KR20030086661A - Device and method for inspecting wafer in spinner equipment therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A wafer inspecting apparatus of spinner equipment is provided to prevent a broken wafer from being inserted into a processing apparatus by inspecting the state of the broken wafer before the broken wafer is inserted into the processing apparatus. CONSTITUTION: A transfer unit(12) is so installed to transfer a loaded wafer to each process unit. An image sensor(28) outputs image data of a wafer standing by in the transfer unit. A controller compares the photographed image data from the image sensor with a previously stored wafer image data to determine whether the photographed image data is normal and controls to generate an alarm generation control signal. An alarm generating unit receives the alarm generation control signal to generate an alarm.

Description

Spinner equipment wafer inspection apparatus and its inspection method {DEVICE AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING WAFER IN SPINNER EQUIPMENT THEREFOR}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer inspection apparatus and a method of a spinner installation. In particular, the robot sensor transfers the wafer before the process of applying the photoresist at the spinner installation. An apparatus for inspecting and a method thereof.

In general, a polyimide process in the semiconductor manufacturing process is a process of forming a protective film on a wafer using a non-photosensitive photoresist as a material of the protective film. Therefore, a protective film is formed by coating a photoresist on a wafer, placing the wafer in a baking apparatus, and heating it to a predetermined temperature to cure the applied photoresist.

In order to apply photoresist in such a semiconductor manufacturing process, a device called a spinner is used. The spinner is provided with a photoresist supply line for supplying and spraying photoresist and a photoresist ejection nozzle.In addition, the spinner cleans and removes photoresist remaining in areas where photoresist is unnecessary, such as the side and the back of the wafer after the application process. A solvent supply line is provided for supplying a solvent, commonly referred to as thinner, through the solvent line to rinse the photoresist remaining on the edge of the wafer and the photoresist remaining on the backside of the wafer. To perform a back rinse.

1 is a block diagram of a general spinner installation, and FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an operation relationship between a transfer robot and an indexer among wafer transfer units of the spinner installation. 1 and 2, a stage 10 for loading and unloading a wafer, a transfer unit 12 installed to convey the wafer loaded in the stage 10 to each process unit, and a surface of the wafer. On the wafer to which the photosensitive liquid is applied by the coating part 14 which applies a photosensitive liquid, the Wide Expose Edge 18 which exposes the unnecessary photosensitive liquid applied to the circumferential part of a wafer, and the coating part 14, The exposure unit 20 performs exposure by reducing and projecting a reticle having a predetermined layout, and a developing unit 16 that develops the exposed wafer.

The transfer unit 12 fixedly installs the lower part of the transfer robots 30a, 30b, and 30c on which the robot arm 26, which can move up and down, rotate, and extend a predetermined length, is installed on each floor. . Then, the shelves 32a and 32b are temporarily placed on the center between the transfer robots 30a, 30b and 30c, that is, between the transfer robots 30a, 30b and 30c facing each other.

The wafer 11 positioned in the carrier on the stage 10 is assisted by the coating part 14 so that the coating layer is uniformly adhered onto the wafer 11 by the transfer robot 30a of the transfer unit 12. The wafer 11, which is transferred to the apparatuses 40a and 40b and completed the process of the auxiliary apparatuses 40a and 40b, is transferred to the coating apparatus 42 again by the transfer robot 30a to perform a coating process.

Among the transfer robots 30a, 30b, and 30c, a transfer robot 30c installed in close proximity to the indexer 24 of the stepper device 22 is disposed on the shelf 32b from other transfer robots 30a and 30b. The wafer 11 having been subjected to the step 11 is directly turned over to the indexer 24, and the wafer 11 having been subjected to the step of exposing the stepper device 22 is directly taken over from the indexer 24 to expose the wafer edge portion. Transfer to the Wide Expose Edge 18. Subsequently, the transfer robot 30c takes over the wafer after the process of the Wide Expose Edge 18 and places the wafer on the shelf 32b installed between the transfer robot 30b.

Then, the other transfer robot 30b receives the wafer from the shelf 30b and places the wafer on the shelf 30a again, and transfers the wafer to each process unit of the developing unit 16 which performs the developing process. The finished wafer is placed on the shelf 30a, and the transfer robot 30a is transferred to a carrier located on the stage 10, thereby completing the photolithography process.

In the conventional spinner facility as described above, even when an edge broken of the wafer 11 occurs, the wafer 11 is injected into each process device to perform a process, thereby causing an attack in the facility. There was a problem that delays and process defects occurred.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to detect the broken state of the wafer before the wafer is introduced into the processing apparatus in order to solve the above problems, so that the broken wafer is not introduced into the processing apparatus to prevent attack of the equipment. The present invention provides a wafer inspection apparatus and a method thereof.

1 is a block diagram of a general spinner installation

2 is a view showing the operation relationship between the transfer robot and the indexer in the wafer transfer unit of the spinner facility

Figure 3 is a plan view of a spinner facility according to an embodiment of the present invention

4 is a view showing an installation state of the image sensor of the spinner facility capable of inspecting wafers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a block diagram of a wafer inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6A and 6B illustrate an image for reading a wafer by an image sensor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: stage 12: transfer unit

14: coating part 16: developing part

18: wide exposure edge portion 20: exposure portion

22: stepper 24: index

26: robot arm 28: image sensor

30a, 30b, 30c: transfer robot 32a, 32b: lathe

40a, 40b, 40c: auxiliary device 42: coating device

46: developing apparatus 50: controller

52: alarm generating unit

The wafer inspection apparatus of the spinner apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object includes an image outputting a transfer unit provided to convey a loaded wafer to each process unit, and image data photographing a wafer held on the transfer unit. A controller for comparing a sensor and image data photographed from the image sensor with previously stored wafer image data to determine a normal or abnormal state to generate an alarm, and an alarm for generating an alarm by receiving the alarm generation control signal Characterized in that it comprises a generator.

In the wafer inspection method of the spinner apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object, a process of loading a wafer by a transfer robot and an image of the wafer by an image sensor in a state of waiting before being fed into the process module by the transfer robot. Photographing the wafer, comparing the photographed wafer image data with a normal wafer image stored in advance, and determining a wafer state, and generating an alarm when it is determined that the wafer is abnormal during the wafer state determination process. Characterized in that made.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a spinner facility according to an embodiment of the present invention,

A stage 10 for loading and unloading a wafer, a transfer unit 12 installed to convey the wafer loaded in the stage 10 to each process unit, and a coating portion 14 for applying a photosensitive liquid to the surface of the wafer And a reticle having a predetermined layout is reduced and projected onto a wide exposure edge 18 for exposing an unnecessary photoresist applied to the circumferential portion of the wafer and a wafer to which the photoresist is applied by the coating portion 14. An exposure unit 20 for performing exposure, a developing unit 16 for developing the exposed wafer, and a wafer 11 provided at a predetermined position of the index 22 and waiting on the transfer robot 30c. And an image sensor 28 for outputting the image data photographed.

4 is a view showing an installation state of the image sensor of the spinner facility capable of inspecting wafers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An image sensor 28 for outputting image data of the wafer 11 held on the transfer robot 30c is provided at a predetermined position of the index 22.

5 is a block diagram of a wafer inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An image sensor 28 installed at a predetermined position of the index 22 and outputting image data of the wafer 11 waiting on the transfer robot 30c, and image data photographed from the image sensor 28; And a controller 50 for comparing the normal wafer image data stored in advance to determine whether the wafer is normal and controlling an alarm to be generated when it is determined to be an abnormal wafer, and for stopping the process, and an alarm of the controller 50. It is comprised by the alarm generation part 52 which generate | occur | produces an alarm by generation control.

6A and 6B are exemplary views for reading a wafer by an image sensor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6A and 6B.

The transfer unit 12 fixedly installs the lower part of the transfer robots 30a, 30b, and 30c on which the robot arm 26, which can move up and down, rotate, and extend a predetermined length, is installed on each floor. . Then, the shelves 32a and 32b are temporarily placed on the center between the transfer robots 30a, 30b and 30c, that is, between the transfer robots 30a, 30b and 30c facing each other.

The image sensor 28 is installed at a predetermined position of the index 22 so as to photograph the wafer 11 held on the transfer robot 30c.

The wafer 11 positioned in the carrier on the stage 10 is assisted by the coating portion 14 so that the coating layer is uniformly adhered onto the wafer 11 by the transfer robot 30a of the transfer unit 12. The wafer 11, which is transferred to the apparatuses 40a and 40b and completed the process of the auxiliary apparatuses 40a and 40b, is transferred to the coating apparatus 42 again by the transfer robot 30a to perform a coating process.

Among the transfer robots 30a, 30b, and 30c, a transfer robot 30c installed in close proximity to the indexer 24 of the stepper device 22 is disposed on the shelf 32b from other transfer robots 30a and 30b. After receiving the wafer 11, the wafer 11 is waited for a predetermined time, and the wafer 11 is photographed by the image sensor 28. The wafer image data photographed from the image sensor 28 is applied to the controller 50. At this time, the controller 50 compares the image data of the normal wafer stored in advance to determine whether the wafer is normal. If it is determined that the wafer is a normal wafer as shown in FIG. 6A, the controller 50 controls the transfer robot 30c to take over the wafer 11 placed on the robot arm 26 directly to the indexer 24 to expose the exposure unit 20. ) To the exposure. The transfer robot 30c then takes the wafer 11, which has been exposed to the stepper device 22, directly from the indexer 24 to expose a wide edge edge 18 to expose the wafer edge. Transfer to). Subsequently, the transfer robot 30c takes over the wafer after the process of the Wide Expose Edge 18 and places the wafer on the shelf 32b installed between the transfer robot 30b. Then, the other transfer robot 30b receives the wafer from the shelf 30b and places the wafer on the shelf 30a again, and transfers the wafer to each process unit of the developing unit 16 which performs the developing process. The finished wafer is placed on the shelf 30a, and the transfer robot 30a is transferred to a carrier located on the stage 10, thereby completing the photolithography process.

However, when it is determined that the abnormal wafer is determined as shown in FIG. 6B, the controller 50 controls to stop the operation of the transfer robot 30c and controls the alarm generator 52 to generate an alarm.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the wafer waiting on the transfer robot 30c is determined by the image sensor 28 to determine a normal or abnormal state of the wafer. However, the wafer placed on the transfer robots 30a and 30b It is also possible to determine the normal or abnormal state by installing the image sensor 28 so that the image sensor 28 can shoot without departing from the scope of the present invention.

As described above, the present invention photographs the waiting wafer by the image sensor in the state of waiting for the transfer robot before the wafer is introduced into each process module in the spinner facility, and the photographed wafer image and the normal stored in advance. By comparing the wafer images in the state, when an abnormal wafer is detected, an alarm is issued to the operator without inserting the wafer into the process module so that the worker can remove the abnormal wafer. When the wafer is processed at high speed or at high temperature, the process caused by the attack of the spin part or the baking part due to the broken part can prevent the delay and the process accident of the equipment.

Claims (4)

In the wafer inspection apparatus of the spinner facility, A transfer unit installed to transfer the loaded wafer to each process unit, An image sensor for outputting image data of a wafer waiting on the transfer unit; A controller for comparing an image data photographed by the image sensor with a pre-stored wafer image data to determine a normal or abnormal state and to generate an alarm; Spinner equipment wafer inspection apparatus, characterized in that the alarm generating unit for generating an alarm in response to the alarm generation control signal. The method of claim 1, And the controller controls the transfer unit such that the transfer unit does not transfer the wafer to the process unit when the abnormal wafer is detected. In the wafer inspection method of the spinner facility, Loading the wafer by the transfer robot, Photographing an image of a wafer by an image sensor in a state in which the transfer robot is waiting before being introduced into a process module; Determining the state of the wafer by comparing the photographed wafer image data with a normal wafer image stored in advance; Spinner facility wafer inspection method characterized in that the process of generating an alarm when it is determined that the abnormal wafer in the wafer state determination process. The method of claim 3, And stopping the wafer transfer so that the wafer is not introduced into the process module when it is determined that the wafer is abnormal in the wafer state determination process.