JPH08316287A - Board handling method and board frame used for it - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To make it possible to handle a board without causing a robot hand etc., to touch the board directly, to suppress the attaching of dirt to the board, and to prevent the breakage of the board at the time of conveying and handling it. CONSTITUTION: A board 1 is conveyed, taken in/out, etc., without being directly touched through the medium of a board frame 2, by a board handling means which sets a board 1 in the recessed parts 3 of the board frame 2 for a board 1 to be set in and causes the frame 2 to hold the board 1, and conveys, takes in/out, etc,. the board 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for handling a substrate when a substrate (wafer) is transferred to a film forming chamber or taken out from the film forming chamber, and a substrate used for handling the substrate in the handling method. Regarding the frame.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a substrate transfer method in the case of using a vacuum film forming apparatus for supplying a substrate (wafer) one by one and forming a thin film electrode thereon, A method of transporting a substrate using a transport robot as shown in FIG. 4 is general.

That is, in this transfer method, a transfer robot 53 having a robot hand 51, a robot arm 52, etc. is used, and a substrate 55 is placed horizontally on a substrate placing section 54 at the tip of the robot hand 51. Robot hand 5
By operating 1 and the robot arm 52,
This is a method of transporting the substrate 55 to a predetermined position.

However, the above-mentioned conventional transfer method has the following problems. Since the lower surface (back surface) of the substrate 55 is supported by the robot hand 51 from below, dirt adheres to the rear surface of the substrate 55. Further, since the vacuum suction pad (not shown) attached to the robot hand 51 sucks the back surface of the substrate 55, dirt from the vacuum suction pad adheres to the back surface of the substrate 55. The substrate 5 placed on the robot hand 51 is caused by the moment of inertia generated when the transfer robot 53 makes a turning motion or when the robot arm 52 expands and contracts.
There is a case where the position shift of 5 occurs, which hinders the taking-in and taking-out of the substrate 55, or the substrate 55 is dropped and damaged. When transporting a substrate having pyroelectricity, static electricity is generated on the substrate due to the film-forming energy acting on the substrate 55 during film-forming and the thermal energy during substrate heating, and the robot hand 51 or the substrate holder in the film-forming chamber. It may be adsorbed by itself (not shown), and as a result, the internal stress generated in the substrate may cause the substrate to break. Further, it becomes difficult to remove the substrate 55 from the robot hand 51, which may damage the substrate or make it impossible to accurately convey the substrate due to the positioning error of the substrate. In many cases, a horizontal posture is adopted as the substrate posture during film formation. This is because the number of controllable axes due to the structure of the robot arm 52 is limited and the substrate is placed on the upper surface of the robot hand 51. This is because the method and the substrate holding method using the vacuum suction pad require a horizontal posture. As a result, dirt generated during film formation adheres to the upper surface of the substrate and causes contamination, or, for example, dirt drops on the sputtering target and causes abnormal discharge that causes contamination.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems. It is possible to handle a substrate without directly contacting it with a robot hand or the like, and it is possible to suppress the attachment of dirt to the substrate. An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate handling method capable of preventing damage to the substrate during substrate transportation and substrate handling, and a substrate frame used therefor.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate handling method according to the present invention is a substrate frame having a recess into which a substrate is fitted. It is characterized in that the substrate handling means for taking in, taking out, taking out, etc. carries, takes in, and takes out the substrate via the substrate frame without directly contacting with the substrate.

The substrate frame of the present invention is a substrate frame for holding a substrate, which is annular and has a frame main body having an annular recess formed on one surface into which the substrate fits, and the recess. It is characterized by further comprising substrate holding means for holding the substrate in the recess so that the fitted substrate does not fall off.

Further, the substrate frame of the present invention is a substrate frame for holding a substrate having a substantially circular shape and a positioning notch, wherein the substrate positioning notch is provided in the recess of the frame body. Is characterized in that an overhanging portion corresponding to is formed.

Further, it is characterized in that a frame locking hole is provided at a predetermined position for positioning the substrate frame itself or for locking the substrate handling means.

Furthermore, using a jig such as tweezers,
A groove having a depth of 1 mm or more from the bottom surface of the concave portion or a through groove at a predetermined position including the outer peripheral portion of the concave portion of the frame main body so as to be an escape route for a jig such as tweezers when the substrate is taken out. It is characterized by the provision of.

[0011]

Operation: The substrate is fitted and held in the concave portion of the substrate frame, and the substrate is transported in a predetermined direction through the substrate frame by the substrate handling means (for example, a transport robot) that transports, takes in, and takes out the substrate. By taking it out from a predetermined position, it becomes possible to handle the substrate without directly contacting the substrate handling means with the substrate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the adhesion of dirt to the substrate due to the contact between the substrate and the substrate handling means, and to handle the substrate by engaging the substrate handling means together with the substrate frame during handling. It is possible to suppress and prevent damage to the substrate during handling.

Further, the substrate frame of the present invention is annular and has a frame main body in which an annular concave portion into which the substrate is fitted is formed on one surface, and the substrate fitted in the concave portion is held so as not to fall off. Since the substrate holding means is provided, it is possible to reliably hold the substrate in the recess. Therefore, by using a substrate handling means such as a transfer robot and handling the substrate via the substrate frame, it is possible to prevent the attachment of dirt to the substrate due to contact with the substrate handling means, By securely engaging the board with the board handling means together with the board frame, it is possible to prevent the board from being damaged during transportation or handling.

Further, in a substrate frame in which a protrusion corresponding to the positioning notch of the substrate is formed in a concave portion of the frame body into which the substantially circular substrate having the positioning notch is fitted, It becomes possible to easily and surely position the substrate on the frame.

Further, in the case of a substrate frame in which a frame locking hole for positioning the substrate frame itself or for locking the substrate handling means is provided at a predetermined position, a thin film electrode or the like is formed on the substrate. In this case, the substrate frame (and thus the substrate) can be surely held in the correct posture corresponding to the crystal growth direction, and the substrate frame can be securely locked to the substrate handling means or the like.

Further, in the case of a substrate frame in which a groove having a depth of 1 mm or more from the bottom surface of the recess or a through groove is provided at a predetermined position including the outer peripheral portion of the recess of the frame main body, the frame is held by the substrate frame. When taking out the formed substrate with a jig such as tweezers, the groove having a depth of 1 mm or more from the bottom surface of the recess or the through groove serves as an escape route for the jig such as tweezers, so that the substrate can be easily and surely removed. Since it can be taken out, it is possible to further improve the overall handleability of the substrate.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a view showing a method of handling a substrate (wafer) using a substrate frame according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the substrate frame, and FIG. 3 is a view showing a state where the substrate is held and fixed by the substrate frame.

In this embodiment, a substrate frame 2 for holding a substrate (wafer) 1 is annular as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the substrate 1 is on one surface (the upper surface in FIG. 1). A frame body 4 in which an annular recess (step portion) 3 that fits is formed, and a substrate holding plate (substrate holding means) for holding the substrate 1 in the recess 3 so that the substrate 1 fitted in the recess 3 does not fall off. ) 5 and a bolt 6 for attaching the substrate pressing plate 5 to the frame main body 4.

The depth of the recess 3 is equal to the thickness of the substrate 1+
It is formed to have a thickness of 0.1 to 0.2 mm. This is because when the depth of the recess 3 is less than the thickness of the substrate 1 +0.1 mm, the substrate 1 may not be surely accommodated in the recess 3 when the substrate 1 has thickness variation or warpage. On the other hand, when the thickness exceeds 0.2 mm, the shadow portion formed during film formation becomes large and wide, and the arrival / deposition amount of scattered particles decreases, which adversely affects the film thickness distribution. Also,
The outer diameter of the concave portion 3 is 0.2 to 0.3 mm larger than the outer diameter of the substrate 1 so that the substrate 1 can be easily inserted and the positional deviation (play) of the substrate 1 does not become too large. Preferably.

The thickness of the substrate pressing plate 5 is 0.1 to 0.
The thickness is preferably 3 mm, but it is difficult to securely hold and fix the substrate 1 when the thickness of the substrate pressing plate 5 is less than 0.1 mm, and when the thickness exceeds 0.3 mm, the film is formed during film formation. This is because the shadow portion formed is large and wide, and the amount of scattered particles reaching and accumulating is reduced, which adversely affects the film thickness distribution.

Further, in the substrate frame of this embodiment, the peripheral portion 4a of the frame body 4 is tapered so that the thickness becomes smaller toward the outer peripheral side according to the groove size of the conventional wafer carrier. Thus, the conventional wafer carrier can be used as it is.

Further, the recess 3 of the frame body 4 is formed with an overhanging portion 7 corresponding to the positioning notch (orientation flat) 1a of the substrate 1. This overhanging portion 7 determines the position of the substrate 1 on the substrate frame 2 corresponding to the crystal growth direction of the scattered particles during film formation.

Further, the frame body 4 is formed with three screw holes 8 into which bolts 6 for fixing the substrate pressing plate 5 are engaged, and a position with the center line of the overhanging portion 7 as an axis of symmetry. Two frame locking holes 9 are formed in the. The frame locking hole 9 functions to position the substrate frame 2 holding the substrate 1 on a substrate holder (not shown) in the film forming chamber and to lock the substrate frame 2 on the substrate holder. The substrate holder is a mechanism portion for mounting a substrate (a substrate frame in this embodiment) which is installed facing the vapor deposition source or the target in the vacuum film forming apparatus, and is configured to rotate or revolve around the axis by the driving means. Has been done.

Further, a jig such as tweezers is used for the frame body 4, and when the substrate 1 is taken out, one of the outer peripheral portions of the concave portion 3 of the frame body 4 serves as an escape route for the jig such as tweezers. Two U-shaped through-grooves (cutouts) 10 are formed at predetermined positions (in this embodiment, positions where the center line of the overhanging portion 7 is the axis of symmetry, like the frame locking hole 9 in this embodiment). Are formed. Instead of the through groove 10, a groove having a depth of about 1 to 2 mm may be provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 1 is fitted into the recess 3 of the substrate frame 2 constructed as described above, and the substrate holding plate 5 holds and fixes the substrate 1 in the recess 3. When the substrate handling unit such as a transport robot transports the substrate 1 through the substrate frame 2 in a predetermined direction or takes it out of a predetermined position, the substrate handling unit can move the substrate without directly contacting the substrate. It becomes possible to handle.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent dirt from adhering to the substrate due to contact with the substrate handling means, and to handle the substrate together with the substrate frame securely by the substrate handling means. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent damage to the substrate during transportation or handling.

Further, since the substrate frame 2 of the above embodiment is provided with the projecting portion 7 corresponding to the positioning notch (orientation flat) 1a of the substrate 1, it is easy to position the substrate 1 on the substrate frame 2. And it can be done reliably.

Further, at a predetermined position of the frame body 4,
Since the frame locking hole 9 for positioning the substrate frame 2 itself and for locking to the substrate handling means etc. is provided, a proper posture corresponding to the crystal growth direction when depositing a thin film electrode or the like on the substrate 1 is provided. The board frame 2 (and thus the board 1) can be securely held, and the board frame 2 can be reliably locked to the board handling means or the like.

Further, two U-shaped through-grooves (notches) are provided at predetermined positions including the outer peripheral portion of the recess 3 of the frame body 4.
Since the substrate 10 is formed, when the substrate 1 held by the substrate frame 2 is taken out by using a jig such as tweezers, the through groove 10 serves as an escape route for the jig, and the substrate can be taken out easily and surely. Therefore, it becomes possible to further improve the handleability of the substrate.

As the substrate frame, for example, a substrate frame having an outer diameter of 5 inches and a recess formed in the center thereof for holding a substrate having an outer diameter of 2 to 4 inches and an outer diameter of 10 are provided. By providing a substrate frame that has a recess in the center that can hold a substrate with an outer diameter of 5 to 8 inches, unify the wafer carriers to be used, standardize robot hands and substrate holders, etc. Will be possible. Therefore, there are many kinds of substrate sizes (for example, outer diameters of 2, 4, 5, 6, etc.) handled by a vacuum film forming apparatus.
Even if there are 6 types of 7 and 8 inches), it is possible to handle with a small number (two types in this case) of substrate frames.

The invention of the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the concrete shape of the frame main body having the concave portion into which the substrate is fitted, the structure of the substrate holding means for fixing the substrate in the concave portion, The type of board handling means that carries, takes in, and takes out the board, the shape of the overhang corresponding to the board positioning notch, the position and number of the frame locking holes, the number of jigs such as tweezers, etc. When the substrate is taken out, various applications and modifications can be made within the scope of the invention with respect to the specific shape of the groove serving as an escape route for the jig, the arrangement position, the number of arrangement, and the like.

[0031]

As described above, according to the substrate handling method of the present invention, the substrate is fitted and held in the concave portion of the substrate frame,
Since the substrate handling means handles the substrate via the substrate frame, the substrate can be handled without directly contacting the substrate handling means.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the attachment of dirt to the substrate due to the contact with the substrate handling means, and to handle the substrate together with the substrate frame by engaging the substrate handling means. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent damage to the substrate during transportation or handling.

Further, the substrate frame of the present invention is annular and has a frame main body in which an annular concave portion into which the substrate is fitted is formed on one surface, and the substrate fitted in the concave portion is held so as not to fall off. Since the substrate holding means is provided, the substrate handling means, such as a transfer robot, is used to handle the substrate via the substrate frame, so that contamination of the substrate caused by contact with the substrate handling means is prevented. Adhesion can be reliably prevented, and by securely engaging the substrate together with the substrate handling means together with the substrate frame, it is possible to prevent damage to the substrate during transportation and handling.

Further, in a board frame in which a protrusion corresponding to the positioning notch of the board is formed in the recess of the frame body into which the substantially circular board having the positioning notch is fitted, The substrate can be positioned easily and surely, and the reliability of handling the substrate can be further improved.

Further, in a substrate frame having a frame locking hole for positioning the substrate frame itself or for locking the substrate handling means or the like at a predetermined position, a thin film electrode or the like is formed on the substrate. In this case, the substrate frame (and thus the substrate) can be securely held in the correct posture corresponding to the crystal growth direction, and the substrate frame can be reliably locked to the substrate handling means. Can be more effective.

Further, in the case of a substrate frame in which a groove having a depth of 1 mm or more from the bottom surface of the concave portion or a through groove is provided at a predetermined position including the outer peripheral portion of the concave portion of the frame main body, it is held by the substrate frame. 1mm from the bottom of the recess when taking out the substrate with a jig such as tweezers.
The groove with the above depth or the through groove serves as an escape route for jigs such as tweezers, and it is possible to take out the board easily and reliably, which can further improve the overall handleability of the board. become.

Further, according to the present invention, since the degree of freedom of the posture of the substrate is improved, it is possible to hold the substrate vertically to form a film (vertical film formation), which occurs during film formation. It is possible to prevent dirt (process particles) from adhering to the substrate or the target and prevent the occurrence of contamination. Further, for example, a sputter target and the like can also be arranged vertically, so that it is possible to prevent abnormal discharge due to process particles falling on the target.

Since the board frame is used,
The contact area between the substrate and the substrate holder is reduced, and due to the film formation energy during film formation or the heat energy for heating the substrate,
Even with a substrate having pyroelectricity, the influence of the attraction force due to the generation of static electricity is reduced, and damage when the substrate is attached and detached can be prevented.

Further, even if the substrate size changes, the same size substrate frame can be used, so that it is not necessary to replace the robot hand or the wafer carrier, and the substrate holder can be shared. And the setup time can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a method of handling a substrate using a substrate frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of a substrate frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a substrate is held and fixed on a substrate frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional substrate handling method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 board 1a positioning notch (orientation flat) 2 board frame 3 recess (step) 4 frame body 4a frame body peripheral area 5 board holding plate (board holding means) 6 bolt 7 overhanging portion 8 screw hole 9 frame engagement Stop hole 10 Through groove (notch)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A substrate frame having a concave portion into which a substrate is fitted, in which the substrate is fitted and held in the concave portion, and is brought into direct contact with the substrate by a substrate handling means that carries, takes in, and takes out the substrate. Instead, the substrate handling method is characterized in that the substrate is transported, taken in and taken out through the substrate frame. 2. A substrate frame for holding a substrate, the frame body being annular and having an annular recess on one surface into which the substrate fits; and a substrate fitted in the recess not falling off. And a substrate holding unit for holding the substrate in the recess. 3. A substrate frame for holding a substrate which is substantially circular and has a positioning notch, wherein an overhanging portion corresponding to the positioning notch of the substrate is formed in the recess of the frame body. The board frame according to claim 2, wherein the board frame is formed. 4. The board frame according to claim 2, wherein a frame locking hole for positioning the board frame itself or for locking the board handling means is provided at a predetermined position. 5. The recessed portion is provided at a predetermined position including the outer peripheral portion of the recessed portion of the frame main body so as to serve as an escape route for the jig such as tweezers when the substrate is taken out using a jig such as tweezers. The substrate frame according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein a groove having a depth of 1 mm or more from the bottom surface or a through groove is provided.