JP2008108823A - Device and method for supplying and discharging substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for supplying and discharging a substrate capable of preventing a space saving and an increase in the load of the device and capable of solving an adverse effect with the deflection of the substrate. <P>SOLUTION: The device supplies and discharges semiconductor wafers W to a substrate housing 1 by a charging/expelling device 20. In the device, the substrate housing 1 is composed of a vessel body 4 with a housing cassette 3 housing the semiconductor wafers W on a base plate 2 and a covering case 5 being fitted to the base plate 2 for the vessel body 4 and covering the housing cassette 3. The charging/expelling device 20 is composed of a load port 21 erecting and loading the substrate housing 1 and erecting the semiconductor wafers W and a detachable carrier mechanism 27 being advanced to and retracted from the substrate housing 1 loaded on the load port 21 and mounting and demounting the vessel body 4 to and from the covering case 5. The charging/expelling device is further composed of a pushing-up mechanism 30 pushing up the semiconductor wafers W in the vessel body 4 removed from the covering case 5 and a handling robot 31 handling the pushed-up semiconductor wafers W. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate supply / discharge device and a substrate supply / discharge method for loading and unloading a substrate made of a thin, flexible, large-diameter semiconductor wafer or the like.

  Currently, semiconductor wafers are mainly 300 mm in diameter and stored in a front open box type substrate storage container (see Patent Document 1). In the future, however, chip size increases and productivity increases. From the viewpoint, it is considered to shift to a type having a diameter of 450 mm. When the semiconductor wafer shifts from the 300 mm diameter to the 450 mm type in this way, the amount of deflection, weight, and space increase. Therefore, a front open box type substrate storage container, a lid opening / closing device that opens and closes the lid, and handling The robot cannot be used as it is.

  Therefore, a new system capable of dealing with a 450 mm type semiconductor wafer W is currently being sought, and one of them is the system shown in FIG. In this system, as shown in FIG. 6, a bottom open type large substrate storage container 1A is mounted horizontally on a load port 21A of a loading / dispensing apparatus 20A, and a semiconductor wafer having a diameter of 450 mm with respect to the substrate storage container 1A. W is thrown in and out horizontally by a horizontal articulated handling robot 31A.

As shown in FIG. 7, the bottom open type substrate storage container 1 </ b> A includes a container main body 4 including a storage cassette 3 </ b> A for storing a plurality of semiconductor wafers W in a vertical and multistage manner on a bottom plate 11, and the container main body 4. A cover case 5 that is detachably fitted to the bottom plate 11 from above and covers the storage cassette 3A is configured (see Patent Document 2), and the bottom plate 11 is placed on a load port 21A that can be moved up and down of the loading / dispensing device 20A. Is mounted horizontally.
JP 2006-216775 A Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-46694

  The new system capable of handling 450 mm type semiconductor wafers W is configured as described above, and the substrate storage container 1A is mounted horizontally on the load port 21A. Therefore, a large space is available for mounting the large substrate storage container 1A. In addition, the load on the apparatus may increase. Further, since the semiconductor wafer W is horizontally inserted into or discharged from the substrate storage container 1A by the handling robot 31A, the situation where the heavy semiconductor wafer W bends in a bow and interferes with another semiconductor wafer W, or the handling robot 31A. There is a concern that the hand may damage the semiconductor wafer W by interfering with the semiconductor wafer W during insertion.

  In order to eliminate such a concern, the pitch between the plurality of semiconductor wafers W stored in the storage cassette 3A may be increased. However, since the storage cassette 3A becomes higher and longer in the vertical direction, the substrate storage container 1A will be further increased in size.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and can save space and prevent an increase in the load on the apparatus, and can eliminate the adverse effects caused by the bending of the substrate and the substrate supply / discharge device. The purpose is to provide a drainage method.

In the present invention, in order to solve the above-described problem, the substrate is supplied to and discharged from the substrate storage container by a loading / dispensing device,
The substrate storage container includes a container main body including a storage cassette for storing a substrate on a base plate, and a covering that is detachably fitted to the base plate of the container main body to cover the storage cassette,
The loading / dispensing device includes a load port that stands and mounts the substrate storage container, and moves up and down relative to the substrate storage container mounted on the load port. An attachment / detachment transport mechanism that attaches and detaches the main body substantially horizontally, a push-up mechanism that pushes up the substrate of the container body removed from the cover of the substrate storage container by the attachment / detachment transport mechanism, and a handling mechanism that handles the substrate pushed up by the push-up mechanism It is characterized by comprising.

The storage cassette for the substrate storage container includes a plurality of shelf plates that are provided on the base plate and support the rear and both sides of the substrate, and a holding member that is provided on the plurality of shelf plates and faces the substrate. It is preferable to form a space between the plurality of shelf boards.
Moreover, it is preferable that the handling mechanism is a handling robot that clamps the peripheral edge portion of the pushed-up substrate.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is characterized in that the substrate is supplied to and discharged from the substrate storage container using the substrate supply / discharge device according to claim 1, 2, or 3.

  Here, the substrate in the claims includes at least one semiconductor wafer, a liquid crystal substrate, a glass substrate, and the like. When the substrate is a semiconductor wafer, a 450 mm type is mainly used, but a 200 mm or 300 mm type may be used. Further, the base plate may be a disc shape, a polygonal plate or a rectangular plate. The push-up mechanism and the handling mechanism do not specifically ask for a plurality.

  According to the present invention, when the substrate is discharged from the substrate storage container, the substrate storage container is stood and mounted on the load port of the loading / dispensing device, the opening side of the storage cassette is directed upward, and the storage cassette The inner substrate is oriented vertically. Then, the detachable transport mechanism of the loading / dispensing device holds the container main body of the substrate storage container, and this detachable transport mechanism moves forward and backward to remove the container main body from the covering body and pull it away. When the container body is pulled away from the cover, the push-up mechanism rises and interferes with the substrate of the storage cassette. After the substrate rises, the handling mechanism interferes with the substrate and handles it, and the substrate is discharged.

  On the other hand, when a substrate is supplied to the substrate storage container, the substrate is stored in the storage cassette of the container body from above by the handling mechanism, and the detachable transport mechanism moves to the load port side so that the container body is attached to the covering. The substrate is supplied to the substrate storage container by this combination.

According to the present invention, it is possible to save space and prevent an increase in the load on the apparatus, and to eliminate the adverse effects caused by the bending of the substrate.
Further, the storage cassette for the substrate storage container includes a plurality of shelf plates provided on the base plate and supporting the rear and both sides of the substrate, and a holding body provided on the plurality of shelf plates and facing the substrate. If a space is formed between the plurality of shelf boards, the board can be smoothly pushed up by the pushing-up mechanism.

  Further, if the handling mechanism is a handling robot that clamps the peripheral edge of the pushed-up substrate, the substrate can be smoothly supplied or discharged without increasing the pitch between the substrates in the container body.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A substrate supply / discharge device in the present embodiment is mounted with the substrate storage container 1 standing up as shown in FIGS. The substrate storage container 1 is erected and mounted on the load port 21 of the input / discharge apparatus 20, and a thin and round semiconductor wafer W having a diameter of 450 mm is pushed up with respect to the substrate storage container 1. The mechanism 30 and the multi-joint handling robot 31 are used for insertion and withdrawal.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the substrate storage container 1 is a container main body 4 provided with a storage cassette 3 for storing a plurality of (for example, 13) semiconductor wafers W in a multistage manner on a circular base plate 2. And a covering case 5 that is detachably fitted to the base plate 2 of the container body 4 from above and covers the storage cassette 3, and is used in a horizontal state or in an upright state as required. used.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage cassette 3 is erected on the base plate 2 with a space therebetween, and the rear periphery and both side periphery of the semiconductor wafer W are fitted and supported by the holding grooves 6. A plurality of insertion spaces 8 for the push-up mechanism 30 are defined between the plurality of shelf boards 7, and the upper part of the plurality of shelf boards 7 is for protection facing the surface of the semiconductor wafer W. The control ring 9 is integrally formed, and the semiconductor wafer W is taken in and out from the front side (upward direction in FIG. 1, right direction in FIG. 2) 10.

  Each shelf plate 7 is curved and formed into a substantially semicircular arc-like long plate corresponding to the shape of the semiconductor wafer W, and a holding groove having a substantially U-shaped or substantially V-shaped cross section is formed on the inner surface facing the semiconductor wafer W. A plurality of 6 are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction at a predetermined pitch.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the covering case 5 is formed in a hollow cylindrical cross-section with a substantially hat shape, and a plurality of positioning tools are disposed on a part of the peripheral surface. It is removed from the base plate 2. A transport flange is selectively attached to the center of the ceiling of the covering case 5.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the loading / dispensing device 20 has a substrate storage container 1 standing up and mounted, a load port 21 for directing a semiconductor wafer W in the vertical direction, and a substrate storage container 1 mounted on the load port 21. An attachment / detachment transport mechanism 27 that moves forward and backward horizontally with respect to the covering case 5 to attach / detach the container body 4 horizontally, and the semiconductor wafer W in the container body 4 detached from the covering case 5 by the attachment / detachment transport mechanism 27. Is configured to include a push-up mechanism 30 that pushes the semiconductor wafer W vertically upward, and an edge clamp type handling robot 31 that handles the semiconductor wafer W pushed vertically upward by the push-up mechanism 30.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the load port 21 is provided with a gantry 22 having substantially the same height adjacent thereto, and a work stage 23 larger than the substrate storage container 1 is made of transparent special glass on the gantry 22. A plurality of panels 24 are defined and a part of the transparent panel 24 is formed with a communication port 25 facing the container body 4 of the upright substrate storage container 1.

  A positioning mechanism 26 that fits and contacts a plurality of positioning tools of the covering case 5 is disposed on a substantially flat upper portion of the load port 21, and the positioning mechanism 26 stands up and positions the covering case 5 of the substrate storage container 1. Function to fix. In addition, the work stage 23 on the gantry 22 includes a detachable transport mechanism 27, a push-up mechanism 30, and a handling robot 31, and has a structure in which downflow air can easily flow down.

  As shown in the figure, the detachable transport mechanism 27 is mounted and supported on the gantry 22 via a plurality of guide rails 28, and slides horizontally by the rotation of a screw screw accompanying the drive of the motor in the gantry 22 to load the load port. The board storage container 1 mounted on the board 21 advances or retreats through the communication port 25. The attachment / detachment conveyance mechanism 27 is provided with an adsorption mechanism 29 that vacuum-adsorbs the bottom surface of the container body 4.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the push-up mechanism 30 is built in the gantry 22, and ascends and descends based on driving of a gear mechanism, a screw mechanism, and the like in the gantry 22, and interferes with the lower peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W to be raised. Function. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the handling robot 31 is installed on the gantry 22 so as to be rotatable and capable of moving up and down. The handling robot 31 interferes with the upper peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W pushed up by the push-up mechanism 30 and handles the semiconductor wafer. Functions to load, discharge, and transfer W.

  In the above, when the semiconductor wafer W having a diameter of 450 mm is discharged from the substrate storage container 1, the substrate storage container 1 is positioned upright on the load port 21 of the loading / dispensing apparatus 20, not horizontally, and mounted on the panel 24. The container body 4 of the substrate storage container 1 is made to face the communication port 25 and the suction mechanism 29 of the detachable transport mechanism 27, the front side 10 of the storage cassette 3 is directed upward, and the semiconductor wafer W is erected (see FIG. 3). ).

  Then, based on the detection of the optical sensor or the like, the attachment / detachment conveyance mechanism 27 sucks the bottom surface of the container body 4 of the substrate storage container 1 through the communication port 25, and the attachment / detachment conveyance mechanism 27 slides toward the anti-load port 21 side to cover it. The container body 4 is removed from the case 5 and separated, and the storage cassette 3 and the semiconductor wafer W move to the work stage 23 (see FIG. 4).

  When the storage cassette 3 and the semiconductor wafer W move to the work stage 23, the bifurcated push-up mechanism 30 rises and interferes with the lower peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W stored in the storage cassette 3 via the insertion space 8. Rises and jumps out of the storage cassette 3, and then the handling robot 31 interferes with the upper peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W for handling, and the semiconductor wafer W is discharged and transferred (see FIG. 5).

  When the push-up mechanism 30 interferes with the lower peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W, since the insertion space 8 for the push-up mechanism 30 is partitioned between the plurality of shelf boards 7, the shelf board 7 and the push-up mechanism 30 may collide. And there is no hindrance to the interference of the push-up mechanism 30.

  On the other hand, when the semiconductor wafer W is put into the substrate storage container 1, the work opposite to the above work is performed except for the push-up mechanism 30 being pushed up. That is, the semiconductor wafer W is inserted and stored in the storage cassette 3 of the work stage 23 from above by the handling robot 31, and the removable transport mechanism 27 that sucks and holds the container body 4 slides toward the load port 21 to face the cover. The container body 4 is fitted into the opening of the case 5 through the communication port 25, and the semiconductor wafer W is put into the substrate storage container 1 by this fitting.

  According to the above configuration, since the substrate storage container 1 is mounted on the load port 21 in an upright rather than horizontal manner, even if the substrate storage container 1 is large, it is possible to save space and improve efficiency, which effectively increases the load on the apparatus. Can be eliminated. Further, since the semiconductor wafer W is vertically inserted into or dispensed from the substrate storage container 1 by the handling robot 31, the downward deflection of the semiconductor wafer W is reduced, and the semiconductor wafer W interferes with other semiconductor wafers W. Since the hand of the handling robot 31 interferes with the semiconductor wafer W during insertion, there is no possibility of causing damage to the semiconductor wafer W. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the pitch between the plurality of semiconductor wafers W stored in the storage cassette 3.

  Further, since the semiconductor wafer W protrudes vertically upward, a large handling space can be secured. Furthermore, since the push-up position and handling position of the semiconductor wafer W can be arbitrarily adjusted by the detachable transfer mechanism 27, simplification of the operation of the handling robot 31 can be greatly expected. Furthermore, since the handling robot 31 handles not the central portion of the semiconductor wafer W but the upper peripheral edge, smooth handling and transfer of the semiconductor wafer W can be greatly expected without increasing the pitch between the semiconductor wafers W.

  In the above embodiment, the covering case 5 is simply shown, but the shape of the covering case 5 may be changed according to the shape of the base plate 2, or the covering case 5 may be formed to be transparent or translucent. Further, the detachable transport mechanism 27 may be slid by a linear motor. In addition, a holding mechanism that holds the bottom surface of the container body 4 of the substrate storage container 1 with a plurality of holding claws or the like may be provided in the detachable transport mechanism 27 instead of the suction mechanism 29. Further, the push-up mechanism 30 may be moved up and down by a cylinder such as an air cylinder.

It is side surface explanatory drawing which shows typically embodiment of the board | substrate supply / discharge apparatus and board | substrate supply / discharge method which concern on this invention. It is an exploded perspective explanatory view showing typically a substrate storage container in an embodiment of a substrate supply / discharge device and a substrate supply / discharge method concerning the present invention. It is side surface explanatory drawing which shows typically the state which stood and mounted the board | substrate storage container on the load port in embodiment of the board | substrate supply / discharge apparatus which concerns on this invention, and the substrate supply / discharge method, and stood up the semiconductor wafer. . It is side surface explanatory drawing which shows typically the state which the detachable conveyance mechanism of FIG. 3 slid and removed the container main body from the coating | coated case. FIG. 5 is a side explanatory view schematically showing a state in which the push-up mechanism in FIG. 4 rises and interferes with the lower part of the semiconductor wafer, and the handling robot interferes with and handles the upper part of the semiconductor wafer. It is side explanatory drawing which shows one system which can respond to a 450 mm type semiconductor wafer. It is a disassembled perspective explanatory drawing which shows a bottom open type substrate storage container.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate storage container 1A Substrate storage container 2 Base plate 3 Storage cassette 4 Container body 5 Covering case (covering body)
7 Shelf 8 Insertion space (space)
9 Retaining ring
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Front side 20 Loading / dispensing device 20A Loading / dispensing device 21 Load port 27 Detachable conveyance mechanism 30 Push-up mechanism 31 Handling robot
W Semiconductor wafer (substrate)

Claims (4)

A substrate supply / discharge device that supplies / discharges a substrate to / from a substrate storage container by a loading / unloading device,
The substrate storage container includes a container main body including a storage cassette for storing a substrate on a base plate, and a covering that is detachably fitted to the base plate of the container main body to cover the storage cassette,
The loading / dispensing device includes a load port that stands and mounts the substrate storage container, and moves up and down relative to the substrate storage container mounted on the load port. An attachment / detachment transport mechanism for attaching and detaching the main body substantially horizontally, a push-up mechanism for pushing up the substrate of the container body removed from the cover of the substrate storage container by the attachment / detachment transport mechanism, and a handling mechanism for handling the substrate pushed up by the push-up mechanism A substrate supply / discharge device characterized by comprising:   The storage cassette of the substrate storage container includes a plurality of shelf plates provided on the base plate and supporting the rear and both sides of the substrate, and a pressing body provided on the plurality of shelf plates and facing the substrate. 2. The substrate supply / discharge device according to claim 1, wherein a space is formed between the shelf boards.   3. The substrate supply / discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the handling mechanism is a handling robot that clamps a peripheral portion of the pushed-up substrate.   4. A substrate supply / discharge method, wherein the substrate supply / discharge device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 is used to supply / discharge a substrate to / from a substrate storage container.

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