JPH0864656A - Substrate transferring system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To deliver a substrate well to a substrate processing section by simplifying the driving system and the control system and reducing the space. CONSTITUTION: A substrate holding member 25 is provided with two substrate supporting parts 24, 24 for mounting substrates W1, W2 at different horizontal positions. The substrate holding member 25 is then turned to shift the substrate supporting parts 24, 24 to a position facing a first substrate heating unit 6 alternatively. The substrate supporting part 24 facing the first substrate heating unit 6 is then shifted over the position for delivering the substrate to the first substrate heating unit 6 so that both substrates W1, W2 are not overlapped when they are mounted simultaneously.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a photomask, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device,
A substrate such as an optical disk substrate is placed for transfer of a substrate taken out from a housing such as a cassette, and an intermediate substrate transfer processing unit and a processing device such as heating, cooling, coating, and developing, or between processing devices. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device that transfers a substrate to and transfers it to a substrate processing unit, such as a room.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a substrate transfer apparatus as described above, two substrate transfer arms for mounting one substrate at a time on a substrate holding member which is displaced so as to face a substrate processing section are vertically arranged. The substrates are mounted on one of the substrate transfer arms, the substrates are placed on one of the substrate transfer arms, the substrate is taken out of the substrate processing section by the other empty substrate transfer arm, and then the substrate is transferred by one of the substrate transfer arms. The substrate placed on the substrate was carried into the substrate processing section, and the substrate was transferred to the substrate processing section. However, there is a problem in that the substrates are overlapped in the vertical direction during the transfer, and the particles drop from the back surface of the upper substrate or the like to the front surface of the lower substrate and adhere.

Therefore, as a substrate transfer device capable of avoiding such a problem, the following device has been conventionally known. A. First Conventional Example (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-258148) According to the first conventional example, a transfer arm having a wafer mounting portion is formed at each of two positions eccentric to the rotation shaft of the rotation base. It is provided so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis, and the rotary base and each transfer arm are independently rotationally driven and controlled so that the two substrates to be delivered are prevented from overlapping in the vertical direction. B. Second Conventional Example (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-90387) According to the second conventional example, two tweezers for sucking and holding a substrate are provided in a carriage in a vertically stacked manner,
Both tweezers are configured to be movable in the vertical and horizontal directions and the vertical direction independently of each other and to be swung by a predetermined angle to increase the degree of freedom.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned first and second conventional examples have the following drawbacks, respectively. a. Disadvantages of First Conventional Example In order to rotate and drive each of the two transfer arms on which a wafer is placed independently of each other, it is necessary to secure a planar space allowing the rotation of each of the transfer arms. However, there is a drawback that it becomes large in plan view. Further, since the rotary base and the two transfer arms are driven independently of each other, there is a drawback that the drive system configuration and control configuration are complicated and expensive.

B. Disadvantages of Second Conventional Example Since two tweezers for sucking and holding a substrate are driven to rotate independently of each other, it is necessary to secure a planar space for allowing the tweezers to rotate, and thus the entire apparatus. However, there is a drawback that it becomes large in plan view. Further, since the two tweezers are driven independently of each other, there is a drawback that the configuration of the drive system and the control configuration become complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a small planar space and simplifies the structure of the drive system and the control structure, and transfers the substrate to and from the substrate processing section. The purpose is to be able to perform well.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate to a substrate processing section and delivering it to one substrate holding member in a horizontal direction. Two substrate supporting portions for mounting the substrates at different positions are provided, and rotating means for rotating the substrate holding member so that each of the substrate supporting portions is selectively displaced to a position facing the substrate processing portion. And a horizontal movement means for displacing the substrate supporting section facing the substrate processing section over a substrate transfer position with the substrate processing section.

[0008]

According to the structure of the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention, the substrate is placed on one of the two substrate supporting portions, and the substrate holding member is moved and rotated in that state, and the substrate is not placed. The substrate support part on the side is opposed to the substrate processing part. And
The horizontal moving means displaces the substrate support section over the substrate transfer position with the substrate processing section, receives the substrate from the substrate processing section, places it on the substrate support section, and carries it out from the substrate processing section. Then, the substrate holding member is rotated so that the substrate supporting portion on the side on which the substrate is initially mounted faces the substrate processing portion, and the substrate moving portion is displaced by the horizontal moving means over the substrate transfer position with the substrate processing portion. Then, the substrate can be carried into the substrate processing section, and the substrate can be delivered to the substrate processing section.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic perspective view showing a substrate processing apparatus using a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate W such as a semiconductor wafer having an arc-shaped outer peripheral surface.
Is a device for coating and drying a photoresist solution, and is roughly divided into a part (hereinafter referred to as an indexer module) 1 for storing unprocessed substrates and processed substrates, and a substrate W. It is composed of a substrate processing unit 2 for processing.

The indexer module 1 comprises four cassettes C ... Mounted in a line on a fixed base 3, and a first substrate for loading / unloading substrates W into / from these cassettes C. Consists of a carrier device 4. The transfer of the substrate W between the indexer module 1 and the substrate processing unit 2 is performed by the first substrate transfer device 4 and the second processing of the substrate processing unit 2 in the predetermined substrate transfer processing section P for transferring the substrate.
And the substrate transfer device 5 of FIG. The first substrate transfer device 4 takes out the substrate W to be transferred to the substrate processing unit 2 from the cassette C, transfers it to the substrate transfer processing part P for transferring the substrate, and also transfers the second substrate in the substrate transfer processing part P. The substrate W received from the transfer device 5 is transferred and stored in the cassette C. Each of the cassettes C ... Can store the substrates W in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

The substrate processing unit 2 includes, for example, a first substrate heating unit 6 for heat-treating a substrate W at a predetermined temperature such as 120 ° C. to remove moisture and the like, and a substrate provided below the first substrate heating unit 6 after the heat treatment. For example, a first substrate heat removal unit 7 for cooling W to a predetermined temperature such as 23 ° C. and returning it to room temperature, and a pair of substrate rotations for holding and rotating the substrate W and applying a photoresist solution on its surface. Type photoresist processing units 8 and 8 and a substrate W coated with a photoresist solution
For example, a pair of second substrate heating units 9 and 9 which heat-treat the substrate W at a predetermined temperature such as 100 ° C. to volatilize the solvent component and bring the photoresist film into close contact with the substrate W, and below each of them. The second substrate heat removal unit 10, 10 is provided that cools the substrate W that is provided and subjected to the heat treatment to a predetermined temperature such as 23 ° C. and returns the temperature to room temperature.

The second substrate transfer device 5 receives the substrates W fed from and discharged from the substrate transfer processing section P into first and second substrate heating units 6, 9 and 9, and first and second substrate heat removal units 7. , 10, 10 and the substrate rotation type photoresist processing units 8, 8 are respectively configured to be loaded and unloaded in an arbitrary order.

Next, the second substrate transfer device 5 will be described. As shown in the perspective view of FIG.
First screw shaft 12 and first mounted over 11
The first support base 14 is provided so as to be horizontally movable along the direction in which the units constituting the substrate processing unit 2 are arranged by the fixed guide 13 of the first screw shaft 12
And a first electric motor 15 capable of rotating in the normal and reverse directions are interlockingly connected via a belt type transmission mechanism 16.

A support bracket 17 is mounted on the first support base 14.
Is erected and rotatably attached to the support bracket 17
Screw shaft 18 is provided, and a second electric motor 19 capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions is interlockingly connected to the second screw shaft 18, and a second guide 20 and a second guide 20 installed upright on the first support base 14 are provided.
The second support base 21 is provided so as to be vertically movable by the screw shaft 18 of FIG.

A third support base 22 is provided on the second support base 21 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis P1, and the third support base 22 is provided with a third rotation means capable of rotating forward and backward. The electric motor 23 is linked and linked.

As shown in the plan view of FIG. 3 and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, two substrate supporting portions for mounting and holding the substrate W on the third support base 22 at different positions in the horizontal direction. 24, 2
The substrate holding member 25 provided with the 4 has a pair of third guides 2
6, 26 and a wire 28 linked to a fourth electric motor 27 capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. A configuration including the pair of third guides 26, 26 and a wire 28 interlockingly connected to a fourth electric motor 27 capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions is referred to as horizontal moving means.

As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 5, the arcuate portions of the substrate supporting portions 24, 24 are each formed on an inclined surface F which becomes lower toward the inner side thereof, and further, at the three circumferential positions, the inner side portions are formed. Substrate supporting pins 29 for projecting the substrate W on the projecting part are provided so as to project and support the substrate W in a point contact state.

Next, the second substrate transfer device 5 having the above structure
Regarding the substrate transfer operation by the substrate, using the schematic plan view of FIG.
An example will be described where 2 is passed.

First, in a state where the substrate W1 to be heat-treated from now on is placed and supported on one of the substrate supporting portions 24,
By driving the first electric motor 15 and the second electric motor 19, the substrate holding member 25 is moved to a position corresponding to the first substrate heating unit 6 on which the substrate W2 to be carried out is placed. The substrate supporting portion 24 on the side on which W1 is not placed and supported is positioned to face the first substrate heating unit 6 [(a) of FIG. 6].

Then, the fourth electric motor 27 is driven,
The substrate holding member 25 is horizontally moved with respect to the third support base 22, and the substrate support portion 24 on the side on which the substrate W1 is not placed and supported is inserted into the substrate transfer position in the first substrate heating unit 6. Then, after the substrate W2 after the heat treatment of the inside thereof is placed and supported on the substrate supporting portion 24 [(b) of FIG. 6],
The fourth electric motor 27 is reversely driven, and the substrate W2 after the heat treatment is carried out of the first substrate heating unit 6 [(c) of FIG. 6].

After that, the third support base 22 is rotated by 180 ° [(d) in FIG. 6], and the substrate support portion 24 on which the substrate W1 to be heat-treated is placed and supported is the first substrate heating unit. 6 to the opposite position.

Thereafter, the fourth electric motor 27 is driven to move the substrate holding member 25 in the horizontal direction with respect to the third support base 22, and the substrate supporting portion on the side on which the substrate W1 is placed and supported. 24 is inserted into the substrate transfer position in the first substrate heating unit 6, and the substrate W1 is placed in the first substrate heating unit 6
It is placed and supported at the substrate transfer position on the side [(e) of FIG. 6].
Then, the fourth electric motor 27 is reversely driven to move to the outside of the first substrate heating unit 6 [(f) in FIG. 6], and the substrate W2 after the heat treatment is moved to the outside of the first substrate heating unit 6. Of the substrate W1 and the substrate W1 that has not been subjected to the heat treatment into the first substrate heating unit 6.

In this way, when the substrates W1 and W2 are carried out and carried in and delivered to the first substrate heating unit 6, the substrate W2 after the heat treatment and the substrate W not subjected to the heat treatment are carried out.
Even if 1 and 1 are simultaneously placed and supported on the substrate holding member 25,
The mounting and supporting positions are horizontally separated by a predetermined distance, and the processing quality can be improved without being affected by the radiant heat from the substrate W2 after the heat processing. The same applies to the transfer of the substrate to the first substrate heating unit 6.

Further, when the substrates W1 and W2 are transferred, the direction of the substrate supporting portion 24 is changed at once by the rotation of the third supporting base 22, that is, the substrate holding member 25.
The planar space can be reduced and the drive system configuration and control configuration are simple. This also applies to the substrate transfer processing unit P for transferring the substrate, the first and second substrate heat removal units 7, 10, and 10 and the substrate rotation type photoresist processing units 8 and 8 respectively. Is. First and second
Of the substrate heating units 6, 9 and 9, the substrate transfer processing unit P for transferring the substrate, the first and second substrate heat removal units 7, 10 and 10, and the substrate rotation type photoresist processing units 8 and 8, respectively. And is referred to as a substrate processing unit.

In the above embodiment, the third support base 22 is rotated, and the substrate holding member 25 is rotated with respect to the third support base 22.
Is configured to move horizontally, for example, the third
Various configurations can be adopted, such as horizontally moving the support base 22 and rotating the substrate holding member 25 with respect to the third support base 22.

The substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention can be applied not only to the substrate processing apparatus for coating the photoresist solution, but also to various substrate processing apparatuses such as development processing and cleaning processing.

The present invention is applicable not only to the transportation of a circular substrate having an arcuate outer peripheral surface having a notch or orientation flat but also to the transportation of a rectangular substrate.

[0029]

As described above, according to the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention, by rotating the substrate holding member having the two substrate supporting portions whose positions are horizontally different from each other,
Since a predetermined substrate support part is opposed to the substrate processing part and is displaced by the horizontal moving means over the substrate transfer position with the substrate processing part, for example, two arm-shaped substrate support parts are vertically arranged on the substrate holding member. The substrate support is rotatably provided around the substrate support member, and the substrate support can be transferred to and from the substrate processing unit better than when the substrate support unit is rotated in addition to the rotation of the substrate holding member. The planar space where the parts are displaced can be reduced, and the entire device can be miniaturized in a plane.

Moreover, since the substrate supporting member is not rotated with respect to the substrate holding member, a drive system and control for independently driving the substrate supporting member are unnecessary, and the drive system and control structure can be simplified. And can be constructed at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic perspective view showing a substrate processing apparatus using a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a substrate transfer device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate support portion.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view for explaining a substrate transfer operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

6 ... First substrate heating unit as substrate processing unit 7 ... First substrate heat removal unit as substrate processing unit 8 ... Substrate rotating photoresist processing unit as substrate processing unit 9 ... Second as substrate processing unit Substrate heating unit 10 ... Second substrate heat removal unit 23 as substrate processing unit 23. Third electric motor as rotation unit 24 ... Substrate support unit 25 ... Substrate holding member 26 ... Third unit constituting horizontal movement unit Guide 27 ... Fourth electric motor constituting horizontal moving means 28 ... Wire constituting horizontal moving means P ... Substrate transfer processing section W ... Substrate processing section as substrate processing section

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location H01L 21/027

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substrate transfer device for transferring and delivering a substrate to a substrate processing part, wherein two substrate supporting parts mount the substrates at different positions in a horizontal direction on one substrate holding member. And rotating means for rotating the substrate holding member so that each of the substrate supporting parts is selectively displaced to a position facing the substrate processing part, and the substrate supporting part facing the substrate processing part. A substrate transfer apparatus comprising: a horizontal moving unit that is displaced with respect to a substrate transfer position with respect to a substrate processing unit.