KR19980068078A - Wafer Transfer Device - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer conveying apparatus for efficiently and smoothly conveying a load in a semiconductor manufacturing line composed of two or more layers by providing a plurality of guides.

According to the present invention, there is provided a wafer transport apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing line, comprising: a vertical support having a motor mounted therein and a roller mounted at both ends thereof; A horizontal support for supporting the vertical support; A conveyor member circulated and conveyed by the motor driving force through the roller; Disclosed is a wafer conveying apparatus comprising a guide connected to the conveyor member to convey the wafer to a plurality of stockers.

According to the present invention described above, the time waiting for the guide during the occurrence of the conveyed article is reduced, so that a large amount of conveyed article can be processed in a short time, and at the same time, the conveyance efficiency of the conveying operation is increased to increase productivity. In addition, the efficiency is even more doubled when running on high-rise manufacturing lines.

Description

Wafer Transfer Device

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer transfer device, and more particularly, to a wafer transfer device for efficiently and smoothly carrying loads in a semiconductor manufacturing line having two or more layers by installing a plurality of guides. .

The semiconductor manufacturing process is generally divided into four unit processes such as a photolithography process, an etch process, a diffusion process, and a metallic process. By repeating and performing these unit processes continuously each other, semiconductor products are finally produced.

Traditionally, in order to continuously execute these unit processes, after one unit process was completed, an engineer in the line carried the wafer directly to the next process.

However, as the manufacturing line is gradually enlarged, the existing single-layer manufacturing line is operated as a high-rise line of two or more layers, so that not only wafer transfer between unit processes provided in the same layer but also automatic transfer between upper and lower layers is performed for process automation. In-line automation is constantly being studied.

1 is an operation explanatory diagram schematically showing the operation of the wafer transfer device according to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wafer transfer device includes a horizontal support 31 including a transfer device control unit (not shown), a stepping motor (not shown), a motor control unit (not shown), and a roller (not shown). ) And a single folding guide 20 for conveying the wafer 23 while moving between the upper stocker 11 and the lower stocker 12.

Referring to FIG. 1, the operation of the wafer transfer apparatus according to the related art will be described. In the state in which the guide 20 is stopped on the lower stocker 2, the upper layer is provided from a local control unit (not shown) provided in the upper stocker 11. When information to convey the wafer 23 loaded on the stocker 11 to the lower stocker 12 is transmitted to the motor controller (not shown), the motor controller (not shown) is mounted on the upper portion of the vertical support 32. A stepping motor (not shown) is driven to drive a roller (not shown) and a conveyor device (eg, a chain) linked thereto. Then, the guide 20 mounted on the conveyor apparatus (not shown) moves to the upper stocker 11 in cooperation with the conveyor apparatus (not shown) and guides the wafer 23 loaded on the upper stocker 11. ), It moves to the lower stocker 12 again, and conveys the wafer 23 to the lower stocker 12.

At this time, when the wafer 23 is loaded on the guide 20 from the upper and lower layer stockers 11 and 12 or the wafer 20 loaded on the guide 20 is transferred to the upper and lower layer stockers 11 and 12. The foldable guide 20 is extended forward to convey the wafer 23.

FIG. 2A is an operation state diagram showing a state when the folding guide moves the upper and lower stockers, and FIG. 2B is an operation state diagram showing the guide state when the wafer is loaded into the guide or conveyed to the stocker. As shown in FIG. 2B, the rail member 21 is interposed in the guide 20 to straighten or collapse.

When the guide 20 is not driven, the guide 20 is located at the upper stocker 11 or the lower stocker 12 to stop.

However, according to this prior art, when the stop position of the guide 20 and the position of the conveying object generating stocker are opposed to each other, the waiting time for the guide 20 is increased, and further, in a production line including three or more layers of stockers. The more time lost through the atmosphere, the greater the impact on the efficiency and efficiency of the work.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above problems of the prior art, to provide a wafer conveying apparatus that greatly improves the efficiency in the work by reducing the waiting time by installing and operating a plurality of guides on the rotary conveyor member. There is this.

1 is a perspective view showing a wafer transfer device according to the prior art

2a and 2b is an operating state diagram illustrating the operation of the guide of FIG.

3 is a perspective view showing a wafer transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the control flow of the wafer transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

11: Upper Stalker 12: Lower Stalker

13: The Middle Stalker 20: Guide

31: horizontal support 32: vertical support

43: local integrated control unit 44: carrier device control unit

45: motor control unit 46: drive unit

According to the present invention for achieving the above object, in the wafer transport apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing line, a vertical support provided with a motor mounted therein and a roller driven by the motor at both ends thereof, and a horizontal support for supporting the vertical support. And a conveyor member circulated by the motor driving force via the roller, and a guide connected to the conveyor member to convey the wafer to a plurality of stockers. The conveying apparatus is started.

Preferably, the guides are installed on the conveyor member so that a plurality of guides are spaced apart by a predetermined distance so that the conveyor can be simultaneously transported from the up and down stockers.

In addition, the wafer transfer device is preferably rotated in one direction and installed on two or more production lines.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same parts as the conventional parts will be given the same reference numerals.

3 is an operation configuration diagram schematically showing the operation of the wafer transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention includes a horizontal support 31 including a transfer unit controller (not shown), a stepping motor (not shown), a motor controller (not shown), and a roller 34. ), The wafer 23 is moved while moving between the vertical support 32 having the support, the conveyor member 33 rotating in conjunction with the motor, the upper stocker 11, the middle stocker 13, and the lower stocker 12. It consists of guides 20 to convey. In addition, in order to prevent the guide 20 from colliding with the narrow distance of the conveyor member 33, it is preferable to install four fixing means 35 up and down two on both sides of the roller 34.

And the guides 20 are connected to the fixing means 22 mounted on the side or the front of the conveyor member 33 so as not to flow up, down, left and right when rotating and transporting the vertical support 32. This embodiment shows only that connected to the side of the conveyor member 33.

In addition, the guide 20 is a folding guide of a plurality of plates, it can be manufactured in a structure of two or more layers so that the wafer can be loaded up and down or more.

And the conveyor member 33 is a chain or a belt and makes the guide 20 rotate in one direction.

4 is a block diagram showing the control flow of the wafer transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, second, and third local controllers 40, 41, 42 mounted on the upper, middle, and lower stockers, respectively, to manage the conveying information of the wafers loaded on the stockers; and the local controllers 40, 41, A local integrated control unit 43 for collectively managing the information of 42), a carrier unit 44 and a vertical support for driving the carrier according to the information mounted on the horizontal support and transmitted from the local integrated control unit 43; Is mounted on the drive unit 46, for example, consisting of a motor control unit 45 for controlling the stepping motor.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the operation of the wafer conveying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The conveying apparatus controller 44 which has received information about the wafer conveyance of each stocker from the local integrated controller 43 is vertical. The control signal is sent to the motor control unit 45 mounted in the support 32. Accordingly, the motor control unit 45 drives a stepping motor (not shown) so that the conveyor member 33 rotates and the guide 20 also rotates. It works together. At this time, if the signal received by the conveying device control unit 44 is a control signal for conveying the wafer of the middle layer stocker 13 to the upper layer stocker 11, the guide 20 at the position closest to the middle layer stocker is conveyed. This operation can significantly reduce the guide travel time generated in the prior art conveying with one guide, thereby improving work efficiency.

In addition, in consideration of the position of each stocker (11, 12, 13) in accordance with the control signal of the local integrated control unit 43 and the conveying unit control unit 44, the guide 20, the distance of which is adjusted, may carry out the conveying operation at the same time. have.

As such, when the conveying operation is performed at the same time, not only the conveying efficiency is greatly improved but also the working efficiency is increased.

According to the present invention as described above, by installing a plurality of guides in the rotary member that is rotatable, the guide located at the shortest distance from the cargo generating stocker receives the conveyed material, which significantly reduces the waiting time of the guide and adjusts the separation distance between the guides well. Therefore, the conveying operation is performed at the top and bottom stockers at the same time, thereby greatly improving the conveying efficiency.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it is apparent that many modifications are possible by those skilled in the art within the technical spirit of the present invention.

Claims (10)

In the wafer transfer apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing line, A vertical support having a motor mounted therein and a roller installed at both ends thereof, the roller being driven by the motor; A horizontal support for supporting the vertical support; A conveyor member circulated and conveyed by the motor driving force through the roller; And a guide connected to the conveyor member to convey the wafer to a plurality of stockers. The wafer conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide is a folding guide composed of a plurality of plates. The wafer conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the guides are provided on the conveyor member. The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 3, wherein the guides are spaced apart by a predetermined distance so that the guides can be simultaneously transported from the up and down stockers. The wafer conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide is connected to the conveyor member so that the guide does not flow when the vertical support is rotated and conveyed. 6. A wafer conveying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said guide is connected to a fixing means which is mounted and extended on a predetermined portion of said conveyor member. The wafer transfer apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined portion is a front surface of the conveyor member. The wafer conveying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined portion is a side surface of the conveyor member. The wafer conveyance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor member is a chain. The wafer conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor member is a belt.