U.S. patent application number 10/282176 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-20 for method for transporting substrates and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Matsumoto, Ken.
Application Number | 20030053894 10/282176 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 14033861 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030053894 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Matsumoto, Ken |
March 20, 2003 |
Method for transporting substrates and a semiconductor
manufacturing apparatus using the method
Abstract
A method for transporting a substrate between a carrier, which
holds the substrate, and a semiconductor manufacturing unit, which
receives the substrate. The method includes steps of applying the
carrier, which holds the substrate, to a chamber, which houses the
semiconductor manufacturing unit, in which chamber the environment
of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, rotatably
removing, by an opener, a door of the carrier and a door of the
chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber, and
transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier,
when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been
rotatably removed as a unit by the opener in the removing step.
Also disclosed are semiconductor manufacturing apparatus utilizing
such a method.
Inventors: |
Matsumoto, Ken;
(Tochigi-ken, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Assignee: |
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
14033861 |
Appl. No.: |
10/282176 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10282176 |
Oct 29, 2002 |
|
|
|
09536754 |
Mar 28, 2000 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
414/217 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/67772 20130101;
H01L 21/67778 20130101; H01L 21/67748 20130101; Y10S 414/139
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
414/217 |
International
Class: |
B65G 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 31, 1999 |
JP |
91702/1999 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for transporting a substrate between a carrier, which
holds the substrate, and a semiconductor manufacturing unit, which
receives the substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
applying the carrier, which holds the substrate, to a chamber,
which houses the semiconductor manufacturing unit, in which chamber
the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is
controlled; rotatably removing, by an opener, a door of the carrier
and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the
chamber; and transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the
carrier, when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber
have been rotatably removed as a unit by the opener in said
removing step.
2. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
further comprising the step of: releasing a lock of the door of the
carrier by lock releasing means provided in the door of the
chamber.
3. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
further comprising the step of: supporting the door of the carrier
and the door of the chamber as a unit by supporting means provided
in the door of the chamber.
4. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
wherein said removing step comprises horizontally removing the door
of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a unit from the
carrier and the chamber by the opener, and then rotating the unit
around a rotation axis by the opener.
5. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
wherein a rotation axis around which the door of the carrier and
the door of the chamber rotate as a unit, while being removed, is
disposed on a plane extending from an interface between the chamber
and the door thereof, which is sealed.
6. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
wherein said removing step comprises rotating, by the opener, the
door of the carrier and the door of the chamber downwardly around
the rotation axis, as a unit.
7. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
further comprising providing the opener on an inner wall of the
chamber.
8. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
further comprising providing a plurality of the openers and a
plurality of loading ports for receiving the carriers in the
chamber.
9. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 8,
wherein the loading ports are provided overlapping each other in
the vertical direction.
10. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
further comprising providing a library in the vicinity of the
semiconductor manufacturing unit, for storing a plurality of the
substrates.
11. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 1,
wherein the carrier receives one of the substrates.
12. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 11,
wherein the substrate is a reticle.
13. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a
semiconductor manufacturing unit housed in a chamber, in which the
environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled;
applying means for applying a carrier, which holds a substrate, to
the chamber; an opener for rotatably removing a door of the carrier
and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the
chamber; and transporting means for transferring the substrate from
the carrier and to the carrier when the door of the carrier and the
door of the chamber have been rotatably removed as a unit by said
opener, and for transporting the substrate between the carrier and
the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
14. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
further comprising lock releasing means, provided on the chamber,
for releasing a lock of the door of the carrier.
15. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
further comprising supporting means on the door of the chamber, for
supporting the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a
unit.
16. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein said opener horizontally removes the door of the carrier
and the door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the
chamber, and then rotates the unit around a rotation axis.
17. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein the rotation axis around which the door of the carrier and
the door of the chamber rotate as a unit, while being removed, is
disposed on a plane extending from an interface between the chamber
and the door thereof, which is sealed.
18. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein said opener downwardly rotates the door of the carrier and
the door of the chamber around the rotation axis, as a unit.
19. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein the opener is provided on an inner wall of the chamber.
20. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
further comprising: a plurality of loading ports for receiving the
carriers; and a plurality of the openers.
21. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 20,
wherein the loading ports are provided overlapping each other in a
vertical direction.
22. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
further comprising: a library for storing a plurality of the
substrates in the vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing
unit.
23. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein the carrier receives one of the substrates.
24. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 23,
wherein the substrate is a reticle.
25. A method for transporting a substrate between a carrier, which
holds the substrate, and a semiconductor manufacturing unit, which
receives the substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
applying the carrier, which holds the substrate, to a chamber,
which houses the semiconductor manufacturing unit, in which chamber
the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is
controlled; removing a door of the carrier and a door of the
chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber, by an opener
provided on a transporting robot for transporting the substrate;
and transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier
by the transporting robot when the door of the carrier and the door
of the chamber have been removed as a unit by the opener in said
removing step.
26. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 25,
further comprising the step of: releasing a lock of the door of the
carrier by lock releasing means provided on the door of the
chamber.
27. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 25,
further comprising the step of: supporting the door of the carrier
and the door of the chamber as a unit by supporting means provided
on the door of the chamber.
28. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 25,
further comprising providing a plurality of the openers and a
plurality of loading ports for receiving the carriers in the
chamber.
29. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 28,
wherein the plurality of the loading ports are provided overlapping
each other in a vertical direction.
30. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 29,
further comprising disposing the openers such that a distance
therebetween is the same as a distance between each of the loading
ports.
31. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 25,
further comprising providing a library for storing a plurality of
the substrates in the vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing
unit.
32. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 25,
wherein the carrier receives one of the substrates.
33. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 32,
wherein the substrate is a reticle.
34. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a
semiconductor manufacturing unit provided in a chamber, in which
the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is
controlled; applying means for applying a carrier, which holds a
substrate, to the chamber; an opener for removing a door of the
carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and
the chamber; and a transporting robot for transferring the
substrate from the carrier and to the carrier when the door of the
carrier and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit by
the opener, wherein said opener is provided in said manufacturing
apparatus on a side of the transporting robot.
35. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 34,
further comprising lock releasing means on the door of the chamber,
for releasing a lock of the door of the carrier.
36. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 34,
further comprising supporting means on the door of the chamber, for
supporting the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber, as
a unit.
37. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 34,
further comprising: a plurality of loading ports for receiving the
carriers; and a plurality of the openers.
38. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 37,
wherein the loading ports are provided overlapping each other in a
vertical direction.
39. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 38,
wherein said openers are disposed such that a distance therebetween
is the same as a distance between each of said loading ports.
40. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 34,
further comprising: a library for storing a plurality of the
substrates in the vicinity of said semiconductor manufacturing
unit.
41. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 34,
wherein the carrier receives one of the substrates.
42. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 41,
wherein the substrate is a reticle.
43. A method for transporting a substrate between a carrier, which
holds the substrate, and a semiconductor manufacturing unit, which
receives the substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
applying the carrier, which holds the substrate, to a chamber,
which houses the semiconductor manufacturing unit, in which chamber
the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is
controlled; removing a door of the carrier and a door of the
chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber by an opener;
transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier by a
transporting robot for transporting the substrate when the door of
the carrier and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit
by the opener in said removing step; and applying air to the
substrate by an air-blower provided on the transporting robot when
the transporting robot supports, at least when transporting, the
substrate by handling means provided on the transporting robot.
44. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 43,
further comprising temperature controlling the air applied by the
air-blower.
45. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 43,
further comprising providing the transporting robot with a cover
for covering the substrate held by the handling means of the
transporting robot.
46. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 43,
wherein the air-blower applies air to the substrate while the
substrate is transferred from the carrier.
47. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 43,
wherein the carrier receives one of the substrates.
48. A method for transporting a substrate according to claim 47,
wherein the substrate is a reticle.
49. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a
semiconductor manufacturing unit provided in a chamber, in which
the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is
controlled; applying means for applying a carrier, which holds a
substrate, to the chamber; an opener for removing a door of the
carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and
the chamber; a transporting robot for transferring the substrate
from the carrier and to the carrier when the door of the carrier
and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit by said
opener; and an air-blower, provided on the transporting robot, for
applying air to the substrate when the transporting robot supports,
at least when transporting, the substrate by handling means
provided on said transporting robot.
50. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 49,
wherein the air applied by said air-blower is
temperature-controlled.
51. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 49,
wherein said transporting robot includes a cover for covering the
substrate held by the handling means.
52. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 49,
wherein said air-blower applies air to the substrate while the
substrate is transferred from the carrier.
53. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 49,
wherein the carrier receives one of the substrates.
54. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 49,
wherein the substrate is a reticle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for automatically
transporting tabular substrates such as photomasks and reticles
(hereinafter, generally referred to as reticles), or wafers and
glass plates (hereinafter, generally referred to as wafers), and
for transporting cassettes and carriers receiving the same. The
present invention also relates to semiconductor manufacturing
apparatuses using the method for processes such as exposure,
rinsing, and inspection.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Hitherto, reticle transporting devices and wafer
transporting devices have been provided in semiconductor
manufacturing apparatuses used in manufacturing processes of
semiconductors, and in particular, in the semiconductor exposure
apparatuses used in an exposure process. The transporting devices
have been used in view of transporting efficiency and dust-proofing
in order to improve the throughput and output rate.
[0005] The reticles used in the exposure process are typically
transported in carriers, which receive the reticles one by one or
in units of a plurality of reticles, from a reticle storage to each
exposure apparatus, either manually or by an automatic transporting
apparatus such as an AGV (automated guided vehicle) and OHT
(over-head transfer) device, and are stored in storage shelves
(hereinafter referred to as a library) provided in the exposure
apparatus or in the vicinity thereof. The reticles thus stored are
required to be delivered to an exposure stage in the exposure
apparatus at a very high speed and with high accuracy.
Particularly, due to the trend of limited productions of a wide
range of products, the quantity of reticles to be stored in the
library has recently increased according to the increasing
varieties of devices to be manufactured.
[0006] Semiconductors are generally manufactured in clean rooms
with a very high level of cleanliness class (low class number). In
a process in which dust particles are strictly controlled, such as
an exposure process, an exposure apparatus is installed in a clean
chamber provided in a clean room, the clean chamber being
maintained at a cleanliness of class 1 of particle sizes ranging
from 0.1 .mu.m to 0.2 .mu.m.
[0007] Recently, a mini-environment philosophy known as an SMIF
(Standardized Mechanical Interface) has been proposed which is
disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,970. This philosophy
has been proposed in view of the fact that the processing rooms
need only be partially clean and because the operating costs of
downflow clean rooms, in which entire rooms are cleaned, are high
due to the fact that a higher level of dust particle control is
required for next-generation gigabit devices and a higher
production efficiency is required in view of a recent slowdown in
the semiconductor industry.
[0008] FIGS. 11A to 11D are side views of a known SMIF-type
loading-port unit for reticles. An SMIF-type carrier unit 28,
receiving a plurality of reticles 1, is set on a loading port 381,
as shown in FIG. 11A. A lock of a carrier door 282 is released by a
lock releasing mechanism included in a loading-port door 383 (in
FIG. 11B). A reticle carrier library 283, receiving the plurality
of reticles 1, is removed downwardly from a carrier 281, while the
carrier door 282 and the loading-port door 383 are supported as a
unit (in FIG. 11C). Thereafter, each of the reticles 1 is
transferred by a transporting robot 42, as shown in FIG. 1D.
[0009] FIGS. 12A to 12D are side views of an FOUP (Front-Opening
Unified Pod) type loading-port unit, which is standardized
according to the SEMI standard for handling 12-inch wafers (12
inches=300 mm). When an FOUP-type carrier unit 29 is set on a
loading port unit 391, as shown in FIG. 12A, the carrier unit 29 is
positioned by kinematic coupling pins 392 and is applied to an
outer wall of a chamber 6 by being pressed against the outer wall
of the chamber 6 by an applying mechanism provided in the loading
port unit 391, as shown in FIG. 12B. Then, the lock of a carrier
door 292 is released by a lock releasing mechanism included in a
chamber door 393, and the carrier door 292 and the chamber door 393
are removed by an opener 394 from a carrier 291 and the chamber 6
at the front side of the carrier 291, while the carrier door 292
and the chamber door 393 are held as a unit by a supporting
mechanism included in the chamber door 393 (in FIG. 12C). The
carrier door 292 and the chamber door 393 are moved downwardly as a
unit (in FIG. 12D), thereby allowing transfer of the wafers 11 by a
transporting robot 42.
[0010] When a plurality of the loading port units is required, the
SMIF-type loading port units must be disposed in a horizontal
direction, because a large space in the vertical direction is
occupied due to the configuration thereof, in which the reticle
carrier library is removed downwardly and the reticles are
transferred. That is, a disadvantage of the SMIF system is that the
footprint of the units is increased. In the same way, when a
plurality of units is required, the FOUP-type loading port units
must be disposed in a horizontal direction, because a large space
in the vertical direction is occupied due to the configuration
thereof, in which the carrier doors are removed downwardly, thereby
increasing the footprint of the units, which is a disadvantage of
the FOUP system.
[0011] Another problem is that dust particles adhering to the
substrates while they are transported between carriers and
semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses are not considered in these
known apparatuses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a method for transporting substrates and a semiconductor
manufacturing apparatus using the method, in which a plurality of
loading ports are provided with a footprint thereof being minimized
and, while being transported, the surfaces of substrates are kept
clean by an air-blower mechanism, from the viewpoint of a
mini-environment to be applied to semiconductor manufacturing
facilities.
[0013] To these ends, in accordance with a first aspect of the
present invention, a method for transporting a substrate between a
carrier, which holds the substrate, and a semiconductor
manufacturing unit, which receives the substrate, is provided,
which comprises the steps of applying the carrier to a chamber,
which houses the semiconductor manufacturing unit, in which chamber
the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is
controlled, rotatably removing, by an opener, a door of the carrier
and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the
chamber, and transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the
carrier when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber
have been rotatably removed as a unit by the opener.
[0014] The method for transporting a substrate may further comprise
the step of releasing a lock of the door of the carrier by a lock
releasing mechanism provided in the door of the chamber.
[0015] The method may still further comprise the step of supporting
the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a unit by a
supporting mechanism provided in the door of the chamber.
[0016] In the method for transporting a substrate, the door of the
carrier and the door of the chamber may be horizontally removed as
a unit from the carrier and the chamber by the opener, and then
rotated around a rotation axis by the opener.
[0017] The rotation axis around which the door of the carrier and
the door of the chamber rotate as a unit, while being removed, may
be disposed on a plane extending from the interface between the
chamber and the door thereof, which is sealed.
[0018] The door of the carrier and the door of the chamber may be
rotated downwardly around the rotation axis as a unit by the
opener. The opener may be provided on an inner wall of the
chamber.
[0019] In the method, a plurality of the openers and a plurality of
loading ports for receiving the carriers may be provided in the
chamber. The loading ports may be provided overlapping each other
in the vertical direction.
[0020] In the method, a library may be provided in the vicinity of
the semiconductor manufacturing unit for storing a plurality of the
substrates.
[0021] The carrier in the method may receive one of the substrates,
and the substrate may be a reticle.
[0022] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a
semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided, which comprises
a semiconductor manufacturing unit housed in a chamber in which the
environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled,
an applying mechanism for applying a carrier, which holds a
substrate, to the chamber, an opener for rotatably removing a door
of the carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the
carrier and the chamber, and a transporting mechanism for
transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier when
the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been
rotatably removed as a unit, and for transporting the substrate
between the carrier and the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
[0023] The door of the chamber may be provided with a lock
releasing mechanism for releasing a lock of the door of the
carrier.
[0024] The door of the chamber may be provided with a supporting
mechanism for supporting the door of the carrier and the door of
the chamber as a unit.
[0025] The door of the carrier and the door of the chamber may be
horizontally removed as a unit from the carrier and the chamber by
the opener, and then rotated around a rotation axis by the
opener.
[0026] The rotation axis around which the door of the carrier and
the door of the chamber rotate as a unit, while being removed, may
be disposed on a plane extending from the interface between the
chamber and the door thereof, which is sealed.
[0027] The door of the carrier and the door of the chamber may be
rotated downwardly around the rotation axis as a unit by the
opener. The opener may be provided on an inner wall of the
chamber.
[0028] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further
comprise a plurality of the openers and a plurality of loading
ports for receiving the carriers.
[0029] The loading ports may be provided overlapping each other in
the vertical direction.
[0030] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further
comprise a library for storing a plurality of the substrates in the
vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
[0031] The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the
semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the substrate may be a
reticle.
[0032] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a
method for transporting a substrate between a carrier and a
semiconductor manufacturing unit is provided, the method comprising
the steps of applying the carrier, which holds the substrate, to a
chamber in which the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing
unit is controlled, removing a door of the carrier and a door of
the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber by an
opener provided on a transporting robot for transporting the
substrate, and transferring the substrate from the carrier and to
the carrier by the transporting robot when the door of the carrier
and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit by the
opener.
[0033] The method for transporting a substrate may further comprise
the step of releasing a lock of the door of the carrier by a lock
releasing mechanism provided on the door of the chamber.
[0034] The method may still further comprise the step of supporting
the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a unit by a
supporting mechanism provided on the door of the chamber.
[0035] In the method, a plurality of the openers and a plurality of
loading ports for receiving the carriers may be provided in the
chamber. The plurality of the loading ports may be provided
overlapping each other in the vertical direction. The plurality of
the openers may be disposed such that a distance therebetween is
the same as a distance between each of the loading ports.
[0036] In the method, a library for storing a plurality of the
substrates may be provided in the vicinity of the semiconductor
manufacturing unit.
[0037] The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the
method for transporting a substrate, the substrate may be a
reticle.
[0038] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a
semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises a semiconductor
manufacturing unit provided in a chamber in which the environment
of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, an applying
mechanism for applying a carrier, which holds a substrate, to the
chamber, an opener for removing a door of the carrier and a door of
the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber, and a
transporting robot for transferring the substrate from the carrier
and to the carrier when the door of the carrier and the door of the
chamber have been removed as a unit by the opener. The opener is
provided in the manufacturing apparatus on a side of the
transporting robot.
[0039] In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the door of
the chamber may be provided with a lock releasing mechanism for
releasing a lock of the door of the carrier.
[0040] The door of the chamber may be provided with a supporting
mechanism for supporting the door of the carrier and the door of
the chamber as a unit.
[0041] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further
comprise a plurality of loading ports for receiving the carriers,
and a plurality of the openers.
[0042] The loading ports may be provided overlapping each other in
the vertical direction.
[0043] The openers may be disposed such that a distance
therebetween is the same as a distance between each of the loading
ports.
[0044] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further
comprise a library for storing a plurality of the substrates in the
vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
[0045] The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the
semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the substrate may be a
reticle.
[0046] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a
method for transporting a substrate between a carrier and a
semiconductor manufacturing unit is provided, the method comprising
the steps of applying the carrier, which holds the substrate, to a
chamber, which houses the semiconductor manufacturing unit, in
which chamber the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing
unit is controlled, removing a door of the carrier and a door of
the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber by an
opener, transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the
carrier by a transporting robot for transporting the substrate when
the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been
removed as a unit by the opener, and applying air to the substrate
by an air-blower mechanism provided on the transporting robot when
the transporting robot supports, at least when transporting, the
substrate by a handling mechanism provided on the transporting
robot.
[0047] The air applied by the air-blower mechanism may be
temperature-controlled.
[0048] The transporting robot may include a cover for covering the
substrate held by the handling mechanism of the transporting
robot.
[0049] In the method, the air-blower mechanism may apply air to the
substrate while the substrate is being transferred from the
carrier.
[0050] The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the
method for transporting a substrate, the substrate may be a
reticle.
[0051] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a
semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises a semiconductor
manufacturing unit provided in a chamber in which the environment
of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, an applying
mechanism for applying a carrier, which holds a substrate, to the
chamber, an opener for removing a door of the carrier and a door of
the chamber as a unit from the carrier and the chamber, a
transporting robot for transferring the substrate from the carrier
and to the carrier when the door of the carrier and the door of the
chamber have been removed as a unit by the opener, and an
air-blower mechanism provided on the transporting robot, for
applying air to the substrate when the transporting robot supports,
at least when transporting, the substrate by a handling mechanism
provided on the transporting robot.
[0052] The air applied by the air-blower mechanism may be
temperature-controlled.
[0053] The transporting robot may include a cover for covering the
substrate held by the handling mechanism.
[0054] The air-blower mechanism may apply air to the substrate
while being transferred from the carrier.
[0055] The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the
semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the substrate may be a
reticle.
[0056] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters
designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures
thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0057] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0058] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are side views showing an operation of a
loading port unit according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0059] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are top views showing the operation of
the loading port unit according to the first embodiment of the
invention;
[0060] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are side views showing an operation of
the loading port unit according to the first embodiment of the
invention, further including a horizontal removing movement;
[0061] FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C are top views showing the
operation of the loading port unit according to the first
embodiment of the invention, including the horizontal removing
movement;
[0062] FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, and FIG. 5C are side views showing an
operation of the loading port unit according to a second embodiment
of the present invention;
[0063] FIG. 6 is a side view of the loading port unit according to
the second embodiment of the invention, in which two openers are
provided such that a distance therebetween is the same as a
distance between each loading port;
[0064] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are side views showing an operation of
the loading port unit according to the second embodiment of the
invention, in which an FOUP system for wafers is applied;
[0065] FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are side views showing an operation of
the loading port unit according to a third embodiment of the
present invention;
[0066] FIG. 9 is a side view of the loading port unit according to
the third embodiment of the invention, further including a
cover;
[0067] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a semiconductor exposure
apparatus;
[0068] FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, and FIG. 11D are side views
showing an operation of an SMIF-type loading port unit for
reticles; and
[0069] FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B, FIG. 12C, and FIG. 12D are side views
showing an operation of an FOUP-type loading port unit for
wafers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0070] <First Embodiment>
[0071] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a first embodiment of the present
invention. FIGS. 1A and 1B are side views showing an operation of a
loading port unit included in a semiconductor exposure apparatus
shown in FIG. 10.
[0072] An outline of the flow of reticles in the semiconductor
exposure apparatus is described as follows in conjunction with FIG.
10. The environment in the semiconductor exposure apparatus is
separated from the environment of a clean room by forming a chamber
6 in the clean room, and the condition of the air in the chamber 6
is controlled. Reticles 1 are held in carrier units 2, which are
set in a plurality of loading ports 31 disposed vertically. The
reticles 1 are transferred from the carrier units 2 by a reticle
transporting mechanism 4 for loading and unloading reticles. Codes
on the reticles are read by an identification reading unit 51 for
registering and confirming reticle identifications. The reticles 1
are positioned to be aligned with a reticle stage 71 by an
alignment station 54, and then transferred onto the reticle stage
71 for exposure.
[0073] The semiconductor exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 10
includes an optical projection lens 73, a wafer stage 72, and an
inspection unit 52 for inspecting surfaces of the reticles 1 to
detect dust particles thereon. The semiconductor exposure apparatus
also includes a library 53 for storing a plurality of the reticles
1, provided adjacent to the reticle stage 71. When the schedule of
reticles to be used is known, the reticles 1 can be transported in
advance, after the dust particle inspection, to be stored in the
library 53, whereby the time for reticle exchange can be reduced,
thereby enabling efficient reticle management.
[0074] With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B and FIGS. 2A and 2B, the
loading port unit is described in detail as follows. Each reticle 1
is supported in the carrier unit 2 by a reticle supporting member
23, the aperture of the carrier unit 2 being hermetically sealed by
a carrier door 22. The carrier unit 2 is transported manually or by
an automatic transporting mechanism such as an AGV to be set on a
loading port 31.
[0075] The position of the transported carrier unit 2 on the
loading port 31 is corrected by kinematic coupling pins 32, which
are standardized according to the SEMI standard, the carrier unit 2
being brought into contact with the kinematic coupling pins 32 by a
clamping mechanism. Each carrier unit 2 is applied by an applying
mechanism provided in the loading port 31 to the chamber 6 by
translationally moving the kinematic coupling pins 32 and the
clamping mechanism to be pushed against an outer wall of the
chamber 6. In this case, a carrier 21 of the carrier unit 2 and the
chamber 6 are hermetically connected by a sealing member such as an
O-ring provided on the outer wall of the chamber 6, as shown in
FIG. 2A.
[0076] The aperture of the chamber 6 is sealed by a chamber door
62, unless the carrier unit 2 is applied to the chamber 6. The
chamber door 62 includes a lock releasing mechanism for releasing a
lock of the carrier door 22 and a supporting mechanism, such as a
vacuum chuck, for supporting the chamber door 62 together with the
carrier door 22. When the carrier unit 2 is applied to the chamber
6, the lock of the carrier door 22 is released by the lock
releasing mechanism, and the carrier door 22 and the chamber door
62 are supported as a unit by the supporting mechanism. The carrier
door 22 and the chamber door 62 are supported so that dust
particles of the external environment adhering to the outer sides
of the two doors are trapped therebetween.
[0077] Each carrier door 22 and each chamber door 62, which are
supported as a unit, are removed, while rotating, from the carrier
21 and the chamber 6 by an opening arm 34 supported by an opener
33, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2B. Each reticle 1 in the carrier 21
is loaded and unloaded by a transfer handler 41, as shown in FIG.
1B. Rotating axes 39, around which the doors rotate, are disposed
on a plane extending from the interface, which is the sealed plane,
between the chamber 6 and the chamber doors 62, thereby enabling
the carrier doors 22 and the chamber doors 62 to rotate while being
removed smoothly with no sliding movement.
[0078] A transporting robot 42 is driven in the
extending/drawing-back direction of a handling arm thereof and in
the rotational direction of the transporting robot 42. An elevator
43 is a mechanism for lifting the transporting robot 42. The
openers 33 and the opening arms 34 are provided at each loading
port 31 so that each carrier unit 2 can independently be opened and
closed. Therefore, each of the reticles 1 can be transferred, to be
loaded, from the carrier unit 2 immediately after another reticle 1
is unloaded and transferred to another carrier unit 2 by opening
the carrier units 2 in advance, whereby the time for transfer can
be reduced.
[0079] In FIGS. 3A and 3B and FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the carrier
door 22 and the chamber door 62 may be removed from the carrier 21
and the chamber 6 in the horizontal direction (in FIG. 4B), and
then rotated around a horizontal axis (in FIG. 4C). With this
arrangement, the space required for rotating the doors can be
reduced, whereby the distance between the loading ports 31 and the
transporting robot 42 can be reduced, thereby providing an
advantage in that the footprint of the devices and the movement
stroke of the transporting robot 42 can be reduced.
[0080] The carrier doors 22 and the chamber doors 62 may be rotated
to be removed downwardly from the carriers 21 and the chamber 6
when there is a risk of not sufficiently trapping dust particles
from the outside of the chamber 6 between the carrier doors 22 and
the chamber doors 62, instead of being rotated to be removed
upwardly, according to this embodiment.
[0081] <Second Embodiment>
[0082] FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, showing a second embodiment according
to the present invention, are side views showing an operation of
the loading port unit included in the semiconductor exposure
apparatus shown in FIG. 10.
[0083] Each of reticles 1 is supported by a reticle supporting
member 23 in a carrier unit 2. The aperture of each carrier 21 is
hermetically sealed by a carrier door 22. The carrier units 2 are
transported either manually or by a transporting mechanism such as
an AGV to be set onto loading ports 31.
[0084] The position of each of the transported carrier units 2 on
the loading ports 31 is corrected by kinematic coupling pins 32,
which are standardized according to the SEMI standard, the carrier
unit 2 being brought into contact with the kinematic coupling pins
32 by a clamping mechanism. Each carrier unit 2 is applied by an
applying mechanism provided in the loading port 31 to the chamber 6
by translationally moving the kinematic coupling pins 32 and the
clamping mechanism to be pushed against an outer wall of the
chamber 6. In this case, the carrier 21 of the carrier unit 2 and
the chamber 6 are hermetically connected by a sealing member such
as an O-ring provided on the outer wall of the chamber 6.
[0085] The apertures of the chamber 6 are sealed by chamber doors
62, unless the carrier units 2 are applied to the chamber 6. Each
chamber door 62 includes therein a lock releasing mechanism for
releasing a lock of the carrier door 22 and a supporting mechanism
such as a vacuum chuck for supporting the chamber door 62 and the
carrier door 22 as a unit. When the carrier units 2 are applied to
the chamber 6, the lock of each carrier door 22 is released by the
carrier lock releasing mechanism, and the carrier door 22 and the
chamber door 62 are supported as a unit by the supporting
mechanism. The carrier door 22 and the chamber door 62 are
supported so that any dust particles from the external environment
adhering on the outer sides of the two doors are trapped
therebetween.
[0086] An opener 35 and an opening arm 36 are provided at a
transporting robot 42 side. The opener 35 and the opening arm 36
are vertically driven together with the transporting robot 42. When
the carrier units 2 are applied to the chamber 6, the transporting
robot 42 is lifted by an elevator 43 to the level of a door to be
opened or closed, the opener 35 extends the opening arm 36 (in FIG.
5A), and the opening arm 36 docks with the chamber door 62.
[0087] The carrier door 22 and the chamber door 62, while being
supported as a unit, are removed from the carrier 21 and the
chamber 6 by the opening arm 36 supported by the opener 35, as
shown in FIG. 5B, and are drawn toward the transporting robot 42 to
be held thereby. Then, the transporting robot 42 is moved by the
elevator 43 to the level at which the reticle 1 is transferred, and
the reticle 1 is transferred from or to the carrier 22 by a
transfer handler 41, as shown in FIG. 5C.
[0088] A plurality of the openers 35 and a plurality of the opening
arms 36 may be provided at the transporting robot 42 side, whereby
a plurality of the carriers 22 can be kept open simultaneously.
With this arrangement, each reticle 1 can be transferred, to be
loaded, from the carrier unit 2 immediately after another reticle 1
is unloaded and transferred to another carrier unit 2, thereby
reducing transfer time. A plurality of the opening arms 36 may be
provided with the same distance therebetween as that between each
loading port 31 so that a plurality of the carrier doors 22 and the
chamber doors 62 can be opened or closed simultaneously, as shown
in FIG. 6.
[0089] In the same manner as in the first embodiment, when the
schedule of reticles to be used is known, the reticles 1 may be
transported in advance to be stored in the library 53, whereby the
time for reticle exchange can be reduced, thereby enabling
efficient reticle management.
[0090] In FIGS. 7A and 7B, the loading port unit according to the
second embodiment is applied to the FOUP system. The
above-described FOUP-type carrier door 292 and the chamber door
393, standardized according to the SEMI standard, while being
supported as a unit, are removed from the carrier 291 and the
chamber 6, and then vertically moved together with the transporting
robot 42, while being supported at the transporting robot 42 side,
for the transfer of substrates. With this arrangement, the loading
ports 391 can be disposed to overlap each other, as shown in FIGS.
7A and 7B, because openers provided in known loading port units for
downwardly moving doors are eliminated, thereby reducing the
footprint of the apparatuses.
[0091] In the loading port unit according to the invention, the
space occupied by the apparatuses can be reduced when a plurality
of the loading ports must be horizontally disposed due to limited
space in a vertical direction, because the height of the loading
ports can be reduced.
[0092] <Third Embodiment>
[0093] FIGS. 8A and 8B, showing a third embodiment according to the
present invention, are side views showing an operation of the
loading port unit included in the semiconductor exposure apparatus
shown in FIG. 10. For the third embodiment, a description of the
same parts as those described in the first embodiment is
omitted.
[0094] The loading port unit includes an air-blower mechanism 44
for applying clean air or temperature-controlled clean air to the
reticles 1 during transferring. The clean air starts to be applied
to the reticles 1 when they are removed or after being removed from
the carrier units 2, and is continuously applied to the reticles 1
while the reticles being removed from the carrier units 2 or while
being transferred, as shown in FIG. 8B, whereby the surfaces of the
reticles 1 can be kept clean, thereby enabling very reliable
dust-particle control. As shown in FIG. 9, the transporting robot
42 may be provided with a cover 45 for covering the reticle 1,
whereby indeterminate factors such as effects of dust particles
produced by the moving parts in the chamber can be avoided, thereby
enabling a more reliable dust-particle control.
[0095] According to the first embodiment of the present invention,
a plurality of the loading ports can be provided in the vertical
direction, and the carrier doors and the chamber doors can be
rotatably removed as a unit by the opener, whereby an efficient
substrate-transporting system is provided without increasing the
footprint of the loading port units.
[0096] According to the second embodiment of the present invention,
a low cost apparatus can be obtained by eliminating the openers
provided on the loading ports. The embodiment is most preferably
applied to a loading port unit having less than five carrier units,
because the number of carriers which can be kept open
simultaneously is limited.
[0097] On the other hand, the same efficient transportation as in
the loading port unit having less than five carrier units can be
provided in the loading port unit according to the first
embodiment, when having more than five carrier units, because the
carriers can independently be opened and closed by providing
openers on all the loading ports, according to the first
embodiment.
[0098] According to the third embodiment of the present invention,
the substrates can be kept clean while being transported, thereby
providing a substrate-transportation system having highly reliable
dust-particle control. When the substrates to be transported are
reticles, the invention contributes to improved exposure-accuracy
performance by controlling temperature during the transportation,
thereby providing efficient transportation of the reticles.
[0099] Except as otherwise disclosed herein, the various components
shown in outline or in block form in the figures are individually
well known and their internal construction and operation are not
critical either to the making or using of this invention or to a
description of the best mode of the invention.
[0100] While the present invention has been described with
reference to what are presently considered to be the preferred
embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the
invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended
claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the
broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications
and equivalent structures and functions.
* * * * *