JPH10308429A - Automatic conveyance system using trackless moving robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make reloading operation secure and to shorten the operation time. SOLUTION: A mark (m) for reloading position correction is added to a carrier 2 which stores a semiconductor at a specific position. Here, when the carrier 2 is reloaded from a wafer processing device 1 to the trackless moving robot 10, the mark (m) for reloading position correction fitted to the tip part of an arm 12 is read by a camera 14 and the position at the time of reloading is corrected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic transfer system using a trackless mobile robot for transferring a carrier between wafer processing apparatuses in a semiconductor manufacturing process. The present invention relates to an automatic transfer system that shortens the time and ensures the work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a semiconductor manufacturing process, an automatic transfer system using a trackless mobile robot for transferring a carrier accommodating a semiconductor wafer to be processed between wafer processing apparatuses has been used. In such an automatic transfer system, the positioning accuracy of the mobile robot traveling in a trackless manner is not sufficient. Needs to be corrected to match the predetermined transfer position.

Conventionally, such a work of correcting the transfer position is performed by:
A transfer position correction mark attached to a predetermined location on the wafer processing apparatus is read by a camera attached to the tip of the arm of the trackless transfer robot, and a deviation from the predetermined transfer position is detected. This is performed by correcting the current position so that the shift amount becomes zero.

[0004] The transfer operation involving the correction of the transfer position will be described more specifically by taking as an example a case where a carrier is transferred from the wafer processing apparatus side to the mobile robot side, as shown in FIG. (A) The carriage 11 of the mobile robot stops at the standby position in front of the wafer processing apparatus 1, and (B) the camera 14 installed on the chuck 13 at the tip of the arm 12 of the mobile robot
Reads the transfer position correction mark M attached to a predetermined position on the wafer processing apparatus 1 to recognize the amount of deviation from the read result to the predetermined transfer position of the carriage 11, and (C) the carriage 11
After the current position is corrected by the shift amount to the transfer position, the carrier 2 placed at a predetermined position on the wafer processing apparatus 1 is scooped by the chuck 13 and (D) the carrier is moved to a predetermined position on the carriage 11. 2 is lowered, and (E) returns to the original standby position.

[0005]

In the automatic transfer system using the conventional trackless mobile robot, the mark for correcting the transfer position on the wafer processing apparatus is recognized by a camera mounted on the trackless mobile robot, and then the wafer processing is performed. The scooping operation of the carrier on the device has started. For this reason, if the mounting position of the carrier on the wafer processing apparatus is shifted, there is a problem that the carrier scooping operation becomes defective. Also,
Since the transfer operation is started after the camera identifies the transfer position correction mark and corrects the transfer position, there is also a problem that the transfer operation takes time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make sure the transfer operation and shorten the operation time in an automatic transfer system using this kind of trackless mobile robot.

[0007]

According to the automatic transfer system using the trackless mobile robot of the present invention which solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, a transfer position correction mark is attached to a predetermined position of the carrier. When transferring the carrier from the wafer processing apparatus side to the trackless mobile robot side, the transfer position correction mark attached to this carrier is read by the camera,
Confirmation and correction of a predetermined transfer position are performed.

[0008]

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a transfer position correction mark is attached to a predetermined portion of a wafer processing apparatus, and a carrier is transferred from a trackless mobile robot to the wafer processing apparatus. At this time, the transfer position correction mark provided on the wafer processing apparatus is read by the camera, and the transfer position is confirmed and corrected. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the camera is mounted on a chuck at the tip of the arm. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples.

[0009]

1 (A) to 1 (E) show an automatic transfer system using a trackless mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a carrier is scooped from a wafer processing apparatus and transferred to the trackless mobile robot. The work procedure at the time of mounting is shown.

First, referring to FIG. 1A, a carrier 2 containing a processed wafer is placed at a predetermined location on a wafer processing apparatus 1. A transfer position correction mark m is attached to the location. The trackless mobile robot 10 includes a cart 11, an arm 12 extending from the cart 11 in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, a chuck 13 attached to a tip end of the arm 12, and an attachment to the chuck 13. The camera 14 is provided.

First, as shown in FIG. 1A, a carriage 11 of a trackless mobile robot 10 stops at a standby position in front of the wafer processing apparatus 1. Then, as shown in (B),
A transfer position correction mark m attached to a predetermined position of the carrier 2 placed on the wafer processing apparatus 1 is read by a camera 14 attached to a chuck 13 at the tip of the arm 12. A shift amount to a predetermined transfer position is recognized.

Subsequently, as shown in (C), the current position is corrected by the amount of deviation from the predetermined transfer position of the mobile robot. Recognition of the shift amount and correction of the shift amount are performed by recognizing the shift amount by extending and contracting the arm 12 with the position of the cart 11 fixed, and then moving the cart 11, and so on. The steps may be performed separately, but it is also possible to move the carriage 11 so that the mark m is captured at a predetermined position in the field of view of the camera with the length of the arm 12 fixed.

As described above, when the positioning at the predetermined transfer position is completed, the carrier 2 placed at a predetermined position on the wafer processing apparatus 1 is scooped by the chuck 13. Finally, as shown in (D), the carrier 2 scooped from the wafer processing apparatus 1 is lowered to a predetermined position on the carriage 11, and then returns to the original standby position as shown in (E). .

2A to 2E, in the automatic transfer system using the trackless mobile robot 10 of the above embodiment, the carrier 2 is scooped from the trackless mobile robot 10 and transferred to the wafer processing apparatus 1 side. The work procedure at the time of mounting is shown.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the carriage 11 of the trackless mobile robot 10 stops at a standby position in front of the wafer processing apparatus 1. Then, as shown in (B),
Camera 14 installed on chuck 13 at the tip of arm 12
Thereby, the transfer position correction mark M attached to a predetermined position on the wafer processing apparatus 1 is read, and the amount of deviation from the read result to the predetermined transfer position is recognized.

Subsequently, as shown in (C), after the current position is corrected by the shift amount of the transfer position of the mobile robot,
The carrier 2 containing the wafer to be processed, which is placed at a predetermined location on the carriage 11, is scooped by the chuck 13. Next, as shown in (D), the carrier 2 scooped from the carriage 11 is lowered to a predetermined position on the wafer processing apparatus 1, and then returns to the original standby position as shown in (E). .

For convenience of explanation, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the configuration in which the transfer position correction mark m is added to the center of the carrier 2 to be held by the chuck 13 has been exemplified. In this example, after confirming the mark m with the camera 14 and correcting the transfer position, it is necessary to extend and contract the arm 12 in the horizontal direction and hold the carrier 2 with the chuck 13, and the working time is prolonged. On the other hand, by appropriately shifting the position where the carrier 2 is held by the chuck 13 and the position where the mark m is checked by the camera 14, the correction of the transfer position is completed, The carrier can be immediately pinched by the chuck 13 without further expansion and contraction, thereby shortening the working time.

Further, the configuration in which the camera 14 is attached to the chuck 13 at the tip of the arm 12 has been exemplified. However, in order to avoid interference between the clamping operation by the chuck and the checking operation by the camera, the chuck 13 is
In order to prevent the field of view of the camera 14 from being interrupted even when the camera 1 is held, the camera 1
4 can be directly attached.

[0019]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a transfer position correction mark is attached to a predetermined portion of a carrier, and when the carrier is transferred from the wafer processing apparatus side to the robot side. Is a configuration in which the transfer position correction mark attached to this carrier is read by a camera to check and correct the transfer position, so that the position of the carrier on the wafer processing apparatus is shifted. However, the effect that the transfer operation is ensured is exerted.

When the carrier is transferred from the wafer processing apparatus to the mobile robot, the position where the carrier is held by the chuck and the position where the transfer position correction mark checked by the camera is added are appropriately shifted. By adopting the configuration, the carrier can be immediately pinched by the chuck without further expanding and contracting the arm in the horizontal direction when the transfer position correction is completed. In this case, there is an advantage that the transfer operation time is reduced as compared with the conventional system in which the transfer position correction mark is attached to the wafer processing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an automatic transfer system using a trackless mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention when a carrier accommodating a processed wafer is scooped from a wafer processing apparatus and transferred to the trackless mobile robot; It is a figure showing a work procedure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a work procedure when a carrier accommodating a wafer to be processed is scooped from a trackless mobile robot side and transferred to a wafer processing apparatus side in the automatic transfer system of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a work procedure when a carrier accommodating a processed wafer is scooped from the wafer processing apparatus side and transferred to the trackless mobile robot side in the conventional automatic transfer system using the trackless mobile robot. It is.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wafer processing apparatus 2 Carrier which accommodated wafer 10 Non-tracking mobile robot 11 Cart 12 Arm 13 Chuck 14 Camera m Transfer position correction mark attached to predetermined position of carrier M Transfer attached to predetermined position of wafer processing apparatus Position correction mark

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A chuck and a camera are attached to the end of an arm of a trackless mobile robot, and a transfer position correction mark is read by the camera to correct the position at the time of transfer, and then the position is corrected.
In an automatic transfer system for transferring the carrier to and from a wafer processing apparatus by holding and opening a carrier accommodating a semiconductor wafer with the chuck, the transfer position correction mark is provided at a predetermined position of the carrier. When transferring the carrier from the wafer processing apparatus to the trackless mobile robot, the transfer position correction mark attached to the carrier is read by the camera, and the transfer position is determined. Automatic transfer system using a trackless mobile robot, characterized in that the robot is corrected. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a transfer position correction mark is attached to a predetermined portion of the wafer processing apparatus, and the carrier is transferred from the trackless mobile robot to the wafer processing apparatus. An automatic transfer system using a trackless mobile robot, wherein the transfer position correction mark provided on the wafer processing apparatus is read by the camera to correct the transfer position. 3. The automatic transfer system using a trackless mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the camera is attached to a tip end of the arm that does not interfere with a holding operation of the carrier by the chuck.