JPS63291432A - Transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate changing transfer parts and setting the distance between the transfer parts at a predetermined value by a method wherein the two transfer parts can be positioned by mating means and the distance between the two transfer parts is predetermined in accordance with the size of a semiconductor wafer. CONSTITUTION:A 1st transfer part 10 is fixed to a base 13 and a rubber belt 16 is moved by the rotation of 1st and 2nd pulleys 14 and 15 and a semiconductor wafer can be carried by placing it on the rubber belt 16. Protrusions 17 for positioning are provided on the base 13. The relative position between the transfer part 10 and a main part 12 is determined by mating the protrusions 17 with recesses 18 of the main part 12 which are so formed as to be mated with the protrusions 17. A transfer part 11 has the same construction as the transfer part 10. The transfer part 11 is also fixed to the main part 12 by mating the protrusions 17 with the recesses 18 of the main part 12 so as to select the distance between the transfer parts 10 and 11 corresponding to the size of a wafer carrier housing the semiconductor wafer to be conveyed, i.e., corresponding to the size of the semiconductor wafer.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer transport device.

(Prior Art) In the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices, when semiconductor wafers are temporarily stored or supplied to the next process,
A wafer carrier is used, and this wafer carrier can be adjusted according to the size of the wafer, such as 3 inch, φ
For 100mm, ..., (fl for 200mm is selected.

As shown in FIG. 3 as an example of a device for transporting semiconductor wafers using the above-mentioned wafer carrier, a wafer cassette is placed between a first transport section 1 and a second transport section 2, each of which is composed of a belt conveyor, for example. 3, and the semiconductor wafers 4 are stored in the wafer cassette 3 and the semiconductor wafers 4 are taken out.

Here, the distance 5 between the right end of the first transport section 1 and the left end of the second transport section 2 is set to be slightly wider than the rib width 7 of the center rib 6 which is a component of the wafer cassette 3. .

Since the rib width 7 of the center rib 6 is usually manufactured to different dimensions depending on the size of the wafer carrier 3, a dedicated transport device 8 corresponding to the wafer carrier 3 is selected and used.

An example of a semiconductor wafer conveyance apparatus similar to the one described above is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 114176/1983.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above-described conventional apparatus, since the transport device 8 is a dedicated device for a specific wafer size, it cannot handle semiconductor wafers of other sizes.

For example, in the conveying device 8 for φ100mm, φ200m+a
When trying to transport a semiconductor wafer 4 of φ200
Since the center rib width 6 of the wafer carrier 3 of mm is wide, it cannot be set in a predetermined position on the transfer device 8. Also, φ20
When trying to transport the semiconductor wafer 4 of φIQO@II to the transport device 8 for 0mm, the interval 5 is too wide for the diameter of the semiconductor wafer 4 of φ100m+a, and the semiconductor wafer 4 is transferred from the transport section 1 to the transport section 2. It may fall when moving.

Further, in the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-114176, the interval 5 of the above-mentioned device can be variably set.
It is difficult to use industrially because the mechanism and control are complicated and the cost is high.

The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a low-cost semiconductor wafer transport device that is easy to operate and can handle various wafer sizes.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for solving the problem) That is, the present invention provides first and second
When the semiconductor wafer is transported by arranging the transport parts, each of the first and second transport parts has a structure that can be positioned by a cash exchange means, and the first and second transport parts are arranged according to the size of the semiconductor wafer. The present invention is characterized by comprising means for setting the interval between the conveying sections.

(Function) In the conveying device of the present invention, the first. Since the second conveying section can be easily changed, the interval between the aforementioned conveying sections can be easily set to a set value.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, one embodiment of the conveying device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

This conveyance device includes a first conveyance section (10), a second conveyance section (11), and a main body (12).

The first transport section (10) is fixed to a base (13). The first conveying section (10) has first and second pulleys (14) (15) fixed to the base (13) rotatably apart from each other, and the first and second pulleys (15) are fixed to the base (13). 14) An O-ring such as a rubber belt (16) is stretched over (15).

Therefore, the first and second pulleys (14) (15)
), the rubber belt (16) moves,
A semiconductor wafer (not shown) is placed on this rubber belt (16).
It is configured such that it can be transported by placing it thereon.

In addition, the base (13) has a positioning protrusion (17).
The conveyor section (10) and the main body (12) are positioned relative to each other by being fitted into the recess (18) of the main body (12) with a structure in which the protrusion (17) is fitted. be able to. In addition, the pulley (14) of the conveyance section (10)
) or (15) and a driving pulley (not shown) provided on the main body (1z) can be configured to be interlocked by means such as a belt hook, so that the conveying section (10) is driven. ing.

Note that the transport section (11) has the same configuration as the above-mentioned transport section (1o), so a description thereof will be omitted.

Then, the semiconductor wafer 1 (not shown) to be transported
A transport unit (10) corresponding to the size of a wafer carrier (not shown) that stores the semiconductor wafer, that is, the size of the semiconductor wafer.
and (11) such that the distance between the protrusion (17) and (11) is selected.
is set in the main body (12) by fitting it into the recess (18) of the main body (1z).

In the case of semiconductor wafers, the type of size of the above-mentioned interval is known, so by storing the interval according to the wafer size in advance, the above-mentioned operation can be automatically executed by, for example, a robot operation.

Once the positions of the transport parts (10) and (11) are determined, they may be fixed with bolts (not shown) or the like, if necessary.

Next, the pulleys (14) and (20) of the transport unit (lO) and (11), for example, (14) and (20), and the drive pulley of the main body (1z) are hooked with belts to enable transport, and the transport unit (1
0) (11) Set the wafer carrier on top. Here, the method of determining the distance between the ends of the transport sections (10) and (11) will be described in detail.

As shown in Figure 2, the semiconductor wafer (
21) is defined as A, and the minimum dimension from the center of this semiconductor wafer (21) to the orientation flat portion is defined as B.

Also, let C and D be the radius including the rubber belts (16) and (22) of the pulley (Is) and (19), respectively.

Let E be the width of the center rib (23) of the wafer carrier, and F be the distance between the centers of the pulleys (15) and (19).

First, if the 8 dimension is shorter than the E dimension, the semiconductor wafer (21)
Since there is a possibility that the transfer will not be carried out smoothly due to a downward slope to the right, F<B must be satisfied.

Moreover, the center rib (23) is connected to the conveying section (10) and (11).
), so it must be C+D+E<F.

Therefore, the transport devices (10) and (11) are configured so that C+D+E<F<B holds.

For example, when the semiconductor wafer (21) has a diameter of 200 mm, C=D=10 mm, E=50 ma+, B
=95.5mm.

The value of F1 such that 70<F<95.5, for example, F=IS
The conveying sections (10) and (11) are configured so that the distance is 0 mm. Here, the conveyance section (10) for the above φ200m+a
, (11) configuration, for example, a semiconductor wafer (21
) is trying to transport something with a diameter of 100m+a,
In the case of φ100mm, B = 46.5no++, so the condition FIB cannot be satisfied, and this φ100mm semiconductor wafer (21) is transferred from the transfer unit (10) to the transfer unit (11
) 6 Therefore, if the semiconductor wafer (21) has a diameter of 100 mm, C = D = 10 mm, E = 20 m
m, B = 46.5mm, 40<F<4
The conveyance units (10) and (11) are configured so that the value of F2 is 6.5, for example, F=4511II11.

In addition, at this time, the semiconductor wafer (21) of φ200II+m
If you are trying to transport a
Center rib width E of wafer carrier for mm = 50mm
Therefore, since the wafer carrier cannot be set, it is impossible to deal with this problem.

Therefore, the position of the recess (18) is set in advance in accordance with the semiconductor wafer (21) to be transported, and the transport section (1o) (11) is fitted in the recess (18).
) must be configured.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the transport device of the present invention, the transport section can be changed easily and reliably, so it is possible to handle the transport of semiconductor wafers of various sizes.Furthermore, the main body of the transport device can be used in common, reducing equipment costs. You can also do that.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the conveying device of the present invention;
The figure is an explanatory diagram of the main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional example. 10...First conveyance section, 11...Second conveyance section,
12...Main body, 15,19...Pulley,
17... Protrusion, 18... Recess, 21...
- Semiconductor wafer, 23...center rib. Patent applicant Tokyo Electron Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] When the semiconductor wafer is transported by arranging the first and second transport units that transport the predetermined distance, each of the first and second transport units described above is
A transport device having a structure in which the transport section can be positioned by a fitting means, and comprising means for setting a distance between the first and second transport sections according to the size of the semiconductor wafer. .