JPH1154589A - Substrate transferring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve workability of an inclination control and control accuracy of a chuck plate of the substrate transferring device. SOLUTION: A boom hoisting link 41 is bridged between one side of a plate holder 31 and one side of a plate clamp, the boom hoisting link 41 is connected to the plate clamp flexibly rotatable, the connected position of the torsion link 40 to the plate clamp and the connected position of the boom hoisting link 41 to the plate clamp are shifted in horizontal direction, the torsion link 40 is rotatable around the connected point of the plate holder side, the plate clamp is rotated by the rotation of the torsion link 40, a torsion angle of the chuck plate 21 is controlled, the plate clamp is risen and fallen by the rotation of the boom hoisting link 41, and the boom hoisting angle of the chuck plate 21 is controlled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device used for transferring a wafer inside a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to an improvement in a wafer receiving portion of the substrate transfer device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, an outline of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

[0003] A vertical reactor 2 is provided in the upper portion of the rear side inside the housing 1, and a reaction tube 3 defining a reaction chamber is provided concentrically inside the vertical reactor 2. A boat elevator 4 is provided below the vertical reactor 2. The boat elevator 4 has a lifting block 6 that moves up and down by rotation of a screw rod 5, and an arm 7 that extends horizontally from the lifting block 6. Is provided with a furnace lid 8. A boat 11 is mounted on the furnace lid 8 via a boat cap 9. As will be described later, the boat 11 is loaded with wafers 12 in multiple stages in a horizontal posture, and is moved up and down by the boat elevator 4 while the wafers are loaded, so that the boat 11 is inserted into and removed from the reaction tube 3. ing.

A substrate transport device 13 is provided in contact with the boat elevator 4, and a cassette stocker 14 is provided opposite the substrate transport device 13. The substrate transport device 13 is connected to the boat 11 in a lowered state. The wafer 12 is transferred between cassette stockers 14 described later.

The substrate transfer device 13 includes a handling unit 15 and a transfer elevator 16. The handling unit 15 includes a lifting stage 17 that is raised and lowered by the transfer elevator 16, an advance / retreat stage 18 rotatably provided on the elevator stage 17, and a chucking head 19 provided on the advance / retreat stage 18 so as to advance and retreat.
The chucking head 19 has five vertically arranged chuck plates 21 for holding the wafers 12.

The cassette stocker 14 has a wafer 12
A required number of wafer cassettes 22 loaded with the wafer cassette 22 can be stored, and the substrate transfer device 13
The wafer 12 is transferred.

The transfer of the wafer to and from the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is performed by an external transfer apparatus in a state where the wafer is loaded in the wafer cassette. The transfer of the wafer cassette 22 on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus side to the external transfer apparatus is performed in front of the housing 1. This is performed by a cassette transfer stage (not shown) provided in the unit. Further, the wafer cassette 22 is transferred between the cassette transfer stage and the cassette stocker 14 by a cassette loader (not shown).

[0008] The substrate transport device 13 is moved up and down by the lift elevator 16 by the transfer elevator 16, the rotation of the substrate transport device 13, the advance and retreat of the chucking head 19,
The cooperation of the holding and releasing of the wafer 12 on the chuck plate 21 allows the wafer 1 in the wafer cassette 22 to be
2 is transferred to the boat 11, or from the boat 11 to the wafer cassette 22.

As described above, the substrate transfer device 13 has five vertically arranged chuck plates 21 for holding the wafers 12, and each of the chuck plates 21 must be horizontal or parallel. Each plate 21 has a mechanism capable of performing tilt adjustment in two directions.

Referring to FIG. 6, a conventional chuck plate holding mechanism will be described. In FIG. 6, the main body of the chucking head 19 is omitted.

A plate support arm 26 is fixed to a structural member 25 of the chucking head 19 with a torsion angle adjusting bolt 27, and the base of the chuck plate 21 is clamped by a clamp 2.
The clamp 28 is fixed to the plate support arm 26 by an elevation angle adjusting bolt 29.

The plate support arm 26 has a flange portion 26 perpendicular to the direction in which the chuck plate 21 advances and retreats.
a L-shaped plate portion 26 which is orthogonal to the chuck plate 21 and extends in the reciprocating direction of the chuck plate 21.
b, the torsion angle adjusting bolt 27 is inserted through the flange portion 26a and screwed to the structural member 25, and the undulation angle adjusting bolt 29 is inserted through the upper end of the L-shaped plate portion 26b and the clamp 28 is inserted. Is screwed on.

When the chuck plate 21 is to be horizontal, the torsion angle adjusting bolt 27 is loosened, and the plate support arm 26 is twisted around the torsion angle adjusting bolt 27 to twist the chuck plate 21. The inclination of the chuck plate 21 is adjusted by adjusting the inclination of the chuck plate 21 around the undulation angle adjustment bolt 29 by loosening the undulation angle adjustment bolt 29.

Each of the chuck plates 21 is supported by the above-described holding mechanism, and can be individually adjusted horizontally.

[0015]

In the above-described conventional substrate transfer apparatus, the horizontal adjustment work (tilt adjustment work) of the chuck plate 21 is performed by the worker inside the housing 1 and is caused by dust generated by the worker. As a result, the degree of cleanliness in the apparatus decreases. Further, the work is performed in a small place in the apparatus, so that the workability is poor. Further, two adjustments are required for each chuck plate. In the above embodiment, the number of adjustments is as many as ten, so that fine adjustment is difficult because the operation time is long and the adjustment itself depends on the sense of the operator. The accuracy lacked certainty and reproducibility, for example, depending on the skill of the operator.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and aims to improve the workability of adjusting the inclination of a chuck plate in a substrate transfer apparatus and to improve the adjustment accuracy.

[0017]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a substrate transport apparatus for transporting a substrate to be processed while holding the substrate to be processed on a chuck plate, wherein a plate holder provided on a structural member of the substrate transport apparatus is provided. On the other hand, a plate clamp supporting the chuck plate is rotatably connected in both directions of torsion and undulation, and a torsion link is bridged between one side of the plate holder and one side of the plate clamp. The plate clamp is freely rotatably connected, an undulating link is bridged between one side surface of the plate holder and one side surface of the plate clamp, and at least the undulating link and the plate clamp are rotatably connected. The connecting point position of the torsion link and the connecting point position of the undulating link with respect to the plate clamp are shifted in the horizontal direction, The present invention relates to a substrate transport apparatus in which a link is rotatable about a connection point on the plate holder side, and the undulating link is rotatable about a connection point on the plate holder side, and a substrate to be processed is held on a chuck plate. In a substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate to be processed, a plate clamp supporting the chuck plate is rotatably connected to a plate holder provided on a structural member of the substrate transfer apparatus so as to be rotatable in both directions of undulation, A bent torsion link is bridged between one side of the plate holder and one side of the plate clamp, one end of the torsion link is rotatably connected to the plate holder, and the other end of the torsion link is connected to the plate clamp. Freely rotatable linking and bridging links between one side of the plate holder and one side of the plate clamp One end of the undulating link is rotatably connected to the plate holder, the other end of the torsion link is rotatably connected to the plate clamp, and a connection point of the torsion link with respect to the plate clamp and a connection point of the undulation link. The plate clamp is displaced in the horizontal direction so that the plate clamp can be raised and lowered around the connection point between the plate holder and the torsion link, and the plate clamp can be connected to the connection point between the plate holder and the undulating link. Around the torsion link, a torsion angle adjustment bar is engaged with the bending portion of the torsion link, and an undulation angle adjustment bar is engaged with the bending portion of the undulating link. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device capable of being independently displaced in a horizontal direction, and further comprising a plurality of chuck plates in a vertical direction, wherein , Protruding connecting pins at the bends of the undulating links,
The torsion angle adjustment bar has a slit hole extending in the up-down direction, a connecting pin of the torsion link is slidably fitted in the slit hole, and the undulation angle adjustment bar has a slit hole extending in the up-down direction. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device in which a connecting pin of the undulating link is slidably fitted in the slit hole, and a joint piece is provided on the plate holder via a torsion shaft so that the joint piece can be twisted freely. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device having undulating links that can be freely raised and lowered via a link, relates to a substrate transfer device capable of changing a vertical pitch of a plate holder, and furthermore, any one of a lowermost plate and an uppermost plate clamp Are independently twistable and undulating.

By rotating the torsion link, the plate clamp is twisted, and the torsion angle of the chuck plate is adjusted. By rotating the undulating link, the plate clamp is undulated, and the undulation angle of the chuck plate is adjusted.

When a plurality of stages of chuck plates are provided, the twist angle and the undulation angle of the plurality of chuck plates are simultaneously adjusted by displacing the twist angle adjusting bar and the undulating angle adjusting bar in the horizontal direction. Can be.

Further, by independently twisting and raising or lowering one of the lower and upper plate clamps, even if chuck plates are provided in a plurality of stages, it is possible to convey one by one.

[0021]

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

FIG. 1 shows a main part of the chuck plate holding mechanism. Hereinafter, the chuck plate holding mechanism for the uppermost chuck plate 21 will be described.

A plate holder 31 is attached to a support mechanism (not shown).
And a spherical torsion pivot shaft 32 protrudes from the base end of one side surface (front side surface in the figure) of the plate holder 31, and is attached to the tip end of the other side surface (side surface in the figure) of the plate holder 31. A spherical undulating pivot shaft 33 protrudes.
A T-shaped joint shaft 34 is protrudingly provided on the tip surface of the plate holder 31 on the side of the undulating pivot shaft 33 so as to be rotatable in a twisting direction (centering on a twisting shaft portion 34a extending in the advancing and retracting direction of the chuck plate 21). , The joint shaft 34
A joint piece 35 is fixed to a portion protruding from the plate holder 31 so that the joint piece 35 is rotatable in a twisting direction with respect to the plate holder 31 via the joint shaft 34.

An undulating shaft portion 34b of the joint shaft 34 orthogonal to the direction of movement of the chuck plate 21 projects from the joint piece 35, and a plate clamp 36 is rotatably fitted to the undulating shaft portion 34b. Numeral 36 is tiltable with respect to the joint piece 35 via the joint shaft 34. Thus, the chuck plate 21 can be raised and lowered with respect to the plate holder 31 via the joint shaft 34.

A spherical torsion pivot shaft 37 protrudes from the base end of one side surface (front side in the figure) of the plate clamp 36, and the torsion pivot shaft 37 has an axis centered by the torsion shaft portion 34.
It matches with the axis of b. A spherical up-and-down pivot shaft 38 protrudes from the tip of the other side surface (the side surface on the side in the figure) of the plate clamp 36. The undulating pivot shaft 3
The center of the spherical portion 44 (described later) is located on the axial center of the torsion shaft portion 34a.

A base end portion 40a of the inverted link 40 is pivotally connected to the torsion pivot shaft 32, and a distal end portion 40b of the torsion link 40 is pivotally connected to the torsion pivot shaft 37. Further, a base end 41a of an inverted link 41 is pivotally attached to the up / down pivot shaft 33, and a distal end 41b of the up / down link 41 is pivotally attached to the up / down pivot shaft 38.
Top of inverted character of torsion link 40, undulating link 41
Connecting pin 42 and connecting pin 5 at the top of
0 (not shown) project in the horizontal direction.

The proximal end 40a and distal end 40b of the torsion link 40 and the proximal end 41a and distal end 4 of the undulating link 41.
1b, a cylindrical hole 43 is formed as shown in FIG. 2, and the spherical portion 44 of the pivot shaft is fitted into the cylindrical hole 43, and the pivot shaft can be freely tilted with respect to the cylindrical hole 43. It has become.

The lower chuck plate 21 is also provided with a chuck plate holding mechanism similar to that described above, and the lowermost plate holder 31 is fixed to a support mechanism (not shown) in a vertical direction and mounted. I have. The upper four stages are attached to the support mechanism so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and the pitch between the plate holders 31 can be changed by the support mechanism.

A torsion angle adjusting bar 45 is provided between the uppermost torsion link 40 and the lower torsion link 40, and the torsion angle adjustment bar 45 is provided with slit holes 4 in the vertical direction.
6 are formed, and the connection pins 42 of the four torsion links 40 are slidably fitted in the slit holes 46. A slit hole 48 of a torsion angle adjustment bar 47 is slidably fitted in the connection pin 42 of the lowermost torsion link 40.

Similarly, the undulation link 41 is extended between the undulation links 41 from the uppermost undulation link 41 to the second lower tier. A connection hole 50 (not shown) of the four undulating links 41 is slidably fitted in the slit hole 51. The connecting pin 50 of the lowermost undulating link 41 has an undulating angle adjusting bar 52.
A slit hole 53 (not shown) of (not shown) is slidably fitted.

The operation for adjusting the torsion angle and the undulation angle will be described below.

First, the adjustment of the torsional angle of the upper four stages of the chuck plate 21 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the chuck plate 2
In order to adjust the torsion so as to raise the front side of FIG. 1 (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3), the torsion angle adjustment bar 45 is moved toward the tip side of the chuck plate 21 (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3). By moving the connecting pins 42 of the four-stage torsion link 40 to the distal end side, each of the connecting pins 42 moves upward about the torsion pivot shaft 32 so that the horizontal distance from the torsion pivot shaft 32 becomes longer. Displace. The torsion link 4
Numeral 0 rotates counterclockwise about the torsion pivot shaft 32 to displace the torsion pivot shaft 37 upward. The upward displacement of the torsion pivot shaft 37 causes the four-stage chuck plate 21 to rotate in the direction of the arrow A about the axis connecting the torsion shaft portion 34a and the undulating pivot shaft 38.

The torsion angle of the lowermost chuck plate 21 can be similarly adjusted by sliding the torsion adjusting bar 47 in the same manner.

Next, the adjustment of the undulation angles of the upper four stages of the chuck plate 21 will be described with reference to FIG.

When the undulation angle adjusting bar 49 is slid to the tip side (arrow C) in the figure, the connecting pins 50 of the four-step undulating links 41 are displaced upward around the undulating pivot shaft 33, and the undulating links 41 are moved upward. The tip is displaced upward. The undulating pivot shaft 38 is displaced upward, and the four-stage plate clamp 36, that is, the chuck plate 21 is attached to the undulating shaft portion 34.
b, rotate upward (arrow D) about the axis connecting the torsion pivot shaft 37;

The undulation angle of the lowermost chuck plate 21 can be similarly adjusted by sliding the undulation angle adjustment bar 52 in the same manner.

The wafer cassette 22 or the boat 11
In some cases, the pitch of the chuck plate 21 may be changed according to the wafer storage pitch. FIG. 5 shows a case where the pitch of the chuck plate 21 is minimized. When the pitch of the chuck plate 21 is changed, the torsion link 40 and the undulating link 41 move in parallel in the vertical direction,
The connection pin 42 and the connection pin 50 are
6. Slide the slit hole 51. The displacement of the connection pin 42 and the connection pin 50 in the vertical direction is
1 does not affect the posture.

The tilt adjustment of the chuck plate 21 is performed by four adjustment bars, that is, the torsion angle adjustment bar 4.
5, all five steps can be performed by displacing the torsion angle adjustment bar 47, the undulation angle adjustment bar 49, and the undulation angle adjustment bar 52 (not shown) in the horizontal direction.

The reason that the lowermost chuck plate 21 can be tilted independently is that the lowermost plate holder 31 can be independently advanced and retracted, and the lowermost chuck plate 21 alone can be used to separate the wafers 12 one by one. This is so that it can be transferred.

In the above embodiment, a description has been given of the five-stage chuck plate 21. However, the present invention can also be applied to a substrate transfer apparatus having two to four or six or more stages of chuck plates 21. Regardless of the number of stages 21, the inclination of the chuck plate 21 can be adjusted with four adjustment bars. When a multi-stage chuck plate 21 is provided, the inclination of the chuck plate 21 can be adjusted every predetermined number of sheets. Further, the torsion link 40 and the undulating link 41 may have a concave shape. Further, instead of the joint shaft 34 and the joint piece 35, the plate clamp 36 and the plate holder 31 may be directly connected by a pivot joint (or a spherical bearing).
Even in this case, it is needless to say that the chuck plate 21 twists around the pivot joint and the undulating pivot shaft 38 and undulates around the pivot joint and the torsion pivot shaft 37. Further, the torsion shaft portion 34a and the undulating shaft portion 34b
The connecting portion between the torsion link 40 and the plate holder 31 and the connecting portion between the undulating link 41 and the plate holder 31 are not pivot bearings, but are formed separately. Alternatively, the lowermost chuck plate 21 is fixed in the above embodiment, but the uppermost chuck plate 21 may of course be fixed.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the inclination of the chuck plate is adjusted, the number of adjustment points is reduced, so that the adjustment operation time is greatly reduced. In addition, since the chuck plate adjusting operation is performed by moving the adjusting bar in the horizontal direction, it is possible to apply a displacement using a motor or the like, and it is possible to automate the adjustment. Also in this case, since there are few adjustment points, the structure for automation can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing a pivotally connected state between a torsion link and a torsion pivot shaft in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view showing torsion angle adjustment according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view showing the undulation angle adjustment according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the pitch of the chuck plate is changed in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a main part of a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view schematically showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Substrate conveyance apparatus 19 Chucking head 21 Chuck plate 31 Plate holder 32 Twisting pivot axis 33 Undulating pivot axis 34 Joint axis 34a Twisting axis part 34b Undulating axis part 37 Twisting pivot axis 38 Undulating pivot axis 40 Twisting link 41 Undulating link 45 Twisting angle Adjustment bar 46 Slit hole 47 Torsion angle adjustment bar 49 Elevation angle adjustment bar

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Riichi Kano 3--14-20 Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. Kokusai Electric Inc.

Claims (6)

[Claims] In a substrate transport apparatus for transporting a substrate to be processed while holding the substrate to be processed on a chuck plate, the chuck plate is supported by a plate holder provided on a structural member of the substrate transport apparatus. A plate clamp is rotatably connected in both directions of torsion and undulation, and a torsion link is bridged between one side of the plate holder and one side of the plate clamp, so that at least the torsion link and the plate clamp can be freely rotated. Connecting, linking an undulating link between one side surface of the plate holder and one side surface of the plate clamp, connecting at least the undulating link and the plate clamp so as to be freely rotatable, and a connection point of the torsion link to the plate clamp. Position and the connection point of the undulating link are shifted in the horizontal direction, and the twisted link is moved to the plate holder. It is possible to rotate around the connection point on the side,
A substrate transfer device, wherein the undulating link is rotatable about a connection point on the plate holder side. 2. A substrate transport apparatus for transporting a substrate to be processed while holding the substrate to be processed on a chuck plate, wherein the chuck plate is supported by a plate holder provided on a structural member of the substrate transport apparatus. A plate clamp is rotatably connected in both directions of torsion and undulation, and a bent torsion link is bridged between one side of the plate holder and one side of the plate clamp, and one end of the torsion link is rotatable to the plate holder. And the other end of the torsion link is rotatably connected to the plate clamp,
A bent link is provided between one side of the plate holder and one side of the plate clamp, one end of the link is rotatably connected to the plate holder, and the other end of the twisted link is connected to the plate clamp. The plate clamp is connected so as to be freely rotatable, and the position of the connection point of the torsion link and the position of the connection point of the undulating link with respect to the plate clamp are shifted in the horizontal direction. And the plate clamp is capable of being twisted around a connection point between the plate holder and the undulating link, and a torsion angle adjusting bar is engaged with a bent portion of the torsion link. Engage the undulation angle adjustment bar with the bent part,
The substrate transfer device, wherein the torsion angle adjustment bar and the undulation angle adjustment bar can be independently displaced in the horizontal direction. 3. A plurality of chuck plates are provided in a vertical direction, connecting pins are respectively provided at bent portions of the torsion link and bent portions of the undulating link, and a slit hole is provided in which the torsion angle adjusting bar extends in a vertical direction. The connection pin of the twisted link is slidably fitted in the slit hole, and the undulation angle adjusting bar has a slit hole extending in the vertical direction, and the connection pin of the undulation link is slid in the slit hole. 3. The substrate transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the substrate transfer device is movably fitted. 4. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a joint piece is rotatably provided on the plate holder via a torsion shaft, and an undulating link is provided to the joint piece via an undulating shaft. 5. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a vertical pitch of the plate holder can be changed. 6. The substrate transfer device according to claim 3, wherein one of the lowermost plate clamp and the uppermost plate clamp can be independently twisted and undulated.