JPH04196149A - Method of recognizing semiconductor wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive a space-saving and an improvement in precision of a location recognition by a method wherein wafers are recognized by moving a photoelectric type sensor in which the wafers are secured to a semiconductor manufacturing equipment. CONSTITUTION:A processing jig 1 receiving a semiconductor wafer 2 is secured to a semiconductor manufacturing equipment. A photoelectric type sensor 6 is fitted into a stage 7 and moves in the moving directions 13, 14. A driving shaft 9 is rotated by a driving motor 10 to move the stage 7. A reference plate 3 is fitted into a blacket 5 through a spacer 4 and secured to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Thus, the photoelectric type sensor 6 is moved, whereby the wafer 2 can be recognized to contrive to space-save the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Moreover, after the reference plate 3 is recognized by the sensor 6, the wafer 2 is successively recognized and it is possible to read a location of the wafer from the plate 3 as a moving distance of the sensor 6.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer recognition method used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, etc. [Prior Art] The conventional technology is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This was a method for recognizing semiconductor wafers as shown in the figure. That is, in FIG. 3, 1
1 is a processing jig, 2 is a semiconductor wafer contained in the processing jig 1, 18 is a stage on which the processing jig 1 is placed, and 15.16 is a track rail for horizontal movement of the stage 18. , 9 is a drive shaft for horizontally moving the stage 18;
11.12 is a holder that supports the drive shaft 9; 10 is a drive motor that rotates the drive shaft 9; 6 is a photoelectric sensor for recognizing the semiconductor wafer 2; 17 is a bracket that holds the photoelectric sensor 6;゜14 is stage 18
The photoelectric sensor 6 is fixed, the processing jig 1 is moved, and the semiconductor wafer 2 is recognized. Similarly to FIG. 3, in FIG. 4, the processing jig 1 is moved and the semiconductor wafer 2 is recognized by the camera 19 attached and fixed to the bracket 20.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, the semiconductor wafer 2 has to be moved by the distance that it is stored, which causes the problem that it requires a large space in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. have

Furthermore, in FIG. 3, there is a problem in that when the photoelectric sensor 6 is removed, the recognized position of the semiconductor wafer 2 becomes unstable with respect to the reference position of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Furthermore, in FIG. 4, there is a problem that the color tone of the semiconductor wafer 2 changes during the manufacturing process, and the camera 19 cannot recognize the semiconductor wafer 2. The present invention is intended to solve these problems.The purpose of the present invention is to save space in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and to maintain the recognized position of the semiconductor wafer with respect to the reference position even after the photoelectric sensor is removed. The present invention also provides a semiconductor wafer recognition method that can be performed stably before and after the manufacturing process.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A method for recognizing a semiconductor wafer of the present invention is a method for recognizing a semiconductor wafer housed in a transport case and a processing jig in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The semiconductor wafer is recognized by fixing the wafer and moving the photoelectric sensor.

[Example] Examples of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. 1st
The figure is a plan view showing a method for recognizing a semiconductor wafer, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, a processing jig 1 containing a semiconductor wafer 2 is shown.
is fixed to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Photoelectric sensor 6
is attached to the stage 7, guided by the track rail 8, and moves together with the stage 7 in the movement direction 13.14. A drive shaft 9 held in a holder 11.12 is rotated by a drive motor 10 and moves the stage 7.

Furthermore, the holders 11, 12 and the track rail 8 are attached to the base 2.
It is attached to 1. The reference plate 3 is attached to a bracket 5 via a spacer 4 and is fixed to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. By moving the photoelectric sensor 6 in this manner, the semiconductor wafer 2 can be recognized, and the space of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus can be saved.

Further, the reference plate 3 fixed to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is recognized by the photoelectric sensor 6, and then the semiconductor wafers 2 are sequentially recognized, and the position of the semiconductor wafer from the reference plate 3 is read from the distance traveled by the photoelectric sensor 6. The distance of each semiconductor wafer 2 from the reference position of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus can be read, and even when the photoelectric sensor 6 is replaced, the distance can be read stably and accurately.

By using the photoelectric sensor 6, it is not affected by the color tone of the semiconductor wafer during the manufacturing process.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the transport case containing the semiconductor wafer and the processing jig are fixed to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and the semiconductor wafer can be recognized by moving the photoelectric sensor. As a result, the space of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment can be saved, and the position of the semiconductor wafer can be reliably recognized even when the photoelectric sensor is replaced. Furthermore, since it is recognized using a photoelectric sensor, it is not affected by the color tone of the semiconductor wafer. Further, this semiconductor wafer recognition method has the advantage that reliable work can be performed when transferring semiconductor wafers in semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the semiconductor wafer recognition method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a conventional semiconductor wafer recognition method. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another conventional semiconductor wafer recognition method. 1... Processing jig 2... Semiconductor wafer 3... Reference plate 4... Spacer 5... Bracket 6... Photoelectric sensor 7... Stage 8... Track rail 9. ... Drive shaft 10 ... Drive motor 11.12 ... Holder 13.14 ... Movement direction 15.16 ... Track rail 17 ... Bracket 18 ... Stage 19 ... Camera 2o. ...Bracket 21...Base or above Applicant Seiko Epson Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a method for recognizing semiconductor wafers housed in a transport case and a processing jig in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the semiconductor wafer is recognized by fixing the transport case and processing jig and moving a photoelectric sensor. A semiconductor wafer recognition method characterized by recognition