JPS62196538A - Clean room - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To streamline and shorten manufacturing steps by a method wherein a clean room is constructed such that manufacturing devices are arranged along an advancing direction of a transporting device in the order of the manufacturing steps. CONSTITUTION:In a clean room K, a semiconductor wafer is at first stored in a stocker 8 in an area 3 of a vertical transporting device 19 and a horizontal transporting device 18 by these devices. At the stage where the preparation of accepting the semiconductor wafer at semiconductor device manufacturing devices 7 and 7 within the area 3 of the devices, the semiconductor wafer is transported into the area 3 of the device by an automatic transporting robot 11. The semiconductor wafers are transported in sequence from the left end of the area 3 of the device along tracks 10 and 10 so as to surround the area 3 of the device and then the manufacturing step is proceeded. The semiconductor wafer advances around completely within the area 3 of the device and reaches the left end, resulting in that it is stored in the stocker 8 again. The semiconductor wafer is transported to the desired stocker 8 by the horizontal transporting device 18 and the vertical transporting device 19 at a stage where the accepting stage at the semiconductor manufacturing devices 7 and 7 is completely prepared.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a lean room, which is necessary in the field of manufacturing ultra-LSIs, ■Cs, etc., when it is desired to maintain the manufacturing environment at an ultra-high level of cleanliness.

``Prior Art'' In general, there is a large amount of dust in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, especially in the surface process of forming circuit elements on semiconductor wafers, and the cleanliness of the working atmosphere directly affects the product yield. A clean room is used to maintain a highly clean working atmosphere for this type of semiconductor device.
] For example, clean rooms shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 are known.

In FIGS. 3 to 5, the reference numeral indicates a clean room, and the entire room is separated from the outside world by an outer partition wall 1. In the center of this section is a passage area 2, and at right angles to the passage area 2 are device areas 3, 3, .・
. . . and device maintenance areas 4° 4, . . . are divided by the back panel 5 and provided alternately.

On the ceiling of the passage area 2, along this area 2, each device area 3.3. An automatic transport device 6 for transporting the semiconductor wafer is installed at L).

Each device area 3 includes semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7.7. corresponding to a part of the semiconductor manufacturing process. . . Near the entrance from the passage area 2 of the equipment area 3, there is a stocker 8 for temporarily storing the semiconductor wafers waiting to be processed between the equipment areas 3, and an automatic storage system from the stocker 8. A stacker crane 9 for supplying semiconductor wafers to the transport device 6 is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in the device area 3, semiconductor manufacturing devices 7.7. In some cases, a multi-functional automatic transport robot II that moves on a track 10'' arranged along a track 10'' and performs transport and semiconductor manufacturing operations is installed.

In the equipment area 3, an air supply duct I2 is installed on the ceiling to communicate with the main air conditioner (path shown), and the air is supplied to the equipment area 3 via the U LPA filter or the I-I EP A filter 13. It blows clean air.

Furthermore, the semiconductor devices 7, 7 . An air supply chamber 15 equipped with a UL P A filter or a HE P A filter 13 and an exhaust fan 14 that communicates with the device maintenance area 4 is also installed on one side of the part where ... is installed. The air taken in from the maintenance area 4 is purified and blown to the device area 3. With the configuration described in -1- below, the inside of the device region 3 is kept at an ultra-high level of cleanliness, and the passage region 2 is kept at a high level of cleanliness.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the conventional clean room, an equipment area 3 corresponding to a part of the semiconductor manufacturing process is provided orthogonally to the passage area 2. The transport distance of the semiconductor wafer between the device area 3 becomes long,
There is a drawback in that the manufacturing process cannot be rationalized or shortened. In addition, this clean room is required to have a structure without pillars so that the equipment inside the clean room I can be changed freely in response to changes in the product. In consideration of the arrangement method of part region 3, its length is 10011,
This results in a huge one-story or two-story building with a span between columns in the width direction of 40 to 50 pieces, resulting in a very expensive building from the perspective of countermeasures against microvibrations. Therefore, location conditions are limited in local cities where large sites are easily available and land prices are low, making it difficult to secure excellent engineers in the vicinity of factories, and even if the factories currently in use are demolished. There was also the drawback that it was difficult to obtain sufficient land to construct Clean Roots 1 and K.

This invention addresses the problem of how to realize a lean room that can rationalize and shorten the manufacturing process, requires a small site area, and can be multi-layered.

[-Means for Solving the Problems I] The present invention divides a room into an apparatus area where ultra-high cleanliness is required and a passage area where high cleanliness is required, and A multi-functional transport device that moves linearly through the cough area is installed in the area, and a lean room is constructed with manufacturing equipment arranged in the order of their processes along the direction of movement of the transport device. This solves the above problems.

[Function 1] In this invention, one direction of conveyance 4 of a workpiece such as a semiconductor sea urchin) and the direction of progress of the manufacturing process are arranged in the same straight line, and the device area is arranged in a straight line -1. .

"Embodiments" Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are diagrams showing a clean room that is an embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral indicates a clean room, and the entire room is separated from the outside world by an outer corner wall 1. In this compartment, there is an equipment area 3.3 that extends linearly in the length direction of the clean room, a passage area 2 that surrounds the equipment areas 3, 3, and a back panel 5. It is divided and provided by.

Each device area 3 includes a multifunctional automatic transfer port box 1 that moves on a linear track 10.10 disposed along this area 3 and performs the semiconductor wafer transfer and manufacturing operations.
-11,11. is installed. Between the two tracks 10.10 in the device area 3, there are branch parts 16, 16.10 connecting them. ...h< is set. In the device area 3, along the trajectory 10.10, there are semiconductor manufacturing devices 7, 7, .
... has been installed. This semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7, 7.
... is as the semiconductor wafer is sequentially conveyed from the left end of the device region 3 in FIG.
The manufacturing process is also structured to proceed sequentially. In the equipment area 3, there is a stocker 8 at the left end in FIG. 1 for temporarily storing semiconductor wafers waiting to be processed between each equipment area 3; , semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7. An air shower I7, which is used when a person enters the device area 3 for reasons such as maintenance, is provided in communication with the device area 3 f1.

A semiconductor wafer horizontal transport device 18 is provided in the clean room 18, which connects the stockers 8 and 8 in a straight line, and further extends to the outer partition wall I at both ends thereof. At both ends of this horizontal transport device 18, vertical transport devices I9 are provided for transporting semiconductor wafers between the floor where this clean room K is located and the floor of the unit. Further, pillars 20, 20.・ is installed. In this clean room I, a clean room K having a similar configuration is connected downwardly, and the overall structure is multilayered.

Next, a more detailed structure of the clean room will be explained.

In the clean room K, as shown in Figure 2, the ceiling plate 2 is
A ceiling board 23 is provided in the ceiling portion between 1 and the floor slab 22. An air supply duct 12 is connected to a main air conditioner (not shown) in a portion of the ceiling plate 23 corresponding to the second part of the device area 3, and an air supply duct 12 is connected to a portion corresponding to the upper part of the passage area 2.
An exhaust duct 24 is provided. An air supply chamber 15 is installed in the ceiling plate 23 below the air supply tact 12.

This air supply chamber I5 communicates with the upper air supply duct 12 and is connected to a U provided at the lower part of the air supply chamber 15.
It is communicated with the space below via the LPA filter or the II EP A filter 13.

In addition, an exhaust fan 14 with a damper is installed in the air supply chamber I5 at a connection portion with the ceiling plate 23, which communicates with the passage area 2 and blows air into the air supply chamber I5.

On the other hand, -1 of the floor slab 22 is installed on the floor of the clean room.
A perforated floor plate 25 is provided on one side, and a utility area 26 is formed between the floor plate 25 and the floor slab 22.

The floor plate 25 includes a perforated floor 27 made of grating or perforated metal, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7 .・Concrete fixed floor 2 is installed in the area corresponding to the floor of the passage area 2.
8 are connected.

Floor plate 25 at the bottom of the air supply chamber I5 and in the clean room
A back panel 5 that partitions the device area 3 and the passage area 2 is provided between the two.

Here, when the width of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7 is wide, the lower end of the bulkhead panel 5 extends to the -L end of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7. At the lower end of the back panel 5, a back panel exhaust port 29 is formed by a louver with a damper. Furthermore, a lighting fixture 30 is provided at the bottom of the air supply chamber 15 .

Equipment area 3 and passage area 2 in this clean room
Cleaned air is blown in the following manner.

First, air sent from a main air conditioner (not shown) through the air supply duct 12 is supplied to the air supply chamber I5. The supplied air is filtered through ULPA filter or HEP.
After passing through the A filter 13 and being cleaned, the device area 3
It is blown out inside. A part of the blown air flows in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. Passing through the hole bed 27, the passage area 2
Reach within. Also, some of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7.
After passing through one end of ``...'', the air flows in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 2, passes through the back panel exhaust 129, and reaches the passage area 2. Furthermore, some of them are semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7,
7. After passing through the upper end, the flow flows in the direction of arrow C shown in FIG. join together. Some of these airs are exhausted by the exhaust fan I
4, the air is returned to the supply chamber 15 again, and a part of it is exhausted to the clean room through the exhaust duct 24. As a result, the inside of the device region 3 is kept at an ultra-high level of cleanliness, and the passage region 2 is kept at a high level of cleanliness.

In the clean room having the above configuration, semiconductor wafers are first stored in the stocker 8 in the device area 3 by the vertical transfer device 19 and the horizontal transfer device 18. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, 7 within the equipment area 3. ...
When preparations for acceptance are completed, the semiconductor wafer is transported into the apparatus area 3 by the automatic transport robot 11. The semiconductor wafer is located in the device area 3 in FIG.
From the left end, the sheets are sequentially conveyed along the track 10.10 so as to go around the device area 3, and the manufacturing process proceeds. The semiconductor wafer goes around the device area 3 and returns to the left end. When this is completed, it is stored in the stocker 8 again. Then, this semiconductor wafer is transferred to one semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 7, 7 in another apparatus area 3 corresponding to the next process.
．． When preparations for acceptance are completed, the horizontal transport device 1
8 and the vertical conveyance device 19 to a predetermined stocker 8 .

In this manner, semiconductor manufacturing is performed in a clean room that is an embodiment of the present invention.

Here, the clean room is used for transporting semiconductor wafers.
Since the direction and the direction of progress of the manufacturing process are configured to be the same straight line -1-, the transport distance of the semiconductor wafer is not longer than necessary, and the manufacturing process can be rationalized and shortened. In addition, since the device region 3 is long and arranged in a straight line, the pillars 20 can be freely provided in the passage region 2, which is formed parallel to the device region 3, with a higher density than in the prior art. Become. In other words, it is possible to increase the structural strength of the building that makes up the clean room K, and it is also possible to shorten the span between the columns in the width direction, resulting in a narrow floor area of the clean room. In addition, it is possible to create multiple layers in a clean room by simply taking ordinary measures against microvibrations. Therefore, the site area is small, it is possible to have multiple layers, and a lean room can be realized, making it possible to locate this clean room K near a large city where land prices are high. This makes it easier to secure personnel.

Furthermore, a multifunctional automatic transfer robot 11 is installed in the device area 3.
By installing this, the manufacturing process within the device area 3 can be automated. Therefore, it is sufficient to ensure that the device area 3 is large enough for the robot 11 to pass through, and since the total amount of dust generated within this device area 3 is reduced, ultra-high cleanliness can be maintained. The equipment required is smaller than before.

Here, when a person enters the equipment area 3 for maintenance such as failure or maintenance of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 7, an air shower 17 provided in the equipment area 3 allows a person to enter the equipment area 3. can prevent dust from entering.

Note that the clean room according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiment R17. That is, the layout of the device area 3 in the clean room is free; for example, the device area 3.3 may be arranged so that its stockers face each other. Further, the length of the device area 3 in the direction of movement of the automatic transfer robot 11 can be set arbitrarily, and in other words, all processes may be covered by one device area 3.

``Effects of the Invention'' - As explained in detail, according to the present invention, the interior of the room can be divided into the equipment area where ultra-high cleanliness is required and the passage area where high cleanliness is required. The apparatus is divided into sections, and a multifunctional conveying device that linearly moves through the area is provided in the device area, and manufacturing devices are arranged in the order of their processes along the direction of movement of the conveying device. Since the lean room is constructed, the direction of transport of semiconductor wafers and the direction of progress of the manufacturing process are arranged in the same straight line, so the transport distance of semiconductor wafers does not become as long as necessary, streamlining the manufacturing process, It is possible to shorten the time. In addition, since the equipment area is long and in a straight line, it is possible to freely install pillars in the passage area that is separated from the equipment area in a higher density compared to the conventional clean room. Become. In other words, it is possible to increase the structural strength of the building that composes the clean room, and to shorten the span between columns in the width direction, resulting in a clean room with a smaller standard floor area. In addition, the clean room can be multi-layered. Therefore, the site area is small and multi-layering is possible, making it possible to realize a lean room.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a clean room that is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, Fig. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional clean room, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the interior, and Fig. 5
The figure is a perspective view of the inside. K...Clean room 2...Aisle area, 3...Equipment area, 7...
...Semiconductor manufacturing equipment (manufacturing equipment), 11...
Automatic transport robot (transport device).

Claims (1)

[Claims] The interior of the room is divided into an equipment area where ultra-high cleanliness is required and a passage area where high cleanliness is required, and within the equipment area, a multi-function device that travels linearly through the area is constructed. What is claimed is: 1. A clean room characterized in that a conveying device is provided, and manufacturing devices are arranged in the order of their processes along the traveling direction of the conveying device.