JPH10199958A - Wafer-supporting stage and wafer-carrying system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate wafer setting, wafer pick up and wafer supported setting to a stage, without touching the support, etc., by providing a vertically movable wafer support stage having drawable bearings for mounting a wafer support. SOLUTION: A wafer support stage, i.e., a susceptor stage 21 has drawable bearings 23 arranged vertically in a longitudinal long frame-like support 22. Each bearing 23 for mounting a susceptor 24 thereon has each both side edges fitted in guide grooves formed into the inner sidewalls of the support 22, so as to smoothly draw and insert through adequate means, e.g. rollers and an approximately U-shape opened at the rear with a step 27 for directly receiving the susceptor 24. The entire stage 21 is connected to a vertical movable mechanism.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stage for a wafer support used in, for example, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a wafer transfer system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, for example, semiconductor growth apparatuses have been increased in size and automation, and many apparatuses have become auto-loaded with respect to setting of semiconductor wafers. However, in the case of a large number of wafers, such as a compound semiconductor growth apparatus, it is not practical to automatically set a wafer from a wafer cassette containing 25 wafers, for example.

[0003] This is because the quality of semiconductor wafers that cannot be used and remain in the cassette cannot be guaranteed because the surface of the semiconductor wafer may be degraded due to leaving for a long time after opening. Therefore, it is still common to automate the wafer setting without manually setting the wafer on the susceptor and then auto-loading the susceptor on which the wafer is mounted into the reaction furnace.

In order to load the susceptor, for example, a robot arm or the like is used, but it is necessary to input position information. When loading about several susceptors, it is common practice that the stage on which the susceptors are placed moves up and down in the vertical direction to the position of the robot arm, that is, the position where the susceptors are taken out. In other words, in order to keep the stage position from shifting as much as possible, the stage can be moved only in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction), and cannot move in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction (in a horizontal plane). ing.

FIG. 9 shows a conventional stage for a susceptor. As shown in FIG. 9A, the stage 1 is provided with a plurality of pedestals 3 for setting about several susceptors 2 arranged and fixed in the vertical direction.
It is configured to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction as shown by. The susceptor 2 on which the semiconductor wafer 4 is manually placed is set on the receiving table 3 of each stage of the stage 1 from the front of the stage.

[0006] Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
The susceptor 2 on which the semiconductor wafer 4 is mounted is taken out from the rear surface by the robot arm 5, and is automatically transferred to a processing chamber, for example, a reaction furnace in the case of a semiconductor growth apparatus.

FIGS. 10 to 12 schematically show a semiconductor wafer transfer system in a semiconductor growth apparatus, for example, loading and unloading of a wafer. 11 is a wafer supply chamber used for wafer loading, 12 is a wafer collection chamber for unloading a grown wafer, 13 is a robot chamber containing a robot arm 15 as an automatic transfer means used for loading and unloading, and 14 is a reaction chamber. Shows the furnace. The wafer supply chamber 11, the wafer recovery chamber 12, and the reaction furnace 14 are shut off by a gate valve 16 and the like. The stage 1 shown in FIG. 9 is disposed in each of the wafer supply chamber 11 and the wafer recovery chamber 12.

First, as shown in the step of FIG. 10, the door 11a of the wafer supply chamber 11 is opened in, for example, a nitrogen atmosphere, and the susceptor 2 on which the wafer 4 is placed is handled (manually) by the pedestal of each stage of the stage 1. Set on 3. After the completion of the setting, the wafer supply chamber 11 is evacuated.

Next, as shown in the step of FIG. 11, the respective gate valves 16 of the reaction furnace 14 and the wafer recovery chamber 12 are opened, and the wafer 4 grown from the reaction furnace 14 by the robot arm 15 is removed together with the susceptor 2. The wafers are sequentially collected on the stage 1 in the wafer collection chamber 12 in a vacuum state.

Next, as shown in the step of FIG. 12, the gate valve 16 of the wafer supply chamber 11 is opened, and the susceptor 2 on which the wafers 4 are sequentially loaded from the stage 1 in the vacuum state of the wafer supply chamber 11 is opened by the robot 15. It is transported into the reaction furnace 14. On the other hand, in the wafer collection chamber 12 in which the gate valve 16 is closed, the door 1 of the wafer collection chamber 12 is placed in a nitrogen atmosphere.
2a is opened, and the susceptor 2 is taken out of the stage 1 together with the wafer 4 by handling.

Then, as shown in the process of FIG. 13, the next semiconductor wafer 4 is placed on the susceptor 2 taken out of the wafer recovery chamber 12 for the next growth, and the next semiconductor wafer 4 is supplied by handling in a nitrogen atmosphere. Move to room 11.

[0012]

As described above, conventionally, setting a wafer on the susceptor 2 and further setting the susceptor 2 on the stage 1 is handling, which is difficult in operation. However, it was not preferable in terms of cleanliness of the susceptor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the present invention provides a stage for a wafer support that can easily set a wafer, take out a wafer, and set a wafer support on a stage without touching the wafer support or the like. To provide. The present invention provides a wafer transfer system that enables wafer transfer without touching the wafer support using such a wafer support stage.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A wafer support stage according to the present invention has a plurality of cradles on which a wafer support can be pulled out and which can be moved up and down.

In the stage having such a configuration, a wafer can be set on the stage or taken out of the stage without touching the susceptor. That is, when the wafer is set on the wafer support because the cradle can be pulled out, the wafer is set on the wafer support placed on the cradle by pulling the cradle out of the stage. It is possible to do. Further, when taking out the wafer on the wafer support, it is possible to take out only the wafer from the wafer support on the pedestal by pulling the pedestal out of the stage. Further, since the stage can be moved up and down, the stage is sequentially moved up and down, and the receiving table is sequentially pulled out, so that the wafer can be easily set or taken out of the wafer support.

A wafer transfer system according to the present invention has a wafer storage chamber in which the wafer support stage is arranged, a processing chamber, and automatic transfer means, and a wafer support which supports a wafer by the automatic transfer means. The transfer of the body from the wafer storage chamber to the processing chamber and the transfer of the wafer support supporting the processed wafer from the processing chamber to the wafer storage chamber are performed.

In this wafer transfer system, the stage pedestal can be pulled out,
It is possible to set a wafer on a wafer support, transfer a wafer between a wafer storage chamber and a processing chamber, and take out a processed wafer from the wafer support without touching the wafer support. Further, after the wafer is taken out, the wafer support is moved to the original stage for the next growth by the automatic transfer means. Therefore, the cleanness of the wafer support in a series of wafer loading / unloading steps is performed. Is maintained, and the quality of the wafer can be improved.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A wafer support stage according to the present invention has a plurality of drawers that can be pulled out on which a wafer support for supporting a wafer is mounted, and is configured to be vertically movable.

The stage for wafer support of the present invention comprises:
It can be used as a stage of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

A wafer transfer system according to the present invention has a plurality of drawer-receiving pedestals on which a wafer support for supporting a wafer is mounted, and a wafer support stage on which a vertically movable wafer support is arranged. A storage chamber, a processing chamber, and an automatic transfer means for transferring the wafer support supporting the wafer between the wafer storage chamber and the processing chamber, wherein the stage for the wafer support in the wafer storage chamber is provided by the automatic transfer means. Take out the wafer support supporting the wafer from
After the processing, the wafer support supporting the wafer is taken out of the processing chamber by the automatic transfer means, and collected on the wafer support stage arranged in the wafer storage chamber.

According to the present invention, in the above-described wafer transfer system, the wafer storage chamber is divided into a wafer supply chamber in which a stage for a wafer support is arranged and a wafer recovery chamber, and the wafer support chamber supporting the processed wafer. The wafers are collected on the wafer support stage in the wafer recovery chamber, and the wafer is taken out of the stage. Then, only the wafer support is transferred from the wafer support stage in the wafer recovery chamber by the automatic transfer means to the wafer support in the wafer supply chamber. Transfer to the stage for use.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an example of a stage for a wafer support according to the present invention, in this example, a stage for a susceptor used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus such as a semiconductor growing apparatus. 1 is a view of the stage as viewed from the front, FIG. 2 is a view of the stage as viewed from above, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a state where a susceptor is set in the stage.

In the susceptor stage 21 according to this embodiment, a plurality of pedestals 23 that can be drawn out from the support portion 22 are arranged in a vertical frame-shaped support portion 22 having a depth so as to be vertically arranged. It is composed. The receiving base 23 is for mounting the susceptor 24 thereon, and both side edges thereof are engaged with guide grooves 25 provided on both inner side walls of the support portion 22,
For example, it can be smoothly pulled out and stored via appropriate means such as a roller. As shown in FIG. 2, the cradle 23 has a substantially U-shape with an open rear portion.
Is directly provided.

When the pedestal 25 is pulled out from the front surface of the stage 21 shown by a virtual line in FIG. 2 (see also FIG. 4A), the susceptor 24 on the pedestal 23 is exposed to the outside. The semiconductor wafer 28 is set on the susceptor 24 by handling with tweezers or the like or a robot arm, or the susceptor 24
It becomes possible to take out the semiconductor wafer 28 from above.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (see also FIG. 4B), in a state where the pedestal 23 is housed in the stage 21, for example, a robot arm 30 of an automatic transfer means is inserted from behind and only the susceptor 24 or The susceptor 24 supporting the wafer can be taken out of the stage 21 and transferred to another part.

The entire stage 21 is connected to a mechanism (not shown) that can move up and down in the vertical direction (the direction of arrow b in FIG. 1). The stage 21 is also housed in a vacuum-evacuable container (or chamber), as shown in FIG.

In this stage 21, the position of the stage 21 in the vertical direction does not shift even when the receiving table 23 is pulled out or stored, and the stage 21 can move smoothly, and the position information to the robot arm 30 changes. Never. Further, it is assumed that a function is provided to issue an alarm when the position of the stage 21 is shifted or to easily change the position information.

Next, FIG. 5 to FIG. 8 are schematic configuration diagrams in the case where a wafer transfer system according to the present invention, that is, a wafer load / unload system is applied to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, for example, a semiconductor growth apparatus.

In this semiconductor growth apparatus, a wafer supply chamber 41 used for loading a wafer, a wafer recovery chamber 42 for unloading a grown wafer, and an automatic transfer means for loading / unloading, for example, a robot arm 30 are housed. Robot chamber 43 and reaction chamber 44 where growth takes place
, Each of which can be shut off by the gate valve 45 or the like, and can be individually evacuated.

In the wafer supply chamber 41 and the wafer recovery chamber 42, the above-described susceptor stage 21 is disposed. The semiconductor wafer 28 can be set on the susceptor 24 without taking out the susceptor 24, and the semiconductor can be placed on the susceptor 24. The wafer 28 can be taken out.

The outside of the wafer supply chamber 41 and the wafer recovery chamber 42 is structured so that work can be performed in a nitrogen atmosphere.
Although not shown, air-tight work gloves are arranged in the portion of the box in the nitrogen atmosphere where the holes are formed.

A set and collection container for introducing a semiconductor wafer into the box in the nitrogen atmosphere or collecting the grown semiconductor wafer is connected to the box. Needless to say, this container is connected while maintaining airtightness. Further, it is assumed that this container has a structure in which a separate evacuation line and nitrogen for purging can be introduced.

Next, the operation of loading and unloading a wafer in the above-described semiconductor growth apparatus will be described.

First, as shown in the step of FIG. 5, the door 41a of the wafer supply chamber 41 is opened in a nitrogen atmosphere,
The first pedestal 23 is pulled out from the front, and the semiconductor wafer 28 is set on the susceptor 24 placed on the pedestal 23. The setting of the wafer 28 can be performed by, for example, handling (manual) using vacuum tweezers. In this example, the handling is premised. However, for example, the semiconductor wafer 28 can be set on the susceptor 24 by a robot arm different from the robot arm 30 for loading and unloading the susceptor 24. . Susceptor 2
After the semiconductor wafer 28 is set on the table 4,
In the stage 21. Thus, each cradle 2
The semiconductor wafers 28 are sequentially set on the susceptor 24 above the third wafer 3. After the completion of the setting, the door 41a is closed and evacuated.

Next, as shown in the process of FIG.
The gate valves 45 of the wafer recovery chamber 4 and the wafer recovery chamber 42 are opened, and the grown wafer 28 is taken out of the reaction furnace 44 together with the susceptor 24 by the robot arm 30 and sequentially recovered on the stage 21 in the wafer recovery chamber 42 in a vacuum state. I do. In this case, the stage 21 itself sequentially moves vertically for each wafer so that each receiving table 23 of the stage 21 corresponds to the position of the robot arm 30, and a susceptor on which the wafer 28 is placed on each receiving table 23. 24 are collected.

Next, as shown in the step of FIG. 7, while the gate valve 45 of the wafer collection chamber 42 is closed, the gate valve 45 of the wafer supply chamber 41 is opened, and the stage 21 in the wafer supply chamber 41 is closed. Set wafer 28
The susceptor 24 on which is mounted is taken out by the robot arm 30 and transported to the reaction furnace 44. Again,
The stage 21 itself sequentially moves in the vertical direction for each wafer so that each pedestal 23 of the stage 21 corresponds to the position of the robot arm 30, and the susceptor 24 on which the wafers on each pedestal 23 are set is sequentially placed in the reactor 44. Transported to

When the wafer is transferred to the reaction furnace 44, the wafer collection chamber 42 is set in a nitrogen atmosphere in the wafer collection chamber 42.
Is opened, the pedestal 23 of the stage 21 is sequentially pulled out, and the grown semiconductor wafer 28 is
Only one is taken out, for example, by handling (manual) using vacuum tweezers. In this case, in addition to the handling, the semiconductor wafer 28 can be taken out of the susceptor 24 by a robot arm different from the robot arm 30, for example. When the removal of the semiconductor wafer 28 is completed, the door 42a is closed and the vacuum is evacuated.

Next, as shown in the step of FIG. 8, the gate valves 4 of the wafer supply chamber 41 and the wafer recovery chamber 42
5 is opened, and the susceptor 24 after the removal of the wafer by the robot arm 30 is collected from the stage 21 of the wafer collection chamber 42 to the stage 21 of the wafer supply chamber 41. Thus, only the susceptor 24 is automatically transferred without handling, that is, without touching the susceptor.
Can be moved into the stage 21. Thereafter, the process order of FIGS. 5 to 8 is repeated.

The susceptor stage 2 according to the above embodiment
According to No. 1, when the receiving tray 23 is pulled out, the receiving tray 2
The semiconductor wafer 28 on the susceptor 24
Can be set, or only the semiconductor wafer 28 can be taken out from the susceptor 24. That is, it is possible to set the wafer on the stage 21 or take out the wafer from the stage 21 without touching the susceptor. Therefore, the cleanliness of the susceptor 24 is improved, and the quality of the semiconductor wafer 28 can be further improved. In addition, the workability at the time of setting the wafer and taking out the wafer is improved, and the wafer loss due to a handling error is reduced. Can be.

Further, according to the wafer transfer system according to the above-described embodiment, that is, the wafer loading / unloading system, the setting of the semiconductor wafer 28 which requires a high degree of cleanness in the stage 21 is performed by touching the susceptor 24 or the like. It can be done easily without any problems. Therefore, for example, when applied to a semiconductor growth apparatus, the possibility of deteriorating the quality of a grown layer is greatly reduced. Further, since the work is facilitated, it is possible to greatly reduce the loss due to a handling error at the time of setting the wafer.

Further, the collection and removal of the grown wafer can be easily performed while maintaining the cleanness. Therefore, the probability of occurrence of defects such as dropping, chipping, and scratches due to handling as in the related art is greatly reduced.

Further, the design for automatically setting the semiconductor wafer on the stage 21 by a robot arm or the like is also facilitated.

In the load / unload system of this embodiment, the susceptor 24 after the grown wafer 28 is collected and taken out is automatically moved from the stage 21 of the wafer collection chamber 42 by the robot arm 30 to the wafer. Since the wafer is collected on the stage 21 of the supply chamber 41, the next wafer can be set on the stage 21 without touching the susceptor 24 thereafter. As a result, the degree of cleanliness of the susceptor 24 in a series of steps of loading and unloading the wafer is greatly improved, and the quality of the semiconductor wafer 28 can be further ensured.

In the above example, the present invention is applied to a semiconductor growth apparatus. However, the present invention can be applied to a so-called semiconductor manufacturing apparatus such as an etching apparatus.

In the above example, the present invention is applied to a semiconductor wafer. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other wafers.

[0047]

According to the wafer support stage of the present invention, the pedestal can be pulled out,
It is possible to set a wafer on the wafer support on the receiving table or take out the wafer from the wafer support without touching the wafer support. Therefore, the cleanliness of the wafer support is improved, and the workability at the time of setting the wafer and taking out the wafer is improved, and the loss of the wafer due to a handling error can be reduced. When the stage for a wafer support according to the present invention is applied to a stage of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the quality of a semiconductor wafer can be further ensured.

According to the wafer transfer system of the present invention, by providing the wafer support stage, it is possible to easily set a wafer requiring a high degree of cleanness on the stage without touching the wafer support or the like. In addition, quality deterioration during processing can be significantly reduced.
Further, since the work is facilitated, it is possible to greatly reduce a wafer loss due to a handling error during wafer setting.

Further, the collection and removal of the processed wafer can be easily performed while maintaining the cleanness. Therefore, the probability of occurrence of a defect such as a drop, a chip, a scratch, or the like due to a handling error as in the related art is greatly reduced. Further, it becomes easy to automate the wafer setting or the wafer removal itself.

When the wafer storage chamber is provided separately from the wafer supply chamber and the wafer recovery chamber, the processed wafer is recovered, and the wafer support after the removal is taken out of the wafer recovery chamber by the automatic transfer means. Since the wafer is collected from the stage to the stage in the wafer supply chamber, the next wafer can be set without touching the wafer support. As a result, the degree of cleanliness of the wafer support is greatly improved in a series of steps of loading and unloading the wafer, and the quality of the wafer is further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a wafer support stage according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a partial cross section showing an example of a wafer support stage according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part in a state where a wafer support is set on a pedestal of a wafer support stage according to the present invention.

FIG. 4A is an explanatory view showing the operation of the wafer support stage according to the present invention. B It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation | movement of the stage for wafer support which concerns on this invention.

FIG. 5 is a wafer transfer step diagram when the wafer transfer system of the present invention is applied to a semiconductor growth apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a wafer transfer step diagram when the wafer transfer system of the present invention is applied to a semiconductor growth apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a wafer transfer step diagram when the wafer transfer system of the present invention is applied to a semiconductor growth apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a wafer transfer step diagram when the wafer transfer system of the present invention is applied to a semiconductor growth apparatus.

9A is a diagram illustrating a conventional susceptor stage and its operation. FIG. B is a conventional susceptor stage and its operation explanatory view.

FIG. 10 is a process diagram of a wafer transfer system applied to a conventional semiconductor growth apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a process diagram of a wafer transfer system applied to a conventional semiconductor growth apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a process diagram of a wafer transfer system applied to a conventional semiconductor growth apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a process diagram of a wafer transfer system applied to a conventional semiconductor growth apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 susceptor stage, 23 pedestal, 24 susceptor, 28 semiconductor wafer, 30 robot arm, 41
Wafer supply room, 42 Wafer recovery room, 43 Robot room, 44 Reaction furnace, 45 Gate valve

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Daisuke Imanishi 6-35 Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A stage for a wafer support, comprising a plurality of drawers that can be pulled out on which a wafer support for supporting a wafer is mounted, and which can be moved up and down. 2. The stage for a wafer support according to claim 1, wherein the stage is used for a stage of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. 3. A processing chamber comprising: a plurality of drawer-receiving pedestals on which a wafer support for supporting a wafer is placed, and a wafer support stage on which a vertically movable wafer support stage is arranged; Automatic transfer means for transferring the wafer support supporting the wafer between the wafer storage chamber and the processing chamber, wherein the automatic transfer means transfers the wafer from the wafer support stage of the wafer storage chamber to the wafer. The wafer support supporting the wafer is taken out and transferred to the processing chamber. After the processing, the wafer support supporting the wafer is taken out of the processing chamber by the automatic transfer means, and the wafer support placed in the wafer storage chamber is taken out. A wafer transfer system, wherein the wafer is collected on a body stage. 4. The wafer storage chamber is separated into a wafer supply chamber in which the wafer support stage is arranged and a wafer recovery chamber, and the wafer support supporting the processed wafer is separated into the wafer recovery chamber. After the wafer is collected on the wafer support stage and the wafer is taken out from the stage, the automatic transfer means only supports the wafer support from the wafer support stage in the wafer recovery chamber and supports the wafer in the wafer supply chamber. The wafer transfer system according to claim 3, wherein the wafer is transferred to a body stage.