JP3974985B2 - Substrate transfer device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate transport apparatus that supports and transports a substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate”) such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a photomask, a glass substrate for liquid crystal display, and an optical disk substrate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a substrate processing apparatus that performs various types of substrate processing, a hand that supports and delivers a substrate is moved forward and backward with respect to a certain substrate processing unit to receive the substrate, and another substrate processing is performed while the substrate is supported by the hand. A substrate transport apparatus that transports a substrate such as passing to a section is used.
[0003]
In such a substrate transport device, contaminants such as particles adhere to the hand by supporting an unprocessed substrate with low cleanness, and then support the processed substrate with high cleanliness with the hand, There is a problem in that contaminants adhere to the processed substrate through the hand and so-called cross-contamination occurs that contaminates the substrate, thereby reducing the quality of substrate processing.
[0004]
In order to solve such a problem, for example, a substrate transfer apparatus as described in JP-A-5-152266 is provided. This device has two types of hands, one of which can be raised and lowered by driving an air cylinder. Then, when supporting an unprocessed substrate and when supporting a processed substrate, one hand is moved up and down to switch the supported hand, thereby suppressing the occurrence of cross-contamination.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the substrate transport apparatus as described above, when the hand that moves up and down supports the substrate, the hand supports the substrate in a state where it is lifted by the air cylinder. The load is also applied. Therefore, abnormalities such as air leakage are likely to occur in the air cylinder, and when such an abnormality occurs, the substrate contacts the other hand and cross contamination occurs, or the supporting substrate drops. There was a problem that it was damaged.
[0006]
Further, with the recent increase in size of the substrate, the weight of the substrate itself is increased, and thus the load applied to the air cylinder is also increased. For this reason, the air cylinder must be made large, and there is a problem that the size of the apparatus is increased.
[0007]
The present invention is intended to overcome the above-described problems in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compact substrate transport apparatus with less occurrence of cross-contamination and high substrate support reliability.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is a substrate transfer apparatus for supporting and transferring a substrate, and a) a plurality of fluororesins having different first and second heights A hand including two ceramic hand elements, each of which is provided with a substrate support portion made of metal and arranged apart in a substantially horizontal direction; and b) opening and closing to open and close the two hand elements relatively in the horizontal direction. A plurality of substrate support portions having the first height when the two hand elements are open, and the second hand element is closed when the two hand elements are closed. A substrate having the same size as the substrate held by the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height is held by the plurality of substrate support portions having a height of 2.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the substrate transfer apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein each of the substrate support portions is configured as an edge support portion that supports an edge of the substrate. The height of the edge support portion is different among the plurality of substrate support portions.
[0010]
An apparatus according to claim 3 of the present invention is the substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of substrate support portions having the second height with respect to the substrate held by the hand are provided. The plurality of substrate support portions having the first height are provided outside the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height, and the plurality of substrate support portions having the second height are made higher than the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate transfer apparatus for supporting and transferring a substrate, comprising: a) a plurality of first and second fluororesin substrate support portions having different heights; A hand laminated body including two hand element groups, each of which is provided with a plurality of ceramic ceramic hand elements arranged in a substantially horizontal direction and vertically stacked; and b) the two hand element groups. Opening and closing means that are driven in a substantially horizontal direction to open and close, and in a state where the two hand element groups are opened, the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height hold the substrate, and the 2 In a state where the two hand elements are closed, the plurality of substrate support portions having the second height hold a substrate having the same size as the substrate held on the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height .
Furthermore, the apparatus according to claim 5 of the present invention is the substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a base, wherein the opening / closing means includes two air cylinders provided inside the base. The tip of each drive rod of the two air cylinders is attached to one of the two different hand element groups.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
<1. Outline of equipment>
1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 are diagrams showing a substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, and the outline of the apparatus will be described with reference to these drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a partial configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 as seen from the direction of the arrow AP (see FIG. 2). 1 to 4 define three-dimensional coordinates including the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis.
[0013]
As shown in these drawings, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a carrier placement unit 100, a horizontal transfer robot 200 (corresponding to a “substrate transfer device”), an attitude conversion mechanism 300, a pusher 400, a transfer mechanism 500, and a substrate processing unit. 600 and a controller CL.
[0014]
A carrier C that stores a plurality of substrates W is mounted on the carrier mounting unit 100, and the substrate W stored in the carrier C is carried into and out of the substrate processing apparatus 1. At this time, the plurality of substrates W are held in a horizontal position in the carrier C.
[0015]
The horizontal transfer robot 200 is an articulated substrate transfer robot, and includes a lifting shaft 220 communicating with the inside of the base 210, a first arm 230 having one end connected to the upper end of the lifting shaft 220 above the base 210, The second arm 240 includes a second arm 240 having one end connected to the other end of the first arm 230, and a substrate support hand 250 connected to the other end of the second arm 240. Each part is driven by an internal driving mechanism (not shown). It is driven as follows.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 2, the elevating shaft 220 is movable up and down in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and the first arm 230 is substantially in a horizontal plane around the rotation axis A <b> 1 at the connecting portion with the elevating shaft 220. It can be rotated (turned) at an arbitrary angle. Similarly, the second arm 240 is around the rotation axis A2 at the connection portion with the first arm 230, and the substrate support hand 250 is substantially in the horizontal plane around the rotation axis A3 at the connection portion with the second arm 240. Each can be rotated (turned) at an arbitrary angle. By such a mechanism, the horizontal transfer robot 200 is movable within a predetermined three-dimensional space while holding the substrate W by the substrate support hand 250 described in detail later. The substrate W is transferred between the placed carrier C and the posture changing mechanism 300.
[0017]
The posture changing mechanism 300 includes a support base 305, a base 310, a rotating base 320, a pair of first holding mechanisms 330 and a pair of second holding mechanisms 340 for holding a substrate, a first alignment device 350, and a second alignment device. 360. The turntable 320 can rotate about the axis A30 in the direction indicated by the arrow AR30 (see FIG. 3), and takes a posture P1 indicated by a solid line and a posture P2 indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It is possible. Further, the first holding mechanism 330 and the second holding mechanism 340 rotate in conjunction with the turntable 320. Therefore, by rotating the turntable 320, the posture conversion mechanism 300 converts the postures of the plurality of substrates W held by the first holding mechanism 330 and the second holding mechanism 340 between a horizontal posture and a vertical posture. Specifically, a plurality of substrates simultaneously taken out from the carrier C by the horizontal transfer robot 200 are received in a posture P1 (see FIG. 3), and the turntable 320 is rotated 90 degrees around the axis A30. By setting the posture P2 (see FIG. 3), the plurality of substrates W are converted into a vertical posture.
[0018]
The pusher 400 includes a base 410, a Y direction movable part 420, a Z direction movable part 430, and a holder 440. The Y-direction movable unit 420 is driven by a motor, a ball screw, a rail, or the like (not shown) provided on the base 410, and linearly moves in a predetermined range in the horizontal direction (Y direction) with respect to the base 410 as indicated by an arrow AR42. The Z direction movable portion 430 is driven by a motor, a ball screw, and a rail (not shown) provided in the Y direction movable portion 420, and is in a predetermined range in the vertical direction (Z direction) with respect to the Y direction movable portion 420 as indicated by an arrow AR40. Make a linear motion. Moreover, the holder 440 is provided on the upper part of the Z direction movable part 430, can hold a substrate having a vertical attitude, and can take the attitudes P3 and P4 by the vertical movement of the Z direction movable part 430. By using such a mechanism, the pusher 400 can transport a plurality of substrates W having a vertical posture between the posture changing mechanism 300 and the transport mechanism 500. Further, the pusher 400 can transfer a plurality of substrates W having a vertical posture to and from the posture changing mechanism 300 and the transport mechanism 500 by the vertical movement thereof.
[0019]
The transport mechanism 500 includes a transport robot 510 that can move horizontally and move up and down. Further, the transport mechanism 500 includes a pair of clamping mechanisms 520 for clamping a plurality of substrates W having a vertical posture. Each of the clamping mechanisms 520 has support parts 522 and 524, and each of the support parts 522 and 524 has a plurality of grooves GV for supporting a plurality of substrates. The clamping mechanism 520 can support the substrate W or release the support of the substrate W by rotating in the direction of the arrow AR in the figure. The transport mechanism 500 having such a configuration exchanges substrates with the pusher 400. Further, as will be described later, the substrate can be exchanged with each of the lifter 550 and the lifter 560 provided in the processing unit. The transport mechanism 500 transports or transfers the substrate before the cleaning process, during the cleaning process, and after the cleaning process from one place to another.
[0020]
The substrate processing unit 600 includes a transport mechanism water washing processing unit 610 having cleaning tanks 612a and 612b for cleaning the pair of clamping mechanisms 520, a chemical processing unit 620 and 640 having a chemical tank CB for storing chemicals, and pure water. The water-washing processing units 630 and 650 having the water-washing tank WB for storing the water and the drying processing unit 660 are provided. Although the transport mechanism rinsing processing unit 610 does not strictly process the substrate, it is handled as one of the substrate processing units 600 for performing processing associated with the substrate processing for convenience.
[0021]
The plurality of processing units are linearly arranged in the X-axis direction, and the above-described transport mechanism 500 is provided on the side of the linear array. The transport mechanism 500 can move in a linear arrangement direction, and transports a substrate between the processing units as described above.
[0022]
Further, a lifter 550 is disposed on the rear side of the chemical solution processing unit 620 and the water washing processing unit 630. The lifter 550 can move up and down (Z direction) and traverse (X direction), so that the substrate received from the transport mechanism 500 is immersed in the chemical bath CB of the chemical treatment section 620, or the water washing tank WB of the washing section 630. Or soak in. Similarly, a lifter 560 is disposed on the rear side of the chemical solution processing unit 640 and the water washing processing unit 650. The lifter 560 can move up and down (Z direction) and traverse (X direction), so that the substrate received from the transport mechanism 500 is immersed in the chemical bath CB of the chemical treatment section 640, or the washing tank WB of the water treatment section 650. Or soak in. With such a mechanism, chemical treatment and water washing treatment can be performed in these treatment units.
[0023]
The control unit CL controls operations of the carrier mounting unit 100, the horizontal transfer robot 200, the posture changing mechanism 300, the pusher 400, the transport mechanism 500, and the substrate processing unit 600.
[0024]
With the above configuration, the substrate processing apparatus 1 takes out a plurality of unprocessed substrates W stored in the carrier C carried into the carrier mounting unit 100 from the outside at a time, and with respect to them, the substrate processing unit 600 A series of processes such as storing a processed substrate W in an empty carrier C mounted on the carrier mounting unit 100 after performing a batch process including a chemical solution processing step, a water washing processing step, and a drying processing step in each processing unit. Processing is to be performed.
[0025]
<2. Configuration and Features of Main Parts>
4, 5, and 6 are a cross-sectional view, a partial vertical cross-sectional view, and a vertical cross-sectional view, respectively, of the substrate support hand 250 of the horizontal transfer robot 200. 4 is a BB sectional view in FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 is an AA sectional view in FIG. Hereinafter, the mechanical configuration and characteristics of the substrate support hand 250 will be described.
[0026]
The substrate support hand 250 mainly includes a base 251 and a hand stack 252.
[0027]
The base 251 is attached to the second arm 240 described above through the rotation shaft 251a.
[0028]
The hand laminated body 252 is a state in which a plurality of sets of ceramic hand elements 253a and 253b (a combination of these are equivalent to “hands”) arranged in parallel in a substantially horizontal direction are stacked in the vertical direction. Therefore, the hand element groups 252a and 252b are also provided apart from each other in the substantially horizontal direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the number of hand elements 253a and 253b included in each of the hand element groups 252a and 252b is the same as the number of substrates W that can be stored in the carrier C, and the hand elements 253a. , 253b in the stacking direction is the same as the arrangement interval of the substrate support grooves in the carrier C or the like. However, in FIG. 5, only a part of the hand element 253b is provided with a reference symbol.
[0029]
Each of the hand element groups 252a and 252b is connected to two rods 254a, 255a and 254b, 255b provided through the base 251. The rods 254a, 255a, 254b, 255b are connected to the base 251. It is slidable with respect to the base portion 251 by a linear motion guide 256 provided in the interior of the.
[0030]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, air cylinders 257 a and 257 b (corresponding to “opening / closing means”) are provided in the base portion 251 in a back-to-back state so that the directions of the drive rods DRa and DRb are reversed. Yes. Hand element groups 252a and 252b are attached to the front ends of the drive rods DRa and DRb of the air cylinders 257a and 257b, respectively, outside the base 251. The two hand element groups 252a and 252b can be brought close to and separated from each other, that is, can be opened and closed relatively by driving the air cylinders 257a and 257b under the control of the controller CL.
[0031]
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate guides 258a and 258b (corresponding to “substrate support portion” and “edge support portion”) of the substrate support hand 250. Each of the hand elements 253a and 253b is provided with substrate guides 258a and 258b made of fluororesin, particularly Teflon (registered trademark), in the vicinity of the end on the base side and in the vicinity of the other end. The substrate guides 258a and 258b have a circular shape (see FIG. 4) in plan view, and further have a central portion that protrudes slightly upward in a circular shape and an inclined surface IS that gradually decreases outward in the periphery. Yes.
[0032]
Then, assuming that the position of the substrate W when supported by the substrate guides 258a and 258b shown in FIG. 4 is the support position SP shown in FIG. 4, the substrate guides 258a and 258b are substantially circular substrates located at the support position SP. A substrate guide 258a is disposed on the outer side relative to the substrate center CW of W, and a substrate guide 258b is disposed on the inner side. More specifically, when both hand element groups 252a and 252b are opened (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4), the inclined surface IS of the four substrate guides 258b corresponds to the edge of the substrate W at the support position SP. In the state in which both hand element groups 252a and 252b are closed (shown by solid lines in FIG. 4), the inclined surface IS of the substrate guide 258a is It arrange | positions so that it may be located on the same periphery (board | substrate W outer periphery).
[0033]
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the substrate guide 258a provided on the outside is formed slightly higher than the substrate guide 258b provided on the inside. Accordingly, when the substrate W is supported by the hand elements 253a and 253b with the hand element groups 252a and 252b opened, the side closer to the substrate center CW of the inclined surface IS of each of the four low substrate guides 258b (the substrate W). ), The substrate W is supported, and the substrate W does not contact the outer substrate guide 258a.
[0034]
On the other hand, when the hand element groups 252a and 252b are supported in a closed state, the edge portion of the substrate W abuts on the side closer to the substrate center CW of the inclined surface IS of each of the four high substrate guides 258a. The substrate W is supported, and the support height of the substrate W is higher than the low substrate guide 258b as shown in FIG. 7, so that the substrate W does not contact them.
[0035]
With the configuration as described above, in this horizontal transfer robot 200, after each set of the hand elements 253a and 253b is inserted between the substrates W held in the carrier C, the vertical axis of the horizontal transfer robot 200 is set. The substrate 220 is lifted slightly and the substrate W is picked up so that the substrate W is supported and taken out, and the substrate W is transported between the carrier platform 100 and the attitude changing mechanism 300. When transporting an unprocessed substrate W, that is, a substrate W having a low cleanliness level that can tolerate some contamination, such as transport from the unit 100 to the posture conversion mechanism 300, and from the posture conversion mechanism 300 to the carrier mounting unit 100. In the case of transporting a highly clean substrate W that should eliminate contamination as much as possible, such as the transported substrate W, the open / closed state of the hand element groups 252a and 252b is as described above. Changing manner, the substrate guide 258a in contact with the substrate W, and a to 258b different. For example, when the unprocessed substrate W is transported from the carrier platform 100 to the attitude changing mechanism 300, the substrate guide 258a is brought into contact with the substrate W by closing the hand element groups 252a and 252b. In contrast, when the processed substrate W is transported from the posture changing mechanism 300 to the carrier platform 100, the substrate guide 258b is brought into contact with the substrate W by opening the hand element groups 252a and 252b. For example, contact and support it. Thereby, the cross contamination through the horizontal transfer robot 200 between the board | substrates W before and behind a process can be suppressed.
[0036]
Note that the open / closed state of the hand element groups 252a and 252b when the unprocessed substrate W or the processed substrate W is supported may be reversed. That is, the unprocessed substrate W is supported and transported by the substrate guide 258b in the state where the hand element groups 252a and 252b are open, and the processed substrate W is supported and transported by the substrate guide 258a in the closed state. It may be a thing.
[0037]
As described above, according to this embodiment, the two hand elements 253a and 253b provided with the substrate guides 258a and 258b that are higher on the outer side with respect to the substrate center CW are arranged apart in a substantially horizontal direction. Since these can be relatively opened and closed by the air cylinders 257a and 257b, the substrate guides 258a and 258b for supporting the substrates W of different cleanliness, such as the substrate W before and after the processing, are provided with the hand elements 253a and 253b. The occurrence of cross-contamination can be suppressed by making it different depending on the opening and closing of the.
[0038]
In addition, since the air cylinders 257a and 257b only open and close the hand elements 253a and 253b that are spaced apart in the substantially horizontal direction, the load of the substrate W is not applied to the air cylinders 257a and 257b. Therefore, since it is not necessary to use large-sized air cylinders 257a and 257b, the horizontal transfer robot 200 and the substrate processing apparatus 1 as a whole can be made compact and inexpensive, and the substrate by the hand elements 253a and 253b can be reduced. Even if an abnormality such as air leakage occurs in the air cylinders 257a and 257b during the support, the substrate W is rarely dropped, so that the reliability of the substrate support is high, so that the apparatus can be reduced in damage. .
[0039]
In addition, since the support of the substrate W can be switched by one set of hand elements 253a and 253b, the hand elements 253a and 253b that support the substrate can be switched in comparison with the case where a set of hand elements 253a and 253b is provided for each of the substrates W having different cleanliness. Since the number of elements is small, the apparatus can be made inexpensive, and the horizontal transfer robot 200 and the entire substrate processing apparatus 1 can be made compact.
[0040]
In addition, since each of the substrate guides 258a and 258b supports the edge of the substrate W, the contact area between the substrate guides 258a and 258b and the substrate W can be reduced, so that cross contamination can be further suppressed.
[0041]
Further, since the hand element groups 252a and 252b in which a plurality of hand elements 253a and 253b as described above are stacked in the vertical direction can be relatively opened and closed by the air cylinders 257a and 257b, a plurality of substrates W can be processed at a time. The same effects as described above can be exhibited in batch processing.
[0042]
Further, since the hand elements 253a and 253b are made of ceramics, they do not bend as much as metal, so that a large-sized substrate W having a diameter of 300 mm or the like can be reliably supported and transported.
[0043]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the hand elements 253a and 253b support a position outside the substrate center CW in the Y-axis direction, that is, a position parallel to and away from the diameter of the substrate W. Compared with the case of providing a long hand element that extends over the entire diameter at a passing position, the substrate W can be supported and transported more reliably with less bending, and further, a larger-sized substrate W can be formed. Can also be supported and transported.
[0044]
<3. Modification>
In the substrate transport apparatus of this embodiment, the substrate support hand 250 transfers the substrate W to and from the carrier C, so that the substrate center CW and the substrate in the Y-axis direction as shown in FIG. The substrate W is supported in the vicinity of the middle of the edge position of W, in order to avoid interference with the side wall SW (see FIG. 4) of the carrier C. Therefore, when the shape of the carrier C is different, or when the substrate W is not delivered to and from the carrier C, the distance between the two hand element groups 252a and 252b is increased so that the substrate W is positioned at the center of the substrate. It is good also as what supports in a more outer position with respect to CW. In that case, each of the hand elements 253a and 253b can be made shorter, so that the hand elements 253a and 253b are less bent when the substrate W is supported, and a larger-sized substrate W can be supported and transported. Since the manufacturing cost of the hand elements 253a and 253b can be reduced, the apparatus can be made inexpensive.
[0045]
In this embodiment, the substrate W is supported by the edge of the substrate guides 258a and 258b. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the lower surface inside the outer periphery of the substrate W is supported by pins. This method may be supported by other members.
[0047]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, each hand element 253a, 253b is provided with two different types of substrate guides 258a, 258b to support the unprocessed and processed substrates W with different ones. The invention is not limited to this, and each hand element is provided with three or more types of substrate guides having different heights, and the hand element is opened and closed at a relative distance of three or more stages, and the degree of cleanliness of the supporting substrate is three stages Dividing into the above, it is good also as what changes the board | substrate guide which supports each.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first to third aspects of the present invention, two ceramic hand elements each having a plurality of fluororesin substrate support portions having different heights are separated in a substantially horizontal direction. Since it is arranged and can be opened and closed by driving them by means of opening and closing means, by making different substrate support parts that support each of the substrates with different cleanliness, such as the substrate before and after the cleaning process, The occurrence of cross contamination can be suppressed.
[0049]
In addition, since the opening / closing means only opens and closes the hand elements that are spaced apart in the substantially horizontal direction, no load is applied to the opening / closing means. Therefore, since it is not necessary to use a large-scale device for the opening / closing means, the entire apparatus can be made compact and inexpensive, and even if an abnormality occurs in the opening / closing means during the support of the substrate by the hand element, the substrate can be removed. Since it is rarely dropped, the reliability of supporting the substrate is high, so that a device with less damage can be obtained.
[0050]
Moreover, it can be set as an inexpensive apparatus compared with the case where a separate hand element is provided for each of the substrates having different cleanliness, and the entire apparatus can be made compact.
[0051]
According to the invention of claim 2, since each of the substrate support portions is configured as an edge support portion that supports the edge of the substrate, the contact area between the substrate support portion and the substrate can be reduced. Thus, a device with less cross contamination can be obtained.
[0052]
Further, according to the inventions of claim 4 and claim 5, two ceramic hands each provided with a plurality of fluororesin substrate support portions having different heights and arranged substantially horizontally apart from each other. Since the hand element group in which a plurality of elements are stacked in the vertical direction can be opened / closed by being driven in the substantially horizontal direction by the opening / closing means, the same effect as in the first aspect can be exhibited in batch processing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a side view showing a partial configuration of the substrate processing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate support hand of a horizontal transfer robot.
FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a substrate support hand of a horizontal transfer robot.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a substrate support hand of a horizontal transfer robot.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the substrate support hand.
[Explanation of symbols]
200 Horizontal transfer robot 250 Substrate support hand 252 Hand stack 252a, 252b Hand element group 253a, 253b Hand element 257a, 257b Air cylinder (opening / closing means)
258a, 258b Substrate guide (substrate support part, edge support part)
W substrate

Claims (5)

A substrate transfer device for supporting and transferring a substrate,
a) a hand including two ceramic hand elements each provided with a plurality of fluororesin substrate support portions of first and second different heights and spaced apart in a substantially horizontal direction;
b) an opening / closing means for opening and closing the two hand elements by driving them in a substantially horizontal direction;
With
In a state where the two hand elements are opened, the substrate is held by the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height, and in a state where the two hand elements are closed, the second height is increased. A substrate transport apparatus, wherein a plurality of substrates supporting units hold a substrate having the same size as a substrate held by the plurality of substrate supporting units having the first height . The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1,
Each of the substrate support portions is configured as an edge support portion that supports an edge of the substrate,
The substrate transfer apparatus, wherein the edge support portions have different heights among the plurality of substrate support portions. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1,
A plurality of substrate support portions of the second height with respect to the substrate held by the hand are provided outside the plurality of substrate support portions of the first height;
The substrate transport apparatus, wherein the plurality of substrate support portions having the second height are higher than the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height. A substrate transfer device for supporting and transferring a substrate,
a) A plurality of first and second different fluororesin substrate support portions, each of which is provided with a plurality of ceramic hand elements arranged in a substantially horizontal direction and stacked in a vertical direction. A hand laminate including two hand element groups,
b) an opening / closing means for opening and closing the two hand element groups by driving them in a substantially horizontal direction;
With
When the two hand element groups are opened, the substrate is held by the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height, and when the two hand elements are closed, the second height is set. A substrate transport apparatus that holds a substrate having the same size as the substrate held by the plurality of substrate support portions having the first height by the plurality of substrate support portions . It is a board | substrate conveyance apparatus of Claim 4, Comprising:
Further comprising a base,
The opening / closing means includes two air cylinders provided inside the base,
A substrate transfer apparatus, wherein the tip of each of the drive rods of the two air cylinders is attached to one of the two hand element groups.

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