JP2009239085A - Semiconductor wafer conveying device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus and a transfer method capable of reducing the installation area and efficiently transferring a semiconductor without complicating the configuration.
In a storage chamber 29, two drive arms 25a and 25b are stored. The drive mechanisms 21a and 21b, which are supported in an upside-down positional relationship in the housing 22, are positioned so that the drive arms 25a and 25b face each other while both are held in the storage chamber 29. . Each drive mechanism 21a, 21b is independent, and what can be used alone is thus turned upside down and accommodated in the housing 22 which is one module. In this way, the dual arm transport mechanism is realized and the mechanism remains the same as the conventional single arm transport mechanism, so that the configuration is not complicated.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus and a semiconductor wafer transfer method, and more particularly to a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus and a semiconductor wafer transfer method used when transferring a semiconductor wafer in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing process.

In a so-called single arm transfer mechanism with one drive arm, semiconductor wafers are transferred one by one, so that processing of the semiconductor wafer takes time. Even if the processing speed of the semiconductor processing apparatus is increased, there is a limit to the improvement of the mechanical processing speed in the transport mechanism, which limits the improvement of the throughput. Therefore, in recent years, the transport mechanism of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has been gradually replaced with a drive arm having two so-called double arm transport mechanisms.
However, since the semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus having the double arm transfer mechanism requires two power sources for independently driving the arms, when these are arranged in a plane, the entire module becomes large and the entire apparatus is installed. Increases area.

On the other hand, the size of the semiconductor wafer is increased in inverse proportion to the miniaturization of the L & S, so that the size of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is correspondingly increased. However, since the size of the clean room is limited, it is necessary to reduce the installation area as much as possible for incidental facilities such as a semiconductor wafer transfer device.
In the above-described dual transfer system arranged in a plane, it is difficult to reduce the installation area of the semiconductor wafer transfer device due to the physical size of the drive unit.
A configuration is also known in which two power sources are connected to a coaxial drive shaft in order to reduce the ground contact area, and two drive arms are driven by one end of the coaxial drive shaft (Patent Document 1).

Special Table 2002-534282

In the case of a double arm transport mechanism in which two power sources are connected to a coaxial drive shaft and the two drive arms are driven at one end of the coaxial drive shaft, the ground contact area can be reduced. The mechanism itself is complicated and maintenance is complicated. In addition, if only a single drive arm is required, there will be a surplus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus and a semiconductor wafer transfer method capable of reducing the ground contact area and efficiently transferring a semiconductor without complicating the configuration. For the purpose of provision.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus for placing and transferring a semiconductor wafer, and includes independent drive mechanisms each having a drive arm at one end of one drive shaft. A pair is provided, arranged so as to face each other so that the ends provided with each drive arm face each other, and two independent drive arms are provided in the facing part.

At least the following matters will become clear from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.
According to the configuration of the invention, a pair of independent drive mechanisms are provided, and each drive mechanism is provided with a drive arm at one end of one drive shaft. And each drive mechanism is arrange | positioned by the positional relationship which mutually reversed so that the edge parts with which each drive arm was provided face each other.
Then, as for the ground contact area, since the two drive mechanisms face each other in an inverted state, only one ground contact area is required. In addition, since two independent drive arms are positioned in the facing portion, the conveyance capacity doubles in substantially the same space.

In this way, by maintaining the size of the single-arm transport mechanism module and arranging the independent transport mechanisms almost vertically symmetrically, the operation can be controlled independently while keeping the installation area of the single-arm transport mechanism equal. A dual transfer system having a double arm can be provided.
As an example of a drive mechanism that can be arranged vertically symmetrically, a substantially cylindrical main body provided with a drive device therein, a drive shaft protruding from one end of the main body, and a drive arm connected to an end of the drive shaft It is possible to have a configuration in which the driving arm performs a predetermined conveying operation by obtaining a driving force by the driving shaft.

  In the case of the above configuration, the drive shaft protrudes from the upper end of the substantially cylindrical main body, and the drive arm is connected to the end of the drive shaft. Therefore, if the drive arms are arranged facing each other, the length is about twice that of the original cylindrical shape, but the ground contact area remains the same as the original main body. Moreover, in the part which both are facing, it will be in the state which a drive shaft protrudes from the main body of both sides, respectively, and two drive arms are hold | maintained between them. The driving arm is given a driving force from the driving shaft at this portion and performs a predetermined conveying operation. Transmission of driving force from the driving shaft to the driving arm can be performed via a gear mechanism or the like based on the rotational force.

  As an example of the drive arm, a first rotary arm that is pivotally driven with one end connected to the end of the drive shaft, and a first rotary arm connected to the other end of the first rotary arm. A second rotating arm pivotally driven in a plane parallel to the rotating plane, and pivoted in a plane parallel to the rotating plane of the second rotating arm connected to the other end of the second rotating arm An end effector that is driven and movable in parallel to the rotation axis direction can be provided.

  The first rotary arm is pivotally driven by the rotation of the drive shaft, and the second rotary arm is further pivotally driven at its end. As a result, the end of the second rotating arm can freely expand and contract in the radial direction of the drive shaft. Further, an end effector is supported at the end of the second rotation arm, and the relative rotation between the end effector and the second rotation arm, and the relative rotation between the second rotation arm and the first rotation arm, As a result, the end effector can be driven in parallel to the radial direction of the drive shaft and driven in rotation. The end effector can also be linearly driven in the axial direction of the drive shaft, and by this linear drive operation, an operation of placing the semiconductor wafer on the end effector or lowering it at a predetermined position becomes possible.

Since the pair of drive mechanisms are arranged in a predetermined positional relationship, the pair of drive mechanisms can be hermetically accommodated.
Further, the facing portions of the pair of drive arms in the pair of drive mechanisms are hermetically accommodated in the accommodation chamber, and openings are formed in four sides of the accommodation chamber, so that the end effector is interposed through the opening. Thus, it can be driven in and out of the storage chamber and in the axial direction.
By having openings in four directions, the storage chamber can be connected to a process module that performs a desired process on a semiconductor wafer, and is configured to communicate with a processing chamber in the process module through the opening. You may do it.

Similarly, the storage chamber can be connected to a load lock chamber that is temporarily placed when a semiconductor wafer is transferred, and the load lock chamber communicates with the storage chamber through the opening. It is also possible to enable airtight shielding by a predetermined airtight door.
In the load lock chamber, the semiconductor wafer is originally placed and held, so that the load lock chamber has a pair of slots for mounting a semiconductor wafer corresponding to the pair of end effectors in the accommodation chamber. It can be configured.

In addition, the storage chamber may be connected to the transfer module. In a broad sense, the load lock chamber and the transfer module can be said to be a kind of buffer for temporarily placing a semiconductor wafer.
The semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus as described above can grasp the invention as its configuration, but can also be understood as the invention of the method in its operation. That is, a pair of independent drive mechanisms each provided with a drive arm at one end of one drive shaft are arranged in an inverted positional relationship so that the ends provided with each drive arm face each other. A semiconductor wafer transfer method for transferring a semiconductor wafer by a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus having two independent drive arms in which the two independent drive arms are independently driven by independently driving the drive mechanism. By making full use of the above, it is possible to invent a method of independently transporting two semiconductor wafers.

As described above, according to the present invention, the semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus that dramatically improves the throughput while maintaining the size of the semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus to the same size as the semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus using the single arm transfer mechanism. Further, by connecting a plurality of the semiconductor wafer transfer devices, it is possible to achieve a high throughput while integrating a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
With regard to this specific configuration, an embodiment of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic arrangement state of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to which a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
In the figure, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 10 to which a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus is applied includes an EFEM 11 that accommodates a plurality of semiconductor wafers in a cassette-shaped transfer case, and a load lock chamber (a lock chamber that transfers the semiconductor wafer between the EFEM 11). L / L) 12, the present semiconductor wafer transfer device 20, and process modules 13 a to 13 c that perform predetermined processing on the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer transfer device 20 is connected so as to be surrounded by one load lock chamber 12 and three process modules 13a to 13c on all sides, and freely transfers (loads in, loads) semiconductor wafers between peripheral devices. Can be carried out).

As described above, the semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus can be connected to the load lock chamber 12 and the process modules 13a to 13c.
As shown in FIG. 2, the semiconductor wafer transfer device 20 is interposed between the load lock chamber 12 and the process module 13b. For this reason, for example, an unprocessed semiconductor wafer held in the load lock chamber 12 is transferred into the process module 13b, and at the same time, the processed semiconductor wafer is returned from the process module 13b to the load lock chamber 12. Is possible.

  In the semiconductor wafer transfer device 20, a pair of drive mechanisms 21a and 21b having substantially the same configuration are provided with their ends facing each other. Each of the drive mechanisms 21a and 21b is a so-called single arm conveyance mechanism, and two are arranged and held so as to have an inverted positional relationship upside down. Each drive mechanism 21a, 21b includes a substantially cylindrical main body 23a, 23b provided with a drive device therein, drive shafts 24a, 24b protruding from one end of the main bodies 23a, 23b, and ends of the drive shafts 24a, 24b. Drive arm 25a, 25b connected to the unit. Note that the pair of upper and lower drive mechanisms 21a and 21b are accommodated in a housing 22 serving as a case. In this specification, a pair of members such as the drive mechanisms 21 a and 21 b may be collectively referred to as the drive mechanism 21.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing the semiconductor wafer transfer device 20, the load lock chamber 12, and the process module 13b in more detail, and FIG. 4 shows them from the top.
The drive arm 25a is connected to one end of the drive shaft 24a and pivotally driven at one end thereof, and is connected to the other end of the first rotation arm 26a and connected to the first rotation arm 26a. A second rotary arm 27a that is pivotally driven in a plane parallel to the rotation plane of the arm 26a, and is connected to the other end of the second rotation arm 27a so as to be parallel to the rotation plane of the second rotation arm 27a. And an end effector 28a that is pivotally driven in a flat plane and is movable in parallel with the rotation axis direction.
The configuration of the drive arm 25b is substantially the same as that of the drive arm 25a. The first rotary arm 26b is pivotally driven with one end connected to the end of the drive shaft 24b, and the other components in the first rotary arm 26b. A second rotary arm 27b connected to the end and pivotally driven in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the first rotary arm 26b, and connected to the other end of the second rotary arm 27b. It has an end effector 28b that is pivotally driven in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the second rotary arm 27b and is movable in parallel to the direction of the axis of rotation.
The drive arm 25a and the drive arm 25b can be basically the same. However, since the drive mechanisms 21a and 21b are arranged upside down, the end effector 28a and the end effector 28b move forward and backward with respect to the drive shaft 24a and the drive shaft 24b when the semiconductor wafer is placed or lowered. Is the opposite.

  The first rotary arms 26a and 26b can rotate 360 degrees around the drive shafts 24a and 24b, respectively. The second rotary arms 27a and 27b each have the other ends of the first rotary arms 26a and 26b as axes. It can be rotated 360 degrees as a core. The end effectors 28a and 28b can also be rotated 360 degrees with the other ends of the second rotary arms 27a and 27b as the axis. These rotation planes are parallel to each other, and each rotation axis can be independently rotated. Therefore, in the state where the end effector 28a is inserted into the load lock chamber 12 as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 4, the end effector 28b is simultaneously inserted into the process module 13b as shown by the two-dot chain line. It is also possible to make it the state made into. Of course, when the end effectors 28a and 28b are extended outward in the radial direction of the drive shafts 24a and 24b, it is possible to project into the adjacent load lock chamber 12 and the process module 13b. By rotating the second rotary arms 27a and 27b and the end effectors 28a and 28b so as to be folded, the end effectors 28a and 28b can be positioned substantially above and below the drive shafts 24a and 24b. is there. In this state, it is possible to rotate the first rotating arms 26a and 26b so as to be directed in an arbitrary direction. As shown in FIG. Any of the load lock chamber 12 and the process modules 13a to 13c arranged on the four sides of the transfer chamber 29 can be selected.

Thus, the drive mechanisms 21a and 21b freely drive the first rotary arms 26a and 26b, the second rotary arms 27a and 27b, and the end effectors 28a and 28b by obtaining the driving force from the drive shafts 24a and 24b. Thus, a predetermined transport operation can be performed.
In addition to the planar movement as described above, the drive shafts 24a and 24b can advance and retreat (linear drive) by a predetermined distance in the axial direction, and can be operated in a complex manner. Even if the end effectors 28a and 28b can be moved in a plane, it is necessary to move the semiconductor wafer in the vertical direction after the plane movement in order to deliver the semiconductor wafer. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when a semiconductor wafer is transferred from the load lock chamber 12 to the process module 13b, the following movement is required.

The end effector 28a moves downward in any one of the slots 12a1 and 12a2 for mounting the semiconductor wafer provided in the load lock chamber 12, and rises at that position. The end effector 28a and each of the slots 12a1 and 12a2 are shaped so as not to interfere with each other in the vertical direction, and the semiconductor wafer placed in one of the slots 12a1 and 12a2 as the end effector 28a rises is It is mounted on the end effector 28a.
The end effector 28a is accommodated on the drive shaft 24a by the rotational movement of the drive arm 25a, and the rotation angle is set so that the end effector 28a can move toward the process module 13b by rotating the drive shaft 24a.

The end effector 28a enters the processing chamber in the process module 13b with the semiconductor wafer placed thereon by the rotational movement of the driving arm 25a, and stops at a predetermined position on the processing stage 13b1.
In the processing chamber in the process module 13b, the stage 13b1 is provided with a lifter pin 13b2 that can receive and support the semiconductor wafer on the end effector 28a from below. A semiconductor wafer on 28a is placed.

The end effector 28a returns to the drive shaft 24a so as not to interfere with the lifter pin 13b2 by the rotational movement of the drive arm 25a.
Also, when returning the semiconductor wafer from the process module 13b to the load lock chamber 12, the load lock is received in such a manner that the end effector 28a picks up the semiconductor wafer supported by the lifter pins 13b2 in the process module 13b. In the chamber 12, the end effector 28 a enters the slots 12 a 1 and 12 a 2 at positions above the slots 12 a 1 and 12 a 2, reaches the predetermined position, and then descends, whereby the semiconductor wafer on which the end effector 28 a has been placed until then. The horizontal movement is almost opposite except that the slot is supported by the slots 12a1 and 12a2.
Of course, the operation in which the end effector 28b transports the wafer placed in any one of the slots 12a3 and 12a4 is substantially the same. The end effectors 28a and 28b can be independently and simultaneously driven.

  A portion (facing portion) where the pair of drive arms 25a and 25b face each other in the housing 22 is a storage chamber 29. The storage chamber 29 opens in four directions and can communicate with an adjacent module. The load lock chamber 12 side is either atmospheric pressure or vacuum pressure, but the interior of the storage chamber 29 is basically at vacuum pressure. Accordingly, a gate valve (airtight door) 12c that can be hermetically opened and closed is provided in the opening between the storage chamber 29 and the load lock chamber 12, and can be opened and closed when necessary. On the other hand, the inside of the process module 13 is maintained at a vacuum pressure, but since it is necessary to isolate it from the outside during processing, an openable / closable gate valve 14 is provided.

  As described above, the two drive arms 25 a and 25 b are accommodated in the accommodation chamber 29. The drive mechanisms 21a and 21b, which are supported in an upside-down positional relationship in the housing 22, are positioned so that the drive arms 25a and 25b face each other while both are held in the storage chamber 29. . Each drive mechanism 21a, 21b is independent, and what can be used alone is thus turned upside down and accommodated in the housing 22 which is one module. In this way, the dual arm transport mechanism is realized and the mechanism remains the same as the conventional single arm transport mechanism, so that the configuration is not complicated.

  The drive mechanism 21b supported above moves in the opposite direction to the end effector 28a of the drive mechanism 21a supported below when the end effector 28b delivers the semiconductor wafer. That is, the end effector 28b of the drive mechanism 21b supported above places the semiconductor wafer on the side facing the second rotary arm 27b, but the end effector 28a of the drive mechanism 21a supported below is the second effector 28a. A semiconductor wafer is placed on the side facing away from the rotary arm 27a. And also in order to implement | achieve this operation | movement, the advancing / retreating direction (up-down) of the drive shafts 24a and 24b at the time of delivery is also reversed.

As described above, by independently driving the drive mechanisms 21a and 21b, the two independent drive arms 25a and 25b can be independently used to independently transport the two semiconductor wafers. It becomes like this.
Corresponding to the dual arm transport mechanism arranged above and below, the load lock chamber 12 is also formed with its interior separated into two separate upper and lower storage chambers 12b1 and 12b2, and each A total of four slots 12a1 to 12a4 are provided in the accommodation chambers 12b1 and 12b2 in two stages. The evacuation of each of the storage chambers 12b1 and 12b2 can also be controlled independently, and the semiconductor wafer is individually transferred to and from the EFEM 11. By enabling control independently as described above, it is possible to efficiently reduce the waiting time that occurs when processing is performed by the process modules 13a to 13c, and to improve the throughput of the entire semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to which a process module 13 is further added.
In this modification, two semiconductor wafer transfer devices 20 and 20 are provided, and the housings 22 and 22 are connected by a semiconductor wafer temporary support module called a buffer module 19 which is a transfer module. Such a temporary support module can be realized by the load lock chamber 12 described above.
By connecting the buffer module 19 between the housings 22 and 22 in this way, the semiconductor wafer transfer device 20 and the process module 13 can be added as much as necessary.

Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It goes without saying for those skilled in the art,
・ Applying mutually interchangeable members and configurations disclosed in the above embodiments by appropriately changing the combination thereof.− Although not disclosed in the above embodiments, it is a publicly known technique and the above embodiments. The members and configurations that can be mutually replaced with the members and configurations disclosed in the above are appropriately replaced, and the combination is changed and applied. Based on the above, it is to be understood that those skilled in the art can appropriately substitute the members and configurations that can be assumed as substitutes for the members and configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments, and change the combination to apply. It is disclosed as.

It is a schematic plan view of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with which the semiconductor wafer conveyance apparatus of this invention is applied. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the same semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. It is sectional drawing of a semiconductor wafer conveyance apparatus, a load lock chamber, and a process module. It is a top view of a semiconductor wafer conveyance device, a load lock chamber, and a process module. It is a schematic plan view of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which added the process module.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... EFEM, 12 ... Load lock chamber, 12a1-12a4 ... Slot, 12b1, 12b2 ... Storage chamber, 12c ... Gate valve (airtight door), 13 (13a-13c) ... Process module, 13b1 ... Stage, 13b2 ... Lifter pin, 14 ... gate valve, 19 ... buffer module, 20 ... semiconductor wafer transfer device, 21 (21a, 21b) ... drive mechanism, 22 ... housing, 23 ... main body, 24 ... drive shaft, 25 ... drive arm, 26 ... First rotating arm, 27 ... second rotating arm, 28 ... end effector, 29 ... receiving chamber.

Claims (9)

A semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus for mounting and transferring a semiconductor wafer,
A pair of independent drive mechanisms each provided with a drive arm at one end of one drive shaft are arranged in an inverted positional relationship so that the ends provided with each drive arm face each other. A semiconductor wafer transfer device comprising two independent drive arms.   The drive mechanism includes a substantially cylindrical main body having a drive device therein, a drive shaft protruding from one end of the main body, and a drive arm connected to an end of the drive shaft. 2. The semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving arm obtains a driving force and performs a predetermined transfer operation.   The drive arm is connected to one end of the drive shaft at one end and pivotally driven, and is connected to the other end of the first rotary arm to rotate the first rotary arm. A second rotary arm that is pivotally driven in a plane parallel to the plane, and a pivot drive in a plane that is connected to the other end of the second rotary arm and parallel to the plane of rotation of the second rotary arm And an end effector movable in parallel with the rotational axis direction, the end effector having a combination of a parallel drive in the radial direction of the drive shaft, a rotational drive, and a linear drive in the axial direction. The semiconductor wafer transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the semiconductor wafer transfer device can be driven.   The storage device has a storage chamber for hermetically storing the facing portions of the pair of drive arms in the pair of drive mechanisms, and has openings in four sides of the storage chamber, and the end effector is connected to the storage chamber via the opening. 4. The semiconductor wafer transfer device according to claim 3, wherein the semiconductor wafer transfer device is driven inward and outward and is driven in an axial direction.   The said storage chamber is connectable with the process module which performs a desired process with respect to a semiconductor wafer, and is connected with the process chamber in the same process module via the said opening. Semiconductor wafer transfer device.   The storage chamber can be connected to a load lock chamber that is temporarily placed when a semiconductor wafer is transferred, communicates with the load lock chamber through the opening, and can be hermetically shielded by a predetermined hermetic door. The semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus is a semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus.   7. The semiconductor wafer transfer device according to claim 6, wherein the load lock chamber has a pair of semiconductor wafer mounting slots corresponding to the pair of end effectors in the accommodation chamber.   5. The semiconductor wafer transfer apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the storage chamber is connectable to a transfer module. A pair of independent drive mechanisms each provided with a drive arm at one end of one drive shaft are arranged in an inverted positional relationship so that the ends provided with each drive arm face each other. A semiconductor wafer transfer method for transferring a semiconductor wafer by two independent drive arms,
A semiconductor wafer transfer method comprising: independently driving two semiconductor wafers by independently driving the drive mechanism and independently driving the two independent drive arms.

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