JPH0729957A - Substrate transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent misregistration of a substrate by holding the substrate to be transferred only when required and to release holding when the substrate is delivered to other mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A substrate holding mechanism for holding a substrate W on hands (substrate mounting means) 150a, 150b is provided. The substrate holding mechanism is comprised of an X-direction catching mechanism 170a for catching and holding the substrate W from the X-direction and a Y-direction catching mechanism 170b for catching and holding it from a Y-direction. When the substrate W is transferred to X-direction, it is held by the X-direction catching mechanism 170a, and when it is transferred to the Y-direction, it is held by the Y-direction catching mechanism 170b. Meanwhile, in positions (first and second positions) wherein the substrate W is delivered, substrate holding is released to enable delivery of the substrate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or a liquid crystal substrate manufacturing apparatus in which a plurality of substrates such as semiconductor wafers and liquid crystal glass rectangular substrates (hereinafter simply referred to as "substrates") are used. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device that transfers between unit processing units.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known in the prior art, in the manufacturing process of precision electronic substrates such as liquid crystal display substrates and semiconductor wafers, a plurality of unit processing units such as a cleaning processing unit and a heat treatment unit are arranged in a fixed manner. A substrate transfer device such as a transfer robot transfers a substrate between the processing units in a predetermined transfer order, and moves the substrate into and out of the processing units to perform a series of processes.

As a substrate transfer device for transferring a substrate, there is, for example, one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-29438, which holds the substrate in order to transfer the substrate (which corresponds to a semiconductor wafer in this publication). There is disclosed a substrate transfer device in which a tweezers main body is provided with a substrate alignment device. In this device, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, three fulcrums 23 to 2 are provided on one side surface of the tweezer body 21.
4 are arranged in a triangular shape so that the substrate W can be supported at three points. Further, an arc-shaped guide member 25 corresponding to the peripheral edge of the substrate W is provided, and a stopper member 26 is provided on the opposite side of the guide member 25.
5, 26 constitute an alignment device.

Therefore, according to this apparatus, first the substrate W
Is placed on the fulcrums 22, 23, 24 on the tweezers body 21, and when the tweezers body 21 is translated in that state, the substrate W is brought into contact with the stopper member 26, and the stopper member 26 and the arc shape are formed. The substrate W is sandwiched by the guide member 25 of FIG. In this way, the substrate W can be positioned on the tweezer body 21.

[0005]

By the way, while the substrate W is being transferred, for example, while the substrate W is being transferred from one processing section (first position) to another processing section (second position), the substrate W is tweezers. A position shift may occur on the main body 21. Of course, in the above-mentioned conventional example as well, a suction port is provided at the fulcrum 24 and the back surface of the substrate W is vacuum-sucked, but it is difficult to completely prevent the positional deviation during transportation by only vacuum suction. Especially in today's high-speed transportation, a more complete mechanism for preventing misalignment is required.

Therefore, it is conceivable that the substrate W is sandwiched between the stopper member 26 and the guide member 25 in the substrate transfer apparatus having the above-described structure. That is, the substrate W
By transporting the substrate W while the substrate W is being held by the stopper member 26 and the guide member 25 (positioning state), it is possible to effectively prevent the positional deviation of the substrate W during substrate transport.

However, even after the transfer of the substrate from the first position to the second position is completed, the substrate W is still sandwiched between the stopper member 26 and the guide member 25, so that There is a problem. That is, when the substrate transfer is completed and the substrate W is stopped at the second position, the substrate W is still held, and in order to transfer the substrate W to the next processing unit at this position, the sandwiching ( Retention)
However, in the conventional example, this point is not taken into consideration at all.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and holds a substrate that is conveyed only when necessary to prevent displacement of the substrate, while holding it when a substrate is transferred to another mechanism. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transfer device that can release the above.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate transfer apparatus which transfers a substrate between a first position and a second position on a straight line, and achieves the above object. A moving mechanism that is movable along a carrying path for carrying the substrate; a substrate placing means that is connected to the moving mechanism and places the substrate on an upper surface of the moving mechanism; Substrate holding means capable of holding a substrate, driving means for driving the moving mechanism to move the substrate placing means along the transport path, and a substrate placed on the substrate placing means are the first While holding the substrate as it moves between the first and second positions, the substrate placed on the substrate placing means releases the substrate holding at the first and second positions. , The substrate holding means is interlocked with the movement operation of the substrate placing means. Gosuru and a substrate holding control means.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the substrate holding means is configured so as to hold the substrate in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the substrate and hold the substrate on the substrate placing means. .

[0011]

In the present invention, the substrate holding means capable of holding the substrate on the substrate placing means is provided, and the substrate holding control means controls the substrate holding means in conjunction with the movement operation of the substrate placing means. , While holding the substrate as the substrate mounting means moves between the first and second positions,
The substrate holding is released at the first and second positions.

[0012]

【Example】

 A. Structure of substrate processing apparatus having substrate transfer device

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus in which an embodiment of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention is incorporated, and FIG. 2 is a plan layout view of FIG. 1 seen from above. . The substrate processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for performing a series of processing on a substrate.

In FIG. 1 and the following figures, the horizontal plane parallel to the floor is the XY plane, and the vertical direction is Z.
A three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system X-Y-Z is defined as a direction. Further, when the (+ X) direction and the (−X) direction are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as “X direction” (the same applies to Y and Z). Further, the Z direction in this embodiment corresponds to the "vertical direction" in the present invention, and the X direction corresponds to the "horizontal first direction". The Y direction corresponds to the “horizontal second direction”.

In FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 is provided with a processing unit section A1 for performing a series of processing on a substrate, and a substrate transfer apparatus 100 according to the embodiment is provided in a transfer section A2. The substrate is configured to be transported in the X direction along.

The processing unit section A1 is divided into upper and lower stages and arranged in parallel, and the lower stage C1 is provided with an ultraviolet irradiation unit 30 including an ultraviolet irradiation unit UV and a cleaning process including two spin scrubbers SS1 and SS2. While the parts 40 are arranged in the X direction, the heat treatment parts 50,
The one adhesion strengthening unit AP1, the cooling processing parts 60 and 80, and the other adhesion strengthening unit AP2 that constitute the adhesion strengthening processing unit 70 are arranged in the X direction. In the heat treatment unit 50, two hot plates HP1 and HP2 are used.
Are stacked. Also, two cool plates C
P1 and CP2 are stacked and the upper cool plate C
P1 functions as the first cooling processing unit 60, while the lower cool plate CP2 functions as the second cooling processing unit 80.

A substrate loading / unloading processing unit 90 for loading and unloading the substrate is provided at a side end portion (left hand side in FIG. 2) of the transportation unit A2, and has a configuration described in detail below. According to 100, the substrate is processed by each processing unit 30, 40, 5
It is sequentially transported to 0, 60, 70, 80 and is subjected to a series of processing.

B. Structure and operation of substrate transfer device

Next, the structure and operation of the substrate transfer apparatus 100 will be described. The substrate transfer apparatus 100 includes two moving mechanisms 101 and 102, hands 150a and 150b for placing a substrate W on the upper surfaces thereof, and hands 150a and 1
Substrate holding mechanism 170 for holding the substrate W on 50b
It has and. Hereinafter, after describing these configurations, the operation of the apparatus 100 will be described.

B-1. Moving mechanism and hand

FIG. 3 is a side view of the structure seen from the position I-I in FIG. 1 in the (-X) direction. As shown in the figure, a frame 200 extending in the X direction is provided on the front surface side of the processing unit portion A1, that is, on the (−Y) side. Two parallel guide rails (conveyance paths) 201 and 202 extending in the X direction are fixed to the frame 200 at intervals in the Z direction. A moving mechanism 101 is attached to the upper guide rail 201, and the moving mechanism 101 can be translated in the X direction while being guided by the guide rail 201 (in FIG. 1, the moving mechanism 101 and the frame 200 are connected to each other. The relationship is not shown). A moving mechanism 102 is attached to the lower guide rail 202, and the moving mechanism 102 can be translated in the X direction while being guided by the guide rail 202. In this substrate transfer apparatus 100, the two moving mechanisms 101, 10
Although the two are provided, the basic configurations thereof are the same, and hence the moving mechanism 101 will be mainly described below.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the moving mechanism. As shown in the figure, the first moving mechanism 101 is attached to the upper guide rail 201 of the guide rails 201 and 202 fixed to the frame 200. The moving mechanism 101 has an X moving mechanism 110 for translating the entire moving mechanism 101 in the horizontal X direction, and a horizontal arm mechanism 140 (see FIG. 5) for moving in the horizontal Y direction.

A vertical arm mechanism 120a that bends and extends in the vertical Z direction is connected to the X moving mechanism 110, and the housing 131 is supported by the vertical arm mechanism 120a. The housing 131 is a hollow box (see FIG. 5) that is open at both ends in the Y direction, and has a set of horizontal arm mechanisms 1 that can bend and extend in the horizontal Y direction inside.
40 are accommodated. Then, hands 150a and 150b are connected to the tip thereof in upper and lower two stages as a substrate mounting means.

Further, the X moving mechanism 110 includes the guide rail 2
01 is arranged so as to sandwich 01 from above and below,
It has 112. The drive wheel 113 is connected to the motor 114 supported by the support member 115. By rotating the drive wheel 113 by the motor 114, the X moving mechanism 110 (and hence the moving mechanism 10) is driven.
(1 whole) is translated in the X direction while being guided by the guide rail 201.

A motor 116 is fixed below the support member 115. The vertical arm mechanism 120a is provided with two arms 121a and 122a having substantially the same length, and an end portion of the first arm 121a among them is connected to the motor 116. In addition, the end portion 13 of the second arm 122a
2a is connected to the housing 131.

The vertical arm mechanism 120a is a so-called SCARA robot mechanism. Therefore, when the motor 116 rotates, the arms 121a and 122b rotate as indicated by arrows θ1 and θ2, respectively, and the housing 1
31 translates in the Z direction while maintaining its posture (arrow E1). By switching the rotation direction of the motor 116, the direction of translation of the housing 131 in the Z direction is reversed from the (+ Z) direction to the (-Z) direction or from the (-Z) direction to the (+ Z) direction.

Although not shown, another vertical arm mechanism having the same structure as the vertical arm mechanism 120a is provided on the opposite side of the housing 131 and is vertically connected by a connecting member (not shown) extending in the horizontal X direction. Arm mechanism 12
It is connected to 0a. Therefore, the driving force of the motor 116 is also transmitted to the vertical arm mechanism on the opposite side via the connecting member, and the housing 131 is displaced in the Z direction without changing its posture while being supported at both ends.

Although the moving mechanism 102 is also shown in FIG. 4, the structure of the moving mechanism 102 is almost the same. The X movement mechanism and the vertical arm mechanism are vertically symmetrical in the first and second movement mechanisms 101 and 102, but the housings 131 and 132 and the internal configuration (described later) are the same in both directions. Is.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the moving mechanism 101. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the horizontal arm mechanism 140 inside the housing 131. As shown in both figures, a pair of horizontal arm mechanisms 140 is provided in the housing 131. The horizontal arm mechanism 140 includes two arms 141 and 142 of substantially equal length, and the first arm 141 is connected to the motor 133a (see FIG. 4) at the connecting position 143. In addition, the second arm 142
Is connected to the hands 150a and 150b via the hand interval drive unit 160.

The horizontal arm mechanism 140 is also constructed as a SCARA robot mechanism. When the motor 133a is rotated, the arms 141 and 142 pivot in the directions of arrows α1 and α2, respectively, and the hands 150a and 150b maintain their postures. While translating, it translates in the Y direction (arrow E2).

Therefore, when the hands 150a and 150b are translated in the (+ Y) direction by driving the motor 133a, the hands 150a and 150b are moved to the housing 131.
It is exposed to the outside and reaches the inside of the unit processing unit. Also,
When translated in the (-Y) direction, the hands 150a and 150b are housed in the housing 131.

B-2. Substrate holding mechanism

The substrate holding mechanism 170 moves the substrate W from the X direction.
An X-direction gripping mechanism 170a that grips and holds the substrate W and a Y-direction gripping mechanism 170b that grips and holds the substrate W from the Y direction.
Consists of.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the X-direction gripping mechanism 170a has bars 171 and 172 extending in the Y-direction, and these bars 171 and 172 are wider than the width of the substrate W in the X-direction. It is fixed in the housing 131 with a wide interval. While two pins 173 and 174 for gripping in the X direction are attached to the tip of the bar 171,
A pin 175 is attached to the tip of the bar 172 so as to face the pins 173 and 174. Also, both bars 17
Leaf springs 176 and 176 are attached to approximately the central portions of 1 and 172, respectively, and are fixed to the housing 131.
On the other hand, the dog 1
61 and 162 extend in the X direction, and as shown in FIG. 6, when the horizontal arm mechanism 140 is housed in the housing 131, the bars 61 and 172 are engaged with the rear ends of the bars 171 and 172. . Therefore, in the housed state, as shown in FIG. 7, the rear ends of the bars 171 and 172 are pushed against the spring force of the leaf springs 176 and 176 by the above engagement, and as a result, the side surface of the substrate W is moved. The pins 173-175 are gripped and held. On the contrary, when the substrate W is moved in the (+ Y) direction, the hand interval drive unit 160 also moves in the same direction as shown in FIG.
62 is separated from the rear ends of the bars 171 and 172, the bars 171 and 172 return to the original state against the spring force of the leaf springs 176 and 176, and the holding of the substrate W by the pins 173 to 175 is released. .

The Y-direction gripping mechanism 170b has a crank-shaped crank bar 181 extending from the hand interval drive unit 160. As shown in FIG. 9, the tip of the crank bar 181 extends in the (+ Y) direction,
A Y-direction gripping pin 182 for gripping the substrate W in the Y-direction is attached to the front end, while a pin 183 erected in the (+ Z) direction from the front end of the second arm 142 at the rear end.
A bar 184 engageable with is attached. Further, a substantially central portion of the crank arm 181 is connected to the hand interval drive unit 160 by a leaf spring 185. Therefore, the horizontal arm mechanism 140 is attached to the housing 13
As shown in FIG. 10, there is no engagement between the pin 183 and the bar 184 while the substrate W is moved in the (+ Y) direction by the horizontal arm mechanism 140 from the state of being housed in the unit 1,
The pin 182 moves in the (+ Y) direction against the spring force of the leaf spring 185, and holds the substrate W by sandwiching it with the blocks 186 and 186 fixed to the tips of the hands 150a and 150b. On the other hand, when the horizontal arm mechanism 140 extends in the (+ Y) direction and the substrate W can be transferred to and from each unit processing unit, as shown in FIG.
Pushing the bar 183 against the spring force of 5, resulting in
The pin 182 separates from the substrate W and the holding is released.

B-3. motion

When the substrate W is transferred from one unit processing section (first position) to another processing section (second position), the holding and releasing of the holding of the substrate W are performed as follows. That is,
At the first position, the horizontal arm mechanism 140 extends in the (+ Y) direction, the substrate holding state is released, and the substrate W can be smoothly transferred. And
In order to transfer to the second position, first the horizontal arm mechanism 14
0 is moved in the (−Y) direction and accommodated in the housing 131. At this time, the substrate W is held by the Y-direction gripping mechanism 170b during the movement in the Y direction, and the substrate W is conveyed in the Y direction in this state, and when the substrate W is accommodated in the housing 131, the substrate W is in the X direction. It is held by the direction gripping mechanism 170a. After that, the substrate W is transported in the X direction and further transported by the horizontal arm mechanism 140 toward the (+ Y) direction, that is, toward the second position. In this case, it is held by the X-direction gripping mechanism 170a during X-direction transport and by the Y-direction gripping mechanism 170b during Y-direction transport. Then, when the substrate W is transported to the second position, the substrate holding by the Y-direction gripping mechanism 170b is released as described above, and the substrate W smoothly moves to and from the unit processing unit.
Can be handed over.

C. Effect of Example

As described above, according to this embodiment, the substrate W is always held by the substrate holding mechanism 170 when the substrate W is transferred, and the substrate W is prevented from being displaced, while the substrate W is transferred to the position ( At the first and second positions), the substrate holding is released and the substrate can be transferred.

Further, when the substrate W is moved in the X direction, the positional displacement of the substrate W in the X direction becomes a problem, but in the above embodiment, the X direction gripping mechanism 170a is used when moving in the X direction. Since it is designed to be gripped in the X direction,
The position shift can be effectively prevented. The same applies to the Y direction. That is, when moving in the Y direction, the Y direction gripping mechanism 170b grips in the Y direction, so that the positional displacement due to the movement of the substrate in the Y direction can be more effectively prevented.

In the above embodiment, the bars 171 and 17 are
Although the operation of the X-direction gripping mechanism 170a is controlled by engaging the dog 2 and the dog 161, 12 respectively, the repulsive force of the magnet may be used. Ie bar 17
While the magnets are attached to the rear ends of the dogs 1 and 172, and the magnets are also attached to the tips of the dogs 161, 162, and when the two come close to each other, a repulsive force is generated between the magnets attached to them, which is against the spring force of the leaf spring 176. Bar 17
1, 172 may be moved to hold the substrate W. In this case, there is no contact between the members, and the generation of particles can be completely prevented. The Y-direction gripping mechanism 170b is also the same as the X-direction gripping mechanism 170b.
As in the case of b, the use of a magnet can prevent the generation of particles.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, the substrate holding means capable of holding the substrate on the substrate placing means is provided, and the substrate holding control means interlocks with the movement operation of the substrate placing means. The substrate holding means is controlled to hold the substrate as the substrate placing means is moved between the first and second positions, while holding the substrate at the first and second positions. The release is performed so that the substrate to be transferred is held only when necessary to prevent the displacement of the substrate, and the holding can be released when the substrate is transferred to another mechanism.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus in which a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention is incorporated.

FIG. 2 is a plan layout view of FIG. 1 seen from above.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the structure seen from the position I-I in FIG. 1 in the (−X) direction.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the moving mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of a moving mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a horizontal arm mechanism inside a housing.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the X-direction gripping mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the X-direction gripping mechanism.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a Y-direction gripping mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the Y-direction gripping mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the operation of the Y-direction gripping mechanism.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a conventional substrate transfer device.

13 is a plan view of the device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101, 102 moving mechanism 150a, 150b hand (substrate mounting means) 170 substrate holding mechanism 170a X-direction gripping mechanism 170b Y-direction gripping mechanism

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A substrate transfer device for transferring a substrate between a first position and a second position on a straight line, a moving mechanism that is movable along a transfer path for transferring the substrate, Substrate placing means connected to a moving mechanism and placing the substrate on the upper surface thereof, substrate holding means capable of holding the substrate on the substrate placing means, and the moving mechanism to drive the substrate. Driving means for moving the mounting means along the transport path, and holding the substrate as the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting means moves between the first and second positions. On the other hand, the substrate holding means is controlled in association with the movement operation of the substrate placing means so that the substrate placed on the substrate placing means releases the substrate holding at the first and second positions. Substrate holding control means Feeding apparatus. 2. The substrate holding means is configured to restrain the substrate in a direction parallel to a moving direction of the substrate and hold the substrate on the substrate placing means. Item 2. The substrate transfer apparatus according to Item 1.