JPS6283949A - Wafer conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a stable position, when a wafer is attracted and dropped, and to improve accuracy of a conveyed position of the wafer, by lowering independent suspension type suckers, arranged in not less than a specific number of places on the peripheral part of a wafer surface, and attracting the total suckers to be mounted to the peripheral part of the wafer surface in a closely attached condition. CONSTITUTION:An arm 5, after it is moved so as to position four (three or more) suckers 2 in the upper of the peripheral part of a wafer 1, is lowered, and all of the four suckers 2 are closely attached to the peripheral part of a surface of the wafer 1. Here four of the suckers 2, being independently pressed to the wafer 1 by a spring 3, are attractively attached to the wafer 1 by supplying a vacuum from a vacuum supply port 4. Under this condition, the arm 5, being lifted and moved to the upper of an objective position, is lowered, and a conveyer, closely attaching the wafer 1 to the objective position and stopping supply of the vacuum from the vacuum supply port 4, finishes conveyance of the wafer by lifting the arm 5. In this way, the wafer can be attracted in a closely attached condition with no unreasonable force given to the wafer, and the wafer can be high accurately conveyed by decreasing the position displacement of the wafer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a wafer transfer device in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional wafer transfer device. In the figure, (l) is the wafer, (2) is the support block, +31
i/j suction pad, 141i air nozzle.

Moreover, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view from the side of FIG. 3.

Next, the VC operation will be explained. Move the suction pad (3) above the wafer to be transferred, then (4)
The air nozzle blows out air along the inside of the suction pad 9, t31. Due to the exhaust pressure generated at this time, Il
The + wafer is blown upward, the end of the wafer is supported by the support apron 121, and the wafer is sucked and fixed to the suction pad (3). In this suction-fixed state, the suction pad 131 is moved above the target position, and then the air blowing from the air nozzle (4) is stopped. The wafer, which has lost the suction force due to the exhaust pressure, separates from the suction pad (3) and is placed at the desired transfer position with a natural falling sound.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Since the conventional wafer transport device is configured as described above, when the 111 wafers are sucked or dropped naturally,
The position of the wafer was not constant, and it was difficult to improve the accuracy of the wafer transfer position.This invention was made to solve all of these problems, and improves the accuracy of the wafer transfer position. The object of the present invention is to provide a device that can fix the phenol without applying excessive force during adsorption.

[Means for solving problems]

The wafer transfer device according to the present invention has independent hanging type suction cups disposed at eight or more locations on the outer circumference of the wafer surface, and lowers the suction cups so that all the suckers are in close contact with the outer circumference of the wafer surface. It is made to absorb.

[Effect]

In this invention, four independent hanging type suction cups are provided on the outer periphery of the wafer surface, so that the pressing force of other suction cups against the wafer does not affect the wafer when the wafer is suctioned, and the force applied to the wafer is prevented. Prevent force.

In addition, the wafer can be attached and detached while the suction cup T is in close contact with the outer periphery of the wafer surface, thereby eliminating positional instability during suction and dropping, and improving the accuracy of the wafer transfer position.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a phenol transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which ``field'' is a wafer, (2) is a suction cup 131 spring, and the suction cup (2) is a (6 ) is housed so that it can be expanded and contracted only in the vertical direction to the arm of (4).
) is a vacuum supply port connected to the suction cup of 12).

Further, FIG. 8 is a sectional view from the side of FIG. 1.

Next, the operation will be explained. (6) so that the four suction cups (2) are located above the outer periphery of the wafer to be transferred.
) move the arm.

Next, lower the arm (5) and bring it into close contact with the four suction cups (2) and the outer circumference of the surface of the wafer (21).At this time, the four suction cups +21 are separated by the spring (3). (2
) is pressed onto the wafer. Next, vacuum is supplied from the vacuum supply port (4), and the wafer (2) is attracted to the suction cup. In this state, raise the +51 arm and move it above the target position. Lower the arm at +[l above the target position, bring the wafer at target position r(:12+) into close contact with it,
Next, the vacuum supply from the 14+ vacuum supply port is stopped.

(5) Raise the arm to complete the wafer transfer.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, this invention conveniently utilizes an independent hanging type suction cup, which allows it to suction the wafer in close contact without applying excessive force to the wafer, thereby reducing wafer misalignment and allowing highly accurate wafer transport. It has become possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The IT diagram is a configuration diagram of a wafer transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view from the side of FIG. 1, Ha diagram is a configuration diagram of a conventional wafer transfer device, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view from the side of FIG. 3; In the figure, (11 is a wafer, +21//i suction cup, (31 is a spring, (41 is a vacuum supply port, and (5) is an arm.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A device for holding a wafer in the process of transporting the wafer, in which a plurality of independent hanging type suction cups are provided to suction the outer peripheral surface of the wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism is provided to bring the suction cups into contact with the wafer. A wafer transfer device featuring: