JP4445075B2 - Vacuum motor and transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum motor that can improve the transfer efficiency of the magnetic power between a stator and a rotor, can increase driving power, and can save electric power, and a carrier device using the vacuum motor. SOLUTION: A vacuum motor 100 is equipped with a non-magnetic can seal 110 that separates vacuum atmosphere space from air atmosphere one, a first stator 130 that is provided at an air atmosphere side and is wound by a coil 120, a second stator 135 that is provided at a vacuum atmosphere side corresponding to the first stator, and a rotor 140 that is provided at the vacuum atmosphere side corresponding to the second stator and drives outside and inside rotary shafts 150 and 160 by transferring magnetic power from the second stator, thus reducing the spacing between the second stator where the magnetic power is transferred and the rotor as much as possible, and hence improving the transfer efficiency of the magnetic power between the stator and rotor.

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vacuum motor using electromagnetic induction used in a semiconductor manufacturing process, and a transport device driven by the vacuum motor.
[0002]
A multi-chamber type processing apparatus having a plurality of process chambers (processing chambers) includes a transfer arm for transferring a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as a “wafer”) as an object to be processed between the process chambers. It has been. This transfer arm is accommodated in a transfer chamber (common transfer chamber). The substrate holding portion provided in the transfer arm is configured to be able to enter not only the transfer chamber but also various process chambers and vacuum preparatory chambers connected to the transfer chamber.
[0003]
As the general transfer arm, there are a scalar type transfer arm and a frog-leg type transfer arm. In the SCARA-type transfer arm, the substrate holding part and the rotation shaft are connected by two or more arms, and a rotation mechanism is connected to the rotation shaft via a rotation belt and a pulley. With this configuration, when the rotation mechanism is operated, the arm moves in the horizontal direction, and the substrate holder moves to a predetermined position. On the other hand, the frog-leg type transfer arm has a frog-leg arm in which a plurality of pairs of arms are connected in a substantially leg shape, and the substrate holding part and the rotating shaft are connected by the frog-leg arm. With this configuration, when the rotation mechanism connected to the rotation shaft is operated, the frog leg arm expands and contracts in the radial direction from the rotation center of the transfer arm, and the substrate holding unit moves to a predetermined position.
[0004]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a motor used in a vacuum processing chamber in the rotating mechanism drives a rotating shaft with a magnetic body such as a coil and an iron core (hereinafter referred to as a “stator”) for obtaining mechanical power by electromagnetic induction. And a magnetic material (hereinafter referred to as “rotor”) for the purpose of being placed in a vacuum atmosphere. However, if the coil and the stator are arranged in a vacuum atmosphere, there is an unavoidable adverse effect on processing due to the generation of outgas, particles, etc. and heat generation. Therefore, in recent semiconductor manufacturing processes, a vacuum motor is used in which an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere are separated from each other by a nonmagnetic partition wall called a can seal, and a coil and a stator are arranged in the air atmosphere.
[0005]
An example of the configuration of a vacuum motor in which the above-described coil and stator are arranged in an air atmosphere will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 4, the vacuum motor 300 includes a non-magnetic can seal 310 that separates the air atmosphere from the vacuum atmosphere, and an outer rotating shaft 350 and an inner rotating shaft disposed on the can seal 310 via a bearing B. 360 two rotation shafts are provided.
[0006]
Further, the vacuum motor 300 is provided on the atmosphere side and is provided corresponding to the outer rotating shaft stator 330a around which the coil 320a is wound, and on the vacuum atmosphere side corresponding to the outer rotating shaft stator 330a. An outer rotating shaft rotor 340 a that transmits magnetic power from the stator 330 a to drive the outer rotating shaft 350 is provided. Similarly, the inner rotary shaft stator 330b provided with the coil 320b is provided on the atmosphere side, and the inner rotary shaft stator 330b is provided in a vacuum atmosphere so as to correspond to the inner rotary shaft stator 330b. An inner rotating shaft rotor 340b that drives the inner rotating shaft 360 by transmitting magnetic power.
[0007]
The outer rotary shaft stator 330a and the outer rotary shaft rotor 340a around which the coil 320a is wound are provided at ten locations so as to surround the outer rotary shaft 350, as shown in FIG. Similarly, the inner rotating shaft stator 330b and the inner rotating shaft rotor 340b around which the coil 320b is wound are provided at ten locations so as to surround the inner rotating shaft 360. In FIG. 5, the outer rotating shaft 350 and the inner rotating shaft 360 are omitted from the drawing.
[0008]
In the illustrated example, a vacuum processing chamber 390 is formed on the vacuum atmosphere side of the vacuum motor 300, and one side of the can seal 310 forms a part of the side wall of the vacuum processing chamber 390. The end of the can seal 310 is hermetically connected to the side wall 392 of the vacuum processing chamber 390 by a sealing member O such as an O-ring. As described above, the outer rotating shaft 350 and the inner rotating shaft 360 drive a transfer device in the vacuum processing chamber 390, for example, a transfer arm.
[0009]
In the figure, reference numeral 370a is an encoder for controlling the operations of the outer rotating shaft stator 330a and the outer rotating shaft rotor 340a, and reference numeral 370b is the inner rotating shaft stator 330b and the inner rotating shaft rotor 340b. It is an encoder for controlling the operation. Reference numeral 380 denotes a cable for energizing the coils 320a and 320b and the encoders 370a and 370b. Each component described above is housed in a motor case 395.
[0010]
As described above, the atmospheric atmosphere and the vacuum atmosphere are separated from each other by the can seal 310, and the stators 330a and 330b around which the coils are wound are arranged in the atmospheric atmosphere, thereby generating outgas and particles in the vacuum atmosphere. The adverse effect on the processing due to heat generation can be eliminated.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the vacuum motor 300 having the above-described configuration, the can seal 310 is an indispensable component for solving problems that occur when the stators 330a and 330b around which the coils are wound are arranged in a vacuum atmosphere. If the can seal 310 is interposed between the stator and the rotor, the transmission efficiency of the magnetic power between the stator and the rotor is deteriorated, which reduces the driving force of the vacuum motor and prevents power saving. There was a problem.
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of conventional vacuum motors, and a first object of the present invention is to improve the transmission efficiency of magnetic power between the stator and the rotor and to improve the driving force. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved vacuum motor capable of improving the power consumption and saving power.
[0013]
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a new and improved transport apparatus that is driven by a vacuum motor having power saving and excellent driving force.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, as described in claim 1, in a vacuum motor, a nonmagnetic partition wall that separates spaces having different atmospheres and a high-pressure atmosphere side are provided. One or two or more first stators wound with coils, one or two or more second stators provided corresponding to the first stator on the low-pressure atmosphere side, and the first stator on the low-pressure atmosphere side. There is provided a vacuum motor comprising one or two or more rotors provided corresponding to two stators, wherein magnetic power is transmitted from the second stator to drive one or two or more rotating shafts. Provided.
[0015]
Here, the low-pressure atmosphere is a processing atmosphere that is required to avoid the generation of outgas and particles, for example, a vacuum atmosphere, and the high-pressure atmosphere is, for example, an air atmosphere.
[0016]
According to such a configuration, since the partition wall that separates the spaces having different atmospheres is interposed between the first stator and the second stator, the distance between the second stator to which the magnetic power is transmitted and the rotor is reduced. It can be made as small as possible, and the transmission efficiency of magnetic power between the second stator and the rotor can be improved. As described above, according to the present invention, the driving force of the vacuum motor can be improved, and further excellent power saving can be achieved.
[0017]
Further, as described in claim 2, the rotation shaft may be provided with a position detection mechanism. According to such a configuration, since the rotary shaft driven in the low pressure atmosphere is provided with the position detection mechanism, it is possible to accurately control a device in the low pressure atmosphere driven by the rotary shaft, such as a transfer arm. is there.
[0018]
In order to solve the above problem, according to a second aspect of the present invention, as described in claim 3, in the transfer device, a nonmagnetic partition wall that separates spaces having different atmospheres, and a high-pressure atmosphere side One or two or more first stators wound with coils, one or two or more second stators provided corresponding to the first stator on the low pressure atmosphere side, and the low pressure atmosphere side And a first stator having at least two or more rotors that drive the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft when magnetic power is transmitted from the second stator. A motor-driven holding unit; and an arm unit that converts the rotational power of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft into linear power of the holding unit of the transferred body. A characteristic transport apparatus is provided.
[0019]
In addition, the arm portion includes a first arm having one end connected to the first rotating shaft and a second arm having one end connected to the second rotating shaft. An arm, a third arm whose one end is rotatably connected to the other end of the first arm, and another end connected to the holding portion of the transported body, and one end is the second A fourth arm that is rotatably connected to the other end of the arm and whose other end is connected to the holding portion of the transported body may be provided.
[0020]
According to such a configuration, the conveying device can be driven by the vacuum motor having power saving and excellent driving force.
[0021]
Furthermore, the first rotating shaft and / or the second rotating shaft may be provided with a position detection mechanism for the conveyed object, as described in claim 5. According to this configuration, since the first rotating shaft and / or the second rotating shaft includes the position detection mechanism of the transferred object, the transferred object, such as a wafer, transferred by the transfer device can be accurately controlled. Is possible.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Exemplary embodiments of a vacuum motor and a transfer device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum motor 100 includes a non-magnetic can seal (partition wall) 110 that separates spaces having different atmospheres, for example, a vacuum atmosphere space and an air atmosphere space. Two rotating shafts, an outer rotating shaft 150 and an inner rotating shaft 160 are provided. A conveying device driven by the outer rotating shaft 150 and the inner rotating shaft 160 will be described later.
[0024]
Further, the vacuum motor 100 is provided on the air atmosphere side, and is provided corresponding to the first outer rotating shaft stator 130a around which the coil 120a is wound, and the first outer rotating shaft stator 130a on the vacuum atmosphere side. The second outer rotating shaft stator 135a is provided corresponding to the second outer rotating shaft stator 135a on the vacuum atmosphere side, and magnetic power is transmitted from the second outer rotating shaft stator 135a. And an outer rotating shaft rotor 140a for driving the outer rotating shaft 150.
[0025]
Similarly, the vacuum motor 100 corresponds to the first inner rotating shaft stator 130b provided on the atmosphere side and having the coil 120b wound thereon, and the first inner rotating shaft stator 130b on the vacuum atmosphere side. The second inner rotating shaft stator 135b is provided corresponding to the second inner rotating shaft stator 135b on the vacuum atmosphere side, and magnetic power is transmitted from the second inner rotating shaft stator 135a. And an inner rotating shaft rotor 140a for driving the inner rotating shaft 150.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 2, the outer rotating shaft stator 130a and the outer rotating shaft rotor 140a around which the coil 120a is wound are provided at ten locations so as to surround the outer rotating shaft 150, and similarly, the coil 120b. The inner rotary shaft stator 130b and the inner rotary shaft rotor 140b are wound around the inner rotary shaft 150, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. The number of rotating shafts and the number and arrangement of stators and rotors can be appropriately changed. In FIG. 2, the outer rotating shaft 150 and the inner rotating shaft 160 are omitted from the drawing.
[0027]
In the illustrated example, a vacuum processing chamber 190 is formed on the vacuum atmosphere side of the vacuum motor 100, and one side of the can seal 110 forms a part of the side wall of the vacuum processing chamber 190. The end of the can seal 110 is hermetically connected to the side wall 192 of the vacuum processing chamber 190 by a sealing member O such as an O-ring. The outer rotary shaft 150 and the inner rotary shaft 160 drive a transfer device in the vacuum processing chamber 190, such as a transfer arm.
[0028]
Reference numeral 170a in the figure is an encoder for controlling the operations of the outer rotating shaft stator 130a and the outer rotating shaft rotor 140a. Reference numeral 170a indicates the inner rotating shaft stator 130b and the inner rotating shaft rotor 140b. It is an encoder for controlling the operation. Reference numeral 180 denotes a cable for energizing the coils 120a and 120b and the encoders 170a and 170b. Each component described above is housed in a motor case 195.
[0029]
The first stators 130 a and 130 b and the second stators 135 a and 135 b are made of a high magnetic permeability material, for example, an iron core formed by laminating a plurality of thin silicon steel plates, and are magnetized by energizing the coil 120. The vacuum motor 100 according to the present embodiment is characterized in that a can seal 110 is interposed between the first stators 130a and 130b and the second stators 135a and 135b.
[0030]
The can seal 110 may be formed simultaneously in the manufacturing process of the first stators 130a and 130b and the second stators 135a and 135b. That is, in the step of laminating a plurality of thin silicon steel plates for forming the first stators 130a, 130b and the second stators 135a, 135b, the can seals 110 are simultaneously laminated to form the first stator 130a. , 130b, the can seal 110, and the second stators 135a and 135b can be manufactured integrally.
[0031]
Alternatively, the can seal 110, the first stators 130a and 130b, and the second stators 135a and 135b are individually manufactured in separate processes, and in the subsequent processes, the first stators 130a and 130b and the second stator 135a are manufactured. , 135b may be integrated with a can seal 110 interposed therebetween.
[0032]
The manufacturing process for manufacturing the first stators 130a and 130b, the can seal 110, and the second stators 135a and 135b as described above is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. The final configuration is between the first stator 130a, 130b and the second stator 135a, 135b without attenuating the magnetic force between the first stator 130a, 130b and the second stator 135a, 135b. The can seal 110 may be interposed between the second stators 135a and 135b and the rotor 140 as long as possible. Further, the thicknesses and thickness ratios of the first stators 130a and 130b and the second stators 135a and 135b are not limited to the illustrated example, and can be appropriately changed in design.
[0033]
Next, a frog-leg type transfer arm 200 will be described as an example of a transfer device driven by the vacuum motor 100 with reference to FIG. A general frog-leg type transfer arm has an arm portion formed by connecting a plurality of pairs of arms in a substantially foot shape, and the substrate holding portion and the rotation shaft are connected by this arm portion. In the present embodiment, an example in which the arm portion is composed of four arms (first arm 210, second arm 220, third arm 230, and fourth arm 240) will be described.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 3, the transfer arm 200 includes a first arm 210 and a second arm 220 having substantially the same length. One end of the first arm 210 is connected to the outer rotary shaft 150 of the vacuum motor 100 and supported on the base 205, and one end of the second arm 220 is connected to the inner rotary shaft 160 of the vacuum motor 100 to It is supported by.
[0035]
One end of the third arm 230 is connected to the other end of the first arm 210 and one end of the fourth arm 240 is connected to the other end of the second arm 220, respectively. The third arm 230 and the fourth arm 240 are also formed to have substantially the same length as the first arm 210 and the second arm 220. Further, the other ends of the third arm 230 and the fourth arm 240 rotatably support a holding unit 250 for holding the wafer W.
[0036]
In the transfer arm 200 configured as described above, when the first arm 210 is rotated in the A direction and the second arm 220 is rotated in the B direction at the same speed, the third arm 230 is centered on the connecting portion with the first arm 210. And the fourth arm 240 rotates in the D direction around the connecting portion with the second arm 220. Thereby, the holding | maintenance part 250 can be linearly moved to E direction.
[0037]
Further, when the first arm 210 is rotated in the A ′ direction and the second arm 220 is rotated in the B ′ direction at the same speed, the third arm 230 is moved in the C ′ direction around the connecting portion with the first arm 210. The fourth arm 240 rotates in the direction D ′ around the connecting portion with the second arm 220. Thereby, the holding | maintenance part 250 can be linearly moved to E 'direction.
[0038]
As described above, the rotational power of the inner rotary shaft 150 and the outer rotary shaft 160 of the vacuum motor 100 can be converted into the linear power of the holding unit 250 of the transfer arm 200. In this embodiment, the case where the frog-leg type transfer arm 200 is driven is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The configuration of the transfer arm, particularly the shape of the arm portion that connects the substrate holding portion and the rotating shaft, may be any shape. Further, the transfer arm is not limited to the frog-leg type, and may be a scalar type transfer arm.
[0039]
According to the vacuum motor 100 according to the present embodiment, similarly to the conventional vacuum motor, the can atmosphere 110 and the vacuum atmosphere are separated from each other by the can seal 110, and the first stators 130a and 130b around which the coils are wound are connected to the air atmosphere. By arranging it inside, it is possible to eliminate the adverse effects on the processing due to the generation of outgas and particles in the vacuum atmosphere and heat generation.
[0040]
Further, as a feature of the present embodiment that is not found in the conventional vacuum motor, since the can seal 110 is interposed between the first stators 130a and 130b and the second stators 135a and 135b, magnetic power is transmitted. The interval between the second stators 135a and 135b and the rotors 140a and 140b can be made as small as possible. For this reason, it is possible to improve the transmission efficiency of magnetic power between the second stators 135a and 135b and the rotors 140a and 140b. As described above, according to the vacuum motor 100, the driving force is improved and the power saving effect is also achieved.
[0041]
And according to this Embodiment, it is possible to drive the conveyance arm 200 with the vacuum motor 100 which has power saving and the outstanding drive force.
[0042]
The preferred embodiments of the vacuum motor and the transfer device according to the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood that it belongs.
[0043]
For example, a position detection mechanism can be provided on the rotating shaft. According to such a configuration, it is possible to accurately control a transfer device in a low-pressure atmosphere driven by a rotating shaft, for example, the transfer arm in the above-described vacuum processing chamber. Wafers and the like can be accurately controlled.
[0044]
In the above embodiment, the vacuum motor is a rotary motor, and an example of a transfer arm using this rotary motor has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The vacuum motor is a linear motor, and the present invention can be similarly applied to a transfer device using the linear motor.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the transmission efficiency of the magnetic power of the vacuum motor, improve the driving force and save power.
[0046]
In particular, according to the second aspect of the invention, it is possible to accurately control the apparatus in the low-pressure atmosphere driven by the rotating shaft.
[0047]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the transport device can be driven by a vacuum motor that saves power and has an excellent driving force.
[0048]
In particular, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to accurately control the object to be conveyed conveyed by the conveying device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a vacuum motor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum motor of FIG. 1 along AA ′.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a transfer arm that is operated by the vacuum motor of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional vacuum motor.
5 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum motor of FIG. 4 along AA ′.
[Explanation of symbols]
100 Vacuum motor 110 Can seal 120a, 120b Coil 130a First stator (first outer rotating shaft stator)
130b First stator (first inner rotating shaft stator)
135a Second stator (second outer rotating shaft stator)
135b Second stator (second inner rotating shaft stator)
140a outer rotating shaft rotor 140b inner rotating shaft rotor 150 outer rotating shaft 160 inner rotating shaft 170 encoder 180 cable 190 vacuum processing chamber 192 side wall 195 motor case B bearing O seal member 200 transfer arm 205 base 210 first arm 220 first arm 220 2 arms 230 3rd arm 240 4th arm 250 Holding part W Wafer

Claims (5)

In vacuum motor:
A non-magnetic partition that separates spaces with different atmospheres;
One or more first stators provided on the high-pressure atmosphere side and wound with coils;
One or more second stators provided on the low-pressure atmosphere side corresponding to the first stator;
One or two or more rotors provided on the low-pressure atmosphere side corresponding to the second stator and transmitting one or two or more rotary shafts when magnetic power is transmitted from the second stator;
A vacuum motor characterized by comprising The vacuum motor according to claim 1, wherein the rotation shaft includes a position detection mechanism. In the transport device:
Corresponding to the first stator on the low-pressure atmosphere side and the one or more first stators that are provided on the high-pressure atmosphere side and wound with a coil, and that separate the spaces with different atmospheres. One or two or more second stators provided on the low-pressure atmosphere side and corresponding to the second stator, and magnetic power is transmitted from the second stator to transmit the first rotating shaft and Driven by a vacuum motor having one or more rotors for driving the second rotating shaft,
A holding part of the transported body;
An arm unit for converting rotational power of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft into power in a linear direction of the holding unit of the transported body;
A conveying device comprising: The arm part is:
A first arm having one end connected to the first rotating shaft;
A second arm having one end connected to the second rotating shaft;
A third arm having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the first arm and the other end connected to the holding portion of the transported body;
A fourth arm having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the second arm and the other end connected to the holding portion of the transported body;
The transport apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: 5. The transport device according to claim 3, wherein the first rotation shaft and / or the second rotation shaft includes a position detection mechanism of the transported body. 6.

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