JPH113929A - Wafer alignment device and semiconductor manufacture device equipped with the device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a wafer alignment device and moreover provide a wafer alignment device corresponding to a large-sized wafer by carrying out alignment of a wafer, while keeping a wafer cassette in a horizontal position. SOLUTION: A wafer-mounting table 15 is provided rotatively to a tip part of a band-like base plate 10, a drive pulley is provided to the wafer-mounting table 15, an orientation motor 22 is provided to a base part of the base plate 10, a belt 24 is wound on a driving pulley provided to the orientation motor 22 and the driven pulley, an alignment sensor 26 is provided to the base plate 10, and a circumferential edge part of a wafer mounted on the wafer-mounting table 15 is detected according to this constitution. The wafer-mounting table 15 is rotated via a belt and a driven pulley by driving the orientation motor 22, a wafer is rotated by the rotation of the wafer mounting table 15, an orientation flat or notch is detected by the sensor 26 which detects a circumferential edge part of the wafer, rotation of the wafer-mounting table 15 is stopped upon detecting the orientation flat or notch and a wafer is aligned.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a wafer position adjusting device for adjusting the position of a wafer as a substrate to be processed, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided with the wafer position adjusting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a wafer attitude adjusting device provided in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-22495. 10 and 11, the wafer posture adjusting device will be briefly described.

As shown in FIG. 10, a cassette transfer device 2 is provided on the front side inside the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1. The cassette transfer device 2 transfers a wafer cassette 3 between an external transfer device (not shown) and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1. The cassette transfer device 2 transfers the wafer cassette 3 having a vertical posture from the external transfer device. Receiving and transferring the wafer cassette 3 in the vertical posture to an external transfer device. Further, the cassette transfer device 2 includes a wafer attitude adjusting device 8 shown in FIG.

The orientation roller 4 has an axis perpendicular to the wafer 5 in the wafer cassette 3 and can contact the lower peripheral edge of the wafer 5 exposed from the bottom of the wafer cassette 3. Is rotated by a motor 6.

The orientation roller 4 can be moved up and down by a lifting cylinder 7, and comes into contact with the lower end of the wafer 5 while being raised by the lifting cylinder 7. The wafer 5 is provided with an orientation flat (a straight line cut off a part of the circle and receding from the circumference) for aligning the posture. By rotating the orientation roller 4, the wafer 5 is rotated, and the orientation flat is formed. Comes down, the wafer 5 comes out of contact with the orientation roller 4, the rotation of the wafer 5 is stopped, and the wafer 5 in the wafer cassette 3 is aligned with the orientation flat at the lower position.

In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the wafers 5 are transported or processed in a horizontal position, and the cassette transfer device 2 sets the wafer cassettes 3 in a horizontal position when transferring the wafer cassette 3 to an internal mechanism. Therefore, the wafer cassette 3 is rotated by 90 degrees.

[0007]

As described above, in the conventional wafer position adjusting device, in order to position the wafer, the cassette transfer device 2 must be provided with a rotating mechanism. The mechanism was complicated and required a large space. Further, when the wafer position adjusting device is to be provided in a place other than the cassette transfer device 2, especially in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the wafer cassette 3 must be in the vertical position as described above, and thus a rotating mechanism is required. . Since the mechanism is complicated and requires a large occupied space, it has been difficult to install it in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Further, in recent years, the diameter of the wafer 5 has been increasing, and the wafer cassette 3 has also been increased in size as the diameter of the wafer 5 has increased, so that the rotation of the wafer cassette 3 itself is a heavy mechanical burden.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has been made to enable the wafer orientation to be performed with the wafer cassette kept in a horizontal orientation, to further reduce the size of the wafer orientation apparatus, and to install the wafer orientation apparatus at an arbitrary place in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer position adjusting apparatus which does not suffer from restrictions on installation and which can cope with an increase in the diameter of a wafer, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided with the wafer position adjusting apparatus.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a wafer receiving table is rotatably provided at a leading end of a band-shaped base plate, and a pulley driven by the wafer receiving table is provided. An orientation motor is provided at a base of the base plate. A belt is wrapped around a drive pulley and the driven pulley provided in the orientation motor, an attitude sensor is provided on the base plate, and a peripheral edge received on the wafer receiving table is detected. Related to the wafer alignment device
Also, a wafer receiving table is rotatably provided at the tip of the band-shaped base plate, a driven pulley is provided at the wafer receiving table, an orientation motor is provided at the base of the base plate, and a driving pulley provided at the orientation motor is provided. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising a wafer attitude aligning device configured to hang a belt around the driven pulley, provide an attitude alignment sensor on the base plate, and detect a peripheral edge received on the wafer receiving table. In addition, a cassette transfer device that transfers wafer cassettes, a cassette shelf that stores wafer cassettes, a boat that holds wafers, and a cassette transfer machine that transfers wafer cassettes between the cassette transfer device and cassette shelves, A wafer transfer device that transfers wafers between a cassette shelf and a boat; The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a wafer position aligning device is provided in one section of a cassette shelf, a cassette transfer device for transferring a wafer cassette, a cassette shelf for storing a wafer cassette, a boat for holding wafers, and the cassette transfer device. A cassette transfer machine for transferring a wafer cassette between the apparatus and a cassette shelf, and a wafer transfer machine for transferring a wafer between the cassette shelf and a boat; A cassette transfer device for transferring wafer cassettes, a cassette shelf for storing wafer cassettes, a boat for holding wafers, and a wafer cassette between the cassette transfer device and cassette shelves. Cassette transfer machine to transfer, and way to transfer wafers between cassette shelf and boat A wafer transfer chamber having at least a transfer machine, and a wafer transfer chamber having a wafer transfer robot for transferring a wafer, further relating to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided with a wafer orientation device instead of a wafer holding plate of the wafer transfer machine, A cassette chamber connected to the wafer transfer chamber, into which a cassette is loaded and unloaded; a reaction chamber connected to the wafer transfer chamber; and a position alignment chamber connected to the wafer transfer chamber and including a wafer position alignment device. The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:

When the orientation motor is driven, the wafer receiving table is rotated via a belt and a driven pulley. The wafer rotates with the rotation of the wafer receiving table, and an orientation flat or a notch is detected by a position alignment sensor that detects a peripheral portion of the wafer, and the wafer is detected by detecting the orientation flat or the notch. The rotation of the receiving table is stopped, and the posture of the wafer is adjusted.

A wafer position adjusting device is provided at a wafer cassette storing place and a wafer storing place in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and the wafer position is adjusted or combined with a cassette transfer machine in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. As a part of the components of the wafer transfer machine, a wafer position alignment device is incorporated and the position of the wafer is adjusted while being stored in the wafer cassette, or the position of the wafer is adjusted during the wafer transfer operation. Done.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

From the upper surface side of the strip-shaped base plate 10,
An elliptical belt accommodating groove 11 that circulates along the outer shape of the belt engraving is formed, and a semicircular arc groove 12 that continuously completes a circle is engraved on the semicircular portion at the tip of the belt accommodating groove 11. The belt storage groove 1
1 and a circular projection left at the center of the semicircular arc groove 12 forms a driven side shaft portion 13.
A wafer receiving table 15 is rotatably fitted to 3 via a bearing 14. A fitting portion 16 of the wafer receiving table 15 with the driven-side shaft portion 13 projects in an annular shape, and a driven pulley 17 is fitted on the fitting portion 16 outside.

Similarly to the front end side, a semicircular groove 18 for continuously forming a circular shape is engraved in the base semicircular portion of the belt accommodating groove 11, and a driving side shaft portion 19 is formed in the center portion. An orientation motor 22 is provided coaxially with the drive shaft 19 via a motor base 21, and a drive pulley 23 is fitted on an output shaft of the orientation motor 22, and the drive pulley 23 is attached to the drive shaft 19. It is rotatably fitted via a bearing (not shown). The drive pulley 23
A belt 24 is wound between the driven pulley 17 and the driven pulley 17, and the wafer receiving table 15 is rotated by the driving of the orientation motor 22 via the driving pulley 23, the belt 24, and the driven pulley 17.

The wafer 5 is placed on the wafer receiving table 15, and the wafer 5 is rotated by the rotation of the wafer receiving table 15. A recess 25 is formed at a position near the wafer periphery of the base plate 10, and a posture alignment sensor 26 for detecting an orientation flat is fixed to the recess 25.

A concave portion is formed in the position adjusting sensor 26, and the edge of the wafer 5 passes through the concave portion, and a transmissive optical sensor (not shown) sandwiching the concave portion. Is provided. The peripheral edge of the wafer 5 blocks the optical axis of the transmission type optical sensor, and the orientation flat is off the optical axis.

The orientation of the wafer 5 is adjusted by the
Into the lower side of the wafer 5 and raise the base plate 10 at a position where the center of the wafer receiving table 15 and the center of the wafer 5 coincide with each other.
Then, the wafer 5 is received. The orientation motor 22 is driven to rotate the wafer receiving table 15, and the orientation flat sensor 26 detects an orientation flat. The posture adjustment sensor 2
When the orientation motor 22 is stopped at the position where the orientation flat is detected by 6 and the rotation of the wafer receiving table 15 is stopped, the alignment of the wafer 5 is completed.

The belt 24 is preferably a timing belt in order to reliably transmit the rotation stop of the orientation motor 22 to the wafer receiving table 15. Further, the attitude adjusting sensor 26 may be a reflection type optical sensor or a transmission type or reflection type ultrasonic sensor.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment in which a plurality of wafers 5 (three in the drawing) are simultaneously aligned.

In this embodiment, the above-described wafer attitude adjusting device is arranged in three stages vertically as one unit 27, and the wafer receiving table 15 is planarly arranged so that the orientation motor 22 does not interfere. It has a configuration arranged radially about the center. The upper base plate 10 is fixed to the lower motor base 21 to integrate the upper and lower units. The configuration and operation of each of the units 27, 27, 27 are as described above, and therefore description thereof is omitted.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of wafers 5 (three in the drawing) are simultaneously aligned. In this embodiment, the above-mentioned base plate 10 is bent in a V-shape to avoid the interference of the orientation motor 22. Needless to say, a guide pulley (not shown) for guiding the belt 24 is provided at the bent portion.

Although not shown, if the configuration is such that the orientation motor 22 is attached to the lower side of the base plate 10, three sets of units 27 can be further superimposed. Can be integrated,
The postures of six wafers can be simultaneously adjusted.
Incidentally, if the shape of the base plate 10 shown in FIG. 5 is appropriately changed so as to avoid the interference of the orientation motor, a larger number of units 27 can of course be integrated.

FIG. 7 shows a deformation of the position adjusting sensor 26, which is used when the pitch between the wafers 5 is narrow and the position adjusting sensor 26 interferes with the upper wafer 5.

An optical fiber is used for each of the light projecting side and the light receiving side, and the oblique fiber sensor 30 in which the upper optical fiber (the optical fiber on the projecting side is shown) 28 is shortened. The detection light is obliquely projected from the tip of the optical fiber 28 as the detection light, is received by the tip of the lower optical fiber 29, and is guided to a light receiving element (not shown). The orientation flat is detected based on whether or not the edge blocks the optical axis.

FIG. 8 shows a situation in which the above-mentioned wafer position adjusting apparatus is provided in a batch type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. First, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 8 will be briefly described.

A cassette shelf 32 is provided facing the cassette transfer device 2 provided on the front side inside the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a buffer cassette shelf 33 is provided above the cassette shelf 32, and further, a back surface of the buffer cassette shelf 33 is provided. A boat 34 is disposed on the side, and the boat 34 is supported by a boat elevator (not shown) so as to be able to move up and down.

The cassette transfer device 2 and the cassette shelf 32
A cassette transfer device 35 for transferring a wafer cassette between the cassette transfer device 2 and the cassette shelf 32 and the buffer cassette shelf 33 or between the cassette shelf 32 and the buffer cassette shelf 33 is provided between the cassette transfer device 2 and the cassette shelf 32. The cassette shelf 3
A wafer transfer machine 36 for transferring the wafers 5 between the boat 2 and the boat 34 is provided. The boat 5 is loaded with the wafers 5 in multiple stages in a horizontal posture, loaded into a reaction furnace (not shown) while being held by the boat 34, and subjected to necessary processing such as thin film generation, impurity diffusion, or annealing. Done.

The wafer cassette 3 carried in from the external transfer device is transferred to the cassette transfer device 2 and transferred to the cassette shelf 32 or the buffer cassette shelf 33 by the cassette transfer device 35. Since the posture is not adjusted in the cassette transfer device 2, the cassette transfer device 2 does not need to rotate the wafer cassette by 90 degrees, and the mechanism is simplified.

The cassette transfer device 35 is mounted on a lift stage 39 which can be moved up and down along a vertically movable guide 38.
In this configuration, a set of transfer arms 41 is provided, and the wafer cassette is transferred by raising and lowering the elevating stage 39 and moving the transfer arm 41 forward and backward.

The installation position of the above-described wafer position adjusting device is provided in one section of the cassette shelf 32, for example, a hatched portion in FIG. 8, and a wafer cassette requiring the position alignment is moved to the hatched portion. It may be put on. Alternatively, it may be provided in combination with the cassette transfer machine 35. That is, FIGS.
The wafer position adjusting device shown in FIG. 6 is provided so as to be able to move up and down. When the cassette transfer device 35 does not transfer the wafer cassette, the elevating stage 39 is evacuated. Retreat,
After the predetermined wafer 5 is received on the wafer receiving table 15, the wafer 5 may be slightly lifted from the wafer cassette 3 so that the posture is adjusted without pulling out the wafer.

Further, as shown in FIG.
6, the transfer is performed by holding the wafers one by one on the receiving plate 42, and the receiving plate 42 of the wafer transfer machine 36 is placed on the base plate 10 and the wafer receiving table 15; It is also possible to replace and incorporate the above-described wafer orientation device as a part of the configuration of the wafer transfer machine 36. In this case, the wafer alignment can be performed at the same time as the transfer of the wafer, so that the wafer alignment time can be shortened or omitted, thereby improving the throughput.

FIG. 9 shows a single-wafer type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided with the above-mentioned wafer position adjusting apparatus.

The outline of the single wafer type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will be described.

The cassette chambers 46, 47 and the attitude adjusting chambers 48, 49,
Further, reaction chambers 51 and 52 are air-tightly connected via gate valves 53 and 54, gate valves 55 and 56, and gate valves 57 and 58, respectively. A wafer transfer robot 59 is provided inside the wafer transfer chamber 45, and the above-described wafer position adjustment device (indicated by reference numeral 50 in FIG. 8) is provided inside the position adjustment chambers 48 and 49.

Wafer cassette 3 loaded with wafers
Is carried into one of the cassette chambers 46 and 47 from the outside, for example, into the cassette chamber 46. The gate valve 53,
The gate valve 55 is opened, and the wafer transfer robot 59 receives the wafer 5 and receives it on the wafer alignment device 50 in the alignment chamber 48. The wafer alignment is performed by the wafer alignment device, and when the alignment is completed, the wafer 5 is taken out of the wafer alignment device 50 by the wafer transfer robot 59. Gate valve 5
3 and 55 are closed, the gate valve 57 is opened, and the wafer is transferred into the reaction chamber 51 by the wafer transfer robot 59. When the gate valve 57 is closed and the required processing is performed on the wafer, the gate valves 57 and 53 are opened, and the wafer 5 is transferred from the reaction chamber 51 to the cassette chamber 46 by the wafer transfer robot 59.

The position adjusting chambers 48 and 49 may also serve as a wafer preheating chamber or a cooling chamber.

Also in the single-wafer type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a mechanism for changing the attitude of the wafer can be omitted, so that the mechanism can be greatly simplified and the installation space of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus can be saved.

In the above-described embodiment, the orientation flat has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a notch is formed in a wafer.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the wafer can be aligned in a horizontal position, a cassette rotating mechanism is not required, the mechanism is simplified, and particularly when a large-diameter wafer is processed. It is effective and can be integrated into other mechanisms such as a cassette transfer machine and a wafer transfer machine.This saves space and allows for the alignment of posture and other operations such as wafer cassette transfer. Merging becomes possible, and the operation time can be shortened and the throughput can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view showing the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional view showing another embodiment of the same.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a posture adjusting sensor used in the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective explanatory view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a batch type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a single-wafer type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view showing a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a conventional wafer attitude alignment apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 Cassette transfer apparatus 3 Wafer cassette 5 Wafer 10 Base plate 15 Wafer receiving table 17 Follower pulley 22 Orientation motor 23 Drive pulley 24 Belt 26 Position alignment sensor 35 Cassette transfer machine 36 Wafer transfer machine 48 Position alignment Room 49 Position alignment chamber 50 Wafer alignment device

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A wafer receiving table is rotatably provided at a front end of a band-shaped base plate, a driven pulley is provided at the wafer receiving table, an orientation motor is provided at a base of the base plate, and the orientation motor is provided at the base motor. Wherein a belt is wound around the driven pulley and the driven pulley, an attitude sensor is provided on the base plate, and a peripheral portion received on the wafer receiving table is detected. Matching device. 2. A wafer receiving table is rotatably provided at the tip of a band-shaped base plate, a driven pulley is provided at the wafer receiving table, an orientation motor is provided at a base of the base plate, and the orientation motor is provided at the base. And a wafer position aligning device configured to hang a belt between the driven pulley and the driven pulley, provide a position adjusting sensor on the base plate, and detect a peripheral portion received on the wafer receiving table. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. A cassette transfer device for transferring a wafer cassette, a cassette shelf for storing the wafer cassette,
A boat for holding wafers, a cassette transfer machine for transferring a wafer cassette between the cassette transfer device and the cassette shelf, and at least a wafer transfer machine for transferring wafers between the cassette shelf and the boat, 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a wafer position adjusting device is provided in one section of said cassette shelf. 4. A cassette transfer device for transferring a wafer cassette, a cassette shelf for storing the wafer cassette,
A boat for holding wafers, a cassette transfer machine for transferring a wafer cassette between the cassette transfer device and the cassette shelf, and at least a wafer transfer machine for transferring wafers between the cassette shelf and the boat, 3. The cassette transfer device according to claim 2, further comprising a wafer position adjusting device.
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment. 5. A cassette transfer device for transferring a wafer cassette, a cassette shelf for storing the wafer cassette,
A boat for holding wafers, a cassette transfer machine for transferring a wafer cassette between the cassette transfer device and the cassette shelf, and at least a wafer transfer machine for transferring wafers between the cassette shelf and the boat, 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a wafer position adjusting device is provided in place of the wafer holding plate of said wafer transfer machine. 6. A wafer transfer chamber having a wafer transfer robot for transferring a wafer, a cassette chamber connected to the wafer transfer chamber and loaded with a cassette, and a reaction chamber connected to the wafer transfer chamber. 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a posture adjusting chamber provided with a wafer posture aligning device connected to said wafer transfer chamber.