JPS5870548A - Substrate transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the contamination of track by providing strip-shaped grooves along the transfer direction on the upper surface of transfer track and by giving roundness to the corner of groove and the corner of edges. CONSTITUTION:The air injection holes 2 are provided in lines 9a-9f in the transfer direction on the surface of transfer air track 1, a line of air exhaust groove 7 is provided respectively between the lines a-b, b-c, d-e, e-f along the transfer direction, and the corners of the upper edge and bottom are given gradual roundness. Also, at the center region of track between the lines c-d, similar exhaust groove 7 is provided in two lines. The intervals D1, D2 between the air injection hole lines are respectively 20mm. and 40mm., pitch p of the groove 7 is 20mm., width of flat portion between grooves is about 10mm., depth of groove 7 is about 3mm. and is given roundness of about gamma=2-3mm., and the hole 2 is inclined by about 60 degrees to the transfer direction. Since the corner of bottom part and angled portion of upper edge of the exhaust groove are given roundness, it is prevented that contaminant substances are fixed and remained within the air exhausting groove and the inside of groove can also be cleaned easily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an improved E
I'll do it.

2. Description of the Related Art In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices and photo masks, an air bearing type substrate transport method is used as a means for transporting semiconductor substrates, mask substrates made of seven-layer masks, and the like. In method (2), since the substrate surface is transported without touching the objects, it is an excellent method because contamination and damage to the substrate surface caused by touching objects can be prevented. However, the conventional air bearing type substrate transport apparatus has the following problems due to the structure of the air track for transporting the substrate.

Figure 1 is a plan view (a) of the main parts of an air bearing type substrate transfer device that has been widely used in the past, and A-A.
In Figure 1, which is a sectional view taken along the line B-B' (e), numeral 1 denotes an air track, and the entire surface of the device is formed into a flat surface. 2 is a blowhole formed at an angle toward the conveyance direction of the substrate and the center direction of the air track l;
3 shows the air inlet, and 4 shows the guide plate. In the conventional substrate transport device in which the air track 1 surface is formed in a planar shape as shown in the figure, air is ejected from the Klfl hole 2 and carries the transported substrate 5 as shown in Fig. 2 (schematic cross-sectional view) k. As a result, the gas enriched in the transport, such as nitrogen gas (N snow), escapes from the upper surface of the air track 1 and the entire peripheral edge of the transported substrate 5 to the outside of the track 1 as shown by arrow 6.

As a result, the direction of movement of the substrate 5 to be transported becomes unstable, causing the substrate 5 to be transported over and over again, or
There was a problem that the peripheral edge of f5 collided with the guide plate 4 of the truck 1 and was damaged. However, in the wI structure, air track I- is planar, so xs on track 1
Fewer contaminants are removed, and therefore less contamination of the transported substrate.

FIG. 3 is a plan view (a) of a main part of a conventional substrate transfer device that is equipped with a means for removing the main stability in the upper P substrate movement direction, and (A)
In other words, in the board transfer device, as shown in the figure, as a means of ensuring stability in the direction of board movement, the board is placed between 20 rows of air holes on the top surface of the air track l. A belt-shaped exhaust groove 7 is provided along the conveyance direction, and the gas that has contributed to the conveyance by pushing up the substrate is released from the exhaust groove 7 along the conveyance direction, thereby stabilizing the movement direction. ing. However, in the substrate transfer device having this structure, the exhaust groove 7 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and the exhaust groove 7 has a slightly curved surface only at the upper edge facing the outside of the track. Because of the chamfered structure (8 is the chamfered part), contaminants are fixed and accumulated at the corners of the bottom of the groove formed at the angle, and the contaminants are absorbed and contaminate the substrate to be transported. There was a problem with being exposed. (In the figure, 3 is an air supply hole, and 4 is a guide plate) In view of the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an air track structure in which the direction of movement of the substrate to be transported is stabilized and there is less track contamination. .

In other words, in the present air bearer 1J type substrate transfer device, grooves with rounded corners at least at the bottom corners and binding portions are formed on the top surface of the substrate transfer truck in the substrate transfer direction. It is characterized by being provided in a band-like manner along the length.

The following is an example of the present invention? A plan view (a) of main parts in one embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a sectional view taken along the line A-A', and B
- B' arrow sectional view (c) and air supply system diagram shown in Figure 5 -
This will be explained in detail using .

The present invention is applied, and up to 5 [inches] of photo
A substrate transport device capable of transporting a mask (mask group vi) includes a transport air track as shown in FIGS. 4(al), (bl, and (c)), for example.

That is, a plurality of rows of blowholes 2 are formed in alignment along the substrate conveyance direction on one surface of an air truck with a width of about 130 [■].
0 column, e.g. 9a and 9b, 9b and 9c, 9d and 9e, 9
Between e and 9f, there is an exhaust groove 7 with gentle roundness at the top and bottom corners of the I [row] along the substrate conveyance direction, and also at the center area of the track 1, that is, the row of blowholes. Two exhaust lines 11117 similar to those described above are provided between 9c and 9d. In addition, in the wrinkled embodiment, the fumarole 2 has a diameter of 0.5 [■φ]
, fumarole rows 91 and 9b, 9b and 9 c s 9 d and 9
・, the distance D1 between 9e and 9f is 201" m), the distance between 9c and 9dQ is 40 [■], the pitch pFi of the exhaust groove 7
20 (■), the width Wf of the flat area sandwiching the exhaust groove 7 is approximately 10
The depth dtj of the exhaust groove 7 is approximately 3 [■], and the bottom corner and upper edge flK of the exhaust groove 7 are formed with a gentle roundness of 2 to 3 [■r]. There is. Also, the direction of the blowhole 2 is approximately 60 degrees with respect to the substrate transport direction, similar to the conventional structure.
, and are formed at an angle of approximately 60 degrees with respect to the center direction of the ri 1 . In addition, 3a* abl 3c, 3d+ in the figure
3e+3f indicates an air supply hole, and 4 indicates a guide plate.

Then, as shown in FIG.
(Kf/m) K adjusted, first filter (0,5(
(about μm3) Ft to the air supply holes 3c and 3d, and the second
For example, with the pressure regulator Ct of 2. θ~2.5(Kf/cj
``The IK is adjusted, and the air supply hole 3b passes through the filter F! of Yuki 2.
and 38, and the third pressure regulator C3, e.g.
3.5 (KF/al), the third filter F,
are sent to the blowholes 3a and 3f, respectively, through the fumarole holes 9.
A, sb, 9e, 9tL9s, and 9f are ejected and the substrate 5 to be transported is transported. (In the figure, 1 is the transport air track, 2 is the blowhole, 4 is the guide plate, 7 is the
is an exhaust groove) and the nitrogen gas that contributed to the conveyance of the substrate deviates from the lower part of the conveyed substrate along the exhaust groove provided along the conveyance direction, so that the direction of movement of the substrate is stabilized. In addition, in the structure of the present invention, as in the above embodiment, the bottom corner of the exhaust groove and the corner of the binding part are gently rounded, so that contaminants are retained and remain in the exhaust groove. At the same time, cleaning of the exhaust premises is also facilitated.

Note that the structure of the present invention is applicable not only to photo masks (!substrates) but also to air bearing-type substrate conveyance devices used for conveying semiconductor substrate bottoms, liquid crystal glass plates, and the like.

As described above, according to the present invention, stability in the direction of substrate movement in an air bearing type substrate transfer device is ensured, and contamination of the air track can be prevented. Therefore, the present invention is effective in stabilizing the manufacturing process of photo masks and semiconductor devices and improving manufacturing quality.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 shows a plan view (a) of a main part of a conventional air bearing type substrate transfer device, a sectional view taken along the line A-A' (b), and a sectional view taken along the line B-B' (eJ, The figure is an explanatory diagram of board operation in a conventional structure, and Figure 3 is a plan view (a) and A-A' of a conventional device with a board movement direction stabilizing means added.
4 is a plan view of essential parts in an embodiment of the present invention, A-A' sectional view (b), and B
-B' arrow sectional view (c) and FIG. 5 are air supply system diagrams. In the figure, l is the air track for transporting the substrate, 2 is the blowhole, 3 and 3a to 3f are the air holes, 4 is the guide plate, 5 is the substrate to be transferred, 6 is the route arrow of the ejected gas, and 7 is the blowout gas route arrow. Exhaust groove, 8 is the chamfered part, 9a to 9f is the row of fumarole holes, DI is the interval between the fumarole rows, p is the pitch of the exhaust groove, d is the depth of the exhaust groove, Wf is the flat area width, auto~Ca is the pressure regulator, F
, ~Fl represents a filter, and N represents v1 elementary gas. 1,000 l Figure P 2 Figure 32 1'bottom

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an air gripping type substrate transfer device, grooves with rounded bottom corners and edge corners are formed in a band shape along the substrate transfer direction on the top surface of the substrate transfer truck. A substrate transport device comprising: