Abstract:
The invention relates to an arrangement for transporting and inspecting semiconductor substrates ( 6 ), having at least three workstations ( 8, 10, 12 ), a changer ( 14 ), which has at least three arms ( 14   a   , 14   b   , 14   c ) which are designed to load the individual workstations ( 8, 10, 12 ) with semiconductor substrates ( 6 ). A measuring device ( 15 ) is assigned to the second workstation ( 10 ), determines the deviation of the current position of the semiconductor substrate ( 6 ) and makes it available to the arrangement ( 3 ) for the further inspection of the semiconductor substrate ( 6 ). In addition, the changer ( 14 ) is not equipped with means for exact positioning of the semiconductor substrates ( 6 ) in the workstations ( 8, 10, 12 ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This invention claims priority of the German patent application 101 03 253.6 which is incorporated by reference herein.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to a method for transporting and inspecting semiconductor substrates. In addition, the invention relates to an arrangement for transporting and inspecting semiconductor substrates.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,170 discloses a modular process system for semiconductors. This system, for handling wafers, is of modular construction and has a large number of process stations, which are loaded with wafers. The wafers are forwarded from process station to process station by a central carousel. In the process stations, various process steps are carried out on the wafers. This arrangement can be used only for treatment in various process stations. Monitoring and inspection of the wafers is not provided.  
           [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,062 discloses an arrangement for handling wafer-like objects. The wafers in the arrangement are transferred from and to magazines. In the arrangement itself there are arranged three workstations. In the first workstation, the wafer-like object is aligned with respect to a plane and an angle. The next workstation represents the x/y table of an inspection microscope. The third workstation is used for the visual monitoring of the wafer-like objects by an operator. The workstations are in each case arranged at an angle of 120° to one another. A changer sits between the workstations and, with its three arms, can feed the wafer-like objects to the individual workstations. The changer has three arms and additional means for the fine positioning of the wafer-like objects.  
           [0005]    To this end, there is on the shaft of the changer a gearwheel, in which jaws with identical toothing engage and thus permit fine adjustment of the changer. The drawback with this arrangement is that it cannot be used so universally, and fine positioning takes up a relatively long time.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is the object of the present invention to provide a method with which wafer-like objects can be handled in a time-saving manner, and a high throughput of the wafer-like objects is achievable with this method.  
           [0007]    The object is achieved by a method comprising the steps of:  
           [0008]    providing at least three workstations arranged in a housing, wherein a changer being arranged in such a way that each of the workstations can be supplied with a semiconductor substrate;  
           [0009]    lifting the changer and carrying out a rotational movement by a specific angular amount, in order to transfer al least one of the semiconductor substrates to another workstation;  
           [0010]    lowering the changer and carrying out a rotational movement by the same angular amount in the opposite direction, without a semiconductor substrate resting on the changer; and  
           [0011]    picking up a new semiconductor substrate from a substrate feed module.  
           [0012]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an arrangement which permits wafer-like objects to be inspected visually and microscopically in a simple, timesaving manner. Added to this is the intention that the arrangement shall also be able to operate with inaccurately positioned wafer-like objects. Furthermore, wafer-like objects of different sizes are intended also to be processed with the invention.  
           [0013]    The object is achieved by an arrangement for transporting and inspecting semiconductor substrates which comprises at least three workstations, a changer defining an axis of rotation, wherein the changer has at least three arms, and which is designed to load the at least three workstations with semiconductor substrates, the workstations being arranged coaxially around the axis of rotation of the changer, a measuring device is assigned to one workstation, wherein the measuring device determines the deviation of the current position of the semiconductor substrate from an intended position and makes it available to the arrangement for the further inspection of the semiconductor substrate and in that the changer is not equipped with means for moving the semiconductor substrates into the intended position.  
           [0014]    It is advantageous to have an arrangement for transporting and inspecting semiconductor substrates. The arrangement comprises:  
           [0015]    a first, second and third workstation,  
           [0016]    a changer defining an axis of rotation, wherein the changer has three arms, and which is designed to load and unload the three workstations with semiconductor substrates,  
           [0017]    the first workstation defines a transfer position, at which semiconductor substrates are introduced into the arrangement from a substrate feed module and can be transferred from the arrangement to the substrate feed module,  
           [0018]    the second workstation is a measuring device, which determines the deviation of the current position of the semiconductor substrate from an intended position and makes it available to the arrangement for the further inspection of the semiconductor substrate, and  
           [0019]    the third workstation defines a micro inspection and comprises an x/y table, which feeds the semiconductor substrate to a microscope. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    The subject of the invention is illustrated schematically in the drawing and will be described below using the figures, in which:  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1: shows a schematic view of the arrangement, which is connected to a substrate feed module for wafer-like objects;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2: shows a further exemplary embodiment of a possible set-up of the arrangement and of the substrate feed module;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3: shows a schematic illustration of the configuration of the workstation in side view in the area of the optical inspection microscope;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4: shows a plan view of the arrangement to clarify the flow of the semiconductor substrates;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5: shows an illustration of two cycles in a possible scenario of the flow of the semiconductor substrates in the arrangement, macro inspection by the user being dispensed with;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6: shows an illustration of two cycles in a further scenario of the flow of the semiconductor substrates in the arrangement, a macro inspection additionally being carried out;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7: shows an illustration of a cycle in which a poor semiconductor substrate has been found during the visual macro inspection; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8: shows an illustration of the handling of semiconductor substrates, in which only one semiconductor substrate per cycle is inspected in the arrangement, and no visual macro inspection is carried out. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 shows, in schematic form, a lateral assignment of a substrate feed module  1  to an arrangement  3  having a plurality of workstations  8 ,  10 ,  12 . The substrate feed module  1  in this exemplary embodiment is oriented with respect to the arrangement  3  in such a way that it can be loaded with substrates from its front side  2  via one or more load ports  2   a ,  2   b . Normally, two load ports  2   a ,  2   b  are provided. In this case, open or closed cassettes  4  are used, which are inserted manually, by the user, or by means of automation, for example by means of a robot, into the load ports  2   a ,  2   b . The cassettes  4  can be filled with semiconductor substrates  6  or can also be empty, depending on the working sequence envisaged. For example, all the cassettes  4  can be filled and semiconductor substrates  6  are first removed from one cassette  4 , inserted into the arrangement  3  and, after treatment and monitoring there, are put back into the same cassette  4  again. This procedure is then repeated for the next cassette  4 , while the user retrieves the cassette  4  with the processed semiconductor substrates  6  and, in its place, inserts a new cassette  4  with semiconductor substrates  6  into the free load port  2   a ,  2   b . Provided in the interior of the substrate feed module  1  is a transport robot  5 , which transfers the semiconductor substrates  6  into the arrangement  3 . The arrangement of the substrate feed module  1  in FIG. 1 is merely one of a plurality of possible configurations. Likewise, the substrate feed module  1  can be rotated through 90°, so that the cassettes point away from the arrangement  3 .  
         [0030]    As already mentioned, a plurality of workstations  8 ,  10  and  12  are provided in the arrangement  3 . At the workstations  8 ,  10  and  12 , appropriate investigations, monitoring and inspections are carried out on the semiconductor substrates  6 . In the present exemplary embodiment, three workstations, a first, a second and a third workstation  8 ,  10  and  12 , are provided in the arrangement.  
         [0031]    Arranged centrally between the workstations  8 ,  10  and  12  is a changer  14  for the semiconductor substrates  6 . The changer  14  has three arms  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c , with which the individual workstations  8 ,  10  and  12  can be supplied simultaneously with the semiconductor substrates  6 . The first workstation  8  is used for acceptance from and transfer to the substrate feed module  1 . The second workstation  10  is used for the alignment, for the determination of the positioning and for the visual inspection of the semiconductor substrates  6 . In order to align the semiconductor substrates  6 , the second workstation  10  is assigned a measuring device  15 , which detects marks applied to the semiconductor substrate  6  and determines codings on the semiconductor substrates. Furthermore, the measuring device  15  determines the deviation from the accurately-positioned deposition of the semi-conductor substrate  6  in the second workstation  10 . The data determined in this way are forwarded to a central processing unit (not shown). The third workstation  12  is designed for the micro inspection of the semiconductor substrates  6 . The third workstation  12  has an x/y table  17 , which feeds the semiconductor substrate  6  to a microscope  16  for the micro inspection. A z displacement can also be made possible by the x/y table. The arrangement  3  is surrounded by a housing  18 , which shuts off the three workstations  8 ,  10  and  12  and the microscope  16  with respect to the ambient air and provides the correspondingly required clean-room conditions. Added to this is the fact that the possibility of intervention by the user in the arrangement  3  is likewise prevented by the housing  18 , which additionally constitutes a security aspect. In the embodiment disclosed here, the microscope  16  is provided with an eyepiece  20 , which provides the user with the possibility of carrying out a visual micro inspection of the semiconductor substrates  6  to be examined. Of course, the semiconductor substrates  6  can be inspected automatically by the microscope  16  in the third workstation  12 . The housing  18  of the arrangement  3  and the substrate feed module  1  have docking elements  22 , which permit a variable association between substrate feed module  1  and arrangement  3 .  
         [0032]    An exemplary embodiment of the this variable association is shown in FIG. 2 and shows a possible setup of the arrangement  3  and the substrate feed module  1 . The arrangement  3  defines a transfer position  24 , at which the semiconductor substrates  6  are introduced into the arrangement  3  by the substrate feed module  1 . For this purpose, the docking elements  22  are fitted in or on the housing  18  of the arrangement  3  in an appropriate way. From the cassettes  4 , the semiconductor substrates  6  pass via the load ports  2   a ,  2   b  into the substrate feed module  1  and, from there by means of the transport robot  5 , to the transfer position  24  of the arrangement  3 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the configuration of the workstation in side view in the area of the optical inspection microscope  16 . The changer  14  can be rotated freely about an axis of rotation  13 . In addition, the changer  14  can be moved up and down axially, in order in this way to pick up the semiconductor substrates  6  or set them down in the third workstation  12 . The axial movement of the changer  14 , which likewise corresponds to the movement in the z direction, is represented by a double arrow A-A. In the lifted position  14   up , the changer  14  is shown dashed. In the lifted position  14   up  of the changer  14 , the changer is able to move with its arms above a plane  19  which is defined by a wafer set down in the workstation  12 . The plane  19  is illustrated in FIG. 3 by a thick dashed line. In addition, the workstation  12  has a cutout  21 , through which the changer  14  can freely rotate its arms  14   a  and  14   b . The cutout  21  makes it possible for the changer  14  to rotate freely in the forward and reverse directions when in the lowered position. The second workstation  10 , in the basic position in FIG. 3, is likewise represented by continuous lines. The second workstation  10  can be moved into a central position  10   m  and into a lifted position  10   up . In the central position  10   m , the second workstation  10  is at the level of the plane  19 . As already mentioned in FIG. 1, the second and third workstations  10  and  12  are arranged physically in such a way that they can be supplied with semiconductor substrates  6  by the arms  14   a  and  14   b  of the changer  14 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the arrangement  3  to clarify the flow of the semiconductor substrates  6 . An arrow  26  in FIG. 4 marks the point at which the semiconductor substrates  6  are introduced into the arrangement  3 . In a preferred embodiment, the changer  14  has three arms  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c , which are each arranged at an angle of 120°. The changer  14  guides the semiconductor substrates  6  to the individual workstations  8 ,  10  and  12 . The first workstation  8  is the transfer position  8   a , the second workstation  10  is the macro inspection  10   a , and the third workstation  12  is the micro inspection  12   a . The transfer position  8   a , macro inspection  10   a  and micro inspection  12   a  define the position of the changer  14  at which the semiconductor substrates  6  are accepted by the workstations  8 ,  10  and  12  or are transferred to the workstations  8 ,  10  and  12 . Given optimum utilization, there are three semiconductor substrates in the arrangement  3  at the same time, simultaneous macro inspection  10   a  and micro inspection  12   a  being possible. The dashed circle in FIG. 4 defines an outer movement circle  28  of the changer  14  together with the semiconductor substrates  6  resting on the changer  14 . Each of the semiconductor substrates  6  has an identification  30  and a notch  32 . The identification  30  comprises, for example, a barcode, a numeric identification, an alphanumeric identification or combinations thereof. The notch  32  is used to determine the orientation of the semiconductor substrate  6  and, consequently, also for its precise spatial alignment.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 shows a graphical representation of two cycles n and n+1 in a possible scenario of the flow of the semiconductor substrates  6  in the arrangement  3 . The time t is plotted on the x-axis in FIG. 5 and in FIGS.  6  to  8 . The representations in FIGS.  5  to  8  are to be viewed as schematic, and the time intervals represent an approximate duration of the processing time of the semiconductor substrates at the workstations. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, three semiconductor substrates  6  are located simultaneously in the arrangement  3 . A visual macro inspection is not carried out by the operator in this exemplary embodiment. At the beginning of the flow of the semiconductor substrates  6  in the arrangement, the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is at the transfer position  8   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  is in the macro inspection  10   a , and the third semiconductor substrate  6   3  is in the micro inspection  12   a . The transfer position  8   a , the macro inspection  10   a  and the micro inspection  12   a  are illustrated as a dashed line in FIGS.  5  to  8 . The residence time of the semiconductor substrates is identified by vertical lines in FIGS.  5  to  8 , and the interspace is designated by the reference symbol of the semiconductor substrate just being processed.  
         [0036]    The changer  14  makes a stroke in the axial direction (in each case represented by an upward arrow in FIGS.  5  to  8 ) and lifts the second and the third semiconductor substrates  6   2  and  6   3  off the macro inspection  10   a  and the micro inspection  12   a , respectively. The changer  14  rotates, and in this way the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  reaches the macro inspection  10   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  reaches the micro inspection  12   a  and the third semiconductor substrate  6   3  is finally transported to the transfer position  8   a  and transferred to the substrate feed module  1 . The changer  14  is then lowered (in each case represented by a downward arrow in FIGS.  5  to  8 ) and rotated back through −120° with empty arms. A fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4  is fed to the empty arm at the transfer position  8   a  from the substrate feed module  1 . Before this exchange is carried out, the necessary inspection has been carried out on the first and second semiconductor substrates  6   1  and  6   2  at the second and third workstations  10  and  12 . After a certain time, the changer  14  again carries out an axial stroke, in order to initiate the cycle n+1. The changer  14  once again makes an axial stroke and carries out a rotation by +120°. The fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4  therefore reaches the macro inspection  10   a , and the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is fed to the micro inspection  12   a . The movement sequence of the changer  14  is identical to that already mentioned above. At the transfer position  8   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  is replaced by a fifth semiconductor substrate  6   5 . This fifth semiconductor substrate  6   5  then passes through the workstations  8 ,  10  and  12  in the arrangement  3  in the following cycle.  
         [0037]    A further embodiment of the handling of the semiconductor substrates  6  in the arrangement  3  is disclosed in FIG. 6. In this case, a macro inspection is additionally carried out by the user. Just as at the start of the flow of semiconductor substrates  6  disclosed in FIG. 5 in the arrangement  3 , the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is at the transfer position  8   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  is in the macro inspection  10   a  and the third semiconductor substrate  6   3  is in the micro inspection  12   a . The changer  14  makes an axial stroke and lifts the second and the third semiconductor substrates  6   2  and  6   3  off the macro inspection  10   a  and the micro inspection  12   a , respectively. The changer  14  rotates through +120° and, in this way, the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  reaches the macro inspection  10   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  reaches the micro inspection  12   a  and the third semiconductor substrate  6   3  is finally transported to the transfer position  8   a  and transferred to the substrate feed module  1 . While the micro inspection  12   a  is being carried out at the third workstation  12 , the changer  14  is lowered axially and is then rotated through −60°. The changer  14  is thus moved out of the working range of the second workstation  10 . This is necessary, since the semiconductor substrate  6  in the second workstation  10  is pivoted in the visual range of the operator and rotated, in order to detect possible macroscopic faults on the semiconductor substrate  6 . When the visual macro inspection has been completed, the changer  14 , which is still lowered, rotates through a further 60°. A fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4  is fed to the arm at the transfer position  8   a  from the substrate feed module  1 . Before this exchange was carried out, the necessary inspection has been carried out on the first and second semiconductor substrates  6   1  and  6   2  at the second and third workstations  10  and  12 . After a certain time, the changer  14  again carries out an axial stroke, in order to initiate the cycle n+1. The changer  14  once more makes an axial stroke and a rotation through +120°. The fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4  thus reaches the macro inspection, and the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is fed to the micro inspection  12   a . The movement sequence of the changer  14  is identical to that already mentioned above. At the transfer position  8   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  is replaced by a fifth semiconductor substrate  6   5 . This fifth semiconductor  6   5  then passes through the workstations  8 ,  10  and  12  in the arrangement  3  in the following cycle.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 7 shows a representation of a cycle in which a poor semiconductor substrate has been found during the visual macro inspection. Here, just as already shown in FIG. 6, a visual macro inspection is carried out by the user. Just as at the start of the flow of semiconductor substrates  6  disclosed in FIG. 5 in the arrangement  3 , the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is at the transfer position  8   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  is in the macro inspection  10   a  and the third semiconductor substrate  6   3  is in the micro inspection  12   a . The changer  14  makes an axial stroke and lifts the second and the third semiconductor substrates  6   2  and  6   3  off the macro inspection  10   a  and the micro inspection  12   a . The changer  14  rotates through +120° and, in this way, the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  reaches the macro inspection  10   a , the second semiconductor substrate  6   2  reaches the micro inspection  12   a , and the third semiconductor substrate  6   3  is finally transported to the transfer position  8   a  and transferred to the substrate feed module  1 , the changer  14  being lowered axially. While the micro inspection  12   a  is being carried out at the third workstation  12 , changer  14  is then rotated through −60°. Thus, as already mentioned in FIG. 6, the changer  14  is moved out of the working range of the second workstation  10 . During the visual macro inspection, the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  has been identified as faulty. A fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4  which may possibly already have been transferred to the changer  14  at the transfer position  8   a , is transported back into the substrate feed module  1  again. The changer  14 , lowered axially, rotates through a further +60°. One arm of the changer  14  accepts the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  by lowering the second workstation  10  into the basic position. It is necessary to lower the workstation  10  into the basic position in order that the changer  14  can rotate freely. The changer  14  rotates through −120° in the lowered state and thus brings the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  into the transfer position  8   a . The second semiconductor substrate  6   2  is still in the third workstation  12  or the micro inspection  12   a . At the transfer position  8   a , the first faulty semiconductor substrate  6   1  is transferred to the substrate feed module  1 , and a fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4  from the substrate feed module  1  is deposited on the changer  14 . Finally, the changer, lowered, rotates through +120° and brings the fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4  to the second workstation  10 . The fifth semiconductor substrate  6   5  is transferred to the changer  14  at the transfer position  8   a . The changer  14 , lowered, then rotates through −60°, in order to leave the active range of the second workstation  10  free. At the first workstation  10 , the visual macro inspection is carried out on the fourth semiconductor substrate  6   4 . After the visual macro inspection has been completed, the changer  14  again rotates through −60° and then the semiconductor substrates located in the arrangement  3  can be changed in accordance with the method already described in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the method for handling semiconductor substrates in which only one semiconductor substrate  6  per cycle is examined in the arrangement  3 . No visual macro inspection takes place. The first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is transferred from the substrate feed module  1  to the changer  14 . The changer rotates through +120° and the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is transferred to the second workstation  10 . There, the alignment of the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is determined and the identification  30  on the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is then read. In the meantime, the changer  14 , lowered axially, rotates through −120°. The changer then makes a z stroke and removes the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  from the second workstation  10 . The changer rotates through +120° and transfers the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  to the third workstation  12 , where the micro inspection is carried out. After the micro inspection, the changer  14  makes an other z stroke, removes the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  from the third workstation  12  and rotates through 120°. The first semiconductor substrate  6   1  in turn passes to the second workstation  10  and, there, the notch  32  is determined, so that the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is aligned. In the meantime, the changer  14 , lowered axially, rotates through +120°. The changer  14  then makes an axial stroke, removes the first semiconductor substrate  6   1  from the second workstation  10  and rotates through −120°. The first semiconductor substrate  6   1  is then at the transfer position  8   a  and is transferred to the substrate feed module  1 . A second semiconductor substrate  6   2  is removed from the substrate feed module  1  and, using the second semiconductor substrate  6   2 , the method already described above is carried out as for the first semiconductor substrate  6   1 .  
         [0040]    It is self-evident that, depending on the number of semiconductor substrates  6  in the arrangement  3 , or changes in the flow of the semiconductor substrates  6  through the arrangement  3 , such as the removal of defective semiconductor substrates  6 , the residence time of the semiconductor substrates at the individual workstations  6  may change. Consequently, this also has an effect on the cycle time.  
         [0041]    The invention has been described with reference to a special embodiment. However, it is self-evident that changes and modifications can be carried out without leaving the scope of protection of the following claims in so doing.