JPS63196417A - Delivery device for plate substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize the titled device by providing a substrate receiver on a halfway part in the longitudinal direction of a slender moving body movable on the device main body along a guide, and rotating the substrate receiver as along in the longitudinal direction of the moving body when the moving body shunts. CONSTITUTION:A moving body 18 is moved in A direction along guide bodies 16 and 17 also along an upper surface of a delivery device main body 11, and a semiconductor wafer 8 supplied to one side 12 of the body 11 is received by wafer receivers 23 and 24. Then the body 18 is moved on a chuck 35, and the wafer 8 on wafer receivers 23 and 24 are supported by the chuck 35 with the chuck 35 is moved upward. Next, the body 18 is moved in B direction along guides 16 and 17, and is shunted from on the chuck 35. Concurrently motors 28 and 29 are rotated and receivers 23 and 24 are made to rotate 90 deg. as along the longitudinal direction of the body 18. This constitution enables a shunting space to be decreased and the device to be miniaturized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a device for transferring plate-shaped substrates such as semiconductor wafers, which is used, for example, in a resist coating device.

(Prior Art) There are various steps during the formation of a semiconductor chip from a semiconductor wafer as a plate-shaped substrate, one of which is the step of applying a resist to the semiconductor substrate. In this resist coating process, the resist is dropped onto the semiconductor substrate and then the semiconductor wafer is rotated so that the resist is uniformly distributed.

At that time, the resist scatters around the semiconductor wafer, so if you do not prevent the resist from adhering to the transport mechanism that transports the semiconductor wafer to the chuck, the semiconductor wafer will be transported next by the transport mechanism. Not only will the wafer be contaminated, but the drive section of the transport mechanism may become inoperable.

In other processing apparatuses, a cylindrical cover larger than the outer diameter of the wafer rises above the chaff, so the transfer device must be retracted.

A device having a structure as shown in FIG. 4 is used as a device for transferring semiconductor wafers as plate-like substrates. A pre-processing device 2 and a post-processing device WII are adjacent to each other on both sides of the device main body 1 in this delivery device.
3 is provided.

A guide body 4 is provided over substantially the entire length between both sides of the upper part of the device main body 1, and a movable body 6 is provided with an end portion 5 supported in a slidable manner by this guide body 4. ing.

The movable body 6 is formed into an elongated rectangular shape and is supported substantially at right angles to the guide body 4 .

Further, a pair of wafer receivers 7.7 are fixed to the movable body 6 so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lower side of the movable body 6.

These wafer receivers 7.7 are each bent into an L shape,
Their lower ends are opposed to each other, and they are spaced apart so that they can receive the semiconductor wafer 8.

Further, a base 9 provided below the movable body 6 is provided with a chuck 10 that is driven vertically and rotationally.

Semiconductor wafer 8 as a plate-like substrate configured in this way
The transfer device transfers semiconductor wafers 8, which are sent from the preprocessing device 2 after being cleaned as preprocessing, to the wafer receiver 7.7 by moving the movable body 6 in six directions of arrows by a drive source (not shown). Receive. Then, the movable body 6 moves in the direction of arrow B along the guide body 4 until the center of the semiconductor wafer 8 corresponds to the chuck 10, and once stops. Then, the chuck 10 is lifted up and the semiconductor wafer 8 supported on the wafer receiver 7.7 is lifted.
Lift with vacuum handler. Then, by moving the movable body 6 again in the direction of arrow B, the movable body 6 is retracted from above the semiconductor wafer 8 as shown by taWa in FIG. Furthermore, the chuck 10 is attached to the movable body 6
, and a resist (not shown) is dropped onto the semiconductor wafer 8. Next, Chuck 10
The resist is rotated so that the resist is uniformly dispersed on the semiconductor wafer 8. At this time, the resist is scattered around by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation.

However, since the semiconductor wafer 8 is located at a lower position than the movable body 6 and is surrounded by a resist scattering prevention cover, the wafer receiver 7.7 and the guide body 4 of the movable body 6
There is no possibility that it will stick to the support end 5 or the like.

When the resist is uniformly dispersed on the upper surface of the semiconductor wafer 8 in this manner, the rotation of the chuck 10 is stopped and the chuck 10 is raised to the transfer position to the wafer receiver 7.7. When the movable body 6 in the retracted state moves in the six directions of the arrow and is located above the chuck 10, the chuck 1
o releases the suction state of the semiconductor wafer 8 and descends. As a result, the moving body 6 is moved to its wafer receiver 7.
．． 7 receives the semiconductor wafer 8, and further moves in the direction of arrow B to deliver the semiconductor wafer 8 to the post-processing device M3.

The semiconductor wafer 8 delivered to the post-processing IA@3 is dried and then transported to the next process.

Such a device for transferring semiconductor wafers as plate-like substrates is operated by the above-mentioned movement in order to prevent the scattered resist from adhering to the wafer receiver 7, 7, etc. when the resist is uniformly dispersed on the semiconductor wafer 8. Body 6 retreats. but,
Since the wafer receivers 7.7 are installed at an angle perpendicular to the movable body 6, the evacuation space for the movable body 6 is larger than the width of the movable body 6 due to the length of these wafer receivers 7.7. This has the disadvantage that it is necessary to be large, leading to an increase in the size of the device, and that expensive premises such as a clean room cannot be used effectively.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, the movable body that is retracted after delivering the plate-shaped substrate to the chuck requires a large space for retracting, so the main body of the IA apparatus has to be enlarged. Therefore, there was a situation in which expensive premises such as clean rooms could not be used effectively.

This invention was made focusing on the above circumstances, etc.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a plate-shaped substrate delivery device in which the device main body is downsized by reducing the retraction space for a movable body provided in the device main body.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means and effects for solving the problem) This invention has the following features:
A guide body is provided in an apparatus main body having a chuck, and an elongated moving body is slidably supported on the guide body,
A pair of substrate holders for receiving plate-shaped substrates are pivotally supported in the middle of the moving body in a state perpendicular to the moving body, and the plate-shaped substrates supported by these substrate holders are passed to the chuck, and then the moving body By providing a rotation mechanism that rotates the substrate holder along the longitudinal direction of the moving body when retracting the moving body,
The present invention provides a plate-shaped substrate delivery device that can reduce the required space for evacuation when the movable body is evacuated compared to the conventional one.

(Embodiment) The present invention will be explained based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the figure, 11 is the device main body, and this device main body 1
Adjacent to both sides 12 and 13 of 1, a pre-processing device and a post-processing device (not shown) are provided, respectively.

A guide body 16.17 is provided extending between the side portions 12.13 of the device main body 11 and extending along the edge portion 14.15. The guide bodies 16, 17 are formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape, are located at the same height, and are fixed at both ends.

Furthermore, both ends 19.20 of the movable body 18 are slidably supported by these two guide bodies 16.17 via bearings (not shown). This moving body 18 has both ends 19
．． 201m1. It has a rectangular shape with length mIt and long and short N, and is configured to be driven in the directions of arrows A and B along the guide bodies 16 and 17 by a drive source (not shown).

Further, in the middle of the movable body 18, pivot shafts 21 and 22 which are rotatable and spaced apart from each other by a certain distance are provided so as to penetrate in the vertical direction.

At the lower end of the pivot shaft protruding from the lower part of the movable body 18, a wafer receiver 23 is bent into an L shape and serves as a substrate receiver.
．． 24 are connected. Further, the pivot shaft 21.2
Pulleys 25 and 26 are provided at the upper ends of the two. Motors 28 and 29 supported by motor supports 27 are provided above both ends 19 and 20 of the movable body 18. A pulley 30.31 is fitted onto the rotating shaft of this motor 28.29 at a height corresponding to the pulley 25.26, and an endless belt 32.33 is connected between these pulleys 25.30 and 26.31. It is stretched. These motors 28, 29, pulleys 25.
26, 30, 31 and the endless belt 32, 33 constitute a rotating mechanism 34 for the wafer receiver 23, 24.

Furthermore, a chuck 35 that is driven vertically and rotationally is provided at the center of the inner path of the main body 11 of the apparatus. This chuck 35 is provided with a vacuum suction port, for example, at the center of its upper surface.

In this type of device for transferring semiconductor wafers as plate-like substrates, the movable body 18 moves in the six directions of arrows in FIG.
A pair of wafer receivers 23 and 24 as substrate receivers provided on the moving body 18 are located approximately perpendicular to the moving body 18, and a semiconductor wafer 8 as a plate-shaped substrate supplied from a pre-processing device (not shown) is placed therein. Receive it in the same condition.

Then, the semiconductor wafer 8 is placed on the wafer receiver 23, 24.
While supporting the semiconductor wafer, the movable body 18 moves in the direction of arrow B and temporarily stops at a position where the center of the semiconductor wafer substantially corresponds to the center of the chuck 35.

At this time, the chuck 35 is driven upward, and its upper surface lifts the semiconductor wafer 8 from above the wafer receiver 23, 24, and the semiconductor wafer 8 is suctioned and fixed by a vacuum suction port (not shown).

Next, the movable body 18 moves in the direction of arrow B and is located on the other side 13 of the apparatus main body 11.

At this time, the motors 28, 29 rotate, and the rotation mechanism 34 is interlocked, so that the wafer receivers 23, 24 are rotated approximately 90 degrees. Then, these wafer receivers 23.
24 is folded along the longitudinal direction at the bottom of the movable body 18, as shown by the chain line in FIG.

Then, the chuck 35 holding the semiconductor wafer 8 is lowered to a position lower than the wafer receivers 23 and 24. Furthermore, a resist (not shown) is dropped onto the upper surface of the semiconductor wafer 8. Then, as the chuck 35 rotates, the resist is uniformly dispersed on the semiconductor wafer 8.

In this case, the resist is scattered from the top surface of the semiconductor wafer 8 to the surrounding area due to centrifugal force. However, the movable body 18 and its wafer receivers 23 and 24 are located at a higher position than the semiconductor wafer 8, and furthermore, the movable body 18 is retracted from above the chuck 35. .24 does not have resist attached to it.

When the resist is dispersed onto the semiconductor wafer 8, the chuck 35 stops rotating and rises to a position where the semiconductor wafer 8 can be supported by the wafer receivers 23, 24.

Then, the movable body 18 is again driven in the six directions of the arrows and moved onto the chuck 35, and the motor 28, 29
is rotated in the opposite direction to that when folded, and the wafer receivers 23 and 24 are rotated approximately 90 degrees via the rotation mechanism 34. Then, as before the rotation, the movable body 18 is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the movable body 18, so that the semiconductor wafer 8 can be supported.

Further, the chuck 35 releases the adsorption state and descends to place the semiconductor wafer 8 on the wafer receiver 23.24.
Support on top. Then, by driving the movable body 18 in the direction of arrow B, the semiconductor wafer 8 is delivered to a post-processing device (not shown) located on the other side 13.

In such a device for transferring semiconductor wafers 8 as plate-like substrates, the wafer receivers 23 and 24 as substrate receivers provided on the movable body 18 are rotated in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the movable body 18 by the rotation mechanism 34. Therefore, when the moving body 18 is evacuated, the space for evacuating the moving body 18 becomes smaller. Thereby, the device body 11 can be downsized, and the expensive site area of a clean room or the like can be effectively utilized.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the guide bodies 16, 17
are provided at both ends 19.20 of the moving body 18,
The present invention is not limited to this, and includes a case in which a guide body is provided only on one end side.

Furthermore, the rotation mechanism 34 of the wafer receivers 23 and 24 as substrate receivers is not limited to the above-mentioned mechanism. In other words, the rotational driving force of a single motor or rotary solenoid is transmitted via an endless wire or the like. , wafer receiver 23
．． It also includes a mechanism for rotating 24.

It also includes one in which the wafer receivers 23 and 24 are directly rotated by a motor or the like.

In general, the device for transferring semiconductor wafers as plate-shaped substrates is not limited to the resist coating device, but also includes semiconductor wafer developing devices, cleaning devices, and the like.

Furthermore, the rotating structure of the wafer receivers 23 and 24 is not limited to being superimposed on the moving body, but may be a structure that reduces the space for evacuation by rotating along the moving body and folding. Bye. Furthermore, the present invention is applicable not only to the delivery of semiconductor wafers but also to the delivery of plate-shaped substrates such as glass substrates.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the movable body is moved in order to prevent processing liquid, etc. from scattering on the movable body that is evacuated during processing of plate-shaped substrates, the substrate holder provided on this movable body, etc. When retracting, the substrate receiver can be rotated along the longitudinal direction of the moving body. As a result, the evacuation space is smaller than in the past, so the device main body can be downsized, and it is possible to provide a plate-shaped substrate delivery device that can effectively utilize expensive site space such as a clean room.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a plate-shaped substrate delivery device, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. 1, and FIG. Figure and 4th
The figures show a conventional example, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a plate-shaped substrate delivery device, and Fig. 4 shows a state in which a pre-flooding device and a post-processing device are provided on both sides of the plate-shaped substrate delivery device. FIG. 11... Device main body, 16.17... Guide body, 18
...Moving body, 23.24...Wafer holder (substrate holder), 34...Rotating mechanism, 35...Chuck. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A device body having a chuck, a guide body provided on the device body, an elongated movable body whose end is slidably supported by the guide body, and a movable body pivoted at a longitudinally intermediate portion of the movable body. a pair of substrate holders that receive plate-shaped substrates in a state substantially orthogonal to the substrate holder, and when the moving body retracts after passing the substrate supported by these substrate holders to the chuck, the substrate holder is placed along the longitudinal direction of the moving body. 1. A plate-shaped substrate delivery device characterized by comprising a rotation mechanism that rotates along a direction.