JPS62252128A - Substrate introducing device for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To introduce a substrate in a clean state and to raise the degree of vacuum in a short time by disposing a gate valve and a flange on the inlet side of a chamber, and providing a clean box having a flange to be clamped with the flange of the change. CONSTITUTION:A substrate is mounted in a cassette 8 in a clean environment, the cassette 8 is conveyed from the upper door 7 of a clean box 6 to be held at its upper portion, and the box 6 is mounted at the flange 5 attached to the door of a substrate introducing chamber 1. Then, the box 6 is evacuated in vacuum, a gate valve 4 attached to the inner surface of the flange of the chamber 1 is opened in the state that is balanced with vacuum degree of the chamber, a cassette 3 in the chamber 1 is conveyed into the box 6, and the cassette 8 conveyed previously into the box is conveyed into the chamber 1. Thereafter, the valve 4 is closed, a cassette 9 conveyed from the chamber into the box is opened with the atmosphere in the box, and removed in the clean environment from the lower door 10 of the box.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a substrate introduction device for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and in particular,
The present invention relates to a substrate introduction device for semiconductor manufacturing equipment suitable for introducing a cassette into an introduction chamber in a clean state with substrates mounted on the cassette.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional substrate introduction device for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, 1 is an introduction chamber, 2 is a door of the introduction chamber, and 3 is a cassette in which a substrate is mounted. The door 2 has a structure that can sufficiently seal against the degree of vacuum in the introduction chamber 1.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, it is necessary to arrange the substrate introduction chamber in a clean environment, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment is generally installed in a clean room.

For example, in the future with molecular beam epitaxy equipment.

There is also a plan to place only the introduction and removal rooms within the clean rules.

However, with this structure, when a sample is loaded into a cassette and introduced, it is necessary to do so in a clean environment, and the entire introduction chamber is opened to the atmosphere.

Therefore, it takes a long time to restore the vacuum to its original state.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate introduction device for a semiconductor manufacturing device that is suitable for introducing a substrate into a semiconductor manufacturing device in a clean state and for creating a vacuum in a short time after opening an introduction chamber to the atmosphere when introducing a substrate. It is about providing.

[Effect]

A board is mounted on a cassette in a clean environment, the cassette is carried through the top door of the clean box and held at the top, and the clean box is attached to the flange attached to the door of the board introduction chamber. After that, the clean box is evacuated, the gate valve attached to the inner surface of the flange of the introduction chamber is opened, and the cassette inside the introduction chamber is carried out into the clean box.
The cassette that was previously carried into the clean box is carried into the introduction chamber. Thereafter, the gate valve is closed, and the cassette carried into the clean box from the introduction chamber is removed from the bottom door of the clean box in a clean environment after the clean box is exposed to the atmosphere.

[Example〕 An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) below.

This is explained by (Q). In the figures, (b) is a front view, (a) is a top view, and (C) is a side view. In the figure, 1 is an introduction chamber for the board, 3 is a cassette with the board attached,
4 is a gate valve, 5 is a flange, 6 is a clean box, 7 is an upper door, 8 is a manipulator, 12 is a transfer manipulator for horizontal movement of the cassette, 13.1
4 indicates the supporting parts of the cassette 0 In this embodiment,
In a clean environment, the cassette 8 loaded with substrates is opened by opening the upper door 7 of the clean box 6, carried to the top of the clean box 6, held, and the cassette 8 is closed.

In this state, a clean box 6 is attached to the flange 5 at the end of the introduction chamber 1. Thereafter, the clean box 6 is evacuated, the gate valve 4 is opened in a state where the degree of vacuum in the introduction chamber 1 is balanced, and the cassette 3 in the introduction chamber is carried out into the clean box by the transfer manipulator 12.
The transfer manipulator 11 transports it to the lower part of the clean box and holds it there. This is cassette 9.

Subsequently, the transfer manipulator 15 moves the cassette 8 to the center position of the clean box 6, and then the transfer manipulator 12 carries the cassette 3 into the introduction chamber 1.
Close gate valve 4.

After these steps are completed, remove the clean box 6 from the flange part 5 after exposing it to the atmosphere, open the lower door 10 of the clean box 6 in a predetermined clean environment, and take out the cassette 9. You may also perform operations such as:

Note that the gate valve 4 should be opened without vacuum evacuation of the clean box 6, and the cassette should be carried into the introduction chamber according to the procedure described above, and if the cassette 3 is not installed in the introduction chamber 1, the cassette 8 It is also possible to carry in the cassette 3 without carrying out the procedure for carrying it out.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to carry a substrate in a clean state into a sample introduction chamber of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, etc., and furthermore, when starting up a vacuum after carrying a cassette into the introduction chamber, a predetermined amount of time can be achieved in a shorter time than conventionally. Can be built up to pressure.

Therefore, the throughput of the device operation can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a device for introducing a substrate into a semiconductor manufacturing device of the present invention, (b) is a front view, (n) is a top view, (Q) is a side view, and FIG. 2 is a diagram of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing device. FIG. 3 is a front view of the substrate introduction device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a substrate introduction device for semiconductor manufacturing equipment in which a substrate is mounted in a cassette and the substrate is introduced into a tank from an introduction chamber of the device, a gate valve and a flange are arranged on the introduction side of the introduction chamber. ,
1. A substrate introduction device for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, comprising a clean box to which at least one cassette can be attached and equipped with a flange that can be fastened to the flange. 2. A substrate introduction device for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a transfer manipulator for introducing a cassette into the side and top and bottom surfaces of a clean box. 3. A substrate introducing device for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that vacuum evacuation is possible only with a clean box.