JP2014123679A - Substrate angle alignment device, substrate angle alignment method, and substrate transfer method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate angle alignment device and a substrate angle alignment method for improving substrate alignment work efficiency and substrate transfer efficiency.SOLUTION: An angle alignment device comprises: a plurality of holding sections 10A-10E for holding a plurality of substrates 100X so as to dispose them vertically side by side in a horizontal state, respectively; a first elevating body including a plurality of first supporting parts 11A-11E; and a second elevating body including a plurality of second supporting parts. A series of angle alignment operations of angle-aligning one substrate 100X selected by integrally rotating the plurality of holding sections 10A-10E, moving up the first supporting parts 11A-11E corresponding to an angle-aligned substrate 100Z and carrying up the substrate 100Z by means of the first supporting parts 11A-11E are repeated while successively selecting the substrate. The plurality of second supporting parts are then collectively moved up, and the plurality of angle-aligned substrates 100Z being supported by the plurality of first supporting parts 11A-11E are carried up by the plurality of second supporting parts, respectively.

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate angle aligning apparatus and a substrate angle aligning method for aligning a plurality of substrates, and also relates to a substrate transport method for transporting a substrate between a substrate storage unit, a substrate angle aligning apparatus, and a substrate processing apparatus.

  As a method for transporting semiconductor wafers, multiple wafers are transported in a horizontal state between a wafer container called a FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) and an angle aligner (aligner) that aligns the wafers. It is known to do. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of an apparatus and a method for receiving and aligning a plurality of wafers in a horizontally placed state in order to realize this transfer method.

  In the angle adjusting device of Patent Document 1, three support poles are erected on one turntable, and support pins are fixed to each of the support poles in five upper and lower portions. This device has three lifting poles independent of the turntable and the support pole, and each lifting pole is divided into five upper and lower positions and fixed with lifting pins. The three lifting poles move up and down synchronously, but at this time, the vertical distance between the lifting pins does not change. On the other hand, the vertical distance between the lifting pins is smaller than the vertical distance between the support pins.

  In the angle alignment method of Patent Document 1, the wafer transfer machine places five wafers on each of five support pins and retracts from the angle alignment apparatus. As described above, when the five wafers are carried into the angle adjusting device, these wafers are supported by the turntable through the support poles in a horizontal state. Next, the turntable is driven to rotate the five wafers together, and the rotational position of each wafer is stored. Next, the turntable is driven based on the stored rotational position, and the lowermost wafer is angle-adjusted. Next, the lifting pole is raised, and the lowermost wafer is picked up by the lowermost lifting pin and separated from the lowermost support pin. As described above, the vertical distance between the lifting pins is made smaller than the vertical distance between the support pins, so that even after the rising, only the lowermost wafer can be scooped up with the lifting pins, and the remaining four sheets The wafer can remain on the support pins. Next, the turntable is driven based on the stored rotational position, the angle of the second wafer from the bottom is adjusted, the lifting pole is raised, and only the second wafer from the bottom is supported for the same reason as described above. Scoop up with the lifting pin and release it from the corresponding support pin. This is repeated in order from the bottom until the uppermost wafer is angled. Since the angle-adjusted wafer is separated from the support pins, it does not rotate even when the turntable operates, and is kept in an angle-adjusted state. When the angle adjustment of all the wafers is completed, the lifting pole is lowered and all the wafers are transferred collectively from the lifting pins to the support pins.

  When this series of operations (loading, angle adjustment, and transfer) is completed, the wafer transfer machine takes out the five angle-adjusted wafers prepared for transfer on the support pins and transfers them to the wafer container. To do.

JP 2000-294619 A

  In the apparatus and method of Patent Document 1, the support pins are used as a single wafer carry-in destination from the wafer transfer machine and are used as a single wafer carry-out source to the wafer transfer machine. If the five wafers are considered as one set, the apparatus and method of Patent Document 1 have no room to accept two sets of wafers at the same time. The next set of wafers cannot be loaded unless they are combined and unloaded. For this reason, the wafer transfer machine is wasted waiting in a state where no wafer is held in front of the angle aligning apparatus from carry-in to carry-out. On the other hand, the angle aligning apparatus wastes waiting without being able to do anything after the angle-adjusted wafer is unloaded until the next set of wafers is unloaded.

  In order to avoid such unnecessary waiting, the wafer transfer device moves from the angle aligning device to the processing device while the angle aligning device performs the above-described series of operations, and receives the processed wafer and stores it in the wafer container. However, it is also conceivable to move from the wafer container to the angle adjusting device. However, even in this case, the wafer transfer device moves from the angle aligning device to the processing device or from the wafer container to the angle aligning device without holding the wafer. Inevitable empty conveyance.

  As described above, according to the apparatus and method of Patent Document 1, there is a waiting time in which neither the wafer transfer device nor the angle alignment device can do anything. Unavoidable. Therefore, there remains room for improvement in the work efficiency of the angle alignment device and the wafer transfer efficiency.

  Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method that contribute to improving the work efficiency of the angle alignment and the efficiency of transporting the substrate when the substrate is angled in the horizontal position. In addition, a second object of the present invention is to provide a method that contributes to improving the substrate transfer efficiency in transferring a substrate between the substrate storage unit, the substrate angle adjusting device, and the substrate processing apparatus.

  The present invention has been made to achieve the above object, and a substrate angle adjusting device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of holding units that hold each of a plurality of substrates so as to be arranged in a vertical direction in a horizontally placed state. A substrate that includes a rotation driving unit that rotates the holding unit as a unit, and a plurality of first support units that correspond to the plurality of holding units, respectively, and the corresponding first support unit is held by the corresponding holding unit. A plurality of first elevating bodies that individually move up and down between a first retraction position below and a first support position above the corresponding holding part, the plurality of holding parts, and the plurality of first support parts A plurality of second support portions corresponding to the respective portions, and a second retraction position below the substrate where the plurality of second support portions are held by the corresponding holding portions, and the first of the corresponding first support portions. Between the second support position above the support position Comprising a second lifting body which collectively lifting, and a lift driving unit for driving the plurality of first lift and the second lift.

  According to the above-described configuration, the rotation driving unit and the lifting / lowering driving unit rotate the plurality of holding units as a single unit to adjust the angle of one selected substrate, and the holding unit holds the angle-adjusted substrate. A series of angle adjustment operations of individually raising the corresponding first support portion from the first retracted position to the first support position and lifting the substrate by the first support portion can be repeated while sequentially selecting the substrate. Accordingly, it is possible to realize that each of the plurality of substrates is received in a horizontally placed state, and that all the substrates are angled in order in the horizontally placed state while the plurality of holding portions are rotated together.

  Thereafter, the lift driving unit collectively raises the plurality of second support parts from the second retracted position to the second support position, and a plurality of angle-adjusted substrates supported by the plurality of first support parts, respectively. Can be lifted by each of the plurality of second support portions. Accordingly, it is possible to prepare to carry in a plurality of unangled substrates by a plurality of holding units, while preparing to carry out a plurality of substrates whose angles have been adjusted by a plurality of second support portions.

  Therefore, from the viewpoint of the substrate carry-in / out device, the unangled substrate is transported to the substrate angle aligning device and loaded into the holding unit, and immediately after that, 2 It can carry out from a support part and can convey to another predetermined place. As described above, since the non-angled substrate can be exchanged for the angle-adjusted substrate on the spot by the substrate angle aligning device, unnecessary standby time and empty conveyance can be eliminated.

  For the substrate angle alignment apparatus, when an unangled substrate is loaded, the angled substrate is unloaded immediately after that, and the angle alignment work is started immediately after the angle-aligned substrate is unloaded. Can do. The angle adjustment of the loaded substrate may be completed until the next substrate is loaded. Therefore, the waiting time of the substrate angle adjusting device can be eliminated.

  The rotation drive unit is a single rotation drive source, and a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force generated by the rotation drive source to each of the plurality of holding units to rotate the plurality of holding units integrally. , May be included.

  According to the above configuration, the apparatus elements can be omitted by rotating the plurality of holding portions as a single unit using a single rotational drive source, so that a small and lightweight substrate angle alignment apparatus can be manufactured at low cost.

  The holding portion is a turntable that rotates about its central axis, the first support portions form a pair, and the pair of first support portions sandwich the turntable in a direction orthogonal to the substrate loading direction. The second support portions may be paired, and the pair of second support portions may be disposed so as to sandwich the turntable in a direction orthogonal to the substrate loading direction.

  According to the said structure, when it is going to carry in a several board | substrate to each of several turntables, a 1st support part and a 2nd support part do not interrupt | block carrying in a board | substrate. When the pair of first support portions is raised, the pair of edges protruding from the turntable to both sides in the orthogonal direction can be supported from below among the substrates held by the turntable. The rotation moment around the substrate loading direction axis can be prevented from acting on the substrate by the pair of first support portions, and the substrate can be lifted in a balanced manner by the pair of first support portions. The same applies to the second support portion.

  The pair of first support portions are provided on a reference line that passes through the center of the turntable in a plan view and extends in the orthogonal direction, and the second of the pair of second support portions on one side in the orthogonal direction. The support portions are further arranged in pairs so as to sandwich the first support portion on the same side in the substrate loading direction, and the second support portion on the other side in the orthogonal direction among the pair of second support portions is Further, the first support portions on the same side may be arranged in a pair so as to be sandwiched in the substrate loading direction.

  According to the above configuration, since the pair of first support portions are provided on the reference line, the pair of first support portions can suppress the rotational moment around the orthogonal axis on the substrate. Can be lifted in a balanced manner. The pair of second support portions are further paired on one side or the other side in the orthogonal direction, and are arranged so as to sandwich the first support portion in the substrate carry-in direction. As a result, the substrate is supported at four points. Accordingly, the substrate can be supported in a balanced manner by the pair of second support portions in the same manner as the first support portion.

  The first lifting body includes a base portion extending in the orthogonal direction below the lowermost holding portion, and a pair of pole portions extending upward from both ends of the base portion. A support portion may be provided separately for each of the pair of pole portions, and the plurality of turntables may be arranged vertically in a space surrounded by the base portion and the pair of pole portions. .

  According to the said structure, raising / lowering a pair of 1st support part and pinching | interposing a turntable in an orthogonal direction with a pair of 1st support part are realizable.

  The second lifting body includes a base portion extending in the orthogonal direction below a lowermost holding portion, and four pole portions connected to the base portion, and the first lifting body May be accommodated in an inner region of the second lifting body surrounded by the four pole portions, and a second support portion may be provided on each of the four pole portions.

  According to the above-described configuration, the four divided second support portions are moved up and down at once, the first support portion is sandwiched in the substrate loading direction by the second support portion, and the second lift body and the first lift up and down The body can be assembled compactly.

  The elevating drive source includes a detour drive source that retreats the plurality of second support portions to the outside of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate held by the corresponding holding unit, and the elevating drive unit includes the plurality of second support portions. May be configured to be lowered from the second support position to the second retracted position while bypassing the substrate held by the holding portion.

  According to the said structure, even if it is a state with which the board | substrate is hold | maintained at a holding | maintenance part, it can be lowered | hung to a 2nd retraction position, without making a 2nd support part interfere with a board | substrate.

  The substrate angle adjusting method according to another aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of holding portions, a plurality of first support portions that individually move up and down corresponding to each of the plurality of holding portions, the plurality of holding portions, and the plurality of the plurality of holding portions. A substrate angle aligning method using a substrate angle aligning apparatus comprising a plurality of second support portions that move up and down collectively corresponding to each of the first support portions, wherein each of the plurality of holding portions is placed in a horizontal state. Holds a plurality of substrates so that they are lined up and down, and rotates the plurality of holding portions as a unit to angle the selected substrate and corresponds to the holding portion holding the angle-adjusted substrate Repeating a series of angle adjusting operations of individually raising the first support portion and lifting the substrate by the first support portion while selecting the substrate sequentially, raising the plurality of second support portions collectively, The plurality of first supports A plurality of substrates in angular alignment already supported by the respective executing the first transfer operation to lift the second supporting portions each of the plurality.

  According to the method, similarly to the substrate angle adjusting device described above, a plurality of substrates that are not angle-adjusted by a plurality of holding units while preparing to carry out a plurality of substrates that have been angle-adjusted by a plurality of second support portions. Can be prepared for delivery. Therefore, unnecessary stand-by time and empty conveyance can be eliminated from the side of the substrate angle alignment apparatus where the substrate is carried in and out. From the standpoint of the substrate angle adjusting device, the waiting time of the substrate angle adjusting device can be eliminated.

  After performing the first transfer operation, before the plurality of unangled substrates are held by the plurality of holding units, the plurality of first support units are lowered below the corresponding holding units. May be.

  Here, immediately after the first transfer operation is executed, none of the holding units holds the substrate.

  According to the above method, the first support part is lowered from the corresponding holding part before the non-angled board is held by the holding part, such as when the unangled board is newly carried into the holding part. . Then, even if the first support portion does not have a special structure that bypasses the substrate, the first support portion is lowered without causing the first support portion to interfere with the substrate, and the first support portion is moved to the next series of angles. It is possible to prepare for the alignment operation.

  The first transfer operation is performed, a plurality of unangled substrates are carried into each of the plurality of holding units, and a plurality of angularly adjusted substrates are carried out from the plurality of second support units. And repeating the series of angle adjusting operations, lowering the plurality of first support portions all at once, and holding the plurality of angle-adjusted substrates supported by the plurality of first support portions, respectively. A second transfer operation is performed, and the second transfer operation is performed. A plurality of unangled substrates are loaded into each of the plurality of second support units, and the plurality of holdings are performed. When a plurality of angle-adjusted substrates are unloaded from each of the parts, the plurality of second support parts are collectively lowered, and a plurality of unangled sheets supported by the plurality of second support parts The plurality of holding parts of the substrate that Was transferred to Les, repeating said series of angular alignment operation, may execute the first transfer operation.

  According to the method, the angle-adjusted substrate is returned to its carry-in destination. Further, the substrate loading destination is alternately switched between the holding portion and the second support portion. Thereby, even if the second support portion does not have a special structure that bypasses the substrate, the second support portion can be moved up and down between the second support position and the second retracted position without interfering with the substrate. .

  That is, after execution of the first transfer operation, the second support part is positioned above the corresponding holding part. When the second transfer operation is executed by repeating a series of angle adjusting operations, the plurality of substrates that have been adjusted in angle are transferred to the plurality of holding units. During this time, the second support portion does not need to move, and even if the second support portion is stopped, the second support portion does not interfere with the substrate and is allowed to stop.

  After the second transfer operation is performed, the second support unit receives the unangled substrate, and then waits for the angle-adjusted substrate to be carried out from the holding unit. Therefore, the second support portion can be lowered to the second retracted position without causing interference with the substrate, and the non-angled substrate can be transferred to the holding portion. This also allows the holding part and the first support part to repeat a series of angle adjusting operations. When the series of angle adjustment operations is completed, the second support unit is raised by executing the first transfer operation, and lifts the angle-adjusted substrate. The second support portion does not interfere with the substrate even during this rise.

  The first transfer operation is performed, a plurality of unangled substrates are carried into each of the plurality of holding units, and a plurality of angularly adjusted substrates are carried out from the plurality of second support units. And lowering the plurality of second support parts collectively below the corresponding holding part while bypassing the substrate held by the holding part, repeating the series of angle adjusting operations, and The loading operation may be executed.

  According to the method, even if the substrate is loaded into the holding unit before the second support portion is lowered, the second support portion can be lowered without causing interference with the substrate. For this reason, the carrying-in destination of a board | substrate is limited to a holding | maintenance part, and it is limited to the 2nd support part of the state which the carrying-out origin of the board | substrate rose. Therefore, when viewed from the substrate angle adjustment apparatus, the substrate loading operation and the unloading operation are simplified, and the teaching work when the substrate is loaded and unloaded by the robot is simplified.

  A substrate transport method according to another aspect of the present invention includes a substrate transport unit that transports a substrate between a substrate storage unit that stores a substrate, a substrate angle adjusting device that aligns the substrate, and a substrate processing apparatus that processes the substrate. A first exchange step of loading an unangled substrate into the substrate angle aligning device and unloading the angle aligned substrate from the substrate angle aligning device; A first transfer step of transferring the substrate to the apparatus; a second replacement step of carrying the angle-adjusted substrate into the substrate processing apparatus; and unloading the processed substrate from the substrate processing apparatus; and A second transfer step of transferring the substrate to the substrate storage unit; a third exchange step of loading the processed substrate into the substrate storage unit; and unloading the non-angled substrate from the substrate storage unit; The substrate And a third conveying step of conveying the angular alignment device.

  According to the method, an unangled substrate can be exchanged for an angle-aligned substrate on the spot by the substrate angle aligning apparatus. For this reason, the substrate is not idle-transferred in any of the subsequent first transfer step, second transfer step, and third transfer step. When the empty conveyance is eliminated, one cycle of substrate conveyance is completed by only one round of the circulation path from the substrate angle alignment apparatus to the substrate angle alignment apparatus via the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate storage unit. Therefore, the substrate transfer efficiency is greatly improved.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an apparatus and a method that contribute to improving the work efficiency of the angle alignment and the efficiency of transporting the substrate when the substrate is angled in the horizontal position. Further, it is possible to provide a method that contributes to the improvement of the substrate transfer efficiency in transferring the substrate among the substrate storage unit, the substrate angle adjusting device, and the substrate processing apparatus.

It is a top view which shows a part of substrate processing system in which the angle alignment apparatus which concerns on embodiment is used. It is a side view which shows the hand shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process of the substrate conveying method which concerns on embodiment performed within the substrate processing system shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the board | substrate at the time of performing the board | substrate conveyance method shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process of the substrate conveyance method performed within the substrate processing system using the angle alignment apparatus which concerns on a comparative example. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the board | substrate at the time of performing the board | substrate conveyance method shown in FIG. It is the figure which wrote together the time chart at the time of performing the board | substrate conveyance method which concerns on embodiment, and the time chart at the time of performing the board | substrate conveyance method which concerns on a comparative example. It is a side view of the angle adjusting device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a top view of the angle adjustment apparatus shown in FIG. It is a front view of the angle alignment apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the positional relationship of the holding | maintenance part shown in FIGS. 8-10, a 1st support part, and a 2nd support part in the exit / entry direction of a board | substrate. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the angle alignment apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process of the board | substrate angle alignment method which concerns on 1st Embodiment performed in the angle alignment apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 14 is an operation diagram showing a change in position of the first support part and the second support part and a change in state of the substrate when the substrate angle adjusting method shown in FIG. 13 is executed. FIG. 15 is an operation diagram showing a change in position of the first support portion and a change in state of the substrate when the series of angle adjusting operations shown in FIG. 14 is executed. FIG. 14 is an operation diagram showing a change in position of the first support part and the second support part and a change in state of the substrate when the substrate angle adjusting method shown in FIG. 13 is executed. FIG. 17 is an operation diagram showing a change in the position of the first support portion and a change in the state of the substrate when the series of angle adjusting operations shown in FIG. 16 is executed. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the angle adjustment apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a front view of the angle adjustment apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process of the board | substrate angle alignment method which concerns on 2nd Embodiment performed in the angle alignment apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 21 is an operation diagram showing a change in position of the first support portion and the second support portion and a change in state of the substrate when the substrate angle adjusting method shown in FIG. 20 is executed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same or corresponding element through all the figures, and the detailed description which overlaps is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a part of a substrate processing system 1 in which an angle alignment apparatus according to an embodiment is used. A substrate processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1 performs required processing (for example, heat treatment, impurity introduction processing, thin film formation processing, lithography processing, cleaning processing, and planarization processing) on a substrate 100 such as a semiconductor wafer. In the following description, it is assumed that the substrate 100 is a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer unless otherwise specified. However, the substrate processing system 1 may perform processing on a substrate other than the semiconductor wafer.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a substrate processing system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a storage unit 2 that stores a substrate 100, an angle adjusting device 3 that adjusts the angle of the substrate 100, and a processing device 4 that performs processing on the substrate 100. And a transfer robot 5 for transferring the substrate 100. The storage unit 2 is arranged away from the processing device 4 via a transfer space 9 in which the angle adjusting device 3 and the transfer robot 5 are arranged.

  A plurality of containers 2 a that store a plurality of substrates 100 are installed in the storage unit 2. Each container 2a can accommodate a plurality of substrates 100 in a horizontally placed state and in a state of being arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. If the substrate 100 is a semiconductor wafer, a so-called hoop can be suitably applied to the container 2a. The substrate 100 is carried into the substrate processing system 1 while being stored in the container 2a. At this stage, the substrate 100 is not angle-adjusted, and the substrate 100 is not subjected to required processing. When the container 2 a is installed in the storage unit 2, the substrate entrance 2 b is directed to the transfer space 9.

  The angle aligning device 3 accepts the unangled substrate 100 unloaded from the container 2a, aligns the substrate 100, and prepares to unload the angle-adjusted substrate 100. Angle alignment means aligning the circumferential direction of the substrate 100 (specifically, aligning the angular position of a notch or a straight portion (orientation flat) formed on the outer periphery of the substrate). Means. Note that the angle aligning device 3 may align the substrate 100. The processing apparatus 4 receives the substrate 100 that has been angle-adjusted by the angle-adjusting apparatus 3 and processes the substrate 100. The processing apparatus 4 includes a processing chamber 4a for performing processing. A wall that forms the processing chamber 4a is provided with a substrate entrance 4b that allows the transfer space 9 to communicate with the processing chamber 4a. The processed substrate 100 is returned to the container 2a, and is prepared for unloading from the substrate processing system 1 while being accommodated in the container 2a.

  The transport robot 5 transports the substrate 100 between the storage unit 2, the angle adjusting device 3, and the processing device 4. For example, the transport robot 5 transports the unangled substrate 100 to the angle aligning device 3, transports the angle-adjusted substrate 100 to the processing device 4, and transports the processed substrate 100 to the container 2a. The transfer robot 5 has a base 5a installed in the transfer space 9 and one or more arms 5b movably provided on the base 5a. A hand that holds the substrate 100 at the most distal end of the arm 5b. 6 is attached. For example, the hand 6 is a thin plate member having a pair of tip portions divided into two forks, and holds the substrate 100 by placing or holding the substrate 100 on the upper surface thereof.

  FIG. 2 is a side view showing the hand 6 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, a plurality (for example, five) of hands 6A to E are attached to the transfer robot 5, and the hands 6A to E include a plurality of (for example, five) substrates 100. Hold each one. The hands 6A to 6E are arranged at intervals in the up-down direction, and can hold the plurality of substrates 100 in a horizontally placed state and arranged at intervals in the up-down direction. The transfer robot 5 can raise and lower the hands 6A to E collectively without changing the vertical distance between the hands 6A to E.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of steps of the substrate transport method S0 executed in the substrate processing system 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the substrate in the substrate processing system 1 when the substrate transfer method S0 shown in FIG. 3 is executed. The substrate transport method S0 is a method for transporting a substrate among the storage unit 2, the angle adjusting device 3, and the processing device 4.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate transfer method S0 according to the present embodiment includes a first exchange step S1, a first transfer step S2, a second exchange step S3, a second transfer step S4, a third exchange step S5, and a third exchange step. It has conveyance process S6, and these 6 processes S1-S6 are performed in this order. In the substrate processing system 1, the substrate is transported with these six steps S1 to S6 as one cycle. When the third transport step S6 ends, the process returns to the first replacement step S1 and the next cycle starts. The first step of the cycle is the first replacement step S1 for convenience of explanation, and any of the six steps S1 to S6 may be the first.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the first replacement step S <b> 1, the unangled and unprocessed substrate is carried into the angle aligning device 3, and the angle-adjusted substrate is unloaded from the angle aligning device 3. In other words, the transfer robot 5 carries a plurality of unangled substrates held by the hands 6 </ b> A to E (see FIG. 2) into the angle alignment device 3. Immediately after the completion of the carry-in, the transfer robot 5 grips the plurality of angle-adjusted substrates prepared for unloading by the angle aligning device 3 with the hands 6A to E, and holds the plurality of angle-adjusted substrates. Unload from the angle adjusting device 3. Thus, in 1st replacement | exchange process S1, each hand 6A-E carries over to the board | substrate which carried out the angle adjustment from the board | substrate which has not been angled and processed yet.

  The angle aligning device 3 can receive a plurality of substrates while being horizontally placed, and can angle each of the plurality of substrates loaded while being horizontally placed. The angle aligning device 3 can support a plurality of angle-adjusted substrates in a horizontally placed state, and prepares to carry out these substrates. The angle adjustment device 3 according to the present embodiment is configured to receive a plurality of unangled substrates while preparing to carry out the plurality of angled substrates. For this reason, this 1st exchange process S1 becomes realizable.

  In the first transport step S2, the angle-adjusted substrate is transported to the processing apparatus 4. At this time, the plurality of angle-adjusted substrates carried out from the angle adjustment device 3 in the first replacement step S1 may be transferred from the angle adjustment device 3 to the processing device 4 as they are.

  In the second exchange step S3, the angle-adjusted substrate is carried into the processing apparatus 4 and the processed substrate is carried out from the processing apparatus 3. That is, the angles at which the hands 6A to E enter the processing chamber 4a (see FIG. 1) through the substrate entrance 4b (see FIG. 1) and are thereby held by the hands 6A to E (see FIG. 2). A plurality of aligned substrates are carried into the processing chamber 4a from the transfer space 9 (see FIG. 1). Next, the hands 6A to E are lowered all at once, thereby placing a plurality of angle-adjusted substrates gripped by the hands 6A to E at predetermined loading positions in the processing chamber 4a. Immediately after the completion of the loading, the plurality of processed substrates prepared for unloading at a predetermined unloading position in the processing chamber 4a are held by the empty hands 6A to 6E. Next, the hands 6A to E leave the processing chamber 4a through the substrate entrance 4b, and thereby, a plurality of processed substrates held by the hands 6A to 6E are transferred from the processing chamber 4a to the transfer space 9. To do. As described above, in the second replacement step S3, the hands 6A to 6E change over from the angle-adjusted substrate to the processed substrate.

  In the second transport step S4, the processed substrate is transported to the storage unit 2. At this time, a plurality of processed substrates carried out from the processing apparatus 4 in the second replacement step S3 may be transferred from the processing apparatus 4 to the storage unit 2 as they are.

  In the third replacement step S <b> 5, the processed substrate is carried into the storage unit 2, and the untreated substrate is unloaded from the storage unit 2. That is, the processes in which the hands 6A to E enter the container 2a (see FIG. 1) through the substrate entrance 2b (see FIG. 1) and are held by the hands 6A to E (see FIG. 2), respectively. A plurality of completed substrates are carried into the container 2a from the transfer space 9 (see FIG. 1). Next, the hands 6A to E are lowered all at once, thereby placing a plurality of processed substrates held by the hands 6A to E at a predetermined storage position in the container 2a. Then, the plurality of substrates are stored in a horizontal state in the container 2a and arranged in a line at intervals in the vertical direction. Immediately after the completion of the carry-in, empty hands 6A to 6E leave the container 2a through the container entrance 2b of the container 2a. Next, empty hands 6A to 6E enter the other container 2a through the container entrance / exit 2b of another container 2a that accommodates unangled and unprocessed substrates. Next, the hands 6A to E rise together, thereby gripping a plurality of unangled and unprocessed substrates placed at predetermined storage positions in the other containers 2a with the hands 6A to E, respectively. . Next, the hands 6A to 6E exit from the container 2a through the substrate entrance 2b, whereby a plurality of unangled and unprocessed substrates held by the hands 6A to 6E are transferred from the container 2a to the transfer space 9. And carry it out. As described above, in the third replacement step S5, the respective hands 6A to 6E are changed from the processed substrate to the unprocessed substrate with the unangled alignment.

  In the third transport step S <b> 6, the unangled and unprocessed substrate is transported to the angle aligning device 3. At this time, a plurality of unangled and unprocessed substrates carried out from the storage unit 2 in the third replacement step S5 may be transported from the storage unit 2 to the angle adjustment device 3 as they are.

  The operation of the substrate transport method S0 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to a comparative example. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of steps of the substrate transfer method S900 executed in the substrate processing system 901 according to the comparative example, and FIG. 6 shows the substrate processing when the substrate transfer method S900 shown in FIG. 5 is executed. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a substrate in a system 901.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6, the substrate processing system 901 according to the comparative example includes a storage unit 902, an angle aligning device 903, a processing device 904, and a transfer robot 905, as in this embodiment, and the transfer robot 905 includes a hand ( (Not shown) is attached. Unlike the present embodiment, the angle aligning device 903 according to the comparative example cannot accept an unangled substrate unless the angle-aligned substrate is unloaded. In other words, the angle aligning device 903 cannot accept an unangled substrate while preparing to carry out the angle-aligned substrate.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the substrate transport method S900 according to the comparative example, the angle-adjusted substrate is unloaded from the angle aligning device 903 (S901), and the angle-adjusted substrate is transported to the processing device 904 ( In step S902, the angle-adjusted substrate is carried into the processing apparatus 904 (S903). Next, the hand moves to the storage unit 902 without gripping the substrate (S904). That is, the first empty conveyance is performed.

  Next, the unangled and unprocessed substrate is unloaded from the storage unit 902 (S905), the unangled substrate is transported to the angle aligner 903 (S906), and the unangled substrate is loaded into the angle aligner 903. (S907). Next, the hand moves to the processing apparatus 904 without gripping the substrate (S908). That is, the second empty conveyance is performed.

  Next, the processed substrate is unloaded from the processing apparatus 904 (S909), the processed substrate is transferred to the storage unit 902 (S910), and the processed substrate is transferred into the storage unit 902 (S911). Next, the hand moves to the angle adjusting device 903 without gripping the substrate (S912). That is, the third empty conveyance is performed.

  In the substrate processing system 901, the substrate is transported with these 12 steps S901 to S912 as one cycle. The 12 steps S901 to S912 include six steps in which the hand moves, and the hand goes through a circulation path that returns from the angle adjustment device 903 to the angle adjustment device 903 via the processing device 904 and the storage unit 902 in one cycle. To do. When the third empty transfer step S912 is completed, the process returns to step S901 for unloading the substrate from the angle aligning device 903, and the next cycle starts.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating both a time chart when the substrate transfer method S0 according to the present embodiment is executed and a time chart when the substrate transfer method S900 according to the comparative example is executed. In the following description referring to FIG. 7, elements constituting the system and steps constituting the method are appropriately denoted by reference numerals in FIGS. 1 to 6.

  In FIG. 7, the upper side is a time chart of the present embodiment, and the lower side is a time chart of a comparative example. The time chart of this embodiment shows the change in the position of the hand along the same time axis, the process progress of the substrate transport method S0, and the change in the state of the angle adjusting device 3 together. Since the position of the hand is represented on one axis for the convenience of illustration, the oblique line indicating the position change of the hand moving between the storage unit 2 and the angle adjusting device 3 straddles the dotted line indicating the position of the processing device 4. However, as described above, the hand 6 does not pass through the processing device 4 during the movement. The time chart of the comparative example is also created in the same manner as the time chart of this embodiment.

  For convenience of explanation, the movement time between the storage unit 2 and the angle adjustment device 3 according to the present embodiment, the movement time between the angle adjustment device 3 and the processing device 4, and the movement time between the processing device 4 and the storage unit 2. The three types of travel times are assumed to be equal to each other. It is assumed that the three types of substrate exchange time, that is, the substrate exchange time in the storage unit 2 according to the present embodiment, the substrate exchange time in the angle aligning device 3, and the substrate exchange time in the processing device 4 are equal to each other. For convenience of comparison, the three types of travel times according to the comparative example are assumed to be equal to the corresponding ones of the three types of travel times according to the present embodiment. It is assumed that the total time required for the six types of the three types of substrate carrying-in time and the three types of substrate carrying-out time according to the comparative example is equal to each other. Assume that the total time of one substrate carry-in time and one substrate carry-out time according to the comparative example is equal to one substrate exchange time according to the present embodiment.

  In the comparative example, one cycle is not completed unless the transfer robot 905 makes two rounds of the above-described circulation path. Of the lines indicating the position change of the hand according to the comparative example, the dotted line represents the empty conveyance, and one round of the two laps is spent for the empty conveyance. In the substrate transport method S900 according to the comparative example, the substrate carry-in to a certain element (902, 903 or 904) and the substrate carry-out from the element are performed at timings separated in time. The hand returns to the element after one round of the circulation path from the completion of the board loading to the element to the start of the board unloading from the element. Therefore, one cycle cannot be completed unless the hand makes two rounds of the circulation path, and empty conveyance for one round occurs.

  On the other hand, in the substrate transport method S0 according to the present embodiment, immediately after the substrate is loaded into a certain element (2, 3 or 4), the substrate is unloaded from the element on the spot, and the transfer robot 5 is loaded and unloaded. In between, do not leave the front of the element. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the hand 6 makes one round of the circulation path that returns from the angle adjusting device 3 to the angle adjusting device 3 via the processing device 4 and the storage unit 2, one cycle is completed. In the present embodiment, since empty conveyance for one round of the circulation path is eliminated, the tact time is halved compared to the comparative example. Therefore, the substrate transfer efficiency is greatly improved.

  Each time chart includes a state in which the angle adjusting devices 3 and 903 are allowed to adjust the angle (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “angle adjusting allowable state”), and an angle adjusting device as a state change of the angle adjusting devices 3 and 903. 3, 903 shows the switching between two states, that is, a state in which the angle adjustment is not allowed and the user must wait (hereinafter also simply referred to as “standby state”). As a result, the duration of the angle alignment allowable state (hereinafter also referred to as “allowable time”) and the duration of the standby state (hereinafter also referred to as “standby time”) are shown.

  In the comparative example, the angle aligning device 903 starts the step S901 for unloading the substrate from the angle aligning device 903 and ends the step S907 for loading the non-angle aligned substrate into the angle aligning device 903 (step S901). (Execution time of S907). The angle aligning device 903 can enter the angle alignment allowable state only during the period (the execution time of steps S908 to S912) from the end of the loading step S907 to the start of the unloading step S901 of the next cycle. That is, the allowable time of the comparative example includes the time required for the hand to make one round of the above-described circulation path (the total execution time of steps S908, S910, and S912) and the substrate unloading time in the processing apparatus 904 (of step S909). Execution time) and the substrate carry-in time in the storage unit 902 (execution time of step S911).

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the angle adjustment device 3 enters a standby state during the execution time of the first replacement step S1, but starts the first replacement step S1 of the next cycle after finishing the first replacement step S1. During the period up to (execution time of steps S2 to S6), the angle alignment is allowed. That is, the allowable time of the present embodiment includes the time required to make one round of the above-described circulation path (total execution time of the first transfer step S2, the second transfer step S4, and the third transfer step S6), and the processing device. 4 includes a substrate exchange time (execution time of the second exchange step S3) and a substrate exchange time in the storage unit 2 (execution time of the third exchange step S5).

  The standby time of this embodiment is shorter than the standby time of the comparative example by the total time of the time required for the hand to make one round of the circulation path and the time of one substrate exchange. The allowable time of this embodiment is longer than the allowable time of the comparative example by the total time of one substrate carry-in time and one substrate carry-out time (ie, one substrate replacement time). Therefore, the work efficiency of the angle adjustment is improved.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the tact time can be significantly shortened as compared with the comparative example, and the waiting time of the angle adjusting device 3 can be shortened. In addition, the allowable time of the angle adjusting device 3 can be increased.

  The substrate processing system 1 according to the present embodiment has the above-described significant operational effects with respect to the comparative example. One factor is that immediately after the substrate is loaded into the three elements 2 to 4, Then, the board is carried out from the element. The angle aligning device 3 according to the present embodiment is configured so as to be able to accept an unangled substrate while preparing to carry out the angle-aligned substrate, whereby the first replacement step S1 of the substrate transport method S0. Is feasible. With this configuration of the angle adjusting device 3, the present embodiment is clearly superior to the comparative example. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the angle adjusting device 3 including such a configuration will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a side view of the angle adjusting device 3 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the angle adjusting device 3 according to this embodiment includes a plate-like base 25 installed horizontally in the transfer space 9 and a plurality of holding units 10 </ b> A to 10 </ b> A that respectively hold a plurality of substrates 100. E, 1st raising / lowering body 21A-E containing several 1st support part 11A-E, and 2nd raising / lowering body 22 containing several 2nd support part 12A-E are provided.

  The plurality of holding units 10A to 10E hold the plurality of substrates 100 in a horizontally placed state so as to be arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. Therefore, the plurality of holding portions 10 </ b> A to 10 </ b> E are arranged above the base 25 at intervals in the vertical direction. The plurality of holding portions 10A to 10E are configured to rotate as a unit. The plurality of first support portions 11A to E correspond to the plurality of holding portions 10A to E, respectively, and the plurality of second support portions 12A to E correspond to the plurality of holding portions 10A to E and the plurality of first portions. It corresponds to each of the support portions 11A to 11E. The plurality of first support portions 11A to 11E are individually provided with a first retraction position below the substrate 100 held by the corresponding holding portions 10A to 10E and a first support position above the holding portions 10A to 10E. Go up and down between. The plurality of second support parts 12A to 12E are collectively the first support positions of the first support parts 11A to 11E corresponding to the second retracted position below the substrate 100 held by the corresponding holding parts 10A to 10E. It moves up and down between the second support positions above.

  The angle adjusting device 3 according to the present embodiment includes five holding portions 10A to 10E, and five first support portions 11A to 11E and five second support portions 12A to 12E corresponding to the five holding portions 10A to 10E. A set of substrates 100 can be handled in a batch. That is, it accepts collective carry-in of a set of five non-angle aligned substrates 100 and prepares to carry out collective unload of a set of five substrates 100 aligned in angle. The number of substrates 100 (that is, the number of holding portions 10A to 10E) that can be handled collectively by the angle adjusting device 3 can be changed as appropriate.

  The angle aligning device 3 has a substrate entrance / exit 3a (also schematically shown in FIG. 1) for carrying in or carrying out a set of five substrates 100 at a time. The five holding portions 10A to 10E are arranged away from the substrate entrance 3a in the loading direction X1 of the substrate 100. The carry-in direction X1 is a direction that intersects with the up-down direction, and is preferably horizontal.

  When the five substrates 100 are collectively loaded into the angle aligning device 3, the hand 6 holding the five non-angle aligned substrates 100 enters the angle aligning device 3 through the substrate entrance / exit 3a in the loading direction X1. Come on. The five holding units 10A to 10E can receive the five substrates 100 thus loaded in a horizontally placed state, and hold the received substrates 100 so as to be arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. it can. In the present embodiment, when the five second support portions 12A to 12E are also positioned at the second support position and do not support the substrate 100, the five loaded substrates 100 are respectively received in a horizontally placed state. Then, the five second support portions 12A to 12E are lowered to the second retracted position, so that the five non-angle aligned substrates 100 can be transferred to the holding portions 10A to 10E, respectively.

  The angle adjusting device 3 rotates the holding units 10A to 10E as a unit to angle the single substrate 100, and the first support corresponding to the holding units 10A to 10E holding the angle adjusted substrate 100 is provided. It is configured to repeat a series of angle adjusting operations of raising the portions 11A to E and sequentially lifting the substrate 100 by the first support portions 11A to 11E. A series of angle adjustment operations are usually repeated until the angle adjustment of all five substrates 100 is completed.

  When the five substrates 100 are unloaded from the angle aligning device 3, the hand 6 holds the five substrates 100 that have been angle aligned and are prepared for unloading in the angle aligning device 3. In the present embodiment, the five substrates 100 that have been angle-aligned can be prepared to be carried out by the five second support portions 12A to 12E, respectively, and can also be prepared to be carried out by the five holding portions 10A to 10E. Can do. After completion of the series of angle adjusting operations, if the second support parts 12A to 12E are raised, the second support parts 12A to 12E are ready to be carried out, and if the first support parts 11A to E are lowered, the holding part is provided. It will be in the state which prepares carrying out by 10A-E. After gripping the five substrates 100, the hand 6 retreats in the unloading direction X2 opposite to the loading direction X1. As a result, the five substrates 100 are carried out together with the hand 6 through the substrate inlet / outlet 3 a and out of the angle adjusting device 3.

  According to the angle aligning device 3 according to the present embodiment, when the five substrates 100 that have been angle aligned are prepared to be carried out by the five second support portions 12A to 12E, respectively, the five holding portions 10A to 10A. E can accept the loading of the five substrates 100 whose angles are not aligned. In the case where five substrates 100A to E that have been angle-aligned are prepared to be carried out by the five holding units 10A to 10E, the five second substrates 100A to 12E that are not angle-aligned are loaded. Can be accepted. As a result, the angle aligning device 3 can exchange a set of five non-angle-matched substrates 100 with a set of five substrates 100 that have been angle-aligned. The working efficiency of the angle adjusting device 3 can be improved.

  In the following description, when the carry-in direction X1 and the carry-out direction X2 are expressed without distinction, they are referred to as “in / out direction X”, and the in / out direction X is horizontal. In addition, a horizontal direction orthogonal to the entrance / exit direction X is referred to as “orthogonal direction Y”. When distinguishing the five holding portions 11A to 11E arranged in the vertical direction from each other, the first-stage holding portion 10A, the second-stage holding portion 10B, the third-stage holding portion 10C, and the fourth-stage holding are sequentially arranged from the bottom. The part 10D is referred to as a fifth stage holding part 10E. The same applies to the other elements corresponding to the holding units 10A to 10E.

  FIG. 9 is a plan view of the angle adjusting device 3 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the five holding portions 10 </ b> A to 10 </ b> E are rotationally driven integrally by the rotational driving portion 30. The rotation drive unit 30 according to the present embodiment transmits a single rotation drive source 31 such as an electric motor and a driving force generated by the rotation drive source 31 to each of the plurality of holding units 10A to 10E to hold the five units. And a rotation transmission mechanism 32 that rotationally drives the portions 10A to 10E as a unit. The rotation transmission mechanism 32 includes a speed reduction mechanism 33, a drive shaft 34, and five belt transmission mechanisms 35A to 35E. The drive shaft 34 extends in the vertical direction and is rotatably supported. The drive shaft 34 is connected to the output shaft of the rotational drive source 31 via the speed reduction mechanism 33. The five belt transmission mechanisms 35A to 35E correspond to the holding portions 10A to 10E, respectively. Each belt transmission mechanism 35A-E is provided on a drive shaft 34 and rotates with the drive shaft 34, a driven pulley (not shown) built in the corresponding holding portion 10A-E, and a drive And pulleys 36A-E and timing belts 37A-E wound around driven pulleys. In the present embodiment, the timing belts 37A to 37E are also wound around the idle pulleys 38A to 38E.

  The holding portions 10 </ b> A to 10 </ b> E according to the present embodiment are turntables that rotate around the central axis, and the central axis is directed in the vertical direction in the same manner as the drive shaft 34. The five central axes are arranged coaxially and form a rotation axis common to the five holding portions 10A to 10E. When the rotational drive source 31 is activated, the drive shaft 34 rotates around an axis line directed in the vertical direction, and the five belt transmission mechanisms 35A to 35E transmit the rotation of the drive shaft 34 to the corresponding holding portions 10A to 10E. As a result, the five holding portions 10A to 10E are rotationally driven integrally around the central axis (that is, a common rotation axis).

  Each holding portion 10A to E has a substantially circular upper surface in plan view, and can mount one substrate 100 on the upper surface, and the substrate 100 is mounted on the upper surface in this way. Hold. At this time, each board | substrate 100 is hold | maintained at corresponding holding | maintenance part 10A-E so that the centerline of the board | substrate 100 which faced the plate | board thickness direction may correspond with the rotating shaft line of holding | maintenance part 10A-E. Further, when the holding units 10A to E hold the substrate 100, only the central portion of the substrate 100 is placed on the upper surface of the holding units 10A to E, and the remaining portion of the substrate 100 is horizontal from the holding units 10A to E. Extend. If the substrate 100 is a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer, portions of the substrate 100 extending from the holding portions 10A to 10E have a donut shape in plan view. As described above and below, the second support portions 12A to 12E can also receive the loaded substrate 100 in a horizontally placed state, but at this time, the five substrates 100 are held by the holding portions 10A to E. Alignment with respect to the rotation axis is performed in the same manner as described above.

  The drive shaft 34 is separated from the holding portions 10A to 10E in the carry-in direction X1, and is disposed on the opposite side of the substrate entrance / exit 3a with respect to the holding portions 10A to E as a reference. For this reason, the drive shaft 34 does not hinder the entry and exit of the hand 6 and the loading and unloading of the substrate 100. The speed reduction mechanism 33 is connected to the lower end of the drive shaft 34, and the rotational drive source 31 is disposed below the drive shaft 34. For this reason, the speed reduction mechanism 33 and the rotational drive source 31 do not interfere with the substrate 100. The rotational drive source 31 is arranged away from the drive shaft 34 in the orthogonal direction Y. For this reason, the rotational drive part 31 is laid out compactly in the entrance / exit direction X, and as a result, the angle adjusting device 3 can be reduced in size in the entrance / exit direction X.

  Although not shown in detail, the holding portions 10A to 10E are provided with five brackets (not shown) extending from the support stand (not shown) adjacent to the drive shaft 34 in the carrying-out direction X2 from the base 25. ) It is attached to each tip part, and is supported by the base 25 side through a corresponding bracket so as to be cantilevered and rotatable. The upper surfaces of the holding portions 10A to 10E are located above the corresponding brackets and above the corresponding timing belts 37A to E. For this reason, the brackets and the rotation transmission mechanisms 32A to 32E do not interfere with the substrate 100.

  It should be noted that other mechanisms may be applied to the rotation transmission mechanism 32 according to changes in the shape of the holding portions 10A to 10E. For example, when the holding portion is formed in a pin shape or a claw shape, the rotation transmission mechanism is composed of a single turntable driven by a single rotation drive source and a pole extending upward from the turntable. Two holding portions may be arranged on the pole at intervals in the vertical direction. Further, a plurality of rotation drive sources may be provided, and the five holding units may be rotated as a unit by operating these rotation drive sources in synchronization. If the five holding portions 10A to 10E are rotated together as a single rotation drive source 31 as in the present embodiment, the device elements of the angle adjusting device 3 can be reduced, so that the size and weight can be reduced. The angle adjusting device 3 can be manufactured at low cost.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the first lifting bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E are provided as many as the number of substrates 100 that can be handled collectively by the angle adjusting device 3 (five in this embodiment). The bodies 21A to E are associated with the five first support portions 11A to 11E on a one-to-one basis. The five first support portions 11A to 11E are attached to the corresponding first elevating bodies 21A to 21E so as to be spaced apart in the vertical direction in the same manner as the holding portions 10A to 10E. Each 1st raising / lowering body 21A-E is driven by the raising / lowering drive part 70, and it is accept | permitted to raise / lower up and down independently independently of the remainder. When each first elevating body 21A to E moves up and down, only the first support portions 11A to E corresponding thereto move up and down independently of the rest. In accordance with this lifting operation, only the substrate 100 held by any one of the holding portions 10A to 10E is lifted by the corresponding first support portions 11A to 11E or supported by the first support portions 11A to 11E. The substrate 100 can be transferred to the corresponding holding portions 10A to 10E.

  The second elevating body 22 is single, and the single second elevating body 22 has all the five second support portions 12A to 12E. The five second support parts 12A to 12E are arranged on the second lifting body 22 at intervals in the vertical direction in the same manner as the holding parts 10A to 10E. The second elevating body 22 is driven by the elevating drive unit 70 and moves up and down. When the second elevating body 22 moves up and down, the five second support portions 12A to 12E move up and down all at once without changing the vertical interval. In accordance with this lifting operation, the five substrates 100 supported by the first support portions 11A to 11E are collectively lifted by the second support portions 12A to 12E, or supported by the second support portions 12A to 12E, respectively. The five substrates 100 that have been placed can be transferred to each of the holding portions 10A to 10E in a lump.

  FIG. 10 is a front view of the angle adjusting device 3 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the 2nd raising / lowering body 22 comprises the box opened by the up-and-down both sides and the entrance / exit direction X as a whole. The second elevating body 22 has a pair of bases 51 and 52, four poles 53 to 56, and a pair of side walls 57 and 58. The pair of bases 51 and 52 are arranged away from each other in the entrance / exit direction X and extend in parallel to the orthogonal direction Y. Of the four poles 53 to 56, two poles 53 and 54 are erected upward from one end and the other end of the carry-in base 51, and the remaining two poles 55 and 56 are carry-out bases. 52 is erected upward from one end and the other end of 52. The pair of side walls 57 and 58 are arranged in parallel in the orthogonal direction Y, and the one side wall 57 connects the ends of the bases 51 and 52 to each other and the poles 53 and 55 arranged on one side. Connect. The other side wall 54 connects the other ends of the two bases 51 and 52 and connects the two poles 54 and 56 arranged on the other side. Thus, the 2nd raising / lowering body 22 comprises the box as mentioned above.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the five first elevating bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E are arranged in the entrance / exit direction X and are arranged in an inner region of the second elevating body 22. The five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are arranged in the carry-out direction X2 in order from the first stage, but the arrangement order can be changed as appropriate.

  When attention is paid to the first lifting body 21E of the fifth stage also shown in FIG. 10, the first lifting body 21E is erected upward from the base 61E extending in the orthogonal direction and from one end and the other end of the base 61E. And a pair of poles 62E and 63E. The first elevating body 21E is formed in a U-shape in the same way as the second elevating body 22 when viewed in the entrance / exit direction X, but is smaller than the second elevating body 22, and thereby the inner side of the second elevating body 22 It allows accommodation in the area. The base 61E is slightly shorter than the bases 51 and 52 of the second elevating body 22, and is disposed between the pair of side walls 57 and 58 of the second elevating body 22 (see particularly FIG. 9). The pair of poles 62E and 63E are disposed inward of the four poles 53 to 56 of the second elevating body 22, and extend in the vertical direction so as to face the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 57 and 58 (particularly FIG. 9). reference). In this way, the fifth lifting / lowering body 21 </ b> E is nested in the second lifting / lowering body 22.

  The remaining first lifting bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> D are configured in the same manner as the first lifting body 21 </ b> E in the fifth stage and are nested in the second lifting body 22. The five bases 61A to 61E extend in parallel in the inner region of the second elevating body 22 (see particularly FIG. 9). On one side of the orthogonal direction Y, the five poles 62A to 62E stand in the inner region of the second lifting body 22A so as to be aligned in the entrance / exit direction X (detailed illustration is omitted), and also on the other side, the five poles 63A to 63E. Stands in the inner region of the second lifting body 22 so as to line up in the access direction X (see particularly FIG. 8). The five poles 63A to 63E have different heights corresponding to the heights of the corresponding holding portions 10A to 10E, the first stage pole 63A has the minimum height, and the fifth stage pole The height of 63E is maximum (see particularly FIG. 8). The five poles 62A to 62E have the same height as the corresponding poles 63A to 63E (detailed illustration is omitted).

  When the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are arranged in the inner region of the second elevating body 22 as described above, the five bases 61A to 61E constitute an insulator-shaped bottom wall portion, and one side 5 The two poles 62A to 62E and the other five poles 63A to 63E appear as if they constitute a pair of bar graph side walls. The five first elevating bodies 21A to E constitute a casing or a box that is open on the upper side and both sides of the entrance / exit direction as a whole. Conversely, it can be said that the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are obtained by slicing such box bodies in the access direction X. Since the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are combined and arranged in the inner region of the second elevating body 22 as described above, the elevating bodies 21A to E and 22 can be configured compactly as a whole.

  The base 25 is provided with a central wall 27 extending in the entrance / exit direction X, the second lifting body 22 is disposed above the central wall 27, and the five first lifting bodies 21A to 21E are moved to the second lifting / lowering body. Arranged in the inner region of the body 22. The first elevating bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E and the second elevating body 22 are supported by the central wall 27 via the guide support mechanism 65 so as to be movable up and down. The guide support mechanism 65 corresponds to the bases 51, 52, 61 </ b> A to E, and one guide support mechanism 65 is provided for each of the first elevating bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E, and a pair of the second elevating bodies 22 is provided. Two guide support mechanisms 65 are provided corresponding to the bases 51 and 52, respectively.

  Focusing on the carry-out side base 52 of the second elevating body 22 also shown in FIG. 10, the base 52 is provided with a guide piece 68 protruding downward, and the guide piece 68 is connected to the central wall 27 via the linear guide 69. It is attached to the side. The linear guide 69 guides and supports the guide piece 68 so that the guide piece 68 linearly moves in the vertical direction along the side surface of the central wall 27. Although not shown in detail, the carry-in base 51 of the second lifting body 22 is similarly supported by the central wall 27, and the bases 61A to 61E of the first lifting bodies 21A to 21E are similarly supported by the central wall 27. Is done.

  As described above, the second elevating body 22 forms a box that is opened on the lower side. Therefore, the five first elevating bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E can cause the corresponding guide pieces (not shown in detail) to protrude downward from the second elevating body 22 through the lower open portion of the second elevating body 22. it can. Accordingly, the five first elevating bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E can be supported by the central wall 27 positioned below the second elevating body 22 while being nested in the second elevating body 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the five first lifting bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E and the single second lifting body 22 are driven by the lifting drive unit 70. The elevating drive unit 70 corresponds to each of the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E, and includes five first elevating drive sources 71A to 71E for elevating and lowering the corresponding first elevating bodies 21A to 21E, and the second elevating body 22. And a second raising / lowering drive source 72 that moves up and down. In this embodiment, the second raising / lowering drive source 72 is single. A total of six lifting drive sources 71A to E, 72 are installed on the base 25 in a state of being aligned in the access direction X, and are disposed below the corresponding lifting bodies 21A to E, 22.

  Each 1st raising / lowering drive source 71A-E is a cylinder which has a rod which can advance / retreat to an up-down direction, for example. The rod is connected to the base 61A-E or the guide piece of the guide support mechanism 65. When the rods of the first elevating drive sources 71A to E extend, the corresponding first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are guided by the guide support mechanism 65 and are raised independently of the remaining first elevating bodies 21A to 21E. . As this rises, the first support portions 11A to 11E included in the first lifting bodies 21A to 21E rise independently of the remaining first support portions. When the rod contracts, the corresponding first elevating body and the first support part are lowered independently of the remainder. Of course, if the five first raising / lowering drive sources 71A-E are operated synchronously, the five first raising / lowering bodies 21A-E are raised / lowered all at once, thereby raising / lowering the five first support portions 11A-E all at once. be able to.

  As described above, the second elevating body 22 forms a box that is opened on the lower side. For this reason, when raising the 1st raising / lowering bodies 21A-E, the 2nd raising / lowering body via the lower part open | release part of the 2nd raising / lowering body 22 makes the component (a rod as an example) of 1st raising / lowering drive sources 71A-E. 22 can enter the inner region. Accordingly, the five first elevating driving sources 71A to 71E are arranged below the second elevating body 22 while the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are nested in the second elevating body 22, and the base 25 can be easily installed on top.

  The second raising / lowering drive source 72 is also a cylinder like the first raising / lowering drive sources 71A to 71E, and the rod is connected to the carry-in base 51 or a guide piece (detailed illustration is omitted) of the guide support mechanism 65 corresponding thereto. The When the rod of the second elevating drive source 72 is extended, the second elevating body 22 is guided and raised by the guide support mechanism 65. With this rise, the five second support portions 12A to 12E included in the second elevating body 22 rise together. If the 2nd raising / lowering drive source 72 shrink | contracts, the 2nd raising / lowering body 22 will descend | conversely conversely, and the 5 2nd support parts 12A-E will fall collectively. Since the carry-out base 52 is supported on the side surface of the central wall 27 by the guide support mechanism 65 so as to be able to move up and down, the second lift drive source 72 is used as a single unit and the driving force for raising and lowering is input only to the carry-in base 51. In addition, the second elevating body 22 can be smoothly moved in the vertical direction without changing the posture of the second elevating body 22.

  The raising / lowering drive sources 71A-E and 72 may generate | occur | produce a rotational drive force like an electric motor. In this case, the elevating drive unit includes a conversion mechanism that converts the rotation generated by the elevating drive source into translation, and a ball screw and a nut that is screwed to the conversion mechanism can be applied to the conversion mechanism.

  As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the 2nd raising / lowering body 22 is arrange | positioned upwards rather than the base 25, and comprises the box opened by the up-and-down both sides and the entrance / exit direction both sides. The five first lifting bodies 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E are arranged in an inner region of the second lifting body 22. The lower open portion of the second lifting body 22 includes the first lifting bodies 21A to 21E nested in the second lifting body 22 and the first lifting bodies 21A to 21E supported on the base side. This contributes to coexistence with installation of the lift drive sources 71A to 71E on the base 25.

  The five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E form a box that is opened on the upper side and both sides in the entrance / exit direction as a whole, and the five holding portions 10A to 10E are arranged inside the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E. The bases 51, 52, 61A-E of the lifting bodies 21A-E are located above the base 25 and below the first stage (lowermost stage) holding part 10A, and are orthogonal to each other. Extend to.

  When the second elevating body 22 is viewed in the carrying-in direction X1, the carry-out base 52 and the two poles 55 and 56 erected from the base 52 form a U-shape, and the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are Further, it is formed in a U-shape in the same way on the loading / unloading direction X side (see particularly FIG. 10). The five holding portions 10A to 10E are further arranged on the loading / unloading direction X carry-in side, and are arranged in the vertical direction at the intermediate portion between the poles 62A to E and 63A to E in the orthogonal direction Y.

  The first lifting / lowering bodies 21A to 21E and the second lifting / lowering body 22 are opened as described above on the loading / unloading direction X, and the unloading-side opening portion carries the substrate 100 to / from the angle adjusting device 3. The entrance / exit 3a is comprised. The hand 6 can enter the internal direction of the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E via the substrate entrance / exit 3a in the carrying-in direction X1, and the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E and the second elevating bodies 21A to E and the second via the substrate entrance / exit 3a. It is possible to move out of the lifting body 22 in the carry-out direction X2 (see particularly FIG. 9).

  When the holding units 10A to E hold the disc-shaped substrate 100, only the central portion of the substrate 100 is placed on the upper surface of the holding units 10A to E, and the remaining part of the substrate 100 is the holding units 10A to E. It extends horizontally from and exhibits a donut shape in plan view. The bases 61A to 61E of the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are shorter than the bases 51 and 52 of the second elevating body 22 but longer than the diameter of the substrate 100. For this reason, the board | substrate 100 can be carried in into 1st raising / lowering body 21A-E as mentioned above, without making the board | substrate 100 interfere with raising / lowering body 21A-E, 22. Further, when the five loaded substrates 100 are held by the five holding portions 10A to 10E, the held substrates 100 are opposed to the poles 62A to E and 63A to E of the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the drive shaft 34 is disposed together with the rotational drive source 31 away from the second elevating body 22 in the carry-in direction X <b> 1, and thus does not hinder the carry-out or carry-in of the substrate 100. The first lifting / lowering bodies 21A to 21E and the second lifting / lowering body 22 constitute a box that is opened on the loading / unloading direction X loading side, and the belt transmission mechanisms 36A to 36E pass through the loading / unloading-side opening portion to pass through the second lifting / lowering body. 22 enters from the outside to the internal region of the five first lifting bodies 21A-E in the carry-out direction X2. As described above, when the lifting bodies 21A to E and 22 are opened, the drive shaft 34 extending in the vertical direction is disposed outside the lifting bodies 21A to E and 22, and the rotation of the drive shaft 34 is used for the lifting and lowering. Arrangement of mechanisms 36A-E for rotationally driving the holding portions 10A-E in the bodies 21A-E, 22 can be realized. In addition, the lifting and lowering bodies 21A to E and 22 are also opened on the carry-out side, and coupled with the fact that the part is used as the substrate entrance / exit 3a, the entire rotation drive unit 30 can be arranged so as not to prevent the carry-out or carry-in of the substrate 100. .

  As shown in FIG. 8, each 1st raising / lowering body 21A-E contains 1st support part 11A-E matched one-to-one. Each 1st support part 11A-E is being fixed to pole 62A-E, 63A-E of corresponding 1st raising / lowering body 21A-E. In each of the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E, the poles 62A to E and 63A to E form a pair, and the first support portions 11A to 11E also form a pair.

  Focusing on the first lifting body 21E in the fifth stage, the first supporting part 11E in the fifth stage makes a pair in the orthogonal direction Y as shown in FIG. The pair of first support portions 11E is formed in a plate-like claw shape, is attached to each of the pair of poles 62E and 63E of the corresponding first elevating body 11E, and is disposed so as to sandwich the corresponding holding portion 10E in the orthogonal direction Y. Is done. The pair of first support portions 11E are disposed at the same height with respect to the base 61E of the corresponding first elevating body 21E, and are disposed at substantially the same height as the corresponding holding portion 10E.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the substrate 100 held by the holding unit 10E extends horizontally from the holding unit 10E. The substrate 100 is slightly separated from the poles 62A to 62E of the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E and the poles 53 and 55 of the second elevating body 22 at the one side edge in the orthogonal direction Y, and the other edge in the orthogonal direction Y. Thus, the poles 63A to 63E of the first lifting bodies 21A to 21E and the poles 54 and 56 of the second lifting body 22 are slightly separated.

  A pair of 1st support parts 11E protrude in the orthogonal direction Y from corresponding pole 62E, 63E, and are arrange | positioned in the internal area | region of 1st raising / lowering body 21A-E. The first support portion 11E on one side in the orthogonal direction Y does not overlap with the holding portion 10E in a plan view, but overlaps with one edge portion of the substrate 100 held by the holding portion 10E in a plan view. The first support portion 11E on the other side in the orthogonal direction Y also does not overlap with the holding portion 10E in plan view, but also overlaps with the other side edge portion of the substrate 100 held by the holding portion 10E in plan view.

  When a reference line LY that passes through the center of the holding portion 10E in plan view and extends in the orthogonal direction Y is drawn, the reference line LY passes through the pair of first support portions 11E, and the pair of first support portions 11E corresponds to the reference Provided on the line LY. When the substrate 100 is properly held by the holding unit 10E, the reference line LY matches the center line of the substrate 100 that passes through the center of the substrate 100 and extends in the orthogonal direction Y. At this time, the region where the pair of first support portions 11E overlaps the substrate 100 includes a terminal point on one side in the orthogonal direction Y of the substrate 100 and a terminal point on the other side.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, in a plan view, the pair of first support portions 11E are arranged in line symmetry with a reference line LX passing through the center of the holding portion 10E and extending in the entrance / exit direction X as a symmetry axis. When the substrate 100 is appropriately held by the holding unit 10E, the reference line LX matches the center line of the substrate 100 that passes through the center of the substrate 100 and extends in the loading / unloading direction X. Both first support portions 11E are line symmetric in plan view with the reference line LY as the axis of symmetry. Therefore, from the viewpoint of the substrate 100, the region where the pair of first support portions 11E overlaps the substrate 100 is symmetrical with respect to the reference line (center line) LX and the reference line (center line) LY. It is formed symmetrically about the axis.

  Each first support portion 11E is formed to be short in the orthogonal direction Y and long in the loading / unloading direction X in plan view. Therefore, from the viewpoint of the substrate 100, the region where the pair of first support portions 11E overlap with the substrate 100 is formed only in the vicinity of the edge in the radial direction, but is relatively wide in the circumferential direction. Each first support portion 11E has a carry-out side end at a position where the poles (62E, 63E) of the first lift body (the fifth lift first lift body 21E in the present embodiment) at the carry-out side end are arranged. And reach the position where the pole (62A, 63A) of the first lifting body (first stage first lifting body 21A in the present embodiment) at the loading side end is disposed. Yes. In other words, the pair of first support portions 11E are arranged at one end portion and the other end portion in the orthogonal direction Y in the inner region of the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E and extend over the entire entrance / exit direction X. Exist.

  The remaining first support portions 11A to 11D are configured similarly to the first support portion 11E of the fifth stage. As described above, the heights of the poles 62A to E and 63A to E of the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are different from each other depending on the vertical positions of the corresponding holding portions 10A to 10E. Each 1st support part 11A-E is attached to the upper end part of corresponding pole 62A-E, 63A-E. Thereby, the 1st raising / lowering body corresponding to a low stage holding | maintenance part miniaturizes in the up-down direction, and contributes to the weight reduction of the angle alignment apparatus 3. FIG.

  The five first support portions 11A to 11E are arranged so as to completely overlap in a plan view. In other words, each of the first support portions 11A to 11E has the same five first lifting bodies 21A to 21A as described above, regardless of where the corresponding first lifting bodies 21A to 21E are arranged in the entrance / exit direction X. In the inner region of E, it is arranged at one end and the other end in the orthogonal direction Y and extends over the entire entrance / exit direction X. Therefore, regardless of the viewpoint of any of the five substrates 100, the regions that overlap the first support portions 11A to 11E to which the substrate 100 corresponds are formed in the same manner.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the second elevating body 22 includes all five second support portions 12 </ b> A to E, and the five second support portions 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> E are poles 53 to 56 of the second elevating body 22. And are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. Each 2nd support part 12A-E is arrange | positioned at the substantially same height as corresponding holding | maintenance part 10A-E. The vertical intervals between adjacent holding portions 10A to E are equal, and the vertical intervals between adjacent second support portions 12A to 12E are also equal. And the vertical interval of these 2nd support parts 12A-E is the same as the vertical interval of holding | maintenance part 10A-E (refer the dimension line of the paper surface right side in FIG. 10).

  The second elevating body 22 has four poles 53 to 56, and the second support portions 12A to 12E are fixed to the four poles 53 to 56 at the same height and arranged in four locations. A total of four nail-like supports (second support parts) are provided. That is, each of the second support parts 12A to 12E has two sets of claw-shaped supports separated in the orthogonal direction Y, and two claw-shaped supports in which a pair on one side of the orthogonal direction Y forms a pair in the entrance / exit direction X And a pair on the other side in the orthogonal direction Y has two claw-like supports that form a pair in the entrance / exit direction X. In other words, each of the second support parts 12A to 12E has two sets of claw-like supports separated in the entrance / exit direction X, and the two claws in which the set on the entrance / exit direction X side forms a pair in the orthogonal direction Y A pair of claw-shaped supports having a pair in the orthogonal direction Y.

  Focusing on the second support portion 12E of the fifth stage, as shown in FIG. 9, the pair on the one side in the orthogonal direction Y of the second support portion 12E is a pair of second support portions 12E (nail-like shapes) separated in the entrance / exit direction X. Support). The pair of second support portions 12E are fixed to the poles 53 and 55 of the second elevating body 22, respectively. These 2nd support parts 12E protrude in the orthogonal direction Y so that it may be arrange | positioned from the corresponding poles 53 and 55 to an internal area | region. The second support portions 12E do not overlap with the corresponding holding portions 10E and the corresponding first support portions 11E in plan view, but overlap with one side edge portion of the substrate 100 held by the holding portion 10E in plan view. These second support portions 12E are disposed at substantially the same height as the corresponding first support portions 11E, and sandwich the first support portion 11E disposed on the same side (one side in the orthogonal direction Y) in the entrance / exit direction X. Placed in. The region where the second support portion 12E overlaps the substrate 100 is formed so as to form a pair on the loading / unloading direction X carry-out side and the carry-in side as compared with the region where the first support portion 11E on the same side overlaps the substrate 100. .

  The group on the other side in the orthogonal direction Y is the same as above. The pair of second support parts 12E included in the set is arranged so as to sandwich the one arranged on the same side (orthogonal direction Y other side) of the corresponding first support parts 11E in the entrance / exit direction X, and corresponds. The holding portion 10E and the corresponding first support portion 11E do not overlap with each other in plan view, but overlap with the other side edge portion of the substrate 100 held by the holding portion 10E in plan view. The region where the second support portion 12E overlaps the substrate 100 is formed so as to sandwich the region where the first support portion 11E on the same side overlaps the substrate 100 in the loading / unloading direction X. As a result, the substrate 100 is formed with four regions overlapping with the second support part 12E.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the two second support portions 12E are arranged symmetrically with respect to the reference line LY as the axis of symmetry in both the pair on the one side and the other side in the orthogonal direction Y. In addition, the two second support portions 12E that form a set on one side in the orthogonal direction Y are in line symmetry with the two second support portions 12E that form a set on the other side in the orthogonal direction Y, with the reference line LX as the axis of symmetry. Is arranged. For this reason, when the viewpoint is placed on the substrate 100, the four regions where the second support portion 12E overlaps the substrate 100 are symmetrical with respect to the reference line (center line) LX and the reference line (center line) LY. It is formed symmetrically about the axis.

  The remaining second support portions 12A to 12D are configured similarly to the second support portion 12E of the fifth stage. The five second support portions 12A to 12E are arranged so as to completely overlap in a plan view. For this reason, regardless of the viewpoint of any of the five substrates 100, the region where the substrate 100 overlaps the corresponding first support portions 11A to 11E in plan view is formed in the same manner.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the positional relationship among the holding portion 10A, the first support portion 11A, and the second support portion 12A shown in FIGS. FIG. 11 shows the positional relationship between the first-stage holding unit 10A and the elements corresponding thereto, and the remaining holding units 10B to 10E are the same.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the first support portion 11 </ b> A has a first retraction position below the substrate 100 held by the corresponding holding portion 10 </ b> A in accordance with the raising and lowering of the corresponding first lifting body 21 </ b> A (see FIG. 8). And the first support position above the corresponding holding portion 10A.

  When the first support portion 11A rises from the first retracted position to the first support position while the substrate 100 is held by the holding portion 10A, the substrate 100 held by the holding portion 10A is lifted by the first support portion 11A. Accordingly, the substrate 100 is transferred from the upper surface of the holding unit 10A to the upper surface of the first support unit 11A. Since the first support portion 11A overlaps the substrate 100 in plan view as described above, the first support portion 11A suppresses the rotation moment about the X-axis direction of the entrance / exit and the rotation moment about the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the substrate 100. The substrate 100 can be supported in a balanced manner by the first support portion 11A.

  When the first support portion 11A is lowered from the first support position to the first retracted position while the substrate 100 is supported by the first support portion 11A, the substrate 100 supported by the first support portion 11A is held by the holding portion 10A. In addition, the first support portion 11A is further lowered, whereby the substrate 100 is transferred from the first support portion 11A to the holding portion 10A.

  The second support portion 12A includes a second retracted position below the substrate 100 held by the corresponding holding portion 10A and a second support position above the first support position of the corresponding first support portion 11A. Go up and down between.

  When the second support portion 12A rises from the second retracted position to the second support position while the substrate 100 is supported by the first support portion 11A, the supported substrate 100 may be lifted by the second support portion 12A. Accordingly, the substrate 100 is transferred onto the upper surface of the second support portion 12A. The substrate 100 is supported at four points by the second support portion 12A. Further, the second support portion 12A overlaps the substrate 100 in plan view as described above. For this reason, the board | substrate 100 can be supported with sufficient balance by the 2nd support part 12A similarly to 11 A of 1st support parts.

  When the second support portion 12A is lowered from the second support position to the second retracted position while the substrate 100 is supported by the second support portion 12A and the first support portion 11A is located at the first retracted position, the second The substrate 100 supported by the support portion 12A is placed on the upper surface of the holding portion 10A, and the second support portion 12A is further lowered, whereby the substrate 100 is transferred from the second support portion 12A to the holding portion 10A. Is done.

  In the meantime, when the second support portion 12A rises from the second retracted position to the second support position while the substrate 100 is held by the holding portion 10A, the substrate 100 held by the holding portion 10A is moved to the second position. It is possible to lift the support portion 12A. Further, when the second support portion 11A is lowered from the second support position to the second retracted position in a state where the substrate 100 is supported by the second support portion 12A and the first support portion 11A is located at the first support position. In addition, it is possible to transfer the substrate 100 supported by the second support part 12A to the first support part 11A. However, such transfer is not used in the substrate angle adjusting method described later.

  The holding portion 10A, the first support portion 11A corresponding to the holding portion 10A, and the second support portion 12A corresponding thereto are arranged so as not to overlap each other in plan view. For this reason, even if the 1st support part 11A goes up and down so as to straddle the upper surface level of the holding part 10A, the first support part 11A does not interfere with the holding part 10A, and the first support part 11A and the holding part 10A Thus, the substrate 100 can be transferred. Even if the second support portion 12A moves up and down across the upper surface level of the holding portion 10A and the first support position level of the first support portion 11A, both the holding portion 10A and the first support portion 11A The substrate 100 can be transferred between the three parts of the holding part 10A, the first support part 11A, and the second support part 12A without causing interference.

  The second support position is below the lower surface of the holding portion 10B that is one level above the corresponding holding portion 10A. Thereby, when the board | substrate 100 is lifted by 12 A of 2nd support parts, the said board | substrate does not collide with the holding | maintenance part 10B on one step. The first retraction position and the second retraction position may be lower than the upper surface of the corresponding holding unit 10A, and may be higher than the lower surface of the holding unit 10A. In FIG. 9, for convenience of illustration, the second retracted position is below the first retracted position, but the second retracted position may be the same position in the vertical direction as the first retracted position, or from the first retracted position. Or above.

  Referring to FIG. 11, the holding unit 10A can receive the unangled substrate 100 held by the corresponding hand 6A, and holds the angled substrate 100 and carries it out. Can be prepared. Further, in a state where the second support portion 12A is located at the second support position, the second support portion 12A can accept the loading of the non-angled substrate 100, and also supports the angle-adjusted substrate 100 and prepares its unloading. can do.

  When the substrate 100 is carried into the holding unit 10A, the hand 6A enters the angle adjusting device 3 in the loading direction X1 at the first upper entrance position above the upper surface of the holding unit 10A, and from the upper surface of the holding unit 10A. Also descends to the lower first entry / exit position. As a result, the substrate 100 held by the hand 6A is transferred to the upper surface of the holding unit 10A. Thereafter, the hand 6A moves out of the angle adjusting device 3 in the carry-out direction X2, whereby the carry-in of the substrate 100 to the holding unit 10A is completed. When the substrate 100 held by the holding unit 10A is carried out, the hand 6A enters the angle adjusting device 3 at the first lower entry / exit position and rises to the first upper entry / exit position. As a result, the substrate 100 held by the holding unit 10A is transferred to the hand 6A. Thereafter, the hand 6A moves out of the angle adjustment device 3 in the carry-out direction X2, whereby the carry-out of the substrate 100 from the holding unit 10A is completed.

  When the substrate 100 is carried into the second support portion 12A, the hand 6A is positioned above the second support position and at the second upper entrance position, which is below the lower surface of the upper holding portion 10A. It enters in the carrying-in direction X1 and descends to the second lower entry / exit position below the second support position. Thereby, the board | substrate 100 currently hold | gripped with the hand 6A is transferred to the 2nd support part 12A. Thereafter, the hand 6A moves out of the angle adjusting device 3 in the carry-out direction X2, whereby the carry-in of the substrate 100 to the holding unit 10A is completed. When carrying out the substrate 100 supported by the second support part 12, the hand 6A enters the angle adjusting device 3 at the second lower entry / exit position and rises to the second upper entry / exit position. As a result, the substrate 100 supported by the second support portion 12A is transferred to the hand 6A. Thereafter, the hand 6A moves out of the angle adjusting device 3 in the carry-out direction X2, whereby the carry-out of the substrate 100 from the second support portion 12A is completed.

  The holding portion 10A is a turntable on which the central portion of the substrate 100 is placed, and both the first support portion 11A and the second support portion 12A are arranged so as to sandwich the holding portion 10A in the orthogonal direction Y. As described above, the hand 6 </ b> A has a pair of tip portions divided into two forks, and the hand 6 </ b> A advances and retreats with respect to the angle adjusting device 3 with the pair of tip portions separated in the orthogonal direction Y. Therefore, the pair of tip portions sandwich the holding portion 10A in the orthogonal direction, the tip portion on one side in the orthogonal direction Y is located between the holding portion 10A and the support portions 11A and 12A on the one side, and the tip portion on the other side. The hand 6 can be disposed in the angle adjusting device 3 so as to be positioned between the holding portion 10A and the other support portions 11A and 12A. Thereby, the hand 6A can be raised and lowered without causing the holding portion 10A and the support portions 11A and 12A to interfere with each other.

  FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the angle adjusting device 3 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, the angle adjustment device 3 includes a controller 80 that controls the rotation drive unit 30 and the elevation drive unit 70, and a sensor 90 that is connected to the input side of the controller 80. The controller 80 executes a program indicating the procedure of the substrate angle alignment method stored in advance, and according to the input from the sensor 90, the rotation drive source 31, the five first elevating drive sources 71A to 71E, and the second elevating drive source 72 is controlled. As a result, the rotation driving unit 30 and the lifting / lowering driving unit 70 can execute the angle adjusting operation on the five substrates 100 carried into the angle adjusting device 3. Further, the lifting / lowering drive unit 70 can perform the transfer operation on the five substrates 100 carried into the angle adjusting device 3. The sensor 90 includes a substrate presence / absence sensor that detects whether or not five substrates 100 are present in the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E, and a circumferential position of the substrate 100 in the first elevating bodies 21A to 21E. A substrate angle sensor for detecting (angular position) and the like are included, and an angle adjusting operation and a transfer operation are executed based on the inputs of these sensors.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of steps of the substrate angle adjusting method S100 according to the first embodiment executed in the angle adjusting apparatus 3 shown in FIG. FIG. 14 is an operation diagram showing the position change of the first support portion 11A and the second support portion 12A and the state change of the substrate 100 when the substrate angle adjusting method S100 shown in FIG. 13 is executed. 13 corresponds to the first half (S102, S111 to S117) of the steps shown in FIG. FIG. 14 representatively shows the first stage holding section 10A, the first support section 11A, and the second support section 12A, but operates in the same manner in other stages unless otherwise specified. The rotation of the holding portions 10A to E and the raising and lowering of the first support portions 11A to E and the second support portions 12A to E are performed through control of the rotation driving unit 30 and the raising / lowering driving unit 70 by the controller 80. The description will be omitted. In the following description, “X” and “Z” are respectively added to the reference numerals when particularly distinguishing the unangled substrate and the angled substrate.

  As shown in FIG. 13, for convenience of explanation, in the substrate angle alignment method S100 according to the present embodiment, first, it is assumed that five substrates 100X are loaded into the second support portions 12A to 12E, respectively (S101). At the time of loading, the five first support portions 11A to 11E are all located at the first support position, and the five second support portions 12A to 12E are collectively located at the second support position.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, in this case, next, the five second support portions 12A to 12E are collectively lowered from the second support position to the first retracted position (S102). As a result, the five substrates 100X are simultaneously transferred to the five holding portions 10A to 10E. When the five substrates 100X are held by the five holding portions 10A to 10E, a series of angle adjusting operations (S111 to S112) are sequentially repeated.

  FIG. 15 is an operation diagram showing the position change of the first support portions 11A to 11E and the state change of the substrate 100 when the series of angle adjusting operations (S111 to S112) shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, in the angle alignment operation, the holding units 10 </ b> A to 10 </ b> E are rotated as a unit, and one substrate 100 selected from the five substrates 100 (the first-stage holding unit 10 </ b> A in the illustrated example). The substrate 100) held at the angle is aligned (S111). Then, the first support portion (the first support portion 11A in the first stage in the illustrated example) corresponding to the substrate 100Z is individually raised from the first retracted position to the first support position (S112). At this time, the remaining first support portions 11B to 11E are stopped. As a result, the angle-adjusted one substrate 100Z is separated from the holding portion 10A and lifted by the first support portion 11A.

  When the angle alignment operation is completed for the first of the five substrates 100 (S113: NO), one selected from the remaining unangled substrates 100X (in the illustrated example, held by the second stage holding unit 10B). The series of angle adjusting operations (S111 to S112) is performed on the substrate 100X). This series of angle adjusting operations (S111 to S112) is repeated while sequentially selecting the substrates 100. Usually, it repeats until all the board | substrates 100 are lifted by 1st support part 11A-E, respectively. Even in the second and subsequent angle adjustment operations, when the selected one substrate 100 is angle-adjusted, the five holding portions 10A to 10E rotate as a unit. However, since the angle-adjusted substrate 100Z is away from the corresponding holding part, the angle-adjusted state can be maintained. In FIG. 15, the five substrates 100 are angle-adjusted one by one in order from the bottom, but the order of angle alignment can be changed as appropriate.

  When the five first support portions 11A to 11E are all located at the first support position as shown in the lower right end portion of the sheet of FIG. 15, the vertical intervals between the five first support portions 11A to 11E are equal. The vertical distance is equal to the vertical distance between the second support parts 12A to 12E and the vertical distance between the holding parts 10A to E. In the present embodiment, when the five first support portions 11A to 11E individually lift the substrate 100Z, the five first support portions 11A to 11E are associated with the five first lifting bodies 21A to 21E on a one-to-one basis. . Thereby, the pitch can be made uniform in this way. Since a certain first support portion can be lifted and lowered independently of the position of the remaining first support portion, the first support position may be a minimum height necessary for lifting the substrate 100Z. . For this reason, the vertical interval between the holding portions 10A to 10E can be reduced, and the angle adjusting device 3 can be downsized in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, when all the substrates 100 </ b> Z have been angle aligned (S <b> 113: YES), the five second support portions 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> E are collectively raised from the second retracted position to the second support position. (S114). As a result, the five substrates 100Z are simultaneously transferred to the five second support portions 12A to 12E (first transfer operation). When the first transfer operation is performed in this way, as described below, preparation is made for unloading five substrates 100Z whose angles have been adjusted by each of the five second support portions 12A to 12E located at the second support position. In addition, each of the empty holding portions 10A to 10E can accept the loading of the five non-angle-matched substrates 100X.

  Before the carry-in, the five first support portions 11A to 11E are lowered all at once from the first support position to the first retracted position (S115). After the descent is completed, the hands 6A to 6E are allowed to enter the angle adjusting device 3, and carry the five non-angle aligned substrates 100X into the five holding units 10A to E (S116). At this time, each of the hands 6A to 6E grips five non-angle aligned substrates 100X and enters the loading direction X1 at the first upper loading / unloading position (see the left side of the third stage in FIG. 14). Thereafter, the hands 6A to E move down from the first upper entrance / exit position to the first lower entrance / exit position, thereby transferring the five non-angle aligned substrates 100X to the five holding portions 10A to E (FIG. 14 see the third stage right side).

  The simultaneous lowering of the first support portions 11A to 11E is for preparing for the execution of the angle alignment operation to the newly loaded substrate 100. Since the first support portions 11A to 11E overlap with the substrate 100 in plan view, if the first support portions 11A to E are lowered after the loading of the substrate 100 into the holding portions 10A to 10E is finished, the first support portion 11A to E interfere with the loaded substrate 100. In the present embodiment, since the first support portions 11A to 11E are lowered before the substrate 100 is carried in, even if the first support portions 11A to 11E are not configured to be able to bypass the substrate 100, the first support portions 11A to 11A. The next angle adjustment operation can be prepared by simply moving E downward.

  When the carry-in is completed, the five substrates 100Z that have been adjusted in angle are carried out from the five second support portions 12A to 12E (S117). At this time, the hand 6 once moves out of the angle adjusting device 3 and rises from the first lower entrance / exit position to the second lower entrance / exit location outside the angle adjusting device 3 and is carried in at the second lower entrance / exit position. The vehicle enters in the direction X1 (see the left side of the fourth stage in FIG. 14). Thereafter, the hands 6A to E move from the second lower entry / exit position to the second upper entry / exit position, and thereby, the five substrates 100Z whose angles have been adjusted are transferred to the five hands 6A to E (FIG. 14). (Refer to the right side of the 4th stage). Next, the hand 6 moves out of the angle adjusting device 3 in the carry-out direction X2. In this way, the first replacement step S1 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) in the substrate carry-out method S0 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) is realized.

  FIG. 16 is an operation diagram showing the position change of the first support portion 11A and the second support portion 12B and the state change of the substrate 100 when the substrate angle adjusting method S100 shown in FIG. 13 is executed, and the process shown in FIG. This corresponds to the latter half (S121 to 127, S102).

  As shown in FIGS. 13 and 16, after the substrate 100X is carried into the holding portions 10A to 10E and the substrate 100Z is carried out from the second support portions 12A to 12E, a series of angle adjusting operations are repeated in the same manner as described above. (S121-S122). As shown in FIG. 17, the current series of angle adjusting operations is different from the previous angle adjusting operation in that the second support portions 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> E are located at the second support position, but the holding portions 10 </ b> A to E and the first support are provided. The operations of the units 11A to 11E are the same as the previous angle adjustment operation.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 and 16, when all the five substrates 100X are aligned and lifted to the first support portions 11A to 11E (S123: YES), the first support portions 11A to E are moved together. The first support position is lowered to the first retracted position (S124). As a result, the five substrates 100Z are simultaneously transferred from the first support portions 11A to E to the holding portions 10A to E (second transfer operation). By performing the second transfer operation, the holding units 10A to 10E can prepare for carrying out the substrate 100Z, and the second support units 12A to 12E are positioned at the second support position, and the five sheets are transferred. The loading of the substrate 100X can be prepared. While repeating this series of angle adjustment operations (S121-S122) and the second transfer operation (S124), the second support portions 12A to 12E continue to stop at the second support position. Since the substrate 100 is angularly adjusted or transferred below the second support position, the second support portions 12A to 12E do not need to be moved in particular and have no effect on the state change of the substrate 100 even if stopped. Not give.

  When the second transfer operation is executed, five substrates 100X are carried into each of the second support portions 12A to 12E located at the second support position (S126), and five from each of the five holding portions 10A to E. The substrate 100Z is unloaded (S127).

  As shown in FIG. 16, when carrying the substrate 100X into the second support portions 12A to 12E, the hands 6A to E holding the substrate 100X enter the angle adjusting device 3 at the second upper / lower position, and the hands 6A to 6 E moves down to the second lower entry / exit position all at once, and the substrate 100X is transferred to the second support parts 12A to 12E. Thereby, the carrying-in of the substrate 100X to the second support parts 12A to 12E is completed. Next, the hands 6A to E are temporarily withdrawn in the carry-out direction X2, are lowered to the first lower entry / exit position all at once outside the angle adjustment device 3, and enter the angle adjustment device 3 at the first lower entry / exit position. Next, the hands 6A to E move up to the first upper entry / exit position, the substrate 100Z is transferred from the holding units 10A to E to the hands 6A to E, and the hands 6A to E retreat in the carry-out direction X2. Thereby, the carrying-out of the substrate 100Z from the holding units 10A to 10E is completed.

  When unloading of the substrate 100Z from the holding units 10A to 10E is completed in this way, the second support units 12A to 12E are bundled together in order to prepare for an angle adjusting operation with respect to the substrate 100X carried into the second support units 12A to 12E. The second support position is lowered to the second lowered position (S102). As a result, the five substrates 100X supported by the second support portions 12A to 12E are transferred to the five holding portions 10A to 10E, respectively. Thereafter, as described above, the angle transfer operation (S111-S112) is repeated and the first transfer operation (S114) is performed. By lowering the second support portions 12A to 12E to the second lowered position in step S102, the second support portions 12A to 12E can prepare the first transfer operation. This lowering operation is executed after the substrate 100 is unloaded from the holding units 10A to 10E. Therefore, even if the second support portions 12A to 12E are not specifically configured to bypass the substrate 100, the second support portions 12A to 12E are straightly lowered to the second lowered position without interfering with the substrate 100. can do.

  As described above, according to the substrate angle adjusting method S100 according to the present embodiment, the angle-adjusted substrate 100Z is returned to its carry-in destination. Then, the carry-in destination of the substrate 100 is sequentially switched alternately between the holding portions 10A to 10E and the second support portions 12A to 12E located at the second support position, whereby the carry-out source of the substrate 100 is also changed accordingly. Sequentially alternate. In this way, even if the second support portions 12A to 12E are not specially provided with a structure that bypasses the substrate 100, an unangled substrate 100X is received while preparing to carry out the angle-adjusted substrate 100Z. Can be tolerated. Therefore, the first replacement step S1 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) of the substrate transport method S0 can be realized.

  FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the angle adjusting device 203 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 19 is a front view showing the angle adjusting device 203 shown in FIG. The angle adjusting device 203 according to the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the second support portions 212A to 212E can move up and down while bypassing the substrate 100. Hereinafter, the angle adjusting device 203 according to the second embodiment will be described focusing on this difference.

  As shown in FIG. 18, in the angle adjusting device 203, the second lifting body 222 includes all five second support portions 212 </ b> A to 212 </ b> E and moves up and down according to the operation of the single second lifting drive source 72. As the second elevating body 222 moves up and down, the five second support portions 212A to 212E move up and down at a time between the second support position and the second retracted position. The five second support parts 212A to 212E can be lowered from the second support position to the second position retracted while bypassing the substrate 100 held by the holding parts 10A to 10E. Therefore, the elevating drive unit 270 includes a detour drive source 275 that is attached to the second elevating drive source 72 and moves the second support units 212A to 212E in the radial direction of the substrate 100. The detour drive source 275 is a second support. The portions 212A to 212E can be retracted outside the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 100 held by the holding portions 10A to 10E. The controller 280 drives and controls the bypass drive source 275 as part of the control of the rotation drive unit 30 and the elevation drive unit 270.

  As shown in FIG. 19, as an example, the second elevating body 222 includes a base 252 and poles 255 and 256 arranged away from each other in the orthogonal direction Y, and the five second support portions 212A to 212E are It is fixed to the poles 255 and 256 with an interval in the vertical direction. The bypass drive source 275 is, for example, a cylinder that reciprocates the pole 252 in the direction Y orthogonal to the bases 255 and 256, and is fixed to the base 252. When the elevating drive source 72 (see FIG. 18) operates, the second elevating body 222 moves together with the detour drive source 275 in the vertical direction as a whole. When the detour drive source 275 is operated, the second support portions 212A to 212E have a covering position that overlaps the substrate 100 in plan view, regardless of whether the second lifting body 222 itself is in the vertical direction, and the substrate 100. And in the orthogonal direction Y between the separated positions separated in the horizontal direction without overlapping in plan view. In the first embodiment, since such a bypass drive source is not provided, the first support portions 11A to 11E (see FIG. 10) and the second support portions 12A to 12E (see FIG. 10) are always the substrate 100. And overlap in plan view.

  Also in this embodiment, the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E are nested in the second elevating body 222 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the poles 255 and 256 and the side walls 257 and 258 of the second elevating body 222 are It is located outside the orthogonal direction Y from the five first elevating bodies 21A to 21E. For this reason, it is possible to move the second support portions 212A to 212E from the covering position to the separated position outside the orthogonal direction Y without causing the second lifting body 222 to interfere with the first lifting bodies 21A to 21E. If the second support portions 212A to 212E can bypass the substrate 100 in this way, it is beneficial because the following substrate angle adjusting method can be executed.

  FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a flow of steps of the substrate angle adjusting method S200 according to the second embodiment executed using the angle adjusting device 203 shown in FIG. FIG. 21 is an operation diagram showing the position change of the first support portion 11A and the second support portion 212A and the state change of the substrate 100 when the substrate angle adjusting method S200 shown in FIG. 20 is executed.

  As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, first, according to the angle alignment method S200 according to the second embodiment, the non-angle alignment substrate 100X is carried into the holding portions 10A to 10E (S201). Next, as in the first embodiment, a series of angle adjusting operations (S211 to S212) are performed. A series of angle adjusting operations is repeated until all the substrates 100 are lifted by the first support portions 11A to 11E (see the determination process in S213). When all the substrates 100Z are lifted by the first support portions 11A to 11E, the second support portions 212A to 212E are collectively raised from the second retracted position to the second support position (S214). As a result, the five substrates 100Z whose angles have been adjusted are transferred simultaneously from the five first support portions 11A to 11E to the five second support portions 212A to 212E.

  This operation corresponds to the first transfer operation (S114) of the first embodiment, and after this operation, the process proceeds in the same manner as S115 to S117 of the first embodiment. That is, before the substrate 100X is held by the holding portions 10A to E, the five first support portions 11A to 11E are lowered all at once from the first support position to the first retracted position (S215). Accepting the loading of the substrate 100X (S216), the five substrates whose angles have been adjusted are unloaded from the second support portions 212A to 212E in the state of being in the second support position (S217). As described above, also in the angle aligning device 203 and the substrate angle aligning method S200 according to the present embodiment, the first replacement step S1 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) of the substrate transport method S0 can be realized.

  Next, the second support portions 212A to 212E descend from the second support position to the second retracted position while bypassing the substrate 100X held by the holding portions 10A to 10E (S218). That is, the second support portions 212A to 212E are moved from the cover position to the separated position, and are moved from the second support position to the second retracted position. And it returns to S211 and a series of angle adjustment operation | movement is performed. As described above, in the present embodiment, the second support portions 212A to 212E are configured to be movable up and down while bypassing the substrate 100. For this reason, the carry-in destination of the unangled substrate 100X is limited to the holding portions 10A to 10E, and the carry-out source of the angle-adjusted substrate 100Z is limited to the second support portions 212A to 212E located at the second support position. In addition, the substrate angle alignment method S200 can be continuously performed without the second support portions 212A to 212E interfering with the substrate 100. When the carry-in destination and the carry-out source are limited in this way, the hand 6 always performs the same operation in the angle adjusting device 203, and the operation is simplified. For this reason, teaching work of the transfer robot 5 is simplified.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above configuration and method are merely examples, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In a system to which the angle aligning devices 3 and 203 are applied, a substrate transfer method different from the above embodiment may be used.

  The present invention can provide an apparatus and a method that contribute to improving the working efficiency of the angle alignment and the efficiency of transporting the substrate when the substrate is angled in a horizontal state, and also includes a substrate storage unit, a substrate angle alignment device, and a substrate. Substrate in a substrate processing system for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, for example, having a remarkable effect that it can provide a method that contributes to improvement of substrate transfer efficiency in transferring a substrate between processing apparatuses. It is useful to apply it to transport and angle adjustment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate processing system 2 Storage part 3,203 Angle adjustment apparatus 4 Processing apparatus 5 Transfer robot 6 (6A-E) Hand 10A-E Holding part 11A-E 1st support part 12A-E 2nd support part 21A-E 1st Elevator 22, 222 Second elevator 30 Rotation drive unit 31 Rotation drive source 32 Rotation transmission mechanism 70, 270 Elevation drive unit 71 </ b> A-E First elevating drive source 72 Second elevating drive source 275 Detour drive source 80, 280 Controller 100 substrates (100X unangled substrates)
(100Z angle adjusted substrate)
S0 Substrate transport method S100, S200 Substrate angle alignment method

Claims (13)

A plurality of holding portions for holding each of the plurality of substrates so as to be arranged in a vertical direction in a horizontally placed state;
A rotation drive unit that rotates the holding unit integrally;
A plurality of first support portions corresponding to each of the plurality of holding portions; a first retraction position below a substrate in which the plurality of first support portions are held by the corresponding holding portions; and the corresponding holding portions A first elevating body that moves up and down between the upper first support position,
A second retraction position below the substrate that includes a plurality of second support portions corresponding to the plurality of holding portions and the plurality of first support portions, respectively, and the plurality of second support portions are held by the corresponding holding portions. And a second elevating body that moves up and down in a lump between the corresponding first support portion and the second support position above the first support position;
A substrate angle alignment apparatus comprising: an elevating drive unit that drives the first elevating body and the second elevating body.   The rotation drive unit is a single rotation drive source, and a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force generated by the rotation drive source to each of the plurality of holding units to rotate the plurality of holding units integrally. The substrate angle adjusting device according to claim 1, comprising:   A plurality of the first elevating bodies are provided, the plurality of first elevating bodies include the plurality of first support parts, and the elevating drive unit includes a plurality of first corresponding to the plurality of first elevating bodies. The substrate angle alignment apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a lift drive source. The holding part is a turntable that rotates around its central axis,
The first support portions form a pair, and the pair of first support portions are arranged so as to sandwich the turntable in a direction orthogonal to the substrate loading direction,
The said 2nd support part makes a pair, and a pair of said 2nd support part is arrange | positioned so that the said turntable may be pinched | interposed in the orthogonal direction of a board | substrate carrying-in direction. Substrate angle alignment device. The pair of first support portions are provided on a reference line extending in the orthogonal direction through the center of the turntable in a plan view,
Of the pair of second support portions, the second support portion on one side in the orthogonal direction is further arranged in a pair so as to sandwich the first support portion on the same side in the substrate loading direction, The second support part on the other side in the orthogonal direction among the second support parts is further arranged in a pair so as to sandwich the first support part on the same side in the substrate loading direction. The board | substrate angle alignment apparatus of description. The first lifting body includes a base portion extending in the orthogonal direction below the lowermost holding portion, and a pair of pole portions extending upward from both ends of the base portion. A support portion is provided separately for each of the pair of pole portions,
The substrate angle alignment apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the plurality of turntables are arranged vertically in a space surrounded by the base portion and the pair of pole portions. The second lifting body has a base portion extending in the orthogonal direction below the lowermost holding portion, and four pole portions connected to the base portion,
The first elevating body is accommodated in an inner region of the second elevating body surrounded by the four pole portions, and a second support portion is provided in each of the four pole portions. The board | substrate angle alignment apparatus of description.   The elevating drive unit includes a detour drive source that retreats the plurality of second support units to the outside of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate held by the corresponding holding unit, and the elevating drive unit includes the plurality of second support units The substrate angle adjusting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substrate angle adjusting device is configured to be lowered from the second support position to the second retracted position while detouring the substrate held by the holding unit collectively. A substrate comprising a plurality of holding portions, a plurality of first support portions corresponding to the plurality of holding portions, and a plurality of second support portions corresponding to the plurality of holding portions and the plurality of first support portions, respectively. A substrate angle alignment method using an angle alignment apparatus,
Holding a plurality of substrates so as to be arranged in a vertical direction in a horizontal state in each of the plurality of holding portions;
The plurality of holding portions are rotated as a unit to angle the one substrate, and the first support portion corresponding to the holding portion holding the angle-adjusted substrate is raised to bring the substrate into the first position. Repeated a series of angle adjustment operations of lifting at the support,
The first transfer of raising the plurality of second support parts collectively and lifting the plurality of angle-adjusted substrates supported by the plurality of first support parts by the plurality of second support parts, respectively. A substrate angle alignment method for performing an operation.   After performing the first transfer operation, before the plurality of unangled substrates are held by the plurality of holding units, the plurality of first support units are lowered below the corresponding holding units. The substrate angle adjusting method according to claim 9. The first transfer operation is performed, a plurality of unangled substrates are carried into each of the plurality of holding units, and a plurality of angularly adjusted substrates are carried out from the plurality of second support units. When,
Repeating the series of angle adjustment operations,
A second transfer operation for lowering the plurality of first support portions all at once and transferring a plurality of angle-adjusted substrates supported by the plurality of first support portions to the plurality of holding portions, respectively. Run
The second transfer operation is executed, a plurality of unangled substrates are loaded into the plurality of second support portions, and a plurality of angled substrates are unloaded from the plurality of holding portions, respectively. When,
Lowering the plurality of second support portions collectively, transferring a plurality of unangled substrates supported by the plurality of second support portions to the plurality of holding portions,
Repeating the series of angle adjustment operations,
The substrate angle adjusting method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the first transfer operation is executed. The first transfer operation is performed, a plurality of unangled substrates are carried into each of the plurality of holding units, and a plurality of angularly adjusted substrates are carried out from the plurality of second support units. When,
Lowering the plurality of second support parts to lower than the corresponding holding part while bypassing the substrate held in the holding part at once.
Repeating the series of angle adjustment operations,
The substrate angle adjusting method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the first transfer operation is executed. A substrate transport method for transporting a substrate between a substrate storage unit for storing a substrate, a substrate angle adjusting device for adjusting a substrate angle, and a substrate processing device for processing a substrate,
A first exchanging step of loading an unangled substrate into the substrate angle aligning device and unloading the angled substrate from the substrate angle aligning device;
A first transport step for transporting the angle-adjusted substrate to the substrate processing apparatus;
A second exchanging step of carrying the angle-adjusted substrate into the substrate processing apparatus and unloading the processed substrate from the substrate processing apparatus;
A second transfer step of transferring the processed substrate to the substrate storage unit;
A third exchange step of carrying the processed substrate into the substrate storage unit and carrying out an unangled substrate from the substrate storage unit;
And a third transport step of transporting the unangled substrate to the substrate angle aligning device.

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