JPH0735209B2 - Conveying method and conveying device for work in clean room etc. - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method and a carrying device for carrying a workpiece without contamination in a clean room or the like used in the field of VLSI manufacturing.

"Prior Art" In a clean room of this type, an apparatus shown in Figs. 6 to 10 is known as an apparatus for transferring a wafer from a wafer storage section such as a stocker to a processing apparatus.

In the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 6, a transfer duct 1 from a wafer storage section to a processing apparatus is installed in a clean room, and a magnetic levitation type or air levitation type transfer vehicle 2 is installed inside the transfer duct 1. The apparatus is configured by being installed, and a wafer cassette 3 containing wafers is installed on the transfer carriage 2, and the transfer carriage 2 is moved to transfer the wafer to a processing apparatus.

The conventional device shown in FIG.
A support rail 6 extending from the wafer storage unit to the processing apparatus is attached, a drive unit 7 traveling along the support rail 6 is provided, a support lift 8 is attached to the drive unit 7, and a support base is provided below the support lift 8. It is configured by providing 9.
This is a device in which the wafer cassette 10 is installed on the support base 9 and the drive unit 7 is operated to transfer the wafer cassette 10.

The conventional device shown in FIG. 8 is equipped with traveling wheels 12 and a handling arm 13 in the main body portion 11, and travels by itself while detecting a guiding body such as a tape attached to the floor of a clean room with a detection device provided in the main body portion 11. The robot is a robot that installs the wafer cassette 14 on the main body 11 and moves the main body 11 in a clean room to transfer the wafer cassette 14.

The conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 9 includes a main body 17 that runs along a guide rail 16 laid on a floor 15 of a clean room from a wafer storage unit to a processing apparatus, and a hand arm 18 provided on the main body 17. And a configuration in which a hand arm 18 holds a wafer cassette 19 to transfer the wafer cassette to a processing apparatus 20.

The conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 10 is configured by connecting processing apparatuses 21, 22, 23, 24 installed in the order of processing steps by a transfer line 25, and the wafer is processed by the transfer line 25.
It is a device that sequentially conveys to 21,22,23,24.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" In the conventional transfer apparatus shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, the transfer duct is changed each time the processing apparatus is changed or the manufacturing process is changed. However, it is necessary to correct the mounting position of No. 1, the support rail 6 or the guide rail 16, and there is a problem in that the degree of freedom in changing the traveling path for wafer transfer is insufficient. Furthermore, in the conventional device shown in FIG. 10, it was substantially difficult to change the traveling path. Further, in the conventional apparatus shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 10, the wafer cassette is taken out from the wafer storage portion and the wafer cassette is installed on the carrier 2, the support 9, or the carrier line 25.
There is a problem that a robot for gripping movement for taking out the wafer cassette from the transfer carriage 2, the support base 9 or the transfer line 25 and moving the wafer cassette to the loading position of the processing apparatus is separately prepared, which causes an increase in equipment cost. Was there.

By the way, in the conventional device shown in FIG. 8, the guide body for the traveling guide of the main body 11 is simplified as compared with the other conventional devices, so that it is possible to easily respond to the change of the manufacturing line by re-installing the guide member. The travel route can be set freely, it is easy to respond to changes in processing equipment and manufacturing processes, and since the main body 11 is equipped with the handling arm 13, no separate robot for holding and moving the wafer cassette is required, and equipment costs are high. It has cheap advantages. However, since the main body portion 11 freely moves in various places in the clean room, the main body portion 11 also moves in a dusty place such as a passage portion having low cleanliness. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a method and a transporting device that reliably perform a dust removing effect only in a required space around a workpiece in a clean room or the like and transport the workpiece without contaminating the workpiece. The purpose is to

“Means for Solving Problems” In order to solve the above problems, the method of the present invention includes a dust removal filter in a protective case when a workpiece such as a wafer is transferred by a transfer device in a clean room or the like. Using a dust remover equipped with inlets and outlets for the work piece in the front lower part and rear part lower part of the protective case, the work piece inserted in the inner bottom part of the protective case is passed through the dust removing filter from the inner upper side of the protective case. While blowing clean air toward the lower rear side of the protective case, the side or rear side of the protective case is conveyed toward the front side in the conveying direction.

The device of the present invention comprises a support base for supporting a workpiece such as a wafer, and a main body for detecting and moving the position of a guide body such as a guide tape formed on a floor. In a transfer device for supporting and moving in a clean room or the like, the support base has a gripping arm that moves along the support base, a gripping hand provided at a tip of the gripping arm, and a dust removing device that stores the workpiece. The dust removing device is provided with a dust-removing filter having a dust removal filter provided at the front lower portion and the rear lower portion, respectively, and the dust removal is performed on the workpiece inserted into the inner bottom portion of the protection case. A blower for blowing clean air from the upper inside of the protective case toward the lower rear of the protective case through a filter is provided, and the main body runs with the side or rear of the protective case in the transport direction. It has a function to be.

"Operation" By transporting the wafer while blowing clean air that has passed through the dust removal filter, contamination of the wafer supported by the transport device that moves in a place with a low degree of cleanliness and a lot of dust is prevented.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a state in which a transfer device T according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in a clean room K.

The transport device T includes a traveling wheel 30, a drive device, and a battery, and a main body portion 31 that can travel by itself, and a plate-shaped support stand 33 that is horizontally attached to a column 32 that is erected on the upper portion of the main body portion 31. A gripping arm 34 that moves horizontally along the upper surface of the support base 33, and a dust removing device 36 provided on the upper surface of the tip of the support base 33.
It is mainly composed of.

The main body 31 of the transfer device T is provided with a sensor for detecting a light reflection guide tape (guide) such as an aluminum tape attached to the floor below the main body 31, and the light reflection detected by this sensor is provided. The drive device is adapted to drive the main body portion 31 along the guide tape.

The dust removing device 36, as shown in FIG.
In addition, the dust removal filter 45 and the blower are provided. The protective case 39 includes a ceiling plate 40, both side plates 42, and both side plates.
It is a bottom-opening box-shaped one consisting of an upper front plate 43 and an upper rear plate 44 which are continuous with the upper part of 42, and the lower opening of the upper front plate 43 and the lower opening of the upper rear plate 44 are at the entrance R. Has become. In addition, the protective case 39 uses the upper front plate 43 to support the support 33.
Is provided at the tip of the support base 33 toward the front side of the tip of the
A wafer case H containing a large number of wafers (workpieces) U is installed on the upper surface of the support table 33 below the protective case 39. Inside the protective case 39, there is housed a blower (not shown) that sucks air from an intake hole 45 formed in the upper back plate 44 and blows the air to the lower side of the protective case 39. A dust removing filter 46 such as a filter is provided, and clean air can be blown toward the lower side of the protective case 39. In addition,
The blower in the protective case 39 uses a battery provided in the main body 31 as a power source, and blows the air in the protective case 39 so as to face downward and rearward as shown by the arrow in FIG.
Passing clean air through the inside of the protective case 39
It is blown out from the entrance R below 44.

The gripping arm 34 is horizontally movable by a driving device provided on the support column 32. The gripping arm 34 is moved between the both side plates 42, 42 of the protection case 39 by the movement of the gripping arm 34. A gripping hand 47 is provided which can grip the wafer case H by passing through. The grip arm 34 extends and contracts so as to pass the protective case 39 and move the grip hand 47 to the front thereof.

Next, the clean room K in which the transfer device T is used will be described.

In the clean room K shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 50 indicates a ceiling portion and reference numeral 51 indicates a floor portion.
A pair of left and right intake / exhaust chambers 53 are provided sandwiching the ceiling exhaust part 52, and a clean tube A is formed below the chambers 53, 53 by being sandwiched by a partition plate 54 and a movable panel 55.
A wafer processing device 56 is installed in each clean tube A, a passage B is formed between the clean tubes A and A, and a utility chamber C is formed on both sides of the clean tubes A and A.

A dust removal filter (ULPA filter, HEPA filter, etc.) 60 is attached to the lower portion of the air supply chamber 53 so as to face the upper portion of the clean tube A, and an intake hole 61 opening to the utility chamber C is provided above the intake / exhaust chamber 53. Are formed. An air supply duct for connecting to a main air conditioner (not shown) is provided above the ceiling portion 50, and the air supply chamber is provided.
Clean air is sent to the clean tube A from the lower part of 53 through the dust removal filter 60, and the intake hole 61 in the upper part of the air supply chamber 53.
And it can be exhausted from the ceiling exhaust unit 52.

The floor portion 51 includes a fixed floor 65 made of concrete that supports the processing device 56, a fixed floor 66 for a passage located below the ceiling exhaust part 52, and a perforated floor 67 below a side portion of the processing device 56. The perforated floor 67 is made of a grating, punching metal or the like and has air permeability. The floor
Below the floor 51 is an underfloor free access floor 68 for air circulation.
Are formed.

Further, the lower end of the partition plate 54 on the right side in FIG. 1 and the floor portion.
A ventilation port 70 is formed between the air conditioner 51 and the lower part of the partition plate 54 on the left side in FIG. 1, and a ventilation port 71 is formed between the processing device 56.

The movable panel 55 divides the boundary portion between the passage B and the clean tube A, and at the bottom of the intake / exhaust chamber 53,
It is movably suspended along the length direction of the clean tube A (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1), and the movable panel 55 is movable due to pressure fluctuations in the clean tube A and the passage B.
The bottom of the movable panel 55 is placed on a rail 72 laid on the floor 51 so that the vibration does not occur. This movable panel 55
As shown in FIG. 3, is a plate-like member having a large number of ventilation holes 75 formed therein, and has a size capable of passing through the wafer cassette H corresponding to the respective loading positions of the processing devices 56, 56. The operation hole 76 is formed.

Next, a case will be described in which the transfer apparatus T having the above-described configuration is used to transfer the wafer U from the wafer storage unit such as a stocker to the processing apparatus 56 by performing the method of the present invention.

First, the state of the clean room K will be described. In the clean room K, clean air is sent from the intake / exhaust chambers 53, 53 to the processing devices 56, 56, and the clean air is supplied to the ventilation holes 75 of the movable panel 55. Passage B through operation hole 76
To the ceiling room 52, to the utility room C through the ventilation openings 70,71 and the underfloor free access floor 68, and further to the utility room C directly through the ventilation openings 70,71. The gas is exhausted from the exhaust part 52 or the intake hole 61 of the utility chamber C. Therefore, the air inside the clean tube A is filled with the air of extremely high cleanliness, and the wafer U is processed in the clean tube A. In addition,
At this time, the cleanliness of the air in the passage B is slightly lower than that of the air in the clean tube A because of the passage of the worker and the automatic carrier. In the clean room K, the reason why the clean air is not directly sent to the passage B is to save energy in the clean room K. By omitting the blowing of clean air to the passage B in this way, the blowing power in the clean room K can be reduced to about 1/3 as compared with the conventional tunnel type clean room that sends the clean air to the passage. It is possible, and the effect of saving the power cost is extremely large.

When the transfer device T transfers the wafer cassette H, first, the host computer connected online with each processing device 56 moves the processing device from the wafer storage unit to the processing device.
A command is issued to 56 to transfer the wafer U, and the transfer device T starts to operate based on this command. In the clean room K in the above state, the transfer apparatus T first places the wafer cassette H taken out from the wafer storage section by the gripping arm 34 on the tip of the support base under the protective case 39, and on the floor section 51 of the passage B. The wafer is moved from the wafer storage portion toward the processing device 56 along the attached light reflection tape. At this time, the blower inside the protective case 39 blows clean air onto the wafer U, and has an effect of surrounding the wafer U with the clean air. Due to this action, even when the transfer device T moves through the passage B having low cleanliness, dust is not attached to the wafer U. Therefore, even if the passage B is under the condition of class 1000 or less, the wafer U can be transported without being contaminated. In the protective case 39, the flow direction of the clean air is from the upper front plate 43 side to the upper rear plate 44 side as shown by the arrow in FIG. Decides to direct the side plates 42, 42 to the front side in the traveling direction or the upper back plate 44 to the front side in the traveling direction. The reason for this is that when the transport device T is moved forward with the upper front plate 43 toward the front side in the moving direction of the transport device T, the air in the passage B having low cleanliness is sucked into the protective case 39. This is because. The floor of passage B is a fixed floor.
66, which is separated by the perforated floors 67, 67 from the fixed floors 65, 65 on which the processing equipments 56, 56 are installed.
The transmission of the vibration generated by the to the processing device 56, 56 is prevented.

Next, the transfer device T moved to the front of the processing device 56 stops at the position shown in FIG. 1 in front of the movable panel 55 in front of the processing device 56, and the upper front plate 43 is moved to the operation hole 76 of the movable panel 55. Turn to. Next, the transfer device T extends the holding arm 34 to move the wafer cassette H held by the holding hand 47 away from the support base 33, and moves the wafer cassette H through the operation hole 76 of the movable panel 55 to the front side processing device 56 side. And set it at the loading position of the processing device 56. Here, around the movable panel 55, the clean air in the clean tube A is moving toward the passage B through the operation hole 76, and at the same time, the protective case is provided.
Inside the 39, the protective case 39
Since the clean air is moving toward the rear side of and the both clean air are directed in the same direction, the two clean air form the same flow and join without being disturbed. For this protective case
It is possible to prevent dust from entering the protective case 39 even when the 39 passes through the movable panel 55. At this time, if the upper back plate 44 faces the movable panel 55, the flow of the clean air in the protective case 39 and the flow of the clean air passing through the operation hole 76 collide with each other to generate a turbulent flow. This is not preferable because the flow may cause the air in the passage B around the movable panel 55 to be sucked into the protective case 39.

On the other hand, for the alignment between the operation hole 76 of the movable panel 55 and the protective case 39, an infrared or laser beam transmitter is attached to the peripheral portion of the operation hole 76, and the light receiving element is provided at a required position on the upper front plate 43 of the protective case 39. It is only necessary to attach the above and perform the alignment by these, or to provide the video camera in the protective case and perform the image processing to recognize the position and perform the alignment. When the wafer cassette H is taken out from the processing devices 56, 56, the gripping arm 34 is extended so that the gripping hand 47 reaches the wafer cassette H of the processing device, and the wafer cassette H is gripped by the gripping hand 47. The holding arm 34 may be retracted and the wafer cassette H may be placed on the support table 33.

If the wafer U is transferred by the transfer device T as described above, the wafer U can be transferred from the wafer storage portion to the loading position of the processing device 56 via the passage B without being contaminated. If the wafer U is transferred by using the above-described transfer device T, the wafer U can be transferred even in a region of class 1000 or less without being contaminated. Therefore, not only in the processing step, but also in the cleanliness level. It has an effect that it can be used for transportation between low processes.

In addition, since the moving path of the transport device T can be freely changed by reattaching the guide body such as the light reflection tape attached to the floor portion 51, it is a case where the processing device or the manufacturing process is changed. Even if the light reflecting tape is replaced, it is possible to easily and inexpensively deal with the device, and the device has extremely high adaptability. Furthermore, the transport device T
Requires a robot for gripping and moving separately from the transfer device because the wafer U can be taken out of the storage unit and moved in the clean room K and the wafer U can be installed at the loading position of the processing device 56. Compared with the conventional device shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 10, there is an effect that the equipment cost can be reduced.

FIG. 4 shows another example of the movable panel, and the movable panel 54 'shown in FIG. 4 has a horizontally elongated slit-like operation hole 80 formed therein. The movable panel 54 'having the operation hole 80 having such a shape is applied to a processing apparatus in which all the load positions are at the same height. Also, vent holes 75
Need not be circular, but may be slit-shaped like the operation hole 80.

FIG. 5 shows another example of the movable panel. The movable panel 54 ″ shown in FIG. 5 is on the opening of the operation hole 76 ″ having the same shape as the operation hole 76 of the movable panel 54 shown in FIG. A shutter mechanism 81 for opening and closing the operation hole 76 is provided at the edge facing the passage B side, and the operation hole 76 is configured to be openable and closable by the opening / closing screen 82.

The bottom plate of the protective case 39 is omitted in the above embodiment so that the wafer case K and the bottom plate of the protective case 39 do not come into contact with each other while the protective case 39 is gripped and moved.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, the method of the present invention includes a dust removing filter in the protective case for storing the workpiece, and a dust removing device having inlets and outlets for the workpiece at the front lower portion and the rear lower portion of the protective case, respectively. Since the workpiece is inserted into the inner bottom of the protective case, the workpiece is conveyed while blowing clean air from the inner upper side of the protective case toward the lower rear side of the protective case through the dust removal filter. The workpiece can be transported while being covered with clean air, and the rear side of the protective case or the side of the protective case can be oriented toward the front side in the transport direction of the workpiece, so the cleanliness outside the protective case is low. It is possible to convey the work piece without putting air in the protective case. Furthermore, since the workpiece is conveyed while covering only a narrow area such as the periphery of the workpiece with the highly clean air inside the protective case, the amount of clean air used can be minimized. Energy-saving transportation is possible. Further, by applying the method of the present invention to a self-propelled robot carrier device having traveling wheels, the carrier device can be used even in a low cleanliness region, and the movement route of the carrier device can be freely changed. It becomes possible to easily deal with the case where the lowering device is changed or the manufacturing process is changed.

Further, the carrier device of the present invention includes a main body that travels along a guide body such as a guide tape provided on a floor, and in the carrier device having a support portion, the support base includes a gripping arm, a gripping hand, and a gripping hand. The dust removing device is provided with a dust removing device, and the dust removing device is provided with a dust removing filter provided with inlets and outlets of the workpiece at the front lower portion and the rear lower portion respectively, and a dust removing device inserted in the inner bottom portion of the protective case. Since it is equipped with a blower that blows clean air from the inner upper side of the protective case to the lower rear side of the protective case through the dust removal filter on the work piece, it is possible to convey the work piece while covering it with clean air. By pointing the rear side of the protective case or the side of the protective case to the front side in the moving direction of the workpiece,
The workpiece can be transported without putting the air with low cleanliness outside the protective case into the protective case. Further, the work piece can be easily taken in and out by the gripping arm through the entrance and exit of the protective case, and the work piece at that time can be prevented from being contaminated by the clean air flow.

Furthermore, inside the protective case, it is possible to carry the workpiece while covering only a narrow area such as the periphery of the workpiece with air of high cleanliness, so the dust filter used may be small, Moreover, the use area of the clean air can be reduced to reduce wasteful clean air, and it is possible to perform the transportation utilizing the energy-saving dust removing action. In addition, the main body can run along a guide body such as a guide tape provided on the floor, and the movement path of the main body can be freely changed by replacing the guide body, so the processing equipment and manufacturing process are changed. It is possible to easily deal with such cases, and the configuration is extremely high. Also, since the guide body can be replaced very easily, when changing the processing equipment or the manufacturing process, it was necessary to replace the transfer duct and the support rail, which were required in the conventional equipment, and the guide rails. There is no need for any construction work, and there is an effect that the movement path of the main body can be changed very easily at a low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a clean room equipped with a transfer device.
2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the transfer device, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a movable panel provided in a clean room, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another example of the movable panel, and FIG. 5 is a movable panel. FIG. 6 to FIG. 10 are perspective views showing another example, and FIG. 6 shows a conventional carrier device. FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional carrier device equipped with a carrier duct. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional carrier device equipped with the same, FIG. 8 is a side view showing a conventional carrier device of a self-propelled robot equipped with traveling wheels, and FIG. 9 is a conventional model of a robot type that travels along a guide rail. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a transfer device, and FIG. 10 is a side view showing a conventional transfer device provided with a transfer line. K: clean room, A: clean tube, B: passage, C: utility room, H: wafer cassette, R: entrance / exit, U: wafer, (workpiece), T: transfer device, 31 …… Main body, 33 …… Supporting base, 34 …… Grip arm, 36…
… Dust remover, 39 …… Protective case, 46 …… Dust filter,

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. When a work such as a wafer is transferred by a transfer device in a clean room or the like, a protective case for accommodating the work is equipped with a dust filter, and the front lower part and the rear lower part of the protective case are processed respectively. Using a dust remover equipped with an entrance / exit of objects, protect the workpiece inserted into the inner bottom of the protective case while blowing clean air from the upper inside of the protective case to the lower rear of the protective case through the dust filter. A method of transporting a workpiece in a clean room or the like, characterized in that the side portion or the rear portion side of the case is transported toward the front side in the transport direction. 2. A support base for supporting a workpiece such as a wafer,
In a transfer device that has a main body that travels by detecting the position of a guide body such as a guide tape formed on the floor, and that moves a clean room or the like by supporting a workpiece, the support base is A gripping arm that moves along the support base, a gripping hand provided at the tip of the gripping arm,
A protective case having a dust removing device for accommodating the workpiece, wherein the dust removing device includes a dust removing filter at the front lower portion and the rear lower portion, respectively, and a protective case; It comprises a blower that blows clean air from the inner upper side of the protective case toward the lower rear side of the protective case through the dust filter to the work piece inserted in the bottom part, and the main body part is a side part side of the protective case. Alternatively, it has a function of traveling with its rear side facing in the transport direction, and a transport device for a workpiece.