JPH11288993A - Substrate transfer method and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate transfer method and a device, wherein the position of a substrate holding groove is accurately measured, a substrate holding groove is corrected on position, the height of a substrate when it confronts the substrate holding groove right at each level is set or corrected automatically for a set value, and a substrate holding jig is elongated in serviceable life gears and improved in maintainability. SOLUTION: A substrate holding jig 13 which holds substrates 9 in a multi- stage manner is provided with substrate holding grooves 19, substrate sensing sensors 29 and 30 are provided to a substrate placing plate 26 where the substrate 9 is placed, and when the substrate 9 is transferred to the substrate holding groove 19, the height of the substrate placing plate 26 corresponding to signals sent from the substrate sensing sensors 29 and 30 is detected, whereby the position of the substrate holding groove is measured, the height of the substrate placing plate 26 is set corresponding with respect to the substrate holding groove 19, and the substrate 9 is transferred to the substrate holding groove 19.

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 for transferring a substrate such as a wafer inside a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus forms various thin films on a substrate to be processed such as a wafer or performs etching or the like to form a large number of semiconductor elements on the substrate to be processed.

The transfer of a substrate to be processed inside the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or between units of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is performed by a substrate transfer device of a wafer transfer machine.

First, an outline of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

A cassette transfer unit 2 is provided on the front side inside the housing 1, and a cassette transporter 3 is provided behind the cassette transfer unit 2. A cassette shelf 4 is provided behind the cassette carrier 3, and a wafer transfer machine 5 is provided behind the cassette shelf 4. The wafer transfer machine 5 includes an elevating drive unit 6, an advancing / retracting mechanism unit 7 provided so as to be able to move up and down and rotatable by the elevating drive unit 6, and a chucking head 8 provided to be able to advance and retreat to the advancing / retracting mechanism unit 7. And a tweezer 10 capable of receiving a wafer 9 is horizontally attached to the chucking head 8.
Further, the wafer transfer machine 5 moves up and down the advance / retreat mechanism 7 by the elevation drive unit 6, advances and retreats the chucking head 8 by the advance / retreat mechanism 7, and grips by the tweezer 10 according to a signal from a control device (not shown). Release is to take place.

[0006] A reaction furnace 11 is provided at an upper rear portion of the wafer transfer machine 5, and a boat 13 erected through a boat cap 12 from below can be loaded into the reaction furnace 11 by a boat elevator 14. Has become.

[0007] The wafer 9 from outside into the housing 1
Is carried out while being loaded in the wafer cassette 15. The wafer cassette 15 is placed on the cassette transfer unit 2 by an automatic transfer device (not shown) or an operator, and then stored in a required position on the cassette shelf 4 by the cassette transfer device 3.

[0008] The wafer transfer machine 5 is provided with
The wafer 9 is received on the tweezer 10 from the wafer cassette 15 of the cassette shelf 4 by the cooperation of the lifting and lowering movement, the rotational movement of the advance / retreat mechanism 7, and the advance / retreat of the chucking head 8, The boat 13 in the descending state
The wafers 9 are loaded in multiple stages in a horizontal posture.

The boat 13 is loaded into the reaction furnace 11 by the boat elevator 14, and a process such as film formation on the wafer 9 is performed. After the processing in the reaction furnace 11 is completed, the boat 1
3 is lowered and the wafer transfer device 5 moves the wafer cassette 15 from the boat 13 into the cassette shelf 4.
The wafer 9 already processed is transferred.

Thereafter, the wafer cassette 15 loaded with the processed wafers 9 is carried out to the outside in a procedure reverse to the procedure described above.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the boat 13
Will be described.

The boat 13 has an annular bottom plate 16 and a plurality of boats (4 in FIG. 1) erected along the periphery of the bottom plate 16.
The columns 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d of the present invention and a top plate 18 fixed to the upper ends of the columns 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d.

Each of the columns 17a, 17b, 17c, 17
On the center side of d, a plurality of wafer holding grooves 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d are engraved horizontally, respectively, and the periphery of the wafer 9 is formed on the wafer holding grooves 19a and 19d.
b, 19c and 19d and are held horizontally.

Hereinafter, a method of transferring the wafer 9 to the boat 13 will be described.

The wafer 9 is placed on the tweezer 10, and the chucking head 8 faces the boat 13. While visually confirming the height of the uppermost wafer holding groove 19 to which the wafer 9 is to be transferred, for example, the height of the wafer holding groove 19a, the elevation drive unit 6 is manually driven, and the wafer 9 The advancing / retreating mechanism 7 is moved up and down until it directly faces the wafer holding groove 19a. The height when the wafer 9 is directly opposed to the uppermost wafer holding groove 19a to be transferred is measured, and the other uppermost wafer holding grooves 19b, 19c, 19c are further measured.
The height of the wafer 9 when directly facing d is measured by the same procedure. The respective wafer holding grooves 19a, 19
b, 19c, and 19d, when the measured values of the height of the wafer 9 are the same or the deviation is within an allowable range,
The measurement results are input and stored in the control device.

The height when the wafer 9 is directly opposed to each of the lowermost wafer holding grooves 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d is measured in the same manner, and the measurement result is inputted and stored in the controller. Let it.

Further, each of the wafer holding grooves 19a, 19b, 19 in each of the stages other than the uppermost stage and the lowermost stage is provided.
c, 19d, the height of the wafer holding grooves 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d at the uppermost and lowermost stages.
Calculated by linear interpolation from each measured value of the height of the wafer 9 when directly facing, and input the calculation result to the control device;
Remember.

The wafer transfer machine 5 performs the control based on the measurement result of the height of the wafer 9 or the calculation result when facing the wafer holding grooves 19a, 19b, 19c, and 19d of the respective stages. The wafer 9 is controlled by an apparatus, and the wafer 9 is placed in each wafer holding groove 19a, 19b, 19c,
19d.

[0019]

In the above-mentioned conventional substrate transfer apparatus, the height of the uppermost or lowermost wafer holding groove 19 to which the wafer 9 is to be transferred is visually confirmed, and the height is manually operated. Since the elevation drive unit 6 is driven while performing fine adjustment, the height when the wafer 9 is directly opposed to the uppermost or lowermost wafer holding groove 19a to be transferred is measured. Required a high level of skill and was troublesome.

The boat 13 is heated to a high temperature and etched by a chemical each time various processes are repeated in the reaction furnace 11, so that the boat 13 undergoes a temporal change due to thermal distortion and corrosion. The pitch between them may not be constant, or the column 17 may be curved or inclined to deform the boat 13 into a barrel shape, a parallelogram shape or the like, and the groove pitch may not be constant. For this reason, from the measured value of the height of the wafer 9 when directly facing the uppermost and lowermost wafer holding grooves 19, the wafer 9 when directly facing each wafer holding groove 19 of each stage by linear interpolation. In the method of calculating the height of the tweezers, the tweezers 10 cannot be operated to follow the deformation of the boat 13 and the displacement of the groove pitch.
Therefore, it is necessary to replace the boat 13 for the one having a large deformation, and there is a problem that the service life of the boat 13 cannot be extended and the maintenance is troublesome.

In view of such circumstances, the present invention accurately measures the position of the substrate holding groove, corrects the position of the substrate holding groove, and adjusts the height of the substrate when facing the substrate holding groove of each stage. The purpose of the present invention is to automate the setting or correction of the setting, extend the service life of the substrate holder, and improve the maintainability.

[0022]

According to the present invention, a substrate holder for holding a substrate in multiple stages has a substrate holding groove, a substrate receiving sensor is provided on a substrate receiving plate for receiving the substrate, and the substrate is held on the substrate. According to a substrate transfer method for measuring a substrate holding groove position by detecting a height position of the substrate receiving plate corresponding to a signal from the substrate detection sensor when transferred to a groove,
Also, there are a plurality of grooves on which the substrate is transferred, a plurality of the substrate sensing sensors are provided corresponding to the grooves, and a signal generation from the plurality of the substrate sensing sensors when the substrate receiving plate moves in the vertical direction. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer method for obtaining a deviation of a height position between grooves due to a time difference, and further relates to a substrate transfer method for transferring a substrate to a substrate holder for holding a substrate in multiple stages. A substrate sensing sensor is provided on the mounting plate, and the height of the groove transferred by detecting the height position of the receiving plate corresponding to a signal from the substrate sensor when the substrate is transferred to the groove of the substrate holder. The calculated position is calculated, and the deviation between the calculation result and the preset groove position is obtained, and the set input value of the groove on which the substrate is to be transferred next is corrected by the deviation, and based on the corrected groove position. Related to the substrate transfer method for transferring substrates Further, a substrate receiving plate for receiving a substrate, a driving device for moving the substrate receiving plate up and down at least and moving the substrate holding member forward and backward to transfer the substrate, and controlling the driving device And a control device, wherein the substrate receiving plate has a substrate sensing sensor for sensing the substrate on the substrate receiving plate, and the driving device has a height of the substrate receiving plate. A storage unit in which the control device sets and inputs an initial value of the substrate holding groove position, a substrate no signal of the substrate sensing sensor, and the substrate receiving plate position detecting unit. Calculates the position of the substrate holding groove on the basis of the signal from, calculates the deviation from the calculation result and the initial value inputted and set, and calculates the position of the groove to be transferred next from the deviation and the initial value. Control unit and A height of the receiving plate corresponding to a signal from the substrate sensor when the substrate is transferred to the groove of the substrate holder, and a height position of the transferred groove. Is calculated, and a deviation between the calculation result and a preset groove position is obtained, and a set input value of a groove to which a substrate is to be transferred next is corrected by the deviation, and the substrate is determined based on the corrected groove position. Is transferred to the substrate holding groove.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the same components as those in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The wafer transfer device 23 includes an elevating and retreating rotatable reciprocating mechanism 24, a chucking head 25 provided on the reciprocating mechanism 24 so as to reciprocate, and a thin plate horizontally mounted on the chucking head 25. Wafer receiving plate 26, the reciprocating mechanism 24, the chucking head 2
5 is driven.

The wafer receiving plate 26 has a tapered shape, a base end of which is fixed to the chucking head 25, and a distal end side of a receiving surface on which the wafer 9 is mounted is positioned with respect to a center line 28. Tip-side sensing sensor 29 at symmetrical position
a and 29b are buried, and base-side sensing sensors 30a and 30b are buried on the base side of the receiving surface. The above-mentioned distal side sensing sensors 29a and 29b, the proximal side sensing sensor 3
The reference numerals 0a and 30b are arranged in accordance with the arrangement and the number of columns 17 of the boat 13. Further, the front-end side detection sensors 29a and 29b and the base-end side detection sensors 30a and 30b are located around the wafer 9 to be mounted, and can detect the presence or absence of the wafer 9 on the wafer receiving plate 26. It has become.

A control device 32 is connected to the distal-side sensor 29a, 29b and the proximal-side sensor 30a, 30b via a signal line 31, and the controller 32 is connected to the driving device 27. . The control device 32 includes a storage unit (not shown) for storing data and the driving device 27.
And a storage unit (not shown) for controlling the height of the wafer holding grooves 19a, 19b, 19c, and 19d of each stage of the boat 13, for example. ing.

Hereinafter, a method of transferring the wafer 9 to the boat 13 will be described.

The control device 32 controls the driving device 27 based on data previously input to the storage unit, and the driving device 27 moves the advance / retreat mechanism unit 24 up and down. The placed wafer 9 is directly opposed to a predetermined position, for example, the uppermost wafer holding groove 19.

The driving device 27 advances the chucking head 25 under the control of the control device 32 to insert the wafer receiving plate 26 into the uppermost wafer holding groove 19. Further, the driving device 27 slightly lowers the advance / retreat mechanism unit 24, and
The wafer 9 is transferred and held. The moment when the wafer 9 separates from the wafer receiving plate 26 is detected by the front-end side detection sensors 29a and 29b and the base-end side detection sensors 30a and 30b, and the detection signal is sent through the signal line 31 to the control device. 32.

Each of the tip side sensing sensors 29a, 29b,
Since the base end side sensing sensors 30a and 30b are arranged corresponding to the arrangement and the number of the columns 17, the wafer 9 is placed in the respective wafer holding grooves 19a, 19b, 19c, 1
There is almost no error between the time when the sensor moves away from 9d and the time when each of the sensing sensors 29a, 29b, 30a, and 30b corresponding to each of the columns 17 emits a sensing signal. 30b can improve the sensing accuracy.

When the sensing signals are simultaneously input to the control device 32 or when the time difference between the inputs is within an allowable range,
On the basis of the sensing signal, the height position of the wafer receiving plate 26 at the moment when the wafer 9 is transferred to the uppermost wafer holding groove 19 is an encoder or the like connected to a lifting / lowering motor of the driving device 27. (Not shown). Further, based on the detected height position of the wafer receiving plate 26, the uppermost wafer holding groove 1 is formed.
9 are calculated.

The control unit 32 compares the calculated value with the previously input data of the height of the uppermost wafer holding groove 19, and obtains a deviation between the calculated value and the input set value. The obtained deviation is a correction value, and the height position of the wafer holding groove 19 in the second stage from the top input in advance is corrected by the correction value. The transfer of the wafer 9 to the second wafer holding groove 19 from the top is performed based on the corrected height position. Similarly, each time the wafer 9 is transferred, a correction value is calculated, and the position of the wafer holding groove 19 to be transferred next is corrected. By repeating such a correction, even if the boat 13 is displaced with time and the pitch between the respective wafer holding grooves 19 is not constant, the wafer 13 is determined based on the exact height position of the respective wafer holding grooves 19. 9 to the wafer holding groove 19
Can be transferred to

At this time, if the deviation exceeds a predetermined allowable value, an alarm can be issued.

Each of the front-end side sensing sensors 29a, 29
b, if the sensing signals from the base-side sensing sensors 30a and 30b are not simultaneously input to the control device 32 and the time difference between the inputs exceeds an allowable range, the boat 1
3 is tilted more than acceptable, an alarm is issued and the necessary measures are taken.

Thus, even if the pitch of the wafer holding groove 19 is not equal to the initial groove pitch or the pitch of the wafer is not equal, for example, there is a partial change in the groove pitch. The wafer 9 can be transferred according to the displacement amount, and the life of the boat 13 is extended. In addition, deformation such as distortion of the boat 13 can be detected quickly and reliably, maintenance time can be accurately grasped, and when the groove position between the columns 17 is not horizontal, the wafer 9 and the boat 13 interfere with each other. In addition, it is possible to prevent the boat 13 and the wafer 9 from being damaged.

The driving device 27 retreats the chucking head 25, and thereafter, the transfer of the wafer 9 to the second or lower wafer holding groove 19 from the top is performed in the same procedure as described above.

In the above embodiment, the method of transferring the wafer 9 to the boat 13 has been described.
Needless to say, the present invention is also applicable to a case where the wafer 9 is transferred to another substrate holder such as 5.

Further, the tip side sensing sensors 29a, 29
b, Although the base end side detection sensors 30a and 30b are provided corresponding to the arrangement and the number of the columns 17, they need not necessarily be provided correspondingly.

Further, the substrate sensor may be a weight sensor for sensing the weight of the wafer, a resistance sensor for sensing a resistance due to contact, or the like.

Further, as described above, when the present invention is configured such that the substrate sensing sensor is provided in accordance with the arrangement and the number of the columns of the substrate holder, the time required for the substrate to separate from the substrate holding groove is obtained. And there is almost no error between the time when each substrate sensing sensor corresponding to each support emits a sensing signal, and the sensing accuracy of each substrate sensing sensor can be improved.

Further, in the case where the control device calculates each groove position corresponding to the plurality of substrate sensing sensors and issues a warning signal when the height difference between the groove positions exceeds an allowable value. According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent an accident in which the substrate and the substrate holder interfere with each other when the groove position between the columns is not horizontal and the substrate and the substrate holder are damaged.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the height position of the substrate receiving plate with respect to the substrate holding groove is automatically set, the operation of transporting the substrate to the substrate holder is simplified. I can do it.

Further, since the substrate receiving plate can operate following the change with time of the substrate holder, the range in which the substrate holder can be deformed is expanded, and the service life of the substrate holder can be extended. , The economy is improved.

Furthermore, various excellent effects are exhibited, for example, the deformation such as the distortion of the substrate holder can be detected quickly and reliably, and the maintenance time can be accurately grasped.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view as viewed in the direction of arrows AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the boat.

FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of arrows BB in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Boat 17 Prop 19 Wafer holding groove 23 Wafer transfer machine 26 Wafer receiving plate 27 Driving device 29 Leading side sensor 30 Base side sensor 32 Control device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A substrate holding device for holding a substrate in multiple stages has a substrate holding groove, a substrate receiving sensor is provided on a substrate receiving plate for receiving the substrate, and the substrate is transferred to the substrate holding groove. A substrate transfer method, wherein a substrate holding groove position is measured by detecting a height position of the substrate receiving plate corresponding to a signal from a substrate sensor. 2. A plurality of grooves on which a substrate is transferred, a plurality of the substrate sensing sensors are provided corresponding to the grooves, and a plurality of the substrate sensing sensors are provided when the substrate receiving plate moves in a vertical direction. 2. The substrate transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the deviation of the height position between the grooves is obtained from the signal generation time difference. 3. A substrate transfer method for transferring a substrate to a substrate holder for holding a substrate in multiple stages, wherein a substrate sensing sensor is provided on a substrate receiving plate for receiving the substrate, and the substrate is grooved in the substrate holder. Detects the height position of the receiving plate corresponding to the signal from the substrate sensing sensor when the transfer is performed, calculates the height position of the transferred groove, and inputs the calculation result and the preset value in advance. A substrate transport method, wherein a deviation from a groove position is obtained, a setting input value of a groove to which a substrate is to be transferred next is corrected by the deviation, and the substrate is transferred based on the corrected groove position. 4. A substrate receiving plate for receiving a substrate, a driving device for moving the substrate receiving plate at least up and down and moving the substrate forward and backward with respect to the substrate holder, and transferring the substrate.
A control device for controlling the driving device, wherein the substrate receiving plate has a substrate detecting sensor for detecting the substrate on the substrate receiving plate, and the driving device includes the substrate detecting sensor. A storage unit having a substrate receiving plate position detecting means for detecting a height of a receiving plate, wherein the control device sets and inputs an initial value of a substrate holding groove position, a substrate no signal of the substrate sensing sensor, and the substrate The position of the substrate holding groove is calculated based on the signal from the receiving plate position detecting means, and a deviation is obtained from the calculation result and the initial value inputted and set, and the next transfer groove is calculated from the deviation and the initial value. And a control unit for calculating the position of the substrate.