KR19980076785A - Wafer Transfer Device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wafer transfer device that can easily transfer a cassette containing a wafer to another cassette in accordance with the conditions of the work process in a semiconductor production line, in particular a wafer contained in the cassette The alignment of the wafer flat zone by the alignment driving device and the process of transferring the wafers suitable for the size and use of the cassette required according to the working conditions of each process are integrated. To minimize the contamination of the wafer by reducing the contact area of the tooth with the outer circumferential surface of the wafer, and to select materials with abrasion resistance, low friction coefficient and high elasticity, it maintains high cleanliness and shows excellent performance in preventing static electricity. And the process of alignment at the same time, To simplify the process is a useful invention that can actively prevent the raw materials and reducing wafer damage.

Description

Wafer Transfer Device

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a wafer transfer device capable of easily transferring a wafer having a different size and use in a semiconductor production line from a cassette in which a wafer is stored to another cassette according to the working conditions of each process. The process of semiconductor wafers is integrated by integrating the wafers into a cassette suitable for the size and use of the cassette according to the working conditions of each process. The present invention relates to a wafer transfer apparatus that can greatly improve mass productivity and can simplify the process to prevent raw material reduction and damage to the wafer.

In general, as semiconductor device density increases and wafer size increases, the control of dust or foreign matter on the wafer becomes an important challenge during the manufacturing process, which leads to the development of unmanned manufacturing facilities. have.

The wafer transfer apparatus according to the prior art has a transfer method by a vacuum twezzer which injects air and grips the wafer with a suction plate made in a vacuum state to transfer them individually.

However, the transfer method by the VACUUM TWEZZER, which transfers the wafer to the suction plate forming the vacuum state by injecting the conventional air as described above, has a problem of low workability and concern of damage to the wafer.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to move the wafer flat zone up and down by performing a wafer transfer operation in a single device, while at the same time making the wafer flat zone uniformly aligned. It is possible to align the wafer flat zone by setting the direction at any position on the left or right side, so that the identification number of the wafer flat zone can be easily detected during the working process to secure the work efficiency. Furthermore, the work process can be simplified by improving the work efficiency. It is to provide a wafer transfer apparatus that can be maximized.

1 is a perspective view showing a wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention

Figure 2 is a front sectional view showing the internal structure of the wafer transfer device according to the invention

Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the interior of the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the inside of the rear of the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention;

5 is a plan view showing the top of the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention;

6 is a view showing the tooth shape of the holder slot mounted to the holder according to the present invention, (A) is a front view showing the angle of the tooth structure and the uneven surface of the holder slot, (B) is a side view, (C) is Floor plan

Figure 7 is a view showing the teeth and angles of the pusher slot mounted on the pusher according to the present invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view.

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

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wafer transfer apparatus 2 and 2a: 1st and 2nd alignment part

4, 4a: first and second lift unit 6: elevator

7: driving belt 8: bearing housing

10: drive pulley 12: position sensor

14 screw rod 16 pusher

18 roller 20 cassette end

22: cassette 24: pusher slot

26: holder 28: holder slot

30 head portion 32 support bracket

34 case 36 support shaft

38: fixed rod 42, 42a: trust plate

46: nut 50: reinforcement plate

52: guide 54: support rod

56: groove 58: guide

60 transfer part 62 transfer plate body

64: guide rail 66: feed bracket

68, 68a: first and second end bracket 70: support

72, 72a: arm 74: long hole

76: cover 78: guide bracket

82: sensor dog 84: inclined surface

86: groove M1: first stepping motor

M2: second stepping motor M3: third stepping motor

M4: 4th Stepping Motor W: Wafer

A wafer transfer device according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the one side and the other side consisting of two rollers and a first stepping motor mounted on two cassette stages respectively for seating the cassette containing the wafer has the same configuration The first and second alignment parts, the elevator supporting the pusher slot having a plurality of teeth on both sides of the two rollers and the pusher fixing the lower end, and the upper end are supported by the bearing housing, and the lower end is supported by the screw rod and the driving pulley. The first and second lifting parts having the same configuration as one side and the other side made of two stepping motors, and a transfer bracket slidably inserted into guide rails fixed to the support of both ends at the rear of the cassette end and the upper end of the transfer bracket. Fixed guide plate and guide bracket at bottom and inserted into this guide bracket A transfer part consisting of a screw rod, a reinforcement plate formed at an upper end of a support rod fixed to an upper end surface of the transfer plate body of the transfer part, a case surrounding the configuration, and a top end and a bottom end of the screw rod extended from the case and mounted in the center; A third stepping motor having a nut and a driving pulley inserted into the thrust plate and the screw rod having a groove and a guide piece formed on an outer diameter surface thereof, and one end fixed to a support shaft formed on both sides of the case, and the other end of the nut is formed by a fastener. One end is connected to both arms and the support shaft is inserted into the groove formed in the outer diameter surface and the other end is fixed to the support bracket, the holder is equipped with a holder slot on the outer diameter surface and the fixed rod for supporting the support bracket And an upper end to surround the alignment part, the lifting part, and the conveying part so that the support rod supporting the head part can flow left and right. The cover is formed with a long hole, is made.

Therefore, the wafer transfer apparatus according to the above configuration aligns the wafer flat zone uniformly at one end of the cassette by the alignment unit, and then raises and lowers the pusher slot having a plurality of teeth by the elevator of the elevator unit and is mounted on the head unit. A holder equipped with a holder slot having a dimension corresponding to the pusher slot of the lifter grips the wafer of the pusher slot containing the plurality of wafers and transfers the wafer to the cassette end of the other side by moving the left and right of the transfer unit. By storing in a cassette to be used in the process, it is possible to ensure stability by preventing wafer damage occurring during the transfer operation as well as the easy transfer operation.

In addition to the above configuration, it is preferable that the inclined surfaces of the teeth and valleys of the teeth of the holder slot fixed to the holder of the head portion are rounded so as to have the same slope as the outer circumferential surface diameter of the wafer.

Accordingly, the teeth of the holder slot according to the above configuration make maximum contact with the outer circumferential surface of the wafer, thereby preventing lifting and shaking in the holder slot according to the size of the wafer.

In addition to the above configuration, it is preferable that the material of the holder slot of the head portion is a peak material.

Therefore, the holder slot according to the above configuration can block foreign substances and dust due to static electricity generated when the wafer contacts the wafer, maintain high cleanliness and have conductivity, and thus have an excellent effect on preventing static electricity.

EXAMPLE

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention constituting the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

1 is a perspective view showing a wafer transfer device according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a front sectional view showing the internal structure of the wafer transfer device according to the invention, Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the inside of the wafer transfer device according to the invention, 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the inside of the rear of the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an upper portion of the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a tooth shape of a holder slot mounted to a holder according to the present invention. (A) is a front view showing the angle of the tooth slot structure and uneven surface of the holder slot, (B) is a side view, (C) is a plan view, Figure 7 is a tooth of the pusher slot mounted to the pusher according to the invention (A) is a front view, (b) is a side view.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention includes two rollers 18 and two rollers 18 at two cassette stages 20 for seating the cassettes 22 containing the wafers W. As shown in FIG. First and second alignment parts 2 and 2a having the same configuration as one side and the other side, which are made of the first stepping motor M1 for rotating the two rollers 18 by the drive belt 7, On both sides of the two rollers 18, a pusher slot 24 having a plurality of teeth, an elevator 6 supporting lower ends of both sides of the pusher slot 24, and penetrating the center of the elevator 6 Supported by the bearing housing (8) and the lower end is a screw rod 14 supported by the drive pulley (10) and the second stepping motor (M2) for applying the drive by the drive belt (7) to the drive pulley (10) The first and second lifting portions 4 and 4a having one side and the other side having the same configuration, and the rear of the cassette stage 20. A transfer bracket 66 and an upper end of the transfer bracket 66 which are positioned at the lower end and make sliding insertion into the guide rail 64 having a fixed shape by bolting to the supports 70 at both ends of the cover 76. A guide bracket 78 having a lead plate formed at a lower end and a transfer plate body 62 fixed to the bottom plate is formed and is inserted into the guide bracket 78 to support 70 at both ends of the cover 76. The conveyance part 60 which consists of the screw rod 14 which is supported by the formed bearing housing 8, and moves the said guide bracket 78, and the lower end is fixed to the upper end surface of the conveyance plate body 62 of the said conveyance part 60, Two supporting rods 54 are supported on the reinforcement plate 50 formed at the top and the case 34 which is seated on the upper surface of the reinforcement plate 50 and encloses the internal configuration, and is integrally extended at one side of the case 34. The upper and lower ends of the centrally mounted screw rods 14 Inserted into the thrust plate 42 and the screw rod 14, the nut 46 and the lower end of the screw rod 14 formed with a groove 56 and a guide piece 58 of a predetermined shape on the outer diameter surface is the lower end The drive pulley 10 which penetrates through the said thrust plate 42 formed in this, and the 3rd stepping motor M3 and the case 34 which apply drive to the drive pulley 10 by the drive belt 7 One end is fixed to the support shaft 36 inside the support shaft 36 formed to both sides of the outside and the other end is formed with a circular groove formed in the outer diameter surface of the nut 46 is formed in a circular fastener 56 The arm 72 on both sides and the support shaft extending outwardly by the rotation of the screw rod 14 by the rotation of the screw rod 14 around the support shaft 36 to make a close insertion. One end is connected to the 36 and the other end is fixed to the support bracket 32 formed at the front, and a plurality of teeth are formed on the outer diameter surface. A head portion 30 having a fixing rod 38 bolted to the inside of the case 34 to fix and support the holder 26 mounted with the slotted slot and the support bracket 32; The second alignment parts 2, 2a, the first and second lifting parts 4, 4a, and the transfer part 60 are wrapped and fixed to the square plate-shaped transfer plate body 62 of the transfer part 60. The support rod 54 is made of a cover 76 is formed with a long hole 74 is formed at the top so that the left and right flow.

Referring to the assembly operation of the wafer transfer device according to the present invention made of the above configuration.

First, the cassette 22 containing the wafer W is seated on the cassette end 20 on one side, so that the two rollers 18 of the first alignment unit 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the wafer W are brought into contact with each other. The pusher slots are arranged on both sides of the roller 18 so that the wafer flat zone is aligned at the set position by the roller 18 rotated by the first stepping motor M1 of the first alignment part 2. The pusher 16 on both sides supporting the lower end of 24 is lifted by the elevator 6 inserted into the screw rod 14 as the second stepping motor M2 rotates. ) Is accommodated in the teeth of the pusher slot 24 while being raised to the portion where the holder 26 of the head portion 30 is located.

At this time, the holder 26 of the head portion 30 remains open to both sides, and the pusher slot 24 supported by the elevator 6 of the lifting portion receives the wafer W in the state of being accommodated. At the point where the wafer W is detected by the position sensor 12 of the head portion 30, the third stepping motor M3 of the head portion 30 is rotated and driven by the driving belt 7. The guide piece 58 of the nut 46 inserted into the screw rod 14 is rotated by rotating the driving pulley 10 to slide upward on the sieve inserted into the guide 52 integrated in the case 34. The arm 72, which is raised and inserted into the groove 56 formed on the outer diameter surface of the nut 46, moves upwards like the nut 46 and is supported by the support shaft 36 to the outside. (26) is narrowed inward.

In this case, the holder 26 is perpendicular to the support shaft 36 and the holder slot 28 fixed to the holder 26 is perpendicular to the holder 26 to the inside to form the wafer W. Make contact with the outer circumferential surface.

Meanwhile, the pusher slot 24 supported and lifted by the elevator 6 of the first lifting unit 4 is located at the top dead center so that the holder 26 of the head unit 30 is narrowed inward. The elevator 6 supporting the pusher slot 24 by the second stepping motor M2 returns to its original state.

At this time, the position of the elevator 6 is detected by the position sensor 12 installed on one side of the pusher 16 of the lifting unit to detect the position and operation of the elevator 6.

Subsequently, the pusher 16 of the first lifting unit 4 is lowered to an initial state so that the wafer W is seated on the tooth of the head slot holder holder 28 and the first lifting unit ( 4, the fourth stepping motor M4 is driven in a state where the holder 26 of the head part 30 seats the wafer W, when the pusher slot 24 senses the downward movement. And the guide bracket 78 is mounted on the rotating screw rod 14 supported by the bearing housing 8 of the first and second end brackets 68 and 68a supported by the support 70 on both sides. In the long hole 74 formed in the upper end of the cover 76 in the state in which the head portion 30 is supported by the support rod 54 to move to the cassette end 20 of the other side along the guide rail 64 In the other end is transferred to the cassette end 20.

At this time, the movement of the guide bracket 78 of the transfer unit 60 is detected by the dog of the position sensor 12 installed in the guide bracket 78.

Meanwhile, the second lifter 4a that detects the transfer of the head unit 30 by the transfer unit 60 drives the fifth stepping motor M5 to support the pusher slot 24. 16 is lifted up by the elevator 6 by the screw rod 14 to a position spaced apart by a predetermined interval on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the wafer (W) where the holder 26 of the head portion 30 is located. At this time, the head part 30 which detects that the elevator 6 is located to the highest top dead center by the position sensor 12 of the second lifting unit 4a initially rotates the third stepping motor M3. The nut 46 is lowered by driving in the opposite direction, and the arm 72 inserted into the groove 56 of the nut 46 is lowered downward, and the support shaft 36 fixing the arm 72 is lowered. Opening the holder 26 extending to the outside to the outside to the outside to open the wafer W on the second lifting portion 4a. It will be seated in the teeth of the pusher slot 24.

In addition, the fifth stepping motor M5 of the second lifting unit 4a that detects the open state of the arm 72 of the head unit 30 is driven so that the elevator 6 causes the pusher 16 to move. The wafer (W) stored in the pusher slot 24 supported in the ()) is lowered to accommodate the cassette end 20, the cassette 22 of the other end is completed to complete the operation.

This operation is not limited to the operation of transferring only one side from the cassette end 20 on one side to the cassette end 20 on the other side, and the first and second alignment parts 2 on both sides according to the working conditions and the necessity. 2a) and the first and second lifting portions 4 and 4a may alternately use the cassette stages 20 on both sides in the same configuration and operation.

Figure 6 is a view showing the tooth shape of the holder slot mounted to the holder according to the present invention, (a) is a front view showing the angle of the tooth structure and uneven surface of the holder slot, (b) is a side cross-sectional view, (c) Is a top view.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 6, the inclination angle of the acid and the acid forms a 40 ° and the protruding portions of the acid are rounded to prevent damage of the wafer W to the maximum and the wafer W is inserted. The groove to form a vertical shape such that the scrap portion formed on the outer circumferential surface of the wafer (W) was to prevent damage due to the shaking of the wafer (W) generated during the transfer.

In addition, as shown in (b) of FIG. 6, the inclined surface 84 of the grooves 86 of the peaks and valleys of the holder slot 28 is inclined at the same time as the diameter R200 of the wafer W. It is formed to be round and round the shape of the corners of the top and bottom of the teeth, and in particular to form the shape of the mountain of the lower portion inclined upward by 30 ° to prevent damage when the wafer (W) is seated and in contact Maintaining high cleanliness by using a special synthetic resin material having abrasion resistance, low friction coefficient, and high elasticity when the material of the holder slot 28 is in contact with the wafer W while allowing a more stable contact, It also had an excellent effect.

In addition, the area of the slot is limited to two sides of the wafer W on both sides of the wafer W in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the wafer W, and the contact area is larger than that of the suction method by the vacuum transfer technique, which is a conventional transfer method. By minimizing this, contamination of the contacts can be minimized.

Figure 7 is a view showing the teeth and angles of the pusher slot mounted on the pusher 16 according to the present invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view.

As shown in FIG. 6, the shape of the tooth of the pusher slot 24 is formed so that the inner surface of the recess 86 on which the outer circumferential surface of the wafer W is seated is almost vertical, and the inclined angle of the protruding peak and the peak is 40. In order to achieve the stability of the wafer (W).

In addition, as shown in (b) of FIG. 7, the inclined surface 84 is formed to match the diameter of the wafer W so that the angle in which the acid is inclined inward makes the same contact with the outer circumferential surface of the wafer W. As a result, more stable lifting can be achieved in the state where the wafer W is stored.

As described above, the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention includes a process of constantly arranging wafer flat zones and a process of transferring wafers to a cassette suitable for the size and use of the cassette required according to the working conditions of each process. Simplify and minimize the area of the holder slot fixed to the holder to two sides on both sides in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the wafer to minimize contamination of the contacts in contact with the wafer, and the material has abrasion resistance, low friction coefficient and high elasticity. By selecting a special synthetic resin material, it maintains high cleanliness and has excellent performance in preventing static electricity. It also has a useful effect of simplifying the work process by actively aligning and transferring work, thereby reducing raw materials and damaging wafers.

Claims (4)

First and second alignment parts having the same configuration in one side and the other side, each consisting of two rollers and a first stepping motor mounted on two cassette stages for seating the cassette containing the wafer; An elevator supporting a pusher slot having a plurality of teeth and a pusher fixing a lower end to both sides of the two rollers, and an upper end thereof are supported by a bearing housing, and a lower end of which is composed of a screw rod supported by a driving pulley and a second stepping motor. The first and second lifting parts having the same configuration, The rear end of the cassette end is inserted into the guide bracket fixed to the support rail fixed to the support of both ends, the transfer plate body fixed to the upper end of the transfer bracket and the guide bracket and inserted into the guide bracket at the bottom and supported on both bearing housings A conveying part consisting of a screw rod, A reinforcing plate formed on an upper end of a support rod fixed to an upper surface of the transfer plate body of the transfer unit, a case surrounding the configuration, and a thrust plate and a screw rod supporting the upper and lower ends of the centrally mounted screw rod respectively. One end is fixed to a third stepping motor having a nut and a driving pulley having a groove and a guide piece formed on an outer diameter surface and a support shaft formed on both sides of the case, and the other end is inserted into a groove formed on the outer diameter surface of the nut. One end is connected to both arms and the support shaft and the other end is fixed to the support bracket, and the head portion is formed with a holder having a holder slot mounted on an outer diameter surface and a fixing rod for supporting the support bracket; And a cover having a long hole formed at an upper end thereof so as to surround the alignment unit, the elevating unit, and the conveying unit so that the support rod supporting the head unit can flow left and right. The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wafer is transferred from the cassette end of one side to the cassette of the other cassette end by the transfer unit and the head unit. The wafer transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surfaces of the teeth and valleys of the teeth of the holder slots fixed to the holders of the head portion are rounded so as to have the same slope as the outer circumferential surface diameter of the wafer. The wafer transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material of the holder slot fixed to the holder of the head portion is made of a special synthetic resin.