JPS61111251A - Holding device for flat laminar member - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent slip down of a member by means of a positioning control means, by a method wherein an attraction force is generated from an adsorbing surface, spaced close to the surface of a member to be held at a specified gap therebetween, through a high speed fluid film formed by injecting an air flow. CONSTITUTION:The under surface of an adsorbing plate 10 is a plane and forms an adsorbing surface 10a to which a base plate 7 is held. A ventilating hole 11 is bored in its central part, control members 14a, having thickness 0.2-0.8mm thicker than that of the base plate 7, are securely located to the corner parts of the surface 10a to prevent slip-down of the base plate 7. The base plate 7 is positioned below the surface 10a in a condition to feed air through the hole 11 and in a condition in that the diagonal line of the base plate 7 with the plate 10 is varied by 45 deg., the surface 10a approaches the base plate 7 to reduce a gap distance (d) to a fine gap distance of 0.2-0.8mm, air is exhausted in the distance (d) through the hole 11 at a high speed toward the outside to generate buoyancy by means of a negative pressure produced in the distance (d) to hold the base plate 7 in a non-contact state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Industrial Application Field" The present invention relates to a holding device for a flat member having a smooth surface, and particularly to a wafer, reticle, and formatter holding device.

``Prior art'' In various substrates for semiconductor manufacturing such as wafers, reticles, and photomasks, side edges are used to prevent dust, oil, and other obstacles from adhering to the surface on which high-density circuits are formed and from causing scratches. The holding member is usually in point contact with the holding member.

An example of this will be briefly explained based on FIGS. 3A and 3B. 1 is a holding device that transports a rectangular flat board while suspending it, and the device 1 is a holding device that suspends and transports a rectangular flat board. It has a pair of branch shafts 3, 4 which are symmetrically branched and arranged, and a holding member 5.6 fixed to the lower horizontal end of the branch shafts 3, 4, and the holding member 5.8. The end locking part is cut obliquely upward at an inclination angle of 45 degrees, and the inclined cut surface is recessed in a V-groove shape, and the V-groove-shaped holding surfaces 5a and 8a are provided with the lower sides of both corners of the board 7. The edge surface 7a is configured to be able to be held suspended by making line contact.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" However, in this prior art, even if the holding member 5 is
, 6 are held in contact with each other, it is not possible to completely avoid the adhesion of dust and the like because they are not non-contact. In some cases, the holding device 1 used for transporting the substrate 7 was incomplete because it sometimes flowed down to the circuit forming surface at the center of the surface of the substrate 7.

Further, according to the prior art, the shape and size of the substrate that can be applied to the holding device 1 is limited to the shape of the holding surface of the holding member 5, B and the gap width between the holding surfaces, resulting in poor versatility. However, it was necessary to design each case based on the shape and dimensions of the board.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a holding device that can hold a semiconductor manufacturing substrate or other flat plate member having a smooth surface in a predetermined position in a non-contact manner.

"Means for Solving Problems" In order to achieve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a suction surface that can be approached with a certain gap on the surface of the held member, and a suction surface that can be approached from the suction surface to the surface of the held member. a holding means for ejecting a directed airflow to generate a suction force between the suction surface and the held member via a high-speed fluid film, and suction-holding the held member on the suction surface; formed on the suction surface side; We propose a technical means consisting of a position regulating means that can prevent a held member from sliding down.

Here, the regulating means may be any regulating means that regulates the position by mechanical action (see first embodiment below), fluid action (see second embodiment below), or even electrical action. .

"Operation" According to this technical means, the suction force generated between the suction surface and the held member holds the held member on the suction surface in a non-contact state via the high-speed fluid film, and the suction surface In order to prevent the member from sliding down due to tilting from the horizontal position, a position regulating means is provided on the suction surface side to prevent the held member from sliding off.As a result, even if the suction surface is tilted in any direction, it will not occur. The holding member can be reliably held in a predetermined position without contact.

Moreover, with this technical means, a high-speed fluid flowing through a minute gap between the suction surface and the held member is formed by the airflow jetted from the suction surface toward the surface of the held member, and the high-speed fluid film produces a decompression effect (suction effect). Because of the structure obtained, a flat member that can be approached with a certain gap from the suction surface can be reliably held without being restricted by its size and shape, and has versatility.

"Embodiments" Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the drawings. However, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this example are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, but are merely illustrative examples. It's nothing more than that.

1A to 13 show a substrate holding device that performs position regulation by mechanical action.

10 is a rectangular flat suction plate with a flat bottom surface;
A suction surface 10a for holding the substrate 7 is formed, and an air supply hole 11 penetrating to the upper surface is formed in the center thereof. An air hose 1 is connected to the top side of the air supply hole 11 via a cap nut 12.
3 is attached, and 3 to 4 are attached to the suction surface 10a side.
It is configured so that compressed air of 1 kg/crn is supplied.

Further, the suction plate 1O has regulating members 14a fixedly installed at the corners on the suction surface LOa side, respectively, to prevent the substrate 7 from sliding down in parallel with the suction surface LOa.

The regulating member 14a... has a key-shaped shape, and its wall thickness is "
Set the thickness of the board 7 to be +0.2~Q, 8 a+J. The shape of the regulating member 14a is not particularly limited and may be cylindrical or rectangular, but
When placing this device on the board 7, the regulating member 14a...
It is sufficient that the regulating members 14a are attached at intervals that do not cause an obstruction, and the material of the regulating members 14a is preferably made of silicone or other hard resin material.

Next, a method for holding the rectangular substrate 7 will be explained based on this embodiment.

While supplying air from the air supply hole 11 of the suction plate 10,
The diagonal line between the substrate 7 and the suction plate 10 is set at 4 so that the substrate 7 is located below the suction surface surrounded by the regulating members 14a...
Installation surface 16 on which the board 7 is placed with its orientation changed by 5°
When the suction plate 1O is placed on top, the suction surface 10a approaches the substrate 7, and the gap distance d is 0.2 to 0.8 m.
m, and the air fed from the air supply hole 11 is exhausted outward at a considerably high speed within the gap, so the negative pressure generated between the gaps 6 causes buoyancy. As a result, the substrate 7 rises from the installation surface and is held close to the suction surface 10a in a non-contact manner via the high-speed air flow membrane.

On the other hand, in such a state, the substrate 7 is not attached to the suction surface 10a.
Since the substrate 7 is held in a contact state, there is a risk that a slight tilting of the suction plate 10 may cause the substrate 7 to slide down parallel to the suction surface. Since the regulating member i4a for regulating the substrate 7 is placed at the corner of the suction surface 10a so as to surround the substrate 7, the substrate 7 can be held securely without slipping off the suction surface 10a. It becomes possible.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, when the suction plate 10 is tilted, the side edge surface of the substrate 7 may come into contact with the regulating member 14a. Since air is always sent outward from the center, even if there is cleaning liquid, etc. attached to the side edge surface of the substrate 7, it will be blown outward, and even if the suction plate 10 is tilted, the center of the surface of the substrate 7 will be removed. There is no risk of it dripping down to the circuit forming surface of the part.

Figures 2A and 2B show another embodiment in which the position is controlled by fluid action and the substrate can maintain a completely non-contact state.

The configuration of this embodiment will be explained in accordance with the order of air flow.
0 can be attached to various types of conveying devices. 1 A main body with a threaded part 21 threaded on the upper end, and a compressed air inlet that reaches a main hole 31 bored on the axis of the central member 30 in the upper midsection of the main body. A mouth 22 is formed.

The central member 30 has an opening 31a formed in a downstream circumferential region of the main hole 31, and has an annular orifice 32 fixed therein so as to surround the opening 31a.

The annular orifice 32 has a reduced diameter ring-shaped orifice groove 32a formed between the outer periphery of the center member 30 and a ring-shaped slit groove formed between the inner periphery of the main body 20 and the outer periphery of the center member 30 on the exit side. Connect to 23. That is, the orifice groove 32a and the slit groove 23 form a so-called fluid amplification section. Therefore, the opening area of the orifice groove 32a is set to be much smaller than the opening area of the slit groove 23.

The upstream side of the ring-shaped slit groove 23 communicates with an auxiliary hole 25 that is bored from the midsection of the main body 20 and communicates with the outside air via the filter 24, while the downstream side communicates with the outer periphery of the central member 30 formed in a substantially radial shape. An opening 23a is formed along the bottom surface.

Note that the injection angle of the airflow is adjusted to the bottom surface 27 of the main body side due to the opening 23a.
However, the angle of inclination is set to be small, specifically 5 degrees or less. By forming in this way, the high-speed fluid is injected in a substantially horizontal direction along the bottom surface 27 of the main body side, making it easier to approach the surface of the substrate 7 and
The reduced pressure (suction) effect between the main body side bottom surface 27 and the surface of the substrate 7 is also favorable.

As for the bottom surface, the bottom surface 27 on the main body side and the bottom surface 37 on the center member side are almost flat.
Or the center member side bottom surface 37 is formed to be slightly concave,
The bottom surface in the direction in which the air blown from the slit groove 23 flows, that is, the bottom surface 27 on the main body side, is formed into a flat shape corresponding to the substrate 7, and serves as a substrate suction surface.

On the other hand, a suction hole 33 is bored on the axis of the bottom surface 37 on the side of the center member, and the suction hole 33 has an enlarged diameter part 33a in a rectangular shape at its upper end, and the diameter is enlarged through a small hole 34. Part 33
a and the flow path of the ring-shaped slit groove 23. A donut-shaped recess 35 is formed around the suction hole 33 on the bottom surface 37 on the side of the central member, and serves as a position regulating portion for the substrate 7.

That is, the small hole 34 and the slit groove 23 form a so-called fluid suction section.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, when compressed air of 3 to 4 kHz/cm" is supplied from the compressed air inlet 22, it passes through the main hole 31 and enters the annular orifice 32 from the opening 31a on the downstream side, and then enters the reduced diameter orifice. It is injected into the ring-shaped slit groove 23 from the groove 32a.

In the ring-shaped slit groove 23, due to the flow rate of the compressed air, clean outside air is sucked through the filter 24 from the sub-hole 25 communicating with the upstream side, and the air flow with increased flow rate flows downstream, and the outer periphery of the central member 30 is Air is sent outward from the outlet side opening 23a along the main body side bottom surface 27 side.

On the other hand, in the middle of the flow path of the ring-shaped slit groove 23, the small hole 3
4 and communicates with the enlarged diameter portion 33a of the suction hole 33, the outside air on the side of the bottom surface 37 on the center member side is also sucked in from the suction hole 33, and the air is supplied to the bottom surface 27 on the main body side.

This condition ÷ the flatness of the surface of the board 7 and the bottom surface 27 of the main body!
While maintaining the row state, the device is brought close to the surface of the substrate 7, and when the gap distance d reaches approximately 0.2 to 0.8H, air is blown from the ring-shaped slit groove 23 to the bottom surface 27 of the main body side. Since the air inside the gap d is discharged outward at a considerably high air velocity, buoyancy is generated on the substrate 7 due to the negative pressure generated between the gap 6, as in the previous embodiment, and as a result, the substrate 7 floats up and is held close to the main body side bottom surface 27 through the high-speed air flow membrane in a non-contact state.

- On the male central member side bottom surface 37 side, since the outside air from the central member side bottom surface 37 is sucked through the suction hole 33, the air in the suction hole 33 and the donut-shaped recess 35 arranged around it is depressurized. Since the substrate 7 is almost in a vacuum state, the position of the substrate 7 is regulated and it is possible to securely hold the substrate 7 without slipping.

According to this embodiment, since the position of the substrate 7 is controlled by fluid action, it is possible to hold the substrate 7 in a completely non-contact state.
This makes it possible to provide a very favorable holding device.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, according to the present invention, due to the negative pressure generated between the non-holding member and the suction surface due to the high-speed fluid, the substrate or other flat member to be held is brought into a non-contact state due to buoyancy. At the same time, even when the suction member is tilted, the non-retained member does not slide down, and the member to be held can be reliably held in a predetermined position without contact.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the non-retained member is held by the suction force generated by the negative pressure of the high-speed fluid, it is possible to reliably hold the member without being restricted by the size and shape of the member to be held, thereby increasing versatility. In addition, since the holding operation is simply by bringing the device close to the member to be held, precise control is not required, and the structure of the conveying device can be simplified. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1A to 13 relate to one embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1A being a perspective view and FIG. 1B being a front sectional view. 2nd A to 2nd
FIG. B relates to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2A is a front sectional view, and FIG. 2B is a bottom view. 3A and 3B show the prior art, in which FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along the line AA' in FIG. 3A.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) A suction surface that can be approached with a certain gap to the surface of a flat plate-shaped member to be held, and an airflow jetted from the suction surface toward the surface of the member to be held, and a negative pressure of high-speed fluid a holding means that generates buoyancy on the held member by the generated suction force and holds the held member by suction between the suction surface and the held member via a high-speed fluid film; and a holding means formed on the suction surface side to prevent the held member from sliding off 2) A holding device for a flat plate-shaped member characterized by comprising a position regulating means capable of preventing the problem.2) Utility model registration claim 1, characterized in that a position regulating means by mechanical action is provided on the suction surface side. Holding device 3) Holding device according to claim 1 of the utility model registration claim, characterized in that a position regulating means by fluid action is provided on the suction surface side.