WO2006046580A1 - 搬送システム、基板処理装置、及び搬送方法 - Google Patents
搬送システム、基板処理装置、及び搬送方法 Download PDFInfo
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- WO2006046580A1 WO2006046580A1 PCT/JP2005/019632 JP2005019632W WO2006046580A1 WO 2006046580 A1 WO2006046580 A1 WO 2006046580A1 JP 2005019632 W JP2005019632 W JP 2005019632W WO 2006046580 A1 WO2006046580 A1 WO 2006046580A1
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- Prior art keywords
- transport
- transported
- moving
- mounting table
- transport path
- Prior art date
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/34—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor
- B65G47/46—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H01L21/67703—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations between different workstations
- H01L21/67727—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations between different workstations using a general scheme of a conveying path within a factory
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
- B65G47/88—Separating or stopping elements, e.g. fingers
- B65G47/8807—Separating or stopping elements, e.g. fingers with one stop
- B65G47/883—Fixed stop
- B65G47/8853—Fixed stop with conveyors, e.g. pivoting or rotating, to transfer the article
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H01L21/67703—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations between different workstations
- H01L21/6773—Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H01L21/67703—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations between different workstations
- H01L21/67736—Loading to or unloading from a conveyor
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
- H01L21/67775—Docking arrangements
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
- B65G2201/02—Articles
- B65G2201/0297—Wafer cassette
Definitions
- Transport system substrate processing apparatus, and transport method
- the present invention relates to a transfer system, a substrate processing apparatus, and a transfer method related to a product in a manufacturing facility, and in particular, it is used in a manufacturing facility while saving space and improving maintainability. It realizes a transport mode that can coexist with existing transport systems. Background art
- a transport system for transporting a product has been constructed in various manufacturing facilities.
- a facility that manufactures a substrate-like workpiece such as a wafer or a liquid crystal panel
- a system that can efficiently transport a plurality of workpieces in units of single wafers or in units of cassettes is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 6-16206, 2002-237512, 2003-282669, 2001-189366, and 2003-86668. This is disclosed!
- FIG. 18 shows an example of a system in a wafer manufacturing facility as a specific configuration of a conventional general transfer system.
- processing equipment is installed and arranged for each necessary processing (processing related to manufacturing, processing related to measurement, processing related to inspection, processing related to storage, etc.).
- a mounting table (corresponding to a load port) on which an airtight container (referred to as FO UP) for storing a plurality of wafers and the like is mounted is provided in front of each processing apparatus.
- a ceiling transport system is laid above each mounting table, or a floor transport system such as an automated guided vehicle (AGV) is laid in front.
- AGV automated guided vehicle
- the FOUP containing the wafer is carried by a ceiling transfer system or an automatic transfer vehicle and mounted on a mounting table. Depending on the situation, the worker may carry the FOUP containing the wafer to the mounting table.
- a single-wafer transport device such as a circulation transport path type has been proposed due to an increase in demand for a small variety of products.
- the layout of the transport system and the access distance are also limited due to the structure in which a transport path exists in front of the mounting table and the difference in the transport unit (number of transported sheets) and the shape of the object to be transported (container). receive. Therefore, it may be difficult for the recirculating transport system to transfer the object to and from the ceiling transport system or floor transport system using FOUP, which has been widely used in the past.
- the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a transport system, a substrate processing apparatus, and a transport method having a small exclusive area.
- the transport system is capable of mounting a transport path and a transported body that sequentially transports a transported body having a single or a plurality of transport units.
- the transport path crosses the space area in which the floor occupied portion of the mounting table is projected in the vertical direction, and It is arranged below the placement surface, and includes moving means for moving one transported body that is transported on the transport path and passes through the space area to a position that does not interfere with other transported bodies.
- the conveyance path is arranged below the placement surface across the space area related to the placement table. Therefore, the area occupied by the mounting table and the area where the transfer path is laid are shared, and space saving can be realized.
- the conveyance path is not positioned in front of the mounting table, it is easy to access the mounting table from the front side of the apparatus during inspection and repair. Also, Layau And the compatibility and coexistence with other transport systems is enhanced.
- the transported transported body is processed for processing or the like. It is now possible to move the object to be transported without any hindrance to the transport, and the transported object being transported can be moved smoothly for various processes.
- the transport path can transport a transported object with a single transport unit and a plurality of transport units mixed together, and the moving means includes a plurality of transport units. It is characterized in that the transported body is moved by a moving length corresponding to the outer dimensions.
- the conveyance path can convey a mixture of single and plural conveyance units, and the moving means moves the object to be conveyed with a movement length corresponding to the external dimensions of the plurality of conveyance units. Therefore, the object to be processed can be conveyed in a free conveyance form without being limited to the number of conveyance units, and the object to be conveyed can be conveyed flexibly in response to fluctuations in the manufacturing plan.
- a transport system includes a pallet that is transported in the transport path, the transport target is placed on the pallet and transported on the transport path, and the pallet is placed on the pallet. And a cover that covers the object to be transported and shields the atmosphere from the surroundings.
- the transported object is transported on a pallet with a cover, no structure or power is required to ensure the cleanliness of the entire transport path. It is possible to ensure the cleanliness of the transported body without being affected by dust generation, etc. on a pallet basis.
- a transport system includes a cover body that covers a moving range of the moving means and the transport path.
- the cover body that covers the moving range by the moving means and the transport path is provided, the ambient atmosphere force can be cut off in the range in which the transported body moves, and the inside of the cover body is secured in a clean atmosphere. It becomes easy to do.
- the inside of the cover body is depressurized, a predetermined gas such as clean air or inert gas is supplied to the inside of the cover body, or a predetermined gas such as weak decompression and inert gas is supplied. Combined with the supply of It is preferable to perform such as.
- a transport system according to a fifth invention is characterized in that the transport path is annular.
- the conveyance path is annular, the conveyance object can be circulated and conveyed, and a conveyance mode corresponding to various layouts in which various processing apparatuses are arranged can be realized. .
- a transport system includes an opening formed in at least one mounting region of the mounting table on the mounting surface, and a closing body capable of closing the opening. It is characterized by that.
- an opening is formed in at least one placement region and a closing body for closing the opening is provided. Therefore, when the opening is closed, it is the same as the conventional placement table.
- a closed container such as FOUP can be mounted on the mounting surface, and when the opening is open, it can be used as a path for transporting the object to be transported on the transport path. The transported object can be handled freely even in the characteristic transport mode that shares the area with
- the closing body is a box-like shape having an open bottom surface, and the upper plate portion of the box-like closing body closes the opening from the position above the placement surface. It is characterized by comprising a closing body moving means for moving the closing body within a range until the closing body protrudes.
- the closing body is formed in a box shape with the lower surface open, and the closing body is a state in which the opening of the mounting table is closed by the upper plate portion serving as a top plate, and protrudes upward from the mounting surface. Since the upper surface of the closed body matches the conventional mounting standard such as FOUP, the container such as FOUP can be placed on the upper plate of the closed body in the closed state. In the protruding state, it is possible to secure a space where the transported body etc. can be temporarily placed at the transfer position with the device by utilizing the internal space of the box closing body, and the space area related to the mounting table is made more effective. Available.
- a transport system includes a storage box that can store a plurality of transported bodies, and the closing body can store the storage box therein, and the mounting surface of the mounting table From the bottom of the mounting surface to the front so as to be accommodated in the inside of the closing body that protrudes upward.
- a means for moving the storage box is provided.
- the box-shaped closure body accommodates therein a storage box that temporarily accommodates a plurality of transported bodies, and the closure body protrudes above the placement surface.
- a means for moving the storage box appropriately between the inside and the inside of the closed body is additionally provided, so that the storage box can be positioned at an arbitrary position above and below the mounting surface.
- the storage box can be moved above the placement surface, so that the transfer of the transported object to and from the processing apparatus that processes the transported object can be performed in various ways through the storage box.
- the storage box is moved independently, so that the positioning accuracy of the storage box related to the movement can be maintained well, and the transported object stored in the storage box can be immediately delivered by a robot or the like. Preferred.
- a transport system includes a storage box that can store a plurality of transported bodies, and the closing body can store the storage box therein, and the storage box is stored in the closed body.
- the apparatus further comprises means for moving the storage box along with the movement of the closing body by the closing body moving means.
- the storage box housed in the closed body is moved together with the closed body so that the storage box is housed in the box-shaped closed body. Therefore, the storage box can be used to temporarily hold and evacuate the transported object. In addition, when the storage box is moved upward, the transported object can be freely transferred to and from the processing apparatus that processes the transported object.
- the closing body that is slightly larger than the storage box is moved together, there may be restrictions on the operation of the closing body or storage box, but there is a need to share the drive mechanism for movement. Cost and space can be reduced.
- the transfer means when the storage box is housed inside the closing body that protrudes above the mounting surface of the mounting table, the transfer means does not interfere with the moving means! And a transfer means for transferring the transferred object moved to the position so as to be stored in the storage box.
- transport means for transporting and storing the transported body moved to the position to the storage box moved upward is provided, so that the transported body retracted from the transport path is stored. It will be able to move smoothly to the box, and it will be possible to deliver the object to be transferred between the transfer path and the storage box, and to respond flexibly to various transfer situations.
- a transport system includes means for moving the transported body moved to a position where it does not interfere with the moving means to the height of the mounting surface of the mounting table. If there is no interference, it is equipped with means to move the transported body to the position of the mounting surface of the mounting table, so that the transported body can be moved directly to the mounting surface.
- a transport system is characterized in that the moving means includes means for moving the transported object transported on the transport path obliquely upward along the transport direction.
- the object to be transported that is transported in the transport path disposed below the placement surface is moved obliquely upward, so that the transported object that does not stop the transport by the transport path is provided.
- the transport path force can be retracted, and in particular, by moving along the transport path, the transported body can be moved and stopped smoothly without countering the inertia caused by the transport. Note that it is important to gradually decelerate and stop the moved transported body so that the transported body can be moved without dropping.
- the transport system includes means for forming an ascending slope with the downstream side in the transport direction as an upper end so that the transported body transported on the transport path rides on, and the moving means is The transported body that rides on the ascending slope is moved.
- the ascending slope is formed with respect to the conveying path disposed below the placement surface, so that the object to be transported having inertia in the conveying direction can ride on the ascending slope. become.
- the transported body that has been ridden is moved to a position where it does not interfere, the transported body being transported can be moved to a predetermined position without a complicated mechanism.
- the ascending slope should be formed on the transport path in accordance with the arrival of the transported body to be received, and the upward acceleration when the transported body is climbed should be suppressed so that the transported body is not damaged. And the length and deceleration so that the transported body can stop at a predetermined deceleration. It is important to have a mechanism.
- a transport system comprises means for moving the object to be transported at a position obliquely downward along the transport direction of the transport path and placing it on the transport path without interference. It is characterized by that.
- the object to be transported is moved to the position obliquely downward along the transport direction and placed on the transport path. It can be returned to the transport path without interfering with other transported objects.
- the movement of the transported object to the transport path recognizes the empty transport path and does not damage the transported object! / ⁇ Accelerates within the specified acceleration to match the transport speed and the empty part of the transport path. It is important to place them in sync with the
- the transport system according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention provides means for forming a descending slope having a lower end on the downstream side in the transport direction so as to slide down the transported body at a position on the transport path without causing interference. It is characterized by having.
- a descending slope that descends at a height corresponding to the transport surface of the transport path is formed, and the transported body is moved down to the descending slope, so that the transported body has a descending slope. It slides down and automatically returns to the transport path.
- the down slope is formed in accordance with the arrival of the empty part by recognizing the empty of the transport path so as not to interfere with other transported bodies, and with a predetermined acceleration that does not damage the transported body. It is important to have an acceleration mechanism that accelerates until it conforms to the transport speed of the transport path, and that the upward acceleration when the transported object slides down the transport path does not damage the transported object. .
- a substrate processing apparatus includes a processing unit that performs processing on a substrate, a casing that covers the processing unit, and a mounting table that is disposed on one side of the casing and includes a mounting surface.
- the mounting surface of the mounting table is characterized in that an opening through which the substrate can pass is formed.
- the substrate processing apparatus is a transport path positioned below a mounting surface of the mounting table in a space region in which a floor occupation portion of the mounting table is projected in a vertical direction, and the transport path Carried in And moving means for moving one substrate that is sent and passes through the space region to a position that does not interfere with another substrate.
- the transfer path is arranged so as to pass through the space area related to the mounting table, the space related to transfer can be reduced, and the other board does not interfere with one board.
- the transfer path force of the substrate can be withdrawn, and in order to process the transferred substrate, it is possible to smoothly perform temporary standby and transfer of the substrate.
- the transport method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention sequentially transports the object to be transported on a transport path disposed below the mounting surface of the mounting table within a space area in which the floor occupation portion of the mounting table is projected in the vertical direction.
- a transporting method in which the one transported body transported through the transport path and passing through the space region is moved to a position that does not interfere with the other transported body, and the other transported body is moved to the position It is characterized by being transported through the space area.
- one conveyed object to be conveyed is moved to a position where it does not interfere with the subsequent other conveyed object, and the other conveyed object is conveyed through the space area.
- it becomes possible to appropriately extract the conveyance target force during conveyance and it is possible to realize a conveyance mode that can be adapted to various manufacturing situations.
- the transport method according to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the transport path transports each transported body by a single unit or a plurality of units of 1, a deviation, or a mixture of both units.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 (a) is a perspective view showing a transfer form of a single wafer, and (b) is a perspective view showing a transfer form of a wafer placed on a pallet.
- FIG. 3 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A—A in FIG. 1, (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a transfer form of a plurality of wafers, and (b) is a transfer form in which a plurality of wafers are covered with a shielding cover. It is sectional drawing shown.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure for shutting off the atmosphere by pressurizing inert gas.
- FIG. 5 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the processing equipment taken along line B-B in Fig. 1, and (b) is a CC line in (a).
- FIG. 5 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the processing equipment taken along line B-B in Fig. 1, and (b) is a CC line in (a).
- FIG. 6 (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views showing a state where the closed box and the buffer are raised.
- FIG. 7 (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the closed box is moved to the housing side of the processing apparatus, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the door part and the cover part are opened.
- FIG. 8 (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a sealed container is placed and moved to the housing side of the processing apparatus, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the lid part and the door part of the sealed container are opened. It is.
- FIG. 9 (a) is a plan view showing a conveyance path at a location where a moving plate portion is provided
- FIG. 9 (b) is a front view showing a configuration related to the movement of one moving plate portion.
- FIG. 10 (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the wafer is returned to the transfer path by the moving plate portion, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the wafer is raised to the height of the mounting surface.
- FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a processing apparatus provided with a plurality of mounting tables.
- FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a processing apparatus provided with a mounting table having one mounting area.
- FIG. 13 is a configuration related to the movement of the moving plate part of the modification, (a) is a front view showing a state before the movement, and (b) is a state where the moving plate part is rotated so as to form an ascending slope. (C) is a front view of a state in which the moving plate portion is rotationally moved so as to form a descending inclined surface.
- FIG. 14 (a) is a front view showing a wafer that has run on an ascending slope, (b) is a front view showing a wafer that has moved to a position where subsequent wafers do not interfere, and (c) is a wafer that slides down a downhill slope.
- FIG. 15 shows a modified example of a wafer retracting mechanism, in which (a) is a schematic diagram showing a state where the wafer is held, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a state where the wafer is retracted.
- FIG. 16 is a wafer retracting mechanism according to another modified example, (a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the wafer is clamped, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the wafer is retracted.
- FIG. 17 (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a form of atmosphere shut-off by inhalation of clean air, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a form of atmosphere shut-off by decompression.
- FIG. 18 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a conventional transport system.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall layout to which a transfer system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
- the transfer system 1 is for sequentially transferring wafers W (substrates) as a transfer target, and is constructed so as to connect processing apparatuses 10, 100, 200, etc. installed in the wafer W manufacturing facility.
- processing apparatuses 10, 100, 200, etc. installed in the wafer W manufacturing facility.
- System 2 exists above the transfer system 1.
- System 2 exists.
- Each processing apparatus 10, 100, and 200 performs different processing (processing related to manufacturing, processing related to measurement, processing related to inspection, processing related to storage, and the like) on the wafer W.
- the basic structure is the same.
- the basic configuration relating to the external appearance will be described using the processing apparatus 10.
- the processing apparatus 10 includes a box-shaped casing 15 that covers a processing unit that performs processing on the wafer W.
- the mounting surface l id of the mounting table 11 is set to a height corresponding to the delivery from the upper side of the ceiling conveyance system 2 and the delivery to the automatic guided vehicle 3 of the floor conveyance system.
- the transfer system 1 has high affinity and coexistence with the existing ceiling transfer system and floor transfer system. Further, it is possible for the operator S to directly place the sealed container F or the like on the placement surface l id of the placement table 11.
- the transfer system 1 is a transfer path that is covered with a cover body 5 so as to traverse a space area obtained by vertically projecting a floor-occupied portion of the mounting table 11 or the like of the processing device 10 or the like below the mounting surface l id. Is placed. Such an arrangement of the transport path realizes space saving and enhances accessibility from the front to each processing apparatus 10 and the like.
- the transport system 1 includes an annular transport path covered with a cover body 5 and a mounting table 11 provided alongside a casing 15 such as a processing apparatus 10. The processing unit and casing 15 of each processing device 10 and the like, the ceiling transport system 2, and the automatic guided vehicle 3 of the floor transport system are not included in the transport system 1.
- FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) show a transfer mode of the wafer W that can be transferred by the transfer system 1, and the transfer path T extending substantially horizontally inside the force bar body 5 is shown.
- FIG. Fig. 2 (a) shows the case of a single transfer unit that transfers the wafer W directly on the transfer surface Ta of the transfer path T
- Fig. 2 (b) shows that the wafer W is set on the pallet P.
- This shows the case of a single transport unit that transports along transport path T.
- the pallet P used in the transport system 1 has a required thickness, and is provided with a total of four tire-like protrusions Pa that protrude from the left and right side forces.
- FIGS. 3A to 3C show other transfer modes of the wafer W in the transfer system 1.
- FIG. 3 (a) in order to show the positional relationship of the transport path T inside the cover body 5, the view is taken from the cross-sectional direction along the line A— in FIG.
- Fig. 3 (a) shows the case of a single transfer unit in which the wafer W placed on the pallet P is transferred by the transfer path T while the surrounding and atmosphere are shielded by the shielding cover H.
- Fig. 3 (b) shows a transfer mode using a cassette.
- a plurality of (three) wafers W are transferred by a transfer path while being mounted on a shelf-like carrier K provided on a pallet P. Indicates the unit case.
- FIG. 3 (c) shows a transporting mode using cassettes, where multiple (three) wenos and W are placed on a shelf-like carrier K provided on a pallet P, and the surroundings and atmosphere are protected by the shielding cover H. Shown is the case of multiple transport units transported by the transport path T in a shielded state.
- the transport system 1 can transport UE and W in any of the transport modes shown in FIGS. 2 (a), (b) and FIGS. 3 (a) to (c). It is possible to cope with conveyance in only the conveyance form, conveyance with a mixture of single and plural conveyance forms, conveyance with a mixture of two or more conveyance forms, and the like.
- the transfer mode is determined based on the wafer W manufacturing plan, and the wafer W that has been transferred to the required transfer mode by the control device not shown in FIG.
- FIG. 4 shows the structure of an inert gas supply part provided at a required location of the cover body 5 covering the transport path T.
- the cover body 5 in the supply portion has an inert gas supply hole 5b protruding from the top plate portion 5a, and an exhaust hole 5d connected to an exhaust pipe (not shown) protruding from the bottom plate portion 5c.
- Inert gas is pressurized and supplied from the exhaust port 5d to the inside of the cover body 5, filtered by the filter 6 and exhausted from the exhaust hole 5d.
- the inside of the cover body 5 is shielded from the external atmosphere and the required cleanliness is ensured.
- the part of the conveyance path T arranged below the mounting table 11 etc. of each processing apparatus 10 etc. is shielded from the external atmosphere by a closed box 12 corresponding to another cover body, details will be described later. .
- FIGS. 5A and 5B show the internal configuration of the processing apparatus 10.
- the processing apparatus 10 includes a casing 15 and a mounting table 11 that cover a processing unit (not shown) that performs processing on the wafer W, and includes a conveyance path T that passes through the inside of the mounting table 11. .
- the casing 15 receives the wafer W inside and transfers it to the processing unit, and also transfers the wafer W processed by the processing unit to the outside.
- a transfer robot 16 equipped with an arm 16a to be sent to is arranged.
- a door portion 15b is provided on the front surface 15a of the upper portion of the housing 15, and when receiving Ueno and W inside the housing 15, the door portion 15b descends and the front surface 15a of the housing 15 is provided. A part of is now opening! The door 15b is opened and closed by an opening / closing device 14 disposed in front of the transfer robot 16.
- the mounting table 11 provided alongside the front surface 15a of the housing 15 has an upper space l ib in which a lower space 11a through which the conveyance path T passes and a closed box 12 corresponding to a box-shaped closing body are located. It is divided into The lower space 11a corresponds to a space area in which the bottom plate portion 11c corresponding to the floor occupying portion of the mounting table 11 is projected in the vertical direction, and the movement range when the wafer W moves up the transfer path T. Is included.
- long plate-like moving plate portions 20 and 21 are provided on both sides of the conveyance path T at a part of the conveyance path T passing through the lower space 11a.
- the upper surfaces of the moving plate parts 20 and 21 have the same height as the upper surface of the transfer path T, and the pallet P is placed when the Norut P on which the wafer W is placed passes through the place where the moving plate parts 20 and 21 are provided.
- the projecting portion Pa is placed on the movable plate portions 20, 21. The configuration relating to the movement of the moving plate portions 20 and 21 will be described later.
- the mounting table 11 has a side wall portion that is continuous with the cover body 5, and ribs ie project from a portion that divides the lower space 11a and the upper space l ib. ing.
- a seal member is provided on the upper surface of the rib l ie.
- the side wall 13 on the side of the case 15 that forms the upper space l ib of the mounting table 11 is a separate body (see FIG. 5 (a)), and can be moved up and down by the switchgear 14 described above. Yes.
- the side wall portion 13 is also provided with side wall ribs 13a similar to the rib lies.
- the mounting table 11 has a large rectangular opening l lg formed at the mounting position near the center of the mounting surface l id, and a seal member is provided on the lower surface of the peripheral edge 1 If of the opening l lg. Yes.
- a closed box (referred to as Min ⁇ Environment) 12 located in the upper space l ib of the mounting table 11 has a lower surface opened and can accommodate a plurality of wafers W (corresponding to a storage box) Bf Is secured to the inside 12b, and the top plate 12a serving as the top plate is sized to close the opening llg of the mounting table 11.
- the upper surface of the upper plate portion 12a has two mounting areas 12e and 12f on which the sealed container F can be mounted (see FIG. 1).
- two placement areas 12a and 12f exist on the placement surface l id of the placement table 11.
- one placement area 12f of the upper plate portion 12a has a three-point arrangement kinema that is in a straight line (to determine the plane) in order to guarantee the positional relationship with the sealed container F to be placed.
- Tick 'coupling 12g is provided.
- the closed box 12 is provided with a flange portion 12c projecting outward at the lower periphery, and seal members are provided on the upper and lower surfaces and the tip of the flange portion 12c.
- a portion corresponding to the door portion 15b on the casing 15 side of the closed box 12 is a separate cover portion 12d, and can be detached by the opening / closing device 14 described above.
- the closed box 12 is movable in the vertical direction and in the direction approaching the housing 15 by a linear motion device 17 provided in the upper space l ib of the mounting table 11.
- a linear motion guide unit 17a extending in the vertical direction is provided with a movement unit 17b via a horizontal movement guide unit 17c shown in FIG. It is connected to the lower end part.
- the movement of the units 17b and 17c is controlled by a control device (not shown), and the vertical movement of the units 17b and 17c is moved up and down along the linear motion guide portion 17a.
- the closed box 12 has the upper surface of the upper plate portion 12a equivalent to the mounting surface l id of the mounting table 11.
- the mounting surface l id opening l lg is closed by the upper plate portion 12a
- the upper container 12a is closed on the upper surface of the upper plate portion 12a by a closed container F (indicated by a two-dot chain line in Figs. 5 (a) and (b)).
- the sealed container F is placed by the ceiling transfer system 2, the automatic guided vehicle 3 of the floor transfer system, or manually.
- the closed box 12 when the closed box 12 is positioned on the lower end side of the moving range, the lower surface of the flange portion 12c is in contact with the upper surface of the rib l ie of the mounting table 11 and the upper surface of the side wall rib 13a.
- the sealing members are respectively provided, the inside of the mounting table 11 is maintained in the shielding property of the atmosphere by the closed box 12, so that the closed box 12 serves as a cover body that covers the moving range of the wafer W. Also works.
- the closed box 12 is located above the mounting surface l id of the mounting table 11, as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b).
- the upper surface of the flange portion 12c of the closed box 12 and the lower surface of the peripheral edge portion llf of the opening llg come into contact with each other. in this way Since the seal members are also provided at the contact points, the shielding property inside the mounting table 11 is maintained.
- the front end of the flange portion 12c of the closed box 12 abuts against the inner wall of the upper space l ib of the mounting table 11 and is also moved by the sealing member at the front end of the flange portion 12c.
- the shielding property is maintained. If the inside of the closed box is controlled to a positive pressure, the inside of the closed box can be kept clean if the gap is kept sufficiently small even without the sealing member at the tip of the flange portion 12c. Dust generation due to seal friction can be avoided.
- the mounting table 11 is provided with a vertical movement device 18 for the buffer Bf in the upper space l ib.
- the movement unit 18b moving along the vertical guide portion 18a is controlled by a control device (not shown), and the movement unit 18b is connected to the lower part of the buffer Bf so that the buffer Bf is vertically moved. It can be moved up and down in the direction.
- the movement of the buffer Bf by the vertical moving device 18 is controlled in accordance with the moving state of the closed box 12 by the linear motion device 17, and the closed box 12 is moved as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b).
- the control to move the buffer Bf is not performed.
- FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b) when the closed box 12 moves to the upper end side so as to protrude from the mounting surface l id, the control device (not shown) has the closed box 12 on the upper end side. This is recognized based on the state of the moving unit 17b, and when the required condition is satisfied in this state, the moving unit 18b is raised and the buffer Bf is moved so as to be accommodated in the closed box 12 positioned above.
- the closed container F has a lid part Fa that can be opened and closed on the surface of the casing 15, and moves the closed box 12 to the casing 15 side.
- the lid part Fa is brought into close contact with the door part 15b of the housing 15, and in this state, the opening / closing device 14 descends the lid part Fa, the door part 15b, and the side wall part 13 of the mounting table 11.
- the sealed container F is opened, and the arm 16a of the transfer robot 16 extends into the sealed container F, and the wafer W is transferred. At this time, the end surface of the sealed container F is in contact with the casing 15a, so that airtightness is maintained.
- a transfer robot 19 for transferring wafer W is also arranged.
- the transfer robot 19 includes a movable portion 19b that moves vertically with respect to the base portion 19a, and an arm portion 19c provided at the upper end of the movable portion 19b.
- the transfer control of the transfer robot 19 is a robot (not shown). This is done by the control device.
- the transfer of the wafer W by the transfer robot 19 is performed with respect to the buffer Bf at the raised position, and the moving plate is moved from the transfer path T to a position where it does not interfere with the subsequent wafer W. Wafers W placed on the pallet P moved by the units 20 and 21 are to be transferred.
- the robot controller detects that the buffer Bf and the wafer W are in the positional relationship shown in FIG. 6 (b)
- the wafer B is vacated in the buffer Bf when the required condition is satisfied. It is transferred to a shelf by the transfer robot 19 and stored.
- the robot control apparatus also transfers the wafer W stored in the buffer Bf by the transfer robot 19 so as to be placed on the pallet P.
- the transfer robot 19 By performing such transfer by the transfer robot 19, it becomes possible to send the wafer W transferred on the transfer path T to the processing unit in the casing 15 of the processing apparatus 10 and perform the required processing. Used wafer W to pallet P It is also possible to return to.
- FIG. 9A is a plan view of a portion of the conveyance path T where the moving plate portions 20 and 21 are provided.
- Guide rail portions 22 and 23 are arranged outside the moving plate portions 20 and 21, and the moving plate portions 20 and 21 are connected to the guide rail portions 22 and 23 via moving intervening units 24a and 24b. Yes.
- the guide rail portions 22 and 23 are omitted in FIGS. 5 (a) (b) to 8 (a) and (b) in order to avoid complication of the drawings. It is provided inside the mounting table 11.
- the guide rail may be replaced with a robot arm that can draw the same path.
- the trajectory is not limited to a straight line, and is preferably a curve that can reduce the upward and downward acceleration when climbing from the transport device.
- FIG. 9 (b) is a schematic view showing the shape of the guide rail portion 23 related to one moving plate portion 21, and the guide rail portion 22 related to the other moving plate portion 20 is symmetrical.
- the guide rail part 23 has a triangular shape as a whole, and is composed of a base part 23a corresponding to the base, a left side part 23b corresponding to the left side and a right side part 23c corresponding to the right side and each side part 23a.
- a guide groove 23d is formed continuously to ⁇ 23c. Note that the vertical dimension from the center of the bottom 23a to the apex where both oblique sides 23b and 23c intersect is related to the transfer mode when a plurality of wafers W shown in FIG. A value larger than the height dimension is set.
- a movement intervening unit 24a is fitted in the guide groove 23d, and the movement interposing unit 24a changes its direction at the end of each of the side portions 23a to 23c, as shown in FIG. 9 (b). It can move along the guide groove 23d in the clockwise direction.
- the movement of the moving intervening unit 24a is also controlled by a control device (not shown), and this control device is the tip of the pallet P passing through the moving plate 21 when the moving intervening unit 24a is located at the left end of the bottom 23a.
- the movement is controlled by the sensor 27 that detects the position.
- the control device moves the moving intervening unit 24a of the moving plate portion 21 from the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 9 (b). Move to the vertices of both hypotenuses 23b and 23c (indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure). This movement is obliquely upward along the transfer direction of the transfer path T, and the apex that has moved corresponds to a position where the subsequent wafer W does not interfere.
- the transfer speed of the transfer path T is initially the same. Force to start moving at the same speed Gradually decelerate and gently stop moving intervention unit 34a at the apex of both hypotenuses 23b, 23c.
- the vertical rail portion 25 is connected via the switching unit 26.
- a guide groove 25a is also formed in the vertical rail portion 25.
- the vertical rail portion 25 has the buffer Bf shown in FIG. 10 (a)
- the vertical rail portion 25 is shown in FIG. 10 (b) up to the lowering point of the transfer robot 19.
- the wafer W mounted on the pallet P reaches the height of the mounting surface l id of the mounting table 11.
- the switching unit 26 located between the vertical rail portion 25 and the guide rail portion 23 switches between opening and closing of the guide groove portions 23d and 25a, and the moving intervening unit 24a is changed to the in-rail portion 23.
- the lower end of the guide groove 25a of the vertical rail 25 is closed.
- the guide groove portion 23d at the upper end of the right oblique side portion 23c is closed.
- Such switching control is also performed by the control device.
- the control device determines that the closed box 12 is in a state of projecting from the mounting surface l id, and further, if it has a nother Bf, the buffer Bf is raised inside the closed box. Switch to the vertical rail 25 and move.
- the wafer W placed on the pallet P is directly removed from the transfer path T as shown in FIG. 10 (b). It is possible to move to the height of the mounting surface l id of the mounting table 11 and to extract and return the wafer W from the transfer path T as needed. Note that the wafer W moved to the height of the mounting surface l id is moved to the housing 15 based on the movement of the closed box 12 and the lowering of the door portion 15b and the cover portion 12d shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). Delivery is done to the inside.
- the moving plate portions 20 and 21 are not shown in order to scoop and lift the wafer directly from the transfer path.
- the wafer is picked up directly by extending from, and the same operation is performed thereafter.
- FIG. 11 shows a configuration of the processing apparatus 100 in which two mounting bases 111 and 150 are arranged side by side with the casing 115. Since the processing apparatus 100 is provided with two mounting tables 111 and 150 arranged in front of each other, the dimension of the transport path T in the transport direction is made longer than that of the processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. .
- One mounting table 111 of the processing apparatus 100 has the same configuration as the mounting table 11 of the processing apparatus 10 described above, and the closed box 112 can be moved relative to the mounting surface 11 Id inside the mounting table 111.
- the wafer W passing through the internal space of the mounting table 111 can be moved upward by the moving plate portions 120 and 121.
- the closed box 112 has two placement areas 112e and 112f on the upper plate portion 112a.
- the other mounting table 150 has basically the same structure as the conventional load port, has no opening at the mounting position, and is provided with a kinematic 'coupling 153 on the closed mounting surface 150a.
- a single mounting region 152 is formed, and the conveyance path T covered with the cover body 5 is disposed across the space below the mounting surface 150a of the mounting table 150.
- the wafer W is transferred to the transfer path T by one mounting table 111, and the other mounting table 150 can be used for mounting the sealed container F from the periphery.
- the mounting table 150 having a configuration similar to that of the conventional load port device is provided. It can be used effectively, and it is possible to secure multiple places to place the sealed container F on other transfer systems such as the ceiling transfer system 2 and floor transfer system, and also has compatibility and coexistence with other transfer systems It can be improved.
- a transfer robot capable of delivering the wafer W to both the closed table F mounted on one mounting table 111 and the other mounting table 150 is provided inside the casing 115 of the processing apparatus 100. Being
- the arrangement form of the mounting tables 11, 111, 150 is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 5 (b), FIG.
- the required number can be appropriately arranged according to the processing performed by 100, 200, etc., for example, a plurality of mounting tables 11 shown in FIG. 5 (b) are arranged, and a plurality of mounting tables 11 and 150 shown in FIG. It is also possible to arrange them.
- the transfer system 1 of the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described form, and various modifications can be applied.
- the shape of the transport path ⁇ is not limited to the ring shape shown in FIG.
- the object to be transferred is not limited to the wafer W, and other types of workpieces can be transferred as well, and is particularly suitable for plate-shaped workpiece transfer.
- the closed box 12 and the buffer Bf are moved separately.
- the buffer Bf stored inside may be moved together.
- the buffer Bf is also attached to the linear motion device 17 so that the buffer Bf is moved only by the linear motion device 17, and the vertical movement device 18 is omitted.
- the vertical movement device 18 and the movement of the weno and W relating to the movement of the buffer Bf from the mounting table 11 are transferred. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the transfer robot 19 that performs feeding is omitted, and the mounting table 11 having such a configuration has the same dimensions as the mounting table 150 shown in FIG. It is also possible to reduce the dimensions.
- FIG. 12 shows a small-sized processing apparatus 300 in which the buffer Bf and the transfer robot are omitted, and a closed box 312 having one placement area 312e on the upper plate portion 312a and having a placement surface 3 id.
- a mounting table 311 is provided so as to close the formed opening 31 lg. Since this mounting table 311 can mount one sealed container F and is not configured to mount a buffer inside, the mounting table 311 includes a guide rail portion 23 and a vertical rail portion 25 shown in FIG. By providing such a mechanism, the wafer W can be moved in the vertical direction from the transfer path T to the height of the placement surface 31 Id.
- the configuration of the moving means for moving the wafer W transferred on the transfer path T to a position where it does not interfere with the subsequent wafer W is not limited to that shown in Figs. 13
- the configurations shown in (a) to (c) are also applicable.
- the moving plate portion 41 corresponds to one moving plate portion 21 shown in FIG. 9, and even in the configuration shown in FIG. Are similarly provided. Therefore, based on one moving plate part 41, the moving structure of the modified example will be described below.
- the movable plate 41 is provided with a rotatable pin 41a on the outer side surface. Further, a linear motion rail portion 43 is provided in the vertical direction corresponding to the pin 41 a of the moving plate portion 41.
- the linear rail 43 has a rail size that is equal to or higher than the height of the transfer mode when a plurality of wafers W shown in Fig. 3 (c) are covered with the shielding cover H. Shown in If it is necessary to lift to the height of the mounting surface 1 Id, rails with dimensions that exceed the height of the mounting surface 1 Id are applied.
- a moving unit 45 is attached to the rail groove 43a of the linear motion rail portion 43, and the moving unit 45 can be moved along the rail groove 43a by a control device (not shown). Further, the moving unit 45 is provided with a motor (not shown) that is connected to the pin 41a of the moving plate 41 and rotates the pin 4la. The motor is also rotated by a control device (not shown). It is controlled.
- the moving plate 41 is attached to the linear motion rail 43 with the above-described configuration, so that the rising and falling slopes shown in FIGS. 13 (b) and 13 (c) can be formed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13 (b), rotation is performed at a required angle counterclockwise around the pin 41a so that the downstream end of the transport path T of the moving plate 41 rises. Do. As a result, an ascending slope that rises toward the downstream side by the moving plate 41 is formed.
- the moving unit 45 is lifted so that the upstream end of the conveying path T of the moving plate 41 is lifted, and the pin 41a is rotated clockwise.
- a moving slope 41 descends by the moving plate 41 toward the downstream side, and a descending slope connected to the upper surface of the conveyance path T is formed. Note that when the moving plate portion 41 is leveled and the moving unit 45 is moved, the entire moving plate portion 41 in the horizontal state can be moved up and down.
- the control of the movement of the moving plate 41 described above is performed according to the state of transport of the wafer W as shown in FIGS. 14 (a) to (c).
- the ascending slope is formed by rotating it counterclockwise around the pin 41a of the moving plate 41.
- the rotation of the pin 41a in the counterclockwise direction is performed based on the detection of a sensor for detecting the pallet P provided in front of the moving plate 41 (not shown in FIG. 14A).
- the angle at which the pin 41a is rotated depends on the rising slope of the protruding portion Pa of the pallet P, which is transported on the transport path T by the formed rising slope.
- the angle of the inclined surface is determined in consideration of the approach speed of the transferred object so that the vertical acceleration is within a predetermined value.
- the rising slope is formed in the moving plate portion 41, so that the pallet P of the wafer W conveyed on the conveying path T is transferred from the conveying path T to the moving plate portion 41 and stopped. Note that the stop of the pallet P on the moving plate 41 is detected by a sensor not shown in FIG. By detecting this sensor, as shown in FIG.
- the moving unit 45 is raised and the moving plate 41 is rotated clockwise around the pin 41a to move the moving plate 41 horizontally. Raise it to the position of. With this rise, the wafer W is moved to a position where it does not interfere with other wafers W ′ placed on the subsequent pallet! ⁇ .
- a vacant position in the transfer path is found in advance by a sensor (not shown) and synchronized with the empty position in FIG. )
- the state force also rotates the moving plate 41 around the pin 41a in the clockwise direction to move the moving plate.
- a descending slope is formed with the end on the downstream side of the part 41 as the lower end so as to be continuous with the upper surface of the conveyance path T.
- the pallet P Due to the formation of the descending slope at the moving plate 41, the pallet P is finally equal to the speed of the transport path by an aggressive acceleration mechanism when the acceleration of gravity and the transport speed of the transport path are fast and insufficient. It slides down the slope at a moderate speed and rides on the transport path T, and then transports again on the transport path T.
- the moving plate portion 41 is set so that the vertical acceleration when the pallet P is transferred to the transfer path is within a predetermined value. The tilt control is performed. Further, after returning the wafer W to the transfer path T, the moving plate portion 41 is moved so as not to interfere with the subsequent wafer W.
- FIGS. 15 (a) and 15 (b) show the configuration of another modified example in which the wafer W is moved to a position where it does not interfere, and is a view in the same direction as FIG. 3 (a).
- a 90-degree reversing unit 50 is provided on one side of the conveyance path T, and the clamping part 51 and the guide plate part 52 are rotated in the direction of the arrow in the figure with the rotation axis 5 la as the center.
- An actuator 53 is provided.
- the 90-degree reversing unit 50 holds the protruding portion Pa of the pallet P with the holding portion 51, and also holds the upper surface of the shielding cover H covering the wafer W with the guide plate portion 52. Then, the clamping part 51 and the guide plate part 52 are rotated approximately 90 degrees in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15 (b), the pallet P, the wafer W, and the shielding cover H are retracted from the transfer path and the Ueno and W placed on the subsequent pallet P 'do not interfere with each other. At the transport path It can be transported.
- FIGS. 16 (a) and 16 (b) show the configuration of still another modified example in which the wafer W is moved to a position that does not interfere, and is a view in the same direction as FIG. 3 (a).
- the transport path T ′ is arranged so that the transport surface T is inclined.
- the horizontal moving device 60 for the wafer W is provided on one side of the transfer path T ′, and the horizontal moving device 60 horizontally arranges the linear motion rail portion 61 provided with the moving unit 62 so that the moving unit 62 can be moved.
- the moving unit 62 is provided with a chuck portion 63 for holding the projecting portion Pa of the pallet P.
- the horizontal movement device 60 holds the protruding portion Pa of the pallet P conveyed on the conveyance path by the chuck 63, and in this state, moves the moving unit 62 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 16 (b), the wafer W placed on the pallet P moves to the position retracted from the transfer path, and the wafer W placed on the subsequent pallet P ′ interferes. It will be possible to transport on the transport path T '.
- the transfer system 1 can also cut off the atmosphere around the transfer path T covered with the cover body 5 or the like by a method other than the pressurization of the inert gas shown in FIG. In this way, the atmosphere around the transport path T can be shut off by suctioning the inert gas and reducing the pressure around the transport path T.
- the upper part of the force bar body 70 covering the transport path T is opened, and the suction fan 71 and the filter 72 are provided on the upper part.
- a configuration in which the lower plate portion 70a of the cover body 70 is provided with an opening 70b for opening to the atmosphere is also applicable.
- clean air generated by a clean air generator (not shown) installed in the facility is introduced to the fan 71.
- the interior of the cover body 70 is not required to be airtight in the atmosphere shut-off shown in FIG. it can.
- Fig. 17 (b) shows still another atmosphere blocking method, in which the cover body 80 covering the transport path T is shaped so as to shield other than the lower surface portion 80a, and the lower surface portion 80a has an internal structure.
- Exhaust port 80b provided with exhaust pump 8 1 protrudes and this exhaust port 80b is connected to the exhaust pipe (not shown) To.
- the inside of the cover body 80 is depressurized to a predetermined pressure by the exhaust by the exhaust pump 81, the atmosphere inside the cover body 80 is blocked from the outside, and an atmosphere suitable for conveyance can be formed.
- This method is effective in reducing changes in the surface of the wafer being transferred by lowering the oxygen concentration and water vapor concentration inside the cover body 80.
- a lid is provided at each rising position of the wafer W lifted by the vertical rail 25 (the bottom position of the pallet indicated by the solid line), and the lid is interlocked with the opening and closing of the cover of the pallet.
- the lid can be opened and closed, and the cover of the pallet is pressed against the lid to ensure airtightness, so that the lid and cover can be opened together.
- the transport system and the transport method according to the present invention are useful for transporting various objects to be transported, and the substrate processing apparatus transports a substrate or processes it by a processing unit. Useful for.
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Abstract
Description
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Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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CN2005800367306A CN101048327B (zh) | 2004-10-25 | 2005-10-25 | 搬运系统及基板处理装置 |
EP05805229A EP1806303A4 (en) | 2004-10-25 | 2005-10-25 | TRANSPORT SYSTEM, SUBSTRATE TREATMENT DEVICE AND TRANSPORT PROCESS |
JP2006543182A JP4642032B2 (ja) | 2004-10-25 | 2005-10-25 | 搬送システム、及び基板処理装置 |
US11/666,163 US8025473B2 (en) | 2004-10-25 | 2005-10-25 | Carrying system, substrate treating device, and carrying method |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2004310143 | 2004-10-25 | ||
JP2004-310143 | 2004-10-25 |
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PCT/JP2005/019632 WO2006046580A1 (ja) | 2004-10-25 | 2005-10-25 | 搬送システム、基板処理装置、及び搬送方法 |
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US (1) | US8025473B2 (ja) |
EP (1) | EP1806303A4 (ja) |
JP (1) | JP4642032B2 (ja) |
KR (1) | KR100852378B1 (ja) |
CN (1) | CN101048327B (ja) |
TW (1) | TWI280220B (ja) |
WO (1) | WO2006046580A1 (ja) |
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US11833686B2 (en) | 2019-10-31 | 2023-12-05 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Control method and calculation device |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1806303A1 (en) | 2007-07-11 |
US20090016859A1 (en) | 2009-01-15 |
JPWO2006046580A1 (ja) | 2008-08-07 |
EP1806303A4 (en) | 2009-07-15 |
CN101048327B (zh) | 2012-06-20 |
TW200631882A (en) | 2006-09-16 |
KR20070084120A (ko) | 2007-08-24 |
US8025473B2 (en) | 2011-09-27 |
TWI280220B (en) | 2007-05-01 |
CN101048327A (zh) | 2007-10-03 |
JP4642032B2 (ja) | 2011-03-02 |
KR100852378B1 (ko) | 2008-08-18 |
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