supports, which allows for diversification of the ways in which the device can be used. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing the structure of a substrate support device for a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing the structure of a conventional substrate support device for a semiconductor device, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2. In the figure, 2 is a chuck, 3 is a hollow spindle, 4 is a planetary arm, 17a is a suction hole in the chuck, 17b is a passage in the hollow spindle, 25 is a vacuum introduction passageway in the planetary arm, 26 is a coupling, and 27 is a coupling. 29 is a solenoid valve, and 30 is a vacuum pipe. In the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of rotating supports on which a plurality of semiconductor device substrates are respectively placed, and a rotating body that rotatably supports the plurality of rotating supports and that rotates on its own axis. , a driving means for rotating the rotary support and causing the rotary support to revolve by rotating the rotary main body; and for vacuum adsorbing the substrate onto the substrate mounting surface of the rotary support. a vacuum introduction path connecting the substrate mounting surface and a vacuum source, and dropping a viscous liquid onto the substrate while the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed onto the substrate mounting surface of the rotating support. Further, in the substrate support device for a semiconductor device that uniformly applies a viscous liquid by rotating and revolving the substrate, the vacuum introduction path is independently connected to each of the semiconductor device substrates. It is characterized by being provided with
Substrate support device for semiconductor devices. (2) The vacuum introduction path airtightly connects a passage provided inside the rotating support, a passage provided inside the rotating body, and a conduit leading from the rotating body to an external vacuum source. A substrate support device for a semiconductor device according to claim 1, which is formed to be held and connected.