Transport device and method for transporting object-to-be-transported

Abstract

To provide a transport device capable of preventing a crack from appearing in an object-to-be-transported.SOLUTION: A transport device (30) transports an object-to-be-transported to a holding table (16) having a holding surface (17) for holding the object-to-be-transported (11). The transport device comprises a holding part (35) for holding the object-to-be-transported, and a nozzle unit that includes at least either of a blow nozzle (40) for spraying gas to the holding surface and a vacuum nozzle (50) for generating a suction force in the direction of heading for the holding surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport device and a transport method for transporting an object. [Background technology]

[0002] Processing equipment used in the manufacture of electronic devices and the like includes a transport device that transports an object to a required position. For example, the transport device disclosed in Patent Document 1 transports a holder that holds a wafer by suction to the position of a holding table (chuck table) of the processing equipment, and places the wafer on the holding surface of the holding table to hand it over.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses that in a cutting device, an ionized air jetting means for jetting ionized air is provided on a transport means for transporting a workpiece to a chuck table, and air with a balanced positive and negative ions is jetted onto the workpiece, thereby preventing electrostatic damage to devices caused by static electricity being charged up on the workpiece. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-106390 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2002-066865 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a transport object is transported by a transport device such as that described in Patent Document 1, if a foreign object is attached to the holding surface of the holding table of the processing device, there is a risk that the foreign object will cause a crack in the transport object when the transport object is placed on the holding surface. Therefore, there is a need to remove the foreign object from the holding surface before the transport object is placed on the holding surface of the holding table.

[0006] The cutting device in Patent Document 2 sprays ionized air from a conveying means toward the workpiece in order to prevent the workpiece from becoming statically charged, but does not actually remove foreign matter adhering to the chuck table or workpiece.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device and a conveying method that can prevent cracks from occurring in the conveyed object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a conveying device that conveys an object to be conveyed to a holding table having a holding surface that holds the object, the conveying device comprising a holding section that holds the object to be conveyed, and a nozzle unit that includes at least one of a blow nozzle that sprays gas toward the holding surface, and a vacuum nozzle that generates a suction force in a direction toward the holding surface.

[0009] The blow nozzle is preferably fixed to the front side in the direction of travel when the holding portion is brought relatively close to the holding surface.

[0010] The vacuum nozzle is preferably fixed forward of the blow nozzle in the direction of travel when the holding portion is brought relatively close to the holding surface.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention is a method for transporting an object to be transported using the above-mentioned transport device, comprising: a foreign matter removal step of performing either a first blow step in which gas is supplied from the blow nozzle while bringing the holding part relatively close to the holding surface of the holding table, and at least foreign matter adhering to the holding surface is removed by the vacuum nozzle while bringing the holding part relatively close to the holding surface; and a loading step in which, after the foreign matter removal step, the object to be transported is loaded onto the holding surface by a transport arm.

[0012] The first blow step is carried out in a state where the transported object is held by the holding section.

[0013] After the placing step, a second blowing step may be provided in which gas is sprayed from the blow nozzle against the transported object while the holding part is moved relatively away from the holding surface, thereby removing foreign matter adhering to the transported object.

[0014] The method may further include a third blow step in which gas is sprayed from the blow nozzle onto the transported object while the holding part is brought relatively close to the transported object held on the holding surface to remove foreign matter from the transported object, and a transported object removal step in which the holding part removes the transported object from the holding surface after the third blow step.

[0015] The holding table is preferably installed in a chamber of a plasma etching device having a shutter that is opened when the transfer arm is transferring the substrate. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the conveying device and conveying method of the present invention, when the transported object is transported, foreign matter is removed from the holding surface of the holding table by at least one of spraying gas from a blow nozzle and using suction force from a vacuum nozzle, thereby preventing the transported object from cracking due to foreign matter when it is held. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a plasma etching apparatus. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the first embodiment of the transport device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first air blowing step. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a second air blowing step. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a third air blowing step. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a top view showing a second embodiment of the transport device. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first vacuum step. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a second vacuum step. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a third vacuum step. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a top view showing a third embodiment of the transport device. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a first blow step and a first vacuum step are performed simultaneously. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] 1 shows a plasma etching apparatus 10 as an example of a processing apparatus to which the transfer apparatus and transfer method of the present embodiment are applied. The plasma etching apparatus 10 is an apparatus that performs etching (plasma etching) on ​​a workpiece 11, such as a wafer on which semiconductor devices are formed or a package substrate, by using a gas that has been converted into plasma.

[0019] In the plasma etching performed using the plasma etching apparatus 10, it is possible to form grooves in the workpiece 11, or to remove portions of the workpiece 11 that have been affected by heat due to laser processing, thereby improving the flexural strength. Note that the processing performed by the plasma etching apparatus 10 is not limited to this.

[0020] A transfer device 30 is provided to transfer the workpiece 11 to the plasma etching device 10. The workpiece 11 is an object to be processed in the plasma etching device 10, and is also an object to be transferred by the transfer device 30.

[0021] The plasma etching apparatus 10 and the transport device 30 are controlled by a control unit (not shown). A control unit that controls the plasma etching apparatus 10 and the transport device 30 may be provided as an integrated unit, or a control unit for the plasma etching apparatus 10 and a control unit for the transport device 30 may be provided separately and linked to each other. The operations of each unit of the plasma etching apparatus 10 and the transport device 30 in the following description are controlled and executed by the control unit based on a control program stored in the control unit. In other words, the transport method in the present invention is carried out mainly by the control unit.

[0022] The plasma etching apparatus 10 has a box-shaped chamber 12, and inside the chamber 12, an internal chamber space 13 is formed, which is separated from the outside air. An opening 14 that connects the internal chamber space 13 to the outside is formed in the side wall of the chamber 12, and a shutter 15 is provided for opening and closing the opening 14. By opening the shutter 15, the workpiece 11 can be carried into the internal chamber space 13 and carried out from the internal chamber space 13 through the opening 14. The carrying in and carrying out of the workpiece 11 is performed using a transport device 30.

[0023] A holding table 16 having a holding surface 17 for holding the workpiece 11 is provided inside the chamber 12. The holding table 16 is an electrostatic adsorption table that holds the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17 by electrostatic adsorption. The holding table 16 is made of a dielectric material such as aluminum oxide or titanium oxide, and an electrode 18 is disposed inside the holding table 16. A voltage application unit 19 is connected to the electrode 18. When a DC voltage is applied to the holding surface 17 by the electrode 18, an electrostatic adsorption force is generated between the holding surface 17 and the workpiece 11, and the workpiece 11 is held.

[0024] A gas supply head 20 is provided inside chamber 12 and located above holding table 16. Gas supply head 20 is supported so as to be movable up and down relative to chamber 12. A plurality of gas discharge ports 21 are formed on the lower surface of gas supply head 20, and each gas discharge port 21 communicates with a gas supply path 22 formed inside gas supply head 20. Gas supply path 22 is connected to a plasma generation unit 23 provided outside chamber 12, and a gas supply source 24 is connected to plasma generation unit 23.

[0025] The gas supply source 24 supplies a mixed gas containing an etching gas and an inert gas to the plasma generating unit 23. The plasma generating unit 23 has an electrode for applying a high-frequency voltage to the mixed gas, and by applying the high-frequency voltage to the mixed gas, the etching gas and the inert gas in the mixed gas are turned into plasma (radicalized, ionized, etc.). The etching gas and the inert gas turned into plasma by the plasma generating unit 23 are supplied to the gas supply head 20 through the gas supply path 22 and discharged from the gas discharge port 21. In this way, the plasma etching apparatus 10 is a remote plasma type apparatus that introduces the plasma gas from outside the chamber 12 into the chamber space 13.

[0026] An exhaust pipe 25 is connected to the bottom of the chamber 12. The exhaust pipe 25 is connected to an exhaust pump 27 via an on-off valve 26. By opening the on-off valve 26 and driving the exhaust pump 27, air and gas can be exhausted from the chamber space 13 through the exhaust pipe 25, and the pressure in the chamber space 13 can be reduced.

[0027] The plasma etching apparatus 10 is provided with a transfer device 30 that transfers the workpiece 11 to the plasma etching apparatus 10. The transfer device 30 includes a transfer arm 31, a lifting mechanism 32 that moves the transfer arm 31 up and down, and a horizontal movement mechanism 33 that moves the transfer arm 31 in the horizontal direction.

[0028] The lifting mechanism 32 and the horizontal movement mechanism 33 are each configured with a known drive mechanism capable of linearly moving an object. For example, a ball screw mechanism configured to rotate a ball screw by a motor and move an object in the direction in which the ball screw extends can be applied to the lifting mechanism 32 and the horizontal movement mechanism 33.

[0029] The transport arm 31 has an arm portion 34 extending horizontally and a holding portion 35 supported by the arm portion 34. The holding portion 35 is a plate-shaped holding plate corresponding to the shape and area of ​​the workpiece 11, and a plurality of suction holes (not shown) are formed on the lower surface of the holding portion 35. The suction holes of the holding portion 35 communicate with a suction path 36, and the suction path 36 is connected to a suction source 38 via an opening / closing valve 37. When the opening / closing valve 37 is opened to drive the suction source 38, air is sucked from the suction path 36, and a suction force acts on the suction holes of the holding portion 35. The workpiece 11 can be held on the lower surface of the holding portion 35 by this suction force.

[0030] The method of holding the workpiece 11 in the transport arm 31 is not limited to the above structure. For example, instead of forming a plurality of suction holes in the lower surface of the holding part 35, a structure may be used in which a suction force is applied to a plurality of suction pads provided in the lower part of the holding part 35, and the workpiece 11 is held via the plurality of suction pads. Alternatively, a structure may be used in which a plurality of air ejection holes are provided in the lower surface of the holding part 35, and the air is ejected from the ejection holes to attract the workpiece 11 to the lower surface of the holding part 35 by utilizing the effect of Bernoulli's theorem.

[0031] When the workpiece 11 is subjected to plasma etching processing by the plasma etching apparatus 10, the workpiece 11 is transported to the plasma etching apparatus 10 by the transport device 30. The transport device 30 receives the workpiece 11 from a support portion (not shown) located outside the chamber 12, opens the on-off valve 37, and drives the suction source 38 to suck and hold the workpiece 11 on the underside of the holder 35. The lifting mechanism 32 is operated to control the position of the transport arm 31 in the vertical direction, so that the height position of the transport arm 31 coincides with the height position of the opening 14 of the chamber 12. The plasma etching apparatus 10 moves the shutter 15 from the closed position to the open position to open the opening 14.

[0032] Next, the transfer device 30 operates the horizontal movement mechanism 33 to move the transfer arm 31 horizontally toward the holding table 16. The transfer arm 31 moving horizontally passes through the opening 14 and enters the chamber space 13. When the holding part 35 reaches directly above the holding table 16, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to lower the transfer arm 31, and the lower surface of the workpiece 11 is placed on the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16.

[0033] Once the workpiece 11 has been placed on the holding surface 17, the on-off valve 37 is closed and the driving of the suction source 38 is stopped to release the state in which the workpiece 11 is attracted to and held by the holding unit 35. A DC voltage is applied from the voltage application unit 19 to the electrode 18 to generate an electrostatic attraction force between the holding table 16, the holding surface 17, and the workpiece 11, thereby attracting and holding the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17. At this stage, the transfer of the workpiece 11 from the holding unit 35 of the transport arm 31 to the holding table 16 is completed.

[0034] Once the transfer of the workpiece 11 from the transfer arm 31 to the holding table 16 is complete, the lifting mechanism 32 raises the transfer arm 31 to move the holder 35 away from the workpiece 11. Next, the horizontal movement mechanism 33 moves the transfer arm 31 in a direction to move it away from the chamber space 13. Once the transfer arm 31 has passed through the opening 14, the shutter 15 is moved to the closed position to close the opening 14.

[0035] In the plasma etching apparatus 10, after the shutter 15 is closed to seal the chamber space 13, the on-off valve 26 is opened and the exhaust pump 27 is driven to reduce the pressure in the chamber space 13 through the exhaust pipe 25. The etching gas and the inert gas contained in the mixed gas supplied from the gas supply source 24 are converted into plasma in the plasma generating unit 23. The plasmatized gas is discharged from the gas discharge port 21 of the gas supply head 20 through the gas supply path 22 and introduced into the chamber space 13 in a reduced pressure state. Then, the plasma etching process is performed on the workpiece 11.

[0036] When the plasma etching process for the workpiece 11 is completed, the exhaust pump 27 is stopped, air is allowed to flow into the chamber space 13, the reduced pressure state of the chamber space 13 is released, and the pressure of the chamber space 13 is made approximately the same as atmospheric pressure. When the pressure adjustment of the chamber space 13 is completed, the shutter 15 is moved from the closed position to the open position to open the opening 14.

[0037] Next, after the plasma etching is completed, the workpiece 11 is carried out from the chamber space 13 by the transfer device 30. The transfer device 30 operates the horizontal movement mechanism 33 to move the transfer arm 31 horizontally toward the holding table 16. The transfer arm 31 moving horizontally passes through the opening 14 and enters the chamber space 13.

[0038] When the transport arm 31 reaches directly above the holding table 16, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to lower the transport arm 31 and bring the holding part 35 closer to the workpiece 11. The on-off valve 37 is opened and the suction source 38 is driven to suck and hold the workpiece 11 on the holding part 35. In addition, the application of DC voltage from the voltage application part 19 to the electrode 18 is stopped, and the electrostatic adhesion of the workpiece 11 by the holding table 16 and the holding surface 17 is released.

[0039] Once the holder 35 has sucked and held the workpiece 11, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to raise the transfer arm 31, and the holder 35 holding the workpiece 11 is moved upward away from the holding table 16. Next, the horizontal movement mechanism 33 is operated to move the transfer arm 31 in a direction to physically remove it from the chamber space 13, i.e., in a direction to move the holder 35 away from the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16. Once the transfer arm 31 has passed through the opening 14, the shutter 15 is moved to the closed position to close the opening 14.

[0040] In the manner described above, in the plasma etching apparatus 10, the workpiece 11 is loaded onto the holding table 16 in the chamber space 13, plasma etching processing is performed on the workpiece 11 in the chamber space 13, and the workpiece 11 is removed from the chamber space 13 after processing.

[0041] Incidentally, when the workpiece 11 is transported to the plasma etching apparatus 10 and held on the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, if a foreign matter is attached to the holding surface 17, a strong local load will act on the workpiece 11 at the location of the foreign matter depending on the force that holds the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17 (the force with which the transport arm 31 of the transport device 30 places the workpiece 11 on the holding table 16 and presses it, the force with which the holding table 16 electrostatically attracts the workpiece 11 to the holding surface 17, etc.), and there is a risk that a crack will occur in the workpiece 11 starting from the foreign matter.

[0042] In particular, the plasma etching process performed on the workpiece 11 in the plasma etching apparatus 10 is dry etching in which no liquid is supplied, so that if foreign matter adheres to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, there is a restriction that the foreign matter cannot be cleaned by supplying a liquid such as a cleaning liquid or processing liquid.

[0043] Here, the applicant has come up with the idea that by using the gas jet or suction force generated from the nozzle unit of the conveying device 30 to remove foreign matter adhering to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, it is possible to prevent the workpiece 11 from cracking due to foreign matter adhering to the holding surface 17 even under conditions where the holding surface 17 cannot be washed with liquid. An embodiment of the conveying device 30 having such characteristics will be described below.

[0044] 2 to 6 show a first embodiment of the conveying device 30. FIG. 7 to FIG. 11 show a second embodiment of the conveying device 30. FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 show a third embodiment of the conveying device 30. FIG. 2, FIG. 7, and FIG. 12 are top views of the conveying device 30 of each embodiment, and FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, FIG. 8 to FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 are cross-sectional views of the conveying device 30 of each embodiment. In each of these embodiments, the moving direction of the conveying arm 31 when the holder 35 approaches the holding table 16 in the chamber space 13 from the outside of the chamber 12 is defined as the proceeding direction Ea. Also, the moving direction of the conveying arm 31 when the holder 35 moves away from the holding table 16 in the chamber space 13 to the outside of the chamber 12 is defined as the moving away direction Eb. Also, in each embodiment, the workpiece 11 is circular, and the holder 35 is disc-shaped corresponding to the workpiece 11.

[0045] In the first embodiment of the transfer device 30, the holding part 35 of the transfer arm 31 is provided with a blow nozzle 40 as a nozzle unit. As shown in Fig. 2, the blow nozzle 40 is provided in a predetermined range in the circumferential direction along the outer edge of the holding part 35. In detail, the blow nozzle 40 is fixed to an area of ​​about half the circumference of the holding part 35 facing the holding table 16 side when the transfer arm 31 is positioned outside the chamber 12. In other words, the blow nozzle 40 is fixed to the front side in the traveling direction Ea when the holding part 35 is brought relatively close to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16.

[0046] The blow nozzle 40 includes a main body 41 having a tubular structure (cylindrical structure) with a hollow gas supply passage therein, and the main body 41 has a curved shape extending in the circumferential direction of the holding part 35. The blow nozzle 40 includes a plurality of jet ports 42 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the main body 41. Each jet port 42 opens slightly downward from the circumferential direction of the holding part 35. That is, each jet port 42 is formed facing diagonally downward on the traveling direction Ea side. The range in the longitudinal direction of the main body 41 in which the plurality of jet ports 42 are formed is wider than the diameter of the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16. That is, the gas F is jetted from the plurality of jet ports 42 to a range that can cover the diameter of the holding surface 17.

[0047] The gas supply passage in the main body 41 is connected to a gas supply source 44 via an on-off valve 43. When the on-off valve 43 is opened to drive the gas supply source 44, the gas F delivered from the gas supply source 44 passes through the gas supply passage in the main body 41 and is sprayed from the nozzle 42 of the blow nozzle 40. The gas F delivered from the gas supply source 44 is, for example, an inert gas such as air or nitrogen, and a gas having properties that do not adversely affect the holding surface 17 or the workpiece 11 when it is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 and comes into contact with the holding surface 17 or the workpiece 11 is selected.

[0048] In the conveying device 30 of the first embodiment configured as described above, at least when the workpiece 11 is loaded onto the holding table 16, a foreign matter removal step is performed in which gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 to remove foreign matter adhering to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16.

[0049] In the foreign matter removal step, a first blow step is performed as shown in Fig. 3. The first blow step is performed in a state where the workpiece 11 is held by the holder 35, and while the holder 35 is moved from the outside of the chamber 12 to the chamber space 13 and brought close to the holding table 16, gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 to remove the foreign matter D attached to the holding surface 17. In the first blow step, foreign matter floating in the atmosphere around the blow nozzle 40 and the holding surface 17 can also be blown out of the holding surface 17 by the gas F sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 and removed.

[0050] Specifically, when the workpiece 11 is carried into the holding table 16, the shutter 15 is opened to open the opening 14. Then, the transport arm 31, with the holding part 35 holding the workpiece 11, is moved in the moving direction Ea relative to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 by the horizontal movement mechanism 33, so that the holding part 35 and the holding surface 17 are brought relatively close to each other. At that time, the opening / closing valve 43 is opened to drive the gas supply source 44, and the gas F is sprayed from the nozzle 42 of the blow nozzle 40.

[0051] When the holding part 35 holding the workpiece 11 passes through the opening 14 and approaches the holding table 16, gas F is ejected from a blow nozzle 40 disposed in front of the moving direction Ea and is sprayed onto the holding surface 17, and foreign matter D adhering to the holding surface 17 and foreign matter floating around the holding surface 17 is blown away by the pressure of the gas F and removed from the holding surface 17 and its surroundings. This makes it possible to make the holding surface 17 clean and free of foreign matter before the workpiece 11 is transferred to the holding table 16.

[0052] A blow nozzle 40 is provided in front of the traveling direction Ea when the holding part 35 is brought relatively close to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, and gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 while the holding part 35 is moved in the traveling direction Ea. This makes it possible to spray gas F over the entire holding surface 17 by taking advantage of the travel distance of the transport arm 31, and expel foreign matter D radially outward from the holding surface 17.

[0053] After the first blow step, a placing step is performed. As shown in Fig. 4, in the placing step, when the entire workpiece 11 reaches directly above the holding table 16, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to lower the transport arm 31 and place the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17. The state in which the workpiece 11 is sucked and held by the holding part 35 is released, and a voltage is applied from the voltage application part 19 to the electrode 18 to suck and hold the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17.

[0054] In the first blow step performed earlier, gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 to remove foreign matter from the holding surface 17, so that foreign matter does not get into the underside of the workpiece 11 placed on the holding surface 17, and when the workpiece 11 is held on the holding surface 17, no local load is applied to the workpiece 11, thereby preventing cracks in the workpiece 11 caused by foreign matter.

[0055] The first blow step is performed while the workpiece 11 is held by the holding part 35, and the opening operation of the shutter 15 performed to carry the workpiece 11 into the chamber space 13 is used to pass the holding part 35 equipped with the blow nozzle 40 through the opening 14, so that the gas F can be sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 toward the holding surface 17. In other words, the shutter 15 is not opened only for cleaning to remove the foreign matter D from the holding surface 17, so the time during which the opening 14 is open can be minimized. Furthermore, the first blow step is performed during the time when the transfer arm 31 moves when carrying the workpiece 11 into the holding table 16, and no additional time is required for removing the foreign matter, so there is no decrease in productivity.

[0056] When the work 11 is carried into the holding table 16 in the chamber space 13, there is a demand for minimizing the frequency with which the chamber space 13 is opened to the atmosphere in order to prevent foreign matter from entering the chamber space 13. According to the first blow step for removing foreign matter when the work 11 is carried into the chamber, the frequency with which the opening 14 of the chamber 12 is opened and closed can be reduced, and the effect of preventing foreign matter from entering the chamber space 13 can be obtained.

[0057] After the placing step, a second blow step is performed. As shown in Fig. 5, in the second blow step, during the operation of moving the transfer arm 31 that has delivered the workpiece 11 to the holding table 16 from the chamber space 13 to the outside of the chamber 12, gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 to remove foreign matter adhering to the workpiece 11. In addition, in the second blow step, foreign matter floating in the atmosphere around the blow nozzle 40, the workpiece 11, and the holding surface 17 can also be blown out of the holding surface 17 by the gas F sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 and removed.

[0058] In detail, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to raise the transport arm 31 in a state in which the holder 35 has released the workpiece 11, and then the horizontal movement mechanism 33 is operated to move the transport arm 31 in the moving away direction Eb, and the gas F is sprayed from the nozzle 42 of the blow nozzle 40 while the holder 35 is relatively moved away from the holding surface 17. The gas F sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 is blown onto the upper surface of the workpiece 11, blowing away foreign matter (not shown in the figure) adhering to the upper surface of the workpiece 11 and foreign matter floating around the workpiece 11 and the holding surface 17, and discharging it to the radial outside of the workpiece 11.

[0059] This allows the workpiece 11 to be kept clean and free of foreign matter after it has been transferred to the holding table 16, and the subsequent plasma etching of the workpiece 11 can be performed without being affected by the foreign matter.

[0060] In the second blow step, after the workpiece 11 is handed over to the holding table 16, the transport arm 31 is moved in a moving direction Eb away from the chamber space 13 while gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40. Therefore, the travel distance of the transport arm 31 is utilized to spray gas F over the entire top surface of the workpiece 11, and foreign matter can be expelled radially outward from the workpiece 11.

[0061] Moreover, since the second blow step is performed when the transfer arm 31 is removed from the chamber space 13 to the outside of the chamber 12, the frequency of opening and closing the opening 14 of the chamber 12 is reduced, which has the effect of preventing foreign matter from entering the chamber space 13. Furthermore, since the second blow step is performed during the movement time of moving the holding part 35 away from the holding table 16 (removing the transfer arm 31 from the chamber space 13), no separate time is required for removing foreign matter, and therefore productivity is not reduced.

[0062] When the transfer arm 31, which is moving in the moving away direction Eb while performing the second blow step, passes through the opening 14 and goes outside the chamber space 13, the shutter 15 is closed to close the opening 14.

[0063] Next, the pressure in the chamber space 13 is reduced, and the gas that has been converted into plasma by the plasma generating unit 23 is introduced from the gas supply head 20 into the chamber space 13 to perform plasma etching on the workpiece 11. When the plasma etching is completed, the reduced pressure state in the chamber space 13 is released, and the shutter 15 is moved to the open position.

[0064] After the plasma etching, a third blow step is performed. As shown in Fig. 6, in the third blow step, during the operation of moving the transfer arm 31 not holding the workpiece 11 from the outside of the chamber 12 to the chamber space 13, gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 to remove foreign matter adhering to the workpiece 11. Also, in the third blow step, foreign matter floating in the atmosphere around the blow nozzle 40, the workpiece 11, and the holding surface 17 can be blown out of the holding surface 17 by the gas F sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 and removed.

[0065] In detail, the transport arm 31, in a state in which the holding portion 35 is not holding the workpiece 11, is moved in the traveling direction Ea toward the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 by the horizontal movement mechanism 33, and gas F is sprayed from the nozzle 42 of the blow nozzle 40 while the holding portion 35 and the holding surface 17 are brought relatively closer to each other.

[0066] After plasma etching, the shutter 15 is moved to the open position to open the opening 14. When the holding part 35 moving in the traveling direction Ea passes through the opening 14 and approaches the holding table 16, gas F ejected from the blow nozzle 40 is sprayed onto the top surface of the workpiece 11, expelling foreign matter adhering to the top surface of the workpiece 11 and foreign matter floating around the workpiece 11 and the holding surface 17 radially outward from the workpiece 11.

[0067] This makes it possible to remove foreign matter that has adhered to the workpiece 11 after the previous second blow step, or foreign matter that has been generated during plasma etching and adheres to the workpiece 11, from the workpiece 11, thereby making the workpiece 11 clean after processing.

[0068] The third blow step is performed by moving the transport arm 31 in the travel direction Ea to approach the holding table 16 as a preparation stage for carrying out the workpiece 11 from the chamber space 13. Therefore, the shutter 15 is not opened just for cleaning to remove foreign matter from the workpiece 11, so the time the opening 14 is open can be minimized, and the frequency of opening and closing the opening 14 of the chamber 12 can be reduced, which has the effect of preventing foreign matter from entering the chamber space 13. Furthermore, the third blow step is performed during the movement time of bringing the holding part 35 close to the holding table 16 (inserting the transport arm 31 into the chamber space 13), and no additional time is required for removing foreign matter, so there is no decrease in productivity.

[0069] When the transfer arm 31 is inserted into the chamber space 13 and the holder 35 reaches directly above the holding table 16, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to lower the transfer arm 31 and the workpiece 11 is suction-held by the holder 35. The suction-holding of the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 is also released. In the third blow step, the gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 to remove foreign matter from the upper surface of the workpiece 11, so that no foreign matter gets between the lower surface of the holder 35 and the upper surface of the workpiece 11. Therefore, when the workpiece 11 is held by the holder 35, it is possible to prevent the workpiece 11 from cracking due to the foreign matter.

[0070] After the third blow step, a transported object carrying-out step is performed. In the transported object carrying-out step, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to raise the transport arm 31 with the holder 35 holding the workpiece 11, and then the horizontal movement mechanism 33 is operated to move the transport arm 31 in the separation direction Eb.

[0071] During this step of carrying out the object, it is also possible to clean the upper surface of the holding surface 17 by spraying gas F from the blow nozzle 40 as a fourth blow step. During plasma etching, the upper surface of the holding surface 17 is covered with the workpiece 11 and is in a state in which foreign matter is unlikely to adhere to it, but after the workpiece 11 is lifted from the holding surface 17 after plasma etching, foreign matter floating in the chamber space 13 may adhere to the holding surface 17. Such foreign matter on the holding surface 17 can be removed by carrying out the fourth blow step. Note that when the workpiece 11 to be processed next is carried into the holding table 16, the foreign matter on the holding surface 17 can be removed by carrying out the first blow step described above, so the fourth blow step does not need to be carried out.

[0072] The fourth blow step is useful, for example, when the waiting time until the next plasma etching process is long and the situation in which foreign matter remains attached to the holding surface 17 continues for a long time, causing the foreign matter to absorb moisture in the surrounding air and become difficult to separate (adhere) from the holding surface 17. In such a case, the effect of preventing foreign matter from adhering to the holding surface 17 can be improved by carrying out the fourth blow step to clean the holding surface 17 before completing a series of processing cycles.

[0073] Regardless of whether the fourth blow step is performed or not, when the transport arm 31 moving in the moving away direction Eb passes through the opening 14, the shutter 15 is moved to the closed position to close the opening 14, making the chamber space 13 sealed off from the atmosphere, thereby completing the transported object removal step.

[0074] In this manner, a series of processing steps in the plasma etching apparatus 10 and a series of transport operations by the transport apparatus 30 of the first embodiment are completed.

[0075] In addition, any of the above blow steps may be performed multiple times to enhance the effect of removing foreign matter. In detail, in one blow step, the gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 while the holding part 35 is moved multiple times in the advancing direction Ea and the separating direction Eb, so that the gas F can be sprayed multiple times onto the holding surface 17 and its surroundings.

[0076] It is also possible to change the moving speed of the transfer arm 31 in each blow step. For example, by slowing down the moving speed of the transfer arm 31, the total amount of the gas F blown per unit area onto the holding surface 17 or the workpiece 11 can be increased, thereby improving the effect of removing foreign matter.

[0077] Furthermore, it is also possible to change the flow rate and the amount of gas sent out from the gas supply source 44 in each blow step, thereby changing the amount and the pressure of the gas F sprayed from the blow nozzle 40. For example, under conditions where foreign matter is likely to adhere to the holding surface 17 or the workpiece 11, the amount and the pressure of the gas F sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 are controlled to be large.

[0078] As described above, in the transport device 30 of the first embodiment, when the workpiece 11 is carried onto the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 or when the workpiece 11 is carried out from the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 provided on the holding part 35 (a blow step is performed) to clean the holding surface 17 and the workpiece 11 and remove foreign matter. Since cleaning is performed by spraying gas F, effective cleaning can also be performed in the plasma etching device 10 which performs plasma etching, which is a dry processing, on the workpiece 11.

[0079] In the second embodiment of the transfer device 30, the holding part 35 of the transfer arm 31 is provided with a vacuum nozzle 50 as a nozzle unit. As shown in Fig. 7, the vacuum nozzle 50 is provided in a predetermined range in the circumferential direction along the outer edge of the holding part 35. More specifically, the vacuum nozzle 50 is fixed to an area of ​​about half the circumference of the holding part 35 facing the holding table 16 side when the transfer arm 31 is positioned outside the chamber 12. In other words, the vacuum nozzle 50 is fixed to the front side in the traveling direction Ea when the holding part 35 is brought relatively close to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16.

[0080] The vacuum nozzle 50 includes a main body 51 having a tubular structure (rectangular tube structure) with a hollow gas suction passage therein, and the main body 51 has a curved shape extending in the circumferential direction of the holding part 35. The main body 51 includes a suction port 52 on its underside. The suction port 52 opens downward, and is formed continuously over substantially the entire length of the main body 51. The range in which the suction port 52 is formed in the longitudinal direction of the main body 51 is wider than the diameter of the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16. In other words, a suction force G can be applied to the suction port 52 in a range that can cover the diameter of the holding surface 17.

[0081] 8 to 11 has a shape that faces substantially perpendicular (straight down) to the traveling direction Ea and the separating direction Eb, but the shape of the suction port of the vacuum nozzle 50 is not limited to this. For example, the vacuum nozzle 50 may have a suction port that is inclined more toward the front side in the traveling direction Ea as it goes downward. Also, the vacuum nozzle 50 may have multiple suction ports that open in different directions.

[0082] The gas suction passage in the main body 51 is connected to the suction source 54 via an on-off valve 53. When the on-off valve 53 is opened to drive the suction source 54, air is sucked through the suction port 52, generating a suction force G. Note that, although the arrows representing the suction force G are shown intermittently at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the vacuum nozzle 50 in Fig. 8, in reality, the suction force G acts over the entire suction port 52 formed continuously in the longitudinal direction of the vacuum nozzle 50.

[0083] In the second embodiment of the conveying device 30 configured as described above, at least when the workpiece 11 is conveyed to the holding table 16, a foreign matter removal step is performed in which foreign matter adhering to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 is removed by the suction force G acting on the vacuum nozzle 50.

[0084] In the foreign matter removal step, a first vacuum step is performed as shown in Fig. 8. The first vacuum step is performed in a state where the workpiece 11 is held by the holding part 35. During the operation of moving the holding part 35 from the outside of the chamber 12 to the chamber space 13 and approaching the holding table 16, the vacuum nozzle 50 generates a suction force G in a direction toward the holding surface 17 to suck and remove the foreign matter D attached to the holding surface 17 and the foreign matter floating in the atmosphere around the vacuum nozzle 50 and the holding surface 17. In other words, the direction in which the suction force G by the vacuum nozzle 50 acts (the direction toward the holding surface 17) indicates the direction in which the suction force can be generated on at least one of the foreign matter attached to the holding surface 17 and the foreign matter floating in the atmosphere around the vacuum nozzle 50 and the holding surface 17.

[0085] Specifically, when the workpiece 11 is carried into the holding table 16, the shutter 15 is opened to open the opening 14. Then, the transport arm 31, with the holding part 35 holding the workpiece 11, is moved in the moving direction Ea relative to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 by the horizontal movement mechanism 33, so that the holding part 35 and the holding surface 17 are brought relatively close to each other. At that time, the opening / closing valve 53 is opened to drive the suction source 54, and a suction force G is applied to the suction port 52 of the vacuum nozzle 50.

[0086] When the holding part 35 holding the workpiece 11 passes through the opening 14 and approaches the holding table 16, foreign matter D attached to the holding surface 17 and foreign matter floating around the holding surface 17 are sucked and removed through the suction port 52 by a suction force G acting on the suction port 52 of the vacuum nozzle 50 disposed on the front side in the traveling direction Ea. This makes it possible to make the holding surface 17 clean and free of foreign matter before the workpiece 11 is transferred to the holding table 16.

[0087] A vacuum nozzle 50 is provided in front of the traveling direction Ea when the holding part 35 is brought relatively close to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, and the vacuum nozzle 50 sucks up the foreign matter D while the holding part 35 is moved in the traveling direction Ea, so that the movement distance of the transport arm 31 is utilized to apply a suction force G to the entire holding surface 17, thereby removing the foreign matter D from the holding surface 17.

[0088] After the first vacuum step, a placement step is performed. As shown in Fig. 9, in the placement step, when the entire workpiece 11 reaches directly above the holding table 16, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to lower the transport arm 31 and place the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17. The state in which the workpiece 11 is sucked and held by the holding part 35 is released, and a voltage is applied from the voltage application part 19 to the electrode 18 to suck and hold the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17.

[0089] In the first vacuum step performed earlier, foreign matter is removed from the holding surface 17 by the suction force G generated by the vacuum nozzle 50, so that foreign matter does not get into the underside of the workpiece 11 placed on the holding surface 17, and when the workpiece 11 is held on the holding surface 17, no localized load is applied to the workpiece 11, thereby preventing cracks in the workpiece 11 caused by foreign matter.

[0090] Moreover, the first vacuum step is performed in a state where the workpiece 11 is held by the holding part 35, and by utilizing the opening operation of the shutter 15 performed to carry the workpiece 11 into the chamber space 13, the holding part 35 equipped with the vacuum nozzle 50 is passed through the opening 14, and the foreign matter D on the holding surface 17 can be sucked and removed by the vacuum nozzle 50. In other words, since the shutter 15 is not opened only for cleaning to remove the foreign matter D from the holding surface 17, the time during which the opening 14 is open can be minimized. Furthermore, the first vacuum step is performed during the time when the transport arm 31 moves when carrying the workpiece 11 into the holding table 16, and since no additional time is required for removing the foreign matter, there is no decrease in productivity.

[0091] Therefore, the first vacuum step for removing foreign matter when the workpiece 11 is loaded reduces the frequency of opening and closing the opening 14 of the chamber 12, thereby preventing foreign matter from entering the space 13 within the chamber.

[0092] After the placing step, a second vacuum step is performed. As shown in Fig. 10, in the second vacuum step, during the operation of moving the transport arm 31, which has delivered the workpiece 11 to the holding table 16, from the chamber inner space 13 to the outside of the chamber 12, a suction force G is generated in the vacuum nozzle 50, and foreign matter attached to the workpiece 11 is sucked and removed. Also, in the second vacuum step, foreign matter floating in the atmosphere around the vacuum nozzle 50, the workpiece 11, and the holding surface 17 can be sucked into the vacuum nozzle 50 by the suction force G and removed.

[0093] In detail, the transport arm 31, with the holding part 35 releasing its hold on the workpiece 11, is raised by operating the lifting mechanism 32, and then the horizontal movement mechanism 33 is operated to move the transport arm 31 in the moving away direction Eb, and while moving the holding part 35 relatively away from the holding surface 17, suction is performed from the suction port 52 of the vacuum nozzle 50, and foreign matter (not shown in the figure) attached to the top surface of the workpiece 11 and foreign matter floating around the workpiece 11 and the holding surface 17 is sucked up and removed.

[0094] This allows the workpiece 11 to be kept clean and free of foreign matter after it has been transferred to the holding table 16, and the subsequent plasma etching of the workpiece 11 can be performed without being affected by the foreign matter.

[0095] In the second vacuum step, after transferring the workpiece 11 to the holding table 16, the transport arm 31 is moved in a moving direction Eb away from the chamber space 13 while suction is performed by the vacuum nozzle 50. Therefore, by utilizing the moving distance of the transport arm 31, a suction force is applied to the entire top surface of the workpiece 11, thereby removing foreign matter from the workpiece 11.

[0096] Moreover, since the second vacuum step is performed when the transfer arm 31 is removed from the chamber space 13 to the outside of the chamber 12, the frequency of opening and closing the opening 14 of the chamber 12 is reduced, which has the effect of preventing foreign matter from entering the chamber space 13. Furthermore, since the second vacuum step is performed during the movement time of moving the holding part 35 away from the holding table 16 (removing the transfer arm 31 from the chamber space 13), no separate time is required for removing foreign matter, and therefore productivity is not reduced.

[0097] When the transfer arm 31, which is moving in the moving away direction Eb while performing the second vacuum step, passes through the opening 14 and goes outside the chamber space 13, the shutter 15 is closed to close the opening 14.

[0098] Next, the pressure in the chamber space 13 is reduced, and the gas that has been converted into plasma by the plasma generating unit 23 is introduced from the gas supply head 20 into the chamber space 13 to perform plasma etching on the workpiece 11. When the plasma etching is completed, the reduced pressure state in the chamber space 13 is released, and the shutter 15 is moved to the open position.

[0099] After the plasma etching, a third vacuum step is performed. As shown in Fig. 11, in the third vacuum step, during the operation of moving the transfer arm 31 not holding the workpiece 11 from the outside of the chamber 12 to the chamber space 13, a suction force G is generated in the vacuum nozzle 50, and foreign matter attached to the workpiece 11 is sucked and removed. Also, in the third vacuum step, foreign matter floating in the atmosphere around the vacuum nozzle 50, the workpiece 11, and the holding surface 17 can be sucked into the vacuum nozzle 50 by the suction force G and removed.

[0100] In detail, the transport arm 31, when the holding portion 35 is not holding the workpiece 11, is moved in the traveling direction Ea toward the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 by the horizontal movement mechanism 33, and a suction force G is applied to the suction port 52 of the vacuum nozzle 50 while bringing the holding portion 35 and the holding surface 17 relatively closer to each other.

[0101] After plasma etching, the shutter 15 is moved to the open position to open the opening 14. When the holding part 35 moving in the traveling direction Ea passes through the opening 14 and approaches the holding table 16, the suction force G of the vacuum nozzle 50 acts on the top surface of the workpiece 11, and foreign matter adhering to the top surface of the workpiece 11 and foreign matter floating around the workpiece 11 and the holding surface 17 is sucked into the suction port 52 of the vacuum nozzle 50 and removed from the workpiece 11.

[0102] This makes it possible to remove foreign matter that has adhered to the workpiece 11 after the previous second vacuum step, or foreign matter that has been generated during plasma etching and adheres to the workpiece 11, from the workpiece 11, thereby making it possible to keep the workpiece 11 clean after processing.

[0103] The third vacuum step is performed by moving the transport arm 31 in the travel direction Ea to approach the holding table 16 as a preparation step for carrying out the workpiece 11 from the chamber space 13. Therefore, the shutter 15 is not opened just for cleaning to remove foreign matter from the workpiece 11, so the time the opening 14 is open can be minimized, and the frequency of opening and closing the opening 14 of the chamber 12 can be reduced, which has the effect of preventing foreign matter from entering the chamber space 13. Furthermore, the third vacuum step is performed during the movement time of bringing the holding part 35 close to the holding table 16 (inserting the transport arm 31 into the chamber space 13), and no additional time is required for removing foreign matter, so there is no decrease in productivity.

[0104] When the transfer arm 31 is inserted into the chamber space 13 and the holder 35 reaches directly above the holding table 16, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to lower the transfer arm 31 and suction-hold the workpiece 11 on the holder 35. The suction-holding of the workpiece 11 on the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 is also released. In the third vacuum step, foreign matter is removed from the top surface of the workpiece 11 by suction using the vacuum nozzle 50, so that no foreign matter gets between the bottom surface of the holder 35 and the top surface of the workpiece 11. Therefore, when the workpiece 11 is held by the holder 35, it is possible to prevent the workpiece 11 from cracking due to the foreign matter.

[0105] After the third vacuum step, a transported object carrying-out step is performed. In the transported object carrying-out step, the lifting mechanism 32 is operated to raise the transport arm 31 with the holder 35 holding the workpiece 11, and then the horizontal movement mechanism 33 is operated to move the transport arm 31 in the separation direction Eb.

[0106] During this step of carrying out the transported object, it is also possible to perform suction with the vacuum nozzle 50 as a fourth vacuum step to clean the upper surface of the holding surface 17. If foreign matter floating in the chamber space 13 adheres to the holding surface 17 after the workpiece 11 is lifted from the holding surface 17 after plasma etching, such foreign matter on the holding surface 17 can be removed by performing the fourth vacuum step. Note that when the workpiece 11 to be processed next is carried into the holding table 16, the foreign matter on the holding surface 17 can be removed by performing the first vacuum step described above, so the fourth vacuum step does not have to be performed.

[0107] As in the case of the fourth blow step, the fourth vacuum step is useful, for example, when the waiting time until the next plasma etching process is long. In such a case, the effect of removing foreign matter on the holding surface 17 is improved by performing the fourth vacuum step to clean the holding surface 17 before completing a series of processing cycles.

[0108] Regardless of whether the fourth vacuum step is performed or not, when the transport arm 31 moving in the moving away direction Eb passes through the opening 14, the shutter 15 is moved to the closed position to close the opening 14, making the chamber space 13 sealed off from the atmosphere, thereby completing the transported object removal step.

[0109] In this manner, a series of processing steps in the plasma etching apparatus 10 and a series of transport operations by the transport apparatus 30 of the second embodiment are completed.

[0110] In addition, any of the above vacuum steps may be performed multiple times to enhance the effect of removing foreign matter. In detail, in one vacuum step, the holding part 35 is moved multiple times in the forward direction Ea and the receding direction Eb while the suction force G is generated in the vacuum nozzle 50, so that the suction operation on the holding surface 17 and its surroundings can be performed multiple times.

[0111] It is also possible to change the moving speed of the transfer arm 31 in each vacuum step. For example, by slowing down the moving speed of the transfer arm 31, the suction time per unit area of ​​the holding surface 17 or the workpiece 11 can be increased, thereby improving the effect of removing foreign matter.

[0112] Furthermore, it is also possible to vary the suction force of the suction source 54 and change the suction force G of the vacuum nozzle 50 in each vacuum step. For example, under conditions in which foreign matter is likely to adhere to the holding surface 17 or the workpiece 11, the suction force G of the vacuum nozzle 50 is controlled to be large.

[0113] As described above, in the transport device 30 of the second embodiment, when the workpiece 11 is carried onto the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 or when the workpiece 11 is carried out from the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, suction is performed by the vacuum nozzle 50 provided on the holding part 35, so that the holding surface 17 and the workpiece 11 can be cleaned to remove foreign matter. Because cleaning is performed by suction, effective cleaning can also be performed in the plasma etching device 10 which performs plasma etching, which is a dry processing method, on the workpiece 11.

[0114] In the third embodiment of the transport device 30, both the blow nozzle 40 and the vacuum nozzle 50 are fixed to the holding part 35 as the nozzle unit provided to the transport arm 31. As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the basic structures of the blow nozzle 40 and the vacuum nozzle 50 are similar to those of the first and second embodiments described above, but the vacuum nozzle 50 is fixed forward of the blow nozzle 40 in the moving direction Ea when the holding part 35 is relatively approached to the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16. In other words, the vacuum nozzle 50 is disposed radially outward of the holding part 35 than the blow nozzle 40. The vacuum nozzle 50 is supported by the holding part 35 via a support bracket 55, and is disposed radially outward so as to straddle the blow nozzle 40.

[0115] 13, the vacuum nozzle 50 further includes a guide plate 56. The guide plate 56 is configured by extending downward a radially outer wall portion of the main body 51, and has an inclined shape that slopes radially inward as it extends downward.

[0116] When the holding portion 35 is holding the workpiece 11, the lower end of the guide plate 56 is configured not to protrude below the lower surface of the workpiece 11. With this configuration, during the placing step in which the workpiece 11 is placed on the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, the guide plate 56 does not come into contact with the holding surface 17, and it is possible to prevent the guide plate 56 from damaging the holding surface 17 or from interfering with the descent of the holding portion 35.

[0117] Furthermore, when the workpiece 11 is carried into the holding surface 17, the height position of the transport arm 31 is set so that the bottom surface of the workpiece 11 does not contact the holding surface 17, and then the transport arm 31 is moved horizontally by the horizontal movement mechanism 33. Therefore, by configuring the lower end of the guide plate 56 not to protrude below the bottom surface of the workpiece 11, it is possible to prevent the guide plate 56 from interfering with the holding table 16 when the transport arm 31 is moved horizontally.

[0118] As in the first and second embodiments described above, the conveying device 30 of the third embodiment performs, as foreign matter removal steps, at least the first blow step described above using the spraying of gas F from the blow nozzle 40 and the first vacuum step described above using the suction force G generated by the vacuum nozzle 50, and removes foreign matter on the holding surface 17 and foreign matter floating around the holding surface 17 when the workpiece 11 is transported onto the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16.

[0119] In addition, after the loading step, the conveying device 30 of the third embodiment performs the above-mentioned second blow step using the spraying of gas F from the blow nozzle 40 and the above-mentioned second vacuum step using the suction force G generated by the vacuum nozzle 50 to remove foreign matter adhering to the upper surface of the workpiece 11 and foreign matter floating around the workpiece 11 and the holding surface 17.

[0120] In addition, after plasma etching processing in the plasma etching apparatus 10, the conveying device 30 of the third embodiment performs the above-mentioned third blow step using the spraying of gas F from the blow nozzle 40 and the above-mentioned third vacuum step using the suction force G generated in the vacuum nozzle 50, thereby removing foreign matter adhering to the upper surface of the workpiece 11 and foreign matter floating around the workpiece 11 and the holding surface 17.

[0121] The conveying device 30 of the third embodiment may further perform the above-mentioned fourth blow step using the spraying of gas F from the blow nozzle 40 and the above-mentioned fourth vacuum step using the suction force G generated by the vacuum nozzle 50 during the conveyed object unloading step to remove foreign matter on the holding surface 17 or foreign matter floating around the holding surface 17.

[0122] The blow nozzle 40 and the vacuum nozzle 50 are disposed adjacent to each other in the radial direction of the holding part 35, and a blow step in which the blow nozzle 40 injects the gas F and a vacuum step in which the vacuum nozzle 50 generates a suction force G are performed simultaneously, so that the foreign matter D removed toward the radially outward direction by the gas F injected from the blow nozzle 40 can be sucked into the vacuum nozzle 50 and collected. This not only cleans the holding surface 17 and the workpiece 11, but also prevents the foreign matter D from scattering around the holding surface 17. That is, in the chamber space 13 of the plasma etching device 10, places other than the holding surface 17 and the workpiece 11 can be made clean.

[0123] In particular, a vacuum nozzle 50 is arranged further radially outward (toward the direction of travel Ea) from the blow nozzle 40, which sprays gas F radially outward (toward the direction of travel Ea) of the holding portion 35. Therefore, the suction port 52 of the vacuum nozzle 50 is disposed at the destination of the foreign matter D lifted up by the gas F from the blow nozzle 40, and the foreign matter D can be efficiently sucked and collected from the suction port 52.

[0124] Furthermore, the foreign matter D lifted up by the gas F from the blow nozzle 40 is more likely to move toward the suction port 52 along the guide plate 56 provided on the vacuum nozzle 50, so that the foreign matter D can be sucked in even more efficiently.

[0125] In addition, when the nozzle unit is equipped with both the blow nozzle 40 and the vacuum nozzle 50, it is possible to selectively perform only one of the supply of gas F from the blow nozzle 40 and the generation of suction force G by the vacuum nozzle 50, depending on the situation.

[0126] As an example, when the transfer arm 31 is moved in the traveling direction Ea to carry the workpiece 11 onto the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16, the gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 while suction is performed by the vacuum nozzle 50, thereby performing both the first air blow step and the first vacuum step. Thereafter, when the transfer arm 31 is moved in the separating direction Eb, only one of the second air blow step and the second vacuum step is performed. Also, when the transfer arm 31 is moved again in the traveling direction Ea, only one of the third air blow step and the third vacuum step is performed.

[0127] As described above, according to the conveying device 30 and the conveying method using the conveying device 30 of each of the above embodiments, foreign matter is removed from the holding surface 17 of the holding table 16 by spraying gas F from the blow nozzle 40 provided in the holding portion 35 or by suction with the vacuum nozzle 50 provided in the holding portion 35, so that cracks can be prevented from occurring in the workpiece 11, which is the object to be conveyed, when the workpiece 11 is held on the holding surface 17.

[0128] In addition, foreign matter can be removed from the workpiece 11 itself by spraying gas F from the blow nozzle 40 provided in the holding part 35 or by suction with the vacuum nozzle 50 provided in the holding part 35, so that cracks occurring in the workpiece 11 can be more reliably prevented.

[0129] In conjunction with the insertion operation of the transport arm 31 in the traveling direction Ea when transporting the workpiece 11 onto the holding surface 17, the withdrawal operation of the transport arm 31 in the moving direction Eb after delivering the workpiece 11 to the holding surface 17, and the reinsertion operation of the transport arm 31 in the traveling direction Ea to transport the workpiece 11 from the holding surface 17, gas F is sprayed from the blow nozzle 40 and a suction force G is generated by the vacuum nozzle 50.

[0130] In other words, the injection of gas F and the generation of suction force G for removing foreign matter are performed by utilizing the period during which the transfer arm 31 moves in relation to the transfer of the workpiece 11, so no time is required to perform a separate cleaning process for removing foreign matter. Therefore, foreign matter can be removed with excellent time efficiency without interfering with the processing operation in the plasma etching device 10.

[0131] Furthermore, the shutter 15 is not opened solely for the purpose of cleaning to remove foreign matter, but the opening 14 is opened only when it is necessary to transport the workpiece 11, and the period during which the opening is open is utilized to clean the foreign matter, thereby minimizing the time that the opening 14 is open and preventing the intrusion of foreign matter into the space 13 within the chamber.

[0132] The objects to be transported by the transport device and transport method of the present invention are various, such as semiconductor wafers and package substrates, and have various shapes, such as circular and rectangular. In other words, the type and shape of the objects are not limited. The configuration of the transport device can be appropriately changed depending on the shape and type of the objects.

[0133] In detail, the conveying device 30 in each of the above embodiments is provided with a disk-shaped holding portion 35 corresponding to the circular workpiece 11, and the blow nozzle 40 and the vacuum nozzle 50 are each arc-shaped along the outer edge (circumferential direction) of the holding portion 35, but the shapes of the holding portion, blow nozzle, vacuum nozzle, etc. are not limited to those of the above embodiments.

[0134] For example, if the object to be transported is rectangular, the holding part of the transport device may be configured as a rectangular plate in correspondence with the object to be transported. In this case, the blow nozzle and the vacuum nozzle may be linearly shaped along one side of the rectangular holding part (the side located on the traveling direction Ea side in the above embodiment).

[0135] The conveying device 30 in each of the above embodiments holds the plate-shaped workpiece 11 directly on the underside of the holding part 35 without any other member. As a different form of the conveyed object, a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer or a package substrate may be held by a ring-shaped frame via tape. In other words, the conveyed object may be configured as a unit including the workpiece, the tape, and the frame. In this case, the conveying arm may convey the frame by holding it with a suction pad provided on the holding part. Also, the holding part may not be plate-shaped, but may be ring-shaped along the frame, or may be cross-shaped connecting multiple suction pads.

[0136] The blow nozzle 40 in the above embodiment has a plurality of one type of jet ports 42 that are oriented in a generally common direction in the respective cross-sectional positions, but the blow nozzle may have a plurality of types of jet ports that open in different directions.

[0137] For example, in addition to the nozzle 42 of the above embodiment, another type of nozzle that opens vertically downward may be provided. Since the gas jetted from this other type of nozzle advances almost directly downward (directly below the blow nozzle), the effect of discharging foreign matter radially outward from the holding surface 17 is limited compared to the gas F jetted obliquely downward from the nozzle 42. However, since the effect of lifting foreign matter from the holding surface 17 or the upper surface of the workpiece 11 can be obtained, it is useful when collecting foreign matter in the vicinity of the nozzle unit by using a vacuum nozzle in combination as in the third embodiment of the conveying device 30 (FIGS. 12 and 13).

[0138] The transport device 30 in each of the above embodiments is a type in which the transport arm 31 holds the work 11 on the lower surface side of the holding part 35, but it is also possible to apply it to a type of transport device in which the work (transported object) is held on the upper surface side of the holding part. For example, a transport device and a processing device are known in which a notch is formed in a part of the holding part of the transport arm, and during transport, a pin that rises from the holding surface of the holding table is inserted into the notch of the holding part, receives the work held on the upper surface side of the holding part, and after the holding part is retracted, the pin descends to hold the work on the holding table. In addition, a transport device and a processing device are known in which the holding part of the transport arm is U-shaped, and a holding table of a size that fits into the notch in the center of the holding part is provided, and the holding table is inserted into the notch of the holding part to transfer the work held on the upper surface side of the holding part to the holding table. In such a transport device and processing device, a nozzle unit is provided in the holding part that holds and transports the transported object, and a foreign object removal step is performed in which gas is sprayed or sucked from the nozzle unit, thereby obtaining the same effect as each of the above embodiments.

[0139] Each of the above-described embodiments is applied to a transport device 30 for transporting a workpiece 11 to a plasma etching device 10. The plasma etching device 10 processes the workpiece 11 in a dry environment without cleaning the holding surface 17 with a cleaning liquid or supplying a processing liquid to the holding surface 17 and the workpiece 11, and therefore the effect of cleaning the holding surface 17 and the workpiece 11 with a liquid cannot be obtained. Therefore, by applying the present invention to the transport device 30 that transports the workpiece 11 to the plasma etching device 10, a high effect can be obtained.

[0140] However, the transport device and transport method according to the present invention can also be applied to transporting a workpiece to processing devices other than a plasma etching device. For example, the present invention can be applied as a transport device and transport method to processing devices that perform various processes on a workpiece, such as a cutting device, a grinding device, a polishing device, a byte cutting device, a cleaning device, an inspection device, a tape application device, a tape peeling device, a protective film forming device, etc. Even in these processing devices, there is a problem that it is necessary to remove foreign matter from the holding surface before placing a workpiece on the holding surface of the holding table, and the present invention is useful for this purpose.

[0141] For example, cutting devices, grinding devices, polishing devices, etc., supply processing fluid when processing a workpiece to wash away foreign matter near the processing point, but at the previous stage when the workpiece is transported and placed on the holding surface of the holding table, the foreign matter may not be washed away and may adhere to the holding surface. Also, tape application devices, tape peeling devices, etc. often process workpieces without supplying liquids such as cleaning fluid or processing fluid, and as with the above-mentioned plasma etching device 10, foreign matter is likely to adhere to the holding surface of the holding table in a dry environment. Therefore, the transport device and transport method of the present invention are also effective for processing devices other than plasma etching devices.

[0142] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications, and may be modified, substituted, or altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Furthermore, if the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be realized in a different way due to technological progress or a different derived technology, the present invention may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may be included within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0143] As described above, in the conveying device and conveying method of the present invention, when the transported object is being transported, at least one of gas is sprayed from the blow nozzle and suction force is applied by the vacuum nozzle to remove foreign matter from the holding surface of the holding table and the workpiece, thereby preventing the transported object from cracking due to foreign matter when being held. [Explanation of symbols]

[0144] 10: Plasma etching equipment 11: Work (carried object) 12: Chamber 13: Chamber space 14:Aperture 15: Shutter 16: Holding table 17: Holding surface 18: Electrode 19: Voltage application section 20: Gas supply head 21: Gas outlet 22: Gas supply line 23: Plasma generating unit 24: Gas supply source 25: Exhaust pipe 26: Opening and closing valve 27: Exhaust pump 30: Transport device 31: Transport arm 32: Lifting mechanism 33: Horizontal movement mechanism 34: Arm section 35: Holding part 36: Suction path 37:Shut-off valve 38: Suction source 40: Blow nozzle (nozzle unit) 41: Main body 42: Nozzle 43:Shut-off valve 44: Gas supply source 50: Vacuum nozzle (nozzle unit) 51: Main body 52: Suction port 53: Opening and closing valve 54: Suction source 55: Support bracket 56: Guide plate D: Foreign matter Ea: Direction of travel Eb: Leaving direction F: Gas G: Suction power

Claims

1. A conveying device that conveys an object to a holding table having a holding surface that holds the object, The conveying device is A holding unit that holds the transported object; a nozzle unit including at least one of a blow nozzle that injects gas onto the holding surface and a vacuum nozzle that generates a suction force in a direction toward the holding surface; A conveying device comprising:

2. 2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the blow nozzle is fixed to a front side in a direction of movement when the holding portion is brought relatively close to the holding surface.

3. 2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum nozzle is fixed forward of the blow nozzle in a direction of movement when the holding portion is moved relatively closer to the holding surface.

4. A method for transporting an object using the transport device according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: a first blow step of supplying gas from the blow nozzle while bringing the holding part relatively close to the holding surface of the holding table, thereby removing at least foreign matter attached to the holding surface; a first suction step of removing at least foreign matter attached to the holding surface by the vacuum nozzle while bringing the holding part relatively close to the holding surface; A foreign matter removal step of performing any one of the above; a placing step of placing an object to be transported on the holding surface by a transport arm after the foreign object removing step; A method for transporting an object, comprising:

5. 5. The method for transporting a transported object according to claim 4, wherein the first blowing step is performed in a state where the transported object is held by the holding section.

6. 5. The method for transporting a transported object as described in claim 4, further comprising a second blowing step of, after the placing step, spraying gas from the blow nozzle onto the transported object while moving the holding portion relatively away from the holding surface to remove foreign matter adhering to the transported object.

7. a third blow step of blowing gas from the blow nozzle onto the transported object while bringing the holding part relatively close to the transported object held on the holding surface to remove foreign matter from the transported object; a conveyed object carrying-out step of carrying out the conveyed object from the holding surface by the holding unit after the third blowing step; The method for transporting an object according to claim 4 , further comprising:

8. 5. The method for transporting an object according to claim 4, wherein the holding table is installed in a chamber of a plasma etching device having a shutter which is opened when the transport arm is used for transporting the object.

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