Aligner and method for correcting positional deviation of plate-shaped workpiece

Abstract

To provide an aligner device configured to be capable of reducing a time of transfer including processing of positional deviation correction of a tabular work-piece.SOLUTION: An aligner device comprises: a robot hand 1 including a hand body capable of mounting and holding a tabular work-piece; a sensor 3 that has a downward sensor surface and is capable of detecting an outer shape of a tabular work-piece close to or in contact with the sensor surface from below; a work-piece lift mechanism 5 that can lift a tabular work-piece transferred by the robot hand 1 and mounted on the hand body so as to be close to or in contact with the sensor surface and can lower the tabular work-piece from the lifted state; and positional deviation amount calculation means 6 for calculating an amount of positional deviation from a reference position of the tabular work-piece, from the outer shape of the tabular work-piece in a state of being lifted by the work-piece lift mechanism 5, which is acquired by the sensor 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aligner device and a method for correcting positional deviation of a plate-shaped workpiece, and more particularly to a technology for detecting the amount of positional deviation of a plate-shaped workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer relative to a reference position and correcting the position of the plate-shaped workpiece based on the detected amount of positional deviation. [Background technology]

[0002] In semiconductor processing, for example, a wafer loaded into a load lock chamber is transferred into a processing chamber by a transfer robot. Depending on the processing to be performed in the processing chamber, the wafer must be accurately transferred to a reference position within the processing chamber. To achieve this, an aligner device, such as that shown in Patent Document 1, is used before the workpiece is transferred into the processing chamber. This aligner device is configured to detect the amount of misalignment of the wafer in the planar direction (X and Y directions) and the rotational direction (θ direction). Specifically, a line sensor detects the position of the outer periphery of a circular wafer while it is rotating, and then detects the amount of misalignment of the wafer in the X, Y, and θ directions based on the detection data. The aligner device uses this misalignment information to correct the misalignment in the X, Y, and θ directions. The transfer robot then picks up the corrected wafer from the aligner device and transfers it to a reference position within the processing chamber for the next process, for example.

[0003] The above-described conventional aligner device performs wafer misalignment correction after transferring the wafer from the transfer robot to the aligner device. After the wafer has been corrected for misalignment, it is transferred back to the transfer robot, which then transfers the wafer to the next process. However, this type of wafer misalignment correction requires repeated transfers of the wafer between the transfer robot and the aligner device, lengthening the wafer transfer time, including the time required for the misalignment correction process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-195328 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention was devised in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its main objective is to provide an aligner device that is configured to be able to shorten the transport time, including the process of correcting the positional deviation of a plate-shaped workpiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following technical means.

[0007] The aligner device provided by the first aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a robot hand having a hand body on which a plate-shaped workpiece can be placed and held; a sensor having a downward-facing sensor surface that can detect the outer shape of a plate-shaped workpiece that is close to or in contact with the lower part of the sensor surface; a work lift mechanism that is transported by the robot hand and can lift the plate-shaped workpiece placed on the hand body so that it is close to or in contact with the sensor surface and can lower it from the lifted state; and a positional deviation calculation means that calculates the positional deviation amount of the plate-shaped workpiece from a reference position based on the outer shape of the plate-shaped workpiece in a state lifted by the work lift mechanism, which is acquired by the sensor.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the robot hand further includes a control means for controlling the robot hand so that, when the work lift mechanism lifts the plate-shaped workpiece and transfers it onto the hand body, the plate-shaped workpiece is placed at a reference position on the hand body based on the positional deviation amount calculated by the positional deviation amount calculation means.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the positional deviation amount calculation means includes a function of outputting the positional deviation amount calculated by the positional deviation amount calculation means to an external device.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the plate-like workpiece is a semiconductor wafer.

[0011] A method for correcting positional deviation of a plate-shaped workpiece provided by a second aspect of the present invention includes a robot hand having a hand body on which a plate-shaped workpiece can be placed and held; a sensor having a downward-facing sensor surface and capable of detecting the outer shape of a plate-shaped workpiece that is in proximity to or in contact with a lower part of the sensor surface; a work lift mechanism that is transported by the robot hand and that is capable of lifting the plate-shaped workpiece placed on the hand body so that it is in proximity to or in contact with the sensor surface and then lowering it from the lifted state; positional deviation amount calculation means that calculates the amount of deviation of the plate-shaped workpiece from a reference position based on the outer shape of the plate-shaped workpiece in a state lifted by the work lift mechanism that is acquired by the sensor; and when the plate-shaped workpiece is lifted down by the work lift mechanism and transferred onto the hand body, the robot hand performs positional deviation calculation based on the amount of positional deviation calculated by the positional deviation amount calculation means so that the plate-shaped workpiece is placed at the reference position on the hand body. a control means for controlling a positional deviation of a plate-shaped workpiece by controlling the positional deviation calculation means to correct the positional deviation of the plate-shaped workpiece in the XY directions when the work lift mechanism lifts the plate-shaped workpiece from the hand body and transfers it onto the hand body, the positional deviation calculation means ...

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the position correction step is performed by controlling the first robot hand used in the plate-shaped workpiece carrying-in step.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the position correction step is performed by controlling a second robot hand having a hand body capable of placing and holding the plate-shaped workpiece, which is different from the first robot hand used in the plate-shaped workpiece carrying-in step.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the plate-like workpiece is a semiconductor wafer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the aligner device having the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the transport time including the process of correcting the positional deviation of the plate-shaped workpiece.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic plan view of an aligner device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic side view of an aligner device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an aligner device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 2A and 2B are explanatory views of an operating state of the aligner device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 2A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow X in FIG. [Figure 5] 2A and 2B are explanatory views of an operating state of the aligner device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 2A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow X in FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the aligner device according to the present invention. [Figure 7] 2A and 2B are explanatory views of an operating state of the aligner device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 2A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow X in FIG. [Figure 8] 2A and 2B are explanatory views of an operating state of the aligner device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 2A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow X in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are explanatory views of an operating state of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 10A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow Y in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow X in FIG. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are explanatory views of an operating state of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 10A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow Y in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow X in FIG. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are explanatory views of an operating state of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 10A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow Y in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow X in FIG. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are explanatory views of an operating state of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 10A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow Y in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow X in FIG. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are explanatory views of an operating state of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 10A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow Y in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow X in FIG. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are explanatory views of an operating state of an aligner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 10A is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow Y in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory view seen from the direction of an arrow X in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0019] 1 to 10 show an aligner apparatus B1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the aligner device B1 includes a workpiece positional deviation detection device A1, which operates in cooperation with a robot hand 1 and includes a sensor 3, a workpiece lift mechanism 5, and a positional deviation calculation means 6 that calculates the positional deviation of the workpiece relative to a reference position based on workpiece outer edge shape information from the sensor 3.

[0021] The robot hand 1 has a structure in which a hand body 13 is attached to a support 12 installed on, for example, the end arm (not shown) of an articulated robot. The hand body 13 is capable of holding a semiconductor wafer W as a workpiece by placing it on its upper surface. The robot hand 1 has a function of moving the hand body 13 in a planar direction (XY directions) while at least maintaining the hand body 13 in a horizontal position under the control of a manipulator (not shown). In this embodiment, the planar shape of the hand body 13 is a two-pronged fork shape as shown in FIG. 1, but it may have another shape, such as a three-pronged fork shape.

[0022] The sensor 3 employed has the function of capturing an image of the outline of a planar object located below it through contact or proximity / non-contact. The sensor 3 is attached with the sensor surface 31 facing downward to the underside of a support plate 41 extending horizontally from the frame 4. Examples of such sensors 3 include those that utilize electrostatic technology to recognize the presence of an object, as employed in touch panels, or those that employ a planar array of multiple image sensors such as CCDs. In the present invention, as described below, the sensor 3 is required only to be able to recognize the outline of the semiconductor wafer W. Therefore, the sensor 3 may have a planar shape sufficient to recognize the outline of the semiconductor wafer W within the range of possible misalignment of the semiconductor wafer W in the X and Y directions. That is, the sensor 3 may be circular, as shown in FIG. 6, or may have other shapes, such as a rectangle or a doughnut shape.

[0023] The work lift mechanism 5 has the function of lifting or lowering the semiconductor wafer W held by the robot hand 1 and inserted into the frame 4 by a certain height from the hand body 13. In this embodiment, three stays 51 are arranged so as not to interfere with the path of entry of the semiconductor wafer W into the frame 4. The lower ends of these three stays 51 are formed with inward-facing horizontal portions 511 (see FIG. 1 ), and lift pins 512 protruding upward are provided on the horizontal portions 511 (see FIG. 2 ). Each set of the three stays 51 and three lift pins 512 is provided corresponding to a sensor 3, and each set is actuated vertically a predetermined distance by an actuator (not shown), such as an air cylinder, disposed outside the frame 4. The number of sets of three stays 51 and three lift pins 512 provided corresponding to a sensor 3 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 (described later), a set of four stays and four lift pins may be provided.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, a semiconductor wafer W typically has a circular plate shape, and a notch W1 or a cutout portion (not shown) called an orientation flat is formed on the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer W for detecting its rotational orientation in the circumferential direction. In a semiconductor process, such a semiconductor wafer W is loaded into a processing chamber and subjected to a predetermined process. Depending on the process, the semiconductor wafer W may need to be accurately positioned at reference positions in the X, Y, and θ directions. In such a case, the present invention enables correction of positional deviation before the robot hand 1 loads the semiconductor wafer W into the processing chamber.

[0025] The misalignment amount calculation means 6 calculates the misalignment amounts in the X, Y, and θ directions of the semiconductor wafer W from a reference position based on the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer W acquired as an image by the sensor 3. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, the means 6 calculates the misalignment amount δx in the X direction and the misalignment amount δy in the Y direction of the center of the image of the semiconductor wafer W, for example, the center O1 of the outer circle in the image W' of the semiconductor wafer, from a reference position C1 where the center of the semiconductor wafer W should be located, and also calculates the misalignment amount δθ in the θ direction of the notch W1 in the image W' from a reference position N1 where the notch W1 of the semiconductor wafer W should be located.

[0026] The workpiece positional deviation detection device A1 configured as described above cooperates with the robot hand 1 and workpiece lift mechanism 5, which are driven and controlled by the control device 7, to form an aligner device B1, which operates, for example, as follows.

[0027] 4, each lift pin 512 is in a downward movement position, and the robot hand 1 with the semiconductor wafer W placed and held on the hand body 13 moves, for example, in the X direction, and the hand body 13 advances to the correction reference position within the frame body 4, and positions the semiconductor wafer W below the sensor 3. At this time, the semiconductor wafer W has been transferred from a multi-stage cassette (not shown) or a load lock chamber (not shown), and is in a state of being misaligned in various positions in the X, Y, and θ directions from the reference position C1 where the semiconductor wafer W on the hand body 13 should be located.

[0028] Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the lift pins 512 rise to lift the semiconductor wafer W from the hand body 13 and bring it close to the underside of the sensor 3. Here, to avoid contamination of the surface of the semiconductor wafer W, the semiconductor wafer W does not come into contact with the sensor 3. In this state, the sensor 3 acquires the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer W as image data, as described above. The misalignment amount calculation means 6 receives this image data and calculates the misalignment amount δx in the X direction, the misalignment amount δy in the Y direction, and the misalignment amount δθ in the θ direction for the semiconductor wafer W from the reference positions C1 and N1, as described above (FIG. 6).

[0029] Subsequently, the semiconductor wafer W is transferred to the hand member 13 while correcting the positional deviation δx in the X direction and the positional deviation δy in the Y direction as follows.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 7, in order for the hand body 13 to correct the positional deviation amounts δx and δy of the semiconductor wafer W, the movement of the robot hand 1 is controlled so that the hand body 13 moves by δxa and δya from the correction reference position. In this state, as shown in Fig. 8, the set of lift pins 512 is moved downward, and the semiconductor wafer W lifted by the lift pins 512 is transferred to the hand body 13. In this state, the semiconductor wafer W placed on the hand body 13 is positioned at the reference position C1 relative to the hand body 13. In this way, the hand body 13 can perform the above operations without retracting from the frame 4.

[0031] Thereafter, the robot hand 1 can retract from the frame 4 with the semiconductor wafer W placed and held at the reference position C1 in the XY directions of the hand body 13, and transport the semiconductor wafer W to the next predetermined process.

[0032] As described above, with the workpiece misalignment detection device A1 configured as described above and the aligner device B1 including it, the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer W as a plate-like workpiece can be acquired by the sensor 3 having the planar sensor surface 31, and the amount of misalignment δx in the X direction, the amount of misalignment δy in the Y direction, and the amount of misalignment δθ in the θ direction from the reference position of the semiconductor wafer W can be calculated from the image of the outer shape thus acquired. Therefore, the physical configuration for detecting the amount of misalignment of the semiconductor wafer W can be configured to be thin.

[0033] The aligner device B1 includes a sensor 3, a work lift mechanism 5, a positional deviation calculation means 6, and a control device 7. The sensor 3 has a downward-facing sensor surface 31, and the work lift mechanism 5 can lift a semiconductor wafer W (plate-shaped workpiece) transported by the robot hand 1 and placed on the hand body 13 so that it approaches or contacts the sensor surface 31, and then lower it from the lifted state. The positional deviation calculation means 6 calculates the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W from the reference position C1 based on the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer W (plate-shaped workpiece) acquired by the sensor 3. This configuration allows the robot hand 1 to calculate the positional deviation δx, δy of the semiconductor wafer W from the reference position without retracting from the frame 4, and to correct the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W based on the calculated positional deviation so that the semiconductor wafer W is placed at the reference position C1 of the hand body 13, etc. This reduces the transport time, including the process of correcting the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W.

[0034] In this embodiment, the work lift mechanism 5 is provided with a plurality of lift pins 512 that move up and down a predetermined distance, and the semiconductor wafer W is lifted and lowered by the plurality of lift pins 512, but the configuration of the work lift mechanism is not limited to this. For example, the work lift mechanism may be configured without the lift pins 512, and instead perform the function of the work lift mechanism by appropriately moving the robot hand 1 up and down on the robot side to lift and lower the semiconductor wafer W placed and held on the hand body 13. In this case, the set of three stays 51 and three lift pins 512 shown in Figures 1 and 2, etc., can be omitted.

[0035] In this embodiment, although the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W in the θ direction cannot be corrected, the positional deviation amount δθ in the θ direction is calculated, and if necessary, the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W in the θ direction can be corrected in a separate process.

[0036] This correction of the positional deviation in the θ direction is performed in another device as needed. Therefore, the positional deviation amount calculation means 6 or the control device 7 has a function of outputting the calculated positional deviation amount to the outside. An example of such another device is a device equipped with a turntable that can correct the positional deviation in the θ direction by rotating the turntable. If the processing chamber has a function of correcting the positional deviation in the θ direction, the positional deviation in the θ direction can be corrected in the processing chamber. Of course, not only the positional deviation in the θ direction but also the positional deviation amounts in the X and Y directions may be output to the outside. Note that FIG. 3 illustrates the positional deviation amount being output to the outside from the control device 7.

[0037] 9 to 16 show an aligner device B2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention and a workpiece positional deviation detection device A2 included therein. The workpiece positional deviation detection device A2 according to this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the stay 51 or lift pin 512 in the workpiece lift mechanism 5. In these figures, the same reference numerals are used to designate members or parts that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment.

[0038] The workpiece positional deviation detection device A2 is configured to function as an aligner device B2 that corrects the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W as the workpiece relative to a reference position by using a first robot hand 1 for loading the workpiece and a second robot hand 2 for unloading the workpiece after the positional deviation has been corrected.

[0039] The first robot hand 1 and the second robot hand 2 basically have the same configuration as the robot hand 1 described above in the first embodiment. That is, for example, they have a structure in which hand bodies 13, 23 are attached to supports 12, 22 installed on the end arm (not shown) of an articulated robot, and have the function of being able to move at least the hand bodies 13, 23 in a planar direction (XY directions) while maintaining a horizontal posture by control of a manipulator (not shown). The hand bodies 13, 23 have a planar shape like a fork with two prongs.

[0040] The sensor 3 has the same configuration as that described above for the first embodiment, and has the function of capturing an image of the outline of a planar object located below it in a close but non-contact manner. The sensor 3 is attached to the underside of a support plate 41 extending horizontally from the frame 4, with the sensor surface 31 facing downward.

[0041] The work lift mechanism 5 has the function of lifting the semiconductor wafer W held by the first robot hand 1 and entering the frame 4 from the hand body 13 to a certain height, and of transferring the semiconductor wafer W to the hand body 23 of the second robot hand 2 while correcting any positional deviation. In this embodiment, the work lift mechanism 5 has a configuration in which four stays 51 are arranged so as not to interfere with the path of entry of the semiconductor wafer W into the frame 4 from one side in the X direction (the left side in FIG. 9 ) by the first robot hand 1 and the path of removal of the semiconductor wafer W from the frame 4 to the other side in the X direction (the right side in FIG. 9 ), and each stay 51 has an inward-facing horizontal portion 511 at its lower end, and lift pins 512 protruding upward are provided on the horizontal portion 511. The four stays 51 and the set of four lift pins 512 are provided corresponding to the sensors 3, and each set is moved up and down a predetermined distance by an actuator (not shown), such as an air cylinder, arranged outside the frame 4.

[0042] As described above in the first embodiment, the misalignment amount calculation means 6 calculates the misalignment amount δx in the X direction, the misalignment amount δy in the Y direction, and the misalignment amount δθ in the θ direction of the semiconductor wafer W from the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer W acquired as an image by the sensor 3 (FIG. 6).

[0043] The workpiece positional deviation detection device A2 configured as described above cooperates with the first and second robot hands 1, 2 and the workpiece lift mechanism 5, which are driven and controlled by the control device 7, to form an aligner device B2, which operates, for example, as follows.

[0044] 11, the robot hand 1, with the semiconductor wafer W placed and held on the hand body 13, moves in the X direction until the hand body 13 enters the frame 4 to the correction reference position and positions the semiconductor wafer W below the sensor 3. At this time, the semiconductor wafer W is misaligned in the X, Y and θ directions relative to the reference positions C1 and N1 on the hand body 13. At this stage, the second robot hand 2 has been retracted from the frame 4 on the opposite side of the first robot hand 1 in the X direction.

[0045] 12, the lift pins 512 rise to lift the semiconductor wafer W from the hand body 13 and bring it close to the underside of the sensor 3, and the first robot hand 1 is retracted from the frame body 4 as shown in FIG. 13. In this state, the sensor 3 acquires the outline of the semiconductor wafer W as image data. The positional deviation calculation means 6 receives this image data and calculates the positional deviation amounts δx, δy, and δθ of the semiconductor wafer W in the X, Y, and θ directions from the reference positions C1 and N1, as described above (FIG. 6).

[0046] Subsequently, the semiconductor wafer W is transferred to the hand body 23 of the second robot hand 2 while correcting the positional deviation δx in the X direction and the positional deviation δy in the Y direction as follows.

[0047] 14, the second robot hand 2 enters the frame 4, causing the hand body 23 to take the corrected reference position. This corrected reference position is a position that substantially coincides with the corrected reference position when the hand body 13 of the first robot hand 1 enters the frame 4, and the reference position C1 in the XY directions on the hand body 23 coincides with the reference position C1 in the XY directions on the hand body 13 when the first robot hand 1 takes the corrected reference position.

[0048] 15, in order to correct the positional deviation δx, δy of the semiconductor wafer W relative to the hand body 23, the movement of the second robot hand 2 is controlled so that the hand body 23 moves by δx, δy from the corrected reference position. In this state, as shown in FIG. 16, the set of lift pins 512 is moved downward, and the semiconductor wafer W lifted by the lift pins 512 is transferred to the hand body 23. In this state, the semiconductor wafer W placed on the hand body 23 is located at its reference position C1 relative to the hand body 23.

[0049] In the procedure for correcting the positional deviation of the workpiece in this embodiment, as described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15 , the hand body 23 is placed at the correction reference position when the second robot hand 2 enters the frame 4, and then the hand body 23 is moved by the positional deviation amounts δx and δy from the correction reference position to correct the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W. Alternatively, the hand body 23 of the second robot hand 2 may be moved by the positional deviation amounts δx and δy to perform the positional deviation correction before the hand body 23 of the second robot hand 2 enters the frame 4 (the state shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , etc.), and then the second robot hand 2 may be allowed to enter the frame 4. Alternatively, the second robot hand 2 may be allowed to enter the frame 4 while performing the positional deviation correction by moving the hand body 23 by the positional deviation amounts δx and δy when the hand body 23 of the second robot hand 2 enters the frame 4. In these cases, after the second robot hand 2 enters the frame 4, the set of lift pins 512 is moved downward, and the semiconductor wafer W lifted by the lift pins 512 can be transferred to the hand body 23. In this state, the semiconductor wafer W placed on the hand body 23 is located at the reference position C1 relative to the hand body 23 (see FIG. 16).

[0050] Thereafter, the second robot hand 2 can transport the semiconductor wafer W to the next predetermined process while holding the semiconductor wafer W at the reference position C1 in the X and Y directions of the hand body 23. In this embodiment, the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W in the θ direction cannot be corrected either, but the amount of positional deviation δθ in the θ direction is calculated, and the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W in the θ direction can be corrected in a separate process as necessary, as described above in the first embodiment.

[0051] As described above, with the workpiece misalignment detection device A2 configured as described above and the aligner device B2 including it, the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer W as a plate-like workpiece can be acquired by the sensor 3 having the planar sensor surface 31, and the amount of misalignment δx in the X direction, the amount of misalignment δy in the Y direction, and the amount of misalignment δθ in the θ direction from the reference position of the semiconductor wafer W can be calculated from the image of the outer shape thus acquired. Therefore, the physical configuration for detecting the amount of misalignment of the semiconductor wafer W can be configured to be thin.

[0052] The aligner device B2 includes a sensor 3, a work lift mechanism 5, a positional deviation calculation means 6, and a control device 7. The sensor 3 has a downward-facing sensor surface 31, and the work lift mechanism 5 can lift a semiconductor wafer W (plate-shaped workpiece) transported by the first robot hand 1 and placed on a hand body 13 so that the semiconductor wafer W approaches or comes into contact with the sensor surface 31, and then lower the workpiece from the lifted state. The positional deviation calculation means 6 calculates the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W from a reference position C1 based on the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer W (plate-shaped workpiece) acquired by the sensor 3. In this embodiment, while the semiconductor wafer W is being lifted by the work lift mechanism 5, the first robot hand 1 is retracted from the frame 4, and the hand body 23 of the second robot hand 2 is advanced into the frame 4, and the movement of the second robot hand 2 is controlled so that the semiconductor wafer W is placed at the reference position C1 of the hand body 23. In this state, the work lift mechanism 5 lowers the semiconductor wafer W, transferring the semiconductor wafer W to the hand body 23.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first robot hand 1 and the second robot hand 2 are appropriately advanced below the sensor 3 (sensor surface 31), and the positional deviation amount of the semiconductor wafer W from the reference position C1 is calculated by the positional deviation amount calculation means 6 while the semiconductor wafer W is moved up and down below the sensor 3 by the work lift mechanism 5. The second robot hand 2 can then transport the semiconductor wafer W handed over by the work lift mechanism 5 to the next process while holding the semiconductor wafer W at the reference position C1 of the hand body 23. As described above, according to this embodiment, the first and second robot hands 1 and 2, the sensor 3, the work lift mechanism 5, the positional deviation amount calculation means 6, and the control device 7 cooperate with each other, so that the semiconductor wafer W placed on the first robot hand 1 can be handed over to the second robot hand 2 with the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W appropriately corrected, and the semiconductor wafer W can be quickly transported to the next process. Therefore, the transfer time including the process of correcting the positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer W and the transfer of the semiconductor wafer W from the first robot hand 1 to the second robot hand 2 can be reduced.

[0054] Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and all modifications within the scope of the claims are included in the scope of the present invention.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the semiconductor wafer W is prevented from coming into contact with the sensor 3 in order to avoid contamination of the surface of the semiconductor wafer W, but if contact is acceptable, the semiconductor wafer W may be brought into contact with the sensor 3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] A1, A2: positional deviation detection device, B1, B2: aligner device, W: semiconductor wafer (plate-shaped workpiece), W': image of semiconductor wafer, O1: center of image, C1: reference position of center, N1: reference position of notch, δx: positional deviation amount in X direction, δy: positional deviation amount in Y direction, δθ: positional deviation amount in θ direction, 1: robot hand (first robot hand), 13: hand body, 2: robot hand (second robot hand), 23: hand body, 3: sensor, 31: sensor surface, 5: work lift mechanism, 6: positional deviation amount calculation means, 7: control device

Claims

1. a robot hand having a hand body capable of placing and holding a plate-shaped workpiece; A sensor having a downward-facing sensor surface that can detect the outer shape of a plate-like workpiece that is in proximity to or in contact with a lower part of the sensor surface; a work lift mechanism that can lift a plate-shaped workpiece transported by the robot hand and placed on the hand body so that the plate-shaped workpiece approaches or comes into contact with the sensor surface, and can also lower the workpiece from the lifted state; a positional deviation amount calculation means for calculating a positional deviation amount of the plate-shaped workpiece from a reference position based on the external shape of the plate-shaped workpiece in a state lifted by the work lift mechanism, the positional deviation amount being acquired by the sensor; Equipped with The aligner device is characterized in that the sensor surface has a planar shape corresponding to the outer shape of the plate-like workpiece and a size corresponding to the outer dimensions of the plate-like workpiece.

2. 2. The aligner device according to claim 1, further comprising a control means for controlling the robot hand so that the plate-shaped workpiece is placed at a reference position on the hand body based on the positional deviation amount calculated by the positional deviation amount calculation means when the work lift mechanism lifts down the plate-shaped workpiece and transfers it onto the hand body.

3. 3. The aligner apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a function of outputting the amount of misalignment calculated by said misalignment amount calculation means to an external device.

4. a work lift mechanism that is transported by the robot hand and that can lift the plate-shaped work placed on the hand body so that it approaches or contacts the sensor surface and can lower the plate-shaped work from the lifted state; a positional deviation amount calculation means that calculates a deviation amount of the plate-shaped work from a reference position based on the outer shape of the plate-shaped work in a state where it has been lifted by the work lift mechanism, which is acquired by the sensor; and a control means that controls the robot hand so that the plate-shaped work is placed at the reference position on the hand body based on the positional deviation amount calculated by the positional deviation amount calculation means when the plate-shaped work is lifted down by the work lift mechanism and transferred onto the hand body, a plate-shaped workpiece carrying step of moving the robot hand so that the plate-shaped workpiece placed on the hand body is positioned at a correction reference position below the sensor; an outer shape acquisition step of lifting the plate-shaped workpiece from the hand body by the work lift mechanism, bringing the plate-shaped workpiece close to or into contact with the sensor surface of the sensor, and acquiring the outer shape of the plate-shaped workpiece by the sensor; a positional deviation amount calculation step of calculating a positional deviation amount in the XY direction from a reference position of the plate-like workpiece based on the acquired outer shape; a position correction step of controlling the robot hand in the XY directions based on the positional deviation amount calculated by the positional deviation amount calculation means when the plate-shaped workpiece is lifted down by the work lift mechanism and transferred onto the hand body so that the plate-shaped workpiece is placed at a reference position on the hand body; Including, A method for correcting positional deviation of a plate-like workpiece, characterized in that the sensor surface has a planar shape corresponding to the outer shape of the plate-like workpiece and a size corresponding to the outer dimensions of the plate-like workpiece.

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