JPH01132131A - Automatic warehouse system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to easily accomplish the automatization of the whole IC manufacture line by adding a wafer transfer mechanism, an orientation flatness aligning mechanism, and a control function for automatically operating them to an automatic warehouse, thereby eliminating equipments for individual operations for each processing apparatus. CONSTITUTION:An automatic warehouse 10 provided in an IC manufacturing factory and storing wafer cassettes WC containg wafers W is provided with a mechanism 16 for transferring wafers W between the wafer cassettes WC, a mechanism 17 for aligning the orientation flatness of the wafers W within the wafer cassette WC, and additionally a control function for automatically operating the wafer transfer mechanism 16 and the orientation flat aligning mechanism 17. For instance, the automatic warehouse 10 is provided with many clean storing shelves 11, a cassette entrance and exit port 12 and a cassette moving mechanism 13, and provided with an inter-process transfer port 14 and an inter-process transfer port 15. Further, in the cassette entrance and exit port 12, the wafer transfer mechanism 16 and the orientation flat aligning mechanism 17 are provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse system for storing wafer cassettes in an IC manufacturing factory, particularly a wafer processing factory.

<Prior Art> In recent years, dust removal measures have become an extremely important issue in IC manufacturing factories, particularly in wafer processing factories, as the degree of integration of semiconductor devices has increased. Therefore, from the perspective of isolating people from humans, the wafer cassette transport device,
Automation of storage warehouses 1, processing equipment, etc. is being promoted. Furthermore, recently, systems are being constructed that automate a series of operations in wafer processing by linking these devices through a communication system and controlling them comprehensively using a computer.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wafer processing factory for explaining an example of this type of system.

As shown in the figure, in the center of the factory, automatic warehouses 1 are arranged in parallel to correspond to each production line. The automatic warehouse 1 is connected to an intra-process transport path 2 provided for each manufacturing line, and each automatic platform Frg1 is further connected to an inter-process transport path 3. The intra-process transport path 2 is used to move wafer cassettes (i.e., lots) between a plurality of process processing devices 4 arranged in one manufacturing line, or between the process processing devices 4 and the automated warehouse 1. It is something. The inter-process transport path 3 is used to move wafer cassettes between automated warehouses 1 by automated guided vehicles. Each of the transport paths 2.3 is equipped with, for example, a track-type overhead traveling automatic guided vehicle.

As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 6, the automated warehouse I has the following:
An inter-process transport path/1 taro 8 is provided with a large number of clean storage shelves 5, a cassette loading/unloading port 6, and a cassette moving mechanism 7, and is connected to each of the above-mentioned intra-process transport path 2 and inter-process transport path 3. and an inter-process transport transfer port 9 are provided.

”In a system equipped with automatic warehouses such as two
The movement of the point is as follows.

(B) First, at the time of lot input, a lot that has been stocked in a certain automated warehouse l is transported via an interprocess transport path 3 to an automated warehouse l that is connected to the production line to be processed first, and is temporarily stored there. .

(b) The stored lots are transported by the intra-process transport path 2 to the process processing apparatus 4 corresponding to the first process in the manufacturing line and processed.

(c) After processing, the material is returned to the automated warehouse 1 via the in-process transport path 2.

(d) Next, process processing bag 2 corresponding to the second step
The products are transported via an inter-process transport path 3 to an automated warehouse l connected to a production line equipped with 14.

The series of operations (b) to (d) above are repeated to advance the process to the final step.

Regarding the processing of the series of lots described above, each processing apparatus 4 has its own processing form.

For example, there are apparatuses such as batch processing apparatuses in which the number of wafers to be processed simultaneously is fixed due to the mechanism of the apparatus, and processing cannot begin if the number is less than that number. In such an apparatus, it is necessary to insert wafers for matching the number of wafers, so-called dummy wafers, into the lot.

In addition, in equipment that uses a reactor core tube in the diffusion process, etc., 11
QualiLy Co
(ntrol) Monitor wafer must be inserted into a predetermined position.

Furthermore, some equipment used in the cleaning process or etching process requires the use of specific cassettes in order to immerse the wafer cassette in a chemical solution or leave it in a specific gas. be. Such equipment requires transferring wafers between cassettes.

In addition to the above, there are also devices that require alignment of wafer orientation flats (hereinafter abbreviated as orientation flats).

Conventionally, for devices that require various unique operations as described above, a mechanism for inserting and extracting dummy wafers for adjusting the number of wafers or wafers for device QC monitoring, and a mechanism for aligning orientation flats have been installed in the device according to each operation. , a device dedicated to wafer transfer was installed separately outside the device. Furthermore, in cases where it is impossible to provide such dedicated mechanisms and devices, the above-mentioned operations have been unavoidably performed by humans.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) In a system using an automated warehouse as described above,
In order to completely isolate wafers and people to remove dust, it is necessary to attach a special mechanism or device to each process processing bag 714 to automatically perform each of the above-mentioned specific operations, and at the same time The process processing device 4 is also provided with a dedicated control function including information management.

Therefore, the processing device 4 becomes extremely complex both in terms of mechanism and control.

Furthermore, even when a wafer transfer device or an orientation flat alignment device is installed in a production line, a mechanism for transporting wafer cassettes to these devices and a dedicated control function and data management function are required.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention is an automatic warehouse system proposed to solve the above problems. In addition to providing a mechanism for aligning the orientation flats, a control function for automatically operating the wafer transfer mechanism and the orientation flat alignment mechanism is added.

(Function) Therefore, based on the information regarding the various lots managed in the automated warehouse, all operations for the lots required for each process processing device, such as insertion and removal of dummy wafers for number matching, insertion and removal of wafers for the 21QC monitor, etc. , replacing the cassette used, aligning the orientation flat, merging and dividing lots,
This will be done in an automated warehouse.

<Example) Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic warehouse according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, this automated warehouse 10 is equipped with a large number of clean storage shelves 11, cassette turnout Totoro 12, and a cassette moving mechanism 13, as well as an intra-process transfer port 14 and an inter-process transfer port 15. is provided.

Furthermore, the cassette outlet 12 has a wafer transfer mechanism 16 and an orientation flat alignment mechanism 17.
(hereinafter abbreviated as orientation flat alignment mechanism 17) is provided.

The wafer transfer mechanism 16 includes an extrusion mechanism section 18 that extrudes the wafer W from the wafer cassette WC, as shown in the enlarged view of the main part in FIG. 1 in FIG. 2 and the schematic side view in FIG. 3.
, a chuck mechanism section 19 that chucks the extruded wafer W, and a moving mechanism section 20 that moves the wafer W together with the chuck mechanism section 19. Further, an extrusion mechanism section 21 is also provided at the transfer position. The two extrusion mechanism sections 18.21 include a wafer detection sensor 22.
．． 23 is installed.

The operation of transferring, for example, the wafer W in the cassette WC at point A to the wafer cassette WC at point B using the wafer transfer l[16 will be described.

First, the moving mechanism section 20 moves above point A, and the chuck mechanism section 19 chucks all the wafers W pushed out by the extrusion mechanism section 18 . After the chuck is completed, the extrusion mechanism section 18 descends. Next, when the moving mechanism section 20 moves above point B, the extrusion mechanism Ff&21 at point B rises to receive all the chucked wafers W, and the chuck mechanism section 19 releases the wafers W. Then, the extrusion mechanism section 21 at point B that has received the wafer W is lowered, and the wafer W is stored in the cassette WC to complete the transfer.

The moving mechanism section 20 is also movable in the front and rear directions as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to repack wafers W in the same cassette WC and arrange them without gaps.

On the other hand, the orientation flat alignment mechanism 17 is provided at the zero point adjacent to the wafer transfer mechanism 16 as shown in FIG. By moving up and down,
All wafers W in the wafer cassette WC placed on the orientation flat alignment mechanism 17 can be aligned in an arbitrary direction.

The wafer transfer mechanism 16 and the orientation flat alignment mechanism 17
The operation of is controlled by an automatic warehouse control system as shown in the block diagram of FIG. This control system includes a management computer 27 connected to a terminal 26 to manage the production line and warehouse, a controller 28 for controlling the automatic warehouse J1tiIJ, and a wafer transfer and control system for automatically operating both mechanisms 16 and 17 mentioned above. It is connected to a controller 29 for aligning the orientation flat. The management computer 27 is connected to each manufacturing head and each transport control mold 21 (both not shown). And this management computer 2
7 stores various information regarding each lot in the automated warehouse IO that it manages, such as lot ID, in-process process, number of cassettes, type of cassette, and presence/absence of orientation flat alignment.

By the automatic warehouse Fr110 having the above configuration, the automatic warehouse 10
Based on the above-mentioned information regarding the various lots managed by the system, an automated warehouse system will be realized that has the ability to perform all operations on lots required for each processing device. All of the above operations include insertion and removal of dummy wafers for number matching, insertion and removal of wafers for equipment QC monitoring, replacement of cassettes used, orientation flat alignment, and loft merging and division (in wafer cassette units).

In the above automated warehouse system, the management computer 27
When receiving a request for the above-mentioned operation from the terminal 26 or each processing device, it causes the above-mentioned mechanisms 16 and 17 to perform the operation according to the request via each controller 28 and 29, and after the operation is completed, the wafer The cassette WC is taken out of the warehouse or sent to the in-process transport from the in-process transport transfer port 14.

Hereinafter, a specific control method for inserting and extracting dummy wafers for number matching and orientation flat alignment among the operations listed in h will be described.

That is, when the management computer 27 receives these operation requests, it searches for the lot corresponding to the request and extracts the number of the clean storage shelf 11 where the lot is stored. The automatic warehouse control controller 2 sends a command to move the wafer cassette WC containing the lot from the clean storage shelf 11 with the above number to the point B shown in FIG.
Send on 8th.

At this time, the command can be in the form of FromTO by considering the positions of points A, B, and C as one of the storage shelves. Upon receiving the above instruction, the controller 28 operates the cassette moving mechanism 13 to move the wafer cassette WC containing the lot to point B.

Next, move the cassettes containing eight dummy sea urchins to point A using the same procedure. At this point, the management computer 27 sends a wafer transfer command to the controller 29 for wafer transfer and orientation flat alignment. controller 29
operates the wafer transfer mechanism 15 in response to this command, and transfers the commanded number of dummy wafers to the wafer cassette WC at point B.

After the transfer is completed, the management computer 27 sends a command to the controller 28 for automatic warehouse control to move the wafer cassette WC at point B to point 0 where the orientation flat alignment mechanism 17 is located. As a result, the wafer cassette WC to which the dummy wafer has been added is placed a on the orientation flat alignment mechanism 17.
You will be scrutinized.

Then, the management computer 27 sends an orientation flat alignment command to the controller 29 for wafer transfer and orientation flat alignment, whereby the orientation flat alignment mechanism 17 operates, and the wafers in the wafer cassette WC to which the dummy wafers have been added are All the orientation flats will be aligned in the specified direction.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the automatic warehouse system of the present invention, it is possible to insert and take out dummy wafers for matching the number of wafers.

Equipment QC monitor River use The operations unique to each process processing equipment, such as inserting and removing wafers, exchanging used cassettes, aligning orientation flats, and merging and dividing lots, can be performed in an automated warehouse. There is no need to provide a mechanism for performing this operation.

Therefore, it is necessary to completely isolate the wafer from humans.
C. Automation of the entire manufacturing line can be easily realized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic warehouse according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the main parts of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a side schematic diagram of a wafer transfer mechanism, and Fig. 4 is an automatic warehouse. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control system. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a wafer process factory for explaining a conventional example. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an automated warehouse in a conventional example. 10...Automated warehouse. 16...Wafer transfer mechanism. I7...Orientation flat alignment mechanism. W...Wafer. WC...Wafer cassette. Patent applicant: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. Partner agent: Toshiaki Suzuki, 2nd
Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An automatic warehouse installed in an IC manufacturing factory for storing wafer cassettes that stores wafers includes a mechanism for transferring wafers between wafer cassettes, and a mechanism for adjusting the orientation flat of wafers in the wafer cassettes. An automatic warehouse system comprising: a wafer transfer mechanism and an orientation flat alignment mechanism; and a control function for automatically operating the wafer transfer mechanism and the orientation flat alignment mechanism.