Device for accommodating disk-shaped objects and apparatus for handling objects

Abstract

A device for receiving plate-shaped objects, preferably semiconductor wafers, for the thermal treatment thereof, enabling the processing of wafers made of connecting semiconductors in a particularly simple manner. The inventive device offers high productivity and low risk of damage as a carrier has at least two recesses for respectively receiving an object. The recesses on the carrier can preferably be provided with covers. Preferably, support pins are provided for loading and unloading purposes. The carrier and the support pins can move in a vertical direction in relation to each other. A handling device for objects is also disclosed.

1 . Device for accommodating disk-shaped objects, preferably semiconductor wafers, for the thermal treatment thereof, characterized by a carrier having at least two recesses respectively receiving an object.  
     
     
         2 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterized by at least one cover for covering at least one recess.  
     
     
         3 . Device according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the carrier and/or at least one of the covers is made of graphite, sapphire, quartz, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, ceramic and/or metal.  
     
     
         4 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carriers and/or the covers have a thermal capacity between 0.2 J/gK and 0.8 J/gK.  
     
     
         5 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier and/or the covers have a thermal capacity between 10 W/mK and 180 W/mK.  
     
     
         6 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least parts of the carrier and/or of the covers are coated.  
     
     
         7 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least portions of the carrier and/or of the covers are transparent.  
     
     
         8 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that gas atmospheres that differ from one another are provided in the individual recesses.  
     
     
         9 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the objects are disposed in one plane.  
     
     
         10 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the objects are disposed in at least two planes that are parallel to one another and are spaced from one another.  
     
     
         11 . Device according to  claim 10 , characterized in that at least two recesses have different depths.  
     
     
         12 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one object rests flat upon a base surface of the recess.  
     
     
         13 . Device according to one of the  claims 1  to  10 , characterized in that at least one object is spaced from the base surface of the recess.  
     
     
         14 . Device according to  claim 13 , characterized in that at least one object rests upon support elements.  
     
     
         15 . Device according to  claim 13 , characterized in that at least one object rests in its edge region.  
     
     
         16 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one recess has a conical configuration in at least its outer region.  
     
     
         17 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one recess has a concave configuration.  
     
     
         18 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two recesses have different dimensions.  
     
     
         19 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two of the objects have different dimensions.  
     
     
         20 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the objects are combination semiconductors.  
     
     
         21 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two of the objects have different materials.  
     
     
         22 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the objects are at least partially coated.  
     
     
         23 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the object material is non-homogeneous.  
     
     
         24 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by support pins for the loading of the carrier with objects and/or covers.  
     
     
         25 . Device according to  claim 24 , characterized in that the support pins pass through the carrier.  
     
     
         26 . Device according to  claim 24  or  25 , characterized in that the pins have different heights.  
     
     
         27 . Device according to one of the  claims 24  to  26 , characterized in that the support pins for the covers are higher than for the objects.  
     
     
         28 . Device according to one of the  claims 24  to  27 , characterized in that at least one support pin for the covers is provided externally of the carrier.  
     
     
         29 . Device according to one of the  claims 24  to  28 , characterized in that the carrier and the support pins are movable relative to one another in the vertical direction.  
     
     
         30 . Device according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the support pins are movable vertically downwardly for the placement of the objects into the recesses and/or for the placement of the covers upon the carrier.  
     
     
         31 . Device according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the support pins are movable vertically upwardly for raising the objects out of the recesses and/or for raising the covers from the carrier.  
     
     
         32 . Device according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the carrier is movable vertically.  
     
     
         33 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a gripper having suction devices for the deposit of the objects into the recesses and/or upon the support pins, and/or for the removal of the objects from the recesses and/or from the support pins.  
     
     
         34 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a rotary device for the rotation of the carrier about a vertical axis.  
     
     
         35 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier can be loaded within a process chamber.  
     
     
         36 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier can be loaded externally of the process chamber.  
     
     
         37 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an automatic loading and unloading device.  
     
     
         38 . Handling apparatus having at least one transport arm that is provided with at least one support device for the support, via vacuum, of at least one object that is to be handled, characterized by a vacuum control device for the alteration of the vacuum as a function of the weight of the object.  
     
     
         39 . Handling apparatus according to  claim 38 , characterized in that the vacuum control device includes a vacuum source and vacuum change-over devices.  
     
     
         40 . Handling apparatus according to  claim 38  or  39 , characterized in that the vacuum change-over device is provided with switches for the change-over between lines with and without vacuum regulators.  
     
     
         41 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  40 , characterized in that the vacuum control device has at least two separate vacuum systems.  
     
     
         42 . Handling apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vacuum ratio for the objects that are to be handled and that have different weights is in a range of from 10 to 10,000.  
     
     
         43 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  42 , characterized in that an object with lesser weight is a semiconductor wafer, and an object with greater weight is a semiconductor wafer receptacle.  
     
     
         44 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  43 , characterized in that the support device is differently embodied for the different objects.  
     
     
         45 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  44 , characterized in that a three-point support device is provided.  
     
     
         46 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  45 , characterized in that support devices are provided on both sides of the transport arm.  
     
     
         47 . Handling apparatus according to  claim 38  to  46 , characterized in that one side of the transport arm has support devices for the object with greater weight, and its other side has support devices for the object of lesser weight.  
     
     
         48 . Handling apparatus according to  claim 46  or  47 , characterized in that the transport arm is rotatable about 180° relative to its longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         49 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  48 , characterized in that at least two transport arms are provided, of which at least one is provided for the support of objects having greater weight and at least one further one is provided for the support of objects of lesser weight.  
     
     
         50 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  49 , characterized in that the vacuum control device is controllable as a function of a prescribed program sequence.  
     
     
         51 . Handling apparatus according to one of the  claims 38  to  50 , characterized by a sensor that measures the weight of the object that is to be handled, and with the output signal of which the vacuum control device can be controlled.