KR20070080445A - Exposing apparatus for manufacturing integrated circuit device - Google Patents

Abstract

An exposure apparatus for manufacturing an IC(Integrated Circuit) device is provided to improve productivity by reducing a waiting time of a wafer for exposure and an unloading time of an exposed wafer using a wafer input/output unit capable of performing a buffer function. An exposure apparatus for manufacturing an IC device includes a wafer input/output unit, an exposure unit and a wafer transfer unit. The wafer input/output unit(111) stores temporarily a wafer. The exposure unit(131) performs an exposure process on the wafer. The wafer transfer unit(121) transfers the wafer from the wafer input/output unit to the exposure unit and transfers the wafer from the exposure unit to the wafer input/output unit again after the exposure process.

Description

Exposing apparatus for manufacturing integrated circuit device

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to better understand the drawings cited in the detailed description of the invention, a brief description of each drawing is provided.

1 is a block diagram of an exposure apparatus for manufacturing an integrated circuit device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the exposure unit illustrated in FIG. 1.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

101; Exposure apparatus 111; Wafer I / O

121; Wafer conveyor, 131; Exposed part

211; Pre-alignment portion 221; Exposure Execution Unit

231; An exposure unloading section 241; Transfer arm

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing integrated circuit devices, and more particularly, to an exposure apparatus having a simple loading / unloading structure of a wafer.

In order to manufacture an integrated circuit device in which numerous semiconductor devices are integrated, a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing processes are required. In order to manufacture an integrated circuit device, a wafer made of silicon must first be prepared. Then, by repeatedly performing a deposition process, a photolithgraphy process, an etching process, an ion implantation process, a diffusion process, and the like on a wafer, numerous integrated circuit devices are uniformly manufactured on one wafer.

Among these various processes, a photo process is a process of forming a photoresist film on a wafer and forming a required integrated circuit pattern. That is, the photographing process is a coating process of coating a photoresist on a wafer using a spinner facility, a baking process of baking the coated photoresist using a baking apparatus, a circuit After the alignment of the reticle (printed pattern) on the wafer, the exposure process of irradiating a photoresist film on the wafer with light such as ultraviolet rays through the reticle to transfer the pattern of the reticle to the wafer, and the wafer of the wafer A photoresist film is developed to form a desired photoresist pattern on a wafer. As such, the exposure process is an essential step in manufacturing an integrated circuit device.

An exposure apparatus that performs an exposure process on a wafer includes a stepper and a scanner. Such an exposure apparatus includes an exposure unit that performs exposure, an input / output unit that waits before the wafer to be exposed is transferred to the exposure unit or temporarily waits for a wafer that has been exposed in the exposure unit, and a wafer input from the outside to the input / output unit. It is provided with a buffer which waits for a while before being transferred or waits for a while before the wafer mounted on the input / output unit flows out.

As described above, the conventional exposure apparatus is provided with a buffer, so that the time taken for the wafer to be exposed to be transferred to the exposure section and the time taken for the exposure of the completed wafer to the outside become long. If the exposure time is long, the manufacturing time of the integrated circuit device becomes long, which reduces the productivity of the integrated circuit device.

An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus for manufacturing an integrated circuit device for shortening the waiting time of the wafer to be exposed and the time taken for the exposed wafer to flow out.

The present invention to achieve the above technical problem

An exposure apparatus for exposing the wafer to fabricate integrated circuit devices on a wafer, the exposure apparatus comprising: a wafer input / output unit waiting for a wafer introduced from the outside to be exposed before exposure and waiting for the exposed wafer to flow out; An exposure unit for exposing a wafer transferred from the wafer input / output unit; And a wafer transfer device for transferring a wafer waiting for exposure in the wafer input / output unit to the exposure unit, and transferring a wafer that has been exposed in the exposure unit to the wafer input / output unit.

In this case, the wafer input / output unit includes a wafer input unit where a wafer introduced from the outside waits before exposure, and a wafer output unit that waits before the exposed wafer is discharged to the outside, and the wafer transfer unit includes the wafer. And a first transfer arm for transferring the wafer awaiting exposure in the input / output unit to the exposure unit, and a second transfer arm for transferring the wafer, which has been exposed in the exposure unit, to the wafer input / output unit.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

1 is a block diagram of an exposure apparatus for manufacturing an integrated circuit device according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 101 includes a wafer input / output unit 111, a wafer transfer unit 121, and an exposure unit 131.

The wafer input / output unit 111 is a place where the wafer to be exposed from the outside flows in and waits before being transferred to the exposure unit 131, and the exposed wafer is introduced into the exposure unit 131 and flows out to the outside. This is where you wait before. The wafer introduced into the wafer input / output unit 111 may be transferred by a robot manufactured to transport the wafer or by an operator. The wafer input / output unit 111 is divided into a wafer input unit for temporarily mounting a wafer introduced for exposure from the outside and a wafer output unit temporarily waiting before the exposed wafer is discharged to the outside from the exposure unit 131. It is preferable.

The wafer transporter 121 transfers the wafer mounted on the wafer input / output unit 111 to the exposure unit 131 for exposure, or transfers the wafer, which is mounted on the exposure unit 131, to the wafer input / output unit 111. Transfer. The wafer transporter 121 may be configured as a robot, or may be configured as a transfer arm. The wafer transfer device 121 is a first transfer arm that transfers the wafer mounted on the wafer input unit to the exposure unit 131 and a second transfer arm that is mounted on the exposure unit 131 and transfers the exposed wafer to the wafer output unit. It may be configured separately, or may be composed of one robot configured to perform both operations. The wafer feeder 121 is preferably configured to be suitable for the configuration of the wafer input / output unit 111 and the configuration of the exposure unit 131.

The exposure part 131 is a place which exposes the mounted wafer. The exposure unit 131 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the exposure unit 131 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the exposure unit 131 includes a pre-alignment unit 211, an exposure performing unit 221, an exposure unloading unit 231, and a transfer arm 241. .

The prealignment unit 211 pre-aligns the wafer introduced for exposure to be suitable for exposure. That is, a flat zone is formed on one surface of the wafer to determine the position of the wafer, and the prealignment unit 211 adjusts the wafer so that the flat zone is at a predetermined position. The prealignment unit 211 may include a light emitting diode and a light receiving diode to search for the flat zone. A light emitting diode is installed above or below the edge of the wafer to irradiate light such as a laser toward the wafer, and the light receiving diode is installed opposite the light emitting diode to receive light emitted from the light emitting diode. Therefore, when the flat zone of the wafer reaches the position of the light emitting diode while the wafer is rotated horizontally, light irradiated from the light emitting diode is received by the light receiving diode, and when the flat zone of the wafer does not reach the position of the light emitting diode, the light emitting diode Light irradiated from is not received by the light receiving diode. In this way, the flat zone of the wafer can be searched.

The exposure performing unit 221 exposes the wafer. When the wafer is mounted on the exposure performing unit 221, a circuit pattern printed on the reticle provided in the exposure performing unit 221 is irradiated onto the wafer by light emitted from a light source, thereby forming a predetermined circuit pattern on the wafer. The exposure performing unit 221 applies an exposure method of a stepper or an exposure method of a scanner.

The exposure unloading unit 231 is a place where the wafer on which the exposure is completed by the exposure performing unit 221 temporarily waits.

The transfer arm 241 temporarily transfers the wafer, which is temporarily mounted on the prealignment unit 211, waiting for exposure to the exposure performing unit 221, and transfers the wafer on which the exposure is completed in the exposure performing unit 221 to the exposure unloading unit ( 231). The transfer arm 241 may be configured to be in charge of all of the transfer functions. The transfer arm 241 may include two transfer arms 241 to transfer the pre-alignment unit 211 to the exposure performing unit 221. Each of the performing unit 221 may perform the function of transferring the exposure unloading unit 231.

The best embodiment (s) are disclosed in the drawings and specification, and various modifications and equivalent other embodiments will come to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit described in the appended claims.

As described above, according to the present invention, the wafer input / output unit 111 performs all of the buffer functions. Therefore, the time for which the wafer to be exposed waits before exposure and the time taken for the exposed wafer to flow out are greatly shortened, and as a result, the productivity of integrated circuit devices is improved.

Claims (4)

An exposure apparatus for exposing the wafer to fabricate integrated circuit devices on a wafer, comprising: A wafer input / output unit waiting for the wafer introduced from the outside to be exposed before exposure and waiting for the exposed wafer to flow out; An exposure unit for exposing a wafer transferred from the wafer input / output unit; And And a wafer transfer device for transferring the wafer awaiting exposure from the wafer input / output unit to the exposure unit, and transferring the exposed wafer from the exposure unit to the wafer input / output unit. The method of claim 1, wherein the wafer input and output unit A wafer input unit waiting for the wafer introduced from the outside to be exposed; And An exposure apparatus for manufacturing an integrated circuit device, characterized in that it comprises a wafer output unit that waits before the exposure of the exposed wafer in the exposure unit to the outside. The method of claim 1, wherein the wafer transfer machine A first transfer arm for transferring a wafer awaiting exposure in the wafer input / output unit to the exposure unit; And And a second transfer arm configured to transfer the wafer on which the exposure has been completed by the exposure unit to the wafer input / output unit. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure apparatus is a scanner.

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