JP3157212B2 - Plate transfer equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing and inspecting a wafer, a liquid crystal substrate, and the like. The present invention relates to a device for transporting a plate-like object for storing a sheet in a storage position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a liquid crystal substrate in which an electrode pattern is formed on a glass substrate, it is examined whether the expected electrode pattern is accurately formed or, if there is a defect, the cause thereof. The transport mechanism of this device has the following configuration. The liquid crystal substrate is taken out from the cassette in which the liquid crystal substrate is stored by a manipulator, and is placed at the inspection position on the XY stage. While moving the XY stage, the entire surface of the liquid crystal substrate is inspected by enlarging with a microscope. During the inspection with the microscope, the manipulator is waiting at a predetermined position, and after the inspection is completed, the manipulator moves the inspected liquid crystal substrate to a predetermined storage cassette. After being stored in the storage cassette, the manipulator takes out the untested liquid crystal substrate and performs the next test. The same applies to a wafer microscopic inspection and a so-called macro inspection transport device.

[0003]

In such a conventional transfer apparatus, the manipulator is waiting at a predetermined position during the inspection with the microscope, and the cycle from taking out the cassette to storing it in the cassette is time-series. It is continuous. Therefore, there is a problem that the operator has a long waiting time from the inspection to the next inspection, and the operation efficiency of the apparatus is poor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional apparatus, an object of the present invention is to provide a transport apparatus that does not require a complicated mechanism and has a short operator waiting time.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a plate-like object conveying device according to the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration. That is, (1) a plate-like object made of a wafer or a liquid crystal substrate is stored.
Moving to a predetermined processing position or the test position removed from the cassette together in plate transfer apparatus further moving the plate-like workpiece after processing or after testing to a predetermined storage position,
A single unit removed from the storage cassette by a manipulator
Receiving a plate and X-placing it for processing or inspection
Until the stage is placed on the Y stage, the XY stage
It is temporarily held in a stock section provided in the vicinity,
Temporarily detects that there is no plate on the stage.
The plate-like material held in the above is further moved on the XY stage.
Plate and the temporary holding means that, predetermined processing or inspection has been completed
The object is received from the XY stage and moved to a predetermined storage position.
And make sure that there is no plate
Is detected during processing or inspection of the next plate
Remove the plate from the storage cassette and temporarily store the plate.
Control means for controlling the manipulator to be delivered to the holding means
And a step .

(2) A wafer or a liquid crystal substrate
Remove the plate from the storage cassette, and
Moves to the inspection position and after processing or inspection
Plate transporter for further moving the plate to a predetermined storage position
XY plane that has been processed or inspected
After receiving the plate on the stage, the manipulator
XY stay until it is moved to the predetermined storage position.
A single plate-like object temporarily in the stock section
Temporary holding means to keep the
Plate on the XY stage on which the plate is placed to perform
When it is detected that there is no
Move to the take-out XY stage and
When the plate-like object temporarily held by the holding means is
Manipure to receive while inspecting or processing
And control means for controlling the data .

[0006]

[0007]

[0008]

[0009]

[0010]

Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, a liquid crystal substrate inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of this embodiment. Reference numeral 1 denotes a cassette for accommodating liquid crystal substrates. The cassette 1 is provided with a partition plate for accommodating each substrate individually. 2 Manipyure for moving the liquid crystal substrate - a motor mechanism, a guide table 5 order to guide the mounting plate with mounting unit 4 for placing a liquid crystal substrate 3 is a specimen in the longitudinal direction And the mounting part 4 and the guide table 5 are horizontal
Direction (θ direction) and vertical direction (Z axis direction)
Direction) also move. Reference numeral 6 denotes a microscope lens barrel, and reference numeral 7 denotes a monitor for displaying setting data. Reference numeral 8 denotes a stock mechanism that receives the liquid crystal substrate 3 from the manipulator and temporarily holds the liquid crystal substrate 3 until it moves to the inspection surface (see FIG. 3). An XY stage mechanism 9 moves the liquid crystal substrate 3 two-dimensionally. Reference numeral 10 denotes an operation panel of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an electric block diagram of the apparatus.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a controller composed of a microcomputer. Reference numeral 12 is an illumination dimmer for adjusting the intensity of illumination light of the microscope, 13 is a revolver driver for switching the objective lens, and 14 is a focus driver for matching the focal plane of the microscope to the inspection surface. Reference numeral 15 denotes a manipulator driving unit for driving the manipulator mechanism. The manipulator mechanism 2 extracts the liquid crystal substrate 3 from the storage cassette 1 by the extraction method set by the keys on the operation panel 10. The mounting section 4 is provided with a suction mechanism for vacuum-sucking the liquid crystal substrate 3. Reference numeral 16 denotes a motor for driving three claws 30 (see FIG. 4) for holding the liquid crystal substrate in the stock mechanism 8, and holds the liquid crystal substrate by widening and narrowing the gap between the claws 30a and the claws 30b. Or release the hold. Nail 3
0b is provided with a capacitance sensor 17 for detecting the presence or absence of a liquid crystal substrate. Note that the capacitance sensor can be changed to another sensor such as an optical sensor. Also, the nail 30
a and the claw 30b are moved in the Z-axis direction by the motor 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes an XY stage drive, which is a well-known mechanism for mounting a liquid crystal substrate and moving the liquid crystal substrate in the XY axis direction. The XY stage mechanism 9 is provided with a capacitance type sensor 20 for detecting the presence or absence of a liquid crystal substrate.

The operation of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described below. First, by operating the keys on the operation panel 10, the magnification of the microscope, the moving steps of the XY stage mechanism 9 and the inspection conditions such as the extraction method are set, and the start key is pressed.
When it is confirmed by the capacitance sensor 17 that there is no liquid crystal substrate, the controller unit 11 supplies driving data to the manipulator driving unit 15 based on the position data of the liquid crystal substrate to be extracted by the stock mechanism 8. . Based on the driving data, the manipulator driving unit 15 rotates the mounting unit 4 in the θ direction, moves in the Z-axis direction, and moves the guide table 5 in the axial direction. When the leading end of the mounting portion 4 moves to a predetermined position of the cassette 1, the mounting portion 4 sucks the liquid crystal substrate by vacuum suction.

The mounting section 4 moves the liquid crystal substrate to the stock mechanism 8 by the driving data of the controller section 11. When the capacitance sensor 17 detects the presence of the liquid crystal substrate, the motor 16 rotates, the interval between the claws 30a and 30b of the stock mechanism 8 is reduced, and the liquid crystal substrate is held by the stock mechanism. When the liquid crystal substrate is held, the vacuum suction of the mounting portion 4 is released, and the mounting portion 4 returns to the initial position. When the capacitance type sensor 20 is an XY stay
When detecting that there is no liquid crystal substrate on the mechanism 9, the motor 18 is driven, and the claws 30a and 30b of the stock mechanism 8 are lowered so as to place the liquid crystal substrate on the mounting surface of the XY stage mechanism 9. I do. When the liquid crystal substrate is detected by the capacitance sensor 17, the distance between the claws 30a and 30b is widened and the XY stay is increased.
The mechanism sucks the liquid crystal substrate by vacuum, and the claws 30a and 30b are raised to the positions before the lowering. The inspection is performed while moving the inspection surface by the XY stage mechanism.
The Y stage moves to the initial position.

The pawls 30a, 30b are raised to a position before the lowering. If there is no liquid crystal substrate in the stock mechanism, the manipulator mechanism 2 extracts the next liquid crystal substrate to be inspected from the cassette 1 and moves it to the stock mechanism 8. When the inspection is completed and the liquid crystal substrate is at a predetermined position, the manipulator mechanism 2 receives the liquid crystal substrate of the XY stage mechanism 9, and
This is moved to the original position of the cassette 1. That is, the manipulator mechanism 2 moves the mounting section 4 to the lower side of the liquid crystal substrate, releases the suction mechanism of the XY stage mechanism 9, and sucks the mounting section 4 by vacuum. The storage position data in the cassette 1 is given by the stored data (extracted data of the immediately preceding cassette 1 excluding the last one).

Thus, the manipulator mechanism 2 moves the liquid crystal substrate of the cassette 1 to the stock mechanism 8 -X-
The operation of “moving the liquid crystal substrate of the Y stage mechanism to the cassette 1” is repeated, and these operations can be performed during the inspection.
-Move to the Y stage] can be performed simultaneously and in parallel, so that the inspector can move to the next liquid crystal substrate inspection in a short time after the inspection of one liquid crystal substrate is completed.

[0016]

Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the liquid crystal substrate before inspection is held in the stock mechanism 8. However, although the waiting time is longer than in the first embodiment, the inspected liquid crystal substrate is held in the stock mechanism 8.
Even if the manipulator mechanism 2 supplies the liquid crystal substrate directly to the XY stage, the waiting time of the operator can be reduced. In this case, it is preferable that the manipulator mechanism 2 waits for the inspected liquid crystal substrate to be held by the stock mechanism 8 while holding the liquid crystal substrate.

[0017]

Third Embodiment A third embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a so-called oblique light inspection device which projects an inspection light beam obliquely and detects a defect thereof. The oblique light inspection apparatus is an apparatus having a structure as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-186063 by the present applicant, and FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a main part of the present invention. 4
0 is a manipulator mechanism similar to 2 in Embodiment 1,
Remove the liquid crystal substrate from the cassette and store the inspected liquid crystal substrate. Reference numeral 41 denotes an inspection stage, which moves up and down in the Z-axis direction, receives a liquid crystal substrate 42 from the manipulator mechanism 2 at a lowered position, and sucks it by vacuum. 43 is a stage axis. The inspection stage 41 is provided with a capacitance sensor (not shown), detects the presence or absence of a liquid crystal substrate on the inspection stage, and delivers the liquid crystal substrate to the inspection stage 41 based on this signal. Is controlled.

Reference numeral 44 denotes a stock mechanism for temporarily holding the liquid crystal substrate on which the oblique light inspection has been completed. Stock mechanism 44
Has three support portions for holding the liquid crystal substrate, but the support portion 44 'is retracted to a position that does not hinder the inspection at the time of oblique light inspection, in this embodiment, a position below the inspection stage 41. ing. After the oblique light inspection is completed, when the inspection stage 41 descends to the transfer position of the liquid crystal substrate, the inspection stage 4
At the same time, the vacuum suction of 1 is released, and the support portion 44 'rises to lift the liquid crystal substrate upward. The manipulator mechanism 40 which has passed the liquid crystal substrate 42 to the inspection stage 41 supports the liquid crystal substrate when the holding signal of the inspected liquid crystal substrate is detected by a capacitance sensor (not shown) of the support portion 44 '. Part 4
The liquid crystal substrate held at 4 'is received and stored in a cassette. When the transfer of the liquid crystal substrate is completed, the support portion 44 'is lowered. The inspection stage 41 holds the liquid crystal substrate which has not been inspected by the lowering signal of the support portion 44 ', moves up to the inspection position, and performs the oblique light inspection. The basics of the control system are almost the same as those of the embodiment, and the block diagram is omitted.

In the third embodiment, the support portion of the stock mechanism 44 is retracted to a position below the inspection stage 41. However, by providing a stock mechanism including a support arm and retracting to the side, the manipulator can be manipulated. The oblique light inspection can be performed immediately without waiting for the data mechanism 2 to receive the inspected liquid crystal substrate from the stock mechanism. In this way, the present embodiment can be variously modified, and as long as the technical idea of the present invention is the same,
Such changes are also included in the present invention.

[0020]

According to the plate-like object transfer device of the present invention, a transfer device with a short operator waiting time can be provided without providing a complicated mechanism.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an electric block diagram of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a stock mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a manipulator mechanism and a stock mechanism.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a manipulator mechanism and a stock mechanism according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cassette 2 Manipulator mechanism 3 Liquid crystal board 4 Placement part 5 Guide stand 6 Microscope barrel 7 Monitor 8 Stock mechanism 9 XY stage mechanism 10 Operation panel

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A web - further movement Ha or together when moved to a predetermined processing position or inspecting position removed plate consisting of the liquid crystal substrate from the storage cassette, the plate-like workpiece after processing or after testing to a predetermined storage position In the plate-like object transfer device, the manipulator takes out the sheet from the storage cassette.
Receiving a single plate, plate for processing or inspection
Until the object is placed on the XY stage, the XY stage
-Temporarily held in the stock section provided near the
When it is detected that there is no plate-like object on the XY stage
The temporarily held plate is further placed on the XY stage.
Moving temporary holding means and predetermined processing or inspection is completed
Received from the XY stage,
And a plate-like object is placed in the temporary holding means.
Is detected during processing of the next plate
During the inspection, remove the plate from the storage cassette and remove the plate
Control the manipulator to deliver it to the temporary holding means
And a control means . 2. A plate-like object comprising a wafer or a liquid crystal substrate
Take out the storage cassette from the storage cassette to the specified processing position or inspection
A plate-like object that has been moved to a position and processed or inspected
To the plate-like object transfer device that moves the
XY stage after completion of predetermined processing or inspection
After receiving the above plate-shaped object, use a manipulator to
Near the XY stage until it is moved to the storage position
Temporarily store a single plate-like object in the stock section
Temporary holding means to carry out predetermined processing or inspection.
There is no plate on the XY stage where the plate is placed
Remove the plate from the storage cassette when
Move to the XY stage, and temporarily hold
The plate temporarily held by the means is inspected for the next plate.
Or manipulator to receive while processing
And a control means for controlling the plate-like object transport device.