A wafer transfer system for chamber mechanism

专利摘要:
PURPOSE: A wafer transport system in a chamber apparatus is provided to operate correctly a transfer arm for transporting a wafer by installing a sensor to the chamber apparatus. CONSTITUTION: A lock portion(100) is formed with a load lock(110) and an unload lock(120). A multitude of wafer is loaded in the load lock(110) before a process is performed within a chamber(410). The load lock(110) is moved to an inside of a chamber(410) by a transfer arm(200). The wafers are loaded in the unload lock(120) after the process is performed within the chamber(410). A transfer arm(200) is installed between multiple chamber apparatuses(400). A sensor(300) has a light emitting portion(320) installed at an end portion of the transfer arm(200) and a light receiving portion(310) installed in the chamber(410). A control portion(500) is connected to the sensor(300) and the transfer arm(200).
公开号:KR20020052648A
申请号:KR1020000082059
申请日:2000-12-26
公开日:2002-07-04
发明作者:서병규
申请人:윤종용；삼성전자 주식회사；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

A wafer transfer system for chamber mechanism
[11] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a wafer transport system having a sensor in a chamber apparatus.
[12] In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the wafer undergoes various steps such as a thin film deposition process, an etching process, and an ashing process. In order to proceed with these processes, the wafer must be transported to the entrance and exit of the chamber required for the process and then loaded into the chamber. In the wafer conveying system, a transfer arm driven by driving a step motor carries a rotational motion and a linear motion to convey the wafer into the chamber. The step motor locates the chamber by the number of steps of the motor and carries the wafer into the chamber.
[13] However, the stepper motor may malfunction due to mechanical failures and software errors. This malfunction of the stepper motor makes it difficult for the transfer arm to carry the wafer to locate the entrance and exit of the chamber. In addition, when the chamber entrance is closed due to a malfunction of a facility or an operator's mistake in the process of moving the wafer-mounted transfer arm into the chamber through the chamber entrance and exit, an unexpected situation in which the transfer arm collides with the chamber entrance may occur. Can be generated.
[14] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a wafer transport system in which a wafer transport transarm is operated at an accurate position and interlocks when a malfunction occurs.
[1] 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating the wafer transport system according to the present invention.
[2] 2 (a) and 2 (b) are cross-sectional views illustrating the operation principle of the wafer transport system according to the present invention.
[3] <Description of Signs of Major Parts of Drawings>
[4] 100: lock unit, 110: loader lock,
[5] 120: unloadlock, 200: transfer arm,
[6] 210: axis of rotation, 220: arm,
[7] 230: arm plate, 300: sensor,
[8] 310: light receiving unit, 320: light emitting unit,
[9] 400: chamber device, 410: chamber,
[10] 420: chamber entrance, 500: control unit.
[15] The wafer transport system in the chamber apparatus according to the present invention for solving the above technical problem is a transfer arm for transporting the wafer into the chamber with the entrance, the light emitting portion provided at the end of the transfer arm and the position facing the light emitting portion And a control unit for controlling a transfer arm with a sensor having a light receiving unit installed inside the chamber of the light receiving unit.
[16] Here, the light emitting unit is preferably provided at the center point of the transfer arm end.
[17] In addition, the light receiving unit is preferably installed on the inner side wall of the chamber.
[18] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present embodiment is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various forms, and only this embodiment is intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention, and to those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the invention. It is provided to inform you. Shapes of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated parts to emphasize a more clear description, elements denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings means the same element.
[19] 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating the wafer transport system according to the present invention.
[20] Referring to FIG. 1, the wafer transport system includes a transfer arm 200 installed in a space between a lock unit 100 and a plurality of chamber devices 400, and a light emitting unit 320 installed at an end of the transfer arm 200. And a sensor 300 having a light receiving unit 310 installed inside the chamber 410 at a position opposite to the light emitting unit 320, and a control unit connected to the sensor 300 and the transfer arm 200. 500). The wafer transport system rotates the wafer loaded in the loader lock 110 to the position of the entrance 420 of the chamber 410, and then transfers the wafer to the chamber 410 through the entrance 420 of the chamber. Perform a function to move in a linear motion inside.
[21] The lock unit 100 includes a loader lock 110 and an unload lock 120. The loader lock 110 is a place where a plurality of wafers are loaded before the wafer is transported to the chamber device 400 to proceed with the processing, into the chamber 410 by the transfer arm 200 of the wafer transport system. Is moved. The unloader lock 120 is a place where a plurality of wafers are loaded for the next process after the processing process in the chamber device 400 is completed.
[22] The transfer arm 200 includes a rotation shaft 210, an arm 220 connected to the rotation shaft, and an arm plate 230 at an end of the arm. The rotation shaft 210 is connected to a stem motor (not shown), and is an axis that rotates by the operation of the step motor. The rotating shaft 210 rotates to a position of a chamber required for a wafer processing process of the plurality of chambers 400 in order to transport the wafer of the loader lock 110 into the chamber 4100. The arm 220 performs two-dimensional motion to transport the wafer into the chamber 410. That is, after the wafer is accurately moved in front of the chamber entrance 420 by the rotational movement of the rotation shaft 210, the wafer is moved into the chamber 410 by the linear movement of the arm 220. The arm plate 230 is at the end of the arm and is the portion where the wafer is seated when carrying the wafer.
[23] The light emitter 320 is a part that emits light to detect light from the light receiver 310. When the wafer loaded in the loader lock 110 is rotated in front of the door 420 of the desired chamber, the light is continuously emitted to come to the position opposite to the light receiving unit 310. The rotating shaft 210 is stopped. The light emitting unit 320 is preferably installed at the center point of the end of the transfer arm (200).
[24] The light receiver 310 transmits a detection signal to the controller 500 when detecting the light emitted from the light emitter 320 and detecting the light emitted from the light emitter 320. The light receiving unit 310 may be installed in the chamber 410 opposite to the light emitting unit 320, so that the transfer arm 200 provided with the light emitting unit 320 may be accurately positioned at the chamber entrance. Preferably, it is installed on the wall inside the chamber 410. Therefore, when the transfer arm 200 moves linearly to move into the chamber 410, the transfer arm 200 does not collide with the chamber entrance 420 and the side wall of the chamber 410.
[25] The controller 500 functions to control the transfer arm 200 by receiving a signal detected by the light receiver 310. That is, when the light receiver 10 detects light at a predetermined position in front of the chamber entrance 420 during the rotational movement of the transfer arm 200, the control unit 500 stops the rotational movement of the transfer arm 200. In addition, when the transfer arm 200 operates when the transfer arm 200 does not detect light of the light emitter 320 when the transfer arm 200 linearly moves into the chamber 400, the controller ( 500 stops the operation of the transfer arm 200.
[26] 2 (a) and 2 (b) are cross-sectional views illustrating the operation principle of the wafer transport system according to the present invention. 2 (a) is a state in which the doorway 420 of the chamber 410 is closed, and FIG. 2 (b) is a state in which the doorway 420 of the chamber is open.
[27] In FIG. 2 (a), the transfer arm 200 may enter the chamber while the entrance 420 of the chamber is closed. In this case, the light receiving unit 310 is in a state in which it does not detect the light emitted from the light emitting unit 320. Therefore, when entering the transfer arm 200, the chamber 410, the control unit 500 sends an electrical signal to the transfer arm to stop the movement of the transfer arm. Therefore, an accident due to a collision of the transfer arm 200 when the operator's mistake due to the manual operation of the transfer arm 200 or the malfunction of the transfer arm 200 due to a software error occurs while the chamber entrance 420 is closed. Can be prevented in advance.
[28] Referring to FIG. 2 (b), after the wafer loaded in the load lock (110 in FIG. 1) is placed on the arm plate 220 of the transfer arm 200, the transfer arm 200 is placed on the rotating shaft 210. Rotating movement is performed by a connected step motor (not shown). The light emitting unit 320 continuously emits light during the rotation movement of the transfer arm 200 and the entrance and exit of the chamber when the transfer arm 200 rotates to a predetermined position of the entrance and exit of the chamber 410. 420 is open and at this time, the light receiver detects light emitted from the light emitter 320 and sends a detection signal to the controller. When the control unit 500 receives the detection signal and sends an electrical signal to the transfer arm 200, the transfer arm 200 stops correctly in front of the chamber entrance 420.
[29] As described above, the present invention provides a light receiving unit inside the chamber, so that the transfer arm can be accurately moved to the chamber entrance position without physical collision, and protect the wafer and the transfer arm in case the transfer arm malfunctions. Therefore, the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device can be advanced stably.

权利要求:
Claims (3)
[1" claim-type="Currently amended] A transfer arm for transporting the wafer into the chamber with the entrance and exit;
A sensor having a light emitting portion provided at an end of the transfer arm and a light receiving portion provided inside the chamber at a position opposite to the light emitting portion; And
And a control unit for controlling a transfer arm by the detection signal of the light receiving unit.
[2" claim-type="Currently amended] The wafer transport system of claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion is provided at a center point of the transfer arm end.
[3" claim-type="Currently amended] The wafer transport system of claim 1, wherein the light receiving unit is disposed on an inner sidewall of the chamber.

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同族专利:

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引用文献:

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公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题

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法律状态:
2000-12-26|Application filed by 윤종용, 삼성전자 주식회사

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2000-12-26|Priority to KR1020000082059A

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2002-07-04|Publication of KR20020052648A

优先权:

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申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

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KR1020000082059A|KR20020052648A|2000-12-26|2000-12-26|A wafer transfer system for chamber mechanism|