JPH11214495A - Cassette, semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, cassette transporting apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To devise saving of the process, work period reduction and input error avoidance by workers in the treatment by a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or transport of cassette conveyers. SOLUTION: Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7, 11 and cassette conveyer 15 have functions capable of recognizing cassette information for cassettes 8, 12 storing the cassette information (data of the housing wafer size, max. no. of wafers to be housed, existence of a cassette front cover, first slot height, slot pitch, cassette material, cassette handling position etc.), concerning the cassette. Based on the cassette information the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7, 11 execute the mounting/removal of the cassette cover, reloading of semiconductor wafers, and treatment of the max. no. of wafers to be housed and the cassette conveyer 15 controls the cassette grip operation and transport operation and changes the transport path.

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 in which semiconductor wafers are loaded and unloaded in a state of being stored in a cassette, and a cassette transport apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a semiconductor manufacturing process in which semiconductor wafers are transported in a state of being inserted into a cassette and mounted on a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for each cassette, the shape of the cassette, the size of a stored wafer, the presence or absence of a front cover of the cassette, or the possibility of storing the cassette. A production line in which a plurality of types of cassettes different from each other in at least one of attributes such as the number of cassette wafers can be considered.

In considering such a production line, a conventional technique will be described first. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and FIG. 6 is a flow chart when an operator processes a semiconductor wafer in a cassette by the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
FIG. 7 is a layout diagram of an automatic cassette transport system in the production line in which the plurality of types of cassettes are mixed.

In FIG. 5, an operator first checks whether or not the cassette type of the cassette 5 containing a semiconductor wafer to be processed is registered in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 21. If registered, the cassette 5 is placed on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 21, the cassette type is selected by the cassette type selection operation section 22, and the process is started. If not registered, the cassette type is registered. At this time, the operator operates the wafer transfer robot 2 and the cassette front cover attaching / removing device 4 in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, such as the size of the accommodated wafers, the number of storable wafers, the presence or absence of the cassette front cover, the first wafer slot height, and the slot pitch.
It is necessary to manually input the cassette data necessary for the operation of the apparatus or the cassette data required for the processing of the manufacturing apparatus. When the registration is completed, the cassette 5 is placed, the cassette type is selected by the cassette type selection operation section 22, and the subsequent operation and processing are started. The above procedure is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

[0005]

The conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 21 is configured as described above. In the operation of registering the cassette type by the operator and the operation of selecting the cassette type by the cassette type selecting operation section 22, an input mistake is made. In this case, the operation of the cassette front cover attachment / detachment device 4 and the wafer transfer robot 2 in the apparatus interferes with the semiconductor wafer and the cassette 5. In addition, the operator has to manually perform a cassette type registration operation and a cassette type selection operation, and there is a problem that it takes time to start the processing.

In the automatic cassette transfer system shown in FIG. 7, conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses a to f (device number 2)
For 3 to 28), both cassette types A33 and B34 have been set and can be processed. However, the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses a to f (apparatus numbers 23 to 28) cannot know the type of the cassette mounted on itself by the cassette transport device A29 or the cassette transport device B30. Therefore, as a method 1, after the cassette carrying device A29 or the cassette carrying device B30 places the cassette, the operator teaches the cassette type to the device by using a cassette type selecting button on the device, or as a method 2, one type of cassette is previously set. It is determined that only the cassette is installed, and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus starts the cassette front cover attaching / removing operation or the wafer transfer operation on the assumption that the cassette mounted thereon is a cassette of a predetermined type. Either way was needed.

[0007] In the case of the above-mentioned method 1, there is an inconvenience that an operator must intervene in a series of steps, and it is difficult to achieve an improvement in productivity by automatic conveyance of the cassette. In the case of the method 2, although the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus can process semiconductor wafers in a plurality of types of cassettes, it can only process semiconductor wafers in one of the types of cassettes. There is a problem that the operation rate of the apparatus and the productivity of the entire factory are reduced because the apparatus cannot be operated flexibly in response to the change in the number of cassettes to be inserted.

In FIG. 7, the conventional cassette transfer device A29 and the conventional cassette transfer device B30 have a disadvantage that only the predetermined type of cassette can be transferred because the cassette transfer device itself does not know the type of the cassette to be transferred. was there. Therefore, a cassette transport device must be manufactured for each cassette type,
There is a problem that the number of types of cassette transfer devices increases and the manufacturing cost increases.

[0009] In addition, because a single transfer device can transfer only one type of cassette, a manufacturing device within the transfer range of one transfer device can process semiconductor wafers in a plurality of types of cassettes. Regardless, there is no opportunity to process only semiconductor wafers contained in one type of cassette that can be transported by the transport device, and a semiconductor manufacturing facility group A35 dedicated to cassette type A and a cassette type B cassette shown in FIG. Dedicated semiconductor manufacturing equipment group B3
As shown in 5, the processing equipment is fixed for each cassette type, and it is not possible to operate the equipment flexibly in response to the change in the number of cassettes for each cassette type in the factory. There is a problem that the property is reduced.

In FIG. 7, the conventional cassette transport device A29 and the conventional cassette transport device B30 transport a cassette containing no semiconductor wafers because the cassette transport device itself does not know the type of cassette to be transported. Even when a cassette containing semiconductor wafers is transported, the handling operation, transport speed, and transport acceleration of the transport device are controlled in the same manner as when transporting a cassette containing semiconductor wafers. ,
There is a problem that the transfer cannot be performed at a high transfer speed, and that the transfer time is the same as that of a cassette containing semiconductor wafers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can save labor, shorten the construction period, and prevent operator input errors in processing by a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or in transport of a cassette transport apparatus. Therefore, the purpose is to improve the productivity of the semiconductor device.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cassette for storing semiconductor wafers.
Cassette data storage that stores cassette information (data such as stored wafer size, number of storable wafers, presence / absence of a front cover of the cassette, first slot height, slot pitch, cassette material, cassette handling position, etc.) as data relating to the cassette. And a configuration wherein the cassette information can be recognized from an external device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:
A cassette data storage unit for storing cassette information (data such as stored wafer size, number of storable wafers, presence / absence of a front cover of the cassette, first slot height, slot pitch, cassette material, cassette handling position, etc.) relating to the cassette is provided. Semiconductor wafer cassettes
A cassette information recognition function for recognizing the cassette information from the cassette data storage unit is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, it is determined whether or not a cassette has a lid based on the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. The mounting and dismounting is performed automatically.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the transfer of the semiconductor wafer between the cassette and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is optimally controlled by the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. For example, a wafer transfer robot of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus obtains cassette information such as a stored wafer size, the number of storable wafers, and the height of a first slot, and calculates operation parameters such as a movement path and a stationary position of the robot. The semiconductor wafer transfer operation is performed based on the parameters.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the processing for the number of wafers that can be stored is performed using the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, at least one of attachment / detachment of a cassette cover, change of a semiconductor wafer transfer operation, and processing for the number of storable wafers is performed according to an instruction from a host computer. And

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cassette transfer apparatus comprising: cassette information relating to a cassette;
A function for recognizing cassette information from the cassette data storage unit corresponding to a semiconductor wafer cassette having a cassette data storage unit that stores data such as slot height, slot pitch, cassette material, and cassette handling position. It is characterized by having.

The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the cassette gripping operation by the cassette transport device is controlled by the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. For example, it is assumed that the handling method and the handling position of the cassette match the cassette. In this case, the handling speed and the acceleration are adjusted depending on whether or not semiconductor wafers are stored in the cassette.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the cassette transfer operation of the cassette transfer device is controlled based on the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. In this case, the transfer speed and the transfer acceleration are adjusted depending on whether or not the semiconductor wafer is stored in the cassette.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the cassette transport path is changed based on the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, at least one of the control of the cassette gripping operation, the control of the cassette transport operation, and the change of the cassette transport path is performed by an instruction from a host computer. .

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing system comprising the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to any one of the second to sixth aspects.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing system according to any one of the second to sixth aspects, and the semiconductor manufacturing system according to the seventh aspect. A cassette transport device is provided.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has a function of recognizing information relating to a cassette (cassette information recognition function). FIG. 2 is a control configuration diagram of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG.

In the figure, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment is stored in a wafer transfer robot 2 for moving semiconductor wafers from a cassette 5 into the apparatus, and in a cassette data storage section 6 of the cassette 5. Cassette data reader 3 for reading cassette data, cassette 5
Cover attaching / detaching machine 4 for removing front cover
It has. The apparatus controller 100 built in or connected to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 controls the wafer transfer robot 2 and the cassette lid attaching / detaching machine 4 based on the cassette data obtained via the cassette data reader 3. It is configured as follows. Also,
As a method of reading the cassette data stored in the cassette data storage unit 6 by the cassette data reader 3, there are a bar code label method, a circuit method having an optical communication interface, a circuit method having an electromagnetic signal interface, and the like.

Next, the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described. After the cassette 5 is transferred to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 by an operator or a cassette transport device (not shown), the apparatus controller 100 sends the instruction from the operator, the host computer 110, or automatically through the cassette data reader 3. Then, the cassette data stored in the cassette data storage section 6 of the cassette 5 is read. The apparatus controller 100 can obtain, from the cassette data, information such as a stored wafer size, the number of storable wafers, the presence or absence of a cassette front cover, a first slot height, a slot pitch, a cassette material, and a cassette handling position.

In the case of a cassette having a cassette front cover, the apparatus controller 100 can obtain this information from the cassette data.
Take the front cover of the cassette through. Next, in order to move the semiconductor wafer from the cassette 5 to the inside of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the wafer transfer robot 2 uses the apparatus controller 100.
The cassette information such as the wafer size, the number of wafers that can be stored, the first slot height, the slot pitch, etc.
Operation parameters such as a movement path and a stationary position of the robot are calculated, and a semiconductor wafer transfer operation is performed based on the operation parameters. The operation parameters are calculated inside the apparatus controller 100, and are stored in the wafer transfer robot 2
Obtains this parameter from the device controller 100,
In some cases, a wafer transfer operation is performed.

The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 performs wafer processing for the number of times of the data on the number of storable wafers obtained from the cassette data. When the processing of all the wafers is completed and all the wafers are stored in the cassette storing the processed wafers, in the case of the cassette having the cassette front cover, the front cover of the cassette is attached via the cassette cover attaching / detaching machine 4.

According to the first embodiment, by using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a cassette information recognition function,
This eliminates the need for a conventional cassette type registration operation and cassette type selection operation by the operator, and eliminates input errors by the operator, thus improving the productivity. Further, for the same reason, the time from when the operator places the cassette on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus until the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus starts processing is shortened, and the productivity is improved.

The above-mentioned work of attaching / detaching the cassette lid, changing the semiconductor wafer transfer operation, and processing for the number of storable wafers may be performed according to an instruction from the host computer 110.

Embodiment 2 FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a system of a cassette transfer device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The cassette transfer device and the semiconductor manufacturing device here have a function of recognizing information relating to a cassette (cassette information recognition function). ing. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cassette transport device shown in FIG.

In the figure, the cassette transport system includes cassette stockers A17 and B18 and semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses A7 and B11, respectively.
In the meantime, the cassette transport device 15 moves the cassette A8 or B1.
2 is conveyed. Then, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses A7 and B11 and the cassette transport device 15
Each of them has a function of recognizing information relating to the cassette, and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses A7 and B11 are provided with the cassette A8.
Alternatively, the processing can be performed on the semiconductor wafer stored in any of the cassettes B12 and B12, and the cassette transfer device 15 can transfer any of the cassettes A8 and B12. In this system, for the sake of simplicity of description, 2
Although an example in which the cassette stocker and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are installed has been described, three or more cassette stockers and semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses may be installed.

A cassette data reader 16 is provided in the cassette transport device 15, and can read the cassette data stored in the cassette data storage section 9 of the cassette. On the other hand, the cassette A8 includes a cassette data storage section 9 and a cassette A handled section 10, and the cassette B12 includes a cassette data storage section 9 and cassette B handled sections 13 and 14.

Next, the operation of the cassette carrying device according to the second embodiment will be described. When the cassette transport device 15 transports the cassette A8 placed on the semiconductor manufacturing device A7 to the cassette stocker A17 or the cassette stocker B18, the cassette transport device 15 first reads its own cassette data before cassette handling. The cassette information of the cassette A8 is obtained by the machine 16, and the handling is performed by setting the handling method and the handling position of the cassette to match the cassette A8.
At this time, if the cassette transport device 15 can obtain cassette information as to whether or not semiconductor wafers are stored in the cassette A8, if the semiconductor wafers are not in the cassette A8, high-speed acceleration / deceleration and high-speed handling are performed. By performing the operation, the handling operation is performed in a short time. If the semiconductor wafer is contained in the cassette A8, the handling operation is performed without increasing the acceleration / deceleration so as not to adversely affect the semiconductor wafer such as vibration. . Even if a semiconductor wafer is contained in the cassette, a high-acceleration and high-speed handling operation can be performed if the semiconductor wafer is stored in a sealed and fixed state in the cassette.

Next, based on the cassette information read above, the cassette transport device 15 selects whether the cassette A8 should be transported along the cassette transport path A19 or the cassette transport path B20. In the present embodiment, the cassette transport device 15 includes the cassette A8
Is transported to a cassette stocker A17 in which a cassette having the same shape as the cassette A8 is stored. However, this selection is not limited to this example, and may be determined by whether or not a wafer is contained in the cassette A8, cassette material such as cassette material, or stored wafer size.

Then, the cassette carrying device 15 travels on the cassette carrying path A19. The traveling acceleration / deceleration and the traveling speed during the traveling depend on the cassette information of the cassette A8 obtained by the cassette transport device 15 for the same reason as the determination of the acceleration / deceleration during the handling, and if the cassette A8 contains a semiconductor wafer. If not, the cassette A8 is transported in a short time by traveling at a high acceleration / deceleration speed, and if a semiconductor wafer is contained in the cassette A8, the transport is performed so as not to adversely affect the wafer vibration or the like. The transfer is performed at an appropriate speed without increasing the acceleration / deceleration and the transfer speed.

Next, the cassette transporter 15 arriving before the cassette stocker A17 is moved to the cassette stocker A1.
7, a cassette A8 is placed. At this time, as in the case of the handling operation, the operation speed or the operation acceleration / deceleration is changed to the most suitable value depending on whether or not a semiconductor wafer is contained in the cassette A8.

Further, the cassette transfer device 15 transfers the cassette B12 to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus B11 for wafer processing.
Is transferred, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus B11 obtains the cassette data by the cassette data reader described in the first embodiment, and attaches the cassette front cover according to the cassette information as described in the first embodiment. Removal work and wafer transfer work can be performed. As a result, it becomes possible to process semiconductor wafers contained in a plurality of types of cassettes having different cassette types.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, by using the cassette transport device having the cassette information recognition function, the cassette transport device itself can recognize the type of the cassette to be transported. Different types of cassettes can be transported by one type of cassette transporter. This facilitates standardization of the type of cassette transfer device, its components and control logic, and has the effect of reducing production costs.

Further, by using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a cassette information recognizing function, in the case of automatic cassette transfer, there is no need for an operator to intervene, thereby improving the productivity and operating rate of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. is there.

Further, by using the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the cassette transporting apparatus, it is not necessary to divide the equipment for transporting and processing according to the type of the cassette, and it is possible to flexibly cope with the change in the number of cassettes to be loaded in the factory. This makes it possible to operate the apparatus in an efficient manner, thereby improving the operation rate of the apparatus and the productivity of the entire factory.

Further, cassette information indicating whether or not semiconductor wafers are present in the cassette is stored in the cassette data storage section of the cassette so that the cassette transfer device can confirm the presence or absence of semiconductor wafers in the cassette. In the case where no wafer is contained in the cassette to be transferred, the wafer is transferred at a high speed and a high acceleration / deceleration, thereby shortening the cassette transfer time and improving the productivity.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the use of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and a cassette transport apparatus having a cassette information recognition function eliminates the need for an operator to register a cassette type and to select a cassette type. Since there is no input error by the user, there is an effect that productivity is improved. Further, the time from when the operator places the cassette on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus until the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus starts processing is shortened, and there is an effect that productivity is improved.

Further, by using a cassette carrying device having a cassette information recognizing function, the type of the cassette to be carried can be recognized by the cassette carrying device itself. Can be transported. This facilitates standardization of the type of cassette transfer device, its components and control logic, and has the effect of reducing production costs.

Further, by using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a cassette information recognizing function, in the case of automatic cassette transfer, there is no need for the intervention of an operator, and there is an effect that the productivity and the operation rate of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are improved. .

Further, by using the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the cassette transfer apparatus, it is not necessary to divide the equipment for transferring and processing according to the type of the cassette, and it is possible to flexibly cope with the change in the number of cassettes to be loaded in the factory. This makes it possible to operate the apparatus in an efficient manner, thereby improving the operation rate of the apparatus and the productivity of the entire factory.

Further, cassette information indicating whether or not semiconductor wafers are present in the cassette is stored in the cassette data storage section of the cassette so that the cassette transfer device can confirm the presence or absence of semiconductor wafers in the cassette. In the case where no wafer is contained in the cassette to be transferred, the wafer is transferred at a high speed and a high acceleration / deceleration, thereby shortening the cassette transfer time and improving the productivity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control configuration diagram of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a system of a cassette transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a system of a cassette transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the start of processing by a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a layout diagram of a conventional system using automatic cassette transfer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, 2 Wafer transfer robot, 3 Cassette data reading machine, 4 Cassette front lid attaching / removing machine, 5 Cassette, 6 Cassette data storage section, 7 Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus A, 8 Cassette A, 9 Cassette data storage section, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Cassette A handled part, 11 Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus B, 12 Cassette B, 13
Cassette B handled part, 13 Cassette B handled part, 15 cassette transporter, 16 cassette data reader, 17 cassette stocker A, 18
Cassette stocker B, 19 Cassette transport path A, 2
0 cassette transport path B, 100 device controller,
110 Upper computer.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A cassette for storing semiconductor wafers, comprising a cassette data storage section for storing cassette information as data relating to the cassette, so that the cassette information can be recognized from an external device. Cassette to do. 2. A cassette information recognizing function capable of recognizing the cassette information from the cassette data storage unit corresponding to a semiconductor wafer cassette having a cassette data storage unit storing cassette information relating to the cassette. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: 3. Based on the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function, it is determined whether or not the cassette has a lid. If the cassette has a lid, the lid is automatically attached and detached. 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: 4. The transfer of a semiconductor wafer between the cassette and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is optimally controlled based on cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment. 5. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein processing for the number of storable wafers is performed based on the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. . 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of attaching and detaching the cassette lid, changing the operation of transferring the semiconductor wafer, and processing for the number of storable wafers is performed according to an instruction from a host computer. An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to any one of claims 3 to 5. 7. A cassette information recognizing function capable of recognizing said cassette information from said cassette data storage section corresponding to a semiconductor wafer cassette having a cassette data storage section storing cassette information relating to the cassette. A cassette conveying device characterized by the above-mentioned. 8. The cassette conveying device according to claim 7, wherein the cassette gripping operation is controlled by the cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. 9. The cassette transport device according to claim 7, wherein the transport operation of the cassette is controlled by cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. 10. The cassette transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a transport path of the cassette is changed according to cassette information obtained by the cassette information recognition function. 11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the control of the gripping operation of the cassette, the control of the transport operation of the cassette, and the change of the transport path of the cassette is performed according to an instruction from a host computer. The cassette transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 10. 12. A semiconductor manufacturing system comprising the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2. Description: 13. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
A semiconductor manufacturing system comprising the cassette transport device according to any one of the above.