JPS62188335A - Transferring apparatus for semiconductor wafers - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a compact and simple automatic wafer transferring apparatus having a high transfer speed and enabling the execution of monitor wafer processing (for a sheet), by providing a chuck for badge transfer and a chuck for sheet transfer respectively in the ends of an arm projecting from a rotating shaft onto the opposite sides thereof and having the same rotational radius. CONSTITUTION:A chuck 8 for sheet transfer having a groove capable of holding a sheet of wafer and a chuck 9 for badge transfer having a plurality of grooves capable of holding several sheets of wafers simultaneously are provided in the opposite ends of an arm fitted to a rotating shaft 6 rotatably and movably in the vertical direction, and at positions equal in distance from the rotating shaft 6. The chuck 9 for badge transfer is moved to a position just above a cassette 3 positioned at a distance equal to the chuck from the rotating shaft, by rotating the rotary arm 7, and then the chuck 9 is lowered. Wafers 2 in the cassette 3 are lifted beforehand by a thrust comb 12, and they are held together in a plurality of sheets (one badge) by closing the chuck 9. When it is necessary to transfer wafers by sheets, the chuck 8 for sheet transfer provided on the opposite side of the rotary arm is used.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically transferring wafers from a transport cassette onto a quartz boat and vice versa in a semiconductor wafer processing process. .

[Conventional technology]

In a semiconductor wafer processing process, a plurality of wafers (1 badge) are usually placed in a cassette and transported or stored. However, in processes such as oxidation and diffusion, the wafer (2) is placed in a quartz boat (1) as shown in Figure 8.
In order to process the samples by arranging them vertically and parallelly at equal intervals, it is necessary to transfer them from the cassette to the quartz boat (1) or vice versa. Conventionally, the method for this transfer is
Some were done manually, while others were done by automatic machines as shown in Figure 2.

FIG. 2 shows a conventional single-wafer automatic wafer transfer device.

This device pushes out wafers (2) stored in a cassette (3) one by one using a swing arm 14), and rolls them on a transfer rail (5).
).

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, this conventional apparatus has the disadvantage that the processing speed (transfer speed) is slow because it is a single wafer type and the wafer is transferred by rolling it under its own weight.

This invention was made in order to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional devices as described above, and aims to provide a compact and simple automatic wafer transfer device that has a high transfer speed and is capable of monitoring wafer processing (single wafer processing). purpose.

[Means for solving problems]

The automatic wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention includes a badge transfer chuck and a single wafer transfer chuck, respectively, at the end of an arm having the same rotation radius and protruding from a rotating shaft on both sides thereof.

[Effect]

In this invention, by rotating and moving the arm up and down, wafers can be transferred, and two types of chucks can be used as needed.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In Fig. 1, (6) is a rotating shaft, and (7) is an arm that is attached to this rotating shaft so that it can rotate and move up and down.One arm is attached to each end of this arm at the same position from the above rotating shaft +61. A single wafer transfer chuck (8) having a groove that can hold several wafers, and a badge transfer chuck (9) having a plurality of grooves that can hold several wafers at the same time, each of which has a separate The wafer can be gripped by opening and closing the chuck.

The 0110 sword is a stand on which the cassette 13) and the quartz boat (1) are positioned, and is equipped with a movement mechanism perpendicular to the wafer surface, allowing the wafers to be arranged in any groove on the quartz boat (1). 02 is a push-up comb provided on the stand συ.

Next, the operation will be explained. For example, let's take a cassette (3
) to the quartz boat (1). In this case, the single-wafer transfer chuck (8) is left open and not used. Then, the rotating arm ( By rotating 7), the badge transfer chuck (9) is moved directly above the cassette (3) positioned at the same distance from the rotation axis as the chuck, and then the chuck (9) is lowered.Cassette (3)
) The wafer (2) in ) is lifted up in advance with a push-up comb @, and by closing the chuck (9),
A plurality of wafers (2) (one batch) are held together. Next, raise the chuck (9) and rotate the rotating arm (7).
, and transfer the badge processing chuck (9) and the multiple wafers of one badge gripped by it to the boat (1) on the opposite side.
) move up. By lowering and opening the chuck (9), a plurality of wafers can be transferred at once.

On the other hand, to transfer wafers from the quartz boat (1) to the cassette (3), perform the reverse operation as described above, and when it is necessary to transfer wafers in single wafers, such as monitor wafers,
Single wafer transfer chuck installed on the opposite side of the rotating arm (
8) to perform the transfer.

In this way, during normal transfer, the badge transfer chuck [9] is used to increase the processing speed by transferring multiple wafers per badge at once. The chuck (8) allows the sheets to be transferred one by one.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a badge transfer chuck and a single wafer transfer chuck are respectively provided on the arms having the same rotation radius that protrude from the rotation shaft on both sides thereof, and the arms are rotated and moved up and down. This system is designed to transfer wafers, and can be separated using two types of chucks as needed, so the transfer speed is fast and monitoring (single wafer) processing is possible. Compact and simple. Thus, it is possible to obtain a wafer transfer device that is suitable for use.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a Unino A transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a conventional single wafer transfer device, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a quartz boat. be. In the figure, (1) is a quartz boat, (2) is a wafer, (3) is a wafer cassette), +61 is a rotation axis, (7) is an arm,
(8) is a chuck for transferring sheets, (9) is a chuck for transferring badges, QQCIIJ is a stand, and □□□ is a push-up comb. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Arm ends with the same rotation radius protruding from the rotating shaft on both sides are equipped with a batch transfer chuck that grips multiple wafers at once and a single wafer transfer chuck that grips individual wafers. A semiconductor wafer transfer device, characterized in that the arm rotates and moves up and down to transfer wafers. (2) Semiconductor wafer transfer according to claim 1, wherein the stand disposed below the single wafer transfer chuck is provided with a push-up comb that lifts a plurality of wafers in the cassette at once. Device.