JPH0646647B2 - Semiconductor wafer pitch switching device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention (Industrial field of use) The present invention switches a semiconductor wafer housed in a carrier cassette to a predetermined pitch via a transfer head in a semiconductor device manufacturing process. The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer pitch switching device for transferring to a boat.

(Prior Art) When manufacturing a semiconductor device, a semiconductor wafer housed in a carrier cassette is stored in a carrier cassette for the purpose of testing the state of diffusion change depending on the size of the pitch, which is the distance between semiconductor wafers. A semiconductor wafer pitch switching device is generally used in which the pitch is switched to a predetermined pitch, for example, doubled, and transferred to a boat.

Conventionally, as this pitch switching device, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, comb teeth T for sandwiching a lower portion of a semiconductor wafer W housed in a carrier cassette are arranged in a plurality of upper and lower rows (two rows in the figure), First, the comb teeth T1 are laterally moved above a boat (not shown) while the lower part of the semiconductor wafer is sandwiched by the comb teeth T1 in the upper first row, and the semiconductor wafer is transferred to the boat. At this stage, the comb teeth T1 move the semiconductor wafer T
Since the wafers are sandwiched every other semiconductor wafer is mounted on the boat at a double pitch. Next, the comb teeth T2 are laterally moved above the boat while the lower part of the semiconductor wafer W is sandwiched by the comb teeth T2 in the second row, and the comb teeth T2 are combed to the end of the already mounted semiconductor wafer having a double pitch. The semiconductor wafer sandwiched by the comb teeth T2 is placed on the boat so that the head of the semiconductor wafer sandwiched by the teeth T2 continues. At this stage, the transfer of the semiconductor wafers W stored in the carrier cassette at a pitch of 1 × to the boat at a pitch of 2 × is completed. As described above, a device configured to switch at a predetermined pitch (in this case, at every double pitch) by shifting each in sequence has been generally used.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the above-mentioned conventional pitch switching device has a structurally complicated mechanism such as comb teeth that are arranged in a plurality of upper and lower rows and sequentially hold the lower portion of the semiconductor wafer. Not only is it necessary, but there is a problem that it is difficult to achieve reliability due to this complicated mechanism. Further, there is a problem that the comb teeth need to sandwich the effective surface of the semiconductor wafer.

In view of the above, the present invention reduces the contact with the effective surface of a semiconductor wafer and, moreover, uses a relatively simple mechanism to reliably store the semiconductor wafer in a predetermined pitch such as a full pitch or a double pitch. The purpose is to provide a boat that can be switched to a boat.

[Structure of Invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, a pitch switching device according to the present invention has a plurality of semiconductor wafers arranged in a carrier cassette such that the surfaces face each other at a basic pitch. In a semiconductor wafer pitch switching device for switching to a boat by switching to a predetermined pitch via a transfer head, the transfer head has a pair of opposing gates that can sandwich the lower portion of the semiconductor wafer from the side. At least one guest of the pair of gates is provided with pitch selecting concavities and convexities, in which concave portions and convex portions are repeated in the arrangement direction of the semiconductor wafer, at the end portions where the semiconductor wafer is abutted from the side. The concave portion and the convex portion are formed such that each length in the arrangement direction of the semiconductor wafer is an integral multiple of the basic pitch. The pair of gates move forward or backward in opposite directions so that the distance between the opposite directions becomes smaller or larger than the diameter of the semiconductor wafer, and the semiconductor wafer is laterally clamped or released. It is characterized by performing.

(Operation) With the above-described configuration, in the case of a double pitch, for example, the gates of the transfer heads are moved inward so as to face each other to support all the semiconductor wafers stored in the carrier cassette, and above the boat. In the above, the gates are once retracted outwards facing each other, and first, the semiconductor wafer positioned in the recesses of the pitch selecting concavities and convexities of the gate is placed on the boat,
Next, after the transfer head or the boat is laterally moved, the gate is further retracted, and the semiconductor wafer located on the convex portion of the pitch selecting concavo-convex is placed on the boat to adjust the pitch to 2
Double or move the gate of the transfer head inward to first support and transfer the semiconductor wafer in the carrier cassette located in the convex portion of the selection unevenness of the gate to the boat, and then to the gate. It is possible to double the pitch by further advancing inward to support the semiconductor wafer located in the concave portion of the pitch selecting concavo-convex and transfer it to the boat.

(Example) Hereinafter, a first example will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the carrier cassette 1 containing a plurality of semiconductor wafers W is placed on the upper surface of the carrier stage 2, and the quartz boat 3 containing the semiconductor wafers W whose pitch has been switched is the carrier stage 2 described above. It is mounted on the upper surface of the boat stage 4 which is continuous.

A rail 5 is laid below the carrier stage 2 and the boat stage 4, and a carriage 6 is movably arranged on the rail 5 so that the carriage 6 and the boat stage 4 can be moved. The stage 4 can be reciprocated.

A vertically movable wafer pusher 7 is fixed to the front surface of the dolly 6, and a support plate 8 is vertically movably supported on the rear surface, and the carrier stage 2 and the boat are mounted on the upper end of the support plate 8. The transfer head 9 is connected to the upper side of the stage 4. The wafer pusher 7 includes a plurality of wafers W arranged and stored in the carrier cassette 1.
Is pushed upward and transferred to the transfer head 9.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer head 9 is for temporarily supporting the semiconductor wafer W stored in the carrier cassette 1, switching it to a predetermined pitch, and transferring the semiconductor wafer W to the quartz boat 3. Yes, on the lower surface, facing each other forward (moving in the direction of arrow A, A ') or retracting (arrow B,
A pair of movable gates 10 and 11 (moving in the B'direction)
Is arranged, and the semiconductor wafer W is mounted on and supported by the upper surface of at least one of the gates 10 and 11 by advancing (moving in the directions of arrows A and A ′).

The one gate 10 is formed in a flat plate shape with no unevenness at the end facing the other gate 11 for the entire pitch (1 × pitch), and the other gate 11 is for the 2 × pitch and the one gate 10 is formed. At the end opposite to the
Pitch selection unevenness 12 including 2a and a convex portion 12b is formed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the width T1 of the concave portion 12a and the convex portion 1
The width T2 of 2b is equal to each other, and is also equal to the pitch P of the semiconductor wafer W when stored in the carrier cassette 1 (T1 = T2 = P), whereby the gate 10 and the gate 11 are moved forward. Let semiconductor wafer W
When it is supported, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11,
Every other semiconductor wafer W is positioned at the center of the concave portion 12a or the convex portion 12b of the pitch selecting concave-convex portion 12. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the recess 12a is formed.
And the wafer W1 supported by the gate 10 and the convex portion 12b
And the wafer W2 supported by the gate 10.

Thus, when the semiconductor wafer W of double pitch, that is, one lot of semiconductor wafers W is divided into two parts and transferred at this double pitch, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. The gate 11 is moved in the direction of A in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as “advancement”) so that the semiconductor wafer W
Are classified into a wafer W1 supported by the concave portion 12a and the gate 10 and a wafer W2 supported by the convex portion 12b and the gate 10 and are supported.

The transfer head 9 is moved so as to be located above the quartz boat 3 while supporting the wafers W1 and W2. After that, the gate 11 is moved in the direction of B in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as “retraction”) so that the convex portion 12b comes from the position a to the position b. The semiconductor wafer W1 located in the recess 12a is dropped onto the quartz boat 3 while the wafer pusher 7 is being lowered. The semiconductor wafer W1 is one lot of the semiconductor wafer W.
Therefore, the semiconductor wafers W1 are mounted on the quartz boat 3 at a double pitch.

After this, in order to mount the semiconductor wafer W2 subsequent to the last semiconductor wafer W1 mounted on the quartz boat 3, the transfer head 9 is placed next to the quartz boat 3 as shown in FIG. Translated to position. Next, by further retracting the gate 11 (position c), the semiconductor wafer W2 located on the convex portion 12b of the pitch selecting concavo-convex portion 12 is dropped onto the quartz boat 3 while lowering the wafer pusher 7. As a result, one lot of semiconductor wafers can be transferred to the quartz board 3 at a double pitch.

The gate 10 is advanced to the lower surface of the semiconductor wafer W, and at the same time, the gate 11 is also advanced to the position b.
Of the semiconductor wafer W1 located in the recess 12a of the concavo-convex 12 for bite selection by first retracting (moving in the direction B ') the gate 10 on the quartz boat 3.
And the transfer head 9 is moved in parallel to the next position of the quartz boat 3 shown in FIG.
The semiconductor wafer W2 located on the convex portion 12b of the pitch selecting concavo-convex portion 12 may be dropped by retreating to the above.

Contrary to the above, first, the gate 11 is first moved forward (position b) so that the convex portion 1 of the pitch selecting concave-convex 12 is formed.
The semiconductor wafer W2 located at 2b is connected to the gate 11 and the frame 1.
3 and support it and transfer it to the boat 3, and after this transfer,
Further, the gate 11 may be further advanced (position a), and the semiconductor wafer W1 located in the concave portion 12a of the pitch selecting concave-convex portion 12 may be supported by the gate 11 and the frame body 13 and transferred to the boat 3. .

When the semiconductor wafers W are transferred at all pitches, the gate 10 is advanced to move the semiconductor wafer W to the gate 10.
The gate 10 is supported above the quartz boat 3, and the gate 10 is retracted above the quartz boat 3 to do this.

The gate 10 serves as an auxiliary gate, and at the same time when the gate 10 is moved forward, the gate 11 is also moved forward to the position a so that the semiconductor wafer W is supported by the gate 10 and the gate 11, and the gate 10 is moved backward, Alternatively, this may be performed by retreating to the position c at once.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, the carriage 6 is moved to a position corresponding to the carrier cassette 1 on the carrier sledge 3 side, and then the transfer head 9 is slightly lowered.

In addition, the reason why the transfer head 9 is lowered in this manner is to avoid interference with other members when the carriage 6 travels.

Next, by operating the wafer pusher 7 and raising it, the lower surface of the semiconductor wafer W housed in the carrier cassette 1 is supported and raised by this upper surface, and the semiconductor wafer W is moved inside the transfer head 9. Located in.

In this state, when transferring at double pitch, gate 1
0 and the gate 11 are moved forward to support the semiconductor wafer W by the gate 10 and the gate 11, and then the wafer pusher 7 is reversely operated to lower it.

Thereafter, the carriage 6 is moved to a predetermined storage position of the quartz boat 3 on the boat stage 2 side, the transfer head 9 is lowered, and then the wafer pusher 7 is raised so that the upper surface of the wafer pusher 7 contacts the lower end of the semiconductor wafer W. Contact. At this stage, as described above with reference to the eleventh aspect, the semiconductor wafer W is classified into the wafer W1 supported by the concave portion 12a and the gate 10 and the wafer W2 supported by the convex portion 12b and the gate 10. ing.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG.
By retreating a little, the unevenness for pitch selection 12
Every other semiconductor wafer W1 located in the concave portion 12a is supported by the wafer pusher 7 and the wafer pusher 7 is lowered.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the carriage 6 is further laterally moved by the width of the transfer head 9, the wafer pusher 7 is raised in this state, and then the gate 11 is further retracted. The semiconductor wafer W2 located on the convex portion 12b of the pitch selecting concavo-convex portion 12 is supported by the wafer pusher 7 and the wafer pusher 7 is lowered.

As described above, the gates 10 and 11 are simultaneously advanced to support the semiconductor wafer W, and first the gate 10 is retracted so that every other semiconductor chip W is supported by the wafer pusher 7 and placed on the quartz boat 3. Other semiconductor chips W are stored by storing and then retracting the gate 11.
May be supported by the wafer pusher 7 and stored in the quartz boat 3.

In the case of all pitches, as shown in FIG. 7, one gate 10 is moved forward so that the entire semiconductor wafer W is supported by the gate 10 and the frame 13, and then the wafer pusher 7 is operated in reverse. Let it descend.

Thereafter, the carriage 6 is moved to a predetermined storage position of the quartz boat 3 on the boat stage 2 side, the transfer head 9 is lowered, and then the wafer pusher 7 is raised so that the upper surface of the wafer pusher 7 contacts the lower end of the semiconductor wafer W. Contact. Then, the semiconductor wafer W is supported by the wafer pusher 7 by moving the gate 10 backward, and then the wafer pusher 7 is lowered to mount all the semiconductor wafers W on the quartz boat 3 at a time. .

As described above, the gates 10 and 11 may be simultaneously advanced to support the semiconductor wafer W, the gate 10 may be retracted, and then the gate 11 may be retracted to the rearmost position to perform this.

FIG. 9 shows a pair of gates 10 ', 1 in the case of triple pitch.
1 ', a continuous concave portion 12'a and a continuous convex portion 12'b are formed on the end surfaces of the gates 10', 11 'facing each other.
Pitch selecting concavo-convex portion 12 'and continuous concave portion 1
Pitch selecting concavo-convex 1 consisting of 2 "a and convex portion 12" b
2 ″ are formed respectively.

The width T3 of the concave portion 12'a of the pitch selecting concave-convex portion 12 '
Is the recess 12 of the pitch selection unevenness 12 ″, which is twice the width T4 of the projection 12′b set equal to the pitch P of the semiconductor wafer W when stored in the carrier 1 (T3 = 2T4 = 2P). The width T5 of the ″ a is equal to the pitch P of the semiconductor wafer W when stored in the carrier cassette 1, and the width T6 of the convex portion 12 ″ b is set to twice this (T5 = P = 2T6). ing.

As a result, when both the gates 11 'and 12' are advanced to support the semiconductor wafer W, as shown in FIG.
Every other two semiconductor wafers W have pitch selection irregularities 1
Between the 2 ', 12 "recesses 12'a, 12" a, the recess 1
2'a and the convex portion 12 "b, and the convex portions 12'b, 1
The gates 11 'and 12' are located respectively between the 2 "b and
Of the semiconductor wafer W located between the recesses 12'a and 12 "a when first retracted, and the semiconductor wafer W located between the recesses 12'a and 12" b of the next recessed.
However, the semiconductor wafer W located between the convex portions 12'b and 12 "b is configured to drop after the final retreat. Thus, in the same manner as described above, the semiconductor wafer W having the triple pitch is formed. The pitch is switched.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to reduce the contact with the semiconductor wafer and to reliably switch the pitch such as the full pitch or the double pitch with a relatively simple mechanism.

In addition, in terms of maintenance, it is possible to easily remove the device, which is convenient for cleaning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing an essential part, FIG. 2 is an overall front view, FIG. 3 is a left side view thereof, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are right side views and left side showing the essential part. A plan view, FIG. 6 (a) is a perspective view showing a main part at a double pitch, FIG. 6 (b) is a front view showing the same, and FIG. 7 (a) is a perspective view showing a main part at all pitches. Figure,
The same figure (b) is also a plan view, FIG. 8 is a front view showing a switching state of double pitch, and FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 8 and FIG. 10 showing a gate for use in triple pitch. [FIG. 6] is a front view showing a main part of a conventional example. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing W1 and W2 supported by the gate 10 and the gate 11 when the double pitch transfer is performed. 1 ... Carrier cassette, 2 ... Carrier stage, 3
...... Quartz boat, 4 ... Boat stage, 6 ... Bogie,
7 ... Wafer pusher, 9 ... Transfer head, 10, 1
0 ', 11, 11' ... gate, 12, 12 ', 12 "
... Pitch selection unevenness, 12a, 12'a, 12 "a ...
... the same concave portion, 12b, 12'b, 12 "b ... the same convex portion, 1
3 ... frame.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pitch of semiconductor wafers in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers arranged in a carrier cassette so as to face each other at a basic pitch are switched to a predetermined pitch by a transfer head and transferred to a boat. In the switching device, the transfer head has a pair of gates facing each other capable of sandwiching a lower portion of the semiconductor wafer from the side, and the semiconductor wafer of at least one gate of the pair of gates is abutted from the side. In the contacted end portion, concave and convex portions are formed with pitch selecting concavities and convexities which are repeated in the arrangement direction of the semiconductor wafer, and the concave and convex portions are arranged in the arrangement direction of the semiconductor wafer. Each length is formed to be an integral multiple of the basic pitch, and the pair of gates have a distance in a direction opposite to each other compared to a diameter of the semiconductor wafer. A semiconductor wafer pitch switching device characterized in that the semiconductor wafer is clamped or released from the side by advancing or retracting in opposite directions so as to become smaller or larger.