KR20050030025A - Wafer transferring apparatus - Google Patents

Wafer transferring apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
KR20050030025A
KR20050030025A KR1020030066335A KR20030066335A KR20050030025A KR 20050030025 A KR20050030025 A KR 20050030025A KR 1020030066335 A KR1020030066335 A KR 1020030066335A KR 20030066335 A KR20030066335 A KR 20030066335A KR 20050030025 A KR20050030025 A KR 20050030025A
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South Korea
Prior art keywords
wafer
fork assembly
boat
optical sensor
optical
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KR1020030066335A
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Korean (ko)
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안재현
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삼성전자주식회사
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Priority to KR1020030066335A priority Critical patent/KR20050030025A/en
Publication of KR20050030025A publication Critical patent/KR20050030025A/en

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67242—Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking
    • H01L21/67288—Monitoring of warpage, curvature, damage, defects or the like
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
    • H01L21/67766—Mechanical parts of transfer devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
    • H01L21/67778—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading involving loading and unloading of wafers
    • H01L21/67781—Batch transfer of wafers

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Robotics (AREA)
  • Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)

Abstract

A wafer transferring apparatus is provided to prevent damage of wafers and damage of a fork assembly due to damaged wafers by using an optical sensor for sensing the damaged wafers within a boat. A fork assembly(45) is provided to load a wafer thereon. A plurality of optical sensors(47a,47b) are installed at each front end of both sides of forks(45f) in the fork assembly and are used for forming optical paths toward the wafer. A reflector is positioned at a predetermined position apart from the optical sensors in order to reflect the light of the optical sensors. A control unit(51) performs a control operation to interrupt a transferring operation of the fork assembly when the optical sensors do not receive the light emitted by the optical sensors.

Description

웨이퍼 이송장치{Wafer transferring apparatus}Wafer transferring apparatus

본 발명은 반도체 제조장치에 관한 것으로, 특히 웨이퍼의 이송시 파손된 웨이퍼를 감지할 수 있은 웨이퍼 이송장치에 관한 것이다.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a wafer transfer apparatus capable of detecting a broken wafer during transfer of a wafer.

일반적으로, 웨이퍼에 막을 형성하기 위한 반도체 제조 공정에서 보다 많은 수의 웨이퍼를 적재하기 위하여 웨이퍼 보트(boat)를 이용한다. 이때, 웨이퍼를 스테이지(stage)로부터 웨이퍼 보트에 적재하기 위하여 웨이퍼 이송장치가 사용된다. Generally, a wafer boat is used to load a larger number of wafers in a semiconductor manufacturing process for forming a film on the wafer. At this time, a wafer transfer device is used to load the wafer from the stage into the wafer boat.

그런데, 종래 웨이퍼 이송장치에 장착된 센서는 웨이퍼의 존재 유무만을 감지하는 단순한 기능을 가지고 있다. 특히, 확산공정을 완료한 웨이퍼는 열적인 충격에 의해 웨이퍼의 끝부분이 손상되거나 심지어는 깨지는 경우가 있다. 종래의 센서에는 이러한 파손된 웨이퍼를 감지하는 기능은 없다.However, the sensor mounted in the conventional wafer transfer apparatus has a simple function of detecting only the presence or absence of a wafer. In particular, the wafer that has completed the diffusion process may be damaged or even broken at the end of the wafer by thermal shock. Conventional sensors do not have the ability to detect such broken wafers.

도 1은 종래의 웨이퍼 이송장치와 이를 이용한 웨이퍼 이송상의 문제점을 설명하기 위하여 도시한 사시도이다. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional wafer transfer apparatus and problems in wafer transfer using the same.

도 1을 참조하면, 웨이퍼를 이송하는 장치(10)는 이송기(11)와 이송기(11)의 상면에서 전후 이동(18a) 및 회전(18b)하는 슬라이더(13)와 슬라이더(13)의 전단부에 설치된 포크 어셈블리(15)로 구성된다. 웨이퍼의 자동이송시 포크 어셈블리(15)가 보트(17)내로 삽입되어 보트(17)내로 웨이퍼를 로딩(loading)하거나 언로딩(unloading)한다. Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus 10 for transferring a wafer includes a slider 13 and a slider 13 that move forward and backward 18a and rotate 18b on a conveyor 11 and an upper surface of the conveyor 11. It consists of a fork assembly 15 installed at the front end. During the automatic transfer of the wafer, the fork assembly 15 is inserted into the boat 17 to load or unload the wafer into the boat 17.

그러나 전술한 바와 같이 보트(17)내에 파손된 웨이퍼(19)가 존재하는 경우 도 1의 a영역으로 나타낸 바와 같이 포크 어셈블리(15)와 파손된 웨이퍼(19)와의 충돌이 발생할 수 있다. 이러한 충돌로 인해 파손된 웨이퍼(19)로부터 파티클 등이 발생하여 다른 정상 웨이퍼(21)를 손상시키거나 보트(17)가 넘어지거나 파손된다. 또 포크 어셈블리(15)도 파손되어 보트(17)와 포크 어셈블리(15) 상에 탑재된 웨이퍼에 심각한 타격이 발생하는 문제점이 있다. However, as described above, when there is a broken wafer 19 in the boat 17, a collision between the fork assembly 15 and the broken wafer 19 may occur as indicated by region a of FIG. 1. These collisions generate particles and the like from the broken wafer 19 and damage other normal wafers 21 or the boat 17 falls or breaks. In addition, the fork assembly 15 is also damaged, and there is a problem in that a serious blow occurs to the wafer mounted on the boat 17 and the fork assembly 15.

따라서, 본 발명이 이루고자 하는 기술적 과제는 보트에 탑재된 웨이퍼의 파손여부를 감지할 수 있는 웨이퍼 이송장치를 제공하는 데 있다.Therefore, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a wafer transfer apparatus that can detect whether the wafer mounted on the boat is damaged.

상기 기술적 과제를 달성하기 위하여, 본 발명에 의한 웨이퍼 이송장치는 웨이퍼가 놓여지는 포크 어셈불리와 상기 포크 어셈블리의 각 포크의 양측면의 전단부에 설치되어 상기 웨이퍼를 향하여 광로를 형성시키는 광센서와 상기 광센서로부터 이격되어 상기 광센서에 의해 송광된 빛을 반사시키는 반사판 및 상기 광센서에 의해 송광된 빛이 상기 광센서에 수광되지 않으면 상기 포크 에셈블리의 이송작업을 중단시키는 제어부를 포함한다. In order to achieve the above technical problem, the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a fork assembly on which a wafer is placed and an optical sensor installed at front ends of both sides of each fork of the fork assembly and forming an optical path toward the wafer. It includes a reflector plate spaced apart from an optical sensor to reflect the light transmitted by the optical sensor and a control unit for stopping the transfer operation of the fork assembly when the light transmitted by the optical sensor is not received by the optical sensor.

본 발명에 의한 웨이퍼 이송장치에 있어서, 상기 포크 어셈블리는 상기 웨이퍼를 확산공정을 위한 보트에 로딩 또는 언로딩하는 것을 특징으로 하는 웨이퍼 이송장치.In the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention, the fork assembly is a wafer transfer apparatus, characterized in that for loading or unloading the wafer in the boat for the diffusion process.

본 발명에 의한 웨이퍼 이송장치에 있어서, 상기 광로는 상기 포크의 측면과 소정의 송광각을 이루며, 상기 송광각은 45이내 인 것이 바람직하다.In the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention, the optical path forms a predetermined transmission angle with the side surface of the fork, and the transmission angle is preferably within 45 degrees.

이하 첨부된 도면을 참조하면서 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예를 상세히 설명한다. 다음에서 설명되는 실시예는 여러 가지 다른 형태로 변형될 수 있으며, 본 발명의 범위가 아래에서 상술되는 실시예에 한정되는 것은 아니다. 본 발명의 실시예들은 당분야에서 통상의 지식을 가진 자에게 본 발명을 보다 완전하게 설명하기 위하여 제공되는 것이다. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those skilled in the art.

도 2a는 본 발명의 실시예에 의한 웨이퍼 이송장치를 설명하기 위한 사시도이고, 도 2b는 웨이퍼를 이송하는 장치에 대한 평면도이다. 도 2a 및 도 2b를 참조하면, 웨이퍼 이송장치는 크게 웨이퍼를 이송하는 장치(40)와 반사판(70)으로 구성된다. 웨이퍼를 이송하는 장치(40)는 이송기(41)와 이송기(41)의 상면에서 전후 이동(42a) 및 회전(42b)하는 슬라이더(43)와 슬라이더(43)의 전단부에 설치되며 복수개의 포크(45f)를 포함하는 포크 어셈블리(45)로 구성된다. 웨이퍼의 자동이송시에는 포크 어셈블리(45)가 보트(61)내로 삽입되어 보트(61)내로 웨이퍼를 로딩하거나 언로딩한다. Figure 2a is a perspective view for explaining a wafer transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2b is a plan view of a device for transferring a wafer. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the wafer transfer apparatus is mainly composed of an apparatus 40 and a reflector 70 for transferring wafers. The apparatus 40 for transferring wafers is provided at the front end portions of the slider 43 and the slider 43 which move forward and backward 42a and 42b on the feeder 41 and the upper surface of the feeder 41. A fork assembly 45 comprising two forks 45f. During the automatic transfer of the wafer, the fork assembly 45 is inserted into the boat 61 to load or unload the wafer into the boat 61.

포크 어셈블리(45)를 구성하는 각 포크(45f) 양측면의 전단부에 광센서(47a, 47b)가 장착되어 있다. 광센서(47a, 47b)는 웨이퍼가 탑재된 보트(61)를 향하여 광로(49)를 형성시킨다. 또한, 광센서(47a, 47b)는 빛을 발생시키는 발광부(미도시)와 반사된 빛을 인식하는 수광부(미도시)로 이루어진다. Optical sensors 47a and 47b are attached to the front ends of both forks 45f constituting the fork assembly 45. The optical sensors 47a and 47b form the optical path 49 toward the boat 61 on which the wafer is mounted. In addition, the light sensors 47a and 47b may include a light emitting unit (not shown) for generating light and a light receiving unit (not shown) for recognizing reflected light.

광로(49)는 동일한 평면 상에 있으며 포크(45f)의 측면과 소정의 송광각()을 이룬다. 송광각()은 광센서(47a, 47b)에 의해 형성된 광로(49)가 서로 교차되도록 한다. 광로(49)를 교차함으로써 어떤한 경우에도 보트(61)내에 파손된 웨이퍼(63)를 감지할 수 있다. 이때, 최대 송광각()은 45이다. 광로(49)는 두가지 형태로 형성된다. 하나는, 각 광센서(47a, 47b)에서 송광된 빛이 반사판(70)에 반사되어 각 광센서(47a, 47b)의 수광부(미도시)에 의해 감지되는 광로(49a, 49b)이다. 다른 하나는 송광된 빛이 보트(61)내에 파손된 웨이퍼(63)에 의해 차단되어 광센서(47a, 47b)의 수광부에 의해 감지되지 않는 광로(49c)이다. The optical path 49 is on the same plane and forms a predetermined light transmission angle φ with the side of the fork 45f. The light transmission angle 한다 causes the optical paths 49 formed by the optical sensors 47a and 47b to cross each other. By crossing the optical path 49, in any case, the broken wafer 63 in the boat 61 can be detected. At this time, the maximum transmission angle () is 45. The optical path 49 is formed in two forms. One is the light paths 49a and 49b which are transmitted by the light sensors 47a and 47b and are reflected by the reflecting plate 70 and sensed by the light receiving units (not shown) of the light sensors 47a and 47b. The other is the optical path 49c in which the transmitted light is blocked by the broken wafer 63 in the boat 61 and is not detected by the light receiving parts of the optical sensors 47a and 47b.

즉, 파손된 웨이퍼(63)는 2a에서와 같이 광로(49)를 차단시키는 b영역이 발생한다. 광로(49)가 차단되면 산란된 광로(49c)가 형성되어 광센서(47a, 47b)의 수광부(미도시)에 빛이 인식되지 않는다. 빛이 인식되지 않으면 웨이퍼의 이송작업은 제어부(51)에 의하여 중단된다.That is, the broken wafer 63 has a region b that blocks the optical path 49 as in 2a. When the optical path 49 is blocked, the scattered optical path 49c is formed so that light is not recognized by the light receiving units (not shown) of the optical sensors 47a and 47b. If light is not recognized, the transfer operation of the wafer is stopped by the controller 51.

본 발명의 실시예는 확산공정을 위하여 보트(63)에 로딩 또는 언로딩하는 공정에서 특히 유용하다. 왜냐하면, 확정공정에 의해 웨이퍼에 열적충격이 가해질 수 있으므로 파손된 웨이퍼(63)가 발생할 가능성이 크기 때문이다. 본 발명의 실시예에 의하면 파손된 웨이퍼(63)에 의하여 다른 정상 웨이퍼(65)의 손상 내지 파손을 방지할 수 있다.Embodiments of the present invention are particularly useful in the process of loading or unloading the boat 63 for the diffusion process. This is because thermal shock may be applied to the wafer by the definite process, so that the broken wafer 63 is likely to occur. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the damaged wafer 63 can be prevented from being damaged or broken by the broken wafer 63.

이상, 본 발명은 바람직한 실시예를 들어 상세하게 설명하였으나, 본 발명은 상기 실시예에 한정되지 않으며, 본 발명의 기술적 사상의 범위내에서 당 분야에서 통상의 지식을 가진 자에 의하여 여러가지 변형이 가능하다. As mentioned above, although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Do.

상술한 본 발명에 의한 웨이퍼 이송장치에 따르면, 보트 내에 탑재된 파손된 웨이퍼를 감지하는 광센서를 구비함으로써 파손된 웨이퍼로 인한 다른 웨이퍼의 파손이나 포크 어셈블리의 손상을 방지할 수 있다. According to the wafer transfer apparatus according to the present invention described above, by providing an optical sensor for detecting a broken wafer mounted in the boat, it is possible to prevent damage to other wafers or damage to the fork assembly due to the broken wafer.

도 1은 종래의 웨이퍼 이송장치와 이를 이용한 웨이퍼 이송상의 문제점을 설명하기 위하여 도시한 사시도이다. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional wafer transfer apparatus and problems in wafer transfer using the same.

도 2a는 본 발명에 의한 웨이퍼 이송장치를 설명하기 위한 사시도이고, 도 2b는 웨이퍼를 이송하는 장치에 대한 평면도이다.Figure 2a is a perspective view for explaining a wafer transfer device according to the present invention, Figure 2b is a plan view of a device for transferring a wafer.

Claims (4)

웨이퍼가 놓여지는 포크 어셈불리;Fork assembly on which the wafer is placed; 상기 포크 어셈블리의 각 포크의 양측면의 전단부에 설치되고, 상기 웨이퍼를 향하여 광로를 형성시키는 광센서; An optical sensor installed at front ends of both sides of each fork of the fork assembly and forming an optical path toward the wafer; 상기 광센서로부터 이격되어 상기 광센서에 의해 송광된 빛을 반사시키는 반사판; 및A reflection plate spaced apart from the optical sensor and reflecting light transmitted by the optical sensor; And 상기 광센서에 의해 송광된 빛이 상기 광센서에 수광되지 않으면 상기 포크 에셈블리의 이송작업을 중단시키는 제어부를 포함하는 것을 특징으로 하는 웨이퍼 이송장치. And a control unit which stops the transfer operation of the fork assembly when the light transmitted by the optical sensor is not received by the optical sensor. 제1항에 있어서, 상기 포크 어셈블리는 상기 웨이퍼를 확산공정을 위한 보트에 로딩 또는 언로딩하는 것을 특징으로 하는 웨이퍼 이송장치.The wafer transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fork assembly loads or unloads the wafer into a boat for a diffusion process. 제1항에 있어서, 상기 광로는 상기 포크 어셈블리의 측면과 소정의 송광각을 이루는 것을 특징으로 하는 웨이퍼 이송장치.The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical path has a predetermined transmission angle with a side surface of the fork assembly. 제3항에 있어서, 상기 송광각은 45이내인 것을 특징으로 하는 웨이퍼 이송장치. The wafer transport apparatus of claim 3, wherein the light transmission angle is within 45 degrees.
KR1020030066335A 2003-09-24 2003-09-24 Wafer transferring apparatus KR20050030025A (en)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20140091366A (en) * 2013-01-11 2014-07-21 삼성디스플레이 주식회사 Substrate transferring device and driving method therof
WO2023191448A1 (en) * 2022-04-01 2023-10-05 주식회사 유진테크 Wafer transfer device and method for judging abnormalities of wafer transfer device

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20140091366A (en) * 2013-01-11 2014-07-21 삼성디스플레이 주식회사 Substrate transferring device and driving method therof
WO2023191448A1 (en) * 2022-04-01 2023-10-05 주식회사 유진테크 Wafer transfer device and method for judging abnormalities of wafer transfer device

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