JPH1092917A - Hand of robot for carrying semiconductor wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speedily and accurately settle a semiconductor wafer at specified position of a hand, whether in the air or in vacuum, by burying electrodes to which a high d-c voltage will be applied in an insulator near the contact face to a wafer. SOLUTION: Electrodes 32, 33 to which a high d-c voltage will be applied are buried in an insulator 31 near its face 31a to contact a semiconductor wafer 50 to be a work being carried. Positive and negative electrodes 32, 33 are e.g. buried in the insulator 31 near the face 31a. The positive and negative electrode 32, 33 are electrically connected to positive and negative pole of a d-c high voltage source through one and other electric wirings 22, respectively. Thus the wafer 50 is electrostatically fixed to the contact face 31a and hence can be speedily settled at a specified position of a hand 30 accurately even in vacuum.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand for fixing a semiconductor wafer by electrostatic attraction in a robot for transferring a semiconductor wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a robot that transports a semiconductor wafer in the air has mainly been a vacuum chuck system that sucks air and sucks a semiconductor wafer to a hand. In addition, since a robot that transports a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum cannot employ a vacuum chuck method in a vacuum, a concave portion is provided in a hand and a semiconductor is fixed by dropping the semiconductor wafer into the concave portion. .

[0003]

However, according to the conventional hand of a semiconductor wafer transfer robot, it is difficult to fix the semiconductor wafer at a predetermined position of the hand with high accuracy, and the semiconductor wafer is transferred to the hand at a high speed. There was a problem that it was difficult to fix.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and can be applied regardless of whether it is in the air or in a vacuum, and can fix a semiconductor wafer at a predetermined position of a hand with high accuracy. An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor wafer transfer robot hand that can be fixed to the hand.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand of a robot for transporting a semiconductor wafer, the insulator having a contact surface that comes into contact with a semiconductor wafer as a transported object, and the insulator being buried in the insulator close to the contact surface. , And an electrode to which a high DC voltage is applied.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand for a semiconductor wafer transfer robot according to the first aspect, wherein the electrode comprises a positive electrode to which a positive DC high voltage is applied, and a negative DC high voltage. And a negative electrode to which is applied.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand for a semiconductor wafer transfer robot according to the first or second aspect, wherein the robot is provided in a housing forming a vacuum chamber. .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand of a semiconductor wafer transport robot according to the third aspect, wherein the robot comprises an arm provided with a hand at an end thereof, an arm support for supporting the arm, and an air support. An arm drive shaft for receiving the driving force on the side to drive the arm, and an opening formed in the housing has an inner seal portion for rotatably sealing the arm drive shaft and a peripheral surface of the housing opening. A rotary seal body having an outer seal portion for sealing the arm and an end face to which the arm support is fixed is further provided, and further, inside the rotary seal body, an electric wiring portion for connecting between the atmosphere side and the vacuum chamber is provided. And an electric wiring extending from the electric wiring section to the electrode.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand of a semiconductor wafer transfer robot according to the fourth aspect, wherein the rotary seal body is formed of a magnetic seal unit.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the electric wiring portion is formed by metallizing and welding terminal pins to a ceramic body. It has a plug.

The hand of the robot for transferring a semiconductor wafer according to claim 7 is the hand of the robot for transferring a semiconductor wafer according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the rotary seal member or the magnetic seal unit is mounted on the housing via an angular bearing. It is characterized by being supported.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a high DC voltage is applied to the electrodes, the semiconductor wafer as the transferred object is electrostatically attracted to the contact surface by the polarization action of the insulator. Fixed. Therefore, according to the hand of claim 1, it can be applied not only in the atmosphere but also in a vacuum, and the semiconductor wafer can be fixed at a predetermined position of the hand with high accuracy, and the semiconductor wafer can be fixed to the hand at a high speed. It is possible to do.

[0013] In the hand of a semiconductor wafer transfer robot according to claim 2, a positive direct current high voltage is applied to a positive electrode,
When a negative DC high voltage is applied to the negative electrode, the portion of the contact surface near the positive electrode is positively charged by the polarization action of the insulator, and the portion of the contact surface near the negative electrode is similarly polarized by the insulator. It becomes negatively charged by the action. Therefore, a negative charge is induced by the positive charge of the contact surface and a positive charge is induced by the negative charge of the contact surface on the surface on the contact surface side of the semiconductor wafer, and the semiconductor wafer is electrostatically attracted to the contact surface.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a hand for a semiconductor wafer transfer robot is applied to a robot that performs a semiconductor wafer transfer operation in a vacuum.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand for a semiconductor wafer transfer robot, wherein an electric wiring portion for connecting between the atmosphere side and the vacuum chamber is provided inside the rotary seal member. Since the electric wiring is extended to the electrodes, a portion of the extended electric wiring that is exposed to the outside of the robot can be limited, and the electric wiring does not hinder the operation of the arm.

According to the hand of the semiconductor wafer transfer robot of the present invention, since the plug of the electric wiring portion is formed by metallizing and welding the terminal pin to the ceramic body, airtightness between the body and the terminal pin is ensured. be able to.

According to the hand of the semiconductor wafer transfer robot of the present invention, since the electric wiring portion is provided inside the rotary seal or the magnetic seal unit, the end face of the rotary seal or the magnetic seal unit on the vacuum chamber side is provided. The area increases, and the suction force for sucking the rotary seal body or the magnetic seal unit toward the vacuum chamber increases.However, the rotary seal body or the magnetic seal unit is supported by the housing via the angular bearing. The rotary seal or the magnetic seal unit can be anchored to the housing opening sufficiently against the suction force.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a vacuum working apparatus incorporating a semiconductor wafer transfer robot having a hand according to one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the robot shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a principle view of electrostatic attraction, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a plug of the electric wiring portion shown in FIG.

The vacuum working apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has a vacuum chamber 2 in which a robot 1 is provided. The vacuum chamber 2 has a cassette chamber 3 for accommodating a plurality of semiconductor wafers and a semiconductor chamber for performing etching, sputtering and the like. A processing chamber 4 for performing processing is provided in series.

The robot 1 has arms 5, 6, 7 consisting of three link members, a rotatable arm support 8 for supporting these arms 5, 6, 7 and an arm receiving driving force on the atmosphere side. And an arm drive shaft 9 for driving the arm 5. The robot 1 is driven by an arm driving shaft 9 and an arm support 8 by a driving device (driving circuit or control circuit) (not shown) on the atmosphere side.
Receive the driving force (however, the arm support 8 does not directly receive the driving force, and the magnetic seal unit body 11 to which the arm support 8 is fixed, which will be described later, receives the direct driving force). It works as follows. That is, the robot 1
In the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arms 5, 6, and 7 are linearly extended toward the cassette chamber 3, one semiconductor wafer 50 is taken out from the cassette chamber 3, and the arms 5, 6, 7
This time, it is contracted to return to the original state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and then the arms 5, 6, 7 are simultaneously rotated by a predetermined angle by rotating the arm support 8 by a predetermined angle.
Arms 5, 6, and 7 are linearly extended toward processing chamber 4,
The processing chamber 4 operates so that the semiconductor wafer 50 can be processed.

The housing 40 forming the vacuum chamber 2 has an opening 40a formed therein.
At 0a, a rotatable rotary seal body, for example, a magnetic seal unit 10 is provided. Magnetic seal unit 10
Are enclosed between the bearings 12 and 13, the bearings 12 and 13 supporting the arm driving shaft 9 rotatably with respect to the body 11, at least a part of which is formed of a permanent magnet. Annular magnetic fluid 1 that seals arm drive shaft 9
4 and the main body 11 with respect to the peripheral surface of the housing opening 40a.
Angular bearings 15 and 1 for rotatably supporting the
6 and an annular magnetic fluid 17 sealed between the angular bearings 15 and 16 to seal the peripheral surface of the housing opening 40a. Here, the magnetic fluid 14 receives the magnetic force of the permanent magnet and forms an inner seal portion that rotatably seals the arm drive shaft 9, and the magnetic fluid 17 also receives the magnetic force of the permanent magnet, and the housing opening 40 a Constitutes an outer sealing portion for sealing the peripheral surface of. The arm support 8 is fixed to the end face 18 of the magnetic seal unit 10 on the vacuum chamber 2 side.

Further, a through hole 19 is formed in the magnetic seal unit main body 11, and an electric wiring portion 20 for connecting between the atmosphere side and the vacuum chamber 2 is provided in the through hole 19. . The electric wiring portion 20 has a plug 21 as shown in FIG. 7, and the plug 21 is formed by metallizing and welding a terminal pin 21b to a ceramic body 21a. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 21c denotes the terminal pin 21b and the Ag-Cu brazed main body 2.
1a represents a metallized portion. Electric wires 22, 22 are connected to the plug 21 of the electric wiring portion 20, and the electric wires 22, 22 are connected to the inside of the arm support 8, the arms 5, as shown in FIGS. 6, passing above the upper surface of the arm 7 and below the lower surface of the arm 7, are connected to electrodes 32 and 33 formed on the hand 30 at the tip of the arm 7. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 23 denotes an O-ring,
Reference numeral 24 denotes a mounting screw.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the hand 30 has an insulator 31 having a contact surface 31a that comes into contact with the semiconductor wafer 50, and is embedded in the insulator 31 so as to approach the contact surface 31a. And a positive electrode 32 and a negative electrode 33. The positive electrode 32 is connected to one of the two electric wirings 22, 22, and the electric wiring 22 is electrically connected to the positive electrode side of a DC high voltage power supply (not shown), while the negative electrode is connected to the negative electrode. The electrode 33 is connected to the other electric wiring 22, and the electric wiring 22 is electrically connected to the negative electrode side of a DC high-voltage power supply (not shown).

Next, the semiconductor wafer 50 by the hand 30
The principle of adsorption to the gas will be described with reference to FIG.

A positive DC high voltage is applied to the positive electrode 32 of the hand,
When a negative DC high voltage is applied to the negative electrode 33, respectively,
The portion of the contact surface 31a near the positive electrode 32 is the insulator 31
And the portion of the contact surface 31a near the negative electrode 33 is similarly negatively charged by the polarization action of the insulator 31. Accordingly, a negative charge is induced by the positive charge of the contact surface 31a and a positive charge is induced by the negative charge of the contact surface 31a on the surface on the contact surface 31a side of the semiconductor wafer 50, and the semiconductor wafer 50 is placed on the contact surface 31a. It is electrostatically attracted.

As described above, in the hand 30 of the semiconductor wafer transfer robot 1 according to the present embodiment, a positive DC high voltage is applied to the positive electrode 32 and a negative DC high voltage is applied to the negative electrode 33. The portion of the contact surface 31a near the positive electrode 32 is positively charged by the polarization action of the insulator 31, and the portion of the contact surface 31a near the negative electrode 33 is similarly negatively charged by the polarization action of the insulator 31. . Accordingly, a negative charge is induced by the positive charge of the contact surface 31a and a positive charge is induced by the negative charge of the contact surface 31a on the surface on the contact surface 31a side of the semiconductor wafer 50, and the semiconductor wafer 50 is placed on the contact surface 31a. It is fixed by electrostatic attraction. Therefore, according to the hand 30 of the present embodiment, the semiconductor wafer 50 can be fixed at a predetermined position of the hand 30 with high accuracy even in a vacuum.
Can be fixed to the hand 30 at high speed.

Further, according to the hand 30 of the semiconductor wafer transfer robot 1 according to the present embodiment, an electric wiring portion 20 for connecting between the atmosphere side and the vacuum chamber 2 is provided inside the rotary seal body 10, and the rotary seal is provided. Since the electric wires 22, 22 are extended from the electric wiring portion 20 inside the body 10 to the electrodes 32, 33, portions of the extended electric wires 22, 22 that are exposed to the outside of the robot 1 can be limited, 22, 22 do not hinder the operation of the arms 5, 6, 7.

According to the hand 30 of the semiconductor wafer transfer robot 1 according to the present embodiment, the plug 21 of the electric wiring portion 20 is formed by metallizing and welding the terminal pin 21b to the ceramic body 21a.
a and airtightness between the terminal pin 21b and the terminal pin 21b.

Further, according to the hand 30 of the semiconductor wafer transfer robot 1 according to the present embodiment, the electric wiring portion 20 is provided inside the rotary seal member or the magnetic seal unit 10 and the rotary seal member or the magnetic seal unit 10 is provided. The area of the end face 18 on the vacuum chamber 2 side increases, and the suction force for suctioning the rotary seal body or the magnetic seal unit 10 toward the vacuum chamber 2 increases, but the rotary seal body or the rotary seal body or Since the magnetic seal unit 10 is supported by the housing 40, the rotary seal body or the magnetic seal unit 1 sufficiently resists the large suction force.
0 can be moored to the housing opening 40a.

Although the above embodiment shows the case where the hand of the present invention is applied to a vacuum working device, it goes without saying that the hand of the present invention can also be applied to a robot that transports a semiconductor wafer in the atmosphere.

Although the above embodiment shows the case where the hand 30 of the present invention is applied to a link type robot, the hand 30 of the present invention is also applicable to a direct acting robot as shown in FIGS. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a vacuum working apparatus in which a semiconductor wafer transfer robot having a hand according to one embodiment is incorporated.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the robot shown in FIG. 1;

3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the principle of electrostatic adsorption.

6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a plug of the electric wiring portion shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a linear motion robot.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the robot shown in FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot 2 Vacuum chamber 5, 6, 7 Arm 8 Arm support 9 Arm drive shaft 10 Magnetic seal unit (Rotary seal body) 14 Magnetic fluid (Inner seal part) 15, 16 Angular bearing 17 Magnetic fluid (Outer seal part) Reference Signs 18 End face 20 Electric wiring part 21 Plug 21a Main body 21b Terminal pin 21c Metallization processing part 22 Electric wiring 30 Hand 31 Insulator 31a Contact surface 32 Positive electrode 33 Negative electrode 40 Housing 50 Semiconductor wafer

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An insulator having a contact surface in contact with a semiconductor wafer as a conveyed object, and an electrode embedded in the insulator close to the contact surface and applied with a high DC voltage. Of a semiconductor wafer transfer robot. 2. The semiconductor according to claim 1, wherein the electrode comprises a positive electrode to which a positive DC high voltage is applied, and a negative electrode to which a negative DC high voltage is applied. Wafer transfer robot hand. 3. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot is provided in a housing forming a vacuum chamber.
4. The hand of a robot for transporting semiconductor wafers according to item 1. 4. The robot has an arm provided with the hand at a tip thereof, an arm support for supporting the arm, and an arm drive shaft for receiving the driving force on the atmosphere side to drive the arm. An opening formed in the housing, an inner sealing portion for rotatably sealing the arm drive shaft, an outer sealing portion for sealing a peripheral surface of the housing opening, and an end surface to which the arm support is fixed. Further, an electric wiring portion for connecting between the atmosphere side and the vacuum chamber is provided inside the rotary seal member, and electric wiring extending from the electric wiring portion to the electrode is provided. 4. The hand of a semiconductor wafer transfer robot according to claim 3, wherein the hand is passed through. 5. The hand of a robot for transporting semiconductor wafers according to claim 4, wherein said rotary seal body comprises a magnetic seal unit. 6. A hand for a semiconductor wafer transfer robot according to claim 4, wherein said electric wiring portion has a plug formed by metallizing and welding a terminal pin to a ceramic body. 7. The semiconductor wafer transfer robot according to claim 4, wherein said rotary seal member or said magnetic seal unit is supported by said housing via an angular bearing. hand.