JPH0625961Y2 - Wafer transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a wafer transfer apparatus used in, for example, an ion implantation apparatus or the like and having so-called two degrees of freedom of straight movement and rotation.

[Conventional technology]

 A conventional example of this type of wafer transfer apparatus is shown in FIG.

That is, the bearing portion 4 having a vacuum sealing function is attached to the vacuum container 2, and the main shaft 6 penetrates the vacuum container 2 through the bearing portion 4.

The main shaft 6 is rotationally driven in both forward and reverse directions by a first motor (for example, a servo motor) 8 mounted outside the vacuum container 2 via a timing belt 10 and wheels 12 and 14.

A swivel base 16 is attached to the inner end of the vacuum shaft 2 of the main shaft 6, and a ball screw 24, which constitutes a rectilinear mechanism that is screwed into a movable base 22 to move the shaft 22 forward and backward, is rotatably attached thereto. ing. And on this moving stand 22,
A wafer support plate 20 having, for example, a fork shape that supports the wafer 18 is attached.

On the other hand, a second motor (for example, a servomotor) 26 is attached to the outside of the vacuum container 2, and the rotational movements in both the forward and reverse directions are rotated by a rotary shaft 28 that penetrates the main shaft 6 in a vacuum sealed state. Is transmitted to the ball screw 24 via a bevel gear 30, a rotary shaft 32 rotatably supported by the swivel 16, and a set of spur gears 34.

According to the above configuration, the swivel base 16 and thus the wafer support plate 20 supported thereby can be swung in both forward and backward directions by the motor 8, and the motor 26 moves the movable base 22 and thus the wafer support plate 20 attached thereto back and forth. The wafer 18 can be moved straight, and the desired transfer of the wafer 18 can be performed.

In addition, in this device, several detectors for detecting the position of the movable base 22 are provided on the swivel base 16, for example, a detector 36 for detecting the origin of the movable base 22 and a detector for preventing overrun of the movable base 22. 37 and 38 are attached. The detectors 36 to 38 are, for example, limit switches and photoelectric switches. The lead wires 40 to 42 connected to the detectors 36 to 38 are drawn out to the outside of the vacuum container 2 via a current introducing terminal (also referred to as a feedthrough) 44 attached to an appropriate portion of the vacuum container 2. .

It should be noted that the swivel base 1 is also provided outside the vacuum container 2, for example, around the main shaft 6.
Although several detectors for position detection in the turning direction of 6 are provided, their illustration and the like are omitted here.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

In the wafer transfer device as described above, when the swivel base 16 is swung, the lead wires 40 to 4 in the vacuum container 2 are rotated.
Since the two will be dragged and bent, an unreasonable force will be applied to them and there is a risk that they may be broken.

In addition, as described above, the lead wire 4 in the vacuum container 2
There is also a problem in that 0 to 42 are dragged to generate dust from them, which may cause contamination of the wafer 18.

By the way, it is possible to provide a gutter or the like for protecting the lead wires 40 to 42, but if this is done, this gutter or the like can be used because it is used in a special environment such as in a vacuum. The material is limited to expensive materials with little degassing, which requires a large increase in cost.

Then, this invention aims at providing the wafer transfer apparatus which improved these points.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In the wafer transfer apparatus of the present invention, the main shaft is hollow, and a motor storage box is provided between the main shaft and the swivel so as to communicate with the inside of the former and to cover the latter with a vacuum seal between the respective connecting portions. A part is provided, the second motor is housed in the motor housing box, and a rotary shaft connected to the second motor is brought out of the box through a vacuum seal part to connect the same to the rectilinear mechanism, and a current introduction terminal is connected to the swivel base. And a lead wire connected to the detector is drawn out of the vacuum container through the current introducing terminal and through the main shaft.

[Action]

According to the above configuration, since the current introducing terminal is attached to the swivel base in the same manner as the detector, even if the swivel base is swung, no external force is applied to the lead wire between the detector and the current introducing terminal. Therefore, there is no fear of disconnection of this lead wire or dust generation.

Further, since the lead wire from the current introducing terminal to the outside is drawn out of the vacuum vessel through the inside of the main shaft, even if the swivel base is swung, almost no external force is applied to this lead wire. Therefore, there is no fear of disconnection of the lead wire. Further, since the inside of the motor storage box and the inside of the main shaft are on the atmospheric pressure side, it is not necessary to particularly consider the dust generation from the lead wires.

Further, from the above results, it is not necessary to perform a special protection process for the lead wire, so that the problem of increased cost can be avoided.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a wafer transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The same or corresponding parts as those in the example of FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the differences from the conventional example will be mainly described below.

In this embodiment, the main shaft 6a corresponding to the above-mentioned main shaft 6 is hollow, and the vacuum container 2 is penetrated through the bearing portion 4 as described above.

The bearing unit 4 in the illustrated example has a vacuum seal unit 402 for vacuum-sealing between the bearing 401 and the main shaft 6a. The vacuum seal unit 402 is composed of, for example, an O-ring or a magnetic fluid seal unit.

A motor storage box 46 is provided between the hollow main shaft 6a and the above-described swivel base 16 so that the hole 461 communicates with the inside of the main shaft 6a and the swivel base 16 covers the motor. Are provided with vacuum seal portions 56 and 57 made of, for example, O-rings and vacuum-sealed there.
Therefore, although the motor storage box 46 is inside the vacuum container 2, the inside thereof communicates with the atmospheric pressure side through the main shaft 6a.

Then, in the motor storage box 46, the second
The motor 26 is housed, and the rotary shaft 48 connected to the motor 26 is taken out of the box through a vacuum seal portion 58 formed of, for example, an O-ring or a magnetic fluid seal unit, and the ball screw described above is passed through the timing belt 50 and the wheels 52 and 54. It is connected to 24. Incidentally, the motor 26 does not need to be a vacuum motor because the inside of the motor housing box 46 communicates with the atmospheric pressure side.

Then, in this example, the current introducing terminal 44 as described above is attached near the turning center of the swivel 16, and the lead wires 40 to 42 connected to the detectors 36 to 38 on the swivel 16 are connected.
The current is introduced to the outside of the vacuum container 2 through the current introducing terminal 44 and through the hollow main shaft 6a.

Further, in this example, the lead wire 43 connected to the motor 26
Is also drawn out of the vacuum container 2 through the inside of the main shaft 6a.

According to the above-mentioned structure, as in the conventional example, the motor 8 supports the swivel base 16 and thus the wafer support plate 20 supported by the swivel base 16.
Can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions, and the motor 26 can move the movable table 22 and thus the wafer support plate 20 attached thereto forward and backward straightly, whereby the desired transfer of the wafer 18 can be performed.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the current introducing terminal 44 is connected to the detector 36.
Since they are attached to the swivel base 16 as in Nos. 38 to 38, no force is applied to the lead wires 40 to 42 between the detectors 36 to 38 and the current introducing terminals 44 even when the swivel base 16 is swung. Therefore, there is no fear of disconnection of the lead wires 40 to 42 or dust generation.

In addition, lead wires 40 to 4 from the current introduction terminal 44 to the outside
2 is pulled out to the outside of the vacuum container 2 through the inside of the main shaft 6a.
Even when the swivel base 16 is swung, an external force is hardly applied to the lead wires 40 to 42 because the swivel base 16 is mounted near the swivel center. Therefore, there is no fear of disconnection of the lead wires 40 to 42. Further, since the inside of the motor housing box 46 and the inside of the main shaft 6a are on the atmospheric pressure side, it is not necessary to particularly consider the dust generation from the lead wires 40 to 42.

Further, from the above results, there is no need to perform a special protection treatment such as a wire gutter for arranging the lead wires 40 to 42, so that the cost increase associated therewith can be avoided. In addition, the current introduction terminal 4
Since the lead wires 40 to 42 of the portion pulled out from No. 4 are on the atmospheric pressure side, even if the lead wires 40 to 42 are protected, they can be inexpensively manufactured.

In addition, since the lead wires 40 to 42 are protected by the motor housing box 46 and the main shaft 6a, it is possible to prevent the lead wires 40 to 42 from being accidentally disconnected during handling of the device.

The same applies to the lead wire 43 drawn from the motor 26 as the lead wires 40 to 42 drawn from the current introducing terminal 44.

[Effect of device]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the problems of disconnection of lead wires drawn out of the vacuum container from the detector attached to the swivel and dust generation. Moreover, since no special protection process for the lead wire is required, the problem of increased cost can be avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a wafer transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional wafer transfer device. 2 ... Vacuum container, 4 ... Bearing part, 6, 6a ... Spindle, 8
...... First motor, 16 ...... Swivel base, 20 ...... Wafer support plate, 22 ...... Movement base, 24 ...... Ball screw, 26 ......
Second motor, 36-38 ... Detector, 40-43 ...
Lead wire, 44 ... current introduction terminal, 46 ... motor storage box, 56 to 58 ... vacuum seal section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A bearing unit attached to a vacuum container, having a vacuum sealing function, a main shaft penetrating the vacuum container through the bearing unit, a first motor for rotationally driving the main shaft from the outside of the vacuum container, and a vacuum container. A swivel base in which the main shaft is supported, a wafer support plate that supports the wafer, a moving base to which the wafer support plate is attached, and a moving base that is provided on the swivel base and moves forward and backward. In a wafer transfer device comprising a rectilinear mechanism, a second motor for driving the rectilinear mechanism, and a detector mounted on the swivel base for detecting the position of the movable base, the spindle is hollowed and swiveled with the spindle. A motor storage box is provided between the stands so as to communicate with the inside of the former and a lid is covered by the latter, and a vacuum seal portion is provided between the respective connection portions, and the second motor is stored in the motor storage box. In addition, the rotary shaft connected to it is taken out of the box through the vacuum seal part, and it is connected to the rectilinear mechanism, and a current introduction terminal is attached to the swivel base, and a lead wire connected to the detector is connected via this current introduction terminal. The wafer transfer device is characterized in that it is pulled out from the vacuum container through the inside of the spindle.