JPS6244534Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention is an apparatus that handles thinly cut wafers of silicon or the like, which are the raw materials for semiconductor devices, in the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices. Wafers are fragile and expensive, but recently they have become larger and larger, and accidents have occurred where they have been damaged during handling. In particular, after the ingots are cut into thin wafers and after their surfaces are polished (wrapped), they are in a wet state, and when stacked, they immediately come into close contact with each other. After wrapping, the surfaces become very smooth and adhere firmly, and if even the slightest force is applied to separate them, they will break. However, in order to send the wafers to the next process, it is necessary to peel them off one by one and insert them into the magazine shelf, which conventionally was done manually. This invention is a device for separating and taking out wafers one by one from this wet and adhered block of wafers, thereby making it possible to automatically store them in a magazine.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a water tank 1 is provided with a side wall 3 having a U-shaped opening 2 on the front surface (left side in FIG. 1), and water is filled to approximately the dotted line below the U-shape. A wafer block 4 made up of a plurality of wafers is placed vertically on the right side of the side wall 3, and a spring 6 attached to it is attached to the horizontal shaft 5 on the right side.
is pushed to the left by the repulsive force of Aquarium 1
On the left side of the U-shaped opening on the left side, a vacuum suction device 7 is horizontally provided facing right. Here, the conical suction cup at the tip of the suction device 7 is made of an elastic material, and the first wafer is suctioned by reducing the pressure inside the suction cup through the suction hole 8. The suction device 7 is supported by a horizontal movement mechanism 9 (moves forward and backward relative to the wafer) and a vertical movement mechanism 10, and the suction device advances to a position where it contacts the wafer and stops, performs vacuum suction, and performs suction. Raise the adsorption device with the condition. A gate 11 is provided above the wafer to allow only one wafer sucked at this time to rise. The position of this gate can be adjusted depending on the thickness of the wafer.

In the above structure, the lower part of the wafer is constantly immersed in water, so the wafers absorb water through capillary action and become well wet.
The wafer is laterally slidable. Therefore, if the first wafer is held by the suction device 7 and is only moved in the direction perpendicular to the stacking direction, that is, in the upward direction, the second and subsequent wafer blocks will be moved at the gate. 11 and cannot be moved, and only the first sheet can be separated and taken out without any accident.

Note that the push plate 1 on the left tip of the horizontal shaft 5 on the right side of the aquarium
Drill a hole in 2 and insert the optical detector sensor 1 here.
If 3 is attached, the removal of the wafer is completed and the state in which no wafer is left can be detected, thereby stopping the apparatus.

Furthermore, after one wafer has been separated, the suction device can be rotated horizontally to feed the wafers one by one onto a shelf in a horizontally placed cassette. Note that this mechanism is possible by connecting commonly used conveyance mechanisms. Therefore, this invention can be used in an apparatus for storing wafers in a cassette. In the above description, the moving mechanism of the suction device may be any widely used lever movement mechanism, screw drive movement mechanism, cylinder piston movement mechanism, or the like, as appropriate.

In the above description, the wafers are mounted vertically, but it is also possible to stack them horizontally. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the water tank 13 is erected, the side wall with the U-shaped opening is horizontally attached to the upper part, and the wafer block is constantly pressed against the upper plate 16 by the shaft 17. It will be done. As shown in FIG. 3, the suction device is capable of vertical and horizontal movement, and suctions the topmost wafer of the horizontally stacked wafers. Take out the eyes to the right of the diagram. Note that at this time, the wafer block 41
4 must be constantly immersed in water, and water is sprayed from a nozzle 15 toward the wafer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a front view showing one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 1 shows a side plate with a U-shaped opening.
3 is a front view showing another embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken from FIG. 3 showing a top view thereof. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Water tank, 2... U-shaped opening, 3... Side wall, 5... Wafer pressing shaft, 7... Adsorption device, 8... Suction hole, 9, 10... Moving mechanism, 11
...gate, 13...vertical aquarium, 15...fountain hole, 16...gate.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A water tank having a U-shaped opening on one side and accommodating wafers in a stacked manner, a wafer pressing mechanism for pressing the wafers against the surface having the U-shaped opening, and a wafer pressing mechanism in the opening. A suction device and its movement mechanism that can move the first wafer in a suctioned state at right angles to the stacking direction, a gate that suppresses the movement of the second and subsequent wafers, and a wafer block that is constantly immersed in water. wafer handling equipment comprising means for bringing the wafer into a (2) The wafer handling device according to claim 1, wherein the water tank is horizontal, the side wall having a U-shaped opening is used as a side wall, and the wafer is mounted vertically, the lower part of which is immersed in water in the water tank. (3) In claim 1, the water tank is set vertically and the wafers are stacked horizontally with the surface with the U-shaped opening at the top, and a water fountain hole is provided to the wafer block to provide water. Wafer handling equipment that is immersed in water.