JPS6224238B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Industrial Application Field" The present invention relates to a workstation in a semiconductor manufacturing process, and provides a workstation equipped with a manipulator that can accurately move between each process while controlling its posture. This is what I want to do.

"Prior Art" Conventionally, in the processing of semiconductor wafers, chemical and physical surface treatments, photoresist coating and development in photolithographic processing, etc. are performed many times. Each process consists of a manufacturing line by combining respective processing equipment, and the entire manufacturing line is housed in a clean room (dust-free room). Between each processing device in the above production line,
Each input section is arranged in a straight line and connected by a wafer handler that is guided by a transport rail installed above the input section, and a semiconductor wafer from one processing device is picked up and transferred to another by the wafer handler. Transport input to processing equipment.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" However, in the above-mentioned apparatus, dust is generated from the transport rail portion, which adversely affects the atmosphere in each processing step. Furthermore, it is not possible to cope with an increase in the number of wafer handlers connecting each processing process in order to improve production speed.

"Means for Solving the Problem" Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a workstation suitable for semiconductor manufacturing processes that is suitable for automation. a work table held movably up and down; a turntable supported on the work table; and a plurality of turntables that are pivotally supported on the work table to rotate relative to the turntable and are extendable and retractable by sliding on each other. A manipulator consisting of a cylindrical body and the turntable as the bottom surface,
It is characterized by having an air purification box that can house a manipulator.

``Embodiment'' An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a base having a built-in drive mechanism for traveling, and pillars 2 are erected at the four corners of the upper surface. Reference numeral 3 denotes a work table on which a cylinder 4 fitted onto the support column 2 is installed so as to be open on the bottom surface. The work table 3 is freely controlled to be raised or lowered by hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure, a stepping motor, etc. applied to the cylinder 4.

A turntable 5 driven by a motor built into the work table 3 is rotatably supported on the work table 3. This turntable 5
On the top, a plurality of spaces 6 are provided at predetermined intervals for placing carriers containing semiconductor wafers.

A manipulator 7 is also pivotally supported on the work table 3 so as to rotate relative to the turntable 5, and this manipulator 7 is housed in an air purification box 8 having the turntable 5 as a bottom surface. rotates as one. The manipulator 7 is freely controlled to expand, contract, and rotate by hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure, or a stepping motor, and when it is extended, it protrudes through an open window 9 provided in the air purification box 8, and when it is shortened to its minimum length, it protrudes from the open window 9 provided in the air purification box 8. is compactly housed in the air purification box 8. At this time, the tip handling part 10 of the manipulator 7 is located above the space 6 of the turntable 5. This manipulator 7 is formed of a plurality of cylindrical bodies, and the other end is opened to the outside of the air purification box 8 as an exhaust duct 11. Therefore, the manipulator 7 is provided with an air intake device that acts on the internal hollow part 12, and the air purifying box 8 is connected to the manipulator 7 from the other end.
This prevents dust from dissipating into the air purification box 8 while the manipulator 7 is in operation.

Furthermore, a gripping part 13 is attached to the tip of the handling part 10, and is equipped with a sensor for recognizing the carrier for the semiconductor wafer described above.

The air purification box 8 has a cylindrical side wall, and when the manipulator 7 is housed, the open window 9 is covered by an appropriate means. For example, as shown in the figure, a fixed door 14 may be erected on the work table 3, and the air purification box 8 may be rotated so that the open window 9 faces the fixed door 14 to be shielded so as to be airtight.
This air purification box 8 is constantly supplied with clean air using a high-performance air filter or the like in a conventional manner, and maintains an internal pressure slightly higher than the outside air. Therefore, even when the open window 9 of the air purification box 8 is in the open state, that is, even when the manipulator 7 is working outside the air purification box 8, there is no possibility that dust will enter into the air purification box 8. It never comes.

Unlike conventional clean rooms, the air purification box 8 can be made very compact. Furthermore, as described above, the exhaust duct 11 is open to the outside of the air purification box 8, and together with the intake action working in the manipulator 7, the cleanliness of the air purification box 8 is dramatically increased.

"Effects of the Invention" Since the workstation of the present invention is configured as described above, it can be suitably used for handling such as transferring semiconductor wafers in the semiconductor manufacturing process, and can be used while controlling the attitude of the carrier between each process. Can be transferred accurately.

In addition, since it is possible to eliminate workers and transport equipment that generate large amounts of dust, the cleanliness of the entire semiconductor manufacturing equipment can be dramatically improved by using it in conjunction with a conventional clean room.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the workstation of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view thereof, FIG. 2 is a side view with the work table 3 lowered, FIG. 3 is a sectional view during work, and FIG. The figure is a sectional view of the manipulator 7 when it is stored, FIG. 5 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the manipulator 7 during operation. 1... Base, 3... Work table, 4... Cylinder, 5... Turntable, 7... Manipulator, 8... Air purification box, 9... Open window,
11... Exhaust duct, 12... Middle part, 14...
Fixed door.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A base having a traveling function driven by a command, a work table held on the base so as to be movable up and down, a turntable supported on the work table, and a device relative to the turntable. A manipulator is comprised of a plurality of cylindrical bodies that are pivotably supported on a work table so as to rotate, and are extendable and retractable by sliding on each other; and an air purification box that has the turntable as a bottom surface and can accommodate the manipulator. A workstation characterized by: 2. A patent in which a work table has a cylinder that opens on the bottom and is erected on the top surface, and is held movably up and down on the base by fitting the cylinder into a plurality of pillars set up on the base. A workstation according to claim 1. 3. The workstation according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air purification box rotates integrally with the manipulator and is airtight with the turntable as the bottom surface. 4. Any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air purification box forms an open window through which a manipulator can move in and out and which closes when facing a fixed door set up on the work table. Workstation described in Crab. 5. The workstation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the manipulator has a hollow part inside and is connected to an exhaust duct that opens to the outside of the air purification box.