JP4655272B2

JP4655272B2 - Substrate adsorption device and substrate transfer device using the same

Info

Publication number: JP4655272B2
Application number: JP2005238967A
Authority: JP
Inventors: デンハムチャド
Original assignee: Yaskawa Electric Corp
Current assignee: Yaskawa Electric Corp
Priority date: 2005-08-19
Filing date: 2005-08-19
Publication date: 2011-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-19
Also published as: JP2007053313A

Description

本発明は、基板吸着装置、およびそれを用いた基板搬送装置に関するものである。 The present invention relates to a substrate suction device and a substrate transfer device using the same.

従来の基板吸着装置は、図４に示すように、上側部材２１と下側部材２２とで２段に構成されたパッド２３の吸着面２４に形成された吸気孔２５から吸気することにより、図示していない半導体ウエハや液晶パネル用ガラス基板等（以下、総じて基板という）をパッド２３の吸着面２４に接触させて吸着し、基板を搬送している。また、コイルスプリング２６とＯリング２７を上側部材２１と下側部材２２間に備えることにより所定角度の範囲内でパッド２３を傾斜可能にさせている（例えば、特許文献１参照）。
特開平８−２２９８６６号公報（図５） As shown in FIG. 4, the conventional substrate suction apparatus draws air from an intake hole 25 formed in the suction surface 24 of the pad 23 formed in two stages by the upper member 21 and the lower member 22. A semiconductor wafer (not shown), a glass substrate for a liquid crystal panel or the like (hereinafter generally referred to as a substrate) is brought into contact with the suction surface 24 of the pad 23 and is sucked to transport the substrate. Further, by providing a coil spring 26 and an O-ring 27 between the upper member 21 and the lower member 22, the pad 23 can be tilted within a predetermined angle range (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-8-229866 (FIG. 5)

しかしながら、このような従来技術においては、次のような問題があった。
（１）コイルスプリングとＯリングと多部材の構造によって、吸着パッドの構成が厚くなるため、半導体ウエハのカセットのピッチが狭く、プロセス装置のウエハ搬送入口が狭い場合には搬送することができない。
（２）コイルスプリングを用いた場合、粉塵が堆積されるので、基板の裏面に粉塵が付着し汚れとなる。
本発明は、このような問題を解決するためになされたもので、厚みが薄く、かつ、傾動可能で防塵機能を有する基板吸着装置とそれを用いた基板搬送装置を提供することを目的とするものである。 However, such conventional techniques have the following problems.
(1) Since the structure of the suction pad becomes thick due to the structure of the coil spring, the O-ring and the multi-member, the pitch of the semiconductor wafer cassette is narrow and the wafer cannot be transferred when the wafer transfer inlet of the process apparatus is narrow.
(2) When a coil spring is used, dust is accumulated, so that dust adheres to the back surface of the substrate and becomes dirty.
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate adsorption device that is thin, tiltable, and has a dustproof function, and a substrate transfer device using the same. Is.

上記問題を解決するため、本発明は、次のように構成したものである。
請求項１に記載の発明は、基板支持体と、前記基板支持体の上面に設けられるとともに吸気孔を有するパッドと、前記吸気孔と連通し前記基板支持体内に設けられた吸気通路とを有し、前記パッドの上面で基板を吸着する基板吸着装置において、前記基板支持体は、前記基板支持体の上面に形成されるとともに、上方に開口した上部から見て円形の凹部と、前記凹部の中央部に設けた筒状の凸部と、前記凸部に形成し、前記吸気通路と連通する第１の吸気孔とを有し、前記パッドは、円盤状の形状を有する弾性体で構成され、外周部に設けた、下部から上部に向かって径が小さくなるように傾斜する傾斜部と、上面の外周部に設けたリング状の凸部からなる吸着面と、上面から見た中央部に設けた前記第１の吸気孔と連通する第２の吸気孔と、下面に設けた、前記第２の吸気孔の周囲に形成され、かつ内部に前記基板支持体の凸部を収納する筒状部とを有し、かつ、前記基板支持体の凹部の側壁内周面に、前記パッドの傾斜部と接する傾斜面を有する防塵用のリングを取り付け、前記基板支持体の凹部の側壁内周面を、下部から上部に向かって径が大きくなるように傾斜させるとともに、前記防塵用のリングの前記凹部の側壁内周面と接する面を下部から上部に向かって径が大きくなるように傾斜させたことを特徴とするものである。
請求項２に記載の発明は、前記第１の吸気孔と前記吸気通路との間に、前記第１の吸気孔よりも径の大きな吸気経路を設けたことを特徴とするものである。
請求項３に記載の発明は、産業用ロボットで構成され、請求項１から２のいずれかの項に記載の基板吸着装置をロボットアームに取り付けたことを特徴とするものである。
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.
The invention according to claim 1 includes a substrate support, a pad provided on the upper surface of the substrate support and having an intake hole, and an intake passage provided in the substrate support in communication with the intake hole. In the substrate adsorbing device that adsorbs the substrate on the upper surface of the pad, the substrate support is formed on the upper surface of the substrate support, and has a circular recess when viewed from above and an opening of the recess. a cylindrical protrusion provided in the central portion, is formed in the convex portion, the and a first suction holes for sucking passage and communicating, the pad is made of an elastic body having a circular plate shape The outer peripheral portion is provided with an inclined portion that is inclined so that the diameter decreases from the lower portion toward the upper portion, an adsorption surface that is formed by a ring-shaped convex portion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface, and a central portion viewed from the upper surface. A second air intake hole communicating with the first air intake hole provided in A cylindrical portion provided on the lower surface and formed around the second air intake hole and accommodating the convex portion of the substrate support inside, and in a side wall of the concave portion of the substrate support A dust-proof ring having an inclined surface in contact with the inclined portion of the pad is attached to the peripheral surface, and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall of the concave portion of the substrate support is inclined so that the diameter increases from the lower portion toward the upper portion. The surface of the dust-proof ring that is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the side wall of the recess is inclined so that the diameter increases from the lower part toward the upper part .
The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that an intake passage having a diameter larger than that of the first intake hole is provided between the first intake hole and the intake passage .
The invention described in claim 3 is constituted by an industrial robot, and is characterized in that the substrate suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 2 is attached to a robot arm .

本発明によれば、次のような効果がある。
（１）請求項１から３に記載の発明によると、基板吸着装置を、簡単な構成で薄くすることができるので、半導体ウエハのカセットのピッチが狭く、あるいはプロセス装置のウエハ搬送入口が狭い場合にもウエハを搬送することができる。また、基板をパッドに吸着する際に、基板が傾いていたり変形したりしていても、パッドが基板に沿って撓むことができるので、基板の吸着を良好に行うことができる。また、万一、基板支持体とパッドの製造に誤差が生じても、基板の吸着を良好に行うことができる。さらに、パッドとリングが接触することによってシール効果が生じるので、紛塵の侵入と堆積を防止することができる。 The present invention has the following effects.
(1) According to the invention described in claims 1 to 3, since the substrate adsorption device can be thinned with a simple configuration, the pitch of the semiconductor wafer cassette is narrow or the wafer transfer inlet of the process device is narrow. Also, the wafer can be transferred. Further, when the substrate is adsorbed to the pad, even if the substrate is tilted or deformed, the pad can be bent along the substrate, so that the substrate can be adsorbed satisfactorily. Moreover, even if an error occurs in the manufacture of the substrate support and the pad, the substrate can be favorably adsorbed. Further, since the sealing effect is produced by the contact between the pad and the ring, it is possible to prevent dust from entering and accumulating.

以下、本発明の実施例を図に基づいて説明する。 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

図１は、本発明の実施例における基板吸着装置を示す側断面図である。図２は図１における平面図である。
図１および図２において、１は基板支持体で、基板搬送装置としての産業用ロボット（図示せず）のアームの先端に取り付けられている。２は前記基板支持体１の上面に形成された凹部で、側壁２ａを備えて上方に開口している。前記凹部２は、上部から見て円形をしており、側壁２ａ内周面を、下部から上部に向かって径が大きくなるように傾斜させている。３は前記凹部２の中央部に設けた筒状の凸部、４は前記凸部に形成した第１の吸気孔、５は前記第１の吸気孔に連通するように前記基板支持体１に形成された吸気経路で、前記第１の吸気孔４よりも大きな径で構成されている。６は前記基板支持体１に形成された吸気通路で、前記吸気経路に連通している。７は前記吸気経路を密閉するためのシールプレート、８はパッドで、ゴムや弾性を有する樹脂などの弾性体で構成され、略円盤状の形状をしている。９は前記パッドの外周部に設けた傾斜部で、下部から上部に向かって径が小さくなるように傾斜している。１１は基板Ｗと接する吸着面で、前記パッド８の上面の外周部に設けたリング状の凸部１０の上面で構成されている。１２は第２の吸気孔で、前記パッド８の上面から見た中央部に設けられており、前記第１の吸気孔４と連通している。１３は筒状部で、前記パッド８の下面に設けられており、前記第２の吸気孔１２の周囲に形成される。この筒状部１３は、内部に前記基板支持体１の凸部３を収納し、前記凸部との径方向の隙間１４内に接着剤介在させてパッド８を基板支持体１に接着固定する。１５は防塵用のリングで、前記基板支持体１の凹部２の側壁２ａ内周面に例えば接着剤などで取り付けられ、前記パッド８の傾斜部９と接する傾斜面１６を有している。また、前記リング１４は、薄くても基板支持体１への取付けが強固になるようにするために、下部から上部に向かって径が大きくなるように傾斜させた前記基板支持体１の側壁２ａの内周面に合わせて、前記側壁２ａの内周面と接する面を下部から上部に向かって径が大きくなるように傾斜させて、両者の接触面積を大きくしている。
このような構成において、産業用ロボットからなる基板搬送装置による基板の搬送は、例えば次のようにして行う。
図１に示すように、まず、産業用ロボット（図示せず）のアームを可動させて基板支持体１を、例えばウエハカセット内に収納されている基板Ｗの下に位置させる。
次に、基板支持体１を徐々に上げて搬送する基板Ｗを持ち上げる。このとき、吸気通路６、吸気経路５、第１の吸気孔４、および第２の吸気孔１２を通して吸気を行い、基板Ｗをパッド８の吸着面１１に吸着固定する。基板Ｗをウエハカセットから浮かせた状態で基板Ｗを吸着面１１に吸着固定すると、そのままの状態で産業用ロボットのアームを可動させて基板Ｗを所定位置に向けて搬送する。このとき、パッド８の傾斜部９とリング１４の傾斜面１６は接触して密閉された状態になっており、基板支持体１の凹部２内に紛塵が侵入し堆積することはない。
また、図３に示すように、前記パッド８で基板Ｗを吸着する際に、基板Ｗの下面とパッド８の吸着面が一致しておらず隙間１７が生じているような場合は、弾性を有するパッド８の前記基板Ｗと先に接した側の部分が、基板Ｗの重さによって矢印の方向に傾動するように撓み、吸着面１１全体が基板Ｗに接触する。これにより、基板Ｗをパッド８の吸着面１１に吸着固定することができる。なお、万一、基板支持体１とパッド８の製造に誤差が生じてパッド８が少し傾いていても、同様にして基板Ｗをパッド８の吸着面１１に吸着固定することができる。 FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a substrate suction apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG.
1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a substrate support, which is attached to the tip of an arm of an industrial robot (not shown) as a substrate transfer device. Reference numeral 2 denotes a recess formed on the upper surface of the substrate support 1, which has a side wall 2a and opens upward. The concave portion 2 has a circular shape when viewed from above, and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 2a is inclined so that the diameter increases from the lower portion toward the upper portion. 3 is a cylindrical convex portion provided at the center of the concave portion 2, 4 is a first intake hole formed in the convex portion, and 5 is connected to the substrate support 1 so as to communicate with the first intake hole. The formed intake path has a larger diameter than the first intake hole 4. An intake passage 6 formed in the substrate support 1 communicates with the intake passage. 7 is a seal plate for sealing the intake passage, and 8 is a pad, which is made of an elastic body such as rubber or elastic resin, and has a substantially disk shape. Reference numeral 9 denotes an inclined portion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the pad, which is inclined so that the diameter decreases from the lower portion toward the upper portion. Reference numeral 11 denotes a suction surface in contact with the substrate W, which is constituted by the upper surface of a ring-shaped convex portion 10 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the pad 8. Reference numeral 12 denotes a second air intake hole, which is provided in the central portion viewed from the upper surface of the pad 8 and communicates with the first air intake hole 4. A cylindrical portion 13 is provided on the lower surface of the pad 8 and is formed around the second intake hole 12. The cylindrical portion 13 accommodates the convex portion 3 of the substrate support 1 inside, and adhesively fixes the pad 8 to the substrate support 1 in a radial gap 14 with the convex portion. . Reference numeral 15 denotes a dust-proof ring, which is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 2a of the recess 2 of the substrate support 1 with, for example, an adhesive, and has an inclined surface 16 in contact with the inclined portion 9 of the pad 8. Further, even if the ring 14 is thin, the side wall 2a of the substrate support 1 is inclined so that its diameter increases from the lower portion toward the upper portion so that the attachment to the substrate support 1 becomes strong. In accordance with the inner peripheral surface, the surface in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 2a is inclined so that the diameter increases from the lower portion toward the upper portion, thereby increasing the contact area between the two.
In such a configuration, the substrate is transferred by the substrate transfer apparatus including the industrial robot as follows, for example.
As shown in FIG. 1, first, the arm of an industrial robot (not shown) is moved so that the substrate support 1 is positioned under the substrate W stored in, for example, a wafer cassette.
Next, the substrate W to be conveyed is lifted by gradually raising the substrate support 1. At this time, suction is performed through the suction passage 6, the suction path 5, the first suction hole 4, and the second suction hole 12, and the substrate W is sucked and fixed to the suction surface 11 of the pad 8. When the substrate W is sucked and fixed to the suction surface 11 while the substrate W is lifted from the wafer cassette, the arm of the industrial robot is moved as it is to transport the substrate W toward a predetermined position. At this time, the inclined portion 9 of the pad 8 and the inclined surface 16 of the ring 14 are in contact with each other and are sealed, so that dust does not enter and accumulate in the recess 2 of the substrate support 1.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the substrate 8 is attracted by the pad 8, the lower surface of the substrate W and the attracting surface of the pad 8 do not coincide with each other and a gap 17 is generated. The portion of the pad 8 that is in contact with the substrate W is bent so as to tilt in the direction of the arrow depending on the weight of the substrate W, so that the entire suction surface 11 contacts the substrate W. Thereby, the substrate W can be sucked and fixed to the suction surface 11 of the pad 8. Even if an error occurs in the manufacture of the substrate support 1 and the pad 8 and the pad 8 is slightly tilted, the substrate W can be suction-fixed to the suction surface 11 of the pad 8 in the same manner.

本発明の実施例における基板吸着装置を示す側断面図である。It is a sectional side view which shows the board | substrate adsorption | suction apparatus in the Example of this invention. 図１における平面図である。It is a top view in FIG. 本発明の実施例における基板吸着時の説明図である。It is explanatory drawing at the time of the board | substrate adsorption | suction in the Example of this invention. 従来技術における基板吸着装置を示す側断面図である。It is a sectional side view which shows the board | substrate adsorption | suction apparatus in a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

１基板支持体
２凹部
２ａ側壁
３凸部
４第１の吸気孔
５吸気経路
６吸気通路
７シールプレート
８パッド
９傾斜部
１０凸部
１１吸着面
１２第２の吸気孔
１３筒状部
１４隙間
１５防塵用のリング
１６傾斜面
１７隙間
２１上側部材
２２下側部材
２３パッド
２４吸着面
２５吸気孔
２６コイルスプリング
２７Ｏリング
Ｗ基板 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate support body 2 Concave part 2a Side wall 3 Protrusion part 4 1st inlet hole 5 Intake path 6 Intake path 7 Seal plate 8 Pad 9 Inclination part 10 Protrusion part 11 Adsorption surface 12 Second intake hole 13 Cylindrical part 14 Clearance 15 Dust-proof ring 16 Inclined surface 17 Gap 21 Upper member 22 Lower member 23 Pad 24 Adsorption surface 25 Air intake hole 26 Coil spring 27 O-ring W Substrate

Claims

A substrate support; a pad provided on an upper surface of the substrate support and having an intake hole; and an intake passage provided in the substrate support body in communication with the intake hole, wherein the substrate is disposed on the upper surface of the pad. In the substrate adsorption device to adsorb,
The substrate support is
Formed on the upper surface of the substrate support, and a circular recess as viewed from the top opening upward;
A cylindrical projection provided at the center of the recess;
A first intake hole formed in the convex portion and communicating with the intake passage;
The pad
Is an elastic body having a circular plate shape,
An inclined part that is provided on the outer peripheral part and is inclined so that the diameter decreases from the lower part toward the upper part,
An adsorption surface comprising a ring-shaped convex portion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface;
A second air intake hole that communicates with the first air intake hole provided in a central portion as viewed from above;
A cylindrical portion provided on the lower surface, formed around the second air intake hole, and accommodating the convex portion of the substrate support inside;
And, on the inner peripheral surface of the side wall of the concave portion of the substrate support, a dustproof ring having an inclined surface in contact with the inclined portion of the pad is attached ,
The inner peripheral surface of the side wall of the concave portion of the substrate support is inclined so that the diameter increases from the lower portion toward the upper portion, and the surface in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the side wall of the concave portion of the dustproof ring is changed from the lower portion to the upper portion. A substrate suction apparatus characterized by being inclined so that its diameter increases toward the surface.

The substrate suction device according to claim 1, wherein an intake path having a diameter larger than that of the first intake hole is provided between the first intake hole and the intake passage.

A substrate transfer apparatus comprising an industrial robot, wherein the substrate suction apparatus according to claim 1 is attached to a robot arm.