JPH10335429A - Wafer allignment and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable collective adjustment of center and orientation with respect to a plurality of wafers to be treated. SOLUTION: The apparatus includes a support part 7 capable of elevating for lifting up peripheral edges of a plurality of wafers W to be treated supported in horizontal condition at multiple stages and transferred from a horizontal direction by means of a transfer arm 6, support columns 20 disposed around the support part 7 movably in nearly its radial direction for collectively centering the wafers W as contacted with the peripheral edges of the wafers W at least from three directions, rotary tables 29 provided in multiple stages as associated with the support part 7 therein for carrying the wafers W thereon as the support part moves down, a detector 45 for detecting a positioning mark 4 provided to the peripheral edge of each wafers W, and a controller 46 for controlling rotations in the rotary tables 29 in such a manner that a detection signal issued from the detector 45 causes the marks to be aligned along one direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for aligning substrates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when processing or inspecting a substrate to be processed, for example, a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a wafer), the wafer must be aligned with respect to the direction of the wafer because the wafer has a crystal orientation. . Therefore, on the peripheral portion of the wafer, as a mark for positioning,
An orientation flat (also called orientation flat) or notch is provided. Notches tend to be more often used for large-diameter wafers than notch flats, because the notch area of the wafer is smaller than that of the orientation flat, and there is less waste.

For example, in a batch-type processing apparatus for processing a large number of wafers at once, in the case of an 8-inch wafer, a plurality of 25-inch wafers are placed in a cassette (also referred to as a carrier) which is a plastic transfer container. A batch type substrate aligning apparatus has been proposed in which a wafer is accommodated in a vertical state and a roller is brought into contact with a wafer in a cassette from below to apply rotation to align the orientation flat in one direction. I have. Further, in a single-wafer processing apparatus for processing wafers one by one, a mechanism has been proposed in which wafers are placed one by one on a rotary table and the orientation and center of the wafers are aligned.

[0004]

However, as the diameter of the wafer exceeds 12 inches (300 mm), the existing batch type substrate aligning apparatus is subject to a lot of stress due to its own weight. , Is becoming difficult to apply. Further, in order to suppress particle contamination of the wafer, a closed type cassette is being studied, but in this case, the wafer cannot be aligned in the cassette.

In such a case, it is necessary to take out the wafer from the cassette and perform alignment. For example, in a heat treatment apparatus for performing a heat treatment in a batch manner, a plurality of wafers, for example, five wafers are collectively used for heat treatment. Since the wafer is transferred to the wafer boat, which is a jig, the throughput is reduced in the mechanism for mounting the wafers one by one on the rotary table as described above.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate aligning method and an apparatus for aligning the center and the orientation of a plurality of substrates to be processed collectively.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate aligning method according to the present invention is directed to a peripheral portion of a plurality of substrates to be processed conveyed from a horizontal direction while being supported in multiple stages in a horizontal state by a transfer arm. A step of scooping and supporting by a multi-stage supporting portion, a step of contacting a column with a peripheral portion of the substrate to be processed multi-stage supported by the supporting portion from at least three directions, and performing a centering collectively; The substrate is placed on a multi-stage rotary table corresponding to the supporting portion by lowering the portion, and the substrate to be processed is rotated to detect a positioning mark on a peripheral portion thereof. And a step of aligning them so that they are aligned with each other.

[0008] This makes it possible to collectively align the center and the orientation of a plurality of substrates to be processed. In the substrate alignment method, the substrate to be processed is rotated by driving the rotary table, the rotation is stopped so that the mark passes over the detection unit, and then the mark is detected by the detection unit while rotating at a low speed in the opposite direction. It is preferable to perform detection in order to improve detection accuracy.

Further, the substrate aligning device of the present invention is a multi-stage support that scoops up the peripheral portions of a plurality of substrates to be processed conveyed from the horizontal direction and is supported in multiple stages in a horizontal state by a transfer arm. A support, which is disposed around the support portion and is provided so as to be movable in a substantially radial direction, and which makes contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate to be processed from at least three directions to perform centering collectively; and the support portion. A rotary table which is disposed in multiple stages corresponding to the position of the substrate, and on which the substrate to be processed is placed by descending the support portion, a detecting portion for detecting a positioning mark provided on a peripheral portion of the substrate to be processed; And a control unit for controlling the rotation amount of the turntable such that the marks are aligned in one direction by the detection signal from the control unit.

[0010] This makes it possible to collectively align the center and the orientation of a plurality of substrates to be processed with a simple configuration, thereby achieving a compact apparatus and an improvement in throughput. In the substrate aligning apparatus, the supporting portion is provided with a tapered portion for preliminarily centering in contact with a peripheral portion thereof when the substrate to be processed is scooped up, and a peripheral portion of the centered substrate to be horizontally processed in a small range. It is preferable to provide a support pin having a step portion for movably supporting the substrate in two stages so as not to apply stress to the substrate to be processed. Further, the rotary table is provided on a hollow support frame containing the base side rotary unit therein, and the support frame is provided with an exhaust port for connecting exhaust means for exhausting the interior to a negative pressure. Is preferable from the viewpoint of preventing particle contamination.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a part of a transfer station including a substrate aligning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the substrate aligning apparatus, and FIG. FIG.

A transfer station for transferring a semiconductor wafer W as a substrate to be processed is provided in a housing of, for example, a vertical heat treatment apparatus which is one of batch processing apparatuses. This transfer station has a large diameter, for example, a diameter of 3
A cassette 1 which is a plastic transfer container accommodating a plurality of, for example, 13 wafers W of 00 mm in multiple stages;
A substrate alignment device 2 that supports a plurality of wafers W, for example, five wafers W in multiple stages, and performs centering (center alignment: centering) and notch alignment (circumferential alignment) coaxially (on the same center line); A transfer mechanism 3 for transferring wafers W between the cassette 1 and the substrate aligning device 2 or between the substrate aligning device 2 and a vertically standing wafer boat which is a heat treatment jig (not shown) is provided. Have been.

A notch 4 which is a small semicircular notch is provided at a peripheral portion of the wafer W as a positioning mark indicating a crystal direction (see FIG. 2). Cassette 1 above
Is mounted on the cassette stage in the transfer station. The cassette 1 is preferably of a closed type having a detachable lid (not shown) at the front opening in order to suppress particle contamination of the wafer W. The lid of the cassette 1 is opened and closed by an opening and closing mechanism (not shown).

The transfer mechanism 3 has a thin plate-like fork 5 for transferring a plurality of wafers W, for example, five wafers W at a time.
Are provided in multiple stages, and the transfer arm 6 is configured to be able to move forward and backward, rotate horizontally, and move up and down in the horizontal direction. The fork 5 of the transfer arm 6
Preferably, the arrangement interval (up and down interval) is variable.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the substrate arranging apparatus 2 is capable of raising and lowering the peripheral portions of a plurality of wafers W transferred from the horizontal direction by the transfer arm 6 and supporting the wafers W in multiple stages. The support unit 7 is provided. The support part 7 is constituted by a horizontal support plate 8 formed in a substantially U-shaped plane. The support plates 8 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the vertical direction, for example, in multiple stages, for example, five stages at the same interval as the wafer accommodation interval (wafer accommodation groove pitch) in the cassette 1, and the base end is commonly attached to the elevating frame 9. Thereby, it is provided in a cantilever shape. In order to accurately maintain the interval between the support plates 8, a spacer 10 is provided between the base portions of adjacent support plates 8, and the support plates 8 are interposed via the spacers 10.
Is preferably fixed to the lifting frame 9.

The elevating frame 9 is guided by a fixed frame 12 erected on a base plate 11, for example, a linear guide 13.
It is supported so as to be able to move up and down. The fixed frame 12
A lifting drive unit 14 having, for example, a ball screw for operating the lifting frame 9 to move up and down is attached to the control unit. The detection of the elevation height level of the elevating frame 9 may be performed by providing a sensor such as an encoder in the elevating drive unit 14, or as shown in FIG. A sensor 1 for detecting the dog 15 on the fixed frame 12
6 may be provided.

The support plate 8 constituting the support portion 7 may be configured so as to directly support the lower surface of the wafer W by surface contact on the upper surface thereof. In order to facilitate the transfer by the support 5, a plurality of, for example, four support pins 17 for supporting the peripheral portion of each wafer W on the upper surface of the support plate 8 while floating from the upper surface of the support plate 8 are provided in the circumferential direction. Are preferably provided at appropriate intervals. In addition, the support pins 17 support the tapered portion 18 for preliminary centering in contact with the peripheral portion when the wafer W is scooped, and support the peripheral portion of the centered wafer W so as to be horizontally movable in a small range. It is preferable to have the step portion 19 in order to perform centering in two steps so as not to apply stress to the wafer as described later.

The support pin 17 can be easily obtained, for example, by forming a conical portion or a truncated conical portion with a smaller diameter than the upper end of a cylindrical portion having a predetermined height. Support pin 17
A predetermined gap for carrying in / out the wafer W in the horizontal direction needs to be formed between the upper end of the wafer W and the support plate 8 located immediately above the upper end. The support pin 17 may be made of, for example, quartz, but is preferably made of a resin such as PEEK resin, which has low frictional resistance and less particle contamination on the wafer.

Around each of the support portions 7, the wafer W
A pillar 20 that contacts the at least three directions and aligns the wafer W collectively is arranged on the peripheral edge of the pillar 2.
0 is provided so as to be movable substantially in the radial direction of the wafer W. In the illustrated example, three pillars 20 are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction so as to be located around the wafer W, and one of them is arranged inside the support plate 8 on the layout. In addition, it is preferable that a notch 21 for avoiding interference with the other two columns 20 is provided in the peripheral portion of the support plate 8. As a material of the column 20, for example, quartz may be used, but alumina is preferable. Moreover, as the shape of the support column 20, a columnar shape is preferable.

The base plate 11 serves as a driving means for moving the column 20 substantially in the radial direction of the wafer W.
An air cylinder 22 that supports the lower end of each column 20 and moves the wafer W substantially in the radial direction is provided above. The air cylinder 22 in the illustrated example is provided with an operating body 24 that moves forward and backward in the horizontal direction via a linear guide 23 at an upper portion, and the support column 20 is erected on the operating body 24. In order to regulate the movement stroke of the support column 20, a stopper shaft 25 positioned on one side of the air cylinder 22 and parallel to the air cylinder 22 is provided on the base plate 11 as shown in FIG. It is provided through.

An arm 27 fixed to the operating body 24 of the air cylinder 22 is slidably engaged with the stopper shaft 25, whereby the movement stroke end (forward end and retreat end) of the column 20 is achieved. Is regulated. A screw portion 28 screwed to the stopper base 26 is provided on the base side of the stopper shaft 25.
Is formed, and by rotating the stopper shaft 25, the position of the end of the movement stroke of the column 20 can be adjusted. The position of the forward end is adjusted by the rotation of the stopper shaft 25 so that the column 20 does not press the peripheral portion of the wafer W more than necessary and gives stress.

Inside the support portion 7, a disk-shaped rotary table 29 on which the wafer W is placed by lowering the support portion 7 is arranged in multiple stages, for example, five stages, corresponding to the support plate 8 of the support portion 7. ing. Each turntable 29 is provided at the upper end of a horizontal support frame 30, and the base side of each support frame 30 is fixed to the fixed frame 12 in common. The rotary table 29 and the support frame 30 are
The support plate 8 is formed so as not to interfere with the vertical movement of the support plate 8.

The wafer W may be directly supported on the upper surface of the rotary table 29, but a plurality of wafers W for supporting the wafer W by floating from the upper surface of the rotary table 29 from the viewpoint of preventing dust from adhering. Preferably, a plurality of projecting support members 31 are provided. As the material of the projecting support material 31, a material having a buffering property and a frictional resistance, among which, for example, a fluorine-based rubber which causes less particle contamination on the wafer, specifically, Kalrez (trade name) is preferable.

As shown in FIG. 4, the support frame 30 is preferably formed in a box shape having a hollow inside for accommodating the base-side rotating portion 32 of the turntable 29. In this case, the support frame 30 is formed in a box shape having an open upper portion, and it is preferable for maintenance that a frame cover 33 is detachably attached to the upper portion by screwing or the like. The above support frame 3
0, a support shaft 34 is erected on the front end side.
A driven pulley 36 is rotatably attached to the frame pulley 36 through a bearing, for example, a cross bearing 35, and a rotary table 29 is detachably attached to the upper end of the driven pulley 36 by screwing or the like. I have. The driven pulley 36 and the like constitute the base-side rotating portion 32 of the turntable 29.

A drive pulley 38 driven by an electric motor, preferably a pulse motor 37, is disposed on the base end side of the support frame 30. A belt, preferably a timing belt 39, is mounted on the drive pulley 38 and the driven pulley 36.
Is wrapped around. As shown in FIG. 5, the motor 38 is mounted on a motor base 40, and the motor base 40 is mounted on the lower surface on the base end side of the support frame 30 with screws 41.

The motor base 40 is provided with an elongated hole 42 so that the position can be adjusted when the motor base 40 is mounted with the screw 41. The motor base 40 is used to pull the motor base 40 to apply a desired tension to the timing belt 39. Are provided integrally. By pulling the hook 43 with a pull gauge, the timing belt 39 can be tensioned with an appropriate tension.
In order to avoid interference between adjacent motors 37, the motors 37 are preferably arranged alternately on the left and right.

As shown in FIG. 6, an exhaust port 44 for connecting an exhaust means (not shown) for exhausting the interior to a negative pressure, for example, a suction tube communicating with an exhaust system, is provided at the base end side of the support frame 30. Is preferable in order to prevent particle contamination. As a result, the base-side rotating portion 32 of the rotary table 29 and the timing belt 39
It is possible to prevent dust generated from the above from scattering outside the support frame 30, and to prevent particle contamination of the wafer W.

On the other hand, the wafer W
Is provided with a detection unit 45 for detecting the notch 4 on the peripheral edge of the rotary table. The control unit 46 controls the amount of rotation of the turntable 29 based on the detection signal from the detection unit 45 so that the notch 4 is aligned in one direction. It is configured to be. The detection unit 45 is provided in a sensor tower 47 erected on the base plate 11 in correspondence with the wafer W on each rotary table 29.

As shown in FIG. 8, the detection unit 45
An optical sensor having a light projecting portion 48 and a light receiving portion 49 opposed to each other with the peripheral portion of each wafer W interposed therebetween, and an optical axis of, for example, an infrared ray from the light projecting portion 48 to the light receiving portion 49 is formed on the wafer W
The position of the notch 4 can be detected by changing from a state of being blocked at the peripheral edge of the notch 4 to a state of passing through the notch 4. In order to prevent erroneous detection, it is preferable that a light shielding plate 50 is disposed between adjacent optical sensors. In addition, it is preferable that a notch 51 is provided in the peripheral portion of the support plate 8 in order to avoid interference with the sensor tower 47 having the detection unit 45.

In the substrate alignment method for aligning the notch 4 of the wafer W in one direction, the wafer W is rotated in one direction by driving the rotary table 29 and the notch 4 is rotated.
Is stopped so as to exceed (overrun) the detection unit 45, and then the notch 4 is detected by the detection unit 45 while rotating at a low speed in the reverse direction. It is preferable for improvement. Further, when the position of the notch 4 is detected by the detection unit 45, the notch 4 can be aligned in a desired direction by rotating the wafer W from the position by a desired rotation angle.

The substrate aligning apparatus 2 having the above configuration is installed on the mounting table 52. In this case, it is preferable to employ a kinematic coupling 53 in order to facilitate positioning. The kinematic coupling 53 is, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 9, a cross-section inverted V disposed at the bottom of the base plate 11 of the substrate alignment apparatus 2.
A block 55 having a U-shaped groove 54;
Shaft body 56 having a spherical tip for engaging with groove 54
It is composed of

The block 55 includes a base plate 11
Are radially attached at a predetermined interval to the lower surface of the. The three shaft bodies 56 are erected on the mounting table 52 in correspondence with the blocks 55. The shaft body 56 is screwed to the mounting table 52 so that the height can be adjusted. By mounting the substrate aligning device 2 on these shafts 56 so that the grooves 54 of the block 55 are engaged, the substrate aligning device 2 can be easily positioned at a predetermined position. After the positioning, the base plate 11 of the substrate aligning apparatus 2 may be fixed to the mounting table 52 by a fixing bolt (not shown). Since the positioning can be easily performed in this manner, the substrate alignment device 2 can be installed in a narrow space.
In the case of installation, installation can be performed accurately and easily, and maintenance is also easy.

It is preferable that one of the three blocks 55 coincides with the transfer direction X of the wafer W by the transfer arm 6 with respect to the substrate alignment apparatus 2. Thus, parallel adjustment of the transferred wafer W can be easily performed only by adjusting the height of the left and right sides by the shaft body 56 corresponding to the other two blocks 55.

Next, the operation of the substrate aligning apparatus 2 having the above configuration and a substrate aligning method will be described. First, the fork 5 of the transfer arm 6 of the transfer mechanism 3 is advanced into the cassette 1 to collectively pick up a plurality of wafers W, for example, five wafers W in a multi-stage state, and carry out the wafer W from the cassette 1. Next, the wafer W is carried into the substrate alignment device 2 from the horizontal direction by changing the direction of the fork 5 in the direction of the substrate alignment device 2 and moving forward. At this time, the support plate 8 of the support unit 7 in the substrate aligning device 2 is set at a substantially middle position of the elevating stroke, and the wafer W and the fork 5 come into contact with the support pins 17 and the rotary table 29 on the support plate 8. Without entering, it enters horizontally above the uppermost support plate 8 and between the adjacent support plates 8.

When the wafer W is transported into the substrate aligning apparatus 2 by the transport arm, the elevation drive unit 14 is activated, and the support plate 8 moves up to the elevation end via the elevation frame 9. The wafer W is scooped up from the fork 5 by the upward movement of the support plate 8. At this time, the support pin 17 provided on the support plate 8 is
9, the peripheral edge of the wafer W is guided inward by the tapered portion 18 of the support pin 17, and the stepped portion 19 is finally formed while performing preliminary preliminary centering. Supported by After the completion of the scooping, the fork 5 retreats from the substrate alignment device 2.

Next, the three centering columns 20 waiting at the retracted position advance substantially inward in the radial direction by the driving of the air cylinder 22, and these columns 20 move the wafer W of each stage.
, A plurality of wafers W are collectively centered by simultaneously contacting and pressing the peripheral portion of the wafer W. At this time, since the peripheral portion of the wafer W is supported on the step portion 19 of the support pin 17 so as to be horizontally movable in a small range, the centering is smoothly and easily performed. Since the forward end of the support column 20 is regulated by the stopper shaft 25, no excessive pressing force acts on the wafer W, and there is no possibility of giving stress to the wafer W.

In the first stage, the rough and preliminary centering of the wafer W in each stage is individually performed by the tapered portion 18 of the support pin 17, and then, in the second stage, the wafers W are collectively controlled by the common support 20. Then, the centering of the wafer W is performed by 2
Since the steps are performed in stages, centering can be performed smoothly without giving stress to the wafer W. By this centering, the center of the wafer W coincides with the center of rotation of the turntable 29. After the completion of the centering, the column 20 is retracted to the retreat end and separated from the peripheral edge of the wafer.

Next, the support plate 8 of the support portion 7 moves down to the lower end, and the wafer W of each stage is transferred from the support pins 17 to the turntable 29. When the wafer W is placed on the turntable 29 in this manner, the turntable 29
Are rotated in one direction, for example, clockwise by driving the motor 37, and rotate the wafer W. When the notch 4 at the peripheral edge of the wafer W reaches the detection unit 45 composed of an optical sensor due to the rotation of the wafer W, the position of the notch 4 is detected by the detection unit 45, and the control unit 46 controls the notch 4 based on the detection signal. Are controlled in such a way that the values are aligned in one direction.

In this case, the wafer W is rotated in one direction (clockwise) by driving the rotary table 29, and the rotation is stopped so that the notch 4 passes over the detector 45 (overruns). It is preferable to control the detection unit 45 to detect the notch 4 while rotating at a low speed in the reverse direction (counterclockwise). Thereby, the position of the notch 4 can be accurately detected. Further, when the position of the notch 4 is detected by the detection unit 45, the notch 4 is directed in a predetermined direction by rotating the wafer W in the same direction (counterclockwise) from the position by a predetermined rotation angle. Can be aligned.

When the centering of the wafer W and the notch alignment are thus completed, the support plate 8 is moved up to almost the middle position of the up-and-down stroke, whereby the rotary table 29 is moved.
The wafer W is picked up from above. Next, the fork 5 of the transfer arm 6 enters between the wafer W and the rotary table 29, picks up the wafer W, unloads it from the substrate alignment device 2, and transfers it to a wafer boat (not shown).

As described above, according to the substrate aligning apparatus 2 or the substrate aligning method, it is possible to support a plurality of wafers W in multiple stages and perform centering and notch alignment coaxially, thereby improving throughput. For example, it is effective for throughput measures when a closed cassette is used. In addition, since it has a multi-stage structure and a simple configuration, it can be made compact and occupy a small space.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design changes and the like can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Is possible. For example, the mark provided on the peripheral portion of the wafer W does not necessarily need to be a notch or an orientation flat, and may be, for example, a mark or a bar code. Further, the driving means of the rotary table 29 does not necessarily have to be a belt drive. For example, a thin motor may be directly connected to the rotary table.

Further, a plurality of substrate aligning apparatuses 2 may be used side by side. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, two cassettes 1 may be arranged side by side on the cassette stage, and two substrate aligning apparatuses 2 may be arranged below the cassette 1 below the cassette. According to this, while the centering and notch alignment of the wafer are performed by one substrate aligning apparatus, the wafer transfer operation can be performed by the other substrate aligning apparatus, and the throughput can be further improved.

[0044]

In summary, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) According to the substrate alignment method of the present invention, the peripheral portions of a plurality of substrates to be processed which are horizontally supported by the transfer arm and conveyed from the horizontal direction are scooped up by the multi-stage support portions. After the support is carried out and the support is brought into contact with the periphery of the substrate to be processed in at least three directions in this support state and the centering is performed collectively, the support is lowered and the multi-stage rotary table corresponding to the support is lowered. The substrate to be processed is placed on the substrate, and aligned so that the positioning marks on the peripheral edge of the substrate to be processed are aligned in one direction. The center and the orientation can be easily aligned within a limited space, and the throughput can be improved.

(2) According to the substrate aligning apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of substrates to be processed, which are horizontally supported by the transfer arm in multiple stages and conveyed from the horizontal direction, are scooped up and supported in multiple stages. A column for contacting the peripheral edge of the substrate to be processed from at least three directions and performing centering collectively is disposed around the possible support portion, and the substrate to be processed is mounted inside the support portion by lowering the support portion. The rotating table to be placed is arranged in multiple stages, the positioning mark on the peripheral edge of the substrate to be processed is detected by the detecting section, and the control section controls the rotation amount of the rotating table so that the mark is aligned in one direction. Therefore, it is possible to collectively align the center and the direction with respect to a plurality of substrates to be processed with a simple configuration, so that the apparatus can be made compact and the throughput can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a part of a transfer station including a substrate aligning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the substrate aligning apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the substrate aligning apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a support frame of the rotary table.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing a state where a motor portion is viewed from below.

FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view showing an internal structure of a support frame on a base side;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional plan view showing a driving mechanism of a column.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a detection unit.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view schematically showing an arrangement configuration of a kinematic coupling.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view schematically showing an arrangement configuration in a case where substrate aligning apparatuses are arranged in two rows in a processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 W Semiconductor wafer (substrate to be processed) 2 Substrate alignment device 4 Notch (mark) 6 Transfer arm 7 Support 17 Support pin 18 Taper 19 Step 20 Support 29 Rotary table 30 Support frame 44 Exhaust port 45 Detector 46 Controller

Claims (5)

[Claims] A step of picking up and supporting the peripheral portions of a plurality of substrates to be processed conveyed from a horizontal direction by a multi-stage supporting portion, the multi-stage supporting portion supporting the multi-stage substrate in a horizontal state by a conveying arm; A step of bringing a support into contact with a peripheral portion of a supported substrate to be processed in at least three directions to perform centering at a time, and a step of lowering the support to lower the support on a multi-stage rotary table corresponding to the support. Place the substrate,
Rotating the substrate to be processed to detect a positioning mark on a peripheral edge thereof, and aligning the mark so that the mark is aligned in one direction. 2. A substrate to be processed is rotated by driving the rotary table, the rotation is stopped so that the mark passes over the detection unit, and then the mark is detected by the detection unit while rotating at a low speed in the reverse direction. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A supporting portion which is supported in multiple stages in a horizontal state by a transport arm and which lifts and supports multiple peripheral portions of a plurality of substrates to be processed conveyed from a horizontal direction, and a periphery of the supporting portion. And a column which is provided so as to be movable in a substantially radial direction and which makes contact with the peripheral portion of the substrate to be processed from at least three directions to collectively center the column. , A rotary table on which the substrate to be processed is placed by lowering of the support portion, a detecting portion for detecting a positioning mark provided on a peripheral portion of the substrate to be processed, and the mark is detected by a detection signal from the detecting portion. A substrate control unit for controlling a rotation amount of the turntable so as to be aligned in one direction. 4. The supporting portion has a tapered portion for preliminary centering in contact with the peripheral portion when the substrate to be processed is scooped up, and a horizontal movement of the centralized peripheral portion of the substrate within a small range. 4. The substrate aligning apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a support pin having a step portion for supporting the substrate. 5. The rotary table is provided on a hollow support frame containing a base-side rotary unit therein.
4. The substrate aligning device according to claim 3, wherein the support frame is provided with an exhaust port for connecting exhaust means for exhausting the inside to a negative pressure.