JPS6242431A - Processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To fully-automate the processing of semiconductor element using a horizontal heating furnace by a method wherein the works contained in a cassette are constituted to be automatically shifted and distributed between the cassette and the processor. CONSTITUTION:When 25 each of wafers 3 in a cassette 2 are entirely shifted to a pitch converting small case 12, an air bearing 13 is actuated to shift the wafer 3 on the bottom layer to the top layer of a pitch converting large case 14. When all wafers 3 in the specified cassette 2 are shifted to the large case 14 through these procedures, the large case 14 is driven by a motor M3 to be thrown down horizontally. Successively a wafer lift 19 is lifted to lift all wafers 3 in the large case 14. Next, a wafer chuck 21 on standby at a position S34 is lowered to chuck all wafers 3 on the lift 19 for loading them upon a boat 20 of specified heating furnace 4. The boat 20 loaded with the wafers 3 is inserted into the heating furnace 4A through the intermediary of a boat loader arm 36A and a boat loader 37A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a processing apparatus that is capable of automatically transferring and distributing objects to be processed stored in a storage container (cassette) between the cassette and a processing section.

In the manufacturing process of semiconductor elements, thermal diffusion treatment, CVD
There are processing steps such as chemical vapor deposition (chemical vapor deposition) and annealing that use so-called horizontal heating furnaces. In these processing steps, semiconductor wafers are removed from cassettes, arranged at regular intervals, and transferred to the heating furnace to complete the processing. There is a desire to automate the series of work steps in which the cassette is later returned to the original cassette. The procedure for this kind of work when using conventional equipment is (i) taking out the semiconductor runny wafers from the cassette with a bin set, (i+) arranging the wafers on a boat with a predetermined pitch using a bin set, (iii) moving the boat onto the boat. Place the port receiver on the stand. (iv) Hold the port stand in your hand and move the boat into the furnace core tube. (v) Hook the boat insertion rod to the boat and operate the boat loader to place the boat in the center of the furnace core tube. (vi) Inserting the boat will cause the temperature inside the furnace core tube to drop, so wait until it recovers before injecting gas and performing treatments such as diffusion or CVD. (vi)
After the processing is completed, the above steps (v) to (i) are performed in reverse order and the processed wafers are stored in the same cassette.
Only the steps from (v) boat loader work to (vi) in-furnace main processing are automated, and all other work is done manually.

In view of the above-mentioned points, the present invention provides a processing apparatus that enables full automation of processing steps using a horizontal heating furnace, for example, in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

The present invention will be explained in detail below using the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the entire semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with the processing apparatus of the present invention. This semiconductor manufacturing equipment takes out wafers from a container (cassette) containing a plurality of objects to be processed, that is, semiconductor wafers, supports them in an array at regular intervals, inserts them into a designated heating furnace, and performs predetermined processing (diffusion, C
It is configured to automatically perform a series of operations under computer control, such as VD, annealing, etc.) and storing the processed wafer back into its original cassette. Control operation unit (1) that automatically controls all work processes using a microcomputer
and a plurality of storage containers or cassettes (2) ((2A), (2B)...
(2L)), a processing section (4) equipped with, for example, three heating furnaces (48), (4B), (4C) arranged vertically, and a cassette (2) for storing wafers (3).
and a transfer device (5) for transferring between the processing section (4) and the processing section (4). Each cassette (2) has a box-like shape with one side facing each other open, and each cassette (2) has 25 semiconductor wafers (3) for 10 tons each at a predetermined pitch (for example, 4.76+u) in the crystallographic direction. Vitsuna) and are stored in a stacked manner. The plurality of cassettes (2) are arranged in two rows as shown in FIG. 2, and are transported intermittently and cyclically in one force set at a time along the directions of arrows a, b, c, and d. The code number assigned to each cassette (2) is recognized and selected by the photosensor (D) when it reaches the position So. For this purpose, for example, four holes (10) are provided next to each cassette (2) so that the microcomputer can be checked, and correspondingly reflective light emitting diodes (Dl) and (D2) are provided.

A photosensor (D) consisting of (Dl) and (D4)
) to distinguish between reflective and non-reflective areas, 4
Generates a 1-hex signal and digitizes the cassette code number. The reflective parts are left with the same metal surface, and the non-reflective parts are covered with black rubber that does not reflect the infrared light from the light emitting diode.

Mechanisms (6) for cyclically transporting the cassettes (2) are arranged below the two rows of cassettes (2), respectively.
2) A pair of feed claw members (8A) (8B) integrally having claws (7) at corresponding positions between them, and a pair of arms (9A) (9A) provided at corresponding ends of the row. 9B). In this case, the feed claw member (8^) is raised by the cylinder (CY2), the winter melon (7) is inserted between the cassettes, and the rear cylinder (CYI) moves it by one force cent in the direction of arrow a. One row of cassettes) (2A) to (2F) are pressed by winter melon (7) and become 1
The cassette (2Δ) is moved to position S by the force set.

By moving the arm (9^) in the direction of the arrow by the zero-order cylinder (CYs) brought to
2A) is transferred to the other row side, and the cylinders (CYs
), the cassette (2G) is transferred to one row by moving the arm (9B) in the direction of arrow d. Subsequently, the feed claw member (8B) is raised by the cylinder (CYI) and moved in the direction of arrow C by the cylinder (CYI), thereby feeding the other row of cassettes (2A) in the same manner as above.
(2L) ... (2H) are transferred by one force set, and in this way each cassette (2) is transferred in circulation.

On the other hand, the transfer device (5) is equipped with a photo sensor (
D) in cassette (2) designated by wafer (
A pitch conversion small case (12) for transferring 3) to the same pitch as the cassette (2), and another small case (12).
A large pitch conversion tail case (14) is provided in which wafers (3) are transferred one by one from 12) by air bearings (13) and arranged in sequence at a predetermined pitch. The small case (12) is at position W S .

The pulse motor M1 is located in a position close to and facing the cassette (2) brought to the
It is disposed so as to be vertically movable one pift at a time via an up-and-down moving means (15) including a vertical movement means (15). In addition, in order to transfer the wafer (3) between the designated cassette (2) and the small case (12) at position So, the cassette (2)
) and the small case (12), there is a support (17) that moves up and down with a cylinder (CYv) as shown in Figure 2.
and are held by this support (17) and each cylinder (C
Transfer mechanism (Ys) and (CYs) consisting of arms (16A) and (168) driven in opposite directions
30) is provided. In this transfer mechanism (30), for example, when transferring the wafer (3) from the case y) f21 to the small case (12), the support body (17) is lowered by the cylinder (CY7) and the rear cylinder (CYs) is moved.
) is activated to move the arm (16^) in the direction of arrow H, and the arm (16Δ) transfers the 25 wafers (3) in the cassette (2) into the small case (12) at once. When transferring the wafer (3) from the small case (12) to the cassette (2), the cylinder (CYε) moves the arm (161S') in the direction of arrow Y.

The pitch conversion case (14) is mounted on the other end of the air bearing (13) facing the small case (12), and is moved vertically one pitch at a time via a vertical movement means (32) including a pulse motor M2. It is provided so that it can be moved up and down, and is configured to be tilted horizontally by a motor M3 when it reaches the top.

In this case, the pitch at which the wafers (3) are accommodated in the large case (14) is, for example, 4.0 Tsuru pitch, and 4. Ol
When the pitch is set, 100 wafers (3) (for 4 force sets) are produced, and when the pitch is set to 8, 50 wafers (3) are produced when the OB pitch is set.
When the pitch is set to 12.0 m, 25 wafers (3) (for 2 force sets) will be produced (for 1 force set).
) are accommodated respectively. From small case (12) to large case (
14), the small case (12) containing the wafers (3) is lowered one pitch at a time, and the stacked wafers (3) are sequentially moved from the bottom along the air bearing (13). The wafers (3) are sent to the large case (14) side, and the large case (14) is raised one pitch at a time in synchronization with the lowering of the small case (12) to accommodate the wafers (3) from above. From large case (14) to small case (12)
) to transfer the wafer (3) to the small case (1), contrary to the above.
2) from the bottom one pitch at a time, and then open the large case (12).
It is performed by descending one pitch at a time from above. Wafer (
When the wafers (3) have been transferred to the large case (14), the facets (31) (horizontally cut parts of the wafers for alignment) of each wafer (3) are not aligned. Means (18) for aligning the facets (31) of 3) together are provided at the bottom of the large case (14).

This hand 11 (18) is, for example, all the accommodated wafers (3
), the rod-shaped rotating body (33) is rotated by a motor M4.
) When each wafer (3) is rotated by the rod-shaped rotating body (3
3) and the rotation of the wafers (3) is stopped so that the facets (31) of each wafer (3) are aligned. Also, in the F part of the large case (14), there is a large case (1
4) All wafers (3) housed in the large case (14)
A wafer lift (19) is provided to lift the wafer higher.

(CY+o) is a cylinder for moving the wafer lift (19) up and down.

Furthermore, in the transfer device (5), as shown in FIG.
are held all at once and placed in the designated heating furnace (4) ((4^),
A wafer chuck (21) is installed to transfer the wafer onto the boat (20) of (4B) or (4C). This chuck (
21) is disposed so as to be movable in the vertical direction via a vertical moving means (for example, a feed screw mechanism, etc.) (34) including a pulse motor M6, and horizontally via a horizontal moving means (35) including a motor M5. It is arranged to move βJ in the direction.

(CYIL) is a cylinder for opening and closing the chuck (21). Also, 3 heating furnaces (4A).

In the processing section (4) equipped with (4B) and (4C), heating furnaces (4A), (4B), (
A boat (20) is provided corresponding to each boat loader arm (36^).
, (36B) and (36G) are connected to boat loaders (37A) and (37B).

(37C) into and out of the furnace. In addition, a cradle (38) for receiving a boat (20) is provided near the outside entrance of each heating furnace (4A), (4B), and (4C), and the boat (20) is inserted into the furnace. At the point in time, the corresponding cylinders (CY12) and (C
Moved sideways by Y13) and (CY14) and wait m
made with the state.

Next, the operation of this configuration will be explained.

A plurality of cassettes (2) each containing, for example, 25 semiconductor wafers (3) for 10 tons, in this example 12 cassettes (2), are in the first
Once the cassettes are fed into position as shown in the figure, they are then controlled by a computer and first the 12 cassettes are loaded! - (21 is transferred by the cassette transfer mechanism (6) one force set at a time intermittently and cyclically. The first cassette (2A
) is position S. When the cassette (2^) is transferred, the code number of cassette 7) (2A) is confirmed by the photo sensor (D), and if this cassette (2^) is the specified one, it is supported by the cylinder (CYT) as shown in Figure 2. The body (17) is lowered, the arm (16^) is opposed to the open side of the cassette (2A), and then the arm (16^) is passed through the cassette (2A) by the cylinder (CYi). The cassette (2A) is moved in the direction of arrow H.
All of the 25 wafers (3) are transferred into the small case for pitch conversion (12). ) is an air bearing (13)
The upper case is transferred and stored in the lowest part of the pitch converter case (14), after which the small case (12) is lowered one pitch at a time and the wafers (3) are placed one by one from below onto the air bearing ( 13) and is housed in a large case (14) that rises one pitch at a time, at a pitch of, for example, 4fl. (The pitch stored in the large case (14) can be freely selected such as 4 crane pitch, 8g pitch, 12u pitch, etc. by specifying the pitch that increases intermittently in the large case (14).) Once the wafers (3) for one force cent have been accommodated, the second wafer (3) is accommodated in the same manner. Third. Fourth cassette (2B), (2C).

(2D) wafers (3) enter from the next stage of the large case (14), and as shown in Figure 5, four cassettes (2A)
A total of 100 wafers (3) of ~(20) are placed in a large case (
14). When all the wafers (3) of the designated cassette (2) are accommodated in the large case (14), the large case (14) is then driven by the motor M3 to fall horizontally as shown by the chain line in FIG. Next, the rod-shaped rotating body (33) is rotated by the motor M4, and after the facets (31) of each wafer (3) are aligned, the cylinder (Cho) is rotated by the motor M4.
) causes the wafer lift (19) to rise and the large case (
All wafers (3) in 14) are lifted.

Next, the position fi! in Figure 4! The wafer chuck (21), which was waiting at S34, descends to the position Sit by the vertical transfer means (34) and uses the cylinder (CYII) to pick up all the wafers (3) on the ζ lift (19).
The wafer (3) is raised to a position corresponding to the height of a designated heating furnace, for example, the Ml heating furnace (4A), and then horizontally moved in the direction of arrow E via the horizontal transfer means (34), so that the wafer (3) is heated to the designated temperature. It is placed on the po (20) of the furnace (48). At this time, the boat (20) is held on the pedestal (38). After placing the wafer (3) on the bow (20), the wafer chuck (21) is moved horizontally in the direction of arrow H, returns to the normal position S34 in the vertical direction, and waits. After the wafers (31) are placed on the boat (20),
Boat loader arm (36A) and boat loader (3
7A) into the heating furnace (4A). In this way, the designated semiconductor wafers (3) of four cents each are inserted into the designated heating furnaces (4B) and (4C), respectively. Then, necessary treatments (diffusion, CV
D, processing such as annealing) is performed.

After being treated, each heating furnace (4A), (4B),
Boat (2) loaded with wafer (3) from (4C)
After that, each wafer (0) is taken out, and then each wafer (2) is inserted into the specified original cassette (2) in the completely reverse order of the insertion operation.
3) is stored. Immediately, first, wafer chuck (
21) operates to grab the nine wafers (3) processed in the heating furnace (4C) and place them on the wafer lift (19) in the pitch converter case (14). The lift (19) is lowered by a cylinder (CYto) and lifts the wafer (3).
) is housed in a large case (14). The wafer chuck (21) is returned to its original position 534. Large case (
14) stands up facing the air bearing (13) by the motor M3, and then the air bearing (13)
), the wafers (3) in the large case (14) are stored one by one in the small case (12). At this time, the large case (14) is lowered one pitch at a time, and the small case is correspondingly raised one pitch at a time. On the other hand, on the cassette (2) side, the cassette (2) is transferred by the cassette transfer mechanism (6), the code number of each cassette (2) is confirmed by the photo sensor (D), and the designated cassette, in this case, is transferred. 1-(2L) is selected and made to stand by at position So. 25 wafers (3) for one set (that is, the amount stored in the cassette (21)) are placed in a small case (
12), the shilling (CY7) is made 0J
The support body (17) is then lowered, followed by the cylinder (CYs).
), the arm (16B) moves in the direction of arrow Y, and all the wafers (3) in the small case (12) are stored in the designated original cassette (2L). In the same way, the next 25 Ueno 3) in the large case are placed on a cassette (2K).
The corresponding wafers (3) are sequentially stored in the cassettes (2J) and (21). heating furnace(
After the storage of the wafer (3) in 4C) is completed, the same gluing process as above is repeated, and the wafer (3) in the second heating furnace (4B) and the wafer (3) in the first heating furnace (4A) are stored. Wafer (3
) are respectively stored in the corresponding original cassettes (2).

-1: As mentioned above, by using dud farming, it is possible to change the treatment interval according to various treatments for the object to be treated, and it is possible to perform uniform treatment. Furthermore, if this equipment is used, all processing steps such as diffusion, CVD, 'J' anneal, etc. using the horizontal heating furnace can be performed during the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
That is, a series of work steps can be automatically performed in which the semiconductor wafers are taken out from the cassette, arranged at regular intervals, transferred to the heating furnace, and then returned to the original designated cassette after the processing is completed. Therefore, it is possible to operate the apparatus unattended all night, which has the advantage of increasing the operating rate of the apparatus and reducing work considerations. Note that the present invention is not limited to manufacturing semiconductor devices.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the whole when the processing apparatus of the present invention is used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, FIG. 2 is a line layout diagram without showing the cassette part, and FIG. 3 is an outline of the wafer transfer device. FIG. 4 is a layout diagram of other important parts, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation. (1) is a control operation unit, (2) is a cassette, (3) is a wafer, (4) is a processing unit, (5) is a transfer device, (D) is a photo sensor, (12) is a small case for pitch conversion, (13)
is an air bearing, (14) is a case for pitch conversion, and (21) is a wafer chuck.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a storage container for storing a plurality of objects to be processed; an interval conversion container for determining a processing interval of the objects to be processed; and a container for sequentially taking out the objects to be processed from the storage container and distributing them at predetermined intervals in the container for interval conversion. A processing apparatus comprising a transfer means, and processing the object to be processed at intervals determined by the interval conversion container.