JP4824664B2 - Substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that collectively processes a plurality of substrates. Examples of substrates to be processed include semiconductor wafers, liquid crystal display substrates, plasma display substrates, FED (Field Emission Display) substrates, optical disk substrates, magnetic disk substrates, magneto-optical disk substrates, photo A mask substrate is included.

2. Description of the Related Art A substrate processing apparatus that performs processing using a chemical solution on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer includes a batch type that performs processing on a plurality of substrates at once. An example of a batch type substrate processing apparatus is shown in Patent Document 1 below. The substrate processing apparatus includes a carrier mounting unit, a horizontal transfer robot, a posture changing mechanism, a pusher, a transport mechanism, and a substrate processing unit.
The carrier placing section can place a carrier (container) that holds a plurality of substrates stacked in a vertical position in a horizontal posture.

  The horizontal transfer robot is constituted by an articulated arm type transfer robot, and is constructed such that the articulated arm can be expanded and contracted and turned around a vertical axis. As a result, the horizontal transfer robot points the articulated arm toward the carrier, puts and removes a plurality of substrates stacked vertically in the horizontal posture with respect to the carrier, and further converts the articulated arm into a posture changing mechanism. Toward this, a plurality of substrates stacked in a vertical direction in a horizontal posture are transferred to the posture changing mechanism.

The posture changing mechanism is for changing the posture of a plurality of stacked substrates at once between a horizontal posture and a vertical posture. In order to eliminate a substrate position shift that may occur on the substrate during substrate transfer by the articulated arm, the posture changing mechanism is provided with a substrate alignment mechanism.
The pusher is equipped with a holder that can move up and down and horizontally, and can transfer a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture to and from the posture changing mechanism at once, and a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture to and from the transport mechanism. Can be delivered in bulk. The holder can hold the substrate at a pitch that is half the pitch of the plurality of substrates held by the posture changing mechanism. For example, after 25 substrates are transferred from the posture changing mechanism to the holder, the holder is moved by a minute distance in the horizontal direction along the substrate stacking direction. In that state, another 25 substrates are transferred from the posture changing mechanism to the holder. Twenty-five substrates delivered later enter between the previously delivered 25 substrates, and a batch consisting of a total of 50 substrates is formed on the holder. Forming a batch by combining a plurality of substrate groups in this way is called batch assembly. When the substrate is transferred from the pusher to the posture changing mechanism, 25 of the 50 substrates held by the holder are transferred to the posture changing mechanism, and after the 25 substrates are changed in posture to the horizontal posture, Passed to the transfer robot. Thereafter, the remaining 25 substrates on the holder are transferred to the posture changing mechanism, converted into a horizontal posture, and then discharged by the horizontal transfer robot. In this way, 50 substrates are separated into two groups of 25 substrates each. In this way, separating a plurality of substrates forming a batch into a plurality of substrate groups is called batch release.

  The transport mechanism has a substrate chuck for holding a plurality of substrates forming a batch in a vertical posture, and moving the substrate chuck in a horizontal direction allows the plurality of substrates constituting the batch to be moved relative to the substrate processing unit. To carry in / out. In order to clean the substrate chuck, for example, a chuck cleaning unit is provided below the substrate transfer position between the pusher and the transport mechanism.

The substrate processing unit has a plurality of processing tanks arranged along the moving direction of the transport mechanism. The treatment tank includes a chemical tank, a water washing tank, and a drying tank. In the chemical tank, a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are immersed in a chemical stored in the tank, and the plurality of substrates are collectively subjected to a chemical treatment. A water rinsing tank immerses a plurality of substrates in a vertical position in pure water (deionized water) stored in the tank and performs a rinsing process on the plurality of substrates at once. is there. The drying tank collectively performs a process of supplying an organic solvent (for example, isopropyl alcohol) or shaking off a liquid component on a plurality of substrates.
JP-A-11-354604

The main problems in the substrate processing apparatus according to the above-described prior art are firstly that the substrate processing speed (throughput) is low, and secondly, it is expensive.
Specifically, since the horizontal transfer robot is an articulated arm type, it is not possible to increase the operation speed in a state where a plurality of substrates are held together due to the limitation of the mechanical strength. Moreover, the articulated arm type robot itself is expensive. Furthermore, since a space for turning the articulated arm is necessary, there is a problem that a substantial occupied area is increased.

  In addition, since the relative positions of the plurality of substrates are shifted during the horizontal turning movement by the multi-joint arm, it is necessary to include the substrate alignment mechanism in the posture changing mechanism as described above. The operation time of the substrate alignment mechanism presses the substrate processing speed. In addition to the substrate alignment mechanism, the posture conversion mechanism includes a horizontal substrate guide for holding a horizontal substrate, a vertical substrate guide for holding a vertical substrate, and a substrate posture conversion. It is necessary to provide a rotation mechanism, and it is a very expensive robot.

Furthermore, the pusher is provided with a vertical movement mechanism, a horizontal movement mechanism, and a rotation mechanism, and is also an expensive robot.
Thus, the time required for transporting the substrate between the carrier (container) and the transport mechanism is one factor that hinders improvement in throughput. Further, the structure for transporting the substrate between the carrier (container) and the transport mechanism is expensive, which hinders cost reduction of the substrate processing apparatus.

  Further, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the above-described prior art, since the substrate transport path from the carrier to the transport mechanism is one system, when the unprocessed substrate is sent to the main transport mechanism, the processed substrate is transferred from the transport mechanism to the carrier. In addition, when a processed substrate is paid out, an unprocessed substrate cannot be fed. In addition, when an unprocessed substrate is sent to the transport mechanism, a batch assembling operation on the pusher holder is required, so that the waiting time until the processed substrate is dispensed is long. Similarly, when a processed substrate is dispensed, a batch releasing operation on the pusher holder is required, so that the waiting time until the unprocessed substrate can be fed is long. This is another factor that reduces the substrate processing speed.

  Further, when the unprocessed substrate is held by the pusher at the substrate transfer position, the transport mechanism cannot discharge the processed substrate that has been processed in the drying tank to the substrate transfer position. Therefore, the transport mechanism first receives an unprocessed substrate at the substrate delivery position and carries it into the chemical tank. Thereafter, after the substrate chuck is cleaned by the chuck cleaning unit, the transport mechanism receives the processed substrate from the drying tank and transfers it to the pusher at the substrate transfer position. Since foreign matter on the surface of the unprocessed substrate has been transferred to the substrate chuck holding the unprocessed substrate, the substrate chuck must be attached before holding the processed substrate in order to prevent this foreign matter from transferring to the processed substrate. It must be washed. This is another factor that reduces the substrate processing speed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving the substrate processing speed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of reducing costs.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a container holding unit for holding a container for storing a plurality of substrates stacked in a vertical position in a horizontal position, and a layer in a horizontal direction in a vertical position. A plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture between a substrate processing unit that collectively processes the plurality of substrates thus obtained, a predetermined substrate transfer position, and the substrate processing unit. A main transport mechanism that transports the substrate in a lump, and a plurality of substrates are loaded and unloaded at a time with respect to the container held in the container holder, and the plurality of substrates are placed in a horizontal posture and a vertical posture. A carry-in / out mechanism that changes the posture at a time in a batch, and a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are collectively delivered to and from the carry-in / out mechanism at a predetermined transfer position, and the main transport mechanism at the substrate delivery position Deliver multiple substrates in a vertical position between Look including an auxiliary transport mechanism for transporting collectively a plurality of substrates in a vertical position between the substrate delivery position and the transfer position, the loading and unloading mechanism, collectively holding a plurality of substrates A multi-sheet holding hand, a hand advancing / retreating mechanism for moving the multi-sheet holding hand along a predetermined advancing / retreating direction along a horizontal direction with respect to the container held by the container holding portion; the hand turning mechanism and the including pivoting at least 90 degrees along the vertical plane along the moving direction, a substrate processing apparatus.

  According to this configuration, the plurality of substrates accommodated in the container in a horizontal posture are collectively carried out by the carry-in / out mechanism, and the posture is changed to a vertical posture by the carry-in / out mechanism. The plurality of substrates in the vertical posture are transferred to the sub-transport mechanism at the transfer position, transferred to the substrate transfer position, and transferred to the main transfer mechanism at the substrate transfer position. The main transport mechanism transports a plurality of vertical substrates to the substrate processing unit. The substrate processed by the substrate processing unit is transferred from the substrate processing unit to the substrate transfer position by the main transfer mechanism, and is transferred to the sub transfer mechanism. The sub-transport mechanism transports the substrate from the substrate delivery position to the transfer position and passes it to the carry-in / out mechanism. The carry-in / out mechanism changes the posture of the substrate from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture and then carries the substrate into the container.

As described above, according to the present invention, in the loading / unloading mechanism, the loading / unloading of the substrate with respect to the container and the posture change of the substrate are performed. Therefore, the configuration can be simplified as compared with the conventional technique in which a multi-joint arm type robot is used to carry in / out the substrate and a dedicated posture changing mechanism for changing the posture of the substrate is used. it can.
Furthermore, since the carry-in / out mechanism only needs to perform the substrate carry-in / out operation and the attitude changing operation with respect to the container, it is not necessary to horizontally turn the articulated arm unlike the prior art. Therefore, the operation time can be shortened. Thereby, the time required for substrate transport can be shortened, and the number of substrates that can be processed per unit time can be improved. That is, the substrate processing speed can be improved.

Further , according to the present invention , the carry-in / out mechanism carries out a plurality of substrates collectively from the container by moving the plurality of holding hands forward and backward with respect to the container, and along a vertical plane along the advance / retreat direction. The substrate posture can be converted from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture by turning the plural-sheet holding hand by 90 degrees. Moreover, when carrying a board | substrate in a container, what is necessary is just to advance / retreat toward the container, after changing the attitude | position of a several sheet holding hand from a vertical attitude | position to a horizontal attitude | position. In this way, since the posture of the substrate can be changed by the hand turning operation in the vertical plane including the advancing / retreating direction of the plurality of holding hands, the configuration of the carry-in / out mechanism can be simplified. Of course, the articulated arm does not need to be turned horizontally as in the prior art. Therefore, the advancement / retraction and posture change of the plurality of holding hands with respect to the container can be promptly performed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of holding hands includes a plurality of hand elements each holding a single board, and each hand element has a first board holding portion on one side in the hand element alignment direction. And a second substrate holding portion on the other side in the hand element alignment direction, and the carry-in / out mechanism moves the plurality of holding hands around a predetermined rotation axis so as to invert the hand elements. further comprising a hand rotating mechanism for rotating the a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

  According to this configuration, either the first substrate holding unit or the second substrate holding unit can be set to the upper surface side by rotating the plurality of holding hands by the hand rotating mechanism. Thereby, the first substrate holding unit and the second substrate holding unit can be switched and used for holding the substrate. Therefore, for example, one substrate holding unit can be used for holding an unprocessed substrate, and the other substrate holding unit can be used for holding a processed substrate. Thereby, it can suppress or prevent that the foreign material on the surface of a non-processed substrate transfers to a processed substrate.

A third aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect , wherein the carry-in / out mechanism further includes a support guide for supporting a plurality of vertical substrates from below. According to this configuration, the vertical substrate can be supported by the support guide. At the same time, when the plurality of holding hands are in a vertical posture, the plurality of substrates can be aligned at the same time by the support guide. Thereby, a plurality of substrates can be aligned with an inexpensive configuration. In addition, since the change of the substrate posture and the alignment of the substrates can be completed at the same time, it is possible to further reduce the time required for the substrate transfer between the container and the main transfer mechanism.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the support guide has a pair of substrate holding grooves for each hand element, and the carry-in / out mechanism drives the support guide to hold the pair of substrates. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a guide driving mechanism that selects any one of the grooves for holding the substrate. According to this configuration, since one of the pair of substrate holding grooves can be selected by the guide driving mechanism, one of the pair of substrate holding grooves is used for holding the unprocessed substrate, and the other is processed. It can be used for holding a substrate. Thereby, it can suppress or prevent that the foreign material on the surface of a non-processed substrate transfers to a processed substrate.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the sub-transport mechanism includes a transfer support unit that collectively holds a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture, and the transfer support unit is moved up and down. By moving up and down, the transfer mechanism that transfers a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture to and from the loading / unloading mechanism in a batch at the transfer position, and the plurality of substrates in a vertical posture in the horizontal direction A plurality of substrates in a vertical posture at a time between the transfer support unit and the horizontal transfer holding unit at the transfer position; In the above, a plurality of vertical substrates are collectively transferred between the main transfer mechanism and the horizontal transfer holding unit, and the horizontal transfer holding unit is moved horizontally between the transfer position and the substrate transfer position. and a horizontal transport mechanism, any one of claims 1 to 4, A substrate processing apparatus according.

  According to this configuration, the substrate can be transferred to and from the carry-in / out mechanism and the substrate can be transferred to and from the horizontal transport mechanism by moving the transfer support portion of the transfer mechanism up and down. Therefore, the substrate can be transferred between the carry-in / out mechanism and the horizontal transport mechanism by mediating the transfer mechanism having a simple configuration. And since a horizontal conveyance mechanism should just carry a board | substrate horizontally between a transfer position and a board | substrate delivery position, a structure is not complicated again. In this way, the cost of the sub transport mechanism can be suppressed.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect , wherein the transfer mechanism is disposed on the opposite side of the carry-in / out mechanism with respect to the advancing / retreating direction of the plurality of holding hands.
According to this configuration, the loading / unloading mechanism can move the plurality of holding hands forward and backward to load / unload the substrate with respect to the container, and can access the transfer position by movement along the forward / backward direction. Thereby, the structure of a carrying in / out mechanism can be further simplified and cost reduction can be aimed at.

  For example, the horizontal transport mechanism may be configured to access the transfer position from a horizontal direction orthogonal to the advancing / retreating direction of the plurality of holding hands. That is, the horizontal conveyance mechanism may move the horizontal conveyance holding unit in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the advancing / retreating direction of the plural-sheet holding hands. With this configuration, switching of the substrate transport direction between the access direction to the container and the transport direction to the substrate transfer position can be achieved at the transfer position via the transfer operation by the transfer mechanism. As a result, the configuration can be further simplified. Further, since the substrate transfer speed can be remarkably increased as compared with the conventional technique in which the substrate transfer direction is changed by turning the articulated arm, the substrate processing speed can be further improved.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the transfer mechanism is a support portion horizontal movement mechanism that moves the transfer support portion within a predetermined distance range along a horizontal direction (for example, a hand advancing / retreating direction) in which vertical substrates are stacked. further comprising a a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein. According to this configuration, after the first substrate group is transferred from the transfer support unit to the horizontal transfer holding unit, the second substrate group is received by the transfer support unit from the loading / unloading mechanism, and the second substrate group is transferred horizontally. The holder can be transferred to a position shifted from the first substrate group. As a result, the first and second substrate groups can be held by the horizontal transfer holding unit, and a batch composed of the first and second substrate groups can be assembled.

  For example, after the first substrate group is transferred to the horizontal transfer holding unit, the transfer support unit is moved horizontally by a distance half the substrate holding pitch of the first substrate group (half pitch) to transfer the second substrate group horizontally. You may make it transfer to a holding | maintenance part. Thereby, the first substrate group and the second substrate group are held on the horizontal transfer holding unit in a state where the constituent substrates of each group are alternately overlapped. Thereby, the horizontal conveyance holding | maintenance part can hold | maintain many board | substrates in a small space. In addition, the substrate processing unit that processes batches in this state can process a large number of substrates in a small space.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the transfer support portion includes a pair of support guide shafts that hold a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture from both sides, and the support guide shafts are arranged in a circumferential direction. In different positions, there are contact portions that contact the substrate, and retracting portions that secure a predetermined interval between the pair of support guide shafts so that the substrate can pass between the pair of support guide shafts. The substrate transfer apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7 , wherein the transfer mechanism further includes a guide rotation mechanism that rotates the pair of support guide shafts around respective axial directions. The substrate processing apparatus controls the guide rotation mechanism to support a substrate in which the contact portions of the pair of support guide shafts face each other and to pass through the substrate in which the retreat portions of the pair of support guide shafts face each other. It is preferable to further include a control unit that switches between states.

  According to such a configuration, by setting the substrate support state in which the contact portions of the pair of support guide shafts face each other, a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are received and supported from the carry-in / out mechanism and the horizontal transport mechanism. be able to. On the other hand, when the substrate is not supported, it is possible to avoid interference with the substrate held in the carry-in / out mechanism or the horizontal transport mechanism by setting the retreating portion to the substrate-passing state so as to face each other. The support guide shaft can be moved up and down. Thus, for example, after the substrate is transferred to the horizontal transport mechanism, the pair of support guide shafts can be retracted to a predetermined retracted position (for example, a position that does not hinder the horizontal movement of the horizontal transport holding unit). Even simple.

The invention according to claim 9 is the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the contact portion includes a first contact portion and a second contact portion arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the support guide shaft. It is. With this configuration, since either the first contact portion or the second contact portion can be selected and used for supporting the substrate, for example, by supporting the unprocessed substrate and supporting the processed substrate. The first and second contact portions can be switched. Thereby, it can suppress or prevent that the foreign material on the surface of a non-processed substrate transfers to a processed substrate.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the horizontal transport mechanism includes a horizontal rotation mechanism that rotates the horizontal transport holding portion within a range of at least 90 degrees around the vertical axis (preferably a horizontal rotation around the center of gravity of the horizontal transport holding portion). further comprising a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 5-9.
The main transport mechanism includes, for example, a substrate collective holding unit that collectively holds a plurality of vertical substrates stacked in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the hand advance / retreat direction of the carry-in / out mechanism, and the substrate collective holding unit as the hand Traversing means for moving in a traversing direction parallel to the advancing / retreating direction. In this case, the substrate processing unit includes, for example, a plurality of processing units arranged along the transverse direction.

  In such a case, by rotating the horizontal conveyance holding portion 90 degrees around the vertical axis in the horizontal conveyance mechanism, the stacking direction of the plurality of substrates is changed between the stacking direction in the transfer mechanism and the stacking direction in the main transport mechanism. Can be converted between. In the conventional technology, the substrate stacking direction is changed by horizontal turning of the articulated arm, and such arm horizontal turning takes too much time. On the other hand, in the present invention, since the horizontal conveyance holding unit may be rotated, the rotation can be completed quickly and the configuration is simple. Thereby, the substrate transport speed can be improved and the cost of the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the horizontal rotation mechanism rotates the horizontal conveyance holding portion in the range of at least 180 degrees around the vertical axis (preferably horizontal rotation around the center of gravity of the horizontal conveyance holding portion). A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 . According to this configuration, the substrate in the vertical posture held by the horizontal conveyance holding unit can be horizontally rotated by 180 degrees. Thereby, for example, in the above-described batch assembly, the device formation surfaces (surfaces on the side on which the devices are formed) of the constituent substrates of the first substrate group and the second substrate group are opposed to each other. These non-device forming surfaces (surfaces on the side where no device is formed) can be opposed to each other. Thereby, for example, when the batch is immersed in the processing liquid and processed, it is possible to suppress or prevent a problem that foreign matter reattaches from the non-device forming surface of the adjacent substrate to the device forming surface.

The invention according to claim 12 is the invention according to any one of claims 5 to 11 , wherein the horizontal conveyance holding portion has a plurality of substrate holding grooves formed at a half pitch of the substrate holding pitch in the transfer support portion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1. With this configuration, the horizontal conveyance holding unit can hold a large number of substrates in a small space, and batches can be assembled on the horizontal conveyance holding unit.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the horizontal conveyance holding unit includes a first guide that supports a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture, and a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture. The guide according to any one of claims 5 to 12 , further comprising a guide lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the first guide relative to the second guide. It is a substrate processing apparatus of description. With this configuration, the substrate can be held by either the first guide or the second guide by raising and lowering the first guide relative to the second guide. Therefore, by properly using the first and second guides for the unprocessed substrate and the processed substrate, it is possible to suppress or prevent foreign matter on the surface of the unprocessed substrate from being transferred to the processed substrate.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the main transport mechanism transports a plurality of substrates at a time between the predetermined first substrate transfer position and the second substrate transfer position and the substrate processing unit. And the sub-transport mechanism has a transfer support unit that holds a plurality of substrates in a lump, and a plurality of substrates between the transfer support unit and the loading / unloading mechanism at the transfer position. A transfer mechanism that collectively transfers and a first transfer holding unit for holding a plurality of substrates, and a plurality of transfer mechanisms between the transfer support unit and the first transfer holding unit at the transfer position. A plurality of substrates are collectively delivered between the main transport mechanism and the first transport holding unit at the first substrate delivery position, and the transfer position and the first substrate are delivered together. A first substrate moving mechanism for moving the first conveyance holding unit between the delivery position and a plurality of sheets; A second transfer holding unit configured to hold a substrate; and a plurality of substrates are collectively transferred between the transfer support unit and the second transfer holding unit at the transfer position, and the second substrate transfer is performed. A plurality of substrates are collectively transferred between the main transfer mechanism and the second transfer holding unit at a position, and the second transfer holding unit is moved between the transfer position and the second substrate transfer position. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second substrate moving mechanism.

  The first conveyance support unit may be a first horizontal conveyance holding unit configured to hold a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture aligned in the horizontal direction. The first substrate moving mechanism can collectively transfer a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture between the transfer support unit and the first horizontal transfer holding unit at the transfer position. A plurality of substrates in a vertical posture can be collectively transferred between the main transfer mechanism and the first horizontal transfer holding unit at the transfer position, and between the transfer position and the first substrate transfer position. The first horizontal conveyance holding unit may be capable of moving horizontally. The second transport support section may be a second horizontal transport holding section for holding a plurality of vertical substrates aligned in the horizontal direction. In this case, the second substrate moving mechanism can collectively transfer a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture between the transfer support unit and the second horizontal transport holding unit at the transfer position. A plurality of substrates in a vertical posture can be collectively transferred between the main transfer mechanism and the second horizontal transfer holding unit at the second substrate transfer position, and the transfer position and the second substrate transfer can be transferred. It may be a second horizontal transport mechanism capable of horizontally moving the second horizontal transport holding unit between the positions.

  According to this configuration, the main transport mechanism can access the first and second substrate transfer positions and transfer the substrates. Then, the substrate transfer between the first substrate transfer position and the transfer mechanism is performed by the first substrate transfer mechanism, and the substrate transfer between the second substrate transfer position and the transfer position is performed by the second substrate transfer mechanism. Is called. In this way, since the substrate transport path between the transfer mechanism and the main transport mechanism can be made into two systems, one substrate can be used to take out the unprocessed substrate from the container by the carry-in / out mechanism and send it to the main transport mechanism. Even when the transport path is used, the processed substrate can be discharged from the main transport mechanism toward the transfer mechanism via the other substrate transport path. Accordingly, since the waiting time can be reduced, the substrate processing speed can be improved.

The invention according to claim 15 is characterized in that the first substrate moving mechanism receives the substrate after being processed by the substrate processing unit from the main transport mechanism at the first substrate transfer position, and receives the substrate at the transfer position. The second substrate moving mechanism receives the substrate before being processed by the substrate processing unit from the transfer mechanism at the transfer position, and transfers the substrate at the second substrate transfer position. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14 , which is to be transferred to the main transport mechanism.

  According to this configuration, the main transfer mechanism receives the unprocessed substrate from the second substrate moving mechanism at the second substrate transfer position and transfers it to the substrate processing unit, and the processed substrate moves to the first substrate at the first substrate transfer position. Works like paying out to the mechanism. By separating the route between unprocessed substrate loading and processed substrate dispensing, the waiting time can be shortened compared to the conventional technology that shared the substrate conveyance route at substrate loading and substrate dispensing, The substrate processing speed can be improved.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the main transport mechanism includes a substrate chuck that collectively holds a plurality of substrates, and the substrate processing apparatus includes a chuck cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate chuck of the main transport mechanism. And after the substrate processed by the substrate processing unit is transported to the first substrate transfer position (preferably without cleaning the substrate chuck by the chuck cleaning unit), the substrate is transferred from the second substrate transfer position. The substrate processing according to claim 15 , further comprising: a transfer control unit that controls the operation of the main transfer mechanism so that the substrate is transferred to a processing unit and then the chuck is cleaned by the chuck cleaning unit. Device.

  According to this configuration, even if an unprocessed substrate is waiting at the second substrate transfer position, the main transport mechanism first discharges the processed substrate from the substrate processing unit to the first substrate transfer position. Thereafter, the unprocessed substrate at the second substrate transfer position can be transported to the substrate processing unit. That is, the main transport mechanism does not need to touch the unprocessed substrate with the substrate chuck before unloading the processed substrate, so that it is not necessary to clean the substrate chuck prior to dispensing the processed substrate. Therefore, the number of times of cleaning the substrate chuck can be reduced. In addition, since the substrate chuck may be cleaned by using the idle time after the processed substrate is dispensed and the unprocessed substrate is carried into the substrate processing unit, the substrate processing speed can be further improved. .

According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, a first substrate group, which is a part of a plurality of substrates held by the first transport holding unit, is transferred to the transfer support unit, and the first support group is transferred from the transfer support unit to the first transfer unit. One substrate group is transferred to the carry-in / out mechanism, and then the second substrate group, which is another part (for example, the remaining part) of the plurality of substrates held by the first transport holding unit, is transferred and supported. A step of controlling the carry-in / out mechanism, the transfer mechanism, and the first substrate moving mechanism so that the second substrate group is passed from the transfer support unit to the carry-in / out mechanism; A third substrate group is transferred from the mechanism to the transfer support unit, the third substrate group is transferred from the transfer support unit to the second transport holding unit, and then, from the loading / unloading mechanism to the transfer support unit. The fourth substrate group is transferred, and the fourth substrate group is further transferred and held from the transfer support unit. To pass so as to hold the third substrate group and the fourth substrate group to the second conveyor holding unit, and a step of controlling the loading and unloading mechanism, the transfer mechanism and the second substrate transfer mechanism further comprising a transfer control unit is a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein.

  According to this configuration, the batch release operation is performed by dividing the plurality of substrates held by the first transport holding unit into the first substrate group and the second substrate group and transferring them to the transfer support unit. Is called. Also, the batch assembly operation is performed by transferring the third substrate group from the transfer support unit to the second transport holding unit, and then transferring the fourth substrate group from the transfer support unit to the second transport holding unit. Is done. As described above, the batch releasing operation is performed on the first substrate moving mechanism (first transport holding unit) side, and the batch assembling operation is performed on the second substrate moving mechanism (second transport holding unit) side. Therefore, even during the batch releasing operation, it is possible to transfer a plurality of unprocessed substrates forming a batch from the second substrate moving mechanism to the main transport mechanism. Further, even during the batch assembling operation, an operation of passing the processed substrate from the main transport mechanism to the first substrate moving mechanism is possible. Thus, since the waiting time during the batch releasing operation or the batch assembling operation can be shortened, the substrate processing speed can be further improved.

The invention of claim 18, wherein, in the second substrate delivery position, further comprising an interface feature that mediate transfer of the substrate between the second conveyor holding portion and said main transport mechanism of claim 14-17 It is a substrate processing apparatus as described in any one.
According to this configuration, since the transfer of the substrate between the second horizontal transfer mechanism and the main transfer mechanism can be performed via the mediation mechanism, the second horizontal transfer mechanism or the main transfer mechanism is restrained for the transfer of the substrate. Time can be shortened. Thereby, the substrate processing speed can be further improved. Furthermore, the substrate can be transferred to another unit disposed at the second substrate transfer position by the mediation mechanism. An example of such a unit is a substrate orientation alignment mechanism that aligns the orientation of a substrate (for example, the crystal orientation of a semiconductor wafer).

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the transfer support portion of the transfer mechanism collectively holds a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture, and the transfer mechanism includes the transfer mechanism In the position, the plurality of substrates in the vertical posture are collectively transferred between the transfer support portion and the carry-in / out mechanism, and the first transport holding portion receives the plurality of substrates in the vertical posture. The first substrate moving mechanism collectively holds a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture between the transfer support unit and the first transport holding unit at the transfer position. Then, a plurality of substrates in a vertical position are collectively transferred between the main transport mechanism and the first transport holding unit at the first substrate transfer position, and the second transport holding unit is in a vertical position. Moves the second substrate to hold multiple substrates aligned in the horizontal direction The structure collectively transfers a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture between the transfer support unit and the second transport holding unit at the transfer position, and the main transport mechanism and the second substrate at the second substrate transfer position. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 18 , wherein a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are collectively transferred to and from two transport holding units.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[Overall Configuration of First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an illustrative plan view for explaining the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a FOUP holding unit 1, a substrate processing unit 2, a main transfer mechanism 3, a carry-in / out mechanism 4, a transfer mechanism 5, a first horizontal transfer mechanism 6, a second horizontal transfer mechanism 7, a chuck. A cleaning unit 8 and a controller 9 (control unit) are provided.

  The hoop holding unit 1 is disposed at one corner of the substrate processing apparatus 10 formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The hoop holding unit 1 is a container holding unit capable of holding a hoop F as a container for storing a plurality of horizontal substrates W stacked in the Z direction (vertical direction, vertical direction). . An automatic hoop conveyance device 11 indicated by a two-dot chain line is arranged so as to face the front surface 10a of the substrate processing apparatus 10 (corresponding to one short side in a plan view). The automatic hoop conveyance device 11 serves to supply the hoop F containing the unprocessed substrate W to the hoop holding unit 1 and the hoop F (empty hoop) to store the processed substrate W to the hoop holding unit 1. It has a function of supplying and a function of retracting the hoop F held in the hoop holding unit 1 in order to exchange the hoop held in the hoop holding unit 1. In this embodiment, the substrate W is a circular substrate such as a semiconductor wafer.

  The substrate processing unit 2 includes a plurality of processing units 20 (processing units) arranged along the Y direction (horizontal direction) along the side surface (corresponding to one long side in plan view) 10b of the substrate processing apparatus 10. . The plurality of processing units 20 include a first chemical liquid tank 21, a first rinse liquid tank 22, a second chemical liquid tank 23, a second rinse liquid tank 24, and a drying processing section 25. The first chemical solution tank 21 and the second chemical solution tank 23 store chemical solutions of the same type or different types, respectively, and immerse a plurality of substrates W in the chemical solutions in a lump. The first rinsing liquid tank 22 and the second rinsing liquid tank 24 each store a rinsing liquid (for example, pure water), and immerse a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates W in the rinsing liquid. The surface is rinsed.

  In this embodiment, the first chemical liquid tank 21 and the first rinse liquid tank 22 adjacent thereto are paired, and the second chemical liquid tank 23 and the second rinse liquid tank 24 adjacent thereto are paired. It has become. Then, the first lifter 27 as a dedicated transport mechanism for transferring the substrate W treated with the chemical solution in the first chemical solution tank 21 to the first rinse solution tank 22 and the substrate W treated with the chemical solution in the second chemical solution tank 23 A second lifter 28 is provided as a dedicated transport mechanism for transfer to the 2-rinse liquid tank 24. The first and second lifters 27 and 28 each have a substrate support portion that supports a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates W stacked in a vertical direction along the X direction (horizontal direction), and the substrate support portions. An elevating drive mechanism that moves up and down and a traverse drive mechanism that traverses the substrate support portion along the Y direction are provided. The X direction is a horizontal direction along the front surface 10a of the substrate processing apparatus 10 and is a direction orthogonal to the Y direction.

  With this configuration, the first lifter 27 collectively receives a plurality of substrates W stacked in the X direction in a vertical posture from the main transport mechanism 3, and lowers the plurality of substrates W into the first chemical tank 21. And soak in the chemical. Further, after waiting for a predetermined chemical solution processing time, the first lifter 27 raises the substrate support portion to pull up the plurality of substrates W from the chemical solution, and causes the substrate support portion to traverse to the first rinse liquid tank 22. Further, the substrate support portion is lowered into the first rinsing liquid tank 22 and immersed in the rinsing liquid. After waiting for a predetermined rinsing time, the first lifter 27 raises the substrate support portion and pulls up the substrate W from the rinse liquid. Thereafter, a plurality of substrates W are collectively delivered from the first lifter 27 to the main transport mechanism 3. Similarly, the second lifter 28 collectively receives a plurality of substrates W stacked in the X direction in a vertical posture from the main transport mechanism 3, and lowers the plurality of substrates W into the second chemical tank 23. Immerse in the chemical. Further, after waiting for a predetermined chemical solution processing time, the second lifter 28 raises the substrate support portion to pull up the plurality of substrates W from the chemical solution, and causes the substrate support portion to traverse to the second rinse liquid tank 24. Further, the substrate support portion is lowered into the second rinse liquid tank 24 and immersed in the rinse liquid. After waiting for a predetermined rinsing time, the second lifter 28 raises the substrate support portion and pulls up the substrate W from the rinse liquid. Thereafter, a plurality of substrates W are collectively delivered from the second lifter 28 to the main transport mechanism 3.

  The drying processing unit 25 has a substrate holding mechanism that holds a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates W stacked in the X direction in a vertical posture, and an organic solvent (such as isopropyl alcohol) is used in a reduced-pressure atmosphere. The substrate W is dried by supplying it to the substrate W or by shaking off the liquid component on the surface of the substrate W by centrifugal force. The drying processing unit 25 can deliver the substrate W to and from the main transport mechanism 3.

  The main transport mechanism 3 includes a pair of substrate chucks (clamping mechanism) 30 as a substrate collective holding unit that can collectively hold a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates W in a vertical posture while being stacked in the X direction. A chuck drive mechanism for operating the substrate chuck 30, a transverse drive mechanism for horizontally moving (transverse) the substrate chuck 30 along the Y direction, and a lift drive mechanism for raising and lowering the substrate chuck 30 along the Z direction. I have. Each of the pair of substrate chucks 30 includes a pair of shaft-like support guides 31 extending in the X direction, and a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture are received on opposite sides of each support guide 31 from below. A plurality of substrate support grooves for supporting are formed at intervals in the axial direction. The chuck drive mechanism expands or contracts the distance between the pair of support guides 31 by rotating the pair of substrate chucks 30 in the direction of the arrow 33. Accordingly, the substrate chuck 30 can perform an opening / closing operation for switching between a holding state in which the substrate W is held and held and a release state in which the holding of the substrate W is released. The substrate W can be transferred between the first and second lifters 27 and 28 and the substrate chuck 30 by the opening / closing operation and the vertical movement of the first and second lifters 27 and 28. Further, the main transport mechanism 3 can collectively transfer a plurality of substrates W to and from the drying processing unit 25 while being stacked in the X direction in a vertical posture.

The main transport mechanism 3 receives the plurality of unprocessed substrates W stacked in the X direction in the vertical posture at the first substrate transfer position P1, and receives the plurality of processed substrates W stacked in the X direction in the vertical posture. It operates to pay out at the two-substrate delivery position P2.
The chuck cleaning unit 8 is disposed below the first substrate transfer position P1. The chuck cleaning unit 8 has a pair of cleaning tanks 35 into which the pair of substrate chucks 30 are respectively inserted. In the pair of cleaning tanks 35, the substrate chuck 30 (particularly the support guide 31) is cleaned using a cleaning liquid. The main transport mechanism 3 lowers the substrate chuck 30 at the first substrate transfer position P1 and transports it to the cleaning tank 35 of the chuck cleaning unit 8 before transporting the processed substrate W that has been dried by the drying processing unit 25. Insert it. Then, after the substrate chuck 30 is cleaned in the cleaning tank 35, the main transport mechanism 3 operates so as to collectively receive the processed substrates W from the drying processing unit 25.

  A shutter 15 is provided on the transfer mechanism 5 side of the first substrate delivery position P1, and a shutter 16 is provided on the carry-in / out mechanism 4 side of the second substrate delivery position P2. The shutter 15 is opened when the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 accesses the first substrate transfer position P1, and is kept closed during other periods. The shutter 16 is opened when the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 accesses the second substrate transfer position P2, and is kept closed during other periods. Thereby, leakage of the chemical atmosphere on the substrate processing unit 2 side is suppressed or prevented.

[Configuration for substrate transfer]
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a configuration related to substrate conveyance between the FOUP F and the main conveyance mechanism 3. Please refer to FIG. 2 together with FIG.
The second substrate delivery position P2 is set near one corner near the front surface 10a of the substrate processing apparatus 10, and the carry-in / out mechanism 4 is disposed at the other corner along the front surface 10a. A transfer mechanism 5 is disposed on the side opposite to the hoop holding unit 1 in the Y direction with respect to the carry-in / out mechanism 4. A first horizontal transport mechanism 6 is disposed between the transfer mechanism 5 and the first substrate transfer position P1. A second horizontal transport mechanism 7 is disposed between the carry-in / out mechanism 4 and the second substrate delivery position P2. The transfer mechanism 5 transfers the substrate between the carry-in / out mechanism 4 and the transfer mechanism 5, transfers the substrate between the transfer mechanism 5 and the first horizontal transfer mechanism 6, and transfers the transfer mechanism 5 and the second horizontal transfer. It is arranged at the transfer position P3 where the substrate is transferred to and from the mechanism 7.

[Configuration of loading / unloading mechanism]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view seen from obliquely above for explaining the configuration of the carry-in / out mechanism 4. The carry-in / out mechanism 4 includes a batch hand 40 that is a plurality of holding hands capable of holding a plurality of substrates W in a stacked state, a hand support portion 41 that supports the batch hand 40, and a turning block 42. And an advance / retreat block 43 and a hand advance / retreat mechanism 44. A hand rotation motor 45 as a hand rotation mechanism is fixed to the turning block 42, and a hand support portion 41 is coupled to a rotation shaft of the hand rotation motor 45. As a result, the hand support portion 41 can rotate relative to the turning block 42 in the range of 360 degrees around the central axis 46 of the batch hand 40, and by driving the hand rotation motor 45, Relative rotation can occur. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 4, the batch hand 40 can be rotated around the central axis 46 thereof.

  The turning block 42 is coupled to the advancing / retreating block 43 through a shaft 47 along the X direction so that the turning around the shaft 47 is possible. More specifically, the advancing / retreating block 43 has a pair of arm portions 48 extending in the Z direction on the upper surfaces of both end portions facing in the X direction. A turning block 42 is disposed between the pair of arm portions 48, and one end portion in the X direction of the turning block 42 is coupled to one arm portion 48 via a shaft 47. The other end portion in the X direction of the turning block 42 is coupled to a rotation shaft of a turning motor 50 as a hand turning mechanism. The turning motor 50 is fixed to the other arm portion 48. Therefore, by driving the turning motor 50, the turning block 42 can be rotated in the YZ plane about the shaft 47. Thereby, a hand turning mechanism for turning the central axis 46 of the batch hand 40 along the YZ plane is configured. By using this hand turning mechanism, the posture of the plurality of substrates W can be converted between a horizontal posture and a vertical posture (see FIG. 5).

  The hand advance / retreat mechanism 44 includes a pair of linear guides 53 and 54 for guiding the advance / retreat block 43 so as to linearly move along the Y direction, and a driven pulley (toothed pulley) disposed near one end of the one linear guide 53. 55, a drive pulley (toothed pulley) 56 disposed in the vicinity of the other end of the linear guide 53, and a belt (toothed belt) 57 stretched between these pulleys 55, 56 along the Y direction, A belt retainer 58 for coupling the advance / retreat block 43 to the belt 57 and an advance / retreat motor 60 having a rotation shaft coupled to the drive pulley 56 are provided. With this configuration, the advance / retreat motor 60 is driven to rotate the belt 57, whereby the advance / retreat block 43 can be moved horizontally in the Y direction. As a result, the batch hand 40 is held in the hoop holding unit 1 by the hoop F. Can be advanced or retreated.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining a configuration for moving the batch hand 40 up and down, and shows a configuration provided inside the hand support portion 41. The hand support unit 41 includes a fixed base 62, a moving base 63, and an actuator 65. The batch hand 40 is fixed to the moving base 63. The moving base 63 is coupled to a moving block 64, and the moving block 64 is driven by an actuator 65. The moving base 63 is movable relative to the fixed base 62 while being guided along a hand element alignment direction 69 of the batch hand 40 along a straight guide (not shown). For example, the actuator 65 linearly moves the moving block 64 along the hand element alignment direction 69 using an electric motor as a drive source. With this configuration, the batch hand 40 can be moved along the hand element alignment direction 69 by driving the actuator 65. By utilizing this, a plurality of substrates W accommodated in the FOUP F can be scooped up, or a plurality of substrates W can be placed on a plurality of substrate accommodation shelves formed in the FOUP F.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view for explaining the batch hand 40 and a configuration related thereto. The batch hand 40 includes a plurality of hand elements 70 aligned along a hand element alignment direction 69. Each hand element 70 is a thin plate-like beam extending in the normal direction of one surface of the hand support portion 41, and is formed in a substantially wedge shape in plan view. The plurality of hand elements 70 are stacked with an interval in a hand element alignment direction 69 orthogonal to the facing direction, with two hand elements 70 facing each other with a predetermined distance therebetween. The central axis 46 of the batch hand 40 is defined by an imaginary straight line that passes through the center of gravity of all hand elements 70 and extends in a direction parallel to the hand elements 70. A pair of hand element rows 70 </ b> A and 70 </ b> B composed of a plurality of hand elements 70 aligned in the hand element alignment direction 69 are formed with the central axis 46 interposed therebetween.

  One substrate W can be held by the two hand elements 70 facing each other. Therefore, a plurality of substrates W can be held together in a state of being stacked in the hand element alignment direction 69. In this embodiment, 25 horizontal substrates W are stacked in the Z direction in one hoop F, and correspondingly, 25 pairs of hand elements 70 are provided in the hoop F. The substrates W are stacked and arranged at the same interval as that between the substrates W. Therefore, the batch hand 40 can collectively hold all the substrates W in the FOUP F.

  As schematically shown in FIG. 8, each hand element 70 includes a first support surface 71 and a second support surface 72 which are surfaces opposite to each other. The first support surface 71 is provided with a first support protrusion 73 and the second support surface 72 is provided with a second support protrusion 74 at the base end portion, which is the end portion on the hand support portion 41 side of the hand element 70. ing. Further, at the distal end portion of the hand element 70, a first guide protrusion 75 is provided on the first support surface 71, and a second guide protrusion 76 is provided on the second support surface 72. The first support protrusion 73 and the first guide protrusion 75 provided on the first support surface 71 constitute a first substrate holding portion, and the second support protrusion 74 and the second guide protrusion 76 provided on the second support surface 72. Constitutes the second substrate holding part.

  By controlling the rotational position around the central axis 46 of the batch hand 40, if the first support surface 71 is directed upward, the first support protrusion 73 and the first guide protrusion 75 are brought into contact with the substrate W, and this substrate W can be supported. Further, if the second support surface 72 is directed upward, the second support protrusion 74 and the second guide protrusion 76 can be brought into contact with the substrate W to support the substrate W. When supporting the substrate W, the support protrusions 73 and 74 are in contact with the lower surface of the substrate W on the proximal end side of the hand element 70, and the guide protrusions 75 and 76 are on the peripheral end surface of the substrate W on the distal end side of the hand element 70. And abuts on the peripheral edge of the lower surface.

  For example, when the unprocessed substrate W is to be held by the batch hand 40, the hand rotation motor 45 has the first support surface 71 as the upper surface, and when the processed substrate W is to be held by the batch hand 40, the second support surface 72. Is controlled to be the upper surface. Accordingly, the support protrusions 73 and 74 and the guide protrusions 75 and 76 that are in contact with the substrate W can be switched between the unprocessed substrate W and the processed substrate W. As a result, it is possible to suppress or prevent foreign matter adhering to the unprocessed substrate W from being transferred to the processed substrate W via the batch hand 40.

  As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 7, and the like, the hand support portion 41 is provided with three shaft-like support guides 80 at positions near the base end portion of the hand element 70. The three support guides 80 are arranged in parallel to the hand element alignment direction 69, and one support guide 80 is arranged outside one hand element row 70 </ b> A (opposite to the batch hand central axis 46). Then, another support guide 80 is arranged outside the other hand element row 70B, and the remaining one support guide 80 is arranged at a substantially intermediate position between the hand element rows 70A and 70B. .

  The three support guides 80 are commonly fixed to the front portion of the guide base 81 (see FIG. 7). The guide base 81 is coupled to the moving base 63 so as to be linearly movable in a direction along the batch hand central axis 46. A substantially L-shaped bracket 79 is fixed to the rear portion of the guide base 81 so as to protrude to the side opposite to the support guide 80 with respect to the moving base 63. The cam follower 82 is attached to the bracket 79 so as to face away from the support guide 80. On the other hand, the moving base 63 is provided with a cam 84 having a cam surface 83 that comes into contact with the cam follower 82. The cam 84 is located on the side opposite to the support guide 80 with respect to the moving base 63, and has a cam surface 83 on the support guide 80 side. The cam surface 83 includes an inclined surface inclined with respect to the hand element alignment direction 69. The cam 84 is attached to the moving base 63 so as to be linearly movable along the hand element alignment direction 69.

  The cam 84 is coupled to a cam base 85, and the cam base 85 is driven by a cylinder 86. The cylinder 86 is fixed to the moving base 63 and linearly moves the cam base 85 along the hand element alignment direction 69. The linear movement of the cam base 85 is guided by a linear guide 66 (see FIG. 6). When the cam follower 82 moves (rolls) on the cam surface 83 due to the linear movement of the cam base 85, the guide base 81 advances and retreats along the batch hand central axis 46. Accordingly, the support guide 80 is also centered on the batch hand. It advances and retreats along the axis 46. Thus, a guide advance / retreat mechanism 87 for advancing / retreating the support guide 80 relative to the hand element 70 is constituted by the cam 84, the cylinder 86, and the like.

  A pair of through holes 77 and 78 are formed near both side edges of the guide base 81. These through holes 77 and 78 are rectangular along the hand element alignment direction 69. Hand element support members 67 and 68 are provided so as to penetrate these through holes 77 and 78. The rear portions of the hand element support members 67 and 68 are fixed to the moving base 63. A plurality of hand elements 70 constituting the hand element rows 70A and 70B are fixed to the front portions of the hand element support members 67 and 68, respectively.

  By driving the guide advancing / retracting mechanism 87 to advance the holding guide 80 toward the front end side of the batch hand 40, the substrate W can be clamped from the front and rear by the support guide 80 and the guide protrusions 75 and 76. This clamping state is used when the batch hand 40 is changed in posture between a horizontal posture and a vertical posture. Thereby, the substrate W can be stably held during the posture change, and the falling of the substrate W can be suppressed or prevented.

  As shown schematically in FIG. 8, the individual support guides 80 open in the direction of the substrate W supported by the hand element 70 and are spaced apart in the hand element alignment direction 69. A holding groove 88 is provided. More specifically, a first substrate holding groove 88A and a second substrate holding groove 88B are formed for each hand element 70. A guide drive mechanism 89 that moves the guide base 81 in the axial direction of the support guide 80 is provided. With this configuration, the first substrate holding groove 88 </ b> A or the second substrate holding groove 88 </ b> B can be aligned with the end surface of the substrate W held by the hand element 70 by controlling the guide driving mechanism 89. Thereby, for example, the first substrate holding groove 88A can be used for holding the unprocessed substrate W, and the second substrate holding groove 88B can be used for holding the processed substrate W.

[Configuration of transfer mechanism]
FIG. 9 is a perspective view for explaining the configuration of the transfer mechanism 5. The transfer mechanism 5 includes a pair of support guide shafts 91 extending in the Y direction, and the pair of support guide shafts 91 face each other along the X direction. The support guide shaft 91 can function as a transfer support unit that collectively holds a plurality of substrates W stacked in the Y direction in a vertical posture.

The pair of support guide shafts 91 are supported by the guide support portion 92. The guide support portion 92 is attached to the upper end of the main body portion 93 so as to be able to reciprocate linearly by a minute distance along the Y direction. The main body 93 is a columnar part extending in the Z direction, and is assembled to the substrate processing apparatus 10 so as to be vertically movable along the Z direction.
As shown in FIG. 10, an actuator 95 as a vertical drive mechanism is coupled to the lower end of the main body 93. The actuator 95 is a drive component in which a motor 94 as a drive source is integrated together with a linear guide and a ball screw, and moves the main body 93 up and down along the Z direction.

  FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration for moving the pair of support guide shafts 91 along the Y direction, and shows a configuration viewed from the rear of FIG. 9. The guide support portion 92 is attached to the upper end portion of the main body portion 93 extending in the Z direction, and can move in the Y direction while being guided by the linear guide 97 on the main body portion 93. A guide moving motor 100 is attached to the upper surface of the main body 93 via a bracket 98. A screw is engraved on the rotating shaft 101 of the guide moving motor 100, and the rotating shaft 101 is disposed along the Y direction. The rotating shaft 101 is screwed into a screw hole of a block 99 fixed to the side of the guide support portion 92. With this configuration, the guide movement motor 100 can be driven forward / reversely to move the pair of support guide shafts 91 in the Y direction together with the guide support portion 92. In this way, the support guide horizontal movement mechanism 102 (support part horizontal movement mechanism) that horizontally moves the support guide shaft 91 is configured by the guide movement motor 100 and the like.

  The guide support portion 92 is also provided with a guide rotation mechanism 105 for rotating the pair of support guide shafts 91 about each axis. Each of the pair of support guide shafts 91 is attached to the guide support portion 92 so as to be rotatable around the shaft. Pulleys 106 and 107 are fixed to the base end portion of each support guide shaft 91, respectively. On the other hand, a guide rotation motor 110 and a tension pulley 108 are attached to the guide support portion 92. A pulley 109 is fixed to the rotation shaft of the guide rotation motor 110. A belt (toothed belt) 111 is wound around the pulleys 106, 107, and 109, and tension is applied from the outside of the belt 111 by the tension pulley 108. With this configuration, by driving the guide rotation motor 110, the pair of support guide shafts 91 can be rotated around each axis.

  FIG. 12 is a plan view for explaining the configuration of the support guide shaft 91. The support guide shaft 91 includes a first contact portion 113 and a second contact portion 114 at different positions in the circumferential direction (positions that differ by 180 degrees in this embodiment). 115. The first and second contact portions 113, 114 are configured by arranging a plurality of tooth-like protrusions 116 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the support guide shaft 91 in the axial direction. A support groove for receiving and supporting the peripheral edge of the substrate W is formed at the tip of each tooth-like protrusion 116. The retracting portion 115 is not formed with a tooth-like projection 116.

The first support state in which the first contact portions 113 of the pair of support guide shafts 91 are opposed to each other by rotating the support guide shaft 91 by the guide rotation mechanism 105 (see FIG. 12), the second contact portion 114. It can be set as the 2nd support state which made each oppose, or the retracted state (refer FIG. 13) which made the retracting parts 115 oppose.
In the first support state, the distance between the first contact portions 113 of the pair of support guide shafts 91 is narrower than the diameter of the substrate W. Therefore, a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture can be collectively held by the pair of support guide shafts 91. Similarly, in the second support state, the distance between the second contact portions 114 of the pair of support guide shafts 91 is narrower than the diameter of the substrate W. Therefore, a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture can be collectively held by the pair of support guide shafts 91. For example, by controlling the guide rotation motor 110 so as to be in the first support state when holding the unprocessed substrate W and in the second support state when holding the processed substrate W, the unprocessed substrate W and the process are processed. The used substrate W can be switched and held by the first and second contact portions 113 and 114.

In the retracted state, the distance between the pair of support guide shafts 91 is longer than the diameter of the substrate W as shown in FIG. Accordingly, the substrate W in the vertical posture can pass between the pair of support guide shafts 91.
[Configuration of the first horizontal transport mechanism]
FIG. 14 is a perspective view for explaining the configuration of the first horizontal transport mechanism 6. The first horizontal transport mechanism 6 includes a first horizontal transport holding unit 120 that collectively holds a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture, and the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 in a state in which the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 can rotate around a vertical axis. A main body 121 to be supported, a moving base 122 on which the main body 121 is mounted, and a horizontal drive mechanism 125 that horizontally moves the moving base 122 along the X direction. The main body 121 has a columnar shape along the Z direction, and the first horizontal conveyance holding portion 120 is attached to the upper end portion thereof, and the lower end portion thereof is fixed to the moving base 122.

  The horizontal drive mechanism 125 includes a pair of linear guides 126 that guide the horizontal movement of the movement base 122 along the X direction. A driven pulley 127 is disposed on one side of the linear guide 126, a driving pulley 128 is disposed on the other side of the linear guide 126, and the driving pulley 128 includes a horizontal conveyance motor 130. The rotating shaft is connected. A belt (toothed belt) 129 is wound around the pulleys 127 and 128, and thus the belt 129 has a straight portion extending in the X direction on the side of the straight guide 126. A belt presser 131 fixed to the moving base 122 is coupled to the linear portion of the belt 129. With this configuration, by moving the horizontal conveyance motor 130 forward / reversely, the moving base 122 can be linearly moved in the X direction, and therefore, the horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 can be linearly moved in the X direction.

15 and 16 are front views (front views viewed from the X direction) showing the configuration of the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 in an enlarged manner. The horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 includes a first guide 135 and a second guide 136.
The first guide 135 has three support members 135 a, 135 b, and 135 c arranged in parallel along the horizontal direction, and these are supported by the first guide base 137. On each upper surface of the three support members 135a, 135b, and 135c, a plurality of (for example, 50) substrate holding grooves are formed in alignment with the longitudinal direction of the support members 135a, 135b, and 135c. Three substrate holding grooves (substrate holding grooves formed in the supporting members 135a, 135b, and 135c, respectively) along the vertical plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the supporting members 135a, 135b, and 135c are formed on one substrate W in a vertical posture. On the other hand, it comes into contact with different positions of its lower edge and holds the substrate W in this vertical posture. Thus, the first guide 135 can collectively hold a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture. The substrate holding grooves are arranged at a half interval (half pitch) of the holding interval of the substrate W in the FOUP F.

  Similarly, the second guide 136 has three support members 136a, 136b, and 136c arranged in parallel along the horizontal direction, and these are supported by the second guide base 138. On each upper surface of the three support members 136a, 136b, and 136c, a plurality (for example, 50) of substrate holding grooves are formed in alignment with the longitudinal direction of each of the support members 136a, 136b, and 136c. Three substrate holding grooves (substrate holding grooves formed in the supporting members 136a, 136b, and 136c, respectively) along a vertical plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the supporting members 136a, 136b, and 136c are formed on one substrate W in a vertical posture. On the other hand, it comes into contact with different positions of its lower edge and holds the substrate W in this vertical posture. Thus, the second guide 136 can collectively hold a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture. The substrate holding grooves are formed at a half interval (half pitch) of the holding interval of the substrate W in the FOUP F.

  One support member 136c of the second guide 136 is directly attached to the second guide base 138, but the remaining two support members 136a and 136b are supported by the sub-guide base 139, and this sub-guide base 139 is supported. It is supported by the second guide base 138 via the shaft 140. The second guide base 138 is positioned below the first guide base 137, and the support shaft 140 reaches the second guide base 138 through an insertion hole formed in the first guide base 137. .

  Two linear bushings 145 and 146 are fixed to the lower surface of the second guide base 138. A rotation shaft 147 is inserted into one linear bush 145, and a shaft 148 is inserted through the other linear bush 146. The upper ends of the rotating shaft 147 and the shaft 148 are both fixed to the first guide base 137. The linear bushes 145 and 146 guide the rotary shaft 147 and the shaft 148 along the Z direction, so that the first guide base 137 can move up and down in the Z direction relative to the second guide base 138. ing. That is, the first guide 135 can be moved up and down with respect to the second guide 136. Further, when the rotary shaft 147 is rotated about its axis, the first guide base 137 rotates around the rotary shaft 147, and this rotation is transmitted to the second guide base 138 via the linear bush 146 and the shaft 148. . Thus, the first and second guides 135 and 136 can be rotated together.

  By moving the first guide 135 up and down relatively with respect to the second guide 136, a first support state in which the substrate support position of the first guide 135 is disposed above the substrate support position of the second guide 136 (FIG. 15) and a second support state (see FIG. 16) in which the substrate support position of the second guide 136 is disposed above the substrate support position of the first guide 135. Accordingly, for example, when the unprocessed substrate W is supported, the substrate W is supported by the first guide 135 in the first support state, while when the processed substrate W is supported, the substrate is supported by the second guide 136 in the second support state. W can be supported.

  Further, the first and second guides 135 and 136 are horizontally rotated around the vertical axis (for example, 90 degrees), whereby the alignment direction of the substrates W in the transfer mechanism 5 and the alignment of the substrates W in the main transport mechanism 3 are performed. The substrate alignment direction can be converted between the directions. Furthermore, after receiving and holding, for example, 25 substrates W from the transfer mechanism 5, the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 (guides 135 and 136) is horizontally rotated by 180 degrees around the vertical axis, and the transfer is further performed. It can be operated to receive another 25 substrates W from the mounting mechanism 5. In this case, the constituent substrates W of the first 25 substrate groups and the constituent substrates W of the subsequent 25 substrate groups are stacked in the horizontal direction so as to be alternated and held by the horizontal transport holding unit 120. Since the plurality of substrates W are held in the FOUP F so that the directions of the device formation surfaces are aligned, the 50 substrates W on the horizontal transfer holding unit 120 are adjacent to each other, or the device formation surfaces are not adjacent to each other. The device forming surfaces are held facing each other.

  FIG. 17 is a perspective view for explaining a configuration for horizontal rotation of the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 and raising and lowering of the first guide base 137, and FIG. 18 is a side view thereof. The main body 121 accommodates a guide rotation motor 150 as a horizontal rotation mechanism for rotating the rotation shaft 147 and an air cylinder 151 as a guide lifting mechanism for moving the guide rotation motor 150 up and down. A linear guide 152 is arranged along the Z direction on the inner wall of the main body 121, and the guide unit 153 can move in the Z direction along the linear guide 152. A guide rotation motor 150 is attached to the guide unit 153, and the rotation shaft 147 passes through the guide unit 153. On the other hand, a bearing 154 (not shown in FIG. 18) through which the rotation shaft 147 is inserted is attached to the upper surface of the main body 121 while being rotatable about the vertical axis with respect to the main body 121. Yes. A linear bush 146 is fixed to the rotating portion of the bearing 154. With this configuration, by driving the air cylinder 151, the rotation shaft 147 can be moved up and down together with the guide rotation motor 150, and thereby the first guide 135 can be raised and lowered with respect to the second guide 136. Further, the horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 can be rotated horizontally by driving the guide rotation motor 150 to rotate the rotation shaft 147.

[Configuration of Second Horizontal Transfer Mechanism]
FIG. 19 is a perspective view for explaining a partial configuration of the second horizontal transport mechanism 7. This FIG. 19 and FIG. 2 described above will be referred to together.
The second horizontal transport mechanism 7 has a configuration similar to that of the first horizontal transport mechanism 6, a second horizontal transport holding unit 160 that collectively holds a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture, and the horizontal transport. A main body 161 that supports the holding section 160 in a state in which the holding section 160 can rotate about the vertical axis, a rotation base 162 on which the main body section 161 is mounted, and a moving base that supports the rotation base 162 so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis. 163 and a horizontal drive mechanism 165 that horizontally moves the moving base 163 along the X direction. The main body portion 161 has a columnar shape along the Z direction, and a horizontal conveyance holding portion 160 is attached to an upper end portion thereof, and a lower end portion thereof is fixed to the rotation base 162.

  The horizontal drive mechanism 165 includes a pair of linear guides 166 that guide the horizontal movement of the movement base 163 along the X direction. A driven pulley (not shown) is disposed between a pair of linear guides 166 near one end of the linear guide 166, and between the pair of linear guides 166 on the other end side of the linear guide 166. A drive pulley 168 is disposed. The drive pulley 168 is coupled to the rotation shaft of the horizontal conveyance motor 170. A belt (toothed belt) 169 is wound between the driven pulley and the driving pulley 168. Therefore, the belt 169 has a linear portion extending in the X direction between the pair of linear guides 166. Yes. A belt presser 171 fixed to the moving base 163 is coupled to the linear portion of the belt 169. With this configuration, by moving the horizontal conveyance motor 170 forward / reversely, the movement base 163 can be linearly moved along the X direction. Therefore, the second horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 is linearly moved along the X direction. Can be moved.

  The rotating base 162 is attached to the moving base 163 so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis 172. A swing motor 164 is fixed to the moving base 163, and a rotation shaft of the swing motor 164 is coupled to the rotation base 162. With this configuration, the second horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 can be rotated around the vertical axis 172 together with the rotation base 162 by driving the turning motor 164. The rotation base 162 is formed in an approximately L shape, and the main body 161 is mounted at a position shifted from the vertical axis 172. Accordingly, the rotation of the rotary base 162 allows the horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 to be moved between one side and the other side of the linear guide 166 in plan view.

  FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a state where the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 is located on the front surface 10 a side of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The straight guide 166 is disposed in parallel to the straight guide 126 of the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 and closer to the front surface 10 a side of the substrate processing apparatus 10 than the straight guide 126. When the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 is positioned on the front surface 10a side of the substrate processing apparatus 10 with respect to the linear guide 166, the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 faces the second substrate transfer position P2 in the X direction. In this state, it can move along the X direction and can move to the second substrate transfer position P2.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a state in which the second horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 is positioned on the substrate processing unit 2 side with respect to the linear guide 166. In this state, the horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 is movable along the X direction in a state facing the transfer position P3 in the X direction, and can be positioned up to the transfer position P3.
Therefore, the second horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 can move along the X direction and turn around the vertical axis 172, and thereby, a plurality of sheets can be provided between the second delivery position P2 and the transfer position P3. The substrates W can be transported horizontally in a lump.

The detailed configuration of the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 is the same as that of the first horizontal transport mechanism 6, and in the following, reference numerals attached to the drawings related to the description of the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 as necessary. May also be used in the description of the second horizontal transport mechanism 7.
[Configuration for substrate transfer between the second horizontal transfer mechanism and the main transfer mechanism]
FIG. 22 is an illustrative view showing a configuration related to collective delivery of substrates W at the second delivery position P2. At the second delivery position P2, a first mediation robot 175 and a second mediation robot 176 that constitute a mediation mechanism are provided. The first intermediary robot 175 receives a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates W stacked in the X direction in a vertical posture from the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 at a time. The second mediation robot 176 collectively receives a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates W stacked in the X direction in a vertical posture from the first mediation robot 176. The main transport mechanism 3 operates so as to collectively receive a plurality of substrates W stacked in the X direction in a vertical posture from the second intermediate robot 176.

  FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the first mediating robot 175. As shown in FIG. The first intermediary robot 175 includes a pair of support guides 177 formed in a shaft shape, a guide support portion 178 that supports the support guide 177, a main body portion 179 having the guide support portion 178 fixed to the upper end, And an actuator 180 for moving the main body 179 up and down. The pair of support guides 177 are opposed to each other in the Y direction with an interval wider than the horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 and smaller than the diameter of the substrate W, and a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates in a vertical posture therebetween. W can be held collectively. The main body 179 extends in the vertical direction. The actuator 180 moves the main body 179 up and down using the motor 181 as a drive source. With this configuration, the plurality of substrates W held in the vertical posture by the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 can be collectively picked up and received from below.

  FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the second mediating robot 176. The second mediating robot 176 includes a pair of support guides 183, a guide support portion 184 that supports the pair of support guides 183, a main body portion 185 with the guide support portion 184 fixed to the upper end, and the main body portion 185. And an actuator 186 for moving up and down. The pair of support guides 183 can collectively hold a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates W in a vertical posture between them. The main body 185 is formed extending in the vertical direction. The actuator 186 moves the main body 185 up and down using the motor 187 as a drive source. With this configuration, it is possible to collectively receive and support a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture from the first mediating robot 175, and to pass them to the main transport mechanism 3.

  Instead of the support guide 183, a substrate orientation alignment mechanism can be mounted on the upper end of the main body 185. The substrate orientation alignment mechanism aligns the orientations (crystal orientations in the case of a semiconductor wafer) of a plurality of substrates, for example, by aligning the directions of notches (notches, etc.) formed in the semiconductor wafer. . By providing both the first mediation robot 175 and the second mediation robot 176, the second substrate transfer position can be obtained without requiring a large change in the configuration regardless of whether the substrate orientation alignment mechanism is provided or not. The substrate transfer operation at P2 can be performed.

[Operation of substrate processing equipment]
Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described.
In this operation, the controller 9 operates each part of the substrate processing unit 2, the main transport mechanism 3, the carry-in / out mechanism 4, the transfer mechanism 5, the first horizontal transport mechanism 6, the second transport mechanism 7, and the chuck cleaning unit 8. It is realized by controlling. In particular, the controller 9 functions as a transfer control unit that controls the carry-in / out mechanism 4, the transfer mechanism 5, and the first and second horizontal transfer mechanisms 6 and 7, and the transfer that controls the operation of the main transfer mechanism 3. Functions as a control unit.

[Unloading unprocessed substrate W from hoop F]
When the FOUP F that accommodates a plurality of (for example, 25) unprocessed substrates W is held in the FOUP holding unit 1, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 is stacked in the H direction in the Z direction in a horizontal posture. A plurality of unprocessed substrates W are unloaded at once. More specifically, an opener for removing the cover of the hoop F is disposed in the hoop holding unit 1. After removing the lid of the FOUP F with this opener, the number of substrates W in the FOUP F is confirmed by a sensor.

When the unprocessed substrate W is unloaded from the FOUP F, the unloading / unloading mechanism 4 sets the batch hand 40 in a horizontal posture, and moves the batch hand 40 toward the FOUP F in the Y direction by the hand advance / retreat mechanism 44. The hand elements 70 are respectively inserted between the substrates W. At this time, the batch hand 40 is controlled to a posture in which the first support surface 71 of the hand element 70 is directed upward.
Then, the batch hand 40 is raised by a minute distance by the actuator 65. Thereby, the batch hand 40 scoops up a plurality of unprocessed substrates W at the same time. In this state, the batch advancing / retreating mechanism 44 retracts the batch hand 40 from the FOUP F to the posture changing position, whereby a plurality of substrates W in the FOUP F are unloaded at once.

[Change of posture of unprocessed substrate W]
The substrate W carried out from the FOUP F is held by the batch hand 40 while being stacked in the Z direction in a horizontal posture. From this state, when the turning motor 50 is driven, the hand support portion 41 is turned 90 degrees along the YZ plane. As a result, the batch hand 40 is raised so that the support guide 80 is positioned downward and the tip of the hand element 70 is directed upward. As a result, the plurality of substrates W are changed in posture to be stacked in the Y direction in a vertical posture. By this attitude conversion, the plurality of substrates W are guided to the transfer position P3.

  Prior to the posture change, the support guide 80 is controlled by the guide drive mechanism 89 so that the first substrate holding groove 88A for holding the unprocessed substrate W is positioned behind the substrate holding position of each hand element 70. The guide advance / retreat mechanism 87 advances the support guide 80 toward the distal end side of the hand element 70. As a result, the substrate W is sandwiched between the support guide 80 and the first guide protrusion 75 at the tip of the hand element 70. In this state, the posture changing operation described above is performed. After the end of the posture conversion, the guide advance / retreat mechanism 87 moves the support guide 80 backward by a minute distance to the rear of the hand element 70 to release the substrate W. As a result, the substrate W is held in a vertical posture by the substrate holding groove 88 of the support guide 80. At this time, since the substrate W is pressed against the substrate holding groove 88 by gravity, the alignment of the substrates W is achieved at the same time.

[Unprocessed substrate transfer operation]
During the posture changing operation by the carry-in / out mechanism 4, the transfer mechanism 5 keeps the support guide shaft 91 in a lower position below the hand support portion 41. At this time, the guide rotation mechanism 105 controls the rotation position of the support guide shaft 91 so that the first contact portions 113 of the pair of support guide shafts 91 face each other.

  When the posture conversion operation is finished and the holding of the substrate W is released, the support guide shaft 91 is raised to the upper position above the batch hand 40 by the actuator 95. In the ascending process, the plurality of substrates W are collectively transferred from the batch hand 40 to the support guide shaft 91. The width of the hand support portion 41 in the X direction is smaller than the distance between the pair of support guide shafts 91. Therefore, there is no possibility of interference with the hand support portion 41 when the support guide shaft 91 is raised.

After the substrate W is transferred, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 drives the turning motor 50 to return the batch hand 40 to the horizontal posture toward the hoop holding unit 1 and enters a standby state.
Next, the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 moves the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 to the transfer position P3. At this time, for example, the first guide 135 is in a first support state in which the first guide 135 is positioned above the second guide 136.

  In this state, the transfer mechanism 5 moves the support guide shaft 91 to the lower position. In this process, the plurality of substrates W held in the vertical posture on the support guide shaft 91 are collectively transferred to the second horizontal transport holding unit 160. At this time, the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 is in a state in which the support members of the guides 135 and 136 are in a posture along the Y direction and can hold a plurality of substrates W stacked in the Y direction in a vertical posture. The width in the X direction of the second horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 in this state is smaller than the interval between the pair of support guide shafts 91. Therefore, there is no possibility of interference with the second horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 when the support guide shaft 91 is lowered.

  After the transfer, the guide rotation mechanism 105 of the transfer mechanism 5 rotates the pair of support guide shafts 91 so that the retracting portions 115 face each other. In this state, the transfer mechanism 5 raises the support guide shaft 91 to the upper position and retracts it. Since the distance between the retracting portions 115 of the pair of support guide shafts 91 is longer than the diameter of the substrate W, the support guide shaft 91 moves to the upper position without interfering with the substrate W held by the horizontal transport holding unit 160. And can be evacuated.

After the support guide shaft 91 is retracted, the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 turns the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 around the vertical axis to retract from the transfer position P3.
After the horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 is retracted in this way, the transfer mechanism 5 lowers the support guide shaft 91 to the lower position and waits. Further, the rotation positions of the pair of support guide shafts 91 are controlled by the guide rotation mechanism 105 so that the first contact portions 113 face each other.

[Batch assembly operation]
The second horizontal transport mechanism 7 holds the first 25 substrates W in every other substrate holding groove of the first guide 135. From this state, a batch of 50 substrates W can be formed by receiving the next 25 substrates W in every other unused substrate holding groove. This is called batch assembly.

The second horizontal conveyance holder 160 retracted from the transfer position P3 is horizontally rotated by 180 degrees by the action of the guide rotation motor 150 as necessary.
On the other hand, the unloading / unloading mechanism 4 unloads a plurality of unprocessed substrates W from another FOUP F arranged in the FOUP holding unit 1 by the function of the automatic FOUP transport device 11. In the same manner as described above, the plurality of substrates W are changed in posture from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture, and supported by the support guide 80 at the transfer position P3.

  In this state, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 causes the actuator 65 to move the support guide 80 together with the moving base 63 along the Y direction by a half distance (half pitch) of the holding interval of the substrate W. On the other hand, the transfer mechanism 5 drives the guide movement motor 100 to move the support guide shaft 91 in the same direction as the movement direction of the support guide 80 (Y direction) by a distance half the holding interval of the substrate W. . As a result, the substrate holding positions of the support guide 80 and the support guide shaft 91 are aligned in the vertical direction, and are shifted by a half pitch along the Y direction as compared to when the first 25 substrates W are held.

From this state, the transfer mechanism 5 raises the support guide shaft 91 and guides it to the upper position. In this process, the support guide shaft 91 scoops a plurality of substrates W on the support guide 80 together.
Next, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 changes the posture of the batch hand 40 to a horizontal posture and retracts it from the transfer position P3.
In this state, the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 pivots the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 to the transfer position P3. Thereafter, the transfer mechanism 5 lowers the pair of support guide shafts 91 to the lower position. In the process, the 25 substrates W held on the support guide shaft 91 are collectively delivered onto the first guide 135 of the second horizontal transport holding unit 160. The 25 substrates W enter so as to mesh between the 25 substrates W already held in the second horizontal transport holding unit 160, and thus the 50 substrates W are half pitched in the Y direction. It is held by the second horizontal conveyance holding unit 160 in a stacked state.

  Thereafter, the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 rotates the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 around the vertical axis 172 so as to face the second substrate transfer position P2, and rotates around the rotational shaft 147 by the guide rotation motor 150. Further, it is moved horizontally in the X direction and moved to the second substrate transfer position P2 (see FIG. 20). At this time, the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 horizontally rotates the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 so that a plurality of substrates W in a vertical posture are stacked in the X direction.

[Substrate delivery at second substrate delivery position P2]
Before the second horizontal transfer holding unit 160 of the second horizontal transfer mechanism 7 moves to the second substrate transfer position P2, the first intermediate robot 175 moves the support guide 177 below the second horizontal transfer holding unit 160. Waiting in the lower position. After the second horizontal transfer holding unit 160 moves to the second substrate transfer position P2, the first mediating robot 175 raises the support guide 177 to an upper position higher than the second horizontal transfer holding unit 160. In this process, a plurality of (50) substrates W in a vertical posture stacked at a half pitch are collectively delivered from the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 to the support guide 177.

Thereafter, the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 retracts the second horizontal transport holding unit 160 from the second substrate transfer position P2 and prepares for receiving the next unprocessed substrate W.
On the other hand, the first mediation robot 175 lowers the support guide 177 to a lower position below the support guide 183 of the second mediation robot 176. In this process, a plurality of (50) substrates are collectively delivered from the first mediation robot 175 to the second mediation robot 176. When the second mediating robot 176 is provided with a substrate orientation alignment mechanism, a substrate orientation alignment operation is further performed.

[Operation of main transport mechanism]
The main transport mechanism 3 receives the plurality of (50) unprocessed substrates W held by the support guide 183 of the second mediating robot 176 in a vertical posture by the substrate chuck 30. The main transport mechanism 3 raises the substrate chuck 30 to a position higher than the processing tanks 21 to 25, and further moves the substrate chuck 30 along the Y direction to the first chemical liquid tank 21 or the second chemical liquid tank 23. A plurality of (50) substrates W are delivered to the first lifter 27 or the second lifter 28 at a time. Thereafter, a plurality of (50) substrates W are collectively immersed in the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid tanks 21 and 23 by the action of the first or second lifters 27 and 28, and then in the rinse liquid tanks 22 and 24. It is immersed in the rinse solution. After the substrate processing with the first chemical liquid stored in the first chemical liquid tank 23, when it is necessary to further perform the processing with the second chemical liquid stored in the second chemical liquid tank 23, or after the processing with the second chemical liquid When it is necessary to perform the treatment with the first chemical solution, the main transport mechanism 3 transports a plurality (50) of substrates W between the first and second lifters 27 and 28 at once.

The substrate W to be dried after the rinsing process in the rinsing liquid tanks 22 and 24 is transferred from the lifters 27 and 28 to the main transport mechanism 3 and carried into the drying processing unit 25 by the main transport mechanism 3. The Then, the processed substrate W that has been processed in the drying processing unit 25 is unloaded from the drying processing unit 25 by the main transport mechanism 3 and transported to the first substrate delivery position P1.
The main transport mechanism 3 moves to the chuck cleaning unit 8 before unloading the processed substrate W from the drying processing unit 25, and inserts the substrate chuck 30 into the cleaning tank 35 of the chuck cleaning unit 8 to clean the substrate chuck 30. Let Then, after the processed substrate W is transferred to the first horizontal transfer mechanism 6 at the first substrate transfer position P1, it is not processed from the second intermediate robot 176 at the second substrate transfer position P2 without cleaning the substrate chuck 30. Operate to receive the substrate W.

[Discharge of processed substrates]
The main transport mechanism 3 is held by the substrate chuck 30 when the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 is waiting the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 at the first substrate transfer position P1 (see FIGS. 20 and 21). The plurality of processed substrates W are collectively transferred to the first horizontal transfer holding unit 120.
The first horizontal transport mechanism that has received the processed substrate W moves horizontally along the X direction and rotates the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 around the vertical axis by 90 degrees to hold the substrate W in the transfer mechanism 5. Match the direction (Y direction). And the 1st horizontal conveyance holding | maintenance part 120 of the attitude | position is moved to the transfer position P3.

Prior to this, the transfer mechanism 5 waits the support guide shaft 91 at a lower position below the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120. At this time, the guide rotation mechanism 105 controls the rotation position of the support guide shaft 91 so that the second contact portions 114 of the pair of support guide shafts 91 face each other.
The transfer mechanism 5 raises the support guide shaft 91 to the upper position above the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 by the actuator 95. In the ascending process, the plurality of substrates W are collectively transferred from the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 to the support guide shaft 91. At this time, the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 holds 50 substrates W stacked in the Y direction at a half pitch, but the substrates W transferred collectively to the support guide shaft 91 are: 25 of them are every other one. In this way, a batch composed of 50 substrates W is released into a group of 25 substrates. This is called batch cancellation. After the batch releasing operation, the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 temporarily retracts the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 in the X direction (first substrate transfer position P1 side).

  Next, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 converts the batch hand 40 from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture at the posture conversion position. Thereby, the batch hand 40 is arrange | positioned in the transfer position P3 with a vertical attitude | position. At this time, the batch hand 40 is controlled in advance so that the second support surface 72 faces upward when in the horizontal posture. Further, the support guide 80 is controlled such that the second substrate holding groove 88B for holding the processed substrate W is positioned behind the substrate holding position of each hand element 70. Of course, the substrate support position of the support guide 80 and the substrate support position of the support guide shaft 91 are controlled so as to coincide in plan view.

In this state, the transfer mechanism 5 lowers the support guide shaft 91 from the upper position to the lower position below the hand support portion 41. In this process, a plurality of (25) substrates W are collectively delivered from the support guide shaft 91 to the support guide 80.
Next, the guide advance / retreat mechanism 87 of the carry-in / out mechanism 4 advances the support guide 80. As a result, the substrate W is sandwiched between the support guide 80 and the second guide protrusion 76 at the tip of the hand element 70. In this state, the turning motor 50 is driven, and the batch hand 40 is turned from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture. Thus, the posture of the 25 substrates W is changed from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture. After the end of the posture conversion, the guide advance / retreat mechanism 87 moves the support guide 80 backward by a minute distance to the rear of the hand element 70 to release the substrate W.

  The carry-in / out mechanism 4 further advances the batch hand 40 along the Y direction toward the hoop F. By this time, the automatic hoop conveyance device 11 has arranged the empty hoop F that should accommodate the processed substrate W in the hoop holding unit 1. After entering the hoop F, the batch hand 40 is lowered by a minute height by the action of the actuator 65. Thereby, the substrate W is accommodated in each of the plurality of substrate holding shelves formed in the FOUP F. Thereafter, the batch hand 40 moves backward out of the hoop F and prepares for receiving the next 25 substrates W.

  At the transfer position P3, the first horizontal transfer mechanism 6 causes the first horizontal transfer holder 120 to enter the transfer position P3 again after waiting for the transfer mechanism 5 to lower the support guide shaft 91 to the lower position. At this time, the transfer mechanism 5 moves the support guide shaft 91 by a half pitch in the Y direction so that the positions of the remaining 25 substrates W held by the first horizontal transport holding unit 120 and the substrate support positions are aligned. Has been moved to. Correspondingly, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 moves the support guide 80 together with the moving base 63 in the Y direction by a half pitch.

The transfer mechanism 5 raises the support guide shaft 91 to the upper position above the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 in a state where the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 reenters the transfer position P3. In this process, 25 substrates W held by the first horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 are collectively delivered to the support guide shaft 91.
Thereafter, when the first horizontal conveyance mechanism 6 retracts the horizontal conveyance holding unit 120 from the transfer position P3, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 changes the posture of the batch hand 40 from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture, and the transfer position P3. Lead to. From this state, the transfer mechanism 5 lowers the support guide shaft 91 to a lower position below the hand support portion 41. In this process, 25 substrates W are collectively delivered from the support guide shaft 91 to the support guide 80 below the batch hand 40.

  Thereafter, the guide advance / retreat mechanism 87 of the carry-in / out mechanism 4 advances the support guide 80. As a result, the substrate W is sandwiched between the support guide 80 and the second guide protrusion 76 at the tip of the hand element 70. In this state, the turning motor 50 is driven, and the batch hand 40 is turned from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture. Thus, the posture of the 25 substrates W is changed from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture. After the end of the posture conversion, the guide advance / retreat mechanism 87 moves the support guide 80 backward by a minute distance to the rear of the hand element 70 to release the substrate W.

  The carry-in / out mechanism 4 further advances the batch hand 40 along the Y direction toward the hoop F. By this time, the automatic hoop conveyance device 11 has arranged the empty hoop F that should accommodate the processed substrate W in the hoop holding unit 1. After entering the hoop F, the batch hand 40 is lowered by a minute height. Thereby, the substrate W is accommodated in each of the plurality of substrate holding shelves formed in the FOUP F.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 25 is a plan view showing a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 26 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration between the hoop and the substrate delivery position.
In the first embodiment described above, the main transfer mechanism 3 transfers the processed substrate W to the first horizontal transfer mechanism 6 at the first substrate transfer position P1, and the second horizontal transfer mechanism 7 at the second substrate transfer position P2. The conveyed unprocessed substrate W is received. On the other hand, in the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to this embodiment, the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 is omitted, and only one horizontal transport mechanism 6 is provided. The horizontal transfer mechanism 6 operates to transfer the unprocessed substrate W to the main transfer mechanism 3 at the substrate transfer position P1, and similarly to receive the processed substrate W from the main transfer mechanism 3 at the substrate transfer position P1. Further, in addition to the batch release operation, the horizontal transport mechanism 6 also performs the batch assembling operation performed by the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 in the first embodiment described above.

  When holding the unprocessed substrate W, the horizontal transport mechanism 6 sets the substrate holding position of the first guide 135 higher than the substrate holding position of the second guide 136 and holds the unprocessed substrate W with the first guide 135. . Further, when holding the processed substrate W, the horizontal transport mechanism 6 holds the processed substrate W with the second guide 136 by lowering the substrate holding position of the first guide 135 than the substrate holding position of the second guide 136. To do.

  A substrate orientation alignment mechanism may be arranged at a position P4 corresponding to the second substrate transfer position P2 in the first embodiment. In this case, the main transport mechanism 3 receives the unprocessed substrate W from the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 at the substrate transfer position P1, and then transfers the unprocessed substrate W to the substrate orientation alignment mechanism at the position P4. Then, after the substrate orientation alignment operation, the main transport mechanism 3 receives the substrate W from the substrate orientation alignment mechanism and transports it to the substrate processing unit 2.

[Other Embodiments]
In the first embodiment, the first and second horizontal transport mechanisms 6 and 7 include first and second guides 135 and 136, and a configuration for switching between these. However, in the operation of the first embodiment, the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 exclusively holds and transports the processed substrate W, and the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 exclusively holds and transports the unprocessed substrate W. It is not necessary to provide two substrate holding guides and a structure for switching between them, and it is sufficient if one substrate holding guide that is always used is provided. However, the first and second horizontal transport mechanisms 6 and 7 may be operated so as to transport both the processed substrate W and the unprocessed substrate W in order to improve the substrate transport speed. In this case, by using the first and second guides 135 and 136 by switching between the processed substrate W and the unprocessed substrate W, it is possible to suppress or prevent foreign matter from transferring to the processed substrate W.

  In the first embodiment described above, the first and second mediating robots 175 and 176 are provided for transferring the substrate between the second horizontal transport mechanism 6 and the main transport mechanism 3, Alternatively, the second horizontal transfer mechanism 6 and the main transfer mechanism 3 may directly transfer the substrate. However, the first and second intermediate robots 175 and 176 are provided from the standpoint that the substrate orientation alignment mechanism can be set as an option and the waiting time at the second substrate transfer position P2 of the second horizontal transport mechanism 6 is shortened. A configuration is preferred.

Further, the first and second substrate transfer positions P1 and P2 in the first embodiment described above may be interchanged so that the second substrate transfer position for the unprocessed substrate W is disposed on the side closer to the substrate processing unit 2. Good.
In the above-described embodiment, the carry-in / out mechanism 4 moves the support guide 80 by a half pitch for batch assembly. However, after passing the substrate W to the transfer mechanism 5, the support guide shaft 91 of the transfer mechanism 5 is moved by a half pitch, and then the substrate W is received from the support guide shaft 91 to the second horizontal transport mechanism 7. If you pass, you can batch. Since the batch release can be performed in the same manner, the half-pitch movement of the support guide 80 is not always necessary.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) that stores the substrate W in a sealed state is used as the container that stores the substrate W. However, the container is limited to the FOUP. Instead, a standard mechanical interface (SMIF) pod, an open cassette (OC), or the like may be used.
In the above-described embodiment, a circular substrate such as a semiconductor wafer is shown as an example of the substrate W, but it is needless to say that other types of substrates such as a rectangular substrate for a liquid crystal panel may be processed. Good.

  In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of matters described in the claims.

1 is a schematic plan view for explaining an overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which expands and shows the structure relevant to the board | substrate conveyance between a hoop and the main conveyance mechanism. It is a perspective view of a carrying in / out mechanism. It is a perspective view for demonstrating rotation of a batch hand. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the board | substrate attitude | position change by a carrying in / out mechanism. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the structure for moving a batch hand up and down. It is a perspective view for demonstrating a batch hand and the structure relevant to this. It is an illustration figure for demonstrating the structure of a hand element and a support guide. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the structure of a transfer mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows the structure for moving a support guide shaft up and down. It is a perspective view which shows the structure for horizontally moving a support guide axis | shaft to an axial direction. It is a top view (board | substrate support state) for demonstrating the structure of a support guide shaft. It is a top view (board | substrate passage state) for demonstrating the structure of a support guide shaft. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the structure of a 1st horizontal conveyance mechanism. It is a front view which expands and shows the structure of a horizontal conveyance holding | maintenance part. It is a front view which expands and shows the structure of a horizontal conveyance holding | maintenance part. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the structure for the horizontal rotation of a horizontal conveyance holding part, and the raising / lowering of a 1st guide base. It is a side view for demonstrating the structure for the horizontal rotation of a horizontal conveyance holding part, and the raising / lowering of a 1st guide base. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the structure of a 2nd horizontal conveyance mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows a mode when a horizontal conveyance holding | maintenance part is located in the front side of a substrate processing apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows a mode when a horizontal conveyance holding | maintenance part is located in the board | substrate process part side with respect to a linear guide. It is an illustration figure which shows the structure relevant to the batch delivery of the board | substrate in a 2nd delivery position. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a 1st mediation robot. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a 2nd mediation robot. It is a top view which shows the structure of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is an illustration perspective view showing composition between a hoop and a substrate delivery position.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hoop holding | maintenance part 2 ... Substrate processing part 3 ... Main conveyance mechanism 4 ... Carry-in / out mechanism 5 ... Transfer mechanism 6 ... 1st horizontal conveyance mechanism 7 ... 2nd horizontal conveyance mechanism 8 ... Chuck washing | cleaning unit 9 ... Controller 10 ... Substrate Processing device 10a: Front surface of substrate processing device 10b ... Side surface of substrate processing device 11 ... Automatic hoop conveyance device 15 ... Shutter 16 ... Shutter 20 ... Processing section 21 ... First chemical liquid tank 22 ... First rinse liquid tank 23 ... Second chemical liquid Tank 24 ... Second rinse liquid tank 25 ... Dry processing section 27 ... First lifter 28 ... Second lifter 30 ... Substrate chuck 31 ... Support guide 33 ... Arrow 35 ... Cleaning tank 40 ... Batch hand 41 ... Hand support section 42 ... Swivel Block 43 ... Advance / retreat block 44 ... Hand advance / retreat mechanism 45 ... Hand rotation motor 46 ... Batch hand central axis 47 ... Axis 48 ... Arm part 50 ... Swivel motor 53,54 ... linear guide 55 ... driven pulley 56 ... drive pulley 57 ... belt 58 ... belt presser 60 ... forward / backward motor 62 ... fixed base 63 ... moving base 64 ... moving block 65 ... actuator 66 ... linear guide 67, 68 ... hand element support member 69 ... hand element alignment direction 70 ... hand element 70A, 70B ... hand element row 71 ... first support surface 72 ... second support surface 73 ... first support protrusion 74 ... second support protrusion 75 ... first guide protrusion 76 ... second Guide projections 77, 78 ... Through hole 79 ... Bracket 80 ... Support guide 81 ... Guide base 82 ... Cam follower 83 ... Cam surface 84 ... Cam 85 ... Cam base 86 ... Cylinder 87 ... Guide advance / retreat mechanism 88 ... Substrate holding groove 88A ... First substrate Holding groove 88B ... Second substrate holding groove 89 ... Guide drive mechanism 91 ... Support guide shaft DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Guide support part 93 ... Main-body part 94 ... Motor 95 ... Actuator 97 ... Linear guide 98 ... Bracket 99 ... Block 100 ... Guide moving motor 101 ... Rotating shaft 102 ... Support guide horizontal moving mechanism 105 ... Guide rotation mechanism 106, 107 ... pulley 108 ... tension pulley 109 ... pulley 110 ... guide rotation motor 111 ... belt 113 ... first contact portion 114 ... second contact portion 115 ... retracting portion 116 ... dental projection 120 ... first horizontal conveyance holding portion 121 ... Main body part 122 ... Moving base 125 ... Horizontal drive mechanism 126 ... Linear guide 127 ... Pulley 127 ... Driving pulley 128 ... Driving pulley 129 ... Belt 130 ... Horizontal conveyance motor 131 ... Belt retainer 135 ... First guides 135a, 135b, 135c ... Support member 136 ... second guide 136 Support guide 136
136a, 136b, 136c Support member 137 ... 1st guide base 138 ... 2nd guide base 139 ... Sub guide base 140 ... Support shaft 145, 146 ... Linear bush 147 ... Rotating shaft 148 ... Shaft 150 ... Guide rotation motor 151 ... Air cylinder 152 ... Linear guide 153 ... Guide unit 154 ... Bearing 160 ... Second horizontal conveyance holder 161 ... Main body 162 ... Rotating base 163 ... Moving base 164 ... Rotary motor 165 ... Horizontal drive mechanism 166 ... Linear guide 168 ... Drive pulley 169 ... Belt 170 ... Horizontal conveyance motor 171 ... Belt retainer 172 ... Vertical axis 175 ... First intermediate robot 176 ... Second intermediate robot 177 ... Support guide 178 ... Guide support 179 ... Main body 180 ... Actuator 181 ... Motor 183 ... Support guide 1 4 ... guide supporting portion 185 ... main body section 186 ... actuator 187 ... motor 200 ... substrate processing apparatus F ... hoop W ... substrate P1 ... first substrate delivery position P2 ... second substrate delivery position P3 ... transfer position P4 ... position

Claims (19)

A container holding unit for holding a container for storing a plurality of substrates stacked in the vertical direction in a horizontal posture;
A substrate processing unit that collectively processes a plurality of substrates stacked in a vertical orientation in a horizontal direction;
A main transfer mechanism for transferring a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal position in a vertical posture between a predetermined substrate transfer position and the substrate processing unit;
Loading and unloading a plurality of substrates at a time with respect to the container held by the container holder, and simultaneously changing the posture of the plurality of substrates between a horizontal posture and a vertical posture Mechanism,
A plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are collectively transferred to and from the carry-in / out mechanism at a predetermined transfer position, and a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are collectively transferred to and from the main transport mechanism at the substrate transfer position. Te passing, viewed contains a secondary transport mechanism for transporting collectively a plurality of substrates in a vertical position between the substrate delivery position and the transfer position,
The carry-in / out mechanism is
A multi-sheet holding hand that holds a plurality of substrates at once;
A hand advancing and retreating mechanism for advancing and retracting the plurality of holding hands with respect to the container held by the container holding part along a predetermined advancing and retracting direction along the horizontal direction;
Said plurality hand turning mechanism and the including the holding hand along a vertical plane along the moving direction to pivot at least 90 °, the substrate processing apparatus. Each of the plurality of holding hands includes a plurality of hand elements for holding one substrate, and each hand element has a first substrate holding portion on one side of the hand element alignment direction, and the hand element alignment direction A second substrate holding part on the other side of
The loading and unloading mechanism, the so hand elements reversed, further comprising, a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hand rotating mechanism for rotating the plurality holding hand around a predetermined rotational axis. The carry-in / out mechanism is
Further comprising a support guide for supporting a plurality of substrates in a vertical position from below, the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein. The support guide has a pair of substrate holding grooves for each hand element;
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the carry-in / out mechanism further includes a guide driving mechanism that selects one of the pair of substrate holding grooves for holding the substrate by driving the support guide. The sub-transport mechanism is
It has a transfer support part that holds a plurality of substrates stacked in a vertical orientation in a horizontal direction, and moves the transfer support part up and down. A transfer mechanism that collectively delivers a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture at the transfer position;
A horizontal conveyance holding unit configured to hold a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture aligned in a horizontal direction, and a plurality of vertical postures between the transfer support unit and the horizontal conveyance holding unit at the transfer position; Delivering substrates in a batch, delivering a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture between the main transfer mechanism and the horizontal transfer holding unit at the substrate transfer position, and transferring the substrate between the transfer position and the substrate transfer position and a horizontal transfer mechanism for horizontally moving the horizontal conveying holder between a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transfer mechanism is disposed on an opposite side of the carry-in / out mechanism with respect to an advancing / retreating direction of the plurality of holding hands. The transfer mechanism includes said transfer support portion substrate in the vertical attitude along a horizontal direction which is stacked further comprises a support portion horizontally moving mechanism for moving a predetermined distance range, the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein . The transfer support unit includes a pair of support guide shafts that hold a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture from both sides,
The support guide shaft has a predetermined interval between the pair of support guide shafts so that the substrate can pass between the contact portion that contacts the substrate and the pair of support guide shafts at different circumferential positions. And a retracting part that
The transfer mechanism further comprises, a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 5-7 to guide rotation mechanism for rotating said pair of support guide shafts around each axial. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the contact portion includes a first contact portion and a second contact portion arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the support guide shaft. The horizontal transfer mechanism is further comprising a horizontally rotating mechanism for rotating in a range of at least 90 degrees horizontal conveyance holder about a vertical axis, a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 5-9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the horizontal rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the horizontal conveyance holding unit in a range of at least 180 degrees around a vertical axis. The substrate processing according to any one of claims 5 to 11 , wherein the horizontal transport holding unit has a plurality of substrate holding grooves formed at a pitch half the substrate holding pitch in the transfer support unit. apparatus. The horizontal conveyance holding unit includes a first guide that supports a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture and a second guide that supports a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture. ,
The horizontal transfer mechanism, further comprising a guide elevating mechanism for relatively lifting the first guide to the second guide, the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 5-12. The main transport mechanism transports a plurality of substrates at a time between a predetermined first substrate transfer position and a second substrate transfer position and the substrate processing unit,
The sub-transport mechanism is
A transfer support unit that holds a plurality of substrates in a lump, and transfers a plurality of substrates in a lump between the transfer support unit and the loading / unloading mechanism at the transfer position; Mechanism,
A first transfer holding unit for holding a plurality of substrates; and transferring the plurality of substrates at a time between the transfer support unit and the first transfer holding unit at the transfer position; A plurality of substrates are collectively transferred between the main transfer mechanism and the first transfer holding unit at one substrate transfer position, and the first transfer holding is performed between the transfer position and the first substrate transfer position. A first substrate moving mechanism for moving the part;
A second transfer holding unit configured to hold a plurality of substrates, and the plurality of substrates are collectively transferred between the transfer support unit and the second transfer holding unit at the transfer position; A plurality of substrates are collectively transferred between the main transfer mechanism and the second transfer holding unit at a two-substrate transfer position, and the second transfer holding is performed between the transfer position and the second substrate transfer position. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second substrate moving mechanism that moves the part. The first substrate moving mechanism receives a substrate after being processed by the substrate processing unit from the main transport mechanism at the first substrate transfer position, and transfers the substrate to the transfer mechanism at the transfer position. ,
The second substrate moving mechanism receives a substrate before being processed by the substrate processing unit from the transfer mechanism at the transfer position and passes it to the main transport mechanism at the second substrate transfer position. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14 . The main transport mechanism includes a substrate chuck that collectively holds a plurality of substrates,
The substrate processing apparatus includes: a chuck cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate chuck of the main transport mechanism; and the second substrate transfer after the substrate processed by the substrate processing unit is transferred to the first substrate transfer position. 16. A transport control unit that transports a substrate from a position to the substrate processing unit, and then controls the operation of the main transport mechanism so that the chuck cleaning unit cleans the substrate chuck. The substrate processing apparatus as described. A first substrate group, which is a part of the plurality of substrates held by the first transfer holding unit, is transferred to the transfer support unit, and the first substrate group is transferred from the transfer support unit to the loading / unloading mechanism. Thereafter, a second substrate group, which is another part of the plurality of substrates held by the first transfer holding unit, is transferred to the transfer support unit, and the transfer support unit transfers the second substrate group. Controlling the carry-in / out mechanism, the transfer mechanism, and the first substrate moving mechanism so as to pass the two-substrate group to the carry-in / out mechanism;
The third substrate group is transferred from the carry-in / out mechanism to the transfer support unit, the third substrate group is transferred from the transfer support unit to the second transport holding unit, and then the transfer from the carry-in / out mechanism. The fourth substrate group is transferred to the support portion, and the fourth substrate group is further transferred from the transfer support portion to the second transfer holding portion, and the third substrate group and the fourth substrate group are transferred to the second transfer holding portion. as is held, the loading and unloading mechanism, the transfer mechanism and further comprising a transfer control unit for executing and controlling the second substrate transfer mechanism, the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein. The substrate according to any one of claims 14 to 17 , further comprising an intermediary mechanism that mediates delivery of the substrate between the second transport holding unit and the main transport mechanism at the second substrate transfer position. Processing equipment. The transfer support unit of the transfer mechanism collectively holds a plurality of substrates stacked in a horizontal direction in a vertical posture, and the transfer mechanism is configured to move the transfer support unit at the transfer position. And a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture between the transfer mechanism and the carry-in / out mechanism collectively,
The first transport holding unit is for holding a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture aligned in a horizontal direction, and the first substrate moving mechanism is configured to move the transfer support unit and the first substrate at the transfer position. A plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are collectively transferred between one transport holding unit, and a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are transferred between the main transport mechanism and the first transport holding unit at the first substrate transfer position. Delivery in bulk,
The second transport holding unit is for holding a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture aligned in a horizontal direction, and the second substrate moving mechanism is configured such that the transfer support unit and the first substrate are moved at the transfer position. A plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are collectively transferred between two transport holding units, and a plurality of substrates in a vertical posture are transferred between the main transport mechanism and the second transport holding unit at the second substrate transfer position. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 18 , which is delivered in a lump.

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