JPH02288247A - Wafer transfer jig - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a wafer transfer jig (hereinafter referred to as a transfer jig) used when transferring wafers in loft units in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a transfer jig 20 used to transfer wafers in loft units between a wafer carrier and a wafer boat inserted into a diffusion furnace, there are two types of transfer jigs 20 that face each other, as shown in FIG. A pair of front and rear grips 22.23 each having a large number of wafer-engaging large grooves 21 arranged in parallel are connected by a pin 24, and the grips 22.23 are moved in the front and rear directions (in the figure, in the direction of the arrow) using the pin 24 as a fulcrum. A device is known in which the device is configured to be oscillated along the direction (as shown in the figure) so as to be able to approach and move away from each other relatively. In this transfer jig 20, both grips 22 are moved by helical springs 25 attached to each of the pins 24.
．． 23 to swing toward the closing operation side, while the handles 26 and 27 connected above each of the grips 22 and 23
When the worker grasps the grip tool 22.23
is designed to be opened.

Therefore, the operator grasps the handle 2627 of the transfer jig 20 to open the grips 22.23, and these grips 22.23 are loaded onto a wafer carrier (not shown) in an upright position. After sandwiching and covering a large number of wafers W, when the grips of the handles 26 and 27 are released, the grips 22 and 23 are closed by the elastic force of the helical spring 25. Grip 22.
10 feet (approximately 25 wafers) of wafers W corresponding to the number of wafer insertion grooves 21 are gripped and held between the wafers 23.

The 10 tons of wafers W thus gripped and taken out from the wafer carrier are transferred to a wafer boat (not shown) inserted into a diffusion furnace.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, when the transfer jig 20 having the conventional configuration is used, it is possible to grasp and hold a large number of wafers W in loft units, and it is possible to transfer wafers W in loft units between the wafer carrier and the wafer boat. Nevertheless, since the handles 26 and 27 for opening the grips 22 and 23 constituting the transfer jig 20 are provided above the grips 22 and 23, the following inconveniences occur. was occurring.

That is, for example, in a diffusion furnace in which a plurality of process tubes are arranged vertically, another VW part protrudes like an eaves above each wafer boat pull-out point, and the wafer boat is pulled out from the process tube. If the wafer transfer space above the wafer boat is small, the hands of the operator who grips the handles 26 and 27 of the transfer jig 20 will not be able to fit into this transfer space. In such a case, the wafers W cannot be transferred one by one using a so-called vacuum suction bottle set (not shown). However, the work of transferring the wafer W using vacuum suction tweezers or the like not only requires a great deal of effort, but also has the risk of causing the wafer W to become cranked or chipped.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer jig that can easily transfer wafers in lots without any inconvenience even when there is little vertical wafer transfer space.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve such an objective, the transfer jig according to the present invention has a frame including a pair of front and rear gripping tools in which a large number of mutually opposing wafer insertion grooves are arranged in parallel and can move relatively toward and away from each other. The grip is attached to the frame, and the frame is provided with a handle that projects rearward, and an operating lever for opening and closing the grip is disposed along the handle so that the handle can be gripped together.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, as shown in FIG. If the operating lever is gripped with the fingers of one hand, the pair of front and rear grips will be opened. Therefore, in this transfer jig, the opening/closing operation of the grip is performed depending on whether or not the operating lever provided at the rear, that is, on the side, is grasped together.
Even if the wafer transfer space in the vertical direction is small, it is possible to transfer wafers in units of lofts without any inconvenience.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

1 to 5 show a transfer jig according to the present invention, and reference numeral 1 in these figures indicates the transfer jig. This transfer jig 1 includes a pair of grips 2 and 3 arranged along the front-rear direction (indicated by arrow A in the figure) and a frame 4 that supports these. .3 is composed of upper grips 2a, 3a and lower grips 2b, 3b each having a width corresponding to the width when 10 tons (approximately 25 wafers) of wafers W are arranged in parallel. Further, the frame 4 is constituted by a pair of left and right frame plates 4a, 4a, and the frame 4 is provided with one handle 5 that protrudes toward the rear. Note that these frame plates 4a, 4a are made of a lightweight and highly rigid metal material such as titanium alloy, and the upper grip 2 constituting the grip 2
a and the upper grip 3a constituting the grip 3 are screwed and fixed to the frame plates 4a, 4a located on the left and right sides thereof in the form of a bridge connecting them, and these grips 2a, 3a A large number of wafer engaging grooves 6 facing each other are arranged in parallel inside each groove. On the other hand, each of the lower grips 2b and 3b of the grips 2.3 is a frame plate 4a.

A pair of left and right connecting arms 9.4a are supported so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction about a pin 7.8 disposed at a predetermined position on the lower side of the connecting arm 9.4a. ]0 is screwed and fixed. That is, these lower grips 2b and 3b are configured to be able to approach and separate from each other along the front-rear direction, and are connected via the interlocking link 12 so that they approach and separate from each other in opposite directions. There is. A large number of wafer engaging grooves 11 having the same pitch as the wafer engaging grooves 6 of the upper grips 2a, 3a are arranged in parallel inside each of the lower grips 2b, 3b. Note that these grips 2a and 2b.

3a and 3b are made of a fluororesin material that has both appropriate elasticity and heat resistance, while the lower grip 2
Pin 1 serves as the fulcrum of the interlocking link 12 that connects b and 3b.
The head 3.14 is formed of a resin material in consideration of contact with the adjacent wafer W.

On the other hand, the handle 5 is formed into a T-shape in plan view, and is fixed with screws in a bridging manner between the left and right frame plates 4a, 4a. A pin 15 is located at the lower front side of the handle 5.
An operating lever 16 is provided that is centered at and can swing in the vertical direction, and this operating lever 16 and the lower grip 3b located on the rear side are interlocked via a link 17. ing. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pin 15 that supports the operating lever 16 has a
A helical spring 18 is attached, and the operating lever 16 is biased to swing downwardly by the helical spring 18. Therefore, the lower grip 3b connected to this operating lever 16 and the lower grip 2b connected thereto via the interlocking link 12 are connected to the helical spring 18.
This means that they are biased to swing in the direction of approaching each other, that is, toward the closing operation side that grips and holds the wafer W.

Note that this helical spring 18 has sufficient elastic force to support the weight of the wafer W of at least 10 tons (approximately 1-1.5 kg). Also, although not shown,
A stopper may be provided at a predetermined position on the lower side of the handle 5 to restrict the movement of the operating lever 16 toward the closing operation side due to the elastic force of the helical spring 18.

Therefore, when gripping and holding a wafer W using the transfer jig 1 of this embodiment, if the operating lever 16 is held together with the fingers of one hand that is gripping the handle 5, the gripping tool 2 can be held as shown in FIG. , 3 are opened along the front-rear direction, and when the fingers are released from the operating lever 16, the lower grips 2b, 3b are opened as shown in FIG. is closed by the elastic force of the helical spring 18. Therefore, by these operations,
As shown in FIG. 2, an upper grip 2a.

3a and the lower grips 2b, 3b hold 10 feet of wafer W. Furthermore, when transferring the wafer W gripped in this way to a wafer boat or a wafer carrier, the operating lever 16
All you have to do is hold it together with the handle 5.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the transfer jig according to the present invention, a handle is provided on the side of the frame to which a pair of front and rear grips for gripping and holding a wafer are attached, and an operating lever for opening and closing the grips is provided on the side of the frame. Since the grips are arranged so that they can be gripped together, a worker who supports the handle with one hand can open the grip by gripping the operating lever with both fingers, and can open the grip by releasing the fingers. It will be closed. Therefore, in this transfer jig, the opening and closing operations of the grip are performed depending on whether or not the operation levers disposed along the handle provided on the side are grasped together, and the wafer can be removed in the vertical direction. Even when the transfer space is small and the operator cannot reach,
It becomes possible to transfer wafers in loft units without any inconvenience.

Therefore, it is no longer necessary to transfer the wafer using vacuum suction tweezers as in the conventional example, and the time and effort required for this transfer work can be saved, and the risk of cracking or chipping of the sea urchin is also eliminated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 show embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a wafer transfer jig, and FIG. 2 is an external appearance of the wafer transfer jig in a state in which a wafer is gripped and held. A perspective view, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the wafer transfer jig, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the wafer transfer jig.
The figure is a side view of the wafer transfer jig with the grips closed, and FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view of the wafer transfer jig with the grips opened. Moreover, FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a wafer transfer jig according to a conventional example. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a wafer transfer jig, 2 and 3 are grips, 2a and 3a are upper grips, and 2b. 3b is a lower grip, 4 is a frame, 4a is a frame plate, 5 is a handle, 6 and 11 are wafer engaging grooves, and 16 is an operating lever.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A pair of front and rear grips, in which a large number of wafer insertion grooves facing each other are arranged in parallel and can be relatively approached and separated, are attached to the frame, and a handle is provided on the frame that protrudes toward the rear. The wafer transfer jig is further characterized in that an operating lever for opening and closing the grip is disposed along the handle so that the grip can be gripped together.