KR100853147B1 - Device for arraying wafer in wet station and method to array wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wafer sorting apparatus of a wet cleaning apparatus, comprising: a switching unit for mirror-inverting by rotating one of the first and second wafer groups sequentially supplied in a horizontal state about a horizontal axis by 180 degrees; In the present invention, the wafer alignment apparatus of the wet cleaning apparatus including a pusher unit receiving the first and second wafer groups continuously and receiving the wafers of the first and second wafer groups face to each other. According to the present invention, since a plurality of wafers are accommodated in a face-to-face manner, the operation of the pusher unit is simplified to minimize the time required for this, thereby shortening the text time required for the entire process, thereby improving throughput.

Wafer, Aligner, Mirror, Face-to-Face, Posture

Description

Device for arraying wafer in wet station and method to array wafer}

1 is a schematic plan view of a conventional side type wet cleaning equipment.

2a to 2d is an operation state diagram for explaining the wafer alignment operation in the wafer alignment apparatus of the conventional wet cleaning equipment.

Figure 3 is a front view showing an embodiment of the conversion unit in the wafer alignment device of the wet cleaning apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an exemplary conversion unit in the wafer alignment device of the wet cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

5A to 5D are diagrams illustrating one embodiment of a wafer alignment operation in the wafer alignment device of the wet cleaning apparatus shown in FIG.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

100: dumping robot 500: conversion unit

510: first rotation base 511: slot bar

512: first driving means 520: second rotational base

521: wafer guide 522: second driving means

530: frame 540: base

600: pusher unit 610: wafer guide

620: lifting means

The present invention relates to a wafer sorting apparatus of a wet cleaning apparatus, and more particularly, to a wafer sorting apparatus of a wet cleaning apparatus that can accommodate a plurality of wafers in a face-to-face manner.

In general, a semiconductor substrate used for manufacturing a semiconductor device, for example, a silicon wafer may be contaminated by various particles, metal impurities, organic matters, and so on, so that the yield and reliability of a product may be seriously degraded. A cleaning process is performed to remove the above contaminants.

In particular, as the design rule of the semiconductor device circuit pattern is refined, the cleaning process for removing such contaminants becomes more important. As such a method of cleaning a semiconductor substrate, a dry cleaning method by plasma treatment or ultraviolet irradiation, and a wet cleaning method using a cleaning solution have been proposed.

The wet cleaning method has the advantages of low device cost and excellent throughput, simultaneous removal of various kinds of contamination, and simultaneous batch processing or front and rear cleaning depending on the installation method. To achieve.

In particular, in the cleaning of the photomask substrate for reduction projection exposure to which the design rule is generally applied five times or more larger than that of the semiconductor substrate, the above-described wet cleaning method is mainly adopted.

Conventional wet cleaning equipment to which the wet cleaning method is applied may be classified into a front type and a side type according to a substrate treatment method.

The front-type wet cleaning equipment loads the substrate to be wet-cleaned to one side of the equipment and unloads the wet-cleaned substrate to the other side of the equipment, while the side-type wet cleaning equipment is equipped with the substrate to be wet-cleaned. One side of the loading and the wet-cleaned substrate is unloaded to the loaded side.

1 is a schematic plan view of a conventional side type wet cleaning equipment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional side type wet cleaning apparatus is loaded with a fop (not shown) in which a predetermined number of wafer groups to be cleaned are loaded, and the wafer group inside the pool is removed or the corresponding wafer group is cleaned. Wet cleaning of the loading / unloading zone 910 for carrying in and unloading the wafer, the transfer section 920 through which the wafer group carried out from the pool passes, and the wafer group passed through the transfer section 920. And a wet wash zone 930 to process.

In the loading / unloading zone 910, a dumping robot 100 for carrying out a group of wafers to be cleaned stored inside the pool to the outside of the pool or bringing a group of wafers to be cleaned into the pool, and the dumping robot 100 ) A conversion unit 200 for receiving a wafer group in a horizontal posture and converting it into a vertical posture, a first pusher unit 300 receiving a wafer group in a vertical posture from the conversion unit 200, and a wet cleaning zone ( The second pusher unit 400 receives the wafer group cleaned at 930.

The wafer group of the first pusher unit 300 is transferred to the shuttle 700, and the shuttle 700 is horizontally moved from one side to the other side along the transfer path of the transfer unit 920 and mounted on the shuttle 700. The wafer group is transferred to the beginning of the wet cleaning zone 930.

After being delivered to the second pusher unit 400 which has been cleaned in the wet cleaning zone 930, the transfer unit 200 is sequentially loaded through the conversion unit 200 and the dumping robot 100, and then unloaded.

Meanwhile, the first and second pusher units 300 and 400 should be accommodated in a face to face manner in which a plurality of wafers face each other.

That is, mirror mirroring is a process of continuously arranging a plurality of wafers in a face-to-face manner, ie, facing the same mirror surface, and in order to prevent recontamination by mutual particles between adjacent wafers when collectively cleaning a predetermined number of wafer groups. To be done.

2a to 2d is an operation state diagram for explaining the wafer alignment operation in the wafer alignment apparatus of the conventional wet cleaning equipment.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the first wafer group W1 is stored in the wafer guide 110 of the dumping robot 100, and the dumping robot 100 includes, for example, a guide rail and a slider. It is horizontally moved toward the switching unit 200 by the horizontal moving means.

At this time, as described above, the wafer guide 110 has 25 first wafer groups W1 housed therein, and the first wafer group W1 has a second wafer group W2 to be described later therebetween. It is spaced apart by a predetermined interval so that it can be.

The conversion unit 200 is a state in which the first wafer guide 210 is vertically upright in order to receive the first wafer group W1 from the dumping robot 100, and the first pusher unit 300 is a second wafer. The guide 310 is positioned to be spaced apart from the switching unit 200 by a predetermined distance.

In the above state, when the dumping robot 100 is moved horizontally forward, the first wafer group (W1) is the first wafer guide of the switching unit 200 as shown in Figure 2b when the horizontal movement is completed And the dumping robot 100 is moved rearward to receive the second wafer group W2.

As described above, when the first wafer group W1 is accommodated in the first wafer guide 210 of the switching unit 200, the first wafer guide 210 may be converted to a vertical posture. Rotate 90 degrees downward.

At this time, the first pusher unit 300 is moved to the switching unit 200 by the moving means 330, the movement is completed at a position that can receive the first wafer group (W1) converted to the vertical position. .

Accordingly, the first pusher unit 300 is lifted by the lifting means 340 to receive the first wafer group W1 into the slot 311 of the second wafer guide 310.

When the first wafer group W1 is accommodated in the second wafer guide 310 through the above process, the first wafer guide 210 of the switching unit 200 is rotated upward by 90 degrees as shown in FIG. At the same time, the second wafer guide 310 is lowered by the lifting means 340, and in this state, the second wafer guide 310 is rotated 180 degrees about the vertical axis by the motor 320. The mirror surface of the previously stored first wafer group W1 is inverted.

At the same time, the conversion unit 200 is supplied with 25 second wafer groups W2 from the dumping robot 100 as shown in FIG. 2D, and the first wafer guide is configured so that the second wafer groups W2 are converted to the vertical posture. Rotate 210 down 90 degrees.

Thereafter, the second wafer guide 310 of the first pusher unit 300 is lifted by the elevating means 340 to receive and receive the second wafer group W2, whereby the second wafer guide 310 ) Is pitched forward or backward by the moving means 330 so that each wafer of the second wafer group W2 can be seated facing each other between the wafers of the first wafer group W1 seated first. After moving as much as possible by the lifting means.

Meanwhile, the shorter the operation time and standby time of the pusher unit for implementing the face-to-face method in the wafer alignment device of the conventional side type wet cleaning equipment, the shorter the text time required for the entire process, but the wafer of the conventional wet cleaning equipment. The alignment device has a problem in that the pusher unit rotates 180 degrees and the pitch time is increased for the face-to-face implementation, thereby increasing the text time required for the entire fixing and reducing the throughput.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a wafer sorting apparatus of a wet cleaning apparatus capable of minimizing the time required for the operation of the pusher unit while accommodating the wafer in a face-to-face manner.

The present invention for achieving the above object, the first and second wafer groups sequentially supplied in a horizontal state by rotating the mirror unit 180 degrees around the horizontal axis and the mirror unit and the conversion unit, And a pusher unit receiving the first and second wafer groups continuously and receiving the wafers of the first and second wafer groups facing each other.

In another aspect, the present invention, (a) converting the first wafer group supplied in the horizontal state to the vertical posture, (b) receiving the first wafer group converted to the vertical posture in the vertical direction, and (c) Receiving a second wafer group in a horizontal state and converting it into a vertical position and simultaneously rotating the second wafer group in a mirror-inverted manner; (d) a second wafer between each wafer of the first wafer group previously stored; And inserting each wafer of the group in a vertical direction to receive in a face-to-face manner so as to face each other.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following embodiments are provided to those skilled in the art to fully understand the present invention, and may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention is limited to the embodiments described below. It is not. Like numbers refer to like elements in the figures.

Figure 3 is a front view showing a switching unit in the wafer alignment device of the wet cleaning equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is an embodiment showing the switching unit in the wafer alignment device of the wet cleaning equipment shown in FIG. 5A to 5D are plan views illustrating a wafer alignment operation in the wafer alignment device of the wet cleaning apparatus shown in FIG.

3 to 5D, the wafer sorting apparatus of the wet cleaning apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention has a horizontal axis in which one of the first and second wafer groups W1 and W2 are sequentially supplied in a horizontal state. The wafer 180 of the first and second wafer groups W2 by continuously receiving the first and second wafer groups W2 and the switching unit 500 for mirror-inverting by rotating the mirror 180 degrees around the first and second wafer groups W2. They include a pusher unit 600 facing each other mirror face to face method.

In the above, the conversion unit 500 converts the first and second wafer groups W1 and W2 into the vertical posture, and the pusher unit 600 converts the first and second wafer groups W1 and W2 into the vertical posture. ) Is preferably received in the vertical direction.

Therefore, the conversion unit 500 and the pusher unit 600 have an advantage of being able to transfer and take over a group of wafers in a fixed position without having to move relative to each other in the horizontal direction. The pusher unit 600 has to be elevated in the vertical direction to receive the wafer group from the conversion unit 500.

In the above, the switching unit 500 is a first rotating substrate 510 for mirror-inverting by rotating one of the first and second wafer groups (W1, W2) 180 degrees about a horizontal axis, and the first and second It is preferable to include a second rotating substrate 520 for converting the wafer groups W1 and W2 into the vertical posture.

The conversion unit 500 rotates one of the wafer groups W1 or W2 of the first wafer group W1 and the second wafer group W2 by the first rotational substrate 510 to perform mirror-inversion. It is possible to switch the first and second wafer groups W2 to the vertical position by the second pivot base 520.

As described above, the conversion unit 500 has a merit that the mirror surface reversal and attitude change of the wafer can be smoothly achieved by a relatively simple configuration by the first rotating base 510 and the second rotating base 520 separately installed. .

In the above description, the first rotational substrate 510 includes a slot bar 511 having a plurality of slots 511a for receiving a wafer, and first driving means 512 for rotating the slot bar 511. desirable.

For example, the slot bar 511 is formed with a number of slots 511a corresponding to the first wafer group W1 having 25 wafers as one unit, and the wafer guide 521 to be described later. While being rotatably installed on the other hand, it is rotated 180 degrees by the first driving means 512 installed on the wafer guide 521 to mirror-turn the wafer group W1 or W2.

In the above, the second pivot base 520 is a wafer guide 521 in which the slot bar 511 is rotatably installed and the first driving means 512 is installed, and the wafer guide 521 is rotated. It is preferable to include two driving means (522).

The wafer guide 521 is rotatably installed at an inner side slot bar 511 of the wafer guide 521 and fixedly mounted to a frame 530 rotatably installed at the base 540. Accordingly, the wafer guide 521 is rotated 90 degrees with the frame 530 by the second driving means 522 fixed to the base 540 to move the first and second wafer groups W1 and W2 in a horizontal position. Switch to vertical position.

In addition, the wafer guide 521 coupled with the slot bar 511 does not interfere with the wafer when receiving the first or second wafer groups W1 and W2 from the dumping robot 100 (see FIGS. 5A to 5D). So as to be horizontally moved outward from each other.

For example, the wafer guide 521 may be mutually coupled on the frame 530 by conventional horizontal moving means such as a guide rail and a slider, and may be horizontally moved on the frame 530 by conventional driving means such as a motor or a cylinder. have.

Accordingly, the pair of wafer guides 521 are horizontally moved in a direction away from each other before receiving the first or second wafer groups W1 and W2, and the dumping robot 100 moves to the first or second wafer groups W1 and W2. Entering between the pair of wafer guides 521 moves back to its original state to press and hold both sides of the wafer.

Accordingly, the first and second wafer groups W1 and W2 are not dropped by the first pivot base 510 and the second pivot base 520 even when the pivot for the mirror and the rotation for the attitude change are not dropped. 511 may be held continuously.

In the above, it is preferable that the slot bar 511 is eccentrically rotated by one pitch at the center of the longitudinal direction in which the slot 511a is formed.

Specifically, the slot bar 511 is enlarged in FIG. 3 and the rotational center (indicated by the center line) is eccentric by one pitch P at the longitudinal center (indicated by the two-dot chain lines) in which the slot 511a is formed.

Therefore, when the slot bar 511 is rotated for the mirror surface reversal of the wafer group, the conversion unit 500 transmits the wafer group to the pusher unit 600 in a state of one pitch shift than before the rotation.

For example, the switching unit 500 accommodates the first wafer group W1 in the pusher unit 600 without being mirror-reversed, and mirror-reverses the second wafer group W2 in the pusher unit 600 before storing it. It is housed in the pusher unit 600 while being moved by one pitch.

At this time, since the switching unit 500 is a state in which the second wafer group W2 is mirror-inverted and moved by one pitch, the second wafer is interposed between the wafers of the first wafer group W1 previously stored in the pusher unit 600. Each wafer in the group W2 can be received without interference.

Finally, each of the wafers of the first and second wafer groups W1 and W2 is received in the pusher unit 600 in a face-to-face manner.

As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the pusher unit 600 performs a lifting operation of receiving the first wafer group W1 and the second wafer group W2 in the vertical direction to receive the wafer in a face-to-face manner. Except for performing, it is not necessary to rotate 180 degrees and perform one pitch shift as in the prior art.

Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, there is an advantage of simplifying the operation of the pusher unit 600 receiving the wafer in a face-to-face manner and minimizing the time required for this.

Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the switching unit 500 switches the first and second wafer groups W2 to the vertical position and at the same time any one of the first and second wafer groups W1 and W2. Since one wafer group (W1 or W2) is rotated 180 degrees to mirror the reverse, there is an advantage of reducing the time required to implement the face-to-face method in the final pusher unit 600.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the wafer guide 110 of the dumping robot 100 is in a state where 25 first wafer groups W1 are accommodated, and the dumping robot 100 is, for example, a guide rail and a slider. It is horizontally moved toward the switching unit 500 by the horizontal moving means of. At this time, as described above, the wafer guide 110 has 25 first wafer groups W1 housed therein, and the first wafer group W1 has a second wafer group W2 to be described later therebetween. It is spaced apart by a predetermined interval so that it can be.

The conversion unit 500 is in a state in which the wafer guide 521 is vertically upright so as to receive the first wafer group W1 from the dumping robot 100, and the pusher unit 600 has the wafer guide 610 inverted. The unit 500 is positioned to be spaced apart from the predetermined distance.

In the above state, when the dumping robot 100 is moved horizontally forward, at the time when the horizontal movement is completed, the first wafer group (W1) is a wafer guide 521 of the conversion unit 500 as shown in Figure 5b ), The dumping robot 100 is moved rearward to receive the second wafer group W2.

As described above, when the first wafer group W1 is accommodated in the wafer guide 521 of the switching unit 500, the wafer guide 521 is rotated 90 degrees downward so that the first wafer group W1 is converted into a vertical position. Let's do it.

Therefore, ascending by the lifting means 620 of the pusher unit 600 receives the first wafer group (W1) in the slot 611 of the wafer guide 610.

When the first wafer group W1 is accommodated in the wafer guide 610 through the above process, the wafer guide 521 of the conversion unit 500 is rotated upward by 90 degrees and returned to the initial position as shown in FIG. 5C. At the same time, the wafer guide 610 is lowered by the elevating means 620.

Next, the conversion unit 500 is a wafer guide 521 so that the second wafer group W2 is converted into a vertical position in a state in which 25 second wafer groups W2 are supplied from the dumping robot 100 as shown in FIG. 5D. Rotates the slot bar 511 (see FIG. 3) by 180 degrees to mirror the second wafer group W2 at the same time.

In particular, the switching unit 500 mirror-reverses the second wafer group W2 so as to be supplied to the pusher unit 600 in a state of shifting by one pitch as described above.

Thereafter, the wafer guide 610 of the pusher unit 600 is lifted by the elevating means 620 to receive and receive the second wafer group W2, where the wafer guide 610 is first mounted. Each wafer of the second wafer group W2 is seated to face each other between the wafers of the first wafer group W1.

Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and has ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the concept of the present invention. Various changes and modifications are possible by the user.

As described above, the present invention minimizes the time required by simplifying the operation of the pusher unit while accommodating a plurality of wafers in a face-to-face manner, thereby improving throughput by shortening the text time required for the entire process. .

Claims (7)

A switching unit configured to mirror-reverse one of the first and second wafer groups sequentially supplied in the horizontal state by rotating the lens 180 degrees about the horizontal axis; And And a pusher unit receiving the first and second wafer groups continuously from the conversion unit and receiving the wafers of the first and second wafer groups facing each other. The conversion unit converts the first and second wafer groups in a vertical position, The pusher unit is a wafer sorting apparatus of the wet cleaning equipment, characterized in that for receiving the first and second wafer groups are converted to the vertical position in the vertical direction. delete The method of claim 1, The conversion unit, A first rotating substrate for mirror-reversing one of the first and second wafer groups by rotating 180 degrees about the horizontal axis; And A wafer sorting apparatus for a wet cleaning apparatus comprising a second rotating substrate for converting a first and a second wafer group into a vertical position. The method of claim 3, The first rotational base, A slot bar having a plurality of slots in which a wafer is accommodated; And And a first driving means for rotating the slot bar. The method of claim 4, wherein The second rotation base, A wafer guide on which the slot bar is rotatably installed and on which the first driving means is installed; And And a second driving means for rotating the wafer guide. The method according to claim 4 or 5, The slot bar is a wafer sorting apparatus of the wet cleaning equipment, characterized in that the center of rotation of the slot is eccentric by one pitch from the longitudinal center in which the slot is formed. (a) converting the first group of wafers supplied in a horizontal state into a vertical position; (b) receiving the first group of wafers converted into a vertical position in a vertical direction; (c) receiving a second wafer group in a horizontal state and converting it into a vertical position and simultaneously rotating the second wafer group 180 degrees about a horizontal axis such that the second wafer group is mirror-inverted; And (d) inserting each wafer of the second wafer group in a vertical direction between the wafers of the first wafer group previously stored and receiving the wafers in a face-to-face manner so as to face each other.

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