Mask Conveying System And Mask Conveying Adapter
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
공개
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G06F-007/00
B65D-085/00
출원번호
US-0237352
(2011-09-20)
공개번호
US-0109364
(2012-05-03)
우선권정보
JP-2010-246585 (2010-11-02)
발명자
/ 주소
HARADA, Hisashi
Motoki, Hiroshi
Takakura, Takeshi
Yamanaka, Yasushi
출원인 / 주소
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
0
초록▼
According to one embodiment, a mask conveying system includes a stocker, a conveyance path, a storage container, a conveying apparatus, and a control device. The storage container for wafer conveyance has the same structure as the storage container for mask conveyance. The control device determines
According to one embodiment, a mask conveying system includes a stocker, a conveyance path, a storage container, a conveying apparatus, and a control device. The storage container for wafer conveyance has the same structure as the storage container for mask conveyance. The control device determines whether or not the storage container is for mask conveyance when the storage container is introduced into the stocker in an exposure area or the stocker in a mask inspection area, and controls the conveying apparatus such that the storage container is conveyed to the stocker that does not have the storage container introduced when the storage container is for mask conveyance.
대표청구항▼
1. A mask conveying system, comprising: stockers that are located in processing areas in which apparatuses used in respective processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices are arranged;a conveyance path that connects the stockers of the processing areas to one another;a storage container that is
1. A mask conveying system, comprising: stockers that are located in processing areas in which apparatuses used in respective processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices are arranged;a conveyance path that connects the stockers of the processing areas to one another;a storage container that is capable of storing a predetermined number of wafers to be processed in the processing areas;a conveying apparatus that is movable along the conveyance path and is capable of conveying the storage container; anda control device that controls movement of the conveying apparatus on the conveyance path, whereinthe mask conveying system conveys a photomask, which is to be used in an exposure apparatus, between the exposure apparatus used in one of the manufacturing processes and a mask inspection apparatus which inspects the photomask in a manufacturing system configured to sequentially convey the storage container to the stockers of the processing areas, using the conveying apparatus,the storage container for wafer conveyance has the same structure as the storage container for mask conveyance, andthe control device includes a conveying apparatus control unit that determines whether or not the storage container is the storage container for the mask conveyance when the storage container is introduced into in a first stocker of an exposure area in which the exposure apparatus is arranged, or into a second stocker of a mask inspection area in which the mask inspection apparatus is arranged, and that controls the conveying apparatus such that the storage container is conveyed to the second or the first stocker that is other than the stocker having the stocker introduced. 2. The mask conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the storage container includes a storage container identification information storage unit that stores storage container identification information configured to identify an individual container,the stocker includes a storage container identification information reading unit that reads the storage container identification information of the storage container introduced into the stocker and transmits stocker identification information attached to an own stocker along with the storage container identification information to the control device,the control device has storage container registration information with respect to the storage container to use, the storage container registration information including the storage container identification information, use of the storage container that defines whether the storage container is for wafer conveyance or for mask conveyance, and a destination according to the use of the storage container, andthe conveying apparatus control unit of the control device compares the storage container identification information received from the storage container identification information reading unit of the stocker with the storage container registration information, determines whether or not the storage container placed in the stocker is for the mask conveyance, decides a destination of the storage container, based on the stocker identification information and the storage container registration information when the storage container placed in the stocker is for the mask conveyance, and controls a destination of the conveying apparatus that conveys the stored storage container. 3. The mask conveying system according to claim 1, further comprising a notifying unit provided in the exposure area and the mask inspection area, the notifying unit notifying an operator of the exposure apparatus or the mask inspection apparatus of arrival of the storage container when the storage container for the mask conveyance arrives at the first or second stocker. 4. The mask conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the storage container includes a container-shaped storage member having a space capable of storing a predetermined number wafers therein and an opening that allows the wafers to be put in and taken out, and a cover member which is removable to cover the opening of the storage member and the storage member having the predetermined number of grooves formed in an inner wall of the storage member to hold edge portions of the wafers,the photomask is stored in the storage container in a state of being mounted in a mask conveying adapter, andthe mask conveying adapter includes a bottom plate having the same size as the wafer, and a support member that is provided on a photomask mounting surface of the bottom plate and that prevents the photomask from moving on the photomask mounting surface. 5. The mask conveying system according to claim 4, wherein the support member of the mask conveying adapter includes a pair of support members, which is provided on the bottom plate in a depth direction of the storage member when the bottom plate is held by the groove of the storage member, and a pair of support members, which is provided on the bottom plate near the grooves of the storage member, andthe support members provided near the grooves of the storage member has a shape extending in the depth direction of the storage member and is removable. 6. The mask conveying system according to claim 4, wherein the bottom plate includes a base plate having the same size as the wafer and a back surface reinforcing plate attached to a back surface of the base plate, the back surface reinforcing plate including a plate-like member of a polygonal shape having sides that are parallel to side surfaces, in a depth direction and in a width direction, of the storage container when the bottom plate is stored in the storage container. 7. The mask conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the storage container identification information storage unit includes a bar code, a two-dimensional code, or a radio tag. 8. The mask conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the conveying apparatus control unit of the control device decides a conveying apparatus that is present nearest to the stocker into which the storage container is introduced and is not conveying the storage container as a conveying apparatus to convey the stocker having the storage container introduced when the storage container is introduced into the stocker. 9. A mask conveying adapter to be stored in a storage container that includes a container-shaped storage member having a space capable of storing a predetermined number wafers and an opening that allows the wafers to be put in and taken out, and a cover member which is removable to cover the opening of the storage member and the storage member having the predetermined number of grooves that are provided in an inner wall of the storage member and holding edge portions of the wafers, the mask conveying adapter comprising, a bottom plate having the same size as the wafer; anda support member that prevents the photomask from moving on a mounting surface that is a side of the bottom plate at which the photomask is mounted. 10. The mask conveying adapter according to claim 9, wherein the support member includes a pair of support members provided on the bottom plate in a depth direction of the storage member when the bottom plate is held by the groove of the storage member and a pair of support members provided on the bottom plate near the grooves of the storage member, andthe support members provided near the grooves of the storage member has a shape extending in the depth direction of the storage member and is removable. 11. The mask conveying adapter according to claim 9, wherein the bottom plate includes a base plate having the same size as the wafer and a back surface reinforcing plate attached to a back surface of the base plate, the back surface reinforcing plate including a plate-like member of a polygonal shape having sides that are parallel to side surfaces, in a depth direction and in a width direction, of the storage container when the bottom plate is stored in the storage container.
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