JP2016018847A - Substrate processing device and substrate transferring method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow transfer of a substrate less likely to be disturbed by another substrate carried into/out of a processing tank.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device comprises: a substrate transfer machine 50b that has a holding mechanism 54 for holding a substrate W, and a transfer mechanism 51 for transferring the substrate W held by the holding mechanism 54; and a processing tank 66 for housing the substrate W in a state where a normal direction of a substrate surface of the substrate W is directed in a horizontal direction, to process the substrate W. The holding mechanism 54 is configured to hold the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is directed in an orthogonal direction to a transfer direction. The transfer mechanism 51 is configured to transfer the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is directed in an orthogonal direction to the transfer direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and a substrate transfer method for the substrate.

  Conventionally, bumps (protruding shapes) that form wiring in fine wiring grooves, holes, or resist openings provided on the surface of a semiconductor wafer, etc., or are electrically connected to the surface of a semiconductor wafer or the like with package electrodes, etc. Forming an electrode). As a method for forming the wiring and bumps, for example, an electrolytic plating method, a vapor deposition method, a printing method, a ball bump method and the like are known. However, as the number of I / Os of a semiconductor chip increases and the pitch becomes finer, Electroplating methods that can be made to be stable and have relatively stable performance have been increasingly used.

  In the process of forming the wiring in the resist opening by the electroplating method, after the wiring is formed in the resist opening, the resist formed on the substrate is removed and the seed layer (or barrier metal) is removed by etching. Done. A process for forming these wirings, a resist stripping process, a seed layer etching process, and the like are performed by immersing the substrate in a processing bath containing a predetermined processing solution. As a processing tank, one capable of storing a substrate vertically (vertically) is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Republished patent WO01 / 68952

  For example, according to the description in Patent Document 1, in a processing tank in which a substrate is stored in a vertical shape and processed, when the substrate is transported, the normal direction of the substrate surface is the horizontal direction and faces the transport direction. It is transported over the treatment tank in the state of being. In this way, when another substrate is taken in and out of the processing tank when the substrate is transported, the other substrate that is taken in and out hinders the transport of the substrate. For this reason, it is necessary to wait for the transfer of the substrate while another substrate is taken in and out of the processing tank, and there is a problem that the throughput of the entire substrate processing apparatus is lowered.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to make it difficult for the substrate to be disturbed by another substrate that is taken in and out of the processing tank.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a holding unit that holds a substrate and a transfer unit that transfers the substrate held by the holding unit, And a processing tank for processing the substrate, wherein the normal direction of the substrate surface is horizontal. The substrate is configured to hold the substrate in a direction and perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the conveyance unit is configured such that the normal direction of the substrate surface is horizontal and the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. In this state, the substrate is transported.

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment, wherein the transport unit has a normal direction of the substrate surface in a horizontal direction and a transport direction. The holding unit is configured to hold the substrate on a side of the processing tank when the substrate is transported in a state of facing a right angle direction.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment, including a liquid receiving portion provided on a side of the processing tank, When the substrate is transported in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface is oriented in the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the transport direction, the holding unit holds the substrate above the liquid receiving unit. Composed.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the second or third embodiment, wherein the normal direction of the substrate surface is oriented in the horizontal direction and with respect to the transport direction. A first gas ejection portion that forms an air curtain for separating the atmosphere between the substrate and the processing tank held in a state of being oriented in a right angle direction;

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus of any one of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein the substrate is positioned above the processing tank. It has the 2nd gas ejection part for spraying gas along the in-plane direction of the both sides of the said board | substrate.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the transfer device has the holding portion in a horizontal direction and A first drive mechanism for turning about an axis in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction; and a second drive mechanism for turning the holding portion about an axis in the transport direction.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the transfer device rotates the holding unit around a vertical axis. And a third drive mechanism for turning.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate transport method according to an eighth aspect of the present invention transports the substrate in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface is in the horizontal direction and in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. A step of turning the substrate so that the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the transport direction, and storing the substrate in a processing tank in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the transport direction And having.

  To achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the present invention transports a substrate holder that holds a substrate, a holding portion that holds the substrate holder, and the substrate holder that is held by the holding portion. A transport unit, and a processing tank for storing the substrate and the substrate holder in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the transport direction of the transport device, and processing the substrate, The holding unit is configured to hold the substrate on a side of the processing tank when the transfer unit transfers the substrate.

  To achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the ninth aspect, further comprising a liquid receiving portion provided on a side of the processing tank, When transporting the substrate, the holding portion is configured to hold the substrate above the liquid receiving portion.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the ninth aspect or the tenth aspect, wherein the substrate and the processing tank when the transfer unit transfers the substrate. And a first gas ejection part that forms an air curtain that separates the atmosphere.

To achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the ninth to eleventh aspects, wherein the substrate is positioned above the processing tank. It has the 2nd gas ejection part which blows gas along the in-plane direction of the both sides of the said board | substrate.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the ninth to twelfth embodiments, wherein the holding unit has a normal direction of the substrate surface in the transport direction. The substrate is configured to hold the substrate in a state in which the substrate is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, and the conveyance unit conveys the substrate in a state in which a normal direction of the substrate surface is directed in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. Configured as follows.

  In order to achieve the above object, the substrate processing apparatus according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein the holding unit is configured such that the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the horizontal direction. Configured to hold.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, wherein the transporter is configured to move the holding portion in the horizontal direction and the transport direction And a second drive mechanism for turning the holding portion around an axis in the transport direction.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the thirteenth and fourteenth aspects, wherein the transfer device rotates the holding unit around a vertical axis. And a third drive mechanism for turning.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to make it difficult for the substrate to be disturbed by another substrate that is taken in and out of the processing tank.

1 is a schematic plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. It is a perspective view of a substrate holder. It is an expansion perspective view of a holder part. It is a perspective view which shows a lifter. It is a perspective view of a board | substrate conveyance apparatus. It is a perspective view of the board | substrate conveyance apparatus hold | maintained the board | substrate in the horizontal direction. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate transport apparatus that holds a substrate W such that a normal direction of a substrate surface of the substrate W is a horizontal direction and is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. It is a front view of a board | substrate conveyance apparatus. It is the elements on larger scale of a holding mechanism. It is a perspective view of a board transportation device provided with the 1st gas ejection part. It is a front view of a board | substrate conveyance apparatus provided with a 1st gas ejection part. It is a perspective view of a board | substrate conveyance apparatus provided with a 2nd gas ejection part. It is a perspective view of the substrate transfer apparatus of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the board | substrate conveyance apparatus which hold | maintained the board | substrate in the conveyance direction. It is a front view of a board | substrate conveyance apparatus. It is a perspective view of a board | substrate conveyance apparatus provided with a 2nd gas ejection part.

<First Embodiment>
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 250 includes four cassettes 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d that store substrates such as semiconductor wafers, and two substrate dryers 31a that dry the processed substrates. 31b, fixing units 40a and 40b for attaching / detaching the substrate to / from the substrate holder, and two substrate transfer robots 32a and 32b for transferring the substrate between these units. Note that four substrate dryers may be arranged in the substrate processing apparatus 250 by arranging two substrate dryers in the vertical direction at positions where the substrate dryers 31a and 31b are arranged.

A substrate to be processed by a resist stripping unit 140, which will be described later, is taken out from the cassette 30a or the cassette 30b by the substrate transport robot 32a and transported to the fixing unit 40a. The resist is peeled off from the substrate mounted on the substrate holder by the fixing unit 40a after that by the resist peeling unit 140. The substrate from which the resist has been peeled off by the resist peeling unit 140 is taken out from the substrate holder in the fixing unit 40a. The substrate taken out from the substrate holder is transported from the fixing unit 40a to the substrate dryer 31a by the substrate transport robot 32a. The substrate is dried by a substrate dryer 31a using IPA (Iso-Propyl Alcohol) and DIW (De-Ionized).
Washed and dried using (Water). The dried substrate is returned to the cassette 30a or the cassette 30b by the substrate transport robot 32a.

  Similarly, a substrate to be etched by the etching unit 110 described later is taken out from the cassette 30c or the cassette 30d by the substrate transport robot 32b and transported to the fixing unit 40b. The substrate mounted on the substrate holder by the fixing unit 40b is then etched by the etching unit 110. The substrate subjected to the etching process by the etching unit 110 is taken out from the substrate holder in the fixing unit 40b. The substrate taken out from the substrate holder is transported from the fixing unit 40b to the substrate dryer 31b by the substrate transport robot 32b. The substrate is cleaned and dried by the substrate dryer 31b using IPA and DIW. The dried substrate is returned to the cassette 30c or the cassette 30d by the substrate transport robot 32b.

  The substrate processing apparatus 250 is provided with a resist stripping unit 140 that performs processing for stripping the resist formed on the substrate. The resist stripping unit 140 includes two prewetting tanks 145a and 145b for improving the hydrophilicity of the substrate surface, and three resist stripping modules 150 for stripping the resist formed on the substrate. Each of the resist stripping modules 150 includes a plurality of tanks. The pre-wet tanks 145a and 145b are provided with a horizontally movable lifter 70 for storing and taking out the substrate holder with respect to the pre-wet tanks 145a and 145b along both sides of the tank. Similarly, the resist stripping module 150 is provided with a horizontally movable lifter 70 that stores or removes the substrate holder from and to a plurality of tanks constituting the resist stripping module 150 along both sides of the tank. The resist stripping unit 140 includes a substrate transport device 50a (transporter) that transports the substrate between the fixing unit 40a, the lifter 70 provided in the prewetting tanks 145a and 145b, and the lifter 70 provided in the resist stripping module 150. ing.

When the resist on the substrate is peeled off, the substrate holder holding the substrate is transferred from the fixing unit 40a to the substrate transfer device 50a, and is transferred by the substrate transfer device 50a to the lifter 70 provided in the pre-wet tanks 145a and 145b. The lifter 70 stores the transferred substrate holder in the vacant tank of the pre-wet tank 145a and the pre-wet tank 145b. The substrate is sprayed with DIW and IPA in the pre-wet tank 145a or the pre-wet tank 145b. After the substrate is processed in the pre-wet tank 145a or the pre-wet tank 145b, the substrate holder is taken out of the pre-wet tank 145a or the pre-wet tank 145b by the lifter 70 and transferred to the substrate transport apparatus 50a. The substrate holder is transferred to the lifter 70 included in one of the resist stripping modules 150 by the substrate transport device 50a, and is stored in the processing tank of the resist stripping module 150 by the lifter 70. After the substrate is processed by the resist stripping module 150, the substrate holder is taken out of the processing tank by the lifter 70 included in the resist stripping module 150 and transferred to the substrate transport apparatus 50a. The substrate holder is returned to the fixing unit 40a by the substrate transfer device 50a.

  The substrate processing apparatus 250 is provided with an etching unit 110 that performs etching of the seed layer formed on the substrate. The etching unit 110 includes two pre-wet tanks 115a and 115b for improving the hydrophilicity of the substrate surface, and three etching modules 120 for etching a seed layer formed on the substrate. Each of the etching modules 120 includes a plurality of tanks. The pre-wet tanks 115a and 115b are provided with lifters 70 along both sides of the tank for storing or removing the substrate holder from the pre-wet tanks 115a and 115b. Similarly, the etching module 120 includes a lifter 70 that stores or removes the substrate holder from and to the plurality of tanks constituting the etching module 120 along both sides of the tank. In addition, the etching unit 110 includes a fixing unit 40b, a lifter 70 provided in the pre-wet tanks 115a and 115b, and a substrate transfer device 50b (transfer machine) that transfers the substrate between the lifter 70 provided in the etching module 120. .

  When etching the seed layer of the substrate, the substrate holder holding the substrate is transferred from the fixing unit 40b to the substrate transfer device 50b, and is transferred by the substrate transfer device 50b to the lifter 70 provided in the pre-wet tanks 115a and 115b. . The lifter 70 stores the transferred substrate holder in the vacant tank of the pre-wet tank 115a and the pre-wet tank 115b. The substrate is sprayed with DIW or IPA in the pre-wet tank 115a or the pre-wet tank 115b. After the substrate is processed in the pre-wet tank 115a or the pre-wet tank 115b, the substrate holder is taken out of the pre-wet tank 115a or the pre-wet tank 115b by the lifter 70 and transferred to the substrate transfer device 50b. The substrate holder is transferred to the lifter 70 included in one of the etching modules 120 by the substrate transfer device 50b, and is stored in the processing tank of the etching module 120 by the lifter 70. After the substrate is processed by the etching module 120, the substrate holder is taken out of the processing tank by the lifter 70 included in the etching module 120 and transferred to the substrate transfer device 50b. The substrate holder is returned to the fixing unit 40b by the substrate transfer device 50b.

  As shown in the figure, in the substrate processing apparatus 250, the cassettes 30c and 30d, the substrate dryer 31b, and the substrate are compared with the cassettes 30a and 30b, the substrate dryer 31a, the substrate transfer robot 32a, the fixing unit 40a, and the resist stripping unit 140. The transfer robot 32b, the fixing unit 40b, and the etching unit 110 are configured to have a substantially symmetrical positional relationship.

  Next, the substrate holder, the lifter 70, and the substrate transfer device 50b will be described.

<Board holder>
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the substrate holder. As shown in the figure, the substrate holder 80 includes a base 81 that is a thin plate-like member and two arm portions 82-1 and 82- that are plate-like members that are formed extending from both ends of the base 81. 2 and two holder parts 83-1 and 83-2 for holding the substrate. The locations where the base 81, the arm portions 82-1 and 82-2, and the holder portions 83-1 and 83-2 are the gripped portions 85-1 and 85-2 of the substrate holder 80, 85-2 is held by the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b. Arm part 82-1, 82-2
Is a portion suspended from the side wall of the processing tank when the substrate holder 80 is immersed in the processing tank, as will be described later, and is a portion supported by the lifter 70. The holder parts 83-1 and 83-2 are substantially L-shaped plate-like members formed from both ends of the base part 81 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base part 81. The substrate holder 80 can accommodate and hold a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer in the space 84 between the holder portion 83-1 and the holder portion 83-2.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the holder part 83-1 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the substrate holder 80 holds the substrate. The holder portion 83-1 has a plurality of slits 84a, 84b, and 84c along a surface facing the holder portion 83-2, that is, a surface facing the space 84 shown in FIG. Moreover, although not shown in figure, the holder part 83-2 also has the several slit similar to the holder part 83-1, along the surface facing the holder part 83-1. The substrate W is held by the substrate holder 80 by inserting the outer peripheral portion thereof into the slits 84a, 84b, 84c of the holder portion 83-1, and the slit of the holder portion 83-2. Thereby, it can suppress that the board | substrate W falls from the board | substrate holder 80. FIG.

<Lifter>
Next, details of the lifters 70 provided in the pre-wet tanks 115a and 115b, the pre-wet tanks 145a and 145b, the etching module 120, and the resist stripping module 150 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the lifter 70. In order to explain the positional relationship between the lifter 70 and the treatment tank, FIG. 4 also shows an etching module 120 as an example of the treatment tank.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the lifter 70 is provided with a pair of rail portions 71 disposed on both sides of the etching module 120, a slide portion 75 slidably provided on the rail portion 71, and the slide portion 75. A support part 74 and a horizontal movement mechanism 72 capable of moving the rail part 71 in the horizontal direction are provided.

  The horizontal moving mechanism 72 is provided along the horizontal direction on both sides of the etching module 120. The pair of rail portions 71 are provided so as to extend in the vertical direction from the horizontal movement mechanism 72, and include a rail for sliding the slide portion 75 on the side where the pair of rail portions 71 are opposed to each other. The slide portion 75 is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction along the rail of the rail portion 71. In addition, the slide part 75 is slid up and down by a driving device (not shown).

  The support portion 74 is a member formed so as to protrude to the opposite side of the pair of rail portions 71, and supports the arm portions 82-1 and 82-2 of the substrate holder 80 from below as shown in the figure. That is, the substrate holder 80 is supported by the support portion 74 so as to be positioned between the pair of rail portions 71.

  When the lifter 70 receives the substrate holder 80 from the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b shown in FIG. 1, first, the holding mechanism 54 (see FIGS. 5 to 9) of the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b The substrate holder 80 is gripped so that the normal direction of is oriented in the horizontal direction. The support portion 74 of the lifter 70 slides upward together with the slide portion 75 to support the substrate holder 80 from below. When the holding mechanism 54 releases the grip of the substrate holder 80 in a state where the support portion 74 supports the substrate holder 80, the substrate holder 80 is delivered to the support portion 74. Thereafter, the lifter 70 is lowered to a height at which the lifter 70 does not interfere with the holding mechanism 54 and the substrate holder 80, and further, the rail unit 71 is moved in the horizontal direction by the horizontal moving mechanism 72 as necessary. It is located on the side of 120 predetermined processing tanks. Thereby, the substrate holder 80 is disposed immediately above the predetermined processing tank. In this state, the support portion 74 slides downward along the rail portion 71, so that the substrate holder 80 can be stored in the processing tank.

  When the lifter 70 delivers the substrate holder 80 to the substrate transfer apparatuses 50 a and 50 b shown in FIG. 1, first, the support portion 74 has the arm portion 82-of the substrate holder 80 housed in the processing tank of the etching module 120. 1,82-2 is supported from below. Subsequently, the support portion 74 rises along the rail portion 71, whereby the substrate holder 80 is taken out from the processing tank. With the support portion 74 supporting the substrate holder 80, the rail portion 71 is moved to the delivery position of the predetermined substrate transfer devices 50a and 50b by the horizontal movement mechanism 72 as necessary. After the holding mechanism 54 of the substrate transfer devices 50a and 50b grips the substrate holder 80, the support portion 74 of the lifter 70 descends along the rail portion 71, so that the substrate holder 80 is received by the substrate transfer devices 50a and 50b. Passed.

<Substrate transfer device>
Next, the substrate transfer device 50b shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Note that the substrate transfer device 50a has the same configuration as the substrate transfer device 50b, and a description thereof will be omitted. 5 is a perspective view of the substrate transport apparatus 50b shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the substrate transport apparatus 50b holding the substrate W in the horizontal direction, and FIG. 7 is a normal line of the substrate surface of the substrate W. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the substrate transport apparatus 50b holding the substrate W so that the direction is horizontal and the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, FIG. 8 is a front view of the substrate transport apparatus 50b, and FIG. It is the elements on larger scale of a mechanism. 5 to 8, for the sake of convenience, the processing tank 66 is shown in order to explain the positional relationship between the processing tank and the substrate transfer apparatus 50b. The processing tank 66 simply shows the pre-wet tank 115 or the etching module 120 shown in FIG. 1, and the number of tanks is different from that shown in FIG. 5 to 7, for the sake of convenience, the fixing unit 40b is shown in order to explain the positional relationship between the fixing unit 40b and the substrate transport apparatus 50b shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the processing tank 66 is configured to accommodate the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate W faces the horizontal direction. A plurality of processing rods 66 are arranged along the normal direction of the substrate W accommodated therein. With such a configuration, since the substrate W is processed vertically, the bubbles attached to the substrate W can be easily removed. Further, since the processing tank 66 is smaller than the face-down or face-up type apparatus, it has a high processing capability with a small footprint.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the substrate transport apparatus 50 b transports the holding mechanism 54 (holding unit) that holds the substrate W by holding the substrate holder 80 and the substrate W held by the holding mechanism 54. A transport mechanism 51 (transport section). The transport mechanism 51 includes a traveling pedestal 56 to which the holding mechanism 54 is attached and a guide rail 53 for guiding the traveling pedestal 56. The guide rail 53 is provided in a straight line along a direction substantially parallel to the arrangement of the processing baths 66 (X-axis direction in the drawing). The substrate transfer device 50 b includes a travel motor (not shown) for causing the travel base 56 to travel on the guide rail 53. The holding mechanism 54 that holds the substrate W can travel along the guide rail 53 from one end to the other end of the guide rail 53 by the transport mechanism 51. Therefore, the transport mechanism 51 can transport the substrate W along the direction in which the processing baths 66 are arranged (X-axis direction in the drawing). In the present embodiment, the direction in which the substrate W is transported is referred to as the transport direction, and the transport direction coincides with the direction in which the processing baths 66 are arranged, the X-axis direction in the drawing, and the rail direction of the guide rail 53.

The substrate transport apparatus 50b further includes a first drive mechanism 46 that rotates the holding mechanism 54 about an axis (Y-axis in the drawing) that is horizontal and perpendicular to the transport direction, and the holding mechanism 54 is an axis in the transport direction. And a second drive mechanism 47 that turns around (X axis in the figure). Here, “the axis in the horizontal direction and the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction” is not limited to the case where the axis is completely in the horizontal direction and is directed in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the axis is in the horizontal direction. It also includes the case where there is a slight angle with respect to the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. Similarly, the “axis in the conveyance direction” here includes not only a case where the axis is completely oriented in the conveyance direction but also a case where the axis has a slight angle with respect to the conveyance direction.

  When the holding mechanism 54 delivers the lifter 70 shown in FIG. 4 and the substrate holder 80 holding the substrate W, as shown in FIG. 5, the normal direction of the substrate surface is the transport direction (X-axis direction in the figure). The substrate W is held in a state where it faces ().

  The first drive mechanism 46 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b rotates the holding mechanism 54 in the state shown in FIG. 5 by about 90 ° about an axis (Y axis in the drawing) in the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the transport direction. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, the holding mechanism 54 can hold the substrate W such that the in-plane direction of the substrate W faces the horizontal direction.

  The second drive mechanism 47 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b rotates the holding mechanism 54 in the state shown in FIG. 6 about 90 ° around the transport direction axis (X axis in the figure). Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the holding mechanism 54 can hold the substrate W such that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. When the travel motor is driven in this state, the travel base 56 travels along the guide rail 53. As a result, the transport mechanism 51 transports the substrate holder 80 and the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. In other words, the transport mechanism 51 transports the substrate holder 80 and the substrate W in the horizontal direction in the in-plane direction of the substrate W held by the transport mechanism 51 in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W such that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction (indicated by the solid line in the drawing). ), The holding mechanism 54 is configured to hold the substrate W (substrate holder 80) on the side of the processing bath 66. Here, “the side of the processing tank 66” refers to a position deviated from the space immediately above the processing tank 66. Furthermore, when the lifter 70 shown in FIG. 4 is provided on the side of the processing tank 66 as in this embodiment, the “side of the processing tank 66” is a position deviated from the space immediately above the processing tank 66. That is, the position where the lifter 70 is not contacted. A liquid receiving pan 67 (liquid receiving part) is provided on the side of the processing tank 66. The holding mechanism 54 is configured to hold the substrate W above the liquid receiving pan 67. The liquid receiving pan 67 receives the substrate processing liquid falling from the substrate W transported upward. The liquid receiving pan 67 has a drain (not shown) and is configured to discharge the received substrate processing liquid.

  Next, the structure of the holding mechanism 54 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 9, the holding mechanism 54 has a rotation shaft 58 configured to be rotatable by the first drive mechanism 46. The holding mechanism 54 can change the normal direction of the substrate surface of the held substrate W between the vertical direction and the horizontal direction by rotating the rotation shaft 58 about the axis by the first drive mechanism 46. it can.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, the holding mechanism 54 includes a pair of holder clamps 60 provided on the rotation shaft 58, a substrate presser 61 that presses the substrate W against the substrate holder 80, and a holder that detects the presence or absence of the substrate holder 80. And a detection sensor 59. The holder clamp 60 grips gripped portions 85-1 and 85-2 (see FIG. 2) of the substrate holder 80. The holder detection sensor 59 is, for example, an optical sensor or a magnetic sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the substrate holder 80 when the holder clamp 60 holds the substrate holder 80.

The substrate retainer 61 is in contact with the substrate W by pressing the substrate W against the substrate holder 80, the shaft 62, the air cylinder 65 configured to slide the shaft 62 in the axial direction and rotate around the shaft. A holding part 63 and a substrate detection sensor 64 for detecting the presence or absence of the substrate W are provided. The shaft portion 62 has one end connected to the air cylinder 65 and the other end connected to the presser portion 63. The pressing portion 63 is a rod-shaped member that is connected to the other end of the shaft portion 62 and has an end portion 63 a extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft portion 62. The end 63 a of the presser 63 has a notch (not shown) formed on the surface in contact with the substrate W. The substrate detection sensor 64 is an optical sensor or a magnetic sensor, for example, fixed to the other end of the pressing portion 63 via a fixing means.

  When the holder clamp 60 of the holding mechanism 54 grips the substrate holder 80, the substrate retainer 61 turns the retainer 63 with the air cylinder 65 so that the end 63a of the retainer 63 is positioned on the edge of the substrate W. . Subsequently, the shaft portion 62 is slid in the axial direction by the air cylinder 65, the notch formed in the end portion 63 a of the holding portion 63 comes into contact with the edge of the substrate W, and the substrate W is pressed against the substrate holder 80. .

  When the holder clamp 60 releases the grip of the substrate holder 80, the air cylinder 65 of the substrate holder 61 moves the shaft portion 62 upward and pivots the retainer portion 63 so that the presser portion 63 contacts the substrate W. Let it be released. The holding mechanism 54 releases the holding of the substrate holder 80 of the holder clamp 60 when the substrate holder 80 is transferred to the lifter 70 (not shown).

  Next, a process in which the substrate transport apparatus 50b transports the substrate W will be described. The holding mechanism 54 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b receives the substrate holder 80 holding the substrate W from the fixing unit 40b shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the in-plane direction of the substrate W faces the horizontal direction. At this time, the holding mechanism 54 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b holds the substrate W so that the in-plane direction of the substrate W faces the horizontal direction (transport direction) as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the fixing unit 40 b is located on an extended line of the processing tanks 66. When the holding mechanism 54 receives the substrate W from the fixing unit 40b, the transport mechanism 51 and the holding mechanism 54 are located at the front end portion of the guide rail 53 (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 6).

  When the holding mechanism 54 receives the substrate W from the fixing unit 40b, the second drive mechanism 47 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b turns the holding mechanism 54 about the transport direction axis (X axis in the figure). As a result, the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W such that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W as shown in FIG. 7 is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. The transport mechanism 51 transports the substrate holder 80 through the side of the processing bath 66 in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and is directed to the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

  The transport mechanism 51 stops the holding mechanism 54 on the side of a predetermined processing tank 66. Subsequently, the second drive mechanism 47 turns the holding mechanism 54 around an axis in the transport direction (X axis in the drawing). As a result, the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W such that the in-plane direction of the substrate W as shown in FIG. 6 faces the horizontal direction (transport direction) (see FIG. 6). Further, the first drive mechanism 46 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b rotates the holding mechanism 54 about an axis (Y axis in the drawing) that is in the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the transport direction. Thereby, the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W in a state in which the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W as shown in FIG. 5 faces the transport direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). In this state, the substrate holder 80 is delivered from the substrate transport device 50b to the lifter 70 (not shown). The lifter 70 stores the received substrate holder 80 in the processing tank 66 in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W faces the transport direction (X-axis direction in the drawing).

  Subsequently, when the substrate W is transferred from the processing tank 66, the lifter 70 shown in FIG. 1 takes out the substrate holder 80 from the processing tank 66. The holding mechanism 54 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b receives the substrate holder 80 from the lifter 70 in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W faces the transport direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). As a result, the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W faces the transport direction (X-axis direction in the drawing) as shown in FIG.

The first drive mechanism 46 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b is driven, and the holding mechanism 54 is turned around an axis (Y axis in the drawing) in the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the transport direction. As a result, the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W so that the in-plane direction of the substrate W faces the horizontal direction (see FIG. 6). Subsequently, the second drive mechanism 47 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b rotates the holding mechanism 54 about the transport direction axis (X axis in the figure). As a result, the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W such that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W as shown in FIG. 7 is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

  Further, when the travel motor is driven in this state, the travel base 56 travels along the guide rail 53. As a result, the transport mechanism 51 moves the substrate holder 80 and the substrate W to, for example, another processing tank 66 in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Transport.

  As described above, in the substrate transport apparatuses 50a and 50b, the transport mechanism 51 is configured to transport the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate faces a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Therefore, the area of the substrate W as viewed from the transport direction is reduced, and the space necessary for transporting the substrate W can be reduced. For this reason, it is possible to make it difficult for the transfer of the substrate W to be hindered by other substrates that are taken in and out of the processing bath 66. As a result, in the limited space above the processing tank 66, the substrate W can be transferred while avoiding other substrates that are taken in and out of the processing tank 66. For this reason, even when the lifter 70 is provided as in the first embodiment, the loading / unloading processing of the substrate W by the lifter 70 and the transfer of another substrate W by the substrate transfer devices 50a and 50b do not interfere with each other. Can be performed at independent timings. Therefore, it is not necessary to wait for the transfer of another substrate W by the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b even while the lifter 70 puts the substrate W in and out of the processing tank 66, so that the throughput of the substrate processing apparatus 250 can be improved. it can. Here, “the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction” means that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W completely faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Not only the case but also the case where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W has a slight angle with respect to the perpendicular direction is included.

  In a conventional substrate processing apparatus, when a substrate is transferred, the substrate is transferred over the processing tank in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate faces a direction parallel to the transfer direction. In this case, since the normal direction of the substrate surface coincides with the transport direction, the surface of the substrate easily comes into contact with particles in the space when the substrate is transported. For this reason, there is a possibility that a large amount of particles adhere to the substrate surface. On the other hand, according to the substrate processing apparatus of the present embodiment, the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W during transport does not face the transport direction. It becomes difficult to touch. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a large amount of particles from adhering to the substrate surface. Furthermore, since the area of the substrate W as viewed from the direction of transport of the substrate W during transport is reduced, the air resistance received by the substrate W by transport can be reduced, and transport can be performed at a relatively high speed.

  In the first embodiment, the holding mechanism 54 is configured to hold the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. In the limited space above the processing tank 66, the substrate W and the other substrate to be transferred can be transferred only by shifting to the side with respect to the other substrates put in and out of the processing tank 66. Interference can be prevented. Therefore, it is not necessary to wait for the transfer of another substrate W even while the substrate W is being put in and out of the processing tank 66, so that the throughput of the substrate processing apparatus 250 can be improved. In addition, since the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W does not face the vertical direction, the contact area between the particles falling due to gravity and the substrate W can be reduced, and the adhesion of particles to the surface of the substrate is further suppressed. can do. Here, “the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is oriented in the horizontal direction” is not limited to the case where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is completely oriented in the horizontal direction. This includes the case where the normal direction has a slight angle with respect to the horizontal direction.

  In the first embodiment, since the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W on the side of the processing tank 66, interference between the substrate W being transferred in and out of another substrate with respect to the processing tank 66 is prevented. can do. Further, since the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W on the side of the processing tank 66, the substrate processing liquid attached to the substrate W does not fall on the processing tank 66. In the first embodiment, since the liquid receiving pan 67 is provided on the side of the processing tank 66 and the substrate W is held above the liquid receiving pan 67, the substrate processing liquid dropped from the substrate W is removed from the liquid receiving pan. 67 and the substrate processing liquid can be prevented from scattering.

  Next, a modified example of the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the substrate transport apparatus 50b including the first gas ejection unit, and FIG. 11 is a front view of the substrate transport apparatus 50b including the first gas ejection unit. The board | substrate conveyance apparatuses 50a and 50b of 1st Embodiment can be further equipped with the 1st gas ejection part shown in FIG.10 and FIG.11.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the first gas ejection unit 48 holds the substrate W such that the holding mechanism 54 has the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W in the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. In the state, it is located above the substrate W and extends in the horizontal direction along the surface of the substrate W. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the first gas ejection portion 48 is located between the surface of the substrate W on the processing tank 66 side and the processing tank 66. In the positional relationship shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the first gas ejection portion 48 has a plurality of holes for ejecting gas (air, etc.) on the lower side thereof, and ejects the gas vertically downward. Composed. The first gas ejection unit 48 ejects gas vertically downward, whereby the substrate W held so that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. An air curtain can be formed between the substrate W and the processing tank 66, and the atmosphere between the substrate W and the processing tank 66 can be separated.

  According to the modification shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, since the atmosphere can be separated between the substrate W and the processing tank 66 by the first gas ejection portion 48, the lifter 70 shown in FIG. The substrate processing liquid atmosphere diffused by taking in and out the substrate W can be prevented from coming into contact with the substrate W to be transported.

  Next, another modified example of the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer apparatus 50b including the second gas ejection unit. The substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b of the first embodiment and the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b of the modification shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 can additionally include a second gas ejection unit shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the second gas ejection unit 49 is configured so that the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W so that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W faces the transport direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). It is located above the substrate W and extends in the horizontal direction along the surface of the substrate W. Further, the second gas ejection portions 49 are provided on both sides of the substrate W. In the positional relationship shown in FIG. 12, the second gas ejection portion 49 has a plurality of holes for ejecting gas (air or the like) on the lower side thereof, and is configured to eject gas in the vertically downward direction. . Therefore, the second gas ejection part 49 can eject gas vertically downward along the in-plane directions on both sides of the substrate W.

  The second gas ejection unit 49 ejects gas vertically downward along the in-plane directions on both sides of the substrate W when the substrate transport device 50b receives the substrate holder 80 from the lifter 70 shown in FIG. Configured as follows. Thereby, an air curtain is formed on both surfaces of the substrate W, and particles can be prevented from adhering to both surfaces of the substrate W. In addition, since the gas can be ejected to both sides of the substrate W just taken out from the processing tank 66, the substrate processing liquid adhering to the substrate W can be drained.

Second Embodiment
Next, a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment differs from the substrate processing apparatus 250 according to the first embodiment in the configuration of the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, illustration and description of the same configuration as the first embodiment are omitted, and the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b which are different parts will be described.

  13 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer apparatus 50b of the substrate processing apparatus 250 according to the second embodiment, FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer apparatus 50b that holds the substrate W in the transfer direction, and FIG. It is a front view of the apparatus 50b.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the substrate transport apparatus 50 b uses a holding mechanism 54 instead of the first drive mechanism 46 and the second drive mechanism 47 described in the first embodiment. A third drive mechanism 76 that rotates about the axis). The “vertical axis” here is not limited to the case where the axis is completely oriented in the vertical direction, but also includes the case where the axis has a slight angle with respect to the vertical direction.

  When the holding mechanism 54 delivers the lifter 70 shown in FIG. 4 and the substrate holder 80 holding the substrate W, as shown in FIG. 13, the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the transport direction (in the drawing). The substrate W is held in a state of facing (X-axis direction).

  The third drive mechanism 76 of the substrate transport apparatus 50b rotates the holding mechanism 54 in the state shown in FIG. 13 by about 90 ° around the vertical axis (Z axis in the figure). Thereby, as shown in FIG. 14, the holding mechanism 54 can hold the substrate W such that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. When the travel motor is driven in this state, the travel base 56 travels along the guide rail 53. As a result, the transport mechanism 51 transports the substrate holder 80 and the substrate W in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

  As shown in FIG. 15, when the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W such that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, the holding mechanism 54 Similar to the first embodiment, the substrate W is configured to be held by the side of the processing tank 66.

  The substrate transport apparatus 50 b includes a first gas ejection part 77 that is provided in the holding mechanism 54 and is positioned above the substrate W and extends in the horizontal direction along the surface of the substrate W. In the state where the holding mechanism 54 shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 holds the substrate W so that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, the first gas ejection The part 77 is located between the surface of the substrate W on the processing tank 66 side and the processing tank 66. The first gas ejection portion 77 has a plurality of holes on the lower side for ejecting gas (air or the like), and is configured to eject gas in the vertically downward direction. The first gas ejection unit 48 can form an air curtain between the substrate W and the processing tank 66 by ejecting gas vertically downward in the state shown in FIG. Can be separated from each other.

The substrate transfer apparatus 50b of the second embodiment has the same advantages as the substrate transfer apparatus 50b described with reference to FIGS. In addition to this, the substrate transport apparatus 50b of the second embodiment is configured so that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and the transport direction of the holding mechanism 54 by turning around one axis by the third drive mechanism 76. The substrate W can be held so as to face the direction perpendicular to the direction. Therefore, the substrate transport apparatus 50b of the second embodiment holds the substrate W more quickly than the substrate transport apparatus 50b of the first embodiment in which the first drive mechanism 46 and the second drive mechanism 47 rotate about two axes. The position can be changed. Furthermore, since the board | substrate conveyance apparatus 50b of 2nd Embodiment can reduce one drive mechanism compared with 1st Embodiment, it can reduce cost.

  In addition, since the substrate transfer apparatus 50b of the second embodiment can separate the atmosphere between the substrate W and the processing tank 66 by the first gas ejection unit 77, the lifter 70 shown in FIG. On the other hand, the substrate processing liquid atmosphere diffused by taking in and out the substrate W can be prevented from coming into contact with the substrate W to be transported.

  Next, a modified example of the substrate transfer apparatuses 50a and 50b of the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer apparatus 50b including the second gas ejection unit. The board | substrate conveyance apparatus 50a, 50b of 2nd Embodiment and the 2nd gas ejection part shown in FIG. 16 can be provided additionally.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the pair of second gas ejection portions 78 a and 78 b are located above the substrate W and extend in the horizontal direction along the surface of the substrate W. Further, the second gas ejection portions 78 a and 78 b are provided on both sides of the substrate W. The second gas ejection portions 78a and 78b have a plurality of holes on the lower side for ejecting gas (air or the like), and are configured to eject gas vertically downward. Therefore, the second gas ejection portions 78a and 78b can eject gas vertically downward along the in-plane directions on both sides of the substrate W.

  The second gas ejection portions 78a and 78b eject gas in the vertical direction along the in-plane directions on both sides of the substrate W when the substrate transport device 50b receives the substrate holder 80 from the lifter 70 shown in FIG. Configured to do. Thereby, an air curtain is formed on both surfaces of the substrate W, and particles can be prevented from adhering to both surfaces of the substrate W. In addition, since the gas can be ejected to both sides of the substrate W just taken out from the processing tank 66, the substrate processing liquid adhering to the substrate W can be drained.

  In addition, when the holding mechanism 54 holds the substrate W such that the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is the horizontal direction and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction as shown in FIG. The second gas ejection part 78b shown in FIG. 16 ejects gas, whereby the atmosphere between the substrate W and the processing tank 66 can be separated. That is, the 2nd gas ejection part 78 can show | play the function similar to the 1st gas ejection part 77 shown in FIG.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment of the invention mentioned above is for making an understanding of this invention easy, and does not limit this invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and the present invention includes the equivalents thereof. In addition, any combination or omission of each component described in the claims and the specification is possible within a range where at least a part of the above-described problems can be solved or a range where at least a part of the effect can be achieved. is there.

  In the embodiment described above, the substrate W is held by the substrate holder 80 to process the substrate W. However, the substrate holder 80 is not always necessary, and the holding mechanism 54 is configured so that the substrate W can be directly held. May be. In other words, in the present invention, the holding mechanism 54 includes the holding mechanism 54 that directly holds the substrate W and the holding mechanism 54 that holds the substrate W indirectly via the substrate holder 80 or the like.

In the embodiment described above, when the substrate W is located on the side of the processing tank, the normal direction of the substrate surface of the substrate W is horizontal and faces the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. It was described as being held in However, for example, when there is a sufficient transport space, the substrate W does not necessarily have to have a horizontal direction normal to the substrate surface and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. That is, as long as the substrate W can be positioned on the side of the processing tank, the substrate W transported on the side and the substrate W put in and out of the processing tank 66 do not interfere with each other. You may face it.

50a, 50b ... substrate transfer machine 51 ... transfer mechanism 54 ... holding mechanism 66 ... treatment tank 67 ... liquid receiving pan 46 ... first drive mechanism 47 ... second drive mechanism 48, 77 ... first gas ejection portions 49, 78a, 78b ... 2nd gas ejection part 76 ... 3rd drive mechanism

Claims (16)

A transporter comprising: a holding unit that holds a substrate; and a transfer unit that transfers the substrate held by the holding unit;
Storing the substrate in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the transport direction, and a processing tank for processing the substrate,
The holding unit is configured to hold the substrate in a state in which a normal direction of the substrate surface faces a horizontal direction and faces a direction perpendicular to the transport direction,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the transport unit is configured to transport the substrate in a state where a normal direction of the substrate surface is oriented in a horizontal direction and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.   When the transport unit transports the substrate in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface is oriented in the horizontal direction and the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, the holding unit holds the substrate on the side of the processing tank. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, configured to hold. It has a liquid receiving part provided on the side of the treatment tank,
When the transport unit transports the substrate in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface is oriented in the horizontal direction and in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, the holding unit holds the substrate above the liquid receiving unit. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2, configured to hold.   A first gas forming an air curtain for separating the atmosphere between the substrate and the processing tank held in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface is in the horizontal direction and in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. The substrate processing apparatus of Claim 2 or 3 which has an ejection part.   5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second gas ejection portion for blowing gas along in-plane directions on both sides of the substrate when the substrate is positioned above the processing tank. 6. Substrate processing apparatus.   The transport machine includes a first drive mechanism for turning the holding unit around an axis in a horizontal direction and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and a second drive mechanism for turning the holding unit around an axis in the transport direction. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport device includes a third drive mechanism that rotates the holding unit around a vertical axis. A step of transporting the substrate in a state in which a normal direction of the substrate surface is oriented in a horizontal direction and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction;
Turning the substrate so that the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the transport direction; and
Storing the substrate in a processing tank in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the transport direction. A substrate holder for holding the substrate;
A transfer machine comprising: a holding unit that holds the substrate holder; and a transfer unit that transfers the substrate holder held by the holding unit;
A processing tank for storing the substrate and the substrate holder in a state where the normal direction of the substrate surface faces the transport direction of the transporter, and processing the substrate;
The substrate processing apparatus configured to hold the substrate on a side of the processing tank when the transfer unit transfers the substrate. It has a liquid receiving part provided on the side of the treatment tank,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the transport unit transports the substrate, the holding unit is configured to hold the substrate above the liquid receiving unit.   11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a first gas ejection unit that forms an air curtain that separates an atmosphere between the substrate and the processing tank when the transport unit transports the substrate.   It has the 2nd gas ejection part which blows gas along the in-plane direction of the both sides of the substrate when the substrate is located above the processing tub. Substrate processing equipment. The holding unit is configured to hold the substrate in a state in which a normal direction of the substrate surface faces a direction perpendicular to the transport direction,
13. The transport unit according to claim 9, wherein the transport unit is configured to transport the substrate in a state in which a normal direction of the substrate surface faces a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Substrate processing equipment.   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the holding unit is configured to hold the substrate in a state in which a normal direction of the substrate surface faces a horizontal direction.   The transport machine includes a first drive mechanism for turning the holding unit around an axis in a horizontal direction and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and a second drive mechanism for turning the holding unit around an axis in the transport direction. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, comprising:   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transporter has a third drive mechanism that turns the holding unit around a vertical axis.

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