Atmosphere replacement apparatus, substrate transport apparatus, substrate transport system, and EFEM

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9412634-B2
Application number	US-201414537477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 11, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

The present invention provides an atmosphere replacement apparatus capable of replacing the atmosphere on the surface of a wafer with a small amount of gas. The apparatus is configured to have a cover capable of facing and covering the wafer to be transported, and a gas supply means that supplies gas having properties different from a surrounding atmosphere from the cover, and replaces the atmosphere on the surface of the wafer by the gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An atmosphere replacement apparatus, comprising:
a cover that is able to face and cover a substrate to be transported; and
a gas supply unit that supplies gas having properties different from a surrounding atmosphere from the cover, and replaces an atmosphere on a surface of a substrate by the gas;
wherein, the atmosphere replacement apparatus is used in a substrate transport system for transporting a substrate, between multiple transfer positions by a substrate transport apparatus, further comprising:
a cover moving unit that supports the cover movable independently of the substrate transport apparatus,
wherein, when the substrate transport apparatus transports a substrate, the cover moving unit moves the cover to a position opposite to a substrate.

2. The atmosphere replacement apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover approach and separation unit that approaches or separates the cover from the surface of a substrate.

3. The atmosphere replacement apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the cover comprises a main body part able to face a substrate and a wall part provided on a periphery of the main body part, and
a substrate is housed in an internal space formed between the main body part and the wall part, when the cover approach and separation unit moves the cover close to a substrate.

4. The atmosphere replacement apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a cover receiving member in the substrate transfer apparatus side, which is able to substantially close the internal space in cooperation with the cover, when the cover moves close to a substrate, and an open end of the wall part of the cover approaches or contacts the cover receiving member.

5. The atmosphere replacement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the gas supply unit comprises a gas inlet for introducing gas from outside, and a gas diffusion unit that diffuses gas downward the cover from the gas inlet.

6. The atmosphere replacement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas supply unit comprises a heating unit for heating the gas.

7. A substrate transport system, comprising the atmosphere replacement apparatus according to claim 1 , and a substrate transport apparatus,
wherein the cover moving unit is configured by using a guide rail that constitutes a part of the substrate transport apparatus.

8. An EFEM, comprising the substrate transport system according to claim 7 , and a housing that covers the substrate transport system,
wherein the substrate is a wafer, and the transfer position is set adjacent to a wall surface of the housing.

9. An EFEM, comprising a substrate transport system that comprises the atmosphere replacement apparatus according to claim 1 and a substrate transport apparatus, and a housing that covers the substrate transport system,
wherein the substrate is a wafer, and the cover moving unit is supported on a ceiling surface provided in the housing, and the transfer position is set adjacent to a wall surface of the housing.

10. A substrate transport apparatus comprising an atmosphere replacement apparatus comprising:
a cover that is able to face and cover a substrate to be transported; and
a gas supply unit that supplies gas having properties different from a surrounding atmosphere from the cover, and replaces an atmosphere on a surface of a substrate by the gas;
the substrate transport apparatus further comprising:
a transport arm that is supported by a base, and holds and transports a substrate; and
a support bar that is provided on the same base as the transport arm,
wherein the cover is located at a position able to face the transport arm via the support bar.

11. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a cover approach and separation unit that approaches or separates the cover from the surface of a substrate.

12. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the cover comprises a main body part able to face to a substrate and a wall part provided on an edge part of the main body part, and
an internal space formed between the main body part and the wall part is able to house a substrate, when the cover is moved close to the substrate by the cover approach and separation unit.

13. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a cover receiving member that is provided on the base, and substantially closes the internal space in cooperation with the cover, when the cover moves close to a substrate, and an open end of the wall part of the cover approaches or contacts the cover receiving member.

14. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a guide rail that supports the base movable.

15. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising a cover moving unit that supports the cover movable in a direction orthogonal to the guide rail.

16. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein
a transfer position for transferring a substrate to/from the transfer arm is set on both sides of the guide rail, across the guide rail, and
the cover extends in a direction orthogonal to the guide rail.

17. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the gas supply unit comprises a gas inlet for introducing gas from outside, and a gas diffusion unit that diffuses gas downward the cover from the gas inlet.

18. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the gas supply unit comprises a heating unit for heating the gas.

19. An EFEM, comprising the substrate transport apparatus according to claim 11 , and a housing that covers the apparatus,
wherein the substrate is a wafer, and a transfer position for transferring a substrate is set adjacent to a wall surface of the housing.

Assignees

• Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Segawa Mikio
• Taniyama Yasushi
• Kawahisa Shin
• Natsume Mitsuo

Classifications

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/1924

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title

• H10P72/3406 Primary

  involving removal of lid, door or cover · CPC title

• H01L21/67742

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L21/67389

  Electricity · mapped topic