JPH0479210A - Semiconductor manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable management of wafers and cassettes easily in individual processing by providing a middle buffer which stores the wafer before processing. CONSTITUTION:The cassette 3 before processing stores a plurality of sheets of wafers 4 and 5, and it is set in a cassette stage 2. The wafers 4 and 5 before processing stored in the cassette 3 are all transferred from the cassette 3 to a middle buffer 6 by belt transfer. The cassette stage 2 shifts to the unloader part while mounting the cassette 3. On the other hand, the wafers transferred to the middle buffers 6 are carried from the middle buffer 6 to a processing chamber 7 one sheet at a time by belt transfer and are processed individually.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs single-wafer processing.

[Prior Art] As shown in FIG. 2, a conventional technique is an aerodynamic set in which a cassette 12 containing unprocessed wafers 13, 14 is set in a loader section, while wafers after processing are stored. 16 was set in the unloader section to perform (single wafer) processing.

C Problems and Objectives to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, the wafers after processing are stored in different cassettes than before processing, and this is especially true for automated factories where it is necessary to automatically identify wafers and cassettes. In this case, there was a problem in that the management of wafers and cassettes became complicated.

Therefore, in order to solve these conventional problems, the present invention facilitates the management of wafers and cassettes in single-wafer processing, especially in the case of automated factories where it is necessary to automatically identify wafers and cassettes. The purpose is to provide semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs single-wafer processing is provided with an intermediate buffer for accommodating wafers before processing.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs single-wafer processing according to the present invention. Here, the series of steps from wafers to be processed being set in a cassette in a loader section, single wafer processing to being stored in a cassette in an unloader section will be explained using belt transport as an example.

In an apparatus 1 that performs single-wafer processing, a cassette stage 2 can freely move between a loader section and an unloader section.

In the initial state, the cassette stage 2 has moved to the loader section on the left side of the drawing. A plurality of wafers 4.5 are stored in the cassette 3 that will be processed from now on.

When this cassette 3 is set on the cassette stage 2 and the apparatus is started, all unprocessed wafers 4.5 stored in the cassette 3 are transferred from the cassette 3 to the intermediate buffer 6 by belt conveyance. In this transfer, the wafer located at the lowest position in the cassette 3 is transferred first. By doing so, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the wafers left in the cassette 3 during transportation. At this point, the cassette 3 becomes empty, and the cassette stage 2 moves the empty cassette 3 together with the cassette stage 2 to the unloader section.

On the other hand, the wafers transferred to the intermediate buffer 6 are transported one by one from the intermediate buffer 6 to the processing chamber 7 by belt conveyance and are processed (single wafer).

The wafers that have been processed in the processing chamber 7 are conveyed by a belt from the processing chamber 7 and are stored in the cassette 2 that was previously moved to the unloader section. At this time, cassette 3
The wafers are stored starting from the highest position. By doing so, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the wafers in the cassette 3 during transportation during storage of the wafers.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is provided with an intermediate buffer for accommodating wafers before processing in single wafer processing. The wafers and cassettes that used to be stored in separate cassettes are now housed in the same cassette. This has the effect of making cassette management much easier.

Further, there is no need to transfer the wafer after processing to the original cassette before processing, which was conventionally done, and there is an effect that the transfer mistakes that conventionally occur do not occur.

Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to set a cassette for storing processed wafers in the unloader section, which was necessary in the past, thereby improving work efficiency.

At the same time, the cassette itself for accommodating the processed wafers is not required, which has the effect of reducing the cost.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. 4, 5 13, 14・ ・Semiconductor equipment ・Cassette stage ·cassette ・Wafer ・Intermediate buffer ・Processing room ・Semiconductor equipment ・Cassette before processing ・Wafer ・Processing room ・Cassette after processing that's all Respect

Claims (1)

[Claims] A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs single-wafer processing, characterized in that an intermediate buffer is provided for accommodating wafers before processing.