JPH0778860A - Substrate transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a substrate transfer device to be miniaturized at low cost by simplifying the constitution for centering a device, etc., for measuring the film thickness, physical properties, etc. CONSTITUTION:A pressure member 14 giving the pressure force abutting against the peripheral end face of a substrate 10 having a circular peripheral surface is slide displaceably arranged on a supporting arm shifting means movably provided in the horizontal direction while a supporting arm 15 holding the substrate W by vacuum suction is provided on the supporting arm shifting means to press the substrate W thereby enabling the centering step of the substrate W to be performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a substrate having a circular arc-shaped outer peripheral surface such as a semiconductor wafer, and optically measuring the thickness of a transparent thin film such as a photoresist film or a silicon oxide film formed on the surface. In addition to the transparent thin film, the non-contact measurement is performed by analyzing the image of the line width of various thin films including the metal thin film magnified by a microscope, or the physical property value such as the capacitance-voltage measurement method is measured. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device used for measurement or various processing devices such as a rotation processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case of transferring a substrate in various measuring devices as described above, there is a conventional method such as, for example, an actual flat plate 2-1223.
It is configured as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 06-06. That is, according to this conventional example, when a substrate accommodated in a cassette or the like is conveyed to a Z table on an XY table for film thickness measurement, the substrate is supported by a support arm that attracts and supports the back surface of the substrate from the cassette. Is taken out, conveyed once to the positioning portion, and the substrate is brought into contact with the backing plate at the positioning portion to perform centering.

As a conventional example for transporting other substrates, for example, those described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-3241 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-18435 are known. These are a first step portion (a step portion provided on the front side in the traveling direction of the support arm) and a second step portion (the traveling direction of the support arm) protruding above the mounting surface of the substrate on the supporting arm of the substrate. The step portion provided on the back side is provided so as to face each other, and one step portion is configured to be movable relative to the other step portion. Then, for example, when the substrate is taken out from the cassette, the transfer arm is inserted into the cassette, the substrate is pulled out toward the front by the second step portion, and one of the step portions is moved relative to the other step portion. The substrate is pinched by moving it to center it.

[0004]

However, the former conventional example requires a structure for performing centering by means of a backing plate, which complicates the structure of the positioning portion and increases the cost, and also increases the size of the entire apparatus. was there.

Further, in the latter conventional example, since the substrate can be centered on the support arm, it is not necessary to provide the positioning portion in another space, and the space can be reduced by that amount, but the substrate is used as the support arm. Since the centering is performed by sandwiching the stepped portion provided, a space in the thickness direction is required because the stepped portion is required. Therefore, for example, the substrate to be taken out in the cassette is inclined forward with respect to the entrance direction of the transfer device, or the space between the substrates accommodated in the cassette is narrow and there is no space below the substrate. In such a case, there is a drawback that it is difficult to use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the substrate transfer apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is inexpensive and small in size because the structure for performing centering can be simplified. In addition, it is possible to position and take out the substrate even when there is no room in the space below the substrate. Further, the substrate transfer apparatus of the invention according to claim 2 is The purpose is to enable the pressing member to be retracted without using dedicated power.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a substrate transfer apparatus of the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a substrate support portion for supporting the substrate in a state where movement in the horizontal direction is allowed. , A circular arc shape in the substrate transfer device for taking out the substrate with respect to the substrate supporting means having a movement restricting portion for restricting the limit of the movement of the substrate in a specific direction of the horizontal direction by the contact of the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate. And a support arm for supporting a substrate having an outer peripheral surface of the substrate, and a support arm for moving the support arm in a specific direction where the movement restricting unit restricts the movement of the substrate under the substrate supported by the substrate supporting means. The moving means and its supporting arm moving means are provided so as to be displaceable, and the arc-shaped contact portion presses the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate toward the movement restricting portion of the substrate supporting means, thereby restricting the movement of the substrate supporting means. To the department Configuring comprises a pressing member for positioning the substrate with.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the substrate transfer apparatus of the invention according to claim 2 has a spring for applying a pressing force between the pressing member and the support arm according to claim 1. A cam mechanism is additionally provided, which displaces the pressing member in the horizontal direction away from the substrate against the elastic restoring force of the spring due to contact with the cam surface while the holding force to the substrate is released.

[0009]

According to the structure of the substrate transfer apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, when the substrate supported by the substrate supporting means is taken out, the movement restricting portion of the substrate supporting means controls the movement of the substrate by the supporting arm. If you move it to a specific position,
The arcuate contact portion of the pressing member contacts the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate,
The substrate is pushed until it comes into contact with the movement restricting portion of the substrate supporting means, and the substrate stops. Along with this, when the position of the substrate is deviated, the position is automatically adjusted by the pressing force, and the substrate is supported by the support arm in this state, so that the substrate can be taken out in the centering state.
Further, since the support arm does not need a step for centering, the substrate can be taken out without problems even when there is no space below the substrate.

According to the structure of the substrate transfer apparatus of the invention according to claim 2, when the substrate is delivered to a proper place,
It is possible to prevent the pressing member from affecting the substrate by retracting the pressing member from the substrate by the cam mechanism.

[0011]

【Example】

<Embodiment> Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics using a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. A substrate transfer device 3 and a measurement stage 4 for measuring electrical characteristics are provided.

A plurality of cassette mounting portions 2 each have an orientation flat, as shown in the partially cutaway enlarged side view of the essential portion of FIG. 3 and the partially cutaway enlarged plan view of the essential portion of FIG. The cassette 5 in which the substrates W are stored in the vertical direction in a multi-tiered manner is placed. The cassette 5 is configured by connecting the groove forming members 7 in which the substrate fitting grooves 6 are formed at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction in an opposed state, and the outer periphery of the substrate W on the inner side of each of the groove forming members 7 and 7. A tapered surface F that comes into contact with the end surface is provided.

The cassette 5 in this embodiment corresponds to the "substrate supporting means" described in claim 1, and the groove forming member 7 is used.
Corresponds to the “substrate support portion” described in claim 1, and the tapered surface F corresponds to the “movement restriction portion” described in claim 1.

In the substrate transfer device 3, a first movable body 12 is mounted on a support body 11 which is vertically movable by a screw shaft 9 and a guide 10 which are normally and reversely rotated by a first electric motor 8.
A waist-breaking link type moving body 12 composed of a and the second moving body 12b is provided so as to be able to be bent and extended by a second electric motor 13, and the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W is contacted with the tip side of the second moving body 12b. A pressing member 14 having an arcuate surface 14a forming a contacting arcuate contact portion and a support arm 15 for holding the substrate W by vacuum suction are provided.

The moving body 12 and the electric motor 13 in this embodiment correspond to the "support arm moving means" described in claim 1.

As shown in the exploded perspective view of the main part of FIG. 5, the support bracket 16 is attached to the tip side of the second moving body 12b, and the attachment plate 17 is attached to the support bracket 16 and the attachment plate 17 is attached. The fixed guide body 18a and the spring receiver 18b are attached to the lower side of the mounting plate 17, and the support arm 15 having the vacuum suction holes 19 formed along the tip end edge is attached to the upper side of the mounting plate 17 at the base side thereof. There is. Although not shown, a vacuum suction source is connected to the vacuum suction hole 19 through a communication hole formed in the support arm 15, the mounting plate 17, the support bracket 16 and the moving body 12.

A movable body 20 is provided slidably with respect to the fixed guide body 18a, and the movable body 20 and the spring receiver 18b are provided.
Compression coil springs 21 and 21 as springs between
The movable range of the movable body 20 is restricted by inserting the protrusion 22 provided in the movable body 20 into the elongated hole 23 formed in the mounting plate 17 while the movable body 20 is interposed. The pressing member 14 is attached to the movable body 20 in a state of being located above the support arm 15. A tension spring may be used as the spring instead of the compression coil springs 21 and 21. The pressing member 14 is located above the support arm 15 and closer to the base than the position of the vacuum suction hole 19, and is urged toward the tip end side of the support arm 15 by the action of the compression coil spring 21.

A guide roller 24 constituting a cam mechanism is rotatably attached to the lower portion of the movable body 20 on the tip side thereof, and is brought into contact with a cam surface F1 (see FIG. 6) constituting a cam mechanism which will be described later. Compression coil spring 21,
The pressing member 14 against the elastic restoring force of the support arm 21
It is configured so that it can be retracted to the base side of No. 5.

With the above structure, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the substrate W is taken out of the cassette 5, the movable body 12 is moved to a predetermined height so that the support arm 15 can enter under the desired substrate W. After raising, the pressing member 14
Is brought into contact with the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W on the opening side of the cassette 5 to apply pressing force, and the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W on the inner side of the cassette 5 is moved until it is pressed against the tapered surface F of the groove forming members 7, By moving the body 12 horizontally, the substrate W is displaced with respect to the groove forming members 7 and 7 so that the three positions come into contact with each other,
The position of the substrate W can be adjusted so as to be the centering position.

After that, vacuum suction is performed by the support arm 15, and the substrate W in the centered state is resisted against the pressing force of the pressing member 14, in other words, against the elastic restoring force of the compression coil springs 21 and 21. The movable body 12 is held, and after that, the movable body 12 is bent and extended, and the second movable body 12b is directed toward the measurement stage 4 side.

Next, as shown in the side view of the main part of FIG. 6, the substrate W is positioned on the measurement stage 4 and then the moving body 12 is lowered to attach it to the base 25 of the measurement stage 4. When the guide roller 24 is brought into contact with the cam surface F1 and the pressing member 14 is retracted to the side away from the substrate W, that is, the base side of the support arm 15, and the substrate W is placed on the measurement stage 4 in the middle thereof. With support arm 1
The vacuum suction by 5 is released, and the substrate W can be transferred onto the measurement stage 4 without being affected by the pressing member 14.

When the substrate W is taken out from the measuring stage 4, the supporting arm 15 is moved to the lower surface of the substrate W without applying the pressing force of the pressing member 14, and the supporting arm 1 is moved.
5, the substrate W is vacuum-sucked and held, and then the moving body 12 is raised, rotated and bent, and further, the moving body 12 is moved.
Can be raised to a predetermined height and returned to a predetermined position of the cassette 5.

The present invention can be applied not only to the transportation of the substrate W having the orientation flat as described above, but also to the transportation of a substrate having an arc-shaped outer peripheral surface such as a substrate having a notch.

Further, in the above embodiment, the support arm 15
Is configured to hold the substrate W by vacuum suction, but the support arm 15 may be configured by a so-called electrostatic chuck that holds the substrate W by an electrostatic force by forming an internal electrode.

When the pressing member 14 is retracted,
Without lowering the moving body 12 side, the base 2 of the measurement stage 4
You may make it raise 5 side. Also, the cam surface F1
To the moving body 12 side, and the guide roller 24 to the base 2
It may be configured to be provided on the 5 side.

Further, in the above embodiment, when the pressing force is applied by the pressing member 14, the pressing member 1 by the moving body 12 is used.
The compression coil spring 21 is used to absorb the excessive pressure for not applying an unreasonable force to the substrate W due to the variation of the movement amount of 4 in the pressing direction and the variation of the outer dimensions of the individual substrates W. When the substrate W is evacuated, a cam mechanism is used so that a dedicated driving force can be dispensed with. For example, a single-acting air cylinder with a compression coil spring is used. You may.

Further, the arc surface 14a of the pressing member 14 in the above embodiment may be formed by arranging a plurality of members in an arc shape, and in the above embodiment, the pressing member 14 and the substrate supporting portion 15 are opposed to each other. Although it is configured to be movable, the pressing member 1 is provided as the substrate transfer apparatus of the invention according to claim 1.
4 and the substrate supporting portion 15 may be integrally configured.

In the above embodiment, the case where the substrate W is taken out from the cassette 5 has been described, but the present invention is
For example, it can be carried out when the substrate is transferred from the arm of the transfer device to the arm.

[0030]

As described above, according to the substrate transfer apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, when the substrate is taken out,
Since centering can be performed by itself, the configuration for centering can be simplified when configuring a device for measuring film thickness and physical properties, etc. Even if there is no space below the board, the board can be taken out without problems.

Further, according to the substrate transfer apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, when the substrate is delivered to the proper place, the pressing member is retracted from the substrate by the cam mechanism. The pressing member can be retracted without using a dedicated power source such as a compressor when configured with an air cylinder,
It can be constructed at a lower cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics using a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway enlarged side view of a main part.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway enlarged plan view of a main part.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a main part.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view of a main part.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12b ... 2nd moving body 14 ... Pressing member 15 ... Support arm 21 ... Compression coil spring 24 ... Guide roller F1 ... Cam surface W ... Board

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location H01L 21/027 21/66 L 7630-4M

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A limit of movement of a substrate in a specific direction of the horizontal direction is regulated by contact between a substrate supporting portion that supports the substrate in a state where the substrate is allowed to move in the horizontal direction and an outer peripheral end surface of the substrate. In a substrate transfer device that takes out a substrate with respect to a substrate supporting unit that includes a movement restricting unit, a supporting arm that supports the substrate having an arcuate outer peripheral surface, and Below, the movement restricting portion is attached to the supporting arm moving means for moving in a specific direction for restricting the movement of the substrate, and the supporting arm moving means so as to be displaceable,
The substrate supporting means includes a pressing member for positioning the substrate with respect to the movement restricting portion of the substrate supporting means by pressing an outer peripheral end surface of the substrate toward the movement restricting portion of the substrate supporting means. A substrate transfer device characterized by the above. 2. A spring for applying a pressing force is provided between the pressing member and the support arm according to claim 1, and when the holding force for the substrate is released, the elasticity of the spring is brought into contact with the cam surface. A substrate transfer device provided with a cam mechanism for displacing the pressing member in a horizontal direction away from the substrate against a restoring force.