JP2885473B2 - Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing a chemical solution treatment in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, and more particularly, to a transfer device for automatically transferring a wafer carrier.

[Prior Art] It is widely known that when a fluorocarbon resin wafer carrier is pulled up from a chemical solution tank, the carrier carries large static electricity. Therefore, conventionally, FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (c)
This static electricity was removed as shown in the process chart of FIG. That is, in FIG. 3 (a), a wafer carrier 2 containing a semiconductor wafer to be processed is immersed in a chemical tank 1 filled with a processing liquid for the semiconductor wafer.
Then, after the processing is completed, one pair of hooks of the transfer arm 7 for pulling up the carrier 2 is opened in both sides and is put in the chemical solution tank 1. Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), one pair of hooks is closed and hooked on the upper edge of the carrier 2. Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the carrier 2 is pulled up from the chemical solution tank 1, and then the ionized air 9 supplied from the ionizer 8 is sprayed on the carrier 2 to neutralize the charge of the carrier 2 with a charge of the opposite polarity. Had been removed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The above-described conventional charge removing method requires several tens of seconds to completely eliminate the charge, and has a drawback that the process proceeds to the next step without sufficiently removing the charge. or,
Dust from the ionizer is inevitably a problem.

[Means for solving the problem]

According to the present invention, a metal plate having a ground potential surrounding the outer periphery of the wafer carrier is provided immediately after the wafer carrier is pulled up from the chemical solution tank. Form a capacitance,
From the relational expression of Q = CV or V = Q / C, which is established between the amount of charged electric charge Q, the potential V, and the capacitance C, the potential is reduced by the potential reduction action of the capacitance by the metal plate. V is reduced, and the charging failure of the carrier is reduced.

〔Example〕

 Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 (a) to 1 (c) are explanatory sectional views for explaining charge removal of a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention. First, in FIG. 1 (a), a carrier 2 is immersed in a chemical solution tank 1 containing a chemical solution.
The carrier 2 with the hook of the transfer arm 3
Is interposed. Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the transport arm 3 is raised, and the carrier 2 is separated from the chemical. Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, when the lifting is completed, the ground potential metal plates 4 provided outside the hooks are spaced apart from both sides to surround the carrier 2.
Then, in this surrounding state, it is transported to the next chemical solution tank or dryer. Thus, the electric potential of the carrier is reduced by the capacitance formed between the metal plate 4 and the carrier 2, and the trouble due to charging is reduced.

2 (a) to 2 (c) are cross-sectional views for explaining charge removal according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2 (a), the transfer arm is integrated with a metal plate 6 having a static capacity, and is placed in a chemical solution tank 1 for pulling up the carrier 2. Although not shown, the metal plate 6 is provided with means for preventing corrosion, such as coating with a resin having high chemical resistance. In FIG. 2 (b), the hook portion of the transfer arm 5 integral with the metal plate is narrowed and hooked on the upper edge of the carrier 2, and then, as shown in FIG. 2 is pulled up. This embodiment has an advantage that the structure is simpler than that of the example shown in FIG. 1 because the metal plate 6 is integrated with the hook portion.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention can reduce the charging of a wafer in a carrier during a transport process of a chemical solution processing apparatus, and can prevent adverse effects due to static electricity, such as adhesion of foreign substances to a wafer and deterioration of characteristics of a semiconductor device. Can be suppressed. As a result, the yield and reliability of semiconductor devices have been improved, and in particular, ultra-LS
In I, a great effect can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 (a) to 1 (c) are process cross-sectional views for explaining charge removal of a wafer carrier in a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (a) to 2 (c) are sectional views. 3 (a) to 3 (c) are cross-sectional views illustrating a process for reducing a wafer carrier charging failure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. It is a process sectional view. 1 ... Chemical solution tank, 2 ... Wafer carrier, 3,5,7 ... Transfer arm, 4,6 ... Capacity forming metal plate, 8 ... Ionizer, 9 ... Ionized air.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A semiconductor wafer to be treated with a chemical solution, which is housed in a wafer carrier and immersed therein, and a transfer arm for lifting the wafer carrier from the chemical layer, and the transfer arm further controls the wafer by the transfer arm. An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: a metal plate having a ground potential, which is positioned close to an outer periphery of the wafer carrier when the carrier is pulled up from the chemical solution layer.