Edge clamp transport device

Abstract

To provide an edge clamp carrier device which can be miniaturized and reduced in thickness and has a simple structure.SOLUTION: An edge clamp carrier device 50 comprises: a robot hand (plate) 52; at least three bellows-like cylinders (edge support parts) 53 arranged at a lower part of the robot hand 52 so as to surround a center of a wafer W; a movement mechanism 51 that moves the robot hand 52 in a vertical direction; and a control part 90. The bellows-like cylinder 53 comprises: a bellows-like cylinder 53 having a valley part 53a and a crest part 53b; and an expansion and compression mechanism 51 that makes the bellows-like cylinder 53 expand and compress in the vertical direction. The control part 90 performs a clamp support of an edge of the wafer W by setting the bellows-like cylinder 53 into an extending state, lowering the robot hand 52 from above the wafer W so as to make the valley part 53b of the bellows-like cylinder 53 surround the wafer W, and contacting the bellows-like cylinder 53 so as to bring an outer side surface of the valley part 53b of the bellows-like cylinder 53 into contact with the outer peripheral edge of the wafer W.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an edge clamp transfer device for transferring a wafer while supporting its edge (outer peripheral edge portion).

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices such as ICs and LSIs used in electronic devices, in order to miniaturize and lighten the semiconductor devices, the back surface of the wafer is ground and the wafer is thinned to a predetermined thickness. Particularly in recent years, in order to meet the requirements such as thinning and miniaturization of electronic devices, it has been required to form semiconductor devices thinly. However, when the wafer is ground until its thickness becomes, for example, 50 μm or less, the flexural strength of the wafer decreases and it becomes easily damaged, and there is a problem that subsequent handling such as transfer becomes difficult.

[0003] Therefore, for example, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, an edge clamp transfer device for clamping and transferring the edge of a wafer by three holding members has been proposed. This edge clamp transfer device includes moving means for moving the three holding members in the radial direction according to the size of the wafer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the edge clamp transfer devices proposed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 include a moving mechanism for moving three holding members in the radial direction according to the size of the wafer, so that the structure becomes complicated and there is a problem that the edge clamp transfer device becomes large-sized.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide an edge clamp transport device that has a simple structure and can be made smaller and thinner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an edge clamp transport device for transporting a wafer from a first position to a second position while supporting the edge of a horizontal wafer, comprising: a plate; at least three edge support portions arranged below the plate so as to surround the center of the wafer and capable of contacting the outer circumference of the wafer; a moving mechanism for moving the plate in the vertical direction; and a control unit, wherein the edge support portion comprises a bellows cylinder having valleys and peaks, and an extension / retraction mechanism for extending and retracting the bellows cylinder in the vertical direction, and the control unit is characterized by extending the bellows cylinder, lowering the plate from above the wafer so as to surround the wafer with at least three valleys of the bellows cylinder, and retracting the bellows cylinder so that the outer surfaces of the valleys of the bellows cylinder contact the outer edge of the wafer and clamp support the edge of the wafer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, since the wafer is clamped and held by its outer edge portion with at least three expandable and contractible bellows cylinders, damage to the wafer due to excessive external force is reliably prevented, even if the entire back surface of the wafer has been thinned to a predetermined thickness. Furthermore, since the edge clamp transport device according to the present invention is composed of at least three bellows cylinders and expansion / contraction mechanisms (extension mechanism and contraction mechanism) that extend and contract these bellows cylinders, the structure is simplified, the number of parts is reduced, and the device becomes compact through miniaturization and thinning. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a part of a grinding apparatus equipped with an edge clamp transport device according to the present invention, in a broken section. [Figure 2] (a) and (b) are broken side views showing the configuration and operation of an edge clamp conveying device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] (a) and (b) are broken side views showing the configuration and operation of an edge clamp conveying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] (a) and (b) are broken side views showing the configuration and operation of an edge clamp conveying device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] [Grinding equipment] First, the overall configuration of the grinding apparatus equipped with the edge clamp transport device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. In the following description, the arrow directions shown in Figure 1 will be the X-axis direction (left and right direction), the Y-axis direction (front and back direction), and the Z-axis direction (up and down direction), respectively.

[0012] The grinding apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 grinds the back surface (top surface in Figure 1) of a disc-shaped wafer W, which is the workpiece, and comprises the following components. Specifically, the grinding apparatus 1 comprises a chuck table 10 that holds the front surface (bottom surface in Figure 1) of the wafer W, a grinding mechanism 20 that grinds the back surface of the wafer W held by the chuck table 10, a spinner cleaning mechanism 40 that cleans the wafer W, an edge clamp transport device 50 according to the present invention, a first transport mechanism 70 and a second transport mechanism 80 that hold and transport the wafer W, a control unit 90, and other main components.

[0013] Here, the wafer W is made of a single-crystal silicon matrix, and in the state shown in Figure 1, multiple devices (not shown) are formed on the downward-facing surface, and these devices are protected by protective tape T attached to the surface of the wafer W. The wafer W is held by suction on its surface (bottom surface in Figure 1) to the holding surface 10a of the chuck table 10, and its back surface (top surface in Figure 1) is ground by the grinding mechanism 20.

[0014] Next, the main components of the grinding apparatus 1—the chuck table 10, the grinding mechanism 20, the spinner cleaning mechanism 40, the edge clamp transport device 50, the first transport mechanism 70 and the second transport mechanism 80, and the control unit 90—will be described.

[0015] (Chuck table) The chuck table 10 is a disc-shaped member, and its upper holding surface 10a is selectively connected to a suction source (not shown), such as a vacuum pump. The chuck table 10 has a rotating shaft 11 that extends vertically downward from it, which is rotated at a predetermined speed around its vertical axis by a rotating mechanism 12. The rotating mechanism 12 consists of an electric motor 13, which is the drive source; a small-diameter drive pulley 14 connected to the upper end of the output shaft of the electric motor 13; a large-diameter driven pulley 15 connected to the rotating shaft 11; and an endless timing belt 16 wound around the drive pulley 14 and the driven pulley 15.

[0016] Furthermore, the chuck table 10 can reciprocate along the Y-axis direction (front-to-back direction) by a horizontal movement mechanism 2 provided below it. Here, the horizontal movement mechanism 2 is arranged on a rectangular block-shaped internal base 3 housed within a rectangular box-shaped base 100 that is long in the Y-axis direction (front-to-back direction). A slider 4 is arranged on the internal base 3, and this slider 4 is slidable along the Y-axis direction along a pair of left and right guide rails 5 that are arranged parallel to each other along the Y-axis direction (front-to-back direction). Therefore, the chuck table 10 and the rotation mechanism 12 supported by this slider 4 can move along the Y-axis direction together with the slider 4.

[0017] Between a pair of left and right guide rails 5 on the inner base 3, a rotatable ball screw 6 extending in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) is disposed. One end of the ball screw 6 in the Y-axis direction (the left end in FIG. 1) is connected to a reversible pulse motor 7 which is a drive source. The other end of the ball screw 6 in the Y-axis direction (the right end in FIG. 1) is rotatably supported by the inner base 3 by a bearing 8 erected on the inner base 3. And a nut member (not shown) protruding downward from the slider 4 is screwed onto the ball screw 6.

[0018] Therefore, when the pulse motor 7 is activated to rotate the ball screw 6 forward and backward, a nut member (not shown) screwed onto the ball screw 6 slides in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) along the ball screw 6 together with the slider 4. Thus, the chuck table 10 also moves integrally in the Y-axis direction along with the slider 4. As a result, the wafer W held by the chuck table 10 also moves in the Y-axis direction. The pulse motor 7 is electrically connected to the control unit 90, and its drive is controlled by the control unit 90.

[0019] (Grinding mechanism) As shown in FIG. 1, the grinding mechanism 20 includes a holder 21 with an upper opening, a spindle motor 22 which is a rotational drive source fixed to the holder 21 in a vertical state, a spindle 23 rotationally driven by the spindle motor 22, a disk-shaped mount 24 attached to the lower end of the spindle 23, and a grinding wheel 25 detachably attached to the lower surface of the mount 24. Here, a plurality of grinding wheels 25a which are cutting tools are attached to the grinding wheel 25 in an annular shape. The spindle motor 22 is electrically connected to the control unit 90, and its drive is controlled by the control unit 90.

[0020] Incidentally, the grinding mechanism 20 can move up and down along the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) by means of a vertical movement mechanism 30. As shown in FIG. 1, this vertical movement mechanism 30 is disposed on the -Y-axis direction end face (front face) of a rectangular box-shaped column 9 vertically erected on the +Y-axis direction end part (rear end part) of the upper surface of the base 100. This vertical movement mechanism 30 moves a rectangular plate-shaped lifting plate 31 attached to the back surface of the holder 21 up and down in the Z-axis direction along a pair of left and right guide rails 32 together with the holder 21 and the spindle motor 22 and the grinding wheel 25 held by the holder 21. Here, the pair of left and right guide rails 32 are disposed vertically and parallel to each other on the front face of the column 9.

[0021] Also, between the pair of left and right guide rails 32, a rotatable ball screw 33 is vertically erected along the Z-axis direction (vertical direction), and the upper end of the ball screw 33 is connected to a pulse motor 34 capable of forward and reverse rotation, which is a drive source. Here, the pulse motor 34 is attached in a vertically placed state via a rectangular plate-shaped bracket 35 attached to the upper surface of the column 9. Also, the lower end of the ball screw 33 is rotatably supported by the column 9, and a nut member (not shown) horizontally protruding rearward (+Y-axis direction) from the back surface of the lifting plate 31 is screwed onto this ball screw 33.

[0022] Therefore, if the pulse motor 34 is activated to rotate the ball screw 33 forward and backward, the lifting plate 31 to which a nut member (not shown) screwed onto the ball screw 33 is attached moves up and down along the Z-axis direction together with the grinding mechanism 20. As shown in FIG. 1, a thickness measuring device 26 for measuring the thickness of the wafer W during grinding is disposed near the chuck table 10 on the base 100. Also, the pulse motor 34 is electrically connected to the control unit 90, and its drive is controlled by the control unit 90.

[0023] (Spinner cleaning mechanism) The spinner cleaning mechanism 40 is a mechanism for cleaning the back surface of a wafer W after grinding has been completed, and includes a spinner table 41 that holds and rotates the wafer W after grinding, and a cleaning nozzle 42 that sprays cleaning fluid toward the back surface (grinding surface) of the wafer W.

[0024] (Edge clamp transport device) The edge clamp transport device 50 according to the present invention takes one wafer W from a cassette 101 containing multiple wafers W before grinding and transports it to a temporary storage table 102, and also holds a ground wafer W that has been cleaned by a spinner cleaning mechanism 40 and stores it in a cassette 103. In this embodiment, it is configured as a multi-joint robot. The edge clamp transport device 50 transports the wafer W by clamping the outer edge portion of the wafer W with a flat plate-shaped robot hand 52 that can move up and down in the vertical direction and rotate in the horizontal plane by a moving mechanism 51. The robot hand 52 is configured as a U-shaped plate in plan view.

[0025] Three bellows tubes 53 are attached to the underside of the robot hand 52 described above. As described later, as the three bellows tubes 53 expand and contract, the outer edge of the wafer W is clamped and held by the three bellows tubes 53, and the clamped wafer W is released from the three bellows tubes 53. Details of the configuration and operation of this edge clamp transport device 50 will be described later.

[0026] (First conveying mechanism and second conveying mechanism) The first transport mechanism 70 holds the wafer W temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 102 and transports it to the chuck table 10, and includes a disc-shaped transport pad 72 that swings in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis 71. Here, the transport pad 72 is composed of a porous disc and a frame that houses the porous disc, and the porous disc is connected to a suction source, the lower surface of the porous disc becomes the suction surface, and the wafer W is attracted by the suction surface and held by the transport pad 72.

[0027] Furthermore, the second transport mechanism 80 holds the wafer W ground by the grinding mechanism 20 and transports it from the chuck table 10 to the spinner cleaning mechanism 40. Similar to the first transport mechanism 70, it is equipped with a disc-shaped transport pad 82 that oscillates in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis 81. Here, the transport pad 82 is composed of a porous disc and a frame that houses the porous disc. The porous disc is connected to a suction source, and the lower surface of the porous disc becomes the suction surface. The wafer W is then attracted by the suction surface and held by the transport pad 82.

[0028] (Control Unit) The control unit 90 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs calculations according to a control program, and a storage unit such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). This control unit 90 controls the rotation mechanism 12 of the chuck table 10, the horizontal movement mechanism 2, the grinding mechanism 20, the vertical movement mechanism 30, the spinner cleaning mechanism 40, the edge clamp transport device 50, the first transport mechanism 70, and the second transport mechanism 80, respectively.

[0029] [Operation of grinding equipment] Next, the operation of the grinding apparatus 1 configured as described above will be explained.

[0030] In the grinding process of a wafer W using the grinding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, one wafer W is selected from among the multiple wafers W housed in the cassette 101 and removed by the edge clamp transport device 50 with its outer edge clamped. The wafer W removed from the cassette 101 by the edge clamp transport device 50 is then transported to the temporary placement table 102, where it is temporarily placed and aligned. After that, the wafer W temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 102 is held in place by the transport pad 72 of the first transport mechanism 70 and transported to the chuck table 10.

[0031] As described above, the wafer W transported to the chuck table 10 is placed on the holding surface 10a of the chuck table 10 and held by suction to the holding surface 10a. Then, the chuck table 10 holding the wafer W is moved in the +Y axis direction by the horizontal movement mechanism 2 and positioned directly below the grinding wheel 25 of the grinding mechanism 20. From this state, the chuck table 10 and the wafer W held therein are rotated at a predetermined speed around the rotation axis 11 by the rotation mechanism 12, and the spindle motor 22 of the grinding mechanism 20 is activated, causing the spindle 23 and the grinding wheel 25 to rotate at a predetermined speed, while the grinding wheel 25 is lowered in the -Z axis direction by the vertical movement mechanism 30.

[0032] As described above, when the rotating grinding wheel 25 descends and the grinding wheel 25a contacts the wafer W, the back surface (top surface) of the wafer W is ground by the rotating grinding wheel 25a, and the thickness of the wafer W during grinding is measured by the thickness measuring instrument 26. When the wafer W is ground to a predetermined finish thickness, the rotation of the chuck table 10 and the grinding wheel 25 stops. After that, the grinding wheel 25 rises, and the wafer W on the chuck table 10 is held in place by the transport pad 82 of the second transport mechanism 80 and transported to the spinner cleaning mechanism 40.

[0033] The wafer W, transported to the spinner cleaning mechanism 40, is placed on the spinner table 41 and held by suction, and the spinner table 41 and the wafer W held therein are rotated. Then, cleaning liquid is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 42 toward the rotating wafer W, cleaning the wafer W and removing foreign matter such as grinding debris that was attached to the wafer W. The wafer W, having been cleaned in this way, has its outer edge clamped by the edge clamp transport device 50 and is transported from the spinner table 41 to the cassette 103, where it is stored, thus completing the series of grinding processes on the wafer W.

[0034] Next, an embodiment of the edge clamp transport device 50 according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[0035] <First Embodiment> In the edge clamping device 50 shown in Figure 2 according to the first embodiment, the bellows cylinder 53 attached to the lower surface of the robot hand 52 constitutes an edge support portion that can move toward and away from the outer circumference of the wafer W. In this embodiment, three of these cylinders (only two are shown in Figure 2) are arranged to surround the center of the wafer W (see Figure 1). Each bellows cylinder 53 is a bottomed cylindrical member with alternating peaks 53a and valleys 53b formed along the vertical direction on its outer circumference, and is integrally molded in a bellows shape from elastically deformable rubber (for example, fluororubber, urethane rubber, etc.).

[0036] The edge clamp transport device 50 is provided with an extension mechanism that extends and retracts each bellows cylinder 53 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the extension mechanism includes an extension mechanism that supplies air into each bellows cylinder 53 to extend it, and a contraction mechanism that sucks the air out of each bellows cylinder 53 to contract it. A communication passage 54 is formed horizontally inside the robot hand 52, and this communication passage 54 communicates with each bellows cylinder 53. An air pipe 55 connected to the communication passage 54 is connected to a mounting portion 52A formed at the base end of the robot hand 52, and two branch pipes 55a and 55b branch off from this air pipe 55.

[0037] An air supply source 56, such as an air compressor, is connected to one of the branch pipes 55a via an on / off valve (first valve) V1, and a suction source 57, such as a vacuum pump, is connected to the other branch pipe 55b via an on / off valve (second valve) V2. Here, the connecting passage 54, the air piping 55, and the branch pipe 55a constitute a first connecting passage that connects the air supply source 56 to each bellows cylinder 53, and this first connecting passage, the on / off valve V1, and the air supply source 56 constitute an extension mechanism that extends each bellows cylinder 53. Furthermore, the connecting passage 54, the air piping 55, and the branch pipe 55b constitute a second connecting passage that connects the suction source 57 to each bellows cylinder 53, and this second connecting passage, the on / off valve V2, and the suction source 57 constitute a contraction mechanism that retracts each bellows cylinder 53. Note that the on / off valves V1 and V2 are electrically connected to the control unit 90, and their opening and closing operations are controlled by the control unit 90, respectively.

[0038] As described above, in the edge clamp transport device 50, which is equipped with three bellows cylinders 53, an extension mechanism for extending these bellows cylinders 53, and a contraction mechanism for retracting the bellows cylinders 53, as shown in Figure 2(b), when the control unit 90 opens one on / off valve V1 and closes the other on / off valve V2, air from the air supply source 56 is supplied to each bellows cylinder 53 via the branch pipe 55a, the air piping 55, and the communication passage 54. Then, as shown in Figure 2(b), each bellows cylinder 53 extends, and the control unit 90 drives the moving mechanism 51 to lower the robot hand 52 to a position where the three extended bellows cylinders 53 surround the outer circumference of a wafer W held on, for example, the spinner table 41 of the spinner cleaning mechanism 40.

[0039] Then, from the above state, as shown in Figure 2(a), when one on-off valve V1 is closed and the other on-off valve V2 is opened, the air in each bellows cylinder 53 is drawn in by the suction source 57 through the communication passage 54, air piping 55 and branch pipe 55b, causing each bellows cylinder 53 to contract as shown in Figure 2(a), and the outer edge of the wafer W is clamped by the valleys 53b of these three bellows cylinders 53. When the outer edge of the wafer W is clamped by the valleys 53b of the three contracted bellows cylinders 53 in this way, the control unit 90 drives the moving mechanism 51 and raises the robot hand 52, and the wafer W, whose outer edge is clamped by the three bellows cylinders 53 of the robot hand 52, is lifted from the spinner table 41 as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2(b) and transported to the cassette 103 shown in Figure 1 and stored in the cassette 103.

[0040] As described above, with the edge clamp transport device 50 according to this embodiment, the wafer W is held by the robot hand 52 after its outer peripheral edge is clamped by three expandable and contractible bellows cylinders 53, thereby reliably preventing damage to the wafer W due to excessive external force being applied to the wafer W, whose entire back surface has been thinned to a predetermined thickness.

[0041] Furthermore, since the edge clamp transport device 50 according to this embodiment is composed of three bellows cylinders 53 and an extension / retraction mechanism (extension mechanism and contraction mechanism) for extending and retracting these bellows cylinders 53, the structure is simplified, the number of parts is reduced, and the device becomes compact through miniaturization and thinning.

[0042] In this embodiment, the operation of transporting a wafer W, after cleaning, from the spinner cleaning mechanism 40 to the cassette 103 while being held by the edge clamp transport device 50 was described as an example. However, even when transporting a wafer W housed in the cassette 101 to the temporary storage table 102 while being held by the edge clamp transport device 50, the wafer W is transported with its outer peripheral edge clamped by the edge clamp transport device 50.

[0043] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 3. In Figure 3, the same reference numerals are used for elements that are the same as those shown in Figure 2, and further explanation of them will be omitted below.

[0044] In the edge clamp transport device 50A according to this embodiment, a tension spring 60 is housed inside each bellows cylinder 53 to bias it in the direction of extension. A third communication passage 54 formed in the robot hand 52, an air pipe 55, and a branch pipe 55a are provided as a third communication passage that connects the inside of each bellows cylinder 53 to the atmosphere. By opening and closing an on / off valve (third valve) V1 provided in the branch pipe 55a, the inside of each bellows cylinder 53 is selectively opened to the atmosphere. Here, the tension spring 60, the third communication passage, and the on / off valve V1 constitute an extension mechanism that extends each bellows cylinder 53. The tension spring 60 extends in an unloaded state when no external force is applied to it, extending each bellows cylinder 53 as shown in Figure 3(b).

[0045] Furthermore, in the edge clamp conveying device 50A according to this embodiment, the suction source 57 and each bellows cylinder 53 are connected to each other by a connecting passage 54 that constitutes a fourth connecting passage, an air pipe 55, and a branch pipe 55b, and the on / off valve V2 provided in this fourth connecting passage and the branch pipe 55b constitute a contraction mechanism for retracting the bellows cylinder 53.

[0046] In the edge clamping device 50A according to this embodiment, when the control unit 90 opens one on / off valve V1 and closes the other on / off valve V2 as shown in Figure 3(b), air from the atmosphere is supplied to each bellows cylinder 53 via the branch pipe 55a, air piping 55 and communication passage 54, causing each bellows cylinder 53 to extend. From this state, the control unit 90 drives the moving mechanism 51 to lower the robot hand 52 to a position where the three extended bellows cylinders 53 surround the outer circumference of a wafer W held, for example, on the spinner table 41 of the spinner cleaning mechanism 40. Then, as shown in Figure 3(a), when one on / off valve V1 is closed and the other on / off valve V2 is opened, the air in each bellows cylinder 53 is sucked in by the suction source 57 via the communication passage 54, air piping 55 and branch pipe 55b, causing each bellows cylinder 53 to contract, and the outer edge portion of the wafer W is clamped by the valleys 53b of these three bellows cylinders 53. Then, when the outer edge of the wafer W is clamped by the valleys 53b of the three contracted bellows cylinders 53, the control unit 90 drives the moving mechanism 51 to raise the robot hand 52, and the wafer W, whose outer edge is clamped by the three bellows cylinders 53 of the robot hand 52, is lifted from the spinner table 41 as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3(b) and transported to the cassette 103 shown in Figure 1, where it is housed.

[0047] In this embodiment, the same effects as those obtained in the first embodiment can be obtained in the edge clamp transport device 50A, but in this embodiment, the air supply source 56 in the first embodiment is unnecessary, allowing for further simplification of the structure and miniaturization.

[0048] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4. In Figure 4, the same elements as those shown in Figure 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and further explanation of them will be omitted below.

[0049] In the edge clamp transport device 50B according to this embodiment, a compression spring 61 is housed inside each bellows cylinder 53 to bias them in the direction of contraction. A sixth communication passage is provided in the robot hand 52, consisting of a communication passage 54, an air pipe 55, and a branch pipe 55b, which connect the inside of each bellows cylinder 53 to the atmosphere. By opening and closing an on / off valve (sixth valve) V2 provided in the branch pipe 55b, the inside of each bellows cylinder 53 is selectively opened to the atmosphere. Here, the compression spring 61, the sixth communication passage, and the on / off valve V2 constitute a contraction mechanism that contracts each bellows cylinder 53, as shown in Figure 4(a). The compression spring 61 compresses in an unloaded state when no external force is applied to it, causing each bellows cylinder 53 to be in a contracted state as shown in Figure 4(a).

[0050] Furthermore, each bellows cylinder 53 is connected to an air supply source 56 via a connecting passage 54 that constitutes the fifth connecting passage, an air piping pipe 55, and a branch pipe 55a. The compression spring 61, the fifth connecting passage, the air supply source 56, and the on / off valve (fifth valve) V1 provided on the branch pipe 55a constitute an extension mechanism that extends each bellows cylinder 53 as shown in Figure 4(b).

[0051] In the edge clamping device 50B according to this embodiment, when the control unit 90 opens one on / off valve V1 and closes the other on / off valve V2 as shown in Figure 4(b), air from the air supply source 56 is supplied to each bellows cylinder 53 via the branch pipe 55a, air piping 55 and communication passage 54, causing each bellows cylinder 53 to extend against the biasing force of the compression spring 61. From this state, the control unit 90 drives the moving mechanism 51 to lower the robot hand 52 to a position where the three extended bellows cylinders 53 surround the outer circumference of a wafer W held on, for example, the spinner table 41 of the spinner cleaning mechanism 40. Then, from this state, as shown in Figure 4(a), when one on-off valve V1 is closed and the other on-off valve V2 is opened, the air inside each bellows cylinder 53 is discharged into the atmosphere through the communication passage 54, the air piping 55 and the branch pipe 55b, causing each bellows cylinder 53 to contract due to the biasing force of the compression spring 61, and the outer edge portion of the wafer W is clamped by the valleys 53b of these three bellows cylinders 53. Once the outer edge portion of the wafer W is clamped by the valleys 53b of the three contracted bellows cylinders 53 in this way, the control unit 90 drives the moving mechanism 51 to raise the robot hand 52, and the wafer W, whose outer edge portion is clamped by the three bellows cylinders 53 of the robot hand 52, is lifted from the spinner table 41 as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3(b) and transported to the cassette 103 shown in Figure 1, where it is housed in the cassette 103.

[0052] In this embodiment, the same effects as those obtained in the first embodiment can be obtained in the edge clamp transport device 50B, but in this embodiment, the suction source 57 in the first embodiment is unnecessary, allowing for further simplification of the structure and miniaturization.

[0053] In addition, while the above description has focused on an application of the present invention to the robot hand of a transfer robot in a grinding device, the present invention can also be similarly applied to the transfer pads of the first transfer mechanism and the transfer pads of the second transfer mechanism.

[0054] Furthermore, although the above embodiments described an example in which three bellows tubes 53 are provided in the edge clamp conveying devices 50, 50A, and 50B, the number of bellows tubes 53 is not limited to three; the above effects can be achieved with three or more tubes.

[0055] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, air was used as the fluid supplied and discharged to expand and contract each bellows cylinder 53, but any fluid other than air can be used.

[0056] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, specification, and drawings. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 1: Grinding device, 2: Horizontal movement mechanism, 3: Internal base, 4: Slider, 5: Guide rail, 6: Ball screw, 7: Pulse motor, 8: Bearing, 9: Column, 10: Chuck table, 10a: Holding surface, 11: Rotating shaft, 12: Rotating mechanism, 13: Electric motor, 14: Drive pulley, 15: Driven pulley, 16: Timing belt, 20: Grinding mechanism, 21: Holder, 22: Spindle motor, 23: Spindle 24: Mount, 25: Grinding wheel, 25a: Grinding wheel, 30: Vertical movement mechanism, 31: Lifting plate, 32: Guide rail, 33: Ball screw, 34: Pulse motor, 35: Bracket, 40: Spinner cleaning mechanism, 41: Spinner table, 42: Cleaning nozzle, 50, 50A, 50B: Edge clamp conveying device, 51: Mobility mechanism, 52: Robot hand (plate), 53: Bellows tube (edge ​​support part), 53a: Peak section, 53b: Valley section, 54: Connecting passage, 55: Air piping, 55a, 55b: Branch pipes, 56: Air supply source, 57: Suction source, 60: Tension spring, 61: Compression spring, 70: First conveying mechanism, 71: Shaft, 72: Conveyor pad, 80: Second conveyor mechanism, 81: Shaft, 82: Conveyor pad, 90: Control unit, 100: Base, 101: Cassette, 102: Temporary placement table, 103: Cassette, T: Protective tape, V1, V2: On / off valve, W: Wafer

Claims

1. An edge clamp transport device that supports the horizontal edge of a wafer and transports the wafer from a first position to a second position, The device comprises a plate, at least three edge support portions arranged below the plate so as to surround the center of the wafer and capable of contacting the outer circumference of the wafer, a moving mechanism for moving the plate in the vertical direction, and a control unit. The edge support portion comprises a bellows-like cylinder having valleys and peaks, and an extension / retraction mechanism for extending and retracting the bellows-like cylinder in the vertical direction. The control unit extends the bellows cylinder, lowers the plate from above the wafer and positions it so that the wafer is surrounded by at least three valleys of the bellows cylinder, and retracts the bellows cylinder so that the outer surfaces of the valleys of the bellows cylinder come into contact with the outer edge of the wafer and clamp and support the wafer edge, an edge clamp transport device.

2. The edge clamp conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the extension mechanism comprises an extension mechanism that supplies fluid into the bellows cylinder to extend the bellows cylinder, and a contraction mechanism that sucks the fluid inside the bellows cylinder to contract the bellows cylinder.

3. The extension mechanism comprises an air supply source, a first communication passage connecting the air supply source and the bellows cylinder, and a first valve for opening and closing the first communication passage. The retraction mechanism includes an air suction source, a second communication passage connecting the air suction source and the bellows cylinder, and a second valve for opening and closing the second communication passage. The edge clamp conveying device according to claim 2.

4. The extension mechanism comprises a tension spring that biases the bellows cylinder in the direction of extension, a third communication passage that connects the bellows cylinder to the atmosphere, and a third valve that opens and closes the third communication passage. The retraction mechanism includes an air intake source, a fourth communication passage connecting the air intake source and the bellows cylinder, and a fourth valve for opening and closing the fourth communication passage. The edge clamp conveying device according to claim 2.

5. The extension mechanism includes an air supply source, a fifth connecting passage that connects the air supply source and the bellows cylinder, and a fifth valve that opens and closes the fifth connecting passage. The contraction mechanism comprises a compression spring that biases the bellows cylinder in a contracting direction, a sixth communication passage that connects the bellows cylinder to the atmosphere, and a sixth valve that opens and closes the sixth communication passage. The edge clamp conveying device according to claim 2.

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