JPH05122807A - Conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a noncontact leviation conveyor for conveying wafers and the like in high cleanliness space required for semiconductor fabrication process through a simple control mechanism located on the outside of clean space. CONSTITUTION:The conveyor comprises a conveying table 3 provided with a permanent magnet 2 located in a clean space defined by bulkheads 1, 8, and a traveling unit 16 located on the outside of the bulkheads while mounting a cool keeping container 13 in which a superconducting bulk member 11 and a cool keeping member 12 are enclosed. The traveling unit 16 is moved through Meissner effect and pin stop effect of the superconducting bulk member 11, thus moving the conveying table 3 under noncontact levitated state. The conveying table 3 moves vertically as an elevator 15 moves up and down and an object to be conveyed, i.e., a wafer 5, is passed or received with respect to other device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrier device, and more particularly, to a non-contact floating of a carrier such as a wafer from a partition wall in a clean space isolated from the atmosphere, such as a wafer carrier device in a semiconductor manufacturing process. The present invention relates to a carrier device for carrying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to convey a conveyed object such as a wafer in a clean space required by a semiconductor manufacturing process or the like,
For example, the monorail system was used. In the monorail system, a track such as a monorail is provided in a clean space, and a carrier having wheels carries a wafer or the like by carrying a wafer or the like and moving on the track. However, in this monorail system, since the track and the wheel come into contact with each other, dust is generated due to the contact, which is unsuitable for a highly clean space required by a highly advanced semiconductor manufacturing process.

In order to prevent generation of dust due to contact between the track and the wheels, a carrier levitation type carrier has been used. An example of a conventional carrier levitation-type carrier device uses a DC electromagnet. A non-contact transfer device using this DC electromagnet has a large number of electromagnets arranged on a fixed side in a clean space, a transfer table is equipped with permanent magnets, etc. I was carrying it.

[0004]

In the non-contact carrier device using the DC electromagnet, since the DC electromagnet is excited to float the carrier table in a non-contact manner, the electromagnet and the wiring for supplying a current to the electromagnet are kept in a clean space. I had no choice but to place it. For this reason, there is a problem in that the space in which a wafer or the like, which requires particularly cleanliness, is transported cannot be made highly clean (high vacuum, etc.). Further, there is a problem that the control device for the exciting current for exciting the DC electromagnet becomes complicated.

In view of the present state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a non-contact levitation transfer device capable of transferring a wafer or the like in a highly clean space required by a semiconductor manufacturing process or the like by a simple control device. And

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention relates to a transfer device having a transfer table in a clean space separated from the atmosphere by a partition wall. Is a permanent magnet magnetized in the vertical direction, and by the superconducting Meissner effect and the pinning effect, the superconducting bulk material for noncontact floating of the carrier is placed outside the partition wall, and the superconducting bulk material is kept cold. It is composed of a traveling device that moves by mounting a cold insulation container in which the material is hermetically sealed.

[0007]

[Function] The superconducting bulk material is kept cold by the cold insulator,
It becomes completely diamagnetic due to the superconducting Meissner effect. A vertically magnetized permanent magnet is attached to the carrier, and reaction force acts on the superconducting bulk material that is completely diamagnetic, and the pinning effect makes the carrier non-contact with the superconducting bulk material. Surface. Since the superconducting bulk material is placed outside the partition wall, the carrier platform floats in a non-contact manner from the partition wall. A cold storage container is mounted on a traveling device placed outside the partition wall, and a cold storage material and a superconducting bulk material are hermetically contained in the cold storage container. Therefore, when the traveling device outside the partition moves, the carrier having the permanent magnets magnetized in the vertical direction floats on the superconducting bulk material in a non-contact floating manner by the superconducting Meissner effect and the pinning effect. Therefore, a simple control mechanism that moves the transfer table from the outside of the clean space outside the partition wall in a non-contact manner can maintain a high clean space required for the semiconductor manufacturing process and can transfer wafers and the like. A contact levitation transport device was realized.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a carrying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The space surrounded by the partition walls 1 and 8 is a highly clean space 7 having a high degree of vacuum required in the semiconductor manufacturing process. In the clean space 7, the carrier table 3 on which the transferred object such as the wafer 5 is placed floats in a non-contact manner and moves. The wafer 5 is supported by the support pins 6 with respect to the carrier table 3. A permanent magnet 2 is attached to the carrier 3, and the permanent magnet is magnetized in the vertical direction.

The space surrounded by the partition wall 8 and the lower side wall 18 is a space in which the traveling device 16 moves for floating and moving the carrier table on which the wafer 5 is carried. In this space, there is a traveling device 16 having wheels 17, an elevating device 15 is attached to the traveling device 16, and a cold storage container 13 is provided.
I support you. A superconducting bulk material 11 and a cold insulating material 12 such as liquid nitrogen are sealed in a cold insulating container 13. The superconducting bulk material 11 cooled by the cold insulating material 12 such as liquid nitrogen becomes completely diamagnetic due to the Meissner effect, and the reaction force causes the carrier 3 having the permanent magnets 2 to float from the partition wall 8 in a non-contact manner. When the traveling device 16 moves, the transport table including the permanent magnets 2 carries the superconducting bulk material 11 due to the pinning effect of the superconducting bulk material 11.
Move with. The partition wall 8 is a non-magnetic material because the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet 2 passes through it.

The lower side wall 18 is a side wall for reducing the thickness of the partition wall 8, reducing the heat absorption of the cold insulating container 13, and for evacuating the space below the clean space 7. The traveling device 16 is a self-propelled traveling device having a built-in battery and a motor, and the battery is charged from the fixed surface 14 by a contact type or an electromagnetic induction at a charging point. The elevating device 15 can move up and down, and the cold storage container 13 moves up and down accordingly. Superconducting bulk material 11 and permanent magnet 2
Since the distance between and is always constant, the cold storage container 13 moves up and down by the vertical movement of the elevating device, and the carrier table 3 moves up and down. By moving the carrier 3 up and down, handling of the wafer 5 such as delivery of the wafer 5 is possible between the manufacturing apparatus and robots in the vicinity.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a carrying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the self-propelled traveling device 16 having a built-in battery and a motor moves left and right, the mounted superconducting bulk material 11 moves left and right. The floating transfer table 3 in the clean space 7 has its permanent magnet 2 pulled by the superconducting bulk material 11 due to the Meissner effect and the pinning effect, and moves left and right to transfer the wafer 5. Traveling device 16
With the left and right movements of the carrier 5, the carrier 3 moves left and right in a non-contact floating state, so that the wafer 5, which is the object to be carried, is carried. That is, in this transfer device, the traveling device 16 moves the transfer table 3 to the left and right without contact, and the lifting device 15 moves the transfer table 3 up and down without contact.
Then, the wafer 5 can be transferred to or received by another manufacturing apparatus (not shown), a robot, or the like.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the coolant supply point. The cold insulating material 12 in the cold insulating container 13 needs to be replaced from time to time because the temperature rises. For this reason, a coolant supply point for supplying the cold insulation material to the cold insulation container 13 is provided on the lower surface of the partition wall 8. Then, a new cold insulation material 12 is supplied to the cold insulation container 13 to prevent the temperature rise of the superconducting bulk material 11. Valves 23 and 24 for supplying a coolant are provided on the upper surface of the cool container 13. The supply container 20 at the coolant supply point includes valves 23, 24 of the cold insulation container 13.
The valves 21 and 22 for supplying the coolant are provided at positions facing each other.

FIG. 3A shows the state immediately before the supply of the coolant. FIG. 3B shows a state in which the coolant is being supplied. In the state of (A), the valves 21 and 22 of the supply container 20 and the cool container 13
Both valves 23 and 24 are closed. When the elevating device 15 rises, the cold insulation container 13 comes into contact with the supply container 20, so that the valves 21 and 23 and the valves 22 and 24 come into contact with each other and both valves are opened. This state is shown in (B). When the valves 21, 22, 23 and 24 are opened, a new low temperature cold insulation material is supplied from the cold insulation material inlet 26 through the valves 22 and 24 to the cold insulation container 1.
Enter 3. Cooling material 12 that has become high temperature in the cooling container 13
Is discharged to the outside from the cold insulating material outlet 27 through the valves 23 and 21. The small holes 2 provided in the partition wall of the supply container 20
No. 5 constantly supplies a small amount of cold insulation material, and the cold insulation material is supplied to the container 20.
It prevents the temperature from rising due to stagnant air inside.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the direction change of the traveling device. The traveling device 16 is provided with a direction changing mechanism.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the direction of the passage can be changed by an external electromagnetic induction command or according to a program. When the traveling device 16 changes direction, the direction of the magnetically coupled carrier 3 in the clean space 7 is also changed. The traveling device 16 is moved by a built-in battery. For this reason, between the lower surface of the traveling device 16 and the fixed surface 14, there is provided a power supply device 29 that enables electric power to be fed to the traveling device from the fixed side by contact type or electromagnetic induction. The battery built in is charged. Therefore, it is not necessary to manually charge the traveling device even in the lower space where the traveling device 16 moves.

[0015]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a simple control mechanism from the outside of a clean space floats and conveys a wafer or the like without impairing a highly clean space required by a semiconductor process. A transport device that can be used has been realized.
Further, according to this transfer device, a wafer or the like, which is a non-transferred object, can be delivered to and from another manufacturing device or robot by vertically moving the transfer table. Further, since the traveling device is provided with the direction changing mechanism, it is easy to provide the branch of the passage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a carrier device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a carrying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a coolant supply point.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of direction conversion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,8 Partition wall 2 Permanent magnet 3 Transfer table 5 Wafer 6 Support pin 11 Superconducting bulk material 12 Cooling material 13 Cooling container 15 Lifting device 16 Traveling device 17 Wheels

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A transfer device having a transfer table in a clean space isolated from the atmosphere by a partition wall, in which a permanent magnet magnetized in the vertical direction in the clean space is attached, and a superconducting Meissner effect and a pinning effect. Thus, the superconducting bulk material for floating the carrier from the partition wall in a non-contact manner and the cold insulating material for keeping the superconducting bulk material cold are mounted and moved, and the traveling is placed outside the partition wall. A transport device comprising: a device. 2. An elevating device is provided between the cold insulation container and a traveling device that carries and moves the cold insulation container, and the transport stand is moved up and down by moving the cold insulation container up and down. The transport device according to claim 1. 3. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cooling material supply point for supplying the cold insulation material to the cold insulation container is provided on a lower surface of the partition wall of the clean space. 4. A valve for supplying a coolant provided on an upper surface of the cold insulation container, and a lower surface of the coolant supply point container,
The transport device according to claim 3, further comprising a valve for supplying a coolant, which is provided so as to face the valve. 5. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the traveling device is provided with a direction changing mechanism to enable branching of a passage of the transfer table in the clean space. 6. A battery built in the traveling device is charged by enabling electric power to be fed to the traveling device from the fixed surface side by a contact type or electromagnetic induction between a lower surface of the traveling device and a fixing surface. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: