1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for automatically transporting tabular substrates such as photomasks and reticles (hereinafter, generally referred to as reticles), or wafers and glass plates (hereinafter, generally referred to as wafers), and for transporting cassettes and carriers receiving the same. The present invention also relates to semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses using the method for processes such as exposure, rinsing, and inspection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, reticle transporting devices and wafer transporting devices have been provided in semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses used in manufacturing processes of semiconductors, and in particular, in the semiconductor exposure apparatuses used in an exposure process. The transporting devices have been used in view of transporting efficiency and dust-proofing in order to improve the throughput and output rate.
The reticles used in the exposure process are typically transported in carriers, which receive the reticles one by one or in units of a plurality of reticles, from a reticle storage to each exposure apparatus, either manually or by an automatic transporting apparatus such as an AGV (automated guided vehicle) and OHT (over-head transfer) device, and are stored in storage shelves (hereinafter referred to as a library) provided in the exposure apparatus or in the vicinity thereof. The reticles thus stored are required to be delivered to an exposure stage in the exposure apparatus at a very high speed and with high accuracy. Particularly, due to the trend of limited productions of a wide range of products, the quantity of reticles to be stored in the library has recently increased according to the increasing varieties of devices to be manufactured.
Semiconductors are generally manufactured in clean rooms with a very high level of cleanliness class (low class number). In a process in which dust particles are strictly controlled, such as an exposure process, an exposure apparatus is installed in a clean chamber provided in a clean room, the clean chamber being maintained at a cleanliness of class 1 of particle sizes ranging from 0.1 xcexcm to 0.2 xcexcm.
Recently, a mini-environment philosophy known as an SMIF (Standardized Mechanical Interface) has been proposed which is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,970. This philosophy has been proposed in view of the fact that the processing rooms need only be partially clean and because the operating costs of downflow clean rooms, in which entire rooms are cleaned, are high due to the fact that a higher level of dust particle control is required for next-generation gigabit devices and a higher production efficiency is required in view of a recent slowdown in the semiconductor industry.
FIGS. 11A to 11D are side views of a known SMIF-type loading-port unit for reticles. An SMIF-type carrier unit 28, receiving a plurality of reticles 1, is set on a loading port 381, as shown in FIG. 11A. A lock of a carrier door 282 is released by a lock releasing mechanism included in a loading-port door 383 (in FIG. 11B). A reticle carrier library 283, receiving the plurality of reticles 1, is removed downwardly from a carrier 281, while the carrier door 282 and the loading-port door 383 are supported as a unit (in FIG. 11C). Thereafter, each of the reticles 1 is transferred by a transporting robot 42, as shown in FIG. 11D.
FIGS. 12A to 12D are side views of an FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) type loading-port unit, which is standardized according to the SEMI standard for handling 12-inch wafers (12 inches=300 mm). When an FOUP-type carrier unit 29 is set on a loading port unit 391, as shown in FIG. 12A, the carrier unit 29 is positioned by kinematic coupling pins 392 and is applied to an outer wall of a chamber 6 by being pressed against the outer wall of the chamber 6 by an applying mechanism provided in the loading port unit 391, as shown in FIG. 12B. Then, the lock of a carrier door 292 is released by a lock releasing mechanism included in a chamber door 393, and the carrier door 292 and the chamber door 393 are removed by an opener 394 from a carrier 291 and the chamber 6 at the front side of the carrier 291, while the carrier door 292 and the chamber door 393 are held as a unit by a supporting mechanism included in the chamber door 393 (in FIG. 12C). The carrier door 292 and the chamber door 393 are moved downwardly as a unit (in FIG. 12D), thereby allowing transfer of the wafers 11 by a transporting robot 42.
When a plurality of the loading port units is required, the SMIF-type loading port units must be disposed in a horizontal direction, because a large space in the vertical direction is occupied due to the configuration thereof, in which the reticle carrier library is removed downwardly and the reticles are transferred. That is, a disadvantage of the SMIF system is that the footprint of the units is increased. In the same way, when a plurality of units is required, the FOUP-type loading port units must be disposed in a horizontal direction, because a large space in the vertical direction is occupied due to the configuration thereof, in which the carrier doors are removed downwardly, thereby increasing the footprint of the units, which is a disadvantage of the FOUP system.
Another problem is that dust particles adhering to the substrates while they are transported between carriers and semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses are not considered in these known apparatuses.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for transporting substrates and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the method, in which a plurality of loading ports are provided with a footprint thereof being minimized and, while being transported, the surfaces of substrates are kept clean by an air-blower mechanism, from the viewpoint of a mini-environment to be applied to semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
To these ends, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method for transporting a substrate between a carrier, which holds the substrate, and a semiconductor manufacturing unit, which receives the substrate, is provided, which comprises the steps of applying the carrier to a chamber, which houses the semiconductor manufacturing unit, in which chamber the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, rotatably removing, by an opener, a door of the carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber, and transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been rotatably removed as a unit by the opener.
The method for transporting a substrate may further comprise the step of releasing a lock of the door of the carrier by a lock releasing mechanism provided in the door of the chamber.
The method may still further comprise the step of supporting the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a unit by a supporting mechanism provided in the door of the chamber.
In the method for transporting a substrate, the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber may be horizontally removed as a unit from the carrier and the chamber by the opener, and then rotated around a rotation axis by the opener.
The rotation axis around which the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber rotate as a unit, while being removed, may be disposed on a plane extending from the interface between the chamber and the door thereof, which is sealed.
The door of the carrier and the door of the chamber may be rotated downwardly around the rotation axis as a unit by the opener. The opener may be provided on an inner wall of the chamber.
In the method, a plurality of the openers and a plurality of loading ports for receiving the carriers may be provided in the chamber. The loading ports may be provided overlapping each other in the vertical direction.
In the method, a library may be provided in the vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing unit for storing a plurality of the substrates.
The carrier in the method may receive one of the substrates, and the substrate may be a reticle.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided, which comprises a semiconductor manufacturing unit housed in a chamber in which the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, an applying mechanism for applying a carrier, which holds a substrate, to the chamber, an opener for rotatably removing a door of the carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber, and a transporting mechanism for transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been rotatably removed as a unit, and for transporting the substrate between the carrier and the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
The door of the chamber may be provided with a lock releasing mechanism for releasing a lock of the door of the carrier.
The door of the chamber may be provided with a supporting mechanism for supporting the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a unit.
The door of the carrier and the door of the chamber may be horizontally removed as a unit from the carrier and the chamber by the opener, and then rotated around a rotation axis by the opener.
The rotation axis around which the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber rotate as a unit, while being removed, may be disposed on a plane extending from the interface between the chamber and the door thereof, which is sealed.
The door of the carrier and the door of the chamber may be rotated downwardly around the rotation axis as a unit by the opener. The opener may be provided on an inner wall of the chamber.
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further comprise a plurality of the openers and a plurality of loading ports for receiving the carriers.
The loading ports may be provided overlapping each other in the vertical direction.
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further comprise a library for storing a plurality of the substrates in the vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the substrate may be a reticle.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for transporting a substrate between a carrier and a semiconductor manufacturing unit is provided, the method comprising the steps of applying the carrier, which holds the substrate, to a chamber in which the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, removing a door of the carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber by an opener provided on a transporting robot for transporting the substrate, and transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier by the transporting robot when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit by the opener.
The method for transporting a substrate may further comprise the step of releasing a lock of the door of the carrier by a lock releasing mechanism provided on the door of the chamber.
The method may still further comprise the step of supporting the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a unit by a supporting mechanism provided on the door of the chamber.
In the method, a plurality of the openers and a plurality of loading ports for receiving the carriers may be provided in the chamber. The plurality of the loading ports may be provided overlapping each other in the vertical direction. The plurality of the openers may be disposed such that a distance therebetween is the same as a distance between each of the loading ports.
In the method, a library for storing a plurality of the substrates may be provided in the vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the method for transporting a substrate, the substrate may be a reticle.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises a semiconductor manufacturing unit provided in a chamber in which the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, an applying mechanism for applying a carrier, which holds a substrate, to the chamber, an opener for removing a door of the carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber, and a transporting robot for transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit by the opener. The opener is provided in the manufacturing apparatus on a side of the transporting robot.
In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the door of the chamber may be provided with a lock releasing mechanism for releasing a lock of the door of the carrier.
The door of the chamber may be provided with a supporting mechanism for supporting the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber as a unit.
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further comprise a plurality of loading ports for receiving the carriers, and a plurality of the openers.
The loading ports may be provided overlapping each other in the vertical direction.
The openers may be disposed such that a distance therebetween is the same as a distance between each of the loading ports.
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may further comprise a library for storing a plurality of the substrates in the vicinity of the semiconductor manufacturing unit.
The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the substrate may be a reticle.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a method for transporting a substrate between a carrier and a semiconductor manufacturing unit is provided, the method comprising the steps of applying the carrier, which holds the substrate, to a chamber, which houses the semiconductor manufacturing unit, in which chamber the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, removing a door of the carrier and a door of the chamber, as a unit, from the carrier and the chamber by an opener, transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier by a transporting robot for transporting the substrate when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit by the opener, and applying air to the substrate by an air-blower mechanism provided on the transporting robot when the transporting robot supports, at least when transporting, the substrate by a handling mechanism provided on the transporting robot.
The air applied by the air-blower mechanism may be temperature-controlled.
The transporting robot may include a cover for covering the substrate held by the handling mechanism of the transporting robot.
In the method, the air-blower mechanism may apply air to the substrate while the substrate is being transferred from the carrier.
The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the method for transporting a substrate, the substrate may be a reticle.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises a semiconductor manufacturing unit provided in a chamber in which the environment of the semiconductor manufacturing unit is controlled, an applying mechanism for applying a carrier, which holds a substrate, to the chamber, an opener for removing a door of the carrier and a door of the chamber as a unit from the carrier and the chamber, a transporting robot for transferring the substrate from the carrier and to the carrier when the door of the carrier and the door of the chamber have been removed as a unit by the opener, and an air-blower mechanism provided on the transporting robot, for applying air to the substrate when the transporting robot supports, at least when transporting, the substrate by a handling mechanism provided on the transporting robot.
The air applied by the air-blower mechanism may be temperature-controlled.
The transporting robot may include a cover for covering the substrate held by the handling mechanism.
The air-blower mechanism may apply air to the substrate while being transferred from the carrier.
The carrier may receive one of the substrates, and in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the substrate may be a reticle.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.