Device for conveying substrate, system for processing substrate, and method for conveying substrate

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate conveying device, a substrate processing system, and a substrate conveying method, each capable of adjusting the tilt of a fork-shaped member. The substrate conveying device includes: an end effector having a fork-shaped member for holding a substrate and a wrist for holding the base end of the fork-shaped member; and an arm capable of mounting the end effector and having a mechanism for moving the fork-shaped member. A tilt adjustment mechanism for adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member is provided between the wrist for holding the base end of the fork-shaped member of the substrate conveying device and the arm. The tilt adjustment mechanism includes: three support pins for supporting the wrist from the bottom surface side; a height adjustment portion for varying the height positions of the upper ends of the support pins relative to each other; and a traction pin configured to pull the fork-shaped member toward the support pins.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for conveying a substrate, a system for processing a substrate and a method for conveying a substrate. Background Art

[0002] The transport device used in semiconductor device manufacturing to transport semiconductor wafers (hereinafter referred to as wafers), substrates used to manufacture semiconductor devices, is configured such that a fork member that holds the wafer can move. As a technique for adjusting the tilt of the fork member, Patent Document 1 proposes a mechanism that adjusts the droop of the fork member using the mounting angle.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-61920 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0007] The present invention provides a technology capable of adjusting the inclination of a fork-shaped member.

[0008] Technical solutions to technical problems

[0009] The present invention provides a device for conveying a substrate, comprising:

[0010] an end effector having a fork-shaped member for holding the substrate and a wrist for holding a root end of the fork-shaped member;

[0011] an arm capable of mounting the end effector and having a mechanism for moving the fork member; and

[0012] A tilt adjustment mechanism is provided between the fork-shaped member and the wrist, or between the wrist and the arm, for adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member.

[0013] The tilt adjustment mechanism includes:

[0014] three support pins, the three support pins being provided to support the fork-shaped member or the wrist portion from the lower surface side, and being respectively arranged at positions forming vertices of a triangle when viewed from above;

[0015] a height adjustment portion capable of changing the height positions of the upper ends of the three support pins relative to each other; and

[0016] A traction pin is arranged inside the triangle to maintain the upper end of each support pin in contact with the fork member or the lower surface of the arm, and is provided to be able to pull the fork member toward the support pin.

[0017] Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, the inclination of the fork-shaped member can be adjusted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic plan view showing a processing system according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 2 It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a substrate transport device according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figure 3A This is a perspective view showing a portion of an end effector according to one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 3B 1 is a top view showing the end effector.

[0023] Figure 4 It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the end effector and the tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0024] Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing a part of the tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0025] Figure 6A It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the function of the above-mentioned tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0026] Figure 6B It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the function of the above-mentioned tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0027] Figure 6C It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the function of the above-mentioned tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0028] Figure 6D It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the function of the above-mentioned tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0029] Figure 7A It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a part of the above-mentioned tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0030] Figure 7B It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a part of the above-mentioned tilt adjustment mechanism.

[0031] Figure 8 It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the substrate transport device of the second embodiment.

[0032] Figure 9It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a substrate transport device according to a third embodiment.

[0033] Figure 10 It is a side view showing a substrate transport device according to a fourth embodiment.

[0034] Figure 11 It is a side view showing a substrate transport device according to a fifth embodiment.

[0035] Figure 12 It is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a substrate transport device according to a sixth embodiment.

[0036] Figure 13 It is a perspective view showing a part of the reclining mechanism of the sixth embodiment.

[0037] Figure 14 It is a perspective view showing a fork-shaped member that holds the sensor substrate.

[0038] Figure 15 : is a characteristic diagram showing an example of acquisition and prediction of tilt data.

[0039] Figure 16A This is a first side view showing the conveying posture of a wafer when the wafer is conveyed using the substrate conveying apparatus.

[0040] Figure 16B This is a second side view showing the conveying posture of the wafer when the wafer is conveyed using the substrate conveying device.

[0041] Description of Reference Numerals

[0042] W semiconductor wafer

[0043] 2. Substrate conveying device

[0044] 3 End effector

[0045] 31 Fork-shaped component

[0046] 32 Wrist

[0047] 4 arms

[0048] 5. Tilt adjustment mechanism

[0049] 51~53 support pins

[0050] 511, 521 lifting mechanism

[0051] 55 Traction pin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] <Processing system>

[0053] Reference Figure 1, describing an embodiment of a system for processing a wafer as a substrate (hereinafter referred to as a "processing system") of the present invention. Figure 1 This is a schematic top view showing an example of the structure of a processing system 1. The processing system 1 is configured to include a loading module 11, a load lock chamber 12, a vacuum transfer chamber 13, and multiple (e.g., four) vacuum processing chambers 14. The loading module 11 is used to load and unload wafers, serving as substrates. The loading module 11 includes an atmospheric transfer chamber 15, which uses an atmospheric transfer mechanism 21 to transfer wafers. The loading module 11 has multiple (e.g., four) load ports 16 connected to a container 10 (e.g., a FOUP) that stores multiple wafers. Furthermore, two load lock chambers 12, for example, are connected to the atmospheric transfer chamber 15, enabling wafers to be transferred between the container 10 on the load port 16 and the load lock chamber 12 using the atmospheric transfer mechanism 21. Figure 1 In FIG, the mark GV refers to a gate valve.

[0054] The two load lock chambers 12 are connected to an atmospheric transfer chamber 15 and a vacuum transfer chamber 13, respectively, and their interiors are configured to be adjustable between atmospheric pressure and vacuum pressure. The vacuum transfer chambers 13 are maintained at a predetermined vacuum level and are equipped with a vacuum transfer mechanism 22 for transferring wafers between the load lock chambers 12 and the vacuum processing chambers 14. The vacuum processing chambers 14 are processing chambers that store and process wafers. They are configured to perform processes such as etching and film formation on wafers placed on a stage within the vacuum processing chambers 14 under a vacuum environment. Each vacuum processing chamber 14 can be a module that performs the same steps in the manufacturing process, or a module that performs different steps.

[0055] The processing system 1 includes a control unit 100 comprised of a computer and having a program installed. This program is stored on a storage medium such as an optical disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, or DVD, and is installed in the control unit 100. Using this program, the control unit 100 outputs control signals to various components of the processing system 1, thereby controlling the operation of each component. Specifically, the program controls operations such as wafer transport by the substrate transport device 2 (described later) and vacuum processing of wafers in each vacuum processing chamber 14 within the processing system 1. Furthermore, the program organizes step groups to enable the tilt adjustment and teaching of the fork member of the substrate transport device 2 (described later).

[0056] The wafer transport path in this processing system 1 will be briefly described. First, an atmospheric transfer mechanism 21 removes a pre-processed wafer from a container 10 connected to a load port 16 and transfers it to a load lock chamber 12 at atmospheric pressure. Next, the load lock chamber 12 is set to a predetermined vacuum level. The vacuum transfer mechanism 22 then removes the wafer from the load lock chamber 12 and transfers it to a vacuum processing chamber 14, where the wafer is processed. The vacuum transfer mechanism 22 then transfers the processed wafer from the vacuum processing chamber 14 to the load lock chamber 12 set to the predetermined vacuum level. If different steps of the manufacturing process are performed in multiple vacuum processing chambers 14, wafers may be transferred between these multiple vacuum processing chambers 14 before being transferred to the load lock chamber 12. Next, the load lock chamber 12 is adjusted to atmospheric pressure, and the atmospheric transfer mechanism 21 then removes the wafer from the load lock chamber 12 and transfers it to a container 10 connected to the load port 16.

[0057] The substrate transport device (hereinafter referred to as "substrate transport device") 2 of the present invention is a device for transporting wafers between a wafer loading position and the vacuum processing chamber 14, and constitutes at least one of an atmospheric transport mechanism 21 and a vacuum transport mechanism 22. The loading position is a location for loading wafers before and after processing in the vacuum processing chamber 14. Therefore, when the substrate transport device 2 of the present invention is the atmospheric transport mechanism 21, the loading position corresponds to a location where wafers are transported by the atmospheric transport mechanism 21, such as a location within the container 10 on the load port 16 or a wafer loading position within the load lock chamber 12. Furthermore, when the substrate transport device 2 of the present invention is the vacuum transport mechanism 22, the loading position corresponds to a location where wafers are transported by the vacuum transport mechanism 22, such as a wafer loading position within the load lock chamber 12 or a position on a loading table within each vacuum processing chamber 14.

[0058] <First embodiment of substrate transport device>

[0059] Reference Figure 2 、 Figure 3A and Figure 3B The first embodiment of the substrate conveying device 2 will be described by taking the case of being applied to the atmospheric conveying mechanism 21 as an example. The substrate conveying device 2 includes an end effector 3, an arm 4, and a tilt adjustment mechanism 5.

[0060] As shown in these figures, the end effector 3 includes a fork-shaped member 31 for holding a wafer and an arm 32 for holding the base end of the fork-shaped member 31. In this example, the fork-shaped member 31 includes, for example, a front end 311 formed of a plate-like body having a generally U-shape when viewed from above, and a base end 312 connected to the arm 32, and a wafer can be placed on the front end 311 side.

[0061] The arm 32 is formed, for example, from an aluminum plate having a rectangular shape when viewed from above. It is connected to the fork member 31 with the base 312 of the fork member 31 resting on a step 321 formed at its front end. The fork member 31 is mounted so that when the arm 32 is horizontal, the fork member 31 is also horizontal. In this example, the fork member 31 and the arm 32 are formed as separate components, but the fork member 31 and the arm 32 may also be formed integrally.

[0062] make Figure 2 、 Figure 3A and Figure 3B The X direction shown is the front-back direction of the end effector 3, and the Y direction is the left-right direction of the end effector 3, and the front end side of the end effector 3 is set as the front and the base end side as the back. Figure 3A In the figure, reference numeral 33 denotes the roll axis, and reference numeral 34 denotes the pitch axis. The roll axis 33 passes through the left-right center of the fork 31 and the wrist 32 when viewing the end effector 3 from the front, and is the rotation axis for tilting the end effector 3 in the left-right direction. The pitch axis 34 is an axis orthogonal to the roll axis 33 and is the rotation axis for tilting the end effector 3 in the front-back direction.

[0063] The arm 4 is mounted on the end effector 3 and has a mechanism for moving the fork-shaped member 31. In this example, the arm 4 has a structure composed of multiple arm portions connected to each other in a rotatable manner via joints. The multiple arm portions include a first arm portion 41, a second arm portion 42, and a base 43. The first arm portion 41 is rotatably supported on the base 43 via a first joint portion 44. The second arm portion 42 is rotatably supported on the first arm portion 41 via a second joint portion 45. Furthermore, the wrist 32 of the end effector 3 is connected to the second arm portion 42 via a tilt adjustment mechanism 5 and a third joint portion 46.

[0064] The first joint 44, the second joint 45, and the third joint 46 each include a rotation mechanism 47 (in Figure 2In the longitudinal cross-sectional view, the rotation mechanism 47 of the second joint 45 and the third joint 46 is illustrated. The rotation mechanism 47 constitutes a mechanism for moving the fork-shaped component 31. The rotation mechanism 47 is described by taking the second joint 45 as an example. For example, the rotation mechanism 47 includes a rotation shaft 471 connected to the lower surface of the second arm 42, a motor 472 as a driving mechanism, and a gear mechanism 473 that transmits the driving force of the motor 472 to the rotation shaft 471. In this way, by driving the motor 472, the rotation shaft 471 rotates around the vertical axis, so that the second arm 42 is configured to be rotatable. The first joint 44 is also provided with a similar rotation mechanism, so that the first arm 41 is configured to be rotatable, and the third joint 46 is also provided with a similar rotation mechanism 47, so that the end effector 3 is configured to be rotatable via the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 described later. The substrate conveying device 2 also includes, for example, a lifting mechanism not shown in the figure that lifts and lowers the base 43, so that the end effector 3 is configured to be liftable.

[0065] Next, refer to Figure 3B 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5 The tilt adjustment mechanism 5 will now be described. In this example, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 is disposed between the wrist 32 and the arm 4 and is used to adjust the tilt of the fork-shaped member 31. The tilt adjustment mechanism 5 includes three support pins 51, 52, and 53, which are arranged to support the wrist 32 from the bottom surface and are positioned at the vertices of a triangle when viewed from above. In this example, when viewed from above, one of the support pins 51, 52, and 53 is positioned on the roll axis 33, while the remaining two support pins 52 and 53 are positioned symmetrically with respect to each other in the left-right direction across the roll axis 33. The upper ends of these support pins 51 to 53 are formed into, for example, a roughly hemispherical shape.

[0066] like Figure 4 As shown, the lower end sides of the support pins 52 and 53 are connected to the lifting mechanisms 521 and 531. These lifting mechanisms 521 and 531 are equivalent to the height adjustment parts and are composed of, for example, electric cylinders. In this way, by changing the height positions of the upper ends of the two support pins 52 and 53 arranged on the front side, the height positions of the upper ends of the three support pins 51, 52, and 53, including the fixed support pin 51, can be changed relative to each other. On the lower surface of the wrist 32 supported by these support pins 51, 52, and 53, for example, in the area abutting against the upper ends of the support pins 51, 52, and 53, plate-shaped components 541, 542, and 543 are provided. These components 541 to 543 are formed of, for example, stainless steel and are replaceable.

[0067] A housing 6 is provided below the arm 32, and the lifting mechanisms 521 and 531 are disposed within the housing 6. The housing 6 constitutes a portion of the arm 4. The top plate 61 of the housing 6 is positioned horizontally opposite the arm 32. The support pins 52 and 53 connected to the lifting mechanisms 521 and 531 are positioned so as to be raised and lowered by passing through through-holes 62 and 63 formed in the top plate 61, respectively. Meanwhile, the support pin 51 is connected to the upper surface of the top plate 61 of the housing 6, and the height position of its upper end does not change.

[0068] Thus, in this example, the three support pins 51, 52, and 53 include two lift pins that can be independently raised and lowered by lift mechanisms 521 and 531, and a fixed pin whose upper end is fixed in height. Since support pins 52 and 53 are provided as lift pins, and support pin 51 is provided as a fixed pin, they will sometimes be referred to as lift pins 52, 53 and fixed pin 51 below.

[0069] The tilt adjustment mechanism 5 further includes a traction pin 55. In order to maintain the upper end of each support pin 51, 52, 53 in contact with the lower surface of the wrist 32, the traction pin 55 is provided so as to be able to pull the fork-shaped member 31 toward the support pins 51, 52, 53. The traction pin 55 is arranged on the inner side of the triangle formed by the three support pins 51, 52, 53 when viewed from above. Figure 3B and Figure 5 As shown, the traction pin 55 is arranged at the intersection of the roll axis 33 and the pitch axis 34 in the inner region of the triangle when viewed from above.

[0070] The traction pin 55 includes a flange-shaped, expanded head 551 at its upper end. For example, the lower surface of the head 551 is formed into a roughly hemispherical shape, with the pin extending downward from the lower end of the hemispherical head 551. Meanwhile, a through-hole 322 for the traction pin 55 to pass through is formed in the wrist portion 32 in the area opposite the second arm portion 42. The wrist portion 32 also includes an opening 323 connected to the through-hole 322. The upper surface of the opening 323 is formed into a roughly hemispherical shape, corresponding to the shape of the lower surface of the head 551 of the traction pin 55.

[0071] The upper surface of the opening 323 forms the upper surface of the arm portion 32, which abuts the lower surface of the head portion 551 of the traction pin 55. In this example, the component 56 forming the region where the traction pin 55 abuts is made, for example, of stainless steel and is replaceable. Furthermore, the traction pin 55 of this example is configured to be raised and lowered by a lifting portion 552, so that the height position of the upper end of the traction pin 55 changes with the raising and lowering of the lifting pins 52 and 53. The lifting portion 552 is configured, for example, by an electric cylinder.

[0072] The lifting portion 552 is housed within the housing 6, and the traction pin 55 is raised and lowered by passing through the through-hole 64 of the top plate 61 of the housing 6. The lifting portion 552 is configured such that the lower surface of the head portion 551 abuts against the upper surface of the opening 323 formed in the arm portion 32 (the upper surface of the arm portion 32), thereby traction being performed downwardly by the lifting portion 552. The head portion 551 and the opening 323 are hemispherically shaped, enabling traction by the traction pin 55 even when the lower surface of the arm portion 32 is tilted relative to the top plate 61 of the housing 6.

[0073] In addition, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 includes a retractable bellows 65, which is arranged to connect the wrist 32 and the arm 4. The bellows 65 of this example is as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, the bellows 65 is provided between the lower surface of the wrist portion 32 and the top plate 61 of the housing 6 so as to surround the area where the support pins 51 to 53 and the traction pin 55 are provided. As described above, the housing 6 constitutes a part of the arm 4, so it can be said that the bellows 65 is provided to connect the wrist portion 32 and the arm 4.

[0074] By providing bellows 65 in this manner, the area where support pins 51 to 53 and traction pin 55 are raised and lowered can be partitioned, thereby preventing particles from entering this area. Furthermore, for example, components contained in the film formed on the wafer surface during film formation may react with moisture within atmospheric transport chamber 15, generating corrosive gases. Even in such cases where corrosive gases are generated, the corrosive gases are prevented from entering the area where support pins 51 and other components are raised and lowered, thereby preventing these pins 51 and other components from coming into contact with the corrosive gases.

[0075] The substrate transport device 2 is configured such that the control unit 100 controls the movement of the fork member 31 by the arm 4 and the tilt adjustment of the fork member 31 by the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 .

[0076] Next, refer to Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B 、 Figure 6C 、 Figure 6D , the tilt adjustment of the fork member 31 by the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 will be described. In addition, the arm 32 and the housing 6 are simplified in these figures.

[0077] Figure 6A and Figure 6B An example is shown in which the arm 32 rotates about the pitch axis 34 and the fork member 31 tilts in the front-rear direction. Figure 6A This is an example of tilt adjustment so that the tip of the fork 31 is higher than the base. In this case, the top ends of the lift pins 52 and 53 are set higher than the top end of the fixed pin 51 and coincide with each other. Figure 6BThis is an example of tilt adjustment so that the tip of the fork 31 is lower than the base. In this case, the top ends of the lift pins 52 and 53 are lower than the top end of the fixed pin 51 and coincide with each other.

[0078] Figure 6C and Figure 6D An example is shown in which the arm 32 rotates about the roll axis 33 and the fork member 31 tilts in the left-right direction. Figure 6C This is an example of tilt adjustment so that the left side is higher than the right side when viewed from the front of the fork member 31 . In this case, the upper end of the lift pin 53 is set higher than the upper end of the lift pin 52 . Figure 6D This is an example of tilt adjustment so that the left side is lower than the right side when viewed from the front of the fork member 31 . In this case, the upper end of the lift pin 53 is set to a lower height than the upper end of the lift pin 52 .

[0079] Furthermore, by combining the rotation about the pitch axis 34 and the rotation about the roll axis 33 , the fork member 31 can be tilted obliquely in a direction not along these axes 34 , 33 .

[0080] In the tilt adjustment mechanism 5, the lifting pins 52 and 53 function as push screws that push the wrist 32 upward from the lower surface, and the pulling pin 55 functions as a pulling screw that pulls the wrist 32 toward the side of these lifting pins 52 and the like. Therefore, when the tilt of the fork-shaped member 31 is adjusted using the tilt adjustment mechanism 5, the lower surface of the wrist 32 can be kept in contact with the upper ends of the lifting pins 52 and 53 and the fixing pin 51. Therefore, the posture of the fork-shaped member 31 after the tilt adjustment can be stably maintained. In addition, as Figures 6A to 6D As shown, the upper ends of the lift pins 52 and 53 and the fixing pin 51 are formed into a substantially hemispherical shape. Therefore, even if the arm 32 tilts relative to the housing 6 , the upper ends of the lift pins 52 and the like can maintain contact with the lower surface of the arm 32 .

[0081] The height of the traction pin 55 changes in accordance with the height of the lift pins 52 and 53. Thus, even if the height of the lift pins 52 and 53 changes, the traction pin 55 can be pulled downward by the lift unit 552. For example, the traction pin 55 is pulled downward with a constant force by the lift unit 552, so that even if the height of the lift pins 52 and 53 changes, the upper ends of the lift pins 52 and 53 always contact the lower surface of the arm 32.

[0082] Alternatively, the height position of the traction pin 55 can be controlled in conjunction with the other lift pins 52 and 53. In this case, for example, correspondence data is pre-acquired that correlates the height positions of the upper ends of the lift pins 52 and 53 with the corresponding height positions of the upper ends of the traction pin 55. Thus, when setting the height positions of the lift pins 52 and 53, for example, the control unit 100 can control the lifting unit 552 so that the traction pin 55 reaches an appropriate height position.

[0083] Here, when the lower surface of the wrist portion 32 is tilted from horizontal by adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member 31, the positional relationship between the traction pin 55 and the wrist portion 32 changes. Therefore, by forming the contact area between the head 551 and the wrist portion 32 into a hemispherical shape so that the head 551 can move relative to the opening 323, the wrist portion 32 can be pulled downward even if the wrist portion 32 is tilted relative to the housing 6.

[0084] In this manner, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can adjust the tilt of the fork member 31 about both the pitch axis 34 and the roll axis 33. Furthermore, one of the three support pins 51 to 53 is a fixed pin 51 whose upper end is fixed in height. Therefore, this fixed pin 51 serves as a reference for the height position, making it possible to easily adjust the tilt of the fork member 31.

[0085] <Other examples>

[0086] In the above-mentioned substrate conveying device 2, it is also possible to Figure 7A and Figure 7B As shown, a recessed portion for positioning the support pin is formed on the lower surface of the arm portion 32 , and the upper end of the support pin is configured to be able to fit into the recessed portion. Figure 7A and Figure 7B 1 and 2 show examples of recessed portions formed on the lower surface of the arm 32. These recessed portions are formed on the lower surfaces of components 541 to 543 provided in regions of the arm 32 that contact the upper ends of the support pins 51 to 53.

[0087] Figure 7A This example shows a conical recess 33, and the upper ends 57 of the support pins 51-53 are configured to fit within the concave recess 33. When the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 is used to adjust the tilt of the fork member 31, as described above, the positional relationship between the support pins 51-53 and the arm 32 changes. Therefore, the shapes of the support pins 51-53 are designed to accommodate this change. In this example, since the support pins 51-53 are positioned when in contact with the arm 32, positioning accuracy is improved, allowing for reliable tilt adjustment of the fork member 31 using the tilt adjustment mechanism 5.

[0088] in addition, Figure 7BThe figure shows an example in which a roughly hemispherical recess 34 is formed, and a ball 58 is provided between the support pins 51 to 53 and the recess 34. The area 59 of the support pins 51 to 53 that contacts the ball 58 is formed into a spherical shape in a manner corresponding to the ball 58. In this case, the support pins 51 to 53 contact the arm 32 via the ball 58, so the upper ends of the support pins 51 to 53 correspond to the ball 58, and the recess 34 is formed into a shape that can fit with the ball 58. In this example, the positional accuracy of the support pins 51 to 53 when contacting the arm 32 is also improved. In addition, the support pins 51 to 53 contact the arm 32 via the rotatable ball 58, so that compared with the case where the recess 34 directly contacts the support pins 51 to 53, wear on both can be suppressed.

[0089] According to the substrate transport apparatus 2 described above, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can adjust the relative height of the upper ends of the support pins 51-53 while pulling the fork member 31 toward the support pins 51-53 using the pulling pin 55. Therefore, the tilt of the fork member 31 can be adjusted while maintaining contact between the upper ends of the support pins 51-53 and the lower surface of the arm 32. As a result, the tilt of the fork member 31 can be adjusted with high precision, and the posture of the fork member 31 after tilt adjustment can be maintained in a stable state.

[0090] In recent years, as substrates, or semiconductor wafers, have become larger in diameter, the fork member 31 has tended to become longer, and the tilt (deflection) of the fork member 31 has increased. Furthermore, to reduce the footprint of the processing system 1, it is necessary to remove and store wafers stacked vertically in multiple layers at narrow intervals. This has led to an increasing demand for maintaining the fork member 31 at a highly precise level. As described above, the substrate transport device 2 of the present invention is capable of highly precise adjustment of the tilt of the fork member 31. Therefore, even in cases where the fork member 31 is significantly tilted, the fork member 31 can be adjusted to be horizontal with high precision.

[0091] <Second embodiment of substrate transport device>

[0092] Next, refer to Figure 8, the second embodiment of the substrate conveying device is described by taking the case of application to the vacuum conveying mechanism 22 as an example. The substrate conveying device 2A of this example is constructed so that in the top plate 61 constituting the housing 6, at the through-holes 62, 63, and 64 through which the support pins 52, 53, and the traction pin 55 pass, there are respectively provided sealing components 66 (661, 662, 663) composed of, for example, O-rings. The sealing component 66 serves to isolate the internal space of the housing 6 from the external vacuum atmosphere. The support pins 52, 53, and the traction pin 55 pass through the top plate 61 constituting the housing 6 and are inserted into the area of ​​the vacuum atmosphere surrounded by the bellows 65. The other structures are constructed in the same manner as the first embodiment described above.

[0093] According to this structure, the area where the support pins 52, 53 and the traction pin 55 are raised and lowered is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere by the sealing member 66 and the bellows 65, and the lifting mechanisms 521, 531 and the lifting portion 552 are arranged within the housing 6, which is isolated from the vacuum atmosphere. Therefore, compared to the case where the lifting mechanism 521 and the like are arranged in a vacuum atmosphere, when the tilt of the fork member 31 is adjusted in a vacuum atmosphere, there is no need to separately provide the lifting mechanism 521 and the like with a structure capable of handling a vacuum atmosphere, and a simpler structure can be adopted.

[0094] <Third Embodiment of Substrate Transport Device>

[0095] Next, refer to Figure 9 The third embodiment of the substrate transport device will be described, using the case of a vacuum transport mechanism 22 as an example. The substrate transport device 2B in this example is constructed to include a cover member that seals the through-hole 322 of the arm 32. The through-hole 322 allows the traction pin 55 to pass through the arm 32A. The cover member is positioned above the head 551 to seal the through-hole 322. In this example, the cover member 324 forms the upper surface of the arm 32A. The lower side of the cover member 324 forms a recess 35 formed from the lower surface of the arm 32A. This recess 35 forms the through-hole 322 and an opening corresponding in shape to the lower surface of the head 551 of the traction pin 55. Thus, the upper side of the head 551 is sealed by the cover member 324 formed by the upper surface of the arm 32A. This structure allows the area surrounded by the bellows 65 and the interior space of the housing 6 to be isolated from the external vacuum atmosphere. The other structures are configured in the same manner as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0096] In this example, the lifting mechanisms 521 and 531 of the support pins 52 and 53 and the lifting portion 552 of the traction pin 55 are also located within the housing 6, which is isolated from the vacuum atmosphere. Therefore, compared to the case where the lifting mechanism 521 and other components are located within the vacuum atmosphere, a simpler structure can be used when adjusting the tilt of the fork member 31 within the vacuum atmosphere. Furthermore, by welding the bellows 65 to the lower surface of the wrist 32 and the top plate 61 of the housing 6, respectively, a higher degree of vacuum can be maintained.

[0097] <Fourth embodiment of substrate transport device>

[0098] Reference Figure 10 The fourth embodiment of the substrate conveying device will be described below, taking the case of an atmospheric conveying mechanism 21 as an example. The substrate conveying device 2C of this example is configured to include an arm-side tilt adjustment mechanism 7 for adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member 31. The arm-side tilt adjustment mechanism 7 is connected to one arm and adjusts the tilt of another arm located closer to the fork-shaped member 31 than the one arm, thereby adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member 31 at the front end.

[0099] Specifically, the substrate transport device 2C includes a first arm tilt adjustment mechanism 71 for adjusting the tilt of the first arm portion 41 and a second arm tilt adjustment mechanism 72 for adjusting the tilt of the second arm portion 42. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base 43 constituting a portion of the arm 4 is also regarded as constituting an arm portion to which the first arm portion 41 is rotatably connected via the first joint portion 44.

[0100] In this case, the first arm tilt adjustment mechanism 71 is connected to the base 43 constituting one arm portion via the first joint portion 44, and is configured to adjust the tilt of the fork member 31 by adjusting the tilt of the first arm portion 41, which is the other arm portion. The second arm tilt adjustment mechanism 72 is connected to the first arm portion 41 constituting one arm portion via the second joint portion 45, and is configured to adjust the tilt of the fork member 31 by adjusting the tilt of the second arm portion 42, which is the other arm portion.

[0101] These first arm adjustment mechanism 71 and second arm adjustment mechanism 72 are constructed in the same manner as the above-mentioned tilt adjustment mechanism 5. Figure 10In the example shown, the second arm tilt adjustment mechanism 72 includes three arm support pins 731-733, which are provided to support the second arm 42, the other arm, from the bottom surface. These pins are located at the vertices of a triangle when viewed from above. These three arm support pins 731-733 are configured so that the height positions of their respective top ends can be adjusted relative to one another using a lifting mechanism 74, which constitutes the arm height adjustment unit. In this example, one of the three arm support pins 731-733 is configured as an arm fixing pin 731, which maintains the top end at a constant height position. An arm pulling pin 75 is also located within the triangle. To maintain contact between the top ends of the three arm support pins 731-733 and the bottom surface of the second arm 42, the arm pulling pin 75 is configured to pull the second arm 42 toward the arm support pins 731-733.

[0102] The shape of the head portion 751 at the upper end of the arm pulling pin 75 and the shape of the component 421 provided on the second arm portion 42 side and in contact with the lower surface of the head portion 751 of the arm pulling pin 75 are similar to those of the pulling pin 5 of the first embodiment. Figure 10 In the figure, reference numeral 76 denotes a lifting portion that changes the height position of the upper end of the arm pulling pin 75, reference numeral 77 denotes a shell, and 78 denotes a bellows, which are constructed in the same manner as the lifting portion 552, shell 6, and bellows 65 of the first embodiment.

[0103] According to this structure, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 and the arm tilt adjustment mechanism 7 can be used to share the load of adjusting the tilt of the fork member 31. Therefore, for example, the arm tilt adjustment mechanism 7 can be used to adjust the tilt of the entire arm 4, and the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can be used to adjust the tilt of the fork member 31, thereby reducing the respective adjustment amounts and making the adjustment easier. In addition, even when the tilt of the fork member 31 is large, by having the arm 4 bear part of the adjustment amount, it is possible to achieve a functional division such as coarse adjustment on the arm side and fine adjustment on the fork member 31 side. In addition, as the arm tilt adjustment mechanism 7, at least one of the first arm tilt adjustment mechanism 71 and the second arm tilt adjustment mechanism 72 is sufficient.

[0104] <Fifth Embodiment of Substrate Transport Device>

[0105] Reference Figure 11The following describes the differences between the fifth embodiment of the substrate transport device and the above embodiments. In this embodiment, a substrate transport mechanism 2D having multiple (e.g., two) end effectors is provided. A tilt adjustment mechanism 5 is provided between the wrist 32C of the lower end effector 3C and the arm 4 (in this embodiment, the second arm 42). The upper and lower end effectors 3B and 3C are configured similarly to the end effector 3 of the first embodiment, with the wrist 32B of the upper end effector 3B being attached to the wrist 32C of the lower end effector 3C. The tilt adjustment mechanism 5 and other components are configured similarly to those of the above-described first embodiment.

[0106] In this structure, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can adjust the tilt of the lower fork member 31 via the lower arm 32C. Furthermore, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can adjust the tilt of the upper arm 32B via the lower arm 32C, thereby simultaneously adjusting the tilt of the upper fork member 31.

[0107] <Sixth embodiment of substrate transport device>

[0108] Reference Figure 12 and Figure 13 , the differences between the sixth embodiment of the substrate conveying device and the above-mentioned embodiments will be described. In the substrate conveying device 2E of this example, in the tilt adjustment mechanism 8, the three support pins 81, 82, and 83 can be independently raised and lowered by the lifting mechanisms 811, 821, and 831 that constitute the height adjustment unit. In addition, the traction pin 84 is composed of a fixed pin with a fixed height position at the upper end, and is fixedly provided on, for example, the upper surface of the top plate 61 of the housing 6. Except that the support pins 81 to 83 are configured to be liftable and the height of the upper end of the traction pin 84 is fixed, the structure is the same as the first embodiment.

[0109] In this configuration, by aligning the height positions of the upper ends of support pins 82 and 83 and varying these height positions relative to the height position of the upper end of support pin 81, the arm 32 can be rotated about the pitch axis 34, thereby adjusting the fore-aft tilt of the fork member 31. Furthermore, by setting the height position of the upper end of support pin 81 to the position when the arm 32 is horizontal, for example, and varying the height positions of the upper ends of support pins 82 and 83 relative to each other, the arm 32 can be rotated about the roll axis 33, thereby adjusting the left-right tilt of the fork member 31.

[0110] <Substrate transport device control unit>

[0111] Next, we will describe the teaching process using this substrate transport device 2. As mentioned above, as wafer diameters increase, the tilt of the fork member 31 increases. In a substrate transport device 2 using a multi-jointed arm, the tilt of the fork member 31 changes with its posture, requiring adjustment of the tilt to match the posture of the fork member 31 during transport. Furthermore, the fork member 31 must be horizontal during wafer transfer. To increase throughput by transporting wafers at high speeds, this also requires teaching the fork member 31 to maintain a horizontal position.

[0112] During this teaching process, the control unit 100 is configured to acquire tilt data indicating the direction and magnitude of tilt relative to the basic posture from the sensor substrate 8 (described later). Furthermore, based on the tilt data acquired while the sensor substrate 8 is being transported from the wafer's starting point to its destination, the control unit 100 is configured to control the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 to offset the tilt of the fork member 31 during wafer transport. Furthermore, using the sensor substrate 8, the control unit 100 can determine the deviation between the position of the sensor substrate 8 as determined by the control unit 100 and the actual position of the sensor substrate 8, and perform control to offset this deviation. Data transmission and reception between the sensor substrate 8 and the control unit 100 is performed, for example, via wireless communication.

[0113] The sensor substrate 8 is configured to be transported while being held by the fork member 31 and is provided with an acceleration sensor 81 for detecting the direction and magnitude of the tilt relative to the basic posture. Figure 14 As shown, the sensor substrate 8 is formed into, for example, the same shape as a wafer, and is provided with an acceleration sensor 81. As the acceleration sensor 81, for example, the structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-264053 is adopted, which includes, for example, a movable structure movable in three dimensions and can detect changes in stress corresponding to the movement of the movable structure as changes in resistance.

[0114] The accelerometer 81 detects the components of the acceleration acting on it in the X, Y, and Z axes and outputs them to the control unit 100. Based on the acceleration detected by the accelerometer 81, the vector components of the gravitational acceleration generated by the tilt relative to the base posture can be detected, thereby obtaining tilt data indicating the direction and magnitude of the tilt relative to the base posture. The base posture refers to the posture of the fork member 31 that is horizontal in both the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. When the accelerometer 81 is placed on the fork member 31 in this posture, the posture of the accelerometer 81 is the base posture. Therefore, the tilt data acquired by the sensor substrate 8 indicates the direction and magnitude of the tilt of the fork member 31 relative to the base posture.

[0115] Furthermore, based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 81, acceleration data indicating the direction and magnitude of the inertial force exerted by the movement of the sensor substrate 8 can be obtained. Based on this acceleration data, position data of the sensor substrate 8 can be determined. For example, this position data includes the position of the sensor substrate 8 in the X, Y, and Z axes as it is conveyed by the fork member 31. This position data can be obtained by determining the movement velocity based on the acceleration data acting in each axis and integrating this movement velocity over time.

[0116] For example, in the tilt data, regarding the tilt and size in the front-to-back direction around the pitch axis 34, the basic posture (horizontal) is set to "0", the tilt when the front is lowered is set to positive, and the tilt when the front is raised is set to negative. In addition, regarding the tilt and size in the left-to-right direction around the roll axis 33, the basic posture is set to "0", the tilt when the left is lowered is set to negative, and the tilt when the left is raised is set to positive. The directions of each tilt are also recorded in Figure 3A 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 13 middle.

[0117] <First teaching example>

[0118] Next, we will describe a first example of a training exercise performed on the substrate transport device 2 of the present invention, using a sensor substrate 8. This training exercise is used to move the fork member 31 along a pre-set transport path while maintaining its basic (horizontal) posture when transporting wafers from a starting point to a destination. This training exercise is performed, for example, during device startup or after maintenance. In this training exercise, the sensor substrate 8, equipped with, for example, an acceleration sensor 81, is configured to have the same weight as the wafer.

[0119] In the following example, a case is described in which a sensor substrate 8 is held on a fork 31 and transported by the atmospheric transport mechanism 21, serving as the substrate transport device 2, to acquire tilt data. The transport path is described as follows: the sensor substrate 8 is transported from the container 10 at the load port 16, which is the wafer's starting point, to the load lock chamber 12, which is the wafer's destination. Alternatively, a case can be described in which the sensor substrate 8 is transported to the load lock chamber 12, serving as the wafer's starting point, and the vacuum transport mechanism 22, serving as the substrate transport device 2, is used to transport the sensor substrate 8 to a destination, such as any vacuum processing chamber 14, to acquire tilt data. In this case, the atmospheric transport mechanism 21 removes the sensor substrate 8 from the container 10, and while the sensor substrate 8 is mounted on the fork 31, transports it from the starting point to the destination at a predetermined height. In this case, the acceleration acting on the sensor substrate 8 is constantly detected by the sensor substrate 8 and output to the control unit 100.

[0120] The control unit 100 then generates the aforementioned tilt data, acceleration data, and position data based on the accelerations acting in various directions obtained from the sensor substrate 8. A step is then performed to control the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 to offset the tilt of the fork member 31 during wafer transport. Furthermore, any discrepancies between the position on the transport path (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "transport position") determined by the control unit 100 and the actual position data are offset by controlling the rotation mechanism 47 of the fork member 31 and the arm 4, and the lifting and lowering mechanism and movement mechanism of the base 43.

[0121] An example of controlling the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 will be described. For example, the control unit 100 associates the tilt data acquired from the sensor substrate 8 with the position information of the sensor substrate 8 held by the atmospheric conveyance mechanism 21. As described above, the position of the sensor substrate 8 can be determined based on the position information used by the control unit 100 to control the conveyance of the atmospheric conveyance mechanism 21 and the position data acquired using the acceleration sensor 81.

[0122] Furthermore, if the arm 4 or fork 31 tilts, even if the base 43 is raised to the preset height, the sensor substrate 8 may not reach the preset height. In this case, a discrepancy occurs between the position information used in the transport control of the atmospheric transport mechanism 21 and the position data acquired by the acceleration sensor 81. Therefore, in this teaching, this discrepancy is acquired and used to correct the position information used in the transport control.

[0123] The position information on the control unit 100 side is obtained based on the extension and extension, rotation, and lifting and lowering and movement of the arm 4 and fork member 31. The tilt data and position data obtained using the sensor substrate 8 are associated with the conveying position determined by the control unit 100. Based on the tilt data, the direction and magnitude of the tilt of the fork member 31 relative to the basic posture at each position on the conveying path can be determined. In addition, based on the position data of the sensor substrate 8, the actual position of the sensor substrate 8 held by the fork member 31 is determined. Therefore, at each conveying position, the direction and magnitude of the tilt of the fork member 31 at that position, as well as the direction and amount of deviation between the actual position of the sensor substrate 8 and the conveying position determined by the control unit 100, are determined. Then, correction data is generated to offset these tilts and conveying position deviations, so that the fork member 31 is in the basic posture at the correct conveying position.

[0124] As described above, the control unit 100 acquires tilt data that can identify the direction and magnitude of tilt for the front-to-back direction. Consequently, it generates correction data for controlling the tilt so that the tilt correction amount is equal to the tilt magnitude, and the direction of the correction is opposite to the tilt data. Similarly, the control unit 100 acquires tilt data that can identify the direction and magnitude of tilt for the left-to-right direction. It then generates correction data for controlling the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 so that the tilt correction amount is equal to the tilt magnitude, and the direction of the correction is opposite to the tilt data. In this manner, correction data for the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 is generated at each conveying position.

[0125] Furthermore, regarding the deviation between the conveyance position grasped by the control unit 100 and the position data of the sensor substrate 8 , correction data is generated to cancel the deviation.

[0126] As an example, let's describe a case where, when arms 4 are extended, the load from sensor substrate 8 causes each arm 4 to flex toward fork member 31, causing it to "droop." In this case, simply adjusting the pitch direction using tilt adjustment mechanism 5 will not necessarily correct the deviation in wafer holding height caused by this arm 4 flexure. Therefore, as already explained, correction data is generated so that fork member 31 is horizontally adjusted using tilt adjustment mechanism 5 and the Z-axis height of fork member 31 is corrected using the base 43's lifting mechanism.

[0127] Next, to confirm the results of the correction, the sensor substrate 8 is held on the fork 31 of the atmospheric conveying mechanism 21. Based on the generated correction data, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 and other mechanisms are controlled, and the sensor substrate 8 is conveyed from the conveyance origin (container 10) to the conveyance destination (load lock chamber 12). At each conveyance position, the system confirms that the roll and pitch tilts are within the permissible tilt range and that the fork 31 maintains a substantially horizontal basic posture. The teaching process then ends.

[0128] In this example, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 is controlled based on the tilt data of the fork member 31 acquired while the sensor substrate 8 is being transported from the wafer transport origin to the wafer transport destination. Therefore, the tilt of the fork member 31 can be determined even in the midst of wafer transport by the substrate transport device 2. Furthermore, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 is controlled to offset the tilt of the fork member 31 during wafer transport, making it possible to easily teach all postures during wafer transport.

[0129] In the present teaching, the tilt of the fork member 31 about the pitch axis 34 and the tilt about the roll axis 33 can be adjusted by the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 .

[0130] Furthermore, in this teaching, the positional deviation between the position data of the sensor substrate 8 and the positional information on the transport path obtained from the control unit 100 is determined. The arm 4 and the lifting mechanism of the base 43 of the substrate transport device 2 are then controlled to compensate for this positional deviation. This allows the wafer to be transported along the pre-set transport path even when the arm 4 is deflected by the load of a wafer weighing the same as the sensor substrate 8. This prevents the wafer from being transported along a path that deviates from the correct transport path due to deflection, which could lead to problems such as the wafer contacting other equipment.

[0131] Furthermore, since teaching can be performed while the sensor substrate 8 is being transported, the time required for teaching can be shortened. Furthermore, when an operator performs teaching, teaching may be difficult in narrow spaces within the processing system 1 that the operator cannot enter. In contrast, according to this example method, since teaching is performed while the sensor substrate 8 is held and transported by the substrate transport mechanism 2, teaching can be performed along the entire path of wafer transport.

[0132] <Second teaching example>

[0133] The control unit 100 can also be configured to correct the amount of offset of the tilt of the fork member 31 according to the weight of the wafer or other transported object based on the tilt data acquired using the sensor substrate 8 as described above. In the following description, for example, the sensor substrate 8 on which the acceleration sensor 81 is provided is configured to be heavier than the wafer.

[0134] In this case, the weight of the transported object is varied, and teaching is performed at least twice. For example, in the first teaching, the sensor substrate 8 is placed on the fork member 31 and transported from the transport starting point to the transport destination. Similar to the first example, acceleration data and tilt data are acquired from the sensor substrate 8. Based on the acceleration data, position data of the sensor substrate 8 can be acquired. These acceleration data, tilt data, and position data are then associated with the position information of the sensor substrate 8. Here, the position information of the sensor substrate 8 is obtained from the control unit 100. As mentioned above, this position information can be determined based on the extension and rotation of the arm 4 and fork member 31, and the lifting and moving amount of the base 43, similar to the first example. Next, a second teaching is performed using the same method as the first teaching, except that the sensor substrate 8, carrying a counterweight, is held on the fork member 31 during teaching. As a result, the acceleration data, tilt data, and position data can be associated with the position information of the sensor substrate 8, even when the weight of the transported object is different from the first teaching.

[0135] Figure 15Indicates the tilt data related to the tilt in the pitch direction obtained in the above-mentioned two teachings. Figure 15 In , the horizontal axis represents the distance along the conveying path (conveyance position) from the position of the conveying destination (starting position), and the vertical axis represents the tilt in the pitch direction. Figure 15 In FIG. 1 , the solid line represents tilt data D1 acquired using the sensor substrate 8 , and the dashed-dotted line represents tilt data D2 acquired using the sensor substrate 8 on which a weight is placed.

[0136] The positive (+) direction of the pitch direction tilt is the direction in which the front end of the fork-shaped member 31 droops, and a larger value indicates a larger droop. For example, there is a tendency that the droop of the fork-shaped member 31 increases when the arm 4 is extended, and the droop of the fork-shaped member 31 decreases when the arm 4 is retracted. Figure 5 It is also seen that the sagging increases as the load of the conveyed object increases, and the sagging decreases as the load decreases.

[0137] In addition, the Figure 15 The data are given for the sake of convenience of explanation and do not represent the actual sagging state change of the fork member 31.

[0138] Thus, there is a correlation between the weight of the object carried on the fork member 31 and the tilt data. While the fork member 31 tilts in the same direction at all conveying positions, as mentioned above, the heavier the object, the greater the tilt. Therefore, by acquiring tilt data for both conveying the sensor substrate 8 and conveying the sensor substrate 8 with a weight attached, the relationship between weight and tilt data can be understood. Thus, for conveyed objects with a weight different from that of the sensor substrate 8, an estimated value of the fork member 31 tilt data corresponding to the weight of the object can be acquired.

[0139] exist Figure 15 In the figure, the thin dashed line D3 represents the estimated value of the tilt data of a wafer lighter than the sensor substrate 8, and the thick dashed line D4 represents the estimated value of the tilt data of an object being transported that is heavier than the sensor substrate 8. An example of an object being transported that is heavier than the sensor substrate 8 is a case where a replacement component such as a focus ring placed on a mounting table in the vacuum processing chamber 14 is transported by the substrate transport device 2.

[0140] The control unit 8 is configured to correct the amount of offsetting the tilt of the fork member 31 to be achieved by the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 based on the tilt data acquired based on the weight of the transport object. The correction of the amount of offsetting the tilt of the fork member 31 can be performed, for example, by determining the amount of offsetting the tilt of the fork member to be achieved by the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 when the transport object is being transported based on an estimated value of the tilt data.

[0141] For example, consider a case where the tilt θ in the pitch direction of the two acquired tilt data D1 and D2 varies linearly with the weight w of the object being transported. For example, let the weight of sensor substrate 8 be W1, the weight of the counterweight be W, and let the tilt of tilt data D1 at a certain transport position be θ(D1), and the tilt of tilt data D2 be θ(D2). In this case, the tilt θ of fork member 31 at any transport position while transporting the object can be given by the following equation (1).

[0142] θ=θ(D1)+[(θ(D2)-θ(D1)) / W]*(w-W1)……(1)

[0143] The control unit 100 generates correction data for the posture of the fork member 31 so as to offset the tilt θ calculated using the above method. While the example of adjusting the tilt in the pitch direction has been described here, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can also be used to correct the tilt in the roll direction based on the weight of the object being transported.

[0144] Next, a method for correcting the position deviation of the position information on the conveying path obtained from the control unit 100 based on the position data obtained using the above-mentioned two teachings will be described. For example, when the output of the motor of the rotating mechanism 47 that drives the arm 4, the lifting mechanism of the base 43, and the moving mechanism is constant, the heavier the weight of the conveyed object, the smaller the acceleration acting on the conveyed object. Therefore, the correspondence between the weight of the conveyed object and the acceleration acting on the conveyed object can be grasped through two teachings. As a result, even if the actual weight of the conveyed object is different from the weight at the time of the two teachings, the acceleration data acting on the conveyed object at each conveying position can be estimated. For example, the estimated value of the acceleration data can be obtained by interpolating / extrapolating the changes in the above-mentioned correspondence during teaching.

[0145] After obtaining the estimated acceleration data, the position data can be estimated by calculating the object's moving speed and integrating it over time. This is similar to the teaching in the first example, as it determines the direction and amount of the deviation between the conveying position determined by the control unit 100 and the object's position data. Correction data is then generated to offset this deviation.

[0146] According to the second example, even without actually using the sensor substrate 8 having the same weight as the conveyed object to obtain tilt data, the amount of offset of the tilt of the fork member 31 to be achieved by the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can be grasped, and teaching can be easily performed.

[0147] <Example of wafer transport method>

[0148] This example is implemented to prevent the wafer held by the fork member 31 from moving from its pre-set holding position due to inertial forces acting on the wafer when the wafer is moved in the lateral direction. The lateral direction refers to the horizontal direction, including both the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. In this example, the control unit 100 is configured to control the tilt of the fork member 31 using the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 so that, when viewed along the wafer conveyance direction, the front end of the wafer is positioned at a lower height than the rear end.

[0149] like Figure 16A As shown, when the arm 4 moves forward while holding the wafer at the fork-shaped member 31, the wafer is accelerated and subjected to inertial force, and there is a case where the wafer moves backward from the holding position. Figure 16B As shown, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 is used to control the tilt of the fork member 31 so that the height of the front end of the wafer is lower than the height of the rear end. By tilting the fork member 31 in this way, even if the wafer is accelerated, the inertial force causing it to move backward acts as a force pressing the wafer against the fork member 31, thereby suppressing the wafer from moving from the holding position. In this example, the tilt amount of the fork member 31 can be determined through preliminary experiments, etc., wherein when the fork member 31 holding the wafer is moved in a state generating acceleration, this tilt amount can suppress the wafer from moving backward from the holding position. Furthermore, data correlating acceleration, the location where the acceleration occurs, and the tilt amount can be obtained. Based on this data, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 can be used to control the tilt of the fork member 31 at a location where acceleration that may cause the wafer to move occurs.

[0150] Furthermore, for example, when arm 4 is moved backward while holding a wafer on fork 31, there is a possibility that the wafer may move forward from its holding position due to inertia. Therefore, to prevent this, control unit 100 is configured to control the tilt of fork 31 using tilt adjustment mechanism 5 so that the front end of the wafer is higher than the rear end. By tilting fork 31 so that it rises in the direction in which the wafer moves due to inertia, a state is created in which the wafer is less likely to move forward, thereby preventing the wafer from moving from its holding position.

[0151] Furthermore, for example, when the arm 4 is rotated while holding a wafer on the fork member 31, the wafer may move from the holding position in the direction opposite to the rotation direction due to inertia. To prevent this, the control unit 100 is configured to control the fork member 31 to tilt in the left-right direction using the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 so that the height position of the front end side in the rotation direction is lower than the height position of the rear end side when viewed along the wafer conveyance direction (rotation direction).

[0152] In recent years, as a measure to prevent particle contamination and organic contamination during transport and to transport high-temperature wafers, ceramics have been used to hold the backside of the wafer. However, this structure makes it difficult to transport the wafer at high speed because the wafer easily slips.

[0153] In this example, the tilt adjustment mechanism 5 controls the tilt of the fork 31 to suppress wafer movement on the fork 31 due to inertial forces. Therefore, even when the wafer transport speed is increased and the wafer is subjected to significant inertial forces, wafer movement due to inertial forces can be suppressed, improving transport accuracy. This enables high-speed wafer transport, contributing to increased throughput.

[0154] In each embodiment described above, the tilt adjustment mechanism can also be provided between the fork-shaped member and the wrist in the substrate conveying device. In this case, the support pin is provided to support the fork-shaped member from the lower surface side. In addition, in the case where the traction pin has a head extending in a flange shape, the traction pin is configured to pass through the fork-shaped member opposite to the wrist so that the lower surface of the head abuts against the upper surface of the fork-shaped member and traction is performed downward. In addition, in the case of Figure 7A 、 Figure 7B In the case where a recess for positioning the support pin is provided as shown, the recess is provided on the lower surface of the fork-shaped member, and the bellows is provided in a manner connected between the fork-shaped member and the wrist.

[0155] In addition, the support pins are respectively arranged at positions forming the vertices of a triangle when viewed from above, and the traction pin is located inside the triangle. In the above example, the fixed pin is located on the roll axis when viewed from above, and the traction pin is located at the point where the roll axis and the pitch axis intersect when viewed from above, but it is not limited to this arrangement. For example, the traction pin can also be arranged at the point where the roll axis and the pitch axis intersect when viewed from above, and the three support pins can be arranged at positions deviated from the direction along the roll axis when viewed from above. In addition, all the support pins and the traction pins can also be arranged at positions deviated from the direction along the roll axis and the pitch axis when viewed from above. In addition, in the case where there are four or more support pins, as long as the following arrangement relationship is included, it is included in the technical scope of the present invention, and the arrangement relationship is that there are support pins respectively arranged at positions forming the vertices of a triangle when viewed from above, and the traction pin is located inside the above-mentioned triangle.

[0156] In the above example, the traction pin is configured so that the height position of its upper end can be changed by a lifting unit. However, the traction pin can also be configured so that a spring pulls the traction pin toward the support pin. Furthermore, instead of forming the lower surface of the traction pin head into a spherical shape, the lower surface of the head can be formed into a conical shape, and a curved surface can be formed on the wrist portion to receive the conical lower surface of the head.

[0157] Alternatively, the arm may have a single arm portion, and the shape of the fork-shaped member is not limited to being U-shaped when viewed from above. Furthermore, providing a rotation mechanism between the end effector and the arm portion is not a necessary feature. Furthermore, when the substrate transport device is an atmospheric transport mechanism, and the impact of particle intrusion is minimal, a bellows connecting the fork-shaped member to the wrist portion, or between the wrist portion and the arm portion, is not necessary. Furthermore, the aforementioned embodiments may be combined with one another.

[0158] Other Applications

[0159] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered restrictive. The embodiments described above may be omitted, replaced, modified, or combined in various ways without departing from the appended claims and the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A device for conveying a substrate, characterized in that: include: an end effector having a fork-shaped member for holding the substrate and a wrist for holding a root end of the fork-shaped member; an arm capable of mounting the end effector and having a mechanism for moving the fork-shaped member; as well as A tilt adjustment mechanism is provided between the fork-shaped member and the wrist, or between the wrist and the arm, for adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member. The tilt adjustment mechanism comprises: three support pins, the three support pins being provided to support the fork-shaped member or the wrist from the lower surface side, and being respectively arranged at positions forming vertices of a triangle when viewed from above; a height adjustment portion capable of changing the height positions of the upper ends of the three support pins relative to each other; and A traction pin is arranged inside the triangle in order to maintain the upper end of each support pin in contact with the fork-shaped member or the lower surface of the wrist, and is provided to be able to pull the fork-shaped member toward the support pin. The tilt adjustment mechanism is configured to pull the fork-shaped component toward the three supporting pins using the traction pin while changing the height positions of the upper ends of the three supporting pins relative to each other, thereby adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped component while maintaining the upper ends of the three supporting pins in contact with the lower surface of the fork-shaped component or the wrist.

2. The device for conveying a substrate according to claim 1, wherein: The three support pins are composed of two lifting pins and one fixed pin, wherein the two lifting pins can be independently moved up and down by the height adjustment unit, and the height position of the upper end of the fixed pin is fixed. The traction pin is provided with a lifting portion, and the lifting portion changes the height position of the upper end of the traction pin in accordance with the lifting and lowering operation of the two lifting pins.

3. The device for conveying a substrate according to claim 1, wherein: The three support pins can be independently moved up and down by the height adjustment unit. The traction pin is composed of a fixed pin whose upper end height position is fixed.

4. The device for conveying a substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: A recessed portion for positioning each support pin is formed on a lower surface of the fork-shaped member or the arm portion supported by the support pin, and an upper end of the support pin is configured to be fittable into the recessed portion.

5. The device for conveying a substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The tilt adjustment mechanism includes a telescopic bellows, which is arranged to be connected between the fork-shaped component and the wrist, or between the wrist and the arm, and the support pin and the traction pin are arranged in an area surrounded by the bellows.

6. The device for conveying a substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The traction pin has a flange-shaped extended head at its upper end portion, and the traction pin is configured to penetrate the fork-shaped component opposite to the wrist, or the wrist opposite to the arm, so that the lower surface of the head abuts against the upper surface of the fork-shaped component or the wrist to perform the traction.

7. The device for conveying a substrate according to claim 6, wherein: The substrate conveying device is provided for conveying the substrate in a vacuum atmosphere. The tilt adjustment mechanism includes a telescopic bellows, which is arranged to be connected between the fork-shaped component and the wrist, or between the wrist and the arm, and the support pin and the traction pin are arranged in an area surrounded by the bellows.

8. The device for conveying a substrate according to claim 7, wherein: The height adjusting portion and the lifting portion capable of changing the height position of the upper end of the traction pin are arranged in a shell configured on the lower side of the supporting pin and the traction pin. The supporting pin connected to the height adjusting portion and the traction pin connected to the lifting portion pass through the top plate of the shell and are inserted into the area surrounded by the bellows. A sealing component is provided at the penetration position of the supporting pin and the traction pin to isolate the internal space of the shell from the external vacuum atmosphere.

9. The device for conveying a substrate according to claim 7, wherein: The height adjustment portion and the lifting portion capable of changing the height position of the upper end of the traction pin are arranged in a shell configured on the lower side of the support pin and the traction pin, and a cover portion is provided to close the through hole of the fork-shaped portion or the wrist for the traction pin to pass through at a position above the head, thereby isolating the area surrounded by the bellows and the internal space of the shell from the external vacuum atmosphere.

10. The device for conveying a substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The arm has a structure in which a plurality of arms are rotatably connected to each other via joints, and includes an arm-side tilt adjustment mechanism connected to one arm, and adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member by adjusting the tilt of other arms arranged at positions closer to the fork-shaped member than the one arm. The tilt adjustment mechanism on the arm side includes: three arm support pins, the three arm support pins being provided to support the other arm from the lower surface side and being respectively arranged at positions forming vertices of a triangle in a plan view; an arm height adjustment portion capable of changing the height positions of the upper ends of the three arm support pins relative to each other; and The arm pulling pin is arranged inside the triangle to maintain the upper end of each arm support pin in contact with the lower surface of the other arm, and is provided to be able to pull the other arm toward the arm support pin.

11. The device for conveying a substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3: a control unit configured to control the movement of the fork member by the arm and the tilt adjustment of the fork member by the tilt adjustment mechanism, and to acquire tilt data from a sensor substrate provided with an acceleration sensor, wherein: The sensor substrate is configured to be transportable while being held by the fork-shaped member, the acceleration sensor is configured to detect a direction and magnitude of a tilt relative to a basic posture, and the tilt data indicates the direction and magnitude of the tilt. The control unit is configured to control the tilt adjustment mechanism to cancel the tilt of the fork member when conveying the substrate based on a result of acquiring the tilt data when conveying the sensor substrate from a conveyance start point to a conveyance destination of the substrate.

12. The device for conveying a substrate according to claim 11, wherein: The control unit is configured to correct the offset amount of the tilt of the fork-shaped component according to the weight of the substrate or the weight of other conveying objects whose weight is different from that of the sensor substrate, based on the result of obtaining the tilt data by conveying the sensor substrate from the conveying starting point to the conveying destination and the result of obtaining the tilt data by conveying the sensor substrate carrying a counterweight from the conveying starting point to the conveying destination.

13. The device for conveying a substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3: The substrate conveying device includes a control unit that controls the movement of the fork member by the arm and the tilt adjustment of the fork member by the tilt adjustment mechanism. The control unit is configured to control the tilt of the fork-shaped member by using the arm to move the fork-shaped member to move the substrate held by the fork-shaped member in the lateral direction, in order to prevent the substrate from moving from a predetermined holding position due to the inertial force acting on the substrate, so that when viewed along the conveying direction of the substrate, the height position of the front end side of the substrate is lower than the height position of the rear end side.

14. A system for processing a substrate, characterized in that: include: a processing chamber for receiving substrates therein and performing processing on the substrates; a loading position for loading substrates before and after being processed in the processing chamber; and The substrate transporting device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, provided for transporting the substrate between the processing chamber and the placement position.

15. A method for conveying a substrate, characterized in that: The method for conveying a substrate comprises the steps of conveying the substrate using a device for conveying the substrate, The device for conveying the substrate comprises: an end effector having a fork-shaped member for holding the substrate and a wrist for holding a root end of the fork-shaped member; an arm capable of mounting the end effector, having a mechanism for moving the fork member; and A tilt adjustment mechanism is provided between the fork-shaped member and the wrist, or between the wrist and the arm, for adjusting the tilt of the fork-shaped member. The tilt adjustment mechanism comprises: three support pins, the three support pins being provided to support the fork-shaped member or the wrist from the lower surface side, and being respectively arranged at positions forming vertices of a triangle when viewed from above; a height adjustment portion capable of changing the height positions of the upper ends of the three support pins relative to each other; and A traction pin is arranged inside the triangle in order to maintain the upper end of each support pin in contact with the fork-shaped member or the lower surface of the wrist, and is provided to be able to pull the fork-shaped member toward the support pin. In the step of conveying the substrate, the fork-shaped component is pulled toward the side of the three supporting pins by using the traction pin, and the height positions of the upper ends of the three supporting pins are changed relative to each other, thereby adjusting the inclination of the fork-shaped component while maintaining the upper ends of the three supporting pins in contact with the lower surface of the fork-shaped component or the wrist.

16. The method for conveying a substrate according to claim 15, wherein: include: a step of holding a sensor substrate provided with an acceleration sensor on the fork-shaped member and transporting the sensor substrate from a transport starting point to a transport destination to acquire tilt data, wherein the acceleration sensor is used to detect a direction and magnitude of tilt relative to a basic posture; and The step of controlling the tilt adjustment mechanism based on the obtained tilt data to offset the tilt of the fork member when conveying the substrate.

17. The method for conveying a substrate according to claim 16, wherein: In the step of acquiring the tilt data, the tilt data is acquired by transporting the sensor substrate from a transport starting point to a transport destination, and the tilt data is acquired by transporting the sensor substrate with a weight placed thereon from a transport starting point to a transport destination. In the step of controlling the tilt adjustment mechanism, based on the result of acquiring the tilt data, the offset amount of the tilt of the fork member is corrected according to the weight of the substrate or other conveying object having a weight different from that of the sensor substrate.

18. The method for conveying a substrate according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein: include: the step of moving the fork member using the arm to move the substrate held by the fork member in a lateral direction; and In order to prevent the substrate from moving from a predetermined holding position due to the inertial force acting on the substrate in the step of moving the substrate in the lateral direction, the fork-shaped component is tilted by using the tilt adjustment mechanism so that the height position of the front end side of the substrate is lower than the height position of the rear end side when viewed along the conveying direction of the substrate.

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