JPH065131B2 - Clean room - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a clean room required in the field of manufacturing super LSIs, ICs, etc. when it is desired to maintain the manufacturing environment in ultra-high cleanliness.

"Prior Art" In general, dust is a major enemy in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, especially in the pre-process of forming circuit elements on a semiconductor wafer, and the cleanliness in the working atmosphere directly leads to the product yield. Therefore, a clean room is used in order to highly clean the working atmosphere of this type of semiconductor device, and for example, the clean room shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is known.

In FIGS. 3 to 5, reference numeral K denotes a clean room, which is entirely separated from the outside by the outer partition wall 1. Then, the passage portion region 2 is provided at the center of the compartment, and the device portion regions 3, 3, so as to be orthogonal to the passage portion region 2.
, And device maintenance areas 4, 4, are partitioned by the back panel 5 and are alternately provided.

At the ceiling of the passage area 2, an automatic transfer device 6 is installed along the area 2 to transfer the semiconductor wafer to each of the device areas 3, 3, ....

A semiconductor manufacturing device 7, 7, ... Corresponding to a part of the semiconductor manufacturing process is installed in each device part region 3, a semiconductor wafer is processed in each device part region 3, and is sequentially transferred to the next device part region 3. As it is transported, its manufacturing process is sequentially advanced. In the vicinity of the entrance from the passage area 2 of the equipment area 3, a stocker 8 for temporarily storing the semiconductor wafers waiting for the process between the equipment areas 3 and an automatic stocker from the stocker 8 Stacker crane 9 for supplying semiconductor wafers to the transfer device 6
Is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in the device part region 3, a multi-function for carrying and carrying out the semiconductor manufacturing work, which moves on a track 10 arranged along the semiconductor manufacturing devices 7, 7 ,. In some cases, an automatic transfer robot 11 is installed.

An air supply duct 12 communicating with a main air conditioner (not shown) is provided on the ceiling of the device unit region 3, and clean air is blown to the device unit region 3 via a ULPA filter or a HEPA filter 13. ing. Further, the UL is also provided above the portion where the semiconductor devices 7, 7, ...
An air supply chamber 15 in which a PA filter or HEPA filter 13 and an exhaust fan 14 communicating with the device maintenance area 4 are attached is installed, and the air sucked from the device maintenance area 4 is cleaned and blown to the device part area 3. There is. With the above configuration, the inside of the device area 3 is maintained at an extremely high degree of cleanliness, and the passage area 2 is maintained at a high degree of cleanliness.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" In the conventional clean room K, since the device part region 3 corresponding to a part of the semiconductor manufacturing process is provided orthogonal to the passage part region 2, each device The transport distance of the semiconductor wafer between the partial regions 3 becomes long,
There is a drawback that it is difficult to rationalize and shorten the manufacturing process. In addition, this clean room K is required to have a structure without pillars inside so that the layout in the clean room K can be freely changed according to the change of the product, and the device part area 3 in the clean room K is required. In consideration of the arrangement method, the length of the building is 100m, and the span between columns in the width direction is 40 to 50m. From a point of view, it becomes a very expensive building. Therefore, it is difficult to secure excellent engineers in the suburbs of the factory because the location conditions are limited to a local city where the land price is easy to obtain and the land price is low, and even if the factory currently in use is demolished. However, there is also a drawback that it is difficult to obtain enough site to build this clean room K.

The present invention has an issue of how to realize a clean room capable of streamlining and shortening the manufacturing process, requiring a small site area, and capable of multi-layering.

"Means for Solving Problems" The present invention has a device part region requiring ultra-high cleanliness and passage parts regions on both sides of the device part requiring high cleanliness. A two-line track provided linearly along the boundary with the passage part region, a branch part provided at a predetermined intermediate position in the extending direction of these tracks and connecting the tracks, the track, and A multifunctional conveying device that travels along a branch portion is provided, and a manufacturing device is arranged along the extending direction of the track on the side of each passage part region of the track, and above the device part region, A clean air supply means for supplying the ultra-cleaned clean air downward is provided, and the clean air that has passed through the device area is provided in the passage area below the floor of the device area and the passage area. Set up a utility area to guide It is characterized in that clean air collecting means for collecting clean air is provided above the passage area.

[Operation] In the present invention, the device part region requiring ultra-high cleanliness is provided in the center, the passage part regions requiring high cleanliness are provided on both sides thereof, and the passage part region is provided in the device part region. Two tracks are provided linearly along the boundary of the track, and the manufacturing equipment is arranged along the extending direction of the track on the passage area side of each of these tracks. Since the traveling transport device is located, it suffices to separate the central device part region and the passage part regions on both sides thereof. In addition, since the branch portion that connects the tracks is provided at a predetermined intermediate position in the extending direction of the track, the inter-track movement of the transfer device can be performed at the intermediate position of the track. Furthermore, the ultra-highly purified clean air discharged from the clean air supply means passes through the device section area where ultra-high cleanliness is required, and then passes through the passage area where high cleanliness is required by the utility area. It will pass and will be collected by the clean air recovery means.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are views showing a clean room which is an embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral K denotes a clean room, which is entirely partitioned from the outside by an outer partition wall 1. Then, in this compartment, the device part regions 3 and 3 extending linearly in the length direction of the clean room K, the passage part region 2 so as to surround the device part regions 3 and 3, and the back panel 5 are provided. It is divided and provided by.

In each device area 3, a multi-function automatic transfer robot 11, 11, which moves on a linear trajectory 10 arranged along the area 3 and carries out and manufactures the semiconductor wafer, ... is installed. 2 in device area 3
Between the track 10 of the book, the branching part 1 for connecting these
6, 16, ... Are provided. .. corresponding to a part of the semiconductor manufacturing process are installed in the device part region 3 along the tracks 10. In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses 7, 7, ..., The semiconductor wafers are sequentially transported from the left end of the apparatus section region 3 in FIG. According to the above, the manufacturing process is also sequentially advanced. In the equipment part region 3, a stocker 8 for temporarily storing semiconductor wafers waiting for the process between the equipment part regions 3 is provided at the left end in FIG. In addition, the air shower 17 used when a person enters the device area 3 for maintenance of the semiconductor manufacturing devices 7, 7 ,.
It is provided so as to communicate with the device section region 3.

The clean room K is provided with a semiconductor wafer horizontal transfer device 18 in which the stockers 8 are linearly connected and both ends thereof reach the outer partition wall 1. At both ends of the horizontal transfer device 18, a vertical transfer device 19 is provided to transfer the semiconductor wafer between the floor in which the clean room K is located and the floors above and below the floor. Further, columns 20, 20, ... Are installed in the passage part region 2 of the part sandwiched between the outer partition wall 1 and the device part regions 3, 3 of the clean room K. A clean room K having the same structure is continuously provided in the clean room K in the vertical direction, and has a multilayer structure as a whole.

Next, a more detailed structure of the clean room K will be described.

In the clean room K, as shown in FIG.
A ceiling plate 23 is provided at a ceiling portion between the floor 1 and the floor slab 22. An air supply duct (clean air supply means) 12 communicating with a main air conditioner (not shown) corresponds to a portion of the ceiling plate 23 corresponding to the upper portion of the device portion region 3, and also corresponds to an upper portion of the passage portion region 2. Exhaust duct (clean air collection means) in part
24 are provided. The ceiling board 23 has an air supply duct 1
An air supply chamber 15 is installed in the lower part of 2. The air supply chamber 15 communicates with the upper air supply duct 12, and also communicates with a lower space portion via a ULPA filter or a HEPA filter 13 provided in the lower portion of the air supply chamber 15. In addition, in the air supply chamber 15,
An exhaust fan 14 with a damper that communicates with the passage area 2 and blows air to the air supply chamber 15 at a connection portion with the ceiling plate 23.
Is installed.

On the other hand, the floor portion of the clean room K is provided with a perforated floor plate 25 above the floor plate 22.
A utility region 26 is formed between the two. The floor plate 25 includes a perforated floor 27 such as grating or punching metal, semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7, ...
The fixed floor 28 made of concrete is connected to the portion corresponding to the floor of the above.

The lower part of the air supply chamber 15 and the floor plate 25 of the clean room K
A back panel 5 for partitioning the device part region 3 and the passage part region 2 is provided between and. Here, when the width of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7 is wide, the lower end of the back panel 5 reaches the upper end of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7. This back panel 5
A back panel exhaust port 29 configured by a gallery with a damper is formed at the lower end of the. Further, a lighting fixture 30 is arranged below the air supply chamber 15.

The device area 3 and the passage area 2 of this clean room K
The air cleaned as described below is blown into the air.
First, the air sent from the main air conditioner (not shown) through the air supply duct 12 is supplied to the air supply chamber 15. The supplied air is ULPA filter or HE.
After passing through the PA filter 13 and cleaned, the device part area 3
It is blown out inside. Some of the blown air flows in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIG. 2, passes through the perforated floor 27 of the equipment area 3 and reaches the utility area 26, from which the air of the passage area 2 is present. After passing through the hole floor 27, the passage area 2
Reach inside. In addition, a part of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7,
After passing through the upper end of ..., It flows in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 2, passes through the back panel exhaust port 29, and reaches the inside of the passage portion region 2. Further, a part of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7, ...
After passing through the upper end of, flow in the direction of arrow C shown in FIG.
It passes through the perforated floor 27 of the device area 3 to reach the utility area 26, and merges with the flow in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. A part of the air is recirculated into the air supply chamber 15 by the exhaust fan 14, and a part of the air is exhausted from the clean room K by the exhaust duct 24. As a result, the inside of the device portion region 3 is kept at an extremely high degree of cleanliness, and the passage portion region 2 is kept at a high degree of cleanliness.

In the clean room K having the above configuration, the semiconductor wafer is first stored in the stocker 8 in the device unit area 3 by the vertical transfer device 19 and the horizontal transfer device 18. At the stage where preparations for acceptance have been completed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses 7, 7, ... In the equipment area 3, the semiconductor wafer is transferred into the equipment area 3 by the automatic transfer robot 11. The semiconductor wafers are sequentially transported from the left end of the device part region 3 along the tracks 10, 10 so as to go around the device part region 3 in FIG. 1, and the manufacturing process proceeds. The semiconductor wafer is stored in the stocker 8 again when it goes around the inside of the apparatus region 3 and reaches the left end thereof. Then, at the stage when the preparation for receiving the semiconductor wafer in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7, ... In another equipment area 3 corresponding to the next process is completed, the semiconductor wafer is transferred by the horizontal transfer device 18 and the vertical transfer device 19. It is conveyed to a predetermined stocker 8.

In this way, the semiconductor is manufactured in the clean room K which is one embodiment of the present invention. Here, in the clean room K, since the semiconductor wafer transfer direction and the manufacturing process advancing direction are formed on the same straight line, the semiconductor wafer transfer distance does not become longer than necessary, and the manufacturing process is rationalized and shortened. Can be planned. Further, since the device portion region 3 is formed to be long in a straight line, it is possible to freely provide the columns 20 in the passage portion region 2 formed in parallel therewith with a higher density than in the conventional case. Become. That is, the structural strength of the building that constitutes the clean room K can be increased, and the span between the columns in the width direction can be shortened. As a result, the standard floor area of the clean room K can be narrowed. In addition, it is possible to make the clean room K multi-layered only by taking ordinary measures against microvibration. Therefore, the site area is small,
Since it is possible to realize a multi-layered clean room, it is possible to locate this clean room K in the suburbs of a large city with a high land price, and thus it becomes easy to secure excellent engineers in the suburbs of the factory. Furthermore, since the multifunctional automatic transfer robot 11 is installed in the device unit area 3, the manufacturing process in the device unit area 3 can be unmanned.
Therefore, it is sufficient to secure an area for the apparatus unit area 3 so that the robot 11 can pass therethrough, and the total amount of dust generated in the apparatus unit area 3 becomes small, so that an ultrahigh cleanliness is maintained The equipment can be smaller than before.

Here, when a person enters the device unit area 3 for maintenance such as failure and maintenance of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7, the air shower 17 provided in the device unit area 3 causes the person to enter the device unit area 3. It is possible to prevent the intrusion of dust.

The clean room according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, the layout of the device unit area 3 in the clean room K is free, and for example, the device unit area 3,
3 may be arranged so that the stockers face each other.
Further, the length of the apparatus unit area 3 in the traveling direction of the automatic transfer robot 11 can be arbitrarily set, and in a word, all the steps may be handled by one apparatus unit area 3.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a device region that requires ultra-high cleanliness is provided in the center, and passage regions that require high cleanliness are provided on both sides thereof. At the same time, two lines of linear tracks are provided along the boundary with the passage part region in the device part region, and the manufacturing apparatus is arranged on each passage part region side of these tracks along the extending direction of the track. That is, since the transporting device that travels on the track is located between the two manufacturing devices, it suffices to separate the central device part region and the passage part regions on both sides thereof. Therefore, the number of divisions can be minimized.

In addition, since the branch portion that connects the tracks is provided at a predetermined intermediate position in the extending direction of the track, the inter-track movement of the transfer device can be performed at the intermediate position of the track.

Furthermore, the ultra-highly purified clean air discharged from the clean air supply means passes through the device area where ultra-high cleanliness is required, and then passes through the passage area where high-cleanliness is required by the utility area. It will pass and will be collected by the clean air recovery means. Therefore, the efficiency of using clean air is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a clean room according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional clean room, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inside thereof. 5
The figure is a perspective view of the inside. K ... Clean room 2 ... Passage area, 3 ... Equipment area, 7 ... Semiconductor manufacturing equipment (manufacturing equipment), 11 ... Automatic transport robot (transport equipment).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device part region that requires ultra-high cleanliness and passage part regions on both sides of the device part that require high cleanliness, and a boundary between the device part region and the passage part region. A two-line track linearly provided along the track, a branch part provided at a predetermined intermediate position in the extending direction of the track and connecting these tracks, and a multifunctional transport that runs the track and the branch part. A manufacturing device is arranged along the extending direction of the track on the side of the passage part region of each of the tracks, and an ultra-highly purified clean air is provided at the upper part of the device part region. And a utility area for guiding the clean air passing through the device section area to the passage section area under the floor of the apparatus section area and the passage section area. Clean sky at the top of Clean room, characterized by comprising providing a clean air recovery means for recovering.