JPH06188234A - Wet processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a wet processing apparatus wherein the faultiness and the failure of the apparatus which are caused by the weight difference between the wafer cassettes in a spin dryer of a semiconductor manufacturing process are eliminated and the labor caused by the same is reduced. CONSTITUTION:The weight difference between two wafer-cassettes 3 opposed to each other is sensed, and a movable weight 11 for compensating the weight difference is moved in the directions of arrows 12 to balance the angular moment relative to the weight of a spin dryer 1, and thereby, the labor caused by the filling-up of wafers, etc., is eliminated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wet processing apparatus having a function of adjusting a weight difference between cassettes of a spin dryer in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a wet processing apparatus used in a semiconductor manufacturing process, usually, two cassettes each containing a wafer are put in a chemical bath at the same time for processing, and two cassettes are attached to a spin dryer at the same time for spin-drying. It is drying. In this case, the two cassettes are arranged at positions axially symmetric with respect to the rotation axis of the spin dryer and rotated to remove water on the wafer by centrifugal force.

[0003]

As described above, since the spin dryer rotates by disposing the two cassettes at positions symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis, there is a difference in weight (difference in the number of wafers) between the cassettes. Vibrations, particles,
This may cause the wafer to crack or the device to fail. Therefore,
It was necessary for the worker to perform the work of matching the number of wafers stored in the two cassettes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a wet processing apparatus which eliminates such defects and apparatus failures due to the difference in weight between cassettes of spin dryers in the semiconductor manufacturing process and saves labor.

[0005]

The present invention detects the number of wafers held in two cassettes or the weight of the cassettes in a wet processing apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, and based on this detection, 2 The wet processing apparatus is characterized by having a built-in spin dryer having a moving weight cone for compensating the weight difference between two cassettes.

[0006]

The wetting apparatus has a built-in wafer number sensor for measuring the number of wafers in the cassette, and when the wafers are dried by the spin dryer, the difference in the number of wafers between the two cassettes to be processed at the same time is automatically recognized and the weight thereof is measured. It has a function to move the center of gravity of the rotating system so as to cancel the difference. Instead of the wafer number sensor, a sensor for measuring the weight of each cassette may be provided.

The moving weight for compensating for the weight difference between the two cassettes is, for example, a weight that is screwed into a screw rod, and it is preferable to use a weight that is moved by rotating the screw rod. This heavy cone moves slightly from the center of rotation in the direction in which the cassette is placed, and moves so that the rotational moment of the weight from the center of rotation balances left and right. The relationship between the required movement amount and the cassette weight difference is obtained in advance.

It is most desirable to provide the moving weight cone on the line connecting the centers of gravity of the two cassettes, but there is no problem even if there is a vertical deviation within the allowable range of the rigidity of the rotating portion of the spin dryer. .

[0009]

1 is a side view of a spin dryer 1 incorporated in a wet processing apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing plant, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a moving weight 11 and FIG. 4 is a wet processing apparatus 20. The overall configuration of is shown. The number of wafers in the cassette is detected by the loader 21, the wafers are washed in the chemical liquid tank 22, and then the wafer is discharged by the unloader 24 via the rotary dryer 23. The rotary dryer 23 incorporates the spin dryer 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Spin dryer 1
Stores the two cassettes 3 in the cassette holder 2 arranged symmetrically with respect to the rotation shaft 4, and rotates the rotation shaft 4 to dry the cassette by centrifugal force. In the embodiment of the present invention, the loader 21 detects the number of cassettes, and when the cassette arrives at the spin dryer, the weight cone 11 is moved by an amount corresponding to the difference in the number of cassettes for balance adjustment.

[0010]

According to the present invention, since the difference in weight between the two cassettes of the spin dryer is automatically adjusted, the occurrence of defects due to the difference in weight and the failure of the apparatus are completely eliminated. Further, it is no longer necessary for a worker to adjust the number of wafers.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a spin dryer incorporated in a wet processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a spin dryer incorporated in the wet processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a moving weight cone.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a wet processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 cassette holder 3 cassette 5 casing 6 motor 10 screw rod 11 moving weight 12 arrow (stroke) 13 guide rod 14 rotation direction arrow 20 wet processing device 21 loader 22 chemical liquid tank 23 rotary dryer 24 unloader

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wet processing apparatus having a built-in spin dryer having a moving weight for compensating a weight difference between two cassettes.