Reticle pod cleaning device and inner pod separation device used therein

Abstract

The present invention provides an inner pod separation device that prevents the inner base from being lifted along with the inner cover when the inner cover is raised. [Configuration] This is an inner pod separation device implemented in a reticle pod cleaning device that cleans a double-layered reticle pod in which an inner pod is housed inside an outer pod. It comprises a support base 21 that supports the reticle pod and a pair of holding devices 30 provided on opposite sides of the support base. When a mobile robot holds the inner cover 6 of the inner pod and lifts it, the holding devices hold the inner base 5 of the inner pod and prevent it from moving upward. This prevents the inner base from sticking to the inner base and being lifted, and the mobile robot holds and transports only the inner base.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a reticle pod cleaning device for cleaning a reticle pod used for storing or transporting a reticle used when transferring a circuit pattern or the like of an electronic component, and an inner pod separating device used therefor.

Background Art

[0002] In photolithography technology for drawing an integrated circuit pattern on a silicon wafer, with the high integration of LSIs, EUV (Extreme Ultra Violet) masks as reticles irradiated with EUV light in a vacuum have become widespread. The reticle pod for storing and preserving this EUV mask has a double-structured case as shown in FIG. 1, for example.

[0003] The reticle pod 1 is composed of a double structure having an inner pod 3 for storing a reticle (not shown) and an outer pod 4 for storing the inner pod 3. The inner pod 3 includes an inner base 5 and an inner cover 6 covering the inner base 5. When the inner cover 6 is placed on the inner base 5, a predetermined space is formed inside, and the reticle is stored in that space. The outer pod 4 includes a pod door 7 disposed below and a pod dome 8 disposed so as to cover the upper part of the pod door 7. The pod door 7 has a substantially flat plate shape, and the pod dome 8 has a box shape that is open at the bottom and has an internal space of a predetermined height. In the use state, the inner pod 3 is fixed to the upper surface of the pod door 7, and the pod dome 8 is attached so as to cover the pod door 7 and the inner pod 3.

[0004] By making the reticle pod 1 a double-layered structure, the reticle can be thoroughly protected from contamination by the outside air. The outer pod 4 is exposed to the outside air, but the inner pod 3 is not exposed to the outside air unless the outer pod 4 is intentionally opened. As a cleaning device that can clean both the outer pod 3 and prevent contaminants adhering to the outer pod 4 exposed to the outside air from contaminating the inner pod 3, thereby improving cleaning accuracy, there is, for example, the cleaning device disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0005] This cleaning apparatus includes, for example, a cleaning tank that houses and cleans the inner base 5 and inner cover 6 that constitute the inner pod 3 and the pod door 7 and pod dome 8 that constitute the outer pod 4 in a separate state within a booth that forms a clean space, and a separation and conveying device that separates the parts that constitute the reticle pod 1, which is assembled in a two-layer structure, and conveys them to predetermined positions in predetermined cleaning tanks.

[0006] The separation and transfer device lifts each component of the stacked reticle pod 1 upwards, holding them one by one from top to bottom using predetermined means such as suction or support. Prior to this holding and lifting process, if the components are locked to prevent separation in use, the locks are released beforehand and the components are in a waiting state.

[0007] For example, if the mobile robot initially holds the pod dome 8 with its holder and then moves the holder upward, the pod dome 8 will rise along with the holder, but since the other parts are not connected to the pod dome 8, only the pod dome 8 will rise. Then, the holder is moved along a predetermined trajectory to the cleaning tank, and the pod dome 8 is transferred to the cleaning tank. This exposes the inner cover 6 of the inner pod 3.

[0008] Next, the inner cover 6 is held and lifted using a predetermined retaining device, separating the inner cover 6 from the inner base 5, and moving the inner cover 6 to a predetermined position in a predetermined cleaning tank. Thereafter, the same procedure is performed sequentially to move the inner base 5 and pod door 7 one by one into the predetermined cleaning tanks.

[0009] In this way, conventional cleaning devices separate the part held by the holder from the other parts by holding the uppermost exposed part of the four components that make up the reticle pod 1 with a holder and raising the holder. The part that is directly held by the holder rises along with the holder, while the other parts remain in their positions due to their own weight. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-63822 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] However, when attempting to lift the inner cover 6, the inner base 5 may also be lifted along with it. This is likely due to the fact that the inside of the inner pod 3 is in a vacuum state, making it difficult for the inner base 5 and inner cover 6 to separate. Furthermore, both the inner base 5 and inner cover 6, which make up the inner pod 3, are made of metal and have coated surfaces, resulting in good adhesion. Additionally, if the contact surface between the two is wet, they will adhere even more tightly, making it more likely that lifting the inner cover 6 will cause the inner base 5 to lift along with it.

[0012] The inner base 5 and inner cover 6 are not physically connected, and because they are made of metal and are heavy, if the inner base 5 is moved while holding the inner cover 6 to which it is attached, there is a risk that the inner base 5 may detach from the inner cover 6 and fall during the movement. If the heavy, metal inner base 5 falls, there is a risk that the inner base 5 itself or the cleaning device may be damaged.

[0013] The problems described above are presented as independent issues, and the present invention is not necessarily required to solve all of them; it is sufficient if at least one problem is solved. Furthermore, the invention intends to obtain rights for the configuration that solves this problem independently through divisional applications, amendments, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the inner pod separation device of the present invention comprises (1) an inner base and an inner cover that covers the inner base, and an inner pod having a sealed space for housing a reticle, An outer pod having a pod door that supports the inner pod, and a pod dome that is mounted above the pod door to house the inner pod inside, An inner pod separation device used in a reticle pod cleaning device for cleaning the reticle pods it contains, A support base for supporting the reticle pod and A moving means comprising, on the support base, a holding means for holding the inner cover exposed when the pod dome constituting the reticle pod is removed, and a first driving means for raising and lowering the holding means, The mechanism is configured to include a blocking mechanism to prevent the inner base from moving upward when the moving mechanism holds the inner cover and moves upward.

[0015] In this configuration, when the moving mechanism moves upward while holding the inner cover, the held inner cover rises. Also, since the inner cover and inner base are in close contact, the inner base will try to lift up in accordance with the rise of the inner cover. At this time, the blocking mechanism prevents the inner base from rising, so the inner base remains in its position without lifting. Therefore, the occurrence of the inner base lifting up together with the inner cover can be suppressed.

[0016] (2) The preventing means may include a pressing device that biases the inner base by clamping the sides of the inner base from both sides. In this way, the pressing devices positioned on both sides of the inner base can hold the inner base by clamping the sides of the inner base, preventing the inner base from sticking to the inner cover and lifting up. By adopting a configuration that clamps the sides, inner bases of various dimensions and shapes can be held. For example, even if the upper surface of the inner base is covered by the inner cover and not exposed to the top, the pressing device can still press from the sides.

[0017] (3) The pressing device comprises an arm member having an elastically deformable pressing member on its tip end, and a second driving means for moving the tip end of the arm member toward and toward the side surface of the inner base, wherein when the tip end approaches the side surface in response to the drive of the second driving means, the pressing member comes into contact with the side surface and elastically deforms, thereby biasing the side surface.

[0018] In this way, the retaining device can hold the inner base with a simple configuration. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the inner base from sticking to the inner cover and lifting up.

[0019] (4) The second driving means is configured to rotate the arm member in forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range, so that the pressing member contacts and moves away from the side surface.

[0020] By doing so, as the arm member rotates in a predetermined direction, the pressing member approaches toward the side surface of the inner base. Also, there are various size and shape of the reticle pod, and there are also different sizes of the inner base. Therefore, the distance between the side surface of the inner base placed on the support base and the rotation center of the arm member varies, but when the said distance is shorter than the distance from the rotation center of the arm member to the tip of the pressing member, the pressing device can press the inner base. Thereby, it can correspond to different sizes.

[0021] (5) The arm member may be configured such that the distance from the rotation center that rotates forward and backward to the pressing member can be changed. By doing so, it can correspond to different sizes of the inner base.

[0022] (6) The second driving means may be configured to move the pressing member forward and backward in a direction perpendicular to the side surface, and contact the side surface with the pressing member at the forward position to elastically deform and bias the side surface.

[0023] By doing so, the force for moving the pressing member can be directly used as the force for biasing the side surface of the inner base. Therefore, the inner base can be held more firmly.

[0024] (7) The blocking means may be configured to contact the upper surface of the inner base and block the upward movement of the inner base. By doing so, the movement of the inner base trying to rise can be blocked, and it can more reliably prevent the inner base from being lifted.

[0025] (8) Further, the reticle pod cleaning device of the present invention preferably includes the inner pod separation device according to any one of (1) to (7), the inner base, the inner cover, the pod door, a cleaning tank for cleaning the pod dome, and means for transferring the inner base, the inner cover, the pod door, and the pod dome from the support base to the cleaning tank. The cleaning tank may be a single one for accommodating and cleaning all four components, or may be provided in plurality for accommodating and cleaning one or more components.

[0026] Also, the configurations shown in (1) to (8) described above can be appropriately combined, and on the premise of the combined configuration, it is advisable to combine the components described in the embodiments and the drawings.

Advantages of the Invention

[0027] According to the present invention, when holding and lifting the inner cover, it is possible to suppress as much as possible the inner base from being lifted together with the inner cover stuck thereto. Therefore, only the inner cover can be transported to the cleaning tank, and the inner base will not accidentally fall.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an example of a reticle pod to be processed by the reticle pod cleaning device and the inner pod separation device used therein according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an example of an inner cover. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of an inner base. [Figure 4] It is a plan view showing a state where an inner cover is placed on an inner base. [Figure 5] It is a front view showing a main part of an embodiment of the inner pod separation device. [Figure 6] It is a plan view thereof. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the pressing device 30. [Figure 8]This is a front view showing the reticle pod placed on the support base. [Figure 9] This is a front view showing the state after raising the pod dome from the state shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10] This is a plan view showing the reticle pod with the pod dome removed from it, which is placed on a support stand. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of a mobile robot. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of a mobile robot. [Figure 13] This is a diagram explaining the mechanism. [Figure 14] This is a diagram explaining the mechanism. [Figure 15] This is a diagram explaining the mechanism. [Figure 16] This is a diagram explaining the mechanism. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto, and various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0030] Figures 1 and 2 show an example of a reticle pod 1 that is processed by the reticle pod cleaning device and the inner pod separation device used therein according to this embodiment. The reticle pod 1 is also called an EUV pod, and as an example, as shown in the figure, it consists of a double-layered case with an inner pod 3 and an outer pod 4 that houses the inner pod 3.

[0031] The inner pod 3 comprises an inner base 5 and an inner cover 6 that covers the inner base 5. When the inner cover 6 is placed on top of the inner base 5, a predetermined space is formed inside, and a reticle (not shown) is housed in that space. The outer pod 4 comprises a pod door 7 located at the bottom and a pod dome 8 positioned to cover the top of the pod door 7.

[0032] The pod door 7 is made of a flat, plate-like structure with a roughly rectangular shape. Multiple locking projections 9 (four in this embodiment) are provided at predetermined positions on the upper surface 7a of the pod door 7. The locking projections 9 are provided at the four vertices of a virtual square. The locking projections 9 have projections 9b that protrude upward from the upper surface 9a. The upper surfaces 9a of the multiple locking projections 9 are located on the same plane parallel to the upper surface 7a of the pod door 7, and are formed to support the inner base 5.

[0033] In the center of the pod door 7 is a latch-type locking mechanism (not shown) that locks the pod door 7, pod dome 8, inner base 5, and inner cover 6 together in a way that prevents them from separating and allows them to be unlocked separately. The locking mechanism has an insertion hole 7c formed in the central part of the lower surface 7b of the pod door 7, and the mechanism is located inside this insertion hole 7c.

[0034] The pod dome 8 comprises a box-shaped body 8a that opens downwards. The inner circumferential surface shape of the lower end portion 8b of the body 8a is formed to be approximately the same as, or slightly wider than, the outer circumferential surface shape of the pod door 7. As a result, as shown in Figure 1(b), when the pod dome 8 is mounted so as to cover the pod door 7, the pod door 7 fits inside the lower end portion 8b of the pod dome 8, and the lower end of the pod door 7 and the lower end of the pod dome 8 are located on the same plane. The internal space of the pod dome 8 has a predetermined height that allows the inner pod 3 to be housed inside.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the inner base 5 is composed of a flat plate-like member with a roughly rectangular shape in plan and rounded corners. The plate-like member that constitutes the main part of the inner base 5 is preferably made of metal, such as aluminum, and its surface may be specially coated.

[0036] The inner base 5 has through holes 10 that penetrate vertically at each of its four corners. The through holes 10 are positioned opposite the projections 9b provided on the upper surface 9a of the locking projection 9 on the pod door 7. The internal dimensions of the through holes 10 are equal to or slightly larger than the external dimensions of the projections 9b. As a result, when the inner base 5 is placed on the pod door 7, it is adjusted so that the projections 9b are inserted into the through holes 10, thereby achieving relative positioning with respect to the pod door 7, and the lower surface of the inner base 5 is in contact with and supported by the upper surface 9a of the locking projection 9. In this supported state, the inner base 5 is supported by the locking projection 9 at a position floating a predetermined distance above the upper surface 7a of the pod door 7.

[0037] Near the four corners of the upper surface 5a of the inner base 5, there are two locking parts 11 adjacent to the through holes 10. The locking parts 11 are preferably formed from resin and attached to the metal part. On one pair of opposite sides of the inner base 5, a first projection 12 is integrally formed, projecting outward over a relatively long area in the center of that side, and a first recess 13 is provided, which is cut out in a roughly triangular shape near the center of the outer edge of the first projection 12.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the inner cover 6 is composed of a flat plate-like member with a roughly rectangular shape in plan and rounded corners. The plate-like member that constitutes the main part of the inner base 5 is preferably made of metal, such as aluminum, and its surface may be specially coated.

[0039] A hole is provided at a predetermined position on the lower surface of the inner cover 6. When the inner cover 6 is placed on top of the inner base 5, the locking portion 11 provided on the inner base 5 fits into the hole, and the inner base 5 and the inner cover 6 are positioned.

[0040] The length of each side of the inner cover 6 is made longer than the length of each side of the opposing inner base 5, and the planar shape of the inner cover 6 is made slightly larger than the planar shape of the inner base 5. As a result, when the inner cover 6 is positioned and placed over the inner base 5, as shown in Figure 4, the four corners of the inner cover 6 are located outside the corners of the inner base 5, and the inner cover 6 is configured to completely cover the inner base 5.

[0041] Furthermore, both sides of the inner cover 6 opposite each other, that is, the side on which the first projection 12 of the inner base 5 is provided, have a notch 15 in a relatively long area in the center of that side, so that the outer surface is set back one level. When the inner cover 6 is placed on top of the inner base 5, in a plan view from above, the first projection 12 of the inner base 5 fits within the notch 15 of the inner cover 6 and is exposed on the upper side. In addition, the outer edge of the first projection 12 is formed to be approximately on the same line as the side of the inner cover 6 on which the notch 15 is provided. Furthermore, the back side of the notch 15 is formed to be approximately on the same line as the side of the inner base 5 on which the first projection 12 is provided.

[0042] Furthermore, a second projection 16 is integrally formed on the central part of the other opposite side of the inner cover 6, and a second recess 17 is provided, which is cut out in a roughly triangular shape near the center of the outer edge of the second projection 16. The second projection 16 is made to protrude relatively long. The second projection 16 is the part that is supported by the handle portion used to hold and lift the inner cover 6 in the reticle pod cleaning device, and the amount of protrusion is set to a length that secures an area that the handle portion can support.

[0043] The reticle pod 1 described above is a general-purpose product that was commercially available at the time of filing the application, and there are various sizes and shapes other than those shown in the illustration.

[0044] Figures 5 to 7 show one embodiment of a support device 20 that supports the individual components of a reticle pod 1, which is mounted on a reticle pod cleaning device, for separation. The inner pod separation device, which is part of the opener, comprises this support device 20 and a mobile robot that lifts the inner cover 6, which will be described later. The support device 20 includes a flat support base 21 that supports the reticle pod 1. The support base 21 is attached to the machine frame of the reticle pod cleaning device (not shown) via predetermined connecting members to maintain a horizontal position.

[0045] The upper surface of the support base 21 is provided with a disc-shaped support portion 28 at a predetermined position. The support portion 28 is positioned at the vertices of a virtual triangle, and the upper surface of the support portion 28 lies on the same plane parallel to the upper surface of the support base 21. The lower surface 7b of the pod door 7 of the reticle pod 1 is placed on and supported by the upper surfaces of the three support portions 28.

[0046] The upper surface of the support base 21 is provided with engaging protrusions 25 that fit into a plurality of engaging recesses provided on the lower surface 7b of the pod door 7 of the supported reticle pod 1. When setting the reticle pod 1 on the support base 21, the engaging protrusions 25 are positioned so that they are inserted into the engaging recesses, thereby setting the pod door 7 and, consequently, the reticle pod 1, in a positioned state on the support base 21.

[0047] A latch drive unit 22 is provided in the center of the support base 21, which is inserted through an insertion hole 7c formed in the central part of the lower surface 7b of the pod door 7 of the supported reticle pod 1 to lock and unlock the locking mechanism. The latch drive unit 22 has a plurality of latch pins 24 arranged upright on the upper surface of a rotatable disc 23. The disc 23 of the latch drive unit 22 rotates in forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range under the drive of an actuator 26. When the reticle pod 1 is positioned and set on the support base 21, the latch pins 24 are inserted through the insertion hole 7c provided in the lower surface 7b of the pod door 7, and the latch drive unit 22 rotates the latch pins 24 in forward and reverse directions together with the disc 23, thereby locking and unlocking the locking mechanism.

[0048] The support base 21 is equipped with four air-suction type suction pads 27 that attract the pod door 7 of the supported reticle pod 1. By attracting the pod door 7 supported on the support base 21 with the suction pads 27, the horizontal movement of the reticle pod 1 is prevented, and it is securely positioned and fixed on the support base 21.

[0049] In this embodiment, a retaining device 30 is placed at a predetermined position on the support base 21 to prevent the inner base 5 from moving upward. The retaining devices 30 are positioned on the outside of a pair of first projections 12 of the inner base 5, contacting the sides of the pair of first projections 12 and biasing the inner base 5 toward the center (see Figure 10, etc.). As a result, the pair of first projections 12 are biased to be sandwiched and gripped by the pair of retaining devices 30. Therefore, even if, for example, the inner cover 6 is supported by the hand portion and biased to be lifted upward, and a force is generated in the direction that the inner base 5 will stick to the inner cover 6 and move upward, the fixing force due to the sandwiching by the pair of retaining devices 30 prevails, and the inner base 5 maintains its position, that is, the position supported on the pod door 7. Therefore, only the inner cover 6 rises, and the inner cover 6 and the inner base 5 are separated. A retaining device 30 with such a function may be configured as follows, for example.

[0050] Each pressing device 30 includes a pair of rotary cylinders 31 (an example of a second driving means) arranged at a predetermined interval along one side of the support base 21, a rotating shaft 33 extending upward and linked to an output shaft 31a protruding upward from the rotary cylinder 31 via a gear mechanism 32 (as shown in an enlarged view in Figure 7), a swivel lever 34 (an example of an arm member) with its base end attached to the rotating shaft 33, a support shaft 35 standing upright on the upper surface of the tip end of the swivel lever 34, and a cylindrical pressing member 36 attached to the support shaft 35, etc.

[0051] The swivel lever 34 has a first arm portion 41 at the base end connected to the rotation axis 33, and a second arm portion 42 attached to the lower surface of the tip end of the first arm portion 41. The first arm portion 41 and the second arm portion 42 are arranged in a straight line in a plan view and are connected along the longitudinal direction by two fixing screws (not shown). The first arm portion 41 has an elongated hole 41a extending in the longitudinal direction in the area where the fixing screws are installed. On the other hand, the second arm portion 42 has two screw holes 42a at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction in the area where the fixing screws are installed. With the elongated hole 41a and the screw holes 42a set to the desired positional relationship, the threaded portion of the fixing screw is passed through the elongated hole 41a and installed in the screw holes 42a, and the screw is tightened with the head of the fixing screw in contact with the upper surface of the first arm portion 41. In this way, the first arm portion 41 and the second arm portion 42 are connected and fixed in the desired positional relationship. Furthermore, by loosening the fixing screw, the second arm portion 42 can be moved forward and backward in the longitudinal direction relative to the first arm portion 41, and the positions of the first arm portion 41 and the second arm portion 42 can be fixed by tightening the fixing screw at an appropriate position. In this way, the length of the swivel lever 34, that is, the distance between the support shaft 35 and the retaining member 36 with respect to the rotation axis 33, can be adjusted.

[0052] Furthermore, the swivel lever 34 rotates in forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range around the rotation axis 33 in accordance with the forward and reverse rotation operation of the rotary cylinder 31. In the example shown in Figure 6, a pair of swivel levers 34, indicated by the dashed-dot lines, reciprocate between a standby position located parallel to the sides of the support base 21 and on the same straight line, and an operating position indicated by the solid lines, which is rotated 90 degrees from the standby position. When the swivel levers 34 are in the operating position, the retaining member 36 is configured to be able to contact the side surface of the first projection 12 of the inner base 5.

[0053] The retaining member 36 is made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the swivel lever 34 reaches the operating position as described above, the retaining member 36 is configured to contact the side surface of the first projection 12 of the inner base 5 and be elastically deformed and crushed, as shown in Figure 10. As a result, the inner base 5 is gripped by the elastic restoring force, as the first projections 12 on a pair of opposite sides make contact at four points, with the elastically deformed retaining member 36 making contact at two points on each side. Note that in Figure 10, for illustrative purposes, the retaining member 36 is depicted as circular without being crushed. As is clear from the figure, a portion of the periphery of the retaining member 36 is located within the area of ​​the first projection 12, and in reality, the portion located within that area is crushed and elastically deformed.

[0054] As shown in Figure 9, the upper end of the retaining member 36 is positioned at the same level as or lower than the upper surface of the inner base 5. As a result, when the swivel lever 34 reaches the operating position as described above, the retaining member 36 contacts and holds down the inner base 5, but does not contact the inner cover 6, and therefore does not suppress the upward movement of the inner cover 6.

[0055] Furthermore, the mobile robot 44 (an example of the first driving means) that moves the inner cover 6 upward includes, for example, a pair of hand parts 45 and a drive device 46 that moves the hand parts 45 in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) and the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), as shown in Figures 11 and 12. The pair of hand parts 45 move toward and toward each other in a horizontal plane, and also move up and down while maintaining the same height, under the drive of the drive device 46. The hand parts 45 are equipped with locking parts 45a, 45b, 45c, and 45d that lock in accordance with the shapes of the pod door 7, pod dome 8, inner base 5, and inner cover 6, respectively. Under the drive of the drive device 46, the pair of hand parts 45 move toward each other, grasp and hold one of the transportable parts from the pod door 7, pod dome 8, inner base 5, and inner cover 6 from both sides, and transport it.

[0056] For example, the uppermost locking portion 45d is for holding the inner cover 6, and when the pair of hand portions 45 are close together, the distance between the tips of the locking portions 45d of the pair of hand portions 45 is shorter than the distance between the outer edges of the pair of second projections 16 of the inner cover 6, so that the locking portions 45d of the pair of hand portions 45 can support the pair of second projections 16 from below (see Figure 12(a)). Similarly, the second locking portion 45c from the top is for holding the inner base 5, and when the pair of hand portions 45 are close together, the distance between the tips of the locking portions 45c of the pair of hand portions 45 is shorter than the distance between the outer edges of opposite sides of the inner base 5, so that the locking portions 45c of the pair of hand portions 45 can support the inner base 5 from below (see Figure 12(b)). Although a detailed illustration is omitted, the pod door 7 and pod dome 8 are also supported from below by locking parts 45b and 45a.

[0057] When one hand unit 45 rises while supporting each component, it can lift the component while maintaining its support. Furthermore, by moving the pair of hand units 45 horizontally or vertically while maintaining their relative positional relationship, the supported component can be moved to a predetermined position. After moving to the predetermined position, the support can be released and the component transferred by separating the pair of hand units 45. In this embodiment, four components are moved using the same mobile robot 44, but different devices may be used.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a detection sensor 48 is provided at a predetermined position above the support base 21. The detection sensor 48 may be a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object, such as a through-type or reflective infrared sensor. The inner base 5 on the pod door 7 placed on the support base 21 is positioned to be detectable. As a result, for example, when the pod dome 8 is removed from the state in which the reticle pod 1 is placed on the support base 21 and the inner pod 3 is exposed, the detection sensor 48 detects the inner base 5 and outputs a detection signal.

[0059] When the inner cover 6 is moved upward by the mobile robot from this state, the inner base 5 also moves upward with it. When the inner base 5 moves out of the detection area of ​​the detection sensor 48, there is no longer an object between the pair of detection sensors 48, and a non-detection signal is output.

[0060] In this embodiment, the detection sensor 48 is designed to detect whether or not an object is present between the pair of sensors. Therefore, even if, for example, the pod dome 8 is present, the detection sensor 48 will output a detection signal. Accordingly, the control unit that receives the signal from the detection sensor 48 should recognize the presence or absence of the inner base 5 in conjunction with information on the operating status of the mobile robot.

[0061] The separation of the reticle pod 1 using the reticle pod cleaning device with the above configuration should be carried out as follows. As shown in Figure 14(a), the support device 20 used in the reticle cleaning device has its swivel lever 34 in the retracted position (parallel) when in standby mode.

[0062] Next, the reticle pod 1 is positioned and installed on the support base 21 using a predetermined moving mechanism (see Figures 8 and 14(b)). In this state, the suction pad 27 adheres to the lower surface 7b of the pod door 7 of the reticle pod 1, and the latch drive unit 22 rotates to operate the locking mechanism on the pod door 7 and unlock it.

[0063] Next, the mobile robot 44 holds the pod dome 8 and moves it upward, separating it from the pod door 7 (see Figure 9). Then, the pod dome 8 is transferred to a cleaning tank (not shown). As a result, the inner pod 3 is exposed, as shown in Figure 14(c).

[0064] Next, the rotary cylinder 31 is driven, rotating the swivel lever 34, and the retaining member 36 attached to the tip of the swivel lever 34 is brought into contact with the side of the inner base 5 located beneath the inner cover 6, thereby fixing the inner base 5 (see Figures 13(a) and 15(a)). At this time, the retaining member 36 does not come into contact with the inner cover 6 and is not fixed in place.

[0065] Next, the mobile robot 44 operates, and the locking portions 45d of the pair of hand portions 45 enter below the second projection portion 16 and move upward. As a result, the pair of hand portions 45 each contact and hold the lower surface of the pair of second projection portions 16 (see Figure 10(a)), and the inner cover 6 moves upward. At this time, since the holding device 30 fixed the inner base 5 in the previous step, even when the inner cover 6 rises, the inner base 5 does not stick to it and lift up, but remains placed on the pod door 7. Therefore, the inner cover 6 separates from the inner base 5 and is transported and transferred to a predetermined washing tank by the moving mechanism. Consequently, the inner base 5 is exposed on the support stand 21 (see Figures 13(b) and 15(b)).

[0066] Next, the rotary cylinder 31 rotates in the opposite direction to the above. Consequently, the swivel lever 34 rotates to the retracted position (see Figure 16(a)). As a result, the inner base 5, which is placed on top of the pod door 7, is released from its fixation by the retaining device 30 and becomes free.

[0067] Next, the mobile robot 44 operates, holds the inner base 5, and transports and transfers it to a designated cleaning tank. As a result, the pod door 7 is supported on the support base 21, as shown in Figure 16(b). After this, the suction from the suction pad is released, and the mobile robot 44 holds the pod door 7, moves it upward, and transports and transfers it to the designated cleaning tank.

[0068] In this way, each component of the reticle pod 1 is transferred to a designated cleaning tank and cleaned in the cleaning tank. One or more cleaning tanks are provided, and each component is cleaned in the appropriate cleaning tank. After cleaning, each component is removed from the cleaning tank in the reverse procedure described above and placed sequentially on the support base 21 while being positioned. Then, the latch drive unit 22 operates, and the locking unit locks.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since a detection sensor 48 is placed on the support base 21 to detect the inner base 5, the control device that controls the operation of the reticle pod cleaning device should be controlled as follows. When the control unit moves the inner cover 6 upward, if it receives a detection signal from the detection sensor 48, it continues the operation. If it does not receive a detection signal or receives a non-detection signal, it stops the operation and notifies that it has stopped.

[0070] This means that, for example, if the inner base 5 is not securely fixed and sticks to the inner cover 6 and rises, it will stop immediately, thus minimizing the chances of the inner base 5 falling during movement. In addition, the control device will notify the user that it has stopped or that there is an abnormality, allowing the user to proceed to the reticle pod cleaning device and perform predetermined actions, such as removing the inner base 5 before it falls.

[0071] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a rotary cylinder 31 is used as the drive source, and the inner base 5 is held as the slewing lever 34 rotates in forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a cylinder that reciprocates in a straight line (an example of a second drive means) may be used as the drive source. In this case, the configuration can be simplified and the inner base 5 can be fixed more securely. Also, when a reciprocating cylinder is used, the arm member may be configured separately from the cylinder rod of the cylinder, or the cylinder rod may also serve as the arm member.

[0072] Furthermore, as described in the embodiments and modifications above, the inner base 5 is configured to be biased by clamping its side surface with the retaining member. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the inner base 5 may be retracted into an area where its upper part is exposed, such as the first projection 12 provided on the inner base 5. In this case as well, the claw piece is positioned to be able to extend and retract, and by positioning the first projection 12 on the upper surface, the lifting of the inner base can be suppressed more reliably.

[0073] While various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments, it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but rather to aid in understanding it. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations and manufacturing methods explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of the various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. Although the configurations for which patent protection is sought are specified in the appended claims, it should be noted that even configurations not currently specified in the claims may be claimed in the future. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1: Reticle pod 3: Inner Pod 4: Outer Pod 5: Inner base 6: Inner cover 7: Poddoor 8: Pod Dome 21: Support stand 30: Retaining device 31: Rotary Cylinder 34: Swivel lever 36: Retaining member 44: Mobile robots 45: Handball Club 46: Drive unit

Claims

1. An inner pod comprising an inner base, an inner cover that covers the inner base, and having a sealed space for housing a reticle, An outer pod having a pod door that supports the inner pod, and a pod dome that is mounted above the pod door to house the inner pod inside, An inner pod separation device used in a reticle pod cleaning device for cleaning the reticle pods it contains, A support base for supporting the reticle pod and A moving means comprising, on the support base, a holding means for holding the inner cover exposed when the pod dome constituting the reticle pod is removed, and a first driving means for raising and lowering the holding means, An inner pod separation device comprising a blocking means for preventing the upward movement of the inner base when the moving means holds the inner cover and rises.

2. The inner pod separation device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking means comprises a pressing device that biases the side surface of the inner base by clamping it from both sides.

3. The aforementioned retaining device is An arm member equipped with an elastically deformable pressing member at its tip, The arm member is provided with a second driving means for moving the tip end of the arm member toward or toward the side surface of the inner base, When the tip side approaches the side surface in response to the drive of the second driving means, the pressing member is configured to contact the side surface and elastically deform, thereby biasing the side surface. The inner pod separation device according to claim 2.

4. The second driving means is configured to rotate the arm member in forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range, causing the pressing member to contact and move away from the side surface. The inner pod separation device according to claim 3.

5. The inner pod separation device according to claim 4, wherein the arm member is configured to change the distance from the center of rotation that moves in forward and reverse directions to the pressing member.

6. The inner pod separation device according to claim 3, wherein the second driving means is configured to move the pressing member forward and backward in a direction perpendicular to the side surface, and in the forward position, the pressing member contacts the side surface and undergoes elastic deformation, thereby biasing the side surface.

7. The inner pod separation device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking means is configured to contact the upper surface of the inner base and prevent the inner base from rising.

8. An inner pod separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The inner base, the inner cover, the pod door, and the cleaning tank for cleaning the pod dome, A reticle pod cleaning apparatus comprising the inner base, the inner cover, the pod door, and means for transferring the pod dome from the support base to the cleaning tank.

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