JPS63132444A - Wafer handling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save an excess space and to contrive to miniaturize a treating chamber by a method wherein a wafer handling device is designed in a structure, wherein arms for wafer transfer perform a direct advance motion without performing a rotational motion. CONSTITUTION:Vertically moving pins 12 and 20 are made to ascend and each wafer 14 is uplifted. Each wafer 14 is placed on a loading arm 26 and an unloading arm 28. Then, with the loading arm 26 made to advance to over a holder 10, the unloading arm 28 is made to retreat as far as over the vertically moving pin 20, the vertically moving pins 12 and 20 are made to ascend together and the wafer 14 are respectively uplifted. A wafer press 10b is made to descend along with the vertically moving pins 12 are the wafer is pinched. Hereby, the replacement of wafers ends and the untreated wafers 14 are held in the holder 10. Then, the holder 10 is rotated at about 90 degrees and brought into a standingup state and an ion beam 4 is irradiated on the wafers for its treatment. During this, the wafers 14 are taken in and out of a vacuum preparatory chamber 24.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is used in an ion processing apparatus that processes a wafer using an ion beam, such as an ion implantation apparatus, and is used to attach a holder to a holder before and after processing. The present invention relates to a wafer handling device that replaces wafers.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a conventional wafer handling device, and FIG. 5 is the same as that of FIG. 4! v! It is a schematic partial sectional view along VV.

The wafer 14 is connected to a rotating shaft 8 that is rotated in the direction of arrow B in a processing chamber 2 that is evacuated.
A holder (also called a platen) 10 is provided, which can hold a wafer 14 in an upright state for processing the wafer 14 and in a horizontal state as shown in the figure for exchanging the wafer 4. The holder IO has a base 10a and a wafer presser 10b that holds the wafer 14 therebetween, and a lifting bin 12 constituting a first wafer lifting means is arranged in the center thereof. The wafer holder 10b and the lifting bin 12 are moved up and down in a predetermined relationship with each other by the field support 13.

A vacuum preparatory chamber 24 is adjacent to the processing chamber 2 via a gate valve 22, and wafers 14 are carried in and out of the processing chamber 2, for example, from the atmosphere side through the vacuum preparatory chamber 24. A lifting bin 20 is provided within the processing chamber 2 a little further from the gate valve 22, and constitutes a second wafer lifting means for placing the wafer 14 and moving it up and down.

Also, inside the processing chamber 2, a holder 10 and an elevating bin 20 are provided.
Two integral transfer arms 16 are provided between the transfer arm 16 and the transfer arm 16, each of which can place a wafer 14 at each end thereof, and which is rotated reciprocally as shown by an arrow C by a rotation shaft 18, for example.

Further, a Faraday cage 6 for measuring the beam current of the ion beam 4 is provided in the processing chamber 2 on the upstream side of the holder 10 when viewed from the ion beam 4 .

To explain an example of the operation of the above-mentioned wafer handling device, as a prerequisite, the holder 10 in a horizontal state holds a processed wafer 14, and the unprocessed wafer 14 is placed on the lifting bin 20. Cage, transfer arm 16
is assumed to be at an intermediate position as shown.

First, the lifting bins 12 and 20 rise together to lift each wafer 14, respectively. Of course, in that case, the wafer presser lOb also rises. Then, the transfer arm 16 rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise and stops, and the lifting bins 12 and 20 descend. Thereby, each wafer 14 is transferred to the transfer arm 16.
be placed on top.

The transfer arm 16 then rotates another 180 degrees counterclockwise and stops, and the lifting bins 12 and 20 rise together to lift the wafers 14, respectively.

In this state, the transfer arm 16 rotates 90 degrees clockwise and returns to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 4. The elevator bins 12 and 20 then descend together. Further, the wafer presser 10b also descends together with the lifting bin 12 to clamp the wafer 14. As a result, the replacement of the wafers 14 is completed, and the unprocessed wafers 14 are held in the holder 10, and the processed wafers 14 are placed in the lifting bin 20.

Next, the holder 10 is rotated about 90 degrees to stand up, and the wafer 14 on a portion of the holder is irradiated with the ion beam 4 for processing, for example, ion implantation, and when the processing is completed, the holder 1O returns to the horizontal state.

At an appropriate time in between, the processed wafer 14 on the lift bin 20 is carried out to the vacuum preliminary chamber 24 side, and the next unprocessed wafer 14 is transferred from the vacuum preliminary chamber 24 side to the lift bin 20.
It is carried upstairs. Thereafter, operations similar to those described above are repeated as necessary.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned wafer handling equipment,
Since the transfer arm 16 rotates, there is a problem in that the processing chamber 2 becomes larger due to the need to secure a space for it.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a wafer handling device that can solve the above problems.

[Means for solving problems]

The wafer handling device of the present invention includes a holder that can hold a wafer for processing, and a first holder that attaches and detaches the wafer to and from the holder by moving the wafer up and down on the holder.
a second wafer lifting means located on the front side of the holder for raising and lowering the supplied wafer; and a first wafer lifting means.
a second straightening mechanism; a load arm that is moved back and forth by the first straightening mechanism to receive the wafer from the second wafer lifting means and transfer it to the first wafer lifting means; The present invention is characterized in that it includes an unload arm that is moved back and forth by a second straight moving mechanism to receive a wafer from the first wafer elevating means and transfer it to the second wafer elevating means.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a wafer handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the line ■--
FIG. 3 is a schematic partial sectional view taken along line H, and FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of a portion of the holder shown in FIG. 1, viewed from the ion beam side.

The same or corresponding parts as in FIGS. 4 and 5 are given the same reference numerals, and the differences from the conventional example will be mainly explained below.

In this embodiment, instead of the rotary transfer arm 16 as described above, a load arm 26 is installed below the load arm 26, which is caused to move linearly in the front and back direction as shown by the arrow by the first linear movement mechanism 30. The second straight-travel mechanism 3
2 (not shown), the unloading arm 28 is provided with an unloading arm 28 that can be moved linearly in the front and rear direction as shown by an arrow E.

The load arm 26 is for transferring unprocessed wafers 14 on the lifting bin 20 onto the holder 10, and has a wafer placement part 26a on one end of which the wafers 14 can be placed.
and a ball screw 30 constituting the linear movement mechanism 30 at the other end.
The wafer mounting portion 26a is provided with a notch 26b so as not to interfere with the lifting bins 12 and 20. Further, the back surface of the wafer placement section 26a has an opening shape as shown in FIG. 3, and the wafer 14 can be placed thereon from either the front or back sides.

The linear movement mechanism 30 includes the ball screw 30a and a motor 30b that rotationally drives the ball screw 30a, and can move the load arm 26 back and forth by rotation of the ball screw 30a.

The unload arm 28 is for transferring the processed wafer 14 on the holder 10 onto the lifting bin 20, and has the same structure as the load arm 26 described above. Further, the linear movement mechanism 32 for forward and backward movement of the unload arm 28 has the same structure as the linear movement mechanism 30 described above.

Furthermore, the Faraday cage 6 for measuring the beam current of the ion beam 4 is of an integrated type in this example, and the wafer 1
It is fixed at a position where it can cover the holder 10 which is in an upright state for the process of step 4.

In this embodiment, the elevating bin 12 provided in association with the holder 10 consists of four bins, but it may be one bin as in the conventional example. Also, lifting rod 1
The wafer presser lOb, which is moved up and down in a predetermined relationship with the lifting bin 12 by means of 3, is not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 because it is not particularly necessary.

To explain an example of the operation of the above-mentioned wafer handling device, as a prerequisite, a processed wafer 14 is held in the holder IO in a horizontal state, and an unprocessed wafer 14 is placed on the lifting bin 20. , load arm 26
It is assumed that the unloading arm 28 is in an intermediate position as shown.

First, the lifting bins 12 and 20 rise together to lift each wafer 14, respectively. Of course, in that case, the wafer holding lob also rises. Then, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the load arm 26 retreats to above the lifting bin 20, and the unloading arm 28 advances to above the holder 10 (FIG. 3 shows this state), and the lifting bin 12 and 2
0 falls. Each wafer 14 is thereby placed on the load arm 26 and unload arm 28.

Next, the load arm 26 advances to above the holder 10 and the unload arm 28 retreats to above the lifting bin 20, and the lifting bins 12 and 20 rise together to remove the wafer 1.
Pick up 4 each.

In this state, load arm 26 and unload door
28 returns to the intermediate position shown by the solid line in FIG. The elevator bins 12 and 20 then descend together. Further, the wafer presser 10b also descends together with the lifting bin 12 to clamp the wafer 14. This completes the replacement of the wafer 14,
Unprocessed wafers 14 are held in the holder IO, and processed wafers 14 are placed in the lifting bin 20.

Next, the holder 10 is rotated approximately 90 degrees to stand up, and the ion beam 4 is applied to the wafer 14 on the holder 10.
When the process is completed, the holder 10 returns to the horizontal state. At an appropriate time in between, the processed wafer 14 on the lifting bin 20 is carried out to the vacuum preliminary chamber 24 side, and the next unprocessed wafer 14 is carried onto the lifting bin 20 from the vacuum preliminary chamber 24 side. . Thereafter, operations similar to those described above are repeated as necessary.

In this way, in the above-mentioned wafer handling apparatus, the arms 26 and 28 for transferring the wafer 14 are structured to move in a straight line, so that the extra space can be reduced, and the processing chamber 2 can therefore be made smaller. I can do it.

Furthermore, when the Faraday cage 6 is used as in the illustrated example, the Faraday cage 6 does not get in the way at all when the arms 26 and 28 are moved, so there is no need to move it or provide a notch, which is convenient.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, wafers can be replaced in a small space, so that the processing chamber can be downsized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a wafer handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic partial sectional view taken along the line ■--■ in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of a portion of the holder shown in FIG. 1, viewed from the ion beam side. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a conventional wafer handling device. Figure 5 shows the line ■-■ in Figure 4.
It is a schematic partial sectional view along. 2... Processing chamber, 4... Ion beam, 6.1. Faraday cage, 8...rotating shaft, 10..., holder,
12.20... Lifting bin, 14... Wafer, 26.
...Load arm, 28...Unload arm, 3
0.32... Straight forward mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A holder that can hold a wafer for processing, a first wafer lifting means that moves the wafer up and down on the holder to attach and detach the wafer to and from the holder, and a holder that is located on the front side of the holder to hold the supplied wafer. a second wafer elevating means for raising and lowering the wafer; first and second linear mechanisms; The load arm that passes and the second
A wafer handling device comprising: an unload arm that is moved back and forth by a straightening mechanism to receive a wafer from a first wafer elevating means and transfer it to a second wafer elevating means.