JPS62252146A - Sample conveying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent dusts from entering from the periphery of a conveying apparatus to a sample side by providing a cover oppositely to the sample of the apparatus and supplying gas to a space between the sample and a cover. CONSTITUTION:A wafer 11 is placed on the other lower end of an arm 61 to which one end is attached of a revolving unit to attach supporting frames 62a, 62b, and divided at width Y at a tracing portion at the center of the wafer 11 with respect to the revolving center of the arm 61. The width Y is a passage of an elevator for placing the wafer 11 in case of delivering the wafer 11. A cover frame 63 is attached to the other upper end of the arm 61, and a cover 64 is detachably engaged with the frame 63. A gas supplying unit 68 is connected through a pipe 67 with the arm 61 to supply clean gas to between the wafer 11 placed on the frames 62a, 62b and the cover 64. Thus, it can prevent dusts from entering from the outside of the frames 62a, 62b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a sample transport device, and particularly to a sample transport device suitable for a transport device of a semiconductor manufacturing device.

[Conventional technology]

The conventional device, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-90956, rotates a drum attached to a head, moves a holder covered with a cover up and down through a guide groove provided in the drum, and also moves a claw v: [By closing lfi,
There are devices that ensure the supply and removal of wafers to and from the vacuum processing chamber in a dust-proof manner.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above conventional technology, there is a cover above the wafer, but the sides of the wafer are open, and no consideration is given to protecting the wafer from floating dust, and falling dust can be prevented by the cover. There is a problem in that floating dust enters through the opening on the side of the wafer and adheres to the wafer, causing problems in various processes such as exposure, thin film deposition, and etching, and reducing the product yield of semiconductor devices.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sample transport device that can prevent dust from adhering to a sample during transport.

[Means to solve the problem tt]

The above object is achieved by providing a cover to face the sample on the conveyance gt position and providing a gas supply means for supplying gas into the space between the sample and the cover.

[For production]

By supplying clean gas to the space between the sample and the cover, the pressure in the space increases, and the gas comes out from the opening on the side of the sample, preventing dust from entering the sample side from around the transport device. .

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5.

The details of the sample transport device are shown in the 1st el. Reference numeral 61 is an arm having one end attached to, for example, a rotating device (not shown). In this case, support frames 62a and 62b on which the wafer 11 is placed and supported are attached above the other end of the arm 61. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting arrangement is such that the rotation center of the arm 61 is divided by a width Y at the locus of the center of the wafer U. The width Y is the width of the wafer 11 when the wafer 11 is transferred.
This is the path for the lifting platform on which the equipment is placed. In this case, above the other end of the arm 61.

A cover frame B is attached, and a cover 6 is removably fitted into the cover frame S. Support frame 62a.

The gap X between the cover frame 62b and the cover frame 8 is a passage for the wafer U when the wafer 11 is lifted from the support frame and taken out.

In this case, the arm 61 is provided with a passage 65a, one end of which penetrates toward the support frames 62a and 62b, and the other end of which is connected to a gas supply device by sequentially valves a joint part and a vibrator 67. It is a provision.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, light emitters 69a and 69b are provided at positions sandwiching the cover example and the wafer 11.

The above-mentioned transport device is used by being attached to a semiconductor manufacturing device as shown in FIG. 4, for example. In vacuum chamber 1.

A cassette chamber 2a for storing a cassette 10a containing wafers, and a cassette chamber 2b for storing an empty cassette lOb.
The gate valve 5a is also attached via the gate valve 15b. The cassette chambers 2a and 2b are provided with a belt 3a for transporting wafers into the vacuum chamber 1 and a belt 3b for transporting wafers from the vacuum chamber l. Inside the vacuum chamber 1, there is a belt 4a for receiving and taking wafers from the cassette chamber 2a, a belt 4b for receiving and delivering wafers to the cassette chamber 2b, a processing chamber 7 having a sample stage 8, and a belt 4a or belt 4b for processing. room 7
transport bag yt6a or 6b, and transport device 6a
Or 6b is the lifting platform 9a, 9 for receiving and transferring wafers.
b, 9c, and 9d are set.

Next, the movement of the transport device used in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having the above structure will be explained using FIGS. 1, 2, and 5. A gas supply device 1j68 is provided to the transport devices 6a and 5b.
1 and 2 by supplying a clean gas, e.g., an inert gas such as nitrogen, helium, argon, etc.
Gas flows as shown by the arrow in the figure.

In this state, the conveyor device 6a or 6b is moved to the lifting platform 9a, 9b.
, 9c, and 9d to receive and transfer the wafer 11. For example, the case of transporting a wafer to the sample stage 8 will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in (a), the transport device 6a with one wafer 11 placed on the sample stage 8 moves. Next, as shown in (b), the lifting table 9C rises and lifts up the wafer 11. Next, as shown in (C), the transfer device ? 1f6a moves and escapes.

Next, as shown in (d), the lifting table 9 (lowers) to place the wafer 11 on the sample table 8, and the transfer of the wafer 11 is completed. Also, the wafer 11 is transferred from the sample table 8 to another location. In this case, the operation is the reverse of the above.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a light emitter 69a and a light receiver 69b are provided during the movement of the transport device, and the wafer 11
Detects whether or not it is being transported.

In the second case, the cover 6 may be made of a transparent material such as quartz. Also, a hole is made in the cover 6, and the hole is connected to the light emitter 6.
It is also possible to detect the wafer 11 by emitting light from the light emitter 69a when the wafer 11 reaches the position 9a.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the cover example is provided on the support frames 62a and 62b of the transport *I6a and 6b, and furthermore, the cover example is provided between the wafer 11 placed on the support frames 62a and 62b and the cover example. Since clean gas is supplied, the support frame 62a
, 62b has the effect of preventing dust from entering from outside.

Moreover, since the cover 6 is also made removable, there is an effect that the inside of the cover 6 and the support frames 62a and 62b can be easily cleaned.

In addition, since the cover θ is made transparent, the light emitter 6
This has the advantage that the wafer 11 can be easily detected using the light receiver 9a and the light receiver 69b.

In this embodiment, a rotating type using an arm as the conveying means was explained, but it may be a type that moves linearly, or a type that grips the wafer 11 by replacing the support frames 62a and 62b with claws may be used. Alternatively, the wafer 11 may be transported in an upright position.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since a cover is provided on the wafer support portion and clean gas is supplied, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the sample during transportation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing a sample transport device which is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 taken from A-A, $3
(2) is a plan sectional view of FIG. 1 viewed from B-B; FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view of the device showing an example of the conveying device shown in FIG. 1 installed;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the delivery of a query from a conveyance device. 61... Arm, 62 a, 62 b -
...-Support frame, 64 ...--First prisoner

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transport means for transporting a sample, a support section provided on the transport means and supporting the sample, a cover provided facing the sample supported by the support section, and between the sample and the cover. A sample transport device comprising a gas supply means for supplying clean gas to the sample.