JPH08274140A - Scalar type robot for carrying substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To replace a treated wafer with an untreated wafer in a short time by fitting two chucks to the upper part of a rotating drum symmetrically to the center line and consisting one arm in a U-shaped so that the arm can carry substrates along a horizontal line. CONSTITUTION: A drum 5 is rotated above a base by means of a motor 13 and speed reducer 21 provided in the base 8. Chucks 1 and 1' are fitted to the upper part of the drum 5 symmetrically to the center line and motors for driving the chucks 1 and 1' are provided in the drum 5. Wafers 15 and 15' are carried by means of the chucks 1 and 1' while the wafers 15 and 15' are held by the chucks 1 and 1' by suction. The arm of the chuck 1 is constituted in a U-shape. When the motor 13 in the base 8 and motors 7 and 7' in the drum 5 are driven, the chucks 1 and 1' respectively holding the wafers 15 and 15' are elongated, contracted, and rotated in the opposite directions to the rear and surface sides of the plane of the Fig. Therefore, a treated substrate can be replaced with an untreated substrate in a short time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a SCARA type robot for transferring substrates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional SCARA robot for substrate transfer is as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. A is a plan view and FIG. B is a vertical sectional view of FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a chuck for holding the substrate P by vacuum suction through a through hole m at the tip, which is supported by the following structure. Reference numeral 5 denotes a body that is rotatably arranged above the base 8 via a support shaft 9, and is driven by a motor 13 installed on the base 8 to support the support shaft 9 via a pulley 12, a belt 11 and a pulley 10. Is performed by rotating.

On the other hand, reference numerals 2, 3 and 4 are arms arranged above the body 5, and the arm 4 is rotated via a motor 6, a speed reducer 7 and an output shaft 4a thereof installed inside the body 5. On the other hand, in the arm 3, the pulley 4c fixed to the neck portion of the body 5 with the output shaft 4a penetrating inside the center of the arm 3 is rotated by the drive of the motor 13 on the base 8. It is rotated via the belt 4b, the pulley 3b, and the pulley shaft 3a.

On the other hand, 3c is a pulley fixed to the upper neck of the arm 4 with the pulley shaft 3a being inserted in the central portion thereof, and the pulley 3c is connected to the support shaft 2a of the arm 2 via the belt 3d and the pulley 2b. It will be connected.

At this time, the pulleys 4c and 3b, and the pulley 3
The diameter ratios of c and 2b are respectively set to 2: 1. When the rotation of the motor 7 fixes the support shaft 4a via the speed reducer 6, the arm 4 rotates, and accordingly, the pulleys 3c and 2b. The arm 2 is rotated via the, and the chuck 1 is simultaneously rotated.

The above description has explained the rotation operation of the chuck 1 with the center of the body 5 as the origin in plan view. Similarly, the extension / contraction operation of the chuck 1 is driven by the motor 13 so that the pulley 12 and the belt are moved. 11, the body 5 is rotated via the pulley 10, the pulley 10 and the support shaft 9 thereof, and subsequently, the rotation is performed by the pulley 4c, the belt 4d, the pulley 3b and the support shaft 3a thereof.
It is assumed that the arm 3 is rotated via the arm 3 and the arm 2 supported by the arm 3 via the bearing k expands and contracts in the radial direction with the support shaft 4a at the center of the body 5 as the origin in plan view. It will be.

[0008]

In the conventional SCARA type robot as described above, one chuck 1 can hold only one substrate, so that the time for carrying the substrate becomes long. That is, in FIG. 3, the wafer transfer which is actually performed in the semiconductor manufacturing process will be described as an example. The wafer 14 is constituted by an elevator 17 and a stage 16 that raises and lowers a cassette 14 that stores a large number of wafers 15, and the chuck 1 holds the wafer 15. At any time, it is moved to a height position where it can be carried in and out.

Reference numeral 18 is a table for processing the wafer 15, and the table 18 is a pusher pin 19 for delivering the wafer 15 on the table to the chuck 1.
And a cylinder 20 for driving the pusher pin 19 up and down.

When the motors 13 and 7 are driven in this state, the chucks 1 are expanded and contracted as the arms 4, 3 and 2 are rotated to grip the processed wafer 15 on the table 18,
The cassette 14 is loaded into a specific stage, and after loading, the unprocessed wafers 15 ′ in the other stages are taken out and the table 18 is loaded.
The processing is performed by placing the apparatus on the upper side, and at this time, about 13 seconds are required as the exchange time between the loading and unloading.

By the way, the wafer 15 on the table 18
The processing time is 5 seconds or 10 seconds, which is a relatively short time, and the production efficiency of the conventional SCARA robot is greatly reduced by the wafer replacement time.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, that is, the processed wafer 15 and the unprocessed wafer 15 'are exchanged in a short time so as to contribute to the improvement of productivity.

[0013]

According to the present invention, one chuck holds substrates such as semiconductor wafers, glass and ceramics.
In a SCARA type robot for transferring substrates one by one, attach two chucks symmetrically above the rotating body,
It is characterized in that one arm has a U-shape so that the substrate can be transported on the horizontal line as well.

[0014]

[Function] Since two chucks are attached symmetrically above the rotating body, the processed substrate and the unprocessed substrate are exchanged by two rotations of the conventional body, but one rotation can be performed simultaneously. It is now possible to reduce the time to about 1/3 or less of the conventional one.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a device of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a vertical sectional view of FIG. In the figure, 8 is a base, 5 is a body, and the body 5 is rotated above the base 8 via a motor 13 and a speed reducer 21 provided in the base 8.

In the present invention, the chucks 1 and 1'are symmetrically mounted on the upper part of the body 5 and the driving motors are mounted inside the body 5 to operate them. .

Reference numerals 15 and 15 'are wafers as substrates which are sucked and conveyed by the chucks 1 and 1'. The movement directions of the wafers 15 and 15 ′ are such that they move independently on the back side and the front side of the paper in FIG. 1B, and on the vertical straight line in FIG. 1A. The arm 2 has a U-shaped structure as seen in FIG. 1B.

In the present invention, the structure of the other arm is the same as the structure of the rotating arm 2 of the chuck 1 described above, which has a U-shape.
There is no difference from the conventional structure described above, and the arm 2,
Since the same operating principle is applied to the arms 3 and 4 and the arms 2 ′, 3 ′ and 4 ′, this will be described only on the arms 2, 3 and 4 side.

The arm 2 is fixed to a pulley 2b via a support shaft 2, and the pulley 2b and a pulley 3c in the arm 3 are provided.
Are connected by a timing belt 3d, and the rotation ratio of the pulley 2b is 1/2 with respect to the rotation of the pulley 3c. The pulley 3c is fixed to the arm 4.

On the other hand, the arm 3 is rotatably fixed by a support shaft 3a and a pulley 3b, the pulley 3b is connected to a pulley 4c by a timing belt 4d, and the pulley 3b rotates with respect to the rotation of the pulley 4c. The ratio is doubled.

On the other hand, the pulley 4c is fixed to the body 5, and the arm 4 is connected to the speed reducer 6 and the motor 7 installed in the body 5 via the support shaft 4a.

The above is the configuration for the chuck 1.
As for the chuck 1 ', the arm 2'is arranged symmetrically with the above, as in the structure described in the conventional example in which the arm 2'is not U-shaped.

When the motor 13 in the base 8 and the motors 7 and 7'in the body 5 are driven, the wafers 15 and 1 are
The chucks 1 and 1'supporting 5'are extended and contracted in opposite directions on the back side and the front side (vertical direction in FIG. 1A) of the paper surface in FIG. 1B.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, since two chucks for supporting the substrate are attached to the upper part of the body to operate symmetrically, the processed substrate and the unprocessed substrate can be exchanged in a short time, which is a conventional problem. In addition to the drastic reduction of the loss time for exchanging the substrate, the chuck that holds the dirty substrate before cleaning and the clean substrate after cleaning, which is a problem in the cleaning process, is dedicated separately and can be used by one chuck of the conventional device. The problem of propagating the generated contamination is eliminated, and it can greatly contribute to the improvement of cleanliness in the manufacturing process of semiconductors, liquid crystals and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a device of the present invention, and B is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same.

FIG. 2 shows a conventional device, in which A is a plan view and B is a vertical sectional view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view explaining a substrate exchange state by a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Chuck 2 Arm 2a Spindle 2b Pulley 3 Arm 3a Spindle 3b Pulley 4 Arm 4a Spindle 4c Pulley 5 Body 6 Reducer 7 Motor 8 Base 9 Spindle 13 Motor

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 7, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Claims]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0003

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a chuck for holding a substrate by vacuum suction through a through hole m at the tip, and is supported by the following structure. Reference numeral 5 denotes a body that is rotatably arranged above the base 8 via a support shaft 9, and is driven by a motor 13 installed on the base 8 to support the support shaft 9 via a pulley 12, a belt 11 and a pulley 10. Is performed by rotating.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

On the other hand, reference numerals 2, 3 and 4 are arms arranged above the body 5, and the arm 4 is rotated via a motor 7 , a speed reducer 6 and an output shaft 4a thereof installed inside the body 5. , whereas arm 3 pulley 4c fixed to the neck of the body 5 as a through state therein about said output shaft 4a is, the arm 4 times by output shaft 4a by driving the motor 7 is rotated It is driven and rotated via the belt 4 d , the pulley 3 b and the pulley shaft 3 a.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

At this time, the pulleys 4c and 3b, and the pulley 2
b and 3c diameter ratio respectively is 2: 1 and have been made, the rotation of the motor 7 is pivot 4a is rotated through the speed reducer 6 arm 4 is rotated, the pulley 3c and along with this The arm 2 is rotated via 2b, and the chuck 1 is simultaneously rotated.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0007

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The above description explains the expansion / contraction operation of the chuck 1 with the center of the body 5 as the origin in plan view. Similarly, the rotation operation of the chuck 1 is driven by the motor 13 so that the pulley 12 and the belt are moved. 11, the body 5 is rotated via the pulley 10 and its supporting shaft 9, and is connected to the body 5.
All the existing mechanisms rotate in a plan view with the support shaft 9 at the center of the body 5 as the origin.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0013]

According to the present invention, one chuck holds substrates such as semiconductor wafers, glass and ceramics.
In a SCARA robot for transferring substrates one by one, two chucks that are vertically arranged on a horizontally symmetrical arm are mounted above a rotating body, and one of the chucks is mounted so that the substrates can be transferred on the same horizontal line. It is characterized in that the arm is formed in a U shape.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0014

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0014]

Since the two chucks are attached to the bilaterally symmetrical arm above the rotating body, the processed substrate and the unprocessed substrate can be exchanged by two rotations of the conventional body, but at the same time in one rotation. It can be performed, and the time is reduced to about 1/3 or less of the conventional time.

[Procedure Amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0016

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

According to the present invention, the upper and lower parts of the body 5 are symmetrically aligned with each other.
The chucks 1 and 1 ′ are attached to the arm, and the driving motor is attached to the inside of the body 5 to operate, and specifically, the following is performed.

[Procedure Amendment 9]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The arm 2 is fixed to a pulley 2b via a supporting shaft 2a, and the pulley 2b and the pulley 3 in the arm 3 are fixed to the pulley 2b.
c is connected by a timing belt 3d, and the rotation ratio of the pulley 2b is 1/2 of the rotation of the pulley 3c.
It has been done. The pulley 3c is fixed to the arm 4.

[Procedure Amendment 10]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0023

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

When the motors 7 and 7'in the body 5 are driven, the chucks 1 and 1'supporting the wafers 15 and 15 'are shown in FIG. 1B on the back side and the front side (in FIG. 1A) of the paper surface. It will be expanded and contracted in the vertical direction ) .

[Procedure Amendment 11]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0024

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, since two chucks for supporting the substrate above the body are attached and independently operated, the processed substrate and the unprocessed substrate can be exchanged in a short time. In addition to greatly reducing the loss time required for replacing the substrate, the chuck that holds the dirty substrate before cleaning and the clean substrate after cleaning, which is a problem in the cleaning process etc., is dedicated separately and it is one chuck of the conventional device. This eliminates the problem of propagation of the pollution caused by the above, and can greatly contribute to the improvement of cleanliness in the manufacturing process of semiconductors, liquid crystals and the like.

[Procedure Amendment 12]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Explanation of code

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 chuck 2 arm 2a spindle 2b pulley 3 arm 3a spindle 3b pulley 3d timing belt 4 arm 4a spindle 4c pulley 4d timing belt 5 body 6 reducer 7 motor 8 base 9 spindle 10 pulley 11 Timing belt 12 Speed reducer 13 Motor

[Procedure Amendment 13]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG.

[Procedure Amendment 14]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 2

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Fig. 2] ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 25, 1994

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

On the other hand, numerals 2, 3 and 4 are arms arranged above the body 5, and the arm 4 is rotated via a motor 7, a speed reducer 6 and its output shaft 4a arranged inside the body 5. It In addition, 4c is the output shaft 4a inside the center thereof.
It is a pulley fixed to the neck of the body 5 in a penetrated state.
It Driven by the motor 7, through the speed reducer 6 and the output shaft 4a
When the arm 4 rotates, the pulley 4
c, timing belt 4d, pulley 3b and pulley shaft 3
Since a is arranged, these are positioned together with the arm 4.
As the arm 3 moves, the arm 3 moves to the pulley 4c,
It is rotated via the imming belt 4d, the pulley 3b, and the pulley shaft 3a.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a SCARA robot for substrate transportation, which conveys substrates such as semiconductor wafers, glass, and ceramics one by one on one chuck, two chucks are attached symmetrically above and above a rotating body. Similarly, the SCARA robot for substrate transfer is characterized in that one arm is U-shaped so that it can be transferred on the horizontal line.