Substrate supporting mechanism

Abstract

The invention provides a substrate supporting mechanism which can achieve high speed conveyance of a substrate while ensuring proper conveyance operation. In the substrate supporting mechanism,a holding portion (15) made of carbon nano tubes is installed on the supporting surface (14a) of an end effector (14), and a substrate (W) is supported by the distal ends of the carbon nano tubes. An intermolecular force is generated between the substrate and the carbon nano tube and the substrate is supported with a fixed suction force to the supporting surface. The suction force is generated both in the atmosphere and in the vacuum and a bigger force is obtained for a larger number of carbon nano tubes perunit area. With such an arrangement, slip of a conveyance article on the supporting surface can be suppressed effectively and high speed conveyance of a substrate can be attained. Since the carbon nano tube is excellent in heat resistance, poor conveyance due to deterioration or sticking of the holding portion by heat is prevented during use under high temperature environment and proper conveyance operation of substrate can be ensured.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a substrate holding mechanism, which is applied, for example, to a manipulator used to transport semiconductor substrates. Background technique [0002] From the point of view of the prior art, in the field of semiconductor manufacturing, a substrate handling robot with a multi-articulated arm is used to transport a substrate. Figure 7 It is a perspective view showing a general structure of such a conventional substrate transfer robot. The substrate transfer robot 1 includes: a driving unit 2 ; an arm 3 having a multi-joint structure connected to the driving unit 2 ; and an end effector 4 (hand) connected to the front end of the arm 3 . The end effector 4 uses its upper surface to support the back surface of the substrate, and performs substrate transfer between a plurality of processing chambers such as a film forming chamber and an etching chamber, or transfers substrates to a stage and a substrate storage box. [0...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, when the temperature is high (for example, 300 to 500° C.), there will be a problem that the holding part 5 is deformed by heat or melted, and as a result, the effect of preventing the substrate W from slipping cannot be obtained.

[0006] On the other hand, in the case of low temperature (below 200°C), there will also be a problem that the substrate W and the holding part 5 are stuck together and cannot be detached from the end effector 4 well.

For example, when the substrate is transferred to and from the platform in the process chamber, the substrate cannot be detached from the holding part 5 and cracked, or the substrate cannot be transported to the correct position.

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