JPS63102238A - Wafer transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce generation of dust, and improve the manufacture yield of semiconductor integrated circuit parts, by a method wherein a float mounting a wafer carrier accommodating wafers is moved in a fluid flow path by a fluid driving power source, and halted in the vicinity of a manufacturing equip ment by a float stopper. CONSTITUTION:When a constant driving flow of pure water 4 is generated by a fluid driving power source 6, a float 3 moves in a fluid flow path 5. A wafer 1 to be treated is received in a vacant wafer carrier 2 in the float 3, which is halted by a float stopper 7a, when the float 3 reaches the vicinity of a manufacturing equipment 9a. When a detector of the stopper 7a detects the arrival of the float 3, the wafer carrier 2 is conveyed into the manufacturing equipment 9a from the float 3 by a manipulator 8a, and the wafer 1 is treated by the manufacturing equipment 9a. As individual pieces do not contact with each other, dust does not generate and the constitution is simple.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a device for transferring a wafer between manufacturing devices for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit components.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional wafer transfer devices include those that use belt conveyance, those that use magnetic levitation, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional belt-transporting wafer transfer device. In the figure, 13 is a rotating shaft fixed to the output shaft of a motor (not shown), 11 is a pair of pulleys attached to the rotating shaft 13, 12 is a pair of pulleys attached to the same shaft, and 10 is a pulley 12 A pair of belts is hung between a pulley 11 and a pulley 11, and a silicon wafer 1, which is a substrate for a semiconductor integrated circuit, is placed on the belt 10.

In addition, in a conventional wafer transfer device using magnetic levitation, the wafer 1 is placed in a two-layer case at least partially made of a magnetic material, and the wafer 1 is magnetically moved along with the wafer case using the principle of a linear motor. This is a device that transports objects while levitating them.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in a wafer transfer device that uses belt conveyance,
Motor, gear attached to the motor, belt 10 and pulley 11
．． 12 and between the wafer 1 and the belt 10, dust is generated at sliding parts, and this dust becomes a factor that reduces the yield of semiconductor integrated circuit component manufacturing.

Furthermore, in a wafer transfer device using magnetic levitation, it is necessary to arrange magnetic bodies and electromagnets along the transfer path of the wafer 1 and to control them, resulting in a complicated configuration and a very high price.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wafer transfer device that does not generate dust and is inexpensive.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a device for transferring a wafer between manufacturing devices for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit components, which includes a circulating liquid flow path, a liquid entered in the liquid flow path, and a liquid flow path. A liquid driving source for inducing a flow of liquid in a certain direction, a float floating on the liquid, and a float stopper for stopping the float near the manufacturing apparatus are provided.

[Function] In this wafer transfer device, when the liquid is caused to flow in a certain direction by the liquid drive source, the float carrying the wafer carrier containing the wafer moves in the liquid flow path, and the float stopper causes the float to move in a fixed direction. Parked near the device.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a wafer transfer device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. In the figure, 5 is a circulating liquid flow path, and the curved portion of the liquid flow path 5 has a relatively large curvature. 5a is a float guide provided on the inner surface of the liquid flow path 5; 4 is pure water introduced into the liquid flow path 5; 6 is a liquid driving source that induces a flow in a certain direction in the pure water 4; 3 is a pure water source. The float floats on water 4, and the tip of the float 3 is circular, and the upper end of the float 3 is engaged with a float guide 5a. 2 is a wafer carrier placed inside the float 3; 2a is a protrusion provided on the outer surface of the wafer carrier 2; the wafer 1 is housed in the wafer carrier 2; 9a and 9b are manufacturing devices installed near the liquid flow path 5, and the manufacturing devices 9a and 9b are
are arranged in the order of the manufacturing process of semiconductor integrated circuit components from upstream to downstream of the flow of pure water 4. 7a and 7b are float stoppers for stopping the float 3 near the manufacturing apparatuses 9a and 9b, and the float stoppers 7a and 7b extend and contract in the horizontal direction. 8a and 8b are manipulators that transport the wafer carrier 2 from the float 3 into the manufacturing equipment 98.9b and transport the wafer carrier 2 from the manufacturing equipment 9a and 9b into the float 3;
7b is provided with a detector that detects the arrival of the float 3, and when the detector detects the arrival of the float 3,
The manipulators 8a and 8b grip the protrusion 2a,
Manufacturing devices 9a and 9b for manufacturing wafer carrier 2 from float 3
be brought inside.

In this wafer transfer apparatus, when the pure water 4 is caused to flow in a fixed direction by the liquid drive source 6, the float 3 moves within the liquid flow path 5. Then, the wafer 1 to be processed is stored in the empty wafer carrier 2 in the float 3 by a carry-in device (not shown), and when the float 3 comes near the manufacturing device 9a, the float stopper 7a causes the float 3 to
When the float stopper 7a detects the arrival of the float 3, the carrier 2 is transferred from the float 3 into the manufacturing apparatus 9a by the manipulator 8a, and the wafer 1 is processed by the manufacturing apparatus 9a. When this process is completed, the wafer carrier 2 is carried out from the manufacturing apparatus 9a into the float 3 by the manipulator 8a, and then the float stopper 7a is contracted and the float 3 moves within the liquid flow path 5. Furthermore, when the float 3 comes near the manufacturing equipment 9b, the float 3 is stopped by the float stopper 7b, and when the detector of the float stopper 7b detects the arrival of the float 3, the wafer carrier 2 is manufactured from the float 3 by the manipulator 8b. The wafer 1 is carried into the apparatus 9b and processed by the manufacturing apparatus 9b. When this process is completed, the wafer carrier 2 is carried out from the manufacturing apparatus 9b into the float 3 by the manipulator 8b, the float stopper 7b is contracted, and the float 3 moves within the liquid flow path 5. Then, when the float 3 reaches a predetermined position, the processed wafer 1 is carried out from the wafer carrier 2 by a carrying out device (not shown). After this, the float 3 on which the empty wafer carrier 2 is placed
is moved to the position where the carrying-in device is installed.

In this way, in this wafer transfer device, since the wafer 1 is transferred by the flow of pure water 4, solid objects do not come into contact with each other, so no dust is generated, and the structure is simple. Furthermore, since the liquid flow path 5 is a circulation flow path, there is no need to transport the empty float 3. Furthermore, since pure water 4 is used as the liquid, there is little concern that the wafer 1 will be contaminated even if the liquid is scattered. Further, since the curved portion of the liquid flow path 5 has a relatively large curvature and the tip of the float 3 is circular, the float 3 will not stop at the curved portion of the liquid flow path 5. . Furthermore, since the upper end of the float 3 is engaged with the float guide 5a, it is possible to prevent the float 3 from sinking or being submerged in water.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, a rectangular annular liquid channel 5 is used as the circulating liquid channel, but other polygonal annular channels may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, pure water 4 was used as the liquid, but other liquids may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, one liquid drive source 6 is provided, but a plurality of liquid drive sources may be provided. Further, in the above embodiment, float stoppers 7a and 7b that extend and contract in the horizontal direction are used as the float stoppers, but float stoppers that move in the vertical direction may also be used. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where two manufacturing devices are installed has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where there are three or more manufacturing devices.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the wafer transfer device according to the present invention, since no dust is generated, the yield of semiconductor integrated circuit component manufacturing can be improved, and since the configuration is simple, it can be manufactured at low cost. Can be done. As described above, the effects of this invention are remarkable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a wafer transfer device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional wafer transfer device using a belt. be. 1... Silicon wafer 3... Float 4...
Pure water 5... Circulating liquid flow path 6... Liquid drive sources 7a, 7b... Float stoppers 9a, 9b... Manufacturing device patent applicant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation representative patent attorney Junnosuke Nakamura'! P1 (2) Spear 2□□□

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a device that transfers a wafer between manufacturing devices that manufacture semiconductor integrated circuit components, there is a circulating liquid flow path, a liquid that enters the liquid flow path, and a liquid that induces a flow in a certain direction in the liquid. A wafer transfer apparatus comprising a drive source, a float floating on the liquid, and a float stopper for stopping the float near the manufacturing apparatus.