JPH06349908A - Wafer inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a wafer inspection device with which the back side of wafer can be inspected easily and quickly on the whole wafers to be macro- inspected. CONSTITUTION:A wafer take-out/return arm 30, with which the desired wafer is taken out of a retainer holding a plurality of wafers and the taken out water is returned to the desired position of a wafer retainer, is provided. A macro table 32, where the wafer taken out by the wafer take-out/return arm for macro inspection is placed, wafer retaining arms 36a and 36b, with which the circumferential part of the wafer on the macro table is retained and the wafer is placed upside down for inspection of the backside of the wafer and return it to the original state, a swinging arm 40 and a swinging arm center axis 44 are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention takes out a desired wafer from a wafer holder that holds a plurality of wafers on which a predetermined pattern is formed, performs macro inspection of the wafer, and then performs a desired position on the wafer holder. The present invention relates to a wafer inspection device for returning a macro-inspected wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Such a wafer inspection apparatus is already known, for example, from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-207942. In the above publication, the wafer inspection apparatus is used in combination with a microscope for microinspection, and has a transfer means for selectively transferring the wafer from the wafer inspection apparatus to the inspection table of the microscope.

The wafer inspection apparatus is used for the purpose of inspecting a predetermined pattern formed on one surface of the wafer, but recently, the inspection of the back surface of the wafer has also been emphasized. If there is dust or water on the back,
This is because cracks occur in the cross section during dicing, and defective adhesion occurs when the chips after dicing are bonded to the substrate, increasing the defective rate of the product.

Conventionally, the backside of a wafer is inspected by an inspector after the macroinspection of a predetermined pattern on one surface of the wafer is completed in a wafer inspection apparatus and after the microinspection with a microscope as necessary. It is performed by holding a wafer by using a holding tool such as tweezers and turning the wafer over.

[0005]

Since the inspection work of the back surface of the wafer by such an inspector's hand is troublesome, not all the wafers have been inspected, and the sampling inspection and the inspector's judgment according to a predetermined rule are not performed. It is done arbitrarily by.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances,
A main object of the present invention is to provide a wafer inspection apparatus capable of easily and quickly inspecting the back surface of a wafer for all the number of wafers macro-inspected in the wafer inspection apparatus.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily and quickly adapt a wafer inspection apparatus capable of easily and quickly inspecting the back surface of all the wafers to be macro inspected, to a plurality of types of wafers having different diameters. The secondary purpose is to provide a configuration that can.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned main object of the present invention, a wafer inspection apparatus according to the present invention is: a desired wafer is taken out from a wafer holder holding a plurality of wafers and taken out. Wafer transfer means for returning the formed wafer to a desired position in the wafer holder;
A wafer placing means on which the wafer taken out by the wafer carrying means is placed for macro inspection; a peripheral portion of the wafer on the wafer placing means is held, and the wafer is turned over to inspect the back surface of the wafer, In addition, a means for turning over the wafer and turning it back on;
It is characterized by having.

[0009]

In the wafer inspection apparatus according to the present invention having such a configuration, a desired wafer is taken out from the wafer holder holding a plurality of wafers by the wafer carrying means, and the wafer taken out by the wafer carrying means is It is placed on the wafer placing means and macro-inspected. The peripheral portion of the wafer on the wafer mounting means is flipped over by the wafer flipping means and the back surface is inspected. After the inspection of the back surface is completed, the flipped wafer is returned to its original state by the wafer flipping means, and then returned from the wafer placing means to the desired position in the wafer holder by the wafer carrying means.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A wafer inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the wafer inspection apparatus 12 combined with the microscope 10, and FIG. 2A shows a plan view of the wafer inspection apparatus 12 of FIG. 2B is a right side view of the wafer inspection device 12 shown in FIG.

The microscope 10 is manually operated in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
An XY table group 10a that is movable in the axial direction, a plurality of objective lens groups 10b held on a rotary pedestal above the XY table group 10a, and a pair of eyepieces 10c located further above the objective lens group 10b. And are equipped with.

The X table 10a 'located at the upper end in the XY table group 10a can advance from the lower position of the objective lens group 10b to the front right side region of the upper surface of the exterior housing 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12. In FIG. 2A, the X table 10a ′ in the latter case is drawn by a chain double-dashed line, and the elongated engaging protrusion 11 formed at the left end of the X table 10a ′ is the exterior housing of the wafer inspection apparatus 12. It engages with an X table receiver 12b installed in the front end right side region of the upper surface of 12a. The X table receiver 12b is provided with an optical sensor (not shown), and
Whether or not the engagement protrusion 11 at the left end of the table 10a 'is engaged is detected.

Exterior housing 12 of wafer inspection apparatus 12
As shown in FIG. 2A, a pair of left and right elevators 14a and 14b are installed at the rear end of the upper surface of a. Each of the elevators 14a and 14b is supported by a plurality of vertically extending guide rods and ball feed screws (not shown). By rotating the ball feed screws (not shown) in one direction or the other direction by a pulse motor (not shown), It can be selectively moved in the vertical direction by a desired distance.

A wafer holder 16a holding a plurality of wafers of a predetermined diameter is mounted on the upper surface of the right elevator 14a, and is mounted on the upper surface of the right elevator 14a on the upper surface of the left elevator 14a. A wafer holder 16b of the same type as is mounted. In the wafer inspection apparatus 12 of this embodiment, a wafer holder holding a plurality of wafers having a predetermined diameter can be similarly mounted on the pair of elevators 14a and 14b, and the pair of elevators 14a and 14b can be similarly mounted. A positioning member 1 that detachably holds these two types of wafer holders at predetermined positions on the upper surfaces of 14a and 14b.
8a and 18b are installed. Elevator 14 on the right
Wafer diameter detectors 20a and 20b for detecting the type of the wafer holder placed on the upper surface (that is, the diameter of the wafer in the wafer holder) are further installed on the upper surface of a. The wafer diameter detectors 20a and 20b are composed of, for example, optical sensors.

Each of the wafer holders 16a and 16b on the pair of elevators 14a and 14b has a plurality of horizontal shelves (not shown) arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction, and each shelf has a front edge. A large cutout opening is formed from the front edge toward the center, and a wafer having a predetermined pattern is placed on each shelf.

An X-axis direction moving pedestal 22 is arranged in front of the right elevator 14a in the exterior housing 12a. The X-axis direction moving base 22 is the exterior housing 12a.
Is supported on an X-axis direction guide rail 24 extending in the X-axis direction (horizontal direction) and an X-axis direction ball feed screw 26, and the X-axis direction ball feed screw 26 is driven by a pulse motor (not shown). By rotating in one direction or the other direction, it is possible to selectively move between the front position of the right elevator 14a (shown by the solid line in FIG. 2A) and the front position of the left elevator 14b along the X-axis direction. It can be moved back and forth. The position before the elevator 14a on the right side is the initial position of the X-axis direction movement base 22.

A Y-axis direction guide member 27 extending in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) is fixed to the left edge portion of the X-axis direction pedestal 22, and on the Y-axis direction guide member 27 is the Y-axis direction. The movable base 28 is installed so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis direction moving pedestal 28 is connected to a power transmission belt (not shown) that is wound around a pair of rotary pulleys (not shown) that are rotatably supported by the front end and the rear end of the Y-axis direction guide member 27. When the power transmission belt is rotated in one direction or the other direction by a pulse motor (not shown), the rear end portion of the Y axis direction guide member 27 (see FIG. 2) is formed along the Y axis direction.
(Shown by a solid line in (A)) and the front end portion can be selectively reciprocated.

The rear end of the Y-axis direction guide member 27 is the initial position of the Y-axis direction movement base 28.

A wafer take-out / return arm 30 is attached on the Y-axis direction moving base 28 so as to be vertically movable within a predetermined range. The wafer take-out / return arm 30 is held at the upper end position by a biasing means (not shown), and is moved to the lower end position by being driven by an air cylinder (not shown).

The wafer take-out / return arm 30 temporarily extends horizontally from the rear end region of the left edge portion of the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 above the upper surface of the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 to a substantially intermediate position in the left-right direction. A pedestal 22 that moves horizontally toward the front in the X-axis direction
Extends to a substantially intermediate position in the front-rear direction on the upper surface of the. The extension end 30a has a substantially U-shaped planar shape. Inside the wafer take-out / return arm 30, there is a ventilation hole (not shown) extending from the base end portion on the Y-axis direction movement pedestal 28 side toward the extension end 30a. The base end is connected to a vacuum source (not shown), and a large number of suction holes (not shown) are formed on the upper surface of the extension end 30a. The extended end 30a of the wafer take-out / return arm 30 at the upper end position is located at the same height as a position slightly below the lowermost horizontal shelf of the wafer holder 16a on the right elevator 14a at the upper end position.

Therefore, when the start button 31 provided on the front surface of the exterior housing 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12 is turned on, the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 is arranged in front of the right side elevator 14a which is the initial position. In the meantime, the Y-axis direction moving pedestal 28 is moved to the front end of the Y-axis direction guide member 27, and the extending end 30a of the wafer take-out / return arm 30 at the upper end position is located on the right elevator 14a at the upper end position.
The upper wafer holder 16a is inserted slightly below the lowermost horizontal shelf.

Since the right wafer holder 16a holds a plurality of wafers, the extending end 30a of the wafer take-out / return arm 30 is inserted slightly below the lowermost horizontal shelf of the right wafer holder 16a. Elevator 14 on the right side after being
When a is lowered by the distance between a plurality of horizontal shelves,
Wafers on the lowermost horizontal shelf are picked up on the extending end 30a of the wafer pick-up / return arm 30.

Thereafter, the extension end 3 is formed by a vacuum source (not shown).
Extension end 3 through a large number of suction holes (not shown) on the upper surface of 0a.
The wafer on the wafer 0a is attracted, and the Y-axis direction moving base 28 is further attached.
Is moved to the rear end of the Y-axis direction guide member 27, the wafer is attracted onto the extended end 30a of the wafer take-out / return arm 30, and the wafer is removed from the lowermost horizontal shelf of the right wafer holder 16a. You can take it out.

On the upper surface of the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 below the space surrounded by the substantially C-shaped extending end 30a of the wafer take-out / return arm 30 of the Y-axis direction movement pedestal 28 at the rear end position,
A macro table 32 having a circular plane shape is installed.

The macro table 32 is movable in the vertical direction within a predetermined range, but is normally arranged at the lower end position by its own weight. On the upper end surface of the macro table 32, a large number of suction holes 32a connected to the aforementioned vacuum source (not shown) are radially formed.

After arriving at the rear end position of the Y-axis direction guide member 27, the wafer take-out / return arm 30 is provided with the exterior housing 12a.
After a stop time preset by the stop time setting switch 33 (FIG. 1) on the front side of the vehicle, the air cylinder (not shown) moves from the upper end position to the lower end position against the urging force of the urging means (not shown). Is descended. At the lower end position, the extending end 30a of the wafer take-out / returning arm 30 moves below the upper end surface of the macro table 32 arranged at the lower end position, so that the extending end 30a is lowered by the above-mentioned downward movement.
The upper wafer is placed on the upper end surface of the macro table 32,
As a result of the lowering, suction is carried out by the suction holes 32a in the upper end surface of the macro table 32 to which a negative pressure is supplied from the vacuum source (not shown).

In this state, the wafer is on standby, and the macro table 32 serves as a mounting means for the wafer.

During this time, when the macro inspection switch 34a provided on the upper end of the joystick lever 34 provided at the right corner of the front end of the exterior housing 12a is turned on, the macro inspection switch 34a provided on the X-axis direction pedestal 22 is not shown. The macro table 32 is moved to the upper end position by the air cylinder, and in accordance with the operation of the joystick lever 34 at the upper end position, the macro table 32 is set to an arbitrary tilt angle within a predetermined tilt angle range at an arbitrary circumferential position within a circumferential range of 360 degrees. Can be tilted.

Since the wafer on the upper end surface of the macro table 32 is adsorbed to the upper end surface by the negative pressure supplied from the adsorption holes 32a, even if the wafer is tilted together with the macro table 32 by operating the joystick lever 34, the upper end surface is Do not fall from.

The tilted wafer makes it easy for the inspector to inspect the pattern on the upper surface from various angles.

When the macro inspection switch 34a at the upper end of the joystick lever 34 is turned off, the macro table 3
2 returns to the lower end position by its own weight and enters a standby state.

When the start button 31 is turned on in the standby state, the macro table 32 is moved to the upper end position by the above-mentioned air cylinder (not shown) but cannot be operated by the joystick lever 34, so that the wafer is in the horizontal state. Is kept.

At the same height position as the wafer on the left and right sides of the wafer which is kept horizontal on the macro table 32 at the upper end position, on the upper surface of the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 from the vicinity of the right elevator 14a to the upper surface. A pair of wafer holding arms 36a, 36b extending horizontally along the rear is arranged.

3A and 4 are enlarged plan views and front views of the structure of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b and the driving means for these arms. In the example, the structure of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b and the driving means for these constitutes the wafer inverting means.

The pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b have substantially the same curvature as the peripheral edge of the wafer at the front end portions located on the left and right sides of the wafer which are held horizontally on the macro table 32 at the upper end position. It has an arcuate wafer holder 38, and as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C,
A wafer groove 38 a is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the wafer holder 38.

A pair of wafer holding arms 3 located near the elevator 14a on the right side on the upper surface of the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22.
The rear ends of the swinging arms 4a and 36b extend horizontally in the left-right direction above the rear end on the upper surface of the X-axis direction movement base 22.
It is removably attached to a pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b on the upper surface of the 0.

The left end portion of the swing arm 40 is the X-axis direction moving base 2.
It is fixed to the swing arm central shaft 44 extending in the front-rear direction in the vicinity of the left end of the right elevator 14a on the upper surface of 2. As shown in the longitudinal cross-sectional view in the front-rear direction of FIG. 5, the swing arm central shaft 44 extends in the up-down direction at a position in which both ends in the front-rear direction are separated from each other in parallel with each other in the front-rear direction. The lower ends of the pair of shaft support plates 46a and 46b are rotatably supported by 46a and 46b.
It is fixed to the upper surface of the fixed substrate 48 which is fixed on the upper surface 2.

The right end portion of the swing arm 40 is, as shown in FIG.
Another fixed substrate 50 that extends horizontally in the left-right direction below the swing arm 40 and is fixed on the X-axis direction movement base 22.
Is supported by a swing arm support pin 50a protruding upward from the right end of the upper surface of the.

A rotational force receiving pulley 44a is concentrically fixed to the swing arm central shaft 44 at the rear of the left end of the swing arm 40 (on the side of the elevator 14a on the right side). A pair of shaft support plates 4 is provided in the vicinity of the lower ends of the pair of shaft support plates 46a and 46b.
Drive shaft 52 horizontally extending in the front-rear direction between 6a and 46b
Is rotatably supported, and the rotational force transmission pulley 52a formed at the rear end of the drive shaft 52 and the swing arm central shaft 4
A power transmission belt 54 is wound around the rotational force receiving pulley 44a of No. 4 of FIG.

The front end of the drive shaft 52 is concentrically connected via a coupling 58 to an output shaft 56a of a pulse motor 56 disposed further forward of the front shaft support plate 46a on the upper surface of the fixed substrate 48. .

The front shaft support plate 4 is provided at the front end of the drive shaft 52.
Another rotational force transmission pulley 52b is concentrically formed behind 6a. Both ends of a rotation center shaft 60 extending horizontally in the front-rear direction between the pair of shaft support plates 46a and 46b are fixed to intermediate portions in the height direction of the pair of shaft support plates 46a and 46b. The power transmission belt 62 is also wound around the rotation angle measurement pulley 60a, which is rotatably supported on the rotation center shaft 60, and the other rotation force transmission pulley 52b.

On one side surface of the rotation angle measuring pulley 60a, as shown in FIGS.
A swing angle regulating slit plate 66 for concentrically fixing the maximum swing range of 4 (that is, the swing arm 40) and a predetermined swing angle by using the two optical sensors 64a and 64b. Has been done.

At the outer peripheral edge of the swing angle regulating slit plate 66, a maximum of a large circumferential cutout is provided outward in the radial direction in cooperation with one optical sensor 64a to regulate the maximum swing range. A swing range limiting cutout 66a is formed, and a predetermined plurality of swing angles are provided inward in the radial direction at the outer peripheral edge portion of the swing angle limiting slit plate 66, relative to the maximum swing range limiting cutout 66a. A plurality of radially extending slits 66b for defining in cooperation with the optical sensor 64b are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

On the other side surface of the rotation angle measuring pulley 60a, as shown in FIGS.
An initial position detecting projection plate 70 for detecting the horizontal initial position of 4 (that is, the swing arm 40) by using one optical sensor 68 is concentrically fixed.

A pair of wafer holding arm bases 4 on the swing arm 40
3A and FIG. 4 are provided on the upper surfaces of 2a and 42b, respectively.
, A pair of positioning pins 72a, 72b are fixed, and the rear end portions of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a, 36b respectively have corresponding wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, 42b.
A pair of positioning holes 74a and 74b into which the pair of positioning pins 72a and 72b are inserted are formed.

With respect to the pair of positioning pins 72a, 72b on the upper surfaces of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, 42b, the pair of wafer holding arms 36a, 36b respectively corresponding to the pair of rear ends thereof is formed. The pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, 42 are attached by the knob screws 76 (FIG. 3A) with the positioning pins 72a, 72b fitted thereto and having larger knobs.
a pair of wafer holding arms 36a, 3 with respect to the respective upper surfaces of b.
6b can be easily and detachably attached only by the fingertips of the inspector without using any special tool.

FIG. 3A shows another type of wafer for holding the outer peripheral edge portion of another type of wafer having a smaller diameter than that of the wafer which is inspected by the wafer inspection apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention described above. The rear end of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a 'and 36b' is 1
A state in which the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b are detachably attached to the upper surfaces of the pair of wafer holding arms pedestals 42a and 42b in the same manner as the rear end portions of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b described above is indicated by a two-dot chain line. , Another pair of wafer holding arms 36a
′ And 36b ′ are arranged closer to each other than the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b described above except the rear end portion.

This difference in position is caused by a pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, 42a using two optical sensors (not shown).
The pair of wafer holding arms mounted on 2b is a pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b for wafers having a large diameter.
, Or another pair of wafer holding arms 36a ', 36b' for small diameter wafers.

The above-mentioned two optical sensors (not shown) are shown in the other drawings referred to in the following description.

A pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b
As shown in FIG. 4, the guide members 78 horizontally extending on the lower surfaces of the left and right ends of the swing arm 40 cause
A pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, which are slidably attached to the left and right ends of the swing arm 40 in the left-right direction,
When the left and right ends of the swing arm 40 are farthest from each other, the pair of wafer holding arms fixed to the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b is used for a wafer having a large diameter. Pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b for wafers having a small diameter
Even with ', 36b', each pair opens larger than the corresponding wafer diameter.

The other fixed base plate 50, which is located below the swing arm 40 and supports the right end portion of the swing arm 40 from below, is fixed to another fixed substrate 50 having a substantially U-shape. It has a cross section, and the lower wall 50b and the upper wall 50c have 1
A pair of wafer holding arm pedestal driving members 80a and 80b are supported so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The pair of wafer holding arm pedestal driving members 80a and 80b are the power transmission belt 8 hung around the pair of pulleys 82a and 82b rotatably supported on the left and right ends of the side wall 50d of the other fixed substrate 50.
It is fixed to the right edge of the lower side of 4 and the left edge of the upper side,
The wafer holding arm pedestal driving member 80a on the right side is the side wall 50.
The output shaft 86 of the air cylinder 86 fixed to the lower wall 50b through the elongated hole 50e formed in the left-right direction.
It is connected to a.

The air cylinder 86 normally projects the output shaft 86a, so that the wafer holding arm pedestal driving member 80a on the right side is arranged at the right end of the lower wall 50b of the other fixed substrate 50 and the power transmission belt 84. The wafer holding arm pedestal driving member 80b on the left side is connected to the wafer holding arm pedestal driving member 80a on the right side by another fixed substrate 5
0 is arranged at the left end of the upper wall 50c.

A pair of wafer holding arm pedestal driving members 80a,
A pair of engagement pins 88 project upward from the upper end surface of 80b, and are formed on the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b at the left and right ends of the horizontal swing arm 40. It is inserted into an insertion hole 90 much larger than the pin 88. In FIG. 3A, the wafer holding arm pedestal 4 at the right end is shown.
The engagement pin 88 inserted into the insertion hole 90 of 2a is shown, and FIG. 4 shows the engagement pin 88 inserted into the insertion hole 90 of the wafer holding arm pedestal 42b at the left end.

As shown in FIG. 4, both ends of a tension coil spring 92 are stretched between a pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b, and the tension coil spring 92 is a pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b. The pair of wafer holding arm pedestal drive members 8 are urged so as to bring the two 42b closer to each other.
The air cylinder 8 is loaded on the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b through the engagement pins 88 of 0a and 80b.
A pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42 a, 4 by the driving force of 6
2b are held at the left and right ends of the swing arm 40.

As described above, in the standby state, the start button 31 is turned on, and for the wafer held in the horizontal state by the macro table 32 moved to the upper end position by the air cylinder (not shown), the air cylinder of FIG. 86
Stops the generation of the driving force, so that the tension coil spring 92 between the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b.
Of the wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b by the urging force of
Move toward each other equidistantly on the swing arm 40, and as shown in FIG.
Wafer groove 3 on the inner peripheral surface of wafer holding portion 38 of 6a and 36b
It can be clamped by 8a.

After the air cylinder 86 of FIG. 4 has stopped the generation of the driving force, the wafer groove 38a of the wafer holding portion 38 of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b is sufficient to hold the outer peripheral edge of the wafer 100. When a predetermined time has elapsed, the pulse motor 56 of FIG. 5 starts rotating the output shaft 56a in a predetermined direction in order to rotate the swing arm 40 upward.

The rotation of the output shaft 56 of the pulse motor 56 is transmitted to the swing arm central shaft 44 for rotating the swing arm 40 by the power transmission belt 54, and the swing arm 40 is a pair of wafer holding arms 36a. , 36b, while holding the wafer 100, the wafer 100 is rotated upward to a predetermined rotation angle as shown in FIG. At this time, the engagement pins 88 of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestal driving members 80a and 80b on the other fixed substrate 50.
To the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, 42 of the swing arm 40
The insertion hole 90 of b is removed.

The predetermined rotation angle of the swing arm 40 is set within a predetermined range by the swing arm rotation angle (back surface angle) setting switch 102 (see FIG. 1) on the front surface of the outer housing 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12. It is possible to set it from the angular positions. The above predetermined range is shown in FIG.
Is a value defined in cooperation with the maximum outward swing range restricting cutout 66a in the radial direction of the outer peripheral edge of the swing angle restricting slit plate 66 and the one optical sensor 64a. The position is the swing angle regulation slit plate 6 of FIG.
It is a value defined by a plurality of radially extending slits 66b inward in the radial direction of the outer peripheral edge portion of 6 and the other optical sensor 64b.

The swing arm 40 is stopped at a predetermined rotation angle position for a predetermined time, during which an inspector inspects the back surface of the wafer. The predetermined time is a value preset by the stop time setting switch 33 on the front surface of the outer housing 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12.

After being stopped for a predetermined time, the swing arm 40 is returned to the horizontal initial position shown in FIG. At this time, the right end of the swing arm 40 is placed on the swing arm support pin 50a on the other fixed substrate 50, and the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b of the swing arm 40 are inserted into the insertion holes. The engaging pins 88 of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestal driving members 80a and 80b on the other fixed substrate 50 are inserted into the pair 90 to form a pair of wafer holding arms on the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b. The wafer 100, the outer peripheral edge of which is held by the wafer groove 38a of the wafer holding portions 38 of 36a and 36b, is placed on the macro table 32 which is held at the upper end position by the above-mentioned air cylinder (not shown), and from the suction hole 32a. It is adsorbed on the macro table 32 by the negative pressure.

Return of the swing arm 40 to the horizontal initial position is as follows.
A combination of the maximum outward swing range restriction cutout 66a in the radial direction of the outer peripheral edge portion of the swing angle restriction slit plate 66 of FIG. 6A and one optical sensor 64a, and FIG. Initial position detection projection plate 70 and one optical sensor 6
It is detected in combination with 8.

When the return of the swing arm 40 to the initial position is detected, the air cylinder 86 of the other fixed substrate 50 presses the output shaft 86a, and as shown in FIG. A pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, 42 on the swing arm 40 via the engagement pins 88 of the drive members 80a, 80b.
b is resisted against the urging force of the coil spring 92 to swing the arm 4
Move to the left and right ends of 0.

Due to this movement of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b, the one on the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b relative to the outer peripheral edge of the wafer 100 shown in FIG.
The holding of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b by the wafer groove 38a of the wafer holding portion 38 is released.

Next, the macro table 32 is lowered from the upper end position to the lower end position while horizontally holding the wafer, and at the lower end position, returns to the standby state described above.

In the standby state, as shown in FIG. 2A, the elongated engaging projection 11 formed at the left end of the X table 10a 'of the microscope 10 is used for the micro inspection of the wafer. The external table 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12 is engaged with the X table receiver 12b in the right region of the front end of the upper surface of the housing 12a and detected by an optical sensor (not shown) of the X table receiver 12b.
When the start button 31 on the front side of the wafer inspection device is turned on, the synthetic resin 1 installed below the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b on the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 of the wafer inspection device 12.
The pair of centering members 110a and 110b are the macro table 3
It approaches toward the center of 2.

The pair of centering members 110a and 110b are
As well shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a pair of centering units symmetrically arranged about the macro table 32 on another substrate 112 on the X-axis direction movement base 22. It is detachably attached to the member support pedestals 114a and 114b.

A pair of centering member support pedestals 114a, 11
4b is held on the substrate 112 so as to be close to and away from each other in the diametrical direction with respect to the center of the macro table 32. As best shown in FIGS. 9B and 10,
The lower surface of the substrate 112 is connected to the lower surface of the substrate 112 by the link mechanism 116 so as to approach and separate from each other at the same speed, and is driven by the air cylinder 118 on the lower surface of the substrate 112.

That is, the air cylinder 118 is connected to the output shaft 118.
When a is projected, a pair of centering member support pedestals 114a,
114b and the pair of centering members 110a and 110b are moved toward the macro table 32 at the same speed and at the same distance, and when the air cylinder 118 retracts the output shaft 118a, the pair of centering member support pedestals 114a and 11b.
4b and the pair of centering members 110a and 110b are moved away from the macro table 32 at the same speed and the same distance.

A pair of centering member support pedestals 114a, 11
As shown in FIG. 9 (A), the upper surface of each of 4b has one large-diameter fixing pin 120 and two fixing pins 120 on both sides thereof.
Small-diameter positioning pins 122 arranged one by one are planted, and the large-diameter fixing pin 120 has an annular groove on the peripheral surface of the upper end as well shown in FIG. 9B. 120
a is formed.

A pair of centering member support pedestals 114a, 11
Each of 4b is an inner side surface 12 having the same curvature as the outer peripheral edge of the larger diameter wafer to be inspected by the wafer inspection apparatus 12.
4 and includes a pair of centering member support pedestals 114a,
One large-diameter fixing pin 120 on the upper surface of each 114b
And a small diameter positioning pin 1 arranged on each side
22 is fitted with one fixing hole 126a and four positioning holes 126b on both sides thereof are a pair of centering members 110.
a and 110b, respectively.

The inner peripheral surface of one fixing hole 126a is shown in FIG.
(B), the engaging pin 12 embedded in each of the pair of centering members 110a and 110b made of synthetic resin.
8 is projected, and when one fixing hole 126a is fitted on the fixing pin 120, the head of the engaging pin 128 is click-engaged with the annular groove 120a on the peripheral surface of the fixing pin 120. To do.

Therefore, the pair of centering members 110a, 110
b can be easily attached / detached and stably attached to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the pair of centering member support pedestals 114a and 114b without using a special tool.

As shown in FIG. 9C, the wafer inspection device 12 further has an inner side surface 124 'having the same curvature as the outer peripheral edge of the wafer having a smaller diameter to be inspected in the wafer inspection device 12. A pair of centering members 110a ',
110b 'is also provided, and the pair of centering members 110 is provided.
a pair of centering member support pedestals 114 as in a and 110b
a pair of centering member support pedestals 114 for detachably and stably attaching to a predetermined position on the upper surface of a, 114b.
One large-diameter fixing pin 1 on the upper surface of each of a and 114b
One fixing hole 126a 'into which 20 and two small diameter positioning pins 122 arranged on both sides thereof are fitted, and four positioning holes 126b' on both sides thereof are formed, and further one fixing hole 126a '. An engaging pin 128 'having a slightly projecting head is also embedded in the inner peripheral surface of the.

In FIG. 9C, another one having an inner side surface 124 'having the same curvature as the outer peripheral edge of the wafer having a smaller diameter is used.
One of the pair of centering members 110a ', 110b' and one of the pair of centering members 110a, 110b having an inner peripheral surface 124 of the same curvature as the outer peripheral edge of the larger diameter wafer are shown side by side. However, as is clear from this, the one centering member 110b 'for the small diameter wafer has a shorter length in the circumferential direction than the one centering member 110b for the larger diameter wafer. The pair of centering members 110a and 110b for large diameter wafers has a pair of centering members 110a 'and 110b' for small diameter wafers.
An optical sensor non-detection opening 130 is formed at a position corresponding to one of both ends in the circumferential direction.

The difference in the length in the circumferential direction and the non-detection opening 130 for the optical sensor are the pair of centering member support bases 1.
A pair of centering members 11 for wafers having a large diameter are attached to the centering members 14a and 114b, respectively.
0a, 110b or a pair of centering members 110a ', 110b' for small diameter wafers, respectively, in combination with a pair of photosensors.

As described above, the pair of photosensors 132a, 132a, 1
As shown in FIG. 9A, the reference numeral 32b is mounted on the upper surface of the substrate 112 for the pair of centering member support pedestals 114a and 114b, outside the pair of centering member support pedestals 114a and 114b, respectively. Has been.

The pair of photosensors 132a and 132b has one
A pair of centering members 110a, 110b or 1 mounted on the pair of centering member support pedestals 114a, 114b
10a 'and 110b' are separated from each other by a predetermined distance in the circumferential direction.

Out of the pair of optical sensors 132a, 132b in the circumferential direction (corresponding centering member support pedestal 11).
4a or 114b, which is located farther from the fixing pin 120 on the upper surface of 4a or 114b, has an optical sensor 132a located on the corresponding centering member support pedestal 114a or 114b, and a corresponding centering member 110a or 110b for a large diameter wafer.
9C, as shown in FIG. 9C, light reflection from the outer circumferential end of the outer surface of the centering member 110a or 110b is sensed, and the centering member 110a for a wafer having a small diameter is sensed. When ′ ′ or 110b ′ is attached, it does not detect any light reflection because it is located at the outer side in the circumferential direction than the outer circumferential end surface of the centering member 110a ′ or 110b ′.

In the pair of optical sensors 132a and 132b, the optical sensor 132b located on the inner side in the circumferential direction (closer to the fixing pin 120 on the upper surface of the corresponding centering member support pedestal 114a or 114b) is Corresponding centering members 110a or 11 for large diameter wafers on corresponding centering member support pedestals 114a or 114b.
When 0b is attached, as shown in FIG. 9C, any light reflection is detected by the optical sensor non-detection opening 130 formed at the outer circumferential end of the outer surface of the centering member 110a or 110b. If this is not possible and a centering member 110a 'or 110b' for a wafer having a small diameter is attached, light reflection from the outer circumferential end of the outer surface of the centering member 110a 'or 110b' is sensed.

In this embodiment, the wafer diameter detector 20 installed in the elevator 14a on the right side shown in FIG.
Wafer diameter detected by a and 20b and a pair of optical sensors 1
When the centering member 110a or 110b or 110a 'or 110b' detected by 32a, 132b does not match the corresponding diameter of the wafer, an alarm device (not shown) provided in the wafer inspection apparatus 12 gives an alarm, and The pair of centering members 110a, 110b or 110a ', 110b' are prohibited from approaching each other.

In the standby state, as described above, the pair of centering members 110a and 110b approached toward the center of the macro table 32 have inner surfaces having the same curvature as the wafer on the outer peripheral edge of the wafer on the macro table 32. Are brought into contact with each other to clamp the wafer.

As a result, the center of the wafer is aligned with the center of the macro table 32, and then the pair of centering members 11 is placed.
0a and 110b are air cylinders 1 on the lower surface side of the substrate 112.
It is returned to its original position, which is separated from each other by 18.

When the pair of centering members 110a and 110b are returned to their original positions, the macro table 32 is kept at the lower end position and the wafer is held horizontally by the negative pressure of the suction holes 32a. Thus, rotation is started in a predetermined direction at a predetermined speed.

Further on the X-axis direction moving base 22, FIG.
(A), the orientation flat detector 140 is placed at a position separated from the center of the macro table 32 in the radial direction by a predetermined distance.
Is installed. The orientation flat detector 140 is composed of an optical sensor in this embodiment, and has two positions corresponding to the rotational loci of the orientation flats of the wafers of two diameters held on the macro table 32 and rotated as described above. Between them is selectively movable in the radial direction of the macro table 32.

The orientation flat detector 140 is fixed on the X-axis direction moving base 22 and is supported on a guide member 142 extending in the radial direction of the macro table 32.
A click receiving member 142b corresponding to the above two positions is fixed to the upper surface of the fixed pedestal 142a for No. 2.
In FIG. 9A, only the click receiving member 142b on the inner side in the radial direction is shown, and the click receiving member 142b on the outer side in the radial direction is the holder 14 of the orientation flat detector 140.
It is hidden by 0a. A click member 140b that is click-engaged with a click recess of the upper end surface of the click receiving member 142b is fixed to the holding body 140a.

The macro table 32 is shown in FIG.
An orientation flat detector 14 which is movable between two wafers 100, 100 'of two diameters held above and rotated as described above, and two positions corresponding to the rotation loci of these orientation flats.
The positional relationship with 0 is shown, and FIG. 11 (B) shows FIG. 11 for detecting the orientation flat of the wafer 100 having a large diameter.
(A) of the click receiving member 14 on the outer side in the radial direction
The state in which the click member 140b is click-engaged with 2b is shown as a cross section.

The orientation flat detector 140, which is selectively held in the above two positions by the click engagement, is securely held in the above two positions and, even when it is moved between the above two positions, Since it can be reliably stopped at one position, the switching operation between the above two positions can be easily performed without using a special tool.

In this embodiment, the orientation flat detector 140 is
As shown in FIG. 2A, the wafer holding arm 36b or 36b 'arranged at the left end portion of the swing arm 40 arranged at the horizontal initial position is located below the rear extending end. , The wafer holding arm 36b or 36b on the upper surface of the fixed pedestal 142a of the guide member 142 for the orientation flat detector 140.
A pair of photosensors 144a and 144b for distinguishing ???

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a right end portion on the swing arm 40 which is arranged in a horizontal initial position as shown in FIG. 2A in the vicinity of the right centering member support pedestal 114a. Of the pair of optical sensors 144 located below the front extending end of the wafer holding arm 36b or 36b 'arranged at
a and 144b are fixed. This pair of optical sensors 1
44a, 144b are also wafer holding arms 36b or 36
Used to identify b '.

The outer optical sensor 144a senses light reflection from the rearward extension end of the wafer holding arm 36b for the large diameter wafer 100 (FIG. 11), and the inner optical sensor 144b.
Senses the light reflection from the rearward extension of the wafer holding arm 36b 'for the small diameter wafer 100' (FIG. 11).

As a result, in this embodiment, FIG.
The wafer diameter detected by the wafer diameter detectors 20a and 20b installed on the right-side elevator 14a shown in FIG. 2 and the wafer to which the pair of wafer holding arms 36b or 36b 'detected by the two pairs of optical sensors 144a and 144b correspond. If the diameters of the wafer holding arms 36b and 36b 'do not match, the alarm device (not shown) provided in the wafer inspection apparatus 12 issues an alarm and prohibits the pair of wafer holding arms 36b or 36b' from approaching each other. That is, the macro table 3 from the standby state to the upper end position
2 rise and a pair of wafer holding arms 36b or 36b '
It is prohibited to clamp the outer peripheral edge of the wafer that does not correspond to the above, and it is impossible to turn over the wafer from the standby state by the pair of wafer holding arms 36b or 36b 'for inspecting the back surface of the wafer.

After the orientation flat detector 140 arranged at the position corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the wafer orientation flat detects the orientation flat of the wafer rotating together with the macro table 32 at the prescribed speed, the macro table 32 is set to the prescribed orientation. The rotation is stopped at the rotation angle position, and the orientation flat of the wafer is directed in a predetermined direction. This predetermined direction can be set by the orientation flat position setting switch 146 (FIG. 1) arranged on the front surface of the exterior housing 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12, and in the case of this embodiment, four directions, front, rear, left and right, are set. You can set the direction.

Further on the X-axis direction moving base 22, FIG.
As shown in (A) of FIG. 7, the X table receiver 12b is engaged with the periphery of the macro table 32 at the lower end position from a position lower than the upper end surface of the macro table 32 to the front right side region of the upper surface of the outer housing 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12. A wafer microscope transfer member 150 that extends horizontally is installed below the left end of the X-table 10a 'of the microscope 10.

Both ends of the wafer microscope carrying member 150 have a substantially inverted C-shaped planar shape, and the wafer microscope carrying member 150 is rotatable around the center in the longitudinal direction and at the lower end of the macro table 32. It can be selectively moved up and down between a lower end position below the upper end face and an upper end position above the upper end face of the macro table 32, and is usually arranged at the lower end position.

After the rotation of the macro table 32 is stopped and the orientation flat of the wafer is oriented in a predetermined direction, the wafer microscope transfer member 150 is elevated from the lower end position to the upper end position and the wafer is substantially reversed from the top of the macro table 32. Scoop at one end of the C-shape. Next, the wafer microscope carrying member 150 rotates in a predetermined direction by 180 degrees to move the wafer on the one end to a position above the left end of the X table 10a 'of the microscope 10. Further, the wafer microscope carrying member 150 descends from the upper end position to the lower end position, and the wafer on the one end is placed on the left end of the X table 10a 'of the microscope 10.

After this, the inspector can move the wafer on the X table 10a 'to below the objective lens group 10b of the microscope 10 and perform micro inspection of the wafer by the microscope 10.

After the micro inspection, the elongated engaging projection 1 formed at the left end of the X table 10a 'of the microscope 10 is inspected.
1 is engaged with the X table receiver 12b in the front end right side region of the upper surface of the exterior housing 12a of the wafer inspection device 12,
It is detected by an optical sensor (not shown) of the X table receiver 12b, and further the outer housing 1 of the wafer inspection device 12 is detected.
The start button 31 on the front surface of 2a is turned on.

In this case, the X table 1 of the microscope 10 is placed on the macro table 32 in the standby state for micro inspection.
As in the previous case where the wafer was moved over 0a ′,
The wafer microscope carrying member 150 is lifted from the lower end position to the upper end position to pick up the wafer from the top of the X table 10a 'at one end of the substantially inverted C shape, and further rotated 180 degrees in a predetermined direction, and then from the upper end position to the lower end. By descending to the position, the wafer is placed on the macro table 32 at the lower end position, and the macro table 32 is returned to the standby state.

When the start button 31 on the front surface of the outer housing 12a of the wafer inspection device 12 is turned on in the standby state,
The X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 moves to the front of the left elevator 14b, and then the wafer take-out / return arm 30 rises from the lower end position to the upper end position to pick up the wafer from the macro table 32 by the extension end 30a. Wafer removal /
The return arm 30 horizontally moves toward the empty wafer holder 16b (see FIG. 1) on the left elevator 14b while holding the wafer by the negative pressure on the extension end 30a as described above, and moves the extension end 30a and the wafer to each other. Empty wafer holder 16b
Insert it between the first and second shelf from the bottom. Then, the elevator 14b on the left side moves up by one step of a plurality of shelves in the wafer holder 16b to pick up the wafer on the extension end 30a at the first shelf from the bottom, and then the wafer take-out / return arm 30
Returns to the front end position as shown by the solid line in FIG.

As described above in detail, all macro inspections and selective micro inspections of a plurality of wafers on a plurality of shelves in the wafer holder 16a on the right elevator 14a are completed and the left elevator 14b is completed. Wafer holder 16b
Each wafer is sequentially processed until it is transferred to a plurality of shelves therein.

A plurality of shelves in the wafer holder 16a on the right elevator 14a are emptied and the left elevator 14a
When a plurality of shelves in the wafer holder 16b on b are filled with wafers, the left and right elevators 14a and 14b move to the upper end positions. Then, the inspector removes the wafer holder 16b filled with the inspected wafers on the left side from the elevator 14b on the left side, and the empty wafer holder 16 on the elevator 14a on the right side is removed on the elevator 14b on the left side.
a is placed. A new wafer holder full of uninspected wafers is placed on the elevator 14a on the right side.

In the above embodiment, the elevator 1 on the right side
All of the plurality of wafers in the wafer holder 16a on the 4a were sequentially taken out from the first shelf from the bottom for inspection. However, the wafer selection button 152 on the front surface of the outer housing 12a of the wafer inspection apparatus 12 can be used to arbitrarily select the wafers. It is possible to specify and inspect only the wafer. In this case, the wafer taken out from the selected shelf in the wafer holder 16a on the right elevator 14a for inspection is the wafer holder 16 on the right elevator 14a after the inspection is completed.
It is returned to its original position in a.

Further, even when all the plurality of wafers in the wafer holder 16a on the right elevator 14a are inspected, the plurality of wafers are sequentially taken out from the wafer on the uppermost shelf toward the wafer on the lowermost shelf. You can also do it.

[0105]

As described in detail above, according to the wafer inspection apparatus of the present invention, the back surface of the wafer can be easily and quickly inspected for all the number of wafers to be macro inspected.

Further, it is possible to easily and quickly adapt a wafer inspection apparatus capable of easily and quickly inspecting the back surface of all the wafers to be macro-inspected to a plurality of types of wafers having different diameters.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a wafer inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state of being combined with a microscope.

2A is a plan view of the wafer inspection apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a right side view of the wafer inspection apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged plan view showing a pair of wafer holding arms used for turning over the wafer in the wafer inspection apparatus of FIG. 1 and its driving means without holding the wafer. , (B) is a cross-sectional view of one of the wafer holding arms taken along the line I-I, and (C) is a cross sectional view of the other wafer holding arm.
It is a cross-sectional view according to the I-II line.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the pair of wafer holding arms of FIG. 3A and a contact / separation drive means for contact and separation thereof.

5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a swing drive means for swinging a swing arm that supports a pair of wafer holding arms shown in FIG. 3A.

6A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the swing drive means showing swing arm rotation angle detection means for detecting the rotation angle of the swing arm in the swing drive means of FIG. 5, FIG. 8) is a vertical sectional view of the swing drive means showing the initial position detection means for detecting the horizontal initial position of the swing arm in the swing drive means of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing a pair of wafer holding arms of FIG. 4 and a driving means thereof while holding a wafer.

8 shows a state in which a pair of wafer holding arms holding a wafer in FIG. 7 are separated from a contact / separation drive means together with a swing arm supporting the wafer and are rotated to a predetermined rotation angle position (back surface angle). It is the enlarged front view.

9A is an enlarged view of a wafer centering unit for centering a wafer on a macro table and an orientation flat detector for detecting the orientation flat position of the wafer on the macro table in the wafer inspection apparatus of FIG. It is a top view showing, (B)
FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along line III-III of (A), and (C) is two kinds of cores used for two kinds of wafers having different diameters in the wafer centering means of (A). It is a top view which expands and shows an output member and the optical detection means which detects these types.

10 is a rear view of the wafer centering unit of FIG. 9A showing an air cylinder and a link for driving the wafer centering unit of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 11 (A) shows two different diameters on the macro table.
It is a top view which shows the structure of the orientation flat detector for detecting the orientation flat of various types of wafers, (B) is IV-I of (A).
It is sectional drawing which followed the V line.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Microscope, 10a ... XY table group, 10a '... X
Table, 10b ... Objective lens group, 10c ... Eyepiece lens, 11 ... Engagement protrusion, 12 ... Wafer inspection device, 12a ...
Exterior housing, 12b ... X table receiver, 14a, 1
4b ... elevator, 16a, 16b ... wafer holder, 1
8a, 18b ... Positioning member, 20a, 20b ... Wafer diameter detector, 22 ... X-axis direction moving base, 24 ... X-axis direction guide rail, 26 ... X-axis direction ball feed screw, 27 ... Y
Axial direction guide member, 28 ... Y-axis direction pedestal, 30 ... Wafer take-out / return arm, 30a ... Extension end, 31 ... Start button, 32 ... Macro table, 32a ... Suction hole, 33 ... Stop time setting switch, 34 … Joystick lever, 3
4a ... Macro inspection switch, 36a, 36b, 36a
', 36b' ... Wafer holding arm, 38 ... Wafer holding portion, 3
8a ... Wafer groove, 40 ... Oscillating arm, 42a, 42b ... Wafer holding arm pedestal, 44 ... Oscillating arm central axis, 44a ... Rotational force receiving pulley, 46a, 46b ... Shaft support plate, 48 ... Fixed substrate, 50 ... Fixed substrate, 50a ... Swing arm support pin, 50
b ... lower wall, 50c ... upper wall, 50d ... side wall, 50e ... elongated hole, 52 ... drive shaft, 52a, 52b ... rotational force transmission pulley, 54 ... power transmission belt, 56 ... pulse motor, 56
a ... Output shaft, 58 ... Coupling, 60 ... Rotation center shaft,
60a ... Rotation angle measuring pulley, 62 ... Power transmission belt,
64a, 64b ... Optical sensor, 66 ... Swing angle regulation slit plate, 66a ... Maximum swing range regulation notch, 66b ...
Radially extending slits, 68 ... Optical sensor, 70 ... Initial position detecting projection plate, 72a, 72b ... Positioning pin, 74
a, 74b ... Positioning hole, 76 ... Thumb screw, 78 ... Guide member, 80a, 80b ... Wafer holding arm pedestal driving member, 8
2a, 82b ... pulley, 84 ... power transmission belt, 86 ...
Air cylinder, 86a ... Output shaft, 88 ... Engagement pin, 90
... insertion hole, 92 ... tension coil spring, 100, 100
′ ... Wafer, 102 ... Swing arm rotation angle (back surface angle) setting switch, 110a, 110b, 110a ′, 110b
'... Centering member, 112 ... Substrate, 114a, 114b ...
Centering member support base, 116 ... Link mechanism, 118 ... Air cylinder, 118a ... Output shaft, 120 ... Fixing pin,
120a ... Groove, 122 ... Positioning pin, 124, 124
′ ... Inside surface, 126a, 126a ′ ... Fixing hole, 126b
... Positioning holes, 128, 128 '... Engaging pin, 130 ...
Optical sensor non-detection openings, 132a, 132b ... Optical sensor,
140 ... Orientation flat detector, 140a ... Holder, 140b
... click member, 142 ... guide member, 142a ... fixed base, 142b ... click receiving member 144a, 144b
… Optical sensor, 146… Orifla position setting switch, 15
0 ... Wafer microscope transport member, 152 ... Wafer selection button.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] September 8, 1994

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0002

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION such a wafer inspection apparatus has been known already from JP-Hei 1-207942. In the above publication, the wafer inspection apparatus is used in combination with a microscope for microinspection, and has a transfer means for selectively transferring the wafer from the wafer inspection apparatus to the inspection table of the microscope.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0014

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Exterior housing 12 of wafer inspection apparatus 12
As shown in FIG. 2A, a pair of left and right elevators 14a and 14b are installed at the rear end of the upper surface of a. Each of the elevators 14a and 14b is a vertically extended view.
It is supported by a guide guide and a feed screw ( not shown) and can be selectively moved in the vertical direction by a desired distance by rotating the feed screw (not shown) in one direction or the other direction by a motor ( not shown) .

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0015

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

A wafer holder 1 holding a plurality of wafers of a predetermined diameter on the upper surfaces of the elevators 14a and 14b, respectively.
6a, 16b is Ru is placed. In the wafer inspection apparatus 12 of this embodiment, a wafer holder holding a plurality of wafers having a predetermined diameter can be similarly mounted on the pair of elevators 14a and 14b, and the pair of elevators 14a and 14b can be similarly mounted. A positioning member 1 that detachably holds these two types of wafer holders at predetermined positions on the upper surfaces of 14a and 14b.
8a and 18b are installed. Elevator 14 on the right
Wafer diameter detectors 20a and 20b for detecting the type of the wafer holder placed on the upper surface (that is, the diameter of the wafer in the wafer holder) are further installed on the upper surface of a. The wafer diameter detectors 20a and 20b are composed of, for example, optical sensors.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0018

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

A Y-axis direction guide member 27 extending in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) is fixed to the left edge portion of the X-axis direction pedestal 22, and on the Y-axis direction guide member 27 is the Y-axis direction. The movable base 28 is installed so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis direction moving pedestal 28 is connected to a power transmission belt (not shown) that is wound around a pair of rotary pulleys (not shown) that are rotatably supported by the front end and the rear end of the Y-axis direction guide member 27. Te, a solid line to the rear end portion of the Y-axis direction guide member 27 along the Y-axis direction (shown in FIG. 2 (a) by the power transmission belt is rotated by the potato over data, such illustrated in one direction or the other And the front end portion can be selectively moved back and forth.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0026

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The macro table 32 is normally is movable in the vertical direction within a predetermined range are disposed below end position. On the upper end surface of the macro table 32, a large number of suction holes 32a connected to the aforementioned vacuum source (not shown) are radially formed.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0027

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

After arriving at the rear end position of the Y-axis direction guide member 27, the wafer take-out / return arm 30 is lowered from the upper end position to the lower end position against the urging force of the aforementioned urging means (not shown). At the lower end position, the extending end 30a of the wafer take-out / returning arm 30 moves below the upper end surface of the macro table 32 arranged at the lower end position. The macro table 32 is mounted on the upper end surface of the macro table 32 and is sucked by the suction holes 32a of the upper end surface of the macro table 32 to which a negative pressure is supplied from the vacuum source (not shown).

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0029

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0029] The macro table 32 is not shown Eashiri
It is moved to the upper end position by the contactor, and can be tilted to an arbitrary tilt angle within a predetermined tilt angle range at an arbitrary circumferential position within a circumferential range of 360 degrees by operating the joystick lever 34 at the upper end position. .

[Procedure Amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0032

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The macro table 32 is the exterior housing 12
The stop time setting switch 33 (Fig. 1) on the entire surface of the
After the set stop time elapses, the air not shown above
The cylinder lowers to the lower end position and enters the standby state.

[Procedure Amendment 9]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0033

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

When the start button 31 is turned on in the standby state, the wafer take-out / return arm 30 is moved to the upper end position by the urging force of the air cylinder and urging means ( not shown) .

[Procedure Amendment 10]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0034

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The wafer take-out / return arm 30 at the upper end position
Extending end at the same height as the wafer in the right and left sides of the wafer on the 30a, from the vicinity of the right side of the elevator 14a pair came extending horizontally rearwardly along the upper surface wafer holding arm 3
6a and 36b are arranged.

[Procedure Amendment 11]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0036

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

A pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b are provided on the upper ends of the wafer take-out / return arms 30 at the extended ends 30a thereof. It has an arcuate wafer holding part 38 having the same curvature, and as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C,
A wafer groove 38 a is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the wafer holder 38. A wafer formed on the inner peripheral surface of the wafer holder 38.
The groove 38a is formed by the pair of elevators 14a and 14b described above.
Each of the upper wafer holders 16a and 16b has a plurality of unillustrated components.
It has the same shape as several horizontal shelves. Therefore with the wafer
The contact with the wafer groove 38a can be minimized.
It

[Procedure Amendment 12]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0037

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0037] A pair of wafer holding arm 36a located in the vicinity of the right side of the elevator 14a, 36b rear end portion of the pair on the pivot arm 40 extending horizontally in the left right direction wafer holding arm pedestal It is detachably attached to 42a and 42b.

[Procedure Amendment 13]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0038

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The left end portion of the swing arm 40 is the X-axis direction moving base 2.
It is fixed to the swing arm central shaft 44 extending in the front-rear direction in the vicinity of the left end of the right elevator 14a on the upper surface of 2. As shown in the longitudinal cross-sectional view in the front-rear direction of FIG. 5, the swing arm central shaft 44 extends in the up-down direction at a position in which both ends in the front-rear direction are separated from each other in parallel with each other in the front-rear direction. 46a, it is rotatably supported in 46b, 1 pair of shaft support plates 46a, the lower end of 46b is fixed to the upper surface of the fixed substrate 48.

[Procedure Amendment 14]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0039

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The right end portion of the swing arm 40 is, as shown in FIG.
Is supported by the swing arm support pin 50a from the right end portion of the upper surface of the extending out ash intends one of the fixed substrate 50 horizontally in the lateral direction and toward projects upward under the swing arm 40.

[Procedure Amendment 15]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0041

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The concentric front end of the drive shaft 52 via a coupling 58 to the output shaft 56a of the M o <br/> motor 56 is further arranged in front of the front shaft support plate 46a on the upper surface of the fixed substrate 48 Are linked to.

[Procedure Amendment 16]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0056

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

As described above, in the standby state, the start button 31 is turned on and the wafer taken out to the upper end position is taken out.
For the wafer on the extending end 30a of the pulling / returning arm 30 ,
The pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b are moved by the air cylinder 86 of FIG. 4 and the biasing force of the tension coil spring 92 between the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b.
By approaching each other equidistantly, the outer peripheral edge of the wafer 100 can be held by the wafer groove 38a of the wafer holding portion 38 of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b as shown in FIG.

[Procedure Amendment 17]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0057

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0057] that it has held between the pair of wafer holding arm 36a to the outer peripheral edge of the wafer 100, the inner circumferential surface of the wafer holder 38 of 36b c <br/> Fine grooves 38a, for example, not shown light
Output shaft 56 of the motors 56 of FIG. 5 in order to rotate toward the swing arm 40 upwardly after check Manabu sensor or the like in a predetermined direction
The rotation of a is started.

[Procedure 18]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0058

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0058] The output shaft 56 rotates in a the motors 56 is transmitted to the swing arm center shaft 44 for rotation of the swing arm 40 by power transmission belt 54, the swing arm 40 is a pair of wafer retention Arm 3
While holding the wafer 100 by 6a and 36b, the wafer 100 is rotated upward to a predetermined rotation angle as shown in FIG. At this time, the insertion holes 90 of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a, 42b of the swing arm 40 are separated from the engagement pins 88 of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestal driving members 80a, 80b on the other fixed substrate 50. To do.

[Procedure Amendment 19]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0061

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

After being stopped for a predetermined time, the swing arm 40 is returned to the horizontal initial position shown in FIG. At this time, the right end of the swing arm 40 is placed on the swing arm support pin 50a on the other fixed substrate 50, and the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b of the swing arm 40 are inserted into the insertion holes. The engaging pins 88 of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestal driving members 80a and 80b on the other fixed substrate 50 are inserted into the pair 90 to form a pair of wafer holding arms on the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b. 36a, a wafer 100 which outer peripheral edge is held by a wafer groove 38a of the wafer holder 38 in 36b is on end position
Extension end 30 of waiting wafer pick-up / return arm 30
It is placed on a.

[Procedure amendment 20]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0064

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Due to this movement of the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b, the one on the pair of wafer holding arm pedestals 42a and 42b relative to the outer peripheral edge of the wafer 100 shown in FIG.
The holding of the pair of wafer holding arms 36a and 36b by the wafer groove 38a of the wafer holding portion 38 is released , and the extending end 3 described above is released.
Adsorbed on 0a.

[Procedure correction 21]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0065

[Correction method] Delete

[Procedure correction 22]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0066

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the standby state, as shown in FIG. 2A, the elongated engaging projection 11 formed at the left end of the X table 10a 'of the microscope 10 is used for the micro inspection of the wafer. It is engaged with the X table receiver 12b in the right region of the front end portion of the upper surface of the housing 12a and detected by an optical sensor (not shown) of the X table receiver 12b.
It

[Procedure amendment 23]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0067

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The pair of centering members 110a and 110b are
As best shown in (A) and (B) in FIG. 9, a pair of symmetrically disposed about the macro table 32 on the base plate <br/> 112 centering member support pedestal 114a, 114b It is detachably attached to the top.

[Procedure correction 24]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0071

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Each of the pair of centering members 110 a and 110 b has an inner side surface 124 having the same curvature as the outer peripheral edge of the wafer having a larger diameter to be inspected by the wafer inspection apparatus 12, and the pair of centering members 110 a and 110 b are aligned. Member support pedestals 114a, 114b
One fixing holes 126a and two positioning holes 126b on both sides of the large diameter fixing pin 120 of the one upper surface of each the positioning pins 122 of the two increments arranged small diameter on both sides thereof is fitted Are a pair of centering members 110a, 11
It is formed in each of 0b.

[Procedure correction 25]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0074

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

As shown in FIG. 9C, the wafer inspection device 12 further has an inner side surface 124 'having the same curvature as the outer peripheral edge of the wafer having a smaller diameter to be inspected in the wafer inspection device 12. A pair of centering members 110a ',
110b 'is also provided, and the pair of centering members 110 is provided.
a pair of centering member support pedestals 114 as in a and 110b
a pair of centering member support pedestals 114 for detachably and stably attaching to a predetermined position on the upper surface of a, 114b.
One large-diameter fixing pin 1 on the upper surface of each of a and 114b
20 and on both sides one fixing hole and one by one placed a small diameter of the positioning pin 122 is fitted into 126a' and two positioning holes 126b' on both sides thereof are formed, and further one fixing hole 126a' An engaging pin 128 'having a slightly projecting head is also embedded in the inner peripheral surface of the.

[Procedure Amendment 26]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0085

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

As shown in FIG . 9A , the orientation flat detector 140 is installed at a position spaced apart from the center of the macro table 32 in the radial direction by a predetermined distance. Orientation flat detector 1
Reference numeral 40 denotes an optical sensor in this embodiment, which is held between two positions corresponding to the rotation loci of orientation flats of two diameter wafers held on the macro table 32 and rotated as described above. It is selectively movable in the radial direction of the macro table 32.

[Procedure Amendment 27]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0086

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0086] orientation flat detector 140 macro table 3
2 is supported on a guide member 142 extending in the radial direction, and a click receiving member 142b corresponding to the above two positions is provided on the upper surface of a fixed pedestal 142a for the guide member 142.
Is fixed. Note that FIG. 9A shows only the radially inner click receiving member 142b, and the radially outer click receiving member 142b is hidden by the holder 140a of the orientation flat detector 140. Holder 1
A click member 140b that is click-engaged with a click recess of the upper end surface of the click receiving member 142b is fixed to the 40a.

[Procedure correction 28]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0094

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

As shown in FIG . 2A , the outer housing 1 of the wafer inspection apparatus 12 is positioned around the macro table 32 at the lower end position from below the upper end surface of the macro table 32.
A wafer microscope transfer member 150 that is horizontally extended to a position below the left end portion of the X table 10a 'of the microscope 10 that is engaged with the X table receiver 12b in the front right side region of the upper surface of 2a is installed. There is.

[Procedure correction 29]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0098

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

After the micro inspection, the elongated engaging projection 1 formed at the left end of the X table 10a 'of the microscope 10 is inspected.
1 is engaged with the X table receiver 12b in the front end right side region of the upper surface of the exterior housing 12a of the wafer inspection device 12,
It is detected by an optical sensor (not shown) of the X table receiver 12b.

[Procedure amendment 30]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0100

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0100] U Fine extraction / return arm 30 bring scoops the wafer from the macro table 32 by extending end 30a rises from the lower end position to the upper position. The wafer take-out / return arm 30 holds the wafer on the extension end 30a by the negative pressure as described above, and the X-axis direction movement pedestal 22 is located on the left side.
It moves to the front of the elevator 14b , and further horizontally moves toward the empty wafer holder 16b (see FIG. 1) on the left elevator 14b, so that the extension end 30a and the wafer are horizontally moved to the first stage of the empty wafer holder 16b. Insert slightly above the shelf . And the elevator 14b on the left side is the wafer holder 16
After ascending by one step of the plurality of shelves in b and picking up the wafer on the extension end 30a at the first shelf from the bottom, the wafer take-out / return arm 30 is shown by a solid line in FIG. Return to the front end position.

[Procedure correction 31]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0102

[Correction method] Delete

[Procedure correction 32]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Figure 9

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 9]

Front page continued (72) Inventor Hidefumi Ibaraki 4-29-16 Owada-cho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo Olympus Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A wafer transfer means for taking out a desired wafer from a wafer holding body holding a plurality of wafers and returning the taken out wafer to a desired position in the wafer holding body; Wafer mounting means on which a wafer is mounted for macro inspection; and wafer inverting means for holding the peripheral edge of the wafer on the wafer mounting means, turning the wafer over to inspect the back surface of the wafer, and returning it to the original position. A wafer inspection apparatus comprising: and; 2. The wafer flipping means has a plurality of types of wafer holding members for holding the peripheral portions of a plurality of types of wafers having different diameters, and each of the plurality of types of wafer holding members has a predetermined position by a thumb screw. The wafer inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wafer inspection apparatus is removable. 3. The wafer mounting means is capable of rotating on its own axis, and is moved on the wafer mounting means at the same distance from a plurality of positions equidistant from the rotation center of the wafer mounting means toward the rotation center at the same time. A plurality of wafer centering members for pressing the outer peripheral edge of the wafer to center the wafer with respect to the center of rotation, and an orientation flat for detecting an orientation flat of the wafer placed on the wafer placing means and rotating together with the wafer placing means. A plurality of types of wafer centering members for holding the peripheral portions of a plurality of types of wafers having different diameters are prepared, and each type of wafer centering member is placed at a predetermined position by click coupling. The orientation flat detector is detachable, is relatively movable in the radial direction with respect to the rotation center of the wafer mounting means, and has a plurality of different diameters. The wafer inspection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the wafer inspection apparatus selectively stops at a plurality of predetermined positions in the radial direction corresponding to a wafer orientation flat by click coupling. 4. A wafer diameter detecting means for detecting a diameter of a wafer held by the wafer holder from which the wafer is taken out by the wafer carrying means, and a wafer holding member detachably installed at the predetermined position. A wafer holding member type detecting means for detecting a type, and a wafer centering member type detecting means for detecting a type of a wafer centering member detachably installed at the predetermined position, The diameter of the wafer detected by the means, the diameter of the wafer corresponding to the type of the wafer holding member detected by the wafer holding member type detection means, and the type of the wafer centering member detected by the wafer centering member type detection means The wafer inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an alarm is issued when the diameters of the corresponding wafers do not match each other. 5. A wafer microscope transfer means for selectively sending the wafer on the wafer mounting means to a microscope for microinspection and returning the wafer after the microinspection from the microscope to the wafer mounting means. The wafer inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wafer inspection apparatus is a wafer inspection apparatus.