KR100204809B1 - Cassette indexer system - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, and more particularly, to a cassette index system for loading and unloading a wafer cassette.

A cassette index system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a station unit 10 including a window 12 into which a wafer cassette is introduced by a transfer means, A shutoff plate 30 having a discharge port 32 for discharging the process gas and an injection nozzle 42 installed at an upper end of the shutoff plate 30 for spraying the process gas to both sides of the station unit, A gas injection means 40 having a supply line 44 for supplying a gas to the station 10 and a control valve 46 for regulating the amount of gas on the supply line, And a lamina portion 20 for injecting a process gas.

According to the cassette index system described above, it is possible to shut off the air including impurities flowing into the station unit, and to discharge the particles remaining in the inside to the outside to prevent the inside of the station unit and the wafer from being contaminated, .

Description

Cassette indexer system

1 shows a general configuration of a conventional cassette index system;

FIG. 2 is a state diagram showing the flow of air during purge of the cassette index system in FIG.

FIGS. 3a through 3b are cross-sectional views schematically showing the construction of a cassette index system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a state diagram showing the flow of air during purging of the cassette index system according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

10: station part 12: window

20: lamina 22: prefilter

30: blocking plate 32:

40: gas injection means 42: injection nozzle

44: supply line 46: regulating valve

50: load lock chamber 60: process chamber

[Industrial Applications]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a cassette indexer system for loading and unloading a wafer cassette.

[Prior art and problems thereof]

Generally, movement of airflow is caused by movement of people, robots, and logistics and unevenness of spatial temperature in a clean room having various tools such as production and measurement equipment adjacent to a wafer.

Due to such an air flow, the accumulated particles move on the surface of the portion adjacent to the moving object, causing a continuous problem of contaminating the semiconductor wafer.

Therefore, by accurately measuring particles on surfaces such as logistics, machinery, and people at production sites requiring high cleanliness, and by solving problems based on these data, ultimately improving the yield, reliability, and quality of semiconductor devices Most of the manufacturing equipments are carrying out the process in a vacuum state where the particle is easy to manage.

Such manufacturing equipment includes a cassette index system for loading and unloading wafer cassettes from the outside, a load lock chamber for loading and unloading wafers from the cassette index system into the process chamber, chamber.

FIG. 1 is an attempt to illustrate the overall structure of the cassette index system described above.

Referring to FIG. 1, the cassette indexing system comprises a station (station) 10 having a window 12 from which a wafer cassette is loaded and unloaded from the outside, an open portion 14 with both sides open, And a laminar part (20) for supplying a process gas to cut off foreign substances flowing into the station part (10).

The cassette index system 100 is connected to a load lock chamber 50 for loading and unloading wafers into the process chamber.

The operation of the cassette index system having the above-described configuration is as follows.

First, a window 12 formed on one side of the station part 10 of the cassette index system 100 is opened and the wafer cassette transferred by the wafer cassette transfer device is loaded.

The wafers contained in the wafer cassettes thus loaded are loaded / unloaded into the process chamber 60 by the stage elevator portion of the load lock chamber 50 and the process is performed.

Referring to FIG. 2, the purified N2 gas passed through the prefilter 22 in the lamina 20 is introduced into the cassette index system, Is supplied to the station part 10 by the air blowing device 24 to prevent the contaminated air from flowing into the open window 12 and the open part 14. [

However, the blowing pressure by the blower has a limitation to block the impurities introduced into the station part 10, and the particles remaining on the floor of the station part 10 can not be completely removed.

Particularly, in the process of cleaning the process chamber, the toxic gas 70 generated by the reaction of polymer and deionized water generated during the process is diffused around, There is a serious problem of not only corroding the inside of the cassette index system through the opening portion but also contaminating the inside of the station portion and the waiting wafer.

[Object of the invention]

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette index system of a semiconductor device manufacturing equipment capable of blocking impurities flowing into a station part of a cassette index system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, there is provided a wafer processing apparatus comprising: a station unit having a front side with a window opening with both side openings, the wafer cassette being introduced into the wafer cassette by a transfer device; A cassette index system for a semiconductor device manufacturing equipment including a laminar part for supplying a process gas for cutting off a substrate, the cassette index system comprising: a shield plate having an outlet for discharging gas to the lower end of the open part, A supply line for supplying the process gas to the injection nozzle, and a control valve provided on the supply line for controlling the amount of the gas.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the injection direction of the injection nozzle has a slope of about 10 DEG toward the blocking wall.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the process gas uses N2 gas.

[Action]

According to the cassette index system of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment having such a configuration, the cassette index system can be protected from external contamination by providing a shielding plate and a separate gas injection means.

[Example]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Hereinafter, preferred embodiments and operation relationships of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 3a to 3b, the cassette index system of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a shutoff plate on both sides of the station unit and a gas injection unit on the shutoff plate. With such an apparatus, the inflow of external impurities introduced into the station can be blocked.

3a and 3b show a structure of a cassette index system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Components having the same functions as those of the cassette index system shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals .

The cassette index system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a station part 10 including a window 12 into which a wafer cassette is introduced by a transfer means and a gas supply part 12 formed at both sides of the station part 10, A spraying nozzle 42 installed at an upper end of the blocking plate 30 for spraying the process gas to both sides of the station part, A gas injection means 40 having a supply line 44 for supplying gas and a control valve 46 for regulating the amount of gas on the supply line; And a laminar portion 20 for injecting a process gas to form the laminar gas.

When the wafer cassette transported by the wafer cassette transporting apparatus is loaded while the window 12 formed on one surface of the station section 10 is opened, the new cassette index system 100 having the above- And the process is carried out by loading into the process chamber.

Referring to FIGS. 3a to 3b and 4, the purified N2 gas having passed through the pre-filter in the lamina 20 is blown to the station part 10 by a blowing device, Thereby preventing the contaminated air from flowing into the open window 12.

The process gas supplied from the supply line 44 is blown downward from the injection nozzle 42 to block the external air flowing into the station unit 10.

The process gas is a gas having a lower impurity content than that of general air, and uses N 2 gas used for atmospheric pressure formation and cleaning purposes in the chamber.

At this time, since the injection direction of the injection nozzle 42 is set to have a slope of about 10 degrees in the direction of the shutoff plate 30, the process gas injected from the injection nozzle 42 naturally flows into the discharge port 32, Lt; / RTI >

The particles remaining in the station part 10 are discharged to the discharge part 32 at the lower end of the blocking plate 30 by the fast flow of the process gas.

Particularly, in the process of cleaning the process chamber after the process, the toxic gas generated by the reaction of the polymer generated during the process with the ultrapure water is diffused to the periphery, but the flow of the toxic gas is blocked by the blocking plate 30.

In addition, the inflow of air 80 in the service area having low cleanliness is also blocked.

[Effects of the Invention]

Conventionally, according to the cassette index system of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, contaminated air and impurities from the outside are introduced into the cassette index system, thereby contaminating the inside of the station and the wafer.

In order to solve such problems, the present invention proposed includes a gas injection unit having a shield plate on both sides of the station unit, and a gas injection nozzle on the shield plate.

Accordingly, it is possible to shut off the air containing impurities flowing into the station unit 10 and to release the particles remaining in the inside of the station unit 10 to the outside, thereby preventing contamination of the inside of the station unit and the wafer, .

Claims (3)

(10) having a window (12) having an open portion (14) with both sides opened and a wafer cassette being introduced into the interior by a transfer device, and a stopper (20) for supplying a process gas to the station section (10), characterized in that the cassette index system is installed at both side openings (14) of the station section (10) And a supply line 44 for supplying a process gas to the injection nozzle 42. The supply line 44 supplies the process gas to the injection nozzle 42. The supply line 44 supplies the process gas to the injection nozzle 42, And a control valve (46) installed on the supply line (44) for regulating the amount of gas. 2. The cassette indexing system of claim 1, wherein the jetting direction of the jetting nozzle (42) is about 10 deg. In the direction of the blocking plate (30). The cassette index system of claim 1, wherein the process gas is N2 gas.