JP2004349322A - Load port - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a load port adapted to a plurality of types of carriers of different types, wherein the type of the loaded port can be determined.
A load port connected to a robot chamber having a manipulator for supplying a wafer to a substrate processing apparatus and transferring a wafer in a carrier to the manipulator is provided with coupling means capable of coupling a plurality of carriers of different types. , Sensors 11 and 12 for identifying the type of the carrier. Further, the sensors 11 and 12 are sensors for detecting the morphological characteristic portion of the carrier. The sensor 11 is provided on the mounting table 3 on which the carrier is mounted. Further, an adapter 21 for connecting the carrier and the mounting table 3 is provided.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a load port for connecting a carrier containing a semiconductor wafer, opening the carrier, and carrying in and out the wafer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
It is known that semiconductor wafers are stored in a closed container generally called a carrier and transported between processes or transported between factories (for example, Patent Document 1). A carrier called a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) is used for the transportation between the steps. A carrier called FOSB (Front Opening Shipping Box) is used for transportation between factories. FOUP and FOSB also have a function of keeping the cleanness of the internal air high and preventing wafer contamination.
On the other hand, a substrate processing apparatus for processing a wafer is provided with a small section having a built-in manipulator called a front-end module, and a carrier is coupled to a front surface of the front-end module via a load port. The wafer in the carrier is taken out and delivered to the substrate processing apparatus, and the processed wafer is taken out of the substrate processing apparatus by the manipulator and stored in the carrier again.
The load port is an opening / closing device that opens the carrier to the front end module without exposing the wafer stored in the carrier to the outside air, and closes the load port to the front surface to prevent the outside air from entering. It has a function and a function of pulling out the lid of the carrier into the front end module and opening the carrier to the front end module (for example, Patent Document 2).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-124300 A [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-2003-68825
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
There is no problem as long as a dedicated load port is designed for a specific carrier and the carrier is used exclusively, but as the semiconductor manufacturing process becomes more complicated, carriers with different dimensions and types are manufactured. It has started to mix in the line. For example, there is a production line in which eight types of carriers are mixed as shown in FIG. The sequence of the opening and closing operation differs depending on the type of carrier, and the slot arrangement inside the carrier differs, so it is necessary to switch between the opening and closing operation sequence and the robot operation program each time a different type of carrier is placed. Since the type of carrier cannot be determined by the port itself, it was necessary to receive information about the type of carrier from a higher-level control system.
However, when there is a discrepancy between the carrier notified from the host system and the type of the carrier actually mounted, the carrier cannot be released. In addition, if an attempt is made to release the carrier in an improper sequence, a problem arises that outside air enters the inside of the carrier and contaminates the wafer inside.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a load port adapted to a plurality of types of carriers having different types and capable of distinguishing the type of the mounted carrier.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention relates to a load port connected to a robot room having a manipulator for supplying a wafer to a substrate processing apparatus and transferring a wafer in a carrier to the manipulator. And a sensor for identifying the type of the carrier. Further, the sensor is a sensor for detecting a morphological characteristic portion of the carrier. The sensor is provided on a mounting table on which the carrier is mounted. Further, an adapter for coupling the carrier and the mounting table is provided.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a load port showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a load port and 2 is a housing. Reference numeral 3 denotes a mounting table on which a carrier (not shown) conveyed to the load port 1 is mounted. 4 is a pod opener. The pod opener 4 is a door that partitions the inside and the outside of the load port 1 and is also a device that is connected to a lid of the carrier, pulls out the lid from the carrier, and opens the carrier.
[0007]
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 1 and is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the housing 2 of the load port 1. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a contact-type carrier discriminating sensor disposed at the front end of the mounting table, and reference numeral 12 denotes a non-contact-type carrier discriminating sensor disposed on the housing 2. Reference numeral 13 denotes a contact-type adapter determining sensor arranged at the center of the mounting table.
[0008]
3, 4 and 5 are external views of a carrier showing an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a bottom view. As shown in these figures, the shape of the bottom surface of the carrier varies depending on the type. In this embodiment, attention is paid to the difference in the arrangement of the reinforcing ribs and the like at the front end of the carrier bottom surface, and the presence or absence of the reinforcing ribs and the like is detected by the carrier determination sensors 11 and 12 to determine the type of the carrier.
[0009]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the adapter showing the embodiment of the present invention. The adapter 21 is a component sandwiched between the mounting portion 3 and the carrier in order to mount a carrier that cannot be directly mounted on the mounting portion 3 of the load port 1. Reference numeral 22 denotes a dog for an adapter sensor, which is a mechanism that engages with the sensor for determining the adapter on the mounting portion and informs the load port 1 that the adapter 21 has been coupled to the mounting portion 3.
[0010]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the type of the carrier is determined by the sensor provided in the load port. Therefore, even in the case of a line where different types of carriers are mixed, the operation program and the like of the transport robot are automatically set. The switching is performed, which has an effect of preventing an accident caused by a mismatch between the operation program and the carrier type.
In addition, since the type of the carrier is determined using the morphological features inherent in the carrier, it is not necessary to attach an identification mark or the like to the carrier. Therefore, there is an effect that the cost for managing the carrier is reduced. In addition, since the adapter is provided, there is an effect that even a carrier having a different shape of the connecting portion can be easily connected to the load port.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a load port showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a housing of a load port.
FIG. 3 is an outline view of a carrier showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an outline drawing of a carrier showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an outline drawing of a carrier showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an external view of an adapter showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an outline view showing examples of various carriers.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Load port 2: Housing 3: Placement section 4: Pod door 11: Carrier discriminating sensor 12: Carrier discriminating sensor 13: Adapter discriminating sensor 21: Adapter 22: Dog for adapter sensor

Claims (4)

In a load port connected to a robot room having a manipulator for supplying a wafer to the substrate processing apparatus and transferring a wafer in a carrier to the manipulator,
A load port comprising: coupling means capable of coupling a plurality of carriers of different types; and a sensor for identifying the type of the carrier. The load port according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a sensor that detects a morphological feature of the carrier. The load port according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor is provided on a mounting table on which the carrier is mounted. The load port according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an adapter for coupling the carrier and the mounting table.

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