US20060182560A1 - Substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents
Substrate processing apparatus Download PDFInfo
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- US20060182560A1 US20060182560A1 US11/341,926 US34192606A US2006182560A1 US 20060182560 A1 US20060182560 A1 US 20060182560A1 US 34192606 A US34192606 A US 34192606A US 2006182560 A1 US2006182560 A1 US 2006182560A1
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- substrate processing
- foup
- cassette
- substrate
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
- H01L21/67769—Storage means
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
- H01L21/67772—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading involving removal of lid, door, cover
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs processing of a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a photomask, a substrate for an optical disk, and the like (which are hereinafter referred to as a “substrate”).
- the invention relates to an improvement to transport efficiently a cassette in a cassette storing and transporting unit.
- a substrate processing apparatus having a cassette storing and transporting unit that stores a cassette encasing a substrate, and transports a cassette to transfer a substrate between substrate processing units.
- the traditionally known substrate processing apparatus has such an advantage that the depth of a loader 10 can be reduced thereby to decrease its footprint.
- a transport robot of a loader section is disposed between a storage shelf and a load port. Therefore, when a cassette is transferred between the load port and the loader section, it is necessary to withdraw the transport robot into a suitable position.
- one transport robot performs transportation between the storage shelf and an opener. Hence, the transportation from the storage shelf to the opener, and the transportation from the opener to the storage shelf cannot be executed almost simultaneously.
- the present invention is directed to a substrate processing apparatus that performs processing of a substrate.
- the substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing unit, a cassette storing and transporting unit, and a first mounting section.
- the substrate processing unit performs processing of a substrate.
- the cassette storing and transporting unit stores and transports a cassette to encase a substrate, and is disposed side by side with respect to the substrate processing unit.
- the first mounting section that mounts the cassette and is disposed side by side with respect to the cassette storing and transporting unit.
- the cassette storing and transporting unit has a plurality of shelves to hold a cassette, a second mounting section that mounts a cassette and is disposed between the substrate processing unit and the plurality of shelves, a first transporting section that transports a cassette between the first mounting section and the plurality of shelves, and a second transporting section that transports a cassette between the plurality of shelves and the second mounting section.
- the transportation between the first mounting section and the plurality of shelves which is executed by the first transporting section, and the transportation between the second mounting section and the plurality of shelves which is executed by the second transporting section can be executed in parallel with each other. This can improve the throughput in the cassette storing and transporting unit, and in the substrate processing apparatus as well.
- the first transporting section is disposed between the first mounting section and the plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette to the plurality of shelves from a direction of one side of the plurality of shelves.
- This provides for ease of access to a cassette on the first mounting section and on the plurality of shelves.
- the second transporting section is disposed between the substrate processing unit and the plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette to the plurality of shelves from a direction of the other side of the plurality of shelves.
- Parallel operation of the respective transporting sections can be set without consideration of spatial interference between the first transporting section and the second transporting section.
- the first and second transporting sections have a holding element that holds a cassette from the underside of the cassette, and the plurality of shelves have a passage section that allows the holding element to pass through in the vertical direction.
- the time required for a cassette transfer operation can be reduced thereby to improve the throughput in the cassette storing and transporting unit, and in the substrate processing apparatus as well.
- an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can transport efficiently a cassette in a cassette storing and transporting unit.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall construction of a substrate processing apparatus according to first and second preferred embodiments of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction of an FOUP in the first and second preferred embodiments
- FIG. 3 is a top view of a loader and unloader section in the first preferred embodiment
- FIG. 4 is a front view of the loader and unloader section in the first preferred embodiment
- FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a shelf member and an FOUP
- FIG. 6 is a top view of the neighborhood of the shelf member
- FIG. 7 is a top view of a loader and unloader section according to the second preferred embodiment.
- FIG. 8 is a front view of the loader and unloader section in the second preferred embodiment
- FIG. 9 is a side view of a second opening and closing mechanism and a transporting mechanism in the first and second preferred embodiments.
- FIG. 10 is a side view of first and second opening and closing mechanisms in the first and second preferred embodiments.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall construction of a substrate processing apparatus 1 in a first preferred embodiment.
- the substrate processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that takes out, from an FOUP (front opening unified pod) 80 , a set of a plurality of substrates (lots) encased in the FOUP 80 , and that performs substrate processings in sequence with respect to the plurality of substrates, for example, etching with chemical solution such as hydrofluoric acid, and rinse with de-ionized water.
- the substrate processing apparatus 1 consists mainly of a load port 10 , a loader and unloader section 100 , and a substrate processing unit 200 .
- FIG. 1 and the succeeding respective figures are accompanied by an XYZ rectangular coordinate system, where the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, and an XY plane is a horizontal plane, depending on the necessity for clarifying their respective directional relationships.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction of the FOUP 80 .
- a flange 82 is formed on the top of a casing 81 of the FOUP 80 .
- a lifter arm 171 grips the flange 82 , thereby holding the FOUP 80 in suspension.
- a lid 83 is disposed on one surface of the casing 81 (the plane viewed in the direction of an arrow AR 1 in FIG. 2 ).
- the lid 83 has a lock mechanism with respect to the casing 81 .
- the lock mechanism is allowed to function with the lid 83 attached to the casing 81 , the lid 83 is secured to the casing 81 and the interior of the casing 81 becomes a closed space.
- the lock mechanism is allowed to function with the lid 83 attached to the casing 81 , thereby causing the interior of the casing 81 to become a closed space. Therefore, irrespective of the cleanliness of a clean room where the substrate processing apparatus 1 is placed, the interior of the FOUP 80 can be maintained at a high cleanliness.
- the release of the lock mechanism enables the lid 83 to be removed from the casing 81 , so that a substrate can be taken out from the interior of the casing 81 , and a substrate can be encased in the interior of the casing 81 .
- a substrate can be taken out from the interior of the casing 81 , and a substrate can be encased in the interior of the casing 81 .
- 25 or 13 substrates are encased in the casing 81 with their respective main surfaces arranged along the horizontal direction.
- the load port (the first mounting section) 10 is a mounting table, on which a transporting apparatus in the exterior of the substrate processing apparatus 1 (e.g., AVG (automatic guided vehicle)), or the FOUP 80 transferred from an operator of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is mounted. As shown in FIG. 1 , the load port 10 is disposed side by side with respect to the loader and unloader section 100 , and a plurality of (four in accordance with the first preferred embodiment) FOUPs 80 are mounted concurrently on a mounting surface 10 a.
- AVG automated guided vehicle
- a plurality of (four in accordance with this preferred embodiment) shutters 11 are disposed on a side surface on the load port 10 side in the loader and unloader section 100 .
- an opening portion that provides communication between the external space of the substrate processing apparatus 1 and the internal space of the loader and unloader section 100 .
- a transport robot 130 a of the loader and unloader section 100 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ) to perform, via the above opening portion, transportation of the FOUP 80 between the load port 10 and the internal space of the loader and unloader section 100 .
- the FOUP 80 encasing an untreated substrate is transported from the load port 10 to the loader and unloader section 100 .
- the FOUP 80 encasing a treated substrate after being subjected to processing in the substrate processing unit 200 is transferred from the loader and unloader section 100 to the load port 10 .
- the loader and unloader section 100 is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit that temporarily stores in its interior the FOUP 80 mounted on the load port 10 , and also transports the FOUP 80 encasing a substrate toward the substrate processing unit 200 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the loader and unloader section 100 is disposed at a place sandwiched between the load port 10 and the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the substrate processing unit 200 has a second opening and closing mechanism 180 and a transporting mechanism 190 that are used in transferring a substrate between a second mounting section 160 and the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the second opening and closing mechanism 180 and the transporting mechanism 190 are disposed in the vicinity of the shutter 161 of the loader and unloader section 100 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9 .
- FIG. 9 is a side view of the second opening and closing mechanism 180 and the transporting mechanism 190 of the substrate processing unit 200 .
- FIG. 10 is a side view of the second opening and closing mechanism 180 .
- the substrate processing unit 200 has in its interior a chemical solution tank to store chemical solution and a rinsing tank to store de-ionized water. A substrate is subjected to a predetermined substrate processing by allowing the substrate to be stored in the chemical solution tank or the rinsing tank.
- the second opening and closing mechanism 180 consists mainly of a latch part 181 and a lifting part 182 , as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 .
- the latch part 181 can be fit in the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 .
- the latch part 181 is attached to one end of a movable portion 182 b .
- a cylinder 182 a of the lifting part 182 causes the movable portion 182 b to execute advance and withdrawal motion in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR 2 (approximately the Z-axis direction)
- the latch part 181 ascends and descends in the directions indicated by the arrow AR 2 (see FIG. 9 ).
- the latch part 181 can also be shifted in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR 3 (the Y-axis direction) by a horizontal shifting mechanism (not shown) (see FIG. 10 ).
- the transporting mechanism 190 consists mainly of a support part 191 and an advance and withdrawal section 192 .
- the transporting mechanism 190 performs loading or unloading of a substrate with respect to a FOUP 80 , when the shutter 161 is opened and the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 mounted on the second mounting section 160 is removed.
- the support part 191 consists mainly of a plurality of ( 25 or 13 in this preferred embodiment) support arms 191 a , and a fitting member 191 b .
- the support arms 191 a are arranged in the vertical direction (approximately the Z-axis direction) at equally spaced intervals while extending in the horizontal direction (approximately the Y-axis direction), and each of them supports a substrate such that the main surface of the substrate is approximately parallel to an XY plane.
- the end of each support arm 191 a on the substrate processing unit 200 side is attached to the fitting member 191 b extending in the vertical direction.
- a lower end of the fitting member 191 b is disposed on a movable tray 192 a of the advance and withdrawal section 192 .
- the advance and withdrawal section 192 has three trays (movable trays 192 a and 192 b , and a stationary tray 192 c ), as shown in FIG. 9 . These trays 192 a , 192 b , and 192 c are disposed in top-to-bottom order.
- the stationary tray 192 c of the advance and withdrawal section 192 is attached to a rotary shaft 194 pivoted about a base 193 , allowing the advance and withdrawal section 192 to be rotatable about an axis 194 c.
- the movable tray 192 b executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to the stationary tray 192 c
- the movable tray 192 a executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to the movable tray 192 b , so that the support part 191 shifts between the full-line position and the dotted-line position.
- an untreated substrate encased in the interior of the casing of the FOUP 80 is loaded in the substrate processing unit 200 while being supported by the support part 191 of the transporting mechanism 190 .
- the treated substrate subjected to substrate processing in the substrate processing unit 200 is unloaded from the substrate processing unit 200 while being supported by the support part 191 , and then encased in the casing 81 of the FOUP 80 .
- the substrate transferred to the substrate processing unit 200 from the loader and unloader section 100 by the transporting mechanism 190 of the substrate processing unit 200 is then stored in the above-mentioned chemical solution tank or rinsing tank so as to be subjected to a predetermined substrate processing such as rinsing or the like.
- the substrate after completion of the predetermined processing is then unloaded from the substrate processing unit 200 to the loader and unloader section 100 by the transporting mechanism 190 .
- a control unit 50 shown in FIG. 1 has a memory 51 that stores a program, a variable and the like, and a CPU 52 that executes control according to the program stored in the memory 51 .
- Objects to be controlled such as the shutter 11 of the loader and unloader section 100 , the transport robot 130 , and the lifter 170 (see FIG. 3 ) are electrically connected to the control unit 50 by a signal line (not shown). Therefore, the CPU 52 causes these objects to be controlled to operate at a predetermined timing according to the program stored in the memory 51 .
- FIGS. 3 and 4 are a top view and a front view of the loader and unloader section 100 in the first preferred embodiment, respectively.
- FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the shelf member 141 a and the FOUP 80 .
- FIG. 6 is a top view of the neighborhood of the shelf member 141 a . The following is a detail description of the loader and unloader section 100 that is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit.
- the loader and unloader section 100 consists mainly two transport robots 130 ( 130 a , 130 b ), a shelf array 140 , and two mounting sections (second and third mounting sections 160 , 150 ).
- individual elements arranged in the loader and unloader section 100 are arranged along the horizontal direction (approximately the X-axis direction) so as to form three rows.
- the transport robot (a first transporting section) 130 a and a third mounting section (a judging section) 150 are disposed on the first row from the load port 10 side.
- the shelf array 140 is disposed on the second row.
- the transport robot (a second transporting section) 130 b and the second mounting section 160 are disposed on the third row.
- the shelf array 140 is an encasing section to store a plurality of ( 16 in accordance with the first preferred embodiment) FOUPs 80 .
- the shelf array 140 stores not only the FOUPs 80 encasing an untreated substrate, but also the empty FOUPs 80 , from which the substrate is already taken out.
- the shelf array 140 is obtained by arranging in two dimensions a plurality of shelves along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) and the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction).
- Each of the plurality of shelves has a pair of shelf members 141 a .
- each shelf member 141 a is in the general shape of an “L”, and is attached to the corresponding frame 145 such that the longitudinal direction of the shelf member 141 a is approximately parallel to the Y-axis direction.
- a surface of the shelf member 141 a , on which the FOUP 80 is mounted, has a projecting portion 142 that corresponds to a hole portion 85 disposed at a lower part of the FOUP 80 .
- the FOUP 80 can be stably held on the pair of the shelf members 141 a by fitting the projecting portions 142 of a pair of the shelf members 141 a into the hole portions 85 of the FOUP 80 .
- the pair of the shelf members 141 a are used as a storage shelf to store the FOUP 80 , and the region sandwiched between the pair of the shelf members 141 a is used as an encasing space 141 to store the FOUP 80 .
- each opening portion 146 is arranged along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction).
- the tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 ascends and descends in the interior of the shelf array 140 while passing through these opening portions 146 .
- the opening portions 146 of a plurality of storage shelves in the shelf array 140 function as a passage portion allowing the tip portion 139 to pass through in the vertical direction.
- the transport robots 130 a and 130 b are FOUP transporting sections that are placed on the load port 10 side and the substrate processing unit 200 side, respectively, when viewed from the shelf array 140 . That is, the transport robot (the first transporting section) 130 a is disposed on the reverse side of the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b with the shelf array 140 interposed therebetween.
- the both robots 130 a and 130 b have almost the same hardware configuration. In the following description, except where the transport robot 130 a is discriminated from the transport robot 130 b , the two are simply referred to as a “transport robot 130 .”
- a tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 is a holding element to hold the FOUP 80 from the underside, and is in the general shape of a triangle.
- a projecting portion 139 a is disposed in the vicinity of each vertex on the upper surface side of the tip portion 139 .
- Disposed at a lower part of the FOUP 80 are three hole portions 87 that correspond to the projecting portions 139 a , respectively (see FIG. 5 , in which two of the three hole portions are shown for convenience in plotting).
- the tip portion 139 is attached to an arm 138 a , via a rotary shaft 134 b positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, thus allowing it to be rotatable about the rotary shaft 134 b . Accordingly, the transport robot 130 stably holds the FOUP 80 by causing the three projecting portions 139 a to fit in their respective corresponding hole portions 86 of the FOUP 80 , while causing the tip portion 139 to rotate.
- the arm 138 a is attached to an arm 138 b via the rotary shaft 134 c positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, and the arm 138 b is attached to an anchor block 136 via the rotary shaft 134 a .
- the anchor block 136 is disposed on a strut 131 extending in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) such that it can ascend and descend.
- the strut 131 is free to slide along a guide rail 132 extending in the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction).
- the transport robot 130 ( 130 a , 130 b ) causes the FOUP 80 held on the tip portion 139 to shift in the horizontal direction along the shelf array 140 and to ascend and descend in the vertical direction. Therefore, the transport robot 130 a transports the FOUP 80 among the storage shelf of the shelf array 140 , the load port 10 , and the third mounting section 150 . The transport robot 130 b transports the FOUP 80 between the storage shelf of the shelf array 140 and the second mounting section 160 .
- the transport robot 130 a performs processing of: transporting the FOUP 80 that is loaded through the load port 10 , from the load port 10 to the shelf array 140 ; transporting it from the load port 10 to the third mounting section 150 ; transporting it from the third mounting section 150 to the shelf array 140 ; and transporting the FOUP 80 stored in the shelf array 140 to the load port 10 .
- the transport robot 130 b performs transportation of the FOUP 80 stored in the shelf array 140 from the shelf array 140 to the second mounting section 160 ; and transportation from the mounting section 150 to the shelf array 140 .
- the transport robots 130 a and 130 b are disposed oppositely with the shelf array 140 interposed therebetween. This enables a plurality of transportations to be executed almost concurrently, thereby improving the throughput in the load and unloader section 100 as a whole. Except where the transport robots 130 a and 130 b access to the same storage shelf, they can execute transportation of the FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference. It is therefore possible to set the operations of the transport robots 130 a and 130 b without considering the interference between the two.
- the transportation of the FOUP 80 executed between the load port 10 and the substrate processing unit 200 is performed by the two transport robots 130 a and 130 b of the loader and unloader section 100 , instead of the transporting section of the load port 10 . Therefore, in the first preferred embodiment, neither of the transport robot 130 a nor 130 b is required to withdraw when the FOUP 80 is transported from the load port 10 to the substrate processing unit 200 . This permits efficient transportation of the FOUP 80 .
- the transportation of the FOUP 80 between the transport robot 130 ( 130 a , 130 b ) and each storage shelf of the shelf array 140 is executed as follows. That is, when the FOUP 80 is transferred from the transport robot 130 to the storage shelf, first, the tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 is shifted such that the height position (the position in the Z-axis direction) of a bottom 88 of the FOUP 80 encased at a storage shelf is higher than the height position of a top surface 143 of the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ) (see FIG. 5 ). Subsequently, the tip portion 139 is allowed to descend such that the projecting portions 142 of a pair of the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ) are fit in the hole portions 85 of the FOUP 80 .
- the FOUP 80 is mounted on the top surface 143 of the pair of the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ), and the projecting portion 139 a of the tip portion 139 is separated from a hole portion 87 , thus completing the transfer of the FOUP 80 from the transport robot 130 to the storage shelf.
- the tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 is shifted to under the FOUP 80 that is mounted on a storage shelf. Subsequently, the tip portion 139 is allowed to ascend such that the projecting portion 139 a of the tip portion 139 is fit in the hole portion 87 of the FOUP 80 .
- the FOUP 80 is held by the tip portion 139 , and the projecting portion 142 is separated from the hole portion 85 , thus completing the transfer of the FOUP 80 from the storage shelf to the transport robot 130 .
- the FOUP 80 is shifted above the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ). Consequently, the encasing space 141 is set so as to have a greater height than the FOUP 80 .
- the second mounting section 160 is used to transfer a substrate encased in the FOUP 80 to the substrate processing unit 200 , and disposed on the substrate processing unit 200 side when viewed from the shelf array 140 .
- the shelf member 141 b is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a plurality of (three in accordance with the first preferred embodiment) projecting portions on the plane on the FOUP 80 side. It is disposed such that the longitudinal direction of the shelf member 141 b is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 .
- a shutter 161 that can ascend and descend in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR 4 (approximately the Z-axis direction, see FIG. 9 ) is disposed on a side wall on the substrate processing unit 200 side in the vicinity of the second mounting section 160 .
- Upon opening the shutter 161 there is formed an opening portion that provides communication between the internal space of the loader and unloader section 100 and the internal space of the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the second opening and closing mechanism 180 of the substrate processing unit 200 removes the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 , while the transporting mechanism 190 of the substrate processing unit 200 takes out an untreated substrate from the FOUP 80 , and transports the untreated substrate into the substrate processing unit 200 via the opening portion formed upon opening the shutter 161 .
- the shutter 161 is opened, and the transporting mechanism 190 transports the treated substrate via the opening portion into the FOUP 80 , while the second opening and closing mechanism 180 closes the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 .
- a lifter 170 of the second mounting section 160 is a lifting section that causes the FOUP 80 mounted on a pair of the shelf members 141 b to ascend and descend between a mounting position (the full-line position in FIG. 4 ) and a withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position in FIG. 4 ). As shown in FIG. 4 , the lifter 170 is disposed above a pair of the shelf members 141 b , and has a lifter arm 171 .
- the lifter arm 171 grips a flange 82 (a grip portion) formed on the top of the FOUP 80 , and releases its grip state.
- the lifter arm 171 can also ascend and descend along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) by a driving mechanism (not shown).
- the transport robot 130 b is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of the FOUP 80 encasing an untreated substrate to the mounting position of the second mounting section 160 , and the receipt of the empty FOUP 80 raised to the withdrawal position, from the second mounting section 160 .
- only one reciprocating motion of the transport robot 130 b between the shelf array 140 and the second mounting section 160 permits the interchange between the FOUP 80 encasing a substrate and the empty FOUP 80 . This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader and unloader section 100 .
- the third mounting section 150 is used to execute mapping processing such as confirmation of the number of substrates encased in the FOUP 80 loaded from the load port 10 , and is disposed on the load port 10 side when viewed from the shelf array 140 . That is, the third mounting section 150 is disposed on the opposite side of the second mounting section 160 with the shelf array 140 interposed therebetween.
- the third mounting section 150 is equipped with a first opening and closing mechanism 185 to open and close the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 .
- the first opening and closing mechanism 185 has the same hardware configuration as the second opening and closing mechanism 180 , as shown in FIG. 10 . Therefore, the internal space of the casing 81 of the FOUP 80 mounted on the second mounting section 160 is opened or closed by allowing the latch part 181 of the first opening and closing mechanism 185 to shift in the directions indicated by the arrow AR 2 or the directions indicated by the arrow AR 3 , while allowing it to fit in the lid 83 .
- a shelf member 141 c is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a projecting portion. It is attached such that its longitudinal direction is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ).
- the third mounting section 150 further has a counting mechanism 187 to count the number of substrates encased in the interior of the FOUP 80 , as shown in FIG. 3 .
- the opening and closing mechanism removes the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 , while the counting mechanism 187 counts the number of substrates encased in the interior of the FOUP 80 .
- the third mounting section 150 is used as a judging section to judge the situation with regard to the substrates encased in the FOUP 80 .
- the lifter 170 of the third mounting section 150 is, as shown in FIG. 4 , a lifting section disposed above a pair of the shelf members 141 c , and has the same hardware configuration as the lifter 170 of the second mounting section 160 . That is, the lifter 170 of the third mounting section 160 causes the FOUP 80 mounted on a pair of the shelf members 141 c to ascend and descend between the mounting position (the full-line position in FIG. 4 ) and the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position in FIG. 4 ).
- the third mounting section 150 can raise the FOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing to the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position in FIG. 4 ), while causing the lifter arm 171 to grip the flange 82 .
- the transport robot 130 a is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of the FOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing to the mounting position of the third mounting section 150 , and the receipt of the FOUP 80 , after being subjected to mapping processing and raised to the withdrawal position, from the second mounting section 150 .
- only one reciprocating motion of the transport robot 130 a between the shelf array 140 and the second mounting section 160 permits the interchange between the FOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing and the FOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing. This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader and unloader section 100 .
- mapping processing is usually executed in the second mounting section 160 disposed on the substrate processing unit 200 side. That is, the transfer of a substrate to the substrate processing unit 200 , and the mapping processing are executed in the second mounting section 160 .
- a transporting mechanism 190 on the substrate processing unit 200 side cannot load a substrate from the second mounting section 160 to the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the processing in the second mounting section 160 is a rate-determining factor of the throughput in the processing executed in the loader and unloader section 100 .
- the second and third mounting sections 160 and 150 can execute concurrently the loading of a substrate into the substrate processing unit 200 , and mapping processing.
- it is unnecessary to reciprocate the FOUP 80 between the shelf array 140 and the second mounting section 160 by the time a substrate is loaded in the substrate processing unit 200 .
- This permits a reduction in the time of waiting for another processing in the second mounting section 160 , thereby further improving the throughput in the transportation executed in the loader and unloader section 100 .
- the transport robot (the first transport section) 130 a is disposed on the load port (the first mounting section) 10 side, and the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b is disposed on the substrate processing unit 200 side, with the shelf array 140 interposed between the two. This enables the transport robots 130 a and 130 b to execute transportation of the FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference, except where they access to the same storage shelf.
- the operations of the transport robots 130 a and 130 b can be set without consideration of spatial interference of the transports robots 130 a and 130 b.
- the loader and unloader section 100 has the two mounting sections (the second and third mounting sections 160 and 150 ).
- the mapping processing in the third mounting section 150 , and the transfer of a substrate to the substrate processing unit 200 in the second mounting section 160 are executed concurrently.
- the second mounting section 160 is not required to execute mapping processing, and it may execute only the transfer of a substrate, so that the time of waiting for another processing in the second mounting section 160 can be reduced.
- a substrate processing apparatus in the second preferred embodiment has the same construction as the first preferred embodiment, except that a loader and unloader section 500 further has an aligning section to align substrates in a predetermined direction.
- like components are identified by the same reference numerals as in the substrate processing apparatus of the first preferred embodiment.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall construction of a substrate processing apparatus 400 in a second preferred embodiment.
- the substrate processing apparatus 400 is an apparatus that takes out, from an FOUP (front opening unified pod) 80 , a set of a plurality of substrates (lots) encased in the FOUP 80 , and that performs substrate processings in sequence with respect to the plurality of substrate, for example, etching with chemical solution such as hydrofluoric acid, and rinse with de-ionized water.
- the substrate processing apparatus 400 consists mainly of a load port 10 , a loader and unloader section 500 , and a substrate processing unit 200 .
- FIG. 1 and the succeeding respective figures are accompanied by an XYZ rectangular coordinate system, where the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, and an XY plane is a horizontal plane, depending on the necessity in clarifying their respective directional relationships.
- the load port (the first mounting section) 10 is a mounting table, on which a transporting apparatus in the exterior of the substrate processing apparatus 400 (e.g., AVG (automatic guided vehicle)), or the FOUP 80 transferred from an operator of the substrate processing apparatus 400 is mounted. As shown in FIG. 1 , the load port 10 is disposed side by side with respect to the loader and unloader section 500 , and a plurality of (four in accordance with the second preferred embodiment) FOUPs 80 are mounted concurrently on a mounting surface 10 a.
- a transporting apparatus in the exterior of the substrate processing apparatus 400 e.g., AVG (automatic guided vehicle)
- FOUP 80 transferred from an operator of the substrate processing apparatus 400
- a plurality of (four in accordance with the second preferred embodiment) shutters 11 are disposed on a side surface on the load port 10 side in the loader and unloader section 500 .
- an opening portion that provides communication between the external space of the substrate processing apparatus 400 and the internal space of the loader and unloader section 500 .
- the FOUP 80 with an untreated substrate encased is transported from the load port 10 to the loader and unloader section 500 .
- the FOUP 80 with a treated substrate after being subjected to processing in the substrate processing unit 200 is transferred from the loader and unloader section 500 to the load port 10 .
- the loader and unloader section 500 is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit that temporarily stores in its interior the FOUP 80 mounted on the load port 10 , and also transports the FOUP 80 encasing a substrate toward the substrate processing unit 200 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the loader and unloader section 500 is disposed at a place sandwiched between the load port 10 and the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the substrate processing unit 200 has a second opening and closing mechanism 180 and a transporting mechanism 190 that are used in transferring a substrate between a second mounting section 160 and the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the second opening and closing mechanism 180 and the transporting mechanism 190 are disposed in the vicinity of the shutter 161 of the loader and unloader section 500 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9 .
- FIG. 9 is a side view of the second opening and closing mechanism 180 and the transporting mechanism 190 of the substrate processing unit 200 .
- FIG. 10 is a side view of the second opening and closing mechanism 180 .
- the substrate processing unit 200 has in its interior a chemical solution tank to store chemical solution and a rinsing tank to store de-ionized water. A substrate is subjected to a predetermined substrate processing by allowing the substrate to be stored in the chemical solution tank or the rinsing tank.
- the second opening and closing mechanism 180 consists mainly of a latch part 181 and a lifting part 182 , as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 .
- the latch part 181 can be fit in the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 .
- the latch part 181 is attached to one end of a movable portion 182 b .
- a cylinder 182 a of the lifting part 182 causes the movable portion 182 b to execute advance and withdrawal motion in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR 2 (approximately the Z-axis direction)
- the latch part 181 ascends and descends in the directions indicated by the arrow AR 2 (see FIG. 9 ).
- the latch part 181 can also be shifted in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR 3 (the Y-axis direction) by a horizontal shifting mechanism (not shown) (see FIG. 10 ).
- the transporting mechanism 190 consists mainly of a support part 191 and an advance and withdrawal section 192 .
- the transporting mechanism 190 performs loading or unloading of a substrate with respect to a FOUP 80 , when the shutter 161 is opened and the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 mounted on the second mounting section 160 is removed.
- the support part 191 consists mainly of a plurality of ( 25 or 13 in the second preferred embodiment) support arms 191 a , and a fitting member 191 b .
- the support arms 191 a are arranged in the vertical direction (approximately the Z-axis direction) at equally spaced intervals while extending in the horizontal direction (approximately the Y-axis direction), and each of them supports a substrate such that the main surface of the substrate is approximately parallel to an XY plane.
- the end of each support arm 191 a on the substrate processing unit 200 side is attached to the fitting member 191 b extending in the vertical direction.
- a lower end of the fitting member 191 b is disposed on a movable tray 192 a of the advance and withdrawal section 192 .
- the advance and withdrawal section 192 has three trays (movable trays 192 a and 192 b , and a stationary tray 192 c ), as shown in FIG. 9 . These trays 192 a , 192 b , and 192 c are disposed in top-to-bottom order.
- the stationary tray 192 c of the advance and withdrawal section 192 is attached to a rotary shaft 194 pivoted about a base 193 , allowing the advance and withdrawal section 192 to be rotatable about an axis 194 c.
- the movable tray 192 b executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to the stationary tray 192 c
- the movable tray 192 a executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to the movable tray 192 b , so that the support part 191 shifts between the full-line position and the dotted-line position.
- an untreated substrate encased in the interior of the casing of the FOUP 80 is loaded in the substrate processing unit 200 while being supported by the support part 191 of the transporting mechanism 190 .
- the treated substrate subjected to substrate processing in the substrate processing unit 200 is unloaded from the substrate processing unit 200 while being supported by the support part 191 , and then encased in the casing 81 of the FOUP 80 .
- the substrate transferred to the substrate processing unit 200 from the loader and unloader section 100 by the transporting mechanism 190 of the substrate processing unit 200 is then stored in the above-mentioned chemical solution tank or rinsing tank so as to be subjected to a predetermined substrate processing such as rinsing or the like.
- the substrate after completion of the predetermined processing is then unloaded from the substrate processing unit 200 to the loader and unloader section 500 by the transporting mechanism 190 .
- a control unit 50 shown in FIG. 1 has a memory 51 that stores a program, a variable and the like, and a CPU 52 that executes control according to the program stored in the memory 51 .
- Objects to be controlled such as the shutter 11 of the loader and unloader section 500 , the transport robot 130 , and the lifter 170 (see FIG. 7 ) are electrically connected to the control unit 50 by a signal line (not shown). Therefore, the CPU 52 causes these objects to be controlled to operate at a predetermined timing according to the program stored in the memory 51 .
- FIGS. 7 and 8 are a top view and a front view of the loader and unloader section 500 in the second preferred embodiment, respectively.
- FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the shelf member 141 a and the FOUP 80 .
- FIG. 6 is a top view of the neighborhood of the shelf member 141 a . The following is a detail description of the loader and unloader section 500 that is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit.
- the loader and unloader section 500 consists mainly two transport robots 130 ( 130 a , 130 b ) and 530 , a shelf array 140 , two mounting sections (second and third mounting sections 160 , 150 ), and an alignment section 510 .
- individual elements arranged in the loader and unloader section 500 are arranged along the horizontal direction (approximately the X-axis direction) so as to form three rows.
- the transport robot (a first transporting section) 130 a and a third mounting section (a judging section) 150 are disposed on the first row from the load port 10 side.
- the shelf array 140 , the alignment section 510 , and the transport robot 530 are disposed on the second row.
- the transport robot (a second transporting section) 130 b and the second mounting section 160 are disposed on the third row.
- the shelf array 140 is an encasing section to encase a plurality of ( 14 in accordance with the second preferred embodiment) FOUPs 80 .
- the shelf array 140 encases not only the FOUPs 80 encasing an untreated substrate, but also the empty FOUPs 80 , from which the substrate is already taken out.
- the shelf array 140 is obtained by arranging in two dimensions a plurality of shelves along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) and the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction).
- Each of the plurality of shelves has a pair of shelf members 141 a .
- each shelf member 141 a is in the general shape of an “L”, and is attached to the corresponding frame 145 such that the longitudinal direction of the shelf member 141 a is approximately parallel to the Y-axis direction.
- a surface of the shelf member 141 a , on which the FOUP 80 is mounted, has a projecting portion 142 that corresponds to a hole portion 85 disposed at a lower part of the FOUP 80 .
- the FOUP 80 can be stably held at the pair of the shelf members 141 a by fitting the projecting portions 142 of a pair of the shelf members 141 a into the hole portions 85 of the FOUP 80 .
- the pair of the shelf members 141 a are used as a storage shelf to store the FOUP 80 , and the region sandwiched between the pair of the shelf members 141 a is used as an encasing space 141 to store the FOUP 80 .
- each opening portion 146 is arranged along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction).
- the tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 ascends and descends in the interior of the shelf array 140 while passing through these opening portions 146 .
- the opening portions 146 of a plurality of storage shelves in the shelf array 140 function as a passage portion allowing the tip portion 139 to pass through in the vertical direction.
- the transport robots 130 a and 130 b are FOUP transporting sections that are placed on the load port 10 side and the substrate processing unit 200 side, respectively, when viewed from the shelf array 140 . That is, the transport robot (the first transporting section) 130 a is disposed on the reverse side of the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b with the shelf array 140 interposed therebetween.
- a tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 is a holding element to hold the FOUP 80 from the underside, and is in the general shape of a triangle.
- a projecting portion 139 a is disposed in the vicinity of each vertex on the upper surface side of the tip portion 139 .
- Disposed at a lower part of the FOUP 80 are three hole portions 87 that correspond to the projecting portions 139 a , respectively (see FIG. 7 , in which two of the three hole portions are shown for convenience in plotting).
- the tip portion 139 is attached to an arm 138 a , via a rotary shaft 134 b positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, thus allowing it to be rotatable about the rotary shaft 134 b . Accordingly, the transport robot 130 stably holds the FOUP 80 by causing the three projecting portions 139 a to fit in their respective corresponding hole portions 86 of the FOUP 80 , while causing the tip portion 139 to rotate.
- the arm 138 a is attached to an arm 138 b via the rotary shaft 134 c positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, and the arm 138 b is attached to an anchor block 136 via the rotary shaft 134 a .
- the anchor block 136 is disposed on a strut 131 extending in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) such that it can ascend and descend.
- the strut 131 is free to slide along a guide rail 132 extending in the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction).
- the transport robot 130 ( 130 a , 130 b ) causes the FOUP 80 held at the tip portion 139 to shift in the horizontal direction along the shelf array 140 and to ascend and descend in the vertical direction. Therefore, the transport robot 130 a transports the FOUP 80 among the storage shelf of the shelf array 140 , the load port 10 , and the third mounting section 150 . The transport robot 130 b transports the FOUP 80 between the storage shelf of the shelf array 140 and the second mounting section 160 .
- the transport robot 130 a performs processing of: transporting the FOUP 80 that is loaded through the load port 10 , from the load port 10 to the shelf array 140 ; transporting it from the load port 10 to the third mounting section 150 ; transporting it from the third mounting section 150 to the shelf array 140 ; and transporting the FOUP 80 stored in the shelf array 140 to the load port 10 .
- the transport robot 130 b performs the transportation of the FOUP 80 stored in the shelf array 140 from the shelf array 140 to the second mounting section 160 , and transportation from the mounting section 150 to the shelf array 140 .
- the transport robots 130 a and 130 b are disposed oppositely with the shelf array 140 interposed therebetween. This enables a plurality of transportations to be executed almost concurrently, thereby improving the throughput in the load and unloader section 500 as a whole. Except where the transport robots 130 a and 130 b access to the same storage shelf, they execute transportation of the FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference. It is therefore possible to set the operations of the transport robots 130 a and 130 b without considering the interference between the two.
- the transportation of the FOUP 80 executed between the load port 10 and the substrate processing unit 200 is performed by the two transport robots 130 a and 130 b of the loader and unloader section 100 , instead of the transporting section of the load port 10 . Therefore, in the second preferred embodiment, neither of the transport robot 130 a nor 130 b is required to withdraw when the FOUP 80 is transported from the load port 10 to the substrate processing unit 200 . This permits efficient transportation of the FOUP 80 .
- the transportation of the FOUP 80 between the transport robot 130 ( 130 a , 130 b ) and each storage shelf of the shelf array 140 is executed as follows. That is, when the FOUP 80 is transferred from the transport robot 130 to the storage shelf, first, the tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 is shifted such that the height position (the position in the Z-axis direction) of the bottom 88 of the FOUP 80 stored at a storage shelf is higher than the height position of a top surface 143 of the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ) (see FIG. 7 ). Subsequently, the tip portion 139 is allowed to descend such that the projecting portions 142 of a pair of the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ) are fit in the hole portions 85 of the FOUP 80 .
- the FOUP 80 is mounted on the top surface 143 of the pair of the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ), and the projecting portion 139 a of the tip portion 139 is separated from a hole portion 87 , thus completing the transfer of the FOUP 80 from the transport robot 130 to the storage shelf.
- the tip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 is shifted to under the FOUP 80 that is mounted on a storage shelf. Subsequently, the tip portion 139 is allowed to ascend such that the projecting portion 139 a of the tip portion 139 is fit in the hole portion 87 of the FOUP 80 .
- the FOUP 80 is held by the tip portion 139 , and the projecting portion 142 is separated from the hole portion 85 , thus completing the transfer of the FOUP 80 from the storage shelf to the transport robot 130 .
- the FOUP 80 is shifted above the shelf member 141 a ( 141 b , 141 c ). Therefore, the encasing space 141 is set so as to have a greater height than the FOUP 80 .
- the second mounting section 160 is used to transfer a substrate encased in the FOUP 80 to the substrate processing unit 200 , and disposed on the substrate processing unit 200 side when viewed from the shelf array 140 .
- the shelf member 141 b is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a plurality of (three in accordance with the second preferred embodiment) projecting portions on the plane on the FOUP 80 side. It is disposed such that the longitudinal direction of the shelf member 141 b is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 .
- a shutter 161 that can ascend and descend in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR 4 (approximately the Z-axis direction, see FIG. 9 ) is disposed on a side wall on the substrate processing unit 200 side in the vicinity of the second mounting section 160 .
- Upon opening the shutter 161 there is formed an opening portion that provides communication between the internal space of the loader and unloader section 500 and the internal space of the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the second opening and closing mechanism 180 of the substrate processing unit 200 removes the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 , while the transporting mechanism 190 of the substrate processing unit 200 takes out an untreated substrate from the FOUP 80 , and transports the untreated substrate into the substrate processing unit 200 via the opening portion formed upon opening the shutter 161 .
- the shutter 161 is opened, and the transporting mechanism 190 transports the treated substrate via the opening portion into the FOUP 80 , while the second opening and closing mechanism 180 closes the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 .
- a lifter 170 of the second mounting section 160 is a lifting section that causes the FOUP 80 mounted on a pair of the shelf members 141 b to ascend and descend between a mounting position (the full-line position in FIG. 8 ) and a withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position in FIG. 8 ). As shown in FIG. 8 , the lifter 170 is disposed above a pair of the shelf members 141 b , and has a lifter arm 171 .
- the lifter arm 171 grips a flange 82 (a grip portion) formed on the top of the FOUP 80 , and releases its grip state.
- the lifter arm 171 can also ascend and descend along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) by a driving mechanism (not shown).
- the transport robot 130 b is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of the FOUP 80 encasing an untreated substrate to the mounting position of the second mounting section 160 , and the receipt of the empty FOUP 80 raised to the withdrawal position, from the second mounting section 160 .
- only one reciprocating motion of the transport robot 130 b between the shelf array 140 and the second mounting section 160 permits the interchange between the FOUP 80 encasing a substrate and the empty FOUP 80 . This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader and unloader section 500 .
- the third mounting section 150 is used to execute mapping processing such as confirmation of the number of substrates encased in the FOUP 80 loaded from the load port 10 , and is disposed on the load port 10 side when viewed from the shelf array 140 . That is, the third mounting section 150 is disposed on the opposite side of the second mounting section 160 with the shelf array 140 interposed therebetween.
- the third mounting section 150 is equipped with a first opening and closing mechanism 185 to open and close the lid 83 of the FOUP 80 .
- the first opening and closing mechanism 185 has the same hardware configuration as the second opening and closing mechanism 180 , as shown in FIG. 10 . Therefore, the internal space of the casing 81 of the FOUP 80 mounted on the second mounting section 160 is opened or closed by allowing the latch part 181 of the first opening and closing mechanism 185 to shift in the directions indicated by the arrow AR 2 or the directions indicated by the arrow AR 3 , while allowing it to fit in the lid 83 .
- a shelf member 141 c is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a projecting portion. It is attached such that its longitudinal direction is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction (see FIGS. 7 and 8 ).
- the third mounting section 150 further has a counting mechanism 187 to count the number of substrates encased in the interior of the FOUP 80 , as shown in FIG. 7 .
- the opening and closing mechanism 185 removes the lid 83 of the FOUP 80
- the counting mechanism 187 counts the number of substrates encased in the interior of the FOUP 80 .
- the third mounting section 150 is used as a judging section to judge the situation with regard to the substrates encased in the FOUP 80 .
- the lifter 170 of the third mounting section 150 is, as shown in FIG. 8 , a lifting section disposed above a pair of the shelf members 141 c , and has the same hardware configuration as the lifter 170 of the second mounting section 160 . That is, the lifter 170 of the third mounting section 160 causes the FOUP 80 mounted on a pair of the shelf members 141 c to ascend and descend between the mounting position (the full-line position in FIG. 8 ) and the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position in FIG. 8 ).
- the third mounting section 150 can raise the FOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing to the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position in FIG. 8 ), while causing the lifter arm 171 to grip the flange 82 .
- the transport robot 130 a is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of the FOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing to the mounting position of the third mounting section 150 , and the receipt of the FOUP 80 , after being subjected to mapping processing and raised to the withdrawal position, from the second mounting section 150 .
- only one reciprocating motion of the transport robot 130 a between the shelf array 140 and the third mounting section 160 permits the interchange between the FOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing and the FOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing. This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader and unloader section 500 .
- mapping processing is usually executed in the second mounting section 160 disposed on the substrate processing unit 200 side. That is, the transfer of a substrate to the substrate processing unit 200 , and mapping processing are executed in the second mounting section 160 .
- a transporting mechanism 190 on the substrate processing unit 200 side cannot load a substrate from the second mounting section 160 to the substrate processing unit 200 .
- the processing in the second mounting section 160 is a rate-determining factor of the throughput in the processing executed in the loader and unloader section 500 .
- the second and third mounting sections 160 and 150 can execute concurrently the loading of a substrate into the substrate processing unit 200 , and mapping processing.
- the loader and unloader section 500 eliminates the need to reciprocate the FOUP 80 between the shelf array 140 and the second mounting section 160 by the time a substrate is loaded in the substrate processing unit 200 . This permits a reduction in the time of waiting for another processing in the second mounting section 160 , thereby further improving the throughput in the transportation executed in the loader and unloader section 500 .
- the transport robot (the third transporting section) 530 is disposed at a region that is present along the X-axis direction of the shelf array 140 and sandwiched between the second and third mounting sections 160 and 150 (i.e., the second row).
- the transport robot 530 is also disposed such that its height position (the Z-axis direction position) is approximately the same as the mounting position of the FOUP 80 in the second and third mounting sections 160 and 150 (the full-line position in FIG. 8 ).
- the transport robot 530 has a lifter 536 , to which an arm 538 b is attached via a rotary shaft 534 a disposed in approximately parallel to the Z-axis.
- An arm 538 a is attached via a rotary shaft 534 c to the arm 538 b .
- a tip portion 539 for transporting substrates one by one is provided via a rotary shaft 534 b.
- a non-contact type detecting section detects the orientation flat and the notch position of the substrate in the FOUP 80 .
- the tip portion 539 of the transport robot 530 takes out the substrates one by one from the FOUP 80 , and then transports them to the alignment section 510 .
- the tip portion 539 of the transport robot 530 takes out the substrates one by one from the alignment section 510 , and transports them to the FOUP 80 .
- the alignment section 510 is an adjusting section of a so-called single wafer processing that performs alignment processing per substrate. As shown in FIG. 7 , the alignment section 510 is placed within the shelf array 140 and adjacent to the transport robot 530 , and disposed such that its height position is approximately the same as that of the transport robot 530 . Here, the alignment section 510 adjusts the rotary position of a substrate based on an orientation flat and a notch position. At this time, the substrate is rotated based on the detection result obtained by the non-contact type detecting section, and the position of the substrate is adjusted such that the crystal orientation of the substrate becomes a predetermined direction, thereby completing the alignment processing.
- the alignment processing executed by the loader and unloader section 500 is executed for the substrate that is taken out from the FOUP 80 mounted on the third mounting section 150 , and then loaded in the alignment section 510 . That is, in executing the alignment processing, no FOUP 80 is mounted on the second mounting section 160 .
- the non-contact type detecting section can detect the orientation flat and the notch position of a substrate, so that the occurrence of particles can be suppressed than a batch type adjusting section.
- the alignment section 510 can execute alignment processing while suppressing defects in substrate processing.
- the transport robot (the first transport section) 130 a is disposed on the load port (the first mounting section) 10 side, and the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b is disposed on the substrate processing unit 200 side, with the shelf array 140 interposed between the two.
- This enables the transport robots 130 a and 130 b to execute concurrent transportation of the FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference, except where they access to the same storage shelf.
- the operations of the transport robots 130 a and 130 b can be set without consideration of spatial interference of the transports robots 130 a and 130 b.
- the loader and unloader section 500 has the two mounting sections (the second and third mounting sections 160 and 150 ).
- the mapping processing in the third mounting section 150 , and the transfer of a substrate to the substrate processing unit 200 in the second mounting section 160 are executed concurrently.
- the second mounting section 160 is not required to execute mapping processing, and it may execute only the transfer of a substrate. It is therefore possible to reduce the time of waiting for another processing in the second mounting section 160 , as in the case with the conventional apparatus. This can further improve the throughput in the transportation in the loader and unloader section 500 , and in the throughput in the substrate processing apparatus 400 as well.
- the transfer of a substrate to the substrate processing unit 200 , and alignment processing can be executed concurrently. Therefore, the alignment processing can be executed while minimizing the throughput drop in the loader and unloader section 500 as a whole.
- the alignment section 510 can detect the orientation flat and the notch position of a substrate by the non-contact type detecting section, the alignment processing can be executed while suppressing defects in substrate processing.
Abstract
One transport robot transports an FOUP among a load port, a third mounting section, and a shelf array. The other transport robot, which is disposed on the reverse side of the one transport robot with the shelf array interposed between the two, transports an FOUP between the shelf array and a second mounting section. Executed in the third mounting section are mapping processing and transportation of a substrate encased in an FOUP to a substrate processing unit. This enables a plurality of transportations to be executed at almost the same time. Additionally, the two transport robots can execute transportation of an FOUP without mutual spatial interference.
Description
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs processing of a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a photomask, a substrate for an optical disk, and the like (which are hereinafter referred to as a “substrate”). In particular, the invention relates to an improvement to transport efficiently a cassette in a cassette storing and transporting unit.
- 2. Description of the Background Art
- Conventionally, there has been known a substrate processing apparatus having a cassette storing and transporting unit that stores a cassette encasing a substrate, and transports a cassette to transfer a substrate between substrate processing units. The traditionally known substrate processing apparatus has such an advantage that the depth of a
loader 10 can be reduced thereby to decrease its footprint. - However, in the traditionally known substrate processing apparatus, a transport robot of a loader section is disposed between a storage shelf and a load port. Therefore, when a cassette is transferred between the load port and the loader section, it is necessary to withdraw the transport robot into a suitable position.
- In the conventionally known substrate processing apparatus, one transport robot performs transportation between the storage shelf and an opener. Hence, the transportation from the storage shelf to the opener, and the transportation from the opener to the storage shelf cannot be executed almost simultaneously.
- The present invention is directed to a substrate processing apparatus that performs processing of a substrate.
- According to the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing unit, a cassette storing and transporting unit, and a first mounting section. The substrate processing unit performs processing of a substrate. The cassette storing and transporting unit stores and transports a cassette to encase a substrate, and is disposed side by side with respect to the substrate processing unit. The first mounting section that mounts the cassette and is disposed side by side with respect to the cassette storing and transporting unit. The cassette storing and transporting unit has a plurality of shelves to hold a cassette, a second mounting section that mounts a cassette and is disposed between the substrate processing unit and the plurality of shelves, a first transporting section that transports a cassette between the first mounting section and the plurality of shelves, and a second transporting section that transports a cassette between the plurality of shelves and the second mounting section.
- The transportation between the first mounting section and the plurality of shelves which is executed by the first transporting section, and the transportation between the second mounting section and the plurality of shelves which is executed by the second transporting section can be executed in parallel with each other. This can improve the throughput in the cassette storing and transporting unit, and in the substrate processing apparatus as well.
- Preferably, the first transporting section is disposed between the first mounting section and the plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette to the plurality of shelves from a direction of one side of the plurality of shelves.
- This provides for ease of access to a cassette on the first mounting section and on the plurality of shelves.
- Preferably, the second transporting section is disposed between the substrate processing unit and the plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette to the plurality of shelves from a direction of the other side of the plurality of shelves.
- Parallel operation of the respective transporting sections can be set without consideration of spatial interference between the first transporting section and the second transporting section.
- Preferably, the first and second transporting sections have a holding element that holds a cassette from the underside of the cassette, and the plurality of shelves have a passage section that allows the holding element to pass through in the vertical direction.
- The time required for a cassette transfer operation can be reduced thereby to improve the throughput in the cassette storing and transporting unit, and in the substrate processing apparatus as well.
- Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can transport efficiently a cassette in a cassette storing and transporting unit.
- These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall construction of a substrate processing apparatus according to first and second preferred embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction of an FOUP in the first and second preferred embodiments; -
FIG. 3 is a top view of a loader and unloader section in the first preferred embodiment; -
FIG. 4 is a front view of the loader and unloader section in the first preferred embodiment; -
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a shelf member and an FOUP; -
FIG. 6 is a top view of the neighborhood of the shelf member; -
FIG. 7 is a top view of a loader and unloader section according to the second preferred embodiment; -
FIG. 8 is a front view of the loader and unloader section in the second preferred embodiment; -
FIG. 9 is a side view of a second opening and closing mechanism and a transporting mechanism in the first and second preferred embodiments; and -
FIG. 10 is a side view of first and second opening and closing mechanisms in the first and second preferred embodiments. - Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall construction of asubstrate processing apparatus 1 in a first preferred embodiment. Thesubstrate processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that takes out, from an FOUP (front opening unified pod) 80, a set of a plurality of substrates (lots) encased in theFOUP 80, and that performs substrate processings in sequence with respect to the plurality of substrates, for example, etching with chemical solution such as hydrofluoric acid, and rinse with de-ionized water. As shown inFIG. 1 , thesubstrate processing apparatus 1 consists mainly of aload port 10, a loader andunloader section 100, and asubstrate processing unit 200.FIG. 1 and the succeeding respective figures are accompanied by an XYZ rectangular coordinate system, where the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, and an XY plane is a horizontal plane, depending on the necessity for clarifying their respective directional relationships. - Here, the FOUP (cassette) 80 will now be described.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction of the FOUP 80. Aflange 82 is formed on the top of acasing 81 of the FOUP 80. A lifter arm 171 (seeFIGS. 3 and 4 ) grips theflange 82, thereby holding the FOUP 80 in suspension. - Additionally, a
lid 83 is disposed on one surface of the casing 81 (the plane viewed in the direction of an arrow AR1 inFIG. 2 ). Thelid 83 has a lock mechanism with respect to thecasing 81. When the lock mechanism is allowed to function with thelid 83 attached to thecasing 81, thelid 83 is secured to thecasing 81 and the interior of thecasing 81 becomes a closed space. - With this construction, if the FOUP 80 is transported in the exterior of the
substrate processing apparatus 1, the lock mechanism is allowed to function with thelid 83 attached to thecasing 81, thereby causing the interior of thecasing 81 to become a closed space. Therefore, irrespective of the cleanliness of a clean room where thesubstrate processing apparatus 1 is placed, the interior of the FOUP 80 can be maintained at a high cleanliness. - On the other hand, the release of the lock mechanism enables the
lid 83 to be removed from thecasing 81, so that a substrate can be taken out from the interior of thecasing 81, and a substrate can be encased in the interior of thecasing 81. For example, 25 or 13 substrates are encased in thecasing 81 with their respective main surfaces arranged along the horizontal direction. - The load port (the first mounting section) 10 is a mounting table, on which a transporting apparatus in the exterior of the substrate processing apparatus 1 (e.g., AVG (automatic guided vehicle)), or the FOUP 80 transferred from an operator of the
substrate processing apparatus 1 is mounted. As shown inFIG. 1 , theload port 10 is disposed side by side with respect to the loader andunloader section 100, and a plurality of (four in accordance with the first preferred embodiment)FOUPs 80 are mounted concurrently on amounting surface 10 a. - Additionally, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3 , a plurality of (four in accordance with this preferred embodiment)shutters 11 are disposed on a side surface on theload port 10 side in the loader andunloader section 100. Upon opening theshutter 11, there is formed an opening portion that provides communication between the external space of thesubstrate processing apparatus 1 and the internal space of the loader andunloader section 100. - This enables a
transport robot 130 a of the loader and unloader section 100 (seeFIGS. 3 and 4 ) to perform, via the above opening portion, transportation of the FOUP 80 between theload port 10 and the internal space of the loader andunloader section 100. Specifically, theFOUP 80 encasing an untreated substrate is transported from theload port 10 to the loader andunloader section 100. TheFOUP 80 encasing a treated substrate after being subjected to processing in thesubstrate processing unit 200 is transferred from the loader andunloader section 100 to theload port 10. - The loader and
unloader section 100 is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit that temporarily stores in its interior theFOUP 80 mounted on theload port 10, and also transports theFOUP 80 encasing a substrate toward thesubstrate processing unit 200. As shown inFIG. 1 , the loader andunloader section 100 is disposed at a place sandwiched between theload port 10 and thesubstrate processing unit 200. - Further, the
substrate processing unit 200 has a second opening andclosing mechanism 180 and a transportingmechanism 190 that are used in transferring a substrate between asecond mounting section 160 and thesubstrate processing unit 200. The second opening andclosing mechanism 180 and the transportingmechanism 190 are disposed in the vicinity of theshutter 161 of the loader andunloader section 100, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 9 . -
FIG. 9 is a side view of the second opening andclosing mechanism 180 and the transportingmechanism 190 of thesubstrate processing unit 200.FIG. 10 is a side view of the second opening andclosing mechanism 180. Thesubstrate processing unit 200 has in its interior a chemical solution tank to store chemical solution and a rinsing tank to store de-ionized water. A substrate is subjected to a predetermined substrate processing by allowing the substrate to be stored in the chemical solution tank or the rinsing tank. - The second opening and
closing mechanism 180 consists mainly of alatch part 181 and alifting part 182, as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10 . Thelatch part 181 can be fit in thelid 83 of theFOUP 80. Thelatch part 181 is attached to one end of amovable portion 182 b. When acylinder 182 a of the liftingpart 182 causes themovable portion 182 b to execute advance and withdrawal motion in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR2 (approximately the Z-axis direction), thelatch part 181 ascends and descends in the directions indicated by the arrow AR2 (seeFIG. 9 ). Thelatch part 181 can also be shifted in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR3 (the Y-axis direction) by a horizontal shifting mechanism (not shown) (seeFIG. 10 ). - Hence, when the
latch part 181 is shifted with it fit in thelid 83 in the directions indicated by the arrow AR2 or AR3, the internal space of thecasing 81 of theFOUP 80 mounted on thesecond mounting section 160 is opened or closed. - The transporting
mechanism 190 consists mainly of asupport part 191 and an advance andwithdrawal section 192. The transportingmechanism 190 performs loading or unloading of a substrate with respect to aFOUP 80, when theshutter 161 is opened and thelid 83 of theFOUP 80 mounted on thesecond mounting section 160 is removed. - The
support part 191 consists mainly of a plurality of (25 or 13 in this preferred embodiment)support arms 191 a, and afitting member 191 b. Thesupport arms 191 a are arranged in the vertical direction (approximately the Z-axis direction) at equally spaced intervals while extending in the horizontal direction (approximately the Y-axis direction), and each of them supports a substrate such that the main surface of the substrate is approximately parallel to an XY plane. The end of eachsupport arm 191 a on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side is attached to thefitting member 191 b extending in the vertical direction. - A lower end of the
fitting member 191 b is disposed on amovable tray 192 a of the advance andwithdrawal section 192. The advance andwithdrawal section 192 has three trays (movable trays stationary tray 192 c), as shown inFIG. 9 . Thesetrays stationary tray 192 c of the advance andwithdrawal section 192 is attached to arotary shaft 194 pivoted about abase 193, allowing the advance andwithdrawal section 192 to be rotatable about anaxis 194 c. - With this construction, in connection with the advance and
withdrawal section 192, themovable tray 192 b executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to thestationary tray 192 c, and themovable tray 192 a executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to themovable tray 192 b, so that thesupport part 191 shifts between the full-line position and the dotted-line position. As a result, an untreated substrate encased in the interior of the casing of theFOUP 80 is loaded in thesubstrate processing unit 200 while being supported by thesupport part 191 of the transportingmechanism 190. The treated substrate subjected to substrate processing in thesubstrate processing unit 200 is unloaded from thesubstrate processing unit 200 while being supported by thesupport part 191, and then encased in thecasing 81 of theFOUP 80. - Thus, the substrate transferred to the
substrate processing unit 200 from the loader andunloader section 100 by the transportingmechanism 190 of thesubstrate processing unit 200 is then stored in the above-mentioned chemical solution tank or rinsing tank so as to be subjected to a predetermined substrate processing such as rinsing or the like. The substrate after completion of the predetermined processing is then unloaded from thesubstrate processing unit 200 to the loader andunloader section 100 by the transportingmechanism 190. - A
control unit 50 shown inFIG. 1 has amemory 51 that stores a program, a variable and the like, and aCPU 52 that executes control according to the program stored in thememory 51. Objects to be controlled such as theshutter 11 of the loader andunloader section 100, thetransport robot 130, and the lifter 170 (seeFIG. 3 ) are electrically connected to thecontrol unit 50 by a signal line (not shown). Therefore, theCPU 52 causes these objects to be controlled to operate at a predetermined timing according to the program stored in thememory 51. - <1.2. Construction of Loader and Unloader Section>
-
FIGS. 3 and 4 are a top view and a front view of the loader andunloader section 100 in the first preferred embodiment, respectively.FIG. 5 is a sectional view of theshelf member 141 a and theFOUP 80.FIG. 6 is a top view of the neighborhood of theshelf member 141 a. The following is a detail description of the loader andunloader section 100 that is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit. - As shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4 , the loader andunloader section 100 consists mainly two transport robots 130 (130 a, 130 b), ashelf array 140, and two mounting sections (second and third mountingsections 160, 150). - Referring to
FIG. 3 , individual elements arranged in the loader andunloader section 100 are arranged along the horizontal direction (approximately the X-axis direction) so as to form three rows. Specifically, the transport robot (a first transporting section) 130 a and a third mounting section (a judging section) 150 are disposed on the first row from theload port 10 side. Theshelf array 140 is disposed on the second row. The transport robot (a second transporting section) 130 b and thesecond mounting section 160 are disposed on the third row. - The
shelf array 140 is an encasing section to store a plurality of (16 in accordance with the first preferred embodiment)FOUPs 80. In other words, theshelf array 140 stores not only theFOUPs 80 encasing an untreated substrate, but also theempty FOUPs 80, from which the substrate is already taken out. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 , theshelf array 140 is obtained by arranging in two dimensions a plurality of shelves along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) and the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction). - Each of the plurality of shelves has a pair of
shelf members 141 a. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 , eachshelf member 141 a is in the general shape of an “L”, and is attached to thecorresponding frame 145 such that the longitudinal direction of theshelf member 141 a is approximately parallel to the Y-axis direction. A surface of theshelf member 141 a, on which theFOUP 80 is mounted, has a projectingportion 142 that corresponds to ahole portion 85 disposed at a lower part of theFOUP 80. Hence, theFOUP 80 can be stably held on the pair of theshelf members 141 a by fitting the projectingportions 142 of a pair of theshelf members 141 a into thehole portions 85 of theFOUP 80. - Thus, in accordance with the first preferred embodiment, the pair of the
shelf members 141 a are used as a storage shelf to store theFOUP 80, and the region sandwiched between the pair of theshelf members 141 a is used as anencasing space 141 to store theFOUP 80. - Formed between two
shelf members 141 a constituting a storage shelf is anopening portion 146 that is greater in size than atip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 (130 a, 130 b). As shown inFIG. 4 , each openingportion 146 is arranged along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction). - Therefore, the
tip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 ascends and descends in the interior of theshelf array 140 while passing through these openingportions 146. In other words, the openingportions 146 of a plurality of storage shelves in theshelf array 140 function as a passage portion allowing thetip portion 139 to pass through in the vertical direction. - Referring to
FIG. 3 , thetransport robots load port 10 side and thesubstrate processing unit 200 side, respectively, when viewed from theshelf array 140. That is, the transport robot (the first transporting section) 130 a is disposed on the reverse side of the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b with theshelf array 140 interposed therebetween. - In the first preferred embodiment, the both
robots transport robot 130 a is discriminated from thetransport robot 130 b, the two are simply referred to as a “transport robot 130.” - A
tip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 is a holding element to hold theFOUP 80 from the underside, and is in the general shape of a triangle. A projectingportion 139 a is disposed in the vicinity of each vertex on the upper surface side of thetip portion 139. Disposed at a lower part of theFOUP 80 are threehole portions 87 that correspond to the projectingportions 139 a, respectively (seeFIG. 5 , in which two of the three hole portions are shown for convenience in plotting). Thetip portion 139 is attached to anarm 138 a, via arotary shaft 134 b positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, thus allowing it to be rotatable about therotary shaft 134 b. Accordingly, thetransport robot 130 stably holds theFOUP 80 by causing the three projectingportions 139 a to fit in their respective corresponding hole portions 86 of theFOUP 80, while causing thetip portion 139 to rotate. - The
arm 138 a is attached to anarm 138 b via therotary shaft 134 c positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, and thearm 138 b is attached to ananchor block 136 via therotary shaft 134 a. Theanchor block 136 is disposed on astrut 131 extending in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) such that it can ascend and descend. Thestrut 131 is free to slide along aguide rail 132 extending in the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction). - With this construction, the transport robot 130 (130 a, 130 b) causes the
FOUP 80 held on thetip portion 139 to shift in the horizontal direction along theshelf array 140 and to ascend and descend in the vertical direction. Therefore, thetransport robot 130 a transports theFOUP 80 among the storage shelf of theshelf array 140, theload port 10, and thethird mounting section 150. Thetransport robot 130 b transports theFOUP 80 between the storage shelf of theshelf array 140 and thesecond mounting section 160. - The
transport robot 130 a performs processing of: transporting theFOUP 80 that is loaded through theload port 10, from theload port 10 to theshelf array 140; transporting it from theload port 10 to thethird mounting section 150; transporting it from thethird mounting section 150 to theshelf array 140; and transporting theFOUP 80 stored in theshelf array 140 to theload port 10. - The
transport robot 130 b performs transportation of theFOUP 80 stored in theshelf array 140 from theshelf array 140 to thesecond mounting section 160; and transportation from the mountingsection 150 to theshelf array 140. - Thus, the
transport robots shelf array 140 interposed therebetween. This enables a plurality of transportations to be executed almost concurrently, thereby improving the throughput in the load andunloader section 100 as a whole. Except where thetransport robots FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference. It is therefore possible to set the operations of thetransport robots - Moreover in the first preferred embodiment, the transportation of the
FOUP 80 executed between theload port 10 and thesubstrate processing unit 200 is performed by the twotransport robots unloader section 100, instead of the transporting section of theload port 10. Therefore, in the first preferred embodiment, neither of thetransport robot 130 a nor 130 b is required to withdraw when theFOUP 80 is transported from theload port 10 to thesubstrate processing unit 200. This permits efficient transportation of theFOUP 80. - The transportation of the
FOUP 80 between the transport robot 130 (130 a, 130 b) and each storage shelf of theshelf array 140 is executed as follows. That is, when theFOUP 80 is transferred from thetransport robot 130 to the storage shelf, first, thetip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 is shifted such that the height position (the position in the Z-axis direction) of a bottom 88 of theFOUP 80 encased at a storage shelf is higher than the height position of atop surface 143 of theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c) (seeFIG. 5 ). Subsequently, thetip portion 139 is allowed to descend such that the projectingportions 142 of a pair of theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c) are fit in thehole portions 85 of theFOUP 80. - By allowing the
tip portion 139 to further descend, theFOUP 80 is mounted on thetop surface 143 of the pair of theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c), and the projectingportion 139 a of thetip portion 139 is separated from ahole portion 87, thus completing the transfer of theFOUP 80 from thetransport robot 130 to the storage shelf. - On the other hand, when the
FOUP 80 is transferred from a storage shelf to thetransport robot 130, first, thetip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 is shifted to under theFOUP 80 that is mounted on a storage shelf. Subsequently, thetip portion 139 is allowed to ascend such that the projectingportion 139 a of thetip portion 139 is fit in thehole portion 87 of theFOUP 80. - By allowing the
tip portion 139 to further ascend, theFOUP 80 is held by thetip portion 139, and the projectingportion 142 is separated from thehole portion 85, thus completing the transfer of theFOUP 80 from the storage shelf to thetransport robot 130. - Thus, in process of transporting the
FOUP 80 between thetransport robot 130 and the storage shelf, theFOUP 80 is shifted above theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c). Consequently, the encasingspace 141 is set so as to have a greater height than theFOUP 80. - The
second mounting section 160 is used to transfer a substrate encased in theFOUP 80 to thesubstrate processing unit 200, and disposed on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side when viewed from theshelf array 140. - Like the
shelf member 141 a, theshelf member 141 b is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a plurality of (three in accordance with the first preferred embodiment) projecting portions on the plane on theFOUP 80 side. It is disposed such that the longitudinal direction of theshelf member 141 b is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 . - Additionally, a
shutter 161 that can ascend and descend in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR4 (approximately the Z-axis direction, seeFIG. 9 ) is disposed on a side wall on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side in the vicinity of thesecond mounting section 160. Upon opening theshutter 161, there is formed an opening portion that provides communication between the internal space of the loader andunloader section 100 and the internal space of thesubstrate processing unit 200. - Hence, when the
FOUP 80 is mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 b, the second opening andclosing mechanism 180 of thesubstrate processing unit 200 removes thelid 83 of theFOUP 80, while the transportingmechanism 190 of thesubstrate processing unit 200 takes out an untreated substrate from theFOUP 80, and transports the untreated substrate into thesubstrate processing unit 200 via the opening portion formed upon opening theshutter 161. - On the other hand, after the
substrate processing unit 200 performs processing such as rinsing and drying with respect to a substrate, theshutter 161 is opened, and the transportingmechanism 190 transports the treated substrate via the opening portion into theFOUP 80, while the second opening andclosing mechanism 180 closes thelid 83 of theFOUP 80. - A
lifter 170 of thesecond mounting section 160 is a lifting section that causes theFOUP 80 mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 b to ascend and descend between a mounting position (the full-line position inFIG. 4 ) and a withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 4 ). As shown inFIG. 4 , thelifter 170 is disposed above a pair of theshelf members 141 b, and has alifter arm 171. - The
lifter arm 171 grips a flange 82 (a grip portion) formed on the top of theFOUP 80, and releases its grip state. Thelifter arm 171 can also ascend and descend along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) by a driving mechanism (not shown). - This enables the
second mounting section 160 to raise theempty FOUP 80, from which the substrate is already supplied to thesubstrate processing unit 200, to the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 4 ). - The
transport robot 130 b is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of theFOUP 80 encasing an untreated substrate to the mounting position of thesecond mounting section 160, and the receipt of theempty FOUP 80 raised to the withdrawal position, from thesecond mounting section 160. Specifically, only one reciprocating motion of thetransport robot 130 b between theshelf array 140 and thesecond mounting section 160 permits the interchange between theFOUP 80 encasing a substrate and theempty FOUP 80. This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader andunloader section 100. - The
third mounting section 150 is used to execute mapping processing such as confirmation of the number of substrates encased in theFOUP 80 loaded from theload port 10, and is disposed on theload port 10 side when viewed from theshelf array 140. That is, thethird mounting section 150 is disposed on the opposite side of thesecond mounting section 160 with theshelf array 140 interposed therebetween. - The
third mounting section 150 is equipped with a first opening andclosing mechanism 185 to open and close thelid 83 of theFOUP 80. The first opening andclosing mechanism 185 has the same hardware configuration as the second opening andclosing mechanism 180, as shown inFIG. 10 . Therefore, the internal space of thecasing 81 of theFOUP 80 mounted on thesecond mounting section 160 is opened or closed by allowing thelatch part 181 of the first opening andclosing mechanism 185 to shift in the directions indicated by the arrow AR2 or the directions indicated by the arrow AR3, while allowing it to fit in thelid 83. - Like the
shelf members shelf member 141 c is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a projecting portion. It is attached such that its longitudinal direction is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction (seeFIGS. 3 and 4 ). Thethird mounting section 150 further has acounting mechanism 187 to count the number of substrates encased in the interior of theFOUP 80, as shown inFIG. 3 . - Therefore, when the
FOUP 80 is mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 c, the opening and closing mechanism removes thelid 83 of theFOUP 80, while thecounting mechanism 187 counts the number of substrates encased in the interior of theFOUP 80. Thus, thethird mounting section 150 is used as a judging section to judge the situation with regard to the substrates encased in theFOUP 80. - The
lifter 170 of thethird mounting section 150 is, as shown inFIG. 4 , a lifting section disposed above a pair of theshelf members 141 c, and has the same hardware configuration as thelifter 170 of thesecond mounting section 160. That is, thelifter 170 of thethird mounting section 160 causes theFOUP 80 mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 c to ascend and descend between the mounting position (the full-line position inFIG. 4 ) and the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 4 ). - With this construction, the
third mounting section 150 can raise theFOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing to the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 4 ), while causing thelifter arm 171 to grip theflange 82. - The
transport robot 130 a is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of theFOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing to the mounting position of thethird mounting section 150, and the receipt of theFOUP 80, after being subjected to mapping processing and raised to the withdrawal position, from thesecond mounting section 150. Specifically, only one reciprocating motion of thetransport robot 130 a between theshelf array 140 and thesecond mounting section 160 permits the interchange between theFOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing and theFOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing. This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader andunloader section 100. - In a conventional loader and unloader section having only one opener section, mapping processing is usually executed in the
second mounting section 160 disposed on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side. That is, the transfer of a substrate to thesubstrate processing unit 200, and the mapping processing are executed in thesecond mounting section 160. - Hence, if there is only one opener section, by the time the substrate encased in the
FOUP 80 is loaded in thesubstrate processing unit 200, it needs to be transported between thesecond mounting section 160 and theshelf array 140 in some cases. This may cause a waste of the process of transportation. - Furthermore, during the mapping processing, a transporting
mechanism 190 on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side cannot load a substrate from thesecond mounting section 160 to thesubstrate processing unit 200. This leads to such a disadvantage that the processing in thesecond mounting section 160 is a rate-determining factor of the throughput in the processing executed in the loader andunloader section 100. - On the contrary, in the loader and
unloader section 100 of the first preferred embodiment, the second and third mountingsections substrate processing unit 200, and mapping processing. Like the conventional loader and unloader section, it is unnecessary to reciprocate theFOUP 80 between theshelf array 140 and thesecond mounting section 160 by the time a substrate is loaded in thesubstrate processing unit 200. This permits a reduction in the time of waiting for another processing in thesecond mounting section 160, thereby further improving the throughput in the transportation executed in the loader andunloader section 100. - <1.3. Advantages of Substrate Processing Apparatus of First Preferred Embodiment>
- As above described, in the loader and
unloader section 100 of thesubstrate processing apparatus 1 of the first preferred embodiment, the transport robot (the first transport section) 130 a is disposed on the load port (the first mounting section) 10 side, and the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b is disposed on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side, with theshelf array 140 interposed between the two. This enables thetransport robots FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference, except where they access to the same storage shelf. - It is therefore possible to further improve the throughput in the transportation executed in the loader and
unloader section 100, and the throughput in thesubstrate processing apparatus 1 as well. Additionally, the operations of thetransport robots transports robots - The loader and
unloader section 100 has the two mounting sections (the second and third mountingsections 160 and 150). The mapping processing in thethird mounting section 150, and the transfer of a substrate to thesubstrate processing unit 200 in thesecond mounting section 160 are executed concurrently. Specifically, like the conventional loader and unloader section, thesecond mounting section 160 is not required to execute mapping processing, and it may execute only the transfer of a substrate, so that the time of waiting for another processing in thesecond mounting section 160 can be reduced. - A second preferred embodiment of the present invention will next be described. A substrate processing apparatus in the second preferred embodiment has the same construction as the first preferred embodiment, except that a loader and
unloader section 500 further has an aligning section to align substrates in a predetermined direction. In the following description, like components are identified by the same reference numerals as in the substrate processing apparatus of the first preferred embodiment. - <2.1. Construction of Substrate Processing Apparatus>
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall construction of asubstrate processing apparatus 400 in a second preferred embodiment. Thesubstrate processing apparatus 400 is an apparatus that takes out, from an FOUP (front opening unified pod) 80, a set of a plurality of substrates (lots) encased in theFOUP 80, and that performs substrate processings in sequence with respect to the plurality of substrate, for example, etching with chemical solution such as hydrofluoric acid, and rinse with de-ionized water. As shown inFIG. 1 , thesubstrate processing apparatus 400 consists mainly of aload port 10, a loader andunloader section 500, and asubstrate processing unit 200.FIG. 1 and the succeeding respective figures are accompanied by an XYZ rectangular coordinate system, where the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, and an XY plane is a horizontal plane, depending on the necessity in clarifying their respective directional relationships. - The load port (the first mounting section) 10 is a mounting table, on which a transporting apparatus in the exterior of the substrate processing apparatus 400 (e.g., AVG (automatic guided vehicle)), or the
FOUP 80 transferred from an operator of thesubstrate processing apparatus 400 is mounted. As shown inFIG. 1 , theload port 10 is disposed side by side with respect to the loader andunloader section 500, and a plurality of (four in accordance with the second preferred embodiment)FOUPs 80 are mounted concurrently on a mountingsurface 10 a. - Additionally, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 7 , a plurality of (four in accordance with the second preferred embodiment)shutters 11 are disposed on a side surface on theload port 10 side in the loader andunloader section 500. Upon opening theshutter 11, there is formed an opening portion that provides communication between the external space of thesubstrate processing apparatus 400 and the internal space of the loader andunloader section 500. - This enables a
transport robot 130 a of the loader and unloader section 500 (seeFIGS. 7 and 8 ) to perform, via the above opening portion, transportation of theFOUP 80 between theload port 10 and the internal space of the loader andunloader section 500. Specifically, theFOUP 80 with an untreated substrate encased is transported from theload port 10 to the loader andunloader section 500. TheFOUP 80 with a treated substrate after being subjected to processing in thesubstrate processing unit 200 is transferred from the loader andunloader section 500 to theload port 10. - The loader and
unloader section 500 is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit that temporarily stores in its interior theFOUP 80 mounted on theload port 10, and also transports theFOUP 80 encasing a substrate toward thesubstrate processing unit 200. As shown inFIG. 1 , the loader andunloader section 500 is disposed at a place sandwiched between theload port 10 and thesubstrate processing unit 200. - Further, the
substrate processing unit 200 has a second opening andclosing mechanism 180 and a transportingmechanism 190 that are used in transferring a substrate between asecond mounting section 160 and thesubstrate processing unit 200. The second opening andclosing mechanism 180 and the transportingmechanism 190 are disposed in the vicinity of theshutter 161 of the loader andunloader section 500, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 9 . -
FIG. 9 is a side view of the second opening andclosing mechanism 180 and the transportingmechanism 190 of thesubstrate processing unit 200.FIG. 10 is a side view of the second opening andclosing mechanism 180. Thesubstrate processing unit 200 has in its interior a chemical solution tank to store chemical solution and a rinsing tank to store de-ionized water. A substrate is subjected to a predetermined substrate processing by allowing the substrate to be stored in the chemical solution tank or the rinsing tank. - The second opening and
closing mechanism 180 consists mainly of alatch part 181 and alifting part 182, as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10 . Thelatch part 181 can be fit in thelid 83 of theFOUP 80. Thelatch part 181 is attached to one end of amovable portion 182 b. When acylinder 182 a of the liftingpart 182 causes themovable portion 182 b to execute advance and withdrawal motion in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR2 (approximately the Z-axis direction), thelatch part 181 ascends and descends in the directions indicated by the arrow AR2 (seeFIG. 9 ). Thelatch part 181 can also be shifted in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR3 (the Y-axis direction) by a horizontal shifting mechanism (not shown) (seeFIG. 10 ). - Hence, when the
latch part 181 is shifted with it fit in thelid 83 in the directions indicated by the arrow AR2 or AR3, the internal space of thecasing 81 of theFOUP 80 mounted on thesecond mounting section 160 is opened or closed. - The transporting
mechanism 190 consists mainly of asupport part 191 and an advance andwithdrawal section 192. The transportingmechanism 190 performs loading or unloading of a substrate with respect to aFOUP 80, when theshutter 161 is opened and thelid 83 of theFOUP 80 mounted on thesecond mounting section 160 is removed. - The
support part 191 consists mainly of a plurality of (25 or 13 in the second preferred embodiment)support arms 191 a, and afitting member 191 b. Thesupport arms 191 a are arranged in the vertical direction (approximately the Z-axis direction) at equally spaced intervals while extending in the horizontal direction (approximately the Y-axis direction), and each of them supports a substrate such that the main surface of the substrate is approximately parallel to an XY plane. The end of eachsupport arm 191 a on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side is attached to thefitting member 191 b extending in the vertical direction. - A lower end of the
fitting member 191 b is disposed on amovable tray 192 a of the advance andwithdrawal section 192. The advance andwithdrawal section 192 has three trays (movable trays stationary tray 192 c), as shown inFIG. 9 . Thesetrays stationary tray 192 c of the advance andwithdrawal section 192 is attached to arotary shaft 194 pivoted about abase 193, allowing the advance andwithdrawal section 192 to be rotatable about anaxis 194 c. - With this construction, in the advance and
withdrawal section 192, themovable tray 192 b executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to thestationary tray 192 c, and themovable tray 192 a executes advance and withdrawal motion with respect to themovable tray 192 b, so that thesupport part 191 shifts between the full-line position and the dotted-line position. As a result, an untreated substrate encased in the interior of the casing of theFOUP 80 is loaded in thesubstrate processing unit 200 while being supported by thesupport part 191 of the transportingmechanism 190. The treated substrate subjected to substrate processing in thesubstrate processing unit 200 is unloaded from thesubstrate processing unit 200 while being supported by thesupport part 191, and then encased in thecasing 81 of theFOUP 80. - Thus, the substrate transferred to the
substrate processing unit 200 from the loader andunloader section 100 by the transportingmechanism 190 of thesubstrate processing unit 200 is then stored in the above-mentioned chemical solution tank or rinsing tank so as to be subjected to a predetermined substrate processing such as rinsing or the like. The substrate after completion of the predetermined processing is then unloaded from thesubstrate processing unit 200 to the loader andunloader section 500 by the transportingmechanism 190. - A
control unit 50 shown inFIG. 1 has amemory 51 that stores a program, a variable and the like, and aCPU 52 that executes control according to the program stored in thememory 51. Objects to be controlled such as theshutter 11 of the loader andunloader section 500, thetransport robot 130, and the lifter 170 (seeFIG. 7 ) are electrically connected to thecontrol unit 50 by a signal line (not shown). Therefore, theCPU 52 causes these objects to be controlled to operate at a predetermined timing according to the program stored in thememory 51. - <2.2. Construction of Loader and Unloader Section>
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FIGS. 7 and 8 are a top view and a front view of the loader andunloader section 500 in the second preferred embodiment, respectively.FIG. 5 is a sectional view of theshelf member 141 a and theFOUP 80.FIG. 6 is a top view of the neighborhood of theshelf member 141 a. The following is a detail description of the loader andunloader section 500 that is used as a cassette storing and transporting unit. - As shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8 , the loader andunloader section 500 consists mainly two transport robots 130 (130 a, 130 b) and 530, ashelf array 140, two mounting sections (second and third mountingsections 160, 150), and analignment section 510. - Referring to
FIG. 7 , individual elements arranged in the loader andunloader section 500 are arranged along the horizontal direction (approximately the X-axis direction) so as to form three rows. Specifically, the transport robot (a first transporting section) 130 a and a third mounting section (a judging section) 150 are disposed on the first row from theload port 10 side. Theshelf array 140, thealignment section 510, and thetransport robot 530 are disposed on the second row. The transport robot (a second transporting section) 130 b and thesecond mounting section 160 are disposed on the third row. - The
shelf array 140 is an encasing section to encase a plurality of (14 in accordance with the second preferred embodiment)FOUPs 80. In other words, theshelf array 140 encases not only theFOUPs 80 encasing an untreated substrate, but also theempty FOUPs 80, from which the substrate is already taken out. As shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 , theshelf array 140 is obtained by arranging in two dimensions a plurality of shelves along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) and the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction). - Each of the plurality of shelves has a pair of
shelf members 141 a. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 , eachshelf member 141 a is in the general shape of an “L”, and is attached to thecorresponding frame 145 such that the longitudinal direction of theshelf member 141 a is approximately parallel to the Y-axis direction. A surface of theshelf member 141 a, on which theFOUP 80 is mounted, has a projectingportion 142 that corresponds to ahole portion 85 disposed at a lower part of theFOUP 80. Hence, theFOUP 80 can be stably held at the pair of theshelf members 141 a by fitting the projectingportions 142 of a pair of theshelf members 141 a into thehole portions 85 of theFOUP 80. - Thus, in accordance with the second preferred embodiment, the pair of the
shelf members 141 a are used as a storage shelf to store theFOUP 80, and the region sandwiched between the pair of theshelf members 141 a is used as anencasing space 141 to store theFOUP 80. - Formed between two
shelf members 141 a constituting a storage shelf is anopening portion 146 that is greater in size than atip portion 139 of the transport robot 130 (130 a, 130 b). As shown inFIG. 8 , each openingportion 146 is arranged along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction). - Therefore, the
tip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 ascends and descends in the interior of theshelf array 140 while passing through these openingportions 146. In other words, the openingportions 146 of a plurality of storage shelves in theshelf array 140 function as a passage portion allowing thetip portion 139 to pass through in the vertical direction. - Referring to
FIG. 7 , thetransport robots load port 10 side and thesubstrate processing unit 200 side, respectively, when viewed from theshelf array 140. That is, the transport robot (the first transporting section) 130 a is disposed on the reverse side of the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b with theshelf array 140 interposed therebetween. - A
tip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 is a holding element to hold theFOUP 80 from the underside, and is in the general shape of a triangle. A projectingportion 139 a is disposed in the vicinity of each vertex on the upper surface side of thetip portion 139. Disposed at a lower part of theFOUP 80 are threehole portions 87 that correspond to the projectingportions 139 a, respectively (seeFIG. 7 , in which two of the three hole portions are shown for convenience in plotting). Thetip portion 139 is attached to anarm 138 a, via arotary shaft 134 b positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, thus allowing it to be rotatable about therotary shaft 134 b. Accordingly, thetransport robot 130 stably holds theFOUP 80 by causing the three projectingportions 139 a to fit in their respective corresponding hole portions 86 of theFOUP 80, while causing thetip portion 139 to rotate. - The
arm 138 a is attached to anarm 138 b via therotary shaft 134 c positioned in approximately parallel to the Z-axis, and thearm 138 b is attached to ananchor block 136 via therotary shaft 134 a. Theanchor block 136 is disposed on astrut 131 extending in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) such that it can ascend and descend. Thestrut 131 is free to slide along aguide rail 132 extending in the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction). - With this construction, the transport robot 130 (130 a, 130 b) causes the
FOUP 80 held at thetip portion 139 to shift in the horizontal direction along theshelf array 140 and to ascend and descend in the vertical direction. Therefore, thetransport robot 130 a transports theFOUP 80 among the storage shelf of theshelf array 140, theload port 10, and thethird mounting section 150. Thetransport robot 130 b transports theFOUP 80 between the storage shelf of theshelf array 140 and thesecond mounting section 160. - The
transport robot 130 a performs processing of: transporting theFOUP 80 that is loaded through theload port 10, from theload port 10 to theshelf array 140; transporting it from theload port 10 to thethird mounting section 150; transporting it from thethird mounting section 150 to theshelf array 140; and transporting theFOUP 80 stored in theshelf array 140 to theload port 10. - The
transport robot 130 b performs the transportation of theFOUP 80 stored in theshelf array 140 from theshelf array 140 to thesecond mounting section 160, and transportation from the mountingsection 150 to theshelf array 140. - Thus, the
transport robots shelf array 140 interposed therebetween. This enables a plurality of transportations to be executed almost concurrently, thereby improving the throughput in the load andunloader section 500 as a whole. Except where thetransport robots FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference. It is therefore possible to set the operations of thetransport robots - Moreover in the second preferred embodiment, the transportation of the
FOUP 80 executed between theload port 10 and thesubstrate processing unit 200 is performed by the twotransport robots unloader section 100, instead of the transporting section of theload port 10. Therefore, in the second preferred embodiment, neither of thetransport robot 130 a nor 130 b is required to withdraw when theFOUP 80 is transported from theload port 10 to thesubstrate processing unit 200. This permits efficient transportation of theFOUP 80. - The transportation of the
FOUP 80 between the transport robot 130 (130 a, 130 b) and each storage shelf of theshelf array 140 is executed as follows. That is, when theFOUP 80 is transferred from thetransport robot 130 to the storage shelf, first, thetip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 is shifted such that the height position (the position in the Z-axis direction) of the bottom 88 of theFOUP 80 stored at a storage shelf is higher than the height position of atop surface 143 of theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c) (seeFIG. 7 ). Subsequently, thetip portion 139 is allowed to descend such that the projectingportions 142 of a pair of theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c) are fit in thehole portions 85 of theFOUP 80. - By allowing the
tip portion 139 to further descend, theFOUP 80 is mounted on thetop surface 143 of the pair of theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c), and the projectingportion 139 a of thetip portion 139 is separated from ahole portion 87, thus completing the transfer of theFOUP 80 from thetransport robot 130 to the storage shelf. - On the other hand, when the
FOUP 80 is transferred from a storage shelf to thetransport robot 130, first, thetip portion 139 of thetransport robot 130 is shifted to under theFOUP 80 that is mounted on a storage shelf. Subsequently, thetip portion 139 is allowed to ascend such that the projectingportion 139 a of thetip portion 139 is fit in thehole portion 87 of theFOUP 80. - By allowing the
tip portion 139 to further ascend, theFOUP 80 is held by thetip portion 139, and the projectingportion 142 is separated from thehole portion 85, thus completing the transfer of theFOUP 80 from the storage shelf to thetransport robot 130. - Thus, in process of transporting the
FOUP 80 between thetransport robot 130 and the storage shelf, theFOUP 80 is shifted above theshelf member 141 a (141 b, 141 c). Therefore, the encasingspace 141 is set so as to have a greater height than theFOUP 80. - The
second mounting section 160 is used to transfer a substrate encased in theFOUP 80 to thesubstrate processing unit 200, and disposed on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side when viewed from theshelf array 140. - Like the
shelf member 141 a, theshelf member 141 b is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a plurality of (three in accordance with the second preferred embodiment) projecting portions on the plane on theFOUP 80 side. It is disposed such that the longitudinal direction of theshelf member 141 b is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 . - Additionally, a
shutter 161 that can ascend and descend in the directions indicated by a double-headed arrow AR4 (approximately the Z-axis direction, seeFIG. 9 ) is disposed on a side wall on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side in the vicinity of thesecond mounting section 160. Upon opening theshutter 161, there is formed an opening portion that provides communication between the internal space of the loader andunloader section 500 and the internal space of thesubstrate processing unit 200. - Hence, when the
FOUP 80 is mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 b, the second opening andclosing mechanism 180 of thesubstrate processing unit 200 removes thelid 83 of theFOUP 80, while the transportingmechanism 190 of thesubstrate processing unit 200 takes out an untreated substrate from theFOUP 80, and transports the untreated substrate into thesubstrate processing unit 200 via the opening portion formed upon opening theshutter 161. - On the other hand, after the
substrate processing unit 200 performs processing such as rinsing and drying with respect to a substrate, theshutter 161 is opened, and the transportingmechanism 190 transports the treated substrate via the opening portion into theFOUP 80, while the second opening andclosing mechanism 180 closes thelid 83 of theFOUP 80. - A
lifter 170 of thesecond mounting section 160 is a lifting section that causes theFOUP 80 mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 b to ascend and descend between a mounting position (the full-line position inFIG. 8 ) and a withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 8 ). As shown inFIG. 8 , thelifter 170 is disposed above a pair of theshelf members 141 b, and has alifter arm 171. - The
lifter arm 171 grips a flange 82 (a grip portion) formed on the top of theFOUP 80, and releases its grip state. Thelifter arm 171 can also ascend and descend along the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction) by a driving mechanism (not shown). - This enables the
second mounting section 160 to raise theempty FOUP 80, from which the substrate is already supplied to thesubstrate processing unit 200, to the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 8 ). - The
transport robot 130 b is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of theFOUP 80 encasing an untreated substrate to the mounting position of thesecond mounting section 160, and the receipt of theempty FOUP 80 raised to the withdrawal position, from thesecond mounting section 160. Specifically, only one reciprocating motion of thetransport robot 130 b between theshelf array 140 and thesecond mounting section 160 permits the interchange between theFOUP 80 encasing a substrate and theempty FOUP 80. This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader andunloader section 500. - The
third mounting section 150 is used to execute mapping processing such as confirmation of the number of substrates encased in theFOUP 80 loaded from theload port 10, and is disposed on theload port 10 side when viewed from theshelf array 140. That is, thethird mounting section 150 is disposed on the opposite side of thesecond mounting section 160 with theshelf array 140 interposed therebetween. - The
third mounting section 150 is equipped with a first opening andclosing mechanism 185 to open and close thelid 83 of theFOUP 80. The first opening andclosing mechanism 185 has the same hardware configuration as the second opening andclosing mechanism 180, as shown inFIG. 10 . Therefore, the internal space of thecasing 81 of theFOUP 80 mounted on thesecond mounting section 160 is opened or closed by allowing thelatch part 181 of the first opening andclosing mechanism 185 to shift in the directions indicated by the arrow AR2 or the directions indicated by the arrow AR3, while allowing it to fit in thelid 83. - Like the
shelf members shelf member 141 c is a member that is in the general shape of an “L”, and has a projecting portion. It is attached such that its longitudinal direction is approximately parallel to the X-axis direction (seeFIGS. 7 and 8 ). Thethird mounting section 150 further has acounting mechanism 187 to count the number of substrates encased in the interior of theFOUP 80, as shown inFIG. 7 . - Therefore, when the
FOUP 80 is mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 c, the opening andclosing mechanism 185 removes thelid 83 of theFOUP 80, while thecounting mechanism 187 counts the number of substrates encased in the interior of theFOUP 80. Thus, thethird mounting section 150 is used as a judging section to judge the situation with regard to the substrates encased in theFOUP 80. - The
lifter 170 of thethird mounting section 150 is, as shown inFIG. 8 , a lifting section disposed above a pair of theshelf members 141 c, and has the same hardware configuration as thelifter 170 of thesecond mounting section 160. That is, thelifter 170 of thethird mounting section 160 causes theFOUP 80 mounted on a pair of theshelf members 141 c to ascend and descend between the mounting position (the full-line position inFIG. 8 ) and the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 8 ). - With this construction, the
third mounting section 150 can raise theFOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing to the withdrawal position (the dash-single-dot-line position inFIG. 8 ), while causing thelifter arm 171 to grip theflange 82. - The
transport robot 130 a is therefore able to continuously execute the transfer of theFOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing to the mounting position of thethird mounting section 150, and the receipt of theFOUP 80, after being subjected to mapping processing and raised to the withdrawal position, from thesecond mounting section 150. Specifically, only one reciprocating motion of thetransport robot 130 a between theshelf array 140 and thethird mounting section 160 permits the interchange between theFOUP 80 after completion of mapping processing and theFOUP 80 not subjected to mapping processing. This can further improve the throughput in the processing executed in the loader andunloader section 500. - In a conventional loader and unloader section having only one opener section, mapping processing is usually executed in the
second mounting section 160 disposed on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side. That is, the transfer of a substrate to thesubstrate processing unit 200, and mapping processing are executed in thesecond mounting section 160. - Hence, if there is only one opener section, by the time the substrate encased in the
FOUP 80 is loaded in thesubstrate processing unit 200, it needs to be transported between thesecond mounting section 160 and theshelf array 140 in some cases. This may cause a waste of the process of transportation. - Furthermore, during the mapping processing, a transporting
mechanism 190 on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side cannot load a substrate from thesecond mounting section 160 to thesubstrate processing unit 200. This leads to such a disadvantage that the processing in thesecond mounting section 160 is a rate-determining factor of the throughput in the processing executed in the loader andunloader section 500. - On the contrary, in the loader and
unloader section 500 of the second preferred embodiment, the second and third mountingsections substrate processing unit 200, and mapping processing. Unlike the conventional loader and unloader section, the loader andunloader section 500 eliminates the need to reciprocate theFOUP 80 between theshelf array 140 and thesecond mounting section 160 by the time a substrate is loaded in thesubstrate processing unit 200. This permits a reduction in the time of waiting for another processing in thesecond mounting section 160, thereby further improving the throughput in the transportation executed in the loader andunloader section 500. - As shown in
FIG. 7 , the transport robot (the third transporting section) 530 is disposed at a region that is present along the X-axis direction of theshelf array 140 and sandwiched between the second and third mountingsections 160 and 150 (i.e., the second row). Thetransport robot 530 is also disposed such that its height position (the Z-axis direction position) is approximately the same as the mounting position of theFOUP 80 in the second and third mountingsections 160 and 150 (the full-line position inFIG. 8 ). - The
transport robot 530 has alifter 536, to which anarm 538 b is attached via arotary shaft 534 a disposed in approximately parallel to the Z-axis. Anarm 538 a is attached via arotary shaft 534 c to thearm 538 b. Atip portion 539 for transporting substrates one by one is provided via arotary shaft 534 b. - After the first opening and
closing mechanism 185 of the third mounting section opens thelid 83 of theFOUP 80 mounted on thethird mounting section 150, a non-contact type detecting section (not shown) detects the orientation flat and the notch position of the substrate in theFOUP 80. Subsequently, thetip portion 539 of thetransport robot 530 takes out the substrates one by one from theFOUP 80, and then transports them to thealignment section 510. After thealignment section 510 completes the alignment processing of the substrates, thetip portion 539 of thetransport robot 530 takes out the substrates one by one from thealignment section 510, and transports them to theFOUP 80. - The
alignment section 510 is an adjusting section of a so-called single wafer processing that performs alignment processing per substrate. As shown inFIG. 7 , thealignment section 510 is placed within theshelf array 140 and adjacent to thetransport robot 530, and disposed such that its height position is approximately the same as that of thetransport robot 530. Here, thealignment section 510 adjusts the rotary position of a substrate based on an orientation flat and a notch position. At this time, the substrate is rotated based on the detection result obtained by the non-contact type detecting section, and the position of the substrate is adjusted such that the crystal orientation of the substrate becomes a predetermined direction, thereby completing the alignment processing. - Thus, the alignment processing executed by the loader and
unloader section 500 is executed for the substrate that is taken out from theFOUP 80 mounted on thethird mounting section 150, and then loaded in thealignment section 510. That is, in executing the alignment processing, noFOUP 80 is mounted on thesecond mounting section 160. - This enables the loader and
unloader section 500 to concurrently execute the transfer of a substrate from thesecond mounting section 160 to thesubstrate processing unit 200, the transfer of substrates one by one between thethird mounting section 150 and thealignment section 510, and the alignment processing executed in thealignment section 510. Therefore, the alignment processing can be executed in the loader andunloader section 500, while minimizing the throughput drop of the processing executed in the loader andunloader section 500. - Moreover, in the
alignment section 510, the non-contact type detecting section can detect the orientation flat and the notch position of a substrate, so that the occurrence of particles can be suppressed than a batch type adjusting section. Hence, thealignment section 510 can execute alignment processing while suppressing defects in substrate processing. - <2.3. Advantages of Substrate Processing Apparatus of Second Preferred Embodiment>
- As above described, in the loader and
unloader section 500 of thesubstrate processing apparatus 400 of the second preferred embodiment, the transport robot (the first transport section) 130 a is disposed on the load port (the first mounting section) 10 side, and the transport robot (the second transporting section) 130 b is disposed on thesubstrate processing unit 200 side, with theshelf array 140 interposed between the two. This enables thetransport robots FOUP 80 without mutual spatial interference, except where they access to the same storage shelf. - It is therefore possible to further improve the throughput in the transportation executed in the loader and
unloader section 500, and the throughput in thesubstrate processing apparatus 400 as well. Additionally, the operations of thetransport robots transports robots - The loader and
unloader section 500 has the two mounting sections (the second and third mountingsections 160 and 150). The mapping processing in thethird mounting section 150, and the transfer of a substrate to thesubstrate processing unit 200 in thesecond mounting section 160 are executed concurrently. Specifically, like the conventional loader and unloader section, thesecond mounting section 160 is not required to execute mapping processing, and it may execute only the transfer of a substrate. It is therefore possible to reduce the time of waiting for another processing in thesecond mounting section 160, as in the case with the conventional apparatus. This can further improve the throughput in the transportation in the loader andunloader section 500, and in the throughput in thesubstrate processing apparatus 400 as well. - Additionally, in the loader and
unloader section 500, the transfer of a substrate to thesubstrate processing unit 200, and alignment processing can be executed concurrently. Therefore, the alignment processing can be executed while minimizing the throughput drop in the loader andunloader section 500 as a whole. - Furthermore, since the
alignment section 510 can detect the orientation flat and the notch position of a substrate by the non-contact type detecting section, the alignment processing can be executed while suppressing defects in substrate processing. - While the invention has been shown and described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It is therefore understood that numerous modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims (12)
1. A substrate processing apparatus that performs processing of a substrate, comprising:
a substrate processing unit to perform processing of a substrate;
a cassette storing and transporting unit that stores and transports a cassette to encase a substrate, and that is disposed side by side with respect to said substrate processing unit; and
a first mounting section that mounts said cassette and is disposed side by side with respect to said cassette storing and transporting unit,
said cassette storing and transporting unit having:
a plurality of shelves to hold a cassette;
a second mounting section that mounts a cassette and is disposed between said substrate processing unit and said plurality of shelves;
a first transporting section to transport a cassette between said first mounting section and said plurality of shelves; and
a second transporting section to transport a cassette between said plurality of shelves and said second mounting section.
2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said first transporting section is disposed between said first mounting section and said plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette from a direction of one side of said plurality of shelves to said plurality of shelves.
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
said second transporting section is disposed between said substrate processing unit and said plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette from a direction of the other side of said plurality of shelves to said plurality of shelves.
4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
said first transporting section and said second transporting section have a holding element to hold a cassette from the underside of said cassette; and
said plurality of shelves have a passage section to allow said holding element to pass through in the vertical direction.
5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
said cassette storing and transporting unit mounts a cassette and further has a judging section to judge the situation with regard to a substrate encased in a cassette.
6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
said first transporting section transports a cassette between said judging section and said first mounting section.
7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
said cassette storing and transporting unit further having:
an alignment section to adjust the position of a substrate; and
a third transporting section that takes out substrates one by one from a cassette mounted on said judging section and transports them to said alignment section, and that transports substrates one by one, the position of which is adjusted in said alignment section, to a cassette mounted on said judging section.
8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said plurality of shelves are arranged in two dimensions along the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.
9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said cassette storing and transporting unit further comprises a lifting mechanism that causes a cassette mounted on said second mounting section to ascend and descend while holding said cassette.
10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
said judging section has:
an opening and closing mechanism to open and close a lid of a cassette existing in said judging section; and
a counting mechanism to count the number of substrates encased in a cassette that is opened and closed by said opening and closing mechanism.
11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an opening and closing mechanism to open and close a lid of a cassette mounted on said second mounting section.
12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
said substrate processing unit has a transporting mechanism to load and unload a substrate with respect to a cassette mounted on said second mounting section.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2005021361 | 2005-01-28 | ||
JPJP2005-021361 | 2005-01-28 | ||
JPJP2005-332651 | 2005-11-17 | ||
JP2005332651A JP2006237559A (en) | 2005-01-28 | 2005-11-17 | Substrate processing equipment |
Publications (1)
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US20060182560A1 true US20060182560A1 (en) | 2006-08-17 |
Family
ID=36815800
Family Applications (1)
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US11/341,926 Abandoned US20060182560A1 (en) | 2005-01-28 | 2006-01-27 | Substrate processing apparatus |
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JP (1) | JP2006237559A (en) |
Cited By (7)
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US20080069670A1 (en) * | 2006-08-24 | 2008-03-20 | Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Substrate container opener and opener-side door drive mechanism thereof |
US20080112780A1 (en) * | 2006-11-10 | 2008-05-15 | Katsuji Matano | Vacuum processing apparatus |
US20090053020A1 (en) * | 2007-08-21 | 2009-02-26 | Eiji Okuno | Substrate processing apparatus |
CN102446792A (en) * | 2010-10-13 | 2012-05-09 | 东京毅力科创株式会社 | Substrate processing system and substrate transferring method |
TWI453810B (en) * | 2011-03-18 | 2014-09-21 | Dainippon Screen Mfg | Substrate treating apparatus |
TWI612607B (en) * | 2015-09-30 | 2018-01-21 | SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. | Substrate processing system |
US10354903B2 (en) * | 2014-09-05 | 2019-07-16 | Rorze Corporation | Load port and load port atmosphere replacing method |
Families Citing this family (4)
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JP5344366B2 (en) * | 2008-09-05 | 2013-11-20 | 村田機械株式会社 | Transport system |
JP5421043B2 (en) * | 2009-09-29 | 2014-02-19 | 大日本スクリーン製造株式会社 | Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing system provided with the same |
WO2011139124A2 (en) * | 2010-05-07 | 2011-11-10 | 나노세미콘(주) | Integrated semiconductor-processing apparatus |
KR101152271B1 (en) * | 2010-05-07 | 2012-06-08 | 유정호 | One united type semiconductor processing device |
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TWI453810B (en) * | 2011-03-18 | 2014-09-21 | Dainippon Screen Mfg | Substrate treating apparatus |
US9570333B2 (en) | 2011-03-18 | 2017-02-14 | SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. | Substrate treating apparatus |
US10354903B2 (en) * | 2014-09-05 | 2019-07-16 | Rorze Corporation | Load port and load port atmosphere replacing method |
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG.CO., LTD, JAPAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MITSUYOSHI, ICHIRO;REEL/FRAME:017521/0849 Effective date: 20060118 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |