Wafer handling apparatus

Claim 2

A wafer handling apparatus comprising: a common desk including a top surface having a front zone, a middle zone and a rear zone, the front zone being capable of receiving plural indexers functioning as a wafer sender and/or receiver; at least one wafer processing unit disposed adjacent lateral sides of the middle zone; a wafer baking oven disposed adjacent the rear zone, said oven including plural chambers provided with wafer supporting surfaces for accomodating and baking the wafers therein, wherein said chambers are disposed in the form of a multi-stage chamber in a direction perpendicular to the supporting surfaces; and a wafer handling mechanism disposed adjacent a middle of the front zone, said wafer processing units and said oven.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a forced wafer cooling unit disposed below said oven.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a forced wafer cooling unit disposed adjacent a middle of the middle zone.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wafer processing unit is a spinner wherein a coating agent is dropped on a wafer while the wafer is being rotated, to apply the coating agent on the entire surface of the wafer.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spinner includes driving means for rotating the wafer, detecting means for detecting the thickness of the coating on the wafer and means for controlling a rotational speed of the wafer in response to an output of the detecting means.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control means stores data of relations among a rotational speed of the driving means, the thickness of the film and viscosity of the coating agent.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said detecting means is associated with the wafer baking oven.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spinner includes a nozzle for dropping the coating agent which is in the form of liquid and a moving mechanism for imparting relative movement between the nozzle and the wafer.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the moving mechanism moves an outlet of the nozzle along an arcuate path.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said moving mechanism includes adjusting means for adjusting a position of the nozzle outlet.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said moving mechanism includes adjusting means for adjusting a movable range of the nozzle outlet.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wafer handling mechanism includes a table for supporting the wafer, an arm mechanism for moving the supporting table and a support for the arm mechanism.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wafer handling mechanism includes a rotating mechanism for rotating the support.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said wafer handling mechanism includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the wafer on the supporting table.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the positioning mechanism is on the supporting table.

Claim 17

A wafer handling apparatus, comprising: an indexer to which a wafer carrier carrying wafers is mountable; an applying unit for applying liquid agent on the wafer while it is being rotated to apply the liquid agent on the entire surface thereof; a baking unit for baking the wafer, including plural heating chambers for heating the wafers, wherein said chambers are disposed in the form of a multi-stage chamber in a predetermined direction; a wafer conveying mechanism for transferring the wafer between the wafer carrier and the applying unit and for transferring the wafer between the applying unit and the baking unit, said wafer conveying mechanism including a supporting table for supporting the wafer, an arm mechanism for moving the supporting table and a supporting table for supporting the arm mechanism.

Claim 18

A wafer handling apparatus, comprising: an indexer to which a wafer carrier carrying wafers is mountable; an applying unit for applying liquid agent on the wafer while it is being rotated to apply the liquid agent on the entire surface thereof; a baking unit for baking the wafer, including plural heating chambers for heating the wafers, wherein said chambers are disposed in the form of a multi-stage chamber in a predetermined direction; a wafer conveying mechanism for transferring the wafer between the wafer carrier and the applying unit and for transferring the wafer between the applying unit and the baking unit, said wafer conveying mechanism including a supporting table for supporting the wafer, an arm mechanism for moving the supporting table and a supporting table for supporting the arm mechanism.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said wafer conveying mechanism includes a rotating mechanism for rotating the supporting table.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said wafer conveying mechanism includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the wafer on the supporting table.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said positioning mechanism is mounted on the supporting table.