Thin plate drying equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a thin sheet drying apparatus that simplifies the structure, securely holds thin sheets with multiple support pins, and improves the reliability of the apparatus. [Solution] The semiconductor wafer drying apparatus 1 for drying thin semiconductor wafers comprises a rotating plate 20 that rotates by rotationally driving a shaft 13, and a plurality of support pins 40 arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotating plate 20 on which semiconductor wafers 2 are placed. Each support pin 40 has a support portion 41 that supports the semiconductor wafer 2 and a weight portion 50 that protrudes downward from the rotating plate 20. Each support pin 40 is provided on the rotating plate 20 so as to be rotatable about an axis, and the weight portion 50 rotates toward the outer circumference of the rotating plate 20 due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating plate 20, and the support portion 41 rotates toward the inner circumference of the rotating plate 20, thereby holding the semiconductor wafer 2 with the support portion 41.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a thin plate drying device for drying thin plates such as semiconductor wafers after washing, for example.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1, for example, in a semiconductor wafer drying device. This semiconductor wafer drying device fixes a semiconductor wafer to a plate by vacuum suction, and this plate is fixed to an ultrasonic vibration device having an ultrasonic vibration element, and is heated by a heater provided in this ultrasonic vibration device to raise the temperature of the plate, and dries the semiconductor wafer by the ultrasonic vibration energy of the ultrasonic vibration element.

[0003] In such a semiconductor wafer drying device, since an ultrasonic vibration device having an ultrasonic vibration element and a heater for heating the plate are required, there is a problem that the number of parts increases and the structure becomes complicated.

[0004] In addition, there is a technique described in Patent Document 2 in other semiconductor wafer drying devices. This semiconductor wafer drying device is a device that dries a semiconductor wafer by its centrifugal force by rotating a wafer mounting portion in a drying chamber having a wafer mounting portion for mounting the semiconductor wafer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, when the technology described in Patent Document 2 is applied to an apparatus that dries a semiconductor wafer by placing a thin semiconductor wafer on a wafer mounting part such as a plate and rotating the wafer mounting part, the semiconductor wafer may detach from the wafer mounting part and fall due to the centrifugal force, resulting in a significant lack of reliability for the apparatus.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a thin sheet drying apparatus that simplifies the structure, reliably holds thin sheets with multiple support pins, and improves the reliability of the apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve this objective, the invention described in claim 1 is a thin sheet drying apparatus for drying thin sheets, comprising: a rotational drive means for rotationally driving a drive shaft; a rotating body connected to the drive shaft and rotating by rotationally driving the drive shaft; and a plurality of support pins arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotating body on which the thin sheets are placed, wherein the support pins have a support portion that protrudes above the rotating body to support the thin sheets and a weight portion that protrudes below the rotating body. Multiple weights are arranged in a series, and each of these weights is detachably attached to the support portion. The rotating body is provided with each of the support pins so as to be rotatable about an axis, and the weight portion rotates toward the outer circumference of the rotating body due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating body, and the support portion rotates toward the inner circumference of the rotating body, thereby holding the thin plate at the support portion.

[0009] Furthermore, the invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration described in claim 1, the support portion is provided with a support surface portion that supports the lower surface side of the peripheral edge of the thin plate, and a projection portion that protrudes upward from the support surface portion and restricts the outward movement of the peripheral edge of the thin plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration described in claim 1, the thin plate is formed by a circular portion which is circular in plan view and a straight portion which is cut out in a straight line from the circular portion, and the plurality of support parts support the straight portion and the plurality of support parts support the circular portion.

[0012] Furthermore, claims 4 The invention described herein is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration described in claim 1, means are provided to prevent the support portion from rotating outward from a vertical position relative to the support pin.

[0013] Furthermore, claims 5 The invention described is as described in Claims 1 to 4 In addition to the configuration described in any one of the above, the thin plate is characterized in that it is a semiconductor wafer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the invention described in claim 1, the device is equipped with a plurality of support pins arranged in the circumferential direction of a rotating body on which a thin plate is placed. Due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating body, the weight portion of the support pin rotates toward the outer circumference of the rotating body, and the support portion of the support pin rotates toward the inner circumference of the rotating body. By holding the thin plate at the support portion, the structure is simplified, the thin plate is reliably held by the plurality of support pins, and the reliability of the device is improved. Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 1, since multiple weights are connected in series and each of these weights is detachably attached to the support portion, the weight of the weights can be adjusted by changing the number of weights. This allows the angle at which the weights rotate toward the outer circumference of the rotating body due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating body to be adjusted to a desirable angle for holding the thin plate.

[0015] According to the invention described in claim 2, the support portion is provided with a projection that protrudes upward from the support surface portion and restricts the outward movement of the peripheral edge of the thin plate, thereby more securely holding the thin plate with the projection and further improving the reliability of the device.

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 3, the thin plate is formed by a circular portion that is circular in plan view and a linear portion obtained by linearly cutting out this circular portion. A plurality of support portions support this linear portion, and a plurality of support portions support the circular portion, whereby the thin plate can be more reliably held by the plurality of support portions, and the reliability of the device can be further improved.

[0018] Claim 4 According to the invention described in, means for preventing the support portion from rotating to the outer peripheral side from the vertical state with respect to the support pin is provided, so that the support pin can be maintained at an angle for holding the thin plate, and it is possible to prevent the thin plate from detaching from the plurality of support pins and falling.

[0019] Claim 5 In the invention described in, since the thin plate is a semiconductor wafer, when the semiconductor wafer is rotated and dried, the semiconductor wafer does not detach from the plurality of support pins and fall, and can be damaged, and the yield of the product can be increased.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing an embodiment in which the thin plate drying device according to the present invention is applied to a semiconductor wafer drying device. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper outer tank is removed from the semiconductor wafer drying device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a plan view showing the semiconductor wafer drying device of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a front view showing the semiconductor wafer drying device of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a bottom view showing the semiconductor wafer drying device of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] (A) and (B) are a bottom view showing the rotating plate of FIGS. 1 to 3 and a view taken in the direction of arrow B of FIG. 7(A). [Figure 8]This is an enlarged perspective view showing the semiconductor wafer placed on the support pins in Figure 1. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a front view. [Figure 10] (A), (B), and (C) are perspective views, front views, and plan views showing the support portion of the support pin in Figure 1. [Figure 11] (A) and (B) are plan and front views, respectively, of the weight portion of the support pin in Figure 1. [Figure 12] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the CC line. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. [One embodiment] Figures 1 to 12 show an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment in which the thin-plate drying apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a semiconductor wafer drying apparatus. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the semiconductor wafer drying apparatus of Figure 1 with the upper outer tank removed. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the semiconductor wafer drying apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a front view showing the semiconductor wafer drying apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a bottom view showing the semiconductor wafer drying apparatus of Figure 1.

[0023] The configuration of the semiconductor wafer drying apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described below.

[0024] The semiconductor wafer drying apparatus 1 of this embodiment dries the semiconductor wafer 2 by rotating it after cleaning as a thin plate, using centrifugal force. The semiconductor wafer 2 of this embodiment is made of, for example, SiC (silicon carbide), and a 6-inch wafer is used. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the semiconductor wafer 2 has a circular portion 2a that is circular in plan view, and a linear portion 2b that is formed by cutting out a part of the outer circumference of the circular portion 2a in a straight line.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the semiconductor wafer drying apparatus 1 of this embodiment has a rectangular plate-shaped base plate 3 that can be attached to a workbench or the like (not shown). Near both ends of the base plate 3 in the longitudinal direction, three mounting holes 3a are provided for attachment to the workbench or the like. A lower outer tank 4 is installed on the base plate 3, and a flange portion 4a is formed integrally with the lower outer tank 4 so as to protrude outward from the lower part of the lower outer tank 4. This flange portion 4a is fixed to the base plate 3 via fixing screws 5 at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. In this way, the lower outer tank 4 is fixed to the base plate 3. As shown in Figure 5, the lower open end of the upper outer tank 6 is fitted into the upper open end of the lower outer tank 4, thereby fixing the upper outer tank 6 to the lower outer tank 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the lower outer tank 4 has a peripheral wall portion 8 Three exhaust pipes 4b are provided to communicate with the outside of the lower outer tank 4.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the upper outer tank 6 is tapered so that its peripheral wall gradually decreases in diameter as it goes upward, and is formed to rise vertically upward near its upper end. The upper outer tank 6 has a flange portion 6a that protrudes outward at its upper end, and an opening 6b is formed on the inner circumference of this flange portion 6a.

[0027] As shown in Figure 6, a motor plate 9 is fixed to the bottom side of the base plate 3, and a servo motor 10, which serves as a rotational drive means, is attached to this motor plate 9. This servo motor 10 has an output shaft 11, and a drive-side pulley 12 is fixed to this output shaft 11.

[0028] A shaft 13, which serves as the drive shaft, is rotatably mounted in the center of the base plate 3, and a driven pulley 14 is fixed to the underside of this shaft 13. A belt 15 is wrapped between the driven pulley 14 and the drive pulley 12, and when the servo motor 10 is driven, the drive pulley 12 is rotated, which in turn rotates the driven pulley 14 via the belt 15, thereby rotating the shaft 13 in one direction. The rotational speed of the servo motor 10 can be controlled by the speed controller 16 shown in Figure 6 and the encoder 17 shown in Figure 5. An umbrella-shaped cover 18 is fixed to the upper part of the shaft 13, as shown in Figure 5. This cover 18 is intended to prevent cleaning water from flowing downward along the shaft 13 when cleaning with a cleaning solution such as pure water or carbonated water before drying.

[0029] Next, the configuration of the semiconductor wafer 2 holding mechanism in this embodiment will be described.

[0030] Figures 7(A) and 7(B) are bottom views and views in the direction of arrow B in Figure 7(A), respectively, showing the rotating plate in Figures 1 to 3. Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the semiconductor wafer placed on the support pin in Figure 1. Figure 9 is a front view of Figure 8. Figures 10(A), 10(B), and 10(C) are perspective views, front views, and plan views showing the support portion of the support pin in Figure 1. Figures 11(A) and 11(B) are plan views and front views showing the weight portion of the support pin in Figure 1. Figure 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the CC line in Figure 8.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5, a bolt hole 13a is formed at the upper end of the shaft 13, and the rotating plate 20 is connected to and fixed to the upper end of the shaft 13 by screwing a mounting bolt 22 through the mounting hole 21 (shown in Figure 7(A)) of the rotating plate 20, which acts as a rotating body, into this bolt hole 13a.

[0032] As shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), the rotating plate 20 is integrally formed from stainless steel and is provided with an annular portion 23 formed in the shape of a ring plate, and a fixing portion 24 that spans the diameter of the annular portion 23 and has the mounting hole 21 formed in the center in the longitudinal direction. On both sides of the fixing portion 24, there are symmetrically provided openings 25 that are formed in a substantially semicircular shape.

[0033] On the annular portions 23 on both sides of the fixing portion 24, pin insertion holes 26 and 27 are formed symmetrically around the fixing portion 24 at a distance from each other, through which the support pins 40 described later are inserted. In addition, pin insertion holes 28 and 29 are formed symmetrically around the fixing portion 24, closer to the pin insertion holes 26 and 27, through which the support pins 40 are inserted. Thus, four pin insertion holes 26 to 29 are arranged in the circumferential direction of the annular portion 23, through which the support pins 40 are inserted. As shown in Figure 12, tapered portions 26a to 29a are formed on the upper and lower opening edges of the four pin insertion holes 26 to 29, respectively. This increases the rotation angle of the support pins 40 inserted into the four pin insertion holes 26 to 29, and prevents damage to the circumferential surface of the support pins 40 by eliminating the edges of the upper and lower opening edges.

[0034] As shown in Figure 7(A), the pin insertion holes 26 and 27 are arranged on lines L1 extending radially (radially) from the center O of the rotating plate 20. The pin insertion holes 28 and 29 are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fixing portion 24 extends.

[0035] Short first straight notches 23a are formed on the outer periphery of the annular portion 23 in which the pin insertion holes 26 and 27 are formed. On the outer periphery of the annular portion 23 in which the pin insertion holes 28 and 29 are formed, a second straight notch 23b is formed, which is longer than the first straight notch 23a and parallel to the line segment L2 connecting the centers of the pin insertion holes 28 and 29.

[0036] In the pin insertion holes 26 and 27, shaft insertion holes 30 and 31 are formed in directions perpendicular to the direction in which the holes were formed in the annular portion 23, and parallel to the first straight notch portion 23a. That is, the shaft insertion holes 30 and 31 are formed in directions perpendicular to the line L1 extending radially (radially) from the center O of the rotating plate 20.

[0037] In the pin insertion holes 28 and 29, shaft insertion holes 32 are formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the holes were formed, and parallel to the second straight notch 23b. These shaft insertion holes 32 are formed on the extension of the line segment L2 connecting the centers of the pin insertion holes 28 and 29 in the annular portion 23. The shaft insertion holes 32 are in communication with the pin insertion holes 28 and 29, respectively.

[0038] These shaft insertion holes 30, 31, and 32 are each provided so that a hexagon socket head bolt 37, which serves as a shaft as shown in Figure 9, can be inserted through them. The hexagon socket head bolt 37 is inserted through the through hole 45 of the support pin 40, which is inserted into the pin insertion holes 26, 27, 28, and 29, respectively, thereby supporting each support pin 40 so that it can rotate (tilt) around the hexagon socket head bolt 37 within the pin insertion holes 26, 27, 28, and 29.

[0039] Therefore, the support pins 40 inserted through the pin insertion holes 26 and 27 are configured to be rotatable in the direction of the line L1 extending radially from the center O of the rotating plate 20. In addition, the support pins 40 inserted through the pin insertion holes 28 and 29 are configured to be rotatable parallel to the direction in which the fixing portion 24 extends.

[0040] Each of the first straight notches 23a has screw holes 33 and 34 formed in directions perpendicular to the shaft insertion holes 30 and 31, respectively, and these screw holes 33 and 34 communicate with the respective pin insertion holes 26 and 27. The second straight notch 23b has two screw holes 35 formed, and these screw holes 35 communicate with the respective pin insertion holes 28 and 29. Set screws 36, as shown in Figure 8, are screwed into the screw holes 33, 34 and 35, respectively, and the tips of these set screws 36 abut the circumferential surface of the support pins 40 inserted into each of the four pin insertion holes 26 to 29. These set screws 36 function as rotation-preventing means to prevent the support portion 41 from rotating outward from a vertical position relative to the support pins 40.

[0041] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, support pins 40 are inserted through pin insertion holes 26, 27, 28, and 29, respectively. These support pins 40 have a support portion 41 that protrudes above the rotating plate 20 to support the semiconductor wafer 2, and three weight portions 50 that protrude below the rotating plate 20 and are provided in a continuous row in the axial direction. The support portion 41 is made of a synthetic resin such as a resin made of polyacetal copolymer (POM), and the weight portions 50 are made of metal such as stainless steel. Therefore, the weight portions 50 are configured to be heavier than the support portion 41.

[0042] As shown in Figures 10(A), (B), and (C), the support portion 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape overall, with a support surface portion 42 having a flat upper surface that supports the lower side of the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer 2, and a projection portion 43 that protrudes upward from the center of the support surface portion 42 and restricts the outward movement of the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer 2, all integrally formed. Two of the four support pins 40 support the lower side of the circular portion 2a of the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer 2, while the other two support pins 40 support the lower side of the straight portion 2b of the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer 2, thus the four support pins 40 are arranged in such a manner.

[0043] In the support portion 41, a rounded portion 44 is formed between the support surface portion 42 and the projection portion 43, so as to rise smoothly from the support surface portion 42 to the projection portion 43. The projection portion 43 has a cylindrical portion 43a and a conical portion 43b formed on the upper surface of the cylindrical portion 43a. The support portion 41 has the above-mentioned through hole 45 formed in the middle of its length, which penetrates in a circular manner in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Each support pin 40 is supported so as to be rotatable around the hexagon socket head bolt 37 by inserting the hexagon socket head bolt 37 shown in Figure 9 through the through hole 45 and the shaft insertion holes 30, 31, and 32 as described above. At the lower part of the support portion 41, a screw hole 46 into which a through screw described later is screwed is formed up to about 1 / 3 of the length.

[0044] In this embodiment, by forming a rounded portion 44 between the support surface portion 42 and the projection portion 43, and by forming a cylindrical portion 43a and a conical portion 43b on the projection portion 43, it becomes possible to reliably and easily transfer the semiconductor wafer 2 to the four support pins 40 without damaging the semiconductor wafer 2 when transferring it using a transfer robot (not shown).

[0045] Figures 11(A) and (B) show one weight portion 50, which is formed in a cylindrical shape with a screw through hole 51 that penetrates it axially. As shown in Figure 12, a through screw 52 passes through each of the screw through holes 51 of the three weight portions 50 and is screwed into the screw hole 46 of the support portion 41, thereby connecting the three weight portions 50 to the support portion 41.

[0046] The three weights 50 are each detachably attached to the support 41 by through screws 52. This allows the weight of the weights 50 to be adjusted by changing the number of weights 50 connected to the support 41, and consequently, the centrifugal force on the support pin 40 due to the rotation of the rotating plate 20 also changes. Specifically, increasing the number of weights 50 connected to the support 41 increases the centrifugal force on the support pin 40.

[0047] Next, the operation of the semiconductor wafer drying apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be explained.

[0048] First, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cleaned semiconductor wafer 2 is placed on the support surface 42 of each of the four support pins 40 by a transfer robot or the like (not shown). In this state, the support pins 40, which are rotatably supported within the pin insertion holes 26, 27, 28, and 29, are oriented vertically as shown by the solid lines in Figure 12, and the tips of the set screws 36 abut against their circumferential surfaces, preventing the support portion 41 from rotating outward from its vertical position.

[0049] Then, when the power switch (not shown) is turned on, the servo motor 10 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is driven, and its output shaft 11 rotates at, for example, 1500 rpm. As a result, the shaft 13 is rotated via the drive-side pulley 12, belt 15, and driven-side pulley 14, causing the rotating plate 20 to rotate clockwise as indicated by the arrows in Figures 1 and 3.

[0050] As the rotating plate 20 is driven to rotate in this manner, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotating plate 20 causes the weight portion 50 of the support pins 40, which are rotatably supported in the pin insertion holes 26, 27, 28, and 29, to rotate toward the outer circumference of the rotating plate 20, while the support portion 41 of the support pins 41 rotates (tilts) toward the inner circumference of the rotating plate 20.

[0051] Specifically, the support pins 40 inserted through the pin insertion holes 26 and 27 respectively rotate at their support portion 41 in the direction of the line L1 extending radially from the center O of the rotating plate 20. In addition, the support pins 40 inserted through the pin insertion holes 28 and 29 respectively rotate at their support portion 41 parallel to the direction in which the fixed portion 24 extends.

[0052] As a result, the circular portion 2a of the semiconductor wafer 2 is held by support pins 40 inserted through pin insertion holes 26 and 27, respectively, and the straight portion 2b of the semiconductor wafer 2 is held by support pins 40 inserted through pin insertion holes 28 and 29, respectively.

[0053] Then, the circular portion 2a and the straight portion 2b of the semiconductor wafer 2 come into contact with the rounded portion 44 or the cylindrical portion 43a of the protruding portion 43 of the support portion 41 shown in Figure 12, and rotate. By rotating the rotating plate 20 in this way, the support portions 41 of the four support pins 40 rotate toward the inner circumference of the rotating plate 20 due to the centrifugal force, securely holding the semiconductor wafer 2, and at the same time, the semiconductor wafer 2 can be dried by the centrifugal force caused by the rotation after cleaning.

[0054] In this embodiment, the circular portion 2a and the straight portion 2b of the semiconductor wafer 2 are in point contact with the rounded portion 44 or the cylindrical portion 43a of the protruding portion 43 of the support portion 41 at four points. This makes it possible to extremely narrow the contact area for holding the semiconductor wafer 2, thereby minimizing damage to the semiconductor wafer 2 and preventing the adhesion of dust.

[0055] The reason the peripheral wall of the upper outer tank 6 is tapered is to prevent the cleaning solution for the semiconductor wafer 2 from splashing outside the apparatus and to allow it to be smoothly guided into the exhaust pipe 4b of the lower outer tank 4.

[0056] As described above, according to this embodiment, the rotating plate 20 is equipped with four support pins 40 arranged in the circumferential direction on which the semiconductor wafer 2 is placed. Due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating plate 20, the weight portion 50 of the support pins 40 rotates toward the outer circumference of the rotating plate 20, and the support portion 41 of the support pins 40 rotates toward the inner circumference of the rotating plate 20. By holding the semiconductor wafer 2 with the support portion 41, the structure is simplified, the semiconductor wafer 2 is securely held by the four support pins 40, and the reliability of the device is improved.

[0057] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the support portion 41 is provided with a projection 43 that protrudes upward from the support surface portion 42 and restricts the outward movement of the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer 2. This allows the semiconductor wafer 2 to be held more securely by the projection 43, further improving the reliability of the device.

[0058] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the semiconductor wafer 2 is formed of a circular portion 2a that is circular in plan view and a linear portion 2b that is linearly cut out of the circular portion 2a. The linear portion 2b is supported by two support portions 41, and the circular portion 2a is also supported by two support portions 41. As a result, the semiconductor wafer 2 is held more securely by the four support portions 41, and the reliability of the device can be further improved.

[0059] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since multiple weights 50 are connected in series and each of these weights 50 is detachably attached to the support 41, the weight of the weights 50 can be adjusted by changing the number of weights 50, and the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the rotating plate 20 also changes, so the angle at which the weights 50 rotate toward the outer circumference of the rotating plate 20 can be adjusted to a desirable angle for holding the semiconductor wafer 2.

[0060] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a set screw 36 is provided to prevent the support portion 41 from rotating outward from a vertical position relative to the support pin 40. This makes it possible to maintain the support pin 40 at an angle for holding the semiconductor wafer 2, thereby preventing the semiconductor wafer 2 from detaching from the four support pins 40 and falling.

[0061] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the semiconductor wafer 2 is rotated and dried, the semiconductor wafer 2 will not detach from the four support pins 40 and fall, thus preventing damage and improving the yield of the product. [Other embodiments] The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit it.

[0062] For example, although the above embodiment described an example using a semiconductor wafer 2 made of SiC, it is not limited to this, and other materials such as silicon can also be used. Furthermore, the workpiece is not limited to semiconductor wafers, but may also be other thin plates, etc.

[0063] Furthermore, although the above embodiment is configured to hold the semiconductor wafer 2 with four support pins 40, the number is not limited to this, and the semiconductor wafer 2 may be held with at least three or more support pins 40.

[0064] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the relationship between the rotational speed of the servo motor 10 and the rotation angle (tilting angle) of the support portion 41 of the support pin 40 due to the rotation of the rotating plate 20, that is, the relationship between the rotational speed of the servo motor 10 and the holding strength of the semiconductor wafer 2 of the support portion 41 due to the centrifugal force on the support pin 40, is stored in advance in the memory (ROM (Read Only Memory)) of the control means (CPU (Central Processing Unit)), and by controlling the rotational speed of the servo motor 10 with the above control means, it becomes possible to achieve a desired holding strength for the semiconductor wafer 2. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1. Semiconductor wafer drying equipment 2. Semiconductor wafers (thin sheets) 2a Circular part 2b Straight section 3 Base plate 3a Mounting hole 4 Lower outer tank 4a Flange section 4b Exhaust pipe 5 Fixing screws 6. Upper outer tank 6a Flange section 6b opening 9 Motor Plate 10. Servo motor (rotational drive means) 11 Output shaft 12 Drive pulley 13. Shaft (drive shaft) 14 Driven pulley 15 belts 16 Speed ​​Controller 17 Encoders 18 Cover 20 Rotating Plates (Rotating Bodies) 21 mounting holes 22 Mounting bolts 23 Annular section 23a opening 23b Mounting groove 24 Fixed part 25 Opening 26 Pin insertion holes 26a Tapered section 27 Pin insertion holes 27a Tapered section 28 pin insertion holes 28a Tapered section 29 Pin insertion holes 29a Tapered section 30 Shaft insertion hole 31 Shaft insertion hole 32 Shaft insertion hole 33 screw holes 34 screw holes 35 screw holes 36. Set screw (means to prevent rotation) 37. Hex socket head bolt (shaft) 40 Support pins 41 Support part 42 Support surface part 43. Protrusion 43a Cylindrical section 43b Cone 44. Rounded section 45 Through hole 46 screw holes 50 Weight 51 Screw through hole 52 Through screws

Claims

1. A thin sheet drying apparatus for drying thin sheets, A rotational drive means for rotating the drive shaft, A rotating body connected to the aforementioned drive shaft and rotating by rotationally driving the drive shaft, The rotating body comprises a plurality of support pins arranged in the circumferential direction, on which the thin plate is placed, The support pin has a support portion that protrudes above the rotating body to support the thin plate, and a weight portion that protrudes below the rotating body, and a plurality of these weight portions are connected in series, and each of these weight portions is detachably attached to the support portion. A thin sheet drying apparatus characterized in that each of the support pins is provided on the rotating body so as to be rotatable about an axis, and the weight portion rotates toward the outer circumference of the rotating body due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating body, and the support portion rotates toward the inner circumference of the rotating body, thereby holding the thin sheet at the support portion.

2. The thin plate drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the support portion is provided with a support surface portion that supports the lower surface side of the peripheral edge of the thin plate, and a projection portion that protrudes upward from the support surface portion and restricts the outward movement of the peripheral edge of the thin plate.

3. The thin plate drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the thin plate is formed of a circular portion which is circular in plan view and a straight portion which is cut out in a straight line from the circular portion, and the plurality of support parts support the straight portion and the plurality of support parts support the circular portion.

4. The thin sheet drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with means for preventing the support portion from moving outward from a vertical position relative to the support pin.

5. The thin plate drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the thin plate is a semiconductor wafer.

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