Tokyo Electron Limited

Other

Shinko Electric Company, Ltd.

Tokyo Electron Limi Ted

Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha

Hiroaki Saeki

Teruo Asakawa

Yasushi Taniyama

Shigeru Ishizawa

Keiichi Matsushima

Keisuke Kondoh

Masaki Narushima

Yoshiaki Sasaki

Masaki Kondo

Nobuo Ishii

Tsutomu Hiroki

Teruo Iwata

Tetsu Osawa

Towl Ikeda

Shuuji Hagiwara

Masasi Saito

Masanao Murata

Takehiro Shindo

Tsuyoshi Tanaka

Yoji Iizuka

Tetsuo Yoshida

Wataru Machiyama

Toshio Kamigaki

Hiroyuki Oyobe

Toshiyuki Takaoka

Yasuhiko Nishinakayama

Makoto Tashiro

Hiroshi Takizawa

Takashi Kawano

Zenta Nanpei

Noboru Masuoka

Shuuji Shinko Electric Co Ltd Hagiwara

Yohiaki Sasaki

Keiichi Tokyo Electron Limited Matsushima

Yasushi Shinko Electric Co Ltd Taniyama

A supporting mechanism (A) is used for transfer-ring a target substrate (W) in cooperation with a transfer arm (), in a semiconductor processing system. The supporting mechanism includes first and second holding portions (A toC,A toC) each configured to be moved up and down and transfer a substrate to and from the transfer arm. The first and second holding portions are configured to be moved relative to each other in a vertical direction without spatially interfering with each other, and support substrates at substantially the same horizontal coordinate position. The supporting mechanism further includes first and second drives () configured to move the first and second holding portions up and down, and a controller () configured to control the first and second drives. The controller is arranged to control the first and second drives to alternatively support a substrate by the first and second holding portions.

Semiconductor processing system

A transfer apparatus () for a target substrate (W) includes a rotatable rotary base (). First and second arm mechanisms () are attached to the rotary base and configured to bend and stretch. Each of the first and second arm mechanisms has a proximal end arm (A,A), an intermediate arm (B,B), and a pick (C,C) which are pivotally coupled to each other sequentially from the rotary base. The picks are disposed to support the target substrate. A link mechanism () is coupled to the proximal end arms of the first and second arm mechanisms to drive the first and second arm mechanisms. A first driving source () is disposed to rotatably drive the rotary base. A second driving source () is disposed to drive the link mechanism so as to bend or stretch the first and second arm mechanisms.

Transportation apparatus and drive mechanism

A main carrying device forming a part of a processing system, comprising a casing () forming a main carrying chamber () having vacuum atmosphere, the casing () further comprising a plurality of transfer ports (A,B) for transferring the processed body (W) between the carrying chamberand the outside, a mobile body () is slidably installed on a guide rail () horizontally installed in the carrying chamber (), a linear motor mechanism () for moving the mobile body () along the guide rail () is installed, a holding body () for holding the processed body (W) is liftably connected to the mobile body () through a support member (), and a lifting mechanism () for lifting the support member () relative to the mobile body () is installed in the casing () at a position corresponding to the transfer ports (A,B).

Processed body carrying device, and processing system with carrying device

In a wafer transfer system wherein a wafer transfer robot linearly reciprocates by a linear motor, dust is prevented from adhering to a wafer. A fixed base, on which the secondary sideof a linear motor M for linearly reciprocating a wafer transfer robot R is mounted, is mounted on the system bodyof a wafer transfer system A in lateral directions and in vertical directions, so that dust dropping in accordance with the flow of clean air K from a clean air supply systemis directly sucked into an exhaust fan, which is provided on the bottom portionof the system body, to be exhausted without being deposited on the top face of the fixed baseand the secondary side

Untreated body transfer device and semiconductor manufacturing device with the untreated body transfer device

In a port structureA in a semiconductor processing system, a doorA is disposed in a portA defined by upright walland. A tableopposed to the port is disposed outside the system. Defined on the table is a mount regionfor mounting an open type cassetteA for a process subject substrate W. A hoodis disposed rotatable relative to the table. The hood defines in its closed position a closed space surrounding the mount region and port, the space having a size to receive the cassette. First ventholesare formed in the upright walls and/or the door so as to introduce gas from within the system into the closed space in the hood. Second ventholesare formed in the table so as to discharge the gas can be discharged out of the closed space.

Port structure in semiconductor processing system

Disclosed herein is a conveying mechanism disposed in a conveying vessel which includes: a moving member which can move in a horizontal moving direction; a rotary table attached to the moving member such that the rotary table can turn in a horizontal turning direction and move in the vertical direction; and two arm mechanisms which can bend and stretch in a horizontal operating direction relative to the rotary table. Also disclosed herein is a reference position correcting device for the conveying mechanism and methods of correcting reference positions of the conveying mechanism. The reference position correcting device includes: a light emitter for emitting a sensing light beam; a light detector for receiving the sensing light beam; and a correcting device.

Device for correcting reference position for transfer mechanism, and correction method

A semiconductor processing system includes a common transfer chamber () having first and second compartments () partitioned by a partition wall (). First and second vacuum processing apparatuses (E,A) are respectively connected to the first and second compartments (). A pressure control section (PCS) controls the pressures inside the first and second compartments (). The pressure control section (PCS) includes first and second vacuum pumps () respectively connected to the first and second compartments (), and a line () connecting the delivery side of the second vacuum pump () to the suction side of the first vacuum pump (). The pressure control section (PCS) performs a setting such that a second ultimate pressure or lowest operational pressure of the second compartment () is lower than a first ultimate pressure or lowest operational pressure of the first compartment ().

There is provided a transfer apparatus capable of increasing the length of a transfer arm when it is extended, without increasing the size of the transfer arm when it is contracted. The transfer apparatuscomprising a transfer armwhich comprises: two rotating shaftsandarranged coaxially or in parallel; a pair of first armsand, one end portions of which are fixed to the rotating shaftsand, respectively; a pair of second armsand, one end portions of which are connected to the other end portions of the pair of first armsandby means of pins, respectively; and a holding portionfor holding an object w to be processed, the holding portionbeing connected to each of the other end portions of the pair of second armsandby means of pins, wherein the second armsandcross each other.

Transfer apparatus

An attaching and removing unit of a lid for a wafer carrier according to the invention includes: a lid holding plate that can move forward and backward relatively to a lid for a wafer carrier provided with a lock unit having a keyhole exposed outside, on a side of the keyhole; a driver for causing the lid holding plate to move forward and backward; and a key element protruding from the lid holding plate on a side of the lid in a pivotable manner, the key element disposed opposite the keyhole in a direction of the forward and backward movement. The lock unit is adapted to be locked and unlocked by the key element pivoting in the keyhole. In a locked state, the key element can be inserted into and released from the keyhole, and in an unlocked state, the key element is engaged with and can not be released from the keyhole, while the lid holding plate holds the lid. The lid holding plate is provided with a lid-detecting unit for detecting whether the lid holding plate is holding the lid or not.

Mounting/demounting device for wafer carrier lid

A positioning substrate is used for performing a teaching operation on a transfer mechanism for transferring a target substrate in a semiconductor processing system. The positioning substrate includes a substrate body made of a material selected from the group consisting of the same material as the target substrate, semiconductor, compound semiconductor, and ceramic. The substrate body has an outer contour sized to be handled by the transfer mechanism as an alternative to the target substrate. The positioning substrate also includes a positioning assistant having a combination of a positioning hole and a positioning reference line formed in the substrate body. The positioning hole is formed to penetrate the substrate body in a thickness direction. The positioning reference line is formed on a surface of the substrate body to extend across an opening of the positioning hole and have a predetermined width.

Positioning substrate for semiconductor process

A conveying arm of the invention includes a first pivotable shaft connected to a first arm which is also pivotably connected to a third arm having an intermediate pivotable portion. The third arm is also pivotably connected to a fifth arm which is also pivotably connected to a seventh arm which has a holding portion for an object to be conveyed. The conveying arm also includes a second pivotable shaft connected to a second arm which is also pivotably connected to a fourth arm having an intermediate pivotable portion. The fourth arm is also pivotably connected to a sixth arm which is also pivotably connected to the seventh arm. With respect to both the third and fourth arms, a line linking one-side end portion to an intermediate pivotable portion is substantially perpendicular to a line linking the other-side end portion to the intermediate pivotable portion.

Conveying arm

Two load lock chambers and are arranged between a first transfer chamber and a second transfer chamber . Each of the load lock chambers is capable of accommodating a single wafer W. The first transfer chamber is provided with a first transfer unit having two substrate holders each capable of holding a single object to be processed, in order to transport the wafer W among a load port site , the first load lock chamber , the second load lock chamber and a positioning unit . The second transfer chamber is provided with a second transfer unit having two substrate holders each capable of holding the single object to be processed, in order to transport the wafer between the first load lock chamber , the second load lock chamber and respective vacuum processing chambers to . Since the volume of each load lock chamber can be minimized, it is possible to perform the prompt control of atmospheres in the load lock chambers. Additionally, it is possible to perform the delivery of the wafers promptly.

Processing apparatus

In most cases, a hot, corrosive atmosphere is created in, for example, a semiconductor wafer processing chamber. When an arm including belts, such as steel belts, is moved into such a semiconductor wafer processing chamber, the belts are exposed to the hot, corrosive atmosphere. Belts, such as steel belts, have limited heat resistance and corrosion resistance and the hot, corrosive atmosphere in the processing chamber shortens the life of the belts. A carrying device of the present invention has a frog leg type arm ( ) and a wafer holder ( ) connected to the frog leg type arm ( ). The wafer holder ( ) is pivotally connected to front end parts of a first front arm ( A) and a second front arm ( B) by coaxial joints ( ). The wafer holder ( ) is linked to the first front arm ( A) and the second front arm ( B) by a posture maintaining linkage ( ) including two antiparallel linkages capable of controlling the turning of the wafer holder ( ) relative to the first and the second front arms ( A, B).

Carrying device

A table for a transfer container is provided with an opening portion formed therein. A clamp is swingably supported on the lower side of the table. The clamp has a second engaging portion hook to project upward from the table through the opening portion, and to engage with the first engaging portion of the transfer container. A first actuator is disposed to apply a swing-driving force to the clamp. The first actuator has a reciprocation rod pivotally connected to the clamp, and is swingably supported on the lower side of the table.

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Shirane-Machi, Japan

Hiroaki Saeki