JPH10321702A - Apparatus or manufacturing semiconductor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor which does not require a highly skilled operator and can perform a re-teaching operation quickly automatically with constant accuracy. SOLUTION: Deviations of a new boat after replacement in the directions of x-, y-, z-axes are found, based on the position data of a reflector detected by detecting means 10. Position data of the transfer unit 4 of an old boat stored in a memory 14 are compensated by the deviations. Then, the actual process of loading a wafer 1 into the loading groove of a boat 2A is performed, based on the position data after the compensation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and, more particularly, to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for re-teaching the operation of a transfer machine for transferring a substrate to a substrate insertion position of a substrate storage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a large number of wafers stored in a cassette (substrate storage unit) are loaded into a boat (substrate storage unit) by a transfer machine, and then loaded into a reaction furnace. Thus, these wafers are subjected to predetermined processing such as film formation and annealing. In addition, each wafer after processing,
From the boat discharged from the furnace, it is returned to the cassette by the transfer machine. By the way, in the transfer processing by such a transfer machine, it is necessary to accurately insert a wafer into a wafer insertion groove of a cassette or a boat. That is, the wafer is accurately positioned and inserted in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction), the left-right direction (Y-axis direction), and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) by a tweezer, which is a wafer mounting portion of the transfer machine. There is a need. Therefore, prior to the actual transport process (actual process), the operation of the transfer machine is taught.

In the teaching of such a transfer machine, conventionally, for example, an operator manually operates the transfer machine to transfer a wafer and counts the moving distance by the number of pulses generated by a drive motor of the transfer machine. That is, it was performed by a task that was extremely dependent on the worker's sense. As a result, there is a problem that a high level of skill is required of the operator, and even if the operator is skilled, a considerable amount of time must be spent on teaching work. further,
There is a problem that it is difficult to perform a teaching operation with a constant accuracy for each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

Therefore, as a conventional technique for solving this problem,
For example, those described in the specification filed by the applicant of the present application earlier are known. Hereinafter, this conventional example will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 7. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has a boat 2 into which a large number of wafers 1 are inserted for performing a predetermined process in a reaction chamber, and a multi-stage insertion groove 2a. Then, a cassette 3 for accommodating a plurality of processed or unprocessed wafers 1, a transfer machine 4 for transporting the wafers 1 by 5 between the boat 2 and the cassette 3, and a wafer 1 by the transfer machine 4. And a controller 7 for controlling the transfer processing. Note that the cassette 3 is placed on a cassette shelf 6 provided in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The transfer machine 4 is provided with five tweezers 5.

In this semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a detecting means 10 is provided on the front surface of the transfer machine 4 (near the tweezers 5), and the position data detected by the detecting means 10 is supplied to an analog / digital converter 11. External terminal (PC) 12 via
Is input to The detection unit 10 is a sensor that optically detects the position of the detection substrate (here, the jig 21) as described later, and this detection information is output to the external terminal 12 as position data. The controller 7 and the external terminal 12 constitute control means in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Further, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided with communication control means 13 for controlling communication between the external terminal 12 and the controller 7. An operation command from the external terminal 12 is input to the controller 7 via the communication control means 13, and a status signal and an encoder value obtained by the controller 7 are input to the external terminal 12. The encoder value is the number of pulses generated by the drive motor of the transfer machine 4, and the operation can be controlled while detecting the movement distance of the transfer machine 4 (ie, the movement distance of the tweezers 5).

[0006] The external terminal 12 is provided with a memory 14, and the position data input from the detecting means 10 and the encoder value input from the controller 7 are stored in the memory 14. These position data and encoder values are data for controlling the operation of the transfer machine 4 as described later. In the transfer process of the wafer 1 in the actual process, the external terminal 12 and the controller 7 are stored in the memory 14. Transfer machine 4 based on data
To work. In a teaching operation performed prior to an actual process to obtain the position data, a jig 21 shown in FIG. 7 is used instead of the wafer 1 to be processed. The jig 21 includes a disk portion 21a having the same shape and the same size as the wafer 1 and a columnar pin 21b erected at an axial position of the disk portion 21a. I have.

In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having the above configuration, a teaching operation is performed as described below, and thereafter, a transport process of an actual process is performed. First, as shown in FIG. 2, in a teaching operation, an operator inserts the jig 21 into, for example, the boat 2, and inserts the right and left insertion grooves 2 b of the jig 21 (FIG. 8, FIG.
9)), jig 21
The clearance (clearance) in the vertical direction with respect to the insertion groove 2b in the vertical direction and the clearance (clearance) in the insertion groove 2b at the back of the jig 21 are adjusted to be a predetermined distance.
Then, the position of the jig 21 inserted into the boat 2 with a predetermined clearance is detected by the detecting means 10 in a state where the transfer machine 4 is fixed at the home position serving as the reference position of the operation, and is obtained in this detection processing. The position data is stored in the memory 14.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7A, a laser beam R is radiated from the detecting means 10 in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction) to detect the left and right ends of the pin 21b based on the presence or absence of reflected light. Its bisecting position (that is, the center of the jig 21)
Is detected as the position of the jig 21 in the Y-axis direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, the laser beam R is vertically moved in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) from the detecting means 10 to detect the edge of the disc portion 21a from the presence or absence of reflected light, and the position of the edge is detected. Jig 21
As a position in the Z-axis direction. Further, FIG.
As shown in (2), the detecting means 10 detects the pin 21b (that is, the center of the jig 21) based on the reflected light from the pin 21b.
(Ie, the distance between the center of the jig 21 and the transfer device 4) in the X-axis direction (front-back direction).

In the above detection process, an optical displacement sensor is used as the detecting means 10, and this optical displacement sensor is configured by combining a light emitting element and a light position detecting element (PSD). In particular, the distance in the X-axis direction is detected by a method using triangulation. The detection processing by this sensor will be described in more detail. Light from a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode or a semiconductor laser is condensed by a light projecting lens and irradiated to a jig 21. A part of the light diffusely reflected from the jig 21 is condensed on the light position detecting element through the light receiving lens. The Y-axis position and the Z-axis position are detected based on the presence or absence of the collected light. At the same time, the distance in the X-axis direction is detected based on the spot position of the collected light. That is, the optical position detecting element is composed of the sensor 10 and the jig 2
1 or a voltage corresponding to the position of the formed spot is output. Based on the output voltage value, X is output.
An axial distance is detected.

As described above, the sensor 10 as a whole has Y
It has three functions for detecting the axial position, the Z-axis position, and the distance in the X-axis direction. The above detection process is performed in a state where the transfer machine 4 and the tweezers 5 are installed at the home position. Also, the sensor 10 and the tweezer 5
The positional relationship is detected and measured in advance with the tip of the
Even if the operation is controlled based on the position data obtained in the above, the position of the tweezers 5 can be accurately controlled in the actual process.

In this way, the position data that allows the jig 21 (ie, the wafer 1) to be inserted into the boat 2 in an appropriate state with a predetermined clearance is stored in the memory 14
Is stored in Thereafter, in the actual process, the position data stored in the memory 14 is output to the controller 7, and the transfer device 4 is operated based on the position data. As a result, the wafer 1 is moved in the front-rear direction, the left-right direction,
The boat 2 is inserted into the insertion groove 2b of the boat 2 with an appropriate clearance in the vertical direction. In this example, the wafer 1 is moved by the five tweezers 5 of the transfer machine 4 so that the
The sheets are conveyed one by one and inserted into the boat 2 with a predetermined clearance.

Incidentally, for example, the boat 2 in which the wafers 1 are stored may be replaced for cleaning the boat, breaking the boat, and the like. When replacing the old boat 2 with the new boat 2B, the old position data of the transfer machine 4 stored in the memory 14 is replaced with the new boat 2 after the replacement.
It is necessary to change to new position data suitable for B. This new boat 2B has X, Y, Z
Is slightly displaced in each axial direction.

On the other hand, if the wafer 1 is not inserted into the insertion grooves 2a of the boats 2 and 2B with a predetermined clearance with high precision, the wafer 1 will be damaged. For this reason,
After the replacement of the old and new boats 2 and 2B, a teaching operation with a large number of processes must be performed again. Hereinafter, FIG.
With reference to FIG. 9, a re-teaching operation using the above-described conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will be specifically described.

As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG.
The jigs 21 are inserted into the upper and lower portions of a new boat 2B, and the gap between the jigs 21 in the insertion groove 2a is adjusted in each portion. Then, with the transfer machine 4 fixed at the home position serving as a reference position for operation, the new boat 2
The position of the jig 21 inserted in B is detected by the detection means 10, and the position data obtained in this detection processing is stored in the memory 14.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the transfer device 4 at the home position is disposed below the mounting surface of the boat 2B, and the transfer device 4 is irradiated with the laser light R from the sensor 10. To rise. At this time, the jig 2 depends on the presence or absence of reflected light.
1 is detected, and the height position H1
Is detected as the position of the jig 21 in the Z-axis direction. afterwards,
By comparing this with the position in the Z-axis direction at the time of the previous teaching, the amount of displacement of the jig 21 in the Z-axis direction is detected. Next, as shown in FIG. 9, at the height position where the jig 21 is inserted, the sensor 10 irradiates the laser beam R in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction) by turning and irradiates the left and right ends of the pin 21 b based on the presence or absence of reflected light. And the bisected position (ie, the center of the jig 21) is detected as the position of the jig 21 in the Y-axis direction. This position is compared with the position in the Y-axis direction at the time of the previous teaching, and the position shift length Δ11 for the phase angle Δθ1 is measured, and this is detected as the position shift amount of the jig 21 in the Y-axis direction.

Next, based on the reflected light from the pin 21b, the sensor 10 detects the position X1 (ie, the center of the jig 21 and the transfer machine) in the X-axis direction (front-back direction) of the pin 21b (ie, the center of the jig 21). 4) is detected. The position X1 is compared with the position of the pin 21b in the X-axis direction at the time of teaching to detect the amount of displacement of the jig 21 inserted in the new boat 2B in the X-axis direction. Then, the same operation as above is performed for the jig 21 on the upper side of the new boat 2B.

[0017]

However, according to this conventional method, two jigs 21 must be manually inserted into the upper and lower portions of the new boat 2B after replacement, which is troublesome. At the same time, because of the manual operation of the operator, although not as difficult as the teaching by the completely manual operation of the transfer machine of the prior art described above,
It was difficult to insert this jig 21 accurately unless a skilled person. Therefore, for example, the position of the new boat 2B in the X, Y, and Z-axis directions is detected and detected by setting the specific position of the new boat 2B as a detection target, thereby detecting the old boat 2B stored in the memory 14 in advance. It is also conceivable to correct the position data of the transfer machine 4 in the above. However, quartz is generally used as a material for boats. Since the quartz transmits or diffusely reflects the laser light R from the sensor 10, another problem that the position and distance of the boat 2A cannot be accurately measured by the sensor 10 of the type that detects the position by transmitting and receiving the laser light. Has appeared.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and does not require a high level of skill of an operator, and provides a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of performing a re-teaching operation quickly and automatically with constant accuracy at all times. The purpose is to provide.

[0019]

In order to achieve the above object, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is directed to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for transferring a substrate to be processed to a substrate loading position of a substrate storage by a transfer machine. Detecting a plurality of reflectors provided at a plurality of portions of the substrate storage body and a position of each of the reflectors provided in the transfer machine and provided in the new substrate storage body after the new and old replacements And the position data of the transfer machine with respect to the substrate inserted with a predetermined clearance at the substrate insertion position of the old substrate storage unit, and after the replacement of the new and old substrate storage units, the detection unit Storage means for storing the position data of each reflection object of the new substrate storage body detected by the processing, and the old substrate based on the position data of each reflection substance of the new substrate storage body stored in this storage means. After correcting the position data of the transfer machine with respect to the substrate the charging position of the paid body and the substrate to be processed in real-process characterized in that a control means for conveying process by the transfer unit.

Here, the substrate storage means refers to a boat, a cassette or the like in which the substrates are stored. As the detection means, for example, an optical sensor that transmits and receives laser light, infrared light, and the like, an ultrasonic sensor that emits an ultrasonic wave to an object, and detects a distance from a time until the reflected wave returns, and the like. , X-ray sensors for transmitting and receiving X-rays, and the like. The reflector here may be a member having a reflection surface for these light, ultrasonic waves, and X-rays. For example, SiC, alumina and the like can be mentioned. The mirror-finished reflecting surface does not have to absorb light or sound waves or reflect irregularly. In addition, the form may be, for example, a plate shape, a block shape, a box shape, a tubular shape, or the like, and may be configured by forming a portion of the substrate storage body on the reflection surface without using a specially provided component.

According to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the old and new substrate housings are exchanged. At this time, the substrate is inserted with a predetermined clearance into the substrate insertion position of the substrate storage body. Further, the position data of the transfer device of the old substrate storage body is stored in the storage means in advance. After the replacement, the position of each reflector provided in the new substrate storage body in the X, Y, and Z axial directions is detected by the detection means. The position data of each reflector in the new substrate storage is stored in the storage means. Then, based on the stored position data of each reflector, the position data in the old substrate storage body is corrected. Based on the corrected position data, the control means causes the transfer machine to execute the actual process. Therefore, the re-teaching operation can be performed quickly and automatically with constant accuracy without requiring a high skill of the operator.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those in the above-described conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment can perform automatic teaching of the operation of the transfer machine 4 at the start of operation using the jig 21, which is an advantage of the conventional means. it can. Moreover, when the old boat 2 in use is changed to the new boat 2A for some reason, the transfer of wafers 1 by the transfer machine 4 due to the displacement of the set position of the boat 2A is performed as a countermeasure. Machine 4
It is a device that can also perform automatic re-teaching of the operation.

The structure of the new boat 2A to be used is composed of upper and lower end plates 2b having substantially the same shape as the wafer 1 in plan view at both ends of four boat pillars 2a separated by a predetermined distance.
2c are fixed in parallel. These upper and lower end plates 2b, 2
The end b facing the transfer machine 4 is cut in a crescent shape (see FIG. 3). At the center of each of these cut portions, a retaining concave portion 2d of the columnar reflector 30 is provided. The upper and lower end plates 2b, 2b
A reflector 30 made of SiC (silicon carbide) is firmly fixed with the axis directed toward the radiation c. Also, the memory 14
In advance, various data for correcting the position data of the transfer device 4 in the old boat 2 based on the position data of the upper and lower reflectors 30 are stored.

Next, the reteaching operation of the new boat 2A after the old and new exchanges will be described. That is, as shown in FIG.
Is placed below the mounting surface of the boat 2A, and the transfer machine 4 is raised while irradiating the laser beam R from the sensor 10 as shown by the arrow in FIG. At this time, the position of the upper and lower ends of the reflector 30 is detected based on the presence or absence of reflected light from the reflection surface of the lower reflector 30, and the height of the center position of the lower reflector 30 is determined from the bisected position. H2 is obtained and stored in the memory 14
To store.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the laser beam R is radiated from the sensor 10 in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction) at the center height position of the lower reflector 30 to reflect the presence or absence of the reflected light. The left and right ends of the object 30 are detected, and the bisected position (that is, the center of the reflector 30) is detected as the position of the reflector 30 in the Y-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 6, this position is compared with the position in the Y-axis direction at the home position, and the displacement length Δl2 corresponding to the phase angle Δθ2 is measured, and stored in the memory 14. Next, the sensor 10
Detects the position X2 of the reflector 30 in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction) (that is, the distance between the center of the reflector 30 and the transfer device 4) based on the reflected light from the center of the lower reflector 30. Then, this is stored in the memory 14. Then, the same operation as above is carried out on the upper end plate of the new boat 2A by the engaging recess 2d.
This is also performed on the other reflector 30 hooked via.
Then, the upper reflector 30 detected by the sensor 10
Is stored in the memory 14 in the X, Y, and Z directions.

Based on the position data of the upper and lower reflectors 30 thus obtained, the set positions of the new boat 2A in the X, Y, and Z directions are obtained. The upper and lower reflectors 3
From the distance between 0, the axial length of the new boat 2A is obtained, and this is set together with the set position of the boat 2A.
It is stored in the memory 14. Thereafter, based on the data of the set position of the new boat 2A stored in the memory 14, the transfer device 4 for the wafer 1 in the old boat 2 is used by using various correction data stored in the memory 14 in advance.
Correct the position data of. Note that the maximum number of wafers 1 to be inserted is determined by the size of a new boat 2A obtained from the distance between the upper and lower reflectors 30 separately stored in the memory 14. Then, based on the corrected position data, the transfer machine 4 is operated via the controller 7 by the operation command from the external terminal 12 and the actual process of the wafer 1 is performed. Instead, the re-teaching operation can be performed quickly and automatically with constant accuracy.

Although the above embodiment has been described by taking as an example the re-teaching of the wafer transfer process on the new boat 2A side, the present invention is of course applicable to the re-teaching of the wafer transfer process to a new cassette 3 after replacement. Applicable. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the transfer machine 4 for transferring five wafers 1 at the same time has been described as an example. However, the number of wafers transferred by the transfer machine is not particularly limited. further,
In the present invention, various optical sensors can be used as the detection unit 10, and for example, a sensor that detects a jig or a wafer as an image and detects the position thereof can be used.

The concept of the present invention is not limited to the re-teaching of the operation of the transfer machine 4 due to the displacement of the set position of the new boat 2A after the replacement of the old and new boats. Can also be applied. That is, the sensor 10 detects the position data in the X, Y, and Z axial directions of each of the reflectors 30 disposed on the upper and lower end plates of the boat 2 after setting, and the position of each of the detected reflectors 30 is detected. Based on the data, the size and set position of the boat 2 are determined, and the board insertion grooves 2 of each stage arranged at a predetermined pitch are further determined.
The height position of b is calculated.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the positions of the X, Y, and Z axes in each of the reflectors of the new board storage body after the replacement of the old and new ones are detected, and the detected positions are detected. Based on the data, the position data of the transfer device for the old substrate storage unit stored in the storage unit is corrected, and the actual process is performed based on the corrected data. The re-teaching operation can be performed quickly and automatically with a constant accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention and a conventional example.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a conventional example.

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a method of detecting a reflection object disposed on a new boat in the X- and Y-axis directions by a detection unit.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a method of detecting a reflection object disposed on a new boat in the Z-axis direction by a detection unit.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a reflector provided on a lower end plate of a new boat.

FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining in detail an X- and Y-axis detection method of a reflection object disposed on a new boat by a detection means.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a method of detecting a jig position by a detection unit according to a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a side view for explaining a method of detecting a jig disposed in a new boat in a Z-axis direction by a detecting means according to a conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating a method of detecting a jig disposed in a new boat in the X and Y-axis directions by a detection unit according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 wafer, 2, 2A boat (substrate storage), 3 cassette (substrate storage), 4 transfer machine, 7 controller (control means), 10 sensor (detection means), 12 external terminal, 14 memory (storage means) , 30 Reflectors.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for transferring a substrate to be processed to a substrate loading position of a substrate storage by a transfer machine, comprising: a plurality of reflectors disposed at a plurality of portions of the substrate storage; A detecting means provided in the transfer machine for detecting the position of each of the reflectors provided in the new substrate storage body after the replacement of the old and new ones, with a predetermined clearance at a substrate insertion position of the old substrate storage body. The position data of the transfer machine with respect to the inserted substrate is stored in advance, and the position data of each reflector of the new substrate storage body detected and processed by the detection means after the replacement of the new and old substrate storage bodies is stored. Based on the position data of each reflector of the new substrate storage body stored in the storage means, and corrected the position data of the transfer machine with respect to the substrate insertion position of the old substrate storage body. , Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein a substrate to be processed in the actual process and a control means for conveying process by the transfer unit.