KR0155157B1 - Transfer method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

None.

Description

Transfer Method and Transfer Device

1 is a perspective view showing a vertical heat treatment apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the horizontal-vertical conversion conveying apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 2.

6 is a partially cutaway plan view of the upper boat hand.

7 is a partially cutaway plan view of the lower bolt hand.

8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a multi-chamber type CVD apparatus for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a diagram showing the configuration of a resist processing apparatus for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

10 and 11 are schematic plan views each showing a modification of the carrier arm.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1a to 1d: box 2: clean room

3: Maintenance Room 4: Wafer Boat

4a: upper support 4b: lower support

4c: flange portion 5: mobile loading device

6: boat liner 7: horizontal and vertical conversion conveying device

12,32,112: Foundation 14,34,114: Rotary Actuator

16,36,116 Shaft 18,38 Stopper

22, 42: hand body 24a, 24b, 44a, 44b: recessed portion

26,46: holder 60: return path

61a, 61b: bolt support mechanism 62a, 62b: bolt support

70: basic stage 71: movable platform

72: prop 73: conversion arm

75: upper boat hand 76: lower boat hand

77a, 77b, 78a, 78b: Hanging part 79a, 79b, 79a ': Flange hanging part

101: wafer transfer chamber 102: wafer cassette

103: lock lock chamber 104: chamber

105,107: Carrying arm 105a, 107a: Contact area

106: semiconductor wafer 122: front end plate

124: recess 128,134: wafer contact region

132: arm body 138: slit

144: slide plate 146: reciprocating cylinder

148: cylinder rod 152: bar

154: pin 201: conveying device

202: resist coating apparatus 203: baking apparatus

204: exposure apparatus 205: developing apparatus

The present invention relates to a conveying method and a conveying apparatus.

In recent years, semiconductor devices are rapidly becoming highly integrated, and their circuit patterns are miniaturized.

In the formation of such a fine circuit pattern, since the presence of dust is a big problem, efforts have been made to reduce the amount of dust in the atmosphere as much as possible in the manufacturing process.

Therefore, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, unmanning is being carried out to reduce the number of workers as dust sources as much as possible. For example, robot technology is also used to convey semiconductor wafers, wafer boats, and substrates for liquid crystal displays. Many used conveying apparatuses are used.

That is, as such a conveying apparatus, for example, the semiconductor wafer is supported by a support arm provided with a vacuum chuck, or both ends of the quartz wafer boat are held by two support hands arranged at predetermined intervals. It stops and supports, and conveys.

However, the inventors have investigated in detail such materials, such as semiconductor wafers, wafer boats, substrates for liquid crystal displays, and the like in a number of different processes, such as CVD film forming processes. In the conveying apparatus conveyed by an oxide film forming process, a resist coating process, or a developing process, the chemical agent, product, etc. which are used at each process adhere to the contact part with the to-be-processed object in a support arm, a hand, etc. It has been found that so-called cross-contamination is occurring, in which these substances are introduced as contaminants in other processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional situation, and an object thereof is to provide a conveying method and apparatus capable of preventing cross contamination between different types of processes.

The conveying method of this invention is a support mechanism which supports this to-be-processed object in order to convey a to-be-processed object to a several different process process WHEREIN: The contact part of the to-be-processed object and said support mechanism is changed for every different process process. Characterized in that.

This method can be applied to, for example, a horizontal and vertical conversion transfer apparatus for a wafer boat, a boat liner for a wafer boat, a transfer arm of a wafer, and the like.

The conveying apparatus of the present invention is a horizontal and vertical conversion conveying apparatus for a wafer boat, comprising: arm means capable of rotating at least 90 degrees in a generally vertical plane, an upper hand means formed at one end of the arm means, and the upper hand The means having a plurality of horizontal and vertical boat contact portions, the upper hand means being rotatable to switch positions of the plurality of boat contact portions to each other, and at the other end of the arm means. The lower hand means formed, the lower hand means having a plurality of horizontal boat contact portions and the vertical plurality of bolt contact portions, and the upper hand means having a plurality of horizontal and vertical bolt contact portions. It is characterized in that it is provided with a rotatable so as to switch between positions.

In this invention of the said structure, the contact part with the to-be-processed object of the support mechanism which supports a to-be-processed object is changed according to the process of conveying a to-be-processed object.

Therefore, the contact with the workpiece can prevent the occurrence of cross contamination between different kinds of processes by drugs, products, and the like that adhere to the support mechanism for supporting the workpiece.

EXAMPLE

Inside the boxes 1a to 1d, for example, a reaction tube composed of a cylindrical shape made of quartz or the like, and a reactor composed of a heater, a crack tube, a heat insulating material, etc., installed to surround the periphery thereof. Iii) (not shown) are arranged almost vertically.

In the lower part of the reactor, a boat elevator (not shown) is provided as a mechanism for rolling and unloading a workpiece, for example, a semiconductor wafer arranged on a wafer boat.

For example, the boxes 1a to 1d are arranged side by side, for example, four in parallel along the boundary between the clean room 2 and the maintenance room 3.

Further, in front of the boxes 1a to 1d, i.e., in the clean room 2, a mobile stacking device for placing and placing the semiconductor wafer contained in the wafer cassette on the wafer boat 4 as shown in FIG. 5) The wafer boat 4 is transported from the boat liner 6 and the mobile stacking device 5 as a transport mechanism for transporting the wafer boat 4 to the front of each box 1a to 1d. The horizontal and vertical conversion conveyance apparatus 7 is provided as a mechanism which mounts on the liner 6 almost vertically.

That is, the mobile loading apparatus 5 moves a plurality of semiconductor wafers from the wafer cassette, for example, 25 sheets in a state where the wafer boat 4 is almost horizontally arranged as is well known, and transfers the processed semiconductor wafers. In the same manner, the wafer boat 4 is configured to be accommodated in the wafer cassette.

Moreover, the boat liner 6 can move on this conveyance path 60 by the conveyance path 60 provided in front so that it may be parallel to the box bodies 1a to 1d, for example, drive of a belt. And a plurality of, for example, two boat support mechanisms 61a and 61b for holding the wafer boat 4 almost vertically.

For example, the support mechanism 61a, 61b which handles the wafer boat 4 can be changed with the difference of processes, such as CVD and oxide film formation.

In addition, the conveying apparatus 7 is comprised as follows.

That is, on the base table 70 installed to connect the mobile device 5 and the boat liner 6, the movable table 71 and the support 72 are installed to enable movement between these devices. have.

The strut 72 is comprised so that rotation of 180 degree or more on the movable stand 71 is possible.

A side of the support 72 is provided with a conversion arm 73 configured so as to be freely rotated at least 90 degrees in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the support 72, and at the same time capable of vertical operation.

At both ends of the conversion arm 73, as shown in FIG. 2, an upper boat hand 75 and a lower boat hand 76 for supporting the wafer boat 4 are provided, respectively.

These upper and lower hand hands 75 and 76 are configured as follows so that the wafer boat 4 can be supported in either a substantially horizontal state or a substantially vertical state.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper boat hand 75 includes a stop 77a made of a material such as quartz or silicon carbide so as to project slightly from the inner side of the upper boat hand 75, ( 77b) is provided on both sides.

These stop portions 77a and 77b are configured to stop the side surfaces of the columnar upper support portions 4a provided at the upper end portions of the wafer boat 4 by either of them.

The stop portions 77a and 77b are switched by rotating the upper boat hand 75 as shown by the arrow shown in FIG. 2, and for example, wafer wafers (such as CVD, oxide film formation, etc.) are different. The locking portions 77a and 77b in contact with 4 can be changed.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower bolt hand 76 has a locking portion 78a made of a material such as quartz or silicon carbide so as to slightly protrude from the inner surface, similarly to the upper bolt hand 75. And (78b) are provided on both surfaces.

These stops 78a and 78b are configured to stop the side surface of the cylindrical lower support 4b provided at the lower end of the wafer boat 4 by either of them.

For this purpose, when the lower support part 4b of the wafer boat 4 is supporting this lower support part 4b in the locking part 78a of the lower boat hand 76, for example, the locking part 78b The diameter of the lower part is made smaller than the upper part (contact part with the stop part 78a) so that it may not contact.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 and near the front end of the lower bolt hand 76, a flange for supporting the lower surface of the flange portion 4c provided below the wafer boat 4 during vertical support. The locking portions 79a and 79b are provided so as to protrude in both the up and down directions.

The flange stops 79a and 79b are made of a material such as quartz or silicon carbide, for example.

Then, the lower bolt hand 76 is also rotated in the same manner as the arrow shown in FIG. 2, so that, for example, the locking portion 78a which comes into contact with the wafer boat 4 in accordance with different processes such as CVD and oxide film formation. , 78b, and flange stops 79a, 79b can be changed.

That is, when keeping the wafer boat 4 almost horizontal, the side surface of the upper support portion 4a of the wafer boat 4 is either one of the engaging portions 77a and 77b of the upper boat hand 75. At the same time, the side of the lower support portion 4b of the wafer boat 4 is stopped at either of the engaging portions 78a, 78b of the lower boat hand 76.

On the other hand, when the wafer boat 4 is held almost vertically, the side surface of the upper support portion 4a of the wafer boat 4 is either one of the engaging portions 77a and 77b of the upper boat hand 75. At the same time, the lower portion of the flange portion 4c of the wafer boat 4 is supported by the flange engaging portions 79a and 79b of the lower boat hand 76.

In this case, since the flange engaging portions 79a and 79b are offset forward from the longitudinal central axis of the wafer boat 4, the wafer bolts 4 on the engaging portions 79a and 79b are offset. The rotation moment acts to try to fall backwards.

This rotation moment is supported by the engaging portions 77a and 77b of the upper boat hand 75 in contact with the side surface of the upper support portion 4a at the upper portion of the wafer boat 4.

As a result, a stable vertical support state of the wafer boat 4 is obtained.

6 is a partially cutaway plan view of the upper boat hand 75.

The hand 75 includes a foundation 12 mounted so as to have some margin in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 6 with respect to the conversion arm 73 (see FIG. 1), wherein the rotary actuator 14 is provided. Is built.

The shaft 16, which is coupled to the output shaft of the actuator 14, extends from the base 12 and is connected to the hand body 22. The hand parts 22 are secured with stops 77a and 77b through the holder 26. The hand body 22 is capable of reciprocating rotation with respect to the base 12 by the action of the actuator 14. Concave portions 24a and 24b are formed on both sides of the bottom of the hand body 22, while the stopper 18 is attached to the base portion 12.

When the hand main body 22 rotates with respect to the base part, and the recessed part 24a contacts the stopper 18, a position is set in the state shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 6, etc. 77a is positioned downward to oppose the upper support 4a of the wafer boat 4.

In addition, when the hand body 22 rotates 180 degrees in the reverse direction and the recessed part 24b engages with the stopper 18, the stop part 77b is located below and the upper support part of the wafer boat 4 is located here. The position is set in the state which opposes (4a).

7 is a partially cutaway plan view of the lower bolt hand 76.

The hand 76 includes a base 32 fixed to be attached so as to have a slight clearance in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 7 fixedly installed with respect to the conversion arm 73 (see FIG. 1), wherein the rotary actuator (3) is built in.

The shaft 36, which is coupled with the output shaft of the actuator 34, extends from the base 32 and is connected to the hand body 42. The hand body 42 is secured with fastening portions 78a and 78b through the holder 46. Flange stop portions 79a and 79b are attached to the front end of the hand body 42. If desired, a second flange stop 79a 'may also be provided (the same second flange stop on the back side).

The hand body 42 is capable of reciprocating rotation with respect to the base portion 32 by the action of the cylinder 34. Concave portions 44a and 44b are formed at both bottom portions of the hand body 42, while a stopper 38 is attached to the base portion 32. When the hand body 42 rotates with respect to the base portion, and the recessed portion 44a engages with the stopper 38, the position is set as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 7, and the like, and the stop portion 78a ) Is positioned upward to replace the large diameter portion of the lower support portion 4b of the wafer boat 4, while the stop portion 79a is positioned upward to support the flange portion 4c of the wafer boat 4. do.

If the hand body 42 is rotated 180 degrees in the reverse direction and the stopper 38 is engaged with the recess 44b, the stop portion 78b is positioned upward and the lower support portion of the wafer boat 4 is located here. While facing the large diameter part of (4b), the position is set in the state in which the locking part 79b is located upward and supports the flange part 4c of the wafer boat 4.

In this embodiment of the above-described configuration, the semiconductor wafer accommodated in the wafer cassette is moved and stacked on the wafer boat 4 by the mobile loading device 5. At this time, the horizontal vertical conversion transfer apparatus 7 inserts the arm 73 below the wafer boat 4 at the predetermined position on the mobile loading apparatus 5, and waits in this state.

When the transfer of the semiconductor wafer by the transfer device 5 is completed, the conversion arm 73 is raised to receive the wafer boat 4 from the transfer device 5.

Then, by moving the movable table 71, the wafer boat 4 is conveyed in the direction of the boat liner 6 to a position which does not interfere with the moving device 5, where the conversion arm 73 is in the vertical plane. Rotate the wafer boat 4 almost vertically by rotating it approximately 90 degrees at.

Thereafter, the strut 72 is rotated approximately 180 degrees in the horizontal plane to orient the wafer boat 4 in the direction of the boat liner 6, while the movable table 71 is moved toward the boat liner 6, and the wafer The boat 4 is placed on the support 61a of the boat liner 6 or the support mechanism 61b.

In addition, the support mechanisms 61a and 61b are provided with the boat support parts 62a and 62b cut out circularly, and the said boat support parts 62a and 62b have the lower end of the wafer boat 4 at the bottom. It is configured to be inserted.

In this manner, after the wafer boat 4 is horizontally and vertically converted and transferred to the boat liner 6 by the mobile stacking device, the wafer boat 4 is transported by the box liner 6 to each box 1a to ( It conveys to the front of 1d), inserts in a reaction furnace by a boat elevator, and performs predetermined | prescribed processes, such as thermal diffusion, oxide film formation, and CVD, for example.

After the processing is completed, the wafer boat 4 is transferred to the mobile stacking device 5 in the reverse order to the above-described order, and the semiconductor wafer processed by the mobile stacking device 5 is stored in the wafer cassette. .

At this time, when it is necessary to simultaneously perform two different kinds of treatments in four reactors, for example, CVD is performed in the reactors in boxes 1a and 1b, and boxes 1c and 1d. In the case where the oxide film should be formed in the reactor in the inside, in the boat liner 6, for example, the support mechanism 61a is used for conveyance to the boxes 1a and 1b (CVD process), As for the conveyance to the boxes 1c and 1d (oxide film forming step), by using the support mechanism 61b, the portion in direct contact with the wafer boat 4 is changed in accordance with the step, and between these steps. Prevent cross contamination.

In addition, in the horizontal vertical conveying apparatus 7, the upper boat hand 75 and the lower boat hand 76 are rotated, for example, to convey to the boxes 1a, 1b, and (CVD process). The fastening part 77a, the fastening part 78a, and the flange fastening part 79a are used for the conveyance to the boxes 1c and 1d (oxide film forming step). By using the 77b, the locking portion 78b, and the flange locking portion 79b, the portion in direct contact with the wafer boat 4 is changed in accordance with the process, and the mutual contamination is prevented from occurring in these processes. .

That is, in the above embodiment, the boat liner 6 and the horizontal vertical conversion transfer device 7 are suitable for conveying the wafer boat 4 for the CVD process and for conveying the wafer boat 4 for the oxide film forming process. Change the contact area with the wafer boat 4).

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of cross contamination between different kinds of processes due to chemicals, products, etc. adhering to the contact portion with the wafer boat 4.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the method and apparatus of the present invention is applied to a plurality of continuous longitudinal heat treatment apparatuses has been described, but the present invention is another apparatus, for example, the multichamber type CVD apparatus shown in FIG. 8, FIG. The present invention can also be applied to a resist processing apparatus and the like.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, in the multi-chamber type CVD apparatus, the lock lock chamber 103 which accommodates the wafer cassettes 102 on both sides of the wafer transfer chamber 101 disposed in the center portion is disposed therebetween. Each of these chambers is arranged, and on the other side of the wafer transfer chamber 101, a plurality of, for example, three chambers 104 are arranged on the same circumference with the wafer transfer chamber 101 as the center.

Then, one of the predetermined semiconductor wafers 106 is taken out by the transfer arm 105, is transferred to the transfer arm 107 on the chamber 104 side, and transferred to the predetermined chamber 104 in accordance with the processing contents. For example, after the etching process of the natural oxide film on the surface is performed in the first chamber, the CVD film is formed in the second chamber, and then the predetermined treatment is performed, such as by heat treatment in the third chamber. It is.

Thus, for example, the front ends of the transfer arms 105 and 107 are formed in a plate shape to enable the semiconductor wafer 106 to be supported on both sides, and the contact portions 105a and 107a according to the processing process. Rotate 180 degrees.

Alternatively, a second contact portion for supporting the semiconductor wafer 106 is provided at the front end of the transfer arms 105 and 107 so that the second contact portion for entering and exiting can be inserted therein, and the semiconductor wafer 106 is properly stretched and contracted according to the processing step. Support).

By using this structure, if the contact portions 105a and 107a with the semiconductor wafer 106 are changed in accordance with the processing step, the occurrence of cross contamination can be prevented as in the above-described embodiment.

10 is a schematic plan view showing an example in which the wafer contact portion is switched by rotating the front end side of the transfer arm 180 degrees.

The carrier arm is composed of a base portion 112 and a front end portion 122.

The base 112 has a rotary actuator 114 embedded therein, and the shaft 116 extends from the base 112 and is connected to the front end plate 122. The front end plate 122 is formed with wafer contact portions 128 before and after.

The front end plate 122 is capable of reciprocating rotation with respect to the base portion 112 by the action of the rotary actuator 114.

Concave portions 124 are formed at both bottom portions of the front end plate 122, and a stopper 18 is attached to the base portion 12.

As with the mechanism in FIGS. 6 and 7, the front end plate 122 rotates 180 degrees with respect to the base portion 112, and either of the recesses 124 and the stopper 118 engage. As a result, the rotational direction position of the front end plate 122 is determined, whereby the front and rear wafer contact portions 128 can be switched.

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing an example in which a wafer contact portion can be switched by providing a second contact portion that can be moved in and out of the front end of the transfer arm.

In the carrier arm, a wafer contact portion 134 is formed at the front end portion of the arm body 132, while a second wafer contact portion is formed on the slide plate 144 supported by the arm body 132.

A reciprocating cylinder 146 is arranged on the side of the arm body 132, and the cylinder rod 148 is connected to the rear surface of the slide plate 144 via the bars 152 and the pins 154.

By the action of the cylinder 146, the slide plate 144 can be moved along the longitudinal direction of the arm body 132, wherein both sides of the slide plate 144 are guides 136 on both sides of the main body 132. Guided by the slit 138 along the longitudinal center of the body 132.

Therefore, the wafer contact portions 134 and 144 can be switched by coming out of the slide plate 144.

Moreover, in the resist processing apparatus shown in FIG. 9, the conveying apparatus 201 is provided in the center part, and after dropping a resist on a semiconductor wafer, for example on both sides of this conveying apparatus 201, this semiconductor wafer is carried out. A resist coating apparatus 202 for uniformly applying resist to the entire surface of the semiconductor wafer by rotating the substrate at high speed, for example, a plurality of baking apparatuses 203 for heating and baking the semiconductor wafer before the resist coating and after the resist coating, etc. The predetermined apparatus of the apparatus 204 and the developing apparatus 205 is provided.

Therefore, also in such a resist processing apparatus, similarly to the above-mentioned multichamber type CVD apparatus, as a conveyance arm which is not shown in the conveying apparatus 201, the thing of the structure shown in FIG. 10 and 11 is used. By switching the wafer contact portions in accordance with the processing step, cross contamination can be prevented.

As mentioned above, although the detail of this invention was described according to the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, it is clear that various changes and improvement are possible for this embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. .

Claims (9)

A conveying method for supporting a predetermined portion of a conveyed object by a support mechanism and conveying the conveyed object to a plurality of different semiconductor processing steps, wherein the predetermined portion of the conveyed object is supported when the conveyed object is conveyed by any one of the above processing steps. The contact portion of the support mechanism and the contact portion of the support mechanism so as to be different from each other so that the contact portion of the support mechanism for supporting a predetermined portion of the transported object is different from the contact portion of the support mechanism. A conveying method characterized by changing the contact portion. A plurality of reaction furnaces arranged in a horizontal direction in a straight line and receiving a wafer boat for supporting a plurality of semiconductor wafers in a vertical state therein and performing heat treatment; A mobile loading device for transferring a plurality of the semiconductor wafers to the wafer boat of the ship, and a boat liner disposed along the reactor and conveyed in a horizontal direction while the wafer boat is in a vertical position to be supplied to each reactor. And a horizontal and vertical conversion transfer device provided between the boat liner and the mobile stacking device, the posture of the wafer boat being horizontally and vertically converted to be transported, and transferred between the boat liner and the mobile stacking device. In a vertical heat treatment apparatus, the wafer boat is conveyed to a plurality of reactors. Then, when the wafer boat is conveyed to any one of the reactors, the contact portion of the boat liner and the horizontal-vertical conversion conveying apparatus supporting the predetermined portion of the wafer boat, and the reactor boat performing different processing from the reactor, The contact portion of the boat liner and the horizontal-vertical conversion transfer apparatus is changed so that the contact portion of the boat liner and the horizontal-vertical conversion transfer apparatus supporting the predetermined portion of the wafer boat is different from each other when conveying. Return method to be. A horizontal vertical conversion transfer apparatus for conveying wafer boats, comprising: arm means capable of rotating at least 90 degrees in a substantially vertical plane, and having a plurality of horizontally and vertically coupled bolt contacts, wherein the positions of the plurality of bolt contacts are mutually It is rotatable so that it can be switched to, and has an upper hand means formed at one end of the arm means, a plurality of horizontal boat contact portions and a plurality of vertical boat contact portions, the horizontal and vertical And a lower hand means which is rotatable so as to be able to switch positions of the plurality of bolt contact portions to each other and is formed at the other end of the arm means. 4. The conveying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the boat contacting portion of the upper hand means exists in an up-down position relationship so that the position can be mutually switched by a rotation of 180 degrees of the upper hand means. The boat contacting portion of the lower hand means is located in an up-down position relationship such that both the horizontal and vertical portions are capable of switching positions mutually by a 180 degree rotation of the upper hand means. Conveying device. 4. The vertical boat contact portion of the lower hand means is offset from the vertical center axis of the boat, by which the rotation moment acts on the boat in the vertical support state of the boat. And a moment of receiving the moment from the boat contact portion of the upper hand means. 4. The wafer boat according to claim 3, wherein the wafer boat includes an upper protrusion, a lower protrusion and a lower flange, and the horizontal and vertical bolt contact portions of the upper hand means are engaged with the upper protrusion. And a horizontal bolt contacting portion of the lower hand means engages in a shape fitted to the lower protrusion, and a vertical boat contacting portion of the lower hand means engages with a lower surface of the lower flange portion. 4. The conveying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the area of each of the boat contacting portions is sufficiently small compared with the total surface area of the respective hand means. 4. A conveying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the boat contact portions is made of quartz or silicon carbide.

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