JPH0630369B2 - Wafer transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a wafer transfer apparatus for transferring a wafer, for example, for etching processing of the wafer.

(Prior Art) Generally, an etching process of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a wafer) is performed in a vacuum processing chamber through the following steps.

First, after the wafer is loaded from the atmospheric pressure preparation chamber into the load lock chamber having a relatively small volume, the preparation chamber and the load lock chamber are shut off from each other. Then, the load lock chamber is evacuated by a vacuum pump, and when the evacuation is completed, the load lock chamber and the vacuum processing chamber are opened and the wafer is loaded into the vacuum processing chamber. Next, after the load lock chamber and the vacuum processing chamber are shut off from each other, the wafer is etched in the vacuum processing chamber.

When the etching process is completed, the vacuum processing chamber and the unload chamber that is evacuated in advance and has a relatively small volume are opened to transfer the wafer to the unload chamber, and the vacuum processing chamber and the unload chamber are shut off from each other. . Next, after introducing air into the unload chamber, the unload chamber and the atmospheric pressure wafer storage chamber are opened, and the wafer is transferred to the wafer storage chamber. By adopting such a procedure, it is not necessary to evacuate the vacuum processing chamber having a relatively large volume, the processing time can be shortened, and dust can be prevented from flowing into the vacuum processing chamber.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, a wafer needs to be transported in a fixed procedure for its etching process, but conventionally, since the wafer is individually loaded into the processing chamber, a robot, etc. It was difficult to transfer the wafer by the transfer device. Further, the wafer holding was also unstable, and it was not applicable in the processing in the processing chamber. The present invention has been made in view of the above point, and provides a transfer device capable of performing etching processing by transferring between chambers by a self-propelled transfer device in a state where a wafer is placed on a tray. The purpose is to improve the efficiency of.

[Structure of Invention]

(Means for Solving Problems) Therefore, the wafer transfer apparatus of the present invention is installed in a delivery chamber for stacking unprocessed wafers, and the stacked unprocessed wafers are placed one by one in the delivery chamber. Wafer feeding device for feeding to a preparation chamber adjacent to the downstream side; a wafer placing device installed in the preparation chamber for temporarily receiving the fed wafer and placing it at a predetermined position on a tray; and the wafer placing device. A self-propelled first wafer transfer device that is installed in a load lock chamber on the downstream side of the wafer and transfers the tray on which wafers are placed to a vacuum processing chamber adjacent to the downstream side of the load lock chamber; A self-propelled second wafer transfer device which is installed in an unload chamber adjacent to the downstream side of the processing chamber, and which transfers the processed wafers in the vacuum processing chamber together with a tray to the unload chamber, and is installed in the preparation chamber. And said Placed the processed wafers sent by second wafer transfer apparatus and wafer separating apparatus picking from the tray, the housing chamber located downstream of the wafer separating apparatus,
A wafer storage device for stacking the processed wafers picked up from the tray for stacking, and a tray transfer device for connecting the wafer mounting device and the wafer separating device and transferring the tray between both devices are provided. The opening of the delivery chamber for inserting the wafer from the outside and the opening of the storage chamber for delivering the processed wafer to the outside are adjacent to each other and face the outside. To do.

(Operation) Wafers that have not been processed are placed one by one on the tray by the wafer placing device, and the wafers are etched together with the tray in the vacuum processing chamber through the load lock chamber by the self-propelled transfer device. The etching-processed wafer is again transferred to the unload chamber by the transfer device to separate the wafer from the tray, and the empty tray returns to the wafer mounting device and waits for the next unprocessed wafer. The wafer is stored in the wafer storage device. In this way, not only can the wafer be stably transported if it is carried on the tray, but also because the wafer is placed on the tray during etching processing in the vacuum processing chamber, it can be applied to wafer processing. You can In addition, since the transfer device is self-propelled, each chamber can be easily shut off and the processing efficiency is increased. Furthermore, since the feeding chamber and the storage chamber are open in the same direction, equipment such as a vacuum pump can be arranged around each chamber.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, an unwinding wafer W is stacked in an unwinding chamber R ₁ at atmospheric pressure, and a wafer W feeding device 1 for feeding one wafer after another is provided. The wafer W is sent to the wafer placement device 2 provided in the preparation room R ₂ . The preparation chamber R _{2 is} also at atmospheric pressure, and the wafer mounting device 2 is for mounting the wafer W sent from the feeding device 1 at a predetermined position on the tray T. The wafer W placed on the tray T is transferred to the load lock chamber R ₃ by the self-propelled wafer transfer device 3, and is transferred to the preparation chamber R ₂
And the load lock chamber R ₃ are shut off. When the evacuation of the load lock chamber R ₃ is completed, the wafer W is further transferred to the vacuum processing chamber R ₄ by another self-propelled transfer device (not shown), and the wafer W is transferred to the load processing chamber R ₃ and the vacuum processing chamber R ₄ . Is cut off.

The wafer W etched in the vacuum processing chamber R ₄ is
It is transported into the unload chamber R ₅ that has been evacuated by the self-propelled transport device 4. Next, the vacuum processing chamber R ₄ and the unload chamber R ₅ are shut off from each other, and the atmosphere is introduced into the unload chamber R ₅ . In the unload room R ₅ , the tray T
Is placed on the wafer separating device 5 for separating the processed wafer W from the tray T, and the separated wafer W is stored in the storage chamber R ₆
Is transferred to the wafer storage device 6. Then, the tray T after the wafer is removed by the wafer separating device 5 is transferred to the wafer mounting device 2 by the tray transfer device 7.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the feeding device 1 has carrier stages 10a, 1 which are provided at intervals on the left and right sides.
The wafer carriers 11a and 11a are mounted on the wafer carrier 0a, and the wafers W are vertically stacked on the wafer carrier 11a. A frame 12a is provided in the center of the carrier stage 10a, and two pairs of transfer belts 13a, 13a are provided on the left and right sides of the frame 12a. The transfer belt 13a serves to move the wafer W positioned at the lowest position of the wafer carrier 11a. The wafers are sequentially sent to the wafer placing device 2.

The wafer placing device 2 is a pair of supporting devices 1 for opening and closing left and right on the same plane as the frame 12a to support the wafer.
As shown in FIG. 4, each supporting device 14a is provided with a horizontal support plate 15a and a conveyor belt 16a provided on the inner end surface of the horizontal support plate 15a, and the horizontal support plate 15a is vertical. It is held horizontally by a frame 17a, and this vertical frame 17a has a drive screw 18
A pair of left and right support devices 14a is opened and closed left and right along the guide 19a by rotating the drive screw 18a.

A wafer lifting device 20a having a shape as shown in FIG. 5 is provided below the supporting device 14a, and a tray lifting device 21a is installed outside the wafer supporting device 20a. Both of these devices 20a and 21a have a U-shaped frame 22.
a, 23a, and a support pin 24 erected on these frames
a, 25a and drive cylinders 26a, 27a for vertically moving these frames 22a, 23a. The support pins 24a of the wafer lifting device 20a are adapted to be inserted into the through holes 28, 28 ... 28 of the center support portion 27 of the tray T as shown in FIG. The wafer W is placed on the section 27 (FIG. 7).

A wafer positioning device 30a is provided in the vicinity of the supporting device 20a on substantially the same plane as the supporting device 20a. The wafer positioning device 30a is attached below the wafer W while the pair of supporting devices 20a is open to support the wafer positioning device 30a. Then, the wafer W is rotated by a predetermined angle and positioned so as to be aligned with the orientation flat corresponding position of the tray T. The wafer positioning device 30a includes a support rod 31a that moves horizontally and a rotary table 32a that is supported by the support rod 31a and is rotated by a motor.
And a sensor 33a for detecting the position of the wafer W. The sensor 33a stops the rotary table 32a when the orientation flat of the wafer is aligned with the position corresponding to the center support portion 27 of the tray T.

The wafer W placed on the tray T at a predetermined position by the wafer placing device 3 is carried to the load lock chamber R ₃ together with the tray T by the carrier 40a as shown in FIG. The carrier 40a includes a tray base 41a, a support frame 42a, and rollers 43a, and the rollers 43a roll on rails 44a. Instead of the carrier 40a, a tray stand 46 separated into front and rear as shown in FIG.
A carrier 45a having a and 46a may be used.

The carrier 4 includes a carrier 40b having a structure similar to that of the carrier 3, and the carrier 40b includes a rail 44b.
Move up. The tray T transferred by the transfer device 4 and the processed wafer W are processed by the wafer separating device 5 that separates the wafer W from the tray T. It has almost the same structure. That is, the pair of supporting devices 14b,
14b, a conveyor belt 16b provided inside the supporting device 14b, a guide 19b, a wafer lifting device 20a of the wafer mounting device 2, and a wafer lifting device 20b provided to face the tray lifting device 21a, Tray lifting device 21
b, and their drive cylinders 26b and 27b. The wafer lifting device 20b has a U-shaped frame 22b and support pins 24b, 24b ... 24b, and the tray lifting device 21b has a U-shaped frame 23b and support pins 25b, 2b.
5b ... 25b.

A tray transfer device 7 is provided between the two wafer supporting devices 20a and 20b, and this device 7 is composed of a rail 50 and a transfer body 51 which moves above the rail 50. The transfer body 51 has a rolling roller 52. There is.

The wafer storage device 6 provided adjacent to the wafer separating device 5 has the same structure as the feeding device 1, and the processed wafers W are stacked one by one. Wafer storage device 6
Are carrier stages 10b, 10b, wafer carrier 1
1b, 11b, frame 12b, and conveyor belt 13
b and 13b.

Next, the operation of this device will be described.

The unprocessed wafer W on the feeding device 1 is transferred to the transfer belt 13
The wafer W is sent onto a pair of supporting devices 14a whose intervals are closed so as to support both end portions of the wafer W. At this time, the tray T is on the carrier 51 of the tray carrier 7 located in the wafer placing device 2 as shown in FIG. Next, the drive cylinder 26a is moved to the wafer lifting device 20.
Lift a. At this time, the support pin 24a passes through the through hole 28 of the tray T and is pushed upward to support the support device 14a.
The wafer W is floated from above. In this state, the wafer positioning device 30a enters under the wafer W, and at the same time, the supporting device 14a is opened. Then, the support pins 24a are slightly lowered, and the wafer W is rotated by the rotary table 32.
put on a. The rotary table 32a rotates, and the sensor 33
When a detects the orientation flat of the wafer W, the rotary table 32
a stops.

After that, the support pins 24a are raised again to float the wafer W on the rotary table 32b, and the wafer positioning device 3 is moved.
Return 0a to the standby / position. Next, the support pin 24a
The tray T on the carrier 15 is moved downward by a large amount.
It is placed at a position aligned with the center support portion 27 of.

Then, the tray lifting device 21a is raised to raise the tray T.
Is slightly lifted from the carrier 51. In this state, the carrier 51
Is moved to an intermediate position on the wafer lifting device 20b side of the wafer separating device 5, and at the same time, the carrier 40 of the carrier device 3 is moved.
a to the lower side of the tray T, and the tray lifting device 21a
Is lowered to place the tray T on the carrier 40a. In this way, the wafer W is transferred to the load lock chamber R ₃ while being placed on the tray T, and further transferred to the processing chamber R ₄ for vacuum processing.

The vacuum-processed wafer W is transferred onto the carrier 40b, and the carrier 40b enters the wafer separating apparatus. Then, the tray lifting device 21b is raised to raise the tray T, and in this state, the carrier 40b is returned to the original position. Then, the wafer lifting device 20b is lifted to lift the wafer W above the supporting device 14b. At this time, the supporting device 1
4b is opened so that the wafer W can pass therethrough. When the wafer W passes upward, the distance between the supporting devices 14b is narrowed, and when the wafer lifting device 20b is lowered, both end portions of the wafer W are mounted on the wafer supporting device 14b. Placed.
When the lowering of the wafer lifting device 20b is completed, the carrier 51 enters the wafer lifting device 20b from the intermediate position. Next, the tray lifting device 21b descends, the empty tray T is placed on the carrier 51, and the empty tray T is sent into the wafer placing device 2. The processed wafer W is sent to the wafer storage device 6 by driving the transfer belt 16b. This operation is repeated one after another, and the tray T moves as shown by an arrow A in FIG.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, not only can the vacuum processing be performed while the wafer is placed on the tray, the wafer can be stably transported, but also the vacuum processing chamber can be moved up and down by the tray. Thus, wafer processing such as vacuum processing of the wafer in the upper chamber of the partition is possible, and the applicability of vacuum processing is increased. Further, since the transfer device is self-propelled, it is very easy to shut off each chamber, and the processing efficiency is increased. Since the opening of the delivery chamber for inserting the unprocessed wafer from the outside and the opening of the storage chamber for sending the processed wafer to the outside are adjacent to each other and face the outside. , Can be arranged around each room of equipment such as a vacuum pump, and the size of the entire apparatus can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of the present apparatus, FIG. 2 is a schematic overall plan configuration diagram of the present apparatus, FIG. 3 is a side view of the same, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a wafer supporting device, and FIG. A perspective view of the upper device,
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the tray, FIG. 7 is a side view of the tray, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of the wafer transfer device. 1 ... Wafer feeding device, 2 ... Wafer placing device, 3, 4
... Wafer transfer device, 5 ... Wafer separating device, 6 ... Wafer storage device, 20a, 20b ... Wafer lifting device, 2
1a, 21b ...... tray Jijo device, _{R 3} ...... load lock chamber, _{R 4} ...... vacuum processing chamber, _{R 5} ...... unload chamber, T
……tray.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yuichi Murakami 8 Shinshinsita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Inside the Toshiba Industrial Research Institute Co., Ltd. (56) References: 61-17742

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wafer feeding device installed in a feeding chamber for stacking unprocessed wafers, and feeding the stacked unprocessed wafers one by one to a preparation chamber adjacent to a downstream side of the feeding chamber. A wafer placing device that is installed in the preparation chamber and temporarily receives the unwound wafer and places it at a predetermined position on the tray, and a load lock chamber located downstream of the wafer placing device to place the wafer thereon. A self-propelled first wafer transfer device that transfers the placed tray to a vacuum processing chamber adjacent to the downstream side of the load lock chamber, and is installed in an unload chamber adjacent to the downstream side of the vacuum processing chamber, A self-propelled second wafer transfer device that transfers the processed wafer in the vacuum processing chamber to a unload chamber together with a tray, and a processed wafer sent by the second wafer transfer device that is installed in the preparation chamber. Wafer tray A wafer separating device to be removed from the wafer, and is installed in a storage chamber on the downstream side of the wafer separating device,
A wafer storage device for stacking the processed wafers picked up from the tray for stacking, and a tray transfer device for connecting the wafer mounting device and the wafer separating device and transferring the tray between both devices are provided. The opening of the delivery chamber for inserting the wafer from the outside and the opening of the storage chamber for delivering the processed wafer to the outside are adjacent to each other and face the outside. Wafer transfer device.