Transfer pick, transfer device, substrate processing apparatus and transfer pick cleaning method

Abstract

A transfer pick provided at a leading end of a transfer arm of a transfer device for transferring a substrate includes a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate thereon; a plurality of contact members protruded from the substrate support surface to contact with the substrate; and a voltage applying unit for charging the contact members with electricity. Further, the transfer pick has a self-cleaning function of removing particles adhered to the contact members by using repulsive force of an electric charge. In addition, a computer readable memory medium storing a computer executable control program, wherein the control program controls a substrate processing apparatus to perform the transfer pick cleaning method.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention relates to a transfer pick used to transfer a substrate, such as a semiconductor substrate, a transfer device having the transfer pick, a substrate processing apparatus having the transfer device, and a transfer pick cleaning method.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]In a typical substrate processing apparatus for performing a process, for example, an etching, a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, a transfer device (a transfer robot), in which a transfer pick for supporting the substrate is provided on a leading end of a transfer arm, which extends and rotates in specific directions and vertically moves without restriction, is used to transfer the substrate into a processing chamber. Typically, a plurality of contact members, each of which is made of elastomer, is provided on a wafer support surface of the transfer pick. The contact members are brought into contact with the substrate to support the substrate thereon.[0003]The con...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of effectively removing foreign particles from contact members of a transfer pick of a transfer device to prevent a substrate supported on the transfer pick from being misaligned out of the correct position.

[0024]In accordance with the present invention, an operation of cleaning the pick is easily performed in a short period of time, unlike the conventional arts, in which the cleaning operation must be periodically performed manually. Therefore, it is feasible to effectively maintain the clean state of the contact members of the transfer pick, thus preventing the contact members from being misaligned out of the correct position due to the adhesion of foreign particles to the contact members, or from being dropped during a transfer process. As a result, the proportion of defective products attributable to the reduced accuracy of the transfer operation is markedly reduced, and the reliability is increased.

[0025]Further, because the transfer pick can be maintained in the clean state with the cleaning operation, the substrate is prevented from being contaminated by foreign particles.

[0026]In addition, because the process of cleaning the transfer pick can be performed in a short period of time, the cleaning process may be performed, for example, during a stand-by state of the transfer device, and thus downtime of the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the substrate processing operation

Problems solved by technology

However, as the substrates are repeatedly transferred, foreign particles or deposits from processed substrates get adhered to the contact members, thereby decreasing the adhesive force of the contact members made of elastomer.

As a result, the accuracy of the transfer operation is reduced, and this results in defective products.

Furthermore, when transferring the substrate by the contact members of the transfer pick having foreign particles adhered to the contact members, the foreign particles are transferred and adhered to the rear surface of the substrate when the transfer pick is brought into close contact with the rear surface of the substrate, thus causing a problem of particle contamination for the substrates.

However, by manually cleaning the contact members, additional operation time is consumed and the stoppage of the substrate processing apparatus during the cleaning process cannot be avoided.

Therefore, the cleaning operation cannot be performed as many time as desired, and the above-mentioned likelihood of misalignment of substrate caused by a reduction in the adhesive force of the transfer pick still remains.

The technique of Patent Reference 1 prevents particles from being adhered to a semiconductor substrate using the method of creating an electric field for providing repulsive force with respect to the particles around the transfer arm, but it does not consider the removal of foreign particles, which cause the substrate to be misaligned out of the correct position on the transfer pick, from the contact members of the transfer pick.

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