JPH068109Y2 - Wafer transfer belt - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a wafer transfer belt used when a wafer is transferred in an apparatus or transferred to the next step.

Technical background of the invention and its problems In the manufacture of ICs and LSIs, wafers made of silicon or compound semiconductors (for example, Ga-As), which are the raw materials, can be removed from the wafer storage carrier when undergoing various processes. It is transferred to another carrier or from a wafer storage carrier to various processing apparatuses. Wafer transfer is
Generally, a rubber belt, a chain, vacuum tweezers or the like is used, but a rubber belt having a circular cross section is mainly used. As the material of the rubber belt, fluororubber is used in the transfer process centered on the wafer processing process, and urethane rubber or the like is usually used in the wafer inspection process. In addition, depending on the device manufacturer, silicone rubber, NBR, etc. are also used.

However, since the wafer is placed on this rubber belt and transferred, the contact surface (back surface) of the wafer to be contacted.
There is a risk that rubber components and rubber additive components may migrate and adhere to the rubber, dust may be generated due to friction between the rubber belt and the pulley, or dust may be attached due to deterioration of the belt due to plasma, ions, reactive gas, etc. is there. In the case of ICs and LSIs that form fine circuits on a wafer, it is not possible for such invisible submicron-class impurities to be mixed into the wafer processing solution or processing environment.
It also causes I to be made. Moreover, particularly in recent years, dry etching equipment, which has undergone remarkable technological progress, has severe processing conditions in terms of temperature, electrical, chemical, and physical conditions, and there is an urgent need for improvement of the above problems associated with rubber belts. There is.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, and it has heat resistance, chemical resistance, and solvent resistance, as well as tensile strength, elasticity, and appropriate frictional force with the pulley. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a wafer transfer belt that can transfer a wafer satisfactorily without causing scratches, dust, or dust on the wafer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, a wafer transfer belt according to the present invention extends continuously or intermittently linearly on the surface of a belt body made of a rubber material along the longitudinal direction of the belt body. It is characterized in that a fluororesin contact portion protruding outward from the surface of the belt main body and contacting the wafer is arranged by embedding the base end portion inside the belt main body.

According to such a wafer carrier belt of the present invention, the width of the contact portion is made much larger than the width of the belt body by embedding the base end portion of the fluororesin contact portion inside the belt body. The contact area with the wafer can be reduced as much as possible by narrowing it and contacting it with the wafer at this protruding end and holding it. Further, since the fluororesin is relatively soft, the contact portion made of this fluororesin does not damage the wafer.

In particular, since the fluororesin is stable under high temperature or in a corrosive atmosphere and also stable against the energy of plasma, ions, etc., the contact part made of the fluororesin may adversely affect the wafer. Almost never.

Further, since the fluororesin has excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance, and solvent resistance, a conveyor belt having an abutting portion made of this fluororesin also has excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance, and
It will have solvent resistance. In addition, it is more preferable to use a fluororesin that is given an antistatic property by blending a conductive substance with the fluororesin, since dust is not sucked.

Further, the contact portion made of fluororesin occupies a part of the surface of the belt body to reduce the influence of this contact portion on the elastic force of the belt body and effectively utilize the elasticity of the belt body. You can Furthermore, since the belt body is made of a rubber material having excellent wear resistance, the conveyor belt according to the present invention has excellent tensile strength, elasticity, and appropriate frictional force with the pulley. Will be done. The rubber material may be blended with a conductive substance or the like to impart non-charging property to the belt main body and prevent suction of dust.

According to the present invention, instead of the contact part made of fluororesin,
It is also possible to use a contact portion made of synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Synthetic resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene are inferior in multi-level heat resistance as compared with fluororesins, but since other characteristics are similar to fluororesins, similar operational effects can be expected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a wafer transfer belt according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing a usage state of the belt.
3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a wafer transfer belt according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, for example, a wafer transfer belt according to the present invention is formed by continuously forming a belt-shaped belt body 2 made of a rubber material and an outer surface in the longitudinal direction of the belt body 2. 2 and 3, only the contact portion 4 comes into contact with the wafer 6.

The cross-sectional shape of the belt body 2 is circular in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but is not limited to this, and may be rectangular as shown in FIG. 4 or other shape. good. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the belt body 2 is stretched between a pair of pulleys 8 and 8 and is moved in the longitudinal direction by rotating the pulleys 8 and 8.

Examples of the rubber material that is preferably used as the material forming the belt body 2 include fluororubber, urethane rubber, nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) and the like. Urethane rubber and fluororubber are particularly preferable. This is because abrasion resistance has recently been considered to be rich and important. In the future, L
As the SI becomes more highly integrated, the circuit becomes finer. Therefore, it is important to prevent the adhesion of smaller dust and impurities, and it is necessary to prevent the generation of abrasion powder from the belt body as much as possible. In the present invention, the rubber material forming the belt body may be mixed with a conductive substance to prevent the abrasion powder from adhering.

The hardness of the belt body 2 made of such a rubber material is JI
S. A. It is preferably about 60 ° to 90 °. Pulleys 8, 8
This is because it is necessary to be stretched while maintaining appropriate elasticity.

The contact portion 4 is preferably made of a fluororesin, has a rectangular cross section, and is embedded in the outer peripheral surface of the belt body 2 so as to project therefrom. The cross-sectional shape of the contact portion 4 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be a circular shape or another shape. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the contact portion 4 may be intermittently embedded in the outer peripheral surface of the belt body 2 along the longitudinal direction thereof. However, when the contact portions 4 are intermittently formed in this way, it is necessary that the distance be smaller than the diameter of the wafer 6.

The fluororesin forming the contact portion 4 includes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), PFA which is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether, and a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. A certain FEP or E which is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene with a perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether
PE etc. are illustrated.

Since the fluororesin is stable even under high temperature or corrosive atmosphere and is stable against energy such as plasma and ions, the contact portion 4 made of the fluororesin may adversely affect the wafer. Almost never.

Further, since the fluororesin is relatively soft among synthetic resins (D55 to D75), the flexibility of the belt body 2 made of a rubber material is not impaired.

According to the present invention, it is possible to use a synthetic resin contact portion such as polyethylene or polypropylene instead of the fluororesin contact portion 4. This is because a synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene is inferior in heat resistance to a small degree as compared with a fluororesin, but other properties are similar to the fluororesin, so that similar operational effects can be expected.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the wafer transfer belt according to the present invention as described above, in response to the request to reduce the contact area between the wafer and the belt that is an impurity as much as possible, and in combination with the characteristics of the fluororesin, the wafer The contamination of can be prevented as much as possible. Further, since the fluororesin is relatively soft, the contact portion made of this fluororesin does not damage the wafer.

In particular, since the fluororesin is stable under high temperature or in a corrosive atmosphere and also stable against the energy of plasma, ions, etc., the contact part made of the fluororesin may adversely affect the wafer. Almost never.

Further, since the fluororesin has excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance, and solvent resistance, a conveyor belt having an abutting portion made of this fluororesin also has excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance, and
It will have solvent resistance.

Furthermore, taking advantage of the elasticity of the rubber material forming the belt body,
It is possible to facilitate winding around the pulley and realize smooth conveyance.

According to the present invention, instead of the contact part made of fluororesin,
It is also possible to use a contact portion made of synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Synthetic resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene are inferior in multi-level heat resistance as compared with fluororesins, but since other characteristics are similar to fluororesins, similar operational effects can be expected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a wafer transfer belt according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing a usage state of the belt.
3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a wafer transfer belt according to another embodiment of the present invention. 2 ... Belt body, 4 ... Abutting part 6 ... Wafer, 8 pulley

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A surface of a belt main body made of a rubber material,
A fluororesin contact portion that extends continuously or intermittently in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the belt main body and projects outward from the surface of the belt main body to contact the wafer. A wafer transfer belt characterized by being buried in and placed in. 2. A belt main body made of rubber material,
A synthetic resin contact portion that extends continuously or intermittently in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the belt main body and projects outward from the surface of the belt main body to contact the wafer. A wafer transfer belt characterized by being buried in and placed in. 3. The wafer transfer belt according to claim 2, wherein the synthetic resin contact portion is made of polyethylene or polypropylene.