JPS62252147A - Semiconductor wafer transferring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent dusts from being adhered to the surface of a semiconductor wafer by injecting gas stream from a nozzle along the surface of the wafer simultaneously at the time of attracting and holding the wafer. CONSTITUTION:An attracting plate 1 is opposed to the rear surface of a semiconductor wafer 5 to be supported and steadily inserted. The attracting surface of the plate 1 has many pores. A switch 6 is turned ON in the vicinity that the top of a nozzle base 3 is inserted into the vicinity of the top of the wafer 5 to evacuate a pipe 2 in negative pressure, compressed air is fed from the pipe 4, the plate 1 attracts the wafer 5, and air is diffused along the surface of the wafer from many nozzle holes formed at the base 3. The air diffusing can protect a semiconductor against dusts floating in the space, and dusts already adhered can be blown away to reduce improper semiconductors.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer transfer device that transfers semiconductor wafers to a storage cassette, and particularly relates to a semiconductor wafer transfer device that is suitable for removing dust that causes splatter. The present invention relates to a wafer transfer device.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, semiconductor wafers were transferred to storage cassettes using vacuum tweezers, but this was simply to transfer the semiconductor wafers without directly touching them with hands.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, as semiconductors become highly integrated, minute dust adhering to the wafer surface also becomes a cause of semiconductor failure, and no consideration is given to this problem.

An object of the present invention is to adsorb and hold the semiconductor wafer when transferring the semiconductor wafer to a cassette that accommodates the semiconductor wafer, and at the same time eject an air stream from a nozzle along the wafer surface to reach the semiconductor wafer surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor wafer transfer device having functions of preventing the adhesion of dust and cleaning the wafer at the same time.

[Means for solving problems]

Dirt and dust are the enemy of semiconductor wafers.

Even in clean rooms managed with advanced purification equipment, it is impossible to eliminate all trash. Since transfer to a cassette for storing wafers is always performed as a relay for various processes, there is a high possibility that dust in the atmosphere may adhere or dust may be generated due to collision between the wafer and the wafer support groove of the cassette.

[Effect]

Therefore, this is achieved by creating an air flow on the wafer surface when the wafer is attached and detached from the cassette to perform a shielding and purifying action against the dust.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention. The semiconductor/wafer 5 is attached to the suction plate 1 by one or more small holes made in the suction plate 1 whose interior is made under negative pressure through the pipe 2.
is maintained. A pipe 4 is set parallel to the pipe 2, and an arc-shaped nozzle base 3 is connected to the pipe 4, so that the nozzle base 3 is located near the upper part of the front side of the wafer when the suction plate 1 supports the semiconductor wafer 5. It has a perfect layout. Pipe 2. and the pipes 4 are supported by the holder 7, and the pipes 8 pass through the inside of the holder 7.
, 9. Pipe 8 creates a flow of adsorption air, and pipe 9 supplies air blown out from the nozzle. For the pipes 8 and 9, plastic vinyl or the like is used to move the holder 7 to a free position. The switch 6 has the function of switching the air flow. FIG. 2 shows a cassette 10 that stores semiconductor wafers 5, and the wafers are inserted into the cassette 10 by grooves provided on the side and bottom surfaces of the cassette.
They are arranged and stored in parallel inside 0.

Next, the operation of the semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus of the present invention will be explained using FIGS. 3 to 5, taking as an example the case where a semiconductor wafer is taken out from a cassette. Switch 6 (not shown)
With the suction plate 1 turned off, that is, with no air flowing through the pipes 2 and 4, the suction plate 1 is gently inserted facing the back side of the semiconductor wafer 5 to be supported. The suction surface of the suction plate 1 is the fourth! ! As shown in I, there are many hanging holes through which the wafer is sucked by negative pressure.When the top of the nozzle base 3 reaches the top of the wafer 5, the switch 6 is turned on and the inside of the pipe 2 becomes negative. Pressure is increased, and compressed air is poured from pipe 4. As a result, the suction plate 1 suctions the wafer 5, and air is blown out along the wafer surface from the many nozzle holes provided in the nozzle base 3. By blowing out this air, the semiconductor can be protected from dust generated by the proximity of human hands, bodies, and holders to the cassette, as well as from dust floating in the space. Furthermore, it is also possible to blow away dust, etc. that has already adhered, and it is possible to reduce semiconductor defects. Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cassette seen from the bottom.
When transferring wafers in this manner, the bottom cover should be removed as well as the top cover of the cassette. Instead of placing the cassette directly on a table or the like, a space is provided between them using a stand or the like to prevent the flow of air blown from the nozzle from disturbing the air inside the cassette and causing dust to fly widely. In this way, you will have a number of layers of chili.

Dust can be prevented from adhering to other wafers.

Further, when storing the wafers held by the suction plate 1 into the cassette, the wafers can be protected from dust by performing the reverse procedure.

FIG. 6 shows the nozzle base 3, from which compressed air is sent from a pipe 4 and blows out air. FIG. 7 is a side view of the nozzle base. FIG. 8 shows a partial sectional view of the nozzle base 3. Inside the nozzle base there is a pressure chamber 13, from which a large number of small holes extend vertically to form a nozzle 14. Air will blow out from this nozzle.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the nozzle 14 and the semiconductor wafer 5. In this way, the direction of the nozzle 14 can also be shifted counterclockwise by θ from a position parallel to the wafer. With this shift, the air exiting the nozzle 14 does not directly strike the wafer, but the negative pressure area created between the wafer and the nozzle flow allows the debris to be carried away.

FIG. 10 shows that when pipe 2 protrudes sideways in the transfer device shown in FIG. This is an example of a smaller width. Further, since the nozzle base 3 expands in an arc shape only on the upper part of the wafer outer circumference, it hardly enters between the wafers, and in this way, near the tip.

The first thing is that when transferring, the width does not increase much compared to the conventional vacuum bottle set, so there is no risk of reducing work efficiency.
In FIG. 1, by making the tip of the suction side of the suction plate 1 at an acute angle, even if the suction plate hits a wafer, damage and generation of dust can be reduced.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to protect the wafer from dirt and dust when transferring it to a semiconductor cassette, thereby reducing the number of defective products.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, when transferring a semiconductor wafer from a storage cassette, dust and dirt in the atmosphere can be prevented from adhering to the wafer surface, and dust and dirt that has previously adhered can be prevented from adhering to the wafer surface.
It is possible to blow away dust, etc., and since the flow from the nozzle flows out to the bottom of the cassette, it does not contaminate other wafers, improving the quality of semiconductor wafers and significantly reducing the occurrence of defective products. effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 11 are explanatory diagrams of the apparatus according to the present invention.
The figure is a perspective view of a semiconductor wafer transfer device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wafer storage cassette, FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the transfer device, wafers, and the bottom of the cassette, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the suction plate. Figure 5 is a front view seen from the bottom of the cassette, Figures 6 and 7
The figures are a front view and a side view of the nozzle base, Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view of the nozzle base, Fig. 9 is a partial sectional view of the wafer and the side of the nozzle base, Fig. 10 is a transfer device, and Fig. 11 is a suction plate. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of each. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Adsorption plate, 3... Nozzle base, 5... Wafer, 10... Cassette, 12... Cassette bottom wafer support. 13... Pressure chamber, 14... Nozzle.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Semiconductor wafer processing in which the back side of the semiconductor wafer is sucked using negative pressure in order to transfer the semiconductor wafer to a cassette capable of storing a plurality of semiconductor wafers in parallel. A semiconductor wafer transfer device characterized in that a nozzle is provided on the front side of the semiconductor wafer and extends in an arc shape along the upper outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer, and air is blown out from the top of the semiconductor wafer through the nozzle. 2. The semiconductor wafer transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a lid on the bottom of the cassette that accommodates the semiconductor wafers is removable. 3. A semiconductor wafer characterized in that the ejection direction of the nozzle extending in an arc shape along the upper outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer surface side is tilted in a direction away from the semiconductor wafer surface with respect to a direction parallel to the semiconductor wafer surface. Transfer device.