KR20070095702A - Substrate transpoting apparatus and chemical mechanical polishing apparatus with it - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate transfer apparatus and a CMP apparatus having the same are provided to automatically turn over a substrate when the substrate is transferred from a polishing section to a cleaning section. A support member(110) has a support surface(112) for supporting a surface of a substrate which is to be processed. The substrate supported by the support surface is held by a release prevention member(114) having a stepped portion(114a) and a driving clamp(114b). The stepped portion protrudes from a front end of the support surface, and the driving clamp protrudes from a rear end of the support surface. The support member is rotated by a driving unit(120) to turn over the substrate supported by the support surface. The support member has a driving shaft(122) coupled to a rear end of the support member and a guide part(134) for guiding reciprocating motion of the driving unit.

Description

Substrate transfer apparatus and chemical mechanical polishing apparatus having the same {SUBSTRATE TRANSPOTING APPARATUS AND CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS WITH IT}

1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

3A and 3B are diagrams for describing an operation process of the substrate transfer apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2.

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

100: substrate transfer device 134: guide member

110: mounting member 140: robot arm

112: seating surface 142: first arm

114: departure preventing member 144: second arm

120: drive unit 146: second arm

122: drive shaft 149: pedestal

130: support member 150: drive device

132: Plate

The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus for transferring a semiconductor substrate to be used in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus.

Background Art In recent years, semiconductor devices have been multi-layered due to high integration, and thus, a polishing process for planarization of a semiconductor substrate is essentially performed in the semiconductor device manufacturing process. Various polishing apparatuses have been proposed to perform such a polishing process, and among them, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) device capable of simultaneously chemically and mechanically polishing a substrate is widely used.

A general chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a load port on which a cassette on which a plurality of substrates are mounted is mounted, a polishing portion receiving a substrate from the load port and performing a polishing process, a cleaning portion for cleaning a substrate on which the polishing process is completed, and a load port. The polishing unit includes substrate transfer devices for transferring the substrate from the polishing unit to the cleaning unit. The polishing unit has a table on which a polishing pad is provided on an upper surface and a polishing unit for mounting the substrate on the bottom surface to press the substrate on the table.

The polishing apparatus having the above configuration performs mechanical polishing of the substrate surface by friction between the polishing pad and the substrate surface by rotating the substrate while applying the load to the substrate while the substrate is placed on the rotating polishing pad. In addition, in the polishing apparatus, a slurry, which is a chemical abrasive, is supplied between the polishing pad and the substrate during the process to perform chemical polishing in parallel.

At the time of the above-mentioned grinding | polishing process, the process surface of a board | substrate advances to the state facing down. This is because the polishing surface of the polishing pad is made to face upward. Therefore, a general polishing apparatus is provided with a substrate inverting device for inverting the processing surface and the processing surface of the substrate. The substrate reversing apparatus includes a first reversing apparatus that receives the substrate from the substrate transfer device for the polishing process, flips the substrate and lowers the processing surface of the substrate, and a second reversing apparatus which inverts the substrate on which the polishing process is completed again.

However, the polishing apparatus of the above-described structure has a long process time due to the complicated movement paths and movement steps of the substrate, and a reversing apparatus for simply inverting the substrate has to be provided, so that the footprint of the apparatus is large and the manufacturing cost increases. There is a problem.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus capable of performing an efficient polishing process.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer apparatus capable of reversing a substrate and a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus having the same.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus that can reduce the footprint of an installation.

Another object of the present invention to provide a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus that can reduce the manufacturing cost of the equipment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus that shortens the polishing process time.

The substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object is to reverse the substrate seated on the seating surface by rotating the seating member having a seating surface on which the substrate is seated, the seating surface facing down Enclose the drive.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate transfer apparatus further includes a support member for supporting the driving unit and a robot arm for moving back and forth and rotating the support member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit is installed to be retractable from the support member, the support member is provided with a guide member for guiding the retraction movement of the drive unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a load port on which a cassette on which a plurality of substrates are mounted is mounted, a polishing portion performing a chemical mechanical polishing process on a processing surface of the substrate, and the polishing from the load port. And a substrate transfer device for transferring the substrate by inverting the processing surface and the processing surface of the substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate transfer device rotates the seating member and the seating member having a seating surface on which the substrate is seated, and a release preventing member for preventing the detachment of the substrate seated on the seating surface, And a driving unit for inverting the substrate seated on the seating surface.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate transfer apparatus further includes a support member for supporting the drive unit and a robot arm for moving back and forth and the support member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit is installed to be retractable from the support member, the support member is provided with a guide member for guiding the retraction movement of the drive unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a load port on which a cassette having a plurality of substrates is mounted, a polishing unit performing a chemical mechanical polishing process on a processing surface of the substrate, a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate on which the polishing process is completed, and a substrate And a substrate transfer device for inverting and transporting the processed surface and the surface to be processed, wherein the substrate transfer device is provided between the load port and the polishing portion to invert and transfer the substrate from the load port to the polishing portion. A first transfer device for transferring the substrate from the cleaning portion to the load port and the polishing portion and the second cleaning portion provided between the polishing portion and the cleaning portion, and transfers the substrate by inverting the substrate from the polishing portion to the cleaning portion. Device.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a substrate transfer apparatus and a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus having the same according to an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shape of elements in the figures is exaggerated to emphasize clear explanation.

(Example)

1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a substrate processing unit 10, a polishing unit 20, a post processing unit 40, and a substrate transfer device 100, 100 ′. The substrate processing unit 10 performs an interface function between a cassette on which a plurality of substrates are mounted, the polishing unit 20, and the cleaning unit 40. The substrate processing unit 10 has a plurality of load ports 12.

A plurality of load ports 12 are provided, and each load port 12 is disposed adjacent to one another on the same line. Each load port 12 has a seating portion (not shown) on which the cassette C is seated and an opening and closing device for opening and closing a door of the cassette C on which the cassette C is seated. The seating part is exposed to the external environment, and a sensor (not shown) for detecting whether the cassette C is seated is installed. Therefore, when the cassette C is seated in the load port 12, the opening and closing device opens the door of the cassette C. When the door of the cassette C is opened, the substrates mounted inside the cassette C are transferred to the polishing unit 20 by the substrate transfer device 100.

The polishing unit 20 performs a process of chemically and mechanically polishing the processed surface of the substrate (hereinafter referred to as a polishing process). In one embodiment, the polishing unit 20 includes first to seventh elevating devices 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, and 33 and first to fourth polishing devices 22, 24, 26, and 28. Has Each of the elevating devices 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33 and the first to fourth polishing devices 22, 24, 26, 28 may perform the same configuration and function. Here, the first elevating device 21 and the first polishing device 22 will be described in detail, and the second to seventh lifting devices 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33 and the second to fourth polishing devices will be described. Detailed description of (24, 26, 28) is omitted.

The first polishing apparatus 22 has a table 22a and a polishing unit 22b. A polishing pad (not shown) is provided at the top of the table 22a. The polishing pad is provided to be rotatable on the top of the table 22a. The upper surface of the polishing pad rotates in close contact with the processing surface of the substrate during the process, thereby flattening the processing surface of the substrate by frictional force.

The polishing unit 22b chucks the substrate to press the processing surface of the substrate onto the polishing pad of the table 22a. The lower portion of the polishing unit 22b has an adsorption surface for adsorbing the surface to be processed of the substrate, and the adsorption surface is connected to a vacuum line. The vacuum line adsorbs the to-be-processed surface of the substrate to the adsorption surface during the process, thereby preventing the substrate from being detached from the adsorption surface. At this time, the edge of the suction surface is provided with a guide ring (not shown) surrounding the edge of the substrate adsorbed on the suction surface to prevent separation of the substrate.

The polishing unit 22b is moved between the first elevating device 21 and the table 22a. That is, the first elevating device 21 corresponds to the first polishing device 22 and is installed within the moving radius of the polishing unit 22b. In one embodiment, the first lifting device 21 moves up and down. An upper portion of the first elevating device 21 has a supporting member 21a for receiving and supporting the substrate from the substrate transfer device 100. When the substrate is seated on the support member 21a during the process, the first elevating device 21 is raised to bring the substrate into close contact with the suction surface of the polishing unit 22b. In addition, when the polishing process is completed, the polishing unit 22b is moved to the upper portion of the first elevating device 21, and the first elevating device 21 is raised to unload the substrate from the polishing unit 22b.

In the present embodiment, the first lifting device 21 performs the lifting and lowering movement to process the substrate as an example. However, the first lifting device 21 is disposed between the substrate transfer device 100 and the polishing unit 22b. Provided for the substrate processing, its configuration and operation method may be variously applied.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the structure of the polishing unit 20 having the first to fourth polishing apparatuses 22, 24, 26, 28 has been described as an example, but this is provided by providing a plurality of polishing units 20. In order to improve the processing capability of the, the number of the polishing apparatus can be applied in various ways.

The cleaning unit 30 cleans the substrate on which the polishing process is completed in the polishing unit 20. The cleaning unit 30 is a conveying unit (not shown) for transporting the substrate to the first to fourth cleaners 42, 44, 46, 48 and the respective first to fourth cleaners 42, 44, 46, 48. ) Each cleaner 42, 44, 46, 48 receives a substrate during the process to remove the processing liquid and particles remaining on the processing surface of the substrate. In one embodiment, the substrate having been polished is sequentially cleaned by moving the first to fourth cleaners 42, 44, 46, and 48 by the transfer unit, so that the substrate is subjected to a total of four cleaning steps. Here, the cleaning step may include a rinse and dry process of the substrate. In the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 30 has been described as an example in which the first to fourth cleaners 42, 44, 46, and 48 are used. However, the number of cleaners may be variously applied.

The substrate transfer apparatus includes first and second transfer apparatuses 100 and 100 '. The first transfer device 100 is provided between the load port 12 and the polishing unit 20 to transfer the substrate between the load port 12 and the polishing unit 20, and the second transfer device 100 ' It is provided between the grinding | polishing part 20 and the washing | cleaning part 40, and conveys a board | substrate between the grinding | polishing part 20 and the washing | cleaning part 40 mutually. At this time, the 1st and 2nd conveying apparatus 100, 100 'conveys a board | substrate, so-called turnover which inverts the process surface and the process surface of a board | substrate.

Hereinafter, the first transfer device 100 according to the present invention will be described in detail. Since the second transfer apparatus 100 ′ has the same configuration as the first transfer apparatus 100, the description of the second transfer apparatus 100 ′ will be omitted.

2 is a perspective view of the first transfer device 100 shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, the first transport apparatus 100 according to the present invention has a seating member 110, a driving unit 120, a support member 130, and a robot arm 140. For example, a blade may be used as the seating member 110 as shown in FIG. 2. The mounting member 110 seats the substrate during the process. The seating member 110 has a seating surface 112 on which the substrate is seated. The seating surface 112 supports the target surface of the substrate during the process. In the present embodiment, the mounting member 110 is described as an example of transferring a semiconductor wafer. However, the mounting member 110 may transfer a glass substrate or the like used for manufacturing a flat panel display. The seating member 110 transfers various substrates, and the shape thereof is variously modified and changed according to the shape of the substrate.

The separation preventing member 114 prevents the separation of the substrate seated on the seating surface 112 during the process. In one embodiment, the separation preventing member 114 has a jaw 114a and a driving clamp 114b. The prevention jaw 114a protrudes from the seating surface 112 at the front end of the seating surface 112, and the drive clamp 114b protrudes from the seating surface 112 at the rear end of the seating surface 112. At this time, the driving clamp 114b is installed on the seating member 110 so that the predetermined distance in the X-axis direction can be moved forward and backward. The distance is the radius of movement of the drive clamp 114b to chuck and unchuck the substrate seated on the seating surface 112.

The detachment preventing member 114 as described above allows the driving clamp 114b to move forward on the X axis when the substrate is chucked so that the seated substrate is tightly fixed between the jaw 114a and the driving clamp 114b. . On the contrary, during un-chucking of the substrate, the detachable member 114b reverses on the X axis so that the fixed substrate is released.

In the present embodiment, the separation preventing member 114 has a configuration in which the jaw 114a and the driving clamp 114b are described as an example, but the separation preventing member 114 prevents the separation of the substrate seated on the mounting member 110. In order to do so, the configuration can be variously modified and changed. For example, a vacuum line for adsorbing and fixing the substrate seated on the seating member 110 by vacuum may be used as the release preventing member 114.

The driver 120 rotates the mounting member 110 to invert the substrate mounted on the mounting surface 112. In one embodiment, the drive unit 120 has a drive shaft 122 coupled with the rear end of the seating member 110. The drive shaft 122 is rotated in the θ direction. In addition, the driving unit 120 may move forward and backward in the X-axis direction from the upper portion of the support member 130. Therefore, the substrate seated on the seating member 110 may move forward and backward as the drive unit 120 moves forward and backward.

The driving unit 120 having the above-described configuration may rotate the driving shaft 122 to rotate the seating member 110 by 180 ° or more. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when the substrate is seated on the seating surface of the seating member 110, the driving unit 120 may rotate the seating member 110 in the θ direction to reverse the substrate. At this time, the separation preventing member 114 installed in the mounting member 110 to prevent the separation of the substrate. In addition, since the driving unit 120 may move forward and backward on the support member 130, the driving unit 120 may move the seating member 110 on the X axis.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the support member 130 supports the driving unit 120 and guides the retreat movement of the driving unit 120. To this end, the support member 130 includes a plate 132 and a guide member 134. The plate 132 supports the driving unit 120 thereon. The guide member 134 is installed on the upper portion of the plate 132 to guide the forward and backward movement of the driving unit 120. The guide member 134 has a bracket 134a and a rail 134b. One end of the bracket 134a is coupled to the driving unit 120, and the other end of the bracket 134a is coupled to move along the guide rail 134b. The guide rail 134b is installed on the upper surface of the plate 132 in parallel with the X axis direction. The guide rail 134b is used as a movement path of the bracket 134a.

The robot arm 140 makes the support member 130 linearly and rotationally move. The robot arm 140 has first and second arms 142 and 144 and first and second rotational axes 146 and 148. One end of the first arm 142 is coupled to the support member 130, and the other end is rotatably coupled to one end of the second arm 144 and about the first rotation shaft 146. In the same way, the other end of the second arm 144 is coupled to be rotatable about the drive unit 150 and the second axis of rotation 148. Robot arm 140 having a multi-joint configuration as described above is driven by the driving device 150, it is possible to operate the support member 130 in the X-axis, Z-axis, θ 'direction.

A pedestal 142 is installed below the robot arm 140. The pedestal 142 prevents the treatment liquid remaining on the substrate from falling on the bottom of the facility during substrate transfer. The pedestal 142 is installed in an annular shape along the outer circumferential surface of the driving device 150, and may be connected to a drain line (not shown) for draining the treatment liquid dropped on the pedestal 142.

The driving device 150 drives the robot arm 140. As described above, the driving device 150 may drive the robot arm 140 such that the robot arm 140 operates the support member 120 in the X, Z, and θ 'directions. In addition, the driving device 150 raises and lowers the robot arm 140 in the Y-axis direction. In addition, the driving device 150 is moved within the substrate processing unit 10 to allow access between each load port 12 and the elevating device 21. To this end, a rail (reference numeral 14 of FIG. 1) for moving the driving device 150 is installed at the bottom of the substrate processing unit 10, and the driving device 150 is moved along the rail 14.

Hereinafter, an operation process of the substrate transfer apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described in detail. When the polishing process is started, the cassette C is seated in the seating portion of the load port 12. When the cassette C is seated in the seating portion, the first transfer device 100 transfers the substrate from the cassette C to the polishing unit 20. At this time, the first transfer apparatus 100 inverts the substrate so that the processing surface of the substrate faces downward. In more detail, the first transfer device 100 moves the seating member 110 into the cassette C to seat the substrate W on the seating surface 112 of the seating member 110. When the substrate W is seated on the mounting member 110, the release preventing member 114 chucks the substrate so that the substrate is not separated from the mounting surface 112. When the substrate is fixed to the seating surface 112, the substrate transfer device 100 transfers the substrate from the cassette C to the polishing unit 20. In this process, the driving unit 120 inverts the substrate by rotating the mounting member 110 in the θ direction, so that the processing surface of the substrate faces downward. The first transfer apparatus 100 repeats the above-described process, and sequentially transfers the substrates mounted on the cassette C to the polishing unit 20.

The polishing unit 20 receives the inverted substrate and performs a chemical mechanical polishing process on the processing surface of the substrate. The polishing process may be performed sequentially in each polishing apparatus 22, 24, 26, 28. For example, the polishing unit 22b of the first polishing apparatus 22 chucks the inverted substrate and presses the processing surface of the substrate on the upper surface of the table 22a. When the substrate is pressed, the table 22a and the polishing unit 22b are rotated with each other to perform a polishing process for flattening the processing surface of the substrate. At this time, an abrasive such as a slurry is supplied to the table 22a.

When the above-described polishing process is completed, the second transfer device 100 ′ provided between the polishing unit 20 and the cleaning unit 40 transfers the substrate from the polishing unit 20 to the cleaning unit 40. At this time, the second transfer apparatus 100 ′ inverts the substrate again in the same manner as the first transfer apparatus 100 described above so that the processing surface of the substrate faces upward and then transfers it to the cleaning unit 40. The cleaning unit 40 accommodates the substrate to remove abrasives and other processing fluids remaining on the substrate, and particles generated by the polishing process.

The substrate on which the cleaning process is completed is carried out from the cleaning unit 40 to the cassette C by the first transfer device 100. At this time, the first transfer device 100 does not invert the substrate.

The substrate transfer apparatuses 100 and 100 ′ having the above-described configuration inverts and transfers the substrate from the substrate processing unit 10 to the polishing unit 20 and from the polishing unit 20 to the cleaning unit 40. No device for inverting the substrate is necessary. Therefore, the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to the present invention can reduce the footprint of the equipment and greatly reduce the manufacturing cost of the equipment. In addition, the substrate processing time for the polishing process can be shortened by simultaneously performing the transfer and inversion of the substrate during the polishing process.

The foregoing detailed description illustrates the present invention. In addition, the foregoing description merely shows and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. For example, in the present embodiment, the substrate transfer apparatus has been described with reference to an apparatus for transferring a semiconductor wafer, but the substrate transfer apparatus can transfer a glass substrate used for manufacturing a flat panel display.

And, it is possible to change or modify within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed in this specification, the scope equivalent to the written description, and / or the skill or knowledge in the art. The above-described embodiments are for explaining the best state in carrying out the present invention, the use of other inventions such as the present invention in other state known in the art, and the specific fields of application and uses of the present invention. Various changes are also possible. Accordingly, the detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. Also, the appended claims should be construed to include other embodiments.

As described above, the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention is capable of inverting the substrate, thereby eliminating the need for an apparatus for inverting the substrate during the chemical mechanical polishing process.

Thus, the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to the present invention can reduce the footprint of the installation.

In addition, the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to the present invention can greatly reduce the manufacturing cost.

In addition, by simplifying the chemical mechanical polishing process step according to the invention, the process time can be shortened.

Claims (8)

In the apparatus for transferring a substrate, A seating member having a seating surface on which the substrate is seated; And a driving unit for rotating the seating member such that the seating surface faces downward, thereby inverting the substrate seated on the seating surface. The method of claim 1, The substrate transfer device, A support member for supporting the drive unit; And a robot arm for moving the support member back and forth and rotating the support member. The method of claim 2, The driving unit, Is installed to be able to move forward and backward from the support member, The support member, And a guide member for guiding the forward and backward movement of the drive unit. In the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, A load port on which a cassette equipped with a plurality of substrates is mounted; A polishing unit performing a chemical mechanical polishing process on the treated surface of the substrate; And a substrate transfer device for transferring the substrate by inverting the processing surface and the processing surface of the substrate from the load port to the polishing portion. The method of claim 4, wherein The substrate transfer device, A seating member having a seating surface on which the substrate is seated, and a seating prevention member for preventing the detachment of the substrate seated on the seating surface; And a driving unit which rotates the seating member to reverse the substrate seated on the seating surface. The method of claim 5, The substrate transfer device, A support member for supporting the drive unit; And a robot arm for moving the support member back and forth and rotating the support member. The method of claim 6, The driving unit, Is installed to be able to move forward and backward from the support member The support member, And a guide member for guiding the forward and backward movement of the drive unit. In the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, A load port on which a cassette equipped with a plurality of substrates is mounted; A polishing unit performing a chemical mechanical polishing process on the treated surface of the substrate; A cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate on which the polishing process is completed; It includes a substrate transfer device for transferring by inverting the processing surface and the processing surface of the substrate, The substrate transfer device, A first transfer device provided between the load port and the polishing unit to transfer the substrate by inverting the substrate from the load port to the polishing unit, and to transfer the cleaned substrate from the cleaning unit to the load port; And a second transfer device provided between the polishing unit and the cleaning unit to invert and transfer the substrate from the polishing unit to the cleaning unit.

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