Processing apparatus and processing method

Abstract

A processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a container 3 that contains a plurality of objects to be processed w, the container including an outlet port 3a formed in a front surface thereof for taking out the object to be processed w, and a lid 3b for hermetically sealing the outlet port 3a; a loading area Sa into which the container 3 is loaded; a conveying area Sb whose atmosphere differs from an atmosphere in the loading area Sa; a partition wall 6 that separates the loading area Sa and the conveying area Sb from each other, and has an opening 13; a door 14 for opening and closing the opening 13 in the partition wall 6; and a stage 10 for placing the container 3 at a position near the opening 13 in the loading area Sa. Parts to be pressed 20 are provided on opposite sides on a side of the front surface of the container 3. The partition wall 6 is provided with a pressing and holding mechanism 23 having a pressing roller 22 that rides on the part to be pressed 20 of the container 3 from a lateral side to press the container 3 against the opening 13 in the partition wall 6 and hold the container 3 tightly in place.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-239045 filed on Sep. 4, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus and a processing method for taking out an object to be processed from a container covered with a lid, and subjecting the object to be processed to a predetermined process such as a heating process. In particular, the present invention relates to an art for pressing the container against an opening in a partition wall and holding the container tightly in place.

2. Related Art

As one of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, there is a batch-type heat-processing apparatus that thermally processes a number of semiconductor wafers (hereinafter referred to as “wafer”). The heat-processing apparatus includes a carrying-in region into which a carrier as a container containing a plurality of wafers is carried by an automatic transfer robot or an operator, and a loading area as a conveying region in which the wafers in the carrier are conveyed to a boat as a holder, and the boat is loaded into a heat furnace and unloaded therefrom.

In this heat-processing apparatus, in order to make cleaner an atmosphere in the loading area than an atmosphere in the carrying-in region and to prevent generation of a natural oxide film on a wafer, it is preferable to separate the carrying-in region on an atmospheric side and the loading area from each other by a partition wall, and that an inside of the loading area is filled with an inert gas such as a nitrogen (N₂) gas to form an inert gas atmosphere. In this case, with a view to preventing particle contamination of a wafer, it is more preferable to employ a carrier (also referred to as FOUP: Front Opening Unified Pod) of a hermetically closable type, whose wafer outlet port in a front surface of a carrier body can be hermetically closed by a lid.

FIG. 7(a) shows that a hermetically-closable type carrier is in contact with the above-described partition wall. The reference number 6 depicts the partition wall that separates a carrying-in region Sa and a loading area Sb from each other. The reference number 13 depicts an opening formed in the partition wall 6. The reference number 14 depicts a door for opening and closing the opening 13. After the carrier 3 is placed on a conveying table (stage) 10 disposed in the carrying-in region Sa, the conveying table 10 is moved forward so that a front peripheral part of the carrier 3 comes into contact with an opening peripheral part of the opening 13, and thereafter a lid 3b is opened. In this case, the following procedures are further preferred from the viewpoint of preventing increase in oxygen density in the loading area Sb. That is to say, the lid 3b is opened by a lid opening/closing mechanism while the door 14 is being closed, and then an atmosphere in the carrier 3 is replaced with a nitrogen gas by a nitrogen replacing unit, not shown. Thereafter, the door 14 and the lid 3b are retracted from the opening 13, and a wafer w in the carrier 3 is loaded into the loading area Sb. Such an art is described in JP11-264267A.

A related art is described in JP2004-6804A.

For the purpose of preventing sucking of particles from outside into the loading area Sb, and increase in oxygen density in the loading area Sb, it is desirable that an inside of the loading area Sb is maintained at a pressure sufficiently higher than an atmospheric pressure. However, in the heat-processing apparatus, the carrier 3 is merely fixed on the conveying table 10 by means of a fixing mechanism having a locking part 40 of an inverted L-shape, which locks a bottom part of the carrier 3 on the conveying table 10. Thus, when the door 14 of the partition wall 6 is opened (i.e., when the lid 3b of the carrier 3 is opened), as shown in FIG. 7(b), because of a pressure applied from the loading area Sb to the carrier 3, an upper part of the carrier 3 is inclined toward the carrying-in region Sa to invite the following disadvantages. Namely, the nitrogen gas may leak from the loading area Sb toward the carrying-in region Sa to increase an oxidation density in the loading area Sb. In addition, it may be necessary to control the pressure in the loading area Sb to prevent the inclination of the carrier 3. Further, TAT is deteriorated. Furthermore, erroneous opening and closing operations of the lid 3b of the carrier, and a wrong mapping operation of the wafers in the carrier may take place.

Patent JP2004-6804A describes an art for stabilizing a posture of the carrier even when a feed rate of an inert gas is high so as not to break a sealing condition between the partition wall and the carrier, when an atmosphere in the carrier is replaced with an inert gas, after the carrier is brought into contact with the partition wall and a lid member is opened. That is to say, JP2004-6804A describes that a pressing member is disposed on the partition wall on a side facing the carrying-in region, the pressing member being rotatable about a horizontal axis between a position in which the pressing member stands and a position in which the pressing member lies to press an upper surface of the carrier. Thus, after the carrier is placed on the conveying table and is brought into contact with the partition wall, the pressing member is rotated to press the upper surface of the carrier. Under this state, the lid member of the carrier is opened, and an inert gas is supplied from an inert-gas supply pipe into the carrier. However, this art requires a sufficient space for installing the pressing member, above the carrier on the conveying table. When this installation space is not secured, it is impossible to employ this art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. The object of the present invention is to provide a processing apparatus and a processing method capable of preventing a container from being inclined by a pressure applied from a side of a carrying-in region when a door of a partition wall is opened, so as to eliminate various disadvantages resulting from the inclination of the container.

In order to achieve the above object, a processing apparatus of the present invention is a processing apparatus comprising: a container that contains a plurality of objects to be processed, the container including an outlet port formed in a front surface thereof for taking out the object to be processed, and a lid for hermetically sealing the outlet port; a loading area into which the container is loaded; a conveying area whose atmosphere differs from an atmosphere in the loading area; a partition wall that separates the loading area and the conveying area from each other, and has an opening; a door for opening and closing the opening in the partition wall; and a stage for placing the container at a position near the opening in the loading area; wherein parts to be pressed are provided on opposite sides on a side of the front surface of the container, and the partition wall is provided with a pressing and holding mechanism having a pressing roller that rides on the part to be pressed of the container from a lateral side to press the container against the opening in the partition wall and hold the container tightly in place.

In the processing apparatus, after the container is placed on the stage, the container is brought into contact with the opening. Then, the door and the lid are opened, and the object to be processed in the container is transferred from the loading area to the conveying area.

In the processing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the pressing and holding mechanism includes: a vertically extended rotating shaft rotatably supported on the partition wall via a bracket; a flat spring member radially extended from the rotating shaft, the flat spring member holding the pressing roller at a distal end, and forwardly pressing and urging the pressing roller; and a driving part for rotating the rotating shaft.

In the processing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that at least the pair of upper and lower pressing rollers are connected with the rotating shaft through the flat spring members.

In the processing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that an atmosphere in the conveying area is an inert gas, and that a pressure in the conveying area is set higher than a pressure in the loading area.

The processing apparatus of the present invention further comprises a guiding surface disposed on a rear surface of the partition wall on a side of the loading area, the guiding surface guiding the pressing roller of the pressing and holding mechanism positioned at a standby position toward the part to be pressed of the container.

The processing apparatus of the present invention further comprises a restricting member extended from the rotating shaft along an outer surface of the flat spring member, the restricting member supporting the flat spring member from a side of the outer surface when the pressing roller rides on the part to be pressed of the container from a lateral side.

The processing apparatus of the present invention further comprises a sealing member disposed on a rear surface of the partition wall on a side of the loading area, the sealing member sealing a gap between the partition wall and the container, when the container is brought into contact with the opening.

The processing apparatus of the present invention further comprises an inert gas introducing passage disposed in the partition wall, the inert gas introducing passage introducing an inert gas into the container, when the lid of the container is opened while the door is being closed.

In the processing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the parts to be pressed are formed of flange portions projecting from a front surface of the container in opposite directions.

In the processing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the parts to be pressed are formed of recesses provided in opposite sides on a side of the front surface of the container.

In the processing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the flat spring member is made of stainless, and that the pressing roller is made of a fluorocarbon resin.

A processing method of the present invention is a processing method using a processing apparatus comprising a container that contains a plurality of objects to be processed, the container including an outlet port formed in a front surface thereof for taking out the object to be processed, and a lid for hermetically sealing the outlet port; a loading area into which the container is loaded; a conveying area whose atmosphere differs from an atmosphere in the loading area; a partition wall that separates the loading area and the conveying area from each other, and has an opening; a door for opening and closing the opening in the partition wall; and a stage for placing the container at a position near the opening in the loading area; wherein parts to be pressed are provided on opposite sides on a side of the front surface of the container, and the partition wall is provided with a pressing and holding mechanism having a pressing roller that rides on the part to be pressed of the container from a lateral side to press the container against the opening in the partition wall and hold the container tightly in place; the processing method comprising the steps of: placing the container on the stage; bringing the container placed on the stage into contact with the opening; causing the pressing roller of the pressing and holding mechanism disposed on the partition wall to ride on the parts to be pressed disposed on opposite side on a side of the front surface of the container from a lateral side, to press the container against the opening in the partition wall and hold the container tightly in place; and opening the door and the lid, and transferring an object to be processed in the container from the loading area to the conveying area.

The present invention makes it possible to prevent inclination of the container which may be caused by a pressure of the conveying area when the door of the partition wall is opened, so that various disadvantages resulting from the inclination of the container can be eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a vertical-type heat processing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a main part;

FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing the main part;

FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the main part;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the main part;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a main part of another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an illustrational view schematically showing a main part of a conventional processing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The mode for carrying our the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a vertical-type heat processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a main part. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing the main part. FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the main part. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the main part.

In FIG. 1, the reference number 1 depicts a vertical-type heat processing apparatus (processing apparatus) located in a clean room. The heat processing apparatus 1 has a housing 2 defining an outline thereof. An inside of the housing 2 is divided by a partition wall 6 into a carrying-in region Sa into which a carrier 3 is carried, and a loading area Sb as a conveying region in which a wafer w is taken out from the carrier 3 and is conveyed to a boat 4, and the boat 4 is loaded into a heat furnace 5 and is unloaded therefrom.

The carrier 3 is a so-called closable carrier (also referred to as FOUP), e.g., a plastic container with a lid which is capable of containing a plurality of, e.g., about 25 objects to be processed such as wafers w of a predetermined diameter, e.g., 300 mm diameter, such that the wafers w are horizontally arranged with a predetermined vertical gap therebetween. The carrier 3 has a detachable lid 3b for hermetically sealing an outlet port 3a formed in a front surface of the carrier 3. The lid 3b is provided with a latch mechanism, not shown, for holding the lid 3b on the outlet port 3a of the carrier 3. By releasing the latch mechanism, the lid 3b is detached from the outlet port 3a of the carrier 3.

In a back surface of the housing 2, there is formed a loading/unloading port 7 through which the carrier 3 is loaded and unloaded. A table 8 on which the carrier 3 is placed during a loading/unloading operation is disposed on a side of the back surface of the housing 2 outside the loading/unloading port 7. On a front part and a rear part in an upper part of the carrying-in region Sa, there are opposingly disposed storage racks 9 for temporarily storing the plurality of carriers 3. On a side of the partition wall 6 in a lower part of the carrying-in region Sa, there is disposed a conveying table 10 as a stage on which the carrier 3 is placed for conveying the wafer.

The carrying-in region Sa includes a moving mechanism 11 disposed on the table 8 for taking in and out the carrier 3 through the loading/unloading port 7, and a transfer mechanism (carrier transfer mechanism) 12 for transferring the carrier 3 between the storage racks 9 and the conveying table 10. The transfer mechanism 12 is mainly composed of an elevating mechanism 12a disposed on one side of the carrying-in region Sa, an elevating arm 12b which is vertically moved by the elevating mechanism 12a, and a transfer arm 12c disposed on the elevating arm 12b for supporting a bottom part or a top part of the carrier 3 to horizontally transfer the same.

The carrying-in region Sa is communicated with the clean room through the loading/unloading port 7. An atmosphere in the carrying-in region Sa is air whose pressure is the same as an atmospheric pressure. In order to suppress or prevent formation of a natural oxidation film on a surface of the wafer w, an inside of the loading area Sb is an inert gas atmosphere when the heat processing apparatus 1 is operated. For example, an N₂ (nitrogen) gas is used as an inert gas. However, gases other than the N₂ gas (e.g., an Ar gas, an He gas, and so on) may be used as an inert gas. The loading area Sb is air-tightly sealed, and a pressure of the inert gas is maintained at a predetermined pressure which is sufficiently higher than an atmospheric pressure. For example, a value of the predetermined pressure is the atmospheric pressure plus 10 to 1000 Pa. The heat processing apparatus 1 includes a pressure control mechanism for maintaining a pressure of the inert gas in the loading area Sb at a predetermined value. Depending on a model of the existing apparatus, a value of the pressure is controlled to be adjusted within a range between the atmospheric pressure plus 10 Pa and the atmospheric pressure plus 1000 Pa. There is a possibility that the pressure temporarily exceeds 1000 Pa under the influence of heat. In this state where the pressure value deviates from the controllable range, the loading area is exhausted in a full-open state. An air cleaner is disposed in the loading area Sb so that an inside of the loading area Sb is sufficiently maintained cleaner than an inside of the clean room.

The partition wall 6 is provided with an opening 13 and a door 14 capable of being opened and closed. When the carrier 3 placed on the conveying table 10 is brought into contact with the opening 13 from the side of the carrying-in region Sa, the opening 13 communicates an inside of the carrier 3 with the inside of the loading area Sb. The door 14 closes the opening 13 from the side of the loading area Sb. A bore of the opening 13 is substantially identical to a bore of the outlet port 3a of the carrier 3, whereby the wafer w can be taken out and taken into the carrier 3 through the opening 13.

The door 14 has a not-shown attaching/detaching mechanism for attaching (closing) and detaching (opening) the lid 3b of the carrier 3, and a not-shown door opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the door 14 from the side of the loading area Sb. The door 14 and the lid 3b are opened to the side of the loading area Sb by the door opening/closing mechanism. Then, the door 14 and the lid 3b are moved (retracted) upward or downward so as not to interfere with the wafer w to be conveyed. Below the conveying table 10, there is disposed a notch aligner 15 for aligning notches (cutouts) formed in circumferential parts of each of the wafers w to align a crystal direction.

A lid member 16 capable of being vertically moved by an elevating mechanism, not shown, is disposed in an upper behind part of the loading area Sb. By vertically moving the lid member 16 placing thereon a boat 4 made of, e.g., quartz, as a holder for holding a number of, e.g., about 100 semiconductor wafers such that the wafers are arranged with a predetermined vertical gap therebetween in a tier-like manner, the boat 4 is loaded into the heat furnace 5 or is unloaded therefrom, and a throat 5a is opened or closed. A shutter 17 capable of horizontally moving to open and close the throat 5a is disposed near the throat 5a.The shutter 17 shields the throat 5a when the lid member 16 is opened and the heat-processed boat 4 is unloaded.

A conveying mechanism 18 is disposed in the loading area Sb, for conveying the wafer w between the carrier 3 on the conveying table 10 and the boat 4. To be specific, the conveying mechanism 18 conveys the wafer w between the carrier 3 on the conveying table 10 and the notch aligner 15, between the notch aligner 15 and the boat 4, and between the heat-processed boat 4 and the vacant carrier 3 on the conveying table 10. The conveying mechanism 18 includes a base table 18a which is vertically movable and horizontally rotatable, and a fork 18b having a plurality of, e.g., five thin-plate like forks movable in a longitudinal direction (radial direction) of the base table 18a. For example, the fork 18b includes one independently movable single fork, and four plural forks. Pitches between the plural forks can be vertically varied, with the single fork arranged on an intermediate height position taken as a criterion.

Although the conveying table 10 may be configured to simply place thereon the carrier 3, the conveying table 10 may be configured as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the conveying table 10 is formed of a frame 10a secured on the partition wall 6, and a seat 10c disposed above the frame 10a through a linear guide 10b so as to be slidable within a small range in a direction perpendicular to the partition wall 6. A plurality of, e.g., three positioning pins 19 are projectingly disposed on the seat 10c. The positioning pins 19 can be engaged with holes, not shown, formed in the bottom part of the carrier 3 so as to position the carrier 3. The frame 10a has a fixing mechanism for fixing the carrier 3 on the seat 10c, and a moving mechanism for moving the carrier 3 along with the seat 10c from a remote position in which the carrier 3 is remote from the separation wall 6 to a contact position in which the front surface of the carrier 3 is in contact with the partition wall 6, and vice versa (illustration omitted).

Parts to be pressed 20 are disposed on opposite sides of the front surface of the carrier 3. In an example shown in FIG. 2, laterally projecting flange portions 3c are formed on the front opposite sides of the carrier 3, and rear surfaces of the flange portions 3c provide the parts to be pressed 20. In an example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, recesses 21 are formed in the front opposite sides of the carrier 3 to form flange portions 3c, and rear surfaces of the flange portions 3c provide the parts to be pressed 20. The partition wall 6 is equipped with a pressing and holding mechanism 23 having a pressing roller 22 that rides on the part to be pressed 20 from the lateral side and presses the carrier 3 against the opening 13, i.e., a peripheral part of the opening 13 in the partition wall 6, so as to hold the carrier 3 tightly in place. The pair of pressing and holding mechanisms 23 are arranged at positions corresponding to the opposite sides of the carrier 3 on the conveying table 10.

The pressing and holding mechanism 23 includes a vertical rotating shaft 25 rotatably supported on the partition wall 6 via a bracket 24, a flat spring member 26 radially extended from the rotating shaft 25 to forwardly press and urge the pressing roller 22 which is held on a distal end of the flat spring member 26, and an air cylinder 27 serving as a driving part for rotating the rotating shaft 25. The flat spring member 26 is preferably made of, e.g., stainless, and the pressing roller 22 is preferably made of, e.g., a fluorocarbon resin. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bracket 24 is composed of a vertically elongated attachment board 24b secured on the partition wall 6 by a screw 24a, and the pair of upper and lower support arms 24c disposed on the attachment board 24b. The rotating shaft 25 vertically bridging the upper and lower support pieces 24c is supported via bearings 24d to be rotatable about a rotational axis thereof.

One end of the air cylinder 27 is coupled to a lever 28 disposed on a lower end of the rotating shaft 25, and the other end of the air cylinder 27 is coupled to the side of the frame 10a of the conveying table 10. When the lever 28 is pulled by the air cylinder 27, the rotating shaft 25 is rotated counterclockwise to roll the pressing roller 22 through the flat spring member 26, such that the pressing roller 22 moves from a standby position I near the partition wall 6 toward the part to be pressed 20 of the carrier 3, and rides on the part to be pressed 20. On the other hand, when the lever 28 is pushed by the air cylinder 27, the rotating shaft 25 is rotated clockwise to roll the pressing roller 22 through the flat spring member 26, such that the pressing roller 22 returns from the part to be pressed 20 of the carrier 3 to the standby position I near the partition wall 6.

At least the pair of upper and lower pressing rollers 22 are connected with the rotating shaft 25 through the flat spring members 26, respectively. The flat spring members 26 and the pressing rollers 22 are symmetrically arranged in the right and left direction, and thus the flange portions 3c of the carrier 3 are pressed against the partition wall 6 by means of spring forces (urging forces) of a total of four flat spring members 26. When the pressure in the loading area Sb is 1000 Pa, since a pressure of 11.2 kgf (109.8N) is applied to the carrier 3, each flat spring member 26 has to exert a pushing force (pressing force) of 2.8 kgf (27.4 N). Thus, the flat spring member 26 having such a pushing force is used.

In order that the flat spring member 26 can exert this pressing force, the flat spring member 26 is previously curved against the spring force at the standby position I. Since the flat spring members 26 and the pressing rollers 22 are symmetrical in the right and left direction, the right ones are explained in more detail. As shown in FIG. 5, one end (proximal end) of the flat spring member 26 is secured on a side surface of the rotating shaft 25 by a screw 29, and the other end (distal end or free end) of the flat spring member 26 is extended forward. The pressing roller 22 is disposed on the distal end of the flat spring member 26 via a bearing member 30 such that the pressing roller 22 can rotate about a vertical axis. In this case, since the rotating shaft 25 is arranged on a rightward position so as not to interfere with the carrier 3, the distal end side of the flat spring member 26 is extended forward to be obliquely curved leftward, and the pressing roller 22 rides on the part to be pressed 20 and presses the same from the lateral side of the carrier 3.

Since there is a step between the standby position I and the part to be pressed 20 of the carrier 3, a tilted guiding surface 31 is preferably provided to connect the standby position I and the part to be pressed 20 of the carrier 3 to each other, to thereby smoothly move the pressing roller 22 therebetween. The guiding surface 31 is provided on the partition wall 6 or the attachment board 24b. In order that a curved part 26c of the flat spring member 26 is not oppositely curved by a resistance force against the pressing roller 22 during a climbing movement thereof on the guiding surface 31, the rotating shaft 25 is preferably supportable by a restricting member 32 extending along an outer surface of the curved part 26c. In FIG. 5, the reference number 33 is a sealing member for sealing a gap between the partition wall 6 and a front peripheral part of the carrier 3, when the front surface of the carrier 3 is pressed against the partition wall 6. The partition wall 6 includes an inert gas inlet passage 34 for introducing an inert gas (such as an N₂ gas) into the carrier 3 to replace an atmosphere therein with the gas, when the lid 3b is opened while the door 14 is being closed.

Effects produced by the vertical-type heat processing apparatus (processing apparatus) as structured above, and a processing method thereof are described below. At first, the carrier 3 is placed on the table 8 by an operator or a transfer robot. Then, the carrier 3 is moved by the moving mechanism 11 through the loading/unloading port 7 to reach a transit position II in the carrying-in region Sa. Subsequently, the carrier 3 is transferred by the transfer mechanism 12 from the transit position II to the conveying table 10 or the storage rack 9 (see, FIG. 1). In this manner, the plurality of carriers 3 to be heat-processed are sequentially brought into the carrying-in region Sa, and are stored in the storage racks 9.

After the carrier 3 is transferred to the conveying table 10 and placed thereon, a not-shown sensor disposed on the conveying table 10, for example, detects that the carrier 3 has been placed on the conveying table 10. After that, the pressing and holding mechanism 23 starts its operation. When the above-described fixing mechanism and the moving mechanism are provided, the carrier 3 is previously fixed on the seat 10c and is moved along with the seat 10c relative to the partition wall 6.

Next, an operation of the pressing and holding mechanism 23 is described. The rotating shaft 25 is driven by the air cylinder 27 through the lever 28 to be rotated at a predetermined angle (the right rotating shaft is rotated counterclockwise, and the left rotating shaft is rotated clockwise), so that the pressing roller 22 is rolled through the flat spring member 26 from the standby position I on the lateral side toward the part to be pressed 20 as the rear surface of the flange portion 3c of the carrier 3. Then, the pressing roller 22 rides on the part to be pressed 20 of the carrier 3 from the lateral side thereof, so that the carrier 3 is pressed against the opening 13 (i.e., the front peripheral part of the carrier 3 is pressed against the peripheral part of the opening 13 in the partition wall 6), and is tightly held in place by the spring forces of a total of four flat spring members 26 each pressing the pressing roller 22. Thus, when the door of the partition wall 6 is opened so that a pressure of the inert gas in the loading area is applied to the carrier 3, the carrier 3 is prevented from being inclined due to the pressure, which eliminates various disadvantages resulting from the inclination of the carrier 3. That is to say, there is no possibility that the inert gas leaks from the loading area Sb toward the carrying-in region Sa to increase an oxidation density in the loading area Sb. In addition, it is not necessary to control the pressure in the loading area Sb to prevent the inclination of the carrier 3. Further, deterioration of TAT can be prevented. Furthermore, erroneous opening and closing operations of the lid 3b of the carrier, and a wrong mapping operation of the wafers in the carrier can be prevented. In order to release the pressing and holding force, the rotational shaft 25 is driven by the air cylinder 27 to be rotated in the reverse direction. Then, the pressing roller 22 is disengaged from the part to be pressed 20 and is returned to the standby position I.

The tilted guide surface 31 is placed between the standby position I and the part to be pressed 20. Thus, even when there is a step between the standby position I and the part to be pressed 20, the pressing roller 22 can be smoothly, easily moved. In addition, since the rotating shaft 25 can be supported by the restricting member 32, the curved part 26c of the flat spring member 26 can be prevented from being oppositely curved.

After the lid 3b of the carrier 3 and the door 14 are opened, a conveying operation of the wafers w is started. This conveying operation is performed by the conveying mechanism 18, which takes the wafers w out of the carrier 3 and sequentially brings the wafers w into the boat 4 via the notch aligner 15. Upon completion of the conveying operation, the boat 4 is loaded into the heat furnace 5 where the wafers w are subjected to a predetermined heat process. Following thereto, the boat 4 is unloaded onto the loading area Sb, and the processed wafers w are returned by the conveying mechanism 18 from the boat 4 to the vacant carrier 3 on the conveying table 10. Thereafter, the carrier 3 is unloaded onto the table 8 via the transfer mechanism 12 and moving mechanism 11.

As described above, according to the present processing apparatus and the processing method, the pressing rollers 22 of the pressing and holding mechanisms 23 ride on the parts to be pressed 20 provided on the opposite sides of the front surface of the carrier 3 from the lateral sides thereof, so that the carrier 3 is pressed against the opening 13 and is tightly held in place. Thus, the carrier 3 can be prevented from being inclined by a pressure in the loading area Sb when the door of the partition wall 6 is opened. Therefore, various disadvantages resulting from the inclination of the carrier 3 can be eliminated. Moreover, improvement in inert gas replacing property in the carrier 3 can be expected.

The pressing and holding mechanism 23 includes the vertical rotating shaft 25 rotatably supported on the partition wall 6 via the bracket 24, the flat spring member 26 radially extended from the rotating shaft 25 to forwardly press and urge the pressing roller 22 which is held on a distal end of the flat spring member 26, and the air cylinder 27 serving as a driving part for rotating the rotating shaft 25. Thus, the pressing and holding mechanism 23 of such a simple structure can exert a sufficient pressing and holding force, as well as reduction in size and cost can be achieved.

At least the pair of upper and lower pressing rollers 22 are connected with the rotating shaft 25 through the flat spring members 26, respectively. Thus, spring forces capable of sufficiently enduring a pressure of the inert gas in the loading area Sb can be provided by at least a total of four flat spring members 26. An atmosphere of the loading area Sb is an inert gas, and a pressure of the loading area Sb is set higher than that of the carrying-in region Sa. Thus, the loading area Sb is excellent in air-tightness, which prevents invasion of particles from outside and allows a time period required for replacing atmospheric air with an inert gas to be reduced. Therefore, increase in oxidation density can be restrained, then formation of a natural oxide film on a surface of a wafer can be prevented. The pressing and holding mechanisms 23 are arranged on the partition wall 6 at positions corresponding to the opposite sides of the carrier 3. Thus, different from the pressing member disclosed in JP2004-6804A, an installation space for the pressing and holding mechanisms 23 can be easily secured.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a main part of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are shown by the same reference numbers, and their description is omitted. A pressing and holding mechanism 23 in this embodiment is mainly composed of a horizontal movement member 36 disposed on an attachment board 24b via a linear guide 35 to be slidable in a right and left direction, a pressing roller 22 disposed on the horizontal movement member 36 through a flat spring member 26, and an air cylinder 27 as a driving part for horizontally moving the horizontal movement member 36. There are disposed the pair of upper and lower horizontal movement members 36 with a distance therebetween, and the upper and lower horizontal movement members 36 are connected to each other through a connecting member 37.

When each of the horizontal movement members 36 is driven by the air cylinder 27 to be slid toward a carrier, the pressing roller 22, which is disposed on the horizontal movement member 36 in a forward movement direction thereof through the flat spring member 26, comes close to a part to be pressed 20 of a flange portion 3c of the carrier 3 from a lateral side thereof, and rides on the part to be pressed 20, so that the part to be pressed 20 is pressed and held by a spring force of the flat spring member 26. The flat spring member 26 in this embodiment is not curved but linear. Also in this embodiment, the same effects as those in the above-described embodiment can be produced.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various design changes are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, an inert gas or a clean dry air may be selectively supplied to a loading area corresponding to a process step of a wafer. In addition, the driving part may be a motor.

Claims

1. A processing apparatus comprising:

a container that contains a plurality of objects to be processed, the container including an outlet port formed in a front surface thereof for taking out the object to be processed, and a lid for hermetically sealing the outlet port;

a loading area into which the container is loaded;

a conveying area whose atmosphere differs from an atmosphere in the loading area;

a partition wall that separates the loading area and the conveying area from each other, and has an opening;

a door for opening and closing the opening in the partition wall; and

a stage for placing the container at a position near the opening in the loading area;

wherein parts to be pressed are provided on opposite sides on a side of the front surface of the container, and

the partition wall is provided with a pressing and holding mechanism having a pressing roller that rides on the part to be pressed of the container from a lateral side to press the container against the opening in the partition wall and hold the container tightly in place.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the pressing and holding mechanism includes: a vertically extended rotating shaft rotatably supported on the partition wall via a bracket; a flat spring member radially extended from the rotating shaft, the flat spring member holding the pressing roller at a distal end, and forwardly pressing and urging the pressing roller; and a driving part for rotating the rotating shaft.

3. The processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein at least the pair of upper and lower pressing rollers are connected with the rotating shaft through the flat spring members.

4. The processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein an atmosphere in the conveying area is an inert gas, and

a pressure in the conveying area is set higher than a pressure in the loading area.

5. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guiding surface disposed on a rear surface of the partition wall on a side of the loading area, the guiding surface guiding the pressing roller of the pressing and holding mechanism positioned at a standby position toward the part to be pressed of the container.

6. The processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a restricting member extended from the rotating shaft along an outer surface of the flat spring member, the restricting member supporting the flat spring member from a side of the outer surface when the pressing roller rides on the part to be pressed of the container from a lateral side.

7. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member disposed on a rear surface of the partition wall on a side of the loading area, the sealing member sealing a gap between the partition wall and the container, when the container is brought into contact with the opening.

8. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an inert gas introducing passage disposed in the partition wall, the inert gas introducing passage introducing an inert gas into the container, when the lid of the container is opened while the door is being closed.

9. The processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the parts to be pressed are formed of flange portions projecting from a front surface of the container in opposite directions.

10. The processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the parts to be pressed are formed of recesses provided in opposite sides on a side of the front surface of the container.

11. The processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the flat spring member is made of stainless, and

the pressing roller is made of a fluorocarbon resin.

12. A processing method using a processing apparatus comprising a container that contains a plurality of objects to be processed, the container including an outlet port formed in a front surface thereof for taking out the object to be processed, and a lid for hermetically sealing the outlet port; a loading area into which the container is loaded; a conveying area whose atmosphere differs from an atmosphere in the loading area; a partition wall that separates the loading area and the conveying area from each other, and has an opening; a door for opening and closing the opening in the partition wall; and a stage for placing the container at a position near the opening in the loading area; wherein parts to be pressed are provided on opposite sides on a side of the front surface of the container, and the partition wall is provided with a pressing and holding mechanism having a pressing roller that rides on the part to be pressed of the container from a lateral side to press the container against the opening in the partition wall and hold the container tightly in place; the processing method comprising the steps of:

placing the container on the stage;

bringing the container placed on the stage into contact with the opening;

causing the pressing roller of the pressing and holding mechanism disposed on the partition wall to ride on the parts to be pressed disposed on opposite side on a side of the front surface of the container from a lateral side, to press the container against the opening in the partition wall and hold the container tightly in place; and

opening the door and the lid, and transferring an object to be processed in the container from the loading area to the conveying area.