TWI788422B - EFEM and EFEM Gas Replacement Method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is an EFEM and a gas replacement method for the EFEM. The object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in cost while suppressing the release of dust into the transfer chamber in an EFEM that circulates an inert gas in a frame. The solution is that EFEM (1) has: the nitrogen that is purified through the FFU (44) that removes dust flows in the transfer chamber (41) in a specific direction, and returns to the nitrogen from the downstream side of the transfer chamber (41). The return path (43) to FFU (44), while nitrogen is formed cyclically. The EFEM (1) is provided with: a transfer robot arm (3) arranged in the transfer chamber (41) and performing a specific operation while holding the wafer. The transfer robot arm (3) has: a container member (61) with an opening formed thereon, and an arm mechanism (70) configured outside the container member (61) to hold the wafer, and a support arm mechanism (70), inserted through The prop at the opening and the drive mechanism that is housed in the container member (61) and drives the prop are provided with a connecting path (82a) connecting the container member (61) and the return path (43).

Description

EFEM and EFEM Gas Replacement Method

The present invention relates to EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) which can circulate inert gas.

Patent Document 1 discloses an EFEM in which wafers are transferred between a processing device that applies specific processing to semiconductor substrates (wafers) and a FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) that houses the wafers. The EFEM system is equipped with a frame with a transfer chamber for transferring wafers, and a plurality of loading ports arranged on the outside of the frame to place FOUPs, and a rail extending in the transfer chamber to carry out the process. A transfer device for wafer transfer.

In the past, the influence of oxygen and moisture in the transfer chamber of the semiconductor circuit manufactured on the wafer was small, but in recent years, with the miniaturization of the semiconductor circuit, such influence has become more pronounced. Therefore, the EFEM described in Patent Document 1 is configured to fill the transfer chamber with nitrogen, an inert gas. Specifically, the EFEM is equipped with a circulating flow path including a transfer chamber for circulating nitrogen inside the frame, a gas supply means for supplying nitrogen to the circulating flow path, and a gas discharge means for discharging nitrogen from the circulating flow path. The nitrogen system is properly supplied and exhausted in response to changes in the oxygen concentration in the circulation flow path. out. In this way, compared with the configuration in which nitrogen is constantly supplied and discharged, it becomes possible to maintain the nitrogen atmosphere in the transfer chamber while suppressing an increase in the supply amount of nitrogen.

However, in order to suppress the increase in nitrogen supply and maintain an appropriate atmosphere in the transfer chamber, it is necessary to install a sensor device to monitor the oxygen concentration or humidity. However, when simply installing the sensing device in the conveying room, there is a risk of interference with the moving conveying device. Therefore, the inventors of the present application are examining a conveying device (transfer robot arm) that is applied to a fixed position as described in Patent Document 2 instead of a conveying device that walks on rails. In detail, the transfer robot arm is equipped with: a trunk fixed in the hollow of the transfer chamber, a pillar protruding from the trunk and arranged above, a drive mechanism for driving the pillar up and down, and a drive mechanism installed on the pillar to drive horizontally, maintain Multi-joint handle for transferring wafers. Such a transfer robot arm is driven by a multi-joint handle horizontally, and can enter and exit FOUPs placed in multiple loading ports. That is, since there is no track in the transfer chamber, and the trunk does not walk, its part can ensure the installation space of the sensing device and the like in the transfer chamber.

[Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-146349

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-169691

In the transfer robot arm described in Patent Document 2, the pillar supporting the multi-joint handle is driven up and down, and the wafer is also transferred in the up and down direction. When such a transfer robot arm is applied to the EFEM described in Patent Document 1, the following problems arise. That is, in order to remove the dust generated in the torso during the operation of the driving mechanism, when the gas (inert gas) in the torso is discharged to the external space outside the EFEM frame, the space between the torso and the support Nitrogen supplied to the transfer chamber is sucked into the trunk and discharged to the outside space. Therefore, it is necessary to replenish part of the nitrogen produced, and the supply cost of nitrogen may increase. Even so, when the nitrogen is not discharged from the trunk to the outside, the next time the pillar is driven downward (the internal volume of the trunk becomes smaller), the gas (inert gas) in the trunk is accompanied by The movement of the pillar pushes out the perimeter. Therefore, there is a possibility that dust-containing gas (inert gas) may be released into the transfer chamber through the above-mentioned gap.

The object of the present invention is to suppress the release of dust in the transfer chamber while suppressing an increase in cost in an EFEM that circulates an inert gas in a frame.

The EFEM of the first invention has: the inert gas that is purified by the fan filter unit for removing dust flows in the transfer chamber in a specific direction, and returns to the inert gas from the downstream side of the transfer chamber in the specific direction. Return path to the aforementioned fan filter unit, the aforementioned The EFEM in which the inert gas is formed in a circulating manner is characterized by: an automatic device configured in the transfer chamber to maintain the state of the substrate and perform a specific action; the automatic device has: a container member formed with an opening, and Arranged on the outer side of the aforementioned container member, a holding portion for holding the aforementioned substrate, a supporting portion for supporting the aforementioned holding portion, and inserted into the aforementioned opening, and a driving mechanism for being accommodated in the aforementioned container member and driving the aforementioned supporting portion, provided with a device connected to the aforementioned container The connection path between the component and the aforementioned return path.

When the supporting part is driven by the driving mechanism of the automatic device, dust is generated in the inner space of the container member. When the inert gas containing dust leaks from the gap between the opening of the container member and the support portion, the transfer chamber may be contaminated by dust. In the present invention, since the connection path connecting the container member and the return path is provided, even if dust is generated in the inner space of the container member, the dust is discharged to the return path through the connection path, and the dust can be suppressed. Those who leak into the transfer room. Furthermore, the dust discharged in the return path is removed through the fan filter unit arranged on the downstream side of the return path. Accordingly, contamination of the transfer chamber via dust generated in the inner space of the container member can be suppressed. In addition, in such a configuration, since the inert gas in the container member is not directly discharged to the outside, it is not necessary to replenish the inert gas discharged from the container member, and the increase in the supply amount of the inert gas can be suppressed. Therefore, the increase in cost can be suppressed. Accordingly, in the EFEM in which the inert gas in the frame is circulated, it is possible to suppress an increase in cost and suppress release of dust into the transfer chamber.

The EFEM of the second invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned first invention Among them, it further includes: a fan for sending the inert gas in the container member to the return path through the connection path.

In the present invention, since the inert gas in the container member can be reliably sent to the return path through the airflow generated by the fan, the leakage of the inert gas in the container member from the gap between the opening and the support portion is suppressed. , and can more reliably suppress the release of dust in the transfer room.

The EFEM of the third invention is characterized in that in the above-mentioned second invention, it is further equipped with: a fan driving device that rotates and drives the aforementioned fan, and a control unit that controls the aforementioned fan driving unit; Compared with the time when the aforementioned driving mechanism is not in action, the case where the rotational speed of the aforementioned fan is accelerated.

In the container member, when the drive mechanism operates to drive the support portion, there is a possibility that dust is likely to be generated. In the present invention, when the drive mechanism operates, the wind speed is accelerated by increasing the rotation speed of the fan, so that the inert gas in the container member can be reliably sent to the return path. In addition, when the driving mechanism is not in operation, by slowing down the rotational speed of the fan, the power consumption for driving the fan can be reduced.

The EFEM of the fourth invention is characterized in that in any one of the aforementioned first to third inventions, as the aforementioned automatic device, a transport robot arm for transporting the aforementioned substrate is provided, and the aforementioned container member is fixed in the aforementioned transport chamber, as the aforementioned The holding part is provided with an arm mechanism for holding the substrate and transporting it in the horizontal direction, and the supporting part is provided with a pillar supporting the arm mechanism, and the pillar is driven up and down by the driving mechanism.

In the present invention, the container component of the conveying robot arm is fixed in the conveying chamber. That is, the container part itself is not moved in the transfer chamber, and its part can ensure the space for installing various devices in the transfer chamber. On the other hand, in the configuration of driving the pillar supporting the arm mechanism up and down, especially when the pillar is driven downward, the inert gas containing the dust generated in the container member is pushed out upward along with the movement of the pillar. , but there is a risk of passing through the gap between the container member and the pillar and being released into the transfer chamber. In the present invention, even in such a configuration, since the container member is connected to the return path through the connection path, dust is also discharged to the return path through the connection path. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress inflow of inert gas containing dust into the transfer chamber.

The EFEM of the fifth invention is characterized in that in the aforementioned fourth invention, the aforementioned arm mechanism includes: a manipulator for holding the aforementioned substrate, and between the holding state of holding the aforementioned substrate and the releasing state of releasing the aforementioned holding state, The switching unit for switching the state of the manipulator sucks the dust generated during the operation of the switching unit through the flow of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source for dust removal, and furthermore, the supplied The above-mentioned inert gas is discharged from the injector of the above-mentioned return path at the same time as the dust.

When the manipulator is switched between the holding state and the releasing state via the switching unit, if dust is generated, there is a possibility that the dust may adhere to the substrate. Here, in the case of a configuration for vacuum evacuation in order to remove dust, the inert gas is exhausted from the transfer chamber, and a part of the inert gas that must be replenished is generated, which may increase the cost. In the present invention, via The ejector attracts dust, and the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source is discharged to the return path at the same time as the dust, so that the inert gas system is directly circulated. Moreover, dust is removed through a fan filter unit. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress an increase in cost by supplementing the inert gas, compared with a configuration in which vacuum evacuation is performed.

The EFEM of the 6th invention is characterized in that in the aforementioned 4th or 5th invention, the aforementioned arm mechanism has a hollow arm member, and the aforementioned arm member is formed with an inert gas supply source for self-purification. An inflow port for the supplied inert gas to flow into the inner space of the arm member, and an outflow port for the inert gas to flow out from the inner space of the arm member.

The arm member of the transfer robot arm generally has a hollow structure in order to incorporate a driving mechanism. The internal space of the arm member can be completely sealed as far as the transfer chamber is concerned, but in other configurations, such as when the transfer chamber is released from the atmosphere during maintenance, the internal space of the arm member is also covered by the atmosphere. Liberation, and there is a risk of oxygen or moisture entering the inner space. In this case, it takes time to replace the inert gas in the arm member during reoperation after maintenance, and there is a possibility that the production efficiency may be lowered. In the present invention, since the inflow port and the outflow port are formed in the arm member, compared with the case where they are not formed, the time required for gas replacement in the inner space of the arm member can be shortened, and the decrease in production efficiency can be suppressed. .

The gas replacement method of EFEM in the seventh invention has: the inert gas that is purified through the fan filter unit that removes dust Then flow into the transfer chamber in a specific direction, and return the inert gas from the downstream side of the transfer chamber in the specific direction to the return path of the fan filter unit. In the EFEM in which the inert gas is circulated, The gas replacement method for replacing gas is characterized in that the EFEM is equipped with: an automatic device that is arranged in the transfer chamber and performs a specific operation while holding the substrate, and the automatic device has: a container member with an opening formed therein; In the driving device of the aforementioned container member, the aforementioned inert gas is supplied from the aforementioned inert gas supply source to the inside of the aforementioned container member, and the gas is sent from the inside of the aforementioned container member to the aforementioned return path, replacing the part of the aforementioned container member the gas inside.

In the present invention, the gas in the container member can be quickly replaced by actively supplying the inert gas from the supply source, for example, when the EFEM is activated. In addition, in order to send the gas from the inside of the container member to the return path, it is possible to suppress the release of dust in the container member to the transfer chamber, etc. when the EFEM is activated.

The gas replacement method of EFEM in the eighth invention is characterized in that in the seventh invention, after the gas atmosphere in the transfer chamber becomes less than a specific oxygen concentration, the supply of the inert gas from the supply source is stopped, Thereafter, the gas in the transfer chamber is introduced into the inside of the container member and sent out to the return path.

In the present invention, an increase in cost can be suppressed by introducing the gas from the transfer chamber into the container member and sending it out to the transfer path without normally supplying the inert gas from the supply source to the container member. In addition, since the gas in the transfer chamber from the container member can be suppressed from being reversed, Because of the flow, the release of the dust in the container member to the transfer chamber can be suppressed.

1: EFEM

3: Transfer robot arm (automatic device)

12: Fan control part (control part)

43: Return path

44:FFU (fan filter unit)

54: Aligner (automatic device)

61:Container components

61a: opening

62: Pillar (support part)

63: Driving mechanism

70: Arm mechanism (holding part)

71, 72, 73: Arm components

71a, 72a, 73a: inner space

71b, 72b, 73b: inflow ports

71c, 72c, 73c: outlets

74: Manipulator

77: Movable part (switching part)

82a: Connection path

83: fan

87: Injector

92:Container components

93: Keeping Department

94: Support Department

95: Motor (drive mechanism)

98a: Connection path

W: wafer (substrate)

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of EFEM and its surroundings according to the present embodiment.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing the electrical configuration of the EFEM.

Figure 3 is the front view of the frame.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of IV-IV in Fig. 3 .

Fig. 5 is a V-V sectional view of Fig. 3 .

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of the transfer robot arm.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a nitrogen supply path and a discharge path for a circulation path.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a nitrogen delivery port of a transfer robot arm.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a transfer robot arm according to a modified example.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an aligner related to another modified example.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 . However, for convenience of description, the directions shown in FIG. 1 are referred to as front, rear, left, and right directions. That is, the direction in which the EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) 1 and the substrate processing apparatus 6 are arranged is defined as the front-rear direction. Let the EFEM1 side be the front, and the substrate processing apparatus 6 side be the rear. Orthogonal to the front-rear direction, the direction in which multiple loading ports 4 are arranged as the left-right direction Towards. In addition, the direction perpendicular to both the front-back direction and the left-right direction is defined as the up-down direction.

(Schematic composition of EFEM and its surroundings)

First, the schematic configuration of EFEM1 and its surroundings will be described using FIGS. 1 and 2 .

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of EFEM 1 and its surroundings according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the electrical configuration of EFEM1. As shown in FIG. 1 , the EFEM 1 is equipped with a frame body 2 , a transfer robot arm 3 , a plurality of loading ports 4 , and a control device 5 . Behind the EFEM 1 is arranged a substrate processing device 6 for applying specific treatment to the wafer W (the substrate of the present invention). The EFEM 1 transfers and receives the wafer W between the FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) 100 placed on the loading port 4 and the substrate processing device 6 through the transfer robot arm 3 arranged in the housing 2 . The FOUP 100 is a container capable of accommodating a plurality of wafers W arranged in the vertical direction, and a cover 101 is attached to the rear end (the end on the frame body 2 side in the front-rear direction). For example, the FOUP 100 runs on a rail not shown installed above the loading port 4 , and is transported via an OHT (Unmanned Transport Vehicle) not shown. Between the OHT and the loading port 4, the transfer of FOUP 100 is performed.

The housing 2 is configured to connect a plurality of loading ports 4 and a substrate processing apparatus 6 . Inside the frame body 2 is formed a transfer chamber 41 which is slightly airtight with respect to the external space, and transfers the wafer W. As shown in FIG. When the EFEM 1 is in operation, the transfer chamber 41 is filled with nitrogen (the inert gas of the present invention). The frame body 2 is constructed so that nitrogen circulates in the inner space including the transfer chamber 41 (details are described later). Moreover, the door 2a is attached to the rear end part of the housing|casing 2, and the transfer chamber 41 is connected to the substrate processing apparatus 6 through the door 2a.

The transfer robot arm 3 is arranged in the transfer chamber 41 to transfer the wafer W. The transfer robot arm 3 is provided with: a base portion 60 (see FIG. 3 ) at a fixed position, and an arm mechanism 70 (see FIG. 3 ) that is arranged above the base portion 60 to hold and transfer the wafer W, and a robot arm The control unit 11 (refer to FIG. 2 ). The transfer robot arm 3 mainly performs the operation of taking out the wafer W in the FOUP 100 and delivering it to the substrate processing device 6 , or receiving the wafer W processed by the substrate processing device 6 and returning it to the FOUP 100 .

The loading port 4 is configured to load the FOUP 100 (see FIG. 5 ). The plurality of loading ports 4 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction along the partition wall on the front side of the frame body 2 at their respective rear ends. The loading port 4 is configured to replace the ambient gas in the FOUP 100 with an inert gas such as nitrogen. A door 4a is provided for the rear end of the loading port 4 . The door 4a is opened and closed by an unillustrated door opening and closing mechanism. The door 4a is configured so that the cover 101 of the FOUP 100 can be unlocked and the cover 101 can be held. When the door 4a remains in the state of unlocking the cover 101, and the door 4a is opened by the door moving mechanism, the cover 101 is opened. Through this, the wafer W in the FOUP 100 can be taken out via the transfer robot arm 3 .

As shown in Figure 2, the control device 5 is electrically connected to the robot arm control part 11 of the transfer robot arm 3, the control part (not shown) of the loading port 4, and the control part (not shown) of the substrate processing device 6. , and communicate with these control units. In addition, the control device 5 is arranged in the frame body 2 The oxygen concentration meter 55, the pressure meter 56, the hygrometer 57, etc. are electrically connected, and the measurement results of these measuring devices are received to grasp the information about the ambient air in the frame body 2. In addition, the control device 5 is electrically connected to the supply valve 112 and the discharge valve 113 (described later), and by adjusting the opening of these valves, the ambient air in the frame body 2 is adjusted appropriately.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the substrate processing apparatus 6 includes, for example, a load-lock vacuum chamber 6 a and a processing chamber 6 b. The load lock vacuum chamber 6a is connected to the transfer chamber 41 through the door 2a of the frame body 2, and is a chamber for temporarily holding the wafer W on standby. The processing chamber 6b is connected to the load-lock vacuum chamber 6a via a door 6c. In the processing chamber 6b, specific processing is performed on the wafer W via a processing mechanism not shown.

(frame and its internal composition)

Next, the frame body 2 and its internal configuration will be described using FIGS. 3 to 5 . FIG. 3 is a front view of the frame body 2 . Fig. 4 is a sectional view of IV-IV in Fig. 3 . Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of V-V in Fig. 3 . However, illustration of the partition wall is omitted in FIG. 3 . In addition, in FIG. 5, illustration of the conveyance robot arm 3 etc. is abbreviate|omitted.

The frame body 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , the frame body 2 has: columns 21 to 26 and partition walls 31 to 36 . Partition walls 31 to 36 are installed on the columns 21 to 26 extending in the up and down direction, and the internal space of the frame body 2 is slightly closed to the external space.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , in the front end portion of the frame body 2 , columns 21 to 24 are arranged in order from left to right and erected. The columns 22 and 23 disposed between the columns 21 and 24 are shorter than the columns 21 and 24 . Columns 25 and 26 are vertically arranged on the left and right sides of the rear end of the frame body 2 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , a partition wall 31 is arranged at the bottom of the frame body 2 , and a partition wall 32 is arranged at the top of the frame. As shown in FIG. 4 , a partition wall 33 is arranged at the front end, a partition wall 34 is arranged at the rear end, a partition wall 35 is arranged at the left end, and a partition wall 36 is arranged at the right end. The mounting part 53 (refer FIG. 3) in which the aligner 54 mentioned later is arrange|positioned is provided in the right end part of the housing|casing 2. As shown in FIG. The aligner 54 and the mounting portion 53 are also accommodated inside the frame body 2 (see FIG. 4 ).

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 , a support plate 37 extending in the horizontal direction is disposed on the upper part (above the columns 22 , 23 ) inside the frame body 2 . Through this, the inside of the housing 2 is divided into the aforementioned transfer chamber 41 formed on the lower side, and the FFU installation chamber 42 formed on the upper side. In the FFU installation chamber 42, an FFU (Fan Filter Unit) 44 which will be described later is disposed. An opening 37a that communicates with the transfer chamber 41 and the FFU installation chamber 42 is formed in the center portion in the front-rear direction of the support plate 37 . However, the partition walls 33 to 36 of the frame body 2 are divided into the lower wall for the transfer chamber 41 and the upper wall for the FFU installation chamber 42 (for example, refer to the partition walls 33a, 33b at the front end of FIG. 5 and the partition at the rear end). 34a, 34b).

Next, the internal configuration of the housing 2 will be described. Specifically, the configuration for circulating nitrogen in the frame body 2 and its peripheral configuration, as well as devices and the like arranged in the transfer chamber 41 will be described.

The configuration for circulating nitrogen in the housing 2 and its peripheral configuration will be described using FIGS. 3 to 5 . As shown in FIG. 5 , a circulation path 40 for circulating nitrogen is formed inside the frame body 2 . Cycle path 40 It is constituted via a transfer chamber 41 , an FFU installation chamber 42 , and a return path 43 . As a summary, in the circulation path 40, from the FFU installation chamber 42, the clean nitrogen is sent out below, and after reaching the lower end of the transfer chamber 41, it rises through the return path 43 and returns to the FFU installation chamber 42 (refer to Arrow in Figure 5). Hereinafter, it will describe in detail.

The FFU installation chamber 42 is provided with an FFU 44 arranged on the support plate 37 and a chemical filter 45 arranged on the FFU 44 . The FFU 44 has a fan 44a and a filter 44b. The FFU 44 sends nitrogen in the FFU installation chamber 42 downward through the fan 44a, and removes dust (not shown) contained in nitrogen through the filter 44b. The chemical filter 45 is, for example, configured to remove active gas or the like brought into the circulation path 40 from the substrate processing apparatus 6 . The nitrogen purified by the FFU 44 and the chemical filter 45 is sent out of the transfer chamber 41 from the FFU installation chamber 42 through the opening 37 a formed in the support plate 37 . The nitrogen system sent out of the transfer chamber 41 forms a laminar flow and flows downward.

The return path 43 is formed on the columns 21 to 24 (the bollard 23 in FIG. 5 ) and the support plate 37 arranged at the front end of the housing 2 . That is, the columns 21 to 24 are hollow, and spaces 21a to 24a through which nitrogen passes are formed respectively (see FIG. 4 ). That is, the spaces 21 a to 24 a each constitute the return path 43 . The return path 43 communicates with the FFU installation chamber 42 through the opening 37b formed in the front end portion of the support plate 37 (see FIG. 5 ).

The return path 43 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5 . However, column 23 is shown in FIG. 5 , but the same applies to the other columns 21 , 22 , 24 . For the lower end of column 23, the system is installed as This facilitates the nitrogen in the transfer chamber 41 to flow into the introduction duct 27 of the return path 43 (space 23a). An opening 27 a is formed in the introduction duct 27 , and the nitrogen that has reached the lower end of the transfer chamber 41 can flow into the return path 43 . On the upper portion of the introduction duct 27, an enlarged portion 27b that spreads backward as it goes downward is formed. A fan 46 is disposed below the enlarged portion 27b. The fan 46 is driven by a motor not shown, sucks the nitrogen that has reached the lower end of the transfer chamber 41 into the return path 43 (space 23a in FIG. 5 ) and sends it out to the top, and returns the nitrogen to the FFU installation. Room 42. The nitrogen system returned to the FFU installation chamber 42 is cleaned by passing through the FFU 44 or the chemical filter 45 , and sent out of the transfer chamber 41 again. From the above, nitrogen can be circulated in the circulation path 40 .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3 , a supply pipe 47 for supplying nitrogen into the circulation path 40 is connected to the side of the FFU installation chamber 42 . The supply pipe 47 is connected to a nitrogen supply source 111 . In the middle of the supply pipe 47, a supply valve 112 capable of changing the supply amount of nitrogen per unit time is provided. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 , a discharge pipe 48 for discharging gas in the circulation path 40 is connected to the front end of the transfer chamber 41 . The discharge pipe 48 is connected to the external space. In the middle of the discharge pipe 48, a discharge valve 113 capable of changing the discharge amount of the gas in the circulation path 40 per unit time is provided. The supply valve 112 and the discharge valve 113 are electrically connected to the control device 5 (see FIG. 2 ). Through this, nitrogen can be appropriately supplied and discharged to the circulation path 40 . For example, when the oxygen concentration in the circulation path 40 rises, nitrogen is temporarily supplied to the circulation path 40 from the supply source 111 through the supply pipe 47, and oxygen is discharged simultaneously with the nitrogen through the discharge pipe 48, thereby reducing the oxygen concentration. concentration.

Next, the equipment etc. arrange|positioned in the transfer chamber 41 are demonstrated using FIG.3 and FIG.4. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the above-mentioned transfer robot arm 3 , control unit storage box 51 , measurement device storage box 52 , and aligner 54 are arranged in the transfer chamber 41 . The structure of the transfer robot arm 3 will be described later. The control unit housing box 51 is, for example, provided on the left side of the base unit 60 (see FIG. 3 ) of the transfer robot arm 3 and arranged so as not to interfere with the arm mechanism 70 (see FIG. 3 ). The above-mentioned robotic arm control unit 11 is accommodated in the control unit housing box 51 . The measuring equipment storage box 52 is, for example, arranged on the right side of the base portion 60 and arranged so as not to interfere with the arm mechanism 70 . The measuring device storage box 52 is a measuring device in which the above-mentioned oxygen concentration meter 55, pressure gauge 56, hygrometer 57, etc. are housed (see FIG. 2).

The aligner 54 is configured to detect how much the holding position of the wafer W held by the arm mechanism 70 (see FIG. 3 ) of the transfer robot arm 3 deviates from the target holding position. For example, in the inside of FOUP 100 (see FIG. 1 ) conveyed via the above-mentioned OHT (not shown), wafer W may move slightly. Therefore, the transfer robot 3 temporarily places the unprocessed wafer W taken out from the FOUP 100 on the aligner 54 . The aligner 54 measures how much the wafer W is held at a position deviated from the target holding position via the transfer robot 3 , and sends the measurement result to the robot control unit 11 . The robot arm control unit 11 corrects the holding position via the arm mechanism 70 based on the above measurement results, controls the arm mechanism 70 to hold the wafer W at the target holding position, and transfers the wafer W to the load lock chamber 6 a of the substrate processing apparatus 6 . Through this, the processing of the wafer W via the substrate processing apparatus 6 can be performed normally.

(Structure of the transfer robot arm)

Next, the structure of the transfer robot arm 3 (automatic device of the present invention) will be described using FIG. 6 . FIG. 6( a ) is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the transfer robot arm 3 . Fig. 6(b) is a plan view of a manipulator 74 described later. As mentioned above, the transfer robot arm 3 has the base part 60, and the arm mechanism 70 (holding part of this invention).

As shown in FIG. 6( a ), the base portion 60 is provided with a container member 61 , a support 62 , and a drive mechanism 63 . The support 62 protruding upward from the container member 61 supports the arm mechanism 70 . The support column 62 is driven up and down via a drive mechanism 63 .

The container member 61 is a cylindrical member extending in the vertical direction. The container member 61 is fixed in the transfer chamber 41 . On the upper surface of the container member 61, an opening 61a for inserting the support 62 is formed. The pillar 62 is a columnar member protruding upward from the inner side of the container member 61 through the opening 61 a. There is a gap between the pillar 62 and the opening 61a. An arm mechanism 70 is installed on the upper end of the pillar 62 .

The drive mechanism 63 has a motor 64 , a belt 65 , a rolling screw shaft 66 , and a slider 67 as an example. The power of the motor 64 is transmitted to the rolling screw shaft 66 through the belt 65, and the rolling screw shaft 66 extending in the vertical direction rotates. When the rolling screw shaft 66 rotates, the slide member 67 screwed on the rolling screw shaft 66 moves up and down, so that the pillar 62 moves up and down.

The motor 64 is a general AC motor having a rotating shaft 64a. The motor 64 is controlled via the robot arm control unit 11 (see FIG. 2 ). At the front end of the rotating shaft 64a, a pulley (not shown) is installed, and a Belt 65. The rolling screw shaft 66 extends in the up and down direction. A pulley (not shown) is attached to the lower end of the rolling screw shaft 66, and a belt 65 is wound around it. External threads (not shown) are formed on the rolling screw shaft 66 . The slider 67 is a member supporting the pillar 62 . The slider 67 is formed with an internal thread (not shown) that is screwed with the external thread of the rolling screw shaft 66 . The slider 67 is movable up and down along a guide (not shown) extending in the up-down direction along with the rotation of the rolling screw shaft 66 . The pillar 62 is driven up and down via the drive mechanism 63 having the above configuration. Through this, the wafers W accommodated at individual positions in the vertical direction in the FOUP 100 can be held via the arm mechanism 70 .

As shown in FIG. 6( a ), the arm mechanism 70 has three arm members 71 to 73 and two manipulators 74 as an example. The arm mechanism 70 is supported from below via the pillars 62, and when rotated by the arm members 71 to 73, the manipulator 74 holding the wafer W moves horizontally. However, only one robot arm 74 series may be provided.

The arm members 71-73 are hollow members extending in a specific direction. That is, internal spaces 71 a , 72 a , and 73 a are formed for each of the arm members 71 , 72 , and 73 . However, the internal spaces 71a, 72a, and 73a are communicated by gaps. The arm members 71, 72, 73 are arranged in this order from below. One end of the arm member 71 is rotatably connected to the strut 62 , and the other end is rotatably connected to one end of the arm member 72 . One end of the arm member 73 is rotatably connected to the other end of the arm member 72 . A manipulator 74 is rotatably connected to the other end of the arm member 73 . The arm members 71 to 73 and the manipulator 74 are each driven to rotate in the horizontal direction by a motor not shown.

As shown in FIG. 6( b ), the manipulator 74 has a mounting member 75 , protrusions 76 a to 76 d , and a movable portion 77 (switching portion of the present invention). The wafer W is placed on the placement member 75 extending in the direction in which the robot arm 74 extends (see FIG. 6( b )). The wafer W passes through the protrusions 76a, 76b disposed on the front end side of the mounting member 75, the protrusions 76c, 76d disposed on the base end side of the mounting member 75, and the pressing portion 78 disposed on the front end portion of the movable portion 77. And hold on to it. In this way, the wafer W is held via the robot arm 74 . The movable part 77 moves in the extending direction of the manipulator 74 through the sleeve 79 built in the manipulator 74 . The rod (not shown) of the sleeve 79 is configured to be expandable and contractible in the direction in which it extends through the supply of nitrogen from a supply source 114 separate from the above-mentioned supply source 111 (see FIG. 3 ). Nitrogen is supplied to the sleeve 79, and the wafer W is pressed and held via the pressing portion 78 in a state where the pressing portion 78 is positioned at the front end (see the solid line in FIG. 6(b)) (holding state). In the state where nitrogen is not supplied to the sleeve 79 and the pressing portion 78 is positioned on the proximal side (see the two-point chain line in FIG. 6( b ), the holding state (released state) is released.

When the transfer robot arm 3 having the above configuration is applied to the EFEM1, the following problems arise. First, in the base portion 60 , when the pillar 62 is driven up and down via the drive mechanism 63 , dust is generated inside the container member 61 . The generated dust may leak out of the transfer chamber 41 through the gap between the opening 61 a and the pillar 62 . Especially as shown by the arrow in Fig. 6 (a), when passing through the driving mechanism 63, the support 62 was then retracted and driven below, the nitrogen in the container member 61 was then pushed out to the top, and the nitrogen containing dust then had There is a risk of spreading in the transfer chamber 41 through the above-mentioned gap.

In addition, when the movable portion 77 of the manipulator 74 is driven through the sleeve 79 , dust may be generated in the transfer chamber 41 . In order to remove the dust, nitrogen is exhausted from the transfer chamber 41 when the exhaust gas is configured. As a result, it is necessary to replenish nitrogen from the supply source 111, which may increase the cost.

In addition, in the structure in which the internal spaces 71a-73a of the arm members 71-73 are not completely sealed with respect to the transfer chamber 41, for example, when the atmosphere is released from the transfer chamber 41 during maintenance, the internal spaces 71a-73a are also released by the atmosphere. , while there is a risk of oxygen or moisture entering. In this case, when it takes time to replace nitrogen in the inner spaces 71 a to 73 a during reoperation after maintenance, there is a possibility that the production efficiency may be lowered. Therefore, EFEM1 has the following configurations in order to solve these problems.

(Nitrogen discharge path in the transfer robot arm, etc.)

The nitrogen discharge path and the like in the transfer robot arm 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 .

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a supply path and a discharge path of nitrogen to the circulation path 40 . FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a nitrogen discharge port of the transfer robot arm 3 .

First, the configuration for discharging nitrogen including dust from the container member 61 of the transfer robot arm 3 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , a delivery port 61 b for sending nitrogen to the circulation path 40 is formed on the side of the container member 61 . Furthermore, in the frame body 2, a sending part 81 for sending nitrogen from the inside of the container member 61 to the circulation path 40 is provided. sending department 81 is provided with: a connecting path 82a formed through a connecting pipe 82, a fan 83 (the fan of the present invention), and a motor 84 (the fan driving device of the present invention). The connection path 82 a connects the container member 61 and the return path 43 . The connection path 82a is connected to the upstream side end of the return path 43 (more specifically, the upstream side of the fan 46 ) extending from the delivery port 61b of the container member 61 in the flow direction of nitrogen. In other words, the container member 61 and the return path 43 are not directly connected through the transfer chamber 41 . The fan 83 is arranged in the vicinity of the delivery port 61b, and is rotationally driven at a constant rotational speed via a motor 84 .

With the above configuration, the nitrogen inside the container member 61 is sent out to the return path 42 through the sending port 61b (see arrows 201 and 202 in FIG. 8 ). Thereby, contamination of the transfer chamber 41 via the dust generated in the container member 61 is suppressed. In addition, since the nitrogen system in the container member 61 is not directly discharged to the outside of the frame body 2, it is not necessary to replenish the nitrogen discharged from the container member 61 immediately, thereby suppressing an increase in the supply amount of nitrogen. In addition, since the nitrogen in the container member 61 is reliably sent to the return path through the airflow generated by the fan 83, the nitrogen in the container member 61 is suppressed from being released from the opening 61a (see FIG. 6(a)) and the pillar 62. (Refer to Figure 6(a)).

Next, a configuration for removing dust generated when the movable portion 77 of the manipulator 74 is driven through the sleeve 79 will be described. As shown in FIG. 7 , the EFEM 1 is provided with a suction unit 86 that sucks and removes dust generated by the operation of the sleeve 79 . The suction part 86 is provided with: via from the above-mentioned supply source 111,114 (referring to Fig. The nitrogen supplied from the inert gas supply source for dust removal) sucks the ejector 87 for dust removal. The ejector 87 has a nozzle 87a, a diffuser 87b, and a suction port 87c. The injector 87 generates negative pressure at the suction port 87c through the flow of nitrogen ejected from the nozzle 87a toward the diffuser 87b. The nozzle 87a is connected to a supply path 88a through which nitrogen supplied from the supply source 115 flows. The diffuser 87b is connected to the delivery path 88b for sending nitrogen to the circulation path 40 . The downstream side end part of the delivery path 88b is connected to the middle part of the connection path 82a, and merges with the delivery part 81. As shown in FIG. The suction port 87c is connected to a suction path 88c extending from the vicinity of the sleeve 79 .

In the suction unit 86 having the above configuration, the nitrogen supplied from the supply source 115 to the injector 87 sucks the dust generated by the operation of the sleeve 79 through the suction path 88c. Moreover, the supplied nitrogen system flows into the connection path 82a through the delivery path 88b at the same time as the sucked dust, and then is sent out of the return path 43 . That is, the nitrogen system is not directly discharged to the external space of the housing 2 but flows into the circulation path 40 once.

Next, the configuration of the internal spaces 71a to 73a (see FIG. 8 ) of the arm members 71 to 73 of the transfer robot arm 3 for nitrogen replacement will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the transfer robot arm 3 is provided with a replacement path 91 passing through the inside of the arm members 71 to 73 . The replacement path 91 has a supply path 91a and an internal passage 91b (see FIG. 8 ). The supply path 91a extends from a supply source 116 (an inert gas supply source for cleaning in the present invention) separate from the above-mentioned supply sources 111, 114, and 115, and nitrogen supplied from the supply source 116 flows. The supply path 91a is formed, for example, with a flexible hose or the like, and passes through the inside of the container member 61 and the arm member. The interior of 71~73. The front end of the supply path 91a is arranged in the inner space 73a of the uppermost arm member 73 . That is, the nitrogen system is first supplied into the internal space 73a of the arm member 73 through the supply path 91a. The internal passage 91b is arranged on the downstream side of the supply passage 91a in the flow direction of nitrogen, and serves as a nitrogen passage including the internal spaces 71a to 73a.

An example of the internal passage 91b will be described while referring to FIG. 8 . Inlet ports 71b to 73b for inflow of nitrogen and outflow ports 71c to 73c for outflow of gas are respectively formed in the arm members 71 to 73 . More specifically, it is as follows. That is, near the inlet 73b formed in the lower part of the arm member 73, the front-end|tip part of the supply path 91a is attached. The inner space 73a of the arm member 73 communicates with the supply path 91a. The internal space 72a of the arm member 72 communicates with the internal space 73a through the outflow port 73c and the inflow port 72b. The internal space 71a of the arm member 71 communicates with the internal space 72a through the outflow port 72c and the inflow port 71b. The internal space 71a communicates with the inside of the container member 61 through the outlet 71c. Through this, the nitrogen system supplied from the supply source 116 to the internal space 73a through the supply path 91a sequentially passes through the internal spaces 73a, 72a, and 71a, flows into the container member 61, and is sent to the return path 42 through the delivery port 61b. .

Next, a method for replacing the air inside the transfer robot arm 3 will be described. First, for example, when EFEM1 is activated, nitrogen is delivered from the supply source 116 (refer to FIG. 7 , the supply source of the present invention) through the supply path 91a to the internal space 73a of the arm member 73, and then through the internal spaces 72a, 71a. Nitrogen is supplied inside the container member 61 (see FIG. 8 ). Moreover, the gas in the container member 61 is sent back through the outlet 61b. Path 43. Through this, the gas in the container member 61 is quickly replaced with nitrogen. Then, after the nitrogen concentration in the transfer chamber 41 becomes less than a specific value (for example, less than 100 ppm), the supply of nitrogen from the supply source 116 is stopped. Normally, the fan 83 is rotationally driven to introduce gas from the transfer chamber 41 into the container member 61 through the opening 61 a or the like. And, the gas in the container member 61 is sent to the return path 43 . Thereby, discharge|release of dust into the transfer chamber 41 is suppressed.

As above, the connection path 82a connecting the container member 61 of the transfer robot arm 3 and the return path 43 is provided. Therefore, even if dust is generated in the inner space of the container member 61, the dust is discharged to the return path 43 through the connection path 82a, so that the leakage of the dust into the transfer chamber 41 can be suppressed. Furthermore, the dust discharged in the return path 43 is removed through the FFU 44 arranged on the downstream side of the return path 43 . Accordingly, contamination of the transfer chamber 41 via the dust generated in the inner space of the container member 61 can be suppressed. In addition, in such a configuration, because the nitrogen in the container member 61 is not directly discharged to the outside, it is not necessary to supplement the nitrogen discharged from the container member 61, and the increase in the supply amount of nitrogen can be suppressed. An increase in cost can be suppressed. Accordingly, in the EFEM 1 in which the nitrogen in the housing 2 is circulated, it is possible to suppress an increase in cost and to suppress release of dust into the transfer chamber 41 . In addition, the gas in the container member 61 can be quickly replaced by actively supplying the inert gas from the supply source 116, for example, when the EFEM 1 is activated. In addition, after the oxygen concentration in the transfer chamber 41 becomes less than a specific value, by stopping the supply of nitrogen from the supply source 116, an increase in cost can be suppressed.

In addition, since the nitrogen in the container member 61 can be reliably sent to the return path 43 through the air flow generated by the fan 83, the nitrogen in the container member 61 is suppressed from leaking from the gap between the opening 61a and the pillar 62, and Release of dust into the transfer chamber 41 can be more reliably suppressed.

In addition, since the dust generated near the sleeve 79 is sucked through the injector 87, and the nitrogen supplied from the supply source 115 is discharged to the return path 43 at the same time as the dust, the nitrogen is directly circulated. Furthermore, dust is removed through the FFU44. Accordingly, compared with a configuration in which vacuum exhaust is performed, an increase in cost through nitrogen supplementation can be suppressed.

In addition, since the inlets 71b~73b and the outlets 71c~73c are respectively formed in the container members 71~73, the internal space 71a of the arm members 71~73 can be shortened compared with the case where these are not formed. The gas replacement time of ~73a can suppress the decline of production efficiency.

Next, a modified example with changes to the above-mentioned embodiment will be described. However, those having the same configuration as those of the above-mentioned embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is appropriately omitted.

(1) In the aforementioned embodiment, the fan 83 is rotationally driven at a constant rotational speed via the motor 84 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the container member 61, when the drive mechanism 63 drives the pillar 62 up and down, dust may be easily generated. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9 , the transfer robot arm 3 a may have a fan control unit 12 (control unit of the present invention) that controls the motor 84 . Furthermore, the fan control unit 12 may increase the rotation speed of the fan 83 when the drive mechanism 63 is in operation compared with when the drive mechanism 63 is not in operation. Through this, when the drive mechanism 63 operates, the speed of the acceleration fan 83 When the wind speed is increased by the rotation speed, the nitrogen in the container member 61 can be reliably sent to the return path 43 . In addition, when the driving mechanism 63 is not in operation, the power consumption of the motor 84 can be reduced by slowing down the rotation speed of the fan 83 . However, the control device 5 (see FIG. 1 etc.) or the robot arm control unit 11 (see FIG. 2 etc.) may be configured to control the rotational speed of the fan 83 .

(2) In the above-mentioned embodiments, the container member 61 of the transfer robot arm 3 and the returning path 43 are connected via the connection path 82a (that is, the transfer robot arm 3 corresponds to the automatic device of the present invention). constitute, but are not limited to. For example, the present invention may be applied to the above-mentioned aligner 54 . In this case, the aligner 54 also corresponds to the automatic device of the present invention. Hereinafter, it demonstrates concretely using FIG. 10. FIG. FIG. 10( a ) is a partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of the aligner 54 . Fig. 10(b) is a plan view of the aligner 54 and its surroundings.

The configuration of the aligner 54 will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 10( a ), the aligner 54 has a container member 92 , a holding portion 93 , a supporting portion 94 , a motor 95 (the driving mechanism of the present invention), and a camera 96 . An opening 92a is formed for the container member 92 . On the outside of the container member 92, a holding portion 93 for holding the wafer W is disposed. The supporting portion 94 supports the holding portion 93 from below. The motor 95 rotationally drives the support portion 94 . The camera 96 takes pictures of the outer edge of the wafer W that is rotating while being held by the holding unit 93 . Through this, the aligner 54 measures how much the wafer W is held at a position deviated from the target holding position via the transfer robot 3 , and sends the measurement result to the robot control unit 11 .

By rotating the support portion 94 via the motor 95, a Dust is generated in the container member 92 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10( a ), a nitrogen discharge port 97 is formed in the container member 92 . The discharge port 97 is connected to a connection path 98 a formed through a connection pipe 98 . As shown in FIG. 10( b ), the connection path 98 a connects the container member 92 and the return path 43 . Furthermore, the fan 99 may be arranged for the connection path 98a.

(3) In the above embodiments, the spaces 21a to 24a formed inside the columns 21 to 24 are used as the structure of the return path 43, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the returning path 43 may be formed via another member.

(4) In the above-mentioned embodiments, nitrogen is used as the inert gas, but it is not limited thereto. For example, argon or the like may be used as the inert gas.

1‧‧‧EFEM

2‧‧‧frame

3‧‧‧Conveying robot arm (automatic device)

4‧‧‧Loading port

40‧‧‧circular path

41‧‧‧Transportation room

43‧‧‧Return path

44‧‧‧FFU (Fan Filter Unit)

46‧‧‧Fan

61‧‧‧Container components

61b‧‧‧Export

70‧‧‧Arm mechanism (holding part)

71, 72, 73‧‧‧arm components

74‧‧‧Robot

79‧‧‧Sleeve

81‧‧‧Sending Department

82‧‧‧connecting pipe

82a‧‧‧connection path

83‧‧‧Fan

86‧‧‧Attraction Department

87‧‧‧Injector

87a‧‧‧Nozzle

87b‧‧‧diffuser

87c‧‧‧Attraction port

88a‧‧‧Supply route

88b‧‧‧Sending Path

88c‧‧‧attraction path

91‧‧‧Replacement path

91a‧‧‧Supply route

111‧‧‧Supply source

115‧‧‧Supply source

116‧‧‧Supply source

Claims (4)

An EFEM system has: the inert gas that is purified by the fan filter unit for removing dust flows in the transfer chamber in a specific direction, and returns the inert gas to the fan from the downstream side of the transfer chamber in the specific direction The return path of the filter unit, the EFEM in which the aforementioned inert gas is formed in a circular manner, is characterized by: an automatic device configured to configure the aforementioned transfer chamber to maintain the state of the substrate and perform specific actions; the aforementioned automatic device has: A container member having an opening, a holding portion arranged outside the container member to hold the substrate, a support portion supporting the holding portion and inserted into the opening, and a driver for accommodating the container member and driving the support portion The mechanism is provided with a connection path connecting the container member and the return path, as the automatic device, a transfer robot arm for transferring the substrate is provided, the container member is fixed in the transfer chamber, and as the holding unit, a holding unit is provided. The arm mechanism that transports the aforementioned substrate in the horizontal direction is provided with a pillar supporting the aforementioned arm mechanism as the aforementioned supporting portion, The support is driven up and down via the driving mechanism. The arm mechanism includes a robot arm for holding the substrate, and a mechanism for switching the robot arm between a holding state for holding the substrate and a release state for releasing the holding state. The state switching unit sucks the dust generated during the operation of the switching unit through the flow of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source for dust removal, and furthermore, the supplied inert gas , and the dust is discharged from the injector of the aforementioned return path at the same time. An EFEM system has: the inert gas that is purified by the fan filter unit for removing dust flows in the transfer chamber in a specific direction, and returns the inert gas to the fan from the downstream side of the transfer chamber in the specific direction The return path of the filter unit, the EFEM in which the aforementioned inert gas is formed in a circular manner, is characterized by: an automatic device configured to configure the aforementioned transfer chamber to maintain the state of the substrate and perform specific actions; the aforementioned automatic device has: A container member having an opening, and a holding portion arranged outside the container member to hold the substrate, a support portion supporting the holding portion and inserted into the opening, and a driver for accommodating the container member and driving the support portion mechanism, A connection path connecting the container member and the return path is provided, and a fan for sending the inert gas in the container member to the return path through the connection path is provided. As the automatic device, a device for transporting the substrate is provided. According to the transfer robot arm, the container member is fixed in the transfer chamber, the holding part is provided with an arm mechanism for holding the substrate and conveying in the horizontal direction, and the support part is provided with a pillar supporting the arm mechanism. The pillar is driven up and down via the driving mechanism. The arm mechanism includes: a manipulator for holding the substrate; The switching part sucks the dust generated during the operation of the switching part through the flow of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source for dust removal, and furthermore, the supplied inert gas, The ones that are discharged from the injector of the aforementioned return path at the same time as the dust. An EFEM system has: the inert gas that is purified by the fan filter unit for removing dust flows in the transfer chamber in a specific direction, and returns the inert gas to the fan from the downstream side of the transfer chamber in the specific direction The return path of the filter unit, the aforementioned inert gas The EFEM which is constituted cyclically is characterized by having: an automatic device for performing specific actions by arranging the aforementioned transfer chamber and maintaining the state of the substrate; On the outer side of the component, the holding part for holding the aforementioned substrate, and the supporting part for supporting the aforementioned holding part and inserting into the aforementioned opening, and the driving mechanism for accommodating the aforementioned container component and driving the aforementioned supporting part, is provided with a device connecting the aforementioned container component and the aforementioned return The connection path of the path further includes: a fan for sending the inert gas in the container member to the return path through the connection path, a fan driving device for rotationally driving the fan, and a control unit for controlling the fan driving device; The aforementioned control section accelerates the rotation speed of the aforementioned fan when the aforementioned driving mechanism is in operation compared with when the aforementioned driving mechanism is not operating. As the aforementioned automatic device, a transfer robotic arm for transferring the aforementioned substrate is provided, and the aforementioned container member is fixed. In the transfer chamber, as the holding unit, an arm mechanism that holds the substrate and transports it in the horizontal direction is provided, and as the support unit, a pillar that supports the arm mechanism is provided, The support is driven up and down via the driving mechanism. The arm mechanism includes a robot arm for holding the substrate, and a mechanism for switching the robot arm between a holding state for holding the substrate and a release state for releasing the holding state. The state switching unit sucks the dust generated during the operation of the switching unit through the flow of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source for dust removal, and furthermore, the supplied inert gas , and the dust is discharged from the injector of the aforementioned return path at the same time. Such as the EFEM described in any one of items 1 to 3 of the scope of patent application, wherein the aforementioned arm mechanism has a hollow arm member, and the aforementioned arm member is formed with an inert gas supply source for self-purification. The inlet for the aforementioned inert gas to flow into the inner space of the aforementioned arm member, and the outlet for allowing the gas to flow out of the aforementioned inner space of the aforementioned arm member.

Images