JPH06163670A - Substrate transfer apparatus in substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent contamination of a processed substrate with a substrate delivery tool when the substrate is transferred between the inside of a cassette and a substrate conveying robot. CONSTITUTION:A substrate mounting part 18 of a substrate delivery tool 17 is constituted of a first substrate mounting part 38 and a second substrate mounting part 39, which hold a substrate 9 in the uprightly aligned state, respectively. The first substrate mounting part 38 and the second substrate mounting part 39 are constituted so that the lifting and lowering of the parts can be relatively changed with a driving device. The substrate 9 is held with one substrate mounting part at the lifted position. The first substrate mounting part 38 and the second substrate mounting part 39 are switched for the delivery of the substrate 9, which is not processed yet, and the delivery of the processed substrate 9. Thus, the contamination of the processed substrate 9 is prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as "substrate").

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional substrate processing apparatus is shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 12, a cassette mounting table 111 for mounting a cassette 108 for accommodating a plurality of substrates 109 in an upright alignment state, a substrate transfer tool 117, and a substrate processing section 105 having a plurality of processing tanks. And a substrate transfer robot 104 that moves between the cassette mounting table 111 and the substrate processing unit 105, and a transfer tool insertion hole 116 that faces the lower opening 115 of the cassette 108 is opened in the cassette mounting table 111, and this transfer is performed. The board transfer tool 11 is provided below the tool insertion hole 116.
7 is provided in an upright shape, and a substrate placing section 118 for holding a plurality of substrates 109 in an upright alignment state is provided at an upper end portion of the substrate delivering tool 117, and the substrate delivering tool 117 and the cassette placing table 111 are relatively arranged. The substrate mounting unit 118 of the substrate transfer tool 117 holds the plurality of substrates 109 in the upright alignment state, and the plurality of substrates 109 are collectively packaged between the cassette 108 and the substrate transfer robot 104. It is configured to be handable. In addition, in FIG.
Reference numeral 114 is a rotary drive device, and in FIG.
1 is a cassette loading / unloading stage, 102 is a cassette carrying robot, 110 is a cassette loading position, and 112 is a cassette loading position.

In this type of substrate processing apparatus, before the substrate processing, the cassette 108 containing the unprocessed substrate 109 is placed on the cassette placing table 111, and the cassette placing table 111 is placed relative to the substrate transfer tool 117. The unprocessed substrate 109 is held by the substrate placing portion 118 of the substrate transfer tool 117 that has passed through the transfer tool insertion hole 116 and the lower opening 115 of the cassette 108, and the unprocessed substrate 109 is cassette. The substrate processing unit 1 is taken out above the substrate 108 and transferred to the substrate transfer robot 104.
It is possible to carry out the treatment by carrying it to 05 and immersing it in the treatment liquid in the treatment tank. Then, after the substrate processing, the processed substrate 109 is transferred to the substrate processing unit 10 by the substrate transfer robot 104.
5 to the cassette mounting table 111, and the substrate transfer tool 1 positioned above the cleaned cassette 108
17, the cassette mounting table 111 is raised relative to the substrate transfer tool 117, and processed into the cleaned cassette 108 previously mounted on the cassette mounting table 111. The completed substrate 109 is accommodated.

By the way, in this conventional substrate processing apparatus,
Delivery of the unprocessed substrate 109 and delivery of the processed substrate 109 are both carried out by holding them at the same position on the substrate platform 118 of the substrate delivery tool 117.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional technique, the unprocessed substrate 109 and the processed substrate 109 are both delivered at the same position on the substrate placing portion 118 of the substrate delivery tool 117. Since this is done, the contaminants attached to the unprocessed substrate 109 attach to the processed substrate 109 via the substrate platform 118 of the substrate transfer tool 117. Therefore, the processed substrate 10
9 are contaminated.

Further, in the pre-treatment cleaning in the oxidation diffusion step, since the already cleaned substrate is cleaned, there is no problem of contamination as described above, but the substrate mounting holding the wet substrate after cleaning is carried out. When a dry substrate is held by the holder 118,
Depending on the type of substrate, the adverse effect of generating a watermark occurs. The contamination of the substrate and the generation of watermarks both reduce the yield of products. The present invention is
It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transfer device in a substrate processing apparatus that can prevent contamination of a processed substrate and generation of a watermark by a substrate transfer tool.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cassette mounting table for mounting a cassette for accommodating a plurality of substrates in an upright alignment state, a substrate transfer tool, a substrate processing section, and a substrate transfer robot. , The cassette mounting table is provided with a transfer tool insertion hole facing the lower opening of the cassette, the substrate transfer tool is provided upright below the transfer tool insertion hole, and a plurality of substrate transfer tools are provided at the upper end of the substrate transfer tool. A substrate placing section for holding the substrates in an upright aligned state is provided, and the substrate transfer tool and the cassette placing table are moved up and down relatively, and a plurality of substrates are upright aligned in the substrate placing section of the substrate transfer tool. In the substrate processing apparatus, which is configured to be held as it is, and is capable of collectively transferring a plurality of substrates between the inside of the cassette and the substrate transfer robot, it is characterized as follows. .

The substrate mounting portion of the substrate transfer tool is composed of a first substrate mounting portion and a second substrate mounting portion which respectively hold the substrates in an upright aligned state. Then, the first substrate mounting portion and the second substrate mounting portion are configured to be relatively switchable up and down by a driving device, and the substrate is held by the one substrate mounting portion in the raised position. Constitute.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the first substrate mounting portion and the second substrate mounting portion of the substrate transfer tool are used when the unprocessed substrate is taken out from the cassette and when the processed substrate is accommodated in the cleaned cassette. Use the table and the part. For example, in the case of taking out an unprocessed substrate from the cassette, the first substrate mounting portion is in the raised position, and the plurality of substrates are collectively held and lifted by the substrate mounting portion and delivered to the substrate transfer robot. Further, when the processed substrate is stored in the cleaned cassette, the second substrate mounting portion is in the raised position,
Receive a plurality of substrates at once from the substrate transfer robot.
In this case, since the processed substrate does not come into contact with the first substrate mounting portion, contaminants adhering to the unprocessed substrate may contaminate the processed substrate via the first substrate mounting portion. Absent. This prevents contamination of the processed substrate. Similarly, by using a wet substrate and a dry substrate for the first substrate mounting portion and the second substrate mounting portion of the substrate transfer tool, it is possible to prevent the generation of the watermark.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 11, the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment includes a cassette loading / unloading stage 1, a cassette transfer robot 2, a substrate transfer unit 3, a substrate transfer robot 4, a substrate processing unit 5, and a substrate. A drying unit 6 and a cassette cleaning device 7 are provided. The cassette 8 used in this embodiment has a substrate alignment accommodating groove therein so that a plurality of substrates 9 can be accommodated in an upright alignment state.

In this substrate processing apparatus, when the cassette 8 accommodating the unprocessed substrate 9 is carried from the outside of the substrate processing apparatus to the carry-in position 10 of the cassette carry-in / carry-out stage 1, two cassettes 8 and the cassette carrying robot 2 are provided. The substrate 8 is transferred to the cassette mounting table 11 of the substrate transfer unit 3, and the cassette 8
Two unprocessed substrates 9 are transferred from the cassette 8 to the substrate transfer robot 4.

Next, the unprocessed substrate 9 transferred to the substrate transfer robot 4 is transferred to the substrate processing unit 5, processed by the substrate processing unit 5, and the processed substrate 9 is transferred to the substrate drying unit 6 by the substrate transfer robot 4. After being transported to and dried, the substrate transport robot 4 transports the substrate to the substrate transfer unit 3. On the other hand, the empty cassette 8 from which the unprocessed substrate 9 has been taken out by the substrate transfer unit 3 is transferred to the cassette cleaning device 7 by the cassette transfer robot 4 and cleaned. Then, the cleaned cassette 8 is transferred to the cassette mounting table 11 of the substrate transfer section 3 by the cassette transfer robot 2. Next, the processed substrate 9 is transferred to the cleaned cassette 8 by the substrate transfer unit 3, and the cassette 8 is transferred to the carry-out position 12 of the cassette carry-in / carry-out stage 1 by the cassette carrying robot 2. Take it out.

As described above, in this substrate processing apparatus, the cassette transfer robot 2 transfers the cassette 8 between the cassette loading / unloading stage 1 and the cassette mounting table 11, as shown in FIG. In the cassette 8 which is in the loading / unloading posture at the cassette loading / unloading stage 1,
The accommodation attitude of the substrate 9 is a direction orthogonal to the processing attitude of the substrate 9 in the substrate processing section 5 in a plan view. Further, the cassette transfer robot 2 moves the cassette 8 between the cassette mounting table 11 and the cassette loading / unloading stage 1 by 180.
Uses a mechanism that reverses and conveys.

Therefore, before the substrate processing, the cassette 8 is set in the loading position 10 of the cassette loading / unloading stage 1.
The cassette loading table 11 by the cassette transfer robot 2.
When the substrate 9 is conveyed to, the storage posture of the unprocessed substrate 9 in the cassette 8 on the cassette mounting table 11 becomes a posture orthogonal to the processing posture in plan view, and in this posture, the substrate 9 is parallel to the processing posture. The unprocessed substrate 9 cannot be delivered to the substrate transfer robot 4 which is held and transferred. In addition, when the cassette 8 is transferred from the cassette mounting table 11 to the carry-out position 12 of the cassette carry-in stage 1 by the cassette carrying robot 2 after the substrate processing, the cassette 8 has a carry-out posture at the carry-out position 12. Requires the cassette 8 on the cassette mounting table 11 to be in a posture that is 180 ° inverted with respect to the carrying-out posture. In this posture, the cleaned cassette 8 is placed on the cassette mounting table 11. In this case, since the substrate accommodation direction of the cleaned cassette 8 is orthogonal to the processing posture in a plan view, the substrate 9 is conveyed while holding the substrate 9 in a posture parallel to the processing posture in this posture. The processed substrate 9 cannot be received from the robot 4 into the cleaned cassette 8.

Therefore, in this substrate processing apparatus, the turntable 1 is mounted on the cassette mounting table 11 of the substrate transfer unit 3.
3 is provided. The structure of the substrate transfer unit 3 is as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, two turntables 13 are provided at two cassette mounting positions of the cassette mounting table 11, and the turntables 13 are interlockingly connected to a rotary drive device 14 which will be described later. Turntable 1
3 is rotated by 90 °. As shown in FIG. 1, a transfer tool insertion hole 16 facing the lower opening 15 of the cassette 8 is formed in the center of the turntable 13,
A board transfer tool 17 is provided below the transfer tool insertion hole 16.
Is provided in an upright shape, and a substrate placing portion 18 for holding a plurality of substrates 9 in an upright alignment state is provided at an upper end portion of the substrate transfer tool 17. The substrate transfer tool 17 is provided on the lift table 20 that is interlocked with the vertical feed screw shaft 19 that is interlocked with the lifting drive means 85 (elevation drive motor).
By raising and lowering, the plurality of substrates 9 are held in the upright aligned state on the substrate mounting portion 18, and the plurality of substrates 9 can be collectively transferred between the cassette 8 and the substrate transfer robot 4. is there.

In the substrate transfer section 3, as shown in FIG. 2, the turntable 1 is moved by the cassette transfer robot 2 from the loading position 10 of the cassette loading / unloading stage 1 before the substrate processing.
The orientation of the cassette 8 transferred to the substrate 3 is changed by 90 ° by the rotation of the turntable 13 in the a direction, so that the accommodation orientation of the unprocessed substrate 9 in the cassette 8 is the orientation of processing the substrate 9 in the substrate processing unit 5. In parallel with the above, as the substrate transfer tool 17 shown in FIG.
In the state where the substrate is held, the unprocessed substrate 9 is taken out above the cassette 8 and the substrate transfer tool 17 is not rotated.
The unprocessed substrate 9 in the cassette 8 is transferred to the substrate transfer robot 4.

After the substrate processing, the cleaned cassette 8 transferred from the cassette cleaning device 7 shown in FIG. 11 to the turntable 13 by the cassette transfer robot 2 is shown in FIG.
The orientation shown in FIG. 1 is changed by 90 ° by rotating the turntable 13 in the direction a, and the substrate receiving direction is set below the cleaned cassette 8 as shown in FIG. Substrate placement section 18 of tool 17
And the processed substrate 9 transferred by the substrate transfer robot 4 is held, and in this state the substrate transfer tool 1
The processed substrate 9 is transferred into the cleaned cassette 8 without lowering the substrate transfer tool 17 by rotating the substrate transfer tool 17. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the cleaned cassette 8 containing the processed substrate 9 is placed on the turntable 13 b.
When the cassette 8 is conveyed to the carry-out position 12 of the cassette carry-in / carry-out stage 1 by changing the direction by 90 ° by the rotation of the direction and brought to the illustrated posture, the cassette 8 becomes the carry-out posture at the carry-out position 12.

As described above, in the substrate transfer section 3, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, when transferring the substrate 9 between the cassette 8 and the substrate transfer robot 4, it is not necessary to rotate the substrate transfer tool 17, so that the substrate held by the substrate mounting part 18 of the substrate transfer tool 17 is not used. The posture of 9 does not shift. In addition, when the substrate 9 is redirected, the turntable 13 is rotated while the substrate 9 is stably accommodated and held in the cassette 8. Therefore, the rotation speed of the turntable 13 can be adjusted without fear of misalignment of the substrate 9. Can be set high.

The specific structure of the turntable 13 of the substrate transfer section 3 and its rotation driving device 14 is as follows. As shown in FIG. 3 (A), the turntable 13 has a base plate 21 of the cassette mounting table 11 and a bearing 2
It is rotatably attached via 2. A rotary drive motor is used as a rotary drive device 14 for rotating the turntable 13, and a ring gear 2 in which a pinion gear 24 fixed to the output shaft 23 is externally fitted and fixed to the turntable 13.
5, the turntable 13 is rotated by setting the rotation angle to 90 ° as shown in FIG. 3 (C).

Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, a cassette positioning frame 26 is formed on the turntable 13 along the three sides of the periphery of the rectangular delivery tool insertion hole 16 in a U shape in plan view. At the same time, a cassette clamp 27 is provided on the other side of the peripheral edge so that the cassette 8 can be positioned and fixed on the turntable 13 at an appropriate position. In this embodiment, a rotary drive motor is used for the rotary drive device 14, but instead of this, as shown in FIGS. 3D and 3E, a rotary drive air cylinder is used for the rotary drive device 14. May be. In FIG. 3D, a rack gear 29 is attached to the piston 28 of the rotary drive cylinder, and the rack gear 29 is meshed with the ring gear 25 fitted and fixed to the turntable 13. In FIG. 3 (E), the piston 28 of the air cylinder for rotational drive is pivotally attached to the ring 30 fitted and fixed to the turntable 13.

As shown in FIG. 4 (A), the substrate transfer tool 17 has a box 33 attached to the upper end of a pipe 32 erected on a pipe support 31, and the substrate mounting portion 18 has the box 33. Is provided on the upper surface of. This substrate rest 18
Respectively hold a plurality of substrates in a standing alignment state.
The substrate mounting portion 38 and the second substrate mounting portion 39 are included. The first substrate mounting portion 38 is formed by the two elevating and lowering mounting portions 38a, and the second substrate mounting portion 3 is formed.
9 is composed of three fixed mounting portions 39b. Each of the fixed mounting portions 39b is attached to each of the fixed seats 34 fixed to the center and both sides of the upper surface of the box body 33, and each of the elevating mounting portions 38a is provided with the two elevating seats 35 arranged between the fixed seats 34. It is attached to.

The elevating seat 35 is fixed to the upper end of an elevating rod 36 penetrating the pipe 32, and the elevating rod 36 is interlocked with an elevating drive device 37 attached to the pipe support 31. A lifting cylinder is used as the lifting drive device 37. That is, the first substrate mounting portion 38 including the elevating and lowering mounting portion 38a has a raised position protruding above the second substrate mounting portion 39 including the fixed mounting portion 39b, and the second substrate mounting portion 38a. It is configured such that it can be switched to a lower position where the portion 39 is lowered to a lower position. For example, in FIG. 1, when the unprocessed substrate 9 is transferred from the cassette 8 to the substrate transport robot 4, the first substrate mounting portion 38 is set to the raised position and the substrate transport robot 4 processes the cleaned cassette 8 into the cleaned cassette 8. When transferring the finished substrate 9, the first substrate mounting portion 38 is set to the lowered position.

According to the above configuration, when the unprocessed substrate 9 is delivered, the unprocessed substrate 9 is placed on the first substrate mounting portion 38.
Since the second substrate mounting portion 39 is not touched,
The second substrate mounting portion 39 is not contaminated by the contaminants attached to the unprocessed substrate 9. When the processed substrate 9 is delivered, the processed substrate 9 is held on the second substrate mounting portion 39 which is not contaminated, so that the processed substrate 9 is prevented from being contaminated. Conversely, the unprocessed substrate 9 is transferred by the second substrate mounting portion 39 with the first substrate mounting portion 38 in the lowered position, and the processed substrate 9 is transferred by the first substrate mounting portion 38 in the raised position. It is also possible to prevent contamination of the processed substrate 9 in this case as well.

The first substrate mounting portion 38 and the second substrate mounting portion 39, as shown in FIG. 4B, are in the main surface direction of the substrate 9 mounted thereon (in FIG. 4). A substrate alignment holding groove 90 having the same pitch as the substrate alignment holding groove of the cassette 8 is provided in a direction (perpendicular to the paper surface), and the release upper edge 92 of the substrate alignment holding groove 90 holds the substrate. C-shaped chamfer is used for smoothness. In addition, two lifting and placing parts 38a and three fixed and placing parts 39b are provided.
As shown in FIG. 5, it can be easily manufactured by cutting the integrally processed ordinary substrate mounting portion 18 along the dashed line.

The elevating and placing section 38a and the fixed placing section 39b.
As shown in FIG. 5, a substrate alignment holding groove 90 having a shape along the outer periphery of the substrate 9 held therein is cut, and the substrate alignment holding groove 90 corresponds to the orientation flat of the substrate 9. Straight portion 95 and curved portion 96 other than that
It consists of and. That is, a straight line portion 95 corresponding to the orientation flat of the substrate 9 is cut between the central fixed placing portion 39b and the elevating placing portions 38a, 38a on both sides thereof, and the outside of the elevating placing portion 38a is fixed. Placement part 3
A curved portion 96 is cut to 9b. That is, the elevating / lowering mounting portions 38 a, 3 which form the first substrate mounting portion 38.
8a has a straight line portion 95 and a curved portion 96, and
Since the fixed mounting portion 39b constituting the substrate mounting portion 39 of FIG. 1 has the straight portion 95 and the curved portion 96, the substrate is mounted by either the first substrate mounting portion 38 or the second substrate mounting portion 39. Even when 9 is held, the rotation of the substrate 9 can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the first substrate mounting portion 38
Although it was described that the second substrate mounting portion 39 was fixed by moving up and down, instead of this, as shown in FIG. 6, it is also possible to raise and lower both. That is, the first substrate mounting portion 38 supports the two elevating and lowering mounting portions 38a by the first elevating base 35a via the elevating rods 34a, and the second substrate mounting portion 39 similarly has three parts. Three lifting and placing parts 3
9b to the second lifting base 35 via the lifting rod 34b.
b, the elevating bases 35a and 35b are interlockingly connected to the swing arm 36, and the swing arm 36 is vertically swung by the swing support shaft P by the driving actuator 37, so that the two are relatively moved. It is configured to be vertically switchable. Then, the substrate is held by the one substrate mounting portion in the raised position.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 7, two substrate transfer tools 17 are provided in order to transfer the substrate 9 between the two cassettes 8 and the substrate transfer robot 4. The two substrate transfer tools 17 can be width-shifted by the width-shifting device 42. The structure of the width aligning device 42 is as follows. As shown in FIG. 8 (A), both pipe support bases 31 are slidably supported by guide rails 43 on the lifting base 20, and both pipe support bases 31 are connected by a width-shifting link mechanism 44. As shown in FIG. 8A, the width-shifting link mechanism 44 pivotally attaches the center portion of the link arm 83 to a support shaft 82 that is vertically provided from the center portion of the lift table 20, and connects both end portions of the link arm 83 and both ends. A link rod 84 is provided between the pipe support 31 and the pipe support 31. And FIG.
As shown in (B), one pipe support base 31 is interlockingly connected to the width-shifting drive cylinder 45 attached to the lift base 20.

In the width-shifting device 42, when the width-shifting drive cylinder 45 is contracted, one pipe support 31 connected to the width-shifting cylinder 45 approaches the center of the lift table 20 and at the same time, the width-shifting link mechanism 44 is used. And the other pipe support 31 is also closer to the center of the lift table 20, and both board transfer tools 17
Are width-shifted. Further, when the width-shifting drive cylinder 45 is extended, both substrate transfer tools 17 are moved away from each other. In this width-shifting device 42, as shown in FIG. 7, two groups of unprocessed substrates 9 from inside the two cassettes 8 are processed before substrate processing.
In transferring the substrate to the substrate transfer robot 4, the unprocessed substrates 9 of each group are respectively held by the substrate mounting portions 18 of the two substrate transfer tools 17, and both the substrate transfer tools 17 are moved closer to each other, and the two groups are transferred. These are delivered to the substrate transfer robot 4 without forming a large gap between the untreated substrates 9. In addition, after transferring the processed substrates 9 for two cassettes 8 from the substrate transfer robot 4 to the two cleaned cassettes 8 after the substrate processing, the processed substrates 9 transferred by the substrate transfer robot 4 are transferred to the cassettes. Both substrate mounting parts 1 of the two substrate transfer tools 17 that have been width-shifted above 8
8, the substrate transfer tools 17 are moved away from each other, the processed substrates 9 are separated into two groups, and each group is housed in the two cleaned cassettes 8.

Next, the structure of the substrate transfer robot 4 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate transfer robot 4 rotates a traveling unit main body 46, a pair of left and right arm rotating shafts 47 protruding substantially horizontally from the traveling unit main body 46, and the pair of arm rotating shafts 47. It is provided with a shaft rotating means 48 and a substrate chuck 49 fixed to each arm rotating shaft 47 and collectively holding a plurality of substrates 9 in a standing aligned state. The pair of substrate chucks 49 has substrate alignment holding grooves 52 and 53, which have the same pitch as the substrate alignment accommodating grooves of the cassette 8, on the pair of opposing surfaces 50 and the rear surfaces 51 thereof.
By rotating the arm rotation shaft 47, the substrate chuck 49 can be switched to an inverted C-shaped substrate holding posture in which the pair of facing surfaces 50 and the back surfaces 51 thereof face each other.

In this substrate transfer robot 4, when the unprocessed substrate 9 is transferred, the pair of opposed surfaces 50 of the substrate chuck 49 are placed in a posture in which they face each other, and when the processed substrate 9 is transferred, the back surface 51. Position them so that they face each other. With this configuration, when the unprocessed substrate 9 is conveyed, the unprocessed substrate 9 has the substrate alignment holding groove 52 of the pair of opposed surfaces 50.
The substrate alignment holding groove 53 on the back surface 51 is not contaminated by the contaminants adhering to the unprocessed substrate 9 because the substrate alignment holding groove 53 on the back surface 51 is held in the substrate alignment holding groove 53 on the back surface 51. Then, when the processed substrate 9 is transported, the processed substrate 9 is held in the substrate alignment holding groove 53 of the back surface 51 which is not contaminated, so that the processed substrate 9 is prevented from being contaminated.

The specific structure of the substrate chuck 49 is as follows. As shown in FIG. 9A, the substrate chuck 49
Is attached to both ends of the plate-shaped chuck body 54.
5, the arm rotation shaft 47 is inserted through and fixed to the central portion of the chuck body 54 and the central portion of the end plate 55. A pair of reinforcing pipes 59 is provided between the end plates 55.
Are installed in parallel, and are inserted and fixed in the chuck body 54. As shown in FIG. 9B, the substrate alignment holding grooves 52 and 53 of the chuck body 54 are both formed in an arc shape along the peripheral edge of the substrate 9. Further, as shown in FIG. 9C, the release edge portions 57 of the substrate alignment holding grooves 52 and 53 are chamfered in a V shape. This substrate chuck 4
As shown in FIGS. 9 (D) and 9 (E), 9 may be configured by externally fitting a groove forming pipe 58 in which substrate alignment holding grooves 52/53 are provided in series around a reinforcing pipe 59. In this case, by screwing the end plate 55 to the reinforcing pipe 59, the groove forming pipe 58 can be clamped and fixed between the end plates 55.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10A, a pair of shaft rotating motors are used as the shaft rotating means 48 for rotating the arm rotating shaft 47. This shaft rotation motor is fixed to the traveling unit main body 46, and the arm rotation shaft 47 is attached to each output shaft 60.
Are connected by a shaft joint 61, and both arm rotation shafts 47 are individually rotatably interlocked. A travel drive motor is used as the travel drive means 62 of the travel section main body 46. This traveling drive motor is fixed to a fixed machine frame 63, a drive pulley 65 is attached to its output shaft 64, and an idle pulley (not shown) pivotally attached to the fixed machine frame 63 and the drive pulley 6 are attached.
The interlocking belt 66 is wound around the interlocking belt 5, and the traveling portion main body 46 is attached to the interlocking belt 66. In addition, FIG.
As shown in (B), the traveling unit main body 46 includes the stationary machine frame 63.
It is slidably mounted on a guide rail 67 provided above.

This substrate transfer robot 4 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, one shaft rotation motor is used as the shaft rotation means 48, the reversing gear 69 is meshed with the drive gear 68 attached to the output shaft 60 thereof, and the input gear 70 attached to the one arm rotation shaft 47 is attached. The drive gear 68 and the input gear 71 attached to the other arm rotation shaft 47 may be in mesh with the reversing gear 69. In addition, FIG.
As shown in (D), a traveling drive motor, which is the traveling drive means 62, is attached to the traveling portion main body 46, and the pinion gear 72 attached to the output shaft 64 of the traveling portion is engaged with the rack gear 73 attached to the stationary machine frame 63. The body 46 may be self-propelled.

The structure of the substrate processing section 5 is as follows. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing unit 5 includes three processing baths 74, and the processing baths 74 are provided with processing substrate mounting portions 75 that support the substrates 9, respectively. This processing substrate placing section 7
Reference numeral 5 is interlockingly connected to the elevating and lowering drive means 76 shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the position at which the substrate 9 held on the substrate placing part 18 of the substrate transferring part 3 is delivered to the substrate transfer robot 4 is the first substrate delivering position 77, and each of the processing tanks 74 A second substrate transfer position 78 (in FIG. 1, a position at which the substrate 9 held by the processing substrate platform 75 is transferred to the substrate transfer robot 4 is
The central processing tank 74 is shown in the drawing), and the substrate 9 held here is lifted up and down by the processing substrate mounting portion 75.
Can be moved up and down between a second substrate transfer position 78 and a substrate processing position 79 where the substrate is immersed in the processing bath 74 to perform the processing. Then, the substrate transfer robot 4
Runs between the first substrate transfer position 77 and the second substrate transfer position 78.

In the substrate processing apparatus having the substrate processing section 5, the substrate transfer section 3 transfers the unprocessed substrate 9 in the cassette 8 to the substrate transfer robot 4 before the substrate processing. Holding the unprocessed substrate 9 on the substrate rest 18 of
This is raised to the first substrate transfer position 77 and transferred to the substrate transfer robot 4. And this untreated substrate 9
The substrate transfer robot 4 transfers the unprocessed substrate 9 to the second substrate transfer position 78, transfers the unprocessed substrate 9 to the ascended processed substrate placement part 75, and lowers the processed substrate placement part 75 to remove the unprocessed substrate 9. It is located at the substrate processing position 79 of the processing bath 74 and is immersed in the processing liquid 80 for processing. Then, when the substrate processing in the processing bath 74 is completed, the processed substrate placing portion 75 is raised to position the processed substrate 9 at the second substrate transfer position 78 and transfers it to the substrate transfer robot 4. Then, the processed substrate 9 is transferred to the first substrate transfer position 77 by the substrate transfer robot 4 and held by the substrate mounting unit 18 of the substrate transfer unit 3 that has moved up, and the substrate transfer unit 3 transfers the substrate. The placement unit 18 is lowered to position the processed substrate 9 at the substrate accommodation position 81 and accommodate it in the cleaned cassette 8.

In this way, the unprocessed substrate 9 is transferred to the substrate processing unit 5
The substrate chuck 49 of the substrate transfer robot 4 holding the substrate 9 does not need to be immersed in the treatment liquid 80 in the treatment tank 74 by holding the substrate on the treatment substrate placing part 75 and raising and lowering it. Pollutant is treated tank 7
Not brought into 4 In addition, the substrate chuck 49 does not need to enter the processing bath 74, so that the size of the substrate chuck 49 can be shortened and the substrate chuck 49 is less likely to vibrate during the transfer of the substrate.
Generation of particles due to sliding with the substrate alignment holding grooves 52 and 53 of 9 is reduced, and invasion of particles into the processing bath 74 is reduced. The substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention can also be applied as a pretreatment apparatus before the oxidation diffusion step. In this case, since the contamination of the substrate does not pose a problem, it is possible to treat the untreated substrate and the treated substrate. At the substrate rest part 18
Does not have to be used properly. Rather, by using the first substrate mounting portion 38 and the second substrate mounting portion 39 properly depending on whether to hold a dry substrate or a wet substrate, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of watermarks. You can do it like this.

In the above-described embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus for transferring the plurality of substrates 9 received from the substrate transfer tool 17 to the substrate processing section 5 by the substrate transfer robot 4 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The plurality of substrates 9 received from 17 are transferred to the processing-specific cassette by the substrate transfer robot 4, and the substrate processing apparatus that transfers the processing-specific cassette to the substrate processing unit by the cassette transfer robot can be similarly applied.

[0038]

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION By changing the posture of the elevating and lowering part between the transfer of the unprocessed substrate and the transfer of the processed substrate,
It is possible to prevent contamination of the processed substrate due to transfer of contaminants adhering to the unprocessed substrate to the processed substrate via the substrate placing portion of the substrate transfer tool. Alternatively, it is possible to effectively prevent the harmful effects of the watermark by using the first substrate mounting portion and the second substrate mounting portion of the substrate transfer tool for the wet substrate and the dried substrate. it can.
As a result, the yield of products can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG.

3A and 3B are explanatory views of a turntable used in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, where FIG. 3A is a vertical sectional view, FIG. 3B is a plan view, and FIG. C-C line sectional drawing, the same figure (D) the same figure (C) equivalent figure of the 1st modification of the rotary drive mechanism of the turntable, the same figure (E) the 2nd modification of the rotary drive mechanism of the turntable. It is a figure equivalent to the same figure (C).

4A and 4B are views for explaining a substrate transfer tool used in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, where FIG. 4A is a vertical sectional view and FIG. 4B is a partial sectional view of a substrate mounting portion.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part of a substrate placing portion of the substrate transfer tool.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of essential parts showing a modified example of the substrate platform of the substrate transfer tool.

7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG.

8A and 8B are explanatory views of a width-shifting link mechanism used in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, in which FIG. 8A is a vertical sectional view and FIG. 8B is a plan view.

9 is a diagram for explaining a substrate chuck of a substrate transfer robot used in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG.
FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.
Is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 6B, FIG. 6D is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modified substrate chuck, and FIG.
It is a -E line sectional view.

10A and 10B are views for explaining a substrate chuck rotation mechanism and a traveling mechanism of a traveling unit main body of a substrate transfer robot used in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, in which FIG. 10A is a perspective view and FIG. (A) is a side view, (C) is a perspective view of a modification, and (D) is a side view of (C).

11 is a perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 of a substrate processing apparatus according to a conventional technique.

13 is a plan view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 ... Substrate transfer robot, 5 ... Substrate processing unit, 8
... cassette, 9 ... substrate, 11 ... cassette mounting table, 15 ... lower opening, 16 ... transfer tool insertion hole, 17 ... substrate transfer tool, 18 ... substrate mount, 37 ... lifting drive device, 38 ...
1st board | substrate mounting part, 39 ... 2nd board | substrate mounting part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cassette mounting table for mounting a cassette for accommodating a plurality of substrates in an upright alignment state, a substrate transfer tool, a substrate processing section, and a substrate transfer robot. A transfer tool insertion hole facing the lower opening of the cassette is opened, and the substrate transfer tool is provided upright below the transfer tool insertion hole, and a plurality of substrates are held in an upright aligned state at the upper end of the substrate transfer tool. A substrate placing section is provided, and the substrate delivering tool and the cassette placing table are moved up and down relatively, and the substrate placing section of the substrate delivering tool holds a plurality of substrates in an upright alignment state, and the cassette In a substrate processing apparatus configured to collectively transfer a plurality of substrates between the inside of the substrate transfer robot and the substrate transfer robot, the substrate placing unit of the substrate transfer tool raises and lowers each substrate. It is composed of a first substrate placing portion and a second substrate placing portion that are held in a state, and the first substrate placing portion and the second substrate placing portion can be relatively switched up and down by a driving device. And a substrate transfer device in a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that the substrate is held by one of the substrate mounting portions in the raised position.