JPS6231120A - Method and device for transporting semiconductor wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smoothly peel off a wafer by a method wherein one end section of a lever member for transfer is projected to the surface of a hot plate beforehand, and the whole lever member for transfer is raised up to the specified height at the time of transferring a wafer. CONSTITUTION:After the heating process has been terminated, one of four air-cylinders, for example, only a cylinder 17 is activated to project only the one end of a bar for transfer 21 to the surface of a hot plate 10. Thus, only a one part of the circumference of a wafer 12 is peeled off from the surface of the plate 10. Following that, when the remaining three air-cylinders are activated, with the bar for transfer inclined in this state, to raise the whole bar for transfer 21 in a constant speed, the circumference of the wafer 12 is gradually peeled off from the part where has been peeled off at the first time to the whole circumference so as to be separated from the plate 10. The whole bar for transfer 21 is raised to the specified transfer position to transfer the wafer 12 to the side of discharge with an air-cylinder 23.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting a thin wafer as a raw material during the manufacture of semiconductor devices, and in particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting a thin wafer as a raw material during the manufacture of semiconductor devices. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for smoothly peeling a wafer from a hot plate after drying the wafer and transporting the wafer to the next processing step.

[Background Art] In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, a liquid agent such as photoresist is applied to a wafer using a spin coater or the like, and then the wafer is transferred onto a hot plate and heated and dried.

In this case, the wafer is transferred onto a hot plate.

In addition, in order to transfer the wafer after the drying process from the hot plate to the next process, a retractable bar or wire is generally fitted into a pair of grooves carved on the surface of the hot plate parallel to the transfer direction. At times, these bars or wires are raised to lift the wafer off the hot plate surface and drive the transfer bar or the like to transfer the wafer.

However, the photoresist etc. applied to the wafer adheres not only to the top surface but also to the periphery.

If this is heated and solidified, the wafer will be glued to the hot plate surface at the periphery, and when the wafer is lifted with a transfer bar, etc., it will not immediately peel off from the hot plate surface, and Resist bending the bar etc. downward. When the repulsive force of the transfer bar or the like exceeds the adhesive force of the photoresist or the like, the wafer is instantly peeled off from the hot plate surface and flipped upward by the repulsive force of the transfer bar or the like. For this reason, the wafer may sometimes fall off from the transfer path, or even if it does not fall off, the wafer may be misaligned, causing inconvenience in subsequent transfer or processing.

As a means for solving this problem, there is a patent application filed by the present applicant as Japanese Patent Application No. 59-25823 (title of the invention: "Method and Apparatus for Transporting Substrates"). This is as shown in the third diagram.

A through hole is drilled in the hot plate (1), and a suitable push rod (2) is inserted into this hole, and when necessary, the wafer (3) is peeled off from the hot plate surface by protruding from the hot plate surface. be.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The above-mentioned means of the prior application can fully achieve the purpose of peeling the wafer from the hot plate surface, but in addition to the transfer bar etc., it also requires a push-up rod and its actuator. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a through hole for inserting the pusher rod into the hot plate, which requires additional material and manufacturing man-hours, leading to high costs. There is.

The present invention provides a means for smoothly peeling a wafer using only the transfer means originally attached to the hot plate apparatus without using any special additional means.

[Means for solving the problem] A transfer bar or a transfer bar that is retractably fitted into at least a pair of grooves cut in the hot plate surface along the wafer transfer direction and movable in the wafer transfer direction. A wire or the like is configured such that one end of the wire (7>1) can be raised in advance of the other end. Since the bar or wire rises in an inclined manner from one side of the hot plate surface, the wafer placed on the hot plate surface is sequentially peeled off from its edge.

In order to raise one end of the transfer bar or the like before the other end, the activation timing of the lifting means disposed at each end is shifted as appropriate.

[Effect] Unlike when a transfer bar or the like is raised parallel to the hot plate surface, the gold edge on the urchin does not try to peel off all at once and exhibits a large resistance, and the wafer is peeled off smoothly. .

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the apparatus.

In FIG. 1, a hot plate (10) is fixed at a fixed position in the apparatus, and a pair of grooves (11) parallel to the wafer transfer direction are cut on the top surface of the hot plate (10).

The wafer (12) is transferred to and placed on the hot plate (10) by a transfer device described below, and then discharged therefrom.

A pair of vertical guides (14) are erected on the base (13) at the front and rear, respectively, and a pair of left and right lifting frames (15) are attached to the upper ends of the guides (14). The connecting portion between the guide (14) and the elevating frame (15) has a hinge structure that allows at least one of the frames to rotate in the longitudinal direction of the frame.

Also, between the base (13) and the elevating frame (15).

A pair of vertical air cylinders (16) on the left and right sides (
17), and by operating these, the elevating frame (15) is raised and lowered. A pair of air cylinders is required on the side where the guide (14) is connected to the lifting frame (15) with a hinge, as shown in the figure, but on the side where the other guide (14) is fixed to the lifting frame (15). Then, only one may be installed in the center.

A pair of upper and lower guides (18) in the wafer transfer direction are installed on each lifting frame (15).
9) is slidably attached along this guide (■8). An arm (20) is installed at the front and rear ends of each moving frame (19), and a bar (2
1) Erection. This bar (21) is connected to the lifting frame (
When the lift frame (15) is lowered, it sinks into the groove (11) carved in the hot plate (10) and lifts the lifting frame (15).
) rises to a position higher than the surface of the plate (10). In addition, this bar (21).

It does not necessarily have to be a rod-shaped member, for example, an arm (2
0) It may be a wire or the like stretched between the two.

A pair of guide pins (22) with tips facing vertically are erected at appropriate positions inside the pair of movable frames (19).

On the other hand, a front-back air cylinder (23) is arranged below the hot plate (10), and a guide plate (25) is attached to the tip of the rond (24). The guide pin (22) is inserted into a pair of holes drilled in the guide plate (25), and the air cylinder (23) is operated to move the pair of left and right moving frames (19) in the front and back direction. Since the guide pin (22) is slidably inserted into the hole of the guide plate (25), the movable frame (19) can be moved up and down.

Next, the operation of the above transfer device will be explained with reference to FIG.

(A) A pair of left and right air cylinders (16) and (17) are used to raise both the left and right lifting frames (15), and the air cylinders (23) are used to lift the left and right transfer bars (21).
is moved to the wafer feeding side, and the wafer (12) is placed on the bar (21) from a transport means of a pre-processing device (not shown).

(B) Air cylinder (23) allows wafer (1'2)
is transferred to a position directly above the hot plate (10), and a pair of transfer bars (21) are moved into the grooves (
11) and place the wafer (12) on the hot plate surface.

(C) While performing the required heat treatment on the wafer (12), the transfer bar (21) is returned to its original position by the air cylinder (23).

(D) After the heat treatment is completed, only one of the four air cylinders, for example (17), is operated.

Connect only one end of one transfer bar to a hot plate (10
) to protrude from the surface. As a result, only a portion of the periphery of the wafer (12) is peeled off from the surface of the hot plate (10). In this case, since the elevating frame (15) and the vertical guide (14) on this side are connected by a hinge mechanism, it is possible to raise only one end.

Next, while keeping one side of the bar tilted in this state, I activated the remaining three lifting air cylinders.

When the entire transfer bar is raised at a constant speed, the wafers (12
), the peeling progresses gradually from the first peeled part to the entire circumference and gently separates from the hot plate (10).

(E) The entire surface of the wafer (12) is the hot plate (10)
After separating from the wafer, the entire transfer bar (21) is raised to a predetermined transfer position, and the air cylinder (23) transfers the wafer (12) to the discharge side.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned contents, and various applications are possible.

For example, in the above embodiment, the transfer bar is raised and lowered and moved in the front and rear directions by an air cylinder.

It may be driven by a screw, a gear, or the like, and the guide means for vertical and longitudinal sliding is not limited to the one shown in the figure, but any known guide mechanism can be used as appropriate.

Further, in the above embodiment, one end of one of the pair of transfer bars was raised before the other end, but the whole of the pair of transfer bars was raised before the other end. Alternatively, one end of each of the pair of transfer bars may be raised in advance of the other end to obtain the effect of separating the wafer from a portion of its periphery. . In addition, if one of the pair of transfer bars is to be lifted in advance of the other, a hinge mechanism is required between the lifting air cylinders (16) (17), the guide (14), and the frame (15). Therefore, the lifting drive means (
In the first illustrated embodiment, air cylinders (16) (17)
.

One set of guides (14, etc.) may be provided for the left and right sides.

[Effects of the Invention] (1) Even if the wafer sticks to the hot plate due to the solidification of the photoresist on the periphery when the wafer is discharged from the hot plate surface after heat treatment, it can be peeled off smoothly. It is possible to prevent the wafer from falling off or shifting its position due to sudden peeling.

(2) There is no need for any special additional means for separating the wafer 2 from the hot plate, and it can be carried out by simply modifying a part of the transfer device originally attached to the hot plate apparatus.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the device, and FIG. 3 is a view showing an overview of conventional means. (1) Hot plate, (2) Push rod, (3) Wafer, (10) Hot plate, (12) Wafer, (13)... Base, (14)... Elevating guide, (15)... Elevating frame, (16) (1
7)... Air cylinder, (18)... Guide for moving frame, (19)... Moving frame, (2
1)... Transfer bar, (22)... Guide pin. (23)...Air cylinder, (25)...Guide plate. More than that

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) The hot plate surface on which the wafer to be processed is placed and heat-treated has a plurality of grooves carved along the wafer transfer direction, each of which moves up and down in the wafer transfer direction. In a semiconductor wafer transfer device comprising the same number of transfer rods that reciprocate, after a required heat treatment, at least one end of the transfer rods is made to protrude in front of the hot plate surface, and then A semiconductor wafer transport method, wherein the entire transport rod is raised to a predetermined height for transporting the wafer, and the processed wafer is discharged. (2) Claim 1 (
1) The semiconductor wafer transport device according to item 1). (3) A hot plate having a plurality of grooves parallel to the transfer direction of the wafer to be processed carved on its upper surface, and a hot plate that can be moved up and down into and out of the plurality of grooves, and is driven reciprocally along the transfer direction. the same number of transfer rods, a driving means for synchronously reciprocating the plurality of transfer rods in the transfer direction, and a position where the plurality of transfer rods are sunk in the groove and raised and lowered to a position protruding from the hot plate surface, and
1. A semiconductor wafer transfer device comprising: lifting means for causing one end of the transfer rod to protrude onto a hot plate surface in advance of the other end when rising.